Yes!!!!! One great film helps us understand another! Perfect! I love bringing Dorothy into the mix! I don't think she was in one of the films they projected because it came out in the 30s, but I'm guessing Alfredo projected the Wizard of Oz back in the day!
i co wrote a book on relationships long ago and used the faux wizard and Dorothy’s real power if she so chose; gratitude and perspective. Self care with munchkins along the way to walk us home.
Really? Who did you write it with? And when? What a cool way to use an existing and beloved story to get us to think about the things that help us connect with others. How fabulous! What's the title?
my second "ex" husband. lol. 1994. Psychology for Health Fitness Professionals. Horrible title but the publisher insisted . Mine was Capturing the Spirit and Passing it on. Now I write for my self discovery and always keep a pair of red sparkly shoes near by.
Yes! Your title was much, much better! They should have listened to you. Your title should have been the first one and the boring one the subtitle. I'm glad you're still writing. I think this would be a great story, by the way. Writing about Dorothy with your second ex-husband and being saddled with publishers who have no sense of what a good title is!
Beautiful piece, Alexandra, it really touched me. Wishing you well at Pitt. I have friends at the University and my father's family is from near the city. Though I never lived there, family visits as a child carved out a a magical place for it in my memory. Be well!
Thank you so much for reading and sharing, Burton! So lovely that having family here made that kind of impact on your connection to Pittsburgh. I think having a place to stay with people live in the place (and who love you!) turns it into a much deeper experience than being at a hotel. I do like the tourist journey but it doesn't make it feel like home!
Beautiful. As a child I moved 5 times before settling in a little Michigan village (literally, the name is Carleton and it is still called a village!) in the suburbs of Toledo. I am all too familiar with the feeling you are describing, from going back to these previous chapters. Thank you for capturing it and I hope in your next adventure back to EL that we can reconnect.
Olivia! How are you? I don't believe I've seen you since you came to my house and I filmed you filming for Cámara Retórica. You were great at it! Thank you for humoring me with that. Your kid must be quite grown now. It's so lovely to hear from you. What are you up to these days? How are you guys doing? I'm so glad the post made sense to you based on those moving-in-childhood experiences. I imagine moving to a small place might be even harder since you end up with fewer options of people to befriend.
Do let's reconnect! Next time we'll have to for a longer time!
Yes, let’s! Deacon and I are still nearby, south of campus in Mason. I just had a visit to MSU and went back in time on Sunday. It was good timing (I was in the right state of mind for the visit down memory lane). I am working as a project management professional at Agate Software - a grants management systems software company. I’ve recent started doing Business Analysis and get to work on contracts, training materials, and with teams to configure the systems. I just finished the hard labor of a garden and am enjoying the summer weather while maintaining and waiting for the fruits of our labor. Deacon is taller than me now (12 years old)!
My mother made me watch Cinema Paradiso with her right before I left home to go to school. Though it did make me bawl my eyes out, it was the perfect film to help me transition into my new life in Pittsburgh!
Your mom has great taste!!!! What a beautiful way to send your child out into the world. It's definitely a weeper but it earns those tears and teaches you some amazing lessons too!
Thanks for sharing this thoughtful connection of your personal experiences with homecoming with this incredible-sounding film that I'll definitely be adding to my watchlist!
one of the all time great films. as Dorothy learns home is where the heart is and clicking ones heels helps
Yes!!!!! One great film helps us understand another! Perfect! I love bringing Dorothy into the mix! I don't think she was in one of the films they projected because it came out in the 30s, but I'm guessing Alfredo projected the Wizard of Oz back in the day!
i co wrote a book on relationships long ago and used the faux wizard and Dorothy’s real power if she so chose; gratitude and perspective. Self care with munchkins along the way to walk us home.
Really? Who did you write it with? And when? What a cool way to use an existing and beloved story to get us to think about the things that help us connect with others. How fabulous! What's the title?
my second "ex" husband. lol. 1994. Psychology for Health Fitness Professionals. Horrible title but the publisher insisted . Mine was Capturing the Spirit and Passing it on. Now I write for my self discovery and always keep a pair of red sparkly shoes near by.
Yes! Your title was much, much better! They should have listened to you. Your title should have been the first one and the boring one the subtitle. I'm glad you're still writing. I think this would be a great story, by the way. Writing about Dorothy with your second ex-husband and being saddled with publishers who have no sense of what a good title is!
Beautiful piece, Alexandra, it really touched me. Wishing you well at Pitt. I have friends at the University and my father's family is from near the city. Though I never lived there, family visits as a child carved out a a magical place for it in my memory. Be well!
Thank you so much for reading and sharing, Burton! So lovely that having family here made that kind of impact on your connection to Pittsburgh. I think having a place to stay with people live in the place (and who love you!) turns it into a much deeper experience than being at a hotel. I do like the tourist journey but it doesn't make it feel like home!
Beautiful. As a child I moved 5 times before settling in a little Michigan village (literally, the name is Carleton and it is still called a village!) in the suburbs of Toledo. I am all too familiar with the feeling you are describing, from going back to these previous chapters. Thank you for capturing it and I hope in your next adventure back to EL that we can reconnect.
Olivia! How are you? I don't believe I've seen you since you came to my house and I filmed you filming for Cámara Retórica. You were great at it! Thank you for humoring me with that. Your kid must be quite grown now. It's so lovely to hear from you. What are you up to these days? How are you guys doing? I'm so glad the post made sense to you based on those moving-in-childhood experiences. I imagine moving to a small place might be even harder since you end up with fewer options of people to befriend.
Do let's reconnect! Next time we'll have to for a longer time!
Yes, let’s! Deacon and I are still nearby, south of campus in Mason. I just had a visit to MSU and went back in time on Sunday. It was good timing (I was in the right state of mind for the visit down memory lane). I am working as a project management professional at Agate Software - a grants management systems software company. I’ve recent started doing Business Analysis and get to work on contracts, training materials, and with teams to configure the systems. I just finished the hard labor of a garden and am enjoying the summer weather while maintaining and waiting for the fruits of our labor. Deacon is taller than me now (12 years old)!
My mother made me watch Cinema Paradiso with her right before I left home to go to school. Though it did make me bawl my eyes out, it was the perfect film to help me transition into my new life in Pittsburgh!
Your mom has great taste!!!! What a beautiful way to send your child out into the world. It's definitely a weeper but it earns those tears and teaches you some amazing lessons too!
Thanks for sharing this thoughtful connection of your personal experiences with homecoming with this incredible-sounding film that I'll definitely be adding to my watchlist!
Thanks! I think you'll really like it, Natalie! It got the Best Foreign Language Academy Award and the Grand Prix at Cannes! It's a beautiful epic!
Amazing how ready I was to embrace EL again. Friends, MSU campus, birding spots, even Jose’s… all of it. Totally settled into that place of nostalgia.
Yes, but from a safer place of rootedness, right?
Exactly. Our heads in a much better place.
And hopefully an even better place yet in 2027!