There must have been a time, in the beginning, when we could have said--no. But somehow we missed it

I should just start logging movies like I do novels. I'll have to go back and see if I can figure out what number I'm on.

# 40: Youth Without Youth

Coppola's return to directing after 10 years. I've seen reviews calling this boring and incomprehensible. To that I would happily respond with a boot to the face to aid comprehension. This movie is fabulous. And fabulist. And fantastic, in both senses. It reminds me a lot of The Fountain, but I like this more. (Yes, for reasons having much to do with Tim Roth, I freely admit.)

( Vaguely spoilerific ramblings and squee, and one serious bitch. )

I think Pirici's character just crawled into my brain with all her luggage and cute hats, actually. Why do I keep having these ideas for historicals, damn it? (The answer is, of course, the fabulous costumes.) WWII spy-mages would be way too much fun.

I've also noticed a crazy amount of repeating imagery and themes in the past few movies I've watched--The Hulk, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern, Red Dwarf, and now this. Either I need to medicate, or the universe is trying to cram story into my brain with a cricket bat.

I've been living in films for the sake of Russia, a kino-runner for the DDR

I decided to figure out how many movies I've watched this year. Because movies may not be quite as involved as books, but they're still stories to be ingested, and I don't think I ingest any story completely passively. Even, sadly, the really awful ones.

( Die Liste )

Crazy fabulous gorgeous puppets!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5lDkYBh-fQ

(Watch out, I'm feeling spammy today)

Two questions (jewelry and poetry)

(I warned you about the spamming.)

First off, I'd like to do another jewelry-making binge and subsequent sale as soon as I can afford a jaunt through Fire Mountain. I'm tempted to do an all-request sale. I.e., you tell me what sort of stones and color combinations you like, and I'll make something with them. I've had one request for bloodstone, and someone else mentioned liking amber and aventurine. So if there's something you'd like, or something you think the universe needs more of in general, leave a comment and let me know.

---

And the poetry question, because my memory and google-fu are completely failing me. I keep thinking there's another poetical reference to hounds-of-something, besides Swinburne's hounds of springs from "Atalanta". I'm convinced of it, in fact, but I can't figure out what I'm thinking of. There were hounds, and something architectural, and God... I read this poem in a lit class, and found it on Bartleby again pretty recently, but for the life of me I can't remember the author or what keywords I used to find it. Does anyone have clue what I'm on about?

+2 Turkish Spinach and Lentil Soup of Pure Awesome

The original recipe.

I made this what's in the pantry today? style, so my ingredients were:

2 cups already cooked lentil soup
4 cups chicken broth
1 tspn salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 shallot
2 tablespoons garlic
1/4 tspn curry powder (maybe not a great sub for the cayenne, but it was all I could find)
1 spoon-ish-ful crushed bay (I dumped in too much and couldn't scoop enough out. This becomes important later.)
1 spoon-ish-ful thyme
1/2 cup bulgur
1 tablespoon cilantro
1 spoon-ish-ful dried parsley
2 cups chopped tomato
1 small can tomato paste
a pinch rosemary
salt & pepper
2 handfuls of spinach

Saute the onion, garlic, cayenne, bay/thyme, and bulgur in the olive oil. Stir until onions and bulgur are browned. (Don't burn the bulgur like I did. Also don't dump in too much bay.)

Mix in the parsley/cilantro, tomatoes, and tomato paste.

Add the lentils and broth.

Simmer for 15 minutes.

Add salt & pepper and rosemary to taste.

I heard somewhere that spinach is better for you cooked, so I sauteed it lightly in some garlic before dumping it into the pot.

At this point, mine was way too bitter, which I blame on the bay accident. So I added a spoonful of brown sugar, a splash of cream, and two crushed red chilis. This fixed it pretty darn well. Even with last minute corrections, it's delicious.