Well, I saw the film Repo: The Genetic Opera

Well, I saw the film Repo: The Genetic Opera

I was with a group of friends at one of their's house and they were like, Hey, have you seen this? Just in general, not to me specifically.
I confided in Claire that I had reservations, but everyone else, seen it or not, seemed keen on watching it.

So, I took my typical spot in the corner and just played along nicely.

It's a musical. Hey, that is cool.

It has Anthony Stewart Head. That is cool too. His brother Murry plays the American in the performance of Chess that I have.

Sarah Brightman too. Hey, she is an incredible singer. How did she get stuck with this? Did she loose a bet?

There is Alexa Vega playing the role of me. No, I mean Shilo. I did not realize she could sing - or is it overdubbed. I will have to look into that.

And Bill Moseley, no less, of House of 1000 Corps franchise fame. I mean, grindhouse/gore flicks are not exactly my thing, but hey.

Okay, so the film. The music is pretty good, the singing is (mostly) good.

The plot was as thin as the stage blood, but, I mean, operas are not exactly known for complex plots. Yeah, there are some back stories worked out for the characters. It is not completely see through - there are some twists, but again, the point is the music which is what really makes this all work.

It is the Faustian counter plot to the Ishiguro Kazuo, Philip K Dick, et al dystopia fictions that started coming out post-WWII. If you saw the film The Island? Imagine if that... insurance... was financed - And you could not pay your bill after having put the policy into effect.

Best songs (In my opinion, and in no particular order that I will admit):
Things You See in a Graveyard
Come Back
Chase the Morning / Everyone's a Composer
Seventeen / What Chance Has a 17 Year Old Girl? (Oh-Kay... this is probably because I am me)
At the Opera Tonight
Zydrate Anatomy
Infected (Again, because I am me)
Let the Monster Rise
Genetic Emancipation
Chromaggia
Depraved Heart Murder at Sanitarium Square
I Didn't Know I'd Love You So Much
21st Century Cure

Notable mentions:
Can't Get it Up if the Girl's Breathing (Mostly for the music. Okay, and for the title.)
Genetic Repo Man

And, there are plenty more good/amusing songs

Well, that is about all I am going to blog about this thing... publicly.
Take Care
LQ

It's Friday + a dream

Well, part of a dream - but I'll get to that later.
First:
Yeah, there have been updates to LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition) and so, and all the groovy updates promised. The big one I am waiting for is the 64bit release.
I mean, am I wrong or will this require a new iso? Everything else, yeah, great, I can get through updates. Well, not exactly everything. They said they made improvements to the installer, so I need to run the installer if I want to check them out.

So I am waiting (kinda) patiently for the new 64bit iso of LMDE. But I will be all excited when it is out - probably blog all about it and stuff.

Second:
As some of you are well aware, my - er, Dad's - house plays holiday host for the holidays. People were over for Thanksgiving, and typically we get everyone again for Christmas-New Years. Yup, that's right, a week+ of "house guests."
Every time, I work hard to make sure the house is ready for everyone. Then Mum comes and re-does it all - like it was her house. So, "Why do I do it, knowing this?" you may ask. I just have to. If for no other reason than when Mum comes and moved things, there are not those "clean" spots where things were, you know? Everything is clean before she touches it. Then I have to re-clean after they go to, uh, get "them" off things.
I am doing something different this year. I am completely rearranging the house full stop. Totally mixed up the chi or whatever. Couch - over there. Radio - there. Book case - (unloaded) over there (reloaded). Etc, etc. Even the kitchen is all rearranged.

The point of all this? To change things so radically that Mum will actually _notice_ that I am taking care of it. This is still a work in progress, so we'll see how it goes. It may backfire on me and drive me nuts. Oh, and for the record, yeah, I even am doing the bedrooms.

And, third:
Before I get to the actual "dream" part of this, you gotta know the setup.
In the past, I have had (bad) dreams about waking up next to Dad in bed and (bad) dreams about waking up next to him in bed that felt so real that I ran screaming into his room waking him up with a hockey stick. Being a bit of a sleep walker, I have actually woken up in Dad's bed, being... uh... poked in the back of the leg by him*. That was a fright and he ended up getting kicked in the face before things settled down.
[edit: I should clarify that he was /sleeping/ when this happened, eh? Not his /fault/.]
Also, Amy shares my bed when everyone is over for the holidays. So, I am not completely unaccustomed to waking with someone else in bed. Now, on to the dream:

In the dream, I was dreaming about everyone being here for the holidays and having Amy around. Then, in the dream, I dreamed I woke up rather peacefully, just stretching in the sun-warmed sheets, face down and feeling the still-fresh linen against my skin. I was quickly and calmly aware of the weight of someone next to me, my skin against their smooth skin. I could feel the rhythm of their breathing and it was comforting. I kept my eyes closed against the persistent, bright sumer sun. I felt the curves of their - of her body and knew she was on her back; slight curve of breast against the my ribs. My skin felt cool against her warm body, soft and tender. I smiled from the comfort of it all as I finished my stretch then rolled to my side, away from my bedmate to look at her face. The scent was so familiar I could picture the form before me before I opened my eyes and found...
Claire.
That startled me awake for real. I should have known it was a dream from the light. There was too much light. Sunrise it not until like almost eleven. I had been expecting (in my dream) for it to have been Amy, so familiar and comfortable. I really believed my dream was real and Amy was next to me. I just knew it. Then to open my eyes and find Claire - I was instantly bombarded with new, Claire scents and rhythms. And that /light/. It was on the other side of Claire from me (well, no, it was all around such that the only things I could see were myself, the bed (and beddings) and Claire) and the light wrapped around her so tightly that I could only see her face - my mind filling in the rest of her from memory, vague and incomplete. At least she was smiling at me.

That was yesterday morning - Thursday. It kinda occupied my thoughts, leaving me lost to this distraction most of the day.
You know when you have an "off" day, right? And you can tell things are just not going the way they normally do. So, at fencing, I am off my game. Completely distracted. One guy who doesn't really beat me... doesn't really get touches on a normal day... beats me - twice - and starts talking to his buds about how much better he is because now he is better than me. He had extra toast with breakfast, and now he is better than me, so he is going to have extra toast before tournaments. He put on his right shoe first this time, so he is better than me and will now always put on his right shoe first. Some such nonsense.
On the other hand, the other, the really good fencers, are actually /more/ annoying. "Hey, there were a couple of opportunities in there you missed, thank goodness." Or, "Oh, my, I thought you were going to get me there... You normally get me with those." Etc, etc. Yeah, they could tell I was off my game, but they were trying to /help/. Even Coach started trying, but my mind just was not in it. I tried meditating, but oddly, it did not help.

Sheehs.

So, this is probably a fairly frustrating post for some of you. It touches on Linux, Family, Dreams, Fencing... if I... Oh, I think I will...

Here are the first fifteen tracks in my current playlist:
[0/2680] Lily Allen - Everything's Just Wonderful (03:29)
[1/6901] Book Of Love - I Touch Roses (Long Stemmed Version) (05:46)
[2/6891] Book Of Love - Late Show (03:38)
[3/3300] KT Tunstall - Hold On (02:58)
[4/3209] Katharine McPhee - Over It (03:35)
[5/3294] 32+-+KT+Tunstall+-+Hold+On.mp3 (02:47)
[6/6946] Everything But The Girl - Letting Love Go (04:46)
[7/6939] Everything But The Girl - Driving (04:00)
[8/4235] Yaz - And On (03:12)
[9/5702] Garbage - Wicked Ways (03:44)
[10/5660] Garbage - Cup Of Coffee (04:31)
[11/3221] Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl (03:00)
[12/3299] KT Tunstall - Funnyman (02:56)
[13/6902] Book Of Love - Boy (Extended Mix) (04:29)
[14/3121] Gabriella Cilmi - Einstein (03:40)

Oh, Mercy... somethings in that list should be omitted. :blush:

I just finished reading The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade. It was a good and light teen candy book. I have these "Candy Books" that I read from time to time. Most are Teen, or YA books, but they are fun without having a lot of weight, you know? Why I Let My Hair Grow Out, The first HP book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, In the Stone Circle, the first Twilight book (Uh, I guess that would be Twilight) and about anything by Meg Cabbot. I mean, there are other "light reading" books I have and like and whatnot. The Pern Series, some Piers Anthony, Dresden Files, Girl Vs Evil and whatnot. But these are not like my "deep reading" like Time Travelers Wife, or Never Let Me Go, etc.

Okay... lots of topics to post for one day. Have fun...

LQ

Top Fifteen Rants on Film

Top Fifteen Rants on Film 

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Lady Quindecim

 on 02-14-2009 at 02:23 AM (0 Views)

Top Fifteen Rants on Film (in no particular order that I will admit to*):
01) Dr. Walter Gibbs: [stops and turns back to Dillinger, visibly angry] That was uncalled for! You know, you can remove men like Alan and me from the system, but we helped create it! And our spirit remains in every program we design for this computer!
-- Tron

02) Christy: I heard your parents had to move here because you got kicked out of ten different schools?
Alan: I did not! [paused for a while] It was only two.
-- Small Soldiers

03) Gina: I'm finished speaking to both of you okay? You're both [eff]ing insane. You want to know what your problem is? MTV, Playboy, and Madison [eff]ing Avenue. Yes. Let me explain something to you, ok? Girls with big tits have big [tush]. Girls with little tits have little [tush]. That's the way it goes. G__ doesn't [eff] around; he's a fair guy. He gave the fatties big, beautiful tits and the skinnies little tiny niddlers. It's not my rule. If you don't like it, call him. Hey Mitch. Thank you.
[Looking at a porn magazine]
Gina: Oh, guys, look what we have here. Look at this, your favorite. Oh, you like that?
Tommy: I could go along with that.
Gina: Yeah, that's nice right? Well, it doesn't exist ok. Look at the hair. The hair is long, it's flowing, it's like a river. Well, it's a [eff]ing weave ok? And the tits, please! I could hang my overcoat on them. Tits by design were invented to be suckled by babies. Yes, they're purely functional. These are silicon city. And look, my favorite, the shaved pubis. Pubic hair being too unruly and all. Very key. This is a mockery, this is a sham, this is bull[poop]. Implants, collagen, plastic, capped teeth, the fat sucked out, the hair extended, the nose fixed, the bush shaved... These are not real women, all right? They're beauty freaks. And they make all us normal women with our wrinkles, our puckered boobs, hi bob, and our cellulite feel somehow inadequate. Well I don't buy it, all right? But you [eff]ing mooks, if you think that if there's a chance in hell that you'll end up with one of these women, you don't give us real women anything approaching a commitment. It's pathetic. I don't know what you think you're going to do. You're going to end up eighty-years old, drooling in some nursing home, then you're going to decide, it's time to settle down, get married, have kids? What, are you going to find a cheerleader? Charge it Mitch.
Tommy: I think you're over simplifying.
Gina: Oh eat me. Look at Paul. With his models on the wall, his dog named Elle McPherson. He's insane. He's obsessed. You're all obsessed. If you had an once of self-esteem, of self-worth, of self-confidence, you would realize that as trite as it may sound, beauty is truly skin-deep. And you know what, if you ever did hook one of those girls, I guarantee you'd be sick of her.
Tommy: Yeah, I suppose I'd get sick of her after about, what, twenty or thirty years?
Gina: Get over yourself. Thank you Mitch. Say hello to Gertrude.
Tommy: What?
Gina: No mater how perfect the nipple, how supple the thigh, unless there is some other **** going on in the relationship, besides the physical, it's going to get old, ok? And you guys, as a gender, have got to get a grip. Otherwise, the future of the human race is in jeopardy.
Willie Conway: What was that?
Tommy: I don't know, but a great [tush].
Willie Conway: Nice tits. Come on let's go.
-- Beautiful Girls **

04) Mal: This report is maybe twelve years old. Parliament buried it, and it stayed buried till River dug it up. This is what they feared she knew. And they were right to fear because there’s a whole universe of folk who are gonna know it, too. They’re gonna see it. Somebody has to speak for these people. You all got on this boat for different reasons, but you all come to the same place. So now I’m asking more of you than I have before. Maybe all. Sure as I know anything I know this, they will try again. Maybe on another world, maybe on this very ground swept clean. A year from now, ten, they’ll swing back to the belief that they can make people…better. And I do not hold to that. So no more running. I aim to misbehave.
-- Serenity

05) Rosencrantz: Did you ever think of yourself as actually dead, lying in a box with a lid on it?
Guildenstern: No.
Rosencrantz: Nor do I, really. It's silly to be depressed by it. I mean, one thinks of it like being alive in a box. One keeps forgetting to take into account the fact that one is dead, which should make all the difference, shouldn't it? I mean, you'd never know you were in a box, would you? It would be just like you were asleep in a box. Not that I'd like to sleep in a box, mind you. Not without any air. You'd wake up dead, for a start, and then where would you be? In a box. That's the bit I don't like, frankly. That's why I don't think of it. Because you'd be helpless, wouldn't you? Stuffed in a box like that. I mean, you'd be in there forever, even taking into account the fact that you're dead. It isn't a pleasant thought. Especially if you're dead, really. Ask yourself, if I asked you straight off, "I'm going to stuff you in this box. Now, would you rather be alive or dead?" Naturally, you'd prefer to be alive. Life in a box is better than no life at all, I expect. You'd have a chance, at least. You could lie there thinking, "Well. At least I'm not dead. In a minute somebody is going to bang on the lid, and tell me to come out." [bangs on lid] "Hey, you! What's your name? Come out of there!"
[Long pause]
Guildenstern: I think I'm going to kill you.
-- Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead

06) Craig: There's a tiny door in that empty office. It's a portal, Maxine. It takes you inside John Malkovich. You see the world through John Malkovich's eyes, then, after about fifteen minutes, you're spit out into a ditch on the side of The New Jersey Turnpike.
Maxine: Sounds delightful. Who the [eff] is John Malkovich?
Craig: He's an actor. One of the great American actors of the 20th century.
Maxine: What's he been in?
Craig: Lots of things. He's very well respected. That jewel thief movie, for example. The point is that this is a very odd thing, supernatural, for lack of a better word. It raises all sorts of philosophical questions about the nature of self, about the existence of the soul. Am I me? Is Malkovich Malkovich? Was the Buddha right, is duality an illusion? Do you see what a can of worms this portal is? I don't think I can go on living my life as I have lived it. There's only one thing to do. Let's get married right away.
-- Being John Malkovich

07) Ellie Arroway: Because I can't. I had an experience. I can't prove it. I can't just explain it. But everything that I know as a human being, everything that I am tells me that it was real. I was given something wonderful, something that changed me forever: a vision of the universe that tells us undeniably how tiny and insignificant and how rare and precious we all are. A vision that tells us that we belong to something that is greater than ourselves, that we are not - that none of us is alone. I wish I could share that emotion, that everyone, if even for one moment, could feel that awe and humility and that hope that I felt, but... that continues to be my wish.
-- Contact

08) Helicopter Pilot: So you don't like flyin', huh? This is nothin'! You shoulda been with us five, six months back! Whoa, talk about puke! We ran into a hailstorm over the Sea of Japan! Everyone was retchin' his guts out! The pilot shot his lunch all over the windshield, and I barfed on the radio - knocked it right out! It wasn't that lightweight stuff, either, it was that chunky, industrial-weight puke! [proferring a candy bar] Wanna bite?
-- The Hunt for Red October

09) Mathilda: My parents... d-died in a car accident about four weeks ago. It was terrible.
Headmistress: You know, we didn't have the time to get to know one another when you first came here. But I want you to know that I'm not the kind of woman that would let down a child — no matter what her situation, no matter what her mistake. So I'm going to help you and do my best to welcome you here again. But on one condition: you have to stop lying to me, Mathilda. I want you to take a chance, and trust me, and tell me what happened to you.
Mathilda: Okay. My family got shot down by D.E.A. officers because of a drug problem. I left with the greatest guy on earth. He was a hit man — the best in town. But he died this morning... and if you don't help me, I'll be dead by tonight.
-- Léon

10) I’m Hub McCann. I’ve fought in two world wars, and countless smaller ones on three continents. I’ve led thousands of men into battle with everything from horses and swords to artillery and tanks. I’ve seen the headwaters of the Nile and tribes of natives no white men had ever seen before. I’ve won and lost a dozen fortunes, killed many men, and loved only one woman with a passion a flea like you could never begin to understand. That’s who I am.
-- Second-hand Lions

11) Joan: You should write these kiss-offs down. How to crush a woman's soul in ten words or less. That was ten, wasn't it? (counting) You're-terrific-Sensational-really-but-I'm-not-right-for-you. Yep. Ten..
-- Playing By Heart

12) McCord: Man, why do I gotta be the guy tells the kids there's no Santa Claus? OK, look. You're...Well, you're not like me. I mean, you're not... human. I mean, you're human, but you just, you're not real. You're not, like, a real person. Like me. You're clones. You're copies of people out here in the world.
-- The Island

13) Martin: I just honestly don't know what I have in common with those people anymore... or with anyone, really. I mean, they'll all have husbands and wives and children and houses and dogs, and, you know, they'll have made themselves a part of something, and they can talk about what they do. And what am I going to say? "I killed the president of Paraguay with a fork. How have you been?" I just think it'll be depressing.
-- Grosse Pointe Blank

14) Johnny Mnemonic: Listen. You listen to me. You see that city over there? THAT'S where I'm supposed to be. Not down here with the dogs, and the garbage, and the [eff]ing last month's newspapers blowing *back* and *forth*. I've had it with them, I've had it with you, I've had it with ALL THIS - *I want ROOM SERVICE*! I want the club sandwich, I want the cold Mexican beer, I want a $10,000-a-night hooker! I want my shirts laundered... like they do... at the Imperial Hotel... in Tokyo.
-- Johnny Mnemonic ##

15) Danny:
This band behind me'll tell you that that trophy means more to me than owt else in the whole world. But they'd be wrong! Truth is, I THOUGHT it mattered. I thought that MUSIC mattered. But does it bollocks? Not compared to how people matter. Us winning this trophy won't mean bugger-all to most people. But us refusing it - like what we're going to do now - well, then it becomes news, doesn't it?
[flurry of press camera shutters]
You see what I mean. That way, I'll not just be talking to myself, will I? Because over the last ten years, this bloody government has systematically destroyed an entire industry. OUR industry. And not just our industry - our communities, our homes, our lives. All in the name of "progress". And for a few lousy bob. I'll tell you something else you might not know, as well. A fortnight ago, this band's pit were closed - another thousand men lost their jobs. And that's not all they lost. Most of them lost the will to win a while ago. A few of them even lost the will to fight. But when it comes to losing the will to live, to breathe, the point is - if this lot were seals or whales, you'd all be up in bloody arms. But their not, are they, no, no they're not. They're just ordinary common-or-garden honest, decent human beings. And not one of them with an ounce of bloody hope left. Oh aye, they can knock out a bloody good tune. But what the [eff] does that matter?
[gasps emotionally, close to tears]
And now I'm going to take my boys out onto the town. Thank you.
[rapturous applause]
-- Brassed Off ++

* I generally like for the last one on the list (number fifteen, for those of you who have been following along) to be the one that lingers in your mind.

** I hope I censored everything... that needed to be. I let tit and its variants go. I hope that is okay.

## Yeah, I did this one before, somewhere... but is it just awesomeness and stuff

++ This is an amazing film. If you are a human being, or know anyone who is, you should see it. If you are unsure if you should see it or not, err on the side of caution and see it. If you think that you may be too old, young, inhuman, crotchety to see it, see it anyway. If you have seen it, and do not think that simply everyone in the universe should see it, see it again because you were not paying attention. If someone asks you, "Hey, do you know any films I should see?" tell them, "Yes, in fact, see this one." If there is any part of you that remains unclear on whether or not I think you should see this picture, see it and decide for your self. If you understand all this and are thinking to yourself, "I would, but I am not the kind of person who watches anything," then watch this one. If you are not a human being, and are thinking to yourself, "I would maybe watch it, but I don't think I even know any human beings," just watch it because obviously you are insane. If this kind of production is simply not your cup of tea, that is fine. Watch it anyway; I'm not asking you to like it, just to watch it. Now. What are you waiting for?

Top Fifteen GLaDOS Quotes

(In no particular order that I will admit)

01) "Spectacular. You appear to understand how a portal affects forward momentum, or to be more precise, how it does not. Momentum, a function of mass and velocity, is conserved between portals. In layman's terms, speedy thing goes in, speedy thing comes out."

02) "Please be advised that a noticeable taste of blood is not part of any test protocol but is an unintended side effect of the Aperture Science Material Emancipation Grid, which may, in semi-rare cases, emancipate dental fillings, crowns, tooth enamel, and teeth."

03) "Please note that we have added a consequence for failure. Any contact with the chamber floor will result in an 'unsatisfactory' mark on your official testing record, followed by death. Good luck!"

04) "The Enrichment Center is committed to the well being of all participants. Cake and grief counseling will be available at the conclusion of the test. Thank you for helping us help you help us all."

05) "Remember, the Aperture Science 'Bring Your Daughter to Work Day' is the perfect time to have her tested."

06) "If the Weighted Companion Cube could speak, and the Enrichment Center takes this opportunity to remind you that it cannot, it would tell you to kill it, because it would rather die than be a burden to you."

07) "Deploying surprise in five... four... Time out for a second. That wasn't supposed to happen. Do you see that thing that fell out of me? What is that? It's not the surprise... I've never seen it before. Never mind, it's a mystery I'll solve later, by myself, because you'll be dead."

08) "That thing you burned up isn't important to me. It's the fluid catalytic cracking unit. It made shoes for orphans. Nice job breaking it, hero."

09) "I'd just like to point out that you were given every opportunity to succeed. There was even going to be a party for you. A big party that all your friends were invited to. I invited your best friend the Companion Cube. Of course, he couldn't come because you murdered him. All your other friends couldn't come either because you don't have any other friends. Because of how unlikeable you are. It says so here in your personnel file: Unlikeable. Liked by no one. A bitter, unlikeable loner whose passing shall not be mourned. 'Shall not be mourned.' That's exactly what it says. Very formal. Very official. It also says you were adopted. So that's funny, too."

10) "Speaking of curiosity, you're curious about what happens after you die, right? Guess what? I know! You're going to find out first-hand before I can finish telling you, though, so I won't bother. I'll give you a hint: you're going to want to pack as much living as you possibly can into the next couple of minutes."

11) "We both said a lot of things that you're going to regret. But I think we can put our differences behind us. For science. You monster."

12) "We're a lot alike, you and I. You tested me. I tested you. You killed me, I... oh no, wait. I guess I haven't killed you yet. Well... food for thought."

13) "Congratulations. The test is now over. All Aperture technologies remain safely operational up to 4000 degrees Kelvin. Rest assured that there is absolutely no chance of a dangerous equipment malfunction prior to your victory candescence. Thank you for participating in this Aperture Science computer-aided enrichment activity. Goodbye."

14) "Have I lied to you? [pause] I mean, in this room?"

15) "Didn't we have some fun though? Remember when the platform was sliding into the fire pit and I said 'Goodbye,' and you were like 'No way,' Then I was all like 'We pretended we were going to murder you?'[sigh] That was great."

Here are a few of my favourite turret quotes as a bonus:

"Could you come over... here?"
"Is anyone there?"

"I don't blame you..."
"I don't hate you..."
"Why?"
"No hard feelings."
"It burns!"
"Please put me down..."

"Hey! It's me!"
"Don't shoot!"

"I see you."
"There you are."

"Hellooo!"
"Who's there?"
"Are you still there?"

The game really is quite funny.  It almost makes me want to buy an x-box.  Maybe they have it for PC?  I can run some virtual Windoze to play it. I know, I will Google it.  Google will tell me.

Top Fifteen Desserts I like to Make

Here are the Top Fifteen desserts I like to make, even if I cannot (or should not) eat them.

01) Cake.
     Just plain and simple cake.  Yellow cake with buttercream frosting.  But made from scratch.  It is so simple, that any flaws are like big neon signs.  I like trying to get everything just right.

02) Cheesecake.
     It is not really cheese, not really cake.  Not my favourite to eat, but people seem to get all excited to hear that I did not make it from a kit.

03) Fudge.
     It is like, "Oh, we need to bring some sweet snack? Here, let me make some fudge."  I have not been able to eat it for so long that I kinda lost my taste for it, but I think that people overestimate the effort.

04) Bread pudding.
     Especially when I get to make the bread myself too.  It is not pretty, (hello, it is a pudding.  There is no such thing as a pretty pudding) but it is so good.  Sometimes, Dad even lets me use the "good scotch."

05) Guinness Punch.
     (Aka: Jamaican Punch) Even though it is not really a typical dessert, I am adding it on this list.  I don't drink it (wink), but it smells so good.  Nectar of the g__s.

06) Snickerdoodles.
     Yeah, it took me a /long/ time before I realised that the cookies I loved so much have nothing to do with the candy of similar name.  And that is a good thing (that they are nothing alike) because I cannot eat chocolate and I do not like nut in things... and nuts, for the most part, hurt to eat and upset my tummy.

07) Tres Leches cake.
    I cannot stand to eat it, mind you, because of the way it feels in my mouth, but if people are not begging me to make bread pudding, they are asking for tres leches cake.  I have no idea how it is supposed to taste, but people seem to like it.

08) Spanish Style Sweet Bread - Pan Dulce
     This is one of the ones that barely made it on the list, but because I am not so fond of making it, but I love to eat it.  So, it almost violates that rule for the list.  Dad likes them too and more often than not, he helps.  Also, these are more often breakfast than dessert.  (Oh MERCY, I miss coffee.)

09) Modified Bear Paw Cookies.
     Modified, because they are supposed to have chocolate.  I like them too much, so I make them without chocolate.  People are like "Those are not Bear Paws!" because they have no chocolate.  I call them MBP cookies.

10) No, I do not make baked Alaska.  That is just... no.

11) Spice Cake.
     Sure, making cake is making cake, but it is my favourite to eat too, so it makes the list.

12) Citrus Cake.
     Not sure what else to call it.  It is a lemon cake with orange flavoured frosting.  I suppose the thing I like most about cooking is the smells.  The whole house smells wonderful when something good is cooking - or especially baking.

13) Trifle
     Talk about a labour of love.  I always thought it an ironic name, because it is most certainly no trifle to make.  But, when I am making a day of being in the kitchen, it is good fun.  I like the English style the best, but there are so many varieties and recipes that I am surely no authority.

14) "Mini" Fruit Pies
     The pies are mini, not the fruit, eh?  I make like a croissant bread, or a sweet biscuit and kinda flatten it out.  Put a dollop of fruit preserves, jams or jellies in the centre, then fold them over and bake.  Presto!  It took a few tries to get the technique right.

15) Mini Strawberry Shortcakes.
     I call these "mini" because they are just a few bites.  I use small shortbread cookies, a scoop of ice cream the size of a Swedish meatball, little bit of whip cream, and a halved strawberry.  When I make them for "people," I plan on about half or more of the people having two (or more).  But when I have the stuff, it is so quick an easy to just throw together for Dad and I.

Now, be it known, I am never going to win any prises with these.  And they are seldom very pretty, even when I try.  Well, at least not photo worthy. And, again, some of these, the thing I like about making them is spending time in the kitchen with all the good aromas, and when there is a lot of family over, it is good to escape to the kitchen.

Also, it should be known that most of these - or well, some of these - are more often than not a group project.  It is a good way for Dad and I to pass some of these long winter nights.

If you read all that and are not craving some kind of sweet, then blame it on my lack of gud writing sklzxor.

As always, comments welcome even if I do not reply (blogger hates me).
Take Care
LQ

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 15/15

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 15/15 (in no particular order that I will admit to):
15) "More Human Than Human"

I am cheating on this one.

See, Blade Runner - in the film the Tyrell corp produces the Nexus replicants (androids).  Their motto is "More human than human."  Their product has an expiration date.  In the film, the current product generation is "Nexus 6"

And White Zombie - the song has the line, "I am the Nexus One, I want more life [censored] I ain't done."  And so on.  So, the two are inseparable in my mind.

Okay, now, for the rest, well, I can imagine a replicant thinking of himself like the zombie described in the song.

The replicants were made to do the things that humans did not want to do, or were too dangerous to do.  Mostly described in the film, they were pleasure androids and wariers.  They were also used as assassins and other things like that and they had become so human-like, that they were made illegal to have on earth.
So, Tyrell corp experimented with giving them a "past" - a collection of fictitious human histories by which they can develop an empathy for the human perspective.  This, as the replicants began to approach their own expiration date, caused much introspection as they also developed a stronger, living-organism-like, sense of self preservation.  This is also described in the lyrics:
"Yeah, I am the jigsaw man
I turn the world around with a skeleton hand - say
I am electric head,
A cannibal core,
A television said - yeah
.
.
.
Into a psychic war,
I tear my soul apart and I eat it some more"

"jigsaw man" - their parts are synthetic, vat grown, and then assembled.
"I turn the world around with a skeleton hand" - describes that thier super-human qualities put them outside the natural world, able to control it; but (skeleton hand) still not human, not "living", and not in control of their own, ultimate destiny.
"electric head" - android
"cannibal core" - self expiring - time limit.
"television said" - not quite sure, but I have my thought on this... maybe referring to their "invented past"
Then
"Into a psychic war" - refers to the point at which they suffer an internal struggle driven by psychological motivators.
"I tear my soul apart and I eat it some more" - the introspection they go through during the "psychic war"

So, the film was awesome.  It is iconic of the "dystopian future."  It helped define a genre.  There is a lot missing from the book, but the film stands well enough on its own.  I have seen it with and without the narration, but I saw it with, first, so memory kept filling it in, so I do not know that I can form a proper opinion of the director's cut.

Take Care-
LQ

(p.s. Spell check does not know dystopian, but it know utopian?  How wrong is that?)

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 13/15

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 13/15 (in no particular order that I will admit to):
13)"People Are Strange"
Written by The Doors
Performed by Echo & The Bunnymen (as Echo and The Bunnymen)
Produced by Ray Manzarek
Courtesy of WEA Records
Film: The Lost Boys (1987)

This was the first... "shared"... music I had ever received.  The girl that gave me the CD also introduced me to Echo & The Bunnymen.  This was some time ago... like a few years.  We had been talking about bands we liked and she said that she had this soundtrack with these really cool bands and she gave me a copy.  She was like the first "goth" I knew.  She copied her older sister with like, everything.  Thought it was cool to wear her hand-be-downs because it was like being all "indi" and shopping the second-hand stores, but it was free, and she knew who had it last. 
I was listening to it and Dad had thought I was watching the file, until he came into the room-proper.  I was like, no, someone gave me a copy of the soundtrack.  Later, we watched the film.  It was cool.  I don't think too much of some of the tracks out of the context of the film, but I was like... wait, this one band sounds familiar.  Dad was like, Yeah, that's E&tB.  He went out with a girl that was really into them.  She gave him a tape of the soundtrack because it had E&tB on it.  Then he named some other E&tB songs, showed me his 12" of "Paint it Black".  So, Monday at school, I went back to my friend and was like "Wow, I really like E&tB" and said I saw the film and she was like "Yeah, ain't it great?" and I was like comparing them to Love and Rockets and her "boyfriend" was like "Yeah, they are great" and started trying to talk to me about L&R a lot... a lot... and creeping me out and my friend thought I was trying to steal her boyfriend, or didn't want him to be around me because she felt threatened or something.  Then it was Summer Break and she had new friends in the fall.
Boyfriend was in quotes because we were pretty young.  It was like, this is the boy, that is her friend, and the one that she let hold her hand and buy her desert at lunch.  (Due to research I had conducted trying to figure things out about me, I paid a lot of attention to any of my friends relationships with "boyfriends"... I was already terrified of boys.)

So, back to the film.  After Dad and I watched it, he asked me what I thought because I looked pensive, he said.  So I curled up in his lap and explained: If I was a vampire, it would cure me and I wouldn't die.
He said that the trade-off would be that I had to kill people.
I said that in some of the stories, they don't have to kill.
We went on then talking about a number of books and films about living forever, and miracle cures.  That was when he gave me Virtual Light.  See, in Andromeda Strain, they explain that for a virus to be successful, it could not kill its host.  So it mutates to a non fatal strain by the time it is unleashed on the world.  In Virtual Light, this happens to HIV - a non-fatal, dominant strain is identified and vaccine is made.  I love the book, but I was also pissed because I didn't want to die.  I wanted it to be real.  I was kinda torn because I both loved and hated the book.  So he gave me Neuromancer to read and I got over the hate and read the rest of the Sprawl trilogy, then re-read Virtual Light and moved on to Iduro and All Tomorrow's Parties, then backed up to the Burning Chrome collection of short stories, and I read The Difference Engine.... and I have really wandered away from The Lost Boys, haven't I.

In short, I was introduced to my favourite author because of a conversation about vampires and "cure-alls" and whatnot.

The title of the film is a reference to the companions of Peter Pan, who remained forever young.

This film invented the phrase "vamp out", which has passed into common usage on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"

In the cave of the Lost Boys you can see a poster of Jim Morrison who recorded the original version of "People are Strange" with The Doors. And when Star and Laddie are being carried into Sam’s room, you can see a poster of Echo & the Bunnymen who recorded the version used in the film.

Notable contenders:
"Cry Little Sister (Theme From The Lost Boys)"
Written by Mike Mainieri (as Michael Mainieri) and Gerard McMahon (as Gerard McMann)
Performed by Gerard McMahon (as Gerard McMann)
Produced by Mike Mainieri (as Michael Mainieri)
Co-Produced by Gerard McMahon (as Gerard McMann) and Bruce Martin

"To The Shock Of Miss Louise"
(uncredited)
Music by Thomas Newman

Sorry about getting a little off topics there, but I had recently read Welcome Chaos, by Kate Wilhelm where there is an enzyme that kills about 50% of the people that come in contact with it (transmitted sexually, but it also goes out as a "vaccine"), but the survivors live for ever, immune to all disease, even old age.  It had brought that old conversation back to mind.  It was a Regan Era "Cold War" story.

Anywho,
Take Care-
LQ

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 12/15

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 12/15 (in no particular order that I will admit to):
12)"Navarre And Isabeau's Dual Transformation"
Well, this is almost another "The whole flippin soundtrack" one... and another "just put it on for the music" films.  Oh, yeah.  I am talking about the Ladyhawke soundtrack, which is effectively by The Alan Parson's Project... almost.  Here is the Wikipedia entry on that:
[quote]The film's score was composed by Andrew Powell. Richard Donner stated that he was listening to The Alan Parsons Project (on which Powell collaborated) while scouting for locations, and became unable to separate his visual ideas from the music.[/quote]
So, being familiar with Alan Pardons Project, then seeing this film, I was like, "Dad, this sounds like Alan Parsons" and he was like, "I think they did do the soundtrack."  So we looked.  The Wiki entry was not there and so tracing it back, we were initially lead to believe that The Alan Parsons Project was to be credited.  Then we found that it was more Powell than Parsons, but neverthemind.
The music is awesome.  The film is funny, cute, fanciful... just _really_ good.

• Matthew Broderick as Philippe Gaston
• Rutger Hauer as Captain Etienne Navarre
• Michelle Pfeiffer as Isabeau d'Anjou
• Leo McKern as Father Imperius
• John Wood as Bishop of Aquila
• Ken Hutchison as Marquet
• Alfred Molina as Cezar
• Giancarlo Prete as Fornac

Well, Broderick seemed a bit out of place, but I got used to the character and he does pull it off.  Everyone else is spot on.
The film was filmed in Italy, primarily in a (and around) a real little medieval town call L'Aquila. The tune that Isabeau and Phillipe dance to in the stable is a genuine Italian 14th Century dance named "Trotto".  The breed of horse that Navarre rides is a Friesian, popular among medieval knights.  There was so much put into the production to give it such an authentic feel.

So, why go with such anachronistic soundtrack?  I feel that it serves to bring us, the contemporary audience, back to another world of magic and fantasy - a bridge to transport us there.

I like to listen to Alan Parson while doing school work, and sometimes while cooking.  Sometimes, I will put some on and curl up with Dad on the sofa while he reads.

So, this one part of the film, we see the two, Navarre and Isabeau, transform together, almost touching, and all the pain, and all the love, and the sum of their cursed existence.   The song is instrumental, so there is not much to say about it, but watching, and listening, it just all comes together to take its place at number twelve.

Take Care-
LQ

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 11/15

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 11/15 (in no particular order that I will admit to):

11)"Wouldn't It Be Good"
Written and Performed by Nik Kershaw
Performed by Danny Hutton Hitters
Film Pretty in Pink (1986)  - Yeah, like a lot of these, well before I was born.

It was surprisingly difficult to come up with ONE song for the representative for the list.

[quote]I got it bad, you don't know how bad I got it
You got it easy, you don't know when you've got it good
It's getting harder just keeping life and soul together
I'm sick of fighting even though I know I should

The cold is biting through each and every nerve and fibre
My broken spirit is frozen to the core
I don't wanna be here no more
...[/quote]

Yeah, I think about this one a lot.  Sometime more than others, and at times it has different meanings for me.

As for the film, it is (possibly) my fave of its ilk.  I take that back... I love the book.  The film was good.  If the film had the same ending as the book, then it would be my fave of its ilk.  So, I pretend.

Here were the runner ups for which song from this film:
"If You Leave"
Written by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (as OMD)
Performed by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Courtesy of Virgin Records, Ltd.
By Arrangement with A&M Records, Inc.
Because... well, it's OMD
Funny thing about that, actually.  I read in an interview that their record company was like "You have not had a hit in a long time and you need a hit."  And they were like "We don't care about having hits, we care about writing our music."  and the company was like "hello?  Paycheck?" and they were like, "Fine." and they did and it was and then they were like "Now we can go back to writing our stuff."

"Bring On The Dancing Horses"
by Will Sergeant, Ian McCulloch, Les Pattinson, Pete DeFreitas
Performed by Echo & The Bunnymen
Courtesy of WEA Records / Sire Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products
Just because.

"Shell-Shock"
by New Order & John Robie
Performed by New Order
Courtesy of Factory Records / Qwest Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products
My fave New Order song.  _WAY_ better than Blue Monday.  :ack:

So, if these 15 were in some kind of normal, ranked order, this one would have more... prime... position.  But these are in no particular order/ranking that I will admit to, so here it is at number (what number are we at? [what kind of grammar is that?]{oh, hush}) eleven.

So, anywho, yeah, coming to a thing on this entry was really holding things up.  I thought about moving on to the next one, but for reasons I won't [Can't]{Won't}[Whatever] explain, I just had to hold off until I got here.

Take care-
LQ

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 10/15

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 10/15 (in no particular order that I will admit to): 
10) Amadeus - the whole thin - What can I say, it's Mozart.
I mean, the film leaves some to be desired, but as a piece of cinema fiction with good tunes - there you have it.

On another note...
When I originally posted this on another blog last summer, in this spot, I talked about Linux Mint being... heavier than my computer was really happy with, and that I was thinking about giving something really thin like Zenwalk or Slackware a try.


I did, but still went back to Mint.  I have, with more RAM, found more happiness with Mint, yet, due mostly to restlessness, gave Slackware another go.


See next post for more how all that went (is going.)

Anywho,
Take Care-
LQ

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 9/15

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 9/15 (in no particular order that I will admit to):
09) "Ça plane pour moi" by Plastic Bertrand

"Ça plane pour moi"
Single by Plastic Bertrand
A-side	"Ça plane pour moi"
B-side	"Pogo Pogo"
Released	December 1977
Format	7"
Genre	Punk
Length	3:00
Label	AMC
Writer(s)	Yvan Lacomblez
Producer	Francis 'Lou' Deprijck

Film - National Lampoon's European Vacation - but this is not the one I am blogging about.

Film - Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Film -... Yeah, this one gets used a bit, actually, and I don't know what all in.

It has been covered a number of times by a number of artists - including The Presidents of the United States of America.  (For those of you playing along at home, The Presidents of the United States of America is one of the bands I listen to sometimes.  My favourite song of theirs being "Kitty" - but nevermind that right now.  And I just think that "nevermind" _should_ be one word.  I mean really.  With all the words and phrases that got slammed together (coupled?) to make one word out of them, how did "nevermind" get missed?  I guess it would have been something like "nevertheemind" or "whatforsoothdoththoumeantsbythinkingsuchthings" but I digress.

There was a lot of good music in Ferris Buler's Day Off, but this one takes the cake.  Sputnik's Love Missile F-111 is great, Oh Yeah by Yellow, and many others, but this one, in its silliness, takes the cake.  It is a silly song.  It is one of those songs where it is not supposed to make sense - just lots of silliness strung together.  And the scene is the delinquent trio in silly shots strung together.

Um... Short one today.  I mean, yeah, I could talk more about the film, but "Ça plane pour moi" really is a bunch of random phrases and whatnot put together for fun and whatnot.  The song is not really _about_ anything, eh?

Take Care-
LQ

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 8/15

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 8/15 (in no particular order that I will admit to):
08) "I HEAR MOTION"
Composed by Sean Kelly, Andrew Duffield, James Freud and Barton Price
Performed by Models
Film: Young Einstein

Again, one of my all-time fave films; one of my all-time fave songs.  Duh, right?  Hello - on the list.
Yahoo Serious is an amazing human.  This film was fun and silly and all his.  His friends and family helped him make it.
This song has a great beat, and you can dance to it.  This may not be completely - blatantly - obvious, but I like music.

"
Now let it out
    Shout to the night
And so it goes
    I hear motion
Just count it out
    Shout in your sleep
You'll say the word
    I hear motion

When it is Christmas for every one else
    I feel I'm missing the point. 
Sing Happy Birthday
    Sing Happy New Year
Whisper the words we all want to hear
"

So.... yeah.

Again, I do not have a whole lot to say about this without just going into the film plot and whatnot.  I mean, either you saw the film and were like "that was weird" or you saw it and were like, "Okay, that was funny" or you never heard of it and I don't want to just ruin it for you.

This script was like - SO - anachronistic.  In this scene, Albert Einstein invents rock and roll music, inspired by the rhythm of children playing hopscotch, and converts a violin to an electric guitar.  It went something like "...A scientific musical theory based on the human heartbeat.  4 bars, 4 beats to the bar... with a back beat.  In that state, the gravity will 'roll' to the down beat. Therefore, the body motion must 'rock' to the up beat.  A new musical theory; 'Roll & Rock'" or some such monologue.

So... yeah.  Yahoo Serious.  One of my favourite people in the world.  This was his (first) film, and my favourite (of many very good) songs from it.

Take Care-
LQ

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 7/15

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 7/15 (in no particular order that I will admit to): 

07) "Shine"
Written and Performed by Martin Ansell
Courtesy of Island Records
Film: Better off Dead

First off, this is a very, very funny film.  It has a cool car, cute guys, cute girls and that uniquely '80 teen film lack of sensible film making.  Now, there are some really good songs in here that are hilarious because of their part of the movie.  "Everybody Wants Some" for example, with the clay-mation burgers dancing, Elizabeth Daily singing "A Little Luck", that whole break-up montage on the radio.  And there are other songs in here (original and not) that I really like at well, like "Arrested By You" and "Like To Get To Know You Well."

This one won out because it is happy and sunny and the scene is where the _foreign_ girl shown the local boy all the things he has been missing around him and taking for granted.  And '80 ski film.

I guess this is kind of a short one.  Not a lot to say about it, but it is one of my favourite films, and it is a great part of the film and it would not be the same without this song.

Take Care-
LQ

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 6/15

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 6/15 (in no particular order that I will admit to): 

06) "AS THE WORLD FALLS DOWN"
Written by David Bowie
Produced by David Bowie and Arif Mardin
Performed by David Bowie
Film: Labyrinth (1986)

There were a few from this great movie; Underground, Magic Dance, Thirteen O'clock; but this one talks to me on a different level.  Again, the scene and the song together create that powerful image.  For me, this is where she realises she is insane, so I can relate.  No, I'm kidding there.  It is like she realises that everything before then has been like a dream - a non-reality and she has to break through the illusion within and fight her back to reality... when she accepts the realisation that she is in control of her reality - that her fears, fantasies, delusions and perceptions cannot control her unless she lets them - sort of thing.

It is a good David Bowie song. It is a good song in the film and in the story.  It is just plain a good song.

It's not that I relate to "Sarah": No step mum, no baby "half" brother (no brother of any kind), and I think (unfortunately) I *do* feel like I am the centre of my daddy's world.
:However:
There is that whole thirteenth hour - things not as they are - can't take anything for granted sort of vibe.

It is just way cool!

Take Care-
LQ

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 5/15

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 5/15 (in no particular order that I will admit to): 

05) "Dare To Be Stupid"
Performed by 'Weird Al' Yankovic
Film: Transformers: The Movie - the first one.

If you've seen the movie, you know this is on the junk world.  I can't imagine a better song for the scene... but I am not sure that part wasn't spawned from listening to the song.  I mean, I like Weird Al.  I was already familiar with several of his songs.  I am "too young" for the original Transformers series, so my introduction to the Transformer's universe was with this film.  I wanted to see it before I saw the new movie (the first new movie) so Dad put it on.  He had it on VHS from, like, back when.  Goodness only knows.

I always liked bumblebee and I was kinda torn on the not-being-a-vdub-in-the-new-release, but I digress.

So, "Dare to be Stupid" is not an actual song parody, but this is one of Weird Al's early attempts at writing a parody of a band's distinctive style.  It really worked well.  Mark Mothersbaugh said when asked about it, "This is the kind of song I would like to write.  It sounds more Devo than Devo."  Or something like that.  I forget.  But still, the gist of it being that he captured the Devo sound, people were convinced it was a Devo song parody, but they could not figure out which.  He has since written original songs in the styles of NIN, Dead Milkmen, that band with those guys in it, and more.

Now time for a little odd connection:

[quote=wikipedia] 

[Neuromancer] Video game

In 1988, a video game adaptation [of the novel], designed by Bruce J. Balfour, Brian Fargo, Troy A. Miles, and Michael A. Stackpole, was published by Interplay. The game, also titled Neuromancer, had many of the same locations and themes as the novel, but a different protagonist and plot. It also featured, as a soundtrack, a computer adaptation of the Devo song "Some Things Never Change." It was available for a variety of platforms, including the Amiga, the Apple II, the Commodore 64, and for DOS-based computers.

[/quote]

For those of you who have been following along, Neuromancer was written by William Gibson. (see song number 2/15 on this "list")

I think that is it for this one.
So, Put all your eggs in one basket and squeeze all the Charmin you can.
Take Care-
LQ

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 4/15

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 4/15 (in no particular order that I will admit to): 

04) "Camelot Song (Knights of the Round Table)"
Words by Graham Chapman and John Cleese
Music by Neil Innes
Film: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Liked so much, it was done in Lego(tm).  It just gets into your head and stays there.  What else can I really say about it? 
I had seen some Monty Python before seeing Holy Grail (Penguin on the telly, Spanish inquisition, confuse-a-cat, funniest joke) (and many more since then) but was not really prepared for the hilarity.  And the little guy in the dungeon... he was so funny... I picture myself there so often.

Brave Sir Robin bit is good and funny, and the guy who wants to sing, but all these other songs and stuff are like, part of the story.  This one is ... "On second thought, let's not go there.  It's a silly place."  It just makes me laugh.  I am almost laughing now.

Oh, I guess this is turning out to be kinda short.

I am not quite sure about some of the songs in "The Meaning of Life" - if they will make the list.  I am kink of making this up as I go.  Of course, it is my list, so I suppose I am entitled.

Anywho,
Take Care-
LQ

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 3/15

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 3/15 (in no particular order that I will admit to): 
03) -Dual of the Fatesby John Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra
Film: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
This... this alone right here, that make the film watchable.  I mean, I like SW EP1. 
There are a number of "okay" things about it, but This song, in This scene - were they not what they are, the film would... not be good - would instead be a gratuitous collection of fan candy.  (Ooh... I like that.  I need to remember it.)

The piece has a contemporary, modern relevance, and a classic, timeless structure that makes it one of the most powerful pieces in modern theatre.  The scene, while seemingly meaningless to the one film's primary plot thread (it does not help win the Battle of Naboo), it is the groundwork for the ultimate struggle that is unresolved until Vader kills the emperor in episode six - the first of many Jedi to be killed by the Sith and the good within triumphing over evil. 
Now, I'm not saying that Vader off-ing the emperor makes up for all the stuff he did bad - just that, well, I think he finally saw the weakness in the dark side.  Now, if only Tom Riddle could have learned the same lesson, his cool snake would not have had to loose it's head.

The song does not hold anything really personal or anything like that, I just really, really like it and it belongs on this list.
Take Care-
LQ

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 2/15

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 2/15 (in no particular order that I will admit to):
02) "I SEE THROUGH"
Performed by Rollins Band
Written by Henry Rollins, Melvin Gibbs, Sim Cain, Chris Haskett
Published by Sony Songs, Inc. / Men-O-Rok / Archetext Music / Imago Music, Inc. (BMI)
Produced by Theo Van Rock
Engineered by Peter Rave
Recorded at Echo Creek Ranch; Myers, CA
Rollins Band appears courtesy of The Imago Recording Company
Film: Johnny Mnemonic

Yeah, I go on a lot about this film, but with very good reason:
Based on the short story of the same name by my favourite author, William Gibson
William Gibson also wrote the screenplay.
Henry Rollins is in it.  (Hot body - just wish there was more in the film.)
It has a great soundtrack.

Okay, Raise you hand if you actually say thin one.
Now, Raise you hand if you actually read the short story... before seeing the film.

There is an interesting story here...
Gibson, in the late 80's, sold the movie rights to Neuromancer.  It got as far as getting Devo to do some soundtrack work for it, but alas, the project was never finished. 
Johnny Mnemonic was the precursor to the Sprawl trilogy - Neuromancer, Count Zero and Monalisa Overdrive - and the first time we see Molly Millions  (also known as Sally Shears in Monalisa Overdrive, and "the Steppin' Razor" to the residents of Zion.)
Molly is in the Sprawl tril, so, not having the rights to the character, could not be included in Johnny Mnemonic.  In comes Jane.  Jane is not just a re-naming of Molly, but more on that in a minute.
Gibson was working on the Bridge trilogy - Virtual Light (1993), Iduro (1996) and All Tomorrow's Parties (1999) - when working on the screenplay of JM (released 1995).
Gibson went on tour with the band U2 (the Zeuropa tour) while working on Iduro (for inspiration).
On the soundtrack, we have:
"ALEX DESCENDS INTO HE[ck] FOR A BOTTLE OF MILK/KOROVA 1"
Performed by Bono and The Edge
Written by Bono and The Edge
(There is some mutual fandom between Gibson and members of the band.)

So, having the film of Neuromancer fall short of ever getting finished, Gibson figured on this being his one big chance.  He incorporated elements of the Sprawl and Bridge trilogies into the screenplay.  Among the most prevalent are:
"Heaven" - the bridge is largely right out of the trillogy.
Jayne (the Molly replacement) is strongly influenced by the character Chevette Washinton.
Ratz from Neuromancer becomes Hookie.

So... well, that was a lot on the film, but what about the song!?

I am a major fan of Henry Rollins.  There are a lot of really good songs on the soundtrack (by Stabbing Westward, KMFDM, Orbital, the afore mentioned Bono and The Edge...) but "I See Through" ... the sound of the music, the sound of his voice... Ah... what a song.  It is (basically) (to me) about facing your fear and staring it down until you "see through" - the fear, the darkness, etc.

Anywho, there you have it.
Take Care-
LQ

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 1/15

Top Fifteen Movie Songs 1/15 (in no particular order that I will admit to):
01) "Gimme the Prize (Kurgan's Theme)"
Performed by Queen
Written by Brian May
Film: Highlander

Okay, we all know the film.  "There can be only one."
There, officially, is not a soundtrack for the film, but the Queen CD "A Kind of Magic" has the songs, plus "One Vision" from the film Iron Eagle.
UNFORTUNATELY - "Hammer to Fall" is not on the CD because it was a previously released Queen track.
ALSO - "New York, NY" is not on the CD because that itsy-bitsy little clip is all there was.
BUT - "Gimme the Prize (Kurgan's Theme)" is (barely/currently/mostly) my favourite track from the film.  Sure, I'm a chick, and I like "A Dozen Red Roses for my Darling" and "Who Wants To Live Forever", but the former - not THAT much, and the latter - it got a little depressing.

I was about 10 when I saw the movie, and it was a little weird trying to follow the timeline because the only thing I knew about it at the time was: Christopher Lambert (whom I knew from Knight Moves, which I watched with Dad who had to cover my eyes during a couple of scenes.  It was his first time to see it too.) gets to kick butt with a sword.  After the first couple of time-shifts, I was like - "this film is bril!"  I thought the Kurgan was really cool, but I always wondered, did he call Candy, or did she just come by?  I knew he was the bad guy and had to get his head chopped off, but he's a cool bad guy.  (Not like the weenie in Knight Moves.)

Has this song had a major impact on my life?  Well, no.  It hasn't.  I'm not that big a Queen fan, really.  And Highlander was a great film and all, but it is not like I run around quoting it or anything.  But together... that is the point where it feels like the fruition of The Gathering, you know?  Everyone left is now in the same place.

So... the goal here is that I am going to take my fifteen "top" songs from films, one at a time, and talk about them a little.  I reckon this will keep me busy for about 2 to 3 weeks, depending on what else my interrupt the regularity of the updates.

You know, normally, I am like "Here's a list," while sometimes I give a little background.  Well, here is background, eh?
Take Care-
LQ

Top Fifteen Motivational Quotes

Top Fifteen Motivational Quotes (Yeah, motivational)(in no particular order that I will admit to):
01) "Pressure is nothing more than the shadow of great opportunity."
- Michael Johnson
02) "Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts."
- Steve Prefontaine
03) "What matters is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
04) "Your imagination, my dear fellow, is worth more than you imagine."
- Louis Aragon
05) "You will never leave where you are, until you decide where you'd rather be."
- Dexter Yager
06) "You never will be the person you can be if pressure, tension and discipline are taken out of your life."
- Dr. James G. Bilkey
07) "The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital."
- Joe Paterno
08) "The years teach much which the days never knew."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
09) "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."
- T. S. Eliot
10) "Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher."
- Japanese Proverb
11) "Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won't come in."
- Alan Alda
12) "There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience."
- French Proverb
13) "The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary."
- Vidal Sassoon (yeah, the "if you don't look good, we don't look good" guy)
14) "Most people spend more time and energy going around problems than in trying to solve them."
- Henry Ford
15) "It hurts up to a point and then it doesn't get any worse."
- Ann Trason