Happy Saturday! Winter has arrived in earnest here in Brooklyn, and I am happy to report that my sole accomplishments thus far today have included watching movies, eating way too much comfort food, and staying indoors. It’s currently 13° F (and likely feels colder). Somehow spending the day under a blanket seemed like the most logical choice – but one of my intentions for this year is to write a little more often, so I thought I’d take a break from being lazy, and post a quick update (before crawling back under my blankets).
It’s snowed a handful of times already this winter, but this past Thursday I got to experience my first real New York snow storm. There were times during the day when it was actually snowing sideways, and when the storm finally stopped, my neighborhood had gotten a good six inches (at least). Growing up on the coast of Connecticut, we didn’t get a lot of snow (or snow days), and there’s a piece of my heart that still gets really excited whenever there’s a lot of snow.
Apparently most of Brooklyn does not share that sentiment, though. I had the privilege of working from home during the storm, and when it was over, I bundled up and trekked to the grocery store to pick up some winter comfort food before heading to the laundromat. There were a few other people out and about, but I’ve never seen (or heard) the streets quieter. It turns out that right after a really big snowstorm is the absolute best possible time to do laundry. Aside from the people who worked there, I had the place to myself for most of the evening. Duly noted! I hope it snows again next week…
I have to confess, I was actually a little disappointed that it didn’t snow very much before Christmas – I was hoping for an excuse to go for a carriage ride through Central Park, and a nice evening snow storm would have given me an excuse to play hooky for a bit and head into Manhattan to see the lights. I never did make it (next year!) – but I did spend an afternoon Christmas shopping in the city, and of course I went to Macy’s. My mom loved the chocolates I picked up for her, and I loved riding the escalators and wandering through the Christmas department. I suspect that some of the escalators may be original to the building – I’d never ridden a wooden one before! – and it was a lot of fun.
One of my favorite Christmas traditions is going to the movies with my family. This year, my Dad and my sister and I went the day after Christmas to see The Greatest Showman
My love for story fuels my love for movies, too, and I find myself watching a lot of them in the winters. I can’t even count how many sappy Hallmark Christmas movies I watched while I was home (thanks, Mom and Dad, for putting up with that!), and today I caught a couple movies that I’ve never seen before: Dezemberküsse and Arrival.
Dezemberküsse (“December Kisses”) is an older and rather odd independent German film, about a small-time criminal who hides in a church attic while on the run from the police, and falls in love with the pastor’s daughter. It won a silver award for “experimental dogma” at WorldFest Houston in 2004. I’m not sorry I saw it, but not 100% sure I’d recommend it; if you’re looking for a good German movie, Schultze Gets The Blues is the better way to go (it’s fantastic).
I’m really glad I watched Arrival, though. I won’t give away too much, in case you haven’t seen it, but it was a fascinating reflection on the nature of non-linear time. Lots of great food for thought there. Some day a triple feature of Arrival, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and The Time Traveler’s Wife would make for a really interesting day and discussion. If I ever live in an apartment where my bed isn’t the first thing you see when you walk in the door, I may just throw a day-long time-traveling movie party. That would be fun. (And there will, of course, be breakfast for dinner.)
In the meantime, I am really excited to hear that The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was picked up for a second season. I’ve been watching the first season in the evenings over the past couple of weeks, and I love it. It’s not for everybody – the language is sometimes pretty crass – but Midge Maisel is an amazingly strong and independent character, and the world needs more women like her. The show does an incredible job of recreating the world of the late 1950s New York Upper West Side, and is so well-written. It raises important questions about women and equality, and does so in a way that is alternately really funny and incredibly thought-provoking. I highly recommend it.
Well, folks – that’s it for me! What’s on your mind this week? Seen any good shows or movies lately? Drop me a note in the comments; I’d love to hear your thoughts.
More to come,
Happy
image © Simple Felicity 2018
Chris Egner
January 8, 2018I remember enjoying Arrival, but it will come as no shock that I do not remember the plot.
– The Professor
Happy
January 9, 2018I want to reply with the joy emoji so badly, but it will take up the entire screen if I do. I am laughing, tho!