5 Disappointing Moments (+ Mine)
“I didn’t mean to,” cried the elderly driver, after drifting from her lane smack into my car on the freeway this morning. Luckily, we were going slowly in bumper-to-bumper traffic, so the damage was minor. I felt sorry for the frail lady, because even though she has grown too old to be behind the wheel, public transportation is scarce in L.A. But still, what a disappointing start to the day.
Short film by Craig Redman, a fabulous Australian-born artist currently living in NYC.
What Do Smart Men Want?
The story goes something like this – On September 15, 1954, hours after photographer Sam Shaw made history by snapping Marilyn Monroe on top of a subway grate for The Seven Year Itch, she got into a bruising fight with her husband, baseball slugger, Joe DiMaggio,and filed divorce papers soon after. This paved the way for playwright, Arthur Miller, to uh, step up to the plate and become husband #3. If I’d been old enough at the time, I’m sure to have drooled over Arthur Miller, as I’ve always had a thing for writerly types. Certainly, it’s no surprise that talented men of letters lined up for a chance with Monroe, with her irresistible combination of sex appeal and vulnerability. But still, I wish we regular smart women had a better shot with them.
Are You Lonely, Alone?
Canadian writer, Douglas Coupland, who coined the phrase, Generation X, has a great piece in the Times today, where he offers up a dictionary of new terms for the modern age:
INTRAFFINITAL MELANCHOLY VS. EXTRAFFINITAL MELANCHOLY Which is lonelier: to be single and lonely, or to be lonely within a dead relationship?
The answer’s a no brainer, right?
Image: Don’t Cry Tears, Love Me, 1993, by Yoshitomo Nara. See his work at the Asia Society Museum through January 20.
When a Little Frenzy Can Feel Like Home
It’s on a day like this, scrambling to get everything done, that I feel oddly connected to my ancestors. The Jewish New Year is hours away, and as it was with my parents and grandparents, I’m racing around in a mild panic, hoping to close out the mundane in time for the sacred. Food is a high priority for any Jewish holiday, but my plans for baking a fancy dessert have fallen away, and I’m resorting to a basic Apple Crisp. Served warm with vanilla ice cream, what could be bad? It makes metaphoric sense too, as apples are a symbol for a sweet new year to come. Here’s a no fuss recipe from the kitchens of Cooks Illustrated.
A Single Woman’s Guide to Road Rage
Another three-day weekend alone, and still, the morning got off to a great start. The weather was mild, I read the paper, took Rose for a vigorous walk in the park, and afterwards, we lingered in the sun on the chaise lounge in back. Then I got in the car, because I’d promised to pick up a friend at the airport. LAX was a crowded, irritable place. While loading in the luggage, an angry guy in a truck leaned on his horn, and pretended to throw a water bottle at my face, because I momentarily blocked him. What a jerk! I flashed him the peace sign, and drove off.
Image: Angry Louise, by Louise Fishman, 1973
I Can Count On Me
Literati were all abuzz this summer with the release of Mr. Peanut, a debut novel by Adam Ross, which, at its core, is about married life. Best-selling author, Scott Turow, reviewing the book for the Times, writes: “Mr. Peanut is most harrowing in its bleakly convincing portrayal of the eternal contest that often passes for a marriage, with each partner holding the other responsible for his or her deepest unhappiness.” Sometimes, it feels great to be single.
Image: I Want You So, 1966, by McDermott and McGough (2008)
Archive for September, 2010
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