fatandhappy

Fat and Happy is a journal of writing about daily happenings as well as whatever I feel like writing about. Thanks in advance for any comments from you!

Tuesday, November 30, 2004

My 32nd Birthday: TODAY

It's my birthday today! My mom had a wonderful birthday party for me in Ohio over the Thanksgiving weekend. It was at her new house, and that made it extra special. We were makin' memories. There was pizza and spaghetti and cake and salad (note which item I saved for last, ha-ha, it was good salad). There was champagne and wine and soda too. And everyone got me a present!

Jen: Mama, does everyone know that they should bring a present?
Mom: I'm sure they'll assume that.

I got great presents:
Target items from Dave and Jan
a pigeon calendar from my childhood friend Alex and her husband Mario
Boggle from Lisa and her husband David
special socks from Aunt Mary and Uncle Phil
a beautiful book and a black scarf/gloves from my Aunt Emily and Uncle David and my cousins, Sophie and Phoebe
a generous Borders Books gift certificate from Alex's parents
great stickers and a dvd on Hollywood murders from Mom
more great stickers and another great scarf from Helene

This Sunday there is a NYC party for me at Hope and Alice's place in Queens. Alice will be cooking delicious vegan items. I love parties and well-wishes (thanks for the e-card, Hope) and all the attention that is lavished on me at my birthday. Happy birthday to meee! :-)

Monday, November 29, 2004

Totally Blond

Here are some after Thanksgiving dreams (as in zzzzz) of my relatives:

Jan, brother-out-law: He is on a reality TV show in which he is the star. He is followed by the camera crew to different salons in which the owner is surprised (happily so) and Jan's hair get's done. He goes to one hair cuttery after another. In the dream Jan felt anxious about how it would work to get his hair cut over and over. Would he have enough hair for that?

David, bro: He is a star of reality TV show, and he is being followed by camers as he walks towards a castle. He is with someone like me but someone totally blond. The girl (the blond) runs towards the castle, and the father, who is behind "us," yells for the girl to slow down.

Em, aunt: A guest from Thanksgiving is murdered over and over, a woman from the neighborhood. Em is concerned about how the woman's husband will cope. Em also had a different dream in which she was hemming panties that were each packaged in a small can. Every time she finished one, she had a chance to win a horse.

B, my mom: She is having a party at her new house in honor of a family with whom she is friendly. She is relieved when the family suggests it be at a restaurant instead of her place. She goes to the restaurant but becomes worried when Dave, Jan, and I don't show up. She goes to a payphone and tries to call us. She can't reach us, but instead, tons of change pour out of the phone, like a win at a casino. She is excited to suddenly have all this money, but then decides she should give it to the restaurant manager since the phone is on his premises. She is disappointed.

P, my cousin: She is wandering around campus too anxious to go to classes.

Some analysis in the comments section:

Wednesday, November 03, 2004

Quick Trick!

Look at your fingernails. Then see first comment.

Review of the Movie Tarnation (www.filmforum.com)

Last week Alice and I went to see the movie "Tarnation." David, Jan, and Sarah had seen it and liked it. It's a gay boy's artistic film tapestry of his life from the son of a crazy mother to a club, goth drag kid in abusive foster care to a nyc film artist still struggling within an enmeshed, overidentified relationship with his increasingly wacky mom. His boyfriend also figures into it all in the setting of New York City. This movie was terrific: self-centered, beautiful, painful, funny, and artistically inspiring. Its message is that everyone comes from a dysfunctional family, but some are more dysfunctional than others; psychiatry is not to be trusted; and separating from a crazy family is hard and confusing regarding it's desirability. This movie stayed with me, and I'd like to see it again!