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Arts & Life
- Details
- Written by: Ted Kooser
Jim Daniels lives and teaches in Pittsburgh.
I love this poem from “Street Calligraphy,” from Steel Toe Books, of Western Kentucky University, Daniels' 17th book.
A young father and his two small children, tucked into a comfortable old chair at the end of a day. What could feel better than that?
Talking About the Day
Each night after reading three books to my two children—
we each picked one—to unwind them into dreamland,
I'd turn off the light and sit between their beds
in the wide junk-shop rocker I'd reupholstered blue,
still feeling the close-reading warmth of their bodies beside me,
and ask them to talk about the day—we did this,
we did that, sometimes leading somewhere, sometimes
not, but always ending up at the happy ending of now.
Now, in still darkness, listening to their breath slow and ease
into sleep's regular rhythm.
Grown now, you might've guessed.
The past tense solid, unyielding, against the acidic drip
of recent years. But how it calmed us then, rewinding
the gentle loop, and in the trusting darkness, pressing play.
American Life in Poetry does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. It is made possible by The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2017 by Jim Daniels, "Talking About the Day," from Street Calligraphy, (Steel Toe Books, 2017). Poem reprinted by permission of Jim Daniels and the publisher. Introduction copyright ©2018 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006.
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- Written by: Tim Riley
HUNTER KILLER (Rated R)
Noting that the producers of “Olympus Has Fallen” are behind the Gerard Butler post-Cold War military thriller “Hunter Killer” comes as no surprise. Once again, the leading man is tossed into a dangerous rescue attempt.
Gerard Butler, who’s also one of the many producers, is a natural fit for the action hero on a mission to save a world leader. His Captain Joe Glass is the new commander of the USS Arkansas ordered to find a missing submarine in the Arctic Circle.
The source material for this thriller comes from the novel “Firing Point,” written by George Wallace, the retired commander of the nuclear submarine the USS Houston, along with award-winning journalist and best-selling author Don Keith.
The book’s action-packed plot, based on Wallace’s extensive knowledge, twisted and turned through a Russian nationalist coup, Black Ops Navy SEAL mission and an attack submarine captain faced with decisions that could ignite another World War.
You could be forgiven for thinking that the plot sounds like it was ripped from the pages of a Tom Clancy novel. In any event, it is loaded with thrills that should work for an entertaining diversion even if many critics scoff at the whole enterprise.
Following the script of Wallace’s novel, “Hunter Killer,” which refers to a special type of naval vessel designed to approach the enemy without detection, involves the necessity of the Americans stepping in to thwart a military overthrow of a foreign government.
In the process of locating the missing US sub close to a Russian naval port, Glass gets word from Washington, by way of Gary Oldman’s grizzled Admiral Charles Donnegan, that a rogue Russian general has kidnapped his country’s president (Alexander Diachenko) in a brazen coup.
Teaming up with Navy SEALs on the ground, Glass, much to the consternation of his dubious crew, makes common cause with the Russian sub Captain Andropov (Michael Nyqvist) that he rescues from a sunken vessel.
As it turns out, without the Russian captain’s help to navigate the treacherous entry, booby-trapped with mines and sonar devices, to the Russian naval base of Polyarny, Glass and his crew wouldn’t come close to surviving the journey.
The traitorous Russian Admiral Durov (Michael Gor), serving as the defense minister, obviously seems keen on igniting a military conflict with the United States while using the absence of the Russian president to justify his reckless offensive.
Meanwhile, the action gets really tense with the quartet of Navy SEALs penetrating the Polyarny camp to liberate the president in a hail of gunfire from the Russian soldiers either loyal to or duped by Durov.
Much of the action, though, takes place in the confined space of the submarine, which not only allows the stoic Captain Glass to command his vessel with a determined rebellious streak but touches upon the conventional but suspenseful tropes of underwater danger.
Fitting for edge-of-the-seat thrills, “Hunter Killer,” coming off more like a throwback to the last century’s geopolitical struggles than a contemporary thriller, is surprisingly gripping action drama that can be fun.
‘NEW AMSTERDAM’ ON NBC NETWORK
If you are not getting enough medical dramas on other networks, such as ABC’s “The Good Doctor” or FOX’s “The Resident” and “9-1-1,” then maybe you have time in your busy nighttime viewing to tune into NBC’s new series “New Amsterdam.”
The question that only you can answer is whether “New Amsterdam” should be added to your must-watch list. But it might take only one episode to figure out that the medical cases seem designed to tug on heartstrings as much as they are intended to stir taut drama.
The leading figure is Dr. Max Goodwin (Ryan Eggold), an iconoclastic practitioner appointed as the unlikely medical director of New York’s New Amsterdam public hospital and who’s bound to run afoul of the hospital’s trustees.
To shake up the lethargy that afflicts a public facility, the good doctor who prefers to be called by his first name fires the entire cardiac surgery unit, putting the staff on edge while the rest of us wonder how long he will last in the job.
Just as quickly, he rehires Dr. Floyd Reynolds (Jocko Sims), an African-American graduate of Yale medical school. It’s just as well because there is a romantic subplot involving Dr. Reynolds and Dr. Lauren Bloom (Janet Montgomery), another key character.
What’s a hospital without a psychiatry department where the chairman is Dr. Iggy Frome (Tyler Labine), a rumpled figure whose appearance and demeanor seems fitting for a weary yet caring college professor.
Every episode introduces various types of patients, each one drawing the attention of Max (how does he find the time?), whose catchphrase is “How can I help?,” from the kid from Liberia with signs of Ebola to a troubled young woman in the care of Dr. Frome.
“New Amsterdam” looks to end each week with tidy resolution of every patient’s ordeal. This might help prevent any thought of hanging in for the long run unless you are wondering about what Dr. Goodwin is not revealing.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
- Details
- Written by: Middletown Art Center
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Art Center invites the public to the opening reception of “All Souls” on Saturday, Nov. 3, from 6 to 8 p.m.
The exhibit includes artists' work that responds and connects to All Hallows' Eve, Day of the Dead, All Souls Day and similar celebrations, customs and events in any heritage, culture or belief system.
From honoring the dead to spiritual states, ritual, mysticism, the underworld, demons and death, the works on view ranges from eerie to primordial, to soothing and soulful. The exhibit is on view through Dec. 2.
After the exhibit opening, gallery hours are Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Fridays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; or by appointment at 707-809-8118. “All Souls” will be on view through Dec. 2.
Middletown Art Center is located at 21456 State Highway 175 at the junction of Highway 29. Be a part of the growing arts scene in South Lake County by attending the “All Souls” opening reception, or by attending a class or any of the many arts and cultural events or classes offered at MAC.
Support local arts and culture by making a donation to MAC or becoming a MAC member. To learn more and stay up-to-date with what’s happening at MAC visit www.middletownartcenter.org or “like” Middletown Art Center on Facebook.
- Details
- Written by: Middletown Art Center
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – An introductory class to Natural Woodworking with artist Marcus Maria Jung will be offered on Sunday, Nov. 4, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. as part of the Middletown Art Center’s Restore Project.
The class focuses on basic woodworking techniques and creating art or functional art with wood and natural materials that participants will gather themselves in nature as part of the class.
Jung will teach basic woodworking skills and techniques for those interested in working with wood or incorporating natural materials into their work.
Artist Marcus Maria Jung initially trained and apprenticed in carpentry, furniture design and building. These skills are the foundation of his sculptural work in wood and other natural and found materials.
His artwork is a harmonious synergy of wood’s natural curves, textures and patterns and his personal vision.
Jung describes his work as a “co-creative process with trees and the elements with the aim of recovering and fostering a sustaining relationship and deep conversation with Nature.”
You can see his work at www.marcusmariajung.com.
The class will begin at 10:30 a.m. at MAC and an include a materials finding walk outdoors, a break for lunch, and four- to five-hour hands-on studio time at Synergy Woodworks, a professional custom cabinet, doors, and woodworking shop in Vintage Court near Hidden Valley Lake. Learn more at www.facebook.com/SynergyWoodworksNorCal.
Adults and children age 12 and up of all levels of art making experience, from newbies to professionals are invited to attend this educational and inspiring class for just $5.
Participants who may have collecting interesting wood, or who have Japanese, or other hand saws or chisels are encouraged to bring these to class.
Please register in advance for all Restore classes at www.middletownartcenter.org/restore, email
The Restore Project provides Lake County residents with low-cost art classes in sculpture, mixed media, creative writing and printmaking.
Classes take place most Saturdays or Sundays through May 2019. Fall and winter classes focus on the opportunity to learn or refine skills in a variety of materials and techniques. Late winter and spring classes will focus on personal and collaborative projects, studio time, mentoring and guidance to create personal and group work.
“While folks can join for just one class, we encourage participants to come to a series of classes to collaborate in project design and creation of a new Art Walk on Rabbit Hill,” explained MAC Program Director Lisa Kaplan. “This woodworking class is one of several that will be particularly useful in thinking about what we can do as a community on Rabbit Hill or individually at Trailside Park.”
Both Rabbit Hill and Trailside Park were burned in the Valley fire. MAC plans to install collaborative work on Rabbit Hill in the spring and reopen the EcoArts Sculpture Walk at Trailside Park, in June. A public call for work for the Sculpture Walk will be posted in January. Entries for will be juried.
The Restore project was made possible with support from the California Arts Council, a state agency, with additional support from local organizations, businesses and individuals. Visit www.ca.arts.gov to learn more about the California Arts Council’s important work in communities and schools throughout California.
Middletown Art Center is located at 21456 State Highway 175 at the junction of Highway 29.
Be a part of the growing arts scene in South Lake County by becoming a MAC member, by joining MAC for the opening of its new exhibit “All Souls” this Saturday, Nov. 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. (free), by joining the Restore: Natural Woodworking Workshop on Sunday, or by attending one of the many arts and cultural events or classes at MAC.
Visit www.middletownartcenter.org or “Like” Middletown Art Center on Facebook to stay up-to-date with what’s happening at MAC.