NaBloPoMo Finish Line

It hasn't been easy, but for the second year in a row, I've managed 30 posts in 30 days.

The fitting way to close out the special month would be to post a Lyle video, but the one I want to post isn't available for embedding, so please follow this link to YouTube to see:

South Texas Girl

I first heard the song in concert about a year and a half ago, and despite repeated listenings, it still can make me a little teary. The video is even more so — old home movies of the Lovett family, interspersed with close ups of the musicians in the studio and some current family video.

And the video also answers a question I had about the song. I wasn't sure if the "South Texas Girl" was his mother or his fiancee, or perhaps both. I think the video suggests the answer is both.

Spicy shopping

OK, I know it's lame, but I find these Spice Girls commercials for Tesco very funny.




[And really, I don't think Posh eats at all — not even lobster.]

Go Fug Yourself

It's been a while since I last checked in with one of my favorite blogs — Go Fug Yourself.

I love their writing style . . . funny when critiquing a public figure's questionable fashion choices, but also able to salute those who make good ones. [I still remember their post praising the style choices of Kate Winslet.]

So I happened to check in today, and Trinny Woodall — one of the co-hosts of the original British version of "What Not to Wear" — was one of the featured targets.

But since she chose to wear this outfit, she deserves their critique:



















You can read their review of this fashion choice in their post What Fug To Wear.

Enjoy!

After the Wedding, Part 2

If you did not immediately take yesterday's advice to go and see After the Wedding, then I'll make one more attempt.

Actually, part of the reason I started this blog was to serve as my own little repository for information I didn't want to forget, and the Head Butler's brief comments about After the Wedding are one of those things.

This is a special treat. I had to email the Head Butler himself to get the information, and then I had to dig through a virtual stack of old emails to find it again, but now that it is posted here, I'll know where to go to find it, and I can just send the link to this post when I want to recommend the movie to someone. How thoughtful am I??

So this is what the Head Butler wrote that drove me to the movie theatre that night:

After I saw The Lives of Others , I was convinced it deserved its Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. But over the weekend I saw the Danish nominee, After the Wedding , and I'm no longer so sure. I mean, two days later, I have only to think about this movie and the images come flooding back and I start shaking, so complete is my identification with the remarkable people Susanne Bier has created.

“We talk about 'reality' in American movies,” my wife said, breaking the silence afterward. “But you see a film like this, and you get that American movie 'reality' is fake reality, our 'emotion' is fake emotion.” Exactly right, my darling.

After the Wedding is just opening in this country, surely only in cities with “art” cinemas. Yes, you could wait until July for the DVD, but no at-home viewing can compare with what you'll experience during the last half-hour of this film in a crowded theater: total attention, rapt silence, muffled weeping. So don't read a word about it. Just go. Tonight, if you can --- even if it means a drive of a hundred miles. Not completely blown away? Write me and I'll pay for your ticket. [A safe offer: This film is that great.]

[Just a word of warning, I'm sure the money back offer has expired, but don't worry, I'm sure he didn't have to pay a dime to anyone.]

My Head Butler

I'm not sure where I read about Head Butler, but I'm so glad I did. Basically, his goal is to wade through all the new music, books, films, and products that are out there and recommend the best of what he finds. Just what you'd like your butler to do for you.

I revisited the site earlier this year, and happened read his short comments on the movie After the Wedding (the full review appeared later.) He urged readers to go that night to see it, even if they had to drive 100 miles.

We didn't have to go that far, but we did go that night, and he was right.

And I knew that I probably would have missed the film completely even I hadn't stumbled upon Head Butler's site that day. So, I signed up for his daily recommendations, and I haven't been disappointed.

In his message today — and your heart must be as small as the Grinch's if you don't find the story at least a bit moving — he recommends a number of charities for year-end giving.

I highly recommend his recommendations, and I hope you'll give them a try.

And don't forget — see this movie:

A little something for Christmas

Whenever I have the chance, I like to browse Maggie Mason's blog of great finds — Mighty Goods.

Today I was hoping to find a unique idea for a teacher's gift, but this is what caught my eye under her suggestions for women:







An Airstream trailer.

We've actually talked about buying one of these as sort of a guest room with wheels, but I hadn't even thought about putting it on my wish list.

Consider it done!

[And if you're actually planning on buying something for me, you are probably one of the people who will be staying in it, so consider that when making your purchase!]

Chain Factor

I found the link to this game — Chain Factor — on another blog yesterday, and I've become hooked. I'm not even sure exactly how it all works, but I like that it's a puzzle without the extra anxiety of pieces flying down at faster and faster rates of speed (a la Tetris.)

Play at your own risk. You have been warned.