I have no idea why, but I've been on an old Disney movie kick lately. And I've been having a lot of surprising new discoveries in all my adult wisdom that never really impressed me as a child. Take for example, Lady and the Tramp:
1. That song at the beginning makes me cry. Am I crazy emotional or is it crazy beautiful?
2. Lady is an EXTREMELY well-trained puppy if all they need to do is put down newspaper in a doggy room to get her through her entire puppyhood.
3. Why is Lady sleeping downstairs when Jim Dear goes out to get watermelon in the middle of the night? Doesn't she occupy their bedroom now?
4. This movie may be decidedly prejudiced against cats, but even so you have to admit those Siamese cats are SMART. They outwit Lady and Aunt Sarah, know right away "what a baby is" and more importantly, what it means for them, and figure out how to get what they want. They probably could have taken out the rat if they wanted to. I am impressed.
5. The accents that Tramp does when visiting his various families are hysterical and delightful.
6. I'm 99% convinced that Tony is certifiably insane (not only talks to dogs, but sets up a candlelight dinner with expensive cuisine and music! THIS IS NOT NORMAL) and Joe plays along because he is terrified for his life.
7. That silently crying dog in the pound makes me feel the sorrow of a thousand tears.
8. Peg is an awesome and intriguing character. She always annoyed me as a kid for some reason, but I am 100% Team Peg as an adult. She keeps it real, guys.
9. How is it that Tramp can take on three dogs who are twice his size and emerge unscathed, but has a very difficult time thrashing a rat?
10. That. Rat. It is the freakin' hugest rat on the planet. What has it been feeding on, alley dogs? Did it escape from a genetic mutation lab?
11. Do they actually ever name that baby? Is it Junior? Star-sweeper? You'd think that would be more important.
12. I like that this is one of the few Disney movies to celebrate marriage and kids at an early age - it's rare that we get to see our Disney protagonists contemplating children and all that children entail (another favorite I recently saw was 101 Dalmations - Pongo and Perdy are the best parents!). The moment when Tramp offers Lady the world full of adventures and she turns him down because "who would take care of the baby?" is a really poignant and touching one from an adult perspective.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Sunday, September 1, 2013
It's About to Fall
This Tuesday will be the beginning of my last fall semester of graduate school. I am excited and a little sad (the "last" anything just seems so sad! What if I miss it?), but mostly excited. Fall has always been my favorite
semester. Allergy season is over, holiday season is beginning, the cool,
windy weather replaces the hot, stifling summer, and ASLAN IS ON THE
MOVE (okay, except not really, since he's supposed to come in the
spring). But it isn't really until fall that I start getting excited
about Christmas and the passing of time and all the good things to look
forward to in the coming years. This year, I am excited about
graduating, finishing with school, and moving out of our apartment next
year to Orem so Matthew can finish his degree. Big changes for the Covingtons next year, is what I'm saying, and this girl is READY!
While I'm trying to savor and relish the days as they come, reminding myself that this part of my life is a big deal and won't come again, mostly I am just impatient to get it over with and can't wait until next year to have my fall free from the stresses and pressure of schoolwork. I haven't had a college-free fall since 2004, which was a looooooooooooong time ago. What's that, you say? You want evidence?
When I reflect about my overall college experience, I am of two minds. Firstly (and loudly and insistently), college is exhausting and stressful and tough and I just want to be DONE with it. I'm sick of dealing with all the deadlines and writer's block and insane amounts of reading and grading and writing and argument. Every semester I get bored, frustrated, anxious, upset, tired, overwhelmed, panicked, and depressed. I look forward to the end of the semester the way a prisoner looks forward to the end of his (or her) sentence.
But then, mostly when I look back at old semesters that I've over-romanticized, I remember how much fun certain classes were and am impressed with how much I learned and was able to accomplish. I particularly enjoy looking back at the semesters where I discovered that something other people found boring was exciting to me (English Grammar and Civil War, hello!), or that something that was hard and tedious for other people was thrilling and enjoyable for me (Cormac McCarthy? T. S. Eliot? Writing papers about foreign films? Yay!). I liked discovering that I was good at certain things and passionate about others. And I do think I'll miss that part of college. It's really too bad I can't just continue to audit classes for free, because that would be awesome. There's so much more I'd like to learn (and not just the scholarly-type stuff. I wish I could take all the fun classes, like kayaking and acting and underwater cooking) (Okay, just kidding about the last one). Maybe I'll figure out a way to keep coming back for more. Maybe I'll go to a community college class or two. Maybe I'll have a fit of madness and decide to go for a PhD. Maybe I'll find a magical object that makes me invisible and then I can sneak into whatever classes I want (sorry, too much Fablehaven). But for now I am grateful that I decided to get my master's degree and I am confident in saying that I have enjoyed and made the most of my experience thus far. I would do it again. Or maybe I wouldn't do it again (ask me after I finish my thesis).
Happy Fall Semester, everyone!
While I'm trying to savor and relish the days as they come, reminding myself that this part of my life is a big deal and won't come again, mostly I am just impatient to get it over with and can't wait until next year to have my fall free from the stresses and pressure of schoolwork. I haven't had a college-free fall since 2004, which was a looooooooooooong time ago. What's that, you say? You want evidence?
 |
| My bunny and me, 2004 |
 |
| Not-my bunnies and me, 2013 |
But then, mostly when I look back at old semesters that I've over-romanticized, I remember how much fun certain classes were and am impressed with how much I learned and was able to accomplish. I particularly enjoy looking back at the semesters where I discovered that something other people found boring was exciting to me (English Grammar and Civil War, hello!), or that something that was hard and tedious for other people was thrilling and enjoyable for me (Cormac McCarthy? T. S. Eliot? Writing papers about foreign films? Yay!). I liked discovering that I was good at certain things and passionate about others. And I do think I'll miss that part of college. It's really too bad I can't just continue to audit classes for free, because that would be awesome. There's so much more I'd like to learn (and not just the scholarly-type stuff. I wish I could take all the fun classes, like kayaking and acting and underwater cooking) (Okay, just kidding about the last one). Maybe I'll figure out a way to keep coming back for more. Maybe I'll go to a community college class or two. Maybe I'll have a fit of madness and decide to go for a PhD. Maybe I'll find a magical object that makes me invisible and then I can sneak into whatever classes I want (sorry, too much Fablehaven). But for now I am grateful that I decided to get my master's degree and I am confident in saying that I have enjoyed and made the most of my experience thus far. I would do it again. Or maybe I wouldn't do it again (ask me after I finish my thesis).
Happy Fall Semester, everyone!
August 2013 Media Inventory
This one's going to be short and sweet, folks, although I think this has been my highest month for reading and watching (22 movies and 10 books! And most of them were completed in the last two weeks after I finished summer school).
Movies:
Premium Rush: Loved this one! Matthew watched it with me and we were both hooked, thrilled, amused, and terrified.
This Means War: I really want this movie to be good, because I love the three main cast members so much, but it's really not.
Star Trek: Into Darkness: Favorite movie of the month. Maybe year. It was pretty awesome.
Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows: It had its ups and downs. I think I liked it better the first time watching it, and I definitely still think the first Sherlock was better.
Beasts of the Southern Wild: Interesting, unpretentious, poignant film. I wasn't quite as caught up in it or blown away by its profundity as "The Tree of Life," say, but the story was simple and sincere.
Saved by Grace: Cute but shallow. But who doesn't love dancing and horses?
Shanghai Noon: Funny, entertaining, somewhat clever but mostly just a lot of Jackie Chan + Owen Wilson silliness. It got tiresome as it got longer.
Jurassic Park: I don't remember watching this, but Matthew says I did. I liked it, but the book was actually more terrifying.
Admission: Okay movie. I'm glad I saw it once. I probably won't watch it again.
10 Years: Surprisingly creative, interesting, and real-feeling movie. I was definitely pleased with how the natural dialogue and acting drew me in and won me over at least to the point of caring about what was going to happen next and remembering all the different characters.
Rise of the Guardians: Okay, so it was a run-of-the-mill kid's film. Nothing special. Pity because some of the details were quite amusing.
Unstoppable: A lot more intense and interesting than I expected it to be. Would watch again.
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen: Cute, creative, and clever. Loved it!
Shanghai Knights: A little less funny and entertaining than the first one, but I still got through it. Now I really want to purge now by watching "Hero," though.
A Good Woman: I think this would make a good play (not surprising since it's based on an Oscar Wilde play). For some reason it felt something was missing from the movie. It was still pretty good, though. Just sort of . . . "staged"-feeling.
Iron Man 3: Matthew and I saw this on a date at the dollar theater. It was fun (but not as great as Star Trek 2). Other than the crazy and inexplicable ending. We stuck around for the after-the-credits bit, which was also fun and made me feel like a nerd in the know.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: A quirky little film, that started out really promising and sort of ran out of steam somewhere in the middle. I tried hard to like and care about all the characters, but just gave up on a few and lost track of a few more, and by the end I was just glad that Judi Dench was happy.
Just Like Heaven: One of my favorite go-to rom-coms. Have I mentioned before how much I like Reese Witherspoon? Yep. Yep yep.
Oz the Great and Powerful: Still a fun, creative, and entertaining film.
The Hunger Games: I'm indebted to this film for being the first to make me aware of Jennifer Lawrence's talents. I'm excited for the sequel.
Rescue Dawn: I was not that stoked about the premise, but literally seconds into the film I was entranced. The musical score is so powerful and beautiful yet subtle (the same could also be said of the story and acting).
October Sky: I've seen this a couple of times but EVERY TIME I get choked up by the sweetness, innocence, purity, and love on display. The story of the Rocket Boys is wonderful by itself but the story of the Hickam family is the real heart-breaking clincher.
Books:
Jurassic Park: Fascinating. I love the way Michael Crichton starts with an incredible premise and slowly, rationally, deliberately makes me buy into it. Also terrifying and more gruesome than the film.
Animal Farm: Depressing but clever and quick read.
These Happy Golden Years: I love the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and this one is quickly becoming my favorite. All the scenes with Laura and Almanzo driving down on the weekends remind me of my trips with Matthew to and from Sandy while we were engaged.
Fablehaven: Decided to kick off the end of the summer re-reading one of my favorite series!
Fablehaven 2: My favorite book of one of my favorite series!
Good Omens: Really liked the beginning of this book. It sort of lost momentum and just got confusing and less funny towards the later half, but it was still enjoyable.
Marley and Me: Loved it. Everything I could have hoped for in a "dog meets young family" tale.
Fablehaven 3: My least favorite of the Fablehavens, but still great!
Lamb: Hilarious novel. Somewhat scandalous and not for the strictly pious, but still. Absolutely hilarious. And there were more than a few profound insights to be had as well.
The Emperor's Soul: I read this all in a rush last night because Matthew was reading Fablehaven 4 and I had to read SOMETHING. I usually love Brandon Sanderson, but I think his longer works are better. It was okay. I didn't quite "get" the magic system at first and found the beginning a little slow, but things picked up and the end was fairly satisfying. I probably won't read it again.
Movies:
Premium Rush: Loved this one! Matthew watched it with me and we were both hooked, thrilled, amused, and terrified.
This Means War: I really want this movie to be good, because I love the three main cast members so much, but it's really not.
Star Trek: Into Darkness: Favorite movie of the month. Maybe year. It was pretty awesome.
Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows: It had its ups and downs. I think I liked it better the first time watching it, and I definitely still think the first Sherlock was better.
Beasts of the Southern Wild: Interesting, unpretentious, poignant film. I wasn't quite as caught up in it or blown away by its profundity as "The Tree of Life," say, but the story was simple and sincere.
Saved by Grace: Cute but shallow. But who doesn't love dancing and horses?
Shanghai Noon: Funny, entertaining, somewhat clever but mostly just a lot of Jackie Chan + Owen Wilson silliness. It got tiresome as it got longer.
Jurassic Park: I don't remember watching this, but Matthew says I did. I liked it, but the book was actually more terrifying.
Admission: Okay movie. I'm glad I saw it once. I probably won't watch it again.
10 Years: Surprisingly creative, interesting, and real-feeling movie. I was definitely pleased with how the natural dialogue and acting drew me in and won me over at least to the point of caring about what was going to happen next and remembering all the different characters.
Rise of the Guardians: Okay, so it was a run-of-the-mill kid's film. Nothing special. Pity because some of the details were quite amusing.
Unstoppable: A lot more intense and interesting than I expected it to be. Would watch again.
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen: Cute, creative, and clever. Loved it!
Shanghai Knights: A little less funny and entertaining than the first one, but I still got through it. Now I really want to purge now by watching "Hero," though.
A Good Woman: I think this would make a good play (not surprising since it's based on an Oscar Wilde play). For some reason it felt something was missing from the movie. It was still pretty good, though. Just sort of . . . "staged"-feeling.
Iron Man 3: Matthew and I saw this on a date at the dollar theater. It was fun (but not as great as Star Trek 2). Other than the crazy and inexplicable ending. We stuck around for the after-the-credits bit, which was also fun and made me feel like a nerd in the know.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: A quirky little film, that started out really promising and sort of ran out of steam somewhere in the middle. I tried hard to like and care about all the characters, but just gave up on a few and lost track of a few more, and by the end I was just glad that Judi Dench was happy.
Just Like Heaven: One of my favorite go-to rom-coms. Have I mentioned before how much I like Reese Witherspoon? Yep. Yep yep.
Oz the Great and Powerful: Still a fun, creative, and entertaining film.
The Hunger Games: I'm indebted to this film for being the first to make me aware of Jennifer Lawrence's talents. I'm excited for the sequel.
Rescue Dawn: I was not that stoked about the premise, but literally seconds into the film I was entranced. The musical score is so powerful and beautiful yet subtle (the same could also be said of the story and acting).
October Sky: I've seen this a couple of times but EVERY TIME I get choked up by the sweetness, innocence, purity, and love on display. The story of the Rocket Boys is wonderful by itself but the story of the Hickam family is the real heart-breaking clincher.
Books:
Jurassic Park: Fascinating. I love the way Michael Crichton starts with an incredible premise and slowly, rationally, deliberately makes me buy into it. Also terrifying and more gruesome than the film.
Animal Farm: Depressing but clever and quick read.
These Happy Golden Years: I love the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and this one is quickly becoming my favorite. All the scenes with Laura and Almanzo driving down on the weekends remind me of my trips with Matthew to and from Sandy while we were engaged.
Fablehaven: Decided to kick off the end of the summer re-reading one of my favorite series!
Fablehaven 2: My favorite book of one of my favorite series!
Good Omens: Really liked the beginning of this book. It sort of lost momentum and just got confusing and less funny towards the later half, but it was still enjoyable.
Marley and Me: Loved it. Everything I could have hoped for in a "dog meets young family" tale.
Fablehaven 3: My least favorite of the Fablehavens, but still great!
Lamb: Hilarious novel. Somewhat scandalous and not for the strictly pious, but still. Absolutely hilarious. And there were more than a few profound insights to be had as well.
The Emperor's Soul: I read this all in a rush last night because Matthew was reading Fablehaven 4 and I had to read SOMETHING. I usually love Brandon Sanderson, but I think his longer works are better. It was okay. I didn't quite "get" the magic system at first and found the beginning a little slow, but things picked up and the end was fairly satisfying. I probably won't read it again.
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