Bilbo in the Christmas Spirit

Thanksgiving Dinner Postscript

All things considered my first Thanksgiving meal went pretty well for the most part. Nobody complained after it was established by my unilateral decree that ham was replacing the traditional turkey dinner. Although the cranberry/apple stuffing and the mashed potatoes were a bit on the dry side the honey baked ham was succulent...and...delicious.... the corn was just right, and the cranberry sauce which was provided by a friend was excellent. We never got around to eating any pumpkin pie because we stuffed ourself with blueberry, chocolate, and pumpkin pie while watching USC maul Arizona State at a friends house. All in all, the day went pretty well, better than I expected. I don't know if I want to make this a new tradition, that is, me cooking dinner for everyone, but for this year I am grateful that I was able to spend Thanksgiving with my sons and some friends... and...who says a 49 year old bachelor can't pull off doing something that is traditionally excluded to the female species.

Giving Thanks

Since 2003 I have spent some time early Thanksgiving morning reflecting and journaling what I am thankful for regarding the past year. Here are a few things I recorded in my journal this year.

1. Relationships. As I have gotten older and have been single now for six years running I have become increasingly sensitive to the need of meaningful interpersonal relationships. I am grateful for all my friends and one particular relationship this past year which has brought me a lot of joy. Relationships and intimacy are gifts from God and I never want to take them for granted...so...I thank God for my friends,my family, my two sons in particular and one special lady friend.

2. My home. Last year I moved into a house by myself for the first time in my life. My living situation prior to last years move was very stressful and I am very thankful that I have my own space where I have can express myself and live in peace.

3. Church. After six years in self exile regarding church I am grateful I have found a church, where I at least feel comfortable. I haven't decided to join the church and have yet to get too heavily involved but I have made a number of friends and it feels good to be a part of a regular community again.

4. Deeper understanding about relationships. I have spent a significant amount of time and energy over the past few years thinking and pondering about the nature of interpersonal relationships and while I am not presently married I do feel I am at a much better place regarding my own understanding about the "nature" of relationships...and...have been told more than once by people close to me than I really know how to do relationships....which....has been very encouraging to me. I intend to write more about this in the weeks and months to come. It has been a long hard road at times but I do feel I am making progress.

5. Growth in the "practice" of spiritual disciplines. For years I read about spiritual disciplines but it never really got much further than between my two ears. This past year I found myself praying, journaling, and meditating more than ever. I didn't set out to do any of this intentionally but have found myself gravitating, naturally towards practicing and creating my own style of what some might call spiritual disciplines and I feel good about it.

6. Gifts from a "special" friend. About six months ago a lady friend of mine celebrated my birthday by showering me with some really cool stuff. She took me to a Moody Blues concert and bought me some clothes for the special occasion. It was the best birthday present I have ever received and I was totally blown away...especially considering it wasn't even my birthday!....She decided to give me a surprise birthday party after learning how I spent my birthday alone last year trying to find a place to live because of my difficult living situation. I was so moved by her sensitivity and graciousness.... I cried...It was one of the highlights of my life...

Breaking New Ground: Gobble, Gobble

It's Thanksgiving morning and I am about to do something I have never done before...I am going to cook a Thanksgiving meal, all by myself. That's right. This year I have decided to stay in town for Thanksgiving and cook dinner for my two sons and an old friend of mine who doesn't have anywhere to go. The meal I am cooking is not extravagant by any stretch of the imagination and will be simple. There will be ham, mashed potatoes, corn, bread, stuffing, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. Thank God for Costco. The ham is pre-cooked, the stuffing and the mash potatoes are pre-packaged, and the pumpkin pie is already cooked and ready to roll out at any time after dinner. This might not sound like I am really cooking but I don't mind confessing and conceding this is the best I could do considering my limited experience in such matters. Originally I was not particularly happy when all of my other plans for Thanksgiving fell through but I am actually kind of excited now and feel much more upbeat about the whole matter. Later we will watch USC, hopefully crush Arizona State and I'll be back with a report on how things went....

You must see this film!

Yesterday I saw a movie that made me laugh and cry...I was inspired…I was reminded of what is important in life…and…I was deeply, deeply, touched…This is a great, great, film…This is a beautiful film. This is a film about life, family, and following one’s passions and dreams...It is simply, the best film I have seen in a long, long time. Into the Wild is based on a true story by best selling author Jon Krakauer who also wrote Into Thin Air. The movie was directed by Sean Penn and, Eddie Vedder, the front man for Pearl Jam, provides the musical scores for the film. Into the Wild is a story about a young man who gives up everything in this world to follow his dream to go to Alaska. His journey begins after graduating from a prestigious college in West Virginia. While telling his parents he is thinking of enrolling in Harvard Law School he instead hits the road and heads west. The rest of the story is about the adventure and the people he meets along the way as he travels from the East Coast to Alaska. While some may sarcastically assert that this film is a moral tale about how foolish it is to follow an idealistic pipe dream I do not share such sentiments. I prefer to see this film as a metaphor about the meaning of life and the critically important lessons one can learn if one follows their passions and dreams. We live in a world where much of what we do is based on the expectations of others, our families, our friends, and society, in general, but this film explores what can happen if one follows their heart....but...This is not a sentimental film and grit and reality are not sacrificed at the altar of romanticism. This is a gut check film. This film cuts to the core for him who has ears to hear...This is a must see film...You won't regret it...and...while you may be haunted by the images, music, and ending for days, in the end, this is a story that celebrates the life of what one young man who decided to follow "his" dream...and...while I would never suggest to anyone that they follow in the footsteps of another, I would recommend that we seriously consider following his example of following the desires of our heart, even if we cannot follow the exact footsteps of his particular journey.....

I Really Loved this Film

It's been awhile since I have seen a really good film but today the drought was broken when I went on a hunch to see a film called Across the Universe. The movie didn't get an overwhelming endorsement from the critics over at Rottentomatoes but I really did find Roger Ebert's review intriguing, so I went on his recommendation...There is just so much to like about this film. It's interesting, very well done, emotionally gratifying but most of all, it's unique. The visuals, particularly in the second half of the film are stunning and the performances all the way around are very good. The movie is set in the nineteen sixties and everything is covered from the Detroit race riots, to the Vietnam War and the assassination of Martin Luther King. I really don't know how to describe the film because it is so unique and there is nothing I have seen to compare it to, really... It's a love story, musical, and backdoor social commentary all wrapped up into one. All the music is the Beatles but everyone but none of the songs is performed by the Beatles. There are cameo performances by Bono, Joe Cocker, and Izzy Izzard. I found the film very gratifying but I like eccentric artistic endeavors and this film has it in spades. If you open to musicals this is the best one I have seen and consider it better than Almost Famous which is another sixties movie I really enjoyed...and...if you have a soft spot for the Sixties or Beatles music this film is a must see...

Return of the Ring?

Entertainment Weekly’s most recent edition has reported that “after years of feuding, Peter Jackson and Nine Line Cinema are getting closer to making the Hobbit”…This is potentially great news for the fans of the Lord of the Rings. While nothing has been settled on either side, Bob Shay, New Lines project CEO has offered an olive branch to Jackson by reporting in a recent L.A. Times interview that, “I really respect and admire Peter Jackson and would love for him to be creatively involved in some way in the Hobbit”. This is extremely good news considering that Mr. Shay earlier accused Jackson of being arrogant and stating publicly that, “I don’t care about Peter Jackson anymore”….as a fan reading between the lines….This sounds like an invitation to me…but…admit it may be wishful thinking on my part…Good news bad news scenario…Bad news…Jackson has reported that he will not entertain any proposals until the lawsuit with New Line is settled…good news… apparently the civil case is “finally nearing resolution”…Bad news…Someone else may direct the film and Jackson may simply act as an executive producer…potential good news…The name of Guillermo Del Toro, the director of Pan’s Labyrinth, has been mentioned. Guillermo has a significant amount of street cred with the fantasy community because of his ability to integrate great storytelling with emotion and special effects…and now some really potential great news….Entertainment Weekly has reported that Jackson has suggested “he would make two films, with the second one filling in the story arc between the end of the Hobbit and the beginning of the Lord of the Rings”. While Tolkien never wrote a book connecting the two stories he did make references in the epilogues of The Lord of the Rings. Personally, I think it would be fantastic if Jackson made a film bridging the gap between the Hobbit and the LOTR’s. While some hard line Tolkein fans may not welcome such a proposal, I am not one of them…A bit of speculation and merry mythmaking may potentially make a contribution to one of the great myths of our time...My prediction…I predict Jackson will make the Hobbit for a couple of different reasons. There is just too much money on the table for the studios to allow this particular project to die, especially considering that the movie industry has been slumping for years...and…Jackson can save the studios big bucks because he has the infra-structure already in place to take on such a potentially daunting project…and…name recognition alone will almost certainly guarantee a handsome project…and…does any other director really want to attempt to follow up Jackson’s masterpiece? Think of all the potential comparisons and questions. I can’t think of two many directors, if any, of stature, who would want to put themselves in this kind of a situation….If Jackson doesn’t get the director gig I am confident he and his special effects studio, Weta, will have their fingerprints all over this project…So…I predict it is only a matter of time before New Line Cinema announces to the world that Jackson is on board with the making of the Hobbit…and…when that day comes, all the hobbits of this world will rejoice and get in line for their ticket to the midnight showing of what promises to be another great adventure into the fantasy world of the Middlearth and the imagination of J.R.R. Tolkien who has brought a lot of joy to this world with his merry mythmaking….

Suicide Watch

It looks like I'll be on suicide watch for the rest of the week-end after my beloved USC Trojans fell to the lowly Stanford Cardinals. I admit I didn't see this one coming...but...suspect I am in good company because no one else did either. I don't really have much to say. No excuses...USC did not play well enough to win and I give Stanford all the credit in the world. They played their hearts out and deserved to win...I can't and don't want to point my finger at any particular player or coach on USC, other than to say, I don't think I have ever seen so many passes dropped. The USC receivers are young and green and this will no doubt be an important learning experience. Just sad to see USC's hope for another National Championship go down the tubes in this way. I don't intend to give up on my Trojans and am interested in seeing how they rebound from such a terrible loss. At the end of the day, I guess it just goes to show that talent, alone, doesn't win championships or games. Today, the men of Troy, no doubt learned this hard lesson....