For months I had planned to be at a movie theater on April 29th. And I was. But rather than seeing The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy I saw…Robots. Again. But after the ordeal the little man went through on Thursday, it was a small concession indeed. Let me back up for a moment, to Wednesday. When I got home from work that afternoon it became clear that I’d been overly-optimistic…about how much better the little man was feeling. Antibiotics and painkillers can only do so much. And while I was away the little man had, uncharacteristically, put himself to bed for a nap. When he woke up there was much crankiness, even though I’d brought home some of his favorite food.

The crankiness I can deal with. But Thursday morning there was much confusion, when we brought him to the Children’s Hospital. It was to be his third surgical procedure, but he is blissfully unaware of the first two, as they both occurred in the first year of his life. He’s going to remember this one. After much waiting around, signing of forms, changing into hospital PJs, and some playing, it was finally his turn.

The husband and I went back with him as he hopped up onto a hospital bed. The induction area seemed so small. All of the equipment, the bed, the anesthesiologist and assistant, two parents, and a designated bubble blower were crammed into what was essentially a doorway…the space between the waiting room, and the hallway that led to the operating room. The lad allowed himself to be distracted by the bubbles, but I could see questions and concern in his eyes as he tried to make sense of this absurd situation. After a moment he was asked to lie down. I felt like I was betraying him, holding his hand as he went under. Especially since I knew what they’d be doing, beginning with the threading of a breathing tube up one tiny nostril and down into his lungs, which would give him a bloody nose. But it was all for the greater good. In the end the dentist removed one tooth, filled three cavities, put in four crowns, applied sealants and a fluoride treatment, and performed one pulpotomy. When we met him in the recovery room the little man groggily announced “my mouth feels silly”. I’m sure it did. He looked so small and sad in the hospital bed. After a time I was allowed to pick him up, and kick back in a big recliner, to hold him while he watched Babe. When he seemed to be feeling better, and ready to go home, we changed him back into his own clothing. But all the moving about, and the water he’d had to drink, caused him to vomit up some blood. Totally normal, we were told, but still unsettling. Since then we’ve been home, recovering. After the week we’ve had we’re all worn out, and our house is so filthy it looks like it’s been overrun by squatters who have been camping out for weeks on end. So I think a quiet weekend is in store for us, with a focus on soft foods and household chores. And, if we’re feeling up to it, and the weather is cooperating, we might just swing by the May Day festival tomorrow.
Bonus: Just found out that a former co-worker of mine is knocked up (via Pussy Ranch). Neat.
Plus: Le Tigre teaming up with Paris Hilton? Huh.
And: If you haven’t seen it yet…New Order performing Love Will Tear Us Apart. Bittersweet.

After I turned in last night Joss started his very own thread on Whedonesque, to announce a special screening…of an unfinished version of Serenity, in select cities, on May 5th. The closest to here is in Chicago. Just an 8-hour drive though. Hmmmm.

And another announcement, this time closer to home, from my buddy Chuck:

It’s a blog. It’s what’s happenin’ tonight. It’s MN news at-a-glance (MSM and blogs side-by-side? Blasphemy!). It’s tomorrow’s now delivered today. It’s local alt-media, turned on it’s head and whipped into tiny delicious pancakes.

Apparently it reeks of potential, and that new blog smell. I took it for a test drive the other day, and so far I’ve liked what I’ve seen.
Plus: We’ve been sorely lacking in the eye candy department around these parts lately. My apologies. Hoping to rectify that this weekend.
And: The little man just informed me that he’s feeling better, and his cheek is no longer “fluffy” (personally I’d thought it was rather “puffy” before). And that he’d like to go to school and to the library. I’d like to comply with his requests, but the doc suggested he stay home so that a) we can keep an eye on his condition and b) he doesn’t pick up any viral crud from classmates or other kids that would make him too ill to have his surgery. So it’ll be another day of boredom for the poor kid (not nearly as interesting as The Boredoms, who will be playing in Chicago next month).
Bonus: Sure didn’t take long for them all to sell out. Sigh.

Do you know who can take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile? Joss Whedon, that’s who. Hot damn but the Serenity trailer gave me goosebumps. And I am certainly not alone.

And the husband and the little man are happy, because our new GameCube arrived this afternoon, with assorted games. And our little trio is happier, in general, as the antibiotics seem to be doing their magic. The little man has been more like himself today. But it will still be good to get the offending tooth out of his head, and the others cleaned up and capped, as needed. We’re getting closer.

My latest flickr crush has to be 7-how-7. Check him out (particularly this set):

Sometimes I play with dolls. Blow-up dolls. A production company I work for supplies them to movies, commercials etc for use as extras. This is a typical day of blowing them up, helping them get dressed, and finding them a good seat in the stadium.

How bizarre and wonderful. And this is bizarre but maybe not so wonderful. Delightfully creepy perhaps? And this is just funny (I feel honored to be part of such a sisterhood). And this is the time where my overwhelmed and overtired self goes to bed. Nigh nigh.

Today brought the little man precious little relief. We drove out to the dentist’s office, only to be told they couldn’t go through with an emergency extraction after all…as the swelling hadn’t gone down enough and the risk of spreading infection was too great. We walked away with the consolation prize of codeine, which, judging by the poor boy’s reaction, must taste absolutely vile (but not as vile as the antibiotic, which we must force down his throat three times a day, a procedure that requires both the husband and myself to pin the boy down - something no one feels very good about). So now the little man must wait until Thursday for this abysmal situation to be remedied, even though he is in too much pain to eat anything more solid than applesauce. Needless to say he won’t be leaving the house until then.

Continuing on the not-so-happy tip…my appreciation for Alan Rickman has just increased (and I already adored him). I just found out that he’s directing a play based on the life and writings of Rachel Corrie, who was an American peace activist involved with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), an organization set up to support Palestinian non-violent resistance to Israel’s military occupation. She died trying to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home. There has been great interest in her story in the U.K. (all 24 shows sold out within 2 days), but somehow I doubt this play will ever make it to the country of her birth.

After tens of thousands of dollars of equipment were stolen from them, an auction has been put together to help out The Decemberists. So many rare and wonderful items to choose from. The fabulous portraits taken by their official photographatrix, Alicia J. Rose (aka Miss Murgatroid). The illustrations, lovingly drawn by Carson Ellis, of several of the sadly lost instruments. If you can swing it, help sponsor their replacements. Who knows, you could win the t-shirt which “previously belonged to Colin and is hand lettered by Carson in red sharpie to read: I donated to the Decemberists stolen instrument fund and all I got was this lousy t-shirt!. It’s completely one-of-a-kind.” I’ll say.
Bonus: I’m looking forward to The Man Who Copied (the trailer can be found here).
Plus: My messy bed was up at Lalaland today (but it was really the futon in our computer room).

I feel like this could be the “bad news blog” today. My little man is miserable (napping now) and I feel powerless to do anything about it. If I could bear the pain for him, I certainly would. But if we had a more humane health care system in this country it never would have come to this. In February we discovered he is in need of extensive dental work, including multiple pulpotomies. The intervening months have seen frustrating negotiations with both our dental and medical insurance companies, neither one willing to play nice with the other, or with us. At long last prior authorization has been granted and a date for the surgery scheduled. That date is drawing closer. This coming Thursday, in fact. But I don’t think we can wait that long. All day yesterday the little man seemed fine, but last night things came to a head. Just as he took a bite of a soft spring roll one of the afflicted teeth began causing him extreme pain. It’s safe to say that family night out at the Thai restaurant failed miserably. We hastily packed up the food to go (we being the husband) and high-tailed it to Walgreen’s, for some children’s ibuprofen and anbesol. He gladly slurps down the former, but won’t let us go near him with the latter. After an uncomfortable night’s sleep he woke up this morning with one cheek excessively puffy and swollen. A frantic page to the dentist led to a prescription for antibiotics, and another trip to Walgreen’s. But the poor boy is still hurting and unable to eat anything too cold, too hot, or requiring too much chewing. This can’t go on until Thursday. I have a feeling emergency surgery is going to be in order, and soon.

In less personal bad news…Let it Be Records is closing, to make way for some more lameass condos, thus furthering the transformation of downtown Minneapolis from a thriving metropolis to a sterile, soulless city.

How about some better news? Or less dire, at least.
For a while I’ve wondered about the music played on NPR’s Marketplace, because it’s often music I quite like. I’ve been too lazy to follow up on it (or maybe I liked the mystery?) but Defective Yeti found out for me. If you’d rather not know, avoid clicking here and here.

Bonus: Animal Farm, circa 1982 - currently I can empathize with the bunny, but I’m hoping things will turn around soon (via ljc fyi).

Oh how I love Saturday mornings. Today I was able to sleep in (a little) and now I’m hanging out with the little man…lounging in my jammies, and checking my email. And, oh, what’s this in my inbox? A message, to me, from Joss Whedon. Sure, he sent it out to a list I happen to be subscribed to, but I still got it, didn’t I? And now you can read part of it too (the rest is just too, umm, personal).

Yeah, kids, the haps is hap’nin’, and it runs thus: EXCLUSIVELY on Apple movie trailers (and linked through this site as well of course) will be a small, medium, large or FULLSCREEN trailer for Serenity the major motion movie. Yeah, THE trailer. And the following Friday said trailer hits theaters. Which theaters? Until I get confirmation you’ll have to guess, but I’m betting you can.

Now, here’s a word of warning: this trailer ain’t shy. If you’re looking to live totally spoiler-free, know that there’s plenty of key dialogue and images running through this bad boy. It’s pretty tasty, though, and it doesn’t give everything away. But close scrutiny will definitely learn you much of what’s to come. (Anakin TOTALLY goes evil.) It’s a nice piece to while away the time till September, and hopefully should intrigue th’ peeps that don’t have coats of brown.

Be still my heart. With bated breath I await the release of the trailer, at long last (and eventually the release of the movie itself). Ah, but it’s nice to have something to look forward to.

The other day I watched a trailer for a crazy-looking Korean movie:
“Save the Green Planet is about the best science fiction slapstick since The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai.”
Could be brilliant. Or really really bad. Or both.

So. It’s Friday. And we’ve finally got a weekend ahead of us that isn’t ridiculously overbooked. I’m sure I could change that…but I’m not going to. I’m looking forward to some serious relaxing. And my new copy of Michael Chabon’s The Final Solution.
Bonus: If you haven’t already, you’ve got to check out Mr. Sparklepants. “I’d like to see somebody gank my wallet now.” Me too, Jake, me too.
Plus: And it don’t stop. Yet another show I’d like to see…The Epoxies in Minneapolis, on July 8th.
And: Fug it like Fugham. Funny stuff, that.

The husband is thrifty and a minimalist, by nature, but the last few years he’s been downright miserly. Which is why it surprised me so to find him furniture shopping online recently. First he was perusing dining room table chairs at Design Within Reach. He likes the Kyoto Chair, among whose selling points are:

1) it is “Contract Quality” and
2) the “Best-selling café chair in Japan”.
Seriously, it looks like a fine chair. Though I would prefer the Coco Chair (as seen to the right) in red, of course, but it costs over twice as much and I’m sure he wouldn’t like it anyhow. As for tables he was excited by one from Herman Miller…the Aalto Extension Table H92. Too bad it’s $5,000. That is so not “Design Within Reach” - our reach, anyhow. Maybe that makes it Design Without Reach.
Bonus: June is going to be a busy month. Just found out about another must-see show…Ted Leo will be playing the First Avenue main room, on June 14th. I am not missing him this time around (Sleater-Kinney is playing the same space the next night, but I’ve seen them often enough).
Plus: I wish I could have joined Afrojet for “a rock n’ roll lesson plan of pure punk rock pedagogy” Monday night, but maybe without the blood on the sidewalk. Yeah, I guess I’m getting soft in my old age.
And: Speaking of shows…I dimly recalled that the Crystal Skulls were playing in town soon. Turns out that “soon” was actually “tonight” as in they probably just finished up. Doh.
Update: I was posting late at night and quite confused and, as it turns out, the Crystal Skulls show hasn’t actually happened yet…but it is tonight. Tempting.

Another weekend passed in a blur of activity. Sounds like Damien Jurado put on a good show Friday night, but a late starting one. It’s just as well I didn’t attempt it (I probably turned in before he even took the stage). Instead we went out to celebrate the husband’s good fortune…by dragging an exhausted little man over to our friends’ rented house, and ordering in some Pizza Luce. So jealous that they live within range of vegan pizza delivery. And it looks like that won’t be changing. But their address will. Said friends have been house-hunting and Saturday they found out they won their bid on a lovely abode. Congratulations Dave & Huey-Ling! And yes, we’ll gladly help you move. We just won’t give the little man any breakables to carry.

Saturday was blissfully quiet and rainy, but I don’t know where the day went. It’s a mystery…

We missed out on the Walker’s reopening festivities, but I suspect it would have been overstimulation central for the little man…and myself. We’ll get over there when things calm down a bit. Instead we met up with a friend for lunch at Seward Cafe on Sunday. She was only visiting for the weekend, and regaled us with tales of substitute teaching at a Chicago High School (students starting fires in the classroom, throwing their desks around, etc.). This week will mark her fourth there. Apparently most subs don’t come back after one day. But our Delia Jane is made of tougher stuff.

After gorging ourselves we engaged in some much needed playground activity, then met up with Zophia and her crafty friends at Muddy Paws Cheesecake…to plan Phase 2 of the No Coast craft-o-rama site. Personally I think Phase 3 should involve flying Receptionista out here for the festivities, but somehow I don’t think it’s in the budget.

Bonus: This Bearsuit Review hits the nail on the head:
“This UK art-pop-punk six-piece produces a gleeful collision–a pileup, really–of seemingly disparate sounds”
Thanks again to James, for turning me on to them.
Plus: I think Comic Life for OS X would be fun to play around with (found via a former coworker’s post to flickr), but none of my machines are currently running OS X. Perhaps this should be remedied.
And: The vegguide has a fresh new look for Spring, and a new community mailing list.
And another thing: Looks like the reunion tour of “beloved indie rock behemoths” Dinosaur Jr. does include a stop in Minneapolis, on July 23rd. Let the weirdness flow between us.

Our lives have been full of mad chaos all year long. Thankfully the bedlam hasn’t been all bad. A couple of weeks ago the husband started contracting, part-time. Yesterday he was asked to go full-time. This is big. It will mark the first time in years that we’re both working exclusively in our respective fields. When he called to share the news he sounded happier than I’d ever heard him…especially since he can finally quit the lousy energy-sapping soul-sucking overnight job. In his own words, he’s excited to be “closing the door on that chapter” of his life. And we’ll be excited to have him back among the living.

Speaking of closing doors…via Ranjit on flickr, “The Last Moments of Industrial Plastics” and an article about the same, from the NY Times: “the company simply couldn’t peddle enough plastic to keep going.” So sad.

I appreciated Pitchfork’s pithy explanation of the Manitoba-to-Caribou name change:

The recently renamed Caribou, who was forced to give up the Manitoba moniker because Dictators frontman Handsome Dick Manitoba sued for trademark infringement, is still popular among critics for his innovative beats and off-kilter indie pop. Handsome Dick, on the other hand, is still popular for, well, being a dick.

Turns out Caribou/Dan Snaith will be playing Minneapolis on June 6th, the day before the Neko Case show. Each show is on a schoolnight. Sadly I won’t be able to swing them both, but I hope someone out there can.
Bonus: The 23rd Annual Minneapolis - St. Paul International Film Festival is drawing to a close soon (and I only saw one selection) but they’ve posted a list of Confirmed Holdovers and Best of the Fest contenders to their site.
Plus: I plan to take Kid Ethnic up on his offer: Mail Saleem Stickers and Receive a Stupid Song! Read all about it.