Emmy Darko

We've had Donnie Darko for over a month, waiting to watch it until we felt we had time to spare to commit to a "weird" movie. One of my most passionate students in my film analysis class last year recommended it, and it finally arrived from our queue. However, with my finishing my degree and Pat finishing the basement, it's just been sitting on the shelf. My student had said it's "craaaazy", but "reeeaalllly good". And I think I agree.

It's just weird. Really. Really weird. And yet, it is beautiful, scary, and deeply thought-provoking. I really recommend it. The movie makes you contemplate death and what it can mean to others (among a host of other things), which is why I've once again realized how easily I can imagine people dying. Well, that, and the fact that we did *almost* die while watching it.

Okay, so that's a ridiculous exaggeration, but in my mind, we were inches from certain death. With only about ten minutes left in the movie, when its intensity has built and built and is exploding in a reverse montage sequence that had us thinking "huh?", we were suddenly overcome with the piercing sound of a smoke alarm. The one above our heads was not going off, so we realized it was not the smoke alarm, it was the carbon monoxide detector. This particular model also measures gas leaks, and since it was about 8 feet from the furnace and we have been doing construction down there, we had cause for concern. It didn't stop. Although we didn't feel nauseous or smell gas, we called Centerpoint, just because this had never happened before. A smoke alarm goes off, and all you have to do is think, "well, darn, I burned the cookies", but when a carbon monoxide detector's gas alarm goes off, you worry. They figured it best to come out.

Before gas man came to the rescue, I had so many thoughts and visions of our impending deaths, it was ridiculous. I even said to Patrick, "well, if the house does explode, we'd most likely both die, so it would be okay." I wondered if the dogs would die, too, and if not, who would take care of them? Who would teach my classes if my house exploded? I envisioned, like from the movies, the slow motion sudden explosion. I poured a glass of wine and ate a piece of leftover cheesecake. If I was going to die, I was going to die happy. There was no time for sex, what with the gas man on his way over and all. When I was sitting talking to Neisha, still waiting for the gas man (this all took place in about a ten minute time span, by the way), I said something like, "in case we die...", and she said, "you're a little obsessed about death, huh?" Yeah. I am. A lot. But I'm not sure it's incredibly unhealthy. Or healthy.

Like the intentions of Donnie Darko, it is an enigma. And I'm okay with that.

Of course, the gas man came and checked it out. It was a false alarm. Apparently this is common with the model we have (which I don't believe because it has never happened before...what triggered it?). Exhale, we are not dead. But we might die tomorrow. We finished the movie and went to bed. Still alive.

Master Me

A happy dance. A little kick, a little wiggle, and some jazz hands. I may have yelled “last class EVER!” more than once. Perhaps I cranked the tunes and did a little head-banging on the drive home. A glass of pinot grigio with my husband before bed. Treats for my class; a thank-you gift for my advisor; a party on Saturday.

Ahhhhhhh, celebration.

I told my students I may very well be a more pleasant person from now on (not that I’m horrid currently). I think this idea will transfer to all areas of my life, however, as I have been in graduate school now for over four years. Nine semesters. I have been in school for my entire teaching career. I have been in school during my entire relationship with my husband (which also reached a milestone yesterday: three years since our first date). I could possibly be a new person with less stress and more time. I wonder what that will look like…

See you Saturday, friends. Thanks for your support. You can call me Master.

66 years ago:

This documentary states approximately 1,000 WWII veterans die each day.

The WWII Memorial in our nation’s capital was dedicated on May 29, 2004.

The Pearl Harbor Memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day 1962.
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September 11th has already started to pass by unnoticed by some a mere 6 years after the tragedy. December 7th has been significant for 66 years. We should always remember, so we never forget. We are the most powerful nation in the world, but that makes us ridiculously vulnerable as well.