Let's All Go To the Lobby...Movies!

I love movies.  I could sit and watch movies for days on end.  I don’t mind seeing movies over and over.  I’m also a bit of a cinema-nerd: I absolutely love the art of making movies.  I love a great crane shot, or a dolly zoom; I love special effects and figuring out how the writers came out with exactly those words.  Lighting, timing, cinematography, stunts…anything that makes a movie…well…a movie.  All that said, here are some of my personal favorites, or ones that hold some significance for me.  I’m listing them in MY chronological order: the order I remember seeing them in.

West Side Story (1961) – This is going first only because I don’t remember exactly when the first time I saw it was.  I do remember begging my mother to let me watch it on TV; she said I could, if I took a nap so that I could stay up to watch it.  Now, I don’t nap.  I STILL don’t nap.  However, I made an honest attempt to nap, and I guess that was good enough, because I got to watch it.  I love musicals – of course I had seen “The Wizard of Oz” and “The Sound of Music”, but this was probably the first time I discovered that a musical could be dark and gritty as well.  At my wedding, I walked down the aisle to “One Hand, One Heart” from the soundtrack.

101 Dalmatians (1961) – This is the first movie-going experience that I remember, and I remember it as if it was only yesterday, even though I saw it in 1969.  I remember wearing my little “Dalmatian” coat to the movie, and I remember sitting my little stuffed Dalmatian, Lucky, by the door, promising him that I would tell him ALL about it when I got home…then, when I got home, I remember picking him up, and dancing him in circles into my room, in order to describe every detail.

Lady and the Tramp (1955) – THIS, however, is, was, and most possibly always will be, my favorite Disney Animated movie.  I must have seen it during its 1971 re-release, but it grabbed my heart and never let go.  Fun fact:  Lady (and some pictures that decorated my bedroom in my childhood) is the main reason I have long hair.

Once Upon a Time (1973) – This little-known animated movie holds a very sentimental place in my heart: it was the first time that I got to go to the movies with JUST my friends: parents dropped us off & picked us up, but Taffy, Karen, Christine & I got to go in alone.  I remember the theatre being almost empty, and we all sat near the front.  I remember loving it…and then never seeing it again.  A few years ago my husband found it on DVD for me & I decided to show our daughters (our older daughter was exactly the same age I was when I saw it).  I popped it into the player, we snuggled on the couch…when I was suddenly hit with the thought:  what if it’s totally lame, and I only loved it for the experience?  Thankfully, it was just as enchanting as I remembered…and they loved it.

Carrie (1976) – If hard-pressed to tell what my all-time favorite movie is, I would have to say this.  I remember the ads catching my attention; but, since I was only 12 and it was rated R, I couldn’t see it.  My sister did, and (remember: this was in the years before home theatres or even VHS), since we figured I’d never get to see it, she told me ALL about it.  My sister is an excellent storyteller, so, when I DID finally get to see it, I felt like I watched it before…except she DID leave out one teensy-weensy little detail about the very ending…which made the ending that much  more delicious.  You don’t want to know how many times I’ve watched it, and I will confess that I find it almost cathartic (having been bulled horribly in school).  Oh, side note: I DO like the 2013 remake.

Logan's Run (1976) – Speaking of movies that you don’t want to know how many times I’ve seen…This movie and “Titanic” rank as the only movies that I saw in the theatre more than once.  I really couldn’t tell you why this one ranks so high with me, but I love it and still pull it out once and again…and again…

The Rescuers (1977) – This was the first movie that I got to take my little brother to…just the 2 of us.  For that reason alone it belongs on this list…and makes me cry every single time I watch it.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) – OK, don’t judge.  I KNOW this movie is a stinker, and that even the cast hates it.  However, I was about 13 when it came out, and had mad crushes on Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees AND Peter Frampton.  Seeing them both on the BIG SCREEN was a teenage girl’s dream come true.  I remember that I watched it alone: my mother went to the adjoining cinema to watch “Eyes of Laura Mars”.  The movie hit me so hard, I actually had trouble standing up when it was over.  Yes, I have it on DVD; and yes, I watch it again.  Every time I do, the little 13-year-old girl comes out to play.

Grease (1978) – I don’t think I saw more movies than I did during the years 1977-1980, and a lot of times, it was with friends.  However, when I think about my early-to-mid-teen years and seeing movies with friends, this is the first one that always pops into my mind.  The music!  The dancing!  The colors!  The story!  Whenever I hear “We Go Together”, tears of nostalgia form…and I smile.

Wait Until Dark (1967) – In 1979 I flew – all by myself – to visit my sister in Texas.  It was a great visit, and I’ll never forget it.  I especially remember one night she & I sat & watched this movie.  She didn’t give a spoiler, but she DID warn me that I would jump & scream near the end…but asked that I try not to, as her husband was asleep.  Well, THAT part came!  I jumped, and before I could make a sound, she clapped one hand on my shoulder & the other over my mouth!  It was such a great movie that it ranks as my 2^nd-favorite thriller…

Les Diaboliques (1955) – …only to be surpassed by this one.  When my husband & I were dating, his father introduced us to this little foreign gem.  You have to love a movie that has a disclaimer at the beginning, asking that you not give away any details of the movie after you watch it.

Precious (2009) – I know this is an odd pick.  It holds no nostalgia, and it’s not a “happy” movie.  As a matter of fact, it lands on most critics’ and movie lists’ “Movies You Can Only Watch Once” lists for its dark subject matter.  However, this one hits all of my “cinema-nerd” buttons.  Incredibly acted, wonderfully directed, and, while, once again, not a “happy” movie, it has one of the most simultaneously “down” and “upbeat” endings of just about any other movie I’ve seen.  Oh, and I HAVE watched it more than once.

Now, I don’t “love” every movie I see, and there have been movies that I saw and hated (“Fargo” comes to mind), but I have to admit that there was ever only one movie that I deeply regret having seen…one of those “Well, that’s an hour-and-a-half that I’ll never get back” movies.  That dishonor goes to 2012’s “Spring Breakers”.

Books

Although I don't have as much time to devote as I'd like, I still love to read.  I'm talking physical books.  I don't have a Kindle and, while I wouldn't turn one down if it were given to me, there's something about holding a physical book...flipping pages...using a bookmark...the scent...it's oddly satisfying.

The first favorite book I can remember is "Hubert's Hair-Raising Adventure".  It's about a vain lion whose mane catches fire, and the lengths he goes through to get it back.  I first read it in first grade.  I went to a 3rd grade reading class and, whenever we had "free read time", I would run to the books and grab Hubert before anyone else would.  When, near the end of the school year, I ended up in the hospital, my teachers gave it to me.  I still have it.

While in the hospital, I also got a ton of "Big Little Books".  Those little bite-sized nuggets were wonderful.

In 3rd or 4th grade, each person in my class was assigned a different book by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Mine was "Little House On the Prairie". I was immediately hooked.  Eventually, my mother got me the entire collection...book by book.  It seemed to take forever, but I would read the new one as soon as I got it; I would read the books I had in chronological order, fitting the new one in its place.  Unfortunately, my mother didn't get them IN chronological order!  The last one I got was "By the Shores of Silver Lake"...which was #5 of the 9.  Once again, I still have them, although "Little House in the Big Woods" - the first one I got - has a masking-tape spine.  I still love Laura; a few years ago my husband gave me a wonderful book titled "I Remember Laura", with interviews of people who knew & loved her!

My mother knew that I liked to read, and would often get me books.  One book she gave me when I was about 10 or 11 was "Karen" by Marie Killilea.  It's a true story about Marie's daughter, Karen, and her battles with having Cerebral Palsy.  It's not an easy read: it took me 3 tries to get past the word "infinitesimal" on page 2!  However, once I got past that, I found a story rich in love, faith, and humor.  I have read it - and its sequel, "With Love, From Karen" - several times.  It wasn't until just a few years ago that I found out that I was actually named after this book!

I still love to read.  Some of my other favorites:

• The Bible, which I have read - cover to cover - several times.
• Most of the early works of Stephen King, including "Carrie" and "The Stand".
• "Swan's Song" and "They Thirst" by Robert McCammon
• Most of V.C. Andrews, including the Dollenganger saga and "My Sweet Audrina".
• The Dragonriders of PERN series by Anne McCaffrey
• The Belgariad and the Mallorean serieses (is that a word?) by David Eddings.
• The Bad Girls of the Bible series by Liz Curtis Higgs
• The Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
• The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
  
• "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb
• The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
• "Maus" (I and II) by Art Spiegelman
• "A Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
• "The Final Girl Support Group" by Grady Hendrix 
• "How To Find Love in a Bookshop" by Veronica Henry
• "Run Rose Run" by Dolly Parton & James Patterson
  

I also have a soft spot for biographies and autobiographies, including:

• Mick Fleetwood
• Wynonna Judd
• Naomi Judd
• Roger Daltry
• Peter Frampton
• Elton John
  
• Jimmy Webb
• Mark Miller
  
• Patty Duke
• Chuck Norris
• Danny Trejo
• Eric Clapton
• Patti Boyd
• Mackenzie Phillips
• Maria Von Trapp
• Helen Keller

I also love re-reading books; to me, it's like revisiting old friends.  Granted, I usually like a little time to pass before a re-read...but that just gives me the opportunity to read another book!

(Updated on 4/17/2025)

Just Like the White-Winged Dove...

 

Stevie Nicks is easily my favorite singer.  I remember my introduction: my sister & I had gone to the local record store and she bought a Fleetwood Mac album.  I don’t remember if it was “Fleetwood Mac” or “Rumours” – pretty sure it was “Rumours” – but she played it when we got home and I was hopelessly hooked.  Over the years I studied about this incredible band that originated in England and discovered their early, blues stuff.  Fleetwood Mac quickly became my all-time favorite band, but I always ended up coming back to Stevie's solo stuff.

Oddly enough, I find it easy to pick my favorites of her songs, both solo and with the Mac.  This is my Top 10 list of each, as of today.  She’s still recording, so anything is subject to change.

Top 10 Stevie Nicks Solo Songs:

10)  Desert Angel, from Timespace – This is both powerful and sweet at the same time.  Stevie is a staunch supporter of our armed forces, and she wrote this soon after Desert Storm began.  The plaintive “come home” at the end gets me every time.

9) Cathouse Blues, from 24 Karat Gold – This song is just so much fun!  It’s catching Stevie in kind of a silly moment…pure joy.  You’ve got to love a line like “I wear the highest of high-heel shoes”.

8) Ghosts Are Gone, from In Your Dreams – I find that I really lean on the hard, powerful songs more than the ballads, and this one fits the bill.  The opening guitar riff is PURE rock power!

7) I Can’t Wait, from Rock A Little – Once again, one of her strong, powerful songs.  The first time I heard it, I was blown away by the power.

6) Whole Lotta Trouble, from the Other Side of the Mirror – This one is more of a bluesy, jazzy number, with horns, no less.  You can’t help but sway to the beat.

5) Stand Back, from The Wild Heart – Stevie synth-pop.  ‘Nuff said.

4) Fall From Grace, from Trouble in Shangri-La – I didn’t consciously pick songs from different albums, but each album seems to have one huge, stand-out, power ballad…and this is Shangri-La’s.

3) The Nightmare, from Rock A Little – See?  Rock A Little is a bit of an underrated album.  This song definitely fits the title, as the build-up is like a nightmare building up its terror.

2) Wide Sargasso Sea, from In Your Dreams – I’m a sucker for story songs, and this one has a wonderfully tragic story, with one of the most powerful endings of any of her songs.  It builds…and builds…and builds…and then just stops…”but you’ll never forget that kiss”.

1) Edge of Seventeen, from Bella Donna – I have loved this song since the very first time I heard it, and even with her extensive catalog, including b-sides and soundtrack additions, nothing has touched this in my heart.  I hear that opening Waddy-riff and my heart just leaps for joy.  My absolutely favorite version, however, is the one she does with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.  Unforgettable!

I give an honorable mention to "One More Big Time Rock'n'Roll Star" (b-side), "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You" (Rock A Little), and "Gold and Braid" (Live cut)

Top 10 Stevie Nicks songs with Fleetwood Mac:

10) Freedom, from Behind the Mask – Easily the rockiest song from this album, it almost resembles a spinning top.  The lyrics are rather biting:  “look at me with daggers, it won’t do you any good; all the looks that you’ve used on me won’t work now that you’ve fallen”.

9) Beautiful Child, from Tusk – The softest and sweetest song in her Mac catalog, it’s both uplifting and sad at the same time…”I’m not a child any more…”

8) Gold Dust Woman, from Rumours – My opinion: this song is stronger lyrically, musically, and topically than “Dreams”…but “Dreams” gets all the press.  It’s a hard song to listen to, it’s so confessional…but that’s part of its magic.

7) Sara, from Tusk – Of course, I mean the FULL version, not the chopped-up radio mix.  It’s an odd love song…odder if you know the story behind it.

6) Straight Back, from Mirage – This has a “Sisters Of the Moon” vibe, in its intensity.  I absolutely LOVE the overlapping lyrics, which she also uses that style in “Beautiful Child”, but you don’t miss a word.

5) Sisters Of the Moon, from Tusk – Take the musical style of “Straight Back” (yeah, I know this came out first), add the confessional tone of “Gold Dust Woman”, mix well, add an unforgettable keyboard riff…and voila!

4) Silver Springs, b-side to “Go Your Own Way”, also released on “The Dance” and the special edition of “Rumours” – The most popular song that nobody has heard of.  So full of heartache, but with a warning…”you’ll never get away from the sound of the woman that loved you”.

3) Storms, from Tusk – This one is a hidden gem.  Just a soft, sad lament.  A grossly underrated song from her discography.  “Never have I been a blue, calm sea; I have always been a storm.”

2) Gypsy, from Mirage – This song is the very essence of Stevie Nicks.  I think that this is the best song that, if someone asks you, “What’s the big deal?” you put this on and it answers the question perfectly.

1) Illume, from Say You Will – Another hidden gem.  This song is about her experience with 9/11.  Both the lyrics and the music tell of her pain, fear, and anger.  I find that most of her Mac stuff is softer, but this one rocks as hard as her hardest solo stuff.

I give an honorable mention to "The Second Time" (Behind the Mask), "Welcome To the Room...Sara" (Tango In the Night), and - of course - "Dreams" (Rumours)

Inspiration, Interpretation, and Inktober

I remember when I first started getting into writing poetry, I was fairly prolific.  I was writing 2 or 3 poems a week.

I'm the first to admit that I will never be a Poet Laureate or even an award winner.  I've been accused of being "Hallmark-y".  I don't mind.  I write what I write.  I like to rhyme.  I like rhythm.  I like simple storylines or emotions.  I don't feel the need to "dig deep" or use huge complicated words or convoluted structures.  I repeat:  I write what I write.

Writing has gotten harder over the years.  Less time, more distractions, fewer inspirations.  Autumn is my favorite topic, and one can only use so many autumn analogies.

However...this year was different.

Elizabeth introduced me to Inktober.

Now, granted, Inktober is actually for artists...specifically, black-ink artists (hence the name).  Kind of like what is used in graphic novels.  The goal is to make a creation a day for the entire month of October.  However, nothing is carved in stone.  You don't have to write every day:  you can write every other day, once a week,..whenever the inspiration hits you.  And, while I did say that it's mainly for black-ink artists, it's encouraged that anyone can use any creative outlet.  Also, while they supply a "prompt list" with key words to give inspiration, you don't have to follow the prompts.  It's all in fun.

So, I decided to give it a go...and surprised myself.  I actually posted a poem every single day for every single prompt.  Granted, I may have cheated just a little by using a few older poems in my portfolio,  Seven, to be specific. However, the other 24 days were all original and new.  While a few I pretty much just wrote to get them written ("Tasty Treat" comes to mind"), a few of them came as a surprise...even to me.

Here they are...just click on the prompt word:

Prompt: ring
Prompt: mindless
Prompt: bait
Prompt: freeze
Prompt: build
Prompt: husky
Prompt: enchanted
Prompt: frail
Prompt: swing
Prompt: pattern
Prompt: snow
Prompt: dragon
Prompt: ash
Prompt: overgrown
Prompt: legend
Prompt: wild
Prompt: ornament
Prompt: misfit
Prompt: sling
Prompt: tread
Prompt: treasure
Prompt: ghost
Prompt: ancient
Prompt: dizzy
Prompt: tasty
Prompt: dark
Prompt: coat
Prompt: ride
Prompt: injured
Prompt: catch
Prompt: ripe

This just goes to show that you can do anything you put your mind to, that inspiration can come from some unlikely places, and that people can have different interpretations of the same words.

Please, feel free to give these a glance...and if you want, let me know if any of them has touched you, made you laugh, made you cry, made you think.

Men

When I was a child, the men were the heads of their families.  They were respected, and they were respectable.  They cared about how they appeared, how they presented themselves…not only physically, but their reputations.  Their words were their bonds.

Most boys looked up to their fathers – and even to other men – as role models.  Most girls wanted to marry someone just like Daddy.

I know things weren't perfect, but most of them at least tried.

A lot of that is gone now…almost to the point of extinction.

Men portrayed on TV and movies are immature slobs who refuse to grow up.  The men are almost totally helpless.  Their wives lord over them.  Their children scoff at them and disrespect them.

“Dad jokes” has become a phrase for lame jokes.

I even see it in other circumstances, in real life. 

I’m thankful that, while rare, there ARE men who still care how they present themselves, who act like MEN: respectable, strong, honorable, leading and taking care of their families.  I’m also thankful that most of them are in my own family.  My husband, my brothers, my brothers-in-law all fit the bill.  I am also acquainted with other men who don’t fall into the modern “man-child” stereotype.

I pray that my daughters can find men who will also lead with integrity and respect.

To quote a movie that I love…where are you, Men of Courage?

My Mom

This is dedicated to my mother, Theresa “Terry” Coutermarsh, who passed away on March 8, 2018.

I wish to share some memories of my Superwoman mother.

Some of my earliest memories of her were of how beautiful she was.  She had this gorgeous, deep, dark, “Irish Setter”-colored hair that I both envied and adored.  Imagine my shock when I found out that it came from a bottle!  She always took care of herself, looked nice, and I especially loved how she would get all “gussied up” when going out with Dad!  Her hair done up, a gorgeous dress…she looked like a queen…but she only wore a touch of lipstick for makeup.

I liked watching TV with her in my parents’ room…especially when she let me have one of her special caramels.  She didn’t give them to me often, as I found out later that they were “diet” caramels.  I remember when she asked me if I wanted to see a brand-new show made especially for kids when I was about 6; I could watch it in her room if I wanted.  That was my introduction to “Sesame Street”.

When I was in first grade we had our school portraits taken.  I clearly remember in the letter sent home to parents it said to have your child look “natural”.  She decided that I had naturally curly hair & gave me a perm!

We did a lot of things together as I grew up.  We watched game shows, went to the movies together, went to yard sales & Goodwill.  Every time I see tap shoes I remember how she would let me hang in the shoe section while she shopped because I could just sit and stare at a pair that was always there.  She wouldn’t get them for me – I didn’t “tap”, after all – but I could “visit” them all I wanted to.  The weird thing was…they were always there.

I remember when I got my first period.  I was in school and couldn’t wait to go home to tell her.  In celebration she took me to see the movie “Superdad”.

My teen years were a mixed bag.  Mom & Dad had a lot of “grown-up” worries going on that they didn’t want me to worry about; in return, I had a lot of “teenager” worries, which included severe and constant bullying, that I likewise didn’t want them to worry about.  Mom was also going through menopause during this time, so there were some clashes.

However, it was also during this time that she & I went grocery shopping together every Wednesday evening, which was followed by dinner.  I treasure those Wednesday evenings deep in my heart.  The shopping doesn’t sound like fun, but it was.  We also did household shopping.  It was always followed by dinner: sometimes pizza, sometimes Chinese…we’d eat and talk.

She always loved her Soaps: “One Life to Live” and “General Hospital”.  As a small child I pretty much just ignored it.  In my Junior High years I openly scoffed, as any good Junior High kid would.  However, I dove head-long into the whole Luke & Laura thing!  She & I would watch together; we cried at the wedding together.  Soon around the time of the “Ice Princess”, however, I started losing interest again.

When I was 15-16, I was a regular at a teen disco that had opened up in town, called Studio C.  That was something else that Mom encouraged; me getting out and dancing.  I’d go with my best friend and we’d dance all night.  I admit that there was a lot of the juvenile criminal element hanging around there, but I never compromised my principles.  I soon became their “little sister”!  During this time I had some kind of heart problem.  I was having chest pains.  I went to the doctor who said that I was under too much stress (and a lot of other things, long forgotten) and told me to avoid all caffeine.  He asked what activities I did and I mentioned Studio C.  He said to Mom, “I would never let my daughter go out like that!”  Mom replied, “What did you do as a kid; stay home and play with your books?”

Mom also helped me get my first job.  She was a waitress at the Green Ridge Turkey Farm Restaurant for many years; she got me in as a hostess one night a week when I was 16.  I was amazed at how many customers would ask for her specifically, week after week!  I also loved customers coming up to me to tell me what “great service Terry gave us”…then wondered why I was beaming from ear to ear.

Things got really crazy when both grandmothers came to live with us.  I shared a room with Mom’s mother while Dad’s mother lived across the hall.  They really didn’t get along, but their favorite thing to fight over was my attention.  Mom & Dad had jobs and home-things to take care of; the older siblings were all out in the world; and Peter was still really little.  That left me.  Mom told me later that she regretted putting me in that position (and not putting me into therapy).

Side note: I remember one Easter when Dad’s mother was insulted because Mom gave her an Easter basket.  Mom had worked her butt off fixing up a basket with her favorite treats, yet she said that she was being treated “like a kid”.  While I was raised to respect my elders, I followed her into her room and yelled at her, letting her know exactly how much work and love Mom put into that “childish” basket.

I can’t think about Mom without thinking about music.  Music was always a huge part of my life.  There was almost always music playing in the house.  I remember Mom particularly loved the soundtrack from “Godspell”, with the song “Day By Day” being a particular favorite (it’s actually her ringtone on my phone).  I’ll never forget how happy she was the first time she saw me sing in church…when I was in my 40s.  She said that she always wanted to see me sing in church.  I was further blessed to be able to have her see me sing in church with my own daughter in the choir.

She was a fun Mémère.  Quite a few times my girls would spend overnights with her & Dad, and they would take the girls places: York Beach, Budweiser Brewery tours (no kidding; those tours are great and very family-friendly), even the beach.  The cookie jar was always full and there was always ice cream for dessert.  The girls loved the pull-out couch & staying up late, but Mom always encouraged them to call (or text) us goodnight.

I love you, Mom, and I’ll miss you terribly.  Say hello to Peter for me.