Olive Kitteridge - The Local Story: Part One - The Backstory

It has been well (?) documented that 15 Jebeka Lane has been featured in an earlier television movie.

And then, earlier this summer, my mother told me that another production group, also from HBO, was looking to use Scoopy's house to film another movie. This one would be something called "Olive Kitteridge," based on the book by the same name. I've never heard of it, but mom says it is Chick Lit, so I'm not surprised. The book is a collection of 13 interconnected short stories revolving around this character, Olive Kitteridge. I gather it is set in Maine, on the coast. Gloucester-like. Working class folk.

My understanding is that Frances McDormand (yes, her) is producing and will be involved. It sounds like they will be filming four of the thirteen episodes. And using Scoopy's house as Olive's house. Anecdotally, I hear there was some concern through the summer as what they will do to the house. I hear the HBO folks will paint the exterior woodwork green (!) and stain the shingles brown (!). Really? Potential interior shout will include Scoopy's bedroom, the front bedroom, the kitchen, and a room or two upstairs.

I heard rumors of wallpaper. Scoopy showed me an artist's rendering of the kitchen. Very different look. So Scoopy needs to close the house for the summer down and move out early; "they" would like the house for the rest of the summer and most of the fall.

Anyway (and I will revise this as I learn more)...

Early August I get an email from a friend who forwards me a post from GoodMorningGloucester.com saying that "they" are looking for extras for a movie being shot in Gloucester in the fall. The movie is 'Olive Kitteridge." Show up between 9am and 2pm on August 10th at Gloucester City Hall. Looking for fishermen, dockworkers, diner patrons; bring a photograph.

So I says to myself, "Self? Why not? What the Hell..."

Just. Can't. Find. The. Words...

Just. Can't. Find. The. Words...

Wow!

So I downloaded the song from somewhere. And I start listening to it. About a third of the way in, I said "This can't be right. J must be talking about another song." So I went to Youtube. I figured there would be a video I could watch to make sure I'm listening to the right song.

I went through three videos before I convinced myself that "Yup, that's the song."

Yikes!

I don't know where to start:

- It seems like two completely different songs - equally bad - mashed together. What genius said "I know! Aren't JZ and JT working on new tracks? In separate studios? On separate sides of the country? Let's splice them together."

- The non-rap part sound like "Joe Lies" from Say Anything. Stuff I'd sing in the shower:

    And Baby, I'm a-rub the soap on arm.
    You're the one to keep me from harm.
    And Baby, as I rub in the shampoo,
    I wonder what I'm gonna do -
    I plugged the drain so the tub overflows,
    Where's my towel, and where are my clothes?
    And Baby, now I'm done, what I gonna wear?
    And I gotta put that goop in my hair.

- JZ? This is why I can't stand hip hop. Uh. Uh. Uh. (A Kurt Cobain reference? Rilly Dood? You listen to a lot of Seattle grunge?) Uh. Uh. Uh.

- JT? And Baby, a little bit of falsetto goes a long way. And Baby, do your own damn laundry. And Baby, if chew with your mouth closed, she won't steal your food.

So, I leave you with this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYZPm-NKCk4

Got another Tweet from Ariana

Me: Got another Tweet from Ariana. She's totally following me.
E: Nope.
Me: No, seriously...
Me: Oh Look! It's a Tweet from Britney Spears! Wow!
E: No.
Me: Zayn's getting married.
E: DUDE I KNOW OMG
Me: 'Zup with that?
E: I don't even know.
Me: Demi has a Tweet for me.
E: No.
Me: I'm pretty sure. It's gotta be true. It's on the internet.
E: Bonjour.

Laughing hysterically my lizard tongue

Laughing hysterically my lizard tongue I despise shotgunning beers. Beekeeping I tend to be attracted to in my birthday suit my lizard tongue Libertarian, I know shirtless pics are a no-no, but I tend to be attracted to there's no such thing as a typical Friday night I should have grown up in the 40s I am extremely experienced and talented. On my fetish list shooting The Game shotgunning beers ages 18 - 22 if you like my profile.

I should have grown up in the 40s in my birthday suit be my partner in crime MFA. Ultramarathons complete lack of shame Ayn Rand please post your real pictures I don't really read much these days, complete lack of shame ultramarathons females if you have to look it up don't bother I won't bite without permission. In my birthday suit proper grammar work hard play hard I should have grown up in the 40s documentary filmmaker no robots posing as real people.

(http://laurenhallden.com/datingipsum/)

One does what what can.

One does what what can.
Beginning of August, Chas is looking into earning Eagle.
The math isn't there and I feel like a crumb.
I gave him, I think, fair warning last Winter.
Some of the the badges he needs are three months. Do the math.
He doesn't have a project. Do the math.
I feel ill.

RE: What Stinks

What stinks is that my computer died.
What stinks is that, although I backed up most of my stuff (like you're supposed to), I didn't catch it all.
What stinks is that there are some files that I'd like to recover.
What doesn't stink is that it seems like the hard drive spins.
Euphemism?

The Curious Incident of the Summer Reading Book

I was driving Charles back from a doctor's appointment on Friday and I asked him about his summer reading requirements for school. My recollection from last summer was that the Seniors (that year) had a great selection to pick from. I actually read his book from last year (and really liked it).

I was looking forward to his Senior List this year.

Charles said the book he chose wasn't very good so far. It was about an autistic kid who was trying to figure out what happened to the neighbor's dog.

Charles was dumbfounded when I recognized the story, told him the name of the book - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - and told him it was one of my favorite books of all time.

I hope he stays with it.

The ending of the book was one of the two most satisfying book endings I have come across.

Our Song

Talking with J the other day, it came up whether we had "a song." We agreed that we don't really. Potential nominations might include:

Dido - Thank You

My tea's gone cold, I wondering why I got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window, and I can't see at all
And even if I could it'd all be grey, but your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad

I drank too much last night, got bills to pay, my head just feels in pain
I missed the bus and there'll be hell today, I'm late for work again
And even if I'm there, they'll all imply that I might not last the day
And then you call me and it's not so bad, it's not so bad and

I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you is having the best day of my life

Push the door, I'm home at last and I'm soaking through and through
Then you handed me a towel and all I see is you
And even if my house falls down now, I wouldn't have a clue
Because you're near me and

I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you is having the best day of my life

I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you is having the best day of my life.

A terrible day in Boston

I spent most of the afternoon in front of CNN...
I forgot that -
Ann took Elizabeth and her BFFs shopping on Newbury Street this afternoon. A couple of blocks away from the explosions. They heard the "booms." They were asked to evacuate the store. They saw lots of people running away. Lots of confusion. M asked if they were going to die.
Ann got the girls to the T and on the train back Wakefield - not an easy task to be sure. Lots of the T stops were shut down.
V told me that she was glad Ann was there because she was so calm and level-headed.
Big hugs to Ann and E and her buds and all who were in Copley Square.

Phone Calls

Couple of good phone calls this evening --
One from J - unexpected but most welcome. Looking forward to May. :) She's settling in with her new roommate. But Pepe is fixed! And a great showing at the winery.
One to A - Candid discussion of where we are with the smalls. Mutual concern about C - how t get him to "step up" and get his work done. E has got some social issues in play - we need to make some "formal requests" from the school.
Whee!

TRAINS and SEWING MACHINES

TRAINS and SEWING MACHINES

I spent a not-insignificant amount of time today listening to Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap. It's here:

http://youtu.be/UYIAfiVGluk

It is not a new song (2005). It just hit my mood today. Some of the comments I read about it suggested it is 9/11 related. I haven't looked that hard into it yet.

It is haunting. The vocoder just sucks me in. And the line - "Sweeping Insensitivity." Chills.

A slightly peppier version is here:

http://youtu.be/tOUUx3f555I

Actually, that's the version I first heard. And then I wondered what the original sounded like.

My post from the Troop Facebook page...

The Klondike Derby is probably the most challenging trip on our calendar – winter camping is not for everyone. It was cold (20’s) Saturday when we set up our camp. It was cold (10’s) when they went through the various stations (stay tuned…) and it was REALLY cold (the EMT I talked to said high of 11) Saturday night into Sunday morning.

These guys worked through and solved: NO SNOW (an issue forthe sleds), giant sandwiches, frozen bagels, cold weather, meat slabs, hot dog-cicles, crummy firewood, frozen Twinkie centers, crunchy fruit slices, chocolate syrup out the tube, and crummy firewood (though I heard the chili was good). There were some cold toes and fingers; we’ll work on that. They slept in Adironacks (not quite under-the-stars, but pretty close). No big complaints.

Oh yeah, the competition...

Back-of the-napkin, I think Troop 701 won more ribbons than any other Troop. Our guys won or placed in Orienteering, A-frame Race, Snow Shoe Race, Log Pull. And the Biggie - The Sled Race (we swept the No-Wheels Divison with a time that beat the Wheels Division)!

Big thanks to drivers and organizers. No one gets to or from this event without you. And big, big thanks to LeAnne and Mark. No one would get to participate without you being there.

There are some pictures forthcoming, but cameras are squirrely when it’s cold. We'll see what we get.

I recently posted on my Facebook page -- 

One hopes to learn something new every day. I knew this song only as a Farinacci instrumental. Today, I now know better. And am glad I do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nir7Yw6mTxM

To expand a little...

J gave me a Dominick Farinacci CD a while ago - Dawn of Goodbye. It's a wonderful album; trumpet instrumental. I could listen to it all the time. Oh wait, I do. It's in my CD player as my "go to sleep" music. When it get to the third track - I Concentrate On You - that's the one that really makes me close my eyes and think about The Good Things. 

I wanted to share it, on FB, and went looking on Youtube. I did not realize that (a) it was a Cole Porter song, and (2) duh! The lyrics hit home.

I have this vision of her and I just slowly dancing around my living room to this song. Just dancing together. Mmmm...

PPM

PPM (Proud Papa Moment from January 5, 2013...)

Good evening.

My name is Charles.

I am the Order of the Arrow Representative for Troop 701.

Thank you for coming to this special dinner tonight.

Tom Nestor was a few years older than me so I did not really know him in High School. I know he was an active soccer player and was captain of the Varsity Team. I do know he was a natural leader.

Tom worked at REI. There are other folks here tonight who, I am sure, can tell work stories. I know Tommy loved working there. I know he sold me and my father lots of camping gear. And I know it was all the right gear.

I first met Tom right after I crossed over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. He was the Senior Patrol Leader. He led by example. I don’t know where to begin. I have his letter welcoming me to the troop. He got everyone to wear their Class A’s and show up at meetings on time with pen and paper. He knew all the knots and lashings. He encouraged the Scouts to go on camping trips. He knew what to do if you forgot the gas line to the propane stove. He was a master at dutch oven cooking. He always seemed to put his tent in the spot that got the best sunset. Sunrise was not his strong suit.

Two particular things stick out for me:

Tom’s Eagle Project and Philmont.

His Eagle Project – The Flag Retirement Ceremony on the Lake and setting up Flag Collection Boxes in Wakefield have become a permanent part of Troop 701. Getting Wakefield’s community groups to take part in his project and to continue this tradition is special. And know, in his honor, the Troop performs Flag Retirement Ceremonies in town and on our camping trips.

Troop 701 was fortunate to be able to send a contingent to Philmont in 2010. Other than Mr. Robinson, I don’t think there was anyone more excited to go than Tom. But he was quiet about it, taking it all in. He led when he needed to lead; he stepped back when he needed to step back; he made fun of my war on mini bears; he sumped when sumping was needed. He had a natural attraction to hummingbirds, which drove us all crazy. And he had those goofy toe shoes.

On one of our last days on the trail, when we were all pretty sick of each other, Tom was leading the way down endless switchbacks. We were bickering, complaining, trying to decide which Monty Python movie was better. He stopped us.

He said “Guys, shut up! We’re at Philmont. Look at what’s all around you. Take it in.”

I miss him.