Just a rant.

Lately I’ve been feeling ill-prepared.  For everything. For Spring, for the warm weather.  As much as I sit here wanting it all, I’m not ready.  Not body-wise, not clothing wise and certainly not money-wise.  I’m just not.

Nothing begins without a plan.  Of sorts.   So taking an idea I learned from Suz Orman, I’m going through my inventory and paring down.  I mean why hang onto things I’m no longer using?  Like that skirt that was cute once upon a time, but now when its worn and everytime I find myself wearing it,  I feel worn.  So why keep it? 

Or those sexy shoes that don’t even fit and have a clear wedge heel.  I mean what the fuck was I thinking?  Okay they were on sale, but right now all they are doing is taking up valuable space in my closet patiently waiting (in vain) their turn to be worn.  When they havent’ been worn in two years.

And I have an entire table of articles I want to save.  Recipes I want to make, pages and pages of things that need filing, organizing, etc etc etc.  My mini apartment feels as if its slowly turning into a thrift shop.  And why?  Because I’m semi-afraid to get RID of stuff. 

Chuck Palahniuk once wrote:  “The things you wind up owing, wind up owning you.”  Can I get an amen?  Or does that quote fall on deaf ears?  I totally get it. 

Its like those people who buy a brand new car and then they worry about where they park it for fear of it getting scratched.  They stress over every piece of grease the road throws on it.  Or every beverage that is toted into its interior.  And the fear of it spilling.

Guess what?  Your car is GOING to get scratched.  And dusty and dirty and old.  These are THINGS.  They do not elevate your self-worth or value by virtue of ownership.  I remember when all those people had their savings lost in the Bernie Madoff scandal.  I guess I felt bad for them.  Even though they made and lost more money that I’ll ever have in a lifetime of paychecks.  What they were left with may not have been much.  Still they were far better off than the victims of Katrina, or the Tsunami victims in Japan, or any tornado-torn city in the Midwest. 

I think those Buddists, minimalists were onto something.  For now I’m gonna keep it simple, sort through it all and get rid of the nonsense.  Ratty shoes and all.

HUGO - a DVD Review

So I finally got around to the see the Scorsese directed (and nominated film) HUGO.  The story takes place in 1930’s Paris.  It’s the story of a boy, Hugo Cabret, played by Asa Butterfield, who after losing his inventor/clockmaker father struggles to find the hidden secret behind the automaton (mechanical man) he and his father were working on before he died. 

I felt this story (based on a book also) parallels the film: Extremely Loud and Incredibly close.  Both boys lose their father (and mentor) leaving them struggling to live life without them and make sense of everything.

It was abit cheesy at parts.  A cute film although more for adults than children.  I can’t imagine a child wanting to watch anything about silent movies and men nursing grudges.

Beginners - a DVD Review

So Sunday night I watch the indie film “Beginners”.  This is the story of a son (Ewan McGregor) who is stunned by his father’s announcement that at age 75 he has terminal cancer and he is gay.  Christopher Plummer portrays the dad in his Oscar winning role for Best supporting actor.

The story follows both his new gay lifestyle and his journey through cancer.  This was a mildly entertaining film, directed in a unique way which made it more watchable.  I adore Ewan McGregor who even without his Scottish accent does well as the grave overwhelmed son trying to make sense of everything.

Contagion - a DVD review

So last night with the boy I watched the epidemic thriller du jour: CONTAGION.  With a stellar cast it drew me in and infected me…………with boredom.

The movie starts out by Gwyenth Paltrow in Hong Kong on a business trip becomes infected and travels home to infect everyone else.  Her husband played by the extremely affable Matt Damon struggles to find out why his wife became infected and soon after dies.  I must admit when her character died I mentally did a “happy dance” in my head. 

This film lack any twists or suspense really, after ten minutes it was like every other epidemic movie.  As my son would say “It lacked the ability to make me care for any of the characters.”  Nuff said.