a pause for dreaming....

Inter-Galactic Planetary Pearls of Nut-case-ness!

I suggest people read this article. It appears as though these Scientologists are the neo-NKVD (KGB) leaders.

Reel Time: Burnt by the Sun

The arrogance of some american film critics baffles me, especially when they begin to tap into issues that are inherently outside of their own cultural understanding. They are quick to provide a sharp, often ignorant opinion on a foreign work of art instead of attempting to understand it with a kind of open-mindness that is so often promoted and celebrated in 20th century america.

I'm talking about a movie review I recently read in Boston Review, whose critic described the movie as one having, "no soul." This movie has more "soul" than most American films I've seen dealing with the atrocities of World War II. Burnt by the Sun isnt your typical American, plot driven film. The beauty of this film lies it its ability to magnify the reality of the human condition through carefully measured images, words and metaphors.

The film is dedicated to those who were "Burnt by the Sun" of the revolution, to those who naively or out of fear believed in the promise of communism and in the reign of Stalin. But mostly, to those innocent families disillusionned by their own loved ones. This film has a modesty and subtlety that many films dealing with this time period dont have. You have to see it to understand. Because this film not only has a soul but it has a beating heart that resonates in the minds of those that felt the lasting effects of Stalin's reign of terror.

Rent it and see for yourself.

Reel Time: Must See!

Happy Earth Day!

So, I've never been one of those extreme liberals on a soap box spewing facts about the state of the world or reasons to switch to an all vegan diet. However, I would like to take this day to remind all of ya'll to eat mindfully and support your local organic farmers.

Day Minder: Happy Monday!

My week is off to a great start I think. Work is almost done. To kill time, I spent today researching grad schools and mental illnesses. For example I know that Columbia University does not offer a MFA in Photography and that it is better to be Bipolar I than Bipolar II.

In other news: I got a yellow legal pad and a new building ID. Just what I ALWAYS wanted.

I'm glad that all the mental illnesses I researched today were so outrageous that I managed to refrain from diagnosing myself with any of them. I'm glad I'm mentally healthy for the most part...according to my professional opinion.

On the other hand the grad school thing is not quiet falling into place. I havent the vaguest idea of what I want to go to grad school for. Well I know what I want to do ideally..take pictures, travel around the world, familiarize myself with different cultures, immerse myself in them, report back and make lots of money. Now, to achieve that you gotta have a degree in Photography, Journalism, Anthrolopogy, Sociology and Greed and I dont think I have time for all of that. So, the next step is to limit my options.

My time is up. I'll be back tomorrow.

Blahgs: March 25, 2008: Becoming an Adult

Alas, another weekend has gone by and not once was i wasted singing show tunes and 80s top 40 hits on the streets of the east village. No. For the past couple of days I found myself at home, in my room trying to figure out how to set up the damn AirPort Express that I got in the mail, for the sole reason of lying in bed and blogging while the canned laughter coming from a B-rated sitcom underscores my musings. I finally got it to work, so now I’m in bed blogging with the TV on- Just what I’ve always wanted!

Because my mother possesses a soviet socioeconomic mentality, we rarely have tasty snacks around the house to munch on like other normal, for the most part American families. I’ve always envied friends who got to drink apple juice out of a cute box, with a bendy straw and gnaw on Fruit by the Foot wrapped around their index finger, while i sat by myself in the lunch room looking down on my plate of herring and boiled potatoes. The reason I’m saying this is because i wish I had a snack, something to munch on in between these paragraphs of prolific wisdom. All we have right now are some caramels and a bag of dried fish that would actually go really well with some German brew, but alas there’s none of that either.

Anyway, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and a lot of doing based on my thinking, and what I did was get myself a real job. I finally got myself an adult kinda gig in the corporate world. I don’t know how I did it. I have no experience in working in a corporate world or being an adult, and starting monday I’m going to have to be both. (By adult gig i mean office, business suit, 401k NOT web cams, bikinis and butt plugs) This is just for clarification purposes. Making this decision was not easy-after all I am giving up some dreams here for the sake of not having to dumpster dive every day for a piece of bread or a sweater. But I came up with a 3 year plan, which I think is a smart plan and perhaps after this time, I can make something of myself and move on. I want to do so many things with my life in the future. I have so many dreams and I guess I don’t want to spend my youth working paycheck to paycheck and not ever enjoying my life. Thusly, then, in brief I think this 9-5 thing is gonna be great for me, giving me enough freedom to be and create in my own time. I keep thinking about all those days that i spent walking around the city looking for some purpose. I’d go eat somewhere and people watch, maybe read a book, have too many glasses of wine and get way to nostalgic for my own good. I’m hoping that this job will take my mind off the past which i really think it will. I realized that your mind pulls you back when you have nothing to really focus on in the present.

The past, what a bitch she is. Now you could have had the best of times or the worst of times it doesnt matter. If you had the best of times you will spend your days sitting, drinking, eating peaches out of a can, crying into the phone and thinking about how great everything used to be-sleeping on peoples couches, eating breakfast at Best Diner on a hungover morning, having sex in mid-afternoon. Or if it wasnt such a great time, you’ll be sitting on the couch watching America’s Next Top Model Marathon, eating peaches out of a can, and blaming the awful past for turning you into a lazy fuckhead because of some unconfronted, pending fears of failure. Whatever. It doesnt matter. Living in the past is like getting left back in highschool. It sucks.

Anywho. I came up with a 2-3 year plan to get my life in order then go travelling. Selling my soul to corporate america is perhaps not the worst thing I could have done and its not like I work for Enron. I’ll pay off my student loans, get a new wardrobe, buy and iPhone and peace out to the South of France.

Je vois des grand choses en futur, peoples!