Autumn in the North Cemetery.

Sixty miles west of Boston, Massachusetts there is the small New England town of Sturbridge. Located at the junction of I-90 (The Mass Pike), and I-84 it has become known as the "Crossroads of New England". The town was first settled over 300 years ago, and like other small New England towns it has grown just enough over the years to be in a difficult place today. How do we embrace the future without forgetting how we got to our present? How do we attract the right kind of growth, and maintain who we are? And, what about our culture out here in Central Massachusetts?



These pages will cause one to think about how to protect what we have, our future direction, and how to move on in the very best way.


Those thoughts, and other ramblings, will hopefully inspire more thought, conversation, action, and occasionally a smile...

...seems to be working so far

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Happy Ground Hog Day

Sometimes I see art imitating real life, and vice versa. Ever have some events occur, or something happen, and think, "Wow, this is just like what happened to so 'n so in that movie." or "She reminds me of Sally Field in that movie...". Happens to me all the time. Not that I am film junkie, but movies can stick in ones head, and every once in awhile the similarities between a plot and reality are just too close to overlook. It can be very Walter Mitty-ish, though.

The movie "It's a Wonderful Life", starring Jimmy Stewart, is a good example. It takes place in a small town, Bedford Falls, and George Bailey takes over the family saving and loan business in town. All he wants is what's good for the town, and to put folks into a house of their own. Of course, there is an antagonist in the movie, Mr. Potter. Potter is a rich curmudgeon intent on taking over Georges business, and he'd do anything to derail it, and take the town to where he sees it should be.

I've always enjoyed that movie. Never did like Mr. Potter.

Another movie I have really enjoyed was "Ground Hog Day" starring Bill Murray. I've always like Bill Murray. He is the kind of guy I'd like to have a cup of coffee with while sitting on a bench on the Common. If there was one movie I recommend one to watch on this cold and rainy February 2nd, it would be this movie. Speaks a great deal about life, people, and how it is possible for them to change for the better.

For those that are unfamiliar with the movie, here is a short description from Wikipedia.

"Groundhog Day is a 1993 comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. It was written by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis and based on a story by Rubin.

In the film, Murray plays Phil Connors, an egocentric Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania TV weatherman who, during a hated assignment covering the annual Groundhog Day event (February 2) in Punxsutawney, finds himself repeating the same day over and over again. After indulging in all manner of hedonistic pursuits, he begins to reexamine his life and priorities."

So, if you are chaffing at the bit the day before the Super Bowl, and are pacing so much as to cause your spouse to consider locking you in a closet till game time, then find the movie on cable, and loose a few hours. Movies about small towns can be entertaining, and very familiar.

And, I can't think of a better day, or time, to watch it.
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1 comment:

  1. Carol ChildressSaturday, February 02, 2008

    Dear Thinking: "It's a Wonderful Life" is one of my favorite movies!

    Thanks for bringing the sweetness of it to my mind.

    WooHoo!! Go Patriots!!

    ReplyDelete



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