Gone to the movies

I did it! I went to the movies. The friends I went with, knowing my usual avoidance of film, asked when the last time I saw a movie was, and I replied that I think it was Julie and Julia. That was 2009, so that makes it ten years.

Of course, today was no average movie in a commercial theater. We went to see Raisin’ Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins, showing at the Modern Art Museum. I’m not a judge of movies (obviously), but I enjoyed this. Lots of laughs, yes, for Molly’s legendary wit could pierce the thickest political armor. But there was so much more to this film—a serious statement about democracy and our responsibilities as citizens. As she constantly reminded us, publicly elected officials work for us, not the other way around. I wondered also if the film wasn’t about a woman who, surrounded by friends all her life, was essentially lonely. She grew up in conflict with a father who told her she wasn’t the beautiful sister and was constantly angry at her.

Lots of people familiar to Texans—and a few outliers—appeared as narrators in vignettes, from Ann Richards to Ann Lamott (the latter a surprise—I never guessed a connection between them). A couple of people I’d met over the years and many more who were familiar from the liberal wing of Texas politics—Ronnie Dugger, Dave McNeeley, Kaye Northcott, Lou Dubose, Cecile Richards, Jim Hightower, along with friends and classmates of Molly, past and present. These vignettes gave continuity to the film and made it not only the story of her life but saved it from being a pastiche of one-liners. Cinematography was beautiful and some scenes could make you fall in love with Texas all over again. An enriching afternoon.

Of course a 2:00 p.m. show time was right when I usually nap, so I came home and had a late nap. Sophie did not like that at all—after what she deemed long enough, she began noisily to drop her chew toy on the wood floor. Then she jumped up on the bed, peered at me, and pretended to settle down. But she lay next to me and kept nudging me, gently but still nudging. When that didn’t work, she came back to check my face and gave me a gentle lick, soon followed by more vigorous licking. I gave up.

Trivia for the day: thanks to a Facebook friend for enlarging my vocabulary. Do you know what a snollygoster is? A politician who uses his or her office for personal gain rather than the public good. If the shoe fits….and so on. What a wonderful word!

I have new friends in my bathroom. Last night a tiny gecko was running around in the shower and then moved to one wall. If I could have been sure I could do it without hurting him, I would have moved him outside. As it is, I left him untouched and just watched him in admiration. I hope he finds a crack and makes his way outside. I’m less happy about the tiny black spider who has staked out the wall next to the commode as his territory. I well know that spiders don’t have to be big to bite and their bite can be painful. But, Schweizer-like, I don’t want to squish the little fellow, so I keep a wary eye on him. His cousin was on the toilet seat one day, and when I tried gently to brush him off, he fell in and presumably drowned. No funeral was held.

Another week coming up. Make it a good one, my friends.