Cheater

Challenge:
10 days, 10 movies that impacted me
No title, no description, just an image.

That was the challenge I got via Candace. That's the kind of fun I loved on FB when I first joined - lists, movie conversations, music arguments.  It still happens, but more rarely.
I enjoyed it.
I noticed other people went more for their 10 favorite and that's not the task at hand. I really tried to pick 10 that changed the way I look at films or the world or myself.
I left off a few like Best Years Of Our Lives, L.A. Confidential, Princess Bride because I've talked before on FB about their place in my life.
I went with #short films one day because it didn't say I couldn't so I had to pick the first recommendation of #shortfilmsunday by dear Chris Croucher and one of Marek Larwood's, as I love his work & he's been a huge supporter.

I planned to pick one film I hated or walked out of because that's an impact. It takes a lot for that. But with Nic Roeg passing, I went with Walkabout on that day instead.
So there it is. Lots of Aussies. Some memories of great trips to a theatre.
That's one of the best things about film - the memory of how you saw it.

Thanks for sharing

...my painter friend...

i wrote this back in 2013 when Lou Reed passed but posted on FB & not here so I'm updating.

 was never lucky enough to see Lou Reed live so the story that is in my brain is a late Sunday night at the Corktown in November - maybe 5 years ago? HMA award wknd. following the Frank Venom tribute. that Tom Wilson highjacked the stage & schooled the house band for a bit & finally broke into Sweet Jane. which was fantastic. & about 1/2 thru Tim Gibbons hit the stage with what started as a full-ish bottle of beer & danced his arse off in that way exhausted people do when they hear a song that is part of them.
The first 2 people I thought of were them & Karl Knack who I for sure has given me greater appreciated for Lou. I still crack out New York on a Saturday morning & let it soak in along with the coffee.
I can't make you feel what I feel. My ears are plugged from a cold & everything sounds like I'm listening from under water. including this news.
It doesn't seem real there's a world without Lou Reed in it making music.
Do something really truly brave this week if you really want to honour him.
I will.

"Listen to the rhythm. Don't be scared"

25 years.
I was already a bit of an Aussie film fan by then. "Breaker Morant". "Man From Snowy River" and heaps more to follow in the ensuing years.
I'm pretty sure it's one of the only films I ever saw at the theatre in Suttons Bay, MI. During the Suncoast years, when we were up in Traverse City. 
The cineplex in the mall there was pretty good & we went to the State on Front St a bit.
But we had a great Disney rep & these were prime Miramax years. She would offer us loads of screeners & was great about making sure we knew about films like this.
I played it a ton at work. What a pleasure to have something this quirky & interesting that was 'mall friendly'.
A kid named Mike worked at the Nascar kiosk in front of our store. I think he was as obsessed as I was. He was a good kid. We got to be friendly with him. He went back & got his GED & eventually we were able to hire him. After I left, he was moving up into management. 
Even thought those stores are all gone, I hope it gave him a good start & chance to be something more than mall dude in TC.
I just remember how much he loved this film. I don't think he'd known anything like this could exist.
I love it for many reasons and still love seeing the cast pop up in stuff.
But it's for sure one of my fonder memories of that time.
If you're one of my British pals, it's on the BBC iplayer. if you're elsewhere, seek it out. This, "Muriel's Wedding" & "Adv. of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" were a helluva back to back (to back) set for the venerable Bill Hunter there. It's worth a look for that alone.
Traverse City seems like a different life time, but this still feels like a fresh discovery to me.
Thanks for the memory. Handy that Christopher just brought me that U&I Lounge glass. I can have a Michigan beer while I watch.


AACTA Strictly Ballroom 25 years 

Suffragette City

When I was a kid, the big splurge for our family was to pay $30 for a yearly membership to the proper library.
Willard in Battle Creek. There was a tiny village library in our hometown of Athens but my mom read her way through that pretty quickly so on our weekly grocery shopping trip to the big city, we'd spend hours (literally) stocking up on books.

I loved anything that was a series so there were more - the "Little House" books,  the Betsy-Tacy adventures, Beany Malone & her family. I never felt much deprived of women authors. And I read my brother's selections of Greek mythology & Encyclopedia Brown along with my own choices. Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew.

We belonged to tons of books clubs also and mom didn't see the reason to deprive us of non-fiction so there was plenty of history around also.

I wish I could recall the name of the series of biographies* the library kept.  I mean,  they had 100's of reference books, even in the kids room but there was a special series. And they were all about women in history. Molly Pitcher. Clara Barton. Amelia Earhart. I devoured them all. I liked the Louisa May Alcott one better than her actual novels.  Our deck of 'Authors' assured I already knew who Ralph Waldo Emerson was & I found the idea of her family life fascinating.
For sure, the knowledge of Julia Ward Howe's life as writer, abolitionist, & suffragette had a profound effect on my world outlook. I was never astonished at the thought of human rights because I knew how hard the vote, and other rights, for women & minorities had been fought for.
I like to think I appreciated those opportunities back then, in my small way. I certainly took advantage of access to books and knowledge.  It helped having a mom who encouraged reading & never told me what to chose (other than shoving Daddy Long-Legs at me on a regular basis)

And I certainly am more aware now that the bright young girl who we saw start as a clerk & watched work her way up through the ranks while starting her own family had a strong impact on my access to women writers & these kids of books.

I've meandered but seeing Jon Batiste sharing his knowledge of Ms. Howe's iconic tune and it's history in his own life brought back those memories. Scrounging the shelves for books that gave stories behind the stories.

It's an amazing listen.
"Battle Hymn of the Republic"



*this is possibly that series. the subtitles ring a bell

Weekend Update update

Tina Fey, reminding everyone that while others may use the Weekend Update desk, she & Poehler own it. Forever. With a little explanation. Che & Jost are killing it this season. I go for weeks without watching but I'll always go back & check the news. I'm a little hit or miss with Colin; he's improving.
But Tina & Amy own that desk in a way no one ever will. They can walk back in for 3 minutes at the drop of a hat & it fits them like a glove. They raise the comedy stakes & the game of anyone around them.
I'll never deny they wouldn't exist without OG Jane Curtain. I'll always adore & respect her. I'm old enough to remember when SNL started up.
For sure they learned from her but they were & are game changers. 
Attention should be paid.

(original post, FB, 9 Oct. 2016)

21 Songs

Tons of folk I know should find this interesting - from working in music stores & love of different bands & music history & sources of songs. So many reasons. It's such a huge span of my adult life. I was 19 when the first tune on this list came out. 22 & working at Camelot, my 1st record store in '89 when the Danzig track was released. And in my 40's working for Borders in Chicago when that Dixie Chicks tune came out. 
I'm flooded with memories of the MTV era, which they talked about music & what folk like Tom Petty did with the form. the resurgence of artists like Queen & what the combination of RunDMC & Aerosmith opened up in rock & urban music.
How "Hurt" was Johnny Cash saying goodbye to us.
And how Rubin just knows great artists - legendary songs that will stay with us. Amazing to think of the journey these groups have been through in this time and all that has happened to us.
Thanks Lana, for sharing.

original post on FB, 13 Oct. 2016

Rick Rubin - My Life In 21 Songs

Let's Go Cubs!!!

About a million years ago....ok sometime in the 80s, my grandparents got Cubs tickets - one of those bus day trip things.
They were huge fans & loved Chicago. 
So we got my Grandpa a hat for Father's Day. I honestly don't know if I ever saw him happier.
He was just....thrilled to bits to have it to wear to the game. And it was a day they talked about for years. Whenever I went home, Grandma would always ask how Ron Santo was doing, because living in Chicago, naturally I had the inside scoop (I didn't).
It's a mixed history. They're the 'other team' we rooted for. #Tigers4Life. Back when there was no inter-league play. A Cubs/Tigers WS would be a sign of the end times.
But I always liked them. During the time I lived there I got more involved, paid better attention. We used to put the tv in the backyard to watch while BBQ-ing. With the sound off, but Santo calling on the radio.
I used to joke about 2003 being my fault as much as Bartman. I left work during that game (my boss couldn't take it & sent me home). And that all happened right after I walked into the house. I know my ex always blamed me. So it's the day I should've known to leave.
I certainly drifted away from paying as much attention after we split & when I moved to Los Angeles.
Like I said - a mixed history.  I feel a bit like their win exorcises that demon.

But I met & worked with some amazing fans. People I still adore that I know are so happy today. Juan, Mario, Christian, Jane, Eric and many more.
It's a fun city to be in when they do well at sports. Picasso will have a hat on. There will be more parties than work for the next week. I can't even fathom the parade. I hope it goes on for miles - from the river all the way up to Wrigleyville.
It was great seeing such a tough battle between 2 old school cities with huge baseball hearts and I wish nothing but the best to Cleveland for the future.
What an amazing bit of history to see happen. Or have relayed to me via messages because I was too nervous to watch.
Now if someone wanted to go put red & blue ribbons or flowers on Glenn & Mildred Hinchman's graves, I'd appreciate it.

(original post on FB, 3 Nov. 2016)