Preparations
It's a rainy night -- and earlier -- fantastic, crooked bolts of lightning lit up the pea soup-thick gray sky.
I am feeling a bit of a hoax. Since Patrick went "with the guys" to do "manly" things like see a Brewers game in Milwaukee, I stayed in to both clean and prepare for my sister's trip to town tomorrow, and also to watch
Stone Reader, a recent documentary that I missed during the film festival. I am a complete sucker for personal documentaries in the vein of Ross McElwee's not-to-be missed
Sherman's March. SR is a film about a professional filmmaker (he basically edits TV commercials and works a lot with political candidates producing ad spots). This guy, Mark, is a committed life-long reader in his 40s. Most of the film actually deals with probing why we like to read, the joys it brings, and even (if unintended) building the perfect summer reading list (it just so happens that a few of HIS favorites are my favorites - including Heller's Catch-22 and Fitzgerald's Tender is the Night). Anyway, the main focus of the film is tracking down the mystery of Dow Mossman's one-hit wonder, a 1972 publication called
The Stones of Summer. He seems like a writer's read, just rich and full and raw talent and reeling with stories. Anyway, Mark picked up the book because of a glowing NY Times Book Review, and despite islands of praise, the book fell out of print and was not widely read. Mark sets out on a quest to find out what happened to Dow, his book, if he wrote more, why the book failed, and in the process, even to rediscover the joys of the book and all books for that matter. I really think that all thinking people should see this film if they have been bitten by the literary bug. It's a long one - near 3hrs - but like Dow's book, this film has many stories to tell. There are also lots of pretty scenes of the Pennsylvania foliage.
Anyway, I found the film touching, but it does make me feel a little guilty. Maybe it'll motivate me to engage in an behavior I've regrettably neglected - the art of reading a fantastic novel. I also felt guilty for once thinking of myself as a writer and realizing now how little discipline I had for it. I haven't completely abandoned the pen or the page... but I have a lot more living and growing to do before I even figure myself out. Sadly, out of the other corner of my mouth, I am ready to admit that this isn't my priority and I could be a lot more self-improvement minded and it might just start with reading a great book. Suggestions?
My sister is coming to visit tomorrow, and in her honor, I gave my apartment an overdue scrubbing, Tonight, my apartment was both messy and dirty, so I had my work cut out, but it looks loads better for being a shitty apartment. I should start counting down to my move... two months from today is my birthday, and moving day is one day before that. Do the math, but soon I'll have space, hardwood floors, a cook's kitchen, and my very own (mine to share) living room and dining room.
It's actually very, very strange that she hasn't been here. I've been thinking about what she imagine this place / my life to be like here, and it's just so very strange to introduce her to it all at once. I haven't even seen her since Xmas. It's also a big combo of changes to process - school, town, apartment, life, friends and Patrick. I am very thrilled to host her because we always have a blast together, but it'll be interesting to hear her take on things here.
It's getting hot and muggy again. Time to put the AC to work.
In a complete, "never thought I'd hear you say that" kind of way, I am overjoyed that the Pistons trumped the Lakers to win the NBA finals last night. They are an incredibly talented team and watching the games was actually something I looked forward to, and didn't dread at all. I love that Rasheed Wallace. He basically looks like a homeless guy, very unkempt, always scowling and swearing, but as Tom points out, "he's like that homeless guy who's very articulate and knows a lot of stuff." But I really dig the Pistons line up and the Lakers were so weak on my accounts that even though I'm a sucker for Phil Jackson, it wasn't enough to get me in their stands.. but De-troit, who knew? But it was a great series to watch and boy oh boy, did those Pistons shine.
posted by lmjasinski at 11:13 PM
