Ode to a Pontiac Sunbird: Remebering Time In My Father's Car

O! Pontiac Sundbird
gleaming aquamarine
hurtling us through time and space
We grew up in that car
We grew up in that place.

To us, a chattering trio,
life is exciting, wild
dancing, drumming
singing to our own beat
Beatific in sleek, shiny
two-door splendour

We are talk, talk, talking
across the Lakeshore
-broken hearts, bedpans, bottlenecks-
through the Don Valley
-"the Art of Bookmaking"-
along curvaceous Pottery Road
- Coming forth out of Egypt!-

We retrace city lines
cityscapes carry us to sacred sites
RIP: Eglington Theatre, Obi's Restaurant, House with the Blue Steps
RIP: Planetarium, Foodworks, Big City Improv

Racing raindrops
leaving trails
on the windshield
wiped away by wipers
merging/converging
making room for new
possibilities
I wonder:
Who is Roger Ashby?
And how does he fit in the radio?

We barrel through the streets
on our unending quest for the "BEST"
The BEST chocolate éclair
The BEST tuna sub
The BEST deal on a double tape deck
Yes! Always the best!

Driving into the heart of the city
Driving into the heart of
a million crazy thoughts, Dairy Queen Blizzards,
raging parties and late night dinners

Watching city streetlight stars
pass by the window
amber light halos
again grey-black sky
from my backseat bed.

Yes, Pontiac Sunbird
You were my cradle
my playground
our own personal time machinehurtling us through time and space.

Feel Good Fo Reel

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist- completely refreshing.

I'm a fan of most teen fare- especially when it comes to movies. There are so many different perspectives being explored: What filmmakers imagine teenagers are like, concieving of what teenagers want or wish for. Sometimes you get autobiographical experiences, set as a period piece, full of nostalgia, hope and general distain. You get the indie take, the outlaw take, the glittered up never-gonna-happen fantasy where everyone is played by 30 year-olds. Geek vs. popular, asshole vs. goodhearted artist, outlaw vs. parents, teachers and authority. Sidekicks galore: flaming gays, tomboys who never turn out ot be lesbos (just closeted femmes), token blacks, tokin' bastards, loveable simpletons, fat people and on and on and on. It's just plain compelling. It's compelling watching these flicks as a teenager: "This is how they think we are?" "I'm supposed to swoon over that dude?" "She a badass! Why doesn't he like her?" And then in your 20's: "Oh my god, I was just like that." "I had that sweater." "It's so true though..."

I tend to go for the smart, artsy and witty indie outlaw/outcast perspective, cause I think that's where I was in high school. I want some bite in the bark- some grungey realism in my teen movies. I like my female characters strong, with a raunchy sense of humour and unpredictable (perhaps obscure)musical and literary hereos. I like my male characters sensitive, well read, passionate, down to earth. Above all else the characters must have insecurities, be addled by them, impossible to hide. It is the vulnerability and fragility of spirit and emotion that create a truthful teen/young (hell, even adult) character.

I miss sarcastic, awkward, anything-can-happen nights of hijinx with friends or possible new friends or complete strangers. At the time, maybe I was a little uptight... scared of getting caught.. getting in trouble. Feeling like no one and everyone was smarter than me.

Things that ring true in Nick and Norah:
straight edge
venturing into the city
the presence of a queercore band (check out Limp Wrist- awesome band from my youth)
touring around in a crappy "band van"
all about the shows
mix tapes/cds
pathetic messages
completely unsure of where we stand
being called a "mom"
searching for drunken friend
wanting what you can't have
actual foreplay (ignoring movie cleiche of moving right to sex)
most realistic before and after "O" scenes seen