Stately Barrett Manor - Julie's Web Journal

journal

Writing. Technology. Life

I've Heard of This "Vacation" Thing... Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett According to legend, it's a time where one takes a break from work and goes away somewhere to relax. Well, the going away part isn't going to happen, but I'm trying to make the relax part a reality, at least through Thanksgiving weekend. I expect I'll be blogging less, but I'll still be spending time at the computer, doing some virtual housekeeping (which is generally far more fun than cleaning the REAL house) and web site updates. I'm going to take a fresh look at one of the stalled novels. And yes, I want to sit in front of the TV with a beverage and chill out. This is the time of year that work slows down. This year, it's pretty much come to a screeching halt. But rather than cry about it, I'm going to take advantage of the situation and do something for ME. Hey, we all deserve a break. It's just harder for me because I feel compelled to take work when it comes, especially during these tough times. And you know, if someone dropped a job in my lap this afternoon, I'd take it. Realistically, there's nothing in sight through the end of the year, so it seems wise to take some time to relax and regroup. And yes, step away from the computer once in a while. So, please forgive me if you don't see me as much online for the next week and a half. Tags: Life 11/20/2008 10:50:33 AM \| Got something to say? (0) \| Permalink
Monday Mumblings Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett Best write this while we have power. The road construction crew is back on the block, and whatever they're doing is causing power disruptions. Oh, joy. I have a project to finish as soon as I get a bite of lunch out of the way. This morning I had one of those "that'll teach me" moments. I decided to dust off the exercise bike and get busy. I put on one disc from Shakespeare Retold and got to cycling. I made it ten minutes before I collapsed in a heap of blubbering, asthmatic fat. That'll teach me! Perhaps it was to ambitious to start in exercising while still exorcising a cold. I sat down and watched the rest of The Taming of the Shrew. Took me darn near that long to start breathing again. This was a contemporary version, starring Shirley Henderson (American audiences might best know her as Moaning Myrtle, the ghost in the U-bend in the Harry Potter films) as Kate, a sour-tempered MP on the fast track to becoming leader of the opposition. At 38 she's probably never been kissed, much less ... you know. Rufus Sewell (Alexander Hamilton in John Adams) is Petruchio, who is determined to marry Kate partly in hopes of obtaining the means to pay off a huge tax bill. Her sister Bianca (Jaime Murray who played Lila in Dexter) is a supermodel who gets propositioned for marriage several times a week, most notably by her manager, Harry Kavanaugh (Stephen Tompkinson, Wild at Heart), but prefers an Italian student. Their mother (Twiggy) is not looking for love, but finds it in an unusual place. It all falls apart for Kate when Petruchio shows up at the wedding in a very unusual state. Of course, it's a Shakespere comedy, so I suppose you could say all's well that ends well. This set looks good. Lots of scenery, many well-known British actors. It'll be fun to watch. Had a meeting yesterday, which I survived. I had to take some meds to get through it and was probably half loopy through the whole thing. And the Cowboys won. That Kiki Barber kid just might have a little talent, ya' think? Lunch is finished, the power seems stable, so it's off to work. Tags: Life 11/17/2008 12:22:07 PM \| Got something to say? (0) \| Permalink
Just When I Thought It Was Over Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett They're baaaack! Tags: Life, Construction 11/17/2008 11:43:21 AM \| Got something to say? (0) \| Permalink
Back from the Bond film Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett Went to see Quantum of Solace this afternoon. I won't give anything away for those who haven't seen it. I mostly survived the moviegoing experience. The place was freezing, though, and my cold seems to have come back with a vengeance. I think it's going to kick sinuses and take names this time. It's been a fun day. We had lunch at the Fillmore Pub and then went to CompUSA and Barnes and Noble to shop before heading to the theatre. I found series six of Ballykissangel. Last night I picked up Shakespeare Retold, so I should have some good stuff to watch next week. I think I'll have to give up and take some serious cold meds on Monday. I'd do it tomorrow, but I have a meeting that I can't get out of. I'll be back on Monday if I'm up to it. And yes, I'll finish up the one open project before I take any "do not operate heavy machinery" drugs on Monday. Tags: Life 11/15/2008 7:14:43 PM \| Got something to say? (0) \| Permalink
Weekend Assignment: Local TV Host Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett Share a memory of a local TV show of yesteryear. How about a whole string of 'em? When I was a kid I lived in Wichita, KS. KAKE-TV had a puppet chef called Cakeman. One of the big shows at Christmas was "Santa's Workshop,", which featured Cakeman. The guy who did Santa moved to another station and took his workshop with him. Cakeman became (I kid you not) Toyboy! Here's a clip: When we moved down to Texas there were a couple of memorable shows. Mr. Peppermint aired on WFAA-TV. Jerry Haynes played the popular character. My dad had a cousin who worked as a floor manager at the station, and one evening he took us down for the tour. There were two very memorable bits for me. The first was that I got to play with Dale Milford's weather map. His map was a magnetic board on which he'd place weather symbols. Our last stop was to a dark studio. They turned on the lights and to our delight we were standing on the Mr. Peppermint set! Hey, this was big stuff for a six year-old! Here's a clip of Jerry Haynes in a later incarnation of the show that they called Peppermint Place: Now, I have to save the best (and most bizarre) for last. KTVT-TV was an independent station (they're now with CBS) in Ft. Worth. Every afternoon they aired a locally-produced kid show called Slam Bang Theater, which featured a character called Icky Twerp. He had various sidekicks, most notably three gorillas called Ajax, Delphinium, and Arkadelphia. Most of the sketches were broad slapstick-type humor, but Bill Camfield (Twerp) was a copywriter at the station before he was a TV show host, and so the sketches were also filled with wordplay. Here are a couple of clips: Silly stuff, indeed. Camfield is no longer with us, but he's fondly remembered by an entire generation of grown-up kids. Extra Credit: You've been asked to produce a local TV show. Commercial considerations aside, what would it be? I'd love to do an arts program - highlight local artists, community theatre, small museums, that sort of thing. It would get buried in the schedule. ;-) Tags: Weekend Assignment 11/15/2008 6:06:06 PM \| Got something to say? (1) \| Permalink
I Never Could Get the Hang of Thursdays Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett Apologies to Douglas Adams, of course. Well. The mail finally arrived today: a great bundle of bills and "urgent" junk mail all trussed up in a rubber band. I didn't miss anything time sensitive, at least in the business sense of the word. The "urgent" stuff went straight to the recycle bin. I don't need another charge card, thank you. I think I know what's causing the ennui. It's winter. We're back on to Standard Time and the sun goes down early and fast. Sort of like Grepthar's Hammer on a gang of "get a life" fans at a mall opening. Or something like that. Hey, I just liked the idea of using "Grepthar's Hammer" in a sentence. Still, it's dark early, and that's probably what's got me down. That, and the dust from the construction. Breathing has not been fun. Thanks for bearing with me. So, what's on tap for the weekend? I hope to have the time to participate in the Weekend Assignment and Feline Friday. I just left a note on Karen's blog in lieu of an actual assignment entry last week. Shame on me. In my meager defense, I thought it would be better than apparently ignoring it. I honestly didn't have anything I could use for that topic. Lots to do tomorrow, partly due to catching up to the backlog of snail mail. Meetings this weekend, and yes, we're taking time to watch Quantum of Solace. I'll pack my inhaler and my cough drops and suffer through it. Daniel Craig and Judi Dench are worth it! I love how she plays M. Time to give it up for the night. Hope to be here a couple of times tomorrow. See you then. Tags: Life 11/13/2008 7:43:16 PM \| Got something to say? (0) \| Permalink
I Had To Share This Clip Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett I've been trying to find a copy of this film for some time, but today I finally saw a clip on You Tube. I was aware of the main actor in this scene, but I nearly fell over when I saw the guy in the kitchen. You'll see him just before the one minute mark. There will be a closeup: Now I have to find a copy! The film is called Hotel Splendide, and was released back in 2000. But don't click on that link until you've seen the clip. Tags: Movies 11/13/2008 5:09:21 PM \| Got something to say? (0) \| Permalink
I Need A Vacation Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett Or a couple of days off, or something. It's not going to happen, so I'll just buck up and deal with it. So pardon me while I uncork a vintage whine. I expect I'll feel much better when it's over. First off, it's not exactly the economy. We've been through downturns before, and things have been worse. It's hard on me because I work for a lot less just to keep working, and it's stressful. I watch my Twitter feed and RSS feed and see people flitting all over the world and wonder why in the hell I'm not out doing something interesting. Probably because I'm too stressed out to care? I dunno. So that's my vintage whine. I'm off to throw a ball at ten sticks of wood. It's stress relief. Tags: Life (or lack thereof) 11/12/2008 9:00:59 AM \| Got something to say? (0) \| Permalink
The Rain, it Raineth Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett And the ennui, it settleth in like a great cloak of, well, ennui. Or something like that. The rain washed away a lot of the pollen, so I slept well for a change. Yet, I woke up with this feeling that I've missed the boat. It's the lingering clouds, I'm sure. That, and the lack of mail, which always makes me uneasy. We haven't had mail delivery since last Thursday. Friday morning our neighbors set up a garage sale. Friday afternoon the construction crew blocked off two lanes of traffic. It didn't stop people from pulling in at the sale and parking two deep. It did impede mail delivery, though. Late yesterday afternoon the crews picked up their toys and moved down the street. No mail today because of the holiday. No doubt this means that the accumulated mail will arrive tomorrow after 5:00. Effectively, that means almost a week without mail. So, what have I been missing, besides bills and credit card offers?* I'm not sure. Delays in mail seem to coincide with the late arrival of galleys or edits that are due about a day after I eventually get them. That's some corollary of Murphy's Law, no doubt. I'll probably spend Thursday locked away catching up. So this morning I'm just killing a bit of time before Chris leaves the house and I can get down to moving furniture so I can get back to working on this cloak. (Yes, customer, I AM working on it.) I should go do real work. Tags: Life *In spite of the crappy economy we still have good credit and the house is worth more than we paid for it, so I guess that still makes us fair game for credit offers. 11/11/2008 10:26:34 AM \| Got something to say? (0) \| Permalink
Too Bizarre Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett We were watching the end of Boston Legal tonight. "We find the defendant--" BOOM! We had a power outage. Oh, we're all fine here. A little bit of wind, lots of rain, and yes, a minor power cut. If I had written that scene, people would be throwing their books across the room. Such is life. Tags: Life 11/10/2008 10:06:54 PM \| Got something to say? (0) \| Permalink

I've Heard of This "Vacation" Thing...

Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett

According to legend, it's a time where one takes a break from work and goes away somewhere to relax. Well, the going away part isn't going to happen, but I'm trying to make the relax part a reality, at least through Thanksgiving weekend.

I expect I'll be blogging less, but I'll still be spending time at the computer, doing some virtual housekeeping (which is generally far more fun than cleaning the REAL house) and web site updates. I'm going to take a fresh look at one of the stalled novels. And yes, I want to sit in front of the TV with a beverage and chill out.

This is the time of year that work slows down. This year, it's pretty much come to a screeching halt. But rather than cry about it, I'm going to take advantage of the situation and do something for ME.

Hey, we all deserve a break. It's just harder for me because I feel compelled to take work when it comes, especially during these tough times. And you know, if someone dropped a job in my lap this afternoon, I'd take it. Realistically, there's nothing in sight through the end of the year, so it seems wise to take some time to relax and regroup. And yes, step away from the computer once in a while.

So, please forgive me if you don't see me as much online for the next week and a half.

Tags: Life

11/20/2008 10:50:33 AM | Got something to say? (0) | Permalink

Monday Mumblings

Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett

Best write this while we have power. The road construction crew is back on the block, and whatever they're doing is causing power disruptions. Oh, joy.

I have a project to finish as soon as I get a bite of lunch out of the way.

This morning I had one of those "that'll teach me" moments. I decided to dust off the exercise bike and get busy. I put on one disc from Shakespeare Retold and got to cycling.

I made it ten minutes before I collapsed in a heap of blubbering, asthmatic fat.

That'll teach me! Perhaps it was to ambitious to start in exercising while still exorcising a cold.

I sat down and watched the rest of The Taming of the Shrew. Took me darn near that long to start breathing again. This was a contemporary version, starring Shirley Henderson (American audiences might best know her as Moaning Myrtle, the ghost in the U-bend in the Harry Potter films) as Kate, a sour-tempered MP on the fast track to becoming leader of the opposition. At 38 she's probably never been kissed, much less ... you know. Rufus Sewell (Alexander Hamilton in John Adams) is Petruchio, who is determined to marry Kate partly in hopes of obtaining the means to pay off a huge tax bill. Her sister Bianca (Jaime Murray who played Lila in Dexter) is a supermodel who gets propositioned for marriage several times a week, most notably by her manager, Harry Kavanaugh (Stephen Tompkinson, Wild at Heart), but prefers an Italian student. Their mother (Twiggy) is not looking for love, but finds it in an unusual place. It all falls apart for Kate when Petruchio shows up at the wedding in a very unusual state. Of course, it's a Shakespere comedy, so I suppose you could say all's well that ends well.

This set looks good. Lots of scenery, many well-known British actors. It'll be fun to watch.

Had a meeting yesterday, which I survived. I had to take some meds to get through it and was probably half loopy through the whole thing.

And the Cowboys won. That Kiki Barber kid just might have a little talent, ya' think?

Lunch is finished, the power seems stable, so it's off to work.

Tags: Life

11/17/2008 12:22:07 PM | Got something to say? (0) | Permalink

Just When I Thought It Was Over

Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett

They're baaaack!

Tags: Life, Construction

11/17/2008 11:43:21 AM | Got something to say? (0) | Permalink

Back from the Bond film

Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett

Went to see Quantum of Solace this afternoon. I won't give anything away for those who haven't seen it.

I mostly survived the moviegoing experience. The place was freezing, though, and my cold seems to have come back with a vengeance. I think it's going to kick sinuses and take names this time.

It's been a fun day. We had lunch at the Fillmore Pub and then went to CompUSA and Barnes and Noble to shop before heading to the theatre. I found series six of Ballykissangel. Last night I picked up Shakespeare Retold, so I should have some good stuff to watch next week. I think I'll have to give up and take some serious cold meds on Monday. I'd do it tomorrow, but I have a meeting that I can't get out of.

I'll be back on Monday if I'm up to it.

And yes, I'll finish up the one open project before I take any "do not operate heavy machinery" drugs on Monday.

Tags: Life

11/15/2008 7:14:43 PM | Got something to say? (0) | Permalink

Weekend Assignment: Local TV Host

Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett

Share a memory of a local TV show of yesteryear.

How about a whole string of 'em? When I was a kid I lived in Wichita, KS. KAKE-TV had a puppet chef called Cakeman. One of the big shows at Christmas was "Santa's Workshop,", which featured Cakeman. The guy who did Santa moved to another station and took his workshop with him. Cakeman became (I kid you not) Toyboy! Here's a clip:

When we moved down to Texas there were a couple of memorable shows. Mr. Peppermint aired on WFAA-TV. Jerry Haynes played the popular character. My dad had a cousin who worked as a floor manager at the station, and one evening he took us down for the tour. There were two very memorable bits for me. The first was that I got to play with Dale Milford's weather map. His map was a magnetic board on which he'd place weather symbols. Our last stop was to a dark studio. They turned on the lights and to our delight we were standing on the Mr. Peppermint set! Hey, this was big stuff for a six year-old!

Here's a clip of Jerry Haynes in a later incarnation of the show that they called Peppermint Place:

Now, I have to save the best (and most bizarre) for last. KTVT-TV was an independent station (they're now with CBS) in Ft. Worth. Every afternoon they aired a locally-produced kid show called Slam Bang Theater, which featured a character called Icky Twerp. He had various sidekicks, most notably three gorillas called Ajax, Delphinium, and Arkadelphia. Most of the sketches were broad slapstick-type humor, but Bill Camfield (Twerp) was a copywriter at the station before he was a TV show host, and so the sketches were also filled with wordplay. Here are a couple of clips:

Silly stuff, indeed. Camfield is no longer with us, but he's fondly remembered by an entire generation of grown-up kids.

Extra Credit: You've been asked to produce a local TV show. Commercial considerations aside, what would it be?

I'd love to do an arts program - highlight local artists, community theatre, small museums, that sort of thing. It would get buried in the schedule. ;-)

Tags: Weekend Assignment

11/15/2008 6:06:06 PM | Got something to say? (1) | Permalink

I Never Could Get the Hang of Thursdays

Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett

Apologies to Douglas Adams, of course.

Well. The mail finally arrived today: a great bundle of bills and "urgent" junk mail all trussed up in a rubber band. I didn't miss anything time sensitive, at least in the business sense of the word. The "urgent" stuff went straight to the recycle bin. I don't need another charge card, thank you.

I think I know what's causing the ennui. It's winter. We're back on to Standard Time and the sun goes down early and fast. Sort of like Grepthar's Hammer on a gang of "get a life" fans at a mall opening. Or something like that. Hey, I just liked the idea of using "Grepthar's Hammer" in a sentence.

Still, it's dark early, and that's probably what's got me down. That, and the dust from the construction. Breathing has not been fun.

Thanks for bearing with me.

So, what's on tap for the weekend? I hope to have the time to participate in the Weekend Assignment and Feline Friday. I just left a note on Karen's blog in lieu of an actual assignment entry last week. Shame on me. In my meager defense, I thought it would be better than apparently ignoring it. I honestly didn't have anything I could use for that topic.

Lots to do tomorrow, partly due to catching up to the backlog of snail mail. Meetings this weekend, and yes, we're taking time to watch Quantum of Solace. I'll pack my inhaler and my cough drops and suffer through it. Daniel Craig and Judi Dench are worth it! I love how she plays M.

Time to give it up for the night. Hope to be here a couple of times tomorrow. See you then.

Tags:
Life
11/13/2008 7:43:16 PM | Got something to say? (0) | Permalink

I Had To Share This Clip

Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett

I've been trying to find a copy of this film for some time, but today I finally saw a clip on You Tube. I was aware of the main actor in this scene, but I nearly fell over when I saw the guy in the kitchen. You'll see him just before the one minute mark. There will be a closeup:

Now I have to find a copy!

The film is called Hotel Splendide, and was released back in 2000. But don't click on that link until you've seen the clip.

Tags: Movies

11/13/2008 5:09:21 PM | Got something to say? (0) | Permalink

I Need A Vacation

Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett

Or a couple of days off, or something. It's not going to happen, so I'll just buck up and deal with it.

So pardon me while I uncork a vintage whine. I expect I'll feel much better when it's over.

First off, it's not exactly the economy. We've been through downturns before, and things have been worse. It's hard on me because I work for a lot less just to keep working, and it's stressful. I watch my Twitter feed and RSS feed and see people flitting all over the world and wonder why in the hell I'm not out doing something interesting. Probably because I'm too stressed out to care? I dunno.

So that's my vintage whine. I'm off to throw a ball at ten sticks of wood. It's stress relief.

Tags: Life (or lack thereof)

11/12/2008 9:00:59 AM | Got something to say? (0) | Permalink

The Rain, it Raineth

Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett

And the ennui, it settleth in like a great cloak of, well, ennui. Or something like that.

The rain washed away a lot of the pollen, so I slept well for a change. Yet, I woke up with this feeling that I've missed the boat. It's the lingering clouds, I'm sure. That, and the lack of mail, which always makes me uneasy. We haven't had mail delivery since last Thursday. Friday morning our neighbors set up a garage sale. Friday afternoon the construction crew blocked off two lanes of traffic. It didn't stop people from pulling in at the sale and parking two deep. It did impede mail delivery, though. Late yesterday afternoon the crews picked up their toys and moved down the street. No mail today because of the holiday.

No doubt this means that the accumulated mail will arrive tomorrow after 5:00. Effectively, that means almost a week without mail.

So, what have I been missing, besides bills and credit card offers?* I'm not sure. Delays in mail seem to coincide with the late arrival of galleys or edits that are due about a day after I eventually get them. That's some corollary of Murphy's Law, no doubt. I'll probably spend Thursday locked away catching up.

So this morning I'm just killing a bit of time before Chris leaves the house and I can get down to moving furniture so I can get back to working on this cloak. (Yes, customer, I AM working on it.)

I should go do real work.

Tags: Life

*In spite of the crappy economy we still have good credit and the house is worth more than we paid for it, so I guess that still makes us fair game for credit offers.

11/11/2008 10:26:34 AM | Got something to say? (0) | Permalink

Too Bizarre

Fresh (almost) daily from Julie Barrett

We were watching the end of Boston Legal tonight.

"We find the defendant--"

BOOM!

We had a power outage.

Oh, we're all fine here. A little bit of wind, lots of rain, and yes, a minor power cut.

If I had written that scene, people would be throwing their books across the room. Such is life.

Tags: Life

11/10/2008 10:06:54 PM | Got something to say? (0) | Permalink