Tuesday, July 25, 2006

a few disjointed thoughts...

for anyone that I've been to lazy or forgetful to talk to in person recently.

1.) I got a new job. Its the one I talked about a few posts back. I haven't started yet, but should start sometime in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime I'm trying to teach myself the programs that I'll be working with. I typically second guess everything I do, to the point of losing sleep most often. But I've slept easy having made this decision.

2.) Speaking of dreams, "The Science of Sleep" (Michel Gondry) looks to be the most amazing movie that I will see this year. It comes out in september so that comment is more of an assumption or a hope than a review. It just looks so beautiful. All the stop motion work, the fact that everything is hand crafted, the aviodance of CGI effects (yes I make a living digitially altering video and to a degree that stuff is cool, but I much prefer hand made stuff) not to mention an interesting story. So September 15th, if it opens in Birmingham, Im there, even if I have to go by myself.







3.) I had an almost two hour long conversation yesterday with a guy I work with as to wether or not an ordinary person could design, build, and own/operate a roller coaster on their own. I say no. He says yes. He obviously cared a lot more about it than me, thus the long talk. I was pretty tired of talking about it, but seeing people who have dreams is always welcome. If anyone is interested I'd like to know what anyone reading thinks. Is is possible to build a real rollercoaster on you own?
There are a few examples, but Im not sure I'd call this an actual roller coaster. Cool definitely but not what I had in mind.






4.) I really love the Andy Griffith Show. I've watched it 2 times a day for more than half of my life I think (allowing for the occasional missed day). I googled it today to see what kindred spirits were lurking the internets. I have to say that I am a casual observer compared to the rest of the TAGS fan club. TAGS is internet speak for The Andy Griffith Show. Did you know there are 250 episodes in all? I didn't, and I am humbled. I feel like I know so much, and yet I've experienced so little.

5 comments:

jeff said...

roller coasters, hmm... I never thought about it, I suppose if you wanted to, one person could build one on their own. They would just have to take the time neccesary(isn't that an odd word?).

susan said...

That movie looks interesting, but lately, I've noticed that European-looking people make me a little nervous. I wonder why that is. Xenophobia? Yes.

Have you seen A Scanner Darkly? (Is that what it's called?)

That roller coaster is so cool it probably is in Raleigh.

Su

Jason Harmon said...

I agree, the coaster is too uptown for Mayberry and too cool for Mount Pilot, so Raleigh is probably right.

Jeff, I think people can do lots of stuff and obviously that guy built a form of a coaster, but its not 6 Flags worthy.

And I haven't seen A Scanner Darkly, but the story looks interesting to me. It got lots of hype because of the way it looks, but the story I think is pretty timely.

DS in Southside said...

Man, I'm a TAGS lover myself. My dad discovered it when he was in college, and he's still obsessed to this day. I was a part of a TAGS listserv, but it got to be too much for me. I've got a DVD and a VHS or two, and my dad has offered me all his VHS's since he's upgraded to DVD, so let me know if you want to borrow something.

Also, I've got a book written by a guy from my hometown who lives in Huntsville that is used in a lot of in Bible studies. It's a book using anecdotes from the show and teaching moral and/or Biblical stories and parallels, if you want to borrow it. Next best thing to the Bible itself.

Roller coaster - yes. There are independent people who have successfully developed vehicles to get them to space. If the space program can go private, a determined, weird engineer with money can build a roller coaster. The tea cups, though, are another story...

That coaster in the pic is in Raleigh. Barn used to ride on it for a nickel when he'd go and stay in the corner room at the Y. Hey to Goober.

jeff said...

i'm hiding out in tenn. dont tell the summit officials