Out of Touch

 

                               Jacob Keinicke/Thomas Dambo

 

   

     I've mentioned it before but we have lost touch with nature. The sad demise of Isak Heartstone  is similar to the National Park Service grappling with nature being "loved to death." 

    "Many public land managers are grappling with the question of how to enable those places to be accessible to people, to be enjoyed and appreciated, while also balancing that with the need to protect the other living beings there, the animals, plants and ecosystems," says Marion Hourdequin, professor of philosophy and environmental science at Colorado College.

    The problem is after hundreds of years living in an urban environment, we forgot how to respect parks, trails and public land. People leave trash everywhere, make lots of noise, get drunk, have huge RVs in places designated for tents, threaten park rangers, cut down trees for firewood. These are actual examples of human behavior at camp grounds.

    Years ago, there was a clever PSA where the three bears trash a human lawn, rip out some fence for fire wood and behave-well, like humans. And there is the classic 1971 "Crying Indian" PSA about polluting that needs to be brought back.

     Beyond the man made city is the real wild world. It's not a product, or plaything to be used and tossed aside like a paper cup. We must remember that we belong to the Earth not the other way around.

 

 

Shop talk 2 The Big Race

   

 

 Another snippet from the sequel to Shop Talk "The Big Race". Enjoy. You can read the first two chapters of Shop Talk using the blog search engine. If you want an actual copy to hold in your grubby hands, please email me and I will put you on the list for the next printing.

 

         A foul mood follows me as I walk home and is interrupted by a noisy crowd surrounding two figures facing off in the middle of the street. One is a Rogue and the other is -oh shit- Fet, our former co-worker who was supposed to be Imbler's bodyguard but failed when his charge nearly got killed in the invasion. 

   ". . . All your fault for meddling in a private contract . . " I catch a bit of angry gibberish from the furry gray hulk. The Rogues are not known to forgive and forget easily any slights to business.

         "On our territory, it is quite acceptable to intercept illegal activity," Fet replies with typical Pohl formality in a reedy tenor.

         The Rogue grunts in derision, turns as if to leave but quickly spins back and makes a run at the slimmer figure. Fet steps aside with lightening speed. The Rogue is further enrages as Fet easily evades his wild swings in a blur of movement.

         Dumbass I scoff, stuffing my cold hands into pockets, I watch the encounter with a mixture of curiosity and annoyance. Where is a cop when you need one?

         The crowd chuckles at the poor mismatch and the Rogue realizes his tactics aren't working. Rogues are keen to fight but lack finesse as this guy demonstrates. The laughing stops and everyone backs away when he crouches like a coiled spring and extends claws from his massive wolfish hands. The Rogue looks fiercesome as he twitches but Fet remains still. Having trained in martial arts, I know such calmness is deadly.

         Jesus, this looks like a duel at high noon except it's a bland side street on an distant moon with two aliens in shabby overalls.

         The Rogue springs with a well timed swipe that lands across the Pohl's face with a hiss, Fet turns slightly and delivers a lightening fast blow to the Rogues neck. There is an audible crack as the Rogue falls limply to the ground.

         Fet is theatrically illuminated by an overhead light; a dark stream seeps from the gash on his cheek, steaming in the cold air. He presses his hand to stop the bleeding as a drop falls on the massive body at his feet. Nothing like the smell of acid on fur to disperse a crowd, that and three security guards finally appear.

              You sure know how to get in trouble, I think as our gaze meets. Fet tilts his head to the side, in silent apology.        

         Yep, the novelty of living in deep space has officially worn off.

 

 

 

Words of Wisdom

 

                                                Kurt Vonnegut 

 

         When I was 15, I spent a month working on an archeological dig. I was talking to one of the archeologists one day during our lunch break and he asked those kinds of “getting to know you” questions you ask young people: Do you play sports? What’s your favorite subject? And I told him, no I don’t play any sports. I do theater, I’m in choir, I play the violin and piano, I used to take art classes. And he went WOW. That’s amazing!

         And I said, “Oh no, but I’m not any good at any of them.” And he said something then that I will never forget and which absolutely blew my mind because no one had ever said anything like it to me before:

          “I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.”          And that honestly changed my life. Because I went from a failure, someone who hadn’t been talented enough at anything to excel, to someone who did things because I enjoyed them. I had been raised in such an achievement-oriented environment, so inundated with the myth of Talent, that I thought it was only worth doing things if you could “Win” at them.

 

The Tolerance Test

         We like to imagine we are caring and compassionate, but when times are hard and fear a threat, we go into survival mode where we can only afford to care about ourselves, our family and loved ones. And we're in hard times on many fronts. When crisis occurs it's hard to see beyond your own hand. It's understandable, it's instinct. It's easier to care when it doesn't clash with self preservation.

         Meanwhile, we have been brainwashed to think that paying for universal health care (UHC) that contributes to the well being of all of us is wrong because it protects, the farmer in Iowa or the poor black family in Alabama or the rich white college student, you know, people we don't give a shit about.

         Never mind others when you bitch about "socialized medicine" think of yourself, your family and friends when they get sick or have a medical emergency.                 

     You will care when medical costs force you to hold a fundraiser at a local pizza parlor to pay for your sons cancer treatment. You care when you have to choose to pay for your daughter's monthly supply of insulin or the car's insurance. You will care when you have to file for personal bankruptcy because your insurance won't cover treatment during the latest pandemic.

         People pretend to be Christian when good fortune smiles on them but when faced with even the potential for disaster forget about that. When Jesus preached tolerance and compassion for others he didn't mean only the people you love and only in good times and screw the rest.

         Remember the Good Samaritan? He wasn't just trying to make Samaritans look good (though it helped) his point was one day someone will do the same for you regardless of who you are

         So remember when you are spooked away from the same kind of health care safety net enjoyed by citizens in every developed country, you are being told not to care about yourself or those you love because you will have to include, you know, those people.

         By uplifting others, we uplift ourselves.

Pandemic Panorama

 

                         Cozamel Mexico / Bruce Way

 

         Here we are deep into a natural disaster with no end in sight. There are some serious lessons to meditate on. First up, we need to stop behaving like this virus is so inconvenient to our lifestyle. It's not a big fat bother, this thing is killing millions of people, it's a bitch slap from Mother Nature. The deaths and fatigue are real but all we can do is bear it.

         This plague is playing out pretty much as expected, including an implausible time table for an end and staggering level of government incompetency. Now we are dealing surges, overwhelmed medical staff and delusional freaks.

          There are still people who refuse to wear a mask because they think Covid is a hoax. To them I say "It's just a mask" it's not an infringement on personal liberty, it's a way to protect you from disease. Funny those who scream "mah rights" don't complain about having to wear a shirt and shoes to go into a store or be groped by TSA agents. There are upsides to wearing a mask, you don't have to worry about bad breath, bad teeth, bad make up or forced smiles.

         When restrictions ease people will say "whew now that's over, let's get back to normal" except normal was the perfect environment for the problem to happen in the first place. We can't go back to that normal- we have to acknowledge a new -reality and reset society. Nobody wants to do that and some resist. Please, by all means, lets keep doing the same destructive thing we've been doing for a century and expect different results.

         911 was suppose to wake us up but it took twenty years and a pandemic to get our attention. We are beginning to realize the old ways are gone. Covid has revealed our reality, how we deal with isolation, how our medical infrastructure can handle a disaster, how our economy demands large scale consumption. Do you really need a long commute in traffic to sit in front of a computer when you can do that at home? Look at how much of our economy is based on service and entertainment. Restaurants, bars, theaters, sporting events rely on large attendance. There is a limit to capitalism.

         We are being forced to re examine our traditions. Which do we choose: a long, costly holiday season re enforced by commercialism and media or protection of our personal health? Take a year off from the routine, stay healthy so we can get together next year.

         With isolation we have the time to do things we couldn't do before because of our busy lives. Spend an afternoon reading a book, work in the garden, play with the kids. The things we thought important seem trivial and the trivial things are made important.

         We have learned that the real essential providers are the minimum wage blue collar workers. The bus driver, garbage trucker, hospital nurse, grocery clerk. We must treat them with the respect they deserve because we couldn't function without them.

         Now is the time to discover what we want from the government, economy and most of all, what you want in your life.

 

 

A Sense of Wonder

     

    

     The world is filled with unexplained, the weird and wonderful but you wouldn't know it with the current tide of ridged thinking. It's ironic the one thing the atheist and the religious agree on is that the supernatural is to be scorned as inherently evil or superstitious bullshit.

         Rational thought has robbed us of a sense of wonder. Everything can be explained with science or "the work of God". There is no middle ground when confronted with mystery. Dreams, intuition, and premonitions are shrugged off as mere whims of imagination without further question.

         What happened to our sense of curiosity about infinite possibilities? There is so much we don't know but instead of awe we react with cynical disdain, primordial fear or outlandish conspiracy theories that would confuse Rube Goldberg.

         Look at astrology, to the religious it's the devils work. To the atheist, it's a con game for the gullible. I'm not defending it but it has been studied for thousands of years with some validity in it. Does that mean all of it is correct? No, but sometimes it does get things right without a sensible explanation. Mystery still unresolved.

         Direct experience is the surest way to alter reality. I studied aikido for years with the emphasis on ki but had no idea how or why it works. I gave up trying to figure it out years ago and just accept that it's real.

         While faith in nice, doubt is where you get an education. Making sense of the world is a life long search that includes stumbling over things you can't explain.

Most would prefer to stick with what they have to avoid the enviable discomfort uncertainty would stir in their consciousness. Anything odd, or unexplained is considered a threat to the world we have so carefully constructed to make us feel big, because the awe inspiring the unknown makes us feel small.

         Nature is awash in mystery, out in the wilderness, the sense of awareness is heightened but it can shrugged it off as our imagination on the loose, or a latent survival skill we no longer need. We turned our backs on nature and embraced the world of logic and Artificial Intelligence with the promise of a kind of Godhood to replace it but with that loss, we sacrificed a connection and appreciation of nature.

         There are things we can not understand in the vastness of existence and it's entirely sensible to accept that. Enjoy the mystery, you may find answers in it.

Movies: How to Dream in a Darkened Room Full of Strangers

    I've loved movies all my life. When i was a teenager in San Francisco I went to a movie weekly as a comfort against the harshness of reality. They keep me company when I am lonely. They inspired me to pursue acting.
    The late Roger Ebert made a career out his love of films. I often disagreed with his reviews but respected his appreciation of the genre. I love them as much as he did. There is an alchemy to making a good film. A formula no one has perfectly distilled but many have come   are so many elements to the recipe, if one ingredient is off it can spoil the whole dish.
    When I was a kid living in Redmond Washington, a bunch of neighbor kids would go every Friday night to the only theater in town and watch whatever they had playing. It was always a wild event- a dark theater full of bored and vocal teenagers. "Magian" with Richard Widmark, "Bullitt" with the most intense car chase ever filmed and the big favorite "Planet of the Apes". Weekly doses of Horror, sci-fi and B movies were richly entertaining beforethere was cable.
    That's why the movie theater will never go away, it's the communal experience that makes a film thrilling. When I think of "Star Wars" I remember the theater full of enthusiastic fans cheering when the good guys won. I sobbed along with a friend at "The Shadowlands" and the felt the adrenaline rush of 'Top Gun" along with my family.
    I have rarely walked out of one, always willing to get the movie a chance. The exceptions were Altman's "Outtakes" and the hideous "Dracula" with Frank Langella. Not even the presence of  Lawrence Olivier could save that.
    People tend to blame actors when a film bombs but it's really the producer or director's fault for it's failure of success. Having acted myself I know how exposed a performer can be. I am endlessly intrigued at how they perform this magic.
    The next time you go to the movies remember the army of professionals it takes to make it. From the writers, actors, film crew, to the score's composer; they all have to work seamlessly or it ends up a big mess.

Autistics For Hire

         The metrics of determining intelligence is use of language along with reading non verbal cues and proper social interaction. Many on the spectrum fail at these and are judged as incapable of being a productive member of society and therefore a useless burden.

         The neurotypical has to be educated on the disorder to understand someone with ASD as a viable human being but they may not understand or don't care to deal with someone with a "disability". I use quotes because there is growing speculation that ASD is not a disorder but merely a next step of evolution to deal with the modern world of complex and vast data.

         We may think we're more social with all our gadgets but studies indicate that we are growing less so because of technology. The normal person can not grasp or process all the information coming at us on a daily basis. ASD fills the gap. One of the major skills of ASD is a heightened attention to detail, obsessive concentration and structure. No wonder it's such a large part of the geek culture.

         As the 60 Minutes story points out, those skills are desirable to companies that hire those on the spectrum. So what was once viewed as a crippling disability with no hope of functionality is now seen as a valuable asset. We are not weirdos to be dismissed and being different is not a hindrance.

 

 

Autism, Mental Health and Humor

 Here is an interview I did a few months ago with funny man and mental health guru Frank King. Not my best effort as I do tend to wonder but it touches on some subjects dear to me ( ignore the opera tangent).

 

 

 

Art for Sale

 

Sunface / Watercolor 12x12 $120

 

 

 

Oak Leaf / watercolor 9 x12 $60

 

 

How to Put Up with ASD/ Neurotypicals

                    

            Red door watercolor

         Being an adult with autism is survivable yet endlessly frustrating. Getting normal people trained to the point where we don't have to bend over backwards to please them is a daily problem.

         No one would ever say to someone in a wheelchair to just try harder, so you can get up and walk. I've heard similar well meaning but useless advice most of my life concerning my invisible disability.

         This is for someone with autism, if you know someone close to you who has autism or someone wishing to know more about the condition.

          If you are autistic, you will have to educate those around you about your limitations, fears and perception in order to be accepted. You will have to guard against saying, doing and reacting the wrong way constantly. You will have to learn to make small talk, introduce yourself into a conversation correctly. Remember that not everyone shares a laser like focus in -fill in the blanks. Set a mental timer to stop speaking and give others a chance to reciprocate in conversation. Don't be afraid to ask for assistance when you're not sure. Go with being formal rather than chummy when dealing with new or casual acquaintances. I advise reading etiquette books to decode the rules to social interactions. Seriously.

         For the neuro typical, social skills are a given. Understanding body language, verbal tones and subtext is often lost on us. Please don't give us contradictory or vague "just do what you think is right" directions, we aren't always capable of figuring out what to do on our own. Please don't scold us like children when we have a messy, explosive meltdown. We know we're out of control but can't help it. Simply assure us it will be alright and ask "What can I do to help?". Understand that handling day to day adult responsibilities can be a monumental task when we have to carry around a mental instruction manual on how to behave. Throw in anxiety, depression and low esteem to further complicate efforts.

         We are doing the best we can, if we say "I can't do that," it's not just lack of confidence. What may be obvious and simple to you, may not be to the literal minded autistic.

         If you suspect someone you know may be autistic, research the criteria and politely present them to the person. If they aren't on the spectrum, at least both will get an education on what to look for. If they prove to have ASD, you will save them a lot of grief. They will be grateful and relieved to know why they don't fit in. I wish someone, anyone had said something to me earlier. It would have made my life easier.        

         Autistic people are not stupid, scatter brained or emotionally cold. Many are quite smart, aware and feel deeply. What we lack in tact, we make up for in other areas, encourage those skills, let us see how we can be accepted and valuable. Expressing empathy can be a mystery but we do care deeply. Neuro typicals and autistics need to find a way to recognize that.

         When you see an autistic person sitting by themselves, don't assume they prefer to be alone. More than anything we want company but can't always express that need. You may have to drag us into an activity but we will appreciate the effort.   

World Mental Health Day

 

 

         In celebration of World Mental Health Day, I'm going to reveal what exactly is wrong with everyone.

         Nothing.

         That's right, nothing. Being depressed, lonely anxious etc. (especially these days) is perfectly normal in a fucked up civilization that is about as natural and comforting as astroturf.

         "But, but I double check the locks on my doors all the time. I have a habit of clicking my tongue at every little thing. I've been unemployed and isolated for months. I feel sad looking in the mirror." I hear you say.

         We have OCD, ADD, ASD, and OMG, we have become a society of mental hypochondriacs.

         Mental health is big business baby and in order to continue the profits we have to feel . . . permanently damaged. Notice how, unlike a broken arm or a urinary infection no one is ever cured of a mental health issue?

         Our behavior has to be treated as something to be fixed with drugs, therapy, hypnosis, electroshock. We have enough internalized baggage to bring down an airplane that will require years of cognitive therapy-on a weekly basis. We must heal childhood trauma by zapping our brains with enough electricity to light up a city block. We need to dull our depression and pain with enough psychotropic or opioid drugs to knock out an elephant.

          I got good news for you.

         There's nothing wrong with you. We are all a weird, quirky mass of insecurities. Accept it. People shell out money to talk to some therapist trained in half baked concepts dreamed up by other misguided psychologists still wrestling with their own addictions, messy divorces or guilt trips. We are obsessed with our behavior as if it's abhorrent. Is your habit dangerous or just a pain in the ass? Right.

 

                                David Sipress/ New Yorker

     

         Remember the 70's when everyone was diagnosed as neurotic? We still are. Given the hyper speed of modern society that would leave a coke head dizzy and the insidious malice of social media grinding self esteem into dust I'm not surprised.

         Society demands we function at full speed regardless of our physical or mental condition. Why are you sitting around recuperating from a major operation, a deployment in a hellish battlefield or still grieving the death of a loved one after what- a month? Get back to work you unproductive loser.

         And when there is a real problem, we can't discuss it. Being you know- mentally ill- is shameful or taboo in most cultures. Being depressed, sad or anxious is dirty, like porn. If you have a broken arm, people are glad to help out. If you are filled with anxiety, afraid you'll never play the piano again, nobody wants to be around that.

         Ok, relax, breathe, find your center.

         You're not a machine or a soulless insurance adjuster, you're a decent, normal human being who is allowed time to heal and treat yourself with kindness. We often egotistically feel our predicament is unique. "Nobody understands what I'm going through!" You wail. What? You think you're the only one who has a problem with (fill in the blank)? Get in line.

         If we stopped all this theatrical self flagellation and just opened up with someone while having a beer, we would discover how our so called afflictions are actually pretty common.

         Mental health is the most important thing to our well being. No one should ever be ashamed to admit they are not perfect anymore than admitting they don't like boy bands. Life can sometimes feel as difficult as removing a jar label or peeling the plastic from a CD. What evil invented that shit? But I digress.

         Believe it or not we are all damaged, incomplete and suffering and that's fine.

          Native Americans are often perceived as doing nothing, but they are doing something, they are being. Just like the native Australian or the Buddhist monk sitting quietly watching the world go by. Consider this pandemic a chance to pause and do the same with your mental health.

         Just be.

 

Everything You Ever wanted to Know About Opera But were Afraid to Ask

  ( Act IV La Boheme, San Francisco Opera)

 

         Ok you're bored, we're all bored. Nothing to read, no new movies, you're done binge watching on Netflix, forget about the news. You need something wild, different, off beat how about . . . opera. No wait! Before you run away or go to another page hear me out.

         Opera has been around for over four hundred years. It wasn't always entertainment for rich snobs, in the 18th and 19th century it was the mainstream entertainment for everyone. Juicy stuff too, intrigue, love, murder, rebellion and that's just the first act.

         If you're new to the genre, what can you expect? For starters the singers today are not large fat people standing still and bellowing indecipherable words. Most are good looking and can act. Most theatres now use surtitles- words projected above the stage so you can follow what's going on.

         What should you see/hear first? I always recommend four operas to newbies. Carmen, The Barber of Seville, La Boheme, and L'elisir d'amore (the elixir of love).

          Early Baroque opera was filled with Gods, mythological and royal figures. Bizet's Carmen changed all that with it's earthy characters and dramatic plot. It has a lot of familiar music, the overture, Habenera, the flower song, the march of the Toreadors. The story is about two people who should never have met up- it doesn't end well for either. For drama there's La Boheme by Puccini. A typically romantic story of  young love. If you don't tear up at the last scene, you're a heartless bastard.

          For comedies, there's Rossini's The Barber of Seville, filled with familiar music and stock characters. Donizetti's The Elixir of Love is a two act comedy that is easy to follow and has delightful tuneful music.

         If you're more adventurous or literate go with Mozart, he wrote some of the best music ever. "The Marriage of Figaro" picks up the characters years after the Barber of Seville, based on a controversial play by Pierre Beaumarchais- it dared to question the class system of master/servant.

         If it's rip roaring drama you want go with Verdi's "Il Trovatore" featuring saber rattling, a love triangle and Gypsies. "Rigoletto" has the single most recognizable tune ever written- "La Donna e mobile".

          Pretty much anything French is going to be grand and sensational- you may need a flow chart to keep check of things. Where do you think soap opera, the term for convoluted plots comes from?

         I'd advise staying away from Saint-Saens saccharine "Faust" and the heavy weight Wagner unless you want to seat through hours of German mythology.

         The style of singing can be an acquired taste. In some operas there is spoken dialogue, otherwise there is recitative- a kind of singing speech. Sopranos and Tenors get most of the show stopping arias, while Baritones and Basses play villains or fatherly roles.

         If you're timid or overwhelmed by the genre, listen to a recording first and follow along with the libretto- that's the text of the opera to get a feel for the music and what to expert. Opera is not for everyone, it can be the most thrilling way to express emotions or a crashing bore. There's only one way to find out.

         Listen.

 

        

Public Speaking 101

 

         I once made the mistake of attending a city council meeting followed by public commentary. It was horrible. People rambling on personal pet peeves, talking too fast or insulting the council as if it would make a difference. Most of the comments were forgettable because of poor delivery.

         The fear of speaking in public is right up there with death and taxes. It can be done well with a little preparation.

          Write a script, keep it relevant. Know your subject and do research. Practice your speech out loud, in front of friends or family to get comfortable with your material and how to present yourself. Keep it under the time limit.

         Practice is important to develop good body language. Stand up straight, speak clearly, slowly and with confidence. Make eye contact so you aren't looking down at your script the whole time- you have it memorized, right?

         Know the guidelines and subjects on the agenda you wish to address. Have several points ready if someone else already touches on your issue. Reference their point before adding your POV.

         Know your audience. Avoid personal attacks, snide opinions or be disrespectful. Oddly enough, people don't like to be lectured, scolded or told they are stupid (even if they are-resist the temptation).

          You are not a trained performer so mistakes and goofs are natural, don't dwell on them or offer lengthy apologies. Have confidence in what you say but stay humble.

        

Be Kind or Else. . .

         I'm going to come right out and say some unpopular things. My motto is believe what you want and keep it to yourself. That doesn't mean hide it, it means that your beliefs are yours. Faith is a personal thing and should be respected and left alone, but how you treat others is everyone business. "When any one of ours rights are trampled on, we are all damaged." said Captain Picard, (or rather the writer of those lines). Foisting or demanding people think like you is bad karma. Now I can see you nod your head and think "Yeah, I can get behind that." but here's where it gets tough.

         If someone wants to believe the Earth is flat, Democrats/Republicans are stupid, blacks are lazy, Jews and anyone not of your religious persuasion is going to hell- wearing plaid with pearls is a crime-fine. If you or they insist on pronouncing a contrary belief, don't be surprised when people react negatively-they will.

         You can believe whatever you want as you do as long as it doesn't inflict harm an others and I hate this compromise so much because, let's be real, we all want to be right. Tolerance doesn't mean you agree with someone's idiotic delusions, it means you have to put up with them- like they do with yours.

         The motto of the Ki Society (where I train in martial arts) says "Let us have a universal mind that loves and protects all creation. . . " our senior instructor has pointed out many times you can't just send ki to your family and loved ones, you have to send ki to everyone. Yeah, I'm having a hard time with that one. I can't see sending ki to the likes of Mitch McConnell or Rush Limbaugh. Alas, as much as I dislike these guys, they have the right to be here like everyone else.

          No one ever said enlightenment was easy but recognizing the hard climb we must make, helps us endure the struggle. Like dealing with people who scream "muh rights" when asked to wear a mask, they should be pitied not ridiculed.

         "Hey man, I hear you. I dislike these damn things too but it's all we got for protection and besides, it's just a mask, chill."

         I'm no master at any of this, I consider it an achievement if I get through a day without wanting to punch someone but I remind myself that we are all trying to figure out reality. Be kind, it cost nothing and pays big dividends.

End of Summer Movies

 

         I am often dismayed when I come across "Best Films" lists. It's apparent how young many of the critics are by their choices. Most are within the last decade or two and tend to focus on loud, slick, big budget films.

         The movies on this list demonstrate how style and direction have changed over the years. They are quieter, take their time and age well. Sometimes the best films are the small ones that leave a lasting impression without being a block buster. 

 

Harold and Maude 1971  Dir. Hal Ashby Wr. Colin Higgins. Cast: Ruth Gordon, Bud Cort, Vivian Pickles.

  Harold, young, rich, and obsessed with death, finds himself changed forever when he meets lively septuagenarian Maude at a funeral.

   Hal Ashby and Colin Higgins would go on to long successful careers starting with this first film. H&M ran forever in art houses and become a cult classic. Ruth Gordon had been around forever was meant to play this role. (As an aside my best friend's mother looked just like her). Shot around SF and the East Bay with a soundtrack by Cat Stevens.

 

Bagdad Cafe 1987  Dir. Percy Adlon  Wr. Eleonore Adlon. Cast: Marianne Sagebrecht, CCH Ponder, Jack Palance.

         A lonely German woman ends up at a desolate motel decides to make it brighter. Funny, quirky and the best performance by CCH Pounder, who is a favorite actor. Sagebrecht had a bright moment with fame and this was part of that shine.

 

The Challenge 1982 Dir John Frankenheimer Wr. Richard Maxwell, John Sayles. Cast: Scott Glenn, Toshiro Mifune, Atsuo Nakamura, Clyde Kusatsu.

         A down-and-out American boxer becomes involved in a feud between two Japanese brothers over a pair of swords.

          There is so much to unpack from this film. Frankenheimer was at his peak, Sayles would go on to write and direct films of his own. Scott Glenn being bad ass in Japan, old school Samurai vs. modern weapons, and fucking Toshiro Mifune. There are two realistic sword fights; one traditional and one with a clueless gaijin. Ignore the blatant racism, ridiculous love interest subplot and enjoy.

 

Copying Beethoven 2006 Dir. Agnieszka Holland Wr. Stephen Rivele, Christopher Wilkinson. Cast: Ed Harris, Diane Kruger, Matthew Goode.

         Vienna, 1824. In the days before the first performance of the Ninth Symphony, Beethoven needs help with copying out the charts, so a promising student of composition, Anna Holtz, 23, is sent to assist him.

         Largely fictious as there was no Anna Holtz but two male copyist who helped Beethoven with his score, having a young woman is a just a PC plot device. The real meat of the film is method actor Ed Harris capturing the personality of a genius, warts and all. Harris spent a lot of time researching the role and even plugged his ears to simulate the character's deafness. The film is worth hearing the ninth symphony- a masterpiece of classical music, and the reaction to it.

 

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter 1968 Dir. Robert Ellis Miller Wr. (novel) Carson McCullers (screenplay) Thomas Ryan. Cast: Alan Arkin, Sondra Locke, Percy Rodriguez, Chuck McCann, Cicley Tyson.

         The story centers around a deaf-mute, Singer, and Mick, a teenager who lives in the house where he rents a room. The lives of the people Singer touches are varied including a deaf-mute friend, a drunk, and a doctor.

         The superb acting from the entire cast saves this from drowning in sentimentality. We see how good Sondra Locke is at a young age and why Arkin is a master. I remember Chuck McCann as a comic actor so seeing him in a serious role is a surprise.

 

Hell in the Pacific 1968 Dir. John Boorman  Wr. Alexander Jacobs, Erie Bercovici. Cast: Lee Marvin Toshiro Mifune.

         During World War II, an American pilot and a marooned Japanese navy captain are deserted on a small uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean. There, they must cease their hostility and cooperate if they want to survive, but will they?

         This intimate film is sparse of action and dialogue with just two great actors doing their thing. The uneasy relationship that develops between them in order to get off the island is obvious but powerful.

 

Powwow Highway 1989 Dir. Jonathan Wacks. Wr. David Seals ( based on his novel) Cast: A Martinez, Gary Farmer, Wes Studi, Graham Greene.

          The story concerns an introspective and lovable Native American who has a traditional spiritual view of life, and his high school, a Vietnam War Veteran and social activist with some anger issues who has little patience with a mystical approach or the white man's world.

         This sericomic road trip is a clever, sometimes joyful character study between the big lovable, naive, Gary Farmer and the slender, aggressive A Martinez to move the plot along. The rest of the mostly native American cast are equally authentic. This is a world view few of us get to see and it's worth the ride.

 

Dying is Easy, Comedy is Hard

            I wrote this for a comedy class I took years ago. It bombed at a stand up show I did, maybe it's funnier in writing.

         Hi I'm Alisa, not THE Lisa just A lisa. By the way I'm not fat, I'm Rubenesque, in fact I could go for a Rueben. I spent years developing this physique. Do you know how much food and alcohol I had to consume to get this gut? I'm not giving up all that hard work. Besides I'm saving this fat for a rainy day.

         All my life I thought I was crazy cause I didn't fit in, then one day I was reading the Bible- the psychology bible known as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual

(DSM for short) and the truth was revealed to me- I have (deep breath) Autism Spectrum Disorder. I'm not nuts, I have a fashionable neurological condition that makes me obsessive, tactless, and self absorbed. Yeah my brain is fucked up but not like so called "normal" people.

         There are a lot of misconceptions about ASD. Some people asked me if drugs can treat it. No, but I take them anyway.

         A friend gave a marijuana brownie to calm me down, and take an hour for effect. That long? I like my drugs to be quick like intravenously quick. Wine, beer, whiskey, I know it's good in ten minutes. In an hour I'll forget I ate the brownie and . . .um where was I?

         Speaking of wine, how hard can it be to open a bottle? Either it's a simple corkscrew that requires an arm like Schwenegger or a Rube Goldberg device. It's just wine for God sakes. Break it open on the edge of counter, drink, repeat.

         Drugs make people stupid. The same idiots who insist their food be healthy, organic and locally sourced will score god knows what from some dude they just met in an alley behind a dumpster.

          I didn't intended to live in Eugene for 30 years but it's like the roach motel, you can check in but you can't afford to check out. Every day I have to deal with smart ass college students posing as hip baristas, old gluten free hippies and lily white liberals trying too hard to act like they care while stepping over the homeless on their way to a pilates class.

         Meanwhile in neighboring Springfield you have to dodge drunk ex loggers in pick up trucks with a gun rack headed back to their trailers and crappy beer.

         Neither scenario makes for a decent dating pool. An ex boyfriend showed up one day to show off the sports car he bought-for his wife. It wasn't a friendly call, he was looking to get screwed. Ok I said, so I stole his car. No, I'm kidding, I stole his credit card and bought a porche. Let him explain that to the wife.

 

 

Lesson in Civics: Bill of Your Rights

  

                    

 Everyone should have a copy of this in their home, office or on them. These are your rights as an American citizen. I have refrained from editorializing but you can see based on current events that there has been considerable conflict of what those rights are and how the government applies or bends them. Credit to the ACLU for providing the simplified language.

 

Amendment 1 Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Freedom to practice your religion and not favor one over the other. Gives you the right to say what you want even criticizing the president. Freedom of the press. The right of people to peaceably demonstrate or protest to ask the government to change something.

 

Amendment 2 A well-regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.

The right to own guns.

 

Amendment 3 No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

 Before there were military bases and the British ruled, they could demand you house a soldier.

 

Amendment 4 The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.

Nobody can search your body, or your house, or your papers and things, unless they can get a warrant from a judge that they have a good reason for the search.

 

Amendment 5 No person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.

You can't be tried for a serious crime without a grand jury deciding if there is enough evidence. If you are found innocent the government can't try you again.

You  cannot be forced to admit you are guilty of a crime and if you choose not to, you don't have to say anything at your trial at all. Also, You can't be killed, or put in jail, or fined, unless you were convicted of a crime by a jury and all of the proper legal steps during your arrest and trial were followed; and the government can't take your house or your farm or anything that is yours, unless the government pays for it at a fair price.

 

Amendment 6  In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor; and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

You have a right to a speedy trial by jury of regular folks. You have the right to know what you are accused of doing wrong, and cross examine people who are witnesses against you. You have a right to a lawyer if you can't afford one, the government will pay.

 

Amendment 7 In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States than according to the rules of the common law.

You also have the right to a jury when it is a civil case (a law case between two people rather than between you and the government).

 

Amendment 8  Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

The government can't make you pay more than is reasonable in bail or in fines, and the government can't inflict cruel or unusual punishments even if you are convicted of a crime.

 

Amendment 9 The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

These rights are listed in the Constitution but doesn't mean that you don't have other rights too.

 

Amendment 10  The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

Anything that the Constitution doesn't say that Congress can do, is left up to the states and to the people.

 

Bill of Rights, civics