Son of Hamas

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I recently finished reading Mosab Hassan Yousef’s book, Son of Hamas.  I subscribe to Joel Rosenberg’s blog and was a reference to the book from him.  I’ve never really thought too much about the Israel-Palestine conflict.  I have to say that this book gave me an interesting perspective and insight that I really appreciate.  Joel actually wrote a review of this book out on Amazon entitled, “Love your Enemies?  How the Son of the Founder of Hamas went from Jihad to Jesus”.  Of course I had to read the review after that title.  Naturally, I had to read the book after I read Joel’s review!

Overall, the things I found most interesting was the intrigue as Mosab becomes a spy for the Israeli Intelligence service.  The challenges he faced trying to do the right thing and to keep his father safe while keeping his true loyalties concealed are just so interesting.  I wonder how much more of the story has been hidden.  I’d like to have more of the gritty details that I felt he glossed over perhaps in the interest of his personal security or Israeli security – dunno.  It just feels like there is more to this story than he is saying.

That being said, I still found this to be a very interesting book.  It becomes clear that neither the Israeli nor the Palestinians are totally the good guys or totally the bad guys.  They both do evil.  They both have their perspectives.  All in all – interesting story of a man’s life and God’s hand in it.

Eat Pray Love

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I never read the novel, Eat Pray Love, so I have no idea whether the movie stays true to the book or the spirit of the book.  Or, if the movie tells a different story than the book does.  I know that some folks get irritated if the movie tells a different story.  I actually enjoy that!  If I’ve read the book, I don’t need to see it in movie form.  What I can imagine is better than anything Hollywood will ever be able to create!

Overall, I thought this movie was just ok.  I’d give it 3 stars.  It has a lot of talking.  A lot.  Also, it is a total chick flick.  I’m a little more of an action girl.  I don’t mind some talking as long as it’s interesting.  I found myself thinking blah blah blah through a lot of the dialogue in this flick.  Or – whatever.  =D

My favorite part of this flick was Javier Bardem.  Wow – this is an actor with some depth!  I loved him in No Country for Old Men.  He was a very, very scary hit-man.  In Eat Pray Love he does a great job in this role too.  James Franco is pretty good too.  He plays such quirky guys.  I think my favorite James Franco character though is the one he played in Pineapple Express.  Yeah, I know.  I can’t explain it either.  I’m a freak.

If you find Eat Pray Love on HBO or Starz and you don’t have anything better to do, there are worse ways to pass a couple of hours.

The Fighter

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We finally caught this movie over the weekend.  Wow – great movie!  It’s a little on the dark side though. 

Basically, we meet Micky and Dicky Ward.  Micky is played by Mark Wahlberg, an up and coming fighter, although he is getting a little old for this profession.  And Dicky is played by Christian Bale, who is supposed to be Micky’s trainer.   This movie is based on the true story of these brothers.

Dicky is a has-been boxer that once had a fight with Sugar Ray Leonard.  It’s his one claim to fame.  He talks about it nearly constantly too.  There is some disagreement as to whether Dicky knocked him down or if Sugar Ray tripped.  Dicky is a crack addict that is completely caught up in his own legend.  Christian Bale completely transforms himself – again – for a movie.  He’s skinny and plays the role all-in.  He did a great job in this role.

Their mother, Alice played by Melissa Leo, functions as Micky’s manager.  She is completely focused on Dicky, though, even though Micky is supposed to be getting his title shot.  The fights she arranges for Micky are just unacceptable.  It is really shocking that she is ok putting him in the ring against some of those opponents.  Alice is a complicated woman.  She is absolutely confident that she knows what is best for her kids and she expects complete obedience.  Yet – it doesn’t seem to go her way very often when all is said and done.

Micky’s girlfriend, Charlene played by Amy Adams, is the best thing that ever happened to him.  She manages to loosen the death grip his family has on him and turns the tide with regard to how they pull him down.  I have to say that I absolutely loved it when Amy and Micky’s 7 sisters got into a fist-fight.  Wow!  Crazy stuff!  I loved how Charlene stood up to the whole family and had no issues taking them all on for Micky’s good from the moment she became Micky’s girlfriend.  It’s a good thing she was a strong woman!

The family dynamic is so dysfunctional.  It just boggles the mind!  Alice had 9 kids!!!  Yikes!  The other 7 are all girls.  Just looking at all their big hair brought back memories of the 80’s.  Man!  Those were not good years for fashion or hairstyles, just saying.  =p 

The scene where Dicky is resisting arrest and Micky gets sucked in is just.so.shocking.  I just can’t believe that it happened.  Also, the fact that Dicky thinks that the HBO crew following him around to film his ‘comeback’ even though they keep telling him that it’s a documentary on the realities of crack addition is just so very sad!

I have to say that Christian and Melissa deserved their Academy Awards, in my opinion.  I’m a little disappointed that this film didn’t take Best Picture.  I think it deserved the award.

If you haven’t seen The Fighter yet, you should make time for it.  It’s not often I recommend a dark movie but this one is worth your time. 

Memories of a life well-lived and a man who was bigger than life

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March 2, 2009 is a day of sorrow for my family.  We lost a beloved husband, father, and man that day. 

I was there with him nearly 24 hours a day in the final 9 days of his life.  Here we are 2 years out and these days are still hard for me.  As many of you know, I tend to have insomnia (it feels like that’s a problem for me most of the time).  We call it the Olinger curse in my family as it’s something that has plagued generations of the women in my family.  The Olinger curse is typically worse for me these 9 days than any other day of the year.  I suppose it’s all so … fresh … still … after 2 years have passed!

I called my father BigD.  Others in the family called him Dad or Pops.  It’s funny how we each had a name for him.  It’s also fitting.  He was the type of father we each needed.  I didn’t realize that until we were all grown and out of the house.  I have many fond memories of my childhood.  My father was devoted to his family.  He made sure that we had everything we needed.  He taught us how to do things he thought important for us to know.  He played with us.  I still remember him taking us sledding when we lived in Alexandria.  He’d lay on the sled and we would all sit on his back as we flew down the snowy hill!  He made time for all the kids in the neighborhood too.  Even on his deathbed we laughed about my tendency to chase the other kids off because he was “my daddy” and I only wanted him to play with us.

My father was not perfect – who is?  He was, however, a great father, friend, and man.  He was someone you could count on.  He was someone you could trust.  He was a man who did his best.  He was a man who did his duty no matter what.  He loved his family.  He was a man who was well loved.

Folks say it gets easier after a loss like this.  We are only 2 years into living with this.  I wouldn’t say it gets easier.  I think the reality is that you just learn to live with the loss and treasure your memories even more.  That said, all I can say is:  “It is Well with My Soul.”  BigD loved this particular version of this beloved hymn.  It’s performed by The Isaacs.  It never failed to move him when they took it a cappella around the 2 minute mark. 

My mother taught me to love music.  My BigD introduced me to my love of sacred bluegrass.  To this day, I love the “stained glass blue grass” best of all the music I own.  Since my father’s death, I can’t hardly stand to listen to it … still.  For those of you who were in the hospital room with me that fateful night, you will understand why it makes me weep to this day.  This photo is one of my favorite pictures of my parents.  What a striking couple!  It was taken on their wedding day.  My mother’s father and her 2 sisters are sitting behind my parents. 

Here are some of my favorite photos of BigD:

     

        

     

             

  

Rest in peace, BigD.  By the way, tell Jesus my bags are still packed and by the door.  I’m ready and waiting!  =D