Cinematographically-Induced Narcolepsy
It´s a real disorder. At least to me. I have a severe inability to sit through an entire film without falling asleep. Because of this, I have seen only 15 minutes of most movies, which isn´t much more than a trailer, so I never really know if I´ve actually seen a movie or if I´ve seen the previews, or if I´ve seen just a few minutes and have fallen asleep.
Take, for example, The Sound of Music. I mean, really, who hasn´t seen it? Apparently, as I found out last night, I haven´t. I´ve seen bits and pieces, the most famous music scenes, but as I watched it last night with my kids, I realized I haven´t seen the movie before.
I was shocked by the ending! Who knew! And then I looked it up online and found out all that was different about the real Von Trapps and the movie version, and how they didn´t really escape Austria as depicted in the movie but rather by taking a train to Italy on the very real premise that they were going to perform there, and then they emigrated to America. Interesting.
At any rate, as I watched one of the first scenes where the nuns were musing about Maria´s place in the Abbey, I found the lyrics of their song more and more amusing as they related to my daughter. In fact, if the name “Maria” is changed to “Anja”, it would be a perfect representation of what we put up with every day:
Out of focus and bemused
And I never know exactly where I am
Unpredictable as weather
She’s as flighty as a feather
She’s a darling! She’s a demon! She’s a lamb!
She’d outpester any pest
Drive a hornet from its nest
She could throw a whirling dervish out of whirl
She is gentle! She is wild!
She’s a riddle! She’s a child!
She’s a headache! She’s an angel!
She’s a girl!
How do you solve a problem like Anja?
How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?
How do you find a word that means Anja?
A flibbertijibbet! A will-o’-the wisp! A clown!
Many a thing you know you’d like to tell her
Many a thing she ought to understand
But how do you make her stay
And listen to all you say
How do you keep a wave upon the sand
Oh, how do you solve a problem like Anja?
How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?
niki
giggle giggle giggle snort.
Krustina
I was gonna say exactly the same thing! Giggle giggle. I’m glad you found a definition for your angel/devil girl!