Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Feelin' Really Blue

I had an interesting postmodern experience yesterday while doing my girls' hair. We watched "Jurassic Park" on television. So, I'm explaining to my daughters that this program was just make believe and pretend and not real (all the while, remembering the scary parts, wondering if it was a mistake to let them watch this movie, even the edited-for-TV version) and one of them says, "Yes, we know, Mommy: We just saw the real Jurassic Park in Orlando."

At this comment my mind did several somersaults:

1) No, it was the theme park that was based on the movie...
2) No, but actually the producers likely already had the theme park (and other merchandising opportunities) in mind before they made the movie...
3) No, actually the movie was based on a book by Crichton, predating both the movie and theme park section...
4) No, actually the book was based in part on fairly widespread, popular notions of scientific work regarding such things as dino digs and genetic "engineering"...
5) No, actually the book, movie (and sequels), theme park, and quasi-science fascination are all really tropes for our human obsessions with creation myths, worries about who/what came before us and who/what will replace us when we're gone, and desires for--as well as fears about--"playing God" and conquering nature...
6) No, actually the "real" Jurassic Park would have been some common recreation ground that existed during the Mesozoic period, perhaps where momma brontosauri brought their young to play prior to being eaten by raptors...

(And I wonder why I have a hard time being focused and productive for any length of time...)

Anyway, I then went through a whole period of doubt and dismay regarding my wonderful time in Orlando. I mean, the place we stayed (one of Universal's on-sight properties) was designed to look like an Italian village (see picture in previous post)...So now when we take our kids to Europe some day and visit Italy they'll probably say "Oh, look, Mommy--this is almost like the Portofino Bay Hotel in Orlando!!!"

Then, thanks to the Christmas season, there's this whole Santa Claus dilemma. Every year we wrap all of their presents from us (leaving no toys out, unwrapped, from "Santa.") We celebrate Christmas, and also Kwanzaa. Up to now we have just kinda downplayed St. Nick, having him be just another character like Frosty the Snowman or Dora the Explorer. But this year: "Mommy, is that [mall Santa] the real Santa?" "Daddy, is Santa real?" And I can't wait to hear the questions when they get around to noticing that most of the Santas they see around the Twin Cities have white skin while all the Santas at their house have brown skin...

But, things today are looking up. Someone directed me to a site where I found that Loews Hotels, the parent company of the hotel where we stayed in Orlando, contributed 99% of their campaign dollars to Democratic Party candidates in the 2004 elections. So, now I'm no longer blue cause turns out I was Blue! And better yet, the storm cloud of me (as usual) having procrastinated about purchasing my holiday gifts has a silver lining: armed with this information there is now ample opportunity for me to put my money where my heart is when I do finally get around to buying stuff!

Ohhh, tidings of authenticity and progressiveness!!!!!!!!!

Posted by perry032 at December 13, 2004 10:20 AM | TrackBack
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