....in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
(For Sue, who asked for Orion pics. ;)
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Because you know how much I like quotes
Great quotations from Criminal Minds:
*"Try again, fail again. Fail better." -Samuel Beckett
*"Unfortunately, a super-abundance of dreams is paid for by a growing potential for nightmares." -Sir Peter Ustinov
*"Measure not the work until the day's out and the labor done." -Elizabeth Barrett Browning
*"The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone." -Harriet Beecher Stowe
*"What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world, remains and is immortal." -Albert Pine
*"I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary. The evil it does is permanent." -Mahatma Ghandi
*"The defects and faults of the mind are like wounds in the body. After all imaginable care has been taken to heal them up, still there will be a scar left behind." -Francois de la Roche Foucauld
*"It has been said that time heals all wounds. I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue, and the pain lessens, but it is never gone." -Rose Kennedy
*"Of all the animals, man is the only one that is cruel. He is the only one who inflicts pain for the pleasure of doing it." -Mark Twain
*"The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living." -Cicero
*"Tragedy is a tool for the living to gain wisdom, not a guide by which to live." -Robert Kennedy
*"Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity, nothing exceeds the criticisms made of the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed." -Herman Melville
*"Nothing is permanent in this wicked world. Not even our troubles." -Charles Chaplin
*"Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children that dragons can be killed." -G.K. Chesterton
*"Now what else is the whole life of mortals, but a sort of comedy in which the various actors, disguised by various costumes and masks, walk on and play each ones part until the manager walks them off the stage?" -Erasmus
*"No man or woman who tries to pursue an ideal in his or her own way is without enemies." -Daisy Bates
*"The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering." -Ben Okri
*"We cross our bridges when we come to them and burn them behind us, with nothing to show for our progress except a memory of the smell of smoke, and a presumption that once our eyes watered." -Tom Stoppard
*"If we knew each other's secrets, what comforts we should find." -John Churton Collins
*"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves. We must die to one life before we can enter another." -Anatole France
*"What though the radiance that was once so bright, be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, of glory in the flower; We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind." -William Wordsworth
*"Try again, fail again. Fail better." -Samuel Beckett
*"Unfortunately, a super-abundance of dreams is paid for by a growing potential for nightmares." -Sir Peter Ustinov
*"Measure not the work until the day's out and the labor done." -Elizabeth Barrett Browning
*"The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone." -Harriet Beecher Stowe
*"What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world, remains and is immortal." -Albert Pine
*"I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary. The evil it does is permanent." -Mahatma Ghandi
*"The defects and faults of the mind are like wounds in the body. After all imaginable care has been taken to heal them up, still there will be a scar left behind." -Francois de la Roche Foucauld
*"It has been said that time heals all wounds. I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue, and the pain lessens, but it is never gone." -Rose Kennedy
*"Of all the animals, man is the only one that is cruel. He is the only one who inflicts pain for the pleasure of doing it." -Mark Twain
*"The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living." -Cicero
*"Tragedy is a tool for the living to gain wisdom, not a guide by which to live." -Robert Kennedy
*"Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity, nothing exceeds the criticisms made of the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed." -Herman Melville
*"Nothing is permanent in this wicked world. Not even our troubles." -Charles Chaplin
*"Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children that dragons can be killed." -G.K. Chesterton
*"Now what else is the whole life of mortals, but a sort of comedy in which the various actors, disguised by various costumes and masks, walk on and play each ones part until the manager walks them off the stage?" -Erasmus
*"No man or woman who tries to pursue an ideal in his or her own way is without enemies." -Daisy Bates
*"The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering." -Ben Okri
*"We cross our bridges when we come to them and burn them behind us, with nothing to show for our progress except a memory of the smell of smoke, and a presumption that once our eyes watered." -Tom Stoppard
*"If we knew each other's secrets, what comforts we should find." -John Churton Collins
*"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves. We must die to one life before we can enter another." -Anatole France
*"What though the radiance that was once so bright, be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, of glory in the flower; We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind." -William Wordsworth
Health update
Okay, a health update....
The short version: Not too much has changed
The long version: Well, if you'll recall, when we left off last time, I had just received a positive test result for a bacterial infection in my small intestine. As I mentioned before, this is generally a complication of some other problem and doesn't usually develop spontaneously. Anyhow, after high doses of antibiotics, my symptoms did not improve. Actually, they got a little bit worse, and I lost some additional weight. This led my Johns Hopkins GI to believe that perhaps the bacterial infection was not the main problem and that we'd need to look at other things.
Because the JH GI actually has her practice office north of Baltimore, getting there has been a challenge. It's easily 2-3 hours in rush hour, and honestly, I just don't have the energy for a 4-6 hour round trip on a regular basis. Although I'm still keeping this doctor as my GI, I realized that I needed a local doctor as well.
So...a couple of weeks ago, I started seeing a family practitioner who specializes in chronic pain and illness and uses integrative medicine. He's affiliated with Georgetown Medical School. His tentative impression is that when I first became ill (nearly two years ago), I had some sort of infection, and my body overreacted to it. This became an autoimmune overreaction, and now my body is treating most foods as allergens. This has led to the malnutrition, malabsorption, intestinal infection, etc. (Basically, think of what it's like to have the stomach "flu." Now extend this for two years. As you can imagine, this leads to significant weight loss.) However, he says that at this point, it's difficult to know what is "disease/condition A" versus the results of the malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies. So...his plan is to start IVs of minerals and such (as well as something that will hopefully help my small intestine heal) and provide supportive acupuncture to try to calm my system down. Hopefully, this will allow me to be able to eat a bit more, and then we can have a clearer view of the underlying issue. He's also looking at the possibility of some exposure to toxins (and has started some blood work to test for various things), but that is not clear yet. I'm happy that he at least has a plan. I'll be seeing him weekly for the next couple of months so that I can get IVs and acupuncture.
So...we'll see.....
That's the update.
The short version: Not too much has changed
The long version: Well, if you'll recall, when we left off last time, I had just received a positive test result for a bacterial infection in my small intestine. As I mentioned before, this is generally a complication of some other problem and doesn't usually develop spontaneously. Anyhow, after high doses of antibiotics, my symptoms did not improve. Actually, they got a little bit worse, and I lost some additional weight. This led my Johns Hopkins GI to believe that perhaps the bacterial infection was not the main problem and that we'd need to look at other things.
Because the JH GI actually has her practice office north of Baltimore, getting there has been a challenge. It's easily 2-3 hours in rush hour, and honestly, I just don't have the energy for a 4-6 hour round trip on a regular basis. Although I'm still keeping this doctor as my GI, I realized that I needed a local doctor as well.
So...a couple of weeks ago, I started seeing a family practitioner who specializes in chronic pain and illness and uses integrative medicine. He's affiliated with Georgetown Medical School. His tentative impression is that when I first became ill (nearly two years ago), I had some sort of infection, and my body overreacted to it. This became an autoimmune overreaction, and now my body is treating most foods as allergens. This has led to the malnutrition, malabsorption, intestinal infection, etc. (Basically, think of what it's like to have the stomach "flu." Now extend this for two years. As you can imagine, this leads to significant weight loss.) However, he says that at this point, it's difficult to know what is "disease/condition A" versus the results of the malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies. So...his plan is to start IVs of minerals and such (as well as something that will hopefully help my small intestine heal) and provide supportive acupuncture to try to calm my system down. Hopefully, this will allow me to be able to eat a bit more, and then we can have a clearer view of the underlying issue. He's also looking at the possibility of some exposure to toxins (and has started some blood work to test for various things), but that is not clear yet. I'm happy that he at least has a plan. I'll be seeing him weekly for the next couple of months so that I can get IVs and acupuncture.
So...we'll see.....
That's the update.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
The Top Twos in Books
Here are my top two picks for the year (read this year, not published this year) for 3 genres:
Fiction
1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society (Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows)-- It's charming, delightful, humorous...and begs a top spot on everyone's list. :)
2. Outlander (Diane Gabaldon)-- I know I said I didn't actually love it, but it turns out that these characters have a way of sticking with the reader. I miss them. To me, that makes a book great.
Nonfiction
1. Angry Conversations with God (Susan Isaacs)-- I can't express how much I love this book. It's all the things I wish I could explain but a heck of a lot funnier. I frequently think back to the "Darfur test"-- i.e., if your theology can't hold true in Darfur, it's not valid. God is not obligated to give us what we want and understanding that goes a long way to having a true relationship.
2. Columbine (Dave Cullen)-- Besides this just being a great book, I can't get this image out of my head...and surprisingly (given the book), it's very hopeful and life-affirming:
Patrick Ireland is one of the critically-injured survivors of the shooting. He was in the library when Dylan began firing and was shot in the head and foot while trying to apply pressure to the wound of a friend. When Ireland regained consciousness, he dragged himself over to the shattered window (the only escape he could see) and tumbled out from the second story while the SWAT team scrambled below to reach him. Despite severe damage to his brain, Ireland worked tirelessly in physical therapy, returned to school and graduated as one of his class's valedictorians. He gave this speech at his commencement, just over a year after the shooting:
Young Adult (YA) Fiction
1. Shug (Jenny Han)-- We read this book in the middle school mother/daughter book club, and I loved it. It's a book about a middle schooler whose mother is an alcoholic....but it manages to not just be about a middle schooler whose mother is an alcoholic.
2. The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)-- I just read this, and I'll post a longer review later.
Fiction
1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society (Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows)-- It's charming, delightful, humorous...and begs a top spot on everyone's list. :)
2. Outlander (Diane Gabaldon)-- I know I said I didn't actually love it, but it turns out that these characters have a way of sticking with the reader. I miss them. To me, that makes a book great.
Nonfiction
1. Angry Conversations with God (Susan Isaacs)-- I can't express how much I love this book. It's all the things I wish I could explain but a heck of a lot funnier. I frequently think back to the "Darfur test"-- i.e., if your theology can't hold true in Darfur, it's not valid. God is not obligated to give us what we want and understanding that goes a long way to having a true relationship.
2. Columbine (Dave Cullen)-- Besides this just being a great book, I can't get this image out of my head...and surprisingly (given the book), it's very hopeful and life-affirming:
Patrick Ireland is one of the critically-injured survivors of the shooting. He was in the library when Dylan began firing and was shot in the head and foot while trying to apply pressure to the wound of a friend. When Ireland regained consciousness, he dragged himself over to the shattered window (the only escape he could see) and tumbled out from the second story while the SWAT team scrambled below to reach him. Despite severe damage to his brain, Ireland worked tirelessly in physical therapy, returned to school and graduated as one of his class's valedictorians. He gave this speech at his commencement, just over a year after the shooting:
It had been a rough year, he said. "The shooting made the country aware of the unexpected level of hate and rage that had been hidden in the high schools." But he was convinced the world was inherently good at heart. He had spent a year thinking about what had gotten him across the library floor. At first he assumed hope-- not quite; it was trust. "When I fell out the window, I knew somebody would catch me," he said. "That's what I need to tell you: that I knew the loving world was there all the time" (302).
Young Adult (YA) Fiction
1. Shug (Jenny Han)-- We read this book in the middle school mother/daughter book club, and I loved it. It's a book about a middle schooler whose mother is an alcoholic....but it manages to not just be about a middle schooler whose mother is an alcoholic.
2. The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)-- I just read this, and I'll post a longer review later.
Friday, December 18, 2009
I posted this last year, but I'm going to post it again this year anyways.
From Secrets in the Dark by Frederick Buechner:
Lord Jesus Christ, thou Son of the Most High, Prince of Peace, be born again into our world. Wherever there is war, wherever there is pain, wherever there is loneliness, wherever there is no hope, come, thou long-expected one, with healing in thy wings.
Holy Child, whom the shepherds and the kings and the dumb beasts adored, be born again. Wherever there is boredom, wherever there is fear of failure, wherever there is temptation too strong to resist, wherever there is bitterness of heart, come, thou Blessed One, with healing in thy wings.
Savior, be born in each of us as we raise our face to thy face, not knowing fully who we are or who thou art, knowing only that thy love is beyond our knowing and that no other has the power to make us whole. Come, Lord Jesus, to each who longs for thee even though we have forgotten thy name. Come quickly. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, thou Son of the Most High, Prince of Peace, be born again into our world. Wherever there is war, wherever there is pain, wherever there is loneliness, wherever there is no hope, come, thou long-expected one, with healing in thy wings.
Holy Child, whom the shepherds and the kings and the dumb beasts adored, be born again. Wherever there is boredom, wherever there is fear of failure, wherever there is temptation too strong to resist, wherever there is bitterness of heart, come, thou Blessed One, with healing in thy wings.
Savior, be born in each of us as we raise our face to thy face, not knowing fully who we are or who thou art, knowing only that thy love is beyond our knowing and that no other has the power to make us whole. Come, Lord Jesus, to each who longs for thee even though we have forgotten thy name. Come quickly. Amen.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Eye candy
This meme was originally "What Ten Celebrities Would Kiss No Questions Asked?" but I could only think of eight. And, well, not really with no questions asked....because, you know, that's not really me. But...with minimal questioning, anyways. ;) At any rate, enjoy the eye candy.
Not in any important order. :)
1. Wentworth Miller-- Prison Break
2. Bradley Cooper-- Alias
3. Jesse Spencer-- House
4. Ian Somerhalder-- Lost and Vampire Diaries
5. Matthew Grey Gubler-- Criminal Minds
6. Sam Trammell-- True Blood
7. Scott Foley-- Felicity (and The Unit)
8. Josh Holloway-- Lost
Not in any important order. :)
1. Wentworth Miller-- Prison Break
2. Bradley Cooper-- Alias
3. Jesse Spencer-- House
4. Ian Somerhalder-- Lost and Vampire Diaries
5. Matthew Grey Gubler-- Criminal Minds
6. Sam Trammell-- True Blood
7. Scott Foley-- Felicity (and The Unit)
8. Josh Holloway-- Lost
Friday, October 2, 2009
Media review
Nonfiction Books
*My Own Country (Abraham V) -- Fascinating, compassionate memoir of an infectious disease doctor who ends up becoming the de facto AIDS expert in rural Tennessee in the late 1980s. A-
*The Unsayable (Annie Rogers)-- A child psychotherapist encouraged me to read Rogers's first book, A Shining Affliction, before I started graduate school. Rogers is supremely intelligent and writes in an almost lyrical fashion that is definitely not the norm for case studies! A Shining Affliction chronicles Rogers's early work in psychotherapy. In the course of treating a severely traumatized boy, Rogers's own experiences with trauma resurface and lead to a descent into psychosis and then her ultimate stabilization. In The Unsayable, Rogers delves into the theories of linguist/psychologist Jacques Lacan and combines those with case studies and interviews of her treatment with traumatized girls (especially girls who then become offenders), as well as more of her own story. Interesting book, well-written with some insights, but I wouldn't totally endorse this approach to therapy as it is likely to overwhelm young clients and lead to decompensation, as is evidenced even in the case studies in the book. There are those in the psychology/counseling world who generally believe that clients must get worse before they will get better. I am not of that school of thought. I think that defense mechanisms, now matter how dysfunctional, serve an improtant purpose, and clinicians need to be careful not to pry those away before the client has the skills to proceed. Again, I think this book is fascinating, and many of the visceral depictions of being a survivor of trauma are excellent. However, I think that applying all of the theoretical aspects of the book in a clinical setting could be dangerous. [For an absolutely fabulous book to read AND apply in clinical settings with all types of resistant or withdrawn children and adolescents, check out No Talk Therapy by Martha B. Straus. Her focus is strength-based, which is definitely more my orientation.] B-
*A Delicate Balance: Living with Chronic Illness (Susan Milstrey Wells)-- Very helpful, well-researched and well-organized (if not compelling reading). B
*Hope Rising (Kim Meeder)-- The author lost her parents at the age of nine when her father murdered her mother and then took his own life. She found healing and comfort in her horse. Now the author and her husband run Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch which takes abused and abandoned horses and rehabilitates them with the help of abused and traumatized kids. This book is really a collection of vignettes about the magic between horses and kids. I'm a sucker for books like this. It's not the most well-written book, but the stories really are quite touching. I can't recommend this as great literature, per se, but it inspired me to want to find more ways to help hurting kids. B-
*Help At Any Cost (Maia Szalavitz)-- This book is kind of horrifying to read, though the knowledge gained is helpful, I suppose. Basically, be very, very careful about where you send your troubled teen for any type of residential treatment. C-
Fiction Books
*Coming Attractions (Robin Jones Gunn)-- I read this book while still under the influence of anesthesia and pain meds, but it was great....I think. ;) It's the latest book in the (teen) Katie Weldon series. It deals with the painful-but-true fact that we can deeply love someone and yet not be meant to spend the rest of our lives with that person....and that trying to force it will only make everyone miserable. I hope teens do read this because that's a difficult but important lesson to learn. The ending is rather predictable (saw it coming from book 1), but I'll forgive that because it was a pleasant diversion on a not-so-pleasant day. B+
*Unveiled (Francine Rivers)-- I read this for a group in which I'm participating, and were it not for that reason, I would have stopped reading long ago. I found the book very boring and repetitive. For being so short, it took me a very long time to slog through it. When my colonoscopy was scheduled for the day the group would be discussing this book, I gave the book up with glee! D (I'm still participating in the group so I've had to skim the rest of the series. It doesn't get any better. Be kind and don't ever choose this series for a book club or small group.)
*The Good Mother (Sue Miller)-- This is Miller's first book, and I liked it a lot less than While I Was Gone. There's a certain distance and estrangement that I felt from the characters, and that made them less sympathetic to me...thus, I was less invested in the outcome. C+
*The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society-- Absolutely delightful. Not only does this book live up to its hype, it truly exceeds all of the attention it has received. This book is such a pleasure to read-- witty, creative, intelligent, playful. The story is told solely through correspondence and describes life under German occupation for citizens of the British Channel Islands. A++++
*The No. 1 Ladies Detective Society (Alexander McCall) -- I liked the international setting (Botswana) and all of the sights, sounds, colors, tastes, etc. B
Movie on DVD
*Phoebe in Wonderland--I just saw this movie a few weeks ago so I'm not sure that it will have the staying power to belong to my all-time favorites. It has that potential though.
TV on DVD
*Torchwood Children of the Earth (BBC)-- This "season" (S3) is more like a mini-series-- only 6 episodes that are tightly connected, like a long movie. It reminded me of 24, but instead of Jack Bauer plotting against international terrorists, it's Jack Harkness trying to outwit intergalactic terrorists (i.e., hostile aliens). It's really good. If you like Torchwood, you'll love it, but I think you really do need to see the first two seasons in order to appreciate this. Also, if you're not at all a sci-fi fan, this isn't for you because aliens feature prominently in the plot. Further, I don't know that this season would have aired in the US on a broadcast channel just because some of the subject matter is very disturbing. I see it as disturbing in a good way; there's no easy answer so it makes us really question what we believe. However, you have to know going in that there isn't going to be a completely happy ending. There's also some yucky (somewhat gratuitous) gore and a bit of nudity (e.g., Jack's bum...again). On a side-note, I came to completely love Ianto's brother-in-law (and his "ten quid per kid" slogan) in this series! A
*Dexter: Season 3-- I can't say it's much different from the first two seasons. Since I was happy with those, I'm happy with this too. A
*Frontline: Sick around America-- Interesting, though depressing. You can watch it online here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundamerica/view/
Music
*Coldplay Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends-- Leaps and bounds improvement over Viva La Vida. Some of these songs are even on par with the Parachutes album. A
Shows on TV (right now)
House-- The season premiere was sooooo good. House rocks. A+
Brothers and Sisters-- I wasn't overly impressed by the premiere, but it was passable. C+
Supernatural-- Well, I haven't seen all of the last two seasons, so I'm a bit behind the curve. However, this season seems pretty good, at least, in terms of Supernatural (i.e., bring your "willful suspension of disbelief"). It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but I like my Sam and Dean. Add Apocalypse. Shake vigorously. B-
*My Own Country (Abraham V) -- Fascinating, compassionate memoir of an infectious disease doctor who ends up becoming the de facto AIDS expert in rural Tennessee in the late 1980s. A-
*The Unsayable (Annie Rogers)-- A child psychotherapist encouraged me to read Rogers's first book, A Shining Affliction, before I started graduate school. Rogers is supremely intelligent and writes in an almost lyrical fashion that is definitely not the norm for case studies! A Shining Affliction chronicles Rogers's early work in psychotherapy. In the course of treating a severely traumatized boy, Rogers's own experiences with trauma resurface and lead to a descent into psychosis and then her ultimate stabilization. In The Unsayable, Rogers delves into the theories of linguist/psychologist Jacques Lacan and combines those with case studies and interviews of her treatment with traumatized girls (especially girls who then become offenders), as well as more of her own story. Interesting book, well-written with some insights, but I wouldn't totally endorse this approach to therapy as it is likely to overwhelm young clients and lead to decompensation, as is evidenced even in the case studies in the book. There are those in the psychology/counseling world who generally believe that clients must get worse before they will get better. I am not of that school of thought. I think that defense mechanisms, now matter how dysfunctional, serve an improtant purpose, and clinicians need to be careful not to pry those away before the client has the skills to proceed. Again, I think this book is fascinating, and many of the visceral depictions of being a survivor of trauma are excellent. However, I think that applying all of the theoretical aspects of the book in a clinical setting could be dangerous. [For an absolutely fabulous book to read AND apply in clinical settings with all types of resistant or withdrawn children and adolescents, check out No Talk Therapy by Martha B. Straus. Her focus is strength-based, which is definitely more my orientation.] B-
*A Delicate Balance: Living with Chronic Illness (Susan Milstrey Wells)-- Very helpful, well-researched and well-organized (if not compelling reading). B
*Hope Rising (Kim Meeder)-- The author lost her parents at the age of nine when her father murdered her mother and then took his own life. She found healing and comfort in her horse. Now the author and her husband run Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch which takes abused and abandoned horses and rehabilitates them with the help of abused and traumatized kids. This book is really a collection of vignettes about the magic between horses and kids. I'm a sucker for books like this. It's not the most well-written book, but the stories really are quite touching. I can't recommend this as great literature, per se, but it inspired me to want to find more ways to help hurting kids. B-
*Help At Any Cost (Maia Szalavitz)-- This book is kind of horrifying to read, though the knowledge gained is helpful, I suppose. Basically, be very, very careful about where you send your troubled teen for any type of residential treatment. C-
Fiction Books
*Coming Attractions (Robin Jones Gunn)-- I read this book while still under the influence of anesthesia and pain meds, but it was great....I think. ;) It's the latest book in the (teen) Katie Weldon series. It deals with the painful-but-true fact that we can deeply love someone and yet not be meant to spend the rest of our lives with that person....and that trying to force it will only make everyone miserable. I hope teens do read this because that's a difficult but important lesson to learn. The ending is rather predictable (saw it coming from book 1), but I'll forgive that because it was a pleasant diversion on a not-so-pleasant day. B+
*Unveiled (Francine Rivers)-- I read this for a group in which I'm participating, and were it not for that reason, I would have stopped reading long ago. I found the book very boring and repetitive. For being so short, it took me a very long time to slog through it. When my colonoscopy was scheduled for the day the group would be discussing this book, I gave the book up with glee! D (I'm still participating in the group so I've had to skim the rest of the series. It doesn't get any better. Be kind and don't ever choose this series for a book club or small group.)
*The Good Mother (Sue Miller)-- This is Miller's first book, and I liked it a lot less than While I Was Gone. There's a certain distance and estrangement that I felt from the characters, and that made them less sympathetic to me...thus, I was less invested in the outcome. C+
*The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society-- Absolutely delightful. Not only does this book live up to its hype, it truly exceeds all of the attention it has received. This book is such a pleasure to read-- witty, creative, intelligent, playful. The story is told solely through correspondence and describes life under German occupation for citizens of the British Channel Islands. A++++
*The No. 1 Ladies Detective Society (Alexander McCall) -- I liked the international setting (Botswana) and all of the sights, sounds, colors, tastes, etc. B
Movie on DVD
*Phoebe in Wonderland--I just saw this movie a few weeks ago so I'm not sure that it will have the staying power to belong to my all-time favorites. It has that potential though.
The Sundance Film Festival says, "As an examination of normalcy and madness, this is realistic and cerebral storytelling, but it is also extravagantly magical, a metaphorical fable that examines childhood, our attempts to understand it, and the way we, as parents and teachers, navigate its treacherous shoals. A film full of strangeness, exhilarating moments of realization, and painfully real revelations, Phoebe in Wonderland is an honest and thoughtful work that is not to be missed."I concede that not everyone will enjoy this film, but if the above description appeals to you at all, I'd encourage you to watch it. It stars Elle Fanning (sister of Dakota), Patricia Clarkson, Felicity Huffman and Bill Pullman. A
TV on DVD
*Torchwood Children of the Earth (BBC)-- This "season" (S3) is more like a mini-series-- only 6 episodes that are tightly connected, like a long movie. It reminded me of 24, but instead of Jack Bauer plotting against international terrorists, it's Jack Harkness trying to outwit intergalactic terrorists (i.e., hostile aliens). It's really good. If you like Torchwood, you'll love it, but I think you really do need to see the first two seasons in order to appreciate this. Also, if you're not at all a sci-fi fan, this isn't for you because aliens feature prominently in the plot. Further, I don't know that this season would have aired in the US on a broadcast channel just because some of the subject matter is very disturbing. I see it as disturbing in a good way; there's no easy answer so it makes us really question what we believe. However, you have to know going in that there isn't going to be a completely happy ending. There's also some yucky (somewhat gratuitous) gore and a bit of nudity (e.g., Jack's bum...again). On a side-note, I came to completely love Ianto's brother-in-law (and his "ten quid per kid" slogan) in this series! A
*Dexter: Season 3-- I can't say it's much different from the first two seasons. Since I was happy with those, I'm happy with this too. A
*Frontline: Sick around America-- Interesting, though depressing. You can watch it online here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundamerica/view/
Music
*Coldplay Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends-- Leaps and bounds improvement over Viva La Vida. Some of these songs are even on par with the Parachutes album. A
Shows on TV (right now)
House-- The season premiere was sooooo good. House rocks. A+
Brothers and Sisters-- I wasn't overly impressed by the premiere, but it was passable. C+
Supernatural-- Well, I haven't seen all of the last two seasons, so I'm a bit behind the curve. However, this season seems pretty good, at least, in terms of Supernatural (i.e., bring your "willful suspension of disbelief"). It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but I like my Sam and Dean. Add Apocalypse. Shake vigorously. B-
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Columbine
Columbine by Dave Cullen
From The Washington Post's Book World (Reviewed by Gary Krist):
According to Cullen's research, Dylan was primarily depressed and suicidal. He was rather unmotivated, and although classified as gifted, he was an underachiever. (Interesting tidbit: Dylan was accepted to the University of Arizona in Tucson and had sent in his deposit to secure his space.) Without the influence of Eric's friendship, it is unlikely that Dylan would have done anything like this. Dylan was interested in death, but primarily his own.
Eric, on the other hand, can best be described as a psychopath: "Psychopaths are distinguished by two characteristics. The first is a ruthless disregard for others: they will defraud, maim, or kill for the most trivial personal gain. The second is an astonishing gift for disguising the first.... The come off like Hugh Grant, in his most adorable role" (240). He killed because he wanted to and to prove his superiority. He found it interesting. He looked forward to the extinction of the human race. Ironically, it's quite possible that Eric couldn't have pulled his plan off without Dylan either:
So...what makes a psychopath?
Functional MRI (fMRIs) have further highlighted this difference.
As with many psychological conditions, the debate continues as to whether psychopathy is the result of nature, nurture or a combination of the two. There is compelling evidence that at least the propensity for psychopathy is inborn. And, although the parents of Eric Harris have generally eschewed the press and the police, there is no evidence that Eric's home life was anything out of the ordinary.
Unfortunately, psychotherapy generally makes psychopaths worse because it teaches them how to more effectively manipulate and con people. However, Dr. Hare is working on a program that helps psychopaths adapt to society: "The program he developed accepts that psychopaths will remain egocentric and uncaring for life but will adhere to rules if it's in their own interest" (246).
What we really want-- a specific reason why the shooting at Columbine happened or a way to screen kids and know if they're harboring this kind of hate-- we don't have. However, Cullen offers two main clues that should not be ignored (323).
1) Advance confessions-- In school shootings overall, "81 percent of shooters had confided their intentions." Pay special attention to specificity and any action taken to carry out the plan.
2) "Preoccupation with death, destruction and violence" (323)-- He advises adults not to freak out about every story, poem or drawing with death-related imagery but to keep an eye out for persistence, pervasiveness, "malice, brutality, and an unrepentant hero."
In addition to describing the psychopathology of Eric and Dylan, this book also offers portraits of impressive resilience, represented by all those who survived the shooting, as well as the families, churches and community that have resisted being defined by this one awful day.
Patrick Ireland is one of the critically-injured survivors of the shooting. He was in the library when Dylan began firing and was shot in the head and foot while trying to apply pressure to the wound of a friend. When Ireland regained consciousness, he dragged himself over to the shattered window (the only escape he could see) and tumbled out from the second story while the SWAT team scrambled below to reach him. Despite severe damage to his brain, Ireland worked tirelessly in physical therapy, returned to school and graduated as one of his class's valedictorians. He gave this speech at his commencement, just over a year after the shooting:
From The Washington Post's Book World (Reviewed by Gary Krist):
Drawing on almost 10 years of research -- including hundreds of interviews, 25,000 pages of documents and the journals, notebooks and videotapes of the perpetrators -- he has assembled a comprehensive account of what really happened at Columbine High School on Tuesday, April 20, 1999. And his conclusion is arresting: namely, that the public's understanding of this supposedly archetypal mass shooting is almost entirely wrong: "We remember Columbine," Cullen writes, "as a pair of outcast Goths from the Trench Coat Mafia snapping and [then] tearing through their high school hunting down jocks to settle a long-running feud. Almost none of that happened. No Goths, no outcasts, nobody snapping. No targets, no feud, and no Trench Coat Mafia. Most of those elements existed at Columbine -- which is what gave them such currency. They just had nothing to do with the murders." Far from feckless pariahs, in fact, the two shooters in the Columbine case -- Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold -- were smart, reasonably popular kids who doled out more bullying than they ever suffered. Their shooting spree was not some precipitous act of revenge against specific tormentors, but more like an elaborately planned theater piece, worked out almost a year in advance, designed to demonstrate their innate superiority by indiscriminately killing as many victims as possible.This is a fascinating and highly readable book which I would recommend especially to those in mental health, education and law enforcement. Cullen paints a picture of two seemingly normal teenage boys who spend a year plotting not just the shooting, but the destruction of their school. (Shooting was actually the minor part of their plan. They had placed bombs that-- had the bombs detonated-- would have pushed the death toll to upwards of one thousand. Dylan and Eric just planned to shoot the students who fled the inferno. Thankfully, the bombs never went off.)
According to Cullen's research, Dylan was primarily depressed and suicidal. He was rather unmotivated, and although classified as gifted, he was an underachiever. (Interesting tidbit: Dylan was accepted to the University of Arizona in Tucson and had sent in his deposit to secure his space.) Without the influence of Eric's friendship, it is unlikely that Dylan would have done anything like this. Dylan was interested in death, but primarily his own.
Eric, on the other hand, can best be described as a psychopath: "Psychopaths are distinguished by two characteristics. The first is a ruthless disregard for others: they will defraud, maim, or kill for the most trivial personal gain. The second is an astonishing gift for disguising the first.... The come off like Hugh Grant, in his most adorable role" (240). He killed because he wanted to and to prove his superiority. He found it interesting. He looked forward to the extinction of the human race. Ironically, it's quite possible that Eric couldn't have pulled his plan off without Dylan either:
Rare killer psychopaths nearly always get bored with murder, too. When they slit a throat, their pulse races, but it falls just as fast. It stays down-- no more joy from cutting throats for a while; that thrill has already been spent.... An angry, erratic depressive and a sadistic psychopath make a combustible pair. The psychopath is in control, of course, but the hothead sidekick can sustain his excitement leading up to the big kill. "It takes heat and cold to make a tornado," Dr. Fuselier is fond of saying. (244).
So...what makes a psychopath?
"Early in his career, Dr. Hare recognized the anatomical difference [in how the psychopath's brain processes emotion]. He submitted a paper analyzing the unusual brain waves of psychopaths to a scientific journal, which rejected it with a dismissive letter. "Those EEGs couldn't have come from real people," the editor wrote.
Exactly! Hare thought. Psychopaths are that different." (242).
Functional MRI (fMRIs) have further highlighted this difference.
As with many psychological conditions, the debate continues as to whether psychopathy is the result of nature, nurture or a combination of the two. There is compelling evidence that at least the propensity for psychopathy is inborn. And, although the parents of Eric Harris have generally eschewed the press and the police, there is no evidence that Eric's home life was anything out of the ordinary.
Unfortunately, psychotherapy generally makes psychopaths worse because it teaches them how to more effectively manipulate and con people. However, Dr. Hare is working on a program that helps psychopaths adapt to society: "The program he developed accepts that psychopaths will remain egocentric and uncaring for life but will adhere to rules if it's in their own interest" (246).
What we really want-- a specific reason why the shooting at Columbine happened or a way to screen kids and know if they're harboring this kind of hate-- we don't have. However, Cullen offers two main clues that should not be ignored (323).
1) Advance confessions-- In school shootings overall, "81 percent of shooters had confided their intentions." Pay special attention to specificity and any action taken to carry out the plan.
2) "Preoccupation with death, destruction and violence" (323)-- He advises adults not to freak out about every story, poem or drawing with death-related imagery but to keep an eye out for persistence, pervasiveness, "malice, brutality, and an unrepentant hero."
In addition to describing the psychopathology of Eric and Dylan, this book also offers portraits of impressive resilience, represented by all those who survived the shooting, as well as the families, churches and community that have resisted being defined by this one awful day.
Patrick Ireland is one of the critically-injured survivors of the shooting. He was in the library when Dylan began firing and was shot in the head and foot while trying to apply pressure to the wound of a friend. When Ireland regained consciousness, he dragged himself over to the shattered window (the only escape he could see) and tumbled out from the second story while the SWAT team scrambled below to reach him. Despite severe damage to his brain, Ireland worked tirelessly in physical therapy, returned to school and graduated as one of his class's valedictorians. He gave this speech at his commencement, just over a year after the shooting:
It had been a rough year, he said. "The shooting made the country aware of the unexpected level of hate and rage that had been hidden in the high schools." But he was convinced the world was inherently good at heart. He had spent a year thinking about what had gotten him across the library floor. At first he assumed hope-- not quite; it was trust. "When I fell out the window, I knew somebody would catch me," he said. "That's what I need to tell you: that I knew the loving world was there all the time" (302).
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Media update
A word on my grading-- I tend to rate things more harshly than others-- even Netflix has recognized this and always estimates my ratings as lower than most users. If I give something a C, it's not that I didn't like it-- I just thought it was "average." By definition, most things are average. :)
Books--Nonfiction
*Esther and Ruzya: How My Grandmothers Survived Hitler's War and Stalin's Peace (Masha Gessen)-- I liked this book less than I expected. It is interesting in that it provides a window into a seldom seen segment of the past-- Jews in Russia during WWII and Stalin's reign-- but I didn't find it compelling. I think it would appeal more to those with some type of personal connection. C+/B-
*Enrique's Journey (Sonia Nazario)-- A friend recommended this to me as a follow-up to the movie Sin Nombre. Nazario tells the story of Honduran teenager, Enrique, who sets off on the dangerous journey to enter the US illegally and find his mother (who left when he was five). Nazario went a Pulitzer for the newspaper series on which this book was based. It's well-written, well-researched and shows the human side of a topic of much debate. A
*Made from Scratch (Jenna Woginrich)-- I thoroughly enjoyed this book, partly because it is so different than anything I've read. Part memoir and part how-to guide, Made from Scratch is the author's chronicle of living more self-sufficiently-- from raising her own chickens to creating her own entertainment. She offers lots of practical advice on how you, too, can join the fun. Am I now playing my own dulcimer and sewing my own clothes? No, but now I do want some chickens and an Eglu. A
*Angry Conversations with God (Susan Isaacs)-- Wow, I could have written this book-- if, you know, I were more disciplined about writing anything and a little bit funnier. Anyways, Isaacs decides that if her relationship with God is supposed to be like a marriage, they need marriage counseling....so she finds a willing therapist (a former pastor transitioning into counseling) and begins the process of therapy. Parts of this book are utterly hysterical (though probably funnier if you have a church-y background), but overall, the book is raw and surprisingly powerful. Highly recommended, especially to those who have felt hurt by "The Church." A
Books--Fiction
*Push (Sapphire) --I saw the trailer for the movie that coming based on this book, and I decided that it looked like a worthwhile read. The writing style makes reading this book a bit frustrating, but the payoff is worth it. I'm going to be lazy and just add the summary from Amazon.com to give you an idea about the story: "Claireece Precious Jones endures unimaginable hardships in her young life. Abused by her mother, raped by her father, she grows up poor, angry, illiterate, fat, unloved and generally unnoticed. So what better way to learn about her than through her own, halting dialect. That is the device deployed in the first novel by poet and singer Sapphire. 'Sometimes I wish I was not alive,' Precious says. 'But I don't know how to die. Ain' no plug to pull out. 'N no matter how bad I feel my heart don't stop beating and my eyes open in the morning.' An intense story of adversity and the mechanisms to cope with it." The movie, entitled Precious, will be out in the fall. B
*Goodnight Nobody (Jennifer Weiner)-- I haven't read any of the author's other books, but I thought this might be a fun foray into Chick Lit. I was so bored that I gave up half-way through the book. I don't know who murdered the soccer mom, and you know what? I don't care...not one little bit. I think the sequel will be called Goodnight Mush. D
*Handle with Care (Jodi Piccoult)-- This is the most recent Piccoult book, and it concerns a family who has a child with osteogenesis imperfecta. Early in college, I volunteered at a special needs preschool and met a child with the same condition-- very scary....like dealing with a little person made out of fragile china. I thought the book was decent-- compelling to read but not especially satisfying in the end. C-
*Tenth Circle (Jodi Piccoult)-- Another Piccoult book, this one is about a young teen who is raped (?) and the aftermath. C
*Nineteen Minutes (Jodi Piccoult)-- Before and after a school shooting. C
*My Sister's Keeper (Jodi Piccoult)-- I think just about everyone has heard of this book now that it's a movie. A couple uses the help of a geneticist to concieve a child to be a perfect donor match for their daughter with leukemia. B
*Plain Truth (Jodi Piccoult)-- An Amish girl is accused of murdering her baby right after his birth. C
*Vanishing Acts (Jodi Piccoult)-- I think this might be my favorite Piccoult thus far. It's about a noncustodial parent kidnapping his child. B+
Because I've recently read 6 Piccoult books, you might conclude that I really adore her books. I don't. I like them. They're fast reads, and they capture my attention. I don't love them though. After having read 6 of her books, there's definitely a theme of ethics and ethically "grey" areas....also, that in the "right" ("wrong?") situation, anyone is really capable of doing anything, even what he or she thought he'd never do. They'd be interesting to discuss in an ethics class.
*The Firefly in Amber (Diana Gabaldon)-- I know I said I wasn't that impressed with Outlander, but the characters grew on me so I decided to read the second book in the series. I actually think I like it better than the first, if only because it seems less "romance-y." I'm now listening to Voyager as an audio book. B+
*Peculiar Treasures (Robin Jones Gunn)-- Although I am not in the intended demographics for this book (probably high school students), based on the Amazon.com reviews, I think I am smack-dab in the middle of those who actually read it, i.e., those in their 30s who read the Christy Miller series as teens and just had to find out what Christy, Katie and Todd are doing now that they're in college and Gunn has decided to add another series! This is the first in the Katie Weldon series, and as such, focuses on Katie who is a senior in college. B
*On A Whim (Robin Jones Gunn)--The second in the Katie Weldon series. B
*As You Wish (Robin Jones Gunn)-- Another Gunn continuation book, this is part of the Christy & Todd: The College Years series. B-
*I Promise (Robin Jones Gunn)--The last of the Christy & Todd books. B-/C+
*Gardenias for Breakfast (Robin Jones Gunn)-- Another Gunn book, but this one isn't part of a series. Mom and preteen daughter go on a roadtrip to see relatives. It's an interesting story that highlights our own revisionist history, particularly with family members, and the need for forgiveness. B-
*Middlesex (Jeffrey Eugenides)-- Although I think the word is greatly overused, EPIC accurately describes this story of a Greek family's journey from Greece to Detroit, their secrets and motivations and the dormant genes that eventually surface. It's not a story about an intersex individual so much as it is a story about a family, generations of a family, their connections and relationships. A-
Movies--Theater
*Sin Nombre--It reminded me a bit of Traffic and Babel. As I mentioned in the book review, this is about a teen traveling illegally to the US. It also highlights the problems of gangs and how hard it can be to leave. Certain scenes reminded me painfully of one of "my" kids in particular. In Spanish, with subtitles. B+
*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince-- If I weren't so familiar with the books, I probably would have liked the movie. As it is, though, I know the books too well, and the movie just annoyed me. I can understand the need to edit for time....but then why would they add random scenes that do not appear in the books? Grrr. Some of the special effects, particularly the cave scene, were very well done though. I'm still bitter that Cuaron only directed Prisoner of Azkaban. D+
*Away We Go-- Who knew that Maya Rudolph could act beyond her SNL skits? I didn't. She's pretty good too. A young-ish couple decides to look at various cities as possibilities for raising their soon-to-be-born baby. Sweet, funny, if not particularly memorable. C+/B-
Movies-- DVD
*Gran Torino-- I only rented this because my mom really likes Clint Eastwood and wanted to see it. However, I thought it was pretty good-- very good for the first 2/3...and then rather predictable. C
*Before Sunrise-- I enjoyed this movie, which I primarily watched as a prelude, due to my friend's insistence that I see Before Sunset (which is near the top of my queue)Boy meets girl on a train in Europe. Boy convinces girl to spend the evening wandering the city with him. Boy and girl talk for hours and hours...and then part at sunrise. I think the appeal is that almost everyone hopes for a situation like this, encountering someone to whom they can share without reservation. The problem is that in an actual relationship, that lasts more than 10 hours, feelings get hurt, conflicts surface, etc. But...it is a good movie. B-
*Frontline: Sick Around the World-- Well, it's not the most entertaining of the selections, but it is very informative about how universal healthcare works in several democracies around the world. Highly recommended. A-
*Twilight-- It was okay. Maybe a bit more ridiculous than the book, but it's so very "middle school girl" that I get the appeal. C
*Zach and Miri Make a Porno-- I like Seth Rogan and find many of his movies funny, if a bit in more taste. However, I didn't even think this one was that funny....just stupid. D
TV on DVD
*True Blood--I like this show a whole lot so far. I thought Alan Ball did a fabulous job with Six Feet Under, and his mark is apparent on this series too. I haven't read the Sookie Stackhouse books so I can't say if it closely follows the books or not. In terms of the show's "feel," I'd most closely relate it to Dexter....but with fangs. It's dark and edgy and likely to offend many sensibilities, but if you liked Six Feet Under, you'll probably like this too. A-
*Generation Kill-- I've seen about 3/4 of the season so far (though I'm not sure if it's an ongoing series or just a miniseries). It's about Marines in the current war in Iraq. Band of Brothers, this is not, but it's fairly good in its own right. B-
*Weeds, Season 4-- This show has always been a guilty pleasure, and it's one of the few shows that consistently has me laughing out loud. However, it also has a plotline, and I think that this season was even better than the previous ones. Towards the end of the season, there was even some issues of conscience. I can't wait to see where they go next season. A
*In Treatment, Season 1-- I love this. It's an HBO series about a psychologist and his patients. Each episode is a "session." I'm looking forward to Season 2's DVD release. A-/B+
TV on the TV :)
*Intervention (on A&E)-- Okay, the show may be a bit exploitative (but the people do get to go to some top-notch, expensive rehab centers out of the deal), but I like it. I like hearing the stories, seeing the photos of the person with the addiction when they were kids, seeing the family dynamics. I think it humanizes addiction. Also, many of the people make at least halting progress towards a different life. I think the show offers hope that even those with severe addiction can get better. When I was up in Maine last week, I watched an episode with my grandma and her sister, my 88-year-old Aunt Gertrude. Grandma has trouble following tv shows, but Aunt Gertrude watched with rapt attention and said at the end, "I like this program!" It's nominated for an Emmy. B
*Mystery Diagnosis (on Discovery Health)-- I am convinced that if I watch enough episodes, I will find out what's wrong with me. Either that, or I'll end up on the show with my own little episode. I'd prefer the former. A-
Books--Nonfiction
*Esther and Ruzya: How My Grandmothers Survived Hitler's War and Stalin's Peace (Masha Gessen)-- I liked this book less than I expected. It is interesting in that it provides a window into a seldom seen segment of the past-- Jews in Russia during WWII and Stalin's reign-- but I didn't find it compelling. I think it would appeal more to those with some type of personal connection. C+/B-
*Enrique's Journey (Sonia Nazario)-- A friend recommended this to me as a follow-up to the movie Sin Nombre. Nazario tells the story of Honduran teenager, Enrique, who sets off on the dangerous journey to enter the US illegally and find his mother (who left when he was five). Nazario went a Pulitzer for the newspaper series on which this book was based. It's well-written, well-researched and shows the human side of a topic of much debate. A
*Made from Scratch (Jenna Woginrich)-- I thoroughly enjoyed this book, partly because it is so different than anything I've read. Part memoir and part how-to guide, Made from Scratch is the author's chronicle of living more self-sufficiently-- from raising her own chickens to creating her own entertainment. She offers lots of practical advice on how you, too, can join the fun. Am I now playing my own dulcimer and sewing my own clothes? No, but now I do want some chickens and an Eglu. A
*Angry Conversations with God (Susan Isaacs)-- Wow, I could have written this book-- if, you know, I were more disciplined about writing anything and a little bit funnier. Anyways, Isaacs decides that if her relationship with God is supposed to be like a marriage, they need marriage counseling....so she finds a willing therapist (a former pastor transitioning into counseling) and begins the process of therapy. Parts of this book are utterly hysterical (though probably funnier if you have a church-y background), but overall, the book is raw and surprisingly powerful. Highly recommended, especially to those who have felt hurt by "The Church." A
Books--Fiction
*Push (Sapphire) --I saw the trailer for the movie that coming based on this book, and I decided that it looked like a worthwhile read. The writing style makes reading this book a bit frustrating, but the payoff is worth it. I'm going to be lazy and just add the summary from Amazon.com to give you an idea about the story: "Claireece Precious Jones endures unimaginable hardships in her young life. Abused by her mother, raped by her father, she grows up poor, angry, illiterate, fat, unloved and generally unnoticed. So what better way to learn about her than through her own, halting dialect. That is the device deployed in the first novel by poet and singer Sapphire. 'Sometimes I wish I was not alive,' Precious says. 'But I don't know how to die. Ain' no plug to pull out. 'N no matter how bad I feel my heart don't stop beating and my eyes open in the morning.' An intense story of adversity and the mechanisms to cope with it." The movie, entitled Precious, will be out in the fall. B
*Goodnight Nobody (Jennifer Weiner)-- I haven't read any of the author's other books, but I thought this might be a fun foray into Chick Lit. I was so bored that I gave up half-way through the book. I don't know who murdered the soccer mom, and you know what? I don't care...not one little bit. I think the sequel will be called Goodnight Mush. D
*Handle with Care (Jodi Piccoult)-- This is the most recent Piccoult book, and it concerns a family who has a child with osteogenesis imperfecta. Early in college, I volunteered at a special needs preschool and met a child with the same condition-- very scary....like dealing with a little person made out of fragile china. I thought the book was decent-- compelling to read but not especially satisfying in the end. C-
*Tenth Circle (Jodi Piccoult)-- Another Piccoult book, this one is about a young teen who is raped (?) and the aftermath. C
*Nineteen Minutes (Jodi Piccoult)-- Before and after a school shooting. C
*My Sister's Keeper (Jodi Piccoult)-- I think just about everyone has heard of this book now that it's a movie. A couple uses the help of a geneticist to concieve a child to be a perfect donor match for their daughter with leukemia. B
*Plain Truth (Jodi Piccoult)-- An Amish girl is accused of murdering her baby right after his birth. C
*Vanishing Acts (Jodi Piccoult)-- I think this might be my favorite Piccoult thus far. It's about a noncustodial parent kidnapping his child. B+
Because I've recently read 6 Piccoult books, you might conclude that I really adore her books. I don't. I like them. They're fast reads, and they capture my attention. I don't love them though. After having read 6 of her books, there's definitely a theme of ethics and ethically "grey" areas....also, that in the "right" ("wrong?") situation, anyone is really capable of doing anything, even what he or she thought he'd never do. They'd be interesting to discuss in an ethics class.
*The Firefly in Amber (Diana Gabaldon)-- I know I said I wasn't that impressed with Outlander, but the characters grew on me so I decided to read the second book in the series. I actually think I like it better than the first, if only because it seems less "romance-y." I'm now listening to Voyager as an audio book. B+
*Peculiar Treasures (Robin Jones Gunn)-- Although I am not in the intended demographics for this book (probably high school students), based on the Amazon.com reviews, I think I am smack-dab in the middle of those who actually read it, i.e., those in their 30s who read the Christy Miller series as teens and just had to find out what Christy, Katie and Todd are doing now that they're in college and Gunn has decided to add another series! This is the first in the Katie Weldon series, and as such, focuses on Katie who is a senior in college. B
*On A Whim (Robin Jones Gunn)--The second in the Katie Weldon series. B
*As You Wish (Robin Jones Gunn)-- Another Gunn continuation book, this is part of the Christy & Todd: The College Years series. B-
*I Promise (Robin Jones Gunn)--The last of the Christy & Todd books. B-/C+
*Gardenias for Breakfast (Robin Jones Gunn)-- Another Gunn book, but this one isn't part of a series. Mom and preteen daughter go on a roadtrip to see relatives. It's an interesting story that highlights our own revisionist history, particularly with family members, and the need for forgiveness. B-
*Middlesex (Jeffrey Eugenides)-- Although I think the word is greatly overused, EPIC accurately describes this story of a Greek family's journey from Greece to Detroit, their secrets and motivations and the dormant genes that eventually surface. It's not a story about an intersex individual so much as it is a story about a family, generations of a family, their connections and relationships. A-
Movies--Theater
*Sin Nombre--It reminded me a bit of Traffic and Babel. As I mentioned in the book review, this is about a teen traveling illegally to the US. It also highlights the problems of gangs and how hard it can be to leave. Certain scenes reminded me painfully of one of "my" kids in particular. In Spanish, with subtitles. B+
*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince-- If I weren't so familiar with the books, I probably would have liked the movie. As it is, though, I know the books too well, and the movie just annoyed me. I can understand the need to edit for time....but then why would they add random scenes that do not appear in the books? Grrr. Some of the special effects, particularly the cave scene, were very well done though. I'm still bitter that Cuaron only directed Prisoner of Azkaban. D+
*Away We Go-- Who knew that Maya Rudolph could act beyond her SNL skits? I didn't. She's pretty good too. A young-ish couple decides to look at various cities as possibilities for raising their soon-to-be-born baby. Sweet, funny, if not particularly memorable. C+/B-
Movies-- DVD
*Gran Torino-- I only rented this because my mom really likes Clint Eastwood and wanted to see it. However, I thought it was pretty good-- very good for the first 2/3...and then rather predictable. C
*Before Sunrise-- I enjoyed this movie, which I primarily watched as a prelude, due to my friend's insistence that I see Before Sunset (which is near the top of my queue)Boy meets girl on a train in Europe. Boy convinces girl to spend the evening wandering the city with him. Boy and girl talk for hours and hours...and then part at sunrise. I think the appeal is that almost everyone hopes for a situation like this, encountering someone to whom they can share without reservation. The problem is that in an actual relationship, that lasts more than 10 hours, feelings get hurt, conflicts surface, etc. But...it is a good movie. B-
*Frontline: Sick Around the World-- Well, it's not the most entertaining of the selections, but it is very informative about how universal healthcare works in several democracies around the world. Highly recommended. A-
*Twilight-- It was okay. Maybe a bit more ridiculous than the book, but it's so very "middle school girl" that I get the appeal. C
*Zach and Miri Make a Porno-- I like Seth Rogan and find many of his movies funny, if a bit in more taste. However, I didn't even think this one was that funny....just stupid. D
TV on DVD
*True Blood--I like this show a whole lot so far. I thought Alan Ball did a fabulous job with Six Feet Under, and his mark is apparent on this series too. I haven't read the Sookie Stackhouse books so I can't say if it closely follows the books or not. In terms of the show's "feel," I'd most closely relate it to Dexter....but with fangs. It's dark and edgy and likely to offend many sensibilities, but if you liked Six Feet Under, you'll probably like this too. A-
*Generation Kill-- I've seen about 3/4 of the season so far (though I'm not sure if it's an ongoing series or just a miniseries). It's about Marines in the current war in Iraq. Band of Brothers, this is not, but it's fairly good in its own right. B-
*Weeds, Season 4-- This show has always been a guilty pleasure, and it's one of the few shows that consistently has me laughing out loud. However, it also has a plotline, and I think that this season was even better than the previous ones. Towards the end of the season, there was even some issues of conscience. I can't wait to see where they go next season. A
*In Treatment, Season 1-- I love this. It's an HBO series about a psychologist and his patients. Each episode is a "session." I'm looking forward to Season 2's DVD release. A-/B+
TV on the TV :)
*Intervention (on A&E)-- Okay, the show may be a bit exploitative (but the people do get to go to some top-notch, expensive rehab centers out of the deal), but I like it. I like hearing the stories, seeing the photos of the person with the addiction when they were kids, seeing the family dynamics. I think it humanizes addiction. Also, many of the people make at least halting progress towards a different life. I think the show offers hope that even those with severe addiction can get better. When I was up in Maine last week, I watched an episode with my grandma and her sister, my 88-year-old Aunt Gertrude. Grandma has trouble following tv shows, but Aunt Gertrude watched with rapt attention and said at the end, "I like this program!" It's nominated for an Emmy. B
*Mystery Diagnosis (on Discovery Health)-- I am convinced that if I watch enough episodes, I will find out what's wrong with me. Either that, or I'll end up on the show with my own little episode. I'd prefer the former. A-
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Still here
I'm still here. I have my appointment with a Johns Hopkins doctor tomorrow, and I'm hoping something positive will come out of that.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Because you are my bird
I love the book The Little Prince, and I'd read this part to Pippin. So many people think that birds are just interchangeable, that one is like another. I'd read this to her and tell her why it's not true, "Because you're MY bird."
The little prince went away, to look again at the roses.
“You are not at all like my rose,” he said. “As yet you are nothing. No one has tamed you, and you have tamed no one. You are like my fox when I first knew him. He was only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But I have made him my friend, and now he is unique in all the world.”
And the roses were very much embarassed.
“You are beautiful, but you are empty,” he went on. “One could not die for you. To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you--the rose that belongs to me. But in herself alone she is more important than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she that I have watered; because it is she that I have put under the glass globe; because it is she that I have sheltered behind the screen; because it is for her that I have killed the caterpillars (except the two or three that we saved to become butterflies); because it is she that I have listened to, when she grumbled, or boasted, or ever sometimes when she said nothing. Because she is my rose.
And he went back to meet the fox.
“Goodbye,” he said.
“Goodbye,” said the fox. “And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
“What is essential is invisible to the eye,” the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.
“It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”
From Chapters 20 and 21 of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry
I miss my bird.
My little birdie
My beautiful, sweet, little bird, Pippin, passed away last night after having surgery to remove a cloacal cyst. I already miss her very much.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Media Report
Books
*Outlander by Diane Gabaldon-- I read this because a number of people told me it was like The Time Traveler's Wife. I'm not sure what they were thinking. Well, to be fair, both books have main characters named "Claire." Although it wasn't what I expected, Outlander is enjoyable enough, though too "romancey" for my tastes. Also, this l-o-n-g book could easily be reduced by half without any real loss.
*Perfect Match by Jodi Piccoult-- This is the first Piccoult book I've read, and I didn't enjoy it very much. My biggest problem with the book is that the author changes POV multiple times per CHAPTER! I'm guessing this was an intentional choice to highlight the disorientation of the characters in this story, but it is annoying. I agree with Charles Spurgeon: "There is no particular virtue in being seriously unreadable."
*The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler-- Okay, it's about vaginas. But really, it's about more than that. It's about identity and body image and violence against women. It's about culture and sociology. Some of the supplemental material is kind of boring, but the monologues themselves are generally pithy and emotionally rich. Fabulous? No, not really...but pretty good, and most likely, very different than anything else you've ever read.
Books I've Read for Kid-Related Reasons
*Uglies by Scott Westerfield--Although I don't think this is a piece of classic and enduring literature, it does provoke some good thoughts and discussions with this age group (about beauty, appearance, utopias, expectations of society, peer pressure, transitions, etc). The girls loved it and want to read the rest of the series. I'm glad it's gotten them reading, thinking and talking. Warning for excessive use of hoverboards.
*Shug by Jenny Han-- Wow-- Han has young adolescent "voice" nailed. I loved this book. We haven't had our club meeting yet so I'm not sure about the girls' reactions. Han asks a lot of her readers because she does not resolve many of the conflicts, and there are not clear cut cause-and-effect lessons that YA writers tend to helpfully insert into their novels. (For instance, the main character tells about dropping her former best friend: "Yes, she was my friend, but we're in junior high now. Things are different. She was holding me back. I know I could be cool if I didn't have Sherilyn hanging on to me. It's like trying to shimmy up a pole with a moose tied to your ankles. You've just gotta cut that moose loose." Although this may make us cringe, few adults will be unable to acknowledge the truth in that. And...there are no touching lessons that make Shug see the folly of her ways.) I'm guessing that Han intended the setting to be current day, but the absence of cell phones and computers is unlikely to go unnoticed by teens. However, that's a minor quibble. Overall, it's well-written with dynamic, likable and flawed characters.
Movies
*Slumdog Millionaire-- Everything to say has probably already been said, but this movie is awesome! Visually stunning, poignant, sad and hopeful, it deserves all of the awards it's garnered.
*He's Just Not That Into You-- This movie really wanted to be Love Actually, with multiple, interwoven plotlines that are somehow tied together. It doesn't quite succeed. Although it has its funny moments, overall, it seems l-o-n-g and too meandering. It's not that bad; it's just not that good. (Also, Bradley Cooper is not a very nice guy in this movie, and every since Alias, I've loved Bradley Cooper. I need him to be a nice guy; I need him to be Will.)
Music
*Slumdog Millionaire-- I purchased some of the songs (including "Jai Ho") from itunes, and I'm really enjoying them. Very upbeat and fun.
*The Weepies--I had given up on itunes Genius (which seriously slows down proceedings), but then today, it popped up and told me that I would love The Weepies. Well, it was right! Maybe it's not so useless after all!
*Outlander by Diane Gabaldon-- I read this because a number of people told me it was like The Time Traveler's Wife. I'm not sure what they were thinking. Well, to be fair, both books have main characters named "Claire." Although it wasn't what I expected, Outlander is enjoyable enough, though too "romancey" for my tastes. Also, this l-o-n-g book could easily be reduced by half without any real loss.
*Perfect Match by Jodi Piccoult-- This is the first Piccoult book I've read, and I didn't enjoy it very much. My biggest problem with the book is that the author changes POV multiple times per CHAPTER! I'm guessing this was an intentional choice to highlight the disorientation of the characters in this story, but it is annoying. I agree with Charles Spurgeon: "There is no particular virtue in being seriously unreadable."
*The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler-- Okay, it's about vaginas. But really, it's about more than that. It's about identity and body image and violence against women. It's about culture and sociology. Some of the supplemental material is kind of boring, but the monologues themselves are generally pithy and emotionally rich. Fabulous? No, not really...but pretty good, and most likely, very different than anything else you've ever read.
Books I've Read for Kid-Related Reasons
*Uglies by Scott Westerfield--Although I don't think this is a piece of classic and enduring literature, it does provoke some good thoughts and discussions with this age group (about beauty, appearance, utopias, expectations of society, peer pressure, transitions, etc). The girls loved it and want to read the rest of the series. I'm glad it's gotten them reading, thinking and talking. Warning for excessive use of hoverboards.
*Shug by Jenny Han-- Wow-- Han has young adolescent "voice" nailed. I loved this book. We haven't had our club meeting yet so I'm not sure about the girls' reactions. Han asks a lot of her readers because she does not resolve many of the conflicts, and there are not clear cut cause-and-effect lessons that YA writers tend to helpfully insert into their novels. (For instance, the main character tells about dropping her former best friend: "Yes, she was my friend, but we're in junior high now. Things are different. She was holding me back. I know I could be cool if I didn't have Sherilyn hanging on to me. It's like trying to shimmy up a pole with a moose tied to your ankles. You've just gotta cut that moose loose." Although this may make us cringe, few adults will be unable to acknowledge the truth in that. And...there are no touching lessons that make Shug see the folly of her ways.) I'm guessing that Han intended the setting to be current day, but the absence of cell phones and computers is unlikely to go unnoticed by teens. However, that's a minor quibble. Overall, it's well-written with dynamic, likable and flawed characters.
Movies
*Slumdog Millionaire-- Everything to say has probably already been said, but this movie is awesome! Visually stunning, poignant, sad and hopeful, it deserves all of the awards it's garnered.
*He's Just Not That Into You-- This movie really wanted to be Love Actually, with multiple, interwoven plotlines that are somehow tied together. It doesn't quite succeed. Although it has its funny moments, overall, it seems l-o-n-g and too meandering. It's not that bad; it's just not that good. (Also, Bradley Cooper is not a very nice guy in this movie, and every since Alias, I've loved Bradley Cooper. I need him to be a nice guy; I need him to be Will.)
Music
*Slumdog Millionaire-- I purchased some of the songs (including "Jai Ho") from itunes, and I'm really enjoying them. Very upbeat and fun.
*The Weepies--I had given up on itunes Genius (which seriously slows down proceedings), but then today, it popped up and told me that I would love The Weepies. Well, it was right! Maybe it's not so useless after all!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
More Buechner
"Magic is saying Abracadabra and pulling the rabbit out of the hat, is stepping on a crack to break your mother's back, is a dashboard Jesus to prevent smash-ups. Magic is going to church so you will get to Heaven. Magic is using Listerine so everybody will love you. Magic is the technique of controlling unseen powers and will always work if you do it by the book. Magic is manipulation and says, My will be done. Religion is propitiation and says Thy will be done.
Religion is praying, and maybe the prayer will be answered and maybe it won't, at least not the way you want or when you want and maybe not at all. Even if you do it by the book, religion doesn't always work, as Jesus pointed out in one of his more somber utterances when he said, "Not everyone who says, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 7:21) the corollary to which would appear to be, "Not everyone who wouldn't be caught dead saying 'Lord, Lord,' shall be blackballed from the kingdom of Heaven." He softened the blow somewhat then by adding that the way to enter the Kingdom of Heaven is to do the will of his Father in Heaven; but when religion claims that it's always sure what that will is, it's only bluffing. Magic is always sure.
If security is what you're after, try magic. If adventure is what you're after, try religion. The line between them is notoriously fuzzy."
Religion is praying, and maybe the prayer will be answered and maybe it won't, at least not the way you want or when you want and maybe not at all. Even if you do it by the book, religion doesn't always work, as Jesus pointed out in one of his more somber utterances when he said, "Not everyone who says, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 7:21) the corollary to which would appear to be, "Not everyone who wouldn't be caught dead saying 'Lord, Lord,' shall be blackballed from the kingdom of Heaven." He softened the blow somewhat then by adding that the way to enter the Kingdom of Heaven is to do the will of his Father in Heaven; but when religion claims that it's always sure what that will is, it's only bluffing. Magic is always sure.
If security is what you're after, try magic. If adventure is what you're after, try religion. The line between them is notoriously fuzzy."
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Love for love's sake
If thou must love me... (Sonnet 14)
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
If thou must love me, let it be for nought
Except for love's sake only. Do not say,
"I love her for her smile—her look—her way
Of speaking gently,—for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day"—
For these things in themselves, Belovèd, may
Be changed, or change for thee—and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry:
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
But love me for love's sake, that evermore
Thou mayst love on, through love's eternity.
In some ways, this is kind of on the line of Shakespeare's
...Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken.
I think there's truth in that-- true love is constant, bears all things, endures all things.
However, as much as I might like to believe it, I'm not sure that "love for love's sake" is possible...or even desirable. C.S. Lewis writes, "Love ceases to be a demon only when it ceases to be a god." Beyond that, love generally flows from affection...and affection is usually sparked by "a trick of thought," a "way of speaking gently," etc. I guess the problem comes from building a relationship upon those things...that may change. The love must go deeper than that. But love for love's sake? I'm just not sure.
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
If thou must love me, let it be for nought
Except for love's sake only. Do not say,
"I love her for her smile—her look—her way
Of speaking gently,—for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day"—
For these things in themselves, Belovèd, may
Be changed, or change for thee—and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry:
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
But love me for love's sake, that evermore
Thou mayst love on, through love's eternity.
In some ways, this is kind of on the line of Shakespeare's
...Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken.
I think there's truth in that-- true love is constant, bears all things, endures all things.
However, as much as I might like to believe it, I'm not sure that "love for love's sake" is possible...or even desirable. C.S. Lewis writes, "Love ceases to be a demon only when it ceases to be a god." Beyond that, love generally flows from affection...and affection is usually sparked by "a trick of thought," a "way of speaking gently," etc. I guess the problem comes from building a relationship upon those things...that may change. The love must go deeper than that. But love for love's sake? I'm just not sure.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Media report-- Movies and TV
Movies
*Role Models-- I don't normally enjoy this type of comedy, but I let myself be talked into going to see Role Models-- an R-rated comedy about two men who commit a crime and are offered a choice between community service (in a mentoring program) or jail time. Of course, they end up mentoring and wacky hijinks ensue. It actually IS funny, though, and ends up being kind of touching....though I think the overall message conveys the inadvisability of using criminals as mentors!
*Bolt-- This movie was cute, if predictable. I'd recommend it for kids.
*Milk-- This is a biopic of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office. Besides making me miss San Francisco, I thought this movie was extremely well done. The casting was perfect, as were the performances. They did a great job incorporating actual footage of the time period and certain events. I was surprised that this didn't win anything at Golden Globes (though Sean Penn was nominated). But...I haven't seen Slumdog Millionaire yet. Anyway, I'll be interested to see how it fares at the Academy Awards. Of course, this movie is rated R and is about a gay man. If (fairly tame, as I recall) scenes depicting gay sex will offend you, this is a movie you'll want to skip. Otherwise, I'd recommend you see it.
*Valkyrie-- The best thing I can say about this movie is that it made me want to learn more about the Valkyrie plot to assassinate Hitler. Other than that, I didn't think it was very good. With movies based on historical situations (like Milk, above), we already know the ending. We know that Hitler was not assassinated, so it's clear from the outset that Valkyrie will not succeed. What I needed was a reason to care-- WHY were these German officers different from those who followed Hitler? Why should I care about them or their families? What is their back story? This was not really communicated. Instead, the movie (with excessive close-ups of Tom Cruise) focuses on the details of the plot, the attempt and the executions of those involved. I didn't leave the theater with any real emotional insight into these men so I was all that upset when they died. And of course, I already knew that Hitler would survive until his suicide. So...I'd suggest you skip it.
DVDs
*WALL*E-- The animation in this movie is absolutely breathtaking. It also has a pretty clear message about caring for the earth. WALL*E himself is adorable. I thought it was a little slow, but most kids seem to be fans.
*Torchwood Season 2-- Awesome! Willful suspension of disbelief needed by the bucketfuls, but this show rocks! (If this were an American show-- instead of BBC Wales-- it would be TV-14 or TV-M, probably the former...just FYI.)
TV
*House-- I've been watching when I can. I love Hugh Laurie. I don't care who else is on the show. (Though I was worried when Wilson was away.)
*24: Redemption-- This 24 special takes place in Sangala (filmed in South Africa, though) and highlights the problem of child soldiers. I really appreciate celebrities who use their fame and status to increase awareness of important causes. Not only that, this special is really good-- suspenseful, explosive, what you'd expect from 24 and Jack Bauer. If you rent the DVD (which I did, after watching it on broadcast tv), there is a heart-breaking featurette on child soldiers.
*24: Season 7-- The first two hours started out okay. (I won't say much for those who haven't seen it yet.) In the second two hours, things took a swift nosedive. I'm not sure if they'll be able to pull out of this. If anyone can save the show, Jack Bauer is the man. I wish him luck.
*Lost-- I'm not watching this. I don't care. J.J. Abrams has brilliant ideas...but follow-through leaves much to be desired. After disastrous endings to Felicity and Alias (much worse), I don't trust him. IF my friends who are still watching the show watch until the end of the series...and tell me that the ending was spectacular and wrapped up all the loose threads into a coherent bundle...I'll be the first to go to Netflix and put all the DVDs in my queue. Until then, so long, Lost.
*Role Models-- I don't normally enjoy this type of comedy, but I let myself be talked into going to see Role Models-- an R-rated comedy about two men who commit a crime and are offered a choice between community service (in a mentoring program) or jail time. Of course, they end up mentoring and wacky hijinks ensue. It actually IS funny, though, and ends up being kind of touching....though I think the overall message conveys the inadvisability of using criminals as mentors!
*Bolt-- This movie was cute, if predictable. I'd recommend it for kids.
*Milk-- This is a biopic of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office. Besides making me miss San Francisco, I thought this movie was extremely well done. The casting was perfect, as were the performances. They did a great job incorporating actual footage of the time period and certain events. I was surprised that this didn't win anything at Golden Globes (though Sean Penn was nominated). But...I haven't seen Slumdog Millionaire yet. Anyway, I'll be interested to see how it fares at the Academy Awards. Of course, this movie is rated R and is about a gay man. If (fairly tame, as I recall) scenes depicting gay sex will offend you, this is a movie you'll want to skip. Otherwise, I'd recommend you see it.
*Valkyrie-- The best thing I can say about this movie is that it made me want to learn more about the Valkyrie plot to assassinate Hitler. Other than that, I didn't think it was very good. With movies based on historical situations (like Milk, above), we already know the ending. We know that Hitler was not assassinated, so it's clear from the outset that Valkyrie will not succeed. What I needed was a reason to care-- WHY were these German officers different from those who followed Hitler? Why should I care about them or their families? What is their back story? This was not really communicated. Instead, the movie (with excessive close-ups of Tom Cruise) focuses on the details of the plot, the attempt and the executions of those involved. I didn't leave the theater with any real emotional insight into these men so I was all that upset when they died. And of course, I already knew that Hitler would survive until his suicide. So...I'd suggest you skip it.
DVDs
*WALL*E-- The animation in this movie is absolutely breathtaking. It also has a pretty clear message about caring for the earth. WALL*E himself is adorable. I thought it was a little slow, but most kids seem to be fans.
*Torchwood Season 2-- Awesome! Willful suspension of disbelief needed by the bucketfuls, but this show rocks! (If this were an American show-- instead of BBC Wales-- it would be TV-14 or TV-M, probably the former...just FYI.)
TV
*House-- I've been watching when I can. I love Hugh Laurie. I don't care who else is on the show. (Though I was worried when Wilson was away.)
*24: Redemption-- This 24 special takes place in Sangala (filmed in South Africa, though) and highlights the problem of child soldiers. I really appreciate celebrities who use their fame and status to increase awareness of important causes. Not only that, this special is really good-- suspenseful, explosive, what you'd expect from 24 and Jack Bauer. If you rent the DVD (which I did, after watching it on broadcast tv), there is a heart-breaking featurette on child soldiers.
*24: Season 7-- The first two hours started out okay. (I won't say much for those who haven't seen it yet.) In the second two hours, things took a swift nosedive. I'm not sure if they'll be able to pull out of this. If anyone can save the show, Jack Bauer is the man. I wish him luck.
*Lost-- I'm not watching this. I don't care. J.J. Abrams has brilliant ideas...but follow-through leaves much to be desired. After disastrous endings to Felicity and Alias (much worse), I don't trust him. IF my friends who are still watching the show watch until the end of the series...and tell me that the ending was spectacular and wrapped up all the loose threads into a coherent bundle...I'll be the first to go to Netflix and put all the DVDs in my queue. Until then, so long, Lost.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Health update
I saw my local GI on Monday. My thyroid levels, which had been improving, are back to indicating the far hyper end of hyperthyroidism. I'm not sure yet what they're going to do about that. (I think the Mayo endocrinologist is going to decide if I need anti-thyroid medication.) The GI said that he thinks that I have a systemic autoimmune disease, but he is unsure what it is and that we may need to just wait. He ordered a test for malabsorption and also wants me to return to the GI at the Mayo Clinic.
I have gained some weight (though still not up to 100 lbs), but I'm finding these answers less than satisfying. Though I realize, there may not be clear answers at this time.
I have gained some weight (though still not up to 100 lbs), but I'm finding these answers less than satisfying. Though I realize, there may not be clear answers at this time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)