Those things that catch our attention and keep it

Years ago I took an acting class through the community college. The professor was a working actor from Chicago. He told us a story of a small play he had seen when he was younger where a background character walked on stage with so much Presence that he actually upstaged the lead actor. It was not on purpose, it seemed, it was just that this bit player performed so well that he inadvertently caught the attention of the audience, or at least my professor and his friends. He claims that the upstaging offender was Robert Redford before he was famous.

Yesterday, I was flipping channels and came across a program already in progress on Directv's 101 (where they showcase channels and programs we may not be watching but might be interested in). The program was a National Geographic documentary called "The Conspirator: The Plot to Kill Lincoln" and it was fairly interesting. Now, as sometimes happens with documentaries, it's not always easy to tell when they were made. I noticed that James McAvoy was playing a part in what appeared to be reenactments, and I thought, "Wow, he was a reenactment player? But he's got such presence! Wow." Then that reminded me of the story I told you about above regarding Robert Redford. I've been a fan of McAvoy since seeing "Penelope" which is a fun movie if you haven't seen it yet, check it out.

OK, so here's the coincidence: McAvoy wasn't a reenactment player; the documentary had borrowed clips from a new film coming up. Now, I promise that I haven't seen previews or news about this movie. "The Conspirator" opened in select theaters on Friday and it's directed by Robert Redford.

I can't wait to see it.

Red

Red

I never willingly wore red when I was younger. I always stayed with those colors complimentary to the winter skin tone I was supposed to have according to that seasonal make-up trend. I wore blue in every shade, green, and gray. There was a lot of denim in my wardrobe back then as well. The only red shirts I had were part of my Godfather's Pizza uniform. I hated the red visor that went with it as well. I was convinced it was the ugliest thing I owned, but you wear what the people paying you want you to wear, right? At least the tomato sauce stains weren't as noticeable. Red was never a color I bonded with well. All of my dishes and linens were blue. I shied away from red and, looking back, I don't know why. Now, I look around and red is peeking out at me from everywhere. I have a red phone, red file folders at my desk, a favorite red sweatshirt that I snagged from my husband, red blankets, candles, portable speaker, Tupperware (and a lot of it), cooking pots and pans, and more than one pair of red socks. Maybe I'm pulling in little bits of red to make up for denying myself such an energizing color. Maybe I just like the color more now that I'm not wearing it for a living.

Nerves

I'm trying not to be nervous about my little surgery tomorrow morning, but it's hard not to be. I know that doctors these days are such experts at what they do and I'm supposed to be able to go home tomorrow afternoon. They said it should only take about a week to recover. It's just that they are still going to cut open my body to remove something and then sew me back up. It's a little unnerving. I'm cool, though. I'll be fine.

It's a strange turn of events that makes me a little grateful for the technology that we have in this day and age. It's a little bit of looking on the bright side of things as well. Last year, I had a miscarriage. I had another one last month and that's when they found the cyst. Since there wasn't a cyst on my ovary last year when they took the ultrasound pictures at the hospital, it's a probability that I've developed this thing in the last year. It's fairly large. The doctor made a circle shape with his index finger and thumb but didn't close the circle. That's larger than a golf ball, if you ask me. Because I can't feel this thing (no nerve endings on the ovaries, don't you know) it could have continued to grow and become problematic. But because I was pregnant they did early ultrasounds and found it. It doesn't look malignant on the ultrasounds and I'm sure they'll take a look at it to make sure, but it could have been and I wouldn't have known.

I'll try to post later tomorrow or Thursday to let you all know how it went. In the meantime, my husband may tweet about it: http://twitter.com/indeeart.

Serendipity and salutations.

A Little List

My first year as a stay-home-mother/housewife has passed and I've felt a little lost lately. I used to be a professional working woman. I used to use problem solving skills and software programs to fill my day. Now, I struggle to figure out what, besides dino nuggets, we can have for lunch today. I sometimes feel like some helpless version of June Cleaver, but the Bizarro World version. You remember Bizarro World, right? I'm rough edged and not quite right? But waking up this morning and coming out of that little dream reminded me: I'm not helpless and I'm more well rounded than I tend to remember.

This list is mostly for my benefit, but maybe you will be able to take something from it. Maybe you didn't know me as well as you thought or maybe you'll make your own list. Some of the things in this list may seem elementary and simple, but you wouldn't believe how many people don't know how to do these things or just don't even try.

These things are just in the order that I've thought of them and no other particular sequence has been given to them (*OK, I went back and grouped a little bit*):

• I know how to check my tire pressure and put air in my tire.
  
• I know how to change a tire on my car. I may have trouble lifting a tire without killing whatever outfit I have on, but I can get it done.
• I know how to put snow chains/cables on my tires and which tires they go on.
  
• I know how to check my car's oil and refill it.
• I know that I don't need to have my air filter changed every time I go to Jiffy Lube, no matter what they tell me.
• I know how to use a level, screw driver, and hammer.
• I know how to find a wall stud.
• I know how to read directions/instructions.
• I know how to assemble furniture.
• I know how to put up a tent.
• I know how to build a proper fire.
• I know how to put out a fire.
• I know how to build an emergency outdoor shelter.
• I know how to tie that "rabbit goes around the tree and down the hole" knot. I don't know the name of it though.
• I know how to paddle a canoe.
  
• I know how to read a (paper and online) map.
• I know how to use a compass.
• I know how to read a topographical map.
  
• I know basic first aid and CPR.
• I know how to fix a leaky faucet.
• I know how to remove a shower head and (gasp) remove that stupid little water saving device. Forgive me, my eco-friends, I'll save water elsewhere. I don't believe it's really saving that much water if it takes twice as long to rinse shampoo out of my hair.
• I know how to repair a hole in a wall.
  
• I know how to wash my own dog.
• I know how to wash my own car.
• I know how to install a hard drive in a PC.
• I know how to connect peripherals (mouse, speakers, keyboard, lcd, monitor, etc.) to a computer.
• I know how to connect entertainment/electronic equipment. For example, the TV is hooked up to the DVR, DVD, VCR (yes, we still have one), CD player, and game console. All of these are routed so that I can turn on the amlifier and listen to anything we play in stereo (surround sound if we had more speakers set up.)
• I know how to balance a checkbook register.
• I know how to perform inventory and calculate cost.
• I know how to calculate change from a transaction without a calculator or cash register.
• I know how to cook rice. (Again, this is one of those things some people don't even try.)

Before you judge my pathetic little list, remember that I know more than this, but this is the stuff I forget about knowing. I'm not helpless and it makes me feel better knowing that.

Filling up space

I'm neglecting my blog, but at least I've found time to shave my legs on a regular basis. I guess I'd be asking too much to be hairless and have time to write.

I'm suffering through an earache right now. It doesn't hurt so bad that I can't make it through the weekend, but it is uncomfortable. Woe is me. I know, no one cares. What else is new?

Not much is new, actually. Thanks for nothing, right? Well, you are quite welcome.

Well, that's that, I guess.

I spent $5.99 on an iPod application. It was for a game that was very popular and tons of PC users loved it in the early 90s. I bought Myst.

I played it and played it and finally used the hints and online walk-throughs. I immersed myself in the game. I think I enjoyed it. So, why do I feel let down? If I had a computer of my own in the early 90s would I have played it and played it and played it until I solved it on my own? Would I have even bought the game?

I'm not sure. There are reasons I didn't have a computer of my own in that time of my life. First, there was the money issue. I was just out of high school and should have been going to college, but mostly I was slinging pizza so, yeah, there was not a lot of cash flowing there. Second, I wasn't a computer geek. I may have been a bookworm, but I didn't spend a lot of time in front of a computer. (See the first reason.) So, would I have played this game? I don't think so.

I'm not sorry that I waited either. I don't know if I was smart enough to play this game back then. And this was before good search engines, so it might have been hard to find help. Also, would someone have created hint guides and walk-throughs that quickly? Chat rooms were available but they were already sticky with perverts, so I might not have used that.

I don't really have a point, I guess. I'm just rambling. I do want to play more in this series of games, though. I might have to look into that. . . And, I wonder if there are other old-timey CD-ROM games coming to new portals. Does anyone remember Monkey Island? Lucas, what do you think?