about a green girl

dreams of the string section

If I hadn't learned to play the oboe...I would have picked some type of instrument from the string section to study. I would have been awful, no doubt. Those babies are not easy to just pick up and learn. The technique required to be a really great violinist takes years and years to truly master. Unless you are extremely gifted from the go. A natural. (If you read the book to which I refer below, you'll get that this is really an inside joke. It explores the idea that not everyone can be especially gifted or interesting, yet so many of us relentlessly aspire to be.....like with vanity blogs and silly-arty ideas we wish to yell from mountain tops or backyard gardens or just over the internets... :) 

These fellas certainly are gifted. Enjoy this short film by George Wu, inspired by Kazuo Ishiguro's Nocturnes, Five Stories of Music and Nightfall. This book is my highly recommended summer reading selection for you as you lay on the beaches of Lake Michigan....or whatever pond resides close to you!

Publications to Love

I  just updated my left sidebar column with publications that I love. One of the new additions to the growing pile is WORN FASHION JOURNAL. This publication is proof that little independent magazines are so much more meaty and packed full of goodness than the commercial beasts at the corner chain bookstore (which are just typically packed full of advertorial blah and celebu-fluff.)

I got my first issue of WORN before they created their fantastic blog (which will suck you into to fashion fun-derland for a solid hour, if you aren't careful.) I am glad to see that they are succeeding and still cranking out the "good read" they've created. SUBSCRIBE if you are able to! It is worth every dime and you'll get that warm mushy feeling from supporting a cool independent business.

I love this prom dress photo shoot (below) for their next issue. Scroll down on their blogsite to see more memories of Pretty in Pink...and read quite the WORN editorial analysis over the male lead character's wardrobes. Would you choose Andrew McCarthy or Jon Cryer? A daunting questions to those who grew up in the late 80's!

I hope some Class of '09, Senior girl in a high school not far away is thinking of recycling a fluffy vintage prom dress with a pink lace collar on it! (Sigh.) Every girl that loves vintage and has absorbed this movie into their girlie teenage memory bank has envisioned herself as the perfectly crafty, cool, eclectic, Andy (played by Molly Ringwald,) who turned 50's fluff into 80's tres chic prom queen---and got both her men, (Ducky and Preppy.) I tip my tiara to you inventive, stylish girls!

the wild things are in hollywood

I have a small but treasured collection of Maurice Sendak first editions in my library, so it goes without saying that I am geeked for this film adaptation coming OCTOBER 2009 which was directed by Spike Jonze (who was formerly married to one of my favorite directors, Sophia Coppella.) Check it out. Also, be forewarned that with the smart release date before Halloween, the cool costume for little boys across America will be little Max's wolf costume and WILD THINGS masks! Maybe I will try and sew one for my boy?

Spring Forward!

This weekend marks the "Spring forward" into Daylight Savings Time.

Just as the dull, gloomy days of a relentless Michigan winter have begun to beat me to an over-salted pulp, this little hope of Spring and the shiny days to come always saves me from the desire to drink Drano. (Not that I'd really drink it! This is just my standard phrase since I was 18 ys old and watched Heathers with friends over one blurry, snow packed weekend duing Freshman year in my dorm room. It describes exactly what I feel at the END of something: relationship, job, weather, current haircolor, a weekend stuck in a dorm room with silly girls watching 80's movies...whatever!! When you feel like you want to drink Drano...you really know you are done and have had enough! :)

I miss the chirp of birds. I miss having the windows open. I miss skiping the "bundle-up dance" with our boy (boot, hat, mittens, scarf, coat, "momma, I have to go potty...") to run out for an errand, and mostly I miss walking barefoot in the garden with the green trees waving around me.

Seasonal depression or whatever they call it is just a fancy way of saying, WE WANT THE SUN! I can't wait to get back outside more often and work in our ever improving garden. Of course, sometimes my projects get too ambitious for my husband to handle. The beautiful thing about the internet is that it has such a wealth of info for the "do-it-yourself'ers", be it with a gardening project or any type of home repair.

My latest find is http://www.askthebuilder.com/. The brilliant columnist who invented it has parlayed free DIY tutorial videos he's placed on YouTube into a smart, well organized website which feeds his multi-layered business. If you are planning a spring home or garden project, do yourself a favor and research this site first!

I have also given up Diet Coke and Anderson Cooper watching on the 11pm news for Lent. Between this and the gloomy last grip of winter, I will let you know how I progress into Spring sans Drano.

For now, I can gaze at the little vintage ceramic bunnies, (I found here, off the beaten path near Kalamazoo, Michigan last year,) and look for the return of the birds outside our kitchen window as I do the daily dishes.

Green Valleys for Me (and Maureen O'Hara)

Sunday night is Oscar night in movieland! When I was in college, a group of my friends and I would put on glittery jewelry and red lipstick and sit around with pink lemonade and champagne and critique the all fashion and the films of Oscar night.

At this stage of the game, I will probably have it on for background noise as I fold the week's laundry, (and maybe enjoy a well deserved glass of Cabernet!) I still love watching academy awards because I am amused by the trappings pop culture provides for the social elite and I like to see how they wear it all. Most of all...I just love films. Cinema is such a creative art form.

Tonight I was able to see a 1941 John Ford directed CLASSIC----- How Green Was My Valley. Nominated for 10 Oscars and winner of 5 (beating out the likes of Citizen Kane, and the Maltese Falcon.)

I cannot recommend this film ENOUGH. It is among the best films I have ever seen (and I am an admitted film snob.) If you haven't seen it, you are missing.....I cannot even come up with words for the brilliance you are missing out on. This film and its storylines are as relevant today in this economy and era with talk of socialism, gov't woes, union debates, socio-economic gaps, foreign labor, immigration, weening family values, ....all of it....all of it weaves into this beautifully photographed story. The title comes from the notion that we all have periods in our life that sparkle with their golden perfection in our memories, and once they are gone they can survive in our minds as a "green valley" of our lifetime. This movie is poetry to my heart.

If you love most of the films that typically win "Best Picture", add this Best Picture winner from 1941 to your list and click over to your Netflix account NOW and watch it asap!!! You will not regret it. My heart is still racing from seeing it..... and it seems quite appropriate that the green girl's Oscar pick for you isn't slumdog millionare or milk, but rather a vintage gem!

an early valentine

ACTION: ROLL FILM

.........if you can get beyond the amateur acting in this short film (8 min long,) you will love the sweet, whimsical scene. It serves as a good reminder to start formulating a plan to whip up something delicious and sincere for the special someone you adore most in the world.

Commercialized as it may be, Valentine's Day is a mere 32 days away. If you are a man: put in a little thought and effort into the "heart day", afterall...the love of a good woman is heaven on earth.

 

CUT & PRINT. THAT"S A WRAP!

Canada kills a family

Not everyone can write a check to support a worthy cause or spend an afternoon away from work and family to protest or support something they believe in. Many people I encounter want to reach outside the bubble of their own lives to help others, but often don't exactly know how to connect and make a difference while still keeping their own ship afloat.

However, there is something you can do that may help a family that has been through hell on earth. They are the Bagby family. A new two hour documentary titled: Dear Zachary has been written, directed, and produced by their long-time family friend Kurt Kuenne. It is a factual account of events that occurred in their lives from 2001-2003. DO NOT watch it if you are an emotional basket-case! Its twists and turns do not deliver the perfect, packaged ending of a Dateline special. But if you love documentaries, even tragic ones, and want to be motivated to help a cause....try and catch it when it airs on MSNBC again, or seek out a copy.

SPOILER ALERT! I want to tell you the basic plot, because if you are like me and get affected by visually seeing someone's pain, you need to be forewarned. Basically this Californian guy who is well loved by everyone, an only child of two good people, a newly graduated Doctor of Family Medicine.....gets killed by his older, sociopath girlfriend while they are finishing Medical school in Newfoundland, Canada. The woman flees back to the states, but then goes back to Canada where they let her out on bail--even though she is charged with first degree murder, etc. She already has two older kids from other men. She then tells the parents of this guy she has killed that she is pregnant with their murdered son's kid, and the DNA tests prove it's true. The child protection agency in Canada allows this woman to stay out on bail and care for this baby. The parents now have to deal with the woman who killed their son (including giving her money for diapers, food, etc.) in order to see and help care for their grandson. The grandson prefers the grandmother to his own mother (maybe sensing a lack of warmth or care.) The kid is 13 months old. The Canadian Government continues to let her roam, despite the ever-pending murder case. The parents go through the lawyers, do everything to get the grandson. The child protective services say her "alleged act of violence" was targeted (to their son) and therefore they have nothing to worry about. The crazy woman pulls the same behavior on another guy, who breaks up with her. A day later she ties the Bagby's 13 month old grandson to her chest with a sweater and drowns herself, and him, in the ocean.

The tragedy of the additional loss of baby Zachary could have been prevented had this woman not been let out on bail and been allowed custody of the child she had with the person she allegedly murdered, so says the investigation report conducted by Peter H. Markesteyn, M.D., F.C.A.P. and David C. Day, Q.C., commissioned by the Child & Youth Advocate's office of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Even if we aren't Canadian, we can help. You can write a letter by using the info provided here or send some snail mail or an email to the appropriate folks. Sharon Kayne, from the guestbook on the dear zachary website, complied this info for us. Many thanks for doing so.

From Sharon Kayne:

I was deeply moved by this film, and was grateful that Kurt suggested a course of action at the end: contact the Canadian Parliament and urge them to enact bail reform. If each of us took five minutes to do this, we could affect true change. I looked for contact info for Parliament, but found their website maddeningly vague. Did find contact info on the committees, but no info on which committee would handle bail reform. Below I’ve posted contact info on the two most likely committees, as well as the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Stephen Harper Office of the Prime Minister 80 Wellington Street Ottawa ON K1A 0A2 Canada Email: pm@pm.gc.ca STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND NATIONAL SECURITY Sixth Floor, 131 Queen Street House of Commons Ottawa ON K1A 0A6 Canada EMAIL: secu@parl.gc.ca STANDING COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS Sixth Floor, 131 Queen Street House of Commons Ottawa ON K1A 0A6 Canada EMAIL: JUST@parl.gc.ca

Additionally, I am sure these two brave survivors (David and Kate Bagby) would appreciate any prayers and positive intentions for them and their murdered son and grandson. They live in California now, and continue to travel to Canada to demand reform. You can email them at: dearzachary@earthlink.net

100 Candles

Today would have been Jimmy Stewart's 100th birthday. He was always a favorite old movie star of mine. I am sure some of the reason I love objects from the past is connected to my intense love of old Hollywood movies of all kinds. Very few of my friends growing up had the patience to watch black and white movies with me. In 8th grade I convinced my BFF Kelly to watch Gone With The Wind, (in techni-color, of course) but that's about it as far as "old" movies were concerned. Anyhow...if you haven't watched a great black & white flick in a while, I really recommend Jimmy Stewart's The Shop Around the Corner, released in 1940 co-staring Margaret Sullivan. Jimmy Stewart has more well known films like It's a Wonderful Life, Vertigo, and the Philadelphia Story but these can be caught on TMC quiet often. This little gem, about a couple of store clerks working in Budapest, is worth seeking out. The more I watch him elegantly chatter away in it, the more I imagine how really TALL he must have been. It is also a well known fact that Jimmy was actually in love with Margaret Sullivan during the making of this movie and I think it makes his performance even more sincere. Speaking of relics from the past, I will be updating my shop this weekend with a ton of vintage treasures and new re-purposed art. Pop over if you get a chance!