Art Batter: Friday Fondue: Winter Appetizers

HEYYYYYYYYY!

October sucked. I had such a flu, SUCH. A. FLU. And after Hurricane Sandy my power was out for more than a week, leaving me frozen in time, literally. Of course, that's the least damage that happened to me, and I want to take a quick moment to send my well wishes to everybody that was truly affected by this storm, particularly Lower Manhattan and New Jersey.
But now comes a new month of hope.

HAPPY NOVEMBER!!!

I have actually been waiting for the nor'easter to make this post a reality, because winter always has an effect on me, especially the beginning. The snow and the tree lights and the scarves and big coats--I just love it!
And the biggest reason why I love this month is hinted in the sentence "But now comes a new month of hope."

That's right: we had an election earlier this week, and America's voice was heard, even with the confusion Sandy left behind. Voters stood in line for hours and they voted for their next president. A grand ritual of our democracy. Congratulations, Barack Obama! Good luck with the next four years, we are behind you all the way!

But enough of all of that. It's time for the Friday Fondue.

I celebrated a friend's birthday by accompanying him to see Cloud Atlas.

Yes, you may know of this through your friends, who saw the movie already and couldn't' explain to you just WHY it should win the "best makeup award." Or through your friend the purist who read the book and was still debating whether they should ruin their memory of it by going to the theater.
I can't really explain it either. Basically, the idea is that every person's life is connected to each other. The things that happen t us, the people we meet or the things we do, none of it is truly accidental. There is always something, maybe years later, that will come out of the one decision we make now. From the 1800's to the 1930's to the 1970's to 2012 to 2144 to a post-apocalyptic era, this movie takes us through the lives of characters that seem to intertwine with characters years afterward.
A handful of actors are recycled for each segment of the movie, so no one plays just one character from one era. This furthers the idea that we are all connected, and it also requires makeup. Lots and lots of good makeup. And I cannot explain it, but this movie really SHOULD win Best Makeup as well as best movie. Truly.

Next up! I received this novel as a gift from a colleague early last month. It was my refuge as I rode out the flu.

Set in the 1970's, this story is about a 19 year old named Tish who is pregnant and in love the the child's father, 22 year old Fonny. Fonny has just been accused of a crime he did not commit, and is awaiting his trial in jail. Tish and her family, with all the odds stacked against them, fight tooth and nail to set the innocent man free. A we weave in between the past and the present, Baldwin brings together every precious moment between two black lovers in a country that disdains them.
JAMES BALDWIN IS A BEAST. Not his first or his last novel, or even his most popular, but it resonated with me to read such realistic love story, equipped with a gradual love and a harsh reality check. This beats many love stories out there right now. Everything is poetic and raw, almost like Toni Morrison, but more conversational. Reading the last page was like breaking the surface of a pond I had peacefully swam in all day. Love this book.

Finally, for music, I thought i'd compile a nice 10-Song Winter Playlist to get us started. Straight from my own personal Winter playlist, take a listen and see what you think.