One of the funniest yet thoughtful movies of this or any time is the now classic GROUNDHOG DAY starring Bill Murray and Andie McDowell. This 1993 movie tells the tale of a narcissistic weatherman from Pittsburgh with aspirations of hitting the "big" time. Assigned to go to Punxsutawney, PA for the annual Groundhog Festival February 2 to see if the groundhog sees his shadow or not (seeing it means 6 more weeks of winter) he goes with his producer and cameraman.
It is not a pleasant journey and he makes it clear this is beneath his "talents" to have to go. He alone stays in a bed and board, the hoi pollo stay at the local hotel.
Our first day with Phil is a combination of trite events and disaster. After being obnoxious to the kindly proprietor of the B&B, he stumbles into an old classmate, an insurance salesman. After stepping into a foot high puddle he arrives at the ceremony in the town park late but in time for the unveiling of the poor groundhog who looks like he'd rather be in bed. Seeing his shadow all groan! Phil reports this condensingly live and they hustle into the station's van for their return to Pittsburgh. Only, in ignoring his own weather report they get caught in a snow storm and have to return to Punxsutawney. He leaves them to their own devices and finally in a snit goes to bed.
The next morning the day seems to begin again. Sonny and Cher sing "I Got You Babe" on the clock radio, the world looks about the same outdoors and as he leaves he realizes that this is exactly what he did yesterday. Oddly, he remembers but no one else does. This day is a little different only in that he knows what is going to happen. Try as he might, he CAN'T change it.
The story line by the writers was timeless. The studio wanted it to be two weeks but as the movie
 |
| Does he or doesn't he? |
progresses you realize the timeline is much, MUCH longer. That's the joy and frustration.
Next he tries to die. One day he grabs the groundhog, steals a truck and drives over an embankment where he and the groundhog die when the truck explodes. The next morning promptly at 6:00 am the radio starts singing "I Got You Babe." More suicide scenes follow but gradually he begins to realize that there is something more he is to learn. Eventually he does.
There has never been a better depiction of hell, even better than Dante. He made it a place of torment but GROUNDHOG DAY makes it ordinary but ordinary the same forever. While no one remembers Phil does and finally has the presence to begin to change internally. He learns French, plays the piano, becomes a friend to those in need, in short, a better and kinder person. It is that new and changed person that finally nets him the woman he wishes to partner with who finally sees in him a better man.
To be fair, every day is not "exactly" like the day before but on the whole it is. I walk the dog early before most people are up, usually around 5:30 am, I come home, make coffee, chat with my friend in China, eat breakfast and find something to do. I paint and have put new items in my ETSY store, I worked on a photo book and got that done and printed. I scrubbed the yucky black grout on my tiles floors, read books, lots of magazine and watched Netflix and Prime shows. I got rid of cable so watch the evening news on my iPad and cook all my meals every day. The only times I leave, besides the 30 minute walk outside the gates in the morning is for:
- Doctor appointments though many are now virtual
- To go get medicines
- Grocery Shopping
and often I bundle chores together so I don't have to drive every day. I have spent up to 10 days without driving. Friends go shopping every day just to get out of the house. There are times, trust me. If we could leave before there was, well, no there to go too. Everything was closed.
That was about all that was open until early June. However, it appears opening up is cause again for alarm. Riverside County is second highest Corvid-19 count only after Los Angeles County. Some restaurants have had take out but after reading that a famous restaurant in downtown Palm Springs closed after reopening because an employee tested positive for the virus, further desires to eat out or even buy a burrito at the restaurant at the end of my driveway stopped.
A friend concerned about my well being sent me the risk factors for a variety of "opened" activities rated from 1 - 9. Eating out at an indoor restaurant is rated a Risk factor of 6, a drink in a bar is a 9! Who's to say someone working there isn't positive and shows no symptoms? Beijing is more or less quarantined after one case ballooned to over 200. One restaurant had seven workers who tested positive. People and fish tested positive in a fish market. Now they are all closed. Sure 21 million live there but, and it's a big BUT, no one knows who may have it or where it will pop up next. Our valley and our county are seeing 50% spikes over the past week.
So, for me every day is about like the day before however, to be fair every week is like the week before. During one of my ZOOM meetings, one that worked, someone about my age wondered, "Is this the way I live the rest of my life?" She put in words what I was feeling. Peggy Lee's old song suddenly boomed in my head, "Is That All There Is?"
Much has been written about this and I won't dwell on it except to ask, IS this all there is? Getting it and living after is not without effects. Hearts, kidneys, liver even blood and for sure lungs are affected during and probably long after. The could be, first attempts, as bad as the disease. Ask anyone in the LGBTQ community. The first drugs killed as many as they saved. These are all things to definitely ponder as we shelter-in-place in "our winter and now summer of our discontent." Dying to get out may just give you that chance!
Thank you for reading my blog. I invite you to take the time to read earlier blogs where my emphasis is to explore the ways art and design affects our daily lives ... and always has. I share with you what inspires me with the hope that it will inspire you as well. Comments are always welcomed!
Be sure to check my ETSY store ... KrugsStudio.etsy.com. I am adding many new and exciting, collectible birdhouses and craft items. Many of the items talked about here will be for sale there!
