Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Thursday Thirteen #16

Thirteen Things The Sound of Music means to me or The Power of Story to Impact a Life:

1. It was the first movie I ever saw on a big screen in a theater.
2. I was seven years old.
3. I wasn’t to see another until I was 16.
4. For several years afterward I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to be a nun or a governess. (Only until I could be married so I could be a mother, of course.)
5. But even then I identified most with Marta, the Captain’s daughter who had to be whistled for twice in the scene in which the children were being introduced to Maria. She walked to her position in line with a book in front of her face. I already had a reputation for that and continued the habit into young-adulthood. Walking and reading at the same time is something the RP has taken from me.
6. The experience also woke me to the sound of music which I can’t redeemer I ever much noticed before that. I began to vigorously participate in the song services at Sunday school and Bible study. But then as now I could carry a tune about as well as a duck with hiccups.
7. If it hadn’t been for this movie, I would never have missed the dancing that our religion denied us.
8. "The hills are alive with the sound of music.." that song as well as Climb Every Mountain could bring tears of joy to my eyes then and as I discovered Sunday night, they still can.
9. My Favorite Things, Do, Re, Mi, and ‘(What are we going to do about) Maria?' could give me a fit of giggles then. And still can. As can the word flibertygibbet which one of the nuns called Maria in that song.
10. This movie also gave me the idea of having a very large family. I kept hoping for more brothers and sisters after the sister that was born the previous year. None arrived. I also began talking about wanting seven kids of my own someday. A couple years later that became a dozen after I discovered the novel, Cheaper By the Dozen. It has been one of the biggest disappointments of my life that I never became a mother.
11. This movie also made me aware of the fact that some people lived in houses in which a single room could swallow up my family’s entire house and yard. This was the seeding of my consciousness of wealth and class and power.
12. Speaking of which. This movie gave me my first inkling that there was a power in this world that was so much bigger than my father it could require something from him that he could not refuse unless he was willing to flee with his family in the middle of the night, leaving everything they owned behind except the clothes on their backs. And concomitantly there are things powers in this world will require that must be refused at all costs--for submission to them would entail loss of something more precious than life itself.
13. From about the time I saw The Sound of Music my experience of reading stories was dramatically changed. I began to visualize the stories playing out in full color and motion as tho on a screen that allowed a global view with all the variety of camera shots--from long shots of glorious landscape to close-ups of a single tear falling from an eyelash. The same became true of the stories I began to create. There are probably many ways it impacted my sense of how a story is made, of which I am still unaware. It was within the following year--before I turned nine--that I began writing stories.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. amy 2. JohnH985 3. my 2 cents 4. Incog & Nito 5. Susan 6. Candy Minx 7. Tink 8. Jenny Ryan

(leave your link in comments, I'll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It's easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!


14 tell me a story:

Unknown 1/17/2007 8:05 PM  

Please dont kill me. I have never seen the movie, but I do love the music..I need to see that movie..Great post!. its increased my interest

John Holland 1/17/2007 8:57 PM  

Very interesting list. It's great to see a work of art have such an effect on someone.

My 13 are up.

K 1/17/2007 10:30 PM  

The Sound of Music is one of my all time favorite movies, ever. I love it! I saw a live theater musical a couple years ago also, and they did an outstanding performance.

I've also always loved the story of Cheaper By The Dozen. And, like you, have always dreamed of having a huge family one day

Lisa 1/18/2007 4:43 AM  

It's amazing how movies or music can impact on ones life. Happy T13.

Susan 1/18/2007 7:20 AM  

Tremendous TT, truly. Oops the alliteration there was totally accidental! Anyway flibbertygibbet is pretty much the best word ever, I agree! I love this movie and always have - like you I bawl my head off when they get to "Climb Every Mountain." Sidenote: my mom saw the real Trapp family sing in a community concert when she was in high school - they used to tour the US apparently, perhaps the world really, after their escape. Great TT - thanks for the memories! (Itching to go buy the anniversary version DVD now...)

Susan 1/18/2007 7:21 AM  

oops forgot - here's my link if you want to post me :) http://sus63.blogspot.com/

Candy Minx 1/18/2007 7:36 AM  

Joy, this is a stunning list! You have really tapped into the power and influence of stories and how they intertwine into our lives and how all of our stiries are one story told so many different ways.

You also reminded me of many feelings I felt when I first saw this movie and how powerful a female role model Julie Andrews has been. Her force and energy in this movie is incredible and she was a very liberated character for her times, able to talk back to several authority figures, to find redemption and purpose through love and kindness. And isn't this father an intimidating and wonderful man that you are correct, he did make a huge sacrifice and change in order to "do the right thing".

The nazi's terrified me as a child, and part of my education on the holocaust is related to this movie. It shows how hatred and intolerance trickled down to all people...not just towards gays and Jews but to all people hate in leadership kills and challenges our spirits.

Terrific post girl!!
I am so glad to have the time to return to my blog buddies, I was very tied up for the last couple of weeks and not able to get online...thank you for coming to my blog and your wonderful comments. They mean a lot to me Joy.

Cheers and here is my TT list...

http://gnosticminx.blogspot.com/

http://gnosticminx.blogspot.com/2007/01/roads-dreams-snow.html

Tink 1/18/2007 2:39 PM  

Last Christmas The Sound of Music was on Tv and I watched again, from beginning to end! I should buy it on DVD. ;-)
Thanks for visiting my TT. Water is my element, so again we like the same!

Anonymous,  1/18/2007 6:17 PM  

I just love this movie!

Caylynn 1/19/2007 1:03 AM  

Wonderful list! The Sound of Music is a great musical. I love so many of the songs. Just wonderful.

Thanks for stopping by my T13 on running. There are stories in the various running magazines every year about runners who are legally blind, who do races, up to marathons, with a sighted companion to make sure the way is safe and clear for them. These stories are always so inspiring and remind me that my relatively minor infirmities, which make me a slow runner, are nothing compared to what some people deal with.

Take care and have a good day!

Jeannine 1/19/2007 1:23 PM  

I think I know all the songs of Sound of Music by heart. Not because I have seen it so much but because my 9 and 10 year old daughter go about the house singing them all day. :-)
From the about uhmm..., lets see, almost 400 DVD's we have to chose from when they want to watch a movie (as we don't have a TV), the 5 most picked are:
Sound of Music
My Fair Lady
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Paint your Wagon
and
The Slipper and the Rose

I don't know why but they just love them.
Hey, I am not complaining, don't get me wrong but I am intrigued...
Maybe because those Movies paint a better world for them, than the one we are living in nowadays?
Great T13!

Anonymous,  1/20/2007 4:04 AM  

Yes, plenty of memorable songs from the movie, The Sound of Music. Thanks for reminding me.
# 4) I wanted to be a nun too; that is, until I decided being a wife and mother was what God wanted for me. That's exactly how I phrased it too.
# 5) also rings some bells for I used to go to bed with a book tucked close to my heart. I read poorly though. Going to bed with it was like a prayer. During the day, I never had time to go around with a book in my face but I had admiration for those who did.
# 10) I grew up in a large family (9 kids). It was my goal as well. I ended up with four (one step child). I've learned, since those innocent days, that we get what helps us to grow. Might mean kids; might not.
13) You summed it up perfectly when you said, "I began to visualize the stories playing out in full color and motion as tho on a screen that allowed a global view with all the variety of camera shots."
So true. I "see" that way too.
Good list.

Anonymous,  1/22/2007 6:47 AM  

I was similarly inspired to have tons of progeny when I read "Cheaper By the Dozen" for 7th grade summer reading.
I'm kind of having doubts about the plausibility of that "dream" at this stage in my life.
Thanks for your comments/compliments about my Write Stuff entry.
I was dying for a comment!

Candy Minx 1/25/2007 12:24 PM  

Hey where are ya?

Just stopping by to check out if you've done you're TT list yet...I was very slow at getting my list going, but then I couldn't STOP.

If you have any interest in art ...and I know you do about story, drop by Joy!

http://gnosticminx.blogspot.com/2007/01/desperate-and-lonely-time.html

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