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“The Women,” the War, the Wall
When someone said to Frances McGrath, “Women can be heroes,” those words set her trajectory, landing her on the other side of the world. The main character “Frankie” McGrath joined the Army as an Army Corps nurse because she wanted to follow her brother Finley to Vietnam. From the beginning of Kristin Hannah’s new book, The Women, readers discover how fiction can tell the story of a war that the media and America’s leadership during that war worked to suppress. In her author acknowledgement, Kristin includes an impressive list of research sources. She also wrote this: “In writing this novel, I have tried to be as historically accurate as possible.…
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After Lent, Easter Son-Rise, and Changed Lives
“The bright Morning Star” came to mind, compressing the Bible’s entire message into one word: Jesus. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” Rev. 22:16 I awoke thinking about Resurrection Sunday: church, family at lunch, Easter eggs, and the flowers of Spring. Early, when it was yet dark … Something else came to mind. A movie I wanted to watch. The evening of Easter Sunday, I watched the movie Ben Hur. I’ve seen this movie many times, but I first saw this film as a young girl at the…
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Too Marvelous for Words
Just for fun Friday (JFFF), enjoy this short video that celebrates both artistic creativity and the past. I’m into manual typewriters. More later.
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Diamonds Are Forever and 007
Did Ian Fleming choose the emblematic moniker 007 for his character James Bond, knowing its relation to diamonds? Years ago, watching a History Channel program about diamonds, I learned that .007 ounces=1 carat. The fictional secret agent may not have been named with diamonds in mind, yet the stories Ian Fleming wrote and the character he created highlight Bond’s value to MI6 (British foreign intelligence). The Value of Diamonds “Diamond Cutting: How It’s Made” aired on The History Channel (cir. 2007). The maximum value of diamonds depends on Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat. Cut is considered the most important of the ”Four C’s.” Diamonds are rare crystals, the hardest substance…
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Reining Emotions from Inside Out
The PIXAR movie Inside Out pictures the life of Riley, an 11-year-old girl who must move with her family from the Midwest to San Francisco. The genius of the movie lies in how it shows competing emotions. Which emotion in Riley’s mind will control the situations she encounters? What controls how I feel about what happens to me and what’s happening around me? This question applies to each of us when confronting change. The Refuge of Remembering Over time, Riley’s memories function as islands of refuge when things around her go wrong. Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness are highlighted emotions. The islands of these emotions exist to anchor and…
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How Far Can I Stretch the Word FRIEND?
The western Silverado introduces the character Paden (Kevin Kline) after he has been robbed, left to die in the middle of open desert, head lying on a rock, arms across his chest, and feet crossed at the ankles––a sweet repose that indicates he’s given up. Then a Good Samaritan comes along and gives him a drink of water from his canteen. First spoken line in the film, Paden whispers, “Good to meet you.” The robbers stole his horse, his boots, his clothes, leaving him wearing worn long johns––the kind with a trap door. Paden explains his circumstances. Paden: “Me, I’m riding along, minding my own business. Four cowboys come by…
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Decision Fatigue: Too Many Choices
When a friend mentioned eating at a restaurant in Amarillo that had only 5 choices for entrées on the menu, his comments reminded me of the movie Hell or High Water (2016). The phrase "come hell or high water" typically means "do whatever needs to be done, no matter the circumstances." It also refers to the "hell or high water clause" in a contract, usually a lease, which states that the payments must continue regardless of any difficulties the paying party may encounter. Both definitions apply to different parts of the plot in this movie. The first two bank robberies take place in Archer City and Olney, Texas. These were…
