Weblog 301
November 20, 2011~ 1:00 am
We're fast coming up on the
PILGRIM HOLIDAY
....so I wish to you and all of yours....
HAPPY EATING!
Daughter Holly will be hosting the festivities, opening her door and treating us to a delicious meal. All I need do is show up -pie and rolls in hand, and bring a big appetite. (I can't wait! She's become a very good cook- with no help from me, that's for sure.) I subsist on sandwiches and frozen pancakes, cheese popcorn and Little Debbies.
Saturday evening was 'movie night' and I finally got to watch a film I'd heard about originally on Fresh Air with Terry Gross. It's British fare-- a comedy that had me in stitches just listening to its sound bytes on the car radio. "The Trip" is a MARVELOUS film.
Billed as 'comedy'- it certainly is that, but it's far more. It's a study of the intricacy of male friendship when it's between two intelligent, witty and competitive men, who never (wonder of wonders!) discuss the usual male stuff like .....sports. It shows the way affection is peppered with insult, and laughing together can be as emotionally satisfying as .... say..... 'a hug'. "The Trip" stars Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon
- brilliant, brilliant comedians, whose nearly CONSTANT impressions of Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Richard Burton and Anthony Hopkins had me in stitches....literally laughing till I cried. They egg one another on and challenge each other in nearly every scene. These actors play themselves on a road trip whose mission is to critique the fine cuisine in a selection of restaurants and inns thoughout northern England's gorgeous lake country. That's on the surface.
Beneath that feature assignment is Steve's fears of growing old in the film industry, of losing his edge, his looks.... his ability to attract women in the usual automatic fashion that's largely dependent upon his celebrity. He's in his mid-forties- and frightfully lonely: divorced, estranged from both his ex-wife and his son as well as his current American girlfriend.
Rob, on the other hand, is quite happily married to a wife he adores and a new baby daughter. There couldn't be two more dissimilar lifestyles, but what holds their friendship together is what they share.... a love of laughing and cracking each other up (which they do continually-- singing, doing riffs on iconic film scenes, nagging one another about irritating habits.)
And they're a joy to watch. There's a bit of a 'Monty Python-esque' quality to their interactions that's sheer comedic poetry. Steve, the one considered more attractive, is restless in his stagnant life/career situation. As I said to Wayne, "He's a deep person in a shallow life" -and Rob is so genuinely contented with his, all of Steve's smoke screens- the vain depth of knowledge he loves to trot out, his hound dog ways with women - these irritate Rob
who sees them for what they are: over-compensation for the things he doesn't have- and what Rob has in abundance. His life has a center, has real meaning for him, while Steve's does not. Given their differences, but coupled with a comedic common ground, makes for a fascinating study of their interactions.
'The Trip' is a wonderful film for anyone who's ever loved impressionists, but it's also a thought-provoking film about how very difficult it is for men to get close to one another when the usual props are stripped way. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys an offbeat, but splendid character study. (And if you DO rent it, empty your bladder first... it's not just the eyes that leak from laughing at that thing. LOL!!)
If you follow this blog, you know the past two weeks have not been the easiest at work: I've been over-tired and over-extended, and by Friday, I'm pretty much toast. So when we visited Holly and the kids on Friday evening, I had a lot less sparkle than usual. I tended to grouse a bit at Kay and Bill, then become apologetic about my lack of pep and good humor. (I hate when I get like that.)
But what a surprise was in store when I finally got home and got myself tucked into bed, propped up on the pillows and digging around in my purse for the nail-clipper I keep in there, for there inside was a Nestle Crunch bar that Kay had slipped in, unbeknownst to me.
Carefully printed in her six-year-old hand in black magic marker across the face the the candybar wrapper, she'd penned "From Kay To Gramma".
She's the keeper of my heart, that one. Made me grin like crazy, that little token of love, especially since I remember her breaking into the conversation between Wayne, Holly and myself to ask, "Gram... you know that candy with the blue wrapper?" Since we weren't talking about candy, we were discussing the news or family matters or something -- and because I was so frazzled by the end of the week, I said sharply, "Kay.... what are you talking about? Were we discussing candy here? Why are you asking about candy?" (I saw her face fall a little.) "Just because I wanted to know if you still like that candy in the blue wrapper."
(Since I do indeed like that candy very much) I smiled weakly, perked up and said, "Nestle's Crunch! Yes. I DO like that candy," and the adults went back to talking.
Looking at that autographed chocolate bar around midnight on Friday-- I felt both sheepish and warm, right down to my toes.
Aaaaaaaannd.....it was very tasty. THANK YOU, Kay.
You made a tired, cranky old grandmother grin.
November 20, 2011~ 8:30 pm
Thank GOODNESS I had a full, lonnnnnnng night's sleep last night. I slept 10 hours and woke up renewed. I spent the dinner hour with mum and the ladies at Assisted Living- and was shocked to hear mum say she didn't know I have dentures.....lol....(honestly, "You don't have dentures, do you?" -ah well, at 91, information must slip through like water through swiss cheese.)
When I got home I began to look at onine art, which is always interesting to me. It soothes something in my brain, and as per usual, I was attracted to the more surreal-- the 'dark art' that's out there. Just for the heck of it, I tried my own hand at photo manipulation, attempting to make something that I might find chilling. Bear in mind, I have no photoshop or any of the sophisticated programs folks use, but with a combination of a little free program I downloaded 10 years ago that can enhance images -nuthin' fancy, just basic stuff- and by using the online net.art.generator that can combine up to four images with layers of transparency by using random pictures from the net, (that, and a bit of free hand drawing) I turned this
into this
and I was pleased with the result. (I've always found clowns 'spooky' in the extreme.)
Now if you want to take a look at some FABULOUS artwork in the same vein, pop on over to Smash Magazine and look at the real deal. Terrific images, all of them nightmares of one kind or another. It's 'on the couch' art, as I like to think of it.... 'surrealism' just this side of Freudian dream therapy. Enjoy.
November 20, 2011~ 6:35 am
Want to calm down and relax a bit? Want to give yourself about two minutes of mediative bliss? Click on the flower
(A GOOD way to start the day.)
November 23, 2011~ 7:30 pm
Wellllllll....that was a close call. I've been 'at' my computer again.. fretting away, whittling things down, and yep..... I deleted some critical string values in my registry last night before I went to bed. This morning........ nuthin'. Windows would load, but every other program I tried, including my internet provider to get onto the web, caused a- 'not enough memory' error. LOL!!! I had Blue Screens of DEATH galore!...system freezes, lock-ups, did dirty shutdowns... you name it. This old beast was in rictus mode.
I left work at 1:30 today to give myself time to run to the grocery store BEFORE the mob-sized crowds of after work shoppers on the day before Thanksgiving, and I picked up my pumpkin pie, my dinner rolls and a nice poppyseed roll, a can of whipped cream and hustled home to begin another onslaught, trying to get Lazarus to arise. After an hour, it coughed back to life. (Don't ask me how.... I do all this stuff on instinct and nerve... it's what gets me into these messes to begin with.....computer RUSSIAN ROULETTE!)
I just can't stop picking at things. There's my trembling finger hovering over 'Delete?'....... and WHAM!...I've done it, no turning back.
Luckily, Betsy here is running better, faster than ever....... "who'd a thunk it?"
Happy EATING TOMORROW! xoox
***
(Return To Weekly Archives)
We're fast coming up on the
....so I wish to you and all of yours....
HAPPY EATING!
Daughter Holly will be hosting the festivities, opening her door and treating us to a delicious meal. All I need do is show up -pie and rolls in hand, and bring a big appetite. (I can't wait! She's become a very good cook- with no help from me, that's for sure.) I subsist on sandwiches and frozen pancakes, cheese popcorn and Little Debbies.
Saturday evening was 'movie night' and I finally got to watch a film I'd heard about originally on Fresh Air with Terry Gross. It's British fare-- a comedy that had me in stitches just listening to its sound bytes on the car radio. "The Trip" is a MARVELOUS film.
Billed as 'comedy'- it certainly is that, but it's far more. It's a study of the intricacy of male friendship when it's between two intelligent, witty and competitive men, who never (wonder of wonders!) discuss the usual male stuff like .....sports. It shows the way affection is peppered with insult, and laughing together can be as emotionally satisfying as .... say..... 'a hug'. "The Trip" stars Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon
- brilliant, brilliant comedians, whose nearly CONSTANT impressions of Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Richard Burton and Anthony Hopkins had me in stitches....literally laughing till I cried. They egg one another on and challenge each other in nearly every scene. These actors play themselves on a road trip whose mission is to critique the fine cuisine in a selection of restaurants and inns thoughout northern England's gorgeous lake country. That's on the surface.
Beneath that feature assignment is Steve's fears of growing old in the film industry, of losing his edge, his looks.... his ability to attract women in the usual automatic fashion that's largely dependent upon his celebrity. He's in his mid-forties- and frightfully lonely: divorced, estranged from both his ex-wife and his son as well as his current American girlfriend.
Rob, on the other hand, is quite happily married to a wife he adores and a new baby daughter. There couldn't be two more dissimilar lifestyles, but what holds their friendship together is what they share.... a love of laughing and cracking each other up (which they do continually-- singing, doing riffs on iconic film scenes, nagging one another about irritating habits.)
And they're a joy to watch. There's a bit of a 'Monty Python-esque' quality to their interactions that's sheer comedic poetry. Steve, the one considered more attractive, is restless in his stagnant life/career situation. As I said to Wayne, "He's a deep person in a shallow life" -and Rob is so genuinely contented with his, all of Steve's smoke screens- the vain depth of knowledge he loves to trot out, his hound dog ways with women - these irritate Rob
who sees them for what they are: over-compensation for the things he doesn't have- and what Rob has in abundance. His life has a center, has real meaning for him, while Steve's does not. Given their differences, but coupled with a comedic common ground, makes for a fascinating study of their interactions.
'The Trip' is a wonderful film for anyone who's ever loved impressionists, but it's also a thought-provoking film about how very difficult it is for men to get close to one another when the usual props are stripped way. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys an offbeat, but splendid character study. (And if you DO rent it, empty your bladder first... it's not just the eyes that leak from laughing at that thing. LOL!!)
If you follow this blog, you know the past two weeks have not been the easiest at work: I've been over-tired and over-extended, and by Friday, I'm pretty much toast. So when we visited Holly and the kids on Friday evening, I had a lot less sparkle than usual. I tended to grouse a bit at Kay and Bill, then become apologetic about my lack of pep and good humor. (I hate when I get like that.)
But what a surprise was in store when I finally got home and got myself tucked into bed, propped up on the pillows and digging around in my purse for the nail-clipper I keep in there, for there inside was a Nestle Crunch bar that Kay had slipped in, unbeknownst to me.
Carefully printed in her six-year-old hand in black magic marker across the face the the candybar wrapper, she'd penned "From Kay To Gramma".
She's the keeper of my heart, that one. Made me grin like crazy, that little token of love, especially since I remember her breaking into the conversation between Wayne, Holly and myself to ask, "Gram... you know that candy with the blue wrapper?" Since we weren't talking about candy, we were discussing the news or family matters or something -- and because I was so frazzled by the end of the week, I said sharply, "Kay.... what are you talking about? Were we discussing candy here? Why are you asking about candy?" (I saw her face fall a little.) "Just because I wanted to know if you still like that candy in the blue wrapper."
(Since I do indeed like that candy very much) I smiled weakly, perked up and said, "Nestle's Crunch! Yes. I DO like that candy," and the adults went back to talking.
Looking at that autographed chocolate bar around midnight on Friday-- I felt both sheepish and warm, right down to my toes.
Aaaaaaaannd.....it was very tasty. THANK YOU, Kay.
You made a tired, cranky old grandmother grin.
November 20, 2011~ 8:30 pm
Thank GOODNESS I had a full, lonnnnnnng night's sleep last night. I slept 10 hours and woke up renewed. I spent the dinner hour with mum and the ladies at Assisted Living- and was shocked to hear mum say she didn't know I have dentures.....lol....(honestly, "You don't have dentures, do you?" -ah well, at 91, information must slip through like water through swiss cheese.)
When I got home I began to look at onine art, which is always interesting to me. It soothes something in my brain, and as per usual, I was attracted to the more surreal-- the 'dark art' that's out there. Just for the heck of it, I tried my own hand at photo manipulation, attempting to make something that I might find chilling. Bear in mind, I have no photoshop or any of the sophisticated programs folks use, but with a combination of a little free program I downloaded 10 years ago that can enhance images -nuthin' fancy, just basic stuff- and by using the online net.art.generator that can combine up to four images with layers of transparency by using random pictures from the net, (that, and a bit of free hand drawing) I turned this
into this
and I was pleased with the result. (I've always found clowns 'spooky' in the extreme.)
Now if you want to take a look at some FABULOUS artwork in the same vein, pop on over to Smash Magazine and look at the real deal. Terrific images, all of them nightmares of one kind or another. It's 'on the couch' art, as I like to think of it.... 'surrealism' just this side of Freudian dream therapy. Enjoy.
November 20, 2011~ 6:35 am
Want to calm down and relax a bit? Want to give yourself about two minutes of mediative bliss? Click on the flower
(A GOOD way to start the day.)
November 23, 2011~ 7:30 pm
Wellllllll....that was a close call. I've been 'at' my computer again.. fretting away, whittling things down, and yep..... I deleted some critical string values in my registry last night before I went to bed. This morning........ nuthin'. Windows would load, but every other program I tried, including my internet provider to get onto the web, caused a- 'not enough memory' error. LOL!!! I had Blue Screens of DEATH galore!...system freezes, lock-ups, did dirty shutdowns... you name it. This old beast was in rictus mode.
I left work at 1:30 today to give myself time to run to the grocery store BEFORE the mob-sized crowds of after work shoppers on the day before Thanksgiving, and I picked up my pumpkin pie, my dinner rolls and a nice poppyseed roll, a can of whipped cream and hustled home to begin another onslaught, trying to get Lazarus to arise. After an hour, it coughed back to life. (Don't ask me how.... I do all this stuff on instinct and nerve... it's what gets me into these messes to begin with.....computer RUSSIAN ROULETTE!)
I just can't stop picking at things. There's my trembling finger hovering over 'Delete?'....... and WHAM!...I've done it, no turning back.
Luckily, Betsy here is running better, faster than ever....... "who'd a thunk it?"
(Return To Weekly Archives)
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