Today is my little sister's 23rd birthday. I spoke on the phone with her tonight and it felt so good to hear her voice and the sounds of my family in the background. My mom shouting "I had Maria when I was 23!" I could hear the laughter of my brother and my dad and it made me wish so badly that I could be there with them to celebrate. Sometimes it just sucks being 3,000 miles away.
So I've slipped into the warm crocheted poncho that Ana (that's my li'l sis) gave me for Christmas and trying to gain familial comfort without actually being in the same room with them. Some days it's just harder than others.
I don't usually blog when I'm feeling particularly sad, because which one of you really wish to hear me bellyache about whatever personal afflictions or dilemmas I am facing in my life? Probably not many. There are other things to blog about that are far more interesting. But when I'm sad I have a hard time blogging at all. It's hard sometimes to set aside your own issues and focus on something else. So I've refrained from blogging a lot recently.
This weekend I went to Rob's house and stayed there all weekend and didn't look at the computer once. Not once. Not even to check email. Nothing. It felt good. There's that addictive little keyboard tapping in the back of my mind at times but I just shut it off and put in a DVD or open a book. It feels good to do that. Even bloggers need a break. ;o)
I'm reading "Running With Scissors" right now by Augusten Burroughs. I love it.
I've also seen some funny movies recently. Last week we saw "Shaun of the Dead," "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" and "Napolean Dynamite" all of which were hilarious. Napolean Dynamite possibly being my favorite out of the three. Oh. We also saw "Maria Full of Grace," which was astoundingly good.
Another great movie to see if you haven't already: "Garden State." An excellent movie which inspired me to want to make a film of my own one day. GS was not only a superbly entertaining movie to watch, but also has a terrific soundtrack, perfect for melancholy days. But the BEST part, is that Zach Braff, the mastermind behind it all, has his own blog. Yes. It's true. Not only A blog. But A fucking great blog. Totally check it out. He is my latest hero.
Unfortunately for all the other heros in the world, Keifer Sutherland is about to come on in a couple minutes to seriously blow all the other heros out of the water, as he does in every episode of 24. I gotta go get my fix. Later Sk8rs.
Posted by Maria at February 7, 2005 08:59 PM | TrackBackI just finished Running with Scissors. It is awesome. Reminds me of the Daivd Sedaris books you reccommended. I read Dress your Family... and Me Talk Pretty One Day. Both excellent books.
Posted by: geeekgirl at February 7, 2005 09:26 PMYeah, he does remind me of David Sedaris. Only I found "Me Talk Pretty One Day" more outright hilarious and "Running with Scissors" is a little more sad/painful/funny all at the same time. But they both have a similar voice. I think a big part of the similarity is that they are both gay men who have found humor to cope with things that would otherwise be extremely difficult to bear.
I love this current book. It definitely has the same outrageous humor that Sedaris's books have. I will never get over how Dr. Finch looks to his bowel movements as messages directly from god. That is too funny. Actually, yeah, the whole book is a strong alliance of humor, madness and excruciating experiences. The way it should be.
I love writers who can make things that are disgusting or sad or horrifying into something that you can laugh at. I think all comedy is based in suffering and acts as a way to communicate it to others in a way that is palatable to them, yet still gets across the reality of the situation.
Darcie, if you haven't read "Lolita" by Nabakov, you should really read it. It's so beautiful. I've been reading his short stories and they are so amazing. One called "Gods" recently blew my mind on a whole other level.
Posted by: Maria at February 7, 2005 10:10 PM.
Happy Birthday to Ana.
Nobokov rules. Kubrik's film "Lolita" is a classic, too.
Good to see you in the e-flesh, Maria. Think about them T-shirts. :-)
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I just bought Napolean Dynamite..I've been walking around the house for weeks saying.."heck yeah" and ya know I gotta do the goofy expression on my face when I say it.. :) I bought Shaun of the Dead too..absolutely brilliant movie..I laughed till I almost wet my pants. I even got over the fact that there were ZOMBIES but these were slow moving so I would seriously have a chance getting away from one.
Sorry you are sad. As a person who has missed out on my share of family holidays I understand. You sit all alone in your apartment and on the other end of the phone is loudness, laughing, people chattering 90 miles an hour and you can't help but feel so left out.
Hope some Keifer cheered you up a little..good God that man always makes me feel tons better.
Posted by: Sandy at February 8, 2005 02:52 AMDown time away from the computer is highly suggested to anyone who wants to remain sane, kudos. Running with Scissors ROCKED, Dry is even better and Sellevision by Burroughs is hysterical! Both RWS & Sellevision are soon to be movies, can't wait.
Posted by: Cupie at February 8, 2005 11:08 AMWhat is it with the sad post themes Maria? This is no good! I am about to crack open a fresh Fat Tire brew for you over here, and sitting down to watch Napolean Dynomite!
Posted by: Josh at February 8, 2005 11:17 PM.
It's like Scarlette O'Hara always said,
"Tomorrow's another FUCKING day!"
;-)
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Posted by: Cosa Nostradamus at February 9, 2005 01:12 AMI love the Vote For Pedro gear that is sweeping the nation. Napolean Dynamite was hilarious!
Posted by: pam at February 9, 2005 10:03 AMMaria
Can't wait to start my Running With Scissors!
I loved Garden State too. I recommended it to the girl I sit next to at work and she said "she hated it" and I wanted to tell her "well, I can't be your friend anymore." But, then I realized that she isn't even my friend! So I didn't know what to say without breaking a professional barrier. Anyway, the more she talked about how much she hated it the more unintelligent she sounded. It's funny how some people speak their minds and they think they're giving a well thought out opinion, but as they keep talking they sound stupider and stupider...I feel sorry for people like her.
Last night Charles and I went and saw "Sideways"--So so so fucking good!
I haven't laughed so hard in a movie since I saw "Airplane" as a kid! Sideways was funny, but emotionally painful. It's superb the way they were able to mix humor with pain. I highly recomment it and you better like it or I can't be your friend anymore! Just kidding!
My little sister recommended it to me. She told me that her, my brother, my Mom and StepDad all went to see it together. When she told me that they all went to the movies together--I felt kind of sad too because I am excluded from the daily happenings that make a family strong and close. So I decided to see Sideways.
But, when I was in the movie laughing my ass off I pictured my whole family there together laughing. I imagined all their laughing faces...it was if they were ghosts next to me. I could see the big -screen -lighting on their laughing faces...I got sad, but still felt closer to them at that moment. Like when you put on Ana's poncho that she gave you. It's these little things that we do that help allievate some of the longing and sadness.
Hey...at least we have each other here in the big apple sister!
Happy Birthday Ana!
Kathleen
Kathleen it's so great to see your comment up there! That's pretty funny about that girl at your work not liking Garden State. Sometimes one small thing can say so much about a person.
I've really been wanting to see Sideways. I saw the trailer and fully intend to see the movie as soon as possible. I can't wait. So many good movies to see, so many great books to read! So little time in a day...
I'll be callin ya!
Sandy, as always it was so great talking to you yesterday. Keifer Sutherland DID cheer me up on Monday. Sigh. I love him. He's been cheering me up since Young Guns and Lost Boys. Mm mm mm.
Cupie, I'll be checkin out A. Bourroughs's other books without a doubt. And as movies! They better be good. Nothing like when the book is great and the movie is a dud. Feels like such a monumental injustice has been done. But how could his writing be made UNfunny?! That's something to look forward to!
Cosa, I seriously think T-shirts might be in the cards.
Josh, I'll get my pep back. I'm just a wee bit tired these last couple weeks. I cracked open a Corona for myself, so don't worry about me ;o)
Viva La Napolean Dynamite. What's not to love? Thank god for a new genre of hipster cult classics.
Posted by: Maria at February 9, 2005 08:02 PMI love having downtime from the computer. we just spent 6 days in the New Orleans area for Mardi Gras and I didn't touch a computer once. it felt wonderful. and the best thing was that I only had 2 spam e-mails when I got back.
Posted by: girl at February 10, 2005 02:34 PM.
HATS TOO! HATS TOO!
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