I sat on the jetty and watched the waves crash over the break. The waves were enormous and at times tipped over the horizon line, before rolling in towards the stone break and crashing in magnificent spumes of spray. I read a little bit, I did some writing, but mostly I just watched. It was repetitive, but every wave is different. I was sorry to leave.
always a most effective non-pharmaceutical tranquilizer
Totally!
Great photos.
Yes, beautiful photos Sheila.
I’ve been drawn recently to films that just observe small changes in nature or people. It’s always better to go and find something in the world to watch and wonder at yourself.
Stephen – It was very therapeutic. Can you recommend any of the films you’ve seen recently?
To add a bit of dark humor to all of this: The book that I was reading was Peter Bogdanovich’s long out-of-print book called The Killing Of the Unicorn about the murder of Dorothy Stratten. I love him, and I love his writing – but this was … God, he just lost it. I felt bad for everyone involved. What an awful thing.
So that’s what I was reading as the waves were crashing.
Sheila,
I’d recommend
“Five Dedicated to Ozu” by Abbas Kiarostami,
A couple of short films by Sharon Lockhart here: http://www.ubu.com/film/lockhart.html (recommended by Just Another Film Buff at theseventhart)
“Hotel Monterey” by Chantal Akerman (in which sometimes nothing happens at all)
“Tombee de Nuit Sur Shanghai”, also by ChantalAkerman, which I think is only available on YouTube here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA2Dp6dvGlc&feature=fvsr
They are relaxing and almost trance-like.
Very nice, thank you. I’ve seen Five Dedicated to Ozu – I’m a bit of a Kiarostami fanatic and am dying to see Certified Copy – so jealous of those who have seen it – but I have not seen the other films you mention.
Thank you!
Sheila, I just found your website today while searching for the Great Loyalty Oath Crusade from Catch-22. I so enjoyed your article about it, that I have been reading your whole blog for hours. Your tributes to teachers (your sister and your 10th grade Englis teacher and the teacher who read Stuart Little) are beautiful. your movie discussions are riveting. Thank you so much for sharing you ideas with us.
mamajulie – What a nice compliment, thank you so much!
I’m amazed at how much traffic that Great Loyalty Oath Crusade excerpt gets. It’s linked to everywhere!! Of course I can take no credit for it – it’s all Joseph Heller’s genius!
Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you come back!