The Oscar-Nominated Animated Shorts

For the last two years, the boyfriend and I have gone to see the oscar-nominated animated shorts at the IFC.  The first time was a fluke - I was in town for the weekend while we were dating long-distance (me in SF, him here) and had just been blown off by his flaky friends.  We were killing time in the west village - it was cold and things were starting to get dull . . .exactly the last thing I wanted on our rare, magical, in-person weekend!  We were hanging out in that weird little park near Minetta Lane and 6th Ave, the fountain was turned off for the winter, and there were some unsavory folks hanging around in the park with us.  The idea of going to a movie was perfect, and the Oscar-nominated shorts were nearby, time-appropriate, and moderately interesting.  And they were GREAT.  Short little animated videos that packed lots of emotional punch - sometimes sad, sometimes happy, occasionally boring, but always incredibly thoughtful.

The investment of 8 minutes a video paid off dividends when, halfway through the Academy Awards broadcast, when things were getting dull, there was a category we cared about.  Passionately!  We had opinions about which video was best, having seen every entry in the category in one 2-hour block.  (That never happens to me - I'm usually basing my opinion on the tabloid presence of the stars and the buzz about 4/5 movies.)  It livened up the whole experience and made waiting for the good awards at the end a lot more satisfying.

We saw them again last year, remembering how fun it was the year before . . . and it had the same results.  This year we're going again - tonight!   I'm excited for a nice date and the start of what feels like a bona-fide tradition.

I'm a Navy Blue Preppie.

I am preppy.  In some ways, I just can't help it.  I grew up in the suburbs of New York and my mother isn't stylish.  We wore practical clothes - they were cute, but not fussy.  And definitely not flashy.  They matched our hair. I inherited her hair - fine, straight, and a little bit lank.  It doesn't do much, but responds well to ponytails and headbands.  Preppy.  Critter raincoats and duck boots and a giant L.L. Bean beach bag.  At the time, I didn't know it was L.L. Bean, I just knew it was sturdy and practical.  I didn't question these things, and I wasn't really aware of them.  I just knew I didn't quite fit in with some of the other kids who knew about designer things and were up on the neon trend.  It was the eighties.  I still remember the first time I saw neon and squishy socks - Jeanne had gotten three neon sweater vests and matching socks for christmas and she showed them to me.  I can still picture the bright pink and yellow - they were wonderful and refreshing.  But, not really for me.  I never owned neon then and , since I'm old enough to remember it, I think I'm too old to rock it now that it's back in.

It wasn't until college that I realize I'm waspy.  Actually waspy - I take after my mother and, although she converted to Judaism, was born and raised presbyterian.  It explained so much.  And I've been enjoying reading preppy blogs - I feel this warm camaraderie, and figured I should join the party with my own, even though I think I fit a slightly different mold.  The mid-atlantic-almost-new-england mold, if you will.  I'm not into pink and green, and I don't really understand the fascination with Lilly Pulitzer, but I love navy blue like there is no tomorrow.   Navy blue and headbands and, yes, pearls.  Graduated.  For my bat mitzvah, from my grandmother, from her wedding, from my grandfather.  I treasure them but don't wear them often. They are too formal and too precious.  Instead, I wear cheap pearls I bought in China, and try to feel rebellious.

Welcome, March

I'm ready for you. Ready to be done with Winter and gloves and hats and feeling like I ought to be wearing a scarf. (I'm warm enough, Mom, I have an awesome hat. More to come on that later, I'm sure. I love my hat.)

And it probably doesn't hurt that my horoscope (I'm a scorpio) was incredibly positive for March. 6 planets in my House of Love! Still - 6 planets in my House of Love! My aspect (ratio?) hasn't been this good since 1998-1999 so, bring it March! I expect good things.

I'm ready for you, even though a sunny day isn't quite coming in like this:

and I am concerned this means you will not know to tiptoe out like this in a few weeks:

Sidenote: I think pictures of real baby animals would be adorable and not puke-inducing decor for a nursery. Check out this one too!

Both photos are from Sharon Montrose's etsy store and came to my attention through A Cup of Jo - http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SharonMontrose Swoon. And paired with my new favorite paint color, courtesy of http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/roundup-magazines/a-cool-and-elegant-renovation-for-a-little-kitchen-country-living-110008, Atmosphere Blue from Restoration Hardware, wouldn't it make a darling room? Sweet and soothing and satisfyingly gender-neutral even though it's blue. I decorate in my daydreams. But still, wouldn't it be adorable and not at all cloying? Maybe this blog will be my version of filing ideas away because I'm definitely nowhere near pregnant.

Who knows where this will go. . . (Hopefully somewhere where I can learn those nifty hyperlinks rather than real links. For now, you're stuck with this.)