Message 437

Yesterday I had a quiet day around the condo. I did laundry and read some of the Barbara Kingsolver book that was given to me by Liz's friend Andrea. I also started reading The Economist that came in the mail yesterday. I am not meeting Helen and Jim at Starbucks until tomorrow, so I took my Boniva today instead of tomorrow as I had originally scheduled. I am now waiting the hour required before I can eat.

Last night I watched a DVD of the movie Thumb. It is about family dynamics and teenage angst. It tries hard to deal with important questions, like separation/individuation, for which I give it a lot of credit, but I think it is only partially successful. I give it three stars.

Message 436

I felt so good yesterday that I not only did my exercises, but I walked twice around the condo loop. In the afternoon I picked Beech up at school and took him to his Kung Fu class. Afterward we had pizza and he played on the game machines at Round Table Pizza.

In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie Winter Passing. The only cast members I was familiar with were Ed Harris and Will Farrell, the later playing an unusual role for him. The movie was about a family and friends who are very eccentric and borderline dysfunctional who struggle to carry on with living. At first I thought I do not need to see all this self destructive behavior, but in the end I came to admire the life affirming image of people managing to keep going as best they can in spite of everyone's strange circumstances and troubles. I give it four stars.

Message 435

Last night I watched a DVD of the movie Sylvia. It is about the life of Sylvia Plath, the great American writer who committed suicide and left her two toddlers behind. Gwyneth Paltrow did a super job playing Sylvia. The movie was disturbing to watch for me because it had so many elements that reminded me of my relationship with Betsy. Even though I did not really enjoy watching it I have to give it four stars for the power of its portrayal.

Message 434

I just got back from having breakfast at Heidi's Pies with Vanessa and Annie. I have dropped Annie off at Maureen's so she can have a nap before Vanessa takes her and Beech to their dentist appointment this afternoon. At 12:30 PM I have to go with Josh to give him a ride back to work while he has routine pre-paid maintenance done on his new car. He plans to drive two thousand miles over the next few days when he joins eight friends going to three Phish concerts here, and in Oregon and Washington.

Last night I watched a DVD of the movie The Weight of Water. It was a Sean Penn movie that was so/so. I give it three stars.

Message 433

Yesterday morning I took Annie with me while I had my bladder antibiotic refilled at PAMF. Vanessa took Beech to the doctor and met Annie and me at Nealon Park for play and lunch.

In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie In a Lonely Place. It is an old Humphrey Bogart movie that I had never heard of. It has recently been restored because it is considered a classic depiction of Hollywood life. I give it 3.8 stars.

Message 432

Yesterday I finished reading this week's Science. I finished The Economist the day before, but I forgot to mention it in yesterday's message. In the evening I had dinner at Julian and Vanessa's house. Julian grilled steaks and hamburgers. Vanessa made the mashed potatoes , salad, etc. Vanessa wants to start a tradition that every Sunday we all get together for a family meal. It is about the only time Julian sits down and eats with his family. He works such long hours during the week that the kids are in bed before he gets home.

PBS has another pledge drive going so there was no Masterpiece Theater this week. Instead I watched on of my collection that Julian and Vanessa had borrowed and watched the night before. It was called Temptress Moon. It was a Chinese movie about a fight between to Chinese tongs to control the opium trade. I could not understand who the various characters were, what their relationship was, and what was motivating them. I am sure I would appreciate it more if I watched it five or six more times, but it is not worth the trouble. I give it 2.9 stars because I found it too hard to understand.

Message 431

Yesterday Vanessa and Annie joined me for coffee at Starbucks. Beech and Julian were doing something else. Maureen and Gary also joined us. Afterward Vanessa, Annie went to Nealon Park for a while and then to Una Mas for lunch. Afterward I did my usual Saturday grocery shopping.

Las night I watched a DVD of the movie The Edge of Love. It is about Dylan Thomas and his wife and his girlfriend, and eventually the girlfriend's husband, in Britain during World War 2. I am a great admirer of Dylan Thomas' poetry, but I did not know anything about his life. I give it 3.6 stars. It may deserve more, but it was hard for me to understand a lot of the dialog.