Zander’s Weblog

A nice long Simpson’s episode with plenty of laughs. There were lots of nifty animals in this one: “dirty” black cats being wash-boarded by the cat lady in the lake, cats clammoring for birds the can’t reach on the far side of the dome, a polar bear, deer, blue birds, barn swallows, a squirrel transformed into a 1000-eyed sea creature, and of course the soon-to-be famous spider-pig (doing whatever a spider pig does).

by Per Petterson (translated from the Norwegian by Anne Born).The best books entrance, this one with the wind in the spruce-tops, the river by the cabin, the snow, the bittersweet tragedy that is adolescence and its remembrance at dusk. I am put in mind of Thomas Wolfe: ‘Which of us has known his brother? Which of us has looked into his father’s heart? Which of us has not remained forever prison-pent? Which of us is not forever a stranger and alone?’ (“Look Homeward, Angel”, 1929).

Saw HOSS (The Haul Off and Smack Somebodys) up in Kenmore yesterday. To quote their own PR, it was “Like getting asskicked by the ghost of Ernest Tubb” Loved ‘em. Of course it doesn’t hurt that my best friend is the “steel boy”, aka “The Preacher”.

1448 is always a toin coss. Last Saturday only one of the 7 shorts was coherent, and it depicted a radio show featuring dust bunny farmers. Right. This week all 7 were wonderful, and bunnies again made an appearance (as did the CHAC house rat). If you like a variable reinforcment schedule, 1448 is for you!

My first experience of a Chateau Ste. Michelle summer concert, I went for kd lang. Last time I saw her was in Phoenix at the Celebrity Theatre, years ago when we were all skinnier. Her voice is even better than I imagined–kd is the Häagen-Dazs of music: rich and satisfying. And the free VIP passes were an amazing bonus (thanks, Thom!). The food was terrific and the wine plentiful.

What can I say? We’ve all read the books and loved them. The only question is whether a particular movie in the series will be an adequate representation. This one does not disappoint. It’s been interesting to watch the stable of young actors as they have matured. I think this film is remarkable for the amount of self-awareness that is now obvious: there’s someone home.

Or, as one reviewer put it, “Payday 13″. But, hey, what’s not to like. Packed with star power and with an easy-to-mass-produce plot, the Oceans franchise could rival Rocky. Or even Bond. The large and talented cast makes it easier to swallow than, say, Mission Impossible, which I hope doesn’t resurrect. As for Ocean’s 13, I was entertained.

Sometimes fast food is OK. You know just what you’re going to get and how much it’s going to cost you. Memorable, maybe not. Filling, certainly, but in a fast food kind of way.This is BW, extra crispy, super-sized, pay $10 at window #1 thank you. It’s all in the greasy bag: NY cop, McClain or Genero?, rebellious daughter, how-the-hell-did-I-end-up-saving-the-planet again?, indestructible but super bloody BW.

Loved the play, now showing at the ACT Theatre. The story is familiar to those who keep an eye on the news: how we came to be in Iraq. The author has the characters (bush, cheney, rice, rummy, woolfy, powel, blix, et al.) stick mostly (all) to lines actually once spoken. The subtext is added by the events selected for portrayal, and by the actors’ delivery: the folks in charge are righteous paranoids. The kicker comes at the end where an anonymous Iraqi delivers the line: it’s our (the Iraqi people’s) fault for not taking charge of our own country, thereby letting the worst leader take over. Nudge, nudge.The casting was terrific, with most characters totally looking the part. And the acting was up to the ACT’s usual high standards. Recommended.