the upbeat

This week has been hard. A doozy of bad luck, ill health, and getting unexpectedly slammed by "the man." For a moment, I let myself be consumed by self-pity and tears. Then Cameron intervened and brought me reassurances along with a small gift: a harmonica. So that I could play the blues.

Thenceforth, I have been trying to hold on to shreds of optimism that good will come out of difficult situations, and even if not, I should brush my shoulders off and move forward, harmonica in hand. Yesterday was one such (minor) series of blunders: got things together too late in the day to make it to either the opening day of the Farmers Market or the KCPW Rummage Sale, as I'd been planning; instead, shared a lovely lunch with Cameron in the Avenues while planning to load up the Diana camera and take it for a spin at the Great Salt Lake Sailfest and Saltair. Fate was stacked against us, however: my sister, en route to California on the same westward highway we needed to take to the marina, called to let us know the road was closed in both directions due to a fatal accident and wouldn't open for several hours; all three photography shops we went to to buy 120 film were closed; and a mean thunderstorm rolled in, spoiling our plans to frolic on the water in the open desert. So we counted our losses and went to the movies (with delayed California-bound sister in tow).

Photographic proof that, at the end of the day, the time was well spent:

p.s. I even made it to my niece's adorable ballet recital, where she played a cancan doll with a broken arm.

p.p.s. I highly recommend The Brothers Bloom, one of the most all-around entertaining films I've seen in a long time. Very funny and touching relationships between Adrian Brody's character and his brother (the ever-adorable Mark Ruffalo) and Rachel Weiss's character, Penelope. Beautiful imagery - the type of sets and scenery where I kept whispering to Cameron, "I want to ride on that boat," "I want to be on that train," and he responded, "I want to live this whole movie." The plot, which you can gather from any trailer or synopsis, is clever and imaginative and original. Even the marketing of this movie is creative - from the website:

The Brothers Bloom

a romantic globe trotting 

con man caper movie

presented for your pleasure a full color all sound kinetoscopic motion picture extravaganza

watch -

comedy! adventure! romance!

awaits all, young and old alike,

on this most unique international pleasure cruise

characters -

some unsavory, some genteel, but all

fascinating and performed to the highest thespian standards

a story -

guaranteed by the creators to

entertain & edify

with twists, turns, chills, thrills, & one

drunk camel

learn! -

all manner of minutia awaits to satisfy

even the most voracious curiosity

in anticipation of our con man

movie. roll up! roll up one & all

make way, make room for

The Brothers Bloom