forgiveness and irony

I've been very busy lately reading various articles, blogs, and commentary that relate to various heady topics. Instead of desperately trying to massage my thoughts into coherent prose, I have decided to share some of those with you. Feel free to ignore them but I do hope you will find them, if nothing else, thought-provoking.

Forgiveness and Irony

TV Show of the Day: Life

highway robbery

I have a question. It's a very pertinent one, but I really don't expect anyone to enlighten me. Is there any reasonable explanation why the gas stations show a price of 99.9 cents per litre today? 99.9! When oil prices have been around $37/barrel for the last week at least? I'm pretty sure there hasn't been a new tax introduced in the last 24 hours. Then why? Why are we being gouged and why isn't everyone up in arms about it? Am I the only one who notices this? Are we all so bloody Canadian that we'll pay and pay and pay without barely a whimper? How sad are we?

Of course I'm double pissed at this because my tank is getting low and Murphy is totally laughing at me. I hate Murphy almost as much as I hate these gas prices.

Song of the Day: Drive My Car, The Beatles

in other words

I love it and I hate it at the same time. I love the fact that someone other than me thinks the way I do. It comforts me to know that there are others with the same ideas; that I don't exist in a vacuum, at least intellectually speaking. What I hate is when they say it better than I could :p

Here it is:

I'm sick to death of the media perpetuating the notion that there is still a legitimate debate ongoing concerning the veracity of evolution. There simply isn't. What there is, however, is the obstinate, stubborn refusal of religious wish-thinkers to accept reality.

There can be no detente with those who refuse to live in a reality-based world. They need to be bludgeoned repeatedly and mercilessly with the overwhelming mountain of facts and evidence supporting evolution until they finally relinquish their death grip on the baseless fairy tales which our ignorant ancestors created to explain a dangerous and indifferent world about which they knew next to nothing.

The unfounded beliefs and ridiculous taboos of the religious have impeded humanity far too long and have been directly responsible for untold human misery, suffering and death throughout the ages. Enough is enough. Religion and its adherents need to go the way of the dodo.

"God did it." is not an answer - it's a cop-out and a pretext for willful ignorance.

I didn't say this but I sure wish I had. I've been writing a blog about this in my head for weeks now and I know that if I had finally managed to get my thoughts down it would have taken eight long paragraphs and multiple ellipsis (what's the plural of "ellipsis"? "ellipsises"? That just looks so wrong). I really need to learn how to write more succinctly. Oh well, it's a wish that will probably be never fulfilled.

On the other hand, my wish that reason triumphs over superstition may well be granted one day, judging by the rising voices of those who share my stance. I just hope it happens soon.

Dose of Reason of the Day: Tim Minchin's comedy

moving pictures

The 2009 Victoria Film Festival was only the second such event I had ever attended. Last year I saw four flicks; this year I went all out and saw ten! Yes, ten. That's a lot of movies for seven days. You can say I'm exhausted, especially since I've been fighting this weird cold-like thing that makes me feel schizo most of the time. But this isn't about my health; this post is about movies. Here we go (in order of screenings):
1. Apology of an Economic Hitman. This is a documentary about corporate influence in the politics and economics of developing countries and how those corporations benefit from the resources of those countries, resources which should be better used to benefit the people instead. I was worried I would come out of this angry, and I did. At the same time I thought "I should have known." I'm starting to expect this sort of information now. That doesn't make me any less angry, but rather more and more frustrated because I feel so powerless to change anything.
2. Eating Buccaneers. I very much enjoyed this dark comedy about five advertisng people who had crashed their plane in the middle of nowhere in the Canadian wilderness. The humour was wry yet satisfying; the characters parodies yet full of depth. I hope this movie will gain a wider audience, I think it deserves to.
3. The Caller. Frank Langella gives a wonderful performance of an economic hitman who wants to redeem himself with a last act defiance. Whoa! What? Another economic hitman? Yup, but this time it is fiction and it is a thriller, a cat and mouse game with plenty of secrets and twists. Very good.
4. Stone of Destiny. A lovely true tale of the attempt at recovery of the Stone of Destiny by a group of young Scottish students from Westminster Abbey. Beautifully told, well worth a viewing when it comes out in the theatres locally later this month.
5. The Tiger's Tail. This movie is billed as a thriller. I beg to differ. I found it entertaining but not really a thriller. I have to admit I rather enjoyed the evil twin premise not be so evil for a change.
6. Dean Spanley. I'm a big fan of Peter O'Toole and boy did he live up to my expectations. I don't think there is anyone who can plan the old curmudgeon better. This is a whimsical story set in Edwardian England at a time when the upper crust had time for lofty pursuits and journeys into the occult. In this particular indulgence, past lives are explored ... past lives which will leave you wondering just what's in that drink.
7. On Thousand Journals. This documentary tells the story of Someguy, a San Francisco graphic designer, who sent forth into parts unknown 1000 empty journals asking whoever found them to use their creativity and fill them out. The movie traced the journey of some of them - many, unfortunately, have been lost - and documents how they touched the lives of so many people all around the globe. Seeing this has definitely encouraged me to start one too. In the meantime, Esther has began one as part of the 1001 Journals project and I'm definitely going to participate in it.
8. Flame & Citron. I'm generally not a fan of war movies but I did enjoy this one very much. It tells the story of two resistance fighters in WWII Denmark. The interesting thing about these two was the fact that they were assassins rather than your typical members of the underground. Instead of bombing trains or bridges these two would go and put a bullet through the heads of German collaborators, spies, or officials. And then they would meet their compatriots in the same bar the Germans frequented. A very good film and a true story to boot.
9. Mothers & Daughters. The hilarious, the ridiculous, and the complicated dynamics of the mother/daughter bond permeate this new Canadian film. Three mother/daughter pairs offer sparkling insight into the needs, the denials, and the inescapable love that these women do battle with every day. I think I shed a tear in this one. No, I'm pretty sure I did. OK, I have a soft spot for this whole mother/daughter thing. So bite me.
10. JCVD. A most interesting attempt to revive one's fledgling acting career: make a movie about yourself. Jean Claude Van Damme does a great job doing just that. The man synonymous with action movies puts himself out there, not as an action star but rather as a man who has been someone and lost it all. He doesn't pull punches and comes across very believable. It must not have been easy to do.
11. My Son the Pornographer. OK, I didn't see this one in the theatre, even though it was shown as part of the festival. A few days after the end of the festival this documentary was shown on CBC Newsworld. So I got to see a bonus movie.

Of all the movies I saw, I think I liked JCVD the least and yet I liked it quite a bit. This means I made very good choices with all of them. My favourite was definitely Stone of Destiny with Eating Buccaneers a very close second. I can't wait for next year's festival! :)

teeny boppers

I am very lucky to have some wonderful teenagers in my life right now. I remember when I was thinking about having kids one day, it wasn't babyhood that scared me shitless, it was the fact that those cute little babies were going to, one day, turn into teens. And then what?

And then they did. And I love them and I think they're the best creatures ever, and how could I ever think that babies were better ... But no matter how I try, I can't seem to shield my teens from some of the negatives associated with that age. It pains me to see them in pain: emotional, hormonal, and sometimes even physical. There doesn't seem to be anything I can do to prevent the ups and downs, all I can do is maybe lessen their impact. Being a teenager sucks. Sometimes it sucks a lot; sometimes it sucks a bit. The best I can offer my teens is to tell them that it will get better, and if not necessarily better then maybe different. Being an adult isn't all that much fun either. I think we just get better at coping. So ... I'm on a mission to provide the best coping skills to those teens I love. Wish me luck.

Dish of the Day: Beef Bourguignon

will they never learn?

I'm not a fan of reality shows. As a matter of fact, I think they are a cheap way to fill the airwaves (or rather the cables); it seems to be the preferred way these days, however. After all, who wants to pay for (occasionally) intelligent writing, sets, actors ... it's so much easier to stick a few cameras in already existing locales, with people who are more than willing to surrender their privacy and, if many cases, their dignity for their 15 minutes of fame. Oh, how sad.

And yet ... (you must have known this was coming) ... there is an occasional glimpse into the minutia of life that is, if anything, educational. I'm speaking of the CBC show "The Week the Women Went, Season 2". I've seen two episodes so far and each time I was left speechless. Yes, speechless. Actually, no. They had me yelling at the TV and those stupid men who were left to fend for themselves for a whole week! I realise that they pick towns which have an unusually high proportion of über-men already present, but please ... this can't possibly be for real! Unfortunately, it is. And these men pretend to deal with their womenfolk being away by making light of anything and everything in the female realm. Children? No problem. Let's pack them and take along to the work site; heavy equipment and other vehicles posing a risk? Nah, there are plenty of people around more than happy enough to save my brats when I get bored. And when all else fails, make the young girls who were left behind to tend to their little brothers and sisters. After all, they're female so they must know what to do. I especially "enjoyed" the segment about a man whose roof is leaking and has been leaking for the last two years, but instead of going up there and slapping a couple of shingles down he prefers to sit downstairs in the basement for hours at a time carving ducks. You heard me ... carving ducks. In the meantime, this leak is in the kitchen with water dripping (for two years!) on top of the stove where his poor wife has to deal with it day in and day out. His excuse is that the kitchen is HER domain and he never goes in there so it's just not a priority. Can you believe this man? Oh, but wait. She is now gone and he has to make dinner for the kids. On the stove. Where the water is dripping constantly. NOW it's bloody inconvenient.

I have to be honest here ... I am angry at these men. But I'm almost as angry at the women who have put up with this shit for so long. This isn't something that just started last week. This total disregard for women and their value has been going on for ever. And the fact that these women have allowed themselves to be treated like that is a travesty. Why? Why do we do that? Why do we let men get away with treating us like shit? I really would like to know this. If anyone has any brilliant ideas, I'd love to hear them.

Singer of the Day: Bonnie St Croix

oops, I did it again

I don't know why this happens but I killed another writer. I didn't mean to. I really didn't. But it really didn't come as much of a surprise; it had been a while since the last one. You're probably wondering what I'm babbling on about. It's simple, really. I have a rather bad record with authors I like and whose books I devour in large quantities. They die. Usually before they should. Or, more accurately, before I'm done with them. Whenever I expect more books (because I can't get enough), they die. John Updike has joined the likes of Timothy Findley, Robertson Davies, and Robert Ludlum. I read all their books and they die, leaving me wanting more ...

I've been an Updike fan for quite a while now, picking up his older books at used bookstores, always chuckling at his wry sense of humour. To tell the truth, I must look like a total weirdo reading Updike because I am rather audible doing so; a similar response I have to Nelson DeMille, one I've managed to not kill as of yet.

John Updike will be missed, terribly.

There are at least three writers I am rather worried about ... Just checked and Gabriel Gárcia Márquez is 81, John le Carré is 77, and Mario Vargas Llosa is 72. Things don't bode well for them, although I do wish them long and healthy lives, preferably full of writing.

A part of me is weary of finding new, younger favourites ... the question looms over my head: what if I kill them off too? I'd hate to have that on my conscience ...

Quote of the day:
Dreams come true. Without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them. -- John Updike

walk the talk

Every day I walk to and from work. It's not an unpleasant walk, most days. Most of the area I walk through is residential and only when I hit the part closest to the office does reality sneak up on me. There are a lot of homeless in this town and they all seem to congregate within a two block span of the street I walk on. The other part offers me an ever-changing panorama of local flora. Not so much right now, it being January after all, but even when the bitter cold is nipping at my nose, I see buds on some of the bushes and new growth in the perennials. It's heart-warming to see that the cold is on its way out, even if it does whip us here and there (5-10 cm of snow predicted for tonight/tomorrow morning). Brrrr.

But this wasn't going to be about the weather ... oh no. The topic today is my mind. Or rather, the need I have for a device which will record the very eloquent and damn right brilliant thought I have during my daily walk. This device would simply record what I obviously have a very hard time articulating out loud and by writing. Why is that? Why can't I ever remember all the great arguments I have for pertinent topics in my head?

But wait! There may be help on the horizon! Did you know that three of the finest universities in the US have been given a rather large amount of money to come up with a device specifically to do what I need? Yes, yes they have. And they're working on it. They call it a non-invasive brain-machine interface usable in humans that can translate intended (non-vocalized) speech and directional orientation into machine-readable form, i.e. a "thought helmet." Mind you, it's to take the form of a helmet but I'm sure I can make it look good. What? I can't have it? Are you kidding me? What do you mean it's for military use only? The military doesn't need mind controlled weapons! I need a mind controlled notepad! And then, my dear fellow blog enthusiasts, you would get the best writing imaginable (I mean, from me, not in general) and not these meanderings which have little connection to reality. I can so imagine myself in one of those cute helmets! I can :)

Author of the day: John Updike (who will be sorely missed)

starting point

I knew this was going to happen ... I've had all these great ideas for topics storming through my brain, especially as I walk to and from work (gotta do something to keep my mind of the numbing cold assaulting my face). Now, as I sit before this blank screen, I honestly have no clue where to start. I think I should just make a list (not here, I'd hate to give things away) and be very methodical about this whole blogging thing. The only problem with that approach is that I'm not a very methodical person. I tend to do most everything in fits and starts until I find my way and get comfortable. Then and only then can I really focus. So please forgive me if my rumblings are just that: rumblings. I promise I will find my way and get comfortable.

So, let's start tonight with a loud sigh of relief; relief that the week is over. Why are some weeks so tough? It shouldn't have been but it was agonizingly long. And to think that with my rather stress-free job and even more stress-free home life, what on Earth would make it so hard to make it through five little days? I think it was the fog. It had to be the fog. I definitely don't like the fog. It certainly wasn't as bad as back on the mainland but still ... the outside moved inside my head and made it all foggy too. I'm not at all surprised that they make movies where the fog is a character, usually sinister. There is nothing redeeming about fog. Nothing. OK, I've overdone the fog thing now. Sorry. But it really does suck. I'm looking forward to the sun again tomorrow.

Hmm, this wasn't a very auspicious start, I probably bored you to death. But stick around, it just might get better. Or not ;)

Movie of the day: The Fall (2007)

... a reluctant blogger ...

For a very long time I really couldn't understand why people blog. Why do they put out their thoughts and ideas for the world to see? Why do they think anyone cares? Is your life really that interesting? Should I not be living my own instead of sitting in front of the computer and reading about what some strangers do? It just made no sense to me.

And then I meet Dooce. OK, I haven't actually met her (although I almost did a while back when she visited Vancouver). What I mean is, I started reading Dooce and I started to care. I don't think it's Dooce's life that interests me per se; it's her irreverent ability to make me laugh and think and simply enjoy her writing. And that's what I look for. I'm very big on well written prose. Very big. So I read Dooce. Then I found Laid-Off-Dad and I definitely can't get enough of him. The bottom line is, other people's lives can be interesting and funny and a nice break from my work day. So I now read a number of blogs daily. There are some things it takes me a while to get comfortable with, like bok choy, for example, but when I do, watch out. I embrace it wholeheartedly. Except for bok choy. I'm only to the "I tolerate you in my soup" stage so far. Blogs, on the other hand, hold more promise.

That said, I'd like to make it clear that this is an experiment. It is an experiment in letting go. I am a ridiculously private person so it should come as no surprise that this little experiment is not an easy one for me. But I'm willing to give it a try. Expect variety. I have no idea which way to go, which is why the blog is called what it's called. In plain English it means "I digress". And digress I will. Often. I hope someone out there will join me on this little ride. Welcome.

Word of the day: Divagate