Thursday, March 19, 2009

Wednesday musings on a Thursday

First of all, I did weigh but didn't get it posted: 171. Not bad, except that later the same day, I weighed 174. I think it's just going to fluctuate a lot and I have to go with how I feel overall. And, with two weeks of consistent exercise under my belt, I feel great! Diane and I have been following a 5k training program for 2 weeks and it feels great. I painted on Tuesday for 5 1/2 hours (including the ceilings) and felt fine! Over the summer last year, I tried to paint the ceiling in Olivia's room and had to ask Max to finish it. I can feel that my health is improving dramatically. Praise God for that answered prayer!

On to my musings...I can't explain it, but I have been *really* sad about the passing of Natasha Richardson. I can't say I was a big fan of her movies...not that I disliked them, but I have seen very few of them. However, what has impressed me in her death is how little I really knew about her in her life. She was a Redgrave. Born into an acting dynasty. And, yet, I knew very little about her, other than that she was married to Liam Neeson.

And that is precisely why I feel so sad at her passing. She was born to privilege and wealth, but never flaunted it. When I think of the likes of Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian (and all the other heiresses with their own reality shows), it nauseates me that they are the role models for kids, while someone like Natasha Richardson is comparatively unknown because she chose to live her life with dignity and (sorry Max, there's just no other word for it) class.

The more I see reality shows taking over television, and the overt sexualization of everything and every product (don't get me started on the obnoxious Burger King commercial with the mini burgers and the women throwing themselves at the guy holding them) the more I feel like getting rid of TV entirely. For every Natasha Richardson and Liam Neeson, living their lives as a family, quietly out of the spotlight, there are ten Britney Spears/Kevin Federline, FlavorFlav/Brigitte Nielson train wrecks clamoring for attention. And they are getting it.

I guess I am not only sad today that a family has to bury a wife, mother, sister, daughter. I am sad that the only real media coverage she has gotten is in her death. Reading about her, and the grace with which she handled the pressures of being heiress to the Redgrave legacy, and a Tony-winning actress in her own right, I think there should have been a lot more coverage of the good she did in life, not just the tragedy of her death.

1 comment:

  1. I was really sad about Natasha Richardson's passing too and could not really explain why. I think part of it had to do with the fact that she went to the emergency room fully cognizent and speaking. I knew a 14-year-old boy with a head injury and it happened similar. He actually walked into the emergency room, but was gone less than 72 hours later. I'm new to your blog. Thanks for sharing.

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