Stories & SNippets : 2021
…and observations, journals, & musings on music, film, books, art, and pretty things. and life in general.
January 2021
Our son is super into Ray Bradbury, so of course I thought a good kick-off of his old television series, Ray Bradbury Theatre, would be the adaptation of his famous story Sound of Thunder. So we curled up and watched the classic tale of time travel gone…wrong. Not up to par with the story, but still a chilling and thought-provoking rendition.
Glasvegas and Antlers albums from 1981
Such a Fun Age, the 2019 debut novel from Kiley Reid dealing with class, race, and a babysitter without an Instagram account. Thought-provoking in the most entertaining manner; heartbreaking and funny and maddening. I like how the chapters are sequenced and the way Ms. Reid starts each one by overlapping the previous slightly, but with a different characters’ viewpoint.
Cobra Kai season 3 on Netflix. I wish it would wrap up. Not because I don’t enjoy it - I do, very much. But it feels like an arc that could have and should have been completed in three seasons. Nevertheless, it continues to be a wondrous, entertaining, yet also thoughtful tale of people’s capacity to change and the way that people’s environments and relationships shape who they become.
The Whistlers (2020 Romanian crime caper involving a whistling language)
Rachel Held Evans’ Faith Unraveled. I have needed to read this. One to dog ear, write up, and bookmark. Her premature passing is a tragedy on multiple levels.
Casablanca (1942) with our older kids for the first time. Still holds up sooo well.
Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman’s duet of Con Te Partirò. Still so beautiful.
January 01, 2021 : haiku on a Friday
Neutral
The rain thunders hard
but my impatience is louder.
A new year dawns gray.
Austin, TX
Robert Rodriguez
new Heroes movie for kids.
A four-year old loves it.
Live, die, repeat
Edge of Tomorrow,
reset the day when you die.
Smart science fiction
Columbia
A walk on river
fast rain, fast water, fast kids.
Dance no matter what.
Beginning
Don’t want to be so sad
the memories and the dreams
can overwhelm me.
Deep
He wakes in the night,
screaming, mad at me, his dad.
Wants only his mom.
Walk
Walk him to the couch
the purple couch; they will nurse.
Finished Queen’s Gambit.
WWF
They pile on me.
Squirming bodies and sharp limbs.
Might break me…but fine.
PTO
Big discouragement
does not take off holidays.
Ya gotta battle.
Countess
She will fall asleep
and I will watch something mine,
such as The Whistlers.
Thoughts
I will lie in bed
thinking of our four children.
Let me improve, God.
One.
The Girl, fierce.
Time is autobahn fast.
Let me slow things down.
Teen
She’s thirteen? they ask.
You let her drink coffee yet?
That is between us.
Two
The Boy, my patience
stretches, bends, breaks, elastic.
His grin, I love him.
Three
A Boy, song and dance.
Poetry and diapers still.
Wants Mum to lay by.
Four
A Boy, a year old?
Fourteen versions of concern
he can express well.
Her
My Bride, blonde shell bomb.
Atomic with love and sass.
She, me, play and work.
Teen, II
Laid by her in dark
my teen, our first-born child.
Breathing beautiful.
Non-linear
I try to improve.
It’s really hard on some days.
Breathe, step, more coffee.
January 02 : a Shabbat
Independence
The boys make breakfast
They have fun; make it messy.
I will do cleanup.
Influence
Rachel Held Evans
Brilliant, died young, tragedy.
Her Faith book helps me.
Friends
When you start to drown,
some will give a hand, or both.
Others will just watch.
Gauntlet
Kids on Zoom meeting.
But my pants, across the room…
…someone, bring them now!
Tragicomic
Water in speaker
One-year old waters music.
Something else to fix.
Weather
The day is so wet
so we should hike together.
To the Gorge we go.
Chill
Two point five miles
to a waterfall picnic.
Food’s better outside.
Journey
We drive in our car;
the driving is part of it.
Convo, music, sleep.
Crank(y)
Neil Young on drive home:
”Let’s impeach the President”
Different guy, now worse.
Knaves
Ocean’s 11
on a cold Saturday night.
Cool, stylish, good thieves.
January 03
Turnover
Sundays can be hard.
Beginning of new cycle.
Hamster wheel week?
Grid
Waffles in the morn.
Made by Becc and a big boy,
with some nuts and love.
Perfection
Trump’s hour phone call
to Florida Sec. of State:
”Find me some more votes!”
Tuck-in
Thirty-five minutes
lying with a loud four-year old:
”Not you, get Mama!”
Olders
“Just a little Psych?!”
After Youngers are asleep.
Viewing bond with them.
Psych
Gus and Shawn, buddies,
male models, a murder.
We laugh together.
January 04
Trump calls the Georgia Secretary of State. Orders and begs to find enough votes to overturn the election. This call is recorded by the astute and quick-thinking Secretary.
January 05 : Tuesday
Microscope
Bank statement with Mom,
early morning financials.
Money forensics.
M.I.A.
My Air Pods missing.
Funny, cordless luxury;
can’t find anywhere.
Glasvegas
A song : No Widows.
so heartbreakingly pretty.
Night driving classic.
January 06
Georgia runoff: Jon Ossoff (D) wins, other too close to call. Oh, Trump supporters attack the Capitol in a brazen attempt to block Biden’s certification and prevent him from taking office. Four dead. Trump reminds the insurrection how much he loves them.
January 07
Ossoff wins Georgia. Two for two - with Warnock’s win - meaning Democrats now control the Senate.
Munch
A man screams quite loud.
Earsplitting, wakes the dead fast.
He is one year old.
Pandemic hello
Ding dong, doorbell rings.
A surprise drop-by visit.
Convo on the porch.
101
Mrs. C deVille
My daughter, playing a cruel role.
Mean, sassy, so fun.
Guest post : 13-year old
Cruella Deville
played her in improv, fun.
Evil dog killer
Went on a short walk
didn’t get murdered by cows,
so that was a plus.
To the nines
She leaves for meeting
looking so pretty, so fine.
Wearing her slippers.
In this family
A quiet supper
plays same role mastodons do:
there is no such thing.
Comfort
Hand down mom’s boob.
It is his thing; so jealous.
Maybe I should too.
January 08
Finally, a few start to distance themselves for the sake of ethics, morals, civics, patriotism, integrity, and, oh, you know, trying to not get dragged down in history as supporting a dead-duck’s attempt to maintain power in the world’s greatest country. Elaine Chao and Betsy DeVos quit. A bunch of others resign. Looks like Trump’s finally becoming untouchable?…
A song
Black Country, New Road
Claud, per Becca recommend;
rainy drive to work.
January 09
Twitter permanently bans Trump.
Listening to Joseph Arthur’s album Nuclear Daydream.
January 11 : Monday
Reality
They call me ‘Goat Dad.’
Greatest of All Time, I think.
No, Goat Dad, she says.
Half a skill
“I am very good,”
he says with zest, “at throwing.”
”Yes,” I say, “catching?”
January 12
FBI reports there are right-wing extremist threats in 50 state capitals. That’s all of them.
January 13 : Wednesday
Justice
Second impeachment
No one deserves more than Trump.
Also Cruz, Hawley.
Breach
Repubs abandon
Floodgates open
But can’t rewrite history.
Coward
Yes, worst Present ever.
No democratic leader.
Selfish, little man.
History
The names recorded
of those who vote and support
Trump over country.
Noodles (a question, a statement)
What’s for lunch? she says.
Looks at stove, sighs, says deadpan:
Wonder what’s for lunch.
Thank you, Republican
Jaime H. Beutler
our local Congresswoman.
Yes for impeachment.
Hypocrite
Kevin McCarthy
Cal. Rep invokes Abe Lincoln.
”Unity” mantra.
Bliss
He looks so happy
for no reason? or maybe…
he’s peeing in the bath.
Message
Election challenge:
if you supported that poop,
I vote against you.
Hypocrisy
“Unity, come together!”
GOP message.
Their words are hollow.
January 14
Trump is impeached by the full Democrat House. Ten Republicans join, including our Rep, Jaime Herrera Beutler. Thank you.
January 15 : Friday
A song
“My Favorite Things;”
he glides around, singing soft.
And sometimes quite loud.
Om
Cosmic yoga cool.
Four year old follows along.
It’s his ritual.
Nap
He leads me by hand
down hallway to get blanket
and rests head on me.
Lotsa sax
Coltrane on Friday
we draw our favourite things.
Saxophone master.
Wrong again
“No,” I said firmly,
”L’il Wayne doesn’t support Trump.”
But my son was right.
McArthur
We erupt in cheers:
Mom’s home; she lights up our lives.
And brings groceries.
Countess Chef
Chop chop slice dice peel.
Yum, sweet potato curry.
Best supper ever.
January 16
First Cow, 2020 western drama. A slow-moving ode to friendship in 1820s Oregon, with a tiny bit of suspense. I’m still unsure how I feel about it. But there are portions and ideas I appreciated. (1-16-21)
January 16 : Shabbat
Guest haiku : Becca
"Start again"
Sunday vibes with food
our bed was full of humans
please be a good one.
Breakfast
Becca’s oatmeal
handmade, with love, in oven,
and squirts of whip cream.
Gorge
Hike to Duncan Creek.
Five children fjording big streams.
Electricity.
Tragic
Rachel Held Evans:
we listened to her last podcast.
Christian example.
1820
Film about friendship
Old West, two guys, baking, cow
Slow, sad, beautiful.
January 17 : Sunday
Guest haiku : a 10-year old
"Sunday news"
Phil has died.
he was in bars due to this:
murder of an actress.
Guest haiku : a 13-year old
“Why are Sundays so depressing?”
Fog blankets the earth
Star Wars with Ejvy : New Hope
Tofu and taters
Guest rhyme : a 4-year old
"Wog Wog"
We went up the ball, he fell.
Xiomara went up a hill, she fell off a bike.
She bumped into a bunch of oatmeal and got mixed.
Guest haiku : 10-year old
"Imprison"
Phil Spector has died
due to natural causes.
He died in prison.
Guest rhyme : a 4-year old
"Aunty Lanessa”
Yeebie yawbie
Lanessa standed on a sheet
Then she fell off a table.
Dot dot.
The end.
Guest haiku : a 10-year old
"Share"
Xio and Phil share.
Their hair. They both have cool hair.
Oh…and Phil Spector died.
My niece
Stoic toothy grin
lots of words like “hi!”and “wow!”
such a fussy thing.
Guest haiku : Becca
Niece on her day
color sweaters on the three
she ate cake ho hum.
Guest haiku : a 10-year old
"Birthday party and death day party"
Xio’s birthday thing
Cousin, Cousin, Cousin there
Oh…and Spector died.
Guest haiku : the same 10-year old
Xiomara ate cake
Cake she ate not on the plate
Oh…and Spector died.
(note : the first line is six syllables, Ding-Dong)
Guest haiku : anonymous 10-year old
"Books"
My favorite books.
Fahrenheit 451,
plus Lord of the Flies.
Daddy says we can
break laws of poetry so…
oh…and Spector died.
Stomp
Clap clap stomp stomp clap
he stomp-clap shuffles around
10-year old music man.
Guest haiku : a 10-year old
"Tim and Phil"
Ma wants to see him.
Uncle Tim, that one, yes.
Phil Spector has passed.
Guest haiku : a 10-year old
"Tim"
Ma really, really
would like to see Uncle Tim.
She is dying to.
Guest haiku : 10-year old
"Randy"
Told Ma about Quaid:
his tweet about missing Don.
She said awwww, sad.
January 18
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny arrives in Moscow and is immediately detained.
January 19
Trump’s last full day in office. His approval is at 34%. He leaves with 400,000 US dead from COVID after a year.
January 21
Biden inaugurated as the 46th President. Kamala Harris is the first woman Vice-President, the first Asian, and the first person of color. Trump does not attend. Chuck Schumer (D) is the new leader of the Senate.
Last second pardoning and commuting before Trump gets booted from office. This includes Steve Bannon.
Blow
I stepped into sun
but the wind tore breath from me.
My brittle skin cracks.
Go team!
I make the kids draw.
Three minutes! I say, go now!
Good competition.
Goodnight ritual
“Blanket coverer!”
she calls me in; “that’s your job!”
my thirteen-year old.
Love
I grab her hips fast,
straddle her legs up on me
in kitchen; kids laugh.
Ex-Pres
George W. Bush:
He paints now, my son told us,
“…and some of it’s good.”
January 23
Sue
She is sixty-eight.
She makes all around better.
My mom; to many.
January 24
Clue, 1985 mystery-comedy based on…the board game! Yes, in the old days, moviemakers would lift ideas from board games, rather than theme parks or video games. Madcap, scary, funny, and sharp repartee. An underrated mid-80s classic. And if you didn’t like Tim Curry before…you probably won’t like him after seeing this either. But if you want Tim Curry doing some of his best Tim Curry, then watch this.
January 25 : Monday
Organics
I help with Science.
Photosynthesis is cool.
Carb-di, water, light.
The Help
Two boys who draw hard.
Flurry of grand marker strokes.
Laundry is a beast.
Symphony Circus
Voices overlap.
Lots and lots, they rise and fall.
Noise can be music.
January 27 : Wednesday
D.O.A.
Last night there was snow.
the temperature went up.
The snow, it is dead now.
January 28, 2021 : at long last
There comes a point where you gotta own up to what you can’t do solo. Or at least…do effectively solo. Or…in the case of updating our windows, solo, period. A pretty penny, but half our house should be looking good and keeping water out, after today.
January 29 : Friday
No, no, no
A deer, dead by road.
Morning passes; thing is…
she’s not fully dead.
The crew
Russian window guys
work hard, work fast, take no breaks.
Very expensive.
February 2021
First good album I’ve heard of 2021 : The Hold Steady’s Open Door Policy. Craig Finn’s nifty yell-speak-melodics that treat every track like an anthem and every moment one worth writing about. Classic deep left field guitar rock & roll.
The Waterboys’ underappreciated ode to the poet from 2011, An Appointment With Mr. Yeats.
February 3, 2021 : Wednesday
Cycles
The cereal spills
Cannot find one of my shoes.
A normal morning.
Lunch
For something special,
I heated up some black beans,
and some bread; “here kids!”
Save Yourselves! (a film)
Talky Brooklyn pair.
Getaway with no cellphones
Cabin, aliens.
Mad
Wish I was more kind.
My kids think I’m kind of mean.
Sometimes they’re right.
Priorities
Clean your room, I yell.
I hope they have more than this
in their memories.
February 12 : Friday
The snow fell hard fast.
donuts, drive in big blizzard.
Bunk bed assemble.
Finally, kids asleep.
we celebrate by talking.
about them, of course.
February 13 : Shabbat
Snow keeps us indoors.
Well, not driving anyway.
Sledding, wet feet, shrieks.
Boys interruptus
Midnight movie Juliet.
We laugh together.
February 14
Juliet, Naked. What a delight. A 2018 comedy full of romance and hilarity, often smart, often clever, and often full of wonderful chemistry. Rose Byrne begins a…correspondence with her boyfriend’s obsession: a genius musician who released only one album decades previous, and now is off the map. Played by Ethan Hawke, and full of life. Loved.
Gattaca. Yeah, we pretty much only watch Ethan Hawke films in February. Been waiting to introduce this one to our older kids. Stands up well. Still my favourite tagline of all time : “There is no gene for the human spirit.”
Becca and I up
before six with the three boys
finish Juliet.
Clean a boys’ bedroom
New bed, pancakes, play in snow
Boy drawing, Etsy.
A sled run supreme
Half pipe, go fast, crash real hard.
My bod heals slow now.
February 18 : Thursday
A date with his mom.
You can’t come, he says to me.
I’ll just drive, I say.
Vaccination
eighteen month check up
his eyes start to eke out tears
i hold his hand tight.
February 19, 2021 : controlled chaos
I subtitled it above to imply an equal distribution of the two words, and I should really like to perpetuate that interpretation. Did I keep all parties alive? Did I keep children fed and minds engaged? Did I do some teaching? Did I lose my patience? Yes to all of the above, and I did most of it with a smile as I imagined how hilarious it would be to be watching dispassionately from the sidelines as I starred in some sort of Three Stooges-Road Runner-Simpsons- Norm Rockwell on caffeine mashup of parenting and teaching. Today’s parental gauntlet mainly involved fifty percent of the children’s army; the one whose lower ranks total two adults whose age is a combined total of less than six years, and the hurricane they constructed in their massive ode to living with enthusiasm and melodic excess. Oh yes, there was melody, and we thundered Shostakovich as we discussed the effect of Stalin’s first Five Year plan on art and culture in Russia. My body and mind are attenuated to a constant track of en garde survivalism that is either making me almost immortal or running my every body system down decades before its time. I don’t know. But I know I ended the day smiling, and I kept everyone alive and made some good moments. So I’m gonna feel good. Despite it being after 1am and knowing I’ll be up in several hours to start the möbius loop again. And so it goes.
Boys into it all.
Read, climb, dress up, eat, repeat.
Pills, like their parents.
Cowboys with dolls
Little hands helping
pulling hats and costumes down
"We’re cowboys!" they say.
We spoke of polis,
Greek for city, a great word
to keep in vocab.
Becca made curry.
But not solo, oh no no.
Three boys helping lots.
February 20 : Shabbat
Night was not too good.
Troupe of wrestlers joined our bed.
and ripped covers off.
I don’t think there’s snow.
But then there is, and we hike,
our poor feet freeze.
Hamilton Mountain
is wondrous, especially
if you have dry socks.
February 26 : Friday
Mountains and valleys, and man am I glad I like a variety of weather and terrain, because our family, with six at different ages and stages and wants and needs and interests and opinions, represents a dynamic swath of emotional weather and terrain. I include myself, and it’s not a bad thing. The days are somehow simultaneous lightning and quicksand; moving at the speed of light when I want to slow down, and slogging through boggy swamp when I want the clock to tick a little faster sometimes. I’m irked at myself for even thinking that. I want to enjoy and savor every moment to the greatest degree possible. But these days are intense. Not a bad word. I don’t want dull, boring, or Midwest flat. Just intense. Zero to seventy five and there’s no braking on the turns or switchbacks. And I’m okay. Reminds me again and again of how lucky I am to be partnered with someone who can equally love and laugh at our lives. And who digs loud music, wet hikes, and good films.
February 27 : Shabbat
A crowded playground.
Some take COVID serious
Many don’t, so sad.
My mom’s lasagna
eaten outside with good peeps.
Followed by cookies.
February 28 : Sunday
Clean a big garage.
At least I try to make dent.
Play ‘60s music.
A boy action paints
in front yard, it’s so messy
and my heart’s happy.
March 2021
Book of Eels by Patrik Svensson. Can’t put it down. I mean…I do, because I have to. But it is so good. About eels, and the previously-unknown to me centuries-old scientific fascination with them, due to their mysterious existence, reproductive patterns, life cycles, and what they say about metaphysics and the gap beyond what we can observe, prove, and know.
Promising Young Woman, 2020 dark, dark, yet sometimes funny, sad, infuriating, bleak revenge thriller that sweeps you up in emotions and will stay in your head. It’s…unlike what you might think it’s going to be.
March 05 : Friday
Sometimes you know when you’re doing something wrong, or poorly, or sometimes you simply know that you’re not performing up the standards you’re capable of. And you realize - I realise - that I’ve veered farther than I thought off the pathway I’d like to be on. But it’s not like it’s a giant veering-off in the wrong direction all at once. I realised recently how far I feel I’ve gotten off track as a dad with things I feel I used to do well. One of the big ones being this: I used to try hard to make as much of every day and every activity fun. Simple. Make it fun. Try to make it fun. I did pretty well for a long time. Then the challenges of having multiple people at different ages and phases and wants and needs caught up, and I slowly started getting more impatient. Less understanding, less willing to take extra amounts of time to invest in gamification and simply wanting things to get done. We’ve never been an especially efficient family, but we’ve been an effective one; by choice, as the latter is far more important. However, I admit to daydreaming and trying at different points to improve our execution of the former: to be more efficient.
Here’s the thing: being efficient and being fun are largely paradoxical ideas. Not completely in opposition…but usually, within the context of raising a family.
So I have been fighting to get myself back into a balance of doing better with patience, better with understanding, and better with fun. With making our lives fun. It’s really not a massively greater investment; it’s more of a mindset. Trying to deliberately carve out time with each child, and build conscious and full attention in little bursts in areas they’re interested in. On their terms. And it’s been a really good week. Plenty of the same chaotic symphony - many instruments going simultaneously; the conductor hiding underneath the glockenspiel. But also an energy I’ve missed. A little more fun.
Bubble blowing, bikes, dollhouse on front porch, an afternoon of dress up and costuming, Hamlet, some Ray Bradbury aloud, UNO, Egyptian Rat Screw, Hemingway aloud, reading on front lawn, chalk drawing, cookies, vigorous and lively discussions and arguments, hide and seek, painting, WandaVision, block building, chasing, wrestling, food making…
…it’s been a good week overall.
March 15 : Monday, a first
First day of hybrid learning. Doing one day 8.15-12.15. Went well.
Boys to skate park, Salmon-Morgan Creek Trail, Kiwanis Park. Our 50-month old (yes, I’m laughing at myself writing his age in months, but I am a geek in so many ways), loved being “The Leader.” Called him “Hiker Man.” He was okay with it - and is currently very selective about what nicknames are okay. The list includes a two-syllable derivative of his first name, the full and complete four-word title of his name, Poohberry, and now…HikerMan.
Good day. Just feel like I’m unable to really make traction on any area outside…raising and developing children. There’s a sentence that I hope ages well?
April 2021
Rituals:
Sweet potato curry on Friday nights.
Jazz
May 2021
June 2021
Mare of Easttown (HBO series, 2021). Flat out one of the finest limited run series I’ve seen. Kate Winslet in top form, along with fellow castmates in slow-building, mesmerizing small Pennsylvania town detective investigation that digs deep into family, relationships, and grief to grip you tightly and intelligently.
Shoplifters (film, 2018). Japanese comedy-drama about families that choose each other. Oh, and steal stuff. Sweet, beautiful, melancholic. A reminder to think about what the meaning of family really is.
The Terminal (film, 2004). An underrated Spielberg/Hanks film about a man caught between countries at the airport, and his resilience and resourcefulness. Not perfect, not on the A-list of either, but a delicious little treat of a movie that’s better than I remembered.
June 03
Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021) Smokejumping, fires, and Angelina Jolie trying to keep an 11-year old boy alive from assassins. Decently done version of a thousand 90s action movies, including the song that starts playing at the end.
June 11
The Pink Panther (film, 1963). The kids’ first time seeing the original classic. Now, I really enjoyed the two Steve Martin remakes of this. Extremely different flavors. Enjoying the original with Peter Sellers takes a certain amount of…getting into the tone and the style of humor. Really neat to see the kids find and appreciate different aspects of it.
June 13
Notting Hill (film, 1999). How do you not love Julia Roberts on the basis of this movie alone? For that matter, Hugh Grant? First time with our Older kids, and I enjoyed this rom-com as a second viewing about as much as any I’ve seen. Rhys Ifans almost steals the show as Spike the Flatmate. The supporting cast is wonderful as well. And the chemistry and lovely little English scenes are…lovely.
June 15
Badlands (film, 1973). Finally got around to to seeing the Terrence Malick classic. So much has been said about it already, starting with the cinematography. Gorgeous. The lingering poetry of absorbing you into both relationships of both people and place. A slow burn that stays with you.
July 2021
Only Murders in the Building. Steve Martin and Martin pairing up as NYC true crime aficionados starting a podcast? Expected brilliance. Adding Selena Gomez and making a trio? Total left field. And it works. Thank you, Jeremy, for the recommendation.
August 2021
Attack the Block. 2011 British alien attack movie with good dialogue, good beats, and a post-Guy Ritchie frenetic pace that works. John Boyega is in fine form as a grim-faced rascal.
Xavier Rudd’s Stoney Creek. It’s gonna be a tough climb to top this one for track of the year. Beautiful, and one of my new favorite videos to accompany the soundtrack.
The Mysterious Benedict Society on Disney+ with the kids. Droll, character-driven piece with Wes Anderson sets and precocious kids - think: distant Baudelaire cousins from Series of Unfortunate Events - out to save the world. Tony Hale pulls double duty as Svengali-ish twins on opposing sides. Fun, and makes a good case for the hipness of tetherball being the new soccer.
September 2021
Nine picks from September 18-25
The Prada Ocean ad running incessantly on Spotify with the relentless O Fortuna-channeling music that has Jake Gyllenhaal on a yacht. Little embarrassed to say I’m completely mesmerized by it still.
Coldplay’s Lovers in Japan from 2008.
Belle & Sebastian’s Sleep the Clock Around from 1998.
Stevie Wonder’s I Believe from 1972 (and the High Fidelity soundtrack from 2000).
Jake Bugg’s Hold Tight from this year.
Ted Lasso season 2
Ray Bradbury’s The Illustrated Man short story from 1951. The kind that makes you shiver and check the windows. Also: started Something Wicked This Way Comes. Take those shivers and triple.
Worth, the Amy Ryan-Michael Keaton-Stanley Tucci drama about the process for calculating survivor benefits after 9/11. How do you calculate the value of a human life?
Brahms’ Hungarian Rhapsody from the late 1870s. My go-to kick off morning blast the last couple weeks.
Five picks from September 26-October 10
Chvrches’ 2021 dark, bouncy concept album Screen Violence (thank you, Brian V, for alerting me to their latest album, somehow it came out under my radar).
Manic Street Preachers keep putting on a clinic for making poppy political anthems with this year’s The Ultra Vivid Lament.
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell (book).
I See You. A terrifying, slow-building thriller from 2017. Don’t watch the trailer. Don’t read anything. Thank you, Jeremy Long, for the recommendation.
The Squid Game (Netflix) Yeah, I’m watching it too, although it’ll probably take me two months longer to finish than the rest of the world.
October 02 - A Three Song Sunday Playlist
Baby Shark - Pinkfong
We Are Young - fun. featuring Janelle Monáe
In the Middle, In the Middle, In the Middle - They Might Be GiantsMy daughter reading Catcher in the Rye for the first time. Sniff.
October 2021
October 05 : Driving with my daughter
We talked about Epigenetics and how fascinating Biology is. I am so glad she is enjoying science.
We listened to Kings of Leon, a band special to my heart.
We drove in the rain, and at one point I might have commented on how I like rain, and she might have said something similar.
Somehow we ended up talking about the movie I See You. It’s a nifty little suspense thriller that does something very interesting partway through. Jeremy recommended it, and I enjoyed it. She has not seen it, but I spoke of it in such a manner that I did not give away spoilers or details that would detract from her enjoyment. She is thinking she enjoys scary movies and tales involving suspense and big thrills. It provides some good catalysts for conversation, as I understand the allure of these stories.
We talked about U.S. politics, and listened to a Francis Collins interview on NPR.
It was a good drive. I love driving with her.
October 21
Prologue to a sentence I didn’t think I’d be writing at the beginning of the year: “Off to France I go.”
A drop-off at the airport by a brother insistent on taking me, en route to see a sister enthusiastic about my arrival, leaving behind a wife and four children supportive and excited about my trek. Coffee in hand, masked up, hoping for a good seat and clear sailing through customs, etc.
November 2021
December 2021
8-Bit Christmas (film)
Deck the Halls (film). Matthew Broderick & Danny Devito dueling decorating neighbors setup. Not classic. But worth a once-see.
December 23
Becca takes care of bathing a filthy 26-month old. Bless her. We FaceTime a dear aunt-slash-my sister the younger-younger. An 11-year old reads Roald Dahl’s Boy while his almost 5-year old brother navigates an old Speak-and-Spell that somehow has battery life still living. Becca provides caloric sustenance to a child (see: first sentence of this entry) and our 14-yo daughter crawls in bed with them. Why not?
Later, she teaches her youngest brother how to wrestle (pro tip: pick them up and hold them upside down if you’re able). He eventually finds comfort in the company of a large cardboard box, which keeps him busy and playing solo for a long stretch. Also, he is decked out in a Puma tracksuit, which is indescribably adorable to me. Along the way, he and his next-oldest bro dump out three trillion handpainted wood blocks. I go up to see my Metallica-shirt wearing nephew, freshly 15, and cannot keep the smile off my face; I love this boy-man.
We head to the Coast, where we are warmly welcomed - what a pleasant surprise! We eat pizza and salad and Jonny is wearing a Santa hat. Micael and my dad chat; one in a rocking chair. Children test out the firefighter-slash-dance-stripper pole installed by my dad in the attic. Finally, close the 11pm hour, the last glass of water is supplied to the last woke-child (hint: almost 5) and the elves are slumbering…for a wee bit. Aaaah.
People who appear to be of interest to the world in 2021
The Royals. Still. A year after Meghan and Harry exited. Still making magazine covers.
Ralph Macchio’s back with Cobra Kai.
Steph Curry. The one to beat for Greatest Shooter of All Time status.
Family trends
Kids reading through People magazine and coloring in faces. You’re welcome, Emma Stone and Chrissy Teigen.
Fave Films of 2021
My 22 Favorite Movies of 2021
Army of Thieves
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
Black Widow
CODA
Don’t Look Up
Drive My Car
Dune
In the Heights
The Last Duel
Licorice Pizza
The Mitchells Versus the Machines
Pig
The Power of the Dog
Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Spider-Man: No Way Home
The Suicide Squad
tick…tick BOOM!
The Tragedy of Macbeth
The Worst Person in the World
Honorable mention
Annette (strangest film I’ve seen this year)
Army of the Dead
Being the Ricardos
Cruella
Boss Level
The Green Knight
Long Story Short
The Lost Daughter
Luca
The Mad Woman’s Ball
Matrix Resurrection
Moxie
Nightmare Alley
No Sudden Move
No Time to Die
Old
Petite Maman
Red Notice
Reminiscence
Together Together
Vivo
Worth
All ages-ish
Cruella
Encanto
Jungle Cruise
Luca
Peter Rabbit 2
Raya and the Last Dragon
Tom & Jerry
Vivo
Holiday
8-Bit Christmas
Home Sweet Home Alone
Love Hard
Princess Switch 3
Guilty pleasures
Those Who Wish Me Dead
Not great, but worth a once-through
coming soon
Want to see, might see
A Hero
The Burning Sea (Norwegian disaster)
The Courier
Cry Macho
Cyrano
The Dig
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
Finch
Free Guy
I’m Your Man
King Richard
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things
Nobody
Old Henry
Oxygen
Parallel Mothers
Passing
Ron’s Gone Wrong
Spencer
Summer of Soul (... Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Swan Song
The Tender Bar
The Water Man
Zola
Underwhelming / disappointing / plain bad
The Guilty
Last Night in Soho - Gorgeous rendition of 1960s London. Love Edgar Wright’s others. Loved the first half. Disappointing last third.
The Little Things - even a trifecta of Oscar winners can’t rescue a script that feels unfinished
Things Heard and Seen
The Tomorrow War
West Side Story
——
Back to Film Index by Year
ESSENTIAL MUSIC OF 2021
My favourite 11 albums
Chvrches - Screen Violence
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - New Fragility
the Killers - Pressure Machine
Kings of Leon - When You See Yourself
The Hold Steady - Open Door Policy
Manic Street Preachers - The Ultra Vivid Lament
The War On Drugs - I Don’t Live Here Anymore
Honorable Mention
Chevelle - NIRATIAS
Jake Bugg - Saturday Night, Sunday Morning
James - All the Colours of You
Moby - Reprise
The Stranglers - Dark Matters
Unwed Sailor - Truth or Consequences
Disappointments & underperformers
coming soon
Haven’t listened / haven’t spent enough time with yet
coming soon
My 44 Unmissable Tracks
Change - The War on Drugs
In The Car Outside - the Killers
Quiet Town - the Killers
Stoney Creek - Xavier Rudd
We Deserve to Dream - Xavier Rudd
Playlists by Month
January
The Feelers - The Hold Steady
100,000 People - Kings of Leon
Quiet Town - the Killers
So Long, Mother Earth - Chevelle
A Wave - Kings of Leon
∞ - Coldplay
In My Room - Grandaddy
Blitz - Unwed Sailor
Dee, Forgiven - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Riptown - The Hold Steady
The Secret He Had Missed - Manic Street Preachers
Lilith - Unwed Sailor
The Getting By - the Killers
February
Granted - Olivia Rodrigo
Chemtrails Over the Country Club - Lana Del Rey
Chinatown - Bleachers f. Bruce Springsteen
Runaway Horses (with Phoebe Bridgers) - the Killers
Let Somebody Go - Coldplay f. Selena Gomez
Medicine - James Arthur
Maybe It’s Today - Jake Bugg
Easy On Me - Adele
Hanover Camera - The Hold Stead
Hold Tight - Jake Bugg
Into the Waves of Love - Manic Street Preachers
Biutyful - Coldplay
To Be Loved - Adele
Losing You - James Arthur
Love Will Be Reborn - Martha Wainwright
I’ve Been Loving You Long - Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
March
One Red Rose - Iris DeMent
Alone with My Phone - Ole Kirkeng
Chasing Birds - Foo Fighters
Rocking Chair - Ole Kirkeng
The Bandit - Kings of Leon
The Sun Hasn’t Left - Modest Mouse
I Need You (To Quit Breaking My Heart) - Chris Norwood f. Carrie Norwood
Motorbike - Leon Bridges
That’s Life - Willie Nelson
Stormy Weather - Kings of Leon
Keep It On The Sunnyside - Willie Nelson
April
Asking for a Friend - Chvrches
Change - The War on Drugs
Complicated Illusions - Manic Street Preachers
Endlessly - Chevelle
I Don’t Live Here Anymore - The War on Drugs
I’m Through - Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Innocent Weight - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Isabella - James
Occasional Rain - The War on Drugs
Scene - Jake Bugg
Thousand Oaks - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Time in Disguise - Kings of Leon
Unpleasant Breakfast - the Hold Steady
When You See Yourself, Are You Far Away - Kings of Leon
Wherever It Takes Us - James
Yosemite - Llana del Rey
May
Drivers License - Olivia Rodrigo
Spices - The Hold Steady
Payday - The Stranglers
Never Let You Down - Islands
We Are The People - Martin Garrix f. Bono & The Edge
Cover Me In Sunshine - Pink and Willow Sage Hart
A Little Space - Pentatonic f. ATEEZ
Our Love Will Change the World - Alice Cooper
I Want It All - The Script
California - Chvrches
Without You - The Kid Laroi & Miley Cyrus
Have Mercy - Chloe Bailey
June
Lanyards - The Hold Steady
Cloudspotter - Foo Fighters
Mars Simula - Chevelle
Beautiful Beaches - James
Islomania - Islands
Japanese Trees - Modest Mouse
All I Need - Jake Bugg
No Way out but Through - Face to Face
No Man’s Land - The Stranglers
Holy Ground (Taylor’s Version) - Taylor Swift
Linda - Tokischa & Rosalia
July
Self Destructor - Chevelle
How Dare You Want More - Bleachers
In The Car Outside - the Killers
Walking and Running - Modest Mouse
Guided by Angels - Amyl and the Sniffers
August
Heavy Covenant - The Hold Steady
Echoing - Kings of Leon
Water - The War on Drugs
Santa Rosa - Linsdsey Buckinharm
Remember When - Chevelle
Hesitating Nation - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Back To The Middle - Modest Mouse
Complex - Tristen
Carpenter - Islands
My Memories - Tuns
Family Farm - The Hold Steady
White Stallion - The Stranglers
Piistol Star (Gravity Heals) - Chevelle
Happy Bored Alone - Manic Street Preachers
Old Skin - The War on Drugs
Downtown - Jake bugg
Sometimes I Forget How Summer Looks on You - Ben LaMar Gay
September
Stoney Creek - Xavier Rudd (E)
Living Proof - The War on Drugs
Into the Blue - The Joy Formidable
Don’t Let the Night Divide Us - Manic Street Preachers
Golden Restless Age - Kings of Leon
New Fragility - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
The Last Man On Earth - Wolf Alice
The Lines - The Stranglers
September - James Arthur
Lost - Jake Bugg
In Another Life - the Killers
Mirror Song - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Orwellian - Manic Street Preachers
Sevier - The Joy Formidable
Claire & Eddie - Kings of Leon
Afterending - Manic Street Preachres
Water - The Stranglers
Sleepwalker - the Killers
Lonely Hours - Jake Bugg
Oxytocin - Billie Eilish
How Not To Drown - Chvrches & Robert Smith
We Deserve To Dream - Xavier Rudd
Skewer - Liars
October
Nightmares - Chvrches
Sleep the Deep - Chvelle
Rings Around My Father’s Eyes - The War on Drugs
Hush - James
Bit - Unwed Sailor
Desperate Things - the Killers
Therefore I Am - Billie Eilish
Emily - James Arthur
Humankind - Coldplay
Diapause - Manic Street Preachers
Hold On - Adele
I Didn’t Change My Number - Billie Eilish
Damn - Ada Lea
West Hills - the Killers
November
Human Heart - Coldplay (with We Are King & Jacob Collier)
Harmonia’s Dream - The War on Drugs
Ajo - Unwed Sailor
Phantom Tears - Ole Kirkeng
Blind Love - Lindsey Buckingham
The Fox in the Snow - Granddaddy
Lit (from “A Silent Voice”) - Quiet Gaze
Body - Noah Gundersen f. Andy D. Park
Here’s to You - Il Solo & Ennis Morricone
Lose Your Head - London Grammar
Where They Perform Miracles - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Your Power - Billie Eilish
SOS - James Arthur
Higher Power - Coldpay
Occasional Rain - The War on Drugs
Winter - Vivaldi Variations - Olivia Belli
Quest for Ancient Colour - Manic Street Preachers
I Don’t Mind - Lindsey Buckingham
The Ecstasy of Gold - Il Solo & Ennis Morricone
Street of Philadelphia - Waxahatchee
Borrowed Light - Perfume Genius
Down - The Stranglers
Take It Or Leave It - James Arthur
Aquamarine - Hand Habits
Daddy - Charlotte Cardin
L’attaque des Loups - Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
How Can I Make It OK? - Wolf Alice
Pressure Machine - the Killers
December
What Has Happened - Tonstartssbandht
White Horses - Low