2009

My favorite movies this year (in no particular order):

1. Inglourious Basterds
2. Up!
3. Julie & Julia
4. Away We Go
5. Funny People
6. The Informant!
7. Adventureland
8. Public Enemies
9. The Blind Side
10. The Proposal
11. He's Just Not That Into You

Favorite pastimes:

1. College football
2. Wii
3. Mahjong
4. ER
5. EW.com
6. How I Met Your Mother
7. Tennis
8. Monk marathons
9. Nebraska antique shopping
10. Searching for library jobs

Signs that I'm an old lady:

1. See list of pastimes
2. Use of the word pastime
3. Cardigan collection
4. 9:30 Friday night bedtime
5. Vacuum for Christmas

At the end/beginning of the last decade, I was in the St. Dominic's gym, dancing with Eric Pratt at the elite KH/AH dance party. I watched whatshisname be the first million dollar winner on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire right before I left for the dance. "I just wanted to call and let you know that I'm about to win a million dollars." So cheeky. I came home from the dance and vowed to do something, and ten years later I have no memory of what or how or if I accomplished it. However, here are some things that I accomplished in the past 10 years:

1. Graduated from High School
2. Graduated from K-State
3. Made it halfway through Graduate School
4. Qualified for Nationals in 2 events
5. Got a full-time job WITH benefits
6. Survived a semester of substitute teaching
7. Attended a Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting
8. Got a short story published (in a course manual, but still)
9. Traveled to New York City, Salt Lake City, Houston, Austin, Corpus Christie, Madison, Memphis, Nashville and Oxford.
10. Turned 21 and then some
11. Recorded a CD (with a group)
12. Bought a truck
13. Lived with 3, 2, 1 and 0 roommates
14. Learned to cook... a little bit
15. Escaped my teens without a tattoo, criminal record, baby or permanent body piercing (you can hardly tell my nose was pierced).

So tonight, as I ring in the next decade with a wild round of Bananagrams, I leave these and other things behind, hoping for a surprising new decade. A decade that brings the end to OU's football dominance, and the resurgence of the Snyder dynasty. A decade where the literary world is set on fire by Steven Miller and Susan Alsop. Or maybe just new Lorrie, Miranda, Antonya and Dan. A decade of wispy female folk music and indie picaresque films full of cutesy dialogue and thrift store wardrobes. The summer of George? The decade of Susan. Bring it on.

Lucy Wainwright Roche

Is anyone else out there listening to Lucy? I love her a little more each day.

New link - maybe it will work longer

Have you hugged your library today?

My family laughed at me this year when I mentioned that I was thankful for libraries because they do such good work.

But it's no joke. They really do! Here's an example:

At University of Nebraska-Omaha, the reference department was looking for a new answer to the Interlibrary loan problem. Students wanted materials faster, and couldn't wait the 48 hours to receive an article via email because their paper was due in 10. The library purchased Kindle's so that students could purchase the article and walk away with the technology right then and there. Unfortunately, Amazon's collection of peer-reviewed journal articles is not quite as extensive as their popular fiction, so the service flopped.

Rather than giving up entirely, the reference staff came up with a new idea. Academic libraries do not historically build popular fiction into their collection development each year, even though students from all subject areas ask for it. Rather than trying to build a collection from scratch, they used the Kindle's. This eliminated the space issues, and made sure the technology investment was put to good use. Before budgets became tight, UNO students could request a new book, and the library would purchase it for them on the Kindle and then rent out the machine for 2 weeks (with an option of one renew). Now that budgets are smaller, students can still rent the Kindle and purchase what they want, with the understanding that the library will delete the purchase when it is turned back in. Not only can students get the books they want at a fraction of the cost, but they also get to test drive the Kindle to see if they like it. The way I see it - Amazon owes UNO quite a bit of money. I'm sure if UNO wanted to expand their collection, they could even get Amazon to donate the product.

The next time you're at the library, thank a librarian for all that they do. Then ask them to give me a job. We're all in this together.

Travesty

Allie's album has been out since March and I just found out today. Worst fan ever. I checked on Amazon and they are out of stock! Way to go Allie! Or not? I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.

What is good is that I found out about the album through my BFF Jo who discovered the world's best music blog.

Share the joy.

*Sigh* again

No new fancy job for me.

*Sigh*

9 more months until next football season.

Good Things

1. I had a job interview yesterday. It was a 3.5 hour interview - which Dad says is good. It would be hard to leave the ELP, and even harder to move in to the Arts & Sciences Deans office, but I think I'm ready for the challenge. Think happy thoughts for me.

2. Kris Allen's album came out on Tuesday. You know you want to buy it. It's okay. You don't have to tell anyone. Naturally, I bought the all-access iTunes pass back in May, so I got it delivered to my inbox. See how good life is when you indulge your guilty pleasures?



3. This is my first free weekend since August. There is homework that I could do, but instead - I'm taking two days off. I'm going to make chex mix, eat brunch with Steven, watch a ton of football, get caught up on my DVR, and hopefully put a big dent in the Christmas shopping. It's been a long time coming.

4. Nintendo just released Super Mario Brothers for the Wii. People in my life who need Christmas present ideas for me: take note.



5. Project Runway finale. Carol Hannah? Yes please.

6. Steven and I joined a gym today. I'm super excited about it, but Steven is wary. I feel a little wary, just because it didn't work out for Ross and Chandler, or the folks at How I Met Your Mother. Surely we can rise above those fictional heroes? At any rate, Heather Reed and her husband own it, so I feel comfortable supporting those who have supported me.

7. Steven and I resurrected Stimulus Tuesday yesterday to see "The Men Who Stare At Goats." We saw it, so you don't have to. Just giggle a little bit at something in your day and we'll be even. Unless you're still obsessed with seeing Clooney on the big screen.



8. I'm thinking about a new idea for blogging. I thought that I could set myself a ridiculous research project, find the answers, and then post them in some sort of stylized format. Then, as I prove my awesomeness at librarianing, you all could throw out suggestions for projects. Here's an example:

I will gather the most comprehensive collection of over the top ER promos and combine them into one SUPER CAN'T MISS THIS EPISODE. Etc.

9. Iggy is officially fully insured and under my name. Phew. Have I mentioned that growing up is a bummer? Bo-ring.

10. K-State v. Nebraska. For all the marbles. And a chance for two post-season games. Snyder (front and center) vs. Osborne (lurking, ever lurking). If only we could bring back Simoneau...

It'll be a doozy kids. 6:45 on ESPN. Bring the faith. (The music is so dramatic! Loves.)

PS - Have you been voting? You should. Click Click!

What I did this weekend

New Regina for your ears. I've now heard her live 3 times, and she just keeps getting more adorable. If only she could get a decent opener...

Complex Mathematics

1. If I leave Manhattan at 9:00a.m. and drive west at a rate of 70 miles per hour toward Denver, what radio coverage area will I be in at kick-off?

2. How long will I stay in kick-off coverage area before I switch stations?

3. What is the farthest possible distance that I can get from Manhattan while still being able to listen to the Sunflower showdown?

4. How long can I sit on the side of the road at that location?

Extra Credit: K-State's margin of victory.

News from Sus!

I've been avoiding you, dear blog of mine. But today I am back to inform you that...

I have my very first library job!

It pays no money.

It's 3 hours a week.

It's the love of my life. (Or so I hope)

Starting on Tuesday, I will be working the reference/circulation desk at Hale Library from 7 to 10pm.

I have high hopes for this volunteer position. So high in fact, that it is replacing Stimulus Tuesday. Instead of dollar popcorn, I will be getting a free education on the basics of the reference interview, circulation, database queries and so much more.

I refuse to let robots control the reference desk. Instead, unpaid volunteers will devote all of their spare time toward helping you find the research you need.

It feels great to finally have a foot in the door.

****************************************

If my first library job isn't enough to turn that frown upside down, here's a list of other happy things in the world this week:

1. This guy thinks the 'Cats will be victorious this weekend, and my aching heart is happy to agree.
2. Jim and Pam are getting married tonight. If you're not loving this season, you're not paying attention.
3.Big 12 North showdown on Thursday night? God bless America.
4. Toy Story and Toy Story 2 double feature in 3D. Sneak in snacks, wear your pajamas, bring a blanket and laugh til you're silly.

Weekly Poll

Happy Autumnal Equinox!

Sweater Weather: A Love Song to Language
By: Sharon Bryan

Never better, mad as a hatter,
right as rain, might and main,
hanky panky, hot toddy,

hoity-toity, cold shoulder,
bowled over, rolling in clover,
low blow, no soap, hope

against hope, pay the piper,
liar liar pants on fire,
high and dry, shoo-fly pie,

fiddle-faddle, fit as a fiddle,
sultan of swat, muskrat
ramble, fat and sassy,

flimflam, happy as a clam,
cat's pajamas, bee's knees,
peas in a pod, pleased as punch,

pretty as a picture, nothing much,
lift the latch, double Dutch,
helter-skelter, hurdy-gurdy,

early bird, feathered friend,
dumb cluck, buck-up,
shilly-shally, willy-nilly,

roly-poly, holy moly,
loose lips sink ships,
spitting image, nip in the air,

hale and hearty, part and parcel,
upsy-dasiy, lazy days,
maybe baby, up to snuff,

flibbertigibbbet, honky-tonk,
spic and span, handyman,
cool as a cucumber, blue moon,

high as a kite, night and noon,
love me or leave, seventh heaven,
up and about, over and out.

It's been awhile since I've had an Idol post...

Ellen says she doesn’t judge, she opinionates

‘This is going to be a whole lot of fun,’ newest ‘Idol’ member tells Seacrest

Access Hollywood

updated 12:02 p.m. CT, Thurs., Sept . 10, 2009

LOS ANGELES - Is Ellen DeGeneres ready to judge “American Idol?” The reality competition’s new permanent fourth judge told her new colleague, host Ryan Seacrest, on his radio show on Thursday morning that she’s going to “opinionate.”

“It’s ironic, isn’t it?” DeGeneres said, noting that she’d undergone plenty of judgment over the years regarding her sexuality. “I really do pride myself on not judging. We had ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ on the other day, so I do judge. But I try to remind myself that everyone is who they are for a reason. It’s gonna be a fine line – I’ll be honest, I don’t like to judge people. I like to opinionate in a necessary way.”

Still, DeGeneres said she’s already preparing to join the judges’ table.

“I’m getting fitted for robes. Judge Judy and I are going to hang out, so I’m getting ready,” she joked. “I haven’t even talked to Randy or Kara or Simon, but this is going to be a whole lot of fun.”

Asked by Seacrest how she’ll keep up with her daytime program, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” she said she’ll be trying to keep up with the busy radio host.

“Yesterday I took a bagging job at Whole Foods,” she joked to Seacrest. “I’m trying to keep up with you. I’m not worried about that. What you have to do is a lot harder than me sitting there and listening — I do that at home anyway.”

And “Idol,” she said, will play a big part in her show from now on.

“I’ll get to talk about it on my show every day — it’s going to be great,” DeGeneres said. “This is our seventh season and I think it’ll add a whole lot of content to my show and I hope I’ll bring something [to ‘Idol’] that is fresh.”

“American Idol” Season 9 premieres in January 2010.

Copyright 2009 by NBC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

I think there's butter in my eye

Inglorious Basterds

Masterful storytelling. Captivating, strange and surprising. Brilliant use of the medium. Perfect performances (with maybe the exception of Diane Kruger - though I've been jaded since Troy). In short - bloody, brilliant, Tarantino fun. Go see it. Leave the kids at home, and maybe take off your glasses occasionally. You'll see it coming.

Everybody

Ingrid Michaelson's new album came out today! Go buy it, because she's releasing it on her own label. Or on her own, I'm not exactly sure how it works. If you buy it through iTunes it's only $7.99, but Target has it too - just not in the new releases. I hate that. Anyway, it's great, and if you're a fan, you'll enjoy having the unreleased stuff she does live, finally captured in CD form.

Work

Enrollment is hateful. Good news came just when needed however - the English Language Program is officially accredited for the next four years. Huzzah for job security! Steven and I celebrated by eating popcorn and candy for dinner. I love shirking dietary responsibilities. Also, Steven got a silly haircut at a place conveniently located next to the new thrift store in town - New 2 You. I found a kickin' recliner, but it was already sold. The place looks like your garage, packed to the brim and completely unorganized. But full of furniture, so if you're looking for a deal, the quality is much higher than Grand Ol Trunk. Give it a gander and support the locals. The store is also part of Steven's district, so let them know that you saw their ad in the Mercury - and then love me in your heart for the little white lie.

Cable

Steven and I have cable now. It's football season, and we both get real paychecks, so I justified the splurge. Cable + DVR is almost too much excitement. I seriously wake up every morning and run out to check and see what the DVR recorded that night. Every day is Christmas. I just realized yesterday that we also get cable on the TV in the bedroom. Duh. Though it does not have the super fantastic DVR capabilities, it does mean that I can watch football and Sportscenter in bed. Could there be anything better? It's hard enough to not call in sick to work when I know what's waiting, but adding a treat like this makes it nearly irresistible. If I ignore your calls, you know what I'm doing. I apologize in advance. (I seem to be doing that a lot lately.) The sickness will end in January. I promise.

Also, keep Michael Beasley in your thoughts. Everybody stumbles.

Advice

I have to read Brothers of Karamazov next. Have to is a bit harsh. But true. It's my next Russian, and I read the Guernsey Literary Society as my fun book and now it's down to business. Only problem is, Dad and Matthew keep scaring the crap out of me about it. What happens when I get to the party scene? How will I continue? Encouragement needed. Please.

It has come to my attention that there are certain places outside of work where sweat pants are unacceptable. Cruel world. That means I need to buy pants. That fit. I tried at Target tonight but they are all hideous and way too long. Any suggestions, curvy girls? Who makes pants that fit girls with hips without the dreaded muffin top facebook ad disaster? Am I too young for polyester pants? I think I know the answer to that. Related note - Golden Girls seasons are on sale for 8 bucks a pop at your local Target. If you're a fan, you could repay my kindness by buying me seasons 4 - 9 of ER. Guilty pleasures all around.

I thought I'd bookend today's post with pictures of pretty things. Happy Tuesday to all.

No guilt here. Just pleasure.

An observation from my living room

Question:

Last weekend, a man in my building spent his entire Saturday re-painting his car with black shoe polish. It went from a faded silver blue Crown Victoria to a rusty black Crown Victoria.

Why?

What compels someone to do this? An artistic flare? A dearth of craft projects? Small town boredom? Or maybe it's something deadly. Covering up a hit and run. Hiding from Monk and his super observational powers. Maybe black shoe polish is the only thing that removes blood from steel.

Theories wanted.

A post from your host

A Book to Love

My co-worker Ketty and I have started trading books. She's one of those great people who belongs to an old people book club, and volunteers to trim the historical society's rose garden. I just daydream about being that sort of person, and then base frivolous characters after them in short stories. But she's the real thing! Anyway, as a true testament to her character, the first book she loaned me was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Apparently it's all the rage, but I had never heard of it. I started reading it last weekend at the Donut Whole in Wichita (PS - fantastic little 24 hour donut shop - a Kansas hipster's dream) and Betsy said that it was quite the popular read. It's all epistolary, but please - don't let that stop you. It's warm and quaint and funny and has a genuine emotion to it. It doesn't veer too far into sentiment, but offers realistic portraits of this idyllic world. Sort of a Stars Hollow set in the 1940's. I highly recommend it. And if anyone can recommend anything in the same vein, I would really appreciate it. Now that I've entered this book trading world, I'm not sure what to give out. I read such dark, strange collections of stories that I don't really have anything equal to the Guernsey folks. Help a poor snobby intellectual out.

Awkward Behavior

On Saturday, I watched my first live production of Hamlet. I know, right. 23 years old and I had never seen Hamlet performed. I read about it on The Hour Badly Spent (fantastic Manhattan blog) and was so grateful. I narrowly missed seeing Michael Wieser's last Manhattan production. As most people in my Fundamentals of Acting class know, I have an enormously creepy fascination with Mr. Wieser. He started at K-State when I did, and I think I've seen every single one of his productions. From Grease to Mamet, Stoppard to Closer, Chekhov, and now... Shakespeare. To watch him end his Manhattan career as Hamlet was truly a gift and I am oh so glad that I got to see it. It also featured my favorite up and comer - Mr. Kyle Myers (who I met at WWU, when I was a director - but I'm sure he doesn't remember.) The point of this story is that 1. I turn normal people into idols when I decide that they are talented and 2. I got to see Hamlet, finally, and I loved it. It was the perfect way to spend my last free weekend until December. Also, I ran into several of our ELP teachers at the production, and one of them told me that Hale Library owns an entire collection of BBC productions of all of Shakespeare's plays. So I don't have to wait until the next Michael Wieser decides to play Othello. I can watch it whenever I want. The magic of libraries surprises me again.

The end of freedom

This week marks the busiest week in ELP history, trying to welcome 14 new teachers, test and place 300 new students, and enroll over 500 in a day and a half. Immediately following, Steven and I will drive to Garden to see Brennen and friends at Tumbleweed (yay!) and then come back for the first week of classes. Then next weekend, I begin my first semester. As a full-time graduate student. Fortunately, being a full-time graduate student is not as expensive as I anticipated. Tuition is comparable to undergrad, and my books only cost me $30. Again, the magic of libraries played a major role. I am not looking forward to giving up my movie watching weekends, but I am looking forward to moving forward. The worst thing about the end of summer is the anxiety I feel about what challenges are about to reveal themselves. From August 1st until the day I get my syllabus, I have this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that impossible deadlines are going to start popping out of my planner. I get myself so worked up that I'll wake myself in the middle of a dream, convinced that I am procrastinating and shirking my time management schedule. Once the semester starts, there's at least some sort of schedule to make, but until then, it's all worry with no solution. I've discovered the only thing that works at all is baking chocolate chip cookies and reading books about far away literary societies. And, of course, a healthy dose of Friends on DVD. I am not sane. I will not recover quickly. Consider this my formal apology.

Movies are marvelous

As I near the edge of the semester, I feel duty bound to report to you just how many movies I have seen this summer. You should feel impressed, or perhaps envious of my accomplishment. If you don't, there is perhpas no reason for me to post it, and I have been thinking of nothing else since I ordered Netflix.

Movies I have seen for the very first time:

Casablanca, Taxi Driver, On the Waterfront, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Singin' in the Rain, The Maltese Falcon, Vertigo, Tootsie, Bye Bye Birdie, The Godfather, The Godfather Part 2, Raging Bull, It Happened One Night, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Manchurian Candidate, Cool Hand Luke, and Rebel Without a Cause.

From these I have learned some very interesting things.

1. I love Marlon Brando. I would watch him eat cereal. I would watch him decide which laundry detergent to buy. I think he's a genius and I wish that he made more movies. He is absolutely captivating.

(To think, I used to have pictures of Ben Affleck on my walls. For shame.)

2. With the exception of To Kill a Mockingbird, I don't like movies from the 60's. Do I not understand them? Are they too creepy? Or is it just that Janet Leigh is always playing two characters, and we're supposed to not notice? There's just something about it that I cannot connect to. Though I did fall in love with Paul Newman from the very first smile. 100 percent.

(That cool Luke smile. Natural born world shaker. Miss you, Paul.)

3. Sad but true, my favorite movie in this list is Tootsie. Ever since I watched a behind the scenes movie about Dustin Hoffman in a production of Death of a Salesman, he has remained my favorite actor. His work in Tootsie is a bit frantic, but still hysterical. And those scenes with Sidney Pollack! Eternal! Every time we started to watch a new movie from the list, a little part of me wanted to just watch Tootsie again. And, on Netflix, you can watch it any time you want - it's part of the online features.

(Best. Scene. In. Movie.)

4. I wish Robert DeNiro still made good movies. Oh, and movie trivia - "I coulda been a contender!" - On the Waterfront, not Raging Bull. Now you know.

I'm in possession of The Philadelphia Story right now, and the plan is to watch it before the end of the week. As for the rest of the list, I imagine it will be slow going, now that we're up against the double threat of homework and college football. Autumn is truly the best time of year.

Funny in part, people for all

Just saw the movie "Funny People" and I must admit - I loved it.

I read a lot of movie reviews, in between answering student questions, departmental phone calls, and painting office walls and I was so disappointed last week when the reviews for the movie started coming out. They said it was too long, too serious, too unsympathetic. Perhaps this is what I needed going in, to put myself at a level to take the movie for what it was, without inflating it with anxious expectations. However, in case you are swayed by critics, I'd like to respond with my take.

The Length

Sure it's long for a comedy. But isn't that a good thing? The movie is about the reality of being a comedian, and the characters are all at different stages of success. Is it really so awful to hear 2 and a half hours worth of jokes? These are FUNNY PEOPLE. I want to be in their circle. I want to hear their observations about their daily lives. They're not suffering through a war. They're not dying of a terminal illness (spoiler alert!). They're just living. And, because it's their profession, they make jokes about living. I didn't want it to end. In fact, all of it seemed so fitting. We get to see Ira, an awkward, sincere guy who has to work at a deli to support his stand-up. We get to see the fantastic Jason Schwartzman in a ridiculous TV show bringing in $25,000 paychecks. We get to see Jonas, the fatter, younger, funnier version of Ira, making it big and handling it poorly. These are the young kids, the future, and Adam Sandler is figuring out the shitty nature of mortality through all of these venues. He gives the toast at Thanksgiving dinner, and alludes to his age, his friends, the friends who have gone, and it made me ache for Chris Farley and the good old days of SNL. There are so many moments that reach beyond the character and feel completely true. I'd watch 10 hours of footage just to be a witness to those lives.




Unsympathetic Characters

A lot of reviews mentioned that the movie doesn't work because we don't feel sad for unhappy rich people. What? A person has to live in a trailer or a crappy apartment to be sympathetic? No way. The loneliest people are not the ones on an island. They're the ones in the city, surrounded by people who don't understand. A lack of connection when there are limitless options. Same thing here. George Simmons has made it big. He has the big house and the movies and the stuff and everything, and you'd want to cross the street to avoid him. He pushes everyone away and continues to make terrible decisions. He has the goods, but no one to share it with. He has the people, but he can't make it there. He has been too entrenched in the competitive world of comedy and fame (that Jonah's character so evilly espouses) that he even lashes out at the sweet as pie Ira. The scene where Laura's daughter sings the song from Cats, is so small and real and true that it's heartbreaking. It was a short story moment and it was perfect. Even the reconciliation at the end in the grocery store, with the crumpled up notes was so completely fitting. With all the backstory between Apatow and Sandler, it is impossible not to feel something for these characters.

Adam Sandler

All critics love "Punch Drunk Love" - which I could never quite understand. It's too weirdly aggressive. But he is perfect in this movie. Watching him walk through the hospital lobby after getting his diagnosis, and posing in pictures with his fans - beautiful. Seeing him struggle against himself, so quietly and maddeningly, and facing all that has passed him by was so honest and true. The truth! I don't know if it's supposed to be a commentary on his career and his life, but there is so much to be taken from that perspective. At the very least, I think you can admit he's come a long way since "Big Daddy".

Unexpected Pleasure



Aubrey Plaza, as the female comic in the movie is an hysterical delight. She and Zoe Kazan (Revolutionary Road) are my top two discoveries of 2009. Such a treat.



Those are my two cents. I hope, at the very least, to provide an alternative commentary to the excessive disappointment of the critics. Enjoy or avoid - now you can make an informed decision.

If, then, you

I'm always searching for connections. The more I consume, the more it all seems to relate to each other. So in an attempt to bridge the gap between what you like and what you haven't experienced, here are my observations.

If you like the song "Human of the Year" by Regina Spektor, then you might like the story "This Person" by Miranda July.

If you like the song "Two Birds" by Regina Spektor, then you might like the Pixar short film "For the Birds."

If you like the movie "Taxi Driver" then you might like the story, "Weights" by Charles Baxter.

I've been thinking about this post for awhile, waiting until I had an impressive collection of thoughts to finally publish it, but I'm short on material. Should quality art remind you of other art? Or should it be entirely new? Do entirely new concepts make you think of other entirely new concepts? Is the goal to be universal or unique? I have no answers, only questions. Also, if someone could tell me definitively what Travis looks at in the rear view mirror at the end of Taxi Driver, my sanity would thank you.

What do you think? Does your brain do this too? I'd love to hear your examples and thoughts. Or thoughtful examples, whichever you prefer.

An update on things that are good

1. This week I lost a promotion but won a raise. Thanks, gov'nuh!

2. Elizabeth and the Catapult - Taller Children. Their first full-length album came out on June 9th and I didn't even know it! But thanks to iTunes, I got the whole thing for $6.99. Favorite tracks: "Taller Children", "Race You" and "Everybody Knows."


3. After watching Cabaret this weekend with the family, I finally broke down and asked Dad to send me a list of classic movies that I should've seen years ago. He sent me a list of 64 films and I promptly signed up for Netflix. So far this week we've seen Casablanca and Taxi Driver - back to back. It made for a very interesting evening. Tonight we're viewing On the Waterfront and Breakfast at Tiffany's. My goal is to watch as many as possible before classes start again on August 28th and I'll post reviews as I go along. If anyone has suggestions for classic movies to add to my queue, comment away!



4. Starbucks treat deals. In Manhattan, if you buy an iced coffee before 2, you can keep your receipt and bring it back after 2 to get any iced/blended/cold grande beverage for 2 bucks! It's the perfect excuse to splurge twice in one day.

5. Cherries. We've hit that holy grail of summer where, for one week, you can buy cherries at a non-absurd price. Yum.

men + guns + hats = happy Susan

(I wish more people wore hats)

Occasionally, it's helpful to have gaps in your education. Despite Dad's best efforts, I know very little about American history. I can recognize important names, and can put together a very vague timeline of important events, but that's about it. Most of the time it's frustrating and embarrassing, but last night, it paid off.

(It is so nice to see his real face again. Where'd you get that scar, Johnny?)

Public Enemies is the story of John Dillinger - legendary bank robber and American anti-hero. Michael Mann (Hancock, The Aviator) directs in his typical fancy fashion. Again, my ignorance shows here - Steven swears there's some special name for the cinematography, but neither of us know what it is. All I know is, it's pretty. And flashy. And full of those great "production qualities" that I love so much. Most of the reviews written about the movie criticize the decision to make the film at all because everyone knows how the story ends. How can you possibly build suspense when you know the outcome? Enter: my generation. A bunch of know-nothings with an affinity for pretty pictures and pretty people. I caught myself holding my breath through many of the scenes in the movie. I knew the end, but I didn't know how or when. Johnny Depp does a wonderful job of bringing this legend to life - to real life, in a true, 3 dimensional character. He's not just a bank robber, he has a story, a motivation, a perspective that makes him choose to rob these banks and love these women and make the silly decisions over and over and over again. Through Depp, you love the anti-hero, and hope, foolishly, that Mann will decide to re-write history.

(She lubs him. In real life - I'm sure of it)

Mann's crazy cinematograhpy works here, because these are beautiful, powerful characters. You want to understand them, but the camera keeps moving. The few times when it stops, and lets the audience really see a straight profile shot, is incredibly effective. It seems to work as a rhetorical device, allowing the emotion to swell at all the right moments. Perhaps this is what cameras are supposed to do, to narrow the field of vision on important moments, while setting the tone for other scenes. This is the first time that I've actually considered it as a narrative tool. At the very least, it's captivating. The 1930's are my favorite cinematic decade. You've got sweet accents, pet names, adorable costumes and all the little small-town details that I dream of finding in antique stores. It is my ideal world, and I was perfectly content to live in Mann's creation for the full 2.5 hour epic.

(Cotillard calls this a $3 dress. Shenanigans!)

Regardless of how much you know about the true tales of Dillinger and his co-horts, it's still a fascinating part of history. Good movies based on true stories can even inspire the young and lazy to do their own research, and dig out those textbooks they so enthusiastically ignored. Maybe Mann chose to make the movie to help inform society about the history of the FBI. Maybe he's passionate about tommy guns and 30's cars. In the end, I don't care why, I'm just glad he did it.

(The tommy guns were beyond cool)

Varieties of Disturbance*

Places I have come to fear the most

Tuesday night, Steven and I went bowling. We are so good at this. So good, that the owner, Mr. Zuck himself, remembered us and asked why we hadn't been in for awhile. (The last time we bowled I wore a long sleeve shirt and jeans. I'm thinking it was in March). We explained to him about the allure of Stimulus Tuesday, and then he gave me velcro shoes and Steven signed the credit slip. We played two games, and then took a snack break, which required me to venture into the Women's restroom. This restroom does double duty as a locker room for the league bowlers, and as I walked in, I was transported back 15 years to the YMCA locker room. I haven't thought about this locker room in an entire lifetime, but seeing the gray lockers and the little round bench brought back the chlorine smell, the cold carpet, the full-length mirror and the green swim bag filled with cracker bits, swim caps, goggle cases and earplugs. As the moment hit me, I was instantly exhausted, reliving the 6:30 practices, sunburned weekends and laps upon laps upon laps. The rest of the evening I bowled faster and faster, hearing whistles in my ears and constantly afraid that I would get kicked in the head by a girl doing a flip-turn. It worked. I scored a personal best of 143 and we got invited to join a bowling league. Thank you, Seahawks.

I'd rather be British

I live in an apartment complex attached to a car dealership. You can hear people being paged all day long. In our parking lot, old cars get their tires slashed, while 10 feet away, never-driven vehicles get waxed and buffed and loved. Now, a fireworks stand has joined the mix. It came in small doses. First with a small sign. Then a banner. Finally a table, then a tent over the table and a trailer. Yesterday there were two trailers and finally there were people. People and banners and tents and fireworks and pages. I do not like this, Sam-I-Am. My first memory of the fourth of july involved hiding in the back of the red car, seats prickly, air hot, my ears assaulted by the terrific noise of packs of black cats ignited at once. My second memory contains the image of Mom's burnt sock. Every other year melds together into a whirl of bug bites, fear, and exhaustion. I would like to reclaim my independence from this day.

Reactionary tale

These days, I have forgotten how to react. Someone starts telling a joke and I tense up - knowing that at the end, I will have to laugh. I know the right answer, but my brain will not respond. Instead I choke, or sneeze, or sit down and type an email. When someone is telling a sad story, I nod and ask what they would like for dinner. When a co-worker recently filled us in on her weekend adventures, I merely frowned, stared at her knee, and then started humming that new Lady Gaga song in my head. I think it's a result of watching too much TV. In the later seasons of ER, the acting is very similar to my behavior. People yell and cry and laugh and love, but never at the right time, or in a sensical way. They just... act. They are clinging desperately to a way of life that no longer exists. A hit TV show. A critically acclaimed drama. A part of Must See TV Thursday. We both exist in a world that has moved on, and so our reactions will never match up. We are marching to a different drummer. We are seeing a different reality. We are apart, and you do not understand.


*Title inspired by and stolen from Lydia Davis. Read the work. Let your mind bend around it. Then drink a milkshake.

List. Post. Haste.

The first day of summer has officially come and gone, which means that summer "vacation" has reached the halfway mark. If this makes you feel blue, here's a list of things to look forward to. (Rhyme!)

1. Away We Go (June 5th)


This was released to theaters awhile ago, but as all good indie flicks go, it takes some time to reach Kansas. The movie has been getting mixed reviews, but it has all the elements of a good time. Screenplay by Dave Eggers + Sam Mendes directing + The Office's John Krasinski and SNL's Maya Rudolph = good enough for this blog. Look for it if you find yourself in a big city with an arts theater.


2. Public Enemies (July 1)


Johnny Depp is back, and he's not in a disney movie based on a theme park ride. Throw in Billy Crudup, a 1930's setting and a wardrobe full of three piece suits and I might as well just add this to my desert island top 5.

3. The Fourth of July (July 4th)

I don't particularly like the holiday (it's my least favorite of all time) but lots of people do. Look forward to it, if you're that kind of person.


4. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (July 15th)


Wizards, and Dumbledore and Ron and Hermione love, oh my!

5. Funny People (July 31st)


Apatow and company are back. And this time, they've brought Adam Sandler with them! (Can you hear my Dad groaning?) Apatow gets ambitious with his first attempt to combine comedy and drama, and I'm hoping that the effect pays off. Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Sarah Silverman and Jason Schwartzman all lend a helping hand.

6. Julie and Julia (August 7th)


In the sweltering month of August, there's nothing better than sitting in a dark, air-conditioned room with a giant box of buttery popcorn, watching someone else turn on an oven and cook delicious food. And in this movie, the people cooking are adorable "Junebug" Amy Adams and diva incarnate, Merryl Streep. Plus, it's a movie based on a book based on a blog. Live the dream.

7. The Time Traveler's Wife (August 14th)


It's been a long time coming. The original rights to the screenplay were purchased by Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, way back when they were the perfect happy couple. Since then the script has been tossed around and back and forth and through years of edits and re-casting. Now it is here, and the first trailer doesn't exactly meet the massive expectations. If nothing else, use this as a reminder to pick up a copy of the book from a library or bookstore. Oh, and fair warning if you're searching at the library - Dewey classifies it as a Science Fiction book, so it'll take some digging. That's a little tip from me to you, free of charge.

8. Inglorious Basterds (August 21st)



Tarantino wraps up the summer season with his latest movie about WWII and Hitler's finest. I can't really tell what or why or how, but Brad Pitt and The Office's BJ Novak both star, so... good? I'm too curious not to add it to the list.

9. Paydays (June 26, July 10, July 24, August 7th and August 21st)

It's good to be employed.

10. Everybody by Ingrid Michaelson (August)


Not even a year after her tiny little album that could, Be Ok, was released, Ingrid is sending another full length record out into the world to be loved and adored. This also means a brand spankin' new US tour. Who's with me?

11. A Gate at the Stairs - Lorrie Moore (September 8th)


Her first new novel in ten years. Color me over the moon. There is absolutely no way it could live up the mountain of expectation that I have for it, but I had to share my joy with the internet, so that Steven doesn't get completely fed up and leave me forever. Ten! Years! (and only 77 more days to wait)

12. Far - Regina Spektor (June 23rd)

Last minute addition to the list. You can now test drive the album here.
Current favorites: Human of the Year, Eet and Folding Chair.

Happy summering!

Dunzo!

This weekend marked my last trip to Omaha for two. whole. months. It also marked the end of my first year in Graduate School. Almost 12 months later and here is what I've done:

- created a website
- learned how to read HTML code
- developed a web tutorial
- learned about Bloom's Taxonomy
- wrote a rubric
- created a new record in OCLC
- wrote confidently about the origins of XML
- chatted about copyright law
- used the word metadata. a lot.
- learned to love and loathe google searching
- discovered ICDL, the coolest digital library on the planet
- wrote several papers about organization

And, today, in the last assignment for my summer class - I have discovered my dream job.

When I grow up, I wanna be an....

Instructional Humanities Reference Librarian.

Ka-pow! Now all I have to do is survive 27 more hours of course work, 2 hours of a practicum, and one semester of comprehensive exams. Grad school is so much prettier at the end then the beginning.

I plan to spend my two months of freedom spending some quality time with the Wii, watching the rest of the ER seasons, reading one shelf of my little bookshelf, and finally decorating/unpacking the apartment. If you are looking for inspiration for your freedom, may I suggest guiltily sneaking to the air conditioned movie theater for this adorable pleasure of a chick flick:

It passes even the most severe checklists for chick flick gold.

1. Funny dancing? Check!

2. Funny singing? Check!

3. Cute outfits? Check!

4. Random Office character? Check!

5. Palpable chemistry? Double check!

6. "Finish the story" improv game? Bonus check!

It was wonderful. Hailey and I laughed and laughed and laughed, Sandra Bullock looks amazing, Ryan Reynolds has seriously funny timing, and it made me remember how great it is to watch two people fall in love. Nothing better.

In case you need a reason to like today

On sale at Target for under 10 dollars. Buy it and be happy and joyous and silly. She sings like a dolphin, people. What's not to love?

***UPDATE*** If you want to test drive the album, check it out here.

I'm down, clown

This is *my* Country Stampede. Well, without the binge drinking and the camping and the debauchery. But you get what I mean.

Noteworthy

Yesterday, June 16th, was an important day.

It was my initial start date for my job one year ago.

It was the first stimulus Tuesday of the summer that we did not attend. Instead, we played 5 games of miserable tennis in the hot muggy sun, followed by gigantic slushies and jalapeno flavored almonds. I sent Steven into the store with my debit card. Always an adventure.

Instead of dollar popcorn and watery soda, we ordered two big kid entrees (not sweet and sour chicken) from the Chinese place.

And, for the first time since the ER finale on April 2nd, I am out of ER. We watched the last four episodes of season 10 last night, which ended with a bizarre and unsatisfying cliffhanger. Pratt in a random car chase with a gun? Sam packing up all of her things to get away from her ex? Neela in Ann Arbor? I know it all turns out okay, but I don't know why or how it all turns out. Season 11 doesn't come out on DVD until July 14, and then... the wait is undetermined. Seasons 12 through 15 are not scheduled for release. Season 15 is sort of available on Hulu and I can only find snippets of promos for the other seasons on youtube. Tragedy is upon us. Do I dare pay $1.99 per episode? Can I leave my friends at County General in the lurch, unfinished and non-responsive? Now is the time for illegal downloads.

Last but not least, Steven dropped a glass full of milk (it's so exciting to make chocolate milk!), we got two ominous fortunes - "watch for something yellow" & "three months from today something will change your life!" and Hailey sent me beautiful bright flowers at work. The yellow lilies bloomed this morning, and I knew that June 16th would live in infamy.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” - Einstein

Today I watched a bug climb up my recycling bin, and then fall backwards with a hiss.

Is it more insane to...

A: be the bug, climbing and climbing, all day long when he could have just used his wings to fly away

Or

B: jump a mile every time I heard the hiss and then scoot the bin a little bit farther from me.

Finally, at 4:03p.m. Audra got tired of me knocking things over in fright, scooped up the bug and set him free outside the open window.

All in a day's work.

"What a terrible mistake to let go of something wonderful for something real. " - Miranda July

I have a new addiction. Her name is Miranda July.


"Do you have doubts about life? Are you unsure if it is really worth the trouble? Look at the sky: that is for you. Look at each person's face as you pass them on the street: those faces are for you. And the street itself, and the ground under the street, and the ball of fire underneath the ground: all these things are for you. They are as much for you as they are for other people. Remember this when you wake up in the morning and think you have nothing. Stand up and face the east. Now praise the sky and praise the light within each person under the sky. It's okay to be unsure. But praise, praise, praise. " - Miranda July

Steven found a copy of No One Belongs Here More Than You on the cheap table at Waldenbooks. We almost didn't get it, because it was an audio CD, and neither one of us had cars with CD players. But then two weeks passed, and Iggy got a CD player, and the CD with the magical yellow cover called out to us and we were oh so happy that we had paid $3.99, just in case.



I recommend it with a grain of salt. It is not a book for children or the easily squeamish. But it is a book for me and so, therefore, a blog post has been created in its honor.

Wallflower friends til the end

Friday, August 14th. 9:30pm. Record Bar. Kansas City, KS.

All are welcome. Few will go. Who will you be?

Stimulus Tuesday

Every Tuesday at the Sethchild Cinema, they have dollar popcorn and dollar drinks. This gives Steven and I the perfect excuse to take in a summer blockbuster every week. If you have to grow up and work through the summer, you might as well splurge on big screen CGI, cheap popcorn and a couple rounds of air hockey. Ahh, adulthood.

Our first movie: Terminator Salvation aka Sexy Men with Guns.



Seriously. Arnold was a fantastic Terminator and the scariest bad guy ever created. But he wasn't.... attractive, per se. I mean, he really had a quality that made him not human. Which is why it continues to be strange to see him in office. But now in the fourth movie, they are amping up the sex appeal. Everyone is in these crazy detailed leather and boot couture outfits, women swing from abandoned scrap metal and then let their long curly hair flow around their perfect white teeth and post-apocalyptic eye make-up. It's a little strange. Sarah Connor came back in the second movie looking completely ripped, but it wasn't for sex appeal. She was leading the resistance! She had to be physically fit. Everyone in this movie is too pretty to be fighting machines. Though I do like a good set of cheekbones on the big screen.



Other than the visual appeal, the movie was fun. And if you have seen (and guiltily loved) the third movie, your expectations are in the right place for this one. It combined some of the best elements of the series in the big action numbers - motorcycle chases, big crane truck race, scary stripped down terminators, and the obligatory final battle in a factory. How do they end up in so many factories with the same stairs, spitting fire, and machinery noise? Are they using the same set for each film, just updating the special effects? Speaking of which, CGI Arnold was awesome and chilling. Reminded me completely of Otto in one of the final levels of Wolfenstein 3D. He was worth all of the ridiculous "dialogue." Probably the movie was a giant flop, but liking Arnold movies is practically a learned behavior in my development. I give it an A+ and suggest you read this article. Because it's nice to read about Christian Bale not yelling at someone for a change. (Beware of plot spoilers)

Next week's movie: Up! Thank heavens for Pixar. It's not summer without it.

And if you're still jonesin' for a Kris Allen fix ... here's a pretty cute little article about our favorite American Idol. All together now: Awww.

My blog OWNS.

Clearly, America is taking notice from this tiny little blog.

Because Kris Allen is victorious. (And stinkin' adorable)



And now, unfortunately, "No Boundaries" is his first single.

Other thoughts on the finale:

-I kind of really want to buy Steve Martin's bluegrass album
-Margo would've been so much better than stinky Megan
-Anoop has completely forgotten that he is supposed to be geeky, and is now way too cool for me to ever relate to
-David Cook sounded flawless
-Simon looked pissed
-Adam finally wore all the wacky things he wanted. Metal wings? Spice Girl boots? KISS?
-LOVED the Keith Urban/Kris Allen duet. Forgot how good light and fluffy country music is for the soul
-Pretty sure I definitely want to see the Black Eyed Peas in concert

And finally, I am officially far too invested in this show. Thank you Fox for developing such compelling mindless entertainment. As it did my senior year of high school, it is the best form of escapist therapy that I have ever found.

Now go watch Kris videos on youtube because I cannot for the life of me get them to stick around this blog.

Culture Watch: American Idol 2009

I. love. Kris. Allen.

But... can he actually win?

I hope so. Because I think a win would mean that maybe other cool kids such as myself, have found a place on Idol. When it gets down to the end, I feel like you're not really voting for a person as much as you are a genre. Danny Gokey is the older woman crowd favorite - big ballad soft rock. This is a GIANT voting category. This voting category lets people like Clay Aiken and Taylor Hicks get past round one. It is a force to be reckoned with and it scares the crap out of me. I won't mention his disastrous attempt at rock. I won't mention how incredibly DULL and AWKWARD he is on TV. But I will mention that I hate the judges. I hate that they make a choice in the first week, and then get their brains all twisted around so that they don't notice when a performer stops improving and when others start beating them. I won't mention it, because maybe it's harder to see than it looks. But aren't they supposed to be professionals?



Moving on...



Adam Lambert is the rock crowd vote. And, apparently, the MTV crowd favorite. Maybe it's the eyeliner and the alternative lifestyle. Who knows exactly why such an obvious rocker has made it so far on what started out as a competition to find the next big pop star. Other rockers have tried and failed to straddle the line between rock and pop, but Adam represents more than one crowd, and I think that's why he's been getting so much love. I also think that's why Simon Cowell has been out and about the talk show circuit chatting him up so much. It would look mighty silly for the show to have another soft rock winner that goes on to make subpar records that the show's target audience won't buy. For me, Adam's allure wore off after that beautiful cover of Gary Jules' version of "Mad World." Sidenote: I wonder how many Donnie Darko fans tune in to American Idol every week. This is where I think he's great. But he realizes that the crowd of people who dig that is much smaller than the crowd of people who love it when it wags his tongue, screams Aerosmith, and dances down giant stage stairs in neon pant suits. I have always thought Adam was a great performer, but I would never buy one of his albums. Shouldn't that play a factor? Apparently the show can't sail along on great vocals - there has to be excessive performance elements as well. Kris gets hammered week after week for not having enough energy on stage, but his emotion is so much more evident than anyone else's. As for musical ability - Kris has played three different instruments while singing, while Adam sticks to fashion accessories.



Which leaves Kris. Kris, from what I can tell, is our contemporary folk pop representative. Many a 20 something have tried and failed to win America's votes in this genre (most notably Megan Joy, who cites Bjork as her favorite female vocalist). All season long, the judges kept her around because she was so contemporary, but they take every possible opportunity to slam Kris' choices or give him lukewarm reviews. What? He has always been the most marketable contestant on the show and yet - gets no love from the four in charge.



It seems to me that the kinds of people who would dig Kris' music.... aren't watching American Idol. I had given up on the show for the past few years, and only started watching again this season because Margo was auditioning. Of course, once you start, it's hard to stop, especially since Margo and Anoop tried out in the same episode. But this is what worries me. If Kris is the contemporary choice, at least musically, but no contemporary music lovers are watching Idol - then should the show continue at all? If Adam didn't wear flamboyant white suits, eyeliner and scream at high decibels - would he be considered the amazing, hidden talent that is worth such excessive judge favoritism? And in the end, shouldn't the winner be my favorite, and not America's?

I think so.

An ER update

This is my only weekend at home for the month of May, and I am spending it in the least productive mode possible. I originally had big plans to clean and organize the house in time for
Steven's graduation guests next weekend. But then on Wednesday, I overloaded the washer, which forced Steven to move the mouse trap to the middle of the floor, and when we went to move it back after dinner, we were greeted by a long straight tail sticking out the back. Yuck and ick. I am using the untimely death of our mouse friend to justify staying in bed and watching the good doctors at County General do their thang all weekend. It has, thus far, been lovely.

Since the finale I have made it through four complete seasons of the show, averaging around a season a week. At Digital Shelf, you can rent a full season for 4 bucks. Ka-ching! Though, for some reason, Season 3 is in high demand, could not be rented, and cost 50 bucks at Best Buy. Grrr. Even on Amazon, where they sell the complete seasons for 20 bucks each, Season 3 was still 40. What gives? I didn't think it was singularly spectacular. But I now own it, so if you are going through a similar ER fixation, let me know.

What I have discovered in these weeks of intense research and memory searching is that everything I remembered about the show - is wrong. Kerry did not sing a Green Day song at Jeannie's funeral. Jeannie sang a Green Day song at Scott Anspaugh's funeral. Dr. Carter was not in charge, he wasn't even an ER intern until the third season! And the episode with the novel that I had such affectionate feelings for - wasn't even an important plot point. Instead, that is the episode where Mark gets beat up in the bathroom. I don't know what kind of weird denial centered suppression is going on in my brain but it has clearly been hard at work my entire life. It's like having a very specific, not very useful amnesia. Perhaps my brain is constantly in shock - that it can never handle bad news. I was always kind of a somber kid, especially in school, so I remember fearing terrible things happening. But apparently, when they actually do, my brain is ill-equipped to confront it. I just keep taking side doors.

Now I am well in to season 5 - and wondering when the heck Doug is finally leaving - trying desperately to remember if Kellie Martin was in "Life Goes On" or "Picket Fences". Or was it both? These are the important questions that must be answered. Also, I do love a good Romano villain. And what is Lizzie doing dating Benton? Surely she ends up with Mark? It's a nice little world they've created for us, and I am happy to indulge myself completely.

Steven and I watched the latest episode of Grey's Anatomy on Thursday, and Steven commented that it was weird to see other people in scrubs. It's true. It was also strange to hear George say "hook that blood up to the rapid infuser" because it is so not that kind of show. I love that just because George moves quickly and is good at saying things fast, that means he would be an excellent trauma surgeon. What? And why do they refer to the ER as "the pit?" It's hard to go back and forth, because Grey's pales in comparison as a medical drama. I rarely cry at ER - strange - but Grey's always gets me. Is it because it's new? Am I more invested in the characters? It might just be that too many people die on ER to get really emotional. On Grey's, if someone dies, it's a full-length episode event. Also, I felt really bad for George on the last episode of Grey's, because they did these little quick takes during the wedding scene, and showed all of the other characters happily paired off. Even the interns were in pairs! I still think that TR Knight refused his relationship plotline with Lexie and that's why he's getting no love this season. If so, what an obvious ouch. His departure at the end of this season will not be as dramatic or memorable as Clooney's - but I don't think Grey's has the stamina to last more than a couple more seasons anyway.

In other news, today marks 18 months for the Steven and Susan success story. We celebrated by being extra nice to each other and eating a late lunch at La Fiesta. It is sad that they have finally killed El Cazador, but at least it has forced me to admit that Fiesta is an acceptable substitute. Tomorrow is picnic and tennis.... if we can pry ourselves away from the incessant medical drama.