Eight and Nine

Here are two more for the “Top 10” list for winter break. Why do I feel like this list might grow to "Top 20." Lists are fun.

Still kicking myself for not doing an "End of Year" post and so impressed with those of you who did. Would it be too late to write one in February?

Without further ado...

8. Adults Pursuits
Saturday afternoon (and not a moment too soon) I finally slipped out for some “Me” time. I did some leisurely kid-free grocery shopping (Heaven, even if it was Costco the weekend before everyone went back to school and also apparently decided to return their Christmas presents). I went to the mall to spend a gift card (a strand of fake pearls so I can be just like Julia Child—I re-watched “Julie & Julia” over the break, can you tell?).

But the highlight of my day was seeing a movie. Alone. I’m a huge fan of this. There is no haggling over what to see, no discussion of where to sit. It’s just me in the dark, alone, with a muted cell phone and for two hours, nothing and no one can touch me. I used to do this a lot before I had kids.

I saw “Up in the Air,” which was good but not great. I liked its intelligence, the writing was good and it definitely had heart, which for me, trumps everything. Ultimately I think I’m a sucker for any movie that has an Elliott Smith song in it (Oh, Elliott Smith, I miss you). I loved that they paired George Clooney with someone in his nearish age bracket, since it seems that it’s become Hollywood habit to have leading men involved with women who could easily be their daughters. Then I got home and IMDBed Vera Farmiga and hello she’s YOUNGER THAN I AM. She’s lying. She’s totally, totally lying. Right?

9. "Glee," Volume 2
I bought it with a leftover iTunes gift card that I forgot I even had (Christmas in January!). I think I burned a hole in Volume One I listened to it so much. I feel like a bit of a cliché for even talking about this, but it’s that good. It’s that mood altering and it doesn’t involve intoxicants so who can argue? On paper, it sounds absurd. Listening to covers of songs by Van Halen and Journey and Cyndi Lauper sung by teenagers? Riggghhhht. Sign me up! It just…appeals to the musical theater nerd geek in me (which is decidedly not buried very deep).

Maybe watching “Glee” and listening to its music has allowed me in some odd way to relive high school again but on my terms, and with killer, mostly upbeat but often sentimental, so all the better) background music. If I could do it all over I would not care so much, I would not worry so much (I know, so original) and I would definitely eat a lot more. Starvation=not recommended. And also? I should have been in glee club.

At this point, it doesn't matter at all. But still, things could have been so different.