Where the Wild Things Are

Last night M & I went to a pre-pre release of Where the Wild Things are at the Music Box theatre - it was a benefit show for 826 Chicago. It was very exciting because Dave Eggers was there and spoke about writing the screenplay, and then he brought out the kid who plays Max in the movie, and he was a cute kid, and people asked him dumb questions like, "Are you going to do more movies?" and he said - get this - "If the right project comes along." And then we watched the movie and afterward Spike Jonze and Catherine Keener spoke. Fancy, right?

As for the movie, I really enjoyed it. We are treated to a little back-story for Max and his family and (I can't imagine I'm ruining it for you) when Max journeys to the land of the wild things, it's a real visual treat. What comes across in the movie is the emotional fragility of the child - when Max is playing - one minute he's laughing like crazy, the next minute everyone's screaming and someone's crying. Oy, remember how that used to be?

The wild things throw rocks and trees when they play - Max is not only emotionally fragile, he's physically vulnerable. The wild things are dangerous, but they're innocent, like children, or the most immature adults you ever met. They quarrel amongst themselves and wear their insecurities on their uh, hairy gigantic sleeves.

It was beautiful, like watching a poem. I think if you're a big fan of the book, like I am, you'll be pleased. It doesn't try to recreate the book, but it very cleverly interprets it.

What to Watch

I finished a PBS documentary called Manor House that was filmed in England in 2001 (I think it was shown in 2002). It's a reality show where these people volunteer to live in an 1800 century Manor House, and some of them live as the "landed gentry" and the other work as the servants. It's a three month project, and it's pretty remarkable. The family that's chosen to be the temporary owners of the home are in hog heaven. I'm honestly not sure why anyone would have volunteered to be a servant - they literally must work for like 18 hrs a day, emptying chamber pots and lugging incredibly heavy things this way and that way. While the douche-y family talks about how special and pampered they feel, the servants downstairs are plotting the various ways they would like to murder them.

Something I find interesting is how it seems to be a natural inclination to assume that if we like, lived in another century, we'd be the owners of like, Versailles, but, it seems pretty likely that most of us schmucks would be the servants (if we're LUCKY!) The Manor House website confirms this for me with a lovely little quiz. I'm somewhat cheerfully informed: You are in Service in a Country House! AND! Not only that! But, apparently, I get PG out of wedlock and die alone in a work house. It told me that. For realsies.

If that's too erudite for you, you might enjoy Drunk History - a hilarious bit of comedy involving drunk people explaining historical events while actors like Michael Cera and Jack Black act them out. #3's my favorite.

And if even Drunk History requires too much thinking, may I offer you "Baby Dancing to Single Ladies"? You won't be disappointed.

Pledge a Protester

A bunch of A-holes in St. Louis are planning 12 hrs long protests at a local Planned Parenthood, 7 days a week. They are focused on harassing the staff and patients of the clinic. In the wake of the murder of Dr. Tiller, I hope these people aren't able to pull any shenanigans. A lot of these groups are basically terrorists and I don't understand why they aren't treated as such.


I was very pleased to make a donation to a very cool program called Pledge a Protester. I detest what they do, and it makes me smile to think that because of one of them, I've made a donation (if only I could do it in their name!) to Planned Parenthood.

11 years

Yesterday M & I celebrated our 11th year of marriage - not too shabby, right? We celebrated by taking a bunch of collage students to 6 Flags - not exactly our idea of a romantic day, but, alas, a seemingly unavoidable timing issue due to my job, the start of new school year and the 6 Flags schedule. Oh well, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and we'll go away for a weekend later to celebrate for realsies.

I haven't ridden any roller coasters for a long time and wasn't sure if it was still my bag, and was mildly distressed to find them outrageously terrifying. Why do we (by which I mean the Human Race) go to places like that? It's sort of ridiculous when you think about it. Well, whatareyougonnado? I just rode the rides and screamed my head off (M seemed to enjoy categorizing the types of screams - one he described as a "kind of keening"; another, "like a small animal being repeatedly squeezed.")

Here we are, 11 years ago:

I get high with a little help from my friends

Having an alternately outrageously fun and recovery-heavy weekend. Friday night went out with friends and then had a late dinner with beloved brother-in-law who's in town for a gig. Last night we had friends over for Beatles Rock Band - that game is really fun. I'd recommend it to anyone who's like, even vaguely into the Beatles, but espec. aficionados.

I *like* the Beatles but I don't know that much about them. It's not unusual for me to hear a song and the radio and say, "Wow, that's great, who is that?" and then a certain husband gives me a look that can only be interpreted as Who is this strange woman I married? and says, "Uhduh. The BEATLES?!?!?!" with the same inflection you would use to answer someone who just asked what planet we lived on.

Anyway, I'm discovering a few songs that I didn't really know before that I really love - Two of Us? Awesome.

Did anyone catch Glee? That so show is SO GOOD. I espec. love Jane Lynch, who I have neglected to rave about for her role in Julie and Julia as well. As the sister of Julia Child, I thought Lynch and Streep had the most amazing chemistry and they were just so charming together. Their scenes together alone where worth the prize of admission. (But it made me miss my sister all the more...) That scene where they're having dinner and Julia points to her husband and says, "Well, that's! That's who I married!" -Kills me (think is same sentiment for certain husband re: Beatles and wife).

Anywho, good friends and good times have been hand in hand this weekend and despite the fact that M and I are still lounging around in our jammies nursing hangovers, I really couldn't feel any better.