Ketchup

Hey,

It's not that I haven't felt bloggy lately. It's just been a busy week or two, you know? Anyone who's ever taught knows that the end of the semester turns into a swamp of papers, revisions, meetings, student therapy sessions, and a sense of listless malaise when not engaged in any of the other activities. There's a stack of papers in my bag, a stack of revisions on my desk at work, and another pile of final projects coming in on Monday. It's a lot to do but, on the bright side, grades are absolutely due no later than Tuesday, May 19 - so one way or the other, it will all be over in 11 days or less.

There have been nice things over the last few days. My copy of The Mystery of the Great Swamp arrived in the mail today and is just generally pretty sweet. It's exactly as I remember it and it's kind of a thrill to have it in my hands after all these years.

I bought Jill Sobule's album California Years and am just pleased with her cleverness, her tenderness, and how melodic she can make snarkiness sound. I recommend "Good Life" and "Mexican Pharmacy" in particular.

I watched Elia Kazan's A Face In The Crowd with Andy Griffith and thought it was great. Its themes of media influence over popular opinion and the dangers of celebrity and politics are more relevant and resonant now than when the film was made in 1957. I never knew Opie's dad had it in him to be dangerous, salacious, maniacal, and powerful. Patricia Neal, who I was unfamiliar with before, exudes braininess and vulnerability as Marcia Jeffries. It's a great film and one of my favorites among my QE prep movies.

Incidentally, one of the posters for A Face In The Crowd is a terrific example of late 50's poster design. I love the look of it, the hyperbole of the blurb, all of it.



Avery started t-ball last week and seems to really love it. Her love for ballet classes, if she ever had any, waned fast and so it's nice for all of us that she's excited to go to practices. I've watched her and she does pretty well for having two non-athletes for parents. She actually has some natural ability so hopefully it will be a nice activity for her this summer and won't become the carnival of whining and begging not to go that ballet has become.

Every night after family prayers, Maryn kisses Suzanne's stomach and says good night to "Baby X."

Suzanne is feeling okay for the most part. She tires out easily but her dizzy spells seems to have passed. She makes a cute pregnant woman. Not everyone can pull off the belly and still look pretty but she does it.

There are other things going on, other things worth commenting on, but it's almost dinner time and the blog can wait.