The Misanthrope – Sunday’s Lighter Side

The feeling of Sunday is the same everywhere, heavy, melancholy, standing still. Like when they say, “As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.”
Jean Rhys (1894–1979), author

Happy Father’s Day. The third Sunday in June in 1910 was first celebrated by the residents in Spokane, Washington; thereafter by Hallmark. I would like to see Father’s and Mother’s days changed to Parent’s Day. It is really a difficult holiday to take when one’s parent is no longer around. I have told wife and daughter to please not get me anything or do anything special. I only utilize the day if I want them to run an errand or prepare a meal for me. Since the day has not changed yet, I will take this opportunity to say, Happy Father’s Day, dad.

Jagged Little Pill. I suppose the title could be used to describe Alanis Morissette and her never-ending quest to live off this CD. She did her “MTV Unplugged,” which featured quieter versions of her songs from the original “Jagged Little Pill.” In 2004, she released iTunes Originals, a collection available only on the internet narrated with stories about the songs. Now Comes “Jagged Little Pill Acoustic,” which is available only at Starbucks until the end of July. If you are not crazy about this CD, I recommend waiting because Starbucks overcharges from $5 to $7 for its CDs.

This is the long way to the point, but I purchased this CD and absolutely love it. I find the words carry even more punch than the original. I would say that this CD is ‘90s equivalent of Carole King’s Tapestry album in the ‘70s, only she didn’t make multiple versions of it, but the sales figures from each are incredible.

L.A. Dodgers. The team in blue is terrible, the owner is worse and is overtly greedy, and the announcers are sad. I am used to the quality of Vin Scully at least on the TV, since I don’t listen to the games on the radio any more for two reasons, one, the reception is weak and two, the greedy owner fired Ross Porter without so much as a tribute for 28 years of service. Now, we have Charley Steiner teamed with some one who was not named during the few innings I happily watched the Dodgers lose to the Chicago White Sox. It’s unfortunate the owner keeps making it so easy to hate the team I grew up rooting for.

Note: the following is not particularly light.

Hotel Rwanda. This was the movie that was up for the Academy Awards for best actor, Don Cheadle; supporting Actress, Sophie Okonedo and original screenplay. The Academy ignored the movie just as the world ignored the real tragedy and looked the other way in 1994 when Rwanda Hutu militants exterminated some 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutus without so much as a peep from Washington. If people were to be upset with Bill Clinton this is the situation to feel outrage about, not some private matter in the Oval office. But, not a single right to lifer/sanctimonious religious leader considered it important. I am sorry it took me so long to see this powerful movie. I really feel that we live in such a false world with so much violence, starvation and general cruelty that we are really just kidding ourselves thinking that U.S. democracy is going to change anything anywhere.

Another movie that brings my point home is "City of God." The story of a notorious housing project reputed to be one of the most dangerous parts of the otherwise magical Rio de Janeiro, a place where police and press dare not go. A place where kids kill other children as a way of life. It almost sounds like South Central Los Angeles.