Much Ado

1. It's been a big week. I was watching David Tennant's Much Ado About Nothing when the lights went out on Monday, and watched more of it last night, when we were all once again settled in, safe and warm at home. I've watched it many times, in fact; when I am distressed, Shakespeare soothes me.

From the opening scene:

BEATRICE	I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior
	Benedick: nobody marks you.
BENEDICK	What, my dear Lady Disdain! are you yet living?	111
BEATRICE	Is it possible disdain should die while she hath
	such meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick?
	Courtesy itself must convert to disdain, if you come
	in her presence.
BENEDICK	Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I
	am loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I
	would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard
	heart; for, truly, I love none.
BEATRICE	A dear happiness to women: they would else have
	been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God
	and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I
	had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man
	swear he loves me.	123
BENEDICK	God keep your ladyship still in that mind! so some
	gentleman or other shall 'scape a predestinate
	scratched face.
BEATRICE	Scratching could not make it worse, an't were such
	a face as yours were.
BENEDICK	Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher.
BEATRICE	A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours.	131
BENEDICK	I would my horse had the speed of your tongue, and
	so good a continuer. But keep your way, i' God's
	name; I have done.
BEATRICE	You always end with a jade's trick; I know you of old.

Here's one of the final scenes, trailer, and another fun scene. And here's a very fun review with lots of other scenes. David Tennant and Catherine Tate are really brilliant in the production; everyone else less so, but that's alright. No one production can be perfect.

I have been watching a bootleg copy of the performance and only learned last night I can buy one of my very own from here. I'm so excited!

2. Yes, Superstorm Sandy was a big deal here in NJ and yes, we had no power for nearly 3 days and so spent our days toing and froing from my parents' condo and their new house and our own house and trying to keep our kids from falling apart because their schedules had been torn to shreds. School was cancelled Monday and Tuesday (and Marshall's office was closed so he didn't have to venture forth, either) and then started up again Wednesday with a 2 hour delayed start so I kept having to come back to the house to put them on or get them off of buses. It was all rather exhausting. I was so tired, in fact, that when I discovered yesterday about lunch time that the power was back on, I wasn't at all pleased because I had finally got us settled in my parents' new house and would now have to move it all back again. Sigh.

3. Universal Truth highlighted by this adventure (which will come as no surprise to any parent): your children are ungrateful whelps and your parents are saints.

4. I don't have time to reflect any more upon my recent experiences because we are having the family birthday party for both children at my parents' new house tomorrow afternoon. I have to shower, visit three grocery stores, make a cake, make at least one more trip to my parents' house to drop off party food, and who knows what else.

5. We have yet to celebrate Halloween, what with the storm and all. One of our friends posted this on FB on Wednesday, which I found to be terribly succinct:

Happy Halloween I. Halloween II will be at the kids school on Friday. Halloween III on Saturday when WD trick or treats and now we have Halloween IV on Monday for the rest of NJ. Lets hope Halloween V goes right to video.

We are only doing Monday with costumes, school parades and parties (I'm going to Miranda's and my mother is going to Alex's) and a little trick or treating. Oh, and then they are off of school on Tuesday for the election because our schools are used a polling places. 

6. Election? There's an election on Tuesday? Who knew?

7. Here's Jen!