Bilateral Social Gathering Geez, it was just dinner.

A useful corrective took place yesterday: to wit, my girlfriend and I had dinner with Rivka (of Respectful of Otters) and her Significant Otter*. This would be considered to be quite the accomplishment: Rivka's a Dean Democrat, I'm a Bush Republican, so of course it was tense...

...well, actually, it wasn't tense at all. Rivka's a sweetie, not to mention sound on Lois McMaster Bujold and the Rocky Horror Muppet Show, so we sat in the back yard, drank beer, demolished a cheese and crackers plate, had some very good grilled salmon - and some better Denver pudding - and finished the night playing the I've Got A Stranger Song Than THAT game (if I had only known, I would have brought in the big guns instead of relying on my girlfriend's Ipod selections). She wrote about it herself here; I'm glad that they had as good a time as we did. One of the major problems with political blogging is that it's really, really easy to forget that there's a difference between a person's policy positions and their personality; lots of us spend lots of time - too much time - in wars to the virtual knives. Spending a pleasant afternoon in the pleasant company of someone whose vote you're likely to cancel out in November is an excellent corrective; I wholeheartedly endorse the practice.

As for the 'cuddly' bit... well. I am hardly in a position to either confirm or deny that description.

Moe

*Who really should be getting some sports posts together for us, right? Right?

Comments

[wilfred]

wow moe, tres cool dinner conversations. threesomes mentioned even inadvertantly... may i suggest a screening of the Ice Storm? and described by a left-winger as 'cuddly' goes a long way in my book. beats my tripping over a table at dinner tonight. had dinner with the europeans (who didn't drink by the way) and after 2 tequilas felt bizarre. they even mentioned several odd evangelical encounters in Manhattan over the past 3 days that left me speechless (which if you knew me is the equivalent of a thunderbolt). Time for the apocalypse?

[Moe Lane]

"had dinner with the europeans (who didn't drink by the way) and after 2 tequilas felt bizarre."

Ah, tequila. The lover and destroyer. :)

What was the Ice Storm about, anyway? I tend to miss films that don't have exploding starships (or equivalent) in them; I recognize that's a flaw in my personality, but there's only so many hours in the day.

[Michael N.]

You'd hate "The Ice Storm", Moe -- God knows I did. It's about suburban ennui and hostility manifesting through key-swap parties and incessant glowering hostility. I have no idea why someone watched that movie and then said to themselves, "Hmmm, I think he'd make a good director for that project I've got about the Incredible Hulk". (Yes, it's the same Ang Lee directing both movies.)

[Rivka]

Awwww, Moe. Now you've made me go all soft and sentimental, and conservatives won't fear my righteous claws and fangs of fury anymore. But it was, in fact, a lovely time.

The Ice Storm was about the joylessness and anomie of sex; I think it's being recommended as a permanent cure for interest in discussing threesomes.

Incidentally, did you notice that our little soiree was covered by Kevin Drum?

[Rivka]

Awwww, Moe. Now you've made me go all soft and sentimental, and conservatives won't fear my righteous paws and fangs of fury anymore. But it was, in fact, a lovely time.

The Ice Storm was about the joylessness and anomie of sex; I think it's being recommended as a permanent cure for interest in discussing threesomes.

Incidentally, did you notice that our little soiree was covered by Kevin Drum?

[tonydismukes]

OK, Moe, I already respected you as an intelligent and honorable member of the political opposition, but for introducing me to The Rocky Horror Muppet Show, I hereby nominate you as the coolest Right-Wing Death Beast ever.

[asdf]

threesomes, wonkette is the common thread ...

jaysas.

[wilfred]

i do have to stand up for the "Ice Storm" as a brilliant film but will heartily agree that Ang Lee was the wrong director for Hulk but was anyone the right director as most tv shows should not be feature films. You'd love Ang's next film though, Brokeback Mountain with Heath Leger and Jake Gyllenhaal, it's about cowboys who fall in love with each other. Can't wait until this one hits the suburban multi-plexes.

[Chuchundra]

Don't be dissin' Ang Lee.

Hulk was a tremendously ambitious complete failure. There are comic book heros you can do deep, psychological explorations of...The Hulk isn't one of them.

But look at all the great movies he's made: Eat Drink Man Woman, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and don't forget Ride With The Devil. You have to give him the a mulligan on The Hulk.

[Catsy]

One of the major problems with political blogging is that it's really, really easy to forget that there's a difference between a person's policy positions and their personality; lots of us spend lots of time - too much time - in wars to the virtual knives.

Don't look at me. I keep thinking it's a damn shame you're on the wrong coast; I'd invite you to come join our tabletop group. :>

[Gromit]

Whenever anyone gushed about the portrait of suburban angst in "American Beauty", I was left scratching my head, as I'd already seen much the same film done far better and more honestly in "The Ice Storm".

Michael N.: I have no idea why someone watched that movie and then said to themselves, "Hmmm, I think he'd make a good director for that project I've got about the Incredible Hulk".

Don't forget that an important element in the film was the Fantastic Four as a guide to the challenges of family life. However, my bet is it was "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" that sold the studio on his abilities as an action director. Just a hunch, though.