Red Line Hero

No, I didn't stand up to a flash mob on the train today. What I did was so much better.

About 4 stops from home, a couple and their young child got on the train. As they sat down, the mother next to me facing forward and the father holding the child on the other side of the aisle facing backwards, the little boy began to scream and sob.

I'm not good a guessing age, but I think he must have been around 3 years old. The screaming went on and on until we reached the next stops while Mom and Dad tried to calm him down. I figured he must be terrified of the train. Finally, as we got moving again, I understood the problem. The kid wanted to be by a window, not seated in the aisle! Having a window seat myself, the power to give it away, and an intense disdain for ill-behaved children, I offered my seat to the mom. Rather than gratefully accepting, she said "I don't want you to have to do that" (of course, she moved her legs so I could get up). I told her I was off in two stops and the father said "she probably just doesn't want to hear him screaming anymore." Right on the nose, Papa Bear.

Once the family was re-configured according to their little brat's desires, he shut up, thank God. In my head I imagined all the other passengers applauding my actions (that didn't happen in reality, but it would not have been out of place in this situation). My good deed for the day is now accomplished, but I sure hope those people spare the rest of the world the ear-peircing shrieks of their child in the future.

What Would Lisbeth Do?

The trailer and poster for the American version of The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo have been released with quite a bit of fanfare. In the trailer, the cast looks good, the mood seems appropriate, but there is absolutely no dialogue and the accompanying music seems a questionable choice.

It is more of a teaser, I guess, than a trailer. I just find it strange. What is stranger, however is the movie poster

What is up with this? I read that you can actually visit the movie's website and enter your age and see the picture without Daniel Craig's arm covering Rooney Mara's breasts. Really? That's necessary? Isn't the objectification of women exactly what these books didn't do? I feel like if Lisbeth Salander was a real person, she would find a way to hack into the computers of the people who log in to view the topless photo. I don't think there is anything really wrong with it (I assume the movie will show a lot of nakedness) it is just so seedy.

Maybe this is just sour grapes...why is Rooney topless, but Daniel's amazing torso is covered in at least two layers of clothing?

Someday

This is the most awful thing I have seen in ages. Seriously, I don't think it could be more ridiculous if it were actually planned as a joke. Don't look away.

Baba's Got a Brand New Bag!

My BFF's brother just opened a screen-printing shop in Oakland California. It is super exciting and I really hope he and his partner have great success. They have a blog and I saw a nice canvas bag that I could order.

Johnny was the oldest kid in the neighborhood, even so he would often play our games and come to our parties (usually dressed as the scariest monster so my little brother was too frightened to come downstairs). Things changed when he got his first set of wheels, a skateboard. His freedom was absolute and he wasn't around any more to play "bumper cars" and eat the sweet william (and have to puke it up afterwards).

As we got older, his pants got wider until the point when I'm pretty sure my friend and I could have fit in together, one in each leg! He got piercings and his hair and sideburns got longer, but he still said "hello" to my parents in public so we knew he was still a good kid.

I haven't seen him in years, but I can only imagine that Johnny has remained a good kid. I wish him the best of luck as an entrepreneur.

Oh yeah, and I LOVE my new bag!

It even came with some bonus stickers