Becky's Greatest Hits Vol. II

"If I had my time again I would do it all the same....." 

Since I'm such a fan of Michael Showalter , I have to see pretty much anything his hand touches.  And since I'm always comparing everything of his to The Baxter, I will have to say up front that this is no The Baxter.  But it is a cute movie.  Sally Field is wonderful as always and I like the tongue in cheek way it pokes at Milennials (everyone either makes something like handmade candy bars wrapped in papers printed with haiku or everyone works at a job that is questionable like an LGBT preschool) all the while looking at some more serious personal issues like aging, loneliness and hoarding.  Can I just say something, for the record, that I know other Sally Field fans will understand?  I hate to see or hear her cry.  She has one really good crying scene in this film and it just about broke my heart.  Sally is just such a great crier.....it's like she wants to take you over the edge with her.  It was no Shelby-just-died-at-the-cemeter...

Some years back, I went through a bit of a crisis.  A clothing crisis.  I started having trouble finding clothes that fit a woman "my age" and that were appropriate for a woman "my age".  I was in my 30s and everything I tried on either looked like it was meant for a 19 year-old for dance clubbing or a 70 year-old for garden clubbing.  What about us in-betweeners?  I tried to think like a lot of women and conventional media told me to think.  What's in an age?  30 is the new 20!  Dress how you feel!  Wear what you like!  Don't let conventions decide for you....you decide for you!  I figured, what the hell?  They're right!  I still have good boobs and a good ass!  Maybe not everything is great, but why not show that stuff off?  I got some tight t-shirts and jeans as was the fashion of the moment.  I wore them to the appropriate venues.  Then I changed jobs.  A couple of times.  So...

This is a great compilation book charting the underbelly of the L.A./Hollywood punk rock scene of the late 70's and early 80's.  With so much emphasis on bands from New York and the U.K., these tales give you the Left Coast angle.  And there's no sugar-coatings either.  From the music itself to the sordid living habits, drug use, fights, friendships, romances and rivalries the picture of these artists and musicians is painted very clearly.  I really loved how the book is written in essay-like narratives with chapters being tackled by so many names of the time including: John Doe, Exene Cervenka, Mike Watt, Henry Rollins, Jane Wiedlin, and Jack Grisham to name a few.  The constant homage to The Doors by John Doe didn't hurt my feelings one bit either.  A great read if you're a punk rocker at heart.  A good book if you like music in general.  An introspective treasure if you're ever felt like the weird kid trying to find your people. ...