love & mercy

A few weeks ago we watched Love & Mercy (2014) on Netflix -- the story of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. I think this is also on Amazon Prime.

I never realized what a troubled genius Wilson was and knew nothing of the story that was depicted in this great film. I always thought the Beach Boys were lightweights and their music was only known to be in the background via top 40 radio.

Wow. Enjoyable. (And, great performances by the actors.) I recommend. I had not seen the trailer before watching, and I actually think the trailer spoils it... so I only post the trailer reluctantly. I actually recommend you just watch the movie first. Your call. The trailer is: here.

little miss foster . . .

Last weekend we went to see Florence Foster Jenkins. If you love Meryl Streep, go see it. If you think Hugh Grant is a fluff actor who has skated by in type-cast roles for most of his career, go see it (I did. He really can act, as it turns out.) If you love music and appreciate its power during difficult times, go see it.
And if you want to see Simon Helberg (Howard of Big Bang Theory) in a completely different, adorable role that makes the film, go see it. The trailers do not let on to the depth of this film. Based on a true story, set in the 1940s in New York City, this film was definitely worth seeing. Enjoyable with that old familiar feeling... life with tragedy all around, and still life, beautiful life, after all.

Post script: Meryl Streep really can sing. I am in awe of her acting ability.

sing street

The best antidote for a gray and cold one-day weekend is ignoring your other responsibilities and going to a movie and dinner. The teen went on an overnight field trip today and our 27th anniversary is coming up in two weeks. (Without realizing it, we happened to pick a weekend to get married that coincides with when Cornell holds its annual graduation - not knowing we would be living in the same vicinity after just a couple of years. Therefore, we never get to have a dinner out on our anniversary at the places we might otherwise pick due to the crowds.) We decided to celebrate a couple of weeks early.

The movie we saw was Sing Street. I really enjoyed it and recommend it. The ending isn't what I would have chosen, but it was hard to end this one. (Trailer, here.)  Anyone who has come of age during the 1980s will have some laughs. It isn't all fun though - there are some hard-hitting parts as well.

Dinner was at a favorite restaurant. Two "charred margaritas" later, some Motown music in the background, and I am ready for a week of vacation. Instead, it is back to work tomorrow. Onward.

brooklyn

We saw the movie Brooklyn the other day. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a story of homesickness and homecoming, a look back on the immigrant past, and a love story -- with perfect actors and beautiful cinematography in settings that take the viewer right in. There was a sweetness and a particular brand of pain to 1950s Ireland and Brooklyn. Recommend. Trailer follows:

people places things

Life seems busy so much of the time that sitting down to a 90 minute movie is not an easy thing to do. Last night, though, after taking stock of holiday preparations and feeling satisfied, that is what we did. Netflix offered People Places Things (2015) with Jemaine Clement. I really liked this movie. It is labeled a comedy, but it isn't a laugher as much as it is an amusement with how life unfolds. I really, really liked this movie and if you get time, give it a watch. Here is the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bawtuko5zYs.

I spent the day with an odd sense of unease. I am learning a little bit about the Buddhist concept of "shenpa." For some reason, this film went along with my thoughts on shenpa and relaxing into those things that hook us, tighten us and cause us to shut down. I think I would have enjoyed this movie anyway, but there was an added gift in the movie, like a hidden surprise in a cereal box given the timing of watching it in the context of inner exploration on shenpa and all that seems to be bringing it to me these days. People, places, and things. Yep. 

truths and the everyday

Jessica Hagy - thisisindexed.com

Hello blogosphere. If you happen to be stopping by, I hope you are doing well. We have been enjoying abnormally warm for November (and welcome) temperatures in the 60s this past week. I haven't written in this space in more than a week - hard to believe. I am having a bit of a lazy Saturday morning before heading off for a visit with friends. My yoga teacher is unfortunately sick and so there is no class this morning.

Last weekend we saw a great movie called The 46ers. Recommend. Halloween was fun. We never did carve our other pumpkin, so it sits on the porch as an autumn decoration. We had quite a few trick-or-treaters, but still we managed to have leftover candy. Tragic, I know. And the spouse has given up sugar again, so let's just say I have had more than my share of Skittles (minus the green yucky ones) and Sour Patch Kids in the past week.

The week was fairly busy at work. I showed a film on campus Thursday evening called The Hunting Ground. If you haven't heard of it, it is an expose of sexual assault on college campuses and how some colleges have done an incredibly poor and shockingly unethical job of handling reports. It will be shown on CNN on November 19th. Catch it if you can. It is by the same makers of The Invisible War from a couple of years ago - available on Netflix. This is the subject matter that I work with at work quite often. The added excitement came when the location of the screening had to be closed for the evening due to toxic fumes from a construction project. The announcement came at 4:30 p.m. and the film was set for 7 p.m. I knew quite a few faculty members were bringing classes or offering it for extra credit, and I had worked on getting the film in our library collection with presentation rights for months, so with the help of a colleague, we got it rescheduled to another location, blasted email and social media location changes and put signs up on all the doors of the lecture hall that had closed. We managed to get about 175 in attendance in the new location. That was pretty great.

The next day, yesterday, I gave a talk as part of a Women Working Together community lunch and lecture series. I had written my notes last Sunday and practiced them once to be sure I wasn't over the 30 minutes, and actually was quite nervous about doing it. Public speaking on a training topic is something very comfortable for me. I do it all the time. Public speaking about myself - personal stuff- is definitely outside my comfort zone. I have only ever done one other talk like this a few years ago in my home town for one of my mother's social groups, and I talked about open adoption, so it really wasn't "all about me." As it turned out, not having over-practiced worked to my advantage. I had some friends in the audience and they put me at ease. I decided to tap into the inner calm that we all have, smile, and I just spoke from my heart (and glanced at my notes). I even read a few of my poems. I had never read any of my poems out loud in public before. It was fun! I ended it by reading my all time favorite poem, The Summer Day, by Mary Oliver. It ended up going well and yesterday afternoon I felt a very nice TGIF relief that was greater than most weeks.

So today we are off on a jaunt to visit some old friends. Tomorrow I have tickets to a fundraiser kitchen tour, and later in the week I head to NYC with a friend to see Jon Kabat-Zinn. Good things are ahead, and I am trying to keep all my attention on all that is right now. I will try to check in when I can.

nobody dies anymore

WJPP here. I love this song off the great Tweedy album Sukierae. This is Nobody Dies Anymore. I could listen to this album over and over again. Actually, I do.

Long week here. How about there? I am not really crazy about Halloween. Well, except for the cute kids and the candy part. This is the first year that Matt and I didn't carve pumpkins together. He and his girlfriend carved one pumpkin a couple of weeks ago. He left one pumpkin uncarved with the well-intended promise, "Mom, you and I will carve the other one soon." (He does like his traditions.) Soon hasn't happened, and I suspect we will have one lone uncarved pumpkin on the porch for Halloween. (The early-carved pumpkin rotted early and had to be discarded.)

So far, I haven't gotten into the candy. So there's that. Cheers.

two days, one night

"Critics Consensus: 

Another profoundly affecting 

work from the Dardenne brothers, 

Two Days, One Night delivers 

its timely message with 

honesty and clear-eyed compassion."

Netflix aficionados, I recommend this interesting, thought-provoking, and enjoyable film. It isn't a laugher, but it is good all the same. Two Days, One Night explores morality in an every day situation while exposing all the best and worst of human nature.

Check out the Rotten Tomatoes write-up, HERE. [Subtitles ON.]

inside out

I had been hearing a lot of good things about new Pixar movie Inside Out. It was a warm and humid day, and the movie theater beckoned. Inside Out was really great! Highly recommend. It is definitely a movie designed for adults... and behind a cute kidsy story,  it deals with the brain, emotions, and how memory works. So as not to spoil it, I won't much go into some of the themes that resonated the most for me, but trust me, they were far from cartoonish thought patterns on the nature of sadness, what happens when trauma can affect core memories, and how to integrate things and grow from healing. This is a movie that moved me with some laughs and some tears... and overall, I left feeling uplifted.

Here is a trailer, If you can, go see it. Onward to a new and busy week ahead!

hector and the search for happiness

Netflix poster child Nan here with a recommendation. Tonight I watched Hector and the Search for Happiness (2014), which features one of my favorite actors, Simon Pegg.

I loved this movie. Great messages. Great soundtrack!! Watch, feel, laugh, cry, and be happy.

Clever film devices abound in this story. A running list of quotes emerges as the the film unfolds. So as not to spoil it for anyone, I am going to link to a blog post that lists them out rather than list them out right in this post -- mainly so that I can refer back to them. They are here.

We can keep learning to love -- like we've never loved before. Enjoy your life.

Do watch it. If you are the sort that needs to see a trailer (which to me takes away from the freshness of watching the film outright), the trailer is here: https://youtu.be/iWFVAIbIkS4. Cheers and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

what we do in the shadows

What do you do on a Sunday afternoon to avoid worrying about your teenage son who is driving 45 minutes away with two friends to go to a specialty store? You go to see a funny movie in your favorite theater.

We saw a film called What We Do in the Shadows with some familiar faces from old favorite Flight of the Conchords... in a horror comedy/ spoof on the vampire genre. Those who know me know that I can't watch even 30 seconds of a real horror movie. I don't enjoy scary movies of any sort and am a real baby about anything suspenseful or violent unless the violence or suspense is real/necessary and there are redeeming values to the film. (Therefore, I have never actually seen a vampire movie or read any vampire novels because - sorry if I am offending anyone - they just seem really stupid).

For some reason, I laugh out loud at the horror comedy genre based on an n of 2 movies (this and Shawn of the Dead.) The writing and acting in this movie are great. Little touches are ridiculously funny. It certainly didn't hurt to have a delicious iced red zinger tea and some freshly popped popcorn (the real kind... not the artificial type usually found at most cinemas). I recommend this movie for a laugh. It is absurd, witty, and has a New Zealand charm. It was a great distraction from another cold, damp, and yes, snowy late March day in CNY. (And all is well when the teenager arrives home safe and sound.)

P.S. In the realm of television, Flight of the Conchords can be found on Amazon Prime... as can Mozart in the Jungle. My new Netflix favorite is The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Great writing and acting on that one. It is just bizarre enough to work. If you liked 30 Rock and Tina Fey, you will enjoy Kimmy.

still alice

There are some things I just don't do. Oscars night is one of them. I love films, and I tend to see them on my own schedule (not on time). Just like Joni's train, I am running behind the times. Today a friend and I went to see Still Alice, starring Julianne Moore. She is nominated for an award tonight, and not having seen the other performances hers is up against, I definitely think she should win! What a movie.

You don't go to see this to feel happier. You don't go to this movie without some kleenex. It is beautifully filmed, beautifully acted, and the subject matter is important. I was changed by watching this. That is a mark of a good movie. I am richer for having seen it. 

Still on my list to see are a few other nominated films... Birdman, Selma, The Imitation Game, and The Theory of Everything. I'll get to them, regardless of who wins statuettes this evening.

vessel

Good Sunday morning. The view outside the studio is largely white and fluffy. And to quote one of my favorite movies, "don't forget your booties 'cause it's COLD out there." (You know the one? That isn't much of a hint, but if you watch this movie tomorrow, maybe for the 17th time, you'll get it then.)

Anyway, this is WJPP bringing you a tune by Canadian Dan Mangan via WFUV. This is called Vessel. I like the drive and the largeness of this song. If you would like to hear/see an alternate take on this song, visit the NPR link for the official - very cool - video and to hear the studio version with Blacksmith. I like both very much, but my preference is the live, the spare, with just two guys and a couple of instruments (and a sound board). Interesting message. Enjoy.

on movies, and the alchemy of food and life

We saw Chef (2014) last night on Netflix. Very enjoyable. Matt especially enjoyed it . . . he is interested in cooking. I was reminded that a few years ago we really enjoyed Big Night, so that is next on my list to re-watch, and this time with Matt. It is hard to believe that movie came out before he was born! And another great movie from the past worth re-watching on the topic of chefs, great food scenes, and more... Eat Drink Man Woman. Off to the weekend! Peace out.

new day, new year

This is the first pin oak photo of 2015. It is crisp, sunny, and cold out there this morning. Happy New Year! I am feeling peaceful and tired - even though I did get eight hours of sleep and had a very mild NYE. I went to sleep at 11:55 p.m. out of some ironic principle that I didn't want to watch a ball drop on television. Our city does a very nice ball drop of its own with fireworks at midnight and plenty of revelry (I know this because I watched a video of it on Facebook this morning.) It really isn't my thing, but I am glad others enjoyed it.

Yesterday was a work day, but we got in a great movie with friends late afternoon. I highly recommend Wild. See it on the big screen. What a movie! The story is deep, emotional, and riveting. The cinematography and scenery -- stunning. The film takes you along and brings you through catharsis. We then had a nice cup of coffee out at an interesting little coffee and waffle shop, followed by a late dinner of Chinese delivery, and another movie on Netflix. Another highly recommend for its quirky hilarity - very different than Wild - The History of Future Folk. Loved it. Then we watched the second half of cult comedy The Cable Guy with Matt to bring us to nearly midnight (no need to link the trailer)... Enough said? It was fun, though.

How do I want to start 2015? Precisely this way: I am not hungover in the least because I had my one beer with Chinese food. It feels good to wake up fresh with sunlight coming in the windows!

I have been indulging in coffee with Purity eggnog as cream in the mornings (that has got to stop and it will as soon as Matt and I finish that second quart), and have been sampling sweets at will for more than a week now...coupled with a break in the exercise routine. All of this too has got to stop. I think today may be the day to take down the tree. We ordinarily make plans for New Years Day and we have not done so this year. Matt wants to snowboard, as he has each and every day of his winter break, and Tom and I plan on an afternoon winter hike somewhere close by.

Wishing you peace and a smile today!

where we start

How I love this mellow, romantic song, Where We Start, by David Gilmour. I know I may have posted this once before. It is worth repeating. If we can approach everything in our lives with this kind of sweetness, with no expectations, we might feel as "slow-mo-beautiful" as this music is. . . pervasively. Nice goal, that living in the moment stuff. I aspire. (Lyrics are here, by the way, but the metaphorical interpretation is on you.)

I have not blogged in awhile. My last post was on Thanksgiving morning, and we have all put many miles down since then no doubt. Following those busy few days I started a new job this past Monday. It has not felt entirely new because I returned to the campus where I had worked for 20 years, so I know many of the people... and so in some ways it has been like that dream some of us have where we realize we have a test in a class and we have forgotten to go all semester. I have just forgotten to go to work there for nearly three and a half years. It is a new position, however, and one I think I will like and am well suited for. I am in a new office and building on the campus, and everyone else is winding down their semester. I, on the other hand, am all charged up to meet with people, dig into projects, and start building and redefining relationships to be able to do good work. The job is "interim," and it will be searched next semester - so I will have to formally apply then. For now, I have jumped into a deep end and am just swimming. I like to swim.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, there are just a few weekends ahead to prepare for the holidays. Window candles are now up, we hope to get a tree today (it is pouring rain), and trimming the tree will be tomorrow if I have any control over these things. I love having a tree in the house (and so do the cats)! I have virtually no shopping done due to the busy-ness of the job transition, so I hope that my evenings and weekends will allow me to chip away in good spirit. I look forward to attending my parents' holiday chorale concert tomorrow with my sister, and the following weekend to travel to see my nieces in The Nutcracker.  Busy, busy, and I need to slow it down.That may mean fewer blog posts. My poetry? It seems to be in "pause" mode.

Oh, and that computer malware that my beloved little notebook got? (Through my own careless error of downloading a phony Skype version -- it isn't like it just happened passively...) It is in there good. I mean bad. And so instead of risking further issue, I broke down and used some gift certificates I had been saving to purchase a new laptop. Now that I need to get rid of the notebook, I am tempted to go all "Office Space" on it. You know the scene? Enjoy it here: http://youtu.be/dLk-3HPS12Q. Love that movie. I am off to the day. Yoga first. I wasn't able to go last week, and I really, really missed it. Good wishes to you.

it's a wrap

The sky out there is a Simpsons light blue with cumulus clouds . . . and at 3:28 in the afternoon, the sun is beginning its early descent. The weekend is wrapping up (although we will have Tuesday off for Veterans' Day...)

It has been a good weekend. We have had Matt's friend with us since Thursday night while his family was off on a college-search trip for his older brother. It has been nice for Matt to have a "brother" for a few days. It has meant having more milk and snacks in the house than usual, and it has been fun to cook up big batches of things like chili and cornbread, homemade chicken noodle soup (Tom's specialty) and a huge crock pot full of sauce for spaghetti tonight. We did take-out one night, and I discovered to my amazement that after eating a full dinner last night, and downing protein shakes after their workout, that they ordered delivery Chinese last night after midnight... and I didn't hear a thing. I just discovered a few leftover egg rolls in the fridge this morning and some spent containers in the kitchen garbage. They have mostly kept to the man-cave with the occasional happy noise audible from the downstairs room.

I finally finished the book I have been reading for a while, My Notorious Life by Kate Manning. I heard her speak at the end of September at a conference and bought her book, complete with autograph. It was a very powerful read. (Historical fiction set at the end of the 19th century but with themes that sadly apply today ... outstanding.) I started a book I have wanted to read for some time by Pema Chodron called The Places that Scare You. I already love it and the time is right.

In movie news, Tom and I have actually gotten to movies in the theater two weekends in a row! What?!? We went to see St. Vincent featuring my beloved Bill Murray last weekend (really good) and saw Big Hero 6 last night. We saw the former at my favorite theater one town over and the later at our local theater because we wanted to stay local. The special effects in Big Hero 6 were Disney animation fantastic. It reminded me of one of my old favorites, a simpler (but perhaps better) movie called  The Iron Giant (similar themes but not entirely the same). In any event, I recommend both films.

In life news, I have decided that after a little more than three years, I am making a job transition from the non-profit work I have been doing (labor of love, for sure) back to my roots in higher education. Over the next month I will be transitioning to a challenging new position. Because it is an immediate vacancy, I accepted the interim appointment while the position is searched. It feels like a bit of a free fall. I plan to apply for the permanent position when it is searched in a couple of months, and I am hopeful that I will get it (if I like it) or some other higher ed position (keeping options open) as I have been thinking about this move for a couple of months.

There are many things I will miss about my current job. I feel good about the things I have gotten to work on and contribute to. But the time came when I realized I was tired of having on-call responsibilities and a complete lack of control over my schedule. I am tiring of frequent travel. Some travel is great, but I see more in the future of the soon-to-be old job, not less or same, so all in all, we know when it is time. It's time.

So, that's it. It's a wrap.

particle fever

We saw a great film last night, and if you missed it, it is on Netflix! Particle Fever is fascinating, suspenseful and thought-provoking. This post doesn't have any spoilers.

"For the first time, a film gives audiences a front row seat to a significant and inspiring scientific breakthrough as it happens. Particle Fever follows six brilliant scientists during the launch of the Large Hadron Collider, marking the start-up of the biggest and most expensive experiment in the history of the planet, pushing the edge of human innovation."

As much as I love going to the movies, and even have a favorite, special movie theater just 25 minutes away, the busy pace of every day life these days precludes me getting to movies as often as I'd like. With the advent of the Netflix DVD program, I immediately became a poster child. Over the past few years I watch fewer and fewer movies and have transitioned to more television series - due to the shorter time bytes to watch a commercial-free episode. I was slower to switch over to streaming, but now that I have, I truly have no need for cable television (although the baseball fans in my household do appreciate having it.)

Given that I hardly ever watch movies anymore, last night, being a Friday night of a holiday weekend, we decided to forgo continuation of West Wing Season 5 for a night to watch this film we had been meaning to get to a theater to see.  (West Wing, you say? Wasn't that on from like 1999 to 2006? Yes - and we were busy with a baby and young child during those years so never tuned in. So glad we are watching it now! Great show!)

Netflix has added a category for the queue of "critically acclaimed" movies. This movie is on that list. Recommend!

adventureland

While I don't talk about movies all that much on here at JPP, I do enjoy watching films very much. In my fantasy life I get to go to the movies to see a good film at least once a week in an art theater with real popcorn and red zinger tea. And after the movie ends, I sit quietly in my seat until the final credits have shown - processing and letting the film take hold.

For now, though, in the "busy life," I see movies in the theater very infrequently, and if I am lucky, I have time to watch a movie, uninterrupted, on Netflix. Netflix recently changed its selection of films, and on scanning last evening, I found one that I remembered I had wanted to see when it came out back in 2009. The good news is, the film is set in the summer of 1987 for a recent college grad -- so the five year delay mattered little, and the movie had me at "1987" (I graduated from college in 1987, so this movie had special appeal).

Adventureland is a smart comedy with an excellent original score (hat/tip to Yo La Tengo) and sprinkled in homage to '80s music. It was a perfect movie to watch on Valentine's Day. Themes: life will break your heart and you will survive; it is tough being smart when you are economically disadvantaged; and real love is possible with an understanding that we are all flawed by our circumstances and by being human. Sometimes we figure out what matters most within a surreal and bizarre outward situation. I loved it, even if I was late to the party.

weekend meanderings

I apologize to anyone who stops by for poetry... because lately I have been "all up inside my head," and not writing much. What I have written, I haven't posted here. Anyone who may stop by for a bit of "the everyday," will hopefully enjoy some photos snapped yesterday while out for a cross-country ski on a very cold, but fairly sunny winter day.

Yesterday was dedicated to all recreation and no work. One of the reasons I did that was to keep my mind off worrying about our teenager who was on a trip five hours away with his friend and friend's family . . . snowboarding on a tremendous mountain and taking a bobsled ride and generally being more independent of his own family unit than usual for the weekend.

Parenthood is a dance of holding on tightly, holding gently, and letting go. Was I delighted (and terrified) to get a text from him yesterday morning with a photo from the summit of White Face Mountain? Yes. I was overjoyed at his wonder and at his experience. Was I incredibly relieved when I got a text from him at days' end when they were on the shuttle back to their hotel after a good day on the mountain with no injuries? You bet I was. And so it was with this relaxed relief that Tom and I went to see a movie and then had dinner at our favorite cinema and one of our favorite restaurants.

We saw Philomena. It was beautifully done, and I knew it would break my heart and also give me some sense of hope (it did both). Judi Dench is amazing, and Steve Coogan was really good too. I recommend this movie not only because I feel it is critical that people know the truth of what happened to so many young women (not just in Ireland, but right here in the U.S.) and also, to educate people on adoption and what it means to be truthful in adoption situations to minimize its inherent losses -- losses for each in the adoption circle. Pain doesn't go away over time as some naively may have believed in the past. Relinquishment of a child should not be "punishment" for some so-called transgression.

Are some adoption situations necessary? Yes. They are today as they have always been, and adoption is a solution, albeit usually a very sad one, for those that are not in a position to parent and it is a joyous fulfillment for people who long to become parents through adoption. I believe adoption should be respected as a valid and courageous reproductive choice, and that it must be a voluntary, almost always painfully difficult, decision on the part of the biological parent(s). And when an adoption situation is necessary, it should be approached with kindness, truth, and in treating all with the dignity that all human beings deserve -- and that includes those persons who were adopted, their first parents, and their adoptive parents. Acknowledgement of pain paves the way for great joy in life. Doesn't every human being deserve joy and respect? Anyway, please see the movie if you can. Bring some tissues, but also be prepared to laugh. I found the experience of this movie to be very much like life itself. Anyway, since I did no work yesterday, I have a number of chores to attend to today. You know what? It's all okay. And when the boy walks through the door later today, all will be right in my world. Enjoy what remains of your weekend.