Quodlibets

The Brita, she is a bitch

S and I used to buy big jugs of water at the grocery store every week, because our tap water tastes like utter crap.  We both drink lots of water, so we were buying the jumbo sized jugs, and avoiding buying the Brita pitcher contraption because it simply couldn't supply the sheer amount of water we needed on a daily basis.  Except that we were Brita neophytes, and didn't realize that they make many different sizes of the Brita product.  Lo and behold, there is a monster of a jug, and we bought it, and it makes us very happy.

Except when we have to change that damn filter.  I struggle with the Brita every few months or so (we are very bad at the Brita filter changing, it cannot be denied.  Do you think that means we're drinking contaminated water?  That could explain a LOT.), washing it and taking the filter out and soaking the new filter and discarding the first two entire filtered jugs.  I do not like this chore one bit. 

In fact, save for cleaning the bathroom (my number one loathed chore; I refuse to do it), I think the Brita is the worst ever. 

Excuse me, I must go wrestle with the Brita again.  (Also, I left my reading material at my mom's house today, which pisses me off.  Should I start a new book?  Should I not read for the next few days, until I can go get it?  Grrrrrrrrr.  I am an idiot.)

It is a truth universally acknowledged

So S finally made good on his promise to see Pride and Prejudice with me by taking me to see it tonight.  (It wasn't so painful a prospect after a male co-worker told him that it was very good.)  It, in fact, was very good, but I am a big freaking idiot, and here is why: for over half of the movie, I kept thinking, "Gee, this story seems very familiar.  Oh!  I remember this storyline.  Wait a minute...."  The thing is, (and please do not yell at me), I have not read Pride and Prejudice (but I have read other Jane Austen books, so there).  I kept thinking about P&P's correspondence to Bridget Jones, but it became clear that I knew every single little nuance of the story, and that Bridget Jones is just not that faithful.  (It is, actually, far easier to deduce the plot of Emma from Clueless.)  Somewhere around the point when Elizabeth Bennet learns of Mr. Wickham's evil nature and cruel seduction of Mr. Darcy's sister, I remember that I had watched "Bride and Prejudice" which is strange Bollywood retelling of the very same story.  It was one of those hand-slaps-head moment.

Regardless, once I figured that out that nagging question, I was actually able to pay attention to how good the film was.  I don't love Keira Knightley, though she was very good in this; I think that Matthew McFayden stole the movie as Mr. Darcy.  He was adorable and dashing and perfect in the role (I will probably check out Colin Firth's performance as the same in the earlier BBC production, just to see.  I love love love Colin Firth).  And my second favorite person in the film was, hands down, Rosamund Pike.  After the movie ended, S said he thought she was a Bond girl of some sort, and he was right.  It's not surprising, because she is stunningly beautiful.  It's very hard to look away when she is on the screen.  She hasn't been in much, which is a shame. 

My only complaint with the film was the end, which just didn't fit with the rest of the movie (as well it shouldn't, being a contrivance added on by Hollywood).  You're just not familiar enough with the characters to see them acting that way.  It's more like you're a visitor to their world, and I felt like I was intruding on a private moment.  If that makes any sense.  Also, it felt very un-Austen-like.  At least it was only the last minute and a half of the movie; it wasn't ruined in any sense of the word. 

(Now, I only hope that Memoirs of a Geisha is a little good.  I fear I may build it up too greatly, because I love the book so damn much.  It can never be as good, therefore, I am bound to be disappointed.  I'm trying to go in with an open mind.)

Dear Ellen Pompeo,

Please eat.  Now.  Because Grey's Anatomy is fast becoming my favorite show on television and if I have to watch you anorex your way across the screen every Sunday, I might have to bang my head against the wall.

Seriously, you're not attractive, but you could be.  You're more like a skeleton than a human.  15 pounds, that's all I'm asking.

Love,
Manogirl

I should stop watching informative television

Looking at the TV guide, I noticed that one of the "60 Minutes" segments was about Plan B (the morning-after pill, if you didn't know).  Silly me, I thought I could watch it without sending my blood pressure rocketing and without steam pouring out of my ears.  I thought I wouldn't grit my teeth or want to yell obscenities at the television.  As you can probably guess, I was wrong.  I'm angry, I'm angry as hell.  I wanted to hurl the glass in front of me at the face of whatever person appears next--save for the fact that I really can't afford to buy a new TV, I might have.  I was cross-stitching while watching, and I'm surprised blood isn't pouring out of my fingers; I'm also sure that every stitch I pulled during that twenty minute period is one of tightest on the whole piece of aida I'm using.

But more than that, I'm afraid.  I'm angry because I'm afraid.  I'm afraid that religion is hijacking our government, or rather, I'm afraid that fundamental Christians are taking over our government.  I've been this afraid for a long time, but lately, it's been reaching fever pitch.  I just don't understand, which is part of the problem.  I don't understand how one person's religion can make them act against the common good.  I don't understand why religion is more important than women's health, or fighting AIDS throughout the world.  I can't get it through my head.  I'm a pretty smart girl, but I'm an idiot when it comes to understanding fundamentalism.  I don't understand it in ANY religion, but most of all, I don't understand it here.  Honestly. 

**********

I believe that this country hasn't always been the best at freedom and equality.  We killed Native Americans in the most passive aggressive (and aggressive) ways possible, and we enslaved people simply because they looked different.  We held that a class of people were so unequal as to deny them the vote and we gave in to fear in the 40's and interned AMERICANS in wires and huts.  But I think that part of what makes America America is that we move forward from those bad ideas, and we work hard at making things right.  I have to believe these things to be an American, because I'm sure that this country isn't the best in the world (what a fucking meaningless designation, anyway.  Best in terms of what?), but it is my country, and I love it.  But I love it so much that it hurts me to see these people trying to make it a place where you have to love the same god as them to be a full citizen. 

Because I don't care what god you worship, or what you believe, as long as you keep it to what you believe.  Does that make sense?  I don't want our government to have beliefs.  It's not okay for a government to have religious ideals.  And sadly, what scares me the most right now is that it seems to be a bigger and bigger thing that the people who run our government fall all over themselves to prove that they too have a god and that their god will prompt them to do things that he would want them to do.   We seem to be perilously close to a religion-based government, and that Plan-B report just hammered it home to me.  The people who tabled Plan-B going OTC did so for no reason that can be explained with facts or scientific data.  They listened to no one in the medical community and no scientists whose job it is to investigate these matters.  It seems to me that the only thing they did listen to was their god and religion. 

And I find that fucking scary.  This is happening in my country, and it makes me sick.  It makes me sick at heart.  It's a bad day when you feel ashamed of your country, but it's a worse day when you feel ashamed to call yourself American.  I'm too close to that feeling for comfort.

Confessions

I cannot get enough of Madonna's new album.  I'm not saying it's the best album this year, because it's not even close, but it may well be one of the most fun albums this year.  It's not for everyone, but when has Madonna ever been for everyone?  S hates it, but he hates dance music in general. 

I think the new single is the best song on the album (Madonna knows what makes a hit, after all these years making hits), but the rest are definitely dance-able.  One of the songs has a Royksopp feel to it, which is interesting.  Most of the lyrics are complete and utter shit.  I mean, really, really bad.  It's still superficially fun (because let's face it, no one ever listened to Madonna because of her hard-hitting, beautiful lyrics), and it makes me happy to work out. 

Anyway, it's five bajillion times better than Madonna's last album, which I couldn't listen to more than once.

The Christmas Tree, Round Two

Post-Thanksgiving, Pre-Christmas

It's the calm before the storm.  Starting Tuesday, I have things to do that have to get done.  (As opposed to things to do that don't realllllly matter in the long run.)  Our Christmas tree is up, and it's lovely again this year, though it was harder to set up.  We've rearranged the living room since last Christmas (actually, we did it the day we took the tree down last year) and the tree didn't quite fit right in the new arrangement.  We had to move the TV to a weird position, but now the tree is visible through the windows, which is nice.  I will post a picture of the tree as soon as S takes one and sends it to me.

Relatedly, and I'm not sure how this happened, I have one of my sister's ornaments.  I must've had it on my tree last year (because when we did the great ornament divide-up, we weren't sure with some of them--mostly the ones that were similar and from my Aunt Scuba--so we just willy-nilly decided who would take what), but what's truly baffling about this is that my sister's name is written legibly on the underside of the ornament, as in, "To Katie.  Love Aunt Scuba."  How we missed this I don't know, since it's so ridiculously obvious, but the mistake will be recified on Thursday, when I see Kate.

Non-Christmas-wise, I'm mildly stressed right now about my health insurance situation, since my new health insurance company hasn't sent me the documentation they said was supposed to be here by Friday, and that means I might not be covered when my old health insurance lapses.  I'm also still stressing about the job situation, albeit less so, but only because there is a prospect on the horizon, which makes me nervous, because no one wants to screw up and tell everyone about a job (oops) and then not get it.  And I want the job, which makes it even worse, because you don't want to get your hopes up to be shot down and still jobless six months after the fact.  Keep your fingers crossed for me and don't ask for details!

I'd write about politics or something else--try to muster some opinion besides "My tree is pretty!" but I'm fresh out of outrage and trying to calm myself enough to have a happy, relaxed holiday season.  Keep your fingers crossed on that one, too.

Friday Random Ten (Thanksgiving Is Over Edition)

1. Silver and Gold -- Neil Young
2. All Mine -- Portishead (Live)
3. I'm Only Sleeping -- The Beatles
4. Night Like A River -- Hem
5. Fool to Think -- Dave Matthews Band
6. Forever Yellow Skies -- The Cranberries
7. Rainy Day -- Guster
8. Deconstruction -- Indigo Girls
9. JTR (Live at Folsom Field) -- Dave Matthews Band
10. Gravel (Live) -- Ani DiFranco

What a good random ten!  I'm pretty sure that I would listen to all these songs without skipping any, except maybe the Cranberries' song.

Incidentally, and completely unrelatedly, I'm watching an episode of Degrassi with Kevin Smith (as Silent Bob), Jason Mewes (as Jay) and Alanis Morrissette.  Kevin Smith comes to Degrassi to shoot a movie, and actually plays a major part in the plotline of one episode.  It's very strange, but I'm pretty sure I heard once that Kevin Smith was a huge Degrassi fan.  Not surprising, when you consider how crazy fun addictive dramatic good the show is.  (S said yesterday, "Is there a more dramatic show on television?" after Kate and I finished discussing the new episode with M's daughter, BB.  He's pretty much right, it is the most dramatic show on TV, but in a good way.)

Thanksgiving

Have a happy one!  There's a lot in the world to be thankful for (and yes, there's some stuff to not be so grateful for, but what can you do?  Concentrate on the good things.) so thank your lucky stars you're still here to see it.  Also, eat turkey and pie and potatoes, and stuffing and gravy and then later, eat a turkey sandwich.  Yum.  Thanksgiving is also about food, so take advantage and say, "Screw the diet."

Happy Thanksgiving.  I hope it's a good one.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Suck

With all due respect to every single person who said this movie was good, I think you're wrong.  I actually enjoyed the third movie better, even though my favorite HP book, up to this point, has been number four.  I will admit that I shed a slight tear when Cedric died, but I'm not sure why, because I'm not sure I actually mustered any feelings for Cedric through the entire movie.  In fact, I was thoroughly annoyed by every single character in it.  Is that bad?  It just reads ten bazillion times better than it films.

And it's only going to get worse, since Harry becomes an insufferable git in the next book, and I really don't know if I can watch Daniel Radcliffe bounding around on a movie screen acting like a giant flaming asshole.  (Rupert Grint, though, ah, that's another story.  Even if he does have the worst haircut ever.)  I'm not sure why I wasn't taken in, ultimately.  It might have been Voldemort's distracting nose-slits.  I kept thinking, "Is Ralph Fiennes going to grow a nose?  Where the hell is his nose?  Is that supposed to be a snake nose?  Just grow a nose already, Ralph."  (Not the right man to play Voldemort, if I can't forget he's Ralph Fiennes.)

And what? happened to the Rita Skeeter storyline?  Or the Madame Maxine is a giant part?  Why did we never get to see Charlie Weasley, who's gotta be a hottie?  Why do the Weasley boys have the ugliest hair at the whole of Hogwarts?  Why is Neville the only one with the ugly English teeth, even though the school is filled with English people?  Where did Dobby and Winky go?  What happened to the HELLP club thingy run by Hermione?  And good lord, did anybody really like Hermione's pink ruffled craptastic dress?  Really?  I mean, she's a pretty girl, why is she dressing in something made from a collection of someone's bed skirts?

I'm asking for too much, I know.  But I stand by the statement that the movies can't hold a candle to the books (S sarcastically asked, "Did you really expect it to?" and the answer is an emphatic no).  I know that there aren't many movies that are as good as the book, but this goes beyond that.  There's too much in the books to love, and not enough in the movies to love.  (Rupert Grint notwithstanding.)  I hesitate to say that I'll be able to boycott HP IV, the movie, but somewhere inside of me, I'd like to do just that.