It's been a little while since I've written anything, but we're finally moved in and settled here in Bend so I'd like to get back to writing more frequently. One of my favorite things about traveling is getting to see the various colloquialisms that make up the culture of a place. In the U.S. it's particularly interesting because so much of our culture is homogenized. Suburbia in Bend, Oregon is no different from any other city I've ever visited. They have Home Depot and Best Buy and Target like anywhere else, so you have to really speak to the locals to get a feel for what a place is all about. I'm getting worse at picking up on these things as I get older and more content with my views. Where as visiting a new city at age twenty-one was incredibly new and exciting and I was enamored by how different everything was from what I had previously known, now I have other places to compare to--so I've become a little more critical. That is, I can see the pros and cons rather than just blind passion for something new and interesting. It's kind of like dating in that respect. Eventually you start to see the similarities of life no matter where you are (or who you're with) and you start to accept places (and people) for what (who) they are without imposing your own vision on the experience, but at the same time you're more wise to the ways of the world (you're not the naive kid that parks his truck outside a hotel room with all his earthly possessions hidden under a thin tarp in the back to be stolen by homeless vagrants outside of Phoenix. Who does that? Just like you wouldn't give your heart away to any two-bit drunk you meet at the bar).
So with MLK day coming up here comes my one month analysis of racial issues in Bend. Some of what I've experienced here is very similar to other places in the west. The west has this general "cool" feel about it. Even people who are no where close to cool still dress and act the part. For younger people this is just typical behavior. Kids are trying to act cool all over the country, it doesn't matter where you are. But the interesting thing about the west is that even many people who are middle-aged still dress and act in this, "I'm too fucking hip to have a sense of humor about anything, just be cool," sort of manner. It's kind of funny. They get way bent out of shape about things that they really have no idea about. Let's take political correctness for example. First off, there are no black people in Bend...period. I have not seen a single African-American in a month here. Yet, when my ski-students like to yell out, "I'm black, I'm black" as they run for the multi-colored stalls at the ski lifts, or someone says, "Do you do blacks?" (meaning, do you ski black diamond runs) and I chuckle, I get funny looks. For people who grew up in the south or close to the south or anywhere in the Midwest where racial issues are still issues this kind of off-colored (no pun intended) humor is not taken offense to by people on either side. I see this as true equality--black people laugh at white people, white people laugh at black people but they all stay friends and mean no disrespect. In the northwest it's not like this, generally speaking, because minorities are more or less an academic idea. Racism isn't anything these people have ever dealt with so even someone joking ironically about racial issues is in bad taste. Racism is something they learned about in schools and see on Hollywood movies about farm towns in middle America--it doesn't happen a whole lot in Bend. Not like in central Missouri where the people who came to buy our bed before we left told me they were going to, "Jew me down" on the price as though this was just common vernacular for making such a transaction. I'm over uppitiness though. I went through a phase right after college where I took all these new PC ideas to the extreme and wanted the whole world to be this happy little inclusive place where no one's feelings ever get hurt and we all live in peace and harmony. Then I left my pleasant bubble of academia and more or less hated everyone I came in contact with for two years after that. Hating people who hate doesn't help the situation anymore than being radical and uppity about hate issues. Human decency is my new kick. The thing about many of the people I've met who are supposedly the educated protectors of civilization in the U.S. are also some of the biggest assholes I've ever met. They wouldn't throw their best friend a bone if he were starving on their doorstep. "I just don't want the hassle. If I help him now he'll never learn to take care of himself," they'd say. And maybe they'd be right, but they'd still be an asshole.
Part of this whole, "I have a dream" American vision of peace amongst a country of immigrants boils down to basic human decency. Manners. Please and thank you and have a nice day. Even if you don't mean it. It's the social lubricant that keeps things moving in a pleasurable manner when all anyone really wants is to talk about themselves and be left the hell alone to live their life as they please. Engaging people in political, racial, religious discourse has it's time and place--and it isn't in the check-out line at a grocery store. In a college classroom--fine. In a religious institution or political organization--great! But please people, you're not helping by putting on this air of intelligence and chastising people for mocking what they don't understand (that's what blogs are for!). Perhaps they'd like your input. Some people would genuinely like to know if they are saying offensive things. Others would rather you jump off a cliff. The fact of the matter is, not everyone can afford the education and travel that brings with it an open mind and accepting outlook. Some people with very good hearts just don't know that what they are saying is extremely rude and inappropriate. And those people, I promise you, are not going to walk away from a chastising saying to themselves, "Wow, I really get that. I should be more respectful. They're more likely to say, "What a pretentious ass. I shoulda popped him in the nose."
So please try to be civil people and enjoy the long weekend. I will personally be celebrating MLK day by teaching rich white kids how to slide down mountains on really expensive sticks. I hope some of you actually have a more culturally rich experience. Much love, Jeff.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Make a Wedge
"Make a wedge with the tips of your skies, stand up nice and tall, and push your shins against the tongues of your boots." This is what I spend the majority of my day saying to young kids at Mt. Bachelor resort here in Bend, Oregon. Instructing ski lessons is a long day, somtimes rewarding, sometimes very frustrating. Even at ages four and five the difference in athletic ability between these kids is staggering. Some will grasp it immediately and will be ripping around on steep slopes before their lesson ends. Others will spend the entire six hour lesson trying to stay on their feet and make it down an incline the pitch of a roof on a one-story house. It's also not a cheap sport so it is rare to get the appreciative child who is grateful to be there and listening intently. More often I am fighting with kids--who could literally be my own--about whether or not their parent's ski instruction supercedes my own.
I've discovered that although I've skied several seasons as an adult in several different states I had no idea what I was doing until I came to ski school training two weeks ago. My strategy was always to turn my skies downhill, swerve when I started getting out of control, and stop on a dime when about to run into something. This always sufficed in the past. Now I will never make a turn again without analyzing whether or not I could have done it better. "Was I leaning too far forward? Was I sitting back on the pot? Did my skies stay parallel through the turn?" So much to think about. Self-improvement can be annoying as an adult. Sometimes you just want to do something without knowing so much about it. It's part of the fun. Once you know what you're doing, you have to work at it. Bummer. The same used to be true for walking in the woods. I used to like to go out on hikes just to get away from the city and unwind, then I tried to make this leisure my job and had to learn the names of all the plants and trees and animals and the natural cycles that we are all involved in. Next thing I knew I couldn't go for a walk in the woods without analyzing every detail of my surroundings. "Is this grove too overgrown? Should they do a controlled burn here? Why don't they do some trail work on this eroded site, it looks like shit." Even nature has become something for my mind to pick apart and organize. It's exhausting.
I'll stop that thought right there though, because who can honestly complain about working as a ski instructor? It's not an office. There's not a whole lot of responsibility (except not losing your kids somewhere in a snowstorm). It's a fun way to spend the winter and live in a beautiful part of the country. However, life doesn't just stop when one decides to do something like this. There are still bills to pay and food to be purchased and all the same wants and needs as before. So it takes a little sacrifice--like sleeping on a giant blow-up mattress to avoid the cost of yet another bed you won't be able to take with you when you move. Needless to say useless things like cable TV don't make the budget and amazingly if there is money that shows up in the bank account it seems to go effortlessly toward the outdoor gear we get at absurdly low prices. So the culture becomes one of homeless vagabonds with backpacks, skies, and mountain bikes that cost more than some people's cars. It takes a certain kind of crazy to live this way and one I'm finding myself growing out of. Don't get me wrong. I'm having a ball, but at some point the costs start to out-weigh the benefits. You get to the point where you're talking to the parents of these children--who carelessly throw away two-hundred bucks to have their kids get ski lessons from a group of homeless psychotic athletes--and you're thinking, I could do this person's job. I could be on the other end of this transaction...and the dream wanders off to better things.
I have so much more to say about this adventure and so little time to sit down and write about it. I'll try to keep this updated as the winter goes on. Hope everyone had a happy holiday and a happy new year! Welcome 2007.
I've discovered that although I've skied several seasons as an adult in several different states I had no idea what I was doing until I came to ski school training two weeks ago. My strategy was always to turn my skies downhill, swerve when I started getting out of control, and stop on a dime when about to run into something. This always sufficed in the past. Now I will never make a turn again without analyzing whether or not I could have done it better. "Was I leaning too far forward? Was I sitting back on the pot? Did my skies stay parallel through the turn?" So much to think about. Self-improvement can be annoying as an adult. Sometimes you just want to do something without knowing so much about it. It's part of the fun. Once you know what you're doing, you have to work at it. Bummer. The same used to be true for walking in the woods. I used to like to go out on hikes just to get away from the city and unwind, then I tried to make this leisure my job and had to learn the names of all the plants and trees and animals and the natural cycles that we are all involved in. Next thing I knew I couldn't go for a walk in the woods without analyzing every detail of my surroundings. "Is this grove too overgrown? Should they do a controlled burn here? Why don't they do some trail work on this eroded site, it looks like shit." Even nature has become something for my mind to pick apart and organize. It's exhausting.
I'll stop that thought right there though, because who can honestly complain about working as a ski instructor? It's not an office. There's not a whole lot of responsibility (except not losing your kids somewhere in a snowstorm). It's a fun way to spend the winter and live in a beautiful part of the country. However, life doesn't just stop when one decides to do something like this. There are still bills to pay and food to be purchased and all the same wants and needs as before. So it takes a little sacrifice--like sleeping on a giant blow-up mattress to avoid the cost of yet another bed you won't be able to take with you when you move. Needless to say useless things like cable TV don't make the budget and amazingly if there is money that shows up in the bank account it seems to go effortlessly toward the outdoor gear we get at absurdly low prices. So the culture becomes one of homeless vagabonds with backpacks, skies, and mountain bikes that cost more than some people's cars. It takes a certain kind of crazy to live this way and one I'm finding myself growing out of. Don't get me wrong. I'm having a ball, but at some point the costs start to out-weigh the benefits. You get to the point where you're talking to the parents of these children--who carelessly throw away two-hundred bucks to have their kids get ski lessons from a group of homeless psychotic athletes--and you're thinking, I could do this person's job. I could be on the other end of this transaction...and the dream wanders off to better things.
I have so much more to say about this adventure and so little time to sit down and write about it. I'll try to keep this updated as the winter goes on. Hope everyone had a happy holiday and a happy new year! Welcome 2007.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Crazy-Whack-Funky Day
After two short semesters back in graduate school I have decided that academia needs to throw a giant party at least once a semester in celebration of mental illness! Yea! I mean honestly, some of my professors are interesting as hell but batty as a giraffe on a pogostick. Now let's face it, none of us is perfect. I certainly can't claim to be firing on all cylinders, but if passing a psychological analysis to prove one is free of mental illness was a necessary part of becoming a college professor I know at least the English department would not exist. This isn't necessarily a bad thing; obviously a lot of our most brilliant inventions and ideas have come from very disturbed individuals. Hemingway, Lincoln, Van Gogh, Beethoven, Woolf, Issac Newton, Charles Dickens, Winston Churchill...the list goes on forever. These were all great individuals that acknowledged their illness and dealt with it in a manner that allowed them to go on to do great things (well, except Hemingway--he shot himself in the face, and Woolf drown herself--pretty sure Van Gogh was a suicide too, but the point being that they offered a great deal while they were around). As I've been finding out with some of my profs and fellow classmates, there are quite a few crazies out there that wouldn't dream of acknowledging the fact that their certifiably nuts. In fact my own Creative Writing teacher--who is aware that I am bi-polar--confessed to me today that she also has dramatic mood swings but would never think of going to a therapist because she thought it would screw up her writing. I wasn't too surprised as she is the most emotionally fickle teacher I've ever had (and we bi-polar folks have somewhat of a gay-dar for mental illnesses), but I did think it was proposterous that she thought analyzing her life would somehow make her WORSE at writing. It almost seemed a bit hypocritical seeing as how she preaches to me class after class about letting go and going to deeper subconscious places in my writing.
I guess it isn't a huge deal, but I have realized as of late that human beings have a deep-seeded sense of what is right and wrong. This doesn't mean that it gives us a right to judge or to criticize or to set up society in such a way as to presume right and wrong, but honestly, where would laws even begin if we didn't have this internal sense? Or are they just based off of the early settler's Puritan values (because if this is the case we have some serious Church and State issues)? If there is no sense of right and wrong there is no way to argue for innocence or guilt. It's all just one opinion versus another. Why I bring this up is, it seems to me that a huge part of formal education is teaching the brain how to misbehave, right? When we're born we're born with the information we need to survive. If we were fed up to a young age and left in the wild, we would innately begin building shelter and gathering foods in a way that would increase our chances for survival. But in the "real world" it isn't this simple. There are rules and class-lines, gender-lines, racial barriers...hell we won't even give a guy pissing in a glass jar a quarter on our way out of eating a huge meal of junk food. So to survive one must go to school and learn how to appear as far from an original human state as possible. The better you dress, the more "educated" you sound, the more you are able to recite the things academia deems worthy, the better off your life will be. The irony is, as I'm finding out, that the people at the top making the rules are, as I said, batty as a beaver with a bowling ball. They're INSANE! Neurotic! Brilliantly creative, but ultimately living somewhere that is nowhere close to the reality the rest of us experience on a day to day basis, yet they are the ones devising the curriculum that stretches all the way down to elementary school. It's scary shit. Mostly rich white kids--all grown up--who think they have the power to control the world. And again, the irony is that they'll believe just about anything that seems to make sense. I recieved an "A" on a paper last week in a class that I haven't even opened the text for. TOTAL bullshit--and I get comments back like, "You seem to really grasp these concepts." If I do, we're in trouble.
I don't know what else to say, except that it amuses me. Life is just so damn weird and the older I get the more goofy it all seems, yet the more serious everyone seems to get. So I guess a little human decency and an open mind (and a sense of humor) are about all I can recommend. My rules are basically that if it isn't hurting anyone but yourself, knock yourself out. As soon as you start infringing on my freedoms, we're gonna have words, but otherwise...go crazy! Everyone else is.
I guess it isn't a huge deal, but I have realized as of late that human beings have a deep-seeded sense of what is right and wrong. This doesn't mean that it gives us a right to judge or to criticize or to set up society in such a way as to presume right and wrong, but honestly, where would laws even begin if we didn't have this internal sense? Or are they just based off of the early settler's Puritan values (because if this is the case we have some serious Church and State issues)? If there is no sense of right and wrong there is no way to argue for innocence or guilt. It's all just one opinion versus another. Why I bring this up is, it seems to me that a huge part of formal education is teaching the brain how to misbehave, right? When we're born we're born with the information we need to survive. If we were fed up to a young age and left in the wild, we would innately begin building shelter and gathering foods in a way that would increase our chances for survival. But in the "real world" it isn't this simple. There are rules and class-lines, gender-lines, racial barriers...hell we won't even give a guy pissing in a glass jar a quarter on our way out of eating a huge meal of junk food. So to survive one must go to school and learn how to appear as far from an original human state as possible. The better you dress, the more "educated" you sound, the more you are able to recite the things academia deems worthy, the better off your life will be. The irony is, as I'm finding out, that the people at the top making the rules are, as I said, batty as a beaver with a bowling ball. They're INSANE! Neurotic! Brilliantly creative, but ultimately living somewhere that is nowhere close to the reality the rest of us experience on a day to day basis, yet they are the ones devising the curriculum that stretches all the way down to elementary school. It's scary shit. Mostly rich white kids--all grown up--who think they have the power to control the world. And again, the irony is that they'll believe just about anything that seems to make sense. I recieved an "A" on a paper last week in a class that I haven't even opened the text for. TOTAL bullshit--and I get comments back like, "You seem to really grasp these concepts." If I do, we're in trouble.
I don't know what else to say, except that it amuses me. Life is just so damn weird and the older I get the more goofy it all seems, yet the more serious everyone seems to get. So I guess a little human decency and an open mind (and a sense of humor) are about all I can recommend. My rules are basically that if it isn't hurting anyone but yourself, knock yourself out. As soon as you start infringing on my freedoms, we're gonna have words, but otherwise...go crazy! Everyone else is.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Forgot to Say, "Hell Yeah!"
I don't know what I've been doing that I forgot to comment on the elections, but I would be remiss if I weren't to say--umm, wow, what an incredible ass kicking the republicans took last week! Seriously. I bet that hurt. I had all but given up on you America. I thought you were really going to keep going on letting these douche bags walk all over you and molest, kill, torture, and steal from anyone and everyone they felt like and just when I was walking away you go and do something like this to redeem yourself. So, well done people. Thanks for rejuvenating my hope in the system. Now--and this is for you DNC--if you f this up I'm seriously moving to Brazil to be a goat herder. I'm not screwing around. We have the House and the Senate and we're in excellent shape to take the presidency in two years--this hasn't happened in thirty years--please, please, please don't fuck this up. We're begging you. Green energy, universal health care, fair trade, livable wage, social justice--we could be like a real civilization that does things to--you know, help its people. It will be fantabulous. I'm so excited I'm starting to wish I had cable (or a TV larger than 10 inches wide) just so I could see the play by play come January. It's like March Madness, except there's only two teams and one of them has one really strong player versus the other that is stacked with a hundred or so whiny sacks that better learn how to play basketball in a hurry (did that make any sense?). Anyway, that's my piece. If you're Republican, umm, sorry, I guess. Better luck screwing up our country next time around. To the rest of the world, you're welcome, and please forgive us. Much love!
Monday, November 06, 2006
Good Intentions
I'd like to ask for everyone's prayers and good intentions over the next few days. My friend Marcus Reynerson's father is having by-pass surgery Tuesday morning and could use your thoughts.
Thanks,
Jeff
Thanks,
Jeff
What if...?
In case you haven't figured this out from previous blogs I spend a lot of time thinking about how America came to be so messed up and all around an unenjoyable place to live and I came up with this thought that we made a wrong turn when we decided both parents should start working. Now, I realize that sounds sexist, so bare with me. What I mean is that we had a moment in history where, as a country, men were working too hard and not spending time with their families and going off to war and generally obsessed with making money and building shit and drinking themselves to death and whatever...that's great. This obviously caused a rift in the balance of things and women said, "Enough is enough. We want the liberty to take care of ourselves and not depend on these crazy bastards who are all about themselves." From then on women have been moving in a direction of not really needing us for much--even those of us who are all for empowering women. Where has this put us as a nation? Well, let's remove judgement and just look at facts. Less than 50% of adults are married for the first time in history. We have three-fourths of people who have been married who've been divorced at least once. We have mental illness running rampant. Kids are living busy, crazy lives, as are their parents. People are growing up with very serious baggage. Maybe men should have been the ones to slow down rather than women speeding up to compete with the men? Maybe. I don't know.
So, let's untangle this mess and think about an alternate reality. What if, now that men have learned to respect women as equals (well, most of us anyway), we reconsider the way we're doing things. What if we consider that kids need their parents spending time with them so that they grow up to be confident, well-rounded individuals more than they need money being put in a trust fund? What if we consider that competition is great, if the playing field is equal and everyone wants to compete and everyone is on the same page about what we're competing for (which is nowhere near the case), but isn't so great when it puts those who are capable way out of reach and the incapable fighting to get their needs met. What if men and women swallowed their pride and said, "You know what, this is just dumb! We should be spending our afternoons eating meals together and making love instead of calling each other to see who's going to bring home fast food for dinner. We should stop telling ourselves these sad sob stories about how poor we are and how much we deserve and start appreciating that even the poorest of us have more than the wealthiest of other countries could dream of. What if we started putting the focus on relationships and education? What if we were so relaxed that we drank for pleasure instead of compulsively over-drinking to relieve stress? Think of the endless reprecussions of a slower lifestyle for a minute. Could people stay in love longer if they weren't under as much stress? Could kids grow up to be interested in inspiring ideas, art, nature, traveling, music--the things that make life worth living instead of money and judgemental, rigid ideologies? Could we stop thinking of the less capable as lazy and start seeing each other as human beings?
Alright, back to reality. I realize that we can't just scrap the history of America and get everyone to simultaneously start living differently. Nor do I fool myself into thinking everyone wants this. Some of us are seriously addicted to our pain. We identify with it. It's easier than changing. However, I do believe we can subtly start making choices in our day to day lives that will encourage this direction for our children. I'd like to encourage everyone to start looking a little more deeply into their stress and attempt to discover the source. Stop pushing through it and look to remedy it instead. Do you need more sleep? Do you need to eat better? Do you need more excercise? Do you need a new job? Maybe a change in scenery? But Jeff what does this have to do with what you were just talking about? When we're stressed out of our heads all day we make poor choices. We buy compulsively, we become callous to the people in our lives, we eat unhealthily, and on a larger scale, we vote out of hatred for people unlike ourselves instead of out of hope for a better society. We give up, we shut down. So, take care of yourselves this week. Vote consciously tomorrow. Start looking for ways to remedy problems instead of pushing through them. Let's grow up America. Let's take care of our needs. Let's get past this rags to riches story we're telling ourselves (because let's be honest, our history is more like genocide, slavery, and greed) and start a story of getting everyone to a more fulfilling lifestyle. I bet we can't do it by working harder. I bet we do it by living more mindfully. What do you think?
So, let's untangle this mess and think about an alternate reality. What if, now that men have learned to respect women as equals (well, most of us anyway), we reconsider the way we're doing things. What if we consider that kids need their parents spending time with them so that they grow up to be confident, well-rounded individuals more than they need money being put in a trust fund? What if we consider that competition is great, if the playing field is equal and everyone wants to compete and everyone is on the same page about what we're competing for (which is nowhere near the case), but isn't so great when it puts those who are capable way out of reach and the incapable fighting to get their needs met. What if men and women swallowed their pride and said, "You know what, this is just dumb! We should be spending our afternoons eating meals together and making love instead of calling each other to see who's going to bring home fast food for dinner. We should stop telling ourselves these sad sob stories about how poor we are and how much we deserve and start appreciating that even the poorest of us have more than the wealthiest of other countries could dream of. What if we started putting the focus on relationships and education? What if we were so relaxed that we drank for pleasure instead of compulsively over-drinking to relieve stress? Think of the endless reprecussions of a slower lifestyle for a minute. Could people stay in love longer if they weren't under as much stress? Could kids grow up to be interested in inspiring ideas, art, nature, traveling, music--the things that make life worth living instead of money and judgemental, rigid ideologies? Could we stop thinking of the less capable as lazy and start seeing each other as human beings?
Alright, back to reality. I realize that we can't just scrap the history of America and get everyone to simultaneously start living differently. Nor do I fool myself into thinking everyone wants this. Some of us are seriously addicted to our pain. We identify with it. It's easier than changing. However, I do believe we can subtly start making choices in our day to day lives that will encourage this direction for our children. I'd like to encourage everyone to start looking a little more deeply into their stress and attempt to discover the source. Stop pushing through it and look to remedy it instead. Do you need more sleep? Do you need to eat better? Do you need more excercise? Do you need a new job? Maybe a change in scenery? But Jeff what does this have to do with what you were just talking about? When we're stressed out of our heads all day we make poor choices. We buy compulsively, we become callous to the people in our lives, we eat unhealthily, and on a larger scale, we vote out of hatred for people unlike ourselves instead of out of hope for a better society. We give up, we shut down. So, take care of yourselves this week. Vote consciously tomorrow. Start looking for ways to remedy problems instead of pushing through them. Let's grow up America. Let's take care of our needs. Let's get past this rags to riches story we're telling ourselves (because let's be honest, our history is more like genocide, slavery, and greed) and start a story of getting everyone to a more fulfilling lifestyle. I bet we can't do it by working harder. I bet we do it by living more mindfully. What do you think?
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Friday, November 03, 2006
New Documentaries
Hey all, I have two new documentaries I'm encouraging you all to see. One called,
"This Film is Not Yet Rated" and another called "Jesus Camp." Check out the trailers above.
The first one I just saw and it was pretty interesting. It's about the MPAA (the organization responsible for giving movies their ratings) and who this organization is made up of and how they control what we can and cannot see in movies. It also touches on a bigger issue of who controls media in this country and how powerful they are. My one complaint about this one is that for all the probing they go through to prove the point that this organization is facist and doesn't represent average American parent's best interests they don't interview anyone that represents average America. I guess they alliviate this need by saying that there is no such thing as an "average American parent" but all the people who say this are in the film industry and live in LA (which isn't exactly what most American's lives are like). That being said, it brings up a lot of good points about how childish adults can be about cusswords, sex, and nudity in movies when it's perfectly okay to show horrendous acts of violence and get lower ratings. The biggest issue with these ratings is what falls into NC-17. Basically an R rating and an NC-17 are both meant for adults, however if a movie gets the latter rating many studios won't release it, it can't get TV spots and most chain department stores won't carry it on DVD. So a lot of movies that take artistic risks in trying to do something different get marginalized and virtually unseen by American audiences based on the moral judgement of the MPAA. In my opinion this is just another element in why America is all but devoid of good art.
The second, I have not seen but sounds outrageous. I'm sure it will rile some emotions on either side. It's about fanatical Christian camps that are trying to rival religious fanatics in other parts of the world by teaching their kids to militantly follow Jesus. The trailer is disturbing enough. I'll give a full critique after I see it.
I don't know what kind of outlets you have for seeing these films. I'm guessing most cities have at least one theater that shows more obscure docs and films. Keep an eye out. I'd love to hear what everyone thinks.
"This Film is Not Yet Rated" and another called "Jesus Camp." Check out the trailers above.
The first one I just saw and it was pretty interesting. It's about the MPAA (the organization responsible for giving movies their ratings) and who this organization is made up of and how they control what we can and cannot see in movies. It also touches on a bigger issue of who controls media in this country and how powerful they are. My one complaint about this one is that for all the probing they go through to prove the point that this organization is facist and doesn't represent average American parent's best interests they don't interview anyone that represents average America. I guess they alliviate this need by saying that there is no such thing as an "average American parent" but all the people who say this are in the film industry and live in LA (which isn't exactly what most American's lives are like). That being said, it brings up a lot of good points about how childish adults can be about cusswords, sex, and nudity in movies when it's perfectly okay to show horrendous acts of violence and get lower ratings. The biggest issue with these ratings is what falls into NC-17. Basically an R rating and an NC-17 are both meant for adults, however if a movie gets the latter rating many studios won't release it, it can't get TV spots and most chain department stores won't carry it on DVD. So a lot of movies that take artistic risks in trying to do something different get marginalized and virtually unseen by American audiences based on the moral judgement of the MPAA. In my opinion this is just another element in why America is all but devoid of good art.
The second, I have not seen but sounds outrageous. I'm sure it will rile some emotions on either side. It's about fanatical Christian camps that are trying to rival religious fanatics in other parts of the world by teaching their kids to militantly follow Jesus. The trailer is disturbing enough. I'll give a full critique after I see it.
I don't know what kind of outlets you have for seeing these films. I'm guessing most cities have at least one theater that shows more obscure docs and films. Keep an eye out. I'd love to hear what everyone thinks.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Breathing, Yoga , Mindfulness
I have been attempting to get back to some old practices that I discovered in my latter years of school in an attempt to live a more mindful and enlightened life. I'm not sure how familiar anyone is with Mindfulness or how many of you have an interest in yoga or meditation, but I have found some peace in these practices over the years and would like to share them with you in hopes that maybe they will help you as well. Below are seven of the Mindfulness principles that deal with our attitudes towards thoughts and feelings. If anyone has an interest or if these ideas strike a chord with you and you'd like to know more about meditation, yoga, or Mindfulness I'd be happy to share some books, podcasts, and cds you could check out for guidance. Note: Mindfulness is not a religious practice, but rather a healthy way of life that promotes a positive mind and loving heart. It is conducive to all other philosophies based in love and wellness.
Nonjudging: To do this requires that you become aware of the constant stream of judging and reacting to inner and outer experiences that we are normally caught up in and learn to step back from it.
Patience: Intentionally reminding ourselves that there is no need to be impatient with ourselves because we find the mind judging all of the time, or because we are tense or agitated or worried, or because we have been practicing mindfulness for some time and nothing positive seems to have happened.
A Beginner's Mind: To see the richness of the present moment (afterall, where else does life occur?), we need to cultivate what has been called "beginner's mind"--a mind that is willing to see everthing as if for the first time. No moment is the same as any other. Each is unique and contains unique possibilities. Beginner's Mind reminds us of this simple truth.
Trust: Developing a basic trust in yourself and your feelings is an integral part of meditation training. This will be particularly useful in the yoga practice. When practicing yoga, it is important to honor your feelings and listen to when your body tells you to stop or to back off in a particular stretch. If you don't listen, you might injure yourself.
Nonstriving: Almost everthing we do we do for a purpose, to get something or somewhere. But, in meditation, this attitude can be a real obstacle. Ultimately, meditating is non-doing. It has no goal other than for you to be yourself. In the meditative domain, the best way to achieve your goals is to back off from striving for results and, instead, to start focusing carefully on seeing and accepting things as they are, moment to moment.
Acceptance: Acceptance means seeing things as they actually are in the present. If you have a headache, accept that you have a headache. If you are in pain, emotionally or physically, accept that you are in pain. Acceptance does not mean that you have to like everything or that you have to take a passive attitude. It does not mean that you are satisfied with things as they are. Acceptance, as we are speaking of it simply means that you have a willingness to see things as they are. In meditation practice, we cultivate acceptance by taking each moment as it comes and being with it fully, as it is. We try not to impose our ideas about what we should be feeling or thinking or seeing on our experience, but be receptive and open to whatever we are feeling, thinking, or seeing and to accept it because it is here right now.
Letting Go: In meditation practice we intentionally put aside the tendency to elevate some aspects of our experience and to reject others--prolonging pleasant thoughts or feelings and trying to get rid of the unpleasant. Instead, we just let our experience be what it is and practice observing it from moment to moment.
Nonjudging: To do this requires that you become aware of the constant stream of judging and reacting to inner and outer experiences that we are normally caught up in and learn to step back from it.
Patience: Intentionally reminding ourselves that there is no need to be impatient with ourselves because we find the mind judging all of the time, or because we are tense or agitated or worried, or because we have been practicing mindfulness for some time and nothing positive seems to have happened.
A Beginner's Mind: To see the richness of the present moment (afterall, where else does life occur?), we need to cultivate what has been called "beginner's mind"--a mind that is willing to see everthing as if for the first time. No moment is the same as any other. Each is unique and contains unique possibilities. Beginner's Mind reminds us of this simple truth.
Trust: Developing a basic trust in yourself and your feelings is an integral part of meditation training. This will be particularly useful in the yoga practice. When practicing yoga, it is important to honor your feelings and listen to when your body tells you to stop or to back off in a particular stretch. If you don't listen, you might injure yourself.
Nonstriving: Almost everthing we do we do for a purpose, to get something or somewhere. But, in meditation, this attitude can be a real obstacle. Ultimately, meditating is non-doing. It has no goal other than for you to be yourself. In the meditative domain, the best way to achieve your goals is to back off from striving for results and, instead, to start focusing carefully on seeing and accepting things as they are, moment to moment.
Acceptance: Acceptance means seeing things as they actually are in the present. If you have a headache, accept that you have a headache. If you are in pain, emotionally or physically, accept that you are in pain. Acceptance does not mean that you have to like everything or that you have to take a passive attitude. It does not mean that you are satisfied with things as they are. Acceptance, as we are speaking of it simply means that you have a willingness to see things as they are. In meditation practice, we cultivate acceptance by taking each moment as it comes and being with it fully, as it is. We try not to impose our ideas about what we should be feeling or thinking or seeing on our experience, but be receptive and open to whatever we are feeling, thinking, or seeing and to accept it because it is here right now.
Letting Go: In meditation practice we intentionally put aside the tendency to elevate some aspects of our experience and to reject others--prolonging pleasant thoughts or feelings and trying to get rid of the unpleasant. Instead, we just let our experience be what it is and practice observing it from moment to moment.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
What Do Today's Kids Need? Smarter Adults.
I've been hearing this sentiment a lot lately--being that my mother and mother-in-law are both teachers--that kids today are out of control. They're cussing at young ages and talking about sex and guns and shooting each other in school, etc. and it never used to be this way. Well, first off, yes, it did used to be this way, it just wasn't this way for suburbanite middle-class white kids. And now it is. Actually I can still remember cussing and talking about sex and violence at a pretty early age--never shot at anyone, but I probably wished I had the sack to a few times.
My mothers both share the opinion that because there is no longer prayer in schools, this is why kids are going crazy. I respectfully disagree (mostly because I went to Catholic school my whole life and never did or didn't do anything good or bad based on the fact that I was being forced to pray to a God I didn't understand or necessarily agree with). I believe the real problem is that kids today have access to information beyond our parent's wildest dreams and the adults aren't keeping up. If you are my age, 27, or there abouts, imagine going through college without the internet for research. WHAT? Actually having to go through microfilms and books to find little tidbits that we can now punch into a computer screen and in one second have everything ever written in the entire world. This is what today's kids get from day one. Not only this but they are smart enough to get into things that kids probably shouldn't see--such as sexual content, violent video clips, etc--but are. So what do we do about this? It makes sense to me to deal with it in a way that addresses the problem. We didn't ask for kids to be exposed to this stuff and we certainly can't stop it completely. If they want to see things they shouldn't see, they're going to find a computer somewhere where they can access these things. Can we talk to them? Is this that big of a deal? I don't have kids so I don't want to assert too much here, but I can't imagine myself not just sitting down with my child and explaining why these things can be harmful to their worldview. And if I can't explain it, maybe I should consider that I'm being close-minded and that this is just a change the world is going through--not the coming of days.
I don't know the answer, but I certainly remember what I thought as a teen. I wanted the WHY behind everything. If an adult couldn't give me the WHY I usually considered that adult pretty ignorant. I respected adults with answers, with information. Not just because they earned their place as the Alpha, but because they made me a smarter person and usually didn't ask me to do things based on their own laziness and apathy. So, I'm sorry my fellow adults, there is a traitor in your midst. I'm with the kids on this one. Give them information, talk to them like intelligent human beings, they'll respect you. Order them around like some kind of dictator who deserves respect simply for being alive longer, and I gurantee they're going to rebel.
My mothers both share the opinion that because there is no longer prayer in schools, this is why kids are going crazy. I respectfully disagree (mostly because I went to Catholic school my whole life and never did or didn't do anything good or bad based on the fact that I was being forced to pray to a God I didn't understand or necessarily agree with). I believe the real problem is that kids today have access to information beyond our parent's wildest dreams and the adults aren't keeping up. If you are my age, 27, or there abouts, imagine going through college without the internet for research. WHAT? Actually having to go through microfilms and books to find little tidbits that we can now punch into a computer screen and in one second have everything ever written in the entire world. This is what today's kids get from day one. Not only this but they are smart enough to get into things that kids probably shouldn't see--such as sexual content, violent video clips, etc--but are. So what do we do about this? It makes sense to me to deal with it in a way that addresses the problem. We didn't ask for kids to be exposed to this stuff and we certainly can't stop it completely. If they want to see things they shouldn't see, they're going to find a computer somewhere where they can access these things. Can we talk to them? Is this that big of a deal? I don't have kids so I don't want to assert too much here, but I can't imagine myself not just sitting down with my child and explaining why these things can be harmful to their worldview. And if I can't explain it, maybe I should consider that I'm being close-minded and that this is just a change the world is going through--not the coming of days.
I don't know the answer, but I certainly remember what I thought as a teen. I wanted the WHY behind everything. If an adult couldn't give me the WHY I usually considered that adult pretty ignorant. I respected adults with answers, with information. Not just because they earned their place as the Alpha, but because they made me a smarter person and usually didn't ask me to do things based on their own laziness and apathy. So, I'm sorry my fellow adults, there is a traitor in your midst. I'm with the kids on this one. Give them information, talk to them like intelligent human beings, they'll respect you. Order them around like some kind of dictator who deserves respect simply for being alive longer, and I gurantee they're going to rebel.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Too Good to Be True?
Ok, I'm taking a pubic opinion poll here. I emailed the strange man who approached me a month or so ago about a possible modeling gig and below is his response. I need you all to let me know if you think I'm being paranoid or naive or overly critical or what because I don't know what to think. Imagine you're me, working a shitty part- time job and writing short stories and this guy comes up out of the blue and offers this to you. I don't know why I can't believe it, but something about the whole thing just isn't fitting together for me. I'm waiting for the catch. Anyway, have a read, if you would, and tell me what you think. Sound fishy? Also, sound cheesy? Is this really something I want to do if it is for real? Would you do it? I'm so painfully midwestern...
Jeff, Outpost12studios in Lincoln, Nebraska will be producing the
vodeo
project in January. Am in New york doing fashion shows like told all of
you
I would be - then retreat to the midwest to be low key. Regarding your
appearance in the project, you have the rest of the year to mull it
over.
filming will take place in mid January. That means flying you here for
four
days for filming. Prior to that, I can return there at times to coach
you on
the choreography. You should have everything well rehearsed by that
time
since it is only a five minute video. The last time I saw you I came
across
the street and stopped you and told you that like a big brother figure,
I
was not, and will not steer you in any wrong direction. I do not know
what
lifestyle you have lived, but jet-setting is in the lifestyle of anyone
involved in this business. Use your brain man, there is tons of money
on
this planet, you have been blessed lookswise, do what I and countless
other
males have done USE YOUR LOOKS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE TO EXPEDITE BECOMING
FINANCIALLY SECURE!!! I'm not into menial work, did that, don't have
to, am
planning to retire when this bloody video is completed! It is my
brainchild,
has been in my blood to do it because I have the ability to do it, can
muster the 'star quality" essence to carry it, (you received a minute
sample
of my stage presence while I was there), and can get it properly
executed to
fashion designers, which is the whole purpose of it. It's only a
promotional
project remember, to inspire fashion designers to return to prior
well-dressed looks in their creations. My whole success in life has
been
attributed to my presentation. Even many years ago when I was homeless,
the
security personnel at the former Golden Nugget casino in Atlantic City,
NJ
voted me "best dressed bum". If that isn't an American story of some
sort,
what is? ALEXIS!!! P.S. If you can provide a contact number, and tell
me how
you are doing, and if you are still at the coffee shop. Also, you can
samle
the video via the internect by pulling up the Vogue video.
Jeff, Outpost12studios in Lincoln, Nebraska will be producing the
vodeo
project in January. Am in New york doing fashion shows like told all of
you
I would be - then retreat to the midwest to be low key. Regarding your
appearance in the project, you have the rest of the year to mull it
over.
filming will take place in mid January. That means flying you here for
four
days for filming. Prior to that, I can return there at times to coach
you on
the choreography. You should have everything well rehearsed by that
time
since it is only a five minute video. The last time I saw you I came
across
the street and stopped you and told you that like a big brother figure,
I
was not, and will not steer you in any wrong direction. I do not know
what
lifestyle you have lived, but jet-setting is in the lifestyle of anyone
involved in this business. Use your brain man, there is tons of money
on
this planet, you have been blessed lookswise, do what I and countless
other
males have done USE YOUR LOOKS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE TO EXPEDITE BECOMING
FINANCIALLY SECURE!!! I'm not into menial work, did that, don't have
to, am
planning to retire when this bloody video is completed! It is my
brainchild,
has been in my blood to do it because I have the ability to do it, can
muster the 'star quality" essence to carry it, (you received a minute
sample
of my stage presence while I was there), and can get it properly
executed to
fashion designers, which is the whole purpose of it. It's only a
promotional
project remember, to inspire fashion designers to return to prior
well-dressed looks in their creations. My whole success in life has
been
attributed to my presentation. Even many years ago when I was homeless,
the
security personnel at the former Golden Nugget casino in Atlantic City,
NJ
voted me "best dressed bum". If that isn't an American story of some
sort,
what is? ALEXIS!!! P.S. If you can provide a contact number, and tell
me how
you are doing, and if you are still at the coffee shop. Also, you can
samle
the video via the internect by pulling up the Vogue video.
In Case You Missed It...
If you haven't seen this clip of Clinton verbally abusing Jim Wallace on Fox News, check this out. In case you haven't caught on yet, Fox News has nothing to do with journalism or reporting facts or trying to get to the heart of situations and everything to do with conservative propaganda (rent "OutFoxed" sometime for a one-sided but informative look inside this news channel). Clinton is a beast in this. I was too caught up in growing up during the nineties to know what was going on, but he's quickly becoming my new political hero. Periodically try to imagine George W. maintaining a stream of thought for this long (let alone citing these kinds of facts off the top of his head), and watch how he thinks before he speaks. You have to take the good with the bad when you're talking about huge world figures like Bill Clinton, but I believe despite his faults with fidelity he is a serious thinker, intellectual, and leader as you can see here. It's in two parts, but worth the time to watch both. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnyrCVwGyK4&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxWUA764H7E&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnyrCVwGyK4&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxWUA764H7E&mode=related&search=
Monday, September 18, 2006
Oregonites
The plans are in motion. Allison and I will be moving to Bend, Oregon this December to work for my friend and former Philmont director, Kevin Stickleman at Mt. Bachelor ski resort. The stress and anticipation has gotten to be too much as we've been dealing with work, tests, graduate school searches, applications and letters of intent. UNCLE! We give. After turning in my final papers this semester and tearlessly waving goodbye to my life of mindlessly slinging java to misguided academic souls I will pack up the necessities of life in my little green Camery and scream in sweet release to the towering mountains of the Northwest. I have much to think about and Allison and I will both have our futures waiting in limbo in the months following December application deadlines. I can think of no better way to spend this time then getting back in touch with the nature boy who's been sitting cross-legged in a corner of my soul, punished by the calender and speed of stress that the city life is too happy to provide. I know many of you will never understand, but perhaps someday we'll hike together and you can share the quiet peace of a crisp clean walk in the vanilla stench of a Pondarosa forest; all your innocence returned, childhood revisited. As Alexander Pope said, "There is a certain majesty in simplicity."
I know working at a ski resort isn't exactly simplicity, but it'll pay the bills. Meanwhile, we can spend our free time hiking the mountains and learning the calls of the migrating birds. I'm in goose-flesh just thinking about it. I can't wait!
Anyone else in need of a break from the busy life this winter, you have a couch to sleep on in Bend.
Much love,
Jeff
I know working at a ski resort isn't exactly simplicity, but it'll pay the bills. Meanwhile, we can spend our free time hiking the mountains and learning the calls of the migrating birds. I'm in goose-flesh just thinking about it. I can't wait!
Anyone else in need of a break from the busy life this winter, you have a couch to sleep on in Bend.
Much love,
Jeff
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