Monday, July 31, 2006

Odds and Ends ~ 10

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"The truly creative mind in any field is no more than this: A human creature born abnormally, inhumanly sensitive. To him... a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death. Add to this cruelly delicate organism the overpowering necessity to create, create, create -- so that without the creating of music or poetry or books or buildings or something of meaning, his very breath is cut off from him. He must create, must pour out creation. By some strange, unknown, inward urgency he is not really alive unless he is creating."

Pearl S. Buck, novelist, Nobel laureate(1892-1973)


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There was another article in our paper this week about blogs; specifically their popularity in France. It says "you can't elect a president in France without a blog" and that 60% of French people visited a blog in the last week (or maybe they said month). I don't know how they arrived at that number, but that's a fairly high percentage. Maybe we should all learn to speak/write French?

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"The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives."

Albert Einstein, physicist, Nobel laureate (1879-1955)

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I saw last night, for the second time, a perfectly delightful movie that I have been meaning to recommend to you. It is "Secondhand Lions" and it stars Michael Caine and Robert Duvall, with Haley Joel Osment and a few others you will recognize. This movie is great for people of all ages; a "feel good" movie that manages to teach wonderful lessons without sounding preachy, plus it is pretty funny in some scenes. Do yourselves a favor and rent it - or better yet - buy it, because it is a movie you will definitely want to see more than once!

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A word has its use, or, like a man, it will soon have a grave.

Edwin Arlington Robinson, poet (1869-1935)

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14 comments:

  1. Eddie8/01/2006 5:40 AM

    Second Hand Lions was a good movie. I stumble across it from time to time while surfing the premium channels. Two eccentric old men doing what they darn well please.... you can't beat that.

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  2. Anonymous8/01/2006 7:47 AM

    I found the blog information about France interesting.
    We once had dinner with a group of friends who all have professional careers, and none of them had a blog or even knew who any of the "A" list bloggers were. They'd certainly never heard of Dooce, or booing-boing, for example.
    One of them mentioned her company had a blog, but she wasn't sure what it was all about. She called it an online newsletter, which I suppose it is, in some respects!
    ;)

    Back at home, I often get to thinking about friends of ours who don't blog either, whose lives are really too busy, in some respects. I usually have to explain to them what my blog is all about.

    I wonder if America has been slower to accept the blogosphere than other countries?

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  3. Anonymous8/01/2006 7:50 AM

    er, that should have been changed from "...who all" to "...friends, all of whom have professional careers."
    My apologies. My in-self grammar editor is on vacation and my finger was too lazy to hit the "preview" button. *sigh*

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  4. Anonymous8/01/2006 8:28 AM

    I will have to put "Secondhand Lions" on my to see list...maybe my daughter will ifnd time to watch it with me :)...also, I love the cartoon...I snagged it for possible use later...again, I always know I can come here for grins and giggles and a bit of nostalgia..not to mention books and movies!! I love your blog!!

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  5. Megan8/01/2006 8:55 AM

    I love that first quote. It is so, so true.

    Here from Michele's today.

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  6. fakies8/01/2006 9:07 AM

    I loved Secondhand Lions. I agreed that it had a good story, but some parts were just hilarious.

    I don't know anyone in my RL that blogs besides me. Of course, I don't admit I blog, because I don't want any of them reading mine. I'd NEVER get out of trouble!

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  7. Peter8/01/2006 10:01 AM

    Yes Judy, Secondhand Lions was indeed a very good film, Robert Duvall rarely fails to entertain and Michael Caine has been consistently good for many years, even as a newcomer Haley Joel Osment has had some excellent rolls.

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  8. Chancy8/01/2006 10:57 AM

    I will have to look up Secondhand Lions. sounds like a good one.

    I LOVE the cartoon :)

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  9. Raggedy8/01/2006 2:04 PM

    Have a wonderful day!
    *^_^
    (=':'=) huge huggles
    (")_ (")Š from da Raggedy one

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  10. Anonymous8/01/2006 2:32 PM

    I have to agree about the French and I think they've always been way ahead of us in the "techy" department. They had cell phones glued to their ears in public long before we did here in the States.
    So I'm not surprised that so many of the French have blogs.

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  11. Anonymous8/01/2006 2:38 PM

    I love the Pearl Buck quote. She's one of my special favorites, that woman.

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  12. Anonymous8/01/2006 6:26 PM

    The Pearl Buck quote made me cry!

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  13. Shephard8/01/2006 6:27 PM

    Love that movie. Very sweet. Good recommendation.
    ~S :)

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  14. bornfool8/01/2006 7:47 PM

    Nice eclectic post, Judy. I saw that Second Hand Lions was on but I had already missed the start. I will try to catch it next time.

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