If I were a stone, I would be a garnet.
If I were a tree, I would be a maple tree.
If I were a bird, I would be a robin.
If I were a machine, I would be an espresso machine.
If I were a fruit, I would be a strawberry.
If I were a flower, I would be a tiger lily.
If I were a kind of weather, I would be fog.
If I were a musical instrument, I would be a french horn.
If I were a kind of profession, I would be a teacher.
If I were an animal, I would be a cat.
If I were a colour, I would be amber.
If I were a fragrance, I would be lavendar.
If I were an emotion, I would be contentment.
If I were a vegetable, I would be a brussel sprout.
If I were a song, I would be Amarilli Mi Amore.
If I were a food, I would be sour dough bread.

Lately, Robert’s had a knack for picking out great movies to watch. It started with The Green Mile. Here’s a case in point for not judging a book/movie by its cover: I thought this was going to be another heroic/tragic war movie–which, as a rule, I don’t enjoy. It turned out to be about a prison guard who had witnessed supernatural events which seemed to be caused by one particular prisoner. That, in and of itself, was fascinating. But my interest deepened even further as I watched the guard’s developing sympathy for the prisoner and his growing conviction that the man was innocent.

We also watched the remake of Dune. The best thing about this movie was how it triggered a discussion about our different understandings of the book. I’m not sure it would be as enjoyable for someone who had not read the book–perhaps, but the world Frank Herbert created in the novel was so complex that I’m not sure it would ever translate well into film. Nevertheless, it was evident that the producers had a marvelous time with costuming and scenery creation. These aspects of the film were very well done indeed.

Pay it Forward turned out to be another good pick of his. I always love movies in which a young person has enough faith in himself–despite discouragement given by well-meaning adults-to do something truly inspiring. The child’s utopian view of the world came into being through his perserverance. This may sound like another cloying feel-good movie, and it is to some degree, but what saves it from utter banality is the depth of psychological analysis it performs upon the main characters.

Just last night, we watched Traffic. Had pregnancy not rendered me utterly exhausted and unwilling to exert decision-making abilities, I never would have allowed Robert to check out this movie. It was based on the drug trade, for goodness sake–not a theme I’m ordinarily attracted to. Fortunately, I was exhausted and willing to rely on Robert’s taste. It was a fascinating movie. I liked how it frequently switched points of view. At first, the characters only seemed related because they were involved with drugs in some fashion–police officers, senators, drug lords, users, pushers and family members. However, as the movie progressed, they started crossing paths more and more. As they did so, the characters themselves changed. Everyone of them lost something–either naivete or callousness. It was utterly engrossing.

All things considered, this has been a very easy pregnancy. Everything has been “normal” every step of the way…until now. Instead of having his head toward the ground as he should, my little boy has decided to assume the “transverse” presentation. That is, he is positioned within my uterus in a cross-wise manner. Dr. Mao assures me that babies are VERY uncomfortable in this position, which means he will be highly motivated to turn. The only thing we can’t tell is which way he will turn…head up or head down. Keep your fingers crossed that he will turn head down. I would rather avoid a c-section!

On Sunday, Robert and I went on a tour of the hospital where we’ll go to have the baby. The facilities are nothing short of luxurious. Private rooms…jacuzzi tubs…TV, VCR and stereo…room service. It is almost as nice as where we stayed during our honeymoon. On second thought, it’s better, considering that it’s not in Oakland, CA and surrounded by run-down buildings covered with razor wire.