Yesterday was my first day off in two weeks. I had been planning on going to the National Pike Festival, a celebration of one of America's great historic roads, which happens to be the one I've lived literally two good stone throws from for most of my life. But it was an icky day out, so I just went to Starbucks and the movies. By going to Starbucks in Bethel Park (the closest one to my house), I continued my streak whereby I have been to Allegheny County every day since Easter. Suffice it to say I have to go at least half an hour from home to get to any point in Allegheny County, so I've been on the road quite a bit, both for work and for leisure.

At the movies I saw Identity and A Mighty Wind. I would rate Mighty Wind better than Best in Show, not quite as good as Spinal Tap, and not nearly as good as Waiting for Guffman if I had to rank that whole Christopher Guest and company millieu. Kudos for casting the "I'm not comfortable with that" lawyer/therapist from "Ally McBeal", and it's also hard to go wrong by casting Parker Posey. Ever. But much of the humor is very understated, and there are not many laugh out loud moments--although I'll never think of the Supreme Court in quite the same way again.

As for Identity, I really enjoyed it. The framing device which plays into the resolution of the film is a bit distracting, but it makes sense if you think about it. Also, the true final surprise is not that much of a surprise if you're really paying attention. And since I'm discussing casting today, I can't imagine who thought it was a good idea to cast Jake Busey as a homicidal criminal and expect the audience to take him more or less seriously. Then again, unlike me, most people have never seen Tomcats or any episodes of "Shasta McNasty", so maybe this wasn't a problem for others.

At Starbucks I finished another book, Raymond Carver's Where I'm Calling From. Carver is a widely influential writer not well known to the general public because he stuck to the short story form. This volume is a collection that spans much of his career--a "best of", if you will. Carver's subject matter is consistent in two ways: almost all of the stories are set in the Pacific Northwest, and almost all of them deal with people from the lower to lower-middle class dealing with day-to-day tragedies and traumas. Occasionally, such as in "A Small, Good Thing", the tragedy is big: the death of a son, accompanied by a stalking baker who doesn't know the horrible reason why he has been stiffed on an expensive cake. Generally, though, these stories deal with the ways in which people--especially couples or other family members--slowly drift apart. Carver's stories are existential downers, because very little happens, and what does happen tends to be moderately depressing. Oh, and everybody tends to be either slightly drunk all the time, or a recovering alcoholic.

I have to say that I don't feel like I really get Carver, in part because I don't feel like I get the short story in the same way that I get the novel. The beginning and ending points of short stories often seem very arbitrary to me, and Carver's stories especially fall into that category. I'm sure Carver's reputation is deserved, and his influence is undeniable to hear other writers talk about their heroes, but I find it hard to believe that many people enjoy his stories per se, and I can't see myself seeking them out again.

So I'm back at work today, of course, and I'll work a regular week this week, but then next Saturday I'm driving out to the Jersey Shore for 4-5 days, and then the following Friday I'm flying to Myrtle Beach to help out with the NAQT high school championship tournament. That's my real vacation this summer, although my longest trip will of course be coming up about two months after I get back from South Carolina. Ever since I decided I was moving back to California I've felt like I was kind of an "in-between" person--physically here but mentally already half-gone. Now I'm almost starting to feel as if I'm coasting to the finish line of my year-long PA sojourn, and once I get back from the two trips the countdown will really be on...