To Dream of Laurie Partridge…

I sporadically caught reruns of The Partridge Family as a kid, but have never considered myself a fan of this pop music family sitcom.  I was more of a Brady Buncher, so it’s odd I would have a dream about Laurie Partridge, as portrayed by Susan Dey.   I mean, you’d think I’d dream of Keith or his Hardy brother from another show, but neither  Cassidy ever interested me.  

As for the dream I experienced in the early morning hours of January 2nd, I was in my late teens or early 20’s, sitting in what appeared to be a bedroom with Laurie Partridge.  She was dressed in the early 1970’s style and was eagerly trying to convince me to get high with her using a new weird drug.  I finally agreed because you can’t say no to Laurie Partridge.  

She passed me a hard cocoon-ish shell I could hold with one hand and told me to suck the creature out and spit it onto a paper plate.  Then she planned to mash the creature up and mix the remains with some substance.  We would then eat the result for our high, which, for some reason, made perfect sense to me.

So, I glanced inside and saw something dark and leathery.  Then I held the cocoon-ish shell between my lips and sucked it out.  The creature was alive and it felt like multiple little suction cups were clinging to the inside of my mouth.  Whatever it was couldn’t or wouldn’t simply be spit out, so I had to reach in and yank it free.  I plopped the dark leathery round creature, with its thick little tendrils, on the paper plate.  Just as Laurie Partridge was about to mash it up, someone knocked on the door.  She quickly covered the plate and hid it under a writing desk.  

That’s when I woke up, feeling rather unsettled.  My first thought was how horrifying it was to feel the creature clinging to the inside of my mouth.  I was relieved it’s the dead of winter, so hopefully this dream wasn’t brought on by a bug or a spider crawling into my gaping snore-hole.  Then I questioned the appearance of Laurie Partridge and who knocked on the door.  Was it Mrs. Partridge or the entire family?  Would I have gone tripping with the Partridges?  Lastly, I shook my head at the absurdity of the dream.  I would never allow a creature, even a gross one, to be killed just for a high.  No, not even for Laurie Partridge.

Anyhoo, I don’t know what this freaky dream means, but it’s one way to start the new year.   It’s definitely more interesting than the post I had originally been working on.  It was to be a list of things I hope to accomplish in 2023, so at least now I won’t be publicly embarrassed when I fail to achieve anything I have planned.  I’ll just be embarrassed to know everyone knows how deranged my dreams can get. 🤪

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words and Happy New Year! 

Freak Out, 

JLH 

P.S.  You probably already filled your 2023 reading list, but maybe you can squeeze in a few more titles…

📚 

Blogging like there's no tomorrow...

I have blogged through Google's directly named blog site Blogger since 2013.  I even found my way back to blogging after losing a chunk of my vision back in 2016.  It helped that Blogger's interface had not changed during my absence.  I knew which buttons to click because I had done it all before.

Now Blogger is changing.  A new interface is available and soon the old "Legacy" interface will disappear.  I've been experimenting with the new version and have been failing miserably.  Maybe it's my half-blind eyes, but the layout is confusing.  

The only thing I've managed to achieve in the new interface is typing the title.  I can't seem to locate where the body of the post will go. Logically, I know it should be beneath the post title, but I've tapped my tablet screen all over without success.  I also can't figure out how to view and edit previous posts.  Of course, because of all of these issues, I haven't a clue how to add pics & vids.

To top it all off, I can't zoom in by gently spreading two fingers apart on the screen.   The new interface is immovable, in that respect.  I see lots of screenshots in my future, assuming I solve my other Blogger probs.

I'm so frustrated that I need either a deep tisssue massage or a horse tranquilizer.  I know, I know.  Progress and all that crap.  Honestly, it seems the easier things are supposed to be, the more difficult they actually are.

So, I'll keep blogging here, using the "Legacy" interface, for as long as I can and I'll continue practicing with the new interface.  If I can't figure it out, perhaps I could try to make a fresh start through a different blogging site.  As The Brady Kids once advised...

🎵When it's time to change, you've got to rearrange, who you are into what you're going to be.🎵

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words.

Freak Out, 

JLH 

P.S. The Collective Eye is open and popping in August! 

👁

https://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-collective-eye-august-2020.html  

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My books & blogs...

http://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-collective.html   

freakboy on film: THE BRADY BUNCH MOVIE (Formica Sunshine Days & Polyester Confusion Nights edition)

"You're all a part of me and I'm a part of you, and there's no escaping that...but it makes me feel really special." - Jan Brady 

1995 

written by... 

Laurice Elehwany 

Rick Copp 

Bonnie Turner 

Terry Turner 

directed by Betty Thomas 

Here's a story of a kid named freakboy, watching reruns of The Brady Bunch after school.  He enjoyed their familial antics and found the music cool.

Here's a story of a young adult freakboy, hearing about a big screen Brady Bunch remake.  He was nervous, and a little worried, that his TV memories would drown in a filmic lake.

'Til the one day he and his sister went to the theater, and they were concerned about what they might see, but this duo soon formed the opinion, that they loved The Brady Bunch Movie.

How much do my sis and I love this movie?  Well, we saw it three times in the theater.  Then, on the first weekend it was available to rent, we ran to the video store and then watched it at least five times over those 2 days.  We were experiencing a trippy Brady overdose!  Linear film viewing became an erratic, swirling time warp as we thought certain scenes had already happened while they were happening, but we were just flashing to the previous viewings.  It's best we had to return that VHS tape or we might still be stuck keep on keeping on in a Brady-hole of Formica sunshine days and polyester confusion nights.  

Why do my sister and I love THE BRADY BUNCH MOVIE?  It's a fun emotional pick me up.  It's got an eclectic grungy-groovy soundtrack.  It celebrates these characters by lightly poking fun and fully embracing its source material instead of viciously mocking and/or obliterating it.  My narrowed half-blind eyes are on you, Starsky & Hutch and Land of the Lost, but those are freakboy on film posts for another day. 

The plot, in a  genius move, takes The Bradys, in all of their sweet, innocent, groovy late 1960's/early 1970's American television sitcom glory, and deposits them in the cynical, gritty cinematic 1990's.  The family deals with some of their best half hour problems...Jan's glasses, Peter's puberty, Marcia's swollen nose....while seemingly oblivious to the greedy, nihilistic world around them. 

Yet, not all is a sunshine day in The Brady household.  Next door neighbor Mr.  Dittmeyer has plans to buy up and demolish Clinton Avenue.  The Bradys aren't selling, but a mix-up in mail delivery, a bill for 20,000 dollars in back taxes, gives Mr. Dittmeyer the opportunity to seize the Brady house.  Now it's up to the Bunch to raise 20,000 dollars in one week so their iconic home won't be auctioned off to their sleazy neighbor.  Will Greg become a rock star?  Will Marcia become a teen model?  Will the new Jan Brady knock over a 7-11?   Will a singing competition ultimately save the day?  Well, it is The Brady Bunch, so it's a safe bet that everything ends happily.  It's the getting there that is a whole lot of fun! 

The cast seems to be having a ball.  Gary Cole plays Mike Brady with believable innocent optimism.  Shelley Long is perfect as Carol Brady, who is a sweet, understanding mother who also seems more aware of reality than the rest of her family.  Michael McKean as Mr. Dittmeyer, is obviously enjoying playing a slimeball. Jean Smart steals every scene as Mrs. Dittmeyer, who is typically hungover and sexually hungry for the Brady men.  

As for the Brady kids, all are very good in their roles, but two stand out for me.  Christine Taylor as perpetually perfect Marcia and Jennifer Elise Cox as perpetually put-upon Jan.  When these two women share a scene, it's comedy gold!  The modeling scene is a perfect example of their sibling rivalry chemistry.  Oh, and you should also be on the lookout for a few clever original cast cameos. 

The moral of this story is to follow the beat of your own drummer.  The Brady Bunch sure did and that's why we are still talking about them today. 

SIDE NOTE: While ROSEMARY'S BABY is my absolute favorite film, THE BRADY BUNCH MOVIE may be my favorite film based on a television series, but this month of freakboy on film has only just begun! 

Freak Out, 

JLH

P.S.  Stay tuned for my post in The Second Great Hammer And Amicus Blogathon!

Hosted by...

Cinematic Catharsis 

http://cinematiccatharsis.blogspot.com/ 

and 

Realweegiemidget Reviews 

https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/ 

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My books & blogs...

https://thejlhcollective.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-collective.html