RTT: Brits, Dreams and Webcams

I have a new TVobsession. "Downton Abbey" on PBS.

 

Masterpiece Theatre, gorgeous Brits, to-die-for period costumes, romance, lies, intrigue, scandal - what more could you want out of television? It's sort of Upstairs, Downstairs meets Gosford Park, in fact the writer/producer, Julian Fellowes won an Oscar for the Gosford Park screenplay. If you have missed it, fear not. I found full episodes of it on www.pbs.org , which I've been watching back to back. Every time I obsess over a British tv show, I end up walking around speaking in a moderately poor British accent all the time. In fact, I'm speaking in a British accent right now, inside my head. Can you hear it? Rather good, is it not?

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The other night, for the first time ever, I had a dream about blogging. I was camping. With Ellen DeGeneres, Margaret, my old roommate from college...and the mom of one of Jude's friends. We were camping in some kind of tent/RV, but at some point it became the old pickup truck I drove in high school. It was cold, and I remember wishing I had a better sleeping bag, and for some reason, Ellen was worried because her parents were supposed to be joining us, but hadn't arrived yet. And all of a sudden, I realized that I should be taking notes, because certainly, my readers would love to hear all about my camping experience with Ellen DeGeneres. And there may have been a snake trying to get into my sleeping bag. Hmmm, that sounds a bit Freudian. I'm not even going to go there.

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Speaking of dreams...I know I've mentioned before how incredibly vivid Jimmy's dreams are. He often wakes up mad at me, and it takes him hours to shake it and realize it was only a dream. But I don't think I've ever mentioned that he swears he can wake up, talk to me a bit, then go back to sleep and pick up his dream where he left off. He swears that this is true. Could it be? Have y'all ever heard of anyone being able to do this? He also swears that his dreams sometimes manifest themselves. Say he's dreaming that he's in a bar fight, he'll wake up with a bruise on his face where somebody hit him. I think he's nuts.

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If you (like me!) are fed up with the crazy and unwanted auto corrections that your iPhone chooses to make for you, check out this website...

Damn You Auto Correct!

Hysterical! People take screenshots of text conversations gone awry.  Here are a couple of good ones...

 
 

But y'all have to check the site out, because people update it daily. I keep going back when I need a quick laugh.

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I have recently identified a disturbing ideological conflict between Jimmy and I. I can't believe it's taken me this long to realize it (those of you who pay close attention, however, will remember that I haven't done Jimmy's laundry in 10 years because of some particularly bad behavior on his part. I'd find you the link to my story, but I'm too lazy). In our closet, I always hang my clothes on the hangers facing to the right. Because...well just because. Because that's the way they SHOULD hang. Duh! Jimmy, ridiculously, insists on hanging his clothes on the hangers facing to the left. The LEFT! How absurd! I really don't know if I can live with this.

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A friend of mine posted this on Facebook, and I keep going and watching it.

Times Square Cam

I find it fascinating, and strangely relaxing, especially at night. The snow, the lights, the bustling pedestrians. It's sort of zen-like. The traffic  sounds like waves. It's like watching fish in a koi pond. But with taxi cabs and the occasional ambulance.  I particularly like Cam 2 and Cam 3 (you can switch cameras if you like). And if you click the EarthCam Network link at the top, you can visit live cameras in other parts of the world. Chicago looks frigid. So does Moscow. Paris at night is dreamy. Oh looky, here's Los Angeles. If I knew when you were looking, I'd go stand in front of Grauman's Chinese and wave.

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Okay, run over and see Keely. I'm sure that she'd wave for you too. If they had live webcams in Saskatchewan.

Comments

[Michele Renee]

That auto correct thing is hilarious!!!!!
And I love webcams. My Hubs once took the boys to the FL Keys and he called from a restaurant pier and as I sat at work I watched them. Then the next day they called as they were about to start a tour at Hemingway's House and they found the camera in a courtyard and I watched them. This is how a non-Iphone family rolls.
Sometimes I watch the webcam that faces the Santa Monica pier entrance over Ocean Ave.
You and Ellen D. and a snake in a tent--oh my!

[unmitigated me]

I wasn't in Dallas for ten minutes when I picked up the accent! Accents migrate to me. No idea why, but I'm really good at them. I coached the two actresses that played brits in the stage version of The Odd Couple that Jim was in (as Oscar Madison).

[Claire]

When my sister lived in NY she would call me when she was in Times Square so I could pull up the cam and she'd wave. It was pretty awesome.

[VandyJ]

Nick likes checking out the web cam at Old Faithful in Yellowstone. It can be pretty cool to see in the winter.

[Mar]

I found you on the blog hop and now Im following you! Please check out my blog and follow me, http://toesthattwinkle.blogspot.com/ I also wanted to say how much I love your blog and reading the posts!

[Jan]

I have one accent - Texas twang. I can't even speak in a British accent in my head.

Beloved works in his sleep. He's had entire conversations with clients - and it's every bit as boring then, too. He has also banned me from doing *any* laundry because a couple of weeks ago I accidentally dried a sweatshirt. A sweatshirt I can only remember seeing him wear maybe twice. All of a sudden it is his FAVORITE (and expensive?) shirt and I completely ruined it and can never touch the washing machine again. Works for me.

And thank you - the "I can't stop douching" made me laugh (quite hard) and I needed that.

[Lynn @ Curly Girl's Music World]

So glad you found the Auto Correct site. Nothing is better for a quick laugh. Love the Earthcam sight, too. I miss New York, but not in winter! Better to view from a distance this time of year.

[The Bug]

I dreamed about blogging last month - I was facing down a huge bear who apparently decided I wasn't worth messing with - & as soon as he turned to go I whipped out my camera so I could get a picture for my Project 365 on my blog.

I don't exactly pick up my dreams exactly where they left off, but I do sometimes fall back into them.

You are exactly right about the hangers. Dr. M & I share laundry duties & after 20 years I have worn him down to MY way of doing things :)

[Aimee @ In THIS Life]

Okay, here goes:

a. We are absolutely in love with Downton Abbey. Now that we have to wait for season 2, I'm going to stave off some of the withdrawal by ordering Bleak House from Netflix. I. Need. British. Period. Drama! (And, can you believe I've never seen Gosford Park or Upstairs, Downstairs?? Quel tragique!)

b. I have, on occasion, picked up dreams where they left off after waking up, checking the clock, and going back to sleep. Bruises manifesting, though? Not unless he's hitting himself...

c. Damn You Auto Correct always leaves me in stitches. Jason came home one evening to find me laughing hysterically, tears running down my face. It's like AFV or Wipeout for people who like word humor better than physical.

d. Good Lord, woman, the clothing should face LEFT. It has to face right in my current weird closet, if I want to see the fronts of the garments, and it drives me batty.

[Elizabeth]

Jimmy isn't crazy. It sounds like he's a lucid dreamer. The Buddhist Tibetans are particularly good at it --

[Just Call Me Yankee]

I haven't ever pulled up the Times Square cam, but do occasionally pull up traffic cams to see the traffic on different roads. Does that count? Happy RTT.