1. Have you ever had a movie both totally captivate and complete confuse you? The two that come to mind are The Butterfly Effect and What Dreams May Come.
2. When watching a movie, do you prefer things all laid out or to have to 'hunt for your own clues' along the way? I suppose it really depends on the rest of the movie, but in general, I'd rather allow the story to unfold and find the clues. What fun is it if they spell everything out?
3. Do you want an ultimate ending to your movie or do you prefer to have it open for conjecture and discussion. It depends on the story and how involved I am. Some stories don't really lend themselves to a nice neat ending, while trying to wring more out of others is a pointless exercise. Now, my grandmother....there was a woman who had strong opinions about movies needing to have nice, neat, happily-ever-after endings.
4. Do you talk during a movie (preferably one in your home, not in the theater)? At home, yes. In the theater I try not to talk beyond maybe a whispered comment...and if my husband is my companion I don't say anything at all because he can't hear me whisper in the theater.
5. Have you ever seen a blockbuster movie and not get what was so great about it? I felt that way about Stephen King's Misery. I think it got best movie and I know Kathy Bates won the best actress award, but Misery happens to be the only King novel I've ever read (I do not like horror). The majority of the book is comprised of the main characters' thoughts which is pretty difficult to translate into a movie. I suppose the movie would have been "OK" had I not read the book, but since I had I just didn't think it was good at all.
6. What book frightened you as a young person? I read The Amityville Horror the summer I was 13. Big mistake. I had strange dreams and nightmares for weeks. I also imagined strange things (at least I like to think I imagined them) and developed a few fears that stayed with me for several years.
7. If you had to become a ‘living book (i.e. able to recite the contents of a book cover to cover upon request – reference Fahrenheit 451), what book would it be? A really short one....like maybe a Little Golden Book or a picture book.
8. What movie or TV show scared you as a kid? We were more innocent back then, I think, so it didn't take much to be spooky enough for me. I remember clutching the sofa pillows quite often over stuff that seems silly now. However, movies like Jaws and It's Alive brought pure terror.
9. What movie (scary or otherwise) will you never ever watch? The Amityville Horror
10. Do you have any phobias? Snakes of every kind and size and sharks. Do not ask me to actually get in the ocean. It's not going to happen.
11. What's the happiest thing to ever happen to you? There have been so many happy things/times in my life...my marriage, my kids, etc. I guess the most recent happiest thing happened yesterday. Tim and I came home to find our daughter and grandson here. It was a beautiful day and Colton had been able to play outside all day. He was tired and grubby and as happy as I've ever seen him. When I got out of the car and called his name he turned toward me and his dirty little face lit up in a mile wide smile, his arms spread wide and he ran has fast as his little legs could carry him to throw himself into my arms for a hug and a kiss.
12. What's the saddest thing to ever happen to you? Not really something I want to rehash here (or anywhere).
13. What's the thing that got you the most angry in your life? It's connected to the thing in #12 that shall not be discussed.
14. What's the most frightening thing to ever happen to you? Getting a phone call that someone was trying to break into our house while our daughter, then 18, was home alone. The events that unfolded left me with little to no confidence at all in the 911 system and plays at least a small part in why I strongly defend the right to gun ownership. If I am going to be on my own in an emergency then I'm going to be able to defend myself, my family, and my home.
15. What's the most unbelievable thing to happen to you in your life? Probably that I'm still alive. I made a lot of stupid choices when I was young. Choices that but for the grace of God could have ended very badly.
I too have made a lot of stupid choices in my life. I have paid the price for those choices, learned the lesson they meant to teach me and I am doing my best to carry on.
ReplyDeleteMe, too. As long as we learn from them, I guess they weren't a total waste.
Delete#14 sounds frightening!
ReplyDeleteIt was! I'm sure my husband and I both set speed records getting home that day.
DeleteWhat a good answer, "What Dreams May Come." Agree totally that it was captivating and confusing. I only called 911 once, when I got up in the morning and found a stranger sleeping in our living room (a drunken college student who got into the wrong house). I called 911 and the police were there in literally seconds, so I have faith in the system, at least here.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure 911 works in lots of places, but like any other profession, there are bad employees and we seem to have more than our share in this area. I just responded to CountryDew's comment with the whole story of what happened if you are interested.
DeleteI am not against gun ownership but I think a .22 or a .38 can do the job as well as an AR-15 style weapon as far as home protection, if you take the time to learn to shoot and aim properly. Contrary to popular belief, Democrats don't want to take your guns. They just want better background checks, a time limit to pick it up (surely you could wait 3 days? - I have to wait until the exact day for some of my prescription meds, can't pick them up a single day early), and for war weapons to be off the market for personal use. After all, you can't go out and buy a tank or a rocket launcher. And if you think mentally ill people shouldn't be able to buy guns, then you also believe in gun control. I don't know too many people who think Jane Schizo should be able to walk into a gun store and come out with a rifle. Sorry, didn't mean to take over your comment section with a soliloquy. You're entitled to your opinion, of course.
ReplyDeleteI own an AR-15 style rifle. The key word is "style." Some people simply like the look. I don't really, but my husband bought it for me and I rarely ever use it and have actually broached the subject of selling it. They are not assault weapons. They are not automatic. They are whatever gun they are (mine is a .22) dressed to look all bad ass. It's just a look.
DeletePersonally, I don't have problems with background checks. I also don't buy into ALL liberals want to take our guns, but there are some (liberal and not) who think taking guns away would solve our problems. It would not.
In this day of budget cuts and police forces of small towns not having enough officers, we're forced to rely on the state troopers here and they are also woefully underfunded and short-staffed. Then there is 911. When the guy tripping on heroin was trying to get into our house the 911 operator told our daughter to open the door and ask him what he wanted. Later, after she'd climbed out a window and run to a neighbor's, she and the neighbor found him lying in the street. They called 911 again and my daughter was told to get out of the car and check to see if he was okay. In the meantime, she had called my husband who was working over an hour away and me while I was driving and couldn't answer. Still, we both arrived home before the police arrived....because the 911 operator only told the police that an ambulance had been dispatched because of someone passed out on the road. (And by the way, we beat the ambulance, too.) My brother-in-law who was closer to our house came when Tim called him. He and another neighbor cornered the guy in someone's outside basement stairwell. He passed out again and they called 911 and asked if they could stop him if he tried to take off. They were told not to touch him under any circumstances. When a trooper arrived (he was just told to check and see if the ambulance had picked the guy up) he was extremely apologetic about not having a clue what was going on. He went to wake the guy up and the guy came up fighting for all he was worth. The trooper really had to fight him and my husband and brother-in-law helped. What would have happened if my daughter had listened to the 911 operator and opened the door? Drugs are a serious problem around here because we are located between 2 major highways that lead to and from Pittsburgh. We are on the heroin superhighway, basically. If that situation comes up again I don't want to have to hope the police arrive in time to save me. I'll save myself or go down trying.
I'm not angry at you, by the way. I just wanted to explain why I am so protective of my right to have guns.
But there is a difference between a .22 styled to look like an AR-15 and the weapons being used in mass shootings. Those are not .22s. They are weapons with big bullets meant to kill. They are far lighter and easier to use than even a regular .22 rifle. I know because I own both kinds. I shoot the .22 but I make sure I know how to handle every gun my husband brings in here. I understand what you are protecting but I also don't see how waiting 3 days to pick up a gun, or having a background check run, or even licensing and having to insure a gun, is denying you anything. You'd still have the gun. And I'm not angry at you, I'm just trying to understand how what seems like commonsense precautions that might save even a single life is not important. I think a person's right to live beats the right to own a gun, which about sums it up. And if you think you're not going to be alive because you don't have a gun, then something is seriously wrong with this society.
DeleteThat's an understatement! There is DEFINITELY something seriously wrong with our society. I hope we live to see it improve.
DeleteAnd as I said, I don't have a problem with a 3 day wait and I don't know about VA, but PA does run a background check. There are limitations with it on mental health, but I think they need to figure that part out. It's too undefined right now and it could end up deny rights to people who have ever dealt with a depressive period. We all do that from time to time, doesn't mean we shouldn't be trusted with a gun. Personally, I think time and money would be better spend addressing the mental health issues because those who are determined to harm others will do so one way or another.
"What Dreams May Come" is a perfect example ... so captivating, but sure open to interpretation. I think I've watched it 3-4 times (so far)!
ReplyDelete'Totally ditto what you wrote in response to #15. But by the grace of God ....
This was an interesting Sunday post. I'm kinda glad I'm not doing it right now because I would have had to think too hard while feeling so bad. Our home is also armed. Totally believe in our right to protect hearth and home.
ReplyDelete