The Evolution of an Obsession

If you’d like a glimpse into the inner workings of my brain, behold the genesis of an obsession.

It begins with Christmas. I need to wrap presents. Anyone who knows me even slightly knows that this is an odious and tiresome task for me. In order to entertain myself, I make myself a cocktail (or two) and watch something on TV that makes me happy. In past years, it’s been episodes of “The Walking Dead,” other years it’s a Stephen King movie, sometimes it’s “Game Change.” 

For this year’s viewing pleasure, I chose the movies “The Mummy” and “The Mummy Returns,” the ones starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz (and Oded Fehr, but we’ll get to him in a moment). Not intellectual or historically accurate movies, by any means, but I find them a lot of fun. I’ve been fascinated by ancient Egypt since I read in grade school about the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. The very first thing I wanted to be was an archaeologist. I love the imagery, the mystery, and the history. Adding a bunch of adventure, romance, and intrigue into the mix makes for a very fun movie for me. 

I wrap, I drink, I watch. I’m struck all over again by the aforementioned Oded Fehr as Ardeth Bay. And his incredible hair. I begin to look things up about the actor and remember that he is now a member of the “Star Trek: Discovery” cast, playing a Federation Admiral. A mini-obsession is born. A black and white picture of him is now my phone’s lock screen and wallpaper. A photo of him in a tub is now my Facebook cover photo. To give him credit for things other than being hawt, he appears to be a truly nice human being, smart and funny and devoted to his family. Awww! Good Guy Oded Fehr!

Among other discoveries, I find out that he was born in Israel, but in the movie, he plays an Egyptian. Leader of the Medjai…black robes, scimitars, and in his case, a spectacular head of hair. 

So I begin to listen to Egyptian music. I’m captivated. It sends my imagination soaring. An ancient procession, perhaps a sacred burial. A taverna with belly dancers. The glare of the hot sun, a camel ride, a trip down the Nile. 

Then I begin to investigate the cuisine in Egypt and the Middle East. I find out that there is a local restaurant that offers up that sort of fare and we resolve to go try it out soon. It sounds like I would love it. I decide I should conduct kitchen experiments and make some of this cuisine. So I begin to investigate recipes and learn that there are spices and spice mixes that I need if I want to make this. I investigate cookbooks and find one that sounds basic enough for a beginner to the cuisine. I order the cookbook. I search for the “must-have” spices. I order the spices. 

As I immerse myself in this, I begin to think about how my dream vacation has always been one in Egypt. My sister did it; I can do it, too. I inform Ken that while we need to wait for things to settle down with Covid, this is something I want us to plan for. 

I want that glare of the hot sun, I want that camel ride, I want that trip down the Nile. 

I want to see the pyramids. 

I don’t do the bucket list thing, but if I did, this would be on it. Life is too short to not see these wonders, especially when I’ve dreamed about something like this since I was a kid. It also gives me something to look forward to, something to plan for…because this winter is shaping up to be a real shitshow, with another Covid wave. I’m getting antsy to travel. 

So there you have it. An obsession that starts with wrapping Christmas presents, focuses on Oded Fehr and his hair, then meanders to culinary experiments, and finally ends on eventually planning a trip to Egypt. 

My thought process is convoluted, but it’s fun! What do you think, Ardeth? 

Desert Intrigue!

While I was putting together my Eggplant Parm, and while it's in the oven, I've been watching "Valley of the Kings" from 1954 on TCM. It's in exotic color, you know! Ken and I share a love for all kinds of movies (Star Trek, Bond, Mob, etc., etc.), but he's not all that much into older movies, and that's cool. It's not like I don't have plenty of opportunities to watch them during the day! When I saw this one in the TV guide, I had to watch it. Archaeology! Egyptian tombs! Belly dancers! The pyramids, and the pharaohs! Ra-Hotep! (Although it sounded more like Rahm-Hotep to me. Hahaha!)

I wasn't disappointed. When I was a little girl, I read about Howard Carter and his discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. I wanted to be an archaeologist when I grew up. When I went to college, I took an Archaeology course. I enjoyed it, but found out that it wasn't quite as glamorous as I'd thought as a youngster! But I've maintained a fascination with the subject, and it was a dream come true to see the Tutankhamun exhibit in Philadelphia back in 2005. And yes, it made me cry...to actually see some of the things that came out of his tomb, things I'd seen in pictures. Ohhhh, it was incredible.

TCM said that "Valley of the Kings" was the first Hollywood movie to actually film on location in Egypt. Breathtaking shots of the desert and the Pyramids...of all the places I'd love to go in the world, Egypt tops the list. Sadly, it's not a very safe place to travel these days, but I still have hope that one day I will see the Pyramids, the Sphinx, and the museum in Cairo. [sigh]

While I'm eating, I think I'll watch "The Mummy." (Not the original one with Boris Karloff, although I have that one, too.) I'm in a Egyptian kind of mood tonight!