After the events of last week, I thought a break was a good idea.  I was supposed to go away on a short vacation, but cancelled that (that's what led me to ponder the Hugh McLeod material from yesterday).  That's the second vacation in a row that I've cancelled.

But over the weekend I did in fact stay away from the computer.  I went to see two independent films that turned out to have surprisingly parallel plot lines:  young woman in terrible situation, oppressed by society, is rescued by a series of unlikely events that culminate in a parting shot of her in a car driven (in some sense) by a helpful man.  But there's another woman left behind in the terrible situation who is stuck with it, and turns to face her fate (and certain death).  No food in either movie (starvation very possible).  No freedom. 

The first one was Water, and the second one was House of Sand.  Very elemental.  Too much water in the first one, and too much sand in the second.

So canceling yet another vacation isn't such a big deal.  The Brazilian neighborhood in House of Sand is the very opposite of my neighborhood here in NY (see the movie -- it's a stunningly inhospitable place).  I'm not a widow in 1930s India.  Actually, everything is going surprisingly well.  Very cheering.