— I’m reading A Widow for One Year
— Thank you, dear Siobhan, for introducing me to the amazing pleasures of L.E.O. – I cannot get enough of them right now. (Website here) Mike Viola and the Candybutchers are pretty much a required course if you are an O’Malley – kinda like the Foo Fighters – you at least have to give them a chance … otherwise we won’t take you seriously. It’s kind of non-negotiable. Sorry. Anyway, L.E.O. is sheer liquid joy floating through the atmosphere. The song “Make Me” is my current fave. (Explanation of what L.E.O. is here)
— Thinking a lot about Jeff Bridges these days. More later.
— Went to a screening last week of Mongol, the sweeping Russian epic about Genghis Khan. Big plush press screening room on 57th Street, it was great. Everyone (myself included) blackberrying throughout the film, stepping outside to take a phone call, whatever … and also scribbling on notepads throughout … totally different atmosphere from seeing a movie out in the real world, but fun and interesting. My review will be on House Next Door eventually – I’ll point you that way when it launches.
— Totally consumed by something I’m working on now. It’s causing me a lot of stress, there are not enough hours in the day, but I find a deadline ultimately very freeing.
— Oh, guess who I heard from randomly (God bless Facebook) … the guy I gave a photograph of my eyeball to for Valentine’s Day ‘lo those many years ago. Hysterical. It was good to catch up. I didn’t bring up the eyeball. It’s still too embarrassing.
— I miss all of my friends right now.
— Cashel wears a fedora to school now. He calls it his “trademark”.
— Allison’s going to Italy for 10 days with her aunt to take a vacation in Tuscany on a horse farm. She’s going to be riding horses the entire time. I’m so happy for her, although I will miss her.
— Oh, and I’m also reading Patricia Neal’s autobiography
— I crossed 2 or 3 pretty major things off my To Do list which have been haunting me. I actually cried when I crossed the last one off. It had been tormenting my mind, and giving me stress dreams.
— Watched Stranger Than Fiction last night for, oh, the 10th time, and had to mop the tears off my face at the end. Slowly it’s becoming one of my all-time favorite movies. (“You’re never too old for space camp, dude.”)
— Last week I said the following sentence to Patrick, “My fallopian tubes are unfurling.” Patrick still has not recovered.
— My entire consciousness is now consumed by the bridesmaid dress I will wear in September.
— I find office supplies immensely relaxing.
Cashel’s trademark! Hahahahaha!
I know! Apparently “trademarks” are very big in his school. His best friend’s trademark is a hunter’s hat. I seriously need pictures of them together.
But how precocious is that? I mean – a FEDORA! Cashel is so awesome.
He could be Indiana Jones’ grandson. Or, at this point, GREAT-grandson!
I love Cashel. A fedora. A TRADEMARK. That’s the coolest thing.
Oh – and office supplies? I’m right there with you on that one.
Jayne – I know, it has made me realize that I need a “trademark”! Where the heck have I been??
And yes. I have to FORCE myself to walk by a Staples without going in … It takes a lot of fortitude!!!
I think that is the main reason I became a teacher- “new supplies” at my beck and call. There is something about limitless post-its and brass brads and indext cards that make me all woozy inside!!
Oh, Jeff Bridges. My heart goes thump-thump.
I hope your consumed-conscious has a good bridesmaid dress to obsess over. Mine has what I TRULY believe to be the worst. one. ever. Ever. Ever…I look like a granny smith apple…
Courtney – Oh no!!! Not the granny smith apple dress!!
Mine is GORGEOUS. J. Crew … silk taffeta – an absolutely scrumptious party dress. I’m just freaking out about, you know, my weight, my tattoo, how the dress will look, the shoes, my general worth as a human being … all that. But it’s SUCH a pretty dress!!
Oh, that dress sounds so pretty! (And fretting about shoes? Been there; my sympathies.)
I never thought I’d see a mention of the Candybutchers anywhere. The host of the college radio show I listen to in the morning (M-W-F) on the way in to work is a big fan, I think.
oooh I love office supplies. New pens and sharpies= happy mere. What did Hitachi do for you? do you have new electronics that you should tell me about?
Cashel making a fashion statement! That strikes me as a pretty bold move for a little guy (in a good way – you know, willing to be individual).
Horse update brought on by the horse farm vacation part of your post: Charlie (the horse I wrote about during your Experts phase) is four. He’s raced five times and beaten, maybe six horses. Many more have beaten him, but we press on because he’s healthy, happy and very beautiful. I go tomorrow way too early in the morning to watch him work. We maintain hope.
Dude. Stranger Than Fiction is SOOOO underappreciated. Almost everything about it is awesome (sorry Queen Latifa, I love you and all, just not in this one).
A little fyi, Mike Viola teamed up with Dan Bern to write most of the songs in “Walk Hard: The Legend of Dewey Cox.” There was a promotional concert at the Knitting Factory and he totally was there to play guitar and sing back-up. It was all kinds of awesome. I’m now kicking myself a little for not following them to the after-bar. We were having a good conversation with the drummer (from Bird and Bee) and might have been able to blend in or something. I’ll have to get more devious in the future.
Marti – That sounds like a great show at Knitting Factory! I am psyched that Viola is getting the full credit for the Walk Hard music (unlike how he got stiffed for the That Thing You Do soundtrack) – and my sister Siobhan opened for Mike Viola once (he’s her idol) – so I got to meet him which was totally cool!
Cashel+Fedore=Perfect.
I’m sure you’ll look great in the dress. Who’s getting hitched?