Not just another movie

I've been hearing the buzz about a movie based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire. The book, which I just read a couple of weeks ago, was good. I am anxious to see the film, which apparently won two of the highest honors at the Sundance Film Festival. Monique, the comedienne, plays a pretty frightening role in the movie and it seems that her performance also garnered an award at Sundance and is generating Oscar buzz for 2010. I hope that's the case. I love the grittiness of the book. I literally laughed out loud while reading some parts and wanted to throw the book against the wall at other parts. It takes a pretty talented writer to elicit such a range of reaction and emotion from the reader. The movie buzz is what made me read the book and I hope the film proves to be as worthy of my praise as the book did.

NO SNITCHING

That bull got Lil' Kim sent way the hell up the river. I thought it was stupid then, I think its stupid now. I warned a less than savory former acquaintance about ridin' dirty, at least with me in the car..."You've got about 10 seconds from the time the popo's find your stash to claim it or I'll tell 'em who it belongs to." So in the spirit of the 12 step program, allow me to introduce myself... my name is chrismiss and I'm a snitch.

For some reason, the issue of keeping secrets keeps presenting itself to me. I know what a secret is and I believe I know how to keep them. But my definition of a secret, and another person's definition of a secret are probably different. I keep my own secrets really well because I dont tell anyone my real secrets. I wonder about people who tell me something and then say "Don't tell anyody." Well is it fair that you got to tell me and I don't get to tell anyone? How does that work? And usually what's being told to me has zero relevance to me nor have I asked for the information.

I was channel surfing today and happened upon an episode of Brady Bunch. In a nutshell, Cindy was tattling. Eventually, Mike and Carol reprimanded Cindy for tattling but then later asked her if she knew anything about Tiger, the family dog, taking something he shouldnt have. Now Cindy had already been told to stop snitching. But now they wanted her to. See, that's what I'm talking about! Snitching is a double edged sword.

The Lost Art of Gratitude

They say that the two most important words in any language are "Thank You." I concur. I believe that the experience that warrants gratitude is taken to the next plateau for all involved parties when gratitude is properly expressed. I say "properly" because Thank You in deed sounds nice, but when someone has gone to great lengths to select, compose and mail invitations to an event and then they follow it up with a verbal Thank You , it annoys me. Its like this, you can pick up some thank you cards when you're getting those invitations. Especially if I have taken time out of my schedule to attend the function, buy a gift, a card, gift wrap, give a monetary contribution, I want a Thank You note.

IMO, when I receive a handwritten "Thank You" note, I know that the sender is the cat's meow, the creme de la creme, the have instead of a have not, well mannered and/or socially adept. In other words, the person who doesnt send a note is a creep. With the season for weddings, graduations, summer bday soirees and funerals rapidly approaching, I know that I will receive beautifully crafted invitations/programs with all the inserts( RSVP, maps, gift registry, local accommodations). And if I should choose to attend, I hope my hostess will find and restore the art of gratitude to proper place.

-Thank You for reading