books and movies

In light of the current status of our nation, and simmering for decades, I've been slowly working through articles and books from this anti-racism resource list and I read:

I read it all in one sitting but it was pretty awful. Intense sexual scenes, incest, rape, it was rough. And reading it I'm not sure if that was an "accurate view of race" or just one persons "experience" (it's fiction so it wasn't a real experience anyway.) I don't know, I mostly regret reading it for the images that were in my mind.

The next month our book club read this one:

Jodi Picoult is a pretty safe "good book" bet. This one was an interesting story with the root of something that really did happen at a hospital in Michigan. This was written by a white woman, with extensive research with people of color, so it made me feel like maybe it was a close reflection into white privilege. It had the "N" word in it several times, so I'm hesitant to recommend it. But the story was good. 

I think going forward I will reference from this list, it seems a little more Christian worldview focus. 

It's been a hard time wading through racism. After George Floyd I reached out to a friend for his perspective and recommendations to help me understand. And then later I see on Facebook someone says it's racist to ask people of color for education. I was really upset to see that, and I hope not all people feel like that. It's like, geez, who is better to educate others than the people experiencing it everyday!? And does that person not view that question as love and concern and interest in being better?? That was my intent at least. So that was frustrating, just feels like no matter what, stepping on someones toes. 

The last thing I want to say is that while I 100% believe black lives matter, I also didn't know that "Black Lives Matter" is a specific organization with some beliefs that I personally don't agree with. I guess this organization was founded in 2013 after Trayvon Martin's death; I just didn't know it was a specific group with it's own agenda, and it seems a little misleading to say a phrase, but then some people are pushing their own issues through on it. Anyway, I can't be the only one who thought that. 

It seems like all these resources would be unnecessary if we could all just follow Jesus' command to "Love thy neighbor as thyself." Matthew 22:39. 

I know I'm guilty of not doing that every single day though.

The last thing I recently saw was:

Yes I am very late to the party. I don't really like Lady Gaga so I shied away from this movie, but she was amazing in it. I really liked the first half of the movie, it was so fun to see her come into her talents. But the second half was just sad and I wished it had ended a different way. 

The Redbox pickings have been pretty slim as no one has been making new movies, but it's nice to have more time to be outside and to read anyway.

Father's Day and Movie Weekend

Spent time celebrating this guy this weekend. Had a picnic in the park, rode bikes, went to the movies. I had entered my dad in a grill contest at my church by writing a poem, mine was pretty corny and I didn't win, but I gave a copy of it to him in his card. He got sniffly and said I should have won :) haha, my dad is great, I am very blessed.

The movie we saw was Mud. I had never heard of it, and it was kind of fun sitting down to a movie that was going to be a total surprise, usually I like to read about what I'm going to see first.

It was really good. And Matthew McConaughey even grungy and with a chipped tooth, ow ow! But really good movie, we all liked it.

Another movie I watched this weekend was Warm Bodies.

I have been waiting for so long for this to not be sold-out at the redbox. I loved this movie! Cutest. Movie. Ever. I watched it twice on Saturday, and then again last night with my friend. It's sweet, funny, romantic, some good indie music. Sighhhh, I want a zombie boyfriend! It's going straight to my bday wish list.

This weekend I also went to the theater with my friend for our last show of the season tickets, good times, crafted on stuff for my future baby niece(!), talked to my siblings, made some good food, church, and read. Our book club is reading so many fun books lately. We just read Uglies and that was after reading some in the Divergent series. They're all kind of similar in their storyline of a futuristic society where our world was destroyed. But so good, now I keep hoping they'll make them into movies!

Nicholas Sparks

How lucky is Nicholas Sparks that 10 out of his 17 books have been made into movies. (8 out now, 2 in the works) Wow, he is really talented. So what if his books are somewhat similar and hopelessly romantic, I like them. Last night my friend Liz and I went to watch Safe Haven which we are reading for our next book club. The book was amazing, the movie, so-so as usual. But it starred that gorgeous hunk Josh Duhamel. Liz said if it was just 2 hours of staring at his face on the screen it would be money well spent. Lol. But so true.

Out of his 8 movies, there were 4 that I've read the book and seen the movie:

A Walk to Remember: book was better, and even had a different ending that made you wonder if she really dies in the end.

The Notebook: another hunk Ryan Gosling. This one I don't remember which one I liked better movie or book, they were also very different.

The Lucky One: book was better. But Zac Efron, oh my gosh, yum.

And last nights

...I'm noticing a trend with the photos there... the photo director: and passionate embrace almost kiss time - go!

anyway, Safe Haven- again the book was much much better. But enjoyed Josh watching. The girl was a very meh actress, (stick to dancing Julianne!) her character did not really develop as well as the book and it seems all these movies took such liberties from the books, whereas the Twilight series and Hunger Games really stuck well to the books. I'm not sure why that is. Anyway, a fun night with my friend.

This next week is spring break.

Side note, after years of watching Arrested Development I cannot say 'spring break' without wanting to pretend to lift my shirt a la Kitty

Maybe you'd have to watch it

Anyway, I am going to visit my friend in Kentucky, and altho I have to bring my school books with me, I am really looking forward to the break!

weekend update

This weekend was a weekend for laying low, studying, and watching movies.

Love this movie!! One of my favorites.

The next night I watched this movie that made me wish for 3 hours of my life back. I l-o-v-e-d the book, but this movie was so terribly cheesy and took such crazy liberties with the story. They just completely made up an entire scene of the movie, and my favorite part at the end of the book, they didn't do at all. BOOOO!!!!

Sunday after church I went up to my parents, had lunch with them, talked, and watched this. It was pretty good.

The visit home was nice. As always. Mom was telling me how when she was in nursing school they practiced everything on each other. Which I first thought was a good idea, until she started talking about NG tubes (a tube down your nose to your stomach) and enemas. Um, that would be so awkward, "here classmate, let me stick this tube up your butt." Later mom and I were sitting talking and I was mentioning how the one year I failed to ask for socks for Christmas, sure enough, I only have 10 pairs and not enough to last between laundry days. So mom is telling me about some socks she has that she was going to give to me. And she's talking about them and says, "you know, they go in your shoes..." I was sitting there thinking, is my mom describing to me how to wear a sock?? And then we both just sat there a second and burst out laughing. Apparently she was trying to describe those no-see-um socks, not just regular socks. Good times. I'd hope at 31 I'd have socks down.

Anyway, church was crazy. We've been doing a series for women called Eve & Adam, it's been mostly good, some things hard to hear as they brought up painful things I've been going through. This sunday was a complete cryfest. They interviewed a couple from our church, I knew them from our life group. First I cried imagining if I'd see Andrew up there on screen, and then I cried thinking about how that will never happen. Then I cried thinking about how good God is and how He moves and changes peoples' lives, and as I sat there crying the couple was invited on stage and he proposed to her! It was really neat to see.