Friday Movie Day (Day 24 of Lose the Temper)
Oh hello!
I really wish I knew more about how to work this blog because I want to link and put pictures up, but I can’t figure it out! I will though. Where there is a will…
So sometimes on Fridays, I review movies for Sam Seder’s podcast — The Majority Report. I LOVE doing it. First of all Sam is a smart and funny guy and I am proud to be a part of his talk show which is really about politics. I love being on a podcast because it makes me feel cool — like I’m apart of the system of how the future is going to roll — but mostly, I love watching these movies. The rule on the show is, you have to be able to stream the films off of Netflix. I studied documentary film in college, so for this job, I have been drawn to the documentaries and I have to say, I am so rejuvenated by watching them. Documentaries are hard to catch in the theaters, so Netflix is a blessing to this wonderful kind of filmmaking.
How this relates to losing one’s temper is — in watching a good documentary, you are reminded and educated about how complex the world is and how much more interesting it is than your own life. You gain perspective – and you learn so much — that is the best part of it.
When I got divorced and was in the really sad and horrible part of it, someone told me that the way to deal with trauma is through education. She said that I should go learn something — ANYTHING, and the act of learning would lift me up out of the misery of my own life. So that day (I was living in a college town) I looked for a lecture to attend. There was one on FISH and the state of our oceans. I went to the lecture and sure enough, I was transported. Suddenly I wasn’t soaked in my break-up — I was concerned, worried about and motivated to help in the efforts to save our dying oceans. I came home feeling alive, and when a marriage is dying, feeling alive is very important.
Now nothing remotely close to the end of a marriage is going on in my life, however, watching these movies is making me feel alive — because I’m learning — and I think that is going to have a positive effect on my life in general, so here is the list of documentaries that I have recommended on The Majority Report:
Bill Cunningham New York – fascinating and fun look at the life of Bill Cunningham, photographer for the New York Times.
A State of Mind – A look into communist Korea while watching 2 gymnast prepare for the Mass Games.
For The Bible Tells Me So – How the religious right have used the Bible to deny human rights.
Man on Wire – About Philippe Petit’s walk across the Twin Towers on a wire.
These movies are all FANTASTIC and deeply interesting. The one that moved me the most (although, they really all did) was For The Bible Tells Me So. Everyone in America should see that movie.
Okay. Have a great weekend. I am particularly motivated and actually I feel quite confident that I will not lose my temper and some of that feeling is because of these movies. Watch them and you will see why.
Go Giants!!
Xxx
I’m so excited to have found your blog. I have read and re-read both of your books several times! I love how you write and if it didn’t sound so cyber-stalky, I would love to have coffee! Lucky for you, I live in Colorado
. I love how can take such a personal experience such as divorce and with candor and humor and sadness make it feel like a universal experience. As I recall, that’s what the best writers do. I’ve never been married and I don’t have any kids although I teach them everyday, but I appreciate your contributions of those two wonderful books! You inspire me as a writer (something I’ve always secretly wanted to become). Catching up on your blog now and I look forward to more! Glad there’s something to read before the next book comes out
Pingback: Four Documentary Picks « Gillies
Wow! I cannot believe I came accross your blog! Not that I was aware you had one…
So I read your first book, let’s see…about two years ago now. I loved it and immediatly made most of my girlfriends, whether they wanted to or not, read it..
I loved their responses. You get the ones that are always so freaked their husband will do that that they get very paraniod after reading it. Then there are the men bashers, and it goes on..
What i do know is that albeit diffwerent perspectives, all of them loved the book and furthermore, they all read it in one day…they, like me, could not put it down.
I remember hearing that your second book was out and made a mental note to pick it up when I unfortunately went back to work when my son went into the first grade, and was so busy, i didnt read for a while. Then I was traveling (I’m in the Seattle area) to Salem Oregon and had decided to pass my time by trying a book on CD. I had reasonably low expectations as I walked into Barnes & Noble to find something to keep me from falling asleep at the wheel when I saw “A Year and 6 Seconds”.
I snatched it up as if I had found gold (because I had!) and booked it( no pun intended) outta the store to listen to it. Ironically on what was to be a long and boring drive, I found myself going just the speed limit so I could keep listeneing to it… I am not a book snob, but I like to think I pick good reads and I have to say, great stuff Isabel….seriously….
Not surprisingly, after I listened to it I went back and read the first book for the third time…and I’m quite certain I will read your second book after that.
I will add this however. Sometime, i think when you listen to a book on CD, it really is different and I look forward to reading it this time. I felt there were a couple places where she pronounced something or announciated it different than you had intended?
Maybe I’m making a lame attempt on justifying owning the book on CD and in hard copy…
I will take a serious page out of this temper taming bit…I am many things……..patient? Not so much:)
I was so moved by Bill Cunningham New York. What a sweet man.