Holidays

Photo from chicagofree.info

When I was a kid, I thought holidays should be like in the movies or on TV.  They never were. So I decided when I grew up, I would MAKE them like the movies and TV.  I bet you can all guess how well THAT worked out. What I didn't take into consideration was that movies and TV aren't real life. A lesson it would do well for all children to learn at an early age.

I didn't go to a barbeque today to celebrate the 4th, but I have come to realize that you make your own happiness, whether it be on a holiday like today, or a big one like Christmas.

What did my happiness consist of today?  Well, I spent time with my loved ones and my fabulously entertaining and loving dogs, Murphy and Twinkie and that always makes for a great day. Also, oddly, I've come to look forward to the Twilight Zone marathons the SyFy channel shows on "minor" holidays. I just love those old episodes and there's at least one episode every holiday that I find I haven't seen.  Some I've seen 20 times and I still love them.  Rod Serling was a GENIUS!

My favorite this year?

The Invaders (1961) as usual.  It's always one of my favorites because Agnes Moorehead's performance is stellar. She utters not one word in the entire episode and yet each action, facial expression and gesture speaks volumes - tells every bit of the story that needs telling. In my opinion, she is one of the most underrated performers of the 20th century. I'm ever so slightly sad that most people only remember her as Endora, Samantha's mother on Bewitched. Not that she wasn't good in that show, she was. And it was one of my favorite shows growing up! But you only need watch The Big Street (1942) or The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) or Johnny Belinda (1948) to discover her tremendous talent.

Other Twilight Zone favorites include:  Time Enough at Last (1959) with Burgess Merideth, A Matter of Minutes, which was part of The New Twilight Zone in 1986 (which they RARELY show) and A Kind of Stop Watch (1963.)

And those that teach us important lessons:  The Monsters are Due on Maple Street (1960) with Claude Akins , People Are Alike All Over (1960) with Roddy McDowell, The Eye of the Beholder (1960) with Donna Douglas and I Am the Night - Color Me Black (1964) with George Lindsey.

So I've had a very relaxing, enjoyable Independence Day.

Thanks Rod, whatever dimension you're in now.

*insert Twilight Zone theme music here*