I guess it’s a good thing I spent two-plus hours putting in a toddler security gate last night. During Lisa’s babysitting stint today, A—- stood and shook it while looking at the Christmas tree, constantly repeating “tree, tree!” Who knows what would’ve happened had he managed to get a hold of it.

I still haven’t figured out how to secure the tree against the cat. That’s not a problem now, but I expect issues as soon as the ornaments go up.

The New York Times has published their list of 53 Places to Go in 2008.  I note this because #40 is one of my favorite cities:  Detroit.

Seriously, it’s a good town.  Give it a chance.

Well, the tree is up and lit but not decorated. There’s some nicely appointed homes and apartments on our block, which I of course take as competition. A pretty tree isn’t going to cut it this year.

I’m still not sure what to do about that. For all practical purposes we have only eight windows for display, and I doubt the management company would appreciate me putting lights outside our windows. Then there’s the fact that, you know, we have a baby, which presents some budget constraints, and that Lisa spends a lot of time babysitting a 16-month-old, which unfortunately presents some strangulation and electrocution hazards.

Being a parent is complicated. Last year all I had to worry about was the cat tipping over the tree. Which, of course, he did.

Looks like we’re going to have a busy week. I may not be online much.

Kind of quiet lately. It’s been a busy week, mostly with work, but with a few other things as well. It hasn’t helped that I managed to screw up my right foot last weekend, and have been moving in slow-motion ever since.

The visit to the doctor on Tuesday was kind of weird, which makes sense, as my doctor is a bit of a character. He was looking at my foot, pressing it in different spots while gauging my reaction.

“Does this hurt?”

“No…”

“And this?”

“Not really.”

“So I bet this does.”

“Argh!”

At least it’s not a sprain. On the downside, though, I may have to find some shoe retailer willing to let my buy different-sized shoes. I remember that being commonplace when I was a kid, but can’t remember the last time I was at a shoe store that allowed it.

It’s been a big week for holiday parties. My employer of choice had their annual holiday reception earlier this week, and last night Lisa, Mathias and I were off to Eden Prairie for her employer’s party. It was a complete and total study in contrasts: On one end there were thousands—literally thousands—of people feasting on turkey sandwiches, holiday punch and veggies and dip while listening to an Eagan high school band, while on the other end there were 15 people sitting around a nicely appointed living room drinking wine and opening gifts.

Then there was the happy hour on Tuesday, which due to some mistakes behind the bar turned into a four-for-one evening on Premium. (Great drinking before heading out into a snowstorm, I tell you.) We actually resorted to deploying beer to neighboring tables to make sure none was wasted.

Up this weekend: Decorating, holiday card photos, and carrying a Christmas tree up two flights of stairs on a bum foot.

It looks like we have more snow on tap for Tuesday. It’s one of those rare times of year where it’s good to be a renter. While everyone else is out shoveling the walk or driveway, we can mosey on up to the big windows in our sunroom, take a sip of our Lund’s Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa and think, ah, isn’t that lovely?

This past weekend was spent cleaning. Next weekend will be spent decorating.

It’s nice to see snow at the beginning of December.  Let’s hope it sticks.

As I mentioned a few days ago, Lisa and I caught No Country For Old Men with Robin and Andy back in Madison, and it was well worth the trip to the theater. I’m not sure I’d be able to pick my favorite Coen Brothers movie (how could I?), but if I were to make the effort it would definitely have to be in the running. The acting and cinematography were great, but the sound production was what really set this movie apart. This may be the best sounding movie I’ve ever experienced, and not in the stereotypical “holy crap, did you hear that car blow up” way, either. This is a movie where socks on pavement, the hollow echo of a pressurized air canister being gently set on the ground, or the unscrewing of a light bulb (seriously) are enough to make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck, and, maybe, momentarily stop breathing.

The story is great. I’m not much of a fiction reader, but I may have to pick up the book by Cormak McCarthy. The movie is very, very dark, possibly the Coen brothers’ darkest, even when compared to Fargo or Miller’s Crossing. While there are characters that have a lot of humanity to them, they’re weak and unable (or unwilling) to fight the world around them, and grow even weaker as the plot progresses. By the end, not only has good not gained any ground, it’s actively on the retreat.

Maybe the best way to sum up the movie is to mention Lisa’s reaction–she had her eyes closed for much of the movie, and not out of boredom. It’s not a fun movie to watch, per se, but it is fascinating and wonderfully executed, and I’d definitely catch it again. 8/10.

Another contender for the Coen Brother’s darkest film would have to be their debut, Blood Simple. (It would lose, though, as humanity does manage to hold some ground.) While No Country For Old Men makes you cringe, Blood Simple relishes the opportunity to make you squirm. It’s a brilliantly painful movie, a 1980s interpretation of film noir, that at times can be exceedingly difficult to watch. Full of gullible or not-too-bright people making one exceedingly bad decision after another, the movie escalates from the bad to the horrific, with characters meeting gruesome fates along the way. As with No Country, the acting is great, and sound plays a major role in the movie (although not advancing the plot as No Country does).

It’s amazing to me this is the Cohen Brother’s first film. It is as mature and detailed as anything else they’ve ever made. Equally amazing is that it’s Frances McDormand’s first film, too. She’s fantastic in it. Or that Dan Hedaya can really act. Or that this movie was made by the same people who would go on to make The Big Lebowski of all movies… I mean, holy crap, talk about range. How the same people can make two such exceedingly different types of films is beyond me, but I’m grateful that they can.

I wouldn’t want to watch it again, but still have to highly recommend Blood Simple. (Part of me wants to give this a nine, but for some reason I can’t.) 8/10.