All Consuming : Gertie

A story about "P.S. I Love You"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 14:23:00 GMT

P.S. I Love You

by Richard LaGravenese

jaysus, joseph and mary, watching this movie is like having a 2-hour emotional enema.

now all I want is to go to Ireland, get some new pretty shoes, and take a nap—pretty much in reverse order.

Consuming "Shipbuilders"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 21:37:42 GMT

Shipbuilders

by George Blake

A story about "Photographing Montana 1894-1928: The Life and Work of Evelyn Cameron"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:10:51 GMT

Photographing Montana 1894-1928: The Life and Work of Evelyn Cameron

by Donna M. Lucey

Over a year ago I saw a TV program about the life of this photographer, Evelyn Cameron. I finally got the book I ordered and it then had to wait two more days (project deadline at work) before I could read it. Tonight I couldn’t wait any longer and spent and enjoyable interruption-free hour on the ride home flipping thru the photos. Awesome stuff.

This is from ‘her’ website:

“Leaving behind her childhood world of the English gentry, Evelyn Cameron began ranching on the harsh and beautiful plains of eastern Montana in 1889 with her husband Ewen. When their initial venture—raising polo ponies—failed, Evelyn turned to glass-plate photography to help support her family. Nearly 2,000 negatives remained in a friend’s basement for 50 years after Evelyn’s death until author Donna M. Lucey tracked down the extraordinary collection.

Photographing Montana showcases more than 150 photographs of life in Montana from the 1890s through the 1920s. Evelyn Cameron’s work portrays vast landscapes, range horses, cattle roundups, wheat harvests, community celebrations, and wildlife of the high plains. Her vivid images convey the lonely strength of the sheepherders and homesteaders and track the growth of Terry, a small town on the Yellowstone River. Her family portraits are priceless glimpses into the past, capturing the endurance, pride, and hope of those she photographed.

Through excerpts from her diaries and letters, we follow Evelyn’s transformation from a daughter of the English upper class to a resourceful ranch woman relishing the independence and challenges of western life. Photographing Montana is essential reading for students of the American frontier and women’s history.”

A story about "Eugene Atget (Aperture Masters of Photography)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 10:00:48 GMT

Eugene Atget (Aperture Masters of Photography)

I posted this photo (something I shot from a store window) on flickr, and one of my contacts commented that it reminded her of Eugene Atget’s work. I told her, “I don’t know who that is, but I love me some learning so I’m off to find out!”

I subsequently ordered this book and I have to say, I love his work. I really like how he saw something different in the “ordinary”. I’ve always tried to explain to my friends how I too see my surroundings differently, and use photography in an attempt to capture just what that difference is.

I’m not comparing myself to a master, but it’s like I found a kindred spirit.

A story about "The Girls"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:17:21 GMT

The Girls

by Lori Lansens

Even though I knew this sentence was coming, somehow I had yet forgotten and the tears reached my eyes simultaneously with these words:

“How cruel it must be for a man to live past his soul.”

I’m going to be very tired at work tomorrow (today, actually), but this was so worth staying up for.

A story about "Midnight Run"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:59:31 GMT

Midnight Run

I saw this (gulp) 20 years ago at the cinema with my sister, and we were nearly kicked out for laughing too much! It’s dated in parts (no cell phones, smoking inside the police station, modifying the ID on the plane – with SCISSORS) but it is still a damn funny movie. The chemistry between De Niro and Grodin really makes this work.

**edited to add: and let’s not forget Dennis Farina, who has one of the best movie lines in this, “You two better start getting more personally involved in your work or I’m gonna stab in you the heart with a pencil.”

A story about "Amores perros"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:23:13 GMT

Amores perros

by Alejandro González Iñárritu

good gawd that opening was horrifying, and it was only because this was an Oscar contender that I didn’t immediately shut it off. I managed to get beyond all the bloody dog-fighting scenes (albeit in FF) and then somewhat enjoyed parts of the remaining movie.

I found there were several moments of incredible acting in this film, but the scenes with the dogs so turned me off that I’m quite certain I won’t ever watch this again. I’m trying to grasp the necessity of such violent and bloody dog-fights to the plot line, but truthfully my shock turned to disgust which quickly turned to disrespect and then I just didn’t give a fuck anymore what happened to those characters.

Next time I’ll read the synopsis before ordering a movie!

A story about "The Golden Girls - The Complete First Season"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 10:35:31 GMT

The Golden Girls - The Complete First Season

I adore this show, and find it’s still funny even after multiple viewings. I remember watching this every week, with the Mom and Grandma, and can still hear the echoes of our laughter. Watching this show is like visiting with old friends and it helps ease the ache of missing my Grandma.

A story about "Reaper"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Sun, 18 May 2008 13:11:43 GMT

Reaper

Season finale on Tuesday (which means I can find it online on Wednesday)!

I’ve really enjoyed this show—don’t know for sure if I’ll make the effort to watch Season 2, but I think it’s likely I will.

No Stars

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Sun, 04 May 2008 09:47:09 GMT

Johnsons Holiday Skin body lotion

by Johnsons

I do not normally buy self-tanning products however, whilst I was browsing for more body lotion, I saw this product and liked the idea of building a gradual “glow”.

After reading the instructions on the back, I expected to have this “glow” after 3-4 days. What I got was one entire day of smelling like feet (this stuff really stinks; not so bad during application but within an hour there is a distinctively unpleasant odour) and now I’ve awoken to orange streaks all over my body.

There is absolutely NO WAY I’m going to continue using this product.

A story about "Reaper"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:08:49 GMT

Reaper

New episodes beginning April 22nd!

I’ve been wondering where the other episodes have been, completely forgetting about the writers’ strike. Finally went to their website (duh). The show is a hoot and I’m looking forward to completing the season.

A story about "Atlas Shrugged: Library Edition Part 3"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:44:22 GMT

Atlas Shrugged: Library Edition Part 3

by Ayn Rand

Published in 1957, I feel the philosophical lessons in the this novel are even more relevent today. Here are excerpts from the book, where John Gault was speaking to the religious and political “leaders” of America (typed from audiobook, so may contain clerical errors):

1) Man’s reason is his moral fact. The process of reason is the process of constant choice in answer to the question true or false, right or wrong.

2) To live, man must hold three things as the supreme ruling values of his life: reason, purpose, and self-esteem.

3) Damnation is the start of your morality, destruction is its purpose, means, and end. Your code begins by damning man as evil, then demands that he practice a good which it defines as impossible for him to practice. Demands as its first proof of virtue that he accept his own depravity without proof, demands that he start not with the standard of value but with the standard of evil, which is himself—by means of which he then defines the good, the good that which he is not.

It does not matter the good is not for him to understand, his duty is to crawl through years of penance atoning for the guilt of his existence to any stray collector of unintelligible debts. His only concept of a value is a zero. The good is that which is non-man. The name of this monstrous absurdity is Original Sin.

A sin without volition is a slap at morality and an insolent contradiction in terms. That which is outside the possibility of choice is outside the province of morality. If man is evil by birth, he has no will, no power to change it. If he has no will he can be neither good nor evil. A robot is amoral.

To hold as man’s sin a fact not open to his choice is a mockery of morality. To hold man’s nature as his sin is a mockery of nature. To punish him for a crime he committed before he was born is a mockery of justice. To hold him guilty in a matter where no innocence exists is a mockery of reason. To destroy morality, nature, justice and reason by means of a single concept is a feat of evil hardly to be matched, yet that is the root of your code…

AWESOME BOOK. I’ve enjoyed the audiobook so thoroughly that I would love to have a copy of the printed book.

A story about "Ultimate Santana"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 02:06:44 GMT

Ultimate Santana

by Santana

Europa (Earth’s Cry, Heaven’s Smile) by Carlos Santana has to be one of the sexiest songs ever written. Prrrr.

A story about "Reaper"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:38:45 GMT

Reaper

just discovered this show today—I’ve been in bed all day nursing a bad back and migraine and started playing these episodes as a way to distract me and have found that this is a rather enjoyable show. A little different from things I’d normally watch, but well worth the view.

If that’s not enough to get you to watch, I clicked on this to add to my All Consuming list and see that one viewer is none other than Calypte. Cool!

A story about "Rumour has it..."

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 23:33:10 GMT

Rumour has it...

by Rob Reiner

I was confusing this with some other Aniston flick, one I had no interest in seeing. Then this weekend I was sort of ‘tricked’ into watching this, and I found it rather entertaining. Shirley MacLaine had some of the best lines, playing a character that was a cross between the mom in Postcards from the Edge and Ouiser in Steel Magnolias…

Katherine: “Come on in, I’ll put on a pot of Bourbon.”

A story about "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:05:03 GMT

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

by Richard Brooks

wow, I’d completely forgotten how absolutely stunning this movie is. The emotional intensity played so tight—the entire family were like cats on a hot tin roof. The facial expressions by Burl Ives alone brought tears to my eyes.

If you’ve never watched, add this classic to your “must see” list. And if it’s been awhile, go back for another look.

A story about "Skins"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:55:13 GMT

Skins

by Chris Clough

Whatver happened to Ugly Betty? That was my one show, and then around xmas break it disappeared.

Now I watch ‘Skins’. I’d call this my secret show except I’m writing an entry about it on the internet. Still, it FEELS like a guilty pleasure to enjoy this show. Thanks to 4oD I’ve been able to watch season 1 and am 3 episodes into season 2 now.

I had a similar thrill years ago when I watched 90210 and Melrose, except everyone else was watching it so it was sort of okay. So maybe this is more like that one time I bought a Justin Timberlake album.

A story about "Romance and Cigarettes"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 13:50:32 GMT

Romance and Cigarettes

by John Turturro

that was…interesting.

I like weird movies, and I like musicals, so a weird musical should be right up my alley—especially with James Ganolfini in the lead. Now, Sweeney Todd is definitely a weird musical and that.was.AWESOME.

Romance and Cigarettes? Very far from awesome. Now I totally get why this was on super-special at hmv.

A story about "Autumn Thunder Natural Soap"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 18:50:05 GMT

Autumn Thunder Natural Soap

by Cotney Peak

I discovered this soap at a Renaissance Festival in Colorado (USA), loved it, and then ordered a bunch from their website.

I switched to liquid soap and kept this final bar in my sock drawer (to scent up the footsies) until this past summer when I decided to use up all of the unopened products I’ve been carting around.

Man, I love this soap.

A story about "Field of Blood"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:49:13 GMT

Field of Blood

by Denise Mina

this was the January selection for my Crime Fiction bookclub and I have to tell ya, it was sort of unusual. It read like a chick-lit book (ambitious & smart fat girl with self-esteem issues who gets the hot looking guy) with some serious violence, plus a mystery to solve.

I wouldn’t say run right out and pick up a copy, but it definitely kept me entertained.

Why I recommend "Chess Fever (Shakhmatnaya goryachka)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Gertie) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:00:02 GMT

Chess Fever (Shakhmatnaya goryachka)

by Vsevolod Pudovkin / Nikolai Shpikovsky

a 1925 silent Russian comedy short (27 minutes) about a man’s obsession for sport (in this case Chess) and how it nearly ruins his love life.

this is a hoot to watch—83 years old and yet this film resonates with contemporary notions.