Dinner and “Lawrence of Arabia” with a Friend of Mine:

(9 pm. – promoted by ek hornbeck)

Hi, everybody;

Again…sorry for my prolonged absences.  I’ve been busy with my comissions/projects in silversmithing, but equally important, a friend of mine and I had a wonderful night out.    Because her car totally went on the fritz and she’s still looking for a new one, I picked her up at her house in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston, and we went out to eat at a reasonably-priced Thai restaurant in Brookline’s Coolidge Corner area.   I then accompanied her while she walked a sheltie that she walks several times per week, and then we went to the Coolidge Corner Theatre to secure our seats.

The Coolidge Corner Theatre changed to digital projection, and, since I was one of the ones who donated some money to the funding for the theatre, in order to help make the changeover to digital projection possible, I had received an invitation in the mail to a free screening of the digitally-restored and remastered version of the film Lawrence of Arabia, another great old classic that I like a great deal and have seen more than once, although it still doesn’t hold the very special place in my heart regarding movies as West Side Story does.   I RSVP’d by email right away to the person who made this possible, after calling up a long-time good friend, who also wanted to see LOA, and had her put me on the list for bringing myself and my friend.  I immediately was confirmed with an email message back, telling me that I was on the list for two.  

The digitally-restored and remastered version of the film Lawrence of Arabia, like that of West Side  Story, was absolutely pristine and like new, as were both soundtracks to these films.  

Lawrence of Arabia also had some excellent actors in them, and it was great to see a digitally-restored version of another great old classic film.

As for digital projection, I think that’s going to be the wave of the future, and I was proud to have donated some money to the Coolidge Corner Theatre (of which I’m a member) in order to make it possible for it to stay open and have all kinds of films shown there.  The Brattle Theatre, in Cambridge, MA,  which has only one screen,  has also raised the funds for conversion not only to digitial projection, but to a new heating and cooling system for their theatre as well.  I didn’t donate to the Brattle Theatre, however, because I don’t go to the Brattle Theatre as often.  

Unfortunately, however, many of the remaining independent, non-profit movie theatres here in the United States will not survive on the long run, due to their inability or unwillingness to convert to digital projection, but I suspect that it’s more that many independent movie theatres won’t be able to afford the upgrade, due to expenses.  It’s really unfortunate, because there’s already a dearth of independent, non-profit movie theatres that play all kinds of movies, including classics, here in the United States, generally.

I was glad that I’d donated, and helped keep the Coolidge Corner Theatre open.  There are some multiplex cinemas that’re starting to play digitally restored and remastered versions of great, golden oldie but keeper classic films.  That, too, is a good idea, but let’s hope more of them catch on to it.  Hey…if West Side Story were to come back to a movie theatre in my general area every 3-6 months, I’d be happy as a clam about that…and I’m not kidding when I say this!

When I told my mom about driving the 2 hours out to Hadley, MA to see a screening of the digitally-restored, remastered version of the film West Side Story, she wasn’t surprised.  “I know you go see West Side Story whenever you have a chance.” she said, sort of smilingly.  “Yup.  That’s true.”  I said.  

On to other things:

I’m aiming to take the TKD test, and hopefully pass over into and receive my Blue Stripe in June.  March would’ve been too hurried for me.  I know the steps well enough, but there’s one step that involves a take-down, and, since I’m post-menopausal, I don’t want to take any falls, due to the possibility of having a debilitating fracture.  (At my age, I can’t afford it!).  I plan on talking to a Senior instructor there and asking if I should get a note from my doctor (a woman), who knows I’ve been taking TKD, especially since I started it two years ago last November.  I don’t want to quit…that would suck big time for me, nor do I want to start something that I know I’ll lose interest in and not go to any more.  Physical fitness is important, but it’s equally important that I get involved in something that I enjoy.  Water Aerobics and yoga bore the hell out of me, and they seem to me to be things that suck everything in and get nothing out, if one gets the drift.  I want something that’s somewhat faster than that, and not something where one stands in one place for an hour or so.  There’s a cardio class at the dojang, as well, where the same movements from the TKD class are done to music, but, after observing a little bit of a couple of classes, I decided that’s not something that I want either, particularly because the music they put on is awful, and it involves standing in one place for about an hour, which I don’t want, either.

I do not wish to force myself into making the sucky choice of either doing something that doesn’t appeal to me, or doing nothing, nor do I wish to force myself to develop a liking for something or someone, as some people have advised me to do.  

Again, please note:  This thread is also cross-posted from firefly-dreaming.com

1 comment

    • polm on March 24, 2013 at 11:33
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