If I recall - I have posted this poem before. But it is one of my favorites so I'm going to post it again.
~~~~~~~
In winter I get up at night~~~And dress by yellow candlelight.~~~In summer quite the other way,~~~
I have to go to bed by day.~~~~~~~I have to go to bed and see~~~The birds still hopping on the tree.~~~Or hear the grown-up people's feet~~~Still going past me in the street.~~~~~~And does it not seem hard to you~~~~When all the sky is clear and blue.~~~And I should like so much to play~~~To have to go to bed by day?~~~~~~Robert Louis Stevenson
74 comments:
Lol. Stevenson never lived in Alaska :-)
Anyways...
I've always been a night owl and it used to kill me to go to bed in summer when I was a kid.
Argghhh!
I wanted to stay up at least until it got dark...
Cube - I think it is cruel for kids having to go to bed in daylight. That's why my daughter puts a dark blanket over the window - and so did I.
Stevenson has a childish way about him. He also wrote a poem about going up in a swing - which is another one of my favorites.
I don't think it's cruel, maybe just annoying for a kid to have to go to bed during daylight.
I was always a night owl so it didn't matter if it was dark or not.
I never wanted to go to bed. I just wanted to watch monster movies all night.
Cube - Ok. Maybe cruel was too strong a word. But it must be hard for most kids to go to bed in the daylight.
So you just wanted to watch monster movies. There are some pretty good ones out there. I just like to watch sci-fi movies.
Sometimes the two overlap.
Absolutely. My sister loves splatter movies, but I'll put up with gore if there's a scary story behind it.
I think Alien is an example of a great sci-fi movie, a great horror movie, and a great psychological drama as well.
I love it and so does my niece. Ripley is our hero.
Cube - I have watched Alien, Aliens and Aliens 3 more than once.
Ripley is my hero too.
Alien and Aliens were both good.
Alien 3 was different but it had its good moments. Especially when Ripley does a backwards swan dive into the firey liquid.
I'm not a crier by nature... I didn't cry at "Love Story", but I must admit I got misty when Ripley took that header into the magma pit.
Have you watched Alien:Resurrection? That's #4 in the series. Ripley becomes a half human half alien clone and she becomes very powerful as a result.
It's better than #3. I especially loved the basketball scene. Check it out. It's probably on Netflix.
Cube - I didn't cry at Love Story either. Same here when Ripley did the backward swan dive.
Yes I've seen Alien Resurrection. I didn't care for it so much. Although I liked the ending when she said 'I'm a stranger here myself.'
Ripley is a strong figure. I liked her in the Alien series. That's the best things she did.
I agree that #4 wasn't as good because Ripley wasn't an average person anymore, and that's what I loved about the character in the first place... that any one of us could, under certain circumstances, rise up and take control of a bad situation.
My niece, who is a big Alien fan, is so jealous of the fact that I saw the original Alien at the theater when it first came out in 1979.
We've been de-clutterizing our house recently, and I found my old Ripley pants. The best thing is that after thirty five years they still fit. I'm really psyched about that.
Cube - Although I never saw the original Alien movie when it came out - I can clearly remember it being discussed by my husband's fellow army officers at a party.
It wasn't until much later that I found out what they were talking about. I think that first one was the best - although the second one was pretty entertaining.
Lucky for you that you can still wear your Ripley pants. That's got to give you a real boost.
I'm curious to know what the military guys thought about it at that time. I mean here's an average woman, with a child, doing her job, who is thrust into this horrible situation that she overcomes.
Remember, by the time Alien #2 came along, Ripley had been in deep space stasis for so long her daughter had already died and she connected with little Newt whom I thought was precious. That humanized her character to me. It was a brilliant stroke to filmdom... is that a word? ;-)
I enjoyed #2 very much. I especially loved those Marines.
I didn't like #3 very much, #4 was alright, but did you ever see the prequel Prometheus? It's how it all started.
Cube - The military officers were discussing Alien like it was something unbelievable. I remember hearing them say the alien burst through her stomach or chest - whichever it was.
I think filmdom is a word. I saw the part where she finds out her daughter has died. And Newt did humanize her character - you are right about that.
I liked #2 very much also. It was very entertaining.
#3 was hard to like - except for the ending. I didn't like that they killed off Newt.
I'e never heard of the prequel Prometheus.
OK, now I'm going to pester you to watch "Prometheus" the same way my
my niece pestered me to watch it. It's the sequel to Alien and I think this heroine will be the predecessor to Ripley if the movies continue.
BTW this actor is the same woman in the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo movies.
The c-section scene was unforgettable. I know cause I had one.
OK, now I'm going to pester you to watch "Prometheus" the same way my
my niece pestered me to watch it. It's the sequel to Alien and I think this heroine will be the predecessor to Ripley if the movies continue.
BTW this actor is the same woman in the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo movies.
The c-section scene was unforgettable. I know cause I had one.
No, not the sequel to "Alien", but the prequel. Sorry. I type faster than I think sometimes.
Cube - I wonder why I haven't heard of Prometheus. Is it really the prequel to Alien or just a movie that seems to be. I may have to try to find it and watch it.
No thanks on the c-section scene.
I'm sorry you had to have one but I don't think I want to watch that.
I haven't seen the Dragon Tattoo movies so I don't know who that actor is.
I'll share a story with you... my mother in law was down from Cape Cod for a visit. She asked me about the book I was reading and it happened to be "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo". I warned her that there was some sexual violence in it and she countered by saying that she wasn't a prude.
Anyway, she went on to read all three novels and loved them all. She's been asking me for more book recommendations ever since.
My husband found out and asked me why I was recommending pornography to his mother.
I said, first, it wasn't pornography and, second, your mom had five kids in six years so I think she knows about sex.
I think if you enjoyed the Alien films, you will enjoy Prometheus, despite the c-section scene. It's not that graphic. I think it's worse for women who have undergone the procedure.
I think you'll like the fact that the heroine, i.e., the woman in "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" movies, is very Ripley-esque in "Prometheus" and my niece, who's a huge Alien fan, pestered me until I watched it. She wanted my take on the beginning of Alien.
It's not a rom-com, but still an interesting move.
Cube - That is a good story about your mother-in-law. I think too often we don't want to admit that our parents know about sex.
I'll keep my eye out for Prometheus. I am very curious about the origns of the alien movies.
How is the weather in your part of Florida? We are having unsusally mild weather for this time of year.
I'm going to watch the Alien movies again. I miss Ripley.
When I was younger I thought that my parents had only had sex four times... I have three siblings.
When I was even younger, I was shocked when I found out that teachers used the bathroom.
You live and you learn.
Re: Prometheus. Some people say that it didn't answer enough prequel questions. I think they left some ambiguity for a sequel to the prequel.
Our weather is pretty hot. Other places in the country might be hotter temperature-wise, but it's a dryer heat than ours. We get a lot of humidity here at this time of year.
We can have a thunderstorm one minute and the next minute, the sun will be baking us.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I answered your question re: the chakrum. It's a round weapon used by Xena, the Warrior Princess. I posted a picture at my blog.
Cube - I have this old book that says about what you did. If a woman was pregnant with twins - it meant that she did it twice.
I wonder what we think now that is not correct.
Little kids think of their teachers as only in the classroom.
They can't believe it if they see them in a grocery store or other places.
I can't believe what mild weather we are having at the end of July.
Plenty of rain and temps in the
70's. Humidity can be really uncomfortable.
Thanks for the definition of what a chakrum is. I'll check out the picture.
Seriously? That book is crazy.
I've had some science training in the interim, and I know the know the difference between monozygotic and dizygotic twins... they mostly take just one sexual event in humans.
If you're talking about a dog or a cat, then heteropaternal superfecundation can occur and that involves more than one act.
I'm sorry to get so technical, but I was just a little girl when I thought those things. I've live and I've learned.
We've had a relatively cool summer for us... I know there's humidity and all, but it seems cooler than past summers.
Cube - Whatever you say I have to agree with - since I don't know what those terms mean.
That's what I get for connecting up with a scientist!
I wonder if August is going to be hot since we have had such a mild July. I hope not. Even September can be bad.
Seriously, that made me laugh.
You should know better by now... Didn't your mom warn you about hanging out with people obsessed by science? ;-)
*still laughing*
Anyway, the weather has been crazy here. It's hot, but I'm thinking it's not as hot as it usually has been. Last year was like that, too, and I didn't like it.
I've been living in Florida since 1968 and I remember it being much hotter during past summers. I don't get it.
I'm trying to get as much pool time from what's left of this summer because I foresee a cold winter coming and it's going to come sooner rather than later.
Cube - No - my mother didn't warn me about people like you. My dad was more scientific than my mother. At least he was sci-fi-tific. (not a word.)He read all of the sci-fi paperbacks he could get his hands on. I think that's where I get my sci-fi side from.
I hope you are wrong about this winter being rough. I wish it could be like this year round.
It is so nice.
I was joking about the science thing. Of course there's nothing wrong with loving science. Some of the best people I've ever known were obsessed with science.
Many of them were also sci-fi fans and there's nothing wrong with that either. I'm one of them.
I'm also a fan of horror movies. Not that I think there's anything wrong with that.
Not all of us like rom-com movies. Seriously, you put one in the DVR and chances are I'll fall asleep. I guess I'm just not wired that way.
Cube - What are rom-com movies?
I am one that loves sci-fi movies.
There just aren't enough good ones.
I think it's great that you love science. I'm just not one who does. I'm more of the type that loves music and art.
Rom-com is an abbreviation for a romantic comedy. There's nothing wrong with that, it just doesn't float my boat.
I agree that there aren't enough good sci-fi movies. Maybe Guardians of the Galaxy, which just came out, will be one of the ones we will enjoy. Misfits unite!
My favorite subjects had to do with science, but I think my education was well rounded enough that I learned an appreciation for the arts, as well.
I had a humanities professor who counseled that I change majors. When I explained that I was getting good grades in my science classes too, he still insisted I change. I think he was biased, but in a sweet way. He liked my art work and we got into some spirited discussions over form versus function.
It was all good.
Cube - I'm not big on romantic comedies myself. Too much like chix-flixs.
That's good that you got the rounded education. Science and art together. I just didn't get into science - although I did enjoy reading Einstein - can't remember the author just now.
Same one who wrote Steve Jobs. I read that too and thought it was good. I like to read biographies.
I never liked "coming of age" movies even when I was coming of age. I was never really a fan of rom-coms when I was dating. I guess I just wasn't a fan of others telling me how to do it.
I figured it out by myself.
Now, if you want to make a coming of age movie AND throw in a monster, I'll take a look. ;-)
Cube - Even though early on I attended 'coming of age' movies I never really liked them. I always liked sci-fi movies best. And yes-those with monsters in them suited me.
I just wish there would be better sci-fi movies coming out. They are hard to find.
Before I met my husband, I dated a man who always wanted to surprise me on dates, i.e., he always wanted to control the situation.
One night the surprise was going to watch "Grease" and, although I did enjoy the movie, he was upset because I liked the 'bad' Olivia Newton John character better than the 'good' one from the beginning of the movie.
Seriously?
Needless to say, I figured out we were totally incompatible and I broke up with him.
Easy come, easy go.
Are you just into sci-fi movies or are you a fan of horror movies, too? We should make a list of our favorites.
Cube - The guy didn't deserve you if he judged you over the bad Olivia Newton character. You were right to dump him.
I can take horror movies depending what they are. But I'm definitely into sci-fi movies.
The alien movies are the top of my list. I loved 2001 A Space Oddessy (sp) and I thought the second one was good too.
Although I didn't watch them a lot I think the Star Trek series were good.
I am a fan of the Star Wars series.
Let me know what horror movies you liked.
He was a real cutie, but I just couldn't be myself around him and I knew there wasn't a future in the relationship.
Of course I loved the Alien series of films and the 2001 series, as well.
As far as horror movies go, I was a fan of the Hammer films and so much more. I do remember "The Reptile" scared the devil out of me when I was a kid.
As an adult, when I talk about horror movies, I mean something like "30 Days Of Night." These vampires make Dracula look like a cartoon figure.
Viewer discretion is advised ;-)
Loved the Star Wars movies as well. Can't wait to see the new ones with the old characters.
Cube - Gotta watch out for the cuties. They aren't always the ones you want to stay with. You made the right decision - I think.
I'm not big on vampire movies - however I did like 30 days of night.
I just went out and found a better cutie... one that didn't feel the need to change me.
Cube - Good for you. By any chance is that cutie the one you are married to?
Well, there were some cuties in between, but I did pick my current
cutie in 1982... 32 years of marriage in September. Not a bad run, eh?
Cube - Not bad - not bad at all.
There aren't too many marriages that last that long these days - are there.
Starting on Friday I am going to be laid up after having foot surgery for a bunion. This computer is downstairs and I don't know how soon I will be able to get down the stairs. So if you don't hear from me - that's why. Think about me now and then. I'm not sure how it's going to be. But I'll be back before too long.
Take care.
Thanks for letting me know. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
I'd loan you my lap top if I could.
Cube - I'm still here until Friday. My husband has a laptop but I have trouble using it so I stick with the big one downstairs.
Thanks for your good wishes.
Look, it's Friday and I know what's going on. I hope you're holding up OK. I'm thinking of you and wishing you a speedy recovery.
Hi Cube - I'm back. Surgery went well. I about went nuts with the cast on. Cast is off now and I'm going nuts with the walking cast on. There's no pleasing me.
I hope all is well with you and that you have had a great couple of weeks while I've been gone.
Glad all went well. Surgery and its aftermath are never good so don't feel bad about fussing over it. Nobody agrees with any of it except, if you're lucky, getting better and moving on with your life. That's the good part.
Everything is good here except I have a minor head cold. Not a big deal. My oldest daughter caught it, spread it to my youngest, and for the first time in several years, I caught it.
Trying to keep it away from hubby.
Cube - Thanks for the encouraging words. I'm still fussing over it.
I thought I'd be happy to get the cast off - and I am - but this darn boot is giving me trouble.
I need to get on with my life - as you said. And not dwell on it.
Sorry about your head cold. I never get them - just sinus problems. That can be bad too.
It's good to be back on the computer again.
It will get better, but for now, try to distract yourself from thinking about THE BOOT. Read a good book. Watch a great TV series on Netflix or some good movies. Talk to your blog buddies. It's good to have you back.
The head cold is very minor and I'm feeling much better. It's just annoying to be all stuffed up, but I'm finally off the DayQuil. I'm on the mend.
Allergies plague me, but I can't remember the last time I had a cold. So I had a good run. I can't complain too much.
Cube - I am doing things to distract myself from thinking about the Boot. I actually have a couple of good books I'm reading.
I watch a little of a movie each day. Spending some time on the computer each day. It's good to be off of the cast when it was restricting me so much.
I've never had allergies but I know that can be such a pain.
I'm glad your cold is better.
Our weather has been so nice lately. It makes me wonder if we are going to have a hard winter. I hope not.
I've lived in Florida since 1968 and this is the coolest and shortest summer I can remember.
We can only hope for a short winter, but I wouldn't bet on it. I think it's going to be really nasty. I hope I'm wrong.
Cube - It makes me shiver to think of a hard winter. But we have to pay somehow for having a nice summmer.
We have been having such nice days. And very little rain. Except for a few days when it rained all day.
For me, this summer wasn't that great. I went out the door this morning and already I'm feeling the difference in the lack of humidity.
I'm losing the use of my pool for the rest of the winter and I'm not happy about it.
Cube - But you want to lose the humidity - don't you?
Are you closing your pool for the summer?
We are having unbelievable weather. It's in the 70's and hardly any rain. Something's got to be coming - like a hard winter.
I must be considered insane by some, but I love opening the door first thing and getting hit by the vaporous heat and humidity. Summer is supposed to be hot.
We don't close the pool. My husband will still be swimming in it through December or longer depending on the severity of the winter. He's the polar bear from New Hampshire.
Cube - I don't think you are insane. However - I myself don't care for the humidity. My favorite summer weather is in the low 80's - no humidity. :]
Your husband is brave to keep swimming in the pool in December.
We don't have a pool so we don't have to close one. I am not a swimming person. I stay away from the water.
Re: the heat... Whatever floats your boat, right? It's all good.
My husband isn't brave to swim in the winter because Florida winters aren't anything like what he grew up with.
We've been up to Cape Cod in the summer a few times and I couldn't go into the water because it was so cold. Seriously, in the summer!
They're used to cold water up there. My husband's cousin and his family came to visit one year and as soon as the hugs and kisses were over, one of the little ones asked if we had a pool.
I was thinking oh my gosh, they're not thinking about swimming in this pool temperature...but they were.
I was shocked to see all those little babies not even remotely affected by the coldness of the water.
Everyone survived and we had a great family dinner.
Cube - We went to Cape Cod a couple of times and the water is cold. One time we went and could hardly get in there were so many people going there.
We've never had a pool but my sister did and we used to have fun going in cirles and then doing a reverse. That was a good thing to do. It was a round pool so it worked real well.
We had some great family dinners at her house.
My husband told me that the neighbors took down their pool yesterday. I guess it's time to admit that fall is here. The leaves are starting to turn and it will be beautiful in a couple of weeks.
The biologist in me wouldn't call Cape Cod a frozen tundra, but it sure felt that way to my anti-cold body. Yikes!
Your comment about going in circles in your sister's pool reminds me of our first pool at my parents house which was round. Bunches of us, siblings and cousins, would go around in circles and then reversing. Isn't that something?
I guess some people do take down their pools here in Florida, but we don't. My husband keeps it in perfect condition all year long... just in case it gets warm enough for him.
Our leaves don't change much throughout the seasons... with few exception, it's green year round.
Cube - Even if the water is cold on Cape Cod I think it is a very special place. Once the waves were getting very high and it was fun to sit on the beach and watch them.
So you did the circle and reverse also. What a coincidence.
There is nothing like the change of color in the leaves in the fall. We took a trip out east one year and it was spectacular in Vermont and New Hampshire. We had our two year old daughter with us and she was a little hellion.
Yes, Cape Cod is a beautiful place. And yes, I have sat on the coast and watched the waves. It's the temperature of the water that bothers me.
It is crazy that we both did the circle and reverse in the pool. It may be as common as Marco Polo. We used to call it Parco Molo just to be obstreporous ;-)
Cube - I like the sound of Parco Molo. Better than Marco Polo. But obstreporous is not a word I use in my vocabulary. It is a word that a scientist uses. :]
The temperature of the water is important. Cold is not good. Warm is good. Body temperature works very well.
We relished being obstreperous (I misspelled it in my initial comment) back in the day.
Yes, I was one of those bratty know-it-all kids who was double promoted in elementary school.
Cube - Why don't just come right out and tell me what obstreperous
means so I don't have to look it up in the dictionary.
So you skipped a grade in elementary school. That's why you are so good at using big words now. I did pretty well in school but I never skipped a grade. You scientists are so smart!
I take obstreperous to mean a contrariness that goes against the norm or authority. A sub-meaning is also noisy and stubbornly defiant.
Sue, you're going to make my head swell to enormous proportions with your sweet comments ;-)
Cube - That sounds about right - the definition of obstreperous.
The comments to you are sincerely made.
Cube - I'm having trouble getting used to going outside and being chilly. Fall is definitely here and with it the cooler weather.
I don't think we are going to have an Indian Summer.
Thank you, I graciously accept your sincere comments :-)
Seems to me that this summer just flew by and I'm not ready for fall either.
Even though fall for Floridians still includes shorts and summer tops, the humidity is lower so there's no summer vapor, and although it's still hot, it's less hot than in full blown summer.
I'm sorry that you're already feeling chilly in early October. I think we discussed earlier that it would be an early and cold winter this year. I hope I'm wrong about this, but it just seems like winter is getting off to an early start and that doesn't bode well for us as to its severity.
Cube - It seems as if the time for air conditioning is over. It is time to turn the heat on - at least for part of the day.
I can't believe it is October already. Thanksgiving will be here soon. We will be alone this year. Probably go out to eat.
I wonder when the first snow will come.
I'm with you. I can't believe summer went by so quickly. I'm dreading the cool/cold weather coming up so fast.
I don't know what we're going to do about Thanksgiving. We've done it every year at our house for a long time, but we're not into it this year. We're still talking about it.
Cube - Thanksgiving is a woman's holiday. Shopping, cooking, cleanup. Men just watch football.
But I have to admit that the meals are good.
Last night we were coming home from eating out and it was very cold. Time to get the winter coats out!
Actually my husband cooked most of our last Thanksgiving meal. I took care of everything else, i.e., the table and the clean up.
I would've rather watched football. Which is why we're discussing whether to toss Thanksgiving dinner this year.
Winter coats! Seriously that sucks.
Cube - You are among the lucky wives who have husbands who can cook.
After I had my foot surgery my husband had to wait on me and he learned to cook some things he didn't know how to before. He has become quite the grocery shopper also.
I've gotten to enjoy watching football lately.
You don't have winter coats in Florida - do you.
My husband is the type of cook that can throw stuff together and it ends up tasting pretty good.
I'm not that kind of cook. I like having a recipe to follow. The only dishes I can throw together are the ones that have no recipes and I learned from my husband's grandmother.
It's so sweet that your husband took care of you when you needed help.
I get my chores done early so I can sit and watch football. I'd like it even more if my teams won more often.
Winter coats in Florida aren't anywhere near as warm as the ones up north. What we do is layer our clothing because in the morning it might be really cold, but by noon the sun warms up the day and so we remove
layers as we go along.
Cube - I am the type of cook that doesn't like to use recipes. For a while I used to make stir fry because I could just use any ingredients I wanted to.
Of course I need recipes for many dishes.
That's nice that you are able to cook like your husband's grandmother.
It is decided now that we are going out to eat for Thanksgiving.
It is a state park about an hour away. They are supposed to have a great Thanksgiving dinner.
The weather there sounds a little like Alabama where my daughter lives. It will be cold in the morning and warm by afternoon.
I like the constancy a recipe gives my dishes.
The Mediterranean dishes my husband's grandmother patiently taught me how to make are only ones I can make without a recipe.
I've never been a confident cook without one. When we got married I used to burn water. Thanks to cooking shows and Food Network, I have lots of them.
You're smart about going out on Thanksgiving. It avoids a lot of hassle.
Alabama is colder than Tampa. My daughter lived in Tuscaloosa for her Freshman year and she froze her butt off. Right now (5 PM) it's 74 degrees in Tuscaloosa and 85 degrees here.
Cube - The reason we are going out for Thanksgiving is that neither of our daughters will be home. And it seems like two much trouble to cook a Thanksgiving meal for just two.
It's funny how when I got married I just started cooking. No experience. Just looked in my cookbook and took it from there.
Now I make pretty good meals - some of which don't turn out so well. But mostly they are ok.
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