the awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible

1 If you could have learned one life lesson earlier than you did, which one would you want it to be? 

    anything financial. I haven't been dangerously stupid or careless, but I have been impulsive. Nine years of post-secondary education hasn't helped, with its unreal costs, ease of acquiring low-interest loans, and promotion of habits like buying books and providing for incredibly long vacations.

    I wish I'd learned early the actual value of saving. I wish I'd known that it was even possible to start investing with a small amount of money, and to add to it gradually. I wish I'd put at least as much into saving and investment as I did into drinking and dining out. 

 

5 If you were to name the emotion that you waste the most time on, what would it be?

    nostalgia 

2 If you were to console one person who needs comforting right now, who would it be? 

    a close relative who shall remain nameless, who is suffering in at least three different ways—that I know of—with a stoic grace that leaves me impressed and envious

 

3 If you were to say that there is a period of your past that you dream or think the most about, when would it be? 

    undergrad

4 If you had to name the person you know who is most at ease with their own mortality, who would it be? 

    I don't know if I can give any true answer to this question. I think that ease with one's own mortality is "proven" at the time when death is imminent, and anything before that is conjecture. Some people are comfortable with illness, weakness, or aging, at least more so than others. I have friends and family who have suffered from, endured, and risen above stuff that would "make Jesus want to drink gin straight out of the cat dish". Does that mean they are "at ease"? I'm not sure.

6 If you could dream about one aspect of your life more, what would you want it to be? 

    over the last couple of months I've had a recurring dream. I'm moving house, currently living in a walk-up apartment in an old house. Friends are helping me pack (!) and carry. One of them is a guy I've known for a long time—since high school? college? maybe?—with whom I am friends on FB. I know that, but I don't know who he is; I cannot see his face. That makes sense in

context, because he's across the room with his back to a bright window, or he's behind me, or in a shadow, or around the corner. After everyone else has gone, it's just the mystery man and me left in the apartment. We're doing the last-minute cleaning up (a quick sweep of the floors, re-checking that all the closets and cupboards are clear, a swipe across the countertops and sinks with a cloth) and talking. From somewhere close behind me, he's admitting to me that he's always had a little crush on me, a little question in his mind of What If. Explaining that he's never acted on it because (of course) circumstances got in the way. Wondering if prehaps maybe . . . and he touches my shoulder. I turn, once again to be a little blinded by a light behind him, but knowing absolutely that I'm interested. We kiss. It's not one of those "lightning strikes and angels sing" kind of dream kisses, but it's awfully nice nonetheless. And then I wake up, laughing a little, because I never did figure out who he was. 

    I have had variations on that dream at least a dozen times, and it always ends unresolved. There is no sense of tension (not in a bad way, anyway), it's always a nice surprise, with at least enough mutual interest for a good kiss, and yet there's no new clue to his identity. And I wake up happy, amused, a little confused, and simultaneously curious and comfortable not knowing. 

    That's the kind of dream I'd like to have, every night.  

7 If you were to choose the person who is most like you emotionally, who would it be? 

    Blackbeard, my work buddy. For a guy, in a different age bracket, who's worked different jobs, lived in far-away places, who's come from a vastly different background from my own . . . we are remarkably similar. We want a lot of the same things from our lives, and we express that need and desire in similar ways. 

    In fact—he's a lot like Chris, which both charms and terrifies me.

[from If: Questions for the Soul; the title quotation is by Fyodor Dostoevsky, from The Brothers Karamazov, and reads more fully below.]

 

“The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. 

God and the devil are fighting there and the battlefield is the heart of man.”

put it all in, Make use

Make use of the things around you. 

This light rain 

Outside the window, for one. 

This cigarette between my fingers, 

These feet on the couch. 

The faint sound of rock-and-roll, 

The red Ferrari in my head. 

The woman bumping 

Drunkenly around in the kitchen . . .

Put it all in, 

Make use. 

 

[Raymond Carver {1938-1988}, 'Sunday Night', from A New Path to the Waterfall]

why is it, people who need the most help won't take it?

Average rating: 7.5

Night Passage (1957) - "Former railroad worker Grant McLaine (James Stewart) is hired by boss Ben Kimball (Jay C. Flippen) to help transport the railroad's payroll. The train carrying the payroll has been robbed multiple times in the past, and Kimball hopes that McLaine can successfully guard the money from the robbers. But matters are complicated for McLaine when he finds out that one of the robbers is his brother, who is now going by the name of the Utica Kid (Audie Murphy)."
length: 1 hour, 30 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I'd seen it before but could not recall it (no prior review)
IMDB: 6.6/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 50% Audience: 53%
my IMDB: 6/10

MPAA rating: Approved

notable quote: "Maybe I like to see what people will do when I take it away from them."

directed by: James Neilson

my notes: one of Stewart's better performances—neither the stammering affectation or ridiculous overplaying—and Audie Murphy is always a treat. Alas, the two are wasted with this crap script and ridiculous casting. Also, this movie is more degrading and dismissive of women than even most Westerns; neither of the two leading female roles is at all complimentary, and each is mercenary and stereotypical in its way. 

    The film is kind of entertaining, but it's not good.

overall: mildly recommended

 

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1947) - "Nicholas Nickleby (Derek Bond) must try to support his family now that his father has died. He lands a job working at a school, but doesn't get along with Wackford Squeers (Alfred Drayton), the brutal headmaster he works under. Nicholas eventually flees from the school and reunites with his mother (Mary Merrall) and sister, Kate (Sally Ann Howes). Unfortunately, Nicholas learns that his callous uncle, Ralph (Cedric Hardwicke), has mistreated Kate and his mother, and he must defend their honor."
length: 1 hour, 48 minutes

source: streamed on Fawsome
I watched it because: Dickens was a terrific writer of basic human weaknesses, as well as deep loyalty and generosity
IMDB: 6.9/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: N/A% Audience: 58%
my IMDB: 7/10

MPAA rating: Approved

notable quote: "No use! No good! Nothing can help you now, money or lawyers!"

directed by: Alberto Cavalcanti

my notes: whoa, there's a lot going on here. Overall, it's an entertaining film that kept me captivated throughout. In the specifics: some of the roles are meaty and fun (uncle Ralph, his man Newman Noggs, and of course Nicholas), but some are on the lifeless side (Mrs. N, Kate, and poor Smike). There is a terrific sub-villain who teeters on the edge of mustachio-twirling nonsense but manages to just seem menacing and awful. 

overall:  recommended

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) - "Bored with his wife (Janet Gaynor), their baby and the dull routine of farm life, a farmer (George O'Brien) falls under the spell of a flirtatious city girl (Margaret Livingston) who convinces him to drown his wife so they can escape together. When his wife becomes suspicious of his plan and runs away to the city, the farmer pursues her, slowly regaining her trust as the two rediscover their love for each other in this award-winning silent classic."
length: 1 hour, 34 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I've seen it a couple of times before and keep coming back to the deceptively simple story

    (previously reviewed here)
IMDB: 8.1/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 98% Audience: 92%
my IMDB: 9/10

AFI: 100 Years...100 Passions (2002) #63 

    100 Years...100 Movies (10th anniversary edition, 2007) #82

MPAA rating: Passed

notable quote: "They used to be like children, carefree, always happy and laughing. Now he ruins himself for that woman from the city...."

directed by: F.W. Murnau

my notes: simple, emotional, charming, and thought-provoking. Moody and expressive. Modern filmmakers could learn a lot by studying it. I like it very much.

    Roger Ebert's marvelously detailed review is here.

Academy Award winner:
• Best Picture, Unique and Artistic Production

• Best Actress—Janet Gaynor (shared)

• Best Cinematography—Charles Rosher, Karl Struss
Academy Award nominee: Best Art Direction—Rochus Gliese
overall: highly  recommended

A River Runs Through It (1992) - "The Maclean brothers, Paul and Norman, live a relatively idyllic life in rural Montana, spending much of their time fly fishing. The sons of a minister, the boys eventually part company when Norman moves east to attend college, leaving his rebellious brother to find trouble back home. When Norman finally returns, the siblings resume their fishing outings, and assess both where they've been and where they're going."
length: 2 hours, 3 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I've seen it several times and never reviewed it, and wanted to rectify that
IMDB: 7.2/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 80% Audience: 83%
my IMDB: 8/10

MPAA rating: PG

notable quote: "I'll never leave Montana, brother."

directed by: Robert Redford

my notes: it always makes me cry. I've got a soft spot for it, having seen the theatrical release. Redford's voiceover works perfectly. The cast is wonderful, with no wrong choices. Tom Skerritt stands out as the Reverend Maclean.

    Roger Ebert's wonderful review is here.

Academy Award winner: Best Cinematography—Philippe Rousselot
Academy Award nominee:
• Best Writing, Screenplay based on material previously produced or published—Richard Friedenberg

• Best Music, Original Score—Mark Isham
overall: highly recommended

 

[the title quotation is from A River Runs Through It]

human beings must be taught to love silence and darkness

Time to rest now; you have had 

enough excitement for the time being. 

 

Twilight, then early evening. Fireflies 

in the room, flickering here and there, here and there, 

and summer's deep sweetness filling the open window. 

 

Don't think of these things anymore. 

Listen to my breathing, your own breathing 

like the fireflies, each small breath 

a flare in which the world appears. 

 

I've sung to you long enough in the summer night. 

I'll win you over in the end; the world can't give you 

this sustained vision. 

 

You must be taught to love me. Human beings must be taught to love 

silence and darkness. 

 

[Louise Glück {1943-2023} 'Lullaby', from Poems 1962-2012]

cold in hand

Winter, you are 

the worst kind 

 

of lover—soon 

as I hope for good 

 

you're gone 

you return—cold 

 

in hand— 

bringing no flowers 

 

[Kevin Young {1970- }, 'Snow in April', from Book of Hours]

not-writing is a good deal worse than writing

1. What's the best thing to inherit other than money? 

    casks of jewels, bars of gold, and stock certificates. 

    Or maybe labeled photographs. 

 

2. What one thing would you most like to happen tomorrow? 

    cancellation of the Winter Storm Watch. Winter is fine, it's to be expected and normal for this time of year. We don't need heavy snowfalls with 55 mph winds to make us clear on that point.

 

3. Who is the person with whom you've been most infatuated? 

    he called himself Johnnie Walker Blue.

4. In what part of the day does time go slowest and fastest? 

    slowest: the last hour of a normal workday

    fastest: the last hour before bed, where I'd like to read just one more paragraph, or chapter, or two.

5. What one person's thoughts would you most like to read? 

    the Dalai Lama. Is he always 'on a higher plane of existence'? Does he manage to turn off the unnecessary and just flow serenely through life? Or does he swear at traffic, get songs stuck in his head, fondly remember classmates, wonder about stuff and then internet-search it? Does he have a silly sense of humor? Does he think he's weird?

6. Who is the person you'd least like to touch? 

    this question first made me laugh, and then I really had to think about it. I don't exactly keep a list of stuff I don't want to do, y'know? 

    It's safe to say that anyone of whom I am not fond (and, frankly, many people of whom I am fond—but from a distance!) would fall into this category. My touchy-feely-ness is very dramatically limited.

7. What is the best quality you inherited from your parents? 

    good listening 

8. Who is the friend you most often disagree with? 

    he knows who he is, though since he recently told me that he cannot be bothered to read the blog anymore, my reticence in sharing his name is probably misplaced 

9. What's the best ritual of your daily life? 

    lately, it's going to bed early and getting up early just to spend time with my temporary roommate at his favorite parts of the day. He's extra snuggly and loving before and after sleeping a night away.

10. What are the most useful jobs you've ever had? 

    I haven't had that many jobs, and each was useful in some way. 

        • bakery: how to get along with people very different from me. Cake decorating. Baking by eye.

        • school: how to be a trustworthy person. Film splicing. Working through a hangover.

        • restaurant: how to cook, for crissakes. How to hold a knife. How to clean.

        • educational center: how to lead. How to gracefully accept management. How to live up to someone else's expectations and imagination, and flourish. Prioritizing.

        • grad assistantships: how academic work is really done, both in classroom and on paper.

        • library: how to love a good puzzle. How to manage a budget and staff.

        • bank—

            ° bank 1: diligence. How to work with difficult people (ver. 14).

            ° bank 2: learning on the fly. How to keep busy when being poorly managed (i.e. staple-pulling).

            ° bank 3: perseverance. Of course, how to settle an estate.

        • firm: what not to do. What kind of person to avoid. How to maintain composure when pushed beyond known limits.

        • current: how to get into the groove and stay there. Maintaining good sleep habits. The importance of asking questions.

11. In which year of your life did you change the most? 

    age 34 

12. What's the best thing you've ever gotten for free? 

    advice, sex, or lunch 

13. What is the thing you are best at? 

    writing a long, funny, deep, fantastic letter 

14. What was the luckiest moment in your life? 

    it's yet to come 

15. What is the single most important thing you have ever learned? 

    that there's a lot I don't know. At that point, I started to really learn.  

 

[from here; the title quotation is by Flannery O'Connor, from The Habit of Being]

the xylophone of spine

On the flannel sheet 

in the pose of a deadman's float, 

face down. The hands descend, 

ignore the skin, 

the xylophone of spine, 

evade the blobs and lobes, 

head for deep tissue, 

 

go for the little hinges 

that creak like tiny frogs—

twang the catgut strings 

of the tight bruised tendons. 

 

How rusted shut I am, 

how locked, how oxidized. 

Old baked-beans can, 

Tin Woodwoman left in the rain. 

Movement equals pain. 

How corroded. 

 

Who was it used to complain 

he didn't have a brain? 

Some straw-man cloth boy. 

 

Me, it's the heart: 

that's the part lacking. 

I used to want one: 

a dainty cushion of red silk 

dangling from a blood ribbon, 

fit for sticking pins in. 

But I've changed my mind. 

Hearts hurt. 

 

 [Margaret Atwood {1939- } 'The Tin Woodwoman Gets a Massage', from Dearly]

if that machine can do what you say it can do ... destroy it before it destroys you!

Average rating: 7.25. Mostly good ones.

Mickey Blue Eyes (1999) - " English art dealer Michael Felgate (Hugh Grant) is dumbfounded to learn that his girlfriend, Gina Vitale (Jeanne Tripplehorn), cannot accept his marriage proposal because her entire family is involved with the Mafia. Undeterred and in love, Michael meets Gina's father, mob boss Frank (James Caan), who immediately takes a shine to the young suitor. But before he can give his blessing, Frank has plans for Michael that may or may not end in wedding bells."
length: 1 hour, 42 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I read somewhere that Hugh Grant has fond memories of this film, about which I know nothing
IMDB: 5.9/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 45% Audience: 42%
my IMDB: 6/10

MPAA rating: PG-13

notable quote: "Hey, fuggeddaboud id!"

directed by: Kelly Makin, Carl Gottlieb

my notes: trots out every bad ethnic joke that remotely relates, involves some dumb characters and maybe some dumb actors, and centers around a romance that's not at all believable. Other than that . . . I did enjoy Burt Young as Uncle Vito Graziosi, and James Fox as delightfully clueless Philip Cromwell. It's got a sort of mesmerizing shitshow appeal; I could barely turn away.

overall: mildly recommended

 

The Secret of Convict Lake (1951) - "After a group of convicts escapes from prison, they take refuge in the wilderness. While most of the crew are ruthless sociopaths, Jim Canfield (Glenn Ford) is an innocent man who was jailed under false pretenses. When Canfield and his fellow fugitives reach an isolated farming settlement where the men are all away, it creates tension with the local women. Things get more dire when rumors of hidden money arise, and Canfield discovers that the man who framed him is part of the community."
length: 1 hour, 23 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I'd seen it before and liked it a lot

    previously reviewed here
IMDB: 6.9/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: N/A% Audience: 58%
my IMDB: 8/10

MPAA rating: Approved

notable quote: "'No decent human being can kill a person in cold blood.'

    'Start any trouble and you'll find out different.'"

directed by: Michael Gordon

my notes: wonderful cast, good story, well acted and directed. Gene Tierney and Glenn Ford are outstanding in the leading roles. Ethel Barrymore (!), Ann Dvorak, and Ruth Donnelly are great in support. This is a good one.

overall: strongly recommended

The Time Machine (1960) - "Scientist H. George Wells (Rod Taylor) builds a time machine, and despite the warning from his friend David (Alan Young) against 'tempting the laws of providence,' decides to visit the future. Jumping ahead 14 years, he observes changes in women's fashion. Jumping ahead 40, he meets David's son (also Young) amid a terrible war. Finally, he travels thousands of years ahead to discover a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by humanoid Eloi and the monstrous Morlocks that feed on them."

length: 1 hour, 43 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I hadn't seen it before and am curious
IMDB: 7.5/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 76% Audience: 80%
my IMDB: 7/10

MPAA rating: G

notable quote: "When I speak of time, gentlemen, I'm referring to the fourth dimension."

directed by: George Pal

my notes: I didn't know how to rate this, because I don't know what to about it. Weird, sexist, preachy, unintentionally funny, spectacular, bloody, thoughtful.... Alan Young was very good. Yvette Mimieux was 17 years old, playing up to 30-y-o Taylor, which is skeezy and gross. Still, it's worth seeing, for cultural references and for something to think about.

Academy Award winner: Best Effects, Special Effects—Gene Warren, Tim Baar

overall:  recommended

The Magnificent Seven (1960) - "A Mexican village is at the mercy of Calvera, the leader of a band of outlaws. The townspeople, too afraid to fight for themselves, hire seven American gunslingers to free them from the bandits' raids. The professional gunmen train the villagers to defend themselves, then plan a trap for the evil Calvera."

length: 2 hours, 8 minutes

source: I own the DVD
I watched it because: it was mutually agreeable
IMDB: 7.7/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 89% Audience: 87%
my IMDB: 8/10

AFI: 100 Years…100 Thrills (2001) #79

MPAA rating: Approved

notable quote: "The graveyards are full of boys who were very young and very proud."

directed by: John Sturges

my notes: more sober than the 2016 remake (reviewed here and here). Terrific cast (I love Yul Brynner) and the score is a classic. It's one of those movies that's impossible to resist.

Academy Award nominee: Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture—Elmer Bernstein
overall: strongly  recommended

 

[the title quotation is from The Time Machine]

I'm gonna be alright if I believe in you It's all I want to do

1 Do you believe you've met your soulmate? 

    yes

 

2 Have you ever drunk-dialed someone you shouldn't have? 

    depends on the definition of "shouldn't have"

 

3 How much money are you willing to spend on a first date? 

    I've never, ever thought about it.

    The most costly "first date" I ever had was during junior year of college. I bought a wholly new outfit (not in my budget at the time) and had my hair cut. We went out for dinner at a place the next state over, then a movie, and then dessert back in our own state and to the west a ways. He paid for gas and the meals and the movie. I think I paid for movie snacks. Anyway, the real cost of the event played out over the succeeding fifteen years—for more than twelve of which, we were married. 

 

4 Is ghosting ever acceptable? 

    only when it's me doing it and not receiving it.

    No, really, it's not. For all my joking about moving and leaving no forward, I think it's immature and arrogant to just disappear rather than to take the time to exit respectfully. Like no-showing a job, it doesn't reflect well on oneself (and however deep inside, it wears on a person's conscience, too) to be so untrustworthy.

 

5 What is something you would do if you knew there were no consequences? 

    punch someone (a specific person, not a random stranger) in the kidneys

 

6 What would you ask a psychic if you could?

    "what are tomorrow's Lotto numbers?"

 

7 What's one thing you hate people knowing about you? 

    how easy it can be to push my buttons. (see also #5, above)

 

8 What's the story behind your worst hookup?

    there are so many contenders! Besides those who have received too much airtime already . . . there was a guy in high school, maybe the summer between HS and college. He was a friend of a friend, one of those people who you know by sight but haven't really talked to. We were sort of set up by mutual friends, ending up at the same parties and shoved together by well meaning idiots who believed that all the world should march along in pairs. We didn't really know each other, and as it turns out didn't really like each other, but for reasons that made sense in our adolescent brains, spent some time together. He was an obnoxious ass, I was not in a particularly nice phase of personality development, and it was not an unmitigated success. 

 

9 Would you marry someone with opposing political views to you?

    not likely, particularly given recent events

 

10 Do you have any fake social media accounts? 

    if I did, would I reveal anything about it in a way that could tie it to me?

    (no, I don't.)

 

11 Have you ever flirted with someone to get something you wanted? 

    only in the sense that flirting is a precursor to dating

 

 [from here; the title quotation is by Tom Petty, from "Crawling Back to You"]

stippled gold sides, deep orange back, red threads

I waited though wanting nothing, 

then waited longer. 

 

As if by that I might 

become again 

the carved and painted lure— 

 

Its two iridescent eyes that stay always open, 

its stippled gold sides, deep orange back, 

red threads attached at the gills. 

 

I hummed with its three-pronged shine 

of fish who are sweet and fat to the birds above them. 

 

I hummed with its three injured notes to the fish below. 

 

To all the blue-winged, handless distances 

and all my blue-finned, handless lives, 

I hummed 

in borrowed Swedish and the iron-hiding slip of gleam— 

 

The great strangeness still may come, even for you. 

 

[Jane Hirshfield {1953- } 'Lure', from Ledger]

the green garden, moonlit pool, lemons, lovers, and fish are all dissolved in the opal sky

1 What have you done recently that you should have done a long time ago? 

   started doing more—prehaps even the majority of—grocery shopping at a locally-owned store (M's) in a small town near here. After several years ordering delivery from the larger regional store (HV) , I'm heartily tired of poor substitutions, higher prices, time-consuming communication from the shoppers who aren't well-enough trained to trust their own decisions, awful produce, and torn bags. I still do a large order from HV maybe once a month, but it's much smaller and less often than before. 

    M's has an incredibly clean and well-lit store, pristine produce, fresh meat that does not languish on the shelves, a decent selection for a small building, excellent sale prices, and a smooth, efficient checkout system. Plus, they will carry one's groceries and load into the car! And I always feel best when supporting local business.

 

2 When was the last time you screamed out loud, and why? 

    the weekend with the cat from Hell. 

    My massage therapist had planned a destination wedding. She and her now-spouse have four cats. We'd chatted about them before, and I'd heard that one of them bullies the other three. When they finalized their wedding trip they decided to try having someone cat-sit for the bully so that the other three would be safe. She asked me to do it ... during a massage. I was far too melty and relaxed to say No. I should have realized.

    Cats love me, right? And I love them. How bad could it possibly be?

    It was worse. She was extremely uncomfortable from the moment they arrived to drop her off. She meowed, howled, and bawled nonstop, in a uniquely piercing tone and volume. She scratched, clawed, and bit anything she could get at: furniture, carpeting, fixtures, cords. She was also as close to suicidal as any cat

I've heard about—chewing cords, stuffing herself through the rails on the banister to leap/fall down the stairs, climbing the furniture to jump/splat to the floor. It didn't take long before I realized I could not leave her alone at all, for fear that she would destroy my home or herself. I had to take her into the bathroom with me (and close the door). When I tried to sleep, I had to close us into the bedroom together. Before long, I realized that I had to crate her in order to actually sleep, because she roamed about like a path of destruction, pawing and clawing at everything, yowling. 

    She is a beautiful cat, sleek and smooth. When she is in good-kitty mode (roughly 3% of the time) she is gorgeous, soft to the touch, and has a delicate purr. Most of the time, though, she just looks like an overweight (16# on a small frame) glob of horrific menace.

    And, yeah, in the middle of the last night that she was here, I screamed (in frustration, not directly "at her") and cried my eyes out, having gone without sleep for ~33 hours already). Through a very complicated string of events, I found someone else to care for her and VERY gladly gave her back after a dreadfully long visit. Never again!! 

3 What's your all-time favorite dip? 

    pico de gallo. Is that a dip? Love it with fresh, hot tortilla chips, or on baked chicken, or scooped onto a toasted heel of French bread.  

    If it's not a dip, then I would pick sour cream & onion. Not very chic but a throwback to my childhood as it was a staple of "family parties". The only appropriate accompaniment is very salty ripple (not ridged) potato chips (see below for the difference) and a lot of Coke.

 

4 What have you argued for in the past that really doesn't matter to you anymore? 

    my past is a long string of arguments serving no good purpose.

5 What's the most ridiculous way you've managed to injure yourself? 

    got up in the middle of the night to feed the temporary roommate—in the basement bedroom. Didn't
bother turning on the light.   Lost my bearings, veered left, and rammed my right foot into a heavy wooden stool. I heard a faint "Pop" just before a screaming pain shot into my toes, foot, lower leg.... Careful not to step on roomie, I struggled to turn on the light, scooped out some food, and hobbled back upstairs. Turned on my bedside lamp and folded myself in half to look at it up close.

    It wasn't broken in any revolving way, but clearly snapped. I buddy-taped him to his neighbor, pulled on socks, and went back to sleep. 

    It's been a week or so. Still swollen, but less so. Still bruised, but faded to yellow. Still sore, but only when there's pressure from above (like under a blanket). Taping only when leaving the house. 

    Ridiculous.  

6 What was the last thing that made you laugh out loud? 

    a Teams chat with some colleagues. I have ~8 of them going at once (though not active at the same time, thank goodness). The most involved one is just with Blackbeard, and is mostly about personal stuff but is sometimes a shortcut to getting work help. We are very casual about punctuation, spelling, etc., and use emojis heavily. One is only with my boss and is usually work related but sometimes gets pretty funny. He is a super-dry dude who appreciates a good meme. Another is solely with the TL from the

current project. He requires complete sentences, correct spelling, punctuation—and our content is evenly mixed between work, cats, and other peoples' grammatical errors. The others are with some combination of more extended colleagues, less voluminous (on a good day!), and much more general. I try not to engage too much in those because my sense of humor can be hard to read, especially via text. 

    One of those group chats relates to a sub-project within the ongoing gig. It was an especially detailed, boring, important, time-crunched task. The day we finished it was a mini-explosion of hilarious memes, emoji combos, and hilarious chat. I laughed a lot that day.

7 Other than lemonade, what's the best thing you can make with lemons? 

    John's Lemon Cake, of which the linked version is a reasonable variation on my family's recipe. It is a dense, intensely flavorful, rich cake with a unique texture. It is a family favorite and a big treat. 

[from 3000 Unique Questions about Me; the title quotation is by Virginia Woolf, from The String Quartet]

whose life, when you look at it under a microscope, doesn't have any flaws?

SPOILER ALERT! Don't read the fourth review if you're planning to watch D.O.A. Average rating: 7.25. (I disregarded the outlier, for fairness to the others.)

Insider (1999) - "After seeking the expertise of former 'Big Tobacco' executive Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), seasoned TV producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino) suspects a story lies behind Wigand's reluctance to speak. As Bergman persuades Wigand to share his knowledge of industry secrets, the two must contend with the courts and the corporations that stand between them and exposing the truth. All the while, Wigand must struggle to maintain his family life amidst lawsuits and death threats."
length: 2 hours, 37 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I remember it being incredibly thought-provoking, and disturbing (in a good way)—and I really needed a distraction

    previously reviewed here
IMDB: 7.8/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 96% Audience: 90%
my IMDB: 9/10

MPAA rating: R

notable quote: "'Where's the rest? Where the hell's the rest? You cut it! You cut the guts out of what I said!'

    'It was a time consideration, Mike.'

    'Time? BULLSHIT! You corporate LACKEY! Who told you your incompetent little fingers had the requisite skills to edit me! I'm trying to band-aid a situation here, and you're too dim to...'

    'Mike... Mike... Mike...'

    'Mike? "Mike." Try "Mr. Wallace". We work in the same corporation doesn't mean we work in the same profession. What are you going to do now? You're gonna finesse me, lawyer me some more? I've been in this profession fifty fucking YEARS! You, and the people you work for, are destroying the most-respected, the highest-rated, the most-profitable show on this network!'"

directed by: Michael Mann

my notes: excellent film, brilliantly acted, directed and shot. Michael Mann is a terrific director. Besides Christopher Plummer, Crowe and Pacino, there are some real powerhouse actors in this cast, including Colm Feore, Bruce McGill (always a favorite), and Rip Torn. 

    It's not a movie for everyone, but it's profoundly good.

Academy Award nominee:
• Best Picture—Michael Mann, Pieter Jan Brugge

• Best Actor—Russell Crowe

• Best Director—Michael Mann

• Best Writing, Screenplay based on material previously produced or published—Eric Roth, Michael Mann

• Best Cinematography—Dante Spinotti

• Best Film Editing—William Goldenberg, Paul Rubell, David Rosenbloom

• Best Sound—Andy Nelson, Doug Hemphill, Lee Orloff
overall: strongly recommended

 

My Favorite Brunette (1947) - "Ronnie Jackson (Bob Hope) is a lowly baby photographer who secretly fantasizes about being a private detective. When a lovely baroness (Dorothy Lamour) actually mistakes him for one and asks him to help locate her missing husband, Baron Montay (Frank Puglia), Ronnie finds himself agreeing. Several days later he is on death row whiling away the hours until his execution by recounting to a group of reporters the bizarre tale of how he ended up there."
length: 1 hour, 27 minutes

source: streamed on PlutoTV
I watched it because: it was on my watchlist, and I wanted something light-hearted after the intensity of the last picture
IMDB: 6.7/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 75% Audience: 69%
my IMDB: 7/10

MPAA rating: Approved

notable quote: "I was cut out for this kind of life. All my life I wanted to be a hard-boiled detective like Humphrey Bogart or Dick Powell or... even Alan Ladd."

directed by: Elliott Nugent

my notes: OMG, it's a Bob Hope movie that I actually liked. It's a little twisty and very goofy, full of in-jokes and silliness. The fourth wall is broken. The rest of the cast is ... weird, but in a good way. And Lamour is outstandingly beautiful.

overall:  recommended

1941 (1979) - "After Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, residents of California descend into a wild panic, afraid that they might be the next target. Among them are Wild Bill Kelso, a crazed National Guard pilot; Sgt. Frank Tree, a patriotic, straight-laced tank crew commander; Ward Douglas, a civilian willing to help with the American war effort at any cost; and Maj. Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell, who tries his hardest to maintain sanity amid the chaos."
length: 1 hour, 58 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD from a friend's collection
I watched it because: I hadn't seen it before, and wondered if a comedy directed by Spielberg could really be funny
IMDB: 5.8/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 39% Audience: 41%
my IMDB: 1/10     DNF

MPAA rating: PG

notable quote: "Madness - it's the only word to describe it. This isn't the state of California, this is a state of insanity."

directed by: Steven Spielberg

my notes: WAY too long. The first hour felt like 3 hours of nonstop lame jokes and gags. Solid feh.

overall: not  recommended

D.O.A. (1950) - "Frank Bigelow (Edmond O'Brien) is about to die, and he knows it. The accountant has been poisoned and has only 24 hours before the lethal concoction kills him. Determined to find out who his murderer is, Frank, with the help of his assistant and girlfriend, Paula (Pamela Britton), begins to trace back over his last steps. As he frantically tries to unravel the mystery behind his own impending demise, his sleuthing leads him to a group of crooked businessmen and another murder."

length: 1 hour, 23 minutes

source: streamed on "Fandango at Home" (seriously, who came up with that name? It's awful!!)
I watched it because: it's been on my watchlist for ages
IMDB: 7.2/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 88% Audience: 75%
my IMDB: 5/10

MPAA rating: Approved

notable quote: "'Of course, I'll have to notify the police. This is a case for Homicide.'

    'Homicide?'

    'I don't think you fully understand, Bigelow. You've been murdered.'"

directed by: Rudolph Maté

my notes: it is probably really good if you can get into it, which I could not because of all the incredible coincidences that had to take place for it to even get off the ground. Like, how did they know he'd be in that bar, at that time, under those circumstances?

overall: recommended only to major noir fans, because this is a classic of the genre

 

Letter to Three Wives (1949) - "Lora May Hollingsway, who grew up next to the wrong side of the tracks, married her boss—who thinks she is just a gold digger. Rita Phipps makes (at least) as much money writing radio scripts at night as her school-teacher husband does. Deborah Bishop looked great in a Navy uniform in WWII but fears she'll never be dressed just right for the Country Club set. These three wives are boarding a boat filled with children going on a picnic when a messenger on a bicycle hands them a letter addressed to all three from Addie Ross—who has just left town with one of their husbands. They won't know which one until they return that night."

length: 1 hour, 43 minutes

source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I liked it so well the first time, and I'm in the mood for moody

    previously reviewed here
IMDB: 7.7/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 100% Audience: 86%
my IMDB: 8/10

MPAA rating: Approved

notable quote: "'How do I look?'

    'If I was you, I'd show more o' what I got. Maybe wear somethin' with beads.'

    'What I got don't need beads.'"

directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz

my notes: I love this movie. The premise is fresh and the script both snappy and thoughtful, the cast is incredibly skilled and well-suited to their roles, and there is real humor (Thelma Ritter is a hidden gem in any film). Fantastic!

Academy Award winner:

• Best Director—Mankiewicz

• Best Writing, Screenplay—Mankiewicz

Academy Award nominee: Best Picture

overall: highly recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Insider]

to do what we do does not mean joy

What I did I did. 

I knew that I loved you 

and told you that. 

Then I lied to you 

often so you would love me, 

hid the truth, 

shammed, lied. 

 

Once human beings 

in their way do what they do 

they find peakéd 

castles ahead, they see 

lanterns aloft over 

the seal-like masses 

where they love at night. 

 

The hurricane carries 

off the snail, still 

clinging to his pine 

tree. At night the o-

possum sees the golden 

lion upside 

down in his dream. 

 

To do what we do 

does not mean joy. The sun 

rises, and some- 

thing strong guides the sun 

over the sky until 

it carries its spark down 

to the northern forests. 

 

 [Robert Bly {1926-2021} 'Letter to Her', from Collected Poems]

that is what I am afraid of, my dear sir: we sell our souls, only there is no buyer

1 If you could have the answer to any question, what would you ask? 

    will I ever get a handle on things, or feel like I have? Is it possible to feel like one has "caught up?" Or is there always some major project, some task, some dreaded thing to be done, looming on the horizon? 

    Just while writing this, several things entered my mind: need to pay the water bill (which has increased 45% over last quarter because the local government is incapable of thoughtful planning), need to verify that escrow for condo insurance is correct; need to make a couple of medical appointments (and also transfer some records from the old place); need to call the plumber again . . . . It's never really caught up.

 

2 If you could possess one supernatural ability, what would it be?      

    precognition. It would be handy for a person with anxiety to have an inkling of what's to come.

3 If you could achieve absolute success in only one area of your life, what would you want it to be? 

    health. 

 

4 If you could work for any person in the world, who would it be, and what job would you want? 

    my boss from the educational place. We make a hell of a crew, regardless of the job!

 

5 If you had to sell your soul for one thing, what would it be? 

    "I would do anything for love, but I won't do that"

 

6 If you could have a secret hideaway to escape to, where would it be? 

    um, it's a secret?!

 

7 If you could have a romance with any fictional character, who would it be? 

    besides the ones I've already told about: Bill Montijo, Vincent D'Onofrio's character from Mystic Pizza (1988). He's sexy, romantic, funny, and stubborn. What's not to like?

 

[from If...Questions for the Game of Life; the title quotation is by João Guimarães Rosa, from Grande Sertão: Veredas]