Day 2 of Birthday Weekend

[shadowkat]

I bought myself a slice of Birthday Cake from Whole Foods, along with a little unicorn candle to go on top of it. It's raspberry jam gluten free cake from By the Way Bakery. I wanted Red Velvet Cake - but they didn't have individual slices - and no way in hell am I going to buy a whole one.
Did also get a slice of Chocolate Gluten Free Cake. Also, two small paelo chocolate truffle cakes. The challenge is holding off and not eating them on the same day. So far so good.

Basically instead of getting the Red Velvet Cake, I got slices of four different ones. (Butternut Squash Gluten Free Pound Cake, small truffle cakes, Raspberry Jam, and Chocolate.)

Made a wish blew out the candle, and opened up the package from Wales (a mini waffle maker and a collaspible water bottle, both were very cute.)

**

Mother's birthday card said something that had never occurred to me before... and I want to share?

"Just think of your birthday as a happy thank you from all the people who feel so lucky to know you. All of us whose lives you've made better, whose hearts you've made happier, whose days you've made brighter time and again...All of us who feel so grateful to have you in the world and in our lives.."

So when someone says happy birthday to you or to me or to anyone really, alive or dead ....this is what they mean. They are basically thanking you for coming into the world, for being in their life however long or however short, for giving them the chance to know you even if for a little while.

I never thought of it that way before. It's kind of changed how I view the whole thing?

It's also being grateful for having a chance to be in the world, I think.

***

It rained most of the day and night. So I watched movies. Will most likely watch them tomorrow as well, and possibly read.

* Poor Things starring Emma Stone, William Dafoe, and Mark Ruffalo, blew me away. It's an amazing feat of film-making, and has a brilliant script. [Apparently it's controversial? IDK. Anyone who calls it misogynistic needs to look up that word in the dictionary. If anything it's feminist, and somewhat misanthropic. At any rate I agree with my friend Carol, who liked it better than Barbie and thought it to be more feminist than Barbie. I've seen both, and yes, after seeing both? I could definitely compare them. I'll write a separate review.]. The visuals alone are insane. And Emma Stone's performance --- blew me away. She's almost unrecognizable in the role, and compelling. She pulls you in.

Damn, that was a compelling good film. Not at all what I was expecting. I put it up with there with Oppenheimer as the best films I've seen in a long time.

I was torn between it and Polite Society but my brother texted me that Polite Society was disappointing and didn't quite pull it off - so I went with Poor Things instead. And Whoa. I've never seen a movie like that. Kind of Lynchian in a way?

* Wonka - starring Timothy Chalet, Olivia Coleman, and Hugh Grant. Eh, don't bother. I watched for Hugh Grant - who plays the Oompa Loompa, but he's barely in it. Has a lot of lovely songs, but it lacks the biting satire which make Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (or rather Charlie and the Chocolate Factory work).

I found it kind of boring.

So out of nostalgia, I watched "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", or the Gene Wilder 1970s version? The musical by Anthony Newly based on the book? And I'd forgotten how satirical that version truly is - and biting.
It's a razor sharp social-economic satire. Dahl of course was a satirist, often biting. The kids are annoying at times (but they are supposed to be), Wilder however delivers an understated performance that is a work of genius. Also it features two classic Newel songs: Candyman and Pure Imagination, which Chalmat also sings in Wonka. I like the 1970 version better.

**

Overall, a good birthday. Even it a slightly rainy one. Very glad I took Friday and Monday off.

Comments

[pantherinsnow]

Happy belated birthday! 🥳

It really is a wonder that we arrive in this world at all, let alone ride our crazy little planet around the sun many times.

"Poor Things" has been on my list to watch. I was hesitant because I *really* did not enjoy The Lobster, but I'm told this is a very different tone for the director.

[shadowkat]

It's very different - I couldn't get into the Lobster at all. I saw it, but can't remember it - outside of being kind of bored. But "Poor Things" is weirdly compelling and the visuals are stunning, and kind of Lynchian in tone? Not at all what I was expecting. He does a similar trick to Nolan - in that he flips between black and white to color with relative ease, and uses it to underscore theme and a point.

I was impressed by it.

And thank you on the birthday wishes.

[cjlasky7]

Happy birthday!

(The cake looked good!)

I was going to comment on Poor Things--among other movies and TV shows--but life got in the way, and it kind of went by the wayside. (Maybe later this week...)

Enjoy the birthday weekend. Hope to see you soon.

[shadowkat]

It was good, thank you.

Poor Things surprised me. I was going in with low expectations. Chidi has been telling me to see it for weeks now. That's a brilliant piece of film making.

[iddewes]

Happy Birthday! I’m glad to know you on here. Hope the cakes are good! They sound good.

[shadowkat]

Thank you! I'm glad to know you as well...very glad.

[svgurl]

Happy Birthday! The cake looks good and I'm glad you had a nice day. I like your mom's card - that is a lovely sentiment and a great way to look at it. :D

[shadowkat]

Thank you! It was good. Had an intense raspberry flavor which was interesting, and very moist.
BY the Way does a good job - they are located in Manhattan but have their stuff in local Whole Foods stores. What I love about them - is they provide slices of cake as opposed to whole cupcakes or just whole cakes.

[mefisto]

Happy Birthday!!

[shadowkat]

Thank you!

[elisi]

"Just think of your birthday as a happy thank you from all the people who feel so lucky to know you. All of us whose lives you've made better, whose hearts you've made happier, whose days you've made brighter time and again...All of us who feel so grateful to have you in the world and in our lives.."
That is so lovely. Happy Birthday!!! <3 <3 <3

[shadowkat]

Thank you!

[yourlibrarian]

Cake looks great!

I never liked Willy Wonka but your comment about Wilder's performance is something I agree with. So many performances should have been recognized with awards and weren't.

[shadowkat]

I'm not sure I'd have given Wilder's performance an award, but it was definitely the best thing in the film.