Author Archives: Donna

I did not like the Elvis movie

elvis movie blehI saw the Elvis movie weeks ago at an early preview showing. (Sorry for the delay in posting) The beginning gave me goosebumps and the recreations and costumes were gorgeous in their detail. I thought the actors’ performances were top-notch. And I love that this movie is introducing Elvis to a whole new audience.

BUT with that said, I found the movie very disappointing.

My disappointment in the movie is it’s Priscilla’s revisionist history. It’s the story she keeps repeating ad nauseum. Elvis died sad, idle, lonely and pining for Priscilla.

NOPE!

After they divorced, he continued to record (and some of his best work is from that time), gave to charity and performed far beyond just Vegas. Elvis had relationships with other women — he was practically married to Linda Thompson. She was his true life partner for 4 years, always with him, caring for him, and totally devoted to him. Looking at Linda’s Instagram feed now, you can see that she still loves him and what a big role she played in his life. YET SHE IS MISSING! Ginger Alden, was ENGAGED TO ELVIS — and she is missing.

The Elvis movie was beautifully shot but it told Priscilla’s version, not Elvis’s.

You know, in case you were wondering how I felt.

Family Values

Elvis family valuesI am desperately trying to clean my office. Throwing things away is really hard for me. Everything that goes in the trash, I picture sitting in a landfill. It just feels wrong and so I hold on to things.

The problem becomes when I want to find something I can’t. It’s somewhere in this mess!

A few months ago, I sat down with Jimmy and we talked about our family’s values. Our code of conduct, ethics, values… what is important to us and should steer our choices and behavior. We wrote it down together and discussed each point.

I have a feeling I am going to lose the paper so let’s duplicate it here so I can find it when I need it:

  1. Never lie, always speak the truth
  2. Take responsibility & ownership. We are not victims.
  3. Always do your best. Try hard!
  4. Help others
  5. Be positive, polite, and kind to everyone. We are not rude, crude, or mean to others.

I think it’s a strong list for an 8-year-old.

Wedding Vows

Wedding vowsEddie told me this morning, “You realize we’ve been together for almost 10 years?”

That’s probably the fastest decade ever for me.

Shortly after we got married, I intended to create a post with our wedding vows. I never got around to it.

The vows are a hodge podge based on stuff the real estate agent / wedding officiant sent us for inspiration and plagiarism.

It seems like a good time to finally post them since I was just talking about it last night. My sister was over along with my step-daughters and they were talking about a large rat and I said, “ROUSs? Rodents of Unusual Size, I don’t think they exist.” Which cracked Lisa up and we started talking about The Princess Bride. And then I said to Emily (step-daughter #2), “I snuck a Princess Bride quote in the wedding vows!”  She had no idea but she was 11 at the time and pretty much in a state of shock. Let’s see if you can find it:

Wedding Vows

Marriage. Marriage is what brings us together today!

Friends, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of Donna and Edward in the bonds of Matrimony.  A perfect marriage is first a spiritual union.  This wedding ceremony becomes the public uniting of two souls who are already one spirit.

Donna and Edward, the relationship that you have nourished together stands for love that will blossom and grow with each passing day.  Marriage is the clasping of hands, the blending of hearts, the union of two lives as one.  Marriage is caring as much about the welfare and happiness of your marriage partner as your own.  It is looking outward in the same direction together.  Marriage makes burdens lighter because you divide them.  It makes joys more intense because you share them.  It makes you stronger so that you can be involved with life in ways you dare not risk alone.

To make your relationship work will take love.  It will take trust, to know in your hearts that you truly want the best for each other.  It will take dedication, to stay open and honest with one another – and to learn and grow together.  It will take faith, to go forward together without knowing exactly what the future brings.  And it will take commitment, to hold true to the journey you both promised today to share together.  An intimate and secure relationship is based on trust, respect, faithfulness, and the ability to forgive.  A lasting marriage is based on all of these, bound together by love.

Who presents this woman to be married?  [Her mother replies, “I do.”]

EXCHANGE OF VOWS

Edward, do you take this woman, whose hand you hold, choosing her alone from all the world to be your wife?  Do you promise to love her, comfort her and honor her, to share with her your visions and your dreams and to cherish her for all your life?

(Groom replies, “I do.”]

Donna, do you take this man, whose hand you hold, choosing him alone from all the world to be your husband?  Do you promise to love him, comfort him and honor him, to share with him your visions and your dreams and to cherish him for all your life?

(Bride replies, “I do.”)

Edward, repeat after me:

In your eyes, I have found my home.

In your heart, I have found my love.

In your soul, I have found my mate.

With you, I am the best version of myself.

You make me laugh.  You let me cry.

I promise to appreciate how lucky I am to have you.

I will continue to stand by you, hold you close, support you, and encourage you.

I will always be honest and faithful.

I will surround you with my love for all the days of my life.

Donna, repeat after me:

In your eyes, I have found my home.

In your heart, I have found my love.

In your soul, I have found my mate.

With you, I am the best version of myself.

You make me laugh.  You let me cry.

I promise to appreciate how lucky I am to have you.

I will continue to stand by you, hold you close, support you, and encourage you.

I will always be honest and faithful.

I will surround you with my love for all the days of my life.

HAVING SHARED THIS AGREEMENT, DO YOU EACH TAKE THE OTHER AS HUSBAND AND WIFE?

[Both say I DO]

RING EXCHANGE

What symbol do you bring to your love?

Bride and Groom reply “These rings”.  They then give them to the Minister

These rings, by their shape, are a symbol of eternity in that a circle has no beginning and no end.  The rings are a true emblem of the eternal love that shall exist between you both.

As metal, they represent strength even in adversity.  And by their beauty, they signify that which is unique and precious about each of you.

May the seamless circle of these rings be for you always a symbol of your endless love and remind you of the covenant you have entered into today.  May you be blessed with joy as you continue your journey through life together surrounded by the circle of your love.

EDWARD, repeat after me:

DONNA, this ring symbolizes the unending union of my life with yours.  Your dreams are my dreams, your hopes are my hopes, your love is my blessing.

DONNA, repeat after me:

EDWARD, this ring symbolizes the unending union of my life with yours.  Your dreams are my dreams, your hopes are my hopes, your love is my blessing.

EDWARD and DONNA, today you are joined as husband and wife.  The bond that we have witnessed is forged in love and tempered in harmony.  Let today,  October 12th, be for you always a joyful memory and a reminder of your continued commitment to the Love that you share.

SAND CEREMONY

DONNA and EDWARD, today you are making a life-long commitment to share the rest of your lives with each other and honor  MEGHAN & EMILY. Your family relationship is symbolized through the pouring of these individual containers of sand; one, representing you, DONNA and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be, one representing you EDWARD, and all that you were and all that you are, and all that you will ever be and a container each for MEGHAN & EMILY.

There are children who will share in this marriage. The gathering of this new family will have a deep influence upon them. We realize that in order for the home to be a happy one, it is essential that there be love and understanding between the children and the adults being married.

As you each hold your sand the separate containers of sand represent your lives to this moment; individual and unique. As you now combine your sand together, your lives also join together as one family. You may now blend the sand together symbolizing the uniting of the children and bride and groom into one.

Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage and your family be.

BENEDICTION

DONNA and EDWARD,

God bless you and guide you in your faithful commitment to one another.
God defend you and shelter you in your tender love for one another.
God uphold you in all life’s challenges, and shower you with all life’s rewards,
That you always find strength and delight in each other, and grow in love until your life’s end.

Amen.

EDWARD, you may kiss your Bride

 It is now my pleasure to present EDWARD and DONNA as Husband and Wife!

Thinking About Elvis

Tomorrow I am headed to a preview showing of ELVIS! Super excited! It has me thinking of all the movies about Elvis that graced the screen.

I remember watching Elvis (1979) starring Kurt Russell on TV probably a year or two after it came out. I was young. It made very little impact on my life.

Later there was a movie with Don Johnson as Elvis. I never saw it. It just doesn’t feel right.

Late 80’s, there was a made for tv movie based on Priscilla’s autobiography, Elvis and Me. Dale Midkiff played Elvis. He looked more like Kurt Russell than Elvis. The movie was awesome, regardless.

In the early 90s, there was a tv show about the early life of Elvis. Michael St. Gerard played Elvis. It was a wonderful series. I remember being very disappointed when it was canceled.

There was a movie about Elvis and Colonel Tom Parker called, Elvis and the Colonel: The Untold Story. I couldn’t get through it. I recall recording it on VHS and eventually, I taped over it.

There was a movie called Elvis Meets Nixon… but I said no to that one.

Then there was Jonathan Rhys-Meyers in a tv miniseries called Elvis. He had the look. Although he was absolutely microscopic next to Randy Quaid as Colonel Tom Parker. I recall very little of this movie other than Rose McGowan doing a fun Ann-Margret impression.

There were movies reimagining Elvis like Heartbreak Hotel with David Keith, True Romance with Val Kilmer, Finding Graceland with Harvey Keitel, and Bubba Ho-Tep with Bruce Campbell. There were movies where Elvis made brief appearances like Forrest Gump, Walk the Line, and others. There were movies where Elvis wasn’t in it exactly but his spirit was all over it like Elvis Has Left the Building with Kim Basinger (I feel like there are more movies that meet this definition butmovies  my recall is terrible). Wait, 3000 Miles to Graceland, Honeymoon in Vegas, Lilo and Stitch, Boss Baby, Mystery Train, etc…

I remember meeting an Elvis Tribute Artist in Memphis at Elvis Week 2008 and he told me he starred in a movie as Elvis. After some search, I found it. I am pretty sure it was a porno. I stopped it quickly once it became apparent what was going to happen. I cannot for the life of me remember the movie or the Elvis Stylist’s name.

There was also a movie called The Identical with Ryan Pelton. For some reason, he used the name Blake Rayne in the credits. The movie is a take on the Elvis story but suggests that Elvis’s twin brother didn’t die but was given to a family that wanted a child. Whatever.

Yeah. So there we have it. Movies that I remember about Elvis.

Bass Tard

So that was embarrassing. After I posted the last entry about watching La Femme Nikita episodes and thinking back to The Avengers and such… I started getting rather sentimental. I dug in and read a slew of back entries. It was nice catching up with my old self. But I started to notice weird links that I didn’t remember including. Like buying YouTube subscribers. Suddenly I realized that code had been injected into tons of pages… BACK IN 2019!!!  I NEVER NOTICED!  Filth had been nestled in my sweet ramblings and I had no idea.

Luckily, I was able to find most of it– I am sure some lurks somewhere– but I washed most of it away. I hope it doesn’t come back.

20 20 20 22 years ago

elvis spyYesterday was the last day of school. Jed’s been watching Alice Cooper’s appearance on the Muppet Show. He sings along to School’s Out. He’s also been requesting and watching Killer Klown’s From Outerspace. He’s 6.

Last night, I disappeared after dinner and climbed into bed. I spoke into the remote, “La Femme Nikita on Tubi.” I watched a couple of third-season episodes before Jed found me. I don’t know why this show moved me but it still moves me. It originally aired on television from 1997 to 2001. I think I started watching it after it ended. 2003ish or so, whenever Lifetime started airing repeats of it. It’s now been off the air for 21 years… which got me thinking…

In 1990, A&E aired The Avengers with John Steed and Emma Peel. I remember watching The Avengers with the same verve that I (still) have for Nikita. Diana Rigg played Emma Peel from 1965 to 1968. Watching the show in 1990, it had been off the air for 22 years! Almost the same amount of time that Nikita’s been off! Somehow the Avengers felt older then than Nikita does to me today. Perhaps it’s because La Femme Nikita occurred in my lifetime?  I was 16 then; I am now 47.

I was talking to my sister a couple of years back about the Queen/Freddie Mercury movie that had just come out. Watching it, it looked weird to me. The clothes and overall vibe felt off. I mentioned to Lisa how it puzzled me that movies that are filmed recently but take place in the 1800s or 1920s or even 1960s look fine to me but movies that take place in the 1970s or 1980s almost always look cartoonish. Lisa said that it might have to do with having experienced the 70’s and 80’s directly. And having actually lived during the time, I can see the inaccuracies and anachronisms. Or not. I don’t know.

Just reread a few old entries and found this gem, “I relate to Nikita– I related to her in my 20’s and I still relate to her in my 30’s. I think it has to do with how I always feel like I am fighting for my life.” And no surprise, I still feel like I am fighting for my life in my 40’s.

 

Over a year…

banged up a bitHey there! I am still alive. Are you?

It’s been over a year since I last posted. Once upon a time, I posted every day. Sometimes multiple times a day. Things change.

I turned 47 a couple of months ago. It might shock me more than it shocks you. I feel each and every one of those years. I had been holding up pretty good but 47 was a real bitch slap with facial repercussions. In fact, I am trying to figure what to do. Do I fight it? Embrace it? Ignore it?

Watching the Sex and the City reboot, as well as the Friends Reunion, fighting it can leave the face looking far worse than some drooping and wrinkles.

What else?

What is this all about? Why are we here? How is any of this even possible? What’s the bigger picture? It is all random chaos? Why is the world so divisive?

Life seemed so much easier when I hung out at bars, went to concerts, and earned a paycheck.

I guess that’s about it. At least for now. Maybe I’ll check in in another year or so.

2020 24 hours ago

I’ve been meaning to pop by here to mention the passing of Dustbury, aka Charles Hill. I started blogging on my own domain in September 2001. I blogged and blogged but very few people paid attention to me. And then one day I got a pingback from a site called Dustbury.  Suddenly I was hanging with the cool kids… at least cool kids by my definition. I loved it when he deemed something I wrote funny enough to post on Dustbury.com. Made me feel special. On one of his world tours, he stopped by to visit. Got to meet the man in person!

Not sure exactly when it happened but it was an intersection of a bunch of things. Facebook, smartphones, the start of my own business, but I found myself posting less and less.  I kept up with Charles mainly on Facebook.

Couple years back, I knew he was struggling and so I started a GoFundMe for him. It did pretty well. Kept him going, I think.

Looking back, it seems to me it was this last year that it became super clear that he wasn’t doing good, wasn’t getting better, and he seemed ready to exit the world.

He posted a blog entry of a rearview mirror reflecting a graveyard. Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.

Couple days later Dawn Eden messaged me that he was in a car accident and passed away.

Charles was so prolific… but it was on his blog. All his time and effort and beauty, rendered in 1s and 0s. I keep visiting, wanting a new post, dreading a 404. Everything is ephemeral.