"Are You Not Entertained?" An Arts and Entertainment Challenge

[SirConradPeckereye]

All right, I'll give it a go.

Good girl!

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Day 2: Something that reminds you of a lover
Architecture counts, right?

https://imgur.com/a/Mkw041d

 

[morelikeasong]

Day two: Something that reminds you of a lover

This movie in general reminds me of him. Particularly this scene. Not the fight element of it, but the content.

 

[UnquietDreams]

Oh, I'm late! That is a theme for me of late...

Day 1: Something with a memorable intro

Baby Driver, 2017

This is the opening scene to Edgar Wright's Baby Driver. If you haven't seen it, think if La La Land had been a Quentin Tarantino movie. It has Wright's trademark tight direction and story. If you listen to this you will hear a low hum before the music kicks in. Even that is significant.

The first six minutes of this move is one of the greatest action car chases ever, all choreographed to Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's "Bellbottoms." It is frentic genius.

 

[UnquietDreams]

Okay, this ugly monstrosity of 1970's mall architecture is the JC Pennies where I grew up. Specifically, that alcove. My the summer of my junior year in high school, that is where I first kissed the first woman I ever truly loved. One of two, actually.

I am old, so we had been hanging out by phone all summer. Like, eight, nine-hour conversations. We had gone out on a date, or actually to just see a movie, and I wasn't sure it was a date or just seeing a movie. I was completly into her, but couldn't see why she would return the attention. It was a very hot summer, and all us kids used to go to the mall just for the air conditioning. We met out here and talked, over some pretty serious family crap. It was pretty intense for the both of us. After about two hours on these stupid brick seats, we both had to leave. As we were standing, she said, "hold on, I have to tell you something," reached her hand behind my head, and kissed me. I was so shocked, it took me literally a minute to kiss her back.

We were together, off and on, for two and a half years. It was complicated, and got stupid, with an old boyfriend coming into it, and sad, and epic in the way that only high school loves can be. Blood, sweat, tears, and hormones. (All of those, actually). It ended badly, at least for me.

I ran into her about five years later, beautiful still, with her baby on hip. And I loved her as much at that moment as I ever did, knowing she had another man's child in her arms, his ring on her finger, because she was so fucking happy, and I knew she was where she was supposed to be. I moved away, came back into the area, and we bump into each other every so often. And I still love her. She has never left me, always part of me, always will be.

 

[goldytheGoldfish]

It'd be hard to miss the Tiffany lamp that's moved around with me. Mine has clear, dark orange and opaque white panels with a bronze base. It was handmade by someone in my family many years ago. I tried to find something similar to share here and ended up in an online store with this turtle version for sale. It's similar, but not exactly the same. Apparently, I'm so good at spinning wheels that I've acquired the ability to get it for free!

 

[curious_slut]

View attachment 2323131

Okay, this ugly monstrosity of 1970's mall architecture is the JC Pennies where I grew up. Specifically, that alcove. My the summer of my junior year in high school, that is where I first kissed the first woman I ever truly loved. One of two, actually.

I am old, so we had been hanging out by phone all summer. Like, eight, nine-hour conversations. We had gone out on a date, or actually to just see a movie, and I wasn't sure it was a date or just seeing a movie. I was completly into her, but couldn't see why she would return the attention. It was a very hot summer, and all us kids used to go to the mall just for the air conditioning. We met out here and talked, over some pretty serious family crap. It was pretty intense for the both of us. After about two hours on these stupid brick seats, we both had to leave. As we were standing, she said, "hold on, I have to tell you something," reached her hand behind my head, and kissed me. I was so shocked, it took me literally a minute to kiss her back.

We were together, off and on, for two and a half years. It was complicated, and got stupid, with an old boyfriend coming into it, and sad, and epic in the way that only high school loves can be. Blood, sweat, tears, and hormones. (All of those, actually). It ended badly, at least for me.

I ran into her about five years later, beautiful still, with her baby on hip. And I loved her as much at that moment as I ever did, knowing she had another man's child in her arms, his ring on her finger, because she was so fucking happy, and I knew she was where she was supposed to be. I moved away, came back into the area, and we bump into each other every so often. And I still love her. She has never left me, always part of me, always will be.

Thanks for sharing. The love that was and could have been forever is impossible to forget. And we usually wouldn't want to forget anyway.

View attachment 2323153
It'd be hard to miss the Tiffany lamp that's moved around with me. Mine has clear, dark orange and opaque white panels with a bronze base. It was handmade by someone in my family many years ago. I tried to find something similar to share here and ended up in an online store with this turtle version for sale. It's similar, but not exactly the same. Apparently, I'm so good at spinning wheels that I've acquired the ability to get it for free!

Don't do it! It's a trap! I wouldn't trust a lamp from temu not to cause an electrical fire. Doubly so if it's free. But how did it remind you of a lover?

 

[curious_slut]

Day two: Something that reminds you of a lover

It always felt like we were separated by something no matter how close we were. And neither of us were willing to remove our veils.

René Magritte, The Lovers II (1928)

 

[UnquietDreams]

Day two: Something that reminds you of a lover

It always felt like we were separated by something no matter how close we were. And neither of us were willing to remove our veils.

René Magritte, The Lovers II (1928)

That is sad and beautiful. That one fits so much in our lives

 

[Bry1313]

I've never heard of this show but now I absolutely have to watch it.

It’s so good

 

[goldytheGoldfish]

But how did it remind you of a lover?

Oh, you really want to know?

 

[goldytheGoldfish]

I have a newer "convertible tablet" laptop with a touch screen and stylus; when I was first trying to think of something, a drawing popped into my head. The re-interpretation of a black and white pig with cookies done by my better half (I actually think I'm the better of the two) does in fact remind me of a lover, but then I wondered why it had to be a recent one. Not all people have the... art-appreciation gene; I'm sure she's aware.

 

[Bambear99]

Day two: Something that reminds you of a lover

The movies “Field of Dreams” and “Who’s Harry Crumb?”

Here’s why….

I took a young woman to the drive-in to see this double feature back in the summer of ‘89. “Field of Dreams” was first, and we were just starting to get hot and bothered as one does at a drive-in movie, but we both kinda stopped fooling around as we started to realize how good the movie actually was. So, we ended up watching and thoroughly enjoying the first movie. For the second movie, we jumped into my backseat, and to this day, I couldn’t tell you who the hell Harry Crumb was or is.

 

[curious_slut]

Day two: Something that reminds you of a lover

The movies “Field of Dreams” and “Who’s Harry Crumb?”

Here’s why….

I took a young woman to the drive-in to see this double feature back in the summer of ‘89. “Field of Dreams” was first, and we were just starting to get hot and bothered as one does at a drive-in movie, but we both kinda stopped fooling around as we started to realize how good the movie actually was. So, we ended up watching and thoroughly enjoying the first movie. For the second movie, we jumped into my backseat, and to this day, I couldn’t tell you who the hell Harry Crumb was or is.

It only has a 27% on rotten tomatoes so it seems you two made the right choice on which movie to actually watch

 

[StillRain]

Day one: Something that has a memorable intro

Stand By Me

 

[Bambear99]

It only has a 27% on rotten tomatoes so it seems you two made the right choice on which movie to actually watch

Life is all about choices.

 

[StillRain]

Day two: Something that reminds you of a lover

 

[TunnelKing089]

Day One-Something that has a memorable intro.....

 

[Bambear99]

Day two: Something that reminds you of a lover



View attachment 2323339

I miss Chicago.

 

[curious_slut]

Day One-Something that has a memorable intro.....

Tom Cruise is one of my favorite Hollywood weirdos I always enjoy the Mission Impossible movies.

 

[UnquietDreams]

Day One-Something that has a memorable intro.....

I am a huge fan of Tom Cruise's work, and have been since he started. Risky Business, Taps, All the Right Moves, The Outsiders, Legend, all movies deeply embedded in my young adult life. Later stuff as well, and yes, I am of the minority who loved him cast in Jack Reacher. Like or hate his personal life, his dedication to his craft --of not just acting but making incredible movies-- is unparalleled. And the MI films showcase that. I also love John Woo, so MI:2 has a special place in my heart, though most people place in lower on the MI ladder.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Day 3 - Something that makes you happy
I don't have any pictures at the moment, but maybe I'll try to get some on Monday. But the art club students at the school where I teach painted themed murals in all the different parts of the school, and they always make me smile. Like there are paintings of famous scientists near the science labs, different landmarks and events near the history classrooms, classic books by the English department, that sort of thing. They make me happy.

 

[UnquietDreams]

Day 3 - Something that makes you happy

I love this thread. Something about it echos in me, the stretching beyond a specific medium to anything. The world is wondrous, and the options are almost endless. It drags my mind to places, and I am tendering toward going deeper than is my want. And this is deeper.

You may want to just skip to something lighter. Just saying.

I just got out of a 29-year marriage. Legally, just about a year, but realistically, we have been roommates for a long time. We were happy when we first got married, but things changed. Always, things change. I fight clinical depression, something I have done since my teens, but wasn’t diagnosed until I was in my 30’s. And my wife, who has a very manly father, took my fight and illness as laziness. And then I was laid off from a job I really enjoyed, and went into a dark period, and she did not take that well either. And when someone comes to despise you, even for a season, it is almost impossible to get past that. Passion went away, on her part. We were intimate on occasion, on her whim and schedule. (My current dry spell is over seven years, which is kind of pathetic.) Our marriage became a partnership, to keep a roof over our heads, and later to raise our daughter. And I would have given up anything to keep my daughter happy and healthy – and I did. Things I loved went by the wayside, such as writing, as I sacrificed to keep this partnership together. And part of that was I would stay within the bounds of marriage. Even self pleasure was supposedly off the table (heh. Supposedly). But I stayed within, partly because I promised to, and I try to keep promises, but mostly because I loved her. I am a romantic. I wanted some magic bullet, some event, something I finally did to change things, to go back to the way we were when we were first together. I kept trying to be positive, kept going the extra mile to be romantic, but while it was appreciated, it wasn’t reciprocated. And eventually, I just got tired. And more tired. Hope springs eternal, but eventually you stop going to the spring. There is a line from “Why Why Why” by the Airborne Toxic Event that sums it up: “And you wonder just a little if your soul Isn't starting to die/You spend every waking moment wondering ‘why?’” But I am a romantic, and I kept at it. But it got worse, and worse. Until I couldn’t. The divorce was amicable, and I am so much happier. My kid, in college now, lives with me half of the time, and I am writing again. Working on a new novel. It is good.

But that isn’t why I am smiling.

I have a crush. It is small, and sweet, and there are myriads of reasons that it will never be anything more than it is, and I am fine with that. But I get that little frisson of anticipation in my belly. And I hum. Maybe dance a bit. She is my muse. She makes me smile. I could wax rhapsodic about her, but she isn’t what I am writing about.

I have a crush. And I honestly thought that part of my heart and soul were dead and gone. I didn’t think I could feel something light and airy and somewhat silly, but good. The fact that I can have a crush, that I can enjoy that? That makes me happy.

Sorry, that was long and dour.

 

[Wand3rlust]

Day 3 - Something that makes you happy

I love this thread. Something about it echos in me, the stretching beyond a specific medium to anything. The world is wondrous, and the options are almost endless. It drags my mind to places, and I am tendering toward going deeper than is my want. And this is deeper.

You may want to just skip to something lighter. Just saying.

I just got out of a 29-year marriage. Legally, just about a year, but realistically, we have been roommates for a long time. We were happy when we first got married, but things changed. Always, things change. I fight clinical depression, something I have done since my teens, but wasn’t diagnosed until I was in my 30’s. And my wife, who has a very manly father, took my fight and illness as laziness. And then I was laid off from a job I really enjoyed, and went into a dark period, and she did not take that well either. And when someone comes to despise you, even for a season, it is almost impossible to get past that. Passion went away, on her part. We were intimate on occasion, on her whim and schedule. (My current dry spell is over seven years, which is kind of pathetic.) Our marriage became a partnership, to keep a roof over our heads, and later to raise our daughter. And I would have given up anything to keep my daughter happy and healthy – and I did. Things I loved went by the wayside, such as writing, as I sacrificed to keep this partnership together. And part of that was I would stay within the bounds of marriage. Even self pleasure was supposedly off the table (heh. Supposedly). But I stayed within, partly because I promised to, and I try to keep promises, but mostly because I loved her. I am a romantic. I wanted some magic bullet, some event, something I finally did to change things, to go back to the way we were when we were first together. I kept trying to be positive, kept going the extra mile to be romantic, but while it was appreciated, it wasn’t reciprocated. And eventually, I just got tired. And more tired. Hope springs eternal, but eventually you stop going to the spring. There is a line from “Why Why Why” by the Airborne Toxic Event that sums it up: “And you wonder just a little if your soul Isn't starting to die/You spend every waking moment wondering ‘why?’” But I am a romantic, and I kept at it. But it got worse, and worse. Until I couldn’t. The divorce was amicable, and I am so much happier. My kid, in college now, lives with me half of the time, and I am writing again. Working on a new novel. It is good.

But that isn’t why I am smiling.

I have a crush. It is small, and sweet, and there are myriads of reasons that it will never be anything more than it is, and I am fine with that. But I get that little frisson of anticipation in my belly. And I hum. Maybe dance a bit. She is my muse. She makes me smile. I could wax rhapsodic about her, but she isn’t what I am writing about.

I have a crush. And I honestly thought that part of my heart and soul were dead and gone. I didn’t think I could feel something light and airy and somewhat silly, but good. The fact that I can have a crush, that I can enjoy that? That makes me happy.

Sorry, that was long and dour.

That was anything but dour.
Long, maybe.

But. Hopeful. Beautiful.
And made me smile.
I hope you keep that part of yourself that allowed you to find a crush alive and awake.

 

[goldytheGoldfish]

Back when we first met, our lives up to that point were somewhat of a mystery to each other. I've often said I wish we had met sooner. She asked about distance running and I suggested she go along with me on one of the trips riding her bike. We had a really good time and have gone on I don't know how many more. Her interpretation (or output of, really) was to teach me about "geocaches", which are sometimes very small, sometimes larger containers hidden in various public locations (like at a park, under a bench).

Once you find them, you unroll the paper inside and sign each one like a guest book; sometimes the larger ones also have prizes you can keep or trade. We found one in a forest with little dinosaurs, if I remember correctly. No one had fed them for quite a while and luckily we had some trail mix with us.

Both of us enjoy photography, but for different reasons. She enjoys taking pictures of me doing things at awkward moments and I find novel situations to be a better reason. The phones or cameras I've taken those with are history, but the photos are backed up on a cloud server - that's as safe as you can get! I'm just waiting for the day until my pixelated wiener ends up on the news and I have to explain what it's doing there.