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James Hamilton, M. D.

Margie Davis

I think Billy Joel should compose a Sequel to "I didn't start the fire!"  Great history lesson!!  Have enjoyed reading about all your lives!  Tdhanks!

Janie Albright (Blank)

I really enjoying seeing a lot more of the group posting. 

This seems fitting with our Watterson education. Would make some our nuns proud. 

Today is Thesaurus Day. 

On the birthday (1779) of Peter Roget, author of the major thesaurus, we celebrate all thesauruses. So, go out and celebrate, beat the drum, carouse, commend, dedicate, extol, fete, have a ball, honor, jubilate, kick up your heels, laud, let loose, lionize, live it up, make merry, paint the town red, proclaim, publicize, revel, revere... well, you get the point!

Michael McLeod

Funny reference to June, Ward and the Beav, Jim. You'll never make a doctor out of me but at this rate maybe we'll make a writer, or perhaps a photojournalist, out of you. 

Timothy Lavelle

Why do I feel a need for carnitas del puerco and a big old frozen Margarita...pass the chips n salsa!

James Hamilton, M. D.

David Mitchell

So Janie,

R U sayin'  "whoop it up" ?

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Jim,

I hate to tell you this but that story would probably not play so well around my neck o' the woods. They do get bigger (a lot bigger), and they do eat meat. 

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David,

I'm not sure if Homelamd Secuity knows that you've been on here twice in one lifetime, but it's great to hear from you.

And I am so glad you brought up this Gilette commercial. What a strange reason for a controversy.

I thought the add was teriffic and well said (and well timed). But I am astounded by some of the negative reaction. Piers Morgan (no stranger to spineless cowardice and small minded idiotic thinking) is apparantly saying that we should raise our sons to be bullies and sexual predators. Wow!  How far can one stretch the truth? I guess if you had his former boss and mentor (Rupert Murdock - one of the leading sleaze balls on the planet), you'd take that position. Kudos for the people at Gilette who showed some real balls. 

(BTW - Their battery operated, "Fusion Pro Glide Styler" is simply the best razor I have ever owned. Now I can also be proud to own one besides.)

Michael McLeod

Nope I do not have a pet gator Jim. But I do have a colleague who lost an arm to one.

She was on a raft in one of the rivers around here, with her arm dangling in the water. I think I've said enough right there. Took it off at the elbow. Lucky for her he didn't come back for more.

It was a state park area and there was a crowd around - people had actually seen her float out too far and called out to her but she either didn't hear them or ignored their warnings. They rescued her; obviously there must have been somebody with enough sense to apply a tourniquet, and she recovered.

I've never asked her about the attack and don't plan to. But lordie, what that must have been like to go through something like that.

David Mitchell

And separate category - special mention - Margie  - WOW!!!!!!!

Sound the trumpets!  

w'sup girl ??????

James Hamilton, M. D.

David Mitchell

Jim,

One of your remarks here, coupled with one you posted around New Years - you remember, about the diverse topics we have covered and all the classmates who have posted - with the hope of more yet to come.

Well, it caused me to go back to the first few pages for a few minutes, to see where this started. I don't think I got interested until about page 3 or so, where you (or somebody) brought up Bishop Waterson himself. 

But getting back to the beginning proved intersting. Janie introduces us to it under her assumed Puerto Vallarta name, and then follows Post #2, one of the most interesting posts of these entire 4500+ odd posts. It's a post by Peggy Southworth about her (and I assume, her late husband's) horses. Not only is her post quite interesting, but the timing might also suggest that an awful lot has happened in some of our lives since this began - including Peggy's, Janie's, all the folks in Paradise, and many others. Kinda makes me want to count my blessings - yet still want for more.

Then follows what I find to be a really cute (almost downright funny) post by Linda Weiner (Post #3) , explaining how wonderful she thinks this site is - after only two posts!   

Do you suppose that if I actually shut up long enough, someone else might post something worth reading again?  

Peggy?  Linda?  Margie?   Class?     Anyone?          Class? 

(d'ya think if we took up a collection, we might bribe Keith into joining us? He claims he always too busy - off on his road bike with David Dunn. Wonder what excuse I'll think up when I retire?)

Janie Albright (Blank)

Thanks Dave, you are one of our regular commentators. We rely on you and your cohorts to entertain us. The rest of us are all just guests who take your lead and chime in now and again as the mood strikes us. But there is a pretty good sized audience so don’t leave us! We rely on all of you to give us a laugh or food for thought with our morning coffee. You guys are our own version of Charles Kuralt and CBS Sunday morning. I’d say the ratings are pretty high among our BWHS Class of ‘66. 

David Mitchell

Janie,

Shhh, keep it to yourself.  I'll have your check in Monday's mail.

Margie Davis

I agree with Janie.  Every morning with my cup of coffee I start out my day with a smile on my face!

Michael McLeod

Sorry to bring up politics but can somebody please tell me why no one ever brings up the zombie apocalypse as the best reason of all to build that wall?

David Mitchell

Margie,

I'm calling you out here.

You, of all of the people in this class, could be telling us some very interesting and pertinent stories from your years of service to your Faith and your fellow man.

If it's a "Dominican challenged" issue, that is, adjusting from the (now dying art of) "Zaner Bloser" handwritten method, to the QWERTY key tapping method (which it apears you are shy with), that should be something you can help with here. I think Nina would be handy at that if you need assistance. I think you two have met before - like in the final round of countless 5th grade spelling bees.   

But I urge you to give us some small crumbs if you would. 

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Mike,

Sorry, I was over at the White House scarfing up left over cheeseburgers and I didn't hear what your question was.

Michael McLeod

Janie:

Because as a writer it's a bigger deal to me the saurus I choose to celebrate is the tyrannousaurus.

Mark Schweickart

So what are your Best picture Oscar picks this year? I have been trying to catch up on the glut of good films that crash into the theaters all at once at this time of year.Plus my wife gets free screeners in the mail because, although not getting any work as an actor, she is still a SAG member and is on the voting committee. So that makes it pretty easy to stay informed. Without going into a review in any detail, my reactions to some of the top contenders so far are:

Green Book -- top of my list. Historically important, poignant, and surprisingly funny at times.

Cold War -- a Polish film sumptuously photograhed in B/W, and in the old 4x3 format  that makes it feel as if you are watching a classic film from the time period in which it is set –1950's Warsaw, Berlin (before the wall went up) and Paris. Fantastic use of Polish folk music and dance back-dropping a tumultuous love story.

Mary Poppins Returns -- Very impressive technical achievement, marrying live action and animation, along with musical numbers that make this as enjoyable as the original.

Bohemian Rhapsody -- I was never a Queen fan, so all of this came as new information to me. Brilliant performance by Rami Malek, and a compelling story mounted beautifully.

A Star is Born -- Similar to Bohemian Rhapsody in basic story (rise and fall of music star), but far less interesting, posssibly because this is – what? the third iteration of this story. It was nice to see Lady Gaga has acting chops, and Bradly Cooper directs ambitious camera moves, but the bottom line is that it is hard for me to care about whether or not one can write a sort-of intersting song. Since the songs are not that compelling, and there is not much new in the third time-telling of this couple's rise and fall, I felt disappointed.

Roma -- Not sure why this is topping Best Of lists. Not much happens. A slice of life, also in nice B/W photograpghy, but kind of boring.

Vice -- Worth seeing for the history lesson and the amazing physical transformation of Christian Bale into Darth Cheney. But oddly unsatisfying. No doubt it will hit everyone differently depending on one's political persuasion.

Blackkklansman -- Crazy true story, definitely worth seeing, but not one that stuck with me emotionally. But then again, with my short-term memory being what it is, not much does stick.

Can You Ever Forgive Me -- I love Melissa McCarthy, so it was interesting to see her step into a straight dramatic role, instead of showing her usual comedic chops. Intersting story about a down and out literary forgerer, but not likely to warrant Oscar appreciation.

Ones I haven't seen yet – Black Panther, If Beale Street Could Talk, and First Man. I don't like horror movies so I will pass on Hereditary and A Quiet Place.

What did I leave out? Let me know.

Oh, one I really liked that got no notice this year was the Ethan Hawke romantic comedy called, Juliet, Naked. Once again (only sort-of) a music seting, in that Hawke is a washed up song-writer, who has a rabid following of a few on-line nerds, led by the always funny and charming Chris O'Dowd, and his long-suffering wife, Rose Byrne. I won't try to recap the story, just know that if you want an excellent rom-com, this will not disappoint.

James Hamilton, M. D.

Michael McLeod

thanks a lot Jim. I will now move on from the thesaurus to the dictionary. 

Mark: Surprised you were that dismissive of Roma. The pace of it was slow sure but my lord the level of detail and the development of character and just the astounding feat of delivering a story as if you are simply watching things happen at the pace of real life, absolutely a fly on the wall experience. It is, apparently, quite autobiographical, by the way. Very interesting how the images of airplanes keep recurring. I'm thinking he sees those characters, especially the young girl in the middle of the story, as being prisoners of that world and their own limitations.

David Mitchell

Mike,

How about "cheeseburgersaurus" ?

 ("....s R us")

Mark Schweickart

Mike -- Obviously I am in the minority when it comes to Roma, but you have got to admit that it doesn't build like a normal story would. It is, as you say, more of a fly on the wall experience. But would one really want to watch security camera tapes and call that a Best Picture fillm experience. Okay, okay, that was a cheap shot. It was clearly a lot better than that. I just didn't get very involved in what little story there was, and felt let down probaably because of all of the Best Picture hype.

Janie Albright (Blank)

David Mitchell

   CAUTION:

Janie is hanging out in a new time zone and it appears she has way too much time on her hands. 

Mary Clare Hummer (Bauer)

Mike, I was still getting past the image of you karaokeing (?) your way through “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and then you serve up the emotional support alligator. Good laughs.  My Uncle Mike lived in Port St. Lucie and had a gator in the canal out back. He named him “Earl” after my Dad!  Have to agree with Mark on the whole “Roma” thing and David B. on the Gilette commercial and Tim on the margarita!  

Clare