a few more years shall roll

the movie troy got me thinking a bit. i watched it with two girlfriends (if we’re all 30 or older, can we still be called girl friends?) and as one of them said, “there was a lot of fighting, then burning of the dead, then more fighting, then more burning, then more fighting.” along with the obligatory brad pitt butt shots, of course. i knew that the story didn’t seem to line up with what i remembered of the iliad, so i picked up my copy from my college days and have been reading it, and enjoying it. i need to come clean here and let you know that i also have the cliff’s notes–the only time i ever bought them in high school or college. i did buy the notes for “romeo and juliet” when i taught high school so that i could catch my kids cheating. (that was a good move, by the way)

i’m actually appreciating the work quite a bit more this time around, but i’m also realizing that making the iliad into a film would never really work. first, the gods and goddesses are always changing form. and they simply lift the humans out of situations–i don’t think a modern audience would go for that. plus, the gods and goddesses add a whole other group of characters when it’s already hard enough to keep track of the humans. then, add to these issues the fact that the violent deaths are carefully described by homer. no bloodless, off screen spearing here. read this one:

But the son of Tydeus caught up a mighty stone, so huge
and great that as men now are it would take two to lift it;
nevertheless he bore it aloft with ease unaided, and with this he
struck Aeneas on the groin where the hip turns in the joint that is
called the “cup-bone.” The stone crushed this joint, and broke both
the sinews, while its jagged edges tore away all the flesh. The hero
fell on his knees, and propped himself with his hand resting on the
ground till the darkness of night fell upon his eyes.

but don’t worry, aeneas doesn’t die. (what would virgil have written about if he had?) actually that brings up one of the funnier moments of the movie, towards the end as paris is herding everyone through to safety, he gives the sword of troy to some weak-looking young boy who happens to be named aeneas. whatever. aeneas was one of the warriors of troy, not some momma’s boy looking for a way out of the city–although he did leave when told by the gods to do so.

i tend to think some of the best classic books translate to great movies (witness Apocalypse Now), but i’m not sure the iliad is one of them. i’m half-wondering if the odyssey with sean bean as odysseus could be done, though. i’d probably pay to see that one.

“My name is Bono and I am a rock star. Don’t get me too excited because I use four letter words when I get excited and I’m that guy. I’d just like to say to the parents, your children are safe, your country is safe, the FCC has taught me a lesson and the only four letter word I’m going to use today is PENN. Come to think of it Bono is a four-letter word. The whole business of obscenity–I don’t think there’s anything certainly more unseemly than the site of a rock star in academic robes. It’s a bit like when people put their King Charles spaniels in little tartan sweats and hats. It’s not natural, and it doesn’t make the dog any smarter.”
read the rest here

are here

this week has been a hectic one, with no sign that the weekend will bring a respite. although packed full, at least i’ll be doing fun things. i’m going to a fun cuban restaurant downtown tonight with my roommate and some friends. we’re celebrating her final day of medical school. woohoo!

then, tomorrow, i take her to the airport and then head to practice for our big concertat the Kimmel Center on tuesday. then, find some time to make a dessert and probably something for dinner before i head out to hang out with friends for dinner and a movie. i’m suggesting we watch “in america” or “pieces of april.”

sunday, it’s turkey team meeting for sunday school, then church with R.C. Sproul speaking, then a quick meeting afterwards. then, to bryn mawr for my friend’s graduation from her PhD program. then, to a 30th anniversary party down the road, then back to church for an 8-10pm rehearsal.

i think i’ll be thrilled when monday comes around and i can sit at graduation and listen to bono speak to the graduates. you can watch him give his speech sometime between 10:30 and 12.

the thing is–i want to do all these things. i just wish they weren’t all within the same 72 hours.

remember recess? from kindergarten to eighth grade, i attended a small christian school where there were about 100 students. two of the recess games we played stick out in my memory. bombardo (which i think some refer to as bombardment) and dodge ball. they’re actually variations of the same game and involve pegging people with red playground balls at high velocity. if you get pegged, you are out. but if you catch the ball, the person throwing it is out. in bombardo, there are two teams and a jail which makes things a little more interesting . . .

i recall the triumph in fifth grade of being known as a good catcher. there was no mercy involved in this game (even at a christian school). the eighth grade boys (two of which i had a crush on and two of which i hated–as per usual fifth grade girl) had no problem with throwing the ball as hard as they could at girls. but then they discovered i could catch, no matter how hard they threw. . . and for those few days, i was queen. of course, soon they started throwing at my feet, so the gig was up. but while it lasted, man, i was the happiest, dorky looking fifth grade girl with glasses that you ever saw. (no, you may not see pictures)

these memories are coming to me today, because in our office, we’re having pizza and play time at lunch. our staff development committee decided we needed a break, so we’re jump roping, playing frizbee, and doing all kinds of fun stuff over our lunchtime. how fun is that?