The Secret Thread: Literature & Spiritual Life: Celebrating the arrival of a new life!!!

Monday, November 28, 2005

Celebrating the arrival of a new life!!!

We at The Secret Thread would like to extend a very warm "welcome to the world!" to JANE CHARLOTTE, the latest edition to TST family!!! Jane is the brand new daughter of our own Mutt Ploughman and his wife of 3 years, Kelly. She was born on Saturday, November 26 at some time in the middle afternoon (sorry, at this writing I do not have the exact time!).

As her proud uncle, I could not let this monumental event go by without acknowledging it on the blog here! My family and I have not had the chance to meet her yet, but we can't wait to do so. And (as if it needs to be said), with a name like that, you KNOW that she will fit in perfectly here at TST (can anyone out there say "great female writers of 19th century Britain"?*), and already has the stuff of legend and learning!

(*BTW, I don't mean to imply that Jane was named for any writer in particular -- I think Mutt and Kelly just recognized the inherent beauty of the names and went with their instincts. But still the "coincidence" couldn't possibly be missed by this blogster! Either way it is a wonderful name...)

Jane, you are a gift to the world, and TST celebrates your arrival with great enthusiasm and joy! We entrust sweet Jane Charlotte to the prayers and safe keeping of Mary, the Mother and protectress of all children and believers in Christ, and call upon the Lord of All to bless and keep her, along with Mutt, Kelly and big sister Corinne, as their family continues to grow in love...

-with very much love from "Uncle" Duke

1 comment:

Mutt Ploughman said...: "Uncle Duke", thanks for this great celebratory post of my daughter Jane. I certainly appreciate the enthusiasm. Kelly & I are very blessed that we now have two daughters, and even though we are entering the toughest adjustment we've had yet parenting-wise, we can already see how much of a grace Jane will be to our family. Big sister Corinne continues to be a blessing even at 2 1/2. She's very sweet to her sister so far! I have to state for TST readers that the names we chose were not inspired by famous female writers, BUT, I also must add quickly that since I am a great admirer of Jane Austen in particular, I thought it was some good figurative icing to spread on top of the cake. We think Jane Charlotte is a pretty and unique enough name, and it's hard to think of my little Janey as anything else now! Trust me, Janey hasn't lost any heart since November 26......(for all the Bruce fans)......again, thanks to Duke for his kind comments. I am very proud!!; 7:31 AM

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Duke Altum's Recommended Films

Monsters (2010) – As many have already said, calling Monsters a movie about an alien occupation of Earth seems to do this fascinating, original film a disservice. Certainly the fact that huge, bioluminescent squid-like extraterrestrials are running amok through the jungles of Central America is an important (and entertaining) element of the plot, but anyone coming into this one looking for non-stop, Aliens-style action or special effects eye candy a la the concurrent alien invasion flick Skyline is going to be sorely disappointed. Instead, what you have with Monsters is an intriguing and meditative hybrid of road movie, post-apocalyptic thriller and surprisingly believable human drama. Director Gareth Edwards wrote, edited and created special effects for the film on his own, which gave him the freedom to make exactly the kind of movie he wanted to make - that is, a love story that just happens to feature alien life forms ominously howling and lurking in the background (this approach, by the way, gives the film its pervasive suspense and intensity, as you are as in the dark as the characters are about when the next encounter with a pissed-off, tentacled alien might occur). The many scenes of unscripted, natural banter between the lead actors as they trek across the "infected zone" and get to know one another help you, crucially, to identify with them enough to care by the final act - which provides an unexpected, subtle twist that gives the entire story added poignancy and irony. I am sure that a great many viewers of this unusual film will come out feeling somewhere between perplexed and downright cheated, and Edwards does provide so little backstory about the aliens and what they might be up to that one may well wonder why they were in the movie at all (and, justifiably, why the film was ever called "Monsters"). But I found that their mysterious, vaguely menacing presence gave the entire story a kind of haunted and other-wordly atmosphere that reminded me a bit of the best bits of James Cameron's The Abyss. I guess you could say that early encounters with new life forms - like those with potential lovers - can be both exhilarating and weirdly disconcerting at the same time.