I wore flip flops for the first time this season today. Felt good, and a bit scandalous. I’ve been waiting for days like today, like everyone yearning for spring. I let the light in, opened the windows for the fresh air and started my first phase of spring cleaning. Phase one incorporated mostly a day full of washing clothes, bedding, couch pillows and things like that, but it still felt productive. It’s the start of a new season, and hopes are as high as the pollen count (BTW, saw pollen on my windshield for the first time today as well).
I’m not sure how many phases my spring cleaning will encompass this year, as it will partially depend on my motivation and energy, but I imagine several. Not only will be I be cleaning for sprucing sake, but I’ll be continuing my SIMPLIFY theme by getting rid of items I don’t want or need. I just have too much that I don’t utilize enough to stay sitting in my apartment. The items I’ve already purged the last few months I probably can’t even list if I tried. Sometimes it’s hard to say good-bye, but once their gone, there’s barely a second thought to be had.
So, if you are a spring cleaner and plan to de-junk your abode a bit over the coming season, please be sure your trash isn’t someone else’s treasure before you simply toss. Here are just a few ideas for giving your stuff a little more life:
Recycle it (If you aren’t sure where, Google is just a click away. Almost anything can be recycled.)
Give it to someone who needs it
Sell it in a garage sale, Craigslist or eBay
Donate to Goodwill, a shelter, ministry or place like Solomon House
Recently I’ve started working with a second organization on a volunteer basis called Solomon House, a division of Out of Darkness Atlanta. Because I’ve spent so much time with past abolitionist organizations working on outreach and education, I wanted to round out my experience on the other side of the issue, including rescue, recovery and rehabilitation. Solomon House is a short-term transitional facility for women leaving prostitution. (Note: Prostitutes have often been prosecuted for their actions, however, this is changing. A more aggressive legal approach is being made to prosecute pimps rather than prostitutes as many of them did not enter it willingly. They are often trafficked or enslaved through force or coercion.) Once rescued from the streets, which is done of their own free will in deciding they are ready to leave “the business” and enter into recovery, the Out of Darkness team takes them to Solomon House. There they wait to be placed into a long-term recovery program.
Because my schedule is pretty hectic leading up to The Orange Conference, my efforts are minimal right now. But one of the things I can easily do for them is to collect items they need. These women often come off the streets with nothing, and are just learning a routine of normalcy. You and I can create a more stable environment for them with just a few things from our everyday life.
Here is a list of items I’m continually collecting, so if you’ve got anything to donate, please let me know. And if you aren’t in the Atlanta area, I have no doubt there are places like this near you that need help.
Gently used women’s clothes, accessories, bras, shoes
Small suitcases
Baskets, like small laundry baskets
Totes for carrying their things into long-term recovery
Note cards and stationary
Journals
Life Recovery Bibles
Devotional books
Books: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers or Captivating by John & Tracey Eldridge
Pens
Full-sized toiletry items like toothpaste, deodorant, body wash, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush/toothpaste, face moisturizer, razors, sanitary pads and tampons
Hair brush/comb
Socks
New underwear
Bedroom slippers
Full sized towels, hand towels and wash cloths
Pillows
PJ’s
Twin sheets and blankets
Treats: hard candy, tea, chocolate, etc.
Gift cards for Solomon House groceries
It takes approximately $5,400 to put one woman through this process of recovery. With just a little help from each of us, we can make a big difference. One woman’s life is worth it.
If you read my Oscar thoughts and predictions, or take a look at the photo above, you’ll see I was clearly hoping Lincoln would take home the Best Picture trophy. Argo, however, was a fantastic flick. It was a great year for movies, and there were a lot of well-deserved golden statues handed out tonight.
Here’s my quick recap because I’m tired, and have to get up early.
WINNERS
Overall, great show.
Seth McFarland, awesome. Very talented. I look forward to him coming back.
Loved the theme of music in the movies. Great performances.
Loved that the set dressing changed to reflect the award being given.
Loved seeing Charlize dance with Channing! Let’s see her in a movie dancing! (Loved all the dancing.)
Daniel Day-Lewis. Period.
Beautiful ending to Anne Hathaway’s speech, “Here’s hoping someday in the not-too-distant future the misfortunes of Fantine will be only found in fiction and not in real life.”
LOSERS
The camera people who couldn’t do a cutaway shot to save their lives. How did the actors react to the jokes? No idea.
The Bond tribute, if that’s what you want to call it.
The presentation of Best Picture and Best Original Song. Hated the way they lumped them all together, and not throughout the evening. And stinks that we didn’t get to see all the songs performed.
The only award I really felt was lacking was Best Actress, which will probably come as a shock to many. I though Emmanuelle Riva should’ve won. I thought Jennifer Lawrence was very good in the role, but realistically, she probably would’ve had her last in her list of nominees. I kinda felt it was more about the hype surrounding her right now.
MENU
For this party, I paid tribute to Lincoln the best way I knew how. The American way. The culinary way. With food.
I’m a filmie. It’s true. It says so right on my customized Starbucks card. (See photo. Thanks, Daron.)
Today I just finished watching all of the Best Picture Nominees for tomorrow night’s Oscars. The big glitzy night with the little golden man is pretty much my Super Bowl. I prep for this event all year long, watching movies and making predictions. And I often get asked what movies I’ve seen, or what I’d like to see win an Academy Award. I worked hard this year seeing these movies, just so I could report my thoughts to you here.
So, here you go. Here are the Oscars, from me to you.
BEST PICTURE:
Amour: It’s the story of an elderly man taking care of his wife who just had a stroke. And be warned, there’s a twist you don’t see coming. The acting is brilliant, and the scenes are long and slow so that you feel the stress and pain of the couple. I don’t think it’ll win any top awards, but it’s sure to have Foreign Language Film in the bag.
Argo: Victor Garber back in politics and semi-spying under the direction of Mr. Jennifer Garner—yes, please! It was a terrific movie, and even knowing the outcome, I was holding my breath at the end. If a movie says based on a true story, go see it. Even if you don’t want to, go. It’s an amazing cast, from the small to the big to the quirky parts.
The word on the street has this one picked as the winner, and it would be well-deserved.
Beasts of the Southern Wild: Interesting. Well done for the budget. I can’t say I really liked it, but I get the praise, and QW packs a lot of talent into that little body. So does the father, especially considering he’s not an actor but the owner of a local bakery who got talked into auditioning. I do think it’s a long shot for any awards, but an absolute honor being nominated. Cool that it ended up on the radar. Hopefully we’ll see more from these actors, writers and producers.
Django Unchained: It’s definitely Tarantino. Actually, the first two-thirds was pretty tame for him, and I really enjoyed that part. The latter third is Quintin to the max, lots of blood and violence. But kuddos that he took on such a serious subject in such a clever way.
Les Miserables: It really was beautiful, and fun to see on the big screen. The singing wasn’t Broadway-worthy, except Hugh who is no stranger there, but the performances nonetheless were all wonderful. Nothing beats the stage show, but this may be the closest it could ever come. Genius production, and so glad that Cameron Mackintosh was part of the team to keep it close to the Great White Way. And I gotta say, I’m excited to see what Tom Hooper will tackle next. After this and The King’s Speech, he’s on a roll with me.
Life of Pi: There almost aren’t words for how gorgeous this movie is. No one could’ve tackled it but Ang Lee. I never read the book, but it must have seem to readers that it would never translate to screen. I’m not sure what I expected from this flick, but it was so much more. Loved the story, and a little disappointed the main character wasn’t nominated for Actor in a Leading Role. He was outstanding. One of the characters notes that two things would come as a result of hearing Pi’s story. The first is that it would be a story worth writing and sharing, and the second is that anyone who hears it would believe in God. Agree with the character’s decision: check, check.
Lincoln: This is more than a movie. It is a work of art. I’ve seen A LOT of movies, but Lincoln goes into that special category that only a few ever do. Inspiring seems like too small a word. I will add this one to my all time fav’s, and ask everyone I know to see it. The cast is awesome, as you’d expect from Spielberg, but DDL yet again claims his place in film history. I think my jaw actually dropped from the first frame of him as Lincoln. (Someone give that makeup team an award!) Of course, the subject matter is near and dear to me, so that helped. But it really is nothing short of extraordinary. Lincoln is revered as one of the most loved and admired presidents of all time, so it was a lot to live up to. But DDL is, in my opinion, the Lincoln we’ve all dreamed of. After recently finishing a biography about The Great Emancipator, I have even more respect for him. But knowing the growth in his opinions and values over his lifetime that led to the final four months depicted in this film, I am more deeply saddened than ever before about his assassination. I, like so many others I imagine, found myself dreading the final moments of the film and wishing that it could end another way. I wonder what would’ve happened had he lived. Still, it made me more grateful for what he accomplished in his four years as President. Compassion at any level is never a small thing.
Keeping my fingers, toes, legs and eyes crossed that this one racks up the goods, including the top prize.
Silver Linings Playbook: A terrific ensemble cast, and I love the fact that it tackled mental illness which should be given more attention everywhere. Thanks, Hollywood, for stepping up. Bradley Cooper did a remarkable job with this role. Jennifer Lawrence seems to be getting more of the attention, but I personally think he did the heavy lifting. He’s just so darn pretty and talented. (Hearts for Will Tippin!) The use of humor in the movie is also incredible. Not only needed, but deserved, particularly the dining room dinner date. Everyone plays off each other so effortlessly, and it’s it clearly deserves attention.
Zero Dark Thirty: I probably wouldn’t have seen this if it wasn’t in the Best Picture lineup. It’s just not my thing. I even took my friend, Raechel, who knows a lot about current events and politics in case I had questions. 😉 But it was more intriguing than I would’ve thought. Of course, you never know what is based in reality and what isn’t, but still a good portrayal overall. And it always helps for me to see the events rather than just hear them reported. Somehow makes it more real—as wrong as that probably sounds. (PS—I just heard the term “zero dark thirty” on Homeland so perhaps it’s a real phrase. I didn’t hear it in the movie. However, I still think it sounds more like a Michael Bay summer blockbuster.)
And the winner is…
Well, personally, I hope the winner is Lincoln, but I think it will be Argo.
BONUS FEATURES:
Actor in a Leading Role: Bradley Cooper, Daniel Day-Lewis, Hugh Jackman, Joaquin Phoenix* and Denzel Washington
I want DDL to win, and I think he will.
Actress in a Leading Role: Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, Emmanuelle Riva, Quvenzhane Wallis and Naomi Watts**
I’d give it to Emmanuelle or Quvenzhane, but the buzz is all about Jessica Chastain.
Actor in a Supporting Role: Alan Arkin, Robert De Niro, Philip Seymore Hoffman*, Tommy Lee Jones and Christoph Waltz
Tough call, but I think I’d chose Christoph Waltz. This may be the tightest race of the night. All performances were quite note-worthy.
Actress in a Supporting Role: Amy Adams*, Sally Field, Anne Hathaway, Helen Hunt* and Jacki Weaver
Anne Hathaway’s “small” part was incredibly moving. I think she’s got it in the bag. And I hope she has a sandwich in there, too, because she still needs to put on a few pounds.
Director: Michael Haneke, Benh Zeitlin, Ang Lee, Steven Spielberg and David O. Russell
I feel confident the stars and I are aligned on Spielberg.
*I haven’t seen The Sessions or The Master.
**The Impossible is a terrific movie. I highly recommend. Lots of tears will be shed if you’re anything like me, but it is a phenomenal true story and puts a face to the tragedy. It would’ve also been fitting to see the oldest son get a nomination. He was tremendous.
Sure, there’s a brief bio on this site, but that hardly encapsulates the person behind the blog. So, I’m feeling a little like sharing today. Sharing is caring, right?
Here are some tidbits from me to you.
1. I hate to read, but I read a lot. I know it’s beneficial, but for me it’s not enjoyable. These days, though, I mostly listen to books on my way to work via Audible.com because I have a long commute. Thank goodness for technology.
2. I have Pinterest boards dedicated to peanut butter and lemon. They are two of my most favorite things in the world. I don’t buy PB for my house because it’s way too tempting to just eat by the spoonful. And you’ll rarely find my water without a lemon in it—or two or three.
3. I’m really not sure if I graduated from driver’s ed. Our car was in the shop on the days we were supposed to learn to parallel park. That truth is reflected in the way I parallel park. I think there was something else we missed on those days, too, but can’t remember what it is. I’m sure I’ll think of it just as I get pulled over by the blue lights and siren.
4. I’m really not sure if my college degree is valid. I substituted a lot of my Bible and math classes for theater. Luckily, my dean was also my director.
5. I typically eat one thing at a time on my plate. Really not sure where this came from, but I’ve done it as long as I can remember. I generally work my way up to the item I like best.
6. I hate to drive. Obviously, Atlanta is a city where it’s necessary to drive. And I have a long commute, so I spend a lot of time in my car. But I do not like it. I remember asking for a chauffeur around the time I was supposed to get my driver’s license.
7. I wear a sleeping mask. A few years ago I had a lot of sleeping issues. I tried everything I could think of and others suggested to help. One of those was a sleeping mask. Now I can’t sleep without one. And because I’m a night owl who detests mornings, it really helps me ease into a new day.
8. I’m not a fan of escalators. This trauma goes back to when I was about three years-old, I think. My mom and I were in a department store and my shoelace got stuck in the escalator we were on. It scared me to death. To this day I’m pretty careful how I step on them, and mindful the whole ride.
9. I grew up on a farm. That’s probably the one that takes people most by surprise. I’m the furthest thing from a farm girl, and pretty much always was. I always wanted to be a city girl, and thanks to growing up, now I am.
10. I helped deliver my best friend’s first baby. Well, I held her foot during the process of labor and encouraged her along the way, but the earlier is my version of the story. I didn’t plan to be in there for the labor, but things just started happening quickly and I the job got handed to me, so to speak. Many of my close friends know that I hate feet. They’re dirty and smelly and ugly. So Heather knew in that moment just how much I love her.
Well, now you know me just a little bit better. Of course, we are all quite complicated beings so that’s the tip of the iceberg. Maybe there will be more to come. But I need to ease you into it. 😉
I wore flip flops for the first time this season today. Felt good, and a bit scandalous. I’ve been waiting for days like today, like everyone yearning for spring. I let the light in, opened the windows for the fresh air and started my first phase of spring cleaning. Phase one incorporated mostly a day full of washing clothes, bedding, couch pillows and things like that, but it still felt productive. It’s the start of a new season, and hopes are as high as the pollen count (BTW, saw pollen on my windshield for the first time today as well).
Mental Post-Its 