Fifteen minutes ago I could have declared a monkey's wedding in Pasadena, for it was raining while the sun was out. I hope they started the festivities right away, for conditions changed again. My former husband, born in South Africa, introduced me to the expression "monkey's wedding" for that specific meteorological condition. I always wonder what they serve at the reception and marvel at guests who can show up on such short notice.
Though our storm is moving from west to east, lower clouds were being blown east to west, flying, really, vaporous and transient as breath on a mirror. We are not often treated to cloud formations which assume shapes and travel quickly. I connect those days with kites, since wind is usually a factor. Putting thoughts of damp, cold, stiff and crazy out of my mind, I savored how much I once enjoyed lying on the lawn as the mottled sky reeled, especially if I'd been twirling before I dropped. I knew twirling made the earth tilt.
Storms and positive/negative ions, the expansion/contraction of cold getting colder, have influence on my brain, the physiological one that is powered by chemicals too frequently out of true and by what blood and oxygen reach it. Rain once brought me calm, which may not be the way of it now. I will not allow today to be the determining example of whether or not that is still so. I wish deep peace was always within reach and that the mind part of my brain could be soothed and quieted with sweet mother words.
What has brought me closer to center in the past two days is laughing, the kind that probably makes the neighbors look at each other and shrug, the loud, explosive bark. The ability of humor, of rich silliness to surprise, is one of my treasures. There is no medication better than funny.
This afternoon it was MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000'S holiday offering, a dubbed Mexican exercise in the surreal called SANTA CLAUS. Last night it was my second viewing of THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX by Wes Anderson, a movie I love so much for everything about it from the way Mr. Fox eats his breakfast to his wild, Andersonesque plots of stealth and theft that I, as Pee-Wee Herman suggests, would happily marry it.
I say sincerely that I think I could become a better version of myself if I watched it every day, committing the dialogue to memory and honoring what feels like too much "different" within me with reverence, not rejection. It is joy undiluted, idea and execution, and I am left weak with gratitude that the gifts of Roald Dahl and Wes Anderson, among others, produced this furry love child.
16 comments:
One loves Roald Dahl.
God isn't the winter depressing?
Roald Dahl's writings are treasures. I'm glad I had children when I did so that I could read most of his books with them.
Thanks for this wonderful frolic through the cold into fantasy. Marylinn.
Love the allusion to a monkey's wedding. This whole post was so well-written, I feel light-hearted and full of hyphens (even though I know lighthearted should not be hyphenated and well written modifies 'post' out of order in the sentence). See what I mean? I should leave the writing to you.
Nothing better than big laughter - as your neighbours should realize!
We've had the rain and wind up here too, interspersed with days of such such crisp, crystal clarity that the heart sings. Luckily Lisa & Jim were here on one of those days - I think we've got 'em hooked! Morro Bay was on her best behaviour, and Cambria as seductive as ever.
Erin
Laoch - Think of the gaps in our language, our lives, had there not been Roald Dahl...
You have my genuine sympathy for your winter is so much more depressing than ours...we can easily become malcontents, having no idea what a real winter is like, thinking a little rain or cloudy sky is a hardship. And me with ancestors from Finland. Stay as sunny as you can.
Elisabeth - Thank you. I want to sit down, letting the world flow around me, and read his books, either again or for the first time, since we didn't get to them all when my son was younger. I am not always happy with the film version of books, but Mr. Fox shines anew in the movie.
Kass - Thank you...there I am, using the elipse (I believe that is the word for the three dots) with probably a hyphen on the horizon and way too many commas and parenthetical expressions. The only thing in my defense is that I talk exactly the same way as I write. Light-of-heart is a welcome state, however we choose to spell it.
Erin - I knew your sparkling towns would put on their best for Lisa and Jim, only wish she hadn't been under the weather. Our sky is blazingly clear, windy and chilly. The Tournament of Roses and Chamber of Commerce will be glad...and another hundred people just got off of the bus.
Let us hope we soon have transplanted Coloradans (?) among us. xo
Ah the joy of intelligent humor and how it can change perspective in an instant. The frustratingly absurd is suddenly very funny.
Thank you for the movie recommendation, will watch Mr. Fox.
This is older, but over the holidays I was "forced" to watch "Monster vs. Aliens", still chuckling.
HAPPY, HAPPY and healthy New Year
Artist and Geek - MST3000 keeps me in stitches and awe...reference to Marcel Duchamp's apartment; then as the devil's minions frolicked, a reference, "I see Hell got their NEA grant." Perhaps you had to be there. Absurd and intelligent humor...nothing so undercuts angst and shallow breathing. Being forced to watch Monsters vs. Aliens...if that's as bad as it gets...Mr. Fox will make you happy.
Wishing you the best the New Year has to offer, a time to manifest our dreams.
LOL Marylinn, just as I was beginning to wonder whether I snoozed through something.
Ah. Never saw MST3000 (a series?), but Monsters vs. Aliens was enjoyable.
I may have recommended it before, if you don't mind Zombies (we've all been there), but like funny and absurd: "Shaun of the dead". (I'm sure you've seen it, but just in case).
Mr. Fox's ETA is very soon :)And heard that Toystory 3 is very good. Yes, my inner child is a happy one.
Ditto on your kind wishes.
Artist and Geek - Mystery Science Theater 3000 was a series in which clever writers spoof terrible B movies (B is generous). Various titles available through Netflix...all hilarious commentaries.
Yes, SHAUN OF THE DEAD is in our collection, as is a brief series from the same talents called SPACED.
TOY STORY 3 was also a hit here.
"There is no medication better than funny." --I couldn't agree more!
(And I can't think of a better way to OD.)
Blessings to you in these early days of a new year.
T - And New Year's blessing to you as well. May most of them involve humor or the enhanced state it leaves behind.
I saw those monkeys all dressed up all over Los Angeles..I didn't know they were on their way to a wedding...oh my Marta
Marta - Imagine how orderly their closets must be, ready with the first beam of sun. How fortunate you were to see them. It must have been a very festive day.
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