VmarksTheSpot

So I am in Austin.

The last thing I did in Nashville was go to kung fu. In the week and a half since I last went, my teacher started throwing in lots of laps around the gym in between exercises. That was new (and excruciating), but the rest of class was fun and sweat-drenched as usual. My classmates sent me off with lots of wonderful hugs and good wishes. I’m going to miss them loads.

I’m thinking about tackling ballroom dance as my next form of physical activity. What do you think?

Fate decided to cut me a break and throw some storms into Austin’s forecast. As a result, the temperatures have come down from the scorching triple-digit heat this city has been experiencing, making the weather pleasantly warm and cloudy. Perfect conditions for unloading a 16-foot truck.

My parents drove the truck down and I drove my car. I managed to stay awake and not veer off the road by listening to the altogether pleasant diversion of Movies You Should See, hour-long podcasts by five Brits talking about a movie they like. Each podcast is devoted to one movie. I downloaded the ones about movies I’ve seen and enjoyed (e.g., The Prestige, L.A. Confidential, The Matrix) and found they actually add a lot to my understanding and appreciation of the movies.

At first I was kind of unsure as to what I was going to get out of listening to these discussions but the movie critics, if that’s what they can be called (they seem more like five normal people shooting the breeze), are really entertaining and obviously passionate about films. My kind of podcast.

Wooh! And here I thought my last week would be easy! Instead, I filmed and edited two videos, filed a story and fleshed out another story. A little exhausting (not helped by my major senioritis, if work-end procrastination can be called that), but it was saying good-bye to everyone that was hardest. Lots of hugs and good wishes.

My time in Nashville is quickly coming to a close. Here’s a few pictures of some of things I’ve been doing in recent weeks. Click on the thought bubble for captions.

Here’s a clip from one of my last sessions at Talking Library:

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The Asian version would have comments like, “Aren’t you supposed to be good at math?” and “Your English is very good!” Yeah. Those are good ones.

Feist sings her “1234″ song of Apple iPod Nano fame, turning it into a playful ode to the Number 4.

The Twilight book series and movie have been on my mind lately. For a couple of reasons, there’s been a furious amount of blogging about Stephenie Meyer’s love story between a teenage girl and vampire:

The fourth and final book in the series, Breaking Dawn, will be out at 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 2. I won’t be among the milling masses waiting in line but I do hope to read the book soon after. The screaming teenaged idolatry it has inspires makes you want to a gag a bit BUT then I started re-reading Twilight, the first book in the series, and was reminded why people are so head over heels for the story (or, more specifically, Edward Cullen, the blindingly gorgeous vampire who plays the conflicted hero). I’ll refrain from any fangirl exhortations.

Twilight the movie isn’t due out until Dec. 12 but the cast got to meet adoring fans at Comic Con this past week. I’ve been avidly reading blogs about it and it sounds like it was the first time the actors were truly exposed to a sizable number of Twilighters. The sheer quantity of fans (6,500, most of them teen girls) and the volume of their screaming left the cast sounding rather shell-shocked.

MTV interviews Robert Pattinson (aka Cedric Diggory of Harry Potter movie fame — he’s probably asking Daniel Radcliffe for pointers as we speak on how to handle the young female adulation!) and asks about a piano piece that will show up in the movie that Pattinson apparently improvised himself. (In the book, Edward composes a lullaby on the piano for Bella.)

Reports from the panel have been truly amusing, like the Washington Post’s Celebritology blog mentioning, “When one reporter asked how [Pattinson] gets his hair to stick up so perfectly, he said: ‘You just don’t wash it. Ever.’ ” I’m glad someone asked that question!

The L.A. Times Hero Complex blog reports one of the questions lobbed at Pattison was: “Hi! How does it feel to be one of the most wanted guys in the world — because I want you, baby!” No doubt it was followed by whoops of male objectification. Nice.

Pattison sealed the deal in my book, though, when he answered MTV’s question about “If you could be a superhero, who would you be?” His answer? GAMBIT. He passed over Batman, Spider-Man and Superman for the Ragin’ Cajun. I knew I liked you for a reason, Robert!

I finally got around to seeing Iron Man recently. Wow. Robert Downey Jr., you’ve had my vote since Heart and Souls (circa 1993, baby!), but seeing you in all your Stark glory reminded me of what an entertainer you are.

The film has this fabulous “Friday Night Lights”-feel to it in which the actors were frequently talking at or over each other at the same time. No waiting-to-speak formality. Downey is brilliant as a womanizing weapons dealer who sees the light. He makes himself irresistible; you can’t help but like him, his dry irony and his mumbling, self-deprecating ways.

I love a good superhero movie (and there aren’t many) anchored by a super actor, so once I saw Downey in this flick, I had to go and see what I’d missed over the last few years. While I found Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus somewhat lacking, I have to say I was bowled over by how expressive his eyes were throughout the piece. For most of it, he’s covered in a a layer of fur that obscures his face and body. His eyes, though, spoke volumes. I think that’s part of what Downey such a watchable actor — the vulnerability and humanity he manages to evoke, no matter what kind of character he’s playing.

That, and his sharp sense of comic timing. You see a lot of it in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, where he plays a crook pretending to be a detective to impress an old flame.

And now he’s been cast as SHERLOCK HOLMES in Guy Ritchie’s next movie!!! How cool is that??? Granted, Ritchie hasn’t had a very good track record in recent years but I remain a devoted fan of his wonderful British gangster flicks on ADD: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. His most recent piece, RocknRolla (which stars Gerard Butler), harks back to that same strength of Ritchie’s. Here’s hoping he’s returned in fine form and continues on that trajectory with Sherlock Holmes.

In other superhero news, check out this video of Hugh Jackman’s interview with Entertainment Weekly during Comic Con, going on now in San Diego. Jackman, who seriously is perfectly cast as Wolvie (except his height — Wolvie’s kinda short, but I *think* there won’t be any complaints about that ;-), just wrapped up X-Men Origins: Wolverine in Australia, and he hopped a plane just so he could have some face time with the movie’s core fandom. Conflicted superheroes are the most interesting to watch (e.g. Batman), and Wolverine has enough emotional baggage for the entire X-Men team.

My sister’s boyfriend is headed to Northwestern for business school in the fall and he requested a scarf in burnt orange so he can represent for UT. I knit this one in Cascade 220 wool yarn using rice stitch. My sister reports:

“We youtubed ways to wear the scarf because he wasn’t sure how to wear it, but we figured it out so he’s prepared now.”

Excepts from a dog’s diary

Day number 180
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 PM - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!

Day number 181
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 PM - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!

Day number 182
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
1:30 pm - ooooooo. bath. bummer.
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 PM - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE

Excepts from a cat’s diary

DAY 752 - My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from ruining the occasional piece of furniture…Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant.

DAY 761 - Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded, must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair…must try this On their bed.

DAY 765 - Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body in attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was… Not working according to plan.

DAY 768 - I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no good reason I was chosen for the water torture. This time however it included a burning foamy chemical called “shampoo.” What sick minds could invent such a liquid. My only consolation is the piece of thumb still LODGED between my teeth.

DAY 771 - There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event, however, I could hear the noise and smell the foul odor of the glass tubes they call “beer.” More importantly I overheard that my confinement was due to MY power of “allergies.” Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage.

DAY 774 - I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The bird on the other hand has got to be an informant, and he speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my activities. Due to his current placement in the metal room his safety is assured. But I can wait, it is only a matter of time…

-Author Unknown

A Longhorn square — hook ‘em Horns! I got the pattern from KayleenKnits.

And I finally got around to learning how to cable. Surprisingly easy!

My Mexican-inspired pan pizza — I made the crust from scratch, too!

And asparagus scones with cheddar: