Most of what I am doing is pretty boring these days - boring for me but INCREDIBLY FUN AND DYNAMIC for the children. So I'm trying to spice up the end-of-year party planning and transfer ironing-on and field day volunteer scheduling with some Kulture.

We saw the gay cowboy movie. And I was gratified that in the behind-the-scenes extras, Jake Gyllenhal actually mentions the words "gay" and "cowboy". I loved the film, I cried a few extra tears than my usual amount just to honor its historic contribution to American cinema. I especially loved Heath - he had me at his first muffled "hullo".

I re-read the short story, too. Many, many years have gone by since I first read it and I had forgotten a lot about it. Turns out that the movie is beyond faithful to the story. Who knew. I loved that they were able to film images that are sooooo Annie Proulx (like the sheep herd heading over the mountain like a stream of dirty water) in "Brokeback Mountain".

I'm way into Flannery O'C. for my book club. As it turns out, we'll be attending our first bris the night of book club, and I should totally skip out, but I think I can get there late to lecture all the ladies on what I find the finest writing anywhere. Sheesh. That woman puts down prose like a house afire.

And finally, I took a guitar lesson, a birthday gift from back in March. This was big fun, and completely confusing, but inspiring, and I have a little announcement, and that would be to Madonna.

Madonna: I have always envied you many things, the least of which is your ability to play a bar chord. I understand that you had a staff of twelve gay guitarists who taught you this skill, but deep down I just thought you were stronger and had longer fingers than me, you know, because of the yoga and Pilates and stuff. But Madonna, guess what - I played a bar chord today! I played LOTS of them! And it hurt, but not quite as badly as I thought! And I plan to play more of them. I even bought another capo (my "Lourdes" and "Rocco" destroyed my other one) so I could continue on with the whole fretting and transposing thing.

I hope to learn something from your cannon, perhaps "La Isla Bonita". Thank you much - Belle