Today’s post begins with a fractal called Medal. I chose it because I believe everyone I mention in this post deserves one: the image was as close as I could come. So please accept my humble thanks and gratitude for all that you’ve done.
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Some months ago, an on-line friend began sending “Gratitudes” to a list we both belong to. Her name is Brenda Santer and she lives in Saskatoon Saskatchewan: we’ve never met or spoken but have carried on a friendship that has lasted for almost ten years. Admittedly, I often don’t read her “Gratitudes”--not because I don’t care or don't want to but because I’m buried in e-Mail. (I get a s##t load of e-Mail.) Right now she’s having a lot of troubles in “RL” but she still posts these “gratitudes” about once a week.
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I’m the type of person who tends to look at the glass being half empty rather than half full. All too often I find I concentrate on what I don’t have rather than what I DO have. But once I started thinking about it I came to realize that I have quite a bit to be grateful for. I made a list of all the things for which I am grateful and decided to post it on my blog. I think it's a nice change from bitching about politics local scandals. (NOTE TO MY “LOYAL“ READERS: if you didn’t make the list that doesn’t mean I’m NOT grateful for you. It is by no means complete but I think it’s a good start…)
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RON’S GRATITUDES
ROBYN: my titian-haired everluscious lady has stuck with me through thick and thin and seldom wanted to put me out. I’m glad I can still make you laugh after all these years. I don’t know how many other women would consent to be my life-sized “Barbie” doll and let me play dress-up with her. My dearest love--you are as talented as she is beautiful and always makes me smile inside. You are more special then you will know and I am more grateful for you than anyone or anything else I have in my life.
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MY FAMILY: Wanda, who never hesitates to lend to lend a helping hand, Jane who has opened her home so many times to my unexpected visits and always been a wonderful hostess, Andrea who is as talented as she is witty and who somehow always makes me laugh and Tanya who doesn’t throttle me when we discuss politics. I couldn’t ask for a better bunch of sisters--even when you DO frustrate me a bit (as I‘m sure I do them on a regular basis). I am also grateful for Missy who is the best Niece an Uncle could ask for (even though I don’t think she gets me most of the time), for my Nephew Glenn-Bob because he DOES get it (and he lets me call him “Glenn-Bob” even though that’s not his name!) For Lance and his wife Jenn--both cool people who let me call their first-born "Michael Recycle". And for my niece Jenn DeGarmo who turned out to be way more talented then me. I’m even grateful for my Sister-in-Law Wendy (the Sex Dwarf) because my antics never fail to make her laugh. I can't finish this secion without also expressiing gratitude for my half-brother Keith who has welcomed us as part of his family after a separation that lasted for almost fifty years. I am grateful for the opportunity to get to know my half-niece Audrey from New Zealand who is beyond awesome too.
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MY FRIENDS: my real-world friends Alison Young and Andrea Pitzenbarger are the coolest ladies anyone could ever ask for as friends. For Paul "Sprocket" Schmidit because what would "Chubbs" be without a "Sprocket"? I am lucky to have people like you in my life. Alison’s daughter Eris (whom I’ve known since I was her “cah-gee-oh”) has turned out to be an awesome young lady that I am proud to know. I don’t fear for the world with people like her in the younger generation. I am grateful for my Church Family who are so kind and supportive--especially Bill Fugard (without whom I’d have been lost in Choir for these past twelve years) Terry Dooley (who taught me a lot about wine and cars) and for Lionel and Marsha Grove who show us all what a marriage should be. I am also grateful for the on-line community of friends I’ve made over the years: Chris H, (who I‘ve known longer than anyone) Jana, (my favorite witch and adopted sister) Andy from England, Sean and Tracy form New Jersey and all the folks from Elysium who have been so supportive through my trials and tribulations. I appreciate all of your talents and the gift of your friendship and have become a better person because of you. I can’t end this section without also thanking Brenda who has inspired me more times than she will ever know. I love writing with you and hope we’ll continue to be e-Mail buddies for a long time.
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THE MOVE: yes, packing is a hassle and the process is going to be a huge P.I.T.A. Still, it gives us a chance to get rid of stuff we don’t need and probably should have tossed long ago. In all honesty the move is going to be an upgrade: our new home is larger and in a better neighborhood. Our new town is smaller which means fewer big city problems and a MUCH shorter (five minutes!) commute. Still, should we want, the OC and Los Angeles are just over the mountains.
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GOOD FOOD, GOOD MUSIC, THEATER and GOOD FRIENDS to enjoy then with. These are my personal passions. Living where I do I have the opportunity to see wonderful live theater and concerts as well as a lot of wonderful dining options. Whether it be national tours or regional theater I’ve had an opportunity to see a lot of wonderful shows and concerts that I’d have missed should I have not have moved to the OC. I don’t think that needs much more explanation.
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MY TALENT: this is complete vanity (and maybe shouldn‘t be on the list) but I‘m putting it in anyway. I am grateful that I can express myself through music, poetry and creative writing. I may not be the best at any of them but I certainly am glad I have the ability and opportunity to get this stuff out of my head and off my chest in a creative way. Without them I probably be completely “coco-loco” by now.
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YOU: anyone who takes time out of their schedule to take a look at my writings has given me a special gift. I appreciate your time and input (should you choose to leave any).
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My life may not be the best in the world but I really do have a lot to be grateful for. Compared to most of the world I have it pretty damn good--and so do we all.
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Think about it (and maybe start your OWN list of gratitudes…)
Picking a fractal for today’s post wasn’t easy: I finally settled on an image called Fracture--mainly because of the title rather than the pretty image The “Haidl Trial” was the first blow that destroyed “America’s Sherriff” Mike Carona’s career--and destroyed several other lives. The trial and prison sentances are over now but I still feel the need to comment.
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So the sad, sad, Haidl saga has finally come to an end: last week Greg Haidl was released from prison after serving less than two years of a six-year sentence for rape. Co-defendants Keith Spann and Kyle Nachriner finished their sentences earlier this year. It took two trials to get the convictions and it was one of the saddest (if spectacular) trials in recent Orange County history.
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For those of you who don’t know the story of what happened, here’s a quick recap: Gregg Haidl, Keith Spann and Kyle Nachriner drugged and assaulted a “Jane Doe” on the family pool table, raped her with a pool cue, burned her with cigarettes and taped their performance to share with friends. (It is important to note that Greg is the son of then-Undersherriff Don Haidl.) During the trial the victim was portrayed as a “wanna-be porn star” who fully cooperated in what happened (and even enjoyed it). During the first trial the Orange County District Attorney charged them with everything he could think of: the trial ended with a hopelessly deadlocked jury. The charges were substantially reduced in Trial #2 (and they still didn’t win convictions on everything. (At least all three are going to have to register as Sex Offenders for the rest of their lives.)
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More than anything else, what disturbed me most about the trial (other than how horribly the victim was treated) was the absolute arrogance of the three defendants. None of them seemed the least bit sorry to me--even after being convicted. It’s hard to think that these three young men could be so cruel and not have the slightest bit of conscience about what they did. Maybe their time in prison will have changed them for the better but frankly I doubt it. I’d also like to think that we’ve heard the last of this loser trio but I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find out that Haidl the younger is back in the news for doing something equally heinous (if not more so).
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I know a $26 Million Dollar lawsuit was filed--but I don’t know if the trial has happened or if their has been any kind of settlement reached. But if this case SHOULD go to trial it’s going to be a huge and very ugly mess. A lot of more-than-questionable things happened during the criminal trials (like the victims true identity being broadcast and her medical records being released) so I fully expect the Civil Trial (if it happens) is going to be even worse.
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I’ll be very interested to see what happens with the civil case but there is something about the past cases that has bugged me since Day One. Police came to the Haidl residence but found the pool table cover and the carpet had been changed as well as the couch removed.--and it took less than twelve hours. That had to take A LOT of cash (thank God Don Haidl is a multimillionaire). I’m no Lawyer but in my view this was clearly as case of evidence-tampering (or worse) and yet NOBODY was ever charged and during the trial the Prosecution barely made mention of this fact. Was that because Don Haidl was “BFF” with then-Sherriff Mike Carona? I don’t know--but it is painfully clear that the police investigation was sloppy at best because of his position and connections.
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If anything “good” can be said to have come out of this--it’s the fact that it got people looking into the way the Orange County Sherriff’s Department was run. People stopped buying the hype and started taking a hard look at things that had been ignored or unnoticed for far too long. The victim was no saint but she didn’t deserve what happened to her: I only hope the incident was enough to giver her a wakeup call on how she is living her life. I also hope is serves as a wakeup call to any girls who should decide to hook up with the three defendants. Considering what these boys were willing to put on tape I wonder what they are willing to do behind closed doors. Ladies beware.
Today’s post begins with a fractal called Bows and Feathers. I picked it because of the many colors, and frothy content: it reminded me of the movie I’ll be reviewing. Besides, I couldn’t come up with anything better for Sex and the City…
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I probably should begin this review with a confession: I’m not a big fan of Sex and the City. By all rights I should have been--I live by the words “eggshell and ecru--there IS a difference and the difference IS important!” The show is a wonderful, frothy confection with a hint of spice--just what I like! Still, I never had HBO and they took all the “good stuff” (nudity) out for broadcast television so I don’t think I’ve ever watched an entire episode of the series. That was one of the many reasons I was worried about seeing the movie and waited to see it. Still, Robyn decided she wanted to see it so we finally went… Something else you should probably know--you DON’T have to be a fan of the series to enjoy the movie.
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The movie begins with quick recaps of the four leads back story. It’s a bit talky (as is a lot of this movie) but even a non-fan like me quickly learns all they need to know about all the characters. Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) is the central figure and narrator. Her story involves the trials and tribulations of her marriage to “Big” (Chris Noth). Fiftyish, once and future sex kitten Samantha Jones (Kim Catrall) has left NYC for the shores of Malibu to manage her actor boy toy Smith (Jason Lewis) and she has begun to feel like she's losing her own identity. Big shot lawyer Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) has moved to Brooklyn with her bartender boyfriend Steve Brady (David Eigenberg): they are having “intimacy issues.” Charlotte York (Kristen Davis) has married to lawyer Harry Goldblatt (Evan Handler) and they have adopted a baby girl form China. (Miranda is the only one who is happy and stays that way through the whole movie.) Several “old favorites” from the series also make brief return visits. Jennifer Hudson (fresh off of her Oscar-winning role in Dreamgirls) plays new character Louise who has a small but pivotal role in moving the story forward.
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You can probably figure out most of the plot details from the above description. The plot is pretty standard except for a few things that made me go “say what?” (Honestly, I don’t know if that was just me being a non-fan or if the writers “oopsed” a bit during the scripting.) The actors all serve their roles adequately and the direction never gets in the way of the story. Jennifer Hudson won’t be winning an Oscar this time for her performance but she may well be their for her performance of the song under the closing credits. The movie, like the series, has a real love affair with New York City--and the city almost becomes a character in itself.
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Sex and the City is THE summer’s “chick flick” but guys can enjoy it too. Fans of the series will surely love it and non-fans will at least enjoy it. Men probably won’t completely hate it and kids shouldn’t see it. (The movie has some nudity and a lof of rough language but I don’t think they were included for gratuitous purposes.) By now I imagine it will be a bit hard to find this movie in a first-run theater but it’s well worth checking out in a second-run house or on DVD.
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FINAL GRADE: B
I chose Celestial Dragon for a variety of reasons (many of which you will understand if you go see the movie I am reviewing today). It will take entirely too long to explain all those reasons so just go see the movie and find out for yourself!
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Who would have thought that the first “must see” movie of Summer 2008 was Kung Fu Panda? Frankly, the ads didn’t give me a lot of hope for anything other than a cute kids movie--boy was I wrong! Kung Fu Panda might just be this year’s “perfect” summer movie! (Of course Will Smith’s latest hasn’t bowed yet so who knows?)
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Yes, you’ve seen this story before--lovable loser embraces his weakness to achieve a “Great Destiny”. This time they add the twist that the lovable loser will also bring peace to his master. Plot-wise there are no revelations but the script saves this movie from utter pedantry: it offers a near-perfect balance of action, comedy, sweetness and self-discovery.
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Jack Black is the perfect voice for Po. (There are few Actors who could make a line like “legends tell us of a legendary warrior who’s Kung Fu skills were the stuff of legend” and make us appreciate it. The movie’s entire fate rests of his shoulders and he rises to the occasion. Dustin Hoffman voices Master Shifu (a “Red Panda”) makes us believe his transformation from bitter leader to fatherly friend. Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen and David Cross gives voice to the “Furious Five”--Shifu’s prized students. (They aren‘t given much to do--one of the few “down“ sides of the movie.) Ian McShane is the villainous Snow Leopard Tai Lung (with serious “father issues”). Randall Duk Kim is the ancient turtle Oogway (what an oddly non-Chinese name!) who serves as a combo Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
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The rendering is beautifully cinematic with a colorful palette and amazing artistically touches. Scenes move seamlessly from intimate to epic with nary a misstep anywhere. The many Kung Fu battles are as artfully-done as anything a Martial Arts fan could see in a live-action flick. (The battle over a dumpling is a definite “must see” for any movie fan.) I watched a bit of AntZ and was amazed to see how much computer animation has advanced in ten years.
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Kung Fu Panda is the rarest of movies that offers something for the entire family. I saw the movie with a large crowd that had everything from “littles” to grandparents and everybody laughed. It’s not too long for the kiddies and there are enough jokes aimed at the older set to keep adults enthralled. There is no bad language or questionable content to upset “itty-bitties” and enough combat to satisfy the most-rabid action and adventure fans, There’s something for everyone except for romantic comedy devotees. I fully expect to see Kung Fu Panda at the Oscars (for “animated feature” of course).
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FINAL GRADE: A
Today’s post begins with a fractal called Marital Pride. I created it on the day San Francisco began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in spite of Proposition 22 (which defined “marriage” only as a union between ONE man and ONE woman.) Considering the subject matter the fractal seemed singularly appropriate.
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Last May (I don’t have the exact date) the California State Supreme Court ruled Proposition 22 to be unconstitutional and directed state agencies to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Opponents mounted a request for a “Stay” until a new measure could be placed on the ballot in November. June 2nd it was announced the measure had enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. On June 3rd the State Supreme Court ruled against the stay. So as of June 17th same-sex couples will be allowed to marry (at least until the Proposition passes in November). What happens after that nobody knows…
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Way back when Proposition 22 was put on the ballot advocates made a big point of saying that it was in no way an attempt to deprive ANYONE of rights but simply was to PROTECT marriage. OK could somebody PLEASE explain to me why marriages NEEDS to be protected? Is legalization of same-sex marriage going to cause of family break-ups as people abandon their partners for new partners? Honestly, I don’t see this happening. Will same-sex marriages diminish the institution in any way? I can’t see how. They also say we must protect the “Sanctity of Marriage”. (President George W. Bush said this on more than one occasion.) Senator and Republican Presidential-Candidate John McCain said we should honor the “unique status of a marriage between a man and woman” (on the Ellen show. Here’s a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7addd1-SY8. Check it out for yourself.) All I want to know is this--what exactly IS the “unique status” of marriage? For the life of me I can’t think what the might be and why we need to protect it.
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Senator McCain said he believes people should be able to “enter into legal agreements” especially in the case of “insurance and other things”. Still, you have to contrast that with what the Court said: (paraphrasing here--domestic partnerships are not equivalent. We learned back when Racial Integration in the schools wasn’t a regular thing that separate but equal isn’t equal at all. Much as some people might wish it to be otherwise there will always be those who deny same-sex couples their rights until they are granted the right to marry. I saw this happen with my dear friends Joyce and Jeanne and I think what happened to them was frankly criminal.
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For foes of same-sex marriage it primarily boils down to religious objections. The First Amendment guarantees Religious Freedom. It seems to me though, that BECAUSE of said First Amendment Religious Groups shouldn’t be allowed to force their viewpoints on everyone else
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In the end it boils down to one simple question. Is marriage a “Sacred Institution” or is it a “Civil Contract”? If marriage truly IS a sacred institution then the government has NO BUSINESS meddling with that. Each Church can decide what they think constitutes a “sacred union” and everyone would have to respect that. Logical extension also indicates that married couples should lose their tax benefits and whatever “unique status“ marriage brings. If marriage is a “Civil Contract” there isn’t any reason why same-sex couples SHOULDN’T be allowed the same benefits as hetero couples.
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Think about it . . .
Today’s post begins with a fractal called Medal. I chose it because I believe everyone I mention in this post deserves one: the image was as close as I could come. So please accept my humble thanks and gratitude for all that you’ve done.
