WWW.WEDNESDAY

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading? Mrs. Kennedy and Me by Clint Hill. You have seen Mr. Hill. He's the Secret Service agent who climbed on the back of the Presidential limo after the President was shot in Dallas. Now 80, he has finally written his memoir of four years on the Kennedy detail. While he enjoyed traveling to Europe and the Cape with Jackie, there's a pervasive sadness to his story because he so clearly feels he let her, the President and the nation down by not reaching the car a second or two earlier and taking that last bullet himself. His heroism is poignant and his service is important to remember now, when misdeeds by today's Secret Service are under so much scrutiny and receiving so much bad press.

 
• What did you recently finish reading? When I went on vacation, I brought along The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz. It's Book #1 in a detective series narrated by Isabel Spellman, the middle daughter in a delightfully dysfunctional family of San Francisco PIs. I picked it up because Kwizgiver
is such a fan, and she didn't steer me wrong. It's low on violence and actually there's not much real sleuthing that goes on (the nearest thing to a real mystery isn't even introduced until past the halfway mark), but it's charming and very, very funny.

• What do you think you’ll read next? I don't know for sure, but maybe Found by Tatum O'Neal. She's been through so much, and so publicly. I'm curious about how she's doing -- as an actress, as a daughter and as a mother.

I Want Wednesday

I want LUNCH! Back-to-back meetings have left me starving!

Fascination Films

I got this idea from The Girl with the White Parasol. She brought up the topic of Fascination Films, defined as "films I don't consider great, hell maybe I don't even like them all that much, but they fascinate me."

Shenandoah (1965). James Stewart stars as Charlie Anderson, widower and patriarch of a Virginia family, dedicated to keeping his clan out of the Civil War.

I don't like Westerns as a rule. But every time this one turns up, I watch it. I have seen it so many times, in fact, that no matter what scene I find on TV, I can pick up the movie immediately and follow it through to the end. Yet I'm not sure I like Shenandoah.

As Charlie Anderson, Stewart is completely authentic. He's so good at being the center of this family that it takes you a while to realize what a hollow moral center the movie has. We're talking about the Civil War here: slavery and secession. How is a man heroic for not taking a stand on that?

Since the movie was made in the mid 1960s, I am guessing that it may have been crafted as a well-meaning argument for ending our involvement in Vietnam. But viewed on its own merits, listening to Charlie Anderson discussing the war with his family, we don't hear him speak against it because violence is wrong. We hear him rail against it because "it doesn't concern us." That may be a viable argument if you're discussing whether America should be trying to impose our way of life on an unwilling foreign land. It's not if the question on the table is whether your own neighbors, in your own country, should be allowed to buy and sell fellow human beings. The more often I see the movie, the more this isolation disturbs me.

And while the women (Katharine Ross and Rosemary Forsyth) in the cast are almost as genuine as Stewart and can be quite moving, the men are almost painful to watch. Doug McClure, Patrick Wayne, Denver Pyle ... They seem to have wandered over from the set of McClure's TV show, The Virginian. The Technicolor sets are definitely TV soundstage quality, as well.

And yet, and yet ... if Shenandoah came on right now, I'd watch it again. Stewart/Charlie has a scene at the end where he talks to his late wife, Martha, at her grave. He brings her up to date regarding their kids and their daughter-in-law, Ann ("You didn't know Ann, did you? Well, you'd like her, Martha.") and their grandchild and I mist up a bit. Maybe because the dialog is so sincere when he rails that only ones benefiting from the war are the undertakers, I can willfully ignore that he's talking about a sad but necessary conflict that brought about the emancipation of slaves and instead pretend he was talking about Vietnam or Iraq.

Now go visit The Girl with the White Parasol and read her take on Fascination Films.

A new photo!

I love it when I discover a photo of my idol, JBKO, that I've never seen before. Judging by her hair and the print of her dress, by the fact that she doesn't seem very pregnant, and that she's not yet the center of everyone's attention, I'd put this at late 1959/early 1960. My guess is that it's fall/winter in Palm Beach, FL, and everyone is assembled at the Kennedy Palm Beach home listening to her then-Senator husband.

I keep hoping if I look hard enough and often enough, I'll unlock her secret and be able to be more like her. I especially like shots like this when she doesn't seem to know she's being observed. I know that's kinda creepy when you remember this woman -- unlike, say, Madonna -- never courted the spotlight. But there you go.

Four stores!

All I needed was a simple silver chain. Just something to hang the new charms -- Bruton Parish church and a tag for Colonial Williamsburg. I figured I'd just buy a necklace, slip off the existing pendant and replace it with mine.

Claire's Boutique -- The clasp fell apart in my hand as I tried to remove the pendant

Old Navy -- Balls on the clasp make it impossible to remove the store-bought pendant

Sears -- The line at checkout was so long I thought I'd scream and so I left the one I'd chosen behind

Nordstrom Rack -- At last! (Cue the heavenly choir.) I had to break the crappy CZ pendant to replace it with my sweet old church, but that's ok because I had no intention of wearing it, anyway. (It was a gaudy little star.) Don't let the Nordstrom name mislead you. It was just over $21 with tax, more expensive certainly than Claire's but on par with Sears. And nicer. And I got out of the store before my hair went gray and my teeth fell out. (Geez, Sears! I tried to support you because you're an iconic American retailer, but yesterday sucked.)


I am happy. I love my souvenir. My talisman! When I finger it, I'll go back to the happy place.

Trifecta

This week's challenge: Check out the third definition of observe (below), and use the word exactly as it appears, in no less than 33 and no more than 333 words.

3: to celebrate or solemnize (as a ceremony or festival) in a customary or accepted way

The old man kissed her mother’s cheek and murmured something. Then he turned to Sherry, who stepped back and laced her fingers behind her back to discourage his touch.

“Sherry!” He said loudly, looking just past her as if making sure the whole family could see him and his adult granddaughter finally speak again. “Why is it we only see one another at times like this?”

She nearly snapped, “Because I hate you,” but one look at her mother’s red-rimmed eyes and Sherry chose the path of least resistance and said nothing.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said absurdly, as though he was somehow the host of this funeral and had invited her. “It’s important to observe events like Ted’s passing with the proper respect.”

She stomped on her own foot to help her hold her tongue and managed a slight nod. Why was it that, when surrounded by family, she had to fight reverting to her rebellious teenage self?

Satisfied that everyone had seen the patriarch enjoy a respectful moment with his troubled and troublesome granddaughter, the old man finally moved on, and Sherry could finally exhale.

Her husband appeared beside her and touched her shoulder. “You handled that like a champ,” he said, steering her away from the family’s earshot.

“That twisted old fuck!” she hissed, unable to hold back any longer. “So it’s ‘important to observe events like Ted’s passing,’ is it? I think it would have been nice for him to show affection for Ted in life, when it mattered. I know no one likes to be reminded of their mortality, and it was hard to see Ted at the end. But Ted was his son! How dare he play  powerful head of the family when he didn’t even have the guts to come to the hospice to say goodbye to his own child? I was there. Every damn day.”

“That’s why you were such a spectacular niece,” her husband said, stroking her hair.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The TV Show Meme

Before reading the questions: Pick 5 TV Shows you like. They can be past or present. Hint: pick shows that you are REALLY into. Hey! no peaking at the questions! List them:

1. Mad Men

2. That Girl!

3. Moonlighting

4. Kate & Allie

5. Sex and the City


1. Who is your favorite character in 2? Ann Marie, our heroine

2. Who is your least favorite character in 1? Horrible Harry Crane, the media buyer

3. What’s your favorite episode of 4? The one where Kate sticks up for Allie at the risk of losing her job. At first Allie appreciates it, but as she endures hearing Kate tell the story over and over again, she resents it and loses patience. This resonates with me because I suffer from a bit of "Kate-itis."

4. What is your favorite season of 5? The ones where Miranda is falling in love with Steve the Bartender.

5. What’s your favorite relationship in 3? Dave (sigh) and Maddie

6. Who is your anti-relationship in 2? I don't understand the question, but I guess Don's relationship with Ann crusty old father would count as an "anti-relationship."

7. How long have you watched 1? Since the beginning

8. How did you become interested in 3? I fell madly in love with David Addison/Bruce Willis. (And remain so.)

9. Who is your favorite actor in 4? Susan St. James as Kate

10. Which show do you prefer 1, 2, or 5? #1

11. Which show have you seen more episodes of 1 or 3? Wow, I don't know. Both shows have/had snakebit production schedules and took/take unexpected hiatuses.

12. If you could be anyone from 4, who would you be? Kate

13. How would you kill off any character in 5? I'd let Steve's mother die a peaceful, natural death. She is suffering from dementia and I think it would be a blessing. 

 

14. Would a 3/4 crossover work? It would be hard, because the Blue Moon Detective Agency is in LA and Kate and Allie are New Yorkers.
 
15. Pair two characters in 1 that would make an unlikely, but strangely okay couple. Peggy and the new copywriter, Michael Ginsburg. (I'm betting this happens before the season is out.)
 

16. Overall, which show has the better cast, 3 or 5? I'd have to say 3 because of Agnes DiPesto, the receptionist who answers the phone in rhymes.

Shopping in Ye Olde Colonial Williamsburg

Oh, I spent too much on stuff while vacationing! But the bills haven't arrived yet, so why let it bring me down? Instead, let's enjoy a review:

• Peacock pearl earrings for my niece. Purchased at The Golden Ball, the Colonial Williamsburg Silversmith. She just got her ears pierced, and I think she'll appreciate the delicate blue/purple color.


• Dried lavender for my mom from The Colonial Garden. It was hard to get the stalks home and in tact, but my checked bag smells lovely!


• The official compilation of "scary tales from Colonial Williamsburg" for my nephew.

• Spiced chocolate sticks for my coworkers. Everyone on my team gets one, even the chocolate-covered spider. (Maybe it will sweeten her up!)

Oh, and I got more gifties for friends but enough of that yammering. Let's look at what I got ME!

Terrific little black clogs from a store called Shoester. I had just noticed at dinner the night before that I'd worn down the heels on my black/white mary janes and the very next day I fell in love with these. They're built like Birkenstocks, so they will be good for my feet, but let's face it, they're more attractive. The manufacturer is called Think! I found I could have gotten them for less from their website but you know, when I wouldn't have. I never, ever would have spent this much on a pair of shoes without trying them on first. The staff at Shoester understood this and was very helpful.

A charm representing my favorite Colonial Williamsburg building, Bruton Parish. This Episcopal church is a very serene old girl, surrounded by gardens and their own little cemetery. They have been holding services for more than 300 years. When I wear this on a chain around my neck, it will help me send my mind back to this specific happy place.

I learned something new ... or, perhaps, old

Behold the Colonial Williamsburg Printing Office and Post Office. Watching all the work that went into printing a newspaper back in the olden days was fascinating. Those dark round balls are rocks, wrapped in cloth and covered in leather. Mr. Printer Man dips them in ink and then rubs them evenly over the plates. Then he presses the paper onto the plate.

He told us that no one threw a newspaper out in those days, and certainly didn't share them. If you were lucky enough or wealthy enough to get a paper in the old days, you saved it and kept in your own archive. Books were even more labor intensive and therefore more rare.

Thomas Jefferson was a great lover of books and collected as many as he could find. When his family home burned down in the 1770s, it was the loss of books that upset him most. He set about amassing a new collection of books and was so proud of them, attached so much value to them, that he took the unusual step of getting two separate insurance policies -- one for Monticello and its contents, one solely for his personal library.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Ain't Too Proud to Beg

1. What was the last thing that you begged for? For my cat Reynaldo to knock it off, to quit with the meowing and the destruction. To just please, be a little human and give me a break. Then I realized a new that he's not human, governed only by feline logic, and know resistance is futile.

2. Have you ever lost a best friend after a fight? It wasn't a "fight," really. But in mid-February, after knowing one another for decades, Kathy's transgressions finally reached critical mass.

3. When was the last time you just wanted to be invisible? On a plane, soon after the New Year 2012 dawned. I was awakened by the incredibly loud snores of a fellow traveler. Then I realized, that noisy snorer was me.

4. Which room of your home tends to be the messiest? Right now, every room but the den. Because the door is closed and I never go in it. The rest of the place is an explosion of shoes and laundry and souvenirs (I just got back from vacation).

5. You are to be locked in a room forever with a celebrity. You get to choose. Who do you pick? I have two different choices, depending on my mood. For passion, Bruce. The Boss. A fine figure of an AARP member and a sensitive and smart artist/social commentator. For fun, Bill Clinton. I have always been impressed by his expansive intellect and amused by his joie de vivre. One thing for sure, no matter which "roomie" I got, I wouldn't be bored. (Here's something to tip the scales in Bill's favor -- at some point the Secret Service would come looking for him and get us out of that locked room.)

6. Has someone ever left another person to be with you? No.

7. What’s been kind of a drag for you lately? Family. My kid sister is playing up the martyrdom thing again and it makes me tired. (What? You haven't heard of my kid sister? She's a lunch mom who works two hours/day, nine months/year and has only one child -- a 12 year old -- at home, yet she's without a doubt the busiest, most beleaguered woman in the United States!)

8. How are you different from your (current or most recent) significant other? He smoked and was, at his most open spiritually, agnostic.

9. What is the most perverted thing someone has ever said to you? "Do you ever wonder how it feels to have a man's tongue in your ear?" I was a school girl and he was a relative. It was only the sad beginning of his decades-long harassment.

No good deed goes unpunished

I tried to get a little bit of incremental cardio in each day of my vacation. Two days I spent some time on the exercise cycle, but it occurred to me that I can see the inside of a health club every day. So then I took a long stroll on the hiking trail and, on my last day, I swam laps in the indoor pool.

And got an itchy chlorine rash on my legs for the trouble. Spa time is supposed to leave my skin looking happy, not angry and red!

I should have stayed on the trail! It was so green and pretty. Or maybe I should have just skipped the exercise altogether and had a cocktail. I'm still such a big, fat moo-cow that I get discouraged about the exercise, anyway.

My home away from home

I stayed in one of the rooms in the Chiswell-Bucktrout House. Upstairs, far right. It was charming! And much quieter than I thought it would be. After all, at least three of the nine rooms had tenants. We each had our own bathroom and our own TV, so I expected to hear my neighbors. Except for the whirr someone's hairdryer while I was on our shared staircase, I didn't hear a thing.

There were things about staying in a Colonial House that remind you that you're roughing it a bit, at least compared to the luxe accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn. It was rather dark in the shower, but that's because indoor plumbing was placed where a walk-in closest once was and the shape of the room made illuminating both the area over the sink and in the tub difficult. The dramatic pitch of the roof made me knock my head a couple of times. But for me, this all reinforced the atmosphere.

I did have to call the front desk once about the thermostat. First we couldn't get the ac to work in my room (it was in the mid 70s during the day on Monday and Tuesday so the room got warm), then we couldn't regulate it when the mercury outside dropped into the 40ºs overnight on Wednesday. You might assume this was because the building is so old, but that wasn't it. It was a brand-new Trane thermostat -- just installed -- and no one in maintenance had yet been shown how to use it! Oh well, it was nothing that couldn't be remedied by either opening the window or adding a blanket, as the case may be. You know, old school.

How cool is this?

The performers are doing the "Pyramus and Thisbe" thing from Midsummer's Night Dream on a very important spot in American theatrical history.

Trifecta

For this weekend's challenge, write a letter of apology in exactly 33 words. Addresses, salutations, closings, etc., do not count in the 33 words. 

Dear Beth,

I’m sorry I played with Daddy’s softball bat when I know I’m not allowed to. I’m also sorry I hit you in the head. I was aiming for your stomach, but you ducked.

Your sister,

Tess

The part of vacation I don't like

My living room is an explosion of stuff -- a week's worth of newspapers,* laundry, souvenirs, suitcases ... I'd much rather download my photos and share tales of my trip back to the 1770s, but I think I'm going to be a grown up and do a little housework first.

*Thank you, Chicago Tribune, for ignoring my vacation stop request.

Must. Stop. Eating.

Arrived here in Williamsburg a little before noon, just in time to check in to my perfectly adorable little room, and then go to lunch. I had chicken pot pye (as they spelled it back in the day) and this absolutely terrific peanut soup and a frosty lime rum punch. Then I toured one of the old buildings -- an 18th century coffee house (as opposed to tavern) which once played host to George Washington -- and got my gorgeous new spring pedicure (OPI La-Paz-itively Hot). I did 25 minutes of cardio before going to change for dinner.

And, God help me, did I ever have dinner! Scallops wrapped in bacon, sorbet to cleanse my pallet, followed by seared sea bass and a praline/cinnamon concoction for dessert. The meal was really too expensive and I should be ashamed of myself, but I'm not. I even enjoyed listening to the easy-listening tinkling of the ivories that accompanied my meal in The Regency Room, the resort's high-end restaurant. I don't think I can do much more tonight than collapse on my adorable little four-poster canopy dead and sink into a food coma.

Hopefully tomorrow will be more productive. But you know what? If it's not, I won't be too blue. After all, this ol' Gal is on vacation!

Her new young man

Met my niece's boyfriend! Jason is a townie, 26 or 27 to her 20, and an employee of the railroad. He's chatty, once you get him talking, and very good to my niece. It was cute, the way she hung on to his fingers.

My mom looks very good! She didn't join us for brunch, but I guess that would be a lot to expect from an old girl who very nearly died just three weeks ago. She gets dressed, moves around her house (a 4BR ranch), takes care of her cat, does her dishes. I don't believe she's been downstairs to do laundry yet, but you know what? So what!

My nephew was a little weird, a little distant with me. But he's 12, and very devoted to his mom, my kid sister, who remains mad at me for some reason. So I suspect he felt he was being loyal to his mother. Only I don't know what sin I committed this time. Perhaps my sister is upset that the unseasonable spring heat wave is over and she blames me. At any rate, I wasn't even invited to this little soiree until 10:00 this morning.

Oh well, I'm glad I got to see everyone. Even my sister. I insist on being classy because my mother deserves that at this stage.

Now, on to preparing for my trip tomorrow!

It's Easter!

Enjoy this moment of spiritual rebirth. No matter what has come before, let's concentrate on the possibilities that are in front of us.

Remember, God promises that the rest of your life can be the best of your life!

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The OC 25 Meme

1. What is your origin of your first name? What about any nicknames? Since my name is The Gal Herself, "the" is an article that denotes specificity. For example, I am The Gal Herself, not A Gal Herself. While I believe there is a similar article in most languages, "the" is English.
 
2. Have you any claims to fame? Not really. And after watching the pain and adversity suffered so publicly by Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, etc., I'm not sorry I'm just an average, anonymous ol' gal.

3. If you were famous, how would you introduce yourself to someone who had never heard of you? "Hello, I'm The Gal Herself."

4. Which of your country's achievements do you hold in highest regard? Our judicial system. Yeah, I know. We can look at well-known cases like Casey Anthony, OJ Simpson and, right now, Trayvon Martin and feel outrage and heartbreak. But we do see them, while in other countries they might never see the light of day. And we do have checks and balances. It's a very wise system we have been given.

5. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? A teacher or a nurse.

6. What was your most prized possession as a child? Do you still have it? My Lassie Dog. And yes, I still have her up in my closet.

7. What would you change about yourself, if you could? My weight!

8. What are you obsessed with? The 1960s. You know, the Beatles, the Kennedys, Mad Men ...

9. What is your greatest achievement so far, or the high point of your career? I have won some awards.

10. When/where were you happiest? In my mid 30s. I was in great shape, hitting my stride professionally, and in love.

11. And the lowest point in your life thus far? Oh, my. There have been a few. Since it's Easter Sunday, I'd rather focus on the fact that I came out of those bad times.
12. What was the best decision you ever made? Taking money out of my 401(k) to buy this condo. While property values have plummeted, at least I get a nice tax refund. I suspect if I'd let it all ride in the stock market I'd be very blue.

13. If you have any body modifications, which was most painful, or which do you regret the most? If you haven't got any, do you have any planned, or would you ever consider getting any? Huh?

14. What is the most idiotic thing you have ever done while intoxicated? Oh, good goobies! We could take a tour through Lincoln Park and visit all the public places where I threw up. Fortunately I've learned when to say when.

15. What is your favorite joke? I picked this up from another meme-r last time this question came up. Sorry I don't remember which one, because this is a great joke and I'd love to give credit where credit is so richly deserved: A woman races into the dry cleaner shop, breathlessly places a blouse on the counter and says, "I need this in an hour." The startled cleaner asks, "Come again?" "No, just gravy."
16. What is the coolest/most impressive thing you own? Oh, hell, I don't know.

17. When did you last cry, and why? I don't remember. I'm sorry. I feel like I'm being a dreadful disappointment, answer-wise, this morning.

18. What's the best piece of advice you've ever had? "When dealing with bosses, don't listen to what they say, watch what they do."

19. Similarly, what's the nicest thing anyone's ever done for you? I really appreciated how attentive people were when I was recuperating from surgery last fall.

20. Have you any vices? Do carbs count?

21. Do you regret anything? Regrets? I've had a few. But then again, too few to mention.

22. What is the best invention ever? The wheel.

23. How would you describe your relationship with your family? I have a strong relationship with the family I chose. The one I was born into? Eh.

24. Who is your biggest inspiration? I have many heroes and heroines. Not the least of whom is my big old cat, Joey. He is unfailingly gentle and loving, and consequently, generally pretty happy. I wish I could be more like him!

25. What are you going to do when you've finished Sunday Stealing? Maybe church. Definitely going to visit my mom.

When I can, how I can

My friend in Key West has fallen upon very hard times. After more than a decade as a professor, he was let go because of campus politics and a lack of funding from the state of FL. This past school year he's been under-employed, teaching two Spanish classes at a charter high school. Their school year is over and they fired him. Apparently he was too hard-assed for the school administrators, who he believes caved in to parents who wanted their kids to get high grades whether they deserved them or not.

I don't care what happened, really. I just know that if they're gonna be assholes and insist he was fired, then he won't get unemployment.

So now he's a security guard in a museum gift shop. And he has a cold. And his arm is in a sling because he fell off his bike. And he's about to turn 50 ... OK, not for 7 months. But, as Meg Ryan said of 40 in When Harry Met Sally, "it's out there."

He's broke. He's draining his 401(k). He's scared.

He's always been a good friend to me. When it looked like my mom might die, he was ready to hop on a plane to be here with me ... just because I asked him to.

So today I picked up a gift card for him that's good at his pharmacy of choice. Besides, in addition to meds, you can get just about anything at a drug store. He can use it for laundry detergent or dog food for all I care.

I just know it's a privilege to help him when I can and how I can. Because he's a great guy.

I hope it's not happening again

When my oldest friend gets overwhelmed by her life -- which, admittedly, kinda sucks -- she hydraulically shuts down and stops returning calls and emails. She told me on Thursday that her son was back in court again and this time the judge was either going to dismiss the charges or sentence him. Then ... nothing.

So I called last night and she never called me back. I did get an email this morning, saying it was "a long story" and she would explain it to me after the Easter holiday. I still don't know if her son is behind bars. (My guess is that he is, because she doesn't like putting words to unpleasant truths and how hard would it be for her to say, "He's home and fine"?)

We've done this dance before. She shuts me out and turns to her family -- who are repelled by how problematic her kids are and so she sugarcoats and denies everything when she's with them -- and then when I hear from her again she's so low she can barely function.

I hope that's not what's happening now. I really do. It makes me sad and it's frustrating and unfair.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: I Must Be Seeing Things

1. Have you ever watched something unfold, that as you watched, you could not believe what you've witnessed? The 2004 election. We saw how George W. Bush handled the run up to 9/11 and Abu Gharib and WMDs and ... and ... and ... and somehow, as a nation, we decided he was a better choice than Sen. Kerry. I wish I could say that as I watched the slog the Iraq war became, or how the survivors of Hurricane Katrina were treated by FEMA I was surprised, but I wasn't. Saddened, of course. I always wanted Bush #41 to prove me wrong, but he never did.
 
2. What is your favorite city in the world? Why? Chicago. Wrigley Field. Michigan Avenue. Puppet Bike.



3. What is the strangest film, to your sense of reality, that you have ever seen? The Piano (1993). Not only was I shocked that anyone wrote or made this pretentious and unlikeable thing, it strained credulity that it won 3 Oscars.

4. It seems that the older that you get, the less you want the hassle of seeing a live concert. Who is an artist or a band that you'd actually pay to see? Bruce Springsteen. Aka BROOOOOOOOOOOCE!

5. When was the last time that you lost your temper? Very nearly yesterday. Perhaps I should have actually lost it. Then maybe the feelings wouldn't be festering.

6. When you were little, did you think "sex" was a bad word? No. But my mother did have me believing that "shut up" was a swear word.

7. What does your smart phone do that really surprised you when you loaded the app? I have a perfectly lovely little Sanyo 2700, which is not a smartphone.
 
8. Have you ever been attracted to someone that you should not have been? (Feel free to take this lame question any way that you please.) Yes.

9. Will you see the new "The Three Stooges" film? No.

When the going gets tough, the tough go to the movies

I'm on vacation! Hurray! But I hate my kid sister and The Chocolate Covered Spider! Boo! So, in an effort to get my mind off my troubles and get into a more zen place so I can enjoy my time off, I thought I'd sit in the dark for a few (3.25) hours and watch Titanic in 3D.

It was the first time I'd seen it at the movie theater in more than a decade. While I'm not sure 3D enhanced the film itself that much, I know sitting there in the dark did. I've always been a sucker for the movie going experience, and I'm very glad I spent this time with Jack and Rose.

I have been watching Leo and Kate in movies so often and so regularly that it was jarring to see how much their appearances have changed since 1997. I knew while watching this the first time that this was a breakout, star-making performance for him. I'm surprised and impressed by her body of work (6 Oscar nominations by age 37 -- this puts her at a Streep-like pace).

And then there's the timeless tragedy itself. My oldest friend and I both are kinda into the Titanic story. She says it's because of all the times, each step of the way -- beginning with when the ship was designed and built, through the lookouts accidentally leaving their binoculars behind, to moving faster than was wise to arrive New York early, to not taking that iceberg threat seriously -- that disaster could have been averted ... but wasn't. That this was some horrific convergence of mistakes and bad judgements that resulted in the loss of so many souls. For me, it's wondering how I would have faced being a passenger on that ship. Would I have been one of the lucky first-class passengers? Or, more likely, how would I have behaved when for the hour when doom was imminent? At any rate, it's an overwhelmingly compelling story. To paraphrase one of the characters, Brock (the latter day captain in search of artifacts), once you let Titanic in, it stays with you. Knowing we're approaching its centennial makes it more poignant.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot! What with all those woosh-ing noises and 3D nautical effects and the two Cokes I drank, I had to go to the bathroom twice. Wasn't crazy about that. If you're going to see Titanic in 3D at the movie theater, lay off the soda.