Fri 21 Mar 2008
A few short paragraphs about a few different things like Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and your favorite reality show (don’t deny it)
Posted by Cara under general* When I was little, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s “The Little Prince” was a staple in our household, along with this book of Italian folktales by Italo Calvino and the movie “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.” Anyway, when people mention any of those things, which, like, never happens with Calvino’s collection of folktales, by the way, I’m totally taken back to those childhood memories, so this recent story about how a German pilot, Horst Rippert, believes he may have shot down Saint-Exupéry’s plane during World War II really got to me. I mean, to be totally honest, I didn’t even know there was a mystery surrounding the author’s death, I just liked the story about the little prince all alone on his planet, which, actually, is also kind of sad, so before this whole post gets too sad, I’ll mention that one of the great things about my new job is that I’m constantly learning. Learning that a German pilot may have shot down a beloved author of children’s books, for instance. Wait. Now it’s sad again.
* It appears that after renting for my entire adult life, I can’t quite get used to the idea that we own our new house. You know, own it, as in, it’s ours. While talking on the phone today to the contractor who is doing a little work on our place before we move in, I found myself asking if we could stop by sometime? Like maybe Sunday? Would that be ok? He told me that, yeah, we could stop by anytime we wanted. Oh yeah, right! That’s right! Because it’s our house.
* I’m assuming that you’re getting ready for March 24 with the same enthusiasm that I am. What? What’s that? What’s happening on March 24? Ok, people. This is me you’re talking to. It’s ok. I used to claim I hated “The Hills,” too, even as I watched with rapt attention. I’d say things like “Oh my God, this is so fake,” and “How can these people respect themselves?” and then before I knew it my comments were more along the lines of “This is the best show ever created by humankind,” and my sister-in-law had bought me the first season on DVD for Christmas, now a cherished possession. So, it’s cool, if you want to pretend you’re not going to watch the third season premiere on Tuesday, whatever, but if you want to fess up to your obsession and discuss the intricate details with me the next day? I’ll definitely be up for that.
March 22nd, 2008 at 2:07 am
Oh, geeze…I could probably give you a thousand words about The Little Prince, easy, since it was also one of our staples for literary in my family.
If I were commanding a general to turn into a seagull, and if the general did not obey, that would not be the general’s fault. It would be mine.
(That’s just one off the top of my head, correct quotation or not.)
But I also learned along with the book about the North African demise of the author and the mystery about it. There was actually something on Discovery a couple of years ago I watched about how they thought they found his plane. He had, as I recall, already crashed once, hence the book, and there was always a debate about whether he just sucked as a pilot.
Draw me a sheep…
LOVE IT!
e
March 22nd, 2008 at 2:17 am
Not to hog the post…
But I am here to tell you that owning a house…you ain’t seen nothing yet. My first big deal was a leak in the roof that leaked stuff in a gigantic storm, and running around making sure all our “things” were OK, only to realize that the most expensive thing we owned was the leaking and causing it and there was no landlord to call! This was about two months after we moved in. Good times!
:)
e
March 23rd, 2008 at 6:27 pm
I’ll admit it - I am totally waiting for the new season of The Hills. Unfortunately, it starts at my bedtime, so I’ll have to catch it one of the 36 times they rerun it during the week.
March 23rd, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Have you ever seen the really bizarre movies made from Le petit prince in the 70s? They’re so bad that they’re good.
March 24th, 2008 at 4:26 am
Or you can do what I do, Megan, and watch it on mtv.com the next day. It’s past my bedtime too, and even if I do try to stay up, I end up falling asleep just moments before it starts!
I can’t wait…it’s been too long of a wait for the new season!
March 24th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Cara - the 24th is TODAY (not Tuesday) and I CAN’T WAIT!
March 25th, 2008 at 8:09 am
since no one else has commented from the other side of the fence, I’ll start by saying that The Hills makes me want to unplug the TV forever. The sad thing is, it’s so horrible, that I can’t help but watch it when Cara has it on, because I feel the need to yell at the stupid characters in the hope they might hear me.
March 25th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Justin loves Jenn Bunny
March 25th, 2008 at 10:08 am
You know you love it, Justin! Thank god for the DVR or I’d never hear all the important diaglogue over Will’s yelling. Will, who also never seems to leave the room even though he “can’t believe that [I’m] watching THAT show again.”
March 25th, 2008 at 10:29 am
This is how last night went down: Me, quietly lying on the floor watching “The Hills” very happily until Justin, who just so happened to be “doing some work” in the same room started yelling at Spencer VERY LOUDLY. He can’t hear you, Justin! It’s just a tv show…
March 25th, 2008 at 11:34 am
I want to know what Justin was saying to Spencer?
Bobby can’t believe I watch a show that is “so scripted”. I say, “Who cares, script or no script I like it anyway!” Besides, isn’t every “reality” show “scripted” in one way or another!