2010 Sundries

Out with the old, in with the new. Here are some of the last few ideas I had from 2010.

• Reality TV is changing the way my 3 year old plays. I played restaurant. She plays cooking show. I played dress up. She plays What Not to Wear. She talks about what the audience is going to think about things. It's kind of sick to think about. But oh well. (Note to self: Tweet this later.)

• After years of feeling like I felt when I was a kid, suddenly I feel like an old person. Everything about listening to music has changed since I was little--that always happens to old people. And the other day I was talking to Christian on the phone and I said "I don't like to toot my own horn." The kids heard me and died laughing. I didn't initially seen anything funny about it, just like an old person. Also, I am unabashedly nostalgic for things from my childhood even when I know marketers are taking advantage of this. I liked Tron because it felt like a giant loud meatball of a movie from the 80s complete with an androgynous, high-stepping, white-tuxedo-wearing, cane-wielding villain who would have normally been played by David Bowie. Another thing that makes me seem like an old person is that when I was growing up the last day of school was "Field Day." We had all kinds of races and snow cones. One of the races was a "gunny sack" race so you had to bring a gunny sack--and everyone had one. Get me--I'm Pa. I have no idea where I would get a gunny sack now if I needed one. 

• I have spent years editing my life so I don't have to do things I don't want to do. The main reason for this is that when I do things I don't want to do, I am unhappy. The other day I had the notion of being being more generous with my time and less discriminating about how I spend it and then I ended up doing stuff I didn't want to and it totally bummed me out. 

• The Book Thief was the best book I read this year.

• True Grit was my favorite movie of the year. I think when a western is good, there is nothing better. I like how the Coen brothers made True Grit quirky (the dialog, accents, dislike for Indians, violence) without making fun of it. Also, I always love a movie with meaningful non-romantic relationships because even though romantic relationships are very special and important, married people like me really only have one of them that endures. Everyone else you interact with is non-romantic (or should be) and those can be interesting too. They can happen with friends, horses, siblings, but especially with curmudgeons. I long for a meaningful non-romantic relationship with a curmudgeon. 

• Sometimes I actually think I could be friends with anyone I wanted to if I would just make enough of an effort. Other times I realize that a lot of people don't think I'm funny or nice. And then I think about all the people I hate and I surmise that a lot of people probably hate me too.  I respect that and don't want to be too pushy about being friends with anyone. 

• I think Kenneth on 30 Rock looks like JimBob Duggar. 

• I don't really like any new shows on TV right now. It's sad because as a rule I am pro-TV. 

• Tom and Jerry still seems funny to me, but Itchy and Scratchy will always be funnier.  

I hope I have some more ideas in 2011. If I do, I will write them here on my blog.