Shelter Dogs---More About The Buddy Foundation: Tuesday Journal #1

It has been a while since I shared anecdotes from my Tuesday nights feeding and caring for the homeless dogs at the Buddy Foundation.  Check out their page on Facebook...one of the better sites, with great information about the facility, and the dogs and cats looking for forever-homes.

Tonight, it was raining hard, and I decided that since I would not walk my own dog in the pouring rain, neither would I walk these critters in a downpour.

But they all had to be fed, and I coordinated the effort, with some helpers.  Because our volunteer roster is growing,  we had a nice group assisting with tonights' tasks, from feeding, to cleaning up, to maintaining the shelter facility.

That gave me a chance to do what I love to do most...spend some play-time and love-time with some of the needier dogs, most of which are my favorites.

You may recall my speaking about Duchess on these pages....the black Pit Bull who came in abused, with a cut-off tail and a haunted look in her eyes.  She is doing much better, and should soon appeal to a dog-lover who wants a sweet and loving companion.  Tonight, I stroked her head, ears, and back while she lay curled on a blanket, chewing a toy she brought over especially for me.  One ear stuck straight out in a comical lopsided expression.  Her tail, so injured a couple months ago, waved contentedly, and she showed her love by licking my face.

I almost brought her home tonight myself.

Enjoy this brief video clip I found on the Facebook Page, shot recently, to introduce you to this wonderful facility in Arlington Heights, Illinois.  If you live nearby, and especially if you are ready to take in a creature of your own, please visit us!


The Buddy Foundation. from Steve...M on Vimeo.

A Tony Award Journal---Completed!

There were only three of us here last evening: Me, Mark, and our friend Jillian.  Yet our annual Tony Award get-together  was terrific fun, and had all the laughs, witty comments and surprised gasps as the spectacle at Radio City Music Hall.  Huddled in our tiny converted bedroom-turned-screening-room just large enough to seat three, on our HD TV and armed with snacks and "beverages", we reveled in the speeches, costumes and hair, the music and scenes from the big plays, cheered for our "favorites", and planned our fantasy itineraries for our next trip to Broadway (next fall, maybe?)

I also got my motivation going to finish a play....so that some day, I can give the thank-you speech I have carefully prepared many years ago....something some stars clearly forgot to do (Denzel?)


I used to watch the Tony's to get a sort of preview of the material Hollywood might use for its big productions for the coming year. Big Hollywood musicals, and some classic dramatic films,  were often Tony-winning shows at first. I'm remembering classic vintage films like "My Fair lady", "Sound of Music", "Lion in Winter",   Now, Broadway has scavenged the Hollywood creative factory for its concepts and ideas, so that a good number of shows seem to have been Disney Animated features or obscure TV sitcoms ("Shrek", Addams Family", etc.)

Living in the middle of the country, we don't have immediate access to the big Broadway shows honored by Tony.  Yes, we eventually see them arrive in Chicago in wonderfully mounted productions, but at award season it's like being made to watch the Oscars without having seen ANY of the films in competition.  So, I try to stay current by reading about the shows following the trade notices..and of course assessing their award chances!

"Red" seemed to get the most press, and I was well aware of the show and its premise going in.  I wasn't too surprised it won Best Play, given the number of its nominations.  I felt most sorry for Alfred Molina, who appeared to be the only nominee from the show not to have earned a trophy...and he was the lead character, no less!  This story of artist mark Rothko and his protege intrigues me.  Too bad we could not see a scene, even on tape, to showcase the performers and the drama.  I must see this one.

What can you say about "La Cage"?  It's one of those perennials, like "Gypsy", that seems to win every time it's produced.  And why not? it's a crowd-pleaser with gorgeous design, lots of humor, and with a message of acceptance that can't fail to stir all but the most jaded in the audience.   

Jillian just saw "Memphis" in her last trip to NY and was wildly enthusiastic.  She was out of her seat when it was named "Best Musical".  I knew that, sadly, "Memphis" was the ONLY eligible nominated musical with an original music score, which is why I gave it the edge in my prediction it would win.  All others were compilations of music, or, in the case of "American Idiot", taken from a concept "rock-opera".

Speaking of "A.I.", I sort of "got" it....I think it's this generation's "Hair", or "Rent", basically an anthem to youthful idealism, this time presented in an in-your-face, confrontational style...loud and rude, and exhilarating nonetheless.  Mark and Jillian were less enthusiastic about it, and it might not top my to-see list, but I would go if I got a chance.  I still wonder if Broadway is the appropriate venue for highly amplified musicals. Green Day and the cast members of "American Idiot" certainly have something important to say, and loudly; however I hope they understand the effectiveness of the occasional whisper.

"Fela" was appealing in an intellectual, "culture-is-good-for-you" kind of way.  I know this is not fair, having seen only one or two brief numbers from it.  But what I saw engaged my mind, and I told myself how unique and wonderful it was...but it left me unmoved.  It's a show that I think might grow on me after seeing it through, and maybe again.  I was awe-struck by the rhythm and choreography, and the costuming (although we couldn't resist taking a swipe at the Jiffy-Pop headgear on the opening singer...and what about those glasses??) 

Some of my least favorite moments; Catherine Zeta-Jones' slog through "Send in the Clowns" and her strange acceptance speech; Denzel forgetting who had just honored him; Nathan Lane recycling Bob Hope (to an Oscar fanatic his remark about Passover was just too recognizable--although in general he and Bebe Neuwirth made me laugh); Scarlett Johannson's overlong acceptance speech to kick off the show; and the poor directing and technical difficulties for the telecast, with wandering teleprompters, indiscriminate editing, and horrible sound that always seemed to be on a delay.

SEAN HAYES did a surprising and extremely smart thing to kick off the show with an instrumental performance and immediately deflect controversy. This way he did not risk an immediate turnoff with lame jokes or the appearance of trying too hard to be classy.  His bravura turn at the piano was eye-opening, and all criticism of his supposed effectiveness as a romantic straight lead evaporated...the man has talent.  He carried the event well, although I could have done without the Spiderman-Orphan Annie costuming during the show.  And aside from a nod to the naysayers with an exaggerated kiss on the lips of his "Promises" co-star Katherine Heigel, the only political statement was in mentioning BP, and that by way of introducing Bernadette Peters.

As award shows go, this is always my favorite.  One day perhaps I will have seen more of the plays and musicals before the awards are given out.  And I hope Mark and Jillian and I continue to have our annual gala.....adding more guests as the years pass, as there will always be room for one more friend of Broadway!

Broadway's Big Night..A Tony Award Journal (Under Construction)

...I liked the show a lot...and am excited about following the plays and musicals that were among the nominees and winners.  Too bad there were so many techical difficulties with the live broadcast.  I have a lot of thoughts to share.....and will complete this entry on Monday.

Hope you will be back then!

"Letters To Juliet" an Entertaining Fantasy

It's light and sentimental, romantic and inconsequential.  Starting with a script that has plot holes large enough to drive an Audi through, "Letters to Juliet" nevertheless delivers a sweet and visually pleasant two hours at the cinema.

Yes, the story is far-fetched, formulaic and a little repetitive through the midsection, and you know how it will all turn out after about 15 minutes.  But it does have two great things in its favor: wonderful Italian locations, beautifully, lovingly photographed; and Vanessa Redgrave.

Redgrave's Claire is like a rare bloom on-screen, and she gives this comic drama about finding lost love an authenticity and maturity that lends the film an unexpected emotional depth.  She is as beautiful as a delicate ivory carving, her voice slow and clear and full of expression.  Her fabulous work in  small roles in "Howard's End" and "Atonement" is on display again here, and she carries the film and makes it all seem more plausible than it has a right to be. 

The premise is rather interesting.  In Verona, outside of the balconied house where Shakepeare's Juliet supposedly lived, women of all ages pin letters to the wall, asking Juliet to help them in their pursuit of love.  A group of women known to themselves as "Juliet's Secretaries" take the letters, write responses to them and send them off. 

Into this world appears Sophie, a young fact-checker and would-be writer for New Yorker Magazine, who is on a pre-wedding "honeymoon" in Italy with her charming, neglectful and self-centered restauranteur-fiancee.  Amanda Seyfried plays Sophie, and does her best to deal honestly and directly with a run-of-the-mill character as written.  Seyfried has a nice presence on screen, and makes us believe in her wildly unrealistic situation.  Gael Garcia-Bernal's role as her fiancee is simply a device, and it is never clear what drew these two together from the start.

After some brisk plot contrivances, Sophie responds to a letter written by Claire (Redgrave) 50 years prior, found forgotten buried in a hole in the wall.  Upon receiving Sophie's reply, Claire arrives in Verona to seek out her former lover.   Of course, Redgrave is accompanied by a handsome grandson (Chris Egan, easy on the eyes, and with a hint of Heath Ledger about him).  He is a priggish anti-romantic who immediately establishes an adversarial relationship with Sophie....and of course they will fall in love...but I'm not spoiling a thing by mentioning this.

A movie like "Letters To Juliet" isn't about suspense, but about the pleasures of experiencing what the film sets up as a romantic fulfillment.  It is basically a comedy, and it would serve no purpose in overturning our expectations.  We want to be in familiar territory, we want the rare pleasure (these days) of responding to the warmth of a familiar story, improbable though it may be, and laugh and cry on cue.  And for the most part, the film doesn't let us down. 

I enjoyed some of the detail work here.  Scene transitions are scored to old Italian pop songs.  The volatility of the Italian temperament is amusingly observed.  I liked a shot of  champagne bubbles dissolving to a star-filled night-sky.   Clare brushes Sophie's hair in a lovely act of caring.  And Redgrave, who puts her whole heart into this woman who is haunted by the "what if" of her life, can deliver a line as simple as "What a beautiful day" and make us feel the warmth of the Italian sunshine on our faces. 

The film has occasional flashes of intelligence and tenderness that is captured with gorgeeous lighting and terrific on-location work in Verona and Tuscany

The movie's pattern does become tiresome after a while, as our trio travels the countryside to find Claire's old flame, and the young couple bicker and parry.  At least, there is the wonderful Italian scenery for aesthetic pleasure,  in the company of some amusing characters, and there is nary a weapon  in sight.  I did wish there was more poetry and less exposition to move the plot along; and that said plot surprised us just a bit more, had been less improbable.  

But this is a movie about overcoming loss, and youthful hope, no matter how old one is.  And hope is improbable.

Chicago Celebrates the Blackhawks...and Why It Reminded Me of Facebook

The crowds in the streets of Chicago today were an amusing and awesome sight...

An estimated TWO MILLION people turned out for the Chicago Blackhawks' Stanley Cup Victory Parade today in downtown Chicago.  From the televised clips I saw afterward, it was a scene worthy of the massive, Guinness-Book record crowd assembled by Richard Attenborough for the movie"Gandhi"....(and he only managed about 400,000 paid extras!)

Lee DeWyze's "American Idol" win was merely Mt. Prospect's little dry-run for this huge outpouring and celebration.  Chances are, the number of actual hockey fans was just a tiny percentage of the massive total . The United Center, home of the Blackhawks, seats just 19,717 (not including standing room) for hockey.The highest attendance at a Blackhawks game in 2010 was 22,428 vs. Detroit.  That's about half the number for a full house at the Cubs' Wrigley Field.

It was hard not to get caught up in the excitement of the event (I stayed home but checked for frequent updates on the radio and TV).  Dick's Sporting Goods in Schaumburg had tables filled with Championship T-shirts and other Hawks gear, and lines of people to scoop up the merchandise.  You could see red-and-black everywhere you looked, even in our remote little 'burb.  And the crowds at the eateries in Arlington Heights were enormous, even for a Friday night.

Underneath the excitement, I was actually rather touched by the spectacle, for reasons that have nothing to do with the Hawks, or their first championship since 1961, or Chicago pride.  The celebration, after all, was way out of proportion to the achievement (basically, "our" team won a lot of hockey games).  And what was achieved honestly affected the lives of very few (except perhaps the businesses who will capitalize on this win, or some lucky gamblers who cleaned up.)

Sure, it is easy to criticize people for jumping on a bandwagon and getting a piece of undeserved glory.  But somehow this felt much different...more poignant, I think.

What I saw were millions of people who are hungry for real, in-person human contact, an excuse to cross the barrier of private space and be good to fellow strangers on the street, and to have those average strangers be exuberantly friendly to them in return.

I have read a few articles lately about the Facebook phenomenon, and a backlash of sorts in which people are deleting their accounts.  The reasons people are quitting Facebook (30,000 people departed on May 31st, or "quit Facebook day") are varied, but concerns about security and privacy are not the main reasons.  It appears that for many, Facebook has left them feeling alienated.  Some have amassed a huge number of "friends" only to realize they barely knew most of them.  Because of the constant updates, there develops a compulsive need for checking in regularly, and many members become addicted to what was becoming an empty exercise, rather than an intimate and enlightening way to share information and learn from, and about, one another. Content is often trite, lacking depth. 

These users' world views were becoming dominated by their social networking, and many discovered that they spent much less time interacting and conversing in the actual company of real humans. 

I have a Facebook account.  I reluctantly signed up because I had received a couple of requests from friends to do so.  I use the account sparingly, and it is not at all my predominant method of keeping in touch.  At first it is flattering to see the "friend" list grow.  But soon, as your friends collect even more "friends", and you start to be in touch less frequently, it becomes a metallic kind of loneliness, unless one is willing to spend hours each week maintaining the account.  

I began to feel like I was simply reading headlines from people's lives, and had little meaningful connection with them.  I find I am in better touch making "antiquated" phone calls or emails.  I even send text messages
(although Twitter is still not in my repertoire).   I have even written postal letters in the last couple of years...dinosaur that I am.

It is a tenuous connection I know. But the millions of people lining the streets today in Chicago needed some reason, some good excuse, to stand shoulder to shoulder with other warm bodies, to scream and cheer happily and be reinforced in their elation, and be wild and crazy with the cheering approval of other real human beings in their midst.   It means more to share a moment with strangers in real space and proximity, than to share mments with "friends" from the ioslation of the computer screen.


And for a few wonderful hours, at least two million people knew again the pleasure of pushing away from their social networking, and interacted with real people.  And if this is one of the modern benefits of sports, then I say, good job.  Go Hawks!