Beezus? Really?

Not sure how I'm feeling about this trailer for Ramona and Beezus...






These books are special to me and to so many people who grew up with them. I revere Beverly Cleary for the way she could get into a child's head and communicate it on the page.

Along with her words, I remember the illustrations of Louis Darling





This last pic is how I see Beezus and Ramona in my bookish mind. Wasn't Beezus written over and over as a gawky, awkward pizzaface (i.e., zits)?

And if that's supposed to be Henry Huggins acting somewhat lovey toward Beezus in the trailer, that's just all sorts of wrong.

This is why I don't see movies adapted from books I love -- always disappointing. Yes, I know I'm passing judgment based on scant information, but I don't care. I'll keep Beezus, Ramona and Henry in my head right where Beverly Cleary and Louis Darling left them, thank you very much.

video via gawker

Family discord

This article was in my local paper this past Thursday, but apparently it has been published and re-published in many papers over a few months, which hopefully is a good thing...

Caught in a family battle? How to bring your crumbling clan back together

Not too long ago, a couple of my sisters and I attended a large family event -- a reunion for most of the attendees, but not necessarily for us since we'd never met most of them -- and it was a simply lovely experience. What kind, beautiful and friendly people they were, and what a joy it was to meet them. And the history! We learned much about our father's (and our) history and relatives and background that little was known of before.

Why were we not acquainted with these lovely family members prior to this? Was it possibly because of some stupid feud that was passed on through generations, as described in the article?

Actually, yes it was, which is tremendously sad, as it led to my father and his brother barely knowing their father, and us not knowing these beautiful people.

Similar discord continues in my family to this day, albeit for a heavier reason.

nice trick

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, in 3d on IMAX

See it.

That is all.