Season 1
Is it, “life imitates art” or “art imitates life”? Oscar Wilde’s philosophical musing in, The Decay of Lying – An Observation (1891), is an ongoing subconscious discussion, but it seems to me in the 21st century it is a serious blend of both. Maybe it has always been this way.
If you have read along, you know I completed my writing projects with the exception of a curriculum called, “Welcome to Worship”, which I’ve yet to mention. I’m bumping that to summer reruns. Another activity during this first season, formerly known as “segment 1”, of my sabbatical was catching up on some entertainment programming. The technical term is “binge watching”. (Insert here a nostalgic aside about TV during my lifetime, and SNL’s Millennial Millions gameshow sketch this month where they highlight the economic realities and attitudes of Boomers, GenX, and Millennials.) I’m a GenX’er.
Since the late 1990’s, the entertainment awards season reminds me how siloed I’ve become about TV, music, and of late movies. I’m losing my ability to deal with people in the theater, you know, people that talk to the screen like they are in their own home and other quirky behavior. Is that a symptom of decaying society . . . the inability to deal with other people, or am I just aging? And, the choices. If you missed shows that are no longer “on air” there is always Hulu, Netflix, or Amazon assuming your bandwidth will support it. Or you may have a cable package with TV Land or another channel running the classics. What makes an era of entertainment the “Golden Age”?
Shows and Movies I’ve watched:
The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
First Man
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Always
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime)
Avengers: Infinity War
Bruce Springsteen on Broadway (Netflix)
It is important to note that all of these have language and some content that may offend, probably will offend, with the exception of “Always”, “Solo”, the “Avengers” and “First Man”. Though, the end of “Avengers: Infinity War” was somewhat offensive. For the wildly offensive and sarcastic don’t miss “DeadPool 2”. For a glimpse into our current political situation, (walls, racism, and economics), I suggest “Gangs of New York”. I also watched some things I haven’t seen in a long, long time. The pilot for Star Trek: Enterprise. The pilot for Star Trek: The Next Generation. The film M*A*S*H, as well as several seasons of the TV show. Which leads me to my Sabbatical Season 1 cliffhanger: will I get through my sabbatical reading list?
Born to Run
Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography.
iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy–and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood–and What That Means for the Rest of Us
Jean M. Twenge
Will Our Children Have Faith
John H. Westerhoff
This is a book I revisit each year that was foundational reading for Religion majors during my time at TCU.
A Walk in the Woods
Bill Bryson
I saw this film during my Thanksgiving break.
Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business
Neil Postman
From Father to Son: Wisdom for the Next Generation
Allen Appel
Leading Change: Church Leadership Amid Turmoil (dvd)
Dr. Peter L. Steinke