Consumption

We consumed culture: Last night, we watched an episode of The Fugitive with David Janssen, guest-starring Vera Miles and Brian Keith. This QM Production (some of us remember the read-aloud credits) reminded us how long ago Camelot actually was. The show originally aired in 1963 - over two generations ago. The settings and backgrounds are only somewhat recognizable, and the technology seems bizarrely backward: Tucson, Arizona is a small town, seeing a psychiatrist is for people who are sick, and police don't even have radios. As for the art, the acting is mannered, the pace slow, and the camerawork steady (one handheld sequence, in a crowded bar, is jarring and realistic rather than contrived and stylish). And yet, it was engrossing and compelling; I had forgotten how much Janssen could do with so little, conveying volumes with just a few muscles in his face and a cock of his head. I look forward to the rest of the DVD.

We joined the consumer culture: After breakfast today, Otis discovered that her list had reached critical mass and it was time for an expedition to Ikea. I wish I could say it was a breeze, but it was a struggle all the way through: crowds, overstimulation, and nimiety. In the end, Otis got a bunch of provisions for her business needs (art and massage), and we got some household necessaries as well, but no Swedish meatballs.

We consumed lunch: I gotta tell ya, I'm a sucker for a good old-fashioned salad bar, where I can put together a big, green garden salad. You can't find those much anymore; Sizzler used to have one of the better ones, but that was way back in the day. Today, we have Zuppa's, a salad bar cum pasta bar cum soup bar cum bread bar cum dessert bar. The food was just okay and the ambiance totally plastic without any redeeming kitsch or irony; I guess the meal served to sustain life, but it didn't bring much else to the experience.

We consumed time: Of course, our return from Ikea (and a couple of other stops along the way) necessitated Putting Stuff Away, which led to Cleaning Up A Bit and Moving This Stuff To The Shed, which turned into Reorganizing The Place, Just A Little. Oh, yeah.

We consumed dinner: MaryBee is back! Otis and I joined her and J-Force and T-Square at Chef Liao's for a delicious welcome-home meal. Mary regaled us with tales of the sultry south, and even though she is only here for a shy-week, we hope to get with her again for more catching up before she heads back to the Sunshine State.

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Random pictures:


Deer under a trampoline


Ummmmm...