This past weekend, for the first time in a loooong time, I had a Saturday morning free. The family was out and I used the time to clean the house and begin my Halloween decorating. I pulled out my Edgar Allan Poe paraphernalia and went to work. In addition to this space I also have some items on the table behind my couch. In the process I decided to paint my old wicker birdcage black as it better fits the mood.
I’ve always liked this book, The Poe Reader, with its cover picture of a raven wing. My little black bird isn’t exactly a raven but I like the image of the book looking like a feather that has fallen from the raven on to the floor of the cage. We shopped on Sunday and bought a few more Halloween decorations and I have yet to purchase pumpkins or set up my Nightmare Before Christmas stuff so there is still some work to do.
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Saturday afternoon Mary and I went to see Serenity with Dominique, who had not seen it and Mary’s cousin Craig who had never watched Firefly. This was the third viewing for me and I enjoyed it even more than the second viewing. I paid more attention to the music this time which is phenomenal. The music pays homage to the acoustic Firefly theme song in tone and spirit. As a science fiction western some of the music has a melancholy tone symbolic of the loneliness of the open plain, or open space as it were. For Firefly/Serenity geeks I recommend this book:
Serenity: The Official Visual Companion is a nice, relatively inexpensive book published by Titan Books. The book contains behind the scenes photos, conceptual artwork, a number of short interviews with Joss Whedon on various aspects of the film and the entire shooting script. It was cool to go back and look at parts of the script after seeing the movie to check out lines that we missed or couldn’t remember. I borrowed Jeff’s copy (he’s the geek, not me!!! 🙂 ) and Mary and I both enjoyed reading it (darn, just blew that whole “I’m not a geek” thing). In it Joss Whedon refers to Serenity as a science fiction western noir action suspense drama which is as apt a description as I’ve read. There is also a Serenity magazine out at bookstores now for $9.95 that has a ton of pictures and individual interviews with cast members…a must-have for any Browncoat.
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In my October 1st post I mentioned that October baseball has become one of my great loves and this October has been no exception. My hopes for a Red Sox/Yankees reunion were dashed when the White Sox swept the Red Sox in their Divisional Series. It was with great joy then that I watched the Yankees (one of the few teams I openly despise) get beat in game 5 of their Divisional Series by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (what a ridiculous name) last night.
If you didn’t catch it the game was much, much closer than the 5-3 score indicates. In the top of the 9th the Yankees began loading the bases. A timely double play made it 2 outs with nobody on. Then the Yankees started loading the bases again. I just knew the Angels were going to gift wrap the series for the Yankees but a ground out to first ended it all and I can enjoy the playoffs without fear of the Yanks winning a World Series!
Of course at this point I’m not sure who to root for. Being a Missourian I will of course root for the Cardinals…especially since I feel guilty about rooting for the Red Sox last year. But hey, the reverse the curse story was too good not to root for. The other series is more tricky. Having just spent 5 games pulling for the Angels I’d like to be on their bandwagon, but the White Sox haven’t won a series since 1917 and I’m more inclined to root for history. Either way a Yankee-free ALCS and World Series is like a gift from heaven!
Hope everyone is enjoying their October!
My favorite teams are the Royals and whoever is playing the Yankees.
Down with Steinbrenner!
I’m with you all way James!!!
you had my attention till you started talking about baseball.. it’s right up there with golf as far as excitement goes.. zip. lol
You just haven’t watched it in the right atmosphere with the right people Angela! 🙂
I really enjoy baseball. My friend Elizabeth has always been a huge fan and after years of being with James – I am officially converted. I love going to the ballpark, although it’s a rare occurence.
Hey, come on now, golf is fun. Playing, that is.
I can’t wait to see photographs of your Halloween decorations!
I need to get a digital camera. I’m woefully behind the times and all my friends are cool and have digitals and I’m still in the dark ages.
Well, you can get a digital camera but you are out of luck in the cool department.
Sorry man.
i live in NY. there are no words to describe how sick i am of hearing about the yankees. good riddance, i say.
digging the halloween decorations. most i’ve done was to artfully pile the light-up skulls & bones at the top of the hall stairs (i inherited them from mysfit.)
oh, & take the Lite-Brite out of the closet in the vague hopes of doing something with it.
I have many fond memories of Lite-Brite. If you do anything with it you’ll have to post pics on the Tourist site.
James, your heartfelt honesty is touching and very much appreciated. 😉
Jimmy, haven’t you heard? Nerds are the new chic!
Carl’s ok in my book.
I can give you one reason for NOT rooting for the White Sox – their crazy manager, Ozzie. He actually gave the CHOKE sign to the Cleveland crowd. Classless….
The official Angel name translates to The The Angels Angels of Anaheim.
I don’t know Shannin, the whole ‘psycho-manager’ angle may actually push me to root for the Sox just to see what kind of shenannigans he pulls in the big game!
And when you put it like that the Angels’ name is even more ridiculous.
Carl, I love your shrine to Poe!
Now loving Serenity more after seeing it a third time compared to the second time doesn’t have anything to do with seeing it with me the second time now does it? 🙂
As for baseball I also hate the Yankee’s due to there beating of the Royals numerous times back in the late 70’s divisional series. I also am a Kansan thus I’m allowed to root against the Cardinals. Go Astro’s plus I love watching ” The Rocket ” still dominate. He is the greatest pitcher I’ve ever seen. His performance against the Braves in that 18 inning game was incredible on only two days rest. Games like that are the reason people fall in love with baseball.
That was indeed a great game, and no to your Serenity question…I was very, very tired by the end of it though and being more awake and alert on the third viewing increased my enjoyment quite a bit.
Fifth viewing of Serenity is the best 🙂
I finally managed to discover why Mal gets injected. Can’t believe I missed the “innocked” line on all my previous viewings. And the fact that you can hear Morena in The Operative’s first scene. Totally agree with you re the music. Downloaded the four tracks from the uk site a while ago, but only recently started listening to them. And together with the Firefly soundtrack they all put me in a good mood during my walk to work. I’m waiting for my visual companion to arrive. I had to order it from the book shop.
love your hallowe’en display, but have no idea what all that baseball stuf was about 🙂 Hell, bits of Friday Night Lights still confuse me cause I haven’t a clue about the rules of American Football.
Since baseball is “America’s past-time” I totally understand why that isn’t a big draw over in Ireland.
5 times! Way to go, Fence. I would congratulate you for doing your part to finance Whedon’s next film but you have that free movie pass thing. Glad you’re giving it moral support anyway! I had caught that innoculation line the second time I saw the flick and will have to listen for Inara the next time I see it.
All I can think is, I love tiny pumpkins!
Also, took Jason to see W&G this weekend for his birthday. We loved it, of course, as we knew we would, because we love everything else of theirs!
Your tiny-pumpkin-love is in good company hear! Glad you enjoyed Wallace and Gromit. It is such a fun little movie and, despite the cost, worth seeing in the theatre.