Happy Mother's Day!

In less than 5 minutes, it will be 2012's Mother's Day, a celebration of mothers, motherhood and mothers' contributions to society on the second Sunday of May in United States and elsewhere in March or April. Claimed as an American invention, Mother's Day might still have some roots to Cybele, originally Anatolian mother goddess.

Whether invention or not, I am glad that there is a day dedicated to mothers around the world. At least on this day we have time to refresh our close bonds to our mothers who have given life to us. Time flies and life is too short. If we do not catch the moment, we will live a life without reflection or gratitude.

Our mother gave birth to four of us, my elder sister who died at 3, myself, younger sister and youngest brother. We three surviving siblings are very close because of the equal love and equal education encouraged in our family. In the late 80s, three of us left Shanghai for the States to study at various prestigious universities. It is our parents, especially our mother, who managed to take care of her elderly father-in-law, husband and grandson for almost a decade without our help. After the emigration of grandson in 1997, and the passing of father-in-law and husband in 1999 and 2001, our mother was immigrated to join us in 2003.

Unfortunately our mother cannot always remember all these events, because of her Alzheimer's disease. But because of the effective medication, she has good and bad days, but well-taken care of by her nurses and doctors in her manor, and visited daily by my sister and brother after work. Sometimes, she thinks that she is still working, and not retired yet at age of 80. What a hardworking mother!

Happy Mother's Day!

Whimsical Joy of Reading

Paul sent me the site of whimsical reading photos by Joel Robinson. They are quite funny and nostalgic, as the golden age of book technology is disappearing. Books have increasingly become art objects and materials.

Losing Neighbors in April

We have been hit left and right with the pestering economic downturn in our quiet neighborhood: losing two neighbors at the beginning of April. On the left, Todd lost his beautiful house and tropical gardens after nearly 15 years' investment as a result of bad partnership; and on the right Peanut and his family were looking Midwestward for their possible offer on a house. He could not sustain anymore his increasing health insurance with decreasing paycheck, his wife' job loss and high house rent.

When Gary down the road had his million-dollar house foreclosured, we were deeply disturbed. But this time, we are distraught and saddened to have lost two great neighbors. Life will go on, but will not be the same. We will miss their neighborly generosity and gossip, fun parties and friendship.

Following Maggie

Since Downton Abbey 2, Paul and I have been watching a series of films by Maggie Smith, especially her Tea with Mussolini (1999) and My House in Umbria (2003). Both set in Italy, the two movies have different settings, one is in the city scene of Florence in WWII through the eyes of a boy called Luca and the other, set in the villa of Mrs. Delahunty, a writer of romance novels, through an orphan girl Aimee's experience after a terrorists' attack on a Milan train.

However there is something always unchanged such as friendship, the closeness between the old and young, between man and woman. There are also pairs of beautiful contrasts, such as beauty and destruction, love and betrayal, humor and boredom.

We cannot wait to continue our exploration with Keeping Mum (2005), Ladies in Lavender (2004), the Last September (1999), etc.

Why the Academy Was So Fatuated with the Artist?

Paul sent me a link to Economist's commentary on the Artist, and I agreed with the viewpoint of the writer.

As "Why The Artist" shouldn't Win points out, "'The Artist' has its charms. Its pastiche is skilful, assured and sometimes witty. And few can deny the rapturous reactions of audiences and critics—though this blogger found the film irritating and tedious in equal measure. But to garland this slight and contrived feature as the best of the year is to say something sad about the state of cinema."

It seems that using the scene of Paris is not enough as in the case of Hugo and Midnight in Paris, the film has to be set in America with any foreign language expunged, preferably French. It also flatters its current audience by inviting them to revisit audiences' past, with "this charming man’s charming French accent.” Another pleasing factor lies in the fact that it is a film about a shaggy-dog story, an eternal triumphant theme to the people sitting on the Academy Board of Directors, especially when the dog is a wishbone.

Happy Valentines Day

Really glad to see our Tucker working hard and then enjoying piles of Valentine candies. Photo courtesy of Lee Anne, as usual.

The Onion on Downton Abbey

I almost thought it was true: Report: Watching Episode of 'Downton Abbey' Counts As Reading Book

Where Is the Fascination with Downton Abbey?

In The US Cult of Downton Abbey, Brian Wheeler, a BBC News reporter in Washington, tries to find the fascination of the series on American audience, especially among the young ones. He suggests several possibilities, such as Maggie Smith's killer one-liners, yearning for a simpler time, fascination with the class system, political incorrectness about genders, slicker drama on a free-to-air KQED.

I started to stream the first series on Netflix, after seriously challenged by Eric S. and Gary G. every time we met. To be honest, I was a little burned out by big manor houses or castles full of downstairs servants, footmen and butlers to serve their upstairs masters. To the same degree, I was wary of period costumes after consuming too many historic drams. After viewing the first episode, both Paul and I decided that we were going to like it. The reason is simple: superior acting especially by the 77-year-old Maggie Smith, who plays the imperious Countess of Grantham, and the integrity of Robert Crawley who can be influenced by his surroundings but does not hesitate to change his mind.

Needless to say, there has been an American fascination with the British, since the beginning of time, particularly her culture, legal system and class divisions. There has also been a fascination with an American abroad since Henry James. I suspect certain voyeurism is evolved in watching Robert's American wife Cora Crawley who might have money, but lacks class and history, a humiliating situation not unlike when people were fascinated with the ridiculed dropouts in Simon Cowell's American Idol.

Happy Year of Dragon!

Tomorrow (January 23, 2012) will be the Chinese New Year. The fifth in a 12-year cycle, Dragon Year follows that of Rabbit. The Dragon is a creature of myth and legend, and a symbol of good fortune. In Eastern philosophy, the Dragon is said to be a deliverer of good fortune and a master of authority. Therefore, it is a popular year for babies to be born. Who does not want to be honored and respected, as in the Dragon Year prophesies?

My two Shanghai cousins sent me two beautiful e-Cards to share.

First Friday Santa Cruz at SCPL Downtown Branch

Paul's personal photographs from around the world will be displayed at Santa Cruz Public Libraries Downtown Branch, 224 Church Street, as part of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Titangos Photography Studio. The two month long exhibit continues with a First Friday reception from 4 to 8 pm, on January 6, and continues through the end of January. Come and join us, or visit the First Friday site for further details.