As a kid, I visited Germany several times with my German mother, the last time when I was 18 (over 30 years ago). I'd always planned to visit Europe, Germany especially, again as an adult.
I'd wanted to visit Paris (to re-discover the 1920s haunts of modernists). London (to get a feel for the Victorian era and for the Plath/Hughes and Beatles early '60s). Germany of the 1970s when I was there last, and then right after the 1989 reunification...
All of that is gone now.
Last I heard, France, England, and Germany have been overrun by (1) Middle Eastern oligarchs who are buying up prime properties and driving up surrounding rents, and (2) Muslim immigrants. No one is telling them "no." (I understand that the Germans have had pride of country guilted out of them post WWII --- but the stolid ENGLISH? The stubborn French?)
The hearts of the main cities of Europe are now no-go zones, even for police. There wouldn't be a thing there for me to see, or feel, other than regret for not having gone back two decades sooner.
p.s. After I wrote the above, saw online that the murder rate in London had overtaken that in NYC for the first time ever: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5566689/London-murder-rate-overtakes-New-York-time-including-11-killings-just-16-days.html
Congrats, Mayor Khan.
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Good Friday
Usually I don't feel like joining in group activities, but my apartment complex's "Adults Only" Easter Egg Hunt this Friday appealed to me. ("Adults Only" for one thing --- that didn't mean "X-rated," although there was the promise of a "Golden Chick," just that kids weren't allowed; at first, I wondered why in the world kids wouldn't be allowed, since the activity was meant to appeal to kids... but then I didn't care.)
I've had one particular set of bad neighbors at this complex ever since I moved in last April (2017), right up until those guys moved out earlier this month. For a solid YEAR, I've been tense, waiting for their next obnoxious behavior: loud music, constant hanging-out right above my backyard, dogs running loose, firecrackers on holidays, etc.
Since those guys left March 5, I can relax a little more.
This Easter Egg Hunt was mildly fun. For one thing, I'd actually been looking forward to it all week, to the point where I told my boss about it and asked her for help with what basket I would use. (I didn't just want to use a garbage bag or something.) I had a small basket in my office and asked her if she had any pipe cleaners to use for a handle... No pipe cleaners, but she did have multiple sheets of tissue paper and was nice enough to fashion a GREAT Easter basket!
As it turned out, my fellow apartment dwellers were just carrying whatever crappy plastic bags; and they were aggressive in their egg hunting! I ended up with only 3 eggs.
The Egg Hunt was set to begin at 5:30pm. I watched the clock on my cable box and left my apartment at 5:29 to head to the main office... As I was approaching the office, apparently seconds after the official start time, people came RUNNING out; the Asian guy with the red backpack straps in the picture, especially! I didn't know it was like THAT! :)
After the initial BURST, people dispersed and didn't seem so spastic. I spent the next 20 minutes or so moseying around the apartment complex looking at bushes, etc., and making small-talk with other egg-searchers. It was a mildly jolly situation, but still mostly non-communicative: I talked with one guy and one old lady during the search, but most of the participants were Millennials and thus unwilling to make eye contact as we passed, even during such an interesting excursion.
As I said, I found a mere 3 eggs, that's all. I was disappointed. But not in my beautiful Easter basket that my boss made for me. p.s. After seeing the photos below that my apartment manager sent out: I really would have liked one of the succulent planters!
I've had one particular set of bad neighbors at this complex ever since I moved in last April (2017), right up until those guys moved out earlier this month. For a solid YEAR, I've been tense, waiting for their next obnoxious behavior: loud music, constant hanging-out right above my backyard, dogs running loose, firecrackers on holidays, etc.
Since those guys left March 5, I can relax a little more.
This Easter Egg Hunt was mildly fun. For one thing, I'd actually been looking forward to it all week, to the point where I told my boss about it and asked her for help with what basket I would use. (I didn't just want to use a garbage bag or something.) I had a small basket in my office and asked her if she had any pipe cleaners to use for a handle... No pipe cleaners, but she did have multiple sheets of tissue paper and was nice enough to fashion a GREAT Easter basket!
As it turned out, my fellow apartment dwellers were just carrying whatever crappy plastic bags; and they were aggressive in their egg hunting! I ended up with only 3 eggs.
The Egg Hunt was set to begin at 5:30pm. I watched the clock on my cable box and left my apartment at 5:29 to head to the main office... As I was approaching the office, apparently seconds after the official start time, people came RUNNING out; the Asian guy with the red backpack straps in the picture, especially! I didn't know it was like THAT! :)
After the initial BURST, people dispersed and didn't seem so spastic. I spent the next 20 minutes or so moseying around the apartment complex looking at bushes, etc., and making small-talk with other egg-searchers. It was a mildly jolly situation, but still mostly non-communicative: I talked with one guy and one old lady during the search, but most of the participants were Millennials and thus unwilling to make eye contact as we passed, even during such an interesting excursion.
As I said, I found a mere 3 eggs, that's all. I was disappointed. But not in my beautiful Easter basket that my boss made for me. p.s. After seeing the photos below that my apartment manager sent out: I really would have liked one of the succulent planters!
Monday, March 26, 2018
Paul McCartney and Wings (Denny Laine singing) "Again and Again and Again" (1979)
I'm sorry that Linda died of cancer, and I'm glad that she and Paul had a lovely relationship; that said, she is annoying as hell in this video, as she is in just about every other Wings video I've ever seen. (Same can be said of Yoko and her participation in John's music. I'm a feminist, but Linda and Yoko utterly ruined any natural vibe among musicians--Linda with her "trying to be cool" stilted mannerisms and Yoko with her left-wing politically correct posing. Each a failed rich girl: Linda's photography wasn't working out, Yoko's art wasn't working out...)
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Friday, March 23, 2018
Oh, yes, I will!
I've loved "Gone With the Wind" since I was 12. I've loved Trump since I was 51.
Scarlett's "Oh, yes, I will!" in the scene below reminds me of me upon seeing Trump's "Bush didn't keep us safe" comment in 2016: "Oh, yes, I will, willingly, go beyond all currently bullshit! Thank you!"
Scarlett's "Oh, yes, I will!" in the scene below reminds me of me upon seeing Trump's "Bush didn't keep us safe" comment in 2016: "Oh, yes, I will, willingly, go beyond all currently bullshit! Thank you!"
John Lennon "Scared" (1974)
You don't have to suffer
It is what it is
It is what it is
No bell, book, or candle
can get you out of this...
Bell, Book, and Candle from the Encyclopedia Britannica:
can get you out of this...
Bell, Book, and Candle from the Encyclopedia Britannica:
Bell, book, and candle, in Roman Catholicism, a ceremony formerly used in pronouncing the “major excommunication” or “anathema” (see excommunication).
Its origins are not clear, but it dates back certainly to the late 9th
century. The bell represented the public character of the act, the book
the authority of the words spoken by the presiding bishop. The candle was believed to symbolize the possibility that the ban might be lifted by the repentance and amendment of its victim. The ceremony was performed in some conspicuous
place, and, upon its termination, letters were written to bishops of
other sees to report the fact. When the assemblage had been convoked, a
bishop appeared with 12 priests, and all 13 held lighted candles. The
bishop, wearing violet vestments, then recited the formula, ending thus:
“We separate him, together with his accomplices and abettors, from the precious body and blood of the Lord and from the society of all Christians; we exclude him from our holy mother the church
in heaven and on earth; we declare him excommunicate and anathema; we
judge him damned, with the devil and his angels and all the reprobate,
to eternal fire until he shall recover himself from the toils of the
devil and return to amendment and to penitence.” Those present answered,
“So be it!” Then the bishop and the 12 priests extinguished their
candles by dashing them to the ground, and (as a general rule) the
ceremony then ended.
Dear Snowflakes:
https://www.mystatesman.com/news/local-education/march-for-our-lives-students-demand-safer-schools-stricter-gun-laws/oOj5eiRRdL8uMZIPezdHQM/
RE: “These shootings are aimed at students our age,” she said. “Older generations don’t seem to understand the fear placed in us. We need to take matters in our own hands and try to make a change.”
Dear Snowflakes:
(1) Mass shootings aren't aimed at you. Shootings are committed by mentally ill, or politically radicalized, people with access to guns. And they're aimed at adults in Las Vegas, adults in night-clubs, people at marathons, kids in elementary or high schools, etc. You're not special.
(2) Don't dare condescend to said "older generations" who have faced much more than you seem to be aware of. Don't they teach history in classrooms any more? Or is it all "social and emotional learning" nowadays? Some generations have actually faced serious poverty and war and the threat of nuclear annihilation. You're not special.
(3) Cutting class isn't "taking matters in your own hands." I understand that you feel self-righteous about it, but...that doesn't make any difference whatsoever. You're not special.
Thursday, March 22, 2018
"No bell, book, or candle..."
"...can get you out of this, oh no!" (John Lennon, "Scared," 1974)
I had a nice day today.
For one thing, Austin is great for about 6 weeks in the spring --- mid-March through end of April usually features temps in the 70s during the day and lows in the 40s at night: perfect, as far as I'm concerned. (May through September, on the other hand, is a constant muggy mess, with temperatures in the 90s--May, June, September--or 100s--July and August--by day, and no breezes at night to alleviate the tedious heat. By May, the AC comes on and stays on for a solid 5 months--no outside fresh air in the home.)
TCM is featuring Joan Crawford movies for over 12 hours on Friday, her birthday. In her honor, I requested the day off from work. At a perfect time: After 5 months of constant busy-ness and weekly overtime since October, there's a brief lull... I finally feel comfortable taking some time off. Thursday, as well as Joan Friday.
Aside from a lot of work to do, I also, honestly, hadn't had any particular place to go or people to see, which is what I'd always associated with "vacation." I finally figured out that sometimes people need time off and space just to do "basic" things. Like getting my car washed, for instance. I've had my car for over 2 years now, and have only washed it once (relying on the rain to clean it the rest of the time, I suppose). That one time, I did it myself after collecting $5 in quarters for weeks.
Lately, it had been bugging me for weeks/months that goop had collected on my car roof, and in the cup-holders, and that the driver's side of the floorboard was full of grit. It had also been bothering me that, months ago, a bought a new windshield wiper--only for the driver's side! Not occurring to me at the time that the passenger-side wiper indeed swiped over on the driver's side, and that if I didn't have BOTH wipers swiping properly, driving during rain was going to be a mess. (When I'd bought the first wiper months ago, the guy at the auto-parts store was dismissive of me, and I couldn't figure out how to hook it up properly, finally relying on a kind guy from work to do it for me.)
Today, Thursday, I slept in and woke up, invigorated, with the knowledge that it was nothing but Car Day! First task: Go back to the same auto-parts store and get the passenger-side wiper! Unlike during the first purchase, this man was courteous and helpful and asked ME, "Would you like me to put that on for you?" (Oh my god, yes I WOULD! Thank you!)
I then decided to splurge for a professional cleaning of my car, rather than doing it myself. (I only had $3 in quarters, and last time I'd tried to wash, the machine wouldn't give me change for my dollar bills)... $29.99, which included exterior, interior vacuuming, dash wiping, etc. I'd never had this done before on any car, so the process was interesting to find out about. (The Genie car wash where I went has an indoor area with windows where you watch your car go through the wash; before, guys vacuum, and after, guys clean your dash, console, etc.)
The result: Not worth $30! The cup-holders and spaces between the seats still had some ashes; there was still some gunk on the roof. At Genie, at the end, I pointed out the ashes, and they politely had someone re-vacuum. I didn't notice the "gunk" 'til I was driving around later; when I got home, I took a roll of paper towels and some window cleaner and wiped it off. I won't pay for this again, but I'm still glad I did it, just to find out about the process. (Next time, I'll just make sure I have enough quarters and do the job myself! I thought paying $30 would grant me something beyond what I could accomplish myself!)
Post-car cleaning, my official Task for the Day was done, and I then cruised around the 'hood in my fresh-smelling car visiting random places that I haven't had time to visit in months:
At the Dollar Store: I bought cheap Woolite substitute and other soap products. Only one register open, line of 6 or so. Black girl at the counter explaining loudly (could be heard all across the store) to all customers that she didn't see why people expected her to both ring up items AND bag them. (Thankfully, by the time I'd shopped and gotten to the register, another woman was in charge. She had no "thank you" or anything.)
At the Savers: I bought a candle dish. At the register area, one other man was standing around --- no open registers in sight. I spied a black woman walking to and fro with a young man, seemingly training him about things. After the man and I had been standing there for a while, I finally approached the woman/trainee: "Are any checkouts open?" That shook her out of whatever lethargy. Neither she nor her trainee looked at me during my $2.99 checkout, and certainly didn't have any paper to wrap my glass dish in.
At the "Now and Then" Episcopalian consignment store: I found a bell, tra-la-la. The 80-year-old white lady behind the counter was busy talking with a customer for a very long time. (Same customer who had asked me a half-hour earlier: "Did you hide that?" when I had said "excuse me" to him while in front of the picture frames). I finally had to ask another 80-year-old behind the counter: "Is this where I check out, or...?" This time, though, my purchase was wrapped very thoroughly.
The above all sounds very mundane, but the difference to me was: I had the time and space to wander around doing all of this stuff without getting greatly irritated by other people's foibles. The Dollar Store and Savers and church consignment store were all exactly as I'd experienced them when visiting them in months/years past. The first two have ALWAYS had crappy, random employees who don't have any concept of customer relations; the latter has ALWAYS had slow-pokey, snobbish old people. Sometimes I wonder if it's "just me." Nah. I'm learning that I'm often quite correct in my impressions to begin with! :)
Rest of the day: Visits to two furniture consignment shops (no $100 chairs or $40 side tables that I'd wanted), and then to McAllister's deli (where service was slow, as usual). Then to the liquor store to buy some 100-proof Smirnoff in honor of Joan's birthday tomorrow. (The 60-something owner refused to engage in any conversation about Joan's birthday.) Then a nap in the springtime afternoon --- Austin smells good in the spring; nothing woke me up until I woke up naturally.
This evening watching on TCM: Sunset Boulevard, Gone With the Wind (now on as I write), Casablanca...
And then tomorrow: Joan Crawford for 12 hours! :)
A good day!
I had a nice day today.
For one thing, Austin is great for about 6 weeks in the spring --- mid-March through end of April usually features temps in the 70s during the day and lows in the 40s at night: perfect, as far as I'm concerned. (May through September, on the other hand, is a constant muggy mess, with temperatures in the 90s--May, June, September--or 100s--July and August--by day, and no breezes at night to alleviate the tedious heat. By May, the AC comes on and stays on for a solid 5 months--no outside fresh air in the home.)
TCM is featuring Joan Crawford movies for over 12 hours on Friday, her birthday. In her honor, I requested the day off from work. At a perfect time: After 5 months of constant busy-ness and weekly overtime since October, there's a brief lull... I finally feel comfortable taking some time off. Thursday, as well as Joan Friday.
Aside from a lot of work to do, I also, honestly, hadn't had any particular place to go or people to see, which is what I'd always associated with "vacation." I finally figured out that sometimes people need time off and space just to do "basic" things. Like getting my car washed, for instance. I've had my car for over 2 years now, and have only washed it once (relying on the rain to clean it the rest of the time, I suppose). That one time, I did it myself after collecting $5 in quarters for weeks.
Lately, it had been bugging me for weeks/months that goop had collected on my car roof, and in the cup-holders, and that the driver's side of the floorboard was full of grit. It had also been bothering me that, months ago, a bought a new windshield wiper--only for the driver's side! Not occurring to me at the time that the passenger-side wiper indeed swiped over on the driver's side, and that if I didn't have BOTH wipers swiping properly, driving during rain was going to be a mess. (When I'd bought the first wiper months ago, the guy at the auto-parts store was dismissive of me, and I couldn't figure out how to hook it up properly, finally relying on a kind guy from work to do it for me.)
Today, Thursday, I slept in and woke up, invigorated, with the knowledge that it was nothing but Car Day! First task: Go back to the same auto-parts store and get the passenger-side wiper! Unlike during the first purchase, this man was courteous and helpful and asked ME, "Would you like me to put that on for you?" (Oh my god, yes I WOULD! Thank you!)
I then decided to splurge for a professional cleaning of my car, rather than doing it myself. (I only had $3 in quarters, and last time I'd tried to wash, the machine wouldn't give me change for my dollar bills)... $29.99, which included exterior, interior vacuuming, dash wiping, etc. I'd never had this done before on any car, so the process was interesting to find out about. (The Genie car wash where I went has an indoor area with windows where you watch your car go through the wash; before, guys vacuum, and after, guys clean your dash, console, etc.)
The result: Not worth $30! The cup-holders and spaces between the seats still had some ashes; there was still some gunk on the roof. At Genie, at the end, I pointed out the ashes, and they politely had someone re-vacuum. I didn't notice the "gunk" 'til I was driving around later; when I got home, I took a roll of paper towels and some window cleaner and wiped it off. I won't pay for this again, but I'm still glad I did it, just to find out about the process. (Next time, I'll just make sure I have enough quarters and do the job myself! I thought paying $30 would grant me something beyond what I could accomplish myself!)
Post-car cleaning, my official Task for the Day was done, and I then cruised around the 'hood in my fresh-smelling car visiting random places that I haven't had time to visit in months:
At the Dollar Store: I bought cheap Woolite substitute and other soap products. Only one register open, line of 6 or so. Black girl at the counter explaining loudly (could be heard all across the store) to all customers that she didn't see why people expected her to both ring up items AND bag them. (Thankfully, by the time I'd shopped and gotten to the register, another woman was in charge. She had no "thank you" or anything.)
At the Savers: I bought a candle dish. At the register area, one other man was standing around --- no open registers in sight. I spied a black woman walking to and fro with a young man, seemingly training him about things. After the man and I had been standing there for a while, I finally approached the woman/trainee: "Are any checkouts open?" That shook her out of whatever lethargy. Neither she nor her trainee looked at me during my $2.99 checkout, and certainly didn't have any paper to wrap my glass dish in.
At the "Now and Then" Episcopalian consignment store: I found a bell, tra-la-la. The 80-year-old white lady behind the counter was busy talking with a customer for a very long time. (Same customer who had asked me a half-hour earlier: "Did you hide that?" when I had said "excuse me" to him while in front of the picture frames). I finally had to ask another 80-year-old behind the counter: "Is this where I check out, or...?" This time, though, my purchase was wrapped very thoroughly.
The above all sounds very mundane, but the difference to me was: I had the time and space to wander around doing all of this stuff without getting greatly irritated by other people's foibles. The Dollar Store and Savers and church consignment store were all exactly as I'd experienced them when visiting them in months/years past. The first two have ALWAYS had crappy, random employees who don't have any concept of customer relations; the latter has ALWAYS had slow-pokey, snobbish old people. Sometimes I wonder if it's "just me." Nah. I'm learning that I'm often quite correct in my impressions to begin with! :)
Rest of the day: Visits to two furniture consignment shops (no $100 chairs or $40 side tables that I'd wanted), and then to McAllister's deli (where service was slow, as usual). Then to the liquor store to buy some 100-proof Smirnoff in honor of Joan's birthday tomorrow. (The 60-something owner refused to engage in any conversation about Joan's birthday.) Then a nap in the springtime afternoon --- Austin smells good in the spring; nothing woke me up until I woke up naturally.
This evening watching on TCM: Sunset Boulevard, Gone With the Wind (now on as I write), Casablanca...
And then tomorrow: Joan Crawford for 12 hours! :)
A good day!
Monday, March 19, 2018
Sunday, March 18, 2018
My Brave Face - Paul McCartney (1989)
Spring of 1989. My first answering machine and message: "Now I don't have to tell anybody when I'm gonna get back!"
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Paul McCartney & Wings: With A Little Luck (1978)
Did I mention already that Paul McCartney is sweet?
Friday, March 16, 2018
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Truman Capote, 1960s
I've been reading and re-reading Capote over the past couple of weeks. What is most annoying in his history is the constant latter-day claims that he was working on his grand opus "Answered Prayers" when in fact he was just doing drugs and drinking. The so-called "Answered Prayers" chapters that appeared in the media in the '70s were just gossipy transcriptions of scenes he'd been around. He hadn't taken the time to (1) internalize his impressions, or (2) organize his impressions. Lazily, he just spat them out.
For instance: Was it so important to Capote that he wrote about Bill Paley (husband of Capote's muse Babe Paley) fucking someone else's wife, who was having her period and left a blood-stain in the bed? As others have pointed out, having sex with a woman having her period isn't that big of a deal for a straight man... but Capote seemed to obsess about it, creating a sort-of demarcation line... A demarcation line for WHAT? Babe Paley, upon reading Capote's public account, chose to stand with her husband. THAT was the demarcation line.
Friday, March 09, 2018
Back in February...
My uncle posted a flower-photo on Facebook with the trope: "Share if you have a daughter you love with all your heart and let everyone know how much you are proud of her."
I'm his Facebook Friend, and I responded: "Wow! I wish my own father felt the same way."
My uncle responded: "I do not know what he thinks but you have at least one uncle, and maybe more, that love you, admires your writing skills, and thinks you are beautiful and smart. You write as well as any famous syndicated columnist, perhaps better than most. Your debating skills are outstanding, and i like your arguments when we are both on the same page."
I cried. I'd never heard any such thing from my mother or father or anyone.
I'm his Facebook Friend, and I responded: "Wow! I wish my own father felt the same way."
My uncle responded: "I do not know what he thinks but you have at least one uncle, and maybe more, that love you, admires your writing skills, and thinks you are beautiful and smart. You write as well as any famous syndicated columnist, perhaps better than most. Your debating skills are outstanding, and i like your arguments when we are both on the same page."
I cried. I'd never heard any such thing from my mother or father or anyone.
Thursday, March 08, 2018
Wednesday, March 07, 2018
Wings/Paul McCartney - Treat Her Gently (Lonely Old People) 1975
Treat her gently
Treat her kind
She doesn’t even know her own mind.
Treat her kind
She doesn’t even know her own mind.
Treat her simply
Take it slow
Make it easy
and let her know
You’ll never find another way
Take it slow
Make it easy
and let her know
You’ll never find another way
Here we sit
Two lonely old people
Eking our lives away
Two lonely old people
Eking our lives away
Bit by bit
Two lonely old people
Keeping the time of day
Two lonely old people
Keeping the time of day
Here we sit
Out of breath
And nobody asked us to play
Old people’s home for the day
Nobody asked us to play
Out of breath
And nobody asked us to play
Old people’s home for the day
Nobody asked us to play
Treat her gently
Treat her kind
She doesn’t even know her own mind
Treat her kind
She doesn’t even know her own mind
Treat her simply
Make it slow
Take it easy
and let her know
You’ll never find another way
Make it slow
Take it easy
and let her know
You’ll never find another way
Here we sit
Two lonely old people
Eking our lives away
Two lonely old people
Eking our lives away
Bit by bit
Two lonely old people
Keeping the time of day
Two lonely old people
Keeping the time of day
Here we sit
Out of breath
And nobody asked us to play
Out of breath
And nobody asked us to play
Old people’s home for the day
Nobody asked us to play
Nobody asked us to play
Monday, March 05, 2018
Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
Heard this on the way to work this past week. Cranked it up, rolled my windows down... I'm not dead yet, motherfuckers.
Bye!
The dicks at the apartment overlooking mine who've given me so much grief with their ongoing obnoxiousness (partying on their stoop and at the apartment pool) moved out tonight! Before I re-signed my lease a few weeks ago, my apartment manager assured me that their last day was March 5, but somehow I didn't quite believe it... It's true!
I heard a large CRASH around 6pm... Boo-hoo, the dicks had dropped their couch as they were moving out.
When I moved in over a year ago in April 2017, these assholes were parked in chairs in front of their apartment watching me and sniggering as I struggled to haul stuff in to my apartment. Tonight, I briefly contemplated sitting out back and watching their own dickish struggles to move their shit.
Thank GOD they're gone.
(Though, The Overlook isn't yet dumbshit free: The punk couple in the apartment to the right of The Dicks just had the police called to the apartment Friday night. I peered out through the sliding-glass door during the police call; the police isolated the male and talked to him for 15 minutes. Haven't seen them since.)
I heard a large CRASH around 6pm... Boo-hoo, the dicks had dropped their couch as they were moving out.
When I moved in over a year ago in April 2017, these assholes were parked in chairs in front of their apartment watching me and sniggering as I struggled to haul stuff in to my apartment. Tonight, I briefly contemplated sitting out back and watching their own dickish struggles to move their shit.
Thank GOD they're gone.
(Though, The Overlook isn't yet dumbshit free: The punk couple in the apartment to the right of The Dicks just had the police called to the apartment Friday night. I peered out through the sliding-glass door during the police call; the police isolated the male and talked to him for 15 minutes. Haven't seen them since.)
Sunday, March 04, 2018
My "Shape of Water" post, 12/30/17
"The Shape of Water" just won "Best Picture." Below is my review, re why it shouldn't have won.
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Saturday, December 30, 2017
The Shape of Water
My adventure for this Friday was taking the bus to downtown Austin to see "The Shape of Water" at Violet Crown on 2nd St.
I arrived early and was walking around with time to kill when a young man approached me at an intersection: "Sorry to bother you, but do you know where the new library is?"
While wandering around aimlessly, I had been wondering the same thing: The newly opened big-deal-of-a-library was somewhere in the area, but I hadn't seen it. I apologized for not knowing, explaining that I was just killing time before a movie. What movie? I told him. His girlfriend had just "made him" see "The Shape of Water," but he didn't like it. Why not? He didn't know --- just wasn't his thing. What about (my second and third choices for holiday films) the Churchill movie and "Three Billboards"? He liked Churchill... I wished him luck as we crossed separate streets.
After briefly contemplating changing my movie plans after talking to a complete stranger (!), I went on see "The Shape of Water."
It was, in many ways, an intensely beautiful movie. It was shot beautifully. And I am so utterly alone that I, of course, related completely to the mute main character, to her ageing gay neighbor, to the "monster." To the sympatico, delicate connections. THAT was the beautiful part of the movie: "We are not alone."
Plot-wise, the film was also intense: The Evil Villain versus the Good Guys. I cringed and got angry where appropriate; I cried.
The acting was great: Michael Shannon as the Bad Guy (whom I'd just recently seen in a funnily evil bit on the Amy Sedaris show) was the best; Sally Hawkins as the The Mute was very good (especially her "FUCK YOU" signing scene).
The film was based on "The Creature of the Black Lagoon" --- director Guillermo del Toro has said in interviews that he had a fantasy about the Gill-man ending up with the Girl. That's a thing unto itself. (I had my own fantasy about "Sunset Boulevard.) And that fantasy of "the Beast" winding up with its object of desire is a long-standing thing (realized here). As is the non-sexual fantasy of "the Beast" potentially being rescued: Frankenstein, King Kong, ET, Trog...
My problem with this movie, though, was that the "other" wasn't explored very intelligently or subtly. There was a lot of heavy-handed social critiquing going on. For instance, the main character and her gay neighbor like to go to a "Southern" diner where the studly young counter-man calls out to customers "Y'all come back now, y'hear!" The gay neighbor has a crush on the young man. At one point, the two start to have a personal conversation about being alone in the city; as soon as the older gay man takes the young man's hand, the latter pulls back ---- then a black couple comes into the diner and the young man tells them to get out... Point taken: "Southern" and "white" is "Evil."
Same goes for the main "Bad Guy": He's a Fed; he reads "The Power of Positive Thinking" in his spare time; he fucks his wife with his shirt on; he crudely comes on to the saintly Eliza; he mocks black people; he sucks up to a general; he adheres to protocol. In an A-movie, I've never seen such a blatantly negative portrayal. Shannon was riveting in the role, but his role was cartoonishly one-sided.
(In other blatant ridiculousness from the director: "Movie-watching = Good; TV-watching = Bad.)
In other, more intelligently done, movies where an "alien" was involved, directors were more subtle. Think of "ET." Often, there's a scientific argument about what is to be done with the alien creature... This movie, though, takes a completely simplistic ham-handed approach. I got over that to enjoy the ride, but I was still obviously aware of the ham-handedness.
"The Shape of Water" was a very good, simplistic B-movie. In the "olden days," not Oscar-worthy (but just watch --- it'll get a bunch this year.)
I arrived early and was walking around with time to kill when a young man approached me at an intersection: "Sorry to bother you, but do you know where the new library is?"
While wandering around aimlessly, I had been wondering the same thing: The newly opened big-deal-of-a-library was somewhere in the area, but I hadn't seen it. I apologized for not knowing, explaining that I was just killing time before a movie. What movie? I told him. His girlfriend had just "made him" see "The Shape of Water," but he didn't like it. Why not? He didn't know --- just wasn't his thing. What about (my second and third choices for holiday films) the Churchill movie and "Three Billboards"? He liked Churchill... I wished him luck as we crossed separate streets.
After briefly contemplating changing my movie plans after talking to a complete stranger (!), I went on see "The Shape of Water."
It was, in many ways, an intensely beautiful movie. It was shot beautifully. And I am so utterly alone that I, of course, related completely to the mute main character, to her ageing gay neighbor, to the "monster." To the sympatico, delicate connections. THAT was the beautiful part of the movie: "We are not alone."
Plot-wise, the film was also intense: The Evil Villain versus the Good Guys. I cringed and got angry where appropriate; I cried.
The acting was great: Michael Shannon as the Bad Guy (whom I'd just recently seen in a funnily evil bit on the Amy Sedaris show) was the best; Sally Hawkins as the The Mute was very good (especially her "FUCK YOU" signing scene).
The film was based on "The Creature of the Black Lagoon" --- director Guillermo del Toro has said in interviews that he had a fantasy about the Gill-man ending up with the Girl. That's a thing unto itself. (I had my own fantasy about "Sunset Boulevard.) And that fantasy of "the Beast" winding up with its object of desire is a long-standing thing (realized here). As is the non-sexual fantasy of "the Beast" potentially being rescued: Frankenstein, King Kong, ET, Trog...
My problem with this movie, though, was that the "other" wasn't explored very intelligently or subtly. There was a lot of heavy-handed social critiquing going on. For instance, the main character and her gay neighbor like to go to a "Southern" diner where the studly young counter-man calls out to customers "Y'all come back now, y'hear!" The gay neighbor has a crush on the young man. At one point, the two start to have a personal conversation about being alone in the city; as soon as the older gay man takes the young man's hand, the latter pulls back ---- then a black couple comes into the diner and the young man tells them to get out... Point taken: "Southern" and "white" is "Evil."
Same goes for the main "Bad Guy": He's a Fed; he reads "The Power of Positive Thinking" in his spare time; he fucks his wife with his shirt on; he crudely comes on to the saintly Eliza; he mocks black people; he sucks up to a general; he adheres to protocol. In an A-movie, I've never seen such a blatantly negative portrayal. Shannon was riveting in the role, but his role was cartoonishly one-sided.
(In other blatant ridiculousness from the director: "Movie-watching = Good; TV-watching = Bad.)
In other, more intelligently done, movies where an "alien" was involved, directors were more subtle. Think of "ET." Often, there's a scientific argument about what is to be done with the alien creature... This movie, though, takes a completely simplistic ham-handed approach. I got over that to enjoy the ride, but I was still obviously aware of the ham-handedness.
"The Shape of Water" was a very good, simplistic B-movie. In the "olden days," not Oscar-worthy (but just watch --- it'll get a bunch this year.)
Saturday, March 03, 2018
Trying to turn an apartment into a home
I moved in to my apartment in April 2017, nearly a year ago. The room pictured below was always "the spare room." Books and bookshelves. But I never felt like going in there and reading after dark because the big window was right off a sidewalk and the blinds had numerous gaps where people walking by could definitely see through. I finally figured out that you could order "wall hangings"/"tapestries" from Amazon... My goal was to block people from seeing in, plus leave some space below where I could still open the window and get some air in... (As for: "How will you see out?" The window just looks out onto a row of apartments and air-conditioners; nothing to see. Had I a room with a view, I would never block it!) I love the Ancient World tapestry that I found.
The last photo is of my "Thought Fox" (Ted Hughes) and "Scream" (Munch) pillows in the same room.
The last photo is of my "Thought Fox" (Ted Hughes) and "Scream" (Munch) pillows in the same room.
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