Lower expectations and a sad goodbye

When a movie gets this much publicity I have to comment. My family and I went to see Avatar last night – a film I had been awaiting with baited breath.

It was a disappointment. You should still go I say, the special effects are worth the trip, but lower your expectations. Somewhere during the editing, I expect, the guts of the story were cut out and you had no idea that there was a real life and death reason for what was happening until the last few moments of the film. It greatly lessened the impact of the film.

Years ago (1992, I looked it up for you) a film came out that said the same thing but better – Fern Gully. Those of you who are parents will remember it, it was animation and we all took our children. It was enchanting and also (without banging you on the head with an anvil) got across the message that we need to take care of Mother Earth.

Avatar showed a wonderful society of aliens on a planet worth preserving under attack from the nasty Earthlings, but never tells us WHY until the last moment of the film.

I found Avatar disappointing but worth the trip. Do let me know what you think.



On another note, tonight is the last night for the famous NYC restaurant and landmark, Tavern on the Green. I have so many wonderful memories of this restaurant. When my child was a toddler we played in the sandbox just next door in Central Park and had afternoon tea and brunch on many occasions at this New York City landmark. Last February when my husband took me, to what is now our yearly trip to NYC (so that I can have at least one week of winter and we can see the theatre shows), we dined at Tavern on the Green in what turned out to be an afternoon Happy Hour and then a glorious and memorable dinner. We had spent the majority of the day walking museums (yes, my husband loves me that much) and then taking a long walk through Central Park ending at Tavern on the Green. They were just between the lunch crowd and the dinner crowd. Instead of sending us away, a table was set up for us in a snug corner and we observed the changing of the guard for the night‘s festivities, and the preparation of the dining rooms while being served cocktails and coffee to thaw us from our long chilly walk. We were then escorted to our table and treated like VIPs for the evening. It was a wonderful experience and one I don’t think we shall ever forget. I give a salute and a curtsey in farewell to this grand old lady of New York City. I regret her passing and know she will be missed.

Ciao and Happy New Year my lovely readers. I wish joy and adventure for us all in the coming year.

The dangers of Absolute right...

..and so Oral Roberts (dead yesterday at 91 years) is today waking to find whether or not he was right.

Can you imagine his surprise, if for instance the Buddhists are right? "Jesus! You mean there is no heaven? My enemies (those who disagreed with me, or did not look like me) are not burning in Hell? What do you mean there is no hell? Then WHO is responsible? I am responsible? I don't even know what that means!"

OR what if the Hindus are right? "Um yes well now Miss Kali if you will just let me explain.... Those are very nice skulls you have there. Um yes... I’m very sorry for saying that, and if you will just give me a chance to speak for you; I mean to you…"

OR The Muslims? "Yes sir well now Allah eh? That's not so far from The Lord God now is it? I can see where you are coming from... Yes, well that Crusade business could have been a mistake but you can hardly blame me can you? Why I wasn't even born. Say what? Now I may have used the term “heathens and infidels” but I assure you I meant no insult to You Sir. It was not personal. I just thought I was right; divinely inspired you see…”

Or the Janes, or the Jews, or the American Indians or the….

This is why I always, in politics and spiritual matters, hold out the possibility that I could be wrong. What I would give to see his “face” today… Or he could be right in which case I am in big, major, trouble.

feast your eyes on some moments of 2009

Now that's seeing to your duty! When there was an early morning attack, this chap rushed from his sleeping pack to assist his buddies in returning fire.



HIs Holiness the Dalai Lama gets around. Here he is serving soup in a kitchen that feeds the homeless in San Francisco usa.


Mom and Baby Humback

ooooh gooooody

Top Ten Geek Goodies of 2009

an unusual event indeed!

Snow! in Houston!

Snow in Houston, Texas

Not dead yet...

Just to update my incredibly, and oh how I appreciate it, readers - I caught the god-awful flu/bacteria something just after we attended the Renaissance Fair, and was quite ill and hacking and fever.... you get the idea. Then we took a little trip up to middle (?) Texas to my brother and sister-in-law's ranch for Thanksgiving where I hit my head.... I adore them both, but apparently the water there is very heavy in metal, and my world traveled body that has been oh so pampered of late said "oui?" and yuk... you get the idea.

I'm still alive and as of today standing - mostly. So - not dead yet and you will be hearing much more from me both here and over at Power Room Graffiti.

Thank you again for sticking with me.

Ciao