Hey Boo: A Lovely Sunday With Atticus, Jem, and Scout

"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." Those are Atticus Finch's resounding words to his children, Jem and Scout, as he defends in court the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel—a black man charged with the rape of a white girl in the 1930s American Deep South. 

I first read this book as a dreamy, wide-eyed 14-year old teenager with cow-licked hair inside an empty library, which would eventually become one of my many safe places of refuge during high school. My love for this book made a good campaign speech when I was forced to run for president of the Book Lovers Club a.k.a. "The Geeky-Looking-But-Not-Geek-At-All Students Who Lunch At The School Library While Reading Books." Oh, the good old days! And yes, I won. There were only 13 of us and all of us were club officers. 

Throughout the years, I've re-read the book countless times and it has become a must-bring whenever I'm traveling on a train or during long flights. I even got myself a 40th Anniversary Edition a few years back. Suffice to say, this Harper Lee masterpiece, her first and only novel, left an indelible mark in my literary consciousness and gave me a hero that I consider a great role model and moral compass, the lawyer Atticus Finch. 

I have many favorite quotes from the novel but one part from Chapter 22 really makes me laugh every time I am reminded of it or every time I read it again. It never grows old. Here's the part:           

1962 Hollywood movie version

"I think I'll be a clown when I get grown," said Dill.  "Yes, sir, a clown.... There ain't one thing in this world I can do about folks except laugh, so I'm gonna join the circus and laugh my head off."  "You got it backwards, Dill," said Jem.  "Clowns are sad, it's folks that laugh at them."  "Well, I'm gonna be a new kind of clown.  I'm gonna stand in the middle of the ring and laugh at the folks."  

Since she published "To Kill A Mockingbird" on July 1960, Harper Lee never wrote any significant works except for some essays, articles, and of course that momentous Open Letter to Oprah published in her O Magazine on July 2006 sharing her love for books. She also had a major falling out with her close friend and sometime neighbor during her childhood, Truman Capote. Lee's inspiration for Dill was Capote. According to the their close common friends, Capote was jealous of Lee when she got a Pulitzer and he didn't.    

How come she hasn't published any novel or any works of fiction after "To Kill A Mockingbird"? I don't know. Only Lee knows. I say "publish" because who knows she has stacks of finished writings at home or somewhere in her desk drawer in an undisclosed location. You see, a writer never stops writing even to his or her waning days. 

Harper Lee at the court house. 

Since she dropped off the limelight and refused to give any interviews from the after years of the book's publication up to recent years, Lee's reasons are still a mystery. And now, a new documentary by Mary McDonagh Murphy explores that question and in attempt to somehow demystify the seemingly off-the-radar Lee. In “Hey, Boo: Harper Lee & To Kill a Mockingbird,” Murphy talks to different famous personalities and authors about how Lee's book changed their lives and influenced them.

According to one of her cousins, Lee hasn't published any novel after 1960 or as of late because she knew it would be hard to follow up a well-received and acclaimed novel and she knew for a fact that there was no other way but down from thereon. In short, she was afraid. She was hesitant. But who knows, Lee is still alive and well. She might just surprise us and launch a new work of fiction directly through e-book form! I just wish!

The "Hey, Boo: Harper Lee and To Kill A Mockingbird" documentary was shown at the Paley Center in New York over the weekend.   

Here's the complete trailer:

Here's a snippet from the same documentary:

In this video tribute, several well-known authors recount their first experience reading the book and how it influenced their lives and even their families to this day. 

Authors Speak About To Kill A Mockingbird from Clyde Tressler on Vimeo.

              

My Hero

Each of us has his or her own hero and even heroes in life. When a Pittsburgh high school student was asked by her English teacher to make a piece about her inspiration and her all-time hero, the student chose somebody whom she hasn't even met. 

Weekend Tidbits: News & Stories of the Past Week

Before you proceed, let your mind do a little workout first. 

The Not-So-Good-News-But-Still-News News

DID YOU KNOW that there are more taste buds in your eyeballs than in your tongue? Just kidding. Okay no more bluffing and onto a more serious issue: Food Wastage. Alexandra Silver of Time Magazine's Online Newsfeed writes that all-you-can-eat buffets (I was just there last weekend!) and buy-one-get-one-free deals are only two of the primary factors that contribute to the alarming 1.3 billion metric tons of food in the world that is lost (on the production side of the food supply chain) or wasted (on the consumption side) annually.

IN MY OPINION, an airplane with passengers on board while in transit and up in the air is considered a nation in itself with own strict rules, social and group dynamics, and units. That's why, peace and order and of course safety of all are always ensured, enforced, and followed. This past week alone, there have been several mid-air disturbances that went on the news. Blame it on booze, a male Virgin Atlantic flight passenger allegedly made sexual advances toward his female seatmate that resulted in a major scuffle and property damages worth at about $40,000.  On more mid-air chaos, a Delta Airlines passenger wanted to have an early exit when this person attempted to open the plane's emergency door alarming everyone on board. How about excess baggage? Southwest Airlines, the leading airline company when it comes to customer service according to a recent survey, has landed in hot water when it refused to fly a mother and daughter because they are just "too fat to fly."   

Photo Courtesy of The Guardian UK / Lluis Gene/AFP/Getty Images

EYE FOR AN EYE. In Iran, the acid blinding sentence of Majid Movahedi was postponed after the Iranian Government heeded international outcry and protests. In what to be a reversal of fortune of sorts, Mohavedi, was sentenced to receive the same fate he handed to her supposed bride when he threw acid on her face because she refused to marry him. The badly disfigured victim asked for retribution under the Islamic Sharia Law.  

GOOD NEWS. INSPIRING STORIES. THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE.

DO YOU THINK farting inside the school bus warrants school suspension? I guess if it's really that bad.  


YESTERDAY, Oprah featured the inspiring story of George Dawson as she recapped the best stories she tackled during the last 25 years. Dawson, a grandson of African slaves in Texas, learned to read, write, and even went on to study for his GED at age 103. Also in Texas, Burlyce Sherrell Logan, 73, will graduate today (Saturday) at the University of North Texas and receive her college degree.

Graduation day today for 73-year old Burlyce Sherrell Logan.
COURTESY OF Matt Nager for the New York Times.

HOW TO SAVE A LIFE. This poignant but inspiring story of a real-life Bondi Beach lifesaver in Australia and his inability to save his own brother and sister who both committed suicide a year apart from each other.

Photo: Photo by Danielle Smith COURTESY OF The Sydney Morning Herald 

Matt Dee (C) with Jonathan and sister Rachel.
COURTESY OF The Sydney Morning Herald

Here's a clip of Matt Dee from the TV Show Bondi Rescue: 

 

FANTASTIC FLICKS TO WATCH.

The 2011 Cannes Film Festival is only on its fourth day today and most of the much-awaited movies are yet to be screened and presented. Indiewire.com has an interesting coverage of the Festival and a long set of trailers and clips of the movies in and out of competition. My picks are: Academy award-winner Terrence Malick's "Tree of Life" starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn; Gus van Sant's "Restless"; Lars von Trier's eccentric "Melancholia"; and Almdomovar's intriguing "La Piel Que Habito" or "The Skin I Live In" starring the dark and twisty Antonio Banderas. 

This movie clip claims that after World War II, the Nazis recouped, left the Earth, and set up camp on the Dark Side of the Moon. And now, apparently, the evil Hitler is saying "I come in pieces!" Or, was that "peace"?   

Fairy Tale Coincidence or Mean-Spirited Touch-Ups?

I know you've seen this picture already because it's all over the Internet and even on CNN. When I first saw it, my first reaction was "Oh, how wonderful! Look at that it really is a fairy tale wedding!"

But then, I checked the 1950 Disney "Cinderella" movie and I found out some inconsistencies and how technological manipulation can really fool the naked eye.

This is the picture splattered all over the news and blogs.

Now, here is the original get-up of the Tremaine sisters, Drizella and Anastasia. Notice the colors of the gowns and their hair are totally different. Also, I really think that it is a little bit mean-spirited to label the two real-life royal princesses, Eugenie and Beatrice, as the mean step sisters. Jokes are oftentimes half-meant.       

Here is the side by side image comparison of the two royal couples: 

Again, there is a stark difference between the two from the color of Prince William's Irish guards uniform (as a Colonel of the Irish Guards) and Prince Charming's light gold and yellowish uniform.  Go figure out the other details.

Below, the two royal couples share a kiss (for Kate and William twice).  

Bottom line, they are very much in love and they are a wonderful inspiration to all folks whether you believe in fairy tales or not or you just celebrate the love and sanctity of marriage between two people.  

The Power of Words

How was your day? Tired? Friday the 13th is almost done.
Have a good weekend!

First Kiss

When is young too young for your first kiss? Elliott just scored his first kiss courtesy of a cute friend, Bowie. Elliot's Mom, who was filming it, was so enthralled by his reaction so she posted the video on YouTube.

This reminds me of the playground and school poem kids use to taunt and embarrass each other. Only this time, Elliott and Bowie's first kiss gives a somewhat joyous feeling in pure boyish/girlish spirit and a true high-five moment for the boy.


Elliott and Bowie sitting in a tree:
K - I - S - S - I - N - G
First comes love,
then comes HIGH FIVE,
then comes FUNNEL CAKES and KOOL AIDS! 
(I tweaked the words a bit!)






What do you think?