THURSDAY BRIEFING

Last night I felt so down from the events of this week, as I wrote, so I decided to watch a movie. I have had a movie here for several weeks recommended to me by someone I respect so decided to slip it in the DVD player. The movie is set in Africa and is entitled "Tsotsi" and has subtitles so if you don't like subtitles forget watching it--actually I turned on the closed captioning and didn't even check to see if English is optional but I don't like watching a movie where the mouth is saying one thing and the words are something else so I would just as soon read, which I can do. Anyway, I began watching it and it has a pretty violent beginning which I'm not real keen on. Life is scarey enough without watching scarey movies, but since the recommendation came from someone respected, as I said, I decided that it had to have some redeeming qualities, which it did. It turned out to be a very fine film and one which pivots on the quality of decency. My artsy friends will enjoy this one.

Following this movie I decided I needed a laugh and so watched again Robin Williams in "Man of the Year." It gave me the lift that I needed and a laugh too. I went to bed in a happier mood. Part of the time I had to watch these movies with my sore eye closed but it worked out okay and today after lots of medicated eyedrops it is feeling better.

I also decided to cook yesterday and the reward of having done that buoyed me up last night as well as today. Sometimes we make our joy or take it wherever we can get it.