Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Running is Boring


I have long been fasinated by running. I own serveral books on how to learn to run. I buy Runner's World everytime I see it on the magazine rack. I look up tons of how tos and gogle at the amount of races there are. I've read the articles on people who run a marathon on every continent and 85 year olds that are still running every day. I have read about a woman who reached out and helped thousands of women in the congo through running. I have also read about a woman who started a running program for the homeless to help them achieve goals. I envey them. I envey every runner who has the determination to achieve these goals.

I also love the all the races I have seen. The four marathons that I truly want to do is The Disney world marathon, Applefeast halfmarathon, the original marathon route in greece, and the marathon on the great wall of china. With the Disney marathon comes the goofy challange. The Goofy challange is the ultimate challange to my mind. In one weekend you run the marathon and half-marathon. Then you get a speacil medal to commemorate the weekend.

I have tried the Disney Half-marathon a few years past. I didn't train very well and didn't really know what I was doing. Needless to say I did not finish. Which wasn't that painful because I had a great weekend with my two best friends and our moms. It was one of most fun weekends I have ever had and wouldn't mind to do it again.

Now why am I going on about a diatribe about how my obbsesion with running has not amounted to much. In this past year I have gone through some significant changes. I'm now getting a divorce and trying to make my life the way I truly want it. Now I have dreamed of entering the wonderful world running for a long time. So I am making myself acountable to the rest of the world.

I am now telling the world that next october I will run the Applefest marathon in hollis nh. I welcome any advice and tips that you have. I also welcome encouragement and anyone who wants join me in this adventure/challange. I will write about my running amid all the other fun tibits on my blog. So wish me luck! Here I go.....

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Back from Vacation


Ok so I've been MIA for several months, I guess about a week before the monster mania. So I've decided to use this as a sort of diary/ crafty/ roller derby area. Where everything and anything I think about will probably be written about. Which will be nice change.
So I will start with monster mania. I went with my friend Andrew, we had an awesome time. We spent two days and nights meeting awesome people and gorging ourselves on room service. We got to meet Dario Argento, who loved our poster. It was from Turkey and he told us how they didn't think it would be scary enough with just a skull so they added the snake. We also went to the Nightmare2 Q and A, which was amazing. Mark Patton is a really nice man and has been out of show business since doing Nightmare2. He has been living in Mexico with his partner, running an art gallery. Which sounds really nice to me. Maybe I should do that. So we had tons of fun and can't wait to go to the next one.
Ok so we didn't do too much over the next few months except worry about bills and deal with the divorces we're both going through. Needless to say we wanted to have a little fun. So last weekend we went to the Shawn Luu Horror Festival in Syracuse, NY. Which had 10 movies all on 35mm film prints. All the money goes to the good cause of a childrens hospital. It had Temple of Doom, The Gate, Street Trash, Deathrace 2000, Evil Dead, Halloween 3, and many more. They had amazing art for silent auction and amazing stuff for the raffle. They had a DVD and VHS of Street Trash signed by the director, who is now a born again Christian and now wants nothing to do with the movie. So they are super rare. Our friend actualy won the VHS, which is awesome.The producer was there and provided a streaming commentary during the movie. The coolest thing is that it was recorded and maybe put on the Blu Ray of Street Trash. I had really only seen two movies before. Temple of Doom and Halloween 3. I love Temple of Doom for its sheer fuck this attitude and trying something new. I definetly think its the most fun of a 4 movies. I do enjoy Halloween 3 and maybe I will blog about both of these movies at length latter. All the prints were pretty good. With the awful exception of The Torture Chamber. If you were there you know why and if you weren't its kind of like an out of body expierence that you can't really explain...
So I have been focusing on my crafting and have made several crocheted things. I made a watermelon scarf and another scarf. I also made a watermelon head band. Hopefully I won't spend so much time away. I am having a party soon so look out for the pictures.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Coming Attractions

Inside look at Monster Con 2010, with Dario Argento and Gary Busey.
Learn about the pros and cons. How to manage a tight budget and just have fun!



Ridiculous Knitwear #3- no clues, you will just have to come and check it out!


A look at the life and times of DIVINE.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Ridiculous Knitwear #2


This pattern combines both whimsy and geekiness. Many things I love are turned into one wearable baby sweater. The 1st thing that I love is of course MST3K. I always watch it before going to bed. Its better than a lullaby for me. My favorite host is mike of course. I know some people love joel. The best thing about this chart is that you can tell people that its either one. I love knitting of course too. It relaxes me and excites my creative brain.
One of the best things about this chart though is that you can apply it to anything. Baby Blanket, Scarf, adult sweater. I would love to make a hat with this motif.
My brain is already on fire with all the ideas I have for this chart. I will take a stab at this baby sweater too. My boyfriends kids will have to have them in different colors of course. Send links to your ideas and finished works. I would love to see what you do with it.

Check in again soon for another ridiculous knitwear!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Avatar: the ruin of film or a great advancement






You can't deny that AVATOR is am amazing movie. I was a complete skeptic about this movie. Hearing the words 3D puts me in mind of Horror movies who use this as a gimmick to throw a knife or pickax at your head for 90 mins. The 3D use was abused in the 80s and i was thankful that the trend died out in the early 90s. Who can forget the awful trial of putting Freddy Krueger to death in 3D? The idea was good. That Freddy was trying to use John Doe ( he had amnesia) to get to his daughter. It could have been really well done. Just for the record my favorite Nightmare movie is DREAM WARRIOR, so its not like im stuck up about those movies. Instead i got two hours of freddy trying to gouge my eyes out. Since I wasn't able to see this movie in theaters the effects just don't translate onto 2D. The same is the problem with FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 3 (ingenius title, I know). Maybe the 3D would be better on the big screen but I suspect not.



Now I get to my original point.Will AVATAR ruin the film industry? I think it might. I love the movie. Every actor was amazing. They all stepped up their game.Giovanni Ribisi has never been better. The best performance for me was Zoe Saldana (Netiri). Although she was only pictured as a Na'vi, but i really felt her emotions with her.I was amazed at the virtual world as well. The bioluminescent species were incredible. AVATAR was pure eye candy from start to finish.The 3D really did enhance this picture. The subtlety of the 3D made me feel as if I was truly there.




Now my problem is that not the movie itself, it is that I'm worried the CG and 3D are here to stay. I fear that the times of simple makeup and camera tricks are long gone. Where will the independant and grass roots film making go?




Will there be no place for DOG SOLDIERS or MULTIPLE MANIACS? DOG SOLDIERS is one of the best modern werewolf movies. Not because of the plot, which is a little dissapointing. But the make up and no CG is the selling factor to me. I'm never once pulled out of the movie because the werewolf is obviously made on someone's computer. The makeup is the best thing about Freddy Krueger. Will Jason suddenly just be a figment of our imagination. He will certainly be less intimidating. The STAR WARS prequel started this downfall. Yoda did not have to be a CG figure. Nothing was wrong with him as a puppet. Actualy I found the charm of the puppet endearing. Will all beauty just be artificial?


But an imagenery world might be nice. Maybe soon we will be in the movies. We might have a 365 degree view of the whole movie. But where will the quiet charming movies go. How will the poets of film make thier stanzas? James Cameron may be many things but he is not a poet. I fear that all the dreamers and painters of scenes, will have no place in this world. When that day comes, if its not here already, will be a dark day indeed.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Chihuahuas vs. Pitbulls : which are nicer?











You may be tempted to laugh at me when i tell you that I'm more afraid of chihuahuas than pitbulls. But wait to hear my reasoning and maybe you have some expierence with this and understand my meaning.


I am a veterinary nurse at a busy 24/7 veterinary facility. Every time I have to work on a chihuahua my knees start to shake. Ask anyone who works full time at a veterinary hospital and they will prefer pitbulls to chihuahuas every time.


Chihuahuas have a tendency to be very wound up, aggressive little dogs. They can almost turn thier head in 180 degree circle to bite you. Trust me they will try.

I have to muzzle almost every chihuahua i see, because they will take a chunk out of you as soon as they can.


Pitbulls are mostly goofy happy souls. They come in excited to meet new people and make friends. Pitbulls love to give kisses and get belly rubs. If you give them food they will be your friend for life. They live for the simple things and don't think much beyond that.



Now I'm not saying that you should go up to a random pitbull and try to kiss them. They could be the friendliest dogs in the world or they can send you to the hospital because they ripped your face off. But the vast majority would rather give you a kiss and chase a stick, than bite you.Chihuahuas on the other hand would love to take your eyeball out and then be cooed over by thier owner.


Side note by the way, pitbull owners are mostly extermely responsible. They are quick to warn you or reassure you about thier dog. They are quick to muzzle and sedate as needed. Pitbull owners almost always will put your safety above all else.
Chihuahua owners will cuddly and praise the dog as it gets aggressive. It is your fault their dog wants to eat your face. Not that they should have socialized the dog better or anythhing.

Anyway, if there was a vote to save one breed over another, pitbulls would get my vote everytime. Chihuahuas will always freak me out and they will always try to bite. But a pitbull will most likely be your bff.

Ridiculous Knitwear #1



I want to give you my definition on ridiculous, so you can understand why I will post what I post. I don't mean why would you put all this time and effort in to making that ridiculous thing. I mean who has this ridculous genius to create such a wonderful piece. Who could put this beauty into this world with such ridiculous whimsy. The Happy Seamtress can with this awe inspiring mario sweater.

This beautiful sweater is amazing with bright color and awsome detail. My knitting skills are not quite up to par, but you can bet when they are near, I am going to take on this challange with a big smile on my face. Please post or send any of your finished works. I love to see how other knitters interpret the same pattern. Check in again for another pattern from Ridiculous Knitwear.