Small Talk: Chili's

[possibilities]

No snow even in the cold weather? That seems wrong to me. But I've lived my entire life in the blizzardy north. Do you not get very cold at all, or is it just a dry barren cold?

I forgot about Galentine's Day! I will raise a glass of water for the occasion.

[LiberryLady]

And Happy Galentine's Day back atcha, King of Birds!

I've noticed quite a few posts about it on Facebook, so I wonder if it's going to become a real thing, like Festivus did.

[Kalliste]

Got to go to an advanced screening of Hidden Figures tonight and am wondering... have you ever had a movie theatre applause a movie at the end?

Because that's what they did and I thought that was kind of weird. Who are we applauding? The only thing there is the credits guys!

[frenchtoast]

Some movies we've seen applause but not every one. I think there was a smattering of applause after Hidden Figures, but there was also noticeable reactions throughout. It felt very much like a shared experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I really enjoy it when the audience gets "in" to a movie. At Deadpool there were a lot of audience reactions, and at one point a woman was still laughing past everyone else. Which made the audience laugh even more. I like that stuff. When I saw Rogue One, I was laughing at some of the jokes but the rest of the audience wasn't and I was a bit bothered by that. I mean, c'mon, K2 is funny.

[sacrebleu]

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 you ever had a movie theatre applause a movie at the end?

The last time I heard applause at a movie it was after Jennifer Hudson's performance of "And I Am Telling You" which was incredible-- but yeah, it's a little weird that you're cheering for a not-live performance. 

[MichelleAK]

11 hours ago, Kalliste said:

Got to go to an advanced screening of Hidden Figures tonight and am wondering... have you ever had a movie theatre applause a movie at the end?

Because that's what they did and I thought that was kind of weird. Who are we applauding? The only thing there is the credits guys!

A few times. I remember applause after the final Lord of the Rings movie, The Return of the King, both the original release and when the extended versions were in the theatre to promote the BluRay release.

More recently, there was applause during and at the end of the TCM Events showing of Singin' in the Rain I attended.  

There have been a couple of others, but they don't come to mind. As you say, it is kind of strange, since no one from the production is there, and I haven't ever joined in. I think it's just a show of group appreciation for something enjoyable.

[smrou]

Quote

 

Got to go to an advanced screening of Hidden Figures tonight and am wondering... have you ever had a movie theatre applause a movie at the end?

Because that's what they did and I thought that was kind of weird. Who are we applauding? The only thing there is the credits guys!

 

I've experienced applause at movies a number of times. Most recently at the end of Hidden Figures, in fact. There have been a few times I've felt compelled to applaud a movie, though not in that particular case (much as I enjoyed the movie). When I've applauded it's because I just feel really blown away and need to do something to release that energy, even though I know it's kind of silly.

Edited February 15, 2017 by smrou

[King of Birds]

9 hours ago, frenchtoast said:

 I mean, c'mon, K2 is funny.

I concur!

And yeah, I'm in Los Angeles and all, but I don't think it's all that weird or odd to applaud at the end of a movie. Come on people- ♫  if you're happy and you know it  ♫  ... what do you do????

Case closed.

I just think that it shows you that when a movie is very good, it touches you like a live performance. At least it's genuine instead of going to some sports events that annoyingly prod you to clap for much stupider things.

[Kalliste]

I have never once applauded at a movie :P And last night was the first time I've ever seen it happen.. that being said I very rarely go to the movies. I plan on seeing Logan in March and that will be 3 movies in less than 6 months which is more than I've seen (at a cinema) in 5 years.

Hidden Figures was a good movie though. I'm am interested in things that happened around the civil rights movement (even though I'm not even in the country) so this was something of interest to me. I also liked that it was a drama but it was also funny.

[Pixel]

There was applause at a movie I went to in the past year, but I can't remember which one it was. It's definitely a rarity.  At the time, though, I recall, it felt like it was just kind of cathartic.  Like everyone just at once was like, yeah, that was awesome!  

This winter in Chicago has been unbelievably mild and warm.  I'm not complaining because I love it, but I know it's not a good thing.

[King of Birds]

Pixel, I thought Chicago got hit last week with a storm but just looked it up and it says you're snow-less in the last two months. Just know that the snow and rain hit us here instead on the west coast and we needed it.

As for applause at a movie- I was in a theater that ran the Episode One Phantom Menace teaser and it got a standing ovation. What a bunch of nerds.

[Pixel]

We had like, one day of snow last week and it barely even stuck. My mom called me at work that day and told me I better get home (I'm almost 50 and my mom is calling to tell me to take a coat and not drive in the snow), but it wasn't even cold enough for it to stick to the roads.  And it's going to be 60+ starting tomorrow and through the weekend.

Edited February 16, 2017 by Pixel

[possibilities]

I have never heard applause at a movie, but I always try to go when the theater isn't crowded, and I bet that influences how people act.

We had a bunch of snow in the past week. It's inconvenient but I am very glad of it because we've been having a drought and need the precipitation badly. Usually we get Chicago's weather a day later, so I'm surprised you all didn't get any this time.

I heard about the rain in California, because of the Oroville dam situation. Why does California have so many dramatic weather happenings and disasters? When you live there, does it feel like a lot of dangerous events, or is that just how the media talks about it to the rest of the country? Fires, earthquakes, mudslides, floods, infrastructure calamities (gas leak causing a town to evacuate, dam collapse causing towns to evacuate....).

We get rough weather here in New England, but it rarely makes the news, and it feels like everyone knows it's coming. Except tornadoes. We never had tornadoes when I was growing up but now it seems like we have them fairly often.

Someone told me that people applaud when an airplane lands in Florida. I didn't experience that when I went to Florida, but that was almost 40 years ago, so maybe it's different now. Or maybe it isn't true. Has anyone been on an airplane where people applauded when it landed?

[Kalliste]

There was a bit of an applause on my flight from Auckland to Wellington but that seemed mostly because it was incredibly windy/turbulent and the pilot did an awesome job of getting is down. Not going to lie, I wondered if we weren't going to get through that. Worst turbulence I've ever experienced.

My friend mentioned the other day that she did have people applause when she went on a flight to Vegas though

[Glory]

17 hours ago, Pixel said:

We had like, one day of snow last week and it barely even stuck. My mom called me at work that day and told me I better get home (I'm almost 50 and my mom is calling to tell me to take a coat and not drive in the snow), but it wasn't even cold enough for it to stick to the roads.  And it's going to be 60+ starting tomorrow and through the weekend.

Whenever I travel for work, my parents still ask me to text them when I land and when I check in to my hotel. I don't think this ever goes away. :D

I like to applaud in movie theaters. It reminds me of my grandma. She always did. She said if we are going to see a show, she's going to enjoy it.

When I saw Hamilton the other week there were so many standing ovations and so much cheering throughout the entire show. It was very interactive. I love being in an audience experience like that. 

[King of Birds]

8 hours ago, Glory said:

When I saw Hamilton the other week...

I think it comes to Los Angeles sometime this fall. I hope to see it.

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Has anyone been on an airplane where people applauded when it landed?

I think Southwest's flight attendants prompt this. I've been flying SW a lot since they started flights from SoCal to Albany in the late 90s. I'm not usually a participant in the clapping, but it happens a lot in my experience.

Edited February 18, 2017 by King of Birds

[LiberryLady]

Quote

Why does California have so many dramatic weather happenings and disasters? When you live there, does it feel like a lot of dangerous events, or is that just how the media talks about it to the rest of the country?

Since California is so physically big, there's a lot going on. For example, the Oroville dam is over 450 miles away from where I live. And earthquakes that are hardly shakers get reported on.

 Whenever I read about a tornado in another part of the country leveling a town and killing 20 people, I always think, WHY ISN'T THAT HEADLINE, FRONT PAGE NEWS?! I'm saying, as a Californian, I think our natural disasters make too much news, nationwide.

[King of Birds]

Well @Pixel and @Glory I was just checking the weatherbug app and it looks like some rainy weather is coming Chicago way (though it does look like it's heading towards the lakes north instead of the city.) Will that make you feel more "winter-y"?

[Pixel]

Nope. What will make it more wintry is the snow we are supposed to get on Saturday. Seriously? We can't go back to winter after two weeks of spring! It's supposed to be about 75 down here in Kankakee where I work. So far it's still kind of chilly, though.

[sacrebleu]

This spring-like weather is crazy! It's February and I'm sleeping with the windows open. The cherry blossoms are starting to bloom a month early.

[Pixel]

Cherry blossoms? Hell, I'm thinking about pulling out my lawnmower this weekend! Usually we don't mow until end of April at the earliest.  It's nice to know the last few years of Earth's viability will be pleasant in the midwest. I'll keep a stockpile of cyanide for when it looks like it's time to check out from the apocalypse.

[Kalliste]

On the other side of the world it's stupidly hot.. until it isn't. We are rotating between really cool days (and our lowest minimum for a February, ever) and then really super hot days, until it rains and repeats. It's currently one of the really hot ones 36C/96F

I bought new headphones and they arrived today! They're the first pair of overears I've ever own. I'm not overly fussed right now.. they feel like they're squishing my face and my ears are getting hot

[King of Birds]

On 2/22/2017 at 10:18 AM, sacrebleu said:

 It's February and I'm sleeping with the windows open.

Damn. I woke up and it was 39- 40F!!  Here in SoCal. And windy. It's winter here, if not in Chicago and Washington DC!  BTW @sacrebleu  - sleeping with the windows open eh? Any peeping Toms around you?  ;-)

[Pixel]

21 hours ago, Kalliste said:

On the other side of the world it's stupidly hot.. until it isn't. We are rotating between really cool days (and our lowest minimum for a February, ever) and then really super hot days, until it rains and repeats. It's currently one of the really hot ones 36C/96F

I bought new headphones and they arrived today! They're the first pair of overears I've ever own. I'm not overly fussed right now.. they feel like they're squishing my face and my ears are getting hot

I know those old style over ears headphones are back in, but I just don't want to go back to them. You're right, they're hot. And they don't fit into my purse. 

[sacrebleu]

Quote

sleeping with the windows open eh? Any peeping Toms around you?  ;-)

windows open. shades drawn. I'm not putting on a show.

Switching topics, the building management company where my office is, holds a monthly Free Popcorn Day. The last Wednesday of the month-- they set up a popcorn machine in the lobby and make popcorn in the afternoon for all the tenants.  I went down to the lobby to get a snack with a few colleagues and the joy I felt when I remembered it was free popcorn day made me realize that I have more in common with Stanley than I thought.   

[King of Birds]

16 minutes ago, sacrebleu said:

windows open. shades drawn. I'm not putting on a show.

Figures.

LOL on your Stanley-ness.  But I concur about free popcorn. I used to deal with a company that would make fresh non-microwaved popcorn and then walk about the building and hand out bags. Unfortunately they moved the group I deal with, to a different building.

OBVS free pretzels  >>>>>>>>>>> free popcorn.  Right?

[Pixel]

Every day is free popcorn day at the hospital where I work. There's a popcorn machine in the cafeteria, and it makes fresh, free movie-style popcorn from 12:30 until 1:30 every day. I absolutely love it. It's one of my favorite perks. You'd think I'd get sick of it, but I never do. 

[possibilities]

Popcorn FTW!

Pretzels are good, too.

[Glory]

I have an air-popper and I make popcorn for a snack at home a couple days a week. But I do pour melted butter on it to get that movie-theater feel. I figure it's probably still healthier than real movie theater popcorn. 

My dog, Lexi, had eye surgery on Saturday so Guts and I stayed home with her and binge-watched Stranger Things. Did we talk about that show yet? It was soooo good. I really liked it a lot. 

[King of Birds]

Stranger Things was pretty great! Even though I sometimes avoid "buzz" shows, that one I caught. I'm just not a binge-watcher. Even those... 9 ? episodes took me over a week to watch.

Hoping Lexi recovers quickly.

[Pixel]

8 hours ago, Glory said:

I have an air-popper and I make popcorn for a snack at home a couple days a week. But I do pour melted butter on it to get that movie-theater feel. I figure it's probably still healthier than real movie theater popcorn. 

My dog, Lexi, had eye surgery on Saturday so Guts and I stayed home with her and binge-watched Stranger Things. Did we talk about that show yet? It was soooo good. I really liked it a lot. 

We have not talked about Stranger Things. I liked it. My daughter just loves Eleven.

Best wishes for Lexi's eye. Will she keep her vision? 

Finally, I refuse to believe movie popcorn is unhealthy. Period. Alternative facts. 

[smrou]

I haven't watched Stranger Things, though it's been recommended to me a few times. Is it scary? I am a super wimp when it comes to scary stuff.

Has anyone else checked out the new HBO show Big Little Lies? I watched the first two episodes and really like it. 

[Glory]

59 minutes ago, smrou said:

I haven't watched Stranger Things, though it's been recommended to me a few times. Is it scary? I am a super wimp when it comes to scary stuff.

Has anyone else checked out the new HBO show Big Little Lies? I watched the first two episodes and really like it. 

@smrou I am a total wimp too and I didn't think it was too scary. It definitely wasn't very gory or murdery or anything. More thrillery. 

@Pixel Lexi will probably be fine. She got skunked a few weeks ago, her eye got infected, and then she scratched it and caused an ulcer. 90% of dogs with non-healing ulcers have this procedure and it fixes them right up. It also makes it less likely for them to get ulcers in that eye. So, fingers crossed I don't have a 10% dog. 

[Kalliste]

Stranger Things was great! I loved Eleven too and I agree with @Glory I wouldn't call it scary, just more of a thriller.. and you have to deal with quite a lot of manic Winona.

[sacrebleu]

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I haven't watched Stranger Things, though it's been recommended to me a few times. Is it scary? I am a super wimp when it comes to scary stuff.

 

 

It's spooky, but IMO not too scary. They do a great job with making it feel like something from the 80's. I got a very heavy nostalgia vibe (as I was just a little younger than the kids during that time period)

Quote

Has anyone else checked out the new HBO show Big Little Lies? I watched the first two episodes and really like it. 

 

Reese W. and Laura Dern are fantastic. Nicole Kidman and Shaileen (sp??) leave me a little cold-- but I really like what I've seen. 

@Glory and @Pixel I sympathize with the dog eye issues. Sarge has been to the vet twice with eye infections. In January-- I think some road salt got into his eye and he woke up with one eye swollen shut. I had to put gel in his eye twice daily for three days which was no simple task. (I mean, come on! a gel?!?). I swear if he gets a third eye infection, I'm getting him doggles . I don't care if he's like the kid wearing a helmet on the playground.  

[smrou]

Reese W. and Laura Dern are fantastic. Nicole Kidman and Shaileen (sp??) leave me a little cold-- but I really like what I've seen.

I agree completely about all four.

[MichelleAK]

Well, I'm not able to quote a post (maybe has to do with today's PTV server issues?), but just wanted to chime in on liking Stranger Things. I recently binged it myself, and really liked it.  I'm looking forward to the second season.

More recently, I binge-watched the last three seasons of the British police procedural show New Tricks. I had seen the first couple of seasons, and a few shows here and there from the middle seasons (there are 12 in all) while staying at my mom's place in Phoenix (different PBS stations there), but until I signed up for Hulu, didn't have access to the rest of them. And, when I saw Hulu had Bleak House, I had to binge watch that (again!), too, which I did this past weekend.

Anybody watching Legion? I'm really enjoying it. It's linked to the X-men universe, but separate from the well-known characters.

[King of Birds]

Ah, Big Little Lies. I just looked it up (no Hbo over here) and I see that David E Kelley is behind it. Talk about someone who has done a ton of TV!

I did record a few eps of Legion but then deleted without watching. I know, I'm terrible.

Did y'all see they're gonna reboot Battle of the Network Stars? The odd part is - they tried bringing this back in 1988 ... AND in 2003? I never saw those. Where was I?  I think the issue with a reboot of BOTNS is that they won't be able to replicate the inappropriateness of it all. The dunk booth, the gorgeous actresses in swimwear*, the faux/ macho competitiveness of Robert Conrad. PLUS, Howard Cosell!

*Teenage KoB very much enjoyed 1970s BOTNS, let me tell ya. 

PS If you read that link ... they're also bringing back The Gong Show. Another blip of news I didn't know about. Again, bringing up Teenage KoB, I did entertain a brief stand-up career, doing bits with a paper bag over my head. My family thought I was hil-AR-ious. (I think it was the alcohol)

[Kalliste]

So, I don't know if I've mentioned it but I don't currently have my licence. I got it back in the day when I was a teenager but then I let it expire because I just didn't like driving.

Fast forward more than 10 years and I got all my competencies signed off over the last month or so! Today was my last instructor led lesson and i went to our shopfront to cash that in for a licence!

But... I have to get a licence history check which should allow me to skip my provisional licence and jump onto a full licence. My instructor said he would sort it out for me with his contacts in the department... nope! So now I have to call them next week to see if it's come back and then go in and get it...

I knew I'd need to do the check but if my instructor hadn't said he'd arrange it for me I would have done it weeks ago myself and today I wouldn't have waited in line for nothing.

ugh, government agencies.

[King of Birds]

I guess it's because I'm in a car-centric city, but it's so foreign a concept to let a drivers license to expire.  I mean, I'm thankful I don't have to commute daily to work - I work from a home office and then go out to facilities as needed.

Hey so - FX did rerun all their LEGION shows this weekend and I caught up on four eps. I'll try to keep up, it does seem cool.

[Kalliste]

My city is very reliant on cars, the public transport is buses only and they kind of suck. At one point in time i did a 4pm - midnight shift and I missed the last bus out by 5mins. and this is in a city!

Most of the time though I've lived in areas with shops close by and buses able to get me to and from work and I really just don't particularly like driving.

A couple of years we bought our house and the closest shops were a 30min walk or a 15min bus so I decided to get my licence back but as it had been expired so long and in another state I had to go through the learners process again. 

So last night I noticed on the website they mentioned the licence history generally only takes 1 day so I decided to give them a call to follow up.

The process is just the worst. I call them at 7:30pm because they're listed as still available (which they were) but they can't tell me anything because they have to contact the specific shop front that requested the history to see if it has come back and they closed at 5. I just... why don't they have an electronic system that can tell them everything I've done at the shopfront.. .at all the shopfronts in my city! It's just so inefficient.

Long story short, I called back today and they have the history back so I can go in tomorrow and get the licence....

[sacrebleu]

I can get around pretty easily without a car (public transit is pretty good- family lives close by). But I'm  a zipcar subscriber-- so I have to keep a current license

I had to renew my license this summer, and they've made the process really complicated. You need to have something that shows your social security # (the SS card, or a tax form), and two proofs of address (utility bill, cable bill) and the proofs have to be less than 30 days old. I was turned away because my bills were too old.

They wouldn't even accept the notice they- the DMV-- mailed to my address- to remind me of my license renewal-- as proof of address.   Crazy! 

[possibilities]

What do you do if your utilities are included in your rent, or you live with housemates and aren't on the lease?

[MichelleAK]

10 hours ago, sacrebleu said:

I can get around pretty easily without a car (public transit is pretty good- family lives close by). But I'm  a zipcar subscriber-- so I have to keep a current license

I had to renew my license this summer, and they've made the process really complicated. You need to have something that shows your social security # (the SS card, or a tax form), and two proofs of address (utility bill, cable bill) and the proofs have to be less than 30 days old. I was turned away because my bills were too old.

They wouldn't even accept the notice they- the DMV-- mailed to my address- to remind me of my license renewal-- as proof of address.   Crazy! 

It's probably because of the "Real ID Act" standard required by the feds.  Most of the states are now complying with this (my state is one that has not yet, and was granted an extension). If you don't have a Real ID compliant driver's license, you won't be able to use your driver's license as ID when you fly commercially (unless your state has been granted an extension, but even those will run out within a year). 

[King of Birds]

@sacrebleu I believe lives in DC, which isn't even a state, so I can imagine it's a juggle.

Not sure if any of you had today as a voting day. Last Thursday the place we usually vote, notified the city they were doing construction and the building was "uninvited" to host voting. So the city scrambled, put us in a middle school nearby. I just tried to go over there, it's night, there were NO signs, no lights, no flags/ banners, and no one standing outside to help anyone. I only figured out where to park/ enter based on two people walking by who I had to stop and ask.

I get inside and they say "you're only the 140th person to vote in person"... I said "well you're not making it easy with the location change, no lights and no signs posted."  I know there's a big thing nationally with denying voting rights to minorities, etc - but I swear the entire voting structure of America just blows. It needs a re-thinking. I was at least making an effort to find the hole in the wall; I imagine most just gave up same-day voting if/when they got the change of location notice. People I know who are motivated politically here in my neighborhood vote by mail since almost everyone in LA will tell you some story about "trying to get out and vote" but being stymied by traffic/ driving/ parking.

[Kalliste]

I got my full licence! Woo! Another mediocre photo for my wallet.

They really do seem to make it difficult to vote over there @King of Birds and it seems like only the die hard will put up with the conditions.

Over here it's mandatory so they have to make it at least relatively easy for us. Last time I went there was a line of approx 200 people in front of me so, it wasn't exactly a great experience but at least I knew where my voting location was.. funnily enough they're usually not overly signposted however on election day people aren't allow to advertise their candidates something like 200 metres around a polling centre so you can tell where they are when the politicians faces disappear :P

We also don't get an opportunity to vote on things like you are. We vote for our candidates and then they work on hour behalf... and then do the opposite of what we'd actually like.

[possibilities]

You're lucky you have vote by mail! We don't have it here in MA. I agree the system is a mess.

[Kalliste]

2 minutes ago, possibilities said:

You're lucky you have vote by mail! We don't have it here in MA. I agree the system is a mess.

Oh really? That sucks. You can vote by mail here but you have to be able to provide a legitimate reason (as in, you were on holiday or had to work on election day) and it can't just be "I'm lazy"

[possibilities]

In Massachusetts we have absentee ballots which can be mailed, but you can only get one if you have a disability that prevents you from voting in person (must have a doctor certifying that it's really impossible), a religious reason, or will be out of state on Election Day.

Some states have early voting and mail in ballots for everyone, but not here.

We had a few days of early voting in the last election, it was the first time though and they are already talking about possibly getting rid of it.

Congratulations on getting re-licensed!

[frenchtoast]

4 hours ago, possibilities said:

We had a few days of early voting in the last election, it was the first time though and they are already talking about possibly getting rid of it.

What?! I hadn't heard that!! I voted early and was looking forward to doing it again. I have a feeling for the yearly elections they probably won't, which whatever, parking is easier at my normal polling station. And I do understand it can be hard to find people to staff but it really seemed popular.

But yeah, it can be such a chore to vote, it really does seem intentionally keeping people from voting which is so awful. And it seems like the less people vote the more difficult they make it because that makes sense. It wouldn't surprise me if poll taxes were brought back to discourage more people.