Maybe you’re wondering who these people are on our bedroom wall… or maybe not..! I bought this print of William Powell and Myrna Loy posing as Nick and Nora Charles with their movie dog Asta at a yard sale a couple of summers ago. If you’ve never watched any of the Thin Man movies you are seriously missing some good banter, fun mystery and an intimate look at a more glamorous and simple time… if you can really have both..!

I know I’m getting old err, refining my tastes when I begin to prefer old movies more than current ones. I think “It’s a wonderful Life” started it all…as a result, I will watch anything with Jimmy Stewart… or Powell and Loy… Rosemary Clooney and even some John Wayne. (True Grit and The Shootist are the best…my dad will be so proud..!) Love Crazy, White Christmas, Ziegfeld Girl, Rear Window and The Man Who Knew too Much are just a few more movies I’ve come to love in the past years. There’s just something comforting in old movies…  I could go on but your eyes are glazing over – I can tell- and this post wasn’t meant to be a full blown film review…!

Wednesday night, I stayed up waaay too late… (see limits Heather… you would think I’d know better by now..!) But I was coming off a self imposed snow day where I had played house all day long, arranging, cleaning, cooking, and baking (I even won the boy over with some blueberry muffins.. this is monumental because usually he is not a fan..!) And somehow at the end of the day after playing some music and settling in on the couch, I still wasn’t tired. My common sense said go to bed, but I shooed it away with “what’s the harm in trying to clear off this DVR..?” (which only has 3 % free… I blame Junk Gypsies, Andy Griffith and Nashville… I can’t let go…it’s a sickness…)

So I pushed play on My Fair Lady, a classic Audrey Hephburn movie… I forgot to mention I have an affinity for her movies too…but I couldn’t stand the English accents… Sorry Audrey, usually I ♥ you…tonight, not so much….Delete… And then I stumbled onto Cold Mountain… Ahh ok- Civil War, Jude Law and a soundtrack with Jack White (who also appears in the movie) … I find all these things mildly interesting even if it isn’t an old movie, it has old themes…

Well, an hour and a half later (still not even done with this movie) I knew without a doubt I needed to go to bed but then…

I couldn’t.

The gory images from the Civil War and the despair of those who were waiting at home were etched in my mind and I was riled up. (Sometimes movies do that to me… I tend to take them personally…!)

As a last resort, I searched for something- anything calming- only to find 27 Dresses was least threatening thing available at that time of night.

I read this quote last week and I think it’s true of media too- what I allow myself to be surrounded with on tv, in the movies or on the radio will reflect back on how I react to life. What I choose to have around me. How I view things. I guess that’s why I lean towards elements of vintage style so much… too many black and white movies…!

It’s also true for what we read… daily reading of the bible has been one of the best things I’ve ever started. Is it a perfect, blessed day everyday..? Not a chance, but when I can recall what I’ve been reading and know that a show is just a show and gory imagery in a movie is just Hollywood hoopla designed to shock you, I can put things into perspective better and know that God’s in control.

And I find my peace in that.

Will I finish Cold Mountain..? I’m not sure… I may resort to reading the IMDB summary..! If I’m hankering for civil war drama in the future though, I think I’ll stick to Gone With the Wind..!

What have you guys been watching..?