Thursday, November 02, 2006

The Shining Drunken Rodents

Rodents, Mean and Drunken
Somehow the comments on my post about the demise of the pink flamingo turned to squirrels and rodents in general (oh, and politics, but I suppose that falls under the “rodents in general” category). Well it just so happens that squirrels (well, specifically one squirrel) and rodents (specifically, mice) have made the news lately. I thought I’d share.

I am from the devil and I will attack anyone
who dares deliver mail on my turf

Mean Squirrel Attacks Pennsylvania Letter Carrier
My favorite quote from this story, “We not issuing a squirrel alert…” What, exactly, is a squirrel alert, and how would one issue it? “Mayday, Mayday, squirrel spotted in Mr. Jones’s yard…Wait, nope, now it’s up the tree… Now it’s down the tree… Oh, damn, it’s just crossed the street and is eating an acorn in Mrs. Smith’s shrubbery. Will someone please get down here ready to run the critter over then next time it makes a break for it?”

Wine Keeps Fat Mice Happy, Healthy
In a new study, fat mice were given extraordinarily high doses of a chemical found in wine. Apparently this allowed the obese mice to stave off the health effects of fat micehood, and doctors think that this might be the magic bullet for fat Americans. Just what we need, super-sized plonk served at McDonalds. In any event, I guess that if all else fails in my life, I’ll just drink massive quantities of wine and take to my snacks. I’ll live to be 150 and laugh wickedly at all you poor saps who died young and svelte.

The Shining

Come type with us

Robyn waxed nostalgic for typewriters in her latest post. While commenting on her blog, I looked over and saw an example of my own typing. Last fall, the Brattle Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, showed a revival of The Shining during a Stanley Kubrick retrospective. It was a grand good time, and apparently I was impressed enough by the “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” exercise that I tried one of my own on the office typewriter (which, by the way, is only used for the occasional out-of-date form and doesn’t work terribly well). I think you’ll see why I’m grateful for modern technology (although the soothing bell and clickety-clack are beautiful things).

18 comments:

james said...

okay, dude . . . those twins . ..

AHHHHHHHH.

scariest image ever.

Sassy Sundry said...

Yes. The first time I saw it, I didn't sleep well for ages. Now I just think it's fun.

Scout said...

First, the squirrel story is very odd. My favorite Christmas Vacation scene is when they bring the tree in from outside, and a squirrel which has been hiding in it, jumps out, and they running screaming through the house, "Squirrel." I don't know why, but I snort at the scene every time.

Scout said...

Second, the typing sample is as creepy as the twins. I just watched that movie a week or so ago. "Here's Johnny."

Before Girl said...

Yeah, I always ask my husband (who was "Danny" in his youth and still is to his family) if that movie ever freaked him out. He said that he never really gave it much thought. I also remember how my father would watch that movie ceaselessly and sometimes pause it on the part where you see the twins murdered in the hallway, so we could get a good look at it.

I know why there are mistakes in the typing-your fingers move faster than the big heavy keys, throwing up that little spear with the letter embossed on the end, WHOMP! to the paper.

Sassy Sundry said...

I know. I have to slow down.

I remember that scene from National Lampoon, Robyn. It kills me too.

Neponset River Bridge Dig said...

I think that say's it all about what happens to writers when they keep getting "INTERUPTED"!!!

Sassy Sundry said...

Interrupted by what? Typing or by weird spirits haunting a hotel?

dive said...

Those twins are so cute.
I was always upset that they couldn't film the creepy topiary garden from the book, or the scary carpet … Brrr …
I'm just back from Japanese classes and, on the drive home, Radio 4's science programme had a big debate on the skinny mouse thing.
As it's not likely to happen in my lifetime, I'll have to think of another reason to drink lots of red wine … (yeah, right).

Sassy Sundry said...

I know, aren't they just little darlings?

Did you learn any interesting words?

Taihae said...

i got sent to the school psychologist in high school for "disturbing" art work (here at art school, it would be considered banal, those bastards). i was so bored with this well meaning but annoying git of a psychologist that i amused myself with convincing him i had a passionate and all consuming fear of squirrels. you made me remember that for the first time in three or four years.

and oh yeah, baby, youre TOTALLY linked.

Sassy Sundry said...

That's hysterical, Taihae. I do wish you'd share the details of your phony phobia. You shall soon be linked too.

dive said...

Interesting words?
Too many!
Lin brought in the Lonely Planet Phrasebook, with its chapter on dating and sex and we had a roleplay session before class.
We learned crap like "Ooh, That feels great!" And "Easy, Tiger" amongst others. I don't know who wrote the guide, but I'd be very worried if I were dating them.
At the end of our session, I actually got to dump an attractive woman (a first)! And in Japanese.

They had a section on hairdressing, too, which included the phrase "I should never have let you near me".

Nice …

Old Knudsen said...

I loved The Shining what a feel good movie that was. RedRum (murder backwards) was also a famous British racehorse, probably a tin of glue by now.

Sassy Sundry said...

Poor Redrum. Murder in a tin of glue. I wonder if the poor child who bought it ate the paste and went on a murderous rampage.

I think I've seen the Lonely Planet phrase book, only it was for such terms in Italian. I didn't realize that they might have come in handy until I got over there. Definitely miss a culture where you can sit outside at a caffe and have your choice of men to play with. There are enough Italians around here that the tradition should be revived.

dive said...

Hey, I can sit outside a café and have my choice of men to play with.
It's the women who seem far more elusive …
Damn!

Before Girl said...

Dive, they made a remake for TV here for The Shining, that was closely following the book. It had Rebecca DeMornay and Tim Daly in it. They did the topiary part and it focuses more on Jack being a struggling alcoholic and the haunting of the hotel rather than Jack Nicholson just freaking out. I always thought he and Shelley Duvall were too old to have a little kid and that kid just seemed stupid, too stupid to have any sort of gift. But the newer movie the kid was more annoying because he talked too much and seemed to have a harelip thing going. I think both movies have their good and bad points and are equally on solid ground.

dive said...

Rebecca de Mornay?
Eww …