Spielberg, the Great

Monday night, I decided to do something trivial and watch the Golden Globes Awards show on Television. It was very silly and full of frivolity for hours. There were times when the audience was table hopping and talking through the awards presentations so that some of the presenters had to tell them to be quiet and sit down. I decided to go to bed around 10 pm, but they were about give the Cecil B. DeMille award. After the film course I took in college, I have an appreciation of his work, and Martin Scorsese was introducing the award. He tried very hard to talk slowly enough and enunciate well, so I got hooked into it. He said the award went to Steven Spielberg and talked about their relationship. Then they ran a clip going through the body of Spielberg's work spanning decades with the biggies like Jurassic Park, Jaws, Shindler's List, Indiana Jones, E.T., Saving Private Ryan, and the list of big hits just went on and on. I was just totally impressed at the sheer volume and quality of his works and how significant it was. When the clip ended, the audience came to their feet and cheered. He had made many careers in that room and he got his due respect. I am always thrilled to see a tribute go to someone who actually has done something and has a record of contributions in a world of American Idol where all you have to do is breathe and do stupid stuff while people pour on the accolades--a little like the political world.

Spielberg came on stage and nobody said a word while he spoke. It was obvious that greatness was in the house. I noticed that those people weren't table hopping and talking over the speaker any more. They all sat down and listened while he talked extemporaneously for over ten minutes about his beginning in the business and how he was so impressed at six years of age by Cecil B. DeMille's movie he saw in Philly with his father--The Greatest Show on Earth. He talked about starting to make movies with a little home camera and wondered if he would get away with crashing his train set just to make a movie. He said every time he makes a movie he wonders if he will "get away with it". Then he talked about the people who mentored him and how he had acted to mentor people as well as who was a mentor for various famous people he named. It was extraordinary the way he explained all of it and how it influenced the business which is a major player in the country's economy. He has created more jobs and careers than anyone in Washington. I was amazed that all those big names—Clint Eastwood, Ron Howard, Tom Hanks, Shirley McClaine, etc. sat spell bound while he talked so insightfully about the art and the business of movies. It was the most fantastic speech of the evening and when it was over, everyone in the whole room rose to their feet and gave him another standing ovation. I hoped he wasn't sick because too often, they give out those things kind of like a precursor to their memorial service. I hope he has another forty years in the business because he is really a giant in the industry. Today, the media that I have looked at or listened to have greatly ignored the whole thing as though the best dressed/worst dressed was the only thing that was important. I really had to search to find a few articles about his great achievements. How shallow the media is. They just don't get it. There was an absolute hero that has influenced more lives than one could count and they act like it was next to nothing and hardly worth a footnote. I love to see someone honored who has actually done something and it makes me furious when the real movers and shakers are ignored.

Or even worse, it annoys me when much ado is made of someone who has done nothing worth mentioning. I suppose that is the thing that annoys me most about the current media darlings. I don't like to see anyone elevated to rock star status who has done nothing which is a valuable contribution to the world. I knew a long time ago the difference between real accomplishments and glitz and glitter. I am only impressed by people who actually produce something. "Where's the beef?" is a very profound insight.

Cyber Shorthand

Rules, rules, rules. A perverse person can get really tired of rules sometimes. Having grown up among people who commonly said ya’all or yaal or ya’al or yawl, I never learned how to spell that contraction meaning “you all” or “all of you”. It was considered adequate communication of the region. I like it far more than saying “all of you” or “you folks” or “you people”. After moving to another region that commonly uses yuz or youse, or you’s meaning more than one of you, a non-native, English-speaking person could get confused.

This, however, isn’t intended as a study of linguistics. After four years of high school grammar and spelling and writing, followed by a B.S.(seriously) as an English major, I had learned lots of rules, and even after my thorough indoctrination, my speech still doesn't sound quite "Shakespearean."

I like grammar rules far more than the next person and generally try to follow most of them but only for the sake of accurate communication. Isn’t that what words are all about anyway? I will admit to cringing when I hear “ain’t.” I have to resist railing about the decline of literacy when I see a small “i” in e-mail when the writer intended the pronoun “I”.

Acronyms seem to have taken over the world of e-mail and forget texting. LOL! I simply can’t bring myself to try to communicate using “u r a —”. I get a bit uptight when other people use those abbreviations and shorthand, but I have to admit, I get lazy too, especially when I am rushed. The rebel in me grows horns and I dig in my heels too when someone wants to demand that I use various conventions like proper grammar and punctuation. I have discovered that misspelled words bother me more than poor grammar and punctuation, especially when they are seen in places where the writer should know better. Turnpike signs: “Busses Welcome”. Poor example, because that is probably the British spelling. Grocery store sign: “Stakes $3.95″. Do they sell to meat eaters or vampire slayers? My biggest pet peeve of incorrect usage is the “it’s” when the person really means “its”. It is not so complicated, or a possessive. The apostrophe takes the place of the letter “i” in the word “is” so that “it’s” always means “it is”.

Therein lies the difference in my outlook and that of some who make a practice of texting on cell phones. I think I know the difference and the correct spelling or rule, whereas it seems to have become a language that those who use it want to use as a shorthand or different language to fool others who don’t know the current fad expressions. Personally, it strikes me that they don’t know the correct words or spelling when they have to use some method of communication other than an expensive “charge by the letter” texting cell phone. How can they go to a job that has a boss who requires a written report requiring formal English written on real paper for the Board of Directors? Are they able to put aside their “second language” and use conventions that were used before they were born?

On the other hand, if someone reminded me to use proper English,it would annoy me and I would, perversely, misuse it again. People are so quirky. English is a great language because we can play with it and enjoy it whether we use it correctly and make puns, or use it incorrectly, and communicate exactly what we mean in spite of incorrect usage. The point is: we have to be able to do both. That’s the new world order.

I know all of those rules, but sometimes I, too, think enough with the rules already. Then I remember the college class that tried to decipher the real words and meaning of things written in Middle English. I can understand how the language would evolve to a form that is unrecognizable two hundred years from now. Our legacy to our progeny will be that they will need a “Rosetta Stone” to understand what we are trying to communicate to the ages. Maybe that is why “History repeats itself”. “Those who can’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” If they can’t understand our lessons, they will have to learn for themselves. “Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.” Maybe we are doing our progeny a disservice. Or maybe in the world of tomorrow, our descendants will have no need of our forms of communication. They will have devices only science fiction writers dream about today. Maybe they will have mental telepathy. Is that cyber shorthand or cyberspeak?

Anyone can speak properly and write in a fashion that can be read today or two hundred years from today without translation software. It isn't hard when a few basics of grammar usage are observed.

Turkey Recipe

A Thanksgiving Turkey is very special and best when moist. This technique guarantees that it will be cooked quickly, thoroughly, and it doesn't dry out with this method. It doesn't require a lot of tending or frequent basting. It is the most rewarding recipe for the cooking of Thanksgiving Turkey.


TURKEY RECIPE *


Thanksgiving Turkey Cooked in Foil


Weight---------------Cooking Time


7 - 9 lb.---------------------2 ¼ - 2 ½ hr.

10 – 13 lb.-----------------2 ¾ - 3 hr.

14 – 17 lb.-----------------3 – 3 ¼ hr.

18 – 21 lb.-----------------3 ¼ - 3 ½ hr.

22 – 24 lb.-----------------3 ½ - 3 ¾ hr.



Wash thawed turkey (I use turkey breast), dry, sprinkle with salt and Bell’s Poultry Seasoning to individual taste. Add small pats of butter or Smart Balance if desired. Cooking times can be for either stuffed or unstuffed birds. Place in center of large, long strip of heavy duty aluminum foil on a shallow oven baking pan. Put foil covers on ends of wings or drumsticks if it is a whole bird. Bring ends of foil to top and roll together to form a loose tent, not touching the top of the bird. Also seal the ends. Place on a rack in the center of the oven, not too near the bottom to avoid overcooking the bottom.


Bake in preheated 450˚ oven according to the chart above. Remove for the last 30 minutes, open the foil (careful of the steam!). If additional browning is needed, return to the oven. Juices can be basted over the turkey first to retain moisture. Remove juices either before or after this step to make gravy. Sometimes the turkey is cooked at this point and doesn’t need additional time in the oven. I prefer to leave it in the oven to the end of the cooking time, remove it, open foil, and let it cool for 30 minutes before slicing.


Servings vary with turkey size – normally allow ¼ lb. per serving.

*Marsh, Dorothy B., ed. The New Good Housekeeping Cookbook. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., 1963.

What Cats Want Owners to Know

I had to learn how to anticipate the cat's needs. After living with cats for many years, I concluded that it isn't the cats that need to be trained, but their owners. Cat behavior reflects decisions that cat owners have made. Living with cats can be such a pleasure and very rewarding until they shred the drapes, pee on the couch and sleep on the dining table. I like to have a more rewarding relationship with my cats.

When I got two cats, I lived in a small apartment with two bedrooms. That meant that a small number of cats was a good choice. One cat will get lonely; more than two cats will create problems as shown in studies of rats that are put in overcrowded environments. Cats are expert loungers who don't like stress. Too many cats for the square footage of one's living space guarantees stress for the cat, which creates unruly cats. I did not plan to let my cats roam the neighborhood to impose on other people, or get injured, and get diseases to increase the vet bills, so I needed to limit the number of felines in the house. Indoor cats are healthier and live longer.

I chose kittens rather than pre-owned cats that would have brought along habits, good and bad. I got litter mates so they had been together since birth and they were able to get along together. I got a male and female, but I now think I should have had only two females. Males that have been neutered are more prone to cystitis which is chronic and makes them irritable and prone to spray curtains, beds, couches, etc. Since males to have to be neutered, unless you plan to raise limitless numbers of kittens, females make easier domestic pets. Naturally, females have to be spayed for the same reason. A male cat that doesn't use the litter box may have cystitis which requires a visit to the vet.

I found that periodically simply clipping the cat's front and back claws carefully to dull the tips, avoiding cutting too close to the nail quick, prevented their ability to greatly damage fabrics they scratched. There was no need to de-claw them which would be very cruel. Providing scratching posts of carpet or scratching toys purchased in pet stores also draws their attention away from couches, or drapes. When catnip is sprinkled on scratching posts or their toys, they are more interested in scratching those.

Cat training that works quickly and easily requires water sprayers. If my cats ever attempted to scratch anything they shouldn't, I sprayed them with water kept nearby in a spray bottle. Eventually, they will avoid doing undesirable behaviors if you just pick up the sprayer. They stop even trying to scratch the couch. I kept spray bottles everywhere for discipline. If they tried to get on kitchen counters or tables, I would spray water on them. They don't like to be sprayed with water and it doesn't hurt to add a loud "NO". After some conditioning, the cats will react to just the loud command "NO".

Cats are more inclined to use a litter box if it is kept scrupulously clean and smelling nice. People don't like dirty toilets and neither do cats. Also, they don't like to be annoyed or made nervous when they go to the litter box. It should be in an out-of-the-way, quiet place as far from house traffic as possible. That is another reason to avoid getting more cats than your living space should have. Consider through the cat's perspective--they like peace and quiet. Cats aren't like dogs who like lots of activity. If cats are nervous and stressed, they are less likely to use the litter box.

I learned that I shouldn't confuse cats by having things like bean bag chairs lying around the house. They can mistake a bean bag chair for a litter box. My cats were more cooperative when I kept their litter box in the same place and very clean. No amount of training will prevent the occasional hairball or upset stomach, so those things just have to be tolerated and cleaned up quickly. Cat owners learn quickly that tile or wood floors clean easier than carpet. People get sick, so do animals, and they can't be punished for that.

They trained me when I saw that they preferred sleeping in cardboard boxes that were about fifteen inches square with sides about eight inches high. They would curl up in those to sleep and stay off the couch or bed. They also taught me that they liked to play on their terms. If I played too roughly, they would bite, I treated them in a gentle, loving way and they never became aggressive or irritable with me without provocation. They like attention when they want it, not necessarily when the owner wants it. Follow their lead.

When I learned to anticipate their needs rather than trying to "train" them, or modify their behavior, it became obvious that some of my choices as a cat owner needed careful consideration.

Freebies

The last "atta boy" I received was a bottle of spring water. Before that, my incentive was a t-shirt with some slogan that guaranteed that I would never wear that t-shirt. I have received lapel pins, certificates, desk calendars, figurines, ink pens, posters, towels and the list is endless. Multiply that with all the other people receiving similar junk. How much of the economy is wasting money on programs that are senseless and serve no positive purpose? The only entity that benefits is the company that makes all the giveaways that end up in landfills. I wish I had all the money that had been spent on all that junk that I received that I neither needed nor wanted. I would never have chosen to buy a poster that said "Life is a daring adventure". If I want motivation, I will look for whatever speaks to me, not what someone else thinks will motivate me. Where should I store all that "free" stuff or how do I discard an endless stream of trinkets? These "free" items really aren't.

If I pay membership dues to places like a fitness center or a club, I don't need trivial rewards for that. I would, however, like to have my membership fee lowered so I don't have to pay for all that garbage that is handed out as a reward for joining. Whoever is deciding to purchase and give away all the trinkets has to make a "One size fits all" decision that ends up fitting no one and it only impresses me that it is a very wasteful project. Maybe that person gets to put on their resume that they pioneered an incentive program, I would look at it totally differently. I would say they have no judgment and waste members' money on junk. The best incentive is to lower membership dues.

For years, I have received trivial junk on the job. Again, raise my salary, and I will decide how I want to spend that money, but don't give me junk that has been bought with money that could have gone into my paycheck. Every time one of those giveaway programs comes through, the workers say the same thing, "We got junk, the person with that lack of judgment got promoted." Cold, hard cash speaks louder than t-shirts, lapel pins, calendars, ink pens, or caps.

Magicians

It is amazing to see how many magicians live among us. Every day, driving down the roads of our country, are magicians who open their car windows, toss out scrap paper and for that magician, the scrap paper has disappeared. It is no longer in his car, so it ceases to exist. Follow a magician out of a convenience store, and watch as he opens a candy bar. He drops the paper on the pavement, removing it from his hand, so for him, it ceases to exist. Watch the next magician that you see who is smoking. The ashes are flicked to the wind, disappearing for him. The cigarette butt soon follows to either the street or pavement, disappearing from his hand, and ceasing to exist for the magician smoker. The whole world is his personal ash tray. Our neighborhoods are filled with magicians in the fall who rake their yard leaves into the street. For that magician, the leaves are off his grass and cease to exist for him. If these magicians are so successful in making things disappear, why do we need more magicians coming along behind them trying to make all of it disappear a second time?