Lindsayism Dot Com Colorful And Daily

the L word- Links, events, anecdotes, experiments, bad advice, esoteric gossip, and gushy worship of my favorite things. updated daily and spell checked for your pleasure!

Yesterday I was driving with my ten-year-old sister. We had a little "moment" and I said "If I was ten years old, you would be my very best friend." My sister said "Yeah!" Then, she paused for a second, and said:
"Well, Lindsay, I've seen pictures, and, well, um, you were....sort of...a nerd. I mean, you had those big glasses and everything...wait, how old were you when you got contacts?"

- posted by Lindsay Robertson @ 12/29/2003 11:16:00 AM

My friend Eric O. was cut off on the West Side Highway last week, and being the investigative reporter/crazy stalker that he is, was able to find the email address of the perpetrator. I think his email is self-explanatory:

"Hey Phil! I wanted to let you know that you recently cut me off on the West
Side Highway! I know you're used to cutting things off, but this was a
little too close for my comfort -- I'm sure you must hear that a lot in your
line of work... anyway, with a license plate like yours, I knew it must be a
custom plate. Consider yourself a victim of good advertising, because after
looking up emoil.com and finding your Bris Hotline, I got in touch with the on duty mohel who confirmed that you own the van I described... so I determined that you were the guy I had meant to flick off.
I decided to reach out to you via email so that I could use the
great line I screamed out at you while I was driving alone: "Do you have to
cut everything off?!"
Here's a TIP:
If you plan to drive like an idiot... consider removing your easy to
remember and intoxicatingly funny license plate. Anyway.. happy and
healthy new year to ya."
- posted by Lindsay Robertson @ 12/29/2003 11:00:00 AM

This new McSweeney's book looks hilarious (thanks to Flak's Eric W. for the link.)
- posted by Lindsay Robertson @ 12/29/2003 10:55:00 AM

Sunday, December 28, 2003

A Unique Post About Kid's Movies and Books, and Then Some Gossip
My ten year old sister and I just rented "Freaky Friday" (2003). Bands that were mentioned in this movie:
The Hives
The Vines ("anyone who digs The Vines can't be bad")
The White Stripes ("Do you like the White Stripes?" "Not really" "Me neither, I mean, get a bassist!")
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
So, like, that was weird and surreal and stuff. I feel sort of odd about listening to bands that are mentioned in summer blockbusters aimed at the 'tween market. But, you know, it was actually a pretty funny and well-done movie. After we watched it I was looking up books and movies I liked as a kid, and found this unintentionally hilarious Amazon review of Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume (second one from the bottom.) An excerpt:
"I am not so sure about the kissing game at Norman Fishbein's party: I sure hope that stuff did not go on at the parties my high school daughter went to, and this kind of activity is not something I would like to see suggested in a book for pre-teens. The parents in this book seem a bit too permissive in their parenting styles.
For example, there should have been adult supervision in a preadolescent mixed-gender party, and Mrs. Fishbein does not seem to learn this lesson even after the kids made a mess of her ceiling with mustard. Fortunately the activities do not (apparently) get any wilder than kissing in a darkened bathroom..."
This review, taken from the author's college Psychology course, accidentally emphasizes exactly why this book is a beloved classic: just like real kids, the girls in this book do things that their parents wouldn't approve of. I'm surprised a Psychology professor wouldn't realize that this book, like all good children's literature, addresses and appeals to a particular stage in child development - in this case, the separation from the parents and forging of autonomy.
Anyways, after seeing both Cheaper By the Dozen and Freaky Friday this weekend, I'm ready to choose a side in the ongoing feud between (Cheaper's) Hilary Duff and (Freaky's) Lindsay Lohan. Since Duff is the most annoying actress in the world, it's no contest. Lindsay wins.
- posted by Lindsay Robertson @ 12/28/2003 07:49:00 PM

My Favorite Movies of 2003

1. Lost in Translation
BlahBlahBlah everyone's favorite you know why BlahBlahBlah. I cried.
2. Big Fish
Okay, how do I say this without getting killed? Hmmm, let's see. While I acknowledge that Tim Burton is a brilliant director, the Tim Burton aesthetic has never spoken to me personally. It must have something to do with my cheery sunshineyness versus his dark broody gothiness (I guess he's more my type as a boyfriend than as a movie director.) BUT, this latest movie had everything that makes me love a movie: unique characters, a blurring of reality and fantasy, a journey, a realistic love story, and a morality tale. I cried.
3. Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle
This was the only 2003 movie I saw more than once. I saw it 3 times, in fact. I loved this movie because it wasn't an action movie - it was a straight-up comedy, and a smart send-up of the action movie genre. This movie redefined the sight gag. And Drew Barrymore's character is my favorite female character, like, ever. I can't decide if I want to do her or be her. Maybe I want to be her and then do myself. That works. I can't wait for the third installment. I almost cried (Crispin!)
4. Shattered Glass
I can't believe I hated this movie for the first half hour! Every problem I had with it came together in the end. I should have trusted that that would happen. Peter Sarsgaard is one of the best actors working today. I'm going to go join his fan club and if there isn't one, I'm going to start one. That's how good he is. (update)
5. Capturing the Friedmans
At the end, as I sat collecting myself during the credits, I thought "This is too much. I can't handle this." And I was just an uninvolved person watching a movie! Then I wandered around the east village listening to Hail To the Thief and finding quiet desperation and anguish on the faces of every passerby. That is filmmaking. (and music making.)
6. 21 Grams
One thing is certain: I can NEVER see this movie again. My friend was actually worried about me, I cried so much (being a heartless boy, he didn't shed a tear) It was very affecting, obviously. But I can never see it again. Ever.

That's right, only six. I got tired of listing. My LEAST favorite movies of 2003 were Buffalo Soldiers and Mona Lisa Smile, both of which were so horrible they actually made me angry. My most disappointing was American Splendor - stylistically brilliant but missing a single likeable character.
- posted by Lindsay Robertson @ 12/28/2003 12:01:00 PM

Friday, December 26, 2003

"It seems that I'm seasoned to be/ In the season of the old me..."
Hello from Tallahassee. I hate Tallahassee. I went out last night to the makeshift high school reunion that is the only good bar open on Christmas (out of a possible two good bars in the city.) The first person I ran into from high school also lives in NYC! Weird. One thing I've noticed - every time I run into someone from high school, they look WORSE than they did in high school, unless they live in New York, in which case they look better. There are exceptions, of course, but few.
Yesterday I saw "Mona Lisa Smile." It was so bad all I could think of was the pitch meeting: "Five words: Dead Poets Society, with chicks." The only good thing about this movie was Maggie Gyllenhaal, but even she couldn't redeem it from total cliche. My friends Christy and Mike made the same mistake the other day, but had more fun because they yelled "Oh Captain, My Captain!" at the corresponding scene and had to be shushed by old ladies.
This is so boring. Sorry. I'm putting up a Best Moments of 2003 thing later, though.
- posted by Lindsay Robertson @ 12/26/2003 12:18:00 PM

Tuesday, December 23, 2003

Congratulations Elizabeth! Wow. Wow. Wow. (Added bonus: Now the whole world knows it's "Spy-ers".)
- posted by Lindsay Robertson @ 12/23/2003 01:00:00 PM

Monday, December 22, 2003

addendum to Best Albums of 2003 list: The Decemberists, The Rapture, Belle and Sebastian. Throw 'em somewhere in there. (And if you want to know the truth, the single song I listened to the most in 2003 was "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" by Wilco.)
- posted by Lindsay Robertson @ 12/22/2003 03:18:00 PM

Wow, Max was just iming with a friend in L.A. when an earthquake hit. it's not on CNN yet. whoa!
- posted by Lindsay Robertson @ 12/22/2003 02:26:00 PM

I'm in Boston now. This is how I characterize the Boston social scene. (Note that I'm fully aware that my characterization says more about me than it does Boston, and that it's kinda awful):
"Sometimes really fun cool things happen in Boston. But nobody is watching."
(that said, anyone who knows of anything good going on in Boston tonight can aim me - lindsayism1. I have to have some fun before my six day sentence to Tallahassee, Florida.)
- posted by Lindsay Robertson @ 12/22/2003 02:14:00 PM

(I certainly hope people are clicking on the link on the regular site and coming here because I saved all my "best of 2003" stuff for this week...)
A lone Highdea:
* BCC-Pals
I got this idea because there's a dude who accidentally writes to me all the time because my name is similar to the name of one of his friends and outlook fills it in (he wrote to me on purpose once, that's how I'm in there.) At first the emails were really cryptic and then we figured it all out. Now, when I see an email from him I write back "Um, I think it's happened again." But then I thought "I'm such a voyeur, I don't want this to stop. I want him to get into soap opera situations and accidentally tell me all his secrets."
SO, that gave me the idea for "BCC Pals". A BCC pal is a person you don't know, who hopefully lives somewhere far away, and all you do is BCC each other your fucked up melodramatic missives (or forward the ones you get) for voyeuristic entertainment. How many times have you gotten in an email war with a friend (or lovah) and fired off what you think is the most brilliant line ever, and bemoaned the fact that it was doomed to an audience of one? Everything is reappropriated as entertainment now, why not on a grassroots level? (feel free to BCC or forward to me, changing the names if you want. I like to watch and I can keep a secret.)
Another version of this idea: BCC.com - Where you can do this and it goes onto a blog with all of the names changed. Maybe with recurring characters?
- posted by Lindsay Robertson @ 12/22/2003 01:48:00 PM

My Top Ten Albums of 2003
1. Radiohead: Hail To the Thief
You know that part in "2+2=5" where it builds and builds and then just goes crazy with all that gospel-hymn-climactic-chaos? Well, I can no longer listen to that on the subway, because I get chills and break into a huge smile at that part and people think I'm retarded. This album is sad, but hopeful.
2. Grandaddy: Sumday
I trust this band as much as I trust any band. Each song seems to hold a little lesson in it. They aren't just fucking around. They know exactly what they're doing. Nobody is more the new Flaming Lips than Grandaddy. Oh - and they still really, really, really like robots.
3. The Information: I Love Trouble (EP)
I had a tradition in 2003. While riding the Chinatown bus to Boston to catch an Information show, I would wait until we hit the 'pike (45 min before Boston) and put this on Repeat All and crack open one of those little airplane bottles of red wine to prepare for the show. These four songs never fail to break through the Dramamine-fog and get me excited to see my favorite band. The songs are simultaneously energetic and dark, and have something that is so hard to find in the art of those with whom you are intimate - a feeling of universality, and a trust that this band has something to say, in this case, about love triangles and jealousy and doubting your sanity. This was the music that changed my life on a personal level in 2003 and it belongs on this list. (though, for the record, mine is not the only best-of list this EP ended up on. )
4. The Strokes: Room On Fire. Lifts the mood better than a line. Try to keep your toe from tapping. Just try.
5. The Postal Service: Give Up
I don't really like the JFK song or the movie song, but Such Great Heights would make up for anything. This was one of those records that made me wish I'd get dumped, just so I could fully wallow along with it.
6. The Polyphonic Spree: The Beginning Stages of... (rerelease) A long time ago, Max sent me an email with a link to a TPS download, saying "This band was created for you to love." He was sort of right. Nothing exemplified 2003's Slouching Towards Sincerity better than this band, and their deal with the Disney Devil provided the cognitive dissonance cherry on top.
7. The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow
The first song is one of those songs that comes on the jukebox and I have to pause my conversation and just listen.
8. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Fever To Tell
I like this album a lot, but the main reason I'm thankful for it is for inspiring my kick-ass Halloween costume. At least I admit this fact.
9. Nada Surf: Let Go
If The Postal Service gave us the breakup album of the year, Nada Surf provided the pre-relationship "I wish I could fall in love" album. Let Go is like a prequel to Give Up. Dude, I could write a dissertation on this - line all the songs up in order and you have a perfect boy-longs-for-girl, boy-gets-girl, boy-loses-girl narrative. I think there's a conspiracy at work here...
10. The White Stripes: Elephant
I just couldn't hate them anymore after this.
- posted by Lindsay Robertson @ 12/22/2003 12:50:00 PM

Friday, December 19, 2003

Hi. This is where I will be 'blogging during my Christmas vacation. I will be in Boston, Tallahassee, Boston again, and then finally back in my sweet sweet New York, just in time to hear about how fun New Year's Eve was without me. I'll probably be blogging a LOT while I'm gone to keep myself sane. (Oh, and if you came here from somewhere else, my normal 'blog is lindsayism.com)
- posted by Lindsay Robertson @ 12/19/2003 05:04:00 PM

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