strange but true film fest!

This month, there are four film festivals slated.
Well, four that I know about! It's certainly possible that I have missed one or two along the way...but I doubt it.
Jim Reed's Psychotronic Film Society of Savannah got the show started this weekend.
The Strange But True Documentary Film Festival provided seven films over a two-day span. Whew! And I was there for every single one of those films!
I lived on popcorn, sweet & salty trail mix, and ginger ale!
True story!
With every movie ticket, a free concession item was included.
I went ahead and bought the Gold Pass, which wasn't really golden in hue.
It was invisible, actually.
No physical representations of it existed, sadly.
The image above?
I manufactured that as a keepsake from a promotional photo in one of the interviews about the event.
Just in case you thought it looked professional.
(smile)
The Gold Pass brought the cost of the seven tickets - and seven concession items - down from sixty-seven buckaroos to a mere fifty dollars. What a deal!
What types of people were highlighted in the documentaries?
Three films featured musicians, but there were three others about an artist, a dancer, and one racer.
Then there was "Eurocrime!: The Italian Cop and Gangster Films That Ruled the 70s" - that was the one I came to see!
As well as featuring interviews with a wide range of actors from those action-packed films, we were even treated to a post-film Question & Answer session!
Which actors were highlighted? Henry Silva, for one. Franco Nero, for another. And in between, John Saxon, Fred Williamson, Richard Harrison, Antonio Sabato, and even some directors! The amount of information was almost overwhelming!
The Q&A was with Mike Malloy, the writer/director/interviewer/editor of the four-years-in-the-making documentary. This was the second time he had come to town for one of his movies. Very nice!
What to talk of next? How about the dancer! Tap-dancer Jesco White even made it to an episode of "Roseanne", after the 1991 "Dancing Outlaw" became a widely-swapped video sensation. Incredible! Even more incredible? That May 1994 episode also featured my man, Joseph Gordon-Levitt! He was so young then!
"Dancing Outlaw" and the short 1994 video about Jesco's time in Hollywood (and his triumphant return to West Virginia) were shown as the last screening on Saturday. Plus, it was a "mystery" documentary, so no one knew what to expect. Well played, Jim, well played!
The artist was the focus of the first film of the festival. "Here Is Always Somewhere Else: The Disappearance of Bas Jan Ader" was about a 33-year-old Dutch artist who used gravity in his works. No, really! His videos feature him falling off roofs, falling onto a ladder, falling off a bike into a river. Then, in 1975, he forsook his wife to go to sea in a 3.8 meter sailboat. Sad, really. Watch the entire video here.
Next up, here at least, will be the documentary about Mickey Thompson. The man could drive any wheeled vehicle, especially those which he designed himself! "The Man In The Iron Cage", from 1984, had captured his attempts, and ultimate win in 1982, of a fierce off-road race, the Baja 1000. The man was killed two years later, but the tires and wheels he designed live on. Amazing what I have learned at, or because of, this "strange but true" film festival!
Here's a great video, narrated by his son, about his dad's innovative skills and racing dreams. Or should that be innovative dreams and racing skills? Either way, the man was amazing. Drag racing, land speed records, funny cars, indy cars, car design, truck racing in stadiums... wow. And he was only 59 when he died. Imagine what else he could have brought to the world of racing!
Now, what about the musicians whose tales were screened? Oddly, they all seemed to be of the same age: mid- to late-50's.
The one on Saturday, sandwiched between the Italian gangsters and the dancing mountaineer, was "My Name Is Jonah". Born John Washnis, the man's name changed after a voluntary stint in the military, possibly in Vietnam, in the late 1960's. [sidebar: I had a friend who underwent a similar transformation after his first stint aboard ship. He went from Karl Unterbrink to Ray Gomez. Seriously.]
Perhaps he felt a kinship with the character in the Bible? I don't know, but I know this: he was the oldest of four in a religious family.
Now, he is known simply as Jonah, a self-professed red-hot, all-man, superhero, fantasy barbarian, rock star adventure wizard. He even stars in five free comic books. And, when not fighting crime, he plays a pretty mean harmonica!
(smile)
Sunday saw two men of music after the film about the racer. The first was about Jon Miki Thor and his same-name band. "I Am Thor" contains footage from his early years, as a hunky blond bodybuilder who could really sing! Astonishing and talented eye-candy he was, too! Over time, their following here in the States had really fallen off. Then, a few years ago, he and the band agreed to a three-concert gig over in Europe... and truly found their audience. Packed concerts! Enthusiastic fans! How gratifying! Watch the trailer here.
The second music film, and the final film of the festival, was "The Source Family", which followed the rise and fall of Jim Baker, lead singer in a psychedelic rock band.
Eventually renaming himself Father Yod (get it?), the tall, charismatic man managed to convert lost youth on the Sunset Strip into purveyors of health-food, makers of music, and members of his commune. The fundraising activities came under fire when he "went through the change" and became focused on "balling" the commune's young women more so than anything else. Forced to leave California because of the under-age sex going on, the group settled in Hawaii. Over the course of five years, the 143-member clan had more than fifty babies.
That had to be trying for a man who just wanted to play God. I think he tired of the responsibilities of truly being a family man with so many children looking to him for guidance. One day, he decided to man a kite...and crashed from the sky, much as Icarus had. His death led to the dispersal of the family, until several of them reunited years later.
What a story!
What a film festival!
What a weekend!

Thanks, Jim, for broadening my horizons!

casting my (odd) lot with my first niece!

This was a special Friday edition of Odd Lot - hooray!
Sandy and Barbara and I were already lined up to go, so for sure I was going!
Then my first niece texted me: Was I coming to the Muse?
Yes, yes, I was!
I sat with her and Amanda, her colleague from TVR.
Why was Odd Lot having this special session?
Two reasons, actually. First, it was Jessica Savannah's birthday! (She's beloved for laughing louder than me!) Second, it was a fundraiser for SWAHT, a cause dear to her heart.
Me?
I was there to have fun on a Friday night con mis amigas!
When Jason Arons, acting as emcee, called for a volunteer for "Sound Effects", I looked around to see if one of the young ones might want to participate. Nope! No takers anywhere, it seemed. So, when he caught my eye again, up I jumped!
The scene? A boat on the ocean.
Coolness!
I made seagull squawks, fog horn moans, telephone trills, and "Wah-wah-wah Wah-wah" voice on the other line ramblings! Thanks, Thomas and Lynita for playing along!
After a few more skits, the call again went out for volunteers to participate.

The skit this time was
"Moving Statues".
Bless Pete if Christina Ann didn't jump up to take part!
Hooray!
Here she is, making Lynita
do her bidding!
What fun!

When the emcee asked for
"Kill Shot" participants,
he got the birthday girl,
another woman, and...
that first niece of mine!
Good for her!!!
I didn't even have to urge
her that time!
(smile)


Seriously, life is so much more fun when you participate instead of waiting to be entertained.
Try it sometime!

hangin' with the bfe's old lady

So, I agreed a few weeks ago to tend to Chloe the Cat while the physicist went off to Colorado for a week.

Yes, this was also the very first week of classes, with me having a new schedule to work out, too.
That's okay. I would just pop in on her every couple of days, pet her a bit and give her some treats and a can of wet food. Definitely doable.

He left on Sunday morning.
That evening, I'm at the reception for the free music at Asbury Memorial. "A Winter Concert - Music For The Heartstrings" was the annual piano offering from Sanford Jones, this time accompanied by fellow pianist Marvin Keenze, violinist Effie Mydell, and the ever-lovely singer, Kim Michael Polote.
My favorites, of course, were the tunes penned by Johnny Mercer: "P.S. I Love You", "Autumn Leaves", and "Moon River". Kim has such a great voice for jazz - all were very nice!
Of course, more classical pieces were also present - oh, yes! Brahms, Bizet, Bloch, and Gottschalk were all represented in the form of a violin-piano sonata, a child's ball, poems of the sea, and a creole-flavored danza!
There was even a set done to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Marian Anderson's repertoire for her farewell performance. Kim started with "Let Us break Bread Together", a song we do there for communion, from time to time. That was followed by "Deep River", a spiritual that I may have heard once before. Very lovely piece. The final song was "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands" - and I challenge you to find anyone who doesn't know that one!
After the 2 1/2 hour concert, I was enjoying the punch and cookies - and truffles! - in the social hall and chatting with others about the wonderful music. Effie's mom even came up and apologized for talking during one of the songs! How very nice of her!
Then, I get a text.

him: Hey, Faustina, the Chlo has an infection...when you see her, one side of her face is engorged and there is a wound.
him: She has some antibiotic that we made yesterday. Could you give her 2 ml with her wet food?
him: The antibiotic is in a mortar and pestle next to her wet food in the kitchen.
me: Um...give it to her by just putting it in her food? How often?
him: Once a day would be fine I think, and in her wet food would be perfect. I hate that she is not well and I had to jet away. Give her good loves for me. Also just monitor how she is doing. She is eating and drinking and she wants loves. Give her some good pets for me.
me: Has she had the meds today?
him: Yes, I gave her a dose this morning.
me: Tomorrow is going to be very busy for me until after 8 pm.
me: Should I go now and give her another dose?
him: I think she is ok and can wait until tomorrow.
him: Thanks for offering. I really appreciate.
me: OK. I will see her as soon as I finish at Armstrong.
him: :) thank you so much.
him: It just sucks, just losing Tess.
me: Don't worry. I love her too.
him: Thank you so much Faustina. That really makes me feel better.
me: Heard.

Of course, I went to check up on the old girl. She was pretty wobbly, but gobbled treats readily enough. I sent him a photo of her doing that. Then I went ahead and opened a can of food and dosed some treats for her.

me: She has been on my lap nonstop. She was a little antsy for a bit, but has settled down nicely.
me: I put some meds on some treats on the box and she is eating them now. Good! Ate them ALL! Good girl!
me: I have explained to her that she has five more nights until you return. Then I explained to her that I would come every night so she could count down.
me: She is napping while the Simpsons are on. I told her I have to leave after that. She said ok. :)
him: I bet she either purred it or squeaked it!

On Monday, true to my word, I went to see her straight away after a full day with two lectures and a lab.
She was still wobbly, but greeted me at the front door.
Time for treats!
Time for pets!
Time for a photo to the bfe to show she is still alive!

me: She seems to be in better spirits tonight!
him: Oh very good! I am very happy to hear that.
me: She is def feeling better. Been grooming herself for the last thirty minutes.
him: That cat has been crazy grooming herself for a couple of weeks.. I worry she has a bit of OCD!
me: She seriously sat on my lap for a solid thirty minutes doing that.

Tuesday, after that crazy-early lab and my two lectures, I went home to get her something special: canned tuna. It's the cheap tuna I bought when I was feeling especially poor a while back.
She loves the stuff - the smellier, the better!
Of course I sent a photo of her digging into it, meds and all!

me: Tonight, I brought her smelly tuna. She loved it! Dove right in without getting pets first!
him: That's wonderful to hear! I was worried about leaving her but things seem to be good!
me: I tell you, this has been the most excited I've seen her about food. :-)
him: Yeah, she wasn't feeling so hot last week if you remember. She mainly slept like a rock.
me: She has good energy too and is not as wobbly as she was on Sunday.
him: I figured it was the flea medication.
him: Seems like it was a bit more. :(

I didn't mention that she was cold and shivered when she was on my lap.
I finally managed to turn on the heat and turn off the overhead fan in the living room. By the time I left three hours later, the shivering had stopped.

Wednesday, I didn't make it to see her until late.
PFS was showing the 1967 film "Die Wang Jiao Wa", also known as "Operation Lipstick" at the Sentient Bean, so I headed there first. What a funny Japanese spy movie, featuring a singing thief and her hapless brother!
By the time I arrived, Chloe wanted food!
But first, a photo for the bfe!

him: ha ha! A familiar face!
me: Seriously, she is so much better tonight!
him: I am sure your visits help too!
me: The Chloe says good night!

Thursday, by the time I was done with my two lectures and lab, all I wanted to do was to go home.
I resolved to go see Chloe today, during the day, and so I have.
She was not happy with me.
The food, yes.
Me, no.
She was done with getting pets from the wrong hands. I sent him the photo of her sitting beside me on the couch with her back to me.

him: I know she is in good loving hands with you.
me: She says I don't pet her right. She wants to know how much longer until you return.
him: Ha ha! Thanks so much for looking after the Chlo! I will be making my triumphant return to Savannah tomorrow!
me: That is what I told her. She is truly a one-man cat.
him: Ha ha! I love my kitteh. I hate leaving her. If I get sabbatical I will have to take her with me.. I can't be away for 5 months from my cat.
me: Most definitely not. She would become a recluse.
him: My cat!!! She can't become a recluse living like Luke on his isolated planet in The Force Awakens!!!! Where is her metal paw?
me: :)
him: Thank you for looking after my baby.

What a relief it will be when they are reunited!

ashes to ashes, funk to funky

On Monday morning, as I was driving to my first day at the new school, I found myself in tears.
David Bowie was dead.
The news took me totally by surprise.
One moment, I was listening to music.
The next, I was crying, having just heard the news.
Every time I thought about the great loss to this world, I cried.
He was barely 69 years old.
David Bowie was special to me. His lyrics made me think, made me smile, made me dance! Such a remarkable voice and mind! And although his voice remained unique, his music and style were in constant flux.
Surprise!
Change was his modus operandi.
He continually morphed into new genres, new personae, always skipping ahead to light the way for others.
Change was always good.
Perhaps, this latest change was into an aged Starman, longing for home.
The last video, for "Lazarus", ends with him entering a space we could not view, closing the door on this world.

Then, tonight, I was working online and had the television still on, having not bothered yet to turn it off.
A talking head came on, one of the late-night desk jockeys, for a show I never watch.
"What a week it's been for male Brits," he began.
I paused to see what would follow.
Alan Rickman was dead.
What???
I burst into tears.
No more mischievous twinkle in his eye or sly henchman's smile? No more mellifluous baritone filling the air, making you wish his bad guy character might actually prevail?
Even my ex knew how much I adored the man. He recently texted, saying he had just seen my "buddy Alan Rickman" in a movie filmed here in Savannah.
I wish I could have seen the actor when he was in town. I doubt I would have been able to say anything. Then again, perhaps I would have had a similar encounter as with Alan Ruck at 2009's Dragon*Con.
No way to know now.
The man has died.
His age?
69.
Just like David Bowie.
Actually, not quite.
Alan Rickman would have been 70 next month.

As I searched for solace on the British Broadcasting Corporation website, a headline kept vying for my attention.
"Colossal star explosion detected", it read.
A star had become a supernova and was being billed as possibly the "most powerful ever detected".
That definitely had my attention.
At its peak, it shone "with 570 billion times the brightness of our Sun".
I kept reading.
Guess how the star was detected?
ASAS-SN.
That brought a smile and a happy thought.
Perhaps the man who had played one of the most memorable hitmen ever was joining forces with the Starman, who had also enjoyed a turn as an incredibly memorable hitman?
I could imagine them being good friends in the next world, as both had been such compassionate, cheerful souls on this Earth.
Most definitely.
And with that reassuring image, I am off to bed, to dream of better mornings in my once upon a time.

Wait up a second! What's with the photo?

That was the result of another happy thought, as well as a mighty fine coincidence.
The photo appeared on the upper part of the front page of my newspaper on New Year's Day.
Yes, that would be the newspaper I still happen to subscribe to, even though I keep saying I'm going to stop doing so.
(smile)
When I first glanced at the photograph, I had to do a double-take.
Was that a robot celebrating some occasion?
Was it an alien coming to Earth in a burning vessel?
Nope, neither one.
It's the Palace of Westminster's Elizabeth Tower, also known as Big Ben, with celebratory fireworks still exploding over the River Thames seven minutes after the start of the new year.
In other words, a photo of an icon in England.
How very fortunate for me that I had kept the photo for this blog entry, to mark the passing of these two fine men, men who were also icons of England.

i thank You, God.

Elvis is IN the building!

Ever since the new year began, Elvis has been keeping me company.
He's my Teddybear, loving me tender in the garden and in the ghetto, while Kentucky rains keep falling on blue Hawaii.
Quite a life we lead, I tell you!

Poor fellow, it's about time he was able to strut his stuff! He's been languishing in the Ocean Room for almost three years.
Three years.
I am so glad to have freed him from cellophane bonds!

You see, 2016 is promising to be the year of Elvis!
Sixty years ago, on June 25th, he was alive and well and performing in Savannah, Georgia. The city was part of a tour circuit to promote the new singer's work, prior to his September appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, when his music, and his hips, rocked the nation.
We would all never be the same.
Elvis Presley was only 21 years old.
That same year, a photographer five years his senior was following him everywhere, capturing his life. As it would turn out, Alfred Wertheimer was the one and only photographer ever allowed that privilege.
Now, those photographs of one young man, taken by another young man, will come to this town. Titled "Elvis at 21: Photographs by Alfred Wertheimer", the exhibit will be at the Jepson Center for the Arts in April, lingering for multiple viewings until October.
Elvis on the train. Elvis in the pool. Elvis with his family. Elvis with his fans. Elvis in the recording studio and on television.
Elvis, not as The King of Rock and Roll he was to become, but as an ordinary young man, not yet discovered by the world at large.
I intend to visit that stage of his life often. I intend to try looking at him as my mother did, as a contemporary young person of Southern origin, with a gospel background.
She was only 18 years old then.
No wonder she fell in love with my father, with his Southern charm and dark, wavy hair. By the time Elvis came to Savannah, Mama and Daddy had already been married for almost two months.
I wonder if Elvis' tour had taken him through Augusta? I wonder if Mama had a chance to see Elvis live and in person on that 1956 tour?
I wish I could ask her.

This year, I plan to attend the Georgia Elvis Festival again, too, down in Brunswick.
It's been three years and that seems to be one of my periodicity factors for such things.
Three years between my trips to Las Vegas.
Ten years between my trips to Italy.

I'll look forward to seeing Austin Irby again in Brunswick.
This Elvis Tribute Artist rocked my world when I saw him before, as he so beautifully represented the 21-year-old singer. Such a great shimmy shimmy shake!
Now, he'll be three years older.
I hope he'll still be able to capture the romantic innocence of that young man, just venturing onto the world's stage, not quite aware of his effect on the music scene, still dreaming of things to come.

Of course, I'll look forward to seeing ETA Michael Chambliss, too. He represents the Las Vegas-era Elvis and does so amazingly well! In fact, he was the 2013 Georgia Elvis Festival Champion! I saw him in several of the competition rounds and found him to be quite impressive. Yes, quite impressive!
I'll look forward to meeting Tim 'E' Hendry, too. He's the 2015 Georgia Elvis Festival Champion. I don't recall him at the 2013 events, nor is he mentioned in any of my photos from then, but perhaps he was one of the early performers before the final two days. An older ETA, he represents the Elvis most of us these days know and love.
I'll have to remember to pack a couple of Peanut Butter Elvis Melts for the trip. Or maybe the university will make some for me...
Maybe they will!
(smile!)

love story, danish-style

So, we three chicas went to see "The Danish Girl" this afternoon.
What a beautiful love story!
Forget about "The Titanic", in which the two lovers knew each other for less than two days. That's lust, not love.
A true love story requires that the two people have been exposed to each others dirty laundry, bathroom habits, and general daily routines and still find each other to be the light of their lives.
There were several times I found myself in tears throughout this movie. Every time, it was because of the love evinced by the wife for the husband she had married six* years earlier. Every time, it was because she was being asked to allow him to change, knowing she would lose the person she loved - and yet, she did as he asked of her.
Every time.
That's some powerful love, folks.
Gerda is truly the hero of the movie.
She repeatedly put her own needs on hold for her husband's happiness.
Moreover, she did so unselfishly and without reproach.
Perhaps she blamed herself for his choices. There is one point when she asks him if this change in his demeanor was because of something she did, if it was because she had asked him to wear the stockings and women's shoes so she could finish her painting.
Of course, that was not what made him the person he truly was. He was already that person. But the favor for her painting did allow him to show his real self to her, his real self that had been hidden from everyone since he was young.
He tried to reassure her that the favor for her had no role in his change, but how to know if she ever believed that she was not responsible for releasing Lili to the world?
How to know if she ever believed that she was not responsible for the loss of the man she loved?

I just wish the movie had made it plain that they were married for twenty-six years, not the six* years given in the movie. That six year mark is important, as that is when Gerda had asked the favor of Einar and he had agreed to do it for her. That six year mark is important, as that is when Gerda became aware of Einar's self-identity, Lili.
But they were married for another two decades after that.
They were married until the Danish king, in 1930, dissolved their marriage. Einar had already begun the physical transformation (through a total of four surgeries), from man to woman, and same-sex marriages were not allowed.
At that time, the couple were in their forties, not in their youth.
That makes a big difference.
These were not young people making rash decisions. These were people in their midlife years, making decisions after more than a decade of consideration of options and search for medical intervention.
That makes a big difference.
Gerda had remained by Lili's side, supportive, loving, giving, for another two decades after learning the truth. Gerda had remained by Lili's side, as she could not bear to lose the person she loved in addition to the man she loved.
That makes a big difference, too.
That is what makes this a love story.
A true love story.
Well, "true" except for that 'poetic license" taken with the timeline.
I do hope Alicia Vikander gets an Oscar nomination, in addition to the Golden Globe and SAG nominations she has already received.

greens, greens, greens!

This year has started well!
I had turnip greens and black-eyed peas and cornbread still warm from the oven for breakfast! Oh, and for luck, two slices of ham from the family gathering! What a fabulous - and healthy and filling! - way to begin both my day and the new calendar year!

Mid-afternoon, I ventured to the fundraiser luncheon my friend Marjorie was promoting.
Held at a local veteran-owned brewery,
and benefiting Stop Soldier Suicide,
it very much appealed to my former-military self.
What a nice lunch my tenner bought, too!
Two large slices of roast pork loin!
Collard greens seasoned with molasses!
Black-eyed peas and white rice!
Bacon-enhanced cornbread!
Thanks, Marjorie, for the heads-up!
I passed the word along, of course.
Gotta share the joy!

One of the things I liked about the site was a huge blackboard. On it was emblazoned the question "HOW DO YOU SERVE?"
I took up a piece of purple chalk and wrote "GIVE BLOOD!"
Later, I saw someone else had also written that response. Nice!
"Nursing" appeared a couple of times, too.
I liked "Willingly and humbly", too.
"CASA", "Coastal Pet Rescue", "Hospice Savannah", "DEEP".
Community theater volunteers.
"Foster parents do it!"
"Voting to ensure a safe and prosperous Savannah".
"I supply chemicals for your water purification and aluminum can recycling."
"Science in the national interest".
"Educate the youth in STEM."
Lots of teachers on the board, too!
Good for Service Brewing Co. for supplying this outlet!
How reassuring to see many of the things I hold dear listed on the board!

After, I went back home to work on my online materials for Chemistry 1151. (Educating the youth, and adults, in STEM, y'all!)
For dinner, I made a stew from BEP, greens, and ham - tasty! I also polished off the Starfox Barrel Roll and fries from the Chromatic Dragon - still tasty, especially dipped in the stew!
I had hoped to go see "Star Wars" on the IMAX with Barbara, but she was ill. Poor girl! We'll have to catch that another time this year. No worries - I don't know if it'll play as long as the first one did (forty weeks!), but I'm sure it'll be in the cinemas for a while!
New plans for the evening?
Work on the 1151 homework assignments! That will be several hours well spent, I assure you!