For about an hour and a half today I spent time reveling in one of my favorite movies, one which I actually own but chose to watch on TV. Only yesterday my blogging friend, Jami, sent me a message on Facebook, reporting she used "our" movie for instruction in her prison program, "The Bucket List". She emphasized to me the parts I love the best from the movie---the scene where Carter and Edward are sitting on top of a mountain, looking over at the pyramids at Giza (been there!!!). Carter tells Edward the myth of the two questions asked before being allowed into heaven. Edward says, "Okay, I'll bite..." Carter goes on to recite the questions, "Have you had joy in your life?" and "Have you brought joy to the lives of others?" Answering only in the affirmative, truthfully, gets one admitted to heaven.
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When I saw this movie the first time, I was with Justin, Martie, and Linda J., my best friends on earth. I cannot imagine seeing this movie with anyone other than these two ladies and getting as much from it. Oh, and of course, Justin, the good sport who put up nicely with all the weeping! I met Jami by clicking on a button on my profile page on blogspot.com where I had listed my favorite movies, and ta da!, a long-distance friendship was born!
I go on record as being the "laugher" in the middle....especially because of the glass of Diet Coke in front of me!
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This morning I did go down to the pool to exercise my knees and since the adult pool is still under repair, I went to the teen's pool, closest to the building. I climbed down the stairs into the water and yow!, it was cold! I thought perhaps the longer I was in the water the less it would chill me but not so. Back out I climbed, carrying my cell phone and soda can with me. The air temperature was about 87 or so at the time but the water, measured by Randy when he arrived, was "only" 82. He said it was 81 last Thursday, trying to make me think that made a difference---no dice! I was not going in and that was that!
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Dawn, the aerobics instructor and Lonnie, another lady who takes the class showed up. I got to hug Lonnie because she has been gone to VA to help her daughter move and then I was gone to help my mom move. Lonnie brought me a present, specially purchased for me on her travels in VA---a cobalt blue pedestal coffee mug! She had to clean it up as it was grubby from sitting in an antique mall, where she claimed it was calling my name--KIM, KIM, KIM......I love it, love the thought and the extra effort she made to get it for me, and I will cherish it!
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She asked if she could borrow my movie, "Lady Sings the Blues" and also relieved me of a button necklace that she is going to copy for herself. Lonnie makes jewelry using buttons, which is why she found herself in the antique mall, looking for materials. I had explained about my button necklace having been tangled with a "good" necklace and she is sure she can get them separated. The gold chain had been purchased on a cruise Justin and I took several years ago and the pendant has been in my jewelry box since the chain got tangled. It will be great to have it free of its tangled mess!
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Much of my pool time was spent on the phone, at least until my battery started to fail. While I was sitting out there, watching the others aerobicize, Connie, the maintenance lady, called to me. She was standing on the porch of The Palace with a pretty blonde lady with a big dog. The new lady is Barbara, renting a unit on the 5th floor and wanting to meet people. Connie knows what she is doing by introducing us! I got Barbara's info, e-mail and telephone numbers, plus a bit of biographical data to use in the newsletter. She mentioned that she joined The Club and looks forward to going over to have dinner sometime, which I took as an invitation. So, soon, we will be dining together and becoming better acquainted! Poor thing does not know what she is getting herself into!
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As I watched "The Bucket List", I went through a small bin of photos I had in the closet from when I did up Justin's graduation photo boards for the party. I found many "old" pictures of trips gone by, including some from a trip in summer of 1995 when my family (Timmy was in utero at this time!) met Lori, David, Dustin and Jamie Out West. We went to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons together plus Dinosaur Nat'l. Monument and Craters of the Moon Park. I remember being ghastly tired on this trip, sleep would wash over me, as I was yet in my first trimester. Also in the bin were photos taken when my then-spouse and I went to Hawaii in 2000, a bittersweet trip which I am glad I was able to take, under the circumstances.
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Other photo envelopes include pictures of Justin with my dad at various times, photos of Alayna as a little girl with Justin brushing her hair and emptying the dishwasher with her at Grandma K's, and one of Justin getting a ride to school from Tommy! 
Justin had to wear his bike helmet for his ride to school on Tommy and Linda's Honda GoldWing
4 comments:
HI Kim,
I have to tell you that yesterday when I drove past McD's the temperature was 88 degrees above zero!!! I thought of you, of course.
I enjoyed the picture of Tom and Justin on the bike!!! That was a great visit, but then they all are!!!
I got you text message this afternoon, but as you know I am text challenged, so could not reply!!!
I must watch "the Bucket List" again!!
Love and hugs,
Linda J
Dear Linda J.:
Yes to the 88 above zero temps in Manty!!!!! Bravo!
I, too, like the picture of Justin with Tutor Tom but how did you like the picture of the laughing ladies? The caption, hard to read, says "Laughter is the shortest distance between friends". So is crying at the movies!! "I know where my joy is---she is sitting right next to me..." Poor Justin! He is such a good sport!
As I mentioned, Jami sent me a message about The Bucket List Monday plus I talked to my former neighbor, Kelly, about using "bucket lists" in Hospice.....Must be the week for it!
Hugs and sobs,
Kim
Kim; The picture brought back memories of "the good old days" There should be apicture of me on that bike in the archives.Some times I wonder about what makes us cry in movies and t,v.shows. I even had water eyes watching an episode of The Closer which is a not a tear provoking show(crime) but in this one Brenda the police chief had to have "kitty" put to sleep....the scene with her and the cat was tearful.Mom
Hi Mom!
The things which prompt tears are those which stir empathy for others or remembrances of our own. Where we (I will say all four of us, although Justin was mostly turned away to prevent us from seeing him) were most moved in The Bucket List was the discussion of joy and how it affects us and others. Also when it appeared that the agnostic Edward came to faith....Oops, did I give it away??
It is a wonderful blessing, according to Pastor Kuske, to be able to freely show ones' emotions and sympathy, rather than not!
Smiling at you,
Kim
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