Day: February 13, 2016

Three sentence movie review: The Heartbreak Kid

heartbreak_kid

I can’t decide if it was because American comedy mores have changed so dramatically since 1972 that I only found this puzzling and frustrating, rather than funny.*  Perhaps it was the subject matter that tanked it for me.**  Overall, I just didn’t understand what the ultimate message I was supposed to take away from this film.***

Cost:  free on YouTube
Where watched: at home, while painting toenails purple.

*But then, again, I found the director’s previous film, A New Leaf, quite amusing.
**Just as in Mikey and Nicky, Elaine May excels at putting women in wrenching scenes. I will always remember the scene in the restaurant with the excellent pecan pie as being incredibly awful to watch.  Poor Jeannie Berlin!  Though I do agree with the sentiments expressed on the poster.
***Thus, I look forward to the Filmspotting discussion.  I’m also curious about the 2007 remake. It looks like an awful movie, but the status of women has changed a bit since 1971, so I’m curious as to the update.  The remake is written by a woman, so perhaps I will watch it, if only to keep the #womenfilmsbywomen going.

poster from:  http://www.impawards.com/1972/heartbreak_kid.html
(I really like the poster.  And you can see the fold marks!)

Requiem: Two Bags

This is a red Timbuk2 bag I bought three or four years ago to be my main work bag.  It was great! That double zipper in the front was to hold a yoga mat (Or a 2×4! quipped Tim when I showed it to him.  I never ever used it to hold a yoga mat or any lumber, but remembering his comment made me smile on multiple occasions.)  It was roomy inside, had good pockets for my various things, I liked the color and plus…IMG_5034

It could convert into a backpack if the occasion called.  This came in handy when I wanted to take a long walk.  Despite washing, it’s pretty stained, and my new go-to-work routine calls for a real backpack, so this bag will be moving along.IMG_5035

I bought this bag in preparation for my Washington DC trip in 2009. It was exactly what I needed: a smaller bag that held a ton of things.  And that’s what it has been.  It’s pretty, and its faux leather and maybe partially suede exterior doesn’t show stains. It easily holds my cell phone, camera, a book (sometimes two) a water bottle, plus a small notepad and pens and pencils.IMG_5036

Those things on the side were manufactured to hold water bottles, but water bottles didn’t really fit.  So I put a foldable bag in one and sunglasses in another.  It was all very handy.IMG_5037However, it’s pretty worn out.  It will move onto it’s second life.  Originally I thought the second life would be to go to the Goodwill, but I realized at work today I need a bag to put bank deposits in.  So I will bring it to work.

Postcards from Germany and Brazil and Slovenia and Belarus

Four postcrossing postcards arrived today.

This is from Manuela, who “is 29 [or possibly 25] years young girl.”  Among other things, she likes working on her puzzle with 18,000 pieces.IMG_5030

This is from Gisele in Brazil, who tells me this is a picture of a plant called capim dourado and is used to make a variety of things like bags, flowerpots and earrings.  Just the kind of information I love to learn.IMG_5031

Meuara writes from Slovenia that she should be studying for geography (she’s 14) but she decided to write me a postcard instead.  One of her favorite books is Wonder by RJ Palacio. I’ve read that book, so I was able to write back about that.IMG_5032

Marysia writes from Belarus.  She reports that she is a beautiful and kind whitecoat seal.  Apparently seals like sending postcards just as much as humans do.IMG_5033

I believe four postcards in one day is a record.  I love Postcrossing and I love getting postcards and I continue to marvel that they arrive in multiples on the same day, despite being sent from all over the globe. Given my druthers, I would rather have four separate days of my mailbox being happy, but this seems to be a case of like things clumping together.