Reading & watching this week:

I saw “Au Revoir, Les Enfants” in the theater when it first came out in 1987. Written, directed and produced by Louis Malle, it tells his story of attending a Roman Catholic boarding school during World War II. It’s one of the most gripping films I’ve ever seen. Steve had never watched it, so we saw it together this week. It is a quiet, intense movie, well-acted and beautifully written, and I am as moved by it now as I was twenty-three years ago. Appropriate for mature pre-teens and teenagers.

I had never read Roald Dahl’s “The BFG” (Big Friendly Giant, or “Big Effin’ Giant,” as my son prefers to call it). We’ve been reading it as a family and it’s great, especially as a read-aloud. Dahl always has a way with dialogue, in this one in particular. Good for all ages, unless your littles are prone to scary dreams.

Atwood, my hero. I love Atwood all the way back to “The Edible Woman,” her first novel. OK, I tried to read “Oryx & Crake” and it just absolutely terrified me. No, I don’t know why, it just flipped me out and I could barely start it, much less finish it. Any and all dystopian society books just scare me, alright? They hit too close to the bone. So when the second book in the trilogy, “The Year of the Flood,” came out, I wasn’t sure if I’d be into it, petrified by it, lost in translation, what. I picked it up and haven’t been able to put it down — I’m almost finished with it. It’s one of those books I am savoring, because I won’t want to say goodbye to it once it’s done.

Lucky for me, the third book will come out at some point, and I’m ready to delve into “Oryx & Crake” again. I am that brave now.

“The Year of the Flood” is fantastic, and stands on its own, even if you haven’t read the first book.

Happy Sunday, y’all.

– wm

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“Experts have / their expert fun / ex cathedra / telling one / just how nothing / can be done.” — Piet Hein, poet and scientist (1905-1996)

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me to the kids in the car on the way home: “I want to make you as miserable every day about doing your homework as you make me miserable every frickin’ day about not doing your homework, see?”

the kids (silently to each other): Don’t make eye contact with that woman, we’ll be fine.

i rock at motherhood.

ouch.

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Noted anti-war activist S. Brian Willson spells out why the school board should stop selling the US military access to elementary school students.

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my favorite donut recipe… ever.

DONUT PUFFS

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 T butter

Crisco or oil for deep frying

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg or cinnamon or…

powdered sugar

Mix ingredients, dip batter by spoonful into oil, fry ‘em. Let cool on paper towels.

Roll in sugar/nutmeg, sugar/cinnamon or powdered sugar.

“Mmm… donuts…” — Homer Simpson

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The Beechers are so nice.

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(because you knew i had to say it.)

steve took me out for a bite to eat. and vodka, cuz we’re moving and it was the middle of the afternoon and I was having an “episode.”

steve, looking around the bar (because where else would you go, in North Portland, in the middle of the afternoon on Valentine’s Day?): “I won’t miss the ironic North Portland hipsters.”

me: “yes you will.”

then i eyed four sets of lesbians making out at the bar. four sets. that’s sixteen breasts, for those of you who are counting. i gave a little sigh.

“I’ll miss that.”

i was thinking, i’ve lived in North/Northeast Portland my entire life, right? Then steve asks, Didn’t you live in New York? (my son, suddenly impressed): “You lived in New York?” me: “yeah, for awhile.)

and i lived in Southeast (off Hawthorne, and in Ladd’s Addition, in an old church; also in a heinous apartment complex in Southwest for awhile; and in chi-chi Multnomah Village — Southwest PDX — and in chi-chi Westmoreland — Southeast PDX).

I’ve lived other places.

i’ll be fine.

house on market asap; will keep y’all posted. It stinks like cleaning products in here, gives me headache and sneezes. am glad i’m not frantic mad housekeeper; it can’t be good for your brain cells.

xo

your little hunny,

wm

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Steve’s blogs are having their birthdays this month, too. (Go tell him to write about peace on his blog, would you? Tell him to give peace a chance.) (Again.)

Would you like some February “greatest hits” from over the years? Sure, why not?

Feb. 2005

Feb. 2006

Feb. 2007

Feb. 2008

Feb. 2009

Bon appetit!

– wm

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from press release I just received — this sounds good. make it to the screening if you can, if you’re in the Portland area.

– wm

DIRECTOR OF FULL SIGNAL CHALLENGES LEGISLATORS AND THE CELLULAR INDUSTRY TO LOOK AT THE REAL DANGERS OF WIRELESS

Talal Jabari, documentary filmmaker, available for interviews and speaking engagements in Portland February 12-22

Portland, OR–February 9, 2010

“FULL SIGNAL,” a controversial documentary about the health impacts of cellular technology and the huge industry behind it, premieres at the Hollywood Theater in Portland at 4 pm February 21. Filmed in ten countries and six US states, FULL SIGNAL talks to scientists who are researching the health effects related to cellular technology; to activists who are fighting to regulate the placement of antennas; and to lawyers and legislators who represent the people wanting those antennas regulated. Director Talal Jabari will be in Portland starting February 12 to spread the word about his new film.

“There are 3.5 billion cell phone users in this world. So the chances are, if you are alive, you are being touched by electromagnetic radiation related to cell phone frequencies.” says Jabari. “An increasing number of studies are starting to correlate certain ailments with cellular technology, ranging from dizziness to tumors.” “FULL SIGNAL” takes the position that it is highly unlikely that these scientist’s findings are all incorrect.

In Portland, hundreds of cell antennas are already mounted on and around schools, churches, commercial buildings and water towers. City ordinances allow wireless companies to use any existing utility pole to mount cell antennas. The City of Portland expects 800 new cell towers in the next few years; many will be on residential streets.

The film showing is sponsored by RespectPDX, a group of Northeast Portland residents who are working to stop a Clearwire cell tower in the Beaumont Wilshire neighborhood. The proposed site at 37th and Fremont was the first application after new ordinances about cell antennas in the public right of way were approved in May 2009. Neighbors crowded into a standing-room only meeting called by Clearwire on January 13 to voice their opposition. On January 28 the Beaumont Wilshire Neighborhood Association voted to officially oppose the tower.

RespectPDX is bringing “FULL SIGNAL” and director Talal Jabari to Portland to raise awareness about the health, legal and financial aspects of wireless technology in our city and surrounding areas. The group invites the media, elected officials from neighborhood association boards to Governor Kulongoski, as well as the larger community, to meet with Talal Jabari during his stay in Portland and attend the February 21 “FULL SIGNAL” premiere.

For a “FULL SIGNAL” press kit, contact RespectPDX.

“FULL SIGNAL” details:

“AWARD of MERIT” Accolade Competition 2010

“OFFICIAL SELECTION” 10th Santa Fe Film Festival

Director Talal Jabari’s biography

Talal Jabari is a Palestinian/American who upon completing his Master’s degree studies in 2000 and returning to Jerusalem, found himself thrust into the world of journalism by the onset of the Second Intifada. First as a fixer, then as a reporter, he covered the escalating violence for such prominent news sources as BBC World Service, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and Al Ahram Weekly.

In 2002, Jabari started his TV career as an associate producer for CBS News as well as a field producer for the CBS news magazine 60 Minutes. His next career jump was as line producer and production coordinator of a 5-documentary film series entitled “The Shape of the Future,” which has won several awards. He also produced 4 episodes and did a portion of the filming, for Al Jazeera Documentary Channel’s flagship 8-part series: “Israel from Within”.

Since then, Jabari has continued to specialize in factual programming traveling to Lagos, Nigeria, Antigua, Guatemala and Belgrade, Serbia among other places, to work on various documentaries and doco-reality TV shows.

Jabari has worked on numerous award-winning documentary films as a producer or as a sound designer. “FULL SIGNAL” is his first film as the director.

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There is very little that bugs me about my husband, Hockey God. (Yes, he claims he’s on sabbatical.) (”There’s no crying in baseball!” — Tom Hanks in “A League of Their Own”) (Yeah, whatever, Mr. I’m-So-Busy, Mr. Sabbatical.)

Anyway. He rocks. He’s a great cook, father, lover, husband and gardener. He pretty much always gives me my way, even when I don’t cry. (”There is crying in marriage.” — Wacky Mommy) He watches “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “White Christmas,” “North by Northwest,” “Vertigo” and “Rear Window” with me, over and over and over. (Is there anything sexier than Grace Kelly telling Jimmy Stewart, “Preview of coming attractions…”? No, there is not.)

He’s buying me a new house because I’ve been ready to go for a long time now.

But one thing about him drives me nuts. OK, two. 1) He can’t stand when I talk during movies, but hello, sometimes I need to ask him what’s happening with the plot, especially if it’s one of those suspense/intrigue type of movies and 2) He thinks he knows the words to Dwight Yoakam’s “Guitars, Cadillacs” and he just doesn’t. Also he thinks he can sing like Dwight (”He sings like Fozzy Bear, it’s not that hard!”) and he just can’t.

Other than that, he’s perfect.

Happy Valentine’s Day, lover. Here’s to many more.

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