I'm posting on an iPad, in the Apple store. Days after Apple announced that the iPhone 4 kinda doesn't work right. But. There must be 50+ people here, including children. Very tech-savvy children who are turning iPads upside down, tapping on iPod Touches, and navigating giant monitors. Elvis Costello is playing but I can only tell from the bass line. It is loud in here.
Everyone seems happy and productive.
We are in training to learn to use iMovie better. And i won't lie - the minute I find a "genius" who isn't closing on a multiple-thousand dollar sale (it could be a while), I'm going to ask if they can get my iPhone case off for me. The new case protects the big crack in my year-old iPhone.
If this place isn't a church, I'm not sure what is.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
I made a decision recently. Why? I'm not sure. I did finish the profane, sometimes funny, and ultimately unsuccessful book "Julie & Julia". Maybe Julie Powell's book influenced me? Maybe Nansch and her cooking experiments at Remlerville helped? Maybe being in my 40s? My decision is to embrace the cooking. The cooking that must be done all the time for not only my family, but for the bereaved and the celebrating within my social circle. So what if my stove only has two working burners! So what if my oven was built circa 1959? I can take my time, go to the store without the children (a new and wonderful development!), watch a little Bravo, and enjoy the cooking.
I tried last night with fish tacos.
Fish Tacos a la Whilst
Marinate two large fillets, cut into chunks, in:
olive oil, the sauce from peppers in adobo, a chopped jalepeño slice, cilantro, cumin, and oregano, whisked together
Dredge the filets in meal or flour
Pan fry in a bit of oil
Serve with:
whole wheat tortillas
chopped tomatoes
chopped cilantro
sour cream with lime juice whisked in
guacamole or chopped avacado
And don't forget the cheeps and salsa.
I made that last night whilst everyone was outside rip sticking or whatever, and drinking a vodka martini (because OH MY GOD they had Russian Standard in Atlanta!! Will it come here? Has it come here??? Well, I imported my own from Georgia.) We sat down with candles and some vihno verde - thanks for turning me onto that tasty summer treat, Carole!
It was a good summer night. I did NOT do the dishes.
I tried last night with fish tacos.
Fish Tacos a la Whilst
Marinate two large fillets, cut into chunks, in:
olive oil, the sauce from peppers in adobo, a chopped jalepeño slice, cilantro, cumin, and oregano, whisked together
Dredge the filets in meal or flour
Pan fry in a bit of oil
Serve with:
whole wheat tortillas
chopped tomatoes
chopped cilantro
sour cream with lime juice whisked in
guacamole or chopped avacado
And don't forget the cheeps and salsa.
I made that last night whilst everyone was outside rip sticking or whatever, and drinking a vodka martini (because OH MY GOD they had Russian Standard in Atlanta!! Will it come here? Has it come here??? Well, I imported my own from Georgia.) We sat down with candles and some vihno verde - thanks for turning me onto that tasty summer treat, Carole!
It was a good summer night. I did NOT do the dishes.
Friday, July 09, 2010
Why I Love Twitter
Most people dismiss Twitter by saying, "I don't have time for that." Well, I'll tell you what I don't have time for -- reading all of the news, or watching CNN, or actually turning on ESPN to see where LeBron goes on a book club Thursday night. Instead, I open up twitter.com and read CNN Breaking News, @cnnbrk. Or I get a Haiti update from musician Richard Morse, @RAMHaiti. @SarahKSilverman and @ruthbourdain (an amalgam of Anthony Bourdain and Ruth Reichl that pokes fun at foodie culture) never fail to make me gasp at their obscenities. (And then I laugh my head off.) I love my Raleigh tweeps - @jetmars, @pinkpodster, @jrr4 among them, and I keep up with the Triangle culture and music scene almost solely through Twitter since I work Sundays (thus too sleepy to go out on Saturday nights) and raise children (thus too sleepy to go out on Friday nights). @_CCDs is my beloved Carolina Chocolate Drops' chronicle of their climb to fame and fortune, @BUSYBEECAFE always sounds so hip, young and fun, and @AmerDanceFest is enlightening.
I can even keep up with friends who live far away and have world-tripping, fabulous careers!
My own Twitter missives (you can read them in the sidebar) are mostly relevant to me and me alone. I love to "re-tweet" stuff I find interesting and I especially love when someone replies to me. I like to think of myself as a local Raleigh promoter/observer of culture/mommy Tweeter.
And yes, since you asked, writing 140 characters is a hell of a lot easier than writing a blog post!
I can even keep up with friends who live far away and have world-tripping, fabulous careers!
My own Twitter missives (you can read them in the sidebar) are mostly relevant to me and me alone. I love to "re-tweet" stuff I find interesting and I especially love when someone replies to me. I like to think of myself as a local Raleigh promoter/observer of culture/mommy Tweeter.
And yes, since you asked, writing 140 characters is a hell of a lot easier than writing a blog post!
Thursday, July 01, 2010
July
Ooops, didn't make it under the wire to enter in another "nice thing" post in June. Suffice to say, I'm looking forward to a quieter few weeks than the past ones. I'm currently in my nightsuit (a family word), drinking cuppa coffee #3, done with the paper, done with the dishes and doing laundry, and planning our next....
CAR PURCHASE.
Alas.
So we lost a car in the great ice storm of ought-two, then the replacement car we got for that was faulty and has died this week (or, rather, could be resusciatated to the tune of four grand), at some point our beloved 13 y.old Mazda went South, and now we have a used car with 60K and the aforementioned illin' minivan.
Bad car luck.
Shopping has been quick and dirty. Test driving with opinionated children is somewhat hilarious. "Mom, is this the V-6? I think the headroom is not that great, look at Daddy's hair sticking to the roof! Mommy, you want a black car, just like your first car after college!" Finding a car that has great MPG and is affordable is just plain dirty. But I will say car shopping has meant some soul-searching, and I've discovered some truths about our little clan.
First, my daughter will be driving in four years!! FOUR! That's not that far away! Secondly, we do have serious environmental concerns. I actually walked away from a car that would have suited us yesterday due to fuel economy. Third, my husband is a tightwad. Love you honey! Fourthly, we are social people. The car we all liked the best is probably not going to work - because it cannot do the jobs of: carting around my parents when they are in town, carrying our baby cousins + the big kids, carpooling to school and sports, or carrying our bikes if we want to ride the greenway.
We carpool enough that I think it warrants the bigger vehicle, and we also feel like for four years (until daughter is driving) we can justify another minivan/crossover or SUV (as long as it gets decent MPG). Our 2nd car is small and very fuel-efficient, and we will take it on long trips just as frequently as the new car.
Our latest idea is a car that is not a minvan but actually gets better gas mileage than "ole Bessy", and will be a great people hauler for me during the week and a great sports-activity transporter on the weekends. It's not a hybrid - we couldn't afford it - but I'm going to strive to drive as little as possible whilst raising these crazy kiddos and do what I can elsewhere to offset my carbon shoe size.
There, have I justified myself? I'm a suburban mom...it's time I admitted it. And that's a title I'm glad to have. Thoughts/comments welcome!
CAR PURCHASE.
Alas.
So we lost a car in the great ice storm of ought-two, then the replacement car we got for that was faulty and has died this week (or, rather, could be resusciatated to the tune of four grand), at some point our beloved 13 y.old Mazda went South, and now we have a used car with 60K and the aforementioned illin' minivan.
Bad car luck.
Shopping has been quick and dirty. Test driving with opinionated children is somewhat hilarious. "Mom, is this the V-6? I think the headroom is not that great, look at Daddy's hair sticking to the roof! Mommy, you want a black car, just like your first car after college!" Finding a car that has great MPG and is affordable is just plain dirty. But I will say car shopping has meant some soul-searching, and I've discovered some truths about our little clan.
First, my daughter will be driving in four years!! FOUR! That's not that far away! Secondly, we do have serious environmental concerns. I actually walked away from a car that would have suited us yesterday due to fuel economy. Third, my husband is a tightwad. Love you honey! Fourthly, we are social people. The car we all liked the best is probably not going to work - because it cannot do the jobs of: carting around my parents when they are in town, carrying our baby cousins + the big kids, carpooling to school and sports, or carrying our bikes if we want to ride the greenway.
We carpool enough that I think it warrants the bigger vehicle, and we also feel like for four years (until daughter is driving) we can justify another minivan/crossover or SUV (as long as it gets decent MPG). Our 2nd car is small and very fuel-efficient, and we will take it on long trips just as frequently as the new car.
Our latest idea is a car that is not a minvan but actually gets better gas mileage than "ole Bessy", and will be a great people hauler for me during the week and a great sports-activity transporter on the weekends. It's not a hybrid - we couldn't afford it - but I'm going to strive to drive as little as possible whilst raising these crazy kiddos and do what I can elsewhere to offset my carbon shoe size.
There, have I justified myself? I'm a suburban mom...it's time I admitted it. And that's a title I'm glad to have. Thoughts/comments welcome!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Summer Movies
Ok, ok, I haven't seen any of the new releases, save Shrek The Fourth or whatever it's called (which I loved, natch, because of the cat). But I have seen a bunch o' movies in the last couple of weeks. We've had early mornings and busy days so I keep falling asleep. Thus, many of these were seen over a couple of days. But I get 'er done.
Zombieland was recommended by a good friend who said she guffawed through the whole thing. Friend, you are a bit twisted. But so am I. It IS funny...it's just GROSS. Vile, disgusting...but the kid in it is going to be a major star. And congrats to Woody Harrelson for making a wonderful life from a walk-on guest starring role in a tv series.
Los Secretos de Sus Ojos won the Best Foreign Language Oscar. It was good, if not transparent...i.e. I felt as though I could read the filmmaker's thoughts. There were beautiful moments and huge human truths...all thanks to great acting. My husband kept comparing it to Almodóvar...but I think a better comparison would be with some other noirish director, like Taylor Hackford.
Invictus is what I'm going to call a family movie. For my two, old enough to deal and curious enough about the world to be interested, (not to mention their sports-fanaticism) this was a great choice. Also? MATT DAMON. I loved it...I think Clint Eastwood has great tricks for subtle exposition. The story is much bigger than the rugby matches shown, and I think the film did a respectable job of highlighting apartheid's horrors while showing the - gradual - improvements in South Africa. For a harsher view of apartheid, see: District 9.
Breathless was part of my annual desire to become more well-versed in film (see: the great Fellini experiment of ought-eight). It's outstanding! I like the strange pacing, the whole look of it, and the freshness. Yes, it still seems fresh lo these many years later. I know just about nothing about Truffaut or Godard, but I can see that this was vanguard filmmaking in its day. We'll be exploring more. By the way, we were able to see this on the Wii! You can stream movies, if you didn't know, through a Wii with a Netflix account. Since my children don't play the Wii all that much it works for us...the picture quality is not stellar but I hear they are working on it.
An Education was not my cuppa. Well, yes it was - it evoked the time period in which it was set quite fully (see: Mad Men; Friday Night Lights). And I'm not immune to the pleasures of Peter Sarsgaard. However, the characters were basically despicable and the plot was predictable. Am I the only one who felt this way? (oh, I guess not.) Maybe it's all Nick Hornby's fault. And what's with the dumb blonde? That was ridiculous.
Shattered Glass was a movie I knew nothing about - but again with the Peter Sarsgaard! This was a well-told tale and a fascinating one to boot. Mindless summer fun with just enough injustice to make you distrust the media. I was especially loving the interactions between the journalist Stephen Glass and his work colleagues. Office politics at the most smarmy and needy!! Recommended for your viewing enjoyment.
Next up: we're going to let the children see Avatar, we're going to go sob through Toy Story 3, and my pre-teen has requested to see The Notebook. (God help us all.)
Zombieland was recommended by a good friend who said she guffawed through the whole thing. Friend, you are a bit twisted. But so am I. It IS funny...it's just GROSS. Vile, disgusting...but the kid in it is going to be a major star. And congrats to Woody Harrelson for making a wonderful life from a walk-on guest starring role in a tv series.
Los Secretos de Sus Ojos won the Best Foreign Language Oscar. It was good, if not transparent...i.e. I felt as though I could read the filmmaker's thoughts. There were beautiful moments and huge human truths...all thanks to great acting. My husband kept comparing it to Almodóvar...but I think a better comparison would be with some other noirish director, like Taylor Hackford.
Invictus is what I'm going to call a family movie. For my two, old enough to deal and curious enough about the world to be interested, (not to mention their sports-fanaticism) this was a great choice. Also? MATT DAMON. I loved it...I think Clint Eastwood has great tricks for subtle exposition. The story is much bigger than the rugby matches shown, and I think the film did a respectable job of highlighting apartheid's horrors while showing the - gradual - improvements in South Africa. For a harsher view of apartheid, see: District 9.
Breathless was part of my annual desire to become more well-versed in film (see: the great Fellini experiment of ought-eight). It's outstanding! I like the strange pacing, the whole look of it, and the freshness. Yes, it still seems fresh lo these many years later. I know just about nothing about Truffaut or Godard, but I can see that this was vanguard filmmaking in its day. We'll be exploring more. By the way, we were able to see this on the Wii! You can stream movies, if you didn't know, through a Wii with a Netflix account. Since my children don't play the Wii all that much it works for us...the picture quality is not stellar but I hear they are working on it.
An Education was not my cuppa. Well, yes it was - it evoked the time period in which it was set quite fully (see: Mad Men; Friday Night Lights). And I'm not immune to the pleasures of Peter Sarsgaard. However, the characters were basically despicable and the plot was predictable. Am I the only one who felt this way? (oh, I guess not.) Maybe it's all Nick Hornby's fault. And what's with the dumb blonde? That was ridiculous.
Shattered Glass was a movie I knew nothing about - but again with the Peter Sarsgaard! This was a well-told tale and a fascinating one to boot. Mindless summer fun with just enough injustice to make you distrust the media. I was especially loving the interactions between the journalist Stephen Glass and his work colleagues. Office politics at the most smarmy and needy!! Recommended for your viewing enjoyment.
Next up: we're going to let the children see Avatar, we're going to go sob through Toy Story 3, and my pre-teen has requested to see The Notebook. (God help us all.)
Monday, June 21, 2010
Things That Made Me Laugh This Week
They will make you laugh, too:
Comic Sans essay on McSweeney's (NSFW in terms of profanity, but SFW in terms of hilarity.)
Colbert's Word: PR-mageddon. The only way to laugh at the oil spill.
The Onion (which is just overall generally very much something that makes me laugh) on the NCAA conference realignment.
This (loved mainly for Marion Cotillard) (moderately NSFW):
Comic Sans essay on McSweeney's (NSFW in terms of profanity, but SFW in terms of hilarity.)
Colbert's Word: PR-mageddon. The only way to laugh at the oil spill.
The Onion (which is just overall generally very much something that makes me laugh) on the NCAA conference realignment.
This (loved mainly for Marion Cotillard) (moderately NSFW):
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Hot
How to beat this heat? Well, there's no beating it. I remember sitting on a porch for over an hour in my childhood, rocking or bouncing in a wrought iron chair, and realizing it was safer to sit there than to play. I remember lifeguarding all day under an umbrella and seeing the bank thermometer read 104 at 4 p.m., then jumping straight into the pool at 5. I remember passing out after softball games in Savannah, revived with Gatorade (I love it to this day), bananas, and a mint-alcohol rub down.
This heat, really, after all that, is just not that bad.
But we've been hot for sure. Here are some of the things my family has done in a muggy June week:
1. Frozen our tubes of yogurt for a quick snack right out of the freezer.
2. Filled empty Gatorade bottles with water and frozen them to take in coolers when we go out and about.
3.Went to the new North Carolina Museum of Art and enjoyed the cool, then jumped in the fountains (where, by the way, one kid got a hell of a cut on his knee - friends don't let friends wear Crocs!)
4. Rented an Alfred Hitchcock movie. We went with North by Northwest as recommended by this site.
5. Pool time at our friends' delightful, landscaped backyard getaway and at our pool club. I took watermelon and cantaloupe balls in a cooler, and cucumber sandwiches with hummus spread. The children were noshing maniacs when they weren't flipping, diving, and throwing the ball.
6. Went to the mall to check out the Lego store, eat an international meal at the food court, and play with iPads.
7. Drove to the beach for a quicky trip, rode in the waves, ate shrimp, and fished in the surf.
8. Did a yoga tape in our arctic den. We used throw blankets for yoga mats.
9. Made banana blueberry ice cream - kinda sorta low fat - very tasty! Low fat sweetened condensed milk, 1 quart half and half, smushed banana, and I added blueberries at the very end of the freezing process.
10. Currently? We are lying around, reading, singing, and playing online Scrabble.
This heat, really, after all that, is just not that bad.
But we've been hot for sure. Here are some of the things my family has done in a muggy June week:
1. Frozen our tubes of yogurt for a quick snack right out of the freezer.
2. Filled empty Gatorade bottles with water and frozen them to take in coolers when we go out and about.
3.Went to the new North Carolina Museum of Art and enjoyed the cool, then jumped in the fountains (where, by the way, one kid got a hell of a cut on his knee - friends don't let friends wear Crocs!)
4. Rented an Alfred Hitchcock movie. We went with North by Northwest as recommended by this site.
5. Pool time at our friends' delightful, landscaped backyard getaway and at our pool club. I took watermelon and cantaloupe balls in a cooler, and cucumber sandwiches with hummus spread. The children were noshing maniacs when they weren't flipping, diving, and throwing the ball.
6. Went to the mall to check out the Lego store, eat an international meal at the food court, and play with iPads.
7. Drove to the beach for a quicky trip, rode in the waves, ate shrimp, and fished in the surf.
8. Did a yoga tape in our arctic den. We used throw blankets for yoga mats.
9. Made banana blueberry ice cream - kinda sorta low fat - very tasty! Low fat sweetened condensed milk, 1 quart half and half, smushed banana, and I added blueberries at the very end of the freezing process.
10. Currently? We are lying around, reading, singing, and playing online Scrabble.
Saturday, June 05, 2010
Confession
I've never watched an episode of OPRAH! all the way through. (The only episodes I attempted to watch involved celebrity guests whom I admire.)
I've been very guilty of scanning Internet articles and blogs instead of carefully reading.
But lately, whilst making dinner.....
,,,,,,,
,,,,,,I've been watching Bravo.
Ok, ok, you got me. I'm their DEMOGRAPHIC, right? So why shouldn't I watch? Oh, because it is killing my brain cells. Because I would learn more reading great literature. Because it highlights the worst parts of our culture and society.
True enough!
And yet:
Tabitha! It's so so good. She comes into a hair salon, immediately identifies the good people and the bad people, and then is a complete badass stylist whilst turning a failing business around. I've probably seen three complete shows, and in each one of them, her marketing advice is sound and (supposedly) the business and the bad people mend their ways. Perhaps this show is not so mindless after all.
Then there's the Millionaire Matchmaker.
This one is harder to watch when the children are home, as Patti, the host, encourages her millionaires to "think with (your) penis" and often tells the potential dates to dress more provocatively using words a bit offensive to this pseudo-feminist. A caveat: I quit watching this show once the millionaires select their prey and go on their dates. I'm only in it for Patti.
Which brings us to Padma. Of course I love Top Chef - and this one my whole family can enjoy. New season starts next Wednesday! Padma has given up her cheeseburgers and now has a new baby.
So, you may wonder, what do I think of The Real Housewives? I will admit to watching only the Housewives of New York. Why? I don't know. Probably because, you know, New York! But sheesh these women are annoying and all they do is fight. I tried to watch New Jersey but again: New Jersey. I like the Countess best of the Manhattanites.
Bravo!
I've been very guilty of scanning Internet articles and blogs instead of carefully reading.
But lately, whilst making dinner.....
,,,,,,,
,,,,,,I've been watching Bravo.
Ok, ok, you got me. I'm their DEMOGRAPHIC, right? So why shouldn't I watch? Oh, because it is killing my brain cells. Because I would learn more reading great literature. Because it highlights the worst parts of our culture and society.
True enough!
And yet:
Tabitha! It's so so good. She comes into a hair salon, immediately identifies the good people and the bad people, and then is a complete badass stylist whilst turning a failing business around. I've probably seen three complete shows, and in each one of them, her marketing advice is sound and (supposedly) the business and the bad people mend their ways. Perhaps this show is not so mindless after all.
Then there's the Millionaire Matchmaker.
This one is harder to watch when the children are home, as Patti, the host, encourages her millionaires to "think with (your) penis" and often tells the potential dates to dress more provocatively using words a bit offensive to this pseudo-feminist. A caveat: I quit watching this show once the millionaires select their prey and go on their dates. I'm only in it for Patti.
Which brings us to Padma. Of course I love Top Chef - and this one my whole family can enjoy. New season starts next Wednesday! Padma has given up her cheeseburgers and now has a new baby.
So, you may wonder, what do I think of The Real Housewives? I will admit to watching only the Housewives of New York. Why? I don't know. Probably because, you know, New York! But sheesh these women are annoying and all they do is fight. I tried to watch New Jersey but again: New Jersey. I like the Countess best of the Manhattanites.
Bravo!
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Hello June!
June has brought with it a hell of a lot of rain...and thus, many events canceled or postponed, and we haven't gotten to the pool much (oh BOO HOO...Wahhhh!). June has brought a new family member to love - a tiny, sweet precious infant. I shall not rest until I get my hands on said infant...we visit in a few weeks. June means that I made it through Memorial Day weekend in a house full of family with no where to go. June is my daughter's birthday month, the end of school, and camp week when my husband and I get three nights alone.
Much to celebrate!
(Don't worry, I'm still crabby. For instance, our lack of planning means we still don't have a family vacation on the books and now we are in a holding pattern due to soccer. Sports parent purgatory!)
But in the spirit of celebration, I'd like to make June a month of blogging happy times. I'm going to find something pleasant to share with you many times in June (notice I am not committing to every day. No, that would require planning!). June is still a work month for me (July is MUCH slower) so why not do a bit of blogging whilst planning an organ mini-recital?
For today's share moment, I bring you Bill Cunningham's On the Street video feature from the Times online. I am not a particularly spiffy dresser, but I do like to try, and I certainly love white clothes, especially shirts. Bill focuses on white and white's relatives in his video. I can't embed, but do click here and enjoy his feature entitled "Bleached".
Also, some pretty white clothes & accessories I've seen about recently:
Holly Aiken iPad Sleeve
Bobble Pearl and flower necklace at Charlotte Russe (via suburbanbliss.net)
Lands' End Hibiscus Batik slimming one-piece (the real title of this suit was really long and hard to remember).
International Concepts at Macy's ruffled, sleeveless, smocked-waist top.
Clarks Salon Joy flip flop (these might hurt your feet, though I do love Clarks' soles - cushy!)
June has brought with it a hell of a lot of rain...and thus, many events canceled or postponed, and we haven't gotten to the pool much (oh BOO HOO...Wahhhh!). June has brought a new family member to love - a tiny, sweet precious infant. I shall not rest until I get my hands on said infant...we visit in a few weeks. June means that I made it through Memorial Day weekend in a house full of family with no where to go. June is my daughter's birthday month, the end of school, and camp week when my husband and I get three nights alone.
Much to celebrate!
(Don't worry, I'm still crabby. For instance, our lack of planning means we still don't have a family vacation on the books and now we are in a holding pattern due to soccer. Sports parent purgatory!)
But in the spirit of celebration, I'd like to make June a month of blogging happy times. I'm going to find something pleasant to share with you many times in June (notice I am not committing to every day. No, that would require planning!). June is still a work month for me (July is MUCH slower) so why not do a bit of blogging whilst planning an organ mini-recital?
For today's share moment, I bring you Bill Cunningham's On the Street video feature from the Times online. I am not a particularly spiffy dresser, but I do like to try, and I certainly love white clothes, especially shirts. Bill focuses on white and white's relatives in his video. I can't embed, but do click here and enjoy his feature entitled "Bleached".
Also, some pretty white clothes & accessories I've seen about recently:
Holly Aiken iPad Sleeve
Bobble Pearl and flower necklace at Charlotte Russe (via suburbanbliss.net)
Lands' End Hibiscus Batik slimming one-piece (the real title of this suit was really long and hard to remember).
International Concepts at Macy's ruffled, sleeveless, smocked-waist top.
Clarks Salon Joy flip flop (these might hurt your feet, though I do love Clarks' soles - cushy!)
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Found.
I am NOT, btw, one of the haters of the Lost finale. Au contraire, mon frere....I found it satisfying, delicious, and deep. I was excited and happy about the action sequences (though not blown away - and maybe a good thing as the show can be more than a little violent), thrilled and moved by the many reunions (Sawliet!), and satisfied with the ending. Indeed, I felt as though the ending was a lot like my own life-view and spirituality. Call me wishy-washy, but I think there is room for many interpretations of the higher power and souls. Room also on our planet many religions, and for the questioning of your own chosen doctrine. Lost seemed to ensure us that such questioning is ok, but that ultimately we are all in this together and have to find a way to get together. Only connect, like E.M. Forster said, or realize your purpose on earth is to help your fellow man, a la George Eliot. Maybe I'll get my husband to explain how Blake and C.S. Lewis fit into the finale.
Ultimately, I feel better now, not only about the show ending but about a lot of things...the ending was cathartic and comforting all at once.
And people, I am talking about a TELEVISION SHOW!
So in order to convince you that I am not insane and that I have a sense of humor, I present:
The Shirtless Men of Lost:
Ultimately, I feel better now, not only about the show ending but about a lot of things...the ending was cathartic and comforting all at once.
And people, I am talking about a TELEVISION SHOW!
So in order to convince you that I am not insane and that I have a sense of humor, I present:
The Shirtless Men of Lost:
Friday, May 21, 2010
Lost.
I feel like I did when the 7th Harry Potter book was out and I was only a few chapters to the end. I wanted it over with, and couldn't push myself to finish it. LOST is ending - AS YOU KNOW (good heavens! The media are on overdrive!).
And yet....the media attention is warranted. What was great about Lost for me was more than stuff you might think - including the fact that I have a personal connection with the cast (one that I'm surely proud of but don't need to crow about on the Internet). What's great about Lost is the emotion of it. There were nights when I got all the heft and weight and feeling of a novel - from one scene! There were episodes that caused me to leave the tv room sobbing, and nights when I left laughing. Sometimes huge connections between characters didn't really absorb me at all, and then the tiniest moments would make me leap from my chair.
What may also be big for me about this show ending is how the past six years have been those of my children's childhood. The childhood they are basically leaving at this point. They hated Lost, because it meant shortened reading time, or no glass of water brought to the bed, or that they would have to sneak downstairs to get our attention. They loved Lost for one big reason, and we've let them see some of it because of that...and someday, we plan to watch all six seasons as a family (that day is NOT at hand, and I'm looking at you, John Locke!).
And now, we have a real-life smoke monster heading toward the Gulf, and we have Jacob versus The Brother in the world and within our government's and school board's halls, and as for the island? I really, really want to go back. I have to go back.
And yet....the media attention is warranted. What was great about Lost for me was more than stuff you might think - including the fact that I have a personal connection with the cast (one that I'm surely proud of but don't need to crow about on the Internet). What's great about Lost is the emotion of it. There were nights when I got all the heft and weight and feeling of a novel - from one scene! There were episodes that caused me to leave the tv room sobbing, and nights when I left laughing. Sometimes huge connections between characters didn't really absorb me at all, and then the tiniest moments would make me leap from my chair.
What may also be big for me about this show ending is how the past six years have been those of my children's childhood. The childhood they are basically leaving at this point. They hated Lost, because it meant shortened reading time, or no glass of water brought to the bed, or that they would have to sneak downstairs to get our attention. They loved Lost for one big reason, and we've let them see some of it because of that...and someday, we plan to watch all six seasons as a family (that day is NOT at hand, and I'm looking at you, John Locke!).
And now, we have a real-life smoke monster heading toward the Gulf, and we have Jacob versus The Brother in the world and within our government's and school board's halls, and as for the island? I really, really want to go back. I have to go back.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
ADF!
For some reason, my husband and I latched onto ADF as young marrieds in the Triangle. Then a dear, dear friend came and interned there one summer (read: free tickets) and we were hooked. Not that we haven't seen crap at ADF - it's modern dance after all! The very Summer of the Internship was, however, when we first saw Mark Dendy and he became our favorite. I vaguely remember also getting free tickets from our DJ neighbor and first seeing the fully nude solo piece, "Bardo", front row center. VAGUELY.
Anywho.
Mark Dendy is a native North Carolinian and recently did a site-specific work for the opening of the spectabulous North Carolina Museum of Art's new wing. He's done some notable stage choreography and been a generally good representative egg for our state.
I think Afternoon of the Fawn is my favorite piece of his. Until he returns this summer. Holla!
Anywho.
Mark Dendy is a native North Carolinian and recently did a site-specific work for the opening of the spectabulous North Carolina Museum of Art's new wing. He's done some notable stage choreography and been a generally good representative egg for our state.
I think Afternoon of the Fawn is my favorite piece of his. Until he returns this summer. Holla!
Monday, May 17, 2010
The End of Things
Along with May's craziness comes the endings. I thought this year was going to be easy, since no one was graduating or going off to Kindergarten. But no, OTHER STUFF ENDS TOO! We saw our daughter play her last soccer game with a team that has been mostly pretty great for her. She remarked that she might never see some of her teammates again, and that's true! How to ease her through that transition? Well, you know me! I responded with, "Honey, you're right. You probably won't see them again. Or maybe you'll run into them in the airport, as I do with my old lovers." Or something like that.
And our son has decided not to play football in the fall. This is ultimately the best, safest thing. But his coach loved him and we were all "Friday Night Lights" about it and now what to do with Mr. Wiggly Pants?
Two of our elementary teachers and one preschool teacher are retiring. And a friend is moving away - not far, but away.
Stuff ends and stuff begins and the many, varied phases of life continue to bewilder me. I read somewhere recently (ok, it was in Real Simple. What? When your kids have orthodontia you'll read it in the waiting room, too!) that the best way to deal with a furious pace in life is to not "look at the tray". Waiters use this trick to keep their heavy-laden trays balanced - they don't look at it. We in modern America, raising families and media socializing and corporate climbing must not look at the tray. Just take it order by order, drink by plate, hour by hour. And now, a deep, collective, cleansing breath. Namaste.
And our son has decided not to play football in the fall. This is ultimately the best, safest thing. But his coach loved him and we were all "Friday Night Lights" about it and now what to do with Mr. Wiggly Pants?
Two of our elementary teachers and one preschool teacher are retiring. And a friend is moving away - not far, but away.
Stuff ends and stuff begins and the many, varied phases of life continue to bewilder me. I read somewhere recently (ok, it was in Real Simple. What? When your kids have orthodontia you'll read it in the waiting room, too!) that the best way to deal with a furious pace in life is to not "look at the tray". Waiters use this trick to keep their heavy-laden trays balanced - they don't look at it. We in modern America, raising families and media socializing and corporate climbing must not look at the tray. Just take it order by order, drink by plate, hour by hour. And now, a deep, collective, cleansing breath. Namaste.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
First World Problems
I think it might have been Dooce who termed a phrase akin to "first world whining". I have just about nothing to be upset about. A friend has contracted the services of Hospice this week, the Gulf oil spill seems very real to me, and my friends' families in Nashville have it much worse than you have heard in the media.
So it is with a sense of humor that I present to you my upper? middle class white woman woes:
1. The yard guy mowed down my clematis plant!
2. I have plantar fasciatis from all my gym time.
3. My children have EOG testing and I have to make full, hearty, protein enriched breakfasts at the crack of dawn for almost a full week.
4. I am proctoring an EOG exam and better not say anything else about THAT on the Internet or the testing gestapo will get me.
Suffice to say, I am really, really nervous about not being able to drink or pee for 2 1/2 hours.
5. I don't know how to spend the remaining cultural arts funds without making the middle school administration mad.
6. We are down to two burners on our cooktop that work (see #3).
7. I have to go listen to a band of lawyers next weekend.
8. I'm hungrier than usual on a new reduced calorie diet.
9. My son left a cooler and a high-dollar water bottle at soccer practice, never to be found again. And my son & husband lost all of our freezer ice packs at a tournament.
10. Due to big events at work being reshuffled, and my rescheduling for these events, I now am missing them anyway and am getting extra vacation, which is awesome and yet I don't get paid!
BOY DO I FEEL LIKE A HEEL NOW!
Nothing like listing out your woes to make them seem so inconsequential. And yet, I would really love to take some water to the gym today, except we don't have any bottles and my feet hurt.
So it is with a sense of humor that I present to you my upper? middle class white woman woes:
1. The yard guy mowed down my clematis plant!
2. I have plantar fasciatis from all my gym time.
3. My children have EOG testing and I have to make full, hearty, protein enriched breakfasts at the crack of dawn for almost a full week.
4. I am proctoring an EOG exam and better not say anything else about THAT on the Internet or the testing gestapo will get me.
Suffice to say, I am really, really nervous about not being able to drink or pee for 2 1/2 hours.
5. I don't know how to spend the remaining cultural arts funds without making the middle school administration mad.
6. We are down to two burners on our cooktop that work (see #3).
7. I have to go listen to a band of lawyers next weekend.
8. I'm hungrier than usual on a new reduced calorie diet.
9. My son left a cooler and a high-dollar water bottle at soccer practice, never to be found again. And my son & husband lost all of our freezer ice packs at a tournament.
10. Due to big events at work being reshuffled, and my rescheduling for these events, I now am missing them anyway and am getting extra vacation, which is awesome and yet I don't get paid!
BOY DO I FEEL LIKE A HEEL NOW!
Nothing like listing out your woes to make them seem so inconsequential. And yet, I would really love to take some water to the gym today, except we don't have any bottles and my feet hurt.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
For Mother's Day I got a PowerPoint presentation (actually, it was Keynote). Complete with sound! Children and husband singing "Happy Mother's Day", and also a plaintive wail, "I want a bunnyyyyy".
I also got a teacher-led essay that featured such sentiments as, "...even if she is yelling at me I know she still loves me" and "...she makes me laugh when we are in the car and my mom makes a really sharp turn and she screeches like a car" and, describing our mountain hikes, "She always thinks she sees a bear because she would die to see on out in the wilderness but it is usually just a stump".
(That last one? That pretty much sums me up right there.)
I also got a homemade dinner after eating out a few meals this weekend, and working all morning. With china and crystal and sparkly water and fruit, this was a very special Mother's Day dinner indeed.
From Joy of Cooking:
Tomato and Goat Cheese Quiche
Prepare homemade dough, or if you are a husband racing to have a meal on the table for your working wife as we were, use a prepared pie crust!
Preheat oven to 400ºF
Prepare and set aside:
I lb plum tomatoes (about 6), cored, quartered lengthwise and seeded
Crumble into a bowl:
4 oz fresh goat cheese
Slowly mash in wieth the back of a wooden spoon until smooth:
3/4 C half & half or heavy cream
1/2 C milk
*we used half & half and skim milk
Add and whisk until smooth:
3 large eggs
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme or savory, or 3 tbsp fresh basil
* we used thyme, but won't the basil be good later this summer!
1/4 tsp kosher salt
plenty of ground black pepper
Arrange the tomatoes quarters in the shell like the spokes of a wheel, with the pointed end (blossom end) toward the center of the quiche. Fill in the center with more quarters. Pour the cheese mixture over the tomatoes and bake until the pastry and top are golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Let the quiche rest for 10 minutes to settle, then cut into wedges and serve.
I also got a teacher-led essay that featured such sentiments as, "...even if she is yelling at me I know she still loves me" and "...she makes me laugh when we are in the car and my mom makes a really sharp turn and she screeches like a car" and, describing our mountain hikes, "She always thinks she sees a bear because she would die to see on out in the wilderness but it is usually just a stump".
(That last one? That pretty much sums me up right there.)
I also got a homemade dinner after eating out a few meals this weekend, and working all morning. With china and crystal and sparkly water and fruit, this was a very special Mother's Day dinner indeed.
From Joy of Cooking:
Tomato and Goat Cheese Quiche
Prepare homemade dough, or if you are a husband racing to have a meal on the table for your working wife as we were, use a prepared pie crust!
Preheat oven to 400ºF
Prepare and set aside:
I lb plum tomatoes (about 6), cored, quartered lengthwise and seeded
Crumble into a bowl:
4 oz fresh goat cheese
Slowly mash in wieth the back of a wooden spoon until smooth:
3/4 C half & half or heavy cream
1/2 C milk
*we used half & half and skim milk
Add and whisk until smooth:
3 large eggs
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme or savory, or 3 tbsp fresh basil
* we used thyme, but won't the basil be good later this summer!
1/4 tsp kosher salt
plenty of ground black pepper
Arrange the tomatoes quarters in the shell like the spokes of a wheel, with the pointed end (blossom end) toward the center of the quiche. Fill in the center with more quarters. Pour the cheese mixture over the tomatoes and bake until the pastry and top are golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Let the quiche rest for 10 minutes to settle, then cut into wedges and serve.
Monday, May 03, 2010
May Daze
I don't know why it is that May is the hardest to handle - but it is. There is so very little down time, and what down time there is is spent feeling guilty that we aren't out enjoying the weather. This week I had some unexpected time off of work, so we...enjoyed the weather. And now I'm exhausted. Here is what we did:
1. NC State Wolfpack baseball. Screw the Bulls! This was cheaper, with better views, and though I did miss having the healthy Durham option of the veggie burrito, there is nothing wrong with an all-beef hot dog every now and again. We stayed for almost all nine action-packed innings and loved the whole scene.
2. The new NC Museum of Art. What a lovely place. Whilst I had some issues with a few things (I'm still not sure the addition has anything to do at all with the existing building, and the restaurant is tiny and awfully close to the art), I found the space soothing and gorgeous and completely welcoming. Certain of the art was showcased oh-so-much better, and the outside spaces are wondrous - full of native plantings, reflective pools, and well-placed sculpture. I'll post some pictures soon.
3. The Durham Performing Arts Center - DPAC. Ok, ok, not outside: but we did have a lovely stroll in downtown Durham from parking to pavilion. My daughter and I saw "Wicked" at a very high ticket price (thanks for the bonus, boss!) and I daresay I enjoyed the whole vibe in Durham just as much as the well-acted and sung show. My current dissing of the Bulls nonwithstanding, I feel certain we'll visit again soon, especially when ADF comes to town and the dancers get to leave the crappy stages at Duke and move to this glistening new theatre. (Yes: I enjoyed "Wicked". The play made a lot more sense of the prequel to "Wizard of Oz" than the book and the music is downright classic. The acting of our traveling troupe was surprisingly effective. And who doesn't love all the wailing, now famous from "Glee", of "Defying Gravity"? Not me! That said, of the very few musicals I've seen in recent years, I still think "Spring Awakening" is the most moving.)
1. NC State Wolfpack baseball. Screw the Bulls! This was cheaper, with better views, and though I did miss having the healthy Durham option of the veggie burrito, there is nothing wrong with an all-beef hot dog every now and again. We stayed for almost all nine action-packed innings and loved the whole scene.
2. The new NC Museum of Art. What a lovely place. Whilst I had some issues with a few things (I'm still not sure the addition has anything to do at all with the existing building, and the restaurant is tiny and awfully close to the art), I found the space soothing and gorgeous and completely welcoming. Certain of the art was showcased oh-so-much better, and the outside spaces are wondrous - full of native plantings, reflective pools, and well-placed sculpture. I'll post some pictures soon.
3. The Durham Performing Arts Center - DPAC. Ok, ok, not outside: but we did have a lovely stroll in downtown Durham from parking to pavilion. My daughter and I saw "Wicked" at a very high ticket price (thanks for the bonus, boss!) and I daresay I enjoyed the whole vibe in Durham just as much as the well-acted and sung show. My current dissing of the Bulls nonwithstanding, I feel certain we'll visit again soon, especially when ADF comes to town and the dancers get to leave the crappy stages at Duke and move to this glistening new theatre. (Yes: I enjoyed "Wicked". The play made a lot more sense of the prequel to "Wizard of Oz" than the book and the music is downright classic. The acting of our traveling troupe was surprisingly effective. And who doesn't love all the wailing, now famous from "Glee", of "Defying Gravity"? Not me! That said, of the very few musicals I've seen in recent years, I still think "Spring Awakening" is the most moving.)
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Weekly Go Fug Yourself Awe Moment
"Not only is Rihanna's outfit vaginally questionable, but it's been DONE. And better. I can't believe I'm calling this seafoam vulva strap "better," but you know, it's all relative. The greatest sin when squeezing sequins onto your crotch is having it look mundane. Rihanna is usually leading the pack of crazies, but that performance outfit feels like refried Gaga with a side of expired Monistat. I expect more."
Entire post here. I shan't boil your eyeball jelly with the images.
Entire post here. I shan't boil your eyeball jelly with the images.
Monday, April 19, 2010
The Local Beat
When I was young and foolish, Chapel Hill (and Raleigh, too) had a huge music scene and I got to be a part of it as a spectator. There was a lull about the time I quit going to clubs, but it now seems like we're right back in the fight. I've seen only one of these groups live, but it is so fun to follow all of them and their progress on the national and local scenes. I'm going to let the music speak for itself here. Be sure, however, to click on links of those you are interested in - most of these bands have artsy and unique web pages.
Carolina Chocolate Drops
The Love Language
Annuals
The Rosebuds
I Was Totally Destroying It (My husband's favorite)
Birds of Avalon (Disclosure: I know the bassist/singer)
Lost in the Trees
Carolina Chocolate Drops
The Love Language
Annuals
The Rosebuds
I Was Totally Destroying It (My husband's favorite)
Birds of Avalon (Disclosure: I know the bassist/singer)
Lost in the Trees
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Sunday at Augusta
I've watched and/or attended The Masters for as long as I can remember. I hate a lot about the sport, the players, and the exclusivity, but there is nothing else I would rather do on the 2nd Sunday in April than see the green jacket awarded.
I'm not even mad at the guy who yells, every. single. time. a. ball. is. on. a. green....
"GET IN THE HOLE!"
(For the record, I was pulling for Tiger until Freddy Couples, my annual pick for the Fashion Masters Champion many years running, made a move today!)
I'm not even mad at the guy who yells, every. single. time. a. ball. is. on. a. green....
"GET IN THE HOLE!"
(For the record, I was pulling for Tiger until Freddy Couples, my annual pick for the Fashion Masters Champion many years running, made a move today!)
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Movie Mond..uh Tuesday
The Princess and the Frog. Well, I slept through most of it, but woke up in time to realize that my shock that the "princess" had two living parents was for naught. Dad dies, natch. The music is really, really good especially if you consider that the overused and monotonous (and white, btw) Randy Newman wrote it. At the risk of fueling the current political "we're not racist" fires, I would like to add that the movie had some odd elements: a "magical" black guy, black maids, white plantation owner (benevolent though they may be), and maybe even a white prince? He's sort of pale.
The animation, however, is lovely. And who doesn't want to listen to Anika Noni Rose wail it out? My children liked it a lot. The days when I can get them to even watch an animated feature may be waning so I'll sit through it again.
However, this brings us to
Ponyo.
Before I tell you about Ponyo the movie, let's discuss Ponyo the Theme Song's awesome lyrics:
Ponyo, Ponyo, Ponyo... tiny little fish; she's a little fish from the deep blue sea
Ponyo, Ponyo, Ponyo... she's a little girl; she's a little girl with a round tummy.
AGH! The cuteness! I love that. We sing it all the time around here.
Ponyo the fish is very seriously non-fishlike but that made me like her all the more. Again, excellent animation and disturbing too - the bigger fish, the strange gelatinous wave creatures, and a massive storm with a mad water Daddy leading the charge are all pretty terrifying. Ponyo and her little siblings are cute and have the aforementioned round tummies. The voices are GREAT - with the exception of Cate Blanchett who simply reprises her role in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I'm not going to lie: the filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki has freaked me the hell out in the past, but Ponyo was weird in the best of ways.
Adult movies have been seen also, believe it or not...like Green Zone. I saw this with my best friend, who flew into town unannounced for my birthday weekend...so emotions were running high and we both have it bad for Matt Damon. The movie was fine; Matt Damon's lack of shirtlessness took away from my enjoyment, but I secretly loved all the military power and gun fights.
And I finally got to see Pédro Almodóvar's latest, Broken Embraces (Los Abrazos Rotos) after months of waiting. I am a huge fan of Almodóvar's, but I can't really seem to express why. The words that come to mind are: color, pain, humor, spirit, indulgence....but nothing gels into coherent thought. I GET him. I GET the very complex layers of feeling and art he puts on the screen. I didn't read a review of Broken Embraces yet (still processing, thank you for reading along as I process here) but I did read a quote from A.O. Scott in the Times around the time the film came out that said that the film "... leaves the viewer in a contradictory state, a mixture of devastation and euphoria, amusement and dismay that deserves its own clinical designation. Call it Almodóvaria, a syndrome from which some of us are more than happy to suffer." I suffer.
If I were a sharper student of film (or of anything) I would get more of the references that are clearly abundant in this noir-ish mystery. I do get that Penelope Cruz is, for her director, an amalgam of his screen goddesses and idols. She evokes so many of our great actresses physically and with her first-rate acting in this piece, one loses count. Towards the end of the film (when many, many plot lines have unraveled and unspooled) there is even a time when she brings to life a character from a very early Almodóvar film. A nod, perhaps, to earlier, better times for the filmmaker? I don't know, but if you need to have a good looking, entertaining, funny look at how painful life and loss can be, just check this flick out. Or, for that matter, any of Pedro's work. It's that deep, and that good.
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