Book Challenge

I have checked out some books from the library. I will attempt to read them all the way through- as opposed to reading a few pages and then just looking at the pretty covers while they sit on a table. I grabbed these books rather quickly yesterday, had only an hour on the meter and kid's books to search for. Oh, hey! I just remembered I finished one yesterday!

I have discovered the brand new Graphic Novel section in the library and I always try to check out what new things they have. I've been so curious about them and I've never known where to start. So the library is perfect for trying them out. I've already read "French Milk" by Lucy Knisley which was a sweet travelogue of a college age girl's trip to Paris with her mother. It was drawn in simple black and white, with a few photos thrown in, lots of drawings and descriptions of food! Yesterday I sat down and read "The Eternal Smile" by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim. It was a pretty quick read, three stories- all entertaining. Each drawn in a separate comic style. Each story had a little twist, that turned them from slightly ho-hum to delightful. I also checked out "Berlin, City of Stones" by Jason Lutes. It's very good so far, set in Berlin, between the wars, it follows the lives of an artist and a journalist, it looks to be very compelling. It's drawn in black and white, traditional comic style. I have to learn the proper names for these. I've been enjoying graphic novels- they are easier to jump into than traditional novels, when I don't have a lot of time. They suck me in faster. The visual style sets it all up, there doesn't have to be descriptions of what things look like, where things are located- it's all just there- drawn out for you. Not that I don't enjoy that element of reading- creating pictures in my mind. But quite honestly- sometimes my brain is too tired.

The other books I grabbed in haste after being attracted by the cover (yes, that's what I look at first) and then quickly reading synopsis on jackets... and yes, they were in the bestseller section. I can't just run into the aisles- without looking for something specific:

"Sunnyside" by Glen David Gold

"Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict" by Laurie Viera Rigler

"The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo" by Stieg Larsson

I realized later, I had seen ads for "Sunnyside" and "The Girl..." in the New Yorker. I always earmark those pages and never follow through. I guess I had stored them in my brain. I know that "The Girl..." is not my usual fair, but it's been so lauded and promoted- I thought I might give it a try- or at least pass it on to Mark. I was inspired to grab the Jane Austen book after listening to the Penguin Classic Book podcast- regarding the undying love for Jane Austen by human beings everywhere.

I'll let you know if I actually read any of them.

Jazz Birthday Celebration

I've missed plenty of my real friend's and family's birthdays this year, but this one popped onto my radar this morning thanks to NPR. Lester Young's- 100th year birthday. He was one of the many, tragic jazz musicians who self destructed and died too young. But he left behind some beautiful music. It's amazing we can still watch and listen...

After that, if you are so inclined (like me)- you will want to hear this, the gorgeous "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" by Charles Mingus. Mingus wrote it for Lester Young- whom some say was the original hipster with his pork pie hat and snazzy dress. Charles Mingus, yeah... that is another story for another day.

15 Movie Game

From Facebook... Pick 15 movies off the top of your head. I did without much thinking and came up with this list. Then I tried to sort it out.

1. Flirting With Disaster

2. My Man Godfrey
3. The Awful Truth
4. Rushmore
5. Desperately Seeking Susan
6. The More The Merrier
7. Now, Voyager
8. Laurence of Arabia
9. Something Wild
10. Mildred Pierce
11. Raising Arizona
12. Amelie
13. Please Don't Eat the Daisies
14. Blue Velvet
15. A Room With A View

Movies are like old friends. I enjoy watching movies repeatedly, it's like reminiscing. I collect classic movies and love so many of them. These are the movies that rose to the top in my brain for better or worse. Many are from my youth and formed my future tastes. There are no recent movies on this list- it takes a while for a movie to sink into my brain. So if I just saw it last weekend, even if I thought it was profound, it won't be in my memory bank yet.

1. My desert island movie. I love the comedy, I love Tea Leoni, Mary Tyler Moore, Richard Jenkins. "Is this a musical table?"
2. Profound feelings come from this movie- just a lighthearted romp about the Depression. Carole Lombard + William Powell = Near Perfection.
3. The funniest movie about divorce you'll ever see. Irene Dunne is a revelation- funny and modern in a way you don't often see in classic movies. Cary Grant sparkles.
4. I adore this movie- the music, the pacing, the set design and Max, the lovable delinquent who stages Serpico as his school play. Also highlights the art of calligraphy!
5. This movie shaped my youth. I wanted to be Susan (not Madonna- although were they different?) Actually, I think I wanted to be Roberta (Rosanna Arquette,) who escaped her mundane existence to become a cool NYC hipster. I gained many fashion tips from this movie.
6. My very favorite romantic comedy. This movie caused me to become obsessed with Joel McCrea and Jean Arthur- chemistry like you've never seen before.

7. My first honest viewing of Bette Davis- this movie is amazing. Sure it's a bit hokey, but if you aren't crying at the end, you're made of wood! "Oh Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars".
8. The first time I saw this movie was on the big screen. I will never, ever forget the sight of Peter O' Toole's blue eyes coming over the top of the desert sand. SO beautiful.

9. I saw this when I was 18 years old. I wanted to be Lulu (Melanie Griffith) -without the larceny, sluttiness and alcohol abuse. A free spirit. And I wanted to marry Charlie (Jeff Daniels) -an extremely decent man. Which, I kind of did.
10. If you haven't seen this movie- do yourself a favor and do. This is Joan Crawford at her finest. Forget about Mommie Dearest- this is the real deal.
11. One of the funniest movies of all time. It follows the screwball format and goes even further. "Hi! You better go in there and get me one of those toddlers!"

12. A perfect movie, perfect casting, perfect music, enchanting story. I could watch it every day.
13. This movie sticks in my head as my first real Doris Day encounter. Her voice is the most soothing one in history to me. She is an awesome mom (in the movie) and a real lady (in real life.)
14. This movie got into my bloodstream when I saw it. I became a huge David Lynch fan and saw everything he did. But one day I woke up and thought- why? Degradation, even if done stylishly is not to my liking anymore. I can still appreciate it's qualities, but I don't think I could enjoy it like I used to. Think it's the kids.
15. This is my favorite E.M. Forrester adaptation. So full of beauty, love and light- perfect to watch and escape dreariness. The antidote to David Lynch perhaps?

Blossom Dearie

Somehow I missed the passing of one of my very favorite singers, Blossom Dearie (her real name) in February. She was one of a kind. I've always loved her interpretation of standards. She was still performing in Manhattan cabarets just a few years ago. I think this quote from the New York Times describes her perfectly:

"A singer, pianist and songwriter with an independent spirit who zealously guarded her privacy, Ms. Dearie pursued a singular career that blurred the line between jazz and cabaret. An interpretive minimalist with caviar taste in songs and musicians, she was a genre unto herself. Rarely raising her sly, kittenish voice, Ms. Dearie confided song lyrics in a playful style below whose surface layers of insinuation lurked."

Here's a song we listened to a lot when Hazel was a baby...

Classic Movie Sickness Part 2

Been going through my classic movie collection tonight. It has gotten out of hand, perhaps. I have amassed approximately 502 movies. This does include a few purchased DVD's but most of them are movies I recorded from TCM. It all started with the idea that we were going to cancel cable and I needed my classic movie fix. Now it has become, I NEED every movie with Bette Davis, Jean Arthur, etc. etc. This month of the stars has not helped my addiction as I have begun new collections of stars. Marion Davies, Clark Gable, Fredrick March. How can I resist recording them when they are all there calling out to me... Corrie, we aren't on DVD... how are you ever going to watch us again??? Believe me, I haven't even begun to watch all these movies. I've seen the beginnings for sure of all of them, to make sure they recorded I've fast forwarded through them. I think what also fueled my obsession is my DVDpedia database. I can collect them all, download their descriptions from IMDB wherein it will be cross referenced with all the others. I can simply type in "Preston Sturges" and all the movies that he wrote or directed will appear together. Then there are the movie posters. The chance to collect those beauties may be the most fun part of all. Do I need to enroll in a 12-step program? Perhaps.