Total Eclipse of the Heart?

I saw this over at the  Radical Radish blog and it just made me laugh out loud.  It is very well done and very funny – I never realized how truly weird the video to this song was … what the hell were they originally trying to imply with the video to this song anyway?  Take a look – its called a Literal Video….

On kumquats and burning bridges

This post is going to be a little of this, a little of that… and speaking of little – have you ever eaten a kumquat?  I hate to admit that at this stage of the game I had never tried one up until yesterday.  I remember talking about them and having them described to me many, many years ago when I was in college by a fellow student, Amir (I think he was from Yemen).  He plucked one from a tree (or was it a small bush) on campus and told me they were eaten in his country.  Fast forward to yesterday when while strolling through Trader Joe’s, I picked up a little container of kumquats thinking it would be something different to have my little niece and nephew try.  The kumquat looks like a miniature citrus fruit  - adorably cute and enticing. The kidlees were drawn to them right away since they look like toy fruit (the kumquats, not the kids).  They properly examined the fruit, assessing it was a mini-orange.  My nephew asked if he should peel it first and I told him its eaten with the peel.  My niece and nephew took one bite of the fruit, squenched their little faces as the sour taste hit their tongues and spit the fruit out immediately into my hand.  Yes, on first bite they are sour, very sour and almost salty but once you get over that initial burst , the sweet rind mitigates the sour and makes this wonderful blend of tastes in your mouth, so much so that you find yourself reaching for another.  At least I did.   I had quite a few today.  I’m glad I finally picked them up and tried them.  You just never know do you what you like until you try stuff.

Sometimes it takes a long time to figure out what you like and sometimes you need to distance yourself from things that leave a bitter taste.   “Burning bridges” is such an antiquated term.  Here is some interesting information from answers.com:

• Crossing the Rubicon is a metaphor for deliberately proceeding past a point of no return. The phrase originates with Julius Caesar’s invasion of Ancient Rome when, on January 10, 49 BC, he led his army across the Rubicon River in violation of law, hence making conflict inevitable. Therefore the term “the Rubicon” is used as a synonym to the “point of no return”.
• Alea iacta est (“The die is cast”), which is reportedly what Caesar said during the aforementioned crossing of the Rubicon.
• The equivalent expressions
  • Burn one’s bridges. The expression is derived from the idea of burning down a bridge after crossing it during a military campaign, leaving no option but to win, and motivating those who otherwise might want to retreat. This expression can also be used figuratively, as in, “On my last day at my old job, I told my boss what I really think about the company. I guess I burned my bridges.”
  • Burn one’s boats, a variation of burning one’s bridges. The Muslim commander Tariq bin Ziyad, upon setting foot on the Iberian Peninsula in 711, ordered his ships to be burnt, so that his men had no choice but to thrust forward and fight against their enemy.
  • “Break the woks and sink the boats (破釜沉舟)“, an ancient Chinese saying referring to Xiang Yu’s order at the Battle of Julu; by fording a river and destroying all means of re-crossing it, he committed his army to a struggle to the end with the Qin and eventually achieved victory.
• Fait accompli (“accomplished deed”, from the verb “faire”, to do), a term of French origin denoting an irreversible deed.

I’m more of the opinion that if the river should need to be forded again, a bridge can be rebuilt or a different manner of crossing the gorge can be found, it just takes a bit more time.  But for now I can sit on my side eating kumquats.  I am not the only builder of bridges – although sometimes it has felt that way.

Inscrutable enough of a post do you think?  Here is a link to an interesting NPR piece on kumquats with some recipes at the end:  Kumquat

And here is one of my favorite movie bridge scenes:

I may have to start doing a daily Monty Python video posting … let’s see if I can find a Monty Python kumquat reference… tah…

Is it me?

Perhaps my judgment with regard to the new Eels video is clouded by age, high expectations or maybe I’m just way too uncool.  Take a look at the new video first – I can’t embed it – you’ll have to go here if you’re interested Fresh Blood Video

I understand what is being attempted and I like the bit of humor - I get the werewolf references, and the Jack the Ripper undertones (with a smattering of Lucha Libre and the slight “Touch of Evil”  feel) but ultimately my total reaction was - feh.  I like the song but at first viewing the video seemed just amateurish. 

I researched the talent behind the making of the video – and its Jesse Dylan – an accomplished filmmaker (and son of Bob).  

So, I must therefore come to the conclusion that its me, not them.  How can I question the judgment of Dylan and Everett in giving us this ruby-toned jewel of a video?  Its just not my cup of tea – particularly the bikini swim scene (reminiscent of Flyswatter doncha think) – but I am most likely not the demographic they’re aiming at. 

I’m buying Hombre Lobo when it comes out because I think I’ll enjoy the music.  The videos to the songs… well, perhaps we could get more imagery like we got in Tremendous Dynamite in the next  one.

Eels Don’t Tweet

And with this, I have gained even more respect for E and/or the Eels – posted at their website:

4/24/2009- NO TWITTER FOR EELS: 
EELS have abandoned their Twitter account. “The only tweeting I wanna hear is in my backyard. This shit is not for us,” says EELS leader E.

Call me old and not with it – but I don’t get the Twitter thing.  Here’s an Eels video that truly twitters (I apologize – I seem to be in Forry Ackerman pun mode today)

Holiday Road

Since I have been asked by my “Loyal Reader” to lay off the Harry Potter material, here’s a little something I think will interest LR (even if you can’t hear the audio – the visuals are worthwhile)

I am not…

…obsessed.  It just so happens that the new trailer came out on the same day I happened to have a posted a Potter related blog post.  Oh, here just watch the newest trailer:

If you want a higher def/better version of it go here:  Yahoo  or better yet – go to the Leaky Cauldron. They have the trailer in all sizes, all the new banners, and hopefully soon screencaps:  The Leaky Cauldron Online Full Trailer  They also have new posters – this one of Ron is particularly nice I think and it has the date of release correct on it (unlike the trailer):   Ron Promo Poster  – sorry couldn’t get it to embed.

I was recently discussing with a friend whether they would include the first chapter of the Half Blood Prince with the prime minister and it looks like from this that they might.   I’m trying to remember if that Snape line “Its over” is from the book or not.  I’ll have to check and get back to you on that…. no I’m not be obsessive … just thorough….

Music of Glass

I once again had the good fortune of catching something on PBS last night that I wasn’t expecting to see – a documentary from 2007 on Philip Glass directed/filmed by Scott Hicks  (who also directed Shine).  I had forgotten just how much I like his music.  My first introduction to Mr. Glass’ music was through the Paul Schrader film ”Mishima.”  The movie was visually stunning and the soundtrack was glorious.  It is a biography of sorts on the life (and death) of the Japanese writer Yukio Mishima.  To be honest, all I remember of the film is the score and the theatrically perfect visual designs of Eiko Ishioka.  I found this at YouTube but you really need to see the whole film to get the sense of beauty.  Take a look and a listen:

Glass’ music is mesmerizing.  His work has graced many films, operas and I think even Sesame Street.  Here is a link to his website where you can hear more of his work:  Glass Audio  (my recommendation are the “Etudes for Piano”  and Koyaanisqatsi - another film worth seeing and hearing). I had the privilege of seeing him perform in person many, many years ago – just him and the piano on a wooden floor.

 I’m not sure why I’m being drawn to music as of late, and a variety of music at that (Elton to Eels to Glass).  Most usually I am a visualist – I become engaged with images and colors.  Go figure – perhaps I’m trying to hear as much as I can before I totally lose my hearing?

Below is some Glass from Mishima:

Smarty Pants Dance, Smarty Pants Dance

I saw this video on ABC’s Funniest Videos show.  This child is I think they said two years old and knows her states plus she does the best smarty-pants dance I’ve seen.  I may have to start doing the smarty-pants dance whenver I do something of note… I bet my co-workers will be thrilled!

It kind of makes you wonder, why all children don’t learn geography at this age – maybe cause no one is teaching them – it could also be that Lola is exceptionally geographically gifted… oh well, its back to the online geography tests for me CLICK p.s. I got 236 this time!  woo hoo! Here goes my smarty-pants dance, smarty-pants dance….

Who cares what games we choose….

Little to win but nothing to lose.  Those lyrics have been rattling around my head.  They even pushed the Eels right off their perch on my frontal lobe.  Those lyrics originate from “Incense and Peppermints” by the Strawberry Alarm Clock.  They were the only lyrics I rememebered of the song (except of course for “incense and peppermints”) – I was a wee, wee lass in 1967 when this song came out  (wipe that smirk off your face, I was a wee, wee lass).  Anyway, in searching for the lyrics of the song – I found some very weird variations on the words.  This is what I think the lyrics probably are:

Good sense, innocence, cripplin’ mankind
Dead kings, many things I can’t define
Occasions, persuasions clutter your mind
Incense and peppermints, the color of time.

Not the deepest or most grammatically correct but what I assume the true lyrics to the song are.  Below is another version of the same verse from another website that will remain nameless (I don’t want to embarrass them):

Good sense, innocence, cripplin’ and kind.
Dead kings, many things I can’t define.
Oh Cajun spice, sweats and blushers your mind.
Incense and peppermints, the color of thyme.

There is a certain poetic quality to “cripplin’ and kind” but “Oh Cajun spice?”  Really? It never occurred to anyone that those might not be the lyrics?  All the different lyric sites agree on the words to this part though:

Who cares what games we choose?
Little to win, but nothing to lose.

Here  - take a listen for yourself.  I’ve put in the YouTube version that’s straight off of the record (that’s that black thing going round and round) with the original lead vocals by Greg Mumford. He only sang with the Strawberry Alarm Clock for this one time and never performed it with them again (at least that’s what I read here –  I wouldn’t know first hand because I was a wee, wee lass when all this was occurring…..)

Just goes to show you – don’t take every thing you find out there as being correct.  You need to do a little work to get at what is true.

If you’re happy and you know it….

 Best Actor – Sean Penn. …..Is it me or does Jennifer Anniston look almost as happy as Robin and Sean Penn.  I could almost hear her thinking “Not Brad, not Brad, not Brad…..” before the winner was announced.  I could be projecting – she is probably a much more generous soul than I am.   I felt for her though, having to stand there in front of Pitt and Jolie – but, perhaps I’m projecting again…. 

Anyway, she looks very happy that Sean Penn won for Milk.  Here’s the full acceptance speech footage on YouTube.  Sean Penn Wins Oscar

My pettiness aside, Mr. Penn gave a wonderful acceptance speech.