2012: Week Six

Wow! Can it really be 35 years ago that I stood in line for 5 hours in order to watch the first 'Star Wars' movie? The line of people wrapped around the movie theater several times must have looked like a coiled snake as seen from above. Standing in line in July in San Antonio, Texas is not what I'd necessarily describe as a 'picnic' either. The Century South 6 theater was relatively state-of-the-art back in 1977, as I remember. The movie 'Star Wars' was the most amazing combination of cinematography and special effects we had ever seen back then.

This week I donned a pair of high tech 3D recycle shades and didn't have to wait even 2 minutes to catch all the action thanks to the pre-pay convenience of Fandango. 'The Phantom Menace' appeared on the big screen larger than life, while I rocked in  an over-stuffed stadium seat complete with drink holder, munching on peanut M&Ms.

I fully expect that 35 years from now I will be watching another version of the same saga on some new-fangled technology of the future, probably accessed completely out of thin air with a variety of interactive endings to select.  All the while, though, I will be fondly remembering the 'cinnamon rolls' hairdo of Princess Leia from that first movie back in 1977. Check out 'Hardware Wars' on YouTube for a tongue-in-cheek parody on the original movie. It might be just be goofy enough to make you smile.



©2012 Debbie Ballard (text only)

2012: Week Five

As Neptune (the consumate dissolver) lurked over the last degree vestiges of Aquarius (which rules electronics), I watched in a somewhat horrified and semi-shocked state as a light fixture, 2-month-old computer #4 and a 4-door, 3-way refrigerator/ freezer all went up in smoke. It was as if he lingered in the quagmire between his toes before finally dipping his big toe in to the sign of (where it belongs) Pisces on February 3rd,  and where he will remain for the next 14 years. From someone who has a very prominent Neptune in their natal horoscope with a natural modus operandi for all things happening beyond the veil, all I can say is "come on in, the water is fine." Oh, and this little, tiny, itsy-bitsy post only took a little over 4 hours to accomplish on computer #3...no wonder I have lots and lots of silver-gray hair.

©2012 Debbie Ballard (text only)

This week can best be summed up by this song made famous by singer/songwriter Alanis Morissette:

"Ironic"

An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
And isn't it ironic... don't you think

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures

Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
"Well isn't this nice..."
And isn't it ironic... don't you think

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures

Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up
In your face

A traffic jam when you're already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic...don't you think
A little too ironic...and, yeah, I really do think...

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures

Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
Life has a funny, funny way of helping you out
Helping you out...

http://youtu.be/Nm-1xvWibt0