I wouldn’t have guessed that.
[tags]Luke Skywalker, quiz, science fiction[/tags]
Category: This and That
The Funny Papers
You know, all the comic strips I read when I was growing up are disappearing. Calvin and Hobbes has been gone for some time now. Bill Amend just decided not to do daily strips for Fox Trot — which makes me wonder if he is preparing himself to stop doing the strip altogether. I just read online that For Better or For Worse is ending this year. Now, I probably haven’t read that strip regularly since I was in high school in the late 1980’s, but it’s always been there, and I always thought it was interesting that the characters in that strip really aged. I admit every once in a while I checked in to see what everyone was doing. And Elly Patterson reminded me of my own mom. When I checked the strip website just now, I learned that their birthdays are only eight days apart.
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Review of 2006
I’m not a huge one for memes, but I liked this one (found via Red Scharlach). Happy New Year, everyone!
- What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before?
I learned how to use a SMARTBoard. - Did you keep your New Year’s Resolution(s), and will you make more for this year?
I don’t recall that I made one last year, but I sort of made one this year: to do more cooking at home to save money. - Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, that was last year. But I have friends who are expecting in 2007. - Did anyone close to you die?
Most people might not consider a great-grandmother close, especially since I didn’t grow up living near her or visit her often, but yes, my great-grandmother Lucille Willis Thurman died. - What countries did you visit?
Sadly, I didn’t have the opportunity to travel at all this year; I haven’t been to any foreign countries since I was 11. - What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
Financial security. - What dates from 2006 will remain etched in your memory and why?
I don’t know that specific dates will, but moments will — going to the Schools Attuned class in June, the new school building opening, the orange-leafed tree I saw on Azalea Dr. back in November. - What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I’m not sure. Maybe the fact that I stayed much more organized at work than I have been in the past. - What was your biggest failure?
That’s tough. I need to think about that. - Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was sick for the month of November, but not seriously — just a cough. - What was the best thing you bought?
It’s a toss-up between my Jeff Buckley Grace CD and my Jim Burke Teacher’s Daybook. - Whose behavior merited celebration?
I’m sure there are plenty of people I could think of, but the first bunch that came to mind is my senior English class, who created a great wiki for Kafka’s Metamorphosis. - Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Where to start? President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Kim Jong-il. - Where did most of your money go?
Bills and food. - What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Using technology in education. - What song will always remind you of 2006?
Probably none. I don’t listen to much new stuff, really. - Compared to this time last year are you: a) happier or sadder; b) thinner or fatter; c) richer or poorer?
a) about the same; b) about the same; c) poorer. - What do you wish you’d done more of?
Reading. Although nothing’s stopping me, I guess. - What do you wish you’d done less of?
Eating fast food. - How did you spend Christmas?
I went to my parents’ house in Macon. - “There is no question 21.”
Yes there is — but it’s labeled 22. - Did you fall in love in 2006?
No. - How many one-night stands?
Given that I’ve never had one, period, it is safe to say there were none in 2006. - What was your favorite TV program?
Jericho. - Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate’s a pretty strong word, but there is someone I dislike that I used to like OK. - What was the best book you read?
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. - What was your greatest musical discovery?
Jeff Buckley. Was that this year or last? - What did you want and get?
The director’s cut of Amadeus. A new van (woot!). - What did you want and not get?
An iPod. - What was your favorite film of this year?
I guess Cars, as I didn’t see anything else that actually came out this year. I don’t get to go to the movies much. - What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I didn’t do anything, and I turned 35. - What one thing would have made your year measurably more satisfying?
More money. Just enough not to worry. - How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
The same as it has been for about 10 years now. I am not a fashion plate, I guess. - What kept you sane?
Work. - Which celebrity or public figure did you fancy the most?
I can’t think of one. I don’t really go in for celebrity crushes. - What political issue stirred you the most?
Eminent domain. Our school was threatened, and I think as a result, I will always vote against measures to expand eminent domain. If the government ever lets us vote against it, I will. - Whom did you miss?
My grandparents. They are still living, but in Colorado. - Who was the best new person you met?
Melody, our new English teacher who is also my department head. I love her! - Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006.
When it comes right down to it, you have to depend on yourself. - Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
I hate this sort of thing. I don’t have a proper answer. I don’t tend to apply song lyrics to my personal life. Just to be morbid, the line of poetry that comes to mind is “Do not go gentle into that good night / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” In other words, keep on truckin’.
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A Christmas Carol
I have to admit to a lifelong love for Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Somehow, the Christmas season doesn’t seem complete until I have seen an adaptation of this classic. When I was a child, I used to enjoy Rich Little’s characterizations of all the characters. My favorite these days is 1999’s version starring Patrick Stewart as Scrooge (although the 1984 George C. Scott is good, too). Despite the fact that it is anachronistic, I love the part when the Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge all the people singing “Silent Night,” especially the mine worker with the ringing tenor. Gee, I wonder why that would be?
I don’t care for modern adaptations of the story. There is something about the Victorian setting that appeals to me. I am watching Patrick Stewart as Scrooge being frightened by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come as I write. Working at a Jewish school somewhat dampens the Christmas season for obvious reasons. I need to work much harder to get into the spirit of the holiday. Watching this reminds me of the Star Trek TNG movie Generations, when Captain Picard is caught in the Nexus and imagines he has this lovely Victorian family surrounding him for the holidays.
I wonder what Christmas was like in Charles Dickens’ house?
I Hate Drake
If you’ve ever been bullied — especially if you could laugh about it later — you’ll love this.
I appreciate you all indulging my current fondness for YouTube.
Arthur
Maggie has a classmate named Arthur who recently lost his father to a fatal heart attack. Maggie’s class is collecting donations to help the family with funeral expenses. If you are interested in helping, please contact me, and I will provide you with Maggie’s teacher’s e-mail address; she can tell you how to help. Out of concerns about security, I didn’t feel comfortable posting either the teacher’s e-mail address or Arthur’s family’s bank account number here.
Wil Wheaton on Star Trek: TNG
Star Trek: The Next Generation is, was, and probably will always be my favorite incarnation of the Star Trek franchise. I loved the characters. I loved the stories. The late 1980’s and early 1990’s offered much better special effects than those the original series had to work with. I never truly caught on to DS9, Voyager, or Enterprise. I have really been enjoying Wil Wheaton’s commentary on TNG episodes over at TV Squad. Wil’s sense of humor is unerring, and his deconstruction of the episodes is an entertaining read. He also supplies interesting memories associated with filming the episodes. You can read all of Wil’s recaps here. To me, the mark of good writing is the extent to which I am compelled to read it to Steve. I have read all of Wil’s TNG recaps to Steve.
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I Was Just Minding My Own Business
I drove up to the school today to get my phone — I thought I had left it there. Nope. I don’t know where it is, and I left it on buzz last time, so even if I called it, I doubt I’d find it. Anyway, while I was there, I updated my classroom blog. It was very quiet, and I imagine that I could probably get a lot done there on the weekends. I left and stopped by the store for a few groceries. Right as I was getting ready to cross over the Chattahoochee into Roswell, some blonde (no offense Lara) plowed into me. Just minding my own business. I feel OK, and the car has minimal damage, but I would be surprised if her car was not totaled. This one wasn’t my fault!
In other news NaNoWriMo is going badly. Being sick took me out of the loop, and I need to work hard to catch up and get back in the game. And I’m just not feeling it today. In fact, I’m probably going to play Nintendo after I post this.
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It’s Just a Cold
But it feels worse. I went to the doctor this morning to see if I had bronchitis or walking pneumonia because that’s how bad I felt, but the diagnosis is a cold. I have some fancy expensive new medicine, so we’ll see if that helps.
The nurse was telling me about how she had breakfast at Waffle House — sausage and waffles. I have to admit it pleased me to hear a nurse talking about eating at one of my favorite greasy spoons. Anyway, I decided to get some breakfast there myself while waiting for my prescription to be filled. I was creeped out by the guy sitting next to me at the counter. Then this other guy came in and talked to himself the whole time he was there. I was looking all over for a Bluetooth something-or-other, but no, he was talking to himself. The guy at the counter said he was just Elton, and he preached to himself and came in every day (which meant counter-man did, too, I guess), and that he was harmless. OK.
There are these trees with absolutely the most beautiful, perfect shade of orange all over town right now.
I voted. Now I am supposed to be relaxing. I am going to try to think of something to write for my book today; now I’m falling really behind.