A Night Out

Very much looking forward to this performance tonight:

Schick Machine

Happy Friday everyone!

His Two-Cents

Those of you who know CSB are fully aware that he has some ideas and opinions on things. If you've ever asked for his input, you likely received quite a bit of information. It is one of the (many) things I love about him... he knows things about stuff, and if you ask he isn't afraid to tell you.

This morning, I opted to wear my leather jacket to work. On my way to pick up my attendance sheets, I put my hand into my pocket and was pleasantly surprised to find two pennies tucked into the bottom. Although I am always fully aware those pennies are there awaiting rediscovery, I usually find myself surprised to encounter them for a split second. I rubbed the coins together, and spent just a moment noticing their texture.

During the same space in time, a memory stirs from my subconscious. We were walking from Disney's California Adventure back to Disneyland and CSB quietly turned to offer me a penny. Knowing it was for my thoughts I demurely smirked and shrugged my shoulders, "oh... I don't know... but I'm keeping the penny." A few seconds of silence, a few steps more, then another penny was silently offered to me. This time I smiled, giggled, "is this one because now you want my two cents?" And the penny was tucked into my pocket next to the other.

For nearly a year those pennies have stayed in the same pocket. Any time I tuck my hand in that pocket, they are a small reminder that someone out there truly cares what I'm thinking. They remind me that my silence speaks volumes. They remind me that communication can happen with only a look and a gesture. They remind me that any time I want it, I always have his two cents.

Even in these harsh economic times, two pennies may not have much value to others. But, for me, those two pennies are priceless.

Where The Wild Things Are (possible spoilers ahead)

We just returned home from seeing Where The Wild Things Are, and I am feeling quite deflated about the whole thing.

I know, a book with only 339 words leaves a lot of room for interpretation over the space of an hour and a half. I expected it to be a little dark, but also a little more lighthearted... ya know, like a kid's movie about "Wild Things" ought to be.

I didn't expect it to be so dark and deep. I really don't know how they got away with billing this as a children's movie. Just putting "puppets" in a movie does not qualify it as a children's movie (as with Coraline, once again, I'm VERY glad I went to see it before taking the ShortBus).

Honestly, I am disappointed in the interpretation of the book. I realize that Maurice Sendak had a hand in the development of the movie, he completely intended for it to be a commentary about the psychology of early childhood development. The post-toddler/pre-teen dealing with the struggles of the growing desire for independence versus the need to have continued dependence upon one's parents. But did it have to be so textbook? I'm pretty sure I had a professor or two in college who could have taught a whole class based around this movie.

I really would have loved for this to be a movie for younger children. Something geared a little more toward a literal interpretation of the book (at least the literal interpretation as I see it). A little boy, behaving in such a way that he gets sent to bed without his supper, and his room actually becoming another world that he escapes to. He has some fun with the "Wild Things," but as the story progresses he realizes he misses his family, and life being all "fun and games" isn't as great as it sounds in theory... so he goes home to the one place in the world where there is always someone who will "love you best of all." When he "returns" home, his actions are not reinforced with chocolate cake, but his dinner is sitting in his room, a warm meal which reminds him that even though he misbehaves, his family still loves him and will always be there to take care of him.

Sometimes, less is more. This is one of those times when much less could have made it so much more.