Visiting a Normal Rockwell exhibit

Yesterday, I went to the National Museum of the Pacific War here in Fredericksburg, Texas to see their Norman Rockwell exhibit. This one focused on select Saturday Evening Post covers during the World War II era. Each cover tells a different picture, including chronicling the life of fictitious WWII serviceman Willie Gillis.

Here’s one of my favorites, of a soldier returning home near the end of the war. I’m guessing he lived somewhere in New York City, judging by the diversity of the people…

Amid all the people welcoming him home is a shy, red-headed girl who seems to be very attracted in him. I imagine they eventually fell in love, married and had kids.

I’m not an art expert, but I often find it amazing at how prolific Mr. Rockwell was–especially given that it took around 10 years for Leonardo da Vinci to complete Mona Lisa.

Other pictures I loved included a weary Army cook after cooking and serving Thanksgiving dinner, Gillis’ girlfriend sleeping on New’s Eve (there’s a hilarious story behind that pic–send me an email if you’d like to hear it), a veteran sailor getting his latest girlfriend’s name tattooed on his arm and, of course, Gillis at college hitting the books, in a peaceful environment.

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Netflix: please continue ‘Longmire’

Several weeks ago while bored and looking for an instant view show on Netflix to binge on, I joined the “posse” and became hooked on Longmire.

For those not familiar: This show centers around Walter Longmire, a sheriff in the fictional Absaroka County, Wyoming. He doesn’t like technology, but he’s great at solving murders and other crimes. His best friend is Henry Standing Bear, a Cheyenne who owns the Red Pony bar. He has a tumultuous relationship with Mathias, the sheriff on the Cheyenne reservation (on the show, they call it “res” or “rez” for short). It seems that neither Mathias nor other prominent Native Americans Jacob Nighthorse or Malachi Strand seem too friendly with Longmire. We can attribute this to America’s often less-than-honorable dealings with Native Americans. He also seems to have a surrogate father relationship with his deputy, Victoria “Vic” Moretti.

Season five is done, and I finished watching it about a week ago. I am left to wonder, will there be a season six? Will this be yet another show, such as That 70s Show, where I didn’t get into it until after it was over? How is Vic handling her pregnancy? Who’s the father? Will Longmire survive the lawsuit? Will Nighthorse and the mayor enter an alliance? Will Standing Bear survive his ordeal?

Finally, why on earth didn’t Standing Bear and Nighthorse kill Malachi* when they had the chance?

As I watch the show and see the ongoing whites-versus-Native American interactions and conflicts (Standing Bear refuses to serve turkey at his bar, saying that turkey was served at “Thanks-taking”), I often wonder why A&E chose to drop this show. It’s now exclusive to Netflix. So far, Longmire has remained fascinating after five seasons, the kind of fascination where some may desperately turn to non-canon fan fiction to get an idea of what happens next. This is in contrast to show I’ve enjoyed, American Horror Story, that seems to have lost itself in a dreamy landscape of the same themes.

* I may not like Malachi Strand the character, although as a Caucasian of only trace Native American ancestry, I’d prefer to be slow to judge. But, Graham Greene does a brilliant job portraying him. If you’re reading this, Mr. Greene, good on ya, sir.

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