Meh. I like stories of “tragic”, unconsummated love (I believe everyone should have one such love in life), but there was so much about this film that bothered me. Tea Leonie’s character was too much a caricature for me, Adam Sandler’s character was not compelling for me, not fully realized, I felt, and the lead – ugh! She was portrayed as this strong, great mother who is raising her daughter so well, as only non-Anglos can, and I didn’t agree – at all!!! Her poor daughter would find herself needing therapy a few years down the road, and her mother would probably guilt her into not doing it for herself.

The premise was interesting, but I found the film gimmicky, self-conscious and tedious.

Interestingly, a couple of years after the film came out, I met a woman who had suffered a head injury and basically lived this man’s life, (albeit maybe not quite as extreme). She navigated through the world – pretty successfully – with the help of her family, by writing on herself, and mostly “post-its”. Maybe her brain was starting to establish new neural pathways for her most repeated tasks, or something. But, it did cause difficulty in her family relationships, and in her work as a liturgist, she had a hard time connecting music with the rites/services in her church, so that music became just a series of notes, rather than something with a sacred component. This was the saddest thing of all for her.

Salsa is like tomato sauce – why ever buy storebought? ( Well, I personally just get lazy sometimes…)

I’m calling it “Blueberry Smack”. It’s really that good.

Not actually food, of course, but unfortunately food-related.

All gone.

Until next year (sigh).

This stuff is awesome. They all smell incredible, fresh and unique.

These are so good, but my own attempts to cook them have not been good.

I make it with currants and rose water.

Sorry, but why bother?