Of a Time and a Space

These last two weeks have been so delightful. It has been a swamp of humidity and sunlight; I could not be happier with the weather. I woke up this morning and felt at peace. I watched the sun rise and put on my favorite outfit and a fresh pair of shoes. And I am rather proud of myself; not only did I deliver some rather fine work, but I showed my office mates how to get hot water much faster at the cooler. I laugh to think that the latter might be my most lasting legacy. But there are worse things that small improvements.

My dear friend just delivered unto me some chips from Albania. They are apparently chicken-flavored and shaped like drumsticks, or "chicken drums." Totally quaint and possibly better eye food than food food. I think I will take them with me on my flight over, which is a pretty long one. In three days, I'm going to London for a brief adventure. Of course, I will be photographing doors, taking photos of things besides doors, and commenting mercilessly on the locals. More to come soon. :)

Unsung Poet - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

First, God Bless Tennessee.

Second, I've been brushing up on my French. There's also a lovely French-Canadian song which reintroduced me to some fundamental nouns that I hope to employ soon, like "shore," and some which I have no intention of using, such as "British soldier." It's based on a long-form poem by Longfellow about a French-Canadian heroine that he made up, after researching the plight of deported Acadians at the behest of his friend Nate Horne (of Scarlet Letter fame). (see, wikipedia; see generally, literary bromance). The style and tone is very different from his best-known piece, involving a dude named Paul Revere, but once again those British are making trouble.

Although he's never really moved me before, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow certainly knew how to make up a good yarn. Reading the actual poem is a very tranquil experience. As a kid I rejected rigid meter, but now I've mellowed to the point where it's kind of comforting. -.-

Old Movies

I just finished watching a delightfully maudlin Esther Williams film called, "The Thrill of Romance," on TCM. (Excellent background for cramming Con Law.) Dude, the lady was a FOX. And ... an Olympian?? The Million-Dollar Mermaid nabs her man by teaching him how to swim at a resort pool (cute :D - must make a note of this). Somehow they fall in love over swim lessons. While the romantic setup is rather thin, this has never stopped rom-coms from progressing to the eventual happy ending. Credulity be damned.

What I really like about old-timey movies (and this one in particular) is how the performing arts are such a big deal in the absence of special effects. There's lots of swing dancing and rather stagey high diving (I think diving counts as a performing art). A teeny piano prodigy, a big brass band, and a loveably romantic tenor, who sings some of great solos from his balcony, effectively steal the show. This movie shows that playing Edvard Grieg, singing Puccini, and diving backward into a pool are pretty cool. I could not agree more.

My fave character, the old tenor, defends his free-loving youth. He says that he was in love as often as possible when he was young. He says he's glad he was in love so frequently, because being in love was excellent for his voice back then, and in his golden years it gives him something to think about. And he turns out to be a total sweetheart. He's kind of my hero.

This and That

Lately, I've been contemplating the words of the late David Foster Wallace. I've been trying to live a more aware, present life. As I result, the last week has been pretty awesome. This post is decidedly not gender neutral: the royal wedding, clothes, jazz, flirting, and chocolate will all feature here.

On the day of the royal nuptials, I was looking for some comfortable travel clothes. Appropriate travel clothes could buy me perhaps a few seconds before being pick-pocketed. (Nearly all of my pre-departure information has revolved around how to avoid being robbed and/or assaulted overseas).

I had some quality time in Filene's basement, of all places. I found myself surrounded by wedding dresses and women stripping (as demurely as possible) in public. Two or three brides-to-be scoured the aisles. They had helpers running back to get alternatives, but they were otherwise pretty orderly. There was no fighting, screaming, or panic, which is supposed to accompany the annual Running of the Brides. I popped into an aisle of white taffeta (why not?) and looked at some of the dresses, which ran between $300 - $500 each. It was a nice, quiet moment.

I found a pair of black harem slacks that looked cute and European-ish. I also found a fierce, cropped leather jacket to go with said slacks. I did enjoy the Lady Gaga-like outfit in the fitting room immensely. But as I've outgrown costumes, at least the non-obligatory ones (see, the courtroom suit), I kept the comfy pants and left the jacket.

In line, there was one woman who was holding a pair of kid's shoes and a kid's dress. I felt bad that she had to wait in line behind other people buying a lot more clothes (there's never an express lane at these stores).

Now that my friends/cousins are having wee ones of their own, I appreciate the work that goes into parenting so much more. It's hard for me to imagine a life where I am not the center of my own little universe, where other people depend on me to support them... for life. I watch my mom take care of my grandma and wonder when I'll be taking care of my mom, or (eek) when I'll be taking care of little people of my own. Perhaps happiness is not the ability to buy the latest designer clothes, but the ability to buy a Dora the Explorer dress in addition to the groceries.

I don't have to worry about that stuff yet, but I am increasingly aware of it. For now, I can revel in the little things that make life sweeter, such as:

Amel Larrieux -> LOVE this song.

Chocolove -> Chocolate that is meant to evoke foreign correspondence and includes a love poem inside. It's made the the U.S., comes in organic flavors, and I just like it for many other irrational reasons. The ginger/dark chocolate bar has won my heart and tummy.

Le Pain Quotidien -> When I asked myself whether it was worth it to put myself together today given that I'm in the library all day, the answer came in the form of a free salad, accidentally omitted from my dinner check by a not-bad-looking waiter. My dining buddy was not so fortunate (but then again, he was not wearing cute shoes).

Postage-Paid Cards -> Still a fan of snail mail. Sending a Mother's day card just got that much easier.

Hope your week is turning up roses.