Next Stop Wonderland

Sunday, August 30, 1998
One year ago: Judgment Day

Friday I was at Vonda's Birthday party (with pictures!) and Saturday I went to INFJAG (also with pictures). Oh, and I added a picture to last Thursday's entry.

This morning I worked on getting caught up with this journal. I didn't want to skim over my experiences of the past few days. The process of compressing images and making thumbnails takes some time, too!

At midafternoon, I decided to go see the movie that Helen and I had missed out on earlier this week. Next Stop Wonderland had been well recommended by my film buddy A----, but I hadn't been able to catch it during the film festival. A--- especially thought it would interest me because it's about a woman whose mother takes out a personal ad on her behalf!

It was a fine afternoon, comfortably warm and non-humid. I walked briskly down my street, stopping off at a local pub to get information about their open mike night. I know someone who participates in such events and I thought he might like to try this one. We'll see if that happens. Then off down the hill to Broadway and the theater. I restrained myself from buying candy to bring along.

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I liked the movie a lot! I might even go see it again sometime. The only flaw was that Brad Anderson, the writer and director, packed so much material in that he wasn't quite in control of it all. We see the female lead go through a series of blind dates with men who answer the personal ad that her mother has placed for her. In parallel with that, we see bits of the life of the guy the filmmaker intends for her, and the many close encounters they have before they actually meet. Characters keep discussing Fate and Destiny. Is your life just chance, or is there an unseen force directing it? There are subplots with the male lead, involving a shady construction company, a dopey security guard, family problems, and much more, and it's this material that seems to distract from the main theme of the female lead finding her true love.

My experiences from personal ads thankfully haven't been like those in the movie. I've mostly had a very good time!

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I met my movie friends C--- and Y--- on my way out of the theater. We discussed the film for a few minutes. I joked that I'd pretend that I'd been with them the whole time, thus avoiding the "alone" stigma that was part of the movie. Of course, I don't really feel that way. I see movies by myself quite often!

I wandered again through the housewares department of Urban Outfitters, where Helen and I were last Wednesday. I'd need to do a lot of clearing out before buying any new decorative accessories for my place, and I don't think I really want some kind of ethnic, world-hip environment around me, anyway. But stacks of small picture frames, votive candle holders, gold metallic or sheer gauze curtains neatly packed away in matching cloth bags, have a hypnotizing effect on me, and I want them!

I resisted buying anything there, but did stop at the Seattle Candleworks, on the second level of a mini-mall farther down the street. This shop shares space (and staff, at least on Sundays) with Villain, a newish leather and fetish gear store. I surveyed all the candles. Why are fruit scents so popular now? I don't know what I'm wishing for in candle scent, but I know it isn't orange or watermelon or strawberry. When I was ready, a tall young man with green hair had to leave the girl he was helping in the leather store (discussing with her the fine points of velvet versus velveteen, and princess cut as opposed to empire cut), and sell me Candle Zest from Avid, in Fresh Linen scent. This product is a clever idea: small cubes of highly scented wax, to be dropped into a non-scented votive, pillar or container candle. Cute! Of course, I'm using one now!

Breaking pattern tonight. I took an evening bath, and instead of using the soul-cleansing green-tea scented gel that I usually do, I used up a bottle of sandlewood oil that I have had for a long time. I can still smell it on myself, so I don't smell like myself.

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