Finally Dawn – Nothing Like You Would Expect

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This is a very good movie, for the simple fact that it is not what you would expect. Firstly, as the photo shows above, it is not about Josephine (Lily James front and center above) as the movie posters want you to believe. Willem Dafoe only plays a character actor, who actually speaks Italian most of the film, not perfectly, as well as English to translate. It is not your typical post-WWII Italian film either, as you come to believe in the beginning and keep expecting it to be throughout. The film is about Mimosa (Rebecca Antonaci – who doesn’t even get a Wikipedia page), and even the name is rather cute and has a hidden meaning I think. Mimosa is a delicious breakfast drink of champagne and orange juice. Thus telling us that she has two sides to her. She wants to have fun but she also has very good values. Her values are the suspense of this film. You fear for her not returning home, as is promised many times throughout.

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Survivor Stories – Human Trafficking

Virginia Giuffre

There are many survivors of the Jeffrey Epstein/Ghislaine Maxwell human trafficking scandal. While we only hear about the women, I have seen a photo online of him standing with a group of boys. I imagine that they are having a harder time coming forward, as male sexual abuse survivors often do. Virginia Giuffre appears to be the most outspoken, female survivor, with her book “Nobody’s Girl.” What is sad is two things, one that she felt so alone and depressed that she died by suicide. Secondly, that one of the other victim’s a Korean woman by the name of Rina Oh and she were in pursuit of justice in different ways and at odds with each other at the same time.

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BECOMING FEARLESS AND FREE: BONNIE MITSUI (1944-2013): Pioneer in local, organic agriculture

Tai Chi instructor Vince Lasorso spent hours weekly with Bonnie Mitsui the last two years of her life. She came to him with a cancer diagnosis, and told him that she was ready to die. Due to several severe strokes, she had persistent pain in her arms and legs and had years ago switched her dominant hand, painting and working primarily with her left. She had accomplished much with her influential experiment, Turner Farm, both on the farm and in the region. And had overcome significant emotional and psychological barriers from losing her mother and inheriting wealth at an early age. She had reconciled with her son and met her grandchild before she died and this provided her great comfort.

Bonnie Mitsui will be remembered as the founder of Turner Farm, a local organic Community Supported Agriculture farm, where literally hundreds of people worked over the years as part of a number of CSAs and as interns training to become farmers in their own right. Professor Alan Wight has noted that there were two nodes of farmer training and visionary work that helped to build a vibrant local and organic food economy in Cincinnati and Turner Farm was one of them.

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Gaslight Scene which Captures Gaslighting Best

This particular scene works best in understanding what “gaslighting” is. It also shows the moves of a pathological liar in motion. When watching this, pay particular attention to when she says “the letter.” See how Gregory stops in motion, is thinking, then turns around and stumbles with his words ever so slightly before conjuring up the lie that she never had the letter in the first place. When Paula uses the terms “insane” she is letting us all know that this is what it feels like when someone is gaslighting you. Although she says “Are you trying to tell me I am insane.” This is an educated woman trying to make sense of her reality. This is the difference between a lie an gaslighting.

At the end, a discussion is had about why “he” can’t let her go out in public. This would have been the worst thing that could happen to a society woman in her time period. She would become speculation for gossip and rumors, which we see in this movie when the two maids are talking outside the house (this is not on this clip). In today’s day and age, if a celebrity couple is captured in a photo (alone or together), perhaps in a bad mood, bad hair day, poor choice of clothing, this is the modern way of “going out in public” and gossip and rumors run havoc in the tabloids.

Margaret Sanger – Yes, History is Not Comfortable – Respect the Reasons

Image courtesy of Library of Congress Catalog/Wikimedia Commons

Margaret Sanger’s history is coming up for slaughter in a new documentary put together by the “right.” Even Planned Parenthood is running scared and trying to step away from their founding mother rather than taking a stand for history and the person who created their organization. You cannot erase the past and it is important to respect the reasons people had for their beliefs, as this was a different time and in fact a desperate time for women.

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Dial M for Murder – A Very Very Prepared Psychopath

Ray Milland plays Tony Wendice (prn. When-dess), in the 1954 Hitchcock film “Dial M For Murder.” He is a cold, calculating, psychopath, who has elegantly and cleverly set up Anthony Dawson’s character Charles Swann to kill his wife for her money. This is a familiar storyline from the movies Temptation, Double Indemnity, The Postman Rings Twice, to name a few.

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Narcissist or Emotionally Immature – Dr. Ramani Explains the Difference

Society uses this term too lightly and it is important to understand the difference. Naturally you should never use this term toward someone, especially since you are not a psychology professional and even when you are. We want to, but it will only work against us. It feels like they need to know, but it is better to focus on taking care of yourself rather than trying to change them.

Keeping Up Appearances – the Narcissistic Wife and Neighbor

While this is a comedy, you can imagine, when you view this series from the BBC, how difficult it would be to be in the character Richard’s shoes (her husband) and that of her neighbors. Dame Patricia Rutledge died this past week, at the age of 96 and so I thought I’d share one of her most remarkable performances as a Narcissistic wife and neighbor. Her character’s name is Hyacinth Bucket (though she makes sure everyone pronounces her name Bouquet instead). She is so focused on looking good, hence the title of the show. It does not matter what her husband thinks, her neighbors, her siblings, the Vicar and his wife. Everyone is under her thumb and reacts appropriately to her expectations.

If you get a chance to watch this TV series, it will make you laugh hysterically. However, in real life, this type of person would be hell to live with. She also has a son, whom you never see in the series. His name is Sheridan. She thinks highly of him, which a narcissistic mother would do. RIP Dame Rutledge, what a long life and career, and a wonderful actress you were.

Manipulation and Gaslighting

Found on LinkedIn post

Manipulation leads to gaslighting or is a part of gaslighting. However, manipulation can stand alone and can be defensiveness – someone doesn’t want to take responsibility. It does not have to end up in a gaslighting scenario. With both, someone may start out focused on your reaction but they can also spin it into causing you to question your sanity. Did this really happen? Two scenarios:

Manipulation – Guy: Oh, so it sounds like you have a lot of grievances. Gal: Yes, I do in fact I have some issues to discuss with you and I wish you would listen. Guy: I don’t like the tone of your voice. You are very manipulative. (When this happens, the person is turning the scenario around and blaming the communicator so that she will not try to hold him accountable. It can confuse a person).

Gaslighting: Let’s look at a clip from the movie. Watch how Gregory suddenly turns the tables when Paula brings up a letter he (visually) does not seem to remember. He has Paula questioning her sanity, bringing into play her own mother’s history. He doubles down at the end by saying, this is why he doesn’t want to take her into public. Back then, not being sociable in public, for a wealthy woman, would give rise to scandal and gossip. The woman’s whole life depended on being social and attending galas, the theater and the opera. It would be horrible for a woman of her class. She would be looked down on.

Flying Monkeys – Priority Female or Male in the Narcissists Life

When I typed in this term on Duck Duck Go, the Search Assist told me this: “Flying monkeys refer to individuals who enable or assist a narcissist in their manipulative behaviors, often without realizing the harm they are causing. They may spread gossip, act as spies, or defend the narcissist, typically due to manipulation or a desire to please.” What I had already seen as a pattern in narcissistic relationships was a person that I termed “The Priority Female,” and now realize there are Priority Male’s as well. What does this look like?

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