Mercurial Mother Nature

Mother Nature is precious when calm and relaxed but

if poked and prodded,

ignored or disrespected

her violence knows no bounds

But then she also has her moods ~ Brilliant smiling sun one day and heavy rain-soaked clouds another.

Did I forget her ragged breath that 

threatens to blow us all away?

In the blink of an eye 

her precious sunny nature returns

No reasons.

No excuses.

Mother Nature just is.

“Mother Nature changes her looks for the same reason 

any woman changes her looks - to be noticed.”

~ Richelle E, Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, and Grumblings

Play Review: Bang Bang by Kat Sandler

Always a struggle to write a play. Writing a successful play that involves the topics of police brutality as a result of systemic racism, artistic license, and gun violence with a dash of gender equality on one stage is a struggle that goes beyond the usual. Playwright Kat Sandler was up to the challenge. The play Bang, Bang at Belfry Theatre, on Sunday afternoon was a triumph of humour, anger, and frustration culminating in a standing ovation. Bang Bang, presented at the Belfry, played in conjunction with the The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Winnipeg.

These emotionally charged topics came together in the living room of Karen Hines, played by Warona Setshwaelo, a psychologist and the mother of Lila Hines ~ both of them black. Lila had returned home to live with her mother, when her career as a police officer was derailed following a serious incident when she was on duty. Tim Bernbaum played by Tom Keenan, is a playwright who was inspired to write 'a play' based on this serious incident. Lila definitely does not want to talk about this incident. While doing her job as a police officer, she shot a young black man. Tim arrives, unexpectedly and unwelcome, to talk about his play. An extremely awkward, often hilarious, and circuitous conversation takes place with Tim trying to be politically correct ~ and failing badly ~ about race (Tim is white). He, with this same awkwardness, blurts out that a movie is to be made of his play which details Lila’s experience far too closely for Lila’s liking, except for a couple of important details. Two other characters, involved in the movie, come on scene: Jackie Savage, played by Sébastion Heins; Tony Cappello, played by Alex Poch-Golden. Jackie Savage is a young man who is played the role of Lila ~ the movie company changed the gender to further usurp Lila’s story. Ultimately, there is a hilarious ‘play reading’ of Tim’s play which devolves into frustration, misunderstanding and sadness.

The skill and sensitivity that playwright Kat Sandler had in writing this play, using humour and pain, drove home the sad reality of these issues that are prevalent in our society today. In this writer’s opinion, the characters of Karen (Lila’s mother) and of Tony (Jackie’s bodyguard) were the strengths that balanced the grief, anger and anxiety of the two main characters (Lila, Tim). Lila was in deep pain, Tim only wanted to write a play and make a movie to bring all of the issues into the light. Jackie Savage (to play Lila in the 'play'), was distanced from the actual pain that Lila experienced, often shifting his opinions about the entire dynamic, only concerned with making a movie. Because of the intensity of the subjects involved and the dynamics between the actors, the language was quite blue throughout the play, which may put some people off. To accept this as a very real part of such a situation will allow any playgoer to be treated to a wonderful work of art.

“The quality of a play is the quality of its ideas.”

~ George Bernard Shaw

Bang Bang by Kat Sandler

Sébastien Heins - Jackie Savage

Tom Keenan - Tim Bernbaum

Beverly Ndukwu - Lila Hines

Alex Poch-Goldin - Tony Cappello

Warona Setshwaelo - Karen Hines

Director: Kelly Thornton

Set Designer: Ada, Parboosingh

Costume Designer: Joseph Abetria

Lighting Designer: Scott Henderson

Sound Designer: Brian Linds

Fight Director: Jacqueline Loewen

Firearms Consultant: Dave Brown

Consulting Director: Audrey Dwyer

Apprentice Director: Eric Rae

Stage Manager: Jennifer Swan

Assistant Stage Manager: Zahra Larche

Movie Review: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Photo taken through window in Downtown Victoria

Not an easy movie to write a short blog post on! My first impression was ‘this is boring’. My second impression was much different. While I definitely enjoy movies, even violent and sensational ones, I do not consider myself a movie buff. In discussion at coffee with friends after the movie, the extent of detail and texture in this movie was revealed over hot coffee in a local coffee shop. I hadn’t recognized the depth of this story, even though familiar with the history of the brutal Sharon Tate murders from the summer of 1969. Going into a movie with expectations because of a famous director or an impressive cast sets one up for missing out on such depth and the sardonic nature of Quentin Tarantino’s movies.

When my expectations were for gruesome, bloody and violent scenes Quentin Tarantino disappointed ~ for a while. This movie delved into the gun toting violent nature of at least one fictional TV western of 1969, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton. Not only was he a fading actor, this genre of movies was also fading into the sunset. His driver, handyman, and one time stuntman played by Brad Pitt, had become a close friend. At the same time, their relationship showed the absolute divide between the stars of Hollywood and the ordinary guys of the time. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was more of a trip down movie nostalgia lane into 1969 with tension building toward a twist at the end. However, the nostalgia created the texture and voice of this movie. The detail was evidenced by the fantastic car culture, lost hippies, the Spahn Movie Ranch where part of Charles Manson’s family lived, the ubiquitous smoking of cigarettes as well as scenes of movie making on dusty lots with trailers, costuming and sets built and moved. Al Pacino, as Marvin Schwarz, movie producer, brought the movies to the controversial Spaghetti westerns in Italy when he lured Rick Dalton out of the U.S. to Italy. Rick’s lack of faith in such movies crumbled when he feared for his own career. Sharon Tate, played by Margot Robbie, in a very star struck scene, went to one of her own movies starring Dean Martin and Nancy Kwan. In the dark of the movie house with her big eyes, she thrilled to the audience joy in her movie. Actual footage was shown, which was true throughout the movie, part of the historical essence of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. There were other present day actors with brief, but significant, walk-on roles throughout this movie. I must admit my lack of familiarity with many of them. 

I have reconsidered my initial opinion that this movie was boring. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a movie to see again, so I can better appreciate the exquisite layers of this movie.

“I’m a historian in my own mind.”

~ Quentin Tarantino

Partial Cast of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Written and Directed by Quentin Tarantino 

Leonardo DiCaprio - Rick Dalton, fading TV western star

Brad Pitt - Cliff Booth, stuntman for Rick Dalton

Margot Robbie - Sharon Tate

Emile Hirsch - Jay Sebring

Al Pacino - Marvin Shwarz, Spaghetti Western movie producer

Kurt Russell - Stunt manager

Damian Lewis - Steve McQueen

Timothy Olyphant - TV western actor

Mike Moh - Bruce Lee

Julia Butters - TV western actor, 8 year old child

Salt Spring Island She Shed Tour 2018 - #7

In the ‘all u need workshop’ the natural world becomes art, the old becomes recycled and artistically repurposed. Kelp from the shoreline curled around broomsticks or any tubular object, allowed to almost dry and taken off when still pliable creates loops and curls for home decor. Grasses dried and woven into mats for wall hangings. Seed pods dried and gathered together in upside down bouquets. Very old postcards, that did the work in a day or longer that cell phones and texting does in minutes, Melanie embroiders mountain tops and tree-lines. As rain began to drip down through the spaces between trees, we helped clear off an outdoor table of sketch books. All the world looks so much more interesting after visiting Melanie Thompson’s all u need workshop that displays her love of nature’s gifts. Discovering this gift for ourselves is available every day.

“Never miss an opportunity of noticing anything of beauty….”

~  Ralph Waldo Emerson,  Nature and Walking

See more of Melanie’s works at craftymelanie.wordpress.com

Fundraising event for: Saltspring Women Opposed to Violence and Abuse

Salt Spring Island She Shed Tour 2018 - #5

On this wooded property with manicured lawn and deer fenced

garden, were two She Shed’s. The first, dubbed the Dining Pavilion, was windowed and with the dining table set for six. It was tiny with a beautifully finished interior and exterior. Farther back under low hanging branches, we discovered the second She Shed, construction still in progress. We were able to peek in a window to the comfortable interior. Cozy with a electric fireplace and furniture as in a living room, artist Shelley Armstrong-Plaunt said she would likely spend time working on her artistry - Collector Bears. We discovered so much more while visiting the She Sheds on this tour. Shelley brought out two of her hand made Collector Bears, each bear about eight inches tall. These bears are not the cuddly kind we give to children. They have glass eyes and their clothes have buttons - things that little ones may want to taste! One of the bears was a hiker wearing a back pack, sweater and pants all hand made, including the sweater made from a family sweater worn on hiking trips! The other, dressed in a little red print dress with fur edging, was styled from Shelley’s knowledge of the Yukon, where she lives part of the year. 

“Creativity is putting your imagination to work, and ti’s 

produced the most extraordinary results in human culture.”

~ Ken Robinson

Pictures of Collector Bears can be seen at Google Books, including excerpt about this artist in the book Bears Across Canada

She Shed Tour 2018: a fundraiser for Saltspring Women Opposed to Violence and Abuse

Salt Spring Island She Shed Tour 2018 - #4

Next we went to #4 on our program to see Nycki Samuels, Tough Tiny Welder, a tiny woman and tough enough to wield a welding torch. A welder by trade, she also creates fascinating art pieces from anything metal. We were shown into a very large workshop, all her tools clean and organized. “This is the neatest my shop has ever been!” On display, were several of her pieces of recycled and repurposed tools, machine parts and other heavy metal objects. We discovered a large crab, with pliers for pincers (ouch!), a snail from the cogs of, I assume, an engine and other little metal bugs and birds graced her shop. Our host took home a planter that Nycki repurposed from a barbecue propane tank. 

See Nycki Samuel’s very interesting webpage at toughtinywelder.ca, that includes a gallery of her very creative work from gates and railings to butterfly candle sticks. Included is a section on women welders. An interesting piece of history from this page is: 'The first time women welders were employed was in WW2 in the shipyards of Evansville, Indiana."

“Artistry exists in everyone. What makes it blossom is 

a soul’s personal desire to find an outlet for expression.”

~ Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway

Fundraising for Saltspring Women Opposed to Violence and Abuse

Salt Spring Island She Shed Tour 2018

So what is a She Shed? Well, most everyone knows a Man Cave is a dedicated place for the guys of this world away from the domestics of home, a place where the ‘real work’ can be done. So, She Shed’s are sheds devoted to the work that women do outside of the domestic part of life. Multimedia artworks from iron work to pottery to working with nature’s abundance in settings bucolic and lush on this lovely island in the Strait of Georgia between mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island.

For the past 22 years, a group of women on Saltspring Island - Saltspring Women Opposed to Violence and Abuse or SWOVA - was developed in response to ‘a horrific incidence of violence against a woman and her daughter’ in the Saltspring community over 20 years ago. Since then they have been providing education, raising awareness and developing solutions to prevent violence and abuse on Saltspring Island. This She Shed Tour was this year’s fundraiser for this very important program.

A quick ferry trip in brilliant sunshine to Saltspring Island, we met with our host. For the rest of the day we were driven by said host from one She Shed to another - some of them obvious places of hard work to the more gentile and decorative. We did not get to discover each of the 14 She Sheds because of the interesting conversations we shared with the proprietors.  I’ll not be able to do this tour justice in tonight’s post, so will continue tomorrow. 

“The secret to change is to focus all of your energy 

not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”

~ Socrates

Book Review: My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

I read My Brilliant Friend over three days. I started Sunday afternoon and finished this morning around 9:00am. Originally, it was because I left this reading to the last minute. I had been told it was a dense read. When I checked some Goodreads reviews, some people didn’t even give My Brilliant Friend any stars, while many gave it five stars. Settling in to read, I was at first rather unsettled by the poverty, the violence of the children, to the children and to each other in this small Naples community in the 1950’s. The cast of characters is large, with the two main characters being good friends. At twelve years of age, Lila is tough and mean, and Elena, timid and shy. The remaining characters are the children and parents of several families. (This is where I need to tell you that I’ve left my copy of My Brilliant Friend behind today, so can’t refer to the exact number of families.) Names are similar, some having nicknames. There are three themes that run through this story - poverty, the accepted dominance of men and poor understanding about the value of education. There were some times of kindness and some of fun, but they seem fleeting within each life. Underscoring all of this is the violent nature of the struggle for community dominance, or just survival within the community. These themes show how difficult it was for people to move out of and away from this very insular life. Those people not willing or able to use violence, became quiet or devious. The discussion today brought forward all of these issues, with an especial dislike of the violence and female suppression, trying to understand the reasons. Was it cultural? How much did poverty play a part? Was it education or money that would move anyone out of the maelstrom that Lila and Elena grew up in? 

I have always enjoyed stories that are about family dynamics. My Brilliant Friend is so much more. Family dynamics with the troubled and unsettled dynamics of this community in post World War II Naples. Will I read the next in this Neapolitan Series?  I definitely hope to, following this friendship from where it left off in late adolescence and onward.

“We were twelve years old, but we walked along 

the hot streets of the neighbourhood, 

amid the dust and flies that the occasional old trucks 

stirred up as they passed, like two old ladies 

taking the measure of lives of disappointment, 

clinging tightly to each other. No one understood us, 

only we two - I thought - understood one another."

~ Elena Ferrante, My Brilliant Friend

Title:  My Brilliant Friend

Author:  Elena Ferrante

Translated by: Ann Goldstein

Publ

isher:  Europa Editions

Publication Date: Sept. 15, 2012

(First published oct. 19, 2011)

Format:  Soft Cover

ISBN10: 1609450787

ISBN13: 9781609450786

Type:  Fiction

Four part Series:  My Brilliant Friend

                        The Story of a New Name (2013),

                        Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay (2014)

                        The Story of the Lost Child (2015)

Movie Review - Hell or High Water ~ Directed by David MacKenzie

Hell or High Water opens in West Texas - a landscape I recognized from the years I lived in Lubbock, Texas. I seemed even to guess the location of the opening scene. The movie was actually filmed in Clovis, New Mexico beginning in May of 2015. It premiered at the 69^th annual Cannes Film Festival in May 2016.

Midland, Texas, about two hours from Lubbock is the scene of an early morning bank robbery. Two brothers, Toby Howard  (played by Chris Pine) and his brother Tanner Howard (played by Ben Foster) rob the Texas Midland Bank of small bills only. This first bank robbery was simple and quick, with some violence. Toby and Tanner race through back alleys and dusty West Texas plains to their family ranch. The family ranch, poorly cared for, and sandblasted by the Texas wind was all that was left for these brothers.  Their mother had passed away several weeks before, Tanner had shortly been released from jail.  The brothers continued on their bank robbery spree of Texas Midland Banks, escalating as the story progressed.

Texas Rangers were called in after the first bank robbery. Ranger Marcus Hamilton (played by Jeff Bridges) and Ranger Alberto Parker (played by Gil Birmingham) grate on each other but manage to work together while they follow the trail of bank robberies and escalating violence. Stationed in Lubbock, Texas the two Rangers get in their pickup and begin the chase that county sherrifs have already begun. After the final bank robbery and a chase into the West Texas plains, the spree ends tragically. 

Final scenes are after Ranger Hamilton (Jeff Bridges) has retired. He was still puzzling and trying to work out, as only a West Texan can, why the robberies had taken place. Tanner (Ben Foster) did have a rap sheet of violence and bank robberies for which he had served time.  Toby (Chris Pine) did not, but he did have a family and owed his wife much money in back child payments. Ranger Hamilton’s final conversations are with Toby and just when they are beginning to talk about what happened, Toby’s exwife and children arrive at the home that is now their own.

Dialogue, rich and colourful, included racial slurs towards Native Americans characters, which I found rather jarring, however individuals suffering the brunt of these slurs either returned it in kind or turned a very cold shoulder. The issue of gun violence was addressed in an interesting manner. Initially it seemed as though having the ability to defend in the bank robbery situation was being praised. However later in the movie, the impotence of several handguns in the face of one assault rifle, was demonstrated very effectively. Was that on purpose? I don’t know, that was my perception.

Written by: Taylor Sheridan
Directed by:  David MacKenzie
Starring Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine and Ben Foster

Rated R for some strong violence, language throughout and brief sexuality

“No amount of fire or freshness can challenge 

what a man will store up in his ghostly heart.”

~ F.Scott Fitzgerald, from The Great Gatsby

At the Edge of Intention

It is easy to say ‘set your intention’ to someone who has a dream in their heart, a wish in their soul and no roof over their head. A dream as basic as wanting to pay the rent, to finish a high school education or as complex as changing a life time of habits. Those habits may be destructive - active addiction, violence, deceit, ~ or maybe just a different job, learning to ride a bike.

Looking into hesitant eyes blue or brown, hazel or gray. Hearing tempered excitement about plans to live a different life. Whatever directions have become tore and tattered in the intent to explore and have adventures assuredly are lost in the chaos of that previous life. And ‘that life’ may have started in childhood, adolescence or even in later years! 

It may be easier to be dismissive and say ~ 

‘You’ll never make it.' 

'There’s too much water under your bridge.'

'You’ve done and said too many bad things.’ 

And if I think those thoughts, because I have, I keep them to myself. Although I may think I know, I do not. It is not mine to see into someone else’s future.

So one more time, I say “Set your intention to do and be. Then make plans, and take steps in the direction you have chosen. It is never too late to move forward, to make the changes that you want to make. To find the people that will help you to take the next steps.”  I am privileged to stand at the edges of these dreams where miracles begin in small steps.

“We live at the edge of the miraculous.”

~ Henry Miller

Inside Outside

Inside

neurons fire

synapses open and close,

routinely, regularly

except when they don’t

Inside,

when they don’t ~

neurons fire 

synapses open and close

no evident routine or pattern

electronics short circuit and spark

Outside

an unmannerly twitch or shout

a body flung brutally on the floor

breathing harsh and loud

false or foul words chatter without thought

Inside

where is the world 

who are you

swimming in electronic haze

fear and anxiety bubbling and brewing

Inside

slowly all is calm

neurons fire

synapses open and close

electronics restored to regularity

Outside,

violence calms and sleeps

breathing deep and regular

words struggle to make sense

tears and crying plead forgiveness

Who Stops the Cycle?

Who stops the cycle of violence?

Once the cycle has begun for one human being 

we can’t prevent them

from being caught in the trap of being violated?

And when is the cycle recognized?

When the violated and abused are grown

do they inherit

the behaviour of violence with

the stigma of being violent?

All while living with

the painful granite mountain

of the original violation?

Will it ever be recognized?

And if it is recognized

spoken about, who begins 

the climb

clears paths

shows the way

of descent down the mountain?

Who is responsible for

presenting possibilities?

If a key piece of the puzzle is suspected

what part of our system speaks up to say

this human being is worthy of our time?

Is there a place to see when the cycle starts?

Do we wait until it is almost fatal to 

see and do

support and empower?

What is the cycle?

Who is caught?

What does it look like?

My frustration: I can only do a small piece

and then turn the rest over to others...............

“I feel as if I were a piece in a game of chess, when my 

opponent says of it:  ‘That piece cannot be moved.’”

~ Søren Kierkegaard