spooky smorgasbord

What a diverse buffet of Halloween-themed noshes found their way into my goodie bag this past month!
Actually, it started for me at the end of September. That's when I saw "Hotel Transylvania 2" and heard Wayne the Wolf Man say "We don't have to kill anymore. We have Pop-tarts."
Nice!
The first weekend in October found me ushering for the Lucas. The two movies? "Rosemary's Baby", from 1968, and the 1976 version of "Carrie". I had other plans and couldn't stay for the Friday night film, but I did for the Spacek movie. Why? Well, John Travolta was in it! So that was definitely a trick and treat for me!
There was another trick-and-treat for me that following Wednesday night. Ooh la la! Tom Baker!!! What did it matter that he was one of the more gruesome of "The Mutations"? I still was treated to that lovely voice and that glint in his eyes!
Then there was the scary face-changer in the Amazing China show - definitely creepy! But so incredible to watch! Having that coupled with the Tim Burton characters, burlesque style, reinforced the concept of costumes making scary stuff more fun!
"Kiss of the Spider Woman", set in a South American jail, was definitely appropriate for the month of Spooktober! It may have been even more so because of the creative casting done by Collective Face! Putting septagenarian Dandy in the role of sexy starlet Aurora was quite a switcheroo! (Sonja Braga, 35 years old for the 1985 film, will forever be Aurora to me!)
Now, then, don't think all the treats were movies or plays. Au contraire, mon frere! This offering was again via my usher duties at the Lucas. (Thanks, Haley!) Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra presented "A Classical Halloween", filled with both old and new favorites. Yes, indeed, from "Danse Macabre" to "Psycho" to the "Harry Potter theme", there truly was something for everyone's sweet tooth! My favorite bit, though, was the encore mash-up of "Darth Vader's March" and the Alfred Hitchcock theme - bravo!
The very next night, I was back at the Lucas after my nephew's wedding. Why? Well, partly because Haley had asked for my help. And partly because I had never been to the Graveface Frightfest ... and this was its third year! Time to rectify that situation!
I am so glad I went. I didn't get there until about 9 PM, but I was in time to see three of the films that evening. "The Monster Squad", a kid flick from 1987, was just my speed! Quite reminiscent of "The Goonies", to me!
Then came another 1987 flick, "Nightmare on Elm St 3: Dream Warriors", a movie I had deliberately avoided. Why did I stay for it? Well, I noticed it had a young (19-year-old) Patricia Arquette, as well as Craig Wasson (who I liked in "Body Double").
Plus, Ken was there and I knew he had my back!
The post-midnight finale was the 30th anniversary screening of "Return of the Living Dead". Nice! I knew the story, of course, but had not seen the movie. This time, I was pysched for it! Especially as Ken had assured me it was more tongue-in-cheek than horrifying.
Plus, it starred Clu Galager! What's not to like about that! He's been a favorite since his role as a shady FBI guy in one of my most favoite movies of all time: "Into The Night".
The Sunday afternoon was back to the world of theatre! Specifically, to the Ampersand for the Savannah Stage Company's version of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". Bwah ha ha!!! I do so enjoy their sparse sets and active voice!
The fun continued for the rest of the month!
"It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" - would it really be Halloween without this classic???
Seriously. Would it?
And "The Rocky Horror Show", too! There's something about men in fishnet stockings that simply fills me with an-ti-ci-p-p-p-a-tion!
And this year, I had something special at the 10th Annual B.Y.O.P. Party - my bfe! Neither of our pumpkins won a prize, but we had a great time, as always!
Believe it or not, there were even scary tales at my church! The God On Broadway series for the last two Sundays transported us from the Spanish Inquisition to the scary swamps and ogre habitat of fairytale land. Bwah ha ha ha!



And what did I learn from this abundance of frightful films, plays, sermons, and music?
I learned this: the unknown is far scarier than the known.
Imagine that!

SFF, day 8: malala, scout, and dame maggie smith!

All good things come to an end and the Savannah Film Festival is no exception.
This was the final day and I had chosen to make it all about strong women.
Hooray for choices!
Hooray for free parking, too! No need to meter-feed!
My morning began with "He Named me Malala". I had missed the opportunity to see this in the local multiplexes, so I was looking forward to this story about Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai. The Pakistani teen was cheerful and forthright in her description of her struggle to get an education under Taliban rule. "I tell my story not because it is unique. I tell my story because it is not.", she says in her guest lectures.
The nicest things about the film? First, that her brothers still regard her the same as they ever have, a strong-willed ('naughty') girl named for an Afghanistani cheerleader. Second, that she very much is a teen girl, with teen-girl crushes, in spite of the ordeals she has endured. Very good lesson that kids are kids, all over the world!
Also, this was a very good lesson about Islam and the truth of its beliefs. When asked if she hated the man who shot her in the head, she replied, "...not one proton, not one quark. Islam is about humanity, equality, and forgiveness."
Amen, sister.
And thanks for using science to make your point!

Time for food! Henry's was my choice today. It's only open for breakfast and lunch, meaning it was almost always closed when I was downtown. I'm so glad I went! Such a great pork chop that I wrote it up on TripAdvisor! Very nice conversation with my waiter, too, about films seen, including "Anomalisa" on Wednesday.

Back to the Lucas for a short and a feature! "Catching Fireflies" followed a young girl and her junkie mom, living on the streets. A parallel is drawn between fireflies and bullet tracers. Nice performances by tWitch, of "So You Think You Can Dance" fame, as the girl's godfather, of sorts. Beautiful imagery for a sad tale too oft told in real life.
The narrative feature, "Scout", also followed a young girl and an inept parent and the problems of the child welfare system. Fortunately, she has an enterprising older sister who is determined to rescue her little sister, enlisting the aid of a young man with more wealth than human connections in his life. Great cameos by Ellen Burstyn, Danny Glover, and Jane Seymour.
Surprise! There was an unscheduled Q&A afterward! Here, the writer/director/producer of "Catching Fireflies", former stuntman Lee Whitaker, confessed to drawing visual inspiration from, of all places, Pinterest.com Amazing! But it was for a good cause: to draw attention to homelessness, first truly noticed in India while filming, then again back in the States, in Los Angeles. Good for him!
The writer/director (Laurie Weitz) and producer (Beverly A. Gordon) of "Scout" were also present for the Q&A. More strong women!

My final film of the festival was definitely a good one.
Of course, as Maddie Reed said, "it's got Maggie Smith in it, and I'd watch her shovel dirt."
I certainly can agree with that!
"The lady In The Van" chronicled homelessness of the elderly in England. Specifically, the mostly-true film concerned aging Mary Shepherd, in her garish van, and the playwright Alan Bennett, who admitted to being "too lazy to throw her out" for fifteen years. Dame Maggie Smith had performed this role onstage initially, as well as on-air, and brought her immense talent in support of this project.
I liked the exploration of their relationship, this homeless, but strong-willed woman who demanded respect, and the weak-willed man with his two personae, the one that worked and the one that played. I especially thought it humorous that she thought the young men coming late at night to his house were Communists! Quite a few moments of levity in this story, but also a bit of pathos. You see, the film also followed his relationship with his aging mother, who eventually had to be put into nursing care for her memory loss. Honestly, I believe he allowed so many concessions to 'Miss Shepherd' in deference to his mom.

As I said, a fine way to finish out my Savannah Pass.
Of the 118 films of all lengths screened for these eight days, I have seen 90 of them. Ninety!!!
I saw a total of 23 blocks of daytime films, each of which would have cost $5. That means I saw $115 of movies for only $75. What a great deal!
I spent a total of $63.17 on meals, including tips and taxes, over the course of eight days. Pretty good at sticking to my budget!
And I did wonderfully well at planning my parking this year! Armed with lots of quarters, and mindful of the locations of the 5-hour meters, I only spent $33.25. Much better than in years past!
Now, to remember those meters next year...
(smile)

SFF, day 7: adult shorts! jasmine! bulletproof!

Friday! Another day with no school!
On the agenda today: the second block of student shorts and two blocks of a short and a feature.
I was even able to sleep in, as none of it started until noon-thirty.
One of my favorite times!
Let's get started!
As I said, first up was 'Student Shorts Block A (adult)', consisting of eight films at the Trustees.
In the order they were screened, here we go!
"Somewhere The King" was a beautiful way to begin! A grandma takes her broken-hearted teen granddaughter on a road trip to an Elvis impersonator contest...so they can compete. The song? "In The Garden", of all things! What a great movie!
Of course, the next film was much more serious. "11 Minutes" concerned a new medic, female, on her first day on the line. We go from all joking and having a snack to a fast response to an IED event. From there, they have an eleven minute ride to a Medevac chopper, eleven minutes for the newbie to make her first instantaneous life-or-death decisions. Quite stressful for us, too!
The next was an animated tale about sentient life in a fridge. "Adam" is evidently a batchelor who allows leftovers to linger too long... aawwRRRR! Munch! Funny!
"Almost Not Beautiful" switched up to two sisters and their dysfunctional relationship. Apparently, Sarah Jane Kruchowski likes to utilize that scenario.
More girls in trouble show up in "Violet", with a not-quite-right older woman taking in runaway girls like some take in stray cats. Make the setting a trailer in the woods and you've got a real creepfest going on, but still suitable for an after-school special.
Fortunately for us, "Palm Rot" sends us back into the world of animated aliens. Hooray! Click here to watch the fun unfold on an airboat in the Everglades!
Back to serious business in "Schoolcraft". Based on a story about an officer working with Internal Affairs to reveal corruption in an NYPD precinct, the film didn't appeal to me.
The last one was absolutely adorable! At first, "Lulu" seems like a tale of a one-night stand between a musician and a woman with a foster dog. But, nope! Gotcha! Men can be soooo easy! It definitely left me laughing out loud!
The writer/director/actor/producer, Shawn Snyder, of that last one was at the Q&A, too. Nice guy with a great sense of humor! He was joined onstage by three others: Brit Wigintton, the writer/director of "Violet"; Adam Nelson, the writer/director of "Schoolcraft"; and Sarah Jane Kruchowski, the director of "Almost Not Beautiful". Nice bunch of students!

Lunch at Panera this time. Chicken soup to soothe my soul...and my scratchy throat. Ah! That really did the trick!
Back to the Trustees for the short and the feature!
Right away, "Dust" provided an immersion into a post-apocalyptic world in which an airborne mutation has wreaked havoc. Enter a rich man who thinks he can beat the odds by hiring a tracker. Really excellent example of money not being the answer.
"Jasmine" takes us to a widower in Hong Kong, tracking down his wife's killer. Very suspenseful and with an incredible twist!

Quick like a bunny, I hopped out while the credits were rolling so I could make the block at the Lucas!
Oh, no! I completely missed "Birthday", the short film in this block. Drats. But I still saw the trailer here.
The feature had already started, too, by the time I arrived. (I had misjudged the length of "Dust", thinking it was only ten or fifteen minutes. I should have doubled that time.)
I was able to catch up with the story in "Becoming Bulletproof". Apparently, this is a documentary about the making of the 2012 western, "Bulletproof". But here's the catch: the actors are all differently-abled, as I call it. Every year, Zeno Mountain Farm of Vermont makes a new movie, using different genres each year, and then casts it with the folks who have been invited to take part. The roles are distributed with an eye toward the capabilities of those who will be acting as well as the goal to stretch their innate talents to allow creation of a movie to merit pride in accomplishment.
The most amazing thing about all of it? No one has to pay anything to be there and no one gets paid for being there. All are there, helping each other, from the very goodness in their hearts. As Fliss of Kickstarter, it absolutely did my heart good to know such a place populated by such people actually existed!
Afterward, the writer/director/producer of "Birthday", Chris King, was present, along with 'the mayor' in "Bulletproof", A. J. Murray, with his mom. A.J. has cerebral palsy, just as local Waddie Welcome did. A.J. has truly caught the acting bug and you can help that dream come true by helping him relocate to Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, for the rest of his life, he will be invited every year to ZMF for their movie-making ventures. What a great privilege!

SFF, day 6: Austria, India, and Antarctica!

Thursday - another day with no school to rush my viewing pleasure!
My first block was a short and a narrative feature. Let's go!
"The Rose Bowl" was most assuredly not about football. Not even close! Baby names. Two women, married to brothers, want the same name for their baby. First to deliver wins! Very funny!
The feature, set in Austria and having a magnificent backdrop, was about long-term friendship, on hiatus by distance and time until a birthday of import approaches. "Vor. Seit. Schluss! (Forward. Side. Close!)" are dance instructions for the rhumba. How cool is that! How do I know? I recently learned the dance!
Here, the outgoing friend encourages the introverted birthday boy to throw a party... and to finally learn to dance. Quite the lovely tale of second chances and old dogs learning new tricks!

Time for a brief warm-up outside as I bopped from the Lucas to the Trustees. Only one film in this noon-ish block of time, but one I had looked forward to. Would it be Bollywood? All I knew for sure was it was Indian.
As it turned out, "Ek Hazarachi Note (1,000 Rupee Note)" was not Bollywood, but was still a wonderful movie. The tale centered on Budhi, an old woman, sharing a duplex with Sudama and his young family. They live in a poor village, but the merchants allow her to buy as she needs, not in quantity. That changed when a politician came to town, passing out free food and free money. Sudama informed the politician that Budhi's son was one of the farmers' suicides the year before. Feeling guilt, the politician gives her a handful of ₹1,000 bills, rather than the single ₹100 note the others receive.
He never even thought about the repercussions of handing her such large notes in such a small, poor town. How disconnected he was from the people!
The small merchants stop selling her the few leaves of tea or the cup of milk they previously allowed her to buy. "In bulk!", they demanded. Budhi asks Sudama to travel with her to the next town, to buy larger goods like new eyeglasses and new clothes. And that's where the trouble really began for this innocent pair!
Excellent film! Shrihari Sathe, the director/producer, was there to introduce the work, as well as for the post-film Q&A. How very generous with his time!

I now had plenty of time to look elsewhere for a late lunch... and more quarters for the meters. Toward my home turf I drove, looking for my middle brother along the way. Nope, no luck in that venture. Off to Sisters of the New South to dine solo, then. Such addictive fried chicken there! Yum!!!
With more quarters in hand, I bounced back downtown, found a meter, fed it, and hurried to the Trustees, slightly late. Drats! Fortunately, I had missed only the first few minutes of "Zawadi (Treat)". Set in Kenya, a boy helps support his family by gathering and selling bottles, until some hoodlums step in. Then he must make a decision: take the smaller amount of money to his mom, or buy a birthday gift for his girlfriend? Such an uplifting tale!
Then we were all magically transported from the warmth of that locale to the crazy cold of Antarctica! Brrr!
"The Penguin Counters" followed Ron Naveen, former lawyer, current activist for change. The crew followed him for his 28th trip to the southernmost continent, and his 20th trip with a team to - literally - count populations of several varieties of penguins. Incredible science venture! Want to visit? Check here for info. Me? No, thanks, I was cold just watching the film!
No Q&A for this one, so I was done with the SFF for the day.
Off to the Story Slam!

SFF, day 5: shorts and shorts!

Another day, another $5 in quarters to a meter!
That's okay, I had nothing but shorts on my agenda until later tonight!
That's right: I returned after school for a night film!
But more on that later.
Today started and ended with films at the Lucas Theatre. One of my favorite venues ever!
It started pretty early, too: 9:30 AM.
Yeah, that doesn't sound that early, on the face of it, but remember that I had to get ready for my classes, have breakfast, and find a parking meter before I could watch anything.
(Yes, I am a wienie and spoiled rotten. What of it?)
With the focus of this year's SFF on documentaries, it was only appropriate that there be some 'Doc Shorts'. Today was the day for me to see those eight films!
First up was "Fighter", a biopic about an Afro-French chanteuse, Jara Ezo. Her style reminds me of Janet Jackson's work. Watch this and see if you agree. (I don't know why the film characterized her as a 'female Michael Jackson'. Odd.)
The next one was quite good! The director/producers Jane Davis and Mandy Mushlin have filmed a series of "Meet The Maker" docu-shorts, available on their youTube channel, about six food and beverage creators in St. Louis, Missouri. The one screened today, "Meet The Maker - Vol. 2: The Roaster", was about a coffee-roaster, Scott Carey. A chemist cum lawyer, he became a roaster after his brother's death, when he realized that the time had come to indulge his creative nature. Here, we saw him use the scientific approach to coax the optimum flavor from coffee beans. Maybe, one fine day, I'll visit his place, SUMP Coffee.
"Boxeadora (Boxer)" follows Namibia in her goal to become the first female Olympic boxer from Cuba. She's 38 years old and the cut-off age for Olympians is forty. Hopefully, she will find a patron soon, as Cuba does not allow female boxers.
A television repairman, Bill "Czappa", was the next focus. Why? Billed as having the "oldest art gallery in Burbank, CA", he creates art from found objects, including old mechanical and electronic bits and is in need of a gallery, or a buyer, for his many works. His store, Arc TV & VCR Repair, needs the room!
(Note: The use of 'billed' was a deliberate pun with the artist's first name. Several of his pieces are quite 'cheeky', as the Brits would say!)
After that bit of levity, "Body Team 12" brought us crashing back to the harsher side of life. Set in Liberia, the film's spokesperson is the only female member of a team tasked with picking up those dead from an Ebola epidemic. Heartbreaking film, with a heart for those whose dead are taken away before they can bury them.
The next three films were much lighter in tone.
"From Tonga" is about football in Euless, TX, primarily from the perspective of Patrick Vahe, one of the high school football team's twenty-seven Tongan players. The Polynesians make up a third of the team and are poised to make on impact on higher levels of the sport. Patrick has now received a football scholarship and will be the first in his family to attend college. Go, Patrick!
"Tomgirl" is about Jake, a gender nonconforming child. Born a boy, Jake is as content in leggings and skirts as he is in jeans. It isn't that he identifies as a girl; he simply views his options as more open. Fortunately, he is blessed to have a supportive family and school. I'd really like to know what happens when he hits high school!
The last film was a hoot and a half! Tom and Barbara, a couple with a fabulous sense of humor, are the stars of "The House Is Innocent". Their new home in Sacramento was a realtor's nightmare: the previous owner had killed seven elderly and buried their bodies in the side yard while she continued to cash their checks. But the house has become a home and now helps raise funds for a local charity.
As entertaining as the whole thing was, my favorite part of that film was at the very end. Above a list of seven names was written "in memory of". Superb!
Then it was Q&A time! Jane Davis and Mandy Mushlin, of "Meet The Maker - Vol. 2: The Roaster", were available, as was Scott Carey, the subject of their film. Very nice! And guess what? I talked with Scott afterward, in front of the Lucas, about chemistry and coffee beans and olives and cacao beans. Joy!

Time for a quick lunch at Subway before the next block on my agenda!
The 'World Shorts: Australia' was comprised of 8 films I had eagerly an-ti-ci-pated!
(smile!)
What a sweet first film and what a delightful twist! In "Second Hand", Harvey ventured back into the world, just for a day visit. His drink of choice: an old-fashioned. That set the scene nicely - you want more, look for the video. All I could find was this.
"The Best Way To Kill Your Mother" was a fun film! At first the daughter felt trapped with an aging mom who spent her days and nights watching Julia Child on the telly. Ho hum, her life was so tedious. Then, the daughter allowed her imagination to run amok! I really liked the chickens, too - reminded me of Key West and happy times!
The same cannot be said of the creepy-toned "Harvey's Dream". Then again, I guess the film's tone was well-deserved, as it was based on a Stephen King tale of the same name. Nice of the husband to have my brother's name!
The man in the first film was also named Harvey. I guess the name is more popular in the land down under!
I definitely liked "Heartbreak & Beauty" better! Showcasing the artistic talents of a dozen differently-abled young people, it combined elements of dance, theatre, and music. Bravo!
Then, back to the creepy film factor, apparently. "Oscar Wilde's The Nightingale And The Rose", based on the titled short story, was a bit harsh, as was the story, but my question is this: Why the nipples on the bird??? Very creepy.
You might expect "Death In Bloom", about a 'type of death' salesman, would be creepy, but you would be mistaken. This film added some much-needed levity to the block! Nice for the red rose motif to be in both films - good programming!
Speaking of which, the festival folks were hard-pressed with this block of shorts. "Caravan" was yet another dark film, this time with two children in a trailer with a probable dead body. What else would you expect, though, from a group whose tagline is "SO much drama"? Check out the trailer, if you dare.
The final film was one that was already a favorite of mine!!! Hooray!!! I was able to see the thoroughly wonderful "The Orchestra" again! What a welcome palate-cleanser after so much dourness!

And on that happy note, I was off to school for my Office Hours at the Learning Commons, whistling a tune from the film! Thanks, y'all!

Incredibly, the lab scheduled for tonight - the titration of vinegar - was completed by everyone by a quarter of nine!
What fabulous timing! I might be a few minutes late for the 9 PM screening of the Charlie Kaufman experimental film, but I wouldn't be missing the expected half-hour or more.
i thank You, God!
I already had my ticket for "Anomalisa", mostly because Jim Reed had so highly recommended the film. You might want to see the trailer here to get a feel for the stop-motion comedy-drama. The businessman is in town for a conference where he is to speak about helping service industries be more conscious of their clients' needs. Yet he sees all in the world as having the same dull roar, in the form of his voice being the only unique sound. Then he meets Lisa and her roommate - big fans of his work, there to hear him speak - and Lisa is unique to him and her voice is different from the din. Well, it is until the next morning, after their one-night stand. As they are having breakfast, her voice begins merging with the din of the world.
I'll be interested to see if it comes to one of the local multiplexes. Ladies and gentlemen, place your bets! My money is on this being my one chance to see it on the big screen.
Thanks for the heads-up, Jim!

SFF, day 4: shorts, animation, and student films!

Yeah! No school to rush off to today!
My (early for me) morning block gave me a short and a documentary. Both had a theme of play, so that was a pretty low pressure way to get my day started.
The short, "Play Date", found a little girl eager for a tea party...and no one would play with her. Her parents were busy with the phones and the television, leaving her alone with her imagination. Then she noticed a homeless woman in their shed and invited her to play. Very sweet movie! I especially liked that the family was African-American and the homeless person was a white woman. The crowd-sourced short reminded us that everyone has a history, everyone matters.
The feature was a lot of fun! "Bounce: How The Ball Taught The World To Play" started with a man in a poor country, gathering trash together and recycling it as...a ball! An object for kids to toss and kick and chase and throw! A lot of history was included, as well as different ball games developed through man's time on this planet. I'm telling you, I wouldn't mind seeing this again!

Today, I lunched at The Flying Monk Noodle Bar. A cold was trying to lay siege to me, so I wanted soup to soothe my soul...and my throat. The White Elephant Soup, a variation on chicken noodle, certainly did the trick! I even had about half of it for later, which was nice.

But the lunch had taken longer than I had allotted! When I arrived for the eight films of the 'Animated Shorts', the first one had already begun. No worries... at least I had not missed it!
Plus, "Cooped" was all about a dog discovering ways to entertain himself. As a dog person, I know a lot about that! Here's the trailer, y'all!
"Cinderella, A Shadow Ballet" is an homage to Lotte Reiniger, who created the story, using silhouettes, in 1922. Carla Patullo, aka White Widow, is a musician who crafted a soundtrack for Reiniger's film. I wish my first niece could have been there - she would have loved it! I'll make sure she sees the original video here.
Next up was probably my favorite of the day! "The Orchestra" recognized that we all have our own soundtracks to our lives, even if they are a bit discordant now and then. (smile) Here, this Australian even uses the name of the apartment complex (Lovely Hearts to Lonely Hearts) to track the course of the romance between two older folks and their five-piece bands. Adorable!
"Sumer" took us to a post-apocalyptic future, with the last tree gone 17 years into the past. The Earth is a desolate desert under military rule. And then, everything changes when a blue feather blows into sight...you can watch the whole thing here.
Discovering the freedom in music is the theme of "The Mechanical Waltz". Puppets are freed from their workday ties, and given voice, by the rhythms laid down by a street musician. Be sure to check out the trailer and the soundtrack here.
A love story between clocks is told in the sweet "Between Times". A cuckoo clock in a bakery loves a pedestal clock on the street in front of the shop. One day, the clock man takes the street clock away! What to do??? See part of it here. It's delightful!
"Bear Story" is another delight, with a poignant afterglow. The trailer does quite well at capturing its essence, with the bear telling his life's tale to a young bear, via video, you may as well watch the entire film. This brought to mind my own steampunk 'bear', Robin.
"Guida", crafted by writer/director/animator Rosana Urbes, is about an older woman set free by art. Specifically, she gains a new appreciation of her middle-aged body by posing as a nude model for a sketch class. Imagine that!
Carla Patullo, of "Cinderella, A Shadow Ballet", was present for the Q&A afterward. Such a talented young woman!

After a brief break, back into the Lucas again! It was time for the 2:30 PM screening of the 12 films in the 'Student Shorts:Block B'. Hooray! These were all 'kid-friendly', too - I like that!
As always, here they are in the order screened.
"Raspberry Galaxies" was such a perfect way to start the block! Combining live action, muppetry, and animation, this was an enthusiastic combination of astrophysics and the chemistry of raspberries. Woohoo! I especially liked that the muppet scientist resembled Neil deGrasse Tyson - he's so supercool! Check out their fb page!
The next was "In Case Of Emergency", which I had seen in May at the SCAD Animation Film Festival.
Then came one that was new to me. In "Starlight", we are at a drive-in cinema, following a stray black cat as it explores the scene. Cute, but with an air of loneliness.
"Water From The Moon" continued the sense of loneliness, in the form of two children grieving their dead mother. The young boy, via his toy telephone, thinks he is communication with his mom and that he will find her at Mount Batur. Together with his sister, they make the journey and explore their concepts of faith and belief. Pretty heavy for an eleven-minute movie!
Back to a livelier tone with the animated "L'Americano Returns"! A stork returns to town, singing "Mambo Italiano", a song made famous by Rosemary Clooney! Definitely got my toes tapping! Click here to watch the animated film!
"Lies Beneath The Nightshade" continued the happier mood! Sure, in the trailer you see the grandson in prison and the old man left to tend the garden alone. But hang in there, buttercup! The punchline of the old joke made me laugh out loud! What a delight!!!
"About Dragons" was of slighter stuff. It was also a repeat for me, as I had seen it in May at the SCAD Animation Film Festival.
"The Present" was a pure delight! At first, the kid in this animated film seems like any other modern kid: too wrapped up in video pursuits to get off the couch. Then his mother brings home a warm and fuzzy gift in a cardboard box. What a great mom! Here's the trailer.
"No-A" is exactly the kind of robot I want. Even though I saw it in May, I very much enjoyed seeing it again. (It reminded of "Hephaestus".) You can watch it here.
A tale of a man and his dog is the focus in the live-action "Bie Pu (Home)" by Amelie Wen, writer/director/editor. Forced to move because of upcoming demolition, he is relocating to his son's house... but the dog cannot go with him. The man must also deal with a little girl who has run away from her 'home' and her argumentative parents. Very nice exploration of the sentiment 'Home is wehre the heart is'.
Time to lighten the mood, folks! How about some "Fishtale Follies" to bring smiles? Perfect! Let's see those mermaids ready the townsfolk for the upcoming rising-tide experience! Hey, wait a minute... was this an underhanded comment on global warming? Nicely done!
The next film was based on the science fiction story of the same name. "Bears Discover Fire" explored the increased intellect of the ursines following the consumption of some odd berries. How was the increase manifested? The bears were able to create fire and carry lit torches in the woods. (Smokey would not have approved, I'm sure. LOL!) Watch the trailer and decide for yourself!
Was there a Q&A session? Yes, there was! The first and last film were represented by writers Noah Sterling and Scott Riehs, respectively. The producer of "Raspberry Galaxies", Emily Croke, was also there with its writer. Kudos, y'all!

Following another brief break, the Lucas resumed screenings with 'Cinema Live!' I had looked forward to this one, as it was to combine film with a soundtrack performed by a physically-present musician.
The pianist was award-winning Paul Cantelon, who had also composed the score for one of the two films screened. He was expertly accompanied by Rochelle -something- on an accordion.
Both musicians were also present for the Q&A with the writer/director/producer of the two films today, Marc Turtletaub.
I liked the first film screened, "Looking At Animals". The 2009 story followed an aging loner who followed a meddling, peeping, teen-boy loner through the heart of suburbia. Admittedly, the biggest draw for me was Will Patton, one of my favorite character actors.
Nicely crafted + a fine ending + live music = excellent experience!
Sadly, the next offering was not as upbeat.
Brand-new, with the score composed by Cantelon, "The Breatharians" was a dour picture of a son trapped between a mid-life crisis father and a disconnected mother, each living in separate houses on the dairy farm. The boy is tasked with ridding the barn of cats and is to be paid for each tail collected. Grim.
Really brought down the energy in the theatre.
Fortunately, I had this card from my brother waiting to cheer me up! Thanks, Tony!

SFF: day 3, shorts, shorts, and more!

Yes, I realize this is Monday and I had class tonight...but the Savannah Film Festival is in town!
My day began with 'a short and a feature' block.
"STUTTERER" is a brilliant look at communication problems - and creative paths to get the words out. What a great way to start my day!
That was followed by a science fiction piece, "Embers". Set in a future where the air carries an amnesia virus, these characters are beset by a different type of communication problem. They must spend their days devoid of the knowledge not only of their own identity, but also of their relationships to those they find as they wander.
Truly excellent!
We even had an unexpected bonus after the films screened! Benjamin Cleary, the writer/director/producer of "STUTTERER", stepped up for an impromptu Q&A session! Of course I stayed to listen!

I dined at Juarez afterward, for a leisurely early lunch. After I was fed, I fed the meter - a nice 5-hour one near Columbia Square! - and ventured to the Lucas Theatre for the next film.
I already knew I would have to leave it early to make the next item on my agenda, but I wanted to see as much of "Call Me Lucky" as I could. Bobcat Goldthwait was there to answer questions afterward, so I wanted to see what the deal was with this movie. Good thing I went! I glancingly knew of Barry Crimmins, though his style of political riffing wasn't really for me in the 1980's. Watching the footage, I realized his goal was education (about government) through laughter.
Good goal.
He carried that on to political demonstrations against war. In one especially poignant scene, he is relating to an audience his visit to wounded children. "I know the sound of one hand clapping", he said. The comedy club audience didn't get the visual.
Later, he went after America OnLine for allowing child pornography chat rooms on its website. AOL remedied the situation, but the anonymity of the ethernet means the purveyors of such material simply moved elsewhere. Barry Crimmins, molested as a child, still carries on his crusade against those who would do harm to children.
Why was Bobcat involved? Barry had two comedy clubs in Boston, partly to help him pursue his goal of educating the public. Along the way, he helped start the careers of a lot of young comics, including the director of this film. Just giving props, y'all.

As I said, I had known I would be cutting my schedule tightly to make the 2 PM block of 'Super Shorts'. I left the Lucas near the end of the documentary on Crimmins and made it into the Trustees Theatre just as the lights were dimming.
That was very close!
Here are the fourteen shorts, all under 7 minutes, in the order in which they were screened. (Yes, that does make a difference!)
How appropriate as Halloween nears! "Semblance" was a creepy tale of things that go bump in the night... bwah ha ha!
This isn't your mother's game of "Life", but "Lyfe" is still a game. This time, points are obtained by physically accomplishing goals, like travel, dining out, jobs, dates.
"A Paralysis" was lovely to watch, as an attractive young woman played in the surf and turf, but this short was not for me. Perhaps Jaime Schirmer based it on photos on a sharing site?
"Theodora" featured a tea party, of sorts, with an unusually toothy guest. (But the sign says 'Don't feed the alligators', right?)
"Ryan McGinness:Studio Process" was an educational look at a multi-faceted artist. The bright abstractions with their 3-D accents remind me of my friend Bill Peterson's work.
This one was hilarious! In "Opt Out", a guy tries to get unsubscribed from an email list...only to find himself pursuing screen after screen of queries. Very funny!
"Flying Lessons With Mr. Smolin" documented the style of an enthusiastic English teacher! Go, big daddy Smo! (Be sure to click the link to watch the video!)
"Adventure Katz - Wales: Madman Or Poet?" was filmed by a young man with his own award-winning web series! This was beautifully done and reminded me of the "Matt Dancing" travelogue series (prior to his finding love and becoming a family man). You can view this video from Joey Katz right here.
An artist in search of inspiration is the focus of "These Words Illuminated". (I think the version shown today was edited, as there was no electrician in it.) Nice look at reconnecting to the world by use of smell, sound, taste, sight, and touch, i.e., becoming human again.
Hunting for pasta is the subject of "The Ramens" - funny! First, we see a father and son, in the woods, eating pasta soup-in-a-cup, each with a distinctive style. That was pretty funny right there! Then, their prey appears and they must react!
In "2084", aliens demand "You must conform." Now, regard these Borg-like creatures up against a complete moron who hears "Do not think" as "donut thing" and you have a farce that Sgt. Schultz would have definitely understood!
That bit of looniness was followed by "Une Passion D'or Et Du Feu (A Passion Of Gold And Fire)", a documentary about an aging beekeeper and the few students to care for his apiary. I was reminded of the beekeepers in Chicago, transporting their precious bees by bike from one rooftop garden to another. Here's hoping that André Fontignie will inspire others to love his pollinators.
Back to tickling the funnybone! "The Fly" provided continual laughs as a hapless getaway driver got flummoxed by the insect! Clearly, the rabbit's foot on his keychain was of no use to him (much less the rabbit)! Do yourself a treat and watch it!

As humorous as that film was, my absolute favorite in this block was "Globe Trot". It was truly a world film, from its crowdsourcing genesis to the collective efforts of 54 filmmakers and 111 'dancers' in 23 countries and all seven continents. Whew! Why did I say 'dancers'? because none of the dippers and swayers and twirlers were professional dancers. Each was an individual, an ordinary person on the street, taught a 2-second snippet of motion. Absolutely incredible!!! Matt Harding would be so proud! Oh, lest I forget...here's the video! How heartening that so many would unite forces for a common good!
A brief Q&A ensued with two directors, the enthusiastic Joey Katz of "Adventure Katz - Wales: Madman Or Poet?" and the quieter Susan O'Brien of "These Words Illuminated". What an unexpected treat!

Then it was time for the 'Historical Shorts'! Only six films in this batch, with most being about fifteen minutes in length. On with the history lessons!
"The Girl In The Green Dress" drew us back to the 1950's and a conservative housewives' book club...and a new wife, with a lively imagination, in the group. This was an interesting merge of dance, sexuality, and the social mores of that time. I would have liked to talk to Mama about it.
Jump ahead a decade for "American Falls". A Japanese-American innkeeper has an unusual guest arrive: a black man. Vincent D'Onofrio was a nice familiar face, serving as the ultimate bigoted cop. Another interesting look at social mores, this time in the context of bias and three races of people.
"Shooting An Elephant" bounces backwards, into the 1920's or so, and is based on George Orwell's story. Set in Burma, it pits a reluctant English peace keeper against a reportedly rampant elephant. What it really showed was the tendency of the man to do "anything to avoid being thought a fool". Tell it to the elephant, dude.
"Odessa" jumps into a post-apocalyptic world, at some unspecified future time, and the Texas desert. Fuel is in short supply and a woman has risked her life for it. Great twist at the end of the film!
We get to stay at some unspecified time, and place, for "The Future Perfect". Time travel has become possible, at least for the very rich. Here, we find it being utilized by large pharmaceutical companies...to make sure a demand exists for their products. Quite nefarious schemers! But a time-traveler with a conscience may foil their plans...maybe. I really loved the open question at the end!
"Sabre Dance" was a delightful, and lighthearted, return to the real world! Featuring a purported luncheon meeting in the 1940's between the Russian composer, Aram Khachaturian, and the Spanish painter, Salvador Dali, on the occasion of a concert in Spain. The piece was live action, but the tale is told in this cartoon video, possibly inspired by Khachaturian's composition, "Sabre Dance". Enjoy - I sure did!
I enjoyed the Q&A, too! Barry Sloane, the actor in "Shooting An Elephant" was there! Also, "Odessa" was represented by actress/producer Grace Santos Feeney! Leah McKendrick, the lovely writer/actress/producer of "The Girl In The Green Dress" also was present!

I even made it all the way from downtown to the school with five minutes to spare before my 6 PM lecture on acids, bases, and buffers.
Success!!!
(smile!)

SFF: day 2, with best men and papa!

For this second day of the festival, choices had to made. There were competing blocks of screenings, at different venues. Which to choose?
For me, the choices were easy! I had no interest in watching a singer pickle herself and I had already seen the culture mash-up
. That freed me to see four films today! The two blocks each consisted of a short and a narrative feature, all new to me. Hooray!

"Best Man Wins" was first up.
A man invites his best friend, a vintner, for an intimate dinner.
As soon as the bottle of Amontillado
was opened, I knew this was going
to have a twist!
I do so enjoy Poe-flavored plots!

Next up was "Tumbledown", whisking me up to a desolate region in Maine and the home of a young widow and her two dogs. The time is two years after the death of her folksinging husband. An obsessed college writer comes knocking, asking questions about the singer. An interesting story follows, highlighting the tendency of some humans to misinterpret the facts and misjudge others.
That is not so for the character played by Joe Manganiello. He's as straightforward as they come as a past schoolmate and current 'friend with benefits' of the widow. He also has some of the best lines ever! Here's one of my favorites: 'I thought a bird in the hand was worth me in your bush.' Hahaha haha!
That works for me, dear man!
(smile)
A quick lunch from Subway and it was time for the 3:30 pm block!

A heartbreaking twist in "To Dust Return" showed how easily life can change.
A young couple awaits their son's birth...
then fate alters their plans.
The trick is to keep breathing...
and to know when to let go.
Ten minute lesson on grief, well done!

That was coupled with "Papa", a film about Ernest Hemingway, seen through the eyes of an admirer.
Giovanni Ribisi was the up-and-coming journalist invited to visit the aging writer at his home, Finca Vigia, in Cuba.
Amazingly, the movie was actually shot on the premises, as well as in other locales in Havana.
The world has definitely changed, and that change is for the better.

I found myself actually enjoying the story about Hemingway. I had always been rather dismissive of his talents, but I now am convinced that my impression of him was mistaken. I have come to have an appreciation of minimalist artists, thanks to Savannah Stage Company. Hemingway was a master of that technique.
Want a for instance?
He and the journalist are sitting in a bar. Hemingway is talking about being concise when writing and has said he could write a short story using less than ten words
Then he does so, on a cocktail napkin.

For sale: baby shoes. Never worn.

Pretty good, right?
Also, a very nice link between this film and the short which preceded it.

shrek and don quixote go to church!

No, silly rabbit! Not at the same time!

A week ago, it was that Man of La Mancha, with his faithful supporter, Pancho, galloping along on stage. For this God on Broadway performance-service, Jonathan Rabb lent his rich voice to Don Quixote.
It truly was all about dreaming "The Impossible Dream"! A world where we are willing to "march into hell for a heavenly cause", a world where we see ourselves as able to make a difference. I cannot stress how vital that is, even if only on a local scale to the lives of those around us.
Sing it, man!
And let us not forget about his sidekick, Pancho. While there is no doubt that Don Quixote and Jesus were two men on a quest, where would they have been without staunch believers in their cause? So much focus is placed on the leaders and not enough on those who help carry the message and to accomplish the goal, even if they are made to feel foolish by following the dreamer.
We would do well to remember that missions do not accomplish themselves. A leader is simply one who is able to voice what others dream, thereby letting them know they are not alone, helping them unite with others who believe as they do.
How very important!

Today, the message was brought by an ogre, a huge green mythical beast. Specifically, Shrek was there to show that even strong people - or strong monsters - have weak points that can be bolstered through relationships with others.
Building a wall is not the answer.
Instead, "do the Pablo"! In other words, roll over like a dog does to show it means no harm, reveal your weaker side.
Allow others to be strong for you.
Again, very important.
Thanks, Billy, for creatively sharing these messages of hope.
Thanks, Billy, for sharing your softer side.

got pumpkin, y'all?

Happy 10th Annual B.Y.O.P. party, y'all!
That's Bring Your Own Pumpkin, of course, at the home of Dawn and Chris! Last year, their house was featured in the newspaper.
Woohoo!
Dawn had texted me about the party about six weeks ago. I had asked the bfe then if he would like to attend the party at the 'Halloween house' I had taken him to last year. "Yes!" was the reply!
Today was the day!
First, to get some pumpkins. I had hoped to have some from Boone's crop, but that was not to be. They were all sold out!.
No worries! We found two in fairly short order, then off to the Georgetown party!
Incredibly, quite a few pumpkins were already carved and lined up on the display shelves! After re-introducing him to our host and hostess, as well as my outlaw Bunny and her man, we found space at the outside tables and set to work. Some folks enjoyed getting their hands goopy with pumpkin guts, some did not. I am definitely in that latter category! After we had both scooped out the slimy guts, I was ready to take a break. Fortunately, so was he!
We washed up and explored the tables of goodies, inside and out, whetting our appetites. What a feast! I made sure to grab treat bags of 'Witches' warts', 'Ghost Poop', and 'Monster Scabs' for later!
For the squeamish or the ghost-hunters, let me clarify. Those were chocolate and peanut butter mini-chips, mini marshmallows, and graham cereal, respectively.
(smile)
Back to our pumpkins we went! He took the time to draw on his pumpkin, whereas I opted for freehand design. (Hey, we all know I can't stay within the lines, right?) In right short time, spurred on by the munching of tiny gnat teeth in the gathering dusk, our creative efforts came to an end and the pumpkins were added to those on the display. Whew! Time for some real food... and to wash the smell of pumpkin guts off our hands again!
(smile)
Hobnobbing, exploring the new additions to the decor, and more munching followed. Then it was time for the awards to be given! Dawn and Chris enlisted the aid of the many kids in the selection of the winning pumpkins. That was fun to watch!
Neither of ours made the list, but that was okay. How could ours compete with Oogie Boogey or Jack Skellington or Bert & Ernie or the cute upside-down bat or the fancy home? Actually, only Bert & Ernie were winners in that list, so you can tell the competition was fierce!
The annual group photo followed, then folks started peeling off for home.
So did we, popping our treasures in plastic bags for safe transport to our front porches.
Happy Halloween, y'all!

SFF, day 1: two docs

The Savannah Film Festival is finally here!
This is its 18th year, believe it or not.
Every year is a different experience and I'm sure this one will be, too.
I'm ready for it!
I picked up my Savannah Pass this morning, just before the first film of the festival. Woohoo! My thanks to my biggest little brother for giving me the $75 for the pass! That gets me in to all the daytime screenings, which means all the 'shorts' I want!
The night-time films, for the most part, are going to be on the silver screen in the next few months, so there is no compelling reason to see them now. Indeed, I've already seen one of the films and two others have already been in the multiplexes.
Let's get on to the shows, shall we?
Yes, let's!
Believe it or not, I went to a documentary about politics.
Then I went to a documentary about societal constructs.
Why would I do such an atypical activity for me?
Well, on the advice of Jim Reed, I had opted to view these two first-day offerings of the SFF.
I'm glad I did.

"Best of Enemies" was set in 1968, during the televised coverage wars of the Republican and Democratic national conventions.
For the sole purpose of gaining ratings, Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley, Jr., were pitted against each other in what was meant to be a sparring of intellectuals.

Instead, it was a war of wills between two elitists of different stripe.
For several sessions, Vidal came prepared to do battle with his opponent.
At last, Buckley retaliated, voicing threats of physical violence as Vidal calmly held his ground and his seat.
The black-and-white film of that telecast is all that remains with those words of hate.
Very intense.

The documentary covered a lot of background material, including the events in the nation in general and in the convention locales (Miami, Chicago) in particular. But the central theme, the raison d'être of the film, was the clash between these titans.
I recalled none of these antics. I was only ten at the time, with no interest in politics or televised coverage of such things. I do recall reading with delight the national editorials William F. Buckley, Jr., wrote. The local newspaper carried his column and I reveled in his use of the English language. Sometimes, I even found myself dragging out the dictionary to decipher new words! His columns were very much a treat. Seeing him lose his temper in this film saddened me, but did not detract from my admiration of his intellect.
I would have liked to talk about this one with Grandpa. I'll be seeing the physicist soon, so I'll bring it up to him. He's certainly not old enough to have been aware of that controversy at the time, but he's good for batting ideas around!

As for "The Wolfpack", let me just say this: the young woman who spent four and a half years making this one didn't learn anything.
She found these six brothers walking together on the street and thought to herself: I bet there's a story here.
Then she set about creating one.
As a scientist, I found her process of little worth. The film is supposedly an indictment against the boys' parents for keeping them sequestered in an apartment for most of their lives.
Bah! If the parents had truly wanted to keep their children from the world around them, they most certainly would not have had a television and hundreds of movies available to them.
Seriously.
But that is not the worst crime of the filmmaker. No, her most egregious failure was continually inserting herself into their lives and then not acknowledging that her presence was precipitating a change in those lives. That was quite irresponsible.

Jim Reed was present for both films and was even selected to proffer a well-considered and thoughtful query during each of the Question and Answer sessions which followed the two films.
Nice!
I even met his mom, Maddie, a recently retired teacher. She is specifically taking in the SFF as her vacation. Excellent! I used to save one of my weeks of vacation every year for this film festival!
Now, I must fly!
The bfe and I are going to a BYOP party in Georgetown!
See y'all tomorrow!

bollywood and a double time warp!

I so miss the twin towers of the World Trade Center.
What joy to see them again, newly built in 1974!
I had the great pleasure of going to the Top of The World Observation Decks of the South Tower, and feeling the gentle sway of the building beneath me. The two decks, one inside and one on top of the structure, were on teh 107th and 110th floors, respectively. For a girl from the flat marshes of Savannah, being that high was like climbing a mountain!
The time was February of 1981. I and my boyfriend, Russ, from Springfield, Massachusetts, were visiting his sister in New York City before heading to Gray Rocks Inn for snow skiing in Quebec. This was our last trip together. We were saying our farewells in grand style before we each headed to different duty stations in the Navy.
I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was 22 years old.
That was thirty-five years ago.
The Twin Towers have been gone for fourteen years.
As I said, what a joy to see them again in "The Walk"!
I even recall the news of the French man who had walked on a wire between the North and South Towers, even though the construction was not yet complete. I didn't recall much else of the story, though. I was in the tenth grade and more interested in marine science, Spanish, singing with Mama, and dancing.
Amazingly, Philippe Petit, the man who accomplished 'le coup' just before his 25th birthday, is still alive and well! He even taught Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the actor who portrays him, how to walk a wire. To the actor's credit, he did so in only eight weeks! He also mastered the French accent quite convincingly. Honestly, I had trouble remembering he was the "old one" from "Third Rock From The Sun"! Excellent work, sir!
I am so glad I chose to go to that movie!

You see, I was in Pooler for my Bollywood fix.
It's been too long since I had an Indian musical in my life! I would like to see one every month, or at least every other month, but sometimes I don't know they're playing.
To remedy that problem, I've recently joined the Royal's notification list for such films.
Earlier this week, I was contacted by those kind folks with happy news. "Shaandaar" would begin an entire week of screenings on Friday!
Hooray! Today was that Friday!
I feel like I should break out in song about it!
(smile!)
I chose to use the above photo, rather than the movie poster, because this photo speaks to the romantic story line. You see, the young woman suffers from insomnia and cannot go to sleep until she meets her Prince Charming. Likewise, the young man also wrestles with insomnia as he seeks his Sleeping Beauty. Very nice!
The movie is primarily about an arranged wedding between Sleeping Beauty's 'sister' and the 'eight and a half'-pack bodybuilding son of a wealthy family, with Prince Charming serving as the wedding planner. Throw in the surly, overbearing grande dame of one family and the gun-happy, hipster patriarch of the other for a delightful comedy! The only thing which could make it better would be impromptu singing and dancing... and that makes it superb!
I'm hoping to catch it one more time before Thursday rolls around!

As if all of that
wasn't enough,
I then bopped downtown
for "Richard O'Brien's
The Rocky Horror Show"
by the Bay Street Theatre.
Oh, yes, I did!
I even grabbed Sandy
so she could ride along!
(Hey, it was the least
I could do,
since going tonight
was her suggestion!)
Doesn't Dan Finn
look marvelous
in fishnet stockings
and a boa?
Positively yummy!

Brad and Janet
look so innocent,
don't they?
Bwah ha ha!!!
But just wait
until Frankenfurter
gets his hands -
and other body parts! -
on them!
Bwah ha ha!!!
JinHi Soucy Rand
did a fabulous job
of recruiting these
folks and fashioning
an alien take-over
right here at Club One!
Kudos to all!

And let this timely comic strip remind us that aliens aren't the only scary ones out there...
Bwah ha ha!!!

card of love from north georgia

Hi, Tina,
Just wanted to say hello. Of course you know that i can't pick out the cards i send. So this one is sorta mushy - different.
I got your letter last night and wrote Smitty a few minutes ago and thanked him for the new shoes. They are really nice shoes. They are the New Balance MX 409's, size 11 EEEE. The fit is perfect.
Thank you again for the new socks and for the sudoku book. You are awesome! :-) I got the call-out from the mailroom a few weeks ago. It was like Christmas in September!
Last week was very slow at work. It was audit week. I don't think i was allowed to check out a single tool. Of course the weeks leading up to audit week have been much more busy with odds and ends being squared away, cleaned up, and even hidden. Imagine that.
Also last week, i passed the 3-year mark on my detail. As a personal reward i took Monday off. Not one person at work said anything good or bad to me about it today - so that's good.
The story of (David) Quarterman's alligator wrestling is amusing and amazing, maybe even astonishing. Wow.
My brother Ronnie may actually be setting a life changing course by choosing to go to jail for bodily salvation. May God let it be so through his son Jesus the Christ of God that Ronnie may also choose to accept Jesus as his Lord and his Savior. And may God show his power by way of a completely and totally changed mindset and life style of Ronnie. And may God get glory from it, in Jesus' name, amen.
It's been a long, long time since i've heard of read the names Hokie Davis and Steve Sullivan, together or separately. I had no idea that they too are in contact with Ronnie. "A long, long time ago, I can still remember" how Steve, Hokie, and this guy camed Tony SMith used to really, really live the stereotype life style of long-haired, hippy type, white boys. Somehow we all lived through it - amazing.
Hope all is well there with you.
Love ya lots!
May God keep you and bless you and may he give you peace.

Love ya,
Tony

it's a toy story, charlie brown!

Poor Franklin!
I guess he didn't grow up in the same part of Schultztown where the Peanuts gang lived.
I found this comic was quite timely, especially when I discovered just an hour ago that "The Muppets" were not scheduled for this Tuesday night's viewing pleasure.
Well, drats.
I might have gone to trivia after all, had I known.
But that's okay!
'Tis October and apparently time for the 1966 classic, "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown".
I like this one! I don't think I've managed to catch it in the last few years, so I very much enjoyed watching it again. Poor Linus, hoping he was in the most sincere pumpkin patch, hoping to see the great bearer of gifts for the true believers, hoping and keeping the faith. Poor Charlie Brown, hoping for treats, getting rocks.
Then there's Lucy. Hahaha haha! Her costume reflected her inner b.... - oops! I meant to say witch! LOL!
Surely that was done for the parents watching the show!

I stayed tuned in afterward for "Toy Story of TERROR!" I really like Woody and Buzz and didn't recall ever seeing this special.
It's supposed to be a Halloween special, but...I wasn't catching any Halloween theme from it.
No pumpkins, no costumes, no trick-or-treating.
Still, I did find this 2013 short movie to be a fun diversion! I especially liked the motel manager who was selling 'found' toys on eBay! Very funny!

Okay, fun's over!
Let's see about washing those dishes, shall we?

having fun with my biggest little brother!

Yes, yes, I know I posted this just a day or so ago, with the photos from my nephew's wedding, but I wanted to emphasize something here.
Harvey is the first brother I ever had.
I didn't grow up calling him by his name, though.
You see, he's a 'Junior'.
'Juniors' always have to go by something other than their first name, as that name is already in use by their dads.
So, to me, he will always be Smitty.
I worked full-time for him from April of 1996 until August of 2010. I had started work for Smitty's Hardwood Floors to get his business computerized. He had just moved into a showroom space and handled all types of flooring for quite a few years. Now, he's back to the wood floors, working with materials he loves.
The full-time position ended when he left the showroom and moved into an office space in his warehouse. Business had slowed down tremendously and he was working to ride out the economic downturn. I happened to land a three-year, full-time, temporary teaching position at Armstrong, so the timing was perfect for the change for both of us.
Ever since then, he and I still work together once a month or so. I help take care of the monthly sales tax, the quarterly taxes, and the end of the year W-2's and 1099's. In return, when I need work done around the house, like the recent remodeling of my bathroom, he handles it.
Very good arrangement for both of us!
I am very proud of the good work he has done, and continues to do.
How very fortunate I am to have him for a brother!

ballroom belles and headless horsemen

Ah, to dip and sway and twirl in such a dress!
'Twould be magnifique, n'est-ce pas?
I honestly cannot recall the name of the artist or the title of the piece. However, I remember quite well where this headless beauty was and when I saw her.
This Oriental-inspired flamenco dancer swept into my life in March of last year. I had gone to a play about a couple learning to ballroom dance. (I would eventually attend "Syncopation" twice, I was so taken with it!) This fancy belle was in the center of the lobby in an art show of reclaimed articles, there at S.P.A.C.E. (Sannah's Place for Art, Culture, and Education).
I have no idea where she may now be.
If you see her, please tell her hello for me.
Thanks!

Why is she brought to mind after so much time?
Well, Thursday I was ballroom dancing and this afternoon I saw a headless entity astride a horse! Of course this lovely lass sprang to mind!
I'm glad I still had the photo of her!

Let's begin with Thursday evening, shall we?
(smile)
Savannah Social's meetup was at the Savannah Ballroom Dance Studio... and featured a free dance lesson!
Seriously!
So of course I went!
The dance lesson taught us two basic steps. The first was the rhumba, which I knew as the box step. As the girl, I was to step back on my right foot, slide to the left with my left foot, bring my right foot beside my left, step forward with my left, slide to the right with my right foot, and end with my left foot beside my right foot. Repeat the four-step sequence until the music stops.
Yikes! I was doing far too much leading off with my right foot, causing my partner and I to be off-step. Poor Nino! I think he is one of the trainers there, but he was no match for me!
(smile)
I did much better with the second part of the dance lesson. This time, it was the swing, which is essentially disco with no twirls. As the girl, I would step my right foot to the side, then swivel my hips as I swung my right foot behind me, tapping my toe to the floor, then swivel back as my right foot was returned to its starting position by my left foot. Again, repeat until the music ends.
This time, I danced with one of the other newcomers, Michael. He's closer to my age, so when I mentioned 'disco,' he knew exactly what I meant. That was fun!
Then the professionals took the floor, to inspire us to sign up for lessons. Ah! What grace, what style! Truly!
But I think I will stick with my free-form moves.
(smile)

Today, the matinee performance of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" was my destination. This fast-paced telling of the classic tale included the singing of the theme song of the Daniel Boone tv show.
Say what?!
No, seriously! Ichabod Crane, new schoolmaster to the town of Sleepy Hollow, had a penchant for the Kentucky woodsman and would break into the song when he was frightened in the scary woods at night. Nice note of levity!
The Savannah Stage Company brings the right level of creep factor to their standard minimalist setting, with constant motion to keep your attention firmly fixed. Here's the trailer for it. Great fun for kids of all ages and the time of year is perfect for the re-telling of the tale!

That reminds me... I have to remember to get pumpkins for the two carving parties next weekend... Later, y'all!