Angels in America

I've watched the perfect series/film for launching 2010 - Angels in America. It is interesting to note that so many of my favorite films feature Meryl Streep - Mama Mia, Julie and Julia were two that impacted me in the past year or so. Well, she's done it again with this film - although it is really the entire ensemble that made this film fly, literally.

Even more than the actors, it was the relationships that touched me so deeply. I have so much more clarity as to what I lived through for seven years. But in the end, it is your friends who help you see through the clutter and reach reality - whatever that may be.

In the film, Prior, the protagonist,  has a favorite angel - Bethesda - Angel of the Waters. Angels are weightless, yet grounded, delicate yet firm, animate yet unreal. In the photo above the film ends in front of this inspirational fountain. Over the past couple of weeks I've been exploring my local Angels. Perhaps I will find one who inspires me as well.

Pulling Myself Together

Yesterday I rented a Uhaul and picked up my final two moving boxes from San Francisco and brought them to Alameda. It was like a right of passage riding my bike to the Uhaul place, renting the truck, sitting in Bay Bridge traffic, paying the toll, working my way across San Francisco, picking up the boxes, again sitting in Bay Bridge traffic, dropping the boxes off at my new place, returning the truck and then riding my bike back home. This was bookended with my favorite yoga class and seeing the movie Mama Mia.




Unpacking the boxes this morning I discovered all the little bits and pieces that make a place feel like home. These are the collections of things I brought to London and continued to grow over the years. A collection of glass hearts, hand crafted eggs, my etchings, scarves, and ceramics. Placing them around my place I instantly felt like this is home. Unfortunately there were a few broken items but not bad considering they were shipped from the UK to DC and then on to SF.


Seeing Mama Mia with Rachel and David was the ultimate ending to the day. Meryl Streep, as always, is an inspiration. Clearly I identified with her character as I dreamt last night that I had her long, long blond hair. More than her hair I felt touched by the duality of her character's strength/vulnerability, calm/panic, age/agelessness, creativity/practicality. This photo captures it all, especially the setting - her bedroom in Greece.



After leaving the film we chatted about saving for the future. What is it that I am saving for? Rachel reminded me, the farm and continuing my work in international civic leadership. How quickly I was distracted from my clearly-stated goals during my whirlwind reconnection with Bay Area life.


This image of Meryl stretching herself apart and at the same time pulling herself together while jumping madly on her bed is how I'm feeling these days.