“Mute” – Movie Review

This blog has always been about a little bit of everything – just like me.

Today got changed all because I checked out something added to Netflix for me.  I didn’t watch the show they previewed for me, but that led me to “Mute”, a movie already on my list, but not getting watched because I wasn’t really certain I would like it.

The movie, in the previews, looked to me like a mobster movie.  I’m not usually much for those.  And, indeed, it sorta was, in a “West Side Story” – “Romeo and Juliet” way.  No, not a musical.  However, the teaser listed it as a tag in “”Sci-fi”, so there you are.  I had to watch it.

Now, what follows may be just a bit of some spoilers, warning you so that, if you like complete surprises, you can leave now, go to Netflix, and watch it.  Yes, I will rate it about a 4-4,25 of 10, about a B to B+.

Okay, all of that out of the way, the movie is about a couple Naadi and her guy, the mute.  He is the main character.  Both work at a bar.  She is a waitress; he is a bar tender – yep, sci-fi strip bar.  Medicine is a very high technological marvel here, but there are still those, the Amish, like our mute, who oppose surgical solutions.  Naadi and he are deeply in love, but she tells him she has a secret.  Before she tells him what it is, she disappears.  Most of the rest of the movie deals with showing you who she is (slowly), the others in the film (explained throughout), and the “wham” last 16 minutes which are really fantastic.

Blood, gore ranks about a C+ to B-; action is slow, but there; plot is stretched through the entire movie.  Really slow for the first while, then it begins to crescendo, moving like a slow freight train – always going forward and nothing is going to stop it.

It surprised me several times.  There were moments when I thought, “What the heck is going on?” – but, by the end, all things fell together.

Bottom line: if you can handle some blood, violence, and stuff you usually find in “R” rated movies – you will be okay.  Not for the very faint-hearted, but good story and ending, though not so much a fairy tale thing.

Namaste,

Scott

My Year in Review – 2017

Each year, some of my family write a letter telling what all has happened to them all year.  My Sis liked mine this year and Mom saw no problem putting it out here.  I don’t either, so, for those of you who haven’t followed me, or don’t know much about my family, or even those who do, here is my year:

The Year in Review – 2017

by Scott L Vannatter

Well, it has been a rather long and productive/nonproductive year. We have had joys and sorrows, successes and setbacks; however, we are here and wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

This Christmas will be the second one w/o Dad, who passed July 25, 2016 – just a few short weeks from his birthday. Sis is dealing with it in her way. Mom is having difficulties as she tells me from time to time. Her biggest problem, I think is having to do so much alone that Dad used to do. Sis and I help, but it’s not like she had with Dad.

Darci, Sis, went through chemo and several surgeries for colo-rectal cancer in early 2017. She had to take that year off school, but is back now with her many kindergarteners and their relieved parents. It means a lot to her to be back and I am very glad she got to do so. It does take a toll on her, but she is happy to do it.

I have had a difficult year, myself. After Dad passed, I tended to eat more than normal and then lie to myself and everyone saying my blood surgar was fine. It wasn’t. By October I was having severe bouts of D and V (figure it out – both ends) for anywhere from 2-6 hours 1-2 x month. This continued all through the New Year of 2017 until July when I finally figured out (and got the Dr to agree that I had developed Gastro Paresis, a condition brought on a lot by high sugar over a prolonged period. In it, the Vegas (or Vagas, can’t remmeber) nerve which runs the stomach movements stops for a while allowing food in your stomach to remain and to spoil.

I stopped this w/o medical treatment (usually surgery) by eating 4-6 times a day and much smaller portions, along with increased liquids to help the food get out of the stomach. As of today 12/20, it has a bit over 4 months since my last episode.

My memory (more short-term, but some long-term) was affected by my stroke in 2010. Short-term still gives me fits. I have the most problems putting names to faces and remember things I just did if I don’t provide a good reason to remember them. An example: when I leave the house and lock the door, I turn the handle and hit the door with my elbow. If I can’t remember as I go to leave, I can usually still feel the elbow or, at least, remember doing that. It’s not the greatest, but not the worst thing in the world. I accept my problems and hit them head-on now.

Finally, I have attempted twice since June of 2016 to have my right hip replaced. Dad’s passing was on the day I was scheduled for surgery. Then I tried to reschedule in July after figuring out my stomach problems, but sugar (A1C was 9.2) was too high. It should be 7.0 or lower and they won’t do surgery unless it is under 8.0. It is supposed to be measured every 3 months, as it is an average of 90 days. I had them retake it in early November and it was 6.8. My surgery has been postponed by them once, so far, and my next appointment is in late Jan, so I expect the surgery for the end of January to the middle of February 2018. After 4 weeks I can drive and a couple more weeks to really be back to normal and I can put my cane away and walk, for the 1^st time in 8 years painfree.

I continue posting in my blog ( https://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com ) and have done over 1,000 posts now in about 8 years. I have several hundred followers and I follow over 100 blogs myself, though I can’t read them all every time they post. I have some writing I have done for www.fiverr.com, an individual job site where you list what you will do for $5 as well as extras. I have had the privledge to write numerous times for an escape room located in Portland, Oregon. I have written a lot of dating profiles as well as a couple of stories for people. I still sell books and DVDs on Amazon for both myself and the MPL (Middletown Library).

Aaron has a new and wonderful young lady named Katy (Katie?)(Katee?) and they live in either Portland or Beaverton, can’t remember which is the now place! Aaron works in Portland with computers and communications and other items I am glad to have left behind. My computing now consists of general items (email, FB, blog,…), playing a few online games (Winning Putt) and several on Steam – Fallout 3/4, and a few more. Katy works several places and I just can’t recall them.

Aarika and her husband, Josh, live in the Carmel/Fishers area. Aarika works in Carmel as a Psychologist and Josh works in computer security. They have a new addition to their family as Rue joins Winnie. I am very proud of my two grand dogs.

Adrienne, Darci’s daughter, and her husband Lance live with their two daughters, Karlee and Kloee, in the Mooreland rural area. Adrienne teaches special education and Lance is a linesman.

It will be a fun Christmas this year. We will get to see Aaron at some point.

Thanks for reading and I hope your holidays are fantastic.

Namaste,

Scott L Vannatter

A Remake Comes to Life

I did watch, at least, some of the original of “Ghost in the Shell”.  I don’t remember it, but the name really sticks.  My stroke has done this to me before; I simply forget.   Regardless, I truly want to see this remake.  This article, between the interviewer and the Director, is good.  It really makes me want to watch it more, even with the tone the article suggests.  Enjoy.

The Ghost In the Shell

 

Namaste,

Scott

2014 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 5,900 times in 2014. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 5 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

2014 – The Review of My Year

Well, 2014 is nearly done.  It is December 16, 2014 at 11:12PM as I begin this post.  Another year post-stroke that I have lived and flourished through.  Many of you have been with me throughout this year; some have not.  I am certain that I lost a few, but I did find one blog sister and am happy for her return.

The biggest problem with the year post-stroke is that my memory is not so hot on the timing of events and I may mention something that happened in 2011 or last month and not be able to tell you the time of it.  That makes putting 2014 in order difficult.  What I can do is highlights, I hope.

Early 2014 found me trying to deal with Medicare and the reset deductibles.  That will happen again in a couple of weeks.  This means that the injection I took for $5 this month may cost $100 in January of 2015.  Speaking of Medicare / Medical concerns, I have been taking Testosterone injections monthly now for about a year.  I am at maximum amount, so this month and next month will show how much effect I can expect from it.  It does help me to make / keep muscles.  Exercising does no good if you can’t build muscle mass.  And, if I understand it, losing muscle mass also could damage my heart.

I have continued Reflexology treatments and they help me.  I am learning to reduce and to manage pain levels.  For those new to all this, I had a horrible hemorrhagic stroke May 7, 2010 and suffer pain and several other results of that ordeal.  Those include balance issues, short-term memory problems, double vision, weakened left side, need for a cane, greater fatigue, and a certain level of constant pain.  I am also diabetic and suffer from neuropathy (foot pain and numbness).

The world was blessed in February with the first birthday of my first great niece, Karlee Koontz.  She has been fun to watch grow and learn this year.  Adrienne and Lance are expecting their second daughter this February.  If I have the months wrong, I apologize.  Best I can do with what I have (lol).

My daughter, Dr. Aarika White is working part-time at my old Alma Mater, UIndy, as a psychologist for the students.  She enjoys the work and I love that she is working there.  Her husband, Josh, did a lot of work-related travel this past year, so she and I did spent quite a bit of time together.

My son, Aaron, just began a new job in Portland, Oregon.  He works with computers in things I can understand but not do.  I have been tempted to move up there and no longer have a car (public transpo is excellent), but am not certain how I would handle the cost of living on my relatively fixed income (You can read that as not writing a best seller nor winning the lottery).  I shall reconsider this decision every year or so.

I did go to Olive Garden for my anniversary of the stroke again this year.  I have missed that once since the stroke when I simply forgot it (it actually felt good to realize I had forgotten it enough to not go).

The summer went pleasantly enough.  I spent a lot of it getting to know my neighbors and do a bit of traveling.  My sister, Darci and I went to Fort Wayne, Indiana for a several-day much needed vacation.  It is a beautiful city and we had a great time.  She did wear herself out one day pushing me in a wheelchair around the zoo.

This fall was met with both joy (it is my favorite season) and some distaste for the rain and the cold.  I knew winter was coming with the snow and ice.  I don’t mind the weather, but have to make certain that I do not fall and injure myself.

My Dad, Richard, fell a couple of months ago and broke his ankle in three places.  This has been very difficult on him and on us as well.  I look forward to him being back up and walking in the next couple of months.

Thanksgiving went well.  It was an adjustment with Dad and me (I have gone to Vegan – more shortly), but that, too, was simply something to deal with, and we did.

I switched to Vegan back in July.  I did some research after coming to the conclusion that the medical efforts at handling my diabetes were more aimed at allowing it to worsen slowly rather than attempting a cure.  After reading and studying, I decided my best bet was to go strict vegan.  This December, I am pleased to report that my blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and weight have all gone down significantly.  I had the blood tests last week and am waiting for results to see if I am handling it well.  I know that I eat more healthy and a greater amount of food.  I feel better and have added a few supplements to my diet as well.  Most significant has been the addition of food enzymes, Chromium Picolinate, and Chlorophyll in pill form.

I must mention my cat, Tamika, who in now into her 8th year and shows some small signs of slowing as well as a bit of graying around the edges.  Having almost lost her to the outdoors a few years back, I am glad she has, at least, learned to stay inside and follow a few simple commands (at times, the addition of a spray water bottle has helped).  She sleeps at the foot of my bed or on a box by the window in my bedroom as long as she behaves (about 1/2 the time).  One more problem from the stroke is my inability to sleep more than 2-3 hours without waking up.  It has fluctuated a bit, but seems to be 1.5-3 hours currently.  I dream more and do it quicker, but I also tend to fall asleep in the afternoon and early evenings if not careful about a nap.

To keep my brain active, currently, I:

write fiction, play 15-18 games of Words with Friends on FB, do some writing on FB, play video games (mostly Skyrim in which I am now at level 47), and I play Dungeons and Dragons online with several people on Monday evenings.  I do eat out a couple of times a week, at least once with my friend, Kevin, who had an aneurism around Thanksgiving and survived it well (thank goodness).  I do try to go to the movies a few times a month with another friend from Indy and I visit a friend who is in a wheelchair and lives in Wabash, IN once a month if I can.

I think that about does my general overview of this year.  I thank all of you who have been even a small part of my life.  I feel loved and needed and that is, in no small part, due to all of you.

Namaste,

Scott

*Please note that all pictures in this post were taken from Google Image Searches with “licensed for reuse” filters.