Silver Linings Playbook

Dedicated to Craig Albert Hoffman 10.4.59

Nikki--
Nikki-
she's not coming back
she went backwards to the railroad
tracks to find
another route
Nikki-
Nikki-
she found a gift and a song
a man who was stronger
an undeserved crown
Nikki-
Nikki-
she ain't who you thought
in the sparrow of your mind
she burned the kiln the full lot
you thought she was someone
a possession so true
a life giving ember
to extinguish your residue
Nikki-
Nikki-
it was someone
who taught
you
justice, peace
the knowledge of life
together in bondage
she revealed a curse
things held to your heart
were cherished but burst
Nikki-
Nikki-
I replayed your mind
away from the place
that severed the paradigm
the life unthinkable
apart from you
a destiny remade
by the work that you do

I breathed a new fiber
of devotion and wit
with only false hope
that I kept in a tight grip
to live fast, unnoticed
in measure, will come
to pace the course of my 
riches while my soul became undone
I garnered the arrow to the 
bullseye of fate
a twist and turn to fully swing
in your gaze
your wings of desire
fall off like feathers
pleading with pain
into the den of contention
Nikki
Nikki
she's ain't got no time
to understand what you meant
when your fist hit the ground
blood and loyalty
honor and sense
a second round of
blood and death
Nikki
Nikki
did you hear my warning?
my hands are sweating
I have faith in past
but it can wait til morning
did you read my letter?
as my tears flowed down
did you see the images?
in which I repaved the ground
Nikki
Nikki
don't let me go
I've lived past your memory
I want you to know
I can remember you fully
your eyes full of grace
until i felt the contempt
enough to separate.

Movie Review of the Oxford Murders with Elijah Wood

http://duluthreader.com/articles/2014/06/19/3609_the_oxford_murders

It took me a long time to analyze the meaning behind the perfect number combinations of Pythagorus and other theories used in the film.  I hope the review is not too cerebral for you.  Let me know.

Winona Ryder needs no apologies; she is her own person; stop defending or criticizing her.

http://duluthreader.com/articles/2014/06/05/3528_winona_needs_no_apologies_review_of_the_the_letter

Winona Ryder is the bomb diggity; tense, pensive, sometimes sullen, intense, a portrait of acting perfection and I will defend her--not based on her failures but continued success...for all she does is a work of art. 

Please read my movie review of the "The Letter" co starring James Franco and Josh Hamilton.

Princess Diana: "Diana" the movie, I wrote a local movie review

The full article is not available from this image.  Pick up a copy of the Reader Weekly in Duluth, MN

Having Children

Seeing What to Expect when you are expecting was a little too much for me.  See, I had one ectopic pregnancy that I had to eliminate, I had another stillborn at 26 weeks who I named Serenity Jade and I had a child who lived named Alexis Hoffman who died at 21 months of a failed heart transplant.  When JLo received the adopted Ethiopian baby, I felt I had come full circle when in real life, I myself, had given birth to a son of African descent, Loran Oliver Hoffman.  The gift of motherhood that was removed from me in 1992 with Alexis' death was restored in 1998, six years later with a 8 lb. 1 oz. boy.  The father and I were not together at the time.  I realized by watching the movie "What to Expect When you're Expecting," I did not have a companion by my side when carrying my son 9 months.  It was me and me alone.  I did not have a spouse to complain of about pain or share ideas for the future.  I did have a support group in Minneapolis, a roommate and my mother was still alive until almost the end.  Then she died 8 days before my son was born and I named him after her.  There were many things that came out in the movie which is difficult for a parent who has lost children to watch.  I randomly came across the movie on Netflix when I was searching for something else.  I enjoyed much of the movie, esp. the male bonding scenes of fatherhood with Chris Rock and the like.  It was a worthwhile movie.