dual personalities

Tag: movies

January 20, 2025

Skies could not blue-er be

by chuckofish

Because ice was predicted on Friday night, daughter #1 decided to hold our Saturday morning DAR meeting on Zoom instead of at the country club where we usually meet. I had not experienced a Zoom meeting since retiring in 2021, but it worked just fine, I did not suffer PTSD and daughter #1 looked very glamorous indeed.

Sunday morning we went to church in the freezing cold. I was able to wear my vintage fur coat again. The twins were there with their dad and everyone kept their depravity in check. They drew in their journals with half an ear cocked to the service and the sermon on Hebrews 9:1-14. I am very proud of them. In Sunday School they are finishing up the book of Acts. We came back to our house after church for Episcopal/Calvinist Souffle and conversation. Plus, the boy and daughter #1 got my car set up with Apple Play. I tried to read the car manual but it is all Greek to me. Cars are so complicated now and I am such an old lady! Oh well, c’est la vie. I do the best I can.

Sunday night the OM and I returned to church for our annual meeting. We elected new elders and deacons and went through the annual report. I am so blessed to be a member of this church community. I thank God every day that he has led me to this place and that, although it has taken me a long time to get here, I will finish strong.

So–a typical January weekend. I watched The Court Jester (1955), a movie that I just love. Danny Kaye et al will lighten your mood, if you need it lightened. And if you are actually feeling pretty good, as am I, it will just add to your joy. I told the twins they should watch it and they did on Sunday night–according to their Dad, they were “transfixed”–of course they were! Even the credits are great:

Meanwhile daughter #1 and I are working on getting a new blog launched, so maybe this week we’ll have something to show you. Courage, dear hearts!

3 Comments
January 16, 2025

“Since the Puritans got a shock/ When they landed on Plymouth Rock”*

by chuckofish

Today we toast the Broadway star Ethel Merman on her birthday (1908-84). I bet you didn’t know that she was a lifelong Episcopalian (Her funeral was held in a chapel at St. Bartholomew’s in NYC)–which is hilarious (or perhaps not) since she was notorious for her brash demeanor and for telling vulgar stories in public. She was truly a force of nature and very famous in her time, indeed a cultural icon. I’m sure no one under the age of 60 today even knows who she is. Que sera, sera.

It is also the birthday of the English poet Robert Service, about whom I have blogged before. As you toast him, you might read one of his poems or watch The Spoilers (1942) in which he shared a brief scene with Marlene Dietrich. (Service appeared unbilled as a Yukon poet patterned after Service himself.) The Spoilers, which takes place in Alaska, is a good choice for a cold January night.

On a more serious note, this is a good article by Jen Wilkin about the chiastic pattern of life she discovered at her mother’s deathbed. “Remembering that seasons of life follow a patterned order helps us inhabit the season we are in and prioritize how to use the time we are given. Since death announced its presence in Genesis 3, our days have been numbered. Perhaps God, in his infinite kindness, gave us a chiasm, a patterned measuring rod, to number those days rightly.” (A chiasmus is a literary device in which ideas are presented and then subsequently repeated or inverted in a symmetrical mirror-like structure.  A modern example of a short chiasm would be If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. “Jesus makes a pithy chiastic statement in Mark 2:27: ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.'”)

This is one of several articles I have read about the inappropriateness of singing ‘Imagine’–“a strange and indeed hopeless song for any funeral, let alone one that is meant to be Christian in nature”–at Jimmy Carter’s funeral. “John Lennon’s song collapses in on its own irrationality. He imagines ‘living life in peace’, and there being no “greed or hunger”, but such talk demands a form and purpose, but atheism and naturalism cannot provide such a definition.” Indeed.

Have a good day. Sing a song loudly and brazenly, read a poem, watch an old movie, think about the arc of your life, thank God for his mercies which are new every morning.

*A line from “Anything Goes” by Cole Porter; Ethel Merman starred in the original Broadway production in 1934.

2 Comments
January 14, 2025

“Grandpapa is an old basoon”

by chuckofish

Today we toast Sterling Holloway (1905-92) on his birthday. If you grew up like me in the 1960s, you surely would recognize his voice, if not his name. He was a Disney legend from the good ol’ days. He was in Bambi and Dumbo and The Three Caballeros and Alice in Wonderland and The Jungle Book and, most famously, in Winnie the Pooh features through 1977.

Holloway was more than a voice though, and he made a lot of movies. He was Gene Autry’s comic sidekick in five movies. He played the role of a medic assigned to an infantry platoon in the critically acclaimed film A Walk in the Sun (1945). And he appeared in over 40 TV shows–who can forget him as Bert, the non-pushy salesman, on the Andy Griffith Show?

He was the narrator on the Disney adaption of Prokofieff’s “Peter and the Wolf” which I listened to many, many times in my childhood.

I just loved him (and his voice).

Enjoy these videos–I sure did!

5 Comments
January 6, 2025

 Faith holds wide the door*

by chuckofish

Well, we were warned about the blizzard conditions that were coming all last week and so were prepared to be home for several days. In fact, I did not leave the house all weekend, but stayed holed up in my cozy domicile. I had plenty of wine and nibblies, so I was not overly concerned. We were lucky and largely dodged the bullet, unlike Kansas City where conditions were pretty dicey. But we did experience “thunder snow” which sent our weatherpeople into paroxysms of delight. Flyover weather–par for the course.

Church was cancelled and so I watched (on YouTube) the service from last week when we were in Mahomet. It was interesting to watch from the virtual balcony and good to see all those familiar communicants. They sang “O Little Town of Bethlehem” which was nice to hear, since we had not sung it earlier during the Christmas season. The lyrics* by Phillips Brooks are so good.

I took down all the Christmas decorations (and two trees) which is quite a job and takes hours and hours. Daughter #1 came over on Friday and helped me, but it is a multiple-day event. I’m sure I will continue to find Xmas items that have escaped my attention for weeks to come.

Today is Epiphany, so don’t forget to watch 3 Godfathers (1948). I watched it over the weekend and it is just a great, great movie. You will recall that it is a loose retelling of the biblical Three Wise Men story in an American Western context, starring John Wayne, Pedro Armendariz and Harry Carey, Jr. It is also the birthday of our lovely daughter-in-law (daughter #3). We will celebrate as soon as the roads are cleared and we can synchronize our calendars!

Here’s Sinclair Ferguson’s resolution for the Christian life. “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

It is very frustrating not to be able to include photos on my blog and daughter #1 and I are working on figuring out what to do. I probably will be starting a new blog, perhaps on Substack, very soon, so keep checking in and I’ll let you know.

3 Comments
December 16, 2024

Angels, from the realms of glory, wing your flight o’er all the earth

by chuckofish

We’re nearing the home stretch…but it rained all day Saturday which dampened everyone’s holiday spirits. We were grateful, however, that it was rain and not ice or snow. And we got the tree up!

It was a group effort. The boy came over Thursday evening to carry the tree in from the garage and put it in the stand. The OM and I strung the lights on Saturday morning. And daughter #1 came over after her DAR luncheon to help decorate it. Ain’t it lovely?

I missed the DAR luncheon because I had to go to our Historical Society Christmas party and membership meeting. It was actually quite fun. The house looked beautiful and festive. Of course, I didn’t take any pictures. C’est la vie.

The boy and his famille were in Kansas City this weekend, so the OM and I sat alone in church. They missed a good sermon on the Mosaic Covenant, some great hymns and solos, and a fantastic adult ed class, continuing on the angels and demons theme. The teacher even referenced Hermann Bavinck (see Friday’s post). I am learning a lot. My Bible Study leader made a really good and astute comment during the class and I told her so afterwards, and she said, “It was the Holy Spirit, not me”. Once again, I am humbled and grateful to be among these people.

We watched three Christmas movies: Home Alone (1992), The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)…

and White Christmas (1954), the latter on the big screen! We enjoyed them all.

What an absolute treat to see White Christmas on the big screen! In recliners! Can’t believe it wasn’t sold out! For the 50th time, it was great. And I had to laugh thinking of little Ida watching it for the first time at home on her TV and running to get her tambourine during the “Mandy” number! Perfect!

Have a good Monday, watch an old movie, feel the joy, read some poetry:

  1. Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
    And with fear and trembling stand;
    Ponder nothing earthly-minded,
    For with blessing in His hand,
    Christ our God to earth descendeth,
    Our full homage to demand.
  2. King of kings, yet born of Mary,
    As of old on earth He stood,
    Lord of lords, in human vesture,
    In the body and the blood;
    He will give to all the faithful
    His own self for heav’nly food.
  3. Rank on rank the host of heaven
    Spreads its vanguard on the way,
    As the Light of light descendeth
    From the realms of endless day,
    That the pow’rs of hell may vanish
    As the darkness clears away.
  4. At His feet the six-winged seraph,
    Cherubim with sleepless eye,
    Veil their faces to the presence,
    As with ceaseless voice they cry:
    “Alleluia, Alleluia,
    Alleluia, Lord Most High!”

Liturgy of St. James, 5th century (adapted by Gerard Moultrie, 1864)

4 Comments
December 10, 2024

This and that

by chuckofish

Yesterday I tried to catch up after my very busy weekend. I got some “desk work” done, met with my co-editor, Ron, to talk about the next Kirkwood Historical Review, and I went to the P.O. where I stood in line for 45 minutes waiting my turn for the one employee to wait on me.

I meant to start addressing Christmas cards but I did not. Tant pis.

In other news, today we toast the great movie actor Victor McLaglan (1886-1959) on his birthday. Best-known for playing Irishmen in John Ford movies, he was not Irish. He was English, of Scottish descent. His father was a bishop. He had a long career in the movies, winning an Oscar for Best Actor in The Informer (1935). I think I will watch Gunga Din (1939) in which he starred along with Cary Grant and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.

He was also great, of course, in the John Ford Cavalry Trilogy: Fort Apache (1948), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) and Rio Grande (1950). He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in Ford’s The Quiet Man (1952).

So try not to obsess over all the things on your ‘to do’ list! They will get done in due time. In the meantime, watch an old movie!

P.S. It brings me joy to see my granddaughters in their hand-me-down clothes…

I had a conversation with the wife of our new pastor about this. Her mother also saved all her smocked dresses and now her daughter (Edith!) wears them to church. I love it. Of course, it’s fine if you don’t do this! But I love seeing the different generations wearing the same outfits.

And it’s so environmentally responsible!

2 Comments
December 2, 2024

‘Tis the season

by chuckofish

How was your long weekend? Daughter #2 and famille drove home on Friday afternoon after a fun-filled two days here with us. It is so nice knowing they will back in a few weeks!

Then it snowed all day Saturday–enough to change everyone’s plans and stay home. We had started unpacking Christmas things at daughter #1’s house on Friday morning with the prairie girls…

…and then she finished up the next day with the always helpful Mr. Smith…

I started the process at my house alone on Saturday. It is a lot of work! First to put away and clean up all the Thanksgiving stuff; then to haul all the Christmas things up from the basement. But I managed to get the little tree put up in the dining room…

…and did the mantle…

The feral cat in the Florida room watched me the whole time.

Daughter #2 got a start at her house with her helpers…

At church we observed the first Sunday in Advent with Advent hymns and the first in a new sermon series on God’s covenants in the Old Testament. The new adult ed class series is on angels. Thankfully I am not helping with the children’s Sunday School, so I can attend. The twins and their dad were not there because they were at the bud’s birthday party at the Lego Mini Fig store.

Lottie’s (separate) party is next Saturday. There is too much going on for me to keep it all straight. The boy stopped by later with the bud to tend to the cat and to take the extra leaf out of the dining room table. I heard all about the party–good times!

We, of course, watched Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) on Thanksgiving night, but the next day after everyone had left, we watched Grumpy Old Men (1993) on Friday night. It was pretty funny–even the grumpy OM I live with thought so.

It takes place around Thanksgiving, so it was seasonally appropriate. I recommend it.

This is a really good post about remembering that God is good regardless.
“You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.” (Psalm 4:7)

So start decorating for Christmas–it’s not too early! Feel the joy. Watch an old movie. Wave to someone. Happy December!

4 Comments
November 22, 2024

Fri-yay

by chuckofish

My Bible Study group had our last meeting and luncheon yesterday. We talked about our Thanksgiving traditions and I think I shocked everyone by saying my family had been watching Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) for the last 30 years on Thanksgiving night. Oh well, c’est la vie. I stand by my choices.

Last night I watched Godzilla Minus One (2023) which is out on DVD and mine arrived right on time from Amazon. Seriously, that movie is the best movie I have seen in the last ten years. My hats off to Takashi Yamazaki  who wrote, directed and supervised the visual effects. It won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects but why didn’t it win the Best Foreign Film? C’mon. Here’s the thing: it’s not about the monster, it’s about the people.

Meanwhile, the guys came and dug up the stump from our giant mulberry tree which was cut down a couple of weeks ago.

It was quite a job. It was a noisy afternoon.

Never a dull moment.

So it’s the weekend–have a good one! Make good choices.

3 Comments
October 31, 2024

“Oh, run along, Quimby. I think they’re dedicating a phone booth somewhere.”*

by chuckofish

On Tuesday I tried twice to vote early, but both times there was nowhere to park within a reasonable distance, so I passed.

Yesterday I got up super early and drove over to the little county library near me and found a place to park where I only had to walk a quarter mile to get there. And then stand in line for an hour. Zut alors. But it’s all good. I will say the people working there had their act together and things moved right along.

Well, I did my civic duty. ☑️ Go, me!

Today we toast the wonderful actor John Candy (1950-1994) on his birthday. Let’s all do the Mess Around in his memory:

In an ironic twist, Harry Houdini died on this day in 1926 from peritonitis (swelling of the abdomen), possibly related to appendicitis and possibly related to punches to his abdomen he had received about a week and a half earlier.

The world is more than we know.

And, oh hey, the Christmas cactus has buds!

Have a good day! Happy Reformation Day! Vote early if you can! And…

*Chief Wiggum in Marge vs. the Monrail

6 Comments
October 28, 2024

Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus

by chuckofish

How was your weekend? Mine was rather quiet as daughter #1 was visiting daughter #2 et famille in Illinois. I went to our church’s women’s retreat on Saturday which included fellowship and lunch and a lot of crafts. I made bath bombs and sugar scrub, cards, and painted a mug.

My bath bombs turned out pretty well, but the rest of my crafts left a lot to be desired. Otherwise though, it was fun and I had a good time hanging out with a wide array of ladies–young and old.

I went home and watched the Mizzou-Alabama game but that was a bust. And by that I mean, super-bust.

On Sunday I once again helped with the Sunday School after the early church service. The twins were with me this time so that was interesting. After our together time with all the grades learning about Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, the leader, Mrs. Haynes, told everyone where to go–first and second graders with Mrs. Compton–and I saw the bud take her aside and say, “You can call her Mamu–that’s her real name.” I felt like the Velveteen Rabbit.

We had prayer requests and talked more about the Ethiopian eunuch and evangelism and we made bookmarks. This was mine:

The bud’s bookmark had a depiction of the Titanic sinking and an F5 tornado–Jesus is always with us. (I don’t mean to leave Lottie out, but her behavior is just so much more prosaic.) In church the twins continue to keep their natural depravity in check and I am very proud of them.

Meanwhile the prairie girls entertained their aunt and Mr. Smith, who was a good boy.

Daughter #1 made it home with Mr. Smith and I went over to their house and had dinner with them. Later at home I watched The Sixth Sense (1999) as part of my October movie viewing. I really like that movie. I remember the first time I saw it 25 years ago in a hotel in Worcester, MA with my sister. It was pretty scary.

Bruce Willis was never better. The world is more than we know.

So have a good week. Hang in there.

4 Comments