Car Shopping

Just call me the Jeep Slayer.

I'm in the market for buying a new car. I think, living in the city, fuel economy and reliability (especially in a car-centric city like L.A.) are paramount.

I've been thinking about the Toyota Yaris. I took a test drive the other day and it wasn't bad; the worst thing I could tell was that the engine doesn't seem to like accelerating at low speeds. From a full stop it really groans to get to 25 MPH. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but that's what it seemed like to me. Since I'm not a speed demon (usually) I don't think that would be a problem for me.

My favorite feature of the Yaris is all the little hiding spots it has. My inner spy just loves the idea that I could have 'secret' hiding places for things like maps, spare keys, etc. Toyota must have had some usability engineers design the interior. While I didn't really care for the climate controls too much, I like that they're designed so if the driver is wearing gloves he or she doesn't have to take the gloves off to fuss with them.

If you're a Yaris owner, I'd love to hear if you've had any problems with your Yaris, or if you think it's the best car you've ever owned, or anything in between. I'd also consider other car recommendations.

Josh Groban at the Honda Center

I saw Josh Groban at the Honda Center Saturday night. It was a good show, although I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as the Michael Buble concert. The OC Register reviewed both the Josh Groban and the Michael Buble show.

I think the problem I have with Josh Groban isn't something that Josh Groban can solve. I have a strong adversion for anything I feel is overly popular or substance lacking (if you go to Disneyland, you will feel what I mean). Or maybe I have a hard time with soft, romantic music that doesn't really convince me the singer is any more than a voice. Maybe that's it. I'm not attracted to soft, sappy, romantic types (although I myself am fairly sappy), or their accompanying music. I'm still in my "self-described bad ass" stage.

Regardless, the concert was enjoyable. He's developing a very eclectic style that I'm not sure I really like, although I can see his appeal to others. I think my favorite song he sang from the concert was "In Her Eyes", during which he wandered throughout the crowd. Other songs I enjoyed from the concert were: Aléjate, Un Dia Llegara, You Are Loved (Don't Give Up), You Raise Me Up, and Remember When It Rained.

Is it awful that my favorite performance from the concert was when violinist Lucia Micarelli led the band in a classically-infused cover of Led Zepplin's Kashmir? I also thought cellist Colette Alexander was fantastic.

Mormons Are People Too

I am at times very critical of people who are LDS. I don't think LDS members are bad people, or that they're evil. Most of my extended family is LDS, with various levels of devotion.

Sometimes I forget about all of that when I talk about the religion, because there are so many things I don't like about what that religion does to the people who don't fit in with them. In my subjective experience, that religion does bad things for people and bad things for society.

For the devout, their subjective experience is very different from my own. They fit in and it works for them. I think that's a good thing generally. Maybe in the bigger picture, it's not a good thing because I think (because of my subjective experiences) that particular flavor of religion is really good at breaking people and causing a lot of dysfunction.

I read something interesting online today about talking with Scientologists. I think there's a lot of universal truth there that can apply to talking with mormons.

One of my dearest friends is LDS. She's smart - earning her master's degree in nursing while working at the same time. She loves her family and wants to be close to them. A while back I mentioned that I was living with my boyfriend (we're not living together anymore, but I digress). She said something in reference to cohabitation, something like, "I couldn't do something illegal." (Illegal was the key word I remember her using) I thought that was a misguided statement, even though I didn't tell her so.

We don't talk about religion. I think it would break the friendship if we did. But I like being her friend and I definitely do think we get something positive out of being friends with one another.

I've had many discussions with a fellow I knew in high school, a returned missionary. Reality check - trying to have a rational conversation about religion with an otherwise-intelligent adherant of said religion is highly unproductive. You can show them blatent black-and-white proof of a religion's brokenness and it's like dust on a Pledge-protected tabletop.

I still think it's fair game to go after modest dresses called "Lolita", though. That's just ridiculous, and I've never read the book.

And here are some well-put-together truths you can read.

I think on some level I need to just accept that I had a substandard education and environment in my adolescence, and be OK with that. Last night I was at my book club (we had read an essay on existentialism) and I had absolutely zero to contribute, mostly because:

1) I know very, very little about philosophy
2) I know even less about existentialism
3) I thought the essay was difficult to read

On the drive home, my boyfriend asked me if I took philosophy in high school, and was shocked to find out that, not only did I not take philosophy in high school, but that it was never offered.

Guess what - I didn't have to read Camus (The Stranger was another book club selection) in high school either. I had never even heard of Camus until last year. So now I can even say that, despite their claims of valuing education, school boards in the hearts of Utah don't require reading something as basic and enjoyable as Camus in high school. Apparently, keeping the literacy level for Utah adults around grade 8 or so is OK and even welcomed.

Just Call Me The Jeep Slayer

Hmm. So I just totaled my third jeep. That sucks.

You want to know what's worse? The damage on this third jeep was just a missing light and bumper (OK, and a little bit of paint).

Guess I'm in the market for a new car. I'm not quite ready for this, but I guess that's OK. A gas-guzzling jeep really doesn't do too well in the city.

I'm thinking about a Toyota Yaris. I took a test drive of it yesterday, and it's not bad. The only think I really didn't like about it was that the acceleration from a full stop isn't so great. But then again, I'm not doing much accelerating in stop-and-go traffic.

Well That's Interesting

Which Audrey Hepburn Are You?

Buon Giorno Principessa! You're Princess Anne from Roman Holiday. You're sweet and naive about many things, but you have a strong sense of duty. You also have an independent streak and you love to have fun when you can. You somehow always manage to get yourself out of trouble.
Take this quiz!








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Restaurant Review - Pinkberry!

The traffic after last night's concert was really strained near the theater. I think it would be worth building a multi-level parking structure for the Greek Theater just to keep theater patrons from tearing up the mountainside with their vehicles.

Parking is so horrific there that they route cars anywhere they can, and after you park you're stuck there until enough people have left that you can get out. Talk about a major traffic hazard if you happen to be a little slow leaving the theater and your car happens to be the lone island in the middle of lots of moving cars.

I digress. This is supposed to be about Pinkberry. Pinkberry is a new frozen "yogurt" chain that originated in West Hollywood. It's quite popular.

As my boyfriend and myself were embarking on the mega traffic struggle back to South Bay last night, I spotted a Pinkberry. Neither of us had never been to Pinkberry and my boyfriend asked me if I would like to go. In the spirit of exploring new gastronomic horizons, I said "Let's do it!"

I got a small dish of original with fresh strawberries on top. The "yogurt" is tangy, almost as tangy as real yogurt, and refreshing. I can definitely see why it's addictive.

It's also mega sweet (although I think the mega-sweetness is more from the strawberries and not so much the yogurt), and the portions are large. I would say the small would be a good after-dinner treat for two. I can't imagine eating a large portion on my own.

Next time I want to try their green tea flavor. That's got to be delicious!

Pinkberry
1726 N. Vermont Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
P 323 661 0411

Michael Buble at the Greek Theater

When I moved here almost a year ago, I knew that if I was going to pay for overpriced concert tickets to see someone sing, it would be for Michael Buble. I had no idea it would only take a year for that to happen.

Last night I saw Michael Buble at the Greek Theater. He was promoting his new CD, Call Me Irresponsible (it's really good, go out and buy a copy!).

Wow. Talk about a showman. He's funny, unpretentious, and slightly profane. He knows all his band members by name (first and last - I don't know why I found that impressive), and it's obvious that they get along. He doesn't lip sync.

If you've never been to the Greek Theater, it's awesome. It's a 5,700 seat outdoor amphitheater in Griffith Park (one of the largest urban parks in the United States). It's modeled after a Greek temple, hence the name. I think I would prefer seeing concerts there than in an enclosed theater space. Something to do with both acoustics and stuffiness.

The concert itself was very well produced - there was a continuous flow from beginning to end, and even when Buble introduced his bandmates or talked to the audience, it seemed naturally placed and appropriate. He opened with "I'm Your Man" and closed with "A Song For You". During the last lines of "A Song For You", he pulled the microphone away and just let his voice carry. While I bought good tickets, they weren't great tickets, and I could hear his voice just fine from where I was sitting (near the front of section C, if you want to get technical). Talk about a set of lungs combined with great acoustics.

I definitely didn't feel that I wasted my money on this show. It was an incredible experience and one that cemeted my love for living in Los Angeles. I honestly can't imagine living somewhere else and feeling as comfortable or as at home as I do here (even though I struggle with feeling at home anywhere).

Restaurant Review - Benihana

My sweetheart took me to Benihana in Beverly Hills last night. We were there a little early so we went down to Rodeo Drive and walked around so I could look at all the pretty things I can't afford to buy. Stores with security guards in black and an earwire.

When we got back to the restaurant, we had the most amazing meal. You're seated with other customers, 8 to a teppan grill. A waitress gets your drink order and gives you an oshibori towel to clean your hands with. Then the food never stops coming.

First, you're given a bowl of clear onion soup. It's salty, and delicious. They use those fabulous "french fried" onions as a garnish, and it's a perfect sweet complement to the salty onion broth.

Next, you're given a fairly standard salad with whatever magic Benihana dressing they use. It's gingery and garlicky. Whatever it is it's delicious.

Around the time you've finished your salad the chef comes in with a cart. He sets up the grill, and starts to grill onions, mushrooms, and a squash kind of like zucchini (maybe it IS zucchini!). He also starts to grill some shrimp, which will be your appetizer. When the shrimp are close to being cooked, he'll pull out a knife, cut the tails off, and then cut the shrimps into several pieces. Then he serves a portion of the shrimps to everyone at the table.

While everything that is cooked is seasoned with at least salt and pepper (sometimes soy sauce, sesame seeds, etc. are used) , you are provided with dipping sauces. I'm not sure what exactly is in the dipping sauces, but they aren't bad and they don't cover up the flavor of the meat.

After serving the shrimp appetizer, the chef will cut the cooked vegetables into bitesized portions and serve them.

Then comes the fun part. Whatever protein you ordered (chicken, steak, seafood) is put on the grill and cooked to perfection. It must take some practice for those chefs to remember exactly what everyone ordered! I had filet mignon and scallops, both delicious.

Good luck finishing all that food!

The staff at Benihana in Beverly Hills is very gracious. I would say they know exactly how to serve people food - always present but never in-the-way. No guest had to ask for a refill, and serving dishes were always promptly removed.

Last night I saw Victoria Beckham at Benihana. I had no idea who she was at the time. Afterwards I thought she was more petite than photos make her out to be, and that she wasn't nearly as anorexic-looking either.

Benihana Beverly Hills
38 N. La Cienega Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Phone: (323) 655-7311

Mgr: Bal Tejada

Movie Review - Stardust

I saw Stardust this weekend. It was amazing.

I wasn't nearly as annoyed with Claire Danes as I thought I would be, and Robert De Niro's performance is worth the price of admission alone. I haven't seen Witches of Eastwick, but I think Michelle Pfeiffer plays "evil witch" in such a sexy, fun, seductively dangerous way. Her performance was also a lot of fun to watch.

While the plot isn't as strong as it could be and there are many predictable moments, the film overall is enchanting and the presentation is very romantic.

I definitely recommend seeing this in the theater. At the very least, go see it. You won't be disappointed.

The Rise of the Internship

Service Learning

I didn't have any internships when I was in college.

Not that I tried. One year I refused an internship on principle (the company dicked around with my application, then wanted me to fill out an internship application after I had been interviewed), one year I didn't get any internship because I was busy with the Marines and when I was through with them it was too late to find any summer work, and one year I didn't get an internship because, well, no one wanted to hire me.

It was by an extreme stroke of good fortune that landed me the awesome job I have now. Maybe I was saving up the luck, who knows?

I've had menial jobs before, however. I worked in fast food for two years when I was in high school. I was a barista for a semester at the campus cafe. I definitely wasn't in the privileged set.

I think I have a bone to pick with the privileged set. Most of them have such a sense of entitlement that it's sickening. When I hear of a priviledged young person abuse their opportunities (mostly educational) or take advantage of people, it really bothers me. There are lots of people who struggle just to have what these almost-trust-fund babies get for free! The least they can do is appreciate what they have.

I have some family friends who are not far from me; the family is very similar to my own. White dad, Taiwanese mother, single daughter. Their daughter is a year younger than me. I don't think you can define them as upper-class, but they're definitely upper-middle-class. While the daughter is smart, she also didn't need financial aid for school. While she's held jobs, she didn't need to. Her mom (who is a housewife now) buys all her clothes and keeps her wardrobe up-to-date. She's never had to live on her own.

I am really jealous of her, in a lot of ways. She's better at piano than me, she's never had to worry about money for school (or grad school!), she always has nice things to wear and lovely jewelry. I would dare guess she's prettier than myself.

There is no equalizer - she will always be better off, financially, than myself.

I go to work seriously underdressed. On a subconscious level I know I should invest in a more office-appropriate wardrobe, but right now in my career I don't think it matters much. I'm very low on the totem pole and customers don't see me (unless they happen to be in an elevator with me) It's much easier (and cheaper!) for a guy to get an office-appropriate wardrobe than it is for a girl to. However, I do notice that a lot of the female new hires and interns dress better than I do. Maybe I've just never focused much on my wardrobe, because the call of books and movies was easier to listen to than the call of the department store (although I'll usually listen to the call of Victoria's Secret).

Maybe I'm just a fluke, a pariah to every environment I find myself in. I don't feel quite like I belong anywhere, and that's a hard thing to say about oneself.

It would be nice to blame all of that on my lack of internships. But I can't. I wish there was something positive I could say about not-being-born-privileged, but I can't. The soul-gaining experience isn't worth living in constant fear of financial deprivation and/or lack of financial stability.

And I know a lot of people probably disagree with me on all of the above. That's OK.

Thousands Standing Around

I found a link to this TSA tale-of-woe in this month's CRYPTO-GRAM. I'm glad he was at least able to catch his flight.

I now have a distinct urge to build myself a MintyBOOST!. Unfortunately, while I do have an iPod, I don't use it often enough to warrant a battery-powered charging device. I also don't own any other USB devices. For a software engineer, I'm relatively gadget-free.

One of these days I'd like to get a thumb drive and use it to store photos and files on it.

A Pen

A lady from work gave me a pen today. She and her husband went to Ronald Reagan's Presidential Library and had a souvenir portrait taken of them on Air Force One. The pen she gave me was a souvenir pen from Air Force One.

I thought it was very kind of her. I've been having a couple rough weeks and this one gesture of selfless kindness really meant something to me.

I've been feeling lonely and isolated and her stopping by my office to say hello was a kind reminder that I'm not quite so isolated.

It's difficult living in a time when words come cheaply, especially living among a sea of people.

It's so impossible to ask for something as simple as a hug, we're so apart from one another. We're so poor at bridging those spaces between us when we need to most. When all you need is a touch to reconnect yourself to another person, to humanity. My words are poor substitutes for the concept I'm thinking of; I don't know the words for intimately connecting on a better plain of consciousness. Some place where there are no misunderstandings.

Movie Review - The Painted Veil

I had the pleasure of watching this film over the weekend. I've read it's quite close to the book (I'd actually like to read the book now). I thought it was fabulous.

The fairly simple story set against the exotic backdrop of mainland China was breathtaking. It would have been amazing to watch this film on the big screen.

I thought the acting was fine and the casting appropriate. On IMDB's message boards several people have batted around the "Ralph Fiennes should have played Walter and Clive Owen should have played Charlie" ball a bit, and I have to disagree. While I like both Ralph Fiennes and Clive Owen, and I think they would do well in those particular parts, I think it would have made the film more dark than it needed to be. With different casting it would not have been the entertaining character study that it is. I thought Edward Norton nailed the bookish, nerdy British gentleman that is the core of Walter's character, and that Liev Schreiber was perfect as the sort of playboy adulterer the character is supposed to be.

It was very enjoyable to watch the estranged couple fall in love with each other.

Of course, one of them has to die in the end. You think real life has happy endings?

Kaylee's Teddy Bear Jumpsuit, Pt 3

I finally listed the extra teddy bear patches on eBay. (I've also listed a ST:TOS t-shirt that I never wear - mainly due to bad emotional connotations with the guy who gave it to me)

The scoop on the jumpsuit is that my mom decided it would be easier to alter a pre-made jumpsuit, so I guess we'll go with that.

I also think I've figured out that elusive middle character. I think it's qi2 (祇), which means "Earth spirit" or "Peace"). At any rate, that's what I'm going to use, and if it's wrong, oh well. You can't say I didn't try!

Restaurant Review - FuRaiBo

It's FuRaiBo Friday!

I have yet to expound on the glory that is the Japanese Fried Chicken they serve at FuRaiBo. Every once in a while some of my coworkers and I will pull an extra-long lunch to indulge in the deliciousness that is the lunch experience at FuRaiBo.

Only at lunch is the fried chicken (I believe it's called Karaage) served as an entree. At dinnertime, the only fried chicken you can get is part of a larger, bento-box meal (slightly different from the DIY bento box lunch). For just under $7.00 you get a feast of a lunch:

miso soup
pickled veggies
steamed rice
salad
fried chicken

Their miso soup is the best I've had in South Bay - it's that good. If you don't like steamed rice you can always spike it with the spicy furikake they provide at the tables (it's in a shaker next to the soy sauce).
While I have to admit that their salad (shredded lettuce topped with cucumber spears and tomato wedges) is ho-hum, it's a good complement to the chicken.

A lot of people I know get the double teba (double order of wings), but I usually get the teba-chita (order of wings with a whole leg-thigh). I like the crispy, fatty, sweet and spicy goodness of the outside, but it's unparalleled when combined with the juicy, perfectly cooked meat within. It's truly an indulgence in fried foods, one of those things like fried calamari that is best enjoyed in a restaurant because it's too effort-intensive to make at home.

I go to the FuRaiBo in Gardena, but apparently there's one on Sawtelle near Olympic in West L.A. (just down the street from Taka Hair Salon in mini Tokyo)

FuRaiBo
1741 W. Redondo Beach Blvd
Gardena, CA 90247
(310) 329-9441

They Don't Smell?

It's an either a highly self-affirming or pathetic moment when a woman buys flowers for herself. I've been feeling quite melancholic lately so I decided to buy some flowers to cheer me up. At least I'll have something pretty to look at that will make me smile, won't I?

I found an attractive bouquet of orange lilies. They're very pretty to look at, and definitely make me smile.

They don't smell. Since when do florists stock flowers that don't smell nice? 86.4% of the reason I wanted the flowers was because I thought having something to smell nice would cheer me up!

Well, they do look pretty. I guess if I wanted something to smell nice I could have bought the special 36-sweetheart-rose bouquet.

Maybe next time I need a flower hit that's what I'll do. In the meantime I'll have to make due on looking at them and refilling the vase with fresh water.

No Mormon For President

Yes, Romney needs to answer questions about his religion

I think this article sums it up quite nicely. I personally don't want the guy giving the green light to a missile silo in North Dakota or Montana to say that he was going off of what 'the spirit' told him. That doesn't make me feel good!

Another major problem with hiring a mormon for president is that the religion:
-doesn't promote tolerance of other belief-systems and ideas/critical thinking in general
-encourages a theocratic-style of government

Faith-based thinking also, I believe, runs a little too close to being ruled by fear. Fear is the whole reason we're going to lose the war on terror. There's a major difference between doing something smart (locking pilots in planes from the cockpit side) and doing something retarded (confiscating all liquids over 2 ounces) concerning safety.

I'm against voting for someone whose core beliefs include forcing everyone to believe what you believe and ignore everything else. I'm against voting for a man (or woman, for that matter) who believes and treats the opposite sex as lesser than their own.

Terrorists propagate on fear. They are masters at exploiting the media and capitalizing on what the mob is going to do. Yes, of course, we should do things that will keep us safe from terrorism. No one should have to live in a state where they fear getting blown up walking across the street, or raped and killed because they fell in love with someone else.

I Ran A Stop Light

On my way home I ran a stop light. This is the beginning of a bad analogy.

I feel sad about it (running the stop light, not the bad analogy).

Everyone says that, logically, I shouldn't feel sad about it, and that it's probably a good thing (especially since I didn't hit anyone) that I ran it to begin with. I told you this was a bad analogy.

Logically, I even know that it's probably OK that I ran it. I don't know why logic isn't tied to emotion. Is it a poor design or a feature?

I still feel sad about it. Only a couple friends seem to think that it's OK for me to feel sad, even though logically I shouldn't feel sad.

Most of my friends seem frustrated that I'm still sad.

Please let me be sad, if only for a little while. It's not good to hide emotions, and I'm tougher than anyone thinks. My running a red light won't break me.

Maybe I won't be sad tomorrow.

Entitlement

I have a Barnes & Noble Membership Card. It costs something like $25 a year and I get varying discounts and extra coupons from whatever I buy in their stores or online.

Today I received an interesting coupon in the mail today. Well, two coupons. Basically, they're stickers I can apply to any item I want to buy at Barnes & Noble (or a code to use online) and I get 15% off that item, in addition to my regular member discount. The stickers say, "Member Exclusive - I am entitled to an extra 15% off this item".

Entitled. Wow. That's a strong word.

I'm entitled to breathe, pay taxes, and die (and there are restrictions on dying). That's about it. Especially if this country gets any more paranoid about 'security' and civil rights limitations. If not, then you could say I was entitled to 12 years of education, which, while it could have been better, it could have been a lot worse.

No one is entitled to love or success in life. No one is entitled to happiness. And most definitely, no one is entitled to make a difference or change the world.

Moving Out, Moving On

I've moved my blog. I suspected an ex-boyfriend was cyberstalking me, and I decided that it would be best to move my blog and excise any/all mention of him from its text. If you happen to be the bastard who I'm referring to, please leave me alone. I don't want you in my life and the next step for me is to quit blogging permanently.

I'm not a fan of deleting or altering writing after the fact. Editing something that is active is one thing; it's a much different thing to edit the past. I'm not proud of myself for doing so, but I think it's in my best interest.

In reviewing older posts, I've really come a long way. I'm no longer religious. There are aspects of me that really like belonging to a church. But I would have to conclude that most churches would ask me to sacrifice too much of myself, to be someone I don't want to be, and I can't do that in good conscience.

I've dealt with a lot of jerks, creeps, and assholes in my dating life and in life in general. I'm really tired of that. It's easy to take advantage of me. I haven't learned how to protect myself from that yet.

I've been here for almost a year. Wow. It seems like a short time and yet also an eternity. There's so much I love about living in L.A.'s South Bay. Mostly the restaurants. I have yet to review FuRaiBo, my favorite Japanese place, or my favorite sushi place. Mmm. Sushi. It's been so long since I've had a decent California roll.

I think I've become a better author over the years; some of the early stuff I wrote was some real shit.

Blogging has even gained myself new friends. It's so hard to make friends these days and I cherish the ones I have. I miss hanging out with my friends from college, mostly Dan and Ben. They watched me go through some difficult times and helped me pick up the pieces. Thanks guys! I miss Theresa a lot too. I don't miss Butte though.

I'm not sure where this is going but my heart is sad right now. I'm confused and sorrow-filled and there's nothing I can do to change this particular situation right now. Am I a bad roommate? Am I a freak of nature? Why do I feel I suck at relationships? Am I a bad person or do I keep strange habits?

I don't want to get angry and act selfishly because in the end I'll lose what I want most. But to feel this way, makes me feel like I must be a masochist. I don't want to be a masochist, not really. I joke about it sometimes but I really do want to be happy. I don't want to be in pain or suffer needlessly. I don't want my heart or my head to hurt anymore. I don't want to be an insomniac.

Maybe I'm just weak now. I used to be so tough. Maybe I was never tough and just deluding myself and the self that I am now is the self I've always been.

Wow. I need to get some sleep. Or open up another bottle.

But I don't want to drink alone. I guess it's the bed for me.

Movie Review - Harry Potter & The Order Of The Phoenix

I saw Harry Potter & The Order Of The Phoenix last Friday (I know; I've been slacking on the blogging) at the Fox Theater in Westwood.

Fox Theater (also known as Mann Theater, and it's still operated by Mann Theaters, the same company that operates Grauman's in Hollywood) is possibly the coolest vintage theater I've been to. There's one screen, and it's easy to imagine the stars of Hollywood's Golden Era going to see the latest film here. It's still used for movie premieres. There's some interesting art deco architecture going on in the interior. Very classy.

The movie was all right. I've been unenthusiastic about Harry Potter lately, and I haven't quite pinned down the reason yet. I've read the books through OftP, and I have no desire to read the sixth or the seventh book. I think I'm mostly bored by the mass interest in the books and movies and I've been more than disappointed in the less-than-stellar writing. I think the books suffer from the 'good idea-bad execution' problem. The movies, on the other hand, are very well done, although I was disappointed in the plot simplification (in regards to the Marauder's Map) in Prisoner of Azkaban (possibly my favorite of the series). Or maybe Rawling's stories translate better to the screen than on paper.

The special effects in the film were very cool, although I envisioned a more cramped space that the final battle took place in. And anything with Helena Bonham Carter is worth a looksee.

My general comment on Ralph Finnes as Voldemort is that he sounds (and looks) kind of like he did in The English Patient, one of my favorite movies, without the smouldering sexuality. In the Harry Potter movies he's just creepy in a sad and pathetic way. I find that disappointing.

I really liked the casting choice of Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood - I thought she was perfect for the job. I thought Emma Thompson as Sybil Trelawney was an interesting choice, but I was disappointed that her prophecy scene was deleted in the film (this is the story she makes the prophecy, isn't it?).

Daniel Radcliffe will be a young actor to watch I think; it will be interesting to see the jobs he takes on after Harry Potter is over with.

Maybe I expect too much from a "children's story". Or maybe I feel that the substance in Harry Potter is "easy" and not complex enough for me to spend much time pondering on.

Depression in Utah - Revisited

Eight Hour Lunch - The Church of the Depressed

I hit up Eight Hour Lunch every now and then; Doug is hilarous (but doesn't pull punches). He's gone to a podcast format, which I was uncomfortable listening to at first but now I really enjoy it.

This particular post was an interview with the author of Emerging From The Ashes and research concerning depression and being Mormon (she has a list of literature regarding this here).

Wow. This is possibly the best discussion on the subject that I've listened/read to date.