Little Otik

I know Halloween is over but I have got to mention the weirdest movie I have ever seen. My mom called and really wanted me to see this one. She wouldn't tell me anything, just watch it.

Little Otik was released in 2001. It is a Czechoslovakian subtitled film (large titles, very easy to follow) directed by Jan Svankmajer.
I guess you'd call it a surreal fantasy, comedy horror. All of the above. Oh, and there is animation mixed in with the real action.

It's a simple story about a childless couple whose angst to have a baby leads them into the Twilight Zone.
I really don't want to give away any of the story because experiencing it as it moves along is all the fun and horror.

I'll just say the couple adopt a tree stump.

Yep, a cute little bouncing bundle of wood. Sounds silly, I know. But, this couple's frantic desperation, although mostly going in opposite directions from each other, is something to behold. Rounding out the cast of this bizaar story are many other characters that live in their large walk-up apartment building, including a snoopy little neighbor girl and a near-sighted old pedaphile who lusts after her.
I couldn't tear myself from it and didnt know whether to laugh or cry.

Dracula

I love good horror movies. I like campy ones too and I'd rather see a bad horror flick than a bad any other kind. Buckets of blood don't do it for me alone. I want it to make me look around corners and be jumpy for a while.

Some monsters never scared me, like Frankenstein, who I always believed got a bad break, and the Mummy moved so slowly, how did he ever catch anyone. But both those films were eerie and scared me even if the monsters didn't.
Lon Chaney's Wolfman was cool because although he seemed to always lose his shoes, he kept his shirt and pants on while darting around under the full moon. Maybe it was his man-creature thing that scared me. But the one that kept me up nights was always Dracula.

Nosferatu - 1922 Starring Max Schreck, Directed by F. W. Murnau. The first and the probably the best and certainly the eeriest. The Count was called Orlok not Dracula because they could not secure the rights to the novel.

Although, part of the film’s charm is due to the fact that it is the first
adaptation of the novel, thus free from any comparison and clichés. Count Orlok is fearsomely tall, slender, pale, and bald. Instead of the typical vampire fangs now seen on every depiction of a vampire, his fangs are more like those of a rodent, right in the middle, and his ears are large and pointy like a bat’s. Max Schreck, who plays the part, plays it to perfection. His wide-eyed stares and inhuman posture make the look work.

The film, however, exceeds mostly in the visual department. In shooting the dank crypts of the film, director F.W. Murnau and expressionist cinematographer Fritz Wagner, photograph many startling images. It is not only Orloc’s movement, but the photography, lighting and the special effects that add so much to the visual element. When the driver is riding upon a carriage through a forest to Orloc’s estate, a negative of the picture is shown, creating an eerie, other worldly effect, and that is what the film is all about for me. It not only scare us, it creates an almost dreamlike mood, haunting us with its atmosphere and images.

Dracula - 1931 Bela Lugosi. This is the classic Dracula. Bela with his stiff but commanding hypnotic style is what we came for many years to think the Count was like. Lugosi was always eerie and spooky. Don't worry Bela, Ed Wood is coming to get you.



Horror of Dracula - 1958. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. This one goes astray of the Stoker novel but it works. It's more of a mystery than you'd expect with this well known story. Peter Cushing's Dr. Van Helsing and Lee as the Count are top notch, very different from Lugosi's deliberate characterization. Really scary and good story telling. Hammer Films made several other Dracula films with either Lee, Cushing or both during the 60's and early 70's.


Trivia- The set that was Dracula's castle in this movie is now a hotel in the Scottish Highlands and the internal decor is still very much the same.

On several occasions, Christopher Lee complained about the contact lenses he had to wear for the shock scenes. Not only they were quite painful, but he could not see a thing. While running towards the vampire woman for instance, he even ran too far past the camera on the first take.


Blackula - 1972 William Marshal, Denise Nicholas, Vonetta McGee. The Count starts out in Africa this time and ends up in Los Angeles. Stereotypical Blackploitaionisms and all, it is scary. Singer Ketty Lester (Love Letters) has a hospital scene that I remember scared me pretty good. William Marshall's voice and cape action makes it worth the time.



Nosferatu - 1979 Starring Klaus Kinski. He is now Count Dracula and still scariest looking and although I like the original better, this is a good one.

Dracula - 1979 Frank Langella, Lawrence Olivier, Donald Pleasance. Great cast and production. Langella is smooth, not my favorite Dracula but believably blood thirsty and worth the popcorn.



Love at First Bite - 1979 George Hamilton, Susan St. James, Richard Benjamin. The Count gets evicted from his Transylvania home and ends up in New York City. A fun romantic-comedy vampire flick. Party over here!

Bram Stokers Dracula - 1992 Gary Oldman, Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola. I saw this one yesterday. This Dracula's appearance goes back and forth between modern and Nosferatu. Dracula searches for his true love and finds her descendant. Sensual, scary and bloody but somewhat slow moving and obvious. "You'll be safe here". Yeah right.

Gary Oldman



Dracula 2000 - Jonny Lee Miller, Omar Epps and Jeri Ryan. The vampire gets locked in a castle/office complex. Ok, it's got Jeri Ryan.

Dracula: Pages From A Virgin Diary - 2002. Wei-Qiang Zhang, Tara Birtwhistle. An honest artsy attempt to tell the Dracula story thru ballet. Honest.

VLAD - 2003. Billy Zane. Four college students go to Romania in search of Drac's castle to research material for their theses. Nuff said.

I Love Halloween

My family went with us to a Halloween party at our church on Sunday night. Nope, University church is not one of those "Halloween is evil" churches. Yes, eons ago Hallows Eve was a celebration to ward off dark things preceding All Saints Day.

I am not trivializing anyone's beliefs and I realize some cultures have carried the original ancient Celtic meaning thru the years, and that's fine. But for most folks Halloween is simply a harmless expression of fun, creativity, booooo and a big sugar high. Nothing evil. Monica says it's about taking lemons and making lemonade.

Anyway, Nolen and Aisha and little Nolen Jr. (NJ), and Marcellus joined our friends James and Marilyn and little Betty (who officially became our God child at a beautiful baptism ceremony Sunday morning) for a fun Halloween party.

Monica and I went as spider women, which was really sweat shirts that I attached some stretchy white webbing and spiders to. Spiders in our hair and some black nail polish and there ya go. Nolen and Aisha theatened to go as Flava Flav and one of
his ummm girls. It would be an easy costume.. a viking hat and a big stupid clock pendant. But, no amount of makeup could transform Nolen into a Flava lookalike. Has anyone seen that VH1 show with despicable Flav and women who actually let him touch them? YUCK! I watched the Flava and Brigette Nielsen affair..it was so weird I couldn't stop. But now OMG!

NJ (age 2) is a lion this year. My sister made his costume from scratch. She crocheted a variegated brown and blond yarn mane, attached a tail to some khakis, and a fur dickey and shoe coverings for paws. CUTE!
But wearing that mane NJ looked more like Tina Turner. Of course, I immediately wanted to go with that. NJ is quite a dancer and a Big ham. Little fishnet stockings....it would've been hysterical. Maybe next year.
Marcellus was a good looking (store bought) Batman. So of course, (after all that needle work) when NJ saw Batman, he said "don't want lion, want Batman"!

The party was fun, lots of scary and sweet costumes including Marie Antoinette (Batman really liked her) and our little Betty Bumble Bee. My favorite though was adult chuch member Diane as Dorothy complete of course with ruby slippers, basket and Toto. She looked adorable.

So after playing a murder game that required a lot of theatrical dying, Ann Marie (Rev. Coleman) blessed the food and all the various witches and monsters and sweet peas. I told a joke that got me ridiculed something awful along with taking pictures with my slr camera that actually uses FILM. Do you have to take it to Walgreens? You can't see your pictures first? Do you still have a pager too? Do you take your clothes down to the creek and beat them with a rock? Are you still listening to 8 tracks? Moni tried to defend me but they turned on her.
It is wonderful to be with family and friends. I feel so loved. : )
Happy Halloween!

For some great spOOky movie pictures check Alexandra's site.

The joke is below. Thanks Stephen!



A man is walking home alone late one foggy Halloween night, when behind him he hears:


BUMP...



BUMP..



BUMP...




Walking faster, he looks back and through the fog he makes out the image of an upright casket banging its way down the middle of the street toward him.



BUMP...




BUMP...




BUMP...





Terrified, the man begins to run toward his home, the casket bouncing quickly behind him




FASTER...



FASTER...




BUMP...




BUMP...




BUMP...



He runs up to his door, fumbles with his keys, opens the door, rushes in, slams and locks the door behind him.
However, the casket crashes through his door, with the lid of the casket clapping


Clappity-BUMP...



Clappity-BUMP...


Clappity-BUMP...


On his heels as the terrified man runs.



Rushing upstairs to the bathroom, he locks himself in. His heart is pounding; his head is reeling; his breath is coming in sobbing gasps.



With a loud CRASH the casket breaks down the door.









Bumping and clapping toward him.





The man screams and reaches for something, anything, but all he can find is a bottle of cough syrup!
Desperate, he throws the cough syrup at the casket...




And,














(hopefully you're ready for this!!!)

The coffin stops........

Saturday Morning Cartoons

OK. It's Saturday morning and I sometimes still miss my cartoons. A bowl of cereal and a host of toons that you could only see on Saturday Morning. It was a ritual for kids growing up in the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's. Those ummm kids, still like cartoons and sugary cereal to start their weekend, dammit!

In the 50's, 60's and 70's there weren't that many channels to chose from and all the kids watched the same shows. There was something warm and fuzzy about that.
In the 80's, cartoons were revitalized by the Smurfs.

Then, the 90's and the beginning of the end. Congress passed the Children's Television Act that required Federal monitoring and X amount of educational content. (Yeah, I guess that's a good thing or maybe it just messed up a good thing). Exclusive Saturday morning toons became meaningless with use of the VCR, video games and cable stations that show cartoons 24/7.

There are still plenty of cartoon shows around. They can be accessed all during the week, multiple times a day. Most of these new characters are funny looking, you ever notice that? I asked my 8 year old nephew why were all his people so ugly? He said, "ugly, what do you mean"?

See what I mean. There's something wrong here.

But, I think I feel sad for these kids who'll never feel that unity with all the other kids in the USA, watching Mighty Mouse, Underdog, Top Cat, Flintstones, Bugs and Daffy, Fat Albert, Scooby Doo...or even Ninja Turtles, Proud Family, Pokemon, or that ugly trio Ed, Edd n Eddy.
I know I can try to find the smart and funny Sponge Bob or Power Puff Girls or Recess, or tune in to Nickelodeon, but it's not the same.

Rootin' Tootin' Nuptial

Dustin found this unbelievable gem also. This is an actual groom's cake at a real wedding in Texas...where else. And she still married him. Best Wishes.

What Color RED are you?

I got this from my wonderful, beautiful, brilliant cousin Dustin. She has a very cool blog and I will be adding her link soon. This is surprisingly pretty accurate.

You Are Apple Red

You're never one to take life too seriously, and because of it, you're a ton of fun. And although you have a great sense of humor, you are never superficial. Deep and caring, you do like to get to the core of people - to understand them well. However, any probing you do is light hearted and fun, sometimes causing people to misjudge you.

What Color Red Are You?

Dancin' Fool

I saw this guy on Ellen. We had a ball watching him do his history of dance.
I hope Google does not mess up UTube. I love it, but you know they always have screw up a good thing. Just regular folks like this guy are good things.

VOTE FOR JOSH!

Joshua Klipp's music is sho nuff movin' in the right direction, UP! His history making song Little Girl has made the Gay.com Rock Out Chart and Josh will have a feature story going up later today that includes a *VOTE for this Song* feature. It's only this weekend (through Monday) so please give your support to this talented artist.

Josh's music is also available on iTunes, search Joshua Klipp. Preview here.

Cute Little White Guy

He is JOSHUA!

He's got some new tunes out that are already getting radio play across the country. And even though his EP is titled Patience, you don't need any because you can check them out right here.
Josh is my friend Glenn's son. Glenn is the musical director of University Church and a fantastic man and musician himself. Yep, the apple doesn't fall far.. you know. It's true.

Uh Huh, Josh is cute and he's talented and smart and nice and... he's all that and more! Lots more!

Joshua Klipp is an attorney. He attended Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco on a full merit scholarship and graduated in the top ten percent of his class.

A dancer- he teaches hip-hop dance and directs Freeplay, a hip-hop dance
company that performs all over the San Francisco Bay area benefitting other local organiztions.

A community organizer, Josh sits on the Board of Directors of Youth Speaks,
the nation's premier youth poetry and spoken word organization.

Photographer- Josh provides quality promo work for Bay area artists and
organizations.

Role model-as a Transgendered male, Joshua is breaking ground and blazing trails in the music business. Even with a loving, supportive family, growing up Trans must be tumulturous and actually going through transition has to be physically and emotionally wonderful and scary. It is important to have visible role models, especially in this community where visibilty in the mainstream is almost non-existent. Role models who as "Little Richard" would say, have been where you're going, are going through what you're going through, are making it or have made it and can put it out there where you can see it. Woooooo!
Joshua Klipp is certainly a source of pride and encouragement to his community.

Josh's dance track Little Girl is special. It is a song he wrote to honor not only his personal journey but "the struggle, survival and hope of trans people". Little Girl features, and this is the first time anything like this has ever been done, Josh's pre and post transition voices. That along with the song itself, is just too cool.
Little girl. Close your eyes and dream of a new world.

December Snow, well first of all Mr. Klipp, people in Chicago do not like to be reminded of snow any sooner than neccesary, even if it is a beautiful romantic slow jam. You are indeed a one man boy band.

Time We Don't Have To Waste, love the harmony and the up beat. Monica and I had a great time stepping to this one.

Temporary Insanity is the bonus cut not on the EP but you can get a download. This hip-hop cut shows that Joshua covers everything. This one features San Francisco Trans rap artist Katastrophe. Yeah baby!

I was impressed by Josh's musical influences which range from Ella Fitzgerald to D'Angelo. I definately hear some Brian McKnight vibes going on. Josh credits his dad for his varied exposure to different artists and genres. I certainly credit his dad for his cute little white guyness too. Good luck Josh! Go get 'em!


Read more about Joshua Klipp and buy his EP here, yall. Go! Now! Get it!

That 's Amore

Friday night Monica and I took my nephew Nolen and his wife Aisha out to Jay's Amore Ristorante & Lounge for dinner and to hear Chicago singer Nan Mason. We have seen Nan many times but it was a first for these young people.

Nan virgins, God help them. I say that because you never know what will happen when you go see this woman. Besides being one of the best singers I have ever heard, she is also ridiculously funny.

I wrote about Nan Mason once before regarding the Chicago Sings for New Orleans benefit for hurricane Katrina effected musicians. Although Monica and I have seen Nan many times accompanied by pianist Russ Long, Friday night was the first time we've seen her accompanied by her husband Terry "Horn Boy" Higgins. No brass or woodwinds this time, but accomplished musician Terry played piano and keyboard to a host of songs we'd never heard Nan perform before. It was quite a treat.

We love it when she does cabaret, Broadway musical type songs but Friday night she included more pop, R&B and rock. At one point I swear I was reminded of Melissa Ethridge. This woman can sing any song in any genre and make it her own. She interacted with and teased the audience and since we were down front we were prime targets especially my nephew. He loved it.

We knew that this was not Nolen and Aisha's usual night out type entertainment but also that they are music lovers and would like Nan Mason. They did, very much! Nan rocked several Stevie Wonder songs, Nolen loved that and Terry played "Isn't She Lovely" not knowing Aisha was actually named from that song. Of course Nan threw the attention at Aisha when we told her and Terry sang a verse he called the Snoop Dog version. These two are nuts.

Terry sang a touching love song to his wife called "Whiskey Drinkin' Woman". OMG! Well, his woman is something else!
Nan does define, Broad, Diva, Sophistication, Sweet and Cool.
I mean whether she's belting out her signature song "This Is My Life", or Quincy Jones' sassy, sexy, "Sister" or the sultry classic "Georgia" or Stevie's "Another Star" or a fantastic pumping version of Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" she is all of that and a piece of that decadent chocolate cake we had during the show.

Speaking of the cake, it was excellent. Chocolate to the 'nth degree but not overpoweringly sickenly sweet. Or as my nephew said, "ambrosius"! The cake was indicative of the food at Jay's Amore. We came early for dinner although you can eat while enjoying the show. We all ordered something different and did some sampling. All Good!
I like Italian! I like pasta and the sauces and the spices. I know Americanized chain restaraunt Italian food from authentic but I don't care for food that is so "authentic" it's bland. At Jay's you can taste the freshness of the pasta and ingrediants, and the spices are bright without being overwhelming. Jay's is the real thing, not Americanized type flavor and not bland. Very flavorful-fresh and delicious.

So it was a good night, catching up with Nan at the break and being teased and entertained during the show and the tasty food, laid back comfortable atmosphere and great service at Jay's. Yummy combination.


Nan Mason and Terry Higgins will be at Jay's Amore Ristorante & Lounge
September 29-30th and again in October.
Check www.nanmason.com for show and CD info.
1330 W. Madison
Go to www.jaysamorechicagocom for menu and info.
Phone (312)829-3333

MeMe

More stealing from Alexandra's site. Her answers are pricless. She got it from Sheila O'Malley and her answers ... that girl is a hoot. What can I say.



Are you in a relationship?
Yes, forever and ever. Amen.


Do you hate more than 3 people?

Personally no, not more than 3. I am starting to stop loving someone now though, very strange for me. I am starting to feel nothing for someone I loved, should love and maybe still do deep down. But the thing is I feel a strange, calm nothing. Like I just don't care anymore. It is scary, but I feel a sense of relief too. Weird.


What is your favorite candy bar?
Almond Joy and Hershey's Special Dark.


What are your favorite shoes?
Sneakers.


Have you ever tripped someone?
Uh huh.


Do you own a Britney Spears CD?
No.


Have you ever thrown up in public?
Yes.


Name something that's always on your mind?
My mom's health.


What is your favorite music genre?
The Blues.

What is your sign?
Sagitarius.


What time were you born?
8AM

Do you like beer?
Only if it is very hot and the beer is extremely cold and I am in a baseball park. "Beer Here!" Then after a few swallows, I am sick of it. Enough.


Have you ever made a prank call?
Yes as a kid. I am tempted to now because I am getting calls on my cell for a Delilah. I have repeatedly told them they have a wrong number to no avail. Last time, I answered, "no she's not, but Samson is here, you wanna talk to him?" Next time I will start singing Tom Jones' song, Delilah. That might do it.


What is the most embarrassing CD you own?
Jim Nabors, Songs of Inspiration. I challenge anyone to beat that.


Are you sarcastic?
NEVER.


What are your favorite colors?
Cobalt blue and teak rose.


How many watches do you own?
3, two are the same and I switch them back and forth when the battery dies. One is a gold and silver bracelet band.


Summer or winter?
Summer. Winter only in measured bits. I am beginning to dislike winter more and more.


Spring or fall?
Spring.


What is your favorite color to wear?
Clean.

Pepsi or Sprite?
Cherry coke.

What color is your cell phone?
Blue and silver.

Where is your second home?
Thinking about that lately. Gotta be somewhere warm. Maybe for a first home.


Have you ever slapped someone?
Yes.


Have you ever had a cavity?
Yes.


How many lamps are in your bedroom?
2


How many video games do you own?
About 6.


What was your first pet?
Gray tabby named Misty Bobo.


Have you ever had braces?
No.


Do looks matter?
Yes. Get yo ugly butt away from me. Seriously, I like gorgeous. Honestly though, it's in the eye of the beholder, it's only skin deep, it comes from within. And, actually, of course not.


Do you use chapstick?
Yes, in the winter.


Name 3 teachers from your high school:
Mr. Bunton, awesome music teacher and choir director. Miss Davenport, and Miss Shepard.


American Eagle or Abercrombie?
American Eagle


Are you too forgiving?
I used to be.


Do you own something from Hot Topic?
Huh?


What is your favorite breakfast?
A belt. Bacon, egg, lettuce and tomato sandwich on raison bread.


Do you own a gun?
NO.

Have you ever thought you were in love?
Thought I was several times. Know I am now.


When was the last time you cried?
Sunday at the movies. Cried through the whole thing. I am pathetic.


What did you do 3 nights ago?
Not much, cooked dinner, did some work, watched some comedy and fell asleep.


When was the last time you went to Olive Garden?
Sunday afternoon. Monica took me for a lavish $7.95 all you can eat pasta and salad meal. Yum. It's really good but I got so full afer the first pasta and sauce and salad and warm garlic bread that I couldn't try any of the others. : (


Have you ever called your teacher mom?
Never.


Have you ever been in a castle?
Aladin's and Cinderella's.


What are your nicknames?
Moni calls me J and my little nephew called me Gucky before he could say Jackie. Now his mom still calls me Gucky.


Do you know anyone named Bertha?
Yes.


Have you ever been to Hawaii?
Yes.


Do you own something from Banana Republic?
No


Are you thinking about somebody right now?
Yes.


Have you ever called someone Boo?
Yes. It may be a cultural thang.


Do you own a diamond ring?
No. I have a political problem with diamonds. But I love them.


Are you happy with your life right now?
Yes, it's pretty sweet.


Does anyone like you?
Anyone? Anyone? Speak right up.


What were you doing May of 1994?
Oh please.


McDonald's or Wendy's?
McDonald's. I don't trust Wendy's since her dad died.


Do you like yourself?
OMG! I love me so much. There is no one like me. I am a great ..everything. Sometimes I get on my own nerves though.


Favorite feature of the opposite sex?
Strength and gentleness. Oh feature, eyes and butt.


Are you afraid of the dark?
No.


Have you ever eaten paste?
No.


Do you have a webcam?
No. But U Tube is calling me.


Have you ever stripped?
Maybe.

Diamonds or pearls?
Diamonds.

What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Sunday, we saw Gridiron Gang.


What are your favorite TV shows?
Now, I honestly don't have a favorite. I did like Xena Warrior Princess and also Beauty and the Beast. These shows are really the same. Think about it.

What did you have for breakfast?
Cheerios and green tea.


What is your middle name?
Cheryl


What is your favorite cuisine?
Italian.


What foods do you dislike?
Oatmeal, grits, beans, okra.


What is your favorite CD at the moment?
Sam Cook.


What kind of car do you drive?
Teal Toyota Corolla. Paid for as of this week. YAYYYYYYYYYYY!


Favorite sandwich?
Roast beef au jus.


What characteristics do you despise?
I hate users.


What are your favorite clothes?
Jeans and polo shirt.

If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation where would you go?
Africa.


What color is your bathroom?
White, blue, and lavender.


Favorite brand of clothing?
New.


Where would you want to retire to?
Warm I want warm. Atlanta maybe.


Favorite time of day?
I am most creative in the wee hours.


Where were you born?
Chicago.


Favorite sport to watch?
Football.


Are you a morning person or night owl?
I am a mixture. I like evenings and love late night but I am actually a morning person. Even when I am up late I wake up pretty early.


What did you want to be when you were little?
Annie Oakly or Elvis Presley

What is your best childhood memory?
Going on car rides on hot summer nights with my family.

Eye Color?
Brown

Ever been toilet papering?
No.

Favorite day of the week?
Saturday

BONDI. BEULAH BONDI.

I was watching the Turner Classic Movie station recently and saw a short bio on actress Beulah Bondi. I have always enjoyed her work and I like learning about character actors so decided to check her out. You know, the supporting cast actors, you know their faces but what's their names?
These actors are often great artists and have very successful careers.
Miss Bondi was one of them.

Yes, although she has an extensive movie and TV filmography, most people wouldn't know her unless reminded that she was George Bailey's mom in It's a Wonderful Life, or see her very recognizable motherly face.
Oh yeah, I know her!

In Chicago IL, on May 3, 1888 Beulah Bondy was born. A shy child, she enjoyed playing pretend and started acting at age 7. Beulah's acting passion continued through grade school and her years at Hyde Park High School. She received a degree in Oratory from Valpariso University. Bondi's mother was very supportive but her father reportedly did not approve of acting so she changed Bondy to Bondi. Another story is that her agent simply said i looks better.


Bondi's professional stage debut in 1919 was in a stock company show that included Spring Byington. (Remember her?) The only role left was for a very old lady. Being a small woman with a slim gaunt face, Bondi discovered that she could convincingly play characters much older than her years.
In 1925 she accepted a role in One in the Family her first Broadway play. She played Maggie, a 72 year old servant. No problem. She made a career out of it.


She moved to film in the 1930's working alongside top stars like Sylvia Sydney and Joan Crawford and Walter Houston. Bondi played Jimmy Stewart's mom in four movies including Wonderful Life and Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. I remember her role as the addled dowager in The Snake Pit with Olivia de Havilland and as Dorothy McGuire's aunt in the 1959 film A Summer Place.


Beulah Bondi did have at least one lead role and it is considered to be her greatest.
She starred in the 1937 film, Make Way For Tomorrow, as the abandoned Depression-era 'Ma' Cooper. Director Leo McCarey, who was better known for comedies, was determined against studio advise, to make this drama about an old couple who have fallen on hard times, lost their house and must turn to their children for help. None of them are willing or able to do much for them and they end up split up and put in separate nursing homes. Knowing this is probably a permanent situation, they have one last outing together.
I have got to rent this flick. OMG! Get the tissues!

The cast included Fay Bainter and Louise Beavers with Victor Moore as Pa Cooper.
The critics loved it, calling it a sensitive and perceptive treatment of the problems of the elderly. Bondi's performance was called inspired acting, that rings with truth and with sensitive observation that reverberates with understanding. Reviews said Bondi's Ma Cooper is a nuisance, meddlesome, exasperating, very poignant and touching.
The public hated it or didn't go to see it. It was a box office failure. It was deemed too sad, no sex and no glamour. And I'll bet, too real.

But her own personal favorite performance was as the bigoted "Ma Bridges" in 1957's, Track of the Cat, no doubt because it was so different from her own personal character and any role she had played on film.
I find it astonishing that Bondi captures not only the look but mannerisms and body language of these older characters so consistently convincingly, with such individuality, whether the character is hateful or tender all her portrayals were unique.

Her TV credits include, Playhouse 90, Zane Grey Theater, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Perry Mason, Wagon Train, Alcoa Theater and many more.


Beulah Bondi was one of the first five women nominated for the new Oscar category, Best Supporting Actress. She was nominated in 1936 for the historical drama starring Joan Crawford and Robert Taylor, The Gorgeous Hussy, and two years later for the Civil War story about family relationships, Of Human Hearts.
In 1972, Bondi won an Emmy for her portrayal of Aunt Martha on The Waltons.

Miss Bondi who never married, died in 1981 due to injuries sustained after she tripped over her cat in her Hollywood, CA home. She was 92. Her career spanned eight decades from the 1890's to the 1970's.

Miss Bondi believes it is because her mother taught her to be "a lover of life and a student of human nature" that she has been able to act convincingly. "It is the passionate desire to know what is going on inside the hearts and minds of people," Miss Bondi adds, "that distinguishes the real actor and actress from the pseudo."

Best Texan Ever

Ann Richards died Wednesday night at home in Austin Texas. The former Texas Governor (1991-1995) was 73.

I first saw Ann Richards on TV on a podium in 1988 at the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta, where she delivered the keynote speech. That speech, contained the famous Richards' barb at the older George Bush's poor speaking style. The same could be said for his son.

"Poor George. He can't help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth."

WOW! She was a rootin' tootin', take no prisoners, stand-up Texan with a shock of white hair, a tough commanding style, funny as hell, wise eyes, Madison Avenue dressed, and looked like she could drink all the men under the table, brush them off on the floor and make the decisions.

I always thought she would be our first female President.

Gov. Richards actually didn't start her political career until her 40's. She was married with four children. Her marriage ended in divorce. She was a drinker. Although she quit drinking in 1980, she talked about it often in public.

"I believe in recovery, and I believe that as a role model I have the responsibility to let young people know you can make a mistake and come back from it."

Ann Richards was elected to her first local Austin office in 1976, went on to Texas state treasurer and then elected governor in 1990. She never left the political scene. She could be found at every convention and on many news talk shows giving her hard hitting, common sense, quick witted views, especially about the Bush's. She was always quite a match for any moderator.

At age 60 she started riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle because she said,
"I thought I needed to do something kind of jazzy."

Another line she often quoted summed up her view of the aspirations of women in politics:

"Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels."

Also one of my favorites.

"Teaching was the hardest work I had ever done, and it remains the hardest work I've done to date."

God bless her, I will miss her.

September 11, 2006

It was five years ago this morning that the United States of America was brutally attacked on it's on soil. We will never be the same. We all know the ways that it changed us, what we loss and we will think about that today. But even with constant television coverage after the attacks and thereafter, I don't think any of us realize the depth of the immediate or subsequent affect on the people who live in New York City.
We saw, the mountains of pulverized Tower ash seeming to chase fleeing New Yorkers like in some sci-fi movie. We know of course, about the loss of business and tourism and that Broadway went dark. We know of the grief.

But, I don't think it was conveyed to us who are outside of NYC, the profound daily affect on the average New Yorker City resident or the significant consequences the attack had on neighborhoods throughout the city. I doubt that we could ever understand without being there.

The Towers suddenly being gone, must have felt to New Yorkers like the loss of a limb. The smell. The air quality. The ash. Pulverized cement, and glass and asbestos and metal, on and in everything for blocks around. Residents in buildings 10 blocks away, had to have professional restoration services try to clean every single item in their home and the furnace and drains and air ducts. Sometimes it was irreparable. Non-residential vehicular traffic was prohibited in some neighborhoods for more than a week and loss of telephone service for as long as two months. Some businesses could not recover.

It has been five years and we all feel the pain of that day. But New Yorkers, I don't think your journey was ever really articulated to us. We do know you prevailed. So today I'm not only thinking of terrorist or blame or where I was when it happened. I think of and feel love for New Yorkers.
...
where there is cold silence-
no hallelujahs, no hurrahs at all, no handshakes,
no neon red or blue, no smiling faces-
prevail.
...
It has been a
hard trudge, with fainting, bandaging and death.
There have been startling confrontations.
..
But there remains large countries in your eyes..
And you create and train your own flowers still.

Gwendolyn Brooks

Crocodile Hunter

Steve Irwin was a passionate naturalist and conservationist. He inherited this passion from his parents and has been living with and learning about animals since he was a tot. He was courageous, exuberant, joyous, and dynamically energetic.
He was a Conservation Warrior! He taught children and adults to appreciate and respect animals and their right to survive.

Since the tragic death of Steve Irwin, there has been endless discussion about whether he was reckless or brave. I have heard everything from "that's what he gets", to Germain Greers' statement that, the animal kingdom finally gets it's revenge.
That is just nasty.

I contend that what may seem reckless on the outside may actually be the nature of the business. I admit I worried about Steve getting so close to animals but I also knew this is the way he chose to get our attention. Steve loved life and didn't want to die. He knew and took all precautions. He knew and chose to take all the risks of the unexpected.
Reckless? Is a football player reckless, or a Nascar racer, or a airplane pilot, police officer, construction worker, a gymnast? They are all well trained and take every safety precaution, but they know and accept the risks. So did Steve. In some of these professions and sports, the persons who push the risk envelope are the heroes and winners. There is a risk line that shouldn't be crossed. I don't know in any of these activities where that line lies. I certainly don't think it wise for a race car driver to strap his or her six month old baby in for a 200 mph spin around the track. But, I wouldn't go for that ride myself, anymore than I'd step inside a crocodile's space.

Risky? Steve Irwin knew rivers, the ocean was not his area of expertise. He was still learning the ocean. John Stainton (Steve's friend who was on the boat at the time of the accident), had previously said, "If ever he was going to go, we always said it was going to be the ocean," he said. "On land he was agile, quick-thinking, quick-moving and the ocean puts another element there that you have no control over."
Exploration has it's risks.
And yet Steve's death was a freak accident, not attributed to being daring or unknowledgable at all. Death from a sting ray's barb is extremely rare.

So that brings to me the question, why. What is the purpose of taking this young man with this young family, doing such good work? The eternal question.
There are certainly lots of parents having their first talks about death with their children. I sat down with my 7 year old nephew, who is a big Irwin fan. We talked about his courage and passion and how funny he was and how he and his work will be remembered.
Good on you Steve.

Nadia meet Tatiana

Last summer, my friends Alex and Chrisanne had to put down their beautiful black cat Uhura.
Yesterday, they had to say goodbye to their calico Tatiana. I feel very sad for them. It's not only that I know they loved her and all the ways they shared their lives, but Alex's remembrances of Tatiana reminded me how our dear pets embody so much of our personal history.

They grow up with you or your children, remind you of parents or grandparents, of good times and hard times. They share your home and your house rules, know when it's time for you to get up and time you come home, the people you like and the ones you don't. They are protective and loyal and sensitive and selfish and sweet. They are completely dependent on you. That is a lot to be gone from your life.

Nadia was our last family cat. Named for the gymnast Nadia Comaneci, blond tabby Nadia was very tiny when he was given to my 3 year old nephew Nolen, so the gender was not that obvious. By the time we determined that Nadia was indeed a boy, the name was set in concrete. Too late. No problem though because Nadia was a princess. She never was a tom, always preening and posing and pampered. Everyone referred to Nadia as "she". It was only a problem when we took her to the vet and had to explain.

Nadia was 19 years old when we had to say goodbye. Nolen was 22 years old. We all had our own special relationship with her, it was very hard. Hard to pass the cat food aisle and remember that it seemed she could read because she only wanted a particular brand and knew, as soon as she saw the can, if you were trying to pull a switch on her. Hard to go to mom's house and not see her come to the window and meet me at the door. We still talk about how she would not eat raw fish, only cooked with bones removed, and that she wouldn't eat cat food tuna but liked Chicken of the Sea. It's so amazing to look at family pictures and see the changes of Nadia the kitten and Nolen the toddler.
So it's a lot to be gone from your life. But, it will get better my dear friends. I promise.

Stuck in a Phone Tree?

Ok, I just said these phone tree things were good, all warm and fuzzy and personal. But service industry phone trees give me the flux. Wall Street Journal recently had an article about how to get around company phone trees. You know, the endless prompts with the humanesque sounding voice telling you to "enter or say your account number....oh I'mmm sorry, I didn't get that, can you try it again?" Bug off!

I never minded automated sounding voices (accept the female voice in parking lots "please take a ticket" I hate her and I curse her out every single time) but these newer voices make too much of an attempt to sound personably like humans. That irks me. The damn prompts never get you where you need to go or answer your situation. So the Journal writes about this web site that helps get us to a real live human, www.GetHuman.com They have some valuable suggestions and a database of secret phone numbers and codes to get to humans in hundreds of companies. This is a must save site.

However, I figured this out already. I have tried my way on several different places from AT&T to UPS. It works. All you have to do when it prompts for a response from you, is just YELL at it. Then, every time I get, "hold for a customer assistant". A human being at last! Somehow yelling "I WANNA TALK TO A PERSON" or anything yelled triggers out of the prompt tree. Try it. It's worked for me and it's fun too. Yayyyyy Real People!

Phone Trees Are Good

Phone trees are like a relay message system. I like the idea of phone trees. It is especially good when you have a large network of family, friends and/or co-workers etc. involved. Phone trees can be very organized with each person assigned to call specific persons or very casual, like.. "hey, call me when you get there and I'll call Timmie and Lassie and then Lassie can take a note to grandpa up on the mountain...". Good girl.
Beware though, an organized phone tree is only as good as it's branches. One broken branch and the whole thing could end up with "nobody called me, I didn't know", or "how's Craig?.. his funeral was Tuesday, OMG!"
Oh I really hate that!

When my mom was in the hospital very sick at one point, the hospital actually suggested we organize a tree chain thingy because so many folks were calling to inquire about her the lines were jammed. She thought that was cool. omg.

But, whether pre-set or casually put together even on the spot, these trees are cool in emergencies or when people are upset, preoccupied, not thinking clearly, need help or just need to keep people informed.

So, I was just thinking with the anniversary of Katrina coming up and our current High Alert status, we tend to feel a bit not in control. I think it helps if we can feel secure that our personal connections are in tact. And we never know who can provide what when we need it. I mean a hug, a burger, a ride, a shoulder, a congratulations, a doctor, a lawyer, a cool head, just being there, a prayer, a laugh, an I love you. It's a good thing and it's reciprocal. We need that.

Military Logic?

Sargeant Bleu Copas, a decorated member of the U.S. Army, a member of the prestigious 82nd Airborne Division and a highly regarded Arabic linguist, was discharged from the U.S. Armed Services because he is gay. There was no other reason.


No, he did not dance on base in his jockey's with a feathered boa, paint his locker pink, post pics of his boyfriend above his bunk or pounce on his comrads. His fellow servicemen did not know he was gay because he carefully adhered to the Don't Ask, Don't Tell, law. He did join the 82nd Airborne All-American Chorus and lost his army career due to anonymous emails sent to the choral director indicating that someone in the chorus was gay. This began the witch hunt to track down the offensive gay person and expel him from the army. This is how we fight the war on terror.

Due to the pressure to increase recruitment, the US military is however unofficially relaxing it's standards that are designed to keep racist extremists out of the armed forces. According to The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks racist and right-wing militia groups, there are currently thousands of neo-Nazis and other white supremacists on active duty.

So, If I have this right, the United States military feels that gay soldiers pose more of a threat than members of extreme anti-government groups. This is the logic used in fighting the war on terror?

Sargeant Copas enlisted after 911. He planned to make the army his career. But, he will not because while our military is willing to overlook training terroist with their own agendas, they cannot overlook something that has nothing to do with service and continue to discharge valued soldiers wanting to serve and protect this country.

The Tide Turning?

I hope so. There are several new books out, some published by Christian publishing houses, expressing disagreement with the current atmosphere in this country that to be a good Christian you must be a conservative Republican. It's like Christian=Republican. If you are a God forbid, liberal, have misgivings about the war, believe GLBT folks should have equal marriage rights, be pro-choice or have any thoughts outside the conservative box, it reflects on your Christianity. This is the agenda being encouraged by the President of the United States and many Americans are goose-stepping to it. This may seem a harsh way to put it, but that's the reality of it.

The New York Times ran an article about Rev. Greg Boyd, a senior minister at Woodland Hills Church, in Maplewood, MN near St. Paul. Woodland Hills is an evangelical megachurch with a conservative congregation and Rev. Boyd has for the most part conservative views. That's fine. But he understands the importance of separation of church and state. (It's right there amongst the U.S. history and in the Constitution George W, look it up.)

Rev. Boyd got fed up with requests from church members and visitors alike:
"Would he please announce a rally against gay marriage during services? Would he introduce a politician from the pulpit? Could members set up a table in the lobby promoting their anti-abortion work? Would the church distribute “voters’ guides” that all but endorsed Republican candidates? And with the country at war, please couldn’t the church hang an American flag in the sanctuary?"
Rev. Boyd refused each request and developed a six sermon series called “The Cross and the Sword” in which he said the church should not be in the business of politics, should stop moralizing on sexual issues, and stop glorifying American military campaigns.
Woodland lost about 1000 of it's 5000 members with many walking out during Rev. Boyd's sermons. But, he is also hearing a collective exhalation from members who have been holding their breaths afraid that if they question the war in Iraq or any conservative social stance, it means they don't love Jesus.

Randall Balmer, a religion professor at Barnard College and an evangelical, has written “Thy Kingdom Come: How the Religious Right Distorts the Faith and Threatens America -- an Evangelical’s Lament.”

Brian D. McLaren, the founding pastor at Cedar Ridge Community Church in Gaithersburg, Md. is a leader in challenging the more politicized evangelical establishment.
“More and more people are saying this has gone too far -- the dominance of the evangelical identity by the religious right,” Mr. McLaren said. “You cannot say the word ‘Jesus’ in 2006 without having an awful lot of baggage going along with it. You can’t say the word ‘Christian,’ and you certainly can’t say the word ‘evangelical’ without it now raising connotations and a certain cringe factor in people.

“Because people think, ‘Oh no, what is going to come next is homosexual bashing, or pro-war rhetoric, or complaining about ‘activist judges.’ ”


Mr. Boyd has a new book out, “The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church,” which is based on his sermons.

Mr. Boyd lambasted the “hypocrisy and pettiness” of Christians who focus on “sexual issues” like homosexuality, abortion or Janet Jackson’s breast-revealing performance at the Super Bowl halftime show. He said Christians these days were constantly outraged about sex and perceived violations of their rights to display their faith in public.

“Those are the two buttons to push if you want to get Christians to act,” he said. “And those are the two buttons Jesus never pushed.”

I dashed off an e-mail to Rev. Boyd and received a reply.
Hello Rev. Boyd,
I live in Chicago IL and I just read an article about your book and sermons challenging the current religious/political bond. I want to say THANK YOU!!!!! Thank you very much. Thanks for having the courage to breakaway and say what so desperately needed to be said. Thanks for speaking what is in the hearts and minds of so many people in our country who are disturbed by the connotation that to be Christian is not only to be Republican but to be of a certain narrow, intolerant, military, America can do no wrong mind set.
I am an extremely patriotic American, I love my country deeply. But to love it means I want it to live up to it's ideals (not it's practices) of religious and personal freedoms. It does not meant love it or leave it, God is on our side no matter what we do, or that we can sit in judgement of others because they are different and then translate those judgements into laws.
I am also a Christian. I love Jesus and I know he loves me. I attend a wonderful church. It hurts me to see the attitude in America that being a Christian is not enough. You have to be a certain type of Christian. It's sad and it's dangerous and scares me.
Please continue your work. Please impress on your listeners that a single minded nation would be death of what America is supposed to be. I have always wanted Muslims, especially Muslim-Americans to speak up and let the world know that to be Muslim does not mean you are a terrorist or that you are sympathetic to terrorist. Well I hope Christians will do the same. Speak up and say we can have philosophical differences and political differences and still be Christian.
I hope our nation will come back to it's senses and heed the wisdom of the founding fathers regarding the separation of church and state.

His reply
Hi Jackie,
Thanks so much for your thoughtful feedback. I'm receiving thousands of similar e-mails from people all over the world. People all over the place are tired of the fusion of the cross and the sword that has been taking place in American religion. I'm happy to play a small role in helping people see a beautiful alternative.

If you want to go further with this, you might enjoy Myth of a Christian Nation.

In any case, thanks for your very encouraging words.

Greg Boyd


I am sure that Rev. Boyd and I have many differences of opinion and I am sure that he agrees with me that the church has been and should be a place where social justice and change is a priority, but not a pawn for a political party or justification for military action.