And why would I need an asparagus cooker?

Today, Amazon graced my Gold Box with a special deal for an asparagus cooker. Ummm....??? There are so many things wrong with that-- I'm not sure where to begin. Well, first, I don't like asparagus. I'll occasionally tolerate it when marinated and barbecued, but I don't really like it. Steamed, it's like eating broccoli stems. Yuck. (I won't even go into the yuck of asparagus and bodily fluids.) Second, does even the most devoted asparagus connoisseur need an asparagus cooker? I mean, couldn't you just steam it, barbecue it or otherwise cook it with the rest of your meal? Does it really require a separate appliance? And along with that, how often do they expect people to eat asparagus anyway? I mean, yes, toast has its own dedicated appliance, but toast is a morning staple for many. I eat a lot of lentils. Maybe I need a lentil cooker. What about a tomato stewer? Or a pepper cooker? Why does asparagus get its own contraption? Is it really worthy of that space in the kitchen? I think not.

But...if you think it sounds nifty, I bet Amazon has plenty in stock.

Cloverfield

I saw Cloverfield yesterday. Here are some (SPOILERY) comments:

Stuff I liked:

(1) The style of storytelling-- Simulated home video. It made a rather predictable plotline seem unique.

(2) The characters-- The combination of #1 & #2 really added to the emotional investment. The group of friends/ slice-of-life aspect made me feel like this could just be me and my friends. The scenario (up until the alien attack) is going to be familiar to almost any young adult.

(3) J.J. Abrams-- Well, I am forever indebted to him for creating Alias so that's the main reason I went to see the movie.

(4) The flashbacks/taped-over part-- A plot device was that one of the guys had just used the tape already in the recorder and taped over some old stuff. We see flashes of that during the movie, and it adds to the story.

(5) The main character guys were rather hot.

Stuff I didn't like:

(1) Dramamine should be included with admission. I said I liked the style of storytelling but not the style of filming! I realize this was supposed to be shot while running away from an alien, but please! Hold the camera still for just 5 seconds. It made me very dizzy and nauseous. Now, those of you who know me well won't find that particularly earth-shattering since I experience motion sickness from everything that moves. However, six of us went to the moves, and three of us felt very sick afterwards. One person said that she didn't feel sick from The Blair Witch Project (to which the filming style has been compared) but felt quite ill from Cloverfield. Neither of the others who felt sick tend to get motion sickness. So....take Dramamine! (Of course, one friend was slightly drunk, and he STILL didn't feel sick from the movie...so YMMV.)

(2) Towards the end, the pacing seemed off...like they ran out of money and had to end it or something.

(3) I didn't find it scary. However, I have heard others say they did. Again, YMMV. (I wouldn't suggest bringing kids, though.)

(4) I didn't like the end.

(5) I'm not sure what I was supposed to take away from the movie. Is there a message hidden in there? If so, I think it's that if someone you love calls to say that her apartment building has been eaten by an alien and she's trapped and losing blood, even though your first inclination might be to rush over there and help (especially if you're already feeling guilty for ignoring her after you slept with her but really love her and aren't sure what to do about that), you should really just run in the opposite direction because if you try to help, not only will she die anyway, but you (and all of your friends that insist on coming with you) will die too.

Pablo Neruda, Sonnet XVII

I had just been thinking about this poem recently, and then someone posted it to her LJ today...so I have to post it too. This is the translation that I like best (though not the one posted today on the LJ):

I don't love you as if you were the salt-rose, topaz
or arrow of carnations that propagate fire:
I love you as certain dark things are loved,
secretly, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that doesn't bloom and carries
hidden within itself the light of those flowers,
and thanks to your love, darkly in my body
lives the dense fragrance that rises from the earth.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,
I love you simply, without problems or pride:
I love you in this way because I don't know any other way of loving

but this, in which there is no I or you,
so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand,
so intimate that when I fall asleep it is your eyes that close.

"Geographical cures"

One of the books I'm reading right now is Stranger in My Skin, and the author talks about her attempt at "geographical cures," i.e., moving in order to feel better. On the one hand, I'd like to say that whatever problems you have, you're going to take them with you. That's true. But on the other hand, it does tend to produce a very strong distraction that can be a temporary boost.

I had a dream last night that I moved back to Marin.

Random memes

Lets101 Quizzes - Blog Quiz

Extremely adorable, huh? ;) I believe the "addict" thing. I don't know how much it has to do with my birth month. Although...there is some newer research that's showing correlations with birth months and types of mental illness. Strange. It must have something to do with periods of light.

--
# Pick your birth month.
# Strike out anything that doesn't apply to you. [can't do that with blogger so I'll put it in small text]
# Bold the five-ten that best apply to you.
# Copy to your own journal, with all twelve months under a cut. [yeah, no]
# Tag 6(ish) people from your friends list. [no thanks]

NOVEMBER:
Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

--

What color is your soul painted? Purple Your soul is painted the color purple, which embodies the characteristics of sensuality, spirituality, creativity, wealth, royalty, nobility, mystery, enlightenment, arrogance, gaudiness, mourning, confusion, pride, delicacy, power, meditation, religion, and ambition. Purple falls under the element of Earth, and was once a European symbol of royalty; today it symbolizes the divine. Click Here to Take This Quiz

Quizzes and Personality Tests

Very interesting since purple is my favorite color!
--

Your results:
You are Spider-Man

Spider-Man 85% Superman 80% Robin 60% Supergirl 55% Wonder Woman 50% Green Lantern 50% Batman 45% Hulk 45% The Flash 35% Catwoman 30% Iron Man 30%

You are intelligent, witty, a bit geeky and have great power and responsibility.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

Feeling sad and wistful and nostalgic

I just stumbled across someone's LJ post where she was listing 30 things she most loves about California, and.... ::sigh::. Yeah. I know. The headlands, especially. I think I may need to move to California now.

You know, people always ask me, "Where are you from? Where's home?" Lately, I tend to say that my family's from Maine. But you know, if I have a "home," California's probably it.

Big Love-- faith and the teens

I just watched the first six episodes of Big Love--Season 2 on DVD. So far, I'm very impressed. As I've probably said before, this show could easily have become a farce or a satirical look at Mormon Fundamentalists or of faith in general. While I do not think that the actual show accurately depicts the "typical" polygamist lifestyle in 2007 USA, I believe the emotions that are echoed are genuine.

Not a lot of shows really highlight issues of faith on a regular basis. (A couple of exceptions: 1) Six Feet Under which brought up some really profound topics during its six year run, and 2) Supernatural which has had a couple of faith-focused episodes, notably "Faith" and "Houses of the Holy.") This is the only show I can think of where characters routinely question their actions and try to make decisions in line with God's purpose. Of course, they often fail miserably, use "God's purpose" as justification for all sorts of selfish and immoral choices and become confused. But hey-- look around! That's reality too.

In addition, this show has some outstanding actors. Just because I already loved these two from Veronica Mars, I have to mention Amanda Seyfried (Sarah on BL; Lily on VM) and Tina Majorino (Heather on BL; Mac on VM). These two young actresses are amazing in the way they can portray understated emotion. It really makes their performances that much more profound. This season, Amanda's character (a senior in high school and the oldest child in the Big family) is really distancing herself from the Mormon faith and polygamy...which still trying to remain supportive. Her conflicts play out so well just in her eyes-- as tears start to well up, as she shuts people out, as she is resigned to a situation. And Tina Majorino is a former child actress who can actually ACT! Although Douglas Smith (Ben) is a 22 year old playing a 16 year old (and looks a little too old for the part), he has a certain mix of vulnerability, innocence and sensuality that is appealing for this character. He wants to do the right thing, he wants to live THE PRINCIPLE, he wants to stop having sex with his girlfriend (at least in theory). But he's a teen guy who 1) despite the Big family is rather isolated (since fundamentalists are not welcome in the Mormon church), and 2) is trying to figure out how to live his faith with new temptations.

Okay, well, I was going to talk about the wives, but it looks like the teens rule the day for now. I don't know that anyone who reads this blog (if anyone does) would like the show, but if you watch it with an open mind, you might be surprised. A caveat-- it is rated TV-MA.

Also, so far Season 2 has a lot less gratuitous sex and nudity. Depending on your perspective, that could be a plus or minus. It probably has more violence, arson and manipulation though.