Jubilee

The Word of the Moment is:

Jubilee - noun - a specially celebrated anniversary, especially the 50th; an occasion of rejoicing

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee was a momentous occasion the whole nation celebrated.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

     I am on a kick right now where I am reading all of the children’s classics I never got through when I was technically a child.  I do believe you can keep the mindset of a child for as long as you live.  Life is so much more enjoyable that way.

     The previous two books I read were quick reads.  I just finished “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” by Lewis Carroll, and I would not exactly say it was easy.  Most everyone knows the story of Alice who follows a white rabbit wearing a waistcoat down his hole (the rabbit is wearing the waistcoat; not Alice).  But I think you can never fully appreciate a story until you read it in its original form.  (Eventually I will read “A Christmas Carol.”)

     This is the first of two stories (the sequel, “Through the Looking-Glass” I will write on when I finish it).  Alice, a young girl, begins by sitting near her sister on the bank, without much to do.  Then a white rabbit in a waistcoat runs by looking at his pocket watch, and proclaiming that he is late.  With nothing else to do, Alice follows him down his hole, with not a thought on how to get back out.

     From then on, the story reads very much like a dream.  Alice comes across curious creatures and predicaments, and does not even question when bottles of drink make her shrink or cakes make her grow.  She then meets a philosophic caterpillar who smokes, a hatter perpetually stuck in teatime, and a Cheshire cat that not only smiles, but can disappear.  Alice has trouble conversing with anyone because what shouldn’t make sense apparently does, and what should make sense no longer does.  Everyone seems to be on the same page aside from Alice, who has difficulties making heads or tails of why a pack of cards are the queen’s guards, or why the queen wants everyone beheaded.

     It is an interesting read, but not quite logical.  It is one that you should read more than once and do research into in order to get the most meaning from it.

10 Things Irritating Me Today

When you find something EXTREMELY funny, but no one else does.  So much so that you are laughing uncontrollably and not one understands why.  All the worse when it was something that you said.

When someone is talking on the phone in an enclosed public area, and just WON’T get off!  They just keep going and going like the Energizer Bunny.  You can’t help but hear what they are saying, and it’s usually just plain uncomfortable.

When you have chosen a seat on a mode of public transportation, only to discover that the person next to or behind you is clearly contagiously ill.  You don’t want to be rude and move, but you are not ready to die just yet (as you never know what they have without performing a full medical exam, and chances are you are complete strangers as well as in public, so that might not be the best option).  What do you do now?

When there is a screaming child on the plane with you.  Shrill noises are all the worse at 30,000 feet in a pressurized cabin in the middle of the night.

When you want to do something but don’t have the time, and then when you have the time, you don’t want to do it anymore.

Waiting in line.  Amusement parks it’s bad because you are in line longer than on the ride.  This gives you time to be anxious for the excitement of the ride, or to regret your decision for allowing your friends to peer pressure you into a contraption that has killed three guests in the past month.  And in the grocery store, it is just annoying that your over-priced ice cream will be soup by the time you get through.

That there are so many television stations, and rarely anything on.  You hear more positive things about the shows from the time when there were three channels, than you do about the ones on nowadays.  Either the shows truly were “all that,” or anyone who is old enough to remember them is just embellishing vague memories.

Gas prices.  There is no reason why the cost to fill up your tank is the same as just buying a new car every time you hit empty.

How some actors on TV or in movies are plain awful, and yet still are getting jobs.  If a monotone pale twig can play a vampire’s girlfriend, why the heck aren’t I in films already?

When the commercial break is so long that you forget what show you are watching.

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!!!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

     I just finished reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (no comments on my age).  I had never read it before, but often find myself in an argument on which movie did the book justice.  I figured it was time I support myself with having read the book.

     If you do not know the story, it is about a young boy named Charlie Bucket, whose family is slowly starving to death.  They live right down the street from the most amazing chocolate factory in the world, owned and operated by Willy Wonka. 

     Wonka’s factory has never been seen by anyone, but produces the most amazing candies ever imagined.  One day, he announces he has hidden five golden tickets underneath the wrapping paper of five ordinary chocolate bars.  The lucky finders of these tickets will receive a special tour of his factory, and all the candy they could ever eat.

     Charlie receives only one bar a year, but manages to find a ticket since the story is centered on him.  When he goes to the factory, the other four children are rotten to the core, and slowly meet their end inside the factory.  When Charlie is the only one left, he receives the biggest surprise he could ever imagine.

     I really enjoyed this book.  I like to read books for children and young adults from time to time, as they are enjoyable and a quick read (as maybe you can tell since I've finished two in a short amount of time).  This book had similarities to both movies, but I can say with full confidence that Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) is the truest to the story.

     It is a wonderful read, with interesting lessons to be discovered.  If you have not read anything by Dahl yet, I would recommend this as a starting place.  Happy reading!

The London Eye Mystery

      I just finished reading “The London Eye Mystery” by Siobhan Dowd.  It is a young adult novel, which is sometimes quite relaxing to read.  I feel more accomplished when I am able to read 50 pages in the same amount of time as I usually cover 15.

     The story is told through Ted, a young boy with Asperger’s Syndrome.  His Aunt Gloria and cousin Salim come down from Manchester to visit Ted’s family in London, before they move to New York City.  On their stay, Salim wants to ride the London Eye, but when they get there the queue is much too long.  A stranger offers Salim his ticket, as he has changed his mind about going on the large Ferris wheel.  Salim gladly takes it, and Ted and his sister Kat watch as Salim boards the pod.  Ted and Kat track the pod Salim is in as it slowly makes its way back down.  Thirty minutes pass by, and when the pod Salim entered opens, he is nowhere to be found.  Ted and Kat have to figure out what happened to their cousin, as the police and their family are little help.  How can someone disappear out of a sealed pod?

     I chose the book because I very much miss London.  I then genuinely liked reading it.  It is always interesting to see the world through someone else’s point of view, especially when that person’s mind works drastically differently from yours.  As Ted struggles to read people’s body language, he picks up on clues that even the trained detectives are missing.  It is something to read.

     I particularly enjoyed how much of the British culture was incorporated into this book.  The author goes into detail of the tube system (London’s underground), as well as use words such as “quid” and describe locations within the City of London.  It brought me back, and I hope it will take you somewhere enjoyable.

September 11th

Eleven years ago today, America endured one of the worst acts of terrorism that could ever be imagined.

I would just like to take a moment to remember all who were affected by these events, and all still living with repercussions of that dreadful day in 2001.

May nothing like this happen ever again, anywhere.

Screenless Results

     Way back I talked about going a whole day without looking at any electronic screens.  No cell phones, TV, computer, digital clocks, etc.  Have you tried it yet?  You really should.  Just 24 consecutive hours.  No big deal.

     I did try it, as I said I would.  It was not torture, but it was difficult.  I actually did it for 48 hours.  You do not realize how many screens are in our lives, until you can no longer look at them (not necessarily something you would have to worry about, but this gets you to appreciate the technology and time away from said technology in our every day lives).

     The most difficult thing I had trouble with, is not using the clocks I am used to.  I had no alarm clock, so was woken by the sun.  How it used to be in the old days.  You get up with the sun, and go to bed when you're tired and can no longer work in the dark.  Why do we try to stay awake as many hours as possible during the day?

     You need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep a day for your body to function properly and remain as healthy as possible.  So why then are we working 10-14 hours a day, getting up so early, and going to bed so late?  There is so much to appreciate in life, and being mesmerized by an electronic device or pushed beyond our physical limitations takes away from everything.

     Ironic that you just may need to power down to be powered up.

Comic Corner - Pickles

Unexpected Trip

     In London I met a lot of great people I am not sure if or when I will ever see again, let alone the circumstances that may or may not have our paths ever cross again.  It is bittersweet; I had the opportunity of sharing in their company and learning from them while I could, and now have the internet to stay in touch with them.  It’s not the same as going to the pub or to the cinema with them, but it will have to do for now.

     One friend I made over there decided she was going to go to Los Angeles the month after returning, and invited me to come along.

     This was a wonderful experience.  I was able to spend more time with her, and made it to California, which was yet another thing on my Bucket List.

     For a week I stayed on Hollywood Boulevard, where I was able to walk the street and see the stars in the sidewalk of hundreds of icons, past and present.  The famous Grauman’s Chinese Theatre was down the road from me, as was the home of the Academy Awards (the once Kodak Theatre, now the Dolby Theatre).  I had the chance to put my hands and feet in the cement where the likes of John Wayne, Judy Garland, and George Clooney.

     During my stay we also went to Universal Studios, put our feet in the Pacific Ocean, went on the Warner Brothers' Studio Tour (where I got to walk on the set of the Ellen DeGeneres Show!), and spent a day in Disneyland. 

Universal Studios

At Universal Studios, there was a section that was dressed like Westminster.  I felt as if I had stepped into old London, and it was wonderful!

Disneyland. Magical.

The Warner Brothers's famous water tower.

Palm trees were everywhere!

The Pacific Ocean at sunset. Beautiful!

Yes, I took a picture of my food. I really liked that there were so many burger places on the West Coast. Many were simple and easy to come by.  Some were inexpensive, which made me very happy.

     I just want to point out: eight weeks in London and I met quite a few celebrities.  One week in Hollywood, and nothing.

     I had such a good time. Hollywood did not have the same safe and homey feeling that London gave me, but it was a nice place to visit (and maybe work one day!).