For Linda and Family

When I started out the new semester at San Francisco State, I thought the worst thing that could happen is that I’m going to wind up in yet another film class with theories that are far left field or totally bogus or both. My wish was granted with my Film and Society class where we’ve been assigned four books, one of which is “Media Control” by established author and anarchist Noam Chomsky. Amazingly, something much worse has happened and it had nothing to do with school.

This past Sunday, a couple at my church had a terrible accident. Bob and Linda Griffin, a couple who have been married for a few years had an accident on Highway 1 just north of Santa Cruz. They were hit by an allegedly drunk driver and the car turned over. Linda was killed in the driver’s seat. Bob suffered two broken femurs, multiple broken ribs, maybe even more. He had surgery and is currently in intensive care.

Bob and Linda’s two children were in the back seat. Basia, age 5, wasn’t hurt and is currently under doctor supervision. Bo, age 2, suffered a broken arm and is being looked after by a fellow church member. If you want to read more, click here for a website showing their situation updates.

I never knew Linda that well. I know what she looked like, but I seldom spoke with her. I always focused more on her two children who liked to run around the church every Sunday. Basia is a bundle of joy. I still remember a few years ago when I passed by a table during coffee hour after church. I went to get some water from the water pitcher and Basia was standing there at the table with her tongue hanging out like a puppy dog. I asked her if she wanted water. She nodded. I poured her some. I also watched as she ran around one of the parties we’d been to.

Basia is very fortunate to have come out of the accident unharmed, but she and her sister are of my greatest concerns. I believe God is looking after Linda right now, but I pray that he stays with the kids. I hope Basia and Bo can find proper guidance through God somehow and I hope Bob will recover quickly and have the strength to raise them. Bob, I know pretty well. He frequently plays guitar at church. I actually asked him for guitar lessons many years ago, but never really got them. I pray for Bob and his kids and I pray that I can find a way to help them in the coming weeks.

Tonight, there was a prayer service at the church that I went to with my family. I cried as the reality of the two girls growing up without a mother finally settled into me. When tragedies occur, I often wonder what God is doing when they happen. I realize that running everything is a difficult task, but perhaps this plays into a greater plan. The driver that hit the Griffin family was allegedly drunk. There’s no way that God would be orchestrating this event even through a drunk driver. Instead, he had to have let it happen while he was maybe off performing another task.

Linda Griffin was a wonderful woman. Just ask everyone she knew. But sadly, her time here on Earth is up. And if this was part of god’s plan, then there has to be something greater to happen in the long run. Maybe God let it happen because he wanted Bob, Basia and Bo to come out of the tragedy stronger than ever in spirit and in health. As for the drunk driver, he will probably face a long time in prison. But maybe during that time, he’ll think about his life and who he is and what he did. People have been known to find God in prison. Maybe he’ll come out a better man.

In order to get through any tragedy, a lot of grieving is necessary. But the key to surviving the tragedy is to come out the other in with a rainbow. Keep your chin up when the time comes. Think positive and have faith in God that your path is a good one. Linda lived her life with a positive attitude. Let’s all carry on the tradition.

Two-fer Tuesday

It must be Two-fer Tuesday. Why? Because today’s big news came in doubles. And boy, did it suck.

First off was Fred Thompson throwing in the towel:

Today, Republican Presidential Candidate Fred Thompson announced that he was leaving the presidential race.

According to CNN, in an e-mailed statement, Thompson said, “Today I have withdrawn my candidacy for President of the United States. I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort. Jeri and I will always be grateful for the encouragement and friendship of so many wonderful people.”

Thompson, the former senator from Tennessee and an actor, best known for his role in television’s Law & Order, entered the race late—by campaign standards. After much speculation, Thompson announced his candidacy on Jay Leno on September 4, 2007.

I guess it was to be expected though. After he announced his candidacy last year, people were saying his campaigning efforts were in need of improvement. And after he’d spent so much time doing podcasts online and building up his popularity. The guy was like what if Ronald Reagan did fireside chats. He was that cool. If he’d stayed in the race and actually beaten out the other candidates, I think he’d try to stick by his principles as president. But since he’s pulled out, that alone shows he didn’t have what it takes. I suppose I’ll have to look to supporting Duncan Hunter or Mitt Romney from here on out.

And disappointing piece of news number two is, the Joker is dead, but it wasn’t Batman that killed him:

Oscar-nominee Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday at his downtown Manhattan residence, face-down and naked at the foot of his bed with prescription sleeping pills in the apartment, police said. The Australian-born actor was 28.

There was no obvious indication of suicide or foul play, said NYPD spokesman Paul Browne.

"We are all deeply saddened and shocked by this accident," Ledger's publicist, Mara Buxbaum, said in a statement Tuesday night. "This is an extremely difficult time for his loved ones and we are asking the media to please respect the family's privacy and avoid speculation until the facts are known."

His father, mother and sister in Australia also expressed their shock at the actor's "untimely and accidental" death in a statement for Seven Network, The Associated Press reported.

And on top of that, most other news agencies I’ve read the story from have played up his death like he was a Chris Farley overdosing for suicidal purposes. Not only does it bum me out that the guy is dead, but that he was going to play “The Joker” in “The Dark Knight.” Now all the trailers showing him dressed as the character are out, but I don’t know if they’ve finished filming his part yet. Are they going to have to pull a Brandon Lee for this movie? Oy.

Other than all this, classes for the Spring semester start tomorrow for me. I have no one to give me rides here and there either because the classes are all at times inconvenient for other people. Some of my teachers are probably going to try and indoctrinate me again with more weird theories about film. On the plus side, I do have to think positive. More classes means more filming experience, I bought my new Wii a few weeks ago and it’s been awesome to me, working out is working out, my new show has a cool new intro and I still have more film projects coming up which I’m gonna have a blast with. So until next time, peace out.

Happy New Year!

Another new year, another new video. Enjoy: