Gosh Darn It

Spent all evening getting the house ready for a visit from Smiley's speech therapist, only to have her cxl this morning because of illness. Good luck keeping this house clean until the rescheduled appt.

Me and the Ginger

Night and Day

Night and Day is the latest in Robert B. Parker's series featuring Jesse Stone, former L.A. cop and (semi)recovering alcoholic who now heads the Paradise, MA police department.

Two related troubles are enveloping the town this time around. First, the female high school principal stands accused, correctly, of forcing her female students to display their underwear. More seriously, there is a peeping Tom on the loose, one whose activities grow bolder - and more violent - with each incident.

I wouldn't label this book a masterpiece of Parker's, but it was solid and entertaining. The characters seem to have worked their way into Parker's affection, to the point where I think he's finally comfortable exploring them to the fullest.

I continue to marvel at Parker's recent output, both in quantity and quality.

And best of all, there is (finally) a development between Jesse and his promiscuous ex-wife. No spoiler here - but I was pleased.

2.75 out of 4

A Bad Day

Pretty crappy night. Lisa broke her glasses, I lost five pages of newly written text due to gremlins in the computer, it's snowing, and As The World Turns was cancelled. :(

My Best Friends Girl

This movie stars Dane Cook.

What, you're still here?

Huh. I'd have thought you'd have 'x'd out the window at the mere mention of his name. I would.

Cook plays a man who is hired by other men to date their former girlfriends. The idea is that he'll pretend to be a callous, awful jerk and therefore drive them back into the arms of their better-by-comparison ex.

Okeedookee.

His buddy, played by Jason Biggs, hires him to push Kate Hudson into loving him, but of course Cook falls in love. Blah blah, yada yada, boy loses girl, act three begins, more blah blah roll credits.

I admit I'm being a little harsh here. It was an OK movie, but I thought some of the actions - namely his performance at a wedding - would be/should be clear and permanent deal breakers.

Rent it if you have some spare time - and a free movie coupon.

2.5 out of 4

Just gave a hitchhiker a ride, which would be a first for me. He came begging for a lift at a gas station, drunk and stranded at 7 at night. Gotta love the South Side.

My Morning

Took the kids to school, went to Mass (Feast of the Immaculate Conception), shoveled my walk, now writing and working up the nerve to hit the road to get some things done. Or, I may nap. Either/or.

We Finally Have the Tree Up

Finally have the tree up, except for the finishing touches the kids will add when they get home from school. So glad it's done! I will say, I miss the real trees, this artificial one looks a little sad comparatively! - Lisa

A Great Morning

An unusually quiet and Hallmark-y morning, with Lisa sitting with the two oldest girls in the living room, teaching them to sew so they can make their own costumes from some old sheets they found. Oh, and 'Bama crushed Florida. What a nice weekend so far.

I am Legend

Not the movie folks, the book.

This is the famous work by Richard Matheson that has inspired three major movies - one with Vincent Price, one with Charlton Heston, and of course the latest with Will Smith.

Robert Neville is a husband and father in the L.A. area when mankind is wiped out by a plague that turns its victims into modern day vampires. Neville is the last known survivor of the human race, presumably because he recovered from a vampire bat bite while in the service. For three years he makes a virtual fortress of his home and wages war against the vampires, until it becomes clear that he is the oddity. As the only remaining human, the only objection to the 'new race', he is, in fact, a monster. He has become, as Dracula once was, something to fear in the night.

He is legend.

Matheson's gone on record as saying the book was just what is seems on the surface, and nothing more. Yet I have read academic essays that ran thousands of words and placed the book behind only Moby Dick and Tom Sawyer in the realm of American literature.

That's nuts.

It's a fine novella, but it has plenty of flaws. Some can't be helped: references to a nuclear exchange between the U.S. and Soviets, dates that have long since passed, etc. Others are silly. Matheson has a habit of trying to rationalize his books with pseudo-scientific explanations. That vampire bat bite, for instance, or a goofy description of how vampire's gummy blood seals bullet holes.

It was giggle-worthy science in the '50's. Now it's just foolish.

[if I may drift into adult territory here: for much of the early part of the novella Neville is very horny, and understandably so. But here's where the '50's culture constricts the character. The guys aroused, he's been without sex for years, he's so horny female vampires are looking hot, and to settle the matter he goes and takes cold shower after cold shower.

For pete's sake man, rub one out.]

As I mentioned, I am Legend is a novella, not a full scale work. Nearly half the book is comprised of short stories. Some are good (Mad House), some are ho-hum, and one (Person to Person) is damn good.

Not a book for everyone and every taste, but I enjoyed it.