Skip to main content

Breaking News!

Breaking News!
by Jeff Jordan aka Poppa Jeff

So I'm sipping my coffee, (A sacred rite as you who know me well realize.) My fingers sense a rough spot in the handle of my brand new, ultra snazzy, deep blue, coffee cup. It's one of a set of four. Did I not wash it sufficiently to get rid of any sticky, come rough and dry food particle? A rogue cereal flake being my first suspicion. Lest you think I was making a snap decision, think about it? Cereal flakes consist of flour and water. They are the first two ingredients in a paste. You do know what a glob of dried paste feels like. Right?

I put the cup down on its traditional place, the tile I bought in Toledo, Spain. At the bottom of the hoop handle, I saw a white spot. A closer inspection bore out my worst fear. There was a large chip out of the handle. A brand new cup, probably used two or three times, and it has a chip in the handle.

I now have a set of three matched cups, and one in the wheely bin on it's the way to the dump. Thankfully, I hadn't had the injured cup long enough to have bonded with it. I do love my coffee cups. We spend long and meaningful hours together.

The refrigerator is emptier.
Last week, I was patting myself on the back for turning the two lower shelves of my refrigerator into storage for my pots and pans. While there was not a massive outcry from the fanbase, a couple of people mentioned that there might be a better solution. Well, there is. I bought it on sale for Over Stock.com. This is not a fantastic part of the story you might hope for.

The imaginary part is I assembled it. I did not lose the irreplaceable nut, screw, or bolt. (Which is a corollary in Murphey's Law.) I did not have to invoke the curses of Mother Nature or any of the many God's that might have called on. Everything fit. Aside from a reoccurrence of carpel tunnel that expressed itself from my use of a screwdriver, it was a painless experience.

Don't you just love it when a plan works?

Movie Alert

Give Me Liberty was shot in Milwaukee. It's a tale of the trials and tribulations of a young man who drives a van transporting older and disabled people. As if to pay tribute to the support it's getting in Milwaukee, there is a windshield tracking shot in the opening minutes that goes down Farwell Ave past The Oriental, the very theater it's being shown in.

The antic's of his patient's and the caring young driver demonstrate his riders teaching high much about life. His intention and efforts on behalf of his charges are often not appreciated or acknowledged. His heart being n the right place is often not understood, particularly by his boss.

This is not your Hollywood movie. Oh for sure, there is the promise of better days, romance and intrigue, but there are no established stars nor the image they drag into most of what they do. No, these folks are similar to people you know. They look like them and often act like them.

The Oriental Theater is now run by the Milwaukee Film Festival. Once the original showing generated the buzz, aided no doubt by a glowing review by Manohla Dargis in the NYT, they extended the run for more than a week.

I don't know where you're going to be able to see this film in the theater. I doubt it will make the suburban multiplex. The best chance might be one of the streaming services. But no matter what method you use I highly recommend you see this film.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Once A Young Man

 My late friend Jack had a saying that's lost on young people; it sure was lost on me. With his version of a Finnish accent, he'd say, " We are too soon old and too late, smart." I've never heard anybody answer the question about returning and reliving their youth that didn't include the covariate that they would know what they know now. Maturation and accepting the onset of the later years of our life goes a long way to mellowing our passions. Chicago Bear fans are less intimidating, and the members of the opposite sex who are age appropriate are far more appealing than we might have thought in our youth. Yes, I will admit some men still try to relive their youth in ways that defy logic. This facet of two late smart prevents athletes from realizing when their best years are behind them. More men than women seem to delude themselves into believing that members of the opposite sex half their age are suitable mates.  I'm not going to deny that some of us old...

Which Doctor Do I Call?

 It started with weepy, crusty eyes. Then my left leg started acting like it had a swivel for a knee. Suddenly, I was experiencing a lack of energy. To top it off, I wasn't getting a good night's sleep. Who do ya call? In my case, I'm calling my primary. My eye problem might need a specialist. Since I have CMT, my leg problem could be neuropathy or orthopedic. My cancer treatments might lead to my lack of pep. And despite using my pillows to attain perfect comfort, my aching legs and lower back keep me awake. I'm going to be cutting back a bit since my health seems to be melting before my weepy, crusty eyes. I've quit my tutoring gig. This hurts me. My student, six-year-old Aydn Collins, is a joy to be with. I had hoped my contribution to his education would be good for him. The biggest problem with the job is getting in and out of the school. Featuring long walks from and back to the parking lot and the mountain of stairs. The older schools are wonderful in almost ...

Watching the Oldies

Note: Last week's post was late. There is a reason. Read on.  Classic Film: From Here To Eternity The film opens in Hawaii in 1941. The film stars Bur Lancaster, Mongomery Clift, Deborah Carr and Donna Reed. It is before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The only scene I remember is a scene many people who never watched the entire film have seen. It shows Bert Lancaster and Deborah Carr lying on a sandy beach, kissing as an incoming washed over them. Given the popularity of that scene, it was amazing to me that that iconic image is only seconds long in the film. The story is about the innocence of army personnel with no idea what's coming. Lancaster literally runs the squad while his Captain lets him take charge so he can campaign for his promotion and cheat on his wife.  To make up for the disrespect he has for his commanding officer, Lancaster beds his Captain's officer's wife only to fall in love with her.  Clift's character suffers the humiliation of an offic...