Anywhere But Here

I had a really long day. First of all, I really overslept. I stayed up late to read, and didn't wake up until I heard knocking on my door at 10:30! It was Jodie, delivering my laundry. I thanked her, pulled it back in, and returned to finishing The Riddle In Red. I hadn't planned on reading it for so long, but it was noon before I really got going or even made myself lunch. (And in fact, I made breakfast, Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Pancakes.)

I ran a few Halloween-oriented cartoons and the History Channel special The Haunted History of Halloween, a general look at what is now America's second-favorite holiday, during lunch. Some critics say it's not always kind to the religions depicted; I think it's as kind as it can be, given that this has always been, and probably will always be, a rather controversial holiday. Anything that celebrates horror in all its forms, even comic, can't avoid that.

I picked up Bugs Bunny's Howl-Ween Special on Amazon a while back, before my financial problems. I've saved it for October, but I wasn't really impressed. Like Bugs Bunny's Easter Funnies and Bugs' Cupid Capers, it's pretty much bits and pieces of classic shorts (horror-oriented, naturally) with newly animated filler material. This doesn't work anywhere near as well as it does with the Valentine's Day and Easter shows. First of all, there's no overarching story or theme, not even one as flimsy as the Easter Bunny falling ill. What new material there is just shows Bugs perpetually on the run from Witch Hazel. Not a single short is shown in its entirety, either. The only full short is "Hair-Raising Hare" with Bugs and Gossamer, and that's included as an extra on the DVD and is never seen in the special.

This special does win some minor points for actually including a few cartoons that take place during Halloween, which the Bugs Easter special didn't even attempt. Otherwise, unless you're a big Looney Tunes fan, are looking for something Halloween-ish for the kids, or have fond nostalgic memories of the heyday of the Looney Tunes holiday shows in the 70s and 80s, this is completely avoidable.

 (Also making this avoidable is the fact that, like most animated DVDs, it's hideously overpriced. I was lucky to get a copy on Amazon Marketplace for about $7, but it usually goes for $15, ridiculous for a half-hour animated special and a short that can be found elsewhere.)

I went online around 2PM to check up on a few things. I did finally cancel my membership to Lucile Roberts. Like I said, I don't want to, but I can't afford it at the moment. I was calling Comcast about switching my land phone line from Verizon to them when Rose arrived. I had called her earlier to confirm our going to the Foot and Ankle Center, but she said 3PM...and arrived at 2:50. I only had to get my shoes on to be read, but I was still embarrassed and angry with myself. Me giving the wrong directions and nasty traffic on the White Horse Pike didn't help matters.

As it turned out, it was so busy at the Foot and Ankle Center that us being almost late didn't matter. So were they. It was almost 20 minutes before they finally called me over. They wanted to look at my ankle, too, but I just wanted to get out of there. Rose had things to do, and I felt bad for pulling her away from her job and family as it was. I got my injection, then talked to Colleen at the desk about my orthopedics. Sounds like they'll be coming within a few days...but I still need to call the Union and Amerihealth/Independence Blue Cross about the delay and behavioral health.

An earlier call didn't make me feel much better. The gruff, grouchy doctor from Urgent Care yesterday called and told me that they found a very small chip on the bone of my ankle. I'm to rest it and not bounce around too much. Swell. What about work, and my bike? How am I supposed to get around? I'll have to call them back tomorrow, too.

And then I remembered that I had to go back and get things I left at Dad's yesterday. I forgot to return those DVDs to both libraries, too. Rose is frustrated with me for not doing all of this sooner, considering her schedule as the busy mother of a toddler and a fledgling lawyer with a second job as a waitress, and forgetting to write down questions to ask when I call people. I'm supposed to have a good memory. People with good memories should remember what they need to do.

I want this to just go away. I want it to go away and stop. I don't know what else to say, or even write. I'm scared. I'm tired of everything happening at once, and of things not working out. I want things to go right. I want to stop feeling trapped. I feel like I'm riding in place, and nothing will ever, ever get me back on the road.

The Lorax may not have been the best thing to cheer me up, but I wanted to watch it before I finally return it to the Oaklyn Library. Besides, the book and special are favorites of mine, and I've been wanting to see the movie since it was released in March. 12-year-old Ted (voice of Zac Efron) lives in Thneedville, an industrial land with a totally controlled climate, where everything is made of plastic, even the trees and animals. No one has ever tasted good water or even seen a real tree. They even buy bottles of clean air, like the title people of Spaceballs.

The owner of the bottled air company, O'Hare (Rob Riggle), is a slimy Corrupt Corporate Executive who would prefer to keep the city buying his bottled air. Ted's newest crush, high school artist Audrey (Taylor Swift), however, only wishes to see a real tree. Ted's grandma (Betty White) finally suggests he go see the Once-ler (Ed Helms), a mysterious fellow who lives in the wasteland outside of Thneedville.

Over three successive visits, Ted quickly becomes engrossed in the Once-ler's story of how he was manipulated into betraying the trust of the kindly, bright orange Lorax (Danny DeVito) and his animal friends. He chopped down all of the Truffula trees that provided their homes to make the fad-dish Thneeds. When the Truffulas were gone, however, so was the main ingredient for the Thneeds...and ultimately, the Once-ler's fame and fortune. Others took up the mantle of fads, and he was left a friendless hermit. Moved by the Once-ler's story and the gift of a Truffula seed, Ted sets out to prove that "unless someone like you cares an awful lot, things aren't going to get better, it's not."

Though a tad lighter than the original and the animated special, this is still on the depressing side for a family film. No matter how bright and cheerful Thneedville is, the idea of an all-plastic universe just hits a tad too close to home and won't sit well with many. Nor will the depiction of O'Hare as a basic evil businessman. Others will fuss over the un-canon revealing of the formerly unseen Once-ler's face and back history.

I like it, but I have a few reservations. Yes, the moral is heavy-handed, but it kind of was in the original, too. The music is pretty well-done, but not really all that memorable except for the goofy opening number spoofing chorus song openings in musicals.  The Lorax could be used a bit more. He's not really seen all that much, even in the flashbacks...and Ted could be used a little less, as neither he nor Audrey add much to the proceedings. (Other than the cute in-joke that has them named after Ted "Dr. Seuss" Geisel and his wife Audrey.)

Overall, I recommend it for families with older kids who will be able to handle the scenes of devastation and the "trees are something that everyone needs" moral and adults who can get around some heavy-handed-ness. Younger kids attracted by the Lorax's cute buddies will probably be put off by the Once-ler's sad story and more than likely won't understand a lot of what's going on.