I Love Bill Pullman

  

I just finished watching the 4th  season of "The Sinner"  on Netflix. It was such a relief to finish it.  I've suffered through all four seasons, each a totally different story with different actors, except for Detective Harry Ambrose, as portrayed by Bill Pullman. 

Ambrose appears to me to be clinically depressed in every scene.  He's sad, awkward and can barely get his words out.  Each episode of "The Sinner" is painstakingly slow.  The camera lingers on Ambrose as he appears to be struggling to answer even a simple question.  He looks disheveled and very, very sad at all times. 

He seems to me to be a person who is deeply flawed and unhappy but dedicated to unraveling these complicated mysteries.  

I wonder how they've been able to get away with four seasons but "The Sinner" has a strong following. Jessica Beal is the executive producer and was in the first one.  Like all of the seasons, it's very dark and depressing. I doubt that her husband, Justin Timberlake will ever be a character on "The Sinner" because he likes to smile and have fun on stage.  

Bill Pullman has said this is the last season.  I hope he's right because if there are more I'll have to watch them. 

And I don't want to.

***

 

Wire Coat Hangers

 Jobs Partnership is a great program that helps folks who are unemployed or underemployed by providing skills training in various areas.  One service they provide is appropriate clothing for interviews and positions.  

A few weeks ago a friend, who is part of the leadership in this program was asking for wire coat hangers.  She said they're in need because "no one uses wire hangers anymore."

This was big news to me!  I had no idea how I could be so out of step.  

Yes, I'm well aware of the wire hanger's bad reputation for being used for things other than clothing.  Actress Joan Crawford's daughter, in her book, Mommy Dearest, tells a chilling tale of Joan's outrage at her daughter using wire coat hangers while beating her with one. The term "No wire coat hangers ever!" became famous.  

And every person my age knows that coat hangers were used by desperate women to bring about  abortions.  Many of them died and others required hysterectomies. Decades ago the hangers became the symbol of dangerous, illegal abortions.  

But I don't think that the misuse of the hanger is what's causing it's current bad reputation.  I think it's fashion.  

I came home and looked in my closets to find a mishmash of wire, wooden, plastic and combos of all.  I decided to get rid of all the weird, different shaped hangers and keep only the uniform wire hangers with that little cardboard roll on the bottom for hanging pants.  

I donated the others to Jobs Partnerships.

*** 

Restoration

 

Yesterday morning, in church, we finished up a sermon series titled Restoration based on the Old Testament book of Amos.  Wowzers, it was hard.  Amos has almost nothing but bad news for us.  

Some Sundays these last few weeks, I would have been happier to just see videos of puppies and kittens. But I fully understand why we need to study Amos.  Many of his dire warnings apply to our situation here in the US of A.  

Pastor Philip started by saying "We made it through the hurricane and (sigh) we made it through the book of Amos!"  But Pastor Philip reminded us that this did not result in instant restoration .  And he then preached an excellent sermon on restoring our ruined cities and living in them. There were strong leaders of the Israelite community who butted heads on how to go forward. Just like us.  

However, I want to share Amos' words in this last chapter with you.  It's a message I need to hear and I was kind of shocked with how it speaks, right after the devastating Hurricane Ian, to us Floridans at this particular time. 

Amos 9:11 I will restore David's fallen shelter - I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins - and will rebuild it as it used to be.

Amos 9:15  They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them.  They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. 

Thanks Amos and thanks Pastor Philip.

***