Weblog 330

June 10, 2012~ 12:00 am
Funny how the past rises up when you least expect it, to say 'Peek A Boo!'

On Thursday, one of my bosses handed me a 20 year old picture from 1992, back when I was the Office Manager at our original location on 5th Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh.



See that 'Joy' pin on my uniform? LOL!!!

It was the Christmas season- the date vertically on the left reads 12/15/92 -and there I stood, arms folded, with an utterly disgusted look on my face. The hair sooooo DARK.... my figure quite a bit thinner. And looking at that photo made me realize how the YEARS -and even the DECADES have flown, and Wow. Time does sap the juices out of each and every one of us.

Today however, with my now white hair SNIPPED and bobbed by yours truly just this afternoon, I still got an appreciative look from a near 90 year old shopping at the same supermarket. LOL!!! Cowboy hat on his head, grinning like a chimp, he stopped his cart, took a long look and said, "You have beautiful hair. I don't know if you're accustomed to hearing that, but I wanted to say your hair is quite attractive."

I could have KISSED him! LOL!

After studying that old picture of me, I was feeling pretty 'past my sell date'-- but his sweet remarks perked me up again. (How often saying something kind can change a stranger's mood... and I wonder how often I've done that for someone? I'm sure it's not nearly often enough.)

After my spirits had been perked up by the old fella at the shopping center (bless his heart)- Wayne and I returned home to watch the much anticipated



A Dangerous Method

A movie about a 'triangle' of sorts, testing the friendship of Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and a disturbed young female patient who eventually goes on to become a fine psychoanalyst in her own right, Sabina Spielrein.

Much has been made of the sado-masochistic and totally verboten aspects of Jung's 'treatment' of the young Fraulein Spielrein



via spanking, caning, etc..... but I found the movie VERY tame. Indeed, it's practically emotionless, other than the lovely Keira Knightley, who plays the hysteric Speilrein with gusto-- her face contorting, breasts heaving, JAW working in ways that threaten dislocation by thrusting out like the special effect trick of horror movies showing a mortal turning into a werewolf. (I don't believe I've ever seen anyone twitch and tic and writhe about quite like that performance. It's something to see.)

She's quite good in a darkly disturbing, passionate way. Jung however, played by the very handsome, blue-eyed Michael Fassbender, mostly exhibits a happy equilibrium reminiscent of Fred Rogers. I almost expected him to tell his twitching young patient, "It's a beautiful day in the neigborhood, Sabina," while grinning benignly.

Viggo Mortenson's Freud is all-knowing, constantly chomping on cigars and convinced there's sexual doings afoot.... even if the blithe Jung is oblivious at first in his dealings with Speilrein- (who incidentally was only 19 years of age when she was first taken to see Jung, a thirty year old at the time -and married- with one daughter, and another on the way.)

What made the film for me was knowing all characters were real people, and the story true. Tragically, Sabina, a Jew, would be shot by the Nazis in 1942. Here's two photos of her- one, as a very young girl, and a second one as a lovely young woman



whom Jung described in his letters to Freud, as 'oriental and seductive looking'. The movie is mostly conversation, quite subdued, with its only emotion shown in the persona of Sabina. I don't know exactly what to make of this effort of David Cronenberg... the movie seems like one of those fireworks finales that fizzle out when thunderous noise and color are expected instead. I enjoyed it without being able to say I LOVED it.

(What the movie DID do, was spur me on to look up as much as I could about the three main characters. That, in and of itself was fascinating, and the casting of Freud and Jung was pretty close to the mark physically.)



And there they are, side by side with their namesakes. Final verdict: Keira Knightley was fascinating to watch, however the woman who plays Jung's pretty wife is as pale and unexciting as a flounder laid lightly on a lace pillow .... LOL!!... a total 'pill'. (Not the actress' fault. His wife WAS pretty pedestrian and boring.)

But I'm glad we watched the movie. Since its debut I've been hankering to see it, and now I'll do what is always more gratifying than simply seeing a movie-- I'll read some books about those three main characters. The film DID peak my curiosity.




Holly, Gary and the grandkids took this first weekend after school ended for Bill and Kay, to go on a camping trip. Before she left, however.... Holly sent me an emailed picture at work, posing with one of her 'pets'.



(WARNING: If you're ARACHNOPHOBIC, DON'T LOOK!)







Almost gave me a HEART ATTACK! (That's one of her TWO tarantula's, and it's the aggressive one, Strussenberg, a female Cobalt Blue. (Haplopelma lividum) She hails from the tropical forests of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The other is Detective Goob, a relatively peaceful and sanguine Chilean Rose Hair.) It's when I saw the BLUE LEGS that I become concerned: I know Holly has a whole procedure for cleaning its cage, and is always careful not to rile her.

But I fretted for nothing. What you see is the completely molted outer-coat carapace, discarded and perfectly intact. (Doubtless the little spitfire was darting around in her cage at that very moment, aggressively seeking out crickets.) But good grief! That picture FLOORED me.

(Of course I immediately sent it along to co-workers, one of whom deleted it without speaking about it. She was that repelled. LOL!!!)










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