Things 'n' stuff

I was asked to post about the thing I did today, and the request came in such flattering terms that I feel compelled to do it. Oh, now it seems too built up. Let's start again. This post contains spoilers for a certain Academy-Award-nominated movie, btw.

Today I went to what is sometimes known as a 'Mums 'n' Bubs' movie session. I mean how that makes the Dads feel I don't know. Don't get me started on the term 'bub'. Anyway, the idea is that every pram-pusher in the Inner West goes to a movie at the same time. And because everyone knows the theatre will be full of potentially-squalling babes, no-one is upset when they do, in fact, squall. 'Cause you're all in the same boat, see. Supposedly they have the sound slightly down and the lighting slightly up to make it nicer for everyone. Aww. [Have you seen Louie the TV show? That bit in the pilot where he goes on a date with Chelsea Peretti and he says he has two girls and she goes 'awww' and he recoils like, WTF, I didn't say they were cute or nothin', patronizing fucker. I wish I could find a link because it's all there in her intonation.] Anyway.

I have never seen so many babies in one place. You know that episode of the Simpsons that references Hitchcock's The Birds, with the babies everywhere? Kind of like that. Like if you see more than a few cats in one place, and you realise that if only they pooled their power they could kill every one of us.

Yeah, so, lots of babies. Including mine. It was actually incredibly cute. A sea of babbling little things, being soothed by their art-house-cinema attending mothers. The odd crier, whose mother everyone feels sympathy for. A few crawlers roaming free at the front bit under the screen.

It was The Silver Linings Playbook (don't bother. it's such a piece of overplayed fluff. mental illness? let's gloss over that. gambling addiction? fuggeddaboutit. let's have some hugging, learning, saving one another, and oh yes some gratuitous Jennifer Lawrence dance contest butt close-ups. did I forget to mention that this mental illness recovery movie has a dance contest? don't they all? anyway, so, yes, good test case for the Mum/Bub movie concept). Anyway, every now and then there would be a loud aggressive bit (thanks David O Russell), and all the babies' sounds would ramp up a notch and you'd hear all the mothers going 'it's all right, it's all right' haha funny.

My kid is five months, and he squirmed a bit, took two naps, and basically had a fun time jumping around and giggling on my lap and gawping at all the other babies. He also watched the screen from time to time, which he's not allowed to do at home (except the Bureau of Meteorology radar page, he loves that; hey, it's edumacational!).

So anyway now I've blogged about it. I can't blog any more because these days we have to go to bed early. See previous paragraph.

Loose End

I am not sure what to do with myself. So many big productions (shows x 2, new job begun, moving whole house, parental visit) just completed. So many big productions yet to be mounted. I am not sure where to start.

Perhaps I should do my tax. Or write my Asialink application. Or proposals for shows. Or go to the studio and do some work.

I am not sure. All of these things need doing.

Of course, I haven't seen the Simpsons movie yet ... is it any good?

Possible influence of Lenny Bruce movie on work

becarse yr a luddie

For the worst Scottish accents ever recorded on film, see 'Brigadoon' with Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse. But don't go watching it for any other kind of entertainment value. There's not enough dancing to make it bearable. It doesn't even have one great memorable song or dance or scene.

You'll thank me.

Spend that time reading The Slave by Isaac Bashevis Singer. Or Middlesex, that's even better. And less depressing! I am going to read Swann's Way next.

No, really. I am. I'm staring on the bus tomorrow. I figure it will make the time pass more slowly, thus delaying my arrival at the office.

Call me [insert square here] if you want.

(...is my square magic working?)

So much for early night shock

Q. What has just happened when Sorority Boys comes on TV and you think to yourself 'finally, something a bit sensible to watch whose narrative I can really invest in'?

A. You've just finished watching Scary Movie 3