boys and ghouls of every age...

you know, i don't feel like writing this post.

the events that happened in it were truly awesome, to be sure, but i don't feel like writing another play-by-play account of my hallow's eve.  (and there's most likely a large part of the readership who won't miss it, anyway)

so, here are the highlights, snippets, and nuggets:

• for three years in a row now, i have seen the nightmare before Christmas in 3-D and i intend to keep up this tradition every year that i can.  two years ago i managed to organize a ward-wide post-fhe activity wherein half the ticket was subsidized and our old farmer bishop and his wife sat with us in their 3-D glasses and thought it was "pretty neat."  last year we went with the peterson sisters and had a great time (and good costumes!). 
• this year included jack and natalie and their boy jackson, who had the honor of this being "baby's first movie."  his mom was good about covering his eyes for the frightening moments.
• nightmare is pretty much the most perfect movie to see in 3-D (though, if i can, i want to see bolt in 3-D.  just for the hamster).  it works so well, and with being completely immersed in the movie, opens up the world for inspection of all the small details in the background.  i could wander through it again and again, soaking up the imagination of it all.
• kristin and i made muppet faces.  like always.  in a seriously awesome orange coat.  that's new.
• aaron and his wife also came.  i miss hanging out with aaron, so i'm glad we did.
• singing "dead man's party" in a car on halloween night is dang.
• becky and brady and caleb joined us at my place, where i again understood how "babies" can be a form of entertainment.
• we drank a lot of pumpkin nog and apple beer, ate a lot of chips and mango salsa, and natalie provided some kicking chocolate chip pumpkin cookies.
• after everyone left, i did what any single guy would do on halloween: turned off the lights and watched carl theodor dreyer's 1932 classic vampyr.
• the next morning i watched it's the great pumpkin, charlie brown.  while it's not the calibre of merry Christmas, charlie brown (and nothing is), my understanding of calvin and hobbes has helped me appreciate charlie brown's halloween special more.
• i think it is solely dean duncan's fault that i analyze charlie brown holiday specials like that.  still, any cartoon that is being replayed 50 years after its premiere must have something more to it, right?
• i do wish garfield's halloween special would air again.
• someday, i hope that someone gives me a butterfly in a bottle.  ; )

jeff is...

dancing with himself to the high school musical 3 soundtrack in his room and loving it.

just the cool songs.  

not the lame mushy duets.

music for a sunday evening

at our teacher training meeting this evening, one of the instructors made an interesting point.  he noted that when we a taught something we already know, we know we know it and stop listening.  we also tend to stop doing what we know, because we already know it.  and so we stop going forward entirely, because we already know it.

if we let ourselves instead be inspired and do it, even though we already know it, we will continue to move forward.

i went to a musical fireside this evening.  coming from the above meeting, i arrived late and slipped in the back.  in a way, i felt like someone coming in from a cold december evening to listen to the choir of an old church.  anywhere i can hear "a poor wayfaring man of grief" on the violin is a good place to be.

(i desperately wanted a nice shot of the choir in the church where kevin talks to the old man in home alone, but my search to find one was to no avail...)

honest to goodness sunshine fun

i'm listening to coldplay's viva la vida right now, even though i don't want to be; i want to be listening to the high school musical 3 soundtrack and nothing else.

let me say, the movie is a blast!
more on that in a moment.

as our group was meeting at my place tonight (two guys, six girls, not bad), we were counting up and realized that, despite me saying "eight people are coming", we had nine accounted for. i couldn't think of who wasn't on the list i'd purchased tickets for, and excused myself to my room to check. and promptly bought one more ticket online (thankfully the show wasn't sold out. and this will not be the last time it's beneficial this evening).

the teenager who took our tickets at the theater told us that the show wasn't seating yet, but that we could wait at theater 13 around and to our left. this was odd, because 1. we weren't too early (looking back, 40 minutes is early enough to not yet take tickets), and 2. theater 16, directly in front of us, was listed at a 9:00 showing of "high school musical 3." our showing. i checked my handful of tickets. one said "9:00". the other eight said "9:40".

waiting in front of the ticket window, i saw a skinny teenage guy pointing and laughing at my official "east high wildcats" hoodie. everyone masks jealousy in their own way, i suppose... 

i smiled at the ticket vendor and explained how my one ticket was not like the others, and soon i had my own 9:40 ticket. then i dawned on me, and i collected everyone's tickets and went to another window, where i was (again) grateful that the show was not sold out, and we had nine tickets for 9:00.

surprisingly, the theater was only about half full at max. i trusted that 9:00 was too late for the show's prime demographic, and that this was not representative of the general weekend. i want the show to do well; it deserves it.

movies are best seen with their target audience; it adds immensely to the experience. nevertheless, while it was only a partial house, this was still a different crowd than the usual "bergman" crowd that fills up the international cinema. and, you know what, it was a lot of fun. i liked be around people who laughed at the trailer for paul blart, mall cop. and i was personally happy to see a new trailer for bolt, bookended by rhino the hamster (in his ball) sitting in a theater, getting excited for high school musical 3. although, i'm very happy that madagascar 2 opens in a few weeks; i've been seeing trailers for that for months and it's never looked interesting (by the way, check out coraline).

high school musical 3? awesome. it is what it is, so love it for that and that only and you will be happy. it's the exact same story and plot as the first one and the second one; these kids learn life changing lessons then forget them before the audience does, it seems. but we learn life lessons from subtitles movies. the disney channel is about energy and fun. so do it! it's impossible not to tap your foot and bop your head during the big dance numbers. and afterwards, you want to clap and cheer, again leaving me wishing i was in a packed theater of excited girls. we weren't but after a while, our half-filled auditorium clapped because, dang it, we wanted in on it, too.
how good are the songs? like any musical, they come in a variety pack: the slower duets we tolerate only because the progress the plot (a few sappy moments got some unintentional snickers, and there a couple of lines so "good" i wished i had a pen) , a necessary element in a movie that brings us big show-stoppers like "i want it all" and "the boys are back." and those songs are good enough that, after hearing them over and over for three 16-hour nights, i knew i wanted to hear them again. and now that i have, i want more. the junkyard dance was correctly summed up in kenny "i choreographed newsies, dirty dancing, and thriller ortega's encouragement speech one night when he said, "we're making history here, people."

i've been asked numerous times already, "what's it like to see something that you worked on?" it's a few things, really. sometimes it a refreshing surprise that it all worked together (as in rescued and turnaround). sometimes it's a little jarring, because those scenes were not filmed in that order, nor all at the same time, or even the same location. i know that we finished "i want it all" on night and then did a couple of shots for "scream" and called it a night. that the whole party scene had a few more shots (and a scene) that were cut out, and that the whole night's work was about three minutes of film time (think about it: 45 days to get a 100-minute movie), and that the majority of the tree house scene was not filmed in the backyard but on a stage in an industrial part of salt lake. it's interesting watching the big dance numbers while they're being filmed, having take after take to take in all that's going on, then to see it through the lens and cut together; the angles are often cooler, but i know all the neat things going on that didn't make the cut. and it's fun to point out the little nuances in the background that you only know if you're actually part of the group.

"this is something that's iconic to its generation" said our producer at the start of the final week, encouraging the crew the endure to the end of a grueling shoot. it was grueling and it is iconic. and even if you aren't of that generation, you can still ride the ride.

p.s. if you're looking for my name (and you won't be; they've got out-takes playing that are a lot of fun; i almost missed a lot of my friends' names), you won't see me.  but mine wasn't the only one; i didn't see any of my camera crew. so just enjoy the gag reel.

tender lumplings everywhere

the pre-party 
i decided i could make a fun "jack skellington" costume in september, even though i didn't know of any halloween places to wear it. that's one more benefit of being a latter-day saint: you've usually got a place to for holidays. after allison used me as a test subject for her make-up class last month, she jumped at the idea of helping me with my costume (another benefit of membership in the only true and living Church: hometeaching). it came together from various friends and donors: a trip (or two) to tailor maid supplied "clown white" make-up, a bald cap, and a bat ornament that would become a sort of "bolo tie"; my sister provided a short haircut; cheryl provided the pipe cleaners; jack provided (many years ago) an old suit that was the just the right amount of "too small"; jaime provided the contacts; and allison provided the artistic know-how.

work went late (i was impatient on our last shots because a) the sun was going down and we were losing light, b) the halloween party was starting when i was leaving set, and c) i really had to use the bathroom) so allison and devin snuck off to costco and i arrived with them not there. to save time, i started to put my white make-up on while waiting on their stairs, taking pictures of my face with my cell phone to check my progress. one can look pretty creepy pretty fast with a $4 jar of whiteness.
the whole process took about 40 minutes, with allison making me look like jack skellington, the joker, or a panda, depending on the moment. it was the first time either of us had done a bald cap (and painted it white) and the whole thing looked pretty dang.

the party
i had a tragic fear that i would arrive, all done up, just as the party was ending: it began at 6:30, i left allison's at 7:50, and why oh why was it in american fork?? i also had a fear that i would get pulled over whilst looking this way.  to sooth myself, i switched my cd changer from tally hall to miles davis. that helped some.
the party was into full swing when i got there and i was glad i came when i did. to be honest, i was a little surprised that people recognized me so quickly: no hair, no glasses, and make-up is surprisingly concealing. still, i had told my friends i was coming as jack skellington, though i think a lot of people thought i was just a weird dead guy of sorts (which is technically correct; if i do it again, i'd make the eyes much bigger and upturn the mouth to make it look more smiley).  similarly unexpected was the number of exclamations, "that's an awesome bowtie!  and it's so perfect for you!"  it never occurred to me that i was wearing a bat for a bowtie because i always wear a bowtie; it was just the best i could find for the costume.  i took the praises just the same.
the party was in a way cool big ol' barn, there was great food, and a good turnout, yet part of me made me yearn for the 122nd ward halloween parties of five years ago: people danced and danced a lot then. that was a great time that has since come to pass...
still, i found a nice scarecrow who could easily have been the "sally" to my "jack", and we danced a few songs. i can swing dance just enough to show that i know a little, and the awkwardness of the small suit provided a nice alibi for my lack of prowess (not that a scarecrow costume is ideal for cutting a rug, either). i like dancing, that's all there is to it.

the post-party
as the music was proving that it was not going to leave the hip-hop realm (though it should have, for a few reasons), an 80s-alternative guy in me decided i'd had my fun and said my goodbyes. walking down the driveway, i had a thought to go back. not a pointed idea, not a dull feeling; i just felt like i should go back. my first aid knowledge is dated, so i didn't think that anyone was about to have a heart attack in there. nor did i see any potential wifes in there. in fact, i couldn't think of any reason why i should go back. but, what the heck, i did anyway. 

i had a bread bowl of soup and danced to one of the few hip hop songs i like. then the elder's quorum president announced that he just got a text saying that there was a bad accident on I-15 and that traffic is completely stopped, so take another way home. then some more hip hop started, and i wondered how much longer i "had" to stay. i decided i wanted to go, and walking down the driveway again, i realized that, had i just left, i would have spent who-know-how-long stopped on the freeway.
nothing miraculous happened. that prompting to go back didn't bring forth any miracle; it brought forth traffic advice.

how cool is that? so often, i think that the little thoughts i have to do things (or not do things) must certainly lead to love or death. instead, i suspect that the vast majority are simply little "inside tips" from God, simply because He's watching out for us.

jeff walked

coming back from "run lola run" at the international cinema tonight, i noticed a beetle on the parking lot.  a three-inch beetle;  not something one sees around utah often.  i think it was dead, but i didn't feel like prodding it, either way.  i'm not sure where it came from, but it was in front of the john a. widtsoe laboratories, so that leaves plenty of space for the imagination to roam.

bonus: whomever can write the best story of where the beetle came from on the "comments" area gets to be "ruler of everything" for the day.

here's to a great week

i recently bought they might be giants's "here come to the 123's", their second cd for children.  and while i haven't played it for caleb yet, i thoroughly enjoy it myself.  the cd comes with a dvd of videos for each of the songs, some of which i find far more delightful than the songs themselves.

here's one that makes me feel warm and smiley.

maybe you'll feel it, too.

and it came to pass...

i flipped through a prepare with honor missionary book at byu one day.  the author noted how the book of mormon often uses the idiom, "and it came to pass." (so often, in fact, that mark twain reportedly said that if you removed all such phrases, the book would be a pamphlet.)  yet, consider it literally: it does not say, "and it came to stay."  it says, "and it came to pass."

we move through life.  sometimes we are coasting, sometimes we are pressing forward.  and sometimes we are simply trying to endure it well.  in our progression, we come across things, some good and some bad; some painful and some joyful.  when we wonder how we got in a mess, or why everything went wrong, remember, it came to pass.

that's also important to keep in mind during the good times: they came to pass, too.  at any point in our lives, there usually some great things and some things we'd really like changed.  and it all will be, so savor the ups while pressing through the downs.  when i lived in 104, i knew that was a wonderful moment that would eventually move on.  i knew that the unity with had with f.h.e. group 2 a few years ago (and the accompanying "24" fan club) would inevitably change.  my opportunity to teach sunday school to my ward now is one of my current moments that i savor, because it, too, will one day come to pass.

preachin' in the rain

i love conference weekend.  and i love rain.  needless to say, this weekend has been pretty much great.  (i'm also loving this cool weather, while we're at it.)  10 hours of "near-perfect mormon cinema", as dean duncan used to call it.  (thinking about it: moderate production design, basic lighting, camera work as static as wes anderson or yasujiro ozu, use of "non-actors", diegetic music, and the best writing you'll hear in six months).

i liked elder perry's talk on thoreau and the essentials of food, clothing, shelter, and (spiritual) fuel; i liked elder anderson's talk, that we "don't know everything, but [we] know enough", and that faith is not only a feeling, but a decision; elder aidukaitis's note that to pray with "real intent" includes acting on the answers received from God; elder oaks gave a wonderful talk on the importance and sacred nature of the sacrament; i loved president uchtdorf's tak on the infinite power of hope, manifest in optimism, determinism, and patient perseverance.  against hope, we believe in hope.

elder wirthlin's advice to learn to laugh, and that everyone must experience sorrow; elder holland reminded us that angels, seen and unseen, heavenly and worldly, are all around us, to bear us up. 

elder scott reminded us of the holy honor of holding the priesthood, and the importance of remembering that at all times; elder hamula taught that the more earnest the prayer, the more frequent the revelation; president uchtdorf told us to "stand close together and lift where you are", reminding that, in the end, titles other than "husband", "father", and "hometeacher" mean nothing to the Savior; president eyring talked on service, knowing that assignments can leave us unsure if we can do it.  we can't do it alone, but we can with the help of the Lord, and knowing that is the start of meaningful service; president monson told us to be prudent in our planning and conservative in our needs. 

elder hales spoke of peace and kindness, noting that Christian courage is not retaliative, but continually forgiving, that meekness is not weakness; elaine s. dalton reminded that virtuous men and women possess a quiet dignity and an inner strength; elder ballard counseled us that that Lord isn't asking us to die a martyr's death, but to live a disciple's life; president monson echoed a principle that president hinckley lived,  saying this is our one and only chance at mortal life: find joy in the journey now!  don't let stresses get in the way of what is most important--the people around us. 

like elder hales, president packer told us to not be consumed with revenge, but to celebrate all that we have; elder nelson taught that celestial marriage brings greater possibility for happiness than any other relationship in this life; elder cook reminded us that unexpected challenges often come; and, at the close of it all, president monson counseled us to study the talks that we heard, to be good citizens and good neighbors, to listen for His voice, and to live so that we can hear His knock.

and, afterward, em noted, "what good is perfect counsel if i don't do something about it?"

did you know that the rain clouds carved on the salt lake temple symbolize the need for continuing revelation?  pretty cool stuff.

recommended reading

today, i will defer to my brother's blog.  it's a long post, but expertly done all around.

general conference is this weekend.  oh boy.

all these things that i've done

happy birthday, sister. i love you.

they don't make them like they used to

around easter this year, a silent film theater in salt lake called "the organ loft" showed cecil b. demille's 1927 "King of kings." in their promotion, they said that when the lds church was preparing to make a movie about the Savior, the first presidency told the producers to "watch "the King of kings." it's the closest to getting it right." that's certainly enough to pique my interest.
the movie is made and directed by cecil b. demille, one of the great pioneers of early hollywood, of the era when producers were often more of an influence on a film than the director. it was also a time when hollywood was less concerned about box office marketability and when those in power sincerely wanted to tell good stories. this is evident from the opening titles of the silent movie, stating that the movie is a reverent effort to follow the command of taking the Gospel to all the earth.
i'm not looking to write a lengthy review of the movie (editor's note: this kind of turned into one; and if you do want a very good such one, click here), but i do want to say this is great. in light of the above-referrenced first presidency endorsement, it took me a little while to figure out what felt a bit odd about the movie: it really does feel like a church-produced story. or rather, it seems that this has influenced the church's work. certainly, it is most akin to "the Lamb of God", as that is also largely visual, with very little dialogue.
if the thought of this being a silent film makes you loose interest, this may actually be one to help break that phobia.  people generally have a hard time with silent films for a few reasons. one is the terrible "over-acting" that came to early film from theatre and an effort to convey without words. perhaps in respect to the sacredness of the story, the acting is much more subdued and realistic. the role of Jesus (played by h.b. warner, whom you know as mr. gower, the mean shopkeeper that young george bailey works for in "it's a wonderful life") is as good as can be, never melodramatic, never passively dull.
the other cause of silent-film-apprehensiveness is the melodramatic music. the original score had several melodies i recognized from the hymn book, invoking lyrics, associations, and familiarity. the movie comes with two other music options, a modern organ composition and a full-score, both of which are reported to be fantastic. if you are looking to give a silent movie a try, this may be the place to start. (actually, i'd recommend buster keaton, but this is good, too). as a bonus, you get something you usually don't see in silent movies: actual color! the resurrection is filmed in genuine color. who knew?
don't take it as an impeccable source of history, though. while demille was known for his attention to accurate detail, there are some interesting changes, most notably the expanded stories of mary magdalene and judas iscariot: she is well-known reveler of all things worldly, upset that her main squeeze judas has gone of following some Carpenter, while judas is hoping to follow the Master all the way to a possibly-shared kingship. further, several of the events that occur in the movie are not in the generally-agreed chronological order. the majority of the inter-titles are actual scripture quotes (with the references given at the bottom), which helps keep the story grounded in its source text. however,like the out-of-order events, many of the scriptural quotes were out of context (to my knowledge, anyway), but none of these things detract from the story or its impact. the purpose of the movie is not to replace a need to study the bible, but to tell the wonder, the grandeur, the spirit of the Son of Man. in that, they succeed.

sulfurous fall

i'm working on being more of an outdoors person.  with tim's help i bought a pair of hiking boots earlier this summer, and today took them on their inaugural journey, up spanish fork canyon.

the hike was planned by my hometeaching companion, an hour hike up the canyon to a group of natural springs and hot pots.  i thought those were only around yellowstone.

we couldn't have picked a better time to go; the trees and leaves all around were absolutely beautiful.  not since the mountains of kyoto japan (just around eight years ago) have i seen such vibrant and varied vegetation.  i didn't bring my camera because i was told to "plan to get wet", leaving me thinking we were hiking through waterfalls or fording rivers.  i regret not bringing it, because i could have easily taken a hundred pictures.  hooray for memories.

it is so choice.  if you have the means, i highly recommend it.

life is a contact sport

a few summers ago, i had the opportunity to work on what was known as "the rugby movie."  i saw it last summer at the crew premiere.  it was great, and i hoped it would get the national distribution it deserved.

if you've driven I-15 lately, the billboards will tell you that it indeed did get its chance.  i attended the official premiere tonight.  it's even better the second time around.

we americans never grow tired of the inspirational sports movie; it's a perennial favorite inside of us.  usually it's about football or boxing, sometimes baseball, and, occasionally, hockey.  but in a good sports movie, the actually sport is arbitrary.  like the sport itself, getting the ball from one end of the field to the other doesn't mean much compared to the stories of those who move it.

"forever strong" is about rugby, which is new and cool, but it's about honor, diligence, purity, hard work, sacrifice, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent; that kind of stuff.  in the great pantheon of "inspirational sports movies", it's perhaps my favorite.  it makes me want to work hard.  to hold to honorable principles.  to be the best that i can be.  check it out when you're looking for something to see.  not only will you be supporting utah filmmaking, you'll come out a better person.

it also makes me wish i'd played sports in high school.

kia kaha

oedipus ego

you are lucky team

it was one year ago today that i wandered into a concert for a band i didn't know and my life was changed forever.

kristin said it best earlier this year:

Ten reasons I like Tally Hall so much?
1-Clean, creative music: My mom even likes them!
2-Musicianship: they are incredibly musically talented--amazingly tight harmonies--which sounds silly considering they're a band, but it's shocking how many artists are out there these days with not a lick of real talent.
3-Variety: with some of their songs, if you were to randomly listen to two or three different parts of the song, chances are you might just think it's a couple different songs. Then they have totally crazy songs, then super chill songs.
4-Uniform: they don't need retro sequin jackets or skinny pants to be cool. They have their own style, and it has become their trademark.
5-They share: Their shows aren't monopolized by just one band member. They all have little spotlights and recognize everyone as a part of the whole (or, the Hall).
6-The guys: SO personable. I love just talking to them--they are so chill, and don't stick themselves up on a pedestal. They are just normal guys who happen to travel everywhere and do what they love, and do it well.
7-Bongos, xylophones, and other various percussion instruments (the names of which still elude me)
8-Their frequent use of a megaphone.
9-Whiteboy rap? Heck yes. And whistling solos.
10-They like to kick it at the university, but all work and no play makes them crazy, so...they jump in the bumpin SUV.

Honestly, who could argue with that?

to the original tallyheads and those who've joined us along the way, i'm so glad you even really truly came.

jellicle joy

tonight i saw CATS at the capitol theatre in salt lake.  it was my fifth time seeing the show, my second at that theatre.  i first saw it when i suggested to my dad ten years ago that it was coming to a nearby city and it'd be a fun family event.  he bought the idea and bought us tickets; he and i got our faces painted before the show.  we laughed.  we cried.  nothing is better than CATS.  a month later we were in iowa for thanksgiving and noticed that it was playing in des moines.  dad and tim and i ducked out of the family gathering and went to see it again.  just as good.  and i got to meet macavity afterward.  in japan on my mission, i saw signs that it was coming and lamented that i wouldn't be able to see it.   yet i was back in town on a study abroad and managed to find tickets to the show in osaka.  it was in japanese, which was a twist.  i saw it at the capitol theatre in salt lake a few years later- nosebleed seats and a small stage:  in my pantheon of viewings, that was my least favorite.

tonight we were in row D on the orchestra floor.  mr. mistoffelees was lamentably somewhat lackluster, but everything else was spot on, including the most important part of the whole show: grizabella nailed "touch me!"  and the jellicle ball is fifteen minutes of sheer joy and perfection.

it happened the very first time i saw it and it continues to happen: i have to hold back tears of beauty at the start of the show.  it's the greatest thing to ever be on stage.  the end.

read directions carefully before operating

last week i was down in moab on a subaru commercial.  beautiful, beautiful place down there.  it was the first time i've ever felt a self-originated desire to go biking.

in navigating who was riding in what van, why the japanese guys got to ride in the motorhome, or what was the reasoning with some of us having to change motel rooms over the two nights we were there, we looked to john, our production manager.  and he did have all the answers for us.  at one point, he reprimanded us in desperation, reminding us that he had explained all of this in the e-mails he'd sent out--and why didn't we read them?!  well, we all got the e-mails and read them; i guess everyone kind of skimmed over them like i did (which is why i ended up at the "red rock inn," only to find that i was staying at the "red stone inn" and had to walk two miles down the road.)

i wonder if God feels the same way with us and the scriptures...

yes, but does it suck?

a few weeks ago i bought a new couch. it's beautiful--i love it. in preparing my old leather couches to be sold, i was vacuuming them out, and in the process, sucked up a nickel. this wreaked havoc upon my cleaner to the point that the belt broke and it sounded like it was ready to explode.

i chose my repair place based on the yellow page ads: "orem vacuum" had the largest, and the guy had a nice smile. i dropped it off and eyed the other vacuums on my way out. they had a decent-looking panasonic (they make vacuums?) for $416. suddenly i wasn't so interested in that anymore.

i was working on a subaru commercial on the salt flats when i got a call from the repairman: the broken part of my vacuum is one that the company does not make, and my best hope is that they'll give me a $25 trade-in credit.
i suspected it was time for a new cleaner (mine always gave off a slightly funny smell when i used it), and decided i could budget about $100 for one. if i wanted to be really frugal, wal-mart had some for as low as $38. on the other end, a website ("vacuumwizard.com", i believe) rated a $1,000 model as the best choice. that seemed obscenely expensive, but i've learned a little about vacuum cleaners since then. gather 'round, and hear my tale....

• while i did not do an exhaustive search of utah valley, i did scope out a few specialty shops. any fear of the fast-talking vacuum salesman was unfounded; instead, i learned a lot of what to look for as i went back and forth between "A-1 vacuums" and "orem vacuums", both on state street. the two stores are friendly with one another, which is something i appreciated.
  
• "orem vacuums" had a nice old guy who sounded like president packer and who threw the vacuum--one-handed--across the room, to show how tough it was. "a-1" has a friendly lady who took off the bag and vacuumed over several cloth balls, shooting them across the room as a demonstration of how the system works.

• if you love buying a vacuum cleaner, go to wal-mart or target, because you'll be buying one every few years from them. they've got hoover, eureka, and dirt devil: all names that i recognize from the price is right. and they look like they could be transformers, in bright colors and with lots of stickers pointing out all that they can do. they're also as must plastic as they can be, and belong in oversize cracker jack boxes.

• never get "bagless"/"dirt cup" models, no matter who makes them. they're the worst.

• in contrast to the superstore rainbow-colored models, the pricey ones at the vacuum stores looked, well, boring and old fashioned. of course, that's what i thought about criterion's dvd cover art when i first discovered them. let that be a lesson: the quality speaks for itself. between the one that resembles your grandmother's and the one that looks like it possibly runs on nuclear fission, trust grandma.  (during my journey, i deduced that kirby's are about the best around, which explains why my parents' have had it about as long as they've had me.  that's a seriously good machine.)

• vacuum cleaners work in one of two ways: those without attachments use "direct air flow", meaning that the dust goes straight from the carpet through the fan into the bag. the other kind--dang, i forget what it's called--is utilized in cleaners with the attachments (the cleaning hose) built in. the air flow completely bypasses the fan area and travels through the hose into the bag. some say that this prevents dust from getting into the fan and motor, although it's minimal in the direct flow models. 
• the direct flow system gives you more suction for much less electricity. those with a hose give you the option of not needing a secondary vacuum for the difficult to reach areas. the highest-end cleaners have two motors and utilize both systems; if you've got $1,000 to spend, this will speed up your cleaning.

• go metal over plastic. metal floor plates can get bent out of shape, but definitely get a metal roller: they last longer and the brushes can be individually replaced.

• the best brands i saw were sanitaire, panasonic, and solitary. leave the plastic stuff to the kids.
  

at a dry cleaner's near centennial apartments, i saw a sign that said "the sting of poor quality lasts long after the sweetness of a good deal has faded away."
in the end, i bought a solitary for just over $300. i love it.

rotting apples

having extensive experience as a young, unmarried mormon in utah valley, i have played "apples to apples" quite a lot. and i've gotten pretty good at it. that is, if there is any strategy to the game. as much as anything, the biggest factor is how well you know the person choosing the card. many years ago, jenny ricks and i would almost always choose the other's card, just because we knew each other that well. i wonder what she's up to...

in fact, i'm getting a little tired of the game. don't get me wrong: it's wonderful. mensa has endorsed it. there's an "apples to apples: jewish version." it's just that it was cool and new to me in 2002, and now i get a slight nausea at any game night whenever it's suggested, because, being the great game that it is, it is invariably selected.
such was the case at the game night i went to tonight. but i smiled and played anyway.
as i said, the trick is knowing the crowd. for example, i will choose the "charging rhino" card every time, no matter what, because charging rhinos are so great. the scort could be counted on to choose "a barrel of monkeys." and so forth. tonight i was with a group of mostly hyper-active byu theatre students, and was soon befuddled when their choices... made sense. i was sure my "the inside of the sun" was a lock for "glitzy", but it was passed up for something that i've already forgotten.
oh well, you win some, you lose some.
all the same, i won three in a row, and went on to win the game.

before and after the game, i talked with a girl who said she is thinking about illustration as a major, and offered to show me her sketchbook. in the process, i realized that i am fascinated by such objects. i'd like to have a beaten and battered, tattered and torn, ink, glued, and painted sketchbook of my own someday. i have a few moleskines, one that has primarily become a record of my favorite text messages, and a larger one in which i keep lines and scene ideas that i have for movies, but it has yet to yield much. but a black book filled with pictures, clippings, drawings, notes, ideas, markings, color, and doodles, is sheerly fascinating.

note to self: draw cool things in my big moleskine.