Since we're trying to watch our pennies like everybody else we decided to check out the discount movie theater close to my house this afternoon. I had not been there since it was transformed after the new state of the art stadium theaters made these older theaters call it quits a few years ago.
What a surprise. The theater has been remodeled, is clean and comfortable. It shows second run movies, i. e., just a little older than first runs. The cost is $1.50 per ticket but on Tuesdays it's 75 cents.
We hadn't planned to see a movie right then but one of the six choices was just starting so we paid our money and walked in.
We saw a movie than neither of us would have chosen to see in any other circumstances.
We saw The Mummy 3, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
What fun! I laughed out loud all the way through. The photography was breathtaking. I could see it again with the sound off.
I have no idea who all of these actors are, except for Brendan Frasier, but they were beautiful, had good skin and could withstand multiple killings without getting mussed up.
Maybe we'll go back next Tuesday and see "Hancock" or "Get Smart." At 75 cents it's worth a shot.
***
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Our First Home
During my 44 year marriage to a Methodist minister this is the first and only home we owned until we bought our retirement condo.
In 1970, two years out of seminary, we lived in a lovely parsonage in Fort Lauderdale. Then my husband went from being the associate pastor at a large downtown church to starting an urban ministry.
There was no parsonage. After a short time in an apartment we bought this little bungalow close to downtown. We had three small children, including one in diapers - and one on the way. We lived there for seven happy years.
A couple of days ago my two sons were in Ft. Lauderdale for a meeting. One of them took this picture with his cell phone from the car. He was astounded that the entire house fit into the frame.
We enclosed the carport to extend the tiny living room. The family room in the back held our big dining room table where we had all of our meals. If we had tried to eat in the dining area we would have had to do it in shifts.
What is an urban ministry? We started with the two of us in a downtown storefront office. Seven years later there was a small paid staff of highly qualified people and hundreds of unpaid staff and volunteers - including a dozen full time VISTA Volunteers (domestic peace corp.)
We were community organizers - and proud of it.
All the while we lived in our little bungalow, a few feet from the elementary school, in a safe neighborhood full of kids. My older son has happy memories of this home, My younger son (the one who took the picture) doesn't remember it at all.
***
Friday, October 10, 2008
The Do
You may remember my hair routine. Wash, mousse, brush. Repeat daily.
But on Tuesday my hair was a mess so I dropped into a hair place. While waiting I looked at one of those hair magazines that have names for all the "Do's." The "Stephanie" or the "Rachael," etc.
I asked for a wash, trim and style. As the young lady (20 years old) and I chit chatted I regaled her with my love story, including the fact that I was meeting my Boyfriend at the airport that night.
She got excited and said, "Let me give you a special do!"
"Fine."
So she moussed and sprayed and even put big rollers on my very short hair. It ended up with these long bangs separated off center and plastered down, with the big hair behind that. Nice, but a bit too much for me.
Yesterday morning just before I washed it out and just after looking at my Newsweek magazine I had to finally admit what I had suspected all along.
She gave me a Sarah Palin do.
***
But on Tuesday my hair was a mess so I dropped into a hair place. While waiting I looked at one of those hair magazines that have names for all the "Do's." The "Stephanie" or the "Rachael," etc.
I asked for a wash, trim and style. As the young lady (20 years old) and I chit chatted I regaled her with my love story, including the fact that I was meeting my Boyfriend at the airport that night.
She got excited and said, "Let me give you a special do!"
"Fine."
So she moussed and sprayed and even put big rollers on my very short hair. It ended up with these long bangs separated off center and plastered down, with the big hair behind that. Nice, but a bit too much for me.
Yesterday morning just before I washed it out and just after looking at my Newsweek magazine I had to finally admit what I had suspected all along.
She gave me a Sarah Palin do.
***
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Seeing Things in a Different Way
Remember the 1950 movie "Born Yesterday" staring Judy Holiday who always played a dumb blond but outdid herself in this movie? She won an Academy Award for it.
The story, written by the great Garson Kanin, has Judy as the girlfriend of a mobster played by Broderick Crawford. He thinks she's so dumb that he hires a journalist, played by William Holden, to tutor her.
Holden is frustrated. She can't even read. Then he discovers she can't see. She needs glasses.
After that everything changes. They both discover she's really smart. She starts looking at her life and the life of the thug she's been living with.
In the end Judy and William get the goods on Broderick and his corrupt Washington insider buddies and have them sent to jail.
Judy and William live happily ever after.
To me, this story has many applications.
In a sense, it could explain the Christian word "conversion." Nothing had changed for Judy on the outside but when she put on the glasses everything looked different. The change was inside her. For the first time she could see things for real.
I've been thinking about the movie "Born Yesterday" and our current world wide mess.
Maybe it's time for us to put our glasses on and start seeing things in a little different way.
***
The story, written by the great Garson Kanin, has Judy as the girlfriend of a mobster played by Broderick Crawford. He thinks she's so dumb that he hires a journalist, played by William Holden, to tutor her.
Holden is frustrated. She can't even read. Then he discovers she can't see. She needs glasses.
After that everything changes. They both discover she's really smart. She starts looking at her life and the life of the thug she's been living with.
In the end Judy and William get the goods on Broderick and his corrupt Washington insider buddies and have them sent to jail.
Judy and William live happily ever after.
To me, this story has many applications.
In a sense, it could explain the Christian word "conversion." Nothing had changed for Judy on the outside but when she put on the glasses everything looked different. The change was inside her. For the first time she could see things for real.
I've been thinking about the movie "Born Yesterday" and our current world wide mess.
Maybe it's time for us to put our glasses on and start seeing things in a little different way.
***
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Winners and Losers
The CEO of Lehman Brothers went before congress yesterday.
As Ricky Ricardo used to say, "He had some 'splainin' to do."
The collapse of Lehman Brothers is seen by many as the start of the domino effect that's currently being felt around the world.
Our congressional leaders were questioning Mr. Fuld about the personal compensation being taken home by Lehman Brothers executives even while the company was imploding.
It seems that, over the last few years, Mr. Fuld has personally taken home 500 million dollars.
That's $500,000,000.00.
He took a while to dispute that figure and said he thought it was closer to 300 million dollars. But, still, that seems like a lot of money to me.
***
As Ricky Ricardo used to say, "He had some 'splainin' to do."
The collapse of Lehman Brothers is seen by many as the start of the domino effect that's currently being felt around the world.
Our congressional leaders were questioning Mr. Fuld about the personal compensation being taken home by Lehman Brothers executives even while the company was imploding.
It seems that, over the last few years, Mr. Fuld has personally taken home 500 million dollars.
That's $500,000,000.00.
He took a while to dispute that figure and said he thought it was closer to 300 million dollars. But, still, that seems like a lot of money to me.
***
Love in the Time of Flu Shots
When I was having my annual physical this morning my doctor told me about three times that she wanted to give me a flu shoot. Each time I told her, no, I've signed up to have one tomorrow at my church.
My doctor is an excellent diagnostician, is thorough and bossy. I like that. She has absolutely no time for small talk. I don't really mind that but sometimes I like to make her laugh.
The third time she mentioned the flu shot I replied by saying:
"My boyfriend's flying in tonight and we're going to do something very romantic tomorrow."
At that she broke her "no small talk" rule.
She said "Oh?"
"Yes, we're going to get flu shots together."
She allowed as how, yes, that was romantic - and she stopped bugging me about getting one today.
***
My doctor is an excellent diagnostician, is thorough and bossy. I like that. She has absolutely no time for small talk. I don't really mind that but sometimes I like to make her laugh.
The third time she mentioned the flu shot I replied by saying:
"My boyfriend's flying in tonight and we're going to do something very romantic tomorrow."
At that she broke her "no small talk" rule.
She said "Oh?"
"Yes, we're going to get flu shots together."
She allowed as how, yes, that was romantic - and she stopped bugging me about getting one today.
***
Fashion Statement
This morning I had my annual physical. No big whoop!
But since I didn't have breakfast prior to blood work, I stopped at the service station next to the medical office afterwards for coffee and an oatmeal cookie. I sat in my car to eat them because it was freezing in the station - and I could listen to classical music on NPR.
So next to me pulls up this car with two young African American men inside. I was totally fascinated by their wardrobe when they got out of the car. Really decked out from top to bottom. But what I noticed most was their pants. One guy's belt was literally wrapped under his bottom. His bottom was covered by bright red underwear (I guess.) Walking into the store seemed to be quite an engineering feat.
Several counties in Florida, and other states now have "baggy pants" laws so that you can actually get arrested for wearing this get up.
How did I feel about it? Like I said, I was fascinated. But I wasn't offended. They were totally covered up. I could have been a little jealous because their clothes looked to be more expensive than mine, but otherwise it seemed to be just a fashion statement.
I wanted to lower my window and compliment them on their look but then decided that having an older white woman in an older Camry say that she enjoyed their clothes might not be a compliment they would appreciate.
***
But since I didn't have breakfast prior to blood work, I stopped at the service station next to the medical office afterwards for coffee and an oatmeal cookie. I sat in my car to eat them because it was freezing in the station - and I could listen to classical music on NPR.
So next to me pulls up this car with two young African American men inside. I was totally fascinated by their wardrobe when they got out of the car. Really decked out from top to bottom. But what I noticed most was their pants. One guy's belt was literally wrapped under his bottom. His bottom was covered by bright red underwear (I guess.) Walking into the store seemed to be quite an engineering feat.
Several counties in Florida, and other states now have "baggy pants" laws so that you can actually get arrested for wearing this get up.
How did I feel about it? Like I said, I was fascinated. But I wasn't offended. They were totally covered up. I could have been a little jealous because their clothes looked to be more expensive than mine, but otherwise it seemed to be just a fashion statement.
I wanted to lower my window and compliment them on their look but then decided that having an older white woman in an older Camry say that she enjoyed their clothes might not be a compliment they would appreciate.
***
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