I'm sure everyone with a predictive text-enabled smartphone has had one of these experiences. I've had a few myself. But today's concern is about auto correct and the built-in dictionary.
I had to add the following words, among many others, to my phone dictionary: atrium, babysit, bunnies, damn, decongestant, insecurities, it's (with a lowercase i!), khakis, kickball, lacrosse, megaphone, mimosa, muddling, pesto (which isn't even English, technically, so that makes sense), pigtails, pomegranate, procrastinating, regatta, rowers, snuggling, sunscreen, swat, tiramisu (ditto), winery, workhorse.
But my little phone dictionary will auto correct to words like wouldst and shan't. Really? It knows wouldst but not bunnies?
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Animal Farm
It's April in St. Louis and it's raining - what's new?
The other day I was looking out at the dreariness and this is what I saw:
The other day I was looking out at the dreariness and this is what I saw:
But look more closely...
That's right, the frogs that have taken up residence in the as-of-yet unfiltered pool are now making a bid for the lawn furniture. Nowhere's safe!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
The North Face
Here's to good customer service and a company that stands behind its products!
I'd had an anorak parka - my skiing jacket - since high school. This past February, I noticed that the liner was starting to flake into pieces, and was getting all over everything. This coat was over 10 years old, but nevermind that:
I'd had an anorak parka - my skiing jacket - since high school. This past February, I noticed that the liner was starting to flake into pieces, and was getting all over everything. This coat was over 10 years old, but nevermind that:
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
The Song I'm Loving Today
Something Like a Broken Heart (Hanna-McEuen)
K and I discovered Hanna-McEuen by accident when we were living back east. K indulged me by agreeing to go see at Pat Green concert at the Ram's Head in Baltimore. I knew a few Pat Green songs (Baby Doll, Wave on Wave, Don't Break My Heart Again), and small venues are always cool.
Turns out that Hanna-McEuen, a band neither of us had ever heard of, was opening, and they were great! They're cousins, each the son of one of the founding members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (most famous for Fishin' in the Dark and a cover of Mr. Bojangles). Their eponymous album - which is, in fact, their only album - is full of soulful alt-country ballads with subtle harmonies. And they're not bad musicians either - check out the live version of Fool Around. For a sad song, give Ocean a listen.
Tried a thousand times, used a million lines
Tryin' to explain.
'Cause they don't have a word for the kind of hurt
That never goes away.
When I try to think it though, it all comes back to you.
I don't know why goodbye's so hard to understand.
This pain I have is real and I'll tell you how it feels
If I ever get the chance.
It's like a lonely Friday night downtown,
Where everyone I know is out.
The radio's my only friend around,
And all I do is think of you.
It's a little like an old sad song,
It kills you but you sing it alone.
The melody just tears you all apart,
It's something like a broken heart.
I could drive a hundred miles and never touch that dial
'Til the station fades.
'Cause nothin' that I hear will ever make it clear,
Words just slip away.
And the more I think it through, the more I think of you.
I don't know why goodbye's so hard to understand.
You're never hard to find, 'cause you're always on my mind
No matter where I am.
Just like a lonely Friday night downtown,
Where everyone I know is out.
The radio's my only friend around,
And all I do is think of you.
It's a little like an old sad song,
It kills you but you sing it alone.
The melody just tears you all apart,
It's something like a broken heart.
It's like a lonely Friday night downtown,
Where everyone I know is out.
The radio's my only friend around,
And all I do is think of you.
It's a little like an old sad song,
It kills you but you sing it alone.
The melody just tears you all apart,
It's something like a broken heart.
K and I discovered Hanna-McEuen by accident when we were living back east. K indulged me by agreeing to go see at Pat Green concert at the Ram's Head in Baltimore. I knew a few Pat Green songs (Baby Doll, Wave on Wave, Don't Break My Heart Again), and small venues are always cool.
Turns out that Hanna-McEuen, a band neither of us had ever heard of, was opening, and they were great! They're cousins, each the son of one of the founding members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (most famous for Fishin' in the Dark and a cover of Mr. Bojangles). Their eponymous album - which is, in fact, their only album - is full of soulful alt-country ballads with subtle harmonies. And they're not bad musicians either - check out the live version of Fool Around. For a sad song, give Ocean a listen.
Tried a thousand times, used a million lines
Tryin' to explain.
'Cause they don't have a word for the kind of hurt
That never goes away.
When I try to think it though, it all comes back to you.
I don't know why goodbye's so hard to understand.
This pain I have is real and I'll tell you how it feels
If I ever get the chance.
It's like a lonely Friday night downtown,
Where everyone I know is out.
The radio's my only friend around,
And all I do is think of you.
It's a little like an old sad song,
It kills you but you sing it alone.
The melody just tears you all apart,
It's something like a broken heart.
I could drive a hundred miles and never touch that dial
'Til the station fades.
'Cause nothin' that I hear will ever make it clear,
Words just slip away.
And the more I think it through, the more I think of you.
I don't know why goodbye's so hard to understand.
You're never hard to find, 'cause you're always on my mind
No matter where I am.
Just like a lonely Friday night downtown,
Where everyone I know is out.
The radio's my only friend around,
And all I do is think of you.
It's a little like an old sad song,
It kills you but you sing it alone.
The melody just tears you all apart,
It's something like a broken heart.
It's like a lonely Friday night downtown,
Where everyone I know is out.
The radio's my only friend around,
And all I do is think of you.
It's a little like an old sad song,
It kills you but you sing it alone.
The melody just tears you all apart,
It's something like a broken heart.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
What I Watched -- The Conspirator
The movie, while a little bit historical, is really a legal procedural. Baby-faced James McAvoy carries the drama forward as Frederick Aiken, the new lawyer cutting his teeth on Mrs. Surratt's case, initially against his will. As he comes to see what a sham her trial is, though, he not only begins to support his client but also questions his own faith in the legal system.
I could draw parallels until I'm blue in the face between this movie and the Guantanamo Bay military tribunals, but I don't want to - partially because I don't like politics, and partially because I'd rather talk briefly about the legal system's development, or lack thereof.
In my current practice, I am eternally frustrated by the inadequacies of the legal system: everything takes forever; there are procedural rules that might be useful if anyone ever bothered to follow them; however, it's no wonder they don't, because breaking the rules doesn't create garner any sanctions (what then, I ask, is the point of the rules?); some clerks - though by no means all - are useless at best and obstructionist at worst; some judges - though by no means all - can be frustratingly inconsistent from sentence to sentence, much less day to day; and for most of America, it turns out that capital-J Justice often is whatever you can afford to pay for. I spent much of the movie thinking about then and now, and that old cliché: "the more things change, the more they stay the same."
Mary Surratt is played with a powerful combination of grace, restraint, and anger by the lovely Robin Wright. The remainder of the star-studded cast includes Evan Rachel Wood as daughter Anna Surratt, Alexis Bledel as Freddie's girlfriend, Dodgeball's Justin Long, prolific actors Colm Meaney and Tom Wilkinson, goofball Kevin Kline, The Boondock Saints's Norman Reedus, and the recognizable but not-too-well-known Danny Huston. One unfortunate consequence of the diverse cast: diverse accents, which distracted me a bit from the film.
Bottom line: fascinating history, but only a decent movie. I was interested, but not enthralled, until the last few scenes when Aiken is fighting for his client's life - that's when McAvoy really hits his stride. The colors and light are good, if pretty typical of Redford shoots; however, credits here go to McAvoy and Wright.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Who Loves Chris Carpenter?
Hint: it's the same girl who is not a big fan of Ryan Franklin.
L and I were debating the values and risks of Mr. Carpenter's remaining pitching career at the game on Saturday, which T was kind enough to get us tickets to, although it was actually L's idea. But everyone was kind enough to give me all the tickets that had my boyfriend Adam Wainwright on them! (Get well soon, Adam!) In case you're interested, you can see Adam here, here, here, and even here (if you scroll down). [Dad, check out those last two. No, really.]
We were beset by a minor rain delay, but were able to sit in the Redbird Club and stay dry. The real problem was Ryan Franklin. He gave up three runs in the top of the eighth, and we lost 5-3 (game summary). Despite my first game of the season being a loss, it was a ton of fun! Hopefully it'll happen again soon!
L and I were debating the values and risks of Mr. Carpenter's remaining pitching career at the game on Saturday, which T was kind enough to get us tickets to, although it was actually L's idea. But everyone was kind enough to give me all the tickets that had my boyfriend Adam Wainwright on them! (Get well soon, Adam!) In case you're interested, you can see Adam here, here, here, and even here (if you scroll down). [Dad, check out those last two. No, really.]
The four of us were rather amused by the dude in front of me who, after I accidentally kicked his chair once while crossing my legs, turned around and instructed me in no uncertain terms to stop kicking his chair. Sorry dude. Except then his wife draped her fat arm all over T's water bottle! "Excuse me, ma'am? Could you please keep your keep your oversized body parts to yourself? Thanks." But we didn't say that.
We were beset by a minor rain delay, but were able to sit in the Redbird Club and stay dry. The real problem was Ryan Franklin. He gave up three runs in the top of the eighth, and we lost 5-3 (game summary). Despite my first game of the season being a loss, it was a ton of fun! Hopefully it'll happen again soon!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
What I Watched -- The Kids Are All Right
Benning and Moore are good though their characters are a bit overdone. For example, Jules's seventeenth reminder to Nic that she shouldn't have that extra glass of wine probably would have been better played with a disapproving look. Ruffalo is irritatingly adorable as the not-quite-as-hapless-as-he-seems interloper. The Kids Are All Right is the story of a marriage, and I love Jules's line about how, after so many years, you stop seeing the other person for who they are and instead see "weird projections of your own junk." There just happen to be a couple of kids in the middle who bring everyone together, at both the beginning and the end of the film.
Bottom line: not the best movie I've seen this year, but painfully and comically worth watching.
Bonus points if you can tell me why you recognize Sasha (Joni's friend)! I knew I had seen her, but had to look it up.
Friday, April 22, 2011
What I Watched -- Source Code
It's an Inception-type story, in which Army Captain Colter Stevens (Jake) can repeatedly re-live the last eight minutes of someone's life thanks to a nifty computer program called the Source Code. The guy whose life he's re-living in the movie was on a Metra train headed to Chicago when it was blown up by a terrorist. Capt. Stevens's job is to find the bomber and stop him. He only has those eight minutes in which to do it; he can re-live those eight minutes multiple times while retaining information learned in previous attempts, but the code does start to break down, so he can't do it indefinitely. And of course, there's the love interest, played by the lovely Michelle Monaghan.
I was amused because the very next day I was flipping through a magazine (Glamour? InStyle? I can't remember, but Jake is definitely in style. And maybe even a little bit glamorous.) and there was something about Jake! I tore it out because I wanted to add it to this post, but now I can't find it. I'm sure it's buried somewhere in the pile of stuff I dumped out of my suitcase when I got home on Sunday night, but so far, no dice. But since T is concerned that I haven't posted about the movie yet, I'm going ahead without it.
Bottom line: not great film-making, but I didn't really expect that. I expected to see a cute boy save a cute girl and I expected to see a train explode; the film delivered (several times). In the process, you get a little lesson about love and mortality, too. Decent work, Jake.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Bad grammar makes me [sic].
My afternoon gchat with J:
J: hrm...their all federal, i think...
*THEY'RE
OH MY GOD I'M A BAD PERSON
me: hahahaha
that just made my day
J: i hate when i do that, because it pisses me off when other people do it
and i like to think of it as an indicator of THEIR intelligence
me: it's ok. i know you're (or should i say your) smart
I think it was the vehemence of the reaction to the typo that really made it priceless. Hooray for people who know the difference!
I got an e-mail this morning from an organization with which I have only a loose affiliation; I probably get an e-mail from a somewhat responsible leader and/or member of the group once every week or two. I'm a little dismayed to say I was shocked to notice, halfway through the e-mail, that there weren't any typos! What has this world come to, that we're amazed to find proper spelling and grammar somewhere? I think we need to reassess our educational priorities. Back to basics, people.
P.S. Here's the t-shirt.
J: hrm...their all federal, i think...
*THEY'RE
OH MY GOD I'M A BAD PERSON
me: hahahaha
that just made my day
J: i hate when i do that, because it pisses me off when other people do it
and i like to think of it as an indicator of THEIR intelligence
me: it's ok. i know you're (or should i say your) smart
I think it was the vehemence of the reaction to the typo that really made it priceless. Hooray for people who know the difference!
I got an e-mail this morning from an organization with which I have only a loose affiliation; I probably get an e-mail from a somewhat responsible leader and/or member of the group once every week or two. I'm a little dismayed to say I was shocked to notice, halfway through the e-mail, that there weren't any typos! What has this world come to, that we're amazed to find proper spelling and grammar somewhere? I think we need to reassess our educational priorities. Back to basics, people.
P.S. Here's the t-shirt.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
House of Wong
Today I finally saw N, for the first time in months! I had a mid-day hearing (which I try to avoid), and he works right near the courthouse, so we headed out to lunch at House of Wong after I was finished.
Food was good: egg drop soup was egg-ier than you often find. There was real thickness and flavor to the broth, rather than the watery vegetable broth grossness you often get. And the cashew chicken was chock full of...wait for it...cashews! Who'd have thought? Usually when you order cashew chicken, you get five cashew halves, three pieces of chicken, and lots of rice, carrots, and whatever that crunchy yellow stuff is (daikon?). And there was some of that, but definitely more of the good stuff than I'm used to.
Also, it was great to catch up with N. He's been quite busy with work and life lately, as have I, and I miss the old days when we got to hang out more. (Some of you may even remember N and K's joint blog, which you should look at for old time's sake! My favorite part is how there's a post from one month before the final words were said promising - and this time they mean it - that they're back. I guess they were; they just didn't say until when.)
Anyway, it was good to see you, N! Looking forward to the festivities!
Food was good: egg drop soup was egg-ier than you often find. There was real thickness and flavor to the broth, rather than the watery vegetable broth grossness you often get. And the cashew chicken was chock full of...wait for it...cashews! Who'd have thought? Usually when you order cashew chicken, you get five cashew halves, three pieces of chicken, and lots of rice, carrots, and whatever that crunchy yellow stuff is (daikon?). And there was some of that, but definitely more of the good stuff than I'm used to.
Also, it was great to catch up with N. He's been quite busy with work and life lately, as have I, and I miss the old days when we got to hang out more. (Some of you may even remember N and K's joint blog, which you should look at for old time's sake! My favorite part is how there's a post from one month before the final words were said promising - and this time they mean it - that they're back. I guess they were; they just didn't say until when.)
Anyway, it was good to see you, N! Looking forward to the festivities!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
It's happening.
I think my perpetual state of sleep deprivation (more below) is finally starting to catch up with me. I have completely lost the ability to focus on any single thing for more than about 30 seconds.
Goals this weekend: sleep; sociology assignments; eat. Big plans, I know.
Now: deprivation. If depravity is the state of being depraved, I feel like deprivity should mean the state of being deprived. But deprivity is not a word, and instead we use deprivation. Why is that?
Goals this weekend: sleep; sociology assignments; eat. Big plans, I know.
Now: deprivation. If depravity is the state of being depraved, I feel like deprivity should mean the state of being deprived. But deprivity is not a word, and instead we use deprivation. Why is that?
Thursday, April 14, 2011
The Songs I'm Loving Today
Snakes and Ladders (Joss Stone)
Rolling in the Deep (Adele)
I've been hearing a lot about Adele lately. Specifically, I've been hearing about the song "Someone Like You." So I listened to it (live, studio - live is better, as always), and it's good, but it's not my favorite. I like "Rolling in the Deep."
In the game of love,
It takes all you got
Just to keep it moving up,
And don't you wanna reach the top?
But heaven seems such a crazy dream.
If your heart has room for doubt,
You're neither in, you're neither out.
Ninety-nine and a half, it just won't do;
You gotta give me all of you,
Not asking too much of a heart that's true,
So tell me
What's the name of the game that we are playing?
Boy, whenever I think that we are winning,
Then you roll the dice take a slide
Right back to the one from ninety-nine.
Is it gonna go on like this forever?
Are we gonna to take that last step together?
Going round and round and up and down,
Feels just like snakes and ladders.
Baby, don't it feel like a carousel?
Where all the world is rushing by,
But when it stops you realize
That you're right back where you started at.
I need a little more than that,
It time for us to face the facts.
Whether to be or not to be,
That is the question so it seems.
We're going nowhere in between
So tell me
What's the name of the game that we are playing?
Boy, whenever I think that we are winning,
Then you roll the dice take a slide
Right back to the one from ninety-nine.
Rolling in the Deep (Adele)
I've been hearing a lot about Adele lately. Specifically, I've been hearing about the song "Someone Like You." So I listened to it (live, studio - live is better, as always), and it's good, but it's not my favorite. I like "Rolling in the Deep."
Perhaps what I like about Adele, especially on "Rolling in the Deep," is that she's young, she's British, and she's got soul - in short, she's Joss Stone. I especially love Joss's album Mind, Body & Soul; my favorite Joss song is "Snakes and Ladders," but other good ones include "Right to be Wrong," "Don'tcha Wanna Ride," "Jet Lag," "Less is More (although they couldn't get the timing of the lyrics right)," and "Tell Me 'bout It." She does some pretty good covers too: "Son of a Preacher Man," "Natural Woman."
Actually, their styles on these two particular songs are quite different, but there's no denying they've both got spunk and great talent. In my head, they work together.
Actually, their styles on these two particular songs are quite different, but there's no denying they've both got spunk and great talent. In my head, they work together.
In the game of love,
It takes all you got
Just to keep it moving up,
And don't you wanna reach the top?
But heaven seems such a crazy dream.
If your heart has room for doubt,
You're neither in, you're neither out.
Ninety-nine and a half, it just won't do;
You gotta give me all of you,
Not asking too much of a heart that's true,
So tell me
What's the name of the game that we are playing?
Boy, whenever I think that we are winning,
Then you roll the dice take a slide
Right back to the one from ninety-nine.
Is it gonna go on like this forever?
Are we gonna to take that last step together?
Going round and round and up and down,
Feels just like snakes and ladders.
Baby, don't it feel like a carousel?
Where all the world is rushing by,
But when it stops you realize
That you're right back where you started at.
I need a little more than that,
It time for us to face the facts.
Whether to be or not to be,
That is the question so it seems.
We're going nowhere in between
So tell me
What's the name of the game that we are playing?
Boy, whenever I think that we are winning,
Then you roll the dice take a slide
Right back to the one from ninety-nine.
Is it gonna go on like this forever?
Are we gonna to take that last step together?
Going round and round and up and down,
Feels just like snakes and ladders.
Don't wanna play this game no more,
I gotta know right now for sure,
What am I giving my heart for?
Baby I need a little more.
Don't leave me hanging on a string
Now that I gave you everything,
Not when I play to win.
Snakes and ladders.
Are we gonna to take that last step together?
Going round and round and up and down,
Feels just like snakes and ladders.
Don't wanna play this game no more,
I gotta know right now for sure,
What am I giving my heart for?
Baby I need a little more.
Don't leave me hanging on a string
Now that I gave you everything,
Not when I play to win.
Snakes and ladders.
What's the name of the game that we are playing?
Boy, whenever I think that we are winning,
Then you roll the dice take a slide
Right back to the one from ninety-nine.
Is it gonna go on like this forever?
Are we gonna take that last step together?
Going round and round and up and down,
Feels just like snakes and ladders.
(x2)
There's a fire starting in my heart,
Reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark.
Finally, I can see you crystal clear,
Go ahead and sell me out and a I'll lay your ship bare,
See how I'll leave with every piece of you,
Don't underestimate the things that I will do,
There's a fire starting in my heart,
Reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark.
The scars of your love remind me of us,
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all,
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless,
I can't help feeling
We could have had it all,
Rolling in the deep,
You had my heart inside of your hand,
And you played it to the beat.
Baby, I have no story to be told,
But I've heard one on you and I'm gonna make your head burn.
Think of me in the depths of your despair,
Make a home down there as mine sure won't be shared.
The scars of your love remind me of us,
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all,
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless,
I can't help feeling
We could have had it all,
Rolling in the deep,
You had my heart inside of your hands,
And you played it to the beat.
Could have had it all,
Rolling in the deep,
You had my heart inside of your hands,
But you played it with a beating.
Throw your soul through every open door,
Count your blessings to find what you look for.
Turn my sorrow into treasured gold,
You'll pay me back in kind and reap just what you've sown.
We could have had it all,
We could have had it all,
It all, it all, it all.
We could have had it all,
Rolling in the deep,
You had my heart inside of your hands,
And you played it to the beat.
Could have had it all,
Rolling in the deep,
You had my heart inside of your hands,
But you played it,
You played it,
You played it,
You played it to the beat.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
What I Watched - 127 Hours
The best word I can use to describe this movie is minute, and I mean that as in "tiny detail," not the measurement of time, although both would be appropriate.I think by now everyone knows the story of ill-fated boulderer Aron Ralston. In 2003, he was out in Bluejohn Canyon, Utah, when a boulder fell, smashing down on his right arm below the elbow. He was trapped there for - you guessed it - 127 hours, before he was able to free himself by cutting off his own arm. He originally told his story in the book Between a Rock and a Hard Place, published about a year and a half after his accident.
What's impressive about this movie, starring James Franco (who got a best actor Oscar nod for the role) as Aron, is how as the viewer you start to rejoice right along with Aron in the small details and successes. Fairly early on, there's a scene in which he drops his pocket knife on the ground. You know that he must succeed in retrieving it, since he eventually cuts off his arm. But nonetheless, you get wrapped up in this tiny struggle. Is he going to be able to get it back? How does he reach it? And somehow, you forget that the whole reason this matters is because his arm is trapped under a boulder, he's low on food and water, and he's hundreds of miles from anywhere! For those moments, all that matters is whether he's going to be able to get his knife back.
And then when he does, the reality of his predicament - why having the knife was so important in the first place - comes crashing down again.
All these little details could be tedious, but the amazing thing is this: they're not. Rather, it's like you're living the experience with him: every facial expression, emotion, and eventually hallucination. And Franco (despite his atrocious performance as host of this year's Oscar telecast) really makes this movie happen. He is virtually the only actor in it, and there's no narrator. His face tells you that he's concerned about how much water he has, but there's no voice over to tell you just how long that water will last. You have to wait and see.
There are bit parts played by Kate Mara, Amber Tamblyn, and Clemence Poesy (who you probably know as Fleur Delacour in Harry Potter), but they're mostly there to play the foils to Aron's independent character, passing fancies for Aron to dream about in the freezing canyon.
Sure enough, it's Aron's stubborn refusal to rely on anyone else that got him into this mess, but it's also his self-reliance that gets him out. He does what he has to do. He engineers a rope hoist to try to lift the boulder off his arm. He talks to himself through the video camera he brought along to document his trip. He wraps himself in climbing rope to keep warm at night. He carefully rations his water. He makes a tourniquet. And he does all of it with his left hand and his teeth.
The film was scored by A.R. Rahman - who also worked with Danny Boyle on the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire - and who likely did a lot of work with the sound editors here, to delightful effect. I'm thinking specifically of the scene in which Aron finds the nerve in his arm. (The actual amputation of the arm takes up only a few minutes of the movie, for all the fuss and bother it's caused.) Every time Aron touches the nerve, the jolt of electric sound that blares out of the speakers shoots straight to your brain, just as you imagine the pain shoots straight to his. It's very well done.
Bottom line: there is a bit of that trippy, pot-smoking, live-to-love-the-rocks, twenty-something, wild outdoorsman attitude, but it's a fabulous role for Franco and somehow an uplifting story.
Monday, April 11, 2011
A hockey game, and clarification on a few points
Awesome weekend!
There were many good things about it:
1. The weather was lovely, if somewhat windy.
2. I finally got to take my new bike out! K and I went out riding twice.
3. My kids cleaned up at their races yesterday.
4. T took me out dancing on Friday night, which was so much fun! I hadn't done that since my high school reunion, and it desperately needed to happen.
5. T also took me to see that last Blues game of the season (which they won, and the night included a baby-faced T.J. Oshie scoring one of their two goals from his knees). T got a gazillion (okay, actually maybe 10 or 12?) lottery tickets to win a ride on the Zamboni, which was a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. And he won! Which really meant that I won! I guess T was not as excited about the prospect of blazing around the ice at approximately 1.5 miles per hour as I was. Apparently there will be pictures, and I'll post them if I can find them.
Point of clarification #1: Zamboni vs. Olympia
Zamboni is a brand name. A Zamboni is the ice resurfacing machine produced by Frank J. Zamboni & Co., not to be confused with the Olympia, which is the ice resurfacing machine produced by Resurfice Corporation. Predictably, the two manufacturers are not crazy about each other.
Technically, I rode on an Olympia, but as the lady explaining it said, "If you called it that, no one would know what you were talking about." And she's right; for most people, zamboni (little z) = that thing that drives around on the ice at hockey games. Turns out, they've branded themselves just like Xerox or Kleenex, and their name has become synonymous with the product itself, regardless of the manufacturer. Now you know, and can wow people with your extensive useless knowledge.
Point of clarification #2: T vs. T
This could get confusing, so let's clear something up: there are two Ts. The first is my dad; most recently we went to see The Last Lions together, though he's had a fairly prominent place on this here thingamajig since I started it. (His life's accomplishment, I'm sure.) Then there's also T who took me out to Of Gods and Men/dancing/hockey game. Two different Ts.
I can see how my inclination towards anonymity can make that confusing in this format. But a mix-up could be awkward, so let's try to keep them straight, shall we? I'll try to say "Dad" at least occasionally, when he's the one I'm talking about. And if you would do me a favor and use your best judgment based on the circumstances, I think we can manage. I'm trusting you here, stalwart readers. I hope you're up to the task.
There were many good things about it:
1. The weather was lovely, if somewhat windy.
2. I finally got to take my new bike out! K and I went out riding twice.
3. My kids cleaned up at their races yesterday.
4. T took me out dancing on Friday night, which was so much fun! I hadn't done that since my high school reunion, and it desperately needed to happen.
5. T also took me to see that last Blues game of the season (which they won, and the night included a baby-faced T.J. Oshie scoring one of their two goals from his knees). T got a gazillion (okay, actually maybe 10 or 12?) lottery tickets to win a ride on the Zamboni, which was a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. And he won! Which really meant that I won! I guess T was not as excited about the prospect of blazing around the ice at approximately 1.5 miles per hour as I was. Apparently there will be pictures, and I'll post them if I can find them.
Point of clarification #1: Zamboni vs. Olympia
Zamboni is a brand name. A Zamboni is the ice resurfacing machine produced by Frank J. Zamboni & Co., not to be confused with the Olympia, which is the ice resurfacing machine produced by Resurfice Corporation. Predictably, the two manufacturers are not crazy about each other.
Technically, I rode on an Olympia, but as the lady explaining it said, "If you called it that, no one would know what you were talking about." And she's right; for most people, zamboni (little z) = that thing that drives around on the ice at hockey games. Turns out, they've branded themselves just like Xerox or Kleenex, and their name has become synonymous with the product itself, regardless of the manufacturer. Now you know, and can wow people with your extensive useless knowledge.
Point of clarification #2: T vs. T
This could get confusing, so let's clear something up: there are two Ts. The first is my dad; most recently we went to see The Last Lions together, though he's had a fairly prominent place on this here thingamajig since I started it. (His life's accomplishment, I'm sure.) Then there's also T who took me out to Of Gods and Men/dancing/hockey game. Two different Ts.
I can see how my inclination towards anonymity can make that confusing in this format. But a mix-up could be awkward, so let's try to keep them straight, shall we? I'll try to say "Dad" at least occasionally, when he's the one I'm talking about. And if you would do me a favor and use your best judgment based on the circumstances, I think we can manage. I'm trusting you here, stalwart readers. I hope you're up to the task.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
The Song I'm Loving Today
This Is the Life (Amy MacDonald)
I first heard this song on one of those Starbuck's CDs with collections of coffee-shop-appropriate songs by different artists. Overall I'd give the CD a middling rating, but I fell in love with this song - which is great for singing along to!
I think what I like about it is the contrast between the lighthearted, party-life theme of the verses and the darker "where are you going?" chorus and musical structure. Amy MacDonald is Scottish, so a lot of her music has an appropriately minor sound to it, even if it's offset by a pop-type beat.
Oh the wind whistles down
The cold dark street tonight,
And the people they were dancing to the music vibe
And the boys chase the girls with the curls in their hair
While the shy tormented just sit way over there
And the songs they get louder,
Each one better than before.
And you're singing the songs
Thinking this is the life,
And you wake up in the morning and you're head feels twice the size.
Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna sleep tonight?
And you're singing the songs
Thinking this is the life,
And you wake up in the morning and you're head feels twice the size.
Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna sleep tonight?
Where you gonna sleep tonight?
So you're heading down the road in your taxi for four,
And you're waiting outside Jimmy's front door
But nobody's in and nobody's home 'til four.
So you're sitting there with nothing to do
Talking about Robert Riger and his motley crew,
And where you're gonna go and where you're gonna sleep tonight.
And you're singing the songs
Thinking this is the life,
And you wake up in the morning and you're head feels twice the size.
Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna sleep tonight? (x2)
Where you gonna sleep tonight?
And you're singing the songs
Thinking this is the life,
And you wake up in the morning and you're head feels twice the size.
Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna sleep tonight? (x4)
Where you gonna sleep tonight?
I first heard this song on one of those Starbuck's CDs with collections of coffee-shop-appropriate songs by different artists. Overall I'd give the CD a middling rating, but I fell in love with this song - which is great for singing along to!
I think what I like about it is the contrast between the lighthearted, party-life theme of the verses and the darker "where are you going?" chorus and musical structure. Amy MacDonald is Scottish, so a lot of her music has an appropriately minor sound to it, even if it's offset by a pop-type beat.
Oh the wind whistles down
The cold dark street tonight,
And the people they were dancing to the music vibe
And the boys chase the girls with the curls in their hair
While the shy tormented just sit way over there
And the songs they get louder,
Each one better than before.
And you're singing the songs
Thinking this is the life,
And you wake up in the morning and you're head feels twice the size.
Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna sleep tonight?
And you're singing the songs
Thinking this is the life,
And you wake up in the morning and you're head feels twice the size.
Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna sleep tonight?
Where you gonna sleep tonight?
So you're heading down the road in your taxi for four,
And you're waiting outside Jimmy's front door
But nobody's in and nobody's home 'til four.
So you're sitting there with nothing to do
Talking about Robert Riger and his motley crew,
And where you're gonna go and where you're gonna sleep tonight.
And you're singing the songs
Thinking this is the life,
And you wake up in the morning and you're head feels twice the size.
Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna sleep tonight? (x2)
Where you gonna sleep tonight?
And you're singing the songs
Thinking this is the life,
And you wake up in the morning and you're head feels twice the size.
Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna sleep tonight? (x4)
Where you gonna sleep tonight?
Friday, April 8, 2011
What I Watched -- Bhutto
This movie is a biography of both the woman and the country, beginning with Pakistan's partition from India in 1947, and Benazir's birth shortly thereafter.
The history of Pakistan is short but thorny. The country has suffered through most of the afflictions that accompany political power struggle: poverty, lack of education, political instability, disenfranchisement.
Powerful leaders often make powerful countries, and Pakistan - largely because of its armed conflict with India - has become one. But powerful leaders are often despotic and unstable, and Pakistan suffered that fate as well. I'll spare you all most of the political history, save to say that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir's father, served as president then prime minister of Pakistan in the 1970s, and was the founder of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). Zulfikar Bhutto was eventually accused of rigging elections, and a military coup installed General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq as "Chief Martial Law Administrator," though he eventually took over as president of Pakistan. The head of the Bhutto clan was arrested on charges of masterminding a murder, and was hanged in 1979.
So there's some Pakistani history, although take it with a grain of salt. My knowledge is limited extremely limited.
Back to Benazir. She spent a lot of time abroad beginning in her teens and early in her father's political career. She attended Harvard and Oxford Universities, and was progressive by the standards of her home country, both politically and socially. She came home to assist her father, but lived in exile for some time after his death. She took over as the leader of the PPP, and was elected prime minister in 1988, making her the youngest person and first female leader elected as PM of a Muslim country. She was reelected five years later.
The movie lauds her as a tireless worker for democracy, and she is to be commended for that. She modernized the country, supported women, and sought to improve living conditions. But my biggest criticism of the film is that it completely glosses over the allegations of corruption leveled against her and her family (and unfortunately her most lasting legacy). [Note to the filmmakers: even if your final point is going to be that the allegations were baseless, at least address them!] There is a brief interview with Benazir's niece, who admits that there was some corruption, but implies that it was not as extensive as people claimed. And then the film just moves right on to something else. That seems like a cheap ploy to allow the filmmaker to blow past the question of corruption without really digging in.
Keeping track of all the allegations, indictments, convictions, exonerations, withdrawals of charges, sentences, and vacated findings surrounding the Bhutto/Zardari clan is a mind-boggling exercise. Benazir Bhutto's husband Asif Ali Zardari (nicknamed Mr. Ten Percent, for kickbacks taken when he was brokering government deals; now the current Pakistani president, who took over when Pervez Musharraf was forced to resign) served three years in jail for extortion in the early 1990s, and another eight years beginning in the late 90s on a variety of charges including corruption and conspiracy to commit murder (of Benazir's brother). The New York Times wrote an in-depth report detailing its findings about abuses during the Bhutto administration. Bhutto maintained her claims of innocence until her death. The web of people, allegations, and money is so tangled, and the walls surrounding it so opaque, that probably no one will ever know what really happened.
On the other hand, the film portrays Benazir as a woman trying, and sometimes failing, to make her way in a man's world; even after Bhutto was elected prime minister, she was allegedly shut out of the President-military dyad, leaving her as a figurehead only. (Triads are famously unstable sociological arrangements.
Bhutto returned to Pakistan in October 2007, and was assassinated three months later while leaving a political rally. Accusations and claims of responsibility for her death have been flying ever since.
Bottom line: as per usual where politics is concerned, I'd guess that neither side in this debate is entirely right or entirely wrong. The movie is interesting within its limited scope, but there's a huge part of this complicated story that was left out.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
What I Watched -- Crazy Heart
Enter Crazy Heart. The movie, based on a 1987 book by Thomas Cobb, has at its core a grizzled and bitter old country singer who's a stereotype in every sense: Bad Blake is a washed-up-in-bourbon has-been who's lost his lyrical magic and most of his fans. He drives himself from gig to gig in his beater of a truck, and even finds himself the opening act for his former protegee Tommy Sweet, played by Colin Farrell.
Maggie Gyllenhaal plays Jean, a single mom and aspiring journalist who scores (pun intended) an interview with Bridges' Bad Blake. Gyllenhaal's characters seem to shine when they are, perhaps against their better judgment, entangled with a tangled male lead; witness Stranger Than Fiction, and even The Dark Knight and Secretary, in their own ways. In Crazy Heart, Gyllenhaal plays Jean in the conflicted way you might really imagine a single mom - she loves this man, but knows that his drinking and lifestyle aren't for her and her son. Yes, she's a stereotype too.
But somehow, stereotypes and all, this movie works. Bridges and Gyllenhaal are superbly convincing in their portrayals, and the music is sadly perfect.
Bottom line: a talented actor with a well-deserved Oscar + a good supporting cast - stereotypes + great original music = a movie worth watching.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Quote of the Day
Where are the hopes? Where are the dreams?
My Cinderella story scene?
When do you think they'll finally see?
That you're not, not, not gonna get any better,
You won't, won't, won't, you won't get rid of me, never.
Like it or not, even though she's a lot like me,
We're not the same.
And yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm a lot to handle,
You don't know trouble, I'm a hell of a scandal.
Me, I'm a scene, I'm a drama queen,
I'm the best damn thing that your eyes have ever seen.
-- Avril Lavigne, The Best Damn Thing
[I feel like there are going to be questions about this one, so I'll try to head them off at the pass: sure, I suppose I could have made this the song I'm loving today. But I'm not crazy about the whole thing, though I do - against my better judgment - love Avril Lavigne. (Go ahead, judge me.) I like some of the melody of this particular song, and mostly I love the awesomeness that she sees in herself and so unabashedly expresses, despite her flaws. Girls need cheerleaders, even if they come in the form of twenty-somethings still suffering from teen angst with pink streaks in their hair. So there.]
My Cinderella story scene?
When do you think they'll finally see?
That you're not, not, not gonna get any better,
You won't, won't, won't, you won't get rid of me, never.
Like it or not, even though she's a lot like me,
We're not the same.
And yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm a lot to handle,
You don't know trouble, I'm a hell of a scandal.
Me, I'm a scene, I'm a drama queen,
I'm the best damn thing that your eyes have ever seen.
-- Avril Lavigne, The Best Damn Thing
[I feel like there are going to be questions about this one, so I'll try to head them off at the pass: sure, I suppose I could have made this the song I'm loving today. But I'm not crazy about the whole thing, though I do - against my better judgment - love Avril Lavigne. (Go ahead, judge me.) I like some of the melody of this particular song, and mostly I love the awesomeness that she sees in herself and so unabashedly expresses, despite her flaws. Girls need cheerleaders, even if they come in the form of twenty-somethings still suffering from teen angst with pink streaks in their hair. So there.]
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
What I Watched -- Of Gods and Men
It's the story of nine French Roman Catholic monks who've dedicated themselves to God and a small monastery in Algeria, although I don't think the country is ever mentioned in the movie. They live simply and serenely, carrying out their daily tasks with a ritualism and dignity that is to be admired. They have very little, and give virtually all that they have to the Muslim townspeople, who have even less. The monks and villagers live together in peace, despite their ideological differences.
The trouble begins for the monks when Muslim extremists fighting in the Algerian civil war draw closer to their little monastery, bringing intolerance and inspiring fear among the locals. The monks must decide whether to stay or go. If they stay, their lives are at great risk, but they will be there to support their town and answer their calling until the last. If they go, they can carry on their work back home in France, but they'll abandon the villagers to the rebel forces.
Do they make the right choice? I'm still wondering. It takes a good movie to make me do that.
A few comments about the film, rather than the story:
The pace is slow, slow, slow; it's set mostly in a monastery, where everything is calm and deliberate. That slowness and silence increase the tension, because you're constantly expecting something bad to happen to one of the men. And bad things do happen, but not in the way I anticipated. A surprise bonus of the slowness: if you speak even a little French, you can understand some of the movie without having to read the subtitles!
The movie is almost entirely, and probably consciously, politics-free. I'm okay with that, because politics is not my thing. But I'm thinking specifically of the fact that these are French monks living in an African country. Colonization, anyone? Likely that was left out because there's easily enough material on that subject to make an entirely separate movie (or four). There just wasn't time for it in this one, which already runs at 120 minutes.
There are two incredibly powerful scenes. One occurs when the monks are in their chapel at prayer. As a rebel helicopter draws near, they all stand, embracing shoulder-to-shoulder, and begin to sing. The sound of their song is nearly drowned out by the rotor blades, but they remain, together.
The second is a dinner scene. The monks have a simple diet, eating what they grow and cook themselves; one night, Brother Luc brings out wine for them to share. He puts in an audiotape of the theme from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, which is a brilliant soundtrack over which to watch the monk's faces, each one individually as he comes to realize the impact of his decision. The brothers face their enemy and their consciences with strength and resolve. Finally.
Make no mistake, religion features prominently in this movie; it is about monks, after all. However, with the exception of a few villagers' statements about le coran and some lines near the end about the brothers, most of it is not the self righteous, hit-you-over-the-head-with-politics type of religion. It's just that these guys happen to be monks. They pray a lot, they struggle with their faith, they ask God for help, and they do so without being sanctimonious about it. They accept without question or judgment the faiths of others. You learn all you need to know about the brothers' beliefs just by watching their interactions with the local townspeople.
If you're looking for a movie about a strong character, this isn't for you. A few monks stand out as being a bit more developed than the others - Dom Christian (Lambert Wilson), the abbot; Brother Luc (Michael Lonsdale), the doctor; Brother Christophe (Olivier Rabourdin), the conflicted one - but this is really a movie about all of them together, the strength they find in each other, rather than about any of them individually.
Bottom line: be prepared for it, but see it.
And then:
T took me out to dinner after the movie. We went to Fleming's, since it was close to the theater and neither of us had ever been there. We split the Cajun barbecue shrimp as an appetizer, and I had the New Zealand lamb chops (in honor of Dad's recent trip) with chipotle mac and cheese. And for dessert? Key lime pie. Tasty indeed.
We didn't get there until around 9:00, and I was a little surprised, given the hour, to see that the place was packed. By the time we left, it had largely emptied out though. Our server, Todd, was nice, chit-chatty, and has his own business cards. How often do you see that with servers?
Monday, April 4, 2011
What I Watched -- Love & Other Drugs
The comedy is faced-paced and witty, the drama is heavy, and the romance is bewitching, though too much for real life, and of course predictable. Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal have great chemistry as Maggie and Jamie. She's a basketcase sick girl who pushes everyone away. He's a playboy drug rep who's still not quite sure what he's going to make of himself. But they work together, and they somehow manage to hold together this movie that has a lot going on. Lots of characters, lots of subplots, lots of social commentary. It's not all necessary, but it's there, so we have to deal with it.
Bottom line: not intellectually challenging, but good for what it is. One of the better movies of its genre that I've seen in a while.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
What I Watched -- Intimate Strangers
An unassuming woman walks into a psychiatrists office and spills her guts about the problems with her marriage, including a lack of - you guessed it - intimacy. Turns out, though, that he's not a psychiatrist; he's a tax lawyer. Oops, wrong office.
Turns out, that doesn't matter. As she continues to confide in him, a sort of codependence develops. And the whole thing turns into an odd French intellectual porn. Or maybe it's intellectual French porn. I'm not sure. There's no sex, but there's a lot of talking about and thinking about and pining for it. The movie is decidedly and unapologetically and Frenchly sexual, but in sort of an awkward, nerdy way.
Sure, I suppose there's some interesting character development; you see how they change each others' lives. But I've seen more interesting ones.
Bottom line: unless you're into weird French stuff, probably not worth the investment. Read a good book instead of the subtitles.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Kilkenny's
L and I finally managed to get together, after two weeks or so of trying to find a time that would work for both of us. And we had a plan: J. Buck's for drinks! It was opening day for the Cardinals, so I figured there would be lots of revelers, and boy was I disappointed.
Not in the overall lack of people at the bar, but in the mood. Rather than find red-clad baseball fans, I found an overwhelming number of Washington University alumni. Bar closed for a private event. Boo hiss.
We were left to wander the streets of Clayton, and found ourselves at Kilkenny's. And frankly, my Smithwick's was probably just as satisfying as a whiskey sour would have been anyway, so take that, J. Buck's!
Not in the overall lack of people at the bar, but in the mood. Rather than find red-clad baseball fans, I found an overwhelming number of Washington University alumni. Bar closed for a private event. Boo hiss.
We were left to wander the streets of Clayton, and found ourselves at Kilkenny's. And frankly, my Smithwick's was probably just as satisfying as a whiskey sour would have been anyway, so take that, J. Buck's!
Friday, April 1, 2011
What I Watched -- The Last Lions
Yesterday Dad took me to see The Last Lions, and it was fantastic. It's a family drama set in the animal kingdom: the story of a lioness and her cubs struggling to find a home in the Okavango Delta which is ever more pressured due to the disappearing habitat surrounding it. You can watch the preview here (and 10 cents will be donated to big cat conservation in Botswana). "The cubs' lives have been a litany of narrow escapes, a long line of enemies out to get them - a strange way to start life for the kind of the beasts."The film is narrated by Jeremy Irons (who also voiced Scar in The Lion King), whose thick accent brought a certain gravity to the film, though there were a couple lines I thought were a tad overdone. There is a lot of anthropomorphizing, and thought it fits with the footage and really draws you into the story, I wonder if the movie would have been just as powerful without it.
The scenery and camerawork are incredible, the natural soundtrack evocative. The subwoofers in the theater really brought to life the deep, hollow calls of the lions. The overlaid musical tracks aren't bad either.
Beware, however: there are a few scenes that are horrifying to our delicate animal sensibilities.
Bottom line: "Africa is as dispassionate about great victory as it is about loss." That certainly appears to be true. Thankfully, it's not at all true of the film. When can I go back to Africa?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)