La Mujer de Mi Hermano (My Brother’s Woman/Wife)

I really wanted to catch this movie when it came out, but it was only showing for about 10 seconds, and I missed it. I’m sure I’ll catch it on Netflix, but in the meantime, did anyone see it? Was it good?

Maybe when the DVD comes out, we can have a “Slightly-Dirty-and-in-Spanish” movie marathon with this, Y tu Mama Tambien, and whatever else anybody can think of. Who’s in?

In response to my hubby’s recent tunequest post about Saint Etienne, I thought I’d share this. I discovered this groovy little band independently of him (I was actually in high school at the time) and I think it might be one of the reasons he decided I was cool. When we first started hanging out, he was browsing my CD collection, which was a little weird at the time, since I got a lot of free stuff through my gig as a B&N music manager. Anyway, he came across my copy of Saint Etienne’s Tiger Bay, a relatively obscure album. But since he was also a fan of the band, I think he knew right then that he wanted to marry me…

Anyway, here are the lyrics to Like a Motorway, my favorite song from that CD:

He’s gone
He’s gone

She wears her jeans torn at the waistband.
Her pretty face is stained with tears.
And in her right hand she clasps a letter
I know this means that he has gone.

And in this town of misguided tourists,
She never thought she’d fall in love.
It was a few days after her birthday,
The thrill hostess gave her first kiss.

He said her skin smelled just like petals,
Said stupid things he knew she’d like.
She said her life was like a motorway:
Dull, grey, and long ’til he came along.

He’s gone, he’s gone.

I said “How could he ever leave you?
You two were good, you were so right.”
She said “I wish that he just left me;
He’d be alive, alive tonight.”

He’s gone, he’s gone.
He’s gone, he’s gone.
He’s gone, he’s gone.

A few years ago, the ‘band and I tinkered around with the idea of starting our own business via cafepress. The premise is pretty straightforward: the website offers a number of basic products (hats, shirts, clocks, aprons, etc.) at set prices. Users can create various designs (via photoshop or scanning original artwork or whatever) and then feature those designs on the products. You can then set a price for each item above the base price; i.e. if a shirt’s base price is $15.99, and you set the price for your shirts at $18.99, then you make a $3.00 profit on each one you sell. Cafepress acts as the warehouse, printing the items as they are purchased.

Generally during the course of our banter, one of us will come up with a phrase that demands printing on a shirt or bumper sticker. Things like “Charles Darwin Created the Earth” or “Jesus is my Personal Magician.” The beauty of cafepress is that whenever you think of these little slogans, you can customize and print them, and then share your genius with the world at large. You-know-who’s latest endeavor is political; check out his bumper sticker here.

So, thanks to our handy-dandy netflix account, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and I have been watching not only movies, but TV shows as well. He snagged some Simpsons, and I rewatched all of Angel. We’re now at the point in our queue where Netflix is sending us Season 1 of La Femme Nikita, a show I was totally obsessed with in the late 90s. At the time it was super slick (it seems maybe just a teensy bit dated now), and starred a fairly unknown but really talented cast.

The premise is complex, and gets more so as the seasons progress, but here is the gist: a covert anti-terrorist agency recruits convicted murderers, trains them, and turns them into an elite fighting force. Although the main character, Nikita, was actually falsely imprisoned, she becomes the ultimate femme fatale, complete with long blond hair, plenty of guns, and an enviable sunglasses collection. Constantly put in dangerous, ethically questionable situations, Nikita always tries to reconcile her work life with her outside life. Although the show declined toward the end, it will always be a favorite, and it will always be fun to watch.

Check it out if you get the chance.

So, I was shelving at work the other day when I stumbled upon a really interesting-looking book. Since I didn’t have anything to read that day, I checked it out and zipped through it that night. For some reason, I found it really moving–it’s the type of novel I’d like to own. Written by Leah Stewart, The Myth of You and Me chronicles the story of Cameron and Sonia, childhood best friends who no longer speak. Though Cameron has lost interest in the friendship, Sonia unexpectedly reaches out to her one day, causing Cameron to reflect on their past. She has no intention of reviving their relationship, but her nonagenarian boss forces her to seek out Sonia in order to deliver a mysterious package. As Cameron travels the country searching for Sonia, the reader is welcomed into their world; devouring each snippet of their friendship as it unfolds, you are left wondering what could possibly have driven these two women apart. Though the answer turns out to be a bit of a cliche, the lyrical prose, fascinating relationships, and  compelling characters make the story worthwhile.