what do you think of "minnesota nice?"

I'm shocked that Metro Council is actually doing something cool for the city. But they are. They commissioned artist Janet Zweig for a public art installation. At 11 stations, there will be tiny screens showing short 90-second clips produced by filmmakers interviewing folks on the cliche, Minnesota Nice. Comics, storytellers, everyday folks are interviewed. I guess these 90-second clips will just loop continuously. I love the idea because of all the subway art I've seen--Boston, NYC, London, Paris, Madrid, Glasgow--all the art, if any, have only been a flat, dimensionless 2-D, not really engaging the public. Maybe because Minnesota is so "nice," they assume they won't deface expensive mechancial art. Hope so.

I'll have to check out Zweig's piece at the U of M. The concept is so simple. Two people sit across from each other on a bench. There's an LCD screen between them, and two tiny cams perched on the top, filming both people at a perfect ratio of 1:1. So what you have are two people talking to each other through an LCD screen.

I ain't done bad

How grammatically sound are you?
brought to you by Quizilla -- link via city pages

I get so confused when using lie versus lay. Okay, so lie is to "rest or recline." Lay means "to put or to place." Got it. So the past tense of lie is lay. Which is not to be confused with the present tense of the verb, lay, which its past tense is laid. Yeah. The past particle of lay is the same as its past tense, laid. Okay. So back to lie. Its past particle is lain. (!) So should I lay this issue down to rest? Am I laying it down to rest? Am I lying if I say I understand this?

Uh, yeah.

movie plug!

It's been a long time since I've been affected by a film as I have with Charlotte Sometimes. So, now I have to share it with you so you'll rent it and (writer/director) Eric Bylar will make lots of money to make lots more films.

I didn't know much about it other than "members who added The Secret Lives of Dentists also added this" to their Netflix queue. I liked Dentists so I thought, what the hell. It arrived, wasn't too excited. I popped it in to have something to watch while I drifted off to sleep. Just a couple of minutes into the film, before any dialogue starts, I had to rewind and watch the opening scenes again. Then a third time. Those few minutes revealed so much about the setting and lead dude, I drank in every scene for fear I was missing some detail.

It's an anti-romance, so the movie publicity calls it. Pretty fair. Don't be turned off by the schmaltzy or dramatic plot descriptions on IMDB or netflix. The story and actors are very subtle. Not much dialogue. But, like the scene with Bill Murray in Lost in Translation during the photo shoot, gestures and facial expressions are laden with meaning so a lot of words aren't necessary.

A fun DVD extra includes a lively Q&A with the very articulate Eric Bylar and Jacqueline Kim (former Guthrie actor!), moderated by Roger Ebert. I'd love to have him over for a Sunday pot roast. I'd even learn to cook a pot roast.

So, enough of that. If you watch it, I'm curious to hear your reaction.

Okay, one more thing, a movie that reminds me of Charlotte is The Center of the World by Wayne Wang. So if you thought that was too slow, you probably won't like this one.

Some other flicks I'm excited about: Kill Bill 2; Kitchen Stories; 13 going on 30 (adorable trailer!); and Garden State. If you want better tidbits on movies, check out Facets. They send out a free catalog too!

signs of spring [in minnesota and possibly beyond]

first pair of sandals spotted, encasing two very pale feet

Joe's Hot Dog Stand in front of St Paul's City Hall emerges from long hibernation (with a spiffy new sign! go joe)

cafe tables appear on sidewalks, chained together of course

overhearing "cabin" and "cottage" and "Northwoods" as people discuss vacation plans

bikers spotted in loud spandex-wear

free-range smokers, no longer huddling together to block fierce winter winds

construction work begins (can't end this with anything but this here in mini-soda)