Monday, January 25, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Love
The mind creates a reality that would otherwise never have existed. Duhr.
Example:
You fall in love with someone in 8th grade. For years you have a jones for them, but you never have the courage to ask them out on a date or a smooch or whatever. The result: after they're married at 23 to their high school boyfriend, you spend the rest of your life slightly emptier because of it.
What's significant about this scenario? NOTHING. There is nothing significant, because the whole idea simply does not exist! (except within your own personal brain). Nobody but you will ever experience it. They might have their own crushes, but if you think about it - yours is unique to you, and literally holds NO bearing on reality whatsoever.
The Problem: the brain creates scenarios, believes them, and then attacks you with 'truths' accordingly.
Example: You've run out of money and you have to live with your parents at 24. Society says NOT COOL, and so you spend the next three months in a depressed state of self-deprication, feeling helpless and childlike. The reality? Not this. The reality is that you're living with two older humans who birthed you at some point, and may actually enjoy your company more than your abandoned roommate. No emotions, no sadness, no depression, just simple empirical fact.
Why is this a problem? Because we believe ourselves. We get depressed over make-believe notions in our mind. We think we're failures based on standards that we probably got from childrens' stories written in the 50's. Still, we treat our imagined realities like they are true, real and actual situations.
Still, why is it a problem? Here's my theory: Living is pretty basic - we need few things in order to survive. Anything put on top of that is superfluous, extra, contrived, figments of our imaginations.
So is it ok to live a whole life based on our imaginations?
Absolutely. Definitely. Kind of. I'm not sure. I think so.
Imagine if you treated Lord of the Rings like some do the Bible? (I say this because I used to) in actuality, it's not that much different. Both talk about a past Earth that is full of lessons and mythologies. So is this OK? society may not say so, but I do.
It is a human problem, and we hardly understand any of it yet.
I love my imagination. I worship my ability to create realities in my head and then live by them faithfully, creating literal truth from what was once only an idea. What I don't like are the realities that others have created and then impose upon us as if they were truth. There are realities that have haunted me because I was told them, believed them, questioned them then stopped believing them, and then fear that in stopping believing I will someday find myself way in the wrong. There are realities I have been told that make absolutely no sense, and the only reason I believe them is because everybody else does too. There are realities that I live and experience and still don't know if they are true.
What reality to believe? Which to follow? My heart shifts so much that I have to continually convince it of what is constant.
I guess the point of me writing this is to say that I am heavily in love with so much and it occasionally frightens me. Love is my personal reality.
and do I love. I love with all my heart.
That's all I have to say for now. What a weird day
Migs
Example:
You fall in love with someone in 8th grade. For years you have a jones for them, but you never have the courage to ask them out on a date or a smooch or whatever. The result: after they're married at 23 to their high school boyfriend, you spend the rest of your life slightly emptier because of it.
What's significant about this scenario? NOTHING. There is nothing significant, because the whole idea simply does not exist! (except within your own personal brain). Nobody but you will ever experience it. They might have their own crushes, but if you think about it - yours is unique to you, and literally holds NO bearing on reality whatsoever.
The Problem: the brain creates scenarios, believes them, and then attacks you with 'truths' accordingly.
Example: You've run out of money and you have to live with your parents at 24. Society says NOT COOL, and so you spend the next three months in a depressed state of self-deprication, feeling helpless and childlike. The reality? Not this. The reality is that you're living with two older humans who birthed you at some point, and may actually enjoy your company more than your abandoned roommate. No emotions, no sadness, no depression, just simple empirical fact.
Why is this a problem? Because we believe ourselves. We get depressed over make-believe notions in our mind. We think we're failures based on standards that we probably got from childrens' stories written in the 50's. Still, we treat our imagined realities like they are true, real and actual situations.
Still, why is it a problem? Here's my theory: Living is pretty basic - we need few things in order to survive. Anything put on top of that is superfluous, extra, contrived, figments of our imaginations.
So is it ok to live a whole life based on our imaginations?
Absolutely. Definitely. Kind of. I'm not sure. I think so.
Imagine if you treated Lord of the Rings like some do the Bible? (I say this because I used to) in actuality, it's not that much different. Both talk about a past Earth that is full of lessons and mythologies. So is this OK? society may not say so, but I do.
It is a human problem, and we hardly understand any of it yet.
I love my imagination. I worship my ability to create realities in my head and then live by them faithfully, creating literal truth from what was once only an idea. What I don't like are the realities that others have created and then impose upon us as if they were truth. There are realities that have haunted me because I was told them, believed them, questioned them then stopped believing them, and then fear that in stopping believing I will someday find myself way in the wrong. There are realities I have been told that make absolutely no sense, and the only reason I believe them is because everybody else does too. There are realities that I live and experience and still don't know if they are true.
What reality to believe? Which to follow? My heart shifts so much that I have to continually convince it of what is constant.
I guess the point of me writing this is to say that I am heavily in love with so much and it occasionally frightens me. Love is my personal reality.
and do I love. I love with all my heart.
That's all I have to say for now. What a weird day
Migs
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Pasadena
It's a very pretty place. So although I've been a little sad today,
here's some beautyful pictures to cheer us all up:
here's some beautyful pictures to cheer us all up:
Monday, January 11, 2010
Dumbstruck
Hey guys,
yesterday I was lucky enough to hitch a couple tickets and a ride with my three new amigos to the Palm Springs International Film Festival in Palm Springs. Besides the fact that I had a rockingly good time, I saw a couple of cool flics.
The first was a tragic horror story about an elderly man in England taking it to the streets (starring Michael Caine) called Harry Brown. It was violent, and shocking, and actually pretty sweet. Not a pick-me-upper, however. Nor a date flic. nor historic, since it's a slightly skewed version of the violent world we live in. In fact, a day later I'm still not sure how I would describe this film.
But more importantly, the second film I watched (one that the amazing Alex Calleros was an editor for) was called
Dumbstruck
This film, a documentary about ventriloquists in the US, left me beaming like I haven't beamed in years. Think Best in Show meets Tim and Eric meets The Real World. It's a fantastic narrative about 5 professional ventriloquists from the midwest, trying to "make it."
One of them happens to be Terry Fator, a now nationally-renowned puppeteer who has his own theater in Las Vegas, and the story covers his rise to stardom over the course of one year (and 100,000,000 dollars. I sh*t you not).
Another "vent", and my personal favorite, was Wilma Swartz. She's a performer out of Pennsylvania who uses puppets to cheer people up, put on shows and pursue her passion in ventriloquism. In one of her shows, she brings in a fellow performer to help spice it up. His name is Tiger Man. I'd like to introduce you to him now.
The rest of the film covers Dan Horn (an extremely talented performer who works on cruise lines), Dylan (a 13-year-old aspiring ventriloquist), and Kim (a pageant-winning ventriloquist with heart). The story lines mesh when they all meet up at the annual Ventriloquist convention, somewhere in the US.
I wanted to bring it to my blog for two reasons:
1 - Alex worked as an editor so I feel a strong desire push for it, and
2 - the movie will blow you guys away. I'm talking mostly about my family and friends, since this is exactly up your alley. I saw the world premiere, so there's no way for you to see it for a while.
But instead, check it out:
http://www.dumbstruckthemovie.com
I met the director/producers (a married couple) and they are great. Tell them you want to see it! Make it come to a film festival near you!
and then go on Facebook and make friends with Tiger Man (Mark Ciarlante).
Peace yo.
*Migs
yesterday I was lucky enough to hitch a couple tickets and a ride with my three new amigos to the Palm Springs International Film Festival in Palm Springs. Besides the fact that I had a rockingly good time, I saw a couple of cool flics.
The first was a tragic horror story about an elderly man in England taking it to the streets (starring Michael Caine) called Harry Brown. It was violent, and shocking, and actually pretty sweet. Not a pick-me-upper, however. Nor a date flic. nor historic, since it's a slightly skewed version of the violent world we live in. In fact, a day later I'm still not sure how I would describe this film.
But more importantly, the second film I watched (one that the amazing Alex Calleros was an editor for) was called
Dumbstruck
This film, a documentary about ventriloquists in the US, left me beaming like I haven't beamed in years. Think Best in Show meets Tim and Eric meets The Real World. It's a fantastic narrative about 5 professional ventriloquists from the midwest, trying to "make it."
One of them happens to be Terry Fator, a now nationally-renowned puppeteer who has his own theater in Las Vegas, and the story covers his rise to stardom over the course of one year (and 100,000,000 dollars. I sh*t you not).
Another "vent", and my personal favorite, was Wilma Swartz. She's a performer out of Pennsylvania who uses puppets to cheer people up, put on shows and pursue her passion in ventriloquism. In one of her shows, she brings in a fellow performer to help spice it up. His name is Tiger Man. I'd like to introduce you to him now.
The rest of the film covers Dan Horn (an extremely talented performer who works on cruise lines), Dylan (a 13-year-old aspiring ventriloquist), and Kim (a pageant-winning ventriloquist with heart). The story lines mesh when they all meet up at the annual Ventriloquist convention, somewhere in the US.
I wanted to bring it to my blog for two reasons:
1 - Alex worked as an editor so I feel a strong desire push for it, and
2 - the movie will blow you guys away. I'm talking mostly about my family and friends, since this is exactly up your alley. I saw the world premiere, so there's no way for you to see it for a while.
But instead, check it out:
http://www.dumbstruckthemovie.com
I met the director/producers (a married couple) and they are great. Tell them you want to see it! Make it come to a film festival near you!
and then go on Facebook and make friends with Tiger Man (Mark Ciarlante).
Peace yo.
*Migs
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Beatty Trait #13:
Beattytime. Noun. 1. Described as the actual time of arrival when compared to a previously anticipated time of arrival. Example, Mikie says he will arrive in approximately 15, which in Beattytime translates to 45 minutes, and occasionally an hour. 2. Absurd promptness, to the point of being annoyingly early. Example, Mikie, being on Beattytime, arrived on-set an hour and a half before his call time because he was worried he would hit traffic. 3. Method for planning and time management. Example, The Beatty's knew it would take 18 hours to travel between Placerville, California and Missoula, Montana. Therefore, 25 hours of driving time was allotted for the journey in order to compensate for Beattytime.
Synonyms for Beattytime:
late. tardy. really late. always-excusably late. dependably independable. dicking off. dilly-dally. time-wasting. "there's 15 minutes of previews". "I'm right around the corner". Gas-station-stops. Sidetracked. Easily Distracted.
see also: Beattygaze or "The Heather Stare".
Synonyms for Beattytime:
late. tardy. really late. always-excusably late. dependably independable. dicking off. dilly-dally. time-wasting. "there's 15 minutes of previews". "I'm right around the corner". Gas-station-stops. Sidetracked. Easily Distracted.
see also: Beattygaze or "The Heather Stare".
Friday, January 8, 2010
Kia & the J-Tree
Not to be a downer, but it's venting time:
10 Problems with my car:
1 - doesn't start
2 - radio gets louder sometimes when you turn the knob down
3 - rattling exhaust pipe beneath the driver's side
4 - terrifically poor suspension
5 - potential to blow out same spark plug
6 - broken back passenger window (slides open by itself while driving)
7 - stinks when you do start it
8 - check engine light
9 - bald tires
10 - driver's side door won't unlock from the outside so I slide the broken window down and reach around to open it.
10 Good things about my car:
1 - handles like a Jeep on or off the road
2 - when it turns on, it stays on
3 - it's a stick
4 - heater works like a champ
5 - you can store stuff in the folded-down back seats
6 - all four speakers work
7 - doesn't lose oil, really
8 - 4-wheel drive
9 - ok gas mileage
10 - it brought me down to the magical land of LA
On a higher note, Dan and I went to Joshua Tree this week!
NOTE: Most of these aren't on Facebook.
Adieu!
10 Problems with my car:
1 - doesn't start
2 - radio gets louder sometimes when you turn the knob down
3 - rattling exhaust pipe beneath the driver's side
4 - terrifically poor suspension
5 - potential to blow out same spark plug
6 - broken back passenger window (slides open by itself while driving)
7 - stinks when you do start it
8 - check engine light
9 - bald tires
10 - driver's side door won't unlock from the outside so I slide the broken window down and reach around to open it.
10 Good things about my car:
1 - handles like a Jeep on or off the road
2 - when it turns on, it stays on
3 - it's a stick
4 - heater works like a champ
5 - you can store stuff in the folded-down back seats
6 - all four speakers work
7 - doesn't lose oil, really
8 - 4-wheel drive
9 - ok gas mileage
10 - it brought me down to the magical land of LA
On a higher note, Dan and I went to Joshua Tree this week!
NOTE: Most of these aren't on Facebook.
Adieu!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)