Monday, July 31, 2006

Today is a New Today

Well, off I go on another tangent. I'm supposed to be looking for a real job, and here I am, hooked into what I fear is another sucking black hole that robs me of valuable time. Sometimes, I wonder just how much time I have left. But more about that later.

With the title, Kitchen Sink, it's clear I haven't even focused on where I want this blog to go. Pretty much it will be about what's happening in my life, and what strikes me as important, funny or touching.

The most recent event in my life was my 54th birthday yesterday. It was a good one. My husband took me out for dinner on Saturday night at Bonefish, my older son and daughter-in-law sent a gift certificate to Coldwater Creek and called, and my younger son, Scott got me a DVD set of "To Kill a Mockingbird."

I opened the set as Scott anxiously watched me to see if I really liked it. Inside there was an envelop with cards of ads for the movie than ran internationally, especially interesting for a graphic designer like myself. And then a printed message from Harper Lee caught my attention. She wrote of how pleased she had been that such a fine actor as Gregory Peck played Atticus Finch, how she grew close to him and his family, and how at times he risked his career to support causes in which he believed. Of him she said, "His trademark was integrity. . . . When he played Atticus Finch, he had played himself, and time has told all of us something more: when he played himself, he touched the world."

And I thought how sadly lacking we are in today's world where men and women of integrity are hard to come by. Atticus Finch was a hero. Wish our leaders would show that character and heart.

When Scott saw my tears just thinking about the story and movie, he knew he had picked a winner for his mom.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am now finishing "To Kill a Mockingbird". Harper Lee's exquisite writing puts us right there in time.

Best of luck on your new blog. I'll be back.

Sheila said...

Thanks, Becky. I have to say this is my favorite book and the movie is probably near the top of my favorites too. It's strange that she hasn't published another book, but I guess if you can write one, lasting book that's a real humdinger, why bother.

CyberCelt said...

Really, where is John Wayne when you need him?

I was thinking the other day, maybe we should hire someone to act as president and let the country rock on by itself. I like Martin Sheen as president. LOL


Here from Blog Village Carnival.

JAM said...

Sounds like a good birthday, family, good presents, good food.

It's too bad today's actors don't have that kind of class and integrity.

I hope your 55th is even better.

(I'm here from the Blog Village Goes Gonzo Carnival.)

Naomi said...

Glad you had a good birthday Sheila. Unfortunately they don't make movies like, "To Kill a Mockingbird" anymore. That film is in a class of its own. Sounds like Scott made a good choice.

Unknown said...

Okay, now! I am going to have to watch the movie again and read the book!! I've been missing your blog Sheila, I will come by more often.

I followed your link from the BLOG VILLAGE Goes Gonzo Carnival!!!

Sheila said...

Many thanks for the new visitors to my very first post. I love the Blog Village for exposing me to new blogs I wouldn't discover in all likelihood.

Harper Lee is one of those writers who prefers to let her work do the speaking. There was a recent performance of the play "To Kill a Mockingbird" by black and white school kids here in Alabama. Miss Lee was there but declined to address the audience, instead she merely waved. I suppose that if you wrote one of the most beloved books of our time, it would be a hard act to follow in any manner.