I got up today, and started doing laundry. This would be a good thing, except for the part where grandparnets call while practically all your clothes are whirling around in a soapy heap and invite you to lunch. Still, food is food, and the food was good. As was the conversation, although I'm amused by their surprise that this restaurant, which is empty at 5 pm for dinner is hopping at 12:30 for lunch. Then i finished laundry, left messages, and saw Paradise Now (***) with Erin. Paradise Now is an intense, harrowing look at Palestinian suicide bombers. While not getting bogged down in emotive subplots, it raises several issues pertinent to the debate and the possible justifications for violence and against. And yet, this same thing is frustrating. Not so much that it doesn't take sides, but that the issues at hand strike me as unclearly managed. A film like this cannot be called dishonest by any means; it's one of the most straightforward and unflinching approaches to a tough subject. But because of this, I wished it had gone deeper than it did. The characters are compelling, but their lives are captured in poorly edited together vignettes that have more value in the parts than the whole. Aside from the two main characters, others just seem to exist in the peripheries, popping up effectively when they do, but their absence is rather distracting for much of the film. The drama of the decision is appropriately gripping and tense, making for a powerful experience, but the effect is marred by all these items which aren't there, but could and should have been. Anyway, after that, it was home, where I made a nice, simple dinner and watched the end of In Good Company with Dad and Cindy and got caught up on stuff.
12/20/05- *1/2
There were planes today. And a lot of sitting and waiting exhausted. And a Sunday crossword done in about 80 minutes. that left a lot of time for sitting and waiting. Home felt good to arrive, as did going to see Chris and Jan and Dale (and Nick by phone) before they left for El Paso. Chris I hadn't seen in like 2.5 years. It wasn't a big reuniony thing, just nice to see him and everyone else. And nice to go to sleep.
12/19/05- ***
Last night in Ann Arbor was spent turning in things (chatting briefly with anson as we walked over to turn in the film music final) getting a haircut, cooking shift, dinner, packing, and watching part of the Big Lebowski until Rebecca and Stephen popped over for a visit. That was nice, althougth I hate conflicts of interest. And I kind of wanted to see the movie. But, company was company, and I enjoyed it, and later wandered a bit and enjoyed other company as well, including David, who is leaving next semester to return to Germany. Oh, and much more packing.
12/18/05- **1/2
Done! I finished all my typing of papers and all that this afternoon, which was productive and actually surprisingly fast, all things considered. So, I went home for yummy Pho (if it was bad food, I'd call it Faux, but it was very tasty) and then spent an evening cleaning my room. The process was made bearable (despite being rather antisocial) by watching in succession Mr. Deeds Goes to Town and The Apartment. How can one not be happy in such circumstances?
12/17/05- **
Typity typity. Closer and closer to getting done. Dinner tonight was like the best food ever. Indian food, including cauliflower which i actually liked. Not just tolerated, got seconds of. Rock. On. Better rewards for productivity than yummy food like this are hard to come by really. But then after the food came more work. This cycle could gladly continue, if the food were reliably so excellent. Also, I'm the new Soc-Ed cochair for the co-op. I have big plans. BIG plans.
12/16/05- ***
So, more working on stuff. Actually the hard-hitting work began in earnest today. And then to take a break from it, after dinner I made a date to play Scrabble with Claire and Sarah. Woo! Bored after dinner, I went to John's room, watched a disturbing cartoon short, then dragged him to Scrabble. I won, with a respectable 171 (close to John's 164) and bingoing on EQUATInG. Also, I had to argue all sorts of silliness of words that count, and that you don't get to count Double Word Scores and such when you add to a word which has already covered them. They are not cumulative. Anyway, a lesson: don't argue me on basic Scrabble Rules. First Scrabble game in some time, and then I dominated a round of that anagramming Scrabble version where you flip over tiles and make words. Sarah calls it Paranoid Scrabble. Also, I drank a manageable amount (with John's help), largely to finish off a couple bottles, and thus assist room cleaning. And then, pleasantly reeling with alcohol, Scrabble, and a victory, I watched another short animated film and wandered around
3:05 AM
