Tag: Moonlight

Monday’s Theme Music

The moon’s visit moved beyond normal to sublime. Sometimes a clear night hosts a moon that lights the night and finds something more primal and hopeful in the mind. Last night’s moon was one of these, romantic and inspirational, a moon with light that whispers, “the impossible is possible.” No wonder a moon like that is spoken of in sentences about magic, fairies, and spaceships.

It’s January 16, 2023. It’s Monday. It’s 30 degrees F and sunny. It’s calm. It’s a new week’s start. Happy New Week! Have you made any New Week resolutions? I have. Of course I have. I don’t do NY ones, but I do daily, weekly, and monthly resolutions. You only fail if you give up trying, am I right? Some people place the week’s start on Sunday. I consider Saturday and Sunday neutral ground. The week begins on Monday and ends on Friday.

The sun pressed its presence into our valley at 7:37 this morning, coming around like it’s nobody’s business. Daylight will light us up until about 5:05 this evening. Then the sun will set and bring on dusk, followed by night. The cold front will keep our high from getting much above 42 F. Some say that rain is due but the clouds for that job haven’t checked in. Snow is visible in far fields on high mountains, appearing like cake frosting on the ridges’ pines and firs. It’s a tranquil blue-sky sight.

News continues emerging about President Biden and the classified documents found at his home and office. This turn pisses me off more than Trump’s classified doc scandal. I thought Joe Biden was responsible and this oversight, this sloppiness, is infuriating. I was in the Air Force for twenty years. With high secret clearances and active in special access programs, dealing with classified material, including stuff that was Top Secret with special qualifiers, including nuclear war plans, launch codes, attack plans, and intelligence materials, I was frequently the Top-Secret Control Officer, the unit security manager, and also often the OPSEC/COMSEC and COMPUSEC manager. I took it seriously. My peers, commanders, and those we supervised all took it very damn seriously. I was appointed as an investigator several times when processes failed or people violated the governing regs and laws. Trump’s conniving to keep some classified documents ‘as his own’ insulted our efforts to keep the nation safe by properly protecting such material. Joe Biden’s sloppiness — or worse, as the investigations are only under way — undermines our systems as well. President Biden has at least acknowledged that what has happened is bad, unlike Trump, who dances and shouts, trying to deflect blame and responsibility, squeaking out ridiculous justifications for what he did.

Okay, off the soap box. Today’s music is “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”. I went with the Animals version of 1964. Besides being the version seared into my memory by radio play repetition, I’ve always liked Eric Burdon. I also enjoyed the band’s keyboard use and the gritty blues sound they brought to their performances. The Neurons decided on this song and put it in the morning mental music stream after conversations with the cats. They were asking for something and I didn’t understand what it was. The felines’ insistence was the final driver for Les Neurons. Listening to them, Eric Burdon’s voice just rose from the depths of memory to sing, “Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood.” And there we were.

Try to stay positive. I know it can be tough. I feel less than positive on many days. Right now, I’m positive that I would murder a cup of coffee so I’m heading to the kitchen for that black brew. I’m excited just thinking about it! Here’s the music. Hope your week takes you to new heights. Cheers

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Friday’s Theme Music

I was outside at midnight last night, just checking the sky. Clear, hovering around thirty degrees F in my backyard, moonlight flooded the area like Klieg lights. After a while of checking on Jupiter, the stars, and the moon, songs about moonlight and the moon swung into my musical mental stream. I imagine that, like me, a plethora of them shot right to the forefront of your minds. But as I took my final breaths, shivered, and wondered why I wasn’t wearing shoes (or at least slippers or socks) on the cold patio cement, the “Dancing in the Moonlight” cover by King Harvest (1972) won out.

So here we go. Have a good Friday, or whatever day you’re on. Wear a mask, please. Cheers

Dancing in the Moonlight (Original Recording) – King Harvest – YouTube

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I’ve Seen Things

I went to the theaters three times this week. Saw three different movies and ate half of a box of Hot Tamales.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 

Academy darling Eddie Redmayne stars in this movie adapted from J.K. Rowlings’ work. A fantastic idea with lots of extrapolation of earlier ideas presented, this is a popcorn movie. The Harry Potter world expands into America and adulthood. There is light love, light comedy, light suspense and expected resolution. It’s a visual movie, and in my experience, movies dependent on visuals play longer.

Which it did.

Rotten Tomatoes rates it at 74. I put the assessment a little higher: 79.

Arrival

Amy Adams is the star of ‘Arrival’. Again, we experience many ideas previously presented but with a few interesting twists of quantum mechanics and human biology. Like ‘Somewhere In Time‘ (Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour, 1980) this movie delivers more questions than answers. It’s a fun exercise and experience. I do feel that Jeremy Renner, an actor whose work I enjoy, is under-utilized, and the ads stating that Amy Adams is a linguist leading a team seems a little misleading, as she does most of the solving. There is rarely a sense of teamwork. It’s more about her hunt for the solution and how it fits into her personal grief.

Rotten Tomatoes gives it at 94 but I assess it at 90.

Moonlight

Barry Jenkins is the writer and director behind this movie. Brutal and human, depicting humanities’ complexities, fragility and strength, this is more like a play in three acts. I enjoyed the acting, directing and writing. There are gaps; nothing is cleanly explained, and pain and love is endured, much like most of our messy lives. I prefer fiction where full explanations aren’t given.

The RT rating is  98, and I agree.

Coming Attractions offers many interesting choices.

  • ‘La La Land’ has a slightly different look but my exposure limits impressions. With its cast of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone and its release date, there are Oscar nomination expectations. My wife wants to see it. I’m not overly drawn to it but I’ll give it a go.
  • ‘Passengers’, Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt, has already been heavily panned. I can see why. It seems like a neat idea that was rendered shallow and specious. That’s my impression. That’s a bummer.
  • ‘Fences’ looks quite powerful and employs several favorite actors. It’s getting some excellent reviews. The trailers (or are they previews) had me grimacing with pain and sympathy. I’ll probably seek it out when it hits town.
  • ‘Manchester by the Sea’ has already arrived in theaters. It has received good reviews, there’s some Oscar talk, and friends like it. We plan to see it tomorrow.
  • Of others offered, ‘A Monster Calls’ calls to me. The novel on which it’s based and its back story offer their own compelling reasons for seeking this movie. Featuring a child who doesn’t fit, experiences grief and depends upon his imagination for assistance in coping with life, I’ll be on the look out for it.

One movie that wasn’t presented but I know is coming is another ‘Blade Runner’ movie. You know I’m getting ready for it.

 

 

 

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