Friday, October 6, 2017
Thursday, October 5, 2017
I don't want to talk about the guns.
Nicolas Kristoff, a columnist for the New York Times, wrote this, and you should read it, but you probably already have. You can copy and paste the link, or if you go to nyt.com and click on Columnists at the very top bar, then on Kristoff, you can find it.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/02/opinion/mass-shooting-vegas.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Fnicholas-kristof&action=click&contentCollection=opinion®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=collection&_r=0
One thing he says, and I followed up on it to see if it was true, it was fact checked by an independent source, is this: Since 1970, more Americans have died from guns (including suicides, murders and accidents) than the sum total of all the Americans who died in all the ward in American history, back to the American Revolution.
That includes the Civil War.
That is astonishing. And that is horrific. Talking to my brother Jeff today, we both agreed that there are no words to convey what we feel right now about the situation in the US relative to the atrocious deaths in Las Vegas. Jeff said, to sum up, that he just does not feel safe anymore. I agree. I go to a concert, a baseball game, a gathering on a town square, I ride BART or am stuck in traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge and I know I am an easy target for ANYONE with a gun or a bomb or a loaded car. I never thought about this before, even in the fifteen years after 9/11. I think about it a lot now, when I am in a vulnerable place. And unless you live in the country, unless you live in a bubble and don't venture out into the real world, every place is a vulnerable place. When you add in the threat from North Korea, which our POTUS seems to encourage, the entire West Coast is vulnerable.
No answers here. No safe words from me. No shelter from worrying, from feeling on edge. I am afraid for my friends who have children, what legacy will be left for them. I am glad my Mom is gone.... society was getting pretty nasty for her because she watched the news and read the paper, and it would only make her sadder and sadder, as it does me.
Guns, the regulation of them and their control, it will not change easily. We must all stand up, do something about it. I just don't know, yet, what that is.
.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/02/opinion/mass-shooting-vegas.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Fnicholas-kristof&action=click&contentCollection=opinion®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=collection&_r=0
One thing he says, and I followed up on it to see if it was true, it was fact checked by an independent source, is this: Since 1970, more Americans have died from guns (including suicides, murders and accidents) than the sum total of all the Americans who died in all the ward in American history, back to the American Revolution.
That includes the Civil War.
That is astonishing. And that is horrific. Talking to my brother Jeff today, we both agreed that there are no words to convey what we feel right now about the situation in the US relative to the atrocious deaths in Las Vegas. Jeff said, to sum up, that he just does not feel safe anymore. I agree. I go to a concert, a baseball game, a gathering on a town square, I ride BART or am stuck in traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge and I know I am an easy target for ANYONE with a gun or a bomb or a loaded car. I never thought about this before, even in the fifteen years after 9/11. I think about it a lot now, when I am in a vulnerable place. And unless you live in the country, unless you live in a bubble and don't venture out into the real world, every place is a vulnerable place. When you add in the threat from North Korea, which our POTUS seems to encourage, the entire West Coast is vulnerable.
No answers here. No safe words from me. No shelter from worrying, from feeling on edge. I am afraid for my friends who have children, what legacy will be left for them. I am glad my Mom is gone.... society was getting pretty nasty for her because she watched the news and read the paper, and it would only make her sadder and sadder, as it does me.
Guns, the regulation of them and their control, it will not change easily. We must all stand up, do something about it. I just don't know, yet, what that is.
.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Those boys. Those boys who are 5 and 7. Those boys who introduced me to some DUDE show which I liked!!!!
All I can say right now is that I wish I had photos. Sam and Henry, the grandsons of my heart, had me over on Friday to watch them, although they need small watching now. Now they just need guidance so they:
1) Do not cheat at the game SORRY.
2) Wash their hands after peeing.
3) Do not lie about the rules of SORRY.
4) Introduce me to a new TV show called something like "Cool Dudes" or something else but I really liked it!
5) Show me that there is a remarkable dessert thing where you peel back the cellophane and then dip Oreos into some magical white dipping sauce that calms them for minutes.
6) Are enough grown-up that they are willing to go to bed without the light on in their room that I did not know how to light. (It was tricky.) Duh on my part, but by then, more than two SORRY games and several "DUDE" shows under their belts, they fell asleep in about 90 seconds.
These boys. These remarkable boys. I cannot tell you how much I love them and how cool Sam and Henry are. It's been some time since my kids were 5 and 7. I have forgotten, but have quickly been reminded, about their mental acuity which rivals mine at times. I know that when Jenn and Gabe were the same ages, people remarked on how verbal they were because John and I talked to them like they were people. Duh, they were people. (Well, yes, they still are, and we still talk to them as if they were adults. Go figure.) Sam and Henry, the same. Stacey and Ben talk to them with the same tone and vocabulary that they talk to anyone and it shows. I loved that Henry wanted to change the rules of SORRY, and that Sam rolled his eyes when I looked up that rule change in the printed Rule Book. I can't call it 'babysitting' because they aren't babies. They are people. I am simply minding them and their manners for a couple of hours. Bring It On! Sam and Henry are my kin.
OK. That's enough. Those boys. I will know them forever and love them longer than that.
xo
,
1) Do not cheat at the game SORRY.
2) Wash their hands after peeing.
3) Do not lie about the rules of SORRY.
4) Introduce me to a new TV show called something like "Cool Dudes" or something else but I really liked it!
5) Show me that there is a remarkable dessert thing where you peel back the cellophane and then dip Oreos into some magical white dipping sauce that calms them for minutes.
6) Are enough grown-up that they are willing to go to bed without the light on in their room that I did not know how to light. (It was tricky.) Duh on my part, but by then, more than two SORRY games and several "DUDE" shows under their belts, they fell asleep in about 90 seconds.
These boys. These remarkable boys. I cannot tell you how much I love them and how cool Sam and Henry are. It's been some time since my kids were 5 and 7. I have forgotten, but have quickly been reminded, about their mental acuity which rivals mine at times. I know that when Jenn and Gabe were the same ages, people remarked on how verbal they were because John and I talked to them like they were people. Duh, they were people. (Well, yes, they still are, and we still talk to them as if they were adults. Go figure.) Sam and Henry, the same. Stacey and Ben talk to them with the same tone and vocabulary that they talk to anyone and it shows. I loved that Henry wanted to change the rules of SORRY, and that Sam rolled his eyes when I looked up that rule change in the printed Rule Book. I can't call it 'babysitting' because they aren't babies. They are people. I am simply minding them and their manners for a couple of hours. Bring It On! Sam and Henry are my kin.
OK. That's enough. Those boys. I will know them forever and love them longer than that.
xo
,
"Oh, I have always wanted to own a B&B! How did you become an innkeeper?!!!"
Seriously? People still ask this shit stupid question? Yes, people still ask this stupid question. My response:
Pause two seconds. Smile. "Well. Some career choices you pick, some are thrust upon you. This was one of those! (Always with exclamation!)
Oh, you must love your job! How did you get into this?
I was desperate and sleeping in my car, the job was available, I took it. I was here, the job was available, and here I am!
What do you think we should do today?
Pause two seconds. Thinking this: go back to your room and digest your breakfast then fuck your wife/husband/mate. That would be unique! Then drive your car to that cliff near the ocean, rev up the engine and put your foot on that accelerator and just glide over the embankment, feel the air slide over you and then plummet to the rocky beach below.
You could read, you could hike, go wine tasting, take a drive, shop, eat more carbs, check each other for head lice, (I don't actually say that last part) or just lollygag for a day.
Oh, you live here, what would you do if you had a day to .... just explore? Where would you go?
I would drive as far away from here as I could. I would never come back. I would see the world, go to Montana again, to the Dakotas, off to Europe, to Tokyo.
You should decide for yourselves what you like and then just do it! It's your vacation, after all and here is a map from the National Seashore visitor center. You could go there! And I don't get a vacation, you sorry fuck, so don't ask me how to spend your rich leisure time, I am on unemployment in three weeks and you will have erased this experience from your mind by then, unless you get food poisoning while you are visiting our quaint local food purveyors.
And where should we eat dinner tonight? What's your favorite restaurant out here?
Pause two seconds and consider the food poisoning option. It is a real option and I am tempted but no, I don't hate these peeps. You know, I don't eat out much because all the restaurants cater to tourists and they mostly serve decent food. overpriced, under seasoned bland food that I am tired of. But if you really want a recommendation, there's a great Mexican food truck you should try......
And their eyes glaze over. Or the ........... is great, you will love it, great menu, full bar, you might have to wait a bit because it is so popular but it will be worth it!
Is there any local entertainment we shouldn't miss?
Oh, yes, I think. Blow jobs in back of the local bar are a thing not to miss. Blow in the bathroom of the same bar is still a happening activity. Weed everywhere and some Oxy too, if that's your choice!
Well, depending on the time and the day, sometimes the ......has a live band and so does the local bar. Just venture out and see what you can find!
Thank you, that is so helpful! We will see you in the morning and we can tell you about our great adventures!
Pause two seconds. Smile. Say nothing but think: GREAT! I CAN HARDLY WAIT! Unless I have stabbed myself in the heart before then, I will be here, making breakfast. It's like making pies. Just making pies.
5:00 am
Here I am
Walking the block to Table Top
You could cry or die
Or just make pies all day
I'm making pies
Making pies
Thank you to Patti Griffin for "Making Pies" (and to Martha for the song) and thanks to those of you out there who read this blog and understand that Making Pies is just a metaphor in some ways. (When I listen to that song, I always cry, so maybe it's more than a metaphor, it is closer to real life.) I don't know who you are, you blog readers, but when I look at the log of how many people read it, sometimes there are 30 or 40. It's amazing. Tell your friends, and tell me if you want me to write about anything else, other than my small life, my movies, books, food, friends, life, angst, etc.
xo.
.
Pause two seconds. Smile. "Well. Some career choices you pick, some are thrust upon you. This was one of those! (Always with exclamation!)
Oh, you must love your job! How did you get into this?
I was desperate and sleeping in my car, the job was available, I took it. I was here, the job was available, and here I am!
What do you think we should do today?
Pause two seconds. Thinking this: go back to your room and digest your breakfast then fuck your wife/husband/mate. That would be unique! Then drive your car to that cliff near the ocean, rev up the engine and put your foot on that accelerator and just glide over the embankment, feel the air slide over you and then plummet to the rocky beach below.
You could read, you could hike, go wine tasting, take a drive, shop, eat more carbs, check each other for head lice, (I don't actually say that last part) or just lollygag for a day.
Oh, you live here, what would you do if you had a day to .... just explore? Where would you go?
I would drive as far away from here as I could. I would never come back. I would see the world, go to Montana again, to the Dakotas, off to Europe, to Tokyo.
You should decide for yourselves what you like and then just do it! It's your vacation, after all and here is a map from the National Seashore visitor center. You could go there! And I don't get a vacation, you sorry fuck, so don't ask me how to spend your rich leisure time, I am on unemployment in three weeks and you will have erased this experience from your mind by then, unless you get food poisoning while you are visiting our quaint local food purveyors.
And where should we eat dinner tonight? What's your favorite restaurant out here?
Pause two seconds and consider the food poisoning option. It is a real option and I am tempted but no, I don't hate these peeps. You know, I don't eat out much because all the restaurants cater to tourists and they mostly serve decent food. overpriced, under seasoned bland food that I am tired of. But if you really want a recommendation, there's a great Mexican food truck you should try......
And their eyes glaze over. Or the ........... is great, you will love it, great menu, full bar, you might have to wait a bit because it is so popular but it will be worth it!
Is there any local entertainment we shouldn't miss?
Oh, yes, I think. Blow jobs in back of the local bar are a thing not to miss. Blow in the bathroom of the same bar is still a happening activity. Weed everywhere and some Oxy too, if that's your choice!
Well, depending on the time and the day, sometimes the ......has a live band and so does the local bar. Just venture out and see what you can find!
Thank you, that is so helpful! We will see you in the morning and we can tell you about our great adventures!
Pause two seconds. Smile. Say nothing but think: GREAT! I CAN HARDLY WAIT! Unless I have stabbed myself in the heart before then, I will be here, making breakfast. It's like making pies. Just making pies.
5:00 am
Here I am
Walking the block to Table Top
You could cry or die
Or just make pies all day
I'm making pies
Making pies
Thank you to Patti Griffin for "Making Pies" (and to Martha for the song) and thanks to those of you out there who read this blog and understand that Making Pies is just a metaphor in some ways. (When I listen to that song, I always cry, so maybe it's more than a metaphor, it is closer to real life.) I don't know who you are, you blog readers, but when I look at the log of how many people read it, sometimes there are 30 or 40. It's amazing. Tell your friends, and tell me if you want me to write about anything else, other than my small life, my movies, books, food, friends, life, angst, etc.
xo.
.
"The Sisters Chase" by Sarah Healy
A sometimes grim, sometimes amusing book about two sisters, orphaned at a very young age, living and surviving on their own. They are very well defined characters and I liked them, especially Mary's unique and manipulative techniques of getting her own way. Her care of Hannah, 14 years younger, is admirable but in the real world I don't think she could have pulled it off. But hey, this is fiction, and therefore it doesn't need to be true, it just needs to be engaging and readable. This novel has just enough family saga and mystery to keep the reader intrigued and somewhat entertained. It is dark at times, occasionally bordering on sad and depressing, but unlike some novels that feel real, this one always has that "oh wait, it isn't a true story" feel to it so you are engaged enough to continue reading but not enough to get emotionally distraught.
I read this in two days, it's a very easy and quick read. There are some strange plot twists that are not too surprising as they appear, and the end is a bit abrupt and harsh, but it is still a good read. I wouldn't rush out and buy it but this is why libraries were invented, so you can borrow it and then give it back.
I read this in two days, it's a very easy and quick read. There are some strange plot twists that are not too surprising as they appear, and the end is a bit abrupt and harsh, but it is still a good read. I wouldn't rush out and buy it but this is why libraries were invented, so you can borrow it and then give it back.
"My Absolute Darling" by Gabriel Tallent
It isn't often that I finish a book that I wouldn't recommend to a friend. This is one of those times. Tallent is a very good writer, there is no question about that. But this novel is so dark, so depressingly nihilistic and unrelentingly cruel that I would not tell anyone to read it.
However, I did finish it because it is compelling. The young 14-year old protagonist, Turtle, is a mess of a person, ill educated, malnourished, abused, living in poverty, self-hating and hopeless. Gosh, right there, does it make you want to go out and get this book, settle down for a nice cozy read? Nope. But once you start, you do want to know what happens to her and her monster of a father. In fact, you become somewhat compelled to find out, as if you will be letting Turtle down if you don't finish the book.
I felt like I needed a really long shower and a few sessions of therapy once this book ended. I hope Gabriel Tallent continues to write, I just hope the next book has a tiny bit of light in it.
However, I did finish it because it is compelling. The young 14-year old protagonist, Turtle, is a mess of a person, ill educated, malnourished, abused, living in poverty, self-hating and hopeless. Gosh, right there, does it make you want to go out and get this book, settle down for a nice cozy read? Nope. But once you start, you do want to know what happens to her and her monster of a father. In fact, you become somewhat compelled to find out, as if you will be letting Turtle down if you don't finish the book.
I felt like I needed a really long shower and a few sessions of therapy once this book ended. I hope Gabriel Tallent continues to write, I just hope the next book has a tiny bit of light in it.
Monday, October 2, 2017
"Battle of the Sexes"
Any movie with Emma Stone is worth seeing and combined with Steve Carell, this one is a winner. There are no spoilers here because we all know how the tennis match ends, but with warmth and humor and heart, this is a very good story and a very good movie.
This could have been a social commentary about the women's movement, freedom, personal rights, men vs women, all major cultural issues of that time. (And major issues still today.) While the commentary is there, it isn't the driving force. Instead, the force is the authenticity of the people involved in that commentary. Billy Jean King wanted equal pay, equal acknowledgement of women playing first class tennis. Bobby Riggs wanted women to go back to the kitchen and leave tennis to men. Both had great drive, just for different things. This movie shows the difference in their characters but also illustrates that you can be true to your beliefs even if those beliefs are unjustified.
The minor players are excellent: Bill Pullman as even more of a chauvinist pig than Bobby Riggs, Sarah Silverman as the organizer of King's quest, Elizabeth Shue as a long-suffering wife, and more. But the movie is carried, of course, by Emma Stone and Steve Carell, and they carry it so well.
Two thumbs up. As mentioned before, there is great heart and kindness in this movie, which sounds odd when paired with the subject of men vs women, but it is one of the things that makes this movie work. There is no emotional manipulation, just a lot of sincerity. When you walk out of the theater, if you don't think "that was a really good movie" let me know. I will refund your price of admission.
This could have been a social commentary about the women's movement, freedom, personal rights, men vs women, all major cultural issues of that time. (And major issues still today.) While the commentary is there, it isn't the driving force. Instead, the force is the authenticity of the people involved in that commentary. Billy Jean King wanted equal pay, equal acknowledgement of women playing first class tennis. Bobby Riggs wanted women to go back to the kitchen and leave tennis to men. Both had great drive, just for different things. This movie shows the difference in their characters but also illustrates that you can be true to your beliefs even if those beliefs are unjustified.
The minor players are excellent: Bill Pullman as even more of a chauvinist pig than Bobby Riggs, Sarah Silverman as the organizer of King's quest, Elizabeth Shue as a long-suffering wife, and more. But the movie is carried, of course, by Emma Stone and Steve Carell, and they carry it so well.
Two thumbs up. As mentioned before, there is great heart and kindness in this movie, which sounds odd when paired with the subject of men vs women, but it is one of the things that makes this movie work. There is no emotional manipulation, just a lot of sincerity. When you walk out of the theater, if you don't think "that was a really good movie" let me know. I will refund your price of admission.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)