The Help, and why we need some help.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I went to see The Help yesterday with my cousins and their friends, all significantly, if you ask me and who else could you ask, older than I.  My cousin had gotten $6 discount tickets through her cable provider. What more do you need to attract the older crowd?  And it was a 4 pm showing.  What more do you need to attract the older crowd? Looking around the audience I could see that maybe 2% of the people were under 50.  A few adolescents were there, which strangely pleased me. There were certain advantages to the demographics.  There was no need to see over anyone, they were all short.  There was no raucous behavior, whatsoever.  I did find it somewhat amusing that a sweet young woman, who worked for the theater, stood up front before the show began. She explained where the exits were and that the movie staff was ready to help with any problems. It reminded me of the preflight routine the stewardesses   cabin crew go through on flights. The lovely gentleman to my left, a friend of my cousin’s who is 80 something, commented that clearly the staff knew their audience.  He also remarked that they should have had ambulances standing by. This did not seem quite so funny since I know he has an implanted defibrillator.

I was trying to ignore all of this and watch the movie. The movie was great. However, I kept thinking of my mother. She used to complain that this very same cousin and I were always mumbling to each other. We responded that we were not but she never believed us. I still don’t understand why people readily wear glasses but refuse hearing aids. But I digress. At times the actors either were mumbling, the music or background noise was too loud, or my hearing is not what it once was. Well, I know the latter is true and probably both of the formers too. From time to time, my cousin who was on my right asked what had been said. So I missed a little more dialog.  At home I often use subtitles. I say this is because I want to know every word, and I do. This often doesn’t help because the subtitles and closed captions sometimes don’t resemble what is being said. This becomes most apparent to me when the original movie I’m watching is in English : ) At any rate, all of this is one reason why going to the movies has become a rarity for me. Netflix is my friend. Now if Luca didn’t attack all creatures big and small on the screen life would be beautiful. In almost every other way I prefer movies at home. I do think this is one reason someone invented crates though.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I have always thought you have an old soul, Adina. I do mean that as a compliment.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

F, My TV is on so loud now I am sure the neighbors know what I watch. I had some trouble too in the movie and turned to my DH a few times, but he didn't hear it either. We used to never go to the movies except on Christmas Day because I find everyone irritating in the movies and tend to complain, but this year we have been to a lot. I am trying to remember to be patient...some days, I have more luck than others. Meanwhile, I loved The Help and went twice and picked up more the second time around. Tuesday's here the movies are $5.00 all day and popcorn is $2.00 !

[F, Calla & Luca]

Now that is a bargain!!!

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

Wow!  Here in my neck of the woods, the "bargain" movie is somewhere around $7.50 and we get no break whatsoever on popcorn - it's nearly $5.00 for a medium (which used to be the "small" size, which used to be the "junior" size).  In the good ol' days, it was no big deal if a piece or two of popcorn fell out of the bag as we walked from the snack bar to the theater - now we have to guard every piece!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Talk about cheap!  Me, of course.  I make it a policy to read a book BEFORE I see the movie - no problem. Except, I am waiting for the book to make its rounds and get passed to me.  So I am still waiting and waiting and waiting.  I may have to break down and buy it new.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Oh do splurge, it's a really good book.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Nancy, It is on sale at Target for $10....splurge...LOL! I have read it twice.

[F, Calla & Luca]

There's always the library too.

[Sally, Ditzy Mitzi & Sgt. Pepper]

Funny, our theater was so loud we had to change our seats.  They were no better, but if you read the book the movie

did follow the story pretty closely.  Though my daughter and I both felt they left out a lot.  It still was a pretty good movie and yes, some of it did seem hard to hear, but then I, too, need a hearing aid!   

[F, Calla & Luca]

The funny thing was that the previews were so loud they hurt my ears. Of course loud doesn't make clearer so I was glad the movie itself was softer.

[hollynew and charlie]

My mother recently got hearing aids. The process of convincing her to do so was long and painful, mostly for my siblings who live close to her. She and I had discussions comparing hearing aids to glasses, but I think especially for a generation of people, there is a stigma attached to hearing aids which is slowly going away. Old fashioned hearling aids were big, homely, clunky and from what I remember as a child in church, prone to making loud noises.

The new hearing aids are so discreet that the majority of the time you will not notice them without making a concerted effort to see them. Vanity was the biggest reason my mother took so long to get them. That being said, after having them for less than a month, she declared that she loves her hearing aids.She loves how nice it is to hear conversations and was surprised at all she was missing. The only thing she said she didn't care for was she was inthe back seat of a car on the way to an out of town dinner with friends, and she could hear the road noise in the background. That was something she had not heard in years.  :)

[F, Calla & Luca]

I've noticed I never hear mosquitoes anymore. I consider that a blessing. I'm glad your mother did so well with her hearing aids.