it's like...

My childrenz were telling me all about American Idol today. They love it.

And then I started noticing something. An epidemic, if you will.

"It's this show, where like people sing (italics meaning this is a question) and like..."

"What if like we made an envelope out of paper and like put stars on it and like..."

"I'm like so excited because this weekend (again. question.) we went to like Discovery Museum..."

SERIOUSLY this shizz is happening.

I just have to say, "FUCK, is this kind of like my fault?"

"...cause that would be Terrible"

Oh so timely

I have a new student in my class. He started last week.

At circle on Friday I was prepping the kids for our day off Monday. One child brought in a notepad with presidents on it so I told them what President's Day is and showed them pictures of Lincoln and Washington and told them George W. Bush is our current president (also had a picture).

This led one child to talk about voting. So they all shared going in the voting booth and pressing buttons for their parents. ("My mom voted for the girl and my dad voted for the boy.")

Nothing quite captured the political state of this country more than my new child, dutifully raising his hand, waiting his turn, three years old:

"We don't like George W. Bush's policies in my house."

Ah, yes, the ever-honest Montessori parents. Thank you for making my job easier.

Strawberry Fields Forever

Look how cute this boy is.

He stars in the movie Across the Universe. His name is Jim Sturgess.

Listen: I loved this movie. And really I shouldn't have. I definitely can't promise you will. Basically the story was choppy and kinda forced. The script was inspired by The Beatles and that seemed obvious. It was clearly written to make the songs fit and the flow was slightly off. Not like Moulin Rouge, or (from what I hear) the Broadway musical Mamma Mia which uses Abba songs.

But I loved it. I loved the freakin' movie.

It was probably The Beatles music, I know. And maybe the anticipation (or my vast knowledge of the catalog [cue: pshaw]) is what made it seem so obvious and not a cohesive story for me. But The Beatles: I love them. I navigated my way to Abbey Road one morning when I went to London with KB and the Doodleboppers and cried when I saw the street and notes to the guys. I am a Beatles junkie--always have been, always will be.

First of all, the characters in this movie: JUDE, Lucy, Sadie, Prudence, Daniel, Mr. Kite, Jojo, Desmond, Martha, Julia----ahhh it goes on and on. Obvious references (Dear Prudence) and less so ("But Daniel was hot...") I can link all those songs on Wikipedia but I trust your googling skills...or Beatles skills ;)...

The whole thing was St. Theresa in Ecstasy for me. All the name references and beautiful renditions of my favorite songs--blended into real life like it's totally normal (I want that life, clearly.)--, cameos by Bono and Eddie Izzard, a clever chopping up and painting of apples and one very cute lead from Liverpool (who also sings with the amazing accent), made me not want this movie to end. I literally couldn't wait to hear what song was next. It was like Wicked revealing the witch's costume. I was on the edge of my seat.

So, yes, rent it. Just for pure joy. I beg you.



Update: I just watched a clip on Best Week Ever about the movie. The guy called it "stunning" because of the director (I guess?) and kind of made fun of the musical concept (singing in the middle of a football field). The description of the video says "a colorful cast of characters and guest stars singing a bunch of Beatles songs really literally in 'Across The Universe.'" Still, forme, oh so satisfying.

Can I get a Democrats for McCain?

(I decided tonight to contribute to Obama and make my decision...b-b-but... REPUBLICANS???)

say it ain't so.

Okay, okay...there are good and bad things about BO, but he is energizing. And I'm a Dem voter through and through.

Let me take you down memory lane...

Setting: Leonia, NJ
Year: 2001, February?
Cast: Me and Mama

I am newly 18 and ready to vote in my first election. Tony's first run on council and an exciting time all around.

me: "So how do I vote?"
mama: "Oh, just flip all the switches on the left side, marked DEMOCRAT."

See me walk into the booth and flip all the Dem switches...not realizing until years later that I can actually vote for other parties.

And, nope...still haven't...

So, donate to my man here.