the dark is rising

When searching for movies on Netflix, I looked at the page for "The Seeker," the movie version of one of my all-time favorite children's books, and came across these reviews:

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toxicfairy

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This movie made me sad and angry. It's only loosely based on the book (one of my all-time favorites), and they took almost everything that was good about it & smashed it to bits. I can understand a few "tweaks" here & there (a good "tweak" is the mall scene), and maybe removing a scene or two from the book, but this hardly followed the book at all & the ending was completely different and awful. The books are based on Celtic legends (and some traditions), but the movie cut out nearly all reference to it whatsoever. I'd still highly recommend the book (and then MAYBE seeing the movie), but other than perhaps bringing the book to light, this was a completely worthless movie. And I think that was one of the worst endings I have ever seen (and nothing at all like the book). Shame shame shame on them. Shame. I very nearly walked out of the movie early in tears.

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SC 864412

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Speaking as the writer of the original book, I'd just like to send heartfelt thanks to toxicfairy for her review. Specially the last sentence.

I find this highly interesting, as SC 864412 is a Netflix-generated username, which they create using your initials and a number. Meaning this reviewer actually does have the same initials as the author, Susan Cooper. Meaning, whoa, it actually is the author maybe? I just thought that was really interesting. And it makes me sad, since the book was great and could conceivably be made into a really great movie. Oh well.

gobble gobble

Happy Thanksgiving!

restless

Well, it's finally raining, and I always feel like writing when it rains. I haven't really said much recently, I guess. I've been relatively satisfied with teaching lately. I love it when kids "get" whatever it is you've been trying to teach them. Though I find teaching, and all the driving associated with it, exhausting. I wish I had more gigs, and it's frustrating sometimes when you see everyone else getting gigs, and you wonder, why am I not being called for that? But then, every gig you get, they're probably thinking the same thing. Freelancing is interesting that way, I guess.

It's still such a weird time for me; I feel like this is a limbo year, but that next year might not necessarily be much different. I wish I had more energy sometimes, or more diligence. I worry about the economy, though I guess no matter what your profession you're probably worrying about the economy these days. One thing about not being in school, it's a bit isolating, especially in LA, where you're so spread out in the first place. I don't really meet people, and most of the people I interact with during the day are either under 16 or over 40. So socializing can feel both like something I'm desperate to do, and also like something I have to really struggle to accomplish: to call people up and organize a get-together, and then go actually drive there and battle traffic, knowing you will also have to drive home again. Anyway, things are pretty good, but I'm feeling restless.

santa monica

Oh, Santa Monica. Sometimes you are just so, well, Santa Monica.

Maya Lin

I thought this little clip on the NYTimes website was really cool. It's about Maya Lin.

(Formerly) Madame Secretary

Madeleine Albright was adorable singing "Don't Fence Me In" with Elvis Costello on Conan O'Brien. Just wanted to point that out.

OBAMA WINS!!!

I am SO PROUD to be AMERICAN today!!! I am hopeful for the enormous changes that must come for our country. It was fun this morning to read all my friends' statuses on facebook, which were all happy and proud and hopeful, for the first time in sooo long! Though I must say, I am disappointed with California for passing Prop 8. I don't understand it. Oh well, I did my part and voted no. Maybe sometime soon this will change, too. In the mean time, at least we will have strong and good national leadership for the first time in 8 years!

i voted!!!

Today, I proudly cast my vote for Barack Hussein Obama to become the next president of the United States of America. I also voted YES on Prop 2 and NO on Prop 8.



Although the process was not as satisfying as I remember it being as a child in Connecticut, where my mom took me into the voting booth with her and let me "help" her vote by pushing the right levers, it was certainly cooler than voting absentee. And I've decided that the California system actually is kind of satisfying, because you can really punch that inker :) I was so happy to wear my sticker:



And I passed Starbucks on the way home for my free coffee:



I didn't have to wait on line for more than 5 minutes, and since the polling location is within walking distance from home, the whole thing, including coffee, only took about 30 minutes. Not bad. Now we just have to wait . . .