I Get It Now

i thought i'd spruce things up a bit and change the layout. honestly, the pink was kinda getting to me. let me know if the new template gives you a headache.

a couple of years ago, when the iphone first came out, my husband proclaimed, "today is the best day of my life." i was offended, insulted, and unamused. you mean to tell me the best day of your life was not our wedding day? it wasn't january 6th when we had our first born? or june 26th? the birth of our second born?! but you see, my husband is an apple fanatic. not a lot of families own an apple desktop, mac book pro, 2 ipads, and the latest iphones. we do. he loves apple, the way i love movies. and i found myself proclaiming, "this is the best weekend of my life," more than once this past weekend. i went to the afi silverdocs documentary film festival and saw movie after movie after movie. i waited in standby lines outside with the 95 degree sun pounding on me and barely noticed. i saw 5 films on saturday and 3 on sunday. i would have seen more on sunday, but my dad flew back from iran and it would have been utterly rude if i wasn't there to welcome him home. (believe me, i thought about it. but with one grandparent out of the country, i wasn't going to risk getting on the bad side of one of my saviors for the summer.)

so yeah - i was in heaven. i was alone for the most part and really don't feel like a loser going to a movie by myself. i always manage to get a fantastic seat right in the middle. my sister came to two movies with me and took my kids swimming on sunday to allow me another festival day. bless her heart. these films were extraordinary. the directors were also there for Q and A sessions after each movie, which was a real treat. an added bonus was the live presence of some of the subjects of these films.

my favorite films include:

budrus = a film about the power of a palestinian village to peaceably fight, in an unarmed movement, when it is threatened with destruction by Israel's separation barrier. Ayed Murrar, a family-man turned activist in the film, came onto the stage after the film ended and i was so caught off guard and overwhelmed by his presence, that my eyes started welling with tears.

monica and david = an intimate look into the first year of marriage of two people in love...who have down syndrome.

circo = a glimpse into the life and struggles of a family involved in a traveling circus in rural mexico.

the movies are so riveting and poignant. they show the every day struggles of people in the world and make you feel like a chump for thinking *you've* got problems. movies are like an escape for me - my refuge for a short while. i can't wait to go back next year!