5

It's not personal.  It's just business...

Can you believe that I had never watched "The Godfather"?  It was released back in 1972.  I was 7, so it's taken me 43 years.  (I'm a bit scared to admit that publicly – what if it qualifies me to be whacked?)  I suppose I'd better not wait another 43 years to see the sequel.

The movie showed up on TCM, so I PVR'd it, and finally watched it this weekend (on Sunday, after church – if I'm going to watch all that violence and debauchery, better ask for forgiveness first).

Great casting, some great performances, and yes, some truly memorable quotes.  It's certainly compelling to watch – and stress free.  There's no pressure whatsoever to like any of these people, or feel sorry for someone who gets a bullet through the eye or garrotted.   I especially loathe the women, who go so amazingly far beyond being doormats.  Diane Keaton's character has not one shred of self-respect.  The abused daughter, Connie – ditto.

What exactly is it that causes Michael Corleone's character to arc 180° from 'my family is a bunch a mobsters but not me,' to 'please pick me to go the restaurant and plug two guys in the head'?  I have no idea.

Maybe this movie just isn't standing the test of time for me.  Maybe it's a guy thing.  But for those who see it as a masterpiece forevermore, enjoy (just don't imitate). 

One thing's for sure.  Now I understand a lot more about the movie "You've Got Mail."

One Thing That >50 Me Has Learned Along the Way...

If someone has a university degree, it does not guarantee intelligence.  It only proves they found a way to pay tuition.  And if you don't have a degree, someone who does have one is definitely not necessarily smarter than you.  A beloved friend of mine, who actually is one of the smartest people I know – B.A., MBA, Chartered Accountant, Attorney – is not immune to an occasional cranial power outage.  She once asked me to let her know if I spotted a drinking fountain anywhere, as we headed toward the luggage carousel, and a well-deserved vacation.  We had just arrived in Mexico.

 

And take the case (literally) of a federal judge I read about back in 2012 who heard the claim of 5 inmates (a selection of murderers, thieves and rapists) at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary who decided to sue the federal government for negligence because being in jail made them unhappy.  Feelings of "hopelessness," "nervous shock," incessant, subtle anger over being unable to make fundamental and critical life choices."  Come on, is this a Monty Python skit?  I don't know what eventually happened with this, but it's a claim that should have been thrown out in under a nanosecond.  I will go out on a fairly sturdy limb here and suggest that the judge in this case was a well-educated person.   Yet he did not dismiss the case – he stayed it for 6 months.  What a complete and total moron.