March 25, 2007
I've avoided the
Film Festival this year. I've gone faithfully for the last several years running, and frankly, I just don't think I can take it this year. I've lost my enthusiasm for
the genre - yes, genre - experimental is not an adjective and has nothing to do with the concept of using new techniques when you're using the word in conjunction with the word film; it's a genre descriptor like Modern Art (which has a specific meaning: art created in the period from 1890-1970 or so). So I've restricted myself to snarking from the sidelines this year. I figure, if they can put up the films that look exactly the same every ...
March 16, 2007
The Michigan Theater had a special advance screening of
The Last Mimzy, a new movie by
Bob Shaye, and we all trotted down to see it. You may not know Bob Shaye's name, but you do know his work: he founded
New Line Cinema and produced the Lord of the Rings triology, among many other things. He's also a UM alum, and chose to do one of the very first screenings (the film doesn't open til next week) right here in Ann Arbor.
It was terrific. It's rated PG, and I think that's accurate, but only because of the complexity of the story. I think it would mostly bore/confuse the 4 - 7 ...
February 14, 2007
I'm not much for Valentine's Day. It's always been a competition between that and my birthday, just a week apart. Our bank account and my sensibilities generally keep me from wanting to splurge on anything, as I probably splurged the week before. So I generally ignore the holiday wholesale.
Which, of course, would be fine and well and good if it weren't for the fact that there are
other people in the world who don't ignore the holiday, and in fact, feel hurt if it goes by without fanfare. Luckily for me and my orientation, most of those people are women. The men I've dallied with, had crushes on and enjoyed various other states ...
February 6, 2007
NO SCHOOL! Let's get a report on conditions from our familial meteorologist:
Well, Merv, conditions are looking good for another day in front of the tv in pajamas which will proceed pleasantly until about 9:30 8:45 when the first accusation of 'that's unfair!' will be released. Scattered outbreaks of 'you're a butthead' and smacks upside the head will continue through midday. Conditions are expected to worsen by mid-afternoon, when brotherly relations will have degenerated into frequent acts of violence and name-calling. Visitors should exercise caution, as parents may become slippery, irritable and one step closer to insanity.
February 5, 2007
At least we were home to hear the pipe go thump as it burst. And see the water cascading out of places it shouldn't. And get to the shutoff valves.
At least it was upstairs, and we can shut off water to just that part of the house.
At least it happened behind the shower enclosure, which doesn't have drywall, or thank heavens, tile.
At least insurance will cover some of it, sort of.
At least we still have the ceiling paint.
January 10, 2007
The repositories of marital tradition indicate that our third anniversary is the leather anniversary. I looked in the list and couldn't find the latex anniversary. Shame, really.
Three years, eh? It doesn't really seem that long ago, although looking at the
pictures, the little ones sure do look little.
It was cold that day, even colder than it is today. The house is warm, though, as are hands and hearts and cups of tea and mince pies and cozy blankets and Big Sur and Sedona and all the other things we've had together in the past 36 months. Happy anniversary, baby. I love you.
December 23, 2006
Part of our Christmas ritual is the annual toy cleanup, whereby I go through the boys' toys with them and we find the toys & games they don't play with anymore and find new homes for them. This year, I've finally convinced them to part with the Brio train set. (They're downstairs setting up one last track, apparently for old times' sake.)
So. If anyone out there would like a large set of Brio tracks and trains, please get in touch with me. If you're in town and you hurry, you could even have 'em for Christmas! They are all genuine Brio pieces, and are in pretty good shape. The electric engine is spotty, but it ...
December 13, 2006
Wendell asked if I would post a pic of the tree now that it's decorated. Here it is, in all its glory:
(Wonderful what a little change in camera angle will do!)
December 6, 2006
We decided that this year, as belts are tight, we'd forgo a live tree and use the fake one I have from years ago. More prezzies is better was the thinking.
So I hauled the box up from the basement and set the thing up. If this is not the most forlorn, Charlie Brown of a Christmas tree, I don't know what is. I keep looking at it and laughing and then feeling bad for the poor thing. The box says it's 6 feet tall, but um, no, it's barely taller than I am.
But like Charlie's tree, I'm thinking that all it needs a little lovin' to make it perk up. I ...
