Earthquake

I'm quietly sitting through a minor earthquake to blog, and it feels apropos.

My summer in Japan has been surreal. I don't know what I was expecting, but I didn't expect it to go this fast, or so far from what I started with.

What my present life consists of: My baby chicks who I teach English to. Being one of the guys, again. Not cooking EVER, and eating delicious food. Procrastination. Procrastination. Procrastination. Repressed panic.

And.

What is no longer in my imminent future: Grad school. Married life. Life in the United States.

I think I'm still too numb to process all of this completely, but I'm pretty sure I'm feeling okay about all of this.

But my new Japan BFFs are great. I love institute. I love my family ward. I love the Japanese language and Japanese people and city life.

But lately I find myself just sitting and staring off into space for a while. Not sure what I'm waiting for.

As usual, I will crawl into movies to hide and/or to find.

My Valentine...

...made dinner [shrimp and lemon-butter sauce and rice]

and dessert [chocolate mousse parfait]

and there were candles and music and words and some l-word-mushiness that I will not admit to in public.

...and I watched a documentary about Pollock and The Man aspect of the modern art world [Who the #$&% Is Jackson Pollock?] and some mogul skiing and figure skating.

...made me happy.

The Vastness of Cyberspace

It's brain-numbing to think about HOW MUCH there is out there on the internet!

Here are some fun things I've looked at recently.

Enjoy!

Valuable--ahem, "Valuable"-- tips on surviving the world.

I'd buy these. Future Gaga collector's items.

Mythbusters-- BYU style!

Don't have much in your fridge? As clueless in the kitchen as I am? You've got more resources than you think! Check off what you do have, then read through possible recipes: cook by numbers!

I'm already disappointed that James Franco isn't nerdy enough to be Allen Ginsberg. These clips from Howl are preparing me to be disappointed... anybody else worried too?

PLUS:

Apolo Ohno definitely makes speed skating more interesting to watch.

So does Stephen Colbert.

PS! I can't wait for summer. Only... too many months away.

How cute is this!

YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS.

BABIES.
: A movie.
: A documentary.
: Four different countries.

from Focus Features.

which brought us such art house goodies as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Lost in Translation

(and Coraline, Burn After Reading, Be Kind Rewind, Atonement, Dan in Real Life, etc etc etc).

On Tuesday night, I went up to Salt Lake for a free promo screening of Adam. I'd been looking forward to this for weeks and I was not disappointed.

I went up with the boy and last minute his sister decided to come too, but Fox Searchlight apparently has an incompetent tech department so she never got her RSVP email. I'm sure we can finagle [flirt] you into the movie, I told her, so don't worry about it.

We go up to the theater box office for our tickets:

[Window girl, seeing me and Jenna-- the boy was parking]: Hi, do you need 2 tickets?
[Me]: Actually, we need 3, but we only have a confirmation ticket for 2 because--
[Window girl, nodding slyly]: That's fine. [Hands me 8 tickets.]

Well. Guess we didn't have to worry about that one.



So the movie was adorable. Not only did it start off talking about The Little Prince, AND have 2! Joshua Radin songs in the soundtrack AND take place in New York City, it was fabulously well acted and deliciously endearing. Go see it when it's in general release! Unless you live in NY or LA, in which case you can go see it NOW and I'll be jealous.

After the movie, of course we went to The Pie. I think this was the third or fourth time that the boy and I have gotten Pie pizza in the past month or so. Not that I'm complaining. I'd just like to note that 3 weeks ago when I first suggested we go up to Salt Lake to see the movie, the boy had said,
Okay, we can leave as soon as I get home from work, eat dinner somewhere, then see the movie.
At the Pie? I asked knowingly.
No, he scoffed. There are tons of places to eat in Salt Lake City, we'll find somewhere new. Some type of food neither of us have had in a while. It's good to get a little diversity.
Yeah! Like Thai? Or Mongolian! Have you ever had Mongolian barbecue...

And on.

But it ended up that on the long-awaited day he got off work late so we didn't have time for dinner before the movie. But afterwards, we were hungry so he goes, with a twinkle in his eye,
I am in Salt Lake City. You know where we're going?
The Pie?
You know it!

Had he forgotten the conversation we had had several weeks prior? Yes.
Isn't it "good to get a little diversity"? I thought so.
Do I know Brian better than he knows himself sometimes? Apparently so.
The whole situation makes me smile. Because my green pepper and red onion side of our pizza was delicious, as always.

My new favorite starry-eyed romance.

Look, guys! I'm movin on up!

I finished The Road by Cormac McCarthy yesterday (a 4.5x cry book), and I felt incredibly accomplished. 287 pages in 2½ days, kids! Now I have another book that I can hold up and say, I've done this one. Not that it's an I've-done-that-one kind of book (that would be more like James' Portrait of a Lady that I've been "reading" since May)-- it was a beautifully sculpted novel, and you should read it BEFORE the movie comes out in October. I'm serious. Please?

It's about a heartbreakingly sweet father-son relationship as they trudge through a post-apocalyptic wasteland and avoid cannibalistic marauders. I usually have a hard time with cheap Hollywood versions of books I like (think: Harry Potter and the Prisoners to Flashy Undeveloped Plots and Dull Actors*). HOWEVER, I think I'll forgive the expected expansion of the woman's role (we need some sex appeal. I understand. And I respect Charlize Theron) and probably some (minor?) plot fabrications, and actually allow myself to enjoy the movie. For Viggo Mortensen's sake.




His undeniable sexiness aside, I think he's actually perfect for the role-- his quiet strength, his ability to portray absolute devotion to those he loves, and his ferocity in actively protecting goodness and innocence. (There is no one more man than Aragorn. Which may be the only role I'm basing all of these characterizations on.) Plus, Robert Duvall and Guy Pearce are in it! And No Country for Old Men was fantastic, so there's hope!


BUT THE BOOK FIRST! Seriously. Don't even watch the trailer until you've read the book. I'm serious. Read it!





*This is the one irrational grudge I hold on to for dear life.


So I'm growing up regarding movies based on books.
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"Why would you start a blog...?"

"Because I have things to say. Interesting things. And I think I'm awesome."

"I love how conceited you are... And by love I mean hate."

"I was being sarcastic to achieve a satirical end you boob bomb. Spare me."

"Just about a month ago blogs joined the plentiful list of things I abhor."

"Look who's conceited now."

"Look who's an asshole."

[I thought it was amusing dialogue, though the other speaker may not find it quite so harmlessly tickling if/when the speaker sees I posted this.]


So I'm growing up regarding [not] hating on things [i.e. blogging] that I used to love hating on. Unlike other people.
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In other news, I still do like Lady Gaga (even though she is an alleged hermaphrodite. See: http://gawker.com/5332485/hermaphrodite-lady-gaga-has-your-publicity-stunt-right-here).
So I guess I'm not growing up regarding questionably credible pop stars. I still think of her as an artist.
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QUESTION: How do I make hyperlinks with words in my post? Help please. Danke.

And thanks to Jenna for the tip on the movie!