Inside Out (Sort of a Review)

Wednesday is Studly’s night to play in the men’s golf league at Southwood in Tallahassee.  One might think that playing both Saturday and Sunday morning would satisfy his golf addiction, but one would be wrong. 

I don’t mind this Wednesday ritual, though. For one thing I don’t have to cook a meal on Wednesday nights, but more importantly I am free to do just about anything my heart desires on Wednesdays. As long as I’m home by 8:30 p.m. After that I revert to a pumpkin I think. I’ve never tested the theory, but it could happen.

Some Wednesdays I head to the beach. It’s a great day for that because apparently tourists believe the beach to be closed mid-week. Please don’t tell them otherwise. 
Other times I see a movie that I’m positive Studly Doright would rather die than see, such as Magic Mike XXL. I saw that last week. Ok story; great nearly naked men. I should have waited to see it on tv.

This afternoon I watched Inside Out, the new Disney/Pixar offering. Of course the theater was full of moms and grandmothers each with one or more kids in tow. My first thought was, “Crap. Darn kids are going to be fussing, and crying, and raising Cain all through this movie.” And it started off a bit slowly–typical Disney. But then it sucked me and all the other little darlings in. 

The children in the audience ranged in age from two to fifteen and they were spellbound. The younger ones were captivated by the colorful emotional characters: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger, who live inside the control center of a little girl named Riley. I’d worried that they’d be uninterested in the storyline, but the action was enough to keep them in the game.

After explaining a little about Riley’s core memories, Riley’s emotions are set to enjoy smooth sailing. Then Riley turns 11. That in itself would have brought about changes, but to add insult to injury her family moves across the country from Minnesota to San Francisco and a series of unfortunate events throw her emotions into chaos. To fix the emotional train wreck, Riley’s emotions have to work together in new ways. 

This is a great movie. Go see it by yourself if you have to, but go see it. If there’s a pre-teen in your life make sure they see it, preferably with you or someone that cares about them. There are some emotional moments, given the characters ARE emotions, but there are some excellent conversations just waiting to happen once the lights come up. I heard the beginnings of a few as I lingered during the closing credits.

I’m hoping for a sequel. After all, Riley’s new control panel has a big red button with PUBERTY stamped on it. 

 

Peace, people!

Name that Emotion

Emotions can be complicated. Granted, sometimes I’m happy, other times sad, but there are other emotions on which I am unable to hang a label. Indeed, I might not even have recognized these emotions before coming across this list on Facebook, but I’ve felt most of them at one time or another.

 

(There are grammatical errors embedded in the list above, perhaps due to translation issues, but none of the meaning is lost.)

Some of the descriptions resonate so strongly that they trigger the feelings ascribed to them. For example, #5, “vellichor: the strange wistfulness of used bookstores,” instantly evokes the musty smell of well used books and the sense of longing I experience upon crossing the threshold of such an establishment.

The oddest is “lachesism: the desire to be struck by disaster–to survive a plane crash, or to lose everything in a fire.” I’m fairly certain that’s one I have no desire to entertain, but I can’t judge. Heaven knows I’ve experienced #’s 6, 9, and 22 more than a few times.

I have one of my own to add to the list. Pediluxuria: the feeling of having perfectly pristine feet that follows a spa pedicure. Not bad, eh?

Peace, people

  

Naked Bathroom Jogging

Several days ago I suggested in a Facebook post jogging naked in front of the bathroom mirror as an instant mood lifter. My friends seemed to think I was joking or speaking metaphorically, but I was dead serious. Hey, if Prancercise can be a thing, then so can Naked Bathroom Jogging. Granted, it needs a better name before I shoot the video and start marketing it. It might need a less jiggly, younger model, as well.

Naked Bathroom Jogging, or NBJ, is easy to do, requires no equipment, and serves both the physical and emotional needs of the practitioner.

Do make sure that the bathroom floor is dry, or plan on jogging on a rubber-backed rug. Strip completely. Maximum effectiveness is only achieved if one is totally naked. I find it best to practice NBJ just before showering. Stand facing the bathroom mirror. Laugh as needed. Then admire all the good stuff, and trust me, no matter what you weigh or how that weight is distributed there is some good stuff.

Now jog in place. Start out slowly to determine which body parts need corralling. The last thing you want is to give yourself a black eye or whiplash. Be prepared to support these body parts. Gradually increase the speed of your jog. The best benefits seem to occur when I’m going full speed.

The first time I did my NBJ it was just a goof, but I laughed so hard and so long that I knew it had to be a good thing. So now I’m into a daily routine. If I could just find a videographer I could start filming. Volunteers? Anyone? Bueller?

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