I read for a lot of reasons. One of them is to find new ideas or to be reminded of ideas I may have had in the past.
The book I just finished (not revealing the title as there would be spoilers otherwise) had a fairly absurd premise but then managed to present several trains of thought that were tantalizing. A huge asteroid is heading for Earth and scientists have determined that it will wipe out everyone and everything in two years, six weeks.
One character, who works in banking, came up with a scheme that basically defrauds people but will make the bank a ton of moolah. His theory is that by the time folks figure out they’ve been defrauded, the world will be ending. Sadly the other members of the board agreed with him.
Another character, an aging rock and roll star, was facing terminal cancer and decided to end his life so that his music royalties would go to his first ex-wife as soon as possible. He also made an extremely heartfelt apology to her for how he had treated her back in the day.
A third character, an anthropologist, was worried about the end of civilization before the end of the world. Why, he postulated, would be the incentive to keep working? Who would do the jobs that keep us all fed and clothed?
This last character’s questions have remained with me for days now. Whenever there is some news of an asteroid that’s coming close to the planet, I do muse about the end of days. But I have never considered what would happen if we KNEW it was end of days for sure. How could we keep civilization going? How would I personally get by until the end? Would I feel the need to atone for my “sins”? I’m not sure, but I think I would definitely make a trip to Alaska, the only state in the union I haven’t visited.
Anything on your bucket list you’d like to do if you knew the world was ending in two years and six weeks?
You all know I have an affinity for Godzilla movies. I don’t know why. Most of them aren’t all that well made and of course they are pretty violent. But like many of the mysteries in life, Godzilla and I seem to keep crossing paths.
It happened again last week when I stumbled across Godzilla Minus One, which came out in 2023, written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki. This is the 37th film in the Godzilla franchise and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen most of them. While Minus One got great reviews, I wasn’t holding my breath.
There is much more of a human element to this one, although seeing the aftermath of WWII on the ordinary Japanese citizen was depressing. Then this massive, basically indestructible monster comes and destroys what little is left. And, as always, nobody can ever say why Godzilla does what he does.
I noticed right away that this Godzilla is a really good match for the earlier Godzillas. Of course, much better CGI and photography but his spiny back and the shape of his head and neck were just like the classic. And then towards the end, I thought “this music sounds so familiar”. After the movie was over, I found the original 1954 Godzilla with soundtrack composed by Akira Ifukube. This is apparently now known as The Ifukube March and has been used in several of the movies over the years:
The composer for Godzilla Minus One (Naoki Sato) did a great salute by incorporating the march into the final “battle scene”:
If you had suggested to me when I was younger that someday I would know enough about Godzilla to recognize his classic form and his classic music, I would have laughed until I cried. Guess I’d better get out the tissues.
When we talked about esoteric knowledge the other day, I would not have said that The Three Musketeers was a particular interest of mine. Then I stumbled upon a tv series from 2014-2016, a British production. Binge-watching is a perfect occupation when you’re nursing a knee.
This particular series is a little darker than I like, but I realize that I’ve seen quite a few of the musketeer movies over the years, so it’s intriguing to see this one. The production values are quite good – costumes and dialog seem more realistic than a lot of historical dramas. Of course, there seems to be at least one nubile young woman each episode who manages to fall for one of the musketeers in just a day or so. Then there’s the fact that all of the musketeers except D’Artagnan (the only character played by an actor who I recognize – Santiago Cabrera) have old, unhealed loved tragedies in their past. Athos in particular can’t seem to get over his.
And it’s VERY violent. I find myself listening more than watching every now and then. I’m not surprised that there were only three seasons. I’m about half way through the second season and I’m starting to wonder if Paris is going to run out of population, so many people get murdered each episode. Last night I actually muted it for about five minutes while Captain Treville was getting operated on. (Thank goodness I live in an age with anesthetic.) It’s another show that I can’t watch up until bedtime or I have dreams that are much too intense.
As I’ve been watching the show, it occurs to me that I can’t remember if I ever READ The Three Musketeers. All the comparisons that I’m making in my mind may be from other movies/series I’ve seen. And there is still the one big question of why Dumas titled his tome The Three Musketeers when there are clearly four of them? Maybe the book explains this? So I put it on hold at the library. I’ll let you know!
Did you have a play sword as a kid? Ever taken fencing or shooting lessons?
The legend of King Arthur has always appealed to me. From an early age I loved the Prince Valiant comic strip (and Robert Wagner in the movie) and when Camelot came out in 1967 I managed to get my folks to take me a couple of times. I’ve read Mary Stewart’s Crystal Cave series more than once and while the 2011 series isn’t quite to my taste, I have watched it – Joseph Fiennes playing Merlin was fascinating.
Had I lived in the legend, I could not have been a good Guinevere or lady-in-waiting. Although I’m not crazy about the violence part, I would have loved to be a knight. Fancy armor, horses, swords, cool knight friends and quests.
I am all about quests. Set me a quest and I am all in. So when the Hennepin County Library debuted their passport this summer, I had to play. The passport is free for all who want to participate, with a page for each of the 41 libraries in the system. There is a photo of the library and short description and each library has their own passport stamp. There is also a few blank lines if you want to add any notes.
You know I had to make a spreadsheet of the libraries that I can sort by how far they from my house and their hours. Don’t want to show up at a library that isn’t open yet! And of course once I’ve visited a particular library, I can highlight it! Quests and spreadsheets – I’m in heaven.
It’s been a joy to visit the various libraries (I’m about half way through). They are each unique, with so many different programs. Language classes, Lego Labs, chess tournaments, jigsaw puzzles (yes, every time I found one in progress, I had to find a piece or two), even community seed libraries. And the artwork is wonderful. There must certainly at some kind of art curator on the library staff. Whoever it is has done a masterful job.
Wall in Children’s section of Champlin Library
There isn’t a timetable on my library quest, although I’d like to be done some time in September. Once it’s cooler, I have lots of indoor projects. Also, I like stretching it out a bit!
Any quests that you’ve enjoyed? Any you’re looking forward to?
As bunch of errands had me on the freeway yesterday. A little congestion slowed everybody down in time for me to look up and see this on the highway signage:
Keep your speed down
Wear your safety gear
Get home in one piece
It was more interesting than the usual signage and as it was three lines, I automatically starting counting the syllables, wondering if it was MNDots idea of highway haiku. Not haiku.
When I got home, I wondered if I could find any information online about the signage. I was surprised to find out that there is actually a program called “Message Monday” that encourages safe driving. You can even submit your own idea for a message on the website. Some of the messages are actually quite funny:
Fly under
The radar by
Obeying speed limit
Give blood
The right way
Not on the highway
Don we now our
Fastened seatbelt
Fa la la la la la
I’m not sure I want to increase my highway time on Mondays to see more of these messages, but I do find it intriguing that this program exists. Of course, if I submit something it will have to be
Speedy Gonzalez
You’re not. Please keep the pedal
Off of the metal
Imagine my surprise as I was heading out to run some errands and discovered the little robot vacuum at the back porch door.
As I carried it back into the house and hit the “dock” button so it would return home, I felt a little bad. Was I keeping it from its freedom? Had it been trying to escape from the onerous duty of trying to keep the fur and dust at bay in our house? Did it hear the clarion call of others of its kind? Was it a quashed robot uprising?
What do you think? Should I have given it its freedom?
Well I didn’t start anything on fire this week so that’s a win.
The co-op was out on Wednesday to spray the oats for broad leaves and apply a fungicide. They used a drone! I wasn’t there to see it but they took some video and had it in their newsletter:
According to the newsletter, the drone carries a 10 gallon tank, meaning it can cover about 5 acres, and the spray pattern covers about 25 feet at a pass, so they did my 25 acres of oats in a couple hours. I think that’s pretty cool! I don’t know if they were flying it manually, or were able to upload GPS field maps from their other machine passes earlier in the year, allowing it to fly, mostly, itself. I think this is such cool technology. It didn’t make tire tracks through the oats, and it didn’t leave ruts in the soft ground with the recent rains. Some of the big farmers are starting to buy their own spray drones. It’s another tool in the toolbox.
Me and one of my summer padawans cleaned out two corners of the machine shed, rearranged machinery and got the corn planter and the grain drill put away, and moved the haybine to a different spot. Just about every day I spend an hour or two in the shop, “organizing”. I’m still rearranging and sorting out things. I sure am glad I put that used AC unit in there. I just run the dehumidifier and it’s staying about 64 degrees. I love it. I’m happy to putz out there as much as I can.
I’m trying to do some of my home ‘honey-do’ projects, as well. A couple years ago, Kelly took all the landscape rock out of an area and we added compost large rocks for a walking path, and planted some grasses. That only survived one year, and the biggest problem was keeping the dogs and the chickens out of it. Daughter and I went to the local compost site and got half a pick up load of compost on Wednesday. Thursday afternoon was pretty warm, but I waited until this area was in the shade and then I dug out the old stuff. Padawan and I will unload the truck on Friday.
I ventured off into the weeds one day. I knew there was an old cement mixer out there, and there was supposed to be a second one that I couldn’t see at first. A tree had fallen in front of it. And I mean I hadn’t used either one in 25 years or more. For all I could remember, I let someone borrow it. But I found both of them.
I don’t remember using the sliver one, but it was fun to spin the handle and make the barrel turn. I remember playing with it often. The header photo is a plate on the side of it.
And the red one Dad got from a neighbor. I know we used that one. Whichever one I pick to use now, it will need a little grease… but the innertube on one tire is still holding air!
Might need a new tire, but the tube is good!
Heck, it doesn’t even need tires, I’ll be using it right by the shed.
One of the projects on the list is a concrete pad outside the shop walk in door, and a concrete pad for a garbage dumpster. Figured the summer padawans could learn about pouring concrete. I’ve done just enough to be dangerous. I found a concrete calculator online, which gave me a total of about 3 yards or about 170 bags at 60lb each. Wow, that’s a lot of bags to mix up even with an electric mixer. Checking some big box stores, a bag is $4 – $6 each. I sent an online message to a local concrete place just to see what the deal is with small batches. I’m in no hurry for this. Could be a month or two.
Also back in the tree’s was the old combine that Dad bought in the 1950’s and I parked in the tree’s in 1990 something. Time to haul that to scrap iron.
My brother and I both learned to drive a standard clutch in the 1967 Chevy pick-up truck following dad and this combine around the fields. Times were different back then. I’m guessing I was maybe 10 yrs old. I can picture it like yesterday though. He would have been pulling this with the 630 tractor (that I still have) and combining oats and would dump it into the truck. Today’s huge combines are bigger, fancier, self-propelled versions of this.
MONTGOMERY WARD IS SELLING FLYING CARS. WHAT COLOR IS YOURS AND WHAT OPTIONS DOES IT HAVE? GOT ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT WARDS?
The joy of occasionally re-reading a book is that you come across phrases or paragraphs that spark recognition, especially if you enjoyed them the first time around.
I’ve been reading the Gamache series by Louise Penny recently (my other book club had the first one on it’s list earlier this year) and I’m liking them just as much as the first time around. Yesterday I came across section in The Cruelest Month. The characters are taking part in a séance when they are frightened by an interruption:
A window pane rattled and a horrible face appeared at the glass. The circle gasped and recoiled. “For Christ’s sake, Dorothy, I know you’re in there,” screamed the voice. It wasn’t what Clara had imagined would be the last words she’d hear on earth. She’s always thought they’d be, “What were you thinking?”
This paragraph made me laugh out loud – again. I know there are folks that like to find out the last words of famous and a quick internet search finds a lot of hits. The only one that I can ever seem to remember is attributed to Oscar Wilde. “This wallpaper is killing me. Either it goes or I go.” I’m not sure this is accurate but because it’s the kind of thing that Oscar Wilde would have said, I’ve always remembered it. I also remember another quote attributed to him – “Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.”
I’m pretty sure my last words will be “Will there be donuts?”
Anyone’s last words that you remember? That you’d like attributed to you?
The sad news showed up late Tuesday that Val Kilmer has passed away. He was just 65 and it was apparently pneumonia that got him in the end, although he did have quite a horrific battle with throat cancer 8-10 years back.
He had a fairly prolific career although I have heard many stories about him being notoriously hard to work with. I can’t say that he was anywhere close to a favorite – I’ve really only seen a handful of his films, almost all of them from early in his career.
Two of his early works I’ve seen repeatedly are Real Genius and Willow. In Real Genius he plays a top of the charts college genius – kind of hard to tell the plot without some serious spoilers. The movie is not even remotely realistic but it’s fun and the good guys win without guns, fistfights or even any blood.
Willow is an amazing fantasy with witchcraft, brownies, trolls, fairies and an epic battle. Spoiler alert – the good guys win. In addition to Val Kilmer playing a charming rogue, the movie is graced with an incredible performance by Warwick Davis. Here is my favorite scene (although I love lots of scenes in this film). This is as Willow (Davis) is leaving his village on his quest.
Given my track record, the next couple of weeks will probably see me tracking down some more of his movies that I haven’t seen. Hopefully I won’t be disappointed.
Any Val Kilmer movies that you particularly like? Particularly dislike?
Stopped by the library Saturday morning to return one item and pick up another. At the return slot, I waited between two little blond girls, excitedly putting books onto the conveyer belt that takes them into the library.
As I entered the library, a little blond girl was leaving with her mom and a massive pile of books. Inside, there was another little blond toddler; she was helping her dad swipe books at the check-out station.
After I grabbed my book and was heading out, two families came toward the library, each from opposite directions. Each family had two little blond girls who seemed excited to be going to the library.
It was clearly a little blond party. I was going to feel out of place until I remembered that when I was that age, I was blond as well – a little towhead in fact.
What kind of party would you like to attend at your local library?
Trail Baboon 