Celebrate Gloria's Success!

Greetings to all!  Gloria will be completing her studies at SJSU soon.  She is an incredible woman - full time middle school Science teacher and part-time college student.  Congrats, Glo!

I would like to invite you all to my home for Jing Jing's in June.  You can bring dessert and/or drinks.
What are good dates for you?  June 11 works for me.   6:30PM?  

Menu?  Any specific likes or dislikes?  Allergies?

Send me a reply by April 30 so that I can SAVE the date on my calendar, clean my home, get rid of Bill & the dog, etc.

Stay strong and be happy.

Deborah

Ondine - Of Mermaids and Miracles

The film Ondine is romantic and suspenseful.  Is she or is she NOT a mermaid?  She appears mysteriously in a fisherman's net.  Ondine has no knowledge of popular culture.  She speaks with an accent and loves to play in the water.  When she sings, the fish jump into the net.  But what is Ondine's secret?  Who is the thug that follows her to the island?   You will enjoy Stephen Rea as an Irish Catholic priest with a unique style in the confessional.  Colin Farrell has matured as an actor and as a man.  Rent it and bring on the tissues.

Bonnie's mom

Bonnie's mom Katie was a grand lady.  She was tall, brave, and powerful.  Katie was good to have on your side in a battle.  She battled for the kids of East Palo Alto against the forces of Sequoia District.  I had the pleasure to work with her at both Ravenswood and Carlmont High Schools.  Katie always seemed to be in control of the situation and herself.  She cast a big shadow and left big shoes to fill.  Katie - you will be dearly missed.
===============================================

Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 14 (1:00 pm) at Jones' Mortuary.

Twelve is a 10

Twelve is a 10 on a scale of zero to ten.  Why?  Well, just the quick view of Fifty Cents naked back side is worth it.  He plays a drug dealer.  Surprise?  Young second generation Hollywood grace this film like Emma Roberts - daughter of Eric and niece of Julia.  Lenny Kravitz's baby girl also has a minor role.  The central plot spins around the lives of the NYC trust fund babies on spring break.  A drop out member of the idle rich kids is a drug dealer.  His mom died from cancer.  His dad goes bankrupt paying for medical bills.  There was a murder which lead to more killings.  Go rent it to see the beautiful rich kids go brain dead.

Easy A is really A+!

If you want a light comedy for the holiday, try EASY A.  It is not filled with a lot of A-list actors, but some strong character actors and fresh teen faces.  Olive is a virgin which seems to be a crime in today's high school.  She "helps" other teens by pretending to have sex with them - a gay guy, a shy guy, a chubby guy.  Olive accepts "gifts" from the people that she helps like Home Depot gift cards.  Her parents are ex-hippies who have adopted a black child.  They are too understanding even for hippies.  But there is one decent guy, of course.   I give this flick an "A+."  Rent it now.

Merry Mary

Happy Ho Ho to all and to all a merry new year!  Glad to see 2010 end.  It is leaving behind a lot of tears and legal fees at our home.  Hope that your 365 days were/are joyous ones.  But this household won't miss good old 2010.  What to look forward to in 2011?   Bill's graduation in June, my 5th cancer FREE year, more Ashland, and time share week in Avila Beach are few of my wishes for 2011.  May all your resolutions and plans come true in 2000 + 11.  Keep it real!

Two Beautiful Faces and a Poor Script

What a waste of beautiful things and great talent?  THE TOURIST was "OK" and fun to watch Jolie and Depp kiss.  (The are good kissers.)  No sex, no nudity, great clothing, and Venice.... Need I say more?  But these fabulous actors had little to say or to do that was meaningful.  There was a great deal of press which created anticipation among their fans.  But little to show for all that media buzz.  It was a beautiful setting with two of the world's most gracious actors, but FLAT.  Rent it.

Denzel is Unstoppable

Unstoppable is a great thriller and drama.  Mr. Washigton never looked nor acted better.  Chris Pine, Captain Kirk from the last Star Trek movie was an excellent wing man.  The director was Tony Scott who makes wonderful films and TV programs like Numbers on CBS,  The story is typical of today's post-Bush world.  Older employees begin forced into early retirement for younger guys - with family connections or Iraq war vets.  But the foxy older guys win the day.  Three cheers for the old farts!

Language of the Enemy - Romeo & Juliet in Middle East

Rent it!  Buy it!  Steal it!  See it?  This movie was a bitter sweet romance based on an old story.  Star crossed lovers fall in love.  The sweetest kind of love - at first sight.  He is on a mission for the Israeli secret service.  She is a member of the PLO and a doctor looking for food.  He nearly empties the entire content of his bakery into her car.  Her dad is a big shot in the local government in Ramallah.  He gets wounded and nurses him back to good health.  Our Romeo is an American Jew who has come to Israel to help his mom bury his dad.  He risk his life to return to Ramallah to see her again.  He stays at her home with her kindly and wise grandfather.  The old man and Romeo bond.  You know the rest of their story from your 10th grade English class.  They are married by a priest and spend their wedding night near the Sea of Galilee. She fakes her death, but Romeo is unaware of her plan.  They meet at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem where he is shot and dies in her arms.  Both families are united at Romeo's funeral.

Pain in chest?

Yes, ladies, stress is a killer.  I am "living" or dying proof of that statement.  Latest ailment is arthiritis in my breast bone/rib cage junction.  Maybe caused by radiation treatment and "helped" along by stress.  The docs are having me take some time off from work to help reduce some of the STRESS.  This past summer I was diagnosed with a bundle of little irritating things - mostly cancer or stress related.  Things like ulcers on my tongue, bone spurs in my heels, sleep apnea, fatigue, depression, anxiety and now pain in my breast bone.  What a life?  What a body?

The main source of the STRESS is in and around my son the William.  This summer we spent  a lot of time and $$$$ clearing his name and reputation of false accusations.  These lies could have caused him his freedom and tainted his future.  But Mama Bear was there with check book and powers of persuasion to fight back a racist and uncaring system.  No, not the criminal justice system.  They never fell for the lies. But the school system did.  Imagine that?  Forget your 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendments rights.  They are ignored by the school system.  What a world?  What a life?  What a price to pay for justice?