Favorites 4.4.17

20th Century Women: Maybe my favorite Mike Mills movie. A perfect depiction of a slice of history, of a "family" in 1979 San Diego and all the complex, strange, wonderful stuff of being alive (including, but not limited to, punk and skateboarding). Being uniquely in my late 30s  (you might call it the "middle" of life), I feel like I can empathize with a lot of different ages right now. I can, for example, vividly recall what it was like to enter the impossible landscape that one must traverse from being a teenager into adult hood. And yet, at the same time, I can absolutely imagine what it will be like in the not-so-distant-future to turn, say, 55. This movie does the exact same thing, artfully.

Lucinda Williams, "Passionate Kisses": "Is it too much to ask I want a comfortable bed that won't hurt my back?" A perfect opening line. I love Lucinda and this, the sweetest theme song for crazy liberated women everywhere (i.e. me!).

The Puppy Growing Up: The puppy (did I ever tell you about my new puppy?) is getting bigger, yes, but thank the heavens, his brain is also growing. There's the young lad below, at left, all of 5 months old, next to Chelsea's adult-sized Igby. I can't say we've shared any moments of spiritual communion yet, Piney and me. I'm still teaching him to not step in his own pee. But I can't wait for a time, very soon, when he's all grown up and can be my emotional support animal—instead of me being his ...