The Butter To My Bread

juliachild09

 

I watched Julie and Julia last night from the delicious comfort of my bed. I highly recommend everything be done in bed, quite frankly. It’s my womb and safe haven. Except eating. Husband frowns on this. I have amended the no eating rule to exclude ice cream. Ice cream is fine because there are no crumbs. Crumbs make husband turn into the Incredible Hulk. 

Seems lupus was annoyed to be sharing the stage with a cold last week so she is rearing her ugly head. Everything takes energy. Going to the store to get a few things requires I come home and nap for two hours. God forbid I do two things at once. My hands ache, at time painful to use. I’ve been gobbling ibuprofen, which only does so much. Whatever. I hurt. Blah blah blah. I’m dealing.

I digress…

The movie.

I wanted MORE Julia Child. Perhaps it was Meryl Streep’s portrayal of her but didn’t that woman just ooze enthusiasm and joy? So inspiring and delightful. Her husband ADORED her, which I loved as well. What a love story. Julia and her husband, Julia and food, Julia and life. She didn’t just embrace it, she French kissed it. (I have cards from here that say FRENCH KISS LIFE, now I want to frame one).

The problem I had with the film was the Julie part. I didn’t care about her. At all. I found her irritating and trite. I understand she “found herself” through her cooking project but I didn’t SEE that in the film. I saw a whiner who well, whined a lot, and neglected her husband and was unhappy. A lot.

At one point, Julie (played by Amy Adams) says to her friend “Am I a bitch?” The friend says “Yes”. I didn’t believe it. I didn’t believe that she was a bitch. A bitch is aggressive, goes after what she wants, takes control, etc. She was just kind of a whiny asshole. Maybe the real Julie Powell is a bitch (which is fine) but Amy Adams portrayal made her just seem sort of meek and pathetic.

I wanted to like her and root for her. I just couldn’t do it. I thought the juxtaposition of these two women was clunky.

Hm. Still processing…This of course brings up all sorts of things in my head about bloggers and how they come across versus reality. Do I come across as a whiny asshole? Perhaps. Am I really one? Perhaps. A post for another time…

I will say though that I immediately wanted to read everything and anything I could get my hands on about Julia Child. The movie should have just been about her. 

And I wanted to cook. And eat. And say to my most fabulous, handsome husband “You are the butter to my bread. The breath to my life.” ( a fabulous quote from Paul Child to Julia in the film.)

Speaking of my darling bearded better half, I got the idea from Dooce to buy this t-shirt for him for Christmas. Being a font/word lover, I thought it was SO creative and thought he would appreciate the nerdiness.

elvetica_ill

Get it? El Vetica. Helvetica.

I love it and love the random Mexican wrestling mask with quotation marks for eyebrows.

Seeing as how PGP is clueless, I bring up the t-shirt casually in conversation thinking he’ll shriek (ok, he doesn’t shriek but perhaps chuckle) at the funny and creative shirt idea. So I tell him about it, not revealing that I had already purchased said shirt.

His reaction? (don’t worry…he doesn’t read my blog)

blink blink.

I smile and say “Isn’t that funny? Get it?”

blink blink. “Yeah, I get it.”

blink blink.

(turns back towards his computer)

Oh.

So when he opens it I’m going to be really dramatic and excited and shriek for him.

And then see if I can return it for a smaller size.

I wish you a lovely Sunday. I’m headed to Fancy Tiger this afternoon. Hadley is taking a craft class with her little pal. I heart her pal’s mom so we’re going to hang out while the girls get crafty. (anyone else have the Beasties just pop into their heads?)

Special holiday shout-out to the male J.H. Thanks for reading.

5 comments:

Taylor | December 20, 2009 at 12:18 PM

You aren't a whiney asshole. But, I am jealous of you doing craft fun with Miss Joan's friend and her mama which can only be explained by saying, I miss you friend.

PS Read "My Life in France" By Julia Child. I read it when we were in France and it was simply delicious.

Beth | December 20, 2009 at 1:37 PM

I now get the attraction of bed, after being stuck there for a few weeks. I now LOVE sitting in my bed. I now read books to the kids in my bed, watch movies with Casey in my bed, and work on the laptop in bed. Peaceful.

Confessions of a Mother, Lawyer & Crazy Woman | December 20, 2009 at 3:00 PM

You are not a whiney asshole in they least. Whiney assholes are people who have nothing to whine about, but do anyway. You are someone who has ACTUAL stuff to whine about, but you deal, and don't let it ruin the rest of life for you.

You seem like a person with lots of joy and love, even though you have actual things to whine about, things which could overwhelm and consume a weaker person. Big difference. I don't read the blogs of whiny assholes ... no patience for that.

I am sorry about the lupus flare. I so relate to the tired, as you know ... a little whiney assholeness ahead ... I was at Target this Fri geting important supplies for the snowstorm / end-of-the-world, per Weather Channel. By supplies, I mean, of course, olives, onion dip and US Weekly, and while in the store, I wanted to do nothing more than to curl up in the shopping cart and take a nap. For three days. Because I had the gall to take my (s---y) body shopping. Been there, done that, hate it. Moving on ...

Glad you were able to enjoy a movie in bed. Did you read the book? I felt the same way about the Julie in the book - just not v. likeable. Kind of thought Amy Adams in the movie might humanize her and give the character some happy vibes, but guess not.

Happy holidays, take care of yourself, and enjoy all the ice cream in bed you can handle. Cake Batter does a body good. - J

Sheri Nugent | December 20, 2009 at 5:52 PM

You are definitely not whiny or bitchy. I agree with you on Julie and Julia - LOVED Julia, not loving Julie. I wanted the whole movie to be Julia. In addition to My Life in France, I suggest reading "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" - so much more than a cookbook. I loved it. Also rent (from Netflix, my true love)the early "The French Chef" TV episodes (Season 1) to enjoy again how AWESOME Julia Child was. I just did that. I love her.

Confessions of a Mother, Lawyer & Crazy Woman | December 31, 2009 at 11:49 AM

Emily - Hi there! Just stopping by to wish you a 2010 full of promise and happiness.

All my best, J