I miss you '90s

I have to say I'm disappointed but not surprised by K's assessment of the television show High Fidelity. I also loved the book and the movie, which I rewatched not that long ago and fully enjoyed. And why doesn't John Cusack work more. He is great. And so is Joan.

I read a review of the TV show a while ago before I knew it was going to be on iView and though the review was a little mixed I was still excited about the prospect because of my love of previous High Fidelities and because I am also intrigued by Zoe Kravitz. I saw her in a Fantastic Beasts movie and enjoyed her well enough but I thin kwe all know that you can't really get a good read of someone in Harry Potter universe so I want to see more of her. I mean, she is everywhere and people love her and I listened to the song Flowers for Zoe hundreds or thousands of times in the '90s so I want to know more.

Anyway, when I saw HF was on iView I suggested watching it to LB but he was about as enthusiastic about it as Appleheart was about MJ by the sounds of things, so I haven't watched it yet. But I guess there were some alarm bells. Like once I saw the ads I could tell it might be a bit earnest. I am all for turning white men into black women. I need another TV show about a white man like I need a punch in the face. But there is the concern that by doing that a show may be on a bit of a mission which they take a bit seriously and really want to send a message. You know what I'm saying. Also when male characters are turned into women they often become that stereotype damaged woman, not interested in love, probably because she's been hurt too many times. But the right man just needs to come along to show her that she too can love too. Is that what's happening here? I don't know. I mean, really I'm just talking a bunch of bullshit and should probably just go watch an episode of the show.

In other news it was Lenny Kravitz's birthday yesterday. Still is on the other side of the world. Happy birthday Lenny.

Dreams of the 90s

Thanks for the wrap-up of The Last Dance, Mate. I suggested it as a night time viewing option the other night but Appleheart said he has no interest in basketball and kyboshed it. I was surprised by this, especially given his enthusiasm for the mini basketball ring we rigged up to the top bunk the other day. But I figured I'd just watch it by myself once RuPaul's Drag Race season 12 is over next week (go Crystal Methyd!!). 

Speaking of the 90s and beautiful people - High Fidelity. 

I watched the first episode of this show really wanting to like it. I loved the book and I loved the movie - seriously, John Cusack does not work enough, nor does Joan Cusack for that matter. 

I remember the movie being playful and fun but with definite pathos, just like the 90s. John Cusack's Rob was fun and appealing and also a bit of a d-bag, just like dudes in the 90s! Jokes. Those qualities are timeless. But seriously. I had high hopes for High Fidelity. And I was looking forward to seeing more of Zoe Kravitz. I haven't really seen anything else she's been in, but the fact of Zoe Kravitz's existence in a place where we can see her pleases me. I mean, that woman is like the personification of pre-teen dreams for me. Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz were a couple before we hit puberty but something told me that what they had going on was exactly the kind of thing you hit puberty for. I mean look at these guys. 

Anyway, I could barely sit through the first episode of High Fidelity and I should have known why. It's not the 90s anymore! Playful and poignant isn't a thing these days. It was so damned earnest, except for when it wasn't, and then it was trying so hard for laughs that I couldn't even muster a giggle. And rather than develop some of the other characters or develop the main character more, it seems to be playing it just like the movie,only over multiple episodes instead of 90 enjoyable minutes. At least, I think that's what's happening. I can't tell, I couldn't watch more than ten mins into the second ep. 

Still, at least it got me thinking about John Cusack, and young Lenny and Lisa. What a pair of dreamboats. 

The Last Dance

Have you been watching The Last Dance, the Michael Jordan doco on Netflix?  It's very enjoyable and I guess there are a number of reasons. Firstly, watching Michael Jordan play basketball is very familiar. It's not that I watched heaps of bball in the 90s, though I did watch some. But I think he was so omnipresent that the way he moved is just in the brain of a 90s teenager and was roused by watching all that footage, like a memory jogged by a smell.

Second, he was so handsome. I had forgotten how handsome he was and the first few episodes, I had to really stop my self from exclaiming to LB every time the young Jordan came onto the screen - which was basically constantly.

Which brings me to the third point, which is that he really seems to be an arsehole and there is something quite disjointing about seeing an adorable smiling face evidently be such a d-bag which is supported by the now older Michael Jordan interviews. The present-day Jordan just looks like an old ex-athlete that thinks he is top shit and thinks his dbag behaviour was totally justified. Let me also make it clear that footage of the young Jordan also make it look like he was a dbag. There's no question he was a dick, but I guess there is just something weird about seeing this man across the ages. Also, it is basically not until the end of episode 8 that you can really see anything human about him. Maybe that's what is so disconcerting. The final three episodes he does seem more human, which is also sort of enjoyable. Also it's very disconcerting that even though you think you aren't identifying with Jordan, because he's such a douche, as you watch footage of the basketball games you still really want the Bulls to win.

I also very much enjoyed seeing the other '90s basketball stars. Like, as a kid I always just thought that Scottie Pippen was just a funny-looking second fiddle to Jordan. But now I kind of love him. He, like Jordan, could be a bit of a baby, but he has this nice calm demeanour, his team mates loved him, and now I think he was actually quite handsome too?! Whatever, he is certainly kind of adorable.

And how about Dennis Rodman?! In the '90s I just wrote him off as a show-pony with dumb hair, but now I see his importance as a player and the troubled soul that led to that classic bad-boy behaviour.

Also - watching basketball! As a person that really only watches a bit of tennis and AFL,  getting familiar with basketball was thoroughly enjoyable. Was it because I was only watching the peak teams of a peak bball period? Maybe but who cares, I loved it.

All in all, I give this show several out of some stars.

What happened last week

Mate! You’re here! It’s great to see you on the webs. Especially because I can’t see you in real life. And my front-facing camera doesn’t work on my phone so FaceTime is out of the question. So here we are! Though I confess K’s reappearance totally made me drop the ball last week. Apologies Crab fans.

So let’s do a little recap of the week that was. Hahahhahahahaha. Just kidding. Who the eff knows what happened last week? I mean who the eff knows what happened yesterday!?

Ok. A quick scroll through my phone photos reminds me that three things of note happened last week.

1) I was reintroduced to the magic of kite flying. On one of the windy days LB suggested we go kite flying, which we hadn't done in ages. Probably a year or two at least so I took the kids to the park with out kites and up they went. Yes, there was a small issue of constant fighting cause I have three kids and two kites, but at times it was just magical. Kites really are cool. And passers by would stop to watch them, even though they are the most simple kites imaginable. A little kid named Billy (probably about 3 years old) joined us and chased the kites for ages. It was delightful. And so goddamn wholesome.

2) I made eggplant subs for dinner. Actually I made everyone else in the house meatball subs, but for me, I made double-crumbed eggplant subs, with two kinds of cheese. And yes, it was delicious.

3) I found this Leonardo GIF.

You're welcome!

Hello again too

I still feel a fair amount of hate for the people who are catching up on Netflix, if I'm honest. I agree with everything J says about the little pockets of time that crop up in the course of the day. They are truly delightful. In fact, today's moment of delight is likely to be  a lunchtime bath, which is a privilege afforded to me by the fact that Appleheart looks after the children on Fridays. I mean, what a great life. A lunchtime bath. Not to mention Appleheart. Not to mention children. But there's still this little fire of hate burning in my heart that I can't quite put out. Hate is too strong a word, it's more like a deeply unimpressed vibe. I think it's the fact that Mum had the stroke around the same time this started and so fear and dread are still lurking around for me, like a label that hasn't quite come off a jar. And even though Mum is doing super well (never knows what day it is, but that's OK) and Australia's Covid 19 deaths are comparatively so few, I feel deeply unimpressed with people banging on in social media about the quieter and more 'back to basics' life they're living. But that's probably just because social media brings out the worst in me. 

I'm sorry I haven't been here like I promised. Thanks to Baby for cutting me some slack but I should just be following through, dark times or not. As Justin Langer said on Barrie Cassidy's One on One the other night, if you talk excellence and deliver mediocrity, you're nothing but a common liar. 

Christ knows how I have the time for Barrie Cassidy's One on One, and why I am taking advice from someone who I thought sounded like a pretty massive d-bag and who I actually disagree with but here I go anyway. And why does Barrie Cassidy spell Barrie with an 'ie'. Isn't that weird? I'd never thought about it before but it's weird. But good on him.It's his name, he should spell it however he wants! Fuck me and my bullshit naming standards. 

As you can see, I'm kind of having some weird moods and thoughts at the moment. But I feel 100 per cent sure of my feelings about J's dinner from the Thursday post. Fucking yum!