I don’t feel old, but things happen every once in awhile that make me realize how old I really am.
One of my former 2nd grade students just graduated from Webster University. That alone made me feel old. She just told me via Facebook that the Musical Director of Willy Wonka is a good friend of hers. That means I could have taught this lovely lady “back in the day.” Man. How come I don’t feel 20+ years older than she?
Gotta go. My arthritis is kicking in.
Sometimes I watch the Academy Awards and think, “What?! Are you kidding me?! THAT is what you chose for Best Picture?”
But, I’m going to have to admit that the Academy made some pretty good choices in the 90’s. Continuing with the ever-exciting list of “What Michelle Movies Has Seen and What She Thinks About Them…”
Apollo 13 was an excellent film that year as well. Historical. Tom Hanks. Gary Sinese. What more do you want? Babe never had a chance, in my opinion. Still one of my favorite “feel good” movies. But, the biggest disappointment of all? Sense and Sensibility was robbed! This is absolutely one of my very favorite movies! Brilliant! I cry every single time I watch!Now it’s your turn. What movies did you love/hate? Never see? I’m at 90% for the 90’s!
I’ve been interested in classic movies lately. Watched In the Heat of the Night “They call me MR. Tibbs!” Loved it! Watched Wall Street, not sure that it is a classic, but I felt like it was on the list of “Movies Everyone Has Seen and Gets Referenced Enough that I Should Watch It.” (Am I the only one who has this list?)
The way I got started with this list was reading someone’s blog about the 10 Most Memorable Movie Quotes. As I went through the list, I realized that the two movies above were the only ones I had not yet seen. So, I can check those off my list.
I then decided to check out what Academy Award Winning Movies (Best Picture) I had seen/not seen. (This was also prompted by my friend Mark who was shocked to find out I had never seen The Godfather. Yes, it is now in my Netflix queue.)
The past 10 years of Best Picture are as follows
So, what have you seen and loved? Or what do you wish you hadn’t wasted your time on?
Karen and I went to Five Guys Burgers and Fries last night. (Hang on a minute. I have to wipe the drool from my chin. There we go.) Something caught my eye, and I said to Karen, “Now look at that. Why don’t all restaurants do that? That is brilliant!”
An employee was going to put a new bag in a trash can. She MOVED the trash can out of sight, and took out the garbage, and replace the bag. THEN, she brought it back! How nice to not to have to look at garbage while eating! FABULOUS!
And, yes, I’m going to go to the web site and compliment them right now. Excellent!
Am I just on a train speeding to nowhere? I feel exhilarated when I’m going to, at, and coming from Willy Wonka practice. VBS practically wiped me out. But I’m back on top, baby! Am I doing too much? Just keeping my head above water? Too many irons in the fire?
Appointment with Kent tomorrow. Even though I feel great right now. I feel as though I should touch base with him. It’s been awhile. Maybe I’m not headed for a crash, but I’d like to be safe, just the same.
Why is it that when he’s here, I think Mark is so grown-up for a 13-yr-old? But now that he’s away at Boy Scout camp, I think of him as a 9-year-old…not knowing what to do…having no self-confidence…missing me…
Tom leaves tomorrow to spend the rest of the week at camp with him. I’ll bet he won’t hug him like I would, though. Maybe Mark’s glad I’m not coming.
Last night we had a big thunderstorm. Karen has never been a fan, to say the least. She asked if she could sleep on our floor last night. So, this morning when I got up, I told her that she could go sleep in my spot on the bed. “No, I like it here. Thanks, though.” WHA?!?!??!
Ahhh. Gone are the days of being able to get a good night’s sleep anywhere my body landed…
Mark on the way home from a somewhat hectic VBS: “Mom, you are so awesome. People don’t come to church to learn about God, they come to see you!”
Lightning may strike me for feeling so good about my 13-yr-old to say that. My reply was, “Well, I hope they learn about God as a bonus.”
As a mom, I try to teach my kids lots of life lessons that I’ve been taught, used, or, at least, learned the hard way. I try to be the mother figure when dispensing advice. You know: all-knowing, wise beyond my years…
Well, yesterday, I was in a position to practice what I preach. At Willy Wonka rehearsal, the main cast members were asked to go through our lines while the rest of the cast was going through the dances from the first couple of scenes. We’ve been doing this for a couple of days, so it wasn’t anything new. That was kind of the problem, though. It wasn’t anything new. The kids that play the main roles (ranging from 9 – 16 years old) were getting restless. Plus, they were getting to know each other pretty well now that it was Day 4.
It started like most read-throughs we’d done. A little chatting, then on to the reading. The music for the dances was loud, and did make it difficult to hear each other. So, the read-through was not going well. Then, it became just chatting. And laughing. The stage manager came up to us and told us we were WAY too loud. (We were as far away from the stage as possible and were told to stay in the theater.)
It got quieter, and the youngest of the group kept saying, “Can we just do our lines?” He was completely ignored. Some of us tried, but were not successful, to run our lines. It was not going well.
I thought, “Crap. I don’t want to sit here and get scolded again. Plus, I don’t know my lines well enough yet, so this is a waste of time.” I’ll admit, the biggest part of that thought was the getting scolded. At 43. By a college student. But, I respect him and his position as Stage Manager.
Then, it hit me. What have I always told my kids? Move. Get away from the group. So, I said, “Hey, I don’t know my lines, so I’m going to have to go sit down there and learn them.” And I moved. I was going to go off into a corner and just read my lines, but I wanted to make sure that the stage manager didn’t think I was still up there causing a ruckus. So, I sat alone in the seats near the front of the theater.
It also hit me how hard that really is to do. At 43, I didn’t care too much about what the kids thought of me, but I did a little bit. But, what if they were my peers? It really isn’t as easy as the mom in me made it sound when I said it to my kids. I made sure I did what I tell them to do and I know that actions speak louder than words. But, I am planning on telling them the situation. And, when I do, I also plan to tell them how I realize that it is not easy to do. But, man, did I feel better when I did move. And, when the director turned around and told the group to be quiet (AGAIN!), I was not up there. And, that felt GREAT!
We started Willy Wonka the Musical practice this week. I am LOVING it!
Yesterday we did a workshop on defining our characters. So, my son Augustus and I sat down to create a background for our family. Here it is in a nutshell: We are a wealthy German family, but I grew up poor and was often hungry. So when I married Augustus’ dad I promised myself that Augustus would never be hungry. That’s why I feed him all the time. My goal in life is to make sure Augustus is happy. What’s so wrong with that?
While my stage son and I were talking, I asked him where he went to school. Turns out he goes to the same school Mark does. And, he’s the same age as Mark. And, yes, he knows Mark. We had that moment of wide-eye opening, “You’re kidding!!!” looks. Then, I was faced with a dilemma. Do I ask if he likes Mark? Or do I let it go?
Have you ever known me to let something go? Of course I asked him! He said, “Yeah. I think he’s funny!” Whew. Mark said he thought they had PE and maybe drama together in 6th grade, but no classes together last year.
So, my two sons know each other! Weird…
