The Metaphorical Magpie

The Year in Film

There is something rather satisying to me in quantifying. In years, past I kept much better records of my comings and goings, cultural intake and escapades. This year, I didn't keep track as well as I should. Luckily, Sweets records and rates each film he watches. I was able to raid his list to fill out my own. Of course, since he's the real film critic in the family, my list is paltry compared to his intake. His last count was 195 films  for this year. He often goes to the theater alone or with J-Po. in the evenings, he squeezes a film in before I come home from work. Then we may go to the theater for a late show or watch something here. Here's what I got  a chance to see this year:

In the theater:
"The Family Stone"
"Friends with Money"
"Nacho Libre"
"The Notorious Bettie Page"
"The Da Vinci Code"
"Nacho Libre"
"Clerks II"
"Little Miss Sunshine"
"The Illusionist"
"The Science of Sleep"
"The Departed"
"Darkon" - seen at the Woodstock Film Festival
"Dance Party USA" - seen at the Woodstock Film Festival
"The Orange Thief" - seen at the Woodstock Film Festival
"Marie Antoinette"
"Borat"
"Stranger Than Fiction"
"Casino Royale"
"The Holiday"
"Apocalypto"
"Dreamgirls"

Of these films, "Little Miss Sunshine" was my favorite. The performances by Steve Carrell and Greg Kinear were top notch. Swinging between harrowing pain and joyful abandon, it is emotionally meaty and visually sweet enough without the overbearing quirkiness it could have gone the way for. Besides, the pageant scene almost made me pee my pants. Speaking of films so funny you may lose your command of bodily functions; "Borat" sucker punched Americans luring us to believe we were going to see a funny foreigner and quickly realizing the vulgar joke was on us. Lines from the film have become catch phrases around our house.  What will Sacha Baron Cohen do next and who will line up to sue him?

Not a huge fan of Michel Gondry or Sofia Coppola, I was won over by "The Science of Sleep" and Marie Antoinette." I allowed the visual delights to take over and not bother myself with character development and reality. They were both nice diversions. On our second trip to the Woodstock Film Festival, we chose the documentary "Darkon" as our top pick. A good documentary makes you interested in the subject matter. In the case of this beautifully shot film;  you are drawn into the enigmatic world of live action role players and you find yourself routing for your favorite team as they battle for glory and self-esteem. I was also sweet on "The Orange Thief" which was made in Sicily in the most curious way by two brothers and some friends with  no acting or film making experience or a script for that matter. The music in the film is absolutely gorgeous as well. Another musical nod to "Stranger Than Fiction" for using Spoon  heavily. This movie was better than I anticipated. Finally. Will Ferrell gets to take a dramatic turn.

"Nacho Libre" proved sometimes a man wears stretchy pants and it is fun to watch him doing so.

Special note should be given for the scene stealing performance by Trevor Fehrman as Elias in "Clerks II", Jack Nicholson still bringin' it with "The Departed," Eva Green smoking as Vesper Lynd in "Casino Royale," the irrepresible Abigail Breslin as Olive in "Little Miss Sunshine," Ed Norton as the crafty magician in "The Illusionist," and Emma Thompson as the chain smoking trainwreck in "Stranger Than Fiction."

As for the disappointments, Dreamgirls fell short of my expectations. Although Jennifer Hudson can sing her ass off, reminiscent of Patti LaBelle, when she was not singing, my interest waned. I found the visual references to other artists distracting and the song "Family Tree" appalling. Despite Eddie Murphy's attempts to bring soul to the stage; the whole thing felt a little too honkey-fied for me. Especially during the week James Brown passed on.

I allow myself the guilty pleasure of a holiday film each year. "The Family Stone" sank like a rock. "The Holiday" was rather innocuous. As a Jack Black fan, I wish, oh, I wish, that he could contain his own exuberant personality and actually wholly become the character he is playing. I will make an eyelash wish for him. The highlight of this film is the adorable Eli Wallach. Jude Law could take some tips from him on how to dominate a scene.

At home there is much Netflixing and Tivoing afoot (Highlighted films are highly recommended):
"Grizzly Man"
"2046"
"The Skeleton Key"
"Junebug"
"The Crying Game"
"March of the Penguins"
"Melinda and Melinda"
"Just Like Heaven"
"Elizabethtown"
"Grey Gardens"
"The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill"
"The Night of the Hunter"
"The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till"
"Ray"
'The Ice Harvest"
"Bubble"
"Pride and Predjudice"
"Everything is Illuminated"
"Breaking the Waves"
"Bee Season"
"Memoirs of  a Geisha"
"Mrs. Henderson Presents"
"Breakfast on Pluto"
"Shopgirl"
"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe"
"Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?"
"Match Point"
"Paradise Now"
"The Matador"
"Dave Chapelle's Block Party"
"Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story"
"Fearless Freaks"
"My Man Godfrey"
"Manderlay"
"I"ll Do Anything"
"Body Double"
'I Am Trying to Break Your Heart"
"Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World"
"Lonesome Jim"
"Sleepless in Seattle"
"When the Levees Broke"
"The Lady from Shanghai"
"Must Love Dogs"
"Serenity"
"The Devil and Daniel Johnston"
"Interiors"
"A Prairie Home Companion"
"Hard Candy"
"Strangers with Candy"
"Wordplay"
"The Devil Wears Prada"
"Freaks"
"M"
"Rumor Has it"
"War of the Worlds"
"McCabe & Mrs. Miller"
"Sisters"
"Remains of the Day"
"A Scanner Darkly"
"Inherit the Wind"
"Neil Young: Heart of Gold"

This is the point where you should open your Netflix queue and start adding some movies. The films that totally wowed me were mostly the documentaries. "Grizzly Man" is mostly footage taken by a bear enthusiast who is ultimately killed by them. "Grey Gardens" is simply one of the most fascinating things you are ever going to watch. Make time for the extra features, too. Two documentaries on musicians, "Fearless Freaks" about The Flaming Lips" and "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" are marvelous looks at bigger than life artists. On the flip side, I thought "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" about Wilco was a total yawner. Some films really made me think, spurring lively discussion for days in some instances. Those films were "Breaking the Waves", "Paradise Now," "Hard Candy" and "The Crying Game."

Christmas can make us cuckoo

It's seems there is something lacking in the air this holiday season. Perhaps the spring-like temperatures have us all feeling something like spring fever than Christmas spirit. I have friends that describe themselves as "grinchy", refusing to put up a tree or shop.

Feeling pressured, I myself didn't really feel up to putting up a tree this year but Sweets insisted. I'm so glad we did. We chose to do a very simple snowy woodland theme. There are white lights, glass icicles, sparkling snowflakes, pinecones and acorns by Martha Stewart, my ever growing collection of birds and one set of vintage ornaments I inherited from Grams' stash. No tinsel, no balls. Just natural influences.

This past week was hectic. Full of shipping boxes to far flung family only to find there was a shipping error that swapped the boxes. Ugh. While most people are leaving work early and partying, this is one of my busiest work weeks as I come in early and stay late finalizing the photo edit for the year in review section that will run on New Year's Eve. Every night this week, I went to bed so late and so tired I actually slept pretty soundly.

Amidst all the hustle and bustle, there were some bright moments:

Taking the annual trek to play in NYC. We strolled down Fifth Avenue looking at department store windows. The cuckoo display above was one of them. The one above, entitled "Recollect"  at Bergdorf Goodman was the best one we saw. I could have gazed at it for hours. But we had to move on. We had more lights to look at, Christmas curry to consume and fun to be had.

I found that little gestures of holiday spirit made me happiest. I made sure my favorite security guards at the office got goody bags of homemade cookies and peppermint bark.

We received a big box of homemade goodies from Sweets' parents. Oi, my girlish figure! I'm sorry could you not understand me with my mouth full?

My boss bought our department a llama from Heifer instead of giving us gifts. We had more fun trying to decide what to name it. Yo Mama the Llama, Ledger Llama, Dali Llama, Lloyd the Llama. If you are still looking for a last minute gift for that person who has everything, consider making a donation in their name to purchase a needy family a trio of bunnies, a goat, a flock of chicks or any of the other animals. If they are vegetarian, make a gift of honey bees packaged with a nice jar of honey.

The best thing that happened to me all week was a total surprise. We ran this story about a program the US Post Office runs to answer needy children's letters to Santa. It was decided we wanted to run some letters in the paper. So I walked over to the post office with the page designer. As we looked for colorful letters to publish the stories were breaking my heart. I felt a rush of Christmas spirit. Last Christmas, Grams gave me a hundred dollar bill. I never spent it. I've carried it around with me all year trying to find something worthwhile to spend it on. An experience that would be memorable or an object that would remind me of her. I finally knew what to do. After work, I went and spent it all on lots and lots of toys. When I came home, J-Po came over and helped me wrap them all up, tagging them with the contents so the postal Santas could get them to the right kids.  On Christmas Day, postal carriers dressed like Santa will walk the streets of Newark delivering toys to all those good little boys and girls.  I think Grams would have approved of her money going to them.

First Impressions

I'm fooling around this week with three vacation days. The first I was totally exhausted,lounged around the house and asked Sweetsto take me out for dinner at Vic's in Bradley Beach. I was craving a plate of linguine with clam sauce.  The second day I slept in and got a few things done around the house. I spent the evening having a Mexican feast with Cyndemouse. Afterwards we made peanut butter and seed encrusted pinecones to give as gifts. We're calling them Bird Tweets. Today I'm feeling more energetic and will spend the day with Cyndemouse. Maybe we'll go thrifting. I had a lackluster visit to the Salvation Army on Wednesday. I need a fix.

I found this meme on Bekka's site and thought I would give it a whirl.
Instructions -- Copy the first sentence that you posted in each month of 2006. Post it in the following format:

January:
I discovered Little Birds in the last few months and have been marveling at her world full of her childrens drawings, crafts and thrift shopping.
February:
Most women have trouble coming up with a list of things they love about themselves.
March:
Yesterday, Rhett Miller dropped his sophmore solo album, The Believer.
April:
I would describe myself as a practical person. (This post is the story of our engagement. One of my favorite posts of the year.)
May:
May is my third month participating in the Color-iffic Swap-o-Rama.
June:
It's been raining like a mofo here on and off all week.
July:
I hang somewhere in the ether between the girlie girl and the tomboy.
August:
The theme for August's Self Portrait Challenge is enclosed space.
September:
This weekend we sat down and drew up a calendar for the next few months.
October:
We're back home.
November:
I haven't been feeling the muse lately.
December:
Right now we're researching a myriad of options for the wedding.

Actually, those sentences do reveal quite a bit about how I've spent this year. I really began to find my way as a blogger this year , making connections and joining communities. My participation in Self Portrait Challenge has waned in the last few months but the experience has been terrific. I've never been part of anything like it. I've got to get back in the swing of it. Through Flickr, I found Coloriffic Swap-o-Rama and then Swap-bot. Swapping became my number one vice for the year. I loved the challenge and the encouragement to be creative in new ways every month. 

Then there was all the life changes this year held for me. My Grams' illness and death, followed by my engagement to Sweets using her diamond has made me really feel how life carries on. Some day I hope to pass it on to another child in our family.

I got burnt out over the summer and thought I needed a trip to the Pacific Northwest to restore my spirit. We had a great time but I found that  being away made me appreciate our home and our life even more. Usually, I travel and imagine moving to that new place. Now it's hard to think about pulling away from the nest we are building here.

Time for girly fun. More soon!

F- the mall. Shop Etsy

Most of my shopping is done by now. Except for some special goodies for the Bad Girl Posse and the Good Boy (Sweets). Ticking off items on lists for family members isn't very challenging. I like to hunt for special things. Etsy is perfect for that.

I've been eyeing Simple Sparrow's pin cushions for months now. Even long before I took my sewing class and had no use for them. This week she put a new batch up in her shop and I could resist no longer. This one captured my heart. So, I captured it. Consider it a little Merry Merry to me for all my hard merrymaking for others.

I also have a crush on the Measured ) Pocketbook Slash Checkbook Holder by QuietDoing. It perfectly combines functionality with fun measuring tape and faux bois fabrics. And more on the faux bois, the Forest Tree Trunk Wristlet by littleoddforest is totally adorable. Santa, Are you listening?

Last month, I has the pleasure of buying some holiday gifts from JaK Random Art  at the Funky Flea Market held at OmBaby Yoga in Point Pleasant NJ. Her commitment to recycling makes my heart all a flutter. So does her polaroid transfers.

Other things that caught my magpie's eye on Etsy today:
City of Angels cookies by mischiefmari
Just about everything made by seamripper
Darling Grapes Pendant by CourtneyRS (who is donating 50% of her sales this month to St. Jude's Children's Hospital)

Unbearably cute!

This little band made of pinecones and other natural materials( pistachio shells, acorns, berries) is making me so happy. What an amazing idea. I don't know who made these but i was squealing when I came across them at the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove in Audubon, PA. I would love to make my own band.   They also had a symphony, complete with a conductor. Too impossibly cute for words.

Attack of the ick

Last week there was a virus running rampant at the office. People were dropping like flies. On Thursday, I started feeling overly warm and then shivering. There was a dizzy spell. Over the next few days it moved along to  intestinal symptoms that I will not divulge. (Craftapalooza tells the best gross out sick stories. I have to learn from her.)

After spending Sunday night sweating and shivering it out, I decided I needed to stay home yesterday. My attendance has been really good this year. This is the first virus I've had all year. Not even the flu. (Knock on wood, as Grams used to say.) I really think having my tonsils removed has made me less sickly.

Anyway, I plopped myself on the couch and didn't do much of anything. I watched a few episodes of Nigella on Tivo, Oprah interviewing Leonardo DiCaprio (yawn) and whatever was on HGTV. For a change of scenery, I went and sat by the kitchen window to watch the birds. We put the feeders back out last week. It took a few days but we're back in business. Several varieties of woodpeckers are stopping by. I had time to watch them going about their business in the trees. For a treat, I cut a clementine in half and put it out on the deck railing. As soon as I walked back in the house, a duo of curious tufted titmice were  giving them pokes. 

Flickr needed some attention. I posted some photos of the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove where we're getting married in May. I shot the photos over the summer and never posted them. The ceremony will be on the lawn and reception inside the barn. When we saw this I knew this was the right place.

I also made a new set for Birds and other creatures. I'll try to make one for Mill Grove soon.

Keep on swingin' Anita

I was saddened to learn Anita O'Day, the great jazz vocalist,  passed away last week. While I was sniffing turkey in the oven, Anita slipped away to join the rest of swing's legends in the big nightclub in the sky. She was 87.

Some of the jazz I like best swings hard. Drums by Gene Krupa. Horn by Roy Eldridge. Piano by Oscar Peterson. The broad that worked the microphone for all these guys was Anita O'Day. She worked her voice like a rhythmic instrument, dropping scats like Hansel and Gretel's breadcrumbs so the band could find their way home. You can hear in her voice that she was a tough cookie. A sense of humor and resilence comes throughThe only woman out on the road with lots of men, she picked up some of their bad habits. Heroin was the worst one. It's amazing that she performed so well when she was wrecked. Even more amazing that she outlived just about all of her contemporaries and kept working until the end.

NPR's Jazz Profile has great snippets of audio of her talking about her life. The album "Pick Yourself Up" is one of the records I would have on my "what to take if  I was stranded on a desert island" list. Anita has scooped me up out of a funk countless times with this one. For an introduction to this record listen to the NPR Basic Jazz Record Library entry that is at the bottom of her Jazz Profile. Or just buy the record. You'll thank me. Really.

Some of the movies she was in include  "The Gene Krupa Story"  (1959)in which she plays herself and Sal Mineo plays Krupa. I put this one in the Netflix queue. "Let's Hear if For the Girls" (2006)a collection of live performances that include O'Day and other great singers like Sarah Vaughan, Lena Horne, June Christy and Peggy Lee. She's is supposed to make a smoking performance in "Jazz on a Summer's Day"  (1960) filmed at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival. Another documentary "Anita O'Day- The Life of a Jazz Singer " , scheduled for release in 2007, looks excellent from the twenty minutes of footage available on the site. While watching footage of her recording her last record Indestructible! I actually started to cry. I feel like I've lost someone dear to me. My Grams this spring. Now Anita. All these wonderful women that lived in what I think were the most glamourous and exciting times in America are slipping away. It's very sad.

Stars in my eyes

Right now we're researching a myriad of options for the wedding. We've narrowed the cuisine down to an Indian buffet. We've got appointments with two restaurants. There are photographers to mull over. Dresses to model.
Then there are decorations to think about. A few weeks ago, I got a great deal on vases for centerpieces. I want to do simple arrangements of blossoming branches.

I thought it would be nice to hang star lanterns during the reception. I've seen them in stores for about $30 each. I'm prowling around for a better deal. Asian Ideas has lots of color choices for only $8. HGTV takes the price down to basically free with a pattern to make your own. Although I'm not sure if we're quite that ambitious.  I didn't even know eyelet paper lanterns like these existed. They are quite beautiful. If using electricity to power lots of lanterns doesn't pan out, there are even battery operated lantern options. An assortment of round lanterns would look great. instead of or along with the star style. Luna Bazaar has a selection of gorgeous colors. I think Asian Ideas has the best prices on the round lanterns. At Party Lights the prices are higher  but they do have some really pretty things. Especially the patterned styles. I'm trying to think of a place in the house to put this peony lantern.

The world would be so much nicer if there were loads of paper lanterns floating overhead.