They let Lisa go blind...

I've been back in the U.S. for a little over 2 months now and have been trying to engage myself more personally with expressive arts. Here's a motley of the current indulgence.


Music: I've been listening to Belle & Sebastian for the last 3 months and never seem to tire myself of their unique blend of alt. rock to melodic expression of suffering which are both imbued with pithy, witty lyrics that leave you craving more--"Lazy Line Painter Jane", "A Century of Fakers", & "Modern Rock Song" of the double disc album "Push Bar to Open Old Wounds" are some favorites. Ween has also managed to find itself ringing in my headphones leaving me without any desire to whisk it away; specifically "Where I'm At" & "Flutes of the Chi" of the "White Pepper" album. Finally, Jack Johnson's new album "In Between Dreams" is also a big hit with me. Of course the radio popular "Good People" is a fave, but also "Better Together", "Breakdown" and "Crying Shame" show that Jack hasn't lost the capacity to blend surfer splendor with assonating lyrics accompanied by accoustical elements. If you don't know who he is, shame on you!


Movies: Sacrificing my current indisposition to commercial cinema, I went to "Wedding Crashers" and found it humurous on so many levels. Surprisingly, every aspect of it was satisfying...even the moments where hollywood usually fails (ie. cheesy intimate/romantic moments) it came thru with a twist that usually stirred up some comic relief. Vince Vaughn is fantastically funny, and Will Farrel (aka. Chazz) couldn't have been better cameo. Apart from the mainstream movie, I enjoyed the freshness and unpredictable twists of "Memories of Murder" by Bong Joon-Ho (Kr; won best new film director San Sebastian Film Festival) and JSA (Joint Security Area) by another Korean director, Park Chan Wook who recently did the international hit "Oldboy". JSA tells a tale of the brotherhood discovered between a soldier from the south, who incorporates a fellow soldier, and 2 from the north. The camera manipulation of time and outbursts of emotion make this movie an incredible work that lends a bit to the historical dilemma you should know more about.


Literature: Currently trying to finish "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand, which in no way is difficult other than making time to open the novel. This book is so relevant to what is happening today that if you are in need of a prodigious book that could spark a revolution you must pick this up and gorge yourself with the profundity of character development and the utter integrity of the idealogy that Rand presents...thoroughly enjoyable and I still have the terminating 150 pages. Since I've been back, I've read "The Prince" (finally) by Machivelli and "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz. The upcoming hopefuls are "100 anos de soledad" or "100 Years of Solitude" that will be read in Spanish...though I speak/read Spanish, this is a daunting task because it's some 500 pages and well...it's a different language! If not this, then "The Sound and the Fury" by Faulkner, "Foucault's Pendulum" by Umberto Eco or "The Penguin History of the USA" are all waiting in the wing.

** I encourage you to expose yourself to any of these highlighted items and respond with your own sentiments after having experienced it, and I welcome discord and castigation.
M