I’ll bet you wondered if I forgot about Finkville yesterday. Perish the thought, fiend. I just forgot about that little time management thing that enables me to both write and get to school on time.

So yes, I am a hagalicious snark for being offended by this. And no, I’m not talking about that book-burning buttmunch down in Gainesville (I refuse to give him any of my precious bandwidth). Rather, I refer to the title and opening line for an article in last Sunday’s San Francisco Chronicle:

Silver screen turns to gray-hairs
Someone needs to file an age discrimination lawsuit in Hollywood – to force the studios to hire a few more young actors.”

Right.

What followed was a list of current movies, complete with their “AARP factor.” (Ho hahaha heee hee haha) He mentioned a few sloppy, past-their-prime, washed-out actors like, oh, Richard Dreyfuss, Eli Wallach, Susan Sarandon, John Malkovich, Jeff Bridges…no-talent has-beens. Yeah, let’s forget about experience and honing one’s craft over time, and developing your art into something memorable and enviable, AKA “stuff that doesn’t happen overnight.”

Yep, we want more young folks in the movies. You know, more of them size -2 girls and beefcake boys with the perfect teeth. Oh give me a break. We HAVE those; the industry is infested with them. Know what I say? I say it’s high time middle-aged (and older) actors got great roles. And I don’t mean the worried mom or the senile grandpa or the snippy spinster. I mean the meaty roles; ones that reaffirm the fact that life is not over after the half century mark — the “It’s Complicated” and the “As Good as it Gets” roles. So what if “older” actors are hogging marquees all over the country right now? I say Bully! Hip hip! Bout time! The sooner Hollywood realizes that the 50-and-over generation are still vibrant, intelligent, relevant and in possession of more disposable income than most of their twenty-something counterparts, the better.

Now don’t get me wrong. I like (fill in name of your favorite young, hunky actor) just as much as the next girl, but I’d pay to see Johnny Depp, Jeff Bridges, Robert Downey and Clint Eastwood over Channing Tatum or Chace Crawford any day.

Of course, that’s just me.

I’m not saying there aren’t any talented young actors out there, or that being long in the tooth is necessarily an excellence benchmark. There are good young actors, and bad old ones. But let’s have some balance here, sports fans. There’s a resurgence of maturity in film right now, and it’s long overdue. I like it. You should like it, too. Please like it with me, k? Please?

PS – I’m actually not offended. Just being silly because it’s Wengsday.

Clown photo: Frederic Larsen, Burning Man

I had to look up the Roman numeral for 40. Rat Fink, Rat Fink. What a donkey.

Random Neuron Firings

I stumbled across an amazing video this morning, featuring scientist and author Arthur C. Clarke. Did he have it nailed or what?

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Whaddya think about that, BoomR?! He described parts of your job to a T. Incredible.

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I can’t believe it’s been three years already. Luciano Pavarotti died on this day in 2007, from pancreatic cancer. Caruso is considered by many to be the greatest (I’ve heard many recordings from the early 1900s, and he was brilliant for his day), but this is the voice that beats them all, IMO. Pavarotti and Beverly Sills, circa 1976…invincible.

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Mad Men was outstanding last night. One of the best I’ve seen. Did anyone else watch it?

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Speaking of amazing:  Jerry Lewis is still tirelessly campaigning for “his kids” via his Labor Day telethon, 45 years after debuting the first all-nighter to benefit muscular dystrophy. Awesome indeed.

I think this is a good day to relax, meet Mavis for brunch, see Jake and Justin for a bit, and put in a few hours at school. Vita est bona.

FO

Nuts. I slept in until 7:00 this morning. Now I’m two hours behind schedule.

If I finish in time today, I might get to have Justin and Jake for the night tonight. But truthfully, it’s not looking good for the home team.

Well now, enough complaining. How are you this day? If you’re reading this in America, hopefully you’re enjoying a holiday weekend. Is anyone out there using Labor day to labor? I am, and actually I don’t mind it. I like having the time to get things done, and as you know, one extra day tacked onto a weekend can make a lot of difference.

This past week has been interesting. Lots of friends going through big life changes: buying a home, changing a relationship status, and one friend in particular making a huge identity change. For the most part, a change will do you good. So says Sheryl Crow.

I wonder how many people know what Labor Day really is. I myself learnt a couple of facts this morning. I knew this:

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. —United States DOL website

I didn’t know, however, the backstory of the “Rosie the Riveter” campaign, launched by the Department of Labor during World War II. Apparently, the iconic image of Rosie the Riveter we’ve come to know — a woman wearing a red and white polka-dot do-rag, flexing her bicep — was not the original image. Rather, “Rosie” was first drawn by Norman Rockwell for a Memorial Day issue of the Saturday Evening Post, and the picture was a bit less PC:

The image depicts a muscular woman wearing overalls, goggles and pins of honor on her lapel. She sports a leather wrist band and rolled-up sleeves. She sits with a riveting tool in her lap, eating a sandwich, and “Rosie” is inscribed on her lunch pail. And, she’s stepping on a copy of Adolph Hitler’s book Mein Kampf.

Now there’s an iconic image for ya. Did you know this? I did not. You can read the article here.

And now you go have yourself a good day. I have some dancing to do.

This morning I read a story about someone playing at the beach with her family, and getting buried in the sand up to her neck.

That would push me right over the edge. Actually, lots of things make me ooky. Hmm.

Phink Phobias

1. This thing, of course
2. Having anything over my face, or someone covering my head with a blanket or pillow
3. Stepping in a hole and snapping my ankle (again)
4. Heights
5. Snakes

Now, this doesn’t mean I lapse into massive apoplexy or run about screaming when I encounter the above (I mean, I will fly if I absolutely have to, and I’ve ridden lots of roller coasters and that Power Tower thing at Cedar Point), but I certainly don’t enjoy experiencing any of the five. Feh, there are probably more I could add to the list.

Wait — I retract the apoplexy statement. #2 will send me into flippin’ orbit. I will take you out if you try it. And your family and your cat, too.

What makes you jittery, uncomfortable or even terrified? I covet your lists.

Is it finally Finkday? Yay!!