P.L. Travers

In December I went to see Saving Mr. Banks with my Aunt, Uncle and cousin. I know, I know- you are asking yourself why it has taken until February for me to blog about it. Even though I do not really believe in coincidences or signs it was the perfect combination of viewage frequency and blogging frequency that made it so that I watched Mary Poppins just before seeing the film. I really enjoyed Saving Mr. Banks and for those of you who have not seen it, it is the story of P.L. Travers and Walt Disney making the movie Mary Poppins and about the author P.L. Travers (or Pamela for those of us who feel like we know her well). If you are anything like me seeing a film that describes the making of a film makes you want to see that original film desperately. I might not have enjoyed Banks as much if I had not just recently enjoyed Poppins. 

Mary Poppins is about the Banks family and their need for a new caretaker for their children Jane and Michael. The story follows the wonderful adventures that the children have with Mary Poppins, the most magical governess around. In true Disney style there are some wonderful songs, some great dance numbers, and even some well placed animation in this live action film. Movies like Mary Poppins really jazz up one's imagination. Like many movies based on a book, it also gives us perspective when we read those stories first hand as well. Once I got back from visiting my family I borrowed the first in the Mary Poppins series by P.L. Travers and read it in about two hours. It was impossible to let my imagination create the scenes and characters because Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke were already there acting out the scenes. But it is always interesting to see where Disney stuck to the story, and in this case how Mrs. Tavers made sure that Disney stuck to the story.

I had said many times that working with college students has kept me young. I still get asked if I am 20 something (thank you!) and I am forced to be hip and with it if I am going to stay current in what college students think is cool. So I am always well verse in the latest apps for the iPhone or youtube videos and memes that are circulating the globe. I not only know what the fox says I have seen a room of students explode into applause and dancing when it was played at Yule Ball. Movies like Mary Poppins and even Mary Poppins herself inspires me to feel young. She is a great example of having fun no matter what you are doing and maintaining a positive attitude. I also feel fortunate that as an adult I have not lost my imagination. You know, come to think of it, that must by why my friends call me the baby whisperer. I can play farm with that momma cow and her baby all day long and not get bored. They each have their own voices too. 

But imagination has made it so that I can be inspired by anything. That also makes this blog possible. What kind of RA programs can we come up with for Mary Poppins? Let's see. My favorite part in this movie is where they are laughing and float right up to the ceiling. Laughing can be so much fun, it can burn calories, it causes spontaneous knee slapping, and it relieves stress. College students could stand to decrease their stress count for sure. If I were showing this movie I would be prepared to share fun facts about laughter and how it is the best medicine with or without a spoonful of sugar to accompany it. I would also find an old joke book with clean, silly and child like jokes in it and read those to each other. There might be things like this at your public library so that it would not cost you a cent. Have everyone go around and tell these jokes trying to get your other residents to laugh at each other.