Tuesday, July 30, 2019

A Mighty Heat

Kicked off the morning with breakfast and trying something different. Instead of going straight on the computer, I listed everything I thought I might be able to do for writing, from articles (as long as it's not hard news) to creative writing to poetry. Once again, the trouble is that lack of experience. I think I might try writing samples a bit later in the week, when I have time again.

Watched A Mighty Wind while I worked. The folk music scene of the 1960's is spoofed by Christopher Guest in this affectionate mockumentary. When their former manager dies, three major folk groups come together for one last concert at Town Hall in New York. Mitch (Eugene Levy) and Mickey (Catherine O'Hara) were once "the sweethearts of folk music" with their big hit "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow," but Mitch didn't handle their break-up well and is now in a sanitarium. The New Main Street Singers are a smiley-happy group anchored by Terry (John Michael Higgins) and Laurie (Jane Lynch) Bohner. Laurie belongs to a coven of witches who firmly believe that color cures all ills, which is why she insists that her group color-coordinates their costumes. The Folksmen, Mark (Harry Shearer), Alan (Guest), and Jerry (Michael McKean), are equally happy to be together and singing again. While the big concert doesn't go off perfectly, it does manage to show off these three very different groups and folk music itself in all its peace-loving idiosyncrasies.

Far more affectionate about folk music than Guest's previous spoof Best In Show was about dog-lovers, this is mostly a very sweet look at a frequently-overlooked musical genre. Levy and O'Hara were especially impressive as the neurotic nerd and his former partner who wonder if they might be able to find a spark of their old romance in another on-stage kiss. The music, written entirely by the cast, is both accurate and excellent; "Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" was nominated for an Oscar, and the title number won a Grammy.

If you love folk music, Guest's other mocumentaries, or the cast, you'll want to let that might wind blow you on over to Town Hall to check this one out.

Did some Rick Steves as I made a blueberry smoothie and graham crackers spread with peanut butter for lunch. Since I just finished Wings of the Falcon, a Zorro-style swashbuckler set in 1860's Italy, I did one of the Italian episodes on the new set Linda Young sent for my birthday. Having enjoyed Rick's romp through Verona and Padua, I moved westward to Berlin. The Berlin episodes are a little more meaningful for me than most, since they're some of the few shows where I can claim to have lived through some of the history involved. I vividly recall watching the Berlin Wall being torn down on my tiny black-and-white Zenith TV in 1989. Nowadays, the remnants of the Wall are mostly museums or a great place for people to relax in a park or for graffiti artists to show off their work, and Berlin is bustling, popular, and reunited.

Headed out around 12:30 for today's errands, starting with volunteering at the Oaklyn Library. Other than the librarians, there weren't that many people around, but I did have to shelve and organize a lot of books in the kids' section. They frequently get new releases before Haddon Township does. I took out the just-released Wonder Park (on a little girl trying to save her imaginary theme park), along with Quest for Camelot for review on Saturday. Fished Finding Neverland out of the dollar DVD sales boxes (and had to fish it out again when one of the librarians thought I didn't want it and put it back).

Rode across Haddon Township and Haddonfield next for counseling. Arrived just in time dripping with sweat, thanks to it being a sunny, hot, and humid day. Not a whole lot to report, at any rate. I didn't really do much last month. I'm not making a ton of progress with the job hunt. I did make my Facebook page, but couldn't afford ads on it. I still don't know what I'm going to say on my new website, or what I actually have to put there. I need to write samples. Not to mention, work's been a pain when it hasn't been boring, and there's Mom and my sisters feuding.

Everyone says I'm too hard on myself, that I shouldn't label myself so harshly. I say, I wouldn't label myself so harshly if I just did better things, if I had a better job, and was able to fit in better. I've never felt like I fit in here. All of my best friends live elsewhere, and while I appreciate everything my family has done for me, I don't really fit in with them, either. Jessa is the only person in the family I can really relate to. And Rose still hasn't brought over the rest of that furniture or talked to the darn doctor who was supposed to help me. I need to get on her rear about that. I'm also having a hard time focusing on and offline and end up doing research or reading other things when I should be writing or job hunting.

It was so hot, a stop at Primo's in Westmont was mandatory. I sat outside in the shade and enjoyed my super-sweet Oreo Dough water ice on a bench. (Vanilla water ice with crushed Oreos and brownie pieces. The vanilla was too sweet, but the brownie dough bits were huge and so chocolate-y! Also stopped at the Westmont Acme to pick up laundry detergent, a roll for dinner, and ten dollars to send in my nephew Skylar's birthday card.

Took the long way home across Newton Lake Park and down to the White Horse Pike. It was too hot for most people to be out and about. The only folks I saw were a young couple goofing off in the shade. The grass is starting to get a little crunchy, and even the trees seem to be dusty and drooping. The wildflowers by the Environmental Center fared better, glowing like the rainbow in Mitch and Mickey's song.

Tried to work on writing when I got home. Vader rounds up Bob Fettman and his crew of very strange bounty hunters, telling them that he wants them to go after the Millennium Falcon and Force Girl. Fettman has no trouble with that - he has a score to settle with Harris.

Broke for dinner at quarter of 7. Finished off the turkey bacon with a turkey and tomato sandwich on the Italian roll while watching more Rick Steves. The Paris side trips mostly consisted of ventures into France's royal past, notably a trip to the most lavish palace in Europe, Versailles.

Moved on to Lego Star Wars after I ate. Finally finished off the blue minikit challenges for "Mos Eisley Spaceport" and "Death Star Escape." I tried to figure out "Rescue the Princess," but the Death Star is just too much of a maze! I gave up early for a shower and decided I'd figure it out tomorrow.

Ended the night with the 1976 version of A Star Is Born. I go into more detail on this vehicle for Barbra Streisand - and how it stacks up to other retellings of this story - at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

A Star Is Born (1976)

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