The Daily Honky Tonk 183rd Edition

The Daily Honky Tonk
183rd Edition
Saturday, April 24, 2010
4:40 AM

Being perfectly honest, I’ve struggled a lot with sleep in my life. As my parents could tell you I stopped taking naps within the first year or so of my life. Tonight I find myself still awake and as I am starting this DHT it is 3:52 AM. Which likely means I will finish between 4:30 and 5:00. Usually my sleep finds me around 1 or 2 when I’m having a really hard time. The funny thing is I don’t even feel really tired right now. I know I’m going to be paying for this for the rest of today but sleep is just not coming. . .so I might as well write.

Moving

To be honest, I’m pretty sure tonight I’m awake because I’m moving. Big changes- they always lead to less sleep . . . Even when I am excited for the change. Starting a new school year, taking a plane somewhere else, at different points in dating, big tests, projects, performances, the night before leaving to be a missionary, before leaving the MTC, before coming home, before going to college. My mind and body tell me a big change is coming and nothing many things are about to change.
I have to admit that my feelings about moving are very bittersweet. I am excited for a change. But I realized that I have come to think of this room and the bed I am sitting on as my own. I’ve come to love all the people who are in my ward. I love them a lot. And it has been sad to see them go, and sad to think of others who I am leaving here. This is life. People move on. But now as I leave, I know that my heart has become attached- something I sometimes fear I don’t actually do with people. My feelings are proving some of my thoughts and assumptions wrong. I still feel for people and yearn for their closeness and the relationships I have with them. And I look ever so much forward to these next few months of adventure.

Big Events

My friend Kjerstine Young (formerly Jackson) just had a little girl, Adelaide. I’m excited for her.
I already mentioned moving.
I know several couples getting married today. Later tonight I’ll go to a wedding reception.
I finished another semester.
The play performances begin in just over a month.
Life is gorgeous in so many ways.

Movie Reviews

So it’s possible that I watch quite a few movies. I love watching movies. I love the music, the acting, the stories, and thought provoking messages.

How to Train Your Dragon
When it comes to thought provoking messages. . .not so much in this movie. When it comes to being good fun entertainment with a nice story “How to Train Your Dragon” is a winner. I’m sure you have seen plenty of dragons- but I bet you haven’t ever thought they looked cute or really wanted to have your own. Wait, I lie. If you read Eragon and the succeeding books you may have wanted a dragon. But you probably never thought of Eragon as cute. Anyway, its a fun movie and appropriate for a family outing.

Julie and Julia
Wow. I don’t think I reviewed The Blind Side- but The Blind Side has become one of my favorite movies of all. Why do I mention this, because I think Julie and Julia was a movie of similar caliber. Granted, I would love to watch The Blind Side over and over again. Julie and Julia, I would probably enjoy watching again in a year or two . ..but if I never got around to it I probably wouldn’t mind. However, it is a beautifully put together film. However, I think the real thing that sells this movie is Meryl Streep. Her acting is incredible in every shape way and form. This is perfect for a date night, or a cooking party with a more mature audience. There is a little bit of language and there are some suggestive scenes but nothing to graphic. Definitely worth a watch :)

The Village
So, tonight I went to a friends birthday party and when I came back I had a few more things that I needed to do to pack and so I put in The Village with the intent of not finishing it. In fact, once I was done packing, I turned it off. After laying in my bed without sleep coming, I decided to finish it. Now, typically I am not a fan of scary movies. They aren’t my thing. The darkness that resides in my heart when I watch one is not something I enjoy in the least bit. But this is actually my second time watching The Village because I love it. Now, the reason I was able to enjoy The Village enough the first time was that somebody explained to me what was happening. Not only was I told the reasons, but there is nothing supernatural in the movie. At the end of the movie there is no unsettling feeling. The only other scary movie that I enjoy is Signs. Interestingly enough, these are both by M. Night Shyalaman.
What intrigues me about Shyalamans films is that he is such a good storyteller. Both Signs and The Village are profound stories. One of the main themes of The Village is dealing with pain and suffering and life. The movie has profound insight to what is good and evil. It considers the extremes at which we might go to protect those that we love. It shows the depths of human care, joy, and sorrow. Shyalamans scripts are genius and beautiful. They discuss topics of faith, doubt, fear, hope, good, evil, and everything that is profound in life. Besides this, it is a movie that continues to unveil meaning upon re-watching.
Like Julie and Julia, this is another movie with incredible acting. The characters are rich. Two of the most interesting characters are a blind girl and a mentally retarded young man. But as a whole, the entirety of the cast does beautifully.
As a final plus, the music from The Village is absolutely gorgeous as it appropriately accompanies a beautiful green 18th Century village. If you are interested in watching and desire not to be scared, I can explain the main parts of the movie. However, it will spoil the movie in some senses. I still enjoyed it even knowing, more so then if I hadn’t. The other part of the movie, which I don’t really like is that there is a stabbing in it. I close my eyes. I don’t recommend this for the young. And I have given you the precautions that I still have.

I think that is all I want to write about tonight. Hope you enjoy. I’ve enjoyed getting responses back from people. Some I may not have responded to but fully meant to. I’ll have to go back and look. Thanks for reading. Or skimming :)

The Editor,
MARK