Tag: Friday Film Quote Quiz

Hindsight Really is 2020 – A Recap

The saying goes, “Hindsight is 2020,” and many of us are rejoicing that 2020 is really truly behind us! I often wonder if you were to make a list of positives and negatives of the past year, would one outweigh the other? What about 10-15 years ago? Was that just as bad, but we only choose to remember the good things from that year? I don’t know the answers to those questions.

In talking with my youngest son this weekend, he was talking about the last year and listing all of the bad things from it. I told him that is really is easy to see the bad things, the negatives, or the sadness we experienced. I challenged him to try to find some positives among the negatives. As we drove back to my house, we were able to do that. I told him it isn’t always easy to find those positives, and sometimes there may not be any, but to always look for them.

December 31, 2019

As the world awaited 2020’s arrival there was great excitement. Many said, “This is going to be MY YEAR!” Others looked at the new year as a clean slate from 2019 (which they wanted to be over). I recalled the quote from country singer Brad Paisley, who said, “Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book, write a good one.” We looked at 2020 as a year of happiness, recovery, new opportunities, new adventures, and so much more! 2020 had other plans.

2020

Looking back at 2020, the absolute high point was the birth of our daughter, Ella. NOTHING tops this moment! The blog announcing her birth was one of the most read of the year.

My first daughter. Daddy’s little girl. My wife, Sam, was just amazing throughout the delivery. It was the first time I had witnessed natural child birth and I was in awe of everything. My heart was overflowing with happiness. What a day!

This month, Sam and I were talking about what to do for her first birthday. With Covid, there is not a whole lot we can do. We are probably not going to throw the big party we wanted to, but we are working out plans for something special to mark the occasion.

Covid-19

I can’t even imagine if Ella had been born a few weeks later. By the time March arrived, the whole world was talking about Corona virus and Covid-19. Everything started to shut down in an attempt to “flatten the curve.” Our sleep labs closed and we were deployed to the hospital Labor Pool. During my time there, I heard stories and witnessed things I will sadly never forget. With a new baby at home, my constant worry was that I would bring it home to her. I eventually snapped. The doctor called it Acute Stress Disorder and she took me off work. I was out on FMLA for 6 weeks.

Finding the positive in a negative – I got to spend 6 weeks with my daughter. There are countries that allow both parents to stay home with their newborn child for a year when they are born. I wish the United Stated allowed that. There are so many wonderful moments that happen in that first year. It is a shame that we have to go back to work while our babies are still so young.

Another positive: As the curve flattened, I officiated my first wedding for my friend, Theresa from high school. To say I was nervous is an understatement, but all went well and I didn’t mess anything up too bad. It was nice to see other friends from high school at the wedding, too. It was a bit weird, as there were many masks in the crowd, but that had kind of become the “norm.”

Division and hate

2020 brought more division and more hate. There has always been division in politics, but it seems that both parties hatred for each other was over the top. I’ve heard a lot of mudslinging in ads, but the stuff being said was brutal. The politicians seem to have forgotten who they are supposed to be representing and working for – the people of the country!

Everyone was offended by everything in 2020. Social media was full of arguments, name calling, and much more. Really, the media just continued to “feed” the public and make everyone more angry than they were to begin with. Jim Morrison of the Doors once said, “Whoever controls the media, controls the mind.” Noam Chomsky takes it a little further:

I had to finally stop watching the news, and scroll past so many posts from friends. I couldn’t take it. It is totally ok for you to be passionate about your beliefs and your political stance. If it is different than my stance or beliefs, that’s ok, too. You and I can agree to disagree. I was saddened that so many friendships were broken because of the difference of opinion. Friendships that have lasted 30+ years ended because of this, and that breaks my heart. If only more people thought like Thomas Jefferson:

Blog Milestones and Hits and Misses

In 2020, I celebrated two years of blogging. I wrote my 300th blog. I still wrote many movie blogs and music blogs. The music blogs slowed as I started to neglect Tune Tuesday. I tried something new with Friday Movie Quotes, but that didn’t seem to go over too well, so I stopped. Most of my blogs were ramblings about my life and of course, my daughter.

The other blog that got a lot of views was my recent blog about the loss of my friend, and high school band director, Tom Shaner. I posted a link to this on my Facebook, and his daughter also shared it, so many people I didn’t even know read it. I received a private message from his brother who told me that he really appreciated my blog and how it enlightened him on the impact he had on his students. When I finished writing that blog, I didn’t think it did him any justice, but that private message proved otherwise.

Conclusion

As I look back on 2020, I see life’s “circle.” The high point of the year was the birth of my daughter, while the low point of the year was the passing of my friend, Tom. Life and death. A new life enters the world, while an old one leaves the world. Happiness and sadness. As life moves on, the circle continues. We see new births and new deaths.

A pastor once told me that birth is the beginning of death. You begin to die the moment you are born. There is truth to that. So as we look on the new “book” that is 2021, and we begin to write on the blank pages, let’s try to remember the words of actor Michael Landon:

Here’s to a Happy New Year for all of us!

Friday Film Quote Quiz

Time for another round of quotes from the cinema! Here are the answers to last weeks quotes:

  1. These aren’t my rules. Come to think of it, I don’t have any rules. Beetlejuice
  2. And you British guy, if you are going to live in this country you better go see a damn dentist about that stink-ass breath. You smell like hot garbage. Senseless
  3. Look, I don’t care what the telly says, all right? We *have* to get out of here. If we don’t they’ll tear us to pieces, and that is really going to exacerbate things for all of us. Shaun of the Dead
  4. Madness – it’s the only word to describe it. This isn’t the state of California, this is a state of insanity. 1941
  5. Back home, they would have put me in jail for what I’m doing. Here, they’re giving me awards. Casino
  6. We had a small fire last night, but we caught it in the nick of time. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
  7. I also brought Mozart to play while he sleeps to make him smarter because leading experts say Mozart makes babies smarter. The Incredibles
  8. You’re not gonna get those melons picked if you’re dead.  Mr. Majestyk
  9. I’ve done some things in my life I’m not proud of, but this is the first time I’ve ever felt in real danger of hell. The Green Mile
  10. We put liquid paper on a bee, and it died. Step Brothers
  11. No, he was hit by a Guinness truck. So it was quite literally the drink that killed him. Mrs. Doubtfire
  12. Sir, from where I’m standing, that’s a physical impossibilty. A Night at the Roxbury
  13. I think we’re going to need another feather over here, Professor. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
  14. I’m thinkin’ of something orange. Something orange. Give up? It’s an orange. UHF
  15. Hey, Vera. We’ve got another stiff in the john. 9 to 5
  16. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Here’s a little number I tossed off recently in the Caribbean. The Meaning of Life
  17. Did you know your last name is an adverb? Johnny Dangerously
  18. Tell them if they don’t do as you wish, you’ll become angry and use your magic. Return of the Jedi
  19. Anything I can get for you? Juice? Coffee? Rack of lamb? The Nutty Professor
  20. Look! We’ve figured it seventeen different ways, and every time we figured it, it was no good, because no matter how we figured it, somebody don’t like the way we figured it! So now, there’s only one way to figure it. And that is, every man, including the old bag, for himself! It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Feel free to offer up a movie that you’d like me to pick a line from for next time and send it to me in Messenger (on Facebook) or in the comments here. In the meantime, here are this weeks quotes:

  1. Gentlemen, I wouldn’t trust this overgrown pile of microchips any further than I can throw it.
  2. He’s a cyborg, you idiot! He recorded every word you said. His memory’s admissible as evidence! You “involved” me! You’re gonna have to kill it.
  3. Well, what’s this? Another one of your little bird tricks?
  4. I don’t know you! I don’t know Sam, but let me tell you what he did to me. He kept me up all night singing “I’m Henry the Eighth I Am.”
  5. They were cones!
  6. I’m telling you what we’re not, we’re not people who jam staples into other people’s heads, that’s CIA crap!
  7. Ya know if Junior is able to get up in the morning, tie his shoelaces and take a pee, I’m not proud. I’m amazed.
  8. I’m not wearing any pants. Film at eleven.
  9. Three weeks we’ve been talking about the Platt Amendment. What are you people – on dope? 
  10. You think that mosquitos, monkeys, and lions are bad? That is just the beginning.
  11. Don’t waste your time on girls with hats. They tend to be very proper.
  12. I’m not even supposed to be here. I’m just “Crewman Number Six.” I’m expendable. I’m the guy in the episode who dies to prove how serious the situation is. I’ve gotta get outta here.
  13. Well, you see, this is the problem with terrorists. They’re really inconsiderate when it comes to people’s schedules.
  14. Yeah, well, when an adult male is chasing a female with intent to commit rape, I shoot the bastard – that’s my policy.
  15. Y’know, Nietzsche says: “Out of chaos comes order.”
  16. Two of your snot-nose jockeys did a fly-by on my tower at over 400 KNOTS! I want somebody’s butt, I want it now, I’ve HAD IT!
  17. There’s a sale at Penney’s!
  18. Car’s got a lot of pickup.
  19. The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.
  20. It’s a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no telling where you might be swept off to.

Friday Film Quote Quiz

Ready for another round of movie quotes?? I hope they are as fun for you to guess as it is for me to pick the lines. For the most part, the movies I have picked have been from the 1970’s to the present, however, I may try to slip some in from earlier classics, too! If you have a movie you’d like me to pick a quote from (and you are on Facebook) message me and I’ll try to slip one in the next batch!

Here are last week’s answers:

  1. Hey, Fella! What a turkey! Hey, Fella, you’re a turkey, you know that?! Mad Max
  2. Does Barry Manilow know that you raid his wardrobe? The Breakfast Club
  3. Rabbi, you seem to be on the side of good. Will you come and share with us some of your wisdom, some of your council, and perhaps… some of your wine? Robin Hood: Men In Tights
  4. What kind of stupid name is that?! Back to the Future III
  5. God no, it smells like, like a used diaper… filled with… Indian food. Oh, excuse me. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy
  6. The thing about trains… it doesn’t matter where they’re going. What matters is deciding to get on. The Polar Express
  7. I feel like I’m watching a Cher video. Dodgeball
  8. At this very moment those pictures are on their way to Washington where the FBI has experts in this type of identification. If you turn yourselves in now, you may escape a Federal charge. Grease
  9. You know, it just occurred to me that we really haven’t had a successful test of this equipment. Ghostbusters
  10. He’s a pedantic, pontificating, pretentious bastard, a belligerent old fart, a worthless steaming pile of cow dung, figuratively speaking. Liar, Liar
  11. Sir, if you get the wrong wire, you’ll cut the engine feeds, and the plane will crash. Air Force One
  12. Behold, my magic wand and free your golden orbs right now. The Fisher King
  13. You should’ve been here for the Zeronian migration in 1968. Men in Black
  14. I have a shell fragment the size of a fist in my head. Pork Chop Hill, 1953. Hot Shots
  15. So who’s your client, Mr. Detective-to-the-Stars? Chilly Willy? Or Screwy Squirrel? Who Framed Roger Rabbit
  16. Don’t you know your right flank from your left flank? History of the World Part 1
  17. We’re not really violent people. This is our first gun. National Lampoon’s Vacation
  18. You’ve got me? Who’s got you? Superman: The Movie
  19. Ask your friends in the neighborhood about me. They’ll tell you I know how to return a favor. The Godfather Part II
  20. Don’t be jealous that I’ve been chatting online with babes… all day. Besides, we both know that I’m training to be a cage fighter.Napoleon Dynamite

Facebook friends – remember, ONE GUESS PER PERSON.

Here comes this week’s quotes:

  1. These aren’t my rules. Come to think of it, I don’t have any rules.
  2. And you British guy, if you are going to live in this country you better go see a damn dentist about that stink-ass breath. You smell like hot garbage.
  3. Look, I don’t care what the telly says, all right? We have to get out of here. If we don’t they’ll tear us to pieces, and that is really going to exacerbate things for all of us.
  4. Madness – it’s the only word to describe it. This isn’t the state of California, this is a state of insanity.
  5. Back home, they would have put me in jail for what I’m doing. Here, they’re giving me awards.
  6. We had a small fire last night, but we caught it in the nick of time.
  7. I also brought Mozart to play while he sleeps to make him smarter because leading experts say Mozart makes babies smarter.
  8. You’re not gonna get those melons picked if you’re dead.
  9. I’ve done some things in my life I’m not proud of, but this is the first time I’ve ever felt in real danger of hell.
  10. We put liquid paper on a bee, and it died.
  11. No, he was hit by a Guinness truck. So it was quite literally the drink that killed him.
  12. Sir, from where I’m standing, that’s a physical impossibility.
  13. I think we’re going to need another feather over here, Professor.
  14. I’m thinkin’ of something orange. Something orange. Give up? It’s an orange.
  15. Hey, Vera. We’ve got another stiff in the john.
  16. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Here’s a little number I tossed off recently in the Caribbean.
  17. Did you know your last name is an adverb?
  18. Tell them if they don’t do as you wish, you’ll become angry and use your magic.
  19. Anything I can get for you? Juice? Coffee? Rack of lamb?
  20. Look! We’ve figured it seventeen different ways, and every time we figured it, it was no good, because no matter how we figured it, somebody don’t like the way we figured it! So now, there’s only one way to figure it. And that is, every man, including the old bag, for himself!