The Pirate Movie

I'm starting a new segment on my blog. Every now and again I'm going to spotlight a cultural gem. This week's is a movie called "The Pirate Movie"... I kid you not.

The rich fantasy world of a shy and awkward young girl, Mabel (Kristy McNichol), comes to vivid life after she meets the handsome Frederic (Christopher Atkins). In her fantasy, Frederic must save Mabel from a band of pirates. This delightfully campy '80s update of the timeless classic "The Pirates of Penzance" by Gilbert & Sullivan is packed with all-new songs and over-the-top fun.

Lets break this down. Mabel. That was her first mistake. My number one goal as a parent is to not name any of my children Mabel. Especially the boys. See, I like to make at least one of my goals very, very attainable. That way I feel like a winner. I succeed. Also, by succeeding at this goal I can decrease the probability of having a a daughter who is both shy and awkward.

Next, over-the-top fun. Who wants their fun to be over the top? Who says, "Hey man! That was over the top!" And really means this in a positive? Usually it's more like, "hey man, that was over the top... tone it down." And then you have to be all, "oh, I didn't realize. I'll keep it down." Over-the-top...

Now, usually I only recommend books I've read or movies I've seen. But I felt in this case I would make an exception. After all, Netflix puts it in the category of "Goofy Action & Adventure" along with such classics* as The mask, Around the world in 80 days, Surf Ninjas, and Last Action Hero. Which sounded like basically the best commendation to me. (If you liked this category, please be sure to explore other made up compound genres such as Critically-acclaimed Suspenseful Sci-fi & Fantasy, Witty Wedding Comedies, and ... Dramas starring Robert Redford).

*Please be sure when reading the word "classic" you hear "item of nostalgia, that while completely outdated, you love for the simple reason that it reminds you of your childhood/first relationship/first car etc"

Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Week

Well, I can't say that it was all bad. I mean, I did lots of sleeping, lots of giggling, watched more movies than I'm going to count, and didn't do a stitch of homework the entire week. Also I drank two gallons of orange juice over 3 days. Thats a lot of OJ. Between getting home form work tuesday night, I didn't leave the apartment again until friday afternoon to go briefly to the testing center. Wednesday I didn't really even leave my bedroom.

It's called the flu, see. It starts the first morning with a sore throat and terrible aching joints. By the end of the first day you're delirious with fever and your muscles feel like jello. Day two is the eye of the storm. The worst of the fever is gone, but now there's that residual that goes between chills and being way too hot. And the smokers cough. I can do a smoker's cough like nobody's business. You feel somehow that getting up to answer the door is too much energy. Really the only coherent thoughts are for orange juice and sleep. In the mean time, netflix is on in the background. Mostly because it takes you forever to fall asleep, and you go crazy sitting still with nothing to occupy your brain. Unfortunately, the flu gives you ADD. You can't even handle watching short animated movies for children. The plots moves too slowly, you're bored with a scene before it even starts. You watch the first 7 minutes of lots of things. And lots of things all the way through with your eyes closed. Closed eyes help the brain to focus in these trying times.

Thursday night you may be lucky enough to get a text message letting you know that someone from your group from two years ago is dead. And you're sad, not so much for your loss, you move on, you always do, but you're sad for his loss. So many things that won't happen for him. But he sure knew how to live. Life was something that never just passed by for him. He wasn't just waiting until the 'next thing'; every moment was an experience. And you didn't shed a tear. You wanted to. Tried even. But it just wouldn't come, and for the master crier, thats sort of a bit odd. But crying wasn't right for him.

It's just another moment. Experience it.

Always another Rainbow

So, lately I seem to have lost my zeal for blogging. Not that I haven't had things going on in my life, in fact, the problem is more of the opposite, too many things are happening. I can't keep up.

Last week as I left my class I came out to a perfectly crisp, half circle, seven color rainbow... that ended right above jamba juice. Quality advertising? I think so.

Rainbows never cease to remind me that life is wonderful and I should be happy to be in it.

(ummm. How is this not the radest thing you've ever seen?)

A confrontation is coming. I've been avoiding it rather successfully for the last almost 3 years but next week, two days before Halloween, it will come to a head. We will all see each other again. Maybe it will be good. Maybe I can get the closure I've always wanted. Maybe also it will go horribly horribly wrong.

But you know what? Storms happen sometimes. And I always love it when they do. Something about impending destruction is exciting and enthralling. And sometimes after storms, there are rainbows. So, basically what we learned is that I'm going to stress myself to no end leading up to the event, be worried sick through the whole thing, and afterwards I'll probably feel relieved. Good day for everyone. Because you know what? All this will permanently convince me that he really is a jerk and I don't need to worry about it anymore. Because he is. And I don't. So... good day for everyone.

Also I need a costume. Hallowe'en is hard.

Viva Las Vegas

...and other such nonsense.

(The plaque outside one of the resorts, a restaurant)

I got back last night from my first time in sin city. Wow. What an experience. I've never been anywhere that palm trees can grow naturally, let alone thrive. And everyone was super... friendly(please read drunk). I did a few cool things while I was there, but most of it I spent inside the hotel at an interior plants conference. I'm pretty sure my favorite part is when the chatty people in the elevators would comment on what a good BYU girl was doing in this place. I got to tell everyone I was here for a plant conference and I got some pretty good looks and laughs.

For the most part I spent my time at the conference: helping people find their way, passing out surveys and taking tallies, helping exhibitors set up (and take down) their displays, and networking with the participants.

(so, I guess I practically went to Europe, just for a lot cheaper, and kind of fake looking)

One night after the conference activities of the day we went walking up and down the strip and taking pictures. We spent a lot of time in the Bellagio looking at the interior gardens. We also watched the fountains through a few performances.

Thursday morning we got a private tour of the Wynn and Encore. They're pretty cool, not gonna lie. The tour guide knew we were hort students so we looked at all the plants and the backstaging areas for the plants. Which was cool, but I would have like to spend more time on the interior decorating, which was absolutely fantastic! (In the sense that it was grandiose and unbelievable, rather than perfectly suited to my taste) It was really interesting for about the first hour. It was the next hour and a half of pointing out the same features repeatedly at 6 in the morning that became a little bit tedious. But I still took about a bajillion and a half pictures. I seem to do that: I either take none, or six hundred. I also have a tendency to have no people in my pictures. Whoops.

(the whole atrium was filled with these chandelier things that slowly twisted up and down)

Our last night we went to Blue Man Group. Originally I had wanted to go to either Phantom or the Lion King and was a bit disappointed about our tickets--but oh my goodness I was glad we went. I had no idea it was going to be so funny! And then afterwards we got to take pictures with them, which was also kind of fun.

I was worried, to put it mildly, because the trip was more expensive than I probably would have said it was worth. I also didn't think I would be quite social enough to make the networking opportunity worth the money. I now have a list of about six companies that are waiting for my resume and another that wants to put me in touch with an interior architect. Plus I got five more plants. All in all I think I came off for the better.