Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

She did not write murder

October 15, 2022

I was surprised when I saw that one of Angela Lansbury’s credits was for Blue Hawaii. It has been years since I viewed this Elvis movie, and I did not remember that she played the mother of Elvis’ character. We were used to Ms. Lansbury portraying Jessica Fletcher in the series “Murder She Wrote.”

The role of Sarah Lee Gates was no challenge for one of the best character actresses in movies at the time. She played a wealthy southern wife of a businessman who had a son that came back from two years in the army. She was a vapid woman that thought only of herself and wanted Chad, played by Elvis, to follow in his father’s footsteps.

She began her acting career in 1944 as Nancy, the maid, in “Gaslight” and received a supporting actress Academy Awards nomination. She was also in “National Velvet” and “The Picture of Dorian Gray” in the forties.

Television called her in the 1950s with appearances in “Robert Montgomery Present,” “Lux Video Theatre,” “General Electric Theatre,” “Four Star Playhouse,” “The Star and the Story,” “Studio 57,” “Climax,” and “Playhouse 90.” Times were changing in the sixties and Angela was changing with the times.

“The Manchurian Candidate” brought attention to her with another nomination for an Academy Award for supporting actress. She was in “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” “Harlow,” and “The Man From Uncle.” 1971’s “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” was one of my favorite Lansbury movies.

Her portrayal of Miss Marple in “The Mirror Crack’d” and the 1984 TV movie “A Talent for Murder” set the stage for the beginning of her most renowned portrayal of Jessica Fletcher in “Murder She Wrote” which would occupy her until 1996 when the series ended. That wasn’t the last we would see of the character.

Jessica guest starred in “Magnum, P.I.” in 1986. Four “Murder She Wrote” movies brought her to the small screen in the nineties. She was also Mrs. Santa Claus in the title role of the television movie in 1996.

She made appearances as herself in the series “Newhart,” and the movie “About Schmidt” starring Jack Nicholson where she is not credited and is a voice that he hears. Two cameo rolls in shorts called “Mickey’s Audition” and “Your Studio and You” were also made in the nineties.

Voice acting was another area where she excelled. My favorite example of this is the character of Mrs. Potts in “The Beauty and the Beast.” Beginning in 1962 she was on “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” “The First Christmas”, “The Last Unicorn,” and “Anastasia” among others.

I recently read “The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax” by Dorothy Gillman. In 1999 Angela starred in a TV movie by the same name. Mrs. Pollifax is advised by her doctor to find something like a hobby to help with her boredom after the death of her husband. The premise of these 1960’s novels is excellent. There was no better actress to play this heroine.

One of her last films was “Buttons, A New Musical Film.” It was released in 2018 and she played a guardian angel for two girls. Dick Van Dyke played another angel that was helping her. Buttons were played by Alivia Clark and Abigail Spencer. Kate Winslet and Robert Redford narrate the story.

I have summarized the career of this marvelous talent and know that I may have missed your favorite memory of her. Comment below with what is your favorite performance. Many of you may have seen her in stage performances. If that is one of your favorite remembrances, I want to hear about it. Let us all share our favorite Angela Lansbury role that will keep her memory alive.

Reason or Excuse

October 8, 2022

As I have said before, I am a word guy. A reason is the cause, explanation, or justification for an effect, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. The word justification can be a synonym for an excuse. By that dictionary, a reason and an excuse can be the same thing.

The Britannica dictionary states that it is a statement of fact that explains why something is the way it is. Fuel prices have increased substantially in the last year. When we are told that it is the war between Russia and Ukraine or the fact that some of the refineries reduced production due to the pandemic or because of the higher cost of crude oil these are excuses.

The reason why prices increase is the old problem of supply and demand. In this case, the supply is controlled by the oil companies. Demand was reduced when we all stayed home. It increased because we wanted to go on trips and vacations after being stuck in our homes for months.

The reason we are seeing a small drop is that the suppliers want us to continue to vote for their candidates in November. Remember when you go to the polls that usually the oil companies contribute to both the Republican and Democratic parties and candidates.

If you want someone, not in their pockets, look for non-partisan, independent, or third-party candidates. Be sure to check their contribution records before the election. Failing to support people who have not sold their soles to the oil companies will get us nowhere again this year.

Do not believe those who criticize the other candidate because they claim they have sold out. They are all bought and sold by many different groups. It takes a lot of money to buy the advertising and make trips to encourage voters.

Missouri has a senator that is not up for re-election this term. He had run for another position and was elected. One of his promises was that he was not a professional politician like some of his opponents. A few months later he filed to run for the Senate position he now holds.

I voted for him the first time. I did not vote for him as a Senator. I will never vote for him again for anything. He is a professional candidate and will someday run for President. We need to put a stop to the long-term Congressmen and Senators.

We need term limits of eight years for Congress and two terms for the Senate. This is what the US President is limited to. Republicans pushed this through with the democrats’ help after President Franklin Roosevelt died in office after his fourth inauguration.

There is a reason why we need to do this. We must cut the pensions and health coverage off for all former elected officials. It is almost impossible to unseat an incumbent. The excuse for not doing it is different for each office holder. Some claim their experience is invaluable. Others report that no one else will support these bills and that is why they are never proposed.

A third excuse is that the states must propose a new amendment to the US Constitution. This is the only way to put term limits into place. Our country has been taken hostage by two political parties.

The excuse for voting for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton was that they were the nominees for the two major parties. The reason Trump won was that those who are not Republicrats or Demicans thought he might be better than Mrs. Clinton. Two years ago, the voters decided they had all The Donald that they wanted. That is why Biden won the election.

My hope is that we will refuse to vote for those who have been part of our problems. Once again, I am calling for those of you who are not Demicans or Republicrats to vote for other candidates. It has been over a hundred years since we had a new party upset an established one.

The Republicans are the youngest of these two. It is time to unseat both groups. Join me at the polls on November fifth and let’s make America and Missouri great again.

Where to go

October 6, 2022

When I was in junior high school, I decided I wanted to be a reporter. My goal through high school was the journalism school at Missouri University in Columbia, MO. I did not qualify for a scholarship to MU. I did receive one from Southwest Missouri State University in my hometown of Springfield, MO. I would complete the general education requirements for the J school and transfer my junior year.

That never happened. My major at SMSU was creative writing. They had no journalism program at that time. During my sophomore year, I completed the Missouri University’s Journalism School application. In March of 1974, I received notification of my acceptance.

I was deciding whether I would acknowledge that God was calling me to ministry when I received that letter. I agreed that my call was genuine and that MU was not the place for me. Southwest Baptist College had what I needed and what I believed Jesus wanted me to study. My schedule there was two years of studying the Bible and Christian ministry.

Are you in high school and contemplating what you will do when you graduate? Do you have a course planned out? Many young people do not. Where are they to go to decide what they want to do with the rest of their lives? I also worked during my last two years of high school and the first two years of college.

When I graduated from college, I had another decision to make. Do I go to seminary to be a pastor, or do I go to work to become a different kind of minister? A bi-vocational pastor was a possibility. I thought that was where I was destined.

I worked as a summer missionary in Northwest Pennsylvania during the summer between my junior and senior years in college. My assignments were determined by the pastor at the Bolivar Road Baptist Church in Bradford, PA. I stayed up on the mountain in Gifford. I preached and taught at Hillside Baptist Chapel there.

Others did not have the opportunities that came to me. You must make your own decisions about taking a job in high school, going to a college, university, or trade school. What is best for you? Good question.

I have three grandsons who have graduated from high school. They are all going to junior colleges and working jobs. They have made a choice of what they think they want to do with their lives. Just like me. Will they arrive at that goal? Or will they decide to make a change as I did?

If you have chosen a career path, or one chose you, and it is not the right fit, don’t be afraid to make a switch. I have worked in many different careers and tried numerous jobs. I retired as a purchasing manager. It was where I needed to be.

My oldest daughter began teaching high school full-time this year. Her plan was to go into communication after college. She worked at a newspaper, did product marketing on the internet, and made a decision to return to college and take a master’s degree in education. She had the courage to change her career. That may be what you need to do.

Life is a process of choices. When your previous decisions have led you to a place you do not want to be, make a change. It may not be easy. It can be enjoyable. I have now returned to my first love. You are reading the type of column I always wanted to write. I began this change over ten years ago. I do not know if I will still be doing this in another ten years. Follow my web page and let’s make that journey together.

What I won’t die from

September 26, 2022

Embarrassment, inactivity, and boredom are three things that occur to my mind immediately. Those who know me well recognize that I am not easily embarrassed. Nothing I do will cause my demise due to others’ awareness that I did that. I may turn red on my face. I will not get hot enough to burst into flames. Yes, I am aware of spontaneous combustion.

The Bible gives a lot of warnings about sloth. Not the jungle animals. Sloth is another word for laziness. You can waste your entire life by not doing anything. I know many will not agree with these comments. I believe the following are wastes of time. Watching television, playing video games, and checking your cell phone for Facebook messages.

I put watching television first because that is my downfall. I used to play video games but could only play for 20 seconds before losing all my lives. My cell phone is used for three things. To make and receive calls. To read books. For my wife to keep track of where I am if I should start having trouble finding my way home. That last one was added a few years ago.

I may be boring at times. I hope I have never bored anyone to death. I hope that should it happen; I could do as the apostle Paul did when a young man fell asleep in one of his sermons. The problem was the man was sitting in a window and fell out and died. Fortunately for both the participants, Paul brought him back to life. I don’t think that is my gifting.

Remember the three things I use my phone for? The books I have downloaded on it have saved me from feeling my time is wasted. However, I do not use it to read when I am out to eat with someone. I also do not use it at home when others are around.

I believe reading when I have someone to talk to is not taking advantage of social situations. Those of you who know me may have commented that I will speak to a brick wall. That is not true. However, many people in lines and waiting rooms have learned not to start talking to me. I put my phone away for them.

Things that I may die from are too many political ads on radio, television, and now on the internet. Poorly prepared food at what used to be good restaurants. My own cooking. Natural causes are what I am hoping for. The bad driving habits of some of you. Especially those of you who think yellow and red look the same at traffic lights. I’ll give you a hint. Follow their example when people in the lanes next to you are slowing down.

Life is too short already. I do not need you to shorten it for those of us who do not have our heads up our rears. Two more things I just thought of that I won’t die from. Smoking and drinking. I might be taken out by secondhand smoke or drink, but not the direct effects.

Vote!

September 24, 2022

November 5, 2022, is election day. We are not interested in the party line. We want a decent human beings that will vote the way we think they should.

Personally, I do not want anyone who still believes that Donald Trump was a good choice for this country. He is still only interested in himself. I will not vote for anyone that believes his endorsement is a positive attribute for them.

I also do not want anyone who thinks that talking badly about their opponents or candidates from another group is a wise thing to do. These two perspectives reduce my options a lot. I also need to know what you mean. Acronyms and abbreviations used by your ads leave me confused.

I do not know the political language and do not care about who supports you. Everyone that may believe you are a good choice means nothing to me. What conservative, liberal, outsider, CRT, woke, or any of your other bywords mean, varies with the person who uses them.

If you want me to vote for you or your candidate, I need specifics about what you or they have done and will do if voted into office. How do you stand on the reversal of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision? I know you all have recognized that our economy is in trouble. Don’t blame someone else for that.

Your solution to this problem is what I need to hear. You cannot lower gas prices. Do not tell me that you will solve this problem. Washington is not the trouble. The people in Congress, the Senate, or other elected offices may or may not be doing their jobs correctly. My opinion and yours may be different.

Tell me what your plan is. How will you vote? I need to know that you will work with anyone else that you must. I was in business for over forty years. I had to change my approach depending on who I worked with. I want you to keep your position working to solve problems. Shutting down the government is never an acceptable result.

We want you to work for us and with each other. We will vote. When you lie to us, you will never get our vote again. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Quantum Leap is returning

September 24, 2022

I remember the TV show “Quantum Leap.” This science fiction series from 1989 is being reimagined. I saw this week’s episode and enjoyed it. The connection between the original and the current series was established in the first hour. We even had an update on Al, the hologram that followed Sam around.

Sam is still out there somewhere as far as anyone knows. My speculation is that they will be continuing to discuss him. I would not be amazed to watch an episode where they find him and try to rescue him.

For those of you who are not familiar with either “Quantum Leap” series, the premise is that you can time travel within your own lifetime. This is an interpretation of the string theory of time that Sheldon in “Big Bang Theory” talks about. I am not a physicist and I do not play one on television, but I have a slight knowledge gained through other sci-fi stories.

Many writers have asserted that it is impossible to change history. The storylines of these scripts revolve around the changes that must be made in the lives of people around the person that is leaped into. While these are small changes as history is concerned, they are major in the futures of the characters.

Rod Serling, the creator and host of “Twilight Zone,” wrote and produced episodes that dealt with time travel. The “Time Tunnel” was a direct contradiction of string theory in that the main characters were unable to change history and went to times outside of their lifetimes. Many other time travel stories have been very different from these TV shows.

A story that I wrote years ago involves a person who does not change history. He is involved in a circular process where he is also trapped in events that take place in a set period. Someday I will publish this story on my website. I haven’t posted much fiction here to this point. Let me know what you think.

I would like to give you my understanding of time to finish this column. Time is a part of creation. It is not just that God created the universe. He also created time when He made the stars, planets, and moons. Our time is measured by the movement of the sun. Our seasons and months are determined by the movements of the moon and the sun.

When we enter into the presence of the Father, we will no longer have a method of measuring time because it will no longer exist. As long as we are here it is fun to speculate on the possibility of time travel. One more point. We are all time travelers. We are only traveling in one direction. Into the future. We can only travel back through our memories.

Classics are not always good

September 22, 2022

A classic is defined as, “Judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind.” I’ve read several classic novels, watched numerous classic movies, classic music from the thirties to the eighties is on my playlist, and many of my cars over the years have been close to classics.

The Ford Edsel is considered a classic. It may have been high quality when it first came out. It was not well accepted at that time. The thing that makes vehicles classic is not always the quality. It is usually the age.

Many classic books also were not accepted when first published. Some were ahead of their time. Others were thought to be classic material but have not survived the years. Of all the stories I have read some I consider good and others bad. When I read a classic, I may decide before finishing it that I do not care for the way the story is being told. At times this is because of what was considered proper techniques during that period.

Most novels I read line up on my scale from good to bad. Most are three to four on a one to five scales. Some I read are not worth rating at all in my opinion. Not all of these are considered classics. From junior high school through college, I disagreed with the ratings of the literary experts. Many of these stories were in textbooks.

A few authors that are considered classics are not my favorites. I may enjoy a story or two by Hemingway or others. As I read more of their work, I conclude that while they did well on some tales, the majority of what I have read is not what I consider quality.

This also goes for classic music. Classic in this genre is often what is called “long-haired” music. That is not what I am talking about. I think of every type of music from different eras as a classic due to their age. Some old music does not fall into the classic category for me.

Artists may be thought of as excellent by you and I do not enjoy any or all of what they have recorded. Two people that are examples of this are Willy Nelson and Janis Joplin. I realize that the first is country and the second is thought of as a rock singer. The type of music is not where I decide if I like it or not. I listen to almost every kind of music. My one exception is opera. I can think of no selection in this group that I enjoy.

I may have mentioned some of your favorites as not being ones that I like. Don’t worry about this. Many people disagree with me. I learned many years ago that if you do not have the same opinion as I, you are not necessarily wrong. Remember that holds true for all of us. Do not argue with others. You may both be correct.

Businesses must make money.

September 20, 2022

If you watch broadcast television and cable networks that air commercials, you have seen the ads for automobile and home warranty insurance. They are not what they seem to be. All insurance works the same way. They charge enough to cover their costs and make a profit. They also do not always pay for what the customers expect.

Local attorneys run spots telling us that companies will not pay as much to you unless you hire them to challenge the insurance provider. Personal injury lawyers make money from clients that use these providers who do not want to provide what the customer thought was covered.

It does not matter whether you buy an extended warranty or insurance. They are the same thing. A friend bought a house that had just been built. The builder convinced them to purchase a home warranty instead of paying for an inspection. Within three years, problems with the construction became apparent. The insurance company would not cover any of these repairs.

These policies are only as good as the paper they are written on. To be sure that you are getting what you think you are paying for, you need a lawyer to read the contract and tell you specifically what it does and does not cover.

Do not believe the commercials. There is a reason why some of these promises sound reasonable. They are as valuable as the political promises made by candidates. It isn’t just the so-called warranty providers.

There are life and health insurance companies that also want you to buy their products. They offer term policies that last only a limited number of years and then who knows what and if you can purchase another product. I applied for a health insurance policy a few years ago. I did not know that my physicians would have to be changed.

Many companies and not just those that I have mentioned here are not going to give you the service that you expect. Think about the fast-food restaurants that give you a bag of food that is not what you ordered. We all know of plumbers, auto mechanics, or other service professionals that do not stand behind their work.

There is an old Latin phrase that I first heard in high school. Caveat Emptor means “Let the buyer beware.” This has been a philosophy I have tried to follow all my life. Watch your back and be sure that you know what you are getting into when you buy a product or sign a contract.

He’s my Boy

September 19, 2022

We have heard many stories about blended families in our time. When I was a boy, almost all my friends had a mom and dad and at least one sibling. Many had more than one brother or sister as I did. Few of the kids I went to school or church with had last names different from one parent.

In high school, I began to meet others whose mother and father both had a family name that did not match theirs. The song “My boy” is about this type of situation. Elvie Shane wrote this song and it was first recorded in 2020. It is the true story of His wife and her son.

One of the lines that affect me the most is “He’s got somebody else’s eyes I’m seeing myself in.” When my children and grandchildren were born people commented on their features. “She has your nose” or your eyes or your teeth. That’s right. When my daughters were born, they had my dad’s teeth. He didn’t have any real ones in his mouth. They were man-made.

The serious part of this line is “I’m seeing myself in.” We need to stop and view ourselves through the eyes of children. They do not judge. They can measure their worth through how we treat them. My kids and grandkids react to me as the one who is trying to be funny. “Don’t take Pawpaw too seriously” is the byword around me. How does your son or daughter react to you?

Keep in mind that Mr. Shane and his boy do not have the same name. It makes no difference to a true dad. The emotions are the same. Love is a choice. It is a verb. His boy knows that he loves him because he hasn’t missed a ballgame yet. A dad is there for what is important to his kid.

My mom and dad were at the important events in my life. The school activities like open houses and annual fundraisers. In my senior year in high school, they even came to watch my debate partner and me compete against the two best speakers in our school. There was no official decision after. When we got home, they told me they thought I had won. That was love.

This is what should never change. The love of a parent for a child is present when they are at your death bed, and you see the pain in their eyes. They think they are losing you. You know his step is necessary if you want to spend eternity together as believers in Christ. That is also love.

Some fathers have walked away. Not Elvie. This young man is not his entire life. He is an integral part and is making him a better dad. Your children make you a better mom or dad because they test your love and your patience. Paul tells us in first Corinthians chapter 13 verse four that love is patient and kind. That will make a family last.

Motivation?

September 11, 2022

It is what encourages you to do something. Your boss uses many means to get you to do your work. He pays you a salary. He may offer promotions with additional pay. Some managers threaten, curse, or even reprimand. For those of us who are in school, the same types of things can be used by teachers, parents, and others that feel they are in authority over us.

Your husband or wife uses many of the same methods to spur the results they are hoping for. I want to talk to you about self-motivation. We have all heard motivational speakers. I heard a feeble one once. He walked onto the stage after a fifteen-minute introduction. He stood staring at us for a minute. Then he yelled, “What are you doing just sitting here? Get up and get back to work.”

We all glanced around wondering what we should do. We were in a hotel meeting room and most of us had driven for hours to attend this training session. The organizer who introduced him was smiling off to one side of the stage. The speaker glared at us a minute or two longer.

A smile crept onto his face. He laughed and asked if we were motivated by that. Some whispered, no. He said, “Of course, you weren’t. Why do you think that will work for those under your control.” The rest of his seminar was interesting, informative, and inspirational. That was over thirty years ago, and I still remember it.

I want to give you the ability to do that for yourself. There are things that you have wanted to do for years. What will it take for you to convince yourself that you can get a better job? What else have you considered doing? Start a business. Ask someone to marry you. Move to the community you’ve always dreamed of living in.

It is time to weigh your options and try what you always wanted to do. Write a book. Paint a picture. Sing a song. Try stand-up comedy. Quit procrastinating. Step up and become the person you always knew you could be. Analyze where you want to be next year and make it happen today.

Goal setting is the first step. Planning what you need to do is the next one. Put one foot in front of the other and begin the journey of a thousand miles. All it takes is to get off your backside and make the changes you always wanted to. Start now.

Walk With a Servant