Inside The Actors Studio Questionaire

These ten (10) questions originally came from a French series, “Bouillon de Culture” hosted by Bernard Pivot. They’re better known as the questions that James Lipton asks every guest at the end of “Inside the Actor’s Studio.”

1. What is your favorite word?
For it’s sound, either concierge, or lithe.  For it’s meaning, optimism.

2. What is your least favorite word?
Ointment.

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Enthusiasm.  When someone is genuinely excited about doing something, that enthusiasm is contagious and it’s amazing to see in any context.

4. What turns you off?
Complainers.

5. What is your favorite curse word?
I don’t think I have one that I use particularly often – however, when i’m genuinely frustrated the Australian in me really comes out and I’ll say “Bloody Hell!”

6. What sound or noise do you love?
There’s a part in Mrs. Doubtfire where Mrs. Doubtfire (Daniel) orders french food for the family because her own meal was a disaster.  When she’s dishing out one of the sauces using a spoon, it makes this cool sound. Hard to describe.

7. What sound or noise do you hate?
The door buzzer at Melinda’s apartment.  I race in as quickly as possible just to make it stop.

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
High School English Teacher.  Those were some of the most influential people in my life.

9. What profession would you not like to do?
Surgeon.  Don’t have the stomach for it, and I don’t think I could handle the responsibility.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Dog heaven exists too.  Next door over and you can visit any time you’d like.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

I came home from work today, worked out, showered then watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the movie. Because it was on TV, and I haven’t seen it in years.  (From 1990, it’s a cult classic.  You know the one.)

I think most people around my age have seen this movie.  The heroes in a half shell were quite popular back in my day.  Way back in the 90’s. 

Watching it as an adult, It’s a very different film.  In addition to the overall ridiculousness of it as a whole, there are some serious plot holes.

I have a couple questions:

1.  Is anyone else profoundly disturbed by the flirtation / sexual tension between April O’Neil, Adult Human Reporter and Raphael, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?  It’s just wrong on so many levels.  And furthermore, why does Raphael have a borderline Italian accent?  

2.  What is Shredders’ motivation?  What’s up with The Foot Clan and the generalized hating of Splinter and our heroes?  

I think the movie was based on the comic books, which I didn’t read.  I read everything was I was little.  Everything except comic books – so please fill in the blanks for me if you know. 

COMPLETELY unrelated – some new detailsabout Jenny Lewis’s upcoming album have been released.  Most importantly, that it’s coming out in September.  Zooey Deschanel is featured on it, and she’ll be playing in New York in October. 

This is all code for “Do you want to see Jenny Lewis with me in October?”

recent techno-rambles

1. I think i’m going to start posting links of suggested articles.  I read alot.  Books, yes – but also do alot of online reading, and you should too.  Not everyone uses Google Reader, and not everyone is subscribed to my shared items, but I’d like to have my friends know what i’m talking about, at least some of the time.  So I’ll probably start throwing the odd link in here and there for fun.  Like this one, an analysis of contemporary romantic comedies, focusing on Cameron Crowe’s films.

2. Twitter. I don’t get it.  What’s the appeal?  I don’t want everyone to know what i’m doing  all the time, and I don’t think anyone would care to know anyway.  I’m not being self effacing, i’m just keeping it real.  If you’re my friend in real life, and you want to know what i’m doing, ask.  Even if you aren’t my friend, I’d probably still tell you.  Unless I get a creepy vibe.

Anyway, Twitter.  Feel free to try and convince me to use it.  Really.  I know I give some people a hard time over certain techno-purchases and passtimes (“how is this neccesary?”), but I really want to hear the argument. 

3.   I still won’t add a facebook application.  It’s become a matter of principle now.  I’ll admit, I added the bumper sticker application once when Jenn sent me something.  I knew she wouldn’t send me a request unless it was worth it.  And it was. I laughed so hard my somach hurt.  Then I deleted it.  There’s just nothing else I want from facebook.  I’m completely satisfied.

4.  Last weekend, I convinced my Dad to use Gmail.  I can’t believe anyone uses anything besides Gmail really.  I think what sold him was when I showed him that I have several thousand emails stored, never need to delete anything and can search through every single email for the mere mention of anything.  I typed in his name and we pulled up every email we’ve exchanged since who-knows-when, then searched every time I’ve mentioned Connecticut in an email, and then every time the word “Unicorn” was mentioned (which, mind you, was way more often than you’d think) and that was enough.  I’d follow google into the dark.

5.   Holly used to always send me LOLcats.  Randomly if she saw one she’d think I’d like, or sharing them on her reader.   Now she’s in Paris, and I never thought I’d say it but I kind of miss the LOLcats.

But not nearly as much as I miss her.

(Hope you’re having fun, pal!)

Yale Art Gallery

I have every Tuesday off of work.  I know.  It’s rad.  I treat Tuesday like a second Sunday – but even lazier.  However, today I actually went out. 

Jenn, Holly and I went to the Yale Art Gallery  in New Haven.   It was funny being there with the two of them, because I know relatively little about art and my comments were limited to, “I like this one.” Meanwhile, Holly is giving me a rundown on Degas and Jenn is telling us all about the Warhol piece they have there.    Oh boy. 

It’s a really great gallery and I suggest everyone in the New Haven area check it out.  Even if aren’t into art, it’s so cool to see paintings that you studied in textbooks while you were in high school, only in real life.  Yale’s collection includes pieces from Claude Monet, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Piet Mondrian (which i knew something about!)  and alot more.  In fact, right now the gallery has Van Gogh’s Starry Night.  You know, one of the most famous paintings of all time.  Whatevz.  There are also sections for photography, ancient art, European art and more. 

Admission is free, it’s right downtown and it’s right across the street from The Yale Center for British Art.  Also free.  I’m probably going again next week because there’s a photography exhibit starting that Kara wanted to see. 

Wanna come?

(My experiments in agoraphobia failed miserably by the way – I’ll try again soon.) 

That’s America to Me.

On May 1st, I watched a baseball game for the first time.

No seriously – prior to that, I had never seen a baseball game, on TV or live.  I’m an uncultured swine – I know.  I chalked it up to being Australian, and usually would quip, “Oh so you spend your weekends watching cricket matches do you?”  Anyway, feeling that the time had come that I assimilate to the culture entirely, Steph took me to a baseball game.  Yankee stadium is great – the smells, the sounds, the ambiance of the whole thing is really spectacular.  I ate a hot dog in the stands of Yankee stadium and proclaimed, “Now this is America.” 

This weekend, I’m going camping for the first time with Sean, Jennand Alex.  Sean and Alex were both boy-scouts, Jenn was a girl scout (although, it’s a poorly kept secret that she was only in it for the cookies) and I was neither.  I was Australian.  However, I expect to eat smores, hot dogs and most likely will drink some (not so) delicious domestic beer this weekend.

I feel so American.  So American in fact, that I’m thinking I should be awarded honorary American citizenship.  There are  lots of things I’m yet to do that I think would qualify me for this imaginary honor I’ve just created, but I’ve also already done quite a few.  I’ve made a list.  An asterisk (one of these*) indicates that I’ve been there / done that.

• Go to prom *
• Go to college * 
• Carve a pumpkin
• Go trick or treating (hard to pull off as a 5′8″ 22 year old.  We’ll see)
• See fireworks on the 4th of July *
• See a parade (I know, I know…)
• Make an apple pie*
• Eat a corn dog (I’m a little cautious)
• Go to a drive-in movie theater
• Make / Drink egg nog
• Go to an awkward, uproarious thanksgiving dinner
• Eat an NYC hot dog*
• Eat smores made by a campfire

That’s all I’ve got so far.  I know I’m forgetting some.  So really, suggest something. I hope to check them all off once I’ve finalized the list.  Again, offer your suggestions, and if you’d like to accompany / supervise my Americanization with your watchful American eyes, let me know. 

I Want To Be A Millionaire.

I was watching something on the news earlier today (cable news, not real news), about the game show The Moment of Truth.   I guess the premise is that they hook the contestant up to a lie detector and are asked a series of personal, “deep dark” secret kind of questions and if they make it all the way to the end, they win half a million dollars - or they can choose to walk away. 

A couple of examples:
Would you cheat on your spouse if you knew you wouldn’t get caught?

Have you ever lied to get a job?

And so on, so the questions aren’t easy.  When I was watching the news show that was talking about this contestant who basically ruined her life for the half a million dollars, I was thinking to myself; This is the LAST game show I would EVER want to be on.  Not that I’m a dishonest person – not by any means, in fact I’m brutally honest with everyone, ALL the time.  And I don’t even have any deep dark secrets.  It’s kind of boring, yes – but life is much easier this way.  But even with these things considered, I would never, ever, ever go on that show. 

It all reminded me of a conversation I had with some friends about what game show I would want to be on.  Personally, if I could choose to be on any game show ever, I’d go with Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.    It’s actually the only game show I watch on TV, and I’m really good at it.  Even when I don’t know the answer, I’m good at figuring out what the answer shouldbe.  I think I like that I can reason it out even if I’m not 100% sure.  I’d be really uncomfortable if I were a contestant on a high-stakes game show that left alot up to chance, speed, or other people.  Because then I can always think, “If only I had…” or “If I had buzzed in a little faster…” etc. But if it’s something that I have time to really think about, and I’m relying on myself alone, then I’d not only be more comfortable with my decisions, but I couldn’t really have any regrets – because I’d do the best that I could and that’s all there is to it.

And I really like Meredith Vierra for some reason. I feel like she’s someone my mother would be friends with.  Or my neighbor who I’d sometimes run in to: Want to come over for a cup of coffee? Oh, you’re on your way to work? Raincheck though?  Great, See ya, Meredith.

If you could be on any game show, what would it be and why? 

Mine is C) Who Wants To Be a Millionaire. 

Final answer.

Keep a song in your heart – it’s like karaoke for the voices in your head.

If you had told me a year ago that I’d enjoy going to a karaoke bar, I’d call you crazy.  I’m not a singer by any stretch.  In fact, I’ve been forced to become a spectacular whistler in order to compensate for my lacking vocal talents.  So who would have thought it.    Anyway, last night I was at a bar and they had karaoke.  I enjoy it.  I don’t often go around singing at the top of my lungs and public humiliation isn’t exactly my forte,  I’m usually quite reserved in my day to day life, but it’s such a good time I can’t help it.

Flipping through the hundreds (thousands?) of songs that were available to sing, a few strangers and myself got in depth on what warrants a good karaoke song, and a good karaoke singer.  There’s this one woman who was at this bar the few times I went over the summer.  I believe Delilah was her name.  Delilah would put her name in several times a night and this woman can sing.  She can really carry a tune.  But, nobody really got into it.  Maybe because ol’ Delilah would sing songs that weren’t exactly crowd-pleasing, and she would go up by herself -it kind of took the fun out of it.  Karaoke isn’t for professional singers.  It’s for people who are just out having a good time with their friends and don’t mind being made fun of.  

 These people, are me and my friends.

It’s tough to decide on a karaoke song to “perform” because it needs to be each of these things:

1.  Easy to sing.  No vocal acrobatics.  Remember, you aren’t a singer.  Don’t kid yourself.

2. Well known.  Either current top 40 sort of well known or an indisputable classic, so that if the crowd gets involved, they can chime in and /or clap along.  I’ve also found that pop songs from the 90’s fare well here too, probably because all the kids in their early twenties say “oh my gaawwwddd! I remember this!” and sing along with the performer.

3.  A song that you know well enough to at least try and stay on key, and a song you know well enough to get the timing right.

and 4.  A song you actually like.   

I have a few songs in mind that I think my friends and I will “perform” eventually, but I want to know, Internet: What are your favorite karaoke songs, and why?  Would you suggest any other criteria that makes something a good karaoke song?  Any suggestions?  Are you Delilah? (I’m sorry, nothing personal.)  

partly cloudy, with a chance of meatballs

At 12:08 last night, I turned on the TV to check out my local weather report.  I want to know what I’m in for this weekend. 

partly cloudy.  mostly sunny.  partly cloudy and so on.

Which reminded me of a conversation that I’ve had several times with several people.  All inspired by one friend who posed this question:

What is the difference between partly cloudy, and mostly sunny? 

Wouldn’t it make more sense to describe the conditions as “mostly cloudy” and “mostly sunny”.  The word “partly” means to me that a part of my sky will be cloudy, rendering the rest of it…sunny.  Mostly sunny, if you prefer.   This could just be a “glass-half-full” kind of thing.  When the meteorologist is in a good mood she’ll say “it’s mostly sunny!” and when she’s fighting with her husband and her cat just destroyed her new comforter, “it’s partly cloudy, dammit.”

My favorite weather description is “abundant sunshine.”  Besides the fact that “abundant” is a great word, it just puts a little hop in my step.  She must have been in a great mood that day. 

Tell me your thoughts.  I know it doesn’t really amount to anything and we all know what the forecast means, it’s just one of those things.