Tiny waterfall in Zion, Utah. Taken in April 2002.

I honestly don’t feel like writing at the moment, but the day is coming to a close – or I should say the time I’m willing to remain at my computer is coming to a close – and my friend Pixie has been harassing me all day to get a journal entry up! I like the badgering though; it is nice that the effort I put forth to post these entries is appreciated and missed when I don’t have an entry for a day or two.

I saw Batman Begins this weekend and loved it. I am a big movie geek, but have become extremely disheartened and fed up with the state of the film industry as of late. So much money and effort put into movies with non-existent plot lines, terrible dialogue, too many computer generated effects and too much hype (see my entry dated June 15.) I thought this film was great, however. A new twist on a very familiar story and a great script. I particularly love that Batman remained just that – BatMAN – instead of being turned into some rubber-bandy cartoon, the result of too much computer tinkering. This is a wonderful summer flick that is actually worth the $10 (LA price). Swirly gives it two thumbs up.

Today, while running around LA along with a gazillion other drivers, I heard a bit on KCRW about Louis B. Mayer, who ran MGM for decades. It was said that he expected his actors to behave professionally and make the effort to look nice when they went out. Women should wear makeup and a nice outfit, and the men should be in suits and hats. As I was listening to this, there was an older woman crossing the street in front of me. (This was in Beverly Hills.) She was very hunched over, and was walking extremely slowly with a cane, but she had on a lovely royal blue suit, nice shoes and had obviously made the effort to do her hair and makeup. Seeing her and hearing about Mayer’s expectations of his talent (and how he would have been appalled by the behavior of Tom Cruise on the Oprah Winfrey show), I could not help but pause to appreciate that not so long ago the world was not invited into the private lives of celebrities. These were the days when women wore hats with veils, pearls and silk stockings and the men had wingtip shoes that were shined each day. Today we hear all about so-and-so’s marital woes, drug rehab stints and arrests, and we don’t think anything of being in a nice restaurant and seeing someone at the next table wearing a t-shirt that says "F*** You" (happened this weekend up in Santa Ynez.)

Maybe I am just becoming a big goodie-two-shoes, but I simply had to admire this woman who – for whatever reason she had to go out today – took the time and effort to don a suit, heels and stockings along with her cane. I am, admittedly, usually a jeans girl, but I appreciate when it is appropriate to dress up, look nice and leave the "F*** You" t-shirt at home (not that I have one, or would ever want one.) I’m not sure what my point is here, except that maybe what the world needs is for everyone to take a bit more pride and interest in their own lives. And wouldn’t it be nice if men were more gentlemanly and women decided not to wear mini skirts and Ugh boots out to a nice restaurant (the date of the guy in the "F*** You" t-shirt.)

It is funny to see the changes within myself as I "grow up." Compared to ten or even five years ago, I am much more introverted, convervative and even prudish. Conservative as in, "Look at those crazy kids out in the cold weather with just tank tops!" or, "Look at those kids riding around without a bike helmet! Don’t they know how dangerous that is!" Maybe it is because I have a best buddy who is six years old and I want to set a good example. Maybe it is because I am her brother’s godmother and I take that title seriously. Or maybe it is just because that is the nature of the beast of maturity – being able to look past all the bling, the hype, the latest trend or the coolest superstar and see only what is important to you. Recognizing what the words "elegant", "graceful" and "sophisticated" mean to you. I do not consider myself an expert in any of these arenas – I feel far too clumsy and I like doing the hula hoop too much – but I know it when I see it, and I think to myself, "Some day, I want to be like her."

May I live a life that inspires the same thoughts in the minds of all the children I now have the pleasure of sharing my life with, even if I’m still doing the hula hoop at 80.