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.
The Fellowship of the Ring
After a marathon viewing session of all three Lord of the Rings films several weekends ago, I began re-reading the books. I purchased The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books in a nice boxed set. I first read the books about 15 years ago while I was in college at the behest of my friend Kari (who would become my roommate the following year). I really enjoyed them. It is an interest I shared with my father, who has re-read his pristine paperback copies with Tolkien’s artwork on the covers countless times over the years. He seems to be able to recall the smallest detail from any of the books. I decided the time had come for a re-read. I may have re-read the books some time in the last 15 years, but if so, I can’t recall it. And exactly how many times have I read the Harry Potter books? Don’t ask. I can’t remember. It’s been that many. And The Lord of the Rings definitely merits a re-read.
The first thing that struck me once again was how fully realized Middle-earth is. Tolkien invented places that became real, languages that became real, people that became real. Tolkien’s books were the first adult fantasy fiction I had read. I thought, wow, fantasy is great stuff! I’ll read more! I tried other books and quickly came to discover that Tolkien outstrips them by a wide margin. I never did finish that Terry Brooks novel I picked up. Now it’s years later, and my daughter Sarah is in love with fantasy fiction.
I really love Frodo after seeing Elijah Wood’s portrayal of the character. And let’s face it — Orlando Bloom just made Legolas cool. Gandalf was always my favorite character. Some of the humor in the novels is left out of the movies. I did love the landscape and the costumes in the movies, however. The old adage remains true — the movie is never as good as the book.
Warning: Spoilery stuff in the next paragraph. Skip it if you need to.
One of the things that strikes me most is how intelligent Merry is in the novels. He isn’t given much credit in the films, but he’s really not as blundering as he’s portrayed. It really bothered me that the movies gave away that Eowyn was Dernhelm so early. In the books, this isn’t revealed until she and Merry kill the Witch-King, and I like it better that way. I found it interesting to read again about what became of Merry and Pippin later in their lives (there are bits of this information in the prologue of The Lord of the Rings).
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It has been throroughly enjoyable to go back to Middle-earth, and I advise any of you who haven’t been there to take a trip soon.
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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This is Why…
I don’t allow anonymous comments on any of my blogs: Penny Arcade’s Green Blackboards (And Other Anomalies).
It’s totally true, I swear it.
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Dana Cooks
I am very disorganized when it comes to planning meals, and I thought blogging about it might help me. We’ll see whether that proves to be true or not. At any rate, I’ll give it a try. You can check out my meal planning blog at Dana Cooks!
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Christmas and Swing
I went to my parents’ house for Christmas and had a chance to visit with my sister, brother-in-law and niece. It was a nice time. Maggie and Dylan had fun. Sarah had a good time, too. She spent most of the holiday with her dad and is still there. Sure does seem like a houseful when all the kids are together. My sister gave me the director’s cut of Amadeus, which I had been coveting. Sarah gave me her 100% Spanish test, all wrapped and everything. I also received some nice clothes and teacher things. The kids cleaned up. I gave my sister and parents copies of their family trees/family history books, and my brother-in-law and niece also received books from me. I hope all of you had happy holidays and will enjoy a good new year.
I finally managed to get into Odeo. I am frustrated by the fact that the bluegrass podcast I wanted to listen to sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks go Appalachian, but from what I understand, this is a bug that Odeo knows about, doesn’t plan to fix, and instead places squarely into the hands of podcasters. From what I understand, not all podcasters upload their podcasts to Odeo, but gathers RSS feeds from podcasts and puts them in one location. If you browse the site, you’ll notice that many of the podcasts are not “claimed.”
Just as many of you may not have known that I like Delta Blues, you probably also didn’t know I’m a huge fan of Big Band Swing — Glenn Miller in particular, but I listen to others. It started when I was in 7th grade. My band teacher let us join jazz band even if we didn’t play a “jazz” instrument. In the years since, I have learned that my flute is indeed sometimes used in jazz, though not as often as brass and sax. Anyway, we played a swing tune called “Tuxedo Junction.” I thought it was so much fun, and I began to listen to other big band tunes. I remember my college friends really scratched their heads over it. I wondered after swing music came into vogue again in the mid to late 1990’s if they remembered I had listened to it. I am so rarely ahead of the curve on anything. Of course, one could and probably should argue that I was not ahead of the curve; rather, I was behind the curve by about 50 years. Whatever. Who would have thought I would like the same popular music as my grandfather? Well, it’s true. I find myself tapping my toes and really wishing I could actually dance when I hear swing music. I found some great swing music from Radio Nostalgia Network via Odeo. You can listen to anything from swing music to old radio programs (including soap operas and radio plays). You can enjoy a big band swing podcast in the music player in the lefthand sidebar. Remember the recording is old and was broadcast over the radio in 1939, so the sound quality is not what we’re used to in 2006. Still sounds good, however.
Inaccessible Sites
I have been trying all day to listen to some podcasts at Odeo.com, but I couldn’t access the site. I have learned a few tricks that I thought I would pass along (just in case you didn’t know them) if you ever notice that you are having problems accessing a site.
- Search for references to the site in blogs. A good way to do this is via a Technorati search. You may find bloggers have had problems accessing the site, too, and have posted about it. At least then you know you’re not alone, and it probably isn’t anything wrong with your own connection or computer.
- Try looking at Google’s cache. Search for the URL on Google, then instead of clicking the site, look beneath the description at the link that says Google cache. Click that. If you can look at that, the problem is possibly temporary (although it could also mean the site is being taken permanently offline and Google still has a cache).
- Try pinging the site’s server. Access your DOS prompt (I don’t know what you do if you have a Mac, but Windows has an MS DOS prompt. At the C:\> prompt, type PING website.com. In the case of the site I was trying to access, it would look like: C:\>PING odeo.com. If everything looks OK, then there is no problem with the server. This was the result of my ping to Odeo (click for larger version)
Don’t be bothered by the fact that I have a C-prompt that looks like C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>. That is due to the settings on my computer. If you looked at the image, you will see I hit no snags. There is no text that says “Response Timed Out,” which is what to look for. - Try to do a traceroute and see if there is something going on between the site’s server and it’s destination — your connection/computer. Once again, open your DOS prompt and type C:\>TRACERT odeo.com (or whatever the site is). If everything loads OK, and you do not find any “Request timed out” messages, then it’s back to the drawing board. I happened to discover this is not the case with Odeo’s path to my computer:
If you look at the image, you’ll notice right about number 23, I start getting “Request timed out” warnings. This means there is a problem with a router between my connection and the site’s server, and there is probably nothing anyone can do about it. Try this before you contact web site administrators to complain — they can’t do anything about problems like this. There isn’t much you can do except try later and see if the site route is clearer then.
All this means is that somewhere in between my connection and Odeo.com, there is a breakdown, and there isn’t anything I can do about it except wait. Dammit.
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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?
Autism
I took Dylan to his pediatrician today to begin the process of evaluating him for autism. He has for some time been exhibiting symptoms that worry me. For instance, at the age of three, he speaks almost no words. He will learn words, then forget them; however, we know he knows some words based on his nonverbal responses. He seems to be unable to determine when someone is angry or upset. He lines up his toys and become extremely upset when anyone disturbs his arrangments.
In some ways, Dylan perfectly exhibits symptoms of autism, but in others — such as the fact that he is very affectionate and loves to be hugged — he doesn’t. Of course, autism is a spectrum disorder, and I have no fears that he is mentally disabled. However, his language delay is really my biggest concern. He will be starting school soon, and I want him to be successful. Especially because I see the light inside him, but I realize that it would be difficult for a teacher to relate to him.
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The Lord of the Rings
TNT is running all three Lord of the Rings movies back to back today. I know that my dad doesn’t like them, mainly because Peter Jackson chose to change or delete some of his favorite elements. I think they are much more successful than the Ralph Bakshi cartoons at telling the story in a serious way. I think my dad re-reads LotR every year or every other year. He recalled that his fifth grade teacher read his class The Hobbit, which I think awakened an interest not only in Tolkien, but also in fantasy literature. I tried to read it in the sixth grade, but I don’t think I was ready for it. I did not actually pick up the books until my sophomore year in college, at the behest of my friend Kari (who was my roommate the next year). I can remember finishing The Fellowship of the Ring about midnight, and just dying to begin the next book. Finally when I couldn’t stand it any longer, I went downstairs (I lived on the fourth floor of Reed Hall, and she lived in the basement) to see if she was awake. Thankfully, she was, and also thankfully, she was amused by my desperation for the second book.
I had never seen the final movie, Return of the King, until last night. The battle sequences were amazing (I loved the Oliphaunts!), and it was great to see Merry and Eowyn kick some Witch-King butt. You can still catch part of Fellowship and all of the other two movies if you tune in now.