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Paul Newman

Paul Newman

Posted on August 23, 2010September 20, 2017 by Dot

This was Paul Newman Marathon weekend on Turner Classic Movies Channel – twenty four hours of sparkling blue eyes and rebellious anti-hero types.  I was present for much of it, though I did miss The Rack, a 1956 offering that showed at 6:00 a.m. while I was pushing serious zzzz’s.  I remember the general plot of that movie, but if I saw it at all, it was 50 years ago.  Maybe I’ll catch it some other time.

I did see some favorites, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Somebody Up There Likes Me, and The Sting. Another favorite, Absence of Malice, didn’t make the line up and Cool Hand Luke falls in the category of excellent movies I don’t need to see again (see previous post).

Despite a splendid body of work, it was years before Paul Newman received an Academy Award as a leading actor in a role.  After he was nominated 9 times and went home empty-handed, the Academy was embarrassed into giving him an honorary Oscar for “Lifetime Achievement.” This was in 1985, about twenty years before his lifetime ended.  Many more credits had been added to his resume by then.  By the way, when he did finally win an Oscar for The Color of Money, he wasn’t present at the ceremony.

Why did he go so long without winning? Who knows. When Newman was nominated for Hud, Sidney Poitier won for Lilies of the Field. Instead of Newman winning for Cool Hand Luke,  Rod Steiger took home the Oscar for In the Heat of the Night.  He did some of his finest work in The Verdict, but lost to Ben Kingsley in Gandhi.

Paul Newman was a great actor and generous man, known in his later life for his philanthropic efforts.

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What’s in a Name?

Posted on August 15, 2010August 15, 2010 by Dot

My mother’s name was Anna. That is a wonderful name to have. Do you know how many people are named after her?  Off the top of my head, I can think of 14-15.

Not one single person is named after me. Well, let’s face it. I don’t have that sort of name. My middle name is Wendell. I was named for a beloved aunt who was named for Oliver Wendell Holmes, who my grandfather admired. That aunt’s husband was Theodore, which is the masculine form of Dorothy (think about it), so I guess I was named for both of them.

Dorothy is a grand old name … well, the song says “Mary” but still. The fact is, Dorothy has become an old fashioned name, as Sarah or Hannah used to be. The top three choices of girls names in 2009 were Isabella, Emma and Olivia.  Anna was number 29 and Dorothy did not even make the list of the top 50. (www.parent.com)

In my baby book it says that Mother chose my name because of its meaning – which is “a gift of God.”  As the third baby born during the Great Depression, I appreciate my mother’s outlook.

Someday, generations from now when my name is found in old family records, perhaps it will leap back into favor. Pre-pre-K classes will be filled with little Dorothys and Dots and I will look down from heaven and say “Finally!”

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Fleas and ‘Tiques

Posted on August 9, 2010August 9, 2010 by Dot

My daughter and I spent Saturday in the flea markets – three of the several in my small town and others around Central Arkansas. We experienced “antique stores” that were really flea markets and “flea markets” full of old, potentially valuable, hidden treasures.

I have to say right here that my china, circa 1952, must be rare beyond compare. I have looked for several years hoping to replace some broken pieces but have never seen my pattern hidden away amongst the other dishes.  But I digress.

I love browsing through these stores, though I’ve never collected antiques. I like to look at the arrays of old books and music, or poke in the vintage ricers, dicers and whips, remembering the things my mother had in her kitchen. Occasionally, I buy a small token that brings a memory.

Like a metal top, a child’s toy with a handle you push to make the top spin rapidly. Or an old Prince Albert can. My dad was a heavy smoker for many years and often rolled his own, probably to save money.  Later when filter tips came in, I think he continued the habit because he preferred the taste of the pure tobacco.

Dad was always very comfortable with who he was, and in the 70’s there were hardly any smoking bans. Once, on a business trip to New York City, he drew smiles and curious looks when passersby saw the distinguished business man in a three-piece suit pull out cigarette papers and the makings and light up what looked for all the world like a joint. (or so they tell me.)

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Lessons Learned

Posted on August 2, 2010August 2, 2010 by Dot

In 1995 I was in a car wreck. It amazes me now to think that happened 15 years ago. We were crossing a state highway in East Tennessee and a pick-up broadsided the passenger door, where I was sitting working a crossword puzzle.

Let me say here we were technically at fault. The truck, which we didn’t see at first, had the right of way. Because the visibility at that intersection was so poor, the accident was ruled “no fault.” We weren’t ticketed but also there was no big financial settlement. (People always want to know this.)

The big farm truck lay down no skid marks before it plowed into our car. I wish I knew he had at least TRIED to avoid hitting me. I also wonder if he was even mildly curious about the welfare of the woman who was life-flighted to a Knoxville hospital.  Or if he was only bothered about the dent in his front bumper, which my insurance repaired.

Diagnosed with a broken pelvis, I spent time in a hospital, a hospital bed, a wheelchair, on a walker and a cane before I went back to work two months later. Here are some lessons learned from that experience:

The value of good insurance. My wonderful State of Tennessee Blue Cross paid 95% of my hospital bill and wonderful Geico paid the value of my car and never raised my rates. I had enough sick days banked to see me through.

Just a bit about being handicapped. A server in the mall cafeteria asked my daughter what I wanted to eat (like I couldn’t hear or speak). An automatic door closed on me. I missed singing the Christmas cantata.  Most choir lofts are not handicap accessible.

Another lesson about children. Our six-year-old boy was in the back seat. He was unhurt, but told his aunt it was his fault. He had been playing with his action figures and “probably making too much noise.”  Why do children blame themselves no matter how far fetched the scenario?

The sustaining grace of intercessory prayer. As news of my accident spread to family and friends I was placed on prayer lists. By Sunday, I knew I was being lifted in prayer in 10 different congregations (that I know of) from three denominations. I felt confident this would not be a permanent injury – I would recover completely. And that’s exactly what happened.

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Colin Firth

Going Out of Business Sale

Posted on July 26, 2010September 20, 2017 by Dot

The video store in my little town has gone out of business. I must admit that they had lost me to Netflix some time ago, but I still hate to see any small business close. They were the middle store in a strip of three units. The tenant on one end, a discount grocery, left a couple of years ago. Now there is only one store left to keep the strip alive. Empty buildings are so depressing but unfortunately a sign of our times.

All that being said: small business closing, empty storefronts, sign of our times, yada, yada – I  couldn’t wait to take advantage of their “10 movies for $20” sale.  Here’s a recap of what I bought.

I purchased four movies I had already seen.  I’ve said here before that if I like a movie I’ll watch it more than once.  First, I chose “Hope Springs” with Colin Firth.  Because I have a thing for Colin Firth.  I watched it and then mailed it off to my BFF because she has a thing for Colin Firth, too.  Bless his heart, he just never smiles!

I also picked up “Station Agent” which I reviewed here last winter.  Now I can watch it again whenever I want to. When I rented “Two Weeks” with Sally Field a few months ago, it really touched me. It’s the story of four adult children dealing with their mother’s terminal illness. After I watch it again, I will share my thoughts with you.  The last choice of a movie already seen was “Six Degrees of Separation” starring a very young Will Smith. This movie was made in 1993 and that was probably the last time I saw it.  I’m eager to see if my memory of an entertaining story is correct.

These are the movies still to be viewed: “The Secret Life of Bees” – in my Netflix queue to rent and in my stack of borrowed books to read soon, we’ll see what happens first.  “A Thousand Years of Good Prayers”, I chose this for the beautiful title. “Shop Girl” starring Steve Martin, from a novel by Steve Martin. As a fan, how can I go wrong?  “Touched” – chosen purely for the synopsis on the back of the DVD case. It stars Randall Batinkoff (you’d know him if you saw him). “Warm Springs” –  Franklin Roosevelt is my favorite president; this is the account of his bout with polio.  “Vera Drake” – again, chosen from the synopsis. It is a foreign film which sounds like it’s very serious with perhaps controversial subject matter.

I’ll keep you posted.

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Dot Hatfield

Dot Hatfield

Dot Hatfield is a member of the Arkansas Writers Hall of Fame and a Certified Lay Speaker in the United Methodist Church. She is the author of 7 books.

Dot’s Books

  • Worth the Candle
  • Did Anyone Read My Story?
  • An Ordinary Day
  • R.I.P. Emma Lou Briggs
  • To Find a Home
  • The Last To Know
  • Every Day a New Day

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