Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Holi-Bangs!

I'm not one for holidays believe it or not. I love celebrations, I love gatherings, I love food… but holidays I could do without. Something about the pressure to make them wonderful or the pressure to be wonderful… it's all too much for me. Thanksgiving this year provided a good week or so of stress leading up to our departure from NY but thanks to the most amazing boyfriend ever (should I just rename this blog "I LOVE MATT"??) it was one of the most wonderful Thanksgivings ever!

It's funny. Because I remember distinctly writing about the best Christmas I'd had a few years ago. It was spent in Chicago. In a bar. How is that the best Christmas? No family around? No eggnog? And let's not try to blame this on me being Irish. That excuse wore out years ago, McMurray. Clearly that was my way of saying "it was the best Christmas because it wasn't."

This year I can say with all certainty that this was the best Thanksgiving I've had (aside from the ones back in good old Colorado) and it was. It was Thanksgiving, I mean. What a lovely family, what lovely food, baby Grace and Marty McFly the dog and everyone just doing their thing. It was WONDERFUL. I got to meet a ton of friends from the past at both Boozegiving (the name says it all) and Matt's reunion (at which about 30 people showed but it was fun all the same). I can't wait to go back for Christmas!

In addition to the food, the family and the sleeping in we watched a shitload of movies. Finally got around to seeing The Comedians of Comedy (and totally fell in love with Maria Bamford) and watched part of The Night of the Hunter (Robert Mitchum) before going into the kitchen for water only to be sucked into L&O: SVU with Matthew's mom. Seriously? Yes. Sorry, dudes. Anyway, the best discovery of this past week was one mister George Sanders. He starred in (and won an Academy Award for his performance in) All About Eve. If you haven't seen this movie, DO. It's awesome. After watching it, Matt and I casually looked Mr. Sanders up on IMDB and what we found was more than we'd ever expected. This man was AWESOME.


From his biography, "George Sanders: An Exhausted Life"

What a dude. Seriously you guys. He was married 4 times including a marriage to Zsa Zsa Gabore as well as to her sister Magda. Sure the marriages were separated by 16 years but it's still kinda crazy right? Also, he was an actor so you'd think he enjoyed it yes? Not so fast! He was quoted as saying "Acting is like roller-skating. Once you know how to do it, it is neither stimulating nor exciting." Ha! He also said, “I am not one of those people who would rather act than eat. Quite the reverse. My own desire as a boy was to retire. That ambition has never changed.” and “I don't ask questions. I just take their money and use it for things that really interest me.” Amazing! Other quotes I loved are, “The important thing for a star is to have an interesting face. He doesn't have to move it very much. Editing and camerawork can always produce the desired illusion that a performance is being given.” and "A woman, a dog and a walnut tree, the more you beat them, the better they be." Um. Kidding? We hope?

Another interesting thing about him? He is credited as the author of the mystery novel, "Stranger at Home” but the book was actually ghostwritten by Leigh Brackett. The book dedication reads, "To Leigh Brackett, whom I have never met".

Come on!!

But the best thing about this guy, the very very best thing is how he died. He killed himself. At the age of 66. But wait… wait… that’s not what’s great… the best thing is the suicide note he left!

AND I QUOTE, "Dear World, I am leaving because I am bored. I feel I have lived long enough. I am leaving you with your worries in this sweet cesspool. Good luck."

How much do you love this man!!? What a bastard! Haha!

So after knowing all this the only thing left to tell you is that he co-wrote a very popular song. I’ll give you three guesses but I doubt you’ll ever get it.

Give up?

George Sanders co-wrote I’M A LITTLE TEAPOT.

Are you KIDDING ME!?! It’s comedy gold. God I love it so much
I mean I’d never want to be his kid or wife or anything but you can guaratee I’ll be reading his biography.

And I guess this concludes the Thanksgiving edition of my life without having gone into too much mundane (but wonderful) detail. That stuff I’ma keep to myself :)

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well.

Love,

Glennis