You otter know

Mitch and I 'played hookey' from work on Tuesday afternoon and went to the aquarium in Newport. This little guy and I fell in love at first sight.

Come with me, if you want to live

Saw 'Terminator Salvation' last night. (I really wish they would have used a colon in the title. 'Terminator: Salvation'. )

it was a great, gritty action movie, but maybe not a great Terminator movie. the thing about the original movies, and even the horriffically-reviewed third one, was that it was always the characters and their roles in the predestination paradox that drew you in and held you there. This one missed a key few moments between some characters that I REALLY would have liked to see - realizations about fathers and sons that could have been fleshed out in dialogue, opportunities to examine at the cause-and-effect/self-fulfilling prophecy/fate vs. will storylines...

Believe me, I never, never thought I would ever say this (because I loooove Christian Bale), but instead of Bale's rendition of Connor as confident leader, I wish that we could have seen some more of Nick Stahl's John Connor opposite Anton Yelchin as Reese. not only are they more physically similar, making their connection more plausible, but I think their acting styles would also be a better match...

All in all, I liked it, but I didn't love it, which is too bad. Here's hoping that the future Terminator installments make a new fate for themselves...

TV blues

I read an article a few weeks ago about how people form emotional attachments to characters on television shows. so not healthy but so true.

oh, Peter and Olivia and Walter, Bones and Brennan and Sweets, Dr. Lightman, Echo, Claire and Peter and Horn-Rim-Glasses Guy, Chuck and Blair, how I will miss you for these next few months!

(I did set my DVR to record new shows 'So You Think You Can Dance' and 'Glee', which should be fluffy entertainment at best, and deleted before watched at worst. I also plan to watch some shows on DVD this summer - season 2 of 'Mad Men', seasons 3 & 4 of 'Battlestar Galactica', as well as the past few seasons of 'Lost'.)

the Trek

I love Star Trek. and Sci Fi in general. love it, love it, love it! In regards to the release of this new movie, two things were guaranteed to be true about it:

1. it will make Billions of dollars
2. it will polarize fans like nothing else

As a Sci Fi fan, I understand that one of the most important tenets of any good Sci Fi tale or myth is that it is deeply established in a canon of its histories and facts and backstories. This roots the story in truth (although this truth may not be relative to the truth of reality).

HOWEVER, in this new movie, they (the writers) really messed with some key canon points, not to mention alot of other small details, from set to costume to character. But I am not going to complain about any of it, because I loved every second of the movie. Every. Second.

These stories to help us plumb the depths of ourselves, and canon simply exists to give the story a parameter, so that it doesn't continually escalate to the point of ridiculousness, like a child telling a story. It's a means to an end, not the end.

So, it's my opinion that as long as they maintain the integrity of the story and characters, and maintain the truth of the world in which they exist, that the canon can be altered in such a way without ruining the purity of the story.

----

Now as for this movie, have already said that I loved it. LOVED it. I LOVE prequels. they allow us to newly discover people that we already loved, and remind us afresh why we love them so much in the first place. and YES, this is the crew we know and love, not young replacements with the same names adapting their tics.

Karl Urban is dead-on as Bones. Anton Yelchin may not look like Chekhov, but he is the cutest thing since baby seals were invented, and you forgive him because of that. I don't even know the name of the guy playing Kirk, but he managed to preserve the bravado and swagger of Shatner's portrayal, but wiped away the slimy layer of oil he always oozed in the role. and Zachary Quinto is just...perfect as Spock.

go see it. it's well-balanced writing and action... it is eye-popping effects and epic storying... it is overall exhilarating and joyful.

it's freeeeeeeeeeee!

Anyone have a Samsung ML-1610 laser printer? I have an orphan cartridge needing a good home. I accidentally ordered the wrong model number. oh shut up.

and what is the cost, you ask? why, it's free. because if it has to sit on my desk simultaneously reminding me of said mistake AND taking up precious desk space, I am going to freak out and throw it away. yes, I said it. throw. it. away. brand. new. and all. I am a compulsive thrower-awayer. but first...I at least have to TRY and find the little guy a home!

oh, come on, nothing is free these days! jump on it while you can! if nothing else, you can SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT! that's RIGHT, because I might even throw it away in the GARBAGE!

damn, I am in a bad mood. does anyone else ever passive-aggressively threaten to throw away office supplies when they're cranky? no, just me...ok.

paranoia, man

someone used my work credit card (thank GOD it wasn't my personal credit card or I'd probably never sleep again!) to buy over $1,000 ... on itunes. (no, they didn't hack into my itunes account, they just got my card info and decided to go nuts on itunes. no other purchases. thieves are weird.)

the writing on the wall

I found this article on how our handwriting can reveal our personality and thought it was an interesting idea, so before I read it I wrote some sentences on unlined paper. let's see what's revealed:

Spacing Between Words: According to graphology, this represents
your comfort level when it comes to socializing. Having very little space in between words suggests that you are a people-person who craves social contact. A large gap indicates that you have trouble relating to others and might prefer being solo. Those with an average amount of space fall somewhere in the middle.

Spacing Between Sentences in Paragraphs: If it’s difficult to determine
one line from another (i.e., there’s almost no space separating them), your thoughts might be a bit jumbled and confused. On the other side of the spectrum, large spaces are associated with sharp perception and meticulousness. Average spaces represent a balance between the two.

Straight: Someone who writes in an exactly straight line could be rigid
and methodical, to the point where he/she sees being emotional as having a lack of discipline. Mostly straight lines speak well of a person’s level of
self-control and success in a variety of trades.

Ascending/Descending: If the baseline slopes upward as you write from
left to right (as it does in the picture below), graphologists would say
that you have a positive outlook and are generally enthusiastic and
determined. If it slopes downward, that suggests depression, lethargy, or a tendency toward moodiness.

Left Slant (\\\): If your writing slants toward the left, it’s possible
you have trouble expressing yourself and come off as indifferent and distant to those around you.
Vertical (): A lack of slant in writing suggests that you’re guided by logic more than your emotions, but that there’s a fair balance between the two.
Right Slant (///): People who write with a forward slant follow their hearts and are usually more empathetic and caring than most.

Small: Small writing characters often belong to someone with a high
concentration level and a superior attention to detail. They operate best when given one task at a time and the ability to tackle it alone.