I spent the last few days collecting images of Alcoholics Anonymous jewelry. Not sure exactly why, I guess it was a continuation of my earlier obsession with AA Medallions.
These pendants are all available for an ebay store called Enlightened Expressions. I guess there something about the lexicon on 'The Program' --the slogans 'One Day at a Time', "Easy Does it', "Keep Coming Back' the triangle, the camel, the butterfly--that fascinates me, the secret society aspect of it, commemorated in 14 karat gold and available on ebay.
I ended up seeing Rachel Getting Married last night with out any idea that it would have so much to do with 12 step programs. The synchronicity was heightened being that my companion was someone with a personal connection to the program, and we both felt like the film explored the culture in a way that was both real and unromantic.
The film is great, intense, introspective, beautiful and left me with a desire to attend a unconventional multi-ethnic wedding. It could definitely put into a cluster with the Jennifer Jason Leigh trifecta of Georgia, Margot at the Wedding and perhaps The Anniversary Party in terms of dealing with issues of sisterhood, dysfunctional families and parties and yet it approaches those issues with a warmth not found in the other films.
It also left me obsessed with with Debra Winger who doesn't have much screen time but whose chilling performance lingered with me afterwards. I am queuing up a bunch of her films now, I'm sure there will be screengrabs to follow. And one more obsession, the screenwriter Jenny Lumet, daughter of Sidney Lumet of Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon fame, granddaughter of Lena Horne. Just sayin'...