Summer Movies and Other Things

It’s closing in on the end of the week and I still haven’t got a draft for Saturday’s blog post. My inspirations for writing comes in stops and starts. In May I had as many as four posts ready to go in my scheduler and now I’m facing a deadline without a single one in the ready or a thought in my head on where to start. Well, that’s not entirely true. The truth is I have too many thoughts going on, in too many directions that I can’t decide what to focus on first. There are movies I could review---Rocket Man and A Dog’s Purpose---a lunch with the Gathering Girls, a Mad Hatters tea, the tour of the continuing care place that I posted about on Wednesday and my renewed, adventures in the land of selling on e-Bay. Get out the violins. Woe is Jean and her summertime downsizing saga. The moral of that story is don’t marry a guy who collects things like vintage lighters, cereal premium toys and hundreds of tiny things the size of buttons. He also collected big things like antique gas pumps, signs and cans but those were e-Bayed off the first year after he died. Ya, I can hear some of you incredulously asking why I didn’t/don’t just throw all that stuff in the trash and the answer would be in year one of e-Baying Don’s stuff I was able to pay off our $40,000 mortgage. He had fun being a real American Picker before there was a TV show by that name. 

Movie Reviews: Rocket Man, most people probably already know, it’s about Elton John and one reviewer said: “Everything was made the way they imagined Elton would remember them, e.g. a little bigger, a little wilder, a little brighter.” Elton was a producer and he told the writers he didn’t want anything white-washed---the drugs, the sex and prescription pills addictions that he went through and finally overcame. It’s a fascinating movie, raw and personal and creative---part musical, part biography, part fantasy and Taron Egerton who played Elton is such a talented actor and singer he blew me away. Elton allowed Taron to read all his journals so he could get to the feelings behind the public antics.

Elton was a child prodigy from an unsupportive, cold family and the way the movie was written they’d show a scene that became the inspiration for one of his songs and knowing those back stories will give you a few Aha Moments. I can’t say enough good thing about this movie and I’ve never really been a fan of Elton John’s---like a lot of the lyrics but I don’t own any of his CDs. Be forewarned: This is the first mainstream Hollywood film that includes a gay male sex scene. Well done, no body parts ‘down there’ showing but I know a couple of people who would have probably walk out. Thankfully, my movie mate wasn’t one of them and she loved the film as much as I did. As we left the theater she said, “That’s a feel good story of redemption.” Why can’t I sum up books and movies in one sentence like that? I’m totally jealous of people who can do that.

And for those preferring a family friendly movie I can highly recommend A Dog’s Purpose with Denis Quaid. IMBd sums up the plot this way: “A dog looks to discover his purpose in life over the course of several lifetimes and owners.” Yes, reincarnation of a dog who was given a purpose to look after the granddaughter of the character played by Quaid. Any time you give a dog a voice in movie or book, I’m hooked because humor is sure to follow. And this movie also has a lot puppies in it and who can be sad when wiggly, nursing puppies are in view? 

The Mad Hatters tea was this week and happens twice a month---formerly The Red Hat Society. We planned a walk-about for our next get-together to a part of town known for their thrift shops. If I never see another thrift shop I'd be good for life but the walk-about also includes Trader Joe's and the Traverse City Pie Company so I might sign up. One of the ladies recently adopted a four year old rescue dog who had a broken leg from being hit by a car and needs medical care. She had it in a baby buggy which I thought was serendipitous since I’d just blogged about putting Levi in one as he ages. She is crazy about that dog and the dog seems to return the affection. 

The Tour: Online I found a list of ten questions to ask at continuing care places which is fortunate since I didn’t have a single one of them on my list and their list was better than mine at getting at the important things. I cared about internet providers, their list cared about who decides when it was time to be moved from independent living to the nursing home wing. But writing about my tour of the continuing care place is going to have to wait until next week when I can devote an entire post to it. I also want to take my time marinating my thoughts on what all I learned. Writing about it will help me sort out the many pros and few cons and I don’t want to short-change the process. I’ve got a lot to say on the topic. How’s that for a cliff hanger? ©