What’s Colder Than Bone Chilling?
2. -4. -20.
Bottom line: It is crazy cold outside!
Interestingly, the temperature readings sync perfectly with the approval rating for such cold weather.
Living in the Midwest typically does not conjure up thoughts of Antarctic-caliber winds, negative temperatures (with and without wind chill readings) or cell chilling cold (it’s beyond bone chilling at this point). Even though it’s the Winter season, there’s usually a limit (or floor, actually) to how cold the weather will drop to on any given day. It can be freezing, but tolerable. Or, to put it another way, it can be livable. Life goes on, just with an extra scarf or sweater. There are infinite examples of frigid days and/or seasons in the Midwest, but having to scrape ice from the outside and inside of one’s car just to achieve minimal driving visibility is new, frustrating territory.
Not cool.
Thankfully, this portal into the lifestyle of the paralyzingly cold and miserable is temporary and limited to only a couple days. However, it does provoke a curiosity about the limits of what’s possible. As unbearable as this recent trip through Mother Nature’s anomalous and unforgiving cold spell has been, it makes you think, for a split second anyways, if there is anything to explore extensively or more extensively in the many environments and locations that support this degree of cold weather for long periods of time.
Is there something spectacular and life-altering to explore in below zero terrains that we have yet to even contemplate? Is there any technology that can be developed to somehow capture this ever present cold weather/wind for a personal or societal advantage?
Strangely enough, the beginning of the movie Gravity comes to mind. There is a description on the screen about how literally unlivable Space is without special equipment for humans. And without extraordinary achievements and understanding of scientific principles and technology, protective gear and necessary rope connections, humans would never have the means to explore Space beyond a nightly gaze at an infinite array of stars. But it all has to start with a crazy idea. Incredibly, it’s actually surprisingly difficult to imagine a world where we aren’t actively in Space for various missions.
Unbelievable only until it happens. And from that point on, the sky is literally the limit.
Unfortunately for most everybody, this spirit of inquisitiveness lasts as long as our body heat after walking outside in -7 (or -20 with wind chill) degree weather. One day though, someone daringly insane will show us all what we have been missing all these Winters. There may even be a discovery that could transform how humans act and interact with Mother Nature during the coldest of days and months.
For now, I’m content with my life decision to not live my life as an Eskimo.
However, hopefully someone will be creative enough to see a seemingly impossible vision through the transparent, bone chilling cold.
If so, we would live in a crazy cold world indeed.
Happy Monday!
Now that we are firmly in 2014 with 2013 in the rear view mirror, we can focus our attention on what we want to accomplish in this new year. There will be new goals, new aspirations, new dreams and hopefully (for those looking) new love.
Yet, there are perhaps a couple past traditions that will be welcomed back with open arms and a nice glass of wine or sherry…
Last night was the first time in more than a month that a particular show returned to its weekly reruns on the Hallmark Channel for what appears to be another year of exceptionally witty dialogue, fancy tastes, heartache, love and countless laugh-out-loud moments.
Ladies and gentleman, the moment has come once again to serve those tossed salads and scrambled eggs!
Hey Baby, I Hear that Jimmy’s Daily Planet is Wishing You a Happy Monday…Mercy!
When Art and Life Collide
Last night’s episode of The Big Bang Theory was the show’s first in 2014. It had its funny moments (not counting Sheldon’s definition wordplay) and its not so funny moments (Leonard and Penny). The writers and producers made certain not to debut 2014 lightly, but instead with a substantive episode interwoven with real life discussions and heartbreaks.
Will Penny make it as an actress after a decade of pursuing her dream?
Does Leonard honestly think Penny will make it as a successful actress?
One important distinction made last night was the primary difference between a drama and a comedy. Specifically, consider when someone says there is a “one in a million” chance something will happen. In a comedy, like Dumb and Dumber, that’s a punchline filled with hilarious delusion. In a dramatic situation (even within a situation comedy), the “one in a million” response is a metaphorical, and partly literal, punch to the gut to the recipient.
The only delusion of the latter is the harsh reality of contemplating just how large the number one million is and how small the number one is in comparison. And then understanding who represents the number one.
Devastating.
The event that led to the “one in a million” talk between Leonard and Penny was when her small diner part in NCIS with star Mark Harmon was edited out from the show. It didn’t make the final cut. Leonard and Penny discussed the realistic prospects of her future as an actress and the results were nowhere nearly as pretty as Penny herself.
The show ended with Leonard and Penny’s argument (and future) unresolved. But here is where the show got really interesting.
While reading Chuck Lorre’s weekly Vanity Card at the end of the episode, which can range from funny to thought-provoking to inappropriate, there was an instant realization that his message was as substantive as the episode itself. It was simultaneously real and surreal.
That’s truly rare and it deserves to be expanded upon.
Without a word-for-word recap, the message detailed how Penny’s part in a major CBS show (NCIS) was cut in the final edit and, therefore, did not air. Her excited friends and family, sadly, did not see her “big break” that she had worked ten years for in Los Angeles. Ironically (and unbelievably) the exact same thing happened in last night’s Big Bang Theory episode! An actress who had a small part with Raj and Stewart in the mall was cut in the final edit. It was going to be her big break, very likely with her family and friends gathered together to watch her act in one of the biggest shows on television.
Unfortunately, her part (like Penny’s) was cut in the final edit. However, Big Bang co-creator and executive producer Chuck Lorre made sure to let America (and the world) know in his Vanity Card that he wanted to apologize to the actress and that it was only because of time that her part was not included in the show’s final version. He made certain to note to her and her family and friends that she absolutely nailed the part. He then added that he will work hard to get her back on the show sometime in the future.
Wow!
It’s a case of life imitating art or art imitating life or art and life getting an apartment together in downtown Pasadena to enjoy a glass (or bottle) or white wine before their next audition.
Either way, it was real, surreal, heart-breaking, inspiring and unbelievably amazing all at the same time.
In the episode, Sheldon, in his quest for comedic dominance, stated that “comedy is tragedy plus time” after Penny left the room following her realization that her part was taken out of the show.
It seems Chuck Lorre waited the exact right amount of time to say something that turned a tragedy into something not necessarily funny, but still something that likely brought joy and a smile to a dedicated and disappointed actress’s face.
Funny how life turns out from time to time.
Uncle Phil’s Final Curtain Call
Sadly, actor James Avery did not get to ring in 2014.
For those who may not be familiar with the name James Avery, he may be known not only as the former voice of Shredder and Splinter in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series from the late 1980s and early 1990s, but more famously remembered as Uncle Phil from the 1990s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
According to the Washington Post article, “James Avery, television and movie actor, dies,” Avery passed away at the age of 68 on Tuesday, December 31st. The cause seems to be related to complications from a major surgical procedure.
Millions of fans from around the world watched (and watch in reruns) Avery entertainingly portray Uncle Phil in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for 6 seasons. His character was the moral center of the show. He provided plenty of laughs and moments of sincerity and heart, as well as important life lessons for the show’s viewers.
For 30 minutes a week, he was everybody’s uncle.
Below is a clip featuring some favorite moments from the popular sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. There is one portion that starts at 3:26 that embodies so much of what so many loved and will miss about everybody’s Uncle Phil (however, it is recommended to watch the entire video).
The background to the scene is that Will went against his uncle’s stern warnings to not go to the pool hall. Will disobeyed and thought he could beat an older gentleman who turned out to be one of the pool hall regulars. Deep in debt, Will was forced to use his uncle’s Mercedes/his ride as collateral until his debt could be paid. Panicked, Will managed to convince his furious uncle to go back to the pool hall to discuss with the hustler a way to get the car back alongside his trusty butler Geoffrey/”G.”
Uncle Phil has lost a couple games to Will’s nemesis…and badly. However, Uncle Phil is able to negotiate one more game at the steep price of $100 a ball…
Smart. Loving. Funny. Role Model. A Hustler for Good.
Now, the “Big Guy” is with The Big Guy.
Rest in peace James Avery/Uncle Phil.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 