Brianna: From My Side of the Bridge...

Good morning, everyone! It's almost 11:00 AM here in Home Country, which means that it's almost 2:00 AM for my friends in Beijing (and yes, if you were wondering, I do have friends in Beijing).


I have a lot to talk about today. I mean, not much has happened for me since Thursday. I still haven't seen the new Harry Potter movie, and by the time I get around to it (what with Thanksgiving and school and all) everyone will be like, well THAT'S old news. Come back when you've seen a movie actually worth our attention.


Which is why I'm choosing now to talk about 127 Hours. I saw it before it came out, at the Denver Film Festival (along with Black Swan and Rabbit Hole, but those aren't even a little bit out yet), and I think it is definitely one of those movies everyone must see. I must warn you, it's a little graphic. 


It's about Aron Ralston, a man from my side of the bridge who fell into a canyon in Utah and was trapped there for five days until, well...I'm not going to ruin it. 


Although if you have any idea who he is, it's already been ruined for you. (Let me give you a clue: saying let's give Aron Ralston a hand! when he comes onstage is definitely not a good idea.)


So, yeah. Your goal for the week: see 127 Hours. You will definitely not regret it, unless you're the squeamish type. Then maybe.

Oh, and did I mention that Aron Ralston is played by James Franco? He's incredible. In fact, beside's Danny Boyle's wonderful directing, he is pretty much the reason you should see 127 Hours.

Moving on, I wonder if you remember me mentioning Yay! Every Day! last time I posted. 

Basically, Yay! Every Day! is a website where people post their drawings, paintings, photographs, videos...you know. Almost anything works on there, and if you spend a lot of time surfing it (or even a little of time) you can find some very valuable pieces of work. If you're interested, either check out my previous post or go to the website yourself and click "Random". All you have to do is keep refreshing and you'll never run out of stuff to look at.

Anyway, I picked two more of my favorites and decided to post them. The source is beneath them (in case you're interested):

http://www.yayeveryday.com/post/6495

http://www.yayeveryday.com/post/957

And here's a poem, to make you think.

Dog's Death

by John Updike

She must have been kicked unseen or brushed by a car.

Too young to know much, she was beginning to learn

To use the newspapers spread on the kitchen floor

And to win, wetting there, the words, "Good dog! Good dog!"

                                                                    

We thought her shy malaise was a shot reaction.

The autopsy disclosed a rupture in her liver.

As we teased her with play, blood was filling her skin

And her heart was learning to lie down forever.

Monday morning, as the children were noisily fed

And sent to school, she crawled beneath the youngest's bed.

We found her twisted and limp but still alive.

In the car to the vet's, on my lap, she tried

To bite my hand and died. I stroked her warm fur

And my wife called in a voice imperious with tears.

Though surrounded by love that would have upheld her,

Nevertheless she sank and, stiffening, disappeared.

Back home, we found that in the night her frame,

Drawing near to dissolution, had endured the shame

Of diarrhoea and had dragged across the floor

To a newspaper carelessly left there.  Good dog.

Have a wonderful day! 

Brianna