Recap

We finally made it into Aspen on our third attempt, one on Sunday and two on Monday. Our 9:13 am flight took off about noon. Two flights Monday morning before ours did land but as we were making our approach, snow blew in and we climbed back up. Spent some time circling in much turbulence and then back to Denver to our disappointment. After the bumpy flight, the thought of doing it all over again made me a bit panicky.

But we decided to try again. We were able to get on the very next flight back out to Aspen (the 2 pm, delayed until 2:30 pm) and Steve decided to start on the 4 hour drive to Denver in case we weren't able to land in Aspen.

This time, land in Aspen we did. But now, Steve was in Gypsum. So we rounded up our luggage which must have arrived on one of the earlier two flights, caught a cab home and waited for him to return.

On Sunday, in preparation for our arrival, Steve had cleaned the house, bathed the dog and made dinner. On Monday, we finally arrived when he decided to drive to Denver. So his new theory from now on is that if he doesn't want us to get in, he'll do it all right and if he wants us to get in, he'll drive to Denver, regardless of where we're flying in from.

Monday, March 30, 2009, 8:04 am

Well, United didn't do us any favors. They knew when we left Chicago that it was very unlikely that we would get into Aspen but rather than leaving us in Chicago (which I would have preferred), it worked better for them to deposit us in Denver. Of course, I can see their rationale; it just doesn't really work for me personally (especially since I just checked the status of the first Aspen-Chicago flight today and it is en route).

Nice morning yesterday getting ready and having one last visit with Brian & Miriam. Saw a last bit of the city on the ride to the airport. I really like London. I enjoyed the energy, the shopping, the parks, the culture. I just love riding around on the buses. I could definitely have spent more time there.

London Heathrow airport is an interesting airport. They don't tell you the gate until shortly before departure perhaps in an attempt to force you to hang out where the shops are. We then dallied too long and had to really hustle because of course we had the furthest gate.

I really despise the whole entry in the US process, especially when connecting to another flight. We waited for an hour to pick up our bags and walk them 100 feet to check them again. In addition, it hasn't occurred to the powers that be to put departure monitors in the international baggage claim area so we had no idea what the status of our next flight was. We weren't supposed to use our phones until we had passed through customs but since it was taking so long I turned mine on and only then did I get the Easy Update message letting me know the status of our Aspen flight. We then had to take a train, go all the way through security (an event that I would have allowed much more time for), go to the furthest gate only to have our flight delayed after we go to the gate.

But for the delay, we probably would have made it into Aspen as there was a window when the winds had calmed enough but the snows had not yet intensified. As it was, we flew all the way to Aspen, circled and diverted to Denver. Given how turbulent it was, I do see the wisdom of not attempting to land in Aspen.

Since we sat on the tarmac upon arrival in Denver due to not having an available gate, I was able to rebook our flight and book a hotel room all before we even parked at the gate.

Got to the Days Inn at 10:45 pm, 20 hours after having left Brian and Miriam's.

This morning, it's snowing sideways here, the first two flights to Aspen delayed until after our departure time and at least one incoming Aspen flight cancelled. So, it's looking like a really long day. Given the weather and my state of jet lag, I refuse to try to drive. Depending on what develops, we might consider the train or we might just sit here.

Sunday, March 29, 2009, 8:13 am

Slept in a bit yesterday AM, then arose slowly. Puttered about, finally heading out for breakfast after noon to the Chelsea Bun, with all 4 of us. It was crowded and noisy but the food once again was good. Because there were four of us, we had to sit in the more crowded, noisier down stairs. I much preferred our two top upstairs window seat the other day.

A stroll back down King's Road where we left Brian at Waitrose and continued on to Monsoon for the final decision. Rachel tried on both dresses with all the accoutrements while Miriam waited patiently.

But, still no decision.

So we headed across the street to the Gap to take a breather. Miriam then headed home while Rachel and I weighed the pros and cons of each dress. Back to Monsoon where we finally pulled the trigger.

Another hot apple pie at McD's (I had at least one every day) and then back to the flat where we relaxed for a bit. As it got closer to dinner time, we opted to order in. Since the time changed here this morning and today will be a big travel day, it seemed the wise move. Rachel and I did have to dash out to the ATM to get cash to pay the car service today but still less involved than eating out.

Pasta from La Patrino, very good. Some wine, some TV, some ice cream and some packing, then bed.

I received a weather alert email from Pitkin County informing me that there's a weather watch (warning?) from 3 pm today through 6 am tomorrow so we shall see what our travel day holds. We're flying London to Chicago and Chicago to Aspen. Getting stuck in Chicago wouldn't be too bad since the parents are nearby. I'd rather not get rerouted to Denver only to get stuck there.

Fingers crossed.

Saturday, March 28, 2009, 10:45 am

Yesterday, we opted to take the 49 bus up to Hyde Park first. We stopped by the Royal Geographical Society which had a small photo exhibit of Shackleton's Endurance expedition to the Antarctic. Other than that, there was really nothing there. It's interesting that in London, the National Geographic store at Piccadilly Circus is a much bigger deal than the Royal Geographical Society.

Next a meander through Hyde Park with a stop at the Lido Cafe and then a walk all the way to the Cabinet War Rooms past Buckingham Palace and through St. James's Park.

We spent hours at the War Rooms, really getting our full and avoiding the French school group.

Next a hop on the Tube at Westminster (after a snack at the Tesco Express) to King's Cross where we found the Harry Potter photo op at Platform 9 3/4. There's a lot of construction at King's Cross so they've had to move the photo op but they've graciously put up a sign to redirect the Harry Potter fans.

We walked over to see the exterior of St. Pancras which is quite striking.

A stop at McD's for two more hot apple pies and then got on the 10 bus to make our way back towards Chelsea while taking in the views. A bus transfer to the 22 bus at Hyde Park Corner, a stop at Monsoon to check on the prom dresses and try on shoes and off to dinner at the Phoenix for some English pub food (porkbelly and cottage pie). All pretty good except that they wre out of fish and chips!?!

The weather today is cold and rainy so that combined with the G20 demonstrations has persuaded us to stay in the Chelsea area and not venture too far afield.

No matter, prom dresses await.

Friday, March 27, 2009, 9:22 am

Rachel was moving very slowly yesterday morning, so, a bit to Uncle Brian's frustration, we didn't get out of the house until after noon.

Since the weather was less than pleasant, we opted for a movie, The Young Victoria. We thought it highly appropriate especially since when we were in Paris in 2006, we saw Marie Antoinette there. The movie theatre was very nice but since it only has one screen and they're running three movies, the movies end up being at rather odd inconvenient times. I did figure out this morning that the movie left the theatre yesterday so I'm glad we went when we did.

We then hopped on a bus up King's Road to the Paperchase where I was able to exchange my broken umbrella and Rachel got a trip journal (?). We then got back on the double decker bus to ride to Piccadilly Circus. A good choice in the on and off rain showers except that halfway to Piccadilly Circus, they decided they couldn't be bothered to go all the way to Piccadilly Circus. So instead, we were unceremoniously dumped off at Green Park. We walked the rest of the way to Piccadilly Circus which was absolute chaos at 5:30 pm, crowded with tourists, theater goers and commuters.

A quick snack of chips, chocolate and soda from Boots fortified us for the return bus ride. When you're a tourist on no particular schedule, the buses are nice for the views and the fact that they do tend to get you closer to your actual destination than the Tube.

Brian and Miriam made french onion soup from scratch which we enjoyed with a nice light salad for dinner.

Rachel's up a bit earlier today but the weather is still questionable so we'll see what develops.

Thursday, March 26, 2009, 10 am

The plan was to get up and get out early solo in an attempt to procure discounted theater tickets.

The getting up part went well, the getting out part not so much and the discounted tickets not at all. Part of that due to my misunderstanding the info on the website.

The discounted day tickets went on sale at 10 am. I didn't get out of the flat until 10 am so I knew those were unlikely but since they were front row, I wasn't really interested anyhow. There was another group of tickets I hoped to tap into, the standby tickets but I got the timing wrong. I showed up at the theater at 11 am and was only able to purchase full price tickets. While he was very pleasant, the ticket seller never offered the information that the discount tickets about which I was inquiring would be available in an hour at noon. Ignorant of this fact I went ahead and got full fare tickets and continued on my way. Probably best that he didn't tell me because I wouldn't have known what to do with that information. I was meeting Brian, Rachel wasn't reachable, it would have just been too complicated for my feeble brain. It would have put me in a tizzy to try to figure it out. So full fare it was.

Met Brian at Sloane Square and walked down King's Road to have breakfast at the Chelsea Bun, Brian's favorite breakfast place.

Back to the flat to gather Rachel and then off to the theater.

The weater was a bit schizophrenic, alternating between partly sunny and bursts of strong rain, windy the whole time. So windy, I broke 2 umbrellas virtually within blocks.

The musical, Spring Awakening, was wonderful. An 1891 play set to music written by Duncan Shiek, it's a story of youthful angst and tragedy. We really enjoyed it. But I wouldn't recommend it for any one too young or too prudish.

A walk to Trafalgar Square (with a stop at McD's for 2 apple pies for me and chicken nuggets for Rachel) to see Nelson's Column which was being renovated the last time we were here and was thus completely covered up. Then down Whitehall to Westminster, the weather having improved remarkably.

Since our dinner plans had changed, L'Absinthe being deemed too remote, we headed off to Bond Street to go to Defune. Quite the treat, especially since one of our party was a Japanese woman who provided us with excellent guidance on ordering and eating Japanese food.

A short detour home due to boarding the wrong train ended our day.

Today the rain will dictate our itinerary. Perhaps a double decker bus ride, perhaps a movie.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009, 8:24 am

Another late start yesterday, this time because we were visiting with Brian and talking finance.

Then off to Bankside. The Tube to Monument where we blew off the Monument because of all the school children queuing to get in.

We stopped at Southwark Cathedral which is quite beautiful. There was a trio setting up and rehearsing for a concert later and the music simply added to the atmosphere and experience.

We were trying to follow the walk set out in Rick Steve's but through a combination of fuzzy directions, unclear maps and confusing streets, it wasn't easy. However, we did manage to see all the sights, albeit a little out of order.

Toured the Globe replica which was cool and stopped for some excellent mushroom soup at the Tate Modern Cafe. Walked along the Queen's Walk up to Westminster just as the lights were coming on at Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Stopped for two more hot apple pies in the County Hall Building McD's.

Back to King's Road on the Tube and then dinner at Tampopo, a good but noisy pan-Asian restaurant.

Today looking to get tickets for Spring Awakening and then dinner at L'Absinthe.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009, 9:14 am

The weather gained the upper hand yesterday. Due to some teenage hormonal jet lag issues, we didn't get out of the house until after noon and in the interest of keeping the peace, we went directly to lunch at Henry J. Bean's. Funny to see a restaurant over here trying so hard to be American. Rachel didn't like her burger because they put "something" on it but my chicken sandwich was very good.

After that, due to the time and the threatening skies, we opted to get on the Tube and go straight to Tower Bridge. It got very windy and therefore very cold as we were walking so when we got to the entrance of the Tower Bridge Experience, we opted to pay the entrance fee.

Excellent choice, more for the shelter than for the experience. The experience was fine but the shelter was right on time. Shortly after we entered, it started raining, a cold bone chilling windy stinging rain.

The Tower Bridge Experience was enjoyable with a couple of videos, lots of historical photos, access to both raised walkways and a tour of the engine rooms. We were outside in the rain for a short time but long enough to truly appreciate our choice.

After a hot chocolate at Most Cafe Bar, a little spot with an intriguing view of the underside of the bridge (way more picturesque than it sounds), we next stopped at the Tower Gift Shop where Rachel got another book.

Then back on the Underground to King's Road where we did some prom dress shopping at Karen Millen and Monsoon. We've narrowed it down to 2 and I have pictures but I'm not allowed to post them.

A stop at McD's for another hot apple pie (3 for 3!), then to Waitrose for some elderflower, apple and white grape soda and back to the flat to find Brian and Miriam.

An excellent dinner at Buonasera, a restaurant with double decker seating that would never pass code at home.

Today, it's partly sunny again so maybe we'll try to do our Bankside stroll. We're saving our indoor stuff for later in the week when the weather's supposed to be less conducive to outdoor activities.

Monday, March 23, 2009, 10:04 am

Got out of the house around noon yesterday. Took a leisurely stroll around Battersea Park, enjoying a windy Sunday afternoon with the Londoners. Watched a little soccer and ate a little lunch at the little tea cafe.

Walked across the Chelsea Bridge and on up to Harrod's where we spent basically the rest of the afternoon. It's overwhelming and crowded but the further up you go, the less crowded it gets. It's quite overdone and ornate which makes me wonder what it was like before Mohammed al-Fayed.

We got two baby gifts, checked out the electronics, watched the end of Transformers, spent a lot of time in Waterstone's and browsed the music and DVDs in HMV. We checked out the over the top pet department and the fine porcelain. We ended with gelato at Morelli's in the food court. Mine had champagne so I was feeling good.

We left Harrod's and went across the street to Cafe Rouge which had good onion soup but not so much otherwise. It did have a nice French cafe vibe.

Since it was Sunday, at that point, most everything was closed so we opted to walk home.

We did go via King's Road where I was able to get another hot apple pie at McD's. At least one a day, that's my goal.

Home to microwave popcorn and The Mummy 2.

Trying to plan around the weather, we're thinking about Hyde Park and Bankside today with a stroll across Tower Bridge.

Sunday, March 22, 2009, 10:04 AM

Slept until 3:30 pm yesterday, then got up, showered and went for a walk down King's Road to Sloane Square. 1st and 2d stops: Starbucks for a latte and McDonald's for a hot apple pie.

So, yes, the first thing I ate in London was McDonald's hot apple pie. So yummy and so eagerly anticipated.

Window shopped a bit and found a store where Rachel would really like to get her prom dress. We'll look around some more but maybe.

Got dinner of quiches at Waitrose, the grocery store, where we were amazed on how sedentary the clerks are. They just sit on little stools, scanning the goods while the patrons do their own bagging and paying. No self service lines yet but it shouldn't be much of a stretch since the clerks don't do much anyhow. However, the floor staff was courteous and helpful, cheerfully assisting us in locating items like microwave popcorn which they keep in the candy aisle.

Then back to Brian & Miriam's flat where we figured out the TV and DVD player (no mean feat) and watched the Mummy. Brian and Miriam have quite the DVD collection and quite the home theatre (note the British spelling) set up.

We both took Ambien to try to sleep through the night to reset our body clocks. We'll see how successful that was, the resetting part. I already know that that sleeping part worked pretty well.

Since the weather is still nice but threatening to turn, we're thinking of taking a stroll through Battersea Park, just across the Thames, and then a stop at Harrod's.

It's nice to be leisurely, especially when dealing with jet lag.

(*the picture is of the bottle of raspberry cream soda that we couldn't open so punctured the top using a cork screw. it then dribbled out pathetically slowly but that really isn't an issue since the verdict is that it's gross and we're going to discard the rest.)

Saturday, March 21, 2009, 4:27 pm

We're here!

Other than some turbulence flying in and out Denver and into Dulles, our trip was really smooth. No delays and on our longest flight, we had individual seat back monitors so were able to watch what we wanted, although that did mean that we got very little sleep.

Watched Quantum of Solace Denver to Dulles and The Family that Preys and Cadillac Records Dulles to Heathrow. Rachel was very excited to see that they were playing Twilight.

Immigration was a breeze contrary to what I recall from my last visit. The wait was just a few minutes and the agent didn't even mention the expiration date on Rachel's passport. Customs was a total non-event. There was one agent in the corner and he was totally engaged with a woman so I don't think he even saw us.

Took the Tube from Heathrow to South Kensington and the first thing we saw upon exiting the Underground early on a Saturday morning was a processing of horses clopping down the streets of Kensington. There were approximately a dozen riders, all wearing bright reflective vests and each leading a riderless horse. My camera was inconveniently located in my backpack or you'd be looking at a photo right now.

We were at Brian and Miriam's by 8:30 am and directly to sleep. It's a beautiful day that we mostly slept through but whatever.

We're on vacation.

18 hour day

Traveling basically all day. Leave Aspen at 9:45 am and arrive in London at 6 am tomorrow if all goes smoothly.

Since London's 6 hours ahead of Aspen, it'll be midnight Aspen time when we land (again, fingers crossed).

So our Friday, March 20, 2009 will be 18 hours long instead of 24.

Just over 14 hours of travel time, 3 planes, 2 travelers, 2 carry-ons each

I'm on vacation, I'm on vacation

Actually, I'm still at home but that'll change in about 15 hours.

I clocked out, put my away message on my work email and am officially checked out of my job and in to my flights.

Woo, hoo!

Facebook social engagement

Facebook is back in my good graces.

Because of Facebook, Rachel and I have plans to have dinner in a nice French restaurant, L'Absinthe, next week in London.

At least I think it's because of Facebook.

Critics knock Facebook as supplanting real social interaction with online virtual social interaction. They believe that Facebook doesn't facilitate social engagement.

All I know is that yesterday I was having wall conversations with a couple of friends on Facebook about my upcoming trip to London. This morning I got an email from a friend from California who isn't on Facebook but is married to a Facebook (and real life) friend telling me that she was about to go to London too.

And, coincidentally our trips to London overlap. So, we're going to have dinner next Wednesday across the pond.

This is one of those things that in the pre-Facebook days, we would have figured out after we had all returned and then lamented that we had missed each other.

But because we live in the future, we actually have the opportunity to share our separate trips to London.

Text fight?

Steve and I had our first text fight today.

Or maybe it was our first text make-up.

Whatever, I thought it was actually pretty positive.

He was at my office and something he said pissed me off so I said something which pissed him off. He went to wait in the car and I told him to just go, that I would walk home.

And he did.

Fighting the urge to run after him and tell him off, I simply texted, "I'm pissed."

To which he responded by apologizing and explaining why what I said upset him.

All in less than 160 characters.

I acknowledged that perhaps what I said was a low blow and explained why I was upset.

All in less than 160 characters.

He told me he hadn't gone far.

I told him to come back and get me.

He did and voila, we weren't mad at each other anymore.

Pretty cool. We both felt heard and no one yelled. That's pretty unusual for us.

Maybe we'll do all our communicating by text from now on . . .

How much have you changed in 20 yrs?

****20 YEARS AGO (1989)****

1) How old were you? 26
2) Who were you dating? my daughter's father
3) Where did you work? a law firm in Greenbelt Maryland and then one in Frederick, Maryland
4) Where did you live? Laurel, Maryland and then Frederick, Maryland
5) Where did you hang out? Maggie's, 94th Aero Squadron, The Green Turtle, the Dome
6) Did you wear contacts and/or glasses? yes
7) Who were your best friends? Leah
8) How many tattoos did you have? one on my shoulder
9) How many piercings did you have? three, left ear = one, right ear = two,
10) What kind of car did you drive? Saab 900 Turbo
11) Had you been to a real party? Yes
12) Had you had your heart broken? Yes
13) Were you Single/taken/Married/Divorced? Single

14) Any Kids? none

****15 YEARS AGO (1994)****

1) How old were you? 31
2) Who were you dating? no one
3) Where did you work? a cardiology practice in Des Plaines, Illinois
4) Where did you live? Prospect Heights, Illinois
5) Where did you hang out? family's homes, malls, movie theaters.
6) Did you wear contacts and/or glasses? yes
7) Who were your best friends? Leah
8) How many tattoos did you have? two, one on my shoulder and one on my hip
9) How many piercings did you have? four, left ear = one, right ear = two, belly button = 1
10) What kind of car did you drive? Saab 900 Turbo
11) Had you been to a real party? Yes
12) Had you had your heart broken? Yes
13) Were you Single/taken/Married/Divorced? Single

14) Any Kids? one

***10 YEARS AGO (1999)***

1) How old were you? 36
2) Who were you dating? no one
3) Where did you work? moved from a cardiology practice in Des Plaines, Illinois to a family medicine practice in Aspen, Colorado in June
4) Where did you live? January through May, Glenview, Illinois. June through December, Snowmass, Colorado.
5) Where did you hang out? friends & family's homes
6) Did you wear contacts and/or glasses? yes
7) Who were your best friends? family
8) How many tattoos did you have? Two (see above)
9) How many piercings did you have? Four (see above)
11) Had your heart broken? Yes
12) Were you Single/Taken/Married/Divorced? Single
13)Any Kids? One
14)What kind of car did you have? Toyota Rav4

****TODAY (2009)****

1) Age? 46
2) Who are you dating? Steve
3) Where do you work? family medicine practice in Aspen Colorado
4) Where do you live? Aspen Colorado
5) Where do you hang out? Wheeler Opera House, Belly Up, Isis, Double Dog Pub, my house
6) Do you wear contacts and/or glasses? no (Lasix!!)
7) Who are your closest friends? Rachel and Steve
9) How many piercings do you have? four (see above)
10) How many tattoos? three (added one on my back)
11) Had your heart been broken? Yes
12) How many kids? 3 (husband, daughter and dog)
13) Are you Single/Taken/Married/Divorced? married
14) What kind of car do you drive? Toyota Rav4

Frost/Nixon

As someone who was 12 years old when Richard Nixon resigned the presidency, it seems that the specter of Watergate has always overshadowed my knowledge of politics. While having been aware of the Frost/Nixon interviews, I can't claim to have had any real knowledge regarding them.

Thus, I found the movie very intriguing. The movie is much more about the struggle to make the interviews happen and the motivations of the players than the actual interviews themselves. Michael Sheen as David Frost and Frank Langella as Richard Nixon both completely inhabit their alter egos. Langella, in particular, is splendid in portraying the pathos and the Greek tragedy hubris of the former president.

The movie did leave us with questions regarding what was historical and what was historical fiction. Did the late night phone call really take place? Did Frost really give Nixon the gift? If so, did Frost understand the irony and was it intentional as it surely would have been if the gift exchange had been reversed? (The proverbial shoe on the other foot.) How much of the final conversation was for dramatic effect? All great fodder for our dinner conversation afterwards.

On a coincidental note, for the second time in a very short time, I sat through a movie thinking that a female lead resembled a female lead in a movie I had just seen but convinced myself it was merely a strong resemblance only to discover later that the actresses were in fact one and the same. Not sure what that's all about.

The January 2009 issue of Smithsonian Magazine has an article penned by James Reston, Jr, one of the key players, which I am looking forward to reading. I purposefully did not do so prior to seeing the movie as I did not want to be forced into the position of being overly analytical while viewing it.

This week's PostSecret favorite

Transformers

It helps to watch this movie with a teenager.

I watched it with a teenager and I enjoyed it. Mostly because I was channeling my inner teenager.

There's not any depth to it. And yet, it's fun. The Transformers, especially Bumble Bee, have personality. The romance between the human leads is unlikely and therefore engaging. The boy's a geek but cute and brave. The girl's too attractive but smart and brave. The boy's parents are lovable caricatures who are thrilled to find the girl in the boy's bedroom.

The fight scene, as is usually the case, is too long. But the girl gets to play a key role which I appreciate.

And, yep, I'll probably see Transformers 2. With my teenager.

Enchanted

Rachel and I watched my parents' Netflix copy of this last week.

It was fine.

Yes, fine.

Watching someone else's Netflix copy was a good way to see it. At least for anyone over the age of 14 or so.

Amy Adams was cute as the naive fairy tale princess. I do have to say that I have enjoyed watching her in every one of the four movies in which I've seen her. Patrick Dempsey is handsome and charming as always as the disillusioned (but not too, this is Disney after all) divorce lawyer who serves as her real world Prince Charming. The prince is princely and the villains are villainous. Susan Sarandon as the evil stepmother queen channels Glenn Close as Cruella deVille. And, in a welcome feminist twist, the princess gets to do some saving too.

If you have a pre-teen or early teen girl, watch this with her by all means. Otherwise . . . ?

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

A good friend said that she'd see this movie again simply to see Penelope Cruz speak Spanish again.

I, not having seen a Woody Allen movie since Annie Hall, wasn't enticed when I first heard about it.

But, when I saw that it was playing at Belly Up for free and knowing that Penelope Cruz had won an Oscar for the Best Supporting Actress, I decided that it might be a nice way to spend an evening, eating and drinking at Belly Up while watching an Oscar caliber performance.

The set-up is two young, attractive, American friends spending the summer in Barcelona and getting propositioned by a charming Spaniard.

I really liked it.

It probably helped that I totally identified with Vicky. Her seriousness, her sense of purpose, her unwillingness to put up with any of the charming b.s. I appreciated her plight, feeling obliged to chaperone a slightly ditsy friend on a crazy adventure.

Cruz did shine as Maria Elena and Patricia Clarkson had a memorable turn as Vicky's dissatisfied slightly older family friend.

Steve didn't like the ending but I thought it was perfect.

The Defining Moment by Jonathan Alter

Illuminating.

Timely.

Eminently readable.

I read it because it's one of the books our new president is reading because, you know, our new president reads.

From the start, I was learning. There were many details of the Depression of which I was unaware. It was troubling how many of them mirrored today's headlines. But do the solutions attempted during the Depression have any applicability to today's circumstances?

Alter makes the argument that the key to the New Deal was the persona of the newly elected president and his willingness to basically just keep throwing darts at the dart board. According to Alter, Roosevelt didn't have so much a vision regarding what to do as a drive to simply do something. The appearance of activity went a long way in creating optimism.

Alter creates a revealing, well-balanced portrait of FDR. While his focus is the first 100 days of FDR's presidency, he provides plenty of lead in and follow up which gives the reader a solid overview of the entire era and a great deal of detail about the defining moment.

South Pacific

The Aspen High School performed the musical South Pacific March 5th, 6th and 7th. It was very well done and the students had a good time. Which is kinda the point with a high school musical.

The kids also worked very hard with almost constant rehearsals and set building sessions. The staging was minimalist and effective, giving the audience a sense of place without overwhelming the stage or the production.

The musical itself deals with some fairly adult themes of war, racism, death and, of course, romance. I did find it a hallmark of its era that both of the interracial couples ended in death. More of the tragic mulatto.

Adding a bit more drama to the drama was the fact that a bomb threat was discovered at the Aspen High School at 4 pm on Thursday, opening night. The handwritten threat scrawled on the wall of a boys' bathroom claimed that the school would be blown up on Friday, March 6th. The school board and the superintendent allowed Thursday's opening night performance to proceed as planned but elected to close the entire school campus (high, middle and elementary schools) on Friday. At the end of Thursday night's performance as the news spread through the audience (via emails received on PDAs), there was some grumbling about the fact that the performance, which took place in the elementary school, not the high school, was allowed to continue. I think the whole thing was handled appropriately. Balancing the probability of the threat with the repercussions of canceling the performance was the reasonable course of action. Bomb sniffing dogs on Friday found nothing more in the high school than a starter pistol in the athletic department. And supposedly there are several leads on the perpetrator.

Last Week's PostSecret favorite

Guitar Blues

On February 25, 2009, Steve and I saw Guitar Blues at the Wheeler Opera House.

Guitar Blues consists of Jorma Kaukonen, of Hot Tuna and a founding member of Jefferson Airplane, Robben Ford and Ruthie Foster.

Being that the only one of the three musicians with whom I had any familiarity was Ruthie Foster and being that I think she's phenomenal (as the title of one of her CDs states), I figured that the other two would be of a kind and that we were in for an awesome evening.

I was only partly right. It was a awesome evening but only because Ruthie stole the show. While both Kaukonen and Ford are extremely talented musicians, their music did little or nothing for me.

Ruthie, on the other hand, simply shone. Every time she stepped on stage, you could feel the energy in the theater change. Even those in the audience who were drawn to the show by the other artists (which was basically everyone but me) could be heard remarking afterwards how Foster was the real jewel.

Kaukonen, while very talented with a guitar, was too mellow and Ford, while also quite skilled, was too jam session-y.

But when paired with Foster and when Foster soloed, the audience soared.

The Dark Knight

Fairly complex for a comic book movie.

Probably much more closely captures the true nature of the comic books series which I have found tend to be deeper than the average movie adaptation.

The hero is an anti-hero, the white knight ends up a villain and there is no happy ending. Anarchy seems to inspire chaos but it's all much more orchestrated and manipulated than that.

There is a small glimpse of hope in the common man thrown in to leaven the whole thing.

Dark themes of corruption, greed and mental illness compete with honor, trust and sanity.

Heath Ledger is on the surface a caricature but one which further attention reveals as a surprisingly layered caricature. I do however agree with a recent NPR commentator who stated that this Oscar, like Peter Finch's, was a posthumous correction of the failure to acknowledge the previous Oscar caliber role, Brokeback Mountain in Ledger's case and Sunday, Bloody Sunday in Finch's case.

Jerry Jeff Walker

On February 21, 2009, Steve and I saw Jerry Jeff Walker at the Wheeler Opera House.

Jerry Jeff isn't really my speed but Steve really likes him so I agreed to go see him.

I was very pleasantly surprised. It was an excellent show. There were songs I recognized like Mr. Bojangles and Sangria Wine. There were ballads and there were rollicking Jerry Jeff standards.

He's a winning entertainer, engaging the audience in banter and taking song suggestions while also being willing to charmingly turn other suggestions down.

Jimmy Ibbotson from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band performed a duet with Jerry Jeff for Mr. Bojangles, the second song of the night. It was fun to see the two artists collaborating but Jimmy was a bit frenetic, dancing about the stage. This was probably in part necessitated by the fact that there really wasn't enough room for Jimmy, Jerry Jeff and Jerry Jeff's guitar in front of the microphone but it was still distracting.

Give Me Liberty by Naomi Wolf

While Wolf hooked me with The End of America, she loses me with Give Me Liberty.

She comes across as a left-wing conspiracy theory nut who, prior to the 2009 Inauguration, questions whether the Republican administration of George Bush will allow the newly elected president to be sworn in.

Now, as far as I'm concerned, there were so many legitimate accusations to level at the Bush administration that it really calls Wolf's credibility into question for her to move so far into the realm of panic.

Wolf's book does provide an interesting dissection of the obstacles to exercising one's First Amendment rights of speech, assembly and petition erected by our various local, state and federal governments.

The book is not totally without merit as it marches us through Wolf's often less than successful attempts to be politically active and then provides us with a roadmap for overcoming the difficulties she encountered but like most books of its genre, whether right or left, it must be taken with a grain of salt, culling out the reasonable from the inflammatory.

The Reader

Well done.

Powerful.

Leaves you with much to discuss afterwards.

Not as depressing as we thought it would be.

Michael is 15 years old when he begins an affair with Hanna who is twenty plus years his senior. The affair is shortlived, lasting only a summer but the consequences stay with Michael for his lifetime.

The movie eloquently explores themes of shame, fear, pride, remorse, isolation and redemption.

Winslet's Oscar for Best Actress is well-deserved. She provides a nuanced, multi-layered performance which never excuses Hanna's actions.

On a funny note, we had two friends who were going to see Slumdog Millionaire but ended up in the wrong theater and saw The Reader instead. It actually took them a while to figure it out!?! Quite the mistake.

65? Things to Cure Your Boring Questions

This is another annoying little copy, paste and fill in your own answers which you do because you are OCD about these things and won't let any of these go by. Then, send it on to all the other copy/paste OCDpeople and see if this go around to about 1,000,000 people on Facebook. Really go for it. Yes/No answers are boring....really go for it and fill in all the boring details. Then, pass it around and see where it goes!

1. Do you have a floor where you live? Could we start with a more inane question?

2. Have you ever had a zit? Ok, here's a more inane question.

3. What food do you eat just because it is good for you? None. I only eat foods that are good for me because they taste good.

4. What is your favorite number? 9

5. Have you ever known anyone named Sprocket? No but I knew someone nicknamed Sprout. That's how she was introduced to me. We were both adults.

6. What kind of tires are on your car/truck. Studded snow tires.

7. Have you ever thought about North Dakota? Sure, especially when they were talking about renaming it.

8.If you were an ocean, which ocean would you be? Did Barbara Walters write these questions?

9. Have you ever wished you had hair on your forehead? What kind of question is that? Is this some secret code for bald guys?

10. Do you get upset when you see a car with bumper stickers? only when they're stupid bumper stickers. and upset is a bit too strong a word. I more get condescending.

11. Is there a jar of mayonaisse in your fridge? I honestly don't know. I'd have to go look. Ok, I'll look. Wait here. Yep, two. Kraft Real Mayo and Kroger Classic Mayo. (Yes, I really went and looked. I'm geeky like that.)

12. Looking at the hands on a clock, what time of day do you think the hands look best or most "bitchen"? 7:25, 'cause it looks like it's running.

13. Do you prefer a comb or a brush for your hair? Brush. I can't remember the last time I used a comb in my hair.

14. What is the hottest temperature you have experienced? I have no idea. There was the time it was 105 degrees when I was hiking on the North Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon. If that wasn't the hottest, it probably felt like it since I was twelve miles into a fourteen mile hike and there was clearly no turning back.

15. Is there a time in your life when you don't care if you did it over again or not? Many.

16. What have been some of your most NON-embarrassing moments? Is that just a backwards way of saying moments you're proud of? Let's not get all braggy.

17. What hand do you use to click the TV remote control? I don't have a TV remote. But when I use one, I go righty.

18. Would you ever consider living in a foreign city? Yes. But it would be hard to leave where I am now.

19. Is there an "A" in your name? Only in my first name, which I don't use.

20. What would you be if you could have any job in the world that you would hate? Oh come on, there's just so many jobs I would hate.

45 things to cure (cause?) someone's boredom . . . someone with too much time on their hands.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? The Virgin Mary? I do have an older cousin with my exact name but I wasn't really named after her.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? At a movie, but I can't remember which one.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Eh. My printing's much better.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Roast beef.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? I say I have three (my daughter, my husband and my dog)

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yeah, I'm pretty cool but I can be a bit standoffish. I can also be kinda socially awkward so I'd have to be patient with me.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? Never. (get it?)

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes, big honking ones.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I bungee jumped out of a hot air balloon in South Carolina when I was pregnant (I didn't know I was pregnant).

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Do I have to pick one? Kix, Life, Nature Valley Oats and Honey or Corn Pops if I'm eating it out of the box. Cheerios or Cap'n Crunch if I'm eating it with milk.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Most of my shoes don't tie. My sneakers do and I try to take them off without untieing them but I usually fail.

12. WHAT DO YOU SEE IF YOU LOOK OUTSIDE YOUR KITCHEN WINDOW? My neighbors walking to and fro. Aspen Mountain and Shadow Mountain.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Haagen Daz Coffee. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Vanilla.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their grooming.

15. RED OR PINK? Red. Wait, pink. No, red. Although when I was in high school, I hated pink and swore that I would never wear pink. I got over that quickly.

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My social ineptitude.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? can't say.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST? Only if they want to. In fact, I don't even want them to read mine if they find these annoying.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black pants, no shoes.

20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? nothing.

21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Can't choose. I have a really hard time picking favorites.

22.FAVORITE SMELL? You're not listening. (see #22). coffee, popcorn, eucalyptus, pine forest. Not all at the same time.

23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My mom.

24. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Winter X Games was a lot of fun.

25. HAIR COLOR? Light brown/grey.

26. EYE COLOR? Brown

27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? For 31 years until I got Lasix two summers ago. What an awesome thing!

28. FAVORITE FOOD? What's with all the favorites? right now i'd really like some cheese fondue.

29. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Endings

30. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? The Dark Knight.

31. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Red.

32. SUMMER OR WINTER? Yes.

33. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs

34. FAVORITE DESSERT? chocolate mousse. raspberry sorbet. creme brulee. apple pie.

35. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Jonathan Alter's The Defining Moment

36. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? I have a laptop so no mousepad.

37. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? No TV.

38. FAVORITE SOUND(S)? I love the noon whistle in downtown Aspen. I love the cannon at the Smuggler Mine when they set it off early morning every 4th of July. I love hearing the muffled booms from the avalanche bombs on Aspen Mountain. I love the roar of the Roaring Fork River at the Grottos.

39. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? The Beatles

40. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Beijing, China

41. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Annoying my daughter?

42. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Columbus Hospital in Chicago, IL

43. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER? At a birthday party. It's actually a better story than that but it's kinda long so you can skip it if you want. We first saw each other at a birthday party for Cindy, a friend of his. I was just tagging along with a co-worker of mine. We didn't technically meet that day but he did meet Rachel. Two days later, I was actually introduced to him at another friend's, Annie. It was the 4th of July so we watched the fireworks together. (Yes, there were fireworks when we met.) Earlier that day, at the same friend's, I had also met a co-worker/friend/neighbor of Steve's, Jay. Jay asked Annie for my phone number so Annie asked me and I said yes (I found out later that my co-worker was beside herself about that because Jay had quite the reputation). Annie also talked Steve into volunteering to teach Rachel to ride her bike. Jay and Steve had no idea that they had both met me on the same day. Steve came over on Thursday for dinner and to teach Rachel but Rachel decided not to come home after summer camp that day (she was 8). Turns out, she had snuck in the back door of the apartment, gotten her bathing suit and snuck back out to go swimming at one of the lodge pools with a tourist child she had met on the way home. Steve , not knowing if he should be worried, offered to go look for her. I said no, 'cause I knew she'd be home eventually. And she was. Only 2 hours late. The next day, Jay called me to go to a movie. I was digging all the attention. Smart man that he was, he also invited Rachel. But things got kinda wierd when he called me to say that "they" were on their way. They??? He was bringing Steve!? and another friend. Huh? So, Steve, Jay, Ned, Rachel and I went to see The Kid. Jay did say that he'd take me out to dinner soon, just him and me. Two days later, I go to a benefit that both Jay and Steve were going to be at and Jay tells me that Steve's interested in me so he's going to back off and that I should call him if it didn't work out with Steve. I was kinda annoyed. I mean, if I had two guys interested in me, shouldn't I get to choose? But, it was a very gentlemanly thing for Jay to do and it all worked out for the best anyhow.

44. IS THE CUP HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY? Half full

45. IF YOU COULD SIT DOWN TO DINNER WITH FIVE PEOPLE WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE? That's a tough one but it's a great question to ask at the dinner table. Some pretty spirited conversations can result.

I've seen 102 out of 268 films

Supposedly if you've seen over 85 films, you have no life. I will gladly cop to that since movies rock.

Mark the ones you've seen. There are 268 films on this list.

(But there are just so many missing . . .)

(X)Rocky Horror Picture Show
(X) Grease
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean
(X) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
( ) Fight Club
(X) Starsky and Hutch
( ) Neverending Story
(X) Blazing Saddles
(X) Airplane
Total: 7

(X) The Princess Bride
(X) Anchorman
( ) Napoleon Dynamite
( ) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
(X) White Oleander
(X) Anger Management
(X) 50 First Dates
(X) The Princess Diaries
( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 13

( ) Scream
( ) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
(X) Scary Movie
( ) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
( ) American Pie
( ) American Pie 2
( ) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 14

(X) Harry Potter 1
(X) Harry Potter 2
(X) Harry Potter 3
(X) Harry Potter 4
( ) Resident Evil 1
( ) Resident Evil 2
( ) The Wedding Singer
(X) Little Black Book
( ) The Village
(X) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 20

(X) Finding Nemo
(X) Finding Neverland
( ) Signs
(X) The Grinch
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
(X) 13 Going on 30
( ) I, Robot
( ) Robots
Total so far: 24

( ) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( ) Universal Soldier
( ) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
( ) Along Came Polly
( ) Deep Impact
( ) Kingpin
(X) Never Been Kissed
(X) Meet The Parents
(X) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt
(X) King Kong
Total so far: 28

( ) A Cinderella Story
(X) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
( ) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
( ) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
(X) Halloween
( ) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving X-MAS
(X) Flubber
Total so far: 31

( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(X) Practical Magic
(X) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
( ) Hellboy
( ) Secret Window
( ) I Am Sam
( ) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 33

( ) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child's Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
(X) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
( ) Gothika
(X) Nightmare on Elm Street
(X) Sixteen Candles
(X) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
( ) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 37

( ) Bad Boys
( ) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Slevin
(X) Ocean's Eleven
( ) Ocean's Twelve
( ) Bourne Identity
( ) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
( ) Bedazzled
( ) Predator I
( ) Predator II
( ) The Fog
( ) Ice Age
( ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
Total so far: 38

(X) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(X) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Boss' Daughter
(X) Maid in Manhattan
(X) War of the Worlds
( ) Rush Hour
( ) Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 42

( ) Best Bet
(X) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
( ) She's All That
(X) Calendar Girls
(X) Sideways
(X) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(X) Ever After
(X) Wizard of Oz
(X) Forrest Gump
( ) Big Trouble in Little China
(X) The Terminator
(X) The Terminator 2
(X) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 52

(X) X-Men
(X) X-2
(X) X-3
(X) Spider-Man
(X) Spider-Man 2
(X) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(X) Catch Me If You Can
(X) The Little Mermaid
(X) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
( ) The Skulls
(X) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(X) Shrek
( ) Shrek 2
Total so far: 63

( ) Swimfan
(X) Miracle on 34th street
(X) Old School
( ) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf's Tribe
(X) A Walk to Remember
(X) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
(X) The 40-year-old Virgin
Total so far: 68

(X) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(X) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(X) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(X) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(X) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(X) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
( ) Basketball
( ) Hostel
(X) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
(X) Elf
(X) Highlander
( ) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History X
( ) Three
Total so far: 77

( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Night Watch
(X) Monsters Inc.
(X) Titanic
(X) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
Total so far: 80

( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
( ) Hulk
( ) Dawn Of the Dead
(X) Hook
(X) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
( ) Waterworld
Total so far: 82

(X) Kill Bill vol 1
(X) Kill Bill vol 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) The Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 84

(X) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
( ) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
( ) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(X) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(X) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(X) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 88

(X) The Matrix
(X) The Matrix Reloaded
( ) The Matrix Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
( ) Team America: World Police
( ) Red Dragon
(X) Silence of the Lambs
( ) Hannibal
Total so far: 91

(X) Slumdog Millionaire
( ) The Reader
( ) Revolutionary Road
(X) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(X) Milk
( ) Frost/Nixon
(X) The Visitor
( ) The Wrestler
(X) Rachel Getting Married
( ) Changeling
( ) Doubt
(X) Wall-E
( ) Defiance
(X) The Dark Knight
( ) Wanted
(X) Iron Man
(X) Tropic Thunder
( ) The Duchess
(X) In Bruges
(X) Happy-Go-Lucky
( ) Vicky Christina Barcelona
Grand total: 102

Now add them up and put "I've seen X out of 268 films" in the subject line and repost it.