A friend posted that (today’s title) on my Facebook wall a few years ago. I still say it to myself for a giggle sometimes.
So, look at that Dear Readers — I wrote a post everyday for a whole month. Here we go, February.
It’s been an odd day. Nothing is exactly wrong, but I did I have a very bad headache. And thoughts that leave me asking how soon is now anyway?
You shut your mouth
How can you say
I go about things the wrong way?
I am human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does
It’s all over the news that a woman was denied boarding with her support peacock by United Airlines citing regulations by the Department of Transportation on support animal.
Whut?
Now, I am nothing if not in favor of most anything that can comfort those who benefit from the emotional support of whatever serves that purpose. For me that would be purses, shoes, and my dog, Eleanor Rigby. She is not a registered service animal, and that is why I need a support wallaby.
Wallaby photo by Stephen Ray
Yes, a wallaby.
Why, you ask? Obviously, because they are smaller than kangaroos. Let’s face it, I don’t need a six foot kangaroo hopping around my house, looking at my neighbors over the fence. A wallaby is perfect. Like kangaroos, they have pouches and can hold whatever I need AND they can box people. I need both of those traits in a support animal. Wallaby — perfect.
Plus I could name her Winona. As in Ryder, not Judd. If it were a male his name would obviously be Walker Texas Ranger. And yes, it is legal to own a wallaby in Texas (errrrything is legal in Texas).
And if you’re wondering, the peacock is name is Dexter, by the way (which is a waste of a name on a peacock).
In the past I’ve live-blogged the SOTU, but no amount of Xanax could get me through watching AND blogging it.
So, here’s my position on the SOTU.
Take it away, PFurs with “President Gas.”
And now the Pretty in Pink post.
Like I said yesterday, Pretty in Pink was my new wave/alternative and individuality bible. I was 12 when my mom took me to see it and it was everything. The opening montage of a Molly Ringwald getting ready for school was inspiring. I was already dressing in my own way at school. I wore a navy blazer with three brooches on the lapel. I wore mismatched earrings. I always wore makeup.
In the movie we got to see ALL the aspects of high school — bullies (“I hope they shrivel upand fall off”), the boy who follows you around like a puppy dog (I had one of those. He said hello on Facebook a couple of years ago — just “hello” — then he blocked me. Issues, much?”), the boy you want, the boy you don’t want, awful gym class — all of it. It touched all of those things, but at the heart of the movie is how we all feel like we don’t belong. It’s universal. No matter your economic status, sex, race, intelligence — we’re all weirdos who want to feel accepted. It’s the romantic version of the Breakfast Club. And just for fun, Some Kind of Wonderful is the lesser known, guy version of Pretty in Pink. John Hughes definitely had a message in the mid-80s.
Hughes was also known for putting together an amazing soundtrack. Here’s the track listing for PiP:
If you are or were an alternative music fan, you can appreciate this soundtrack. I went through three cassette tapes of this (one was stolen by a friend). And it brought several “new” bands into my music circle. I’d started listening to our local college’s radio station in 6th grade and already loved R.E.M. and INXS, some Smiths, but not most of these artists. Psychedelic Furs (or PFurs to big fans) were everything. This movie featured Susanne Vega before she released Solitude Standing and the hit “Luka.” Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark weren’t well known in America, but everyone knew their name after “If You Leave.” Here’s a piece of Kerry History: I asked for the OMD album for my birthday in 1986 and my aunt and uncle gave me the Ozark Mountain Daredevils album. Yes, that’s a band.
The Smiths were experiencing a boom and they covered “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want.” Bonus fact: the instrumental version of that song is featured in the visually beautiful scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off when they’re in the art museum.
“Bring on the Dancing Horses” is probably my favorite song from the soundrack. Echo and the Bunnymen are superfantastic. You might know them from the song “Lips Like Sugar.”
The film has so many memorable scenes. From the library scene where Andie is working and Blaine (my pretend boyfriend Andrew McCarthy) interrupts her to flirt via computer to the moment he says he asked someone else to prom to the sweet scene where Andie’s dad gives her the thrift store dress which turns into the music montage (a necessary 80s film component) of Andie ripping up Iona’s dress and the dress from her dad to make a completely new creation that fans universally hated. Molly Ringwald says she hated it as well.
I love Iona (Annie Pots) scene where Blaine comes into her record shop and while he’s waiting at the counter, a repeat shoplifter tries to lift something and she grabs her handy staple gun and attempts to shoot him. He says “you missed my eye by an inch!” “Half an inch,” she says. I love that so much. I love the film so much. The other best like of the movie also comes from Iona to Andie when she thinks Andie is getting stood up by Blaine, “listen, hon, it’s after 7, don’t waste good lipgloss.” Honey, yes.
Other scenes I adore come from the club they go to named Cats. Where Duckie (John Cryer) is too you get in. What’s memorable to me is what so many people might miss: the band on stage — The Rave-Ups. The Rave-Ups are a fantastic band. They still play and they’re still superfantastic. Shoutout to my Facebook friend, lead singer, Jimmer and bassist, Tommy Blatnik! They play my favorite song, “Positively Lost Me” in a club scene and I instantly fell in love. That’s what I do, I fall in love with songs. I didn’t know the name of the Band, but I thought I had figured out the name of the song. When I bought the soundtrack I was immensely disappointed that it wasn’t included. Now this was pre-Google. I couldn’t look the movie up and find out the band who played the song. So what did young music lover Kerry do? I went to the movies. With a piece of paper and a pen in my purse, I stayed until the credits scrolled up and I saw the name of the band. So, I went back to my local record store and bought their album Town and Country. I highly suggest you go out and buy all their stuff. Right now. I’ll wait.
So, that’s my story of my love for a little movie from my little life. Here’s “Positively Lost Me.”
You’re welcome.
Today is the 30th anniversary of my new wave and individual bible, Pretty in Pink.
I’ll actually write about this tomorrow. I’ve been sick all afternoon and tonight.
Until then, here’s the original 1981 Psychedelic Furs’ “Pretty in Pink.” No, it was not written for the movie and Mr. John Hughes had them re-record it for the soundtrack. Also, you’ll get to see Richard Butler and his dance moves, which I can verify he still pulls off in the way only Mr. Butler can. If you’re a fan, go see them live.
A short one today and more on this subject next week.
I give you “Bruised” by The Bens
I wonder how many of my Dear Readers will get the title reference.
So, on my way to and from Shreveport this week, I used Waze for my GPS. I used to Google Maps, but ended up in a Houston hood twice after leaving a doctor’s office across town.
Waze is handy. For those of you not in the know, it’s s GPS app, but users can report road hazards, police presence, accidents, etc. It’s superfantastic for decent-sized towns and cities. Not so much for the country roads and highways of East Texas.
Now, I made sure the following were not options to report before I blogged.
These are also why I could not live in the country or a small town.
Yesterday I met my dad for breakfast (French toast, baby) and I got on the road with trusty Waze. First, I hit up the Sonic next to the truck stop before the highway for an iced tea (EZ ice), then went to the truck stop and paid inside. I noticed a homeless man holding a sign saying “Arkansas?” with a question mark. I drove off wondering if he wanted to go to Arkansas or if he wanted an opinion on Arkansas. It’s an alright state, I suppose. We vacationed in an Arkansas state park when I was a kid. It was ok.
10 minutes down the highway I looked at my gas gauge and thought “well, I didn’t get much gas.” No, genius, you didn’t get any gas.” Waze does not tell you that you forgot to pump your gas. 10 minutes later I was back pumping my gas. As I left AGAIN, I saw the homeless man. This time he had acquired a dog. Not just a dog, but a German Shepherd wearing a hoodie. I’m not sure what good a hoodie is to a dog because they can’t put the hoodie on with their paws. Plus, they have fur. And where did the man get the dog in 20 minutes? Did he find the dog or did the dog find him? And what if he doesn’t want to go to Arkansas?
The song today is “Driving on 9” by The Breeders because Kim Deal is the woman and also, their song “Cannonball” is one of my theme songs (but that’s another post).
I promise I’ll get back to posting more than a song each day. It was a busy few days in Shreveport and driving, but today is my oldest daughter’s birthday. Being reflective, I often think about this song because I always sang it to her (and my two younger children) when she was a baby as a lullaby. It’s “Junk,” an early Paul McCartney solo song and it’s just lovely.
I give you “Junk.”
It’s late. I’m still in the hometown; leaving in the morning.
Here’s a wonderful Beatles song sung by my Ben Folds for the I am Sam soundtrack (which is completely lovely). “Golden Slumbers” is a song I sang softly to all of my babies and a song I’m humming tonight. Goodnight, Dear Readers.
Because we all need this sometimes (I know I do).
Don’t.
Don’t.
Don’t
Don’t.
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