In a few words, it satisfied this die hard fan of the series quite a bit.  First of all, what made the whole event so wonderful was the company.  5 vixens ranging from late 20s to late 30s met up and got dressed up to delight in the continuing tales of 4 women from the NYC.  We went on opening night = 7 PM sold out show!  We decided to save the Cosmopolitans to an after party concept because we wanted to make sure we:

1. Had good seats,
2. Could sit together.

We were not the only women with this mission.  Let me say this, if any single men were interested in potentially scoping out some beautiful women dressed to impress, they missed their chance.  The women were out…in droves…or flocks…and in great frocks too!

Seriously…the air was thick with the faint scent of estrogen.  I even joked that I was worried we’d all somehow get on the same cycle – but I grossly digress.  It was awesome to see so many women coming out to cheer on 4 characters that all have some quality we can all relate to.  We proudly tell one another which character we are and I accept that I am indeed somewhere closer to Miranda-land, with a hint of Carrie throw in for good measure.  Sorry men, I can’t decode this for you.

The movie was really good.  In fact, it was great to hear the opening theme song and hear all the ladies cheer and clap.  You get a brief update on the ladies lives since the series ended (four years ago), and we’re off!  Carrie and Big are still in love and go through a lot in this movie, Miranda and Steve are going through marital realities and struggles, Charlotte and Harry are in bliss with their adopted daughter and another one on the way, and Samantha is still with Smith but living in LA and coming back to NYC any chance she can get.  While there are still HUGE HUGE HUGE gaps in logic (I still don’t know how Carrie can afford those shoes and those fashions regularly – but if she’s dating Big and he’s footing some of the bill, I guess I can believe it), but I think there were some real moments of honesty that I fell in love with the series for to begin with.

If you love the series – it’s a great evening out.  It has fashion and fabulousness, love and sex, and the realities that friends are important but so is the journey.  The ending felt good too.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

There is a wonderful blog entry written by a good friend over on Page 300, that has re-awakened me to a realization.  The blog entry he wrote about was about Mix Tape Etiquette which has lead me back to a path I traveled when I was much younger than I am now.  That journey is my love of music.  I love music.  I really do.  Unlike my spouse, I’m a true lyrics girl.  I have valuable brain space taken up with lyrics to songs I haven’t heard in over 20 years or more.  Jim has sonic and ambient leanings, with a good strong handle on solid pop-tunery and has opened my eyes to other auditory journeys.  Most of all, I’ve been blogging about my rediscovery on my personal blog Anna: North and South and think I’m realizing why I’m here again back on this road.

First of all, I think if you truly love music – you never lose that love.  I mean, it’s like any relationship.  You get sick of the same stuff over and over again and just want to move on at times, but after a while you dust off that old stuff, or see it in a new light and remember why you fell in love with it in the first place.  I type this as I am listening to Recurring Dream: The Very Best of Crowded House.  I’ve just put my copy of Semisonic’s All About Chemistry album into my iPod.  I’ve realized that the joy in music typically really starts to take root in those formative teenage years when you’re longing to find something to connect to or elevate you beyond the realities that you don’t have a car, or a lot of money do to a whole lot – let alone parental permissions (if you’re a good girl/boy).

In this strange economic time our country is in, it is still good to know that some sites let you buy a “single” to put in your MP3 player that can transport you back to a time/place, or propel you forward to thinking more positively or just get you working out.  Anyway – I’m loving the reconnection to music.  It’s a good way to feel like you’re mind is expanding even as the budgets are tightening.

So, to any and all music lovers…take that journey again.  It’s like visiting an old friend without having to pay the $15.00 checked bag fee (if you already own the song/s of course).

Photographic Print above is entitled Red Headphones in the Air … like Music in the Air, where is the DJ? by Kirsten Gaeding (found for sale on Art.Com).

In a few words…it was okay.

JIm and I went to see this movie yesterday and while it was a good way to pass some time, that’s the majority of how I felt about the film overall.  To be honest, I enjoyed the first 3 Indiana Jones’ films, but I’m not a huge, diehard Indiana Jones’ fan.  I mean, they’re entertaining and interesting from a revisionist history perspective, but they’re always a little over the top for me.  Apparently, my suspension of disbelief is set to SUCK these days.  I just thought the movie was very trite, predictable and waaaay too over the top to have any sense of realistic drama.  I don’t want to put a ton of spoilers on here so I’ll reserve why I just didn’t “buy” what the movie was “selling”, so instead I’ll comment on the actors/acting.

1. Harrison Ford – still managing to do a good elder statesman version of the hero and archaeology professor Dr. Jones.  I like him best in his professor suit, I think.  I do have to say that at times I didn’t feel he was 100% into the role, or perhaps that’s just what should be expected if Indy is as old as he is in this movie…kinda like, “Yeah, I’ll go on the search.  Sure, okay.”  My only question is…when does he have time to be a professor?!  I mean, come on!  You only ever see him teach 1 class every now and then.  What does he do 3 credits in a day classes?!

2. Karen Allen – so good to see her again since her role in the first Indy movie.  Still plucky and determined and stubborn.  Mostly I like that.

3. Shia LeBouf – I am sorry.  I don’t get this guy.  I mean, he’s kinda boring.  NO, I haven’t seen him in Transformers…but I don’t know if that would make him more interesting or if I’d find the CGI the star of that film.  For me, his role just fell flat.  I guess, I like some actors that can bring a certain edge or gimmick into the movie world with them.  Otherwise, we continue to produce a litany of actors who continue to play 1 role in every film (i.e. Ben Stiller – whom I like, but he does’ always play Ben Stiller in every role).  All I want is a next generation of actors who bring something to the game – some swagger or something.  For me, he just doesn’t.  Also, when you first meet his character “Mutt” – yeesh – he rolls up on his motorcycle like he thinks he’s Marlon Brandon in “The Wild One,” and I accidentally said in a loud voice…”What?  Do you think you’re Marlon Brando?  You’re going to have to develop a lot more character to be Marlon Brando kid.”

Anyway…if you like the Indiana Jones franchise, it’s a nice closure piece but be forewarned some of the plot holes are big and you’ll have to bring along that suspension of disbelieve in your rucksack or else you’ll fall fast into the quicksand and allow the movie just leave you in the dirt.

Amen my brothas and sistahs, we’ve made it to another 3 day weekend.  Blessedly, I need the 3 day weekend NEED it bad.  However, there’s a tug of war that we often get into around having some extra time off…example?  Well, JIm and I are typically so busy during the weeks that there’s a mild sense of pressure to use this “extra time” to be productive and get some stuff done around the house.  On the flip side, we’re often so busy during the weeks that we long for some solid DOWN time that we rarely get.  Right now, I don’t know which need/tendency will win the battle but I do know we get to go to the magnificent MEATFEST 2008 at the home of Overtly Trite and the fam.  It’s an annual tradition I am so looking forward to!

What’s everyone else doing?

Okay, I know this sounds completely weird, I shall explain further.  I’ve had a frustrating week so far.  Ask Jim…he’ll tell you I have.  Well, after work today I went to Office Depot to purchase a desk chair since my ergonomic chair is hurting my knees lately.  Well, first good thing was that my chair was $50 dollars off the regular price.  So, that was a nice bonus.  The funny thing is that I’ve been REALLY depressed because of these things going on in my life right now, so a bonus helps to lift the spirits.  I milled around the Office D-Pot and decided that I needed to visit that Ladies’ Room (I KNOW, this public service announcement has been brought to you by T.M.I.).  While in there I noticed some grafitti in the walls of the stall.  You know the kind…someone has the brilliant idea to test out a black sharpie to see if it’s really permanent marker?!  However, instead of the usual “You Suck!” or “For A Good Time Call ***”, there were these 2 statements scribbled:

1. –Somebody Loves You.

2. –Don’t Let Life Get You Down. 🙂

So for a moment, I found it funny that someone defaced a restroom stall and yet probably shocked at least some people into the reality that life will get better.  So, thanks for that moment of free therapy in the most unlikely of places.  I washed my hands and left thinking, heck, things can only get better!