Ok everyone, I need your help.
Nah, let's make that input. I'll have less qualms about disregarding/choosing to ignore some input than I would saying no to help. Not saying that I will ignore anyone's input, but, C'mon, I know you people. You're friends with me, so I know what kind of crazy randomness you can come up with.
Here's the idea.
I have a blank wall. I would like to come up with an idea for what to do with it. First let me give you a general layout of the room with a few explanations of things currently on the wall.
Let's go counter-clockwise, sorry, I like being contrary.
North wall.
There's the doorway to the living room at the extreme right. The entryway that is the gaping maw to the bleakness that is my domain....Sorry, been reading some stuff about Dante lately...
On the back of the door there is a framed concert poster from Cowboy Mouth announcing their show at the Blue Note on Oct 30th, 2003. The night we met the Vox Fairy. (remember that Colonel?) Then we have the mini file cabinet with the photo of my lil cousin Shannon and the framed copy of the Little Mr & Mrs Book, 'Mr Bump'. Seriously, I'll save that one for another day.
Then we have the hanging photos. They are in a....
| _
_
|
pattern.
(clockwise from top...)
1) Currently blank...Looking for a suitable one from Mike & Tracy's wedding.
2) Baseball game, summer of 2003. Claire's visit to St Louis. Claire and Amy and my sis. Three of my favorite girls in the world.
3) Amers and I at the Capitol building in DC. My favorite pic of me and my best female friend ever. Love ya Ames.
4) My boys in Panama City. Jerod, Jerome, and Kris. J-Rod, Rome & The Colonel to most of you. Hanging out in the pool at Club La Vela after an afternoon of free beer after cover. Best and worst invention ever!
There is a large bulletin board to the right of the pictures. On it is a pic of Amy (lovely!) and I on top of the Empire State Building, random notes, a pic of a '50 Merc Coupe (beautiful!), a signed picture of Elisabeth Shue (gorgeous!), and random pins and buttons from the past, I'm talking Geography Bee, CLI, Flogging Molly concert, Confirmation, J.A., Blockbuster, and Varsity Tennis...I did say random...
West Wall
The sorts wall. Dresser and directors chair between doors. '82 World Series Coke Bottle and '6 Years, Six Playoffs' Blues Pepsi bottle on dresser. 'St Louis Blues Avenue' above the closet door. Budweiser 2006 Cardinals Calendar. Framed certificate from final Reg Season game at Old Busch stadium. Framed 'Forty Years, Countless Memories' poster from final game. Also on the dresser is a small set of books including a couple of old copies of some classics and some very old physics, math, and engineering texts. I'm talking 1918 old.
The door to my own private bathroom is on this wall as well and in the bathroom the decor continues sports. The 2004 NL champs Pennant and the 2003 Syracuse National Champs BBall pennant grace the walls in this extra room. My prized sports possession that most in the U.S. don't have is an actual Wimbledon Towel from the 2003 Championships. Now if I could just get that Arsenal Gunners warmup framed!
South Wall
Top of bed and a short bookshelf are against this wall. A couple of picture frames with the 'original people' in them graces this piece of furniture. As well as a silver book that has the following quote on it. 'Some books leave us free, and some books make us free.' Anyone know who that is from?
The wall has a window and next to the window a ceramic Irish Blessing hangs.
'May the road rise to meet you,
may the wind be always at your back,
may the sun shine warm upon your face,
the rains fall soft upon your fields and,
until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.'
Above the bed hangs a small Chinese painting of the symbols meaning Wisdom & Knowledge, a multi layered paint of a jazz scene, and an abacus. Any puns come to mind with the abacus? Any?
East Wall
Nada except for a window. I have a large space for just about anything. I hope from explaining the rest of my decor, you get a general picture of what I'm about and could offer some constructive ideas.
here are a couple of ideas I had...
Multiple little frames with various quotes from songs from my favorite band, Cowboy Mouth. They have such good ones like,
'You gotta get up, you gotta find your heart, you gotta find your soul, you gotta find those strengths inside of yourself that make you take on the day, that make you take on the world, that makes you appreciate what goes on around you, that makes you glad to be aliiiiiive!'
MC Escher prints, but I have 8 of those already in the kitchen.
Movie photos/stills. But again, I already have many of those in the living room.
Any ideas? Input please! Necesito input. Johnny Five needs input!
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
A. H. & P. Part Two
That's Art, Humor & Philosophy, the title of the previous C&H blog, the three things I believe Bill W. combines beautifully in the C&H comics.
Surprisingly I can specifically recall the first time I bought a Calvin and Hobbes collection. I remember being in third grade and finding it in those small four page catalogs from some book company. You remember those? They always had some Garfield books, and things like 'Number the Stars', 'Superfudge', and 'Wayside School'. That was the first time I bought a C&H book.
That book of strips released was entitled Something Under The Bed Is Drooling. I specifically recall that being the first one. I remember being ten or eleven and finding the first book that i didn't even know existed at a book store.
I love the books. Even at that young of an age. Remember the reading programs at the library?
You could read books all summer and get rewarded for it!
How cool is that!?
And yes! I realize I look like a huge nerd right now!
Cardinals tickets? Pizza Hut Pizzas I could use to bribe my sister and brother for things since I wouldn't eat pizza? Yes please.
Thus probably began my obsession with counting the books I read even to this day and keeping a list of them on Excel. It is kinda helpful at times. It truly is. And now to the second batch of quotes...
'Something Under The Bed Is Drooling'
foreword:
There is a mystical quality to Bill Watterson's work. What we have here is no mere comic strip. It possesses a dimension which was found once upon a time in George Herriman's Krazy Kat and, later, in Walt Kelly's Pogo. That, however, was long ago, and since their passing, there has been nothing in the world of cartoon art to replace them. Now, we have Calvin and Hobbes.
There are no mealy-mouths or namby-pamby characters in this strip. The kid is delightfully and dedicatedly rotten. The mother and the father (no names are given or necessary) live alongside their offspring in a state of agitated wonderment at what they must have done to deserve this child. The kid, for his part, lives a good 70 percent of his time in a world I remember well from my own childhood, peopled with unspeakable creatures of the imagination, and the rest of the time in a real world peopled with other unspeakables (the teacher, the girl, the school thug). Refuge from the latter world is found in the former. And then there's the goofy stuffed tiger. A gentle soul, he is much smarter than the kid, whose brashness he leavens with a wry, endearing wisdom.
There are many comic strips out there, a few good, some average, a great many merely background clutter. All have their own cast of characters, engaging or not, all glued and patched together with dialogue, some good, some not. Very few bright stars appear who possess that peculiar magic which can provoke comparison with the best of the past. Looking at the work of our two comparisons, Herriman and Kelly, we can see a wedding of idea and art rarely seen these days, a feeling that words can enhance art and art can do the same for the written - that a carefully wrought blend of these ingredients can create a degree of enchantment which bespeaks genius.
You want magic?
Watterson the alchemist has conjured forth a work of subtlely, character, and depth far out of proportion to his tender years. I wish him long life, and may the powers of his sorcery never diminish.
You want magic?
This is a collection of the sorcerer's recipes for changing simple ink and paper into the purest gold. Humbly allow me to present Calvin (the kid) and Hobbes (the tiger). This book is magic.
- Pat Oliphant (most widely syndicated political cartoonist in the world)
www.uclick.com/client/wpc/po/
- I don't like these stories with morals.
- In short, open revolt and exile is the only hope for change.
- Gravity is arbitrary!
- Fat kids are high in cholesterol.
- I try to make everyone's day a little more surreal.
- The world bores you when you're cool.
- What fun is it being cool if you can't wear a sombrero?
- I was beguiled by her feminine charms. Yow.
- I've got plenty of common sense! I just choose to ignore it.
- C - If we're going to die, what's the point of living? H - Well, there's seafood...
- That's the problem with nature. Something's always stinging you or oozing mucus on you.
- It's hard to be a mom for a mom.
- Nothing beats sitting by a roaring fire after you've been out in the cold. Of course some people say why bother going outside first?
- Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me....Yeah right.
- Snow everywhere! It must be waist deep! Unfortunately that's a relative measure.
- Grades? We're being graded? We don't even get a few practice semesters?
- Her plan backfired dad. I'm all wound up and she needs to be put to bed.
- You don't get to be mom if you can't fix everything just right.
- It wouldn't be very grateful of you to break my heart.
- I'm crying because out there he's gone, but he's not gone inside me.
- I thought that after seven boring hours at school, you might appreciate one moment of pure, abject terror.
- I wonder if you can refuse to inherit the world. I think if you're born, it's too late.
- It's amazing what they do with corrugated cardboard these days.
- What horrors we visit upon ourselves in the name of science.
- Why is it you always rip your pants on the day everyone has to demonstrate a math problem at the chalkboard?
- The living dead don't need to solve word problems.
- Of course real zombies never get the giggles while looking at each other.
- Reading goes faster if you don't sweat comprehension.
- I'm a dessertarian.
Not that many quotes, but the beginning of the "dad/politics" bit started in this collection. A classic. Not to mention the mating dance strip...
C - Dad, did you do a mating dance when you first saw mom? I saw some birds do it on TV. They went, 'AWK AWK BRAAU-AUUKKK!!'
D- Yes, that's more or less how I reacted.
M- To what wise guy?....think carefully.
Sure didn't quite get that at the time....
Surprisingly I can specifically recall the first time I bought a Calvin and Hobbes collection. I remember being in third grade and finding it in those small four page catalogs from some book company. You remember those? They always had some Garfield books, and things like 'Number the Stars', 'Superfudge', and 'Wayside School'. That was the first time I bought a C&H book.
That book of strips released was entitled Something Under The Bed Is Drooling. I specifically recall that being the first one. I remember being ten or eleven and finding the first book that i didn't even know existed at a book store.
I love the books. Even at that young of an age. Remember the reading programs at the library?
You could read books all summer and get rewarded for it!
How cool is that!?
And yes! I realize I look like a huge nerd right now!
Cardinals tickets? Pizza Hut Pizzas I could use to bribe my sister and brother for things since I wouldn't eat pizza? Yes please.
Thus probably began my obsession with counting the books I read even to this day and keeping a list of them on Excel. It is kinda helpful at times. It truly is. And now to the second batch of quotes...
'Something Under The Bed Is Drooling'
foreword:
There is a mystical quality to Bill Watterson's work. What we have here is no mere comic strip. It possesses a dimension which was found once upon a time in George Herriman's Krazy Kat and, later, in Walt Kelly's Pogo. That, however, was long ago, and since their passing, there has been nothing in the world of cartoon art to replace them. Now, we have Calvin and Hobbes.
There are no mealy-mouths or namby-pamby characters in this strip. The kid is delightfully and dedicatedly rotten. The mother and the father (no names are given or necessary) live alongside their offspring in a state of agitated wonderment at what they must have done to deserve this child. The kid, for his part, lives a good 70 percent of his time in a world I remember well from my own childhood, peopled with unspeakable creatures of the imagination, and the rest of the time in a real world peopled with other unspeakables (the teacher, the girl, the school thug). Refuge from the latter world is found in the former. And then there's the goofy stuffed tiger. A gentle soul, he is much smarter than the kid, whose brashness he leavens with a wry, endearing wisdom.
There are many comic strips out there, a few good, some average, a great many merely background clutter. All have their own cast of characters, engaging or not, all glued and patched together with dialogue, some good, some not. Very few bright stars appear who possess that peculiar magic which can provoke comparison with the best of the past. Looking at the work of our two comparisons, Herriman and Kelly, we can see a wedding of idea and art rarely seen these days, a feeling that words can enhance art and art can do the same for the written - that a carefully wrought blend of these ingredients can create a degree of enchantment which bespeaks genius.
You want magic?
Watterson the alchemist has conjured forth a work of subtlely, character, and depth far out of proportion to his tender years. I wish him long life, and may the powers of his sorcery never diminish.
You want magic?
This is a collection of the sorcerer's recipes for changing simple ink and paper into the purest gold. Humbly allow me to present Calvin (the kid) and Hobbes (the tiger). This book is magic.
- Pat Oliphant (most widely syndicated political cartoonist in the world)
www.uclick.com/client/wpc/po/
- I don't like these stories with morals.
- In short, open revolt and exile is the only hope for change.
- Gravity is arbitrary!
- Fat kids are high in cholesterol.
- I try to make everyone's day a little more surreal.
- The world bores you when you're cool.
- What fun is it being cool if you can't wear a sombrero?
- I was beguiled by her feminine charms. Yow.
- I've got plenty of common sense! I just choose to ignore it.
- C - If we're going to die, what's the point of living? H - Well, there's seafood...
- That's the problem with nature. Something's always stinging you or oozing mucus on you.
- It's hard to be a mom for a mom.
- Nothing beats sitting by a roaring fire after you've been out in the cold. Of course some people say why bother going outside first?
- Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me....Yeah right.
- Snow everywhere! It must be waist deep! Unfortunately that's a relative measure.
- Grades? We're being graded? We don't even get a few practice semesters?
- Her plan backfired dad. I'm all wound up and she needs to be put to bed.
- You don't get to be mom if you can't fix everything just right.
- It wouldn't be very grateful of you to break my heart.
- I'm crying because out there he's gone, but he's not gone inside me.
- I thought that after seven boring hours at school, you might appreciate one moment of pure, abject terror.
- I wonder if you can refuse to inherit the world. I think if you're born, it's too late.
- It's amazing what they do with corrugated cardboard these days.
- What horrors we visit upon ourselves in the name of science.
- Why is it you always rip your pants on the day everyone has to demonstrate a math problem at the chalkboard?
- The living dead don't need to solve word problems.
- Of course real zombies never get the giggles while looking at each other.
- Reading goes faster if you don't sweat comprehension.
- I'm a dessertarian.
Not that many quotes, but the beginning of the "dad/politics" bit started in this collection. A classic. Not to mention the mating dance strip...
C - Dad, did you do a mating dance when you first saw mom? I saw some birds do it on TV. They went, 'AWK AWK BRAAU-AUUKKK!!'
D- Yes, that's more or less how I reacted.
M- To what wise guy?....think carefully.
Sure didn't quite get that at the time....
Monday, April 17, 2006
Short & Quick.....hey, mind out of the gutter there chief
Well, I tried to go to bed, but that didn't work out, just not sleepy enough.
Yes, yes, I know it has been quite a while since I have updated. Hopefully this is my re-begin-start-again time. Or something to that effect...
I found this short little thing on a friend's MySpace account, and figured I'd fill it out real quick.
favorite
1. band: Cowboy Mouth (www.cowboymouth.com)
2. word: Hammaad (Hammered in Bostoneese)
3. Vacation: Hmm, Panama City 2003 or DC/New York '99
w o r s t
1. Time of day: when the alarm clock goes off (good answer Sarah!)
2. Day of the week: Sundays as of late...
3. Food: cottage cheese....damn you Amy...
4. Memory: not sure i want to venture into this one. Why would I want to venture back through crappy times in my head to find out which memory I deem as the worst?
l a s t
1. Person you saw: my wittle sisto - Tina
2. Talked to on the phone: The manager at Old Chi
4. Text: Elizabeth
5. messaged over myspace: that would be Miss Sarah. I still remember way back in Sophmore year she was talking about getting her hair cut short. I thought this was a travesty as I love her red hair, and therefore, thought there should be more of it. Well, she did get it cut, and for the entire time I knew her she had fairly short hair. Well, i just saw a picture of her on myspace with hair well below her shoulders. Had to inform her that it looked beautiful!
t o d a y
1. What are you doing now: not sleeping
2. Wearing: t shirt, athletic shorts
3. Better than yesterday?: nah, had family time yesterday.
t o m o r r o w
1. Is: Tuesday
2. Got any plans: work, then Hooters Trivia Night. Believe it or not, I am basically being dragged there by some frineds who want a teammate that knows a lot of random junk. Of course I'm not arguing...
3. Goal: Get more done at work than I think I will, and win the Trivia Night
4. Dislikes about tomorrow: waking up... deciding what beer to drink...it's tough!
f a v o r i t e
1. Number: 7
2. Song: currently: Finger Eleven - One Thing, or B.U.S. - I Wanna Be There
3. Color: green
c u r r e n t l y
1. Missing someone: Claire and Amy, the old gang from the Dorms, the Fab Five
2. Mood: semi-apathetic
3. Wanting: sadly...a cuddle partner wouldnt be all bad...or a stiff vodka tonic to put me to bed, that wouldnt be bad either...
Well, maybe sleep wouldnt be all bad, dreaming of the old days. Wishing to be around a particular someone, etc, etc, etc.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
zzzz....i am sir RODNEY gimmelthorpe....KING of the wicker people.....zzzzzzzzzzz
Yes, yes, I know it has been quite a while since I have updated. Hopefully this is my re-begin-start-again time. Or something to that effect...
I found this short little thing on a friend's MySpace account, and figured I'd fill it out real quick.
favorite
1. band: Cowboy Mouth (www.cowboymouth.com)
2. word: Hammaad (Hammered in Bostoneese)
3. Vacation: Hmm, Panama City 2003 or DC/New York '99
w o r s t
1. Time of day: when the alarm clock goes off (good answer Sarah!)
2. Day of the week: Sundays as of late...
3. Food: cottage cheese....damn you Amy...
4. Memory: not sure i want to venture into this one. Why would I want to venture back through crappy times in my head to find out which memory I deem as the worst?
l a s t
1. Person you saw: my wittle sisto - Tina
2. Talked to on the phone: The manager at Old Chi
4. Text: Elizabeth
5. messaged over myspace: that would be Miss Sarah. I still remember way back in Sophmore year she was talking about getting her hair cut short. I thought this was a travesty as I love her red hair, and therefore, thought there should be more of it. Well, she did get it cut, and for the entire time I knew her she had fairly short hair. Well, i just saw a picture of her on myspace with hair well below her shoulders. Had to inform her that it looked beautiful!
t o d a y
1. What are you doing now: not sleeping
2. Wearing: t shirt, athletic shorts
3. Better than yesterday?: nah, had family time yesterday.
t o m o r r o w
1. Is: Tuesday
2. Got any plans: work, then Hooters Trivia Night. Believe it or not, I am basically being dragged there by some frineds who want a teammate that knows a lot of random junk. Of course I'm not arguing...
3. Goal: Get more done at work than I think I will, and win the Trivia Night
4. Dislikes about tomorrow: waking up... deciding what beer to drink...it's tough!
f a v o r i t e
1. Number: 7
2. Song: currently: Finger Eleven - One Thing, or B.U.S. - I Wanna Be There
3. Color: green
c u r r e n t l y
1. Missing someone: Claire and Amy, the old gang from the Dorms, the Fab Five
2. Mood: semi-apathetic
3. Wanting: sadly...a cuddle partner wouldnt be all bad...or a stiff vodka tonic to put me to bed, that wouldnt be bad either...
Well, maybe sleep wouldnt be all bad, dreaming of the old days. Wishing to be around a particular someone, etc, etc, etc.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
zzzz....i am sir RODNEY gimmelthorpe....KING of the wicker people.....zzzzzzzzzzz
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Art, Humor, & Philosophy
I firmly believe that I am an extremely eclectic person. My tastes tend to run the gamut in most anything one can have tastes for. Except maybe for food, but I'm working on that...
I also enjoy when many things I like can be found in one place. The combination of many things I like causes an exponential growth of enjoyment and love for said combination.
The best combination of Art, humor, and philosophy I have ever come across is Calvin and Hobbes. This sounds a bit odd to most of you, I'm sure. What about Catch-22 for example? It is funny, encroaches on the subject of a couple of philosophies, and is definitely a piece of literary art. Well, it is one of my favorite books. But I caught on to Calvin and Hobbes much earlier in life. Plus I'm a lot like both Calvin and Hobbes, and almost nothing like Yossarian, Major^4, Milo or any of the characters from C-22.
1) In it's later years, Bill Watterson was able to gain artistic independence of his strip due to its popularity. This only increased its popularity in that it differed from your usual Sunday strips and toed the line of mini-graphic novel. Anyone who has read his collections may have read the opening epic poems. The artwork in a couple of them are superb.
2) Sarcasm, wit, satire, metaphor, and downright stupidity are the forms of humor found in this creation. With that eclectic sense of humor, how could I not fall in love with it?
3) Philosophy. The characters of the comic are named after philosophers. "The philosophy of Thomas Hobbes is perhaps the most complete materialist philosophy of the 17th century. Hobbes rejects 'Cartesian dualism' and believes in the mortality of the soul. He rejects free will in favor of determinism, a determinism which treats freedom as being able to do what one desires."
(http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/philosophers/hobbes.html)
John Calvin or Jean Cauven "emphasizes that man is incapable of adding anything from himself to obtain salvation and that God alone is the initiator at every stage of salvation, including the formation of faith and every decision to follow Christ."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinism)
So not only did the comic cause me to look into the philosophies of these men, but it also portrayed the philosophies and observations of Bill Watterson himself, which I identify with readily. At some points in my life I wonder if it mirrors my thoughts, or helped shape them...
4) You know how many times I had to consult a dictionary to determine the meaning of words used in the comic?
5) You know how many times i had to consult and adult about the meaning of some sayings like,
'It says here religion is the opiate of the masses, what do you think that means?' and the TV set replies, '..it means Karl Marx hadn't seen anything yet...' C'mon, that's hilarious...
So, to make a long story short, in honor of this wonderful comic, that is so much more than just a comic, I am going to share my favorite quotes, musings, and words to live by, words to heed and learn by, etc. from Calvin and Hobbes. Collection by collection over who knows how many days. Here are the entries from the first and earliest collection, the self titled,
Calvin and Hobbes -
Foreward : Garry Trudeau (author of Doonesbury strip)
There are few wellsprings of humor more consistently reliable than the mind of a child. Most cartoonists, being childlike, recognize this, but when they set out to capture the hurly-burly of the very young, they almost always cheat, shamelessly creating not recognizable children, but highly annoying, wisecracking, miniature adults. Chalk it up to either indolence or defective recall, but most people who write comic dialogue for minors (up to and including the perpetrators of the Cosby "kids") demonstrate surprisingly little feel for -or faith in- the original source material, that is, childhood, in all its unfettered and winsome glory.
It is in this respect that Bill Watterson has proved as unusual as his feckless creations, Calvin and Hobbes. Watterson is the reporter who's gotten it right; childhood as it actually is, with its constantly shifting frames of reference. Anyone who's done time with a small child knows that reality can be highly situational. The utterance which an adult knows to be a "lie"; may well reflect a child's deepest conviction, at least at the moment it pops out. Fantasy is so accessible, and it is joined with such force and frequency, that resentful parents like Calvin's assume they are being manipulated, when the truth is far more frightening: they don't even exist. The child is both king and keeper of this realm, and he can be very choosey about the company he keeps.
Of course this exclusivity only provokes many grown-ups into trying to regain the serendipity of youth for themselves, to, in effect, retrieve the irretrievable. A desperate few do things that later land them in the Betty Ford Center.
The rest of us, more sensibly, read Calvin and Hobbes.
Quotes:
- You know you'll hate something when they won't tell you what it is.
- They lie. I lie.
- C - Do you believe in fate?
H - You mean, that our lives are predestined?
C - Yeah...that the things we do are inevitable.
H - What a scary thought!
- Leave it to a girl to take all the fun out of sex discrimination.
- Sometimes I think I learn more when I stay home from school.
- Ask a simple question, and get all your television privileges revoked.
- 2+7= I can not answer this question as it is against my religious principles.
- Girls have more delicate heinies.
- Never argue with a six-year-old who shaves.
- Tigers wreck the grade curve.
- What's a little extortion among friends?
- Maybe I can get a point for originality.
- You can never tell if they're listening or not.
- 5th Period - 'Studies in Contemporary State-Sponsored Terrorism' ...also known as gym class.
- Never criticize a guy with a razor.
- H ow come we play war and not peace? Too few role models.
- Little kids have no sense of humor.
- The world isn't fair. I know, but why isn't it ever unfair in my favor?
- It's hard to argue with someone who looks so happy.
- There's an inverse relationship between how good something is for you, and how much fun it is.
- If you can't win by reason, go for volume.
- Do you think there's a God? Well somebody's out to get me.
- This is what entertainment is all about...idiots, explosives, and falling anvils.
- Look, it says you have to be 18 to buy cigarettes. Eighteen?!? By then I'll know better!
- Trusting parents can be hazardous to your health.
- There's no problem so awful that you can't add some guilt to it and make it
even worse.
Reasons I identify with Hobbes:
From the strip a dog steals Hobbes.
-writ - Lost: My Tiger Hobbes.
-mom - Maybe you should describe him.
-writ - On the quiet side. Somewhat peculiar. A good companion in a weird sort of way.
- There's no sense impressing girls and then getting killed.
- I can never stay on a diet in a restaurant.
- That's the trouble with weapons technology. It becomes obsolete so quickly.
- You know what I like about summer days? They're just made for doing things, even if it's nothing. Especially if it's nothing.
- It's fun to mess with their minds.
- ...what I put up with to pay for college...
- Who needs jerks like him anyway? I don't need him for a friend. I can have fun by myself. Poop.
- I always forget. If you ask a mom, you get a worse case scenario.
Well, that's it so far. Should I keep going? Let me know what you think...
I also enjoy when many things I like can be found in one place. The combination of many things I like causes an exponential growth of enjoyment and love for said combination.
The best combination of Art, humor, and philosophy I have ever come across is Calvin and Hobbes. This sounds a bit odd to most of you, I'm sure. What about Catch-22 for example? It is funny, encroaches on the subject of a couple of philosophies, and is definitely a piece of literary art. Well, it is one of my favorite books. But I caught on to Calvin and Hobbes much earlier in life. Plus I'm a lot like both Calvin and Hobbes, and almost nothing like Yossarian, Major^4, Milo or any of the characters from C-22.
1) In it's later years, Bill Watterson was able to gain artistic independence of his strip due to its popularity. This only increased its popularity in that it differed from your usual Sunday strips and toed the line of mini-graphic novel. Anyone who has read his collections may have read the opening epic poems. The artwork in a couple of them are superb.
2) Sarcasm, wit, satire, metaphor, and downright stupidity are the forms of humor found in this creation. With that eclectic sense of humor, how could I not fall in love with it?
3) Philosophy. The characters of the comic are named after philosophers. "The philosophy of Thomas Hobbes is perhaps the most complete materialist philosophy of the 17th century. Hobbes rejects 'Cartesian dualism' and believes in the mortality of the soul. He rejects free will in favor of determinism, a determinism which treats freedom as being able to do what one desires."
(http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/philosophers/hobbes.html)
John Calvin or Jean Cauven "emphasizes that man is incapable of adding anything from himself to obtain salvation and that God alone is the initiator at every stage of salvation, including the formation of faith and every decision to follow Christ."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinism)
So not only did the comic cause me to look into the philosophies of these men, but it also portrayed the philosophies and observations of Bill Watterson himself, which I identify with readily. At some points in my life I wonder if it mirrors my thoughts, or helped shape them...
4) You know how many times I had to consult a dictionary to determine the meaning of words used in the comic?
5) You know how many times i had to consult and adult about the meaning of some sayings like,
'It says here religion is the opiate of the masses, what do you think that means?' and the TV set replies, '..it means Karl Marx hadn't seen anything yet...' C'mon, that's hilarious...
So, to make a long story short, in honor of this wonderful comic, that is so much more than just a comic, I am going to share my favorite quotes, musings, and words to live by, words to heed and learn by, etc. from Calvin and Hobbes. Collection by collection over who knows how many days. Here are the entries from the first and earliest collection, the self titled,
Calvin and Hobbes -
Foreward : Garry Trudeau (author of Doonesbury strip)
There are few wellsprings of humor more consistently reliable than the mind of a child. Most cartoonists, being childlike, recognize this, but when they set out to capture the hurly-burly of the very young, they almost always cheat, shamelessly creating not recognizable children, but highly annoying, wisecracking, miniature adults. Chalk it up to either indolence or defective recall, but most people who write comic dialogue for minors (up to and including the perpetrators of the Cosby "kids") demonstrate surprisingly little feel for -or faith in- the original source material, that is, childhood, in all its unfettered and winsome glory.
It is in this respect that Bill Watterson has proved as unusual as his feckless creations, Calvin and Hobbes. Watterson is the reporter who's gotten it right; childhood as it actually is, with its constantly shifting frames of reference. Anyone who's done time with a small child knows that reality can be highly situational. The utterance which an adult knows to be a "lie"; may well reflect a child's deepest conviction, at least at the moment it pops out. Fantasy is so accessible, and it is joined with such force and frequency, that resentful parents like Calvin's assume they are being manipulated, when the truth is far more frightening: they don't even exist. The child is both king and keeper of this realm, and he can be very choosey about the company he keeps.
Of course this exclusivity only provokes many grown-ups into trying to regain the serendipity of youth for themselves, to, in effect, retrieve the irretrievable. A desperate few do things that later land them in the Betty Ford Center.
The rest of us, more sensibly, read Calvin and Hobbes.
Quotes:
- You know you'll hate something when they won't tell you what it is.
- They lie. I lie.
- C - Do you believe in fate?
H - You mean, that our lives are predestined?
C - Yeah...that the things we do are inevitable.
H - What a scary thought!
- Leave it to a girl to take all the fun out of sex discrimination.
- Sometimes I think I learn more when I stay home from school.
- Ask a simple question, and get all your television privileges revoked.
- 2+7= I can not answer this question as it is against my religious principles.
- Girls have more delicate heinies.
- Never argue with a six-year-old who shaves.
- Tigers wreck the grade curve.
- What's a little extortion among friends?
- Maybe I can get a point for originality.
- You can never tell if they're listening or not.
- 5th Period - 'Studies in Contemporary State-Sponsored Terrorism' ...also known as gym class.
- Never criticize a guy with a razor.
- H ow come we play war and not peace? Too few role models.
- Little kids have no sense of humor.
- The world isn't fair. I know, but why isn't it ever unfair in my favor?
- It's hard to argue with someone who looks so happy.
- There's an inverse relationship between how good something is for you, and how much fun it is.
- If you can't win by reason, go for volume.
- Do you think there's a God? Well somebody's out to get me.
- This is what entertainment is all about...idiots, explosives, and falling anvils.
- Look, it says you have to be 18 to buy cigarettes. Eighteen?!? By then I'll know better!
- Trusting parents can be hazardous to your health.
- There's no problem so awful that you can't add some guilt to it and make it
even worse.
Reasons I identify with Hobbes:
From the strip a dog steals Hobbes.
-writ - Lost: My Tiger Hobbes.
-mom - Maybe you should describe him.
-writ - On the quiet side. Somewhat peculiar. A good companion in a weird sort of way.
- There's no sense impressing girls and then getting killed.
- I can never stay on a diet in a restaurant.
- That's the trouble with weapons technology. It becomes obsolete so quickly.
- You know what I like about summer days? They're just made for doing things, even if it's nothing. Especially if it's nothing.
- It's fun to mess with their minds.
- ...what I put up with to pay for college...
- Who needs jerks like him anyway? I don't need him for a friend. I can have fun by myself. Poop.
- I always forget. If you ask a mom, you get a worse case scenario.
Well, that's it so far. Should I keep going? Let me know what you think...
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Ladies & Gents, Roly Poly
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce an eating establishment that now graces my top five places to dine,
Roly Poly Sandwiches.
Ok, the name is a little confusing. They do wraps, hence the Roly Poly, but not really sandwiches. But semantics aside...
Most folks know I used to not be much of a...gourmond, foodie, bon vivant, choose your term. I still wouldn't consider myself one, but I am branching. This place was fantastic. Here's why...
1) Setup. The setup is sort of Subway-esque. A fairly small place, slightly cramped. All the makings aren't right there in front of you, but you can still see what is going on. Funny paintings on the wall, nice atmosphere.
2) Extensive menu. Many different hot or cold styles to choose from, including Philly Melt, Veggie Fajita, Delhi Chicken, and Thanksgiving. I've had the chicken caeser a couple of times, and both times the lettuce was very fresh, the caeser not anchovy-y at all, and the chicken was of high quality. Anyone who can do a really good caeser is more than ok in my book.
3) Price. The 6" or half size ranges from $3.50 to $3.95, and the 12" or whole size ranges from $5.25 to $6.95. Combo with chips and drink adds $1.75, combo with soup and drink adds $2.95. Pretty decent prices especially considering...
4) Size. I don't think even I could do a full size unless I was EXTREMELY hungry. If you were to undo the wrap and put it on a plate, even the half size chicken caeser has more to it than some salads I've had at other restaurants. So a six inch wrap, drink and soup is less than 7 bucks, considering the quality of food, a pretty good deal.
5) Service. I'm sure things were helped by the fact we got wonderful service from Mion.
6) Competitively priced party platters. Five 12" Roly Poly's cut into quarters for 34 bucks.
7) The ingredients. Wow, I've never seen some of these choices anywhere. White, wheat, or low carb wrap. 16 different dressings or spreads including basil mayo, balsamic vinaigrette, and sesame dressing. 16 different veggies including chopped scallions, alfalfa sprouts, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and sliced avocado. 9 cheeses, even Brie! 12 different meats including salmon, and curried chicken salad. Then there are the 'Other Stuffs'. Pineapple chunks, cashews, mango chutney, capers, cornbread stuffing, red pepper hummus, raisins, apple butter, sunflower seeds, cranberry sauce, peanut butter and grape jelly. Yes, you could make a peanut butter and jelly wrap if you wish.
8) The convenient box lunch! A chocolate chip cookie, any menu rolled sandwich, and a bag of chips for 6 bucks! Which they will deliver! Fantastico! I have already enjoyed this item a couple of times for lunch at work.
Try it out sometime people, I highly recommend it! Especially you Sarah, considering your well documented affinity for the wonderful creation called the burrito. These wraps should be right up your alley.
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