Beauty and the Beast

A series of events led to this post. 

1. My favorite radio station changed its schedule in a most unpleasant way. 
2. The cassette player in my car got tired of my Steve Green tape, so I’m giving it a break. 
3. Life is calm enough that I can pray and listen to music at the same time – sometimes. 
4. I have been listening to the soundtrack for Beauty and the Beast, which I picked up for less than a dollar at a thrift store or garage sale. 

I don’t think the composers knew what they were doing when they made this soundtrack.  They made beautiful music, with skill that I probably don’t comprehend.  But they orchestrated a story, and characters, emotions, and virtues into this music.  My heart is more touched simply hearing the haunting instrumental tracks than by watching the movie.  Maybe because I’m not distracted by images with the sound, I can consider the thoughts of each character, the intensity of the moments.  Because the music is less bound in a setting, I think this can become my theme, too. 

Disney hit virtue, by some miracle, in Beauty and the Beast.  One of my favorite parts is the prologue.  Belle practices sacrifice.  Beast learns to love her selflessly and unconditionally.  Even when she risks his life by disobeying his instructions, entering the West Wing; when he is so angry that he frightens her out of her vow with a roar, he goes after her and risks his life for her to ward off wolves.  Each character is so fragile, yet confident.  And the song, Beauty and the Beast (tale as old as time) describes a sweet love story: both scared, neither prepared, both change, somebody bends…  As the trailer for the latest Pride and Prejudice said, “We are all fools in love.” 

Belle is smart.  She doesn’t settle.  Her father means a lot to her, even though he’s a little odd.  Even in a simple, everyday world, she dreams.  She is confident enough to carry herself well even in a grand palace.  Her heart is naturally grateful. 

Sixteen years ago this Thanksgiving, Beauty and the Beast had its theatrical release.  It was the first movie I purchased with my own money.  In fact I believe I went into the store on my own to buy it, as maybe a second-grader.  At that point I’m not even sure I’d seen the movie.  There was one Christmas when I spent an hour in Walmart trying to decide which version of the Belle Barbie doll to buy: normal Belle or wedding Belle.  I settled on normal and some ugly ballgown that was meant to double as the wedding dress I left behind. 

So many years and this is still a favorite, ranking right up there with the very long Pride and Prejudice.  I’m not ready to stop loving this movie, and I don’t like writing conclusions.  “The magic never ends.” 

To God be all glory,

Lisa of Longbourn

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Can’t Avoid Talking about Huckabee for too Long

Recently my talk radio station made me furious.  1: They eliminated their sister station and sold it to some Spanish group (I’ve nothing against Spanish, but I don’t understand any of it).  So when there’s nothing good on the primary station now I turn my radio off.  (And pray; it’s actually been a good thing personally.)  2: They smushed their schedule to fit the hosts that have been on the primary station and those from the secondary station that they wanted to keep.  Unfortunately they chose very badly.  Now when I wake up, get ready, and drive to work, I don’t hear my usual morning programs, because their three-hour shows have been cropped to two and another OBNOXIOUS show sandwiched in between.  In the evenings I used to be able to listen to Mike Reagan, the voice of reason.  He really is, you know; listening to him was so soothing and common-sense.  Now I don’t think he’s on anywhere around here. 

The only thing they did right was to keep Sean Hannity’s full three hours live at the same time. 

This morning Dennis Miller, the sandwiched host (you might remember him from Monday Night Football; my parents complained every week while he announced games that he was a coarse commedian, not a sports caster), made me furious by saying that a vote for Huckabee in the primary! is a vote for Hillary Clinton to win the presidency, because, he says, only Giuliani can beat Hillary.  That’s just nonsense.  Conservatives don’t want to vote for a liberal, and to a whole bunch of them, when they look at Giuliani and Clinton, they see two pro-choice candidates.  They see them as equal, and right or wrong, will cast their vote elsewhere.  If a candidate wants to run as a conservative, as a Republican, he’d better try to win the conservative vote.  I say again, Giuliani will divide his base while attracting a few measly moderates.  It isn’t worth it.  Not for politics; not for our country. 

What bothers my dad and I is to hear all these conservative voices (online & on the radio) say they really like what Huckabee stands for, and thing he’s charismatic.  Then they say, “But he can’t win.  He doesn’t have the support.  He doesn’t have the cash.”  If all these voices would endorse according to their conscience and not their self-important prophetic politics, maybe he would have the support. 

Meanwhile, the people are starting to assert their influence against the would-be conservative powers among the voices.  Dick Morris wrote an article for Townhall pointing out yet another advance Huckabee is making on the competition against “favorites” like Romney and Giuliani.  Without the money or mainstream support, Huckabee is gaining a following among the common man.  He told his supporters concerning a straw poll for which you had to have a ticket or donation to vote: “I can’t afford to buy you. I can’t even afford to rent you.”

The American people don’t want to be bought. 

To God be all glory. 

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