Odd start

Disappointingly, my phone was only of use to me as a camera and note-taker whilst in Japan.  WiFi is harder to come by than one would think in the Land of Technology.  I wrote many blog posts, but am rethinking whether I should really post them all.  We'll start with the ones I'm okay with sharing.  Like the following, written on the plane:

[Saturday, February 2o, 2011]

So far I've managed to

• lose my Flyaway shuttle ticket, ransacking my bag and pockets before going back to the ticket window and finding I had simply left it there (the guy looked at me like I was an idiot);


• somehow drop my sunglasses in the flight terminal, before boarding, and have to retrieve them from cabin crew; and


• get entangled in and break my ear buds in my haste to move so that my neighbor could use the restroom.

I feel totally scatterbrained, perhaps the result of getting less than three hours' sleep ... along with some nerves, I suppose, thinking about the last time I was in all these places, with whom, what I came back to, etc. etc.  It's more sobering than exciting, but I think I will have a good trip.  Hope this is the end of breaking and losing things, though.

Cowled

There's a small and not-so-known section of my office that's open to the public, meaning that a part of my job is fielding questions from people who come in. Because it's small and not-so-known, there aren't a whole lot of visitors; but there are some regulars. (This is sometimes good, sometimes not.)

One such party stopped by not too long ago (they ask for me by first name, like we're old friends; it's kinda weird but what can ya do?) to say hello. We struck up some smalltalk as we usually do. And suddenly the conversation heads thusward:

Mr. A: So...if I may... May I ask, how old is Jean?

Me: Jean is old enough.

Mr. A: You're not in your 50s, are you? 40s?

Me: [Incredulous, unsure if this is a joke] ... Umm... Try somewhere in my 30s...

Mr. A: oh, really? Because you seem so old.

Me: [Incredulous, unsure if this is a joke] ... Umm, really? Are you serious? Is that a ... compliment?

Mr. A: Oh, of course! Young people these days are just so .... But you're nothing like that. You've always carried yourself with such maturity. ... And I have this friend, who I thought, maybe... He's 61--

Me: [Still incredulous, still unsure if this is a joke, but not caring to find out] -- That's almost double, sir.

Mr. A: Oh, well... [mumble mumble]...

Me: I have to go back to work now. Bye.

Good grief! I've never been told that I look old before! Is it because of my new haircut? I don't think so! People have told me that I look more like my mom, but also that it's a cute cut. What do you think?

[self, cowled]

While I'm at it, allow me to introduce my first FO of the year. It's the Stripes to Keep Me Warm pattern (Ravelry link) with a few mods: knit in fingering weight yarn, with shortened neck part, because I knew I would never use it as a hood/wimple. I actually didn't quite like the 'scrunch' factor, either, so ended up folding the edge inside. I wore it the other day over a sleeveless black dress and grey flats, and felt very chic.

Dark

oing to the movies is pretty much always a treat for me. Tonight's was especially so, since it's a workday. I was looking forward to watching Inception, especially after the fiasco when I tried to watch it on opening night.  My friend and I had a quick meal before heading off to the theater.  It seems I'd misread the online information, thinking there was a 6:30 show.  Turns out the next screening would be at 7:25.  So we had about an hour to kill.

I should have taken it as an indication that things weren't going to end up well for me tonight.  After grabbing coffee, we got to the theater early and chatted it up.  Then the lights dimmed and the trailers -- one of my favorite parts! -- came on.

The first one featured Dwayne Johnson and Billy Bob Thornton.  The film's called Faster (I had to look that up just now).  I didn't get it.

The next one was with Hilary Swank; she plays the sister of a man convicted to life in prison with no parole, who gets her GED and goes to law school to fight for his vindication and release.  It's based on a true story.  I almost started to cry.  (Maybe it's because I have brothers.)

Then came the one with Robert Downey, Jr. and that guy who plays Alan in The Hangover.  He kinda reminds me of Jack Black (they probably get that a lot).  The opening of the trailer was a scene at a public transport depot, in the rain.  Robert Downey, Jr. is telling the other guy about the last time he saw his father, how he was at that same depot, had two suitcases, boarded a bus (or train), and just left.  The other guy-- Zak Galifianakis, I just looked it up -- sitting on a bench with his dog, starts laughing heartily at Robert Downey, Jr.'s story, and says something like, "That's funny.  My dad would never do that to me!  He loved me!"

At which point the screen flickered, and went black.  Deja vu.

"This is what happened when I went to see Inception the first time!" I said, "Only this happened halfway through the movie! Now you know what it's like!"

The darkness continued, and it was a few moments later that a staff member announced that there were technical difficulties they were working on, and that we would all be given free popcorn.

I collected our treat, and we decided to wait another 10 minutes.  By 8:10, nothing was happening.  So we decided to call it a night and get a refund.

[in-ter-ception, 2]

It seems I am starting a collection of these.  *sigh*  Maybe I should wait until this movie comes out on DVD.

In[ter]ception

An old college friend send out an email a few weeks ago, offering to buy tickets to see Inception at the Arclight Hollywood on its opening night.  What, all I have to do is show up?!  I hit Reply and typed, "I'm in!"

I arrived and got into the Cinedome as trailers were on (hooray for assigned seats!).  Then the lights dimmed and the movie started.  It was very complicated, nearly too much so.  And it got increasingly warm in the theater. 

We got to a seemingly telling part in the film: the part with Mal and the dollhouse... and... the screen flickered... and then went dark.  A moment of stunned silence, then shuffling, then talking, then getting up.  A couple of minutes pass, then someone comes to the front of the theater with a microphone.  "I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but the show has been cancelled due to an A/C problem."

If he gave any more instruction it was lost in the sound of voices, full volume now, expressing their disbelief, disappointment, and desire to get out of the infernal theater.  We, too, left in the wave of people -- only to wait in line at Guest Services to get our refunds.  I opted out of going to a bar with my friends, but still didn't manage to get home until past 11:30.  I still don't know how the movie ends, so please don't tell me! 

Two good things:  (1) Maybe I can understand it better by watching the first half again; (2) Thank goodness there is an Arclight theater closer to me now, no more truckin' to Hollywood!  Anyone up to see Inception in the near future?!

Tumbling home

Getting to the Metro station after work involves going down a steep incline.  And today, I took a bit of a tumble when the sole of my flats slipped on the concrete sidewalk.  I didn't notice the scratch on my hand till this evening.

[wrist owie]

Having bumped my knee when I fell, I knew there'd be a mark; sure enough, I found it:

[knee owie]

Well, I am grateful that there were no further injuries, no sprains, and no blood drawn.  I'm also thankful for the nice person who asked if I was okay and proceeded to joke a bit about it to make me feel less embarrassed.  So much for wearing flats.  From tomorrow, it's going to be my trusty Jack Purcells -- at least until I can find a more professional-looking alternative.  I just don't want to join the slacks-and-running-shoes club.  But, ah, the perils of public transport may have their way with my fashion points after all...

Water leak

This is what happens when I don't tighten up my water bottle and carelessly throw my  bag, so that it lays sideways, on the passenger seat.

Twice I've even done it with my coffee mug: dripping and nearly ruining my Bible (which now looks antiqued); and later, on the bus, leaking out onto my trousers. And quite ruining a pink suede jacket.

You'd think I'da learned my lesson.  But this morning I opened my bag to a similar sight, only in pink.  I'm totally mad at myself.  At least it was only water.

I will console myself by writing Christmas cards and sending them off before they have an opportunity to become waterlogged. And vowing -- yet again -- to finish liquid contents before returning to bag.

To knit or not to knit?

Coming home from Maui--yes, I know: two weeks ago--I was met with red lines of fire and black smoke in the San Gabriel Mountains (set to be contained this weekend) on the drive back home, and, opening my door, a layer of dust over the entire apartment--and the retrofitting is still not quite finished.  I've been living out of my laundry basket, growing  an expensive pile of dry cleaning, and--having forgotten to take out the trash before going to DC's last weekend--am dealing with a mini swarm of fruit flies in my kitchen.  That's just the tip of the iceberg, friends.  I'll be back when I can finally clean, and the dust is swept away for good.

In the meantime, here's something I saw in Sunday's paper that made me smile:

To knit or not to knit: Is it rude in a crowd? -- latimes.com

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