Thursday, March 19, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Very unfortunate news reporting today
Irresponsible reporting has run rampant today.... media outlets printing "unconfirmed reports" over and over. If they're unconfirmed, then why print them??
Two links:
How The Media Is Covering The Natasha Richardson Breaking News
and this blogger expresses it so well:
http://vivirlatino.com/2009/03/17/natasha-richardson-gravely-injured-in-accident.php
Lovely Natasha is the epitome of charm, beauty, grace, and a wonderful and fulfilling life. Prayers for her and her family members.
Two links:
How The Media Is Covering The Natasha Richardson Breaking News
and this blogger expresses it so well:
http://vivirlatino.com/2009/03/17/natasha-richardson-gravely-injured-in-accident.php
Lovely Natasha is the epitome of charm, beauty, grace, and a wonderful and fulfilling life. Prayers for her and her family members.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Thank you, Tulsa, I love you
I will always love my hometown, birthplace, TULSA OKLAHOMA...
I love Tulsa. My Texan parents lived here twice during job changes, so my brother and I were both born in Tulsa. But maybe Oklahoma is in my blood anyway since one of my great grandparents was Cherokee.
I certainly didn't want to move away from Tulsa to that dismal all-girls public school in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana (for a time, those schools separated high schools into boys' and girls' schools - it only ended up having us date boys we shouldn't have had anything to do with - boys who were NOT our peers from the classroom). I was in 10th grade but high school was essentially over for me at that point. I made friends in N.O. but no high school could match Tulsa's Nathan Hale at the time.
The best thing going for me in Tulsa was my wonderful drama teacher at the time, Charles Ellis, who owned the "Charle Ellis Studio of Drama."
I'll never forget him nor the day he gave a lecture to the class praising me and admonishing the rest of them... I was so stunned I thought I'd fall off my chair. I must have been about 13...
He was less happy with me at the age of 19 or so when I was living in a religious commune. I visited Tulsa and came to see him at his office at the Tulsa Ballet or was it the Tulsa Opera... I am sure he wanted more for me than where I was heading at that time.
Well, thankfully, I have a few more precious hours to enjoy here in my birthplace and I intend to make the most of it.
Truth is, it's good that I don't live here; no place could live up to the Utopia I wish for it. The religious commune was one of my attempts to find that Utopia; and a utopia it was for 2 years (until they excommunicated me - they had another word for it - definitely not a pleasant experience - they didn't like my new doctrinal views).
TULSA - one of my favorite cities on EARTH. Of the many blessings to be thankful for, I can count being born and raised (two stints and the bulk of my first 16 years) in wonderful, sweet TULSA, where there still live people who are the nicest people you thought didn't exist any more...
I love Tulsa. My Texan parents lived here twice during job changes, so my brother and I were both born in Tulsa. But maybe Oklahoma is in my blood anyway since one of my great grandparents was Cherokee.
I certainly didn't want to move away from Tulsa to that dismal all-girls public school in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana (for a time, those schools separated high schools into boys' and girls' schools - it only ended up having us date boys we shouldn't have had anything to do with - boys who were NOT our peers from the classroom). I was in 10th grade but high school was essentially over for me at that point. I made friends in N.O. but no high school could match Tulsa's Nathan Hale at the time.
The best thing going for me in Tulsa was my wonderful drama teacher at the time, Charles Ellis, who owned the "Charle Ellis Studio of Drama."
I'll never forget him nor the day he gave a lecture to the class praising me and admonishing the rest of them... I was so stunned I thought I'd fall off my chair. I must have been about 13...
He was less happy with me at the age of 19 or so when I was living in a religious commune. I visited Tulsa and came to see him at his office at the Tulsa Ballet or was it the Tulsa Opera... I am sure he wanted more for me than where I was heading at that time.
Well, thankfully, I have a few more precious hours to enjoy here in my birthplace and I intend to make the most of it.
Truth is, it's good that I don't live here; no place could live up to the Utopia I wish for it. The religious commune was one of my attempts to find that Utopia; and a utopia it was for 2 years (until they excommunicated me - they had another word for it - definitely not a pleasant experience - they didn't like my new doctrinal views).
TULSA - one of my favorite cities on EARTH. Of the many blessings to be thankful for, I can count being born and raised (two stints and the bulk of my first 16 years) in wonderful, sweet TULSA, where there still live people who are the nicest people you thought didn't exist any more...
Thursday, January 15, 2009
"Doubt" - Go see it, don't read this first.
If you have not seen the movie or play "Doubt," then don't read this until after you do - because to me, the worst thing in the world is when one goes into a play or movie with any kind of expectations or knowledge of what it's about or about the ending - the expectations always distort the experience. I just came back from seeing this movie minutes ago. I'm not revealing much about it here but you still should not read it if you have not seen it because it will influence you to some extent as to what to expect.
I looked forward to seeing the film of the play "Doubt" by John Patrick Shanley and the anticipation was well rewarded to say the least. I don't see how the movie could have possibly been better than it was. It's hard to get back to normal tasks because I don't want to dilute the experience of the movie and start thinking about other things.
I read the play around November 2007. At first I was disappointed to find that the story revolved around whether or not a priest was guilty of molestation because this topic had already been in the news of course, so much. But that disappointment vanished as I continued reading the play.
I read the play unfortunately after I missed my chance to see both the Broadway and touring companies with Cherry Jones and the original cast. I was vexed that I could not find anywhere a DVD of the play itself. I know that it's not the same to see a recording of a stage performance, but if there's no way to see these performances once they're over (surely there must be) then this is a crime! I really wanted to see Cherry Jones' much lauded performance AND all the others as well. I also had a hard time imagining Meryl Streep (who is in a class by herself among actresses, and whose movies have been favorites of mine since the start) in this role. Of course I should have known that she can do anything when it comes to acting. I loved her performance in this movie because it was so true and it had to come from the heart. And it must have been a very challenging role to play so well.
I don't see a lot of movies either because many of them contain things that are truly upsetting, and due to working much more since being self-employed. So only a few weeks ago did I finally see "Capote" and the wonderful performance by Philip Seymour Hoffmann.
"Doubt" really is not so much about the suspicion /or/actions that compel the sister to investigate a crime, but about the layers of harm and the consequences of those actions. Like feathers but much heavier (alluding to one of the sermons).
I'm so glad that I saw this movie by myself. If someone had been with me and had ruined the movie with some inane joke or complaint then it would have really diminished the experience.
The very end left me in tears (translation: a complete wreck; glad that there weren't many in that afternoon's screening due to the tears coming down my face and no doubt my expression), thinking of the price that was paid by one person for trying - succeeding even - to do the right thing.
Other lasting impressions: The scene in the classroom with the young nun becoming someone she'd never been. The boy who knew what was happening (especially when he saw his classmate's mother in the nun's office, with the priest anxiously at the door - what a telling picture that was).
This is a great movie, I will most definitely see it again soon, and read the play again, it is sheer brilliance. The playwright directed the film of his own play; that also was pretty amazing, and he most certainly has a triumph on his hands. I loved the art direction. Loved the recreation of a Catholic school from this time - something that is no more. (I did unfortunately work for a very unhappy nun for a year and it was definitely the pits.) Loved the hymn at the end credits. I would love to know everything that went into the creation of the play and the movie; I hope John Patrick Shanley narrates the commentary on the DVD (don't you hate it when you hardly ever get the principal players or directors on these commentaries, but they are still interesting).
"Doubt" is amazing, make sure to see it, but don't read this in advance.
I looked forward to seeing the film of the play "Doubt" by John Patrick Shanley and the anticipation was well rewarded to say the least. I don't see how the movie could have possibly been better than it was. It's hard to get back to normal tasks because I don't want to dilute the experience of the movie and start thinking about other things.
I read the play around November 2007. At first I was disappointed to find that the story revolved around whether or not a priest was guilty of molestation because this topic had already been in the news of course, so much. But that disappointment vanished as I continued reading the play.
I read the play unfortunately after I missed my chance to see both the Broadway and touring companies with Cherry Jones and the original cast. I was vexed that I could not find anywhere a DVD of the play itself. I know that it's not the same to see a recording of a stage performance, but if there's no way to see these performances once they're over (surely there must be) then this is a crime! I really wanted to see Cherry Jones' much lauded performance AND all the others as well. I also had a hard time imagining Meryl Streep (who is in a class by herself among actresses, and whose movies have been favorites of mine since the start) in this role. Of course I should have known that she can do anything when it comes to acting. I loved her performance in this movie because it was so true and it had to come from the heart. And it must have been a very challenging role to play so well.
I don't see a lot of movies either because many of them contain things that are truly upsetting, and due to working much more since being self-employed. So only a few weeks ago did I finally see "Capote" and the wonderful performance by Philip Seymour Hoffmann.
"Doubt" really is not so much about the suspicion /or/actions that compel the sister to investigate a crime, but about the layers of harm and the consequences of those actions. Like feathers but much heavier (alluding to one of the sermons).
I'm so glad that I saw this movie by myself. If someone had been with me and had ruined the movie with some inane joke or complaint then it would have really diminished the experience.
The very end left me in tears (translation: a complete wreck; glad that there weren't many in that afternoon's screening due to the tears coming down my face and no doubt my expression), thinking of the price that was paid by one person for trying - succeeding even - to do the right thing.
Other lasting impressions: The scene in the classroom with the young nun becoming someone she'd never been. The boy who knew what was happening (especially when he saw his classmate's mother in the nun's office, with the priest anxiously at the door - what a telling picture that was).
This is a great movie, I will most definitely see it again soon, and read the play again, it is sheer brilliance. The playwright directed the film of his own play; that also was pretty amazing, and he most certainly has a triumph on his hands. I loved the art direction. Loved the recreation of a Catholic school from this time - something that is no more. (I did unfortunately work for a very unhappy nun for a year and it was definitely the pits.) Loved the hymn at the end credits. I would love to know everything that went into the creation of the play and the movie; I hope John Patrick Shanley narrates the commentary on the DVD (don't you hate it when you hardly ever get the principal players or directors on these commentaries, but they are still interesting).
"Doubt" is amazing, make sure to see it, but don't read this in advance.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
More on "Betrayal" by Harold Pinter (1930-2008)
This is what I wrote on Amazon last year about "Betrayal."
A Masterpiece: No play will ever surpass this look at infidelity, friendship, and trust
February 25, 2007
By Mimi Tanner "Secrets of Flirting.com" (Texas, USA)
"Three people, intertwined by friendship, marriage, and work, live with the realities and consequences of the extra-marital affair between two of them. The story is told in reverse, covering a nine-year period. This is one of those plays and films that only gets better with repeated viewing.
"Over the years, more and more questions have come to mind that compel a repeated viewing of the movie (or reading of the play) in the hope of finding the answers. On some points, the movie is remains as unfathomable as Mona Lisa's smile.
"The acting in this movie is beyond wonderful. When you read the play, you can appreciate even more how much the actors do to portray the author's intentions and to make the film such a masterpiece.
"I never get tired of this film - it is a marvel of genius on the part of the playwright Harold Pinter, the director, and all three actors. It is also a wonderful and restorative retreat from much of what passes for entertainment on television and in movies as well. This movie must be seen far more than one time to fully appreciate it."
-------------------
Okay so I would change the "Mona Lisa" comment but you get the point.... This play leaves my normal "writing ability" in the dust due to being in such awe of every facet of this - the play, the performances, the perfection of the fact that this movie exists and that I'm lucky enough to know about it. And thankfully unlike many movies, it endures repeated, and I mean REPEATED viewings.
I could go on and on about "Betrayal" and be a lot more specific. Enjoyment of a film is a really personal thing in some cases, this one being one in particular. Why isn't it on DVD yet? It also never shows on television. The only way to see it is to buy the few VHS copies that are around.
A Masterpiece: No play will ever surpass this look at infidelity, friendship, and trust
February 25, 2007
By Mimi Tanner "Secrets of Flirting.com" (Texas, USA)
"Three people, intertwined by friendship, marriage, and work, live with the realities and consequences of the extra-marital affair between two of them. The story is told in reverse, covering a nine-year period. This is one of those plays and films that only gets better with repeated viewing.
"Over the years, more and more questions have come to mind that compel a repeated viewing of the movie (or reading of the play) in the hope of finding the answers. On some points, the movie is remains as unfathomable as Mona Lisa's smile.
"The acting in this movie is beyond wonderful. When you read the play, you can appreciate even more how much the actors do to portray the author's intentions and to make the film such a masterpiece.
"I never get tired of this film - it is a marvel of genius on the part of the playwright Harold Pinter, the director, and all three actors. It is also a wonderful and restorative retreat from much of what passes for entertainment on television and in movies as well. This movie must be seen far more than one time to fully appreciate it."
-------------------
Okay so I would change the "Mona Lisa" comment but you get the point.... This play leaves my normal "writing ability" in the dust due to being in such awe of every facet of this - the play, the performances, the perfection of the fact that this movie exists and that I'm lucky enough to know about it. And thankfully unlike many movies, it endures repeated, and I mean REPEATED viewings.
I could go on and on about "Betrayal" and be a lot more specific. Enjoyment of a film is a really personal thing in some cases, this one being one in particular. Why isn't it on DVD yet? It also never shows on television. The only way to see it is to buy the few VHS copies that are around.
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