Baby the rain must fall…
It's been a long time since my last post. A lifetime of things have happened between frigid January and these sultry, humid days of Summer. I have a baby (born in May) and have been settling in with parental leave/parenting. I'm still reading and watching movies, although not as frequently as I'm accustomed!
Over the summer I started reading Tarquin Hall's Vish Puri novels (The Case of the Missing Servant and The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing)...LOVE LOVE LOVE them!!! The novels are set in New Delhi and follow cases taken up by "most private investigator" Vish Puri. I liken Puri to a sort of Indian Columbo (a la Peter Falk) - given my love of the latter it's easy to factor in my approval for this guy. Also, as an "insider" I am constantly amazed at British expat Hall's deft descriptions of North Indian cultural and interpersonal motifs. This stuff is real good! It's more whimsy than grit, but sometimes that's okay and in this case these novels prove that.
In other news I am sad that my baby is too young to care about Yo Gabba Gabba! Because I would otherwise be at their live show in a heartbeat...I watched that show before I had a baby.
I watched the two Stieg Larsson adaptations. As a fan of the Millennium Trilogy - I read each of the three books in two day spurts (could not put them down) I was iffy about the transition to film. Must say that the Swedish movies were very good. I am however extremely nervous about the upcoming Hollywood adaptations. Ditto the remake of Let The Right One In...let's see how these pan out.
Toronto's upcoming municipal election is full on terror inducing nightmare territory. But that's a post in and of itself...future days.
Coulrophobia
I was at my niece's birthday party today and saw this amazing giant clown head hanging off of an indoor play area wall. Actually, the clown was hanging over the kids climbing apparatus/slide...!
How many people do you know with "Clown Fear"? Personally, I've been spared clown anxiety - they occasionally amuse, often bore, never really scare me. I've had this ongoing conversation with my friend Shannon re: "Clown fear" - he's said that he doesn't buy it. I'm not really sure what to make of it - I know so many people who have serious clown aversion.
My 'favourite' sinister clown from childhood is easily Bimbo
He's sort of in a league of his own.
While this is far from a sinister clown contest I know that others (notably my partner Michael) throw down for Pennywise, particularly Tim Curry's performance as aforementioned clown in the tv movie version of Stephen King's It. If I had to be honest, I was probably most scared of the clown rapist from Little House on the Prairie...really.
Any full on coulrophobes out there? If so, what's the deal? Clown fear - real or fake?
Welcome!
United Mental Force is a pop culture blog filtered through my interests (B and cult cinema, books, punk rock, Bollywood etc.) and occasionally my friends' as well. Prepare to read entries that will cruise through music, film, books and more. Some entries will be funny, some will be nerdily informative and occasionally some posts (depending upon the issue) will showcase my extreme distaste/anger. At the end of the day I hope to generate a little community of like minded pop cult. enthusiasts who will want to share ideas, dialogue and more!