A community of meditation

I was thinking yesterday about meditation's place within community when I was doing yoga. I thought about why I continued to go to Yoga even though I knew quite a bit of the routine. It somehow felt better to me that I was doing it with other people even though I was not necessarily engaged by the people around me. It is the same phenomenon that can be linked to prayer and praise. While you all might have your prayer to a higher being, it somehow feels better when there are others around you performing the same action. I think it is the same logic that permeates a moment of silence in a crowd. I just find it unique that people can be joined in a community even when they aren't necessarily engaging one another.

Food for thought...

Energy Policy

Which of the Presidential candidates has the better energy policy and why?

I want to believe from hearing the news that Barack does though I haven't heard much about either set of views. I heard something about McCain wanting to drill more and Barack said something about alternative energy, $1000, and tire pressure.

My energy policy is that we start sharing resources before we run out, however, I'd probably be labeled as too far left with my views.

Tell me what you all think.

Costa Rica - Carbon Neutral

BBC World News reported this week that Costa Rica was close to becoming the first country to be carbon neutral? What do people think about a country becoming carbon neutral? Does everyone know what that means?

While I think it would be near impossible for the U.S. to be carbon neutral, I think that different municipalities even cities should try to be carbon neutral...

Food for thought.

Car Debate

Porsche 911 v. Porsche Cayman?
Porsche Cayman v. Porsche Boxster?
Honda Accord v. Acura TL?
Honda Civic Hybrid v. Toyota Prius?
Honda Civic Hybird v. Smart Car?
Acura RDX v. Audi A4 Avant?
Volvo XC70 v. Land Rover LR3?
Volvo C30 v. Volkswagen R32?
Volkswagen MKV v. Mini Cooper S?
Volvo C30 v. Mini Clubman?

You know the drill.

Brett Favre - A NY Jet?

What does everyone think about this?

While I generally could care less about sports, this seems triumphantly wrong. How will Brett Favre go down in Packer history?

Hot Fuzz

This comedy is funniest movie I have seen all summer. I think perhaps too much listening of the BBC has changed my appetite for comedy (It's a British comedy). While the movie is dry at times and takes a while to get going, I enjoyed it.

Defining Relationships

In going on another Northern Exposure binge I watched an episode in which Joel (the town doctor) is absurdly upset at Maggie (the town pilot) because she is going out with Mike (the town's new attorney). In a classic sitcom this would play out as Joel being a jealous lover who upset that he used to be with Maggie, but is no longer, is upset at seeing someone else with her. However, the episode adds a twist to that. He is more confused than upset. He wonders what their relationship means now that they are no longer available for one another. In the series they do not consider themselves good friends, but they are sexually attracted to one another. What a strange conclusion to come to. I certainly was befuddled by the whole interplay.

On the one hand, it is even interesting that they are defining their relationship. Do we as Americans generally define our relationships? How important is it to us? Do we need to do more of it and if we do, would we see our obligations to others better? Secondly, it is interesting that once they have defined their relationship, they define it in such a sense as I described above. Can a sexual attraction really brew out of two people that rather detest each other? Is there attraction trying to break down something about their personalities that they are afraid to concede on? Do both of them secretly desire someone who challenges them, but fall for people who leave them in their comfort zone?

Food for thought.

Brett who? How 'bout 'dem Brewers?

I realized that I totally neglected the Brewers in my last posts and I feel I need to apologize to all the fans out there. The team has been doing superb and it is sad that they have to share coverage with what is going on with Brett Favre. Either he's coming back or not. Either way the Brewers are clearly more important.

I am making this post so that people can comment on their favorite moments from this miraculous season:)

Trivial Nonsense

Question: Is being up on News/Politics as trivial as being up on the latest information related to sports or entertainment?

I lead my life as the answer to the question is a strong "no," however, I feel that I may be nearsighted and arrogant on this issue. I am a stubborn person and this can often happen to me once I have convinced myself that something is right.

I will be the first to scoff at anyone who wants to keep up on who the latest pop icon is or who the latest pitchers for the Milwaukee Brewers are. I will rebuke this action saying that someone's memory could be used for something better.

And in my mind it seems like it could be. I feel that we in this country are trying to keep up a democratic system and that takes an educated population. A population that doesn't waste its time with "nonsense," but with important facts about the actions of their politicians and an understanding of those actions in the context of world news.

I have to believe three things about the turn away from news/politics. One, people for the most part do keep up on news and I just don't notice it. Two, people who do find the knowledge base trivial because it does not help them directly in their day to day life and they may not be likely to discuss it with anyone. Thus if sports or entertainment news is just as useful then I will choose the one that's more fun to listen to. Last, issues have become too complex and overly engrossing for people to worry about with all the other things they have to worry about.

These are the reasons I would come up with if I had to determine why I can never seem to find many people to discuss news/politics with.

I would like to hear some thoughts on this though because I know I am wrong in some sense, but hopefully it's not nonsense.

If you were going to travel across America, how would you best do it?

I pose this question to see what people think is the best mode. I would hands down say train if we lived in Europe, but alas we don't. I would conjecture that car is the best overall and if so what is the best vehicle to make that journey? If you want speed then a plane is a really good way, but you don't get that cross country feel and security is beginning to be a hassle. I don't think this is a clear cut answer I just think it's a person's opinion and that's why I pose it.

How would I answer this?

Volvo C30 or Audi A3 with two bikes in the back or on top. Of course this would be for a trip of one or two. I am open to other possibilities. I would actually like to see some answers on the best way to accommodate a family across the country.

Entertainment News

TV: No Reservations
-Absolutely addicted to this show hosted by Anthony Bourdain. If you don't have the Travel Channel find someone who does and watch this show or see if there are episodes online.

Movie: King Corn
-Essential movie for anyone who cares at all about what they eat. I consider this one of my favorites of the summer.

Movie: Into the Wild
-While the plot is pretty strange and the protagonist is borderline crazy, this movie gets major points for great storytelling, cinematography, and soundtrack. Sean Penn who directed and wrote the screeplay for this movie emerges as a a great force behind the camera right up there with the likes of Robert Redford and Clint Eastwood.

Obama - Foreign Policy

There have been two stories buzzing in the news lately. One is the Brett Favre scandal and the other is Barack Obama's trip out of the U.S.

Since I don't think it matters much what happens to Brett Favre since Vince Lombardi will appear to Ted Thompson in a vision and tell him to sign Brett or he will be cursed for the rest of his life, I move on to Barack.

Barack has been taking much heat lately about his whole decision to remove troops from Iraq on a timeline and as I understand it move them into Afghanistan or bring them home. This sounds like a good plan to me, but the McCain party has the opposite stance and have been knocking on the Obama door screaming to leave the troops there. Why? I watch the news and most of the recent casualties have been in Afghanistan and we as I understand the Army are overstretched so why does McCain want to leave troops there? Last, I have heard very little about what Obama plans to do with Iran. I keep hearing useless banter about Iraq, but what about their brothers from different mothers who are firing missles in the air screaming that they want to take down US and Israeli forces. Seems serious to me...

Just wondering people's thoughts on this and you can throw in something about Brett Favre if need be.

Interesting Cars

As you all should know I have a love/hate relationship with cars. I love observing the designs of cars, but I see it as a necessary evil to drive them right now. A few I have been taking notice of...

Volvo C30
-Cute luxury hatch from Europe that has a plethora of safety features, average gas mileage (29 mpg), and excellent utility. Kudos to Volvo for returning to its true roots. It is what the Ford Focus ST looks like in Europe. Unfortunately, we don't get to see such a car, but we still get this cute thing.

Volvo XC60
-This vehicle will enter the small luxury SUV market with the Subaru Forester, Acura RDX, BMW X3, etc. It looks based on the Mazda CX-7, but packed with safety features. I will be curious to see the engine and consequent gas mileage because the inside is true Scandinavian unlike the XC90, which was tank force built I assume by Ford. The engine is rumored to support biofuels (the good and bad of that).

I think the two vehicles above show a shift within Ford toward smaller vehicles, which is good, but they still have work to do. Who knows, there might come the day when I purchase American for a vehicle.

Tesla Roadster
-All electric roadster goes from 0-60 in 3.9 seconds when fully charged. However, the acceleration quickly changes to 6 seconds as the car loses power. It is too expensive ($110,000) and impractical, but it caught GM's eye and I think is a step toward a better car for tomorrow.

Just my thoughts on some vehicles I've seen lately. What have you seen or heard about?

A Sleeper Society?

As part of my summer I have been staying active with some "green" people and doing some reading on urban affairs. There is this rising thought trend that people are not "conscious" or not aware of the changes happening in their lives. Is it too much to ask people to be "conscious" of their decisions about some basic things? I think so. However, are our institutions failing us or are we failing our institutions? I think a bit of both. Let me explain using food as an example.

When I was growing up I never cared where I bought my items from and money was the only constraint that kept me from purchasing items. As I have grown, I have slowly turned my lifestyle topsy turny and it feels good and painful at the same time.

I feel that there is so much to change that I have to prioritize what I change. I have weened myself from meats and fishes. I have become more conscious of my vegetables and am careful of my milk. I try to supplement my milk drinking with soy milk. I have it with almost everything. I will only have milk if I think it will taste better in a recipe like Mac and Cheese. I have almost totally cut out junk food and replaced it with fruits and vegetables. While I feel good that I have made this progress, I still feel like I'm not doing enough.

I feel like I should be buying my produce from a farmer's market and my other stuff from a Whole Foods. I question whether Sendiks (the local supermarket) is good enough. I have no idea where some of the stuff comes from in the supermarket even though the store itself is local. I still shop there though because it's my most convenient option in Greendale, WI.

I want a farmer who is upfront with me about his or her practices and the butcher who knows exactly how his animals for slaughter are herded and processed. However, I feel like this might be too obsessive. Did we get away from this system because we didn't trust the farmer or we wanted more produce and meat? I don't know, but I feel like I want to begin to ween myself off of the supermarket.

As my discussion above shows, the transparency of food is a tedious matter. Almost as tedious as the transparency of the news. What's authentic, what's not? Should I not care if I don't get sick? Am I slowly but surely getting sick and I don't know? Is my only illness hypochondria? I really hope not.

I just feel like there are things that we can all do to change are diets for the better, but I think it will have to be in baby steps.

The scary part is that I feel that most people will not even take the baby steps. I think some people fear a life that doesn't include meat in every meal, find they can trust their supermarket, or their search for transparency is too hard. I would guess that each of these reasons and a few others keep people from changing their lifestyles.

Given that though I feel that people should be informed about their food, I feel it does not rank very highly on their list though. Which is sad. What is more essential than the fuel for your body? I guess I could make the same rant about the clothes on our bodies, but I believe a coalition of well dressed women would bring me down:)

So are we sleeping when it comes to our consumer purchases? If so, why? Give me your thoughts. I realize I just more ranted and touched on a bit of things, but I feel strongly about this and I know you all have thoughts one way or the other. Tell me straight if I have lost my mind:)

Soundtrack of Summer 2008

1.) Take These Thoughts by Chris and Thomas
2.) Transliterator by DeVotchka
3.) Broken Chair by Chris and Thomas
4.) The Clockwise Witness by DeVotchka
5.) Fast Paced World by the Duhks
6.) El Anden by Bajofondo
7.) Mas Amor by La MC Malcriado
8.) Watina by Andy Palacio
9.) Son Mystere by 17 Hippies
10.)Poljanska Balada by Brina
11.) You're a Weaver of Dreams by John Coltrane

Heroes vs. Idols

I feel like I did not convince you all the last time so I will reopen my comments with my points from "A Wing and A Prayer."

I may be using the wrong terms, but I feel that there are those individuals who embody the values of a community rather than support the values of one person.

For instance, I idolize my dad, but I would not consider him a hero, at least not as I would understand the term.

A better representation would be someone like Superman. He represents America, he even says that fights for "Truth, Justice, and the American Way." He's probably even a bad example.

A better example would be the saints of the Catholic Church. They are supposed to embody the values of Church. They have their stories of lore - namely the miracles and the good deeds they have done. The stories may not be accurate, but they offer Catholics a good template for how to be good Catholics. I try to pattern my life as St. Ignatius of Loyola because I believe it helps me understand how to fall in line with the values and ethics of the Catholic Church.

Another example would be George Washington - the classic defender of democracy. Some of his life is fact, other was myth, however, you cannot deny that he embodied the virtues of our American Democracy.

The last example for me would be Vince Lombardi. If you had to put a face to the Green Bay Packers, then it would have to be Lombardi – a man who also seem to embody the virtues of the Packers – hard working, intelligent, etc.

I bring this up because I think we have dismantled our heroes. I think we want to think of people as mere men or women rather than legends. We leave heroes to children for the most part and believe once we come of age that it is foolish to believe that these people were anything else except a man or a woman. I will go as far as to say this has occurred with a lack of good storytelling. All of our movie star heroes lead meaningless existences. They have no connections to any of my institutions and they certainly do not help me understand my world. The heroes of today lead perilous lives either being spies, getting treasures, or kicking butt, but at the end of the day they don’t explain anything, they just entertain.

Don’t we need storytelling again? I think story time is not just for small children, but it is something sorely missing from our existence. As I heard on the BBC, stories should help us describe something that we can’t explain with plain words. I can’t believe we can explain everything in our existence. I know I can’t. Food for thought.

This may seem strange and geeky, but if I had to name my favorite superhero it would be Captain Planet because he embodied a new America that would battle the problems of industrialization. For my purposes, he replaces Superman in that way.

Some killer sounds...

My latest listenings...

Son of Dave
-50's Chicago Blues meets London Electronica

DeVotchKa
-17 Hippies meets punk rock

A Wing and a Prayer (Cont.)

To continue from my discussion below...


My own run in with the Church makes me think about my attachment to institutions and my community. Have I ever abandoned institutions because I found something within them unappealing? When is the tipping point when there are too many problems with an institution that you cannot turn around. When do institutions stop looking out for you and begin to abuse you? Is it when they give up on us or we give up on them or a little of both?

I can specifically think about the institution of Democracy as another example. I still believe I am far too apathetic about fighting for my rights, using my right to vote, etc. because of the bad things that politicians have done, the apathy of the people around me, and my own lack of belief in democracy at times.

However, that being said, I still believe that the costs of democracy are still outweighed by the benefits.

It makes me want to connect a Wing and a Prayer with another episode of Northern Exposure. There is an episode about Democracy in America and Chris gets in a discussion about whether it is more important who someone votes for or the fact that the person votes.

I think people need to vote because it’s the start of a good process. Even if your vote may not count it's like going to Church, it's supporting an institution - democracy and that's really important. At the end of that episode Chris and Ed are talking in the radio booth and Chris tells Ed to put a tally in the win column for Democracy because there was a good turnout rate for the voting.

I’m afraid that our generation takes our institutions for granted. At least I do. They can as easily fall as they were created and I am sure some of them should. However, I guess I have a plea for an examination for how institutions affect you and you them.

Are institutions composed of people or is there something greater than all the people involved? A synergy? I would say so, but I think at times it is good to realize they are both. I want to your thoughts on this.

A Wing and a Prayer

Back to my Northern Exposure addiction...

I watched the episode entitled "A Wing and a Prayer" off the expression like "I did something on a wing and a prayer" like you did something against the odds. In the episode a few different plots a few different stories develop.

The one I wanted to watch and reflect on the most was the baptism of the daughter of Shelly and Holling. The priest comes to town and he acts just like a common man and it upsets Shelly. She provokes her husband into arguments about faith, arm wrestles with him, and drinks. She chews out the priest in confession because of his behavior and she tells him that she shouldn't worry because he is a man at the end of day and the real mystery comes from God and Jesus (because Shelly is a Catholic).

I wanted to watch this set of scenes because in the past few weeks I have been disgruntled with the Catholic Church because of its members and its leaders than in constructing my own faith. I boycotted Church in Madison and at home because I was upset with the homilies, but isn't my bigger reason for going the sacrament of the Eucharist? I believe I shouldn't have been so disgruntled with the institution because of few people or some beliefs.

I know our only German in the group is against cars, but...

God damn this car is sweet and it will never it American soil according to Edmunds.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FirstDrives/articleId=126127

A TT that gets 42 mpg. 42 mpg with 4 wheel drive and 170 V-6 engine that gets the power of a V-8. F*** a civic at that rate. Who cares if it isn't 200 hp? OMG. What is wrong with the American consumer? 42 f***ing miles to the gallon for a sports car.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I don't know anything about bikes

I want to ask for a bike for Christmas, but because I don't ride I have no idea what I should ask for. Should I get a mountain bike or is that too serious? Does it really matter if I am just learning how to ride?

Even though I have scruples about driving I have an obsession with cars...

So I have a survey...

Mercedes R Class v. Honda Odyssey
Mazda 3 Hatchback v. Audi A3
Porsche 911 v. Audi R8
Acura RDX v. Subaru Outback
Porsche Cayman v. Audi TT
Mini Clubman v. Honda Fit
Ford Escape v. Subaru Forester

What movies are good this summer?

I really want to see a movie this summer, but everything looks like rubbish to me. Any suggestions?

Do the Brewers have any shot at the playoffs?

I don't follow sports at all so I am counting on all of you to let me on this. Give me a yes or no and why you believe so.

Who really should have won American Idol this season?

I'm so confused on this so I am sending this one out to all of you.

I am an elitist

Lately, when I have stuck people about their beliefs I have heard back "Joe, you are such an elitist to think that..." Am I really? I wonder if it is just a way to stick me and not have to argue with me like "You are such a Nazi" or "You are being such a...(fill in your own stunner). For me, being labeled an elitist is like getting a hit in the gut during an argument. However, perhaps I need to come to terms that I may in fact be. Maybe my thoughts are rather high class. I want people to stop watching the TV and start interacting with each other. That's elitist. I want people to work more at things that fulfill them, desire less cash, and receive more non-cash benefits. That must also be elitist. While I am sarcastic in these comments, I do need some retrospection to see where I need to break from this "elitist attitude" that more than two people would call me such a name. Elitist. I dearly hope not to be and if I have to you I am sorry.

Cars and Sports and Sports Cars

I really am feeling bad lately about driving and sports. I am obsessing lately about these two things. On the one hand I love cars. I love feeling the vibrations of a great engine, the thrill of driving fast, and the excitement of cornering on tight roads, but I sadly know that this pleasure wastes resources and sends unknown amounts of carbon into the air. I also know that my demand for cars creates more traffic on the highway and consequently causes more congestion and more pollution. I hope that there can a hydrogen BMW or even a Porsche one day so I don't have to worry. Then there is the other issue. If I buy a car that I love because it drives great I will have people with a certain image of me as being rich and wanting to be seen and that really sucks. I would be type casted as a corporate attorney or banker (whatever I choose). Again sad. Perhaps society is trying to send me a message that I should not try to shoot for material goods like cars. Perhaps I need to just learn how to ride a bike and f*** the car scene. I think I will inevitable have to give into driving a car though. It's too hard not too. Gosh darn American culture.

My second obsession lately has been to understand why I watch sports. On the one hand, I would like to start a campaign to end professional sports, but on the other hand I know would alienate everyone around me. It's amazing how innately tied sports are to the world. We almost interact by sports. I know they are great to play, but I am beginning to grow cold on watching them. I have no connection to the people on the field, sometimes I don't even feel they are a good representation of the community in which I live (yet this is another problem because it's so hard to define a community). The only thing I feel they have in common with me is that they live in my community. My guess would be that people watch for this very reason though. Because they want to feel innately tied to a community. So when the Badgers beat the Wolverines it's like a win for the whole Madison community. If Poland beats France then it is a win for a whole country. How did we get sports get to this level? Is this why we get so angry when the Brewers or the Packers lose? Have they let down the whole community? Should we really allow some guys that hit balls with bats to represent our community? Really? Men who wear knee highs?

The irony of this entire rant is that for four years of football and to this day I still believed I represented the entire Marquette High community when I played? Was this an illusion? No, but what did my hits against other teams represent?

Hopefully someone has some answers on these enigmas.

Changes

My goal in life is to create the most positive/least negative impact on the Earth and its people. What are some ways that you think a person can follow through on this within themselves, within their house, among their friends?

Within themselves - Perhaps meditating more? Exercising?
Within their house - Perhaps wasting less water? Buying energy saving devices and using them less?
Among people? - Respecting more people? Respecting more of the decisions of the people close to you? Being less dependent on people?

Arvo Part - Lamentate

My current track of week is Arvo Part's Lamentate. I bought the recording last week as I was leaving Madison. Part wrote the music after seeing a statue that lamented the dead and he thought that he should write a piece that laments the living. He specifically writes it for those who suffer. As I study for LSAT I find it comforting music.

Is Hip Hop art?

I think it is, but I wanted to hear some thoughts on this because some are convinced that it lacks artistic quality? If it's not art, what is it?

Apparently, according to a certain member of this blog I said somewhere in the past that I was disadvantaged in my relations with the opposite sex by going to Marquette. Perhaps, but I still possessed many good friends who were women in high school. It was just strange not to have women to work with in classes. That was sort of strange, but other than it was nice not to have all the drama. Gosh:)

Fratres

Something new on my blog will be writing about how a certain song relates to my life currently. I really want to get at the question of how music affects my own life and how it affects all of you who read this. Please leave a song that really relates to how you currently feel.

My current track is "Fratres" by Arvo Part performed by Gil Shaham. The title means "Brothers" and it refers to religious monks. I don't know the story behind the song except that Part wrote it while out in the great open expanses of the Midwestern U.S. (He's from Europe). He said the song reflects his feelings while in this sparse silent location. I think it makes an excellent track for my own life because it goes from spurts of cluttered quick playing to simplistic clear notes. It makes me think of my own life that moves between utter confusion and surprising clarity.

So that's my bit, what's yours?

Music

Building off of the last blog, I have come to realize that even my favorite topic of discussion - music is not free from being "filler." In fact it can be one of the greatest fillers. People will listen to music just to literally fill the air. However, music can be so much more. It's not just a collection of sounds that sound appealing. It's expression that teaches you something about another person and yourself.

An artist is not just an artist, but I feel from talking to my friends that it is to many people. A music artist just plays catchy tunes - they shouldn't have personal opinions, they shouldn't tell stories. The modern music artist is just a performer. I scoff at that thought, but it is probably what is demanded out there.

Music is a representation of a person's culture, their thoughts, their connection with society. Even if they express themselves through their instrument it is their form of speaking.

I personally want to feel a connection with an artist when I hear their music. I want "authentic" music. I am defining "authentic" music as music played by an artist who seeks express something about himself or herself while seeking to engender a change out of their audience. I realize that under this definition many things fall, but I am trying to separate all this trashy music that just sounds good versus the stuff that actually possesses valuable content. I realize this is very difficult because someone's trash is another's treasure, but maybe someone can help me with this.

Default

I never got to pick up my discussion on things like sports, fashion, etc. I believe that I would need to break them apart to fully evaluate them. However, for my discussion tonight I want to group them together. I think people find "filler" topics. Conversation that has no substantive value. That's what sports, fashion, etc. can be. You could perhaps talk about sports to feel part of some community, but otherwise it just seems like a way for people to avoid talking about other things. People do not want to talk about politics and news because there are too many stories and people seem uneasy about it. And your work or academic field is mostly unique to you. So your best bet is to talk about something neutral and something you know the other person will probably know. An even easier one is the weather because there are people out there like me who don't watch of pay attention to sports. If I had my "fillers" they would probably be the weather and cars.

Amandine

I am recommending this group I heard on BBC Radio 3's Late Junction. They are a mix of different sounds, but they derive from Sweden. Check them out.

Sexual Identity

I think I finally understand some of my thoughts on sex. I think sex is a form of expression. It's not just a biological action. If we just see it as that then we dehumanize the event. Humans are able to express themselves and more than that understand that expression past what we have been wired to do. The line is difficult, but I think there is a difference. If we see it as a meaningful act of expression then it should not matter who your partner is as much as what the act actually means to the both of you. It does not matter if you are married or not, but it helps. If you are married then you have already told each other that you are committed to each other. However, there are many partners who are very committed to each, more than some married couples and if that commitment comes through sex then I see nothing wrong with the act. To me sex is more about the expression and the obligation of one partner to another than the consequent. The consequent is still important, but not as much as the expression and the meaning of the act.

To defend my own faith, I believe the original rules were made to ensure that the obligation of partners existed there and that there was not an extension toward recreation. I think Catholics get a bad rap because people think they are only concerned with the consequent, producing a child and are truly against homosexuals. I think that many bad leaders profess this message, but this is not an all encompassing rule. It is more of a minimum. Sex is for producing a child and it should be a meaningful act if the two partners actually have a meaningful marriage. However, such obligation can occur outside of marriage and such expression can occur without the intention of producing a child.

Best soda?

What's the best soda? I choose Sprecher Ginger Ale.

Let's Support Dan Rowan this weekend

My roommate is taking the MCAT this weekend. In whatever way you would like, show your support as he goes through this difficult time of preparation and then the actual exam.

Should people be protesting the Olympics in Beijing?

I don't think so. I mean how else is China suppose to come into the world circuit if we try to boycott them? That's smart. Let's pretend they don't exist and maybe they'll change their tune about torturing and killing people. It's like leaving the fat kid out of four square because he beats up kids for their lunches. Yes you shouldn't let him play because it will feed his ego, but excluding him could make him more hurt because he thinks you don't like him. And is China really the misunderstood overly large kid on the playground. He just doesn't know how to handle his size yet. Give the kid a break. He's learning.

What is the greatest Beatles album and why?

Greatest Hits albums don't count. I choose "Help!"

Fashion - Esoteric?

Perhaps. However, there are quite a few women who adore Sex in the City and its not because of the sex (even though it might be for the men). They dress well. How about the Devil Wears Prada? Another example of a common medium tracking high class culture. Fashion may have been something that was rather more sophisticated than sports, but I think it's coming down to the masses as a topic if it hasn't already.

Sports - A unifier?

Sports can be as much a unifier as it is a divider. It shows how much people like being in groups. I am supportive of a group for which I belong, but adverse to a group for which I don't. I find it interesting that the US tends to form rivalries within the US whereas the rest of world forms rivalries among countries. What does that say about us? Are we a little closed out by the world or do we keep the world out? You decide.

Svang - The Harmonica Sensation

I heard Svang on BBC's Late Junction and they are my favorite group of the week. They are crazy and worth a listen on MySpace. Beyond that I have been really addicted to the song "Autumn Leaves" that was played on Late Junction this week.

Commenting on Sports

I honestly do not understand deliberation about sports and recently there has been much on my blog about it. I mean is there really any purpose? So you think this or that? Who are you helping? Not the Brewers, the Packers, or whomever unless you have some connections. If so then by all means continue with your deliberation, but do it with the right people. Is it for some affirmation from some community of followers. I could appreciate that, but only to a certain extent. I mean even if you discuss about sports, how does that help the other person? I honestly am at a loss for what substantial knowledge you could gain from talking about sports. I think it's the man equivalent to fashion. It's good to get an affirmation about, but if you get deeper than that something's wrong. Just wear the clothes and just watch the sport. Stop all the rubbish.

Best Cinematic Scenes

What are your parts from movies? They don't even need to be good movies. Just good parts.

"Meatballs" - "It just doesn't matter" scene
"School of Rock" - "Stick it to the man" scene
"Tommy Boy" - "...the other guys break pads" scene
"Signs" "Do you believe there is someone to protect us?" scene
"Before Sunset" - The talk while driving to Julie Delpy's apartment
"Once" - Driving in the car to listen to the record

I'm sure you can all come up with better scenes than I.

Top 10 Movies Revised

1.) Before Sunset
2.) Before Sunrise
3.) Amelie
4.) Everything Is Illuminated
5.) Once
6.) Good Will Hunting
7.) The Princess Bride
8.) When Harry Met Sally
9.) Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
10.) A Walk in the Clouds

I realized when I looked at my top ten list yesterday that it did truly reflect my favorite movies. This is a more accurate list.

How would you like your hamburger?

I would like a half pound of ground beef well done. It should be topped onions, guacamole salsa, and a big slab of medium pepper jack cheese.

How do you like it?

Intellectual Duels

If you could see two people debate who would it be and what would they debate...

Some of my personal choices...

Jimi Hendrix v. Niccolo Paganini - Why does one experiment with music?
Benjamin Franklin v. Leonardo Da Vinci - What's the best system to achieve self-awareness?
Pablo Piccasso v. Michaelango - What constitutes art?
Shakespeare v. Ernest Hemingway - What is the purpose of a character in a story or play?
Freud v. Jung - What are dreams?
Albert Camus v. C.S. Lewis - What is the purpose of suffering?
Plato v. James Madison - What is the purpose of government?
Albert Einstein v. Plato - What is reality?
Dan Rowan (future Nobel Prize Winner) v. Richard Dawkins - Is God a delusion?
Lenin v. Lennon - How do you achieve world peace?

See which ones you can come up with. I look forward to it.

Some points on faith

I sat in Church today and really wondered why I am still a Christian. The priest was ranting about how Christ will protect his "chosen" people more than other people. I really do not believe that at all. He continued with advice about buying statues, necklaces, and other religious items that would "save" us. It quite possibly could be one of the most insulting homilies I've ever received. But then I was rattled by the fact that this is common for Catholics. When I went to the Churches in Poland they had these stands with relics of the Pope as if he were a Professional athlete. I was insulted by that too. Perhaps I'm insulted because this goes so contrary to the vision I have of the Catholic Church.

There was some redemption to the priest's homily. He talked about picking out things from scripture and ruminating on those lines and then applying it to your life. That really made sense to me. Catholicism has nothing to do with voodoo rituals and relics. Christ wasn't a genie. He didn't grant wishes. He came to guide us in our lives to lead us spiritual and physical fulfillment. This is why I have such a dark sense of modern prayer. Christ doesn't grant wishes, he leads us to higher sense of being. I think Christ would be very comparable in Buddha in that sense. However, I believe only the Lord could get us to such a state. This is why I believe that Christ is one with God. You will rarely see me pray for something to occur. I more pray in an effort to get to a higher state of being.

I really try to get close to the Jesuit vision of Christianity. The jesuits do not clothe themselves with relics, they are very much into prayer and the reading of scriptures as meditation, and they are very logic orientated. The Jesuits teachers I had were always questioning. More so than most of my teachers or priest today (an exception in each category).

As for the root of my faith. I would currently consider myself a non-believer in sense of belief. That probably sounds completely strange, but I currently do feel the Lord. I sit in awe thinking of men like St. Ignatius of Loyola, the apostle Paul, and St. Francis. Men who say they truly saw a vision of Christ that compelled them to faith. You have to either believe that they had a spiritual experience that set them on fire or they were crazy. I try to believe the first. I fear the latter.

I still attend Church, read scripture, and study theology because I believe that those men saw something because something exist out there. Few of us actually feel it, but it's out there. The rest of us have to walk with blind faith, cynicism, or apathy. I would say I am currently the middle. I am very cynical of Catholicism and Christ currently because I am afraid to walk blindly. I think you cannot truly find Christ if you do not question, however, I think that last step will be a leap of faith found in meditation.

This is all very outrageous for me to say considering I am such a cynic about everything. Something just doesn't feel right about being cynical about faith. Perhaps it is a fear of my own mortality, a strange desire for the supernatural, or deep roots formed in my youth. Probably all three.

I have some supernatural tendencies of myself, but they have nothing to do with relics and voodoo like prayer. Mine, if you haven't figured out, is tied to dreams, visions, and transcended knowledge. I really believe in these and they are all very illogical. I have two sides fighting inside of me. One that says that I need to be more open to that type of belief because it will get me to this higher state of being and closer to God and that other side thinks that I am full of rubbish. For right now I still have the feud inside and am undecided. Some days I would say it's all bull s*** and others I will say there is something to it.

I really desire to feel the presence of God, but currently my logical, cynical side wins out. That does not I will give up my journey.

Rationality has its limits

I once told my girlfriend that rationality yields to two greater forces - emotions and faith. I think that my need to become more rational has made me numb to both my emotions and my faith. Tonight I had a very had time showing my emotions through to my girlfriend. In honest reflection, I don't think I show my emotions through to anyone. I think I am in such a pursuit of reason that I see emotion as an enemy. However, I think that I need to allow my emotions to be in unison with my emotions. She got me to such a point that I stopped reasoning and I just started feeling (the irony being that I am reasoning right now). But for that brief moment I got a glimpse of a reversion to emotion. I feel numb inside and I think it's because I believe that emotions cloud reason. The other thing that supersedes reason is faith. Many of you see me as a drug addict ("Religion is opium of the people) trying to distort my reality in effort to rationalize or escape the events around me. I have been that person, but I am trying to grow out of it. However, it has made me very cold about my religion. I don't feel anything when I go to mass. I sit there wishing I could get something from prayer, from song, from scripture but it all feels very cold to me. I do not feel the Lord even though I still for some reason believe he's out there. I feel a great pain inside because of this.

I realize that faith destroyed reason because it told people to be satisfied with those things that they could not prove immediately. However, I still believe that there are unexplainable events on this Earth and while I think the Church oversimplifies the complexity of this world so does reason. You can only go so far before you will drive yourself mad. There must be something greater than us, I just do not have the spiritual intelligence to tell you what. I don't think spirituality can be explained with reason, but with a feeling and right now I feel nothing. I reason much, but I feel nothing.

Brooklyn Dodgers

I read about Robert Moses in one my books for Black Music. I find the destruction of the New York area when he was around one of the most interesting parts of American history. He was greedy developer that gave people incentives to stop using public transportation and drive, then they would drive out of the city, and eventually destroyed the communities brewing the city. The loss of community in New York forced the Brooklyn Dodgers out to LA and left Harlem in shambles. Now it wasn't all Robert Moses fault, but the people were pretty ignorant about the whole thing. It was the saddest story I had ever heard when I watched a special about it on HBO and then read it about recently. Does anyone know any more about the story? As I said it really interests me as much as the story of bowling. Catch my drift. Probably not, but that's okay.

Ideal Community

If you were going to create an ideal community what would you start with? How big would it be? What it would include/exclude? Pick and choose what you want to talk about.

Mine would have housing that was close in with lots of shops, but nonetheless not very large. I would want public transportation to take me everywhere. No Wal-Marts or any chains. My residents would burn them down and keep them out. There would be big park spaces where people could reflect, exercise, etc. intersecting the business and housing. Cars would not be allowed and people have to bike or walk into the city from the edge. Cars would have to park on the outskirts. Segways would even have their own lanes. People would meet at cafes and be very politically active. People would also bowl together, drink together, and have their children play together. Honestly I want a community where people are actually respectful toward one another and that only comes from being close to one another. I think I would wall the city and choose my residents carefully. Visitors would need passports badges. If you leave the community then you need to reapply for the town when you leave.

Am I crazy or would this work? What would? What wouldn't? What pisses you off? What makes you happy?

What color of highlighter is the easiest to read?

I personally prefer orange, but I know it's different for everyone. One my teacher once told me it was blue. The most common is yellow.

Social casualty

What bad habits do you have when socializing with people? If I reflected on my own I would say that I:

1.) have a tendency to look down upon people
2.) feel like people feed me rubbish
3.) feel like people apathetic
4.) feel like people are being defensive to me

That's just the start of my problems, but I'm sure you'll realize you have a few...

Gouda Cheese

Where can I find such a cheese and how do I cook with it?

How do you like your pasta?

If you were going to make pasta using any ingredients, how would you like it? What noodles, sauce, vegetables, etc.?

I would like thick spaghetti with olive oil, basil leaves, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh uncooked spinach, fancy parmesan cheese, and light touch of diced red onions.

Free Will

I have as hard a time changing someone as they have changing me. It frustrates me. If I think something is a better for a person I really want them to come to that reality. But alas they want what they want and I can only hope that they will be illuminated to that decision. But what if that decision is life threatening.

In the latest episode of Northern Exposure, Maggie has a dream that Joel is going to die in a plane crash. She tells him, but he is cynical of listening to her dreams. He thinks of them as just dreams. Maggie and the rest of town treat Joel as if he is a dead man. They all seem attached to the idea that he will die and try to convince him to change his flight plans, but he persists until the very end of the episode that they are all wrong. He eventually stays not because of the dream but because his substitute doctor upsets so much. How does it make you all feel when you something is right for someone else but they won't listen to you? On the other side how does it feel when someone feels like they know something you don't? How willing are you to change?

I used to take it rather personal when people don't heed my advice. I've become much more apathetic to the whole thing since coming to Madison. In fact I'm now to the point where I am resigned not even give advice because I think "What's the point. They don't care." I think as I go forward I will probably be less forward in helping people and more reactive.

Is there such a thing as fate?

A mixture of watching Northern Exposure and watching parts of the Matrix trilogy have led me to this question. What is fate? Is there such a thing? Have we been predestined to do things or are things completely random? Either way, how much control do we have over the forces in our world?

I don't actually know if fate exists? I want to believe that every decision I make is new and unexpected, perhaps many of them are predictable, but I could change them at any more. Bottom line - I have free will.

This is where I probably break with my Catholicism in a bad way. I so strongly believe that I have control over my situation that I'm doubtful whether an overarching force like God even controls the situations around me. I find prayer useless in quite of few situations and I am very cynical of people who pray for things to change in their lives. Am I wrong in this? Is my cynicism getting me in trouble?

Either way a predestined fate nor complete free will can be changed by prayer. Prayer would only work in that way if God could somehow change our surroundings including us. How weird? But is it? Perhaps God actually does change us from time to time. Does God connect with us? It seems preposterous to me on the one hand and scary on the other.

There is this element of fate that is common in our society where we tell people to "find who they are." What does that mean? That means that I already have an essence that I am shaping. That essence was crafted by something. Does this infer a greater being? If I have not been fated to do anything then I am randomly choosing something that feels comfortable. That sounds more likely to me, but I rather like the first idea. It came up in another Northern Exposure episode where the characters were out of character, but by the end of the episode they all returned to their former selves. The entire episode though they were trying to figure out who they are and showing signs of their former selves. It made me feel comforted to believe that there is something that I am working toward instead of forming something out of nothing.

Certainly Dan P

Anyone can come watch Northern Exposure with me when they want to. I just have never had anyone want to watch them with me. That's why I just started to post the gems from the episodes on this blog. Saves people the time.

The only people who have watched them with me have been my roommate and my girlfriend (watched more out of compulsion than desire:)

The Trouble of Politics

In this other episode of Northern Exposure, the town has its first election for mayor. The town is in turmoil over this new found right that they have seemingly always had, but never directly associated with their community nor been able to use for their own politicians. The most interesting element of the episode is the reaction of Maurice. He is upset that this whole process has occurred. He calls it a Pandora's Box. He chides his friend Edna for opening the box by contending the current mayor for the spot. Though he admits had it not been her then it would have been upset by. What I think he is most upset by is the fact that the neighbors can no longer resolve their own issues. They now need representatives to resolve their issues. These shows that the community is growing more complex than Maurice desired. He says, "I wanted development, but not the consequences." This scene still confuses me because I've never grown up in a community where our elected officials weren't resolving something, but for the frontiersman this was not always the case. Have we taken our leaders for granted? Has this system made us used to others resolving conflict for us and making decisions for us? I think so. I sort of sympathize with Maurice. At least I think.

Names and Nurturing

So I watched an episode of Northern Exposure last night that had to do with nurturing. I was left absolutely puzzled not by the theme of the episode (obviously) but by the insertion of Chris (the radio announcer) with a commentary on the importance of names. Is there some connection between nurturing and names? Is the name a reflection of the parents, of the community? Chris brings up in the episode that it is a claim on another human being. The right to name something offers you some authority over the child. Then he diverted into some talk about a girl he had a crush on in sixth grade and how he was obsessed with her name because he identified it with her and her alone. So it is also an identifier. Well now this makes naming very interesting. An identifier for ourselves that we do not choose, yet we ascribe to and others label us by. Is my name arbitrary or does it help better define me? You tell me.

The Steel Drivers & the Punch Brothers

What happens when Borders has a sale on CDs? I'm called to (sort of ) impulsively buy new music. I bought the Steel Drivers and the Punch Brothers today for roughly $12 each. I thought it a fair deal. I do not like every song on the SD album, but it is a great album hangs together on masterful writings, excellent vocals, and instrumentals. As for the Punch Brothers, they are playing the great Chris Thile and performing mostly his new material, which is really long bluegrass instrumentals with well written poetry (almost prose). Also worth a listen. Though the first track "Punch" is annoyingly complex. I'm not if it is suppose to sound like rubbish and then recover into beauty. Probably.

Creation through destruction

I was watching an episode of Northern Exposure yesterday - no surprise. Somehow the episode meant so much more to me than it did in the past. In the episode Chris wants to fling a cow using a catapult. At the same time Maggie's mother is coming to town to visit her. Her mother burns down her house accidentally in the same day that she tells her that the parents are getting a divorce. There seems to be some symbolic correlation between the two events. Simultaneously Chris discovers that Monty Python flipped a cow and he must stop work on his "living art" project. Depressed that he can't think of anything else to do, he finds inspiration out of Maggie's situation. He quotes Picasso, "Every act of destruction is an act of creation." He is smitten with her situation. He tells her "You are at ground zero of creation." She cannot see this, but just agonizes over the destruction of her house and her belongings. Chris eventually decides to take Maggie's burnt piano and fling it over a lake in front of the community. The "living art," while environmentally disturbing, showed symbolically that art has multiple meanings and that something that was once constituted as destroyed has now been used anew.

The part of the episode that grips me is the connection between Maggie finding out that her house has burned down and that her parents are getting a divorce. Both events seemingly caused by her mother. I would not be so smitten as Chris was seeing that some act of creation could flow from this destruction. I would be more akin to Maggie who is tied to the fact that her family life as she knew it is destroyed and her house has burned down. But Chris is right. If you extend the metaphor, then her house representative of her family had many issues, some beyond repair, and in burning down, while it may be painful may have been better for her. But as she disagrees in the episode, "It was my house, my house!" Much like it was her family life that was destroyed here.

I really feel for Maggie. I think about my own life, how painful the end or destruction of something can be and yet the creation or new beginning that generally comes of it can sometimes be more plentiful. What significance should we take from the fact that we always want things to be the same, but that they are destroyed in preparation for something new?

The episode really shook me up in that light. Beyond that it had some really interesting questions like - what constitutes art? Is flinging a cow or a piano art? Is art in the hands of the audience, the maker, or a shared medium? Do both have to enjoy the experience for it to meaningful?

Again Northern Exposure shrouds me in reflection for a few days. Reflect with me:)

New Artist: Ane Brun

I'm not sure if I have recommended Gillian Welch* on this blog, but I will along with Ane Brun. Ane is a bluesy pop singer out of Stockholm, Sweden. She sings like Gillian Welch, but sings to melancholy ethereal melodies much akin to Imogen Heap. You should especially "To Let Myself Go" on her MySpace spot. It is delicious. It will also be playing on Late Junction's Thursday show until this Thursday.

Keep me in the know on stuff you all like.

*Gillian Welch - I bought her album "Soul Journey" two weeks ago. She would be the female Bob Dylan sporting Midwestern folk rhythms and tenuously charged lyrics. Check her out also. She gets a thumbs up from Dan Rowan:)

Favorite Places in the World?

1.) Copenhagen, Denmark
2.) San Francisco, CA, USA
3.) Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
4.) London, England
5.) Chicago, IL

What would be your top 5? Why? Are there things WI could learn from foreign lands? Damn right:)

My Own Grammys...

I want to hear from people as to the song with the...

Best Lyrics - "When in Rome" by Nickel Creek
Best Melody - "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin
Best Vocals - "Slumber My Darling" by Alison Krauss
Best Instrumentals - "Bigfoot" by Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
Best Beat - "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson

I want to hear what people think about these categories and what others you would like to see on this list. How are songs rated?

Guilty Pleasure

In response to post from Dan J:

Driving a car is a necessary evil in the U.S. Our government nor the people of our country do not yet have the insight into transportation. Ideally people should ride public transportation to get everywhere in a city and surrounding country side. For further journeys you should have a car. For those other treks you should share as a community transportation vehicle. If a community shared bigger vehicles then you wouldn't need it to drive to work in them etc., but who in the US wants to share. That's absurd:)

However, if I'm going to drive rather than use public transportation, shouldn't it be a guilty pleasure? I will grant you there is nothing alluring about driving a big SUV unless you are serious off roader. However, get behind the wheel of a sport tuned turbo engine and suddenly I yearn to drive. Slicing through curves, aching for the accelerator, feeling the gyrations from the lag. It's enthralling. Almost erotic. Ooh lah lah.

There are many guilty pleasures in life. Most likely I shouldn't drive. I feel guilty when I do it, but if I'm going to do it then shouldn't I do with a pleasurable ride? Maybe maybe not. Most likely I'll get something above 25 mpg if not 30 mpg so don't think I'm crazy.

My Role Models/My Heroes

Role Models
1.) My Father
2.) Dan Rowan
3.) Leonardo Da Vinci
4.) Benjamin Franklin
5.) Ghandi


My Heroes
1.) St. Ignatius of Loyola - Catholic Church/Jesuits
2.) Rudy - Notre Dame
3.) James Madison - United States Govt./US Constitution
4.) Dick Bashaam - Marquette High Hilltopper Football
5.) Curly Lambeau - Green Bay Packer Football

Honorable Mention: L.L. Bean

I wanted to differentiate between heroes and role models. A role model, in my belief, is someone that you look up to/admire, but a hero is someone who embodies the principles of an institution. If you feel strong about a hero then you feel strongly about the values of an organization. The people as heroes are different than the people as human beings. Heroes are more representations of an institution and their stories may not actually reflect how they acted, but more help transmit a certain culture.

Greatest Symbol of the Green Bay Packers

As Brett Favre steps down it makes you wonder he fits within the realm of the Packers...

Is he the greatest symbol of the Packers? Is Bart Starr? Vince Lombardi? Don Hutson? Curly Lambeau?

I would probably shoot for Lambeau being the father of it all, Lombardi as the Godfather of the organization, and the rest of the players as kings and judges if we want to get all biblical here.

Every organization has its heroes. I think the Packers are no different and I admire how well they cultivate them. Our world needs more heroes. People we can admire and look up to. People of honor and virtue. I find it one of the compelling reasons to belong to the Catholic Church. As part of its organizational strucutre it provides me with a myriad of people who ruminated and deliberated about the existence of God. To be part of a tradition and to feel part of something larger than yourself is a wonderful feeling. It was the same feeling I had playing Marquette High football. This sincere connection to the people who had played before me and the meaning behind the horns on the helmet.

Who are some of your heroes? In what traditions do you follow? How does it make you feel?

Control

I think one of my big beefs with alcohol is that it would hinder me being in control. I always want to be responsible for what I say and do, but more than that I want control over situations. That's the dark side of my need to stray from drinking..

Trio Medieval

I'm not sure I have ever advertised this group on my blog, but they are excellent. I found them on BBC's Late Junction. They are a group of Norwegian women who sing medieval chant. It's gorgeous how they mix their voices to sound like instruments. I wouldn't recommend listening to it for too long straight, but in the mix of a playlist, it's really amazing. Tell me what you think if you find them.

Alcohol

I've been wondering lately how much "drinking" effects my life. I feel that the people I know who drink do not have positive experiences. Furthermore, the experience itself feels rather arbitrary. I am suppose to drink something that inhibits my abilities and kills off brain cells with only have the slight effect of making me feel relaxed. Aren't there better ways for me to relax/socialize? The only two good reasons I hear for drinking. I feel no compelling reason to drink except the social aspect. I somehow feel left out if not a part of the madness. That being said I do not think I will ever have more than a drink, but I wouldn't mind having one. I just still feel so arbitrary in the action, but many things are - drinking coffee, watching sporting events, etc.

Car Comparisons

Audi A3 or Volkswagon R32
Honda Civic Hybrid or Toyota Prius
Mini Cooper S or Acura RSX Type S
Porsche Boxster or Honda S2000
Honda Odyssey or Dodge Caravan
Toyota 4Runner or Nissan Xterra
Acura TL or Infiniti G35
Ford F Series or Toyota Tacoma
Subaru Outback or Volvo V50

You choose a comparison and explain why you like one over the other.

I would choose all of the choices on the left over the ones on the right.

Most Attractive Women/Men

Who do you think are the most attractive men or women? You choose. Living or dead. I'll do both.

Women
1.) Rory Raasch
a.) No women can beat the beauty of a girlfriend;)
2.) Rachel Weisz
3.) Julie Delpy
4.) Maria Sharapova
5.) Audrey Hepburn

Men
1.) Chris Thile
2.) Harry Connick, Jr.
3.) Cary Grant

I can't come up with other men:) Maybe because I am one. O well.

Friends or Lovers?

An eternal question. I was having the conversation with Rory yesterday. Is it better to break your friendships for a lover or not have loved for the support of your friendship? I really think this would come down to individual cases. A relationship fulfills you in ways that a friendship never can and vice versa. In all efforts try to maintain both, but you can certainly mess up one with the other. Word?

New Trend

On some reflection I think the new trend is not moving toward people working as a community, but in networks. Instead of being bound to someone for your livelihood, you are bound to someone for some specific purpose(s) and then you move on to the next person. There are advantages and disadvantages to this. The advantage is that your potential to grow as individual is great because the greater quantity and quality of people you have in your network the more you can understand and more opportunities you can receive. The disadvantages are that you are not bounded to anyone in your network like you would be in a community. If Joe cannot offer me what I want then the logic stands that I no longer associate with Joe. I feel torn on which I prefer. Most likely an ideal combination of both. A community that is bounded to each other, but well connected through networks with the rest of the world.

Greatest Presidents

1.) Franklin D. Roosevelt
2.) Abraham Lincoln
3.) James Madison
4.) Theodore Roosevelt
5.) John F. Kennedy

Tell me who you think should be in the top five and why.

Greatest Musical Performers & Songwriters

Rowan showed me during a conversation that musical artist are two types of people...performers and songwriters. I will name my favorites of each to reiterate my point.

Performers
1.) Elvis Presley
2.) Michael Jackson
3.) James Brown
4.) The Temptations
5.) New Kids on the Block

Songwriters
1.) The Beatles
2.) Bruce Springsteen
3.) Billy Joel
4.) The Eagles
5.) Chris Thile

Favorite Baseball Players (In Order)

1.) Hank Aaron
2.) Willie Mays
3.) Robin Yount
4.) Jackie Robinson
5.) Ken Griffey, Jr.

Disagree with me as you will:)

More on Wailin' Jennys

I probably should have explained why I find them appealing. They are three female performers who write all of their own music. A trend seen quite a bit in the bluegrass genre. The songs show the signs of young group. While they bring together some very beautiful lyrics matched with wonderful music they seem to miss a certain something that I'm sure will come over time. That being said they are certainly worth a listen.

Nothern Exposure

In response to Dan's question...I have Northern Exposure on DVD. The show has been off the air for I believe 13 years now;( My roommate Dan is the only one I can really get to watch the episodes with me. Otherwise I'm alone in watching it.

Wailin' Jennys

Worth a listen if you can find a copy. I found mine at the College Library.

Community

So at this point Dan sounds very Camus-like that people only come together in hard times. I certainly agree with that, but it seems too simplistic. I think it is the only thing that consistently brings people together into community. But there are other things...What about holidays, celebrations, etc. Communities can bond at the fourth of July, through fraternal organizations, etc.

Rowan and I were having an interesting discussion last night that gave me a realization why I'm bummed about St. Pauls. We realized that the community I am looking for is more what existed at Marquette High. It wasn't necessarily our religion that bonded us together. We had other things. We were students, we shared the Jesuit values (even if we didn't share the faith), etc. At St. Pauls it seems that the community is built on people's faith, not on something greater. A community has to be multi-dimensional. We thought about the neighborhood where my dad grew up in Milwaukee. The neighborhood was tightly bounded. Kids played together at a closely accessible community park, people attended a close Church, people discussed things and knew their neighbors. That made Church meaningful because you did things as a community, and came together with people you already felt strongly about on a different level. Something else has to form a community and the faith is more an expression of that bonding, it shouldn't necessarily be the formation of the bonds.

As for my faith, I am on shaky ground right now, but I think Rory and Rowan will keep me in the loop. More than that though I feel like it is an important way to identify myself and be part of a community. People of the same faith can share the same rituals, heroes, and values. I think this is extremely important in a globalized world where our identifiers are either shallow (consumer choices, baseball team, etc.) or not important. I think people should discuss issues between one another (that means outside of your safe communities), but a community is important to bind you to people who can help shelter you from and shape you for that world. That's what Marquette High gave me and I have yet to find it in full form again.

Running

I guess there can certainly be a competitive element to running. I should have said that there are different levels of competitiveness and different types. I generally like to run with people or by myself. I have never raced against anyone so I really shouldn't have spoke of the competitive nature. If I had my way I would want a woman who can play tennis with me because it is this direct competition. It is putting all your energy into an object and sailing it across to her. So she can thwart it back to you. At the same time you're both trying to anticipate each other's moves so that you can beat the other person strategically. All this occurs within seconds. I find that about as good as it gets. While it is not a direct counter to Dan's comment about running being competitive, it is what I had in mind. The irony of all this is I met Rory while doing yoga - a very personal, extremely non-competitive activity. Alas, cupid's arrow;)

Our Tribe

It will be regular that I will comment on Northern Exposure episodes here. I am afraid that it is sort of my "bible," which is scary to me. I still hold the Bible as part of my resources for life, but Northern Exposure expands outside of that. It just seems shallow that a TV is what reaches deep into my soul and rips out questions I didn't want to ask myself. Shouldn't that be the Bible's job? Perhaps it's not so strange since I was brought up on TV and find it my main medium.

The show I watched tonight was about Joel (the doctor) being adopted by a local Native American tribe. Simultaneously, the bar owner closed the bar and left the town without a common meeting spot while he watched the stars for a star he bought a number of years ago. The show, with no surprise, was about community.

It talked about how years ago we were individuals and then we formed into tribes and then the networks became more complex until things are just blurred. The doctor, who at first abhorred the idea of being adopted by this tribe later came to love it because it was a simple community in which he could belong to. He talked about how he was part of a tribe of New York Knicks fans, a tribe of Jews, a tribe of apartment owners.

It made me think about my own networks. I have the people I live with, my family, my friends, the environmental groups I'm in, and the business school, St. Pauls, etc. And yet out of all of these "tribes" I feel scattered and somehow unfulfilled. I'm throwing this one out on my own because I am aware that many people feel a deeper connection to their communities than I do, but I just feel a disconnect. I am well connected, knowledgeable, and constantly meeting with people, but I don't really feel connected. I guess part of the reason I created this blog so that I would have some sort of community. A way that the internet has been used very much today.

One related issue this week has been my girlfriend being irate with me about breaking my lenten promises and not going to Church. Lately I have felt disconnected with my faith and I think it is due to my lack of a proper faith community. I do not feel at home with the people at the faith community here in Madison. I probably could make an effort to be more involved in the community, but I just don't feel like it's worth it. It's just a feeling, no quantifier behind it. I think this is why I broke my lenten promises (besides the fact that none of them meant anything to me). I feel like we should always be moving toward Christ, always improving ourselves. That's not the point of Lent. The point of Lent is to sacrifice yourself on a part of the community. It is the same reason that mass should important. Not because you're damned to hell but because you feel connected to that group.

I thought about this point because the Native American tribe made Joel go through many sacrifices to join their group from fasting, to giving up his belongings, to sleeping outside and watching for visions.

I think we make sacrifices for the communities that we feel strongly about. The question is what communities do we feel strongly about. Currently, I guess as I said my family and friends would be about it, but I see those more as network and less as a community. I'll keep grappling with this one.

Political Spike

Joe and Dan have now become a formidable counter to my comments. A move I didn't see. It's comparable to volleyball. I can see Joe constantly making perfect set ups for Dan to spike the ball across the line and leave me wondering how they scored a point. I applaud you both for that team effort.

As for your comments they have made me rethink my points as they should. I think that Barack will bring some change if nothing else in the attitude of the country. I still worry that he or McCain may be mavericks. I still think that touting the party line is an important ideal, but just not in American politics. People especially in our generation are apathetic to party ideals mostly because they are stagnant. We do not have the system where the party and the prime minister are elected together. I think I would be more akin to that, but I know it has its issues. I really want some different parties to emerge and for the parties to be the negotiators of policy. I think we have given too much power to the President. Something out constitution was never meant to do. King George is truly a tyrant but I think we have allowed his train of abuses. Sound familiar:) I think our political process needs a change, but it's not going to happen.

So...on that note if there is going to be a maverick, free moving, power wielding President it might as well be Barack Obama. He is weak on policies, which means he will be open to the ideas of Congress. I think he has an agenda, but won't force as much as Hillary. I think Dan and Joe still are blind to the fact that the Clintons. I as a moderate liberal support that type of politician. As I said, that is what makes it strange that I chose Barack Obama. However, I think that Bush has put us in such a bad place that radical policies is what this country needs to just bring us back to center.

Democratic Party in '08

After talking with more people about the candidates and reading things in the paper...I'm wondering if I voted for the wrong candidate. I didn't support Barack Obama because I believed he had radical policies and was some sort of maverick like Ron Paul. I voted for just the opposite reason. I believe that Barack Obama is the favored choice of the democratic party and thus should be the elected party. I think that Barack will not bring radical change, even though that might be part of his agenda. I think that he has smart policies that have been kicked around the democratic party for awhile but come in the form of strong charismatic voice. Chase was right...this is a conspiracy. Barack Obama has been bred by the democrats to walk and speak like they want the new democrat to look like. The Clintons should not be rejected though. While they split to differentiate themselves in the election, they and the rest of the country should realize that the political process is a game and when its over we will still have our issues. The Clintons have the know how and will power to do great things. Either way I just want a person that will support the policies of Congress and really help Nancy. I think that McCain is a well respected man, but he is a maverick about policy. He chooses what he likes and is very fickle about representing his party, his state, and perhaps his country. Sometimes this has been good for him and sometimes it has not been. If Barack Obama is the same as I am hearing then perhaps I truly should've picked Hillary. The democrats need someone to lead them, not to tout their own agenda. They know the issues, they have the solutions, they just can't get them passed. The change is already here and it's sitting under Bush's veto.

Brewers - Take 'em or leave 'em

What's going on with the Brewers? I said last year that I was planning on leaving the Brewers if I couldn't find a compelling reason to watch them. What compelling reasons do I have to watch this season?

Perception

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind". - (Act I, Scene I).
-Midsummer Night's Dream - William Shakespeare

I just watched a very thought provoking episode of Northern Exposure that ended with this quote. The episode being about perception and attraction. The characters' perception biased by their attraction or lack thereof to one another. What attracts us to one another on a friendship level, on a passion level, as a stranger, or as an enemy? I most want to ponder into what attracts us to one another as lovers. Is it perception and if so what type? Is the mind that is stimulated and if so how?

I would say in my own right I am attracted not so much with my mind but more with my emotions or what would be symbolized as my heart. I find love irrational. Someone completely opposite you, someone who frustrates you, can leave your knees week and you yearning for more. Perhaps that's why love makes us blind because with other processes we can rationalize them, but love is a unique creature not tamed by the mind.

What are your thoughts on this slight revelation? Expect more revelations from my watching of Northern Exposure - probably the greatest show on Earth:)

Bruce Springsteen

I forgot to mention that during my lenten period I have expanded my taste for music out "the Boss." I have never listened his music except for what's on the radio. I find him a very a great storyteller like Chase has alluded to, but I can't quite get into his sound yet. I think it will take some time. Currently I am listening to "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions." I just listen to whatever I find at the library.

What television characters are you akin to?

From Northern Exposure - Chris Stevens
From Doug - Doug Funnie
From the Daily Show - Jon Stewart

Now you try...

Music

I find music essential to the mind. There is something unique about it.

Over my reflection period, I chose to listen to World Beat and Folk. I am not sure if this shows a shift in me somehow. I used to be obsessed with classic rock, then pop, then classical, then jazz, then world beat, now folk. What makes music appeal to you at one point in your life and have no meaning the next. I used to love pop music, now the sound of it makes me dance, but it leaves me unfulfilled. The same is true of the other forms. Music I used to really love seems tied to another self.

Do what you want with this...

Artists I really enjoyed in my reflection period...

-17 Hippies
-Gillian Welch
-Salif Keita
-Karine Polwart

All from the BBC's Radio 3's Late Junction. I'm obsessed with the show, and consequently the music.

Vent from Mid-Lent

So I didn't make it all the way through on my lenten promises. I just have no other way to bounce my philosophical thoughts. It's horrible trying to bounce them off of yourself. I tried bouncing them off of my roommate and my girlfriend, but I think they probably want to duct tape me with amount I blab about random stuff.

Here are the topics to look forward to:

-Collective Unconscious
-What's this all about? Comes up quite a bit in Northern Exposure.

-Revisiting Dreams
-I still feel strongly about this and I'm not sure if science quite has their hands around it though I did enjoy Dan P's article.

-Where in the world is Paul Robinson?
-The legend has never, to my knowledge, ever shown himself on this blog. Probably too caught up with investment bankers. God speed man...'dem tough folk.

-Revisiting Identity
-How do we define ourselves?
-Why do people like to belong?
-How do they choose to belong?
-Is ethnicity important?

-What defines a community?
-I think America is missing this as the very important question.

-What makes Barack Obama the ideal candidate?

As you can see I have been kickin' too much around in my mind. Have fun:)

Unprecedented Responses - This is exciting

I have decided that I am going to give up my blog for lent. I feel I am going to use the lenten period to reflect on the issues that I have hastily brought forth on my blog. Today was amazing though because it seemed like there was some really good discussion going on. To respond to it all I think I will leave closing remarks to the people.

Chase - I did peruse your remarks that you and Joe Z posted on that one day about transportation. It would take a complete overhaul of our system. And perhaps we'd find it wouldn't be worth the cost. I am jealous of the European system of small hatchbacks, trains, metroes, water taxis, buses, and planes. Denmark was so well run - I was felt like I was coming back to a different age, not only different time zone. I feel like we have much to learn from European nations and we are really arrogant about our ways being superior - I know that's overly broad though.

Dan P - I haven't had an opportunity to respond to your comments, but I really enjoy reading them. To start out, I do have a strange love of cars, while at the same time hating how they are used. I think cars can be pieces of artwork, amazing machines to drive, and rather good for transporting people comfortably. However, from the congestion I see in the city of Milwaukee and other cities, they should not be the primary mode of transportation like people make them out to be. People should bike more, take the bus more, take the trains more, etc. Their travel should be diversified and the car should be there for travel that can't be completed by one of the others. Sadly, our country has been designed and we are used to using the car for everything. It makes me sad. I think the car has its purpose, but its being abused. I also am probably conflicted inside on the issue.

Secondly, I'm glad you backed me on the comment about things being the way they are. I thought that might get to you. It certainly got to me.

Third, even though I still lean toward the electoral college I realized I did so for rather arbitrary reasons. I really don't know why I support the electoral college. Am I following the fallacy I hate - "This is the way the world is"? I hope not but it doesn't look good:)

DanJ - Out of know where - slamming home some good comments. The bus system like the badger bus is good and perhaps buses are the form of public transportation that should be used in America.

To all who responded, keep thinking, keep reflecting. You all have left an impression on me with your comments and for that reason this blog has been worthwhile. I hope you all do well while I'm gone.

See you later,

Joe

Dreams

What do people think about their dreams? Is it just random neurons firing off that offer us confusing images? Are they thoughts we wouldn't normally think about in real life? Are they something else? I'm not sure, but I find them one of the most interesting things in our lives.

I remember ones where I have been falling, climbing, running, and laying down. They all felt pretty real and yet I never moved. Does this subject interest anyone else?

I especially enjoy talking about Dejavu. How does this happen? Is it real or a myth? I think it's real, but I could be wrong...

Public Transportation - What the hell is that?

I am really upset for an 8th year in row, Bush has taken the largest budget cut for public transportation. The worst part is that no one cares or they care but they don't want to say anything. When I start ranting about policies about trains and metroes being more common, I feel that people look at me like I'm crazy. We need to cut down on congestion? Do people like rush hour traffic? We need to cut green house gases? We need to start sharing good and stop being so individualized. How do we expect to share in a health system if we can't begin sharing transportation? I want some people to either help me form my argument on this or go against, but stop being apathetic about this. I feel it is really important especially with the budget coming out and the election happening.

Is Bigger Necessarily Better?

I was reading the Wall Street Journal this morning and they were saying that the American public wants fuel efficient cars and they don't mind buying small cars. However, those in government are worried that these small cars aren't as safe. The WSJ seemed to almost agree that we shouldn't be looking at these small cars because they aren't as safe as a bigger car. This is one of the few times when I really upset with the WSJ. I think that government regulations on the safety of cars is too much. I think we should look more at reducing standards to where Europe. Of course, that would mean we would need the infrastructure of...should I say it?...public transporation to take dependency off of automobiles.

Darwinism or Christianity?

In response to Joe Z's remarks on Universal Health Care.

Insert whatever religion or philosophy has humanistic elements. The question really becomes...should we look out for ourselves or our neighbors? And who are we defining as our neighbors? Who are we bound to? Our country, in its fear of communism and socialism, not having a major crisis, and become economically prosperous overall has forgotten about the connection to the people around us. We either continue to go in the direction of Darwin, that each man should hoard as many resources as possible in the effort to pass on his genes and leave all others to suffer at his gain or we can begin to be bound again. I think that Universe tries to balance itself out and right now, people are beginning to realize the disadvantages of aligning oneself too much with the individual. For centuries, we slowly allowed too much power to the whole (community or state), but now we've allowed too much power to the State. I am part of the movement not to move us back to authoritarianism (which it seems many of you fear) but a return to the local community and to more States power. I think that health care would be better served at those levels, but right now we are a very national government and the people of this country need affordable health care. I think that more public transportation should have been the first step, but it's not a sexy choice and would piss off many voters who work for Ford or GM, not to mention deals from abroad. However, we need a return to public goods, and while a few of you may have a gnashing of teeth, I see it an inevitable movement happening. What would you do if you didn't have proper health insurance or someone you loved really needed treatment? Go bankrupt - that's what you would do.

"That's just the way the world works"

Does that phrase bother you as much as it bothers me? I was sitting in AIS 301 and the professor said it as the reason why a certain entry was made the way it was. I don't want to be relativistic, but the transaction occurs like it does because of a governing body decided as such, not because "That's the way the world works." The world, or our perspective on it can constantly change, so there are very few things that you can use that phrase for. If someone thinks I'm wrong, speak out:)

Thoughts on the Politicians

Clinton - I think slowly but surely she is moving herself closer to moderate and has some good plans to fix America especially Universal Health Care. She lacks charisma though and seems at times overshadowed or too much in connection with Bill.

Apples to Apples: Loved

–adjective
held in deep affection; cherished: loved companions; much-loved friends.

Perhaps no one put anything for the last Apples to Apples because I didn't start...

Noun for "Loved" - The Green Bay Packers,

Electoral College

"It is time we start preparing ourselves for the onslaught of anti-Constitutional propaganda."

I got this request from a certain someone. He told me it is "one of the most controversial topics out there." I don't see what's so controversial about. I like the electoral college. It wasn't the electoral college's fault Bush was elected, it was our own. I still would've liked to have seen Gore in office as opposed to Bush. Ugh.

Car Talk

Some new cars have come on my radar that are worth some reviewing. Recent obsessions.

1.) Audi A3
a.) Gorgeous design, good fuel economy, avearge reliability (very good though for a german performance vehicle)
b.) I think I could really see myself getting one. I know I usually profess myself to be a Honda person, but I have a weakness for German cars.

2.) Mini Clubman
a.) A slightly larger version of the Cooper.
b.) While it is not nearly as sporty as the Cooper, it is still a great car for getting around the city.
c.) Definite pick especially with the BMW racing package.

3.) Acura RDX
a.) A car that could definitely give the A3 a run for its money.
b.) It certainly is a Honda, but it tries to act more like a German Touring Vehicle.
c.) When fuel economy improves I would look at one.

4.) Mercedes Benz R Class
a.) I still have a fear of mini-vans but if I had to get one - this would be it.
b.) A German tank - not a mini van;)

Top 5 Clothing Brands

1.) L.L. Bean
2.) Patagonia
3.) REI
4.) Brooks Brothers
5.) Lands End

Runner Up: Roots

Are clothing brands even important to you all?

Buy Patagonia

Do you care about the products you buy? Do you care about quality, style, or price. I'm sure on that list quality comes last. And if we get to quality does that include how it was made? Do you care if slave labor made it, harmful chemicals made that, much transport was needed to get it to you. How much crap do we actually need?

When push comes to shove I really don't care about any of this because it takes way too much time to find out about it. But what if I do know about it? What if I can get a quality piece from Patagonia on sale? Fully recycled and made in a well groomed factory? I think I should. Should I be wary of people who say they offer me a green label and try to pass it off as quality (Star*cough*bucks) Hell yeah.

I think I have a few points. One, be somewhat conscious of who you buy from. It's as important as the products. Two, just because it's high quality, doesn't mean it has to be expensive. Be smart. Buy pieces from outlets and sale racks. Those are my favorite places for clothing. Third, don't be deceived by companies that try to convince that they are helping the world. They maybe or may not be. Do some research on your brands. It's really important. Make the company work for you, not the other way around.

The apathetic generation

There was the lost generation, well I think we would be the apathetic generation. A generation that just wants to get along and enjoy life. We don't want to try to cause controversy. The majority of us either are polarized to an extreme or just apathetic to an issue. Those with the polarized vision just try to antagonise and the rest of us just try to ignore them and get on with our lives. I am not sure how or what will engage our generation, but right now we don't realize the impact of our decisions. I started thinking about this with the discussion on music and storytelling. The people around me just don't care that there aren't forms of expression that voice the issues of our generation. They just want music because it sounds pretty, they just want a movie because it has a good plot and some basic meaning, they want TV shows because they have juicy twists and turns, and the Internet is more frequently used for popular entertainment than for finding important information. Who have I become as a result of who's around me? I'm passive, individualized, and reckless. A strange combination...

Top 5 Songs

1.)Piano Concerto No. 2 by Sergei Rachmanioff
2.)Jealous of the Moon by Nickel Creek
3.)Blame It On Me by the Barenaked Ladies
4.)Stop This Train by John Mayer
5.)S'Wonderful performed by Diana Krall

Top 5 Albums

1.) Perpetual Motion by Bela Fleck
2.) Nickel Creek by Nickel Creek
3.) Room for Squares by John Mayer
4.) Keep It Together by Guster
5.) Hell Freezes Over by the Eagles

What would be on your top five? I hope something good:)

Great new podcast

If you want to listen to some pretty amazing artist, I found a new podcast from NPR that plays concerts on your iPod. I don't know what it is called, but it is worth checking out. It's something like live performances.

Bread and Circuses

When I brought up the topic of a storyteller, there was a very interesting comment made. It said that there are not any great storytellers because people do not seem themselves in crisis nor do people feel a compelling reason to write music. I would agree and disagree. I do not think that white suburban kids have a crisis at hand. We are the sons and daughters of modern lords (in the middle ages sense). We have everything we could possibly want and more. It makes us if we are not careful pleasure junkies. We want music that sounds good, but doesn't have substance; we want many consumer goods, but don't want to think where they came from; we want much food, but we don't want to think what's inside it or where it came from. The list goes on, but we are generation that apparently does not live in fear of our choices and there's the problem. We don't understand how our choices affect other people especially when it comes to politics. So what if there are only two political parties and one President? What about your congressman, senators, city councilmen? These people are equally important. We need to realize that every politician is a voice to be heard and our voices should be heard.

Now that I am done being the modern Jefferson, back to the music. I think in the urban areas there has been a great growth and great destruction of a modern storyteller - the rap artist. Rap music was the music of the inner city, those people have something to worry about and while they shelter themselves with their inability to get out from under, they are aware of the issues. However, do not think that all rap music is good. The rubbish indirectly created by the suburbanites, and don't think it hasn't been; 50 cent, Jay-Z, Ludicrous, etc. While the music has become more polished, it's not necessarily telling a better story in fact it's sending the wrong message. It appears to promote violence not try to explain it. As the BBC said, listen to old school rap, or find a rap artist outside the states. The middle easterners in Europe are surprisingly picking up this art form to explain their own issues.

On the hand, country music , Chris Thile being included in that group has some really good storytellers, but even that music can get out hand. Sugar Hill Records is one of the last great hubs for true storytellers and passerbys of folk.

In popular music I did forget about some of the women lately who have become good storytellers like Sarah Mclachlan and Mary J. Blige.

In all, I think we are generation that has not grown up on truly understand the purpose of music, its form and its function. It's sad but true. Most music listen to by people like me is some type of Indie/Rock/Pop. The music is catchy, but is just a loud version of music that's been played for a long time with similar lyrics. Dave Matthews has the largest following of them all because he is in fact different. He has different lyrics and different melodies. That doesn't make him amazing. It makes him someone with a mind:) Our generation likes Dave Matthews because in a desert we want something resembles water and right now we can't tell the difference between the the water and sand.

Alone

There are times where I am comforted by being alone. To just forget about everything that is going on around you can be comforting. On the other hand, it can be painful to feel alone when it is not by choice. I feel like these ideas are related as they are at the same time opposing. Sometimes time alone can be comforting because your issues become too great and you need time to reflect or perhaps you're just worn out and you don't want to talk to anyone. However, that loneliness by choice can also be a problem because if we shelter ourselves too much and enjoy that loneliness, emerging back out into the pain of the real world can sometimes be worse than had we not tried to shelter ourselves. We can also make other people feel alone when we ourselves want to tune out the world. The fascinating part of this is that this can occur when you are among people or you are doing an activity that makes you feel connected and yet when you actually review it you're probably alone or at least isolated. There are video games, and iPods, TV, etc. Are we actually more connected than we used to be or more alone? I'm not sure thus while I pose it.

I know in my own life I feel alone most of the time. Not the fact that I'm not among people, but that I don't actually truly feel connected to people. I feel like they're not listening, they don't understand, or we're doing a passive activity together. etc. This blog has been one of the areas where I really feel connected to the few people who generally respond, but it also has its isolationist aspect to it. I'm not sure where I was going with this. Just sort of rant. Perhaps someone can garner something out of it. Perhaps not:)

Forever searching to be connected,

J

Top 10 Movies

1.) Before Sunset
2.) Before Sunrise
3.) Amelie
4.) Everything Is Illuminated
5.) Good Will Hunting
6.) Once
7.) The Princess Bride
8.) Rudy
9.) Meatballs
10.) Signs

What would be on your list? They don't need to be in order nor do they need to be in ten.

Friends Awards

Most politically aware/active - Dan Pensinger
Most aware about sports - Dan Rowan
Most internationally aware/good music - Chase Kettler
Most realistic views - Joe Zagrodnik

The Preservers of American Music

Since a certain someone constantly wants to keep invoking the name of "the Boss," I think it only right to devote a post to him. I think that he is one of the great preservers of what I would consider authentic American music. It's not pop, it speaks from the soul of American folk. Along his side would be Billy Joel, Paul Simon and John Cougar Mellancamp. However, these gentlemen are rather old. Who is the modern American storyteller through song. John Mayer - perhaps. I think you should all more likely watch out for Chris Thile. He is the voice of our generation according to the BBC and I would likely agree. John Mayer is good, he's poetry smooth, and well mastered, but he has yet to speak from the voice of America. Continuum is close, but not quite there. However, I think he will also be a voice for our generation as he escapes the clutches of popular music. Ben Harper could be a modern storyteller. Perhaps. Again I think that so far Chris Thile is the best storyteller of our generation.

New artist recommendation

I was listening to Mary Ann Kennedy (The disc jockey) on the BBC and she recommended Karine Polwart. She played a track from her and then I went to her MySpace and I really enjoyed the tracks I heard there. It's simple lyrics, powerful vocals (at least for folk), and good instrumentals. Check it out:)

Western Storytelling

I was listening to an interesting show on the BBC today. The story was a look at storytelling in Morocco, but it was a part of series looking at the loss of traditions. The show said that storytelling was originally intended to transmit important values and ethics to its audiences that could not be so easily transmitted via other forms of communication. I think in such a complex time as our own I feel we need more storytellers and I feel we have less. I will explain why.

The show said that storytelling would be analogous to a chess board. The West tries to make the most beautiful chess board, but the old traditions of other cultures try to master the rules of the game. I would agree. We know how to make a very enticing story, but how often does it entice us to take some type of action or have a reflection on our life. Very rarely. That should really be a storytellers purpose - to change his audience through word. A counterargument was made that modern shows and movies do this. I would argue as the BBC did that very few do. Among shows I can only think of Northern Exposure as doing such a thing and among movies "Everything is Illuminated" and "Before Sunset." I want a story that does glitter but a story with grit and substance.

Anyone with me on this one?