Violence over Benjamin Buttons

I read this weekend on CNN that a shooting took place in a movie theater. It seems someone was talking and for that took a bullet in the arm. At first my sympathies were with the shooter. I know, it's an extreme measure, but come on, people talking in the movie theater does lead to any number of extreme thoughts - most of which are never acted on - thank god. For most of us we might turn our head slightly in the direction of the talker, alerting them that we are on to them and annoyed. If that doesn't work maybe we will turn and make eye contact with the chatterer. I don't know about you, but shhing is a major move. Now, if the movie theater is nearly empty and a senior couple sits down near you and you start to hear "What did she say?" or mutterings along those lines we might decide to pick up and move elsewhere, but usually because we don't want to appear rude or hurt their feelings we will put up with it. It's that damn humanitarian in us. Having said that I think talking in the movie theater deserves to be dealt with severely (how about some bouncers sitting every few rows to deal with it for us?). There have been times in my life that if I had a gun with me....well, maybe, just maybe...No, no, I wouldn't do it. Come to think of it, why did the guy bring the gun into the theater in the first place?

Anyway....the shooter lost my sympathies. The movie where this tragic event took place was "The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons". This is a slow moving three hour film. Beautiful, artsy, moving story, yes. But yeah, I said 3 hours. 3 hours! By the time this movie ended my popcorn had been gone for 2 hours and 54 minutes. I had applied lipstick, hand lotion, had 4 pieces of gum, took my coat off, put my coat on, checked my cell phone for emergency messages twice (nothing), found a couple of candy cane kisses in the bottom of my purse, ate them slowly, whispered to my sister more times than I can remember and laughed out loud when she said she felt like she was being tortured. I almost wish someone had shot me.

Obviously the shooter was bored and annoyed too and just looking for something to end his own torture. But why take it out on the poor smuck was was suffering right along with him? Shoot at the screen, shoot out the projector. I think the report said the shooter was at the movies alone, on Christmas. Kinda sad. He didn't have anyone to talk to. Can you imagine sitting through a 3 hour movie, alone and with no bag of tricks (a purse) to go through to occupy your time?

Movie makers should take note - keep the movies to 1 hour and 45 minutes, throw in a car chase, a sex scene and a street fight and everyone leaves happy and keeps their guns in the holster.

Laura's Favorite Things

Every year Oprah does a show about her "favorite things". This year because of the state of the economy and to be fair to her viewers, she only showcased things that were $100 or less. Gee, thanks Oprah.

So, in the spirit of favorite things and the economy, I thought I would highlight some of my favorite things ($10 or less) and in some cases free! Yeah! Here goes...

Tiramisu coffee creamer in a good, strong cup of coffee. I think the Tiramisu is a seasonal item.
The novel "Loving Frank" a first for Nancy Horan. I would describe this book as historical fiction. It's about the affair Frank Lloyd Wright had with Mamah Borthwick weaving fact and fiction. As is often the case, the woman behind the famous man is more interesting. There is barely a footnote in American History about Wright's love affair with Borthwick. She had much to offer the world with her writing and ideas about equal rights for women. I felt the same way about Mabel Bell when I read about Alexander Graham Bell after visiting the Bell museum in Nova Scotia.

Great book - the ending was a shocker!

A funny Christmas card from a funny cousin. We have an old joke about our kids needing therapy. So far they all seem pretty normal despite their upbringing.

Small, round, green doors; big feet; The Shire and Bilbo Baggins saying “I feel thin, like butter stretched over too much bread”. Today is the day I will watch the entire trilogy as I bake cookies, wrap presents and write out Christmas card. It's good to have a snow day the Saturday before Christmas.

Many years ago we purchased this for mom and dad. I think it was right here in Red Wing somewhere - years before I lived here. We thought it was hilarious.

I still have a tendency to say....
Merry Christmoose!

Dogs in sweaters on snowy days!

Last but not least....Candy cane kisses!

I think they are new this year - at least new to me...dangerously delicious!

Living alone - part two

Someone asked me today if I include pictures of my dog or her name and age on my holiday greeting cards. Hmmmm....I will admit I've included a picture (was it last year?) but it was in a collage of pictures and she didn't get her name in the card. This persons ex-husbands new wife sent cards that listed her new step-children’s names and ages and the new puppy's name and age all in a row which confused an elderly grandmother who wondered if she missed the birth of a child. Weird? Yes!

I think the reason she asked me is she knows I live alone and every afternoon I head home to let my dog out. I only live a couple of blocks away so it's no big deal, but I usually announce to anyone within ear shot that "I'll be back in a few, I'm going home to see Lilith." Her name is actually just Lily.

Having a grown up daughter and being divorced means I have no choice but to send out cards with just my name on them. Is it tempting to add Lily's name? Nope, although she does wish you a very Merry Christmas. Fuh-ny. If you do receive a card with her name next to mine will you please stop in and check on me. I may have fallen down the stairs and now suffering from a life threatening head injury.

Merry Christmas!

Love,

Laura, Lily and Michael (Mr. January on my New York City fireman's calendar)

Lily - pee dammit so I can go back to work!

The 'other' Laura

My cousin Lisa (one of my favorite people on the planet) and her husband Greg live in Bozeman, MT. Lisa is a professor at Montana State and Greg is a brick layer (wherever he can get the work). They live in the mountains and one of their passions is skiing. I'm hoping to get out to Bozeman in early January and again in March to ski with them. My brother Jay lives out there too and works at the Bozeman Airport. He is an avid skier as well.

So, recently I sent them a picture of myself in my new ski outfit and told them I was heading their way soon. After Greg saw my pictures on the computer he picked up Lisa's cell phone at 7:00 a.m. and dialed "Laura" and left a message saying things like 'hey baby....loved the pics of you on the Internet" and other boy like things that he knows I would love to hear. However, Lisa's hairdressers name is also Laura. The 'other' Laura got the 7am phone call and the voice mail meant for me. Needlessto say Greg was a little embarrassed.

I'm still laughing about it.

Oh, and my legs hurt tonight from skiing today. It was beautiful - 20 degrees, sunny, no wind and not crowded!

Blagojevich - huh?

Illinois Governor Blagojevich arrested.

Anderson Cooper says: "Hotsba doesn't begin to describe the allegations of this governor. Some of the things he was saying is unbelivable. He knew the Feds were after him for a long time - years. Why was he carrying on in this way? The governors own words "you just don't give it away" refering to Obama's vacated senate seat."

Seriously - what's with this guy?

AND

is that hair for real?

Does a 51 year old really grow hair that shape? That color?

You just never know what Anderson will be talking about each night at 9:00 p.m. This one made my jaw hit the ground. You couldn't write more compelling corruption. Is this a matter of ego taking over or is the man just insane?

It is the nature of spirit to sing -

...even before the song has words.


Tonight I had the privilege of attending the 97th Annual St. Olaf Christmas Festival. This concert has been on my personal "Bucket" list for many years! Check! The St. Olaf Orchestra, St. Olaf Choir, St. Olaf Cantorei, St. Olaf Chapel Choir, The Manitou Singers and the Viking Chorus - all made up of young college students filled the auditorium and performed as individual groups and as a massed ensemble.It was magnificent!The risers were draped in gold fabric and each ensemble was dressed in a different colored robe. Once they were all on the stage together it was a breathtaking site. You could hear a pin drop between songs as the concert was setup like a worship service with no applause until the end. Often we would stand and sing together with the choirs and the orchestra perfectly translated musically when words failed us. If you love music and exquisite harmonies you couldn't walk away from this experience with a dry eye.

Don't pass those 'ringers' by...

Every December our Kiwanis club volunteers to help out 'Sals' and ring bells for cash donations. I was concerned this year that it might be uncomfortable to watch people pass us by as the economy has people living pretty close to the edge. As is true anytime I volunteer for something I was pleasantly surprised by the generosity from the masses. We were stationed outside a Wal-Mart store in Red Wing - a place I rarely frequent. There is nothing special about the people that shop at Wal-Mart except they all have a similar look. Too many thin coats, no gloves, sweat pants, old tennis shoes, threadbare hooded sweatshirts etc. However, it was the same people who generously filled the kettle with their change and dollar bills - lifting their children to put change in while thanking me for standing outside on a cold night.The money that goes in those kettles helps to provide shelter, food, home visits, rehabilitation, thrifts shops, and elder and children services. The money stays in our community and assists families that are in the 'working poor' category.Interestingly, I headed out to Treasure Island Casino after my two hour shift and danced for 5 hours - yep 5 hours! That's another story and boy was it fun! I haven't been at the casino in a few years and it sure didn't look like we are in a recession based on the mass of humanity gambling their hard earned money away. While I didn't put a single nickel in a slot machine - I was struck that the people smoking, drinking and gambling looked like the same people who had a couple hours before walked through the Wal-Mart doors. Are they gambling away the mortgage money? Smoking up the grocery money? I'll make no judgment, but it was a bit troubling to see the casino doing so well while our social service agencies are struggling to keep up with the demand of people in dire need of assistance.One last thought about the bell ringing experience. If you have any doubts about the optimism and generosity of people in general this is a job for you. The smiles, the laughs, the teasing, the offers of hot coffee, a few hugs and most importantly the thank you's for standing outside on a cold night for a good cause brought tears to my eyes a number of times throughout the night. Smiling is free and contagious and does as much to warm you on a cold night as a warm coat and mittens.

Prophecies and Predictions...

It's getting close to the new year when we often reflect on the year just past and make resolutions for the future. I'm not going to do either. I do, however, want to acknowledge just how much I love and appreciate my friends. Nice neighborhood filled with even nicer people. Co-workers that are also friends. Like-minded, civic and community volunteers who, like me, want to better the world in whatever small ways possible. Whether I'm happy and celebrating or suffering due to a hurtful encounter - I have friends I can count on to listen with love and encouragement without judgement.

If there is one thing I would like to focus on today and in 2009 it would be to not waste time worrying about what people think. I will say no. I will be "ME" without apologies. I will not care so much about what people think. It's okay if someone doesn't like me. As simple as that sounds, it's a very difficult truth for me.

The following speaks for itself. :) Don't rationalize or agonize about it. The universal truth simply is that....

Don't waste your time trying to figure out why they are mean. They just are and the minute you find that out you have been given a gift.

What does it matter now if men believe or no?

What is to come will come.

And soon you too will stand aside,

To murmur in pity

that my words were true.

(Cassandra, in Agamemnon by Aeschylus)

Recently I read "Of all the forms of courage, the ability to laugh is the most profoundly therapeutic." I'm sure that's true and was astounded by the same article stating that some people report they don't often laugh. Like....they don't laugh for a week or a month or even a few months. Huh?? As a measure of a person's good humor the following story was told to people working through depression issues. So - if you don't think it's funny you many need therapy.

This is the "world's funniest story" established by voting on a British Web site: Two New Jersey hunters (Wisconsin hunters?) are walking through the woods. Suddenly, one of them collapses and is not breathing. The other whips out his cell phone and calls 911. "My friend is dead!" he tells the operator. She says, "Take it easy, I can help you. First you need to make sure he's dead." There is silence and she hears a gunshot. The man comes back on the line. "Ok. Now what?"

Stones from Ibarra - Harriet Doerr

Last night our book club met to discuss "Stones from Ibarra" then the one hour drive home took over two as we had to drive through a winter wonderland of blowing snow. There were a couple of times that the semi trucks seemed to be barreling straight at us on 61 and I had to close my eyes as we were forced way over to the edge of the road. It was kinda scary. By midnight I was home and anxious to jump in to my new book "Loving Frank" which has grabbed me from the first page with the Goethe quote - "One Lives but onces in the world".

But, back to "Stones from Ibarra". It is a first novel for a 73 year old woman who also graduated from college at about the same age. It's a bit autobiographical as she lived in Mexico and her husband died from a blood disease, similar to Richard, the husband in the book. Her writing is beautiful and descriptive, but the book was a little disjointed as it's a series of short stories that the author attemps to weave together. It did win a national book award and Harriet Doerr (author) does manage to give a very charming picture of life in a poor Mexican village. One thing I really liked about the book was she never gives a 'moral of the story' as she describes certain behaviors and things that happen. She just leaves them laying there for you to decipher. I asked the married women at the book club what they thought of the two main characters as 'husband and wife' because some of their behaviour seemed peculiar to me. For instance, the main character Sara is always making up things or using her imagination to round out a story which is annoying to her husband. Since they were living in a small village without electricity - hence, no tv, radio - I saw it as entertaining storytelling. You never really know, but some of the married women thought it was because the husband wanted her to be grounded in reality and face that he was going to die. There was nothing concrete about the ending, no wrapping up of loose ends and no bookclub discussion questions in the back of the book so it honestly made for a really great discussion with our group.