Jack of All Trades: September

 I have already stated how challenging it has been to find opportunities where I am of need during this time. Everything is closed, or they have had to change how they do things in order to make events or daily duties happen. I am very thankful that this next opportunity fell into my lap. 

I volunteered with an organization called Keep Knoxville Beautiful. It's help to clean and improve the great outdoors of our fair city. One of the the projects that needed help was painting a new mural on the basketball court at Cal Johnson Park. I did not stay terribly long, I had something unexpected come up that prevented me from stay, but it was a great experience.

The group of people in charge were very helpful and very kind. They had the design already sketched out and we basically did the court like a giant paint by numbers. I hope that it's finished soon and I can go back and see the design. I felt terrible that I had to leave early but they were very kind that I did and were very happy that I came for any amount of time. I think that if they have another need I will go back and do a full shift. it's was a very easy project to be apart of and one that many people got to do. There was lots of space to work and people talking or doing their own thing. I was very impressed with how organized everyone was and how well equipped. 

If you would like more information about this organization, please see the link below.

www.keepknoxvillebeautiful.org

No Place Like Movies at Home: The Pride and the Passion

Every successful actor and actress also seems to have terrible movies under their belt. We have already seen some not so glamorous ones when we speak of Frank Sinatra. However, this the first time that I must say we have gotten a terrible movie from high. I mean a down right fink of a movie. The Pride and the Passion stars Carey Grant and Sophia Loren and none of them could have saved this film is they wanted to. 

Looks I am not even going to waste my time even writing a description. There is a large cannon, there is a war, there is trying to save the cannon, and it was all terrible. The worst part is that you didn't even have to watch the whole movie to know I was terrible. You think that it will be good because Mr. Grant is in the film but once you meet Mr. Sinatra in his character you find that you are already sunk. The first look at Mr. Sinatra's hairpiece makes you wince and then the accent he uses is so bad you wish you never started the movie. 

I ended up being rather distracted with other things and the movie just played in the background. Here's hoping the next one will be better...  

Jack of All Trades: August

Let me tell you, trying to keep these going has been trying in the last few weeks. Just as we start to open things but everything is still getting canceled. I don't even remember what I was supposed to be doing for the month of August originally, but what I ended up doing was great. 

I made a donation to the Tennessee Theatre. 

I know it sounds like a bit of a comp out.... and in a way it was. There was nothing available to volunteer for that didn't conflict with my work schedule. I knew that I would have to donate money somewhere. Then the Knoxville History Projected ended up hosting a tour of the Theatre as part of a donation. Now, you are speaking to one of the Tennessee's biggest fans and I had to go. So, really that was helping both KHP and the Tennessee. I think preserving history is a good cause. I think that places that movie palaces are great holder of the past, Knowing that they have lost 95% of their revenue by not holding performances, any amount of money can help. 

It also didn't help that I have not been allowed to enter into the Tennessee in 6 months. So, I jumped at the first chance I had to get back in.  

I did really enjoy my time in those walls and seeing other people go one their first tour. I can not wait to get the chance to go again!

If you would like to donate to the Tennessee Theatre please see the link below.

https://www.tennesseetheatre.com/support/individual-gifts/

No Place Like Movies at Home: 4 for Texas

 It feels like it's been forever and a day since I last caught up with the adventure of my movies. I am glad to say that I haven't watched ten a row and now have to catch up on that many. I am only one behind and I am about to watch another. This post will conclude the Rat Pack Collection. Now, it's not all of the rat back movies but it's all of the ones I have. 

Partnerships are formed in the strangest of places when money is involved. A showdown in the desert starts everything off with a bang with Sinatra and Martin fight each other for a big bag of money. Sinatra has plans to open a casino with the loot and Martin liked the idea enough he came down and open one of his own. They both thought that their plans were working until they find that Martin came to Sinatra's hometown and took his idea. However, both of them have to fight off a band of outlaws to make a profit. Will they end up with big money or dead?

I was very nervous about this movie. I love the other two Rat Pack movies so much that I didn't want this one to be a let down. I knew in the first 15 minutes of the movie that it was going to be great. I dialogue between Martin and Sinatra when they kept shooting each other and going back and forth with the money was gold. It was one of those moment where is seemed like in was improved rather than scripted. It was very natural and and funny. The whole movie had that feel to it. It was like they were pulling pranks on each other in western style garb rather than playing rivals in the movie. Yet again, Sinatra's performance was great but over shadowed by the charms of Mr. Martian. The whole movie was just funny and a great enjoyment to watch!