Well, just like that.
I'm closing out this blog. It'll remain up and please feel free to comment or whatnot, but this is done. If you want to get a decent sense of how I've felt the past few years, this is my public record. More so, I hope this shows a journey, perhaps a digression from one point to another. In my sorta-goofy way in calling myself a Middle Aged Young Adult, I hoped to find some resonance with others and ultimately, with what I felt myself. For that, I have succeeded.
For the first time in a very long time, I am content. I don't always feel content and judging as the end of the year is going to shape up, I might be quite frazzled. No matter. I am content in my decisions; what I decided and how I decided. I am content in my locale, in where I've ended up and how I got here. I am content in the possibilities and the probabilities. I am content with what I know and don't know, what I've learned and have yet to learn and what I have seen and what there is to see.
If peace is the awareness of everything you need to live life well, than I feel quite peaceful. After so much work in terms of education, shifting careers, moving toward the other side of the country, bad breakups, good rejections, lots of self-analysis and lots of silent and loud prayer amongst many a car drives, this is my time to slow down.
Thanks for reading and I'm sure we'll talk more soon.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Monday, September 01, 2008
A Stewart and a Wolfson met in a bar...
In continuing my election coverage, I offer a Daily Show video:
and an article by former Clinton Communications Director Howard Wolfson.
You may return to the "Cindy and Laura" hour at the RNC Convention.
and an article by former Clinton Communications Director Howard Wolfson.
You may return to the "Cindy and Laura" hour at the RNC Convention.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Is there an -ism we are forced to pick?
Sorry for the lull in this blog.
With the selection of Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate, it opens up this election to a few interesting narratives.
The interesting part: Do you vote for someone because of race or because of gender? Of course, the acknowledged is that you don't vote because of race or gender or religion or sexual orientation or anything of the identity sort. You vote because of issues and policies and positions.
Yeah, right.
As much as we want to say it, we really don't vote on issues. The reason is simple: what is the issue during the election most likely won't be the issue during the crux of the presidency. For example, does anyone remember what the major issues were in 2000? Bush ran as a compassionate conservative, but what was his main policy planks? Same with Clinton, with Reagan, with anyone else? If anything, you might have to go back to Lincoln to find a presidency that was squarely dealt with the issues raised in a campaign. As the adage goes, presidents don't make history, but rather, history makes presidents.
Plus, while the president has power, presidents don't have all the power. Truthfully, Congress is the strongest branch in government. It's the most representative and democratic in nature and most of the legislative nexus has to originate and flow through both House and Senate. As much as we want universal health care and private social security or this or that, it's starts with laws. Honestly, Congress could enact universal health care, it's the "Medicare for All" act that Rep. Kucinich introduced a while back. It's still pending...
Therefore, what are we looking for in presidents? It depends solely on the times. Some times call for a Kennedy or a Lincoln, leaders that don't have the experience but have the leadership. Other times call for a Truman or an Eisenhower, who climbed the ladder and showed their grit. And, some times call for a forgotten president and sadly, some times call for a Bush.
So, this time is a time for change. The reality is that it's a generational change. Unless past times and past generations, this change is much more profound. Because of the striking difference on how life is viewed and lived and because of how wacky the Baby Boomers are, this difference comes with a completely different way at approaching life and politics. That's why Obama made it this far and honestly, why Gov. Palin just gave McCain his best shot at the Presidency. New age, new time, newer ways of thinking.
But back to the original question: Do you vote on race or gender? In America, racism is the original sin. In humanity, sexism is the ORIGINAL sin. As hokey as this sounds, racism is presented as a more pressing matter in the public consciousness than sexism. That's why the ERA never passed and why we didn't get a woman as the presidential candidate this time around.
However, there will be no racial majority in about 40 years in America. Most people are multi-cultural and multi-racial and there is no doubt we will have our first Latino and Asian president within 25 years. No doubt.
On the other hand, civilization is shifting back to a matriarchal society. There are more women being born than men and that simple fact alone will radically alter society in about five generations, tops. There is a growing crisis among boys in development and education (I think the latest numbers is that 60-65% of college graduates are women and that's increasing) and the blurring of the boundaries of manhood compels more women to fill the gap.
That's somewhat far off, but since Obama has proven himself to be perceived as presidential, his candidacy has open the flood gates. And if the governor can show herself as capable without the necessity to desexualize herself (that's a whole other issue that I'm surely not qualified to talk about), then that is a major, major victory. Maybe even more important than a McCain win.
With the selection of Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate, it opens up this election to a few interesting narratives.
The interesting part: Do you vote for someone because of race or because of gender? Of course, the acknowledged is that you don't vote because of race or gender or religion or sexual orientation or anything of the identity sort. You vote because of issues and policies and positions.
Yeah, right.
As much as we want to say it, we really don't vote on issues. The reason is simple: what is the issue during the election most likely won't be the issue during the crux of the presidency. For example, does anyone remember what the major issues were in 2000? Bush ran as a compassionate conservative, but what was his main policy planks? Same with Clinton, with Reagan, with anyone else? If anything, you might have to go back to Lincoln to find a presidency that was squarely dealt with the issues raised in a campaign. As the adage goes, presidents don't make history, but rather, history makes presidents.
Plus, while the president has power, presidents don't have all the power. Truthfully, Congress is the strongest branch in government. It's the most representative and democratic in nature and most of the legislative nexus has to originate and flow through both House and Senate. As much as we want universal health care and private social security or this or that, it's starts with laws. Honestly, Congress could enact universal health care, it's the "Medicare for All" act that Rep. Kucinich introduced a while back. It's still pending...
Therefore, what are we looking for in presidents? It depends solely on the times. Some times call for a Kennedy or a Lincoln, leaders that don't have the experience but have the leadership. Other times call for a Truman or an Eisenhower, who climbed the ladder and showed their grit. And, some times call for a forgotten president and sadly, some times call for a Bush.
So, this time is a time for change. The reality is that it's a generational change. Unless past times and past generations, this change is much more profound. Because of the striking difference on how life is viewed and lived and because of how wacky the Baby Boomers are, this difference comes with a completely different way at approaching life and politics. That's why Obama made it this far and honestly, why Gov. Palin just gave McCain his best shot at the Presidency. New age, new time, newer ways of thinking.
But back to the original question: Do you vote on race or gender? In America, racism is the original sin. In humanity, sexism is the ORIGINAL sin. As hokey as this sounds, racism is presented as a more pressing matter in the public consciousness than sexism. That's why the ERA never passed and why we didn't get a woman as the presidential candidate this time around.
However, there will be no racial majority in about 40 years in America. Most people are multi-cultural and multi-racial and there is no doubt we will have our first Latino and Asian president within 25 years. No doubt.
On the other hand, civilization is shifting back to a matriarchal society. There are more women being born than men and that simple fact alone will radically alter society in about five generations, tops. There is a growing crisis among boys in development and education (I think the latest numbers is that 60-65% of college graduates are women and that's increasing) and the blurring of the boundaries of manhood compels more women to fill the gap.
That's somewhat far off, but since Obama has proven himself to be perceived as presidential, his candidacy has open the flood gates. And if the governor can show herself as capable without the necessity to desexualize herself (that's a whole other issue that I'm surely not qualified to talk about), then that is a major, major victory. Maybe even more important than a McCain win.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Allowing all parts of me to catch up...
I'm always amazed at the power of gravity.
What goes up must come down. In this case, the coming down is a giant let down.
When you complete a big task, filled with challenges, obstacles, failures and brick walls, it's exciting and thrilling. A great triumph and a fantastic achievement.
But then comes the depression. The goal is accomplished, the job is done. All the energy now is in limbo, waiting for another channel. That transition is just shitty.
That's where I'm at: I'm coming down from pushing with everything I had. Going against the grain requires a double-time effort. Two thoughts for one, two desires to do something different to one comfort zone. After a while, you're running on pure adrenaline and the faster heartbeat becomes second nature.
But you get up the hill, cross the valley and make it. The top is so pristine and beautiful and yet so jarring. The hardest thing about succeeding is not making it to the top, but staying there. That's why athletes briefly celebrate championships and quickly talk about next year. They have the luxury to run down the mountain and start the trek up again.
I've been looking for the item that I need. I'm in the right grocery store, in the right section and now, I'm in the right aisle and I found it. What next? What's the next item on my list? The satisfaction I felt about my accomplishment is now tempered with WHAT'S LEFT. I've been avoiding that like the plague, but now the air at the top is thin and as I look back and I squint forward, I realize how tired I am, how sad I am of all the roots I clung to as my identity are uprooted (and now further shaken by earthquakes and other acts of God) and how far I really am from home.
I'm slightly ashamed about how I got here. I'm embarrassed when I tell people that I just packed two suitcases, wore my maroon shorts with holes on the airplane and just came. I'm nervous to tell people how I did it, not because it's a feat of greatness, but just simple stick-to-it-ivness. I wish I had the gravitas to tell you about all the arguing I did while driving to and from USC. I knew I was leaving, but over and over and over, the question was asked. "Are you sure?" Can you do this? Do you want to do this? What if you fail? What if you really fail? What will everyone say? What will you tell yourself to keep going? Does God have a death wish against you?
When I finally heard a yes with resonance, it was faint, squeaky, like a 12-year-old going through puberty. It wasn't mature, but it wasn't the same anymore.
Having people say "wow, that's bold" or "you took a leap of faith" re-emphasizes not the strength of my faith or boldness but rather its fragility. As things slow down and routine takes a seat next to you on the Metro, there is a moment of sheer panic. Change is the bridge, not the journey. I have reteach myself to walk with the 9 to 5 and learn to replant. So hard, so hard.
Now I know why most people don't take risks and don't do things that require sacrifice: It's not the risk that's scary, it's the realization that you might succeed.
But I must say, I discovered a superb coffee house in Gettysburg, PA yesterday. Called the Ragged Edge. For that alone, I'm glad the vision came and I followed.
What goes up must come down. In this case, the coming down is a giant let down.
When you complete a big task, filled with challenges, obstacles, failures and brick walls, it's exciting and thrilling. A great triumph and a fantastic achievement.
But then comes the depression. The goal is accomplished, the job is done. All the energy now is in limbo, waiting for another channel. That transition is just shitty.
That's where I'm at: I'm coming down from pushing with everything I had. Going against the grain requires a double-time effort. Two thoughts for one, two desires to do something different to one comfort zone. After a while, you're running on pure adrenaline and the faster heartbeat becomes second nature.
But you get up the hill, cross the valley and make it. The top is so pristine and beautiful and yet so jarring. The hardest thing about succeeding is not making it to the top, but staying there. That's why athletes briefly celebrate championships and quickly talk about next year. They have the luxury to run down the mountain and start the trek up again.
I've been looking for the item that I need. I'm in the right grocery store, in the right section and now, I'm in the right aisle and I found it. What next? What's the next item on my list? The satisfaction I felt about my accomplishment is now tempered with WHAT'S LEFT. I've been avoiding that like the plague, but now the air at the top is thin and as I look back and I squint forward, I realize how tired I am, how sad I am of all the roots I clung to as my identity are uprooted (and now further shaken by earthquakes and other acts of God) and how far I really am from home.
I'm slightly ashamed about how I got here. I'm embarrassed when I tell people that I just packed two suitcases, wore my maroon shorts with holes on the airplane and just came. I'm nervous to tell people how I did it, not because it's a feat of greatness, but just simple stick-to-it-ivness. I wish I had the gravitas to tell you about all the arguing I did while driving to and from USC. I knew I was leaving, but over and over and over, the question was asked. "Are you sure?" Can you do this? Do you want to do this? What if you fail? What if you really fail? What will everyone say? What will you tell yourself to keep going? Does God have a death wish against you?
When I finally heard a yes with resonance, it was faint, squeaky, like a 12-year-old going through puberty. It wasn't mature, but it wasn't the same anymore.
Having people say "wow, that's bold" or "you took a leap of faith" re-emphasizes not the strength of my faith or boldness but rather its fragility. As things slow down and routine takes a seat next to you on the Metro, there is a moment of sheer panic. Change is the bridge, not the journey. I have reteach myself to walk with the 9 to 5 and learn to replant. So hard, so hard.
Now I know why most people don't take risks and don't do things that require sacrifice: It's not the risk that's scary, it's the realization that you might succeed.
But I must say, I discovered a superb coffee house in Gettysburg, PA yesterday. Called the Ragged Edge. For that alone, I'm glad the vision came and I followed.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Different leadership
RJ Eskow over at HuffPost wrote a great blog on Obama's leadership style. I think it's so important to change our perceptions on how we view politics. It's us as a general public that are bruised, betrayed, disappointed and cynical about our politics. When something new and better comes around, we have to have the hope to see it.
Here's the money quote:
You read read the entire post here.
Here's the money quote:
Obama's been frustrating observers across the political spectrum lately. Progressive bloggers are debating whether he's driven by cynicism or centrism, while the rightwingers at Human Events claim there's a "Secret Plan Behind Obama's Move to the Right!" They're all missing the point. He's not moving to the Right. His political architecture isn't built on the old foundation of Right vs. Left -- or on Right vs. Wrong, for that matter. It isn't even binary. When it comes to policy he inclines toward the progressive position, but he's not thinking in terms of "winning" or "losing." His goal is group unity around the best possible realistic outcome. That means assess the situation, get what you can, then move to bring the parties together around a new consensus.
You read read the entire post here.
Monday, July 07, 2008
A statement for Monday
At what point does one decide to slow down and ease in?
I for one have never known when that point comes and goes. It sometimes seems like I have two gears: fast and bloody faster. I celebrate by going faster, I get through crisis by getting faster and I move forward by finding new things to move faster towards.
That, combined with the curse of journalistic adrenaline and a penchant of always thinking the divine shoe is gonna drop, is why I have never felt I could slow down and ease in.
Whatever that means. I suppose that some day, when I'm a grown up and the gray hair is fully intact and the balding is abated and there is that point where I finally hit the point where I either am convicted/convinced/bribed into settling, I'll wake up each day with a sense of ease.
Until then, I'm offering a blanket apology to my current/former/future co-workers, friends, foes, sweethearts, exes and bankers sick of my phone calls. I'm moving fast. There might be a point where I hit a wall and I'll be forced to finally slow down, but do know that I enjoy every moment, every detail and by taking on a philosophy that everything in life is both a means and an end, my slowing down in one area means I'm going faster in another.
Slowly but surely, I am transitioning out of transitioning. I'll figure it out soon enough, I promise. Until then, bear with me, I'm still slightly antsy and visions of sugarplums are dancing in my head...
I for one have never known when that point comes and goes. It sometimes seems like I have two gears: fast and bloody faster. I celebrate by going faster, I get through crisis by getting faster and I move forward by finding new things to move faster towards.
That, combined with the curse of journalistic adrenaline and a penchant of always thinking the divine shoe is gonna drop, is why I have never felt I could slow down and ease in.
Whatever that means. I suppose that some day, when I'm a grown up and the gray hair is fully intact and the balding is abated and there is that point where I finally hit the point where I either am convicted/convinced/bribed into settling, I'll wake up each day with a sense of ease.
Until then, I'm offering a blanket apology to my current/former/future co-workers, friends, foes, sweethearts, exes and bankers sick of my phone calls. I'm moving fast. There might be a point where I hit a wall and I'll be forced to finally slow down, but do know that I enjoy every moment, every detail and by taking on a philosophy that everything in life is both a means and an end, my slowing down in one area means I'm going faster in another.
Slowly but surely, I am transitioning out of transitioning. I'll figure it out soon enough, I promise. Until then, bear with me, I'm still slightly antsy and visions of sugarplums are dancing in my head...
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Off and working...
I start at the CCCU tomorrow. Yay!
The M.A.Y.A. Years is going dark for a little bit, as I transition to a new schedule (that's on par with the majority of humanity! Yay!) and get going.
Word.
The M.A.Y.A. Years is going dark for a little bit, as I transition to a new schedule (that's on par with the majority of humanity! Yay!) and get going.
Word.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Help me Lord, I'm just trying for the sun...
My parents owned tons and tons of old records and before they got burned for being an abomination to the Lord (sadly, that's not a joke), I got my hands on Fleetwood Mac. It would be until much later in my life that I truly would come to appreciate their greatness. In particular, Lindsey Buckingham is one of the best guitarists/singers. His last album Under the Skin, which came out I think two years ago, is one of the best accoustic albums that I have ever heard. I still listen to it religiously. One of the bests, "To Try for the Sun," has been my clarion call in this march toward Washington. Here is Buckingham playing it.
And for good sure, I'm adding "Trouble." This song used to play all the time in the Clause newsroom on WOLF FM and could never figure out who it was until I got to Texas and finally figured it out and got the album from Amazon. It's a nice song that brings up fond memories. (Notice the exceptionally tall man playing drums in the front of line. That, of course, is Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac fame.)
Ah, remember when music videos were so bad, they were so good?
And for good sure, I'm adding "Trouble." This song used to play all the time in the Clause newsroom on WOLF FM and could never figure out who it was until I got to Texas and finally figured it out and got the album from Amazon. It's a nice song that brings up fond memories. (Notice the exceptionally tall man playing drums in the front of line. That, of course, is Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac fame.)
Ah, remember when music videos were so bad, they were so good?
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Hopped on the lily pad...
Sorry for the delay. I have a few things I'll blog about really soon. Honoring my sister's wishes, I'll wait until tomorrow for my Top Chef commentary, but I accepted an offer for a new job and start next week. Finally!
Friday, June 06, 2008
Well, at least Senate Republicans tout literacy...
The Senate has been debating the Climate Change Bill, a robust legislation that would have instituted a cap and trade system, pushed for innovation and gotten governmental legs on the necessary and needed changes to our consumption and our energy policy.
Of course, the the bill didn't pass. Too many Republicans thought it was a tax increase and would raise gas prices and some Democrats believed that as well. But here's the funny part: As part of the stalling technique, GOP leaders made the clerk read the entire bill. All 500 pages of it that last about 9 hours. You can read about it here.
First, leaders should apologize to the clerks for making them read that thing. More so, it makes me scratch my head because I'm always wondering where people get the idea that government doesn't do anything. Hmmmm.
Not to diss the previous generation, but it's time for Boomers to step aside and leave their conflict-ridden narrative at home. We need SOLUTIONS, not CONFLICT.
Of course, the the bill didn't pass. Too many Republicans thought it was a tax increase and would raise gas prices and some Democrats believed that as well. But here's the funny part: As part of the stalling technique, GOP leaders made the clerk read the entire bill. All 500 pages of it that last about 9 hours. You can read about it here.
First, leaders should apologize to the clerks for making them read that thing. More so, it makes me scratch my head because I'm always wondering where people get the idea that government doesn't do anything. Hmmmm.
Not to diss the previous generation, but it's time for Boomers to step aside and leave their conflict-ridden narrative at home. We need SOLUTIONS, not CONFLICT.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Fired up!!!!
And ready to go!!!!
Obama won the nomination, it's time to have a real discussion about the change we so, so, so, so need.
Obama won the nomination, it's time to have a real discussion about the change we so, so, so, so need.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Truly Yours and my house...
To read about one of my stupidest mistakes, go check out my latest FourStory article here.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
This is REALLY the right stuff?
Had I only had kept the autographs of New Kids on the Block, I would be RICH and all the girls that dissed me in junior high would be all mine.
Just my luck.
Just my luck.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Watch for www.politicsispoo.com...
On a complete whim (as in writing that at 10 p.m. for a midnight deadline whim), I applied for a fellowship with Atlantic Media. Not really sure why, but it does with the current "shots in the dark" motif I have lately in terms of stuff. I totally didn't get it, the general email said 500 people applied for 10 positions. It was to create a new news website. Good luck on that one.
Anyways, this is what spouted out in 90 minutes. It needs a little more finesse, but I think it's funny. Thoughts welcome.
Atlantic Media Editors:
In the news, there is no new new. No matter the format: Print, online, TV, homing pigeon, the purpose is providing news to the readers. While it sometimes appears that Marshall McLuhan is the consultant for some of the ideas sprouting about the business these days, it is most important to prioritize content above all else. No matter the medium, it’s the messages that people want.
As one who was paid his dues in the window-less newsrooms gleefully cursing the creators of the CCI database system, I know the intensity and acidity of the debate regarding the future of newspapers. There are several able-bodied editors and executives that desperately want to innovate and see the yellow brick road going through the World Wide Web. In the meantime, print and TV outlets have taken the pre-modern medical approach of bleeding out the bad blood to fix the revenue ills. Cuts upon cuts upon cuts, then rinse and repeat.
In both situations, there is an intense desire to fix the problem. The problem is that no one is completely sure what the problem is, if there is a problem at all.
That’s a problem.
Now, the industry is saying that the journalism gods are casting Messianic lights on news websites. No dot com, big problem.
Borrowing from Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point, news websites are in between the phases innovators and the early majority on its way to becoming an epidemic. Matt Drudge took his computer and used it to catch President Clinton with his pants down and got journalism’s attention. Even though it took a bit, Google, Yahoo! and AOL set the stage for the BOOM! that is getting information in a new medium.
Yet, it seems that the journalism community is still trying to gauge the innovators and leapfrog to the profitable majority. Most sites are morphing as quickly as possible and trying to run when it’s still crawling and drooling. In the midst of the corporate trying to tag on to tagging, there are a few innovators who are truly changing the pace of the game. Talking Points Memo is one of them. Since 2000, Josh Marshall and his Merry Minstrels are taking Pro-Am Journalism and making it work. TPM gained prominence with its investigative reporting of the firing of U.S. Attorneys under suspicious pretenses. The reporting earned the site a Polk Award, but more importantly, it earned the seal of credibility, complete with the Defense Department taking the site off its press release list for a time. Impressive.
The biggest strength of TPM is its informational hierarchy. The main site includes analysis by Marshall, David Kurtz and others, both written and visual, as well as the leading story at the moment in the top right-hand corner. The home page houses links to AP stories, “TPM Approved” bloggers and advertisements. TPM also is home to TPMMuckracker, the investigative wing of the site; TPMElection Central, which includes virtually every poll that has been taken, is being taken and will be taken about the Presidential Election. Greg Sargent is the main blogger for TPMHorse’s Mouth and TPMCafe features an eclectic array of bloggers and topics.
It is clear that readers are the foundation of Talking Points Memo. Readers recommend stories, make comments, contribute news tidbits (in fact, it was readers in New Mexico that noticed the firing of U.S. Attorney David Yglesias and told TPM about it that got the scandal abrewin’) and organize RSS feeds for whichever stories that are wanted/needed. By allowing readers to create accounts and highlight their comments in a predominate place, it bolsters the communal asset essential to making a niche news website float.
Marshall successfully parlayed his blog for venting purposes into a full-time job. In a recent New York Times article, Marshall said TPM is mostly an ad-generated site that sometimes asks readers for donations. TPM held fund-raisers to launch TPM Café and to pay for its Presidential Primary coverage. With a Manhattan newsroom and D.C. touch points, this is a no-pajamas allowed operation.
Structurally, the website is sound. It provides many options but doesn’t overwhelm the reader. The main blog on the page contains both little blurbs and substantial thoughts from Marshall and others. The design is clean and simple, with font and style variations for the separate components of TPM.
The biggest disadvantage of TPM is that of forward motion. Right now, the site is hoisted comfortably between the worlds of individual blogging and original journalism. TPM still has a blogger feel to it and while the level of sophistication of reader’s comments is higher than that of www.politicsispoo.com (I just made this up and I will be very disappointed with Atlantic Media if this is the address of whatever website you want to create), there’s still enough sense of renegade reactionaries to ensure that News Corp. isn’t poaching from the readers for new positions. Yet, with credibility comes responsibility. New changes are coming to TPM and it is quite apparent the site is moving toward more original reporting and most likely, more professional reporting.
That is a good segue into the biggest struggle for news websites who those that create them. The site is only as good as the content and if the content is professional journalists doing the work, then amateur bloggers automatically become the antithesis. Even while www.nytimes.com is a great website and now much more accessible than a year ago, those going to the site know exactly what they want. It is the same with the Atlantic Media and any one of the journalistic institutions that have created and sustained its positioning already. More often that not, the stories are exactly the same as the print version and while there are no news holes for designers to work around, there are the exceptionally pesky Google banner ads.
In other words, there is no new new.
Another downside to TPM and sites like it is that it is inherently a niche site. They cover politics and offer little else for anyone looking for non-political coverage. That might be why 75% of its readership (most likely, the readership that has accounts) are male and are more educated and have a higher income median. If TPM were to offer stories on women’s clothing, it wouldn’t stick. Frankly, that is the beauty of online journalism and the downfall of print journalism. Online means access and the accessibility allows for niche products to thrive. Not to go Long Tail on y’all, but sites like TPM, or Huffington Post or even Hugh Hewitt wouldn’t survive in print. They thrive online because low costs and low overhead allow for a specialized audience to galvanize and coalesce.
The current business model of most print papers require that newspapers be all things to all advertisers and most things to some readers. Since circulation is downgraded and advertisement is enhanced to near-ungodly levels of measuring success, it really doesn’t matter who the reader is in terms of print newspapers. For online, who the reader is is all that matters.
One final point. News websites that are successful recognize that they aren’t the only game in town. Odds are that readers of one site are readers of other sites, are using RSS feeds and email subscriptions or just check out Yahoo! or MSM news for general-interest stories.
In what should be a boost to the fragile egos of journalists, people wanting the news online will come to them. Eventually. If the website is accessible, offers quality information and provides opportunities for reader reciprocation, then it would be a success. That’s what makes Talking Points Memo a success and a worthy model for other news websites.
I don’t presume to offer any new ideas because as I stated, there is no new new. Therefore, the pot of gold at the end of the digital rainbow is filled with subscriptions and PayPal tip jars. If the industry is truly serious about succeeding in a new medium, it has to find a way to pay for content. While Google ads are pretty nifty, it has a lower ceiling for profitability than creating a tier of premium content and defining simple pay structures for them. Otherwise, instead of relying on bra ads from Macy’s, we’re relying on links to fake Macy’s cards and sites proving that Jesus Christ wasn’t a real person.
Enough with the Messianic lights already.
Anyways, this is what spouted out in 90 minutes. It needs a little more finesse, but I think it's funny. Thoughts welcome.
Atlantic Media Editors:
In the news, there is no new new. No matter the format: Print, online, TV, homing pigeon, the purpose is providing news to the readers. While it sometimes appears that Marshall McLuhan is the consultant for some of the ideas sprouting about the business these days, it is most important to prioritize content above all else. No matter the medium, it’s the messages that people want.
As one who was paid his dues in the window-less newsrooms gleefully cursing the creators of the CCI database system, I know the intensity and acidity of the debate regarding the future of newspapers. There are several able-bodied editors and executives that desperately want to innovate and see the yellow brick road going through the World Wide Web. In the meantime, print and TV outlets have taken the pre-modern medical approach of bleeding out the bad blood to fix the revenue ills. Cuts upon cuts upon cuts, then rinse and repeat.
In both situations, there is an intense desire to fix the problem. The problem is that no one is completely sure what the problem is, if there is a problem at all.
That’s a problem.
Now, the industry is saying that the journalism gods are casting Messianic lights on news websites. No dot com, big problem.
Borrowing from Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point, news websites are in between the phases innovators and the early majority on its way to becoming an epidemic. Matt Drudge took his computer and used it to catch President Clinton with his pants down and got journalism’s attention. Even though it took a bit, Google, Yahoo! and AOL set the stage for the BOOM! that is getting information in a new medium.
Yet, it seems that the journalism community is still trying to gauge the innovators and leapfrog to the profitable majority. Most sites are morphing as quickly as possible and trying to run when it’s still crawling and drooling. In the midst of the corporate trying to tag on to tagging, there are a few innovators who are truly changing the pace of the game. Talking Points Memo is one of them. Since 2000, Josh Marshall and his Merry Minstrels are taking Pro-Am Journalism and making it work. TPM gained prominence with its investigative reporting of the firing of U.S. Attorneys under suspicious pretenses. The reporting earned the site a Polk Award, but more importantly, it earned the seal of credibility, complete with the Defense Department taking the site off its press release list for a time. Impressive.
The biggest strength of TPM is its informational hierarchy. The main site includes analysis by Marshall, David Kurtz and others, both written and visual, as well as the leading story at the moment in the top right-hand corner. The home page houses links to AP stories, “TPM Approved” bloggers and advertisements. TPM also is home to TPMMuckracker, the investigative wing of the site; TPMElection Central, which includes virtually every poll that has been taken, is being taken and will be taken about the Presidential Election. Greg Sargent is the main blogger for TPMHorse’s Mouth and TPMCafe features an eclectic array of bloggers and topics.
It is clear that readers are the foundation of Talking Points Memo. Readers recommend stories, make comments, contribute news tidbits (in fact, it was readers in New Mexico that noticed the firing of U.S. Attorney David Yglesias and told TPM about it that got the scandal abrewin’) and organize RSS feeds for whichever stories that are wanted/needed. By allowing readers to create accounts and highlight their comments in a predominate place, it bolsters the communal asset essential to making a niche news website float.
Marshall successfully parlayed his blog for venting purposes into a full-time job. In a recent New York Times article, Marshall said TPM is mostly an ad-generated site that sometimes asks readers for donations. TPM held fund-raisers to launch TPM Café and to pay for its Presidential Primary coverage. With a Manhattan newsroom and D.C. touch points, this is a no-pajamas allowed operation.
Structurally, the website is sound. It provides many options but doesn’t overwhelm the reader. The main blog on the page contains both little blurbs and substantial thoughts from Marshall and others. The design is clean and simple, with font and style variations for the separate components of TPM.
The biggest disadvantage of TPM is that of forward motion. Right now, the site is hoisted comfortably between the worlds of individual blogging and original journalism. TPM still has a blogger feel to it and while the level of sophistication of reader’s comments is higher than that of www.politicsispoo.com (I just made this up and I will be very disappointed with Atlantic Media if this is the address of whatever website you want to create), there’s still enough sense of renegade reactionaries to ensure that News Corp. isn’t poaching from the readers for new positions. Yet, with credibility comes responsibility. New changes are coming to TPM and it is quite apparent the site is moving toward more original reporting and most likely, more professional reporting.
That is a good segue into the biggest struggle for news websites who those that create them. The site is only as good as the content and if the content is professional journalists doing the work, then amateur bloggers automatically become the antithesis. Even while www.nytimes.com is a great website and now much more accessible than a year ago, those going to the site know exactly what they want. It is the same with the Atlantic Media and any one of the journalistic institutions that have created and sustained its positioning already. More often that not, the stories are exactly the same as the print version and while there are no news holes for designers to work around, there are the exceptionally pesky Google banner ads.
In other words, there is no new new.
Another downside to TPM and sites like it is that it is inherently a niche site. They cover politics and offer little else for anyone looking for non-political coverage. That might be why 75% of its readership (most likely, the readership that has accounts) are male and are more educated and have a higher income median. If TPM were to offer stories on women’s clothing, it wouldn’t stick. Frankly, that is the beauty of online journalism and the downfall of print journalism. Online means access and the accessibility allows for niche products to thrive. Not to go Long Tail on y’all, but sites like TPM, or Huffington Post or even Hugh Hewitt wouldn’t survive in print. They thrive online because low costs and low overhead allow for a specialized audience to galvanize and coalesce.
The current business model of most print papers require that newspapers be all things to all advertisers and most things to some readers. Since circulation is downgraded and advertisement is enhanced to near-ungodly levels of measuring success, it really doesn’t matter who the reader is in terms of print newspapers. For online, who the reader is is all that matters.
One final point. News websites that are successful recognize that they aren’t the only game in town. Odds are that readers of one site are readers of other sites, are using RSS feeds and email subscriptions or just check out Yahoo! or MSM news for general-interest stories.
In what should be a boost to the fragile egos of journalists, people wanting the news online will come to them. Eventually. If the website is accessible, offers quality information and provides opportunities for reader reciprocation, then it would be a success. That’s what makes Talking Points Memo a success and a worthy model for other news websites.
I don’t presume to offer any new ideas because as I stated, there is no new new. Therefore, the pot of gold at the end of the digital rainbow is filled with subscriptions and PayPal tip jars. If the industry is truly serious about succeeding in a new medium, it has to find a way to pay for content. While Google ads are pretty nifty, it has a lower ceiling for profitability than creating a tier of premium content and defining simple pay structures for them. Otherwise, instead of relying on bra ads from Macy’s, we’re relying on links to fake Macy’s cards and sites proving that Jesus Christ wasn’t a real person.
Enough with the Messianic lights already.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Assessment time
Well, today is May 15 and in my internal calendar, it's assessment day.
I'm still here in D.C. and not in L.A. walking tomorrow at USC. Largely, I can't afford it and it was a case of either going to L.A. and staying there or staying here and trying to tough it out.
I almost have a sense of pride in how I've been able to step out in faith and have things work. Granted, everything is always working: it might not be as you want it to work or how it should work, but it is working. So, in that spirit, this is working. I took a step and and knowing that my life was changing and different, I went with it.
But, it's also not working and it's pretty disappointing at the moment.
Before I left L.A., I set up this date as my barometer as to the success or failure of this latest adventure. It worked because of graduation, the sublease was up today and it was a round number to the month.
In terms of work, I'm running right smack into the problem I thought I would run into. I'm in what's called middle hell. It's the reality that you're overqualified for entry-level positions and not qualified for the executive positions. It leaves a large gap with work experience. I knew that would be a problem with getting the masters now and trying to switch out of print journalism into something else. The masters does scare people because it means you want more money. Of course, I need more money so that I can pay off this ridiculous expense, but that's the screaming silence in the job interview.
Further combined is trying to get into something new and also being diametrically opposed in terms of location. I came here because this offers the best amount of options for some of the stuff that I wanted to do. While I got interviews upfront and was the running for two decent jobs, I'm now wondering if the advantages aren't working in my favor.
And it's a tough job market and it's tougher for men and it's harder for journalists because we care about everything and in the eyes of issues-based folks, that means we care for nothing. (Oh, and I can't even get anything with a temp agency!)
Thus, the ides of May.
I have no concept or clue of what is going to happen next. Right now, I need to buy myself more time, both literally and spiritually. Going back to L.A. isn't an option, so I move forward into more fog, hoping the sun is going to show up real soon.
I'm still here in D.C. and not in L.A. walking tomorrow at USC. Largely, I can't afford it and it was a case of either going to L.A. and staying there or staying here and trying to tough it out.
I almost have a sense of pride in how I've been able to step out in faith and have things work. Granted, everything is always working: it might not be as you want it to work or how it should work, but it is working. So, in that spirit, this is working. I took a step and and knowing that my life was changing and different, I went with it.
But, it's also not working and it's pretty disappointing at the moment.
Before I left L.A., I set up this date as my barometer as to the success or failure of this latest adventure. It worked because of graduation, the sublease was up today and it was a round number to the month.
In terms of work, I'm running right smack into the problem I thought I would run into. I'm in what's called middle hell. It's the reality that you're overqualified for entry-level positions and not qualified for the executive positions. It leaves a large gap with work experience. I knew that would be a problem with getting the masters now and trying to switch out of print journalism into something else. The masters does scare people because it means you want more money. Of course, I need more money so that I can pay off this ridiculous expense, but that's the screaming silence in the job interview.
Further combined is trying to get into something new and also being diametrically opposed in terms of location. I came here because this offers the best amount of options for some of the stuff that I wanted to do. While I got interviews upfront and was the running for two decent jobs, I'm now wondering if the advantages aren't working in my favor.
And it's a tough job market and it's tougher for men and it's harder for journalists because we care about everything and in the eyes of issues-based folks, that means we care for nothing. (Oh, and I can't even get anything with a temp agency!)
Thus, the ides of May.
I have no concept or clue of what is going to happen next. Right now, I need to buy myself more time, both literally and spiritually. Going back to L.A. isn't an option, so I move forward into more fog, hoping the sun is going to show up real soon.
Good night and good luck...
This is Olbermann's best special comment. Ah, I can see the dawn beginning to rise on this great nation.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Here we come!
I'm still not sure if I qualify as Generation X or the Millennial generation. In any case, New York Times columnist Bob Herbert writes a great column about what's coming.
The money quote:
You can read it here.
The money quote:
The upshot of all this is ominous for conservatives. The number of young people in the millennial generation (loosely defined as those born in the 1980s and 90s) is somewhere between 80 million and 95 million. That represents a ton of potential votes — in this election and years to come. And the American Progress study shows that those young people do not feel that they have been treated kindly by conservative policies or principles.
According to the study: “Millennials mostly reject the conservative viewpoint that government is the problem, and that free markets always produce the best results for society. Indeed, Millennials’ views are more progressive than those of other age groups today, and are more progressive than previous generations when they were younger.”
You can read it here.
Monday, May 12, 2008
What's cooler than being cool?
I heard this version of Hey Ya by Obadiah Parker a little while back and I found it on iTunes this afternoon. Ah, so great.
Here's a vid.
Hey Bob, now we just need the Roy Ivey version to make it all right.
Here's a vid.
Hey Bob, now we just need the Roy Ivey version to make it all right.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Back when Michael Stipe had hair...
This is their network TV debut in 1983. By the way, Murmur is really a fantastic album.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
This beats Geena Davis anyday...
I'm not going to USC's Commencement because I can't find a job to give me money to fly back to LaLaLand. But after reading P.J. O'Rourke's advice, I'm good to go.
The money quote:
Here's the article in the Times here.
The money quote:
So, avoid politics if you can. But if you absolutely cannot resist, read the Bible for political advice -- even if you're a Buddhist, atheist or whatever. Don't get me wrong, I am not one of those people who believes that God is involved in politics. On the contrary. Observe politics in this country. Observe politics around the world. Observe politics through history. Does it look like God's involved?
The Bible is very clear about one thing: Using politics to create fairness is a sin. Observe the Tenth Commandment. The first nine commandments concern theological principles and social law: Thou shalt not make graven images, steal, kill, et cetera. Fair enough. But then there's the tenth: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's."
Here are God's basic rules about how we should live, a brief list of sacred obligations and solemn moral precepts. And, right at the end of it we read, "Don't envy your buddy because he has an ox or a donkey." Why did that make the top 10? Why would God, with just 10 things to tell Moses, include jealousy about livestock?
Well, think about how important this commandment is to a community, to a nation, to a democracy. If you want a mule, if you want a pot roast, if you want a cleaning lady, don't whine about what the people across the street have. Get rich and get your own.
Here's the article in the Times here.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Monday, May 05, 2008
"We've sunk to the level of Presidential candidates."
You gotta love Boston Legal's way of letting you know exactly where the show stands on the issues of our day.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
We invaded Iraq for a hotel?
If this article is correct, then this country REALLY is on the wrong track and January can't come soon enough.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
What this young fart wants politically...
Andrew Sullivan ran this letter from a reader respond to an earlier post stating that young people aren't fully informed about the political process and thus shouldn't be making claims that if Obama doesn win, they will completely opt out of the voting process.
This is a great response, with the money quote below:
You can read the entire post here.
I don't know about you but I'm sick of the labeling that my generation (I'm going to say every person born 1975 and up, but that is anyone that has the same mindset) is narcissistic, simple, naive and spoiled. Sure, we've reaped the harvest of inflated costs and faux riches, but we're the ones that are going to have to fix the ridiculous mess we're currently in. Now that I live in D.C., I am absolutely certain that we cannot depend strictly on the national government to fix the problems from a top-down approach.
We ARE the change we are looking for.
This is a great response, with the money quote below:
The mistake is reading this as an Obama personality cult, in which case "grow up" would be appropriate. But the Obamaniacs I meet are nothing like that...
they don't sing his praises, they sing their own. They are intoxicated by the idea of a politics where things they thought were not possible become possible, and people talk to each other like adults. They don't think he's going to fix things, they think they are.
What the old farts might want to consider is that these young people who have no particular vested interest in the current system might be seeing the rot much more clearly than the fogeys who have been entangled in it for decades. And the mature folk might want to accept that the burden of proof is on them to show why such a viscerally disgusting political game is worth playing.
You can read the entire post here.
I don't know about you but I'm sick of the labeling that my generation (I'm going to say every person born 1975 and up, but that is anyone that has the same mindset) is narcissistic, simple, naive and spoiled. Sure, we've reaped the harvest of inflated costs and faux riches, but we're the ones that are going to have to fix the ridiculous mess we're currently in. Now that I live in D.C., I am absolutely certain that we cannot depend strictly on the national government to fix the problems from a top-down approach.
We ARE the change we are looking for.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Best album title ever...
Taking the title away from "I'm not afraid of you and I will beat your ass" by Yo La Tengo:
"When life gives you lemons, you paint that shit gold" by hip-hop duo Atmosphere.
Hells yeah!
"When life gives you lemons, you paint that shit gold" by hip-hop duo Atmosphere.
Hells yeah!
Razzing the Newseum...
My latest Four Story article is up and running about the Newseum Residences.
Check it out.
Check it out.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
The finish line haunts me again...
In everything I have done since I had any comprehension of projects, I have struggled the most in finishing well.
I just lost a job (a hell of a job in a very tight market after making it into the final 3 out of 80 applicants) because I didn't hit the 9th-inning grand slam. I find myself back at square one and seriously panicking because I can't close the deal.
Part of it is superstitious. In my upbringing, there have been a few instances where both of my parents were in the running for fantastic jobs that would have lifted us out of the quasi-poverty that I grew up in. Yet every time, they made it to the final round, only not to get it. It has hindered our family and in a sense, it has hindered me.
My biggest strength is that I can catch the vision, bright and clear. Once I envision it, I'm going full-tilt. In classes in high school, I would start great, then teeter off in the end. Even articles I write, even blogs: I have the vision, but the implementation is very different and often, heart-breaking.
I even had a psychic tell me this. (I did it on a whim to support Gigi and Inside/Out and I gotta say, she was pretty good.)
So, here it is again. My great strength leads to my biggest weakness. I don't pace myself well and can't find the final push to finish as I started. What is most disheartening isn't that I didn't get a job or finish a project or didn't come through on a relationship. I know I'm good and capable, it's that this fully is something that I know about myself and yet, still let me down again.
I just lost a job (a hell of a job in a very tight market after making it into the final 3 out of 80 applicants) because I didn't hit the 9th-inning grand slam. I find myself back at square one and seriously panicking because I can't close the deal.
Part of it is superstitious. In my upbringing, there have been a few instances where both of my parents were in the running for fantastic jobs that would have lifted us out of the quasi-poverty that I grew up in. Yet every time, they made it to the final round, only not to get it. It has hindered our family and in a sense, it has hindered me.
My biggest strength is that I can catch the vision, bright and clear. Once I envision it, I'm going full-tilt. In classes in high school, I would start great, then teeter off in the end. Even articles I write, even blogs: I have the vision, but the implementation is very different and often, heart-breaking.
I even had a psychic tell me this. (I did it on a whim to support Gigi and Inside/Out and I gotta say, she was pretty good.)
So, here it is again. My great strength leads to my biggest weakness. I don't pace myself well and can't find the final push to finish as I started. What is most disheartening isn't that I didn't get a job or finish a project or didn't come through on a relationship. I know I'm good and capable, it's that this fully is something that I know about myself and yet, still let me down again.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
100 posts!
Wow, it's only 100? Huh.
Well, thanks to those that read this, whoever you are. I wish I had happier news, but I got hit with identity fraud and still don't have a job and I'm robustly freaking out at the moment.
The most profound part of growing up and struggling on your own is how you do with obstacles. I wonder how I do it at times. Oh hell, I worry every single day. Experience in taking risks can lead to a better perspective and a calmer spirit, yet every new risk brings about new uncertainties of which you really have no backing to fall upon. That's why I laugh about jobs and schools and whomever wanting experience: Experience is the interaction of one context. It gives wisdom, if you seek it and understand, if you want it. Yet, the only thing that's prevalent is that each new thing is truly new and it starts over, all over again.
Extensive interviews and little context on whether you're doing a good job. Trying to gauge money and time and commitments and making sure you don't fall farther than you can pick yourself up. Making decisions, casting visions and praying for enough sun to burn off the daily fog.
These past 100 posts and whatever amount will be written reflects the tight rope that is becoming your own person and living your own life. A Middle Aged Young Adult is one who is right smack in the middle of the line: When I was a child, I thought and spoke and reasoned like one. When I became a man, I put away childish things. This time is about chucking the childishness. And finding a job or else I'll have to go back to the newsroom, which is what I don't want to do. Or file.
Well, thanks to those that read this, whoever you are. I wish I had happier news, but I got hit with identity fraud and still don't have a job and I'm robustly freaking out at the moment.
The most profound part of growing up and struggling on your own is how you do with obstacles. I wonder how I do it at times. Oh hell, I worry every single day. Experience in taking risks can lead to a better perspective and a calmer spirit, yet every new risk brings about new uncertainties of which you really have no backing to fall upon. That's why I laugh about jobs and schools and whomever wanting experience: Experience is the interaction of one context. It gives wisdom, if you seek it and understand, if you want it. Yet, the only thing that's prevalent is that each new thing is truly new and it starts over, all over again.
Extensive interviews and little context on whether you're doing a good job. Trying to gauge money and time and commitments and making sure you don't fall farther than you can pick yourself up. Making decisions, casting visions and praying for enough sun to burn off the daily fog.
These past 100 posts and whatever amount will be written reflects the tight rope that is becoming your own person and living your own life. A Middle Aged Young Adult is one who is right smack in the middle of the line: When I was a child, I thought and spoke and reasoned like one. When I became a man, I put away childish things. This time is about chucking the childishness. And finding a job or else I'll have to go back to the newsroom, which is what I don't want to do. Or file.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Are the primaries REALLY going until June?
OK, so I'm watching Senator Clinton give her victory speech in Pennsylvania right now.
She just said the tide is turning.
Well, yes and no.
Let's put aside that she had at least a 20-point lead in Obama about a month ago and how she's just brought up him outspending her 3 to 1 and just gave a subtle jab at the joke of a debate last week.
After all this time and with her husband and all the Democratic machinations behind her, you would think she could give a little vocal diversity.
Eh. The campaigns continue and will probably go on until June. Yet, I love BBC America, who doesn't have to offend anybody and can tell the truth, say that this election really doesn't change much and with this vote, Obama has officially won the elected delegate count.
But there is a major change and it was everything to do with Richard Florida. Go two posts down and click on the Four Story link to my article (I'd do it here, but I feel lazy right now). Florida posits the mega-regions in his book "Who's Your City?" and I'm confident that once the county-by-county votes are tallied, it'll be clear that Obama won all the major cities decisively. This is because Pittsburgh-Philadelphia-Cleveland region has undergone a substantial urban boom. Meanwhile, the rural areas are falling behind. I venture to say that many, many people all throughout the nation voted for the Clinton brand than Clinton. Stuff was decent in the 90s and brand positioning is all about placing the experience at a point where individuals can fully engage. For those in mega-regions and in non-manufacturing jobs, the experience is just getting started. For others, it passed.
OK, Clinton needs a better speechwriter. She can really do a lot better with what she wants to communicate. What's with these last questions? And did she just say "Yes we will?" Oh, that's just sad.
P.S. They're playing John Mellencamp's "This is Our Country." Last time I heard, he's supporting Obama. That's sad too...how about playing "I'm still standing" by Elton John?
P.P.S. This isn't a partisan blog, I just wanna read something else during the insane amount of time I'm online.
She just said the tide is turning.
Well, yes and no.
Let's put aside that she had at least a 20-point lead in Obama about a month ago and how she's just brought up him outspending her 3 to 1 and just gave a subtle jab at the joke of a debate last week.
After all this time and with her husband and all the Democratic machinations behind her, you would think she could give a little vocal diversity.
Eh. The campaigns continue and will probably go on until June. Yet, I love BBC America, who doesn't have to offend anybody and can tell the truth, say that this election really doesn't change much and with this vote, Obama has officially won the elected delegate count.
But there is a major change and it was everything to do with Richard Florida. Go two posts down and click on the Four Story link to my article (I'd do it here, but I feel lazy right now). Florida posits the mega-regions in his book "Who's Your City?" and I'm confident that once the county-by-county votes are tallied, it'll be clear that Obama won all the major cities decisively. This is because Pittsburgh-Philadelphia-Cleveland region has undergone a substantial urban boom. Meanwhile, the rural areas are falling behind. I venture to say that many, many people all throughout the nation voted for the Clinton brand than Clinton. Stuff was decent in the 90s and brand positioning is all about placing the experience at a point where individuals can fully engage. For those in mega-regions and in non-manufacturing jobs, the experience is just getting started. For others, it passed.
OK, Clinton needs a better speechwriter. She can really do a lot better with what she wants to communicate. What's with these last questions? And did she just say "Yes we will?" Oh, that's just sad.
P.S. They're playing John Mellencamp's "This is Our Country." Last time I heard, he's supporting Obama. That's sad too...how about playing "I'm still standing" by Elton John?
P.P.S. This isn't a partisan blog, I just wanna read something else during the insane amount of time I'm online.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Man in Space...
I read this poem today, while the D.C. rain decided to stop spitting and start pouring.
Man in Space
by Billy Collins
All you have to do is listen to the way a man
sometimes talks to his wife at a table of people
and notice how intent he is on making his point
even though her lower lip is beginning to quiver,
and you will know why the women in science
fiction movies who inhabit a planet of their own
are not pictured making a salad or reading a magazine
when the men from earth arrive in their rocket,
why they are always standing in a semicircle
with their arms folded, their bare legs set apart,
their breasts protected by hard metal disks.
Man in Space
by Billy Collins
All you have to do is listen to the way a man
sometimes talks to his wife at a table of people
and notice how intent he is on making his point
even though her lower lip is beginning to quiver,
and you will know why the women in science
fiction movies who inhabit a planet of their own
are not pictured making a salad or reading a magazine
when the men from earth arrive in their rocket,
why they are always standing in a semicircle
with their arms folded, their bare legs set apart,
their breasts protected by hard metal disks.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Shameless plug once again...
My latest Four Story article on "Who's Your City?" by Dr. Richard Florida is now up.
Word.
Word.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
On behalf of Charlie Gibson and ABC...
I offer my most sincere apologies for the complete disgrace that just occurred in the Democratic debate. It's not even an issue if Sen. Clinton did better or if Sen. Obama was tired. If anything, it proves that the mainstream media (and this coming from someone who worked in the media) are the ones that are truly elitist. Not well-educated elitist, but the "I don't give a rat's ass about the common folks so I'm going to assume they care about issues that were dead a month ago and talk about capital gains taxes in a faux-outrage voice because it would only affect me and the less than 15% of Americans that make more than $97,000 a year, which is what the tax gap is now and Sen. Obama rightly wants to raise because we need new revenue to shore up Social Security and pay down the debt because of this lame-ass war that ABC/NBC/CBS didn't do their job covering because they are only focused with media consolidation and trying to conquer the online terrain, not understanding that it is content that dictates everything, not cheesy headlines, but I'm not paying attention to what's really happening because I'm still in New York pretending to be a journalist but co-hosting debates for the wife of the former President of whom I ran his first Presidential campaign and was a senior advisor and have no business doing a debate with because it's the first rule to be upfront with disclosures, but since I'm not a real journalist, I don't have to sign the pledge from the Society of Professional Journalists, but hey, I'm just happy that there are two decent candidates and they're willing to let all the states vote because it means I can have cheesy boxing music before hand and say 'Obama v. Clinton' as if this is sports, which is isn't because there's TOO MUCH AT STAKE, but I don't care because I've been phoning it in for quite a long time because no one watches the Evening News because they either work 10 hour jobs because of stagnant wages, or they get news elsewhere I nor my colleagues really aren't trustworthy and really aren't presenting the news in a credible fashion and that we're really just pissing on Murrow's grave but that's OK because no one from Pennsylvania knows who Murrow is but thanks to us, they know about the Weather Underground, yet while knowing this, they just lost their job and have no benefits" elite.
PLEASE, no more political debates with MSM types. How about a debate with Talking Points Memo or Columbia Journalism Review? Like a real substantial issues debate. Wow, what a concept!
PLEASE, no more political debates with MSM types. How about a debate with Talking Points Memo or Columbia Journalism Review? Like a real substantial issues debate. Wow, what a concept!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Making it more than a dream
Last Friday, America commemorated the 40th anniversary of Dr. King's assassination. There were the speeches, the platitudes, the words. Lots of words. Too many words, honestly.
Columnist E.J. Dionne write in this column that the death of Dr. King, along with RFK's assassination, began the end of the progressive movement that was gaining powerful momentum in our country. It's too bad: From Nixon on, we have de-evolved, dehumanized and de-communitized this country into "I got mine, so go screw yourself" cloaked under some very corrupted tense of conservatism. On a side note, I really doubt that the reality we find ourselves in is what Ronald Reagan or Milton Friedman had in mind. But no matter.
Then there were these kids. On a typical Spring night in the nation's capitol, tourists stream from the respective quadrants to converge upon the National Mall. Usually, they go see the Washington Monument and then head over to the Lincoln Memorial. I know that was the first thing I did when I first came here. On the steps leading up to honest Abe is a placard notating where King gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. These group of students were reciting that speech.
No TV cameras, no journalists that I could see. Just a group of students and teachers egging them on. It was nice in a way to see students read the entire thing.
Yet, as the tourists passed them by to check out Illuminated Abe, I have to wonder: How far are we really? While we might be on the cusp of electing the first African-American President (if the first viable female candidate doesn't destroy him first), the deviation is pronounced in D.C. I mean, it's really obvious. Yet, another development and another law change pushes low-income further and further out.
For me, race relations is an odd one. Technically, I'm half-Latino. Venezuelan, to be exact. My biological father is from Caracas, yet I have no identification or connection with the Venezuelan culture. None. I can't even speak Spanish. How bad is that? My maternal grandfather is part Choctaw, but I have no connection with that either.
Even coming from a very diverse part of this country, issues of race are still difficult to come to a pervading sense of awareness. I was 12 when the L.A. riots occured. I still remember my white friend being beat up by some black guys, while two black girls saw me and said "you better leave or else you're next." I was robbed by a black man when I was 17. I was on a walk and he asked to speak to me. He pulled a knife and told me he was going to kill me if I didn't give him my CD player. It was a stupid Walkman and I was going to die for that. Even now, it is difficult to acknowledge a black man who crosses me on the street.
These are my experiences, but I know many white individuals that can identify. In high school, a great teacher of mine told me that I was going to have a hard time getting scholarships because I had zero ethnicity. The truth was, I did have a great and grand ethnicity on my biological father's side, as well as being partially Choctaw Indian, plus various Euro-ethnicity's. Yet, I was white.
What encouraged me about Obama's speech on race and some cogent talk about race relations is that we as a country aren't directly addressing a major shift concerning race, but that we might be coming to a point where we can. In about 25 years, maybe less, "white" won't be a majority. There won't be a majority. When it comes to race, everyone will officially be a minority. There will be more of one group than another, but no one can claim majority rules. I respectfully offer that freaks a lot of white people out. It's no surprise that the loudest detractors of Rev. Wright were white men, probably Catholic and definitely part of the "Conservative" movement that stems from Nixon and William F. Buckley.
If we were honest with ourselves for just a second, I think we as "white people" could agree to two things. First, cultural assimilation has done the most harm to white people in America. What is a white person in America? Either it's WASP or white trash. The middle is suburbia, but even that falls along trash or treasure lines. There is no appreciation for native culture, be it German or Scandinavian or whatnot. The creation of "American" was a continuing process of accepting majority norms while taking from the novel and uniqueness of minority cultures. Yet, it has created two choices, white and off-white. So, we have come to this very odd paradox: The answer of what it means to be white is often the same as what it means to be American. This isn't reality, yet the perception is what is reported on Fox.
Second, we as a nation haven't been honest with ourselves that supply-side economics doesn't work for us. It might work for some other country, but not here. Limits are a good thing and the government (especially if it's a representative government like we say it is) is meant to be provide a social infrastructure. That hasn't happened and really, hasn't happened for quite some time. No one is honestly talking about stagnant wages. Why is the gap between expenses and wages so big? It's because we dismantled parts of the regulatory mechanisms of government in favor of the Free Market the Friendly Ghost. This has affected everybody, but when it affects white people, it does create resentment and yes, bitterness.
OK, enough with my treatise. For those that stumble upon this and want to send nasty anonymous notes to me, do so on this phrase. Race matters. Racism is the great sin of America and race is the great testament to America. I feel that Dr. King's true realization of his dream was that we can seek race as difference and diversity, not the catalyst for inequality. Those things that make us who we are: Race, gender, religion, sexuality are what creates difference. Difference is good. We don't want to get to a point where race doesn't matter. I want race to matter. Otherwise, humanity will be dull and boring. I want people to be judged on their character so they can achieve a dream. I want a government that has a safety net so that people don't declare bankruptcy because of medical bills or will struggle because of obscene profit margins and lack of sustainable wage growth.
I leave you with a segment of the last speech of King.
Columnist E.J. Dionne write in this column that the death of Dr. King, along with RFK's assassination, began the end of the progressive movement that was gaining powerful momentum in our country. It's too bad: From Nixon on, we have de-evolved, dehumanized and de-communitized this country into "I got mine, so go screw yourself" cloaked under some very corrupted tense of conservatism. On a side note, I really doubt that the reality we find ourselves in is what Ronald Reagan or Milton Friedman had in mind. But no matter.
Then there were these kids. On a typical Spring night in the nation's capitol, tourists stream from the respective quadrants to converge upon the National Mall. Usually, they go see the Washington Monument and then head over to the Lincoln Memorial. I know that was the first thing I did when I first came here. On the steps leading up to honest Abe is a placard notating where King gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. These group of students were reciting that speech.
No TV cameras, no journalists that I could see. Just a group of students and teachers egging them on. It was nice in a way to see students read the entire thing.
Yet, as the tourists passed them by to check out Illuminated Abe, I have to wonder: How far are we really? While we might be on the cusp of electing the first African-American President (if the first viable female candidate doesn't destroy him first), the deviation is pronounced in D.C. I mean, it's really obvious. Yet, another development and another law change pushes low-income further and further out.
For me, race relations is an odd one. Technically, I'm half-Latino. Venezuelan, to be exact. My biological father is from Caracas, yet I have no identification or connection with the Venezuelan culture. None. I can't even speak Spanish. How bad is that? My maternal grandfather is part Choctaw, but I have no connection with that either.
Even coming from a very diverse part of this country, issues of race are still difficult to come to a pervading sense of awareness. I was 12 when the L.A. riots occured. I still remember my white friend being beat up by some black guys, while two black girls saw me and said "you better leave or else you're next." I was robbed by a black man when I was 17. I was on a walk and he asked to speak to me. He pulled a knife and told me he was going to kill me if I didn't give him my CD player. It was a stupid Walkman and I was going to die for that. Even now, it is difficult to acknowledge a black man who crosses me on the street.
These are my experiences, but I know many white individuals that can identify. In high school, a great teacher of mine told me that I was going to have a hard time getting scholarships because I had zero ethnicity. The truth was, I did have a great and grand ethnicity on my biological father's side, as well as being partially Choctaw Indian, plus various Euro-ethnicity's. Yet, I was white.
What encouraged me about Obama's speech on race and some cogent talk about race relations is that we as a country aren't directly addressing a major shift concerning race, but that we might be coming to a point where we can. In about 25 years, maybe less, "white" won't be a majority. There won't be a majority. When it comes to race, everyone will officially be a minority. There will be more of one group than another, but no one can claim majority rules. I respectfully offer that freaks a lot of white people out. It's no surprise that the loudest detractors of Rev. Wright were white men, probably Catholic and definitely part of the "Conservative" movement that stems from Nixon and William F. Buckley.
If we were honest with ourselves for just a second, I think we as "white people" could agree to two things. First, cultural assimilation has done the most harm to white people in America. What is a white person in America? Either it's WASP or white trash. The middle is suburbia, but even that falls along trash or treasure lines. There is no appreciation for native culture, be it German or Scandinavian or whatnot. The creation of "American" was a continuing process of accepting majority norms while taking from the novel and uniqueness of minority cultures. Yet, it has created two choices, white and off-white. So, we have come to this very odd paradox: The answer of what it means to be white is often the same as what it means to be American. This isn't reality, yet the perception is what is reported on Fox.
Second, we as a nation haven't been honest with ourselves that supply-side economics doesn't work for us. It might work for some other country, but not here. Limits are a good thing and the government (especially if it's a representative government like we say it is) is meant to be provide a social infrastructure. That hasn't happened and really, hasn't happened for quite some time. No one is honestly talking about stagnant wages. Why is the gap between expenses and wages so big? It's because we dismantled parts of the regulatory mechanisms of government in favor of the Free Market the Friendly Ghost. This has affected everybody, but when it affects white people, it does create resentment and yes, bitterness.
OK, enough with my treatise. For those that stumble upon this and want to send nasty anonymous notes to me, do so on this phrase. Race matters. Racism is the great sin of America and race is the great testament to America. I feel that Dr. King's true realization of his dream was that we can seek race as difference and diversity, not the catalyst for inequality. Those things that make us who we are: Race, gender, religion, sexuality are what creates difference. Difference is good. We don't want to get to a point where race doesn't matter. I want race to matter. Otherwise, humanity will be dull and boring. I want people to be judged on their character so they can achieve a dream. I want a government that has a safety net so that people don't declare bankruptcy because of medical bills or will struggle because of obscene profit margins and lack of sustainable wage growth.
I leave you with a segment of the last speech of King.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
"She Knows Better"
This isn't a partisan blog, but I must say that I'm excited to live in D.C. and be around at the Inaugural when Obama is sworn in as our next President.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Calling for manly stuff....
I'm working on a writing project dealing with masculinity and manhood in this day and age. I'm on the prowl for books, articles and the like (i.e., no Porn sites, no ESPN) that deal with any of these topics:
Male Spirituality/Men and religion
Mythopoetics
Analysis on the effect of the Men's Movement, such as Promise Keepers, the Million Man March, etc.
Men's Studies
Male appeasement/approval
Why there aren't legitimate men's shampoo products available.
Or anything else that you think might be of use. Leave a comment and the Management thanks you.
Male Spirituality/Men and religion
Mythopoetics
Analysis on the effect of the Men's Movement, such as Promise Keepers, the Million Man March, etc.
Men's Studies
Male appeasement/approval
Why there aren't legitimate men's shampoo products available.
Or anything else that you think might be of use. Leave a comment and the Management thanks you.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Prince is playing Coachella?!?
And Roger Waters is doing Dark Side of the Moon? It's not fair. For those interested, see here.
Sigh.
Sigh.
Quote of the Day...
"When you ask a man to describe his 'perfect woman,' you usually wind up with a glorified golden retriever, or Mother Teresa in a thong."
From Shannonstamey.blogspot.com, quoted in today's Express.
From Shannonstamey.blogspot.com, quoted in today's Express.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Stopping for the violinist...
Washington Post Columnist Gene Weingarten's superb article on famed violinist Joshua Bell playing for about an hour in the L'Enfant Metro stop was award the Pulitzer. This article was fantastically written and brought about a lot of guilt to me in that I go through L'Enfant every so often, but more so, I'm at the point where I'm recycling my iPod music. Judging by conversations on the Metro today, I need to leave the iPod at home and tune in to the beauty that is everyone. Check out the story (and make sure to view the video!) here.
Yet another sign that I'm getting old...
My sisters are now 22 and 21 years old.
Wow.
Happy Birthday Danna and Amanda. I love you both greatly.
Monday, April 07, 2008
I guess the ring by spring exists outside the APU bubble...
Today, I found out that three of my friends are engaged. In addition to Sarah T becoming Sarah M and a couple of upcoming weddings, it must be spring.
So, congrats to Alexis and Lores for and their respective significant others and a big M.A.Y.A. Years congrats to Leeanne (Linterella) for her and Paul's engagement. Leeanne was a founding contributor, former Clauser and all-around fantastic woman. She has a great heart and so much going for her. You're loved by the M.A.Y.A. Years, Lint (write something soon!)
So, congrats to Alexis and Lores for and their respective significant others and a big M.A.Y.A. Years congrats to Leeanne (Linterella) for her and Paul's engagement. Leeanne was a founding contributor, former Clauser and all-around fantastic woman. She has a great heart and so much going for her. You're loved by the M.A.Y.A. Years, Lint (write something soon!)
Sunday, April 06, 2008
YAWN.
It's raining again this Sunday.
Nothing major to report.
Will be back up to full strength later this week.
Nothing major to report.
Will be back up to full strength later this week.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
A Call to Action
I usually don't like to do this, but I feel this is important.
Congress is debating the reauthorization of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The original plan allocated $15 billion to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa and worldwide. It has done wonders in getting people medicine and treatment, as well as go far in the fight against Global Poverty.
The new authorization would be for $50 billion, spread out until 2013. This is one of the things that President Bush has done quite well on and it's important that we keep a good thing coming.
Also, this is a great chance to advocate a change in a current injustice. The U.S. is one of the remaining countries that requires a special visa wavier to HIV-positive individuals that want to reside in the country. This was enacted by the late Jesse Helms two decades in the midst of AIDS paranoia and it's something that needs to be changed. The House is debate a proposition to include this into their debate of PEPFAR and it's important that we make right what has been done wrong.
ONE.org has more information, plus a list of your Congressional Representative if you're interested.
Thanks.
Congress is debating the reauthorization of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The original plan allocated $15 billion to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa and worldwide. It has done wonders in getting people medicine and treatment, as well as go far in the fight against Global Poverty.
The new authorization would be for $50 billion, spread out until 2013. This is one of the things that President Bush has done quite well on and it's important that we keep a good thing coming.
Also, this is a great chance to advocate a change in a current injustice. The U.S. is one of the remaining countries that requires a special visa wavier to HIV-positive individuals that want to reside in the country. This was enacted by the late Jesse Helms two decades in the midst of AIDS paranoia and it's something that needs to be changed. The House is debate a proposition to include this into their debate of PEPFAR and it's important that we make right what has been done wrong.
ONE.org has more information, plus a list of your Congressional Representative if you're interested.
Thanks.
Monday, March 31, 2008
A Diamond in the Fish...
I've had the big thrill of reliving my high school days via Havalina Railroad Co. One of the big bands in the LBC scene in the 90s, Havalina put up their greatest hits free on their site. You can find it here.
It takes me back: Jason and I did a few shows with them, as well as them playing Youth Convention and all the A/G mucks getting mad because all the kids were parading around the stage during "This Train." Them, the Halo Friendlies, the Merbabies, Boy Wonder (would become Off the Record), All Day Long and the Bunkshooters were great bands and it brings back great memories.
It takes me back: Jason and I did a few shows with them, as well as them playing Youth Convention and all the A/G mucks getting mad because all the kids were parading around the stage during "This Train." Them, the Halo Friendlies, the Merbabies, Boy Wonder (would become Off the Record), All Day Long and the Bunkshooters were great bands and it brings back great memories.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Do women love these fierce invalids home from hot climates?
FINALLY. I finished Tom Robbins' book. It took forever, largely because I read it on and off while I was doing research, writing a thesis, plotting my escape East and whatever random chaos showed up. Finished it tonight. Super good. Once I finish off my current book pile, I want to read another Robbins manifesto. Anyone got any good recommendations?
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
More context is needed...
Four Stories for FourStory
Shameless plug, but I am located in a few other places as well, one of those being Four Story. Four Story is a webzine dedicated to issues of affordable housing and development, but with a perspective slightly devoid of facts and figures and more concerned with facts and profanity. I've written a bit for them and the latest bit is found here.
Word up.
Word up.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
The Lord has risen...
He is risen indeed!
Today is Easter. It snuck up on a lot of people (myself included) because it was so early in the liturgical calendar.
I read this article in the NYT about Easter sermons and Obama's speech on race. Great article, you can check it out here.
Yet, there was one quote that really irked me.
To me, this encapsulates my problem with my old Pastor recycling his Easter sermon (in fact, he recycled all his sermons) and the disconnect of the churches I grew up in. Easter is about new life, both in this life and in whatever is to come. Why can't we be both? We can't we celebrate a living God and a risen Christ as well as bring light to the darkness of humanity, without the covert missions to "get them saved?" Isn't Easter about the power of one-ness over sameness? The power to confront those things that cause death to us (such as racism) and yet belief that new life is looming?
Anyways. I pray that today, we celebrate the chance of new life, the ability for all things to become new.
I pray that today, our cries over lost dreams, betrayal and disappointments will be replaced by tears of wonder and delight.
I pray that today, as we celebrate the Risen Prince of Peace, that we have peace. The awareness that everything needed to thrive in life is within our grasps.
He has Risen and continues to bring resurrection power to those who yearn for it.
Today is Easter. It snuck up on a lot of people (myself included) because it was so early in the liturgical calendar.
I read this article in the NYT about Easter sermons and Obama's speech on race. Great article, you can check it out here.
Yet, there was one quote that really irked me.
The Rev. Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals and lead pastor of Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minn., said he would not be preaching about the racial issues raised by Mr. Obama’s speech and expected few other evangelical pastors to, either.
“Easter is about Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus, and it’s pretty unlikely that any other topic would eclipse that,” Mr. Anderson said. “That’s not to say those other topics aren’t important, but this is the most important.”
Most evangelical churches, he said, “are Bible-driven, not current-events-driven."
To me, this encapsulates my problem with my old Pastor recycling his Easter sermon (in fact, he recycled all his sermons) and the disconnect of the churches I grew up in. Easter is about new life, both in this life and in whatever is to come. Why can't we be both? We can't we celebrate a living God and a risen Christ as well as bring light to the darkness of humanity, without the covert missions to "get them saved?" Isn't Easter about the power of one-ness over sameness? The power to confront those things that cause death to us (such as racism) and yet belief that new life is looming?
Anyways. I pray that today, we celebrate the chance of new life, the ability for all things to become new.
I pray that today, our cries over lost dreams, betrayal and disappointments will be replaced by tears of wonder and delight.
I pray that today, as we celebrate the Risen Prince of Peace, that we have peace. The awareness that everything needed to thrive in life is within our grasps.
He has Risen and continues to bring resurrection power to those who yearn for it.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Well, my questions are answered...
Now, if only R.E.M. could use this new-found clarity to actually make a good record post-Monster.
Friday, March 21, 2008
A message for Good Friday...
Taken from Andrew Sullivan.
"Any authenticity that we are going to have as persons of faith and any authority that we are going to have as witnesses to the gospel of Jesus Christ will come because of our exposure to bruises and scars. There is no other way to authenticity. There is a certain counterfeit pose that one may maintain, but as to an entrance into the full, the true authority, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, that comes by exposure and by wounds. There is no other way. If one looks back at those who have deeply affected their generation, the discovery will be made that almost without exception they did it against some minus, some ache, some pain in their own lives ...
At some time, who can say when, there will be a crown of thorns pressed down upon your head. It may be some private anguish. It may be some profoundly disturbing condition in your own family. One cannot detail the direction whence the affliction will come, but when it does, you will have every right to rail against it and to cry out against that kind of providence, even to argue with God, to withstand him to the face ...
But do one other thing. Take it. Accept. For was it not our Lord's word that the cup he looked into, the awful agony which waited for him, did not come from unfriendly hands: "The cup which my Father hath given, shall I not drink of it?"
I promise you this, if you can take whatever deep hurt that occurs in your life and hold it up before God and say to him, even in bitterness, of this which you despise and this which you hate, "If there is anything you can do with it, take, and use it."
I promise you, you will be utterly amazed at what will occur," - Gardner C. Taylor, sermon delivered February 1, 1978.
"Any authenticity that we are going to have as persons of faith and any authority that we are going to have as witnesses to the gospel of Jesus Christ will come because of our exposure to bruises and scars. There is no other way to authenticity. There is a certain counterfeit pose that one may maintain, but as to an entrance into the full, the true authority, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, that comes by exposure and by wounds. There is no other way. If one looks back at those who have deeply affected their generation, the discovery will be made that almost without exception they did it against some minus, some ache, some pain in their own lives ...
At some time, who can say when, there will be a crown of thorns pressed down upon your head. It may be some private anguish. It may be some profoundly disturbing condition in your own family. One cannot detail the direction whence the affliction will come, but when it does, you will have every right to rail against it and to cry out against that kind of providence, even to argue with God, to withstand him to the face ...
But do one other thing. Take it. Accept. For was it not our Lord's word that the cup he looked into, the awful agony which waited for him, did not come from unfriendly hands: "The cup which my Father hath given, shall I not drink of it?"
I promise you this, if you can take whatever deep hurt that occurs in your life and hold it up before God and say to him, even in bitterness, of this which you despise and this which you hate, "If there is anything you can do with it, take, and use it."
I promise you, you will be utterly amazed at what will occur," - Gardner C. Taylor, sermon delivered February 1, 1978.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
"Maybe this is how the concerto ends..."
The Band's Visit is a beautifully nuanced and subtle film. From Israel, it would have been nominated for Best Foreign Film but because of dumb Academy rules regarding language (the film features Arabic, Hebrew and English), it didn't. Too bad.
It's short but incredibly sweet. I highly recommend it.
It's short but incredibly sweet. I highly recommend it.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
D.C. from the lens...
I have an old-school camera, so it's going to take a bit to get these photos on here. I'll get a Flickr account soon. In the meantime...
...by the way, how does one put frames on these things? (Ed. note: Never mind. Just saw it in final version.)
A real speech that is rooted in reality...
I urge you to watch this. Not because I want to vote for Obama (even though that would be nice if you're in Pennsylvania right now!) but because a real debate on race is so, so important.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Calling all M.A.Y.A. cooks!
I am in need of some recipes!
I left my cookbook at home and I can scrouge through Food Network's site, but I don't want to. So, I'm inviting any and all calls for good recipes out there. If your recipe is picked, it will be featured on this blog. FYI: I'm not a big fan of fish, but I'll give it a shot if it sounds good and vegetarian dishes are also welcome.
The Management thanks you.
I left my cookbook at home and I can scrouge through Food Network's site, but I don't want to. So, I'm inviting any and all calls for good recipes out there. If your recipe is picked, it will be featured on this blog. FYI: I'm not a big fan of fish, but I'll give it a shot if it sounds good and vegetarian dishes are also welcome.
The Management thanks you.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Getting our stories straight....
(NOTE: I had written this for a possible publication, but I honestly forgot about it until I saw it tonight. So, this is the official publication. Comments always welcome.)
We need to get our story straight.
At the New Hampshire primary debate, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards asserted that approximately 20-30 million jobs would be lost in the next two decades. Those greatly affected will be college graduates. There wasn’t any rejection of that argument, instead an eerie acknowledgment loomed on the debate stage. Articles speak to the looming student loan crisis, while other research recommends that potential college-bound students consider blue-collar work. In short, the future isn’t so bright for the educated and more so, the over-educated.
That’s not what I was taught in junior high school. On the cusp of adolescence, teachers and parents told this tale: Do well in high school, take Advanced Placement classes and work really hard to be admitted into a good college. Go to college, work really hard, pick a good major and graduate. Upon graduation, there will be great jobs to select. If you want even more success, go for the graduate degree.
The moral of the tale told to most American students is simple, education breeds success. No doubt, this is a true statement. However, it’s lacking the hidden emphasis that drives the point home, education breeds economic success. The more educated one is, the better off economically one will be.
Because of this, record numbers go to college and record numbers are now in graduate schools. Record numbers have taken on six-figure student loan debt and record numbers are striving for professional jobs in the economy.
Yet, observers are pointing to a downward slide, due to globalization and the changing times. A different narrative is being told; a story of opportunities going overseas, of instability and corporate needs over worker needs. It’s business. It’s the future.
Which story is right? With all due respect to Senator Clinton, words do matter. It is narrative that is the mechanism to find meaning and the American narrative is one of opportunity and fulfillment. The narrative told today to young adults beginning careers and struggling to find fulfilling work is the antithesis of the narrative told yesterday to students overextended in homework, school and service clubs and athletics in order to gain entry into the right college. When those question the accuracy of the story, they are given the afterword: Go get more education, take out more loans, and go further into debt and confusion. To be sure, many post-graduate students take on additional education for the right reasons, yet much of the predominate story uses graduate education as a delay into the changing work force.
What we have are dueling narratives. One story promises security if all the instructions are followed correctly, while another story promises uncertainty in a transitioning economy and world turning on variability. In both cases, twentysomethings and thirtysomethings are left with questions complex and simple: What is the story that I want to follow? What is the narrative to which I need to listen?
If the American Dream is a dream of opportunity and the American narrative is a story of fulfillment, then we must make sure the stories line up to reality.
We need to get our story straight.
At the New Hampshire primary debate, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards asserted that approximately 20-30 million jobs would be lost in the next two decades. Those greatly affected will be college graduates. There wasn’t any rejection of that argument, instead an eerie acknowledgment loomed on the debate stage. Articles speak to the looming student loan crisis, while other research recommends that potential college-bound students consider blue-collar work. In short, the future isn’t so bright for the educated and more so, the over-educated.
That’s not what I was taught in junior high school. On the cusp of adolescence, teachers and parents told this tale: Do well in high school, take Advanced Placement classes and work really hard to be admitted into a good college. Go to college, work really hard, pick a good major and graduate. Upon graduation, there will be great jobs to select. If you want even more success, go for the graduate degree.
The moral of the tale told to most American students is simple, education breeds success. No doubt, this is a true statement. However, it’s lacking the hidden emphasis that drives the point home, education breeds economic success. The more educated one is, the better off economically one will be.
Because of this, record numbers go to college and record numbers are now in graduate schools. Record numbers have taken on six-figure student loan debt and record numbers are striving for professional jobs in the economy.
Yet, observers are pointing to a downward slide, due to globalization and the changing times. A different narrative is being told; a story of opportunities going overseas, of instability and corporate needs over worker needs. It’s business. It’s the future.
Which story is right? With all due respect to Senator Clinton, words do matter. It is narrative that is the mechanism to find meaning and the American narrative is one of opportunity and fulfillment. The narrative told today to young adults beginning careers and struggling to find fulfilling work is the antithesis of the narrative told yesterday to students overextended in homework, school and service clubs and athletics in order to gain entry into the right college. When those question the accuracy of the story, they are given the afterword: Go get more education, take out more loans, and go further into debt and confusion. To be sure, many post-graduate students take on additional education for the right reasons, yet much of the predominate story uses graduate education as a delay into the changing work force.
What we have are dueling narratives. One story promises security if all the instructions are followed correctly, while another story promises uncertainty in a transitioning economy and world turning on variability. In both cases, twentysomethings and thirtysomethings are left with questions complex and simple: What is the story that I want to follow? What is the narrative to which I need to listen?
If the American Dream is a dream of opportunity and the American narrative is a story of fulfillment, then we must make sure the stories line up to reality.
Monday, March 10, 2008
I now know why Monks like the quiet...
There is nothing worse that sitting next to a screaming child when trying to write about religion.
More so, it’s precarious sitting in a busy coffeehouse, complete with the wi-fi flickering, the internet radio playing bad songs that need to remain in the ‘70s and still having the screaming child bellow her woes right in your ear.
Perhaps it is the notion of monastic solitude one hopes for when trying to concentrate on writing about faith, straining to hear the voice of God. Of course, that’s because God is only prone to speaking in a whisper, at least in the post-Acts sense.
I’ve been trying to write about a new study by the Pew Center of Religion and Public Life that studied the new religious landscape of Americans. In the study (which you can find here if you're interested), researchers discovered some very interesting shifts and changes in thinking of religion and identity.
Yet, the screaming children are driving me nuts.My friend Jennifer told me that in the first two years of a child’s life, parents teach a child to walk and talk. For the remaining time, parents teach the child to sit down and shut up.
I try not to sermonize everything, but I find it so hard to imagine Christ actually engaging screaming children. This is the kingdom of God? The shrieks of “He breathed on me!” are the keys to Heaven?
Nevertheless, the children have calmed down a bit and my nerves are a little less frayed. The kids are cute, well, all kids are cute. Supposedly.
It makes me wonder how I’ll be as a father. That’s assuming of course that I can get my act together and get a girl to love me. Or is it the other way around: she has to convince me to love her? Eh, I’m in my late 20s and I still don’t know. Maybe that’s the beauty of it.
More so, it’s precarious sitting in a busy coffeehouse, complete with the wi-fi flickering, the internet radio playing bad songs that need to remain in the ‘70s and still having the screaming child bellow her woes right in your ear.
Perhaps it is the notion of monastic solitude one hopes for when trying to concentrate on writing about faith, straining to hear the voice of God. Of course, that’s because God is only prone to speaking in a whisper, at least in the post-Acts sense.
I’ve been trying to write about a new study by the Pew Center of Religion and Public Life that studied the new religious landscape of Americans. In the study (which you can find here if you're interested), researchers discovered some very interesting shifts and changes in thinking of religion and identity.
Yet, the screaming children are driving me nuts.My friend Jennifer told me that in the first two years of a child’s life, parents teach a child to walk and talk. For the remaining time, parents teach the child to sit down and shut up.
I try not to sermonize everything, but I find it so hard to imagine Christ actually engaging screaming children. This is the kingdom of God? The shrieks of “He breathed on me!” are the keys to Heaven?
Nevertheless, the children have calmed down a bit and my nerves are a little less frayed. The kids are cute, well, all kids are cute. Supposedly.
It makes me wonder how I’ll be as a father. That’s assuming of course that I can get my act together and get a girl to love me. Or is it the other way around: she has to convince me to love her? Eh, I’m in my late 20s and I still don’t know. Maybe that’s the beauty of it.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Friday, March 07, 2008
Blessed are those who make peace...
Today, the Christian Peace Witnesses for Iraq held worship services in D.C. and across the country to continue the protest against the War and the Occupation in many parts of the world where we have no business being there. There was also a rally near the Capitol, but it was rainy and the singers were pretty cheesy. That said, the worship service was really nice.
During the Eucharist at Christ Church, I found myself singing a song in my head that I haven't thought about in a very long time.
He is our Peace
Who has broken down every wall
He is our Peace
He is our Peace
I can remember Mom singing that in choir and all the old folks at Glad Tidings singing in pseudo-unison. Here, it echoed a call to end to war in Iraq and create a new shift in thinking and being. The homily, given by an Episcopal priest from L.A., highlighted the passage in Scripture where James and John asked Christ if they could sit at each side of him in Heaven. In response, Christ told them that they didn't know what they were talking about and most likely, they didn't want to know either.
I imagine Christ saying to them with eyebrows raised: Do you really want that power? More so, do you really want the responsibility of sitting next to me? You know that everyone is going to be looking to you for everything. It's gonna take more than zeal and mastery of thin theology to really make the good stuff happen.
The service reminded me again of what the representative from the Desmond Tutu Foundation said at one ICUJP meeting. Peace is awareness and the knowledge of awareness. The awareness that a person has everything s/he needs to live life. All the necessities and the abilities to get what they need and want. Clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, viable shelter, a job with a living wage, an education if it is so desired, and ultimately, the awareness to have and share love.
It strikes a stronger chord for me when I think about peace and peacemaking that way.
Peace is not the warm fuzzy brought on by a warm blanket and a hearty dinner nor is peace the wanton sense of naivete when acting as an ignorant fool.
Peace is active, conscious, intentional. Peace guides the steps toward meaningfulness.
That peace. Do I have it in my own life and in my own heart? Am I truly aware that I have everything I need to live life and live it well? All the necessities and the opportunities to make it so?
In many ways, yes, I do. As a Christian, I believe that Christ is the center of my peace and his teachings and his essence have given me the ability to have peace. But that isn't just my gateway to Heaven (assuming Heaven as a real place exists) or is it my leverage against those wild and crazy "non-believers."
Truly, if I can make peace for myself, then I must make peace for others. I have to do everything in my power to ensure that others can have the awareness to live life well. That isn't just simple (read: easy, lazy, dumb, insensitive and ludicrous) shouting many call modern evangelism, but truly being a peace maker. What can I do to make sure people have access to clean water? What can I do to help others get a micro-loan to start a business? What can I do to fight for a living wage for work and health care for all? What can I do to be truly for life and for choice, more than judging personal decisions for the sake of hollow politics? Any of the multiplicity of causes and issues that are taken up are worth evaluating and thinking about; that is making peace.
Blessed are those who are truly aware.
Standing in the rain, listening to some weird musician sing about how the economy is affected by ecology, gathering with activists that come out to these rallies to get arrested in hopes to making a point to someone with voter clout, hearing the statistics again: 4,000 troops dead, almost one million Iraqis killed, nearly 4 million are displaced, a $3 trillion dollar war, a President who intends to spend his last year in office making sure everyone knows he's in charge and "has a lot to do," I heard my Mom and the congregation singing.
He is my Peace
Who has broken down every wall
He is my Peace
He is my Peace.
(Ed. note: Photo added.)
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Politics and math
Again, this isn't a partisan blog and I usually don't read Daily Kos, but they have a great post on the math involved in delegate counts. You can read it here for yourself.
Mathematically, it'll take a whole lot for Clinton to win. Chances are, she won't. There are many folks that want her to drop out. I don't for two reasons: the continued debate and vetting process is good for our country (as I am convinced that either one of them will defeat McCain in the general) and this process is important because we as a nation need to make sure that every vote counts and what one person does on the ballot does in fact matter.
In America, politics isn't about leading, it's about winning. Sadly, that will continue as long as we have vested interests that dominate the discussion for the few (read: rich and corporate) and a media that continually exhibiting traits of a cutter.
Mathematically, it'll take a whole lot for Clinton to win. Chances are, she won't. There are many folks that want her to drop out. I don't for two reasons: the continued debate and vetting process is good for our country (as I am convinced that either one of them will defeat McCain in the general) and this process is important because we as a nation need to make sure that every vote counts and what one person does on the ballot does in fact matter.
In America, politics isn't about leading, it's about winning. Sadly, that will continue as long as we have vested interests that dominate the discussion for the few (read: rich and corporate) and a media that continually exhibiting traits of a cutter.
Monday, March 03, 2008
And the word of this journey is....
My friend Kirsten sent me a copy of a proposal she's working on and she used the word rhizomatous.
Hmmmm, never heard that word before, so on www.dictionary.com, it says:
producing or processing or resembling rhizomes.
A rhizome is:
A horizontal, usually underground stem that often sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Also called rootstalk, rootstock.
From the Greek, to cause to take root.
I've sorta settled in my home for at least the next few months. I say sorta settled because I stuffed two suitcases full of clothing, shoes and other little things and came on in. Right now, I'm sleeping on the floor. Hopefully, I'll steal Paul's mattress as he leaves for the Bay Area tomorrow.
Plus, I've never been one for settling. In deference to Pastor Glenn, there are two kinds of settling: the kind that you're always striving for something better and the kind where you stay in one place and take root. In a sense, I'm unsettled in both areas.
Already, I've made some contacts and gotten some leads. It's fantastic, but I'm striving to make sure that I don't give off the impression that I want to meet people for the exclusive purpose of getting a job. I want a job, for sure, but I also want to meet people just to meet people.
It's funny how my mind has been trying to process the initial stages of moving here. Part of it is so adventurous and so there is a greater sense of flexibility that occurs. All the things that go wrong are all part of the fun and part of the story that gets told with beer in the aftermath.
Yet, I'm trying to figure out where to set boundaries. After all, if I'm giving this at least an Administration, the Administration has to know where I stand. I walk around the District and see how people dress and how everyone talks and drinks their Starbucks and talks on the phone. Points of reference, I suppose. I have vowed with every fiber within me not to become a "suit" and that's still on. I think I can figure out a way to wear the costumes and not become the part.
It figures that there must be a psychological element to rhizomes. According to Carl Jung:
"Life has always seemed to me like a plant that lives on its rhizome. Its true life is invisible, hidden in the rhizome. The part that appears above the ground lasts only a single summer. Then it withers away—an ephemeral apparition. When we think of the unending growth and decay of life and civilizations, we cannot escape the impression of absolute nullity. Yet I have never lost the sense of something that lives and endures beneath the eternal flux. What we see is blossom, which passes. The rhizome remains. (Prologue from "Memories, Dreams, Reflections")
Amen, Carl.
Hmmmm, never heard that word before, so on www.dictionary.com, it says:
producing or processing or resembling rhizomes.
A rhizome is:
A horizontal, usually underground stem that often sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Also called rootstalk, rootstock.
From the Greek, to cause to take root.
I've sorta settled in my home for at least the next few months. I say sorta settled because I stuffed two suitcases full of clothing, shoes and other little things and came on in. Right now, I'm sleeping on the floor. Hopefully, I'll steal Paul's mattress as he leaves for the Bay Area tomorrow.
Plus, I've never been one for settling. In deference to Pastor Glenn, there are two kinds of settling: the kind that you're always striving for something better and the kind where you stay in one place and take root. In a sense, I'm unsettled in both areas.
Already, I've made some contacts and gotten some leads. It's fantastic, but I'm striving to make sure that I don't give off the impression that I want to meet people for the exclusive purpose of getting a job. I want a job, for sure, but I also want to meet people just to meet people.
It's funny how my mind has been trying to process the initial stages of moving here. Part of it is so adventurous and so there is a greater sense of flexibility that occurs. All the things that go wrong are all part of the fun and part of the story that gets told with beer in the aftermath.
Yet, I'm trying to figure out where to set boundaries. After all, if I'm giving this at least an Administration, the Administration has to know where I stand. I walk around the District and see how people dress and how everyone talks and drinks their Starbucks and talks on the phone. Points of reference, I suppose. I have vowed with every fiber within me not to become a "suit" and that's still on. I think I can figure out a way to wear the costumes and not become the part.
It figures that there must be a psychological element to rhizomes. According to Carl Jung:
"Life has always seemed to me like a plant that lives on its rhizome. Its true life is invisible, hidden in the rhizome. The part that appears above the ground lasts only a single summer. Then it withers away—an ephemeral apparition. When we think of the unending growth and decay of life and civilizations, we cannot escape the impression of absolute nullity. Yet I have never lost the sense of something that lives and endures beneath the eternal flux. What we see is blossom, which passes. The rhizome remains. (Prologue from "Memories, Dreams, Reflections")
Amen, Carl.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Time to go...
Well, this is it.
Tomorrow, this M.A.Y.A. is going East. It won't be long before I'll be forced to consider myself a full-fledged adult. I'm actually a bit excited for it. I'm looking forward to going gray, but that is easily tempered by my sadness in my looming bald spot.
I'm trying to remember how I felt when I left for San Angelo. It seems like ages ago: so much has happened since that decision and that destination.
I remember events. It was New Years and I went to a party with a bunch of people from Barnes and Noble. My friend Pamela was completely hammered and she professed her love for me. I'm pretty certain that she poured out her adoration because of the booze, but no matter. This one girl that I really like wasn't there and this other girl I liked was there, but was in a heated conversation with another guy. Heated as in confrontational, not to be disturbed.
Jason was house-sitting and I spent New Years and a few other nights there. I'm still sworn to silence about one night in particular, but it still comes up in awed laughing fits.
During the last Sunday at church, I stood in front of the congregation while people prayed for me. The only recollection of the prayer was Pastor Tom saying, "Thrust him out, Lord! Thrust him out!" At my left, Pastor Glenn was laughing.
I remember going on a date with Mariam. We went to Steamers and the Rockin Taco. We listened to KCRW on the ride home. I could have stayed for her.
Before I left, I had lunch with Pastor and he told me that if it didn't work out, I could always come back home.
Even though I remember events, I don't remember feelings. I just got in a car, turned on "Take it Easy" and drove. The story was so outlandish, the circumstances so unlikely, just taking the trip was wild enough. Romantic and diffuse, the experience fulfilled its definition.
I did come back home and I have been in Los Angeles for almost 4 years. I never returned back to Steamers Cafe, even though that was my place. Falling in love with Long Beach, I swore I found my pond to swim in. Things coalesced and life codified.
Of course, that didn't last long. I'm not rehashing all of it, but I can tell you the end/beginning. It was at the Indianapolis Zoo on a bench in front of the gorillas. Kate and I were talking about God and I had presented my theological treatise to her. She can tell you it was quite something. I was quite impressed with myself. She wasn't. We ended up on this bench and we sat close for just a second, then moved on. In that moment, it ended and started.
So, a little more than two years later, I leave again. This time, I'm not leaving home because I don't consider Los Angeles my home. Really, the roots I had are now exposed in the sun. Church, career, friends, family...it's not the same. My thesis talked about identity construction and religion. I feel like I've reconstructed myself in a way: going to D.C., still being single, finding no solace in the forms of Christianity I grew up in, not going into the ministry (but this one might still have a happy ending), leaving the newsroom. More deeply, that treatise I gave Kate proved to be askewed. Not by much, but now with one new qualifier at the start: I don't know and I'm fine with that.
Well, there it it. As Karina wrote to me, it's good to obey the inner nudge. Inklings and nudges, a wink and a nod. At least it saves paper.
Tomorrow, this M.A.Y.A. is going East. It won't be long before I'll be forced to consider myself a full-fledged adult. I'm actually a bit excited for it. I'm looking forward to going gray, but that is easily tempered by my sadness in my looming bald spot.
I'm trying to remember how I felt when I left for San Angelo. It seems like ages ago: so much has happened since that decision and that destination.
I remember events. It was New Years and I went to a party with a bunch of people from Barnes and Noble. My friend Pamela was completely hammered and she professed her love for me. I'm pretty certain that she poured out her adoration because of the booze, but no matter. This one girl that I really like wasn't there and this other girl I liked was there, but was in a heated conversation with another guy. Heated as in confrontational, not to be disturbed.
Jason was house-sitting and I spent New Years and a few other nights there. I'm still sworn to silence about one night in particular, but it still comes up in awed laughing fits.
During the last Sunday at church, I stood in front of the congregation while people prayed for me. The only recollection of the prayer was Pastor Tom saying, "Thrust him out, Lord! Thrust him out!" At my left, Pastor Glenn was laughing.
I remember going on a date with Mariam. We went to Steamers and the Rockin Taco. We listened to KCRW on the ride home. I could have stayed for her.
Before I left, I had lunch with Pastor and he told me that if it didn't work out, I could always come back home.
Even though I remember events, I don't remember feelings. I just got in a car, turned on "Take it Easy" and drove. The story was so outlandish, the circumstances so unlikely, just taking the trip was wild enough. Romantic and diffuse, the experience fulfilled its definition.
I did come back home and I have been in Los Angeles for almost 4 years. I never returned back to Steamers Cafe, even though that was my place. Falling in love with Long Beach, I swore I found my pond to swim in. Things coalesced and life codified.
Of course, that didn't last long. I'm not rehashing all of it, but I can tell you the end/beginning. It was at the Indianapolis Zoo on a bench in front of the gorillas. Kate and I were talking about God and I had presented my theological treatise to her. She can tell you it was quite something. I was quite impressed with myself. She wasn't. We ended up on this bench and we sat close for just a second, then moved on. In that moment, it ended and started.
So, a little more than two years later, I leave again. This time, I'm not leaving home because I don't consider Los Angeles my home. Really, the roots I had are now exposed in the sun. Church, career, friends, family...it's not the same. My thesis talked about identity construction and religion. I feel like I've reconstructed myself in a way: going to D.C., still being single, finding no solace in the forms of Christianity I grew up in, not going into the ministry (but this one might still have a happy ending), leaving the newsroom. More deeply, that treatise I gave Kate proved to be askewed. Not by much, but now with one new qualifier at the start: I don't know and I'm fine with that.
Well, there it it. As Karina wrote to me, it's good to obey the inner nudge. Inklings and nudges, a wink and a nod. At least it saves paper.
The wide world of whiteness....
Gregory Rodriguez of the L.A. Times wrote a column about stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com. A tongue-in-cheek blog, it really does hit on all the things white people do and don't do.
Try to read it seriously, but not too seriously. Honestly, some many of those things are true.
Rodriguez brings up the issue of "white people" becoming a minority in the U.S. I think I heard that by 2050, most citizens will be from Asia, Latin America or Africa.
It does bring up an interesting discussion on white culture. What is white culture? is it either being white trash or being Westside hipster. Often, it is an either/or scenario. More so, what is it to be white? European? Icelandish? Variations of Native American?
Something worth thinking about.
Try to read it seriously, but not too seriously. Honestly, some many of those things are true.
Rodriguez brings up the issue of "white people" becoming a minority in the U.S. I think I heard that by 2050, most citizens will be from Asia, Latin America or Africa.
It does bring up an interesting discussion on white culture. What is white culture? is it either being white trash or being Westside hipster. Often, it is an either/or scenario. More so, what is it to be white? European? Icelandish? Variations of Native American?
Something worth thinking about.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
the 2nd Annual M.A.Y.A.Years Oscar picks!!!!!
I know you've been waiting for this and I'm never one to disappoint when it comes to excessive glamour and glitz.
This year was a good year for movies. Several strong movies came out at the end of the year and there was a good mix all-in-all. I'm still peeved my parents made me watch "Enchanted" and I'm happy to have continued my vows to avoid Lindsay Lohan at all costs.
So, here are the major categories and the picks:
Original Song:
Should win: "Once" was simply exceptional and it's a damn shame that more songs weren't nominated. Instead we have Cinderella in New York.
Will win: Probably "Once" as I'm hoping all the "Enchanted" songs will cancel each other out.
Foreign Language Film:
No picks, just a note: the academy really, really needs to revamp this. Because of the stupid rules, films like "Persepolis" and "The Band's Visit" aren't in this. Stupid academy.
Documentary Feature:
Should win: "No End in Sight." This movie captured the essence of everything that went wrong in Iraq. It's terrifying and incredibly sad. "Sicko" was superb as well, except when it went into dancing with Fidel Castro mode.
Will win: Probably "No End in Sight," but "War/Dance" might make an upset.
Cinematography:
Should win: "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" was a complex and lush film, beautifully filmed to show the true tragedy of locked-in syndrome and the majesty of imagination. "There will be Blood" was stark and gripping in its summation of capitalism and oil. The filming was fantastic.
Will win: Probably "Atonement," by the way, did anyone see this? I tried to avoid it like the plague.
Animated Film:
Should win: I didn't see "Ratatouille," but I probably will. But "Persepolis" was amazing.
Will win: "Ratatouille."
Adapted Screenplay:
Should win: Hard category, because they're all good. I'm going on a limb and saying that Sarah Polley's adaptation of Alice Munro's short story was stunning, sad and redemptive all at once.
Will win:
Coen Brothers did hit the marks with "No Country for Old Men."
Original Screenplay:
Should win: The strongest category by far. Yay for originality and creativity. In the end, "Juno" stands out, with "Lars and the Real Girl" a very close second.
Will win: "Juno."
Supporting Actress:
Should win: I didn't see "American Gangster" and "Gone Baby Gone," but Amy Ryan is great in "The Wire." "Michael Clayton" is a great movie and Tilda Swinton is phenomenal in what her role is in the mess the movie portrays. But Cate Blanchett is the reincarnation of Bob Dylan that makes "I'm not There" plausible. If she doesn't look or sorta sound like Dylan, the other portrayals of Dylan-esque will won't make sense unless one is a major fan.
Will win: Blanchett.
Supporting Actor:
Should win: Javier Bardem is scary as hell. Didn't see "Jessie James," but I heard that was good. Tom Wilkinson was terrific as always, but he's one of those actors that is going to suffer from "terrfic as always" syndrome.
Will win: Bardem.
Best Actress:
Should win: I'm not sure. All are good in their own way. Didn't see "La Vie en Rose," but I heard the movie was uneven. Missed out on "The Savages," and I'm kicking myself for that. I heard "Elizabeth" sucked too, but Julie Christie really did a great job in "Away from Her."
Will win: Christie, but Cotillard could pull off the upset.
Best Actor:
Will win and should win: No question, Day-Lewis was freakishly terrific.
Best Director:
Should win: The second strongest category. All are really good. If I had it my way, I would give it to Schnabel. The vision of the movie, the process of storytelling and the implmentation was simply stunning. The same can be said for Anderson and the Coen Bros., but there's something just a little different about "Diving Bell." Sad not to see Tim Burton here.
Will win: Eeek, I'm really not sure, but I'll go with the Coen Bros. Well deserved for an incredible body of work for for the Academy to finally recognize duel directors.
Best Picture:
Should win: I'm going with "Juno." There was just something amazing and simple about this movie. "There will be Blood" was exquisite, as was "No Country for Old Men."
Will win: You read it here first (or maybe ninth, but who's counting?); "Michael Clayton" will win and here's why: "No Country" and "Blood" will cancel each other out and no one still wants to vote for a comedy. That leaves "Atonement" and "Clayton." "Clayton" is a drama that reflects our times better than the British flick and Clooney is more of a movie star than Kiera Knightly. So, the Academy goes to the morally ambiguous fixer.
For an added bonus, here are my picks of the best movies of the year:
Juno
Once
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
There will be Blood
The Lookout
I'm Not There
No End in Sight
Lars and the Real Girl
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Knocked Up
This year was a good year for movies. Several strong movies came out at the end of the year and there was a good mix all-in-all. I'm still peeved my parents made me watch "Enchanted" and I'm happy to have continued my vows to avoid Lindsay Lohan at all costs.
So, here are the major categories and the picks:
Original Song:
Should win: "Once" was simply exceptional and it's a damn shame that more songs weren't nominated. Instead we have Cinderella in New York.
Will win: Probably "Once" as I'm hoping all the "Enchanted" songs will cancel each other out.
Foreign Language Film:
No picks, just a note: the academy really, really needs to revamp this. Because of the stupid rules, films like "Persepolis" and "The Band's Visit" aren't in this. Stupid academy.
Documentary Feature:
Should win: "No End in Sight." This movie captured the essence of everything that went wrong in Iraq. It's terrifying and incredibly sad. "Sicko" was superb as well, except when it went into dancing with Fidel Castro mode.
Will win: Probably "No End in Sight," but "War/Dance" might make an upset.
Cinematography:
Should win: "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" was a complex and lush film, beautifully filmed to show the true tragedy of locked-in syndrome and the majesty of imagination. "There will be Blood" was stark and gripping in its summation of capitalism and oil. The filming was fantastic.
Will win: Probably "Atonement," by the way, did anyone see this? I tried to avoid it like the plague.
Animated Film:
Should win: I didn't see "Ratatouille," but I probably will. But "Persepolis" was amazing.
Will win: "Ratatouille."
Adapted Screenplay:
Should win: Hard category, because they're all good. I'm going on a limb and saying that Sarah Polley's adaptation of Alice Munro's short story was stunning, sad and redemptive all at once.
Will win:
Coen Brothers did hit the marks with "No Country for Old Men."
Original Screenplay:
Should win: The strongest category by far. Yay for originality and creativity. In the end, "Juno" stands out, with "Lars and the Real Girl" a very close second.
Will win: "Juno."
Supporting Actress:
Should win: I didn't see "American Gangster" and "Gone Baby Gone," but Amy Ryan is great in "The Wire." "Michael Clayton" is a great movie and Tilda Swinton is phenomenal in what her role is in the mess the movie portrays. But Cate Blanchett is the reincarnation of Bob Dylan that makes "I'm not There" plausible. If she doesn't look or sorta sound like Dylan, the other portrayals of Dylan-esque will won't make sense unless one is a major fan.
Will win: Blanchett.
Supporting Actor:
Should win: Javier Bardem is scary as hell. Didn't see "Jessie James," but I heard that was good. Tom Wilkinson was terrific as always, but he's one of those actors that is going to suffer from "terrfic as always" syndrome.
Will win: Bardem.
Best Actress:
Should win: I'm not sure. All are good in their own way. Didn't see "La Vie en Rose," but I heard the movie was uneven. Missed out on "The Savages," and I'm kicking myself for that. I heard "Elizabeth" sucked too, but Julie Christie really did a great job in "Away from Her."
Will win: Christie, but Cotillard could pull off the upset.
Best Actor:
Will win and should win: No question, Day-Lewis was freakishly terrific.
Best Director:
Should win: The second strongest category. All are really good. If I had it my way, I would give it to Schnabel. The vision of the movie, the process of storytelling and the implmentation was simply stunning. The same can be said for Anderson and the Coen Bros., but there's something just a little different about "Diving Bell." Sad not to see Tim Burton here.
Will win: Eeek, I'm really not sure, but I'll go with the Coen Bros. Well deserved for an incredible body of work for for the Academy to finally recognize duel directors.
Best Picture:
Should win: I'm going with "Juno." There was just something amazing and simple about this movie. "There will be Blood" was exquisite, as was "No Country for Old Men."
Will win: You read it here first (or maybe ninth, but who's counting?); "Michael Clayton" will win and here's why: "No Country" and "Blood" will cancel each other out and no one still wants to vote for a comedy. That leaves "Atonement" and "Clayton." "Clayton" is a drama that reflects our times better than the British flick and Clooney is more of a movie star than Kiera Knightly. So, the Academy goes to the morally ambiguous fixer.
For an added bonus, here are my picks of the best movies of the year:
Juno
Once
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
There will be Blood
The Lookout
I'm Not There
No End in Sight
Lars and the Real Girl
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Knocked Up
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Migration is always an issue of space
This went out to the masses tonight. It's my big news of the day.
Dear Friends,
In Salem, West Virginia, it is illegal to leave home without knowing where you are going.
This, according to “Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader,” is a law that is a bit loony. Indeed, I’m not sure how the town would regulate that ordinance. Does the Sheriff check everyone’s GPS systems? Circles drawn on the map? Shopping list?
No matter. I’m sure in a small town, everyone is up on everyone’s business, so it’s quite easy to know where people are off to in the middle of the night, or for a “long weekend.”
(By the way, if you have never had the pleasure of reading any of the “Uncle John’s Bathroom Readers,” I highly recommend you do so. It is one of the sources where I have learned the most lessons about life, in addition to the Bible and the Bold and the Beautiful.)
It does bring up an interesting scenario: what if you were required by law to know where you are going? In all decisions big and small, from RiteAid to the wedding chapel, you had to have the direction set before you launched, so to say. Not only did you have to have direction, but you had to have directions: addresses, numbers, account balances, car miles, metro tickets, words of wisdom, dotted lines, signatures and goodbyes. All the little dots that we connect consciously and flippantly that move us along in the line/circle/rhombus we live on a daily basis.
Logically speaking, it makes perfect sense. You take the good and take the bad, mash them up, pick them out of a hat, weigh the pros and the cons, talk to loved ones, converse with strangers and make a decision. With enforcement looking over your shoulder, it is rest assured that the decision will be well thought out and executed.
But what about “those” decisions? You know what I’m talking about: the ones that are solely and comprehensively based on an inkling. Not even a full feeling, but an inkling. The flutter of the heart when she walks in the room or the raised eyebrow at hearing about a job opportunity. How your hands get clammy and you unconsciously take a step back, then two steps forward. Those decisions. Surely the law or any other logical system can’t truly account for those.
What about those decisions that seem almost primal, like the urge to migrate? We still do migrate; move to warmer temperatures, move for better changes or move to flee crisis. More than anything cultural or political, it is almost inherent in every human being to move if the times and life calls for it. While we are always moving, the question is often of what and where and who and why are we moving towards.
Well dear friends, I bring this up because this process has been on my brain for a long time. I saw an exhibit at the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach that dealt with migration. One of the pieces included several photos of shoes, compasses, pencils, food and memories that were left behind. It was called Migration is always an issue of space. That’s so true. New space, open space, expanding space: isn’t that what people want? Well, I know that it’s what I’m looking for.
So, I’m migrating again. I’m not going to Salem, West Virginia, but rather Washington, D.C. I’m leaving Los Angeles on February 27 and setting up shop in the nation’s capitol.
I bring up directions because I don’t have a whole lot of those right now (less is more and more costs more, right?), but I do feel I have the inkling. My past travels have enlightened me on how to deal with cows, but I now look forward to the new challenge of dealing with jackasses (cue your favorite rim shot here). Wow, that was a really bad joke. I’ll blame learning life lessons while reading in the bathroom for that one.
So, the adventure continues. A new space, new place, new faces and a new administration to anticipate. The email addresses and phone number are still the same and once things get more solidified, I’ll update y’all. As always, I am deeply thankful and grateful to you for your friendship and kindness.
In the meantime, if you can’t get enough of all things Plunk, here are some extra dishes I’ve baked up:
Stuff for the Norman Lear Center:
http://blog.learcenter.org/2007/10/radioheads_tip_jar.html#more
http://blog.learcenter.org/2007/08/u2charist.html#more
Stuff for Four Story:
http://www.fourstory.org/pages/stories/091-plunkett-lakewood.htm
http://www.fourstory.org/pages/stories/079-plunkett-bellflower.htm
For the fans of Donald Miller and “Blue Like Jazz,” his cohorts created the Burnside Writers Collective and they finally ran my article:
http://www.burnsidewriterscollective.com/social/2008/02/discriminating_tastes.php
And as always, the M.A.Y.A. Years:
themayayears.blogspot.com
I’ll be blogging from M.A.Y.A., plus I’ll be doing more articles for Four Story on development in D.C., plus I’ve got a bunch more stuff in the works, so check it out.
Truly yours,
Mike
Dear Friends,
In Salem, West Virginia, it is illegal to leave home without knowing where you are going.
This, according to “Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader,” is a law that is a bit loony. Indeed, I’m not sure how the town would regulate that ordinance. Does the Sheriff check everyone’s GPS systems? Circles drawn on the map? Shopping list?
No matter. I’m sure in a small town, everyone is up on everyone’s business, so it’s quite easy to know where people are off to in the middle of the night, or for a “long weekend.”
(By the way, if you have never had the pleasure of reading any of the “Uncle John’s Bathroom Readers,” I highly recommend you do so. It is one of the sources where I have learned the most lessons about life, in addition to the Bible and the Bold and the Beautiful.)
It does bring up an interesting scenario: what if you were required by law to know where you are going? In all decisions big and small, from RiteAid to the wedding chapel, you had to have the direction set before you launched, so to say. Not only did you have to have direction, but you had to have directions: addresses, numbers, account balances, car miles, metro tickets, words of wisdom, dotted lines, signatures and goodbyes. All the little dots that we connect consciously and flippantly that move us along in the line/circle/rhombus we live on a daily basis.
Logically speaking, it makes perfect sense. You take the good and take the bad, mash them up, pick them out of a hat, weigh the pros and the cons, talk to loved ones, converse with strangers and make a decision. With enforcement looking over your shoulder, it is rest assured that the decision will be well thought out and executed.
But what about “those” decisions? You know what I’m talking about: the ones that are solely and comprehensively based on an inkling. Not even a full feeling, but an inkling. The flutter of the heart when she walks in the room or the raised eyebrow at hearing about a job opportunity. How your hands get clammy and you unconsciously take a step back, then two steps forward. Those decisions. Surely the law or any other logical system can’t truly account for those.
What about those decisions that seem almost primal, like the urge to migrate? We still do migrate; move to warmer temperatures, move for better changes or move to flee crisis. More than anything cultural or political, it is almost inherent in every human being to move if the times and life calls for it. While we are always moving, the question is often of what and where and who and why are we moving towards.
Well dear friends, I bring this up because this process has been on my brain for a long time. I saw an exhibit at the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach that dealt with migration. One of the pieces included several photos of shoes, compasses, pencils, food and memories that were left behind. It was called Migration is always an issue of space. That’s so true. New space, open space, expanding space: isn’t that what people want? Well, I know that it’s what I’m looking for.
So, I’m migrating again. I’m not going to Salem, West Virginia, but rather Washington, D.C. I’m leaving Los Angeles on February 27 and setting up shop in the nation’s capitol.
I bring up directions because I don’t have a whole lot of those right now (less is more and more costs more, right?), but I do feel I have the inkling. My past travels have enlightened me on how to deal with cows, but I now look forward to the new challenge of dealing with jackasses (cue your favorite rim shot here). Wow, that was a really bad joke. I’ll blame learning life lessons while reading in the bathroom for that one.
So, the adventure continues. A new space, new place, new faces and a new administration to anticipate. The email addresses and phone number are still the same and once things get more solidified, I’ll update y’all. As always, I am deeply thankful and grateful to you for your friendship and kindness.
In the meantime, if you can’t get enough of all things Plunk, here are some extra dishes I’ve baked up:
Stuff for the Norman Lear Center:
http://blog.learcenter.org/2007/10/radioheads_tip_jar.html#more
http://blog.learcenter.org/2007/08/u2charist.html#more
Stuff for Four Story:
http://www.fourstory.org/pages/stories/091-plunkett-lakewood.htm
http://www.fourstory.org/pages/stories/079-plunkett-bellflower.htm
For the fans of Donald Miller and “Blue Like Jazz,” his cohorts created the Burnside Writers Collective and they finally ran my article:
http://www.burnsidewriterscollective.com/social/2008/02/discriminating_tastes.php
And as always, the M.A.Y.A. Years:
themayayears.blogspot.com
I’ll be blogging from M.A.Y.A., plus I’ll be doing more articles for Four Story on development in D.C., plus I’ve got a bunch more stuff in the works, so check it out.
Truly yours,
Mike
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