Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
5 and a half months in...
...and I finally found my theme song for 2010. "In a Mellow Tone" sung by Ella Fitzgerald perfectly evokes the way I’ve been living and the way I plan to carry out the rest of this 24th season of my life.
In a mellow tone
Feeling fancy free
And I'm not alone
I've got company
Everything's ok
The live long day
With this mellow song
I can't go wrong
In a mellow tone
That's the way to live
If you mope and groan
Something's gotta give
Just go your way
And laugh and play
There's joy unknown
In a mellow tone
(scat)
In a mellow tone
(bridge)
In a mellow tone
Feeling fancy free
And I'm not alone
I've got company
Everything's ok
The live long day
With this mellow song
I can't go wrong
In a mellow tone
That's the way to live
If you mope and groan
Something's gotta give
Just go your way
And laugh and play
There's joy unknown
In a mellow tone
In a mellow tone
In a mellow tone
In a mellow tone
Feeling fancy free
And I'm not alone
I've got company
Everything's ok
The live long day
With this mellow song
I can't go wrong
In a mellow tone
That's the way to live
If you mope and groan
Something's gotta give
Just go your way
And laugh and play
There's joy unknown
In a mellow tone
(scat)
In a mellow tone
(bridge)
In a mellow tone
Feeling fancy free
And I'm not alone
I've got company
Everything's ok
The live long day
With this mellow song
I can't go wrong
In a mellow tone
That's the way to live
If you mope and groan
Something's gotta give
Just go your way
And laugh and play
There's joy unknown
In a mellow tone
In a mellow tone
In a mellow tone
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Quotables from The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Reading this was like falling in love. It made me want to be a better person.
"As for me, I implore fate to give me the opportunity to see beyond myself and truly meet someone." Renee, page 145
"Never in my life have I felt so at ease. How can I explain? For the first time, I feel utterly trusting, even though I am not alone. Even with Manuela, to whom I would gladly entrust my life, I do not have this feeling of absolute security that comes when one is sure that understanding is mutual. Entrusting one's life is not eh same as opening one's soul, and although I love Manuela like a sister, I cannot share with her the things that constitute the tiny portion of meaning and emotion that my incongruous existence has stolen from the universe." Renne, page 225. I love the sentiment of this whole passage but this, THIS is genius: "the tiny portion of meaning and emotion that my incongruous existence has stolen from the universe." That phrase is the essence of human individualism, aspiration, and meaning.
"What is both confusing and astounding about Kakuro Ozu is that he combines a sort of childish enthusiasm and candor with the attentiveness and kindliness of an old sage. I am not accustomed to such a relationship with the world; it seems to me that he views it with indulgence and curiosity, whereas the other human beings I know display either weariness and kindness (Manuela), ingenuity and kindness (Olympe) or arrogance and cruelty (eveyone else). Such a combination of eagerness, lucidity and magnanimity is delightfully unusual." Renee, page 228
"This pause in time, within tine... When did I first experience the exquisite sense of surrender that is possible only with another person? The peace of mind one experiences on one's own, one's certainty of self in the serenity of solitude, are nothing in comparison to the release and openness and fluency one shares with another, in close companionship... When did I first feel so blissfully relaxed in the presence of a man?" Renee, page 277 (THIS IS LOVE)
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Monday, December 7, 2009
What comes out when I try to write fiction
1: “You can’t base a story on a movie that was originally based on a story.”
2: “Unless the original story can be improved upon. Why else would they have made the movie? Think Devil Wears Prada. Awful book, great movie.”
1: “Not an awful book, just poorly written.”
2: “whoa. I think my socks were just knocked off. You’ve read it? And you liked it? That first whoa? Gonna have to repeat it.”
1: “As a pop culture specialist I have to be on top of my chick lit.”
2: “So you’re a pop culture specialist now? I feel like I don’t know you at all.”
1: “Sometimes I like to shop at Enigmas ‘R Us.”
2: “Seriously? Did you seriously just say that? Please please never ever do that again.”
1: “Don’t pretend like you didn’t like it.”
2: “No pretending here love. O, did you hear that? Love! I think she just decided that I’m British! British… I didn’t realize it but I was hoping I would be British. Though Brazilian would have be fun too.”
1: “Naw, Brazil’s too cool to be cool nowadays.”
2: “Yea, you’re right. Funny how a whole nation is suddenly trendy.”
1: “Yea. Remember when it was Jamaica? Whatever happened to that?”
2: “o yea. Hmm, this would be a good time for her to have us discuss afro-spiced Caribbean culture and it’s exoticification throughout the world.”
1: “Don’t get ahead of yourself there. That would move us towards themes of race, politics, globalization and God knows what else. We still don’t know if she’s basing us on a movie or a book or some recycled combination of both.”
2. “True.”
1. “So what do you think? Are we gonna be hackneyed?”
2. “Maybe? I don’t know. I do know that this dialogue’s not strong enough to stand without adjectives. What’s she doing?”
1. “Without adjectives? What do you mean?”
2. “You know the whole, ‘He said with a smirk’ or ‘She said with mock distress’. I don’t think we’re witty enough to do without them.”
1. “Speak for yourself. I for one thrive on stand-alone quotes. Also, as a pop culture specialist you should know that dialogue without adjectives equals hipness. And I’m willing to forgo wit for hipness any day.”
2. “Style over substance, eh? Typical.”
1. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
2. “Nothing, nothing.”
1. “Come on, tell me. I want to know what you were going to say.”
2. “But I don’t think I want to tell you.”
1. “Seriously? I hate it when people do that! Insinuate something about you and then refuse to complete the thought. I thought you were better than that.”
2. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
1. “See? She said with a smirk.”
2: “Unless the original story can be improved upon. Why else would they have made the movie? Think Devil Wears Prada. Awful book, great movie.”
1: “Not an awful book, just poorly written.”
2: “whoa. I think my socks were just knocked off. You’ve read it? And you liked it? That first whoa? Gonna have to repeat it.”
1: “As a pop culture specialist I have to be on top of my chick lit.”
2: “So you’re a pop culture specialist now? I feel like I don’t know you at all.”
1: “Sometimes I like to shop at Enigmas ‘R Us.”
2: “Seriously? Did you seriously just say that? Please please never ever do that again.”
1: “Don’t pretend like you didn’t like it.”
2: “No pretending here love. O, did you hear that? Love! I think she just decided that I’m British! British… I didn’t realize it but I was hoping I would be British. Though Brazilian would have be fun too.”
1: “Naw, Brazil’s too cool to be cool nowadays.”
2: “Yea, you’re right. Funny how a whole nation is suddenly trendy.”
1: “Yea. Remember when it was Jamaica? Whatever happened to that?”
2: “o yea. Hmm, this would be a good time for her to have us discuss afro-spiced Caribbean culture and it’s exoticification throughout the world.”
1: “Don’t get ahead of yourself there. That would move us towards themes of race, politics, globalization and God knows what else. We still don’t know if she’s basing us on a movie or a book or some recycled combination of both.”
2. “True.”
1. “So what do you think? Are we gonna be hackneyed?”
2. “Maybe? I don’t know. I do know that this dialogue’s not strong enough to stand without adjectives. What’s she doing?”
1. “Without adjectives? What do you mean?”
2. “You know the whole, ‘He said with a smirk’ or ‘She said with mock distress’. I don’t think we’re witty enough to do without them.”
1. “Speak for yourself. I for one thrive on stand-alone quotes. Also, as a pop culture specialist you should know that dialogue without adjectives equals hipness. And I’m willing to forgo wit for hipness any day.”
2. “Style over substance, eh? Typical.”
1. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
2. “Nothing, nothing.”
1. “Come on, tell me. I want to know what you were going to say.”
2. “But I don’t think I want to tell you.”
1. “Seriously? I hate it when people do that! Insinuate something about you and then refuse to complete the thought. I thought you were better than that.”
2. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
1. “See? She said with a smirk.”
Sunday, December 6, 2009
"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough"
Spoken by the inimitable and inspirational Mae West. I love her for the quote above and for the ones that follow.
"All discarded lovers should be given a second chance, but with somebody else."
"Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly."
"Don't keep a man guessing too long - he's sure to find the answer somewhere else."
"Keep a diary and one day it will keep you."
"I believe that it's better to be looked over than it is to be overlooked."
"I'm no model lady. A model's just an imitation of the real thing."
"Look your best - who said love is blind?"
"Love isn't an emotion or an instinct - it's an art."
"All discarded lovers should be given a second chance, but with somebody else."
"Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly."
"Don't keep a man guessing too long - he's sure to find the answer somewhere else."
"Keep a diary and one day it will keep you."
"I believe that it's better to be looked over than it is to be overlooked."
"I'm no model lady. A model's just an imitation of the real thing."
"Look your best - who said love is blind?"
"Love isn't an emotion or an instinct - it's an art."
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