Satia's Progress

81 Watch every single dvd I haven't already watched

2008-07-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

This is not yet completed. However, as I am doing with Shakespeare, it makes more sense for me to update as I go along than to wait until I have completed the process. Before I woke up with vertigo, I had joined the Spiritual Cinema Circle. I had hoped to watch the movies with friends and family but I rarely can find anyone who is willing to watch them with me so I have given up and am now watching through the backlog of dvds I accumulated over the months of my now canceled membership.

Volume 9 2007

Believe in Me is a feel good movie about a man who is hired to coach a high school basketball team. He thinks he will be coaching the boys team but discovers that he actually has to coach the girls team. It’s based on a true story and the ending is unsurprising.

5 Wishes is a short that was inspired by a real experience Gay Hendricks had, a conversation that helped him focus his life when he was younger. Apparently he has written a book by the same name but this short movie didn’t inspire me enough to want to read it.

Now You See Me, Now You Don’t is a thirty minute Hungarian movie that is beautifully filmed, emotionally intense, and surprising. I honestly thought that the story would conclude differently and to see it unfold so beautifully was wonderful. I’m definitely glad I took the time to watch this one.

7 Days With 7 Dogs is about a family who rescues dogs and decide to take the dogs, most of them older or with health problems, on a road trip to dog friendly locations. It’s a very short “dog-umentary,” as the opening credits call it, lasting only seven minutes. It’s cute. That’s about all I can say about it really.

Volume 10 2007

Déjà Vu is the feature film with Vanessa Redgrave in a small but pivotal role. I am not a huge fan of Redgrave for political reasons. This movie is predictable and I don’t necessarily agree with its message. With better editing, the movie would have been enjoyable in spite of how unsurprising the climax of the movie proves to be. If every repeated line were removed, I am almost positive that the movie would have been at least 20 minutes shorter without the story being compromised at all.

Between Heaven and Earth is an adorable short with deep meaning. A Master and his two disciples sit in meditation (Heaven) but then when one gets the other in trouble (Earth) the lessons the two disciples learn are relevant to anyone who would watch this. In a way, we all live between these extremes of being what we should be and what we often fall into being when we lose awareness.

Magic Mile is another short, a curious movie about a woman who experiences something extraordinary while walking along the beach. And how she responds to the magic is where the lesson lies.

Dream People of the Amazon is a documentary, a brief film that introduces SCC members to the new Earth Cinema Circle. The Achuar are an indigenous people who live in the Ecuadorian jungle and fighting the encroachment of oil companies. And so far they are winning, which is wonderful. It was especially interesting to see how they use the plants for healing, enlightenment, and productivity. Seeing how they live and listening to their stories, it is hard not to feel a connection to these people.

Volume 6 2007 (my favorite of these three)

Wondrous Oblivion is the feature film for this month’s dvd and although it is only 106 mins once again I find myself seeing ways in which the story could easily have been edited to make it tighter and allow the movie to move along more fluidly. But this is my favorite that I have watched, having watched three of these dvd selections in a row. My biggest disappointment was an unnecessary subplot that involved the adults. The theme of the movie could have easily been communicated had the movie remained focused on the boy and his understanding of his experiences.

Grace is one of three shorts. A lovely little movie with a remarkable little actress in it. Somehow the director managed to keep this potentially saccharine story from becoming too sweet to be appreciated.

After Shave is delightful, a charming short movie about a relationship between a barber and his affluent, reclusive customer. I did not know what to expect and was pleased with it from beginning to end.

Miraculous Collision is a quirky piece that touches on depth but with a sardonic light tone. The introduction has Stephen Simon, the creator of SCC saying that the director and star, Scott Cervine, is like Woody Allen. I suppose so but Cervine doesn’t seem to take himself nearly as seriously and his humor is perhaps less intellectual or perhaps it is merely less New York City-centric.

Puppy of the Day: A

2008-07-07T12:54:00.000-07:00

Note: There will be a brief haitus from the Puppy of the Day posts until puppies start opening their puppy eyes. I mean, taking pictures is fun and all but this blog has become rather canine-centric and it is time for me to branch out again. (In other words, I have a few books to be reviewed.)

Introducing Puppy A!!!

Puppy A is actually the first puppy to be born. He is the puppy that started it all.

A looks more like Romanov than almost any other puppy, other than G. (I'll have to take a side by side pic of them.)

He is a loner. Most of the time when I see him sleeping, he is by himself and not snuggling close to any of his siblings.

He is a sweetie. Maybe not a snuggler but I can already tell he has a mild temper. Of course, I may be mistaken and I can only say this based on how he behaves now. Wouldn't it be ironic if one of the more mellow ones was the first to escape the box?

#1 Twelfth Night 4/27

2008-07-06T16:30:00.000-07:00

Because Marc had to read this for his British Literature course, I decided to read along with him. I am glad I did, having never read the play before but having heard of it, naturally enough. And when I recently watched Shakespeare in Love I was reminded of this play just in time for Marc to announce that he has to read it. Woohoo!

What's more, I have it on dvd. I can't even remember buying it which reinforces why one of the things on my list is to watch every one of my dvds. Now that I have read the play, I am sure to watch the dvd.

As I read it, the story was clear but I kept thinking that it would be a confusing play to watch. I like that, although this is a comedy, it is not all sweetness and light. Of course, if I were an actress, the opportunity to play Viola would be downright irresistable as her character goes through so many confused and confusing moments, her emotions running the gamut of wry to wrenching.

This was also a nice break from the histories which I had been reading. I needed the break. But now I must return to the Henrys because I have yet another dvd in my collection I won't watch until I have read the play. (I actually am almost certain I have already read Henry V but because I am not 100% convinced I have done so I am willing to read it just in case. Ahhhh . . . the sacrifices I make!)

98 Plant a gardenia in the back yard

2008-06-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

I have, sitting on my desk, a coffee cup of five gardenias. Every time I walk into the room, I am surrounded by this enchanting scent. Lovely.

25 Spend a weekend in silence

2008-05-25T19:45:00.000-07:00

I am marking this complete mostly because I did complete it more than I didn’t. What do I mean by that? I would have finished had the neighbors not had a party with dogs. I think that Romanov and Snowdoll would have been fine, eagerly watching the frivolity and wondering how to get to there from here. However, once they saw other dogs running around, occasionally wandering into our backyard, all puppy rationale was out the window, where they wanted to be. And there was no chance of my settling them down.

I made it through until 2pm Sunday.

I used Bliss in a Box with great excitement after having read and enjoyed Susan Piver’s How Not to Be Afraid of Your Own Life. That the retreat included such things as yoga and meditation thrilled me. I was eager and ready for this experience.

I will never ever use this set again and am probably going to give it to the first person who wants it.

Please let me reiterate how much I liked Piver’s book and encourage anyone reading this to read the retreat schedule she has outlined because it is a good one. Next time I do a retreat in my home, I will use her schedule but not these materials.

The kit comes with 2 compact discs. There are guided meditations. Given how much I adore the cd that complements Piver’s book I assumed that these meditations would be of the caliber. They are not. They are led by Tara Brach and has this New Agre droning music in the background. I can’t even call it music. Really it was more like a tone that would change periodically but there is no way one could call it music. What one could call it is boring and narcoleptic. I kept falling asleep during the meditations until I stopped using the ones in the kit and replaced them with comparable ones I had on other cds. Also, I found it incredibly distracting and even silly to be told to imagine:

• The souls of my feet are plump
• My right kidney evaporating like vapor
• My left kidney like a fluffy cloud

It was all too cute to be anything but annoying.

The yoga practice, led by Jill Satterfield was not much better. The warm-up was okay although some people may find Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) a bit too challenging. Remember, this is a warm-up yoga practice—not a full practice. And someone not familiar with yoga would find it challenging to follow along with the audio recording without referencing the cards which are included in the kit. However, to refer to the cards would be distracting so either the person had better be familiar with yoga or be willing to pause the cd a lot along the way.

But what is really incredible is that during the Vinyasa (Flow) practice Satterfield actually has you go through Eda Pada Rajakapotasana at a pace that is obviously not meant for beginners. “On the inhale bring your right knee forward and turn your leg so that the outside of your calf is on the mat. Exhale and bow down over your right knee. On the inhale, straighten your arms and on the exhale go back into downward dog.” I want to see a beginner yogini do pigeon in three breaths. Not an experienced one. A beginner! (Maybe I'm wrong and there are all these beginner yoga practitioners easily slipping in and out of pigeon pose.)

To fully appreciate this I invite you to watch this person instruct on how to do this pose and you will see that moving in and out of it is not that easy unless you are a) very flexible and b) not a beginning yoga practitioner.

Let me also point out that Satterfield doesn't know the difference between Cobra and Upward Facing Dog poses because you don't have to "turn your toes under to go back into Downward Facing Dog" because your toes should be turned under for Upward Facing Dog.

The kit also comes with a set of cards. Most of the cards show you images of the yoga poses. Not very helpful but not useless. There are also a few quotes, which are also included in the workbook, a checklist, a shopping list, and some journaling prompts. I have been journaling too long and found the prompts to be incredibly fundamental. For someone either new to journaling or for someone who mostly keeps a gratitude journal or a log of their day to day activity, then the journal cards might be enlightening. However, after reading the journaling exercises in Piver’s book, I wish I had used those instead. Still, I read the cards. That should count for something, I suppose.

But it wasn’t just the huge disappointment in the materials included with the kit that made it a challenging experience. On Friday night I was cold. Although I turned off the overhead fans I had left the windows open and that was a mistake. I slept very poorly, trying to block out the sound of a howling dog nearby.

Is it possible my not sleeping well reinforced my falling asleep during the meditations? Yes. Undoubtedly. But I still think meditating on my plump feet or imagining that my kidneys are evaporating like vapor (which, excuse me, is rather redundant) is not something that would put me into a meditative state of mind. Although I slept better Saturday night, that was mostly due to my being so tired that I was better able to tune out the howling dog. The ceiling fans were off again but this time I was uncomfortably warm. Go figure.

Would I do the retreat again? Yes. In fact, I am going to use the guidelines and create a retreat of my own, using meditations and yoga practices I know I will enjoy. I won’t have another opportunity to do it for a while because I would rather do it when Rob is out of town which he does not do very often. But I definitely haven’t given up on the idea. And although this wasn’t done as perfectly as I would have liked, I think it was done well enough for me to have fulfilled my intention of experiencing a silent retreat.

(I will probably post the "alternative retreat" in my blog sometime in the near future.)

11 Do yoga every day for four weeks

2008-05-16T05:54:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed the 28 days of yoga, exploring some of the resources I have on hand as well as those borrowed from the library. Some moreso than others.

Take away every one of my yoga dvds and leave me nothing but this one and I would be content. I hav used this one so much that I can do most of it with my eyes closed. Because Rob has the dvd player connected to the stereo, I don't even have to turn on the television. What do I love about it? The setting, the music, the practices! The menu also offers a "how to use props" section which is beneficial. For this dvd you will need a yoga mat (duh!), a yoga strap, yoga blocks, and a blanket. And if you don't know how to use them then go to the section that shows you how to best use each. My only complaint is that at one point during the PM yoga practice you will not be facing the television. If you must see what you are doing and can't listen your way through this very slow practice, after a couple of times you will be able to anticipate when the "turn away" is about to occur and adjust your practice accordingly, turning left instead of right.

Here is the second favorite practice which I did once a week. What I love best about this dvd is that there are four levels of practice. For the less flexible, there is a highly modified practice using blocks and other props. As you increase in flexibility, you can move to the next level of practice where you use the props less. Then there is yet another level before you have eased your way to the Suzanne Deason's level. I moved from the 3/4 modified to 1/2 modified by the end of the month before the month was over and seeing that progress was delightful. Almost as delightful as seeing women on the dvd who were not fresh out of high school or super slender. These women look real and it is easy to believe that if they can do it you can do it too. And you can. (I found myself surprised when the 45 minutes had ended and wishing that the dvd went on for longer!)

Although I only used this yoga practice one time it is one I highly recommend. The kit comes with a strap, a candle, some incense, a cd, and cards. I almost wish that there were a dvd too so I could be sure that my flow from one asana to the next is as described on the cd but I think that if I were to have used this more often during the four weeks to see if I would eventually figure it out. The practice is an hour long, just long enough to feel challenging but not so long as to wear one out. And this is slow enough for me not to have felt overwhelmed although it also helped that I am familiar with the poses and didn't have to refer to the cards quite as much. I would love to make this a regular part of my life, perhaps once a week as a longer yoga experience.

These three dvds are videos that have been repackaged into a boxed set. I have a few complaints before I discuss the content. One, I think that these three could easily have been merged into one dvd. The technology is there so why put three different practices onto three different dvds? Two, there is no improvement from vhs to dvd. On the Lower Body Yoga there is a section on how to use the props to help with alignment and make the practice a little easier and instead of making this "extra" section available through the menu, you have to fast forward through the practice to access it. More helpful would have been a screen within screen that would show the viewer how to use the prop or at least a way to get to the section from the menu.

Still, these are not bad routines. I never felt sore from using these but when I used them in conjunction with strength training I very much felt the difference! I would say this dvd set is a good supplement to weight lifting or as an addition to your yoga dvd collection but I wouldn't consider it as part of my core practice.

I borrowed this dvd from the library and I have added it to my wishlist not because I necessarily love it or recommend it but because I want to add it to my repertoire. I love to dance and watching this dvd made me wish I could participate in one of Shiva Rea's trance workshops. I have absolutely no doubt that the shared experience of having others around me, moving and flowing, would reinforce the energy that is meant to be stirred during the dancing. There is NO choreography. This is not about getting the movement precise, as in the bellydancing dvds I used, but about feeling the music and moving. There are yoga practices used for the warm-up and cool-down and there are several different trance practices. What's more, you can choose from a very detailed menu practices of varying lengths. Have you ever wondered how a workout could be both intense and lovely at the same time? Use this dvd one time and you will quickly find out. I was sorry to return this dvd to the library after using it only two times. I'll be borrowing it again in the near future. No doubt about it!

I have this dvd with a pair of weighted gloves which help with alignment and slightly increases the challenge of some of the practice. This is a very slow routine, mostly done seated. Very helpful for me when the vertigo was stronger. I like this dvd but it isn't a favorite or even one I would encourage others to run out and buy it. In fact, you could easily flesh out your dvd collection without this one and be covered. However, there are times when sitting down is nice and for an easy practice, this dvd is one that I wouldn't necessarily ignore. But if I were going to recommend one . . .

. . . this is the one I would recommend. This is a good dvd to have if you spend a lot of your time sitting at a desk. There are simple twists and bends that one can do while at work. Easily. Everything from the warm up to the cool down is done in a chair. There is no standing before you sit. There is no lying down at the end. You begin and end seated. And there is no doubt that this dvd kept me more flexible when my vertigo was very bad than I would have been without it. The stability I needed by sitting down in the chair allowed me to move more deeply through stretches that otherwise would have been difficult not because of my inflexibility but because of my imbalance. However, the truth is I did not use this dvd during my 28 days because I had loaned it to someone who never returned it.

This is another one I borrowed from the library but I borrowed it in vhs so I am not sure if the content is identical. This dvd is good but not great. I never felt like I was immersed in the practice. Although there are different levels of practice shown, unlike the Yoga for Weight Loss, the camera doesn't focus on any one person. The practice also felt like something that would be easier for people who are physically fit--who exercise regularly and have a certain amount of upper body strength and flexibility. Could a person new to yoga use this practice? Yes, definitely. But I would still only recommend this to someone who is exercising regularly and maybe wants to add yoga to a more rigorous program or to someone who does yoga regularly and wants something new for their collection. It isn't a bad practice but not a great one. I won't feel compelled to borrow it again, frankly.

This is another kit that has cards, 2 cds, and a booklet. I have to say that I didn't actually use this kit during my 28 days but I have used it in the past. Some familiarity with asanas helps so I wouldn't say that this is for anyone who is an absolute beginner to yoga. Someone who is familiar with yoga, who is ready to try to work through a practice without the distraction of looking at a dvd, or for someone who has only used dvds, this is an excellent addition to your collection. There is something wonderful about being able to do yoga with your eyes closed, synchronizing your breath with the movement, not wanting or needing to refer to any visual explanation.

I don't know if this is necessarily a bad dvd/book set. I just found it confusing because the names for some of the asanas are not the same as those with which I am familiar. A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but when I am trying to move from one pose to another and I don't recognize the name of the asana it can be a little confusing. Worse is that it is incredibly distracting. Instead of sinking into the practice, my mind is trying to reinterpret what I am doing. Like hearing a second language with which I am not yet fluent, my mind hears but then has to filter to reach understanding. One of the things I love most about doing yoga is the opportunity to get outside of my head occasionally, to be able to really be in the moment.

I cannot say enough how much I adore doing yoga. I would happily do it for another 28 days, spend more time using some of the above resources to see if my guess about loving them more the more I use them is correct and using some of the other resources I never got around to exploring. If I make another 101 Things List after finishing this list, I will definitely have this on the list again. And again. And again!

34 Give up something for Lent in 2008

2008-05-15T05:18:00.000-07:00

I forgot to write about this before but, in spite of my forgetfulness, I did accomplish this. What did I give up? If you really want to know, email me. Otherwise, suffice it to say, I survived the 40 days.

14 Belly dance every day for four weeks

2008-05-13T10:58:00.001-07:00

I used several different dvds to keep this from getting boring. Unfortunately, even with all of the variety, I was bored after only two weeks but I struggled through and managed to get all four weeks of exercising done.

Here are the dvds I used along with my thoughts on each.

This one is my favorite in that the instructor, Neon, does a brilliant job of really explaining each and every move, breaking them down into detailed explanations. A "simple" hip roll includes legs bending, glutes tightening, chest remaining still and raised, etc. The viewer will absolutely learn how to isolate hips from chest, move in a more sensual manner. I found myself practicing many of the moves throughout the day and although there were some things I could not do at all, I did learn how to do some things that did not come easily the first time watching this dvd. I highly recommend this one!

This dvd with Dolphina is my second favorite although she does not explain the moves as well as Neon. Visually this is my favorite dvd of the set because the costumes and set are so lovely. Dolphina's approach is different from Neon's, sort of New Age Feminism Meets Belly Dancing. I loved the music on this dvd as well. But the thing that works against this dvd most is that it is shot more to show off Dolphina's pretty face than focus on the actual moves. Nevertheless, I would sweat more to this dvd than the previous one and the first time I used it my abdominals were actually tight, something I don't often feel even after using an abs workout dvd. Pretty remarkable. I would recommend this as a good companion to the previous dvd. Let Neon walk you through each move in detail and let Dolphina move you from move to move more quickly.

This dvd, with Veena and Neena Bidasha does not live up to its potential but I definitely was sweating when I used this. For a cardio workout, of all of the dvds I have, this is the one that really elevated my heart rate. There is, unfortunately, little explanation as to how each of the moves should be done. Also, while the twins do the moves, there is a narrative voice that is supposed to help the viewer move from one step to another. However, these are not always in sync and if you follow what you see, you will not always be in time with the voice over. Will you learn how to belly dance with this dvd? Not at all likely. You will go through a few belly dance moves and if you know how to do them technically it won't be as a result of what you learn on this dvd. But the purpose of this dvd is more about exercise than it is about technique and, to that end, it is a good one.

This is a follow-up to the previous dvd and complements and builds upon it perfectly. Unless you are already very comfortable with belly dancing, you would have to first have the first dvd before trying to work your way through this one but the format is similar and Neon does a wonderful job of breaking down the move, building up from one move to the next, and weaving them all together. The music on this and the previous dvd is not very traditional and I think that some people would not appreciate this. And, as can be seen by the covers, Neon's costumes are not traditional either. But what she wears makes it very easy to see how each move works far better than some pretty flowing skirt.

Dolphina's second dvd builds on what she teaches in the first dvd but with less detail. Given that without the Neon dvd I wouldn't have understood the break down of each move in the first dvd, this is not a good thing. The main improvement in this dvd is that you see more of Dolphina's body throughout the dvd. Unlike the first one, the camera rarely moves in for a close up on her face and the viewer is not distracted with pretty camera work or settings. The costume is simpler and there are fewer changes. I really like the warm up on this one--a sort of Sun Salutation. But even when I felt that I had mastered (or is that mistressed?) most of the first dvd, I really didn't feel that I could keep up with this one. Still, given that I was bored by the first one, I enjoyed the challenge and the change of pace. Ultimately, the first made me sweat. This one did not.

I bought the three Neon dvds in a set and this one is meant to be used by those who have managed to learn all of the moves in the first two dvds. There is nothing traditional about this one, with good reason. The idea behind this dvd is for the viewer to have a party. Invite your friends over to learn all of the moves and together you can all dance to contemporary music. (After all, it is called Belly Dance Party!) Guess what? If you haven't worked through the first two dvds, there is no way you are going to manage this dvd. What is great about this dvd is that Neon breaks down the whole routine into smaller sections, easily accessed through the menu. Master the first section and move onto the second. Then the third, etc. Better yet, when you have worked through all ten parts of the full routine, you can choose one of three speeds to practice the routine from beginning to end--slow, fast, or faster.

This is perhaps the most useless of the various belly dancing dvds but when I woke up the day after I felt sick, I wanted to take it easy on myself and my body so I pulled this one out of the set I had bought (which included the previous two Dolphina dvds). If you don't have a veil or cymbals you obviously won't be able to really practice along with these dvds. I have both. I thought that the cymbals dvd was a little too cute. I would have preferred to focus on the traditional names rather than giving the rhythms silly phrases like "I am a goddess." The veils routine is visually lovely but be warned: you need a lot of floor space to use this one. Without room to move, to throw your veil forward and around, there is no way to comfortably move through this routine. If, like me, you get this along with Dolphina's other dvds in a set, fine. Otherwise, skip it altogether.

6 Learn to identify local birds by their markings and calls

2008-04-29T15:30:00.000-07:00

Today Joe and I were outside with the dogs when we saw this land in our neighbors' tree. It was quite exciting but since neither of us knew what we were looking at it took a bit of online sleuthing to figure it out. Now we know.

There's a bird whose song is quite beautiful nearby. I don't know what it is yet but I will. The other day I was doing a tai chi workout and because the video was filmed outdoors I assumed that the birdsong was part of what I was watching. It wasn't until later I realized that I was listening to something outside. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see what I could hear.

As soon as I know what bird makes that sweet song, I'll be sure to update again.

Edit: It is ironic that the image of what we saw is now gone. I have no clue what bird it was nor what it looked like and, since I did not have the wherewithal to write out the bird's name, I will never know. How disappointing!

42 Participate in International World Tai Chi and Qi Gong Day

2008-04-27T09:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the last Saturday of the year and I did some tai chi and some qi gong. It was wonderful. I used some dvds that I had purchased during the early stages of my recovery about a year ago. The Tai Chi dvd in particular was bought because it came with a weighted ball that I needed to use to help with my balance. The qi gong dvds were given to me by my mother. I also listened to a qi gong cd and read a book on tai chi.

And here I am, meditating at the end of one of my practices. I wanted a pic of my actual practicing but timing is everything and nothing fell into place. In other words, this is the best I could do for you.

#81 Watch every single dvd I haven't already watched

2008-01-27T07:36:00.000-08:00

Rob and I watched Drugstore Cowboy last night and I was . . . well, underwhelmed. It is probably a better book than it is a movie. It was interesting to see William S Burroughs cast as an older gentleman junkie. I do love Matt Dillon and don't understand why he didn't achieve more screen success although perhaps he wants a smaller than Hollywood career.

The movie has strong (very) performance. The direction is okay. There are some interesting things done but nothing significant. I've seen this sort of story before and done better. Perhaps I've been spoiled by the more powerful movies I've seen lately. Who knows? I have a feeling that the book is far more hard hitting than this movie is and, as a result, I was disappointed and wanting more.

There is an interesting observation made in the dvd (perhaps in the extras), something that is probably more fully explored in the book. Matt Dillon, in discussing addiction, says that the people's emotions come and go. We get up in the morning and don't know how we will feel. But an addict can always know how he will feel because all he has to do is read the label in the bottle. This is something I will be pondering more in my journal. It is an intriguing and provocative thought and probably not unique although this is the first time I've heard it myself.

SPOILER ALERT!!! There was an interesting turning point in the movie where Bob (Matt Dillon) tells his wife that he wants to get sober. She (Kelly Lynch) says she loves him. But in the end she chooses not to go through rehabilitation and goes on with her life as before, stealing drugs and moving from place to place while Bob tries to live a normal life. I remember, when I heard her say "I love you" I thought to myself, "No. Not really. The drugs. She loves the drugs. But she doesn't love him because she is choosing to follow the drugs and not him."

# 86 Choose a football team to follow in 2007

2008-01-13T15:06:00.000-08:00

Today my heart was broken by my football team. We lost and against a team that simply should not have beaten us. On our home field. So much sadness.

#96 Get a playmate for Romanov

2008-01-09T16:49:00.000-08:00

I saw an announcement in facebook and immediately called the woman. She said she had a 4 month old Siberian Husky female named Snowball (although they've been calling her snow).

That was at around 1pm today. By 5:30 Rob came home with Snow and a bag full of toys and some puppy food. She's wearing Romanov out (gasp!) and is not yet housebroken (uh oh) but we taught Romanov and we can teach her as well.

In any event, Romanov now has the playmate we've been hoping to get for him. This should make my transitioning back to work and leaving Romanov home alone that much easier because he won't be so much alone any longer.

#81 Watch every single dvd I haven't already watched

2008-01-09T07:16:00.000-08:00

In keeping with watching Rob's more disturbing movies, we watched American History X last night. This one is just so damned powerful. I was trying to think of the differences between what Oliver Stone did in Natural Born Killers and what Tony Kaye does here. Both movies have a message. Both make their point. But while Stone bludgeons his audience with meaning, Kaye just lets the story say what it has to say. Okay. I am not a big fan of Stone's work but I will admit that I thought NBK was his best effort at pretention.

And yet, without the artifice, Kaye manages to tell a better story. Period. Traveling between the present and past, black and white representing memories, and a voice over narrative, the story unfolds as the Vinyard family falls apart. You know that this movie is going to be aggressive from the beginning as Danny sees someone breaking into his brother's truck and the camera cuts to Derek having sex with his girlfriend in the next room. What happens next is a catalyst that has long been building and when Derek snaps everything falls apart.

But there is still a mess to be cleaned up and Danny is following in his brother's destructive footsteps. And herein lies the movies moral and lesson.

This one is violent. Horrifying because it is too true. But to give some indication of how superficial I can be, the thing I remember most clearly is how amazing an actor Edward Norton is. In the scene when he is arrested there is a moment when he looks over at his brother who is witnessing everything. The police come up behind him as he turns with this look of absolute mania. Not on his face. The face is not remarkably expressive in this moment. Rather, all of the insanity and violence of the character is in his eyes. And when the police start to handcuff him, dragging him away to the police car, the look shifts to hatred.

I have a lot of feeling about this movie. I would recommend it but with the caution of being prepared for darkness, violence, and a feeling of catharsis. Aristotle, in Poetics, discusses the dramaturgical catharsis, saying that it is an emotional cleansing. This movie does this wonderfully and without apology. None is needed.

#81 Watch every single dvd I haven't already watched

2008-01-04T07:06:00.001-08:00

Last night Rob once again picked a disturbing movie. I had never seen Natural Born Killers and now I can say that I have. The interviews about the movie, a special feature on this particular dvd, were interesting. I can only imagine what life was like on the set and can honestly say that I'm glad I wasn't a part of it. The energy implied in the few behind-the-scenes moments was enough to make me grateful for the quietness of my reality. That said, I remember the uproar that surrounded the movie on its initial release and while I appreciate the fact that there is a lot of violence in this movie, it serves a purpose and there is more to the movie thematically than violence. Still, I'm glad I saw it on a small screen rather than a large one. It was disturbing enough on the hellivision. I would hate to know how I would have felt after watching it in a theater. (BTW, Juliette Lewis and Woody Harrelson . . . why are they not used more in movies? Powerful performances from actors I would like to see more often.)

# 81 Watch every single dvd I haven't already watched

2008-01-03T16:02:00.000-08:00

I realize that I should update the things that are long term with occasional updates, like works in progress. Yesterday Rob and I watched Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back which was more amusing this time than it was when we went to watch it in the theaters. Not sure why I enjoyed it more on dvd. Maybe it's just a small screen movie. In any event, an amusing bit of fluff.

I'll be sure to continue updating as I watch other dvds.

# 76 Go one month without buying new underwear (includes bras, camisols, etc.)

2007-11-01T09:04:00.000-07:00

Done! And done!

I didn't even buy myself one pair of my favorites. Instead, I was oh-so disciplined. Even when Rob and I went to Target and he said he liked a camisol. I resisted the allure of thongs, g-strings, bras, camisols and even the irresistable garter belts! Not even the black velvet with maribou feather balconette bra could tempt me!

Okay. I was tempted. But I resisted!

Now the fun really begins . . . how long before I snap and end up buying more more more! We'll know soon enough!

#23 Write one letter to my Aunt Frances per month

2007-10-31T00:10:00.000-07:00

I wrote and mailed off another letter to my Aunt Frances. In this letter I included the first four poems of the rough draft for my chapbook and a recipe for orange soda cupcakes. I know she won't bake the cupcakes but I figure that my cousin's daughter (my second cousin?) who lives with Frances will maybe use it someday. I have a feeling Frances isn't reading my letters anyway. Hopefully Amanda is.

#19 Find or create a writing group

2007-10-14T18:13:00.000-07:00

1) On zoetrope I have four poems currently submitted to help me workshop my chapbook.

2) I belong to a novel writing critique group that will have its first meeting Saturday, October 27th.

3) I have formed another novel writing critique group that will be meeting the second Saturday of each month.

4) I have joined a writing group that meets every other week on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. I will workshop the chapbook and my short stories with this group.

I think I can safely cross this item off the list. I belong to FOUR writing groups of sorts. Yay me!

#1 Richard II (3/27)

2007-10-14T13:35:00.001-07:00

I finished Richard II today and I have to say that I preferred this play to King John by far! The language is more lovely throughout. I say this even though there seems to be some criticism re. the overly affected and even stiff. Whatever! It shows lyrical growth and Shakespeare is beginning to come into his own.

Of course, I looked up more about Richard II in wikipedia so I would better understand the historical climate about which Shakespeare is writing. According to the notes I read about the play there is some suggestion that this was meant to be a sort of introduction to the coming Henry plays (ie Henry IV Parts One and Two and Henry V).

I could bore you with the historical context re. when Shakespeare wrote this particular play but unless you really enjoy Elizabethan history it will probably bore you. Not me! I love this stuff! I was completely unaware that this play had an impact on the inevitable fall of Essex.

#23 Write one letter to my Aunt Frances per month

2007-09-27T05:53:00.001-07:00

Today I am sending off the first of my monthly letters. I wrote and printed the letter the other day but I hadn't mailed it out yet. Today is the day it will be in the mailbox and by tomorrow it will be on its way to NYC.

In this letter I included a copy of my short story Housewife Circa 1950. Perhaps by the time I send her the next letter, I'll have enough of my chapbook done to send her a few poems.

#1 King John 2/27

2007-09-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see why this is not one of Shakespeare's more popular plays. A lot of politics, not much plot, and what story there is isn't similar or even close to the truth of what the reign of England's King John actually was. So why read this play? Especially given that the most significant event of his reign was completely overlooked in the play: the signing of the Magna Carta.

Taken as a cautionary tale, there are some significant details. Within the context of Shakespeare's times, King John's conflict with the representative from the Pope that results in the war that dominates the play is obviously meant to remind the contemporary (then contemporary audience) of the split between England and the Roman Catholic church. That his fate turns so drastically when he goes to the Popal representative simply reinforces that theme. One of the characters, in the final act, monologues about how important it is that England stand strong, that its citizens are not only its greatest strength but also its greatest weakness. This play being written and originally performed in a country still reeling from the repurcussions of the Hundred's Year War.

BTW, if I were reading these plays chronologically then the next play ought to have been Henry VI Part One. However, I decided to go ahead and read the historical plays, or at least the English ones, in historical chronology. Which means I'll be reading Richard II next. Then Henry IV, V, and VI . . . all the parts and such. I have Henry V on dvd so I am looking forward to watching the dvd (again) after reading the play for the first time.

# 86 Choose a football team to follow in 2007

2007-09-07T04:28:00.000-07:00

Woot!

The team has been chosen. I watched the official first game of the NFL season. I had a choice between the New Orleans Saints or the Indianapolis Colts. Both play in an indoor stadium so that's good. But then the Saints have a cousin of Michael Vick's on their team so I couldn't back them up for even one game let alone a whole season.

I decided that the first team I rooted for, with an indoor stadium and nothing to offend me morally, and win the game while I am rooting for them would be my team of choice. Lucky for the Colts Rob didn't tell me that they had won the Superbowl last year or I probably wouldn't have chosen them at all. I prefer to root for the underdog.

But halfway through the game we had a tie so it wasn't looking too promising anyway. If the Colts lost I would just begin all over again on Sunday while watching . . . some other teams play. Anyway, the Colts not only won but they soundly defeated the Saints. Woot! Final Score: 10/41 Colts! (The final touchdown was a recovered fumble with an 83 yard return! I almost sound like I know what I'm talking about, don't I?)

So there! Done! Now I just need to get more familiar with my team's lineup, both offensive and defensive.

PS: Peyton Manning apparently is helping a children's hospital that now bears his name. Seeing him talk about the importance of his giving back to the community made it easier to choose the Colts.

PPS: Okay. So the Colts beat the Bears last year at the Superbowl and anyone who knows me knows I have an issue with all things Chicago so that also gave them an edge.

#1 Titus Andronicus (1/27)

2007-09-03T08:57:00.000-07:00

I read Titus Andronicus this weekend. I can see why there is some debate surrounding the authenticity of the text. Did Shakespeare write it? Probably. I didn't feel like it was clearly not Shakespearean; more an immature Shakespeare, a writer who was not yet comfortable with his craft.

I also read the Spark Notes for the play to help ensure that I was following the plot properly because Rob doesn't always understand that when I am holding a book open in front of me that I am not able to multitask and Romanov has no awareness that frequent interruptions make it hard for me to focus. Men!

In the above mentioned notes there is a commentary re. the verbal attack a young woman makes upon an older woman. The young woman is then taken off stage where the older woman's two sons rape her.

For the insults she unleashes on Tamora, some even believe that her rape is fitting retribution. However, others argue that her behavior is completely in keeping with the standards and behavior of ladies during the Elizabethan era, and that taking offense at her coarseness is just the prudish reaction of a contemporary reader.

Emphasis added! Notice that it is the contemporary reader, not the reader in the Elizabethan era that thinks that "rape is fitting retribution." I was horrified by this note. Glad it was there. I forget these things sometimes, that there are people in this world who still believe that women invite rape into their lives, that women want it, that secretly we like it and are even turned on by it.

After a quick search I found that there is a BBC production of this play out there but I could not find it on dvd. There is a movie with Anthony Hopkins playing the title role available. If you like your Shakespeare very violent (this is his bloodiest), including multiple murders, rape, mutilation and even cannabalism, then here you go!

Note: There are a lot of allusions to Roman mythology which would be lost without some contextual background. The edition I read did not have notes to help with this. I did not need them. Other readers might.

# 95 Get a Public Library Card

2007-09-01T12:34:00.001-07:00

Today Rob took me to the local library where I not only got a library card but borrowed three books: a collection of Shakespeare's plays, Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg, and Writing as a Way of Healing by Louise DeSalvo.

So one down, one hundred more to go, and using this one to help me finish another.