Print textbooks still king?

I think another important question to ponder is “Which version is read in its entirety?” Are print books read from beginning to end while digital version are started, then left to languish in the digital netherworld? Or is it vice versa? I, personally, don’t discriminate. I will finish a book, regardless of its format. The digital version will probably get finished first, as I always have it with me (what did we do before smart phones?) but I don’t neglect their paper cousins. When I’m home, curled up on the couch, I much prefer a book in my hand. A physical book seems to convey warmth and comfort, while my electronic device reminds me of all the other, more productive things I could be doing instead of sitting on the couch.

Right now we’re lucky to have the best of both worlds. But what happens when the balance shifts and digital starts taking over, as it inevitably will?

It was sprinkling just a bit, and there was an amazing rainbow, so of course I took some snaps of it, too. As I was coming down the stairs to go back to my car I commented on the rainbow to the woman with the stroller I had seen coming off the light rail. We chatted about it for a minute, and she asked me “Did you really pull over and get out of your car to take a picture of the rainbow?” To which I replied “No. I pulled over and got out of my car to take a picture of the trains. The rainbow was just there.”

Seemed reasonable to me.

The slide show below consists of pics from our first few days visiting Denver, including pics from Dinosaur Ridge. I had to get funky with filters on a few of them, but ended up pleased with the results. So check ’em out and enjoy. Wedding pics will be next!

Which brings us to sushi and bowling. Chris wanted all of us out of the house so he could get some rest, and seriously, who can blame him? So he requested that I go and “do something fun” with the boys–I decided on bowling. Zachary hasn’t used his bowling ball since he received it for his 7th birthday (and he’s almost 8), and who doesn’t love a good bowling alley on a Saturday night?

First, however, we had to stop at Marshalls for some new pillows, and it turns out there is a cute little sushi place in the same strip mall. I made the decision that we were going to eat there; it was, after all, right across the street from the bowling alley. Turns out it was a pretty good decision. The sushi was really good, and I actually got Zachary to try some, which he enjoyed except for my wasabi-laden soy sauce. The dinner entrees were yummy, the ambiance was great, and the boys and I had a really enjoyable dinner.

Next stop, bowling! Bowling with an almost-8-year old, and a 4-year old can go one of two ways: great or awful. This time was great. We got there about an hour before cosmic bowling, and we bowled a few games. Then cosmic bowling started and instead of leaving, Zachary asked if we could bowl one more. Of course, I think he wanted to show off his awesome robot dance moves more than he wanted to bowl–we don’t have cool strobes and black lights at our house. So we stayed for one more.

It was a really fun night, and very memorable. The boys were nice to each other (which wore off the next day, I knew it was too good to last too long), and we all had a lot of fun. There were also a few laughs–Jonah never disappoints. Check out the video of poor Jonah, learning the hard way, not to follow the ball down the lane, hee hee.

If you’d like another little chuckle, check out Zachary’s smooth dance moves.

A catcher and his body are like the outlaw and his horse. He’s got to ride that nag till it drops. ~Johnny Bench

Zachary is getting a good feel for catching, and the new stance Chris has him in has definitely improved his batting. I created this little video of him at our last game against the Mets. Unfortunately, we lost. There’s always next time!

For those interested, this video was taken and modified entirely on my iPhone 4. The video was shot using the regular iPhone 4 camera, and then modified using the Silent Film Director app, where I sped it up a bit, added a 70s filter, and my own music.

It’s also very interesting to see how Chris and I have influenced him, and his vocabulary. We never really talked to him like he was a baby or a child, which is evidenced by his use and understanding of words and terms well beyond his age. This can be a great thing, but every coin has two sides, and many words have multiple meanings. And it can often be amusing to hear Zachary’s definitions of words he thinks he knows.

A perfect example came from a Goosebumps book he was reading the other day. I randomly have him read out loud a few pages of the various books he reads to check his comprehension, and he came across the sentence “The window was framed by large, black, ominous shutters.” I made him stop there, because I was sure the word “ominous” was going to trip him up. As it turned out, however, I was wrong. He very clearly defined ominous as “scary and evil”, which, while technically defined as “…foreboding or foreshadowing evil…”, Zachary obviously got the point.

No, ominous did not trip him up at all–but he still had an odd look on his face, like he didn’t quite understand the sentence. After a moment of thought I realized the word that was causing him problems was “framed”, so I asked him if he knew what that word meant. He told me he did, but he didn’t understand what it had to do with a window. Now it was my turn to look perplexed, and I asked him to tell me what the word “framed” meant, to which he replied, “That’s when someone tries to get you into trouble by blaming you for something that you didn’t do. So what would someone be blaming a window for, anyway?”

Priceless. My 7-year old doesn’t equate “framed” with enclosing something, like a picture or a window; no, he understands the nefarious act of falsely accusing someone of something. Where did I go wrong? (That’s a rhetorical question. Heh, one of these days I’ll write a post about that word.)

I’m often surprised by how much media gets remade. Movies, music, television—at some point everything old is new again. This isn’t always a bad thing, except in the case of Tupperware in those lovely shades of avocado green, washed-out tangerine orange, and baby diarrhea yellow. I don’t want those to be new again.

But I digress. One of the things I’ve noticed over the past year is the number or duplicate songs that come up when I do a search for something in my iTunes. I’m not talking duplicates in the sense of the same song by the same artist twice; I’m talking about the same song remade. I have a lot of these in my music library and every time I hear a remake it’s natural that I compare it to the original—or the one that is the most well known. Because let’s face it, there are a lot of songs out there that were remade and the original is not the one you know. Respect, by Aretha Franklin, is a perfect example. Otis Redding actually performed it first making Franklin’s female anthem the remake. 🙂

That brings us back to the point: the remix/remake. I’ve decided to make note of my duplicate songs when I think of them or see them in iTunes, for the sole purpose of sharing them with you. Along with my thoughts on which one is superior. What would be the point if there wasn’t a debate, eh?

So let’s get this party started. This version of remix/remake features the song Superstar. The first version that I’m aware of is by The Carpenters (1971). I’m a sappy gal, and I actually love The Carpenters. So does my mother which explains why I’m aware of this song in the first place. I have always liked this song and would consider it one of my favorite Carpenters’s singles. I’m actually listening to it right now for this post and have goosebumps. Karen Carpenter. Wow. Listen for yourself.

Moving, isn’t she?

Then along comes Juno. One of my all-time favorite movies. While getting really creeped out by Jason Bateman, I couldn’t help but be pulled into the scene where he shared with Juno a remake of Superstar done by Sonic Youth. I was totally taken aback by the intensity and the grittiness of the Sonic Youth version. This whispery, sing-song version doesn’t compare to The Carpenter’s soft and flowing version. The Sonic Youth version is naughty, creepy, and feral. And I love it. While Karen is singing about Lancelot, her night in shining armor, Sonic Youth is singing about his one night stand who made him feel dirty and took all his money. What do you think?

I can’t really pick a fave between the two of these. They are both rated 5 stars in my iTunes and I love both versions for different reasons. They are, naturally, in very different playlists.

So what do you think? Which one rocks you and why?

Would I? Maybe. Who goes there? Who knows. What is that?! Read on, and maybe you’ll find out!

Who

…is easy to love?

My boys, of course.

…do you just wanna smack?

My boys, of course.

…do you trust?

Chris. I’ve never met anyone more trustworthy in my life.

…do you talk to when you’re alone?

The voices in my head? My Rice Krispies? Hmm, since I’m mostly alone I feel like this is a trick question.

What

…dangerous things do you do while driving?

Check my iPhone directions. I’m too cheap to pay for the turn-by-turn app.

…would you never, ever, ever give up?

Red wine. Ever.

…is Satan’s last name?

Tesh. As in John Tesh. I believe that man is truly evil.

…is the last thing that moved you?

A crazy wave of nostalgia that took my breathe away and brought me to tears.

…is the freakiest thing in your house?

My mother. 😀

When

…is it time to turn over a new leaf?

When the old one is too dried up and shrivelly to hide behind.

…will you be all that you can be?

Probably never. I am, after all, human. ((Seriously, look at Tiger Woods. 🙁 ))

…is enough enough?

When I find out I’ll let you know.

…do you go to the dark side?

That is between me and Chris.

Where

…are your pants?

On the floor with my socks, bra and shirt.

…is your last will and testament?

Uh, if I had one, it would be in the fireproof safe? (Is that the correct answer?) 😕

…is your junk food stash?

I’m actually not much of a junk food eater, so I don’t have one. Now if you asked about my liquor stash, that would be another story. 😉

…are you the happiest?

This is where I’m supposed to say something sweet like “Anywhere as long as I’m with my family,” or something equally schmaltzy. And this is true as long as anywhere is on a beach, with a fruity drink in my hand and a cabana boy.

Why

…are there no seat belts on school buses?

The same reasons school programs are cut, teachers are laid off, and there’s no more art class. MONEY.

…are musicians sexy and plumbers aren’t?

…did the chicken cross the road?

To prove to the possum it could actually be done!

…do we revere athletes more than teachers?

Here’s a better question…why do we revere athletes more than our family?

Would You

…swim the English channel for a doughnut and coffee? If not, what?

Hell no! I hate doughnuts. I might, however, for a Brewery Bar II chile relleno smothered in their green chili!

…forgive someone who deliberately hurt you?

Isn’t that the job description for wife and parent?

…rather believe a lie if it hurt you less than the truth?

Unfortunately I live with the most honest man on the planet and two kids. That’s not even an option.

…still need me, would you still feed me, when I’m 64? ((I know, I know, it’s will you still need me…))

That depends. Will you need to be fed with a spoon?