Ellipsis Movie Of The Week... The Terminal

 

Amelia: Do you know what Napoleon gave Josephine as a wedding present? It was a gold locket. And on the inside he made an inscription, 'Destiny'.

Amelia ( Catherine Zeta-Jones)

The Terminal

2004

The Terminal, was another film I had never seen before, but the other night I did, and it was just what I needed, a story with heart, humor and love that made me believe that the world can still be a good place to live in. Tom Hanks makes those kinds of movies! I mean, have you ever walked out of one of his films hating his guts? So what the HELL with folks on the right throwing shade, or out right accusing him of deeply awful conspiracy theories? He was even bashed for, he and his wife, donating antibodies during the Covid-19 crisis. The republicans determination to hate anyone on the left who is willing to help in times of trouble, are exactly what leads to the kind of discouragement that causes me to run to movies, like this one, for the relief and clarity it gives me.

The movie is directed by Steven Spielberg, and features, Stanly Tucci, and Catherine-Zeta Jones. I have always loved Steven Spielberg films, but it's the movies he's made that featured reality that I always appreciated the most. The Color Purple, Catch Me If You Can, The Post, there are so many great ones, I can't name them all! I remember completely pissing off a friend of mine, years ago, when she mentioned that Spielberg was her favorite director. I shared (I shouldn't have shared ) that I wasn't that impressed with him anymore because I felt his movies had become mostly cookie cutter sci-fi! Well, BOOM! A causal observation, had just given birth to my having NO taste in movies or directors! In fact I didn't understand art of any kind! LOL. Eventually her odd anger wore off, and we didn't discuss films ever again. Shrug. Life.

I haven't seen my old friend in a long time. I am not sure if it was the great Spielberg debate, or if, as happens in life, we simply drifted apart, like characters from a really good Spielberg movie. But as I watched, The Terminal, I wondered to myself how she would have felt about this amazing, heartfelt story. There's zero sci-fi involved, but it is a Steven Spielberg film that delivers all the observations of life, with none of the negativity, because even the "villains" in the film come from a place the audience can understand and accept without the urge to see them ran over by a bus. I'll take that over all the pearl clutching and hand ringing that seems to permeate life in 2026.

8901 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood

 

"Remembrance of things past, are not necessarily remembrance as things were."

~Marcel Proust

I found the black and white picture on BlueSky this past weekend, and the memories of one of my visits to Los Angeles when I was a kid, popped into my head as if I had just lived through it just a day ago! I am sure you remember me sharing about my sister, sister-in-law and I driving down the Sunset strip one night in 1970, and being amazed at all the neon lights and the glamourous people walking about. One of the neon lights I remember was from the Whisky A- Go-Go. First of all, I loved the name, and second all those cool kids standing around were, well, cool! I was around 7 years old, or so, and I had spent half my life wanting to be a hippy flower child! An idea my mother was never to keen on, but even less so after the Manson murders! LOL.

 You know how it is, moms are overprotective. But somehow, she was sure Manson himself was going to escape, comeback to the Bay Area, find my sister and I and that would be it... we'd be dead. Eventually Dad convinced her that Manson would not be heading our way, and a trip to L.A. to Disneyland would be good for my sister and I. So, down HWY 5 we went. A mere 7 hours later we hit Los Angeles! We checked into the Disneyland Hotel, grabbed a quick meal, and hit the strip as the kids called it. I have no idea who was booked at the Whisky a Go-Go that night, but I love Johnny Rivers, and I found him singing one of my favorite songs on the Ed Sullivan show, so I hope you enjoy this post. It's meant to make you smile, and enjoy a look back, before we have to go forward with another week, and another month!

Ellipsis Word Of The Week... Covfefe

 

"Can't you see that I am only advising you to beg yourself to not be so dumb."

~Petronus

The Satyricon

On the night of May 31st, 2017, the whole world came together and shared a single point of wonder. We were all wondering, what the actual fuck, did Trump mean when he Tweeted, Covfefe? We never did get an actual explanation about what happened that night, and what it regarded, but I watched it happen real time and let me tell you, there were some very interesting ideas about what it could have meant. Everything from it was the nuclear codes, to his form of swearing, but substituting the word COVFEFE for the word, FUCK. In any case, the word remained on Trump's Twitter account for hours with no explanation. But here is what the White House had to say later in the day...

It apparently shocked everyone. No Shit! It was one of the first overt signs that Donald Trump was beginning to lose whatever was left of his mental faculties! Since that time there has been a flood of evidence that he is incapable of being a full and effective president, as demonstrated daily, with his obsession with vanity projects. But boy howdy, that night and the following day sure was a ride, and as it just might have been the beginning of what brought us to where we are now. Sky high gas prices, sky high daily living prices, and folks thrown off the medical coverage. Not to mention the current Iran war, started with no clear end in sight, and Trump eyeing another war with Cuba. Before he left office the first time, Trump suggested drinking disinfectant might cure Covid-19, you'd think that would have been enough for folks to see that his lights had now dimmed, but no, so all these years later we have that fond memory and a million more like it to keep us warm until the next night of Covfefe.

While Covfefe is not an official word in the Merriam-Webster or Oxford dictionaries, I thought the holiday was still worth a mention this week. Covfefe made quite the impression on culture, banking speculation, and even it's own legislation with the Covfefe ACT. While the it never became law, I think there is merit in revisiting the idea! I hope one day Covfefe will be an official word, so it can join a long list of the silly, archaic, political words, in the official word graveyard. On the other hand, there's a lot that can be learned from that word, so maybe we should be listening closer to the nonsensical. Hey, why not, Words With Friends, sees some value in it! 

New York Times

"Who can figure out the true meaning of 'Covfefe'??? Enjoy"

~Donald J. Trump

May 31st, 2017

Weekend Cooking... Priazzo

 

"Food memories involve very basic, nonverbal, areas of the brain

 that can bypass your conscious awareness."

~Susan Krauss Whitbourne

Professor Of Psychology

Ahh... nostalgia. As you know, the older I get, the more things I miss from a certain time of my life. The 1980s, the best decade I lived. Well, that's not completely true, the 90's weren't bad either. I was newly married, and just trying to live a good life, with the love of my life. We had a lot of fun, still do, but without all the things we enjoyed. Like reading the newspaper, social influencers, and an array of food we enjoyed. Chow Mein with gravy, from our favorite hole in the wall Chinese restaurant, and the Priazzo from Pizza Hut!

Here's a commercial for it, from back in the day...

Oh my, my mouth is beginning to water. As good as the meat Priazzo was, my favorite was the Priazzo Florentine. All kinds of Italian cheese, ham and spinach came together to make my knees weak. I can't have spinach anymore, it was a casualty of Covid-19 Omicron. You would think that after all this time I would have those foods, like spinach and mushrooms, back to normal, but as I have said in previous posts, I think they are gone for good. Oh my.

🥹

Anyway...

Mental Floss, has a brief history of the rise and fall of that fabulous 1980's culinary yumminess, and another commercial that was done in the mid 1980s. At the time they seemed a little pricey, so I didn't buy them often, but when I did, I wasn't disappointed. 

A Taste Of Home has a recipe hack that looks pretty darn good to me. I plan to add different ingredients. I like veggie pizza, and I am going to make mine in a springform pan, using a regular pie crust, so we will see how it comes out. I will update on Sunday how it came out. 

Tip: 

If you use canned tomatoes in your own variation, 

use San Marzano tomatoes. They have the best flavor!

Until then, enjoy a little Dean Martin and visions of

 Rome, Portofino and the Amalfi coast.

Tip:

If you use canned tomatoes in your own variation,

 use San Marzano tomatoes. They have the best flavor!

Samsung S26 Ultra

 

"My cell service return all night, and all through the next day.

 It was like ancient times, with mead and beheadings and blacksmiths."

~Penny Reid

Homecoming King

My phone died a tragic death the other day. I bought it a couple years ago, and frankly I was sure it would die on day one. Let me explain. I had purchased a Samsung Galaxy 53A 5g from T-Mobile, it seemed like a good little mid-priced phone, but when I went to use it, there was a minor bit of trouble... it would call anyone but my husband! All other numbers worked, his wouldn't! For some reason, my new phone, hated his number! When I complained to customer service, several times, I finally received a replacement phone... a refurbished version, not a new one! I bought a new one, I should have received a new one, but deep in the contract, I had agrees to receive a refurbished version, if my new phone failed. Sigh. Two choices were in front of me... I could pay it off and go elsewhere for cell service, or I could deal with it, and keep a service I enjoyed! I am very happy at T-Mobile, so I took a deep breath and moved on. 

As I said... my phone finally went onto it's glory. It crossed the rainbow bridge. IT DIED! So, what to do?! Buy a new phone! Thank goodness I found a cell phone that finally, really, suited my needs... it features a phone with an amazing camera! The camera is probably the main consideration when when I buy a cell phone. I use at about the same rate as my Minolta camera, especially this time of year, as the Mexican Free-tailed bats return to Franklin Blvd. So far, I have been nothing but impressed my new phone, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, I have been nothing but impressed! Here are some examples of my new cell phone/camera's awesomeness!

My first photo... a dandelion from the Cosumnes River Preserve.

The Many Moods Of The Mighty Simon

Photographed in a low light setting.

Color Vibrance in a low light setting.

Tyler and Joey taking a nap on my futon.

May 29th 2026

And my new Samsung S26 Ultra has tons of photo editing tools!

 I may make a comic strip featuring the adventures of the Mighty Simon!

Okay, so you know how I feel about my new cell phone,

 here's where you can read some opinions from the experts!

Good Housekeeping

Consumer Reports

CNET

So, that's my big news. I can't wait for opening night of the return of the bats! 

I will definitely be taking the video option for a ride!

Western Pondhawk

 

"Chasing dragonflies, like buying good books or eating gourmet food, can be a curiously addicting."

~Cindy Crosby

Chasing Dragonflies: A Natural, Cultural and Personal History

If I have ever seen this particular dragonfly before, I never saw it this green or this beautiful! It's the, Western Pondhawk dragonfly, and I found it at the Cosumnes River Preserve. We were just walking along and then suddenly there it was. It was so beautiful! I love discovering new things, or at least seeing them in a new light!

Summer Sun, Somethings Begun

 

"Bees do have a scent you know, and if they don't they should,

 for their feet are dusted with the spice from a million flowers."

~Ray Bradbury

Dandelion Wine

Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning of summer, but reality says we have about three weeks until the season really begins. Either way, there are signs everywhere that cheer me up in a summer way, and one of them is roadside sunflowers, and little bees enjoying them. It's a pretty happy turn of events, and quite welcome. Especially when it's May 27th, and it's cold.

 Mother nature certainly has a strange sense of humor.

😂

Ellipsis Movie Of The Week... Burn After Reading

 

Chad Feldheimer: Manolo, you DIDN'T find this.

Manolo: I found it on the floor there.

Chad Feldheimer: Yeah I know. But...

Manolo: Right there on the floor there. It was just lying there.

Burn After Reading

2008

How about a spy story that will make you laugh, as much as it horrifies you? Well, I will say one thing for this Coen brothers film, it will do just that. And as outlandish has as it is, it's also completely believable. It's Washington D.C. after all! And we all know how the nation's capitol seems to be right now. We have a FEMA official who thinks he can teleport to almost any Waffle House of his choice. A Health and Human Services Secretary who has been known to swim in raw sewage, and snort cocaine off a toilet seat. Then there's Trump, need I say more? When you consider all these losers, the losers in the movie seem perfectly normal. The twists and turns are hysterical! The Coen brothers flair for ironic humor can't be beat!

Just watch it... and laugh. You need it!

Be sure to look for a particularly funny and surreal scene, where

 George Clooney sings, My Eyes Adored You, while showering.

On Memorial Day 2026

 

"True patriotism is usually born of great sacrifice,

 and is never the result of selfishness."

~Napoleon Hill

As we stop today, to reflect and meditate on the heroes that have served their country and their better angles, I share with you some Motown jazz to make your day a little more relaxing. I am so grateful to my daddy and my father-in-law for their sacrifices during WWII, and to my brother during the Vietnam war. They were men who answered a higher calling from their county, for freedom and democracy.

Gentlemen, I will be forever be grateful for your service.

"Let their remembrance be as lasting, as the land they honored."

~Daniel Webster

Ellipsis Word Of The Week... Forplaint

 

"Never tell your problems to anyone... 20% don't care

 and 80% are glad you have them."

~Lou Holtz

Forplaint is a rare and obsolete Middle English word

 meaning, "wearied with complaining."

Forplaint used in a sentence... 

Trump's constant complaining about everything from what he deems the fake news, to how unfair it is that the congress doesn't just hand him billions for his stupid ballroom, has left me more than a little forplaint.

Weekend Cooking... Banana Cream Pie And Banana Pudding

 

"We must have pie, stress cannot exist in the presence of pie."

~David Mamet

Boston Marriage

One Banana

Yes, I'm back from the dead. Lordy have I been sick the last several days, but I am so much better now, and ready to seek out new recipes that make my mouth water! And in that this is a three day weekend, it's Memorial Day wouldn't this Banana Cream Pie, be great for a BBQ, potluck or just a day to yourself? I have taken certain days, settled down with the cats, and eaten a whole pie. There is no shame in that, so don't judge me! LOL! Anyhoo... I'm going to try this pie, if you do, let me know what you think about the recipe. 

Two Banana

Okay, I get it, eating a whole pie is a lot to take on, so maybe instead a creamy, dreamy serving of Banana pudding is more reasonable, and just as fun. When I went looking for more recipes featuring bananas, I found this one for, Banana Pudding, from the Magnolia Bakery, which was also featured in, The New York Times Cooking section. Perfect! What better recipe to try than this one? I have always dreamed of visiting there, ever since I saw it on, Sex In The City. I am a big fan of cupcakes, and theirs look fabulous, but their pudding is supposed to be equally fabulous! It's all about having a full New York City adventure, like visiting the Statue of Liberty, having lunch at Katz's Deli, and leaf peeping in Central Park. Well, that's my idea of an adventure anyway. I don't think that adventure is in my future, but having a little taste of New York definitely is! 

Happy Eating 

Enjoy your long weekend!

By the way, the Magnolia Bakery has nationwide shipping!    ;)

Pay It Forward

 

From The Purrallel Universe... Pay It Forward

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."

~Aesop

I am sick. Ugh my stomach is messed up. It has happened on and off since the first round of Covid-19 (Omicron). It's part of the same thing that won't let me eat certain foods anymore. It all started, just like everyone else that has this long covid symptom, about 6 weeks after the last fever of the virus. At first it was a wide variety of foods that I couldn't tolerate, but now it's basically, mushrooms, spinach, garlic, chicken skin, pineapple and most nuts. It's not so bad, but when it all flares up, it keeps me sitting still and sleeping on my back. Anyhoo... I am exhausted and grumpy, and when that happens, I love to visit this little cat community on Youtube called, Purrallel Universe. It makes me feel better, and in the case of this video, it reminds me to pay forward, all the blessings I have in my life. To encounter strangers with kindness and empathy. It never hurts anyone to be a better person, and to find one's better angels. So enjoy the video, and subscribe to the account. You'll love following their adventures, and perhaps identifying with their message of hope, family, and life. 

The Last Of The Wildflowers

 

"I am going to give you a handful of wildflowers, 

so each petal that falls will remind you that the earth breathes and the moon rises."

~Carolyn Riker

My Love Has Not Forgotten You

It's been hot the last few days, and there is more of it along the way! The wildflowers are all drying out now, there's still roadside sunflowers, but the more delicate ones are definitely on the decline. Despite all that, I came across a small patch of California poppies, and they were so beautiful, they made me smile! I knew this was an opportunity not to be missed!

 Aren't they gorgeous?

Ellipsis Movie Of The Week... To Die For

 

"You're not anybody in America unless you're on TV! On TV is where we learn about who we really are. Because what's the point of doing anything worthwhile, if nobody's watching? And if people are watching, it makes you a better person."

~Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman)

To Die For

Suzanne Stone always wanted to be famous. One day she achieved that goal, but it didn't come without the pain of others. I love this movie for it's dark humor, but I always remember that it was inspired by true events, the murder of Gregory Smart, carried out by a student in her class. Just in case you haven't heard the details of what took place, it happened in the early 90's, I am hesitant to give too many details away. I am saying just jump into it, so you can take in the full shocking twists and turns of events. The movie is available right now on Netflix. Watch it, and then tell me what you think about it. 

By the way, there is another film about Pamela Smart, Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Smart Story, which is available on YouTube. It stars Helen Hunt as Pamela, and while it was great, in fact I highly recommend it, I am a little sad that there wasn't more about Gregory in either film. But Pamela does finally find the fame she was looking for, but as you know, fame fades, and her case, what she will be remembered for the most, is her conviction for conspiracy to commit murder.

Pamela Smart Speaks Out 

(Oprah.com)

Fame

 By David Bowie

The Dear Only Knows

A rose is a rose,

And was always a rose.

But now the theory goes,

That the apple's a rose, 

And the pear is, and so's the plum I suppose.

The dear only knows,

What will next prove a rose,

You, of course, are a rose,

But were always a rose.

~Robert Frost

Something pretty and calm to begin another week on the calendar.

Just breathe.