Reading The Tea

Last night, dreams of tangos past and somewhat future. Dances of forgiveness with people who weren’t quite.

I’d forgotten the joys of Oregon March. Today is drizzle dreariness, but yesterday the sun was shining and both D & I stripped down to our T-shirts on our Hill Walk. Yes, capitalization is intended. We are addicted to the walks put together by Laura Foster in Portland Hill Walks We did our 5th walk, walk 15 “Leach Botanical Garden to Mount Scott Loop.” Generally speaking, I have very little patience for guide books. This book has won me over. It’s like taking a walk with a friend. A friend who has a great deal of esoteric knowledge about the history of the area your walking through, and just happens to know all of the uses that native americans had for the specific type of fern you’re passing. Oh, and one who knows that the seemingly private drive right next to that person’s garage is actually public property, and that when you walk down it you’ll be in a tunnel of tree branches that seems right out of fairyland. Thus far we’ve done walks 1,2,4 and 6. Walk 15 had a marvelous start, wandering around the Leach Botanical Gardens and a breathtaking perspective of Portland amid all of the mountains from the Willamette National Cemetery, but the neighborhoods in between weren’t as delightful as the rest of the walks we’ve taken. It could also be that D & I both tend to hate houses that are less than 50 years old.

In the media consumption category, Lost has fully gained me back as a viewer. Yay for Brian K. Vaughn! I think (fingers crossed) that it might actually be going somewhere. Last night we watched the newest episode while sipping gin and tonics and ooh, not going to say more in case you haven’t watched it yet.

Last night D & I also watched The Big Sleep, the 1946 Bogart and Bacall film. Did you know that it could have been released in 1945? It was pushed back by the studio as they rushed to release all of the war-themed movies before they became too dated. A detective flick? It could wait. According to the commentary special feature with the film, it was a good thing for Bacall’s career. She’d been a big hit with their earlier film To Have and Have Not, but received bad reviews after her next film, Confidential Agent. Her agent contacted the director about his concerns about Bacall’s part in the original edit of “The Big Sleep,” and in January 1946 Bacall and Bogart (now a couple) shot some new scenes. While we watched I knit square 18 of my afghan. Yes, I’m very behind on posting photos of previous squares. Not to mention other knitting projects…

Recently I’ve been contemplating rock climbing as dance. Watching how people move across the routes. The light change-step across a hold. What’s the difference between climbing and dance? Could climbing be a form of dance? Is it about the intent, or the performative aspects? That falls apart a bit — in a dance class I’m not considering performance; I’m more introspective. And in the rock gym… well, I’d challenge anyone who says that some of the people climbing there aren’t performing. Something to consider more later. Concepts that help both my tango and my climbing: relax, breath, engage the core. Thought: wall as partner?

Brick just made my list of favorites. It’s atmospheric film noir at it’s best, set in highschool. There’s no attempt made at realism, but somehow some of the characters ring much more true than they do in most high school movies. After I watched it I wanted to watch it again right away. I’d say more, but just go watch it yourself.

   Argentine heist flick… The plot twists don’t quite add up in the end, but it’s enough fun on the way that it’s hard to care.

How did I ever live before netflix? Finally got around to watching Life Aquatic. It was just ok. Amusing, but I felt like I’d already seen the best of it in the previews. Too self-consciously trying to be a cult film. Rushmore and Royal Tenenbaums were much better.

Think about how bad you thought this movie would be. Now make it a little bit worse. There, you’ve got the Da Vinci Code. So why did I go see it, if I thought it would be bad? Because there’s a week spot in my heart for mystery-adventures. Especially if Audrey Tautou is in them. She was her usual charming self (Even while driving a speeding car backwards, now that’s a trick!). Tom Hanks oozed good-guy charm and confusion by turn - sometimes even at the same time. Ian McKellen played the rich eccentric as a cross between Richard III and Doc Ock. The writing was so bad, it was really all any of them could do. Amusing bit of fluff, but not worth the time.

Normally I’m opposed to posts about the weather, but today in Brooklyn is cause for rejoicing. It’s sunny, in the 60s, with a light breeze. That’s the spring weather I’ve been looking for. I’ve been told by native northeastern that spring around here does not start in March. Today, though, I can pretend.

We watched “Millions” last night (directed by Danny Boyle). Two kids stumble into the possession of a lot of money right before the changeover from pounds to euros. One of them is obsessed with saints, and has lots of conversations with them. The other is prodigiously money savvy. The movie would’ve been a screwball comedy full of absurd characters and groin-crunch humor if it’d been made in Hollywood. As it was it was an interesting, if rather strange movie that made the sleepy me say “huh?” several times. I haven’t been able to decide whether or not I would recommend it. It’s not in the class that I feel was a waste of time, but I don’t feel particularly enlightened, challenged or changed from it.

On the subway last week, several 20-something guys pushed on at Grand Central. One of them was listening intently to a CD-player, evidently checking out his friend’s band. He finally exclaimed, “Dude! Great Snare Drums! Sounds like a piccolo.” His friend replied, “It is a piccolo.”

I saw Match Point and Hedda Gabbler in the same week. Interesting pairing – oddly similar. BAM’s production of Hedda was brilliant – don’t believe what the Times said. My only unfulfilled wish was for Cate Blanchett (Hedda) and Hugo Weaving (Judge Brack) to break out into elf dialogue.