Did you feel the earthquake?

I felt it last night, but I didn't know what it was until today. I was sitting on the couch reading, and I felt the couch shake a bit. It was as if someone were walking up behind me, which wigged me out since I was alone. Then I decided that it must have been a truck or something, and went back to my book.

Freakay!

I just have to say that Ralph Vaughn William's Dona Nobis Pacem is just about the most powerful and moving pieces of music I have ever heard. I mean, I sang the thing for an entire semester, and I'm still not sick of hearing it over and over.

I really liked F 9/11. I thought it was all round a much stronger film than Bowling for Columbine. Moore usually does at least one thing in every piece that makes me cringe and think"God! Don't be such a jackass." I was totally expecting to find those here, and there were none--there was none of the bullshit that usually makes me cringe at least once in most Moore products. I think he learned a few lessons from the controversy surrounding Bowling: don't give your opponents ammunition to pick you apart.This seemed much more sober and grown-up.

Of course, for me Moore is preaching to the choir, while others wouldn't listen to him in the middle of a rainstorm if he told them it was raining. What will be interesting to see is how the people in the middle ground will react if/when the see it.

I will report in more detail when I am less tired and don't have to wake up early.

Also, Camp Welstone is still great.

The first day of Camp Wellstone is over, and I am liking it all very much. However, a lengthier report must wait, because I've got an early day tomorrow, and must get to bed.

Today I had a preliminary checkup in order to take part in a UW Asthma and Allergy research program. It included an allergy skin test. Oddly enough, I didn't register a reaction to anything except for the histimine positive control. Not cats, dogs, grass, mold, penicillin, trees, dust... Which is odd considering how many things make me sneeze or get stuffy.

Of course, now I have these very sci-fi looking rows of dots up and down my forearms, from the lancet pricks. It's long sleeves time.

So I didn't see the tornado, but my friends and I did watch the storm roll through, both out the windows and on the television. It made for an interesting hour or so, and I was quite relieved that there was no hail to bang up my Jeep.

It was particularly fascinating to watch the Channel 27 weather people commenting on the clouds that they were seeing in their rooftop camera. "We're seeing some rotation in that one." I made the comment that if a funnel cloud came down at the spot, it would be a weatherman's wet dream. Just then, the screen went black for a little while and everyone in the studio ran for the basement as a funnel cloud dropped down practically right outside their window.

Channel 3 has a nice slideslide of storm images on their website at the moment. Cap Times and the State Journal have stories, but without much in the way of pictures.

Reading Rose is Rose this week (yes, I read that. go ahead and laugh.), I am reminded just how much I am not a cat person. There is a running joke about trying to sit in a favorite chair and finding the cat in in everytime. Well, if I were in a household with a cat and wanted to sit in my favorite chair (and apparerntly didn't mind getting covered with hair) and found the cat sitting on it....I'd pick up the cat and toss the darn thing off. None of this patiently waiting around crap. What the hell is that?

I made use of my Bucky Book coupon for a free single scoop cone to get a cone of the flavor of the day--German Chocolate Fudge. I took it to the park across the street and enjoyed it in the sunshine on a swing. Then I filled out my application and trotted it back to the restaurant, where I gave it to the general manager. He told me he'd probably give me a call next week.

Dear Ms. Olson,

We would again like to hank you for coming in for an intervew [more like two] and wish you luck with your job search.

Fuck.

I still can't get my damn iBook to function with a battery. I wanna cry.

I have dental insurance from working as a substitute teacher. Unfortunately, it isn't very good dental insurance and I have a very sorry mouth. At this time, I've only got $100 of coverage left for this year (which is about enough to pay a dentist to say "Good morning"), and a recurring throb over one tooth that tell me that there's a whole lotta not good going on, and that it ain't gonna get any better. Needless to say, I'd better find myself a job with some good dental coverage et soon.

Of course, there was nothing for me in today's classifieds. Lucky me.

This coming weekend, I will be taking part in Camp Wellstone, learning new skills for "Community Activism, Advocacy, and Organizing". I'm looking forward to it.

Well, my brand new Bucky Book may only have three months lieft on it, but boy howdy, am I going to put it to work.

I hit my first Mallards game of the season tonight. They won. It rocked. Take *that* major leagues!

I've been sorting out old clothes for a rummage sale. A big chunk of them are things from about my 8th grade year...1989-90. I look at the stuff and think...WTF were we all thinking? Among the pile is a pair of black denim "envelope pants" and an acid washed jean mini skirt. Good lord.

Yesterday I had a gleeful time at a Mallards Pre-Game party sponsored by the Onion to celebrate the Mallards' 100th game as an organization. There was free food and beer in abundance, plus a band.

When I say free food and beer, I'm not talking a few potato chips and some Miller Light, either. There was beer from the Great Dane, among others--5 varieties--and full servings. I had a Crop Circle Wheat and an Old Glory Pale Ale. Both were delicious and refreshing. There were grilled brats from Bull's BBQ, chips and an assortment of salsas and dips from Qdoba (I tried the pico de gallo and the very rich guacamole) and also chips and veggies from Old Chicago with yummy cream cheese and artichoke dip. I must confess I stuffed myself silly.

While enjoying the edbile largesse, I listened to the cover band...whose name escapes me...and watched people ascend the climbing wall and then rappelle down. I would have liked to have taken a turn myself, but I was wearing a sundress and slides, so it didn't seem terribly practical.

After about 3 hours of soaking up the sun, and with two hourse still to go before the game started, I found myself hit by waves of sleepiness. It was time to find a cool place to nap and digest. Consequently, I missed the game itself (they won!) though I did get to see the post game fireworks from my window.

I'll catch a game soon, though. What with the Duck Pond mere blacks from my house.

A few weeks ago, I was biking along the bike trail near my house. At one point, it crossed the driveway of a supermarket, and the traffic from the driveway had a stop sign. I didn't. However, there was a guy edging his car out at the "stop" so that it blocked my path. I slowed down, to make certain that he wasn't going to go. (I know that, regardless of the right-of-way, the car will always beat the bike and I've BTDT.) I made eye contact, saw that he was going to stay, and passed in front of him. As I passed, he leaned out his open window and yelled out the most sarcastic, "YOU'RE WELCOME!" that I have ever heard. As though he was doing me a huge favor by actually obeying the traffic laws, and that I was a total ingrate.

A few blocks later, I was starting to cross a busier street at the light. The traffic that was stopped was on a one-way street, so there were cars directly next to me as I was starting to move. Just as I had lifted my feet onto the pedals and was at my least stable, the guy in the car I was in front on honked his horn. I was so startled by it that I nearly fell over. He just sat there laughing.

Fast forward to today. I was driving to the store, and was on a 4-lane stretch of road with a 45 mph speed limit. I was moving into the (rather lengthy) left turn lane when a guy stepped off the median to jaywalk, about 50 feet in front of me. Mind you, there is a crosswalk with a light about 20 feet further up. He had just started to walk out when his girlfriend called him back to the curb. Now, if he had conintued to cross, I certainly would and could have slowed and avoided hitting him. I was already slowing down to prepare for the stoplight and my turn. So it isn't as though I cam barreling along and nearly clipped him. Still, when I passed by where he was standing, he yelled out, "BITCH!" to my open window.

What the hell is with these cretins?

Usually I don't like to get too personal out here on the big, wide internet, but right now I'm feeling cranky and hot and need to vent a bit.

Two things I could really use right now are a new job and a really nice date. Of course, if I had my druthers I'll go with the new job.

School ends this week, and with it ends my subbing opportunities for at least three months. The fact that I've been sending out job applications and resumes without success for over a year does not make it seem likely that I will be scoring anything other than something low paying and menial...not quite enough to pay the bills.

Gah.

I just thought I'd mention that I absolutely love the word "bivouac". Try saying it aloud, and you'll know what I mean. Bivouac.

We must protect the Homeland!

When is this insanity going to stop? Please, vote the bastards out in November.

Just a little something that I made at the behest of a friend. She wanted to see Michaelangelo's David as a "Frenchman".

According to Joss Whedon, the movie Serenity has started filming this week and is set to be released in April of next year. I can hardly wait.

Now I wonder how long we'll have to wait for Mirrormask?

According to Joss Whedon, the movie Serenity has started filming this week and is set to be released in April of next year. I can hardly wait.

Now I wonder how long we'll have to wait for Mirrormask.

Do the students at Hogwarts study anything else besides magic? Math? Geography? Literature? I remember that there was a History of Wizardry course, but that's about it. I can't imagine that wizards would find regular math to be entirely unimportant, but the only mention I can think of was the Arthimancy course Hermione took. Students in intensive training schools for things like dance and music still take time to study other subjects. What happens at Hogwarts? J. K. Rowling hasn't said. The only options that I can think are these:

A. They do study the more mundane school subjects, but we never hear about those classes, teachers, or homework. (This seems unlikely.)

B. Those other subjects get covered in the course of other classes. (Still doesn't seem very satisfactory.)

C. The witches and wizards in Rowlings world do all of their mundane studies before coming to Hogwarts, and are content to keep about a 5th grade (or its English equivalent) education in everything non-magical.

I know it's kind of a picky thing, but know that it has occured to me, I really want to know. I guess it bugs the teacher in me. I'm tempted to write to Rowling or her editor or someone and ask.

I was completely blown away by Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. As far as I was concerned, it left the first two movies in the dust. I know he isn't directing Goblet of Fire, butAlfonso Cuarón needs to be the one to direct Order of the Phoenix.

I liked the changes that were made to the set and the costuming. The new exterior for Hogwarts looked more like what I pictured Hogwarts to be. The Hogwarts grounds in the first two films was so flat and manicured. It wasn't bad, but the craggier land seems more magical. The wardrobe changes for the students also helped with the tone. There was nothing wrong with the proper, pressed school uniforms in the first two films, but the little changes really helped emphasize the transition into the teen years. Particularly if you look at the rumples shirts and loose neckties of the boys. They just screams "WE'RE THIRTEEN!" It was also nice to see the kids dressed in "muggle clothes" in their off hours.

The new casting choices continued to be brilliant. While Michael Gambon is not Richard Harris' doppleganger, he carried off the role of Dumbledore so well that it actually took me aout twenty seconds to remember that Harris had died and that a change had been made. Another member of our movie watching group, who had just seen the other two movies this week, didn't even realize that it was a different actor, though he knew there was something going on. He thought that a frame had been flipped.

David Thewlis was just what I'd pictured Professor Lupin to be, and we all know how well Gary Oldman can push the envelope.

There was a lot from the book that was left out in the movie, but most of that was simply streamlining. For example, the headless hunt is given a a brief visual reference but no further explanation. Perfectly fine, because though it is an entertaining episode, it doesn't serve to move the main plot along. On the other hand, I wish that Lupin had given Harry the explanation for "Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs", it wouldn't have added much to the movie in terms of length, but it would have explained a whole lot of things.

Finally, I have to say that I think all the people who have been saying that the cast of kids is going to have to change because Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, et. al are getting too old to play the characters are full of it. They will be 14, 15, 16, and 17 in the next movies...high schoolers. People much older than they have played convincing high school students. I think the only reasons for casting changes would be the regular sort: someone doesn't want to play the role anymore, is asking too much money, etc.

Anyway, I am definitely going to go see the movie again. Probably going to want it on DVD when it comes out, too. I hope Goblet is at least this good.

Best. Harry Potter movie. Ever.

more to follow...

Today I got to teach phy ed in the great out doors. It was sunny and gorgeous and I got to be right there in it. Though I may have picked up a wee hint of a sunburn. Not sure yet.

Tonight I'm going to see Harry Potter.