Celticangel.org

Thursday 13 #11

Well, I actually managed to get a Thursday Thirteen together this week. Quelle Suprise! I decided to go with thirteen television series that I want to see appear on DVD already. Not that I don’t already have a huge DVD collection, it’s just that these are the ones that I have on videos. DVDs are slimmer, dontcha know.

Also, if you have a minute, please pop by my brand new blog - http://fremontlibraries.wordpress.com where our premiere T13 is 13 People Who Have Played Sherlock Holmes.

13 TV Shows That Still Aren’t On DVD in the USA:

1. Kung Fu: The Legend Continues - Kung Fu (The Original Series) has all of its episodes out on DVD, so you’d think that this show would be next. But, noooooo. I have every episode on tape. Sometimes more than once. And I really need that space. Sigh.

2. Misfits of Science - “Oh, those Misfits. Misfits of Science, ha ha…” This show wasn’t around that long, but I loved it. This is the first show that I remember seeing Courteney Cox in.

3. The Tomorrow People (the newer version) - The original version of this British fantasy show is already out on DVD. It wasn’t around all that long. Could it really be all that difficult to bring to DVD, too?

4. Kidd Video - How to describe this show? Well, it was a Saturday morning show that included a musical band that was stolen away and turned into cartoons. They played music videos (with live-action) at the end of each show. I still remember some of those songs. “A little TLC from you to me…”

5. Time Trax - Why is this show not out on DVD? It was excellent. A man from the future comes back to the past to hunt down fugitives from his time. He carries with him a computer that looks like a credit card. It is named Selma. “The world needs more Selmas.”

6. Probe - Created by Isaac Asimov, and lasting only seven episodes, this is a gem of a show. You can sometimes find it playing on the Sci Fi Channel, but not on DVD. Sigh.

7. Mysterious Cities of Gold - This cartoon appeared on Nickelodeon back in the 1980s. Somewhere I have an audio tape with the theme from this show recorded on it. I held the tape player up to the TV, you see. Unfortunately, there was something wrong with the tape and so it starts speeding up after the first few bars of the song. This has become the ultimate inside joke between my sister and I. “Children of the Sun, see your time has just begun…”

8. Ocean Girl - My brother *adored* this show. It was an Australian inport that lasted a couple of seasons. I think that it was on Nickelodeon, too, but I’m not sure. I want this to come to DVD for his sake. Okay…I liked it too. Just not as much as he did.

9. The Powers of Matthew Star - This show I loved…until halfway through when they up and decided to change the format. So really, I’m only requiring the good episodes for this one.

10. The Sarah Jane Adventures - Doctor Who is out on DVD, Torchwood is appearing soon on DVD, and The Sarah Jane Adventures hasn’t even appeared on tv in the US, yet. This does not stop me from wanting this Doctor Who spin-off to appear on DVD anyway. So there.

11. The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne - It had Michael Praed in it. Do I really need to say anything else? This is another one of those shows that I enjoyed, and did not last. it makes you think that they are watching your viewing habits when that keeps happening.

12. Tarzan - Okay. I sort of know why this show got canceled. This doesn’t stop me from being upset about it. It seems to me that this was the last show that I actually made an effort to see when it was shown. Once it was taken off of the air…well…I stopped caring so much about the next season’s new shows.

13. Starman - This is the first show that I loved and lost. Today there are still people campaigning to bring it back. Seriously. I have no earthly idea why it was canceled. One season was not enough. Yes. I am still angry about this one, 22 years later. Bring it to DVD already, people!

Thursday Thirteen, TV Shows, DVD, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, Misfits of Science, The Tomorrow People, Kidd Video, Time Trax, Probe, Mysterious Cities of Gold, Ocean Girl, The Powers of Matthew Star, The Sarah Jane Adventures, The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne, Tarzan, Starman

Thursday Thirteen #10

Well, I had planned on doing a different topic this week, but what with one thing and another, I’ve been insanely busy lately. I didn’t want to miss another week of Thursday Thirteen, so this is the compromise. What has been your favorite gift during this festive season?

Thirteen Things I Got For Christmas This Year:

1. A Stuffed The Cheat - My husband bought me one of the last 200 Stuffed “The Cheat”s from Homestarrunner.com this year. It is way too cute. I just wish that you didn’t have to hit it to get it to make its Cheat noises. (Meh!)

2. A coaster that smells like cinnamon - My sister gifted me with this cool coaster that releases the smell of cinnamon when you put warm cups on it. Unfortunately, you aren’t supposed to place it directly on wood…so I have it on a paper towel. As if I needed any more excuses to have another cup of tea.

3. Crazy Aunt Purl’s Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair - My parents gave me this, and I am so excited. My library didn’t have it, but I still got it for free. I’m really looking forward to reading it.

4. Teapot Ornaments - My friend Lori gave me a set of 6 ornaments that are teapots pouring into cups. They are perfect for an old tea addict like me. It looks like I actually need to get a tree next year.

5. Fuzzy D20s for my Rear view Mirror - Another gift from my friend Lori, who obviously knows what a huge geek I am. They are already in my car.

6. Shatterglass by Tamora Pierce - This one was from my Mother-in-Law. It’s book four of a series that I own the others in, and it has been on my list *forever.* Now, if only I had more time to actually read.

7. MacGyver Season One - Another item that has been on my list for a very long time. This one was from my Parents. I once checked this item out of the library and watched the whole thing in a week. That…hurt my brain. I wouldn’t recommend it.

8. A Cup with “First Class Librarian” on it - My sister found it in a gas station up near Eureka, California. Sounds like a mighty erudite gas station to me. This cup is already on my desk at work. Today I ran around annoying the rest of the staff with it. (Look what my sister gave me!)

9. A French Phrase a Day Calendar - My yearly calendar from my brother should come in handy, as I don’t want to completely lose my skill in French. This is less of a “Which way is it to the Metro?” sort of calendar than a “I have a massive hangover” (2 January) type. It is also residing on my desk at work at the time.

10. Handmade soap - My daddy makes melt and pour soap. This year, he gifted me with one of his “Frog in a pond” soaps. He makes soap frogs and then sets them in a base that looks like a pond (also soap.)

11. The Flashlight! - A while back I posted about this flashlight that I was drooling over. My husband searched high and low, and found it in the fourth store that he tried. Now I have a flashlight that is also a tripod. Have I mentioned that I love flashlights?

12. Fruits Basket #3 by Natsuki Takaya - My Mother-in-Law also found this one for me. Now I need #s 5&6. I love this manga.

13. Stargate SG-1 Season 5 - I already have seasons 1-4, so my Parents gave me Season 5. I think I’m currently watching season 7 during my marathons which occur at the home of two of my friends. They’ll be very happy to hear that I got this.

Thursday Thirteen

Thursday 13 #9

As you may already know, I love Doctor Who. So, for this week’s Thursday Thirteen I present you with thirteen reasons why. They aren’t in order and they aren’t the only reasons (The Doctor has had way more than 13 companions), but they are certainly some of the big ones.

1. The TARDIS - It can go anywhere in Time and Space and it’s small enough to park anywhere, while being the size of a small city on the inside. How can you beat that type of craft?

2. The Sonic Screwdriver - It can open almost anything and do a lot besides. Plus, the one from the new show can be used as a flashlight.

3. Regeneration - Not only is this a clever device that allows different actors to play the lead role, it’s also an interesting storytelling vehicle. Imagine, a race of people that can survive most death blows simply by becoming someone else.

4. Gallifreyan Writing (as seen in the new show) - It’s really complex looking, and it resembles the inside workings of a clock. It’s also beautiful. I’d love to use some of it to decorate my room.

5. The Daleks - Just think about this: The most feared classic baddie looks like a pepperpot, and yet has incredible destructive power. You used to be able to escape them by running up some stairs, but they’ve been able to fly since the 7th Doctor’s day. The new series has only increased their battle prowess. Not bad for an adversary that has been around since the second story of the show.

6. The Seal of Rassilon - First of all, it’s pretty (Yes, this is the tattoo I want to get if I ever manage to get the money and the guts together.) Rassilon was one of the founders of Time Lord society, and he has an awful lot of items that carry his name. The Seal is the nicest looking one.

7. Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart - The Brigadier is one of the few of the Doctor’s friends who has seen several of his different incarnations. They’ve worked together for UNIT. And all he wants is to meet an alien menace that isn’t immune to bullets.

8. The Ninth Doctor - The First Doctor of the New Series was a dark and brooding man with a leather coat and an abrasive manner. He’d seen too much death and destruction, but he was still The Doctor. He was also amused by all sorts of things. Christopher Eccleston did an excellent job bringing The Doctor back to life. Fantastic.

9. The Tenth Doctor - David Tennant’s Doctor has in many ways refined the two main parts of The Doctor’s personality as seen in the 9th Doctor. He can be hyper, silly, and child-like, and he can be hard, angry, and vengeful. Don’t make him angry. Oh, and listen when he gives you that one warning. He means it.

10. Rose - I really enjoyed watching the transformation of Rose’s character. She went from a danger-prone shop girl to a woman who could do things for herself and managed to save The Doctor a couple of times.

11. The Fourth Doctor - Tom Baker’s Doctor was my first Doctor. You always remember your first Doctor. He was the clever one, all teeth, curls, and long scarf. I’m still holding out hope that he might appear in the new series in some capacity or other.

12. Captain Jack Harkness - I just adore this character. He’s sexy, good-looking, good-hearted, and smart. I’m really happy that he got his own show.

13. The Weeping Angels - I can never get statues for my garden, now. These baddies seriously freaked me out. Which, of course, makes them an excellent baddie. A whole generation of children will grow up looking at statues suspiciously.

What is your favorite show?

Thursday Thirteen

Well…it’s Thursday the 13th (depending upon your time zone), and isn’t that just the perfect day for a Thursday Thirteen? So, to extend the fun that much further, I’ve come up with a list of topics for Thursday 13s. If you end up using one of my random ideas, please drop me a line to let me know. Enjoy, and don’t forget to visit other Thursday 13ers.

Thirteen 13s:

1. 13 Unusual Holidays - Fun Holidays that aren’t of the usual variety, like “Talk Like a Pirate Day,” “International Tuba Day,” or “Lost Sock Memorial Day.” Get a hold of a copy of Chase’s Calendar of Events, or do a little web surfing. Hmm…I wonder what it would take to institute “International Silly Sock Day.”

2. 13 Traits You Inherited From Your Family - Do you have your Mum’s eyesight and your Nana’s love of thin China cups? Well, I do. I’ve also inherited both of my parents’ sense of humor. What are your familial legacies?

3. 13 Things You’ve Been Paid to Do - My Mum used to pay me to attack the Ivy. Later on in life, I ended up being paid to spend an hour knitting once a month. I’m sort of paid to watch my favorite show at this point. Now, if I could figure out how to con someone into paying me to take a nice long vacation my life would be complete.

4. 13 Things You’ve Always Wanted to See - The Northern Lights top my list of things I’ve always wanted to see. If I didn’t add Machu Picchu, The Bodleian, and The Mona Lisa, I wouldn’t be honest. There are so many things to see out there that 13 hardly seems like a big enough list.

5. 13 Favorite Foods - I love Sushi. It has been my default answer to “What would you like to eat?” for years now. But Butternut Squash and Mundane are up there with Egg and Chips. I adore Egg and Chips. Oh, and Chicken Tikka Masala.

6. 13 Films You’ve Been Meaning to See - I still haven’t seen “An American in Paris.” Can you believe that? Well, if you know me at all that wouldn’t be too surprising. I’m fairly sure that one of my friends is making a list of films that she will force me to watch, as chances are I haven’t seen whatever film you may suggest. Generally, I’ve been meaning to, but you know how it is.

7. 13 TV Shows You’ve Loved - Apart from Doctor Who? Actually, I could go on for a while, and chances are I have the DVDs. I’ll add Buffy, The Tomorrow People, and Monty Python’s Flying Circus. You get the idea.

8. 13 Fabulous Actors/Actresses - Apart from the obvious David Tennant and Christopher Eccleston, I would add Viggo Mortensen and Jodie Foster. Actually, I could make one list for the Guys and one for the Gals. Better yet, make it of all time or break it down by era. Months of fun could be had with this one.

9. 13 Books that Have Been Filmed - Again, this topic could keep you busy for some time. You could do a list of Film Adaptations that you’ve enjoyed, such as “Escape to Witch Mountain,” “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” and “Fellowship of the Ring.” This could be followed by a Don’t Bother to Watch list, and even a Most Faithful Adaptation list. You could even break it down by genre.

If I get that blog at work, watch for lists like this.

10. 13 Favorite Poems - This one would obviously be very personal. “And Death Shall Have No Dominion” by Dylan Thomas would be on my list, as would “Le Dormeur Du Val” by Rimbaud. Some of my favorites you would have never heard of, as they were written by friends or even *gasp* me. Definitely a great way to share those special verses.

11. 13 Facts About Your Favorite Hobby - Come up with thirteen random facts about something you enjoy. Did you know that Silent Screen legend Rudolph Valentino was born “Rodolfo Alfonzo Raffaelo Pierre Filibert Guglielmi di Valentina d’Antonguolla?” How about the fact that Football player Roosevelt “Rosey” Grier enjoyed needlepoint? Just choose a hobby and do a little bit of research.

12. 13 Things Your Mother Says - My Mum is infamous for asking “Where’s my mug?” Have you heard certain phrases all of your life? Mothers are certainly full of advice. “Don’t whisper at the table.” “Put on a sweater if you’re going outside.” I’m sure that it won’t take you too long to come up with thirteen things your mother says.

13. 13 Books That Have a Color in the Title - “The Blue Sword” by Robin McKinley. “Greenwitch” by Susan Cooper. These are just two titles to get you started. Really, all you need is 13 books with a theme and you’re set for a list. 13 Books with Titles that are Questions. 13 Books with a Specific Word in the Title. I could go on for years with this one.

Thursday Thirteen

With thanks to amypalko for the idea, here is my first Thursday 13 in quite some time. These are thirteen of my passions, but they are not the only ones I have. I am leaving out the obvious Husband/Family/Cats/Sex to make way for a bit more of an esoteric mix. Sometimes thirteen just isn’t long enough, you know?

Thursday 13 #7 - 13 of My Passions:

1. Reading - I love to read. The only problem is that I tend to inhale books. When I have a really good book in my hands I won’t notice someone calling my name, earthquakes, you name it. When I was younger I used to read by night light until my folks took it away. So…I started reading by the red glow of my clock. I still have the ‘dear heavens it’s 4am and I have to be up at 8:30 for work’ problem sometimes.

2. Writing - With my love of reading, it shouldn’t be too surprising to discover that I love to write. I’ve written poetry, blog posts, fanfiction, newspaper articles, book reviews, etc. Really, I’d love to make my living writing full time, but I think that’s a little while off. I am a professional blogger, so at least I’ve managed to get started in this direction. I carry a notebook with me everywhere I go, just in case.

3. Doctor Who - My love of Doctor Who is not an obsession. Ignore the fact that I get paid to write a blog about it. (Watching Doctor Who) I have all of the new series episodes…and all of the old series ones that are available, too. Some of the older episodes were taped off of the television, but I am replacing them with shiny DVDs as finances allow. My husband has the Doctor Who theme as the ring tone on his phone for when I call. I even have a “Time Lord” t-shirt that is more than 17 years old.

4. Silliness - Silliness is essential for life. Also, just so y’all know, I know where the Silliness.org’s Lair of Silliness is. No, I won’t tell you. I don’t think that life should be lived in a dull or boring way. Wear silly socks. Play on the swing set. Do Mad Libs. Find joy where you can. Life is hard enough as it is.

5. Music - I have eclectic taste in music. (KoshVader says “Unfocused”, but I prefer “Eclectic.”) I love a bit of almost everything. On top of this, I sing. I used to sing a lot. Sadly, the stage fright seems to be getting to me more often lately. I’ve also taken lessons in: piano, recorder, drums, and guitar at different points in my life. I would love to learn to play the lute, but I have really small hands and a non-working joint in my ring fingers. Maybe I’ll pick up Harping at some later point. How is it possible to live without music? I have a near constant flow of music in my head. I sing to myself all the time. Silliness may be essential for life, but music is life.

6. Scotland - If the URL of this blog hasn’t already put you wise, I have this thing about Scotland. My great-grandfather was from Glasgow, so that may have something to do with it. I’ve taken Highland Dancing, and I even competed with the Highland Fling once. (I placed 5th.) I’ve been to Edinburgh, and I have to say that if I hadn’t been in love with Scotland before then, that trip would have done it. I love Scotland in some sort of visceral fashion. It just gets to me. Yes, I still like California. It’s just not the park beneath Edinburgh Castle on a Sunday morning. Bells in the air as you walk through the kirk yard of St. Cuthbert’s. Tea on the Royal Mile. Sigh.

7. History - I started college as a Medieval Studies Major. I’ve worked the Renaissance Faire. I’m a member of the SCA. Mostly, I like Ancient/Celtic/Medieval history, but I’m not really that picky. I just like history.

8. Blogging - This one should be obvious. I have three blogs and one LJ. I used to have one more blog, and I’m due to have another one for work at some point. Maybe I just like to talk a lot. I don’t care. It’s a great venue to get those thoughts rolling around in my brain written down. I’ve already mentioned my love of writing. I love blogging because it’s a conversation. …And it’s a great way to share fun and interesting things you find online with others. Oh yeah, and to keep people up do date.

9. Tea - I love this congenial beverage. It’s warm and tasty. Well, the good ones, anyway. I also love the meal called “Tea.” Little sandwiches. Little Cakes. Fruit and cheese. The full afternoon meal version. There something really satisfying about it. Darn it. I’m hungry now.

10. Order - I am a Librarian, like my parents before me. Is it any wonder that I have a need to create order everywhere I go? (Except at home where I never seem to have enough time.) I tidy shops. I make sections pretty at work. I can’t help it. It’s what I am.

11. Disneyland - Yes, I’m one of those crazed Disney people. I spent my honeymoon at Disneyland. (I even spent a night in the Honeymoon suite!) We go back as often as we can. We don’t just go for the rides. We go for the Grand Californian and for the food. Oh, and the massages at the Health Spa. I’m even subscribed to the official podcast.

12. Good Food - As I mentioned in #11, I love good food. I’m a foodie with seriously lacking cooking skills. The Napa Rose is half of the reason that we visit Disneyland. I mean, we rate restaurants. Sometimes, we are very snobby. Good Food is an event, not just a meal. Yum.

13. Museums - From Pez to Aviation, Sherlock Holmes to the Royal Ontario Museum, I love museums. Maybe it has something to do with my love of Tourist Traps. It doesn’t really matter what sort of Museum it is, I’ll have to stop by and check it out. I’m a wandering lifeform with a tropism for museums. Good thing my husband agrees with me on this one. If anyone ever offered me the chance to visit Museums and write about them as a job…well…I’d trip over my own feet to chase after the opportunity.

Thursday 13

Thursday 13 #6

Hello again. I took a week off from T13, but now I’m back with a list about some local points of interest I’d like to visit. Some of these places have been taunting me for a while now…and I don’t think it’s very polite of them. If I don’t manage to visit some of these by the end of the year, I may need to make it a New Year’s Resolution.

1. The Pez Museum/Classic Toy Museum (It’s only one town over and you can’t beat the admission price of a whole $3 for two museums. Even when I’m nearly broke I could still afford admission…and some Pez.)
2. Ardenwood Historic Farm (I want to go the the next Scottish festival, and drag my Husband to the Blacksmith shop. Not necessarily at the same time. That reminds me. I need to get him a forge at some point.)
3. Filoli (I expect that I will need to visit Filoli a couple of times to achieve all of my goals. I want to have tea here, spend time in their shop, explore, buy plants, and enjoy their cafe. I once lived right down the street from Great America for a year and a half and I eventually visited it only because I wanted to go to a Weird Al concert. I’ve lived near Filoli for at least that long. It’s about time I got my act together…since I don’t foresee a concert coming through to give me an excuse.)
4. Niles Canyon Railway (I’ve already missed the last train of the year. *sniffle* I guess this one will have to wait until next year. Yes. I like trains, and I prefer the old ones.)
5. Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum (I case you didn’t know, Charlie Chaplin started out at this studio, or so I’m told. Now that the studio is gone, the Museum lives on to tell folks about its illustrious history and show films with live accompaniment. I swear that I will make it to this darn theater if it kills me. Furthermore, I will go on a night that Frederick Hodges from the Royal Society Jazz Orchestra is playing. I hope that I don’t have to go alone, though. It’s not as much fun alone.)
6. Alice’s Restaurant (Is it asking too much to go for a little drive and have a nice lunch here? I don’t think so. The roads are very pleasant in that area. I hope that KoshVader is reading this…)
7. Lawrence Hall of Science (A science museum that I haven’t been to yet? Can it be possible? This must be rectified quickly. I wonder if their Astronomy exhibit is back yet.)
8. Coyote Point Museum (I don’t actually know too much about this one, but it looks interesting…and I adore museums. As long as they have decently done exhibits I’m happy.)
9. SF MOMA (As this one is in the city, it might be a whole before I manage to get to this one. I really don’t like driving in the city. It’s just that I miss art museums. I’m forever going to the science museums, which I adore, but I’d like a little variety. I think it’s been 8 years since I was at an art museum, and that one was in London. It’s time.)
10. Pacific Film Archive (They keep showing films I want to see here. And yes, I love film.)
11. Computer History Museum (I admit that I’m mostly interested in taking my husband to this one, as he currently works in the industry. But it looks like fun in general.)
12. Monterey Bay Aquarium (I admit it. I have actually been to the Monterey Bay Aquarium before, but It was years ago, and my parents took me. I want to watch the Otters with my sweetie this time. Of course we’d have to stay overnight in a Bed and Breakfast, and wander around town. You know how it is. I’m prepared to make the sacrifice. )
13. The French Laundry (Okay, I know that this one is largely a pipe dream. The prix fixe menu is a wee bit out of my usual price range, but…you never know. Stranger things have happened. I just need to make my Hubby buy a suit first…)

Pez Museum, Classic Toy Museum, Ardenwood Historic Farm, Filoli, Niles Canyon Railway, Niles Essanay, Frederick Hodges, Royal Society Jazz Orchestra, Alice’s Restaurant, Lawrence Hall of Science, Coyote Point Museum, SF MOMA, Pacific Film Archive, Computer History Museum, Monterey Bay Aquarium, French Laundry

Thursday 13 #5

*ahem* Happy Birthday to me.
Yes. Today is my birthday and I still have to go to work. I feel that this is entirely unfair, so I have decided to make this week’s Thursday Thirteen a list of 13 Things I’d Rather Be Doing on My Birthday. Happy TT!

1. Sleeping (I need to do more of that anyway)
2. Watching TV (I’m sure that there are fun things on the Tivo that I haven’t seen yet.)
3. Seeing “The Seeker: The Dark is Rising” (Actually, I’m doing this tonight anyway. I’d just prefer to do it sooner. Christopher Eccelston *thud*)
4. Reading a good book. (I’m in the middle of reading all sort of things that I never have the time to just sit down and enjoy.)
5. Knitting (I’m almost done with one scarf and I’ve just begun another. Christmas isn’t that far away. I need to get my act together.)
6. Blogging (Well, that one should be obvious right about now.)
7. Getting my finances in order (Yes, for all that my job is interesting, I’d rather be home doing something like this. Even a boring day at home is better than a good day at work and all of that.)
8. Watching a film at the Chabot Space and Science Center (They have all of the best space-related films. I really want to see the one on Mars again.)
9. Going to the Pez Museum (I’ve been trying to get there for ages. Yes. I enjoy Pez….and Museums.)
10. Cleaning my room (Remember number 7? And I’d be happier if the room was tidier.)
11. Working in my garden (Or, as is more accurate at this point, working in the “back dirt.” My sister should be coming out this weekend to help me with this project.)
12. Going to the beach (I have a favorite sandwich shop that is near a beach. Why not get a sandwich and listen to the waves for a while?)
13. Aimlessly surf the internet (So many blogs, so little time. And I should really work on my e-mail inbox now that I come to think of it.)

Thursday Thirteen

It’s Banned Books Week, so I thought that I should make this week’s Thursday Thirteen a list of 13 Banned (or Challenged) books that I have read. Really, if you ban a book, it just makes me want to read it more.

13 Banned or Challenged Books That I Have Read:

1. Sex by Madonna (I read this one in college. Well…looked at the pics is more accurate. Not too much text in that one.)
2. The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice) (Another book I read in college. I was in the back seat of my friend’s car. I wasn’t really all that impressed.)
3. Lord of the Flies by William Golding (I read this one in High School. It was assigned. I did not enjoy it, but it did have some good quotes. “Sucks to your ass-mar” for example.)
4. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (I read this one in Junior High for fun. It was the first book that I read with a little bit of romance in it that didn’t make me say “ewwwww.”)
5. Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford (I still like these books. They’re fun. I remember someone dressing up as Waldo for Halloween one year when I was in college.)
6. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell (I read this one in elementary school. I thought it was good. I’m not sure why anyone would challenge this one.)
7. The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (I *loved* this book. In fact, I loved the whole series. Okay, anything by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. Another elementary school find.)
8. And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell (I just read this one today. It is cute…and is also the most banned book of 2006.)
9. Candide by Voltaire (I read this one while I was working on my French degree. It was okay. I was amused by the extent of his optimism.)
10. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss (I love the Lorax. I first read it when I was very young. I think it was one of the things that made me think about the environment.)
11. Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (Another assigned book from High School. It annoyed me, actually.)
12. Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (It seems to me that I read this one in High School as well. It was very interesting. )
13. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert (I read this one in High School French class. I was annoyed with the main character for not seeing how much her husband loved her.)

Thursday Thirteen

Thursday 13 #3

I have many Television Shows that I enjoy. I even have a Big Geeky Notebook in which I have episode lists of all of my shows. Yes, I have annotated the lists to include the information about which episodes I have. Hey. I’m a Librarian. What did you expect? As you can imagine, I have quite a few DVDs. (If only Starman and Kung Fu: The Legend Continues would come out on DVD, I would have almost no VHS tapes left.) So, in the spirit of “getting to know me” that this meme is supposed to be about, I offer you the following list.

13 TV Shows That I Own on DVD
1. The Avengers (I have all of the Emma Peel episodes, and the ‘63 set number 1. This show is just so much fun, and it even contains a strong female character who is also smart and well dressed.)
2.Monty Python’s Flying Circus (I have the first 8 DVDs, plus The Life of Python and Monty Python and the Holy Grail. As you might imagine, I enjoy British humour. Especially the absurdist kind.)
3. Doctor Who (Everything that is available, I have. What? I’m not obsessed. Oh. Maybe I am. *shrug* Oh, well.)
4. The Tomorrow People (I have set 1 of the DVDs, plus all of the newer version of the series on tape. I used to watch the original series when I was a kid, and I loved it.)
5. Forever Knight (I have season one and the original pilot on DVD, plus a bunch of the rest of the episodes on tape. The first season remains my favorite, but some of my favorite individual episodes are in the second season.)
6. Red Dwarf (I have set one of the DVDs. I didn’t ever see the whole of the series, but the few seasons that I did see were fab.)
7. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (I own seasons 1-4. I have the original pilot on tape somewhere. I started watching this show during season 3, and I fell in love with it. Joss Whedon rocks.)
8. At Last the 1948 Show (I have the 2 DVD set. It’s the only thing that’s available. This is one of the two shows that most of the Pythonites came from to form Monty Python. As you may imagine, it’s a bit silly.)
9. Benji, Zax, and The Alien Prince (The whole show is on DVD, and I have it. It was only one season long. This is my most obscure show. No one else seems to remember it, but it was my favorite Saturday Morning show when I was 10.)
10. Due South (I have all of this show on DVD. I loved it from beginning to end. How can you go wrong with a buddy cop show that includes a sexy Mountie?)
11. Do Not Adjust Your Set (I have the 2 DVD set, which is all that is available. This is the other pre-Pythonite show. It is also silly. No big surprise, there.)
12. Mystery Science Theater 3000 (I only have The Wild World of Batwoman and Eeegah. *sniffle* Must…get…more. My favorite episode was Fugitive Alien II.)
13. Campion (I have season one plus one episode of season two. I really enjoyed this show, and the books that they came from. It is my favorite of all of the shows that have been on Mystery!)

Thursday 13 #2

Hello again. For this week’s Thursday 13 I am offering 13 Music Videos That I Enjoy. Let me just say that this was a lot more difficult that I was expecting. First of all, I wanted to limit the videos to one per group. This was particularly difficult, as a couple of the groups on my list have more than one fabulous video. I also discovered that there are quite a few videos out there that I watch because I like the song, not for the video itself. Add to that my inability to call to mind ones I’ve enjoyed in the past and well…it took a while.

My Husband calls my taste in music “unfocused.” I prefer the term “eclectic,” but whichever word you prefer just be aware that these videos are not all from the same musical genre. Do you have a favorite music video? Please let me know. This whole precess has made me wonder what I’m forgetting.

1. A-ha - Hunting High and Low (I loved this video even more than “Take On Me.” I’m still annoyed that they haven’t come out with a music video DVD. I’ve been waiting for years. Yes. I used to have an A-ha poster on my wall.)

2. Muse - The Knights of Cydonia (I still can’t name all of the film references in this video. In any case, it was very cleverly done. This is one of those cases where I had trouble choosing just one video. I also enjoy “Time is Running Out.”)

3. Manic Street Preachers - Your Love Alone Is Not Enough (I love this song. I like how the video starts out with what is basically two bands (one male, one female) singing at each other. As the song progresses, these two bands become one. One of my friends who blogs about British Music pointed this group out to me. Thanks, Dave!)

4. Weird Al Yankovic - White and Nerdy (Okay. How can you go wrong with Weird Al? I could fill up a list with 13 Weird Al videos that I like. Yes. I’ve seen him in concert. Three times. Al dos a great job with this video. And is that Donny Osmond dancing in the background? For the record, I am white and nerdy.)

5. Mediaeval Baebes - Temptasyon (I love the way that they make each of the ladies in this group seem a bit mystical in this video. It appeals to the part of me that started college as a Medieval Studies major. I wish that I could find more videos that they’ve done.)

6. Adam and the Ants - Prince Charming (Surprise! Adam Ant is even cute without the make up. How can you say no to a video that takes the Cinderella story and turns it on its ear? It even includes a dance for you to learn. I’ve loved this song since slightly before 6th grade. This is yet another one of the groups that I had difficulty choosing only one video from.)

7. Madonna - Frozen (In this video, we see my love of goth music and Madonna coming together to create one very visually interesting video with a dark color scheme. I particularly enjoy the transformations. Madonna is another of the artists that I found it difficult to chose only one video from. I have several other favorites from her back catalog.)

8. Billy Joel - We Didn’t Start The Fire (It’s a music video and a history lesson. Yay for educating folks when they don’t realize that they’re learning! Plus, you know, catchy tune.)

9. Sting - Fragile (I admit it. Half of my enjoyment of this video is Sting himself. The other half is the song. He just looks so poetic sitting there.)

10. Qntal - Von den Elben (What happens when you ask the Frouds (Brian and Toby in this case) to make a video for your music? A visual feast, that’s what. Give yourself the time to enjoy this video. It’s a bit long, but well worth it for the juxtaposition of song and imagery.)

11. The Monkees - Riu, Chiu (I first saw this on our black and white tv set. I loved The Monkees. I’m very glad that I managed to catch their reunion tour. Actually, I’m a bit amazed that I coould find it to share with you. The video is followed by a very raucous Christmas message.)

12. Kate Bush - Cloudbusting (This is one of my all time favorite videos. It seems to me that I first saw it on VH-1, years ago. It has a storyline (even if the end is a bit confusing.) And…well, I love the song.)

13. Morningwood - The Nth Degree (From the band with the interesting name, come a video that showcases the different styles each member brings to the band. I love the use of the album covers. Very clever.)

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. jennifer
2. Yen
3. Malcolm
4. amypalko
5. Moondancer Drake
6. Samantha_K
(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Thursday 13, A-ha, Muse, Manic Street Preachers, Weird Al Yankovic, Mediaeval Baebes, Adam and the Ants, Madonna, Billy Joel, Sting, Qntal, The Monkees, Kate Bush, Morningwood