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1. YA writer, Kristin Cashore discusses two articles she read on how to discuss polarizing topics with people with who you will never agree (in this case abortion, but it be applied to anything actually), and women's weight issues.

Here's an excerpt from the first one, entitled "Talking with the Enemy":
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And the second one, A Hunger So Wide and So Deep: A multiracial view of women's eating problems, by Becky W. Thompson, released in 1994.:

Vera's experience raises the question of whether there is something inherently wrong with using food as a comfort when something terrible occurs. If it soothes someone in a time of extraordinary grief – why not? For some of the women, a sign of recovery was coming to see eating as a reasonable way to cope with adversity given other "choices." These questions bring the discussion full circle, since answering them rests on social and political analysis. The "just say no to food and yes to life" approach to eating problems, like the "just say no to drugs" ideas of the Reagan-Bush years, reduces complex issues of social justice and access to resources to psychological issues of self-control and will power. As long as the violence and social injustices that women link to the origins and perpetuation of their eating problems exist, women may continue to binge, purge, and starve themselves.

2. Finished watching Django Unchained by Quentin Tarantino, last night.

It's more or less in the same vein as Tarantino's last film Inglorious Bastards - in which Christoph Waltz also won an Oscar for best supporting. A bloody revenge fantasy focusing on the consequences of racism and bigotry. In this regard, if no other, Tarantino reminds me a little bit of Mel Brooks - who also poked fun at racism and bigotry, as well as Trey Parker and his writing partner whose name presently escapes me. Tarantino is also similar to Brooks in how he parodies/homages old movies or rather old movie tropes. In Inglorious Bastards he homaged the pulp WWII movies. Here he homages the spaghetti westerns (westerns that were filmed in Italy during the 1960s and early 1970s featuring Clint Eastwood as an avenging angel, or Charles Bronson.). These tended to be fairly gritty and bloody westerns, with melodramatic music rolling through the background. Tarantino goes all out - with the music homages - covering everything from classics like The Outlaw Josey Wales to Jeremiah Johnson and El Dorado.
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3. Pop culture bits...

* Rather like the casting of
Peter Capaldi as the 12th Doctor. He's comical and a rather good physical comedian.
Shame he couldn't have been the Doctor in a relationship with River Song - that would have worked better for me. I can see him being an older version of Ten. But other than that, I like the casting choice. (Let's face it - they'd never in a million years go with my preference - which is Helen Mirren, Miranda Richardson, or Idris Elba - the Brits are just as sexist and racist as the Americans when it comes to pulp icons, sad but oh so true. But hey, look on the bright side, at least they aren't into age discrimination or requiring an attractive buff boy).

* CBS vs. TWC battle continues. I've given up. Wrote a letter to Congress about the cable blackouts, wrote posts to TWC, and still no changes. Beginning to see why so many people have cut their TV cable subscriptions. Except I like NY1 News and the convenience of cable.
It's how I watch tv - requires less keeping track of things. And I really don't want to buy tv shows. Oh well, the only tv show that CBS carries that I really care about is The Good Wife - I can probably stream it on Amazon Prime for free.

4. Beginning to get burned out on Romance Novels, yes, I know...finally. But I can't find anything else I want to read or ache to read. Right now - if it's not work related, I only read what I crave. Less intellectual and informative, the better. In short - I'm on an extended pulp kick. But a decidedly "non-violent" pulp kick. This does pose a problem however, since the only pulp genre that is not extremely violent is romance. Annoying that.
I suppose I could switch to cozy mysteries...or family sagas.

5. Was able to walk a little bit in my sneaker, no boot yesterday. Foot is a little weak and sore. This is going to take a lot of time and patience. On plus side, I appear to be losing not gaining weight...mainly because it requires way too much effort to go buy a lot of food.

Beautiful Creatures - Film Review

Just finished watching Beautiful Creatures the film based on the YA novel of the same name. Now, if I live to be a 100, which in this day and age is unfortunately possible (seriously, why would anyone want to live that long?), I will never understand the appeal of The Twilight Movies. I keep thinking the audience must be on something, but I know people (co-workers and relatives) who adore those films and I don't get it. Most boring things I've ever seen in my life. But Beautiful Creatures was surprisingly entertaining. The dialogue has punch to it, the kids actually can act, and the adults don't appear stoned. Plus you get to watch Emma Thompson and Jeremy Irons trading barbs. No one does silky uptight British recluse better than Irons.

And I rather liked the boy - who not only had a personality (he's not as pretty as Robert Pattinson, but that's not necessarily a bad thing), but a sense of humor. The story is told in both Ethan (the boy) and Lena (the girl's) point of view. The plot is your run of the mill cursed lovers tale. Lena upon her 16th birthday will either be claimed by dark or the light. She's a member of a race of immortal casters. Men can choose their path. Women due to an ancient curse - get claimed either to dark or light and their power is more unstable.
The curse is the reason Lena can't be with Ethan - because if she is - it will result in his death and possibly her loss to darkness. There's more to it than that. But it's better if I don't spoil you.

The romance isn't your usual cloying teen romance, and it is well paced. I wouldn't say it was a great movie but it's fun. Worth a rental. Hope it gets a sequel, wouldn't mind watching it. I don't know how well it did - I think it did better overseas than it did domestically.

Currently, half-watching Avatar on TV...and it just does not work on TV or in 2D not 3D. It looks weird. If you saw it in 2D and not 3D, you'll never understand why people went nuts over it...not that I did go nuts over it. I thought it was pretty. Violent but pretty.
Next to Life of Pi - it's still the best 3D flick I've seen. Honestly I'm beginning to think the only people who should be allowed to do 3D are James Cameron and Ang Lee.

The Big Year - Film Review

Finished watching The Big Year on HBO. This was a little movie, that debuted with luke-warm critical reviews and little fan-fare back in 2011. It starred Owen Wilson, Steve Martin, and Jack Black - and was advertised as a "big comedy" when in truth it is a heart-warming tale about three men competing for the title of Bird Watcher of the Year. The birder who clocks the most birds, wins watcher of the year. The three vying for the title are Stu, Brad Harris, and Bostwick.
Bostwick (Owen Wilson) is the record holder and fears someone taking his titles, meanwhile his wife is struggling to have a child. Stu, the CEO of a fortune five hundred company in the midst of a take-over, wants to retire finally and go for the big year bird watcher record. Then there's Brad Harris, stuck in a job that he hates and divorced - who just wants to accomplish something - and he's obsessed with bird watching and obtaining that big year.
The film follows the three men in the pursuit of birds across the US. We see all sorts of birds, and watch as Stu and Brad form a friendship, Brad finds love, and Bostwick's marriage deteriorates as he increasingly puts birding over everything.

The movie does not have laugh out loud moments...which may be why the critics didn't praise it, but it is comforting and compelling. In particular the friendship between Stu and Brad, and Brad's character is one that you find yourself rooting for throughout.

Also there's lots of great birds show-cased throughout. I'd call it a happy movie, with the caveat that it can be depressing if you don't have the family and friends both Brad and Stu are blessed with. Like most Hollywood flicks of this trope - the film assumes that finding these things is easy, its not. That said, much like Silver Linings Playbook - the film is a hopeful one, one that shows that you life can change and unexpected things can happen when you are pursuing a dream whatever it may be. Doesn't matter if you win, the competition means little, it's the attempt that matters...and who you meet and how you play.