The New Musings of a Quiet Geek

THe other day, I finished reading Book 7 of The Chronicles of Narnia : The Last Battle . It's abundantly clear C.S. Lewis was tired of writing this series as it's very short, ends abruptly and, instead of a typical plot, he dumps everything he possibly could into this book. I mean it's the literary equivalent of one of those TV reunion specials where past castmembers return and reminisce. I really don't want to give anything away but I'm pretty sure he implied dear Susan Pevensie is in Hell for being a stereotypical teenage/young adult woman. Because I once promised to give a final ranking of the books, here you go: 7. Book 5: A Horse and His Boy 6. Book 7: The Last Battle 5. Book 2: Prince Caspian 4. Book 6: The Magician's Nephew 3. Book 3: Voyage of the Dawn Treader 2. Book 4: The Silver Chair 1. Book 1: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe I think the fact the BBC never made movie specials of the last three books tells you something... Sports interlude: The U...

Recently, I finished reading Michael Crichton's Next . While I thought his last book, State of Fear , was at least one of his best books, this has to be counted as one of his worst. The major problem with this book was there really wasn't one, or two even, central storylines and I think this really hurt him. Now if he just structured the book as a collection of short stories, it might have turned out better. I loved the the stories of Dave the transgenic chimp and Gerard the transgenic parrot (Although Gerard's storyline could have ended better.) but the rest of the plotlines were rather hohum. I now officially done with orthopedists and have been medically cleared for my move. Unless my physical therapist has other ideas, I'll be done with PT this week. Woo Hoo! In sports, I point my "Evil Monkey" finger at those darn Patriots. They had the Colts on the ropes and couldn't close the door. I know they had some injuries and the Colt offense is a good one but...

Last night really, the preparations for my move to Portland has commenced. We've decided February 1st and 2nd. I've already figured out how much a bus pass would cost and and I believe I know how to get to my grandmother's apartment. As you may already know, it seems like a simple process to transfer to my temp agency's office up there so I will have some work. It may not be enough at first we'll work it out. Even though my attempts to contact other agencies have been apparently ignored, I'm hoping they'll be more receptive when I actually move. We worked out a budget this morning and I'll still need financial assistance from my parents for the time being if the job situation isn't drastically different up there. The new complication is that my bank isn't in Maine. (Coincidentally, my bank in Maine before the move down here isn't down here.) So I think I've found a suitable replacement although there seems to be some confusion as to what ...

On New Year's Day, my parents and went to see The Queen . For those who're confused by which queen I'm refering, this was the movie with Helen Mirren as Elizabeth II during the time of Diana's death. The movie does make you think about whether the Royal Family was actually justified not making a fuss or not. I'm really not sure where I fall on the subject now although I admit I did think there should have been a public statement prior to seeing this film. The Queen , which also features James Cromwell hilariously accurate in his portrayal of Prince Phillip, has the seriousness of an art house film but is the most fun I've seen since The Good Girl . Speaking of Jennifer, I received Along Came Polly from my aunt so we watched it last night. It was a really funny movie but no way in hell should these two be together. I'm sorry but no... I didn't know Phillip Seymour Hoffman was in this movie but especially after seeing him in Capote last week, his charac...

Here's a blow by blow account of my recent Christmas and subsequent vacation for you all to peruse. Christmas Day-I woke up rather late as my cat decided to spend the night before with me and that is difficult for many reasons. We had our stocking and presents and then hit the road for Maine. When we arrived, we had a present exchange. Tuesday- My aunt, who arrived at my grandmother's just before we did the day before was down and a cousin came over so there was a Christmas party of sorts. The downside was that my intestinal thing from Thanksgiving returned but more on that later. That night, we watched the movie The Upside of Anger . I really can't say you should definitely see this movie or that you definitely shouldn't. Overall, it was very well acted and isn't about time Kevin Costner put out a movie that was at least Tin Cup good? The best line came from the writer/director: "Who should I sleep with, Terry? Women like you? Your age? My age? I don't. Y...

Ok, what I consider just serious and not interesting is what you all would find most interesting so we will start with that. Last night, I had plans to go to the movies with JRRyan and others. These plans changed when I get a call from my mother that my father had fallen and hurt his arm while they were ice skating and she was taking him into the hospital. It turns out that his wrist is "partially fractured." The other thing I wanted to discuss was that I finished my other birthday book the other day. Armageddon's Children , by Terry Brooks, reminded me a lot of Dark Angel if created by said Brooks. No, it wasn't about a genetically created super soldier turned bike messenger per se but a good chunk of the book took place in post-apocalyptic Seattle. This series, I'm unsure how many books it'll be, is a continuation of the Knight of The Word trilogy which I didn't read. Aside from maybe three references, it doesn't matter. Not to ruin anything, but, t...

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE? To review: 1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc) 2. Put it on shuffle 3. Press play 4. For every question, type the song that's playing 5. When you go to a new question, press the next button 6. Don't lie and try to pretend your cool... And yes, I've done it a million times before too. And I'm posting a lot. So what? :p Opening Credits: "After The Goldrush"- Natalie Merchant (That just rocks...) Waking Up: "Once Around The Block"- Badly Drawn Boy (If you don't listen to the lyrics, not a bad song for this scene really.) First Day At School: "Your Song"- Elton John (Ok, this makes no sense...) Falling In Love: "Things Have Changed"- Bob Dylan (::spittake::) Fight Song: "Can't Stop Loving You"- Van Halen (Yeah, that sounds like a fight I'd get in...) Breaking Up: "Play Guitar"- John Mellencamp (Why does this song keep pop...

On Friday night, my parents and I went to see a production of A Christmas Carol at Hartford Stage. It was really well acted. This version had some interesting aspects to it. One: Scrooge's housekeeper was a transvestite. In fact, the same actor played Jacob Marley... Two: While the Ghosts of Past and Present were how we have come to expect them to look, the Ghost of Christmases Yet To Come wasn't a Grim Reaper type. He was a guy in a top hat and sunglasses riding a funky tricycle. My mother accurately described it as "Tim Burton-inspired." Yesterday, we had the Christmas Pageant at my church. We did the traditional Nativity story this year after letting the kids write something different last year. The best part of the play was watching was watching our preschool kids as sheep. The best part of the whole experience, however, was not having to be in it myself... Yesterday afternoon, my father and I went out to get the tree. It's now up and decorated! Woo Hoo! Last...

So today at PT, I was put on the bike. No weight and we weren't sure I could do a whole rotation. I was able to do it, however. I was peddling pretty slow at first but, once I got going, I was peddling at a pretty good clip considering. I've been experiencing popping first the on the underside of my knee now on top. I was told my my orthopedist this is just the scar tissue breaking up. Anyway, I experienced a big pop on the bike so this is a good thing I guess. A new stretching excercise was added: while on my stomach, I pull my leg towards my head, holding it for 10 seconds then repeating. This makes a complete ten excercises now but this new one goes into the "just twice" catagory instead of three times. (Making 3 of those now.) Just like when I went to PT this morning, I didn't wear my brace to the movies last night when I went with my mother. We pondered sitting in our usual spot on the first elevated level but we decided I need more space so we sat in the s...

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?: Depends if I want something hot or alcoholic... 2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?: Santa didn't used to wrap the gifts but then he started to and still does... 3. Coloured lights on tree/house or white?: Currently white lights on the tree. 4. Do you hang mistletoe?: What would be the point? 5. When do you put your decorations up?: We've started to but still no tree yet. 6. What is your favourite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?: cheese smokies or Chex Mix. 7. Favourite Holiday memory as a child: Hmm the only memory I have at the moment is having the flu one year and throwing up on my gifts from Santa... 8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?: I received a teddy bear one year labeled "From Santa" but then I was told it was from a family friend. It unravelled from there... 9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?: I used to but now my mother gets so many presents from her office we run out of present...

Ok, this has been going around the blogsphere like a virus and I have finally been tagged by JRRyan. She is my only reader who has a blog so I tag no one but invite whomever is bored to do this in my comment section if they so choose. You can always get a blog too... 1. I'm not fond of onions and peppers but do love salsa. I also do not like coconut but do really like brazil nuts. 2. I hate wearing shoes but I also really don't like being barefoot either so I am frequently in socks. (Well, rarely in sandals...) 3. I'm left handed but use scissors with my right hand. 4. I frequently sprinkle television or movie references into everyday conversation. By the same token, I frequently make bizarre references. This is very Dennis Miller of me which I suppose is a weird reference in itself... 5. I imagine whole future conversations with people; most of which never do really happen. 6. I'm hardly ever wearing a watch but frequently look at my wrist as if I was.

I saw the orthopedist this morning. He pulled out the last stitch and told me not to wear the brace around the house and only when I go out. I also have to remember to tell the physical therapy people they can be more aggressive. Yay me! Did I mention I can bend to 108 degrees now? This has been the limit for a few days now so, hopefully, it will improve soon. I'm sure there was something else I wanted to say but I'm drawing a blank so here's a quiz: You Have Your Sarcastic Moments While you're not sarcastic at all times, you definitely have a cynical edge. In your opinion, not all people are annoying. Some are dead! And although you do have your genuine moments, you can't help getting your zingers in. Some people might be a little hurt by your sarcasm, but it's more likely they think you're hilarious. How Sarcastic Are You?

First, let me tell you about seeing Casino Royale with my father on Friday. I really must say that this was the best Bond film ever and I'm afraid it will never be duplicated. Like the early Sean Connery films, it has more emphasis on plot than fancy gadgets and, with the exception of two or three scenes, unbelievable stunts. Unlike those films, however, this one doesn't drag. They actually allowed Daniel Craig to act in this film. It's this aspect I think that will be one of a kind as Bond has now learned the consequence of getting emotionally involved. ( Of His Majesty's Secret Service seems to suggest otherwise but that story hasn't taken place yet...) Of course, I think Craig is the first Bond actor, since Connery anyway, who actually can act we'll have to see... My two main complaints have to do with the experience not the movie. These new fangled movie theaters still don't have enough leg room if you can't bend your knee unless you sit in the fl...

Though the media has tried to push Christmas upon us since even before Halloween, I finally succumbed yesterday. I actively play Christmas music and even started my shopping yesterday. (I know. Wow!) The knee recovery is progressing. I'm now in phase 2 of the physical therapy. Phase 2 isn't all the different from the first one except I can bend my knee past 45 degrees. (In fact, I can bend it all the way to 90!) Did anyone watch the James Taylor tribute on PBS last night? That was the best tribute I had seen since the Bob Dylan one in '92. (OK, the Johnny Cash and John Lennon tributes of a couple years ago didn't totally suck...) My one problem with it was they used up David Crosby, Sheryl Crow and Jackson Browne on one song instead of spreading the wealth. My problem with the John Lennon tribute was neither Paul or Ringo was there. I think Paul would have been nice here since JT first signed with Apple Records but the line-up they had was great. Like the Dylan tribute,...

So, we didn't go away for Thanksgiving this year as I came down with an intestinal thing Tuesday night spending about 42 hours straight on a "porcelain cruise." Thankfully, I was able to eat a little something on the actual day and was feeling well enough to preform my duty as greeter this morning at church. Woo Hoo! Lately, I've been keeping busy revising databases. I noticed about a month ago that the All Creatures Great And Small page only had the two stars, Christopher Timothy and Robert Hardy, appearing in thirty of the ninety episodes. Why the hell wouldn't James Herriot appear in a show about James Herriot? I mean one or two episodes maybe but over fifty? In any case, I starting submitting corrections and I noticed last night that someone else has been doing the same bringing the numbers up to fifty-something now. Even more recently, I've been working on applying labels to the archived posts on this here blog. It seems I've taken many quizzes over ...

Hope you enjoy the new template. I hadn't changed it in awhile so there we go. Today was our church fair complete with lunch, raffle and silent auction. I bid on a David Ortiz plaque and a Manny Ramirez poster. The bidding on the plaque got too steep for someone you has little income (Who'd pay 45 bucks for that?) but the poster may yet be mine! My local branch library is looking for a part time reference librarian. I received a letter today informing me that, while I'm still in the running, the search has been reopened due to the feeling the deadline for applications was too soon. I choose the pessimistic view that I'll do but they'd prefer someone better...(Truthfully, I basically wrote their collection development policy for a class and live only a block away.) I just love the first sentence of the second paragraph: You are The Hermit Prudence, Caution, Deliberation. The Hermit points to all things hidden, such as knowledge and inspiration,hidden enemies. The ill...

Recently, I finally finished one of my birthday books. Yoda: Dark Rendezvous , written by Sean Stewart, overall is the best Star Wars book I've read in quite some time with three really engaging lightsaber battles but, to be more accurate, the last 100 pages was the best Star Wars novel I've ever read in my life. Yoda has always been one of my favorite characters and the dialogue/interaction between him and Count Dooku was really good . Obviously, since most novels take place after the movies, they can't have the old Jedi Master in them but I was really hoping here to get more of him here. What species is he? Why is he the only member of his race ever even mentioned? What about the rest of his backstory? No answers to any of these questions were present here. While it's impossible to skip the first 230 pages, I do recomend this novel to all those who didn't dislike the storyline of the prequel movies and to those who miss reading Star Wars novels that don'...

I had a physical therapy consult yesterday. She wanted me to stop one of the exercises I was doing as it could haerm the incision area if done wrong but added 4 more. Some I'm supposed to do 2-3 times a day while a few I only do twice. I can actually bend my knee somewhere between 30 and 45 degrees now without pain. Woo hoo! (Well, obviously I can't with the brace on...) Not my next appointment which is Monday but the one after that I have to go in Wednesday at 7AM! Since I have to wear sweatpants anyway, I'm thinking of just going in my pajamas... In other though not really different news, I've been getting a lot of attention due to my brace when I've gone out in public. So far, it's just been guys who can relate to knee problems and not hot chicks so I'm not really liking it...

I went in for my post-surgery check-up yesterday before doing my patriotic duty and voting. I have no idea what exactly he did to my knee during the examination but that hurt like hell. Then, the med tech came in with my new brace and to remove my stitches and I had a panic attack. I had my leg up on the table with no brace and she needed me to stand up to fit the new brace and I couldn't move my leg! It was so embarrassing. The new brace is different in that my knee can now be bent to 20 degrees instead of being completely straight all the time. Also I don't have to wear it at night. I may have mentioned this already but I now can put weight on the leg and am taking less medication. I have also started doing two isometric exercises. The doctor wants me to call for a PT consult as soon as possible and gave me a schedule on how he wants the therapist to proceed: starting light and getting more intense over the next three weeks. I can't believe I answered all the quest...

Nothing really new to share so here's a quiz: Which Classic Story Role Do You Play? - You Are The Wayward Heart "Feel Better." You are best described as 'Emotional Support'. Anytime an emotional issue comes up or something stresses people out, you are there to help them feel better about it. Whether you are the prankster of the bunch, the funny one, the wild one, or just the shoulder to cry on - your traits favor what it takes to keep people going. You like large groups of people and have many friends. When something hits home for you, however, you have a hard time with it. You also have difficulty paying attention or focusing on one thing. Above all, though, if people are happy, you are happy. Take this quiz ! Quizilla | Join | Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code Could my boobs be any bigger?