Monday, February 27, 2006

My secret shame

No, it's not Mammomax, though that would be applicable. My secret shame is actually Dancing with the Stars, which had its season finale on Sunday night. How to explain my enjoyment of this show? Generally I both eschew and disdain reality TV for its celebration of the mediocre, trashy, and bitchy, but I found myself having fun watching Dancing with the Stars after Josh tuned in one night to see Jerry Rice shake his groove thang. As Dave says, it's "not just bitches crying" - DWTS showcases actual talent and hard work (from most of the participants, anyway--and yes I'm talking to you Master P!).

Drew Lachey, who ended up winning, was my clear favorite from the beginning. Not only did he show consistent improvement from week to week, but he actually appeared to enjoy dancing and threw himself into each performance with complete enthusiasm. The effort Drew put into every routine (along with his sweet and talented partner, Cheryl) made it a pleasure to watch. His final free dance, a rockin' country extravaganza of hip action and boot-stomping goodness, set to Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy, put a big ole smile on my face. Silly? Maybe. But who cares, when you're having that much fun!

I've always had a soft spot for guys who can dance. Or, even if they can't dance, guys who like to dance. For example, how awesome is this?



Don't it just make you wanna shake your booty?

Friday, February 24, 2006

Nook-in-progress

I've always loved having my own space. You know, just a little hobbit-hole where I can curl up with all my books and pictures and beloved objects and just enjoy. Nooks are the perfect place for this. It's hard to describe a nook, exactly, but it's usually a small-ish space, somewhat tucked away, that just exudes comfort and bliss. Phil should know what a nook is, having bought me The Nook Book a couple Christmases ago. I love The Nook Book. It makes me happy just to look at the pictures.

I am now the proud owner of my very own nook. It is a nook-in-progress, to be sure, a nascent nook. It came about when Josh decided he wanted his own desk, someplace to set up his computer and leave his daily pocket miscellany. To accommodate said desk, we ended up taking the doors off the closet in the "study" area, relocating most of the closet contents, and smooshing my desk inside the closet. Observe:

I heart it! Originally we'd planned to put Josh's desk there, but when I saw how his looked there I knew, as Wayne knew about the Fender Stratocaster, that it would be mine. It's a bit of a shambles at the moment, but so cozy! I'm looking forward to personalizing and spiffifying it for maximum nook enjoyment.

There are lots of different directions I could take it in: wallpapered with pictures of Clay Aiken, covered in glitter and sequins, stuffed with Buffy memorabilia...so tough to decide. What would you do?

Note: I considered titling this post "I did it all for the nook" but it kind of shames me that I know the words to a Limp Bizkit song. Shudder.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooal

How much fun is soccer? Seriously, it's awesome. I'd almost forgotten how much I enjoy it. It's been 9 years since I've played on a soccer team, but like any good relationship, the spark is still there for me. Josh indulged me by going out with me to the park this weekend and kicking the ball around a bit. He tried to impress me by kicking the ball as hard as he possibly could (AKA into the bushes). I was very impressed. Then he tried to play keep-away by putting his extreme big muscular self in the way of the ball. I was less impressed, more incensed. Ball mine!

My soccer skills are rusty, but I'm still in okay shape, so I managed to get a good juggle going and play around with some footwork a bit, even though I wasn't wearing the cleats I bought a couple weeks ago. I hope I'll get to try those out soon, but it might be a while before I muster up the moxie to go join the weekly Wednesday soccer game they've got going at work. And, sadly, it looks like most of the leagues have already formed their spring teams. Boo for that...but I'll keep trying.

Who knows? Maybe one day I'll end up coaching Drew's soccer team. How fun would that be? Fun and exhausting, I'm sure.



If anyone wants to go kick the ball around with me, let me know! You don't have to be good, just willing.

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Rallye ho

That's me!



Okay, not really, but I did take part in a rallye a couple weeks ago. What is a rallye? I'm so glad you asked!

A rallye is a type of driving game that involves following directions based on logic and on some very complicated instructions. It's not a race; if it was, I'd have done terribly since I drive like a card-carrying member of the AARP. (Though there are timed rallyes, the Gimmick Rallye, which is the kind we did, is more mental gymnastics than anything else.)

To start, the rallye organizers provide you with driving directions as well as two sets of instructions: General Instructions (which apply to the rallye overall) and Special Instructions (which only apply one at a time, like specific tasks you complete). To complete the rallye and arrive at the final destination, you have to follow the driving directions while keeping in line with both the general instructions and whichever special instructions are in effect at the time. Along the way, you'll come across certain signs that you have to mark down on your score sheet to indicate you went the right way. It takes analytic thought, considerable attention, and a healthy dose of masochism to get through it!

Josh and I combined our (meager) mental powers with those of his parents, and we had a great time even if we didn't do very well. While driving along and trying to figure out the right way to go, I kept mentally running through my list of acquaintances to think of who I know that would a) be really good at the rallye and b) actually enjoy it. (Only one person has to drive, and you go pretty slow, so the driving part isn't really stressful, FYI.) I thought my dad might be good at it (he likes logic) and Abbey might like it (she likes mental games...not Head Games), but I'm not sure it would tickle just anyone's fancy.

The Rallye Club holds a rallye the first Saturday of the month, most months. Think you've got what it takes? Even if you don't, it's pretty darn fun.

Sunday, February 12, 2006

...All ye know on Earth, and all ye need to know

No, I'm not referring to knowledge of the current status of Brad and Angelina's relationship (though the prevalence of their media coverage sometimes makes it seem that way). I'm referring to John Keats' poem "Ode on a Grecian Urn", one of the few pleasant things I recall from my junior English class with Mrs. McLaggan. Keats writes: "Beauty is truth, truth beauty. That is all ye know on Earth, and all ye need to know." After reading Ann Patchett's most recent book, a memoir of her friendship with fellow author Lucy Grealy, I can't help but agree with Keats.

Truth & Beauty, Patchett's fifth book, has the same luminous writing as her novels, giving the reader the feeling of walking into someone else's daydream. But this time, it's reality that captivates, as the author recalls the years she spent living with and caring for and being inspired by Lucy, a wisp of a woman who danced through life with abandon and hunger.

Lucy and Ann were friends for more than 20 years. Knowing someone that long, who knows you well, is such a blessing; you get to see yourself through their eyes. A good friend can be a wonderfully flattering spyglass through which to view yourself. Through Ann's spyglass, Lucy was exuberant, open, and talented.

However, as Patchett doesn't neglect to show, Lucy was also incredibly insecure and required near-constant emotional maintenance and bolstering. One never gets the impression of Lucy as burdensome, however, because Patchett's every description with her is filled with such tremendous love. Instead, you get the sense that the author feels lucky for every demand Lucy made on her.

Isn't that how we all feel about our friends? Having a good friend, an Ann Shirley-style "kindred spirit", makes you feel lucky, like you won a prize without even entering the drawing. Reading this book made me miss my friends acutely--the ridiculous, inexplicable in-jokes; the wholehearted and honest joy at their successes; the unselfconscious kitchen dancing; the comfort and support when one's plans go awry.

I also felt a stab of regret at the friendships I've let slip away over the years. For Ann, being friends with Lucy was hard, but so fulfilling that she managed to keep it up for more than twenty years - several of those years across an ocean, and across state lines for years after that. I've lost friends over less than that. It can be so easy to not make the effort when an effort is required to maintain a friendship. Truth & Beauty makes me feel that by not making the effort, I may have missed out on one thing that makes life worth living.

We all need reminders of those things every once in a while. I'm glad I got mine reading this book.

Friday, February 10, 2006

Besoin de vacances

People, it was a loooooooong week. To come down from the week from hell, I spent Friday night burning Abbey's Volcano candle, eating pizza, and watching four episodes of Battlestar Galactica back to back. I need a break.

So, where should I go? Here are a few places I'm considering:
  • Hawaii: This one's the front-runner, people. The thought of a warm breeze blowing across my skin is highly appealing. Weather.com says it's in the seventies over there, and Mama could use a tan.

  • British Isles: When I went to England a long time ago, I didn't really get a chance to spend much time there, nor did I get to travel around much - we were just in Brighton and London. I think Josh would like it too.

  • Italy: One word. Gelato. (Drool.)

  • France: One word. Murry! (Hug.)

  • Mexico: Cabo San Lucas? Puerto Vallarta? Quiero practicar espanol.

  • New York: I've been wanting to go for ages. Veltman and I thought about if before Christmas, but in the end just couldn't make the decision. I've never been, and it's such an iconic city, that it's pretty high up on the list.

Any suggestions?

Monday, February 06, 2006

Joobie opines on feline reclines

I think, from the sucktastic nature of my post title, it's clear that I need a little R&R. My musings this morning as I walked through my office building confirm this: I was thinking cats have the right idea curling up in warm patches of sun all the time. Think about it: it's good for your posture, it's toasty, you get your Vitamin D from the sunlight...ingenious.

Of course, if one of my coworkers were to happen upon my supine self on the floor next to a big sunshiny window, I doubt they'd recognize my rationale for following the cat's good example. My coworkers already think I'm weird - I'm not itching to cross the line from "eccentric" to "disturbed."

Friday, February 03, 2006

Two "pausitive" reviews

With the impending Oscars comes the impending Joobie movie viewing blitz. I'm loath to admit that I've only seen two of the contenders from each of the top 3 categories: Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Picture. This means I've got my work cut out for me.

Still on my list: Good Night, and Good Luck, Transamerica, Junebug and The Constant Gardener. For whatever reason, I'm not really feeling Capote and Munich. I'm sure they're extremely well-crafted, but they're not really inspiring me to rush out and buy tickets. Plus, Philip Seymour Hoffman kinda gives me the heebie jeebies.

Two movies I did see this movie season are King Kong and Brokeback Mountain - on last Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. My punny post title is a commentary on the intense nature of the pauses in both of these films. It's the silences, in which so much is left unsaid and yet so much is understood and felt, that define the characters and their actions in these movies.

Why does Ann Darrow love Kong? Kong isn't called a King because he's the ruler of witty repartee--his connection with Ann comes out of their eyes rather than their mouths. Why do Jack and Ennis come together, then break apart, for more than 20 years? Not because they like to discuss current events, that's for sure--because they're bonded together in a way they lack the vocabulary to describe, a way they can barely endure.

I love movies that are full of heavy silences, because they leave you room to imagine the internal dialogue of the characters. Ironically, when the characters don't talk as much, it's easier to get inside their heads. The Piano, one of my favorite movies, is a prime example of this. Lovely.