Are We Becoming Landlubbers?

So, this happened yesterday.

It started out kind of as a daydream.

What with the recent purchase of a boat, The Tiki Hut, we have become more lake-oriented. So it was natural that one day we would buy a house on the lake.

But as we casually looked around, we realized that was beyond our reach.

So then we started looking at houses in the “lake area”.

Still nothing.

But, you know, the more you look at something, the more you want it.

At some point we convinced ourselves it was time to own our own house.

Captain’s Note: During our married life, we have always lived in a church-provided house = “parsonage”. And the First Mate is a P.K. (*preacher’s kid), so with the exception of only a couple years of her life, she has always lived in a parsonage.

Parsonages are convenient for those of us who move frequently, but they are never our own.

And, after 30+ years, there is no equity to show either.

But house hunting is nothing like the TV shows, where a hustling realtor shows you three houses that fit your needs and you pick on of them.

And, we don't have the budget some of those people do either.

 

Captain’s Note: By the way, the TV shows are phony. The buyers have already decided on the house they will buy, then they must find two more houses (sometimes even belonging to a friend, not for sale) for the TV realtor to show them.

House hunting is more like a thrift shop – you never know what the stock is going to be on any given day.

And we looked at a lot of houses!

So the search began in earnest.

We like the town we currently live in – wide open spaces – so we considered some houses nearby.

Then we decided to find a happy medium between her work and mine.

Still nothing satisfactory.

We were just about to put the “house hunt” on a hiatus when we found this one.

The First Mate was taken as soon as we walked in the front door and saw this.

The Captain was sold when we found the 1,275 square feet of unfinished basement space!

There were many sleepless nights along the journey as we walked through the process of inspections and securing a loan.

Our bank now knows more about the Captain than I know about myself!

But the pieces fell together relatively quickly and yesterday we met with realtors and lawyers and bankers at the bank to sign reams of papers to make home ownership a reality for us!

Home Sweet Home!

Di You Ever Think About It?

The Captain and First Mate took our niece to the symphony last night.

She plays the viola in the middle school orchestra. We were hoping for some inspiration.

Some day she will be up on that stage!

My mind began to wander as I listened to our community orchestra back up Philadelphia Orchestra’s concertmaster David Kim as he performed Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto.

Did you ever think about it? 

Felix Mendelssohn composed this concerto in 1844.

That was 175 years ago.

Perhaps the mutton chops and big flouncy bow give that away...

Imagine the creative process: Mendelssohn hears music in his head.

Granted, the Captain hears music in his head all the time.

But usually it’s something along the lines of “The Baby Elephant Walk” or “Wipe Out”…

And then there is the tinnitus… but that’s a blog for another day.

Using a special set of dots and lines, Mendelssohn is able to put that tune down on paper in a way that someone else can perform exactly as Mendelssohn heard it!

Captain’s Note: In the orchestra world, there is little room for deviation or ad libbing. You play the notes the way the composer wrote them!

Another reason the Captain could never be in an orchestra!

But not only Did Mendelssohn jot down a melody, he heard in his mind and wrote down unique parts for a variety of instruments – each with its own specific town and reverb – that, when put together, would become an amazing work of art.

Last night there were a dozen violins, maybe twenty violas, a half-dozen cellos, and a row of upright bass, as well as numerous wind instruments and timpani – each reading Mendelssohn’s dots and lines… and making beautiful music!

Mendelssohn was able to notate when to bring in the oboes, and where to put a rumble of kettle drums, and the exact perfect place for a single “tink” on a triangle.

And through this process, our amazingly talented community orchestra was able to perform a concerto last night that some guy heard in his head 175 years ago!

Just the way he heard it back then!

Did you ever think about it?

The Captain was impressed.

"Keep Your Friends Close..."

Yesterday the Captain went to the movies!

It has been a while.

But Cinemark hasn’t changed.

Yes, every last one is "out of order".

 

Captain’s Note: The First Mate has been complaining about the conditions of the bathrooms for a long time. A. Long. Time.

Fathom Events brought a special 45^th-anniversary showing of “The Godfather II”, the 1974 sequel to the original “The Godfather”. And since the First Mate was out of town…

The all-time favorite of the Captain, I have seen (and own copies of) all three films. I watch them regularly.

I know. I know. What’s with all the glorification of violence from this so-called preacher?

For me, the violence only undergirds larger themes of honor and family loyalty.

Themes sorely missing in the world today.

But I believe this is the first time I’ve seen “II” on “the big screen”.

I wasn’t old enough when it was first released.

The Original, “The Godfather” (1972), introduced us to Vito Corleone, a powerful olive oil importer who doled out favors within the Italian immigrant community and also happened to control much of New York. His youngest son, Michael, returns from WWII and, through a series of twists of fate, becomes the Don of the Corleone family.

The original movie received a buttload of awards, so the sequel was immediately set into motion.

Captain’s Note: “The Godfather” took in some $286 million worldwide. “The Godfather II” took in $88 million. Sixteen years later, “The Godfather III” took in $136 million.

Captain’s Note 2: Paramount Studios bought the screen rights to Mario Puzo’s book for $80,000.

“The Godfather II” switches between Vito Corleone’s back story – coming to America as a boy, fleeing the mafia violence of his hometown in Italy, rising to power and influence by doing “favors” – and Michael Corleone’s exploits in 1958 as he moves the family business to Las Vegas, entering the “hospitality” industry (hotels and gambling) in an attempt to take the family legitimate.

Really?

Michael’s wife, Kay, reminds him that he had once promised her he would take the family legit in five years.

That was seven years ago.

Perhaps it was because I am so familiar with the Godfather trilogy that, as I watched “II” on the big screen yesterday, I noticed little details I had missed before.

Most importantly, Michael’s thirst.

In several scenes, as the stress begins to build, Michael is shown reaching for and drinking a glass of water. That wouldn’t mean anything to me until the third movie, but surprisingly it was there all along.

In fact, there are several loose strings at the end of “II” that literally screamed for a third movie.

Michael has not yet taken the family legit. He just had his older brother whacked and is feeling guilty because of it. His power and influence is unraveling as he attempts to expand his reach to a global scale. He’s slipping - his hitman failed to kill Hyman Roth – that wouldn’t have happened before. And he is dealing with diabetes, exacerbated by the emotional stress of his work.

And what about his kids? Their presence is significant throughout “II” – surely there’s more to their stories.

And to the future of the Family.

Now, “The Godfather II” also received a buttload of awards. Marlon Brando had received ‘Best Actor” award from the Academy for his portrayal of Vito Corleone in the original; Robert DeNiro received “Best Supporting Actor” for his portrayal of the younger Vito in “II”.

Captain’s Note: Did you know an original copy of the screenplay is on display at the National Museum of Cinema at Turin.

Just down the road from the Shroud of Turin, another venerated site.

Thus, although it took a little longer, “The Godfather III” was released in 1990.

“The Godfather III” was initially hailed by critics. Coppola and Puzo viewed “III” as an epilogue, not a sequel. In fact, they wanted to call it, “The Death of Michael Corleone”.

The studio refused.

But as it has aged, the movie has been panned.

In fact, it is usually not even mentioned when people are referring to The Godfather movies.

Television stations that air Godfather marathons late at night only show “I” and “II”.

But the Captain loves “III”.

I root for Michael to be successful in transitioning the family to legitimate ventures. Michael wants out of the family business, as signified by the montage at the end of “II”. And he is trying to amend for his violent past with large donations to the Catholic Church.

In “III” I felt his great love for his daughter, Mary.

And I cry – every time – at the end when she is shot.

I feel some sense of satisfaction as Michael turns over the operations of the family to his nephew, Vincent, who proceeds to eradicate the rest of Michael’s enemies and begins a new chapter in the Corleone Family saga.

And I appreciate that Puzo allowed Michael Corleone to die a natural death – an old man, alone, at a villa in Italy.

Captain's Note: I just learned today that Francis Ford Coppola insisted on an orange in key scenes; if you see an orange, someone is about to die.

Of course, in a couple of scenes, Michael is eating an orange to raise his blood sugar.

 

Perhaps next year Fathom Events will bring us a 30^th Anniversary showing of “The Godfather III”.

Every story needs a proper ending.