Seeking out some newish music to share with you today, I tried and failed to love singles by Joanna Newsom, Beach House, Dan Deacon, xx, and even my old standby Spoon (the new album has not wowed me. Wow.). Then I heard this song, and decided that my love of it is directly related to the view outside my window: mud, muddy snow, pouring rain, bits of sleet, and also, mud.
ROCK ON M-Fs!

snOMG

Snow '10 report:

Day 1: Children dressed and ready to go by 7 a.m. (it was a Saturday) Much sledding in the what was actually sleet. I tended to my dentist, who injured her hand, a kid whose parents were at the top of the hill socializing whilst he hit a fire hydrant, and to various wild child confrontations. I welcomed the limoncello being passed around in a glass jar at that point.

We ate well and slept better, and watched" Iron Man". My husband did a lot of sitting around reading Blake, as he is wont to do.

Day 2: Church was NOT canceled. I slept in at least, but then we ventured out. This was more than I could take, apparently, as I then had to nap. Long walk in the slush, more sledding, fire FAIL (so unusual for me! I am such a good fire builder. I am devastated). Forewent the Grammys in order to watch Masterpiece's "Emma".

Day 3: Ventured to friend's house where we had non-instant cocoa (my children will never, ever let me serve instant again), chili for the 3rd time (white bean, a nice change of pace), and some killer-ass sledding that actually was scary and a bit painful. Still. Attempted to build a snowman. Friend found tiramasu in her fridge and pulled it out. My children were instantly transformed. What is this dark magic, they asked. They have talked of little else since.

Day 3 is ending with a question of whether or not schools will open tomorrow. At this point our Spring Break is in jeopardy. I still like my family, but a rigid schedule and actually driving at this point would be welcome.

AT LEAST WE HAVE POWER.

Now to go put a blow dryer to my firewood. I will succeed tonight!

The Only Thing I Saw (But It was Enough)

Reading: The Elegance of the Hedgehog, and Lady Chatterly's Lover. (D.H. Lawrence does not seem to be all that, but apparently this is not his best work)

Watching: 30 Rock - at long last! What a brilliant half-hour. Also, Two Lovers (Joaquin, stick with acting! You are astounding!) and Monsters v. Aliens, which was good old-fashioned non-Pixar fun (i.e., I did not cry).

Listening: Coconut Records, the new Spoon ( you all know I love the Spoon), old Vic Chesnutt, natch, and this, over and over and over again:

Sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry in advance. I don't want to bum you all out anymore than I know you already are - but the home supported by the church where I work and am a member supports the St. Joseph's Home for Boys as I've said. These pictures were perhaps more elucidating for me than any:

Before.


After.

Our emergency response team leaves in early March to help with the boys, then another team will go in June to help rebuild. My friend's dad leaves Monday to work triage. Go, with peace and blessings.

Richard Morse, musician and hotel owner in Haiti's tweets are astounding and perhaps life-saving at this point.

The Times Twitter list.

Google Earth imagery of the disaster.

Régine from Arcade Fire is Haitian. Their web site has constant updates and ways to help.

Locally:

MERCI center

Stop Hunger Now

Hearts With Haiti (My boss and a team from the church where I work and am a member will be heading to Haiti within 6 weeks to the St. Joseph's boys ((no longer the "home for boys")) so I can update anyone interested in sending SUPPLIES at that time - money is basically useless at this point)

Hearts and Hands for Haiti (my friend and co-worker left with a group from this mission at 2 p.m. Tuesday. TWO P.M. She was very close to...what...I don't know. She's in shock right now.)

I Found Vic Chesnutt's Postcard, So More Whilst For You

(But my scanner is not hooked up to the WiFi or whatever - so it will be posted later)

"Read my lips" -- this commercial basially made my Christmas season.



Hilarious commentary at Don't Do Dumb Things. (dot com). A highlight:

"Seriously? They’re spending Christmas together, they’re blissfully in love and he doesn’t know how to do sign language? What are they going to do for the rest of the day?"

Twenty Ten

Happy Birthday Mr. Stipe!


















Welcome home, Obamas! We think all of your activities in Hawai'i were lovely. Sorry about the mess upon your return.

Congratulations, Tim Tebow! I am totally obsessed with you. My young son does not share my obsession, though he praised my attention span whilst watching your entire game versus Cincinatti...especially since you buried them. Ephesians 4:11 indeed!!! Or whatever verse was on your eye paint for the bowl game...I wasn't looking too closely at your eyes....




Rest in peace, Vic Chesnutt. Oh, this is the saddest loss of 2009 for me. I met him once, in Chapel Hill, following a riveting concert. A concert where, instead of a "thank you and goodnight!" the audience heard upon his exit a "I gotta take a dump". But that was Mr. Chesnutt. I had THE FLU. But I still went to see him - and thank goodness. He was so nice, so excited that a couple of Maconites had ventured out to see him with THE FLU even. He had written me a postcard after I sent him a complimentary letter about one of his songs. I have temporarily misplaced this postcard, and will not post again until I find it. It had a self-portrait of him on it. He was amazing. His death reminds me that quality, affordable health care for all is not a reality. Yet. His life and music remind me of my past, my family, my South, my own mind.

From Boingboing.net

Longest Night

Facts on the Winter Solstice from National Geographic.

Ten Favorite Secular Christmas Songs

1. And So This is Christmas (War is Over) by John Lennon
2. Feed the World (Don't you love it too? It came out my senior year in high school)
3. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by U2
4. What Christmas Means to Me by Stevie Wonder
5. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, especially by Judy Garland
6. Carol of the Bells by the Bird and the Bee (a newish song that I adore)
7. The Nutcracker Suite by Duke Ellington
8. Anything Wynton Marsalis Puts Out that is Christmasy
9. I'll Be Home for Christmas by Tony Bennett
10. Santa Please by Ella Fitzgerald *

*I teach, pro bono, for a non-profit preschool for low-income children. This is a cause very near and dear to my heart, and the children head to Kindergarten next year....with a wonderful, intensive preschool experience under their belts, that was FREE. Talk to me privately if you are interested in more information. One of the students is not as engaged and easy to love as the others, but he has become obsessed with Ella's version of this song. The teachers had him call my answering machine and sing it to me this week. I can't really comment except to say if someone knows how to preserve this somehow...FOREVER....I would want to know how to do that.



P.S. Lots of my favorite religious songs are sung by popular musicians - but I didn't list those. Do check out Gladys Night & the Pips RIDUNCULOUS version of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" and of course Sufjan Stevens' Christmas music is pretty much unparalleled. I like Sarah McLachlan's version of "Silent Night" a lot - I guess it was inspired by Sinéad O'Connor, but it somehow transcends The Bald One. "Greensleeves" is perhaps secular, and Vince Guaraldi's version is lovely...but it could be called "What Child Is This?". And my erstwhile favorite band Pedro the Lion has a sweet "I Heard the Bells" out there...they are a closet Christian band, like Sufjan.

Ten Favorite Carols

I really don't have time to do this, but I want to stay seasonally connected to you, the Internet. Maybe tomorrow I'll do my favorite secular tunes....especially if we have a much-touted snow event!!!!

1. Lo, How a Rose Ere Blooming
2. The Coventry Carol
3. Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella
4. While Shepherds Watched
5. The Angel Gabriel
6. Away in a Manger (KIRKPATRICK melody)
7. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
8. I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In
9. Gesu Bambino
10. Angels from the Realms of Glory

Online & On Fire

Mad Men Illustrated Flickr set - c'est magnifique!

An anti-mommy blogger web site - quel damage!

A highly recommended gardening web site - c'est géniale!

Belle du Jour is no longer anonymous! I hope to find time to read the details after the holidays - mystérieux!


I got invited to Google Wave! Who else? C'est bon!

Via Lots of Folks, Including My Friend From College, Jerry

Gone Away Is the Bluebird

Things I love right now are:

Our Advent calendars - three of them - one a magnet on the fridge, one a Westminster Abbey cutout from our London peeps, and one of the classic chocolate calendars with a coloring page on back. The children are sharing nicely.

Method holiday soaps. Just the right colors and festive smells.

Also, Mrs. Meyers Clean Day holiday scent - on sale at you-know-where this week.

Wynton Marsalis' new Christmas album. His first one has been a household staple here for lo these many moons. We met him on our first anniversary, you know.


White fudge-covered Oreos. I was able to withstand temptation for the last three or four years but with the war and the economy and Tiger Woods and everything, a girl's got to have some treats. Also on sale at my home away from home.

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.

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.

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!

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.