So Long September

A few odds and ends:

1) I bought some blackout curtains for my bedroom and while they do a good job of keeping the light out, they also are closer in appearance and texture to a plastic tarp than to actual fabric.  When I first hung them, I was sure I was going to return them because they are so aesthetically displeasing.  A week later and I'm keeping them, though they haven't become any better looking.

2) I just started watching season one of Homeland a year after hip folks with Showtime started raving about it.  Season two starts tonight so as soon as I catch up with the first season, I will have another year to wait to see how that turns out.

3) Here's a pleasant Sunday jam for you to enjoy.

And The World Will Know

Here is an email conversation that The Dude and I had yesterday.  I thought I should post this as a public service announcement.  We don't have many readers, but if we can save JUST ONE PERSON.  (Also, I should mention that I am wild about pumpkin flavoring in general, so my hatred of this beverage was especially unexpected.)

Herself:
I'm working late tonight so I couldn't skip my afternoon iced coffee.  I was feeling adventurous and decided to order a Spiced Pumpkin rather than the usual French Vanilla.  Got back to the office, took a sip, and felt like I was being punched in the face with pumpkin. . . and spices.  Definitely not as subtle as other Dunkin' Donuts flavored coffees.  Looked up the nutritional information and it is a nightmare.  The usual medium iced coffee with skim milk and Splenda has 40 calories.  This abomination has 205.  There is a full D&D cup in the trash and there are tears running down my face.  (Okay, not really on the tears, but I still think this is a tragic situation.)

The Dude:
I had their spiced pumpkin recently and it sucks.  Should have told you/updated you.  Didn't realize the nutritional info was so heinous.  I should just down a 20 ounce Mountain Dew for that amount.

Myers Briggs

I spent the summer of 1996 at the Young Scholars Engineering Program at the University of Maine.  1996 was a different time-- the US women's gymnastics team had just won the gold and a foreign song with a goofy dance was a big hit.  (I prefer PSY's horsey dance to the Macarena, but I liked the '96 gymnasts better than the '12 team because they were around my age and Kerri Strug's vault with the injured ankle was epic.)  I turned 16 during my month at dork camp, so for half of my life I have been intermittently obsessed with the Myers Briggs personality test results that I received that summer.  Over the years I have re-taken the Myers Briggs test a few times to see if my results ever change.  They do not.  I am consistently an ISFJ.  No matter how many times I read the description of ISFJs, I always have the same two thoughts, "Yep, that is pretty much me" and "Dang, what a boring personality."

Here are two very brief descriptions of my personality type and The Dude's:

Herself (ISFJ)

Quiet, kind, and conscientious. Can be depended on to follow through. Usually puts the needs of others above her own needs. Stable and practical, she values security and traditions. Well-developed sense of space and function. Rich inner world of observations about people. Extremely perceptive of others' feelings. Interested in serving others.

The Dude (ESTJ)

Practical, traditional, and organized. Likely to be athletic. Not interested in theory or abstraction unless he sees the practical application. Has clear visions of the way things should be. Loyal and hard-working. Likes to be in charge. Exceptionally capable in organizing and running activities. "Good citizen" who values security and peaceful living. 

One part of the results that I find especially amusing is the suggested list of famous people with each personality type.  I've got Mother Teresa, who took a vow of poverty, and The Dude has three presidents, the founder of Walmart, and a Rockefeller.  I wonder which one of us is more likely to be buried in a pauper's grave.  (Hint-- it is me.)

Here are my people:

• Mother Teresa, nun and humanitarian
• Louisa May Alcott, author
• Elizabeth II, Queen of England
• Robert E. Lee, general
• Mary I, Queen of England
• Kristi Yamaguchi, figure skater
• Michael Caine, actor
• Alfred, Lord Tennyson, poet

And The Dude's:

• James Monroe, U.S. President
• Harry S. Truman, U.S. President
• George W. Bush, U.S. President
• Sam Walton, businessman
• John D. Rockefeller, philanthropist and industrialist
• Billy Graham, evangelist
• Bette Davis, actress

I Heart Fall

I know that there are people with a bit more melanin and a bit less chub who love summer the best of all the seasons, but most people would agree that fall is the hands-down loveliest time of year, right?  The weather has been fantastic lately.  I'm trying to appreciate the short window of perfection that generally lasts from mid-September to mid-October in New England.  After sweating my way through an extra humid summer, I am so happy to experience the start of some good old-fashioned autumn days.

I was thinking about fall traditions this afternoon and tried Googling the apple farm that my mother and I visit every fall.  Mum started taking The Dude and me there when we were little to select pumpkins.  We usually went with our neighborhood friends the Whites back in the '80s and early '90s.  On top of spending an agonizingly long time selecting the perfect pumpkins each year, we would take hay rides through the orchard and feed apples to the horses.  The old horses haven't been there for a long time, but my mother and I still go every year to choose pumpkins, buy cider, and just appreciate the familiar sights and smells.  Last fall was the first year that we missed our annual pilgrimage and when I discovered that the farm has a website and saw photos, I was so very happy.  I can't wait to go back this fall.

I got an email from my uncle last week arranging a date for my cousins and I to visit and carve pumpkins.  How lucky am I do be an (allegedly) grown-up woman with two sets of parents supporting my childish need to create jack-o-lanterns each year.  If all goes well, my work will grace both my aunt and uncle's home and my parents' home.  My cousin's new husband reminded me at dinner on Monday that his carving was the best last year.  I wish I could muster some competitive spirit but for nearly my whole life I've been creating the same basic smiling pumpkin face.  I felt like I really stepped it up last year with the winged cat creature I obviously copied from a stencil.

2009 Pumpkins.  Mine on the left is pretty much the same design I've done since I was old enough to wield a carving knife.

2012 Pumpkins

And finally a shout-out to my mother's amazing pumpkin chocolate-chip cookies, which I demand every fall.  They are to die for.  I'm the only person in my family who likes them, so I eat a whole batch solo every year.  And I wash them down with a gallon of apple cider, which my dad always buys for my visit home in the fall and then tells me I need to finish before I leave.  So sucking down enough cider to make myself physically ill is another of my autumn traditions.  Cider and pumpkin cookies.  Mmmmmm.  I already feel sick.

One last joyful part of the season-- dressing my parents' dog up in her bumblebee Halloween costume.

Christmas Entertainment, Part II

And for all zero of you who have been waiting for the follow up to the Christmas movie post-- Voila, a post about televised Christmas specials.  Looking at the release dates, it is hard to believe that all six of the programs were created in a ten-year span.  What makes these extra special is that they were not just part of The Dude's and my childhood, but part of our parents' childhoods as well. 

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this special is that almost everyone in the North Pole is a giant d-bag.  Rudolph's parents are ashamed of his nose and try to disguise it.  When the other reindeer kids find out about Rudolph's difference, they mercilessly make fun of him.  And who leads them in the taunting?  The coach/teacher.  (Bonus-- my uncle does an excellent impression of Coach Comet.)  Even Santa is prejudiced against poor Rudolph and his shnoz.  And Santa's horrible bias against individuals who don't fit the mold isn't just directed at Rudolph.  He's banished a whole population of toys to an island where they sing about their loneliness and lack of purpose. (The Dude and I spent years trying to figure out what the problem was with the doll on the Island of Misfit Toys.  We decided she had mental issues.  What a strange topic of conversation for little kids at Christmas.)  There are a few good guys in this story though-- Rudolph's lady friend Clarice, Hermey the elf (who is himself persecuted for his interest in dentistry), and my favorite, Yukon Cornelius.  Every Christmas-celebrating American has watched the heck out of this special.  Even though the intolerance that runs through this program doesn't hold up very well, we know the words to every song and we know that Bumbles bounce.  My mum bought me a full set of Rudolph ornaments when I was in college and they really mean a lot to me.  Every year when I unpack them, I think of Christmas, childhood, and my mother-- three of my favorite things. 

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

For some reason, this show about an unpopular depressed kid with an over-sized head and a love for Christmas has always spoken to me.  When the spotlight shines down on Linus and he explains the true meaning of Christmas by reciting the nativity story from the Bible, this heathen is a Catholic again for 30 seconds.  It is a Christmas miracle.  As is the tradition, this Christmas special features a bunch of jerks being jerky to the protagonist.  Of course they come around in the end when they revive Charlie Brown's pitiful tree and sing him a Christmas carol.  Vince Guaraldi's music for A Charlie Brown Christmas is phenomenal and makes me so happy that I listen to it all year.  When you add in the visual of the Peanuts dancing to the music. . . perfection.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)

As much as I love Dr. Seuss's story, Boris Karloff's narration, the catchy songs, and the cheery colors, I used to struggle with this special because I felt so bad for the Grinch's dog Max.  I don't know why I was so focused on him when I've already mentioned the shabby treatment that Rudolph and Charlie Brown received.  Okay, I do know-- every year when Max makes the treacherous run through the mountains to reach Whoville and then makes the trip in reverse hauling all of the Whos' loot-- I mean he clearly almost dies, right?  As an adult I have managed to quell my anxiety about Max's fate and just enjoy this wonderful special.  It is truly a favorite.  (I will not speak of the Jim Carrey Grinch abomination.  To me, that movie does not exist.)

Frosty the Snowman (1969)

In the early '80s, my mother recorded the audio of Frosty onto a cassette tape for me and The Dude to enjoy.  By the late '80s we had a VCR and she created the world's greatest VHS tape, featuring every Christmas special on this list, as well as A Garfield Christmas and Christmas episodes from TGIF programming.  (The "Perfect Strangers" episode stands out in my mind.)  So with all of the effort that she put into our holiday programming, it is no small wonder that I am obsessed to this day.  Anyhow, that audio recording of Frosty started it all, so even though it isn't one of my very favorite programs, it holds a special place in my heart.  The villain in this show is a magician named Professor Hinkle.  He's creepy as heck and he is essentially trying to kill Frosty by taking back his magic hat, but his delivery of "Messy messy messy" always makes me and The Dude laugh when we quote it.  After being chased around for half an hour, Professor Hinkle locks Frosty in a greenhouse where he melts/dies.  Santa finds Karen weeping over his puddle corpse.  Fortunately he magics Frosty back to life and the show doesn't conclude with a snowman funeral.  Happy holidays!

Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970)

This special was always The Dude's favorite.  Perhaps his love for this show secretly motivated him to turn into Kris Kringle.  It is narrated by a Fred Astair mailman puppet, so with our dad's job as a letter carrier, we had that added connection to the material.  It features the same stop-motion animation that was used in Rudolph, and adds in puppet choreography when the Winter Warlock and Santa dance to "One Foot In Front of the Other."  The Burgermeister is the bad guy in this special.  He busts into homes, steals children's toys, and makes them watch as he burns them.  Apparently the casual bullying of earlier specials just wasn't enough, so Rankin-Bass upped the ante.  One awesome thing about this special is that when Santa comes to town to bring the children new toys, he performs a song with the lyrics, "If you sit on my lap today, a kiss a toy is the price you'll pay."  I noticed a few years back that this song wasn't included on the soundtrack.  I wonder if the exclusion has anything to do with the fact that the song is a pedophile anthem.

And for The Dude, who has always loved this exchange and still giggles when he utilizes the Kringle brother voice.
Dingle: Wiggle my ears and tickle my toes, methinks I see a baby's nose! It's more than a nose. There's a whole baby attached to it. Better call my brothers! Wingle! Bingle! Tingle! Zingle!
Zingle : What is it, Dingle?
Wingle : It's a baby, Zingle.
Tingle : A baby what, Wingle?
Bingle : A baby baby, Tingle.
Dingle : I like babies, Bingle.
Bingle : Our baby's the best baby of them all, Wingle.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974)

 

And last but not least, my favorite.  (Sometimes tied with Charlie Brown.)  This is probably the least known of the six specials on my list, but it is outstanding.  Albert the boy genius mouse writes an editorial to the newspaper stating that Santa Claus is not real.  Santa's ego can't take the hit, so he crosses Sombertown off his list of Christmas Eve destinations.  Papa Mouse shows his son Albert the sadness his letter has caused, bringing him to a children's hospital where the sick kids are extra depressed now that Santa has written them off.  You have to ask yourself, is the little mouse boy really the villain or could it be an incredibly thin-skinned Santa?  Anyhow, the human family that shares a home with the mice includes a clock-maker father who invents and builds a clock that will suck up to Santa with a song at midnight on Christmas Eve.  I absolutely love this special and the songs in it, especially "Even A Miracle Needs a Hand." 

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

This past weekend kicked off the 100 Days Until Christmas countdown.  I celebrated last night by watching While You Were Sleeping before bed.  As expected, it made my heart grow three sizes, Grinch-style.  If I had a religion, it may have to be the worship of Christmas, as it incorporates all of my favorite things-- family, friends, food, fabulous decorations, parties, nostalgia, tradition, and presents.  Few things fill me with peace and happiness quite like Christmas.  While the rest of the country complains that stores are decorated too early and radio stations play holiday music too soon, I usually start getting full-on Christmas-y in October.  As my waistline illustrates, moderation is not my strong suit.  (Bonus-- with rosy cheeks and a jelly belly, I am well on my way to making a killer Mrs. Claus.)

So in honor of my beloved childhood home, the former 8 Victor Terrace, here are my eight favorite Christmas movies, arranged by their release dates.  (Televised holiday specials of the Rankin-Bass variety will be included in a separate list.)


A Christmas Story (1983)

You'll shoot your eye out.

This movie has so many iconic scenes and memorable lines.  Everyone remembers Ralphie in his pink bunny suit, Flick with his tongue stuck to the frozen flag pole, and The Old Man unpacking his treasured leg lamp from the box labeled "fra-gee-lay." 

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

Christmas Vacation reminds me of my uncle, who is known as "Clark" around the holidays because of his over-the-top Christmas decor.  He and my aunt decorate at least four Christmas trees at their house each year.  About a month ago, my aunt quoted "THE BLESSING" from the dinner scene and we couldn't stop laughing about it all night.  If you've seen the movie and know the voice of the grisly old man who says it, you'll understand.  Anyhow, you can't go wrong with Randy Quaid in this classic, can you?

Home Alone (1990)

Easily one of my favorite Christmas movies.  Of all time.  Easily.  I know that a high-brow list would have included It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street, but I have to be honest.  My list trends less toward the classics and more towards Christmas movies that feature acts of violence.  (Honorable mention holiday movie-- Die Hard).  I saw Home Alone in the theater and I've watched it many times every holiday season since then.  My family usually watches it during Thanksgiving weekend to kick off the Christmas season and I have it playing each year as I assemble and decorate my (artificial) tree.  Part of the perfection of this movie is that Macaulay Culkin is my age and this movie nicely captures the era in which I was a kid.  This is a movie that most people my age have seen dozens of times.  I mean, if there is anyone around age 30 who can utter the phrase, "Keep the change" without adding, "ya filthy animal". . . well, I don't want to know that person.  I love the chaos of the many McCallisters at the beginning of the movie ("When I grow up and get married, I'm living alone!"), the arc of Kevin and Old Man Marley becoming friends, concluding with Mr. Marley reuniting with his son and granddaughter (tear), and the appearance by John Candy as Gus Polinski, "Polka King of the Midwest."  I love that Uncle Frank is such a d-bag and that if I were to have children they would call The Dude "Uncle Frank" even though that isn't his name.  This movie has permeated my life.  I can't buy a toothbrush without fighting the urge to ask the check-out person if it is approved by the American Dental Association.  I can't order a pizza without thinking (and sometimes saying), "A lovely cheese pizza, just for me."  I have a photo from last Christmas of The Dude and several cousins doing the Kevin McCallister after-shave face (featured above) and regardless of the destination of anyone's trip or vacation, I always ask them to "bring me back something French."  Also, as an adult I have become obsessed with the McCallister home, which is crazy gorgeous.  This movie is so comforting to me.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

Okay, do I love this movie as much as the original?  No, I guess I don't.  But I still like it a whole lot.  The bird lady is a nice replacement for Mr. Marley and I have always wanted to get two turtle dove ornaments and split the set with a friend (or a homeless person.)  I also enjoy the character of Mr. Duncan and really really wanted to visit Duncan's Toy Chest/FAO Schwartz even though I was approaching my teen years when this movie came out.  I mentioned that I usually have Home Alone playing when I get my tree together each year.  Well, it takes me forever to pull apart the branches and then decorate, so I definitely make my way to Home Alone 2 before the tree is perfected.

While You Were Sleeping (1995)

Sandra Bullock at her most likeable plus Sandy Cohen from "The OC", Frank Barone from "Everybody Loves Raymond", Mrs. Banks from Mary Poppins, and Monica Keena before she messed up her face. Oh yeah, and Bill Pullman.  There aren't many solid romantic comedies that take place at Christmas.  This one is a keeper.  And like Home Alone, it takes place in Chicago and kind of makes me want to spend Christmas there. 

Elf (2003)

Smiling's my favorite!

Just like the last three movies, I saw this in the theater.  And LOVED IT.  So much.  Elf was pretty much created especially for me.  Christmas plus Will Ferrell?  Perfection.  By the time the old-timey opening credits roll, I have a huge smile on my face.  This movie is adorable and funny and was an immediate classic.

Love Actually (2003)

Okay, I said there aren't many Christmas romantic comedies and the final two both are.  I like Love Actually more than I probably should.  It has some very sweet storylines but those are mixed in with some really depressing ones (sucks to be Emma Thompson and Laura Linney).  For some reason this movie works for me.  It features half of the British actors on the planet, so there's a decent Harry Potter overlap, and since I've seen it multiple times, I am free to skip through the less compelling storylines. 

The Family Stone (2005)

If the sad threads from Love Actually nearly knocked it from contention, it is a miracle that The Family Stone makes my list.  It only wraps up with my biggest fear (spoiler alert): the death of a parent.  Good God.  This movie makes me cry.  But the actors playing the Stones are so realistically comfortable with each other and the family house is so gosh darn beautiful that it pulls me in.  And I relate a little too much to Rachel McAdams' giant B sister.

Sleeping Fugly

Hard to believe that I haven't been blogging more when work is crazy busy and my time at home is spent primarily with cats.  I decided to forgo my regular afternoon iced coffee today and am paying for that horrible decision right now.  I am well on my way to a Jessie Spano-level caffeine addiction.

I have been lucky to enjoy a couple of really fun family functions in the last few weeks.  The first was my cousin's wedding, where I got to catch up with a lot of my mum's family.  The wedding was an absolute blast.  The bride looked crazy gorgeous, the groom looked extra handsome, and they both seemed to enjoy every minute of the day/night.  My uncle was the officiant and totally nailed the funny and sweet ceremony.  The Dude delivered the performance of a lifetime with a personalized "This Is How We Do It" at the reception.  And I had danced my feet bloody by the time the night was over.  Success.  Then I spent last Saturday with most of my dad's family celebrating another cousin's 21st birthday at my uncle and aunt's lake house.  On the drive up I said I had no interest in jet ski shenanigans and then I managed to score four rides on said jet ski and one being yanked behind it on an inner tube.  After a day on the water, we sat around a campfire and watched fireworks.  Again, good times.  These events have motivated me to try to organize a family vacation that I am hoping will not fizzle and die in the planning stage.  At the very least, I've gotten laughs out of some emails.  Today my newly-21-year-old cousin Z christened our hypothetical trip "[Family Name] Cruiseapalooza Jam '13."  We can't let that name go to waste, so the Cruiseapalooza planning continues.

But first a nap.

Summer is gone

Good times were had this weekend up in Maine at the P Camp.  The camp, lake, activities and family were all stellar, not to mention the abundance of food.  Bums me out I didn't get up there more often and now summer is officially over.  Tonight in Boston the temp is going to get down to 49.  Although that gets me pumped up for sleeping in the cold, it does not bode well for future camp trips in 2012.

The blogging has been really sparse lately and I blame a flurry of family activities for this desolate blog.   Looking forward to some fierce blogging with Herself over the next few months.