1. A few days ago, I watched the movie Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean until I decided I was too tired to continue -- which also means I was too tired to willingly experience its painfulness.
This morning, I returned to the movie, rested and eager to see the movie to the end.
I first saw this movie about thirty-five years ago and I'd forgotten that its enduring impact on me, forgotten that this was more than just a movie I loved. It was a very important movie to me.
I won't write about all that came back to me today, but, for starters, for the first time in years today I thought about Ibsen's character Peer Gynt, from the play of the same name, and his monologue on onions. It's a simple metaphor. Like an onion, we humans are made up of many layers of experience and character and, we can, if we'd like, peel away layers of ourselves and eventually get to the center of our being.
In Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, the layers insulating characters from the core truths about themselves take the form of illusions that these characters have come to believe in and live by. I won't give away how it is that what started as a twenty year reunion of the Disciples of James Dean to mark the anniversary of his death turned into a session of truth telling, of peeling away onion layers, of getting at core truths, both painful and liberating, that are alive in these characters who come back to the Woolworth's Five and Dime they hung out at in McCarthy, Texas when they were teenagers -- along with the store's proprietor.
Today, I enjoyed reliving how important this movie was to me thirty-five years ago. It helped shaped feelings, attitudes, and ways of seeing the world that have deepened since then, but that this movie helped either bring into being or helped solidify. I'm not saying specifically what these feeling, attitudes, and ways of seeing the world are because I don't want to give away plot details. The movie's revelations surprised me (I'm easy to surprise as a movie viewer!) and I don't want to spoil that experience for any of you reading this who might decide to go to YouTube and watch the movie in its entirety.
I'm not recommending that you see this movie. I understand from reading what critics said about it that it did not have the impact on the professional movie goers that it had on me -- I realize that my love for this movie is very likely a personal experience and the movie may not work for those who are more tough-minded and less eager to be pleased than I am.
But, I'm sure glad I let this movie work on me the way it does and I'm grateful for all that it has moved me to feel and learn over the years.
I look forward to watching it again -- who knows how many times?
2. At noon, I went over to Christy and Everett's. I had hoped I'd be done watching the movie before the game started, but I wasn't and I came into their house weak in the knees from what I'd been feeling.
It was thrilling as Gonzaga and Tennessee played a fiercely entertaining game filled with exciting plays and a many lead changes. Yes, I would have been happier if Gonzaga had won, but Tennessee forward, Admiral Schofield, got hot in the second half, scoring twenty-five of his game high thirty points, and I don't think whacking him on the shins with a 2 x 4 could have stopped him. Even though it was at the expense of our beloved Zags, Schofield's performance was jaw-dropping, among the most invigorating I've ever seen. In the closing seconds of the game, when Gonzaga could have tied it by scoring from behind the three point line, Tennessee's defense was suffocating and the shots both Norvell and Hachimura were forced and were way off the mark, but Tennessee's defense wouldn't let them fire up a better shot.
3. For family dinner tonight, we had tacos, expertly prepared by Carol with some key assistance from Paul. We had a great time looking through a couple of little boxes of Mom's recipes and household tips she had saved. We hoped to find Mom's Nuts and Bolts recipe and we did and it led to quite a fun discussion, remembering Mom's preparation of Christmas treats and laughing about Dad's annual making of his Tom and Jerry batter. Dad turned a ten minute process into a long, clear the kitchen, stay out of my way stress fest, but he was very proud of this batter and it was enjoyed with universal approval all over town.
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