Don't Come Around Here No More

So much for the recommitment to the blog. This past hiatus is the longest I’ve ever had, but I still can’t quite seem to give up. Perhaps it’s the summer coma setting in. I’ve been at the pool a lot, read a lot, and watched a lot of DVDs. This would appear to indicate that I’m having a heavenly existence, and some of it is indeed nice. But I’m also juggling a lot of other, less-fun things right now so it has really only served to preserve my sanity.

And that’s valuable. My sanity is iffy of late.

Here’s a little of the normal stuff I’ve been up to:

• I took the girls to see yet another live rendition of High School Musical, this time at the local community theater. Our neighbor was in it, and did a fantastic job. Their little production rivaled the Broadway version we saw in Detroit earlier this summer and my kids were thrilled.
• I watched The Queen (Helen Mirrin deserved every one of the awards she received for the role; I had to remind myself midway through that I was watching an actress), Little Children (ditto on the accolades; powerful, great, disturbing movie) and Zodiac (okay, that one was included strictly because Jakey G. was in it, and while it was a pretty good flick, watching him was my favorite part. I have never seen him in something I didn’t think he did a phenomenal job with. Robert Downey, Jr. was in his zone.)
• I read at least three paperbacks while on vacation a few weeks ago. I don’t even remember the names of a couple of them, as they were total chick-lit throwaways. Swapping Lives by Jane Green was pretty good, though, and I was pleasantly surprised to read The Hottest State by Ethan Hawke. Since he co-wrote the screenplay for Before Sunset (and acted in it, along with its predecessor Before Sunrise; two of my favorite movies of all time), I figured it would be interesting. I was blown away at how well he writes, especially as this was his first novel, and he was pretty young when he wrote it. I’m definitely going to pick up his other stuff. And it turns out he’s directing a film based on the book. Yay!
• I went to COSI, the Toledo science museum, and had almost as much fun as my kids. Except for the gravity house, which made me so nauseous with just one foot in the door that I couldn’t take another step. If you’re ever wondering what my bouts with vertigo feel like, this stupid little exhibit is IT exactly.
• Still experimenting with alternative writing genres…not ready to make them public yet (ever, probably), but considering submissions to some places anonymously.
  
  Coming up: visits from my old friend Melissa, mom and sister and brother-in-law. All excellent distractions from the impending first day of school, which will be here before we know it. There will be tears. From me. Most definitely.