5 Questions: Her MADGEsty

Today on 5 Questions I bring you Madge of Mainely Madge fame. Story goes like this: man, woman-- Tugboat and Madge, live in NYC, have The Bird who has coped with some seriously funny hair-raising issues since birth, the 3 move to Maine for Man's boat stuff (geddit? man =Tugboat), she trades Manolos for flips and clogs, he then suffers near fatal accident at work, and they are now waiting on the muthufucking courts to settle their lawsuit. In interim, Tugboat thinks he can hide cookies from Ms Madge, which is just so stupid because WE WILL ALWAYS FIND THE COOKIES, MENS (link providing photographic documentation) as they await the arrival of The Bird's little brother or sister whose arrival is slated sometime around December.

Also in the interim, she gets to see cute shit like this:

And reminisce about how she used to dress like this:

1. I get the vibe that you're a lovah of fine shoes. What are you most beloved, makes you all a-tingle because they are so special in their inherent awesomity pair? If there is a story that comes with them (on insane sale? did not eat good food for a month due to their cost?), please provide.  In contrast, what pair winds up getting worn most days (please provide photos)?

I AM a lovah of shoes. (And I have the early stages of bunions attesting to the fact.) Unfortunately, I've been on a cute shoe-buying moratorium lately. Because my husband's accident coincided so closely with the birth of my daughter, I effectively stopped buying delicious shoes about three years ago. It's been hard to rationalize the expense of my former habit while living primarily on savings these last years.

I don't know that these are my favorites EVER, but they are the most aesthetically pleasing pair currently in the roster. I got them for a fabulous wedding at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Our friends getting married are both photographers, so the guest list featured some very hip and fashionable types. While not normally susceptible to such things, I felt a keen pressure to measure up for this particular event.

I love the colors, I love the knobby silk shantung, but most of all I love the fuschia leather on the heels.

Sadly, you won't usually see me sporting a pair of fabulous mules, but, depending on the season, either Dansko clogs or Reef flips.

2. What are you biggest annoyances of the general public (max 2)?

a. Being an ass in the car. (Using a handheld phone, not indicating when turning, slowing down on an on-ramp, tailgating, etc.)

b. Everyone wanting to be famous. Why is there a reality show for every goddamn thing? Why does everyone want to be on TV? This used to be especially frustrating to me when I worked across the street from Rockefeller Center. The throng that would clog the streets for the Today Show made getting to work in the morning really fucking frustrating. Who cares if you just got engaged? It's not enough that you're happy and on vacation in New York? You HAVE to get on TV as well? I just don't get it.

3. What are the little details surrounding your first real date?

I think I've answered this elsewhere, but here I go again: In the seventh grade I was asked out by an impossibly pretentious boy named Phip (short for Philip). I actually liked his friend George, but he hadn't asked. Phip took me to see Transylvania 6-5000 with Ed Begley, Jr. We walked home about 10 blocks from the movie theater to my apartment. Once in front of my building, he rather forcefully kissed me just as a neighbor and friend of my mother's was coming out of the lobby. I recoiled in embarrassed horror and basically ran away from him. He called me a few times, but I never took the calls. I don't know why, but he'd made me very uncomfortable.

I think he was pissed and told his friends I was a slut or something, because all of a sudden all these random boys from his school started calling me. One of them was George. I was thrilled until I realized why he was calling. I hung up quickly and didn't take any more calls from those boys. (Side note: I did end up hooking up with George a few years later out at the beach. And he was just as cute!)

4. What talent or skill do you wish you possessed?

I should probably say the obvious: DANCING. Unfortunately for me sheer force of my will has not improved my moves over the years. But, I actually don't care that much about being a good dancer. I'll keep doing it, bad or good. The skill I would REALLY like to have is The Shine. That's right, I'd love to have some psychic abilities.

5. What expression or verbiage would you like removed from the every-person lexicon and die a slow and painful death?

I would be a happy, happy woman if I never heard the Snoop talk again. You know, Homeys in the HIZZ-ouse. Yo, shizzle, ma nizzle. That's the shizz-nit. Actually, no it is not anything of the sort. Go back to fourth grade and learn to speak, please.

Bonus question:

What cheesey movie could you watch over and over again?

This is not easy, because I have some pretty cheesy taste. Sure I have a few high-brow, foreign-language favorites and a bizarre penchant for the mob genre. But, mostly, I love a good cheesy movie. I love a movie I can quote for years on end and drop everything to watch. Because I'm somewhat of a connoisseur, I don't think I can narrow this down to one. Plus, I think cheesy movies fall into a few different categories. So, I'll give you my top pick for each group:

Cheesy Chick Flick: Steel Magnolias
Cheesy Comedy: Tommy Boy
Cheesy Romance: The Cutting Edge

So go check her out.  And Madge, ya know we love ya more than our luggage!

Comments

[madge]

Thanks for doing this, Jen. Especially since the tumbleweeds are rolling through my own place...

Ahoy, I can blog. I'm a blogger. I blog. (Bonus points if you can guess from whence this phrase was inspired.)

[marnie]

Holy crap, is that really a picture of a reindeer sweater? I just burned one of my Mother's that looked just like that.

Thankfully it won't be making another Christmas appearance.

[Jen]

Madge - my guess is What About Bob ("I'm saaaailing"?) otherwise, no idea. Yeah, the truth is I let the boat do all the work.

I love your pics for cheesy movies. I'm always sayin "Are you *high*, clairee?" and "well paint my door red and call me elizabeth arden, I'm a *chain*!" I could go on, but I'll stop right there.

[TB]

Oh Madge, how I've missed you.
Any movie with DB Sweeney is a classic, no?

PS - Loving the mules.

[madge]

Jen, you are good. It was one of Bill Murray's best.

My fave SM quote is: "If you can't say something nice, come and sit by me."

[Jen]

Ooh, good one, for got about that.
Also:
"I'm not crazy, I've just been a very bad mood for the last 40 years!" (I adjust that downward for me)

My colors are "blush" and "bashful."

- Her colors are "pink" and pink."

- My colors are "blush" and "bashful" Mama!

[Elizabeth]

I love this 5 Questions, especially with Madge! She gives good interview.

LOVE Steel Magnolias *sigh*

[Lassa]

Jen- I love the shoes! I totally wear Dansko's too... they're so comfy when you have to be on your feet for hours :)

[Nancy]

Ah Jen, thanks for the Madge-fest. I do love me some Madge.

And I love me those shantung shoes. To die for.

[mothergoosemouse]

Yay for Madge and Jen!

[Jen]

Yeah, thinking I should have had Madge line up all her shoes for this interview.

[roo]

Hey, Madge and I wear the same brand of flip-flops. Madge, I know they're a step down for you as far as footwear goes (not exactly Manolos), but I feel infinitely cooler about mine now.

[wordgirl]

Such interesting questions and answers! I love the mules but--alas--I'm a hiking boot/clog/flipflop kinda girl, too. Such a pity because my feet are rather nice.

[Dawn]

I might have drooled a little at those mules. Cause mules make me unreasonably happy...and bold stripey mules? Heavy Sigh.

But yes, I do love some Madge. Once the new nestling has hatched I command Madge to come to Montreal ( with Jess and Jen) and we will drink wine and eat raw milk cheese and mock others. In English.

[Jenny]

Oh those shoes...those shoes!

*drool*