Watch this Film

The Examined Life -- streaming on Netflix. Several of the featured philosophers I studied as an undergraduate philosophy major, and all have written brilliant (and relatively accessible) books and essays that are FASCINATING. Love it! 

Winter Approaches

This upcoming weekend is the last of October weekends. November seems to signal for me that it is about to be winter. As I was reading a book of Mary Oliver poems, I came across one that spoke to my mood (as I sat, on my lunch break, in a park in my car with heat and music on low).

Last Days

Things are
changing; things are starting to
spin, snap, fly off into
the blue sleeve of the long
afternoon. Oh and ooh
come whistlingout of the perished mouth
of the grass, as things
turn soft, boil back
into substance and hue. As everything,
forgetting its own enchantment, whispers:
I too love oblivion why not it is full
of second chances. Now,
hiss the bright curls of the leaves. Now!
booms the muscle of the wind.

The Pat Tillman Story

Pat Tillman: intelligent, down to earth, philosophical, generous, diligent, fun and, like all of us, capable of really nerdy photos like the one shown above

I highly recommend the documentary The Pat Tillman Story. It opened my eyes to the following:

a) the fact that Pat Tillman was an extraordinary human being with an admirable spirit and way of being

b) yet another example of the disgusting way in which political power is wielded to cover damaging truths

c) the courageous perseverance of a family in exposing the truth and holding the military, all the way up the ladder to the Commander in Chief, accountable for the lies surrounding Pat Tillman's death

d) the fact that finding acceptance and peace in moving forward with life, after any traumatic circumstance, is critical for taking care of yourself and others, whether a resolution occurred or not

A Trip to the Library

After a long hiatus, SB and I finally made a trip to out nearby library. An hour or so later we returned home, feeling as excited as kids at Christmas -- the bounty of free movies (extensive collection of foreign films), fiction and nonfiction, audio books, music, etc. available at the library is really quite amazing. Even though not EVERYTHING can be found in the stacks or on the interlibrary request system, we, as people with interest in learning just about anything, will never run out of appealing options.

Today I begin the audio book of The Mad Desire to Dance, by Elie Wiesel and this weekend I will finally share with SB the glory of the film Elevator to the Gallows (an entirely Miles Davis soundtrack). SB got a Joe Strummer documentary, Batman (a continuation of the Batman chronicle by Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert) and a pretty awesome Steve Earl album called "Townes" - in memory of Townes Van Zandt.

YAY.

Switch-Up

Today I decided to switch-up the blog design (more whimsical!) and re-committed myself to more regularly writing on topics large and small.

I saw Stacy Schiff speak at MPR's Talking Volumes series last night and was completely inspired. She was incredibly knowledgeable, articulate, intelligent and witty, an expert on the lives of at least four individuals on whom she has written biographies. SO cool. If I were to pursue writing I think that non-fiction would  be my path. I envy the life of writers who can somehow manage to get by while researching for years in preparation for their books. Also, I have come to accept that I have a limited imagination, so fiction always strikes me as particularly daunting.

But to craft around existing information a compelling narrative -- that is the kind of project that appeals to me. I'm toying the idea of writing mini-biographies for older generations of my family, since the sources are so accessible to me and it could enrich my understanding of who I am (and hopefully do the same for future generations of my family). Anyway, this is the type of thinking that has come as a result of my recent aunt-hood -- I feel an obligation to be a preserver of family memories and stories for sharing with future generations.

Anyway, I recommend Stacy Schiff! She has written several well-received biographies, most recently on Cleopatra. I think that I will (eventually, when I get through the line of books already on my list), Vera (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov).