Briefly Noted

1. Mr. Bean's Holiday. I added this to the Netflix queue on Amalia's request. I did not expect to really enjoy it that much. Oh, a few titters and "well, it wasn't as bad as Shiloh (see below)." Instead I found the physical humor some of the best I had seen in ages, all built around a fun story (not a believable story, it is Bean after all, but one that keeps the interest going), and exquisitely shot. Five stars. Seriously.

2. Did I mention Shiloh? It is a dog movie, and the dog doesn't talk. Amalia is really keen on a dog. We almost buckled. Well, we did buckle, but when we went back to the pet adoption people at the PetCo., someone had already adopted the very cute dog. But, of course, when you buckle, you have buckled, so now it is just a matter of finding the right dog. How do I let these things happen? But I digress. We saw "dog movie" and thought that it would be something that Amalia would enjoy and that we would not find too horrible. Wow. Were we wrong on that one. Even Amalia thought that it was too sentimental and trite. She is six and is very keen on dogs. The acting is horrible (what is Rod Steiger doing in this turkey?), the writing worse. The whole thing has the look and feel of a made-for-tv special from the 1980's. Terrible. Terrible. Terrible.

3. Books, books, books. Where to begin? Well, it has been awhile since I posted anything, but not for lack of reading. Right now I am reading Spain by the Horns by some Australian. It is a fun read, and I should be done with it soon and will report. I finished Eco's latest collection of essays, which has a couple of fantastic ones, and I read the first part of the Cairo Trilogy by Naghuib Mahfouz. It is excellent, but I will wait until I have read the whole trilogy. Before that, let's see, did I mention Reading Lolita in Tehran? I think I did. Good read. And that got me wanting to reread Lolita. Liked it as much as the first time. But I think I mentioned these already in this space. I will need to go back to the archives and see what the last thing I capsule reviewed was.

4. Our new Cost Plus couch. Yes it was cheap. Yes it is good looking. Yes it wins points for versatility. BUT... it already needs repair, and I am trying to decide which is more of a pain: taking it apart, packing it up, hauling it downstairs, taking it to Cost Plus and doing the Customer Service Dance or taking part of it apart, fixing the thing, undoubtedly doing some sort of damage to the fabric, probably injuring myself, and spending the good part of a Saturday doing so, while the girls are out enjoying the sunshine. Did I mention that the couch is not that comfortable as a couch and only moderately so as a bed? Cheap. Good Looking. Versatile. Easy for two to haul up the stairs (relatively speaking). Cheap. Cheap. Cheap.

5. Winter. I thought Globo-Warmo was supposed to kick in. Cold as a witch's you-know-what, and we have had our second utilities bill for over $200. Now, I konw that many of you, especially out in the Frozen Zone of the East Coast (which, as everyone knows, begins on the East Shore of Lake Tahoe), think that this is nothing. My father, who has to heat a large mostly uninsulated ranch house in much colder Sacramento, thinks that it is nothing. I know that you all are right. I know that for nine months our total utilities bill is aroudnd $60. But I am still going to complain! I am an American! I have rights!

6. John McCain. I am really loving this guy. Not only does he knock the Mormon out, but he completely flusters the Jackass Wing of the Republican Party. Anyone who can drive Ann Coulter and Rush Limbugh to that level of frustration wins massive points in my book.