Sunday, April 11, 2010

I'm never prepared for the ending


I just watched PBS's The Diary of Anne Frank. This production includes the material poor Otto Frank omitted from the diary for decades -- passages that touch upon Anne's burgeoning sexuality, her unforgiving appraisal of her mother and her parents' marriage, etc. I read the unabridged diary a few years ago so I wasn't surprised. In fact, the bitchier and bossier Anne (as played by Ellie Kendrick) seemed, the more she made me smile for she truly was, in many ways, a young girl just like the rest of us, dealing with hormones and periods and the issues of independence and growing up that we all dealt with. Only poor Anne never came through on the other side, never had the opportunity to look back at her adolescence with wonder at her own behavior.

Mr. Dussel, the dentist, is more sympathetic in this version than I recall him in the past. I think it's because I'm intensely private -- never more than when I was 13, 14, 15 -- and the very presence of him in Anne's room made me dislike him. So I don't know if it's his portrayal that has changed, or my perspective.

But the thing that never changes is what a shock the ending is. Anne writes, "In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart," and then the Nazis appear. The information flashed across the screen -- that Anne died in Bergen-Belsen the following March -- is just so freaking unfair! The hurt in my heart is that of the angry adolescent Gal who still simply cannot accept what happened to the young girl who poured her emotions into her diary … and whose words have been keeping us human for generations now.

So much fun to watch


I was sad to learn that Dixie Carter, aka Julia Sugarbaker, died yesterday at age 70. She was my favorite Designing Woman, a sassy belle who spoke her mind while maintaining her femininity.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The Me Me Meme

1. Never in my life have I been: tall

2. The one person who can drive me nuts is: my least favorite, and now perhaps erstwhile, coworker

3. High school was: hell

4. When I’m nervous I: can't sit still

5. The last song I listened to was: "Falling Back in Love with You" by Marcia Ball. She has a bluesy voice and plays a mean honky-tonk piano.

6. If I were to get married right now my best man/maid of honor: would be shocked

7. My hair is: short and has a little red in it

8. When I was 5: it was curly and blonde

9. Last Christmas: wasn't so great

10. I should be..: enjoying Williamsburg

11. When I look down I see: my beautiful, shimmery coral pedicure

12. The happiest recent event was: my vacation

13. If I were a character on 'Friends' I would be: one of Phoebe's massage clients

14. By this time next year: I hope my life is more settled and peaceful

15. My current gripe is: my unsettled job situation

16. I have a hard time understanding: my kid sister

17. There’s this girl I know that: is an FCCLA Culinary Star (Let's hear it for my niece!)

18. If I won an award, the first person I would tell would be: my best friend, my oldest friend, or my mom

19. Take my advice: share your home with an animal you rescued from a shelter and revel in the love

20. The thing I want to buy: is love, but money can't buy me love (everybody tells me so)

21. If you visited the place I was born: you would be in a suburban hospital

22. I plan to visit: Colonial Williamsburg again

23. If you spent the night at my house: you would be appalled by all the paper I have laying around

24. I’d stop my wedding if: I found myself having one

25. The world could do without: birthers and other crazy right wing zealots

26. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: listen to birthers and other right wing zealots

27. Most recent thing I’ve bought myself: was a cup of soft serve chocolate yogurt with peanut butter & chocolate sprinkles

28. Most recent thing someone else bought me: a box of chocolates from my mom on Easter Sunday

29. My favorite blond is: Robert Redford

30. My favorite brunette is: Bruce Springsteen

31. My favorite red head is: me

32. My middle name is: Ann

33. In the morning I: shower and then feed the cats

34. The animals I would like to see flying besides birds are: humans like me. If I had wings myself, I wouldn't have to travel by plane.

35. Once, at a bar: I got free drinks because I was wearing a jaunty red Shriner's fez

36. Last night I was: freaking out about my job situation

37. There’s this guy I know who: whose voice I miss terribly

38. If I was an animal I’d be: a cat ... a flying cat, I guess

39. A better name for me would be: She Who Must Be Obeyed

40. Tomorrow I am: finding out my fate at work

41. Tonight I am: catching up on Desperate Housewives

42. My birthday is: a very holy day in Galtopia