The new Sean Penn/Naomi Watts movie Fair Game has been at the theaters for a week or two now, to literally no fanfare at all.
Fair Game is the story of the CIA agent exposing in the early days of the war in Iraq in 2003. It's the story of Joe Wilson (Penn) and his wife (Watts), as they are the victims of the federal government blowing her cover as a well decorated CIA agent. It's based on the Scooter Libby scandal who was the Vice-Presidents chief of staff in those days. In essence, the movie makes the case that the White House intentionally lied to the world for its reasons to go to war in Iraq in the wake of 9/11. And those who were potentially in the way, were destroyed in every way.
Fair Game is rather compelling movie making. A very well written script, with good dialogue, edited well, with enough to hold your interest for the duration. Penn and Watts are always good in most movies that they make, and this is no exception. To me, Watts is always compelling on screen. She has a real nice way on camera that makes her easy to watch, and usually very believable on the screen.
So why the tremendous flop? The financial numbers here are flat out embarrassing. Few reasons. Lots of competition, lots of animation, Harry Potter, and a few others as well. All valid. But a very interesting trend is developing at the movies the past couple of years. Two kinds of movies are just getting creamed. Romantic comedies, and movies view America in a less than favorable light. Fair Game is the latter. And it's just another causality of this trend. These two genres are really taking a financial beating, and Hollywood is eventually going to have to address this. These financial beat-downs to the tune of 100's of millions of dollars can't continue. To be clear, this critic doesn't think this is a good trend, to me there is room for all, but the public is speaking loudly the other way.
Fair Game is also a thinking man's movie, and that is another trend as well. The movie going public seemingly more and more just wants to be entertained. They want action, they want to laugh, they want big effects for big box office success. Animation is huge too. And much of the time, they want the movie to take them somewhere other than where they are. I feel there is room for all kinds of movies, but the box office is young people driven. Movies like Fair Game, are simply in the eye of the hurricane. Mix a young audience with the money and time to go, the subject matter, and the changing movie habits of the movie going public, and it has no chance.
Fair Game. It has it's moments, but good but not great. For the very few that will see this movie it's though provoking and open to for lively debate over coffee after it's over.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Merry Christmas - Banana Pie
Christmas time is just about here, and I think that this time of the year gets lots of us thinking about family. And no matter what Christmas I think of, I always think of banana pie.
We are a small family, both immediate and extended. For a number of years my youngest cousin Heather, used to make me some kind of banana chiffon pie for Christmas. She started this when she was in her teens, and continued it for quite a while. She is my Uncle Johns daughter, and we used to spend Christmas with them all the time. They would come over on Christmas Eve, and Heather would be right there with that pie. She would emphatically state that this was my pie to all. We didn't really exchange gifts with them, but Heather always brought me that pie.
The first year was a learning experience. Heather gave me the pie, and I did what you would do. I shared it with everyone. But one bite in, I knew I had really made a tremendous blunder of epic proportions. This was, and is without question the best pie I have ever eaten! That was the last year of the good will towards men option with the pie. I would start taking Heathers advice. It was my pie. This went on for years. Heather making it, and me hogging it, I'm not ashamed, and no one blamed me. For they too, would do the same if they had been the chosen one.
Time, miles and life, have spanned a long bridge since then, and the pie is just a story now in family lore. But it's a great memory for me. I am not a big brother as I am the youngest in my immediate family. But I felt like one then. Heather has no brothers, so maybe in those days she saw me as such. For some reason then I guess I was special to Heather and she just felt like doing something nice for me.
And you know, I never found out why Heather chose me for this honor. And I still don't know. I remember though that it always made me happy that a family member chose me for something a little extra special for no real reason, and asked for nothing in return. I never asked her, or my aunt and uncle why. I figured if Heather wanted to tell me, she would. It wouldn't be Christmas to me without thinking about it.
Over the years I have wondered, did that pie taste a little extra good because it was a nice gesture intended just for me? And the answer is yes. I mean how could it not be? I am always so moved at life's little gestures. The idea that someone takes time and would do something nice specifically for me......is still a big deal to me, and I think that is straight from Heather making me a pie. As a young adult at the time it meant a lot to me. And it still does.
I don't see Heather as much as I used to. She lives a long way away, and our lives have gone in different directions. But I have to still say thank you to Heather for being so nice to me then. Sadly, I may have been too young at the time to really know how long that memory would stay with me. For at the time it was just pie. But now it's pure gold...... to me.
And for the record? It's still the greatest pie in the world.
We are a small family, both immediate and extended. For a number of years my youngest cousin Heather, used to make me some kind of banana chiffon pie for Christmas. She started this when she was in her teens, and continued it for quite a while. She is my Uncle Johns daughter, and we used to spend Christmas with them all the time. They would come over on Christmas Eve, and Heather would be right there with that pie. She would emphatically state that this was my pie to all. We didn't really exchange gifts with them, but Heather always brought me that pie.
The first year was a learning experience. Heather gave me the pie, and I did what you would do. I shared it with everyone. But one bite in, I knew I had really made a tremendous blunder of epic proportions. This was, and is without question the best pie I have ever eaten! That was the last year of the good will towards men option with the pie. I would start taking Heathers advice. It was my pie. This went on for years. Heather making it, and me hogging it, I'm not ashamed, and no one blamed me. For they too, would do the same if they had been the chosen one.
Time, miles and life, have spanned a long bridge since then, and the pie is just a story now in family lore. But it's a great memory for me. I am not a big brother as I am the youngest in my immediate family. But I felt like one then. Heather has no brothers, so maybe in those days she saw me as such. For some reason then I guess I was special to Heather and she just felt like doing something nice for me.
And you know, I never found out why Heather chose me for this honor. And I still don't know. I remember though that it always made me happy that a family member chose me for something a little extra special for no real reason, and asked for nothing in return. I never asked her, or my aunt and uncle why. I figured if Heather wanted to tell me, she would. It wouldn't be Christmas to me without thinking about it.
Over the years I have wondered, did that pie taste a little extra good because it was a nice gesture intended just for me? And the answer is yes. I mean how could it not be? I am always so moved at life's little gestures. The idea that someone takes time and would do something nice specifically for me......is still a big deal to me, and I think that is straight from Heather making me a pie. As a young adult at the time it meant a lot to me. And it still does.
I don't see Heather as much as I used to. She lives a long way away, and our lives have gone in different directions. But I have to still say thank you to Heather for being so nice to me then. Sadly, I may have been too young at the time to really know how long that memory would stay with me. For at the time it was just pie. But now it's pure gold...... to me.
And for the record? It's still the greatest pie in the world.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
MOVIE REVIEW - 127 Hours
James Franco stars in the new 127 Hours, based of the incredible true story of Aron Ralston in 2003.
Ralston was rock climbing in Utah alone, when he became wedged in a narrow canyon with his arm trapped between two rocks. He was stranded there isolated for 5 days, before taking extraordinary measures to free himself. Today, he is married with a small child.
Franco stars as Ralston who was in those days a selfish, loner who had a passion for the outdoors. He takes off alone to the deep canyons of Utah, without letting anyone know he is going, where he is going, and with less than desirable equipment to be in such a wilderness. Due to really no fault of his own, a freak happening traps him alone, deep in a canyon with no real chance for escape. After exhausting all sensible options, he resorts to insensible ones in the quest for survival.
First, this is a very compelling story, and it is told about as well as it could be. Much of this movie is simply Franco alone wedged in the rocks trying to get out. There are tons of flashbacks, and self exploration for the character as well. This is a hard story to tell in a movie, simply because there may not be enough story to tell. He gets stuck. He tries to get out. He eventually does. Franco is very good here. His performance not unlike Tom Hanks in Castaway. But 127 is much shorter and to the point.
127 will leave some bored, and others compelled. This will be a feast or famine for many. This has been the subject of many TV magazine shows, and the story is interesting enough. But for some there will not be enough to sustain attention. Also, this is hard to watch at times as you might imagine what Ralston has do do to free himself.
127 is very loud and weird at times when is shouldn't be. A very strange musical soundtrack to boot. I'm guessing these might be the songs in Ralston's head at the time. Also, the beginning and end of this movie has annoying sequences that have virtually nothing to do with any part of the meat of this movie.
127 Hours. I enjoyed it overall, simply because it's a good story of the human spirit. But with that said, I was ready for it to be over. It's a tough squeeze to eek out 90 minutes of movie here.
Ralston was rock climbing in Utah alone, when he became wedged in a narrow canyon with his arm trapped between two rocks. He was stranded there isolated for 5 days, before taking extraordinary measures to free himself. Today, he is married with a small child.
Franco stars as Ralston who was in those days a selfish, loner who had a passion for the outdoors. He takes off alone to the deep canyons of Utah, without letting anyone know he is going, where he is going, and with less than desirable equipment to be in such a wilderness. Due to really no fault of his own, a freak happening traps him alone, deep in a canyon with no real chance for escape. After exhausting all sensible options, he resorts to insensible ones in the quest for survival.
First, this is a very compelling story, and it is told about as well as it could be. Much of this movie is simply Franco alone wedged in the rocks trying to get out. There are tons of flashbacks, and self exploration for the character as well. This is a hard story to tell in a movie, simply because there may not be enough story to tell. He gets stuck. He tries to get out. He eventually does. Franco is very good here. His performance not unlike Tom Hanks in Castaway. But 127 is much shorter and to the point.
127 will leave some bored, and others compelled. This will be a feast or famine for many. This has been the subject of many TV magazine shows, and the story is interesting enough. But for some there will not be enough to sustain attention. Also, this is hard to watch at times as you might imagine what Ralston has do do to free himself.
127 is very loud and weird at times when is shouldn't be. A very strange musical soundtrack to boot. I'm guessing these might be the songs in Ralston's head at the time. Also, the beginning and end of this movie has annoying sequences that have virtually nothing to do with any part of the meat of this movie.
127 Hours. I enjoyed it overall, simply because it's a good story of the human spirit. But with that said, I was ready for it to be over. It's a tough squeeze to eek out 90 minutes of movie here.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
WQMX Tree Of Lights 2010
The time is here again for the annual WQMX Tree Of Lights.
I have written about it before. Our yearly fundraiser for the Haven Of Rest in downtown Akron. They help people of course, get back on their feet and off the street. For three days we ask that the community really come together and support this wonderful asset with financial donations. You always show up. And right up front, we thank you.
Thursday morning my partner Sue Wilson and I will start the radiothon on our show at 6am on WQMX. At 10am we will go down stairs and take our place at the table at our studios at 1795 West Market Street underneath the tree and ask that you come by and donate. Sue and I will be there for much of the next three days, and the balance of the WQMX staff will anchor the cause as well. It's a great time to get to know us, and us you. Lots of hugs and handshaking this week.
Sue and I have been talking with many of the people who have been through the Haven Of Rest recently, and they have shared their moving stories. One thing that has really made an impression on me is this. The reasons so many people can find themselves so alone, and so close to the edge are so many and different than you might think. As our world has changed, so have our problems. After listening to many of them, you can't help but think that this could be you, or someone you know or love someday. I know it's hard to even think about. But where would you go, what would you do if your troubles were big and many, and your options few or none? What if the pressures of the world were about to swallow you whole? To think that the Haven Of Rest is just a place for a bunch of homeless guys to crash out of the night's cold is antiquated.
Men, women and children of all kinds have found solace, comfort and new hope at the Haven Of Rest. One of the many things we learned is that lots of them never imagined finding themselves there. But when there was no place left to turn, and a door needed to be warmly opened, The Haven was there. We live in a fast paced, hard to keep up world these days, and for many it can be a real challenge. None of us make it through this world unscathed. But for some, the scathing can be a little deeper. The path can get long, narrow, dark, and possibly life threatening. Thank goodness for the Haven Of Rest.
The Haven picks people up, collects the pieces worth saving, and adds some that are new. And with love carefully glues those back together who wish to be so, and prepares them for life anew. Many leave with a lighter heart, wider shoulders and a second chance they thought was offered, given and spent many years earlier. They leave wearing the cloak of security that The Haven will be there for them again on those days that the darkness tries to creep back in and eclipse the new found light. In many cases The Haven saves lives, and has been doing so for many years. No one in our country really does it better than they do. These are people worth supporting.
The WQMX Tree Of Lights is proud to be supporting The Haven Of Rest, and we hope you support them this week with us too. There's always a nice feeling around the station Tree Of Lights week. I am very passionate about what I do for a living every day, but this week is one of my favorite times to work here. Feels good to do good. It always feels good to know when you are on the side of the angels. And this is that time.
From the bottom of all of our hearts, thank you in advance for your support of the WQMX Tree Of Lights.
I have written about it before. Our yearly fundraiser for the Haven Of Rest in downtown Akron. They help people of course, get back on their feet and off the street. For three days we ask that the community really come together and support this wonderful asset with financial donations. You always show up. And right up front, we thank you.
Thursday morning my partner Sue Wilson and I will start the radiothon on our show at 6am on WQMX. At 10am we will go down stairs and take our place at the table at our studios at 1795 West Market Street underneath the tree and ask that you come by and donate. Sue and I will be there for much of the next three days, and the balance of the WQMX staff will anchor the cause as well. It's a great time to get to know us, and us you. Lots of hugs and handshaking this week.
Sue and I have been talking with many of the people who have been through the Haven Of Rest recently, and they have shared their moving stories. One thing that has really made an impression on me is this. The reasons so many people can find themselves so alone, and so close to the edge are so many and different than you might think. As our world has changed, so have our problems. After listening to many of them, you can't help but think that this could be you, or someone you know or love someday. I know it's hard to even think about. But where would you go, what would you do if your troubles were big and many, and your options few or none? What if the pressures of the world were about to swallow you whole? To think that the Haven Of Rest is just a place for a bunch of homeless guys to crash out of the night's cold is antiquated.
Men, women and children of all kinds have found solace, comfort and new hope at the Haven Of Rest. One of the many things we learned is that lots of them never imagined finding themselves there. But when there was no place left to turn, and a door needed to be warmly opened, The Haven was there. We live in a fast paced, hard to keep up world these days, and for many it can be a real challenge. None of us make it through this world unscathed. But for some, the scathing can be a little deeper. The path can get long, narrow, dark, and possibly life threatening. Thank goodness for the Haven Of Rest.
The Haven picks people up, collects the pieces worth saving, and adds some that are new. And with love carefully glues those back together who wish to be so, and prepares them for life anew. Many leave with a lighter heart, wider shoulders and a second chance they thought was offered, given and spent many years earlier. They leave wearing the cloak of security that The Haven will be there for them again on those days that the darkness tries to creep back in and eclipse the new found light. In many cases The Haven saves lives, and has been doing so for many years. No one in our country really does it better than they do. These are people worth supporting.
The WQMX Tree Of Lights is proud to be supporting The Haven Of Rest, and we hope you support them this week with us too. There's always a nice feeling around the station Tree Of Lights week. I am very passionate about what I do for a living every day, but this week is one of my favorite times to work here. Feels good to do good. It always feels good to know when you are on the side of the angels. And this is that time.
From the bottom of all of our hearts, thank you in advance for your support of the WQMX Tree Of Lights.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
MOVIE REVIEW - Faster
Don't call him "The Rock" anymore, call him Duane Johnson.
And here he is with his latest movie, Faster. Strange time of the year to release a movie like this. Very dark,. sad, spiteful, angry, and a movie filled with revenge killing, and no real reason to smile. Faster is the story of a young man (Johnson) who does 10 years in jail for his role in bank robbery gone wrong with his brother and his posse. The gang is then hijacked by another group, and his brother is brutally killed. And our "hero" is shot in the head - but lives.
After his release, he goes on a spree of cold blooded revenge killings of every member of the gang that shot him and killed his brother. OK. This sounds like a ton of other "B" to "C" movies that you've seen before. But after to peel back all the killing, and the anger, and the extreme violence this movie possesses, you have a pretty good story here. This story has the twists, turns, irony, and even some of the spirituality of a good Steven King novel, which it is not. In fact, this story may actually read better than it comes to the screen.
Johnson, as the lead is not asked to do much. He is a focused character without much to say, except quick targeted lines. He is a character of mystery, who tells his story through action not words. Much like a Clint Eastwood "Spaghetti Westerns" character. Billy Bob Thornton as the cop gone wrong cop who is tangled in this story is really good, and the supporting cast is well cast, and all pretty strong.
I went into Faster with pretty low expectations, and for a while, I felt like I had seen this movie in it's rare form many times before. And in some aspects, we all have. But, this is a pretty good story, that is just more than raw and brutal killing. Be advised, there is extreme violence here, and Faster is certainly not for everyone. It is charged with testosterone, loud at times , and chock full of most everything that can make some movies tough to watch for some at times. But after all of that is put on the table, the story here is one worth telling....or reading.
Faster......the story here is really pretty good. Think it might be a better read than movie. But with that said, this movie is much better than the low expectations I went in with. Limited audience, but in the overall body of work, better than one would think.
And here he is with his latest movie, Faster. Strange time of the year to release a movie like this. Very dark,. sad, spiteful, angry, and a movie filled with revenge killing, and no real reason to smile. Faster is the story of a young man (Johnson) who does 10 years in jail for his role in bank robbery gone wrong with his brother and his posse. The gang is then hijacked by another group, and his brother is brutally killed. And our "hero" is shot in the head - but lives.
After his release, he goes on a spree of cold blooded revenge killings of every member of the gang that shot him and killed his brother. OK. This sounds like a ton of other "B" to "C" movies that you've seen before. But after to peel back all the killing, and the anger, and the extreme violence this movie possesses, you have a pretty good story here. This story has the twists, turns, irony, and even some of the spirituality of a good Steven King novel, which it is not. In fact, this story may actually read better than it comes to the screen.
Johnson, as the lead is not asked to do much. He is a focused character without much to say, except quick targeted lines. He is a character of mystery, who tells his story through action not words. Much like a Clint Eastwood "Spaghetti Westerns" character. Billy Bob Thornton as the cop gone wrong cop who is tangled in this story is really good, and the supporting cast is well cast, and all pretty strong.
I went into Faster with pretty low expectations, and for a while, I felt like I had seen this movie in it's rare form many times before. And in some aspects, we all have. But, this is a pretty good story, that is just more than raw and brutal killing. Be advised, there is extreme violence here, and Faster is certainly not for everyone. It is charged with testosterone, loud at times , and chock full of most everything that can make some movies tough to watch for some at times. But after all of that is put on the table, the story here is one worth telling....or reading.
Faster......the story here is really pretty good. Think it might be a better read than movie. But with that said, this movie is much better than the low expectations I went in with. Limited audience, but in the overall body of work, better than one would think.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
MOVIE REVIEW - Love And Other Drugs
The movies come early this week because of the holiday, and Love And Other Drugs is in the theaters.
LAOD stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, and a real strong supporting cast in the aptly rated R romantic comedy. At least that it appears to be a romantic comedy on the surface, but you need to dig deeper. It's more than just that. But it should be noted maybe again. This is a true R rated movie.
Meet Jamie (Gyllenhaal). He is a rep from a major drug company in the mid 1990's. He is a real ladies man, and now he's selling Viagra in it's early days. He is borderline out of control, until he meets Maggie (Hathaway). Maggie is a beautiful, quirky seemingly free spirit who is way off the beaten path. She is a mere 26 years old, and has stage one Parkinson's Disease, very rare for someone so young. She and Jamie start up this purely physical relationship that at first which is fine, but as life dictates....it's not really sustainable. Will they fall in love? Can Jamie accept Maggie's fate? Can Maggie let Jamie get close despite her illness? All good questions, and all a big part of LAOD.
There are some real fun moments in this movie. Nice characters that are clearly developed. And for the most part a story that you don't see every day. This is a movie you have to stick with too. It looks like a few times it's going off into the ditch, only to save itself at the last possible moment. Not all of this works. Some really stupid scenes mixed in with some really good ones, make it a bit inconsistent. There are a few too many characters mixed in. And at times this all gets a bit jumbled up, and bogged down.
But after you wade through a lot of ups and downs, LAOD comes together real nice near the end. It stops being what is. And becomes what it could be. Not many newer comedies have the guts to do that, but this does. A real nice finish with a big heart. This movie slowly leaves the silly comedy behind, and ushers in a nice mix of drama, realism, all the while being topical.
I'm not certain the major drug companies, the medical field, and a few other groups will find much humor here. This movie does paint these groups in a very dim light, and for a time does become slightly agenda laden, but it's not a deal breaker. Nice performances by all involved here. Our stars and our supporting cast, that includes, Oliver Platt, and Hank Azaria.
Love And Other Drugs. You have to hang with it but at the days end.... not perfect, but not bad either.
LAOD stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, and a real strong supporting cast in the aptly rated R romantic comedy. At least that it appears to be a romantic comedy on the surface, but you need to dig deeper. It's more than just that. But it should be noted maybe again. This is a true R rated movie.
Meet Jamie (Gyllenhaal). He is a rep from a major drug company in the mid 1990's. He is a real ladies man, and now he's selling Viagra in it's early days. He is borderline out of control, until he meets Maggie (Hathaway). Maggie is a beautiful, quirky seemingly free spirit who is way off the beaten path. She is a mere 26 years old, and has stage one Parkinson's Disease, very rare for someone so young. She and Jamie start up this purely physical relationship that at first which is fine, but as life dictates....it's not really sustainable. Will they fall in love? Can Jamie accept Maggie's fate? Can Maggie let Jamie get close despite her illness? All good questions, and all a big part of LAOD.
There are some real fun moments in this movie. Nice characters that are clearly developed. And for the most part a story that you don't see every day. This is a movie you have to stick with too. It looks like a few times it's going off into the ditch, only to save itself at the last possible moment. Not all of this works. Some really stupid scenes mixed in with some really good ones, make it a bit inconsistent. There are a few too many characters mixed in. And at times this all gets a bit jumbled up, and bogged down.
But after you wade through a lot of ups and downs, LAOD comes together real nice near the end. It stops being what is. And becomes what it could be. Not many newer comedies have the guts to do that, but this does. A real nice finish with a big heart. This movie slowly leaves the silly comedy behind, and ushers in a nice mix of drama, realism, all the while being topical.
I'm not certain the major drug companies, the medical field, and a few other groups will find much humor here. This movie does paint these groups in a very dim light, and for a time does become slightly agenda laden, but it's not a deal breaker. Nice performances by all involved here. Our stars and our supporting cast, that includes, Oliver Platt, and Hank Azaria.
Love And Other Drugs. You have to hang with it but at the days end.... not perfect, but not bad either.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Thanksgiving From Upstairs
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year and it's not even close. It's all that's good in any holiday. No gifts, no real pressure. It's just a day of the four F's! Family, food, football and fun! But maybe the bigger picture is, that few holidays are as pure and provide as much perspective as Thanksgiving. At least for me.
Thanksgiving 1983.
It is one I will never forget. I had just moved to Columbus, and was working at a big county station there. I had to work that morning, and because of reasons I can't fully remember I was going to spend Thanksgiving totally alone - for the first time. I was not home with any family, and being new in town I hadn't made any friends yet. I got home around 11am. It then hit me. It was just me, and the Detroit Lions in the early game and the Dallas Cowboys in the late game. I was young, broke and sitting in my 175 dollar a month apartment by myself. I remember running on adrenaline for a while. My own place, my own couch, control of the TV, but then about the fourth quarter of the Detroit game, it hit me. Thanksgiving alone. No turkey, no nothing.
Then a knock on my door. It was my upstairs neighbor Suzy. I sort-of knew her. We'd see each other in the parking lot, exchange pleasantries. She was 10 years or so older than me. She stopped by to give me a plate of Thanksgiving dinner from her parents house she brought for me. I asked her to stay. She declined saying said she had to go to sleep because she worked third shift. But she saw me leave early that morning and was worried I was going to be alone. Bless her. To this day, I never learned Suzy's last name, as she moved out a few weeks later.
As a young adult, it was among the first times I remember another adult really doing something really nice for me. The food was great, and so was her thoughtfulness. I was so excited I actually drank 2 Pepsi's that day as a treat. I was so poor, I rationed myself to only one per day. It fact may sound so silly to some given today's world, but then the whole thing was a big deal to me. It's been almost 30 years, but I remember it like it was yesterday. Not much can make me well up and get slightly boo-hooey. But this memory can.
I grew up a bunch that afternoon between Detroit and Dallas. I learned that there are some really nice people in the world that do great things just because. Also, that tough days, no matter how tough yield to better ones..not just once ..but always. Plus, I learned that I better up my game, and that the people I was going to be in contact with from here on in as an adult were exactly that - adult.
It was the year that Thanksgiving became my favorite holiday, when actually I was on my way to loathing it an hour earlier. I learned that day that Thanksgiving is aptly named. A day for thanks....and a day for giving.
God bless you Suzy.....wherever you are.....Just bless you......
Thanksgiving 1983.
It is one I will never forget. I had just moved to Columbus, and was working at a big county station there. I had to work that morning, and because of reasons I can't fully remember I was going to spend Thanksgiving totally alone - for the first time. I was not home with any family, and being new in town I hadn't made any friends yet. I got home around 11am. It then hit me. It was just me, and the Detroit Lions in the early game and the Dallas Cowboys in the late game. I was young, broke and sitting in my 175 dollar a month apartment by myself. I remember running on adrenaline for a while. My own place, my own couch, control of the TV, but then about the fourth quarter of the Detroit game, it hit me. Thanksgiving alone. No turkey, no nothing.
Then a knock on my door. It was my upstairs neighbor Suzy. I sort-of knew her. We'd see each other in the parking lot, exchange pleasantries. She was 10 years or so older than me. She stopped by to give me a plate of Thanksgiving dinner from her parents house she brought for me. I asked her to stay. She declined saying said she had to go to sleep because she worked third shift. But she saw me leave early that morning and was worried I was going to be alone. Bless her. To this day, I never learned Suzy's last name, as she moved out a few weeks later.
As a young adult, it was among the first times I remember another adult really doing something really nice for me. The food was great, and so was her thoughtfulness. I was so excited I actually drank 2 Pepsi's that day as a treat. I was so poor, I rationed myself to only one per day. It fact may sound so silly to some given today's world, but then the whole thing was a big deal to me. It's been almost 30 years, but I remember it like it was yesterday. Not much can make me well up and get slightly boo-hooey. But this memory can.
I grew up a bunch that afternoon between Detroit and Dallas. I learned that there are some really nice people in the world that do great things just because. Also, that tough days, no matter how tough yield to better ones..not just once ..but always. Plus, I learned that I better up my game, and that the people I was going to be in contact with from here on in as an adult were exactly that - adult.
It was the year that Thanksgiving became my favorite holiday, when actually I was on my way to loathing it an hour earlier. I learned that day that Thanksgiving is aptly named. A day for thanks....and a day for giving.
God bless you Suzy.....wherever you are.....Just bless you......
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