“The Vengeance Formulation”

November 23rd, 2009

Last week, the show chose to split its story between something that works (Sheldon and Penny) and something that doesn’t (Leonard, Wolowitz and Raj on their own), resulting in an episode that was a mixed bag (although perhaps a bit better than I gave it credit for, as my distaste for the latter perhaps overshadowed the strength of the former).

This week, however, the show returns to more of an ensemble structure, and while nothing reaches the heights of adhesive ducks it’s a solid episode as a whole because it manages a reasonably emotional Wolowitz storyline with a cheap but not ineffective Sheldon storyline. There was every chance for these two elements to go off the rails (based on both the show’s tradition of misusing Wolowitz and the presence of Kripke), so the fact that they stayed moderately in orbit makes this a victory, if not exactly an overwhelming success.

When it comes to Wolowitz, I strongly believe that less is more, unless the show decides to do what they did here and turn Wolowitz from obnoxious to introspective. While interacting with a fantasy version of Katee Sackhoff isn’t genius or anything, it allows Wolowitz to stop acting like he runs the joint and actually come to terms with his delusions. The naked bathtub fantasy version of Katee Sackhoff spoke the truth, and while there were signs of the old Wolowitz (feeling more slighted by the fact that Sackhoff’s date was tall as opposed to handsome, since he actually believes he is handsome) for the most part he was honest with himself. Sure, he messes up his romantic overtures to Bernadette, but he was legitimately charming during his tone deaf wailing at episode’s end, and the fact that Howard was given any continuity at all in terms of a relationship is such a huge step forward that I think it’s commendable.

It also shows how even Howard, who to this point one couldn’t imagine in a relationship, is effectively getting the relationship stories that Leonard has been given in the past, except ones that are actually funny. While Sheldon in a relationship might be too ludicrous, and Raj in a relationship has been made impossible by the alcohol gimmick, Howard and Leonard are both effectively eligible, but the show has always resisted treating Howard seriously (by having his actual skills be so outmatched by his capability), sending him off to gothic night clubs and moving him away from legitimate couplings. However, while Leonard’s relationships tended to be neurotic and sort of dull, Howard’s relationship is (to use his own word) quirky in a way that adds a fun dynamic to the show. Sure, I’m not a huge fan of his relationship with his shrill mother, and I could have used less talk about what he was doing in the tub, but for once the show didn’t actually treat him like a horny 15-year old, and for this I was most grateful and certainly entertained.

As for the other half of the episode, it really comes down to how funny you find someone talking in a high-pitched voice and how you feel about Eric Kripke. Twitter user SnowDan mentioned that he likes Kripke because it’s ironic that the university bully has a lisp (which would, outside of that world, make him subject to bullying), but I’ve always felt like that joke has been long ago used up in favour of dialogue that calls attention to the lisp unnecessarily. The idea of Sheldon having a nemesis is funny on its own, which is why Leslie Winkle was more interesting to me (especially because the gender politics of it all wreaked havoc with Sheldon’s already problematic ability to respond in kind) than someone both more dully mean-spirited and less witty. Beyond the broad irony, that for me was not clever enough to sustain the character beyond a first appearance, the character is a normal guy who has a lisp, and most of the humour derived from the character has been through how he says it rather than what he says.

But I thought that this week’s story was less let down by Kripke (who on only a few occasions fell into traps like “Wiot”) and more by a single decision. I like the general principle of the storyline, with Sheldon’s big moment turning into an embarrassment and his attempt at vengeance going horribly, horribly wrong. There’s something very solid about that, and even when I know that we’re never going to get to see the aftermath (since everything will, conveniently for Sheldon, reset next week) the uncontrollable chaos of the final sequence was even communicated through webcam. However, where the storyline suffered was that the joke of Sheldon and his high-pitched voice didn’t appear to actually be Jim Parsons with helium, nor Jim Parsons faking such a voice. Unless I’m mistaken, the voice was looped in during post-production, which if true is a huge disappointment, and took me out of the scene regardless.

There were a number of things in this episode that bugged me a bit, like how the other guys so quickly joined in on laughing at Sheldon on the radio (as it was national radio, after all), or how Raj was too busy making fun of Sheldon to help Leonard try to get him out of bed, or how Penny’s self-awareness about her relationship with Leonard didn’t extend to her realizing that they have no actual chemistry and that sitting in close proximity to each other does not a relationship make. But none of these elements felt like they were the point of their respective storylines: Sheldon’s embarrassment was necessary to get to his vengeance gone awry, and Penny needed to be aware of her own relationship so she could objectively view Wolowitz’s and be able to ward off Bernadette.

And those two storylines worked, coming to solid conclusions that were either narratively satisfying or humorously destructive. They didn’t offer any particular comic highs, but they didn’t offend any of my sensibilities either, so I can’t really complain.

Cultural Observations

• Katee Sackhoff in the tub makes me realize that some part of me feels obligated to watch 24 this season with her being part of the cast.
• It says something about the show’s conditioning to not bother remembering things from previous episodes that it took me a while to figure out if Bernadette was actually the person on whom Wolowitz went on a double date a while back. However, I’ll give them this: her trait of not getting Wolowitz’s jokes was memorable enough that I was at least 75% sure.
• While some small moments bugged me, I thought Sheldon nailing the whoopie cushion gag on Leonard really did prove its comic validity.
• And just in case we weren’t sure, apparently Raj is delicious caramel.
• If Sepinwall writes a review, I think “as soon as I play Cylon and Colonist” seems like the obvious “after the jump” line. We’ll see if I’m right.

Après je vous laisse tranquille avec mes mousses

Do-it-yourself insulation and air sealing is a cinch as long as you have a little time on your hands, and the right tools to seal off your windows and doors. And your efforts will be well worth it when the heating bill comes and it’s actually affordable.

Start with a walk through your home. Evaluate each room for possible air leaks. Do you have older windows or a back door that leaks air? Maybe you’ve noticed a number of gaps along the baseboard, or draft coming in through the mail slot. Step one is to assess problem areas and jot them
down (with descriptions and locations) on a notepad. Take measurements where applicable so you know how many materials to buy when you go to the hardware store.

If you decide to install or upgrade your current doors or storm windows (interior or exterior), you should seek out help from a professional. This will save you some headaches later on–windows must be installed correctly to maximize your insulation. Look for weather stripping at all joints. – Rockwool Insulation
DIY Spray Foam Insulation
DIY Spray Foam Insulation

J’aime bien la mousse surtout avec une jolie lumière comme ça

So, this photo is the first in a series I will be posting featuring people as subjects.  I’m excited, as I usually do landscapes/macro/anything-but-people!

I took this photo while at the Jersey Shore over the summer with my boyfriend (see previous post for more another product of that trip).  Avalon Beach was lovely, fairly empty with lovely water.  I love to body surf, so I was quite content.  Some areas had larger waves that surfers were taking full advantage of.  I was lucky enough to snap this shot, right as the surfer hit the top of the wave.  It wasn’t until I looked at the larger image of the photo on my computer that I realized he was also touching the top of the wave.  Cool stuff.

So, anyhoo, this shot was taken with the Canon Powershot G7.  Contrast was fixed with Adobe Photoshop CS3.

Surf’s up!!

November 2009 Exercise – Domenic Battistella, Executive Chef, Red Rocks Café, Huntersville, NC

Autumn Venison Duet
Pumpkin infused tar tare, pine smoked olive oil foam, yoke
Cinnamon coffee roasted tenderloin, Chilhuacle roast pumpkin, pickled fennel

To participate in the next exercise, please send an e mail to: jeffrey@bauscherinc.com

See all your favorite chefs’ collections of past submissions at the Deep Plate page on Facebook.  Please become a “Fan”. 

http://deepplate.wordpress.com and “Deep Plate” on Facebook

Inspired by this girl, I got myself into a little art project yesterday afternoon.

She is basically a photography goddess, and started a little thing known as project foam. I’m a first-timer, so please don’t hate… but this was fun!

Christmas house

Sweeney Todd Christmas house

A clean house…

Mountains of foam in the lovely city of Bath

]]> http://vividunderground.com/2009/11/16/styrofoam-masterpieces-by-cheeming-boey/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:21:36 +0000 bendey14 http://vividunderground.com/2009/11/16/styrofoam-masterpieces-by-cheeming-boey/

Most people buy a drink at the local coffee shop only to throw it away in the nearest trash can once finished, but that’s not what Malaysian artist, Cheeming Boey, does with his empty styrofoam cups.  Instead, Boey makes incredible works of art on them with a sharpie… and sells them for hundreds!  What started out as doodles when no paper could be found, Boey’s detailed foam cup artwork has gained him quite a bit of recognition since he first pulled an empty foam cup from a trashcan in 2006 [Orange County Register].  Check out a few examples of his foam cups below.  There are also plenty more on his Flickr stream and website, I Am Boey.

-Bendey

for the insanely gloomy day we’re having, my foam turned out surprisingly bright. maybe bc with the dress i’m wearing, i’m bringing the color with me today. i guess it really is true what they say about a cloudy day not being a match for a sunny disposition (or a dress).

But my dear, you’re so, delightful.

Brrrrrr...

A kind birdy tipped me off to a great sale yesterday!  And.. It’s not too late, It’s still going on! Mischief is holding the Save Your Pennies for the Holidays Sale and boy oh boy is it a good one.

“Saving your pennies up for the Holidays?  Well, no need to look the part lol.  I’ve marked just about the entire store down to 100L or less, Greedy Packs for 200L.  I haven’t decided how long this will last just yet so hurry on over to Mischief and update your wardrobe without spending your holiday bonus!”

I stopped by last night with SEVERAL of my friends.  I think we all remember the days, when Mischief was THE store for quality goods compared to the others out there.  Then the day comes when you forget about what was in your inventory and build upon it with new goods, and I’m ashamed to say Mischief got buried deep in my inventory.  When I TPed in last night, it was dejavu… and everything was 10 times better than I ever remembered.  I spent many a precious Linden there, and the things that caught my attention the most? Janie Marlowe does unbelievable detailed knit work.  I love love love her sweaters!  Thus, I was inspired.  So this morning, I have created a winter look, showcasing some of Mischief’s finest frigid wear, and combining it with other faves from my inventory.  I hope you enjoy!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...

What I’m Wearing:

Hair: .:.Foam!.:. – The Faye – Blacks (no SLurl found)

Skin: :Curio: :GP: Acorn Frex [Dark] June-Calla Lily 2

Ear Muffs: /artilleri/ Knit earmuffs! (MOUTH) *white* (50L Friday 11/13/09)

Piercings: MODIFIED! [ATOMIC] Piercings_Bridge Work; [ATOMIC] Piercings_Taunting; Custom Star from Hepatitis C

Shirt: **MIS** A Pleasure Corset 1 (Love love the ties and ribs on this!) A steal at $L100!

Jacket: **MIS** Intertwine Sweater – GoldLights 1 (the buttons on this are A-mazing) $L200 for the Greedy Pack with 5 colors! or $L100 a piece!

Necklace: .+*AA*+.Feather&bullets brown (need I say more?)

Bracelets: -EARTHTONES- Heartwood Bangle Set Silver (oldie but a goodie!)

Tights: **DP**yumyum leggings /Beige (Tinted darker)

Shorts: **DP**yumyum short pants/blue

Shoes: KAO : Suede Fringe Boots / khaki (how adorkable are these fringes?)

Dieses Bild ist für Saturday’s Workout entstanden und zeigt gleichzeitig einen meiner neuen Stempel, die ich beim Stempel Mekka erworben habe.

Motivstempel: Akt (Stamp Zia), Swirl (Heindesign), Art

Gestempelt wurde auf einer schwarzen Leichschaumstoffplatte, die wie in der Anleitung gestaltet wurde.

Pelican 1740 and 1770 Cases

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** DULLES, VA. – November 11th, 2009

 Dulles Case Center introduces the new 1740 and 1770 Long Cases  by Pelican™ Products, Inc.  DULLES, VA – September 3, 2009 — To meet the demand for long, deep and versatile shipping cases, Pelican™ Products, Inc., has introduced the 1740 and 1770 Long Cases. For easy one-person transport, the 1740 comes standard with several mobile-friendly features including two rugged double-wide handles for easy steering and team lifting. Wide-track, polyurethane wheels (for stable mobility) with ball bearings and nylon hubs ensure extended towing durability. Designed to either be moved manually or stacked on pallets, the 1740 features four extra-deep base-to-lid locking cleats that ensure maximum stacking stability. Built for longer equipment and weapons such as .50 caliber guns and survey drill kits, the 1770 Long Case is Pelican’s longest case to date with a length of 54.58”. It features the same transit friendly attributes as the 1740. With more than 6,600 (1740) and 7,300 (1770) cubic inches of usable storage space and an infinite number of internal storage possibilities, both casesfeature an open cell core, polymer wall construction engineered to protect sensitive equipment from some of the harshest conditions on Earth. Additional standard features include a lid equipped with a polymer o-ring for a dust and water tight seal and six dual action latches that have been tested to withstand nearly 400 pounds of pulling force (but open with a light pull). Genuine Pelican Protector™ Cases can always be spotted by their distinctive, trademarked “Dual Band” design. Due to their large internal volumes both casesfeature dual integrated automatic pressure equalization valves that keep moisture out and prevent vacuum lock so they’re easy to open at any altitude. The 1740 Long Case (with manually customizable Pick N Pluck™ foam) has an MSRP of $499.95 and the 1770 Long Case (with manually customizable Pick N Pluck™ foam) has an MSRP of $579.95. Both cases are available in black and desert tan. OD Green is available by request. Both are backed by the Pelican Products legendary lifetime guarantee of excellence.

For more information or to order the Pelican 1740 and 1770 Cases, please contact:

Dan Littlefield, Sales
DULLES CASE CENTER
22977 Eaglewood Court, Suite 160
Dulles, Virginia 20166
703-689-4556 x-11 or by email at
dlittlefield@dullescasecenter.com

good news: i uploaded and edited all of my pictures from mexico. bad news: that left me with zero time to post any of them. i think tomorrow i’ll post some wedding highlights. until then, here is my foam for today.

SwagHound.com – The Arroyo Footballl – CL626.

The smaller chair has had a large piece of foam glued in place for the seat and then some pieces of thinner foam glued around the sides so that there are no sharp edges or sudden changes in depth. All the foam was then covered in polyester wadding – like thin cotton wool – and this is also to try to mould the seat into one continuous shape rather than have lumps and bumps.

Then the top cover was cut and fitted and stapled/tacked into place. The edges are then trimmed off into the rebate (which runs all around the back and seat) with a stanley knife.

Finally you need something to cover the raw edges. There are quite a few options e.g. decorative nails placed close together, rope/cord, piping etc but because the chair is quite small and the rebate quite narrow I’ve decided to go for ‘gimp’ which is a decorative tape which is nailed or glued in place.

Just waiting for the postman now….

though ida tried to keep us in mexico, i outsmarted her and thus returned late last night. i took a decent amount of pictures and i think i’m going to post them by event. however, in true meghan/monday form, i left my card reader at home. pictures to come tomorrow.

for now, here’s my mexican foam, via iPhone.

A profile of artist Misaki Kawai for the Oct/Nov 2008 issue of Foam Magazine.

A profile of Jennifer Herrema, of Royal Trux and RTX, for Foam Magazine.