A story that has been treasured for years, this gentle tale will most
certainly be enjoyed for many years to come. Often found among the
Easter books when the holiday rolls around because the main character is
a rabbit, The Velveteen Rabbit is all the more appropriately placed because it tells how
love gives new life.
The Velveteen Rabbit is a lovely stuffed
bunny given to a young boy for Christmas. He lives in the nursery, where
his only friend is the ancient, ragged Skin Horse. The Skin Horse
explains to the rabbit that he, unlike most of the toys in the nursery,
is real because he was once loved by the boy's uncle. He describes how,
when you are loved, you begin to grow tattered and torn and you no
longer look beautiful to most people. But by the time you are real, none
of that matters anymore. To the one who loves you, you are the most
beautiful thing in the world, and once you have become real, no one can
ever take that away.
The Velveteen Rabbit dreams of the day
when he might become real, and on one magical night, quite by accident,
the boy is reunited with him. They become constant playmates, and soon
the boy will not settle for any other toy. The Velveteen Rabbit doesn't
notice as his fur grows shabby and his eyes lose their polish. He has
become real.
That year, the boy becomes gravely ill with
scarlet fever. The Velveteen Rabbit remains at his side at all times,
but when the boy is on the road to recovery, he is still infested with
germs and sentenced by the doctor to be tossed into the burning barrel.
And as the rabbit awaits his demise, still grateful for the chance to
have been real, a miracle occurs that will leave tears in your eyes and a
new song in your heart.
This book can be enjoyed equally by
adults and children. It is a lovely story whose moral never grows old.
Pick up a copy during this season of growth and renewal. You may never
be the same.
Tuesday, April 4, 2000
Laugh Until You Short a Circuit
The very first time I saw this movie, I was not thrilled about watching
it. In fact, I curled up in the other room reading "Watership Down" to
avoid watching this boring military movie. But as I read, the
spontaneous outbursts of riotous laughter from my family convinced me to
wander over to see what was going on. And I was hooked.
Since that first viewing, I've probably watched "Short Circuit" a hundred times, thoroughly enjoying it each time. It is the tale of a robot who wants to be more. The story begins at the NOVA robotics center, where a demonstration is cut short by a sudden storm. Upstairs, the robots line up to promenade down to show themselves off to the visitors. Number 5 is in the wrong place at the wrong time (or should I say the right place at the right time?) and is struck by lightning. Seemingly unfazed by the incident, he follows the other robots but gets distracted by a robotic coffee server. One thing leads to another, and he finds himself outside, in the bed of a truck leading out into the country. Voraciously reading everything in sight, he is a sort of metallic Pinocchio who finds himself brought to life by the blue fairy of lightning.
While NOVA is in an uproar looking for him, he hitches a ride on the back of a snack truck driven by a young woman named Stephanie. She unknowingly drives him home, and when she discovers him she welcomes him into her home, convinced he is an alien. Fascinated by all the wonderful new things in Stephanie's house, he begins to investigate...wreaking havoc in the process. The rest of the movie is pure laughs as Stephanie learns Number 5's true identity, NOVA tries to recapture him, and Number 5 tries to convince everyone that he is alive.
Great characters are just as essential to this movie as the hilarious situations and memorable lines. There's Number 5, of course, the robot who is learning what it is to be human and teaching everyone else in the process. Stephanie is the rather ditzy animal-lover who takes him in and eventually begins to believe his story. Newton Crosby, the creator of Number 5, is a pacifist who has fallen for Stephanie but thinks she's crazy to believe that Number 5 is alive. And then there's Ben, the idiom-mixing-up fellow from who-knows-where who evokes a laugh each time he speaks.
This movie is just plain clean fun, and it raises some very interesting issues as well about what it means to be alive. Number 5 (re-christened Johnny 5) was one of the predecessors to Star Trek's Data and many of the other androids we love so much. He appears in a second film with Ben, and that is well worth a viewing. But the original movie is the one which I will continue to watch over and over again. One of the funniest movies of all time, any connaisseur of comedy should pick this one up. It is sure to become a family favorite.
Since that first viewing, I've probably watched "Short Circuit" a hundred times, thoroughly enjoying it each time. It is the tale of a robot who wants to be more. The story begins at the NOVA robotics center, where a demonstration is cut short by a sudden storm. Upstairs, the robots line up to promenade down to show themselves off to the visitors. Number 5 is in the wrong place at the wrong time (or should I say the right place at the right time?) and is struck by lightning. Seemingly unfazed by the incident, he follows the other robots but gets distracted by a robotic coffee server. One thing leads to another, and he finds himself outside, in the bed of a truck leading out into the country. Voraciously reading everything in sight, he is a sort of metallic Pinocchio who finds himself brought to life by the blue fairy of lightning.
While NOVA is in an uproar looking for him, he hitches a ride on the back of a snack truck driven by a young woman named Stephanie. She unknowingly drives him home, and when she discovers him she welcomes him into her home, convinced he is an alien. Fascinated by all the wonderful new things in Stephanie's house, he begins to investigate...wreaking havoc in the process. The rest of the movie is pure laughs as Stephanie learns Number 5's true identity, NOVA tries to recapture him, and Number 5 tries to convince everyone that he is alive.
Great characters are just as essential to this movie as the hilarious situations and memorable lines. There's Number 5, of course, the robot who is learning what it is to be human and teaching everyone else in the process. Stephanie is the rather ditzy animal-lover who takes him in and eventually begins to believe his story. Newton Crosby, the creator of Number 5, is a pacifist who has fallen for Stephanie but thinks she's crazy to believe that Number 5 is alive. And then there's Ben, the idiom-mixing-up fellow from who-knows-where who evokes a laugh each time he speaks.
This movie is just plain clean fun, and it raises some very interesting issues as well about what it means to be alive. Number 5 (re-christened Johnny 5) was one of the predecessors to Star Trek's Data and many of the other androids we love so much. He appears in a second film with Ben, and that is well worth a viewing. But the original movie is the one which I will continue to watch over and over again. One of the funniest movies of all time, any connaisseur of comedy should pick this one up. It is sure to become a family favorite.
It Keeps Going and Going and Going...
Have any of you ever noticed that it is nearly impossible to play a
short game of Monopoly? There are many different schools of thought on
how the game should be played, but none of them allow for a quick game
that lasts half an hour. If you pull out Monopoly at noon you are doomed
to be shackled to that board for the remainder of the afternoon.
And don't ever play it in a room with an open window or heavy traffic, especially by dogs and cats. You will be helpless to intervene as you watch all of your carefully sorted money fly across the carpet.
That said, this game is a classic. It has spawned countless new versions specific to a town or school or movie. It has made the words "Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars." an everyday phrase. And, of course, it has turned children at a very young age into little business people. I wonder how often Bill Gates played this while he was growing up?
Monopoly is a family-friendly introduction to the world of commerce and real estate, and the time a family spends playing it together can be very rewarding. Just don't take it too personally if you go bankrupt.
And don't ever play it in a room with an open window or heavy traffic, especially by dogs and cats. You will be helpless to intervene as you watch all of your carefully sorted money fly across the carpet.
That said, this game is a classic. It has spawned countless new versions specific to a town or school or movie. It has made the words "Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars." an everyday phrase. And, of course, it has turned children at a very young age into little business people. I wonder how often Bill Gates played this while he was growing up?
Monopoly is a family-friendly introduction to the world of commerce and real estate, and the time a family spends playing it together can be very rewarding. Just don't take it too personally if you go bankrupt.
How Do You Spell Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?
All right, so it's got about 25 too many letters. And it probably
wouldn't count as a real word. But just think what a score it would get!
Scrabble encourages everyone, from reading-level children to adults, to
enhance their vocabulary. The more words you know, the more creative
and lucrative your turns can be. Of course, the placement of the words
is just as important as the words themselves. A well-placed three-letter
word can easily outdo a six-letter word out in the open.
A delightful way to get kids interested in spelling and give adults a chance to show off to each other, there isn't much bad you can say about this game. You and the other players determine the course of the game. You can even bend the rules a bit for an interesting twist. For instance, you could have a "Star Trek" night where every word had to have something to do with Star Trek. Or a name night so you can use all those names you're not allowed to put on the board in a regular game.
The possibilities are endless, and each game of Scrabble is a couple of hours well spent engaging your mind and having fun at the same time. One word of warning: If you buy this particular version, you risk the letters sliding all over the board. The deluxe rotating plastic gameboard with grooves for each square is more expensive but it is money well spent. There are few things more infuriating when playing a game than to be winning gloriously only to have the gameboard wrecked before your victory can be sealed!
A delightful way to get kids interested in spelling and give adults a chance to show off to each other, there isn't much bad you can say about this game. You and the other players determine the course of the game. You can even bend the rules a bit for an interesting twist. For instance, you could have a "Star Trek" night where every word had to have something to do with Star Trek. Or a name night so you can use all those names you're not allowed to put on the board in a regular game.
The possibilities are endless, and each game of Scrabble is a couple of hours well spent engaging your mind and having fun at the same time. One word of warning: If you buy this particular version, you risk the letters sliding all over the board. The deluxe rotating plastic gameboard with grooves for each square is more expensive but it is money well spent. There are few things more infuriating when playing a game than to be winning gloriously only to have the gameboard wrecked before your victory can be sealed!
Don't Want Me for a Surgeon
It's been a long time since I've played this game, but I have fond
memories of my cousins and I huddling around that poor plastic man,
tweezers in hand. The concentration was so intense, you could hear a pin
drop -- and if any of us did, we jumped halfway to the ceiling in
fright, dropping whatever body part we had so carefully been trying to
remove.
And then it came...the dreaded BUZZ! Accompanied, of course, by the flashing red nose. Is this guy the human version of Rudolph, or what? The ideal, of course, was to avoid that noise at all costs. Not only would it mean I had lost, but no one else wanted me to drop my piece because the nose alarm was so grating on the ears! Even still, I got the BUZZ often enough to tell me that I was perhaps not the ideal candidate to consider a career as a surgeon.
This game is a lot of fun for young children to play. It teaches them their body parts, and they will be so intent on doing the operation correctly that it will keep them quiet for quite a while. Except, of course, when that infernal buzzer goes off! So, for your sake, I would suggest you wait until your children are old enough to have a pretty steady hand before buying this game for them. The pieces are also quite tiny, and the last thing you need is your two-year-old swallowing another kidney!
And then it came...the dreaded BUZZ! Accompanied, of course, by the flashing red nose. Is this guy the human version of Rudolph, or what? The ideal, of course, was to avoid that noise at all costs. Not only would it mean I had lost, but no one else wanted me to drop my piece because the nose alarm was so grating on the ears! Even still, I got the BUZZ often enough to tell me that I was perhaps not the ideal candidate to consider a career as a surgeon.
This game is a lot of fun for young children to play. It teaches them their body parts, and they will be so intent on doing the operation correctly that it will keep them quiet for quite a while. Except, of course, when that infernal buzzer goes off! So, for your sake, I would suggest you wait until your children are old enough to have a pretty steady hand before buying this game for them. The pieces are also quite tiny, and the last thing you need is your two-year-old swallowing another kidney!
Are You Still a Caterpillar?
I came across this book a few years ago while browsing Barnes and
Noble's bookshelves. I began to read, and luckily my dad took a long
time finding what he was looking for because I was able to finish it.
Some time later, my high school junior Ethics teacher read it to us in
class, stretching it out over a month. I finally purchased it last year.
This book is deceptively simple. With large hand-lettered words and pictures that fill the page, this nearly 100-page book can be read easily in one sitting. However, I think the author, by breaking it up into chapters, was trying to tell us that this is a story to be savored.
The story centers around Stripe, a small black and white caterpillar. We watch as he is born and eats his way through the first days of his life, much like Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". Then, one day, he wonders if there is more to life than eating. Opening his eyes to the world around him, he sees a mountain of caterpillars in the distance climbing towards the sky. Intrigued, Stripe makes his way to the mountain and begins to climb.
A feverish frenzy overtakes him as he becomes more determined to reach the top, not knowing what is there. One day, he meets a caterpillar about his age and is talking to her when the pile shifts, and Stripe steps on her head to make his way further up the mountain. Soon he is so riddled with guilt that he finds Yellow and apologizes, and much to the astonishment of the other caterpillars they climb down together.
They are very happy together on the ground, and they spend their days hugging and eating to their hearts' delight. But Stripe begins to grow restless again, and he decides that he must find out what is at the mountain peak. Yellow sadly refuses to go, so Stripe returns to the brutal race alone. It seems even worse this time, and Stripe begins to wonder if it's really all worth it. He climbs, zombified, towards the top of the pillar, hardly caring anymore. But just as Stripe is on the verge of plunging into despair, Yellow discovers a wonderful secret that can turn Stripe's life around if he lets it...
This beautiful story of hope is illustrated entirely with simple white, black, and yellow line drawings. While it may hold the attention of a child, it is really an allegory geared towards adults. As it criticizes the mediocrity of those goals which seem so all-important to us at the time, it offers us hope for a much more satisfying existence. It does not come without cost, however; we must be willing to "throw off everything that hinders" and leave ourselves completely vulnerable. Only then can the magic work.
A wonderful gift for anyone who is experiencing a great change, "Hope For the Flowers" eloquently poses the question: Why crawl when you can fly?
This book is deceptively simple. With large hand-lettered words and pictures that fill the page, this nearly 100-page book can be read easily in one sitting. However, I think the author, by breaking it up into chapters, was trying to tell us that this is a story to be savored.
The story centers around Stripe, a small black and white caterpillar. We watch as he is born and eats his way through the first days of his life, much like Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". Then, one day, he wonders if there is more to life than eating. Opening his eyes to the world around him, he sees a mountain of caterpillars in the distance climbing towards the sky. Intrigued, Stripe makes his way to the mountain and begins to climb.
A feverish frenzy overtakes him as he becomes more determined to reach the top, not knowing what is there. One day, he meets a caterpillar about his age and is talking to her when the pile shifts, and Stripe steps on her head to make his way further up the mountain. Soon he is so riddled with guilt that he finds Yellow and apologizes, and much to the astonishment of the other caterpillars they climb down together.
They are very happy together on the ground, and they spend their days hugging and eating to their hearts' delight. But Stripe begins to grow restless again, and he decides that he must find out what is at the mountain peak. Yellow sadly refuses to go, so Stripe returns to the brutal race alone. It seems even worse this time, and Stripe begins to wonder if it's really all worth it. He climbs, zombified, towards the top of the pillar, hardly caring anymore. But just as Stripe is on the verge of plunging into despair, Yellow discovers a wonderful secret that can turn Stripe's life around if he lets it...
This beautiful story of hope is illustrated entirely with simple white, black, and yellow line drawings. While it may hold the attention of a child, it is really an allegory geared towards adults. As it criticizes the mediocrity of those goals which seem so all-important to us at the time, it offers us hope for a much more satisfying existence. It does not come without cost, however; we must be willing to "throw off everything that hinders" and leave ourselves completely vulnerable. Only then can the magic work.
A wonderful gift for anyone who is experiencing a great change, "Hope For the Flowers" eloquently poses the question: Why crawl when you can fly?
Addictive
Based on a traditional African game, Mancala is a good investment for
any family. It generally takes no more than fifteen minutes to play a
game, though whether you can just play one remains to be seen. The
premise is very simple. Each side of the board has six egg-shaped
"pockets," each of which contains four brightly colored gem-like rounded
pieces of plastic. The point of the game is to make your pieces travel
around the game board, depositing one in each pocket you pass. At either
end of the board is a long basin, one for each of the two players to
collect game pieces in. The player with the most pieces in her bin when
the game pieces run out wins.
This game is a lot of fun, but it can be maddening. When you lose one game, you insist on playing best of three. Then it's best of five. And so on. You could find yourself in a championship Mancala tournament. The polished game pieces and lovely board make this edition of the game one that whose quality will last for years to come. If you're the crafty type, though, you may have even more fun making your own. Children can use an egg carton and marbles just as effectively. Just put a bowl on either end for the basin. No matter what form this game takes, it's a great way to spend a rainy day -- or maybe even a sunny one!
This game is a lot of fun, but it can be maddening. When you lose one game, you insist on playing best of three. Then it's best of five. And so on. You could find yourself in a championship Mancala tournament. The polished game pieces and lovely board make this edition of the game one that whose quality will last for years to come. If you're the crafty type, though, you may have even more fun making your own. Children can use an egg carton and marbles just as effectively. Just put a bowl on either end for the basin. No matter what form this game takes, it's a great way to spend a rainy day -- or maybe even a sunny one!
Saturday, April 1, 2000
The Good of the Many...
After the floundering "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" (couldn't they
have come up with a better title than THAT?), "The Wrath of Khan" is a glorious
triumph. Following up on an episode in the show's first season, the
movie centers around Khan, a criminal exiled to Seti Alpha 5 by Captain
Kirk. With his band of shipmates from Botany Bay, an Australian penal
colony, Khan had been wandering through space cryogenically frozen for
two centuries before he encountered the Enterprise. Unfortunately, after
leaving Khan and crew on the ideal planet, no one ever checks back to
see what has happened to them. An astronomical disaster on Seti Alpha 6
lays waste to Seti Alpha 5 shortly afterward, turning it into a desert.
Mr. Chekov and another officer are sent to the planet to scan it for life. If it is uninhabited, it will be the test site of the Genesis Project, which will attempt to create life from scratch. While surveying the planet, they discover a hideout and Chekov sees the words "Botany Bay" printed inside. He realizes too late the dangerous situation they have stepped into.
Khan inserts a parasite into one of each of the officer's ears, thereby rendering them under his control. Using them as the bait, he plans to trap Captain Kirk and get revenge for his abandonment which led to the death of his wife. Kirk's own conflicts with his aging self, his newfound son, and his dull position as admiral take the backseat as he fights for his life, and that of his entire crew.
The most moving of the Star Trek movies, "The Wrath of Khan" tackles such issues as creation, aging, and friendship. There are many great lines, especially among Bones, Kirk and Spock. The death of Scotty's nephew towards the beginning is the first tear-jerker in this movie. The lush beauty of Genesis coupled with the orchestral soundtrack are stunning, but it is the ultimate sacrifice at the end that makes the film so memorable.
A must-see for any Star Trek fan, it is guaranteed to leave you weeping. With its underlying themes of friendship and new life, it can be enjoyed by anyone, Trekkee or not. And it also made "The good of the many outweighs the good of the few or the one" a welcome well-known phrase...and philosophy.
Mr. Chekov and another officer are sent to the planet to scan it for life. If it is uninhabited, it will be the test site of the Genesis Project, which will attempt to create life from scratch. While surveying the planet, they discover a hideout and Chekov sees the words "Botany Bay" printed inside. He realizes too late the dangerous situation they have stepped into.
Khan inserts a parasite into one of each of the officer's ears, thereby rendering them under his control. Using them as the bait, he plans to trap Captain Kirk and get revenge for his abandonment which led to the death of his wife. Kirk's own conflicts with his aging self, his newfound son, and his dull position as admiral take the backseat as he fights for his life, and that of his entire crew.
The most moving of the Star Trek movies, "The Wrath of Khan" tackles such issues as creation, aging, and friendship. There are many great lines, especially among Bones, Kirk and Spock. The death of Scotty's nephew towards the beginning is the first tear-jerker in this movie. The lush beauty of Genesis coupled with the orchestral soundtrack are stunning, but it is the ultimate sacrifice at the end that makes the film so memorable.
A must-see for any Star Trek fan, it is guaranteed to leave you weeping. With its underlying themes of friendship and new life, it can be enjoyed by anyone, Trekkee or not. And it also made "The good of the many outweighs the good of the few or the one" a welcome well-known phrase...and philosophy.
Just in Time for Easter
As Easter approaches, this movie is a great one to pick up to get you in
the spirit of the season. This energetic retelling of the last week of
Jesus' life is more powerful as a play, but as a video it holds its own.
Sung in its entirety, J.C. Superstar features a cast of rock singers with bizarre costumes.
For the most part, this Andrew Lloyd Weber-Tim Rice production stays true to the story, though they put a very different spin on it. Instead of focusing on Jesus, they attempt to show us the Passion of Christ through the eyes of Judas. A tortured individual, he believes that it will be to the betterment of his people to turn Jesus in to the authorities. Filled with remorse after the deed, he wonders if Jesus could still love him after his betrayal. Then he hangs himself, later confronting Jesus in limbo, in our current time, asking if he thought it was all worth it.
The music makes this movie. Similar musical themes run throughout, giving different songs the same tune. All are memorable, from the tender I Don't Know How to Love Him to the hilarious Herod's Song to the hesitantly triumphant title number. As that's the only dialogue in this movie, you almost might do just as well to simply buy the soundtrack.
There are so many absurd costumes in this movie, and the dances which go along with some of the songs are downright disturbing. As for the props...the scene in the temple includes everything from postcards to firearms. Herod's palace includes a huge swimming pool, a honky-tonk piano, and a big basket of bagels which he throws at Jesus. And in Judas' delusions, he sees himself being chased by tanks and B2 bombers.
All anachronisms aside, this is an interesting modern treatment of a sacred story which millions across the globe consider to be true. The music makes it entertaining and accessible to all manners of people in our young generation. Everyone should see this production at least once. It is highly preferable to see it in the theater, but if your local theater can't accommodate then give the video a shot.
For the most part, this Andrew Lloyd Weber-Tim Rice production stays true to the story, though they put a very different spin on it. Instead of focusing on Jesus, they attempt to show us the Passion of Christ through the eyes of Judas. A tortured individual, he believes that it will be to the betterment of his people to turn Jesus in to the authorities. Filled with remorse after the deed, he wonders if Jesus could still love him after his betrayal. Then he hangs himself, later confronting Jesus in limbo, in our current time, asking if he thought it was all worth it.
The music makes this movie. Similar musical themes run throughout, giving different songs the same tune. All are memorable, from the tender I Don't Know How to Love Him to the hilarious Herod's Song to the hesitantly triumphant title number. As that's the only dialogue in this movie, you almost might do just as well to simply buy the soundtrack.
There are so many absurd costumes in this movie, and the dances which go along with some of the songs are downright disturbing. As for the props...the scene in the temple includes everything from postcards to firearms. Herod's palace includes a huge swimming pool, a honky-tonk piano, and a big basket of bagels which he throws at Jesus. And in Judas' delusions, he sees himself being chased by tanks and B2 bombers.
All anachronisms aside, this is an interesting modern treatment of a sacred story which millions across the globe consider to be true. The music makes it entertaining and accessible to all manners of people in our young generation. Everyone should see this production at least once. It is highly preferable to see it in the theater, but if your local theater can't accommodate then give the video a shot.
Down to Earth Humor
"Star Trek IV" is the contender for best Star Trek movie. It is as hilarious as
"The Wrath of Khan" is touching. And it provides us sophisticated
20th-century folks with a look at our society of fifteen years ago. Have
we changed that much? Hmm...
And beyond being hilarious, it also has a wonderful message. The Earth is being destroyed by a probe which is searching for hump-backed whales. The whales became extinct in the 21st century, and Earth's only hope is to go to the 20th century and bring a couple of hump-backed whales to the future. It shows just how important the protection of endangered species is.
Each of the crew members has a special task when they reach Earth. Chekov and Uhura have to try to find the Alameda naval base. Sulu gets a crash course in flying a helicopter. Scotty and Bones have to find plexiglass for their makeshift aquarium. And Spock and Kirk take on the mean streets of San Francisco to convince a marine biologist to let them beam the whales in her care on board.
From the moment Kirk and company land their cloaked Klingon bird of prey in the park, this movie is nonstop laughs. Experience all the "colorful metaphors," "dark age" medical technology, and other 1980s phenomena as seen from the viewpoint of our favorite folks from the future as they race to save Earth. And watch as Spock becomes a bit more human in the process.
And beyond being hilarious, it also has a wonderful message. The Earth is being destroyed by a probe which is searching for hump-backed whales. The whales became extinct in the 21st century, and Earth's only hope is to go to the 20th century and bring a couple of hump-backed whales to the future. It shows just how important the protection of endangered species is.
Each of the crew members has a special task when they reach Earth. Chekov and Uhura have to try to find the Alameda naval base. Sulu gets a crash course in flying a helicopter. Scotty and Bones have to find plexiglass for their makeshift aquarium. And Spock and Kirk take on the mean streets of San Francisco to convince a marine biologist to let them beam the whales in her care on board.
From the moment Kirk and company land their cloaked Klingon bird of prey in the park, this movie is nonstop laughs. Experience all the "colorful metaphors," "dark age" medical technology, and other 1980s phenomena as seen from the viewpoint of our favorite folks from the future as they race to save Earth. And watch as Spock becomes a bit more human in the process.
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