Sunday, December 13, 2009

Julie and Julia

It's raining in California. Raining for days and days. Who knew it did this? The first day it stopped after a few hours, embarrassed. The kids got home from school all excited just as the sun came out.

"Bubbie, come outside! A rainbow!"

Even the rainbows, dear friends, are better in California. Imagine, all across the sky, all the colors of the . . .

But I live in Chicago, and I work in Chicago, and on Monday, all things being equal, I'll be back on United returning home to Chicago. My patients know that this hasn't been a vacation, not in the usual sense of the word, and my parents, the flip side of the sandwich, understand. Sometimes you go where you're needed most.

Anyway. This run to the west coast is keeping me busy, care-taking a little, baby-sitting some, car-pooling, playing catch, eating more than usual, playing a lot of SORRY (I'm learning to hate this game, am thinking when they knock off my piece they should say SORRY and mean it).

"Bubbie! Let's play hide and seek!"

"Sure."

"I'll hide, you seek."

"Okay. But wait. First you have to tell me where you're hiding."

He wasn't born yesterday.

Somehow the days fly by when you're up for the 5'oclock shift. Morning hours are best for me, is the truth, and it seems same goes for the little guy, 8 months old. We g-vid FD (some say Skype, as in Kleenex, as opposed to tissues), munch on bananas, throw a few Cheerios on the floor.

Babies make blogging impossible. I can barely get the coffee made. No idea how you Mommy Bloggers do it. Hats off, or is that, shoes.

Last night we sent the male gendered (except for the one under one) out to see Cirque du Soleil, free tickets, gratis their aunt and uncle. Under such circumstances, house to ourselves, infant asleep, 45 minutes for sure, no make that an hour, we had the DVDR warmed up and popcorn popped, the type you pop in oil, a real pot, no pre-bagged microwave weirdness, please. Tonight's pick, Julie and Julia. Empath Daught has read the book,* but all I know is that this is a true story and that Julie Powell blogs and whips up Julia Child recipes.

A film about a blogger and food. We're there, right?

Meryl Streep, Amy Adams. Pretty fabulous, is all I can say. So much cooking, whipping, melting, chopping. Blogging. It made me miss this, blogging, blogging like old times, every day, or almost every day. Watching Julie blog makes me miss the process, the writing, the obsessing about it.

You know how it is, your mind wanders to what you'll write about, in my case whether or not it will be about therapy, or me, my life, FD, maybe some shtuss in the news (shtuss rhymes with "moose", Yiddish for stupidity or foolishness) or an opinion I just have to share, some bias, or rant, maybe a book, a film. Could I get back to this every day?

Nah. Not for a while. But I can see it happening someday.

(Risk of spoiler coming up if you haven't seen Julie and Julia.)

As much as this ridiculousness, the blogging, has the power to take over, become central in our lives, what we look forward to above all else, the pastime of pastimes, make that the mother of all pastimes, it doesn't have to take us from our real face to face relationships, assuming we're lucky enough to have these. It really shouldn't.

Sure, it's important to put our deep thoughts out there, and it's not narcissistic, despite what people think, rather writing in this venue is a craft, an amusement, and definitely therapeutic. Associated with relationship destruction, too? Shouldn't be.

Thousands of great writers with terrific blogs, none so incredible, so interesting, so important that writing and publishing can't wait. If the loved ones are grumbling, not feeling the love, then this should be a red flag, if there is such a thing, about the place of blogging in our lives.

You know we can be hypo-manic (or hypo-caffeinic) when it comes to this. Who are we kidding. We'll get up early tomorrow, or stay up late tonight, or pop out of bed at three a.m. It can wait until then. Those of us who read online are a patient, loving lot. We'll wait our turn.

And every good draft is better with a little editing the next day, imho.

Thanks Colombia Pictures and Nora Ephron for a wonderful film, and to Julie Powell, for your book and blog, and to Julia Child. We watched her all the time when I was a kid. Save the liver, don't throw it away. Thanks because there's nothing better than watching a terrific chick flick with your daughter and your grandson (she let him stay up late), almost nothing. The guys, for those to whom this applies, have their equivalents-- football, the Bourne Identity, Ultimatum, whatever blast 'em up thing it is they prefer to watch.

Throughout the movie the baby kept saying,
"Am I ever going to get to eat that stuff she makes? She's amazing, isn't she? It's the teeth. The teeth. When do I get these? They seem so useful."
To think I introduced him to butter just the other day, so ironic.

Needless to say, it may be difficult to get his parents to trust me alone with him again any time soon.

therapydoc

* Julie Powell has a new book, Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession . She talks about it 0n DoubleX

28 comments:

CiCi said...

Oh yeah, that sorry game called Sorry. Hubby likes it so much, I think he had good times playing it in the years before he and I met. But he is so good at it and he enjoys saying the snippy Sorry, like, right, you're not sorry at all! I haven't seen that movie, now I will. Great photo of the grandson. Hugs.

Dreaming again said...

I terribly miss california. I plan on seeing Julie and Julia in a few days when I'm truly done with this sememster.
(philosophy is all I have left, a take home final consisting of 43 questions that require a minimum of 2 paragraphs each)

I will come back and read this after I see Julie and Julia

Retriever said...

Yes, dying to see it too...It must have been fun to cuddle a baby again. I'd gladly trade my razor edged wit and analytic powers (ahem!) for a drooling warm bundle worn 24/7 again...I get my kid fix (with mine between 17 and 20 now) from my Sunday school kids but not the same...

I miss your frequent posts, but life does have a way of crowding blogging out...

Jack Steiner said...

If you'd like you can take the rain with you. We're done with it. ;)

blognut said...

A movie that I've just GOT to see!

Some day... soon... hopefully.

Good to "see" you TD - missed you around the blogosphere lately.

Lou said...

I had to laugh about the blogging. I HAVE popped up in bed at 3am with a great idea for a post...LOL

Lisa said...

Ditto to the random timing and posting thoughts. 3AM or whenever, I'm finding I'm thinking more about things than I ever did before. I think it is a definite plus! Enjoy Cali! I'll be out there in less than a week and I cannot wait!

Donna B. said...

mmm... butter. Good Grandma!

Tzipporah said...

I read the book, and just finished watching the movie last night with Bad Cohen while he researched digital picture frames for grandparents' gifts.

It was GREAT, wasn't it? God, Meryl was WONDERFUL. It's so odd to me, the idea of being a housewife, having to find things to do with yourself all day.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Sissi said...

I adore your blog.

Dr. Deb said...

I love the word Bubbie!

porcini66 said...

Got to cook for Julia once. Very, VERY proud day in my young career. She was truly an amazing woman - would that we could all find our joy. :)

Term papers said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Margo said...

Mom, seriously - you posted that last comment?

Jew Wishes said...

Ah, Bubbie...what a wonderful word.

I am back in CA, where I belong, relishing my time with my grandies, and my grandmotherliness/Bubbieness.

I feel grounded, am in familiar territory, and am surrounded by love and caring. What more do we need?!

Watching 2 1/2 year old Emily open her gifts, and decorate was a wonderful experience! Watching six month old Logan's cognizance of all that was occurring was precious.

I am home, and so glad to be here.

Enjoy the seventh night!

Jew Wishes said...

I forgot to mention that I loved both the book and the film. Meryl Streep...I can never say enough about her acting...

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
therapydoc said...

Thanks all.

Is everyone getting spammed like this? (I'm referring to something I just deleted, thanks Margo).

I monitor comments older than 2 weeks; it would be so much work to monitor every comment (how often can one check email, you know?)

There are spammers to build your business, buy viagra, all kinds of junk junking up my mailbox. If any of you have any suggestions to block them, lmk, okay?

My Social Work Network said...

I heard that was a really good movie...haven't got around to seeing it yet though. On a side note, I invite you to blog on My Social Work Network (www.mysocialworknetwork.com). It's a free online community for social workers and we are looking for people who like to blog. Posting on there should help you increase your readership -just thought I'd offer it as a resource :)

Wondering Soul said...

You've sold the film to me!
Sounds great.

And the blogging thing..?
You describe it so perfectly.

Sorry was a game we played a lot when we were kids.
It's strange that, having not thought about it for years and years, my youngest sister mentioned it yesterday (in the context of it being her favourite game - aaaggghh!) and now you write about it here!
I think people ought to be made to be sorrier in Sorry!!!

Have a good Christmas TD

Anonymous said...

I gained five pounds just watching that movie. Don't you love Meryl Streep?

therapydoc said...

I've gained 5 #s since, but it's winter. Who doesn't love her?

therapydoc said...

Thanks Wondering, and everyone have a safe, happy holidays if I don't get to posting before. Something tells me I won't :(

MHMS said...

I LOVE Julie & Julia!

Anonymous said...

Opulently I agree but I contemplate the collection should have more info then it has.

Term papers said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

  Bring them home, the Homeland Concert There's not much to say. Wait, I take it back. There's SO much to say it is too much. There ...