Tag Archives: classic

February 19, 2023 · 7:34 am

My Comfort TV

a 1970s style portable televisionHave you ever looked at the list of recorded programming on your digital recorder and thought, “No, I’m not in the mood for those”?

And then have you scrolled through your streaming service, looked at the list and said, “No I’m not in the mood for those either”? Me too.

It is no reflection on the quality of the shows whatsoever. To be honest, I do pick up new shows fairly regularly, and with great interest, to keep apprised of how the TV landscape and the screenwriting world are rapidly evolving.

But at one time or another, don’t we all have moments like that, like a teenager looking inside a fully stocked fridge and announcing, “There’s nothing to eat!”?

So what does one watch when that feeling strikes?

For me, I turn to what I call “Comfort TV” programs that are like a comfy pair of slippers or that cozy sweater. It is that list of shows that I may have already watched a few (dozen) times, but that I am always ready to watch again.

For some of those shows, they may represent a fun throwback to childhood.

For others, they just have a knack for tapping into something that strikes a chord, whether consistently tickling the funny bone or light, gentle, comforting storytelling.

Others are just timeless classics that are a joy to behold time and time again like a piece of art. Surprisingly, there are times when I might notice something new but from an older and wiser lens… or so I’d like to think. Continue reading →

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October 28, 2018 · 12:47 pm

Rekindling My Love for Classic Novels

This past summer, I was completely captivated by the PBS television program, “The Great American Read”.

The PBS Web Site describes the show as: “THE GREAT AMERICAN READ was an eight-part series that explored and celebrated the power of reading, told through the prism of America’s 100 best-loved novels (as chosen in a national survey). It investigated how and why writers create their fictional worlds, how we as readers are affected by these stories, and what these 100 different books have to say about our diverse nation and our shared human experience.”

I am certain I am not the only reader who scanned each title on the list (…a few times!) to see how many I have read over the years.

I was most delighted at discovering that two of the titles on the list were part of my high school experience: “1984” by George Orwell (which I absolutely loved, especially since I read it in 1983) and “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier.

There were a few others that I had read later in life for the fun of it, like “The Notebook” by Nicholas Sparks and “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger.

And there were many stories for which I hadn’t read the books but I knew well from the cinematic versions, such as “To Kill a Mocking Bird”, “Gone With the Wind”, “The Help”, “The Great Gatsby”, and “The Color Purple”, to name a few.

I really enjoyed the PBS program because in each episode, teachers, authors and celebrities would speak about the books, offering their opinions as to what they enjoyed, what they got out of it and what resonated with them. Continue reading →

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September 30, 2018 · 8:09 am

Cinema through the Eyes of a Writer

This past summer, when most of my television programs wrapped up for the season, I decided to replace my TV time with the simple pleasure of enjoying a big bowl of popcorn and catching up on my movie bucket list.

There have been times over the years when life got in the way of seeing everything I wanted to in the theatre, and I am OK with that. When I missed one, I usually said to myself, “It’s just a movie.”

But more recently, I have picked up a renewed interest not only in that list of missed movies but old classics as well.

At this point in my life, it’s a whole new ball game. In my 50’s, I know I have a greater sense of appreciation for the artistic effort behind any movie. I also bring to the table a greater ability to admire the masterpiece in its intricate detail.

Plus, in looking ahead to my next career as a writer, I have to admit that the appetite is there to go through as many movies as possible to see what common denominators come up that make a movie work. Continue reading →

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October 30, 2016 · 5:02 pm

Fashionably Fifty

mens-clothingI certainly would not consider myself a fashionista or an authority on the topic of fashion, but let’s just say that I genuinely believe that cultivating a personal sense of style does have its merits.

Throughout my professional career, dressing appropriately was something I took seriously, to demonstrate to my colleagues and my superiors that I was interested, engaged and committed to my work and to my career.

By offering attention to detail in my professional wardrobe, I believed it was a sign that my work would also reflect the same attention to detail. To me, it helped project credibility. Also, by dressing appropriately for the office, I never really had to worry about being called to last-minute meetings, as I was always suitably attired.

I would like to think that at this stage of my life, my skills, my track record and my professional reputation speak for themselves. But still, I have no interest in showing up for work while wearing the same thing I would be wearing if I was at home, binge watching Netflix.

Throughout my life, I have turned to men’s fashion magazines for tips and hints for cultivating the right look for me, for my age, and for my body type. After building and refining what I consider to be a classic wardrobe, combining durable investment pieces and a few colourful statement pieces, even if I don’t need to buy anything new, the magazines help me validate that the pieces I am wearing are still contemporary. Continue reading →

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June 23, 2016 · 8:11 pm

How Bewitched Was Your Day?

Bewitched DVD As far back as I can remember, Bewitched has always been one of my favourite classic TV shows. Elizabeth Montgomery starred as the beautiful Samantha Stephens, a good witch trying to live like a normal suburban housewife, despite the intrusions of a colourful cast of relatives on her mortal marriage.

Over the years, I found my imagination and creativity spurred by the fun visual effects and magical sound effects depicting their fictionalized version of witchcraft. As the show replayed in reruns, decade after decade, the characters became a permanent fixture in my subconscious and still pop up in my life when I least expect it.

A few days ago, I was having one of those days where nothing seemed to go right. Technology wasn’t working as planned, inanimate objects weren’t cooperating, I bumped into a wall. The day was such a write off that I thought to myself, “Man, am I ever having an Aunt Clara kind of day”, which seemed rather appropriate given the circumstances.

When I gave it a little more thought, I figured out that you could equate a day to almost every Bewitched character, given their very unique qualities.

How was your day today? Was it…

A Samantha kind of day
A keen problem solver and peace keeper who can rely on common sense, resourcefulness and intuition to get out of a bind… but an occasional eye of newt or bat’s wing is not out of the question.

A Darren day
An unfailing spirit who would do anything for the love of his life, even if it means getting put through the ringer, having limits tested daily, and being turned into every species of animal known to roam the planet.

An Endora kind of day
The queen of the hive, the lioness, a powerful defender whose power should never be put to test. Could be perceived as meddlesome even though everything she does is TO HER, with the best of intentions and to protect the ones she loves. Continue reading →

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May 19, 2014 · 8:43 am

The Love-Hate Relationship

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURESOn my journey through life, two words have consistently held special meaning for me. These two words have been known to warm the cockles of my heart, they have made me weak in the knees and they have even gotten me into trouble a few times by falling in love at first sight. Those two words are “NO IRON”!

Ironing was a life skill that was instilled at a very young age in our house. Having been raised by a Dad with a military background, it should come as no surprise that the “spit and polish” approach to shoe shining and the necessity for perfectly creased, crisp shirts would become my destiny in life.

That’s not always a good thing though as I can still walk into a casual clothing store and if I notice that all the mannequins are decked out in wrinkly clothing (because that is the style) a brief wave of panic comes over me. It’s a little like the feeling you get in the pit of your stomach if you’ve had too many espressos, but a few deep breaths (and sometimes a few affirmations) later, the feeling passes.

Bear in mind that when I was a kid, it was customary to dress up for holidays, special occasions and certain dinners out. But along with that came an obligation for the formal look to be neat and well pulled together, so learning to properly tie a tie, to shine my shoes and to iron a shirt were mandatory training. Continue reading →

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