Ralph Beren Reviews Movie "50/50"
Adam Lerner is a sort of regular guy with a job at PBS, an off beat pal, and a girl friend. Nothing unusual here although he appears to be emotionally flat. Early in the film his doctor informs him that he has a rare form of cancer with a 50/50 chance of recovery. This news provides fodder for the film and for Alan as he slowly begins to wake up and take on life. The film's focus on his treatment and his subsequent development as a fuller adult is the primary theme. Once again Joseph Gordon Levitt (earlier seen in "500 days of summer" and "inception") chooses a role which not many young actors could make believable. He underplays the part beautifully taking us through his through his initial diagnosis , treatments with chemo and his unhelpful sessions with a female student therapist who clearly does not know how to help him come to grips with his disease.
For all Levitt's lack of personal drama he is surrounded by characters who provide plenty of drama. His best friend, who is warm and funny, is played by Seth Rogen without his usual Jeff Apatow antics. Although he provides humor (often suggesting they go out and have sex) he has his redeeming features. For example, we discover that Rogen has bought some books on how to be a best friend for a cancer patient. The other characters are stereotypical. This includes a caricature of just the kind of doctor we do not want to have. He delivers the cancer message without looking at Adam or displaying any sympathy. The therapist is also a stock character with her textbook methods of trying to treat Adam. However as the movie progresses and she begins to morph into another role, she becomes far more alive. The long suffering and overbearing mother is another typical person played by Angelica Huston. A throw away part for a great actress.
In spite of these characters, who all play minor roles, the movie is very affecting. How hard must it be to direct a film that has an equal part of humor and pathos? Ask Will Reiser. He is the director and this is, in large part, his story when he was diagnosed with cancer.
Member's Meeting Coming Up in February
We're planning our Member's Annual Meeting in February. Stay tuned for the date and place to be announced soon.
The Member's Annual Meeting is the time to hear where the Village is heading and to give your ideas about our direction and the types of events, services and programs you'd like to see. We will present our finances and look at accomplishments from 2011 as well as preview programs we have planned for 2012.
More importantly, this is YOUR Village and we need your voice to make it the best it can be in supporting you as you age in community and the homes you love. Please be sure to come to this meeting with your comments and suggestions on how we're doing in meeting your needs. It's a great time to help plan the future of SF Village and meet your fellow members. We hope you'll join us! We will let you know the place, date and time for the meeting as soon is it is finalized. We know for sure that the event will take place during the day based on your input.
Interested in Volunteering to Help Fellow Village Members?
We will train you! It's easy and fun with our instructor Keyatta Shade. As you know, volunteers are what make our services to you really work. If you or someone you know wants to volunteer to help fellow members, please read the training information below. We'd love to see you there! Bring your friends and guests.
San Francisco Village will host its monthly Village Volunteer Training at the Presidio Branch Library(3150 Sacramento Street; use door on lower level - left of main door; the library is wheelchair accessible) on Saturday January 21st at 9:30am. The training is designed to assist those with little or no experience working with seniors. It will include a discussion of issues facing seniors, active listening tools, using role playing techniques, identifying hazards in the home and much more. If you are interested in participating in the training, please contact Key Shade at the San Francisco Village to RSVP. Space is limited. Village members are encouraged to attend and participate as they often come with a wealth of knowledge to contribute.
Please RSVP for the training by calling Key at 414-387-1375 Ext .0 or email him at info@sfvillage.org. Thank you.
Cleaning Your Closet Can Benefit You and the Village
San Francisco Village has recently become a beneficiary of the Community Thrift Store. A percentage of sales of items donated by Village members, friends and neighbors will be allocated to the Village.
All you need to do is indicate that you want the proceeds to benefit SF Village using the Code Number 122.
To make it easy for you to get rid of your used clothes and household items, the Village will pick up your cast offs and take them down to the Thrift Shop for you. We are scheduling a volunteer pick up for the third Friday morning of the month. (That’s January 13th this coming month.) Just call the office at 415-387-1375, Ext 0 and put your name on the list for pick up.
If you want to take a tax deduction, Community Thrift asks you to fill out a form with a list of the items (form available from the Village office). You receive your deduction at your estimated “fair market value” and the Village receives the proceeds minus the shop’s operating costs. A win-win for everybody!
If you prefer to take your donation directly to Community Thrift, you follow the exact same procedures and give them the Village’s Code Number 122. (All the profit from Community Thrift sales go to charities, each having their own code number.) Community Thrift accepts donations 7 days a week from 10 AM to 5 PM. The drop off bay is on the Sycamore alley located between 17th and 18th Street off Mission toward Valencia.
Community Thrift accepts most anything in good condition for resale, but not children’s items or baby equipment, linens, and electrical items. They do accept computers for recycling. We can also arrange for Estate and furniture pick up. For additional details contact the Village. We can send you a brochure with more specific information. The Village’s monthly pick up service makes it easy!
Welcome New Village Members!
From October through December our Village grew by 12 new members. We're so glad you joined and we look forward to seeing you soon at an upcoming event or meeting.
Please welcome the following fellow members:
Dora Ferraris
Lucy Howard Cohen
Lillian Markinson
Ellen Sandler
Barbara and Michael Wenger
Elizabeth Garnar
Colleen Gleason
Jane Hopkins
Jean Wright
Reginold Milton
Conway Savageau
Need Help? Call the SFV Office
Thank you members for requesting services from the SFV office. We spend as much time as needed on each request to make sure you, our members, get what you need accomplished with the least hassle. Call us for anything! If we don't have an answer we'll find you one.
Recently we fulfilled the following 25 requests:
Handyman - 1 request
Movie buddy coordination - 1 request
Research for members (on various topics) - 1 request
Transportation - 6 requests
Caregiver referrals - 2 requests
Mattress Flipping/Light Bulb Changing - 2 requests
Weekly Errand Running- 1 request
Wallpaper hanger - 1 request
Computer assistance - 1 request
As always, we attempt to fulfill your requests with volunteers, but when they are not available we find a professional provider who will give a special rate to SF Village members. Call us and see how much we can help you with large and small concerns and needs.415-387-1375 Ext 0 or info@sfvillage.org
Lights, Camera, Action - Members Get Together For Movie-going
SF Village member Phyllis Lund loves to go to the movies, but she really wanted other movie-lovers to go with her. She called the Village office with her request and the Village hooked her up with other members living in her zip code. Now she's got a couple of movie-buddies to share the big screen scene. These buddies all live in the 94131 zip code but members from all over the City are welcome. They especially like matinees at the Century Empire (in West Portal) and at the Stonestown Theater. Anyone in the Village can join this movie-going group. Just call the office and we'll connect you with them.
Call the SF Village office at 415-387-1375 Ext. 0.
Village Classifieds - New Newsletter Feature
Have a need that you'd like to share with other Village members? We can help. Submit your Classified Ad to the office no later than the 15th of every month and we'll post it in the next published newsletter:
January Village Classifieds
♦ Perhaps you have or know someone who has a potential rental for one of your fellow members. Here's a little bit about them and what they are looking for: Family seeks home to rent or care for in San Francisco. We are a family of three adults who have lived at the San Francisco Zen Center for over 38 years. As a Buddhist priest, and an environmental education non-profit director, and a recent college graduate, our work includes teaching, painting, community development and communications. Its time for us to have our own place in San Francisco, where we can have a small group of students over to our house for classes, brush work, workdays and meditation. We are looking for a long-term space with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a studio and a meditation room, good parking, and close to transportation. We have a solid financial situation, and can commit long-term. If you have an empty San Francisco home that you are not using, please consider allowing us to rent and care for this space. We also have two indoor well-behaved middle-aged cats. Thank you very much!
If you have an interest in renting to them or ideas about where they might find a rental (they have been looking for several months and have used CraigsList), please call the SFV office at 415-387-1375 or email Key at info@sfvillage.org. Thank you.
♦ A member is looking for someone to join her in a bi-weekly Pilates class. The member knows the teacher well and has worked with her. The teacher is a licensed physiotherapist as well as a Pilates instructor. Class would be for two only. Cost: $35 per hour. Please contact the office if you are interested in learning more.
415-387-1375 Ext. 0 or email info@sfvillage.org
Book Group Reading: "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy"
The SF Village Book Group meets on Monday January 23rd at 1:00pm at Kathryn McNeil's' home -- 1150 Lombard Street, #38.
The group is reading John Le Carré's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. About the book (from the publisher):
John Le Carré's internationally famous hero, British Secret Service Agent George Smiley, has a world-class problem. He has discovered a mole--a Soviet double agent who has managed to burrow his way up to the highest level of British Intelligence. Under the direction of Karla, Smiley's equivalent in the Soviet Union, the agent has already blown some of the most vital secret operations and most productive networks. Now, how can Smiley use a lifetime's worth of espionage skills to ferret out a spy who possesses them as well?
Are you intrigued? Please RSVP to Susie Zacharias -- 913-7138.
Play Reading Group Meets January 11
Come and join the Play Reading Group as they explore "Marco Polo Sings a Solo," by John Guare.
WHEN: Wednesday January 11, 2012 from 5:00 - 7:00 PM
WHERE: At Vera Fields' home -- 2841 Baker Street (Between Greenwich and Filbert). Please call Vera to RSVP 415-567-8991.
Village Member Publishes Book
Village member Agatha Hoff has written a book about her experiences as a San Francisco Court Commissioner. You can find more about her book at
http://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Hoff/e/B006FOIM3M
Congratulations Agatha!
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