Saturday, November 28, 2009

The sitter I secured when family couldn't sit for us for our anniversary was available today after 3. So I groomed and preened starting at 2:45 and sat waiting for an hour. I called her to ask where she was - and then checked email - and then realized I never confirmed her.

God love her, she is coming tomorrow so we can go to dinner.

But I somehow screwed up our anniversary night - one we'd been looking forward to for weeks.

Honey, remember all the talk of flaws when we got engaged over 17 years ago? Love me despite of mine.

Happy Anniversary.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

January Jones and Elisabeth Moss from "Mad Men" iTunes Playlists



Mrs. Draper:

Pearl's Dream by Bat for Lashes
Into the Ocean by Blue October
Quelqu'un m'a dit by Carla Bruni (because Jackie didn't record)
Lullaby by The Cure
Cumulus by Imogen Heap
Crabbuckit by K-OS (!!!!!! Love K-OS)
This Woman's Work by Maxwell Now
Quiet Dog by Mos Def (John Slattery also had a Mos Def song)
Father and Daughter by Paul Simon (shout-out for the character?)
Roads by Portishead
Climbing Up the Walls by Radiohead
Break It Down Again by Tears for Fears (WHY NOT?)
Ramalama (Bang Bang) by Róisín Murphy
Wildflowers by Tom Petty (Damn Betty! Love you right back)




Peggy:

Come Fly With Me by Frank Sinatra
The Golden Age by Beck
Hoppípolla by Sigur Rós
Cybele's Reverie by Stereolab
Heavy Metal Drummer by Wilco (my children's favorite Wilco song)
When You Wish Upon a Star (From "Pinocchio") by Cliff Edwards & Disney Studio Chorus
Inside the Golden Egg by El Perro del Mar
Story Board by The Album Leaf
Sing, Sing, Sing (1987 Remastered) by Benny Goodman
On and On and On by Wilco (She seems like so much more than just a Wilco Girl)
All Alright by Sigur Rós (She says they are her favorite band.)
Black Flowers by Yo La Tengo (Good Lord! I need to have these women for dinner!)

There's no way that Joan/Christina Hendricks can top these unless she goes in some very base, punk direction. I'm envisioning X with Dead Kennedys and The Clash.

Monday, November 16, 2009

I'm still sick.

But back at work, etc. and hopeful that I will get better.

To try and combat the sick, we went to see "Where the Wild Things Are" with the family. My son, who hates matinees (and why not? Why waste daylight? Who cares about the financial aspect? They are kind of depressing, matinees), didn't want to go. Nor did I: I thought I would be a sobbing mess over this thing that was all Spike Jonz and Arcade Fire and Max running away from home.

Not so much. I was completely unmoved. Now, my husband, Child of Divorce, was affected. I can certainly see why this is a film that might appeal to someone who, in the 70s, was dealing with a family breakup. For me, however, there was nothing affecting at all! I did love the crazy fauna-sculpture that the beasts create for Max, and I thought Max, the actor (his name is Max) was terrific. Not since Sally Draper's breakdown over Grandpa Gene have I been so impressed with a child actor.

No Arcade Fire, however! Only Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, who are a perfectly respectable but not kid-friendly band. The colors were "not like the book" according to my 11 year-old, and none of us cried. Sorry, Spike - at least two of us cry at movies. My husband may or may not have cried at "The Game Plan" with The Rock. And I was dubbed "Cries at Movies" during an early-90s screening of "Dances With Wolves". WHERE WAS MY CRY?

I think it was a matter of 1. figuring out the too-cool-for-school Dave Eggers plot conceits too early on (the beasts are Max's people in his world, his mom is trying and he finds out how hard her job is, she can protect him so much but he's out in the world now) (oh and PLEASE on the birth imagery - I actually laughed out loud at the blatant rebirth scene) and 2. the fact that the beasts were totally whiney and unappealing. They had fun for about a minute. The wild rumpus was promising and then....stopped. No joy, nothing. I was not awed. And I was really, really wanting to be.

We're holding out hope for "Fantastic Mr. Fox". Come on, Wes....move me!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Well THAT Sucked

Sick. Broken arm. Minor procedure. Sick kid.

Co-pays:

$350 for the arm
$60 for the procedure
$150 for my sick
$25 for kid sick

Missed a major middle school field trip, big meeting, Sunday services (and thus, some paycheck fluff), school, and being a helpful wife/mom.

It was probably H1N1 but NO ONE WILL TELL US FOR SURE.

On the mend, trying not to be too crabby.

Now to address the rash. And to hope the other two don't fall ill.

Monday, November 02, 2009

Quick pop-culture check-in:

MUSIC: NEW ARCADE FIRE???? Also, Spike Jonze was inpsired fully by their album "Funeral" when he made "Where the Wild Things Are". Somehow, just by watching the trailer, I could feel the influence of the music.

LIVE MUSIC: A free sitter coincided with a local band, Lost in the Trees (I featured them on my sidebar not too long ago), collaborating with Daniel Bernard Romain who is a...jazz/funk/fusion violinist? Anyway - great locale, tasty drinks, and pretty, soaring stuff.

WORK MUSIC: Ah, Mozart's Requiem. Fire, confounding the righteous, eternal, perpetual light...it's got it all, mostly in minor keys! What's not to love?

FILM: We finally rented, on many people's recommendation, "Happy-Go-Lucky" (thanks Lynn). And...I loved it. I kept waiting for something bad to happen. One of my friends admitted that she even googled the plot mid-movie to make sure there was not going to be a horrible death. But no, the movie is about someone who tries to stay happy. Who is positive. Who keeps her chin up. Who is maybe in serious back pain, in danger from a stalker, is unlucky in love, is witness to child abuse...and it looks like she'll be ok. She may even find more happiness...there might be newer, happier things coming down the pike! Everything and nothing happens and there is fine acting and beautiful shots of dear London (especially Camden Lock). Thank you Mike Leigh.

BOOKS: I need glasses real bad. Still, I'm reading "Girl With a Dragon Tattoo" and getting into it! Sweden! Who knew???

CABLE: We saw the new BBC version of "A Room With a View." Um, no. No, Andrew Davies, you may not f*ck around with E.M. Forster that way and make him all Ian McEwany!!

MORE CABLE: We've made our children "Top Chef" addicts. Not. good. Still, if Robin doesn't go home this week, I'll...I'll...oh, I'll keep watching.

AND...MORE CABLE: Ok people, I tried. I tried to watch "The Tudors". Jonathan Rhys-Meyers has nice lips, there's a lot of boobage, JEREMY NORTHAM for God's sake....but yeah no. If anything, the opening sequence would do me in every night we put in the DVD. It reminded me far too much of a far better period piece, and not in a good way.


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