Good Things: Cinematic Ecstatic! Edition

Good Thing, The First: Fresh Ink

On Sunday, after pedicures with Rhi, wherein she was put in pedicure timeout, we suspect for refusing nail art, I decided it was time to get my fifth tattoo. I’d been mulling over myriad ideas for various tattoos and placements, but ultimately decided on one for my inner left wrist.

It’s “I love you” in Korean, in my sister’s handwriting, from a note she sent me from South Korea as part of my birthday package this year. It’s pretty much my favorite thing ever. (Pretend the semi-circles are closed, because they should be, and they will be by the end of today.)

I went to Icon in Portland, which is by far the cutest tattoo shop I’ve ever seen. My tattoo artist is also pretty much the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. (Hi! Silje.)

The shop (and all the artists therein) came highly recommended from a friend and coworker who recently got sprigs of lavender done on her back/rib-cage area. (My friend Zanny’s awesome tattoo is also from there.) It’s woman-owned (which yes, I love), and has such an artistic, welcoming feel. It’s also devoid of pictures of skulls and bleeding dragons and Other Disturbingly Dead Things on the walls, which, I have to say, is something I find completely off-putting about most tattoo shops. That, and the giant poster-sized flip books of completely unoriginal artwork for the person who has everything. Or who can’t decide on anything. (And hi, very much not judging; my first tattoo was chosen from within one of those poster-sized flip books. But, seriously, NEVER AGAIN. There is just too much beautiful (and unique!) art out there to ever need one of those boards.)

Good Thing, The Second: IMAX-Sized Edward vs. Jacob: The Showdown*

*d.b.a. Twilight: Eclipse.

Am I going to try to sell you on the literary merit of any of these books (beyond a love story that is undeniably engaging)? Heck no. Am I beyond excited to see this movie tomorrow with Kali? You bet your sweet werewolf I am.

Good Thing, The Third: Sweet Cinematic Suspense

By now I’m sure any loyal Harry Potter fans have seen these trailers for Parts I and II of The Deathly Hallows (the last of the Potter series), but just in cases:**

Trailer 1: The one released last December that I somehow missed until yesterday.

Trailer 2: The one released just yesterday (June 28) that gave me ACTUAL GOOSEBUMPS while I watched it.

KERRI ALL CAPS PSYCHED OUT OF HER MIND: Not pictured.

But if it WERE pictured, it would probably look something like this:

Instead of Nicolas Cage riding Falkor with that muppet-like expression of sheer! glee! on his face, you’re picturing me, right? OK, good.

For the skeptics in the group: The books? Really are amazing. And the films? Minus a few minor (see also: HUGE) deviations from the books, are fantastically done. The special effects are incredible, the characters: memorable, and I end up laughing and crying throughout most of them (see also: ALL of them). (Shut your face. They are GOOD, I’m telling you. You aren’t allowed to hate unless you’ve at least read the first book, or watched a movie or two.)

**Whenever I type “just in cases” with that extra “s” you guys know I’m referencing Love Actually, right? Because if you don’t you (must think I’m grammatically challenged, yes, and) should go rent and watch that movie right this second. You know, after you watch all of the previews herein embedded for your enjoyment.

Story, The First: The Pug Who Moved To California

Stories I said I had. Tangential stories and life-changing ones.

Until today I haven’t known where, exactly, to begin. And so quiet this space has mostly been because some beginnings are tricky. Sometimes it’s quite impossible to denote where something ended and something else entirely began.

I’m not going to be able to tell you everything, but then the best stories never really do, do they?

(That’s not a trick question. I promise they don’t.)

(Unless the story was penned by Henry James, in → Read more...

Found

This week I’ve been finding pieces of writing long lost and forgotten. Unearthing words belonging to me, and words penned by some of my favorite of all literary voices, collected and saved and scrawled excitedly on pages littered with foggy memories of past lives, obscured now in light of all that was and is and is to come.

Of the words not belonging to me, Lucille Clifton’s were the ones I found most often, recounted in notebook after notebook, or inked → Read more...

Shari-Romancing A Stone

They say water changes stone, carving it over time to angles and dimensions in harmony with water’s need to reach the sea; but sometimes, stones change the watercourse instead.

-The lovely and eclectic Shari

On Hoarding

I’m collecting my favorite corners, like the one with the stunning oak tree on display for an entire neighborhood to see, its limbs shading a bustling crosswalk shooting confidence into pedestrians like electric currents of white light, fresh graffiti on a nearby curb: an infinity symbol, black and simple.

I’m collecting stories about the apartment window filled with small elephant figurines along one of my favorite walking routes. So many trunks standing side-by-side and none of them alive.

I’m collecting the surprisingly → Read more...