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Dogma
Mother goddesses are just as silly a notion as father gods. If a revival of the myths of these cults gives woman emotional satisfaction, it does so at the price of obscuring the real conditions of life. This is why they were invented in the first place.
-- Angela Carter
Tuesday, December 7, 1999
One year ago: Disoriented
Two years ago: Dylan Carols
We had an office birthday yesterday -- Chip turned thirty six. Previously we've gone to Spazzo in Bellevue for office birthdays -- their dessert platter hit the spot! But in our new place, that isn't so convenient. For some reason this time we decided to try for a surprise, so there was a lot of email last week between Kellie, M--- and myself to figure out what to do.
We ended up with a key lime pie (one of Chip's favorites, and it was good) and a gag gift that was my idea, executed by M---. Chip had been talking a lot about having difficulty finding an anti-static chair mat, so I suggested that M--- rig up something. He exceeded my expectations! I was thinking of a piece of cardboard with a heavy-duty extension cord attached. M--- brought in a big box with a sign about the Acme Anti-Static device, with warnings and disclaimers, and something inside (his wet/dry vac) that made an incredible noise when plugged in. Chip was pretty impassive about the whole thing, but we enjoyed it!
* * * * * * * *
I had a nice surprise today! In the middle of the afternoon Jack stopped by my office, on the way from Yakima to Bellingham. I'd known this was possible, but since it was up in the air whether his daughter would be accepted at the treatment facility, and he might have been totally tired and burnt out, I didn't set my heart on his interrupting the drive to come see me.
So when someone walked in our main office door, I thought at first it was another delivery person. When I saw it was Jack, I leapt from my chair, ran over, and hugged him tight! It was so good to see him. He's had his hair trimmed, but kept the ponytail in back, which I like. I introduced him to my officemates, and offered him a beverage. He and Chip spent some time discussing connectivity and our business, then the two of us went out for a bite to eat.
* * * * * * * *
We went over to a Taco Del Mar that we've eaten at before. (The taco salad there is still one of Jack's favorites.) Since I'd already eaten lunch, I got three cookies, ate two, and gave Jack one.
He told me a lot about his experiences down at the treatment facility. It sounds like a good place! He and his daughter did all kinds of tests and interviews, and had lots of group meetings and individual therapy sessions. They keep the patients (or maybe they call them clients?) busy all the time, of course. It's very strongly based on the twelve-step programs.
This is still all very tough for Jack. He won't be going down there next weekend (spending time with his other daughter and me in Seattle is possible), but the weekend after that he'll be there, and they've got three days of family therapy scheduled at Christmas, and New Years might be when he picks A---- up! So there goes December. It's possible that his ex-wife might join in the family therapy sessions, but Jack's not too hopeful about that.
* * * * * * * *
When Jack was done eating, he didn't feel like hitting the road right away, so he proposed going to a pawn shop that he remembered was in the same shopping center. We got sidetracked at a brewing store, where he got some swing-top bottles he needs for his recent batch of beer. When we drove to the front of the strip mall, the pawn shop had disappeared! That space was empty.
We crossed the highway and made our way to the big guitar store. Jack had really regretted not bringing his guitar to Yakima -- it would have been a good time for him to play in his room there. But he didn't buy the backpacker's guitar, or the three-quarter size one, after all. I guess the price wasn't low enough, or the sound not good enough. I think we took at least a cursory glance at every intstrument in the store.
Jack had to get back on the road, and I had to get back to work. I'm glad he got the chance to meet my coworkers and see my office, and vice versa. I'd been teased only this morning about how maybe he was a fictional character!
* * * * * * * *
The traffic on both bridges was looking bad on the WSDOT traffic page, so I decided to check out the movies near my work. Dogma looked like the best bet, showtime-wise, so I headed over to Bella Bottega again.
I stopped in the drugstore for some snacks, since I'd left the office too late to go get a meal. I was pleased to find some Ludens Honey Licorice "throat drops," a favorite of mine. They can't call them cough drops, since they have no more effect on a cough than any other hard candy. For some reason, the honey licorice drops are hard to find! I ended up not eating any of the throat drops, Stoned Wheat mini crackers, Callard and Bowsers licorice toffees, or "irish creme" nips -- the movie was that good (and I wasn't that hungry).
I'm really a Kevin Smith fan -- I loved Clerks. This new movie by him hit the spot for me. The story shifts back and forth between two sets of characters, and I didn't get too emotionally involved in the fantastical plot, but I really like Smith's baroque sense of humor and intellectual speculations.
He really gets some good actors to work with him! And they return from picture to picture. I think Linda Fiorentino is new to his troupe of players; she's very good as a depressed Catholic woman working in an abortion clinic. Smith and Jason Mewes were great as Silent Bob and Jay.
If you like Kevin Smith's stuff, you'll like this movie.
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