Before spring cleaning my blog with a little updating of the main photo, I was thinking about the picture above and letting some of the thoughts lead me down a path I usually don't let people follow because it is my past. I think that it is not a part of me, but I am wrong.
The photo is one I took at the Balinese Pavillion of theWorld Garden in Marzahn, Germany in 2008. It was a beautiful Spring day and every plant in place was in full bloom. It was an absolutely magnificent showing that we had no idea awaited us at the end of our train ride out of Alexanderplatz. The photo is a pityful example of the beauty we encountered on our visit, of the city, its people, history and culture.
What is astounding about this photo is that I took it at all. I was brought up in the southern culture of the United States of strict religion and deep fear of anything and everyone different from it. Small town and small mindedness could not hold me and I grew beyond the inflicted boundaries of racism, sexism and xenophobia.
Experiencing Berlin forced the last shackles of my upbringing to fall from my shoulders that I always thought held me down. Being the lover of maps in the family, I fearlessly led my family through the trains from Alexanderplatz to Tiergarten, from Potsdamerplatz to Marzahn, all over the city where we overheard mostly nothing but German everywhere. We tried our broken German on patient maitre d's and gracious storekeepers. I was moved to tears in the Checkpoint Charlie Museum at the prominently displayed examples of what the people of East Berlin were willingly to endure to obtain what I so easily take for granted. My proudest moment was watching my son communicate in his own way with a Berliner about his age at a park as we took a break for lunch. He was eager to learn, to explore and make friends with someone he couldn't even understand. I love that he accepts peoples' differences because I know it opens so many doors for him that had been closed to me.
This photo says all of that to me with just a glance at it. I will replace it with one of equal meaning someday this Spring, if I can find one.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Important Conversations
Through last week and the weekend, I managed to watch three movies that overwhelmingly surprised me. More indicative of where my mental state resided than the greatness of the movies, individually they didn’t necessarily speak to me, but as a whole they forced an internal dialog I had been avoiding for a very long time.
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past was a romantic comedy full of eye candy and the expert line delivery of Matthew McConaughey. As funny as his life long ailment of failure to commit could be, what was not funny was the reason behind it. To say the least, it hit home for me.
While the boys were out on Saturday at a chess tournament, I unintentionally fell into the movie, An American Quilt. Thinking incorrectly again that this movie was a romantic drama, it opened my eyes to all of my decisions, good and bad, and their consequences.
Last but not least, what I thought would be yet another romantic comedy, Marley and Me, that would deliver humorous physical comedy with an out of control dog, opened up a wound barely scabbed over. It caught me off guard. The crying jag lasted over an hour.
I don’t cry about movies. I hardly cry about life. But these movies opened my eyes to pain, consequences and what I really want out of life in an avalanche of emotion unlike I’ve ever experienced. Maybe I was open to it; maybe I was due a good cry. I'm just glad I finally had that conversation with myself.
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past was a romantic comedy full of eye candy and the expert line delivery of Matthew McConaughey. As funny as his life long ailment of failure to commit could be, what was not funny was the reason behind it. To say the least, it hit home for me.
While the boys were out on Saturday at a chess tournament, I unintentionally fell into the movie, An American Quilt. Thinking incorrectly again that this movie was a romantic drama, it opened my eyes to all of my decisions, good and bad, and their consequences.
Last but not least, what I thought would be yet another romantic comedy, Marley and Me, that would deliver humorous physical comedy with an out of control dog, opened up a wound barely scabbed over. It caught me off guard. The crying jag lasted over an hour.
I don’t cry about movies. I hardly cry about life. But these movies opened my eyes to pain, consequences and what I really want out of life in an avalanche of emotion unlike I’ve ever experienced. Maybe I was open to it; maybe I was due a good cry. I'm just glad I finally had that conversation with myself.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Are Americans Ready for "Remember Me?"
Do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001? Remember any arguments you had that morning? Did the day start like any other day? Do you remember thinking what a terrible mistake it was when the first plane flew into the first tower, then when you heard the news of the second plane hitting the other tower, your world came to a halt, flipped over and presented itself as the true, terrifying place we now live in?
Depending on your level of involvement of what happened on September 11, 2001, you may or may not be prepared to redress the feelings of that day through a film you may think is a regular romantic drama. While subsequent fox chases, captured terrorists and sanctioned wars have lured us into thinking we've continually dealt with the emotions of that awful day, all that most Americans have done are changed the ways we go through airport security, remain suspicious of our Muslim neighbors and become more conscious of our borders.
We've become accustomed to the real footage on CNN or documentaries of the four airplanes full of people and two of the world's largest buildings meeting tragic ends on September 11, 2001. But, are we prepared for everyday drama and romance with the beauty of Hollywood (or Great Britain and Australia in this case) drawing us into their story just to make a point that we've forgotten the lesson of living every moment of life to its fullest?
A new movie coming out this weekend will offer a window on that fateful day, but prepare yourselves. I want you to know that window may be a mirror you're not ready to look into yet. The movie's storyline supposedly does not prepare you for its ending. Luckily, many viewers will be young, following the popularity of actor Rob Pattinson. They probably don't remember all the emotions of what is now known simply as 9-11, but as Pattinson fans, they may be equally wounded. You can say it's just a movie, but movies have the power to move us. I do hope this film will move us in the right direction. It's called "Remember Me." Go see it, if you're ready.
Here is the official trailer on YouTube to help you decide: Remember Me Trailer
Depending on your level of involvement of what happened on September 11, 2001, you may or may not be prepared to redress the feelings of that day through a film you may think is a regular romantic drama. While subsequent fox chases, captured terrorists and sanctioned wars have lured us into thinking we've continually dealt with the emotions of that awful day, all that most Americans have done are changed the ways we go through airport security, remain suspicious of our Muslim neighbors and become more conscious of our borders.
We've become accustomed to the real footage on CNN or documentaries of the four airplanes full of people and two of the world's largest buildings meeting tragic ends on September 11, 2001. But, are we prepared for everyday drama and romance with the beauty of Hollywood (or Great Britain and Australia in this case) drawing us into their story just to make a point that we've forgotten the lesson of living every moment of life to its fullest?
A new movie coming out this weekend will offer a window on that fateful day, but prepare yourselves. I want you to know that window may be a mirror you're not ready to look into yet. The movie's storyline supposedly does not prepare you for its ending. Luckily, many viewers will be young, following the popularity of actor Rob Pattinson. They probably don't remember all the emotions of what is now known simply as 9-11, but as Pattinson fans, they may be equally wounded. You can say it's just a movie, but movies have the power to move us. I do hope this film will move us in the right direction. It's called "Remember Me." Go see it, if you're ready.
Here is the official trailer on YouTube to help you decide: Remember Me Trailer
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Twilight Series Critique - Top 5 Reasons the Story Appeals to the Mature Woman
As a favor to a friend that is researching the marketing phenomenon surrounding the books, I set down to analyze the Twlight series by Stephanie Myer. The first half of the first book, Twilight, was not easy. I knew it was a teenage romance story involving vampires but had no idea how difficult the first-person perspective would be nor how unbelievable the dialogue was written. But, I set out to accomplish this favor for a great friend so I couldn't let her down.
The main question my friend has asked, and I think everyone involved in the series from marketers of the book to actors in the movies have asked themselves, is why the series has been appealing to women beyond their teenage years? I will outline my top 5 reasons why the story appeals to some older women:
1)Not being completely sure of the book series' success before the first movie came out, I dare say, personifying the character of Edward through the actor, Rob Pattinson, has brought all the great traits that women find so attractive in Edward to life and in a strange reversal makes Edward unbelievable real. Rob has proven to be cool under pressure just as Edward forced himself to be in being attracted to Bella. He is polite, gentle, shy, vunerable and easy on the eyes. Some how the casting director found Edward in real life.
2)All females are attracted to what is most dangerous for them. Maybe it is ego, maybe it is the challenge of testing themselves in what they can and cannot handle. Bella wanted the guy that could kill her the minute he lost control and because that control was usually couched in sexual terms, even the reader has to contantly grapple with "do you want him to lose control and maybe kill Bella or can he just kiss her and deny himself?" How is that not appealing to any woman or man of any age?
3)Vampires are suppose to be able to live forever. Our collective issue with human mortality lures us to various religions to address it. Our desire to live forever portrayed in the mythic characters of vampires that are stronger than any human, full of sexual allure and can overcome so many of our natural weaknesses are the perfect heroes or heroines in any storyline.
4)Many of Bella's strengths are what we wish we had had as teenage girls and many of her vunerabilities that she has to deal with hits home at various levels for us. The main problem I had with the progress of Bella's character through the series is that she went from being mature and strong to a love-sick teenager that seemed to forget all of that strength she had at the beginning. And, it's all because she was in love, confused, lost and inexperienced. I liked her better in books 2 and 3 because of this. I remember being so called "in love" as a teenage and completely confused. That part made all the sense in the world to me.
5)With the advertising/marketing background that I have and used in reading the books, I can see how the movie marketing has played a huge roll in advancing the book series and its storyline. Living happily ever after (really!) with the perfect man is what almost every woman dreams of at 17, 35 or 50. The books and the movies offer an acceptable rendition of that, even if it is impossible to do as humans. This is a fantasy with many shared and relatable human elements.
I didn't like the first book because of its deniability of human nature, so I knew the first movie would not easily translate well on the screen. And it did come out awkward, especially for Bella's character and interpreting the attraction between Edward and Bella. They had to temper the natural sexuality that Myer doesn't let develop between the book's characters. It was too unnatural, even between a human and a "vamprire."
Since I had no interest in the books when the movies came out, I am playing catch-up. I have seen the first movie and look forward to viewing New Moon shortly. I don't think I will continue to critque the movies or the story. I just needed to outline my thoughts for my friend, but I will end with one final thought of the books overall: the lesson I learned from the books is that chasity is impossible for weak humans and has to be left to the immortals. I'm almost sure that was not the author's intention. ; )
The main question my friend has asked, and I think everyone involved in the series from marketers of the book to actors in the movies have asked themselves, is why the series has been appealing to women beyond their teenage years? I will outline my top 5 reasons why the story appeals to some older women:
1)Not being completely sure of the book series' success before the first movie came out, I dare say, personifying the character of Edward through the actor, Rob Pattinson, has brought all the great traits that women find so attractive in Edward to life and in a strange reversal makes Edward unbelievable real. Rob has proven to be cool under pressure just as Edward forced himself to be in being attracted to Bella. He is polite, gentle, shy, vunerable and easy on the eyes. Some how the casting director found Edward in real life.
2)All females are attracted to what is most dangerous for them. Maybe it is ego, maybe it is the challenge of testing themselves in what they can and cannot handle. Bella wanted the guy that could kill her the minute he lost control and because that control was usually couched in sexual terms, even the reader has to contantly grapple with "do you want him to lose control and maybe kill Bella or can he just kiss her and deny himself?" How is that not appealing to any woman or man of any age?
3)Vampires are suppose to be able to live forever. Our collective issue with human mortality lures us to various religions to address it. Our desire to live forever portrayed in the mythic characters of vampires that are stronger than any human, full of sexual allure and can overcome so many of our natural weaknesses are the perfect heroes or heroines in any storyline.
4)Many of Bella's strengths are what we wish we had had as teenage girls and many of her vunerabilities that she has to deal with hits home at various levels for us. The main problem I had with the progress of Bella's character through the series is that she went from being mature and strong to a love-sick teenager that seemed to forget all of that strength she had at the beginning. And, it's all because she was in love, confused, lost and inexperienced. I liked her better in books 2 and 3 because of this. I remember being so called "in love" as a teenage and completely confused. That part made all the sense in the world to me.
5)With the advertising/marketing background that I have and used in reading the books, I can see how the movie marketing has played a huge roll in advancing the book series and its storyline. Living happily ever after (really!) with the perfect man is what almost every woman dreams of at 17, 35 or 50. The books and the movies offer an acceptable rendition of that, even if it is impossible to do as humans. This is a fantasy with many shared and relatable human elements.
I didn't like the first book because of its deniability of human nature, so I knew the first movie would not easily translate well on the screen. And it did come out awkward, especially for Bella's character and interpreting the attraction between Edward and Bella. They had to temper the natural sexuality that Myer doesn't let develop between the book's characters. It was too unnatural, even between a human and a "vamprire."
Since I had no interest in the books when the movies came out, I am playing catch-up. I have seen the first movie and look forward to viewing New Moon shortly. I don't think I will continue to critque the movies or the story. I just needed to outline my thoughts for my friend, but I will end with one final thought of the books overall: the lesson I learned from the books is that chasity is impossible for weak humans and has to be left to the immortals. I'm almost sure that was not the author's intention. ; )
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