Napoleon the bomb

At the other end of the spectrum from the Guthrie, Wendy and I tried to get through Napoleon Dynamite last night. We lasted about 35 minutes. It was weird and boring and not funny. Tommy is a bit upset that we did not watch the whole movie. One of his teachers really liked it. Actually it is a good opportunity to explain to him that everyone has their own opinions and that is OK.

The Merchant of Venice

Wendy and I saw The Merchant of Venice at the Guthrie the other night. Wonderful production, but the anti-Semitism in the play was very offensive. The play itself is almost like 2 separate plays. The Portia story was beautiful and fun. The Shylock parts were repulsive. The ending where the “state” decrees that Shylock must become a Christian or lose everything was especially repugnant.

This week

It is springtime in Minnesota. The temperatures are hovering between 50 and 70. The plants are starting to turn green. The boys have major spring fever.

We've gone to the playground a couple of times with the boys. Both boys have a lot of extra energy to burn off—but especially Tony. They have been doing a lot of testing at school these past weeks and I wonder if that is part of the greater need to run and swing and slide.

Interesting news time: a co-worker pointed out to me that Pittsburgh, PA had tied with a number of other cities for 10th place in the list of cleanest cities. He questioned the results of the survey when he read that. I told him of the homestead mill that is now a shopping center (The Waterfront in Homestead). It is hard to shake the James Parton quote that “Pittsburgh is hell with the lid taken off”. It doesn't help that Pittsburghers (myself included) sometimes that a perverse pride in that quote.

But I live in Minnesota now. Land of 10,000 lakes, loons, and chorales.

The Hoax

Wendy and I saw the Hoax this last weekend. Definitely two thumbs up from us. The movie tells the story of Clifford Irving who wrote an 'authorized autobiography' of Howard Hughes--which per the title was a hoax. Richard Gere portrays Mr. Irving while Alfred Molina plays his friend and researcher Dick Suskind. Marcia Gay Harden was so great as Mr. Irving's wife that I didn't even recognized her until half way through the movie. It will probably be forgotten by the time of the Oscars, but it was really a fine grown up movie. (No exploding spider-based spaceships here!)

Month of March

I can't believe the month of March is already gone. We started out with a tiger of a snow storm and end wet. (Not quite a lamb, but I didn't need to use my snow blower on it.)

Wendy finished up with Mikado at the Gilbert of Sullivan Very Light Opera Company. She had a great time singing with them. Last night they had their set strike and final cast party. It was at a Masonic Lodge and that was a first for both Wendy and I. After reading the Da Vinci Code I kept wondering what it would be like inside. In the main hall there were a lot of symbols all around and a beautiful mural on the ceiling. But actually the highlight of the evening was the alternate lyrics contest.