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Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Horton and John

On Sunday I took Sully and Owen to see Horton Hears a Who!. I tried to convince them to see Nim's Island so that I could stare at Gerard Butler for a while, but they wouldn't take the bait. Overall, I thought Horton was well done and had a great message about everyone having value - "A person's a person no matter how small." I admit to getting quite choked up at the end when all of the little Whos down in Whoville united, played various instruments, and did not give up until their tiny voices were heard. It makes the heart feel good to witness what can be realized when everyone comes together for a cause instead of fighting (yes, I realize this was a cartoon - well, a children's book first). I think the Go Green message that was driven home in the pre-movie entertainment really affected me . Not to take away from the movie, but I did find it a tad slow and had to work hard at keeping my mind from wandering to Gerard on a deserted island. The kids will like it, though, and isn't that what really matters? I wonder if I can bribe one of the boys to go see Nim's Island this weekend...

Last week I watched Part 1 of John Adams, the new miniseries put out by HBO. I had been hearing stirrings of its greatness and decided to utilize my On Demand feature through Comcast and begin watching. It's not like I really needed to add yet another series to my long list of must-see-shows, but how could I resist a well done story about one of our presidents? The Revolutionary War fascinates me. In my humble opinion, it was a war that truly needed to be fought. It shaped our country and the path that it would take. I also seem to have a thing for great American men who played strong roles in our history. It started back in Australia when I read a children's book to Sullivan about Benjamin Franklin. I instantly became intrigued with the man and that interest prompted me to purchase a biography written on an adult level. After doing my research, I bought Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson. Now, if you know me well, you know that I have not yet read this book. I have an addiction for acquring books that sit unread on my shelves. But, I will get to it eventually.

The next man to pique my interest was Thomas Jefferson. My good friend Angela and I took a trip to Lexington, Virginia last September and visited Monticello. I instantly became fascinated with Jefferson. I have yet to purchase a book about him, but when I do, it will most likely be Thomas Jefferson by R. B. Berstein. If anyone has any other suggestions, I'd love to hear them. And, of course, I will be on the lookout for something about the great John Adams to read when I finish viewing the miniseries. Perhaps I can make up for my lack of attention in history classes during my school years by taking an interest in these amazing men now. Afterall, we know how vastly important it is to have a good understanding of our country's past in order to see where we are headed.

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