An Explanation

One of my favorite people in the world is Adam Savage from Myth Busters.

This is why:

Sorry for all the video posts lately. But this is worth it.

Très Excitant!

I'm pretty excited for some things coming up (relatively) soon. Time to share:

1. Trevor Hall at Velour. Yeah, he's kind of a hippy, but I don't care. His music is sort of Jack Johnson-y, but his voice is a mix between Bon Iver and Matisyahu, which is sort of awesome. I can't stop listening to his music since my roommate introduced me to it a few weeks ago. And the show is in Provo, and only costs $8, so I'll be there.

2. Going home! As soon as I finish my last final on April 20th, I'm OUT of town and driving home for four or five days to see my beautiful home in Fallbrook, CA for what may be the last time. I hope not, but such is life.

3. Field School I know last year sometime I said I was really nervous about Field School or something, but since the start of the semester when I started taking the Field School Prep class, I've been totally stoked for the 6 weeks of hard labor that I pay to do. This week in class we practiced survey-mapping by going out and mapping/measuring the sidewalks, trees, planters, etc and drawing the stares of passers-by. Whatever, they were just jealous of my giant meter tape. Starting April 26th, I'll be here:

4. SUMMER. Need I say more? I'm so sick of this weather. And the lack of greenery. And the limitation on activities. Etc.

5. Visiting D.C. This summer Adrien has an internship at the Smithsonian, and she wants me to come see her for a couple of days. I'm totally down for that! Especially since there's talk of maybe going up to New York for a day to see a Broadway show that may or may not feature Daniel Radcliffe...woohoo! Of course, this is all dependent on me making enough bones to pay for the trip, but I'm confident.

6. Graduation? I put a question mark after this because I'm banking on quite a lot in order to be able to graduate this December. But hey, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

By the way, if anyone knows of any dive shops in Utah/Salt Lake counties that certify through SSI (not PADI), let me know. I really want to do Dive Instructor Training so I can teach and hopefully have options for jobs after I graduate. Eep! I'm so excited :)

Kittens in Bowls

Kittens + bowls + Beatles soundtrack sung by Japanese child + wacky sound effects + a gameshow(??) = the randomest thing I've seen in a long time.

Posted on JapanProbe.com
Uploaded by probeeden. - More video blogs and vloggers.

Via Cute Overload.

I want In N Out.

Plastic Beach

The Gorillaz had a new album come out this year I think. In any case, it's new.

There are a couple of songs on the Plastic Beach album that I'm sort of obsessed with.

Rhinestone Eyes (this video is awesome, it's the one they play when they "perform" the song):

Empire Ants:

Cool

I just wanted to throw this out there. I know you already hear enough about Keane from me as it is :)

A bit ago, Tom Chaplin performed the song "It's a Hard Life" with Queen. I think it's great when people collaborate. But that's not what I like about this (because, to me, the song is just o.k.). It was Tom's dream (one of them, I'm sure) to sing this song on stage with Queen, and he finally got to! I think it's great when people work to the point where they can fulfill even their craziest dreams. You can probably get away with just watching the first two minutes.

Side note: apparently a lot of people commented on this about how loud his voice was. When Tom Chaplin originally joined Keane, his friend/the drummer Richard Hughes objected, later saying "The idea of giving someone who's already the loudest person you know a microphone was not something that I was particularly keen on." I think that's funny.

At BYU

BYU: The World is Our Campus-- or The Campus is Our World?

So I actually wrote this about a year ago, but I was hesitant in posting it because I wanted to wait until I had all my bases covered, and I thought about getting photos for each of the categories, but for some (read: all) of them it would be hard to get pictures without creeping around stalker-like to get photographs of these people.

When I transferred to BYU last winter, I noticed there were several stereotypes of people on campus, so I put them into these categories I created. I realize they're not perfect, but read and enjoy-- and if you're offended, it's probably because you are one of these people.

The White Rabbit

He's late! He's late! This is the guy who looks like his world may actually end if he doesn't run as fast as he can to wherever he's going.

The Good Parent

Easily spotted as he or she is always found with a baby-- look for a stroller or carseat/carrier. Unfortunate if you have one as a classmate. You may find a toddler under your desk, or hear crying/nursing/giggling throughout the lecture.

The Clown Studies Major

He thinks that a unicycle is the most practical mode of transportation. In the winter when it's too icy, you can find him juggling with his fellow clowns in the Wilk atrium.

The Premie

Frequently seen toting his scriptures, this guy most likely hasn't been on a mission yet (or has returned within the month). White basketball shoes, too-short Target jeans, solid polo or button-up plaid shirt. Common on campus.

The Grinner

For some reason there is always a smile on this guy's face. And it's not a good thing-- he's far too happy and he stares off somewhere to the side.

The Serious Student

Watch out, because this guy sure isn't. His nose is buried in his homework, a study guide, a textbook as he walks. He WILL run into you if possible.

The Skier

Wears a big, puffy jacket too impractical for school, really. All fifteen lift tags are still attached to the zipper.

The American Idol Winner

If you didn't know the lyrics to Kansas' "Carry on Wayward Son," you do now. With earbuds firmly in place, this guy can be found singing his heart out (or dancing) to whatever he hears as he walks along.

The RM

Has been on a mission-- and PROUD OF IT! Often found wearing the jersey of the favorite futbol/hockey/etc team of the area they served in and/or chatting in Mandarin/Portuguese/Czech to other RMs or international students.

The Die-Hard Fan

If the bookstore sells it in the school spirit section, he owns it. "Y" pants, sweatshirt, beanie, backpack, etc. Probably camps out in preparation for Home Games. If you still can't pick him out-- cut him, he bleeds blue.

The Future CEO

Seats him (or her) self down comfortable at a table in the Cougareat with his laptop and his copy of the Wall Street Journal. Always wears a suit.

The Surveyor (applicable to Cougareat)

Stands silently in the middle of all the crowded tables during the lunch rush with his tray full of food, turning slowly and looking for an empty table-- not likely to appear at this time of day. Eventually he turns from Surveyor to Hoverer-- hovering next to a table set for six where the current occupants are putting on coats and gathering trash.

The Speedster

You only see him for a split second as he nearly runs you down on his bike at fifty miles an hour in the middle of a heavily-pedestrianed area.

The Doting Couple

Feel the need to hold hands while they eat, lock lips while standing in line, etc, as though their partner will float away if constant contact is not maintained. Will probably be engaged within six weeks if they aren't already.

The Invalid

They broke their foot/ankle/leg and now they have no choice but to happily roll themselves along on one of those nifty scooter things that are so trendy they're probably faking the injury.

The Entrepreneur

Stops you as you walk to/from class to ask how much you might pay for a bag of nuts. He may alternately try to sign you up for a subscription to the New York Times-- a terrific investment!

The Gold Potato (the first sighted GP was carrying a gold-foiled baked potato)

"Heeeeeeey!!! I haven't seen you in forever!!!" Runs and hugs people. Leans interestedly on the ice cream counter. Wears colorful/distasteful/strange shoes or other items of clothing, especially "interesting" backpacks. Probably knows half the people at BYU. Most people at BYU are, or are capable of being at times, GPs.

Always On My Mind

The other day a friend of mine mentioned that "Always on My Mind" was originally sung by Elvis, which surprised me a little only because I'd only ever heard it by the Pet Shop Boys. But I'm glad to be educated. Apparently Willie Nelson also did a version. I like to compare versions.

The Elvis version:

The Willie Nelson version:

The Pet Shop Boys version:

And just for kicks, Tom Chaplin's (from Keane) impression of the Pet Shop Boys' version (fast forward to 6:03, but start at 5:15 to get the context...or maybe watch the whole thing for even more context)

All in all, I think I like the Pet Shop Boys version best, but Elvis' has a quality that I love and that isn't really captured in the PSB version. Willie Nelson, meh. And Tom Chaplin is just silly.

Another Day

Last week actually went by pretty quickly, but when I think that we still have 4 months of winter to go, this is how I feel about it:

Cheating

Lately, with the half-melted snow lingering in the mountains and movies like True Grit and Ondine on my list of recently-watched, I've been dreaming about getting out of the "city" and into quieter places. I drove out to the lake a couple of days ago and spent a while feeding, petting, and nuzzling the horses down there, and it was quiet and cold and wonderful. It goes along with the post I made over on blog #3 today. In fact, I think I'll repost it here, just 'cos. And because I don't have the wherewithal to write a new post for you. Sorry!

About a month ago I purchased these boots from Walmart for about $20:

I love them. I wear them all the time (literally). The only thing wrong with them is that I had to buy them a size down because they were all out of 7s. Since rubber boots usually run a little big (because they don’t stretch), I thought it’d be okay, but they’ve been pretty tight at times lately, making my poor toes uncomfortable :(

In any case, the reason I bought them is not because they’re practical, nope, that had almost nothing to do with it. My excuse was that I could wear them with my Harry Potter premiere outfit in November (surprise! I love Harry Potter), but that’s not the real reason. For me, these boots embody a world of dream and childlike attitude. That sounds totally ridiculous, but it’s true.

One of my favorite memories from my childhood is of walking alone through the rain and mud on our then-unpaved road to meet my sisters at their piano lessons in my yellow plastic raincoat and black galoshes. I think I was about five years old. I remember stomping in the mud puddles and thoroughly enjoying the rain, since we hardly got any in Southern California.

I also always had a dream of being a veterinarian when I grew up. When I was in junior high, I first read the books by James Herriot.

James in his Wellington boots...and with a lamb

I loved reading about how he would pull on his Wellies and go to work with the animals. I love James Herriot, I even made it a point to make sure we went to Thirsk (aka Darrowby) on our trip to England this year.

Later, in High School, I was in Ag, or FFA, or whatever you want to call it. Though my animal projects never worked out (just fyi, rabbits need air conditioning or they will die– not my fault though), I had friends who raised steer, goats, and pigs, and they all had rubber boots. I spent plenty of time in the barn and stables–but without the boots– though the whole time I was in there cleaning and caring for the animals I sure wished I had a pair.

In any case, galoshes mean more to me than just keeping my feet dry, they contain all the memories I love and dreams I haven’t fulfilled. Call me crazy, but there it is. So now I’m wondering, is there anything you’ve purchased for reasons you might’ve been a little embarrassed by (like me…don’t tell!) or for reasons with “deeper meaning” if you will? I hope I’m making sense… Anyway, share in the comments!

MacFarlane

This morning for some reason I decided to look up my family's tartan/plaid/whatever they call it. I'm only a little bit Scottish, on my mom's dad's side, but it's in there. Anyway, so the Scottish last name I come from is "Sproul" (spelling?), which came from "Spruel," which is a subset or whatever of the MacFarlane Clan. So I looked up the MacFarlanes, and this is what I learned about them:

"The progenitor of the Macfarlanes is generally considered to be Alwyn, one of the Celtic Earls of Lennox. The fortunes of the family became established when his son, Gilchrist, was awarded with the lands at Arrochar towards the end of the 12th century. Gilchrist's grandson, Malduin, is remembered for aiding Robert the Bruce when his power was failing and his enemies were strong. The Macfarlanes remained loyal to Robert the Bruce and fought for him at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. When the last Celtic Earl of Lennox, Duncan, was executed by James I, the succession was left open. Although the Macfarlanes could have claimed the earldom they were prevented from doing so and the earldom was passed to John Stewart, Lord Darnley. This move was not taken kindly to by the Macfarlanes and they chose to oppose the Stewarts. This was, however, not the most strategic of moves as the Macfarlanes quickly realised the force of the Stewarts was too great for them. To rectify the rift between them the 10th chief married the daughter of Lord Darnley to create a new friendship. The Macfarlanes were amongst those who dealt with the loses at Flodden as well as the Battle of Pinkie in 1547 where the 13th chief and his son died. Upon the death of Mary, Queen of Scots' husband, Lord Darnley, the Macfarlanes immediately chose to fight against Mary and were noted for their valour at the Battle of Langside where she finally surrendered. The Macfarlanes stood with the Stewarts until the reign of James VII when they switched their loyalty to Queen Mary and William of Orange. They chose not to come out for the Jacobite risings. In 1767 the direct line failed and the lands were sold to pay debts; consequently the Macfarlanes are not on the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs."

The tartan was a little harder to find, but here it is (there are a few of them, but this one is my favorite):

There's also apparently a clan tattoo, but I feel like it's more of a modern thing, and anyway, it's more of a crest anyway (the one on the right is the "tattoo"):

Anyway, if you're related to me, that might've been interesting to you. If you're not, and you're Scottish too, tell me what your clan is. If you're not Scottish...that's okay too.

Crazy

School is making me crazy right now, which is why I haven't posted in a while. There's so much to do and so little time, and it's only looking at things like these two that keep me sane throughout it all:




Now it seems like only laugh at animals' expense. Maybe that's true...

Mozzareller

I am obsessed with this:

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

In similar news, the Harry Potter premiere was a-mazing. Adrien and I were in line for 8 hours, and the rest of the group trickled in later. We dressed as wizards trying to be discreet and dressing as muggles, and only one person got it! But it was great fun, and the movie was wonderful. Also, we played catch phrase to pass the time, and it must have known where we were...

Drawing the Line

I've talked before a couple of times about censorship in art, and what could be considered art (I'm too lazy to go and find the links for those posts, but they're around somewhere). Today I was looking at the blog of one of my favorite photographers, Jonathan Canlas, and he posted a series of photographs (which you can find here) that he took of a family in the hospital for the birth of their child. Jonathan has posted several shoots of hospital births, etc, but I noticed this one was different, and when I got to the text at the bottom of the post I realized why. The baby was born with a number of severe complications, and is not expected to live much longer. Jonathan wrote that the mother called him in to take some photographs when they realized their baby was ailing, and he did come, and took some beautiful photos. None of them really show the baby, more the people present, and from angles that communicate emotion of the various subjects. But what was shocking to me was first of all that the pictures were so sad, and that a professional photographer had been called in to record the moment.

I know that art is a very delicate subject at times, but I wonder where on the line between "personal" and "public art" this situation falls. I know that photographs (and art in general) is often created to provoke uncomfortable emotion, and that we may not always be comfortable with it. For example, a friend of mine is opening a display of her photography in the HFAC on campus in a couple of weeks, and the topic of her collection is the unrealistic image of women that has been created by our culture, and how it affects women in real life. She told me about an image of a girl draped over a toilet wearing almost nothing, her bones jutting out from her skin; and how she's certain this image will be censored the moment she hangs it in the gallery. People are simply not comfortable viewing things that provoke unhappy feelings in themselves. And yet, they miss the point. If we push these things away, we lose sight of what life is really like.

Maybe that was the point of Jonathan Canlas' posting of the photos I think perhaps should have been kept private. At the end of the post he said "Now all of you, close this browser and go spend some time with your family/loved ones. Life is so delicate." These images-- or other works of art in various forms, such as the poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen-- are meant to cause emotions in us that stimulate a change in our lives, or help us to see the reality of life. They hold a power that other things do not.

What do you guys think?

Magdalen

A couple of days ago I was looking at careers in art crime, and I was checking out this website to look at their brief art crime masters program (in Italy!), and I saw this statue:

It's totally freaky. And sculpted in the 15th century. I'm intrigued.

Cut You Down

I know I've rather neglected the blog lately when it comes to "real" posts, but I promise I have a couple up my sleeve and coming soon.

This song has been haunting me since I first heard it in the Jeep commercial, and I every time I heard it it made me want to buy a Jeep, which is not a terrible prospect. But after hearing it used in the preview for True Grit, it just makes me want to ride horses in the winter desert of northeast Arizona.

Anyway, it being Johnny Cash just makes it a hundred times better:

Good Books for Halloween

I thought it was only fair that I also list my favorite scary books or stories for the Halloween season, so here they are (only five, I promise):

The Curse of the Blue Figurine by John Bellairs. Probably my favorite of the Johnny Dixon books by John Bellairs, though I really love pretty much all of them. Admittedly I haven't read them since I was younger, but they're still awesome. I want to be Johnny Dixon.

The Mummy, the Will, and the Crypt by John Bellairs. I remember reading this late at night and being afraid to stick out my arm to turn off the light when I was done because I was so freaked out. So good.

The Doubtful Guest by Edward Gorey. Not only did Edward Gorey illustrate (like he did the John Bellairs books), but he also wrote some stuff. When I read this in fifth grade, it frightened me to tears. It's not really that scary, but it's eerie, and makes you think.

Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie. One of the creepier mystery novels I've ever read, with lines that give me chills just thinking about them, like "Cover her face, mine eyes dazzle, she is dead," and something about monkey hands. My mom says she read it as a teenager when she was babysitting alone and was totally freaked out. I agree, it's pretty suspenseful at times. And of course, there's an old house involved.

Wildfire at Midnight by Mary Stewart. I love Mary Stewart, she's an amazing mystery writer. This is probably one of her creepier ones. It's set on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, where a murderer is loose and secrets abound.

I'm also inclined to mention The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, but I think the movie is a little scarier. I've also heard that Dracula by Bram Stoker is one of the scariest books ever written, but I've never read it, so I can't recommend it. Also, The Yellow Wallpaper is a creepy short story, but mostly it's weird, so that's sort of a half-recommendation. In addition to those, I feel like I should mention Sherlock Holmes, but those stories aren't particularly scary, just mysterious and captivating. But if I were to pick a couple that were close to scary, I'd say "The Speckled Band," "The Hound of the Baskervilles," and maybe "The Five Orange Pips." And I forgot about Edgar Allen Poe. I'd say of his, probably "The Tell-tale Heart" and "The Cask of Amontillado" are good ones.

What are your favorite scary/suspenseful books or stories good for getting freaked out?

Good Movies for Halloween

So obviously Halloween is approaching, and I've decided to give you my pick for the top 5 Halloween-y movies that I think you should watch this Halloween. (PS these are all PG-13 or under, so you know they don't have dumb gore)

In chronological order:

Hocus Pocus, 1993. You've all seen it. It's the perfect Halloween movie, and you know it. It's also the only one on my list that actually takes place on Halloween. That is all.

Practical Magic, 1998. Starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, who are sisters who also happen to be witches, and who run into a bit of trouble when one of the sisters returns home after being gone for a while. It's partly funny and partly scary, and definitely worth watching.

The Sixth Sense, 1999. Pretty sure you've seen this one too, since it's probably in the top ten most famous scary movies ever. Also it's by M Knight Shyamalan-- who's pretty amazing--before he decided he didn't want to make good movies anymore. I love the story line for this film.

What Lies Beneath, 2000. Starring Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeifer, who play a married couple living in a house they discover is a little bit haunted. This is probably the scariest movie I've ever seen, and one of the few that continues to scare me no matter how many times I've seen it. I read somewhere that "this movie will do for bathtubs what Psycho did for showers"-- totally true. The music is also really cool.

The Others, 2001. Nicole Kidman lives in a huge house on a foggy island with her two kids. They live shrouded in darkness due to the children's extreme sensitivity to light (a real disease, by the way), and things start to get weird after they take on a set of new servants. Watch it and be sufficiently creeped out, I promise.

Five Honorable Mentions:

White Noise, 2005: Pretty good, but had an ending that left me confused.

The Village, 2004: Really very good, but maybe not "scary" enough to make the list. Or maybe it is. Consider this one #6 on the list.

Signs, 2002: Freaked me out when I saw it in theatres, and it still gives me chills. Awesome story, score, acting-- I just love it. Maybe this should be #7...

The Ring, 2002: A little too scary. Also, seven days after I first saw this movie a little tv I had at the time turned on by itself while I was folding laundry and it seriously freaked me out.

The Skeleton Key, 2005: Also pretty good, although the ending was kind of dumb. And they compared it to Sixth Sense. Bah.

So there's my list. I just realized that three of them (Practical Magic, What Lies Beneath, The Others) have houses that I sort of love, and that all of them (in a way) are from the 90s. I guess that was a good decade. Also, I'm sorry this list of 5 turned into a list of 10. What are your recommendations?

UPDATE: I totally forgot about all the movies pre-1990, so here's a short list of those too! (Wow, this is getting really long, sorry)

Poltergeist, 1982. Such a good scary movie, and definitely a classic. It gets a little weird/tacky at parts, but hey it was the 80s.

The Haunting, 1963. Make sure you actually do get the 1963 version, and not the weird, more modern one. It's a really creepy movie about (you guessed it), a haunted house. There are many lines and scenes from this movie that have stuck with me through my childhood. Eerie.

Midnight Lace, 1960. A classic and really creepy suspense movie, and one of my favorites.

The Uninvited, 1944. One of my favorite ghost movies ever. We used to watch it every Halloween when I was a kid.

The Innocents, 1961. Based on Henry James' "The Turn of the Screw." This movie really creeps me out. About ghosts...or is it?

Now the end.

Mt Desolation

First of all, I realize this is going to be the third post with a video in a row. I'm sorry. Secondly, I feel like the "mood" of this post and the last one will make me seem a little emo, or maybe a hipster. I'm not. Onward!

So you all remember Keane, I hope. Don't worry, this post is not about them (again). But it is sort of, because the keyboardist/pianist/lyricist Tim Rice-Oxley has teamed up with Jesse Quinn, the bassist for the Perfect Symmetry tour, and a few other people (from mostly bands I've never heard of, except the Killers and Noah and the Whale) to create a music project called Mt Desolation. I'm kind of excited, because Tim is trusting himself to sing more, and his voice really isn't bad. And I'm glad to see and hear more of Jesse, because he was sort of closeted when he was helping Keane-- you know, he was just that guy on stage who played bass and nobody knew where he came from.

Tim playing guitar on the porch in the Scottish Highlands during a Mt Desolation tour

Anyway, you can read a little about the band and about their style-- which is supposed to be like alternative folk or something random like that-- on their website. Their album doesn't come out until October 18th, but I've heard a few of their songs, and they're pretty good.

Here's my favorite (someone commented on Youtube that Jesse looks like he's making out with the microphone, and I have to agree):

How To Be Alone

Good advice.

Fleetwood Mac

Tomorrow is Lindsey Buckingham's 61st birthday. He's the guitarist and occasional vocalist for the band Fleetwood Mac, if you didn't know. It was the discovery my senior year of high school (and watching and re-watching) of an old VHS of my mom's with recorded music videos from the 80s that led me to develop a love and appreciation for "old" music. A number of the videos were of Fleetwood Mac songs, and I became intrigued by Stevie Nicks' interesting voice, and Lindsey Buckingham's amazing guitar playing. In fact, it was the guitar solo at the end of "Gypsy" that first captured me. It also may have helped that I thought Lindsey Buckingham was pretty cute (although not during the time he had all that hair).

Anyway, I'm not going to say anything else, so just enjoy these songs and videos instead.

This is Lindsey Buckingham talking about one of the songs on his new(ish?) album, I think from last year maybe. He mentions John McVie and Mick Fleetwood (where the name of the band came from...Mick Fleetwood and John McVie) too, who I guess collaborated on the project with him.

>>SOOOO LAME they won't let me embed this video. But watch it anyway! Clickenzy-here haw.

This is some awesome behind-the-scenes footage of the music video for "Tusk" that they did with the USC marching band (which is a fun video-- and song-- but I couldn't find a good version of it, so this footage will have to do, and anyway it's pretty fun too. It makes me feel nerdy.) Notice the cardboard cutout replacing John McVie, who was in Tahiti while they were filming. And the short man-shorts! I love it.

A cool song I actually never heard before today that showcases pretty well the guitar-playing of Lindsey Buckingham. But if you've never heard "Never Going Back Again" or "Big Love" you need to hunt them down. Seriously. (This from Stevie & Lindsey's first album, right before they joined Fleetwood Mac.)

And last but not least, one of my favorite Fleetwood Mac songs, just in case someone reading this isn't that familiar with the band (but now you are!).