Day 1019 – Tay Tay Eras movie review, a fantasy fulfilled, and the dark side

Monday, November 6, 2023

We went to the late afternoon show of Taylor Swift’s Eras movie. There wee few people in the theater, maybe twenty. Before the movie started three groups of two were chattering incessantly. One pair were tween girls. The other two pair were young girls with older women (moms?). I was hoping they’d shut up once the movie started. They did, except the tween pair sang along sometimes, which was okay. There was one Rocky Horror type moment, one of the girls shouted out, “One, Two, Three…” at just the right time at a break in the song. You had to be in the know, I guess. I wasn’t (shocking).

The movie was great. One film critic talked about rough cuts but was forgiving because Taylor did the movie herself. I have no idea what he was talking about. One thing the critic said was that the quality of the production was way better than any earlier movie tour documentary. She apparently had some forty odd cameras involved.

I was blown away to see the shots of the crowd at SoFi Stadium. The stadium seats 70,240 and she sold it out for six nights. That’s 420,000 tickets at what price? $100, $200, $500? I don’t know. And I wonder if that count is accurate because there were people in the infield, too. But to see all those cell phone lights through out the three (or is it four?) tiers. It’s incredible.

The setup is both a stage and a runway, and she commands it without being pushy or patronizing. She’s flirty and sexy without being dangerously arousing. Does that make sense? Shelby says it’s because she’s appealing to women, not men. Celebrating girl-power, or should I say female empowerment.

How she made all those costume changes so quickly was amazing. And what if she had to go to the bathroom? What if people in her band or her dancers got sick? So many questions. Such a flawless performance. And some of the transitions were spectacular. 

At one point she was talking to the audience. Usually, she said she does an album and does a tour. ut with the pandemic she has released five albums and no tour. “What are you going to do?” she said people asked her. They continued, “Do all the albums? In a three and a half hour show?”

“Yeah,” she said, “And we’ll call it the Eras tour.”

Did the place go nuts with that comment? Well, yeah, but it was nuts the whole time.

She started this tour at 33. Now she is 34.

I would love to ask her parents, mainly her dad, “When did you know?”

I’ve been beside my daughter when she has done things that just blew me away. When did it happen for her dad? 

What must it be like for him to walk out into SoFi Stadium and see over 70,000 screaming fans all there to see his daughter?

That sense of one dad to another was what I kept thinking about. That and how did she make those fast costume changes.

Moving on. A Fantasy Fulfilled and The Dark Side.

Okay, I’ve done it. I’m not proud of it. Nor am I guilt ridden. It’s just a thing that I did. I know. Some of you will say, “It’s about time.” While others will cry, “Sell out.” Be that as it may, I’ve done it.

I took the bag of Pumpkin Spiced Coffee and slit the bag with a razor and spooned some of the dark grounds into the coffeemaker. Yup, Pumpkin Spiced Coffee (not latte!). It’s okay. I mean. It’s nothing to freak out about. 

The other day the grocery store had persimmons. They don’t stay in season long. I bought six. I went back yesterday and bought six more. Two of which were soft to the touch. If you haven’t had persimmons you are missing out. If you like fresh figs you’ll like persimmons. They have a unique texture. I don’t know anything else close: papaya? Mango? Kumquat? Kumquat is closest in texture. Taste? More papaya mango but not as citrusy. think fresh jack fruit. (Oh, you haven’t had fresh jack fruit? Well excuuuuse me.)

The thing bout persimmons is you have to let them ripen. When they get soft and begin to blacken they are ready to eat. I’ll cut one in half and pour cream on it. Yum. That’ what I had last night after Taylor. 

Be forewarned, if you take a nice firm persimmon, that is like a firm tomato and bite into it, you will never have another persimmon. The taste is dry and astringent. In America, the persimmon is picked before it is ripe and is full of tannins. You have to wait. 

I was in Egypt and every day they had persimmons they were red, and firm. I knew better than to eat them. Eventually, I tried one. It was good! Apparently, they can let the fruit get ripe and they pick it ripe off the tree.

Don’t try that at home.