The Witching Well

Human behavior fascinates me. The bizarre things that people do.

Why on earth would anyone steal Ian Curtis’s headstone? And why would they wait until 28 years after his death to do it?

Mood: confused

The tanning salon that I pass on my way to and from the train station every day is apparently under new management. It has been renamed “Solar Eclipse Tanning.” I kid you not.

Um, guys? Not going to get much of a tan if the moon’s in the way.

Mood: giggly

Saw the new Indiana Jones film yesterday afternoon, and it is huge fun. Cheesy monsters and cheesier bad guys, with a nice big helping of preposterous defiance of physics on the side, all covered in gooey sweet special effects.

Harrison Ford is getting old, yes, but he’s still very much the man who originally made archeology sexy. And Karen Allen? Still has that staggeringly beautiful smile. And despite being out of Hollywood for a good while now, she slipped right back into Marian like a favorite pair of old jeans. John Hurt and Ray Winstone and Shia LeBeouf and Kate Blanchette were all terrific. Especially Shia, who gets big points in my book for holding his own on screen with so many amazing actors.

My husband pointed out to me on the way out of the theater that aside from Shia, the entire central cluster of heroes in this story is OVER FIFTY. With the requisite romantic tension fully in place, thank you very much. The only reason that happened, of course, is that we’re dealing with established, already beloved characters, but it’s still nice to see. I have a vague hope that Hollywood might see how well it worked and get a little less ageist because of it? (Hey, I’m an optimist.)

Mood: happy
Music: the birds in the neighbors' tree

Did you know that if you bash the back of your hand hard enough, say on the approaching edge of a rapidly sliding train station door, then wait a couple of days for the swelling to go down, you end up looking like you’re wearing a really ugly yellowish fingerless glove with purple-red trim around the bases of your fingers?

In other news, we had our first 99-degree day of the season yesterday. I’m officially tired of summer now.

Mood: hot

My husband grew up on the bank of the Hudson River, and considering his passion for history it’s hardly surprising that he’d be fascinated by the ruins of Bannerman’s Castle on Pollepel Island. In the last couple of years, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has let the Bannerman Castle Trust lead walking tours.

Andy’s parents took us on the tour Saturday, and oh my gods but it’s a wonderful little excursion. Well worth the $30 a head between the very relaxing boat ride out and back and the hour-and-a-half tour of the grounds around the old arms warehouse and the hilltop residence of the Bannerman family who used to own it.

And, yes, we took pictures. But WordPress seems to be having trouble uploading files just now, so sharing those will have to wait.

Mood: enthralled
Music: Soul Coughing: Circles

Gay Californians now officially have the right to marry. True, there’s a big fight ahead, to keep the bigots from amending the state constitution to put the ban back in place, but can’t you just smell it in the air? The times, they really are a-changing.

Mood: excited

That’s the first adjective that comes into my head when I try to describe Iron Man. It’s just, well, awesome. The casting. The acting. The special effects. Especially the suit. Gods, the suit is just stunning.

And the candy at the very end is well worth sitting through the interminable credits.

Mood: impressed