My Blue Chair

If anyone actually reads this, I now only blog on blogger. It's so much prettier than livejournal. quitstalling.blogspot.com. One day I'll explain why I call the blog "stalling." (There is actually a story there. And it has to do with dropping kids off at the pool.)

Blog entry about The Rule.

The Bechdal-Wallace Rule:

Only see movies that satisfy three basic requirements:
1. The movie must have at least 2 women, who must...
2. Talk to each other...
3. About something other then men.

It's surprising how few movies actually pass the test. And if you think of the reverse rule, a movie with two men in it that talk to each other about things other than woman, the passing list is much larger. Most recent movies I've seen:

Get Smart: PASSES, but so barely. Agent 99 shakes hands with the fat lady Max danced with and says something like, "Nice moves." (Maybe that's why that pointless scene was in there.)

The Incredible Hulk: FAILS. There is a female soldier, but I don't think Liv Tyler speaks with her. If she does, it's probably about the hulk.

Indiana Jones: FAILS. I don't think Marian actually talks to Cate Blanchett's character. Punches her in the face, maybe. But no talking.

Iron Man: FAILS. I would consider the coversation between the reporter and Pepper to be about Tony.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: PASSES. Violet talks to her mom about non-male related things. Violet and Veruca talk briefly.

Little Mermaid: FAILS. The sisters talk to each other, but about how Ariel is in love (with a man). And all Ursula/Ariel talk is about Eric.

Batman Begins: FAILS. Were there any other women besides Rachel Dawes? Maybe in New-Batman 3 Poison Ivy and Catwoman can share tips on drycleaning spandex.

No Reservations: PASSES. It's a butt-boring movie, but there are plenty of aunt/niece bonding, head  chef/manager fighting, and head chef/sous chef cooking scenes. All of them involving and mostly about women. I really hope that's not why it was so boring.

I'm not all pissed off about it or anything, I just think it's kind of interesting to notice. Sad, but interesting.

Curried Coconut Chicken

This looks really interesting, I'm not sure if I'll like it. I've tried to cook Thai food before, and never been quite satisfied. It's almost easier to just go eat Thai at a restaurant. This seems more Indian than Thai anyway, but I'm intrigued enough to give it a try.

Pesto Chicken Florentine

This looks way too easy and too tasty not to try. I'll probably attempt this one first, because it looks so fool-proof.

Baked Lemon Chicken

I love lemon chicken, and this one looks interesting. Plus, easy.

This is always kind of funny: go to the babelfish site and translate things into one language, then translate that right back to English. In my computers and humanities class, we'd do that with scriptures. But it's equally funny with dirty songs. Can anyone name this tune?

English to Dutch English:
I flog will let me you if I it is badly behaves himself only that nobody makes me this manner feels.

English to Korean to English:
It goes out and when it justice it is, anyone the production or impression to act and method is impolite me to be extensive and to carry and and it is to make.

French:
I will let to you whip myself if I act badly it is right that single marks I to feel this way.

Portuguese:
I will leave it to hit me if I misbehave. it will be just that no.one makes me sensation this way.

Japanese:
If I make and feel and do then fair thing everyone me like this immoral behavior is obtained and the fact that I am struck is permitted.

English to Italian to French to German to English:
Hit it to resound it, if misbehave. It is fair that no expirations me clock this sense.

I just walked around my entire company, getting everyone to sign a card for someone that quit. And when I was waiting for the last group of people to pass it around, I realized I had a big red glob of salsa clinging to my light blue shirt. Classy.

Okay, maybe "daily" prompt was a bit too ambitious. Let's try weekly.

Here's this week's prompt:
1. Set your variations. Jill had a question about how to do this. I would roll four dice from the dice website. Match those numbers up to all of the options, in order. Then choose one, two, or three of the options that you will use in your story. (Or do whatever you want, I won't tell the teacher.)
2. Write a story with this situation: The owner of a drycleaner discovers something unusual in the coat pocket of one of his regular customers.

1. Determine your variations.
2. Start a story with the first line: "Yeah I'm bad, but in a good way."
3. Post your story as a reply, or in your own journal. (If you post it in your own journal: Leave a comment, so I'll know to go look at it.)

P.S. Jill: I really did pick that one from random.

My random variation generator results:
2, 1, 5, 5

Female, underaged protagonist; early 20th century romance. Great.

From now on, the prompts will be from this book. To make them more interesting, you'll need a die. (If you don't have one readily available, go here.) Pick two of following lists (you can pick them randomly or hand-pick them) and roll the die. Stick to those limitations and apply them to the daily prompt. If you want an even bigger challange, use three or four at once. If you've done this before the prompt, state that before your story.

1. Your protagonist is:
Roll 1-3: Female
Roll 4-6: Male

2. Your protagonist is:
Roll 1: less tham 18 years old
Roll 2: 18-30 years old
Roll 3: 31-50 years old
Roll 4: 51-70 years old
Roll 5: more than 70 years old
Roll 6: reroll

3. The genre is:
Roll 1: Mystery/Thriller
Roll 2: Literary
Roll 3: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Roll 4: Horror
Roll 5: Romance
Roll 6: Humor

4. The time period is:
Roll 1: Now
Roll 2: 1 to 25 years in the future
Roll 3: 25 to 500 years in the future
Roll 4: Late 20th century (1951-2000)
Roll 5: Early 20th century (1900-1950)
Roll 6: 100 to 10,000 years ago


Jill complained (as usual) that these prompts wouldn't be as restrictive for me since I can browse through the book and choose the ones I like. So to make up for it, I'll always use all four tables. I am just that awesome. To really make it fair, I probably ought to write these with one hand tied behind my back, uphill bothways in the snow, but then it's harder to look like I'm fake working.

You're talking on your cell phone while driving into work one morning. All of a sudden your signal gets crossed and you start picking up another conversation. Write the scene.

P.S. I'm putting my entry as a response, since they usually take me forever.

P.P.S. Jill, look at the previous entry.