“Letperseverancefinish
its work so that you may be mature and complete,
not lacking anything.” James 1:4
Dear Adina,
I feel for you. I hope we meet in Heaven so we can talk about
how good our Lord was, even in the midst of our wanderings. I used to look down
on you crazy Israelites and think, “Why can’t you just obey and get it
together?” Sorry. I had no idea.
Your 2013 Gentile sister,
Robbie
I imagined an Israelite woman in
the wilderness, wandering after leaving the slavery of Egypt. I named her Adina.
She’d only known the slavery life and now she was on a trip to the Promised
Land. She’d seen God’s power and actually walked through the Red Sea as it was
miraculously parted. But then, the pain of wandering around the wilderness
became a heavy burden. The pain was excruciating. She started thinking about
Egypt. The pain of slavery was horrible but it was comfortable. It was all she
knew. Maybe she should go back…
Almost 60 pounds gone. I’ve never
lost this much weight before. Never have I possessed so much energy and felt
such contentment with how I am treating my body.
Yet…
The pain is excruciating. I have
such a long way to go. The Promised Land sounds great, but in order to get
there I will have to face endless visits to the gym which always make me hurt.
I will have to say no over and over again to the delights of sugary desserts
and fried foods. Was being 60 pounds heavier that bad?
My friend Cheryl shared a song with
me by Sara Groves called “Painting Pictures of Egypt.” The song talks about
this kind of journey. These lines from that song reflect my heart:
The future feels so hard and I want to go back
But the places that used to fit me cannot hold the things I’ve
learned
Those roads were closed off to me while my back was turned.
I have to go on. I have to
persevere.
And I’m not alone.
The other day I was on my way to a
personal training appointment and I prayed something like this: God, You do miracles, I know You do. If you
wanted to, You could come to the gym with me and take away my pain. You could
make it where it didn’t hurt so much.
What I heard in response: Why don’t you take today to thank Me for
every muscle that aches and for your heart when you think it’s going to beat
right out of your chest. Appreciate your body today.
So I tried. I prayed through every
drop of sweat and every horrible burn. At one point, Mona, my trainer, said, “We
are now off to the stair-master. Your favorite!” (Sarcasm)
I whispered “Lord Jesus help me.”
Mona replied with an evil little laugh. “Oh, he can’t help you here, honey.”
It was a joke, I know, but I was SO
in tune with God’s presence I snapped back, “Oh yes, He can! In fact, He is
with me every step of the way in here. And there’s this huge body-builder angel
who helps me lift things, too.”
Obviously taken aback, Mona held up
both hands and said, “Okay, okay.”
So I, like Adina, am wandering in
the wilderness. God has pulled me out of slavery, but I am not in the Promised
Land yet. I am not alone though. The Spirit is with me and has even assigned
George, (my name for that body-building angel) to give me a hand.
If you are in any kind of situation
that needs a bit of perseverance, be encouraged friend and don’t give up. Don’t
go back. Take His courage and keep going.
“May
these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heartbe pleasingin your sight,Lord, my Rockand my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14
A woman found an old school picture
of herself taken in the fifth grade. She looked at herself and thought, “You
cute little thing.” The woman turned the picture over and saw that she had
written a note to her dad on it.
Dad, to my father who I love and who is wonderful to me.
I love you. I’m sorry I’m so ugly.
Love, your daughter.
That little girl was
me.
The words hurt my heart. What a
beautiful little girl I was. Why did I think I was ugly? After some soul
searching, it occurred to me words like those began earlier in third grade
after someone I had a crush on was cruel to me. His words became my words. So
began a life of hearing a cruel voice inside my head.
I recently read a new novel called Invisible by Ginny Yttrup. The main
character Ellyn deals with “Earl,” an inner voice who tells her she is fat. It
was jarring to read at first and then it occurred to me that I’ve dealt with my
own “Earl” for a long time.
After I got married, my inner voice
came out a lot. I’d bump into a corner or I’d make a mistake and my inner
“Earl” would speak aloud.
“I’m so stupid.”
“Come on, Robbie, can’t you do anything
right?”
After a few months, John sat me
down with an extremely serious look. He said, “Listen to me. NO ONE talks to my
wife that way, not even you!”
I heard him and began a journey to
shut Earl up, in my words aloud and my thoughts. So he doesn’t talk often but
he still makes appearances.
The words we tell ourselves our
incredibly powerful. I’m in the middle of a weight loss journey and I have
conversations with myself about temptation all the time. Again, God used a line
out of Invisible to teach me. Ellyn
is eating and God whispers to her heart. “You don’t love food more than me, you
trust food more than me.”
For me, it was a profound
statement. In my conversations with myself and God, I’ve often commented, “God,
what is wrong with me? I love You more than chocolate. I do!”
So my words have changed. This week
I’ve said over and over, “God I TRUST YOU more than _________ (chocolate,
bread, ice cream) to fulfill me, to heal my restlessness, to calm my fear.”
And these words have made a major
impact.
The still small voice of the Spirit
longs to be our “go-to” inner voice. His is a voice of gentle love and encouragement.
“Earl,” on the other hand, just wants to tear down.
If I had a school picture of myself
right now, I’d look at her and say, “You cute woman” and I’d write on the back
a note to my Father in Heaven.
I finished Ginny Yttrup’s Invisible yesterday but I know her words will stay with me for a
long time. I simply loved her story. The best stories are the ones where a
character’s experience reminds you of your own and you find yourself drawn into
the pages, living the story with them.
Ellyn Demoss, one of the novel’s main characters, and
I became good friends. Sound crazy? A little. But our God who uses all things
to draw us to Him, used Ginny’s Ellyn Demoss to see myself a bit more
through God’s eyes.
Invisible
tells the story of three women who each are hiding. Through their interaction
and friendship with each other, hope is born. Through the truth of seeing that
each of them are made in the image of God, healing comes.
This isn’t one of those novels I’ve read that made
me laugh and cry or try to solve a mystery. It’s not even a story that simply
entertained me. This book changed my heart and made me take time to ask God
some questions and listen to His answers. To me, that means this is an
EXTRAORDINARY book.
I’ve read Ginny’s other two novels, Words and Lost and Found, and both were wonderful in their own right. But
Invisible got under my skin and pointed me to Christ’s healing power that
serves as a much needed ointment to those of us who deal with insecurity. We
have trouble “seeing” ourselves like God sees us.
I’m in the process of losing a big ole pile of
weight. I’m up to 44.5 pounds and continuing. Each day what I will eat or not
eat and how I will exercise is forefront in my mind. God knew that we He led me
to read Invisible.
In an interview Ginny was asked: “You said in your letter to your readers that
this book is not about weight issues or health issues—it’s about freedom. In
moments of stress or pain, how do you choose to walk in freedom rather than in
shame?”
I
attempt to live in freedom by giving thanks in all circumstances. It seems we
have an idealistic view of freedom… It sounds so good, doesn’t it? But freedom
is often quite difficult and painful. Think of the Israelites freed from
slavery—they had a painful road ahead of them. Were they free? Yes. Did it feel
good? No. Or think about dieting… Which is freedom—eating as much chocolate
cake as you want? Or disciplining yourself to have just one piece of chocolate
cake, or one cookie, so you’re free to enjoy good health and a strong body?
Personally, eating as much cake as I want feels like freedom. But it isn’t…
So
by giving thanks in all circumstances I’m reminded in those painful times that
my turmoil here is temporary. By focusing on God and His goodness, even when my
circumstances are screaming the exact opposite, I’m able to live with an
eternal view and look ahead to that day when freedom will feel like the freedom
I’ve imagined. When I’ll trade this temporal life, filled with trials, for
eternity spent in the presence of Jesus Christ. I can’t wait!
I’ve been studying Galatians in an effort to find
freedom in this weight loss journey. It is the enemy’s aim to tie me up in
bondage to numbers on a scale and nutritional facts and reps at a gym. I
haven’t achieved that freedom, or balance, as yet, but reading Invisible helped me a great deal.
If you want a great story, read Invisible. If you want to put yourself in a position to have God
feed your soul about the fight with insecurity, read Invisible. If you want to take a step toward freedom and believe
that God can do that for you through a novel, then go and read Invisible.
Today is Thor's birthday - he is 2 years old. This is a picture of him with his birthday present. In honor of him and all God does to teach me about life and love through him and my other dog, Scooby, I offer this - Running in Circles or Destroying Blue Cushions!
“Keep your eyes onJesus,
who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he
never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with
God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever.” Hebrews 12:2 (from the
Message)
When you have a minute, put the
following link into your browser and listen to the song “Running in Circles” by
United Pursuit Band.
I’m so forgetful, but you always remind me, You’re the ONLY
ONE who brings me peace…
So I come, Lord, to tell You I love You, to tell You I need
You…
To tell You I’m sorry for running in circles, for placing my
focus on the waves, not on Your face…
Are you like me and find yourself
running in circles on some days? An endless list of tasks stares at you
mockingly and you fail to complete them all. When your head hits the pillow at
night, that wonderful feeling of completion is not in bed with you. I have the
passion and the purpose. I even see the path. But still, I forget the big
picture of what I am trying to accomplish with my life and I focus on anything
else. I look for drama, I feel for comfort and I sniff out empty opportunities
that waste my time.
I end up running in circles.
I remind myself of Thor.
Thor, my half Chihuahua half Pug,
or Chug, is nine pounds of ferocious determination. Today he turns two. I
admire his Napoleon like attitude towards the world, be it a Great Dane Thor
thinks he’s bigger than or a stuffed toy he attempts to conquer as if it were a
battle to the death.
I gave him a treat yesterday and he
took it and ran so as not to give my other dog, Scooby, a chance to steal it.
He jumped up on his blue chair and began the battle. He chomped away but
unbeknownst to him, a piece of the treat fell on the floor. He didn’t know what
happened, but he knew more treat existed, so he began digging in the chair.
Ferociously.
“Thor.” I called him and he ignored
me. I walked over to him and pointed at the treat on the floor. He single-mindedly
continued his excavation of said chair for said treat. Meanwhile, Scooby
entered the room, observed the situation and dived for the treat with the
elegance of a Russian ballet dancer trapped in a Puggle’s body.
All of us contain a little Thor. We
forget to focus on the One who is gently pointing the way to what will give us
fulfillment. We dig and dig, determined to conquer a list of tasks but we
forget to follow Christ and we end up running in circles. Or destroying a blue
cushion.
Jesus showed us how to live. Right
now, take a minute and ask Him to guide you. He will. Let’s not run in circles
this week. Like this song tells us, He is the only one who can bring us peace.
(I haven’t written for a while. But now I’m back and this
Joyvotion is a very personal one. Hope our Lord loves on you through my
scribbling and my sister’s strength.)
Karen
has been my sister for fifty years. Half a century of squabbling, talking,
laughing, and crying. We haven’t always been friends, but we’ve never been
enemies. But after our mother died, Karen and I entered a realm of deep
friendship. She lives in Ohio and I in Colorado but we talk every week. She’s
my prayer warrior and best girl friend.
Out of
the 18,057 days I’ve known Karen, (I did the math) none are more precious to me
than the twelve I recently spent with her in Columbus.
Why?
Well, it wasn’t the laughter, the movies, the clubbing at a grocery store, the
meeting her workmates and friends or spending time with her family and dog.
It was
simply the blessing of watching.
When I
got on the plane to go see her, I expected to be a nursemaid to a sister with
cancer, a cheerleader for someone terrified, and a comedienne for my friend’s
tears. I wasn’t. Not really.
Instead,
I was an observer to the supernatural grace and strength that God gives to His
kids when they need it. When they enter times of desperation or difficulty.
Karen amazed me.
When I
sat with her through chemotherapy, she suggested we watch Pride and Prejudice. The old one, the real one, with Colin Firth. He floats both of our boats. I took my
portable DVD player and we sat together, holding hands unashamedly, and we
watched a masterpiece of God’s creativity. Colin Firth, that is, not the movie.
We laughed at our girlish twitterpation. At one point a nurse came over and
said, “You two are having a ball over here.”
And
yes we were. Even as poison was filling up my sister’s body. Why? Because my
sister chose to be silly with me, instead of sitting in despair. I looked
around the large room, marked by easy boy loungers lining the walls, filled
with folks in all shades of emotion. I remarked, “This room has angels in it,
Karen.”
“Oh yes,” she said. “Lots and lots. But there
are also demons. It’s a battlefield.”
I
looked at her and she smiled. Such strength I got to watch.
When I
went with her to have her head shaved, she set the tone. “Let’s have fun,
Robbie. This is going to be difficult, but I don’t want to just sit there and
cry.” God heard her request. As difficult as it was for her to go bald, she
asked the hairdresser to cut her hair in different ways so she could see the
styles. First a bowl haircut that looked like a young Chinese girl. Karen
laughed, “Um, no. Keep going!” Then the hairdresser gave her a pixie hair cut.
I liked it, but Karen didn’t want to look like Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s Baby. And finally, a Mohawk.
My sister looked like a rock and roller and she laughed and put her hands up in
peace signs as I took a picture. The final moment we laughed about later was
when another hairdresser offered to help her fit her new wig. He was from New
York and had worked with wigs for prostitutes and the Rockettes. Now that’s a
wig man!
After
the shock and awe of being bald died away, (it took about 24 hours) the joy and
freedom of no hair led Karen into playing dress up. She said she’s always been
a closet hat lover and now, well, now she can play and play. And she did. What
a hoot we had hat shopping.
When I
went to her church with her, I asked if she wouldn’t mind if I sat in the back.
Her church is charismatic and I wanted to enjoy it but not be a distraction to
her. So I sat in the back and watched the liveliness of everyone with glee. We
all experience the Spirit differently and her church, well, they let it all
hang out. I loved it. The church has two white prayer chairs on either side of
the sanctuary for folks who want prayer during worship. Karen sat near one of
the white chairs. As she got up slowly and moved to the chair, I watched from
the back. The prayer team gathered round her, laid hands on her and prayed. And
I watched and prayed with them. When they finished, my sister’s smile of
strength burst forth as she thanked each of the prayer warriors. I cried. She
is so beautiful.
On my
last day, I took Karen to Cracker Barrel to have breakfast. I love this
restaurant. As we sat, we chatted easily as we had the entire visit. But this
time I asked Karen, “Do you know how strong you are? Do you know that joy
emanates from you?”
She responded,
“Rob, I didn’t know how I’d be in this situation. But now that I’m in it, I
keep thinking of a night after Josh (her 14 year old) was born. We brought him
to the house that first night and he had an oxygen tube and an apnea machine
hooked up to him. So we put his crib by the fire place and I sat up with him
and slept in a chair while Paul slept in a bed in the next room. I remember
watching him, so grateful for my son. I felt it was getting cold, so I put an
extra layer on him and myself and drifted off. Paul woke up in the middle of
the night and came in and remarked how freezing it was. He checked and the
furnace had quit. It was January and really cold. He called a guy to come fix
it and I took Josh next door to wait until it was running. That night was so,
so long. I kept thinking that when the sun rose, it would be better and warmer.
And this worship song came to mind and I kept singing it called Joy Comes in the Morning.”
That
song is inspired by Psalm 30:5:
“For His angeris but fora moment, His favoris forlife; Weeping may endure for a night, But joycomesin the morning.”
“Rob,
as I sang that song, I knew that joy would come in the morning, right along
with the sun. And as I sang it, that hope turned into joy. The same thing is
happening right now. Joy will come in
the morning and as I hang onto that, the hope turns into joy right now.”
Wow.
I got
to watch my Lord’s grace and strength overflow in my sister. And as it poured
out of her, it splashed onto me. My sister is doing well in her battle. I went
to one of her doctor’s appointments with her and he said, “We’re going for a
cure.” He didn’t even use the term remission. Karen is beating this and on the
other end of all this treatment, she will come through like the morning sun,
smiling God’s strength. Joy will come. And miraculously it is already here.
In
a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, a half Yorkshire Terrier and half Jack
Russell Terrier lives in a home she constantly tries to conquer.
Trixie, named thus because Psychopath did not fit on the doggie
record, wants to be the big dog. Paul, the owner of the home and my
brother-in-law, refuses to allow Trixie’s domination. After
spending over a week with my sister, her husband and two kids, I have
come to love Trixie, despite her obvious mental deficiencies and
constant desire for control.
Six
months ago, my sister and her family decided to adopt a dog. A friend
told her about Trixie, a sweet dog with some problems, that was
headed for death, unless adopted. Little did Karen know, Trixie’s
history included some sort of abuse involving abandonment or
separation.
Trixie’s
number one problem is with doors. Suppose you go to a door and decide
to walk through it. Trixie shows up on your heels. Being a friendly
human, you ask the dog if she, too, would like to go through the
door, whether it leads outside or to another room. Trixie’s eyes
say yes. However, she won’t go. No budging. So you go through and
shut the door behind you. Trixie now goes insane. I mean, insane.
Yelping and barking and screeching. The psychopath, bi-polar,
schizophrenic sides of this sweet dog appear.
And
apparently Trixie has gotten much better, under the guidance,
consistent discipline and love of the Pratts. Whatever family could
not handle her anymore has lost out on a wonderful little dog. The
Pratts are the richer for this sweet thing, inconvenient as her
sometime behavior might be.
So
what have I received from this dispensary of doggie disorders? Well,
three lessons have I learned:
Everyone
Freaks Out Once in a While!
Sometimes
it is a door closing and sometimes it is a door opening. How many
times has God provided opportunities for me and instead of going
through them or walking away, I sit, paralyzed in fear, which leads
to freaking out born of indecision. Doors can be scary. But with the
guidance, consistent discipline and love of the Father, I am finding
that doors to adventure are not to be avoided and they are not to be
catalysts for chaos. They are simply opportunities to experience
life. And if the door leads to something not so great, just wait a
while. Another door will open. God has a way with this. Didn’t
Jesus say, “I am the Door.” Hmmm…
Everyone
Needs to Play!
Trixie
is fast. When I watch her run, she actually bounds and leaps. She is
a speed dog. But it’s cold in Ohio and she can’t stay out all the
time in the cold, so indoors she often makes her wishes known. She
wants to play. One of her favorite toys is a rope perfect for tug of
war. She will pick it up and bring it to whomever she deems worthy of
a play date and drop it at their feet. Then with eyes that don’t
hint at insanity, she pleads. (Think of Puss N Boots’ eyes in the
Shrek movies.) As I’ve watched and yes, sometimes been chosen, to
play with this dog, I’ve realized how important play is to all of
us. I’m in Ohio to be with my sister who is fighting through
cancer. But this has not been a depressing time. She is in a battle
and she is winning. And though she gets tired a lot, she wants to
PLAY! Karen invites others, those she deems worthy, to share in her
Joy with her. My sister’s laugh is loud and boisterous like my
dad’s. What a kick to hear it OFTEN during my time. What a delight
to sit with her in a movie theater and feel the joy emanating from my
womb-mate? How cool to play Words with Friends with her and keep up! The girl knows how to play, even during a battle.
Everyone
Can Offer Comfort, Even a Psychopathic Dog
Trixie
is not just a playful psycho. She is also a comforter. Karen told me
that after her surgery and now, Trixie sits with her and they take
naps. No schizophrenia in sight. Just a dog loving her master and
offering a little bundle of fur to comfort. We can all comfort each
other, in difficult and not so difficult times. And Trixie doesn’t
speak. She just sits with Karen. The best kind of comfort – her
presence. God does that kind of comforting often. He sits with us.
His presence is supernatural and cozy and warm and wonderful. I’m
learning that like Trixie and God, I don’t have to talk and talk to
comfort. I don’t have to do much at all. But I have to be. Our
presence for those around us who need us, is a vital comfort.
I
miss my own dogs Scooby and Thor and I pray they never read this. I’d
never hear the end of it. But meeting and getting to know Trixie
has been an added blessing on this trip. Dogs are such incredible
gifts.
with help from little ole me! If you enjoy the Academy Awards, you'll love this! If not, hey, it could still be interesting for you! Happy Oscar Day - tomorrow!
Oscar Predictions 2013 - with Robbie Iobst!
Hello, dear readers! I've missed you much. Glad to be back, and glad it's Oscar season! While Seth MacFarlane is currently projected to drive me crazy every time he breathes, I can't wait for the rest of the broadcast. This year is going to be a doozy - for the first time in years, I'm going in with a mix of educated guesses, gut instinct, and the knowledge that anything could happen in several categories. To help me break this down for you, I'm delighted to welcome back my friend and fellow cinephile Robbie Iobst!
Robbie: Thanks for having me! Ever since I snuck out of my bedroom at age 12 and turned on the TV in the middle of the night to watch "Stella Dallas" with Betty Davis, I've been hooked. I try to have Oscar parties most years, with my largest party having 75 guests, three TVs, a ballot and prizes. This year I'll will be wearing my lovely gown at home, watching in earnest while sipping something decadent and sugar free (oxymoron, yes).
Hillary: I am in awe of your party prowess! I'm throwing a very last-minute get together this year - diamonds optional ;-) Well - there is a lot to talk about in several of the categories, so let's dive in!
Actor in a Leading Role
Hillary: Daniel Day-Lewis has had a lock on this category from the word “Four.” I had hoped Hugh Jackman might challenge that position, but it hasn't shaken out that way. Jackman is a rare man in Hollywood - he can do pretty much anything, from stage to superhero to musical to host. But like I said, the Oscar is DDL’s this year. Here’s hoping it’ll be Jackman’s in the near future.
Will win: Daniel Day Lewis Dark Horse: Hugh Jackman Robbie: I agree, Hilary! Daniel Day-Lewis is a shoo-in for best actor. I loved the voice he gave Lincoln and his intense and quiet portrayal carried the film. However, if I were voting, I would vote for Denzel Washington inFlight. Denzel’s portrayal of an alcoholic pilot was mesmerizing and surprising. His character was tremendously arrogant and lost, yet Denzel brought sympathetic moments that had me hoping for the pilot to somehow see his way through. This was great acting to me. But there is no way Denzel will win.
Will win: Daniel Day-Lewis Should win according to me: Denzel Washington
Hillary: Denzel was very, very good in Flight. Can we take a second to talk about how many strong films released this year? Last year was definitely an off year - some good releases, but nowhere near the lineup we had in 2012. You see it happen that way, directors getting into a particular schedule and end up all on the same schedule. They're basically all cycling together, creatively.
Actress in a Leading Role
Hillary: I've gone back and forth on this A LOT. And after swinging from one side to the other, I really think Emmanuelle Riva may have this.
Robbie: Wow, Hilary. Emmanuelle Riva? Have you moved to France? I bet you most of the voters know very little about her. :) Of course, when I saw Amour she dazzled me with her ability to create a woman dying a little at a time. Outstanding. But I really like Jennifer Lawrence in Sliver Linings Playbook for this. Her portrayal of a grieving crazy widow was wonderful. Her character is weird and at the same time, likeable. Jennifer infused both an intensity and a softness to her character that I feel is Oscar worthy. Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty is amazing but lacked the depth of an Oscar winning performance. Her character was zealous and driven, but proved to me one-sided to me.
Will win: Jennifer Lawrence Should win: Jennifer Lawrence
Hillary: I tell you, I’m really going back and forth. But Riva did win the BAFTA (that's the British Oscars, for the uninitiated), and there’s a lot of voter crossover. Even before then, though, I had concerns about Jennifer Lawrence. You must believe me when I say I love her - both on and off the screen. But at its heart, Silver Linings doesn’t have that sort of self-important gravitas that Academy voters prefer, and neither does Lawrence. Actors like to spend a lot of time talking about craft and character and preparation and how challenging their work is, but Lawrence has been very clear in every interview how she doesn’t prepare, and underscored it when she turned down an appearance on Actor’s Studio. I truly believe she will go on to win more than one Oscar, and appear in many movies. In many ways, I think Lawrence is Hollywood’s Great White Hope in a time when they desperately need a real-life star who’s under 45. But she’s so young, and I think the aged demographic that comprises the Academy is going to look at her, read her interviews that include fart jokes, and check the box for Emmanuelle Riva.
Riva is a major French star in her own right, as a major actress during the French Wave. Voting for her means voting for a legend, for gravitas, and death, and Issues, and she’s unlikely to be nominated again at her age. I’m so fifty-fifty on this. But my gut says Riva. If Lawrence wins? I’m looking forward to that speech. May well win: Emmanuelle Riva Not particularly dark horse: Jennifer Lawrence
Robbie: Hilary, you’ve made me think. Thank you! And I didn't know she turned down Actor’s Studio. Wow.
Actor in a Supporting Role
Robbie: To me, this is the category that might be the most surprising. Alan Arkin is a sympathetic favorite and was delightful in Argo. Philip Seymour Hoffman is the dark horse, but SO talented. His character was completely weird and off putting to me. I didn’t see Django Unchained so I don’t know about Christoph Waltz. Robert De Niro, was well, ROBERT DE NIRO. Is there anything he can’t do?
But Tommy Lee Jones was commanding in his performance in Lincoln. I loved him. So to me it’s between Alan Arkin and Tommy Lee Jones. I have to go with Tommy Lee Jones in Lincoln.
Will win: Tommy Lee Jones Who might win instead: Alan Arkin Hillary: I agree. I love Alan Arkin’s turn, but it was as Alan Arkin-y for me as Robert Deniro was Robert Deniro-y. I wish John Goodman had gotten a nod, and maybe he did in a parallel universe. But in this universe, my money’s on Tommy Lee Jones, the most compelling character in his film.
Will win: Sally Field Should win because she acted for more than 10 minutes: Sally Field
Hillary: I applaud your neck stickage! Every time I want to vote Field (and you have to know, I really love her), I see a clip of Anne’s singing and my skin goes goosebumpy and I start to get misty. EVERY TIME. Any other year, this would be Sally Field’s award. But miserably, I have to give it to Annie H, her misery, and her two squares of oatmeal paste. Will win: Anne Hathaway Dark Horse: Sally Field, because we really, really like her.
Animated Feature Film
Hillary: Wreck-It Ralph won the Annie award, and most everyone is predicting its win, so that’s where my guess is going.
Robbie: My boy is 14 now so I am seeing a lot less of these animated wonders. However, we did see Brave and oh my goodness, I loved it! I’m hoping by just saying this "I’ll change the fate of this award."(That was said in a Scottish accent. Pretty bad one, especially since I have to explain that.) I choose Brave, bravely.
Hillary: HOW DID YOUR BOY BECOME 14? Seriously. I liked Brave a lot; I just wish it had pushed the storytelling a bit more a la The Incredibles. That said, I really thought Frankenweenie would have performed better in this category. C'est la vie!
Writing - Original Screenplay
Hillary: More of the flipping and flopping. I'm switching from Amour to Zero Dark Thirty. It won the WGA. I've heard a lot of last-minute buzz for Django Unchained,which won the BAFTA in this category. I haven't seen it, but Danny did, and he really didn't care for it. I've also read that the script was all over the place; when the film releases to DVD, Tarantino is planning a director's cut that will include the giant swaths of material that was cut. Is that a directing issue or a writing issue? Either way, it's not as strong as Inglourious Basterds. That said, I tip my hat to Moonrise Kingdom. I see you, Wes Anderson, and I liked your movie very much.
Will win: Zero Dark Thirty, Mark Boal Dark Horse: Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino Other Dark Horse:Amour, Michael Haneke
Robbie: I choose Mark Boal for Zero Dark Thirty. It was written well and interesting. It’s the kind of movie I would like to rewatch after I study some history on Al Qaeda.
Will win:Zero Dark Thirty - Mark Boal My second choice: John Gatins for Flight
Hillary: Ooh, Flight was a good script. (Though after watching it I wondered if we needed Kelly Reilly's character's backstory in the first act. Either way - SO MANY GOOD MOVIES THIS YEAR!)
Writing - Adapted Screenplay
Hillary: Chris Terrio won the WGA for Argo, beating Tony Kushner and David O’ Russell. My hunch is that Argo will take best pic, and because it takes best pic it’ll win here. Much of the strength of the film is how well-structured the script is, creating tension until the very last moments over an event that most of America remembers (not the Bieber fans - the other rest of America).
Will Win: Argo - Chris Terrio Dark Horse: Lincoln - Tony Kushner
Robbie: In this category, I completely agree with everything you said. I could just cut and paste your remarks, but I won’t do that. I wish I’d written it first. So basically my choice is:
Will Win: What Hillary said Dark Horse: What Hillary said
Hillary: Ha! Upon reflection, when they win - likelihood that someone will yell a version of “Argo f-yourself”? I say high.
Robbie: I don’t like profanity, but that would be very funny!
Hillary: I tell you, it will happen, and it shall be bleeped. I imagine they're stretching out the delay for the telecast mainly for that particular catchphrase...
Music - Original Song
Hillary: Ever since “Skyfall” dropped, it’s had the award in the bag. Adele’s single reminded us that sometimes Bond songs can be really, really great.
Robbie: It will be fun to watch Adele at the Academy Awards. I love her. I so hope she wears something that doesn’t look like a tablecloth like she did at the Grammys.
Hillary: Ugh, that was a terrible dress. And so sad, because she was adorable at the Golden Globes.
Robbie: She will win hands down, but I do LOVE “Pi’s Lullaby,” also. A little Robbie trivia here - I’ve never seen a Bond movie. For some reason I’m proud of that.
Will win: “Skyfall” My other choice: “Pi’s Lullaby"
Hillary: I haven't seen the full canon of Bond films, but I do enjoy Daniel Craig's Bond. But I applaud your film rebellion.
Foreign Language Film
Hillary: Will Win: Amour And...done.
Robbie: The only foreign film nominee that also got a best picture nominee is pretty much going to take it. This is a “Duh” category in my humble, extremely humble opinion.
Hillary: Agreed!
Cinematography
Robbie: Roger Deakins has been nominated 10 times and never won. So of course, being the cheerer for the underdog I vote for him.
Even though I've never and will never see a Bond movie.
However, the cinematography ofLife of Pi was magical, so if not Roger for Skyfall, then Claudio for Life of Pi.
Will Win: Roger Deakins -Skyfall If not, I hope: Claudio Miranda - Life of Pi
Hillary: Roger Deakins won the guild award, but I really think this award is going toLife of Pi. While Deakins’ work elevated the visual style of Skyfall, Life of Pi is so visually arresting that I think it’s the one to beat.
Will Win: Claudio Miranda - Life of Pi Could Win: Roger Deakins - Skyfall
Robbie: I have to go with my personal favorite on this. I LOVED Snow White and the Huntsman. I never really take notice of costumes in a movie unless they are a direct part of the story. But I remember very clearly coming out of the theater saying I would LOVE to have Charlize Theron’s wardrobe.
Will win: Snow White and the Huntsman Dark Horse:Anna Karenina
Documentary - Feature
Hillary: Again, another tricky category to predict. But I've heard a lot of good things about Searching for Sugar Man, so - sure! Will win: Searching for Sugar Man Dark Horse:How to Survive a Plague
Robbie:Searching for Sugar Man has gotten a lot of buzz, so I am going with it.
Will win:Searching for Sugar Man
Documentary - Short
Robbie: I am guessing so I am going with Redemption because I love redemption. Excuse my ignorance of this category. And others.
Hillary: The shorts are almost always super tricky! I'm going to flip-flip again and go with Inocente for the win. The combination of topics smells like Oscar Bait to me.
Will win:Inocente Dark Horse: Mondays at Racine
Film Editing
Hillary: Both Argo and Silver Linings Playbook won A.C.E. Eddie Awards, but I think the award will go to Argo. Again with the terrific pacing of Argo, and a lot of that is due to the editing. As well as being a piece of good film making let’s be honest - Argo is a Hollywood vanity trip. It’s about how a movie, even a fake one, can save lives. I’ll go for Argo.
Robbie: I hope Argo wins. Wonderful suspense is often a product of excellent editing and this movie creates wonderful suspense. But I have this sneaky feeling it won’t win. Why? Could be my breakfast or the fact that it didn’t get any best director love. I don’t know.
Will win: Argo If it doesn’t: Silver Linings Playbook
Hillary: Am now very curious about your breakfast...is your oatmeal anti-Argo? (I feel like there's a cornstarch joke in there somewhere...)
Robbie: Hilary I raise you and call you. I bet they will. WE SHALL SEE!
Will win:The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Music - Original Score
Hillary: I’m thinking Mychael Danna for “Life of Pi.” Voters like to go with the cool scores (see: Social Network) or the iconic ones (see: The Artist). And three of the last four winners have been nomination newbies, so I'm going with Danna. Also - I loved his score for Mira Nair'sMonsoon Wedding.
Will win: Life of Pi Dark Horse: Lincoln (and yes, I’m saying Williams is a dark horse - dude hasn’t won since Schindler’s List. Is this score as iconic? I don’t think so. But it is pretty.)
Robbie: I absolutely loved the score from “Life of Pi.” Second place would go to “Lincoln” in my opinion. Very sweeping.
Hillary: Hmmmmmm.....Anna Karenina won the Art Director’s Guild Award, and its concept is basically predicated around the production design. But my gut saysLincoln, so...
Robbie: Can I just admit I have no idea? I don’t have a five sided coin or I’d toss it for this and the next category. So I guess I will give it to “Maggie Simpson in ‘The Longest Daycare.” I’ve heard about that one and she is well, a Simpson.
Hillary: It’s tricky! Adam and Dog won the Annie award for short film last year, and Paperman won this year. I saw and *loved* Paperman (and made Danny sit down and watch it with me), so that’s where I’m voting. But Adam and Dog could also win because, you know, dogs. They’re tops.
Will win:Paperman Palomino Horse:Adam and Dog
Short Film - Live Action
Robbie: This is like choosing food in a foreign buffet. What looks good? My uncle’s name is Henry, so based upon that scientific and well researched knowledge, my vote goes for Henry.
Hillary: I can respect that! I've heard a lot of good buzz for Curfew, so that’s where I’m going. Also: I think I had one once. So there’s a connection.
Robbie: HA! Excellent reasoning.
Sound Editing
Robbie: I looked up the difference between Sound Editing and Sound Mixing. One captures the correct sound effects and makes sure they sound correct and the other makes sure the sounds mix well with the final track so that each comes across well individually or together. I feel a tiny bit more educated. Sound Editing is the gathering of the correct sound effects and making sure they sound like what they should sound like. Based on this, I choose Zero Dark Thirty because of the sounds when they entered Bin Laden’s home were spot on. That’s the best I can do for this category.
Hillary: Thanks for checking on that! I think I’m leaning toward Life of Pi. For now.
Robbie: Based on my recent world wide web education, I feel that “Life of Pi” had extremely good sound mixing, with all of the animal sounds with the ocean and the lovely score.
Robbie: My vote would go for Life of Pi. I was dazzled by the dichotomy of a dream like world at sea which looked realistic on the screen. The shipwreck scene was marvelous and tragic, the flying fish and the jumping whale were terrific and the scene with the jellyfish lighting up the dark ocean felt like visual poetry. If Life of Pigets the Oscar, it will be well worth it.
Hillary: Agreed! It was the most visually stunning film of the year - I loved the jellyfish. When you saw Pi, did you see it in 2D or 3D?
Robbie: 3D. It was definitely the way to go.
Hillary: We did too. I thought it was the best 3D I’ve seen.
Robbie: Absolutely. I remember seeing Avatar in 3D and just getting a headache. This actually added to the story.
Hillary: YES, on both counts. It was the first 3D film to not make my eyes crazy. Well, scratch that. I think Kung Fu Panda II was okay on that front. But Pi is still the superior film ;-)
Best Director
Hillary: Another tough call! Steven Spielberg seems like the default choice because no one gets to vote for Ben here, but is it really the best call? In contrast, Ang Lee took a book everyone thought to be unfilmable and made a breathtaking film out of it. And out of left field, there’s Michael Haneke, and if the Oscar night turns into an Amour love-fest, a win for Haneke could certainly happen. Will win: I’m going with Ang Lee for now. WE SHALL SEE Beige Horse: The ‘Berg Dark Horse: Michael Haneke
Robbie: Great points, Hilary. I have to go see “Amour” so I can contribute to the conversation about that film. But for now, I am thinking Steven Spielberg will run away with this. It was a sweeping film, very Spielberg-esque, and he helped DDL create that incredible performance of Lincoln. So I am going to go with him.
I loved what Ang Lee did with “Life of Pi” but I believe it was mostly due to the joy and miracle of computer effects. One more note, the up and comer Benh Zeitlin did a masterful job with “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” His name is going to come up in the future.
Will win: Steven Spielberg Future winner: Benh Zeitlin Evidence the Academy doesn’t always get it right: Ben Affleck and Kathryn Bigelow
Best Picture
Robbie: I saw all the movies except Django Unchained. I went to see Argo in October with my sister-in-law in Albuquerque. I knew the story and I knew how it would end. But here is why I believe this movie should win the Academy Award: my sis-in-law and I were on the edge of our seats the entire time! That is a great movie well done when you can give the audience a suspenseful experience even they know the ending. It was truly a ensemble piece with Ben Affleck leading the pack but subtly. I especially enjoyed Bryan Cranston but I love him in everything he does.
Will win:Argo Should win:Argo!
Hillary: When I saw the first trailer for Argo, I thought - That’s it. That’s the Best Picture. And I felt the same way after seeing it in October. When it began losing Oscar momentum I was concerned, but things turned around when Ben Affleck didn't receive a Director nod and everyone cried foul. After that, Argo starting to win, you know, everything. And while some people think it’s still because of Affleck milking the Director snub, I disagree. The fact of the matter is it’s an extremely strong film, which everyone happened to remember once they started to watch the screener DVDs. Conversely, everyone had the opportunity to fall asleep on their own couch during the Lincoln screeners.
And let’s take a sec to chat about Lincoln. It looks like an Epic film, smells like an Epic film but HEAVENS is it self-satisfied and ponderous. Would that the film were framed from the perspective of Thaddeus Stevens, the most complicated man in the film. Even better, I wish the Coen Brothers had made a movie about the lobbyists, who were doing good things with squirrely motives. Anything but a film about a good, not very complicated man doing a good thing for good (though never very defined) reasons. And while Lincoln was certainly one of our greatest presidents, and I truly believe his death stunted the regrowth of the South to this day, I wasn't convinced that he made a compelling enough protagonist for the film.
Robbie: We agree completely on Argo and disagree completely on Lincoln. As I watched the story of the last fight of Lincoln’s career I was anything but bored. This was a man who has defined leadership in the American presidency. I believe that Spielberg and Daniel Day Lewis brought his style of leadership to life on the screen, surrounded by a complicated mess of political debates. Sure it’s a movie and can’t truly be a history lesson. I mean it’s Hollywood, for crying out loud. But the story made me and two of my friends go to the library and the internet and read about Mary Todd Lincoln’s housekeeper and the senators who fought on both sides. This kind of movie making transcends a simple story. It gives credence to thought about what was and what might be. I liked it. A lot!
Hillary: That’s cool that it inspired further research! What did you think about Silver Linings Playbook?
Robbie: I was confused by it at first because I didn't really like Bradley Cooper’s character or Jennifer Lawrence’s character. But as the movie went along, the humor and familial conflicts made them sympathetic. When that happened, I started to relax and enjoy the story. And by the time of the dance scene, I was converted.
Hillary: I loved the dance scene! I thought the third act of SSL was very strong. But I also had a hard time with the suspension of disbelief in the first act, particularly in the way they treated mental illness.
Robbie: I totally agree with your third act point. I don’t understand what you mean about how they treated mental illness. If you are talking about that doctor playing the song to “get to” Bradley Cooper’s character, then yes, that was ridiculous.
Hillary: I actually really liked the doctor, but my issue was that some of the portrayals of both Bradley Cooper’s character Pat and Jennifer Lawrence’s character Tiffany made them seem less intelligent, particularly Pat. That seemed to change by the third act, but it was hard to believe for a long time that Pat would have ever been high-functioning enough to be a married history teacher.
Robbie: I see your point. It’s a good one. But who wouldn't marry Bradley Cooper? :)
Hillary: Well, he's not my type, but you do make a good point ;-) There was a lot to like about the film, and I thought was one of the strongest motifs was how everyone has their mental quirks, even if they haven’t been stuck with the “mentally ill” label. A strong film, but best? That one goes to Argo. Will win:Argo Dark Horse:Lincoln
Hillary: Whew! So - now that we're at the end, we've come to the most important part. Robbie - what would YOU wear to the Oscars?
Robbie: Hilary, I will be wearing a dress extremely similar to the one Mrs. Ben Affleck (aka Jennifer Garner) wore to the Golden Globes. I love this color and of course I will be decked out in Harry Winston diamonds.
Hillary: I love that dress! Well, this is my pick - it's from the Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2013 collection, and...it's pick. And it's got pockets. I bet it twirls. (Note: Katy Perry wore the yellow dress in this shot to the inaugural ball, and said she felt like Belle, which I thought was pretty great.) In other news, I'm thinking there will also be a Red Carpet Fashion Gown-a-pol-ooza again, so do check back. I'll also be tweeting through the festivities, so be sure to check in here. Thanks again for joining me, Robbie! And happy Oscar viewing everyone!
