Two Films and a Confession

Hey, this is my 100th POST!! An actual milestone . . . yay me!

I watched two very, very different films over the weekend, and each of them affected me in very different ways. I loved them both, a lot, and they both resonated in my mind long after the credits rolled. I guess that's really what any filmmaker strives for - that elusive thing that makes a movie memorable, that makes people want to watch it more than once and tell their friends they just HAVE TO see this movie.

The first was Across the Universe. I did NOT want to see this movie. I had seen the previews numerous times, and it just looked too trippy dippy for me. AND, most important, I LOVE the Beatles, and I am a Beatles purist. I really don't want to hear ANYONE sing a Beatles song other than the original Beatles recordings. The Beatles were the soundtrack of my youth - I watched them on the Ed Sullivan show when I was 9 years old and fell in love. Their albums and their films A Hard Day's Night and Help are burned into my memory. Just hearing a few lines can conjure up scenes, people, moments. I remember what I was doing when I heard that John Lennon had been murdered. So, needless to say, the Beatles are on a pretty big pedestal for me, and I don't like anyone messing with their genius.

But, Andy (my 17 year old) saw it, loved it, and had been bugging me incessantly to watch it with him, promising, swearing, that I would love it. Then Lindsay (my 27 year old) started in on me about it, and she had been a huge Beatles fan since she was a young teen. I could not get away from this movie. So finally, I bargained with Andy that I'd watch it with him if he would watch Hairspray with me (a movie I had been bugging HIM about, promising, swearing, that he would love it). Plus, he had finally watched Lonesome Dove with me after many years of refusing (and he liked it - hah!).

I am here to confess - I WAS WRONG. Boy, was I wrong. I was prepared to dislike the music and think the story was silly and cheesy. But from the opening scene where Jim Sturgess sings "Girl," sitting on a lonely, windswept beach, and looking straight into the camera in a closeup, I was hooked. Julie Taymor (the director) has somehow managed to craft a story, weaving in and around many Beatles songs, using the songs to advance or illustrate the story, just like in any musical. She has managed to find amazing singers and has worked with music directors to help her singers interpret these oh so familiar songs in new, fresh, and completely wonderful ways, so that they are not imitations of Beatles tunes, but a whole new vision of them. I was mesmerized, delighted, and awed at the visionary film she created, at turns cute and funny and melancholy and tragic and deep and heartbreaking and joyful. It's a love story at its heart, set in the mid- to late-60s - MY time, a time that shaped who I am.

Cast almost entirely with unknowns (at least to film), except the female lead, Evan Rachel Wood (who has only really done teen roles before now), this film should launch several careers. Most notable is Jim Sturgess, a charming Brit with smiling eyes and a beautiful, pure voice and great acting skills; and Dana Fuchs, who plays a Janis Joplinesque character and just blows off the screen with her larger than life presence and huge bluesy voice. She just tears it up. And Evan Rachel Wood has a gorgeous voice that seems to meld perfectly with the beautiful melodies of Lennon and McCartney, from early pop tunes to the sad Blackbird. There are cameos by Joe Cocker (didn't recognize him but for that voice), Eddie Izzard in a crazy, Monty Python-like musical number, Salma Hayek, and Bono, who also looks pretty different but again, has that familiar voice. If you watch it, be sure to watch the special features about the casting and how Julie Taymor brought her vision to life. This movie was such a delightful surprise, I will be buying a copy, and we've ordered the soundtrack. Who knew? I was wrong. Now to get Andy to watch Hairspray . . .

The second film was Gone Baby Gone. I had wanted to see this in the theaters, but it was only showing in far North Dallas in a couple of theaters. I bought it unseen, which I rarely do, but I had read enough about it to know it was a movie I wanted to own. Ben Affleck directed the movie, and Casey Affleck is the star. He has had a great year in movies, between this and the Jesse James movie (for which he received an Oscar nom, well-deserved in my opinion). It is a melancholy story about a missing little girl, and Casey plays a private eye called in by the family (along with his girlfriend/partner) to help find her. The girl's mother is a woman of questionable moral character - well really, bluntly, she's a really crappy mother. So, though her daughter is missing, it's hard to be sympathetic for her pain, and you even wonder if it's real.

Brilliantly brittle and harsh performance by Amy Ryan (also Oscar-nominated for this film). Morgan Freeman (anything he does is informed by his innate dignity), Ed Harris (one of my personal favorites), and a number of other lesser known actors are all wonderful, but in this movie, the story is the thing. The film is raw and real and populated not only with actors but with some real people from the Boston neighborhood where it's filmed. The Affleck boys grew up in the Boston area, so they know how to make it real on film. The story takes a number of twists and turns, and I won't say much more so I won't spoil it if you haven't seen it. It presents, at the end, a really thought-provoking moral dilemma about which "right" is really the best "right" choice. Does a bad mother feel the same pain of loss as a good one? The choices we make, right and wrong, make us who we are. Not a happy feel-good movie, but a gritty, real film with a complicated story and no easy resolution.

Two very, very different films, but both dealing with choices that, once made, can take life in a different direction, and with stories and characters that will get inside your head and heart. One will make you sing and smile and cry, and one will make you think about what you might do if confronted with a similar dilemma. I'd recommend them both.

The Beauty of Words

Just finished watching A River Runs Through It, which is on my top 20 list of favorite movies of all time. It is breathtakingly photographed, brilliantly cast and acted, and is by turns melancholy, tragic, eloquent, joyful, and deeply true - a story about the bonds of family and the meaning of love, love of family, and the love of God, and our spiritual connection with nature, illustrated through the use of fly fishing as both sport and metaphor. The score (by the incomparable Mark Isham) is simple and beautiful, particularly "The Moment That Could Not Last" and "In the Half Light of the Canyon," played at key moments in the film, makes my throat and heart squeeze with emotion.

The story is taken from a semi-autobiographical novella by author Norman Maclean, about his life growing up in Montana. The narration by Robert Redford (also the director) is perfection. This is the final bit of narration of the film, taken directly from the book. Every single time I get to this point in the movie, I am brought to tears by the beauty of these words, the beauty and tragedy of the film, and the wonder and mystery of our humanity and God's creation.

But when I am alone in the half light of the canyon all existence seems to fade to a being with my soul, and memories. And the sounds of the Big Black Foot River, and a four count rhythm, and the hope that a fish will rise. Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters.

Identity Crisis

So, my friend Julie had these little personality tests on her blog, and I decided to follow her advice and take them. I am one of those people who has a lot of trouble with personality tests, because either (a) I don't really know who I am, or (b) who I am is subject to change depending on my mood. I say this because there are almost ALWAYS at least two, if not more, answers that I feel equally apply. Sometimes I go with my first instinct, but usually as I read down the list, I go "yeah,that one;" "okay, no, THAT one;" and so on. Sooooo, I took these two tests a couple of times each, with the various answers I liked. The first time on the superhero one I came up with the same as Julie, and we are very different, so I tried again and came up with this answer. I have NO IDEA which one really reflects me, but I like this one, so I'm going with it. I think it is more me than the other one. As far as the puppy one, well, frankly, I didn't care for the first two puppies, and basically by choosing the various answers that all were right for me, I came up with three different breeds. Maybe I have a multiple personality? (BTW, the other dogs were Boston Terrier, and chihuahua [whaaaa?]) You be the judge. . .

Your Superpower Should Be Manipulating Electricity

You're highly reactive, energetic, and super charged. If the occasion calls for it, you can go from 0 to 60 in a split second. But you don't harness your energy unless you truly need to. And because of this, people are often surprised by what you are capable of. Why you would be a good superhero: You have the stamina to fight enemies for days Your biggest problem as a superhero: As with your normal life, people would continue to underestimate you

What Should Your Superpower Be?

You Are a Beagle Puppy

Cheerful, energetic, and happy go lucky. And you're sense of smell is absolutely amazing!

What Breed of Puppy Are You?

Click Here to LOL

If you love cats, or even if you don't, you MUST go to I Can Has Cheezburger, which is the most hilarious collection of pictures, mostly of cats, EVER. Good for a belly laugh, I promise, or your money back.

Here's my favorite for today:

moar funny pictures

Just go to icanhascheezburger.com if you need a quick lift for the day, or just want to laugh your . . . whatever off!

Frakkin genius!

Just when you think they are total monkeys . . .

Today I was shopping at Target with Lindsay and both of my grandkids, Sam (4 1/2) and Jillian (19 mos). Lindsay has been sick for several days and just feeling pretty lousy, and not getting much rest, as you can imagine. We were heading to checkout, and passing the endcap with all the flower bunches, Sam plucked one out and began carrying it toward the front. I told him he needed to put it back, to which he replied "But these are for MOM!" I asked if he wanted to buy those for Mommy, and he said "Yes, they will make her feel better." He ran over to tell her he was getting her some flowers to make her feel better, and of course we both nearly lost it right there.

We got in another line, paid for the flowers (not the most fragrant in the display, but he chose them - purple mums), and he went back over to Mommy, who was checking out her groceries. He made a little bow, and then got down on one knee and presented the flowers to his mother. She nearly started crying again, as did I, and probably the cashier too. (I knew all those Disney movies would pay off . . .)

What a sweet and touching gesture. Just when we think our boys are a lost cause of rowdy, uncouth behavior and loud, inappropriate outbursts, they go and melt our hearts with a tender moment. Maybe this will buy him some grace next time he decides to break all the eggs in a bowl, practicing to be Ratatouille . . . but that's another story . . .

I've Got a Crush on You, DVR . . .

So yeah, we finally broke down and got a new service for our Internet and TV, and got a DVR, and I'm in luuurrrrrvve. Wanna record your favorite show? Why certainly ma'am, just push this little button here, find your show, push this other little button here, then push it again and you're all set! No more putting in the start and finish time, making sure it's on the right channel, making sure it's on SLP so you don't run out of tape, wondering after you are gone from home if you put in the right times, trying to figure out what show is on which tape and making sure you don't tape over something you haven't watched . . . WELCOME TO THE 21ST CENTURY, BABY GIRL!

We have been faithful cable TV customers for many years, and have always been happy enough with that, though over the years as the company changed hands and they jacked with my available channels, I have had Bravo taken away and given back, same with TCM, and had AMC taken away, just about the time it started actually have great TV series on (well, maybe that was the reason it became a premium channel, but you get my drift). We looked into digital cable, but just never made the switch. Our cable provider charges a monthly fee for DVR usage, and that just sorta sat wrong with me.

So a couple of weeks ago, I called AT&T to inquire about an error on my bill, and a very professional and polite young man helped me and then asked if he could tell me about their new service, U-Verse. I said sure, what the heck, and of course it was very appealing to me and the price was right, especially with all of the rebates and free stuff they are offering right now, including a DVR with no fee. Also, no contract, meaning if we don't like it, we can just switch back to cable or whatever. No fuss, no muss. Tryyyyy it, you'll LIIIKE it! I must say this guy's professional and helpful demeanor played a BIG part in my deciding to try out this service.

During the two weeks that passed between that conversation and my installation appointment, I waffled a bit, worrying about whether everything would work the same (I am really a creature of habit), and whether I could learn to work the DVR so I can record my shows (if you know me, you know I am a TVholic and so I JUST MUST see my shows). And right now, I'm trying not to watch online in support of the WGA strike, since they don't get any residuals from programs watched online, which is just plain WRONG! And cross your crossables (thanks, Joss Jackson) that the strike is about to be over, according to the scuttlebut. But I digress . . .

Monday, a very nice installation guy showed up at my house. They had told me between 5 and 8 hours for installation, which seemed really long to me, but when I saw all he had to do, I could see why. Won't go into all that here except to say that we have five TVs, and three of them are on a splitter since our house didn't have enough cable outlets, and so this big (well over 6 feet) man had to crawl around on the floor and in my attic getting this stuff all hooked up correctly, as well as do a bunch of stuff outside. He asked me several questions I could not answer, and had to call Hubby to find out, and he was consistently polite and patient and, again, very professional. Even wore SHOE COVERS on his shoes! Wow. I told him he didn't have to, as we have DOGS, and our floor is NEVER clean, but he said they are required to as some customers are picky about that stuff.

This poor man was trying so hard to complete my installation, which was complicated somewhat beyond the usual, to say the least, and his supervisors kept CALLING him, I mean like at least 10 times during the 7 hours he was here, wanting to know how far along he was. I wanted to grab the phone and tell them he would be done sooner if they'd JUST STOP CALLING. I guess I can see why they want to have fast installation times, but he was more interested in installing it CORRECTLY, so our service would be good, and I for one really appreciated that. I'm thinking of calling their customer service line just to praise his good work and great attitude.

So, he showed me the features on the TV service and DVR, and I just kept saying "Cool!" to everything he showed me. Just so simple. AND, BONUSSSSSSSSS! I can program the DVR to record something FROM MY COMPUTER! WHEN I'M NOT THERE! And Jay can do it from his FREAKING PHONE (which gets Internet). That's just so COOOOOOLLL! "Oh honey, could you set the DVR to record Lost?" says me while we are at the mall . . . Oh yeah, I'm in love.

I can record up to four shows at once. And, if I need to record more than that - well, it COULD happen - once the writer's strike is settled, I can always watch some of my shows online (they are not all available). The only small catch is that we have to program our other devices (VCRS, DVD players) ourselves, but I think we'll be able to do that - it looks pretty simple. Ooh, ooh, AND, we can create a FAVORITES list of channels so we don't have to scroll through channels we don't have or don't ever watch. AND, I have the Independent Film Channel, which just rocks the house. Whooo, take a breath Gail. It's only TV. We also have new and faster Internet service. All for a little less than what we've been paying for cable and Internet that often gives me slow or nonexistent service just when I need it most.

Don't think I'm clueless that I may be the last, or nearly last, of my friends to GET a DVR, and maybe the only person I know still taping stuff on a VCR (except for my BFF Julie), so this is new to me and old hat to most of you, but anyways I'm excited. So don't rain on my parade!

So, me and my DVR are in love. I'm thinking of giving it a name . . . Any suggestions?

A Bigger, Smaller Life

Well, it's another new year, and another chance to make some changes. I, along with many others apparently, don't really like the word "resolution," but I also am not a big fan of the word "goal." I seem to have trouble reaching "goals," as I seem to set up some sort of mental block when I call something a "goal." So instead, I will just say that I have some intentions for this year for the way I would like to conduct my daily life. I love the beginning of a new year, and it always makes me want to clean out my closets and organize my desk. The Christmas holidays, delightful as they are, create some manner of mess and chaos by their very nature, and when I take down my Christmas decorations each year, never before New Year's Day but usually soon after, that's when I begin to have the urge to start fresh. I put away the old stuff, and clean the areas where it was, and put out the normal things that have been tucked away for the holidays, and for me that process is a turning point every year.

This year, I really want it to be different. I bought a copy of Eat Pray Love and began reading it on New Year's Day. In fact, I spent a good five hours that day reading it, sitting in my new wonderful "Reading Chair" as I have christened it, purchased as an anniversary gift and placed in my bedroom specifically for the purpose of reading, meditating, praying, just for ME. I could not put the book down - that is the longest time I've spent reading at one stretch in a very long time. I had already determined some things I wanted to change, and the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, apparently has struggled with many of the same demons that plague me, and so I immediately identified with her. With the constant feeling that my mind will not be quiet and still, ever - that I don't even know HOW to MAKE it be quiet and still, no matter how much I want it to be. That I feel I must hang onto and direct and control much of what goes on around me in order to feel secure. Yeah, she has a great passage about that, and a conversation with a guy from Texas that she meets in an ashram in India.

One of the things that I have gleaned from the book is something she says to herself - "I refuse to harbor negative emotions." It's a mantra of sorts, for her, and I have claimed it for myself. I am a veritable marina for negative thoughts, if you will, and I allow them to rule over me to a disturbing degree. But I have employed this little simple mantra a few times recently, and it's amazing how well it works. I even sort of added a visualization that I have a heavy wool coat draped over my shoulders, very uncomfortably, and as I say the words to myself, I mentally shrug the coat off and it falls to the ground and I walk away from it.

Now, I'm not into yoga or eastern philosophy or anything weird - don't be alarmed. But I do think that sometimes we need something tangible to help us rein in our wild and crazy minds, and if it works, it works. So, if you think I'm weird, well . . . I refuse to harbor negative thoughts. So ship out, buddy . . .

My main intention for this year is just about trying to cultivate, as Elizabeth Gilbert says, "a bigger, smaller life." I want to try out the "less is more" theory of life. Less stress, less drama, less activity, less busyness, less social stuff, maybe even less people in my life. To paraphrase from a favorite movie, I want a small but valuable life (You've Got Mail). I live my life with a husband and a son who do not suffer from the affliction of worry and anxiety about things, and who both have the wisdom to say no when they don't feel like doing something, and to say yes to things that they enjoy.

This is a tall order, I know, but it's what I crave, what I need, what I think I must have if this last quarter or so of my life is to have any meaning. I have set an intention to spend more time doing things that stimulate my mind, bring me enjoyment and personal satisfaction, and to pay attention to my long-neglected inner artist. And much less time doing things that waste time, such as mindless internet surfing (some surfing is good but I do a lot of surfing of entertainment sites and junk that just fills my mind with crap, if you will), and less time doing things that I don't really want to do.

Another intention is to have less on my calendar, and to choose with more careful thought how I spend the precious hours of every day. I have for so many years let life choose for me how my time is spent, and I would like to change that. I feel like I'm always waiting for life to happen, for something big that's just around that next corner that's going to make it all fall into place and be my utopian life that I envision, but in the meantime, my REAL life is rushing by way too fast. I don't know how to be PRESENT, in the NOW. I am always wishing and hoping on the future and mourning on the past, and in the meantime I am missing the NOW. So my intention is to learn to be present in my now. Daily. This is going to be a learning process, I know, so obviously it isn't going to just happen. Today is one of those days where I have let worry and anxiety about the future cloud up my day and steal it away from me. But, baby steps.

And I guess my final intention is just to try to always be aware that I can choose - choose how I spend my money, what I eat, how I spend my time, who I spend it with, what I watch and read and whether I exercise or don't. None of those things are chosen for me, for the most part, and so if I don't like them, I have the power to choose differently. And I cannot point the blame anywhere but at myself if I am not happy with the choice I make. I just must make another choice. God has given me free will, but he also has given me access to his wisdom and power and guidance so that as I freely choose, I can also choose wisely. And when I don't, he forgives me, and I must learn to forgive myself.

Christmas She is So BAAAAD for Meeeeee!

If you want to see my favorite dessert of this holiday season, visit my friend Julie's blog and see the positively sinfully stuffed full of fatty fat deliciously dark creamy chocolatey melt all over your tongue and slide on down to the tummy goodness of Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake she made for her Christmas party. Oh my. I could not properly enjoy and appreciate it the night of the party, because me hads too many tastings of the wine offerings (it was a contest, okay?), and too many other delicious snacky things, and the brilliance of the dessert was someone diminished by my altered state. However, Jules had the foresight to send a LARGE portion home with us, and on Monday night, my wine-free taste buds did a happy dance at the first bite. Much better also having been chilled in the fridge so that the chocolate was nice and chewy. I likes my ice cream chewy too.

Now, today, what am I having for lunch? Why, the leftovers of my wonderful cheese ball (which was also at the party, but did not get eaten and so got to come home with me), on lovely Toppers crackers which are all buttery and oval and have a little lip to keep the cheesy goodness from falling off. Yep, that's my lunch. Yummy. Healthy, not so much.

Oh well. Only two more gatherings to go. One at my MIL's house, where we have just lots of snacky finger foods. And Christmas morning brunch at my house where I will make the wonderful breakfast casserole, again with the cheese, along with sausage and eggs. And of course some pumpkin bread and some kind of other cinnamon roll thing because Andy and Jay won't eat the pumpkin items). Not so slimming, no. But you know, it is CHRISTMAS. The season of joy and happiness and eating things you only get once a year.

Why is it, by the way, that we only make these wonderful concoctions on Christmas? Could make them anytime really, but we seem to save them for the holidays. Maybe we wouldn't gorge so much if they were not so few and far between . . .

Sam Strikes Again . . .

First, you need to be familiar with The Princess Bride. Next, you need to know that it is one of our very favorite movies, and that we recently introduced Sam (age 4) to it, at about the same age Andy discovered the adventures of Westley (or as Sam says it, Wesseley), Buttercup, Inigo Montoya, Vizzini, and the rest. He has taken the movie home, and has been watching it - a LOT.

Last night we were keeping Sam and Jillian, and I decided to put on Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (the classic Rankin-Bass version from 1964), another family favorite. At the beginning, as you know, the snowman, who bears an eerie resemblance to Burl Ives (if you know who Burl Ives is, you are OLD like me), narrates the story, and his name is Sam.

Me: Hey Sam, did you know the snowman's name is Sam too?

Sam: We have the same name? You mean there are two Sams?

Me: That's right.

Pause for a few beats. . .

Sam: INCONCEIVABLE!

I'm not sure if he actually understands that word and so used it in a proper context, or if he was just parroting Vizzini, but it was sure darn funny!

Chronicles of Sam, Some More . . .

Cuz I can't remember which part I'm on. . .

I know I'm waaaaay behind on blogging some things I want to blog about, but here's a quick one that happened yesterday in my car, as I was in the car with both grandkids:

Sam: It smells like gum in here.

Me: Oh, that's my lip balm that I just put on. It has peppermint in it.

Silence. . .

A couple of minutes later. . .

Sam: Now it smells like gas in here.

Me: (Sniffing, wondering who was the culprit. Then I glanced out the window and noticed we were next to a big rig truck.) Oooohhhh, that's the smell of the fuel of that big truck next to us.

Whew. I thought maybe I really WAS getting old - you know, old as in don't even realize you've passed gas . . .

Ooooo, Baby I Love Your Way . . .

I'm in crush . . . serious crush. Tim Daly . . . on Private Practice. Yummity yum-yum. You can have your McDreamy - THIS man has got it goin on.

Here's just a sample of the lines that make me wuv him:

"I'm gonna kiss you now. I'm gonna kiss you with tongue. I'm gonna kiss you so you feel it." Oooookaaaaayyy . . .

"Do you need me to kiss you again?" Yes please.

"I like my women real. Real skin. Real breasts. Real lines around their eyes that let me know they've really lived. Felt pain. Show me that woman, and I'm interested." Yeaaaaahhhh.

Chronicles of Sam, Redux

Sam had a girlfriend named Gracie. Sweet girl, very curly hair. So cute together. He recently announced to his mother that Gracyn (a different girl, also very cute, but younger . . . she just turned 3 ) was his girlfriend. She said, trying not to laugh, I thought Gracie was your girlfriend. He matter-of-factly said "I switched girls."

Yeah. He's gonna be a playa. He's got big dimples, gorgeous blue eyes, great hair, and his daddy's impish, charming and very funny personality. Look out girls.

A Plate of Crazy for Lunch

Okay, haven't blogged in a while and I've been piling up little chunks of things I want to blog about,so I am going to just jump all over the map here.

First of all, my blog title today is from a line I heard on Sex and the City that made me laugh out loud. I will proceed with the story as though you watch the show . . . Carrie was talking about getting Mr. Big (her old love) and Aidan (her current man) together so they could get to know each other and stop being jealous. Miranda looked at her and said "What, did you have a big plate of crazy for lunch?" Now THAT, my friends, is a very useful little line. Just think how you could say that to your friends and they will think you are clever and funny and won't be OF-FEND-ED while you are telling them they are about to do something STOOPID.

We went to hear the Dallas Symphony play Mahler's 9th Symphony the other night. I felt so cultured . . . so classy. It was very enjoyable, but I realized that I wish I knew more about classical music. The guest conductor had long, lion' mane hair like those conductor guys in the cartoons I watched as a kid, and he was wearing tails and was SOOOO animated he conducted with his whole body, jumping around and holding his left hand in a claw-like position, shaking and quivering, I kid you NOT, JUST like the cartoon conductors. He's very gifted I'm sure, but I just couldn't help making the comparison. But, the Meyerson is quite a sight to see, and there were moments in the music where I just closed my eyes and made an observation that I just think God created music as another way for Him to touch our souls in a way that transcends words. When you get those goosebumps and that lump in your throat that sometimes happens when you hear a particular passage of music, not just classical but any music that speaks to you, well I believe that is a little moment of God's spirit flowing through you, caressing your heart.

We have successfully introduced Sam to The Princess Bride. He protested watching it the other day, proclaiming NOOOOOO, I want to watch a SUPERHERO movie!!! But I persisted, and within 15 minutes he was captivated, as I knew he would be. He of course was "Weselly" as he says it. Andy used to be Westly when he was about Sam's age. Ah, the circle of life. Wonder how long it will be before he's quoting the lines with the rest of the family?

YAAAAHOOOOOOO, the new Fall TV season starts this WEEK!!!!! WHEEEEEEEE. Guess where I'LL be all WEEK. I'm so excited for new episodes of all my favorite shows (except, sniff, the ones that ended last year - RIP Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars). I am going to post my reviews periodically if a show is particularly good, just cuz I secretly want to be a TV or movie critic, so I can be on my own blog. So there. I don't really have time to add any new shows to my list. BUT. There are some really great-sounding shows that are new this year, so I MUST at least watch them once or twice to see if they are worth adding. I constantly feel the need to defend the large amount of time I spend watching TV, but I rarely watch just to surf and waste time. I almost always watch because there's something worth seeing. And believe me, there is some GREAT stuff on TV these days. High quality acting and writing and storytelling and production values. And it's so much FUN to dissect your favorite shows with friends who watch the same shows. Mike and Lindsay have been catching up on the first season of Heroes this summer and they are HOOKED, as I knew they would be. Andy and I were hooked after the first episode. Now I just have to get Lindsay watching Ugly Betty. I KNOW she will fall in love with it just like I did.

Oh, and when the heck is Brad Pitt's new movie, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (LOVE that title) going to open around here? I about squeed when I saw that it opened on Friday, only to discover that it's in "limited release" and apparently the DFW area is not hi-falutin enough to merit a showing yet. Anway. Brad Pitt. Western. What more could I want . . .

I want to post on my recent trip to Wyoming, but that's a whole post in itself. I know I have other things I wanted to blog about, but . . . well the ole brain can't remember them right now. We are doing something special for Andy's birthday; a great idea that has now become really complicated, and that will be another post for another day.

And finally, I want to learn to do this. Or at least I wish I could afford to buy this. This is the site if you want to see more of this most amazing art form. GAWD to have a gift like that. Sigh.

Comfort for My Ears and Soul

A couple of days ago I went to the library to turn in a recorded book I had just finished and hopefully find a new one. My new car does not have a tape player, so I am limited to the books on CD, which number many less than the selection on tape. Anyway, I was excited to find a new offering by Tony Hillerman, who writes a series of mysteries involving two Navajo tribal policemen.

I've listened to nearly all of them and really enjoy a good mystery. They are simple, no complicated metaphors or deep thoughts, just a good mystery involving recurring characters. But the main recurring character is the wonder that is the Four Corners area of the U.S., the area where New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado meet. I have been in all four of those states, though never actually visited the Four Corners area, but if you know me, you know that New Mexico is one of my favorite places on earth. There is something mystical and spiritual about the high desert country around Santa Fe and Taos that just literally feeds my soul. I'd live there in a beautiful adobe house in a perfect world. But I digress.

Hillerman weaves into these mysteries much detail about the culture and religion of the Navajo people, their history, their customs, their struggles. I have found it fascinating and have a tremendous respect for their dignity and their peaceful way of coexisting with the Earth. And though these books are not particularly world-changing and I don't have revelations about the meaning of life, I am transported to my favorite place and I have read so many I feel like I know these characters. And really, that's what reading is all about, you know? A way to feed your soul and mind, to entertain, and to escape for a little while.

I worked in Dallas for six years and listening to recorded books was my sanity-saver during all that time in traffic. I developed a preference for books by Recorded Books, Inc. and have my favorite narrators among their stable of performers. Well, my very, very favorite is George Guidall, who happens to narrate all the Hillerman books. I have not listened to one in quite a while. When I popped the first CD in, and his deep, warm voice came on, in the particular tone and speech pattern that he uses to evoke Lt. Joe Leaphorn (the main character of most of the books), I just felt like I had a warm, cozy blanket of comfort and familiarity wrapped around me. I actually smiled and sighed audibly, it was such a pleasure. Like coming home to a warm fire and a cup of hot coffee and a cozy couch.

That sort of feeling is the reason I got so hooked on recorded books. The added pleasure of a theatrically-trained, really talented narrator "acting" the book for you, while at the same time you still exercise your imagination on what the story "looks" like, is the best of both worlds for me between books and movies. I get totally lost in the story, much more than I do when I sit and read a book. I know many friends who don't enjoy recorded books, but for me, a well-acted recorded book is just a huge treat. Great narrators don't just read the book aloud, they inhabit the characters, creating different voices for each one, voices that you begin to recognize even when they are not immediately identified as to which character is speaking. It's like having a professional theater actor act out the story right in the privacy of your own mind.

I used to struggle with feeling like if I listened to a recorded book, I couldn't really say I "read" such and such book. But it really is my favorite way of digesting a novel, and I find that I remember the story much more clearly that way. I suspect it is because I am an auditory learner, but I am no longer apologetic for being a "lazy" reader. I just don't have as much time in the car to listen anymore, but I have begun listening while I walk. Great incentive to walk, as I get to hear more of the story, so it gets me out the door. See, I'm NOT lazy . . . I'm multitasking.

Now THAT's TV

I am in love with ABC Online! They have an HD online player for their most popular TV shows, and I can watch on my computer in HD, which I don't have on my TV, with only about three commercials. It's awesome! There's something kind of intimate about watching on a little screen right in my lap, like I'm having my own personal little TV show just for me. I have watched some things online from other networks, but none of them have the high quality player that ABC has. Fortunately, most of my favorite shows are on that network. I can even plug in the headphones and watch on the couch while everyone else is watching something else on the big TV. So cool. I'm so easily amused by technology.

I am currently catching up on the unaired episodes of The Nine, which was a fantastic show that started last fall and ended up getting cancelled by the idiots at the network (hey I love their player but not always their programming choices). It's about nine people who were hostages in a bank robbery, and then they get out and the story slowly unfolds about each of their lives and about what really happened in there. The plot reminds me a bit of the movie Inside Man, though not exactly. It's really gripping and has a lot of great acting, including Tim (sigh) Daly, yummity yum yum (he will be on Private Practice, the Grey's Anatomy spinoff, this fall - reason enough to watch) and lots of others. ABC decided to burn off the unaired episodes this summer, and I forgot to watch at first, not used to having new stuff in the summer, so I missed two episodes, and then they decided NOT to show them but just put them online. So, online there are four episodes there, but the two I missed are NOT there, so I have a few plot holes. I have searched the Net trying to find them somewhere to no avail, dang it. I even emailed ABC about it, but just got a canned email response.

Online TV is great for things that you wanted to watch but missed or forgot, etc. I'm trying to also catch up on Saving Grace because I just keep missing it on TV. I REALLY want to watch Mad Men on AMC, but I no longer HAVE AMC due to a brilliant decision by my cable company to shift around what I get without digital cable (which I don't want to pay extra for), but AMC is not showing it online, so I'll have to wait until it comes out on DVD and rent it. I have heard a ton about how good it is, and would seriously watch it, but, well . . .

I have noticed that the new trend is to have really high quality, short run series for the summer now. This is a great idea, but I have always breathed a sigh of relief in the summer that I could take a break from keeping up with my regular shows. I LOVE my shows, don't get me wrong, but it's nice to have a period of time where there is no Must See TV. Now, blast those TV writers, they have come up with all these really great-sounding new shows that just run in the summer. I've missed most of them this year because I've been busy and just didn't want to invest in more shows, but now I'm thinking I missed out on some really good stuff. If this is the pattern to come, I'm gonna have to start watching next summer, or hope they put them all online . . . love me some good TV writing! It's like a book only they act it out for you. I was watching Shakespeare in Love last night, and Violet was explaining why she loves plays so much and it was just how I feel about good TV. Ha. TV is not just for the uncultured, so there.

Now I'm going back to Episode 11 of The Nine.

Long Time Gone

Well, needless to say I've been very delinquent in my blogging these days. I have a lot to blog about, but never seem to be inspired to actually sit down and write it. I enjoy reading others' blogs a lot, so I think it's just laziness about putting my thoughts into some sort of coherent, yet witty and hilarious, form. I read a blog by Joshilyn Jackson, an author, and she is so freakin' hilarious and I SO want to BE her and write clever little tricksey blogs (yes, that's the kind of stuff she writes and it really seems clever, not trite, when she does it), but then my bestest friend Jules will call me out on imitating someone else instead of being ME. Bah. ME is not nearly as funny and interesting to ME as others.

Anyway, I ramble incessantly. I am going to try to catch up on my blogging, and as is my usual habit, I will spew forth a number of blogs in a row here in the next few days. I keep a little list of topics, and sadly I looked at it this morning and at least one entry had me muttering "what the heck was that about?" Guess I need better notes. I have been working through The Artist's Way book, and I am supposed to write three pages in longhand every morning to jump start my writing bug. I find it torturous, to put it mildly. Don't like writing in longhand - I'm deeply involved with my laptop. I have decided that I will try blogging every morning as an alternative. It won't be the stream of concsiousness writing the book intends, but it's better than not writing at all, right? Right?

So stay tuned, more fascinating fodder from my exciting life coming up soon . . . (bwaaaahhhhaaaa, I really didn't SAY anything of value in this post, and yet it IS a post. Hehe.)

More Chronicles of Sam

A couple of new gems from my constant source of entertainment and blogfodder . . .

Sam and Jillian were happily playing in a large cardboard box laid on its side, crawling in and out. At one point, Sam was about to crawl back in alone, and, being the grandmother who encourages imagination and pretend play, I said "Sam, is that your Batcave?" He looked at me with the kind of disdain only a precocious preschooler and a sullen teenager can muster, and said "It's not a CAVE, it's a BOX!" Properly scolded, I just chuckled to myself. He continued making his way inside the box, closed the flaps, and I heard a very small voice say, to himself, not to me, "Yeah . . . it's a CAVE . . . it's a BATcave . . ."

Recently we had a few friends over for dinner, and Mike and Lindsay and the kids were there as well. A few of us were sitting out on the deck enjoying the early summer evening, and one of the guys was smoking a cigar. He's not a smoker, but enjoys a cigar now and then, as do several of our friends. Sam came wandering outside and walked over to me and said quietly "I smell smoke." I told him that our friend was smoking a cigar. He looked at me and said "That's not good . . ." He crawled up in my lap and sat there regarding our friend for a few minutes, and then said, very solemnly, "Smoking is not good for you, remember?" I struggled mightily to suppress my laughter (which happens often when Sam is around) as I knew he was clearly passing on wisdom handed down by his mother. Our friend sheepishly put away the cigar, and as soon as Sam went in the house, we all dissolved in laughter.

I can't wait to hear the kind of things he is going to blurt out in a few years. Out of the mouths of babes . . .

Chronicles of Sam

Yesterday, my 3 1/2 year old grandson Sam provided me with these wonderful nuggets:

After coming over to swim and being forced by his mother to eat lunch first (the very IDEA!), Sam was gazing out the window at the pool. He announced "I'm CRANKY!" I asked why, and he replied, "I'm CRANKY because it's RAINING!" I looked outside and sure enough . . . rain. No swimming, at least until later.

He did actually get to swim later, and then when it was time to go home, he did not want to leave, EVER, according to him. He was having a little meltdown, and I said "Hey, stop throwing a COW!" to which he replied, in mid-sob, "It's not a COW, it's a FIT!"

Nothing like being self-aware . . .

Accessories Sold Separately

My 16-year-old son, Andy, is at a Jazz Double Bass Camp at University of North Texas this week. In case you didn't know, UNT is one of the premiere universities around for studying jazz, and is home of the renowned One O'Clock Lab Band, among others. He is in a very small group studying under Lynn Seeton, who is the bass professor at UNT. A double bass is the upright bass that you might see in an orchestra or a jazz band. (He also plays bass guitar, but that's not what this camp is for). He's pretty pumped and from the text messages we've exchanged, he is learning a lot. (I've discovered that the easiest way to get your teen to respond when gone to camp is a TEXT message, NOT a voicemail. I don't think they even listen to those.)

We are going to pick him up this evening and hear a concert by the students as well as the professor. Andy's take on it is "Wait until you hear Lynn rip the bass. He's awesome." Should be a good time. I love jazz of any sort.

So, in preparation to taking him up to UNT on Sunday, I called to find out if he needed to bring bedding and towels, etc. I was told "No, they have linens." Now, you might think "linens" would include such important items as a PILLOW, wouldn't you? WELL, YOU WOULD BE WRONG. As we discovered when we entered his room and saw a neat pile of sheets and a thin blanket and even thinner towels, and NO PILLOW. One would think that if this important item was not included, they might have MENTIONED it in the phone call where I was inquiring about BEDDING. Of course that would be MY logic, but apparently not someone else's.

On the way back downstairs to try to score a pillow, we encountered THREE other moms toting PILLOWS in WalMart bags. I laughed out loud and exclaimed that I was apparently not the only one who made the foolish assumption that "linens" included a pillow. They kindly told us the location of the nearby WalMart, and advised us to also purchase a towel as the ones provided were not large enough to go around a teenage boy.

We made a quick run and got the needed items, no less, no more. Son was apparently very antsy and in no mood to get any snacks or anything extra. I was not sure whether it was his nerves at the prospect of being left at a college dorm full of strangers (he didn't know anyone there), or if he just wanted to be shed of the "parents" hanging around. In any event, we unloaded the stuff, he declined my offer to make up his bed, and kind of gave us the bum's rush out the door.

As we went through the exit door he was walking up to a group of young men on a sofa in the hallway to introduce himself. He's pretty comfortable meeting new people, and from all reports the week was great. It felt weird leaving him there alone, most likely a foreshadowing of things to come, since UNT is the college of choice at the moment.

Sigh. I really don't want my last child to be nearly grown and thinking of college . . . but I'm sure proud of him. Why does it have to be so bittersweet when they grow up?

That's My Boy . . .

Don't really have a new post here, per se, but I have added my 16-year-old son Andy's "deep thoughts" blog to my favorites (see link to the right for "Here's the Lowdown").

That's some good readin' right there, I don't care who you are.

My baby boy is growing up. I'm proud of who he is becoming.