The Book Thief

This week I watched an outstanding and uplifting movie entitled "The Book Thief". It is about a young girl named Liesel during World War 2 who lives with her adoptive parents, Hans and Rosa Huberman in Nazi Germany. While attending school, she is asked to write her name on the chalkboard, but is only able to write three Xs revealing to her classmates that she cannot write. Her school mates taunt her and one boy challenges her to read one word to which she responds by beating him up. A neighbor boy, Rudy, befriends her and they become fast friends. She is taught to read by her kind foster father, Hans, and she begins to love books.  

Liesel and Rudy become members of the Hitler Youth movement. While at a Nazi book burning ceremony, Liesel and Rudy are harassed into throwing books into the bonfire but Liesel is upset at seeing all the books being burned. Later when the bonfire ends and everyone leaves, Liesel is still there and grabs one singed book but is seen by the mayors wife, Ilsa.  Later when she is asked to take laundry by Rosa, she realized that the woman who saw her is the mayors wife. The woman takes her to the spacious library and says she can read any book she likes. However, one day the mayor discovers Liesel there and puts a stop to her visits and fires Rosa from doing their laundry.

During the holidays, Max Vandenberg and his mother who are Jewish are told by a friend that only one of them can escape and Max's mother forces him to go. During World War I, his father had saved the life of Hans and he goes to the Huberman's house. Initially, he stays in Liesel's room where they become fast friends but later must move to the basement in order that he can move around more. It is very cold in the basement and Max becomes very ill so Liesel reads to him daily and takes care of him.

After time goes by, Hans is conscripted into the army and Max realized that in order to protect the family, he must also leave. One night when Liesel falls asleep reading in the basement, an air raid siren goes off but no one hears it. Max, Rosa, and Rudy's family are all killed in piles of brick and debris. Liesel faints and is carried on a stretcher by a soldier away from the debris. When she awakens, she sees the mayor and his wife drive up. Realizing she has only one friend left in Ilsa, she runs up and hugs her tightly.

Eventually, she discovers Max is alive and the two renew their friendship and get married.

The content of this movie was uplifting due to the values of this good German family who wanted to help others and the kindness offered to strangers. I really enjoyed watching this very much and hope to find other movies with this type of caliber.

Reflections

I have been reflecting on what I view on the media and why. Music that I enjoy listening to  is usually to uplift, soothe,  calm and influence feelings of happiness. I enjoy listening to music by MoTab, Paul Cardall, Michael Bublee', 50's stations, and others. Sometimes I enjoy listening to classical music to think such as Bach, Brahms, Handel, and Beethoven. I have learned to use music as a tool to help me cope with the various emotions in my life.

Using the computer or devices has many reasons. The use of the computer is usually for research, information, or writing. I use my phone for many reasons such as getting directions, paying bills, making lists, setting the alarm, checking the weather, the news, keeping track of my spending, creating menus, relaxation while playing games, or checking Facebook, as well as communication. It's a wonderful and useful piece of technology.

The use of the television is most often a use for relaxation and entertainment. I have been more mindful lately of why I watch what I do. I don't really enjoy watching the news because it is emphasizes negative aspects of what is going on in the world. My husband is very kind in letting me choose what we watch together every night and I usually will choose something that makes me feel happy or enriched. We enjoy watch nature programs, documentaries, and sometimes movies that have an uplifting story line and message. We have also developed a habit of watching game shows like "Family Feud" which I have decided is funny because of Steve Harvey, but don't really want to watch anymore due to excessive amounts of inappropriate sexual innuendos.

My Family

    How Media Has Changed Over The Years In My Home 

Married Glenn Welker October 19, 2017

The media that I allow in my home is now much different than what I allowed in my younger years. As a mom, I always wanted to set an example to our children and so my standards for what media was allowed in my home was very high. I monitored what was turned on the tv, what music we listen to and what we watched as movies. This was before the advent of hand held devices and computers so there was not the all encompassing exposure to media as there is now. Additionally, my husband and I agreed on what we watched together and was also appropriate for the children. As the years passed, I continued to want only "church standard" media in the home. When my husband died, I moved out of state to be nearer some children and grandchildren in Utah. I now had complete freedom of all media choices and found myself watching more romantic movies due to my being single, I suppose. Then I began attending single activities, dated, and met someone special to marry.

Since I no longer have children in the home and I am remarried, my new husband's media choices also affect me. His t.v. and movie choices are very different than what my late husband and I watched in the home. I was actually shocked that he entertained himself with media that I thought was shallow and worldly. I have had to make sacrifices, compromises, and evaluate what is important for the both of us.  We make decisions together and sometimes I am spending my time watching the t.v. with him when I might prefer to be doing something else. However, I have to decide what is more important and realize that spending time at his side is the better choice sometimes. I have learned that I don't need to always have my way and that compromise is part of a happy relationship.

Additionally, I have become way more "addicted" to my smart phone than I would like. Having had more free time than I would have liked, I started playing games on my phone. Now they have become my "go-to" when I am relaxing or I will spend time on Facebook when it clearly is not the best choice for my time.

The Lewis Family 2016

I am looking forward this Sunday to taking a "media fast"and really take stock of the best use of my time. I hope to be able to wean myself from some of the media choices I make, because I know that we are what we think about.

American Idol

 The year was 2004 and American Idol was in its 3rd season. My son, Jon Peter Lewis had made all the audition cuts and had made it to Hollywood! We were so thrilled and excited for him and immediately were descended upon by film crews from the show into our home for a family interview. It was a whirlwind time and little did we know the effects this would have upon our family and friends.

Who doesn't want success, recognition, and fame from such an opportunity? Names like Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and and Ryan Seacrest were now common stars in our conversations, and what their opinions of our son would be. Some of their comments were welcoming and others were defeating. The emotional toll upon me was beginning to have an effect.

From January until May we left work early once a week to travel to the show's recording, appear in the audience on the show, and become involved the American Idol family. It was really fun and exciting to meet other parents, contestants on the show, and the judges. We were able to see what goes on backstage, how the show is filmed, enjoy the commercials that our son was in and totally be immersed in the American Idol culture. Each week, as our son was advanced to another round, the excitement grew and our extended family and friends wanted one of the coveted spots available in the audience. It began to require my time to schedule which family and friends were attending on which weeks as well as after the show time for eating out and visiting. All of a sudden we were semi-famous parents. Complete strangers would stop as at the gas station and claim that they recognized us and were rooting for our son. Of course, we were caught up in  the frenzy of the show, however, it had different outcomes on my husband and I. He loved the opportunity to meet  and shake hands with Simon Cowell, tell his students each week of the experiences our family had on the show. As the months progressed, I began noticing that I was getting tired and a little stressed. By the time our son was eliminated from the show on May 5, 2004, the mixture of emotions were swirling around me. Not only was a not able to recover the sleep I had been lacking, but one day while  driving in the car, noticed some physical  symptoms that were very concerning. My husband immediately drove me to the hospital to have me checked out and after 3 hours of tests, was told by the doctor that I just had the effects of stress. It was so bad that I need to quit work and be on bedrest for several months. This was not any reflection on the show, but just an example of how media can have an effect upon us, depending on our physical makeup and how we process the experience.
Our son still maintained a foot in the door of entertainment and media and went on the produce several music C.D.'s, perform for many venues, and is still involved in the film industry. I am happy for his experiences and opportunities in the media and have learned that I am most definitely content to stay in my corner.