Stuff I Love: Weather Forecasting Rodents

It's finally February! January lasted about 700 years so let's all breath a sigh of relief for the end of that mess. The end of January also means it's time for my annual February tradition: Stuff I Love! I guess you argue this entire blog is about stuff I love, but in February I focus on special things I love.

I love random holidays. Give me a food themed holiday or a holiday that celebrates being nice to people and my day is made. February includes one of the greatest animal themed random holidays ever - Groundhog Day. If you don't know about Groundhog Day, I'll give you a quick overview. Groundhog Day was first celebrated in the US within German immigrant communities in Pennsylvania. The first recorded celebration was February 2, 1840. It's derived from German traditions where groundhogs and badgers were used as weather predicting animals (as one does). If the groundhog sees his shadow when he emerges from his hole, we'll have six more weeks of winter and Phil goes back in his hole to go back to napping for six more weeks. If doesn't see his shadow, spring will arrive early.

The Punxsutawney, PA has become the hub of Groundhog Day activity. The first Punxsutawney celebration was in 1886. According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club website, their resident groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The town celebrates in a huge way and it sounds amazing. I have never visited, but it's a future winter trip.

I don't know when my fascination with Groundhog Day began, but I love it. I don't celebrate Valentine's Day, despite my very successful turn as the first "E" in my third grade Valentine's Day concert, and I'm not a huge fan of Christmas. As winter holidays go, Groundhog Day is my more my speed. Ultimately, it's about a surly rodent who holds the weight of the winter forecast on his tiny shoulders. Little dude just wants to continue sleeping for the rest of February, but no, we need him to tell us whether we have to suffer through more of winter. Punxsutawney Phil is all of us on a bitter cold morning; we'd rather stay under the covers rather than walking to the gym in 19 degree weather. I feel you, Phil.

The 1993 gem of a movie Groundhog Day also plays a role in my love of this holiday. If you haven't seen the movie, do yourself a favor and check it out this year. AMC usually runs a marathon every year (which is funny). Bill Murray stars as Phil Connors, a weatherman who travels with his crew to Punxsutawney to cover the festivities. Phil is a jerk to everyone and has zero interest in rodent-based weather forecasting. Phil finds himself caught in a time loop, where he relives Groundhog Day over and over. He spends the bulk of the movie doing everything from learning new things like how to play the piano, committing crimes, saving people, being nice to his cameraman, Chris Elliott, and falling in love with his producer, played by Andie MacDowell. The time loop keeps going until Phil learns a lesson because that's the way movies work. One of the greatest scenes in the movie is when weatherman Phil kidnaps Punxsutawney Phil and they drive angry. It's magical.

I hit peak Groundhog Day love in 2011 when my wonderful mom sent me a Groundhog Day care package. I was living in California at the time and my mom found all sorts of goodies for me to enjoy. The box included Punxsutawney Phil postcards, a DVD about the magical day, chocolate, and the pièce de résistance, a groundhog cookie cutter. My mom gets me...or indulges my weirdness. I'll let you decide which. The cookie cutter led to my creation of a new Groundhog Day tradition, baking groundhog cookies.

My first batch:

Who doesn't love jaunty scarves and bow ties on weather forecasting rodents? Then there was the year I made top hats:

Edible paper still tastes like paper. Adorable, but still paper.

This year, I decided to go all out for the big day. I made Groundhog Day cards and sent them to my friends and family. People have been enjoying them which makes me happy. A little whimsy in the mail never hurt anyone. Surprisingly (or maybe not), there are a ton of groundhog stamps available online. I'm not the only one who loves this little guy.

I also continued my tradition of making the cookies. I'm almost eight months into my new job and I haven't really done much baking for work. I admit I haven't felt like baking all that much in the last few months, but my croissant class last week was an inspiration. I'm not going to bake something every week, but I feel like I have my baking groove back. Hopefully, my new co-workers enjoy whimsy in their day and eating delicious cookies shaped like weather forecasting rodents. 

Here's hoping that Punxsutawney Phil doesn't see his shadow and we get an early spring. It's the least Phil can do for us.

Movie meme

We need more groundhog

 

Regular Island visitors know of my "addiction" to holiday themed Hallmark and Lifetime movies. I've seen most of the Hallmark movies at least twice and I believe I watched all of the new "Countdown to Christmas" movies this year. I've found these movies are best if you've had a glass or two of wine and maybe some chocolate or holiday cookies. The sugar and alcohol makes the improbable "plots" seem realistic and the horrible choices the heroines make bearable. You can even ignore the traditional gender roles and the notion that all love takes is some Christmas magic and glitter. Liking these movies makes me feel like a bad feminist but I can't help myself. I normally confine my watching to the winter holiday season. I like to give myself a bit of break and watch real movies and read more and have a social life.

Until now. 

If it wasn't bad enough that Valentine's Day candy was out before New Year's now Hallmark has introduced us to "Countdown to Valentine's Day". Hallmark is bringing out some of their oldies but goodies and premiering five new Valentine movies including one that stars Jason Lee and involves swans. Yes, Jason Lee now makes Hallmark movies. I wanted him to start singing a Stillwater song in the commercial. Maybe he does that in the actual movie; I haven't watch this one. Yet. The only new movie I've managed to watch is I Do, I Do, I Do. I admit that I feel asleep for about twenty minutes (I'm getting over a cold or something) but I don't think I missed much. I Do, I Do, I Do is Hallmark's attempt at making a Valentine's movie that is one part typical Hallmark love story and one part Groundhog Day. 

Don't believe me? Here's a plot summary: a young woman, Jaclyn, (who is a successful architect by the way) is dating a doctor/author who surprises her in front of the hospital she built with a proposal (that includes an incredible misuse of medical equipment) even though they've only been together for five months and he's terribly self-obsessed. Of course she says yes but the catch is that they have to get married on Valentine's Day which is in less than a week. Her sister tries to talk her out of this nightmare wedding (planned by the groom's overbearing mother) but she soldiers on and gets married. And then she begins to relive her wedding day over and over and over again. Did I mention she also starts to fall in love with the groom's brother (also a doctor who works in Africa) and she "dates" him as she experiences her time loop. The only way to break the loop is to get her wedding day right. This means finally standing up for herself, not marrying the douche-y doctor (this is an apt description if you watch the movie), and falling in love with the other brother.

Like Bill Murray's character Phil in Groundhog Day (which is one of my favorite movies and holidays), Jaclyn begins to realize that she controls what happens each time she relives her wedding day. While she doesn't go to the extremes that Phil does ("Don't drive angry"), she does have her moments of fun particularly at her mother-in-law's expense when she re-plans the wedding. Like Phil, she also realizes that she can use her time to learn and try new things and be daring with her life. It's not until she does the right thing by breaking off her engagement that her particular time loop is broken. Phil learns to be a better person; Jaclyn learns to be a person. 

I should really love this movie but I don't. I want to but I don't. It's not a bash you over the head Valentine's movie (woohoo) and for once the female lead has a career in a field that is not traditional (by Hallmark movie standards). But still it doesn't sit well for me. I could chalk it up to the missing groundhog but that's probably not it. I believe Hallmark missed a huge opportunity to get into the Groundhog Day movie business; I have three ideas for movies that all fit the Hallmark mold but also involve a groundhog and Groundhog Day. There were also opportunities for way more fun in the time loop than was had. Jaclyn does learn things like Italian and how to dance but she mostly spends her time secretly dating her future brother-in-law (which no one finds odd) and not trying to figure out why she's getting married in the first place. Jaclyn's sister is relegated to the background so often you forget she's there and the mother-in-law is so stereotypical it's not even funny.

None of those things are the reason I don't like this movie. I think what bothers me most is this notion that Jaclyn is fine with being average when given the most extraordinary opportunity she's probably ever been given. She gets to relive one day over and over again until she gets it right. Instead of really going for it she opts to do things that will only move her in the direction we all she's going in - to the arms of her future brother-in-law. There's a bit of dialogue at one point where she talks about wanting to go to Egypt because the pyramids are the reason she decided to become and architect. Instead of hopping on a plane and leaving, she stays to learn how to swim. The riskiest thing we see her do is have carbs and red meat at her wedding reception. Carbs and red meat!? I don't know what to say to that.

Think about it for a moment: if you were given the chance to relive one day over and over again until you got it "right" what would you do? For the sake of this discussion, I'll let you select the day that you get to relive. Would you end up in the same place you are today but with more knowledge and maybe some random new skills? Or would you be in a completely different life because you opted for a different path and now you're a different you? This is what I wanted Jaclyn to do; I wanted her to opt for a different path - to not end up marrying the other brother with two minutes left in the movie. 

I used to watch these movies as a distraction from the stress of the holidays or if I had a bad day at work but now I think I watch them to see how much the story will annoy me and how many times I will shout at the television. I can't stop watching them and yet I feel like a traitor to my gender for helping to perpetuate terrible stereotypes about love and dating and marriage. All of these movies center around falling in love in less than a week and getting married or engaged in the last two minutes of the movie. I want more for women than that and yet I have a problem turning the channel. Despite my own experiences and beliefs, I still love a happily ever after story. And I'm not alone. Even Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist, likes to watch Lifetime movies. I find this comforting.

(Side note: you should read Bad Feminist. It was one of the best books I've read in a long time. I have her novel, An Untamed State, in my need to read pile right now. Also, follow her on Twitter.)

I'll leave you with a photo of my Groundhog Day cookies and a link to some fun facts about this noble creature. I'm going to get started on my pitch for a new Hallmark movie entitled In the Shadow of Punxsutawney Phil - it involves a plot to destroy his home and the plucky scientist who wants to save the day. Until she meets an adorable child with an interest in preservation who just happens to be the son of the town sheriff who needs love and adventure in his life. Our scientist heroine must decide between saving the groundhog and true love. What choice will she make?
 

Groundhog Day still

All I Needed to Know I Learned from Bill Murray and a Rodent

"Good morning wood-chuck chuckers! Don’t forget your booties because it’s cold out there!!”

Of course, Groundhog Day is perhaps the greatest Bill Murray rodent-based movie since Caddyshack. It’s one of those movies that features Bill Murray at his Bill Murrayest, back before he met Wes Anderson and doing a bunch of serious type movies and before he became the coolest guy in New York by going to bars with fans and playing random games of kickball. Bill Murray is the man! Do you know who doesn’t like Bill Murray? Bad people and super villains.

 As readers to this site don’t really know, I’m a bit of a Bill Murray fan, and the running theory over at Bad Shakespeare (www.badshakespeare.blogspot.com... just reminding you... you know, for the kids)is that there is a Bill Murray movie for every occasion. And while we tend to lump Groundhog Day in with the annual event on the second of February where a rodent with a record of predicting the weather that’s just a little worse than meteorologists predicting snow in Washington, DC, this movie is actually about life. Not just the day where we use a magical rodent telling us about the weather as an excuse to get drunk before 8 a.m.

In Groundhog Day, Bill Murray is forced to live one day over and over and over and over again. And over. Harold Ramis (Egon Spangler/Director) said on the DVD commentary that Bill Murray’s character was caught in that time loop for either 10,000 years or 10 years.  That’s a bit of a time gap, but I can kind of see where he was going with it I mean, he’s the director, but he should probably know, but he’s also Egon so he can really do no wrong as long as he’s not unleashing giant Twinkie on New York City. I kind of like the 10,000 years, because it goes with the theme of movie, that being that life can suck big time, and ultimately, life is what you make of it.

Bill Murray (Look, we can call him Phil, but he’s playing Bill Murray.) is living the same day over and over again. Take a look at the day he lives on the first day of the movie, then take a look at the day he lives on the last day of the movie. That is the exact same day. Yes, Bill Murray in his 10,000 (or possibly 10) years learns the real secret of life is to be nice to everyone, and make the most of every single day. And yes, by the end of it he does that. You don’t need me to tell you that. You just need to watch the movie. You should go watch it again. I can wait.

That was a fun two hours, and hopefully you cheered as you recognized a young Chris Elliot before he let himself go all weird and fun.

The point that people tend to miss when watching Groundhog Day and learning all about living each day to its fullest is the fact that Groundhog Day shows us how HARD it is to live each day to it’s fullest. And that’s a great message. (Relax, folks. It also shows us that you should keep pursing the ability to live each day to the fullest.)

While living this day, Bill Murray gets so frustrated he kills himself in a hilarious (?) montage sequence of ending it all. He doesn’t get it right the first time. Sometimes, he’s selfish and eats a ton of pastries. He gets depressed and kidnaps a rodent. He doesn’t get it right.

And that’s the lesson that’s difficult for us to learn. We want to make things better, we want to improve, we want to live each day to it’s fullest, but we tend to let ourselves get set back by the little things. Hey, I’m on this diet, but I’m CRAVING a cheeseburger. Hey, I want to start cooking more, but I got home from work soooo late. I promise to spend less time watching television but there’s a Star Trek marathon on. Hey, I want to stop punching squirrels but this one just cut me off in traffic and I think he yelled something anti-Semitic. The thing is, and the message of the Bill Murray classic, is that we don’t let those things set us back. We take our lumps. We go out for that fast food. We watch that Star Trek marathon. We spend a night in jail for attacking a squirrel. But the point of this movie is that we just keep trying to be better.

Movies are littered with inspirational methods and inspirational quotes and inspirational moments and inspirational everything that are quoted and put on T-Shirts or on black and white pictures. And while they’re great, they skip past this messy part where we try to figure everything out and put ourselves on the journey of being better people. That’s what Groundhog Day does. It takes us through that messy part, it takes us through the terrible growing pain that is life, and improving ourselves.

We should all strive to improve ourselves. We should all strive to be better people. Just one small step at time. One day at a time in our 10,000 year journey towards winning Andi MacDowell’s love. Bill Murray didn’t figure it out all at once. And even when it look like he was winning he still got pulled back to meeting Ned on that street and stepping in that puddle. He had to learn to navigate the complexities of that one day... and it took him 10,000 years to do it. We’re given considerably less time. And that’s half the fun, figuring out what works, and what doesn’t work.

That’s the sheer brilliance of a movie that features Bill Murray and a groundhog driving a car off a cliff.

Bad Shakespeare:  www.badshakespeare.blogspot.com