Went to visit my Mum and my niece today. Mum
fed us steaks, which was really nice, since we
never eat T-bones at home, just the occasional pan
fry steak, which really doesn't compare. My sister
wasn't there, to the relief of my girlfriend (my
sister can be.... moody). Also visited my
girlfriends parents, who fed us roast beef and
French onion soup (I am a French onion soup
virgin no longer, with various regrets; an
acquired taste (texture) perhaps).
I finished the book I was reading this evening,
a comic novel entitled "Emotionally weird,"
which in this case may apply to the reader as much
as to the protagonist and her nonmother (read the
book for an explanation of that one). It was
enjoyable, much different than my normal
fare. Sci-fi and fantasy pale somewhat to what can
be done when the reader can assumed to be familiar
with the setting and terminology. Sci-fi sometimes
focuses too much on developing a setting and neat
things to go in it, rather than interesting
characters. Oh well.
On Saturday, we went downtown to the Globe
Cinema to see The Shipping News. It was very
good, very funny in places, and also very dark,
but done in such a way so as not to be
schizophrenic about it. I really liked it, but I
have read that others do not. I haven't read the
book, but it's going on my reading list. I'm
almost glad I didn't read the book before seeing
the film, as I usually prefer too. This movie
stands well by itself; having read the book first
would probably have me nitpicking it to death,
which would have taken all of the fun out if it. I
certainly think there have been worse movie
adaptations (Congo, Sphere, not to pick on
Michael Crichton or anything). Favorite quote:
"dog on fire!", said by Bunny when Quoyle's hot
dog catches fire as he is roasting it over an open
flame. I've never seen a hot dog so completely
consumed as that one, but that's what you get for
not paying attention to your cooking I
suppose.
We walked out of The Shipping News at about
9:00 pm, looked across the street at the Uptown,
and saw that Amelie was playing at 9:30. I had
heard that it was good, but I really didn't know
much more about it than that, but I wanted to see
it anyway. Yup, Amelie is a really good
movie.
I really identified with the title character,
in a way I've never identified with a character
before. I've always find myself picking out parts
of myself in characters, but this is a character I
identified with in a big way. I never had a heart
condition to keep me away from the other kids; I
just managed to keep myself away all on my own.
Like Amelie I usually feel like more of an
observer of life than a participant in it.
Anyway, Amelie has made me think about life
and lots of stuff. It's good.
Together with Ghost World, which we saw last
weekend, I guess I've been developing a taste for
smaller scale art house type films, although I
suppose you could argue that all three were pretty
mainstream. Just as well too; we were able to see
both The Shipping News and Amelie for about
the same as we would have paid for one movie at
say Famous Players. Mmmm, student discount
baby.
I heard the Barenaked Ladies song "babyseat" a
day or three ago. My girlfriend has owned the CD
for ages, but I've never had the opportunity to
listen to it until she put it in when we were in
the car one day. Although we didn't get to the
babyseat track, I though it was worthy of ripping
and adding to heavy rotation in my playlists. I
heard babyseat after stepping out of the shower
one morning and though to myself, what the hell,
I've never heard this song before... hey it's
really good! Now I can't get it out of my
head. I'm sure it will go away soon. I'll get sick
of it soon I'm sure.
I want a banana.
Hmm, a snow storm seems to have
developed. Didn't see that coming. I sometimes
have a cup of decaf in the evening. Tonight I
brewed up a cup, sat down and read my book,
finished the cup, thought I'd have another, so I
went to make it and I noticed that I had
accidentally made a cup of real coffee. No
wonder it tasted so good! So I'm up really late
tonight. Good thing I don't have to get up until
eight tomorrow.