Invictus

INVICTUS

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

 

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

 

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

 

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll.

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

 

William Ernest Henley

 

 

Adrian and I went to see Invictus on Friday evening, starring Morgan Freeman and directed by Clint Eastwood.  An incredible movie, it certainly got us chatting on the way home.  About Nelson Mandela joining forces with the captain of the Sprinboks Rugby team François Pienaar,  to unite the nation of South Africa, this movie brings to light the racial tension that existed in South Africa at the time.  While the non white population cheered for any team playing against the Springboks at the time, Nelson wanted to unite the nation through them.  He encourges the black population to support the team and not change the colours and name as they were wanting to do.  To them the Springboks represented white supremacy and racism.  The team themselves is at first hesitant to do coaching tours of the small towns, but after a while they seem to enjoy their visits.  It is an interesting movie, showing how knowing, understanding and sharing with each race, first the security team, both black and white and then the rugby team and finally the nation could unite and be one.  I'm not sure when I read and hear what is happening in South Africa and Zimbabwe and so many other nations in Africa if this is happening today, but the movie did labour on this point.  Nelson Mandela shares the poen Invictus with Pienaar, telling him that when he wanted to do nothing more than lay down and give up this poem kept him going.  It is a wonderful piece.

Christmas movie fest

This time of year lends itself to a movie festival, a marathon of those wonderful, corny, predictable, weepy, happy, warm & fuzzy Christmas movies.  I started buying some a year or so back and I have a few now, some still unopened, one day I will actually have the movie marathon I envisage.  All this week the midday movie on the telly has been themed round Christmas, I have recorded them, not sure when I will actually sit and watch them umm!!! sometime before Christmas hopefully, or maybe after all the eating and visiting and unwrapping of gifts on Christmas Day, maybe!!  I really enjoyed Christmas with the Kranks, I could see Adrian and myself planning the big Christmas cruise, though I have never cruised and actually don't like the idea much, too much time on the boat and too confined I think.  I could see all the preparation happening and then us just going oh no we can't do this, what about the kids, I wanna be with the kids, yeah I know silly but Christmas is about being with the kids, even though the kids are growing up and making their own lives and don't necessarily want to be with us anymore.  I think I will struggle with some of these changes in our routines, the way we have done things before.  I never realised how much my mum and dad probably missed having my sister and I and then my children come and spend Christmas with them.  We used to do a roster thing where one year we were with Adrian's family, then one year with my mum and then one year with my dad.  So it would be at least two years between visits.  Then some years we just wanted to go away as a family and do our own thing, so we would head off to the beach for Christmas and see no one.  Arghhh they say you reap what you sow, maybe that is exactly what will happen in the coming years.  I don't want it to, I loved Christmas when the children were small, all the presents under the tree, all the early morning wake ups, really early morning, I have to admit I didn't really like that much.  I loved putting out the carrot for the reindeer and the cookie and milk and then beer for Santa.  I loved all the torn open paper littering the floor and all the squeals of excitement and the hours of trying to make things work, and being annoyed I forgot to buy enough batteries for whatever gadget they had received.  I loved the bon bons and the set table, glittering with gold covered chocolate coins.  I loved popping the little streamer bottles and wearing the hats.  I don't like change no not one little bit.

Back to the movies, It's a Wonderful Life, love it, Elf, so funny, kids favourite, The Holiday, a newie but a goodie, The Grinch Stole Christmas, different and I like it, Nativity Story, well there's no Christmas without it really, The Forgotten Toys and Prancer returns, yet to be watched, so I'll hold my verdict.  The Santa Claus is another favourite, I must look out for.  What's your favourite Christmas movie, do tell so I can add it to my little library?

THE BEGINNING

So Hi to everyone who might stumble across my blog. I hope you like it, no I hope you love it. I just want a place to talk to you, to share with you, to laugh and cry and argue and debate the things that make our lives interesting. And first cab off the rank,

• Movie Songs

Yeah those songs that seriously make you jump up and just dance when you hear them. They make you sing out loud, out of tune and most of the time the wrong words. We all have the songs and the movies that do that to us. Like on Sunday night we watched Mama Mia and who doesn't know every Abba song in that movie!! Well as it turns out I don't oops so I just sing out loud the wrong words, who cares I'm having a ball and the teenage daughters are going nuts. And my next fav sing along is from My Best Friend's Wedding you know which one don't you, yep sitting in the restaurant, cracking those crabs or lobsters and they all start singing "Say a Little Prayer" I love it, love it love it. So tell me what's your favourite sing out loud, out of tune movie song?

I want to share some pictures with you too, pictures that talk about my family, the things that make me happy, the pictures that stir memories. We all have them, those pictures that can bring back even the smell of the ocean, the feel of the salt on our skin, the sting of the sunburn, the laughter of the holiday. That's what this picture does for me. A late afternoon walk on the beach with my husband and two of my three daughters. I love pictures of people walking. I love to imagine what they were talking about, where they intended to go, did they actually get there? Were they in a hurry or just wandering...I wonder.

So until next time take a walk, sing some songs out of key and loudly......have funxx