We interrupt this long lull in blogging to post birthday wishes for daughter No. 1, Gina Matassa, who turns 16 today. Incredible.
A year ago I noted Gina's smarts, independence, writing ability and interest in movies. All that has deepened in the past year, as she and her friends filmed a remake of "Sweeney Todd" (unfinished), wrote and filmed an original movie, "Stella" (in editing now), and began work on another screenplay, as yet untitled. She can talk movies all day and identify composers mid-film without seeing the credits, as she did last week when we saw "Revolutionary Road" (score by Thomas Newman, it turns out). She and Michelle have really connected on the craft and pursuit of screenwriting. Gina's favorite Christmas present: Charlie Kaufman's original screenplay of "Synecdoche, New York."
She also has turned into quite the cook. With occasional help from her sister Franny or from Michelle or me, Gina whips up delicious and healthy meals, often without a recipe or in an untried cuisine. A couple of weeks ago, a terrific Thai dinner. (Gina just now texted me from school to say she was eating an "awesome pasta salad" that she made herself for lunch.)
As my dad would have said after his trademark birthday question ("How does it feel to be 16?"), "What a beautiful age!"
It is. And as Grandma Rita always says, "Live it up!"
Do that, Gina. Happy Birthday, sweet girl.
(I took the above photo of Gina last June while they were shooting a scene for "Stella" in Pioneer Square.)
Friday, January 16, 2009
Happy Birthday, Gina!
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5 comments:
Happy Birthday Sweet, Beautiful, Smart, Talented Girl!
And yes, 'Live it Up', Gina, big time.
Happy Birthday, Gina! Go Capricorns.
happy birthday Gina, 16, that is how old I am on the inside.
thanks everyone! freda - i know i hardly know you but your comment totally reminded me of a character in stella :) awesome.
and for the record; we haven't done any work on the newest movie in a long time, but the working title is The Plagiarist.
thanks slmb. that was a splendid bday post.
Gina: I'm sorry to hear that you weren't given the screenplay of a good movie this Christmas. Drag.
But, seriously, anyone who at 16 cherishes a screenplay by Charlie Kaufman gets four stars and two thumbs up in my book. So, happy birthday.
Keep seeing movies and making them. And, please, one movie fan to another: if it isn't too much trouble, please help to inform people your age (and mine) to put away their cell phones and -- wait for it -- watch the movie!
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