I am not an economist nor do I have any backgrounds or knowledge about economics, but I belive the only way for us to get out of this depression is with consumer spending. If one has lost one's job or is looking for a new job, that is a very real concern, and I don't mean to minimize it. Unemployment is already at all-time highs and is expected to reach ten percent sometime this year. However, if you still have your job (and your house), then things are basically the same--or even pretty good. Inflation hasn't gone up this year which has kept prices in check, and gasoline is much cheaper than it was this past summer. But people are terrified and want to keep their money under their bed in a safe which means they learned nothing from the Great Depression. So buy something people! If you got a tax refund this year, don't use it to pay off bills--buy something! Now I realize the housing and credit crises would have been much less serious if consumers were able to pay their mortgage and credit card bills--so that is important. But it's also important to spend money--it's the only way to make money. So put the money in your bank, invest in the economy, and take your business downtown to the mall. Go to dinner at a restaurant, buy a new pair of shoes, go to a movie, etc. and patron local businesses too! If all consumers started spending money (not recklessly, but still spending) we can keep businesses open and people in jobs as well as increase consumer spending which will help the economy. So today, go out and buy something! Do it for your country. and the world.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
I Would Like to Thank . . .
...my dear friend Elise for hosting our Oscar party, filmmakers for providing such excellent work this year, critic Tom Tangney for helping me fill out my ballot, and the Academy for such a wonderful program last night. Yesterday, I won our little Oscar pool--I got 19 out of 24 right!--and so received a brand-new copy of The Last Samurai which I've never seen but I've heard it's quite good, so I'm rather excited. In case you live in a dark cave, last night the 81st Academy Awards were presented, and it was an excellent night of television; if you didn't catch it, you missed out. It was even better with good friends and good wine. The big winner of the evening was Slumdog Millionaire which won eight awards including Best Director and Best Picture. I, along with Alec Baldwin, was thrilled. Slumdog was such an excellent and hopeful movie and I really want to see it again before it leaves the cinema. I was quite pleased that "Toyland" and "La Maison en Petits Cubes" won which were of course my favorite shorts as I have already written. And Wall-E won animated feature, though Kung Fu Panda had won a lot of animation awards in the weeks leading up to last night. The biggest upset as far as I'm concerned was in the Foreign Film category. I had expected Waltz With Bashir to win, but Departures which I have never even heard of won instead. I am still excited to see Waltz which is coming to SLC here in the next week.
Hugh Jackman was a surprising and excellent presenter. He is not generally considered a comedian, which is the type of person the Academy usually chooses to MC, but he was most excellent. His opening number was hilarious and Anne Hathaway should win an Emmy for her performance as Nixon/Langella. The whole night was great and refreshing. People always say how every year the Oscars are less and less interesting and watchable and blah blah blah. First of all, I don't give any credence to these people because year after year I am riveted. But I think last night was fresh and funny and completely watchable. They also didn't play anyone off the stage (as far as I remember) which was nice, but also meant that no one droned on and on and on and so was forced off. The only thing I didn't like was that they didn't play clips of the nominated actors--instead they had five actors, who had each won that specific award, present the nominees, which was a nice touch. Shirley MacLaine gave a wonderful and heartfelt presentation of Anne Hathaway which was lovely. However, they forgot Eartha Kitt during the In Memorium segment which was a shame. There were several lovely comedic parts where we relearned the age-old truth that nothing is sacred when it comes to comedy. Tina Fey and Steve Martin were enchanting, and the skit featuring James Franco and Seth Rogen was delightful.
Hugh Jackman was a surprising and excellent presenter. He is not generally considered a comedian, which is the type of person the Academy usually chooses to MC, but he was most excellent. His opening number was hilarious and Anne Hathaway should win an Emmy for her performance as Nixon/Langella. The whole night was great and refreshing. People always say how every year the Oscars are less and less interesting and watchable and blah blah blah. First of all, I don't give any credence to these people because year after year I am riveted. But I think last night was fresh and funny and completely watchable. They also didn't play anyone off the stage (as far as I remember) which was nice, but also meant that no one droned on and on and on and so was forced off. The only thing I didn't like was that they didn't play clips of the nominated actors--instead they had five actors, who had each won that specific award, present the nominees, which was a nice touch. Shirley MacLaine gave a wonderful and heartfelt presentation of Anne Hathaway which was lovely. However, they forgot Eartha Kitt during the In Memorium segment which was a shame. There were several lovely comedic parts where we relearned the age-old truth that nothing is sacred when it comes to comedy. Tina Fey and Steve Martin were enchanting, and the skit featuring James Franco and Seth Rogen was delightful.
Penelope Cruz won Best Supporting Actress as I had hoped. Now Viola Davis gives a devastating performance and turns Doubt on a dime in a single powerful scene where Davis goes tete-a-tete with Streep's fierce Sister Aloysius. If Davis had won, I would have been happy, but Cruz was fantastic in Vicky Christina Barcelona and so I picked her. Cruz gave a fantastic speech about art and how it crosses globabl boundries and can make us all better people. I nearly cried. Heath Ledger, of course, won Best Supporting Actor and his family picked up the his statue to a standing ovation. I intuited that Sean Penn would win over Mickey Rourke for Best Actor. Penn can act circles around Rourke and he fully inhabited the character of Harvey Milk while downplaying it ever so nicely. That being said, I'm sure Penn will be nominated multiple times in the years to come, and this was Mickey Rourke's one and only chance. Not only that, but Rourke's dog, Loki, who was his best friend and once saved his life, died last week. And the Academy loves an underdog (and a slumdog). If Rourke had won, it would have been a lovely gesture, but Penn gave a much finer performance. And Penn did give a nice speech in which he admitted that he sometimes makes it hard for people to like him. Penn is an amazing actor, but a very crazy person. Kate Winslet and Meryl Streep dueled for Best Actress. I wanted them both to win; I justed wanted Streep to win more. She did earn a record fifteenth Oscar nomination, so good for her. She's won two Oscars, but her last win was in 1983. She really needs to win at least one more time. Streep was absolutely gorgeous in a gray silk gown (at the SAGs she didn't even buy a dress!). Kate Winslet was also beautiful, and like Streep, she is one of the finest actors of her generation. (By the way, Amy Adams was so gorgeous. I just loved her dress!) So it was high time Winslet finally won an Oscar--she's been nominated six times already. At the end of her acceptance speech she called her other nominees goddesses and said "Suck it up, Meryl Streep!" at which point I instantly forgave Kate for winning. My favorite speech besides Cruz's was Dustin Lance Black's who won Best Original Screenplay for Milk and who is a former Mormon, and I just want to quote this part of his speech here: "But most of all, if Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he'd want me to say to all the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches, by the government or by their families that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures who have value. And that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you." And I think I'll end this here, and it's time for Gossip Girl! XOXO
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Animated Shorts
Yesterday, I went and saw the animated shorts nominated for an Academy Award. I was really jazzed after seeing the live shorts which are all amazing and interesting and somewhat complex. The animated shorts were so not, and I was really disappointed. They were much shorter and also silent. Well, they had sound effects and scores, but there was no dialogue, and as a lover of words and language I was disheartened. However, the shorts did a great job of conveying their meaning through images and music which are after all powerful mediums. After the five nominated, they showed five more shorts which were highly commended animated films though they failed to earn an Oscar nom. I have already discussed my love of the shorts genre, however the animated shorts did not bring it. I understand animation is very complex and hard to do, so some of the shorts were very simple. Others exemplified that the short is a great medium to experiment which ended badly. Anyway, here are the shorts.
The first film showed was "Lavatory - Lovestory" from Russia. It features crude, cartoonish, black and white drawings. The story focuses on an unhappy, single, middle-aged woman who collects the change for the lavatory. If you've never been to Europe then perhaps you don't know that you must pay to use a public lavatory. She sits behind the desk of the men's room and reads her "Happy Woman" newspaper or magazine which show happy couples which only make her more lonely. Suddenly she discovers flowers in the change jar--left by a mysterious man--which surprise, delight, and confuse her until she is quite desperate. Suffice it to say she does get it on in a restroom stall. It was a cute, simple story.
The next short was "Oktapodi" from France but set in Greece. It features two octopi who are tankmates at a shop that sells octopi, ya know for eating, and other seafood creatures. When the girl octopus is purchased (and you can tell she's the girl because she's a pinkish/purplish and the other one is blue), the boy escapes the tank and sets about to free his lover. This all takes place in two minutes by the way. It features sharp computer animation a la Finding Nemo but perhaps it was just the familiar fish story that reminded me of that. Anyway, it was a fun, simple story.
The third short was from Japan though you would never know it from it's original French title "La Maison En Petits Cubes" which was somehow translated into "Pieces of Love." Of the five, this was probably my favorite. It features a man who lives in a house that is largely submerged in water. Indeed, he appears to be the last resident of a city completely submerged. As the water level rises, he simply adds another story or level to the top of his house. When he finds some scuba gear he dives into the submerged stories of his house (and the past), and with each level another memory or life story is presented. It's a wistful tale with a lovely score. The animation takes a great deal from Japanese painting and French impressionism. The watercolors have a smoky and oily quality to them.
The fourth film presented was "This Way Up" from England which was probably the most disturbing. The animation was Burtonesque and features a father and son who set off to bury their wife/mother. When a boulder flattens their hearse, they begin an epic journey to get the coffin, embossed with a large RIP, to the graveyard. However, the coffin takes nearly as much abuse as Addie Bundren's coffin in As I Lay Dying. Once they reach the burial site, a Burtonesque nightmare begins that involves a voyage down the River Styx. If you can't already tell, this is a black comedy. I'm sure this is a strong contender--it's much more interesting than the first two (and the final one), but it's not up my alley.
The final of the Oscar shorts was "Presto" a Disney/Pixar collaboration. It's another cute, straightforward short. The protagonist is a white rabbit who works for a magician, and the rabbit's unhappy because he hasn't eaten. As the magician performs, all the rabbit wants is to eat his carrot and so he sabotages the man's act. This devolves into slapstick humor which delights the magician's audience. In the end the rabbit saves the man's life and gets to eat his carrot. All's well that ends well. Yet another film that was alright but nothing special.
Then the highly commended films began. The first one "John and Karen" was the first to use dialogue. It also focuses on the relationship between a polar bear, John, and a penguin, Karen. As most of you know I do not approve of inter-species relationships. The logistics weird me out. Yesterday it struck me how odd that parents are fine with different species getting it on in cartoons, but heaven forbid PBS shows a lesbian couple on Postcards From Buster. "Skhizein" was an odd and experimental short but interesting...in a disturbing sort of way. It was from France and I blame the existentialists. I really hated the animation of "Hot Dog" and the story too. It also showed the eponymous dog pissing on a fire, and seeing the dog's penis was highly unnerving. "Gopher Broke" is a lame and unforgettable short--and a plot we've all seen a million times. This gopher plots to steal produce and every time he scores, other animals take it away from him which enrage the gopher and feature silly slapstick comedy.
If you were paying attention there is a fifth commended film that I haven't mentioned yet--"Varmints" from England. I am so upset that this wasn't even a nominee because really it should win the damn Oscar. It was the longest of the ten shorts with rich and detailed animation. This one was also silent, but featured such a lovely score. The central character--some sort of varmint--is peacefully studying plants in an unspoiled Arcadia when a massive, black storm fastly approaches. However, this is no ordinary storm, it's millions of varmints raising up a dark city. Like Mordor! As the city is raised, the land is covered in darkness. The city appears to be a Victorian, Industrial Revolution city--dark and filthy complete with trains and smoke stacks. Our poor varmint has exchanged his agricultural roots for the industrial city--how very bildungsroman of him. He continues to study botany as he lives in the city dominated by the rat race, if you'll forgive the pun. However, it becomes very difficult for anything to grow in the pervasive pollution. Soon disturbing white, bulbous orbs appear on buildings which later come to life as UFO's of some sort--flying Jellyfish? dead, white dandelions? I wasn't sure quite what to make of them. Anyway, the film is very interesting and a scathing indictment of our environmental policies. Perhaps it wasn't nominated because it's too political. But it was also the richest and most complex of all the shorts. And it's not even available on iTunes!
On Wednesday I went and the saw The Wrestler because Mickey Rourke has garnered a lot of Oscar buzz. Marissa Tomei is also nominated, but she already has an Oscar that she didn't deserve, so back off Marissa! Anyway, Rourke and Tomei do give great performances, but the one to watch is Evan Rachel Wood (Across the Universe) whom I have loved ever since she appeared on The West Wing years and years ago. Wood gives a phenomenal performance. Why wasn't she nominated? I found parts of The Wrestler very hard to watch--that would be the wrestling part. I have never been into pro-wrestling, and I'm not so much into guys whaling on each other. I can appreciate boxing in movies and stuff, but I don't seek it out. Wrestling on the other hand--I just don't get it at all. Especially since it's more of a stage performance than a fight, though they still get banged up well good. Anyway, the movie was fine but not great. I understand why it wasn't nominated for Best Picture or Best Original Screenplay. And I think I would prefer to see Sean Penn win the Actor for Milk. Of course I still haven't seen Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon (I'm going tonight!) or Richard Jenkins in The Visitor. And I'm rooting for Penelope Cruz to win the Supporting Actress.
Tonight I'm going to go see Frost/Nixon at Brewvies which is Salt Lake's very own cinema pub because who doesn't like to drink beer and eat food while watching a film? And tomorrow between bowling and a Hamlet party, I need to see Revolutionary Road. My mother asked me yesterday if going out to movies was my new daily thing, and I'm like, "Its the OSCARS!" Anyway, once I'm caught up on those two, there will be very few movies I haven't seen. I should go through them! Okay . . . um, The Visitor, Tropic Thunder, Frozen River, the animated films, Australia, all the documentaries, the foreign language films (Waltz With Bashir and The Class come here in the next two weeks!), Hellboy II, Defiance, Iron Man, Happy-Go-Lucky, and In Bruges. That's not too shabby. I'm so excited for Sunday!
The first film showed was "Lavatory - Lovestory" from Russia. It features crude, cartoonish, black and white drawings. The story focuses on an unhappy, single, middle-aged woman who collects the change for the lavatory. If you've never been to Europe then perhaps you don't know that you must pay to use a public lavatory. She sits behind the desk of the men's room and reads her "Happy Woman" newspaper or magazine which show happy couples which only make her more lonely. Suddenly she discovers flowers in the change jar--left by a mysterious man--which surprise, delight, and confuse her until she is quite desperate. Suffice it to say she does get it on in a restroom stall. It was a cute, simple story.
The next short was "Oktapodi" from France but set in Greece. It features two octopi who are tankmates at a shop that sells octopi, ya know for eating, and other seafood creatures. When the girl octopus is purchased (and you can tell she's the girl because she's a pinkish/purplish and the other one is blue), the boy escapes the tank and sets about to free his lover. This all takes place in two minutes by the way. It features sharp computer animation a la Finding Nemo but perhaps it was just the familiar fish story that reminded me of that. Anyway, it was a fun, simple story.
The third short was from Japan though you would never know it from it's original French title "La Maison En Petits Cubes" which was somehow translated into "Pieces of Love." Of the five, this was probably my favorite. It features a man who lives in a house that is largely submerged in water. Indeed, he appears to be the last resident of a city completely submerged. As the water level rises, he simply adds another story or level to the top of his house. When he finds some scuba gear he dives into the submerged stories of his house (and the past), and with each level another memory or life story is presented. It's a wistful tale with a lovely score. The animation takes a great deal from Japanese painting and French impressionism. The watercolors have a smoky and oily quality to them.
The fourth film presented was "This Way Up" from England which was probably the most disturbing. The animation was Burtonesque and features a father and son who set off to bury their wife/mother. When a boulder flattens their hearse, they begin an epic journey to get the coffin, embossed with a large RIP, to the graveyard. However, the coffin takes nearly as much abuse as Addie Bundren's coffin in As I Lay Dying. Once they reach the burial site, a Burtonesque nightmare begins that involves a voyage down the River Styx. If you can't already tell, this is a black comedy. I'm sure this is a strong contender--it's much more interesting than the first two (and the final one), but it's not up my alley.
The final of the Oscar shorts was "Presto" a Disney/Pixar collaboration. It's another cute, straightforward short. The protagonist is a white rabbit who works for a magician, and the rabbit's unhappy because he hasn't eaten. As the magician performs, all the rabbit wants is to eat his carrot and so he sabotages the man's act. This devolves into slapstick humor which delights the magician's audience. In the end the rabbit saves the man's life and gets to eat his carrot. All's well that ends well. Yet another film that was alright but nothing special.
Then the highly commended films began. The first one "John and Karen" was the first to use dialogue. It also focuses on the relationship between a polar bear, John, and a penguin, Karen. As most of you know I do not approve of inter-species relationships. The logistics weird me out. Yesterday it struck me how odd that parents are fine with different species getting it on in cartoons, but heaven forbid PBS shows a lesbian couple on Postcards From Buster. "Skhizein" was an odd and experimental short but interesting...in a disturbing sort of way. It was from France and I blame the existentialists. I really hated the animation of "Hot Dog" and the story too. It also showed the eponymous dog pissing on a fire, and seeing the dog's penis was highly unnerving. "Gopher Broke" is a lame and unforgettable short--and a plot we've all seen a million times. This gopher plots to steal produce and every time he scores, other animals take it away from him which enrage the gopher and feature silly slapstick comedy.
If you were paying attention there is a fifth commended film that I haven't mentioned yet--"Varmints" from England. I am so upset that this wasn't even a nominee because really it should win the damn Oscar. It was the longest of the ten shorts with rich and detailed animation. This one was also silent, but featured such a lovely score. The central character--some sort of varmint--is peacefully studying plants in an unspoiled Arcadia when a massive, black storm fastly approaches. However, this is no ordinary storm, it's millions of varmints raising up a dark city. Like Mordor! As the city is raised, the land is covered in darkness. The city appears to be a Victorian, Industrial Revolution city--dark and filthy complete with trains and smoke stacks. Our poor varmint has exchanged his agricultural roots for the industrial city--how very bildungsroman of him. He continues to study botany as he lives in the city dominated by the rat race, if you'll forgive the pun. However, it becomes very difficult for anything to grow in the pervasive pollution. Soon disturbing white, bulbous orbs appear on buildings which later come to life as UFO's of some sort--flying Jellyfish? dead, white dandelions? I wasn't sure quite what to make of them. Anyway, the film is very interesting and a scathing indictment of our environmental policies. Perhaps it wasn't nominated because it's too political. But it was also the richest and most complex of all the shorts. And it's not even available on iTunes!
On Wednesday I went and the saw The Wrestler because Mickey Rourke has garnered a lot of Oscar buzz. Marissa Tomei is also nominated, but she already has an Oscar that she didn't deserve, so back off Marissa! Anyway, Rourke and Tomei do give great performances, but the one to watch is Evan Rachel Wood (Across the Universe) whom I have loved ever since she appeared on The West Wing years and years ago. Wood gives a phenomenal performance. Why wasn't she nominated? I found parts of The Wrestler very hard to watch--that would be the wrestling part. I have never been into pro-wrestling, and I'm not so much into guys whaling on each other. I can appreciate boxing in movies and stuff, but I don't seek it out. Wrestling on the other hand--I just don't get it at all. Especially since it's more of a stage performance than a fight, though they still get banged up well good. Anyway, the movie was fine but not great. I understand why it wasn't nominated for Best Picture or Best Original Screenplay. And I think I would prefer to see Sean Penn win the Actor for Milk. Of course I still haven't seen Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon (I'm going tonight!) or Richard Jenkins in The Visitor. And I'm rooting for Penelope Cruz to win the Supporting Actress.
Tonight I'm going to go see Frost/Nixon at Brewvies which is Salt Lake's very own cinema pub because who doesn't like to drink beer and eat food while watching a film? And tomorrow between bowling and a Hamlet party, I need to see Revolutionary Road. My mother asked me yesterday if going out to movies was my new daily thing, and I'm like, "Its the OSCARS!" Anyway, once I'm caught up on those two, there will be very few movies I haven't seen. I should go through them! Okay . . . um, The Visitor, Tropic Thunder, Frozen River, the animated films, Australia, all the documentaries, the foreign language films (Waltz With Bashir and The Class come here in the next two weeks!), Hellboy II, Defiance, Iron Man, Happy-Go-Lucky, and In Bruges. That's not too shabby. I'm so excited for Sunday!
Moving Forward
So today I received an email from Syracuse University informing me that I had been among the elite to be selected for their graduate program. After submitting my applications, I had not been super worried or anxious that I would not be accepted, but I did wonder in the back of my mind what exactly I would do if I was not accepted by any school. I was waiting for a big white envelope which would at that point make me very worried before I opened it, but I didn't know what the email was, so I just opened it ain't no thang and boom! there it was--I was accepted. It's so nice to be accepted. So I'm jazzed but at the same time I'm not exactly elated. I believe this is because I wasn't worried or concerned--so it's nice to be in, but I had basically anticipated it (which makes me sound like a doucher). Of course now they would like me to fill out another application for some position which would pay for half of my tuition. So of course I must do that though in all likelihood I won't get the position. But that's okay. I filled out the FAFSA and now that I can file as an in dependent, I hope to get lots of Pell Grants and whatnot. I also need to fill out a similar TA position application for UW by tomorrow. Ugh. Applications. But I need to try to get money.
Something else that is nice is that I had my sixth month performance review at my U library job. I can't believe it's already been six months--and I still enjoy my job. Anyway, my supervisor told me that I'm basically the best of the part-time workers in the department which made me feel awesome, and then I got an 80 cents raise. That's sweet! This is now the highest paying job I've had though that isn't saying much. But 80 cents more per hour is kick-ass! It also confirms to me that I am on the right path in my life. The other thing is that I've made more money working for universities and now The City Library than I have working for private corporations. Which is nice because I hate corporate anything. They say there isn't money in education or government but I think there is. Of course if one is the CEO of a Fortune 500 company one is making so much more money than say a university president or library director--though I think they're still sitting pretty. But at the entry-level, bottom rung positions of the corporate ladder, workers get shafted. Well, that's my opinion anyway.
I'm still figuring out how to work at The City Library. My paperwork is completed (I think). I need to get an appointment with a person to get my electronic account set up and everything, but so far she has dodged my calls. And then I just need to wait for emails/calls for shifts to come my way. Of course once I show up, I will have no clue what exactly I'm doing. Such an adventure. I still have training sessions in the future which I hope will demystify everything a little bit. But what I really did to do right now is get my account set up. And wait for UW's letter to arrive. I feel like I've done a lot of waiting lately, but I think the waiting is largely over and I'm moving forward once more, and it's lovely.
And now I think I'm going to go to a screening of the Oscar nominated animated shorts. A review to follow! And I'm still deciding whether or not to go to a Best Picture showcase on Saturday. It would be super fun, but also long and exhausting and I could do other things with my Saturday. So I'm still on the fence. Anyway. . . Ciao!
Something else that is nice is that I had my sixth month performance review at my U library job. I can't believe it's already been six months--and I still enjoy my job. Anyway, my supervisor told me that I'm basically the best of the part-time workers in the department which made me feel awesome, and then I got an 80 cents raise. That's sweet! This is now the highest paying job I've had though that isn't saying much. But 80 cents more per hour is kick-ass! It also confirms to me that I am on the right path in my life. The other thing is that I've made more money working for universities and now The City Library than I have working for private corporations. Which is nice because I hate corporate anything. They say there isn't money in education or government but I think there is. Of course if one is the CEO of a Fortune 500 company one is making so much more money than say a university president or library director--though I think they're still sitting pretty. But at the entry-level, bottom rung positions of the corporate ladder, workers get shafted. Well, that's my opinion anyway.
I'm still figuring out how to work at The City Library. My paperwork is completed (I think). I need to get an appointment with a person to get my electronic account set up and everything, but so far she has dodged my calls. And then I just need to wait for emails/calls for shifts to come my way. Of course once I show up, I will have no clue what exactly I'm doing. Such an adventure. I still have training sessions in the future which I hope will demystify everything a little bit. But what I really did to do right now is get my account set up. And wait for UW's letter to arrive. I feel like I've done a lot of waiting lately, but I think the waiting is largely over and I'm moving forward once more, and it's lovely.
And now I think I'm going to go to a screening of the Oscar nominated animated shorts. A review to follow! And I'm still deciding whether or not to go to a Best Picture showcase on Saturday. It would be super fun, but also long and exhausting and I could do other things with my Saturday. So I'm still on the fence. Anyway. . . Ciao!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
A Summer State of Mind
Today outside it is a winter wonderland. Perfect. The weather over the holiday weekend was lovely, and then I get up this morning to drive to work and it's snowing. It pissed me off--I thought, "Balls to this!" And then it proceeded to snow all day long. Lovely. Anyway, I cannot wait for spring--or to be honest, I cannot wait for summer. I don't know if anything captures summer quite like this commercial.
I've seen it multiple summers and it looks like such fun even though I don't drink Diet Coke or roller-skate, but still. Really, I just want to wear flip-flops dammit! Anyway, that's all I wanted to say.
I've seen it multiple summers and it looks like such fun even though I don't drink Diet Coke or roller-skate, but still. Really, I just want to wear flip-flops dammit! Anyway, that's all I wanted to say.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Holiday Weekend
I hope you all had a lovely weekend bookended by not one but two holidays! So I had two semi-Valentine's parties neither of which were on the 14th. The first was last last weekend when I got together with my college friends and we had a Death by Chocolate party. It was delightful and chocolaty. As I already wrote, I brought a red devil's cake, and French silk pie, and mousse. All of which, if I may say so myself, were quite delicious. When we did this two years ago, we felt quite chocolated-out by the end, so Ellen decided this year we needed real food too. Which meant that by the time I got there (I had a wedding reception to attend to first), everyone else was FULL with real food. So of course most of the chocolate items were largely untouched. It was a real shame. We played Pop Culture Trivial Pursuit which we all failed at except for Cat. We also played Movie Star or the Movie Game where someone names a movie and then the next person has to name an actor in that movie and then another movie that actor was in and so on. It was during this that I realized I need to go to Syracuse so I can be near Cat and Daniel who are basically my soulmates. We had a lovely discussion of the movies nominated this year for Oscars and we spent way too much time discussing Gilmore Girls. These are my people!
On Friday I spent time with my old high school gang and we got very drunk as we are wont to do. But first we made the second most amazing macaroni and cheese I've ever had. The best I've ever had was at Lynn's Paradise Cafe in Louisville. If you ever find yourself in that neck of the woods, you must go to this cafe. It's terribly kitschy but the food is fandamntastic! It was also the first place I had fried green tomatoes and they were delicious. The macaroni and cheese I made--and I did make it myself--is from The Barefoot Contessa by way of GQ. It has gruyere and sharp cheddar and is topped with tomato slices and bread crumbs. It was divine! If you think tomato slices are weird then you've never had them on your grilled cheese sandwich--or on your macaroni and cheese. It works very well. Gruyere is also basically the most awesome cheese ever but it's ridiculously expensive. However, I think in the end it's worth it because it makes everything ridiculously delicious. We drank an unoaked chardonnay which helped cut through the cheese and the fat. I also had my first Sazerac which was quite good, and my friends went through most of a bottle of Midori as well as a large bottle of vodka to make Arizonas. They were plenty smashed. We then tried to watch Vicky Christina Barcelona because it's awesome and a sexy, romantic comedy perfect for Valentine's but nearly everyone was too drunk to watch it. Damn them!
Saturday was just a nice, easy day for me. I've never had a relationship on Valentine's Day (or really ever), but I've never been a hater or an advocate for Singles Awareness Day. I like Valentine's Day just fine--probably because I'm a marketing whore. Last year I ate chocolates, read a trashy romance novel, and drank a bottle of red wine--it was lovely. This year was much more low-key. I did my chores, read some of my Edith Wharton, and in the end watched The Jane Austen Book Club which is definitely one of my favorite movies. (I nearly opted for Sabrina which is another of my favorites.) I think you all need to see The Jane Austen Book Club because it is hilarious and a very well executed movie. It's not really a courtship movie--instead there's infidelity and rocky relationships--but everything ends well just like in a Jane Austen novel.
On Sunday I went and saw the Oscar shorts which is detailed in the previous blog. Today, being President's Day was lovely as I didn't have work. My sister and her husband came down yesterday and today we went and saw Coraline. I'm not really sure how I feel about it. It didn't freak me out like The Nightmare Before Christmas did--probably because Tim Burton didn't work on it--and it didn't terrify me with its stop animation. I generally hate and loathe stop animation and claymation. I did not find it too scary or disturbing as I had expected. I didn't want it to be disturbing but I was hoping for some good scares. It was creepy throughout but not overly so. So I guess I was a little let down. The plot line was somewhat simple but fine. It was a well-done film, but it was good to see, but it's not a new favorite or a must-see by any means. Anyway, my mom is making crepes right now which is very exciting. And I need to see Postcards from the Edge tonight which I got from Netflix and want to put in the mail tomorrow. And then it's another week of work and winter. Hrm.
On Friday I spent time with my old high school gang and we got very drunk as we are wont to do. But first we made the second most amazing macaroni and cheese I've ever had. The best I've ever had was at Lynn's Paradise Cafe in Louisville. If you ever find yourself in that neck of the woods, you must go to this cafe. It's terribly kitschy but the food is fandamntastic! It was also the first place I had fried green tomatoes and they were delicious. The macaroni and cheese I made--and I did make it myself--is from The Barefoot Contessa by way of GQ. It has gruyere and sharp cheddar and is topped with tomato slices and bread crumbs. It was divine! If you think tomato slices are weird then you've never had them on your grilled cheese sandwich--or on your macaroni and cheese. It works very well. Gruyere is also basically the most awesome cheese ever but it's ridiculously expensive. However, I think in the end it's worth it because it makes everything ridiculously delicious. We drank an unoaked chardonnay which helped cut through the cheese and the fat. I also had my first Sazerac which was quite good, and my friends went through most of a bottle of Midori as well as a large bottle of vodka to make Arizonas. They were plenty smashed. We then tried to watch Vicky Christina Barcelona because it's awesome and a sexy, romantic comedy perfect for Valentine's but nearly everyone was too drunk to watch it. Damn them!
Saturday was just a nice, easy day for me. I've never had a relationship on Valentine's Day (or really ever), but I've never been a hater or an advocate for Singles Awareness Day. I like Valentine's Day just fine--probably because I'm a marketing whore. Last year I ate chocolates, read a trashy romance novel, and drank a bottle of red wine--it was lovely. This year was much more low-key. I did my chores, read some of my Edith Wharton, and in the end watched The Jane Austen Book Club which is definitely one of my favorite movies. (I nearly opted for Sabrina which is another of my favorites.) I think you all need to see The Jane Austen Book Club because it is hilarious and a very well executed movie. It's not really a courtship movie--instead there's infidelity and rocky relationships--but everything ends well just like in a Jane Austen novel.
On Sunday I went and saw the Oscar shorts which is detailed in the previous blog. Today, being President's Day was lovely as I didn't have work. My sister and her husband came down yesterday and today we went and saw Coraline. I'm not really sure how I feel about it. It didn't freak me out like The Nightmare Before Christmas did--probably because Tim Burton didn't work on it--and it didn't terrify me with its stop animation. I generally hate and loathe stop animation and claymation. I did not find it too scary or disturbing as I had expected. I didn't want it to be disturbing but I was hoping for some good scares. It was creepy throughout but not overly so. So I guess I was a little let down. The plot line was somewhat simple but fine. It was a well-done film, but it was good to see, but it's not a new favorite or a must-see by any means. Anyway, my mom is making crepes right now which is very exciting. And I need to see Postcards from the Edge tonight which I got from Netflix and want to put in the mail tomorrow. And then it's another week of work and winter. Hrm.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Shorts
Today I saw the live short films nominated this year for the Academy Awards. Yay for independent movie houses! I really enjoy the short form for film and stories, and I think it's a largely undervalued and overlooked format which is a real shame. I've already mentioned that I listen to Selected Shorts from PRI which is a wonderful weekly program. Some weeks the stories aren't so great, but then other weeks they are really excellent. But beyond that, I think it's wonderful to hear short stories because they can really explore so many different ides, and the best can pack so much into a short space. Anyway, I wanted to briefly discuss the live shorts nominated this year.
First up was "On the Line" from Germany. (By the way I'm using the English titles.) It was the longest and definitely a contender for the statue. It explores the relationship of security guard Rolf and book clerk Sarah. Her brother is killed on the subway by a gang of punks and Rolf could have prevented it. That's the basic plot. I'm not really sure what it was about, and as is often possible with the short, the ending was vastly unsatisfactory. Or beyond satisfying, I wasn't sure at all what to do with the ending. I suppose there are two different interpretations, neither of which are helpful. It was really my least favorite of the five, yet I say it's a contender because it's the longest, the most realistic, and I can see the Academy enjoying the ending though I suspect most audiences will not.
The next film presented was "New Boy" from Ireland. At first I thought it said it was from Iceland and I was wondering why everyone was speaking English--it was very confusing. Anyway, it was the shortest of the five and the most comedic. It's about a black student from Africa, Joseph, on his first day at this Irish school where two of the white boys take to tormenting him. They nearly get in a fight on the playground when they're stopped by their teacher. As all students know, you never tattle on the bullies because once the teachers have reprimanded them, they seek you out with a vengeance. Joseph instead connects with these boys by gently mocking their shrill teacher with them and in the end all three are laughing and smiling. I suspect that they will even become good friends. Look out for Hazel who is a delightful Irish girl in the class.
The third film was "Toyland" from Germany which was undoubtedly my favorite. It's beautiful, haunting, stylistic, and emotionally powerful. I think this should win the Oscar, and as Ricky Gervais said to Kate Winslet, "I told you, do a Holocaust movie and the awards come, didn't I?" That's glib but true--where would film be without the Nazis? Anyway, the short focuses on a German mother who is frantically searching for her missing son. She fears that he has been rounded up with the Jewish neighbors. She told Heinrich, her son, that the Jews are going to "Toyland" and he desperately wants to go there too. It's absolutely amazing.
The next movie was "The Pig" from Denmark. It's a whimsical film absolutely rich in symbolism. An older man checks into a hospital for an operation in his rectum. There is a painting of a pig on the wall which brings him great comfort and joy--his guardian angel as he puts it. However, the picture is removed when a Muslim man is also placed in the same room and his family has it removed out of religious consideration. This makes Asbjorn, the older man, furious and he demands the pig be reinstated on the wall. Wit, whimsy, and religious debate ensue. I think this really requires at least a second viewing to take in all the symbolism.
Finally, "Manon on the Asphalt" from France was screened. I would imagine this is also a front runner. Manon is young French woman who is hit by a car while she is cycling down the street. As she lays there on the asphalt, she believes that she is dying and imagines how the lives of her friends, family, and neighbors will be affected by her death. It is a wonderful study on the transience of life and absolutely beautiful. This was probably my second favorite film of the five.
So those are the live shorts nominated this year. I must see the animated ones which are also playing at the Tower Theatre. You can also find these on iTunes if you don't have an art house cinema nearby. See "Toyland!" I really hope it wins the Oscar. But the others are also really good.
First up was "On the Line" from Germany. (By the way I'm using the English titles.) It was the longest and definitely a contender for the statue. It explores the relationship of security guard Rolf and book clerk Sarah. Her brother is killed on the subway by a gang of punks and Rolf could have prevented it. That's the basic plot. I'm not really sure what it was about, and as is often possible with the short, the ending was vastly unsatisfactory. Or beyond satisfying, I wasn't sure at all what to do with the ending. I suppose there are two different interpretations, neither of which are helpful. It was really my least favorite of the five, yet I say it's a contender because it's the longest, the most realistic, and I can see the Academy enjoying the ending though I suspect most audiences will not.
The next film presented was "New Boy" from Ireland. At first I thought it said it was from Iceland and I was wondering why everyone was speaking English--it was very confusing. Anyway, it was the shortest of the five and the most comedic. It's about a black student from Africa, Joseph, on his first day at this Irish school where two of the white boys take to tormenting him. They nearly get in a fight on the playground when they're stopped by their teacher. As all students know, you never tattle on the bullies because once the teachers have reprimanded them, they seek you out with a vengeance. Joseph instead connects with these boys by gently mocking their shrill teacher with them and in the end all three are laughing and smiling. I suspect that they will even become good friends. Look out for Hazel who is a delightful Irish girl in the class.
The third film was "Toyland" from Germany which was undoubtedly my favorite. It's beautiful, haunting, stylistic, and emotionally powerful. I think this should win the Oscar, and as Ricky Gervais said to Kate Winslet, "I told you, do a Holocaust movie and the awards come, didn't I?" That's glib but true--where would film be without the Nazis? Anyway, the short focuses on a German mother who is frantically searching for her missing son. She fears that he has been rounded up with the Jewish neighbors. She told Heinrich, her son, that the Jews are going to "Toyland" and he desperately wants to go there too. It's absolutely amazing.
The next movie was "The Pig" from Denmark. It's a whimsical film absolutely rich in symbolism. An older man checks into a hospital for an operation in his rectum. There is a painting of a pig on the wall which brings him great comfort and joy--his guardian angel as he puts it. However, the picture is removed when a Muslim man is also placed in the same room and his family has it removed out of religious consideration. This makes Asbjorn, the older man, furious and he demands the pig be reinstated on the wall. Wit, whimsy, and religious debate ensue. I think this really requires at least a second viewing to take in all the symbolism.
Finally, "Manon on the Asphalt" from France was screened. I would imagine this is also a front runner. Manon is young French woman who is hit by a car while she is cycling down the street. As she lays there on the asphalt, she believes that she is dying and imagines how the lives of her friends, family, and neighbors will be affected by her death. It is a wonderful study on the transience of life and absolutely beautiful. This was probably my second favorite film of the five.
So those are the live shorts nominated this year. I must see the animated ones which are also playing at the Tower Theatre. You can also find these on iTunes if you don't have an art house cinema nearby. See "Toyland!" I really hope it wins the Oscar. But the others are also really good.
Friday, February 13, 2009
I Heart NPR
I think this is sentiment that most of my friends who read my blog would wholeheartedly agree with. I was first exposed to NPR (or is it PRI?) with This American Life in Dr. P's 2010 course that I took my very first semester of college. I continue to listen to the podcasts today. Of course there was a period when I didn't listen to the podcasts though I continued to subscribe so I had a great avalanche of podcasts that went unlistened to. Last year I got my sister to start listening to TAL and she listens every week. I think that's neat. And then there were periods whilst I lived in Cedar City that I had the radio station in my car set to the public radio station when I was tired of listening to music. Sometime last year I began podcasting PRI's Selected Shorts which is a great program featuring short stories read/performed on stage by well-known actors in NYC. Some weeks are of course better than others depending on the story itself and who is reading it--much of which is determined by individual taste. And recently I started listening to NPR in my car again which is a whole different story. Basically I was listening to the alternative rock station here called 101.9 The End and they had an awesome afternoon show--The Parker Show. And they would review albums the day they came out and play songs from albums that weren't the singles if the singles sucked or they just liked a different song better. They got emerging artists into the studio for interviews and acoustic performances. They played mashups and the cheesy song of the day and it was just really great exposure to new (and old) music. And Parker and Dallan were really great DJs and they were entertaining and sincere and friendly and charismatic. It was basically awesome! And then the station cut the show. It made me really angry and bitter. But I kept listening to the morning show--The Chunga Show--which I mostly hated because I really hate Chunga. I cannot stand the man. But I really like Chelsea and Cort who co-host the show and so I kept listening. And I'm not sure when I decided to skip to NPR or to be more precise my local public radio station (KUER 90.1) since NPR isn't actually a station. And I suddenly realized how I much I really do love NPR. I listen to Morning Edition on my way to work which is always informative. And then Talk of the Nation on my way home which I always gets me thinking. The other day they were talking about education and I wanted to write a whole blog about that, but I was too exhausted. The gist of it was that many colleges are becoming businesses and education is suffering and tuition is just too outrageous and while many of us were always told that college is the key to a successful career that is no longer necessarily true. Anyway, enough about that. I love the British people on The World and I love Salt Lake's own Radio West which is another show that also gets me thinking. They just did one on Doubt: A History about the roles of doubt and belief in society and then another on The Omnivore's Dilemma which made me think a lot more about the food I consume. What I love most about NPR is the breadth and depth of the coverage and that it is there to provide legitimate news. I think local television news is absolute trash the vast majority of the time. It's sensational and exploitative and terrifying--"Could this happen to you?! Tune in tonight to find out!" Every segment is so brief and so produced that I don't think we should really call it news. The other thing about NPR is that it's not talk radio like Hannity or Limbaugh or anyone else who's goal to to polarize and energize the far right or left. I do think NPR is left-leaning but it's still balanced and legitimate. Anyway, I just wanted to share my rediscovered love for NPR which seems to fit with my job as a librarian. I absolutely love the SLC library and downtown Salt Lake. I'm still not really sure what I'm going to be doing or when since I'm a substitute aide. But it'll be an adventure.
I've been listening to a lot of Broadway lately and I came across this video of Judi Dench singing "Send in the Clowns" from A Little Night Music for which she won the Olivier in 1996. I just wanted to post it because it's a beautiful song and while Dame Judi isn't the most talented singer her acting is phenomenal. I hope you enjoy.
I know this blog is bit disjointed and whatnot, but I need to get something up because I haven't written for a little while. More blog posts soon! Hopefully.
I've been listening to a lot of Broadway lately and I came across this video of Judi Dench singing "Send in the Clowns" from A Little Night Music for which she won the Olivier in 1996. I just wanted to post it because it's a beautiful song and while Dame Judi isn't the most talented singer her acting is phenomenal. I hope you enjoy.
I know this blog is bit disjointed and whatnot, but I need to get something up because I haven't written for a little while. More blog posts soon! Hopefully.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Thoughts
What follows is a random and inchoate stream-of-consciousness style of my thoughts. I have to say that I love narcissistic characters. Sometimes I read a review of a book or film that I found delightful and the other people complain that the characters are shallow, narcissistic, unlikeable, etc. To them I say, get off your moral high horse. There are shallow, self-important, narcissistic people in real life and I LOVE them. Probably because I'm narcissistic myself and I adore people who have been touched with a dash of high school bitchy. "You know what I think it really was? He was a narcissist. I love narcissists . . . you don't have to buoy them up." My friends are having a Death by Chocolate party tomorrow to celebrate Valentine's Day. I'm pretty excited. I'm bringing three desserts which is quite excessive. I'm making a delicious Devil's Food cake that is so moist due to the secret ingredient of beets! You would never even know. We are not going to tell Chris that there are beets in the cake because otherwise he will refuse to eat it. He is a notoriously picky eater. I'm also making a delicious French Silk pie with a coconut crust that is my uncle's specialty. It is pretty simple but so decadent and rich. And finally I'm making a mousse which is just chocolate, eggs, and salt. Yes, salt--it gives it a nice little bite and makes it more interesting. If you want to make good food all you really need is fat and salt--makes everything taste better. Of course, this is not acceptable in our Atkins and South Beach Diet society. I need to make the cake today and the pie and mousse tomorrow. Tomorrow is going to be a packed day. I start training at the SLC library tomorrow and I will miss sleeping in on Saturday morning. I haven't worked on the weekend since June. It's been nice. Then I need to make the desserts and buy a wedding gift. My friends Ken and Abbey are getting married. Ken was my best friend in elementary school and we've remained friends since. Abbey and I went to junior high together, but we weren't friends till high school. We were in theater together. And the summer after my sophomore year of college we hung out a lot. It was me, Elise, Dain, and Abbey. Anyway, she and Ken were something of high school sweethearts, but then he went on a mission, and then she went on a mission, but now they're getting married. However, I haven't really spent much time with either one since their missions. But of course I must get them a gift and go to their reception tomorrow night which keeps me from dying of a chocolaty nature and means that by the time I bring my three decadent desserts they will already be tired of chocolate. I think I should also bring Vicky, Christina, Barcelona--it's such a fun film. It's a comedy and it's romantic, but it's not a chick-flick romantic comedy like He's Just Not That Into You or Confessions of a Shopaholic. No, it's a Woody Allen film. I'm reading far too many books right now. I've started Guns, Germs, and Steel which puts me to sleep every time I open it. We decided to read a history book this month. I think I would have preferred Summer for the Gods, The Devil in the White City, or The Big Oyster. I also want to finish this ghost story by Edith Wharton. I'm also reading her finest novel (according to Harold Bloom anyway), The Custom of the Country. I just adore Mrs. Wharton. In the novel, Undine just went to the Opera with high society New York. And then I saw the Gossip Girl episode where everyone goes to the opera. I thought, more than a hundred years later and it's essentially the same scene. And while we may think that our society is more open and free and tolerant, Park Avenue continues to be exceptionally snobbish and puritanical. I am also reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman in preparation for Sigma Tau Delta in March. I should also be reading Curiosity Scribbled the Cat but I'm sorry Alexandra Fuller, I just can't get into it. I also need to decide which Michael Perry book to read. I'm leaning towards Population: 485. Anyway, I also love to read Neil Gaiman's journal--you can find the link on this page. I think I'm going to see Coraline even though I generally hate and fear Tim Burton. Maybe I'll read the book first. Gaiman says that adults usually find the book more frightening than children do. I just want to share this gem of a review too: "Amidst a flurry of the traditional Valentine's Day Hollywood rom-coms, February contains such counter-programing as "Coraline" and "Friday the 13th". Of these two films, I can say with some certainty that one features some of the most genuinely terrifying sequences to hit the big screen in years, while the other is about a killer wearing a hockey mask." That's from Collider. It makes me laugh. I laughed a lot last night when I watched The Office and 30 Rock. They were both hilarious. I was in such a good mood that I skipped down the hall and hit my head on the doorway post. I immediately took two ibuprofen and checked for external bleeding--there was none. I was still wary of suffering a concussion. So far, so good. Liz Lemon met her perfect match in the form of John Hamm who I didn't even recognize. He switched his iconic, quintessential 1960s man's man Don Draper character for Dr. Drew who is a SNAG which is "sensitive, new-age guy." He's much cuter that way.
It's probably all the brylcreem. My new crush is Matthew Del Negro who plays Bram on The West Wing. Here he is:
Those brown eyes just unstitch me. Yum. I don't really remember what I was saying anymore. And I don't think I can top Matthew here. So just stare at him for a while. Until next time, Ciao!
It's probably all the brylcreem. My new crush is Matthew Del Negro who plays Bram on The West Wing. Here he is:
Those brown eyes just unstitch me. Yum. I don't really remember what I was saying anymore. And I don't think I can top Matthew here. So just stare at him for a while. Until next time, Ciao!Monday, February 2, 2009
YouTube Love
This is my first attempt at inserting videos to my blog. We'll see how it goes. I turned in two grad school applications yesterday, and the third isn't due until May which is so odd. I'm going to start working on it before then, but for now I can just do whatever I want without feeling guilty that I should be working on my grad school applications or searching for a second job--on Saturday I begin temp training for SLCPL. So like many people, I waste my hours away on YouTube and here are a few videos I've run across which make me happy. So grab some popcorn and enjoy!
Conan
Adorable Twins
Karen Driving
The Wizard of Oz: Alternate Ending
Lauren Cooper
Lesbian Realtors Part I
Lesbian Realtors Part II
Hope you enjoyed!
Conan
Adorable Twins
Karen Driving
The Wizard of Oz: Alternate Ending
Lauren Cooper
Lesbian Realtors Part I
Lesbian Realtors Part II
Hope you enjoyed!
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