afi top 100 list - finito

finally done.

i've been nearly done for a few months - the last few were hard to find. i actually ended up watching 3 movies on youtube! when i began this journey, i had seen approximately 17 films from the old and new list (each). the 100 films from both lists combine to account for 123 films. it's been a blast going through all these classics. some have been boring, but many have been treasures.

some that stand out ... casablanca and gone with the wind really are that good. i had seen and enjoyed the godfather movies before i started. others that jump to mind: the apartment (a great romantic comedy), the treasure of sierra madre (for the insight into the human condition), (the end of) sophie's choice, city lights, patton (for war and strategy), the jazz singer (for the father-son relationship and for being the first talkie), deer hunter (two words: russian roulette), it happened one night (one of the first and still best romantic comedies), bringing up baby (ditto), mr. smith goes to washington (makes you want to run for office...), chinatown (sister? daughter?), lawrence of arabia (epic!), it's a wonderful life (one of my all time faves now).

homemade red sauce

do you still call it spaghetti sauce when the pasta isn't spaghetti?

from the farmer's market: tomatoes, onions, a red pepper, and a green pepper.
from the store: turkey sausage, garlic, and dry spices (on hand), whole wheat rigatoni (from brooke)

i used my basic 'spaghetti' sauce recipe and let it simmer for quite a while (i've found that to be the key to enhancing the flavor - let it sit for a looong time). the veggies produced too much liquid so we ended up having to add a roux of flour + water to thicken it up. i'm not sure if i liked the peppers in this; i almost bought some mushrooms to put in it - would've been interesting.

we had salad beforehand and the meal was tasty for both dinner and lunch the next day.

life. of. the. party

so, apparently, my son is a dancing machine.

we went to my cousin's wedding in louisville this past friday. the wedding partially catholic (but no mass) and beautiful. the reception was just across the river on the indiana side and after a delicious buffet, the band started playing. and jake started dancing. and dancing. and dancing. for, i kid you not, over an hour straight. at one point, he had the whole crowd of 20-somethings circled around him cheering him on just like in a movie or something. i don't know where he got it all, but it was cute and hilarious and a blast to see him so alive with energy and really doing something on his own. i was by his side or nearby the whole time, but the moves were all his.

the funniest part (and loudest crowd reaction) was when he busted and fell in the floor and then started spinning around and break dancing like he meant to do that. yes, i know - this needs some pictures and videos. i don't know how much is available, but i'll see what i can do.

daddy, we don't say whatever

the subject of this post is one of the (many) funny phrases jake will say these days.

after saying 'whatever' and 'duh' in a rude / smart alecky / disrespectful (albeit often funny) manner a few too many times, we had a serious talk with jake about the use of these two words. he obviously got the point because now whenever anyone says 'whatever' in a conversation (almost always with its normal usage), jake interjects: "hey! we don't say whatever!" i tried to have another serious talk about the times when it's ok to say 'whatever' - so far, that hasn't stuck.