Seven Quick Takes for Monday

It's hot, and my big girls are out of town so it's quiet, and maybe it's pregnancy but the whole house smells like ashes despite the fact that I cleaned out the fireplace thoroughly two months ago and the window have been open ever since. I haven't had an interesting thought all day, so here's some vapidity to bring you down to my level.

1.

The Beach Boys remixed, or unmixed, or unhinged.



This is totally how it sounds when my siblings and I sing together. H/T Jen.

2.

If the world were run like airlines.

3.

Despite the less than stellar reviews, I have this urge to see The Great Gatsby on the big screen. Darwin is not necessarily pressed to do likewise, and I don't think it's worth spending babysitting capital on (a big calculation in my cinematic calculations), so what I ought to do is go see it on my own. But do you know, I don't think I've ever gone to see a movie in the theater by myself. For years I've gone, when I do go, with Darwin. Before I knew him, I went with friends. (High in the tales of ignominious movie confessions: In my youth I went with a boyfriend on his sixteenth birthday to see Waterworld, making me one of the ten people in the nation to financially support that debacle. I think I paid, too. The whole incident was a metaphor for that relationship.)

4.

Paul Giamatti is joining the cast of Downton Abbey in Season 4 as Cora's brother. The burning question: will this be enough to overcome our apathy and nudge us toward watching the last three episodes of Season 3, or are three seasons enough for any TV show?

5.

Actually, the real Downton question is: Will Season 4 show the wizards finally using their magical powers?

6.

From a list of The Ugliest Churches in the World, the very first example:

Touchdown Jesus, in front of Solid Rock Church, in Monroe, Ohio, off of I-75. I've driven past it more than once. However, this list is out of date. Touchdown Jesus was struck by lightning and burned to the  ground several years ago. Undaunted by this traditional sign of divine disapprobation, the church vowed to rebuild, but decided to tone down the camp.

Well, it's an improvement. But as we drove past it Saturday night, I was seized with pangs of nostalgia for the old statue. There's not much to look at between Dayton and Cincinnati; Touchdown Jesus was a landmark in swath of fields and flea markets.

7.

If you're looking for something a bit more substantial, check out Darwin in his radio debut, speaking about Catholicism and evolution.