I went to my blood appointment today (for my hemochromatosis). She said my ferritin's so low, I probably won't need to be phlobotomized for two more years. I always learned that they do phlebotomies at the hospital near my home, where my husband works; so she gave me a consult paper for a doctor there, and hopefully I can switch over. And never again have to trek downtown at 7 AM (at least not for this) which keels me each time.
I'm glad I didn't have to be phlebotomized, because right now I'm on a Beta blocker for my headaches (it's not working at all) which makes my blood pressure even lower than usual. My doctor thinks I might really pass out the next time, instead of just almost-passing-out.
I also made an appt with my GP, so that's one more thing off the To Do list. Now I need to make an appt with my headache doctor, the dentist, and an optometrist. For many years I was great at staying up to date on all my appointment-making--the fact that I've fallen behind again is just one more sign that my present Pace of Life doesn't suit moi.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Return to Meowee East: toys
I just gave Minion a tiny bit of catnip on her new scratch pad. I'm a bit fearful of the consequences since she already acts like liquid catnip flows through her veins.
I also bought a tunnel for the kitties. One always hesitates re buying these toys, since you never know if your cat will like them. So far Minion's been beating the crap out of the little ball hanging inside it.
I also bought a tunnel for the kitties. One always hesitates re buying these toys, since you never know if your cat will like them. So far Minion's been beating the crap out of the little ball hanging inside it.
Haley has finally found a place to hide out from Minion. Remember the box-in-a-laundry-basket-in-a-tupperware which used to be her favourite home, and I finally decorated it, but then she wasn't using it?
Haley's discovered that if she sits in it, Minion will stalk her and bat at her from the outside (which is fine, Haley likes that game) but she can't end the game (as she usually does) by getting inside and jumping on Haley's head. It's small, and on a slant, so Haley has so far been able to defend it. The one time I saw Minion jump in, she couldn't get all the way in, and jumped right back out. I hope it stays this way, cause Halzebub really does need her own little corner of Hell where she can have some peace.
Update: Since starting this post, the cat-tube is now halfway across the livingroom floor, as Minion wrestles around in it.
Updateier: Minion likes eating the catnip, but she isn't reacting to it. I guess she's already as hyper as a cat can possibly be. Which should give you an idea of what it's like to live with her. Imagine your cat on catnip 100% of the time.
Updateier: Minion likes eating the catnip, but she isn't reacting to it. I guess she's already as hyper as a cat can possibly be. Which should give you an idea of what it's like to live with her. Imagine your cat on catnip 100% of the time.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Curtains, and the Meowee East
Productive day again. I did a bunch of laundry, hung the curtains in the cupboard doorway, hung the livingroom curtains, and changed the ones in the kitchen.
The kitchen ones were a lovely bright yellow, but we've had them over 10 years and they had a million kitty-nail-snags in them. I think the cats liked to bat at bird shadows through them. I hung up some white-with-wee-roses curtains that I had once bought for the livingroom but never used.
The kitchen ones were a lovely bright yellow, but we've had them over 10 years and they had a million kitty-nail-snags in them. I think the cats liked to bat at bird shadows through them. I hung up some white-with-wee-roses curtains that I had once bought for the livingroom but never used.
Minion enjoying the new couch. She has slept on every section of it today.
Me enjoying the new curtains.
Haley enjoying her new High Ground spot. Haley first came up with her two original high spots, as a way to escape the boys, who were most times too oldy to attempt the jump. But Minion regularly kicks her out of them! Now she's trying to establish a third spot on top of my kitchen shelf.
Uh oh. I think Minion's spotted it. Yesterday I locked Haley into a back room for some aloney-on-her-owney time, and soon after I found Minion sitting on a box outside the room, trying to turn the door handle. "How can I play with my favourite toy when you keep locking it up!"
The Tempest - coming soon
Working on my book (a modernization of the Henry plays) has put me back in a Shakespeare mood this past year. I rewatched Baz' Romeo and Juliet recently, and watched MacBeth the other night, and am reading Julius Caesar.
This December a new Tempest is coming out. The only film version I've seen was Peter Greenaway's, which was of course insane. Don't think I could sit through that again, but the music was beeeoootiful.
This new one stars Helen Mirren as Prospero. The effects don't look very good, but Mirren should deliver the goods.
Well, if it's bad, the Plummer-at-Stratford version is also coming to select theatres.
This December a new Tempest is coming out. The only film version I've seen was Peter Greenaway's, which was of course insane. Don't think I could sit through that again, but the music was beeeoootiful.
This new one stars Helen Mirren as Prospero. The effects don't look very good, but Mirren should deliver the goods.
Well, if it's bad, the Plummer-at-Stratford version is also coming to select theatres.
Clash of My Apartment (making furniture, and movie review)
Today I put together the sideboard--it took Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing and the beginning of Sense and Sensibility. Lots of steps! And heavy. But I enjoy putting things together, provided I'm alone, not rushed, and have familiar movies that I only need to half watch.
Then I sorted all my lunch tupperwares and bentos into the drawers; and cleaned all the random stains off my appliances and carefully placed them along the shelf. They look like they're having an appliance party. (Food processor, blender, bullet, popcorn maker, ice cream maker, crock pot, juicer, and coffee grinder--I use it for flax seeds and nuts.)
I put up one of my cheap plastic shelves to hold all the food Fernando's been bulk buying. It looks ugly, cause I need a smaller unit that will fit into the corner. But for now, order is more important than beauty. If I want to cook and pack lunches, that is.
Then we put the sofa together. It's so comfortable, and such an improvement over Nombly's Sofa. Fernando immediately passed out on it. And later I rented the new Clash of the Titans just so I could enjoy sitting there.
MOVIE
C of the T wasn't very good, but as I'd already heard that I had low expectations and enjoyed it. Nice effects, and I loved the djinny-dudes (so sexy), but they made too many unnecessary changes from the previous version/original myth.
- They tried to make the central battle between humans and the gods; but then they made is sort of Hades vs Zeus, which just confused things. Who's side is Zeus on? Vair weird.
- Greek myths are all about very human type gods--they're jealous, and liars, and competitive etc. They almost completely removed this element, to do the whole "war against humans" thing. Totally took away the spirit of the thing.
- By making it all Hades vs Zeus, the rest of the gods are rarely featured. The old movie had all those great scenes of the gods bickering amongst themselves, and manipulating the humans. This also means the female gods were almost non-existent. In the old movie, Maggie Smith was such a great Thetis, and she was the pivotal god in the plot. And when they tell the story of Medusa, they take all the original gods-jealousy stuff out too. Why? Frankly, the movie felt de-womaned.
- Why remove Andromeda as the love interest? The original trick of having her come along for the quest was a perfect way to build up the romance. I didn't get the point of all this Io stuff.
- Perseus didn't have a very clear guide figure. It was sort of a mix of Io and some warrior dude.
- I liked the idea of Perseus struggling with his half-god identity, trying to reject it. But for it to really work, he should have been super-tempted by his godliness at some point, and have overcome it. Instead it's never much of a struggle.
- The little game pieces! I liked seeing the gods moving all the game pieces around. They did it only a tiny bit.
- One of my biggest complaints is Calibos' character. In the original, he's cruel but also pitiable--in other words, he has a developed character. In this version he's just a cardboard cut out baddie.
- I liked Medusa, though CGI graphics still aren't where they need to be for such a character to look lifelike. Technologically she wasn't much better than her stop-motion predecessor. But I approved the overall look. What I didn't like is that the scene lacked suspense. In the original they pass a LOT of statues of previous visitors, which is really creepy. And there's a lot more silence, and slow pursuit. I don't mind some running around, but the beginning could be have been creeeeepier.
- The two additions I liked: The silly hunter guys. Should have been more the movie! And the Djinn. Orientalist, but hawt. (And the other race-weirdness character--that pro-Hades zealot. He looked like he was supposed to be a Hindu or something.)
- Why does the Kraken look like the Rancor's older brother? Could have based his face on the original.
Then I sorted all my lunch tupperwares and bentos into the drawers; and cleaned all the random stains off my appliances and carefully placed them along the shelf. They look like they're having an appliance party. (Food processor, blender, bullet, popcorn maker, ice cream maker, crock pot, juicer, and coffee grinder--I use it for flax seeds and nuts.)
I put up one of my cheap plastic shelves to hold all the food Fernando's been bulk buying. It looks ugly, cause I need a smaller unit that will fit into the corner. But for now, order is more important than beauty. If I want to cook and pack lunches, that is.
Then we put the sofa together. It's so comfortable, and such an improvement over Nombly's Sofa. Fernando immediately passed out on it. And later I rented the new Clash of the Titans just so I could enjoy sitting there.
MOVIE
C of the T wasn't very good, but as I'd already heard that I had low expectations and enjoyed it. Nice effects, and I loved the djinny-dudes (so sexy), but they made too many unnecessary changes from the previous version/original myth.
- They tried to make the central battle between humans and the gods; but then they made is sort of Hades vs Zeus, which just confused things. Who's side is Zeus on? Vair weird.
- Greek myths are all about very human type gods--they're jealous, and liars, and competitive etc. They almost completely removed this element, to do the whole "war against humans" thing. Totally took away the spirit of the thing.
- By making it all Hades vs Zeus, the rest of the gods are rarely featured. The old movie had all those great scenes of the gods bickering amongst themselves, and manipulating the humans. This also means the female gods were almost non-existent. In the old movie, Maggie Smith was such a great Thetis, and she was the pivotal god in the plot. And when they tell the story of Medusa, they take all the original gods-jealousy stuff out too. Why? Frankly, the movie felt de-womaned.- Why remove Andromeda as the love interest? The original trick of having her come along for the quest was a perfect way to build up the romance. I didn't get the point of all this Io stuff.
- Perseus didn't have a very clear guide figure. It was sort of a mix of Io and some warrior dude.
- I liked the idea of Perseus struggling with his half-god identity, trying to reject it. But for it to really work, he should have been super-tempted by his godliness at some point, and have overcome it. Instead it's never much of a struggle.
- The little game pieces! I liked seeing the gods moving all the game pieces around. They did it only a tiny bit.
- One of my biggest complaints is Calibos' character. In the original, he's cruel but also pitiable--in other words, he has a developed character. In this version he's just a cardboard cut out baddie.- I liked Medusa, though CGI graphics still aren't where they need to be for such a character to look lifelike. Technologically she wasn't much better than her stop-motion predecessor. But I approved the overall look. What I didn't like is that the scene lacked suspense. In the original they pass a LOT of statues of previous visitors, which is really creepy. And there's a lot more silence, and slow pursuit. I don't mind some running around, but the beginning could be have been creeeeepier.- The two additions I liked: The silly hunter guys. Should have been more the movie! And the Djinn. Orientalist, but hawt. (And the other race-weirdness character--that pro-Hades zealot. He looked like he was supposed to be a Hindu or something.)
- Why does the Kraken look like the Rancor's older brother? Could have based his face on the original.
 |
| Original Kraken. So cute! |
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Rearranging Day
So I got the major shelf-moving, floor washing, dusting part of the room reorganization done today.
I decided to use the long bookcase (that I moved to my room from the livingroom) for my nicer books -- my collection of books about Britain, and fashion, and Regency history, and other writing research books. There's room on the ends to put the big-pretty books flat, and then the smallers in the middle. I haven't finished it yet. Takin' my time.
I'm glad, in the end, that I didn't have to move any of my fiction shelves, because I perfectly arranged them a year or two ago. They need to be straightened, but they're by subject and author, and all fit into one wall-corner on matching book cases.
What really needs doing is a reorg of the non-fiction, cause I didn't do that last time. If I were the New Agey type, I'd say I haven't gotten a job in teaching yet because my developing areas books are all dusty and toppling over and uncared for.
I'm going to hang (read "staple gun") up curtains to cover the recess where the laundry machines are kept.
I've got a new desk formation--it's not cute, but it's in a U shape, so will be very functional and cozy. Haley already likes it.
Only thing I'm unhappy with is the bed placement... maybe I'll see if it can fit in a different direction.
Besides that, tomorrow is the kitchen, and put sofa together.
I've followed my usual procedure of piling crap on the bed, so it has to be put away before one can go to sleep. Hey--there's a little Minion in there! It's like a Waldo book.
I decided to use the long bookcase (that I moved to my room from the livingroom) for my nicer books -- my collection of books about Britain, and fashion, and Regency history, and other writing research books. There's room on the ends to put the big-pretty books flat, and then the smallers in the middle. I haven't finished it yet. Takin' my time.
I'm glad, in the end, that I didn't have to move any of my fiction shelves, because I perfectly arranged them a year or two ago. They need to be straightened, but they're by subject and author, and all fit into one wall-corner on matching book cases.
What really needs doing is a reorg of the non-fiction, cause I didn't do that last time. If I were the New Agey type, I'd say I haven't gotten a job in teaching yet because my developing areas books are all dusty and toppling over and uncared for.
I'm going to hang (read "staple gun") up curtains to cover the recess where the laundry machines are kept.
I've got a new desk formation--it's not cute, but it's in a U shape, so will be very functional and cozy. Haley already likes it.
Only thing I'm unhappy with is the bed placement... maybe I'll see if it can fit in a different direction.
Besides that, tomorrow is the kitchen, and put sofa together.
I've followed my usual procedure of piling crap on the bed, so it has to be put away before one can go to sleep. Hey--there's a little Minion in there! It's like a Waldo book.
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