Quilts, Movies, Rock Star Wannabes, and Bad Writing

Quilt Stuff I did as I promised myself I would. I worked in the Stooooodio most of the day Wednesday, which meant I allowed my WIC to play hooky yesterday. (More on that later.) I finished three small (VERY small) things, but am not going to post pics just yet because they're all on their way other places now and I don't want to ruin the fun. Stay tuned... I also made a list this morning of "quilts I need to finish" which also just happens to be "quilts I need to start" (heh) and have to say I'm feeling a weeee bit overwhelmed. But on the positive side, none of these things I've committed to do are large and once I get an idea I like I'm pretty speedy at the ironing board and sewing machine. It's the "getting an idea I like" that's the tricky part. I DO have ideas for a couple of the things on the list, so I plan to start something today. However that pesky housework thing is going to have to be tackled sometime today too, at least for a little while. A passing-through friend of my hubby may be stopping off here this weekend and at the moment the house is disgusting. J doesn't share my attitude that we should just name the dust bunnies and keep them as pets. Go figure. I've grown quite attached to Ralph and Julio, the nice dust bunny couple under my desk. And since J is off earning money to keep the roof over my head, as well as the heads of Ralph and Julio (assuming dust bunnies HAVE heads, that is), I guess the cleaning thing is up to me. Bleah. Movie Stuff I went to see "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" yesterday. I liked it. I didn't love it in an "omigawd this is the greatest thing ever and I must now buy it on DVD and watch it eleventy-seven times" sort of way, but I liked it. The visuals were very interesting....reminded me a bit of the "Lemony Snicket" movie. I now find myself wondering how long it will be before some theme park somewhere has a "Wonka Chocolate Factory" ride, with people riding a big pink seahorse boat down a chocolate-colored river. Rock Star: INXS Stuff again Out of courtesy to Tonya, who is getting the show a day later than those of us in the US, I waited a day to dish on the elimination show. (Hi Tonya!) The things that surprised me: *That Jessica was in the bottom three. I've said before I think she's one of the weakest contestants, but I didn't think she deserved to be there THIS week. *That JD wasn't in the bottom three. He SO deserved to be there this week. *That Jessica pulled her finger out and gave a much better-than-usual performance and bought herself at least another week. *That INXS let Heather go. I'm not saying she didn't deserve it. She did. I think by a couple of weeks into the thing she didn't really want it anymore and it showed. But I still thought they'd dump Daphna and keep Heather around a bit longer. The thing that didn't surprise me: *The continuing parade of HIDEOUSLY bad fashion, especially by most of the female contestants!!! What's up with that anyway? I mean, yeah, it's rock and roll. There's supposed to be A Look to what you wear onstage and that Look isn't supposed to be the same as what you'd wear to the grocery store, or to church, or a corporate job interview. I get that. Really I do. But here's the thing. While I understand that Sex Sells, that doesn't mean you have to look like you're selling it cheap. Don't go for "give me $20 and I'll meet you in the alley". Go for "if you have to ask, you can't afford it"!! Do they really think that a successful, established band is going to want to hire someone who looks like she shops at Ho's R Us? Please. I'm not so bothered by the male contestants clothes, but the hair...sweet mother, the hair. From Brandon's "I shower once a month, whether I need it or not" grunge-head to Ty's "stuck in the '80's" spiked mohawk, it makes me wish that Tim Farriss really WAS related to Nick Arrojo, as Debra speculated, so he could help these guys out. Meow, meow, I think I'll go have a saucer of milk now. :-) Wonderfully Bad Writing Stuff And finally, for a bit of Friday Fun, check out the 2005 winners of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. It's a challenge to write the WORST opening sentence for a book EVER. It's named for Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, who wrote this little gem in the 19th century:

"It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents--except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness." --Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, Paul Clifford (1830)

The winning entry this year was by a man named Dan McKay, who wrote an opening sentence comparing a woman's breasts to carburetors. I really loved the Purple Prose winners too, especially the one by Kristin Harbuck of Bozeman, MT. And while you're there, be sure to check out the link to the Shakespearean Insults page. Love those!