SORTNG LIFE AND CREATIVITY-DUELING GAUGES & A NOTE FROM BOB

A PENSIVE WORK

          Terrence Malick's new film THE TREE OF LIFE is a large presence at the Cannes Film Festival. A few people booed, more applauded at the first screening and there is a buzz about the long awaited film.  

          Full disclosure here,  I'm a fan of Malick's work and think he is one of the great artists of cinema, much more than merely a great film maker.  He won me as fan with his film BADLANDS, which also featured incredible performances by Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek. Malick's use of setting, nature, light and the mood they evoke in combination is an essential of his art.

          His other films are DAYS OF HEAVEN, THE THIN RED LINE and THE NEW WORLD.

          Here's the trailer for TREE OF LIFE that opens May 27.

          Malick studied philosophy at Harvard and Oxford and later taught it at MIT.  He has has worked as journalist and writer.

A FIND THAT ENCOURAGES
EVEN IF FANTASY

      A common thought must run through the minds of most creative sorts, writers, painters, musicians and poets.  What may, someday, become of an uncelebrated, unpublished, unpurchased piece of work? What might become of that rejected book, screenplay, unsold painting or unrecorded song?  Maybe there have been successes and that old piece becomes an orphan, shoved away in a desk draw or hidden in a garage or lost in a box or storage. It may have companions as well.  What happens, eventually?  When you are gone and your possessions become the ward of others, do you ever wonder what might happen to that piece or those works?

           LINK HERE FOR A STORY THAT COULD FAN THE SPARK OF A FANCIFUL IF NOT FANTASY THOUGHT.  HERE REJECTION  MAY ITSELF BE REJECTED FOR NEW MARKETS. READERS MARVEL AT THE FIND.

READYING FOR THE TRANSPLANT

AN UPDATE FROM BOB

Friends,

We have more benchmarks on our time line towards the BMT. I will undergo 
pre-transplant evaluation June 16-24 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. It 
is an extremely thorough combination of medical exams, testing and 
consultations. Once I pass that milestone, the insurance company will be 
in position to rule on final approval of coverage. An insurance approval 
is anticipated, but always something to pray for. After insurance 
approval, the donor will then begin pre-transplant evaluation and 
injections to boost her production of stem cells. The Mayo transplant 
coordinator advised me to be prepared to enter Rochester Methodist 
Hospital on July 1st.

In the meantime, Diane and I are getting logistics covered. We are on 
the list for accommodations at the Gift of Life Transplant House in 
Rochester. Diane will say there while I am hospitalized. I will join her 
there upon my discharge. We will live in Rochester for approximately 3 
months. Since I cannot be left alone at the transplant house, we will 
need help from friends and her family living in NE Iowa to give her a 
bit of respite. I'll be pretty weak. Adult visitors are allowed at the 
Transplant House, with some minor rules. Children 17 and under are not 
allowed as visitors.

As Dr. Laura used to say about commitment, "You're not engaged unless 
you have a ring and a date." We are getting close to total commitment.

Foster

This is the most recent of a continuing series of reports and observations from a long time friend and former colleague as he continues to live with Leukemia.

MORE THAN  MAY GRAY

Those heavy skies of evening produced another round of May rain.

An extraordinary season continues as the morning tally reveals.

One at a half an inch and the other at .7.  I'll log in .6.
That is 36.2 for the season.
See you down the trail.