buttercup

I happened onto the review of StM! while looking for a review of Mandy Moore's Coverage to link, which is kind of pointless because those who would listen to it already have it, I think.

I really, really didn't like Mandy Moore for a long time. She used to sing some song about candy or something and she seemed like a nicer, kind of lamer Britney Spears. (And I'm not a Spears fan, no matter how much I try to make myself think she's empowered or whatever. This may be due to me unfairly attributing the rise in hooker-wear for four-year-olds to Ms. Spears, but whatever. I don't like her.) BUT. I heard about Coverage, and I kind of had to like the idea, since it kind of fit with my musical theme at the time — I was discovering new music that had been around for a while (new to only me, probably). So it was perfect timing. Then the timing got screwed around with because I couldn't afford the CD. Last month, I found it on sale and snatched it up, because not only do I still like the concept behind the CD, I now have a little bit of not-hatred for the singer. Mandy Moore is not that bad. We all have things in our past that are a little bit . . . too pastel, maybe. Sure we do.

Onward. Coverage disappointed me a little; I really like Moore's voice, but the background music (I'm forgetting technical terms right now, I'm sure you'll understand, it's a lack-of-caffeine thing, let's move on) is awful. I feel bad saying that — I used to be in band, although I sucked, and I know it's hard work, and I feel evil saying boo, but damn, if I wanted easy listening background music, I'd go to the dentist's office. It's not worth buying, but I'd download a few of the better songs, and probably copy the playlist so that I could hunt down the originals.

I saw Steal This Movie! last summer, when it ran on some cable channel (back when we had the glorious dish). Okay, first of all, I thought it was really old or something, because I'd never heard of it, but apparently it's only four years old. Here's my question, though: am I sleeping through life in order not to know this stuff, or did I just miss out on a lot of education about semi-recent social movements and the like because I went to a Baptist school? I read the review I've linked above, and I was like, what? Who are all these people who know so much about this stuff that they're bored by it now? Seriously. My lack of knowledge bothers me.

I feel this way about almost everything, though. It's so overwhelming. I don't know how to explain it; it's like being thrown into a room with fifty strangers who know each other intimately and speak different languages that they all understand but I don't. I want to know everything, but I can't decide where to start.

I don't know what I'm getting at here . . . I saw this movie, and it was interesting, and it made me think about a few things that I hadn't thought about before, and introduced me to some people I've never heard of before. But, as it turns out, everyone else has.

Still alive. Hang in there, kitten, it's almost Friday!, etc., etc.

In my spare time (the tiny-ness of which is nothing new), I'm hanging out at the new getcrafty forums, although I rarely have anything to say -- if I did say anything, it would be "ditto" most of the time, and I'm trying to limit those kinds of contributions.

I've resigned myself to the fact that I'll never feel wholly integrated into any community, online or otherwise. Is that sad? Or is it realistic?

We're still living in a basement, which is okay; it's kind of nice to have limited responsibilities as far as house upkeep goes. We should be moving the house sometime in the next few months. This month, we have to try to get our loan extended, which will be a blast.

I'm feeling very negative today -- how about some positivity?

I'm actually getting my mom's bday present in time for her bday for once -- a necklace from Crafty Ass Chick. She loves mine, and tells me so every time I wear it, and she's been expressing interest in the things I buy from crafters recently, asking me where I find all these people who make things, and saying how she thinks it's cool, or whatever. So I'm getting her that necklace and some sushi magnets from Plain Mabel — they're by Sewing Stars; I have a set of my own, and they're so pretty. (If you haven't checked out Plain Mabel before, you really should. Great products, great site, and awesome customer service!)

I haven't figured out Father's Day stuff yet. That and the details of our upcoming trip to visit Ben's daughter, C, are the major things on my mind right now. The really big stuff is just too big to stay on my mind constantly; I just lock it up and take it out to think about when I have the strength and patience to do so.

(Ronald Reagan's death made me sad, although I don't really remember his presidency, since I was born the year he came into office. He reminded me of my grandfather.)