stephen

Hitchcock: The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

I haven’t any idea why both Doris Day and Jimmy Stewart hold such happy places in my heart–but they do. This is the sort of Hitchcock I enjoy most, when I’m not left feeling sick and paranoid. Well, right now I’m feeling sick because I’ve been drinking coffee all night and that’s a miserable thingContinue reading “Hitchcock: The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)”

My Job & Ellis Island

My Job & Ellis Island Half my family can’t trace their history back more than a hundred years because when we entered the harbor our names were changed, in one case a simplification of the original name, in the second case to the name of the town whence we came. Many people take for grantedContinue reading “My Job & Ellis Island”

Ballroom, week 9

After much discussion of theory, and extensive attempts at solo technique, it was time for me to dance with him again. I led poorly. Even leading a right box was difficult because I kept giving slight indications of a turn and well, just generally lacked confidence, kept ‘double lowering’ instead of following the 3Cs, andContinue reading “Ballroom, week 9”

film: Fellini: 8 1/2 (1963)

Obviously, I’ve been putting writing about this film on hold for nearly two weeks, and I’m still not particularly eager to think about it, but it must be done, and so that’s that. I suppose a good starting point is Kurt Vonnegut and Joseph Heller. The turning point for me, when I stopped judging booksContinue reading “film: Fellini: 8 1/2 (1963)”

Ballroom, week 8

I never mentioned dance shoes to my instructor before–I figured that if I waited long enough, if he came to believe in me, he’d ask me to go buy some. Today he asked. Hooray! So I went to go buy some, it all seemed pretty straightforward, and they didn’t have any like the ones heContinue reading “Ballroom, week 8”

Ballroom, week 7

I’m doing anything I can to avoid having to write about Fellini’s 8 1/2. So: I just spent ten minutes balancing on my toes. Also, I had my knees bent and kept my heels as high as I possibly could, which had to be at least taller than a phone book, I’ve been told. IContinue reading “Ballroom, week 7”

my favorite poem ever: “Mom and Me”

Update: the author of this poem is unknown, and it’s definitely not my coworker’s five-year-old son. When I worked for a very large private company, I would sometimes use somebody else’s cubicle when she was out of town, and she had this poem pinned on the wall, written by her 5 year old son. AndContinue reading “my favorite poem ever: “Mom and Me””

Fixing My Car (part 2)

(continued from here) CHANGING THE OIL Is messy. Sarah recently criticized me by saying she’d never heard of changing oil being messy. I’ve heard it only described with two words: easy. messy. It’s messy. But that’s not bad. 1. Josh was determined to have us do it in his own driveway. But we couldn’t jackContinue reading “Fixing My Car (part 2)”

Fixing My Car (part 1)

Problem #1: A friend of mine backed into my car and created a huge dent in the front bumper. Estimate: $600+ Fuck that. Problem #2: I backed into a truck while babysitting. The kids were shocked, and I swore I’d get them dessert if they never told anyone it’d happened. They ate their desserts andContinue reading “Fixing My Car (part 1)”

Lamorisse: The Red Balloon / White Mane (Le Ballon Rouge / Crin-Blanc)

I didn’t plan on discussing them both in one note except that both shook me in the same way during particular scenes. I’ve only felt this way once before: during March of the Penguins, a film that attempts to personify penguins, which I think is something we generally enjoy because it brings us closer toContinue reading “Lamorisse: The Red Balloon / White Mane (Le Ballon Rouge / Crin-Blanc)”