Monday Musings: January 3. 2011

The New Year rang in quietly here at Rancho Maven. Just the way we wanted it. On Saturday night, we went to see ‘The King’s Speech’  at the Riverside with friends, and then had a nice dinner at La Vecchia.

It’s not often that we’ve heard the movie audience erupt in spontaneous applause at the end of a picture. This was one of those times. It’s a magnificent film. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush are simply remarkable as fearful and unwilling ‘king/student’ and quirky ‘commoner/teacher/friend’.  Guy Pearce and Derek Jacobi are perfect stinkers. Add the fact that it’s a true story - of a king facing world war, unable to communicate due to a disabling speech impediment  - sensitively told, with direction, framing and camera work that is spot on - well, I’d go see it again in a heartbeat.

‘The Kings Speech’ is an arresting look inside the shiny bauble of royalty, giving up a glimpse of the cold, harsh reality that goes with the titles and privilege. If you think your family is dysfunctional … it’s hard to know where to start with this bunch. That said, it’s all the more amazing when some of them manage to have any sort of normalcy at all.

I was really blown away by the set design and art direction, which captured the bleak character of the waning days of Britain’s economic Depression, leading up to entry into world war. Visually, it reflected the emotional frigidity of the royals as they tried desperately to find some measure of happiness.

I’d also suggest taking your children to see this - providing they are a mature 12 and up, and you’ve talked to them about the so-called ‘bad words’ they’ll hear. This is a thoughtfully constructed and told story of courage that could easily inspire young people to persevere and overcome their personal challenges. It would certainly be a grand starting point for family discussion - even about the use of ‘bad words’.

We were also impressed by the meal we had at La Vecchia. They had an excellent New Year’s Eve special menu, but also had the full menu available. I hadn’t eaten a meal there in a long time, but we’ll be certainly back. The prices were ‘right’, and the authentic Italian fare was skillfully executed and served. I sensed a passion for the product that can seem so lacking in other long established local restaurants - and certainly shows in what ends up on the plate. La Vecchia isn’t just going through the motions.

With the beginning of a new year, a new crowd in Washington D. C. and a new governor here in Nevada, we’re all going to be taking another look - and possibly a very messy one - at deficits, debt and how we might deal with it all.

If I could send one message to all the decision makers and the people who voted for them, it’s this: Lose the word ‘austerity’. It’s dangerous. Austerity programs are mis-guided and wrong-headed in these times. They can cause more problems, used now, than they might otherwise solve.

A wonderful explanation of this is contained in the following video by Mark Blyth, Watson Institute of International Studies, Brown University:

For more information on this subject, you might want to take a look at the Institute for New Economic Thinking.

I was thrilled to see Trooper Chuck Allen, Nevada Highway Patrol, Nevada Department of Public Safety, honored as the Reno Gazette-Journal’s Citizen of the Year, 2010. He absolutely deserves that honor.

Trooper Chuck Allen, Lt. Col. Cynthia Ryan, Capt. April Conway during the opening days of the search for famed aviator Steve Fossett, September 2007.Chuck was of invaluable support and assistance to me during the long days and nights of the search for Steve Fossett, and I felt kind of bad that I was honored for my efforts during the search and he wasn’t. This recognition has been a long time coming for Chuck, and I congratulate him. Each time I’ve worked with Trooper Allen, I have been impressed with his selfless qualities, his dedication to the job/effort first, and his sincere desire to ‘be there’ in full support of his colleagues and comrades. Trooper Chuck Allen is the yardstick that I would wish to gauge myself and others by. He gives 110% to his country and community.

I remarked to Mr. Maven how lucky we are to now count two RGJ Citizens of the Year among our friends. A couple of years back, our good neighbors and long time friends, Judy and Abel Mendeguia were so honored.  Having friends like the Mendeguia’s and Chuck Allen make us want to stand a little taller and straighter, and go a bit further.

Oh, have you been noticing an ad on tee-vee or online for MyLife? It’s one of those people search sites you might be inclined to use to look up old classmates and such. Don’t be inclined. They will try and rip you off.

A few days ago, I thought I’d give MyLife a go for a month to see if I could find some old school chums or relatives. They have a free option, but I figured that $13.95 wasn’t a bad price to get the ‘premium’ service and see if I liked it.

I spent a good hour Sunday morning, on the phone, trying to get $155.40 from MyLife off of my VISA. You see, they charge you ‘upfront’ for the entire year without making that clear in the sign up portion of the process. When I called them to opt out, they first said that I couldn’t, then told me that I could be shifted to a different ‘plan’ and have only $101 credited back to my account. That’s when I asked to have the call ‘escalated’ to a supervisor … and mentioned how I write a blog with a national readership, and that MyLife’s business practices could provide grist for a post.

A couple minutes went by, and the same guy came back on the phone to tell me that a supervisor wasn’t available (meaning the cubicle next to him was empty I suppose) but they’d decided to credit the full amount back to me anyway. Hmmmm.

Never one to just let stuff go, I next called my credit union. Yes, you can call right up and get a caring person on the line at a national credit union, in Atlanta, Georgia … on a Sunday morning. Try that with a commercial bank. They were happy to help, guiding me through the process of filling out an online Transaction Dispute form, which I faxed back to them. I didn’t need to go through VISA. The credit union will make sure that the credit from MyLife actually happens within the promised seven to ten days. I love it.

See the power of social media/blogging and credit unions yet?

Now I have to do battle tomorrow with an unethical landlord in Lafayette, Louisiana. Natacha rented new student digs - having moved from her less than convenient to school apartment -  closer to campus, and has apparently been subjected to the old ‘bait and switcheroo’ routine. The rental folks have played fast and loose, showing her a clean place and then handing her the key to another when it came time to move in. Ooops, they meant #212 rather than #112. The key unlocked a filthy mess. Needless, perhaps, to say, but the landlord thinks they should be able to keep the deposit.

I’m going to call and suggest otherwise.

Mr. Maven asked me why our attorney friends suggested that I - moi! - take first to the phone and straighten this out. The implication being that I’m some sort of attack Hound of the Baskerville’s. Hmmmm. Hey, D.H. You wanna answer that?

So it goes. I would’ve hoped, perhaps, for a month of quietude and skiing, but that’s not the way life happens around here ever. If I sound a little less than upbeat, it’s because I was dealing with the ‘bitterly disappointed in life’ 93-year-old today. She pushed every old button and then found new ones.

Just like the royals, we all have our family challenges.

Try and have a good week at the workplace or where ever you are. Stay warm. Stay in touch.

-maven