Comedies that Inspire

These are not movies that inspire in the traditional sense. You won't find Remember the Titans (although I love that movie). These six reflect my theme this month (family on the fly) and/or push me toward better craftsmanship as a writer. They also reflect what I enjoy most in a movie: humor. 

Please note that this in not an endorsement of these movies as “family-friendly.” All contain adult content.

Families on the Fly

Parenthood 

One scene stands out: Gil Buckman (Steve Martin) projecting the future of his son during a ball game. Buckman imagines his boy Kevin overcoming his emotional issues on this very day through wise parenting and baseball. Kevin will become college valedictorian and publicly honor his dad, validating his decisions. When Kevin drops a pop-up, Buckman imagines his son on the college campus bell tower, raining gunfire, all because "you made me play second base." As a parent, how easy it is to imagine every decision we make is life-altering. This movie brings levity and good humor to our reality: yes, parenting matters, but parenting is not the only factor in, nor the end of, our children’s stories (or our own). 

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Steve Martin again (yes, he is one of my favorites), this time with the late John Candy. Neal Page (Martin) just wants to get home for Thanksgiving, but as modes of transportation continually fail, his fate becomes tied to Candy’s overbearing salesman, Del Griffith. Like Parenthood there’s a bit of schmaltz, but I’m willing to overlook it. We are more than just individuals racing to our own goals, and more than just families. Wherever we find ourselves, those around us matter.

Great storytelling with travel and/or family themes

These movies stir me to write funny, write better, push myself and, frankly, write fiction or a screenplay. 

Grosse Pointe Blank

John Cusack's Martin Blank can’t go home again, but he can still shop there. I don’t have words for how much I enjoy this movie. Alan Arkin? Joan Cusack? ’80’s soundtrack? Dan Ackroyd singing “She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain” during a shootout? I love everything about it. In fact, I’m demonstrating self control by continuing to type. I love the blend of the ordinary (class reunion) and the extraordinary (mercenary assassin for hire), the tone, everything.

Addams Family Values

This time Joan Cusack takes the star turn as gold-digger nanny serial killer Debbie Jellinsky. This does not have an ’80’s soundtrack or Alan Arkin, but it does have Camp Chippewa and Gary’s vision and a slideshow monologue and Raul Julia singing “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.”

(Moment of self-discovery: I love it when characters sing traditional music in a movie. Did I mention Martin and Candy sing “Blue Moon of Kentucky” in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles?)

All-time favorites

A tie. My two all-time most inspirational movies - The Jerk (I told you he’s one of my favorites) and Network.

The Jerk 

Martin's Navin Johnson never fails to make me laugh. Right now, I can crack myself up by thinking any of the following: He hates these cans. Fresh wine, the freshest you can find. Cat juggling. The second day felt like three days. And this thermos … that’s all I need.

Network

While not exactly a comedy, it is funny, glorious, profound, prophetic. Here’s an excerpt of an essay I wrote for Curator Magazine:

…I thought I might find it easy to focus on the character of Howard Beale. Beale is an anchorman on a fictional fourth network, competing against ABC, CBS, and NBC. His life is falling apart at the outset of the movie, but in his shattered state, he becomes a voice for the frustration of his audience. He is deemed ‘the mad prophet of the airwaves’ and instead of delivering the news, he spews his delusions on an adoring group of followers who respond to his tirades with applause and occasional action. His show becomes the news, and at its peak includes segments like a supposed psychic predicting the future, a fabulously dressed woman revealing people’s dirty secrets, and Vox Populi, an opinion poll.

‘It is,’ Roger Ebert said in his 2000 review, ‘like prophecy. When Chayefsky created Howard Beale, could he have imagined Jerry Springer, Howard Stern, and the World Wrestling Federation?’

Ten years after Mr. Ebert’s review, I stand more amazed as I think of the news personalities branding themselves on every 24-hour news channel.

You can read the complete essay (free, no subscription required) here. What movies inspire you? Feel free to share your thoughts or links as a comment.

This post is a part of a theme day in the 2012 Blogathon. For more about the Blogathon, visit freelance writer/community builder Michelle Rafter’s site. If you enjoy lists, try “The Top Five Most Self-Centered Songs of All Time.” Mac Davis gets a very special honorable mention.

Grasping Offside in Soccer

A friend of mine declared these “soccer mom sandals.”

It’s true. I am a soccer mom. Only I don’t feel like a soccer mom, because one of the mysteries of my life is soccer itself.

Now understand, I’m no sports hater. I can explain the infield fly rule, the difference between a false start and offsides, icing. (I would add “traveling,” but this knowledge is obsolete when watching the NBA, so I don’t count it.) Despite my love of sports, the rules of soccer remain elusive to me, especially offside. I’ve decided this ends today.

(Note: If you have little soccer players and are unfamiliar with this rule, don’t fret. Offside is not a part of all kid’s soccer. My middle child’s league plays 6 vs. 6 on a smaller field. They do not have the traditional offside rule.)

Now let’s break it down.

An offside violation in soccer is made of two parts.

Part 1 - Where is the player who will receive the ball?

For a player to be offside, we have to consider the player’s location. The player who will receive the ball from a teammate is offside if s/he
a. is in the offensive zone
b. is nearer to his or her opponent’s goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last opposing player (the goalie counts as an opposing player)
If a & b are true, the player is in an ‘offside position,’ but remember this is only one part of our equation. The player is not in violation of the rule unless s/he is in an offside position and involved in the play when part 2 happens.

Part 2 - Who last touched the ball and where did it go? 

For offside to be called, the player who last touched the ball has to be a teammate of the person who will receive the ball.

Thoughts:

-Unlike football or hockey, the soccer offside rule doesn’t have much to do with lines. The only line that matters in discussing offside in soccer is midfield. The midfield line matters because offside won’t be called if the player who will receive the ball off of a teammate is in the defensive zone (see Part 1, a).
-You may have noticed I’m using an awkward phrase, “who will receive.” I have to say “who will receive” because if the receiving player is onside when the ball is sent, s/he is onside, even if s/he appears offside when s/he makes contact with the ball. The reverse is also true: if the player is offside when the ball is moved ahead, s/he is offside, even if s/he runs onside to make the play.
-You may also note that I’m not using the term “pass.” “Pass” implies intent. If you are the player who is offside, your teammate does not have to intend to move the ball toward you or toward the opposition’s goal. It could glance off him or her and you could still be considered in violation of the rule.
-The rule does not apply on throw-ins, goal kicks, or corner kicks.

Why does it stir such emotion in spectators?

Source of Anger A: discretion. The player who is potentially offside must be “involved” in the play. If you’re on the field playing, how can you be declared uninvolved? I’m not sure, but it’s an option for the ref.

Source of Anger B: sight lines. The potentially offside player can be level with the second-to-last defender. From one angle, s/he may look level. From another, s/he may look offside. The refs may not agree, let alone the spectators.

Source of Anger C: requires super vision. The rule requires the refs to be able to consider who made last contact with the ball, as well as where the receiving player was in relationship to two opposing players when that contact was made. These two events can span more than half the field. That’s a lot to see all at once, and that’s not all the refs needs to observe.
How did I do? If I've got it right, then writing this helped. I hope reading it does the same for you. If you’d like some charts and graphs, I like these. If you’ve got a kids’ sports rule or play I can research and/or write about, let me know in the comments.

Writer's Group

In the month of May, I've got 5 days without children's sports. Four of those are Memorial Day weekend, when many of the folks in the Mitten take off for parts north. The other was today. While I would've loved to stay home, I set out early to attend a writer's group meeting.

I know. If you're a writer-type, you may hate this idea. For me, this easy-going group is an encouragement to continue to write, even when it's hard to find time. The group gives good critiques, improving my craft. We read books on writing, building up our determination and stamina. We swap ideas and experiences.

It's great to be a part of a community of writers. For me, it's worth the time.

When life gets busy, how do you take the time to invest in bigger communities? How do you develop your skills? Do share your ideas!

Pause, Evening Edition

photo credit:
Luc Viatour / www.Lucnix.be
http://www.lucnix.be/main.php

Earlier this week I talked about pausing the spin cycle of our life and  reconnecting with our surroundings, and this weekend presents a great opportunity. From Saturday May 5th-Sunday May 6th, the night sky will offer both a super moon and the Eta Aquarid meteor shower. What a great excuse to break from our routine, make s'mores or hot chocolate, and dream a little.

While technically the moon will be at its closest point to earth at about 11:35 EDT, I think we’ll try to catch it as it rises. Who can resist the moon through the trees on the horizon? If you are in the U.S. and want to find out when the moon will rise in your area, visit http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/data-services/rs-one-year-us.

Thriving

Thrive. It's my word this year. As individuals who are a part of communities, what do we need in our ecosystems to thrive?

the forest and the trees

While I could make a very serious list, today I want to focus on just one thing: playing.

I thrive on play, especially while creating with others. When I go without this, I feel doubly wrong.

Wrong #1, I am a writer. All reports indicate this should make me a lone wolf-type, but here I am, yearning for the pack.

Wrong #2, I am also a theatre-type. Theatre satisfies this need for play, but my location and season of life makes a theatre commitment difficult. I don't regret my life choices, but I love to play. What to do?

Among other things, I drag my friends into story ideas. In My Little Town's two most popular blog posts were written collaboratively. Friends riffed on a Facebook post, and I compiled their answers. Excerpts and links to both are below.

Pomp and Circumstance and Meatballs
(examines the high school graduation open house tradition in Michigan, giving tips and tricks for *success*)

Here's what you can expect if someone invites you to an open house:

• A high school graduate who looks annoyed at being at his or her own party 
• A beautifully clean garage with tables full of food 
• Paint cans, weed whackers, bottles full of motor oil, and other junk crammed into a locked basement 
• Mystery relatives 
• Cocktail meatballs in chili sauce and grape jelly 

Read the complete article here, or try ...

Writing Your Own Bio Blurb

(how-to)

You are a rock star soccer mom and kitchen ninja, and it's time to let the world know it. It's time to write your biography blurb.

Not just any biography blurb: the greatest bio in the history of the internet, the one that's going to revolutionize the art and practice of blurbing, the one that's going to catapult you into the rare air of internet darling and employed author. After all, you are a housewife with three kids living outside the most insulted city in the country, faking a basic understanding of SEO and nursing an anemic freelance career. The only thing holding you back is a quality bio.

Continue reading "Write Your Own Bio Blurb" here.

What do you need in your personal ecosystem? How might you thrive?

This month, I've started a professional page for myself on Facebook. From time to time, I'll be cultivating a collaborative piece there. I'd be honored if you liked my page, and I look forward to connecting to you.

Pause the Spin Cycle

How many sayings about traveling can you think of? Do most challenge you to celebrate the journey?

My brain is loaded with a rangy assortment of bygone songs. This means musical clichés may attack at any moment, including that old Mac Davis song, the one where "you got to STOP ... and smell the roses." I’ve wasted space on that for 38 years. Perhaps if you are of another era, you can hear “The Climb." Thirty-five years from now, remember this: if you don’t want it in there anymore, they don’t make a scrub. It’s sticking.

I know those songs are big metaphors for life’s journeys, but I can’t connect. If my life were a Bugs Bunny map, it would look like a technical illustration in an appliance brochure. “The Washing Machine Spin Cycle”. STOP ... ping to smell the roses, or to say hi to a friend and admire his bees (that’s not a metaphor; I live in the country; I have more than one beekeeper friend) sets my internal dial whirring. This is a shame. I like the roses, and I’m fascinated by bees.

So I’m trying. Whenever I can, I’m pausing the spin cycle, allowing more time, a little cushion, some space to enjoy whatever comes along, including the detours. For instance, if heavy equipment blocks your usual path (again, not a metaphor, looks like someone needed work done on their septic field), you might take the less-direct lakeside route, and find this guy standing in a neighbor’s yard.

Sandhill crane.

To my fellow road warriors, I say, leave a few minutes early when you can. Take a different route, mix it up, re-engage with your surroundings. I’d love to hear what you find.

For a slightly less positive, but more amusing bird encounter during my non-taxi season, consider this turkey. 

Queen of the Road

My husband once threw a legendary fit. In a room strewn with inert children and un-put-away stuff, he declared our kids “like a bunch of hobos”. This struck me as funny, and right. We have a house, we do, but right now it functions more like sleeping quarters. We live out of our car.

This is not a complaint. We choose this life, a life of running, and we are privileged to have this option. We run from after-school activities to evening events to weekend happenings 6-7 days a week. On our way, we do our best to find time together as a family. We grab time with friends and our bigger communities.

Weekdays, it’s usually me and my kids. I circle, delivering one child to point A, taking another to point B, returning to point A, etc. On a good day, I see my roles as shuttle driver and food truck operator as fun, worthwhile sacrifices. Other days I think I’m Sisyphus, expending energy but unable to call it work, stuck in a never-ending loop that yields no progress, unless you call fast food and hobo-ism progress. I do not.

This is my life, and God willing, it will be like this for a while. I might get used to it, but I would rather get better at it. That’s what this month in my little town is all about: learning to thrive as a family on the run.