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Meaningless Rants: My robot, Ninja

Posted on July 24th, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog.

[Me.  In May.  With longer hair.  Huh.]

So, I got a Roomba.  I named it Ninja, just so when people come over, I could introduce it by saying: “And this is my robot, Ninja,” (which would sound like “And this is my robot ninja.”)  What can I say?  I’m a geek.  First class.

Now, the point of having an expensive robotic vacuum cleaner is that it saves you time.  You push a button, and it does the rest.  It might take an hour to do a room, but your assistance is not required.  Admittedly you have to clean it after each use, but it doesn’t take much longer than emptying out the bag/canister on a normal vacuum cleaner (which I never did when I had a normal vacuum cleaner, so in my mind, the chore takes extra time, but I can’t presume that any of my readers live in a world at all similar to the one I perceive.)

The problem I encounter, however, is that the Roomba is just fascinating.  I can’t just press the button and walk away.  I stand there and watch it work, bump around, identify areas that need its Spot Cleaning feature.  It wastes huge amounts of my time.  I always thought after the first time, maybe the second, it would get old and I’d move on with life.  The only improvement I’ve made is in the time it takes me to realize I’m standing there watching it…I’m down to about 10~20 minutes.  Per room.

Sigh.

[My robot, Ninja, at work.]

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Sewing: Boy T-Shirts to Girly T-shirts

Posted on July 23rd, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog.

[BEFORE: Big, baggy boy shirt]    [AFTER: Cute, girly shirt]

Many of the T-shirts that I have from when I was younger, along with nearly every free T-shirt I’ve ever recieved in my life, has been an men’s XL.  These generally go into disuse, as men’s XL T-shirts are not very flattering on a feminine figure.  I decided I wanted to wear some of my over-large shirts, so I broke out the sewing machine and began to experiment.

I began by using a T-shirt that fir the way I liked, and used it as a stencil.  Nowadays ladies T-shirts are a bit longer, which has grown on me, so I add length to it before cutting the new shape out.  I fold over the bottom of the shirt and hem that first, then set out to attach the sleeves.  Finally, I stitch up the sides, and in short order, I have a T-shirt that I actually want to wear in public.  Yay me.

(And yay for the token Asian man’s generosity with his extra 501st T-shirts - you rock, even if you don’t speak Mandarin.)

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USA: Baltimore, MD: Six Flags

Posted on July 23rd, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, USA.

[Inside joke, sorry.]

For Chris’s birthday, she invited myself and another friend down to DC to visit her and join her in a trip to the local Six Flags for her birthday. What an awesome way to spend the weekend.  We had food, alcohol, and rides that made us giddy in anticipation.  (Joker’s Jinx, anyone?)

The ultimate ride of the day, however, was the Batwing.  It broke down while we waited in line during the early afternoon, and was down for some time.  We managed to get in line again as the sun set, a set of 24 screaming voices passing overhead every eight minutes.  (I was bored.  I timed it.)

[Part of the Batwing ride at nightfall.]

On the down side, the Batwing managed to crack the LCD screen on my camera during the process of flipping us upsidedown somewhere in the neighborhood of ten rides.  These are some of the last pictures it ever took.  It’s a bit depressing, as it was a great camera, but I’ll keep it as a beater.  I have since upgraded to the Canon SD750 - I had such a great experience with my old Canon SD550 that I really wanted to stick with Canon.

[We all have a good sense of humor - so does Six Flags, it seems.]

Anyway, while not as big as the Six Flags in Jersey, it was a good park and it kept us busy.  The water park was included with entrance fees at the Baltimore park - that was neat.  The single/double rider slides were nothing special, but the four-person rides (they have these giant inner tubes for four) were absolutely awesome and well worth the wait.  (If you have bad luck like me, you’ll end up going backwards at every twist and turn on such rides…I was not happy.  Thrilled, yes, but in a bitter and exasperated way.)

[Left to right, it’s Chris, Anna, and Travis.  Now see that 45* drop?  On that waterslide behind us?  Took that backward.  See the half pipe it connects too?  Backwards up and backwards down BOTH sides, EVERY time.]

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Movies: Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Posted on July 21st, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Movies.

So…I’d heard it was good.  Marcus had heard it was good.  We decided to go see it.

While there were a couple parts that were medicore, by and large, the film was just awful.  The special effects weren’t even that impressive.  I love the superhero movies they’ve been producing lately, but this was a huge disappointment.  Don’t bother with this one - save your money, or perhaps see Dark Knight a second time instead.

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Movies: The Dark Knight

Posted on July 21st, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Movies.

…wow…

This movie was amazing.  It had me on the edge of my seat.  It had me curled up and cringing.  152 minutes of action-packed suspense and anticipation.  Exciting and scary and mind-blowing.  I really don’t know what to say, but if you’re going to see one movie this summer, let this one be it.

UPDATE 2008.07.23:
Having had more time to gather my thoughts, I’ll expand on my earlier post.  It’s really Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker that makes this movie so phenomenal.  Never is the movie did it occur to me that this might just be an actor, or any sort of sane person, playing a part…he WAS the Joker, undeniably.

And a freakier villain I don’t think I’ve ever seen…  His movements, his insane laughter, even when he believes himself falling to his doom.  And his voice, the way he spoke…but on that note, I was pondering his accent, trying to place it.  From what I’ve read, he was apparently going for a Chicago/Midwest accent, but that’s really not what I heard…I was thinking almost traces of an Irish accent…who knows?

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Movies: Iron Man

Posted on July 21st, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Movies.

I’d been wanting to see this movie for months, and it did NOT disappoint.  I totally geeked out.  OK, yes, the suit was awesome - I acknowledge this as readily as the next geek.  (And if I think I can’t move in my stormtrooper armor, I can’t imagine what that costume would be like.)

But beyond the suit, I’ve gotta say that I geeked out over every bit of technology Tony Stark has at his disposal.  His relationships with the machines he had was comedic, but also very telling: the man had no friends.  All the money he could want, beautiful women and fun toys, but he was very alone.

And even though Stark was a complete jerk, Chris and I couldn’t help but like him: behind the money and the lifestyle, Stark is a huge geek, and that’s something I can appreciate.  I’m looking forward to seeing the next Iron Man installment in 2010.

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Movies: Hancock

Posted on July 21st, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Movies.

[The transformation of superhero John Hancock]

I thought this would just be a raunchy comedy, so I went in to see Hancock with relatively low expectations.  I was pleasantly surprised when, about half-way in, the movie took a serious turn as Hancock begins to embrace the whole “with great power comes great responsibility” slogan, though it was presented in different words.

* * *(small) SPOILER WARNING: Next paragraph only* * *
More than taking responsibility, he also learns how to make sacrifices for that which is important to him.  I don’t think I’m spoiling much by saying this: he ends up alone and far from home in the end, but despite those hardships, he’s a happier and healthier person as a result of the lessons he learned in the movie.
* * *End Spoiler Warning: Previous paragraph only* * *

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Movie: Wall-E

Posted on July 21st, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Movies.

Note: Need to catch up on my movie blogging, too…my apologies that everything is coming out in clumps.  I’ve been behind.

I really had no clue what this was about going in, but it was a robot and it was Pixar and I really don’t see how you can go wrong with that combination.

It turned out to be a love story, complete with beautiful imagry and a fantastic soundtrack.  It also depicted a disturbing future for mankind, where we become fatter and fatter and, as we become lazier and have machines do more for us, our bone structure actually deteriorates over the generations do to lack of need.

Earth itself is completely covered in trash, and humans have left Earth while it’s being cleaned up.  A giant megacorporation, Buy n’ Large, has monopolized every facet of business.  Everything has fallen into disrepair - the only thing left is a mobile, eccentric, trash-compacting robot named Wall-E.

Another thing I found interesting is how the movie, through Wall-E’s ecclectic collection, serves as a time capsul for our modern culture.  His collection includes everything from a mounted, singing fish to Christmas lights and a Rubik’s cube.  It’s something like what a museum of the 1900’s might one day appear.  Hopefully no culture will ever watch Wall-E as their sole connection to understanding out culture, but if we wipe ourselves out through neglect of our planet, I suppose it could happen.

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USA: MA: Boston: The Upper Crust

Posted on July 21st, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Food, USA.

This fabulous local pizzeria is the place we chose after being swayed away from brunch by an hour wait.  (Not that I won’t wait an hour for good food, but I was very hungry, and as many people know, an Anna without food does not make for pleasant company.  Nor does an Anna without sleep, I admit.)

I’m so happy we visited The Upper Crust.  I’m not usually a fan of thin-crust pizza, but this was fantastic.  We got the Lucky Luciano, with palm hearts and green onions, Chorizo sausage and tomatoes: it was delicious.  Green onions on a pizza is a brilliant idea.  Onions on pizza has always disgusted me, but green onions I can handle.  Palm hearts and artichoke hearts have been on the top of my pizza toppings list since I moved to the US East Coast.  Mmm…

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USA: MA: Boston: Publick House

Posted on July 21st, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Food, USA.

The best and worst thing about hanging out with Marcus is that I’m always introduced excessive quantities of delicious food and drink.  This trip was no exception to the rule: I am now fatter, and have another beer that I am willing to drink (Allagash White).

Publick House is a lively pub in the Boston suburb of Brookline offering a plethora of beers that I have never heard of before.  For the hardcore beer folks out there, my review can’t do this place justice, but check out this entry in this What’s On Tap blog entry by William Brand.  Suffice to say that Publick House boasts a lively atmosphere in a casual setting that’s both enjoyable and relaxing.

Highly recommended to anyone visiting the Boston area: take the green line (C train) out to Washington Square.  Address is 1648 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02445.

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