10 Favourite Movie or Song Remakes

I went with songs because having the choice of both was too hard for me — you saw that last movie post right?

 
Also, you can really spot my age with this list!

1. Strumming my Pain — Fugees
2. Sweet Jane — Cowboy Junkies
3. Hallelujah — Bono
4. All Apologies — Sinead O’Connor
5. Masters of War — Pearl Jam
6. Hurt — Johnny Cash
7. I Put A Spell on You — Marilyn Manson
8. Lighter Shade of Pale — Annie Lennox
9. Turn the Page — Metallica
10. It Ain’t Me Babe — Joaquin Phoenix

How about you?

I don’t usually do these kind of posts because I don’t usually have much to show. Happily, that is not the case this week!

Here is my Socktober Mystery Sock thus far. (sorry it’s blurry)

Yes, I know. October and therefore Socktoberfest is over BUT we have until the end of November to post our Mystery Socks for the contest so…I will carry on.

Bravely, I might add since I learned this morning, via Turtlegirl, that I am making a version of the Mystery Sock and not the actual pattern. Ah me.

I have begun my NaKniSweMo project – the Transitions Yoke Cardigan. Purchasing the yarn and casting on this Sunday – kind of a gift to myself – that I hope works out!

I thought I was making quick progress until I raveled about it. Whoo those knitters are speed freaks! Some of them are approaching the halfway mark on their sweaters!

I’ll be content with what I can – after all, it took 11.5 months to complete my last sweater. Sheesh. Anything’s progress compared to that. Unless I take longer this year…

10 Ways to Waste Time on the Internet….
as if any of us need pointers!

1) I waste loads of time browsing Etsy

2) More on Flickr — checking the entries in 365 and Explore

3) Naturally I’m wasting time at Ravelry

4) Dreaming at deviantART

5) I have been known to scroll through these LOLdogs for a hefty dose of cute

6) One of myriad LOST sites – not that I have been there lately. I HATE spoilers!

7) Oh man — I haven’t been here for awhile. MSN games – Collapse

There is Facebook. I am a recovering addict. It has been 28 days since my last login.

9) The majority of my online time is spent reading blogs and blogging. Just check out that sidebar!

10) I recently learned of TVShack — a life saver for Canadians blocked from watching anything worthwhile!

Where do you waste time?

An FO!

Shocking isn’t it? If you saw the Ravelry input you’d know that this little number took 11 months! Oh my goodness.

Despite how long I took, I’m really happy with this sweater. It’s cozy, it feels good, it hangs well and the button holes worked! What next for my knitting?

Wellllll – if you believe it, I joined NaKniSweMo. Which is National Knit a Sweater in a Month. I seriously need to get faster – let’s see if I can do it!

Nothing’s too flattering when you have this shape but…I’m still pleased. And yes, it’s missing a button. I bought 2 packets of buttons but when I got home I had 1 packet. Irritating. So now I’ll be making another trip to the store. Blergh.

Olympic madness that is.
Case in point:The embarassing S.A.M. — Squamish Axe Man to those in the know — has reached new heights, or rather lows. Here he is in his Olypmic finery:

Check out the detail though – the knit stitches visible in his ‘mittens’ – that did make me smile…

I’m pretty sure real loggers don’t wear mitts.
The real topper would have been a Cowichan Sweater - given the classy approach we’re taking to the Olypmics in the Sea to Sky corridor, it would not have been a genuine Cowichan sweater, but an HBC special. Nothing says machine knit like a $350 price tag!

Whoo! This one was hard. I am such a movie lover – how to narrow it down? Well, here goes:

10 Favorite Movie Moments

1. Amadeus: My all time favourite movie – that I have bought at least 4 times and yet don’t possess a copy of…something is very wrong with that…

In Grade 6 we watched this movie and it literally changed my life. Discovering Mozart’s music was a tremendous gift.

The opening scene of Salieri’s suicide attempt where he is being rushed to hospital through the snow while Mozart’s Symphony No.25 in G Minor is playing interspersed with the ballroom dancing and light music (I don’t know what that music is – do any of you?) gives me goosebumps everytime. In fact just thinking of it is giving me goosebumps!

Most haunting are the closing credits with Tom Hulce’s laugh superimposed over Mozart’s Piano Concerto in D Minor. I’m tearing up writing this!
This movie was pure genius.

2. Out of Africa: Second favourite movie. I loved this so much. I remember watching it on video — back when you had to rent the machines! and crying my eyes out. I wasn’t even a tween yet! Everything is so beautifully filmed and Robert Redford is his best “I love you – but you can’t hold on to me” character. (or is it?) What can I even say about Meryl Streep?

My favourite scene is when they are flying over the water/landscape and that gorgeous music is playing and Karen reaches up her hand and Denis takes it. (sadly I felt that the conclusion of BSG would have been better without that ripoff/homage – but I digress)

3. Hamlet – the 1990 version starring the great Melvin Gibson — sorry, I just can’t ever see him the same way again. Not without hearing “sugartits”. What a buffoon.

I loved his scene in the library with Polonius and the “words” discussion. Despite my love of Kenneth Branagh’s work, this is my favourite version of Hamlet.

The best scene/s to me are Helena Bonham Carter’s once Ophelia is mad. So heartbreaking.

4. LA Confidential – Oh I love this film. I saw it 3 times in the theatre if you can imagine! The 1st time I was having one of the worst days of my life and this film lifted me right out of my skin. Exactly what I needed.
 This still is my favourite scene. I knew it was going to happen but I had no clue why – this is one of the very few movies where I didn’t think while watching. A rarity for me.

The 2nd time I saw it the audience was small and an older lady shouted out “Holy Sh*t!!!” big breath in “Oh my God!!” when this scene happened. Soo funny. I wasn’t the only one fully absorbed!

5. Persuasion – my very favourite Austen movie or book. Mmmm Ciaran Hinds…Ahhh Captain Wentworth.
My favourite scene is when Capt. Wentworth sends Anne away with his sister in the buggy because he has noticed the walk has tired her. There is so much unsaid – the scene is fraught with emotion.

I also love Anne’s boldness in asking him to stay for the rest of the concert, towards the end of the movie. But…she does not look as well for a pic on the blog.

6. Pulp Fiction – Loved the dialogue in this film. Don’t get me wrong – it’s so violent and ugh the language. I couldn’t watch it now I don’t think. But at the time I loved it – -though I did threaten to walk out if Bruce Willis did anything with that chainsaw!

The interactions/dialogue between Jules and Vincent Vega were my favourite thing about the movie – and the lines have stayed with me. Best exchange in the film: ——-
Vincent: Want some bacon?
Jules: No man, I don’t eat pork.
Vincent: Are you Jewish?
Jules: Nah, I ain’t Jewish, I just don’t dig on swine, that’s all.
Vincent: Why not?
Jules: Pigs are filthy animals. I don’t eat filthy animals.
Vincent: Bacon tastes gooood. Pork chops taste gooood.
Jules: Hey, sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I’d never know ’cause I wouldn’t eat the filthy motherf*cker. Pigs sleep and root in shit. That’s a filthy animal. I ain’t eat nothin’ that ain’t got sense enough to disregard its own feces.
Vincent: How about a dog? Dogs eats its own feces.
Jules: I don’t eat dog either.
Vincent: Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal?
Jules: I wouldn’t go so far as to call a dog filthy but they’re definitely dirty. But, a dog’s got personality. Personality goes a long way.
Vincent: Ah, so by that rationale, if a pig had a better personality, he would cease to be a filthy animal. Is that true?
Jules: Well we’d have to be talkin’ about one charming motherf*ckin’ pig. I mean he’d have to be ten times more charmin’ than that Arnold on Green Acres, you know what I’m sayin’?

That and: “when I got finished, the towel didn’t look like no goddamn Maxi-Pad!”

7. Remains of the Day – gorgeous film. Again with the whole ‘left unsaid’ component.

The scene that stands out for me is when Mr.Stephens father is serving tea outdoors and there is a drop dangling from his nose. He’s spent his life in service, he’s clearly too old to continue but what is there for him? That scene crystallized the dilemma facing Miss Kenton and Mr Stephens – and all of the servants, it was the end of an era, an entire way of life (hopefully!) perfectly.
The pic is from one of the best parts of another movie that didn’t make this list! Who knows the reference?

8. Room With a View – another all time favourite film.
I think the best scene is when Lucy and her brother and George are playing tennis while their Mother and Aunt look on from tea. Sigh. What a lifestyle.

To think when I watched it I couldn’t stand Cecil and look at the brilliant career he’s had!

9. The Life Aquatic – I love all of Wes Andersen’s films. They slay me.

This I think might have some of the best lines.
Examples: When they burst in and find Jeff Goldblum playing cards with the kidnappers and he says “Steven, are you rescuing me?” and then says to the kidnappers “Fold.” and is shot.
When they arrive at Steve’s home and his wife greets him by saying ” Your cat’s dead.” and he replies, “What? Which one?”
When pirates board their ship and threaten one of the crew members and Zissou’s response is “Don’t point that gun at him, he’s an unpaid intern.”

But my favourite from this film is when Zissou falls down that winding staircase and looks up and says in a defeated tone “did you get that Vikram?” to the documentary film maker that’s been following them throughout. What a riot! Of course, anyone falling down is pretty damned funny if you ask me!

10. The Usual Suspects – best scene: when Verbal Kint walks out of the police station and slowly straightens up and as he does so the police officer/detective realizes that the story he was just told was made up from the things in his own office. Brilliant.
Hey – Kevin Spacey made it on this list twice….too bad he hasn’t made anything great lately. God he was scary in 7! Wait – so did Helena Bonham Carter. Hmmm…how about that.

What are your favourite movie moments?

Centre: Puppy. My favourite puppy of course. Napping on Quadra Island this summer.

Left to Right, Top to Bottom

1. Puzzles: Jigsaws for sure, but also crosswords, sudoku etc. I love solving puzzles.

2. Pyramids: All things Egyptian fascinate me.

3. Pince – nez: It may be hard to tell that is what this picture is of. Really I think of Mr. Peanut when I think of pince-nez but…he actually wears a monocle. I think these glasses would actually give you a headache, don’t you? They may have looked the best here.

4. Pie/Pi: Delicious and ingenious.

5. Pooh Bear: Original Pooh Bear. My Grandpa used to collect little pooh bears. There is something very precious about that serious, addled ‘little cubby all stuffed with fluff.’

6.  Piano: I’m in my second year and really enjoying it!

7.  Puce: It might not be the nicest colour, but it is a great word!

8. Planets: When I was a kid I loved doing research on the planets, plus dinosaurs and explorers. Ringed planets were my favourite. They have a  magical quality about them.

9. Psychology: I would love to study psychology formally. I find the human mind endlessly fascinating. Human ability to cope with trauma, loss etc. is especially of interest to me.

10. Plants: So, I might kill some houseplants but I still have to have them. I need green, growing things in my house and all around me. My little place in the woods is a perfect setting for me.

11. Prehistoric: Another time period I loved researching. Yeah, I know. Add to that my imaginary friends and I spent a lot of time in my head as a child!

12. Purses: are syonymous with adulthood for me. Is that why I don’t carry one? I keep meaning to. I even buy them. And there they hang in my home. Maybe one day.

Ten Guilty Pleasures

1. Sleeping in – any day of the week! Even if it’s sleeping in until 6:56 instead of 6:30 – it makes me feel like I’ve gotten away with something.
2. Creme Caramels from my local coffee shop
I tried recently switching to half sweet but…then there’s no point. So I’ll just reduce how often I indulge in this guilty pleasure. Because it’s not really a guilty pleasure if it’s a daily event is it?
3. Pancakes for supper.
4. PJ’s on my day off
5. DVD marathons of brilliant viewing — Battlestar for example
6. Reading in bed
7. Blog reading
8. Hot Chocolate made with milk
9. Home baked goodies
10. Etsy

A little behind perhaps but nonetheless:

10 Things that make me Feel Old:

1. Taking care of the children of kids I used to babysit!

2. Being called “ma’am” — how on earth do you spell that??

3. Scoff at current music etc.

4. Technologically behind and not interested in catching up.

5. Working.

6. Realizing I don’t want to go places at night anymore. When did that happen??

7. Growing disconcertion at how quickly time is passing…and how I am mostly unaware of it .

8. Having so many ‘things’ in my house.

9. Realizing I have more ideas/dreams than life left to achieve them in.

10. Forgetting my age and then coming up short when I realize the gap between myself and the ‘kids’.

Honestly though – I mostly forget I am ‘old’. I don’t feel that old most of the time. Ahh self delusion!

Kinda

It’s hard enough taking a picture of yourself in a mirror – one that is somewhat complimentary! But add to that an eye-bending blend of purples and…this is the clearest shot I got.

These are the “good” pictures – and I took about 20. There was a line forming for the bathroom! In this one you can kind of see the stitch pattern…

See the pretzel-like human struggle with the camera!

In the end, there are no good pics but…it is a very warm sweater. Which will be excellent because it was only 2 degrees this morning! Ugh. When did winter arrive??

Tonight I’ll be snug in my house, finishing the sleeve (not too ambitious, notice the singular ’sleeve’) and watching Season 3 of BSG.