Brainwaves of Sken

I find it interesting that I read just about everything on my friend’s list. Really. Even when I’m gone from computerland since Friday afternoon.

I have a great deal to say, and I want to get out what I can tonight, but I’ve left a private entry for myself so I can continue if I get a moment tomorrow. It’s too much for one post, and some might say too much for one day, but I trust my lovely friends to be adults and abandon reading my long posts while being polite enough to respect my right to actually reflect and not reduce my life to sound bites. You all knew I was verbose, and tonight is no exception. Right? Onward, then! (note: I say personal things here. I might make a naughty reference, or express actual feelings. If that thought makes you squirm, move on to the next quiz on your livejournal list.)

It’s been a long time since I’ve really done some serious leisuring. See, when I leisure it is on a strict schedule, I can leisure for this long in this location, and then I’ve got to go over there to pick something up, stop home to change, go to a business meeting, or (heaven forbid) work/school intrudes.

So four days in the sunshine, where my phone ceases to function and clocks matter not-a-whit, that was just… wow. I bolted out of work at 5:30, and Sarah Kate and I whisked ourselves to her cabin-home– but not right off. We stepped into Gaylord to find Ani in Potter Robes, selling Potter glasses, wands, and such to the eager chilluns in line for the latest Potter book. I took a few incriminating photos and we were off again.

The roll-out couchbed is the worst thing that’s ever been invented. I woke up Saturday morning with the distinct impression that the sugar-crazed children of the night before had been bouncing on the small of my back. Together. In unison. I’ve honestly never had such back pain (other than at the dunes this year), and that I can still feel it a tiny bit is very disconcerting. Regular stretching and drugs, my friends, have been my regimen.

We spent the evening with Justin and Ani, having fetched a wholly nutritious dinner (they forgot Skate’s mexican pizza), and they laughed at all the right places when I showed off my “Skennedy 2005 DVD”. I left without my graduation present, which she’s had for forever, but I don’t mind. (I still haven’t developed her wedding photos, shhh! My favorite developer’s store closes at 5.) Marley’s a little devil, but that’s just what we expected, isn’t it? *evil grin* They thought he was being shy, but I saw him grin as he eyed me from under his father’s arm, and when I turned to look, he spun his head away, like a reverse game of peek-a-boo. Bonnie was giving those with less teeth a hard time while she waited for our Rescue Truck, which did as promised, in due time.

We went to the (rainy) beach in Alpena and both read voraciously. We scampered in the lake that we had entirely to ourselves, and Skate was scandalized when I stripped off my swimsuit, but the lifeguard had her own book and it had been a long time since I’d skinnydipped in a lake, like I did every single year of my childhood. It was totally worth it, especially combined with the view of the raindrops on Lake Huron, stretching out to the horizon. We wrestled in the shallows (suit back on, thank you) wherein we acted like we were 10, except I didn’t put mud in her hair. With some of my favorite cheese and bread for lunch, along with some trail mix that is not to be fucked with (but would make a lovely cookie), we concluded our first of numerous beach runs.

Once back, we quizzed each other with Pringles, and spent the rest of the evening ensconced in our books.

This 4-day weekend, we read and read and read, and we talked, and we made intense and explosive love, and we tickled and wrestled and relaxed together without interference or obligation of any sort. Despite missing the experience, I’m quite glad we had to miss the starwood camp-out, because our time would not have been entirely our own, and the expected dramatics would have certainly been at the very least more complicated than either of us were ready to handle. We had delicious steak (her first solo effort at her father’s recipe was a success) and reasonably good burgers (my turn, next time), and ate more sinful/healthy trail mix than all the hippies in SanFran. We chucked our remaining potatoes into the forest for the deer, and stopped for ice cream on our way back downstate. I’d say the whole weekend was 97% great, which is about as good as humanly possible.

While up north, we rented “A Wrinkle in Time”, which has been made into a Disney movie, and I have to say that it is pretty good, for a book adaptation. L’engle was a very big part of the process, and had a long interview on the DVD. The child who played Charles Wallace was the best part of the movie, and I quite agree with the director that he was the perfect (and nearly only) child for the role. Skate, having never read the book as a child, wasn’t as affected as I was, but the general philosophy of identity, personality, persistence, and love was something I took deeply to heart as a child, having read that series relentlessly, and it was a pleasure to see it done again. As usual, some technical details were glossed over, but when is a movie ever as complete as the book? Never.

What were we reading so avidly? Why, I was reading book 5, and skate was reading book 6 of the HP series, though I was halfway through with book 6 by the time we arrived in lansing this evening. My thoughts:

I quite like the series for a number of reasons. Primarily, I enjoy children’s books that cover extremely difficult life topics without remorse and without pulling punches, and secondly, I think the author is quite adept at molding a character through personal events over a very, very long time (many thousands of pages). Not every author can skillfully pull off a set of novels in which each major character must grow and change in both predictable and unpredictable ways, and in which specific events define their personalities. All of my favorite books, movies, and stories from childhood involved some rough situations, including violence and death (Neverending Story, anyone?). I think hiding such realities from children is a grave injustice that people were totally incapable of doing 200 years ago. Now, we can coccoon our children in our homes with private lessons and carefully screened visitors until they’re 18, and set them lose in our raving-mad world, as useful as an 8 year old child. That’s progress, for you. EAT SOME DIRT! You’ll live longer.

I wouldn’t call her the greatest person to turn a phrase, but she’s good enough at what she does to deserve her awards.

It was time for bed some time ago, I’m going to be wasted at work tomorrow/today. More, on other topics, when I can spare the time.

~ by Skennedy on July 20, 2005.

Posted in Uncategorized
Tags: books, events, love/lust, priority, travel