Just got back from the movies where Handsome took me to see The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. And I loved it!
Where to start? I'm used to listening to the BBC & FOTF Radio Dramas, which I enjoy - with the exception of the FOTF Aslan, which truly sucks. So the big-screen version surpassed all my expectations.
I completely enjoyed Aslan, the voice and the CGI. I thought the White Witch was impressively wicked, and the children were convincing - Lucy, especially, was adorable. I want to take my nephew, Ethan, to see it. I think he would be enchanted.
There is so much to say, but it's all been said by critics more articulate than myself. So, go see it for yourself. I think you'll like it.
Until this year, I never understood what back pain was, nor did I understand the depth of pain that sufferers endure. Then it happened to me.
On a trip in March, I pulled my bag out of the overhead compartment, and the rest is chiropractic history. The muscle spasms started about a week later - when I collapsed to the floor mid-conversation. At the office. Always fun.
My PCP prescribed Flexeril. Fun, but not a solution since the muscle spasms continued to cripple me. And after a month of living in pain, I gave up. Perhaps the chiropractor would be necessary, despite my bias.
So, I went. And much to my amazement, I got better. Yay!
THEN. (There's always a "then" in these stories, isn't there?) Then, I took a long business trip involving 1000 miles of driving (seriously) combined with sleeping in hotels, etc, etc, etc. Needless to say, the muscle spasms returned this week. With a vengance.
This is me going back to the chiropractor. sniff
Have you read this? Osteen family leaves plane after dispute
I am NOT surprised. And I am NOT speechless.
But, if you can't say anything nice....
Hello all. You know I saw Pride & Prejudice last weekend. This weekend, I rented A Lot Like Love and Finding Neverland.
A Lot Like Love is a silly romantic comedy. And that about sums it up.
Finding Neverland, however, was wonderful. I was enchanted by the way the film-makers blurred the lines between reality and imagination. And for a moment, I felt everything beautiful and painful from childhood combine into a bittersweet memory - like smelling your departed grandmother's perfume on a passing stranger.
I was especially caught by a comment about the crocodile. Time is always chasing us. Isn't it.
So, I love reading Testosterhome. (And not just because the name is so awesome.)
Rachel writes today about Christmas music. Now I know that I'm not the only one who cries at O Holy Night. AND, I'm not the only Christian who digs Sweet Child of Mine. We are rebels!
The rarefied air of evangelical Christianity would have you believe that only Christian radio is acceptable music. Thank God there are Christians out there who admit to listening to *shudder* rock music.
This afternoon, I took in a matinee of the new film version of Pride & Prejudice. While I enjoyed it and look forward to watching it again once it's released to DVD, the movie skipped over or condensed much of the story - obviously necessary to reduce the volume to a length viewable in a single sitting. I love the book and the mini-series (with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle), so I'll try to avoid comparing the two. The mini-series will remain my favorite, but the movie has its credits.
I loved the portrayal of country life, including the more relaxed manners and dress. I enjoyed the ending which evoked true marital happiness. I appreciated that the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Bennett was treated kindly. I thought Elizabeth's emotional turmoil was revealed very effectively. And, of course, the cinematography was beautiful.
All that said, I missed the Wickham sub-plot along with several of the minor characters. I thought Charlotte Lucas was not an accurate reflection of the book. And, I wish Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were given a more prominent role in facilitating the romance.
Otherwise, highly recommended.
I am traveling on business the next week or so, into unfamiliar territory. I'm visiting new customers in a land strange to me. Today I passed rivers and lakes and waterfalls, all frozen. These are common for the residents of the area, but to me, they are enchanting, fascinating.
And isn't this our life's purpose? To bring strangers into an unknown realm and to make exceptional that which is familiar and ordinary.
I am an account executive - what I do is nothing unusual. I sell computers and technology; definitely commonplace stuff. And yet, in my work, I have an opportunity to bring light and life into every conversation. It's not that my work is ministry. Rather, my ministry is the work I do.
When I was a child, we frequently had visitors to our home. People would often just drop by. This is, or at least was, a common practice among country people. There were nights that you just "went visiting" - dropping by the houses of friends to see if they were home and ready for conversation. I often heard that people loved to visit my parent's house because it was comfortable and easy. Our home wasn't the most fastidious, but it was relaxed.
In college, my girlfriends and I always had a reason for a party (calm down, we were G-rated.) Even when the dorm room was a disaster or there were dishes in the apartment sink and dirt on the floor. We loved just being together and hanging out. It didn't take much to collect a dozen people, cook dinner, and spend hours in fascinating conversation.
Now, we own the house and pay the bills. And we are less eager to fill our homes with friends. Nothing has changed - the kitchen is still dirty, there is still dust on the furniture, and someone left socks on the living room floor. Again. But, it's something else. What happened?
At some point, I forgot to ignore the mess; all I can see is my own imperfections. I've sacrificed joy for something far less fulfilling. Dear God, blind me to the superficial and help me re-learn how to enjoy life with my friends and family.
