bloggo blether

It's been a while since I blogged in. That last piece cost me a couple of night's sleep after I posted it. It felt too personal, too real to share in such a public place. I debated taking it off, but have left it for now. I have deep fears about "certain people" reading my vulnerable stuff because I can be intensely private about my feelings. I've heard from a few of you, said you liked it, but I just sort of freaked. I hate being found out. And worse yet, I do it to myself.

No theological topics tonight just a few thoughts and recommendations:

Saw Annette Bening's latest film...Being Julia. She is superb, and I loved the film because it revolved around - (gasp!) a woman over 40! It was refreshing to see a truly complex, robust female role. There's a bit I love when Julia, an esteemed actress in the West End, bemoans the matronly roles that middle-aged women get "Bugger all the playwrites. They're all men anyway." The film explores some interesting issues regarding the double standard for men and women when it comes to being "bad". Julia has an affair with a younger man and when she half-seriously suggests to a close friend that a play be written with that concept as the theme her friend replies, "Oh, you mean a farce." The film takes place in 1930s London, but things haven't changed much. Anyway, I am recommending the film, but obviously, if you can't stand immorality on film, don't watch this one. I've already given you one of the main plot lines. Enjoy!

Meet the Press with Tim Russert. On every Sunday. If you like current affairs and like to see quality journalism and some excellent interviews with significant political figures, this is one to watch. Besides, Tim Russert is just such a likeable guy, and I liked him even more after I read his memoir of his relationship with his dad, Big Russ and Me.

Garcia Lorca's Bodas de Sangre (Blood Wedding) is superbly done by Vanessa Redgrave and supporting cast (it's a play). I was sceptical about it being in English, but it is so well done, so powerful. It held true to what I envisioned when I read it. It's a tragedy, so if you're a sanguine and hate to deal with reality, don't watch -- untimely death happens. Wonderful use of colour and amazing staging.

The Guardian Weekly newspaper. Great summation of world events from three of the biggies (in addition to The Guardian itself): Washington Post, Le Monde, and the Observer. Paper format or you can check them out on-line. News junkies rejoice!

Barbara Ehrenreich's book, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by In America. From Publisher Weekly's review: "...Ehrenreich (Fear of Falling: The Inner Life of the Middle Class, etc.) turns her gimlet eye on the view from the workforce's bottom rung. Determined to find out how anyone could make ends meet on $7 an hour, she left behind her middle class life as a journalist except for $1000 in start-up funds, a car and her laptop computer to try to sustain herself as a low-skilled worker for a month at a time."

Lighter reading: Anne Lamott's latest, Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith. Not in at the library? Then try my (second) favourite childhood book, The Silly Book by Stoo Hample, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0763622567/qid=1119246869/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/103-6319156-5750243?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 . It went out-of-print for years but due to popular demand, it's now back in-print for another generation of silliness. Now, I bet you wanna know my FIRST favourite childhood book, right? The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0698115910/qid=1119247071/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-6319156-5750243?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 . (Sorry for the long links...I haven't taken the time to figure out how to do them slick-ly -- low geek factor right now). I always wanted to BE the Tomten..living outdoors in the Scandinavian countryside, being able to talk to animals in my own little language, protecting the family inside the cozy cabin without them ever seeing me, appearing by night, disappearing by day. :-)

That ought to do for tonight. If you watch or read any of my recommendations, let me know; I would love to hear what you think of them. Or pass along your own recs. I always find my best reading material through friends. Though, wait...and I am putting up my hands now, wait, wait: there is one exception to this that I relish mentioning. That Mitford book...the first one. Several people recommended Karon's first book to me, so I tried to read it. Not once, but THREE times. And I HATED it every time I tried. And I do say tried, as I never could get past around page 125. People whose opinions I respect and trust told me they thought this was a good read, but I simply could not, could not get what they saw in it. If you'd like to weigh in on this one, please feel free, though you will never convince me to go for a fourth attempt at such a dowdy, banal book. When you have a dog drooling on a man's shoe as your opening scene shouldn't that shout -- low quality! -- to any reasonable reader. Apparently not. I now sniff and thumb my nose and throw my head high....

Goodnight! ;-)