"1950"

How do heist movies make this work? First, since usually the bad guys are in effect the protagonists, we get to know them as living, breathing characters. They gradually tap into our innate sympathy for the underdog, outcast, and rebel.  The heist itself may come to represent the bigger challenges in our own lives, since the same elements determine success: intelligence, instinct, daring, planning, teamwork, and let’s not forget- luck.

I've always loved France, and most everything French. One key reason is the French people's enviable reputation for knowing how to live well. They seem to possess the perspective and confidence to savor all the good things of life: food, wine, romance, and leisure.

With the holidays approaching, my thoughts turn to parties, and the uptick in food and alcohol consumption that goes with the season. I’m girding myself for the onslaught. Drinking can be treacherous for many people, but I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy it over the years. Though technically a depressant, booze usually cheers me up and fortifies me, particularly when confronting a room full of relative strangers.

With Netflix increasingly focused on promoting their robust lineup of original programming, I find myself turning more and more to Amazon Prime for great older titles, often referred to as “classics.”

Congratulations! Dates one and two went so well that a third date is now on the books. This is a critical juncture. The charming awkwardness of the first couple of dates is wearing off and relationship potential is beginning to seem like solid currency.