Modern Day Job (The Biblical Guy)

Job is my favorite book in the Bible. It's about this devout man who endures horrible circumstances: poverty, famine, the death of his children, lots of physical ailments. I believe he even gets boils all over his body. It's a tragic story of someone who believed in God despite his miserable situation and who was ultimately rewarded for his faith. Whenever I felt like the world was against me, I picked up my Bible and turned to the Book of Job.

I’ve never been a history buff. I’m not really into dead people. I bet if you asked me some basic history questions, I would stare at you—totally clueless.

Last night, Dean and I watched a documentary—Teddy: In His Own Words—that was fascinating. Unless it’s Sunday night and Entourage is playing, I do not want to watch TV at all. I think TV is so mind-numbing. But I’ll sacrifice my reading time for documentaries. The Ted Kennedy documentary was gripping. Gripping because as much as you read about the sixties and the Kennedys, you can never understand the intensity of what was going on during that era through a text book. I was mesmerized by the historical footage of the Kennedy family in London with Joe Kennedy’s appointment as U.S. ambassador, canvassing for votes in Boston, the streets of small town Americana lined with people bowing and waving the American flag as the train carrying Bobby Kennedy’s body passes.

Ted Kennedy is the modern day Job. I really had no clue what tragedy that man has been through.

The death of his eldest brother Joe as a fighter pilot during World War II.
The death of his sister Kathleen in a plane crash.
The assassination of MLKJ.
The assassination of JFK.
The assassination of RFK.
His own survival in a plane crash.
Chappaquiddick and the death of Mary Jo Kopechne.
Pleading guilty to leaving the crime scene.
His own two children having cancer, with his 12-year-old son having to get his leg amputated.
His wife dealing with alcoholism and their eventual divorce.
Going out for drinks with his son and nephew, and his nephew Will Smith charged with rape that same night. Will was eventually acquitted.
Having your phones tapped because Nixon wants to get some dirt on you?

I mean, seriously. I would slash my wrists. Or, I’d go cuckoo. 4 siblings dead—two of whom were assassinated in office. And you’re a politician in office? Excuse me? I’ll take the next flight to the moon…and can you make sure I’m surrounded by a ton of secret service agents?

Unbelievable. What a tragic life.

Here are some of my other favorite documentaries. Submit a comment with your favorites.

Spellbound which documents the freakazoid geeks in the National Spelling Bee.

One Day In September, documenting the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich where the Israeli Olympians are held hostage and murdered by Palestinian terrorists. I actually wrote my final negotiation paper on this.

And of course, the popular ones: Super Size Me, March of the Penguins.