Raconteur, R.I.P.

One of my favourite U.S. authors has passed away...who wrote some of the craziest characters you could ever want has passed away. Thanks for so many amazing stories Mr. Harry Crews!

Check out this interview...



A documentary about Crews..."Searching For The Wrong-Eyed Jesus"....







The NYTs has a great obit.

Guest Room

Last week the magnolia tree really blossomed and then shed. So pretty! We were busy this morning anticipating using the back yard this summer to its fullest. We bought a small fire pit. Our friend Tony and Brooke have a fire pit and we went to a party in their back yard a couple years ago and have been wanting to get one ourselves since. So...this morning I met Stagg when he got off work at 8 a.m. (yeah, I know ouch, poor guy xxxooo). And we got some curtain rods and a fire pit. I had found some sari fabric at the second hand store...and when I got home I realized it had already been sewn for windows whoo hoo! And they fit perfectly on the front room here at Grandmas. We just spent the next hour or so at home trying to hang these bloody curtain rods without breaking the windows. Neither of us are super handy Okay, well I am medium handy....but Stagg is not so handy...but we managed. He is strong so that helps because the wood was hard as a rock. I landed up splitting the wood on the window frames but lets just say it looks distressed. Shabby chic with the beige roses wallpaper. Yes, I could take down the wallpaper but too many other things to do for now. Like a fire pit party!


Found this cute toy for kids about money. Its like a jigsaw puzzle you can pull out the money and put it back into the spaces. Then hung the "cost of living" painting done by Stagg. Didn't realize I had a money theme going. His painting is from 2006. Some of the grey on it from the fire...it's one of the few artworks that mde it because it was on the farthest away room.


This is one of my paintings and can't remember the title right now....I made it in 2007.

Joan Of Arc, Lady Of The Flies

The Hunger Games is a really good kids movie. If you've loved sci-fi movies like "Logan's Run", "Bladerunner", "A Clockwork Orange"...this movie is going to be too soft on social commentary for you. But it doesn't back down from the very scary premise it sets forth in the first few moments. The movie really came alive for me after about 45 minutes into it...but I realized its not made for avid sci-fi fans like myself. Its for a new generation of kids. I just wish it had a bit more edge. I wonder how many young people and young adults will question the entertainment world of The Hunger Games which is basically "survivor-meets-american-idol-meets-the-bachelor" ? The idea that entertainment keeps us the slaves of the rich is good though. Timeless, right? I really liked this movie and I think its a great movie for kids to talk about but it really was best when it hit the pace of "The Lord of The Flies". The actress Jennifer Lawrence is fantastic and I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I am very glad to see a huge popular movie with a female lead! I thought all the actors were really good and well cast. The best part of the movie was when it felt like Joan of Arc and Lady of The Flies. The scenes of "the future" weren't edgy enough for me.

DWTS, 2012

At first when I heard some of the line up for stars in this season I wasn't sure if I was going to watch much...but I am in love with Gladys Knight. she is so sweet and flowing in this dance above.

I am also very surprised by an actor I did not know William levy. OMG is he sexy! You can tell when he is about to dance because the L.A. audience starts screaming like crazy. And here is why...he's also a good dancer...

Cat In A Hat

This makes me laugh so much. My daughters blind cat "Hawkeye" found herself a nice sit.

Yum!

Check out the menu at The Old Town School of Folk Music.

At the New Building venue I am bartending for Chicago Samba dance party!

Quick Notes About A Couple of Movies

I'm behind on writing about some of the movies we've watched...some from last year. These are all out on dvd or older and been reviewed but I just feel like keeping a note here...

Catfish. I really liked this movie and I liked the young film makers a lot. Watching the movie forces you to ask questions about how documentaries are made, what is art,, what is forgery or fake?. These are intellectual questions. On a whole other level this movie is profound about people. Particularly one woman and her family. through the film we slowly begin to meet a family. This is an internet story. Some hipster artists in New York City make cyber friends with a family in Michigan. Here we see the fast artsy life of young bachelors contrasted with the rural pie-making horseback riding world of "regular" people in Michigan. There are a lot of mysteries in this movie. And still long after watching it I find myself thinking about...what is art? What is friendship? What defines art and fake art and what makes people from very different backgrounds make friends? And more questions than this. This movie is difficult. I highly recommend this movie. 10/10.

The Descendants. I love the opening voice over with shots of gorgeous Hawaii and homeless people. Clever. And this movie keeps on giving. Here we see played out the history of patriarchy in America and its weaknesses and finally its deliverance and healing. Great "dad movie". Very funny in parts and very emotional. I dont have much to add that hasn't been already said about how good this movie is. One favourite moment is when the father, George Clooney, says to the three kids..."You guys act like you don't have any respect for authority." Duh, welcome to the new world order old man! 10/10.

Moneyball. Visitors to my blog know I love anthropology and viewing the worlds problems by following the money. Or the numbers. Why don't some people eat pork? Because the value of meat to damage of land isn't worth it. Why is a cow sacred to some people? Because the cow is worth more by using it's milk for protein rather than its meat. I have alienated some people in my life by my non-romantic view of society's customs and habits. Sometimes I don't say things gently, I say them in a manner reflecting this counter-intuitive perspective. Tersely. I storm in with my opinions and often these opinions are not popular. (yet... ha ha). I love Marvin Harris and his theories of "why we do what we do" that is based on the simple premise that "human social life is a response to the practical problems of earthly existence". This theory informed my young mind as I was growing up. When books and theories like Freakonomics and Jared Diamonds Guns Germs and Steel became popular...I felt the biggest high. Finally examining social life by its practical problems and solutions has come to mainstream in the last 15 years. The reason Moneyball is so good is because it documents the kind of approach to problems in social life by looking at patterns of behaviour rather than magical thinking, superstition or romantic belief systems and stale thinking. I enjoyed the struggle of the characters trying to comprehend a way of looking at the game of baseball (and as a metaphor for life) and not accepting the paradigm shift. I get that...I've seen that look on many peoples faces over the years heh heh. AND...I have felt that resistance to a new way of looking at the world myself. It's hard to resist our cultural programming. I love Moneyball because it is a great story entertaining story but also because it is so exciting to see the positive and liberating effects of studying patterns and environment rather than belief systems as a path for transformation. 10/10.

Leap Year. Amy Adams is so fantastic. I cant wait to see her in the upcoming On The Road. Here she is in a romantic lead. I love the simple story, the sexual tension and banter and all the scenes of Ireland.I just wanted to hop on a plane and go to Ireland. Sweet movie. 8/10.

My Week with Marilyn. All that really matters about this movie is whether we believe Michelle Williams is Marilyn Monroe. Yes we do! 10/10.