Favorite things

[minxy]

One of the reasons I follow some rare-posting blogs is for gems like this kind of thing: random collections of neat links that make it worth keeping that blog on the list. Since I am now a rare poster, I present:

NPR's series on the 50th anniversary of West Side Story. There's a US-wide rerelease of WSS on the big screen this Wednesday, if you have always wanted to see the movie on a bigger screen.

H/T to cofax Vintage 1900 Halloween postcards

The movie of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (author: Lisa See, I think) which I saw the other night, and these icons of Li Bingbing (one of the leads), by yifu via chromicons, which is a great creative community.

Cinemagraphs

Hungry Ghost Food and Travel. Gorgeous photographs, unusual ingredients.

Halloween sort of kicks off the season (which extends officially until January, but never really ends) of my Mother sending me decorating knick-knacks in an attempt to get me to recognize the change of season inside my house. I don't object to other people doing it, and am generally very happy to see garlands of fir and pine, red berry twig and flower arrangements, etc, when I'm with my family for the holidays. For my house, thought, it feels like one more fussy thing I have to do or find room for or *clean*. And did I mention that there is no storage in my house for boxes and boxes of decorations? THERE ISN'T, mostly because I don't want to make space. Anyway, with that caveat carefully in place, I am really drawn to these bright green, polka dot, paper garlands. Am I right? Aren't they happy looking?

I would love, love, love to participate in this: Culture Kitchen Please someone go on my behalf? One aspect of traveling for me was always engaging with people in a non-business manner, and beyond that, connecting with women, who were frequently not the first people to work with tourists. Food is one of those universal conversation starters that work even without common language, but bring you to common ground, especially with other women. I wish I could go.

I think I'm done for the moment-- the cat wishes to cuddle.

ETA:Back with a few more links.

young people, texting, language and history of that intersection is a neat read, thought the comments add a lot of additional nuance.

This trailer Still Bill Trailer has me contemplating a relatively expensive purchase just so I can download the full documentary right now. Bill Withers!

While we're on that, I want to see this too: How to Make a Book with Steidl It looks like it will be fun like Helvetica was.

And I am currently downloading this to fill the Project Runway escapism need that I have sometimes. It's cheaper than Bill, but I am seriously, seriously drawn to Bill. I love his music, even the stuff that wasn't super big.

ETA2: The Bill Withers doc was fabulous. It doesn't surprise me at all that a man who can write simple and profoundly emotional music can live a simple and profoundly emotional life too. Also, does his wife not rock like a rockin' thing?

Comments

[rydra_wong]

I think I'm done for the moment-- the cat wishes to cuddle.

I support your decision. He can't wait around all day, you know. He is a busy cat.

(I don't know exactly what cats do, but it's clearly a demanding schedule.)

[minxy]

I'm pretty sure he does cat stuff, and I wouldn't understand.

Cat always has to adjust to not having E here (who is around about half time, and home most of the day when he's here) and available for entertainment on demand. I have to adjust too, interestingly for this trip, E left on a Thursday, so Cat had two days to catch up on his beauty sleep before I was home for a weekend.

This has worked pretty well, as he was just starting to get bored with how little I was home.

I woke up to him under the covers on E's side of the bed, though, with his head on the pillow. That was odd, but I suspect not the last time it will happen, since the cat was purring contentedly at the time.

[rydra_wong]

I woke up to him under the covers on E's side of the bed, though, with his head on the pillow.

There are some things you don't get to negotiate on. You just have to accept that by the time you wake up, you have already lost.

I hope the bed is big enough for three.

[minxy]

He's usually on my feet in the morning. Generally, if E is here, Otis-the-Cat begins the night on his side of the bed and as close as possible, as E moonlights as a human space heater (and this is Good, as far as cats are concerned.) But we wake up with him on my feet, I think because I sleep heavily and don't move much, where E is a light and kinetic sleeper.

But Cat clearly sensed a void, and it was under the covers with head on pillow. He is a very thoughtful cat.

There is clearly no negotiation on things of this kind. But I generally can tell when he's been sleeping on my pillow, and so I do laundry. and sneeze. and am generally grateful that he doesn't decide it would be awesome to sleep on my face or something.

(I will say that waking up to a furry face STARING at you is pretty hilarious, though, in a creepy kind of way.)

[abyssinia]

Minxy!

*drive by squishes*

Also, man, I wish I had time to see West Side Story on Wednesday. That was one of my favorite movies as a kid.

(I'm planning to be in Seattle for New Years, and some days around in which I want to explore the region - I have no idea how far is too far for a possible visit)

Take care and I hope the semester is trying to be a little kind to you!

[minxy]

Hi!

So my town is 4-5 hours from Seattle in the summer, I think the mountain passes will likely slow that down considerably in the winter. I won't actually be in the PNW then, though, as I am practicing being a snow bird and going to the boy's family in SB for a week or two.

The semester is intense, but not unkind. I hear it gets better after the first year, so I'm reserving judgment for a little while. Here's hoping for continued positive feedback, though, it does make it easier to give it everything you've got, right?

[sid]

Hi Minxy!

Thanks to you, I might be going to see West Side Story with a friend Wednesday! *bounces* Fortunately the only place in the state that's showing it is only thirty minutes away. :-)

[minxy]

I'll be there too! I have a really soft spot in my heart for musical theater. And it's an excuse to get to know new friends on my end.

I listened to the NPR broadcast and have been singing ALL DAY. Cat is fortunately amused by this (I suspect he believes I'm singing about how handsome he is.)

West Side Story

[sid]

Just got home a little while ago -- it was FABULOUS! So many little details I never noticed on the small screen, and so much more impact in some of the bigger scenes. Thank you for letting me hear about this! Our theatre was jam-packed and we wound up in the third row, but it wasn't bad. Thank goodness the seats had high backs so we didn't get neck strain! :-)

(Also, we decided that George Chakiris has a portrait up in his attic....)