Today's question: What's your favorite movie?

By Jeff Orvis

What's your favorite movie?

A few days ago, Dan Patrick posed that question as a poll question during his nationally syndicated radio-TV show. His team, called "The Danettes," gave a choice of "The Godfather" and "Goodfellas" or "the field." The way the question was posed was probably understandable, since most of Patrick's audience is probably male. But a lot of folks surprisingly chose "the field" and I have to say I was one of them.

I have to admit that I am probably not qualified to say much on motion pictures. It's been years since I walked into a movie theater. I don't even remember the last film I saw, but it may have been "The Aviator," starring Leonardo DiCaprio. What I remember of that experience was that despite the fact we saw it in the afternoon, it took me several days to recover from the shock of the cost of admission and concessions.

So we've already covered one reason why I don't go to many movies - cost. I'm a big fan of free TV. I also have a good cable TV subscription and Amazon Prime, where many movies are available for no additional charge. I can simply sit in my recliner, without shoes on, munching on a 40-cent bag of microwave popcorn and watch what I want. There's no threat of somebody behind you talking throughout the movie, kids crying or cell phones buzzing at the climax of a dramatic scene.

There was a time when I was a lot younger when I did see movies in the theater. When I was in junior high, we lived about five miles from downtown Davenport. Sometimes in the summer time, Mom would take a leap of faith and allow me to join a couple of my friends on a walk down to the city bus stop and on into the city, where we would have lunch at Bishop's Buffet and then catch a matinee at either the RKO Orpheum or the Capitol Theater. When it was over, we'd retrace our route and be home in time for supper.

Sometimes we would go as a family to the movies. My dad, who didn't seem to enjoy vocal music that much, took us to see "The Sound of Music" twice in one week at the Coronet Theater in uptown Davenport. Maybe he had a secret crush on Julie Andrews. They recently interviewed the former owner of the theater who explained how he remodeled the inside in anticipation of showing that film and how opening night had a line of viewers out to the street.

In those days, there were far fewer movies produced and they had a much longer shelf life in the theater. Those of you who have seen me will find this hard to believe and I only mention it to point out how long some movies lasted. But I can remember going to see "Love Story" at least four times with four different girls. True confession time, I think I cried more than they did...still do when I watch it on TV.

I can only remember a couple of drive-in movie experiences. When I was in college, a carload of friends went to see "The French Connection." But we were more interested in the bottle we took with us. Still don't know how we ever made it back across that narrow twin bridges to Bettendorf! I saw "Butch Cassiday and the Sundance Kid" at a drive-in another time. But (bragging time here) it was raining, my date was scared of thunder and it took me 20 years later to actually watch the whole movie!

Years earlier, we often stayed with my Aunt Sara in Milan, IL. She lived in a big yellow house across the street from the old Memri Drive-in. From her kitchen window, we could see the screen. But one night she shooed my sister and me away and pulled the shade when they showed what would be termed an R-rated movie today!

We could have never imagined back then that there would come a time when so many movies would be produced each year and earn so much money so quickly at the box office. There is such a rush to cable and DVD for the films that it's hard to keep up with what's available. I have friends and relatives who own hundreds of movies. But with so much available each night on TV and with my shorter attention span, I don't often devote two hours at a stretch of my life to a movie. When I do, it's often a great experience, so I hope they keep making them and keep putting them out there. Some day I'll turn away from NCIS reruns to watch more feature films.

So what would I pick for my favorite film? I can't settle on just one. I admitted earlier that I paid to see "Love Story" four times, but it was much more for the company I was with than the movie. Since the question was posed on a sports call-in show, I'd have to list such films as "Friday Night Lights," "Brian's Song," "We Are Marshall" and "Rudy" as a few of my sports favorites. 

Opinions to make you think or make you mad

By Jeff Orvis

These winter days when you don't feel like going outside, there's plenty of time to think. Admittedly, I often turn off the deep thought process with a TV show or a hot game of Bejeweled on the computer. But sometimes the thoughts return and are stored in my little brain until it's time to unload. You won't agree with everything you read below, but I hope there are enough pronouncements to make you stop and think.

I'm convinced that Facebook is a wonderful invention. Twenty years ago, if you had told me that there would come a time when I could reach over from my recliner, type a few characters on my computer and instantly be in contact with over 200 friends and family, I'd have been a bit skeptical.

One thing I've learned from gaining and communicating with folks on my friends list is that there is a wide array of beliefs, especially political beliefs. I have one good friend who is convinced that "Republicans are evil." I also have friends who routinely post that Obama is the "worst president ever." Full disclosure here, I registered as a Democrat when I transferred my voter registration to Benton County. But since several of the people on my friends list clearly lean to the right and I know these are otherwise good people, I would never call them "evil." On the other side, those who believe that Obama is the "worst president ever," have very short memories. They somehow have magically forgotten all about the guy that Obama replaced.

I can only hope that those who hate our current president don't have those feelings out of racial motivation. But I fear that at least some of them won't be comfortable until a Protestant male is back in the Oval Office. That thought comes from from the fact that many of these same people have already jumped on the bandwagon who think Hillary Clinton would be even worse than Obama. So maybe a few who hate our current president are also afraid that one day we will elect a female president.

Health care - The hot topic of the day is the government's attempt to insure that everyone has health coverage. The pitfalls and accompanying critics have been well documented.

I had a conversation with a friend who traveled throughout Europe several years ago. She said the residents of some of those countries couldn't believe we have the health care system we do. They receive government-sponsored health care and the people she spoke with were very satisfied.

The way we deliver health care in this country and the way we pay for it is out of control. Those that detest Obamacare have listened to the for-profit insurance companies far too long.

I believe that health care is a right, not a privilege. I also believe that we need tighter control over malpractice awards. Young men and women who wish to enter the health care profession should be able to receive free education. Their income would ultimately be lower than it is now for many physicians, but they would no longer be liable for malpractice insurance or college loans.

Once again, when we  need to go to the hospital for appendicitis, we aren't shopping for a new car. Health care is a right, not a privilege or luxury.

On to lighter topics - We are right in the middle of the basketball season. Every night, we have a choice of several college or pro games on the tube. Many of these players are covered with tattoos. I've noticed that when some players have great games, they are interviewed right after the game. Has anyone noticed that those players with few or no tattoos are often more articulate than their heavily-inked teammates?

In a few weeks, the NCAA tourney will begin. During the early rounds, we will have a chance to watch teams such as Stanford, Northwestern and some of the Ivy League schools, schools with higher academic entrance standards. You won't see many tattoos on these players and most of them speak in literate, complete sentences. Coincidence? I don't think so.

One more sports thought - Most of us have at one time or another heard the phrase, "He's just a big dumb football player." From what I've observed over the years, nothing could be further from the truth. While I never played the game, I've been around plenty of high school players over the years and have seen and heard thousands of college and pro players perform and interviewed.

The game of football seems more complicated than ever before, especially on the college and pro level. There's plenty of pressure on college players to maintain an academic eligibility while honing their skills on the practice field and trying to have time for at least a little social life. The pro players have to study complicated playbooks and compete on a weekly basis for playing time or just for a spot on the active roster for the next game.

The biggest guys on the field are usually offensive linemen. They're the ones who the uneducated fan might think aren't too smart. In reality, they're often some of the smartest players on the field. They have a tough job, knowing who and how to block depending on the play. Some of the top offensive linemen went to schools like Stanford, Northwestern, etc. Some of them are the most articulate when being interviewed and and some even forego the temptation to plaster tattoos over their bodies. Coincidence? I wonder...

Miracles not confined to Christmas

By Jeff Orvis

Merry Christmas! Yes, here is one proud liberal who is not ashamed to say those words this time of year. While I know there are millions of people around the world who follow a different faith or no faith at all, by saying “Merry Christmas,” I am doing my small part to profess my faith without jamming it down the throat of anybody else.

End of political statement.

This time of year, many people expect a “Christmas miracle.” Sometimes you wonder if God is saving up all his miracles for this season. In truth, I believe God performs miracles every day, whether we realize it or not.

 As I was wondering what to write for this holiday message, I thought about reviewing what has happened in my life this past year. But then I decided that might seem a bit selfish. But a couple of events did occur that had some impact on me, though only in a passing way.

There are two families who are undoubtedly thanking God for miracles that happened to their loved ones prior to the height of the holiday season. But as they gather together at their respective homes, they undoubtedly will look across the room and be thankful that their loved ones are still with them.

A few weeks before I moved back to Belle Plaine, I learned of a strange illness that hit Charles Johnson. For those of you who may not be from the Belle Plaine area, it's hard to describe Charles in a paragraph or two. A big, strapping man with an ever-present smile, Charles has always been quick with a hearty “Hello.” It usually takes only about 10 seconds to realize that this guy is your friend.

He came to Belle Plaine and married a woman who has four of the most beautiful, intelligent and gifted daughters I've ever met. That he would join a family of five females tells you something about his patience. Together he and Karen raised these young women, saw them through school, college, career starts and relationships that have led to marriages and some grandchildren.

Charles seems most comfortable outside. Maybe that's why he has been such a find for the city of Belle Plaine, where he has been the parks superintendent for several years. But he is also a spiritual man and several years ago, he made the decision to study for the ministry. Upon completion of his studies, he became the pastor at the Chelsea Methodist Church.

One morning this year, Charles said he woke up and experienced some ever-increasing symptoms of what was first thought to be a stroke. It turned out to be a virus that rendered him frustratingly inactive for several days. Fast forward a few months and after a hospital and rehabilitation unit stay, he is physically back to his old self.

That was one of two miracles I experienced. A week or two after I had moved back here, I happened to pass Franklin Park, where I saw Charles' pick-up truck. I stopped and he met me with a big bear-hug and that hearty hello. He explained what he had been through and also informed me that he was not only back in the parks, but back in the pulpit at his church. Talk about a “Praise God moment!”

The other miracle involves a man whom I met just once. But we have corresponded via e-mail a few times and to say he has been a professional inspiration to me would be an understatement.

For more than 65 years, Bill Wundram has been on the staff of what is now the Quad-City Times. For those of us who hope we can retire after 30 years, when we read about someone who has worked in the same profession for more than 65 years when he is well into his eighties, that's a true inspiration.

After doing just about everything on the editorial side of the paper over the years, Bill has settled into a spot on Page Two, where he writes a column most days of the week. For those of you who were familiar with my Ramblings columns over the years or who enjoy Jim Magdefrau's column in the Star Press Union each week, Bill does the same sort of thing. But his audience is just a little bigger – probably more than 300,000 loyal readers. But he often writes about the small stuff that makes life worth living.

So it was with a bit more than a little concern when readers read a notice in the paper that Bill was “taking some time off.” Finally, he returned and told us what happened.

He and his wife were out eating brunch one morning in celebration of their 61^st wedding anniversary when he was struck by a migraine headache. He wasn't too alarmed, until it kept getting worse and his wife took him to the local hospital. It was there that he was diagnosed with a stroke. By the time the diagnosis was made and the neurologist had arrived, the time frame for administering that drug that is supposed to stop the symptoms had passed. It was only through the insistence of Bill and Helen's son that he was given the injection anyway.

As he later wrote, by this time, he had lost most ability to speak and begged his wife and son not to let him go on living if this would be the result. For some reason, despite the delay in administering the drug, it began to work. By the next morning, when his wife returned to his bedside, he was again speaking clearly and was well on the road to recovery. In fact a few days after his release from the hospital, he was already attending a benefit gathering at Davenport's Outing Club and claims that he is well on the way to dancing the jig again!

So that's my second “Praise God” moment. I'm happy to share it with his family and the thousands of readers who think of Bill as a friend.

Sometimes at this time of year, we get caught up in a lot of preparations. Then we may feel guilty for the bounty we have when we hear about those less fortunate. Maybe one way to deal with this is to try to recognize one or two miracles that have occurred in your life and give thanks to the One responsible.

Have a Blessed Christmas and Wonderful New Year!

A different view on the holiday shopping frenzy

By Jeff Orvis

Gray Thursday, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday. Here it is a couple of days after the initial madness of the holiday shopping frenzy. These are the times when I am somewhat grateful for living on a limited budget. Most of the members of my family who will be getting presents from me already have more material possessions than I do. I'm not complaining. I celebrate their good fortune and at the same time am thankful for what I have.

I suspect that at least some of the folks who waited all night on Thanksgiving Eve for the chance at a good buy on a TV or computer were attempting to impress those who would be receiving the gifts. But I've never attempted to buy a gift for someone where I would risk being knifed, shot or tazered for the item. Do these folks really believe that a $200 TV is worth a possible hospital bill or a criminal record for disorderly conduct?

I'll admit I enjoy shopping for bargains on those rare occasions when I go to a store. But if I'm in a grocery store and there's one can of beans left on a shelf at a sale price and somebody else grabs it just before I get there, I'll gladly pay the extra dime for another brand of beans.

We live in an incredibly competitive society. Some would even call it a desperate society. Many folks are unfortunately living on the economic edge. But why do they think their lives will be better if they pull out that credit card and spend much more than they can actually afford? Will they remember that warm feeling they had at gift giving time when, three months down the road they are contemplating bankruptcy when the bills are past due?

Corporate America lives on the gullibility and impatience of the public. That's a pretty strong statement and I realize that many corporations do a lot of good for all of us. But when I see a credit card commercial where the consumer is offered points or frequent flier miles for using a particular card, no where do I see that the consumer can be charged up to 24 percent or more annual interest for using the card. When Menard's, the home improvement giant, advertises a big rebate sale, only in the fine print do you notice that the rebate is actually a Menard's card, not cash.

I used to like to look at the newspaper ad inserts from Walgreen's and CVS pharmacies. They are both wonderful stores. But the advertised sale prices on virtually everything in those fliers come with a small print that says, “with card.” In order to receive that price, you have to present a card that indicates that you have filled out an application, probably including your address or e-mail address, professing your loyalty to that store and enabling corporate to send you all sorts of junk mail.

Just sell me the item at the posted price and don't make me flash a card.

I've told this story before. But when my family decided to spend a big portion of our tax refund on our first computer, we went to one of those big box stores and found a nice computer at a reasonable price. But the fine print stated that in order to get that price, we had to mail in a rebate form. So I asked the unfortunate salesman who waited on us to show us a computer that didn't come with a rebate. When he said that wasn't possible, we said “Thanks” and walked out. We went across the street to another store and bought a computer with no rebate attached. Apparently, more folks did the same thing. I notice now that the big box retailer has fewer rebate specials.

The only way all this will change is if the consumer starts taking more care when he or she makes a purchase. As long as you make purchases with those loyalty cards, buy big ticket items at stores where the sale price is only obtained with a rebate then maybe or maybe not remember to send in for the rebate or keep buying those 11 ounce cans of coffee that were were once 16 ounces – for the same price – without protesting to the corporations, nothing will change.

More importantly at this time of the year, if you believe that those certain presents are available for a “limited time only” and you spend your time and money trying to make someone else happy, you will lose sight of the real “reason for the season.” That babe in the manger in Bethlehem certainly didn't need a big screen TV. Those treasures presented by the Wise Men were nice, but I doubt they had to fight off crowds for them, or mail in rebate forms to pay for them.

So while I'll do a little shopping this holiday season, I'm vowing to spend more time in praise and thanksgiving for the One for whom we should all be celebrating this time of the year.

Although I hope to remember to post another message later this month, for now, have a merry, blessed and sane Christmas season!

A somber anniversary

By Jeff Orvis

It was a typically gray late fall day. For the only year of my first seven years in school, I was in a different building. But the novelty of climbing on a bus and traveling three or four miles to the top of the hill to the newer Pleasant View School had begun to wear off by that late November day and I suppose I had the same view as my classmates that a day off from classes for parent-teacher conferences, even if it was only a week until Thanksgiving, was a welcome change.

Dad was at work. Mom had a scheduled conference with my third grade teacher just after noon. Since we were too young to stay home alone and since the school allowed kids to hang out in the gym while their parents were in conference, my sister and I went along. It was a rare opportunity to have the gym virtually to ourselves – basketballs and indoor hoops! I vaguely remember that a radio was playing in the background and suddenly the music stopped and a newsman began talking.

It's been five decades since that day and memories sometimes are a big cloudy. But I remember that even then I felt it was my responsibility to tell Mom that the president had been shot in Dallas when she was finished with her conference. She may have already been told and I remember it was a quiet ride back to the house.

In those days, both Mom and Dad were big Kennedy supporters. Looking back and considering my mom's political leanings later in life, I don't know if she was a real fan or if she was simply attempting to keep harmony in the house as she was married to a lifelong Democrat. What I do remember is the rest of that day and for most of the next three days, she shed a lot of tears.

My folks were not politically active. They didn't volunteer at candidate headquarters or make phone calls on behalf of candidates. But they made sure we were exposed to the political process at an early age. My earliest memory was when we were living in Rock Island, IL early in 1960. We walked down to the corner along a busy street and watched as a motorcade carrying the future president passed by. I still think he smiled and waved at us. Later that summer, we drove from our house in the Quad-Cities to Monticello, IA, to hear a campaign speech by the future vice president (and later president) Lyndon Johnson. He was truly in his element, speaking in front of a grandstand on the grounds of a county fair.

So much has been written about the Kennedy years, especially in the days leading up to this fateful anniversary. President Kennedy still maintains an approval rating over 90 percent. We have heard that he may not have always been faithful in his marriage. We learned that he served in office despite a debilitating back ailment. But he overcame so much to lead this nation for such a short time. He came from a family of great wealth, but also one of great service. Despite that wealth, his parents never let him nor his brothers or sisters forget the responsibilities they had to help mankind. He was a war hero, scholar, member of Congress and author.

He broke the mold of what our parents and grandparents expected in their president. Most of those who came before him were old enough to be grandfathers. John Kennedy had two young children under the age of six. He was also a practicing Catholic, another fact that some tried to use against him.

As we remember the Kennedy legacy, it's often tough for me to remember that many of those who I may want to discuss this with weren't even born when he was president. But even if you were only six or seven years old at that time, the few seconds of terror branded our memory with something that stays with us today and will last forever.

Thanks and an apology to our military

By Jeff Orvis

Yesterday, many of us took at least a couple of minutes out of our day to thank and remember veterans and current members of our armed forces. Veterans Day has been around for many years. A lot of the time in the past, many of us probably simply viewed it as a day when the banks were closed and there was no mail delivery.

Most of us either served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard or had friends or relatives that had. But with only a few notable exceptions, the era since the end of the Vietnam War has been a time of peace and it became easier to forget that a very important function of our government has been to protect us and ensure that continued peace.

I came of age when we were eligible for the draft during the Vietnam War. It's been a long time ago and I won't go into my views of our participation in that conflict. All I knew is I had no desire to join the armed forces. I'd heard horror stories of what was happening on the other side of the world and I knew I wanted no part of it. Besides, due to at least a couple of glaring health conditions, I was deemed not fit to duty.

This country was sharply divided on the issue of whether we should be fighting in Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, a lot of the negative feelings at that time was misdirected toward the returning soldiers. Many of them faced what we have now come to know as post traumatic stress syndrome, as well as exposure to poison that our military spread on the foliage over there. But that didn't seem to matter to the idiot fringe of the protest movement, who turned their venom toward the common foot soldier instead of toward our government.

Fast forward thirty or forty years and the attitude of the majority of us is gratitude toward the veterans of the conflicts in the Middle East, as well as those still on active duty. We may not all agree that our participation in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is the right thing, but we recognize that because we now have an all-volunteer military, they are serving in our stead.

So I can see why we should thank our military members. But I also think we owe them an apology as a nation. As I have commented in the past, the treatment that many of our military members receive from their government when they return is terrible. We may treat them as heroes when they step off the plane at the airport, then quickly forget where they've been and go about our lives. Meanwhile, many of them are struggling with wounds, visible and not-visible or simply struggling to return to a normal  life in a tough economy.

Even if you disagree with our government, most of us view members of our military as heroes. But they are often treated like second class citizens by a government that prides itself in enough red tape to decorate every Christmas tree in this country. By the time these men and women step into the combat zone or into their duties in a support role, they have received superior training. They are professionals. We should remember that. To put it in a sports term, we expect our military to perform like Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall, yet at times our government treats the returning troops like a bunch of sandlot players.

An NFL team owner would never dream of sending his players out on the field without the best pads and uniforms and without a team of trainers and doctors on the sidelines. In fact, the courts are finally starting to force the owners to also give retired players the care they deserve. If you don't intend to play the game with the best resources, whether it is football or the deadly game of war, then you shouldn't play.

You had to know that I couldn't write a piece like this without at least one political comment. But this might surprise you. Maybe it's time we not only make age and citizenship a requirement for the presidency, but also a condition that the candidate must be a military veteran. I realize we have had some former members of the military who have sat in the Oval Office that have disappointed us and some that have not served that have made some wise decisions. But maybe if the next president is a military veteran and the members of Congress who sit on the armed services and appropriations committees also must have served in the military, then our men and women who have served and will serve in the future will have a better chance at a quality life when they return.

So, thank you past and current members of the military. We promise to do a better job of holding our leaders accountable for the medical and financial recognition you so richly deserve.

Moving back home from home

By Jeff Orvis

In the days leading up to the big day, I kept telling friends and family that a week after the move, I would have the chance to sit back and sigh with relief. Well, here it is, almost two weeks later and I missed that target by almost a week.

Long story short, I have moved from Davenport back to Belle Plaine and so far, it has been a very wise decision.

About three years ago, I made the tough decision to leave here and move back to the Quad-Cities, where Mom generously agreed to clean out the spare bedroom for me. I did my best to clean out a two-story, three bedroom house, moving some belongings to a storage unit and loading up the van for the trip to Davenport. It was my intention to look for work there and eventually move into an apartment. After a couple of frustrating years of searching, I began to come to grips with advancing age and I scaled back my search.

Then August, 2012 came along and my focus shifted to being chief decision maker for Mom. I don't want to repeat that month ever again from the standpoint of watching as she suffered through three major surgeries and we ultimately made the agonizing decision to give her back to God. But even as I reflect on that tough month, I realize that He has had a hand in my life all along, especially since I left here in 2010. I had the chance to to reconnect with Mom for nearly two years. We didn't always agree - especially on politics and religion. But on the whole, I will cherish those times and some great memories.

Since her passing in September, 2012, I have been devoted to settling her estate. When I agreed to be the executor, I really had no inkling of what was involved. But thanks to family, good friends and a patient attorney, the estate is almost settled. We sold her condo and I knew I had to find a new place to live.

I have to admit that there were many hours of doubt that all this would fall into place. But I truly believe that if you "let go and let God," good things can happen. My sister was one of the true champions in my corner when I finally decided to set my goal to return to a small town in east central Iowa, where many of my friends still lived. Although she has spent the majority of her adult life living in places where a reliable automobile becomes your best friend, she listened when I talked about some of the amazing relationships I had established in this great small town.

So many things had to fall into place in just the right order to make this move happen. I made one trip back here to look at the apartment I eventually rented. Although I hadn't met my eventual landlords before, having spent more than 10 years here helped. I know several of their sons and despite the fact that my reputation preceded me, they agreed to make me their tenant.

Then came the move arrangements. I have a couple of good friends in Davenport, Eric and Lynn, who looked after Mom before I moved back to Davenport like she was their mom. They transferred that care to me after Mom was gone, so I guess I was lucky to inherit an unofficial brother and sister. They helped me pack up stuff and Eric and their son, Aaron, sacrificed a Saturday to drive the truck and unload.

It's difficult to explain to some folks who have not experienced life in a small town. But the first day I began running errands here, people called out to me on the street, in the stores and the bank. They remembered me, even though I had only visited once in three years. You don't get that kind of attention in a larger city.

I left a neighborhood where you could get a sub sandwich at five different shops, groceries at one of at least four places or a hamburger at nearly a dozen restaurants within a two-mile radius of the condo. But not once did anyone at any of those places know my name. I have told my sister that if she needs to contact me and I don't answer the phone, she can call any one of a half-dozen folks here in Belle Plaine and they will find me. Try that in Davenport, or any other large city, where it's way too easy to disappear.

People I meet ask what my future plans are. I am not really sure. For now, I plan on taking time for rest and reflection and more frequent blog entries. I want to stay involved in this community, through church, occasional visits to City Hall and downtown businesses and maybe an occasional visit to a city council or school board meeting. I have not severed ties with my old hometown. I still subscribe to the electronic edition of the Davenport newspaper and check in several times a week with Eric and Lynn. And in this era of social networking, friends and family are only a couple of keystrokes away.