Adventures In the Rain
I slept so late today, I didn't get to the Acme until 12:30! Surprisingly, it wasn't busy at all. I was able to walk right up to the counter and get my big paycheck from last week without a fuss. Good thing, because I needed a lot today. Had to restock flour, canned tomato sauce, wraps, canned black beans, canola oil, dollar single packs of fish, oranges, bananas, and apples. Thank heavens the $1.49 apples have returned, and they had a sale on bags of oranges. Thought I'd try escarole in place of lettuce - I used to eat it a lot when I lived in Wildwood because it was so cheap. They were still out of the small bags of frozen peas. I just bought the large ones. The Acme is clearing out cereals and the remaining holiday food items; ended up with a box of Pillsbury Holiday Cake Mix to replace the white cake mix I used on that Pumpkin Pudding Cake, a bag of Pumpkin Bar Cookie Mix, and a second box of Cascade Farms Multi-Grain Square Cereal (and may get even more - $1.59 for a cereal that usually costs more than $3.50 is too good of a deal to pass up!).
I ran more of that public domain cartoon set while having lunch. The set seems to mainly be separated into these categories:
The Paramount Superman Shorts
Former Disney animator Ub Iwerks' ComiColor Classics
The Mighty Heroes - a 60s Terrytoons series
Betty Boop
The Famous Studios (Paramount's later animation studio) Popeye Shorts
Little LuLu and Little Audrey, mischievous moppets from Famous Studios in the 40s and 50s
Mel-O-Toons - Limited animation adaptations of kids' 45s from Capitol Records from the late 50s/early 60s
Ray Harryhausen's marionette fairy tale stop-motion shorts
Baby Huey and Casper the Friendly Ghost - two more Famous Studios refugees
The Undersea Adventures of Captain Nemo - Mid-70s series that uses Clutch Cargo-esque limited animation to educate viewers about sea life around the world; Billie Mae Richards, best known as the long-time voice of the Rankin-Bass Rudolph, is the voice of the boy and girl here
The Fabulous Fleischer Folio - The Disney Channel's name for the Fleischer Brothers' public-domain color one-shots works rather well here, too.
Screen Songs - This long running Paramount series mixes "Sing Along"-style karaoke with music videos. The Fleischers did the originals from 1929 to 1938. Famous Studios revived the shorts in the late 40s.
Noveltoons - Famous Studios one-shots
Foxy Fables - Claymation series from England based around Aesop's Fables
A few Fleischer Brothers Popeye shorts, notably the Arabian adventures Aladdin, Sinbad the Sailor, and Ali Baba
A series of anime-esque adaptations of fairy and folk tales from around the world
Mr. Piper - More fairy tale adaptations, these introduced by a jolly, plump live-action host
Aesop's Fables - the original 20s-30s Terrytoons
Van Beuren Shorts - Includes the Parrotville series and the 30s color Felix the Cat
Felix the Cat - As I mentioned in an earlier entry, the silent "Astronomeous"
I've never been so happy to be wrong about something. Along with my wonderful new coat, this set was by far my favorite Christmas present. I've been considering buying one of those big sets with tons of public domain shorts for ages now, but I never quite got around to it. The prints are battered, often missing their original credits, and probably censored in many cases (cough, Betty Boop), but some of these shorts are very rare, and the sheer variety makes things interesting. You never know what to expect next - adventures under the ocean, little girls making mischief, a sailor rescuing his very thin girlfriend, a fairy tale that may or may not be set to music, Superman saving the day, a British Claymation fox outwitting the entire forest.
I ran a few errands after lunch. My first stop was a quiet bank to deposit my paycheck. Even with my college deferment ending and two much smaller paychecks next week and the week after, I should still have enough money for the rent this month. As I've mentioned, unlike in the summer and fall, my hours won't be staying like this. February is stuffed full of events, sports, and vacations, and is really our busiest month of the year, even more than November and December.
Made a short stop at Dad and Jodie's next. I wanted to drop off the rest of the black crochet pot holder/coaster set I made for them and say "hi," since I didn't do the laundry at their house this week. They were relaxing after having done their own cleaning and Christmas de-decorating. I chatted with them about their vacation to Florida in mid-February and got to look at all the weather and navigational apps on Dad's early iPad. Dad's apps said that heavier rain was on its way. It had rained on and off all day, but never heavy or for very long. I wanted to avoid the weather before it got worse, so I just headed home.
It was just starting to spit when I got home. The rain picked up later and became quite heavy for a while. I spent the rest of the evening inside. I baked Pumpkin Bars and Chocolate-Orange-Chip Muffins, made Chicken Vegetable Soup for dinner, and watched Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
This one has a lot in common with John Carter - rogue hero meets feisty princess while seeking artifact that could save a whole kingdom. In this case, the artifact - a dagger that can propel a person backwards in time - will not only save Persia, but time itself. The title character (Jake Gyndenhaal) is accused of killing his father by his adopted brothers and treacherous uncle (Ben Kingsley). He pairs up with the princess whose sacred city they raided (Gemma Arterton) and the owner of an ostrich-racing track (Alfred Molina) to secure the dagger and get it into the right hands.
The story isn't the only thing it has in common with John Carter. This was another huge fantasy flop for Disney that doesn't deserve it's poor reputation. While it's not as well written or complex, it has its own virtues, including some amazing special effects (check out that literally explosive ending under the city). The acting is either dull or over-the-top and the writing isn't as solid; even so, while this doesn't get the glowing review from me that John Carter did, it's still worth seeing if you're a sci-fi, fantasy, or action fan looking for light entertainment.
Life is a lazy river - no matter where you are. Movies, musicals, mysteries, pop culture, and lots of other great stuff.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Return to Balance
With my ankle better and my finances improving, I thought today would be a good time to return to yoga classes. I think I can save up for them now, especially since I'm not doing the gym anymore. This is one of the few ways I really have to meet people. It's expensive, but it's worth it.
I picked the right day to start my practice again. Today was the Thursday morning teacher Karin's last day before she goes on maternity leave. She'd announced her pregnancy just a few weeks before I got hurt! It's hard to believe it was that long ago. Needless to say, given her current condition, we didn't do a lot of jumping around. We mainly concentrated on inversions and balance poses. I did ok, considering how out of shape I am, but I'm very glad I got to say good-bye to Karin. She's been so nice to me.
Didn't have as much luck at the Collingswood Library. I probably could have returned to volunteering for them last month when I went back to the other two. The Collingswood Library is very different from the ones at Oaklyn and Haddon Township, though. Collingswood emphasizes community events and arts more than any other local town. The library is quite popular. They had a whole platoon of young college students organizing and shelving DVDs downstairs, and nothing to shelve upstairs. I hung around for a half-hour before I finally went home.
I may just drop volunteering at the Collingswood Library all together. Even when I go there on other days, they never seem to have all that much for me to do. Despite what my friend FA who works the counter says, I really don't think they need me there like they need me at the other two libraries.
Spent the rest of the afternoon indoors. I watched Thumbelina as I ate leftovers, flounder fillets, and a romaine salad for lunch. Don Bluth was known for making some pretty strange animated films in the 80s and 90s. This is the closest he ever really came to imitating Disney, even more than with Anastasia. This is a very straightforward adaptation of the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale. The title lass longs to meet someone as tiny as she is. She's thrilled when she encounters a fairy prince, but a series of increasingly unsuitable animals woo her and steal her away from him. In the end, she discovers that, no matter what your size, anyone can find their heart's desire...may it be large or small.
This charming musical was a victim of the same glut of animated fairy tales in the mid-late 90s that doomed The Swan Princess at the box office. I know a lot of girls who grew up during that time period have a soft spot for this one. I thought it was cute and lively, but that wasn't enough to overcome quite a few liabilities. Except for a lovely number when Thumbelina meets her prince in the beginning, the animation has dated rather badly - the CGI work is painfully obvious. The songs are very far from Barry Manilow's best work, and the characters are either bland (Thumbelina, her prince, and most of the fairies), grating (the majority of the animals), or just plain weird (a Hispanic frog voiced by Charro?). In addition to the number I mentioned, the other stand-out was the touching song for Thumbelina's mother (voice of Broadway star Barbara Cook) as she laments her lost daughter. A great voice cast (John Hurt, Gilbert Gottfried, Jodi Benson, and Carol Channing in addition to Cook and Charro) do what they can with the material.
For all that, it's harmless enough that this might be a good starter princess story for the very youngest royal girls. Fans of Bluth or young women who grew up seeing this on TV or video in the 90s and have fond memories may want to look it up as well.
After Thumbelina ended and while it was on, I did things around the apartment. I did some work online. I vacuumed everything I could. I did some vacuuming when I took the tree down last week, but it was really quick. This time, I not only re-did the music area and kitchen, but did the entertainment area and bedroom, too. I haven't really cleaned since late November, and the dust is appalling It got to my sinuses. I've been sneezing like crazy all day.
Work was steady to busy for most of the night. We were short on help; most of the front end was putting up the tags for the new sales that start tomorrow. It just slowed down enough by 8 that I was able to leave without a relief.
With my ankle better and my finances improving, I thought today would be a good time to return to yoga classes. I think I can save up for them now, especially since I'm not doing the gym anymore. This is one of the few ways I really have to meet people. It's expensive, but it's worth it.
I picked the right day to start my practice again. Today was the Thursday morning teacher Karin's last day before she goes on maternity leave. She'd announced her pregnancy just a few weeks before I got hurt! It's hard to believe it was that long ago. Needless to say, given her current condition, we didn't do a lot of jumping around. We mainly concentrated on inversions and balance poses. I did ok, considering how out of shape I am, but I'm very glad I got to say good-bye to Karin. She's been so nice to me.
Didn't have as much luck at the Collingswood Library. I probably could have returned to volunteering for them last month when I went back to the other two. The Collingswood Library is very different from the ones at Oaklyn and Haddon Township, though. Collingswood emphasizes community events and arts more than any other local town. The library is quite popular. They had a whole platoon of young college students organizing and shelving DVDs downstairs, and nothing to shelve upstairs. I hung around for a half-hour before I finally went home.
I may just drop volunteering at the Collingswood Library all together. Even when I go there on other days, they never seem to have all that much for me to do. Despite what my friend FA who works the counter says, I really don't think they need me there like they need me at the other two libraries.
Spent the rest of the afternoon indoors. I watched Thumbelina as I ate leftovers, flounder fillets, and a romaine salad for lunch. Don Bluth was known for making some pretty strange animated films in the 80s and 90s. This is the closest he ever really came to imitating Disney, even more than with Anastasia. This is a very straightforward adaptation of the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale. The title lass longs to meet someone as tiny as she is. She's thrilled when she encounters a fairy prince, but a series of increasingly unsuitable animals woo her and steal her away from him. In the end, she discovers that, no matter what your size, anyone can find their heart's desire...may it be large or small.
This charming musical was a victim of the same glut of animated fairy tales in the mid-late 90s that doomed The Swan Princess at the box office. I know a lot of girls who grew up during that time period have a soft spot for this one. I thought it was cute and lively, but that wasn't enough to overcome quite a few liabilities. Except for a lovely number when Thumbelina meets her prince in the beginning, the animation has dated rather badly - the CGI work is painfully obvious. The songs are very far from Barry Manilow's best work, and the characters are either bland (Thumbelina, her prince, and most of the fairies), grating (the majority of the animals), or just plain weird (a Hispanic frog voiced by Charro?). In addition to the number I mentioned, the other stand-out was the touching song for Thumbelina's mother (voice of Broadway star Barbara Cook) as she laments her lost daughter. A great voice cast (John Hurt, Gilbert Gottfried, Jodi Benson, and Carol Channing in addition to Cook and Charro) do what they can with the material.
For all that, it's harmless enough that this might be a good starter princess story for the very youngest royal girls. Fans of Bluth or young women who grew up seeing this on TV or video in the 90s and have fond memories may want to look it up as well.
After Thumbelina ended and while it was on, I did things around the apartment. I did some work online. I vacuumed everything I could. I did some vacuuming when I took the tree down last week, but it was really quick. This time, I not only re-did the music area and kitchen, but did the entertainment area and bedroom, too. I haven't really cleaned since late November, and the dust is appalling It got to my sinuses. I've been sneezing like crazy all day.
Work was steady to busy for most of the night. We were short on help; most of the front end was putting up the tags for the new sales that start tomorrow. It just slowed down enough by 8 that I was able to leave without a relief.
Wednesday, January 09, 2013
Tidying Up and Scrubbing Down
I spend the morning doing some research on my computer. I received my appointment for getting Food Stamps yesterday; it's next month. One of the items you need to get food stamps in New Jersey is an ID card or driver's license. My non-driver's ID hasn't been updated in ages. It was a lot easier to update it when I lived in Wildwood. The closest Motor Vehicles store to me was right over the bridge in Rio Grande. Here, the closest one is in Camden, which is the last place anyone wants to go on their own. I'll try the ones in Runnemede or Cherry Hill.
(I don't know why they can't just update the system to allow you to renew your ID online in New Jersey. It would be so much easier on people who can't always get to Motor Vehicles offices.)
After I gave up on that, I went for a walk. Wanted to volunteer at the Oaklyn Library before they closed for the day. They were having major computer programs. One woman complained that her console was corrupted; she kept getting interrupted by the site she was looking at a half-hour ago, or the site would switch to somewhere else before she was ready. At least two others had sound or picture trouble. I had a much easier time organizing the DVDs and the newly reorganized and thinned out children's DVDs and books. I went through their book sale again and bought A Knight's Tale with Heath Ledger (an old favorite of my brother Keefe - it made him a fan of Queen) and the discarded children's book Baby Kermit's Christmas, a vintage 80s Muppet Babies picture tale.
Went to WaWa next. It was cloudy, dry, and warm for the time of year, in the upper 40s-lower 50s. It was too warm for a hot chocolate. I'd already had some International House of Coffee this morning as well. Amanda sent me a container of French Vanilla International House of Coffee in her Christmas package. I used to buy it occasionally in college and during my Wildwood years, but it got too pricy for the occasional indulgence. It's a rare treat indeed. I settled on a Coke Zero fountain soda with chocolate and cherry syrups and a pretzel.
Spent the rest of a cloudy afternoon at home, giving the kitchen and bathroom a very much-needed scouring. I hadn't cleaned either since late November, before Thanksgiving. They both needed it badly, especially the bathroom. It was awful. I'm glad I bought the dollar store cleaner with bleach last month. The tub and the bathroom and kitchen sinks all needed the lift.
I continued running several of my new finds and Christmas presents throughout the day. Did two more Lois & Clark episodes this morning. "Smart Kids" pits DC's favorite reporters against a group of "special needs" children who were given a brain-enhancing serum by a mad scientist. While Lois tries to help one of the girls who was caught feel better about her situation, Clark looks for more information on the chemicals that were used on them.
"The Green, Green Glow of Home" takes the pair back to Clark's native Smallville, Kansas. No, it's not a reunion of Warner's next big Superman show after this one. Clark gets very nervous when they have to investigate the discovery of a chunk of glowing green meteorite that may not be what it appears. Seems this bit of rock has a rather nasty effect on Clark and on his powers....
Switched to a Faerie Tale Theatre episode featuring another famous Superman during a leftovers dinner. "Sleeping Beauty" is one of the earlier shows in the series. Its Russian theme and background music are taken from the famous Tchaikovsky ballet, with a few additions to pad a fairly straightforward plot. Bernadette Peters is the slumbering princess of the title who is put to sleep for 100 years; Carol Kane and Beverly DiAngelo are the good and wicked fairies respectively. Christopher Reeve is the noble prince who sets her free. This one is held back by some of the series' more dated special effects and the obvious plot filler with the wicked fairy luring the prince in the middle.
I finally started the second disc of that 350 cartoon set a few days ago. A few more Superman shorts ("Showdown," "Secret Agent"), a Mel-O-Toons version of Sleeping Beauty, and two song-based classics from the Fleischer Brothers studios, "Somewhere In Dreamland" and "Small Fry" rounded out the night.
I spend the morning doing some research on my computer. I received my appointment for getting Food Stamps yesterday; it's next month. One of the items you need to get food stamps in New Jersey is an ID card or driver's license. My non-driver's ID hasn't been updated in ages. It was a lot easier to update it when I lived in Wildwood. The closest Motor Vehicles store to me was right over the bridge in Rio Grande. Here, the closest one is in Camden, which is the last place anyone wants to go on their own. I'll try the ones in Runnemede or Cherry Hill.
(I don't know why they can't just update the system to allow you to renew your ID online in New Jersey. It would be so much easier on people who can't always get to Motor Vehicles offices.)
After I gave up on that, I went for a walk. Wanted to volunteer at the Oaklyn Library before they closed for the day. They were having major computer programs. One woman complained that her console was corrupted; she kept getting interrupted by the site she was looking at a half-hour ago, or the site would switch to somewhere else before she was ready. At least two others had sound or picture trouble. I had a much easier time organizing the DVDs and the newly reorganized and thinned out children's DVDs and books. I went through their book sale again and bought A Knight's Tale with Heath Ledger (an old favorite of my brother Keefe - it made him a fan of Queen) and the discarded children's book Baby Kermit's Christmas, a vintage 80s Muppet Babies picture tale.
Went to WaWa next. It was cloudy, dry, and warm for the time of year, in the upper 40s-lower 50s. It was too warm for a hot chocolate. I'd already had some International House of Coffee this morning as well. Amanda sent me a container of French Vanilla International House of Coffee in her Christmas package. I used to buy it occasionally in college and during my Wildwood years, but it got too pricy for the occasional indulgence. It's a rare treat indeed. I settled on a Coke Zero fountain soda with chocolate and cherry syrups and a pretzel.
Spent the rest of a cloudy afternoon at home, giving the kitchen and bathroom a very much-needed scouring. I hadn't cleaned either since late November, before Thanksgiving. They both needed it badly, especially the bathroom. It was awful. I'm glad I bought the dollar store cleaner with bleach last month. The tub and the bathroom and kitchen sinks all needed the lift.
I continued running several of my new finds and Christmas presents throughout the day. Did two more Lois & Clark episodes this morning. "Smart Kids" pits DC's favorite reporters against a group of "special needs" children who were given a brain-enhancing serum by a mad scientist. While Lois tries to help one of the girls who was caught feel better about her situation, Clark looks for more information on the chemicals that were used on them.
"The Green, Green Glow of Home" takes the pair back to Clark's native Smallville, Kansas. No, it's not a reunion of Warner's next big Superman show after this one. Clark gets very nervous when they have to investigate the discovery of a chunk of glowing green meteorite that may not be what it appears. Seems this bit of rock has a rather nasty effect on Clark and on his powers....
Switched to a Faerie Tale Theatre episode featuring another famous Superman during a leftovers dinner. "Sleeping Beauty" is one of the earlier shows in the series. Its Russian theme and background music are taken from the famous Tchaikovsky ballet, with a few additions to pad a fairly straightforward plot. Bernadette Peters is the slumbering princess of the title who is put to sleep for 100 years; Carol Kane and Beverly DiAngelo are the good and wicked fairies respectively. Christopher Reeve is the noble prince who sets her free. This one is held back by some of the series' more dated special effects and the obvious plot filler with the wicked fairy luring the prince in the middle.
I finally started the second disc of that 350 cartoon set a few days ago. A few more Superman shorts ("Showdown," "Secret Agent"), a Mel-O-Toons version of Sleeping Beauty, and two song-based classics from the Fleischer Brothers studios, "Somewhere In Dreamland" and "Small Fry" rounded out the night.
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
Fine Feathered Reporters
I spent most of the morning running the second disc of Lois & Clark episodes. This is definitely not for people who like their superheroes dark and edgy. The plots are charming and fun but kind of goofy. "I'm Looking Through You" involves a meek scientist who invents an invisible suit, then needs Clark and Lois' help when his suits are stolen by crooks. "Requiem for a Superhero" pits Superman against boxers whose cyborg parts may put them out of the ring...and were invented by Lois' estranged scientist father. The last one has our dynamic duo undercover in a typical nightclub straight out of one of Warner's gangster movies of the 30s. While Lois purrs "I've Got a Crush On You" and dances in feathers, Clark romances a female gangster who owns the club and wants to go legit.
I did manage to make it to CVS before work today. I meant to stop at Rite Aid yesterday after my library run, but I was out too late. Turns out CVS was having a couple of good shampoo and conditioner sales. I ended up with Pantene. (I think Herbal Essences discontinued their curl formula.) I also badly needed a notebook for my offline journal. I finished the last one the day before yesterday! Got sponges, too.
Went home and had leftovers for lunch, then headed to work. Work was steady through the end of rush hour, after which it was on and off. With the beginning of the month winding down, the holiday season ending, and no local football teams in the playoffs, it probably won't be busy again here until Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend.
I spent most of the morning running the second disc of Lois & Clark episodes. This is definitely not for people who like their superheroes dark and edgy. The plots are charming and fun but kind of goofy. "I'm Looking Through You" involves a meek scientist who invents an invisible suit, then needs Clark and Lois' help when his suits are stolen by crooks. "Requiem for a Superhero" pits Superman against boxers whose cyborg parts may put them out of the ring...and were invented by Lois' estranged scientist father. The last one has our dynamic duo undercover in a typical nightclub straight out of one of Warner's gangster movies of the 30s. While Lois purrs "I've Got a Crush On You" and dances in feathers, Clark romances a female gangster who owns the club and wants to go legit.
I did manage to make it to CVS before work today. I meant to stop at Rite Aid yesterday after my library run, but I was out too late. Turns out CVS was having a couple of good shampoo and conditioner sales. I ended up with Pantene. (I think Herbal Essences discontinued their curl formula.) I also badly needed a notebook for my offline journal. I finished the last one the day before yesterday! Got sponges, too.
Went home and had leftovers for lunch, then headed to work. Work was steady through the end of rush hour, after which it was on and off. With the beginning of the month winding down, the holiday season ending, and no local football teams in the playoffs, it probably won't be busy again here until Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend.
Monday, January 07, 2013
Bedlam In the Big City and the Big Top
Started today with the first few episodes of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. If you've seen any other version of DC Comics' first superhero, you know the drill. Gentle reporter Clark Kent (Dean Cain) is the quiet partner of dynamic Lois Lane (Teri Hatcher)...but when trouble arises in Metropolis, he becomes Superman, a heroic rescuer in bright blue spandex. He and Lois work for Metropolis' leading newspaper, the Daily Planet. Perry White (Lane Smith) is their gruff, Elvis-loving boss. Jimmy Olsen (Michael Landes) is the eager cub reporter; Catherine "Cat" Grant (Tracy Scoggins) is the trashy society editor. Superman fights the evil Lex Luthor (John Shea), a businessman who appears benevolent, but is really only out for his own interests, along with other bizarre threats to world peace. He's helped along by his good-natured farmer parents Jonathan (Eddie Jones) and Martha (K Callan).
The emphasis here, as you can probably guess from the title, is on Clark and Lois' relationship...to the point where heroics sometimes take a back-seat. This may be all to the good, since the special effects are really the only things that are terribly dated here. In fact, the show really feels like a 90s Moonlighting with a less roguish male star and heavy fantasy overtones. Hatcher and Cain have wonderful chemistry, and Cain is certainly easy on the eyes. Recommended for fans of the Superman mythos who are looking for something beyond the usual "up, up, and away!" and can handle a little cheesiness in their plots.
It was nearly 12:30 before I finally made it out to my first stop today. I had enough money to get my laundry done at the laundromat instead of Dad's. Besides, I also had a really large load. Towels, jeans, and Christmas linens needed to be washed, along with many long-sleeved shirts and turtlenecks that were necessary in last week's cold weather. I went downstairs and loaded my overstuffed laundry bag into Miss Ellie's old cart...then went right back upstairs. I'd finally gotten my Christmas package from my friend Amanda.
Amanda works at Bath & Body Works. I shouldn't have been surprised that three of the items in the bag were from there. There were two cute Christmas-themed containers of foaming hand wash and a pair of adorable aloe-infused, bear-themed sleep socks, along with a box of "peppermint bark" (really blocks of white and dark chocolate with candy cane pieces, but they tasted pretty good) and of those hazelnut-filled Pirouette cookies.
I finally got to the laundromat by quarter of 1. Thank heavens it wasn't busy at all. I read Becoming Real while the wash was in the machines, ignoring the silly talk shows and soap operas on ABC. I saw one Hispanic family, a couple of young men, and two older women, but most didn't stay for that long.
When I got home, I put my laundry away, had a quick Peanut Butter and Strawberry Fruit Spread sandwich for lunch, and headed back out again. I had debated starting this month's cleaning today, but it was really too nice. The temperatures had risen into the upper 40s, and it was sunny and breezy and beautiful. There were lots of people in Newton River Park as I rode by; I dodged joggers, walkers, and a woman strolling along with the cutest, friskiest brown dachshund puppy in a red sweater.
The Haddon Township Library was very busy when I arrived. There were lots of people, kids and adults, looking for DVDs...and lots of things to return, for once. Too many. The kids' DVDs are starting to outgrow the three turning shelves they're in. They either need to buy another shelf, or start weeding out the kids' stuff. I also shelved picture books and fished a good pile of foreign and kids' movies out of the adult titles.
I did end up taking out a few things this week. I found the newest Joanna Fluke book, Devil's Food Cake Murder. Wound up with three DVDs - the Don Bluth romantic fantasy Thumbelina, the most recent Scooby Doo movie Big Top Scooby, and Prince of Persia. The last-named was another Disney attempt at creating a fantasy franchise that flopped badly...but I enjoyed John Carter so much, I thought I'd give this one a chance.
It was getting late by the time I was finished. I just rode straight home, dodging rush-hour traffic on Cuthbert Road. When I finally got in, I ran more Lois & Clark, along with Big Top Scooby. Though the Scooby movie is supposed to be set in Atlantic City, it has nothing to do with casinos. Fred is a huge circus enthusiast and wants to take the rest of the gang to see the newest show in town, though Shaggy has his eye on a concert with a popular Swedish heavy metal group. When it turns out that werewolves are terrorizing the circus and it may have to close, the gang goes undercover as performers to find out what they're really after.
Definitely an improvement over the odd musical Mark of the Vampire from the spring. The story is both less complicated and more involving, and the villains aren't quite as obvious...and there's no music except for the metal band's incomprehensible lyrics at the end. Not really a must-see, but kids and fans of Scooby will have a lot of fun here.
Started today with the first few episodes of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. If you've seen any other version of DC Comics' first superhero, you know the drill. Gentle reporter Clark Kent (Dean Cain) is the quiet partner of dynamic Lois Lane (Teri Hatcher)...but when trouble arises in Metropolis, he becomes Superman, a heroic rescuer in bright blue spandex. He and Lois work for Metropolis' leading newspaper, the Daily Planet. Perry White (Lane Smith) is their gruff, Elvis-loving boss. Jimmy Olsen (Michael Landes) is the eager cub reporter; Catherine "Cat" Grant (Tracy Scoggins) is the trashy society editor. Superman fights the evil Lex Luthor (John Shea), a businessman who appears benevolent, but is really only out for his own interests, along with other bizarre threats to world peace. He's helped along by his good-natured farmer parents Jonathan (Eddie Jones) and Martha (K Callan).
The emphasis here, as you can probably guess from the title, is on Clark and Lois' relationship...to the point where heroics sometimes take a back-seat. This may be all to the good, since the special effects are really the only things that are terribly dated here. In fact, the show really feels like a 90s Moonlighting with a less roguish male star and heavy fantasy overtones. Hatcher and Cain have wonderful chemistry, and Cain is certainly easy on the eyes. Recommended for fans of the Superman mythos who are looking for something beyond the usual "up, up, and away!" and can handle a little cheesiness in their plots.
It was nearly 12:30 before I finally made it out to my first stop today. I had enough money to get my laundry done at the laundromat instead of Dad's. Besides, I also had a really large load. Towels, jeans, and Christmas linens needed to be washed, along with many long-sleeved shirts and turtlenecks that were necessary in last week's cold weather. I went downstairs and loaded my overstuffed laundry bag into Miss Ellie's old cart...then went right back upstairs. I'd finally gotten my Christmas package from my friend Amanda.
Amanda works at Bath & Body Works. I shouldn't have been surprised that three of the items in the bag were from there. There were two cute Christmas-themed containers of foaming hand wash and a pair of adorable aloe-infused, bear-themed sleep socks, along with a box of "peppermint bark" (really blocks of white and dark chocolate with candy cane pieces, but they tasted pretty good) and of those hazelnut-filled Pirouette cookies.
I finally got to the laundromat by quarter of 1. Thank heavens it wasn't busy at all. I read Becoming Real while the wash was in the machines, ignoring the silly talk shows and soap operas on ABC. I saw one Hispanic family, a couple of young men, and two older women, but most didn't stay for that long.
When I got home, I put my laundry away, had a quick Peanut Butter and Strawberry Fruit Spread sandwich for lunch, and headed back out again. I had debated starting this month's cleaning today, but it was really too nice. The temperatures had risen into the upper 40s, and it was sunny and breezy and beautiful. There were lots of people in Newton River Park as I rode by; I dodged joggers, walkers, and a woman strolling along with the cutest, friskiest brown dachshund puppy in a red sweater.
The Haddon Township Library was very busy when I arrived. There were lots of people, kids and adults, looking for DVDs...and lots of things to return, for once. Too many. The kids' DVDs are starting to outgrow the three turning shelves they're in. They either need to buy another shelf, or start weeding out the kids' stuff. I also shelved picture books and fished a good pile of foreign and kids' movies out of the adult titles.
I did end up taking out a few things this week. I found the newest Joanna Fluke book, Devil's Food Cake Murder. Wound up with three DVDs - the Don Bluth romantic fantasy Thumbelina, the most recent Scooby Doo movie Big Top Scooby, and Prince of Persia. The last-named was another Disney attempt at creating a fantasy franchise that flopped badly...but I enjoyed John Carter so much, I thought I'd give this one a chance.
It was getting late by the time I was finished. I just rode straight home, dodging rush-hour traffic on Cuthbert Road. When I finally got in, I ran more Lois & Clark, along with Big Top Scooby. Though the Scooby movie is supposed to be set in Atlantic City, it has nothing to do with casinos. Fred is a huge circus enthusiast and wants to take the rest of the gang to see the newest show in town, though Shaggy has his eye on a concert with a popular Swedish heavy metal group. When it turns out that werewolves are terrorizing the circus and it may have to close, the gang goes undercover as performers to find out what they're really after.
Definitely an improvement over the odd musical Mark of the Vampire from the spring. The story is both less complicated and more involving, and the villains aren't quite as obvious...and there's no music except for the metal band's incomprehensible lyrics at the end. Not really a must-see, but kids and fans of Scooby will have a lot of fun here.
Sunday, January 06, 2013
Sunshine on the Snow
I awoke to a beautiful, sunny morning. I spent an hour reading Trouble at Fort La Pointe and listening to CDs before I finally got up and started breakfast around 11. The small sprinkling of snow we got last night was already gone from my porch by then, but it looked lovely in the park, sparkling as merrily as the river behind it.
I made Chocolate Chip Pancakes for breakfast, then called Mom. She was getting ready to clean the house after Dad went fishing and Keefe went back to South Carolina. Keefe is graduating his Naval classes this week. Mom, Dad, and Keefe's beloved girlfriend Vicki will be going down there in a few days to see his class. They're all looking forward to it, especially after enjoying his visit here for Christmas. Mom is also a fan of the Washington Redskins (she grew up in the suburbs of DC) - she's thrilled that they made the playoffs and Dad's Giants didn't.
After I got off with Mom and finished breakfast, I changed the American Girl and Sailor Moon dolls back into regular winter clothes. Samantha now wears her "Buster Brown" gray flannel school dress. Molly wears her plaid jumper and white blouse. Felicity sports her emerald-green Riding Habit, really the only warm clothing she owns. I got a little more creative with my modern doll Jessa. She slipped into the green-sprigged turtleneck from the late 90s Girl Scouts Uniform, the yellow sweater and black corduroys that were part of her original mid-90s "meet" outfit, Springfield Collection socks, and the boots from Emily's Snow Suit.
The Sailor Soldiers were all returned to their usual nautical-inspired uniforms. Queen Serenity and Wicked Lady resumed their dresses. (Queen Serenity wears the gown from the 80s Crystal Barbie, which I found at a thrift shop years ago. I got her on eBay in a Sailor Moon outfit that wasn't hers.)
I had a quick lunch of leftovers after I finished the girls, then headed to work. It was surprisingly warm - not ridiculously balmy, like it was this time last year, but warmer than it has been. The snow had vanished. Mom said Cape May County never got any snow at all, just a little rain.
The Acme was lines-down-the-aisles busy all night. It's still the beginning of the month, for one thing. Many people have end-of-the-holiday-season parties this weekend or birthday parties. Others were restocking their larders as they prepared to return to their first full work week in ages. Thankfully, it slowed down enough by 7PM that I was able to leave with no relief.
Oh, and alas, Mom's Redskins couldn't get past the Seahawks, though they apparently played well enough to begin with. The Seahawks eventually won 24-14. At least they made it to the playoffs - I think they were the only NFC East team that did this year.
I awoke to a beautiful, sunny morning. I spent an hour reading Trouble at Fort La Pointe and listening to CDs before I finally got up and started breakfast around 11. The small sprinkling of snow we got last night was already gone from my porch by then, but it looked lovely in the park, sparkling as merrily as the river behind it.
I made Chocolate Chip Pancakes for breakfast, then called Mom. She was getting ready to clean the house after Dad went fishing and Keefe went back to South Carolina. Keefe is graduating his Naval classes this week. Mom, Dad, and Keefe's beloved girlfriend Vicki will be going down there in a few days to see his class. They're all looking forward to it, especially after enjoying his visit here for Christmas. Mom is also a fan of the Washington Redskins (she grew up in the suburbs of DC) - she's thrilled that they made the playoffs and Dad's Giants didn't.
After I got off with Mom and finished breakfast, I changed the American Girl and Sailor Moon dolls back into regular winter clothes. Samantha now wears her "Buster Brown" gray flannel school dress. Molly wears her plaid jumper and white blouse. Felicity sports her emerald-green Riding Habit, really the only warm clothing she owns. I got a little more creative with my modern doll Jessa. She slipped into the green-sprigged turtleneck from the late 90s Girl Scouts Uniform, the yellow sweater and black corduroys that were part of her original mid-90s "meet" outfit, Springfield Collection socks, and the boots from Emily's Snow Suit.
The Sailor Soldiers were all returned to their usual nautical-inspired uniforms. Queen Serenity and Wicked Lady resumed their dresses. (Queen Serenity wears the gown from the 80s Crystal Barbie, which I found at a thrift shop years ago. I got her on eBay in a Sailor Moon outfit that wasn't hers.)
I had a quick lunch of leftovers after I finished the girls, then headed to work. It was surprisingly warm - not ridiculously balmy, like it was this time last year, but warmer than it has been. The snow had vanished. Mom said Cape May County never got any snow at all, just a little rain.
The Acme was lines-down-the-aisles busy all night. It's still the beginning of the month, for one thing. Many people have end-of-the-holiday-season parties this weekend or birthday parties. Others were restocking their larders as they prepared to return to their first full work week in ages. Thankfully, it slowed down enough by 7PM that I was able to leave with no relief.
Oh, and alas, Mom's Redskins couldn't get past the Seahawks, though they apparently played well enough to begin with. The Seahawks eventually won 24-14. At least they made it to the playoffs - I think they were the only NFC East team that did this year.
Saturday, January 05, 2013
Put Away the Holidays
Started a beautiful, sunny day with a trip into Audubon. I had a ton of things to bring to the Logan Presbyterian Thrift Shop. There were bags filled with items I cleared out as far back as last summer, but first I got hurt, then the holidays came up and I just didn't have the time to bring them over.
They were happy to receive my donations...and no wonder. They were in the midst of a huge after-Christmas sale. I picked up five videos, four records, and a kid's book for $1.90. The records were:
Olivia Newton John - Greatest Hits
Johnny Mathis - The Sweetheart Tree
The Music of Spring - collection of spring-related standards sung by popular vocalists (thought it could be run at Easter)
Original Broadway cast album for 1970 Lauren Bacall musical Applause
The videos were the Esther Williams vehicle Dangerous When Wet, the 1950s Stewart Granger/Elizabeth Taylor version of Beau Brummel, the original animated Watership Down, and two Richard Chamberlain vehicles based after Alexandre Dumas books - The Man In the Iron Mask and The Count of Monte Cristo.
The book was the other Muppet Babies McDonald's picture book we had as kids, The Legend of Gimmie Gulch. Kermit imagines that he's the sheriff of a greedy western town that's falling apart because no one will share their resources with anyone else. When the Masked Bandit is due to ride through town and wreck havoc, Kermit has to find a way to teach the others the importance of sharing...and fast!
Moved onto Abbie Road down the street next. Bob said "hi" and said for me to tell Lauren he says "hi" to her, too. He was also having huge sales. I got three records and four CDs for $12. The CDs were:
Steve Winwood - Back In the High Life (Replacing an aging cassette copy)
Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow
The Kinks - Come Dancing With the Kinks: The Best of the Kinks 1977-1986
Original 1966 Broadway cast album for Cabaret
The records were:
Melanie - Candles In the Rain
Led Zeppelin- Led Zeppelin
The Tommy Dorsey/Frank Sinatra Sessions Vol. 1
I rode up to Simply Soups on Pine Street for lunch. As it was just lunch time, there were several people there as I arrived, including an older couple and a college student. I had my usual cup of soup, breadsticks, and can of diet soda. Today's soup was Pumpkin-Turkey-Rice. It was scrumptious, filled with lots of rice, good-sized turkey pieces, and plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg. I enjoyed my meal while looking over my finds. It felt good sitting in the front windows, with their fabulous view of Pine Street and the railroad tracks. Almost all of the windows were open this time to allow the sunlight in and get some extra warmth.
Stopped at Desserts By Design on the way home. I bought a few cookies for a treat and chatted with the owner and her assistant. I told her about my troubled couple of months, and that I was feeling much better and hoping that the New Year would improve.
After I bought my snack, I took the bike over the train bridge and into Oaklyn. The Oaklyn Library had been almost totally reorganized since the last time I was there. The old metal shelves in the kids' section had been eliminated entirely. All of the kids's books and DVDs were now on the shelves surrounding the walls of the room. The tables that used to be squeezed into the kids' area were now pushed off to one side, leaving plenty of room for a librarian to read to the little ones, or for games and activities. I organized the adult and kids' DVDs and sorted through the picture books, but there wasn't much to do. I did pick up a mint-condition copy of the George Clooney remake of Ocean's Eleven from their book sale.
Spent the rest of the afternoon at home, listening to rock CDs and taking the remaining Christmas decorations down. The tree came down next. I almost completely reorganized the plastic container that holds the ornaments. The plastic, wooden, or beaded ornaments went in the plastic bucket I originally bought to bring the cookies to work for our luncheon. The icicles and clothespin soldiers got new, slimmer boxes. The garland, star, and lights lost their box and were just placed in the container. I got rid of a box of plain gold glass ball ornaments that had been around for about a decade and were starting to look their ages. I bought them from Family Dollar; I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did.
Finished out the night with the garlands, wreath, big plaid bow, nativity, and small items that go in the big felt Santa Sack. The garlands are so much easier to take down than they are to put up! I may put the gold garland that was around the CD rack somewhere else next Christmas. It was a pain to put on the rack where it is now. I'd also like to crochet some Christmas coasters to replace the woven ones I made for Mom when I was a pre-teen.
After everything had been returned to the back room, I vacuumed the living room where the tree was. The tree sheds almost as much as a real tree! I then moved the crate with the disco and R&B albums to the front of the window where it usually rests. I also swept the porch. The leaves are long gone, but I get piles of sticker balls and small sticks in the winter. I like to keep the porch clear so it doesn't get to slippery if we get snow or ice.
Spent the next hour or so crocheting a birthday present for my sister Jessa as I dubbed Dangerous When Wet. Williams is the member of a farming family that prides itself on being as healthy as its products and the best swimmers around. When the farm needs a new bull, the family agrees to join a contest to swim the English Channel in order to win the money. While they're in France, the oldest daughter falls for a local playboy (Fernando Lamas), while their coach and sponsor (Jack Carson) is pursued by an amorous Frenchwoman who is one of the contestants (Denise Darcel).
Not great, not horrible. Charlotte Greenwood, as Williams' robust mother, gets to show off her still-amazing high kicks in "Ain't Nature Grand," while Lamas serenades Williams (they were later married) with the lovely "In My Wildest Dreams." Otherwise, the numbers are rather dull. The biggest set-piece, and probably the only thing anyone remembers about this movie today, is Williams swimming into a cartoon with Tom and Jerry. It's cute enough, but not really anything special. This one is pretty much for fans of Williams or Tom & Jerry. Enjoyable enough for anyone else if you run into it on TCM, but nothing you need to see.
Friday, January 04, 2013
Concluding the Holiday Season
I slept in this morning and didn't get to the Acme until past noon. Thankfully, it was steady but not nearly as busy as last Friday. I grabbed my paycheck, then rode over to America's Best to order my contacts. They're way past due for a restock, but I've either been busy, haven't had the money, or had to work late. They were so dead, I was able to go in, order, pay, and leave in five minutes.
Most of my grocery shopping this week involved restocking baking or casserole items used for last week's meals and the holiday gifts - sugar, canned mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, tuna, honey, tape (they have 3-packs for a dollar), and chocolate pudding mix (to replace the one that was gobbled by a mouse). The company that owns Acme is in the midst of changing the labels of its generic frozen vegetables; they've apparently been out of frozen peas for a while now. I bought a frozen Oriental vegetable mix instead. Had more luck with oranges, bananas, pears, and some good sales on juice concentrate and laundry detergent.
When I got home, I put everything away, had a quick leftovers lunch while watching more public domain shorts, then went right back out again. I needed to make a really quick run to the bank to deposit my paycheck. The indoor area was quiet, and I was in and out there as well.
I ran two Christmas DVDs while taking down the holiday display items and dressed bears and stuffed animals. The Backyardigans finally debuted an out-and-out Christmas episode in what I believe was their last season in 2010. "The Action Elves Save Christmas Eve" is pretty self-explanatory. Tasha, Pablo, and Uniqua are elves who have to find Santa's sack before Christmas Eve, or Santa can't deliver his presents! Two lonely snow monster brothers (Austin and Tyrone) took it, but they didn't really mean any harm - they didn't even know what it was.
The House Without a Christmas Tree is a favorite of mine. I usually watch it on or around Christmas Day, but I just didn't get to it this year. 11-year-old Addie Mills (Lisa Lucas) is a smart young lady living in a quiet small town in Nebraska in 1946. Like Ralphie in A Christmas Story, all she wants for Christmas is one special thing that she pesters her father (Jason Robards) endlessly about. Unlike Ralphie, the item she wants is hardly violent - a Christmas tree. Her father has never had one in the house. It reminds him too much of her late mother. When Addie wins a tree from school, her father becomes angry with her. They both learn a lesson in charity when Addie gives the tree away, and Grandma (Mildred Natwick) reminds them that charity begins at home...and it's never too late to show those you love that you care about them.
A sweet, gentle story, with wonderful performances by Lucas, Robards, and especially Natwick as the eccentric grandmother caught between her stubborn son and his even more stubborn daughter. Highly recommended for those looking for a quieter Christmas story for families, especially ones with girls, or for those with fond memories of the original 70s broadcast.
Taking down the Christmas decorations takes a lot less time than putting them up does. I actually cleared out some display items and consolidated others into a few bags and boxes. I had a harder time with the stuffed animals. I really had to push and shove to get them in the container! I cleared out a few; maybe I should look into clearing out more next year or finding another container for them.
Work was surprisingly steady, given I worked late. It was 9:30 before it really started slowing down, and even then, the time flew. I was in and out quickly.
Oh, and once again, mixed feelings on my schedule. The bad news is, I only have 18 hours this week. The good news is, three days off and only one day (next Saturday) later than 8PM. This shouldn't be as devestating financially as the lack of hours in the summer and fall were. The weeks between Three King's Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day are usually quiet. Things pick up as we get closer to February, which is probably our single busiest month of the year. Not to mention, our W2s should be coming out at the end of the month, and I'll probably have tax return money coming.
I slept in this morning and didn't get to the Acme until past noon. Thankfully, it was steady but not nearly as busy as last Friday. I grabbed my paycheck, then rode over to America's Best to order my contacts. They're way past due for a restock, but I've either been busy, haven't had the money, or had to work late. They were so dead, I was able to go in, order, pay, and leave in five minutes.
Most of my grocery shopping this week involved restocking baking or casserole items used for last week's meals and the holiday gifts - sugar, canned mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, tuna, honey, tape (they have 3-packs for a dollar), and chocolate pudding mix (to replace the one that was gobbled by a mouse). The company that owns Acme is in the midst of changing the labels of its generic frozen vegetables; they've apparently been out of frozen peas for a while now. I bought a frozen Oriental vegetable mix instead. Had more luck with oranges, bananas, pears, and some good sales on juice concentrate and laundry detergent.
When I got home, I put everything away, had a quick leftovers lunch while watching more public domain shorts, then went right back out again. I needed to make a really quick run to the bank to deposit my paycheck. The indoor area was quiet, and I was in and out there as well.
I ran two Christmas DVDs while taking down the holiday display items and dressed bears and stuffed animals. The Backyardigans finally debuted an out-and-out Christmas episode in what I believe was their last season in 2010. "The Action Elves Save Christmas Eve" is pretty self-explanatory. Tasha, Pablo, and Uniqua are elves who have to find Santa's sack before Christmas Eve, or Santa can't deliver his presents! Two lonely snow monster brothers (Austin and Tyrone) took it, but they didn't really mean any harm - they didn't even know what it was.
The House Without a Christmas Tree is a favorite of mine. I usually watch it on or around Christmas Day, but I just didn't get to it this year. 11-year-old Addie Mills (Lisa Lucas) is a smart young lady living in a quiet small town in Nebraska in 1946. Like Ralphie in A Christmas Story, all she wants for Christmas is one special thing that she pesters her father (Jason Robards) endlessly about. Unlike Ralphie, the item she wants is hardly violent - a Christmas tree. Her father has never had one in the house. It reminds him too much of her late mother. When Addie wins a tree from school, her father becomes angry with her. They both learn a lesson in charity when Addie gives the tree away, and Grandma (Mildred Natwick) reminds them that charity begins at home...and it's never too late to show those you love that you care about them.
A sweet, gentle story, with wonderful performances by Lucas, Robards, and especially Natwick as the eccentric grandmother caught between her stubborn son and his even more stubborn daughter. Highly recommended for those looking for a quieter Christmas story for families, especially ones with girls, or for those with fond memories of the original 70s broadcast.
Taking down the Christmas decorations takes a lot less time than putting them up does. I actually cleared out some display items and consolidated others into a few bags and boxes. I had a harder time with the stuffed animals. I really had to push and shove to get them in the container! I cleared out a few; maybe I should look into clearing out more next year or finding another container for them.
Work was surprisingly steady, given I worked late. It was 9:30 before it really started slowing down, and even then, the time flew. I was in and out quickly.
Oh, and once again, mixed feelings on my schedule. The bad news is, I only have 18 hours this week. The good news is, three days off and only one day (next Saturday) later than 8PM. This shouldn't be as devestating financially as the lack of hours in the summer and fall were. The weeks between Three King's Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day are usually quiet. Things pick up as we get closer to February, which is probably our single busiest month of the year. Not to mention, our W2s should be coming out at the end of the month, and I'll probably have tax return money coming.
Thursday, January 03, 2013
Baby, It's Cold Outside!
It was a frosty but thankfully sunny morning when I awoke. I started things off with Chocolate Chip-Coconut Muffins for breakfast while watching the Faerie Tale Theatre version of "The Three Little Pigs." Here, the pigs are a trio of brothers who are pushed out into the world by their mother (Doris Roberts) who can't afford to feed them anymore. The pig who builds the straw house (Stephan Furst) dreams of quick bucks. The one who builds his house of sticks (Fred Willard) is a huge hog who wants to lead the good life and chase all the sows he can find. Larry, the runt of the litter (Billy Crystal), is the sensible family artist who sees the value of making his brick home as solid as possible. His strong home becomes even more important when a wolf (Jeff Goldblum) comes to their door looking for a pork dinner for his nagging wife. It'll take all of Larry's cleverness to keep him, his brothers, and a pretty sow named Tina (Valerie Perrine) from ending up on the wolf's dinner plate!
One of the cuter episodes, and along with "The Emperor's New Clothes," the funniest show of the entire series. Goldblum in particular has some very funny one-liners as the hen-pecked wolf.
It dropped into the lower 30s today, but the sun brought people out of the woodwork anyway. There were surprisingly a couple of people walking their dogs or going for a stroll as I rode across Newton River Park. It was so cold, the river had a thin layer of ice for the first time this winter.
The Haddon Township Library was very busy when I arrived. So many kids' DVDs had come in, there literally wasn't room to shelve them all! Storybook Hour was just ending as I worked on organizing the titles that did fit. One adorable little girl requested Callieu and the Disney Cinderella. A boy wanted Scooby Doo; I directed him towards the holiday set I just returned. A second girl asked for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse; I handed her Mickey and Donald Had a Farm.
There was less to shelve with the adult titles, and very few foreign titles mixed in. I didn't take out any movies or books this week, and returned everything I took out last week but one self-help book. Between work and taking down the Christmas decorations, I just won't have the time. I'll run Lois & Clark and the public domain cartoon set instead.
I wanted to stop at Tuesday Morning on the way home and look for a second calender for my bedroom, but they were closed for inventory! Who closes for a whole week just to do inventory? Don't most stores do that at night? I ended up at Rite Aid across the street instead. Maybe it was just as well. I needed milk; they have the cheapest milk around, and it saved me a trip to WaWa. Found the Backyardigans Christmas DVD cheaper than I've ever seen it anywhere. Also bought bungee cords from the dollar racks. The ones that came with the house frayed ages ago, and I wanted to use them to hold down the air conditioner cover. It wasn't working indoors.
When I got home, I fixed the air conditioner cover, then spent the rest of the afternoon running more public domain shorts and eating leftover chicken stir fry for lunch. More 40s Superman ("Destruction Inc") and Terrytoons' The Mighty Heroes topped the list here, along with a few not-bad Popeye shorts from the early 50s.
Work was pretty much the same as yesterday - down-the-aisles busy during rush hour, otherwise on-and-off steady, with some annoying customers. It'll likely remain so as we get through the beginning of the month.
It was a frosty but thankfully sunny morning when I awoke. I started things off with Chocolate Chip-Coconut Muffins for breakfast while watching the Faerie Tale Theatre version of "The Three Little Pigs." Here, the pigs are a trio of brothers who are pushed out into the world by their mother (Doris Roberts) who can't afford to feed them anymore. The pig who builds the straw house (Stephan Furst) dreams of quick bucks. The one who builds his house of sticks (Fred Willard) is a huge hog who wants to lead the good life and chase all the sows he can find. Larry, the runt of the litter (Billy Crystal), is the sensible family artist who sees the value of making his brick home as solid as possible. His strong home becomes even more important when a wolf (Jeff Goldblum) comes to their door looking for a pork dinner for his nagging wife. It'll take all of Larry's cleverness to keep him, his brothers, and a pretty sow named Tina (Valerie Perrine) from ending up on the wolf's dinner plate!
One of the cuter episodes, and along with "The Emperor's New Clothes," the funniest show of the entire series. Goldblum in particular has some very funny one-liners as the hen-pecked wolf.
It dropped into the lower 30s today, but the sun brought people out of the woodwork anyway. There were surprisingly a couple of people walking their dogs or going for a stroll as I rode across Newton River Park. It was so cold, the river had a thin layer of ice for the first time this winter.
The Haddon Township Library was very busy when I arrived. So many kids' DVDs had come in, there literally wasn't room to shelve them all! Storybook Hour was just ending as I worked on organizing the titles that did fit. One adorable little girl requested Callieu and the Disney Cinderella. A boy wanted Scooby Doo; I directed him towards the holiday set I just returned. A second girl asked for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse; I handed her Mickey and Donald Had a Farm.
There was less to shelve with the adult titles, and very few foreign titles mixed in. I didn't take out any movies or books this week, and returned everything I took out last week but one self-help book. Between work and taking down the Christmas decorations, I just won't have the time. I'll run Lois & Clark and the public domain cartoon set instead.
I wanted to stop at Tuesday Morning on the way home and look for a second calender for my bedroom, but they were closed for inventory! Who closes for a whole week just to do inventory? Don't most stores do that at night? I ended up at Rite Aid across the street instead. Maybe it was just as well. I needed milk; they have the cheapest milk around, and it saved me a trip to WaWa. Found the Backyardigans Christmas DVD cheaper than I've ever seen it anywhere. Also bought bungee cords from the dollar racks. The ones that came with the house frayed ages ago, and I wanted to use them to hold down the air conditioner cover. It wasn't working indoors.
When I got home, I fixed the air conditioner cover, then spent the rest of the afternoon running more public domain shorts and eating leftover chicken stir fry for lunch. More 40s Superman ("Destruction Inc") and Terrytoons' The Mighty Heroes topped the list here, along with a few not-bad Popeye shorts from the early 50s.
Work was pretty much the same as yesterday - down-the-aisles busy during rush hour, otherwise on-and-off steady, with some annoying customers. It'll likely remain so as we get through the beginning of the month.
Wednesday, January 02, 2013
The Oaklyn Holiday Light Show
I slept until past 9 today...and since I worked at noon, that didn't give me a chance to do much besides work on a crocheting project and watch another Faeirie Tale Theatre episode. "The Emperor's New Clothes" is an adaptation of another Hans Christian Anderson story that takes us out of the realm of the purely magical and into something a little more realistic. A vain emperor who thinks of nothing but his fancy wardrobe (Dick Shawn) is taken for a ride by two con men (Art Carney and Alan Arkin) who convince him that they've made a cloth so fine, only the most intelligent person can see it. Fools will see nothing. While the Emperor and his court marvel over the wonders of the fictional "cloth," the over-taxed citizens, including the tavern-keeper befriended by the con men (Georgia Brown), know better.
My favorite of the purely comic episodes along with The Three Little Pigs. Arkin and Carney are hilarious as two tricksters out for one last score; Shawn is a riot as the clotheshorse ruler who learns that it takes a lot more than a well-cut suit to make the man.
Work was on-and-off steady up through rush hour, after which everyone started coming out of their first day back at work and the lines got crazy. They put out all the half-price candy and leftover Christmas items today too as the stock people pulled out this year's Valentine's Day inventory. Some grandmothers bought as much as $50 worth of candy and small Christmas toys for their grandchildren! I settled for a bag of the 3 Musketeers Hot Cocoa Minis, the Betty Crocker Hot Chocolate Cupcake Mix (who knows when we'll see hot chocolate/cocoa-flavored items again?), a bag of bows for next year's Christmas presents, a Veggitales DVD, and a Russell Stover peppermint bark snowman for a treat.
I got off at 6PM, which left me plenty of time for a longer-than-usual bike ride on the way home. I hadn't had a chance to look at all the neighborhood lights yet. It was really cold by then, probably in the 20s, and I figured I'd be warmer on the bike. I love looking at Oaklyn's light displays. While none of them are quite as big as my neighbors across the street, who literally cover the front of their house and the large tree in their front yard with lights, there are some really lovely ones.
I saw lights of every description. Some houses had roofs dripping with "icicles" in gold or blue-white. Others were criss-crossed with tiny colored lights that made them look like a Jackson Pollock painting. Bushes were draped with LED lights that had such deep colors, the blues almost looked purple. Windows were festooned with garlands of greenery, large wreaths, or softly glowing candelabras. Some of the inflatables were really cute. My favorite inflatable this year was the Snoopy Sno-Cone with Charlie Brown and Snoopy on either side of the famous dog-house-shaped ice scraper.
I rode all around the neighborhoods behind Kendall Boulevard and near the school. I would have done more, but it was really too cold. My knees were nearly numb by the time I finally made it home.
Ran the Veggitales DVD while having the last of the leftover tuna casserole for dinner. The first story on this two-parter from last year was a short that revolved around Junior Asparagus having a bad day. He thinks everyone's forgotten his birthday! His mother sings him a gentle song to remind him that others are looking out for us when we're hurt...and that every four years, February has a day added to the calender.
The main feature was a spoof of Robin Hood. Larry the Cucumber is the famous Sherwood Forest bandit...but he doesn't really want to steal from people. What he wants is to raise funds from the rich to buy hams for the poor. His friends are frustrated that this isn't working. Selfish, cowardly Prince John is hogging all the hams for himself, while making the Sheriff (Bob the Tomato) do his dirty work. When the others leave him alone, Larry tries to convince Prince John that his people need the hams more than he does. The Prince not only doesn't care, but tries to have Robin Good thrown in the Dungeon of Despair! Robin's hurting, but a song from an elderly lady and the discovery that his men need him reminds him that, even in the worst despair, we can always find something to comfort us.
On one hand, this one did get a little into preachy territory. The Christian sentiments, while well-meaning, don't really work with the story being told. On the other hand, I like that, unlike most adaptations of Robin Hood, the Sheriff of Nottingham was depicted as a nice guy (uh, tomato) who was just following Prince John's orders. Veggitales fans will enjoy it; fans of Robin Hood stories may want to be a bit more cautious unless they're already into the cartoon.
I slept until past 9 today...and since I worked at noon, that didn't give me a chance to do much besides work on a crocheting project and watch another Faeirie Tale Theatre episode. "The Emperor's New Clothes" is an adaptation of another Hans Christian Anderson story that takes us out of the realm of the purely magical and into something a little more realistic. A vain emperor who thinks of nothing but his fancy wardrobe (Dick Shawn) is taken for a ride by two con men (Art Carney and Alan Arkin) who convince him that they've made a cloth so fine, only the most intelligent person can see it. Fools will see nothing. While the Emperor and his court marvel over the wonders of the fictional "cloth," the over-taxed citizens, including the tavern-keeper befriended by the con men (Georgia Brown), know better.
My favorite of the purely comic episodes along with The Three Little Pigs. Arkin and Carney are hilarious as two tricksters out for one last score; Shawn is a riot as the clotheshorse ruler who learns that it takes a lot more than a well-cut suit to make the man.
Work was on-and-off steady up through rush hour, after which everyone started coming out of their first day back at work and the lines got crazy. They put out all the half-price candy and leftover Christmas items today too as the stock people pulled out this year's Valentine's Day inventory. Some grandmothers bought as much as $50 worth of candy and small Christmas toys for their grandchildren! I settled for a bag of the 3 Musketeers Hot Cocoa Minis, the Betty Crocker Hot Chocolate Cupcake Mix (who knows when we'll see hot chocolate/cocoa-flavored items again?), a bag of bows for next year's Christmas presents, a Veggitales DVD, and a Russell Stover peppermint bark snowman for a treat.
I got off at 6PM, which left me plenty of time for a longer-than-usual bike ride on the way home. I hadn't had a chance to look at all the neighborhood lights yet. It was really cold by then, probably in the 20s, and I figured I'd be warmer on the bike. I love looking at Oaklyn's light displays. While none of them are quite as big as my neighbors across the street, who literally cover the front of their house and the large tree in their front yard with lights, there are some really lovely ones.
I saw lights of every description. Some houses had roofs dripping with "icicles" in gold or blue-white. Others were criss-crossed with tiny colored lights that made them look like a Jackson Pollock painting. Bushes were draped with LED lights that had such deep colors, the blues almost looked purple. Windows were festooned with garlands of greenery, large wreaths, or softly glowing candelabras. Some of the inflatables were really cute. My favorite inflatable this year was the Snoopy Sno-Cone with Charlie Brown and Snoopy on either side of the famous dog-house-shaped ice scraper.
I rode all around the neighborhoods behind Kendall Boulevard and near the school. I would have done more, but it was really too cold. My knees were nearly numb by the time I finally made it home.
Ran the Veggitales DVD while having the last of the leftover tuna casserole for dinner. The first story on this two-parter from last year was a short that revolved around Junior Asparagus having a bad day. He thinks everyone's forgotten his birthday! His mother sings him a gentle song to remind him that others are looking out for us when we're hurt...and that every four years, February has a day added to the calender.
The main feature was a spoof of Robin Hood. Larry the Cucumber is the famous Sherwood Forest bandit...but he doesn't really want to steal from people. What he wants is to raise funds from the rich to buy hams for the poor. His friends are frustrated that this isn't working. Selfish, cowardly Prince John is hogging all the hams for himself, while making the Sheriff (Bob the Tomato) do his dirty work. When the others leave him alone, Larry tries to convince Prince John that his people need the hams more than he does. The Prince not only doesn't care, but tries to have Robin Good thrown in the Dungeon of Despair! Robin's hurting, but a song from an elderly lady and the discovery that his men need him reminds him that, even in the worst despair, we can always find something to comfort us.
On one hand, this one did get a little into preachy territory. The Christian sentiments, while well-meaning, don't really work with the story being told. On the other hand, I like that, unlike most adaptations of Robin Hood, the Sheriff of Nottingham was depicted as a nice guy (uh, tomato) who was just following Prince John's orders. Veggitales fans will enjoy it; fans of Robin Hood stories may want to be a bit more cautious unless they're already into the cartoon.
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
Let's Start the New Year Right
I was awoken early by a Mummers' group practicing in the VFW parking lot. It was probably the same ones who rehearse there every year. I really wish they'd find a parking lot to rehearse in that isn't in a residential neighborhood. Some people actually want to sleep on a holiday.
I curled under my flannel sheet and blankets and dozed off for an hour. Finally rolled out of bed around quarter of 9. When I got up, I watched An Ice Age Christmas Special and had some Acme blueberry scones as an appetizer.
Ice Age Christmas Special is one of the several half-hour holiday shorts that have debuted for popular recent characters following the success of Shrek the Halls. Everyone's favorite kooky herd is preparing for the holidays. Peaches, the baby mammoth born in Dawn of the Dinosaurs, is now a cute kid who loves Christmas and truly believes in Santa. When Manny gets angry at Sid for breaking his special "Christmas stone," he claims Sid will be on Santa's naughty list, then tells his daughter that he doesn't believe in Santa. Peaches leads Sid, Eddie, and Crash up to the North Pole to convince her father that flying reindeer and jolly fat men do exist, even in the Ice Age.
If you can get around some obvious details (like this is set millions of years before Christ's or St. Nicholas' births), this is really kind of cute...but see Dawn of the Dinosaurs and the other movies first to find out more about Peaches and the herd.
I finally opted for my New Year's breakfast at the Pop Shop, since that went really well last year. I got in around 10:30. It wasn't nearly as busy as it was last New Year's, though it wasn't empty, either. I ended up at the counter again. The wacky retro Christmas decorations they had up last year had been replaced by more elegant holographic stars and giant pink and turquoise ornaments and "lights" hanging from the ceiling, along with several "Happy New Year!" balloons.
Ordered a Belgian Waffle, bacon, and black tea. It was all delicious...and unlike last year's Gingerbread Pancakes, the waffle wasn't the size of the plate. It was just right. Tasty as it was, it was also something that could be bought anywhere, for far less than what the fancy Pop Shop charges. I think I might try the Legacy Diner or something similar next New Year's for a cheaper - and equally scrumptious - alternative.
Spent the rest of the morning at my apartment. Julie's Cooking Studio has a recipe for Pistachio Cake that's pretty much just cake mix, pistachio pudding mix, oil, eggs, and club soda. Not only did I not have any pistachio pudding on me, but I'm not a fan of pistachios to begin with. I replaced the pistachio pudding mix with the yummy limited edition Jello pumpkin pudding mix and the club soda with buttermilk and the last of the sparkling pear juice from last night.
Ran Holiday Inn while the cake was in the oven. Best known as the movie that introduced "White Christmas," that's only one of several great Irving Berlin songs in this low-key but enjoyable wartime musical. Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire are partners and pals feuding over the dancer they work with (Virginia Dale). Crosby finally retires to a farm in Connecticut which he turns into an inn that's only open on select holidays. A pretty dancer (Marjorie Reynolds) catches Crosby's eye in the city and ultimately becomes his star performer at the inn...and in his life, too. Meanwhile, Astaire's partner has walked out, and he's looking for a new act...and when he sees Reynolds and falls for her, the feud between him and Crosby starts all over again.
I actually like this one better than the slicker White Christmas. The romantic comedy shenanigans have a real grain of truth to them here, and the black-and-white, wartime make-do production gives it a feel of intimacy that White Christmas' shiny widescreen photography lacks. (PC warning - while most of the songs are still fun, the "Abraham" blackface number won't come off well with many people now. There's a reason this was done as an instrumental dance routine in White Christmas.) Other than that, if you're a fan of Crosby, Astaire, Berlin, like your musicals smaller, or want to see the movie that spawned one of the most beloved Christmas tunes of all time, this is a favorite of mine and recommended.
Work was steady for most of the night, not as busy as yesterday, but not empty, either. It also wasn't pleasant. If we weren't getting beginning-of-the-month people who received their money early, we were swamped with shoppers who will be returning to work tomorrow and have kids going back to school. I was very glad when I finally got out of there after the store closed at 6PM.
Before I went to work, I put together another Julie recipe. This one was for Crock Pot Ham and Potatoes - ham sliced and layered with sliced onion and potatoes, grated cheese, paprika, and cream of mushroom soup. (Actually, they called for Cream of Celery, but I didn't have any.) It was ready and waiting when I got home. Julie's mom knows her Crock Pot dishes. It was fabulous, creamy and salty and delicious. I threw in a Caesar Salad, also from Julie's cookbook, for vegetables.
Put on the Faeirie Tale Theatre episode "The Princess Who Never Laughed" as I ate dinner. The princess in question is Princess Henrietta (Ellen Barkin), better known to her father as "Hank." Hank has been treated like a "serious-minded young woman" all her life. For her, being a princess is nothing but an endless parade of lessons in decorum, history, language, and protocol. Her father banned laughter or merriment in the kingdom after his wife died...but now he doesn't know how to raise a spirited young lady who just wants to learn how to have fun. He finally holds a "laugh off" to see who can make his unhappy daughter crack a smile. Meanwhile, Wienerhead Waldo (Howie Mandel) is a pig farmer who has the gift of being able to make anyone laugh. His serious scholar brother thinks he's nuts, but his little sister believes in him and insists he join the Laugh-Off.
One of my favorite Faeirie Tale Theatre stories is actually a blending of several folk tales with similar themes from across cultures. As cute as Mandel is as the pig farmer who understands comedy better than any of the royal folk, Barkin comes off best as the royal lass who, for the first time in her life, learns that "fun" is more than a word in a dusty dictionary.
I hope all of you have a 2013 that's equally filled with laughter! : )
I was awoken early by a Mummers' group practicing in the VFW parking lot. It was probably the same ones who rehearse there every year. I really wish they'd find a parking lot to rehearse in that isn't in a residential neighborhood. Some people actually want to sleep on a holiday.
I curled under my flannel sheet and blankets and dozed off for an hour. Finally rolled out of bed around quarter of 9. When I got up, I watched An Ice Age Christmas Special and had some Acme blueberry scones as an appetizer.
Ice Age Christmas Special is one of the several half-hour holiday shorts that have debuted for popular recent characters following the success of Shrek the Halls. Everyone's favorite kooky herd is preparing for the holidays. Peaches, the baby mammoth born in Dawn of the Dinosaurs, is now a cute kid who loves Christmas and truly believes in Santa. When Manny gets angry at Sid for breaking his special "Christmas stone," he claims Sid will be on Santa's naughty list, then tells his daughter that he doesn't believe in Santa. Peaches leads Sid, Eddie, and Crash up to the North Pole to convince her father that flying reindeer and jolly fat men do exist, even in the Ice Age.
If you can get around some obvious details (like this is set millions of years before Christ's or St. Nicholas' births), this is really kind of cute...but see Dawn of the Dinosaurs and the other movies first to find out more about Peaches and the herd.
I finally opted for my New Year's breakfast at the Pop Shop, since that went really well last year. I got in around 10:30. It wasn't nearly as busy as it was last New Year's, though it wasn't empty, either. I ended up at the counter again. The wacky retro Christmas decorations they had up last year had been replaced by more elegant holographic stars and giant pink and turquoise ornaments and "lights" hanging from the ceiling, along with several "Happy New Year!" balloons.
Ordered a Belgian Waffle, bacon, and black tea. It was all delicious...and unlike last year's Gingerbread Pancakes, the waffle wasn't the size of the plate. It was just right. Tasty as it was, it was also something that could be bought anywhere, for far less than what the fancy Pop Shop charges. I think I might try the Legacy Diner or something similar next New Year's for a cheaper - and equally scrumptious - alternative.
Spent the rest of the morning at my apartment. Julie's Cooking Studio has a recipe for Pistachio Cake that's pretty much just cake mix, pistachio pudding mix, oil, eggs, and club soda. Not only did I not have any pistachio pudding on me, but I'm not a fan of pistachios to begin with. I replaced the pistachio pudding mix with the yummy limited edition Jello pumpkin pudding mix and the club soda with buttermilk and the last of the sparkling pear juice from last night.
Ran Holiday Inn while the cake was in the oven. Best known as the movie that introduced "White Christmas," that's only one of several great Irving Berlin songs in this low-key but enjoyable wartime musical. Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire are partners and pals feuding over the dancer they work with (Virginia Dale). Crosby finally retires to a farm in Connecticut which he turns into an inn that's only open on select holidays. A pretty dancer (Marjorie Reynolds) catches Crosby's eye in the city and ultimately becomes his star performer at the inn...and in his life, too. Meanwhile, Astaire's partner has walked out, and he's looking for a new act...and when he sees Reynolds and falls for her, the feud between him and Crosby starts all over again.
I actually like this one better than the slicker White Christmas. The romantic comedy shenanigans have a real grain of truth to them here, and the black-and-white, wartime make-do production gives it a feel of intimacy that White Christmas' shiny widescreen photography lacks. (PC warning - while most of the songs are still fun, the "Abraham" blackface number won't come off well with many people now. There's a reason this was done as an instrumental dance routine in White Christmas.) Other than that, if you're a fan of Crosby, Astaire, Berlin, like your musicals smaller, or want to see the movie that spawned one of the most beloved Christmas tunes of all time, this is a favorite of mine and recommended.
Work was steady for most of the night, not as busy as yesterday, but not empty, either. It also wasn't pleasant. If we weren't getting beginning-of-the-month people who received their money early, we were swamped with shoppers who will be returning to work tomorrow and have kids going back to school. I was very glad when I finally got out of there after the store closed at 6PM.
Before I went to work, I put together another Julie recipe. This one was for Crock Pot Ham and Potatoes - ham sliced and layered with sliced onion and potatoes, grated cheese, paprika, and cream of mushroom soup. (Actually, they called for Cream of Celery, but I didn't have any.) It was ready and waiting when I got home. Julie's mom knows her Crock Pot dishes. It was fabulous, creamy and salty and delicious. I threw in a Caesar Salad, also from Julie's cookbook, for vegetables.
Put on the Faeirie Tale Theatre episode "The Princess Who Never Laughed" as I ate dinner. The princess in question is Princess Henrietta (Ellen Barkin), better known to her father as "Hank." Hank has been treated like a "serious-minded young woman" all her life. For her, being a princess is nothing but an endless parade of lessons in decorum, history, language, and protocol. Her father banned laughter or merriment in the kingdom after his wife died...but now he doesn't know how to raise a spirited young lady who just wants to learn how to have fun. He finally holds a "laugh off" to see who can make his unhappy daughter crack a smile. Meanwhile, Wienerhead Waldo (Howie Mandel) is a pig farmer who has the gift of being able to make anyone laugh. His serious scholar brother thinks he's nuts, but his little sister believes in him and insists he join the Laugh-Off.
One of my favorite Faeirie Tale Theatre stories is actually a blending of several folk tales with similar themes from across cultures. As cute as Mandel is as the pig farmer who understands comedy better than any of the royal folk, Barkin comes off best as the royal lass who, for the first time in her life, learns that "fun" is more than a word in a dusty dictionary.
I hope all of you have a 2013 that's equally filled with laughter! : )
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