dual personalities

Month: November, 2013

November 5, 2013

Weekend DVD round-up or what I watched on the telly

by chuckofish

I watched several good movies this weekend. The first was recommended by a friend with discriminating film tastes--Sunshine (1999) starring Ralph Fiennes and a host of English and Hungarian actors.

sunshine-movie-poster-1999-1020258286

The film follows a Jewish family living in Hungary through three generations, rising from humble beginnings to positions of wealth and power in the crumbling Austro-Hungarian Empire. Fiennes plays all three characters: the grandfather who changes his name to become a Judge, the son who converts to Catholicism to get into the right fencing club in order to win an Olympic Gold medal and the grandson who ultimately sees the futility of it all and changes his name back to Sonnenscheim (sunshine).

It is a really well done movie filmed beautifully in Europe, which makes a good point without hitting anyone over the head. One must never sacrifice one’s “self” to a government, because they are all imperfect and will betray you in the end. The grandfather who loves the monarchy is let down and the son who acquiesces to the National Socialists is betrayed by the Nazis and murdered at Auschwitz while the son watches. He, in turn, becomes a Communist after the war in order to avenge his father’s death, but comes to learn that the Communists are ten times worse than even the Nazis. He learns that one must be true to oneself and one’s family in order to breath freely.

A Canadian-Hungarian production, it was not nominated for one single Oscar–gee, I wonder why? It won several European awards and the Genie for best Canadian Film. Ralph Fiennes is outstanding, although I wonder if he has a clause written into his contract that he will participate in up to but no more than three mad, impassioned sex scenes involving standing up with a woman or in some awkward position in the woods or on a table. Because of technology, you can fast forward through these.

Anyway, it held my interest for three hours and I recommend it.

I  also watched Monsters University which I enjoyed very much.

Monsters-University

You gotta love Mike Wazowski. And this guy:

On Sunday night I watched Cabaret (1972) which I had DVR’d when it was on TCM a while ago. I have to admit, I had never seen it before!

cabaret

Directed by Bob Fosse, it stars Liza Minnelli as Sally Bowles, a nightclub performer who “romances” two men in 1930s Berlin. Liza won an Oscar and, although she plays a decadent and amoral gal, she is by far the most appealing person in the movie. However, try as she may, there is nothing remotely sexy about Liza and it all seems very tawdry and sad. Maybe that is the point. The men all look alike. It was a big hit in 1972 when I was in high school. It won eight Oscars. I’m glad I watched it, but it isn’t really my cup of tea. Give me Seven Brides for Seven Brothers any day!

This weekend was filled with lots of real-life Nazi monsters and not-so-scary animated Monsters. Weird.

2 Comments
November 4, 2013

Who are these like stars appearing*

by chuckofish

Sunday was All Saints’ Sunday when we Episcopalians remember “all the saints” –and by saints I mean that “glorious band” of Christians who have gone before us, leading by example. Protestants generally regard all true Christian believers as saints.

William Farel, John Calvin, Théodore de Bèze, and John Knox in Reformation Park, Geneva

William Farel, John Calvin, Théodore de Bèze, and John Knox in Reformation Park, Geneva

We are reminded on All Saints” Sunday to think of those saints who have influenced our lives. We all have them, starting usually, if we are lucky, with our mothers. I believe in God–Father, Son and Holy Ghost–chiefly because she told me about Him. Furthermore, I followed her example and her advice to remember that “this is the day which the Lord hath made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Of course, there have been teachers, ministers, friends who throughout my life have supported and guided me. Some I’ve written about here, but their names wouldn’t mean anything to you, so I won’t make a list. (But a list is a good idea.)

Frederick Beuchner, however, is a saint you have probably heard of. I am happy to say that I have heard him preach and even shaken his hand. I brought my three children to hear him and they too have shaken his hand.

FrederickBuechner_r_03

I have also heard Archbishop Desmond Tutu preach and shaken his hand.

Desmond-Tutu-001

I went to a Billy Graham “revival” and that, too, was an awesome experience. There were thousands of people present, so I did not get to shake his hand.

BGEAinK.C.04-56

All three men are saints in my book and their words–both spoken and written–have helped me along on my journey.

I feel that I need to include a woman here in my personal army of saints–how about Jan Karon? She has done what is nearly impossible: written popular fiction with a palatable Christian message that is not “Christian literature” per se. She has sold millions–you go, girl!

karon_2001

It has never been an easy thing to be a saint out in the world. One might argue, today especially. They are not feeding us literally to the lions, but metaphorically, it happens every day.

What God says…is ‘The life you save is the life you lose.’ in other words, the life you clutch, hoard, guard, and play safe with is in the end a life worth little to anybody, including yourself, and only a life given away for love’s sake is a life worth living. To bring his point home, God shows us a man who gave his life away to the extent of dying a national disgrace without a penny in the bank or a friend to his name. In terms of human wisdom, he was a Perfect Fool. And if you think you can follow him without making something like the same kind of a fool yourself, you are laboring under not a cross but a delusion.

There are two kinds of fools in the world: damned fools, and what Saint Paul calls ‘fools for Christ’s sake’ (I Cor. 4:10).

–Frederick Buechner

Our dedication to Christ may sometimes make us look like fools, but I like the company.

*Hymn 286, The Hymnal, 1982

5 Comments
November 2, 2013

The Basics

by chuckofish

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’m going to list five things for which I’m grateful. But since it’s early in the month, let’s start with the most basic, mundane stuff and work up to the most important closer to the holiday.

1. Elastic waists, stretchy material, and the color black. Let’s face it. Some of us 50-somethings have not aged as gracefully as others. I’m the type with lumps and bumps that require camouflage.  So I’m grateful to J. Jill for styles I can wear comfortably, but still look reasonably tidy in. And black is definitely my favorite color.

picture from jjill.com

picture from jjill.com

Okay. Now picture her a foot shorter, twice as wide, and thirty years older, and presto, c’est moi! Yes, I’m grateful (if dumpy).

2. I’m also grateful for this little product: Eucerin redness relief soothing nightcream.eucerinI use it morning and evening. It’s not expensive and it works amazingly well to even out skin tone and help with those pesky wrinkles. I love the stuff.

3. Green Mountain Coffee. It gets me through those morning classes when I’m feeling uninspired. If only my students drank it too!

green_mountain_coffee_organicIt’s roasted in Vermont — what more do I need to say? Yum.

4.  Supermarket flowers. Every now and then I buy myself flowers. I especially like these (can’t remember the name), though I’ve never had this color.

supermarket flowers

They last for weeks if you use the (nasty) chemical preservative they come with. In November, which is notoriously cold and rainy, I am especially grateful for flowers.

5. Let’s not forget the vacuum cleaner. I know, it’s not exciting, but I thoroughly appreciate my warhorse. It takes a lot of use and abuse and keeps on going. Since you are all very well acquainted with vacuums, I’ll spare you a picture. However, mine is coming to the end of its natural life and I am thinking about getting a new one. I would appreciate recommendations!

So that’s my list of some of the little things that make my days better.  No deep, spiritual connections here, but it’s a start,  What are your basics?

*Obviously, I’m not getting anything for plugging the products listed above. I just like them!

7 Comments
November 1, 2013

There is no joy in Mudville

by chuckofish

peanuts-aargh-baseball

Well, baseball season is finally over. Thank goodness.

Post-season baseball is just too stressful. We flyover fans identify so strongly with our hometown team and we are so eager for them to triumph…but we must keep telling ourselves: It is just baseball. Nobody died.

Yes, we will miss our (sad) skipper.

sadmatheny_medium

But life goes on.

One of my goals for November is to be more consciously thankful.

You would think that would be an easy thing in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, but experience teaches us (or me at least) that this is not so. We start that snowball slide to Christmas and get busier day by day. And when we get busy, we forget to be thankful.

My mantra this month will be: Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Even today. Even when the Cardinals lose.

A sensible thanksgiving for mercies received is a mighty prayer in the Spirit of God. It prevails with Him unspeakably.

–John Bunyan

5 Comments