Media that Matters -Having the courage to go to the unexpected place with the hope that you will find truth and beauty.
“Poetry is truth in its Sunday clothes. — Joseph Roux
Whether you are dressed in your Sunday best or don’t get out of your sweats, still take time to pay attention. After all, Truth and Beauty don’t take Sunday off.
What must be done on a Sunday? Not a darn thing we don’t wanna do. The bigger question might be: What do you wanna do, and why? How do you take this day and find the Source of Truth and Beauty before it fades from you?
“It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson”
Being stupid with your friends can mean so many different things. But it boils down to having that group of people in your life that you can be your stupid self in front of.
Got like zero answers right in a game of heads up? Who cares? You were funny to watch!
Sounded horrendous with your rendition of “More than a Feeling” when you were in Boston? Who cares? You were funny to hear!
Made just a terrible toast at your best friend’s wedding? Wow, that was hilarious! But who cares? You were funny!
Being around your true friends means not having to put out your best self, or give off any extra energy. It’s just an effortless, wonderfully brilliant (stupid) time that we should all cherish.
The melodies of this song are about as comforting as a night hanging with old friends.
I must say when I first noticed The Queen of Hearts Pinot Noir at the wine shop, I found it a bit cheesy sounding. However with Tuesday being Valentine’s Day, I gave in to Hallmark and took it home. We were pleasantly surprised! It was actually very good.
The next day it came to me, that this Pinot would pair well with a card movie. So I chose Maverick.
I know he may have turned some people off in recent years, but there’s no denying that Mel Gibson made some great, 90’s-style movies, and this is one.
Mel plays Brett Maverick, a card-playing, gun slinging, bar-brawling…well … maverick, trying to raise money for a poker tournament on a river boat. The character is based on an old television series starring James Garner. I’ll watch anything that Mr. Garner appears in, so thank goodness he took the role of Marshall Zane Cooper in this picture.
The Queen of Maverick’s Heart is a thief, Annabelle Bransford, played by Jodi Foster. Brett believes he is so in tune with the card gods that he can will particular cards to appear. In one scene he picks the Queen of Hearts, which foreshadows he and Bransford’s affair.
So, in the name of love, buy a possibly Hallmark – inspired Pinot Noir. And rent a goofy Western with plenty of plot twists and 90s humor. It’s fun!!
In the spirit of riverboats and western style, listen to “The Mighty Rio Grand” by This Will Destroy You. This band means a lot to me, as they were the first band I ever saw live with my fiancé in Chicago. They were incredible…. Listen to the entire thing if you can.. It tells a story. Just sounds like you are in a movie!
I had to share this because it is my favorite thing to watch, maybe ever!
Last week, thanks to –Dawn Kent, The Effect of Music on the Human Body and Mind, we learned how music has a positive effect on mood, creativity, learning, communicating, and even healing.
This video is a such a cool example of what music can do to a person!
I think it’s worth a couple of minutes to see how one ol’ fella is sprung to life by his favorite tunes.
The only quote to share today is what this gentleman says at the end of the video.
Most of us have or know someone with a loved one that has been affected by this disease. Maybe we should find out their favorite song!
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
And maybe music is his voice…
Think about it next time you are pushing through the crowded sidewalk to get wherever you have to be. Stop and listen for a second to the man playing the sax, or gal on the guitar. Listen to the kids banging rhythmically on buckets instead of the drum sets they can’t yet afford.
All these fantastic sounds echo throughout the Alley!
Beauty is everywhere! We just have to take a second to observe it. It deserves our noticing it, even if only for a short time.
Sigur Ros (Victory Rose in English)
“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book”
— Groucho Marx
These thoughts from this fantastic comedian and thinker certainly were coined years ago, but they still apply today.
There are tons of great, worthwhile shows and great mini-series nowadays. We have access to them from a number of sources, and that is great. Entertainment is therapeutic and somewhat vital for a healthy life. But, like everything else, in moderation.
Just sayin’, like Groucho, that the next time someone turns on the Kardashians (is that still a thing?) go read a few pages of a book. You will feel smarter because you are bettering yourself, not because the “celebrities” on the boob tube make you FEEL smarter.
And if you want to watch Survivor, watch Survivor!! But maybe later that night pick up Robinson Crusoe for a few pages.
A classic story of survival like that deserves some thoughtful melodies to pair with.