Mike's Gone

They announced during Sharing Time in Primary that the Elder's Quorum would be bowling tonight at 9 pm. That's all fine and dandy for them, but Mike and I are on a 30 Rock kick--we're systematically working through all the seasons--and this really puts a damper on my night. But he's always complaining that the Elder's Quorum never does anything ("and the Relief Society is always doing things"--which is true) so he wasn't allowed to stay home, even when the temptation to watch another episode hit us both wicked hard. I've read a few chapters in my book, which I'm almost finished with but haven't felt up to reading lately--I think mostly due to being sick last week. Being sick always puts me off from reading, ironically. I just feel too tired to pay attention and take notes, etc., but I know that if I read it without paying attention or at least jotting some thoughts down I'm probably going to just forget about it and reading that part will have been largely worthless since I don't remember anything from it. It also takes longer 'cause my mind keeps wandering off the page and I end up back-tracking to figure out what's going on.

So, yeah, reading while I'm sick doesn't work out. Moving on.

I'm not sick anymore. Thank heavens. Last week really did a number on me, as demonstrated on Friday when I completely slept through my voice lesson--at 6 pm. That was embarrassing. My email to my teacher that night was just pathetic. Sunday I was well enough to fill in for a friend of mine who leads music for the Primary. Oh, my, she is the luckiest woman on earth! No, leading in Primary is not that great. It can be fun, but the big kids are constantly seeking attention (or avoiding it) and getting the Sunbeams to pass the teddy bear in a game of musical hot potato is like trying to get them to hold still while you saw their legs off.

But then you get to go to nursery. Oh, my! What an AWESOME gig! Man, that is where I'm supposed to be! And the best part is, two of the girls were home sick that day! (Not that them being sick is good, it was just nice to have such a small class.) It was Madie and three boys. They sit on these little carpet squares the teachers pull out for them and just stare up at me like high schoolers who think they'll get As if they stay awake! The three littlest ones--Madie, Ezra, and Weston--all lit up when I pulled out little suns on popsicle sticks for them to hold while we sang Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam. Weston kept running up to me every time I'd pull something out of the bag and clap his hands together until I gave it to him. Hahahaha! I was cracking up! Even Ezra, who has had three hard weeks of nursery so far, calmed right down and smiled when singing time began. Oh my goodness, it made my week, that's for sure.

Speaking of little kids being cute:

Her foot looks huge in this picture. Well, actually, her feet are pretty big. For an 18-month old anyway. I'm planning on sending her to clown school.

And here's a little sumpin'-sumpin' I've been working on for a few days now. Part of me feels like it needs to be longer, but then every time I go to write more nothing sounds right. It all sounds like I'm trying to hard to lengthen it, so I guess this is it. I dedicate it to Tani, since she's always asking to read my stuff. Thanks, Tani! You're too sweet--I'm sure everyone else thinks that too. ;) (P.S. I hate, haaaaaaaate titling things. I'm so bad at it! If you have any suggestions let me know.)

Days pass slowly.

Weeks fly.

Time itself knows not what it does,

But tumbles down as so many beads

Off a broken necklace

Bouncing and scattering,

Then slowly spinning to their stops.

A Long Walk Back

I am so excited. Have you heard me talk about The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz? Well, if you've mentioned the words "book" and "good" around me any time in the past three years, then yes, you have. It was recommended to me by my roommate, Angela, and I have recommended it to just about everyone I know who can read. It is sooo good. Anyway, Mike found a preview for a movie called "The Way Back" online (no TV, so we didn't know about it even though it came out on the 21st, so many of you may have heard of it already). As I was watching it I realized it is The Long Walk. It looks so good! I don't think it will be a disappointment at all! (Not to mention is has Ed Harris and Colin Ferrel. Oh yes, ladies. Ferrel.)

Enjoy.

Let Me Be Clear

Have you seen True Grit? I have. Both, actually, though I do admit it’s been some years since I’ve seen the original starring John Wayne. Rooster Cogburn was the only roll he ever played for which he won an Oscar. That makes this kind of a touchy subject, I think, for many people. That’s why we keep hearing things like, “The two aren’t comparable.” It’s because we would feel guilty for even thinking of leaving Johnny high and dry.

Hey, I’m in the same boat, folks! You see, despite my relative youth, I grew up on westerns—courtesy of my dad and TBS’s obsession with Clint Eastwood and “The Duke” marathons. Typical westerns portray the good guy being good and the bad guys being bad. (Big Country probably did this the best without making the character too flat; then again, Gregory Peck was the lead, and he can do no wrong.) Some though, like True Grit, show the good guy not always being good, and in fact, he might very well be a bad guy who just happens to believe what he’s doing is for the best. It’s a very complex character and plot, and John Wayne pulled it of admirably and deserved every ounce of his Oscar.

But if I’m completely honest with myself—and ignore the taboo of liking a remake more than an original—I have to say I love the new one. And the more I think about it, the more I love it. The acting is incredible. Jeff Bridges—who takes on the unenviable job of showing up die-hard Wayne fans—is every bit an unsavory but somehow lovable character his predecessor was. But with Hailee Steinfeld (who plays Mattie Ross like she was born for the roll) and Matt Damon (LaBoeuf) at his side, the acting so obviously beats the original that to think of Kim Darby as Mattie almost makes you embarrassed for her.

On top of the acting, the look and feel of the remake is classic Cohen brothers, which is a very good thing. Yet, it’s one of those things that some people feel detracts from the movie: I’ve heard it said that the biggest action scene in the movie (a head-on charge between Cogburn and Lucky Ned’s band of outlaws) is underdone in the remake and therefore more exciting in the original. I say backing off the action and shooting much of that scene from the view of LaBoeuf and Mattie up on a cliff was an excellent idea. It downplays Cogburn’s as a stereotypical hero on a white horse—which he’s not, so that’s good. This also allows his truest heroism to be the many miles he carries a delirious, snake-bitten Mattie to help.

I am often skeptical of remakes—I’m a not-broke, don’t-fix kinda girl all in all—but had I known such a remake of True Grit could be made I would have been calling for it long ago.

The Secret of Kells

I want to see this movie. It's up for best animated film, and I hadn't even heard about it until this week! It uses a method of art called illumination. For those of you who don't read Old English texts, illumination is when the text is accompanied by decoration (kind of like this blog border). In its strictest sense, it is inlaid with gold and silver. I'm sure everyone has seen it in one place or another.

My understanding is that The Secret of Kells is based on an old manuscript that was transliterated and illuminated by Irish monks. The film follows a young boy named Brendon who lives in the monastery and an older monk named Kells who is known for his illuminations. But enough of my blabber, here's the trailer!

Martian Child? Seriously?

So Mike and I rented a movie last week called "Martian Child" with John Cusack, Joan Cusack, and Amanda Pete. I remember when it came out, and although I love John and Joan Cusack, and Amanda Pete's not bad, I was kind of like, "Martian Child? Are you kidding me?" But a friend of mine (studying sociology, go figure) assured me it was very good and that she would recommend it to everyone. I said I was sure she was right, but I never did actually go out and watch it.

Last weekend, too tired to plan anything with friends, Mike and I hit up the video store. I saw it and told him what Aileen (the friend) said about it. He was like, "Seriously?" I said I'd only watch it if he was interested, and that I could honestly take it or leave it, but I had heard it was really good. After another couple of minutes, we finally concluded there was nothing else really worth renting anyway, so we got it.

She was so right. It is so good! The whole time it has you thinking that the story could really go two ways, right up until the end, and when it decides it's just like, "Ooooh! I see! I like that!" I really liked it, the whole way through. It's been out for a while, so I know some of you have probably seen it, but it didn't have a huge opening - it was only in theaters here for a week or so. So yeah, I just figured I'd suggest it to you all in case you haven't seen it.

It's rated PG for "thematic elements and mild language." (No language sticks out to me specifically, unless you count "stupid." They do say "stupid" a couple of times. Other than that, I really can't think of anything.)