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AgathaC

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  1. I was born while Carter was in office, so the first president I was aware of was Reagan. Growing up, the people around me generally said Carter was a mediocre-at-best president, but a great former pres and terrific human. (My family leaned R at the time, but never voted a straight ticket, so they were what you’d consider independents.) Anyway, sadly, my first thought was "thank God Biden's still in office and will be through the funeral." Carter deserves better than Orangina. I grew up in Arkansas, so you can imagine my 1990s were slammed with politics. I had close family members who had dealings with both Clintons in one way or another in the ‘80s, and they pretty much hated both of them, so I can’t say I grew up a fan. I did vote for Hillary in 2016, though. Any childhood prejudice faded in the face of you-know-who. I also used to be a newspaper journalist and let’s just say all the rumors and national stories about Bill’s “habits”? Already widely known in AR. Listening to the old-timers talk was informative and entertaining.
  2. It really is a low bar… The duck lips look idiotic. Anyway, I, too, don’t get the IV thing. It just reeks of performative “specialness.” Earlier this year, I had an IV iron infusion for iron-deficiency anemia. Supplements weren’t working and I couldn’t go up the stairs without getting really winded. So, I genuinely needed it. But to deal with jet lag? Seriously? I guess she’s one of those people who uses medical issues to get attention (not surprising, given her background). I’ve known people like that and they’re exhausting and frustrating in the extreme.
  3. They’re not. But their theology is inherently selfish. It’s not about caring for others. It’s not about love and grace. It’s ultimately about what God will do for them. That’s a sign of how “godly” and favored they are. In other words, pretty much the opposite of what Jesus actually said. The Sermon on the Mount isn’t a guidebook. It’s “woke” nonsense. They’re all about rules. Whoever follows the rules is favored. And the favored are justified in oppressing anyone not favored (foreigners, anyone who doesn’t worship the right Jesus, animals). There s no empathy. No compassion. In high school, my English teacher used Les Misrrables to demonstrate the levels of moral maturity. People like the Bates/Paynes, et al, are stuck at Javert. They’ll never make it to Jean Valjean. They are Pharisees, but will never see it. Rant over.
  4. It plays as a Kroger commercial here. I love the little Kroger people and have for years. This is probably the sweetest one, though.
  5. Perhaps someone can help me understand the Hobby Lobby pie-baking ad. I get it. The little girl is imitating her father. Sure, she’s cute. But what does that have to do with HL? I’ll admit I’ve never darkened the door of a Hobby Lobby (partly on principle and partly due to a massive difference in taste), but I was under the impression they sold craft items and kitschy home decor. Do they also sell children’s kitchen sets or baking supplies?
  6. That’s me. I appreciate the rest of it. I know the story. So now, the ending — from him coming back to “life” on the bridge through the end — is all I really want to see. I sob every time. The rest is good, it’s just not something I feel compelled to watch on a regular basis. Now, when I think of it, I also think of Friends, when Phoebe was distraught to discover a lot of movies she grew up watching actually had sad endings (her mom turned them off before the sad part). Monica has her watch IaWL to restore her faith and Phoebe doesn’t make it through to the happy ending. “Gee, Monica, I’m not sure what my favorite part was. When the old guy made his ear bleed, or…”
  7. One of my great aunts died the night of her husband’s funeral. Both had been in hospice care, so not a shock. Everyone believed she held on to see her children, grands and great-grands one last time before joining her husband of 70 years. My paternal grandmother and maternal grandfather each outlived their spouse by at least 10 years. It’s difficult on the family for both to die so close together, but a blessing for the couple (assuming they were truly devoted and in love). My grandparents’ lives went on, but they were never the same and never truly happy.
  8. She could be kicking herself. But never underestimate the power and “comfort” of self-righteousness. She may very well be congratulating herself that she and her children are not being exposed to such sinful, worldly things and, therefore, guaranteed a spot in heaven. Who needs an actual home and financial security if you’re on God’s good side and worshipping the right Jesus? Or she’s telling herself that. 😉
  9. Excuse me, but I believe the term is “bonnets.” 😉
  10. Yes, that was a great move — makes way more sense, I think.
  11. I never really cared much for the Liesl story and occasionally even skip Sixteen Going on Seventeen. Even as a hormonal teenager, I just got annoyed with her and her Hitler Youth poster boy.
  12. Exactly! For me, with characters, so much goes down to intention. If the character does horrible things, but either repents/pays or is meant to be a villain, fine. If I feel like the writers see the character as some kind of hero or want viewers to see them as a lovable scamp (akin to parents who think their tantrum-throwing spoiled brat is precious) — no. Just, no. Whedon is one of the worst.
  13. Aww, @Wiendish Fitch, I love Random Harvest, too! As a teen, I finally learned to “appreciate” Christopher Plummer. Oh my. You’re right — everything just fits. One thing I appreciate is how everyone involved worked to take the “treacle” out of it. A documentary I saw addressed that directly — for the creative team and actors that was one of their priorities and I think they succeeded. Having seen the stage version, yeah, it could have been bad. One thing that is interesting is how in some ways, they downplay the political element. It’s still a major part of the story, of course, but, as I recall, in the stage show, the main reason the Captain and the Baroness break up is their political differences. (He’s extremely anti-Nazi and she’s more just do what you have to to get along.) I prefer the movie, which plays up the Captain’s feelings for Maria as the motivator and not a political disagreement. And I love that the children became a real family and are still close decades later. When I watched it earlier today, I was reminded of a tiny moment I love. They’re singing “Do-Re-Mi” at the festival, Nazis all around. In a closeup on Julie Andrews, she sets her jaw in a way where you can just see her thinking “Bring it on, MFs.” Love it.
  14. I know it’s not “cool.” It’s not edgy. It’s cheesy. It’s ripe for parody. But I don’t give a damn. After at least 50 viewings, you could plop me down in front of it and I would watch start to finish and be perfectly happy. I spent a significant portion of my childhood worshipping at the altar of Julie Andrews, so it’s no surprise this is a favorite. As a child, I loved the songs and the puppets and funny parts. As an adult, I can appreciate the scenery, the orchestrations and the performances. And the romance. Six-year-old Agatha definitely didn’t “get” the Laendler scene. In college, my choir did a tour of Central Europe, including Salzburg. We kept it together so as not to seem like total nerds, but you get a groups of choir kids in Salzburg and, yeah, we were quietly geeking out. Anyway, I realized it’s turning 60 next year and thought surely there are others who have warm memories of this one.
  15. Agreed! Adults are just as bad half the time. What amazed me the other day was none of the teens were on phones. Some sort of miracle, I’m sure. Didn’t make them any less rude or any more aware of their surroundings…
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