Monday, August 16, 2004
So much in the news this past week. I've waited to comment, however, in part to better crystallize my thoughts and in part to not appear to simply be joining the (loud) blogger chorus.
Julia Child's passing is a big deal to me. When I was 12, 13, I was nearly obsessed with Ms. Child. I watched her, faithfully, each week on PBS, and read (yes, read) her cookbooks Julia Child and Company and Julia Child and More Company. She fascinated and enthralled me, this funny woman who cooked exotic dishes and drank wine in the kitchen. I didn't want her as a mother, but perhaps the eccentric aunt all the nieces and nephews loved? I commented to Chrisafer last night that she was the Steve Jobs of cooking, completely revolutionizing it in ways we didn't realize were possible. Julia didn't change the playing field, she created a new one. Food Network, of course, would not exist were it not for Julia Child. It seems she lived a very full and robust life, just like her cooking and her personality. R.I.P., Julia. You will, in fact, never be forgotten.
New Jersey Governor and newly-out gay man Jim McGreevey would make a much better gay icon were his administration not, apparently, riddled with levels of corruption to make the Dem machine in Chicago look like an amateur operation. But he is awfully cute, in that whitebread kind of way.
The Opening Ceremonies of the 28th Olympiad were, honestly, rather stunning, and largely free of the Cirque de Soleil-style overcooked theatrics of recent openings. The Greeks have, of course, the most impressive history to draw on for such an event, and they did so, well, impressively. The only musical performer was - yay! - Bjork, who performed "Oceania," a brand-new song, which sounded mighty - at least, what I could hear under Costas and Couric's blathering. MTV.com reports that "Oceania" will appear on her forthcoming Medulla, which, as per her entire career, sounds at a minimum to be fascinating. Back to the Olympics, the Parade of Nations is always my favorite, watching those teeny-tiny nations march in with their delegations of two athletes, oh-so proud, beaming brilliantly. Seeing the athletes from Iraq march in, knowing that this time, finally, they didn't have to fear recriminations and beatings (or worse) depending upon their performance, was thrilling. And honestly, the Olympics are one of those few times (especially lately) when I feel rather profoundly patriotic - except when watching the pampered divas of the men's hoops squad. Lord, was yesterday embarassing to watch, or what? Tim Duncan, I'm sorry; you're the one member of this team with class and dignity, who's out there busting his balls for "W"s. But the rest can, frankly, fuck off and go back to appearing on MTV Cribs. Bleh. I'm honestly surprised, however, by how much I'm watching, and enjoying, this year's Olympics. But allow me to state for the record that table tennis - a/k/a ping-pong - should not be an Olympic sport. I mean, please. No bowling, no golf, but ping-pong?!?! Whatev.
And of course I was completely obsessed with coverage of Hurricane Charley, whatchu thinkin'?! Pray for the survivors.
Julia Child's passing is a big deal to me. When I was 12, 13, I was nearly obsessed with Ms. Child. I watched her, faithfully, each week on PBS, and read (yes, read) her cookbooks Julia Child and Company and Julia Child and More Company. She fascinated and enthralled me, this funny woman who cooked exotic dishes and drank wine in the kitchen. I didn't want her as a mother, but perhaps the eccentric aunt all the nieces and nephews loved? I commented to Chrisafer last night that she was the Steve Jobs of cooking, completely revolutionizing it in ways we didn't realize were possible. Julia didn't change the playing field, she created a new one. Food Network, of course, would not exist were it not for Julia Child. It seems she lived a very full and robust life, just like her cooking and her personality. R.I.P., Julia. You will, in fact, never be forgotten.
New Jersey Governor and newly-out gay man Jim McGreevey would make a much better gay icon were his administration not, apparently, riddled with levels of corruption to make the Dem machine in Chicago look like an amateur operation. But he is awfully cute, in that whitebread kind of way.
The Opening Ceremonies of the 28th Olympiad were, honestly, rather stunning, and largely free of the Cirque de Soleil-style overcooked theatrics of recent openings. The Greeks have, of course, the most impressive history to draw on for such an event, and they did so, well, impressively. The only musical performer was - yay! - Bjork, who performed "Oceania," a brand-new song, which sounded mighty - at least, what I could hear under Costas and Couric's blathering. MTV.com reports that "Oceania" will appear on her forthcoming Medulla, which, as per her entire career, sounds at a minimum to be fascinating. Back to the Olympics, the Parade of Nations is always my favorite, watching those teeny-tiny nations march in with their delegations of two athletes, oh-so proud, beaming brilliantly. Seeing the athletes from Iraq march in, knowing that this time, finally, they didn't have to fear recriminations and beatings (or worse) depending upon their performance, was thrilling. And honestly, the Olympics are one of those few times (especially lately) when I feel rather profoundly patriotic - except when watching the pampered divas of the men's hoops squad. Lord, was yesterday embarassing to watch, or what? Tim Duncan, I'm sorry; you're the one member of this team with class and dignity, who's out there busting his balls for "W"s. But the rest can, frankly, fuck off and go back to appearing on MTV Cribs. Bleh. I'm honestly surprised, however, by how much I'm watching, and enjoying, this year's Olympics. But allow me to state for the record that table tennis - a/k/a ping-pong - should not be an Olympic sport. I mean, please. No bowling, no golf, but ping-pong?!?! Whatev.
And of course I was completely obsessed with coverage of Hurricane Charley, whatchu thinkin'?! Pray for the survivors.
# posted by Thomas : 7:04 AM
