I watched Inkheart on dvd yesterday. It was okay but not great. I enjoyed a fair amount of it but it seemed a little disjointed or abbreviated. I have the book around and now must read it.

Someone at the Harmony Festival from last weekend.

Finished reading The Tales of Beedle The Bard by J. K. Rowling. Fortunately a fairly enjoyable and quick read. Now on to the next book.

I took some photos of a skateboarding exhibit at the Harmony Festival in Santa Rosa, CA over the weekend. There's about a dozen in my flickr set Here's one:

I finally finished Dark Sleeper by Jeffrey E. Barlough. I must admit it was not one of those books that so enthralled me that I could not put it down. Actually it was a struggle to finish it. Reviews indicate that later books in the series are better and that is the only reason that I actually finished it. It got 3.5 stars on Amazon. The House in the High Wood and Strange Cargo which are in the same Western Lights series both received 4.5 stars on Amazon. Admittedly simply looking at the stars on Amazon is not totally revealing but we will hope in this case it is true since I already have both of those books in the piles to be read. Bertram of Butter Cross and Anchorwick both have 5 stars and the newspaper review I read was actually quite favorably inclined toward Anchorwick. Those last two seem to be the fourth and fifth books in the series. I will not immediately find out if the later books are truly better since I feel compelled to next read something much lighter and quicker, something that I do not have to slog through, yes, some young adult or children's fantasy book. I must go forth to the piles and see what pops into my hands.

Speaking of hands I had a rose thorn removed from my right hand today at the doctor's office. Usually I can pull the silly things out but this time I couldn't do it. P tried too, to no avail. After 3 or 4 days she suggested I might want to check with the doctor and they did indeed pull it out for me, after a little lidocaine and actually even three or four grabs with the tweezers on their part. Of course they had the special magnifying glass spectacles. Maybe I should get a pair. They look pretty cool.

And once again

And once again
   from the beginning

Rain from above
Earth from below
meet within us
Cleanse us

Fire from the sun
Air we breathe
meet within us
purify us

Reflections from the moon
reflections from our hearts
show us our love
   your love
show us our way
   your way
enfold us

heart of hearts
love of loves
mother from above
father from below
sisters brothers
  hold us
   one
    many
     one

life, love, breath, words
grow in us, nurture us
help us     grow
unfold

a seed
unfolding
growing
reaching toward the sun
heat, warmth, light, love,
arms spreading out,
  taking in what we can
   what we cannot
laughing
crying
spinning
flying
time
  time
   time

folding in again
the earth beckoning
the cold and the warmth of it
memories around us
  some comforting
   some not
all a blanket
over our shoulders

then
   to sleep

then
   to wait

time
  time
   time

  and the end

And once again
  from the beginning

   with feeling this time?

in the evening
awash in uncertainty, sadness
and being too full.
Too often.
If there were more moments of
happiness
and
fewer moments
of guilt.
I don't know why.
Guilt
of wasting time, minutes, hours, days,
the future, the past, energy

Do something
but what?
what results in something
special, unusual, memorable,
worthy
of what?
but does it matter.
tomorrow,
the next day,
some tiny distant point in the future,
so far, so small from this distance.
a speck.
Looking back,
a speck,
less than
Is there a reason?
probably not.
I want some gleaming, dynamic truth,
some momentous measure of being,
a why, a wherefore.

I just don't know what to do.

I took a few photos yesterday and posted them on flickr. There are 14. Here are a few.



( More backyard photos )

Good thing Medium is going to continue in the Fall, even though it is a move from NBC to CBS. I really wouldn't appreciate it going off the air entirely after the episode I just watched.

Watched Dodesukaden, a film by Kurosawa over the weekend (bits and pieces here and there). I have to actually pay attention since I have to read the sub-titles. It is a rather bleak film. I'd seen it over 20 years ago in SF. It finally came out on DVD recently. Also watched a series yesterday, Breaking Bad. Last night's episode was also bleaker than usual. Also watched Masterpiece Mystery last night, Wallander, a detective series. Also rather bleak, fairly enjoyable but not a happy episode. Have seen two, doubt any will be happy overall, just a few moments here and there.

Tonight I watched Simon of the Desert. This I also saw over 20 years and it also just came out on DVD this year. I love some of the quotes,
The Devil:
"Down with the sacred hypostatis!"
"Death with the anastasis!"
"Long live the apocatastasis!"
One of the priests
"What on earth is the apocatastasis?"
Simon:
"Besides being a spiritual exercise, blessings are good fun too."
"Blessed is the scourge if it wins us glory before the Lord."
And then there's a rockin' dance scene too, doin' the radioactive flesh dance.
Such a strange ending

With respect to apocatastasis, from Wikipedia
"Stoicism
In Stoic philosophy, the cosmos is a physical expression of Zeus' perfect thoughts and apocatastasis is the contraction when Zeus returns to self-contemplation.[3] This will occur when the stars and planets return to their original positions, believed to be an alignment with Cancer, and the universe will be consumed by fire (ekpyrosis). Antapocatastasis is a counter-example or a counter-occurrence when the stars and planets align with Capricorn and the universe will be destroyed by flood. When Zeus turns his thoughts outwards once more, the cosmos will be reborn or reconstituted under the guidance and sustenance of Logos, an emanation of Zeus."
...
Christianity
In Christianity, apocatastasis is the doctrine of the ultimate reconciliation of good and evil forces. Apocatastasis maintains that all moral creatures -- angels, humans and devils - will eventually come to a harmony in God's kingdom, the evil ones through repentance and rejection of evil."
Wikipedia on Apocatastasis

and then the comment on Hypostases brings me to
"Three Hypostases in one Ousia"
Wikipedia on Hypostasis
How many good Catholics out there are familiar with that one? I certainly wasn't but I'm not even close to being a Catholic.

The DVD has a very interesting, IMHO, addition called A Mexican Bunuel primarily dealing with his time in Mexico although it does cover his time in the United States and in France to a certain extent. There is also an interview with Silvia Pinal who played the devil in Simon of the Desert. Simon of the Desert is only about 40 minutes long.

I saw Mariza, a Fado singer and more, at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland tonight. She has quite a voice and quite a presence. I was entertained that near the end she sang Crying by Roy Orbison. From Wikipedia, "Fado (translated as destiny or fate) is a music genre which can be traced from the 1820s in Portugal, but probably with much earlier origins. In popular belief, Fado is a form of music characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor. However, in reality Fado is simply a form of song which can be about anything, but must follow a certain structure." There is much more on that Wikipedia page if you are interested. You can also see a Wikipedia article about Mariza or the official Mariza web site.
( Here's a YouTube video from David Letterman I found. )

Supposedly these shows which I watched won't be back next season: Eli Stone (had some funny moments but never as good as I thought it could be. Joan of Arcadia was better in the talking to God thing but never had George Michael. Very odd.), Pushing Daisies (funny in a quirky way and I'll miss it), Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (I liked it but it needed some work. Mainly I'm curious in what show Summer Glau will next appear.), Medium (one of my favorites but seemed to be going downhill), My Name Is Earl (had a lot of good episodes, IMHO. It may move to another network. Supposedly it was too expensive to make for the number of viewers it had.) Life (I liked it and would have liked to see where it was all going), Reaper (sort of entertaining but still pretty mid-level stuff), Crusoe (never really that great. I was hopeful but pretty low-level entertainment. Very nice tree house though.).

I took a few photos from the garden yesterday. Here's a few. You can find more at my flickr page.



( Two more photos )

I went to see Throbbing Gristle in San Francisco on Thursday evening. It was at a place called the Regency Ballroom (or is it the Grand Regency Ballroom? I'm not sure.). I didn't take any photos but I just found someone who did, here. The opening act was Erika M. Anderson. She was okay, some drones and noise and general entertaining loudness. Here's a video of her playing Kind Hearted Woman. I think you'll understand the type of music she plays from it. She had two or three people playing with her.

It was a sold out concert. I was standing about three people back from the stage. It got quite lively during the last two or three songs by Throbbing Gristle. Lots of moving up and down and sideways to the music, jostling and much fun. I actually talked to three or four people I didn't know which is unusual for me. Some recommended another band. Unfortunately I didn't have a pen and paper so I have now totally forgotten it.

Throbbing Gristle was great (well, for those who really like Throbbing Gristle). They did play Hamburger Lady, always a favorite and many others that the crowd obviously loved. I don't think they played Discipline but I could be wrong. I would have liked to have heard more from 20 Jazz Funk Greats. You can find various videos of music from Throbbing Gristle on YouTube if you are interested. Admittedly those who like TG are far outnumbered by those who don't but they have a loyal following. I was at their "Last" show at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco in 1981. Quite a marvelous show. Flipper was the opening act for them in 1981, if my memory serves me correctly.

My ears were still ringing as I drove home listening to something quite different. Cantata 42 by J.S. Bach. Still very pleasant though.

I need to find a CD by Cankisou. Just saw this on LinkTV



( And behind the cut, Zuha from Cankisou )

Ever have one of those days when you wonder what's going on? What are you doing? Why are you doing some of the things you're doing? What should you be doing? Are there other things you should be doing? What the frack are those things? Would other things make life more wonderful and would you still be in your normal not-so-great mood? Or you're doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing so why are you not in constant happy mode? Not even half the time happy mode? I'm not depressed. I'm not suicidal, not even close. Angry a fair amount of the time though. Actually I blame the headache I have at the moment. Any change requires energy, requires a deviation from the normal relatively placid state of being. However when you see many paths but none of them looks any more perfect and some most certainly look worse, what in the world are you supposed to do? The same thing I've been doing for years? Keep on the same path, with minor little side trips which are probably meaningless. Admittedly, life, in and of itself, may be meaningless. Happy happy joy joy. Actually I know a number of things that would make my health better but I don't do many of those things. Admittedly that is the case with most of the United States. (and why do I use admittedly so/too much?) Unfortunately that doesn't make it any better. I know a number of things that would make my finances better, oh, they're not in a bad state but they could be in a much better state. Of course, part of those things might make life a bit less entertaining now. Then again, that might make life in the long run a bit more entertaining. And then, of course, you throw in, oh gee, I could die later tonight or tomorrow. Or I could die in 40 or 50 years. Gee, it is most unfortunate that I don't have a clue when I will die. Er, maybe. I do keep going back in my mind to a summer in Manhattan, Kansas. Hm. And why do none of things that happen in Fringe or X-Files ever happen to me? Or Medium? Or Ghost Whisperer? or Heroes? Now sure, I don't want any of the bad things to happen, but where is the unusual? But do I really want the unusual? It would be sort of cool. Answers. Where are the answers? And the magic eight ball says . . .
● Reply hazy, try again
● Ask again later
● Better not tell you now
● Cannot predict now
● Concentrate and ask again
uh, rude words in your general direction magic eight ball.

Oh wait, maybe I'm just a symptom of the world. Most of the rest of the world is screwed up and I'm just going along for the ride. I just have a nicer seat but the car still doesn't know what direction it's going in.

Or is it just because Kuttner killed himself.

I finally finished our taxes and sent them off shortly after midnight this morning. I think this is the latest I have ever finished them. I was amused that Intuit said there may be a delay in any refunds from the State of California. I also balanced the checkbook last week, which was a month overdue and then the new checking statement shows up in the mail yesterday. Well, if I actually do it today it should be quick. I was going to take off Friday from work but then I read email Friday morning that there was a big rush and I had to start and get something done immediately. Those who sent it thought it all should be done by the end of the day. Despite the fact that I've sent out emails for months, the whole last year even, stating that the jobs I run take a minimum of two to three days and that doesn't even count analysis of the results, they still send these silly emails. Of course I've been working on that all weekend too and of course I was totally not surprised that an email went out late last night that, oops, something else (not my something else) wasn't completed and the whole thing will be delayed several days. Surprise, surprise, surprise. Obviously zombies were at work eating people's brains.

I still have much pruning and planting and various and sundry other things to do in the yard. That is far more entertaining. Then there's the hundred of books that need reading, the dvds that need watching, the cds that need cataloging, an unending list that I've prepared in my mind. If I finish them all will I die? I doubt they will all be finished when that stupid event also comes around.

And where is John Henry (formerly Cromartie)? (a question only for those who watch Terminator - the Sarah Connor Chronicles. And will there be a third season or will they just leave us hanging like almost every other tv series that dies? And is Doll House actually going anywhere or will I be stuck forever wondering just like Lost? Now why is it that I don't get all those books read and movies watched?

Took a picture of the Yellow Lady Banks that is blooming along the back yard fence line.



Yellow Lady Banks Roses
(Rosa banksiae 'Lutea')
5 April 2009

Took a few tulip photos in the back yard on Sunday.





These two photos plus three more on flickr