Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close: movie review

Young Oskar Schell has two missions in life and one strategy: find the owner of a key whose name is Black. That will help him deal with his 9/11 experience and also find the lock that fits a key.

Anyone who has had some interaction with someone who exhibits Asperger's Syndrome characteristics will appreciate Wikipedia's definition: "an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests." An article about Asperger's that is more accessible (and vetted for accuracy) for those with learning disabilities is available at DOPA, "Asperger syndrome."

If you are not familiar with this syndrome, you may have the reaction of one IMdb reviewer, Otisburgh, regarding the main character of the movie Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, a young boy played by actor Thomas Horn: "His character was not likable at all - he was rude and weird, and not in a good way."

Director Stephen Daldry elicited from young Thomas Horn a realistic portrayal of the behavior exhibited by someone skirting along the edge of the autism spectrum. Portraying the parents of young Oskar are actors Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, who catch the realism of their parenting situation: that to deal with Oskar's behavior is to acknowledge the reality of that behavior. The added drama is that Oskar's behavior includes a reaction to the 9/11 tragedy.

"A troubled young boy, Oskar, is trying to cope with the loss of his father. Oskar starts lashing out at his mother and the world. Until a year later, he discovers a mysterious key in his father's belongings and embarks on a scavenger hunt to find the matching lock, just as he used to when his father was alive. On this journey he is bound to meet a lot of people and learn a lot about himself and his family, but will he ever find the lock?" --from IMdb, written by Koro   

The structure of the plot is episodic, with the protagonist interacting with a series of characters and environments in his attempt to solve the mystery of a key that belonged to his father. Along the way he meets a spectrum of humanity--that mystery Oskar finds so challenging--and learns from his experience. Included among his introductions are characters played by Viola Davis (2012 Oscar Nominee) and Max von Sydow (Oscar Nominee, 2012 and 1989).

I understand and applaud the Academy Award 2012 nomination of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close for best picture. The movie walks a tightrope between realism, the archetypal journey to self-awareness, and the unconditional love of parents. Some viewers may think the movie slips the tightrope and plummets to its demise. I'm with those who feel the movie makes it to the other side--and that the story takes me along, too, a better person for the experience.

Copyright 2012 by Thomas L. Kepler

The Clothesline, the Gift That Keeps on Giving

I was outside working in the garden when my neighbor came over, carrying a basket of wet laundry.

"Oh, you have some clothes on the line. Think there's any room left for these?"

I assured her that it was fine to put some clothes up. She and her husband are still working on their design that will fit our homeowners' association covenants, and my neighbor's been "trying ours out" this last spring.

This was the first time (at least to my knowledge) that we'd shared the clothesline. As a school teacher, during the school year I hang clothes early or not at all, giving my neighbor a clear clue: no clothes on the line and Tom's at school--so go for it! However, now that school's out, I'm more informal in my schedule and, therefore, have more opportunities to interact with my neighbors.

As I was taking my sun-dried laundry down that evening (pushing through my neighbor's clothes to mine), I saw that one of the lines that we'd shared had a set of white sports socks. Were those mine or her husband's? Then I saw that the socks were pinned with plastic clothes pins, rather than the wooden ones my wife and I use, so I got it all figured out.

When we let our neighbors use our clothesline, it is a gift--but an easy gift, really. It's not like they're going to wear out the plastic-coated clothesline--our use up the sun with the drying. Every time they use the clothesline, it is a gift not only to them but also to our entire planet.

"The dryer is responsible for 6% of the average household's energy bill and it costs residential ratepayers in the US an estimated $5 billion annually." (quoted from the film Drying for Freedom from a post by Sustainable Health and Well-Being)

Our local electricity comes from coal-fired plants, fueled by coal from the mountain states, transported by diesel train engines--a big carbon footprint. A clothesline is much more sustainable in its existence.

Because I had to build an "enclosed" structure to house the clothesline, my construction costs were about $200. If I had been able to build a simple "Tee-structure" line with a couple of 4X4's and a crosspiece, the costs would have been about $50. A clothesline must be about the most cost efficient and simple to construct energy-saving project a homeowner can do.

I urge everyone to enjoy clothes that smell fresh and are purified by the sun. Build a clothesline, let your neighbors use it--save our planet's precious resources.

Copyright 2012 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

Reading/Revising Draft 1--After a 4-Year Hiatus: Dragons of Blood and Stone

"Oh, yeah, that's what I wrote."

"Oh, yeah, that's that character's name."

"Here's a good place to add more about the central conflict."

"Don't make it too easy."

"This is pretty interesting and flows well."

The really interesting thing about waiting four years before a rewrite is that it's not just a fresh look at something I've written; in many ways it's a completely new look. Not only is Dragons of Blood and Stone a fresh look--I'm not even the same person who wrote it. Four years is a lot of life and writing experience.

I remember a story about Isaac Asimov. He is said late in his career to have picked up and read a portion of one of his early works. "Not bad," he said.

Time provides a powerful perspective. Right now I'm halfway through the draft, writing a summary as I read--about two pages per chapter. (There are eight chapters, I believe.)

I can't wait to finish the reading/summary process so that I can plan how I'm going to change the book. Mostly, I want to try a few stylistic and plot construction strategies that I haven't used much so far in my writing career.

I want to make Glimmer's progress chancier. I want to make Glissande good/bad dangerous. I want to make Gnossos more of an enigma. That should keep me busy.

It's always nice to try something new--and I'm sure readers feel that way, too, although there are writers who have made a great deal of money (and made a great many readers happy) by doing the same thing over and over.

Well, making myself happy is good. Maybe that's the beginning place for making others happy.

Copyright 2012 by Thomas L. Kepler

The Avengers: movie review

image from IMdb

My family on Father's Day took me to the movies to watch The Avengers--and it was a great gift and movie.

Here are the Marvel Studios movies I seen, based on the comic book characters:

• The Incredible Hulk (2008)
• Iron Man (2008)
• Iron Man 2 (2010)
• Captain America, the First Avenger (2011)
• Thor (2011)

Here is the storyline: "Nick Fury is director of S.H.I.E.L.D, an international peace keeping agency. The agency is a who's who of Marvel Super Heroes, with Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When global security is threatened by Loki and his cohorts, Nick Fury and his team will need all their powers to save the world from disaster." ( Written by Wellard Rockard, from IMdb) 

Of these, I found the first Iron Man the best, although, ironically, in 2010 I wrote two blog posts on Iron Man 2, a review and the back story to the tale. (Good news, I hope: Iron Man 3 will be out in 2013.)

The Avengers, for me, was a vindication of all the other Marvel movies that came across like . . . well, like comic book caricatures.

Probably a lot of credit goes to director Josh Whedon, who also helped pen the script. In The Avengers, the characters and their personalities and issues are not overshadowed by the plot. The plot allows the reader to connect. For instance, at one point in the movie, Tony Stark is challenged with the "Who do you think you are?" question. His response is "Genius billionaire playboy?" Right in character. At another point in the story, Iron Man is knocked flat by the antagonist, Loki. His aside is "I'm fighting a demigod," acknowledging the incredible nature of the universe and adding to the credibility of the moment. Or this (from IMdb): Steve Rogers: "Is everything a joke to you?" Tony Stark: "Funny things are." For an interview with director Josh Whedon and Tom Hiddleston (Loki), go here.

The other Avengers and supporting characters come to life in the movie:

• Thor, who understands and cares more for humanity than is displayed in Thor
• Captain America, whose focused sincerity is balanced with a little attitude
• the Hulk, whose focused anger is balanced with a little humor
• the Black Widow, a "Jason Bourne" with lipstick and leather
• Hawkeye, whose archery skills provide some excellent moments
• Nick Fury, larger-than-life commitment channeled with believable intensity
• Agent Phil Coulson, the human-sized foil to all the super-heroes
• Selvig, with a great mad, mind-controlled scientist moment

Let's personalize the story's conflict with a quote from Loki's partner-in-evil The Other: "The Tesseract has awakened. It is on a little world. A human world. They would wield its power, but our ally knows its workings as they never will. He is ready to lead. And our force, our Chitauri, will follow. The world will be his. The universe yours. And the humans, what can they do but burn?" (IMdb)

The casting for the film was excellent. Robert Downy, Jr., as usual was at his mercurial best. Scarlett Johannson carved out a physical presence yet still maintained a feminine believability. Samuel Jackson was able to make his Nick Fury persona a wonderful blend of cartoon caricature and three-dimensional patriot. Action and special effects do not overshadow the human elements of the film.

I leave you with the trailer . . . and happy, heroic trails to you.

Copyright 2012 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

What Would Fairfield, Iowa, Be Without Its Bike Shop?

I'd say my son was about nine or ten when my wife and I decided to buy him a new bicycle.

Having out-grown his one-speed smaller bike, he was ready for a shifting bike. We went to A.J.'s Bike Shop in our town of Fairfield, Iowa. At that time, A.J.'s was on 4th Street in a small garage-like extension of an big house instead of his current location just off the town square.

"Just a minute," A.J. said, finishing up with another customer. After that, A.J. told us that he gave away a bicycle to every 100th customer who was buying a bike, and that we were number 100.

That was about fifteen years ago, but I still remember the moment: the small shop cluttered with shiny bikes, the smell of oils and mechanical things, and A.J. standing there in his blue mechanic's tool apron, a smile on his face while he enjoyed our happiness.

That's A.J. What would we do without such a man and such a shop in our town? I think over the years I've bought at least eight bicycles from A.J.'s Bike Shop. I've bought accessories. I've had my bikes tuned-up, modified, and fixed by A.J. I've learned about the greater world of bicycling, joined the national Adventure Cycling organization, and have even done a bit of bicycle touring. I've become a bicycle commuter, traveling to work regularly on my bike.

Now I commute regularly to my teaching job at Maharishi School, located on the Maharishi University of Management's campus. It's amazing how many places I go that are within two miles of my house--an easy bike ride. It takes as long to scrape my windshield and drive as it does to hop on my bike and get to work with pedal-power. I have a tee shirt that reads "The Bicycle: SUV of the 21st Century." Recreation includes bike rides with my wife. Bicycling has become a healthy part of my life.

I wouldn't have experienced this growth and these joys without having a local bike shop in my town. Fairfield, Iowa, was designated as one of the Great Places in Iowa, and part of its greatness is in having such great businesses as A.J.'s Bike Shop. Here is a link to a video that includes information on Fairfield's Loop Trail bike path system as part of a general introduction to Fairfield.

With great joy and memories, I celebrate my long-term business relationship with A.J., his partner-wife, and with all those wonderful bikes. There's just something happy about all those spinning wheels--and every town needs as many happy places as possible.

Copyright 2012 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

Thoreau and Tiny Houses

How big a house does one need to have? 

Replica of Thoreau's cabin

Perhaps the standard was set in literature in 1845 by Henry David Thoreau when he went to Walden Pond with an axe to build himself a house, as described in his book Walden.

I have thus a tight shingled and plastered house, ten feet wide by fifteen long, and eight-feet posts, with a garret and a closet, a large window on each side, two trap doors, one door at the end, and a brick fireplace opposite. The exact cost of my house, paying the usual price for such materials as I used, but not counting the work, all of which was done by myself, was as follows; and I give the details because very few are able to tell exactly what their houses cost, and fewer still, if any, the separate cost of the various materials which compose them: —

  Boards, .............................. $8.03½, mostly shanty boards.
  Refuse shingles for roof and sides, ... 4.00
  Laths, ................................ 1.25
  Two second-hand windows with glass, ... 2.43
  One thousand old brick, ............... 4.00
  Two casks of lime, .................... 2.40   That was high.(4)
  Hair, ................................. 0.31   More than I needed.
  Mantle-tree iron, ..................... 0.15
  Nails, ................................ 3.90
  Hinges and screws, .................... 0.14
  Latch, ................................ 0.10
  Chalk, ................................ 0.01
  Transportation, ....................... 1.40   I carried good part on my back.
       In all, ........................ $28.12½

These are all the materials, excepting the timber, stones, and sand, which I claimed by squatter's right. I have also a small woodshed adjoining, made chiefly of the stuff which was left after building the house.

Inside of replication of Thoreau's cabin

 "Ten feet wide by fifteen long" . . . Is this the standard for one person?

How much does it cost to have a tiny house nowadays? There is a blog that has devoted itself to tiny houses: the Tiny House Blog.

A former student of mine, Christian Hoffmann, designed and built a tiny home that was recently featured at the Tiny House Blog. The article was entitled "Tiny Vastu Cabin."

Although his cabin cost considerably more than Thoreau's $28.12 and a half cents, I love the looks and the concept.

Browsing the Tiny House Blog and its gallery was fascinating. We live in a society that touts that "bigger is better," yet having a place to live and little or no debt is a goal not to be laughed at.

Thoreau explained in the conclusion of Walden that what we own can come to possess us and limit our time, that possessions require our time and that time is a precious commodity. "Superfluous wealth can buy superfluities only. Money is not required to buy one necessary of the soul."

I do not advocate poverty but rather Thoreau's "Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!" I rather like the idea of having lots of time to do exactly as I please.

Remote mining cabin in central Colorado

Resources for information on Henry David Thoreau:

• The Thoreau Society
• The Walden Woods Project
• Walden Pond State Reservation
• Transcendental Meditation Blog--Henry David Thoreau

Copyright 2012 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

Ulysses S. Grant's Memoirs

from the Important Americans blog

Ulysses S. Grant's Personal Memoirs are easy to read, written in a plain yet insightful style. The subject matter, too, deals with such an important time in American history.

Here is what the Ulysses S. Grant Homepage tells about Grant's Memoirs (from The Saturday Review, July 9, 1955):

Grant's Personal Memoirs (1885) are considered a classic of American literature. There is no doubt that it is the greatest book ever written by a former U. S. President. As the primary first-person narrative of the Civil War, it has been scrutinized, celebrated and praised, but never damned. Grant's book has been spared the attacks that have been directed at him in other areas of his life. Even his most vocal critics find it hard to denigrate this simple, yet elegant document. Written while dying of throat cancer, the torturous creation of this work is a great human story, as inspiring as anything Grant ever did on the battlefield.

 Mark Twain commented that "General Grant's book is a great, unique and unapproachable literary masterpiece. There is no higher literature than these modest, simple Memoirs."

Gore Vidal wrote: "It is simply not possible to read Grant's Memoirs without realizing that the author is a man of first-rate intelligence."

Free e-book versions of the autobiography are available at Project Gutenberg. The Memoirs are in two volumes at Gutenberg.

I have just read part of the Memoirs so far--through Grant's youth, his West Point training, and the Mexican War. The style is thoroughly readable, and the objective tone, lacking any self-serving perspective, increases the power of the narrative.

I've also noticed, during this article's research, that there is a Ulysses S. Grant Historical Site, "White Haven," in St. Louis, Missouri, maintained by the National Park Service.

Here are a couple of excepts from what I've read so far:

"For myself, I was bitterly opposed to the measure, and to this day regard the [Mexican] war, which resulted, as one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger against a weaker nation."

"These [American Texan] colonists [in Mexico] paid very little attention to the supreme government, and introduced slavery into the state almost from the start, though the constitution of Mexico did not, nor does it now, sanction that institution."

"No doubt the majority of duels fought have been for want of moral courage on the part of those engaged to decline."

"I would not have the anniversaries of our [Civil War] victories celebrated, nor those of our defeats made fast days and spent in humiliation and prayer; but I would like to see truthful history written."

"As time passes, people, even in the South, will begin to wonder how it was possible that their ancestors ever fought for or justified institutions which acknowledged the right of property in man."

I will be reading the Memoirs for quite some time. Teachers should consider assigning portions of the autobiography as enriching reading when studying history. Hearing an eye-witness account is always a strong foundation for meaningful discussion.

Copyright 2012 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

Eyre Tennis Center Dedicated as Long-time Maharishi School Tennis Coaches Retire

The Eyre Tennis Center was dedicated, June 6, 2012, by Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment and Maharishi University of Management. The indoor tennis courts are located in the university's recreation center. Speaking at the dedication were former members of the school's tennis teams, appreciative parents, state tennis officials, Fairfield mayor Ed Malloy, and administrators from MSAE and MUM.

Recognizing 25 years of tennis coaching excellence, the dedication ceremony highlighted the achievements of Laurie and Lawrence Eyre. These achievements included for the girls' coach Laurie Eyre two "final fours" in state-level tennis tournaments and one singles state champion. For boys' coach Lawrence Eyre, achievements included 15 "final fours" and 16 state championships (7 singles, 5 doubles, and 4 team championships).

Lawrence Eyre's coaching achievements included being awarded in 2009 the United States Professional Tennis Association's (USPTA) High School Coach of the Year award. This recognition is awarded to only one high school coach per year, regardless of the school's size. (More information and video here.)

Coach Lawrence Eyre's achievements were quoted in the dedication handout:

• "In 15 trips to the final four (a state record), including 8 consecutive final fours (ties state record), from 2005-2012, the Pioneers have now earned four state team championships (1991 1999, 2000, 2002), 7 state runner-up finishes (1992, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011), three third place finishes (2005, 2007, 2008), and now one fourth place finish [2012]."
• "Following our 9-3 season this year--with two of our three losses to state champions Davenport Assumption (1-A) and Iowa City West (2-A)--our 25-year cumulative dual match record stands at 240-67."
• "It has been a privilege to work with Maharishi School tennis players since 1988. Their commitment to continuous improvement has produced 16 state championships--7 singles, 5 doubles, 4 team--and 10 state runner-up finishes--1 singles, 2 doubles, and 7 team."

 Speakers at the dedication of the tennis center were from the local Fairfield community and from across the state of Iowa.

• Early Maharishi School administrator Dennis Raimoni said that the Eyres in the classroom and on the tennis courts taught young people the important values of life--how to live life with integrity. He added that their teaching would extend those values through generations.
• The Martlin family was prominent in the accolades. State champ Arjuna said that Lawrence Eyre exhibited and taught "amazing respect" for others and for their tennis opponents. "Respect defines who he is." Brother Luke added that that the coach "always carried himself with such dignity." Father Bob Martlin completed the family's comments by describing how Coach Eyre was to team members "not a dad but a parent."
• Praising girls' coach Laurie Eyre, former player Avery Gibson said in a letter that the Eyres were "two of the school's most remarkable teachers" and then went on to specifically praise Laurie Eyre, stating that she "not once wavered in her support and encouragement" in all her matches, displaying "authentic commitment" to all her players.
• Mehul Kar, 2007 graduate, who now has over 1,000 hours as a tennis instructor, stated that Mr. Eyre was "an excellent mentor on and off the court."
• Alan Beste, Assistant Executive Director of the Iowa High School Athletic Association, came in person to the dedication to speak. He forwarded the remarks from a woman placed high in the state tennis organization who had said that Laurie Eyre was "always the professional" and that she had "unwavering confidence and support for her players." Of Lawrence Eyre, Beste said that he "always saw the big picture" in his support for Iowa tennis programs.
• Craig Ihnen, Associate Director of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, stated in a letter that "excellence in tennis is Iowa is no accident," but was due to the influence of the Eyres. He said that their professional influence created "a professional difference" in other coaches in the way the Eyres "always wanted the best for kids in tennis in Iowa."
• Mitch Gross, Iowa City West High School tennis coach, named Lawrence Eyre "the John Wooden of Iowa athletics."
• Craig Pearson, MUM Executive Vice President, said that the Eyre tennis program provided balance to the school. "They win tennis championships" was a balance to all the school's academic achievements. He went on to praise the Eyres as teachers: "We have that wonderful legacy they leave of enlightenment and invincibility for the world."
• Dr. Richard Beall, chief administrator of Maharishi School, praised the Eyres for teaching that "integrity trumps winning," that the pressures of players making line calls in competition was an opportunity for the Eyres to teach the players life-long lessons in personal integrity.
• Mayor Ed Malloy of Fairfield concluded speakers' comments by saying that the Eyres' "accomplishments have been extraordinary." He finished by saying, "What you've really accomplished has been to build character."

The comments of many of the speakers echoed the comments of Coach Lawrence Eyre, spoken in a videotaped interview played at the dedication. "A well-rounded tennis experience leads to a well-rounded life experience." Eyre also commented on his coaching experience in the dedication's handout: "I am retiring with a deep sense of fulfillment, and with gratitude for the growth that 25 years of coaching high school tennis has brought me."

Mayor Ed Malloy then went on to "pop the cork" on a new can of tennis balls, and the Eyres played the first round of tennis on the newly dedicated courts.

Laurie Eyre will continue to work at Maharishi School as a mentor to new and continuing teachers.

Lawrence Eyre will leave Maharishi School to work for the International Association of Consciousness-Based Education, traveling the world to lecture and expand the number of  schools utilizing Consciousness-Based Education, where students and faculty practice the Transcendental Meditation program.

Head of School Dr. Richard Beall ended the dedication ceremony by saying, "The idea of giving you to the world is wonderful news."

Copyright 2012 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

Using a Blog as a Classroom Teaching Tool

Look at the layout of this blog. (If you're receiving this as an email, click on the title to go to the actual blog site.)

It's got a header or masthead. It's got static pages and the tab link buttons to access them. It's got the active, changing (home) blog page. Archives and labels are available on the sidebar.

It seems that such a site should be useful in teaching a class, especially if the teacher has access to a smartboard or data projector so that it can be used with actual daily teaching. I've been experimenting with using a blog in teaching for the last couple of years, using closed blogs (blogs accessible only to invited individuals).

Things I plan to use next school year:

• Have the main page a static page, providing an overview and links.
• Provide static pages for each of the eras taught. These static pages will provide main points for the era unit, links to teaching pages, and ancillary materials.
• Teaching pages and ancillary materials will be posted as daily blog pages. Links on an era's static page will make posts more easily accessible in future years of teaching.
• With 20 static pages and with the blog posts, student writing will be able to be posted.
• My YouTube channel will be integrated into the site with links to appropriate videos on eras, authors, and particular works.
• Using blog comments for student homework
• Using Goodreads (especially reviews) as another site to provide interactive authenticity for students.
• Finding ways for students to become active on the site by using student websites.
• Connecting to Common Core standards and anchor models.
• The blog will be an open site, available to all.

Things that did not work last year:

• Posts were hard to access when just posted as a daily blog article. A year later, I'd have to search to find them. This should be solved by having a static page for each era, and the teaching blog posts added and linked on this page. 
• Posts became too long and cumbersome because of embedded videos. I liked embedding videos on the actual blog post, but they took quite a bit of time to load and provided a lengthy post. This might be solved by adding videos to folders on my YouTube channel and then adding links to those videos to the teaching blog posts. 
• Student work, such as slide shows, can be linked via Google Documents. This way, the best of student work as models can be available but not necessarily added to the teaching page.

As a last note, the blog can be a great site for distance learning. Take those words "distance learning" and think about daily teaching. For students who are absent, the blog can provide access for them. They may be able to get most of the day's lesson, even though home in bed!

I'm excited about the possibilities.

Copyright 2012 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved