Enjoyed PETER HUJAR'S DAY although I wish the sound had been better and that I knew more about Hujar. Also loved NOUVELLE VAGUE. (See BREATHLESS first). Richard Linklater sure made two great films this year. Also saw RENTAL FAMILY, such a nice film.
Just started THE COPENHAGEN TRILOGY (Tove Ditlevsen).
Still loving PLURIBUS. THE BEAST IN ME is okay as is CEMETERY ROAD. Does Clare Danes ever play a totally sane person. Starting to rewatch POIROT.
Eager to see Kevin this week. He turns 19. When I turned 19, I got married.
What about you?
20 comments:
Happy birthday to Kevin! (And also to Jeff!) I did not get married at 19 (I waited until I was 23), but I did begin dating Kitty, making it a very pivotal year in my life.
There have been a lot of good things in my life, along with the requisite not-so-good. Because it's Thanksgiving week, I've begun to reflect on my blessings.
Among the many things I am thankful for:
- My Family. I really won the lottery on that one. My parents were role models and my siblings fantastic. My two girls are amazing -- kind, decent, concerned folks who fill me with pride every day; they are each other's best friend. My grandkids -- all five of them -- are smart, sassy, and a joy, with each having a completely, and totally different, personality -- again, the source of great pride and love.
- My health. Despite mobility problems, i am amazingly good health and hope to be around, fully functional, for at least ten more years.
- My Marriage. Perhaps the greatest blessing was my 52 years with Kitty. I miss her every day and wish she could still be here, but because of the time I had with her, I consider myself the luckiest man alive. through good times and bad, she was my anchor, and her memory continues to anchor me.
- Animals of all sorts. We've had pets throughout my married life, and now I find myself in a house overloaded with them. Dogs are amazing gifts from God -- loving and loyal. Cats, independent and sometimes imperious, can be just as loving and loyal (although they don't want you to realize that). Other animals that have passed through my life -- reptiles, amphibians, goats -- have heled teach me about the amazing diversity of life on this planet. Zoos and aquariums help me get closer to the mysteries of life on this planet. The squirrels and lizards (amoles, mainly) that frequent our yard amaze me as I watch them scurry off to do whatever seems important to them. The occasional bear in our neighborhood and the dolphins we view on the Gulf remind me that we share this world with other living beings beings and we are the better for it.
- Speaking of the Gulf, I am more than grateful for water. I have lived near water all my life -- the Gulf, the Chesapeake, the Atlantic, ponds and lakes, rivers -- and water means a lot to me. It not only provides life but it provides a moral sustenance, and, for me, a sense of calmness. Bodies of water are mysterious and brimming with life. It pains me to see it polluted and I want all pollution to end so future generations can also experience water's mystic wonders.
- Science. I am thankful for science, for knowledge, and for learning, despite the views of the current idiots in Washington. Science allows us to think clearly and rationally, but to also acknowledge that other views from mine may be valid. Knowledge is not rigid and is constantly expanding, constantly giving us its benefits and its pitfalls. It gives us the knowledge and (hopeful;;y) the reasoning to avoid the pitfalls. It has brought us medical advances (I would not have survived infancy and probably have been dead four or five times over if it were not for science), the ability to eliminate hunger, and safer living conditions. Yeah, we're still working on getting these benefits to the entire world, but the potential is there.
More thanks to come.
Continuing on with things for which I am thankful:
- Empathy. We have within us the ability to place ourselves in another's shoes. Can there be anything more wonderful? We may not agree with our neighbor but we can see where he is coming from and appreciate his viewpoint. we can feel the pain of others and work to alleviate it. We can feel the joy of others and celebrate with them. We can work to make our neighborhood, our country, our world a better place. It is pure stupidity and selfishness on the part of some of our leaders and those who control them to disdain empathy and common decency. I firmly believe that this circle will soon came back, and that to everything there is a season.
- Books. And reading. And music. And the arts. No surprises there. Aside from my parents and Kitty, nothing has influenced me more. My eyes are open to all possibilities and I am a much person for it. As you know, my reading can be a little off-center, but the fact that there is so much that interests me, and IS AVAILABLE, is a little miracle all of its own.
- The Internet. It can be problematic and misused, but the information is out there in a way and in a quantity never imagined before. I can go online and if I wanted to listen to Tibetan throat singers (I don't) the music is available for me. Many of the rare and usual books I am interested in are also available, with more being added daily. The internet is also a great and amazing time suck and I find myself being drawn into many wonderful rabbit holes daily. I love it.
- Friends. The internet has provided me with some amazing friends, most of who I will never meet in person. They are, without fail, kind, generous, smart, concerned, witty, and unique. One of the dearest to me blogs as pattinase and I am forever proud to be her friend.
Here's wishing you have a meaningful and wonderful Thanksgiving. Take care.
Kevin is almost 19?! Wow! I remember when he was a little boy. I'm glad you've been enjoying your viewing lately, Patti. I hope this week goes well for you.
Jerry-What a wonderful tribute to your life and family. And I agree about amazing friends found on the Internet. I look forward to Mondays because of you all. And I especially love hearing about the House family-animals and people alike.
Yes, hard to believe Margot.
Patrick is scheduled to land in Buffalo tomorrow. And the weather-guessers are predicting snow for Thanksgiving and Black Friday.
Diane and Patrick fly to Florida on Saturday--if the weather cooperates--to take a week cruise--Diane's first!--with several stops in the Caribbean. I will be home getting caught up on several projects. I have ZERO interest in cruises.
Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving! Stay safe!
Hard to argue with Jerry's detailing of what's good, even given the acknowledgment of the current confederacy of dunces in high offices. Have an excellent visit!
19 was an Interesting year for me, my second at the U Hawaii Manoa campus. having been, at 18, appointed (for two weeks) editor of HAWAII REVIEW, then running for and winning a seat in the university's student senate as a Green. Did a graduate-level writing workshop led by A. A. Attanasio, on the recommendation of Robert Onopa (in part due to the shenanigans at the Board of Publications that led to my appointment and the rescinding of that appointment) .And then had to drop out, because of sudden financial floor dropping out (even given UH tuition-wise was close to free, housing on campus, and in Honolulu generally, sure wasn't), and relocation with my family again in Fairfax, VA, in the DC burbs.
I would definitely have traded all that for the beginning of a great marriage.
Happy Birthday to me. We went to our favorite Italian restaurant today, and are going out for lunch (burgers) today. We're repeating last year's thing: going to Costco tomorrow for a huge chicken, which we will have in lieu of turkey on Thanksgiving (and the two days following), with the usual side dishes.
I guess the big news for us this week (see what a dull life we lead?) was that Jackie got Apple+ on an Amazon Prime sale (we dumped Peacock). At least we finally got to see CODA (which won 3 Oscars four years ago), which we liked a lot. You'd never know Emilia Jones was English, in this (filmed when she was 17) or TASK. We have a list of streaming shows to try - we're waiting on PLURIBUS until all the episodes are in - with SLOW HORSES at the head of my list, but the first we tried last night was SEVERANCE, which my cousin claimed was "the best thing she's ever seen." Judging from the first episode (as well as past statements), we have very different tastes. Jackie was ready to turn it off halfway through, but now she's ready to give it another chance, but it certainly didn't grab me the way I expected it to. It reminded me somewhat of HOMECOMING with Julia Roberts.
Still watching what we were watching. It's been a cold week, though the next few days look milder. In six weeks we'll be on the way to Florida.
Happy Birthday to Kevin. I can't remember the last time I cared or made a big time about my birthday, and I certainly don't celebrate it now, any more than I celebrate every day of being here, which is the real blessing.
Safe travels if any of you are going somewhere for Thanksgiving.
Thanks, Jerry!
Not today. We went to Gino's yesterday. Sheesh. I need to proofread.
Loved Jerry's thankfulness list. I met Jackie around the time we both turned 18 and we got married four years later. Hard to believe it's been 55 years.
Bon voyage to Diane & Patrick. I'm with you on cruises. First, Jackie is terrible on the water, and I'm not much better. We took a glass bottom boat tour from Key West one year, and she spent most of the trip throwing up over the side. Then there is norovirus and other things that seem to spread on ships.
Pass.
Indeed, seasickness is less the problem for some of us than the incubator effect of the ships, and the tendency to stop at the local equivalent of Las Vegas as part of the tours...
Happy Thanksgiving and the rest of the year to all.
Happy belated!
And a happy birthday to Kevin!
I have never been on a cruise but given I was seasick on the way from Cape Cod to Martha's Vineyard it's a distinct possibility. Happy Birthday. Jeff. My father's birthday was the 27th and Kevin, the 30th. How many sons take their Mom on a cruise? Your kids are special. Sorry I have never gotten to Hawaii, Todd.
Remind Kevin not to get married just yet. I hope his flight back goes smooth. Unless he is driving, in which case I hope Chicago traffic goes smooth.
My big news is that Boy #1 has his first ever engineer job. He was hired last Thursday after an in-person interview in the Minneapolis area. He starts work in early December and will be looking for a place to live. My wife and I were both thinking that it's too bad we did not store his stuff up there rather than hiring a truck to bring it all to WI. Such is life.
I listened to THE EMERGENCY by George Packer and it was pretty decent. The novel gave me things to think about and caused my mind to wander during the story. I'd have to go back 2-4 minutes to hear what I missed while pondering.
Finished the last season of FISK on Netflix. A fine show and presumably the final season.
Boy #2's symphony played this past Friday evening and played some of my favorites, including Sibelius's FINLANDIA. Before the concert began I was watching him like a hawk. Whenever he looked into the audience I made sure to wave my hands all over to get his attention. Not sure if he did not see me, or chose to completely ignore me. At least I did not pop up to my feet. I showed restraint.
We've always known a lot of people with late November birthdays. I had two friends on the 21st and 27th, my cousin is the 28th, I am the 24th. My brother's birthday is 13 days after mine, 9 after my cousin.
Sorry, that was me
February is no doubt a dull month, Jeff.
Your kids have done you proud, Gerard. I loved FISK.
Not much going on here. We went to Costco this morning to get a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. And more fruit. It was hectic.
Happy Birthday to Jeff and to Kevin.
When I was nineteen I had dropped out of college and was working as an electrocardiograph technician (before one had to have training for that). I did go back to college which was a good thing. I married my first husband at 22, and we moved to California eventually. Then later I met Glen in Norco, CA where we both worked, and we got married, which was the best thing that ever happened to me. I am also grateful that we had Doug three years later.
Glen is still reading BRITAIN AT BAY by Alan Allport. It is long and he is still liking it.
This week I read Elizabeth Strout's TELL ME EVERYTHING. I loved it, although it was sad at the end.
One of my favorite Strout's. I dropped out at 19 too. It took me 30 years to finish.
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