March Round-up - 2011

Let's pretend it's actually April 30th, since I kind of forgot to get this post done in time. As such, it will also have to be short, which is ironic since I actually accomplished a lot in the entertainment realm in March. Oh well...On with it!

Movies Seen: Fourteen, with six in a theater. All of those six were reviewed for the San Francisco Appeal, but the only good one was "The Adjustment Bureau."

Of the DVDs watched, the most disappointing was probably "Morning Glory." The best was easily "Winnebago Man." See it. Now. I said NOW!

Books Read: Nine. Nine! I can't possibly write about all of them, when I already have, for the most part, on Good Reads. So, instead, I will just list the titles, which include links to my comments.

"What the Dead Know" by Laura Lippman.

"Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M." by Sam Wassons.

"Bad Mother" by Ayelet Waldman.

"Manhood For Amateurs" by Michael Chabon.

"Being There" by Jerzy Kozinski. (Nothing to link to, but I re-read this in one evening after re-watching the movie during the same evening.)

"Going In Circles" by Pamela Ribon.

"The Fashion File" by Janie Bryant.

"Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn?" by Pamela Keogh.

"True Grit" by Charlies Portis.

Fancy Dinners Out: One. At Town Hall. Again.

Live Shows Seen: Two! One was a punk rock show at the Li-Po in Chinatown, but I can only remember the names of three of the bands: Paper Bags, the Complaints, and Neighborhood Brats.

And what pairs best with a punk rock show? Ballet, of course! I saw what is perhaps the only comedic ballet out there, "Coppelia," as performed by the San Francisco Ballet. It was very lovely and pretty and colorful and like cotton candy. Loved it.

Shoes Bought: One pair, these ruffled flats from Target.

I Don't Have a Gun

I don't know what's wrong with me, but I watched "The Voice" tonight--I guess all the incessant pop-up ads that played during EVERY SHOW ON NBC worked? Maybe? It wasn't that great, but neither is "American Idol" this season, so it's no worse than that, and I actually think there were a few good singers. And I like plushy Christina better than skinny Christina, so there's that.

But I just have to point out something about the chick that sang "Smells Like Teen Spirit." All the judges praised her on how original the arrangement was, and how she really made the song her own and blah blah blah. Except she was basically just doing Tori Amos's version of the song. Here:



I'm not even a Tori Amos fan, and I knew this, but none of the judges seemed to, which seems kind of crazy to me. I remember a similar thing happening on "American Idol" a few seasons back. One of the contestants did a unconventional version of a song, and the judges loved it, but it had been done before, and this was never mentioned...but it's late and I can't remember what it was. Maybe it will come to me later.

And yeah, this is in no way a big deal, but it's 2am and it's bugging me, so hence we have this here post.

Good night!