Technology vs. the Family - Where Do You Draw the Line? Part 1

Meadow on Mt. Nebo, Utah

One of my favorite things about camping is getting away from it all.  There are still some areas where cell phones don't get service, and I love leaving the phones and computers and emails and messages behind for a couple days.  Camping has always been the time when we could just interact as a family without tv and electronic distractions.  I am an avid road-tripper, and have limited our electronics use on these trips to the car CD player or radio, and a couple hand-held games, like Yahtzee.  No DVD players, no movies, no MP3 players, nothing.  Were my kids deprived?  I don't think so.  I grew up traveling without all of those modern "conveniences" and I figured my children would survive the experience as well.  Our family car when I was young didn't even have air conditioning!  I confess I am very fond of having it now.

Scenery out the window - driving to Grand Canyon

What I learned from road trips was that when there was nothing to do, I could entertain myself.  Watching landscapes roll by and change out a car window for hours at a time allows for some great imagination.  For example, tall towers holding powerful electricity cables became giants stalking our car.  My siblings and I concocted our own car games to pass the time.  We also played the traditional ones like 20 Questions, I Spy, locating the alphabet letters in order off of billboards, and tracking states on car license plates.  I wanted my children to have the same experience.  And, for the most part, I have held the line on limiting technology on our vacations.  My children usually read in the car, or stare out the window and drift into imaginary worlds in their own minds.  Sometimes they sing or play games, and sometimes they sleep.  They have mastered the art of the road trip.

Fishing during a camping trip

Enter youngest child and the newest addition to our family:  the portable DVD player.  My husband and I purchased the portable DVD player so we could watch movies on our "second honeymoon" trip back to a rustic cabin at the Grand Canyon.  We figured after 20 years of marriage, we deserved an upgrade in entertainment.  My son quickly became enamored with the player, and asked if we could take it camping last summer.  Wasn't the whole point of going camping to get away from electronics?  So the negotiations began.

Finally, we reached an agreement.  The DVD player came on the camping trip.  The restrictions were:  it was only to be used the first night, and only for a show or two.  Camping was, after all, about watching the stars and enjoying nature.  My son agreed, and our camping trip was a great success.  We cooked over a fire, made dutch oven dessert, hiked, and fished, and did all of the traditional camping things.  But on one night, we snuggled in our sleeping bags, propped the tiny DVD player on a box, and watched a show.  I confess, there was something fun and cozy about crowding around the tiny screen and enjoying some family togetherness in the tent.  Although I still want to escape electronics on vacation (no DVD player in the van!), and although I still want to limit the onslaught of technology in our car trips, I do value the memory of that night in a tent watching a movie with my husband and kids.  

So, my question to you is, where do you draw the line?  Stay tuned for more on the effects of technology on family relationships!  

Thought for the Day

Rainbows over Grand Canyon - taken from the north rim.

In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.
                                                     --Albert Camus

The Artist - and Other Tributes to Silent Film

Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo in "The Artist"

The movie "The Artist" finally opened in my hometown, and I was fortunate enough to see this movie over the weekend.  Yes, it is a silent movie (except for a couple of scenes where the sound is strategically placed), and yes, it is in black and white.  That should not deter you from seeing this film, rather, it should be all the more reason to go.  This movie is a refreshing love letter to a past era of movie-making.  Berenice Bejo is a scene-stealer as the spunky Peppy Miller, and Jean Dujardin turns in a great performance as George Valentin.  Like "Singin' in the Rain," this movie captures the transition of silent films to sound, and tells the story of silent-film star George Valentin who is left behind by the new technology.  As his star falls, Peppy's rises.  The two have a wonderful onscreen chemistry.

Berenice Bejo as Peppy Miller

George Valentin falls deeper into despair and ruin, and in a funny scene, is confronted by a miniature version of himself, who counsels him to not continue his downward slide due to his own pride.  In typical old-movie fashion, all ends well, and this movie will leave you smiling.  The thing I loved while watching this movie was the incredible beauty of black and white film.  I had not watched a black and white movie in quite awhile, and to see one this well done on the big screen was a choice experience.  "The Artist" is nominated for Best Picture this year at the Academy Awards, as is another movie saluting the silent movie era, "Hugo."

Scene from "Hugo"

"Hugo" is based on the highly-touted book "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" written and illustrated by Caldecott Honor winner Brian Selznick.  The book features incredible illustrations, and it was interesting to see the scenes come alive on film.  In the story, young orphan Hugo Cabret is fascinated with repairing a mechanical man his father found.  Hugo lives in the train station, and steals parts he needs to fix the mechanical man from toy shop owner Georges (Ben Kingsley). Hugo is befriended by Isabelle, Georges' goddaughter, and together they uncover the secret of Papa Georges--he used to make elaborate silent movies. The sequence showing Georges and his wife making the silent movies is very entertaining. The dual stories of Hugo's quest to complete the mechanical man and Georges' silent movie past are woven together seamlessly by director Martin Scorsese.  Scorsese also beautifully recreates 1931 Paris in this stunning visual film.  "Hugo" is nominated for eleven Academy Awards including Best Picture this year. 

Movie Poster for Hugo Cabret

Both of these movies reminded me of "Singin in the Rain", the 1952 classic starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds.  This movie was also nominated for some Academy Awards, but failed to take home any of them.  I put this movie on the other night and promised my thirteen year old we could turn it off after the first 15 minutes if he didn't like it.  Seven minutes in, he told me he wanted to see the whole thing, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Gene Kelly  "Singin in the Rain"

Gene Kelly is amazing, Donald O'Connor gets a lot of laughs, and the scene with Lina Lamont (played by Jean Hagen) and her voice coach is still hilarious.  In fact, "The Artist" gives a nod to this scene as Missi Pyle's Constance tries to make the cut as a "talking" actress.

"Lina Lamont" in "Singin in the Rain"

Another movie not as well-known but worth your time is "Shadow Magic."  This movie played at the Sundance Film Festival several years ago, and also deals with changing technologies.  Young photographer Liu is intrigued with phonographs and sound, and when he learns of moving pictures from visiting Englishman Raymond Wallace, he is fascinated.  Liu helps Wallace introduce the Chinese to moving pictures, and finds himself caught between his own cultural traditions and the influences of western culture.  This movie is in English and Chinese with subtitles, but is family friendly and easy for children to follow.  Will Liu risk everything to bring motion pictures to turn-of-the-century China? And will he find love in the process?  "Shadow Magic" is another great film about the early era of movie-making.

Englishman Raymond Wallace in "Shadow Magic"

Any of these movies make for an entertaining weekend.  Both "Singin in the Rain" and "Shadow Magic" are available on DVD, while you can catch "Hugo" and "The Artist" in theaters.

Liu and Wallace in a scene from "Shadow Magic"

"The Artist" is definitely worth watching, and I am eager to see if either it or "Hugo" can take home some big awards this month.  If you haven't seen these movies, catch them now.  Both films are particularly effective on a big screen and are worth it to see in theaters.

  

The Art of Optimism

Lake in Big Cottonwood Canyon

"...I've found that there is always some beauty left--in nature, sunshine, freedom, in yourself, these can all help you.  Look at these things, then you find yourself again, and God, and then you regain your balance.  And whoever is happy will make others happy too.  He who has courage and faith will never perish in misery!"

--Anne Frank, from The Diary of Anne Frank

An elderly gentleman in our neighborhood recently passed away.  In his obituary, it indicated he had been a member of the Optimist Club.  I had never heard of this club, but found the idea intriguing.  So, I started thinking:  am I a glass half-full or a glass half-empty kind of person?  Would I be a candidate for membership in an Optimist Club?  In actuality, the real Optimist Club is a service oriented club where adults work to empower young people by mentoring them in service opportunities.  But what if it were a club where membership was based on attitudes?  Would you be able to gain membership? Something to think about.  And to entertain yourself while you are debating if you yourself are an optimist, here are a book and two movies you may want to try.

I took this book off my shelf and re-read it this week because of its title:  The Optimist's Daughter,   This novel by Eudora Welty won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1972.  It is the story of  Laurel, an adult woman living in Chicago, who travels to be with her aging father in New Orleans, where he has gone for medical treatment.  Laurel's mother passed away previously, and her father has married a much younger woman named Fay.  Laurel's father passes away, and Laurel travels back to her small Mississippi hometown with Fay.  Fay is a shrill character, and seems incapable of any depth of understanding.  Laurel, meanwhile, explores her childhood home, stumbling across many memories, and coming to some realizations about her parents, and herself.  Was Laurel's father really an optimist?  The story indicates he became one during her mother's illness.  Do we put on a false optimism when faced with difficulties?  As I re-read this novel, I concluded that it really isn't about optimism as much as it is about the difference between the past and our memories.  Welty concludes that the past is impervious--that it just exists and "can never be awakened."  Memory, however, "...is the somnambulist" and wanders into our lives "demanding its rightful tears."  Laurel's journey home is a journey into not only making peace with her past, but also taking possession of her memories.  This is a wonderful book and is a quick read.

Reading about the Optimists' Club also made me think of optimism in entertainment.  Pollyanna comes to mind as an optimistic character, as well as Little Orphan Annie singing "The sun will come out tomorrow."  What about more recent offerings?  Several years ago, Will Smith starred in "The Pursuit of Happyness."    This movie portrays a down-on-his-luck young father (real-life Chris Gardner) who, in the midst of extreme financial difficulty, loses his girlfriend and his home.  On the streets with a young son in tow, he works hard in a competitive internship to make a better life for himself and his son.  The odds are stacked against him, and this movie has some tense moments as Chris tries to keep his son safe on the streets of San Francisco.  The acting is solid and the movie is based on a true rags-to-riches story. Overall, it is a story of someone who succeeds out of sheer hard work and determination...and this message has resonance today.

I also enjoyed the 2011 movie, "Larry Crowne."  Tom Hanks plays Larry, who loses his job at a big box store.  Divorced, facing foreclosure, and unemployed, Larry seems to have as good a reason as anyone to be depressed.  The thing I found so admirable about the character is that he remains open to new things despite all of the bad things going on in his life.  He starts taking classes at a community college and is accepts a rather unlikely offer of friendship from a fellow student. He works hard in his classes and applies the things he is learning in his life. Larry takes a job at a diner.  He had been a cook in the Navy, and really didn't want to return to that line of work, but wasn't afraid to do what was necessary to stay afloat. There are so many times during this story where Larry could complain or get upset, and yet he stays positive and works his way through difficult circumstances.  Despite what could be depressing subject matter, this movie succeeds as a warm comedy, with a delightful group of supporting characters.

So, back to the whole glass half-full/half-empty thing.  I don't necessarily think I am pessimistic.  I prefer to think of myself as a realist.  Sometimes it is easy to confuse the two.  I think, as a young Anne Frank advised, if we recognize beauty in life we can keep our balance.  Cultivating optimism is worthwhile, and I do admire those whose optimism seems genuine.  If you aren't feeling particularly optimistic right now, watch a movie about someone who is, and see if it is contagious.  What are the things you do to lift yourself when you are feeling low?  Good luck this week being more optimistic!  You can do it!

Is She a Leonardo?

Image of La Bella Principessa from National Geographic

I recently read an article in National Geographic Magazine (Feb. 2012) entitled "Lady With a Secret" about this beautiful chalk and ink on vellum drawing that might have been created by Leonardo da Vinci himself.  The piece surfaced in 1998 at a Christie's auction, and then ended up in a gallery.  It was purchased again nearly 10 years later by collector Peter Silverman, and the quest for authentication was on.  

How do you prove something is a Leonardo?  Fakes and "new" discoveries abound, so the art world is always skeptical of new claims.  It may never be "proven" that this is a work by Leonardo.  It is doubtful anyone will ever find detailed notes and sketches by Leonardo to accompany this work.  However,  like other things in science, if it cannot be disproved, it may be true.

A NOVA episode (aired January 25, 2012 on PBS) also explored the process of documenting this beautiful drawing.  Originally the drawing was thought to be a 19th century German work. But carbon dating shows the vellum is much older, and fits with Leonardo's life span.  Costuming experts, a trip to Poland to look at an old book, and high tech photography all play a role in making a case for "La Bella Principessa" being the work of Leonardo.  While the jury is still out, the article and program build a compelling argument for authenticity.  

Crowds visit Mona Lisa at the Louvre

Could Bianca Sforza (the believed subject of the drawing) someday draw the crowds of Mona Lisa? It is possible.  Her portrait could be worth $100 million.  While some skeptics believe the drawing does not look like a Leonardo, I could see similarities to his other portraits.  It is definitely a beautifully executed piece of art.  Leonardo's paintings of women are incredibly detailed and sensitively handled.

Mona Lisa at the Louvre

Today Mona Lisa hangs at the Louvre in Paris, glassed in and heavily protected, reflecting the paintings on the walls around her.  Nearby hangs another work by Leonardo...less noticed by the crowds, but I think it is even more beautiful.

Virgin of the Rocks, by Leonardo da Vinci - Louvre, Paris

Researchers are building a strong case for La Bella Principessa being a Leonardo drawing.  Although both  the magazine article and the NOVA episode on PBS show the skeptics' point of view, those who doubt it is authentic fail to make a strong case.  Time may build an acceptance that the work is by Leonardo.  Until then, it's up to you--if you get the chance, read the National Geographic article or watch Nova and decide for yourself.   Is she really a Leonardo?  I like to think she is.  But even if she isn't, this beautiful portrait is an amazing addition to Renaissance art.