Obsessions?

Hooooooooney, I'm hooooooooooome.

What movie is that from?  I want to say it's from My Blue Heaven, but considering I haven't seen that movie since I was oh, maybe five years old, I could be (probably am) wrong.  Any takers?

So, obviously I haven't written on here in a while.  I'm in a particularly writerly mood today, and while I spent a lot of time this morning writing in my journal by a fountain (and watching little kids throw pencils and pinecones and stones into said fountain), I feel like being all...spontaneous.  Or as spontaneous as one can be on a blog. Evidently, I'm being rather inelegant and I'm in a talkative mood.  Since it is nearly midnight, I am talking to no one in particular, and everyone.  So even though I could be writing about my first day at my internship, or how the girl in my yoga class this morning fainted, I won't.  At least not today. 

Lately, I've been thinking about all the random people with whom I am not associated, but whom I love.  In no particular order, here are the ones I can rattle from my clanking brain at the moment:

PEOPLE NOOR MIGHT MARRY (yeah, not really): INSTALLMENT ONE

1.) Jimmy Carter:

This old man is adorable.  And I know that old people supposedly don't like being called "cute" or "adorable" or just generally be squealed at.  But you know, Carter probably could have been elected to the presidency based on his winning smile alone, K?  Now you may be thinking, Noor's getting ahead of herself.  And her love for Jimmy Carter is the product of either a strange and unhealthy love for octogenarians, or the callouses on her stony heart have been sawed off by those disarming teeth.  Okay that was a weird sentence.  Don't say you weren't warned.  But in any case, Jimmy's not all beauty and no brains!  He was a really great President--in my mind, one of the best America ever had.  He tried to do what was right for his country without being overly concerned about his own popularity (he wasn't reelected), and even now he's keeping himself out there.  Good man.

2.) Kenna

I don't really know how to explain what Kenna is.  He can't be filed under pop or rock or hip hop or electronica, but some weird amalgamation of them all with bits African beats and stuff that seems like it should belong in a Pixar film but that is actually found in his voice.  Whoah.  His music is decidedly better without the music videos, although the one for "freetime" manages to be both cute and disturbing.  Kenna, I do not want to see you being dragged around by police in your underpants.  If You do, however, (you being the invisible people I encompass by sweeping my arms up and around and possibly elbowing someone very visible in the process), here it is:  

3.) The Implicit Association Test Folks

https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/takeatest.html

I took the race test, and these guys blow my mind.  I don't really understand how all this works--how do they factor in people like me, who forget which keys my fingers are on and thus press the wrong button?  I won't say what my result was from the test, but I will say it was surprising.  I genuinely believe I hold people of all races equal.  Is there anyone who has ever gotten a "perfect score" in terms of having no bias towards black or white people?

4.) Ralph Nader  

Ok.  So this isn't really any sort of revelation or anything, but I really love Ralph Nader.  I think he could have become president if he just stood a little straighter--he's always stooped, ever since he was a strapping young lad.  And, as much as it pains me to say so, stooping does not project confidence/a presidential aura.  I mean, look at Warren Harding--he only got elected because he looked like a presidential sort of guy.  Yalla, ya Nader. Sit up, stand up straight as the status quo.  Ok, the status quo is crooked.  Rebel against the status quo in your posture.  Why am I addressing this to Ralph Nader, he'll never read this?  And besides, honestly, I like him just the way he is.  And as much as I hate the way seat belts chafe one's neck, I love him for them.  And nutrition facts labels.  And cleaner air.  And...

5.) David Sedaris

This man.  Is amazing.  If he wasn't gay, I would be his stalker.  Ok, actually I wouldn't be, because who really needs to become a stalker when there's facebook live feed or news feed or whatever it is we're being fed, but I would be letting his girlish voice lull me to sleep every night.  Wait.  I already do that.  Just kidding.  I am not quite so attached.  Only every other night.  And I am joking you again.  But seriously, he makes me draw in a huge breath after every essay in When You Are Engulfed In Flames.  His other stuff is excellent, but that is mind-blowing.  And it is the one that drugs figure into least.  Ah, the irony.  Although, his stories in Barrel Fever are quite wonderful; if you're looking for white trash on a more sophisticated level than King of the Hill, that's totally the way to go.  Perhaps the piece that fills me with the most toothy joy is one he wrote for The New Yorker last year on undecided voters; it's the best commentary I've ever heard on the topic, and I think it really hi-lights my favorite thing about him--his abashed subtlety.  If anyone writes to discover, it's David Sedaris.  He's not trying to be the smart guy who shoves his wisdom down your throat.  He's at his best when he's the cynic who thinks noone is as good as him.  And it's wonderful. 

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2008/10/27/081027sh_shouts_sedaris?currentPage=all

and another fav, from Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim:  http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2004/jun/sedaris/usandthem.html

6.)  Ira Glass

Some people have described Ira's voice as that of an old, obese man.  Others have described its dulcet tones as those of a gay hipster.  To me, it's pure love.  If you've never listened to This American Life...you're missing out.    http://www.thisamericanlife.org/

7.) Beck

I've always loved Beck, and now I'm really digging this song...