All We Need Are the Necessities and More

I am somehow all thrown off on my days, but was still able to recognize this as a Choose and Defend Wednesday. Way to go, brain. We have completed the Summer Reading Program here at the library. The month of August is our quiet, planning month. We like it and need it, but the public seems to grow mildly depressed. Anyway, a change will do us all some good, surely! Here is your choice for this week's Choose and Defend.

Would you rather take a two week vacation in -

A Secret City Built on the Moon

OR

The World of Your Favorite Movie

 

Don't worry, you can bring whomever you like along with you. You will return in two weeks...unless of course you love it so much you never want to leave! Then enjoy an endless vacation in another world :) All that's left to do is Choose and Defend. Thanks!

There's Only Us

Getting to my Saturday Scavenger Shots and it is only Monday. Better late than never, right? This week's word, SUPPORT, was chosen by me. It is a theme in my life right now...well, always, really. I actually wavered between RECOVER and SUPPORT, but decided SUPPORT was more what I wanted to feature.

Up front, things have been challenging lately for a number of the people I love. Lots going on. Of course, some of it is good, but as I said, there have been some challenges. So this post is for the people I will always SUPPORT, no matter what they need.

 Times are a-changin' and times are tough right now in the little family. But I will SUPPORT my beautiful babies through it all as best as I can. They will never do without.

 

 DR has also been facing down a challenge. So, of course, it is my challenge too. I will always SUPPORT him. He'd do the same for me.

 

Well, kind of a somber theme. But there is something reassuring about it too. Everyone needs SUPPORT once in a while. If you are able to provide it, you feel fortunate and you draw strength from that capability. If you are the one who needs SUPPORT, and you receive it consistantly, you can feel confident that you have probably done something to earn it. So either way, it is a gift :)

 

Thanks for stopping by the blog, even when I'm late. It is that kind of SUPPORT that keeps me posting!

 

(Also, supposed to tag someone. I must confer with my collegue, but will return with a tag. Thank you, again.)

This Musical Message is For Tigers on a Gold Leash

Friday 5 - At the Movies

Look at us, all Friday 5 -ing and such! Today, we are off to the movies. I really enjoy going to the movies, in spite of the increasingly prohibitive cost. But I don't go nearly as often as I used to. I am more than happy to take some time today to give movies some thought. In fact, I am at work and getting ready to screen Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory for the patrons, so yay movies!  As always, please feel free to participate in this Friday 5 either on your own blog or here in comments.

1. Where in the theater do you like to sit when you’re at the movies? I am one of the few people I know who are fairly flexible about this. Many people seem to have definite preferences, but I honestly don't care all that much. I've even sat right up front and been fine. Oh...just give me the absolute middle of the theater. There.

2. What characteristics does the ideal movie companion have? He or she is pro-snack and anti-talking during the movie. But be ready to dish afterward! Let's relive those magical moments together!

3. What memory do you have of things not going quite as usual at the movies? I guess most of my movie going experiences have been very uneventful. I do remember wincingly, when my dad insisted on treating myself and all of the kids to a showing of Star Wars Episode One right when it came out. So, I had a kid just turning 2 in the theater. I apologize retroactively. And even my older kids, ranging from 14 to 6 could not have cared any less. It wasn't really their thing. It felt like a very long outing to me. Pretty sure...no, positive...that my dad hasn't offered to take us all to the movies since.

4. What are your feelings about commercials and movie previews playing before the film you’re there to see? I like seeing the previews! And I like the little trivia games a lot of theaters run on the screen before the previews. Sometimes, by the time we are through watching previews, I've almost forgotten what I actually came to see.

5. Who is an actor or director whose involvement in a film is enough to make you want to see it? Oh, goodness. I will have to make a little list here. Not that I've seen everything these actors or directors have done...but their involvement will at least make me take a closer look -
My Top 10 Actors at this moment - Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Laura Linney, Frances McDormand, Edward Norton, Sam Rockwell, Mark Ruffalo, Susan Sarandon, Meryl Streep, and Michelle Willams.
My Top 5 (or 6) Directors at this moment - Wes Anderson, Coen Brothers (count as 2?), Paul Feig, Richard Linklater, and Paul Anderson Thomas. 

There you have them. My movie thoughts for the day. Thanks to scrivener who provides the great Friday 5 questions. He says to have a reel good weekend. hee hee!

Bring These Words to Life

A very happy Choose and Defend Wednesday to you, kind Sirs and Madams! I do appreciate you dropping by, yet I am going to send you immediately away. This week's Choose and Defend choice is regarding a destination. Where would you rather go?

An Amusement Park

OR

A Family Reunion

Choose and Defend is very simple.  Simply Choose, uh duh. And Defend your choice because we want to get in that big ol' brain of yours! And that is it. Choose and Defend. Good day.  I said good day!

This Musical Message is For I Love the Past 'Cause I Hate Suspense

Put Your Tiny Hand in Mine

What a day! But I am ready to post my Saturday Scavenger Shots attempt. This week's word, chosen by Jasen @ Swamp Gas & Moonlit Reflections , is FIGURE. As you have probably already guessed, I had a hard time trying to FIGURE out what to post, so I am going abstract.

Here is a photo of what I am consuming this weekend. Can you FIGURE out what sort of fixation I might be appeasing? There, you got it! I knew you would.

Now I leave you with this pretty, haunting Elliott Smith version of FIGURE 8. "If you skate upon thin ice, you'd be wise if you thought twice, before you made another single move." Those are some wise words, especially to pop up in a Schoolhouse Rock song!

Now, at this point, I have not been able to FIGURE out a way to exit this post gracefully. So let me just leave you with this thought - Be glad I did not post my own FIGURE here. It's the little things in life that keep us happy :)

Watch for the tag and next week's word, brought to you by the number 8 and the letter O...for some reason.

Take a Bite of My Heart Tonight

It is a sizzling hot Wednesday here in Southern California and it is time to do a super cool (har!) Choose and Defend. See me selling it? I try. Anyway, let us think of someone besides ourselves for a change. Let's think of the innocent creatures with whom we share the planet. Let's imagine that you have the opportunity to make some sort of impact in the animal world...or maybe more in the human world, actually...  Which of these options would you prefer?

Discover a New Species

OR

Save a Species From Extinction

Put on your pith helmet and some of those no-nonsense boots and let's get to work. Choose and Defend! 

This Musical Message is For I Surrender, Honestly

Into This World We're Born

STORM. What?  Haven't seen one in these parts for awhile. Haven't you heard? It never rains in Southern California. haha! This week's Saturday Scavenger Shots word was chosen by Tara @ Eclectic Spaghetti. I am aware that in other parts of the country there has been nothing but rain this summer, pretty nearly. So, STORM is a great word! There are STORMs of other sorts, of course...non-weather related...but I am going to be Ms. Obvious yet again. It is kind of my thing.

Check it -

The beautiful blue sky over Glendora, CA. No STORM clouds here.

Oh, here are some clouds...kinda fluffy and not too grey. Will this lead to a STORM?  Doubtful.

You want a STORM? Pretty sure this shot proceeded an actual shower! Rage, STORM. rage! :)

I hope it is not STORMing where you are. Unless you're into that! Then STORM away, oh savage skies. Now all that is left to do is wait and see what happens next....

Friday 5 - Which * Are You?

I haven't done a Friday 5 in awhile, although I always enjoy them! This one is lovely and perfect for a lighthearted Friday, which is what I am attempting...in spite of being at work :)

As always, please feel free to post this exercise to your own blog or play along in comments! Which * Are You?

1. The Seven Dwarfs are Sleepy, Sneezy, Bashful, Grumpy, Dopey, Happy, and Doc. Which would be the easiest role for you to play today? Although I am feeling a bit Sleepy and a bit Grumpy, I am most overwhelmingly feeling Dopey.  May the spirit of Happy come to me!

2. Santa’s eight tiny reindeer are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen. Which would be the most apt nickname for you today? I'm gonna go with Donner, because it makes the least sense to me as a concept :) And out of all of them, (s)he might be rather down on things....

3. The kids on Eight is Enough were David, Mary, Joanie, Susan, Nancy, Elizabeth, Tommy, and Nicholas. Which of these names have you known the highest number of? Which of these the least? First, I loved this show back in the day. Just saying. I have probably known the most Davids...there are always plenty of Davids around! And I guess I have known the fewest Joanies. And they are mostly on tv, like here and Joanie Cunningham (who loved someone improbably called Chachi, whose real name was Charles).

4. The creatures in the Chinese zodiac are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, goat, horse, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Forget which one you are according to the calendar; which one do you imagine yourself most like? Of course, I must mention that I am a rabbit according to the calendar. But, ignoring that, I guess I am most like a goat. Somewhat useful, but not necessarily what you'd think of when you think of something adorable that you must have (like maybe a monkey or dog) or something cool and fierce (such as a tiger or a dragon).

5. Each of the Five Chinese Brothers had a special talent: One could swallow the entire sea; one had an iron neck; one could hold his breath forever, one could stretch his legs as far as he needed; one could withstand fire. Which of these peculiarities would have been most useful to you this past week? This one made me laugh, because sometimes I do feel like I am being asked to hold my breath forever. So, while all of these peculiar traits could come in handy, I guess I will go with the breath holding :)

Clearly, I am in a mood. But I trust it will pass into something more pleasant and contented. Hope you all have a beautiful weekend. :-* (kiss!)

Like Someone Really Cares

I think I need a Choose and Defend Wednesday theme song. Any suggestions? Keep in mind, it would only be used inside my own head as I began writing these posts each week :)  So...how is your week? Mine has been busy and I am feeling severely under motivated. In honor of my natural sloth, let us have an indulgent and easy Choose and Defend. I haven't done a food one in awhile...and I do like food! The thought has perked me right up.

Okay, here...it is time for some fresh fruit. But let's make it naughty. Don't be shy...tell us what you like and why you like it and be as graphic as you desire.  Which would you rather have...

Peach Donuts

OR

Strawberry Donuts

If you are some sort of creature who doesn't believe in donuts, you can pick your favorite fruit. If you don't like fruit all that much, pick which one wouldn't completely ruin your donut. There are no losers in Choose and Defend! Do it guilt free and then sit back, completely relaxed. That's right...

This Muscial Message is For I'll Eat You Whole

I Know You Better Than You Think

Hi Saturday Scavenger Shotians! This week I chose the word EXPLOSION because all week long I heard those practice booms leading up to the big, flashy Independence Day celebration of this past Thursday. I thought, "Easy shot."

Not really though...I ended up not going out to seek out a fireworks show that hot, dark night. I sat at home on my own little balcony, mostly hearing, but not seeing much. What EXPLOSION would I have to show you?  Finally got this sorry spectacle from the street below me where some kids were goofing off -

A small, street-level EXPLOSION to celebrate 237 years of freedom from British tyranny. Or was it a British tranny? It was so long ago...who can remember?

 

I also found, in my files, this photo -

 

Took this truck fire photo some time ago. It seems like an event that might lead to an EXPLOSION, right? I don't think it did, but it could have!

 

I hope any EXPLOSIONs in your future are the good kind. Like orgasmic or what have you. No getting your fingers or such blown off.  I mean, you can get blown off, but...never mind. This is getting all out of hand or way too into hand or I'm going to shut up now. Happy Saturday! And tag to Tara...you're it!

Red, White and Blue Yourself

Yes, I suffer from arrested development. Happy Independence Day, fellow U.S.ians! And Happy Thursday, world!

I, I Will Be King

Choose and Defend Wednesday has rolled around once again. For the volunteering (or the thoughts about volunteering) you provided last week, you shall be rewarded this week. Yes, even though giving is ideally its own reward, we are going rogue up in here.  The only question is, how do you want it?

Would you prefer to be recognized for...

Saving a Life

OR

Winning a Nobel Prize

You're awesome enough to Choose and then to Defend said choice to the group. Do it. Go on, you deserve it. Choose and Defend and bask in the glory!