August 4th, 2005 | Comments Off on Sun in Suburbia

It’s so hot here in Suburbia. The sun blazes through the windows and the house feels like an oven. Mr. Squished wanted to cover the big half moon window and suggested a fitted accordion blind. Mrs. Squished thinks fitted blinds are cheesy dust catchers. She does not approve. Mrs. Squished thinks decorative films are often cheesy as well, but the lesser of two evils. The Squished couple agree to use a light blocking film. Mrs. Squished finds a film that, as luck would have it, blends nicely with the wall color and doesn’t compete too intensely with the light fixtures.

Yesterday’s project: add light blocking film to living room window. Small project. Simple project. Terse words spoken in unfriendly tones are exchanged between Mr. and Mrs. Squished. Dare they attempt to build an entire house (It’s part of the grand plan, the great American Dream.)

The light is still bright, but nicely diffused. The house is less of an oven. Family Squished is at peace.

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August 4th, 2005 | Comments Off on In America

I watched a movie entitled In America last night. Before I became a mother, I would have enjoyed this movie, but I don’t think I would have had such strong emotional reactions. I had to keep asking Mr. Squished Piggy to check the DVD jacket and reassure me that it was rated PG-13, when it looked like something bad might be going to happen to children. I can’t handle seeing anything bad happen to children.

The movie is set in New York, and the young family live in a very creepy building that I fear, sadly, is extremely realistic. There’s a scene where the mother sends her two little girls out for ice cream, ALONE! OMG, nobody sends children anywhere alone any more! I was squirming in my seat, certain that something horrible would happen. There are too many unpredictables and crazies in society these days, and especially in the film, in their own building. They knew their neighbors were drug addicts and crazies so how on earth could that mother have sent her kids out I was so appalled! In another scene, the baby came early and was sent to the ICU. I lost it there. I just sobbed and sobbed, looking at that little baby that might not make it.

The film was very well done. It stirred emotions and captured human desperation, love, beauty, and triumph on many levels. I was still sobbing when the credits rolled.

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