Is there something I should know?

In the Pleasure Groove : Love, death and Duran Duran

by John Taylor

  Oh how time flies! Remember when MTV had music videos all day long and quite of few of those videos through the 80's were of the infamous Duran Duran? Growing up in the 80's plastered all over my bedroom walls were posters of the Duran guys and my favorite was John Taylor. So of course when his book “In the Pleasure Groove” came across my desk I had to read it...Please please tell me now..Is there something I should know?

Most of us assume the life of a successful musician is all glitz and glam. On the contrary, Mr. Taylor opens our eyes to the stress, demands, sacrifices and scars that go along with being a pop idol.

This is the story of a nerdy, bespectacled only-child and poor student, who had a single-minded focus on music. So much so that he dedicates all of his energies to making it in the music business. His ambitious goals are to make it to Madison Square Garden in 4 short years. In order to accomplish this he feeds D2 to the teen fan machine,and music video world. This propels the band to “Supergroup” status which in turn undermines their credibility as legitimate artists. (They were and are legit)

What I liked most about John's book was he not only focused on his life's experience with Duran Duran but his early life as well. He was very candid and honest about his ups and downs, his short comings and his struggles with self acceptance. He also did a very rare thing-he told his story and he did it without dragging anyone through the mud(Which in the music industry is rarity) The only sadness I experienced is when I finished his book.

I just wish people would stop saying "it's been over 32 years since you formed Duran..." ugh – I feel so old!

If you were and are a Duran fan...READ IT!

Merry Christmas

There's no denying that we're fast approaching that time of year again, the smell of pine and the faint sound of bells jingling on the horizon. How do you get into the holiday mood? Decorate the tree with popcorn, bake gingerbread cookies, gift-wrap your dad's car or roast chestnuts on an open fire? Does anyone actually roast chestnuts on an open fire? Another way to get into the holiday spirit is to watch a Christmas movie. The Warsaw Community Public Library has a wonderful selection of Christmas movies to choose from. Here are some of my favorites.

"It's a Wonderful Life." Whose heart hasn’t melted as neighbors rush in to empty their pockets to help George replace the missing money from Bailey Building and Loan?

Another excellent Christmas movie is "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Who can forget the moment the Grinch realizes the true meaning of the holiday, learning that Christmas is in the heart and not in presents?

Are you in the mood for a Christmas miracle? Well, look no further "Miracle on 34th Street." Kris Kringle is in danger of being committed to an asylum because of his insistence that he is the true Santa Claus. Can Kris’ attorney save Kris and Christmas?

Good grief, who wouldn’t enjoy "A Charlie Brown Christmas"? Everyone remembers how Charlie picks out the most pathetic tree imaginable and his friends pitch in to decorate it and miraculously transform it into a beautiful sight.

The film "A Christmas Story" is everyone’s childhood wrapped into one. All Ralphie wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder Carbine Action, 200-shot, Range Model Air Rifle, but his hopes of getting one dim as each adult he encounters (even Santa) tells him he’ll shoot his eye out.

Tired of all the old Christmas classics? Why not try “The Polar Express” which is a glorious example of holiday cheer, and rediscovering the pure spirit of a child at Christmas.

And last but not least is Dickens classic tale “A Christmas Carol”, with Ebenezer Scrooge transforming from, well, a scrooge, into an affectionate, compassionate person.

There’s still plenty of time to pick up some good holiday flicks that'll get you into the holiday spirit. So why don’t you stop in at the Warsaw Community Public Library and pick up one of these titles or one of your own favorite Christmas movies?

The Odd Life of Timothy Green grows on you

The Odd Life of Timothy Green is a modern day fable, a simple story about parenting, healing the wounds of childhood and familial love.

When Cindy and Jim Green learn that they are not able to have children, they spend one last night fantasizing about the kid who will never inhabit their lives. They scribble all the boy's imagined attributes on pieces of paper, put the notes in a wooden box and bury it in the yard.

Then a funny thing happens, as they sleep a freak storm arrives, pouring rain on just their house. Something stirs in the garden, and then … they discover a real, live boy has sprouted from their garden and despite the fact that he looks like a normal child, he has leaves near his ankles.. His name is Timothy. As the Greens get to know Timothy they come to realize he personifies every trait they wrote on their buried list. Timothy uses these traits to repair rifts and brighten lives.

Jennifer Garner makes a funny and cool mom and Joel Edgerton is a great kind-hearted dad who has his own childhood issues. The boy who plays Timothy(CJ Adams) is beyond adorable. He, in my opinion, is the real star of the show and the best part of the film.

What Timothy Green does best is capture the sadness of infertility, celebrate the eccentricities of an endearing child and probe the longings, fears and worries of parents. It also reminds us of the briefness of childhood and how as parents we all make mistakes. What's more, the movie stresses the importance of family and how one person's life can touch and inspire so many others.

The moral of this story? Love and be loved while you can, because nothing is forever, especially childhood. So why not come to the Warsaw Community Public Library and pick up this movie or another one and make it a family night?

Eat, Pray, Love

This book is fantastic, especially for me, someone who is beginning my own spiritual journey. I love the way Liz Gilbert explains her experiences and the insights she gained from other peoples words and deeds. I listened to this book on CD and it was read by Gilbert. If you get a chance to do this, I highly recommend it.  She has a gift for mimic, not completely recreating the voices of others, but reproducing the ascents and rhythm of their speech, letting us hear what she heard when they spoke.  I must have a copy of this book!  I know I will reread it many times.








Review by LibraryladyEat Pray Love Tour

"I'm never gonna see a Merman"

Of course we all know the typical horror movie and how it goes, there's usually a cabin in a wooden area(or other desolate place) Five young friends, lots of partying, lots of sex(a weekend of fun). Then murder and mayhem ensue and said friends are picked off by a “boogeyman” who is out maneuvered by one lone survivor(usually the female "virgin") who sets the scene for the upcoming sequel.(Buzzz! Wrong!)

It's not really fair to call Cabin in the Woods a horror movie, although it is disguised as one. Instead it's a new take on a genre that was starting to get rather stale(How many "Final Destinations" does it take to finally get to the end of a franchise?) This little gem of a film plays up and skewers every horror movie cliche imaginable. It forces us(the viewers) to identify why we love to watch bad things happen to everyday people on screen.

I have to admit there are scenes in this movie that made me laugh hysterically( cue the Merman) and others that made me cringe and cover my eyes(the blood and gore in the last minutes of the film)If you are a fan of Joss Whedon or H.P. Lovecraft then you will absolutely love this movie! Whedon does not disappoint! There is also a great cameo that I shan't reveal.(They appear close to the end of the movie)

I found it funny to see all the negative reviews of the film, many of which said the acting was horrible, the script was awful, the plot made no sense.(Yada yada yada) This is what the movie is making fun of. We, as viewers are so use to seeing the "hot kids get naked and then gruesomely murdered for no apparent reason" slasher rip-off then incessantly complain about how typical and boring it is and yet when filmmakers breathe new life into the same song and dance, we get annoyed when the “rules” get broken! It is clear that these reviewers did not get the irony or the whole point of the film. In my opinion the whole point of this film was to put a mirror in front of our faces and make us realize what we have become as viewers.

I don't want to give any of the plot away but I will say that the ending of this film offers no possibility for a sequel.(Or let's hope not) This may be one of those little films destined to become a cult classic.

Becoming Sister Wives

I have a confession to make, one of my guilty pleasures is watching the show  Sister Wives on TLC. (I won't tell you the other one except that it involves someone named Honey Boo Boo) Why am I interested in this unconventional family? I must admit that I truly enjoy learning about other lifestyles and cultures. (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!) What interested me most about this family was how easy going these women appear to be. How on earth do these women share one man and not have major jealousy issues? The show rarely shows that, however the book tells a different story. As I began reading I had my ah-ha moment! Cattiness, jealousy, hurt feelings, manipulation it's all here!

Each “Sister wife” has her own section and tells her own story. Truth be told they don't really live in a true plural marriage sense.(Since moving to Nevada) Each has their own home and live with their own children and Kody(The lone husband) spends his time with each family sometime during the week. Sounds almost like these 4 sister wives are single mothers who have a husband less than 2 days a week.

My impression of the Browns has changed drastically as a result of this book. Their show portrays a whole different family. A family with very few problems and jealousies were kept to a minimum because of their faith in God and the principle of their lifestyle. After reading their story I can see that these women are pretty darn unhappy and that the bad times out number the good times(Which makes me wonder, why on earth did they even invite a 4^th wife in?)

I  must also confess that while watching the show Sister Wives I found Kody Brown to be downright adorable and found myself wishing from time to time that perhaps Kody would add me as a fifth wife. Not so much now that I have read his story. He actually describes himself as a complex man with needs that cannot be met by just one woman. He is quite self centered(should have known that) and not all that loving and understanding. The sister wife I identified most with was Janelle.  She seems to be the smartest tool in the Brown shed. The other 3 could stand some therapy along with their superman of a husband Kody.

After I finished reading their story I came to the conclusion that the purpose of this foursome marriage is to make and keep Kody happy, and whichever wife does it best, wins.

If you love the show I'd recommend you read it. And remember that Reality TV isn't as real as it appears.

It's the middle class Stupid!

When I saw this book come across my desk here at the library I thought two things,  one: It's about time someone addresses the decline of  middle class America and two: I absolutely adore James Carville! How could I resist such a read?

Let me say that I was not disappointed in the least! Carville and Greenberg do an excellent job of covering the continuing destruction of the middle class in America. These fellows believe that while the elite(including dems) shy away from "class warfare" most average people understand(Let's hope anyway) that the rich started the war long ago, and that it is finally time to engage the battle! The issues that are raised in this book are critical for America's well being over the next few decades.

Both Carville and Greenberg are discombobulated(I love that word) by the "Rights" obliviousness to reality. They believe the middle class right clearly vote against their own interests by sending right-wing "reformers" to Washington. They also point out that the simple fact is unless the middle class(majority of the people) can afford to buy 'things', we'll never dig out of the hole that "THEY"(Government) put us in.

What I liked most about this book is that these two political strategists deliver the hard facts with very little if any embellishment(And we have seen so much of that these last few months from both sides) They give us hope that our best years are still ahead and that our children and grandchildren will be able to do better than we have!(Here's hoping)

At the end of the day whether you're Right, Left, Middle,(or alien) you should always remember it's the MIDDLE CLASS, not the big corporations and certainly not the billionaires that keeps America going yet we are the ones who are mostly ignored. So go out there and reclaim your American dream(Whatever that may be)