Monday, November 12, 2007

On good omens and other weekendly lessons

The mysterious albino squirrel of yore decided to grace me with its presence again today. He caught my eye as I strolled down my street, not by virtue of his scampering across my neighbour's yard, but rather because of that familiar glint of white fur.



I'd been having a bit of a ruminative morning, so I decided to interpret his presence as a good omen and use it as a concrete reason to change my mood. After all, an albino squirrel is a bit of a once in a lifetime thing, so twice in one year in different countries seemed more than a little symbolic.

***

Why morality may not always pay...

Last night, a friend offered me a less than legally optained DVD of American Gangster. I declined her offer, as the Duke and I had plan to see the film in the theatre the next day, and it felt a little ethically questionable.
However, I must admit I was cursing my standards when we wandered into a packed movie theatre with no two seats together, and realized that we could have just as easily still been in our pyjamas watching the film comfortably.

We actually decided to exchange our tickets, and go see Darjeeling Limited instead. Unfortunately for us, this meant half an hour in an empty theatre. Even worse, this theatre lacked all cheezy movie trivia, leaving me to opportunity for me to display my ridiculous amounts of pop culture knowledge in a socially appropriate situation. (Sometimes it is important to know that George Clooney had a pot bellied pig, dammit!) All there was to keep us stimulated was awwwwwful soft rock music. We're talking not just one Goo Goo Dolls song, but rather a medley of GooGoo Dolls songs, introduced by someone with the audacity to deem them one of America's most beloved rock groups (the term rock has become very subjective, methinks).

Oh yeah, and don't forget the duet between the Vegetales and Amy Grant.
That's right... a talking asparagus singing Christian soft rock was being pumped into the theatre.


In retrospect, I should have taken the movable armrests as a sign to use that half hour more productivity by making out frantically in the back row of the theatre.

However, all bitterness aside, The Darjeeling Limited was an awesome, funny, sweet film-- muchly recommended!

***

I live in a suite in a character home, meaning I am subject to such domestic quirks as a slanting floor in the hallway, and a kitchen faucet that heats up to the temperature of molten lava when you turn on the hot water. Today, such awkward designs have meant that I am using the rice cooker in the living room. Due to the random placement of electrical outlets, it was either that or the kitchen floor.

***

Is it wrong for me to be so very proud that I am beating both the Duke and his father in a hockey pool? I just love it because no one expects it of me!

***

For my fellow psych buddies... how great is this?

I just discovered Therapy Vineyards, whose specialities include the above Freudian Sip, Pink Freud, and Super Ego.

***

Awkward experience of the weekend...
When a girl friend broke a wine glass that a friend had handpainted for me as a birthday gift. Such experiences place you in an awkward position-- you want to be upset, for something meaningful has just been ruined, but you know to react honestly would only cause the breaker more guilt, so you put on a smile, and recite platitudes such as "It's no big deal! Accidents happen!"

***

Awkward experience of last weekend...
Being at dinner at a friend's house, at which point she asked us whether either of us had a blog. We shook our heads, at which point she began spouting how blogging was such an egotistical endeavour anyways, and it took an odd kind of narcissist to want to air out details about their lives on the internet. All the meanwhile, I'm thinking "I can't wait to blog about this."

19 comments:

Ant said...

I have very little scruples about pirated DVDs these days (apart from the lack of quality) since I learned that it's an active distribution channel by the companies themselves - apparently it allows them to reach audiences that they wouldn't be able to market to otherwise, because they simply wouldn't pay for it...

Wine glass scenario - nightmare! I too, draw on the good old stiff upper lip and end up saying "oh no, it's fine really". One day I'm just gonna splode in a shower of abuse at them...

Yoda said...

The Darjeeling Limited looks like a movie I could totally watch! Now only if I had a pretty chick to go to movies with ....... :-p

I had an awkward moment. I broke one of my friends new and expensive wine glasses (told you I was clumsy!) I told him that his glass committed suicide by jumping out of my soapy hands. He didn't fall for it. Hmph!

Airam said...

Half an hour in an empty theatre??? Missed opportunity to get frisky!

Miriam said...

What in the world kind of attitude is that? I don't feel selfish in my blogging. That's ridiculous. And I like how she asked first b/c she knew she about go off on a rant.


http://lspoon.wordpress.com

Beth said...

Way to go with the hockey pool!
Be proud!

Lisa said...

The husband was tickled by Therapy Vineyards. Therapy Cat is happy.

megabrooke said...

An albino squirrel! Ha, so random! I'm sorry to hear about the wine glass... I know the feeling of having something break that means so much, but not wanting to make the person feel bad for the mistake. LOVE the idea of Therapy Vineyards!

Anonymous said...

Omfg. That last part is crazy. How awkward!

Anonymous said...

George Clooney had a pot bellied pig? I can't wait to drop that into my next conversation.

Also, Freudian Sip? Awesome.

Abbey said...

I totally would have used the empty theater as an opportunity. Youngin would have been less willing.

Blogging - I never know how to answer that question. I want to say yes to be able to provide insight in to why people do it, but I never want someone to follow up with wanting my address.

Crushed said...

People at work joke about my rumoured blog.

I get a lot of DVDs from my pub, where I don't question their origins- at those prices, I don't WANT to know. They aren't pirate, they come in the proper box sets- but often BEFORE release in the shops.

God knows, really, where they come from.

Sheila said...

Ethical Scruples, hmm... To be honest, my husband obtained a copy of the movie "The Descent" months before it came to the movies screens here in the US. I still keep expecting a knock on the door from "Big Brother" stating they know what he did!

I have a few of those awkward experiences (like with the broken glass) where you find yourself lying to make the other person feel better. That never feels right.

The blogging jab is hilarious!! Personally I want to get a t-shirt that says "I'm Blogging This".

Anonymous said...

ahaha both those awkward moments are priceless!!!

Unknown said...

Aaaah, grad students. You people are funny, so worried about losing a half-hour of productivity. I would have enjoyed a half-hour running up and down the theater aisles.

tiff said...

Ha! I laughed out loud at the last awkward moment. That is always my reaction when people ask if I have a blog. But so what if I do? I really just don't want to give them the address. And also, why does she feel so strongly about it? Jeez!

Michelle and the City said...

freakin hilarious. narcissistic? i think not!

the frog princess said...

Albino Squirrel?! Can I have one as a pet!? Seriously, I love squirrels *almost* as much as I love llamas... which is a lot...

Oh, and Tag! You're it! I figured a meme would offer a pleasant diversion from mounds and mounds of school work :) Come visit for the rules...

eric1313 said...

You don't want pirated DVDs. They are usually filmed by somebody who saw it in a theater, or somebody who got ahold of some celluloid that's been god knows where. Either way, the picture and sound quality are usually poor, and if it was filmed by a camcorder in the theater, you'll get talkers that will also ruin the viewing for you. I used to know people who sold such things in the back of their store in Detroit--along with other illegal odds and ends you don't usually find in a corner liquor store. Smokables and the like, you know... But I did watch Spiderman 2 two weeks before it was even in the theater (it was camcorded at a sneak preview, and plenty of inapropriate laughter and comments about Kirsten Dunst, who is awesome, I don't care what anyone thinks) while we smoked a blunt full of Blueberry hydro.
--
Methinks "beloved" is almost as subjective as the term "rock". Goo Goo Dolls should deffinitely be called pop. Glad to hear that your taste in music is not sculpted or stunted by the efforts of MTV.
--
That albino squirrel could be your symbol, like a diamond in the rough, or a pure spirit in a world of ever-changing shades of color.
--
Nothing wrong with wasting the guys with your hockey knowledge. Is it just a pool, or is it fantasy league stuff?

eric1313 said...

And thank you for your concern over me and my writing. It really did make my day.

You're the best.