smith-corona

I just laughed when I saw this because last year for christmas I really did want that typewriter...kinda like the little girl with yellow mittens. And to my suprise (again, like the yellow mittened girl), I actually got it!

may I...

just comment on how cute this little man is? I am one lucky auntie!

look at that smirk.. What a handsome boy
i love all my nephews, they are the greatest!

1928

Nothing new..just mentioning how much I enjoy the great Buster Keaton. I recently watched his movie 'Steamboat Bill jr.', his last independent film before signing with MGM. Absolutely hilarious! He plays 'Willie', the effete son of riverboat captain "Steamboat Bill" coming to see his dad after years of separation. Steamboat Bill is excited that his son (Steamboat Bill Jr.) is coming to visit him. When he does, he tries to turn him into a proper person for working on the boats, while his son resists. Meanwhile, Marion, a girl that he knows, spots him and introduces him to her father, rivals with Steamboat Bill. He tries to be alone with her, but gets caught several times, and is given a ticket back to Boston. Steamboat Bill gets arrested for unruly conduct (on a condemnation notice of his boat) and it's up to Bill Jr. to rescue his dad - in the middle of a cyclone storm. I recommend you check out this flick and really any of his movies, because they are all amazing.

This is one of the most famous scenes in all of Buster Keaton's films. Without special-effects, but with precise mathematical calculations, Keaton was standing so that the open window on the falling wall would pass safely through him. (And those of you who are familiar with the great television series 'Arrested Development' would notice that this exact scene was taken and adopted into an episode for their very own 'Buster Bluth')

ragtime a goodtime

rag·time:
n. 1. rhythm in which the accompaniment is strict two-four time and the melody, with improvised embellishments, is in steady syncopation.
2. an american style of music popular in the 1920's which Leslie is now listening to more than her family would wish.

DC in March

Yesterday I enrolled in a program at school called Close-Up. It's a really neat program that enables students intrested in government to visit Washiington DC. The trip is geared specifically towards students and shows up close how the government works. On the trip, we will be able to meet with our congressmen, Supreme Court justices, attend seminars, participate in debates, visit some of the major monuments at the National Mall, and more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anyway-I have become very much interested in all this political tripe that is going on so needless to say, I am very excited to be going on this trip. I have never really traveled very far and have wanted to visit DC for a long time.


[to help with financing, I was given Tax Write Off forms to give to people who would be intrested in contributing to my funds WHILE LOWERING their Arizona Tax Bill. Let me know if you are able and willing. it would be much appriciated :) ]

I reccomend..

"ONE WEEK"
It's a parody of a newsreel showing how a newlywed couple put together a new prefabricated house in just one week. In Keaton's version, a rival for his bride's hand switches the identifying letters on the crates around, so that the house ends up looking like Anyway, you can watch this movie on You Tube. It's a short film and I reccomend if you are ever bored, to go check it out. It is absolutly hilarious.

hamlet

I recently added to my collection the full-text, full-length cinematic movie of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Adapted, acted in, and directed by the amazing Kenneth Brenagh (Prof. Lockhart from HP 2). It has quickly become one of my favorite movies. And yes, I am aware at how nerdy I probably sound right now, but that's ok. I had no idea how amazing Shakespeare's plays were until I enrolled in a Shakespeare class at school. Of course, we were all forced to read Romeo&Juliet sometime during jr. high, but I personally think making 14 year olds read a play that ends in teenage suicide is a horrible introduction to Shakespeare. Non the less, after reading The Taming of the Shrew and Hamlet, my opinion of William and his work has been substantially enlightened.


What's cool about this movie is instead of being set in the 1600's like it is originally, it is set in the early 19th century.

Not-milk?

yuck.

at work

nothing better to do than to create bumper stickers.

buster keaton

In the realm of silent comedy, Chaplin is the most famous, but Buster Keaton is the funniest. In fact, Keaton is hilarious. I have been completely obsessed with his movies lately. Three Buster Keaton movies made AFI's list of the one hundred funniest American movies: The General (18), Sherlock, Jr. (62), and The Navigator (81). Also, he just so happends to be my great-great 2nd cousin on my great-great-great-grandma Emmeline Keaton's side. Or something like that. Pretty cool.

thank you, thank you

I want to thank everyone in my family who made my eighteenth birthday so great!
It was really fun tonight. I am always wanting to make pizza for dinner but if it's ever pizza, my dad insists on Vito's. So, this being my birthday and my decision on the food, I made 4 pizzas for everyone! horray! they were O.K. I suppose, considering our oven kept shutting off. But anyway, It was a really fun time. I got such great gifts, thank you everyone! I truly loved them all! And I must confess..I did recieve, most humbly, my dream acoustic guitar..A Martin. It is a Martin DX1 and its gorgeous.



I love the neck, it's beautiful.



And yes, my craving for this guitar came directly from Bob Dylan. He owned Martins throughout his career. It has an amazing sound! I am loving it.

yes, I am!

Thats right. I turn 18 sunday and have just sent out my voting registration forms in yesterday. Pretty neat! Glad it finally matters that I pay attention to politics.

WHAT A NIGHT

tonight was great. I went to the john vanderslice show at the modified and it was brilliant of course. before it started some friends and i went down to circle k and bought him a 'Suprise Bag' they had there and put it on the stage adressed to him. he opened it and gave all the stuff out to people. there were also a pair of goofy glasses in it which he wore for the next song. it was hilarious. he also gave out blue berry oatmeal cookies to everyone and they were really good. Then after the show i was very fortunate enough to talk with him. he told me that i should open up a business with my name and thats all it would be."people will come and you say 'Leslie Carling' then they leave and you take all the money!" he gave me a nice hug and my friends and i got a picture with him and the band. LOVE HIM! cant wait to see hima gain in the spring! he is so friendly to everyone. probably one of the nicest people ive ever met

okkervil river on conan

I cannot beleive they were on Conan!(then again, I can) but the first time I saw them it was about 3 years ago and Angela took me and there were about 50 of us cramped up in Stinkweeds. I literally felt the mist of his saliva as he sang. Anyway, I just saw them again on Friday and it was probably one of the most enjoyable shows I have ever been to in my life.

cyberspace tag organization

Well I guess the deal is, when you get 'tagged' you say a few random things about yourself. I am not really sure. But anyways, I beleive Adell left me with that obligation so here I am to oblige.

1. I am a senior at Mt. View and AM LOVING EVERY MINUTE....that I am NOT there! Now, I don't mean to be one of those people who just general do not enjoy going to school everyday, but I am.

2. I love reading. I have a mini library in my room. I am currently turning the pages of Mr. Ken Kesey's novle, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. Both the book and movie are wonderful.

3. I just discovered that I love, love Talapia. Throw some of that on a pan and cook it with lemon pepper and you got yourself a good meal. Never have been a big fan of fish, but I think I like it because it does not really taste like fish.

4. I love watching Conan O'Brien.. while wearing my Conan O'Brien T-shirt. I also like watching The Office and cannot wait until we get to hear what things Dwight has to say this upcoming season.

4. I really like going down on Main St., (like the song) and shopping at the incredible antique stores with my mom.

6. I listen to talk radio pretty much everyday.

7. I am re-doing my room with...yes, wallpapper...and yes, it will look great. I love wallpapper.

Anyways, thats about it.
your IQ just dropped 10 points.

Conan O'Brien - 1864 Baseball

My friend showed me this video last night and it was hilarious.Conan is the greatest. If you have a minute to spare, you should watch it. You wont be sorry.

blowin' in the wind

The Bob Dylan concert on Tuesday was WONDERFUL! I went with my dad which was very fun of course. It was at an outdoor arena in Tucson and it was sprinkling lightly while we waited for the show to start but the sun was shining through the clouds at the same time so it was just beaufitul weather. What a view..Bob Dylan with nothing but rolling hills of green desert and storm clouds in the backround. And he did just awesome. Love that man. He played many good old songs too, which included..Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat, Lay Lady Lay, Watching the River Flow, Simple Twist of Fate, Stuck Inside of Moble with the Memphis Blues Again, Most Likely You'll Go Your Way(And I'll Go Mine), Highway 61 Revisisted, and he even ended the show with a great version of Blowin' in the Wind. what a show!

five stars and two thumbs up

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, being my favorite Harry Potter book, has also become my favorite among the movies. If you havent seen it, I'd advise you to. It is AMAAAAAZING!

I'll meet him again in Tucson Arizona

Well, last night as I was retireing to bed, a good friend of mine began to text meaningless small talk. He started off by asking me, in a mock excited manner, if 'I was going to the Bob Dylan concert?!?!' and I told him that Mr. Dylan did not have any dates coming up in Arizona. However, I wasn't to fool myself, so I checked anyway. Lo and behold, there was a concert to be held in Tucson on the 24th of this month. I proceeded to purchase my tickets and thanked my friend who then admitted that he was completely guessing about Bob Dylan and that he would be the last person to know whether or not Bob was coming. How amazing! Im glad my friends like to make fun of me for likeing him.

great read

well i finished reading The Pianist today and I can tell you it was one amazing book! Although both the book and movie (especially the movie)are very graphic, the story is unbelievable. Wladyslaw Szpilman is one of the most incredible people Ive ever read about. I would recommend this awesome quick read to anyone. That is, anyone who wont get bored with a WWII book that is mostly narrative.

ice cream

I accompanied a friend to dipin dots today and although I am well aware of my fondness of their delectible Banana Slpit flavored ice cream, I went ahead and got their Rainbow flavor. I am here to say that it was pretty good. If your a fan of Trix cereal, you will like their rainbow dots. Only setback is it turns your tounge to unrecognizable colors of red, blue, yellow, and green..which really, in the end, births into one big gross color of blah brown.

thumma thcool

Well, today was the second day of summer school. I am taking economics and am actually quite enjoying the subject. So, I suppose the fact that I am sitting on the same rediculously uncomfortable chair for over 4 hours every day, may be irrelevant. But yesterday was particulary hard as I beleive I might have lost the book I was reading. The Pianist. I cannot find it anywhere. Sad. Then to top it off, the Snickers bar I bought today at the vending machine to extinguish my venting hunger was all melty and mooshy. And as my quarter in change deposited out the mini garage door flappy thing on the machine, it proceeded to plumit out to the ground and get lost behind the atomic-bomb-proof grates they have protecting the precious goodies. oh well...at least i know why countries with the least amount of oppertunity cost are more likely to specialize in a certain area of production.

efy- me and my cousin mal

This was the last day and right before the last dance. No kidding either, right after this picture was taken, we ran inside and showed those civilians how to tear a rug.

one of my favorite books ive ever read

i apologize for the three posts in a row regarding books. but its summer and reading is all i do. but really, this book is definatly in my top 5. i just got done reading it again and i do not usually read books more than once. A Seperate Peace by John Knowles.

good find at byu bookstore

well as i was attending efy this past week in utah, during lunch it got really boring so i went into the byu bookstore and found this book. i saw the movie previously and thought it was very good so i got the book and it has been equally as good.

GADSBY by ernest vincent wright

this book was written without using the letter 'e'. amazing!

http://www.spinelessbooks.com/gadsby/01.html

you can read it on this website.

Utah

I am visiting Adell&Logan right now in Utah on account that i am going to efy tomorrow with my cousin mallory. they are acting really weird and all we do here is watch pbs specials on hawks and how they fledge their babies.

hilarious movie!

I saw this on the Tuner Classic Movie channel the other day and was dying laughing, so i went and bought it at Barnes&Noble and watched it last night with some pals. It's not the new one that just came out, it's the 1968 original with Gene Wilder (willy wonka) who is the funniest actor in the world. It is now one of my favorite movies of all time.



this is one of my favorite scenes where Leo Bloom has hysterics

eventful trip home from Strawberry

i got pulled over for the first time on friday driving home from a friends cabin in strawberry because i had my brights on. thats about all that happend on my boring memorial day weekend.

happy birthday bob dylan!

Last day of school! horray!

getting in touch with my peter parker side

Logans dad took us rock climbing last time I was up in Utah. Incredibly fun I must say.

Utah is cold