I’ve now become that guy.
My 21-month-old niece, Abby, was doing something cute when we were on vacation a couple weeks ago, so I took a quick video of it and now I’ve posted it on YouTube.
For some reason, Abby has a fascination with shoes. And in this video, you’ll see her wearing mine — even though they’re a bit too big for her little feet.
But she doesn’t care. She’s having a good time.
And so was I, watching her.
If you don’t already hate Valentine’s Day, you will after seeing the movie Valentine’s Day.
A film seemingly devoid of purpose after February 14, this cinematic waste of time employs practically every romantic comedy cliché in the book: Best friends who realize they’re attracted to each other! A hot chick who can’t find love! An old couple who learn a secret about their relationship after all these years! A precocious kid who pines for an older woman! A naive woman who realizes her boyfriend is still married, and exacts revenge in front of the wife! Two virgins who are about to have sex for the first time — until one of their parents catches them! A cynical man who hates the holiday but somehow manages to fall in love anyway! Stevie Wonder singing “Signed, Sealed, Delivered … I’m Yours” on the soundtrack! Characters singing “I Will Survive!” A sassy black woman played by Queen Latifah! A sassy Latino sidekick (played by George Lopez)! An unseen radio DJ doing voice over! Oh, and this being 2010, two characters who turn out to be gay and a Bollywood-style dance number! (Whoops. There’s a spoiler or two in there. I guess I just saved you $10.) Continue reading
Contrary to popular belief, I really don’t have any problem with Valentine’s Day. Sure, I’d probably like it more if I had someone to spend it with, but who needs another person? As the Beatles sang, “All you need is love.” Or, to quote Stephen Stills, “If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with.” And that’s why today, like in years past, I’ll be spending the day doing things I love: I’m going to sleep late. I’m going to have brunch. I may go to a movie. I’m going to talk with my niece. I’m going to watch the season premiere of The Amazing Race. I’m sure I’ll have some form of cake. And I’m sure I’ll listen to some great music, including Jamie Cullum’s “Love Ain’t Gonna Let You Down” and Dave Matthews Band’s “You and Me.” It’s going to be a lovely day.
So, whether you’re single or in a relationship, I wish you a very Happy Valentine’s Day, and a day full of love.
Since my parents basically live in Florida, going down there is more like going home than going on vacation.
That said, going down to Florida with my niece, Abby, makes it a vacation. And that’s exactly what I was doing last week.
We all went down for our first full family vacation with Abby. The first half she was with my sister, brother-in-law, and his family, and the second half they were with me and my folks. Continue reading
When it was released in November, I had very little interest in seeing The Blind Side.
But then Sandra Bullock started winning all kinds of awards (including the Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice, and SAG) for her performance in the film, and she’s a sure shot to be nominated for an Oscar, so I kind of figured I had to see the movie just to see what all the fuss was about, and to find out if she’s really that good.
The pleasant surprise is that she is good. Really good. Not quite as good as Carey Mulligan or Gabourey Sidibe, but Bullock’s sheer will, her determination, and her total investment in the role make The Blind Side worth seeing. (Another reason: She looks great.) Continue reading
One of my favorite albums of the past few years is Corinne Bailey Rae‘s self-titled debut. Songs like “Put Your Records On,” “Trouble Sleeping,” “I’d Like To,” “Breathless,” and “Call Me When You Get This” have a nice new-soul/pop/jazz sound that Bailey Rae sings with an equally gentle and modern voice. This is a fantastic Sunday brunch or easy summer afternoon kind of album, the kind you don’t feel embarrassed to have playing in your car with the windows down on a nice day. It’s like the album Macy Gray always wanted to make, but never could because her voice wasn’t as pleasant as Bailey Rae’s.
It’s been a rough couple years since that album came out — Bailey Rae’s husband died as a result of an accidental drug overdose — but she’s back today with a new collection of songs, called The Sea. I found the album on the interwebs over the weekend, have been giving it a good listen, and while I like it, I can’t rave just yet. So far, the songs have a different, heavier sound (other reviews I’ve read are calling it “intense”) that reflects the recent events of Bailey Rae’s life. But then there’s a song like “I’d Do It All Again” and I realize that no matter what challenges she’s dealt with, Bailey Rae is still the talented and captivating singer I originally fell for.
The Sea is out today. Support a still up-and-coming artist and grab yourself a copy. (For the record, even though I downloaded it gratis this weekend, I’m going to buy it anyway.)
Truth be told, I wasn’t planning to vote today. And that’s a real shame, because just 14 months ago, voting was an activity I got really excited about. This election just didn’t engage me. I didn’t vote in the primary back in November, and I felt no real attachment to the candidates as we were approaching Election Day today. Frankly, I just didn’t care. Continue reading
In all the years I’ve lived in Boston (that’s 13, if you’re wondering), and with all the winters that my mom has spent in Florida, my dad has never come up by himself for a “Boys Weekend.”
At least, that was the case before this past weekend. Continue reading
Friends: It’s that day again … the anniversary of the Great Molasses Flood of 1919, a.k.a. one of my favorite days of the year. (No kidding.) Rather than write the same old blog post again, I’ll link to my original post about the flood, where I explained why this day means so much to me.
You know, it’s funny. I’ve been keeping this blog since September 2005, and in the four years that this day has come along, there has only been one where I remembered on my own, on time. (To wit, here are my posts from 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.) Today, were it not for Universal Hub and his Tweet, I would have totally forgotten again. So thanks to Adam over at UHub and Happy Molasses Flood Day to the rest of you!
About halfway through the new film Crazy Heart, as Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges) plays a brand-new song for Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal), she tells him that she thinks she has heard it before.
Bad replies that the good ones always sound familiar.
That exchange stayed with me long after the film was over because this one — with its story of an older, down-on-his-luck, washed-up musician who finds love and one last chance at artistic redemption thanks to a younger woman — is both familiar and good. Continue reading
Martin's Musings 