Category Archives: friendship

blockbuster or bust.

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it was ladies’ night at my friend’s house

we had a bit of wine and chat and lots of laughter

the hostess suggested that we should get a movie

and try as she might

she could not remember its name

but it was ‘really good’

couldn’t remember the main stars

‘but we would recognize them immediately’

she put in a call to blockbuster

where they had every current movie

 the kind person/movie nerd at the store

answered the phone

the experts were standing by

 to help her figure out the title

when we heard her explain

that it was really good

had 2 popular stars

and a 3-word title

beginning with the word ‘the’

we absolutely lost it

the poor person on the phone

worked for 20 minutes

trying to jog her memory for more details

finally giving up and apologizing

now, that’s customer service

i really miss blockbuster

something about the excitement

going to pick out a movie

families, couples, friends, singles

taking turns and negotiating

hoping the one you really wanted was still there

so much comedy and drama all in one place.

“vague questions deserve vague answers”

-ristretto

sprinkle magic.

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a tribe not my own, but with the same kind of spirit

“surround yourself with people who add value to your life.

who challenge you to be greater than you were yesterday.

who sprinkle magic into your existence,

just like you do to theirs.

life isn’t meant to be done alone.

find your tribe, and journey freely and loyalty together.”

-alex elle

storytelling.

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not us, but actors with a similar communication style

getting together with my friend yesterday to catch up,

with our usual mutual understanding:

“if i’m telling you a story be prepared to have 7 mini conversations and 19 other stories thrown into it.”

marcel.

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this film.

i recently saw it with one daughter and two grandies

based on a youtube character created by comedians who were bored at a wedding

with low expectations, just wanting to be entertained

i was not prepared for this poignant, sweet, sad, funny, and heartwarming story

a documentary with a perfect blend of stop-action and live-action film

you may recognize some of the humans who appear on the screen

not an action film but fully a reaction film

give it time, it’s slow, it’s quiet, it’s incredibly touching, and will enchant all ages

it’s seeing the world through marcel’s tiny eyes,

as he deals with joy, love, loss, fear, grief, courage, and a renewal of life

 reminding us of the importance of family, friendship, support, and connections of all kinds.

This poem, The Trees, by Phillip Larkin, was read at a pivotal point in the film and is so fitting:

treasure salad.

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kinder shares a bowl filled with her red loose parts treasure salad 

(it’s a secret recipe)

 

“the heart that gives, gathers.”
-tao te ching

still standing.

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The lighter penguin is an elderly female whose partner died this year. The darker one is a younger male who lost his partner two years ago. Biologists have followed them as they meet every night to comfort each other. They stand for hours together watching the lights in Melbourne. Photographer Tobias Baumgaertner captured this image of two widowed fairy penguins looking over the Melbourne skyline. It has won an award in Oceanographic magazine’s Ocean Photography Awards 2020.

“at the end of the day, the ones who really matter

will be the ones standing next to you watching the sun set

and assuring you that it will rise again in the morning.”

-ash sweeney

 

 

 

 

story credit: natureblowsmymind

all together.

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“here’s to fresh coffee and good books and kind hearts and found beauty

and the weird, kindred souls who help us know we are all in this together.”

-nanea hoffman

 

 

 

image credit: Branger/Harper’s Bazaar – Vintage Paris 1925

ancestors.

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we’ve been friends for over 40 years

at this gathering

following a recent loss

we came to realize

that between the four of us

we have but one surviving birth parent

making us close to all being orphans

we paid tribute 

offered gratitude

to those who came before us

with all of their strengths and challenges

for had they not lived

there would be no us

nor our children

nor our grandchildren

nor those yet to come.

“the songs of our ancestors are also the songs of our children”

-phillip carr-gomm

we are an ocean.

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getting ready to take the big jump. there is power in numbers.

 

 

“individually, we are one drop. together, we are an ocean.”

– ryunosuke satoro 

Fire.

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Relaxing around the fire

with cold drinks and warm friends

on a late summer night

in the irish hills.

“the four building blocks of the universe

are fire, water, gravel, and vinyl.”

-dave barry