File Buz

Out of my head

K loves music in the car. The confusing thing is that he makes up names for all the songs he likes, but I dont know which name goes to which song. For example, he will demand to hear "mommys song" when in fact, I had no idea I have my own song!! Apparently, "mommys song" is actually M.I.A.s "Galang", which is a pretty fun song from the Live at KEXP Volume 2 CD - if I werent driving, I would dance too! Anyways, I need to make notes on these things, really!
This video was taken a few months ago when J was driving, and Kades song of the day, "out of my head," (Tegan and Saras "Back in Your Head") played on repeat at least 5 times, but the cuteness was worth it!

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Off the Top of My Head

Honk if youve heard this one:

1. "I could never just sit there and knit. I dont have the patience."
   
   
2. "My grandmother / Aunt Betsy / sainted mama / Avon lady / Girl Scout Leader/ field hockey coach used to do that!"
   
   
3. "I think its so sad that nobody knits any more."
   
   
4. "How much would you charge to make me a [name of project]?"

My favorite of these is number three, because it leads me inevitably to the conclusion that I have died and am now a ghost. I would love to be a ghost, because the list of people I plan to haunt is longer than my nose and I might as well get on with it.

My least favorite comment is the last, because the well-meaning person who asks to hire your needles is seldom prepared for any answer you may give.

• "I dont sell my work" sounds snotty (even if you dont mean to be).
  
  
• "You couldnt afford it" sounds presumptuous (because it is).
  
  
• "For a pair of socks like this, at least three hundred bucks" will bring a gasp of disbelief followed by a minor cardiac event. And once the paramedics have left and the spilled drink is mopped up, you have to talk to the innocent victim about fair trade, and the rights of artisans to earn a living wage, and the number of stitches in a sock, and Wal-Mart, and how actually, no, good yarn doesnt cost about a buck a ball.
  

Once in a great while, however, the questioner throws you a curve ball. A couple months ago, a good friend of mine asked about a hat for his wife. I hemmed. I hawed. I offered him another vodka stinger. He insisted.

I estimated the price of good yarn. He didnt blink.

I estimated the cost of labor. He blinked.

But then he said, "Okay. So, for that price could you have it ready in time for Christmas?"

Well, alrighty then. I could, and did, and here it is.

Its worked in Madeline Tosh Vintage.



I kept copious notes in case it might, some day, turn into a pattern.



In a few places the cables cross and travel at the same time, which is something I hadnt played with before. I love the effect, but I wrote on Twitter this reminded me of a diamond-studded toilet seat (pretty, but a pain in the ass) and Fiona Ellis got all mad at me.

Lessons learned:

• always quote a fair price, even if you think it wont possibly be accepted; and
  
  
• it never hurts offer the client another vodka stinger.
  

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Oh Hey There An Update on Life as Head Girl and Whats On My Cinematic Mind

Hey guys, heres a voice from the past (like a month and a half ago or whatever). Does everyone remember me? If youre a little confused about me popping up in your feed/twitter/timeline etc etc etc, when I departed the blogging world on the night of the Oscars I told you it wasnt forever. I may not have blogged all of March, and this will probably be my only post for April but Im still here, chugging away. The reason? Im having my first weekend off in like, forever, thanks to a kidney infection which has slightly chucked my life off the rails for the past two weeks. And by that I mean Ive been forced to do this strange thing called relaxing. Which basically means that my parents and the doctor force me to stay home and I do more work. Hmmmm.

Anyways, this has been a crazy insanely busy term. I could probably count the amount of free lunch times Ive had in the past 11 weeks on my left hand. Not that Im complaining; I effing love being busy. Well, mostly with the extra-curricular things. School work is just the same as last year. Heres some cool things that happened in the last 11 weeks:


Got my name up the top of the prefects board, which still freaks me out immensely and every time Im in the hall I admit to staring at it for a minute and wondering if Im in real life or not. Kind of weird, but there you have it. Also, Im on the main page of the school website. All these reminders steal freak me out just a little.




In this past week me and my fellow head prefects went to a Young Leaders day, which is where there were five inspiring speakers there to inspire us leaders of the future. I actually felt like a better person for going to it (aside from the fact that I was pretty sick throughout the day), since the quality of speakers was so great. The theme was heroes, which was all kinds of awesome because they had a whole lot of references to movies. They even had a whole lot of clips from The Help which almost made me cry. Anyway, movie stuff out of the way, that day was just what I needed after coming off the back off a rough week.


I took some pretty photos a few weeks back. I still like my photography when I get the chance to do it.

Im hard at work with Stage Challenge with my Deputy Head Girl, Emma (whos birthday is today - happy birthday again girl!), and a team of totally amazing people. Weve had a lot of ups and downs but were finally right on track getting sponsors and getting our performance together. Theres under two months to go until show date, which definitely means that Ill be so far removed from this world and my life will be Stage Challenge from here on in.

If theres one thing Ive learned this term, its that support from others has pretty much been the greatest thing ever. It sounds kinda corny but when I cant do twenty things at once theres always someone to do one thing for me. People are amazing.

However, this isnt just a post on my life as Head Girl. While my movie watching has taken a significant drop (by this time last year I was well over 100 movies already, but this year Im around 80), Ive still been keeping an eye on the movie world. So heres ten movie related things that have been on my mind for the past few weeks:


Only God Forgives trailer - Theres no way that I cant compare this to Drive, it looks just a great as that. But what I love most, aside from all of the red, is Kristin Scott Thomas looking so badass. Ive always loved that woman (does she ever age?), but she looks especially fantastic here. And then theres that slow motion shot of Ryan Gosling in his suit getting ready to beat the crap outta some guy. Thats the stuff dreams are made of (okay, the violence isnt really necessary but you get where Im going).


Jessica Chastain being adorable on Facebook - every time Jessica posts something on Facebook I want to cry. But when she posted this super cute photo of her in front of a billboard showing her YSL Manifesto campaign on the River Seine, I was so unbelievably happy for the entire week. How adorable is she? The perfume is pretty amazing, too - I have a sample that I got last week tucked in my blazer pocket. Birthday present, maybe?


The Bling Ring trailer - Ive watched it 500000000 times and I still cant get enough. Sofia Coppola is perfection. Emma Watson looks stunning. Yeah, I cant handle waiting for it.


Spring Breakers - I just wanna see this so bad. Dont ask me why, because I really dont know. It just looks so different and out there. Plus, it didnt help that Alex at And So It Begins was so inspired by the movie that he came up with this awesome FYC for the Lammies.


The Great Gatsbys everything - I have the tiniest feeling that this wont be very good but it is one of my favourite directors adapting my favourite book with my favourite actor playing my favourite character. And theres also my favourite singer, Lana Del Rey, featuring a new song in the latest trailer. To go along with that, the production design looks stunning. One day Im gonna get rich enough to make a house that has everything in this slideshow. LOL.


Skyfall being more and more entertaining every time I watch it - I wasnt the biggest fan of Skyfall upon its release and now I finally know why: it is so unbelievably flawed it is actually kind of great. I really dont care that much for the story but Adeles perfect song and Roger Deakins perfect cinematography (along with sassy Daniel Craig and Ralph Fiennes) are the things I obsess over, and kind of detract from the really stupid decisions in the film.


Brit Marling - I saw Sound of My Voice the other day and I adored it, particularly Brit Marling. Ive loved her since I saw Another Earth this time last year, but she just keeps getting better. Cant wait to see The East. I wanna be her.

Garrett Hedlund in On the Road - Im still yet to read Jack Keruoacs original novel which means I cant really judge last years adaptation as a whole, but if there was one thing I was impressed with, it was Garrett Hedlunds performance. He was on fire. Definitely one of the best performances of last year outside of Matty M, Logan Lerman and Jessica Chastain.


Matthew McConaughey domination is complete - Speaking of Matty M, hes in Christopher Nolans latest! Already my most anticipated film for like, ever.


Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Smashed - Another great performance I saw recently was Mary Elizabeth Winsteads turn as an alcoholic in Smashed. Jennifer Lawrence aint got nothing on that. Where was her campaign?


Schindlers List on Blu-Ray - I finally got my own copy of the 20th anniversary blu-ray of my second favourite film, which came just in time since my original copy has been watched a few too many times. Im actually too scared to take it out of its case, it is so pretty.


Roger Ebert - I was so saddened by the loss of Roger Ebert last week that I actually had to stop myself from crying when I found out at school. Ive always adored his writing and it was a huge inspiration for many of the reviews you saw here back in the day. Ryan at The Matinee wrote a lovely tribute to him, which pretty much sums up my feelings towards Mr. Ebert. May you rest in peace.

So thats it, folks - Ill probably be back in a few months, but who knows? Im greatly enjoying retirement, but Ill keep you all posted every now and again. Keep an eye on my Twitter and my Tumblr. Until then, everyone stay golden. Whats on your cinematic mind, Im missing these discussions!

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Over my head

Wittgenstein, enjoying a joke.

This is from a memoir of Ludwig Wittgenstein by his former pupil Maurice Drury:

After tea Johnson played some of Bachs Forty-eight Preludes and Fugues. Wittgenstein told me he admired Johnsons playing. On the way back to Trinity he told me that at one of these afternoons Johnson had played badly, and he knew it himself, but the audience had applauded loudly. This annoyed Johnson, so by way of revenge he gave as an encore the accompaniment only of a Beethoven violin sonata, which of course was meaningless without the violin part. This gesture seemed to please and amuse Wittgenstein.

Ways in which, had I been there, I would have failed to get the joke which pleased and amused Wittgenstein:

1) I wouldnt have noticed Johnson was playing badly.
2) I wouldnt have noticed the audience were applauding indiscriminatingly.
3) I might have noticed Johnson was annoyed, but I wouldnt have known why.
4) I wouldnt have recognised the Beethoven violin sonata.
5) I might have noticed the piece sounded odd, but I wouldnt have known why, or that it wasnt meant to sound that way.
6) Even if I had understood all of the above... I dont think Id have realised the choice of the sonata was intended as a rebuke to the audience for clapping the players previous poor performance too enthusiastically. That seems to me quite a... subtle point.

I suppose whats happening here is Im coming to the shocking conclusion that Wittgenstein was a cleverer man than I am. And also that I slightly regret not living in a world in which people take their revenge through their selection of Beethoven sonatas. Though, of course, the above shows that quite possibly people around me are doing things like this all the time, and I have simply never had Wittgenstein around to explain them to me.

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