Oscars magic is on again. The hoopla, ceremonies and after parties (which I would add to my bucket list, except the rule is it has to be realistic), the fashion, styles, fashion 9-1-1 that it brings. Me, along with millions in audience joined to celebrate the #bestofeverything in MOVIES' biggest question it asks me of this night? "What movie will it entice me to see first?" Rapt with anticipation millions in I began surfing on the net ::: long before social media platforms and media stand were beginning to stand ready ::: I discovered that minuscule morsel that would begin to react in mere minutes... A hashtag to be noted to give praise and honor not only the winners, but the nominated for their talent.
The biggest makeover of years before ::: not a person but a symbol ::: of movies, excite-ment, media buzz, or dresses. Floating out to the net was the best story I found from The Daily Mail was that the infamous statue had a makeover for this year (2016)!! We peruse and wonder who hasn't won yet? Right, Leonardo Dicaprio hasn't. Will he finally be restituted to the kingdom of the gifted for a generation? Hardly, it's a snap for him this year in his portrayal in Re-something filmed outside a Canadian city that blasts fumes from the money from its oil billions to only ruin the environment? Uh-hem, he became an expert by just experiencing our unique Chinook mild weather miracle in our parts called Calgary. What are Chinook winds you asked dear Leonardo? Why they are a weather phenomena unique to our climate near the greatest city on the earth: Calgary. I bet you didn't know that the warm west winds we all adore, written by our own Calgary Herald at the turn of the last century:
“Those who have not the warm, invigorating Chinookwinds of this country, cannot well comprehend what a blessing they are. The icy clutch of winter is lessened, the earth throws off its winding sheet of snow. Humanity ventures forth to inhale the balmy spring like air. Animated nature rejoices.” (1900–Calgary weekly Herald)
Sidetracked as usual I am to return to the drool of glamor and stunning dresses. I began my journey, with thoughts erupting in my head, and spoke to me:
“Na-uh honey, thatz pose ta be only da one shouldr” ~Andra Day
“fly-e-EYE-iiiiiiiiiii like a bird …..” ~Cate Blanchette
“No, you’re right … I wasn’t sure what look I was going for.” ~Olivia Wilde
So far my favorite gown is: pulled adorned from her makeup, to her hair to beautifully fitting gown ::: Sophia Vergara ::: proving that a woman in my mind's age can shine over those 20 years her junior:
Sophia is 43 years old! GASP! We should all celebrate how wonderful she looks!!
What an outstanding #Oscar acceptance by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy’s for "The Girl in the River"
Earlier in 2012, Chinoy had won the Oscar for her documentary film ‘Saving Face’ that focused on Pakistan’s another grim issue of disfiguring of the faces of girls and women by men on various pretexts by throwing acid at them.
‘A Girl In TheRiver: The Price Of Forgiveness’ was among five films which were nominated for this year's Academy Award in the BestDocumentary-Short Subject category.
On February 22, Sharmeen’s Oscar nominated documentary was screened at a programme held at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad. On the occasion, Premier Nawaz Sharif had said thegovernment is set to formulate legislation to put a curb on thekillings of women in the name of honour.
Sharmeed Obaid Chinoy holds a rare distinction of being among the nine women film directors in the world to have won Oscars for non-fiction films.
Biggest Oscar erruption ::: when Sam Smith upsets Lady Gaga
SamSmith's Writing's on the Wall is the first behind a long list of talent to be finaly named for its first Oscar. I wrote about this song a few months ago for how wonderful I found it when I wrote about it on my blog Meanderings called; called:
Best movies watched before Oscar night :::Before I even cared about winners in order of favorites:
1) Straight outta Compton which I had watched, thought incredible, and wrote about long before the Oscar's white out controversy. You couldn't fail to notice whatever was missing in nominations were presented in FULL COLOR by presenters from past winners like Whooppee Goldberg, Denzel Washington, Quincy Jones.
2) Amy::: a documentary about Amy MillHouse, shed light on not just her musical talent, but also her challenges, showing she was snuffed out to wayyyy toooo early.
3) Spotlight::: about investigative journalism and the men and women who dedicate themselves, regardless how earth shaking and controversial it may be, need to be told for the victims. If for nothing else in the world.
Cuteness reigned and knocked out several adorable Imagineered characters, of the likes of The Room's Jacob Trembley:
Guest mischievious The Minions were there
Will Jason Tremblay avoid the traps of so many former child stars? Become a sad second acts having trouble as grown ups.
Granted, I'm Canadian, as many of you know. What you may not recognize is that we do tend to pay attention to controversies, news and politics south of our borders.
My first reaction to the blasphemy gone amok everywhere would be the fuss over the white out of the Oscars this year. I thought:
let the best man or woman win.
it is the academy, peers, who votes on the nominees
color or gender should not sway nominees
the best performances are recognized
being nominated raises your value
movies you may not have heard of inspire you to watch
the big studios, i.e. most capital, gain the most attention
above, except if you're Oprah Winphrey
I was wrong. I watched "Straight out of Compton" last night and was really impressed for many reasons:
I didn't know how RAP or HIP-HOP or GANSTA evolved until now
While I was in my 20s in the 1980s, this phenomena was emerging
The story itself is worth recognizing
The evolving characters transformed into big names in the music business
What they did for music was profound
We need this kind of music in our world, as musical journalism per se
There was a lot of racism, bias experienced these gifted musicians
They had to be dedicated and passionate to keep on no matter the struggles
I like the music now (in the 80s I was probably tuned into David Bowie)
There was a grave oversight by the Oscar community to ignore this poignant film that is both historical and inspirational. Although, I may not agree with the stand that black (that's what we call them in Canada since Afrocanadian hasn't been given as an option to African American) artists like Will Smith have taken by boycotting the Oscars. By being there in person they ARE making a stand for artists of any color contribute to our entertainment. Come on, we all have gone through days when we didn't want to go to school or work because we didn't agree with something, but we were forced to by our parents.
You have got to be stronger than the issue at hand. Don't align yourself with a statement that takes a side that you don't want forever to be associated with. I vaguely recall Marlon Brando using his Oscar nod for creating sympathy for the cause of Native North Americans.
Think about Leonardo Dicaprio's statements on Canada's oil just because he filmed at a location close to here. All of a sudden, he is an expert. Why not take a stand with class like Clint Eastwood did when filming his Oscar film "Forgiven" filmed close to my home in Calgary. He captured the beauty and magnificence. We aren't all roughnecks drilling for oil. Some of us love where we are from and what that means. We don't need a brief visitor like Dicaprio to insult the citizens of his host.
"Straight outta Compton" SHOULD have had some nominees for the Oscars. It was breathtaking in its honesty and historical significance to how black lives mattered in bringing a whole new genre to our musical ears. The cast transformed themselves into the heroes unfolded during the 80s, making a significant impact by its honest lyrics and reflection of the times. Personally, the upheaval that groups like Led Zepplin and The Rolling Stones had on our older siblings, were lost until many years later. We rode the short-lived disco wave but started the dance movement that allowed ABBA, David Bowie and Fleetwood Mac to be forever iconic in our minds. While many of us were watching those artist, there was a musical revolution going on that we were just too self-absorbed to have noticed. Have a look at this brief trailer:
I'm really glad I watched this movie. It brought so much reality to the bias, racism that these wonderKIDS plowed through and brought the gift of musical journalism: a voice of what was REALLY going on around us. I agree, it shouldn't have been acceptable. While it is easy to glance back shamefully noting that we may have been more than ignorant to the plight of these citizens.
I stand behind Paul Giamatti's portrayal of a sleezy white manager who filled his own pockets long before his clients ever did: I can just imagine how widespread this was. I like how the film brought into the fold how wrong it was. Some of us may have been aware, but not at the same capacity that black musicians and artists were ripped off. For that fact alone, this film should have more widespread recognition for its statement alone.
"Straight outta Compton" is definitely worth a watch.
Have you ever noticed that if you're in a good mood, you tend to be receptive to being entertained? That was the magic of a date with Hunkster Hubster and a movie, going home to him making Tacos. Can life get any better? Certainly, from the opening sequence with the Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico, the vibe and energy was outstanding!
Well from this side of the theatre, life was grand indeed. I admit, that sprouting love spirits date night with movies, holding hands, and laughter. Hunkster Hubster and I haven't been married 10 years yet. We went on a vacation, blended a family of teenagers, and weathered their theatrics together. We were living on the edge then, just like Daniel Craig's appealing James Bond character with the outstanding talent of Director, Sam Mendes firmly planted as the film's visionary.
I don't want to ignore the fact that if it wasn't the imagineering of Ian Flemming, this force of movie franchise would never have been started. It blends the tradition of a great story with the seat-jumping startling action and effects. Like the splendid, beautiful glory of the cinematographer's canvass that unfolds before us. It is like the franchise itself, similarly, are gliding into the sunset with the right person or audience by its side. I did jump a few times, unexpectedly being jolted to the magnetizing special effects and Cinematography Graphic Illustrations (CGI) -- that may not be the exact acronym definition, but it works for me. Forbes took a look behind the scenes of the Sony movie.
Admitally, my radar sensors did go up when I was at HP (Hewlett-Packard) and it was sharing with its global world wide tech/engineering workforce of the highest magnitude, was telling us how HP was fueling the emerging technology of movie and image blending to catapult into the stratosphere while everyone else had their eye off the biggest ball, all chasing after DATA and CLOUD. I will vere back to my original topic. (At least you know what others perceive or drives family crazy, is how I can jump from a story into a side topic and then jump back with "anyway, as I was saying, don't interrupt me verbage". What this Blog amounted to was celebrating the phase in life that you're in, regardless of age. There are sunrises and sunsets, with the odd fireworks that will eventually settle into a comfortable, companionable, non-dramatic life. Sharing those previous hectic and often crazy times, made a bond that is simply amazing. Without the stress of being a parent together, and each other's biggest ally and trusted advisor, we could be the leaning post, non-interfering when the other has to deal with a child issue.
It all takes turns. We go from being serene, to splendidly entertained, then satisfyingly fulfilled in having a quiet moment to share in peace and harmony. We sure went over mountains together and apart, to start coasting on the other side. No longer reaching impatiently to what life had in store, but settling contently that sure there are things you may have wanted to avoided or changed, but this part in our lives, is certainly not one of them. Take a few minutes out, turn up the volume, lean back and just listen to this:
Just saw this this afternoon and utterly entertaining, superb and unravelling of the talent involved on one of the best for 2015 in Spectre. You can't miss the remarkable cinematography with panoramic backdrops that make you feel you are right on the set. We sure forgot fast what the true movie experience is all about. We've gone from theatres to televisions to HD to mega movies in a blink of an eye. This sure makes me feel somehow, how grateful it feels to be thankful to be in my 50s. Not fighting the uphill climb anymore, still magnificent in many ways, reaching in to the creativity that has long bubbled beneath us. The suffocation similar lyrics in this song, is highly relatable. #Spectre #JamesBond #DanielCraig #danielcraig #Sam Mendes (not yet registering on the stratosphere identity plugger powerhouse of Google. #Spectre is at the bottom of a viral sensation upward vertical curve.
5 out of 5 *Stars for this brilliantly entertaining movie that will appeal to the masses.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian patriots, friends, family, followers, readers and everyone in between. Lucky for me, I have the whole weekend off, except Monday. Being in thank-ful mode, I do appreciate what I am able to.
The kids will be coming over, with the Stepdaughter bringing a ham, my middle daughter, a fruity baked creation (yummm) and my adorable son. Sadly, my baby is still in Vancouver yet will be celebrating it with my mom, brother, his wife, their daughter and certainly her beau. We'll see if she heeds my advice from our long chat last night: to have Matt pick up a bouquet at Safeway and have it split and wrapped into two wrappings (to be economically wise) and have the ladies swoon.
NEEDED: Someone who can animate or GIFF this? Full CREDIT .This art was created by Markam Shrak
Why are guys so dumb sometimes? It IS spelt out to them everything: in commercials, in the supermarket, on television. It won't mean anything until they run banners along the bottom of videogames - streaming branding. Can you imagine Coca Cola do a 15 ministrobe flash on your device - why is it that shortened names to only keep the original names i.e. Coke?
You aren't getting it yet? This blog was a kinda talking myself out loud thinking some fellow women and sisters would think I was talking with her. A friend. Right there. Hey you felt lost between vegging watching TV and then rolling a joint and then just see what takes shapes.
I seriously should have interjected because my friend Wasp (replaced to protect anonymity)has jumped on the keyboard and chill out with you.
"KEEP SMILING" my ode to you
You're hear so far. So, I'm guessing, go far so good. Woman, girlfriend, daughter, niece, friend, maybe even follower. You're here because you'r a bit unsettled. Ajusting to the feeling that age is around the corner and it's really scary.
Hunkster Hubster and I first started marathon watching, or binge watching was when he had a much younger set of kids. Four of them living together, our roof. Me and the hunkster hubster figured out pretty soon that our really awesome individual kids were great big panksters whenever we never around. On each other, an innocent communication to get attention.
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Every time we have them over. There always seem to be a new tale. I started it about 7 years ago when Hunkster Hubster and I had a family. His one daughter who was a fifteen year old that it amazed me could walk with that big giant chip on her shoulder weighing her down. Times like that were such good times. These sidebars will be my saviour. Saving my ass from going on a tangent of nothing relevant to what I'm writing, but a burst of a though or memory that needs to be shared. This wisdom that I imparted to all my three daughters have worked out. Desiree is getting married next summer. She is marrying a super buy. If you were to try to set up the perfect guy and get by order, wouldn't that be something. I don't know how many times I've told them all that they are going to have to kiss a lot of toads before you find the worthy one. The worthy one is who I am going to define men in your lives as such:
Bread winners: they make decent money (nix millionaires)
They like their music: but they are not necessarily musicians because I perceive being in a committed relationship with a musician would be really hard. Often they are so good looking they could be looked at twice, having others think he must be a retired rock star.
They are good with their hands: Well, ummm, this is no Sisters Shades of 50 Grey. I guess, unless that is one of the topics we want to explore.
Alrighty then. Forcing myself, and if you're still ready, probably to think of the asshole(s) who broke my heart. That was like a splash of cold water, cool awakening.
I need you to have a listen to this music video. Have a lot of good vibes watching it. If it makes you want to stand and dance, just go ahead and doing. Hunkster hubster is fast asleep on the couch. Hogging the remote in case I grab it to watch "Magic Mike with Tatam hearthrob what's his name. F*** I always transposed that: Channing Tatam.
Plenty of you out there. I guess you're the same. You are a pretty good person, work oriented, kids oriented, family oriented, smart, curious, inquisitiveness, creative, idea persons, musicians, artists, players, actors, You believed that whole getting married in the 80s means. Ha ha ha ... t'would appear I'm assembling my audience. Are they going to come check this out and subscribe willingly:
Carry on reading now as we both listen to the song together. So, it's going to be the new Women's Conspiracy Theory. A group of women by invite who dispense their own conspiracy theories on life, women in career, Lean In Chicks, Life Coaches and really around basic nice, smart lady thing you have going on. Listen honey, they're looking for tigers all around you and themselves and all they see is those tigers. Yet there you are, in the very midst of all of them and are unique. Not in a wallflower, stand and tap music kinda of a thing. More like day dreaming about this sort of thing:
So what do you normally do on a Sunday night? And way way back to my starting to watch marathon movie shoes. I'm blasted away and so surprised. The Killing is the best I've watched since Sons of Arnarcy (what the heck, how do you spell that think??) and before SAMCRO (that's easier) it was BREAKINGbad. Somewhere in the midst of it, we realized that with the new OPTIK TV (copyright TELUS) we can rewatch series that were televised, not that very long ago the wonderkind emergences of #Netflix. Now, I'm really not what you would call your typical TV or MOVIE watcher. I didn't start watching movies or on TV until I hit 50. Stop falling on the ground and yank yerself to your feet, you dumb moron.
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I rarely watch TV. I was born in 1961. We started living in Germany by 1969. Norm was an airforce avionics specialist. Take that stat now. What are the chances that my dad chose a career in the military that universities weren't even carrying yet.
He was the equivalent of a phD in that field.
There are so many people of its kind out there. Wasn't big philanthropist take on this cause. For example, if you have been a sales professional for 15 years with a stellar track record. They are The Women's Conspiracy. Only a true member will uncover what their's may be. Yes, it could be a FOODIE MARKETER SPEAKER manager, educator, performer, administrator.
Do we really care? We're going to hang out and read, write, watch and collectively decide what matters. If I create other sites where we women decide what matter. We don't need admirable Mrs. Obama, Ms. Fiorini , Lean In *insert name* Oprah Winfrey (respectfully). I think we're a little bit more special. We're a fraternity of girls who have grown into women, have had a women's lib melt down once or twice before.
We've been on a rollercoaster ride during our lives and now we've come around to be inspirators, creators, artists, poets, writers, journalists, beauty designer, clothes brands, shoe fettishes, and way too many pieces. Now don't force me to give up buying accessories: which we gave birth, in the sixties no less on offcast of groovy styles while we had mothers who first appeared as the wife in Mad Men *insert name*.
So are you keen? Are you a Woman Conspiracy Theorist? Let me know. If I like your blog (blogs that help on life matters, foodies, beauty, fashion, artists, creators, artists, musicians, vocalists, poetry or lyrics. If you want to be here, find me.
Even if you won't ever come back and read or visit again, I sure hope you had as much of a blast as I did making this tonight. Yeppers, after midnight when all accountants, lawyers, construction workers, administrators, stocktraders, sales professionals, transportation drivers, barge captain or professional athlete .... we be all up writing, listen to music, flipping through videos, reading up on the latest interest. Sharing a sleeplessness of how is tomorrow going to be?
Growing up in the 60s/70s you hit your stride in the 80s. LOL at those styles, good heavens. I bet you're a bit of a style horse still. We were kids in the most optimistic of times. All our dads were working, our moms sometimes while often taking care of the family was her full time job ad priority. Our personal wellbeing, a direct advertisement on how life has treated you.
Noooooooooooooooo, I don't want to bet you. GHEeshh. That's not who I am. I'm a direct talker. Imagine that, I decided right then I no longer wanted to ever see, read or write "direct shooter" again. Why would I listen to to the news being devastated as though it happened to me. I think I was given an extra dose of empathy from my creator.
So how else can I attract a strong, dynamic, smart, professional, got the world by the *alls, and know you haven't done your very best "thing". Have you figured out what that is?
Well, I know the main thing. We can't do it alone can we? The sidebars on my Blog page can always be updated, even if I can't always right as much as I'd love to. There will some among of us that would like to jump in. Respond. Say what you think? Can we create an online fraternity of women who are beyond average, have a lot to offer, and with the right support and mentoring by the right role models.
The rules will be very few but unbendable, without exception a forum for gender rights, feminism, and female issues by vote. As your leader, scribe, and promoter, I will profess to promise to be a good example for anyone anywhere, without notice. Not drunk, stoned, lonely or melancholy. We want to help each other.
We will come up with a pledge so that only those who are voted in and qualify, will be given an emblem to share wherever they want. As a bumper sticker, on all their social media profiles, author pages, artists pages, musicians pages, We will give each member a chance to present themselves, their bios, their likes, their favorite flowers, movies, music, best ever book they're written, read and highly recommend and why?
Another promise I can almost assure. If it catches on, we'll create ways that we can identify our members. That's where I need people who have hidden talents and can get things done. They'll be SEO pros, IT gurus, CLOUD masters, APP developers, smartphone geeks.
Eek, I guess I went off on a real meandering about a bunch of different things. I'm sure if I keep coming back and reading, I will want to continue editing it, tweaking it. More, different photos, quotes and outside links. Maybe I can make money off of links rather than ADworks from #Google.
Well, I did include Heinz Tomatoe, maybe they'll dish out some do shopping money because it was an artistic statement used as an example without any intent to infringe on any copyright, and to only use it as a creative example of getting a message across by borrowing an image that captures the point you are making. In fact, I'm sharing the coolest image I found today ...
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My favorite day of the week is Saturdays. It has long been my chillax day. The best part is rolling out of bed any where between 9 am and 12:30 pm. I love it when the Hunkster Hubster has it made and sends our dog, Buddy, upstairs. Buddy's jobs is to wake me up. As a natural herder, he is talented at digging his wet cold nose on my face, not liking me, but ending up nuzzled in my neck. Which is by no ways a way you want to be shock into becoming awake.
Then I do.
I cannot believe it. Still, I have meandering and carried on. Completely omitting the reason why I wrote this Blog. How the Hunkster Hubster and I forayed into our first binge watching or weekend marathon with The Lord of the Rings. From his collection. We were having this conversation where I said I hadn't seen the movie when it was the biggest book of my life: my Grade 5 teacher Mr. Quinn, started reading it to us every Friday afternoon for the last couple of hours of class. Then based on behaviour criteria, he chose one of us students to go to the front of the room and read the next number of chapters of The Hobbit. That person also was given a stamp. Yes, most of us were engaged, well behaved students, gloriously best with the best teacher, if not ever, the best teacher in its time. I went on my own and read the Lord of the Rings. That may have seemed quite an accomplishment for Grade 5, but it launched my love of reading.
Hunkster Hubster is these days playing "Farga" that
driving game that is new to X-Box. That is, if the Seattle Seahawks are playing on the NFL. I get to spend an hour to three just looking at what is on the web. Quite often, I could be on a mission after reading a book that I was so pleased with: The Girl in the Spider's WEB by David Lagercrantz, who has masterfully carried on the same feel and story as though it were still written by the Stieg Larsson's series that hooked me: "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."
Let me see, what draws me first? I'm going to say Facebook, then Twitter, if Pinterest or Linked IN haven't grabbed me beforehand. Then I'm Jeannette in just chill mode. Absorption ready. Eyes sharp for that great image or idea that ignites my imagination. Then this overwhelming feeling takes over like I'm being dragged to either of my blogs and writes something about what needs to be written.
I don't expect you to like every selection of music I chose. Then again, it is MY blog ... lol, giggles.
I chuckle, here I went, sidetracked on telling you about the series I highly recommend watching. I'm a fan of detective, mystery, thrillers, and "The Killing" on NETFLIX is masterful. It grabs you really early on and you are transfixed on the events that unfold. The trailer won't do it justice.
Don't be discouraged that there are four seasons. You will only regret if you don't give it a try. The acting, script, setting from Seattle should be getting a lot more attention. True Detective was at the top of the game when they launched it. But I hardly think those fans will mind watching this one.
I wonder if I'm on the right track? Will I be able to attract new subscribers or followers? It sure is a matter of self discipline. I like what I'm writing, I see how it is evolving and decided what it can be about.
Send me a note on Twitter, Facebook or Google if you're on board and/or whether you want to be @optioneerJM Women Conspiracy member. We've got lots to talk about. My main goal is to help it avoid being a lonely, isolated one. You know, you can be surrounded by people, do a lot of things, even accomplish a lot. Where's your safe zone?
This can be it. We'll be focussing on the positive force of being pushed into 50. Neither a Baby Boomer yet likely a parent of a Millinnial. People should paying attention to us. We've been squished from both sides. We're the ones making a difference while faded into the background on the tidal wave of events happening in our world.
It is like an open forum, mic turned on, and people tuned in to what is really going on. This is not gender specific, it is gender influenced. The issues facing both ones, are sometimes very similar, and in some unresolved ones.
"Stay inquisitive"
~Jeannette Marshall
Until next time ... have the sweetest of sweet dreams:
