Andy Mckee- Drifting

This guy is insane!

Robots, Sweet Bats and Fights with Kites

I am back in the U.S. of A. One of the benefits of being home again is that I have more of an opportunity to catch up on cinematic entertainment. Now, I realize that to be a proper movie critic, you need (at least!) a Top Ten list of movies that you are critiquing, and two thumbs. I have two thumbs, but I only have a list of 3 movies. Maybe that will qualify me as...a... blogger who watches movies sometimes.

Wall-e: A brilliant movie put out by Pixar, creatively constructed, and a reminder that EVEN robots like to hold hands [insert shoulder shrug here]. A clear green message behind it (which isn't bad to dwell on for a bit), and a touching scene where many obese people, along with their mega slushies, are jostled to one side of a spaceship. I give it: Two thumbs and a pinkie.

Batman: The Black Knight: Stunning performance by Heath Ledger as the joker; I was effectively weirded out! After watching the movie, and as I was headed down the hall of the theatre, I felt like I received a week's dosage of mass chaos through osmosis. The fighting was also at a consistent level through most of the flick- I wouldn't have minded a few lighter moments so that I could catch my breath, but overall it met my high expectations for the Batman series, and it gets a 9.43672 on my rating scale.

The Kite Runner: An ideal movie if you need to cry, and don't have a good reason to do so. It is raw; contains a redemptive storyline, and isn't afraid to deal with hard topics. It encapsulates a strong message about loyalty, courage, and overall it is a poignant "think movie." Contains a fast forward scene, but I stil give it: three popcorns and a coke.

Needs: And the People Who Own Them

I used to view physical need as something straight forward in its simplicity: Person A needs a coat; Person B has a coat to give away; Person B gives coat to Person A. But I'm starting to think that detecting true need and addressing it is much more complicated than that. There are several Romanian gypsies I have encountered in a suburb of Dublin. When I initially met one on the street, I saw her holding her baby, and I was like "Yeah, I'll give you what change I have to buy food." A few months later I met the same woman on the top floor of a double decker bus, chillin' with other gypsies, and listening to music blaring from speakers connected to an i-pod. The bus trip stongly left me with the impression that I was a dupe. I don't have an i-pod. Who knew gypsies could afford them?! Something else I've been thinking about occurs at the soup kitchen I work at. Why is it that the homeless men (and some women) who seem to have the most need take less than the ones that look like they are not as bad off? It seems like it should be the other way around. Do you get less greedy the longer you're on the street, or do you just become more street wise and know where to get what you need to survive? Working with travellers has also got me thinking about neediness. I've had some travellers grab bags of clothes and bread before I had my arms fully extended to give them away. Sometimes I see some of the contents of the bags left in the street after the bags have been rummaged through. Do you still give when what you are giving isn't really appreciated, or maybe not even what the person wanted in the first place? And do you always give when you know you won't get a Thanks? The warning about casting pearls before swine (Matt. 7:6) occasionally comes to mind. And can you spread yourself too thin, trying to give too much so that in the end you're not helping anybody?
Well, maybe the fog will clear for me on this issue. In the meantime, I will be grateful that I'm not a Doctor who has to decide who gets the only donor kidney available. I guess I'll just have to give what I got, in the smartest way possible, and leave the details to the One who knows everything.