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What: #79 Watch "Lawrence of Arabia"

When: November 5th
Where: Living room
Why: Originally, one reason for this list was to expand my horizons, including reading books and watching movies that were not a part of my normally chosen genres, but that seemed a part of American culture. One movie that is frequently referenced, and that intrigued me because of the connection to Jordan's Wadi Rum - a place I loved very much when I visited - is "Lawrence of Arabia." It also has a few actors that were very successful, and I thought it would be nice to see them in these early defining roles.

One reason that I have hesitated to watch this movie is because it is nearly four hours long. As this calendar year is winding down and I found that I needed to finish up my list, I realized I couldn't keep putting this one off any longer. So, I sat down in my comfy clothes with a large drink and a few snacks, and wrote down my thoughts as I watched the movie. Here, presented for your reading pleasure, are my in-the-moment thoughts as I watched the movie.
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Well, the first 15 minutes were a just a blank black screen, so I was worried the Blu-Ray was defective, but it was intentionally playing only the score. I can already see why this movie is almost 4 hours long...but granted, the music is pretty dang good so far!

Huh, starts off with his death by motorcycle accident; feels a bit like a Hitchcock film.

St. Paul’s cathedral!!

Peter O’Toole is blonde? And is Lawrence of Arabia a gay man?

At the scene at the well...I wouldn’t yell at a guy who just shot another guy and left you alone in the desert – Omar Sharif is the actor, yes?

I can tell the parts filmed in Wadi Rum, they have NO vegetation and are so beautiful! (Side note: Spent some time looking at my old pictures from my trip there in August 2014...pretty sure I didn't miss any big plot points...) 

Kinda campy music at times, like while riding the camel after his friend is shot.

I love the aspect of old movies like this, with dramatic pauses and poor special effects.

I don’t love Alec Guiness – Obi Wan Kenobi – in “black face”...feels very inappropriate!

Also, entire conversations and scenes seem pretty far from the socially appropriate way various cultures should be represented...yikes...

In the tent with Prince Faisal, are they lounging on dead goat bodies?

Lawrence speaks so quietly; interesting...again, is that just Peter O'Toole or is that the character?

They make it seem so easy getting on/off those camels; I know better!

After 2 ½ hours, there was an intermission with another 10-15 minute black screen of music; from then on, I watched a large part of the movie at 1.5 speed. So much of the film is without dialogue, so I’m not missing any conversations, and it actually added a little amusement to the battle scenes!

Ok, took a weird turn; was the Turkish guy trying to hit on Lawrence??

Finally, it's over! Truly, it was a rough final hour or so. And I didn't think it portrayed T.E. Lawrence quite the way I was expecting it to, as a huge war hero. Instead, he seemed like a bit of a egomaniac out for selfish glory or to escape conventional British military service. Moral of the story: If you want to watch this movie, really settle in for an intense and lengthy evening! 

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What: #44 Buy a gift off a stranger's registry

When: August 27th, 2016
Where: Crate & Barrel
Why: A friend of mine did this when she did a "40 by 40" list of things, and I thought it was a cool way to do a random act of kindness. Recently, as I've had a string of some really great things happen to me, I wanted to send positive energy out into the universe in a direct way.

For this item, I didn't choose a total stranger, rather someone that I met only once, but that I will now be working with and thought it would be a nice way to welcome them to the team, and to congratulate them on their recent life event. The wedding was a few weeks ago, but there were still a few items I found on the registry that had not been fulfilled, so I swooped in to pick up some kitchen accessories.

I'm hoping that it does not seem odd that I found the registry; in hindsight, I could see it would be strange for a stranger to buy a gift from one's registry, but hopefully it's viewed as a really kind gesture!

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What: #12 Eat a calzone

When: August 24th, 2016
Where: Basil Boys

An actual plate I use...

Why: Those who know me well are aware that I have the eating habits of a child. I love chicken tenders, grilled cheese, mac-n-cheese, PB&Js, and so on. If it's on a children's menu, it's probably one of my favorite foods. Those who know me also know that I love to travel, and so my comfort zone for foods has to expand a bit when I travel internationally...altho I've yet to enter a country that doesn't have delicious pizza (except you, Nepal). As I've gotten less young, I've tried to slowly integrate a wider variety of foods and flavors into my diet, and that has involved eating items for the first time that most people have already sampled at a much earlier time. Like avocados (thought I'd hate them, but I tried one about 3 years ago and I love them!) and calzones. A calzone is a big deal in my college town, but for some reason - likely the reason being that it isn't pizza - I never tried one. Ever. For decades. Then, when going out to dinner with my extended family, they all ordered them and I didn't want to feel left out, so forced by positive peer pressure, I caved and also ordered one. I chose tomato, mushrooms, and pineapple for my items, and along with the amazing dough of the crust (my stomach actually just gurgled thinking about how delicious it was!), it was a successful choice and now, probably, it's a food that I'll order and try again another time. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

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What: #46 Find out if I have an FBI file

When: July 28th-August 10th, 2016
Where: That's classified...
Why: For some reason, I feel like I might have an FBI file. Maybe it's the fact that my last name is pretty unique and seems to come from nowhere in my lineage, making me think that maybe it was simply created at some point to keep our family secrets. (Maybe I've also ready too many mystery novels or watched too many intriguing movies.) Also, I do a fair amount of traveling around the world, including places in the Middle East and parts of Africa that aren't always known for their stable governments, so I figured at one time or another, I'd likely have been flagged upon my re-entry to the United States. Plus, I am just a nosy person in general, and I crave information, and I like the chase of finding information beyond a basic Google search. I think I long for the days of card catalogs and microfiche and meeting with people to dig out a good nugget of information.

So, I set about filling out Form DOJ-361 to request my government held records pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974. Much to my surprise - having filled out overly-complicated and lengthy tax forms for years - this form was a single page of efficiency! Within TWO MINUTES of emailing it to the proper authorities, I received confirmation that the official process was underway. By August 2nd, I had received a formal letter explaining the next steps and how to keep track of it online.

Finally, on August 10th - only TWO WEEKS after the initial request - I received the results. The letter explains that no results were found on me in their Central Records System. It goes on to say that "this response neither confirms nor denies the existence" of an actual file, nor does it clear my name of appearing on any watch lists. It continues by stating that "three discrete categories of law enforcement and national security records" were excluded from the information presented to me, and that again, "this should not be taken as an indication that excluded records do, or do not, exist." To me, it seems inconclusive, so I'm going to continue on my path with the assumption that I might have a file and I'll try to keep it minimal.

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What: #22 See Dolly Parton perform

When: August 4th, 2016
Where: Caesar's Windsor

Why: Dolly is an icon. Pure and Simple, just like the title song from her new album. I remember watching her and Kenny Rogers singing "Islands in the Stream" - still one of my absolute favorite duets - when I was a kid and loved her voice and her giddy spirit. Every time my family would travel to Tennessee to visit the Smoky Mountains, there were hints of her in her hometown that made it feel like she was accessible, which from time to time at Dollywood, I think she is! She also seems like one heck of an entertainer, still going really strong at 70, with a voice that's totally recognizable and a list of hits spanning pop, bluegrass, country, and gospel. When I heard she was touring ahead of her new album, I bought tickets the day they went on sale, and the 4 of us went to Canada to see her perform.

She's so sparkly, you can't get a photo!

You guys, she looks amazing! I know it's a lot of make-up and wigs and who knows what else, but it's been her trademark and she does it very well. She even moves around and dances and belts out songs like a woman half her age. Another aspect of her shows is storytelling, and while the stories are the same from show to show (as evidenced in this piece from her show at Red Rocks), they come off as sincere and gracious and fresh and give her a depth that other performers lack on stage.

And briefly mentioned in that review from Red Rocks is her instrumentation. The woman played so many instruments! Guitars, banjo, piano, fiddle, recorder, harmonica, and more! That kind of musical talent isn't found in most performers today, and I soaked it up. If you want to, too, she is still touring around the US and Canada, so find tickets and get there; you won't regret it!