All About My Mother

I watched the DVD "All About My Mother" a foreign language film with subtitles set in Spain.
It won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for best foreign film in 1999. I'm going to have to see "A Streetcar Named Desire" after seeing this.

Synopsis

Manuela (Cecilia Roth) suffers after her son, Esteban, dies in a car accident on his 17th birthday. After reading the last entry in his journal about how he wishes to meet his father for the first time, she decides to travel to Barcelona in search of the boy's father. She must tell the father that not only did she have their son after she left him many years ago, but that he has now died. Once there, she encounters a number of odd characters including a transvestite prostitute, a pregnant nun (Penelope Cruz) and a lesbian actress who help to support her emotional pain.

Be Original

"You've got to be original, because if you're like someone else, what do they need you for?" - Bernadette Peters, Inside the Actors Studio

Being An Optimist

"The point of living and of being an optimist, is to be foolish enough to believe the best is yet to come." - Peter Ustinov

The Ethical Assassin

I finished reading "The Ethical Assassin" by David Liss

ABOUT THE BOOK

Edgar award-winning author of the popular historical novels "A Conspiracy of Paper" and "A Spectacle of Corruption", David Liss showcases his amazing versatility with this brilliant new tale of contemporary suspense: a literary thriller set in Florida, where killing is a matter of conscience. No one is more surprised than Lem Altick when it turns out he’s actually good at peddling encyclopedias door to door. He hates the predatory world of sales, but he needs the money to pay for college. Then things go horribly wrong. In a sweltering trailer in rural Florida, a couple whom Lem has spent hours pitching is shot dead before his eyes, and the unassuming young man is suddenly pulled into the dark world of conspiracy and murder. Not just murder: assassination– or so claims the killer, the mysterious and strangely charismatic Melford Kean, who has struck without remorse and with remarkable good cheer. But the self-styled ethical assassin hadn’t planned on a witness, and so he makes Lem a deal: Stay quiet and there will be no problems. Go to the police and take the fall. Before Lem can decide, he is drawn against his will into the realm of the assassin, a post-Marxist intellectual with whom he forms an unlikely (and perhaps unwise) friendship. The ethical assassin could be a charming sociopath, eco-activist, or vigilante for social justice. To unravel the mystery and save himself, Lem must descend deep into a bizarre world he never knew existed, where a group of desperate–and genuinely deranged–schemers have hatched a plan that will very likely keep Lem from leaving town alive. David Liss skillfully interweaves a gallery of eccentric characters with a multilayered plot characterized by its unpredictable twists and turns. "The Ethical Assassin" is a brilliant, darkly comic novel that will leave readers in suspense until the very last page.

Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh was born at Groot Zundert, The Netherlands on this day in 1853. His words are not, perhaps, as oft remembered as his paintings. They probably aren't worth staring at for as long as the paintings, but they're clearly worth at least a moment of reflection.

"Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together."

"It is not the language of painters but the language of nature which one should listen to.... the feeling for the things themselves, for reality, is more important than the feeling for pictures."

"One may have a blazing hearth in one's soul and yet no one ever come to sit by it. Passersbys see only a wisp of smoke from the chimney and continue on their way."

"What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything? The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storms terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore."

"I dream my painting, and then I paint my dream."

- All from Vincent van Gogh, 1853 - 1890

Wrap-Up Party

My oldest son's basketball team had their wrap-up party at Home Run Inn. The team got together for pizza and to celebrate four great years. The coaches had a little speech about each player and prepared a re-cap with a picture of them from four years ago and this year. It's amazing how they've changed. They had a real successful season. Next year in high school a lot of them will probably not play basketball and they will all be going to different high schools. Each of the boys also was asked to highlight something they learned or remembered. My son said something about never giving up. I still remember how when he first started he wanted to quit and he stuck with it and learned to love basketball. It's amazing the skills he developed in four years. He was very fortunate to have such great coaches.

The Rainbows of Life

“The rainbows of life follow the storms.” - Unknown

The Work Will Wait

"The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won't wait while you do the work." - Patricia Clafford

Self-Portrait

"Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence." - Commitment To Excellence

My Date With Drew

I watched the DVD "My Date With Drew." This guy was obsessed. I wonder if I could get a date with Jennifer Aniston this way.

Synopsis

Ever since the second grade when he first saw her in "E.T. The Extraterrestrial", Brian Herzlinger has had a crush on Drew Barrymore. Now, 20 years later, he's decided to try to fulfill his lifelong dream by asking her for a date. There's one small problem: She's Drew Barrymore and he's, well, Brian Herzlinger, a broke 27-year-old aspiring filmmaker from New Jersey.
But that doesn't stop Brian and his film school pals from doing everything they can think of to convince Barrymore to go out with him and documenting their quest along the way. Equipped with a video camera and the $1,100 Brian won on a game show (where the winning answer was, prophetically, "Drew Barrymore"), they've got one month to accomplish their mission. To succeed, they'll need to negotiate an army of publicists, agents, producers and assistants who surround the star so Brian can pop the question.

Cherish Each Hour

"Cherish each hour of this day for it can never return." - Og Mandino

First Outdoor Practice

We had our first outdoor track practice and there was a great turnout even though it was cold and rainy. We finished up in the dark. After tonight all other practices will be easy.

The Reward

"The reward of a thing well done is to have done it." - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American Poet, Essayist

Bewitched

I watched the DVD "Bewitched" with Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell.

Synopsis

In California's San Fernando Valley, Isabel (Nicole Kidman) is trying to reinvent herself. A naive, good-natured witch, she's determined to give up her supernatural powers and lead a "normal" life. At the same time across town, Jack Wyatt (Will Ferrell), a tall charming actor is trying to get his career back on track. He sets his sights on an updated version of the beloved 1960s situation comedy Bewitched, reconceived as a starring vehicle for himself in the role of the mere-mortal Darrin. Fate steps in when Jack accidentally runs into Isabel. He's immediately attracted to her and her nose, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the nose of Elizabeth Montgomery, who played Samantha in the original series. He becomes convinced Isabel could play Samantha in his new series. Isabel is also taken with Jack, seeing him as the quintessential mortal man with whom she can settle down and lead the normal life she desires. It turns out they're both right but in ways neither of them ever imagined.

Doing Nothing

"Doing nothing is very hard to do... you never know when you're finished." - Leslie Nielsen

Idleness

"Idleness is not doing nothing. Idleness is being free to do anything." - Floyd Dell

Wicker Park

I watched the DVD "Wicker Park" with Josh Hartnett. Parts of it were filmed in Chicago.

Synopsis

From the moment Matthew (Josh Hartnett) sees Lisa (Diane Kruger), nothing else matters. She walks past the window of the shop where he works in the Wicker Park section of Chicago, and he's immediately captivated. He follows her they meet and soon they fall deeply in love. Everything about their relationship seems perfect until the day she disappears without a trace. Two years later, Matt has built a new life for himself, but he's still haunted by her memory and the nagging torment of unanswered questions. Then he catches a quick glimpse of someone he thinks must be her in a bar but is it? Thus begins a twisting, obsessive search for the woman who captured his heart years ago and for someone who's playing with his mind right now. Intricately moving back and forth in time and revealing the story from varying perspectives, Matthew's search for the truth will lead him deeper into the mystery, with each discovery more deceiving than the next.
Obsession can go both ways, and Matthew discovers it's possible to love someone too much

A Real Friend

"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out." - Walter Winchell

Man On Fire

I watched the DVD "Man On Fire" with Denzel Washington.

Synopsis

In Mexico City, a government operative/soldier of fortune (Denzel Washington) who has pretty much given up on life, reluctantly agrees to take a job to protect a child (Dakota Fanning) whose parents are threatened by a wave of kidnappings. He eventually becomes close to the child and their relationship reawakens and rekindles his spirit. When she is abducted, his fiery rage is unleashed on those he feels responsible, and he stops at nothing to save her.

Angel

"The word "Angel" simply means "messenger." If angels are messengers, then someone, somewhere must be sending a message." - Dan Schaeffer

We Are Each Of Us Angels

"We are each of us angels with only one wing. And we can only fly embracing each other." –Luciano DeChescenzo

Strength

"Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands and then just eat one of the pieces." - Judith Viorst

City Of Joy

I watched the DVD "City of Joy" with Patrick Swayze.

Synopsis

In this drama, a wealthy American doctor learns some important lessons about life in one of the poorest cities on Earth. Max Lowe (Patrick Swayze) is a Houston surgeon who has grown weary of the bureaucracy of American medicine. When he loses a patient on the operating table, Max impulsively decides to leave America and travel to India in the hope of "finding himself." Not long after he arrives in Calcutta, Max is attacked by a group of thugs and left without money or a passport. However, a man named Hasari (Om Puri) comes to Max's rescue. Hasari had left his farming community to come to the city, only to be overwhelmed by its dirt, crime, and overcrowding. Despite their poverty, Hasari and his family take Max in and bring him to a medical clinic in the City of Joy, one of the poorest slums in the city. The clinic is run by Joan Bethel (Pauline Collins), an Irish-American nun who urges Max to use his skills to help the people of Calcutta who so desperately need it. Max signs on, and he finds that the experience changes his life. "City of Joy" was based on a novel by Dominique Lapierre.

Best Things

"The best things in life aren't things." - Art Buchwald

When I Was Born

"When I was born I was so surprised I didn't talk for a year and a half." - Gracie Allen

You're Never Too Old

"You're never too old to become younger." - Mae West

Two Hands

"You have two hands. One to help yourself, the second to help others." - Unknown

First Practice

We had our first track practice this evening. It was pretty choatic with everyone in the gym. Next week we'll be outside.

Excellence

"You can never reach excellence unless you seek perfection." - Don Shula

Time

"Time is what happens to you while you are making other plans." - A. J. Marshall

Always Too Early

"It's always too early to quit." - Norman Vincent Peale

The Future Remains

"Just remember- when you think all is lost, the future remains." - Bob Goddard

The Future

"The future depends on what we do in the present." - Mahatma Gandhi

Doing More

"There isn't a person anywhere that isn't capable of doing more than he thinks he can." - Henry Ford (1863-1947) American Automotive Businessman, Manufacturer

Before Sunrise

We watched the DVD "Before Sunrise" with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. It was the prequel to "Before Sunset" that I watched last week.

Synopsis

A French grad student named Celine (Julie Delpy) meets an American boy named Jesse (Ethan Hawke) on the Budapest-Vienna train. They get off the train in Vienna and hang out for a while.

Irish Blessing

"May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
The rain falls soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand."

- Irish Blessing

Every Minute You Are Angry

"For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness." - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American Poet, Essayist

Study The Past

"If you want the present to be different from the past, study the past." - Baruch 'Benedict De' Spinoza (1632-1677) Dutch Philosopher, Theologian

Education

"Education is not received. It is achieved." - Woody Allen (1935 -) American Comedian, Actor, Film Director

Rejoice

"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a way so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice." - Indian Proverb

No Uninteresting Things

"There are no uninteresting things, only uninterested people." - Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936) English Essayist, Novelist, Journalist, Poet

Feeling Minnesota

We watched the DVD "Feeling Minnesota" with Keanu Reeves and Cameron Diaz.

Synopsis

It's not unusual in the movies for a woman to be torn between two brothers, but she usually doesn't change her mind on her wedding day. Then again, hardly anything goes the way one might expect in this black comedy. Freddie (Camerion Diaz), a pretty but hard-as-nails stripper, dreams of some day dancing in a Las Vegas revue, but for the meantime she works at a seedy dive in Minnesota. Freddie is forced by the owner of the club, Red (Delroy Lindo), to marry his accountant, the less-than-charming Sam Clayton (Vincent D'Onofrio), as punishment for supposedly stealing from the strip joint's till (as a further indignity, Red has also had the word "slut" tattooed on her arm). Sam has a rocky relationship with his brother Jjaks (Keanu Reeves) -- his curious name is the result of a typing error on his birth certificate -- but Jjaks receives an invitation to the nuptials from their mother Nora (Tuesday Weld), and he arrives at the wedding reception only a few hours after he's released from prison. When Freddie and Jjacks meet for the first time, there's an immediate chemistry between them, so immediate that before the evening is out, the new in-laws are making love in a bathroom and Freddie has persuaded Jjacks to run away with her; Freddie has also grabbed Sam's bankroll to finance the unscheduled vacation. Sam, understandably enraged, vows to track them down and enlists the help of Ben Costikyan (Dan Aykroyd), a sleazy career criminal.

Our Attitude

"Our attitude toward life determines life's attitude towards us." - Earl Nightingale

I was able to meet Earl Nightingale at a booksigning at Border's in Chicago. I have two books signed by him.

Without Saying

"If a thing goes without saying - let it." - Jacob Braude

Thank A Teacher

"If you can read this, thank a teacher." - Unknown Teacher

Before Sunset

I watched the DVD "Before Sunset" with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.

Synopsis

When Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) met on a Eurorail train, the connection between them was immediate and profound. The 14-hour relationship that followed, as the pair explored the spontaneous and unexpected in Vienna, ended on a train platform where they swore they'd meet again six months later. Nine years have passed since that morning.
On the last stop of his book tour, at the tail end of a reading in a Paris book shop, Jesse finds Celine watching from the back of the room. She lives in Paris now, he in New York. He's flying out that evening and they utilize every moment, finding their human connection no less vital, inspiring or real than it was nine years ago in Vienna.

Next Stop Wonderland

I watched the DVD "Next Stop Wonderland" filmed in Boston.

Synopsis

Hope Davis stars as Erin Castleton, a night-shift nurse who's cruelly dumped by her boyfriend Sean (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a political activist. When her mother Piper (Holland Taylor) places a wildly inaccurate personals ad in the local paper, Erin is at first enraged, but then becomes curious. After she dates a variety of men who are all wrong for her, she meets Andre (Jose Zuniga), a handsome Brazilian music expert who invites her to Sao Paulo. Although Erin likes Andre, her Mr. Right is actually Alan Monteiro (Alan Gelfant), a plumber she's never met, though the two keep crossing paths. Trying to break out of his working class existence, Alan is studying marine biology but is indebted to a local mob boss, who wants him to kidnap a star blowfish from the local aquarium.

Always Do Right

"Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest." - Mark Twain

A Home At The End Of The World

I watched the DVD "A Home At The End Of The World"

Synopsis

From the moment Bobby and Jonathan meet, they are inseparable. For Jonathan, the unconventional Bobby is a connection to a larger world. For Bobby, Jonathan's family - and in particular, Jonathan's mother Alice - represents a kind of stability that he hasn't known.
As they grow up, the boys grow apart, only to reunite in New York, where, together with the free-spirited Clare (Robin Wright-Penn), Bobby (Colin Farrell) and Jonathan (Dallas Roberts) invent a new kind of family.

Humility

"Humility does not mean you think less of yourself. It means you think of yourself less." - Ken Blanchard

How To Be Curious

C ultivate a habit of asking good questions.
U nderstand that we can experience miracles if we're inquisitive.
R ealize that we know very little and there's discovery and adventure around every corner.
I nquire into new ideas, people, situations, places.
O pen our minds to others' points of view.
U nleash our inner child, who is naturally inquisitive.
S uspend judging and evaluating—there's always time for that later.

Supremely Satisfied

"Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it." - Margaret Thatcher

Never Die

"God put me on Earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I'm so far behind I will never die!" - Bill Watterson

Seasons Over

We finished our season with a loss to St. Petronille's 32 to 12. We played at St. Raphael's in Naperville. The boys played a good game and never gave up. The other team was too good. Our final record was 5 wins 8 losses.

Remain Young

"He who lives with his memories becomes old. He who lives with plans for the future remains young." - Unknown

To Describe Happiness

"To describe happiness is to diminish it." - Henri Stendhal

Imagination

"Imagination was given to us to compensate for what we are not; a sense of humor was given to us to console us for what we are." - Mark McGinnis

Lunch Walks

On Ash Wednesday I started taking a walk at lunch. Each day of Lent I plan to go for a walk during lunch. The first three days I walked the long circular path at Oldfield Oaks Forest Preserve. It takes about 35 minutes, about two miles. The first day the weather was unseasonably warm in the mid-40's and I only saw one other walker. The forest preserve workers just completed a controlled burn and there were black areas everywhere. It smelled like a campfire. The second day was cold mid-20's and there were snow flurries. The one bonus was I saw over 15 deer eating in a grassy area in the northwest part of the preserve. They looked at me like what are you doing here? I didn't see any other walkers. The third day was warmer and the skies were clear blue. I saw four other walkers. After my walk I stop at home for a drink and to use the washroom and then head back to work. It really breaks up the day.

Keep On Running

"The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running." - Anonymous

The Only Time You Don't Fail

"The only time you don't fail is the last time you try anything - and it works." - William Strong

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. It occurs forty-six days before Easter, but Lent is nevertheless considered forty days long, because Sundays in this period are not counted among the days of Lent. It falls on different dates from year to year, according to the date of Easter; it can occur as early as February 4th or as late as March 10th. At Masses and services of worship on this day, worshippers are blessed with ashes by the celebrating priest. The priest marks the forehead of each participant with black ashes, in the shape of a cross, which the worshipper traditionally retains until washing it off after sundown. The symbolism echoes the ancient Near Eastern tradition of throwing ash over one's head signifying repentance before God (as related numerous times in the Bible). The priest offers the worshipper an instruction while applying the ashes. These are three examples:

"Remember that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return."
(Latin: "Memento homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris.")

or

"Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel."

or

"Repent, and hear the good news."

The ashes are prepared by burning palm leaves from the previous year's Palm Sunday celebrations and mixing them with olive oil as a fixative. In the Roman Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday is observed by fasting, abstinence (from meat), and repentance—a day of contemplating one's transgressions. The ashes are sacramentals, not a sacrament. The penitential psalms are read.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season, which lasts until the Easter Vigil. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are permitted to consume only one full meal each day, which may be supplemented by two smaller meals, which together should not equal the full meal. These days are also days of abstinence from meat.