Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all!

This is a wonderful CD - "Celtic Woman" Christmas Album.
Rest in peace to Harold Pinter, the Nobel-prize-winning author of my all-time favorite movie. It's a play but I know it best as the movie, for which he wrote the screenplay as well: "Betrayal," Harold Pinter. I wish I could have met him.

I can never explain fully why "Betrayal" is such a favorite for me but I never get tired of that one and find it full of new discoveries with new viewings. For some reason it inspires and restores me. Some movies remind us of who we are / what we appreciate / when things are too busy. Saw this first in theatres and my boyfriend at the time was upset by the film because he felt like he "didn't get it..." - saw it at the Prytania Theatre in New Orleans. And I've liked it more and more ever since. It's definitely not for everyone - must love movies which are mainly dialogue!

Nice Christmas Photo (to stay in my mind)

Today one of my children had all 4 wisdom teeth removed. Long story short, the experience was definitely stressful due to a lot of pain, not to mention a drug called Versed that in the future I will list as an allergy on her records to make sure she doesn't get it ever again.

http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=18654&name=VERSED

But thankfully after a day that brought to mind this child's experience of emergency surgery over in Russia 8 years ago... she is a lot better now, Thank God.

The Christmas Photo is this - her friend, a guy, came over (her dad was also here for several hours) and they were watching movies but it got really quiet. I peeked in the living room and there was a cute picture on this giant sectional sofa: my daughter asleep, her friend asleep, and our 2 dogs (Harvey and Oliver) as bookends on each side, standing guard, or more accurately, snoozing and protecting at the same time. If I'd tried to take a photo, Oliver would have jumped down and run off (he is not fond of flashes). Oliver and I exchanged knowing looks however and I quietly tiptoed back here to the desk.

The Christmas tree and fireplace were in the background; it is a great image; as I write they are still asleep. Okay.... back to work!

My Favorite Paul Newman movie - "Absence of Malice"

It does not seem possible that Paul Newman could be no longer here. I grew up knowing his name and hearing news about him all my life. I remember when Tom Cruise was a fairly new star and he worked with Paul Newman in "The Color of Money" and how Paul was a mentor to Tom. Life Magazine did a profile on their friendship. I remember when Paul Newman's son Scott died as a young adult. He created the Scott Newman Foundation to honor him. I think I also saw one of his daughters in an off-Broadway production when I was growing up ("...Gamma Rays...").

Paul was never like anyone else. He was able to handle the huge stardom and still not get a big head over it. No star was ever more famous or more respected than Paul Newman. He had an astonishing ability to raise hundreds of millions for charity because he made the most of his ability to help others. I'm deeply impressed with his 50-year love story with Joanne Woodward, and equally impressed by their devotion to living in Connecticut all these years. It's been a few weeks but it's still very hard to get used to the fact that Paul Newman is no longer with us. I trust he is in an even more wonderful place now.

He REALLY seemed to know how to live life to the fullest. That's more than most of us can say.

My personal favorite Paul Newman movie is "Absence of Malice" and I highly recommend you get a copy and see it. It stars Sally Field, Melinda Dillon, and a great cast. I LOVE that movie. I can't count how many times I have seen this film.

An ex-boyfriend raved about this movie and insisted that I watch it. He was right. Now I'll rave about it to you. WONDERFUL - a must-see drama. (It's very sad at times and tough to watch.) This is Paul Newman at his best, if you ask me. But then I think he was always at his best - yet still human, one of us, a regular guy - who somehow could stay with one person for 50 years, build an empire, be a great actor, be a father, be a beloved member of his community and the world, and still have tons of fun doing things he loved.

A great quote from Paul Newman regarding his "Hole in the Wall" camp:

"I wish I could recall with clarity the impulse that compelled me to help bring this camp into being. I’d be pleased if I could announce a motive of lofty purpose. I’ve been accused of compassion, of altruism, of devotion to Christian, Hebrew, and Moslem ethic, but however desperate I am to claim ownership of a high ideal, I cannot. I wanted, I think, to acknowledge Luck; the chance of it, the benevolence of it in my life, and the brutality of it in the lives of others, made especially savage for children because they may not be allowed the good fortune of a lifetime to correct it." – Paul Newman
quoted from www.holeinthewallgang.org/tribute5.asp

Richard Bay giving "The Speech"

From "The Practice" starring, in this scene, Jason Kravits and Lara Flynn Boyle as Richard Bay and Helen Gamble. "The Practice" had several episodes with some great speeches and this is one of them.

Oliver's Story

Almost 2 1/2 years ago, I shared the story of my dog Harvey. I found him in Houston on Long Point street. He was sitting in the middle of the street; later we realized he had been hit by a car. To make a long story short, he's been doing great, and he's the best dog you could ever have.

Well, in April, I was on my way to get some lunch one day. I took a back street that I don't usually take (Judiway street, a few blocks from Ella, nothing to write home about).

I saw this little dog trudging across the street. He could hardly make it across. He was completely covered with mange. He looked SO horrible that I just had to stop.

Here are some pictures of this dog from the day I found him. He was actually living in a large SEWER pipe.

Because he was obviously suffering from starvation and mange, I had to get him out of there. This always seems to happen to me. It always happens a short time after one of my pets has died. I usually have 2 dogs (and a cat). I always vow that I'm not getting any more pets. After all, after my daughters are out of high school, I'd like to spend a month in Paris, etc., and not have to worry about mutts!

But it never fails that when one dog dies, a few months later, I happen upon some dreadful dog situation. In the last 2 cases, I kept hinting at the pet hospital staff to please feel free to fall in love with the dog and take it home after it was all well.

The complete story about Oliver is here: https://withlovemimitanner.com/oliver.html