Erik Daarstad springs loose with profiles on fascinating people

Recently I had an experience that proves the power of weather on the mood of a human being. I picked up Erik Daarstad for lunch on March 19 and I noticed he had a strange and withdrawn look on his face.

At lunch he picked at his food, which was certainly contrary to his normal behavior. On leaving the restaurant, he paid the check even though it was my turn to pick it up, and it was then that I knew something was desperately wrong.

On the way back to his house, I searched for a way to cheer him up. I turned the wind shield wipers to slow, turned off the heater, and cheerfully said, “Guess what, tomorrow is the first day of spring.” Now folks, all of a sudden Erik let out a piteous wail the lack of which I have not heard since my old Uncle Homer’s hound dog decided he wanted to take a bite out of a porcupine.

We made it back to his house and we talked after he had somewhat recovered. I found that he had been making daily pilgrimages, with his camera, to places were he hoped to find a colorful flower or a spot of green, but to no avail (See today’s photo).

I had a call from Erik when I returned to my place telling me he was leaving on Monday for California to enjoy the beautiful weather. I had a call from Erik on Tuesday telling me he was back because it didn’t rain in California, it poured.

The important thing is that he is back and ready for another “Visit with Erik” this afternoon — 2:30 p.m. — and this evening — 7:30 p.m. — at the Panida’s Little Theater. I know you will enjoy seeing his films listed below:

“Old Young Man” — This documentary is a profile of Bill Bradley at the young age of 25 playing his first season as a professional basketball player with the New York Knicks. Bill was born in Crystal City, Mo., and excelled at basketball at an early age. At Princeton University, he earned a gold medal as a member of the 1964 Olympic basketball team and was the NCAA player of the year in 1965. After graduation he attended Oxford University on a Rhodes scholarship.

After one year of professional basketball in Europe he decided to join the New York Knicks in the 1967-68 season. Retiring in 1977, after a 10-year professional basketball career, and two championship titles, he ran for a seat in the United States Senate from his adopted home state of New Jersey. He was re-elected twice, left the Senate in 1997, and was an unsuccessful candidate for the 2000 Democratic presidential nomination.

The film is not so much about basketball as it is about a young man trying to figure out what direction he should take in life to be able to have some purpose and trying to help other people.

“Bird by Bird with Annie” — Perhaps best known for her widely celebrated book on writing, “Bird by Bird”, Anne Lamott is one of the rare artists who can teach us not only how to write, but how to live.

From Academy Award winning filmmaker, Freida Lee Mock, “Bird by Bird with Annie” offers an intimate portrait of the writer and her craft, interweaving the story of Lamott’s life — in itself a deeply moving tale of addiction and redemption, grief and joy, intellect and faith — with a year’s worth of interviews, public lectures, and readings, and footage of the writer at work, focusing particularly on Lamott’s candid, humorous, and disarmingly straightforward advice on the struggles and joys of writing becomes a stirring call to action that celebrates the potential of each individual, the silencing of our inner critics, and the courage to create something honest, meaningful, and real.

Poignant and inspirational, “Bird by Bird with Annie” takes us deep into Anne Lamott’s world, one in which writing is a means of finding out who we are, and why we’re here.

(Folks, if you have anything green left over from St. Patrick’s Day you might think about bringing it to Erik when you come to the theater. A petal from a flower would lift his spirits but, by no means, let him hear you say the word, spring!