A Couple Classic Comments

Happy Monday after Christmas!

I hope you spent it just as you wanted, and that you had ooodles of time away from the must-do's to relax and to laugh. For the first time since leaving teaching, I came down with the Christmas crud. It wasn't all bad, though. Sure, I stayed away from people to avoid generously sharing, but I got to catch up on some holiday movies that had been stacking up.

"It's a Wonderful Life" wasn't a box office hit, but it hangs in there as a holiday classic. I hadn't watched it in years, but it served as a fine accompaniment to a box of tissue and nasal spray. For the first time, I understood the symbolism of Clarence, the angel, carrying around a copy of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." I'm just slow, I guess. I also caught on to the homage to Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" threaded through the movie. And then there's the "Sesame Street" connection. Huh? Two characters keep popping up throughout the film, adding color, and tossing around sarcastic lines. Finally, at the end we see them together and hear their names spoken in sequence. Bert and Ernie! What fun.

One things bothers me though. Unless I missed a line or two, it seems that Mr. Potter gets to keep the $8000.00 that caused George Bailey to contemplate suicide. Also, I won't rant too much here, but the Potter way of doing business appears very close to the Wal-Mart way.

If you attend Heart-A-Rama, check out the list of Sweetheart contributors. You'll find a couple "It's a Wonderful Life" characters listed, and I know that one of them is a dog. Go ahead, check out that list carefully this April. You'll find that a number of celebrities and fictional characters make yearly contributions.

For a chuckle, go to http://www.blogger.com/www.angryalien.com . You'll find a 30 second version of the movie, done by rabbits! You can't link directly from here.

My sentimental favorite for the season always has been, and always weil be "White Christmas." For me, it drives home the idea that it being a nice person isn't enough. It doesn't matter how nice, polite, honest or talented a person is...we need to use those gifts to do good for others.

The music is sweet, and the production numbers are just corny enough. But you know what, I'd put Manitowoc's Taffetas up against those Hanes sisters any day.

*****Ironically, or coincidentally (I have trouble with the difference between those concepts) I received this ARC in the mail last week, just in time for my holiday confinement. This irony/coincidence comes in since my next HTR column is all about Alice in Wonderland. With the new 3-D movie coming out in February, I re-read the book and did a background check on Charles Dodgson aka Lewis Carroll. He was a partially deaf preacher who didn't preach due to a sever stutter. Dodgson was a mathematician, magican, puzzler and photographer. In fact, he enjoyed photographing little girls au natural - always with the parents' permission. That's a curious concept.

Alice I have Been is a love story and literary mystery, but it is first and foremost the story of the complex and passionate famous little girl of British literature. The author blends fact and fiction as she spins the tale of Alice Liddell for whom Carroll first crafted his famous novel. Eighty-year old Alice tells her own story - the struggle of her lifetime spent trying to escape Wonderland, and to be seen for who who she really was. The book, by Melanie Benjamin, will be released in January.

Thanks for stopping by.

Short Post

Hey...scroll past the first post you see to get to the most recent one. It's just a program glitch I cannot overcome, and don't want to bore you with the details. Once you find the picture of the scary Santa in a box, you're there!

Thanks.

Special Guests

Short on time today! But, in the meantime, enjoy this fun picture sent to us from Jason Johnson. Jason was here to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus on Saturday, although I seem to recall that he had some little people with him as well. Jason has a camera that does all sorts of tricks, like combining several shots into a single, panoramic view, like this one. Thanks Jason. You are now officially Vice-President in change of photography here at LaDeDa.

We has some fun with the Claus couple, stories, songs, art...

We have several posts from mystery blogger, Steve stacked up to go...keep checking back. By the way Steve recently retired from his job as head of quality control at Wonder Bread, so he's been doing some interesting reading, watching and reviewing. I'll update his posts soon.

Until then...relax, and remember, if it doesn't get done, it doesn't get done. Tomorrow will still come, you will still be happy, and everyone will still love you. Enjoy the season!

Holiday Bits and Pieces

Well....here it is...the much dreaded, frequently feared, and oddly anticipated White Elephant gift that has been appearing annually at our book discussion holiday wing-ding.

This year, I was the lucky recipient. First, I owned a lovely dessert cookbook, and for a fleeting moment, I possessed a beautiful soap dish, a nicely scented bar of holiday soap, and some of those waxy things you put in a burner to melt and fill your home with scent. But alas, the final exchange gifted me the little wonder at the right. I never quite get home decorating right anyway, so I guess this little fellow will fit right in with the flocked deer, plastic angels, and the delegate of Ethiopian kings.

We had a nice time on Friday night discussing our movie, "La Vie en Rose." If you haven't seen it, do so. The film tells the story of French chanteuse, Edith Piaf... and yes, there are sub-titles. Ask Mary S. about that. This poor woman has been in the ninth ring of Dante's technological heat for years. First she had TiVo that held her hostage, recording shows randomly, refusing to record what she requested. He new DVR would not play our movie with the English sub-titles, and since her French is non-existent, she skipped the movie.

On we go. How about some commentary from Steve?!

Here's a nice photo of Steve contemplating the universe and wondering if his planned bid for the 2012 Presidential election will be taken seriously.

Here's Stevie..........

It is Saturday morning and I'm eating low fat cottage cheese with ground golden flax seed, cinnamon, banana, and some frozen berries, slurping scalding decaf coffee, and paging through the January 2010 issue of Vanity Fair. The first article that grabs my attention is a letter from Scotland by one A.A.Gill. He writes of hunting red deer, Scottish style, which mean being exposed to ludicrous weather conditions. "I'm watching a curtain of rain blow across the loch. It hits your face like gravel thrown by a drunk who's lost his keys. This is as happy as I ever expect to be."

This is followed by a brief section on Harris Tweed which is in danger of being boycotted because of the release of the Lockerbie bomber. And finishes with a status report on north Scotland newspapers, which are thriving. "This is probably because the Internet connection is intermittent and eye-gougingly slow; there is still a stubborn reverence for reading; and most people have open fires, so you need the paper for kindling."

If you are curious, either pick up a copy or go to the library and go to page 44 to read all of Gill's descriptions and observations. You will not be disappointed. Following Gill is an extended article, with photos, of the Elvis early years. I've marked it for reading, but the photos alone are worth purchasing the issue. Rounding out celebrity reporting is a spread on Meryl Streep complete with photos going all the way back to 1979 and Kramer vs Kramer. 30 years in starring roles and still going strong.

From the political world there is a article about Erik Prince, founder of the former Blackwater security firm, now Xe, and their activities in the war zones. I'll definitely read the article about Goldman Sachs. And I've marked the piece on the Large Hadron Collider, if for no other reason than to fully understand why they want to re-create the conditions of the Big Bang.

Although the January issue is not the usual door stopper weight, it is filled with articles. I've only highlighted a few. I must confess to missing the glossy fashion ads with young lovelies in exotic places wearing silly outfits found in the mega-page issues. And I typically mark more articles that I actually read. All those fall-out postcards are perfect page markers. Hopefully they'll wait for me.

The last tidbit I'll share from this issue is the announcement that Sam Sheperd has a new collection of short fiction coming out soon, Day out of Days. And short seems to be the operative word with single paragraph and one page installments. Since I prefer short story reading before going to sleep this will be on my buy list for the new year.

If you are out of ideas for holiday gifts, think of giving a subscription of Vanity Fair to the reader in the family. Or just indulge and give it to yourself.

Disclosure: The blogger is not employed and does not have family members employed by the publishers of Vanity Fair. No promise of compensation or consideration has been made to the blogger by Vanity Fair, its agents, or affiliates.

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Just a few parting notes before wishing you a holly jolly season....

In addition to all the wonderful Christmas cards, seasonal photos and well-wishes from you for both me and my business (thank you all), I have received a few holiday chuckles. First, my bank sent me a letter offering me "piece" of mind by insuring me that they are a secure financial institution.

You will all be impressed, I am sure, to learn that I was reviewed and accepted for inclusion in the 2010 edition of the Presidential Who's Who Among Business and Professional Achievers. All I have to do is fill out a huge questionnaire even thoough they had already reviewed my information (Cna we all say "What a crock"?). Once that is done, I am sure they will offer me the opportunity to buy a book with that same information in 6 pt type, inserted exactly as presented ( including my typos) for a price akin to selling my soul to the mastermind who thought up this money making scheme.

Last week I received yet another letter from my bank which is making me question the faith I put in them. They want me to enjoy the expanded benefits of a new business credit card. Only problem is they sent the letter to Rev Denor.

And on that holy note, I wish you a peaceful holiday season.

Girl Meets Man by guest blogger Steven Head

It is good to live in a city where there is an outlet for films the Marcus chain does not think is commercially viable. Monday night I went to "An Education" directed by Lone Scherfig starring Peter Sarsgaard and introducing Carey Mulligan. This film has caused a bit of controversy because it involves a high school age girl and an older man. Before seeing this film I wondered how it would compare with "Elegy", the Isabel Coixet film based on the Philip Roth book The Dying Animal, which is currently in the Showtime line up.

Both of these films are about younger women and older men. One difference is that Penelope Cruz, the younger woman to Ben Kingsley's older man, in "Elegy" is somewhere in her 20's at the start of the film. While Cruz's character exhibits the uncertainty of young adults that age, she is beyond the relative innocence of Jenny, the Mulligan character.

Another difference is that "Education" is told from the perspective of the female character while "Elegy" is from the male perspective. Jenny finds the world of concerts, auctions, foreign travel, and romance with an older man exhilarating. For the professorial Kingsley character, the dynamic of the younger woman is familiar yet Cruz is different from his usual flings, and we are forced to endure his insecurity at being dumped, which of course happens, and his jealousy and possessiveness.


The common element with both films is a bittersweet ending, but of very different flavors. The jazzed up soundtrack of Education reflects the tanginess of the story. And the thoughtful and moody work of Eric Satie supports Elegy's tartness.

I was fortunate enough to catch 'Elegy' in the same theater where I saw "An Education" when it was first released. Following that showing I had a short conversation with two not quite yet blue haired ladies who were surprised that Penelope Cruz could act. Clearly they had not followed her foreign film career with Pedro Almodovar. My initial experience of Ms. Cruz was in "Belle Epoque" where she played Luz, the youngest of four daughters tormenting a young deserter from the military their father had befriended.

"An Education" was the introduction of Carey Mulligan, although an imdb.com search shows her working in "Bleak House" on Masterpiece Theatre, several episodes of "The Amazing Miss Pritchard" and an episode of "Dr Who". There were certain moments during Education when Ms. Mulligan displays the same kind of screen presence as Audrey Tautou. The imdb.com search reveals she has minor roles in "Public Enemies" and "Brothers" plus parts in five projects for release in 2010. She may be an actress to watch.

So mark these films on your NetFlix list or look for them on cable. See you at the movies.

Take the Grinch Test!

If this sweet little picture doesn't make you smile, well, all I can say is, step aside MR. GRINCH. A few years back, my friend Terri went to China on a work related trip. Minnie is the daughter of one of Terri's Chinese co-workers. Chinese years are named after animals, and Minnie was born in the year of the mouse.

Another international baby made it's way into my life last week, in a most curious way. Terri, Chris, and I went to dinner at El Alamo. Nice night with friends, and great food. Two exciting events occurred. First, I broke a tooth, which landed me in the dentist's chair at 8:15 Friday morning. I get to go back this Friday to have the work completed. Dr. Peter Hansen is a nice guy even though he is in the pain infliction business. He worked me in on an already packed day, knowing full well that I would be unpleasant, and perhaps would cry. Since he only filed the tooth down to prevent it from lacerating the inside of my mouth, there was no need for tears. And...best of all, he didn't charge me. Nice guy, but he's still a dentist!

Anyway, after we finished dinner, I walked past a table where an Hispanic mother was sitting, with her baby. I used my standard line, "Nice baby, " and the mom stood up and started talking to me. She told me the baby's name is David, and he is two months old. Then she leaned in to me and said, oh so quietly, "Would you touch him?" Smoothly, I replied, "Huh?" She repeated her request, and again, I applied my best social skills saying (rather loudly, I'm afraid) "Touch him?" She assured me that was what she wanted. I thought maybe I could shake his hand and move on, but David was bundled up nicely, with only his handsome, round face peeking out. I touched his cheek, mom was happy, and we left.

*****The holiday spirit is in full swing here at LaDeDa, and Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Earl the Elf will be here at 11:00 on Saturday to read a few stories. We won't be doing the traditional sitting on Santa's lap and reciting an inventory of wants. Instead, Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Earl will chat for a while, and sign autographs. There will also be a make-and- take craft. What fun...but I have declared the store a No Glitter zone!

I know that my survival as a retailer depends largely on November and December sales, but when I see faces like Minnie there on the left, I can't help but think that the Grinch got it right when he said, "Maybe Christmas...doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"

What am I reading? I'm still working on the Tumor Board, with Neil Gaimen's The Graveyard Book next in line. Talking about tumors didn't seem like an appropriate blend with the rest of this post, so maybe you'll hear about it next week. Oh, and if you like Mexican food, give El Alamo on Marshall street a try. It's not fancy, but the food is wonderful, the staff is friendly, and the prices are beyond reasonable. We need to keep this place open.

Thanks for stopping by. Gotta go shovel snow. GRRRRR.