I’m a writer. Not the best, not the worst. I always wanted
to have the influence of a Thomas Paine, a Harriet Beecher Stowe, or maybe a George Orwell or an Ayn Rand. I wanted to “leave
my mark” and somehow make the world a better place. Alas, I am a gray-haired retiree in
small town
Oklahoma. I wrote a novel three years ago that has helped a few people, or so
they have told me. The second book, a follow-up, is still under construction. I didn’t realize it would be such a
struggle. But I have a lot to say; a message bigger than one book can contain.
I may be writing this because of the death of several of my writer friends
in recent months. My heart ached because they left unfinished manuscripts. And,
recently my own health has faced a few challenges. So, as I lay my anemic self
on my sofa I feel like I am circling the drain. I have been contemplating my life and the “marks” I
have made. My personal review has left me feeling wanting---even though I've achieved a couple of things.
I found myself offering up a prayer---to God, the Universe,
to whatever Higher Power is out there—I know there is one, I’ve had so many prayers answered—"Show me how I can make a positive
difference in the world before I am out of here.”
Well stocked with Sonic ice and air-popped popcorn, I snuggled deeper
on the sofa in a marathon switch-off between Candy Crush and Netflix. I also
made the decision not to take one of my prescribed “medications for life” that I suspected might
be contributing to my demise.
I plugged my tablet in to recharge and turned on Netflix. I
needed to watch something,
anything, that didn’t seem like a waste. I needed something to challenge my thinking; something to distract me from my exhaustion and pain. Something to motivate me
to get off my ass and back to writing.
Over the course of two days these movies and documentaries
changed my perspective of the world. Some made me laugh, others made me angry,
but together they gave me renewed hope. I wondered if these films would have the same
impact on others. There was only one way to find out: I could write about it and offer my discovery
to the world and see if others would feel the birth of hope that I do. That would be an answer to my prayer and a real
miracle.
(Note: Netflix offers one month free to new subscribers. I
receive no compensation from Netflix. If, on the other hand, this article goes
viral and results in a massive unexplained new member sign-up and they track me
down and they would like to bless me with compensation, I would not turn it
down. You might want to search these shows in advance and put them on your Watch
List.)
I did take some breaks. Friends and family dropped by, I
had to go to the bathroom, answer the phone, let the dogs out, re-supply ice
and popcorn. I also did some tidying-up around the house. I didn’t want my
family to find me dead in a messy house.
I will do my best to list these films in the order I
watched them, but other than the first show, I’m not sure it really matters.
1.
Requiem for the
American Dream (1 hr. 13 min) If you don’t know who Noam Chomsky is, think
brilliant college professor. A linguist, writer, and anti-war dissident of the
1960’s and
1970’s. He appeals to logical thinkers and will have conspiracy theorists nodding their
heads
with approval.
2.
The Big Short (2 hr 10 min) Academy Award Nominee. Makes a boring
subject (to many), big banking, interesting. And politicians complain about the government (taxpayers) footing the cost for food stamp recipients?
3.
PlantPure Nation (1hr 35 min) One of
those, “We’re going to tell you this for your own good” documentaries.
However, this one has actual video footage showing how state government (in this case Kentucky)
can hijack information the general public needs to know. After watching PlantPure,
I re-watched the Noam Chomsky film to make sure I wasn’t dreaming about what
his documentary explained. There is info at the end of the movie if you want
more information.
4.
The Widowmaker (1 hr 36 min) This film may have saved my
life. I watched this prior to my marathon session. I put it on this list because it needs to be seen by EVERY adult in the U.S.
who feels like crap as well as those who don't. My family doctor pooh-poohed the info it gives. I paid $99
cash for the medical test (not covered by Medicare without doctor’s order)
suggested in this film. Based on the results, a cardiologist who was going to
place a stent in one of my legs decided we needed to address the blockages in my
heart first. After the stents were placed in my heart and aorta I could
walk more than one-hundred feet without pain for the first time in five years. (I can
walk over a mile now and the pounds I gained due to immobility are melting like
an ice cube on a summer day in Oklahoma.)
5.
The Great Invisible (1 hr 32 min) I already
said
I live in Oklahoma, land of cattle and big oil. This film provides information
about the BP oil spill not shared in mainstream news reports. Big oil is big
oil.
6.
GMO OMG (1 hr 30 min) I had no
idea. Well, maybe a little. But this? Why? On my list of send an email to my
senator and representative.
7.
Rolling Papers (1 hr 19 min) The Denver Post became the first major
media outlet to appoint a marijuana editor. This film covers the challenges of
the emerging cannabis industry and addresses national political impacts. In my
youth I was an outraged young Republican secretly envious of the hippie
life-style. Burning my bra seemed like it would be so liberating, but I decided that without the padding my gender might be questioned. And as far as cannabis
is concerned, the only regret I have is that Oklahoma isn’t as progressive as
Colorado. Maybe I would feel better if I took a vacation.
8.
Dirty Wars (1 hr 27 min) I almost
didn’t watch this one. See, ignorance can be bliss. But low on my Google
newsfeed this last week was a blip of an article about NATO extending support
for the Afghanistan war through 2020. Investigative reporter, Jeremy Scahill, discloses where the borders end. Really? Time for another group of emails.
I might have to walk. How far IS Washington? How many billion is the U.S.
kicking in? And they want to cut Social Security?
9.
Gore Vidal -- The United States of Amnesia (l hr 23 min) My parents
used to love his debates with William F. Buckley. My parents were close to my
age when they died. I now understand why they liked the guy. Heavens, he knew
the inside scoop on D.C. and must have been considered outrageous in his time. This led me to watch Requiem of the American
Dream a third time. And then in quick succession—
10.
Money for Nothing:
A Look Inside the Federal Reserve (1 hr 44 min) I listened
to these people and thought of Sigmund Freud’s nephew, Edward Bernays. There’s a name to look
up on Wikipedia.
11.
Cartel Land (1 hr 40 min) I am
thankful I don’t live in a border state.
12.
Wal-Mart The High
Cost of the Low Price (1hr 37 min.) If you have missed this one, now is the time to watch it.
As I close this article, I want to thank a friend for bringing me prenatal vitamins (they contain some iron). Between those and
stopping my “for the rest of your life” medicine, I feel much better today. My doctor’s office
called saying they phoned a different prescription in to the local Wal-Mart Pharmacy. I ask
them to transfer all my prescriptions to my neighborhood drugstore. (The WalMart
brand glucose test strips an monitors are still the cheapest to be had in the U.S. If
everyone with diabetes that is on Medicare used them it would save the
government millions a month. And since we are the ones footing the bill, it
would be the logical thing to do.)
I'd love to receive feedback, to learn if after you watch these films you have a renewed sense of hope. Grassroots activism
in this day and age is at the tip of your fingers via a phone call, or email.
If that doesn’t work there is always the voting booth, or we could all join
together and go for a walk.
