Sunday, March 25, 2007

Up-lifting

The Lounge will be closed for a week or so. Deal with it.

In the meantime, I encourage you to Netflix Michael Apted's entire "7 Up" series.

I think I may have mentioned this before, but in case I haven't, go get it. Contrary to the positive-sounding title, and while it can be brilliant and beautiful, it is a hauntingly-heartbreaking series in which we watch a dozen British seven-year-olds decline, sept-annually, toward slow inevitable obscurity, disappointment, and death.

Starting at age seven, in the mid 1960s, the same group has been filmed every seven years to find out where they are along their "journey." We started watching the latest installment tonight, "49 Up." The kids are now 49. Most are fat. Most are grandparents. I suspect at least one has died, but I haven't gotten to that part yet.

Despite distance, political boundaries and quirky turns of phrase, we see that all lives are essentially the same. We are them, and they are us. What we blame on fate is really nothing more than the predictable pattern on human existence. Pointless, really, when you come to think about it.

31 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:03 AM

    Nothing quite like an uplifting start on a Monday morning. Who shit in your punchbowl this weekend?

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  2. Anonymous10:34 AM

    Somebody needs a hug.

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  3. The point of your existence is in your wife's womb and running around your house screaming daddy.

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  4. Anonymous11:18 AM

    Somebody does need a hug, but I'm not sure if it's Brian or Fred.

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  5. Anonymous11:29 AM

    Closed? Kegger at inog's!

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  6. Anonymous12:23 PM

    Maybe Brian and Fred should hug each other.

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  7. Anonymous3:36 PM

    ewwwww!

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  8. Anonymous3:39 PM

    Apparently, anonymous is a heterophobe.

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  9. Anonymous3:58 PM

    Not exactly. You assume too much.

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  10. Anonymous4:04 PM

    "Not exactly" isn't much of denial. So there is some truth to the assumption.

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  11. Anonymous4:11 PM

    Is this getting personal?

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  12. quirky turns of phrase

    thats you Americans, us British talk proper

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  13. Anonymous4:56 PM

    Nah, not personal. I'm not sure who personal you can get with an anonymous and an pseudonym.

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  14. Anonymous5:07 PM

    Fred is a hottie. I would hug her naked.

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  15. Anonymous6:01 PM

    'fred' doesn't approve of pseudonyms?

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  16. Anonymous7:56 PM

    Uh, anonymous, my use of the term pseudonym was in reference to myself.

    Oh, wait. If you are the same anonymous who implied that he/she is a lawyer in the comments for the previous posting, that would explain why this might be confusing for you. You see, the term pseudonym is of Greek origin so you might not be familiar with it. A synonymous term of Latin orgin is alias.

    And, Mrs. G&T, you are one hot momma yourself.

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  17. Anonymous5:26 AM

    Different anonymous, but nice try.

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  18. Anonymous9:17 AM

    I said if . . . Apparently, people who use anonymous have a tendency towards reading comprehension issues.

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  19. Anonymous5:23 AM

    Wow. So I guess everyone was right- Fred does need a hug.

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  20. Anonymous7:09 AM

    Wow. Anonymous does have issues with reading comprehension since it was anonymous who has been trolling for hugs. Poor anonymouse. No one to hug.

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  21. Anonymous9:11 AM

    Hugs for everybody!

    Except anonymous who thinks needing a hug is a bad thing.

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  22. Anonymous10:26 AM

    I find 7Up uplifting

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  23. Anonymous11:42 AM

    That's because I'm crisp and clean with no caffeine.

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  24. Anonymous2:56 PM

    Don't steal my name!

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  25. Anonymous10:23 PM

    Why is it I'm the only one think'n that Big Bri is off to rehab when ever there is a break in the Lounge?

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous7:43 AM

    He said the Lounge would be closed a week this time. Only Britney can do rehab that fast. Wait- did Brian shave his head or get a new tatoo?

    ReplyDelete
  27. Maybe it's testicular cancer, and he's getting a silicone ball put in.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous1:27 PM

    We knew a wrestler in high school that lost one of his balls. We called him uno.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous11:05 PM

    So if Big Bri shaves his balls - does that mean it could be rehab and testy cancer?

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous11:07 PM

    and who wants to check?

    eeeeeewwwwww

    Maybe he'll go commando and get out of a limo - anyone willing to get a shot of that?

    ReplyDelete

Be compelling.

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