Twilight Twilight Twilight!

Wow, the first new post in 3 months! Mostly I haven't posted because no one reads this anyway, but sometimes (like now) I just need a venue to get out the shite that's in my head. Without further ado, today's topic will be... TWILIGHT!

So I started the book the night before Thanksgiving and had finished all 4 by the next weekend. Recently I read Stephenie's draft of Midnight Sun which made me want to read Twilight again. Alas, the night I got it back from the friend I had lent it to, his girlfriend read the preface and got sucked in so I let her borrow it. :( I consoled myself by reading New Moon again which I finished last night. Oh, and I've seen the movie 3 times already, the last being Christmas day, and will see it probably at least once a month until it's out of theatres. Seriously, I could watch it at least 5 more times before it's gone.

I didn't like the movie too much at first, though like the book it was addicting, but after reading Midnight Sun..wow-there's so much more to the film. Watching it now, it's clear that Catherine Hardwicke and Rob Pattinson had access to the draft -there's a lot of subtlety to the film that's hard to pick up on without that knowledge...or maybe I'm just projecting stuff. Who knows? Anyway, I'm excited to see Chris Weitz's vision for New Moon and being the person that I am (wannabe director) I'm planning out scenes for it in my head. I hope Chris doesn't disappoint and moreover, I hope that my vision doesn't bias me against his. It would be a dream to direct one of these movies (except for Eclipse; I don't think I could do that one).

So many topics to talk about: actors/acting, the books, the writing, my favorite scenes (books and movie).... This will probably keep me going for a while, especially since I live in the US and couldn't watch the Doctor Who Christmas Special -working on that angle though.

I just read a Twilighter's experience at a mall signing with Rob Pattinson in CA and oh my hell I'm laughing my ass off! Well, most of the story sucks until the end when she meets Rob -that's funny right there. Just had to share that. Alright enough talk for now.

How about this for a DREAM economic plan?

Got this in an email and had to share:

To my fellow Americans......

I'm against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG.

Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in
a We Deserve It Dividend.

To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000
bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+.

Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman
and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up..

So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billon that equals $425,000.00.

My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a
We Deserve It Dividend.

Of course, it would NOT be tax free.
So let's assume a tax rate of 30%.

Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes.
That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.

But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket.
A husband and wife has $595,000.00.

What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?
Pay off your mortgage – housing crisis solved.
Repay college loans – what a great boost to new grads
Put away money for college – it'll be there
Save in a bank – create money to loan to entrepreneurs.
Buy a new car – create jobs
Invest in the market – capital drives growth
Pay for your parent's medical insurance – health care improves
Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean – or else

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks
who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company
that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we're going to re-distribute wealth let's really do it...

If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!

As for AIG – liquidate it.
Sell off its parts.
Let American General go back to being American General.
Sell off the real estate.
Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

Here's my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn't.

Sure it's a crazy idea that can 'never work.'

But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party!

How do you spell Economic Boom?

I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion
We Deserve It Dividend more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC.

And remember, this plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned
instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.

Ahhh...I feel so much better getting that off my chest.

PS: Feel free to pass this along to your pals as it's either good for a laugh or a tear or a very sobering thought on how to best use $85 Billion!

Dream bigger -- what would you get from the $700 Billion?

Who is the author of the Farscape Project blog??

Okay, I'm a little pissed off. Today when I went to the Farscape Project blog here, it gave me the following message: "This blog is open to invited readers only. It doesn't look like you have been invited to read this blog. If you think this is a mistake, you might want to contact the blog author and request an invitation."

Being the Scaper freak that I am, I SO SO SO love this blog! I have no idea who the author of the blog is -there's so much crap in my head that this "minor" detail never stuck, so basically I'm screwed. :_( This was the best website for all things Farscape, especially the most recent news and goings on... If by some act of divine intervention, the author hears of my desperate plight, please please please invite me in!! I am lost without you!!

Addendum, Oct 2, 2008
It seems perhaps the above was a glitch. The Farscape Project is back up and running, and available for all to view again. Sweet!!

Has anyone else ever heard of Amy Arena?

Last night Paul and I started talking -again- about Amy Arena. It's all his fault, he said "and then" and it just popped into my head! Since we both discovered and loved her long before we ever met each other, and given how obscure she is in the mainstream music scene, I was (once again) commenting how cosmic it is that we each found someone who even knows who she is, let alone likes her stuff. Then Paul said my next blog should be about her - so here it is. I googled her today to find out what she's been up to lately and apparently she's finished a new solo CD but no idea when it's coming out. Arrgh.

So I just wanted to know if anyone else had ever heard of her, or give some feedback if you get a chance to hear any of her stuff (there's a sampling on her website). I personally am really excited for the new album and eagerly await it!

You rock Amy!

Cognitive Dissonance

Okay, I didn't want to do two Mormon-related blogs in a row, but I can't get this out of my mind. Hereafter, I am creating a separate blog for the Mormon stuff (I didn't want to do that either, but there's so much to say!), so indulge me on this one.

Cognitive dissonance (or cog-dis) is a phrase that comes up a lot when talking about the Mormon faith. Dictionary.com defines it as "psychological conflict resulting from simultaneously held incongruous beliefs and attitudes" This can be so 'severe' as to result in something I'll call cognitive separation -it's been called other things but I'm really tired right now and don't want to look it up. Basically, one simultaneously holds separate and conflicting beliefs to be true, often not making the connection that they are contradictory. Ok, so why am I talking about this?

All day last Thursday I knew it was Thursday. No questions, I knew what day it was and that tomorrow would be Fri -until about 3pm. Many of my co-workers were taking Friday off so everybody was saying "see you Monday" when they left. I got home and suddenly was thinking it was Friday; I called my mom, asked why she wasn't answering her phone on a Friday night and then if she could alter my pants tomorrow (thinking that would be Saturday). I'm thinking the kid can go to bed late cuz I don't have to get up tomorrow....good thing I remembered before he went to bed what day it really was! But I remember during sophomore year of high school, on Thursday I would think it was Friday, but on Friday I wouldn't realize it was Friday, my brain sort of told me it was some other day between Thursday and Friday (I know how crazy that sounds).

So I know we all forget what day it is and stuff, but I was wondering what the hell is it with my brain that -although I knew it was Thursday- allowed me to suddenly think it was Friday? Further down the rabbit hole, what is it that continually made me think there was some day between Thursday and Friday??? That's ridiculous! So, I wondered if it had anything to do with the cog-dis and cog-separation that one develops from being Mormon. Have years of mental gymnastics and convoluted explanations and conflicting beliefs warped my mind that badly? It's completely plausible, if you ask me. It's one more way that growing up Mormon has effected the core of me. I find it interesting. (Then again, it could be because of the drugs they had me on in high school!)

Funny Hate Mail on Mormon Curtain

Saw this email on Mormon Curtain and I just had to internally respond to it -kinda funny.

From: hatethehaters
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2005 12:49 PM
To: hatemail@mormoncurtain.com
Subject: Holy Crap!

Holy Crap!!!

What a bunch of whining, childish, stupidity. Oh, and dishonest too.

To all you mormon hating whiners:

One: You're not special or new; mormon haters have been around since 1820. Have they? Joe Smith "may" have had his "First Vision" in 1820, but Mormonism wasn't around until 1828 when Joe claimed to have found those golden plates.

Two: You are not modern day gnostics You don't have any special knowledge. Most of the your "anti" crap has been around for 150 years; disproved and debunked and exposed as lies over and over again but it doesn't stop mormon haters from recycling it over and over again. The kinderhook plates? The golden pot? Give us a break! It seems that nothing stops a mormon hater from believing anything that supports his hatred. And nothing stops a Mormon from believing anything that supports his Mormonism. I wonder what about the Kinderhook plates makes this person believe it has been debunked or exposed as lies? Actually, again I could take their statement and turn it around on them: Most of the "mormon" crap [just using the author's words] has been around for 150 years; disproved and debunked and exposed as lies (fiction) over and over again but it doesn't stop Mormons from recycling it over and over again.

Three: Condemning members of the church for their faults is like condemning the patients in the hospital for being sick or injured. If you don't understand the metaphor, never mind.

Four: "Mormonhaters.net" is available. Why don't you show a little honesty and change your site name? Unfortunately, the more self-descriptive "Morons.com" is not available to you -pity.

Five: As far as coming back: don't bother. You will never be able to undo the damage you have done and you will never be able to take back the help you have given Satan in his efforts to destroy this work. You belong to him now. File this Email under "stuff to read while I'm lifting up my eyes in hell" Wow. Really feelin the love of Christ there. Yep, Mormons believe that some people can never be forgiven, which if you ask me is exactly the opposite of Christ. Wasn't it Alma the Younger (in the BoM) who went around blaspheming against God saying how nobody should listen and follow him -then bam, one day he is visited by an angel , completely changes his ways and becomes one of the greatest proselytizers? "Nevertheless, after wading through much tribulation, repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy has seen fit to snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God." (Mosiah 27:28) To me, that verse always said that no matter what, God still loves you, and you can repent and be forgiven. But apparently, I was wrong!

I hope it's refreshing to find out that, although most mormons are always ready to offer you the proverbial hand of friendship (which I know you find annoying), there are a few of us who will only offer you a proverbial hand clenched into a proverbial fist and aimed at your proverbial nose. Again, the love of Christ is totally evident here... Here's the math: it's OK to hate evil; traitors and persecutors of the truth are evil; therefore I hate you. What about when Jesus said "Some have said hate your enemies, but I say love your enemies"??? Matt 5:44, 46-47 "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?" Luke 6:29 “Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. "

Bye now.

I hear what you're saying "this person isn't representative of all Mormons". Of course I wouldn't assume that, but knowing what I know of LDS mentality and seeing what I've seen on the Christian/Mormon websites, a LOT of LDS -on the internet- are exactly like this. And it's sad.

Foo Fighters at Red Rocks

So I went to the Foo Fighters concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre (in Morrison, CO) Monday night. It was supposed to be in July but Dave Grohl got sick and it was postponed to the end of their tour. And of course, yesterday morning started out with rain! Luckily it wasn't raining -and was actually pretty dry- by the time we got there. It was still overcast and there were a couple of cool clouds of fog rolling over the mountains. Oh, and it was cold! :)

A band called Year Long Disaster opened for the Fighters. .... .... .... The band consists of (and I do not know their names) a drummer, a bassist, and the lead guitarist/singer. The first song started out really good ...until the lead singer opened his mouth. Within 3 seconds I could tell that he was influenced by Steven Tyler and Aerosmith, but Tyler can croon. Screaming is NOT an acceptable substitute for not being able to sing. Now, it wasn't like death metal screaming (which I absolutely cannot stand), but just more like I know I can't hold a note unless it's in my throat so here you go. Honestly, the band's sound is awesome (many of the songs sound similar to Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, and a ton of other 70's & 80's rock bands) but they need a different singer. During the 3rd or 4th song I was imagining the melody being sung by a woman with a huskier voice (something like Billie Holiday) and it changed my view of it -enriched the song actually. If they just got a different singer, that band could really take off instead of being the Year Long Singing Disaster I saw that night. To end this critique on a positive note, the guy was a really good guitarist, and the bassist was phenomenal.

Okay, on to the Foo Fighters. Personally, I was a bit disappointed that "Learn to Fly" was song #3 -I could have used a bit more time to warm up for that one. That's the song I went to the show for (because it's the only one I know all the words to, thanks to RockBand). I mean, I like Foo Fighters songs, but I don't know them that well. Lyrics can be difficult to decipher. I like that they are incorporating traditional strings into their music. On this tour they have brought along Jessie Green on cello, violin, and as a backup/duet singer. She is awesome. (maybe she could sing for YLD?).
I think my favorite part of the concert was Dave Grohl's first comment to the audience. "Sorry we're late," sounding like the Joker's "hi" to Harvey Dent in the hospital after getting half his face burned off (Dark Knight with Christian Bale and Heath Ledger if you don't know what I'm talking about). Throughout the course of the night he referred back to the fact that the show had to be postponed due to his illness, ultimately concluding that it was for the best; that this gig was the best of the tour. I'm sure he says that to all the audiences. ;) And just in case you were wondering, they closed the show with "Big Me" aka the Mentos song. heehee

Well, I can't give you a set list or anything, I really don't know the songs. But, they were good. What I can comment on was the experience of the concert. You know, I really feel sorry for people who have to get drunk, and especially those who need to smoke pot, to enjoy somebody's music. I truly do, and it sucks that their deficiency can ruin someone else's enjoyment of same concert. For me, it's distracting and annoying when I'm simply breathing and inhale pot smoke, but some people have major adverse physical reactions to it -which I'm sure if the pot smokers were aware of, still wouldn't care about. A certain somebody who wanted to be at that concert more than I did had to leave only halfway through because of a migraine from the smoke. Pounding drums and a cacaphony of guitars were unfortunately making it worse. People, if you're looking for an excuse to party, that's what raves and ..well, parties are for. It may be hard to stomach, but some of us go see a band play live because we just like their music and want to hear it. I know, stop the presses.
Overall, the concert was a blast. This was my first time seeing a show at Red Rocks and I would definitely go back. Being outside in the mountains rocking out is fun, but it would have been better in July when the tempature was quite a bit higher than barely above freezing. I will be buying the DVD of the concert when it comes out. And Paul, I'm totally jacking the Foo Fighters hoodie you bought.

ParmeJon Don-izzle

First order of business for my blog is to shout to the world how cool ParmeJon Don-izzle -aka Jon Donaldson- is! He makes me laugh, especially when he writes things like "Thizzy Pizzy". It's a pleasure working with him; his sense of humor fits right in with the rest of the team, but secretly, his is a cut above. More on this at another time