No Time

I haven't watched a single thing this week. I may have caught glimpses of shows here and there, but I haven't even watched one 30 minute tv show. The only thing I can say I've watched all the way through all week is my 21 Day Fix Extreme workout videos. Which, I have to do my yoga one now. Then I'll have a little time to read my book before bed. It is one of those books where you wouldn't feel guilty staying in bed reading all day. The only thing you'd feel is sadness that the book had to end.

And I'm off to yoga and read.

Moana

It was suggested that I’d really like Moana.  So I sat down long enough to watch it.  It was ridiculously adorable.  Filled with those Disney clichés we all love: you can do anything you put your mind to, women’s power, we have a destiny, nothing can stop us when it is our destiny, it is us that make us who we are and not what others tell us we are like.  It was a cute and funny movie.  It had beautiful imagery and storytelling.  The story of Moana is based off of a Polynesian mythology.

Moana is the chieftain's daughter, set to take over.  Her grandmother has been going on and on about an old legend of the heart of Te Whiti being stolen by Maui and it being lost. When she is young, she is chosen by the ocean.  It parts at her feet and reveals to her the lost heart of Te Whiti.  She tries to tame her inner desire to be out on the seas because she wants to make her father and island proud. As she is about to take over leadership of her island home, the crops begin to fail and the fishing begins to turn up empty… handed (dare I say, empty netted). Her grandmother presents her with the heart and shows her that her destiny is linked to her ancestors’ voyaging spirit.  She takes on the adventure of first finding Maui, the demi-god, and making him return the heart to Te Whiti.  This proves to not be as easy as she had been hoping.  Against the odds, she perseveres.  At times she even wants to give up her destiny for a different one; but realizes that this is her mission and she can’t just give up. Close with Disney happy ending.  The end!

Split

I haven’t been watching a lot of movies recently, but I did manage to watch Split.  I was wanting to watch that movie since I first saw the trailer last summer.   It was an interesting movie.  I really wish there had been more development of the characters.  The main character/focus is Kevin.  He has multiple personalities, 23 to be exact.  One of these personalities kidnaps a set of girls.  The movie then focuses on both the girls trying to escape their confines and the progression of Kevin’s  more shady personalities.  I wish there had been more development of the other personalities.  There’s the weird twist ending, typical of M. Night Shaymalan.  It would also be very interesting if they opened it up for a sequel.  I don’t know how well it would do, but they did leave a cliff-hanger ending that could be developed into a further story. I'm not usually a scary movie person, and I wouldn't exactly say this scared me.  It was more intense action and drama based fear than actually scary (like monsters or make you jump out of your skin scary); definitely not Sixth Sense scary.  I would, however, recommend you watch it at least once.

Jame McAvoy does an amazing job in this movie.  End of story.   

The Lady in Gold

My sister and I watched The Woman in Gold today.  It was so good.  Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds were amazing.  It is the story of Maria Altmann (Mirren) deciding to try and recover some of the possessions her family had stolen when the Nazis took over Austria, her homeland.  The death of her sister uncovers a postcard of her aunt's painting by Klimt; and she decides to attempt, with Austria's new stance on restitution, to get the painting back.  Several paintings were looted from her family home, but she most greatly desired to have the painting of her Aunt Adele returned.  She asks a family friend if her son, a lawyer, would look into the case for her.  The lawyer, Randy Schoenberg, is sceptical about the case, but decides to take on the case when he realizes how much the painting is worth.  He originally goes into the case for monetary reasons, but a visit to his family's homeland, Austria, changes his mind.  They begin to pursue the restitution of her family's property, all the way up to the Supreme Court!

It's a beautiful historical piece about art, the war, and how lives were changed. I loved the flash back pieces that showed the life that Maria lived with her family back in Austria.  I highly recommend going out and watching this movie.  It's an underdog, true-story, for sure; just someone trying to take on the whole of Austria for a million dollar painting. :) It's really eye-opening to see all the things that families had stripped away from them and were then taken as prized possessions of people who hate Jewish people.  One of the Altmann family's art pieces was displayed in Hitler's home!  And some other German lady was given the very necklace that Adele is wearing in her portrait painting: The Lady in Gold. 

Far From the Maddening Movie Crowd

I LOVE FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD...the book, by Thomas Hardy.  I really, really love that book. It's not really the story that I love so much (I mean, it's a good story), but I love the beautiful descriptions that Thomas Hardy weaves into the story.  I still vividly remember the description he gave of Fanny's grave and the way the water from the gargoyle dripped on it (it's been several years, so hopefully I didn't make that all up in my mind).  It's so weird, I never really liked Tess of the D'Urbervilles, which is also by Thomas Hardy.

Anyways, I'll stop waxing poetic about Thomas Hardy and the book version of Far From the Madding Crowd.  I just finished watching the movie. And I quite enjoyed it.  I did feel that it tried pulling a "Pride and Prejudice" moment at one point (it was a good scene in the recent Pride and Prejudice, so why not try it here, right). I went in determined to be disappointed and came up surprisingly happy with the film.  Carey Mulligan and Matthias Schoenaerts did a really good job as Bathsheba and Gabriel. 



"Pride and Prejudice" moment

The movie is about Farmer Oak and Bathsheba Everdene.  They both have changes in station, wealth, and position throughout their lives.  They learn how to navigate farming, living, and loving.  I really don't want to give away too much about the story.  It's an amazing storyline that has twists and turns and ups and downs.  The movie is great, but as I said, nothing compares to the amazing descriptions that Thomas Hardy has in the novel.

What's Your Stone

Favorite Song(s) of the week:
Let it Grow - Clapton
Cheerleader - Omi
Shut Up and Dance - Walk the Moon
Believe - Mumford and Sons
Strawberry Fields - Beatles
Fight Song -Rachel Platten
Bad Blood - Taylor Swift (usually I don't like her, but this song gets to me)



Favorite Quote(s) of the week:
"I may only have one match, but I can make an explosion." - Fight Song
"Learn, Love, Grow, Explore, Adventure." - Personal Statement
"What's my stone?" - Kathy Lee Giffords tribute to her husband
"Focus on where you want to go, not on what you fear." - Tony Robbins
"I'm so proud of you." - My husband to me :)

Favorite thing done this week:
Making my vision board, doing art, and starting a new job as a LifeStyle and Wellness Coach

Favorite show/movie of week:
I watched a few Friends episodes with my aunt this week and remembered how that show is so hilarious.

Favorite thing read:
How the Scots Invented the Modern World by Arthur Herman

Favorite event:
Team Meeting last night.  It was so inspirational and full of hope!

Most inspired moment:
Again, last nights team meeting was powerful.
And also, Kathy Lee Giffords tribute to her husband, Frank.  Makes you want to get up and do some good!

Thought(s)/Epiphany (ies) of the week:
I can do this! 
Life is so full of potential at all moments.  You can choose to see it or ignore it.

Weirdest dream:
I have a lot of weird dreams.  Like, a LOT!  I'm sure not many people have dreamt about being a rat or having a conversation with Walt Whitman.  I'll usually have something good, but nothing this week.  Watch, tonight I'll have a crazy dream!

Turn the Other Cheek?

I'm starting this before I head out to Zumba tonight, so when I come back later tonight...well, I'm hoping things will still make sense. 

Anyways, I have had a few thoughts swirling around in my head about the riots that apparently started over a "film," if you can even call it that. My mind has been working away on the myriad of things that are being said about what happened on September 11th.  Yeah, the one last week...that date that commemorates one of the worst days.  I don't know if it was planned or not, I just know that it is pandemonium.  People are saying it is a terrorist attack and calling Obama weak for not responding in a harsh way.  All because of a movie that barely got watched?!?

I'm not saying that these people can't be actually pissed off about this film, but this is an extreme response.  There was someone trying to justify the riots by saying we'd be pissed off if someone misrepresented someone like Jesus or Abraham Lincoln.  Duh, it's call Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Angles and Demons.  Jesus had a baby with a suspected prostitute and Abraham slaying the undead - yup, been there, done that.  Some people were pretty pissed, especially about Jesus having a baby with a whore, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A RIOT AND WE DIDN'T KILL PEOPLE THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MOVIE.  I'm completely baffled by it; violence for no real reason other than you didn't like a movie.  So what!  Deal with it, people in America can say what they want: good, bad, stupid, ugly, hurtful, truthful and just plain non-sensical. 

So then I flip my thinking  brain to a people who have never really had freedom of speech.  Do they fully understand what it means?  Do they know that, aside from a few things (like shouting "fire" in a crowded public place and defamation), people can say whatever they please and not have any real repercussions.  Yes, they might regret saying it later or relationships might be hurt, but we have the freedom to express what it on our minds.  If these people literally can't understand the concept of our government protected right to free speech, then I can see how they would jump to the conclusion that our government has "allowed" this to happen.  I don't know how educated these people are that have been whipped into a frenzy by the media and their religious leaders.  Have you looked at the Tea Party recently? Or those crazy psychos with their sign protesting whatever it is they feel they need to protest about?!?  They get whipped up into some crazy ideas that other people have led them to believe is the truth.  I know I have been led astray before fully looking into a topic and after, I have regretted what I thought I believed.  I wish people could just take a deep breath, realize that people make mistakes and say/do stupid things, and then let it go.  You don't have to forgive, just realize that person isn't like you and move on.  Just because another person thinks something, doesn't mean you have to - use your own brain.

As for whether or not our President responded in a "weak" manner; I just want to say "SHUT UP."  Are you kidding me?  We want more violence and hate?  If it was a terror attack, don't you think it is better that we respond in a calm, forgiving manner.  It will piss the little shits off that they haven't pissed us off.  Take a deep breath, realize that those ambassadors and other people would not have wanted more deaths in countries that they clearly loved.  Would they be sad that this happened, yes.  I think they'd be more upset if the we declared war and lashed out like a hurt, wounded, and scared animal.  Be compassionate and let it go.   Do we really want to start something bigger than a riot in response?  All for what?  A movie.  Way to turn the other cheek.