Phew! I’m glad I’m not the only one–Crashing the Pool Party: Why Adult Women Watch Teen TV:

Like teenagers all over the country, I spent a recent Monday night planted in front of the television for a three-hour Laguna Beach-Ashlee Simpson-Miss Seventeen marathon. I’m not sure which was worse: the acute, gut-wrenching jealousy I experienced looking at seventeen-year-olds with better bodies than I’ve ever had or the intense shame I felt for caring.

The weather in New England leaves a lot to be desired lately, but no weather could compare with this dismal news–Senate confirms Alito to Supreme Court:

The Senate confirmed Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, a day after an attempt by some Democratic senators to block his nomination fizzled.

On the upside, Brokeback Mountain got EIGHT Oscar nominations–and as far as I know W is not a member of the Academy.

Hey you! Keep following the Too Beautiful: What Are You Working On? Series–Mark has posted a whole bunch of interesting interviews and you’ll want to read them all.

Today I am thinking of the wide expanses and jagged mountain ranges of Wyoming. In 2001, Allen and I spent some time along the Wind River in Dubois, traveling in and out of the Tetons and Yellowstone.

I am thinking of the day we spent driving across Wyoming from South Dakota. Hot, hot day on a two lane road, straight through the grasslands, stopping by the side of the road to pee and startling a pronghorn, which had been grazing nearby. Another world. And waiting for that moment when we would see the mountains rising in the distance, hoping it would be what we expected and it was.

Gorgeous country that sort of breaks your heart, leaves you feeling like you are in love with something unattainable, something wild and frightened. Something that might even make you fear for your own cozy existence. It is that falling in love, that fierce, fierce falling in love.

My mind is right there because I saw “Brokeback Mountain” yesterday and I don’t know how to quit it.

If there has been a more beautiful and heartbreaking (American) movie in the past several years or so, then I don’t know it. By the end of the movie, I was using several balled up, pulled apart napkins to wipe at my eyes and blow my nose. And when I went to the bathroom afterwards (where, of course, there was a line) everyone looked at me funny because my eyes were all red and puffy.

This movie is a testament to the brave and beautiful storymaking of Annie Proulx (have you read the story? Never has something so plain spoken been so luminous), the producing and screenwriting of Larry McMurtry (he is truly inspired, his books, his movies, his vision), the direction of Ang Lee (this man has incredible vision), and the tender, subtle, and gut-wrenching acting by Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Michelle Williams (everyone was great but these three killed me).

There was not one minute of this film where I felt a scene was wasted. Not one bit of hackneyed dialogue. Not one spot where I felt the intent was lost.

And what I learned from it was to not waste a scene. Do not waste a moment. Make it count or do not keep it in. I am gushing, yes, but I found it perfect and, in the end, I achieved catharsis. This movie is destined to be a classic.

The tag that keeps on ticking. If you are a nosey person (like I am) then you will enjoy following along with these 10 interesting things lists:

*Nance Knauer
*Cathie Byers Hamilton
*K. Cutter
*Ghost Girl
*Aimee Nester

And I’m still following everyone’s tags as I watch for others to add their lists.

Well, this game of tag has been fascinating. I’ve been trying to track down everyone who has responded. Check it out (and this is only the tip of the iceberg!):

* P.A. Moed
* Ellen Meister
* Robin Slick
* Jordan Rosenfeld
* Stephanie Anagnoson
* Katrina Denza
* Ms. Lori
* Katie Weekley
* Susan Henderson
* Pia Ehrhardt
* Kim Chinquee
* Cliff Garstang

So my lovely pup, Darby, is becoming more neurotic with time. I had thought he would become less so–but then I have become more neurotic with time as well.

Here is the growing list of things which set him shaking (and he’s adding to his shaking a disquieting teeth chatter, which both breaks my heart and freaks me out):

thunder

the ironing board

the iron

the beeping sound Allen’s new Prius makes

the beeping of our alarm system

when my computer beeps

any sort of popping noise

water in the form of puddles, lakes, streams, oceans, baths

there is a television commercial in which a fire alarm beeps–this is his new biggest fear

my niece’s pupppy (it weighs two pounds)–add to that any small dog–he also fears the ancient, blind miniature poodle up the street

we have this CD of Cuban music and during one of the songs a fellow makes an extended ai-yiyiyiyiyi sound–this scares Darby.

a fire in the fireplace is one of his biggest fears, especially when the wood cracks and snaps

Compare and contrast with the list of things that frighten me:

serial killers (Jeffrey Dahlmer used to be the one that scared me the most–followed by Gary Gilmore. Dude, his clown paintings alone can set me on edge. Now, it is the BTK freak. Did you see those photos he took of himself dressed up in that costume and mask and lying in a grave. YIKES!)

sharks–I should never have been allowed to watch Jaws.

heights–this one came about after the infamous tree incident, which can be found in my list of “interesting” facts.

flying–I don’t understand people who are not afraid of flying.

being lost at sea–just the thought of the cold North Atlantic and me out in the middle of it with nothing on the horizon. Shiver.

being in a submarine (there is no fucking WAY you would ever get me in one of those things)

being mauled by a bear/big cat–I read too much.

groups of people–particularly men–that I have to pass by

home invasion/car jacking–I watch too much television news

forest fires–I live in the woods, granted it is a damp woods.

that I might never attain my goals and die alone as a toothless old crone

driving on the highway–people drive like maniacs and I’ll be damned if I’m going to be killed by some Wal-Mart truck laden with plastic crap.

bridges–it’s the heights thing–also, used to have to cross over the Mercier in and out of Montreal and this is one helluva a scary bridge. Scariest bridge by far that I’ve been on is that one that leads from the mitten to the UP.

being lost in the woods in the autumn a la “Blair Witch” (that movie pretty much ruined the woods in autumn for me)

big dogs off leash with no owner around (Darby and I share this one)–My 7th and 8th years were pure hell because these people on my street let their German Shepherd chase me every day on my way home from school. They were often in their yard watching as it happened and said NOTHING.

cancer

being unwittingly spied on by the government of the country in which I live

Things I am not afraid of:

weapons of mass destruction in Iraq

terrorism

avian flu

Indeed, she is! Check her OUT. The amazing Ms. Robin Slick: Yeah, so like I hung out with Neil Gaiman last night (and Lori Young is correct…I am a certified dork)

Today, you must read this Embouchure, by the luminous and hilarious Robin Slick.

Hey you! Read this, will you? It’s funny–…And Kelly Clarkson Is a Sort of Earthbound Demi-God , by Bill Barol:

The iTunes celebrity playlist is the digital equivalent of that worn paperback copy of “The Prophet.” It’s the latest gimmick by celebrities and their handlers to confer on the celebs a patina of emotional sophistication, without all that tiresome growth and maturity. So when a poodle like Sharon Stone wants to appropriate the appearance of complexity, she simply cites Etta James’ scorching “I’d Rather Go Blind” as a fave, adding for good measure (as she gazes moodily out from under her expensive bangs): “This is how I feel the blues.” To which a reasonable person can only respond: Honey, pul-leez.

p.s. if you have not yet bookmarked The Huffington Post, go on and do it! There’s great stuff to be read.

Love this book review/essay–PIG BOY’S WICKED BIRD: A MEMOIR by Doug Crandell, by Cathy Day:

About the Midwest, about Indiana, I’ve heard people say, “How do people live there? What do they do?” To them I say, read this book. This is what we do. We take care of one another.

The beautiful and talented Katrina Denza has an excellent new column about literary at moorishgirl: Katrina Denza’s Lit Mag Roundup