March Memage 1-8

Start of my birthday weekend - mother sent me a travel backpack that I've been eyeing for a while now from a Seattle Company. I want it for week or four day travel trips. I can't take anything longer than that at the moment. It's a pretty day, but cold. Still, may take a walk soon, and wander about. Had a decent breakfast of scrambled eggs (I miss my gas stove, I know I'm better off with the clean electric one..but), chicken sausage, and English Muffin.

1. What’s your favourite pastime?

Is this a hobby? Probably reading, writing, sketching and painting.

Or to pass the time? Ah, telling myself stories. I've not done that in a while. Need to start up again. Not sure if it is a side-effect of meditation or just brain is overloaded and can't handle keeping track of anything else at the moment.

2. In 1959, the Mars confectionary bar was advertised with the slogan, “A Mars a day helps you work, rest and play”. Do you remember any old advertising slogans/jingles? Do you think they would be used today?

I can't remember what I watched on television last week. So no. I'm trying. But no, drawing a blank. See #1, above.

3. When was the last time you rode a bike?

I can't remember. (This is becoming a theme.) Sometime in the 20th Century, probably the 1990s? I rode a stationary bike more recently - that was in 2015 for physical therapy.

4. In 1882, Britain’s first electric trams ran in East London. Do trams still operate in your area? If not, have you ever been on one somewhere else?

Define a tram? I looked it up - yes.

"The Roosevelt Island Tramway is the main tram in New York City. It's an aerial tramway that crosses the East River from Manhattan to Roosevelt Island.

Ride time: About four minutes

Views: Manhattan, the East River, Roosevelt Island
Hours: Runs every 7.5–15 minutes, depending on time of day and day of week
Fares: Accepts MTA MetroCards and OMNY
Children: Up to three children 44 in tall and under ride free with a fare-paying adult "

5. The piano company Steinway & Sons was founded by Heinrich Steinweg (later Henry Steinway) in New York City in 1853. Can you play the piano?

Not really? Or with great difficulty? I took lessons as a child. I sucked at it. I was so bad that when I was in the sixth or seventh grade, the piano teacher took my mother aside and explained to her that I had no ability and to gently dissuade me from continuing, my mother was also taking lessons. The difficulty was eye-hand coordination, and moving the pedals.

6. How often do you write a cheque (check) to pay for something these days?

Rarely. I do it when absolutely necessary. Possibly once or twice every few years?

7. Do you regularly apply moisturising cream to your hands?

Yes, or semi-regularly - I live in radiator heat, and it dries things out.
Also, I wash my hands constantly - so yes.

8. When you are at work (or were at work if you no longer do so) is/was there a dress code?

Not really? It's business casual, no shorts, no tank tops, no skimpy outfits, no holes in jeans. But other than that you can wear practically anything. My boss, Breaking Bad, comes to work in jeans and a variety of different hooded sweatshirts or hoodies.

I tend to wear business casual - nice shirts, sweaters, and black pants, and occasionally jeans. As does my cubical mate, who also wears skirts.

More News from the Resistance

More good news...this time from Robert Reich:

10 Things in the Resistance Against Trump or news from the Ground:

1. ( the courts are stepping up in their fight against the evil Republican Regime - and it's pretty all of them, including  )

[Keep in mind the US is a system of "checks and balances" with no one branch containing all the power - this system was put in place in 1776, and over time, set in stone.

2. ( attempt to touch Social Security is akin to touching a Third Rail in American Politics.. )

3. ( DOGE’s credibility is shot. )

Anora - film Review (a very dark comedic take on Pretty Woman)

Finished watching Anora via AppleTV for $5.99. I'm glad I didn't see it in the theater for more than that. It did make me laugh, it also infuriated me.

Anora is a story about an exotic dancer (she's actually a prostitute - exotic dancer is an euphemism - but she does lap dances, and does have intercourse with quite a few of her patrons for a price) who marries an ogliarich's ( a very rich Russian) son, after he pays her 10K to be his girlfriend for a week. Then, after they are married? The boy's parent's insist on getting it annulled. The premise reminded me a great deal of Pretty Woman, but a darker and far more realistic version of it.

I saw an ad slogan for Anora which stated : "It makes Pretty Woman look like a Disney Movie" - that's actually an apt assessment, although I'd state that it is in actuality what the original version of Pretty Woman was supposed to be? Pretty Woman was initially titled, "For One Thousand Dollars". The original take on Pretty Woman was really dark, and the studio changed the script - because it scared them. So, instead they romanticized it - which is actually worse. (I always felt a little guilty for enjoying that movie - but in reality it wasn't the movie I enjoyed, but Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, and the soundtrack. I was able to ignore the plot.)

Anora is an independent film, not distributed or made by Hollywood - so it went the dark and hyper-realistic route. It is a far better film than Pretty Woman, and will haunt me far longer, even if I'm unlikely to ever see it again. It kind of embeds itself on one's memory.
( Review of Anora - a dark take on Pretty Woman, there are spoilers behind the cut )

It's not a film that leaves you with a warm happy glow. But it does stick with you. It left me angry and edgy and wanting to slug someone. Much like Memoir of a Snail - I found it to be an ugly representation of humanity and a sad one. Also a reminder, but there for the grace of god go I.

A strange movie. I laughed. And I wanted to scream or punch someone. Often at the same time.

Off to bed.