Talking Hopper

So now I've spent the past few weeks reading about Edward Hopper as he was everywhere. Though he did make a welcome switch from Henry Darger, who I have been living with awhile as part of a project, (God knows I love Darger, bless his twisted soul, but one does occasionally need a break from little hemaphroditic little girls. I did have some fun imagining a mix of the two-the Vivian Girls at the restaurant in Chop Suey for example) I can't say I feel I received any giant message from the art gods. The main thing that has come to light is that apparently I view Hopper differently than other people.

I know. I know. Me? with a wildly different opinion than the majority? That hardly ever happens.

All the books say that Hopper is about the isolation of the individual which, compositionally, I get but his work doesn't make me, as the viewer, feel lonely and it's always been that way even before this present melancholy. In fact, I frequently feel just the opposite. I, too, like to peek into windows and witness litle scenes unfolding and so to see that in a painting is comforting. In subjec matter and in form what I take away is I am not alone.

Take Nighthawks. It's not my favorite (I keep looking for Elvis and Bogie) but I like it. It's not a bad place to be. It may not be the place any of these people would have chosen if they could be anywhere but there's coffee and light and company. There's far worse places to wash up.

The other two conclusions I've come to seem fairly obvious.

1) Hopper is evocative in that you have to bring the story. Unlike someone like Rockwell (the anti Hopper perhaps?) who supplies everything, Hopper makes you fill in the blanks. I think imaginative people like him for just that reason.

2) Despite the best efforts of TCM's animation, Hopper is about extreme stillness. Even in a painting like Ground Swell, which portrays an activity (sailing in this case) there is stillness. It goes beyond capturing a single moment in time, it imbues the people in them with a kind of hyper awareness. Take the woman in Eleven AM. She is still but, I imagine, acutely aware of where she is, who she is waiting for, the way her shoes feel on her feet and the air on her naked body. I think it's part of Hopper's genius that this stillness is never frightening, it only draws the viewer closer.

I'll keep looking as I'm in deep now but that's what I have so far.

Greetings from the Heart of the Night

Perhaps working a week of overnights was not the best idea. I figured you get a lot more done with no customers, I was blue anyway, might as well. Why not totally screw with my sleep cycle too ?

Not my best thinking.

And speaking of good thinking this morning at around 3am my sleep addled brain, hopped up on Ho-Hos and Butterfinger Crisps, discovered that a guy I had a thing with 8 years ago still works for the company. Wouldn't it be fun to e-mail him? I had it all mentally composed before sitting down to write it, sort of the work equivilant of a bad penny drunk dialing.

Hi Bill! Remember me? The one who broke your heart? How's it going?

Well, it seemed like a good idea at 3am.

It's Not Really Funny but ...It Is

When I heard about the cruise ship sinking I felt bad for the people, of course, especially since Antarctica is the place I would pick if I could go anywhere but I also had a bit of a giggle. Ship strikes iceberg and sinks? Really? That's just so... 1912. I just know if I were aboard, once it was clear we were all going to be rescued, I would have been letting the king of the world and my heart will go on jokes fly.

Exit Meadow Enter Margot

So I returned Meadow yesterday. I cried cause it was very sad but I knew deep down it was for the best. Affection is not enough if the fit isn't right.

So I've been scanning newspaper ads and Craigslist for a older mellow cat who would be happy to be an only pet-cool with being by themselves while I'm at work but overjoyed to see me when I come home-and the other day I found one. A 3 year old female Himalayan named Margot (after the Gwyneth Paltrow character in "The Royal Tenanbaums").

I never thought of myself as a Himalayan kinda girl-the first designer breed, Himalayans are a mix of Siamese and Persians and are Martha Stewart's cat of choice-but I was happy to meet her. Then when I met her and saw the conditions she was living in there was no way I wasn't taking her, even if she and I didn't work out. The poor thing was owned by a recent college grad who was now living somewhere else leaving Margot squatting with friends, friends who own the largest housecat I have ever seen (25 lbs+) who bullied Margot unmercifully. She was essentially living under the couch which we had to completely move so I could even see her. It wasn't abuse, it wasn't as bad as the crack house rabbit I once adopted, but I wasn't leaving without her. She walked so slumped over I had to ask if she was injured and, perhaps worst of all for me, she reeks of patchouli oil. (A danger when adopting from college types I guess.) But now, watching her walk proudly around my living room, I know I made the right call.

Thanksgiving:The Good News Bad News Holiday

Good news-This was not the year that Borders decided it was a good idea to have stores open on Thanksgiving so I had the day off.

Bad news-6 hours away from family and already having celebrating my Thanksgiving last week with them I was left with no real plans. (Take right hand, form L on forehead.)

Good news-My friend Marla was in town from Atlanta.

Bad news-Marla's family and the miserable weather were driving her so crazy she was miserable and wanting to cut her trip short.

Good news-She came over in the morning and we hung out, went to the new IHOP (it was surprisingly crowded-apparently we weren't the only ones at loose ends) and the movies.

Bad news-I had picked up a stomach bug on Wednesday and couldn't properly enjoy any food much less Rooty Tooty Fresh n' Fruity.

Good news-I have now lost 2 whole sizes, the grief diet being the most effective known to man. This was confirmed by Marla bringing some clothes for me that were out of her rotation. (On the friend/clothes seesaw I am the one currently in the air.)

Bad news-When I wore a pair of the new pants on Friday (I was psyched for new clothes, it's been a while) I had a reaction (to the dye? detergent?) so now, even if I get them cleaned, they will forever be the rash pants.

To Life

I can't say I'm loving life right now but I can say I am loving "Life" the new NBC show. Each week I just like it more. The makers have learned their lessons from other shows well-like "The X-Files" or "Lost" there is a show mythology but unlike those shows, whose mythologies overwhelmed them in the end, "Life" has both a weekly case to be solved and a little more info each week about the season's central mystery. And, in a special bonus for still mourning "Deadwood" fans, each week brings a new guest appearance by a former cast member (last week it was Hooplehead Steve). All this from something I watched just to check out Robin Weigert in non Calamity Jane gear. I'll miss it tomorrow (in a holiday week you need more good TV not less) and look forward to its return.

Grace at the Speedway?

So I slipped home to Kentucky for a few days to see my new nephew and yesterday when I was driving back I was filled with a sense of dread. I had just had such a nice time-we had a mock Thanksgiving since I won't be there for the real thing- that I didn't want to come back. Though I know it's a sin to wish your life away I was just wishing the holidays were already over. Nobody expects you to be cheerful in January or March.

So I stopped in Piqua, Ohio for lunch and some cheap (well, under $3) gas and as I am pulling in to the Speedway I see, written in a chain link fence with white styrofoam cups, the words GOD BLESS YOU SAM. Now, judging by the flags, I knew the message was for a departing (hopefully not departed) soldier, not for me but just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean it can't speak to me. I did feel my personal clouds lighten some. Who knew a trip to Piqua could do that?


*Good thoughts to soldier Sam, wherever he or she may be heading.*

Always More Bottom

As I have written before Meadow has proven to be a bit of a handful and that choice of words fits completely after this weekend. On Sunday morning I was checking e-mail before work and she hopped up on the desk as she has a thousand times before. And as I have done a thousand times before I grabbed her to put her down but unlike every other time this time she turned on me, savaging my hand. I don't know if she was startled or not confident in my grip on her but between her teeth and claws she did quite a number on me. Despite having to describe the incident numerous times now I'm still not exactly sure how it all happened, it was over so quickly with me left trying not to scream. Because I was the sole opener I had to still go to work and wait for the next person to get in before I could get medical attention, a fact for which I was rounded chastised by the doctor. The doctor visit also included a giant shot, the slow kind, which led me to pass out causing all sort of other fun. All in all, not a good day. So, even though it feels like failure, I am taking this as a sign that my feeling that Meadow and I aren't a good fit is true. Much as I hate to be petless I'll have to give her up and start looking for a new companion. It just confirms the pessimistic thought that when you think you've hot rock bottom sometimes you find there is always more bottom.

But What They Really Want to do is Direct

"Once" has been at the top of my favorite movies for 2007 so long I wondered if it was ever going to get any competition (granted I haven't seen as many movies as in years past) but it finally has by 2 movies from first time directors better known as actors.

The first is "Gone Baby Gone" directed by Ben Affleck from the Dennis Lahane book. (Talk about a gift-first "Mystic River" then this-all authors I like should be so lucky.) I wasn't as skeptical as some, I think Affleck can act ("Good Will Hunting" "Chasing Amy") though he doesn't always ("Armageddon") and a Boston boy adapting a Boston genre book seemed like a good place to start. I was also pleased by the seemingly nepotistic call to have his brother Casey star since I have always preferred Casey. Though I was more positive than some, I was still very impressed by "Gone Baby Gone" which emerged as a gripping, deep movie with far more gravitas than your normal private eye picture.

Then last night I finally got around to watching "Away from Her" on the theory that if you're already sad why not watch a weepie? I was completely undone by Sarah Polley's directing debut which is based on the Alice Munro short story "The Bear Went Over the Mountain". Yes, of course it's about a long married couple whose relationship changes when the wife develops Alzeimers so I knew it wasn't going to be happy happy but I wasn't fully prepared to have my heart ripped out and served to me. Julie Christie has been getting huge praise, and rightly so, for her heartbreaking portrayal of the wife (Oscar committee just check out the scene where she explains the difference between going and gone) but I also think Gordon Pinsent, who plays her husband, is due some cheers. His plays the husband's struggle so convincingly it's hard to know who suffers more.

Though both Polley and Affleck make a few first timer mistakes (his reliance on local color and 1 key editing error and her clumsy flashbacks) overall their films are great and show they can both act and direct. I hope to see more from both in the future.

Box Set Fun

Over the weekend while petsitting away I OD'ed on boxsets. First, I completed the BBC's "Robin Hood" which was, despite a few lesser epis on Disc 2 (they were just kind of cookie cutter- see Robin be cheeky, see the sheriff fume) was very fun. There was the classic story of course but the legend is well suited for use in a modern way. For example, Robin comes back from the Crusades in the Middle East with an appreciation of all things Eastern, he even quotes the Koran. Some of the stories of the lingering war also seemed to have a distinct Gulf War II whiff.

I also plowed through "Veronica Mars" Season 3 which was bittersweet given its cancellation last spring. Veronica is an excellent thing to watch when you need bucking up because she is hardly ever at a loss for what to do. Her personal life is a mess but she keeps on solving mysteries and righting wrongs. Courtesy of my marathon I had some lingering questions answered (Veronica does vote for her dad in the final scene of the final show) and there was actually one episode that I had missed which was a nice surprise. There was also special features recorded before they knew they were cancelled (which makes sense, why would you pay them otherwise?) including a 5 minute preview of what season 4 might have been if the network had taken the producers up on their offer to fast forward from Veronica Mars teen detective to Veronica Mars FBI. Though I would have missed the old gang (it was weird enough when so many of them all went to the same college, all of them going to the FBI would have been laughable) I absolutely would have tuned in for that show. I hope that Rob Thomas, the creator, gets another TV gig posthaste.

Insomnia Cable Note

In my zoned channel surfing the other night I stopped at one of the local access channels (the same one that usually shows the super absorbing video broadcasts of the Ann Arbor City Council meetings) because they were running through the photos of the animals at the Humane Society looking for homes. Surreally, the soundtrack chosen for this was Broadway which might have been okay except the song I caught was from "Little Shop of Horrors". Maybe it's just me but I found I was less apt to consider adopting an animal with a song about a cannibalistic plant playing in the background. I switched the channel before they got to the selection from "Sweeny Todd".