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boston legal, the show

Boston Legal with its cast of outrageous, hilarious characters is a show I’m going to miss a lot once it’s off the air. The show slips in nuggets of wisdom from one-line sentences, or from trial summations, frequently providing food for thought. The writers of the show are brilliant, the producer and writer, David E. Kelley, is brilliant, and the actors are perfectly cast. Oh, yes, I like the show. Please tell me that there won’t be another dreadful dumb reality show replacing it.

Speaking of reality shows, an old episode had Catherine (Betty White) beautifully playing a mentally-disturbed nuisance. She was fired and returns of her own accord. She manages to set things up so that without her business as usual is difficult until Shirley returns. She’s scheming all the time to stay. Finally something she says makes sense to one of the lawyers – Catherine is bored and wants quality tv for those over 50. They go to trial to sue some tv networks for the dumb shows that cater to a certain age. Catherine’s lawyer explains to judge and jury that the dumb reality shows are necessary because the generations brought up techie-style can’t simply sit and enjoy a show; they have other things in hand, e.g., iPod, laptop, small DVD allowing them to watch a movie while viewing a tv program, etc. This being the case some networks see no reason to put quality first. Unfair. They won – ha ha – it was funny. Hmm! But is it true?

That was on a lighter side. Some of Boston Legal’s shows get to the nitty gritty of politics and all that that word encompasses, heavy issues of daily life, and everything in between.

Don’t go www.boston-legal.org

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an article

Vanity Fair magazine www.vanityfair.com has an article in its July 2008 issue titled HAS BILL CLINTON LOST HIS MOJO – OR HIS MIND by Todd S. Purdum. This kind of article, depending on how you feel about our political system and the people who have tasted the power connected with it, is always – actually, I’m at a loss for the right word. It does make one wonder how any of us can take many of our politicians seriously. And what’s really amazing is that any of us want to support the monster that our political system has become, since, for the most part, it appears to be about power, money and politics (in that order?).

Reading about the people feeding off the monster is an interesting pasttime. Because really what else is there to say about the power and greed that go on and on and on. Some just can’t get enough no matter how much they manage to accumulate.

And why is that?

. . . I know , for example, that perception is the key to the way we live. Whether we choose to perceive an event as good or bad, as making us happy or sad, truly determines how that event will affect us. I have found time and again that altering my perception changes the world; it can be hostile and forbidding or warm and sheltering, depending on how I view it.
– THE WORLD IS AS YOU DREAM IT by John Perkins
www.dreamchange.org
www.johnperkins.org

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curtains, the play

Where can you go for an evening of entertainment that will keep you clapping and laughing until the curtain goes down? I know! It’s Curtains at the Al Hirschfield Theatre in Manhattan. We – Toshi, Emi and I -enjoyed last night’s performance, and agreed that the dancing, singing, and acting – all rolled into a very funny kind of story. added up to an evening of great fun. It was interesting watching David Hyde Pierce, otherwise known (among other roles) as the younger of the two delightfully snobby and rather proper brothers, in the tv series Frasier. Word-of-mouth from Sumi’s sources got us there, and maybe word-of-mouth will get you there.

Does Curtains have staying power? Oh, I certainly hope so because it’s pure entertainment.

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happy times

The holidays , they delighted the outer and inner. Four New Yorkers came to Philadelphia and we all stayed at The Four Seasons; it was a merry place. On Christmas day we walked a bit around Philadelphia (most everything was closed), played with seven-months old Sophie, had wonderful conversations, enjoyed carry-out from McCormick & Schmick on Christmas night as it seemed to be the only restaurant opened, watched Sophie sitting up straight opening her first Christmas gifts ever (mental note: tell Alicia and Michael she would have been completely happy with a piece of wrapping paper as a gift). Sumi and Toshi, – just teasing. Then, while Toshi put Sophie to sleep, we three – Sumi, Emi and I, quietly left the room for the lounge where The Four Seasons pampered its guests with scrumptious desserts and drinks on the house in a lovely setting.

The two days you were here were lovely, and I thank you, you New Yorkers, for coming to Philadelphia and making Christmas in Phila a truly beautiful one! www.fourseasons.com/philadelphia
www.mccormickschmick.com

The following Sunday I left for Raleigh on Southwest Airlines to spend New Year’s eve with nineteen-months old Sebastian, and Alicia and Michael. Southwest lets you choose your own seat. And that’s fine if you’re in the “A” line. I wasn’t, but that was all right, as one of the flight attendants had the kind of humor that kept us laughing for most of the trip. Don’t let it stop, flight attendant. It was good to see Michael’s smiling face at RDU Airport waiting. RDU is looking big and pretty spiffy. The city planners are keeping up with all the new residents moving into the Durham/Raleigh area. It wasn’t so long ago that a salad in Raleigh consisted of some lackluster lettuce leaves, a few slices of tomatoes, lots of bacon bits and croutons, and a heavy creamy dressing. Whew! Not anymore.
www.southwestairlines.com

Alicia and Michael spent New Year’s eve out and about on the town; Sebastian and I played until he was ready for bed at 7:30. During the week we spent time at a few well-designed playgrounds, drove to Earth Fare for some organic foods, cooked, talked and talked, ate carry-out from Cheesecake Factory at Crabtree Mall. Then on the day before I left, Alicia suggested Michael and I dine out. Thank you, Alicia. We went to Taverna Agora, 6101 Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh. Taverna Agora is cozy, comfortable, friendly, with pleasant service, and, of course, tasty food. It feels like a well-liked, dependable neighborhood restaurant. We had a good time. On returning we found Alicia happily sitting in a corner of a couch, surrounded by big fluffy pillows, spending some down time catching up on missed tv programs. Sebastian was fast asleep; his little body only stops for naps and bedtime.
www.earthfare.com
www.cheesecakefactory.net
www.TavernAagora.com

Michael, thank you for your post. It’s always interesting and enjoyable spending time with family in Raleigh.

Now we’re ready to give 2008 our best shot. Right?

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johnny cash

I have a fascination with Johnny Cash’s voice and his songs. Playing one of his CDs is pure relaxation. Strange because a lot of his songs are rather depressing – in an unbeat sort of way. Is it his gravelly voice? Is it the way he strung simple words together felt by the listener’s heart? His energy going out to the people? Do you feel the complications of his life in his songs and his singing? From the first time I heard his voice, his songs, I liked them. Wherever he is perhaps he knows that people are enjoying his music and perhaps he’s smiling.

And now I’m out the door for this ‘n that, grateful for the day, even though the sun can’t be seen, and I’m humming Johnny’s music. What are you humming at the moment?
www.johnnycash.com

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celtic tiger starring michael flatley

Have you seen CELTIC TIGER starring Michael Flatley “shot on location in Budapest”? Do you want to be energized and wonderfully entertained? Then you must get the DVD. Seriously! Michael Flatley has brought this art form to a very high level. And all of the dancers are fantastic. I don’t know if you can find anyone more enthusiastic about what he does – maybe as enthusiastic, but not more. And it’s contagious. Go and get the DVD. If you aren’t completely engrossed by it – well, I don’t know what to say. Wait, there’s more. Don’t forget to watch the film TIGER FEET accompanying the DVD. That, too, is really entertaining. www.michaelflatley.com

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beacon, ny

There was a festival today in this part of the world, on the waterfront in Beacon, NY, alongside the Farmers’ Market (or surrounding it). Beacon’s a Hudson River town and, without a doubt, everyone there today was happy-perhaps energized by the sun and fun. Did someone place an order for perfect weather? The sights were splendid. Boats on the glistening water, mountains in the background, the train station with its every-hour train from Poughkeepsie stopping and then whizzing away, singers and musicians (a solar trailer powered the sound system), food (the popular apple fritters long gone before the people were), a truck which runs on canola oil was parked nearby. And there was the busy ferry waiting to transport folks from Newburgh to Beacon and back again. A lot was happening in that small area – a lot of good things.

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The Dud Avocado

The Dud Avocado is an nyrb classics book. It follows the year of a 21 year old American girl in Paris in the 1950’s. The voice of the book almost seems to read like a diary, disclosing pieces of; wild nights out with friends, drives down to the beach, run-ins with crazy mafia gigalos and romantic entanglements.
It is a hilarious, but written as though only with serious intentions. Quickly though, readers see that it is supposed to be read like a lesson book. The parody of Sally Jay’s occasional lack of sophistication is juxtaposed with the lack of sincerity in her European counterparts. But, the lessons learned provide an abundance of entertainment.
Charming story and wonderful re-release.

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a sentence in a movie

There’s a sentence in the movie, A Good Year; it’s this: “We’ll just have to make sure our buyers don’t know anything about wine. We’ll concentrate on the Americans.” If you saw the movie, did you laugh when you heard it? I wanted to retract what I wrote about wine and my lack of knowledge. Are we really the low ones on the totem pole when it comes to producing a great wine? Do we not take our vineyards as seriously as say, who are those people? Let me think a minute. Ah, yes, -the French? Or is it the Italians, or all those other countries with their bottles of wine on the shelves in American liquor stores, with their sometimes elegant, whimisical, simple, or silly lables. Do we need more catching-up time? Or was that sentence put in the movie to get back at an American? A joke, perhaps? Yes, that must be it. Right?

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kurosawa

It’s a new month. What will it bring? What do you want it to bring? I’m going to sit here for a few minutes, and think about one thing to do this month that I’ve not done before. That shouldn’t be difficult based on the choices we have in this wonderful world. I just remembered why I’m thinking this way; it’s getting clearer as I go along. I saw Akira Kurosawa’s great movie Ikiru. To be honest, it’s probably not for everyone, but that can be said about most movies. Maybe some people will think it’s too slow. Keep in mind though that the way it unfolds is its beauty. If you’re used to fast-paced movies that leave your mind on edge, and in a fog sometimes, Ikiru could be a delightful change. There’s one scene that will remain in my memory for a long time; it’s simple and beautiful, a different kind of beauty that’s not easy to describe.

While I’m thinking about the month of March, maybe you’ll think about getting the movie. I have a feeling you’ll find your own reasons for enjoying it. www.akirakurosawa.info