I'm Only Human

It's another rainy, cold day in NYC! My boys went to see "Super 8" (the new Steven Spielberg movie) in Lincoln Center; it's a perfect day for it.

David Bowie was so gorgeous
back in the day!

One of my all-time favorite singers, David Bowie (1947- ), is the source for today's cryptoquote:

"I always had a repulsive need to be something more than human. . . ." (the quote ends with "I felt very puny as a human. It thought 'F---- that, I want to be a superhuman.'")

This is a link to an interesting article by Brittany Wollman Love about transhumanism and the quest for immortality: http://www.thedailytransmission.com/2010/04/28/transhumanism-and-the-future-of-the-human-race/

As we all know, superhuman powers make our fictional comic heroes. Here's a link to the ten worst superhuman powers: http://www.thevine.com.au/entertainment/top10/top-ten-shittiest-superhuman-powers20110614.aspx.

Speaking of superhumans, "Spider-Man" finally opens tonight after many delays and injuries. We saw in interview with Bono and The Edge at the 92nd Street Y last night. They gave their perspective on why it took so long for the show to open. For one thing, they said former director Julie Taymor became too close to the production and wouldn't allow any flexibility. BTW, Bono got lots of laughs throughout the evening. Sesame Street has done an excellent spoof of the entire debacle and it will be featured in the 42nd season opener:

Now that you've had a good laugh, here's the solution to today's Newsday puzzle by Billie Truitt, called "Opposites Attract."

These are the theme answers:

17A: Having conflicting emotions: HOT AND COLD. Pictured to the left are some retro faucets. Our house on Long Island came with faulty plumbing. In my parents' bathroom, hot was cold and cold was hot. It was like that for the entire 28 years they lived there!  

Thora Birch, Gaby Hoffman, Ashleigh Aston Moore,
and Christina Ricci in Now and Then (1995)

54A: Once in a while: NOW AND THEN. An excellent 1995 film about the friendship of four girls in Indiana in the early 70s. Thora Birch (the flirt), Gaby Hoffman (the "weird" one, Ashleigh Aston Moore (the naive one), and Christina Ricci (the tomboy) morphed into Melanie Griffith, Demi Moore, Rita Wilson, and Rosie O'Donnell, respectively. Sadly, Ashleigh Aston Moore died in 2007 at the age of 26.

10D: Easily decided as a court case: OPEN AND SHUT

23D: Twists of fortune: UPS AND DOWNS. Does anyone of age remember a mall store called Ups n' Downs? They were popular during the 70s and 80s. Here is their logo

That's all for today. Tonight is R-n-R at home. Gym tomorrow and Thursday.

Signing off,

The Puzzlechick