Just over 19 years ago, Bruce and I met at Steve's and Pamela's wedding reception. Most of you already know the story - he was the best man (and darned cute in his tux!) and I was my friend Meredith's guest because she was dating Pamela's brother and he was already in the wedding party - but you probably didn't know this little bit of what happened next.
During the conversation at the reception, it came up that Bruce had never seen Buckaroo Banzai. To which Meredith and I replied, "come on!" And, as soon as it was acceptable etiquette to leave the reception, we all went over to Meredith's house and watched the movie on tape. I think most of you also know that from that first meeting on Bruce and I were pretty much inseparable. We met on September 1st, 1990 and began dating on September 2nd.
Anyway, yesterday, I was reading the local movie listings online and saw that Buckaroo was playing in a special one-night showing at a local art house cinema! I instant messaged Bruce who replied, "Wasn't that the first movie we ever saw together?" From there, we decided that it would be a darned romantic way to spend the evening, so I skipped choir practice and we went to the movies!
Such fun!! The theater was pretty full. Most of the people there had seen the movie before, but a few (like the lady in front of us) hadn't. This cinema does a series called Cool Classics where they've been showing a classic movie every month over the summer (too bad I missed Labyrinth last month!). When we walked in they were actually playing the soundtrack from Buckaroo as the in-house music! Even more fun, they ran period previews before the film! We saw the trailers for War Games, Grandview USA, and Solarbabies. Ah, 80's cinema.... (Everyone in the theater had a moment of sighing, tributary silence during the preview for Grandview USA when Patrick Swayze came on the screen.)
Then it was time for Buckaroo Banzai...born of an American mother and a Japanese father...a brilliant neurosurgeon and rock star.... Why is there a watermelon there? ... Where are we going? Planet 10! When? Real soon!
Such a fun, fun night! :-)
Showing posts with label Katy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Katy. Show all posts
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
All Things Bears
In the summer of 2000, my friend Phyllis and I attended the Enesco Regional Convention in Charlotte. If you don't know, Enesco is the company behind many of the collectible items (Boyds Bears, Cherished Teddies, etc.) which you can find in the greeting cards stores and gift shops at your local mall. Anyway, Phyllis was big into collecting Cherished Teddy figurines at the time, and I collect stuffed animals and dolls, so we used to spend a lot of time at a local collectibles store. Then Phyllis invited me to go to this convention, and the staff of our local store had a group going as well, so we hooked up with them when we got there. It was an all-day event and was a lot of fun.
Among our group were some other ladies from the Raleigh area - Alice and Cheryl. We sort of knew them from the store where we all shopped, so we sat with them at meals. As we got to talking, they brought up this club they were in back home - the Southern Paws Teddy Bear Collectors Club. The club got together every other month to appreciate bears with themed parties and raise money for charity. Alice and Cheryl invited us to come to their next meeting and think about joining the club. Phyllis joined that fall, and I followed a few months after.
Over the years we had many wonderful gatherings full of fun and laughter. Themes ranged from Mardi Gras to Teddy Bear Picnic to Back to School and, of course, Christmas. There was always a smorgasbord of yumminess, and usually contests or raffles for prizes. The charities we supported ranged from humane animal shelters to the ASPCA, among others, before we turned our focus on supporting one of our own - Cheryl, who was battling cancer. Sure, the club was about bears, but mostly it was about fellowship - when we got together, we spent more time talking and enjoying each other's company than we did focusing on bears specifically.
As time went by, some of the women left the club for various reasons - new job, a move, what have you. We had trouble recruiting new members, too. Our local collectible store had closed when the family moved on to other things, so we didn't really have a logical place to advertise the club. Then, as it often does, Life began intruding on the rest of the local members. What had been a very regularly structured meeting schedule began to shift to fit around the conflicts that can arise.
We were down to about 5 regular local members, with a few additional members who had moved away who would come back to one or two gatherings, when things started to get really difficult. Not the people, the things. In 2006 we barely managed to have two meetings. I missed the February one because of bad weather, I didn't feel it was safe to drive. The spring meeting got moved to mid-summer when the hostess had a family conflict. The fall meeting never actually happened. These were really the big indicators that the club was struggling. Looking back on it, I can see small ones before this time, but 2006 was when it became very evident. By Christmas of that year, the club officers had decided to disband.
Phyllis and I had both decided that we were going to leave the club at the end of the year anyway. I suspect that our decision had a large impact on the officers' choosing to end the club, and I regret that. I had chosen to leave because I was having greater and greater difficulty finding the time to attend meetings (when we had them) and to prepare for them (making themed gifts, creating entries for the contests, having any money to enter the raffles, etc.) as my work-life became busier and busier.
So the club broke up. All the money remaining in the treasury went to Cheryl as she continued in her battle with cancer. I think there were some bad feelings and misconceptions in the dissolution. I regret that, too. I was very fond of the ladies and really enjoyed our times together. It was very sad that circumstances brought us to such an end. I still think of the ladies with great affection and hope they are doing well. Just how life unfolds, I guess. Life, like love, bears all things.
Among our group were some other ladies from the Raleigh area - Alice and Cheryl. We sort of knew them from the store where we all shopped, so we sat with them at meals. As we got to talking, they brought up this club they were in back home - the Southern Paws Teddy Bear Collectors Club. The club got together every other month to appreciate bears with themed parties and raise money for charity. Alice and Cheryl invited us to come to their next meeting and think about joining the club. Phyllis joined that fall, and I followed a few months after.
Over the years we had many wonderful gatherings full of fun and laughter. Themes ranged from Mardi Gras to Teddy Bear Picnic to Back to School and, of course, Christmas. There was always a smorgasbord of yumminess, and usually contests or raffles for prizes. The charities we supported ranged from humane animal shelters to the ASPCA, among others, before we turned our focus on supporting one of our own - Cheryl, who was battling cancer. Sure, the club was about bears, but mostly it was about fellowship - when we got together, we spent more time talking and enjoying each other's company than we did focusing on bears specifically.
As time went by, some of the women left the club for various reasons - new job, a move, what have you. We had trouble recruiting new members, too. Our local collectible store had closed when the family moved on to other things, so we didn't really have a logical place to advertise the club. Then, as it often does, Life began intruding on the rest of the local members. What had been a very regularly structured meeting schedule began to shift to fit around the conflicts that can arise.
We were down to about 5 regular local members, with a few additional members who had moved away who would come back to one or two gatherings, when things started to get really difficult. Not the people, the things. In 2006 we barely managed to have two meetings. I missed the February one because of bad weather, I didn't feel it was safe to drive. The spring meeting got moved to mid-summer when the hostess had a family conflict. The fall meeting never actually happened. These were really the big indicators that the club was struggling. Looking back on it, I can see small ones before this time, but 2006 was when it became very evident. By Christmas of that year, the club officers had decided to disband.
Phyllis and I had both decided that we were going to leave the club at the end of the year anyway. I suspect that our decision had a large impact on the officers' choosing to end the club, and I regret that. I had chosen to leave because I was having greater and greater difficulty finding the time to attend meetings (when we had them) and to prepare for them (making themed gifts, creating entries for the contests, having any money to enter the raffles, etc.) as my work-life became busier and busier.
So the club broke up. All the money remaining in the treasury went to Cheryl as she continued in her battle with cancer. I think there were some bad feelings and misconceptions in the dissolution. I regret that, too. I was very fond of the ladies and really enjoyed our times together. It was very sad that circumstances brought us to such an end. I still think of the ladies with great affection and hope they are doing well. Just how life unfolds, I guess. Life, like love, bears all things.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Ergonomics
Have you ever experienced good ergonomics? I am not referring to lumbar pillows, arch supports, curved keyboards, or the like. I'm talking about those moments, large or small, when you are in perfect harmony with your environment. My personal favorite type of ergonomic harmony is when I have a bunch of errands to run on my day off and I can organize them in such a way that I go from one to the other efficiently, getting everything done that I need to in as smooth a manner as possible.
But I've been experiencing a lot of good ergonomics of late! For instance, cooking is a dream since our move last summer. It's just a delight to move about in harmony with my kitchen. Also, I have one day a week at work when I don't usually have any projects but my own to complete and I can usually set up my computer in an edit suite and plow through several tasks at once at a good clip. Then, the other day, I was driving home and I needed to pull up my socks. I had no trouble manipulating the brake pedal, switching feet as I adjusted the offending socks, and completing the whole maneuver before the light changed. Last night, I was watching a really good TV show while organizing some files in my sunroom, which is just off the living room. It was exceedingly easy, and comfortable, to stretch out on the floor while watching the show and then just turn to sort the files.
Ergonomic harmony makes me happy. Look around you. Do you have moments like these?
But I've been experiencing a lot of good ergonomics of late! For instance, cooking is a dream since our move last summer. It's just a delight to move about in harmony with my kitchen. Also, I have one day a week at work when I don't usually have any projects but my own to complete and I can usually set up my computer in an edit suite and plow through several tasks at once at a good clip. Then, the other day, I was driving home and I needed to pull up my socks. I had no trouble manipulating the brake pedal, switching feet as I adjusted the offending socks, and completing the whole maneuver before the light changed. Last night, I was watching a really good TV show while organizing some files in my sunroom, which is just off the living room. It was exceedingly easy, and comfortable, to stretch out on the floor while watching the show and then just turn to sort the files.
Ergonomic harmony makes me happy. Look around you. Do you have moments like these?
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
What's Cookin', Hot Stuff?
It may surprise folks to know that I like to cook. And, despite pulling a C in high school Home Ec, I'm actually pretty good at it. My cooking style is rather like Raechel Ray. Which is to say that while I'll follow a recipe, unless I am baking, I don't measure so much as eyeball or guesstimate the ingredients. (Unlike Raechel Ray, however, I am a mean baker. Cookies are my specialty, ask my friend Phyllis about some of our marathon holiday baking sessions!) I also take a tip from Sandra Lee (I really don't watch that much Food Network, I swear!) in that I frequently use pre-prepared items from the store -- like frozen diced onions, for instance -- to save on prep time.
As many people already do know about me, I have a darned good memory for detail-type stuff such as phone numbers or birthdays or...recipes. Once I've made something a couple of times, I can pretty much do it from memory. I've been making Christmas cut-out cookies the same way for over 30 years. But I don't have to do things the same way every time. I'm also pretty good at winging recipes once I get used to them -- substitute this for that, try it with a different sauce or spice, etc.. I enjoy putting on some music and puttering about in the kitchen getting dinner together.
In fact, two things have really upped my cooking happiness of late. First was our move this summer. The kitchen in our new apartment is gorgeous just to look at, let alone work in. Sure, it's an apartment kitchen, so it's small, but it's well appointed. I can move about cooking and cleaning up after myself at the same time, which you know is something that would make me happy! Second was the discovery that I actually like cauliflower.
We've been trying to live Low Carb for quite some time now and we generally do well with it, when we're preparing our own food. Back in the spring we took a trip to the local used bookstore and bought a couple of cook books to help out with our diet. My favorite one focuses on 15 minute meals and I love it! The recipes are super easy -- both to make and to modify -- and we haven't hit on a single "clunker" yet. Most, in fact, have been delicious and there is one we love so much that we make it every week! Many of the recipes use cauliflower in place of something else (like potatoes or pasta) and it is amazing how well that works and how yummy the dishes turn out.
There's nothing like coming home, spending your carbs on the glass of wine you pour yourself, and whipping up a delicious meal to share with your honey!
(And, by the way, I'm blaming the Home Ec grade on the sewing quarter! I've never been able to hem in a straight line in my life!)
As many people already do know about me, I have a darned good memory for detail-type stuff such as phone numbers or birthdays or...recipes. Once I've made something a couple of times, I can pretty much do it from memory. I've been making Christmas cut-out cookies the same way for over 30 years. But I don't have to do things the same way every time. I'm also pretty good at winging recipes once I get used to them -- substitute this for that, try it with a different sauce or spice, etc.. I enjoy putting on some music and puttering about in the kitchen getting dinner together.
In fact, two things have really upped my cooking happiness of late. First was our move this summer. The kitchen in our new apartment is gorgeous just to look at, let alone work in. Sure, it's an apartment kitchen, so it's small, but it's well appointed. I can move about cooking and cleaning up after myself at the same time, which you know is something that would make me happy! Second was the discovery that I actually like cauliflower.
We've been trying to live Low Carb for quite some time now and we generally do well with it, when we're preparing our own food. Back in the spring we took a trip to the local used bookstore and bought a couple of cook books to help out with our diet. My favorite one focuses on 15 minute meals and I love it! The recipes are super easy -- both to make and to modify -- and we haven't hit on a single "clunker" yet. Most, in fact, have been delicious and there is one we love so much that we make it every week! Many of the recipes use cauliflower in place of something else (like potatoes or pasta) and it is amazing how well that works and how yummy the dishes turn out.
There's nothing like coming home, spending your carbs on the glass of wine you pour yourself, and whipping up a delicious meal to share with your honey!
(And, by the way, I'm blaming the Home Ec grade on the sewing quarter! I've never been able to hem in a straight line in my life!)
Friday, September 12, 2008
Meeting An Idol
As anyone who knows me, reads this blog, or maybe even has just met me in the street knows -- Styx is my all-time favorite band. For those one or two people who might have missed it, I have been a fan since I was 13 years old and first saw them on the newly-launched (at that time) MTV. I immediately went out and spent my allowance and baby-sitting money to buy their albums and continued my pursuit over the years until I owned them all. I have the entire original run on vinyl as well as CD and am still collecting, having acquired the new releases, too. My favorite song is "Come Sail Away," preferably the live version, my favorite album is Cornerstone, and I could go on to tell which song is my favorite on which album, but that's not really the point.
The point is that my station ran the concert The Music of Styx - Live with Symphony Orchestra this past Monday night...and Dennis DeYoung (lead singer, founding member) was live in our studio pledging with our staff! Can you imagine what a moment this was for me?! For 27 years they have been my favorite band, I still listen to their music, I have a Styx-specific playlist in iTunes and a Styx channel on Pandora; I still love the stuff, the songs have held up really well and are still just awesome jams.
So, even though I work the day shift, I stuck around late on Monday -- wearing my Return to the Paradise Theatre 1996 tour t-shirt -- just to meet Dennis DeYoung. Shannon, my anchorwoman, who is about my age, was just as excited as I was; we talked about what a big deal this concert is for folks of our generation. When Dennis had arrived, had make-up, and was settled in the green room to prep for the night, Shannon pulled me in and introduced me. Dennis in turn introduced me to his wife, Suzanne, who was here with him. They are both incredibly nice, down-home, fun people.
Amazingly, I managed to speak coherently, too! I told Dennis how I have been a fan for 27 years and counting, and thanked him for all that his music has meant to me. He noted my tour t-shirt, and I said that I had also seen him in Dayton in 2002. He remembered that show right away -- the second half got rained out -- and I got to share how that is one of my favorite memories, being among the several hundred folks who stuck it out through the storm and stood under blankets in the pouring rain singing "Come Sail Away" at the top of our lungs (miss you, Al and Tom!) before they decided they had to cancel the rest of the show. Shortly after that, prep for the live studio segments began in earnest so I had to get out of the way, but my friends on the crew insisted that I stick around a little longer.
After the first live studio segment was finished, one of my coworkers and I headed down to the studio and I was able to get my picture taken with Dennis and Suzanne. Dennis also noticed that I had brought in one of my albums (Pieces of Eight, pressed on gold vinyl no less -- thanks, Patrick!) and asked me if I'd like him to sign it. I said I would love that and handed him the Sharpie off my ID lanyard (don't all directors carry Sharpies?). I also took the opportunity to show him that the album was on gold vinyl. He joked that it had "yellowed over the years" and I replied that I keep it in the basement (of course, I don't really!). Anyway, he signed my album and I thanked him again for everything. Then I went home and watched the last half of the concert on TV. It was awesome and so was he -- definitely a wonderful moment in my life, one I will remember for a long, long time.
The point is that my station ran the concert The Music of Styx - Live with Symphony Orchestra this past Monday night...and Dennis DeYoung (lead singer, founding member) was live in our studio pledging with our staff! Can you imagine what a moment this was for me?! For 27 years they have been my favorite band, I still listen to their music, I have a Styx-specific playlist in iTunes and a Styx channel on Pandora; I still love the stuff, the songs have held up really well and are still just awesome jams.
So, even though I work the day shift, I stuck around late on Monday -- wearing my Return to the Paradise Theatre 1996 tour t-shirt -- just to meet Dennis DeYoung. Shannon, my anchorwoman, who is about my age, was just as excited as I was; we talked about what a big deal this concert is for folks of our generation. When Dennis had arrived, had make-up, and was settled in the green room to prep for the night, Shannon pulled me in and introduced me. Dennis in turn introduced me to his wife, Suzanne, who was here with him. They are both incredibly nice, down-home, fun people.
Amazingly, I managed to speak coherently, too! I told Dennis how I have been a fan for 27 years and counting, and thanked him for all that his music has meant to me. He noted my tour t-shirt, and I said that I had also seen him in Dayton in 2002. He remembered that show right away -- the second half got rained out -- and I got to share how that is one of my favorite memories, being among the several hundred folks who stuck it out through the storm and stood under blankets in the pouring rain singing "Come Sail Away" at the top of our lungs (miss you, Al and Tom!) before they decided they had to cancel the rest of the show. Shortly after that, prep for the live studio segments began in earnest so I had to get out of the way, but my friends on the crew insisted that I stick around a little longer.
After the first live studio segment was finished, one of my coworkers and I headed down to the studio and I was able to get my picture taken with Dennis and Suzanne. Dennis also noticed that I had brought in one of my albums (Pieces of Eight, pressed on gold vinyl no less -- thanks, Patrick!) and asked me if I'd like him to sign it. I said I would love that and handed him the Sharpie off my ID lanyard (don't all directors carry Sharpies?). I also took the opportunity to show him that the album was on gold vinyl. He joked that it had "yellowed over the years" and I replied that I keep it in the basement (of course, I don't really!). Anyway, he signed my album and I thanked him again for everything. Then I went home and watched the last half of the concert on TV. It was awesome and so was he -- definitely a wonderful moment in my life, one I will remember for a long, long time.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Franglais
As regular readers are already aware, I am bilingual, speaking both English and French. My mother, a language teacher, began speaking French with me earlier than I can even remember and we have been speaking it together ever since. I lived and studied in France for six months during my junior term overseas. I have not kept up my French as much as I would like, but you will still catch me speaking it -- in fact, there are some things I say more automatically in French than in English! Such as:
Quelle heure est? -- What time is it?
Qu'est-ce que c'est? -- What is that?
Qu'est-ce qui ce passe? -- What's happening?
Quel jour! -- What a day!
On y va! -- Off we go! (or, often when I am in heavy traffic: let's GO!)
Quelle heure est? -- What time is it?
Qu'est-ce que c'est? -- What is that?
Qu'est-ce qui ce passe? -- What's happening?
Quel jour! -- What a day!
On y va! -- Off we go! (or, often when I am in heavy traffic: let's GO!)
Friday, August 22, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
TTFN PPdA
Yesterday I read that Patrick Poivre d'Arvor, main anchor for France's TF1, is being asked to step down after 21+ years on the air. Beginning in September, the main nightly newscast will be anchored by Laurence Ferrari. Supposedly, this is a ratings ploy as Ms. Ferrari is significantly younger than Poivre d'Arvor, who is also known to be temperamental.
Some regular readers may have figured out why this is important to me. When I did my junior term abroad in Strasbourg, France (Sept. 1988-Feb. 1989) we had to watch TF1's nightly news for the Civilization section of our orientation session. Prior to going overseas, I had taken Communications Technology (the basic video course) back at K College during my sophomore year. While reviewing my final project, my professor, Larry Jaquith, had said to me, "You have a good eye. You could make a career of this." At the time, I just shrugged that off and filed it away in my brain. But sitting in that classroom in the International Institute at the University of Strasbourg I had an epiphany.
The nightly news began each episode with PPdA, as the anchor is known, framed rather small in the center of the screen, then they zoomed him forward full screen so it appeared that he was coming right into your living room to deliver you the news. I remember very clearly sitting there, with Monsieur Kintz explaining why TF1 did that, and thinking "I can do that!" That was the moment when I decided to go into video production as a career. When I returned to the States in the spring, I immediately began setting up the independent study I did for Advanced Video Technology class, followed by the internship I did at Toledo's PBS station for my Senior Independent Project. Thus a career was born.
So, thank you, Monsieur Poivre d'Arvor, for inspiring one young American all unbeknownst to you, best of luck in the next phase of your life and career, and au revoir.
Some regular readers may have figured out why this is important to me. When I did my junior term abroad in Strasbourg, France (Sept. 1988-Feb. 1989) we had to watch TF1's nightly news for the Civilization section of our orientation session. Prior to going overseas, I had taken Communications Technology (the basic video course) back at K College during my sophomore year. While reviewing my final project, my professor, Larry Jaquith, had said to me, "You have a good eye. You could make a career of this." At the time, I just shrugged that off and filed it away in my brain. But sitting in that classroom in the International Institute at the University of Strasbourg I had an epiphany.
The nightly news began each episode with PPdA, as the anchor is known, framed rather small in the center of the screen, then they zoomed him forward full screen so it appeared that he was coming right into your living room to deliver you the news. I remember very clearly sitting there, with Monsieur Kintz explaining why TF1 did that, and thinking "I can do that!" That was the moment when I decided to go into video production as a career. When I returned to the States in the spring, I immediately began setting up the independent study I did for Advanced Video Technology class, followed by the internship I did at Toledo's PBS station for my Senior Independent Project. Thus a career was born.
So, thank you, Monsieur Poivre d'Arvor, for inspiring one young American all unbeknownst to you, best of luck in the next phase of your life and career, and au revoir.
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