It’s four hours long, but not boring. I get the Kenneth Branagh “thing” now. It was very cinematic in scope and I liked it.
poster from: http://www.impawards.com/1996/hamlet.html
Three sentence movie reviews: Hamlet
Category: All (-ish)
Chartreuse stripes
My walk to the train was a bit greener today.
Three sentence movie reviews: Captain America
I liked this last summer in the theater and I liked it when I watched it as part of the Avengers Assembly movie series. I think Hugo Weaving playing the villain was the best of the Avengers villains and I think that Chris Evans manages to project a vulnerability left over from his scrawny days that suits his character. However, the people we watched the movie with pointed out some inconsistencies in the ending which I hadn’t considered, which prompted Matt to show us a clip from How it Should Have Ended which was incredibly funny, given that the point had just come up.
Essay: On houses, homes, corporations and large armies
Women who make a house a home
make a far greater contribution to society than those who command large armies
or stand at the head of impressive corporations. Gordon B. Hinckley.
make a far greater contribution to society than those who command large armies
or stand at the head of impressive corporations. Gordon B. Hinckley.
One of
my friends posted this quote on Facebook.
I have several problems with this quote and Facebook was not the place
to dissect it. But luckily, we have the
essay of the week. And so:
my friends posted this quote on Facebook.
I have several problems with this quote and Facebook was not the place
to dissect it. But luckily, we have the
essay of the week. And so:
Making
a house a home is an important part of society.
Let’s just get this out of the way right now. People (right now primarily women) who “do
not work” outside the home are a valuable part of our society. Families who can have one parent happily stay
home full time not only benefit their own children, but the availability for
volunteering, carpools, baking and the like has a ripple effect around
them. At the school where I work, we
have parents who work outside the home who volunteer. However, a lot of the heavy volunteer lifting
gets done by parents who do not have paid employment outside the home. If you are a “stay at home” mom (or dad), I
greatly salute you.
a house a home is an important part of society.
Let’s just get this out of the way right now. People (right now primarily women) who “do
not work” outside the home are a valuable part of our society. Families who can have one parent happily stay
home full time not only benefit their own children, but the availability for
volunteering, carpools, baking and the like has a ripple effect around
them. At the school where I work, we
have parents who work outside the home who volunteer. However, a lot of the heavy volunteer lifting
gets done by parents who do not have paid employment outside the home. If you are a “stay at home” mom (or dad), I
greatly salute you.
Why
only women? I think the part of this
quote that irks me the most is that it takes one gender and assigns them a
role. This closes the door for people of
the opposite gender to take that path and it relegates the assigned to that
role. This is often done blatantly by
religious leaders, and subtly by a good portion of the society. Once upon a time, a Muslim man came to talk
about Islam to the high school youth group I was advising and he stated that
women spend so much time raising the children, they don’t have time to be
involved in politics. I wondered if
women who did not have children and thus were not busy raising them could trade
in their free time for politics instead, if that was what interested them.
only women? I think the part of this
quote that irks me the most is that it takes one gender and assigns them a
role. This closes the door for people of
the opposite gender to take that path and it relegates the assigned to that
role. This is often done blatantly by
religious leaders, and subtly by a good portion of the society. Once upon a time, a Muslim man came to talk
about Islam to the high school youth group I was advising and he stated that
women spend so much time raising the children, they don’t have time to be
involved in politics. I wondered if
women who did not have children and thus were not busy raising them could trade
in their free time for politics instead, if that was what interested them.
I think
I would also like a better sample size before making Hinkley’s pronouncement
above. Few women are the head of
corporations and fewer still command large armies. If the few that do those things do those
tasks well, are they still not making a great contribution to society? And is it because they are women and not
making a house a home? That seems a
little unfair. Given that we don’t yet have a representative sample, I would
say that the data is not yet in.
I would also like a better sample size before making Hinkley’s pronouncement
above. Few women are the head of
corporations and fewer still command large armies. If the few that do those things do those
tasks well, are they still not making a great contribution to society? And is it because they are women and not
making a house a home? That seems a
little unfair. Given that we don’t yet have a representative sample, I would
say that the data is not yet in.
This
quote also gives us a false choice of either “house/home” or
“armies/corporations” Can one not do both?
Granted, in the United States today we lag far behind the rest of our
peers in the world in making jobs friendly to families, but say that a woman
works part-time outside the home and part-time inside the home? Is she still making a great contribution to
society, or is she required to only be a full-time homemaker?
quote also gives us a false choice of either “house/home” or
“armies/corporations” Can one not do both?
Granted, in the United States today we lag far behind the rest of our
peers in the world in making jobs friendly to families, but say that a woman
works part-time outside the home and part-time inside the home? Is she still making a great contribution to
society, or is she required to only be a full-time homemaker?
If a
person does not want to make a house a home, but does it under duress, that
person’s home probably isn’t much fun to be in.
The fact is, if you are a woman who is not into making a house a
home—and there are many such women out there—but you do that because you are
“supposed to” your results might not be very good. Better to outsource some of your homemaking
work to others who are more into it and put your energy where your interests
are. As the needlepoint says, “When mama
ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” If
full-time homemaking isn’t your thing, find something that is.
person does not want to make a house a home, but does it under duress, that
person’s home probably isn’t much fun to be in.
The fact is, if you are a woman who is not into making a house a
home—and there are many such women out there—but you do that because you are
“supposed to” your results might not be very good. Better to outsource some of your homemaking
work to others who are more into it and put your energy where your interests
are. As the needlepoint says, “When mama
ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” If
full-time homemaking isn’t your thing, find something that is.
I must
take a moment to note the speaker.
Gordon B. Hinckley was the President of the Mormon Church for nearly 13
years. Why is it that powerful men make
statements such as this? While it
supposedly lifts women up, it also cuts them off from roles other than
homemaker. Currently, no woman can be
head of the Mormon Church, as Hinckley was.
His job is not available to women.
Thus his words seem to put women in their place, hand them a bit of
candy and pat them on the head, as he gets on with other business. Business that no one will ever question the
value of. Making a house a home is an
important part of our society and I think both men and women should be able to
do it, if that’s their calling. But if
it isn’t their calling, society is best served if they go into the world and do
what they do well, even if that is heading an army or running a large corporation. And even if they are a woman.
take a moment to note the speaker.
Gordon B. Hinckley was the President of the Mormon Church for nearly 13
years. Why is it that powerful men make
statements such as this? While it
supposedly lifts women up, it also cuts them off from roles other than
homemaker. Currently, no woman can be
head of the Mormon Church, as Hinckley was.
His job is not available to women.
Thus his words seem to put women in their place, hand them a bit of
candy and pat them on the head, as he gets on with other business. Business that no one will ever question the
value of. Making a house a home is an
important part of our society and I think both men and women should be able to
do it, if that’s their calling. But if
it isn’t their calling, society is best served if they go into the world and do
what they do well, even if that is heading an army or running a large corporation. And even if they are a woman.
Three sentence movie reviews: City Island
This was one of those movies I want to just go and live in for a few days. Great acting, funny, complex without being confusing, and full of warmth. I enjoyed it so much I requested the director’s other movies from the library and I highly recommend you watch this one.
poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2009/city_island.html
Three sentence movie reviews: Thor
Last year, I mostly did not like this film, finding the main actor cheese-o-riffic, though I liked the special effects. Upon re-watching it for our Avengers Assembly, I liked it quite a bit more. I think it was because I was prepared for Thor’s he-man looks and funny facial/head hair, but somehow the whole movie seemed a bit deeper the second time around.
poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2011/thor.html
Essay: On Gradual Changes
Around this time of year, I begin to catalog the many tiny
changes that mean we are finally on the road to my favorite time of year:
summer. Just recently I noticed that
rather than putting on my warm wool socks immediately upon crawling into bed, I
had been going to sleep with my feet bare.
Instead of wearing both my warm flannel top and bottom pajamas I have
switched out the flannel top for a long-sleeved cotton shirt. Not only do I not immediately grope for my
robe upon waking, I haven’t worn it in weeks.
And most importantly, I’ve stopped constantly checking the thermometer
next to the thermostat to see just how cold it is in the house. I haven’t turned on the heat for weeks.
changes that mean we are finally on the road to my favorite time of year:
summer. Just recently I noticed that
rather than putting on my warm wool socks immediately upon crawling into bed, I
had been going to sleep with my feet bare.
Instead of wearing both my warm flannel top and bottom pajamas I have
switched out the flannel top for a long-sleeved cotton shirt. Not only do I not immediately grope for my
robe upon waking, I haven’t worn it in weeks.
And most importantly, I’ve stopped constantly checking the thermometer
next to the thermostat to see just how cold it is in the house. I haven’t turned on the heat for weeks.
So we’re on the upswing to warm weather, hallelujah! And I’ve been thinking about how trying to
make big changes in my habits and patterns follows a similar process. Just as
the weather can’t change immediately from lows of 20 degrees to lows of 70
degrees, but instead must move slowly from one day to the next, so do my attempts
at change make a transition at a pace that seems almost glacial.
make big changes in my habits and patterns follows a similar process. Just as
the weather can’t change immediately from lows of 20 degrees to lows of 70
degrees, but instead must move slowly from one day to the next, so do my attempts
at change make a transition at a pace that seems almost glacial.
Recently, I’ve been trying to get back into the habit of an
early morning walk. For most of last
year I successfully rose early enough to wander around my neighborhood for a
half hour. I liked my walks because they
ensured I had a minimum amount of fitness every day, I got to see the small
changes in the neighborhood and they were good for my mental state. The exercise was not difficult, and though it
was hard to get out the door on those freezing cold days that just kept on
coming last spring, I persevered and was rewarded on many levels.
early morning walk. For most of last
year I successfully rose early enough to wander around my neighborhood for a
half hour. I liked my walks because they
ensured I had a minimum amount of fitness every day, I got to see the small
changes in the neighborhood and they were good for my mental state. The exercise was not difficult, and though it
was hard to get out the door on those freezing cold days that just kept on
coming last spring, I persevered and was rewarded on many levels.
At some point, I fell off the horse. For some reason, remounting proved to be
incredibly difficult. For months I tried
various strategies to wake myself, get up and out of bed and out the door. I tried gradually moving back my waking
time. I tried going out for only fifteen
minutes. I tried plunging in and setting
my alarm earlier. I bought a dawn
simulator. I made deals with myself that were continually broken. It seemed I would never rise at 5:00am ever
again.
incredibly difficult. For months I tried
various strategies to wake myself, get up and out of bed and out the door. I tried gradually moving back my waking
time. I tried going out for only fifteen
minutes. I tried plunging in and setting
my alarm earlier. I bought a dawn
simulator. I made deals with myself that were continually broken. It seemed I would never rise at 5:00am ever
again.
Many years during Lent I assign myself a Lint Project.* They generally have to do with
self-improvement and some years are more successful than others. This year part of my Lint Project was a 30-minute walk every day. At first nothing
changed. I set the alarm, the alarm went
off, I reset the alarm and no walk occurred.
Even three weeks into the project I wasn’t having very much
success. But something clicked near the
end of the project and I’m headed back on track. I haven’t made it out for a walk every
morning, but there are more mornings that find me wandering than find me in
bed. It might have a lot to do with the
return of the light. Though sunrise
still happens after I have returned home from my walk, there is at least the
beginning of light when the alarm goes off.
But I also think it had a lot to do with my perseverance. I wanted to get back outside and so I kept at
it.
self-improvement and some years are more successful than others. This year part of my Lint Project was a 30-minute walk every day. At first nothing
changed. I set the alarm, the alarm went
off, I reset the alarm and no walk occurred.
Even three weeks into the project I wasn’t having very much
success. But something clicked near the
end of the project and I’m headed back on track. I haven’t made it out for a walk every
morning, but there are more mornings that find me wandering than find me in
bed. It might have a lot to do with the
return of the light. Though sunrise
still happens after I have returned home from my walk, there is at least the
beginning of light when the alarm goes off.
But I also think it had a lot to do with my perseverance. I wanted to get back outside and so I kept at
it.
A few days ago I came across this quote by Marian Wright
Edelman in my quote pile:
Edelman in my quote pile:
We must not, in trying
to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily
differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we
often cannot foresee.
to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily
differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we
often cannot foresee.
I was reminded of the many daily differences that deliver
summer to me each year and the many daily differences that resulted in my
change in early morning walk habits.
summer to me each year and the many daily differences that resulted in my
change in early morning walk habits.
*So named because one of my first official Lint Projects was
revitalizing my wardrobe during the season of Lent. Because I don’t think improving the clothing
in my closet is what the Christian season of Lent is all about, I renamed it
the Lint Project.
revitalizing my wardrobe during the season of Lent. Because I don’t think improving the clothing
in my closet is what the Christian season of Lent is all about, I renamed it
the Lint Project.
Something to consider.
They ask so nicely, it’s worth considering. This is the same corner that had the dueling Obama/Clinton signs during the 2008 primary season. I can’t remember if the Atheist house was Obama or Clinton and I can’t find my old post with the picture, either.
Watching a crane on a block.
Yes! I boiled them!
Thanks to my new cookbook Make the Bread, Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese I made bagels. When I told people I was going to/had made bagels every single person asked me, “Are you going to/Did you boil them?” And yes I did. Here’s proof.
I have to say that making the bagels was incredibly fun. It was a bit labor intensive, but well worth the time.
I love my new cookbook!