Among many contenders. Leonardo, I mean Dr. Mindy, at the Last Supper, when he reflected, “We really did have it all, didn’t we?” “It” wasn’t the materialistic, resume building, status-driven hedonic treadmill that entraps so many. “It” was family life. “It” was being in nature. “It” was preparing meals together, telling stories, and enjoying food and wine. “It” was knowing a few people well. And “it” was being known.
A close friend asked my opinion on Netflix’s newest BIG budget film with an all-star cast.
Before watching “Don’t Look Up” I heard some of the buzz including the fact that half of people loved it and half hated it.
I’m firmly in the first camp, in fact, it’s easily among my favorite films of the year, if not the very best. At first, as I sat on my indoor bike as the credits rolled, I couldn’t imagine what the negative nellies were thinking, then it dawned on me. The film is a brilliant, hilarious satire of popular culture, but especially of our political landscape’s right wing. For the Pro-Trump, anti-vax, “Make America Great Again” viewers it had to have hit WAY too close to home. As is written in the Torah, “We see things not as they are, but as we are.”
At almost two and half hours, one reviewer who liked it said it was too long. He’s wrong, there are no lulls, it’s non-stop searing social commentary from the drop.
It’s also scary as hell. Not because of the asteroid heading towards earth, but because it feels like a highly credible glimpse into our near-term future as a deeply divided nation. The filmmakers predict our future is one where exorbitantly wealthy and deeply flawed individuals have a disproportionate effect on public life; politicians and scientists are powerless in light of those individuals; and things go from bad to worse with regards to social and traditional media.
Is it too late to emigrate to Canada? Is the border between our countries a sufficient defense against the downward spiral depicted in “Don’t Look Up”?
Some on Twitter would take exception to me labeling it a satire. They’re arguing it’s a science fiction film since Leonardo DiCaprio is married to an “age-appropriate” woman.
Must maintain a sense of humor.
According to Zvi Cohen. I know you’re burned out, we all are, but it’s an especially comprehensive, clear, level-headed, hopeful summary.
That kid in science class that was so smart they had a hard time relating to others of lesser intellect. Yeah, the one with thick hard plastic framed glasses that you weren’t very nice to. Your similarly insecure friends and you called her a brainiac and other not so nice things.
Remember losing track of her after high school? Probably not since since no one ever paid her much attention to begin with.
While you were spinning your wheels drinking too much and trying to “find yourself”, she completed three degrees in biology and other sciences. Threw in a post-doc for good measure.
Initially at least, you may wanna call her Doctor at the next reunion, but why would she attend given the grief your knucklehead friends and you gave her?
She’s a contact lens wearing tenured professor of epidemiology now with 162,000 twitter followers. Drives a Tesla Model S Plaid and knows more about viruses than all your high school homeboys and you combined. Turn on the right cable news station at the right time and you might catch her helping everyone who slept through science better understand covid’s innumerable complexities.
Finally, she’s the center of attention.
There is no vacation from reading. Indeed, some take the view that there’s no vocation, but reading.
The rich vs the very, very rich: the Wentworth Golf Club rebellion. The makings of a great novel.
The very, very rich vs the Mormon church. I’d read that novel too.
It’s time for car companies to shut up about electric vehicles and just ship them. Amen.
Norway’s most popular cycle route. Yes please.
Here’s what schools are doing to try to address students’ social-emotional needs. Shame on me, I shoulda lead with this.
I grant you that’s a strange question from me given my aversion to personality cults and celebrity culture. For some of you it’s probably me, but for me, it’s Desmond Tutu. Shook his hand in 1989 or 1990 when he visited Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I was teaching at an international school there. Not sure where the picture is.
Talk about leaving the world a better place. Rest in peace Desmond.
This morning I asked the GalPal if she wanted to say anything on behalf of her candidacy for 2021 Sportsperson of the Year. But instead of touting her 2021 athletic greatest hits, she declined, saying, “I’m not into competition anymore.”
How ironic because that’s exactly what this year’s winner says in the middle of this short documentary about what I’m deeming 2021’s Athletic Accomplishment of the Year.
I present to you, the 2021 Sportsperson of the Year, Lachlan Morton and the 2021 Athletic Accomplishment of the Year, The Alt Tour.
What is there not to love about Morton? Among other attributes that tipped the scale his way was his self-awareness, his social conscience, his sense of humor, his commitment to fun, and his utter lack of ego.
Sportsperson of the Year honorable mention goes to two athletes who, like Lachy, also inspire lots of other people without much media coverage at all (not counting Strava and Insta).
Jeanette Byrnes for her commitment to open water swimming and monthly open water plunges sans wetsuit. #nails
Dan, Dan, the Former Transportation Man for sticking like velcro for another year to the Boon Running Team, of which I am a proud member, despite giving up 2-13 years to the youngish, handsome “legends in their own minds” that make up the team. #nails
Sports Accomplishment of the Year honorable mention. M.A.’s inaugural marathon at 62 years young. Way to go rook.
The best of the rest: Tom Brady.
We have made the turn! Atmospherically, we are now firmly ensconced on the tenth tee box.
Note that today is 3 seconds longer than yesterday; tomorrow will be 10 seconds longer than today; and then 13 seconds; and for Christmas, 20 seconds.
Could this obsessive monitoring of mine be a symptom of SAD?
Pressing Pause 