Stephen King Summer

Fiction is the truth inside the lie. - Stephen King

In the summer I read fun books. To me, that's mysteries with a heavy plot line.  My favorite in that realm is John Sanford.  But, to my knowledge, I've read everything he's written.

When one of my daughters was young she loved Judy Bloom.  But she was always frustrated because Judy didn't write fast enough.

I feel the same way about Sanford.

In May I read a rave review of Stephen King's new book.  I was reminded of how his characters are so well defined.  Delores Claiborne was one of my favorite fiction books ever.  I also liked Misery and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. But these are not the paranormal, science fiction, otherworldly books King is famous for.

So far this summer I've read Mr. Mercedes. Very entertaining and very much in the style of John Sanford.  Interestingly, Sanford and his protagonist Lucas Davenport are referred to in Mr. Mercedes.  

For my next pick I finally dove off the deep end and read Doctor Sleep. This is the sequel to The Shining and comes in at almost 600 pages. Even though I'm not into the "otherworldly" stuff I liked it.  We get to find out what happened to that little "Shining" boy and his mom.  I just returned from the library with my next Stephen King read - Cell.

Stephen King is one of our most prolific writers.  I have no idea how he's churned them out all these years.  Most of his books are about good verses evil.  Good usually wins, but not without some serious loss.  This is like real life - minus the ghosties.  (But then Stephen King says the ghosts are real and inside of us so I'll have to think about that.)

Below is one of my favorite Stephen King quotes.  Please don't judge me.

People think I must be a very strange person.  This is not correct.  I have the heart of a small boy.  It is in a glass jar on my desk.


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Koko and Mr. Rogers

I just wrote about Fred Rogers a couple of weeks ago and I thought I was done.  But then, on this past Tuesday, Koko the Gorilla died at age 46.  And yesterday, Dave and I went to the Enzian to see the excellent documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor?"

What's the connection?  Fred and Koko were friends - and I think they had some things in common.

Gorillas are smart as a species but Koko was special.  She learned at least 170 words in sign language.  She touched the lives of millions of people with her communications skills and her empathy for others.  When her cat friend died Koko signed "cat, cry, have-sorry, Koko love."

Even though Koko was an amazing being who was befriended by scores of humans, including Mr. Rogers and many other celebrities, she was also vilified her entire life.  Thankfully, because she was a gorilla, she wasn't aware of this.

The amazing Mr. Rogers, on the other hand, because he was a human being, was well aware of being vilified his entire life.  It did not stop him, however, from knowing what he felt God was calling him to do - and doing it.

For instance, On "Neighborhood" he addressed tough social issues as only he could.  At the height the racial inclusion crisis blacks and whites swimming together was forbidden.  Living in South Florida, I witnessed several scary incidents of what happened when this tradition was challenged.  It was pretty common to see public pool officials throw harsh chemicals in a pool where blacks and whites tried swimming together.

How did Mr. Rogers, address this issue?  He invited mailman Mr. McFeely, to soak his feet on a hot summer day in a little tub, along side Mr. Rogers.

Oh, and don't forget that Fred Rogers singlehandedly saved public television to the tune of 20 million dollars by addressing congress in the same tone and fashion he used with his kids.

Two of the things Koko and Mr. Rogers had in common were pervasive kindness and love.


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I Still Hold the Bandages

A couple of moms I care about have recently seen their man/child sons go through some difficult times.  As much as we want to make it better for them, the time comes when they need and want to start taking control.

I remember this struggle with my own sons.  Fortunately I had a favorite poem that helped me through some tough "letting go"times.  It still does.  When each of my sons left the nest I sent him a copy of the poem.  I doubt either of them read it but then they weren't the ones who needed it.  I did.  

If you're having trouble dealing with your "About to be a Man" son flying the coop, this might help.

I HOLD THE BANDAGES AND OINTMENTS READY  by Alan Paton

I see my son is wearing long trousers, I tremble at this;
I see he goes forward confidently, he does not know so fully his own gentleness.
Go forward eager and reverent child, see here I begin to take my hands away from you,
I shall see you walk careless on the edges of the precipice, but if you wish you shall hear no word come out of me;
My whole soul will be sick with apprehension, but I shall not disobey you.
Life sees you coming, she sees you come with assurance towards her,
She lies in wait for you, she cannot but hurt you;

Got forward, go forward, I hold the bandages and ointments ready,
And if you would go elsewhere and lie alone with your wounds, why I shall not intrude upon you,
If you would seek the help of some other person, I shall not come forcing myself upon you.
If you should fall into sin, innocent one, that is the way of this pilgrimage;
Struggle against it, not for one fraction of a moment concede its dominion. 
It will occasion you grief and sorrow, it will torment you, 
But hate not God, nor turn from him in shame or self-reproach;
He has seen many such, his compassion is as great as his creation. 
Be temped and fall and return, return and be tempted and fall
A thousand times and a thousand, even to a thousand thousand,
For out of this tribulation there comes a peace, deep in the soul and surer than any dream...


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Belief or Theory?

I believe that God created the universe.  But, as you know, I am greatly disturbed by pockets of our Florida education system that continue to want to teach the "Theory of Creationism" along side the "Theory of Evolution."

Don't you love it when somebody comes along and explains how you feel in a much more eloquent way than you can?  It happened to me this morning when I read the featured Letter to the Editor in today's Orlando Sentinel.  Writer Marty Sullivan, by the way, has one of those unisex names I like. You can't tell if Marty is male or female therefore you can't prejudge Marty's words.  Marty wrote a letter explaining why "Creationism can't be called a theory."

Marty says, Creationism cannot be put forward as a scientific hypothesis, much less a theory, since it cannot be empirically tested.  Words used by educators should conform to their precise scientific meaning, such as gravitational theory, energy conservation theory, mass-energy equivalence theory (E=mc2).  These are supported by extensive, empirically tested scientific evidence, as is the evolution theory. 

OK then.  My belief that God created everything doesn't have to be debated or even explained.  It's a belief.  Marty goes on to say:

Creationism, as a religious belief, should be so respected.  Subjecting it to scientific inquiry disrespects creationism as a theological belief.  Educators should make this distinction.  Our students deserve to learn the difference between the very different disciplines of theology and science.

Thank you Marty Sullivan.  I couldn't have said it better myself.


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Gotti/Travolta

Gotti      Travolta

So, yesterday we decided to go to the movies.  We looked over everything out there and decided the only films that interested us were "Gotti" staring John Travolta and "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" staring Fred Rogers.

For some reason we chose "Gotti."  I went to Fandango to buy our tickets before looking at the reviews.  This film, out for 24 hours, has the worst ratings I've ever seen.  Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer rates it ZERO.

The reviews are very funny.  All horrendous.  After sitting in the theater for half an hour Dave leaned over and said, "I'm ready to leave anytime you are."

"No. I'm enjoying this!"

It was as if John Travolta was on Saturday Night Live doing the most over the top John Gotti impersonation you could possibly imagine.  Only, instead of lasting five minutes he goes on for an hour and a half.

None of the shooting people in the head every couple of minutes bothered me.  (The brief torture scene did.)  I didn't bother to try to stay with the plot.  Travolta had me mesmerized.  The very first scene was supposed to scare me.  It made me laugh.  I read that there were 44 producers on "Gotti"  It looks like they each got their input opportunity.   Most reviewers use the term "mess" to describe "Gotti."  One reviewer said of this film about one of the worst mobster/killers ever in the history of our country...."John Gotti deserves better."

If you accidentally find yourself in the theater where "Gotti" is showing, just relax.  Have fun. Enjoy Travolta chewing up the scenery.

Next weekend we plan to see "Won't You Be My Neighbor."


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He's Describing Me

Last week my friend, Penny, asked me if I was still seeing Facebook postings from my old friend, Jim McWhinnie.  While I haven't seen Jim in a few decades, Penny knows that his postings the last few years documenting his slide into Alzheimer's disease have been deeply meaningful to me, as well as so many others who've known this brilliant, deeply spiritual, minister over the years.

I told her that he did post occasionally but that his days of sharing real time wisdom about his journey with The Grey Lady (his name for this disease) are probably over.

And then that very day Jim posted what, to me, was an astounding report on his condition.  Here is a small portion of it.

One on one I am more comfortable than I am with two or three or four.  In a crowd, when I sometimes get a bit frantic, simply give me a reassuring look.  That usually calms me down. I do better these days in  low sensory experiences.  The music seems louder than once it did:  flashing lights and loud noises startle me, and jumbled conversations of many voices unnerve me and I feel like fleeing to a quieter place.  

The main reason the above is so special to me is selfish.  It accurately states the way I often feel with this weird Meniere's Disease.  I'm on a website with other sufferers world wide and Jim's descriptions  here of the world from his Alzheimer's view express the same symptoms as our collective Meniere's view.

Of course, it's not the same.  Meniere's is manageable and not life threatening.  But Jim's words remind all of us that our perceptions of the world change dramatically as we deal with the various changes in our aging heads.


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The Notorious RBG

Dave and I finally got around to seeing the hugely successful documentary, "RBG" yesterday at our favorite theater, the Enzian. This film, about one of the most famous people on the planet, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is totally entertaining from start to finish - no matter how you feel about her being an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court for the last 25 years.

The film begins with tiny, 85 year old RBG working out at the gym.  It's inspiring and hilarious.

Ruth and Marty.  A 56 year long
love affair. 

I used to tell folks that, unlike Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I pretty easily got a job in the late 1950s.  Why?  Because I was right out of high school and could type.  RBG was right out of Columbia Law School and could not. 

Watching the film yesterday reminded me of why I was so drawn to the Women's Movement in the early 1960s.   It made me feel proud again, not only of RBG, but of myself and others as well in all that we did to tilt cultural windmills.

RBG and her polar opposite Justice
Anthony Scalia, not only attending
the opera together, but actually in
the opera together. 

What else do I have in common with this notorious feminist icon?  Well, we have about a five year difference in age.  We're both short.  I'm 5 foot 3 inches tall.  She's 5 foot nothing.  We were both married to men who thought we could do anything.  In the film, the love story between RBG and her husband, Marty, is magnificent. 

Likewise the story of her famous relationship with Justice Anthony Scalia is amazing and touching.  Proving once again that people can love and respect each other and still have very differing opinions. 

When my daughter was in law school she had a friend who described herself as an anti-feminist.  I found it hard to believe that this smart young woman didn't know, or didn't appreciate,  what kind of trail blazing the women before them did. 

RBG went to both Harvard and then Columbia law schools, excelling at both.  She was in a class of nine women and 500 men.  The dean asked each one of these women how they could justify denying nine men a spot.  Today these, and other law schools, are pretty much 50-50 male and female. 

RBG, this tiny, quiet woman, changed the legal landscape for the better - for all of us.


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