I've had a hard time getting into the Halloween spirit this year.
It's not for lack of love for the holiday. Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. Personally, I think a lot of it is just that I've been distracted with school, work, buying a new home, baby on the way...but it's more than that, I think.
It's that Halloween is such an ambiguous holiday, and it is marketed mainly as a "fun" holiday, to both kids and adults. But to what end? Why all the candy and costumes? Why all the senseless gore? Now I have no problem with having fun...but, even as a child, Halloween has always meant so much more to me than costumes and candy. There was always something ethereal about it that was the real reason I loved Halloween, deep down. And that is the spiritual side of Halloween. A time to recognize the cycles of life, a time to respect the dead, a time to be made aware of the invisible forces that exist, both good and bad, and marvel in our imaginations at the bizarre and uncanny in our own world here and now as well as in the world beyond. Life, and death, and life after death , are truly part of a grand, mysterious and amazing plan.
Maybe it's just my inner-pagan talking, but I yearn for some kind of spiritual sacrament for the night of Halloween. But the only rituals out there are Wiccan, and while they are beautiful in their own way, I'm not Wiccan. And no Christian church is going to hold any kind of spiritually nourishing service focused on the spiritual side of Halloween, unless you're a Catholic, but that focus is a narrow one.
To me, the Jack-O-Lantern, symbol of Halloween, sums the spirit of it all up. It's a ward against evil. It's a lantern to guide through the darkness. It's a strange face in the night, peering out at you, smiling or laughing, grimacing or frowning, with an unknown tale to tell. It's the totem of the Halloween spirit, and as long as it burns bright, the magic of the night can flow freely, and be absorbed into the hearts and minds of those who listen.
Halloween, originally a Celtic holiday, turned Catholic holiday, turned secular/meaningless fun holiday - has a meaning, and those meanings are many. It's up to you to find out what it will mean to you. I hope you make it count. Let your Jack-O-Lanterns burn brightly.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Current Events: Romney takes the lead
As a Romney supporter, I have to say I was fearful this day would not come. And in fact, it's possible I may be speaking too soon. Polls can be finicky, just like people. The winds can always change in elections. And this is certainly an example of it.
Mitt Romney was the front runner for quite some time until Perry came on the scene. Then like a cowboy with guns-a-blazin', Perry came in on horseback and took the lead. Yet now he is imploding. His numbers have been continuing to diminish in the polls. After a series of mediocre performances in the GOP debates, repetitive attacks from the other GOP contenders, and a general feeling of "Can this guy really beat Obama??", Perry's luster is beginning to dim, and Romney, whose strategy has just been mostly just to keep steady, maintain composure and stick on message, has again taken the lead.
This poll shows it all.
I'm reminded of the classic story of the tortoise and the hare....
I'm also reminded of Howard Dean in 2004, during the Democrat primary process. Howard Dean's charisma and enthusiasm catapulted him to the lead in the race. Even though I disagreed with him on pretty much everything, I had to respect his energy. But then, one day, there was the famous "YEEEAAARRRGGHHHH!!!" when he lost, what was it, the Iowa straw poll? My memory isn't too clear on that. But he lost something, and at a rebound rally with his supporters, he just got a little bit toooo pumped up....his results of his reaction to the set-back were more devestating than the setback itself. Clips of his infamous scream were played all over television and radio. People got turned off to Howard Dean soon after that, and John Kerry became the nominee.
Just goes to show, politics is a fluid game. And hey, Romney may yet lose out to Perry. Or who knows, even Cain. I'm not counting my chickens yet. But for now, it's a good day for Romney supporters.
The famous scream:
Mitt Romney was the front runner for quite some time until Perry came on the scene. Then like a cowboy with guns-a-blazin', Perry came in on horseback and took the lead. Yet now he is imploding. His numbers have been continuing to diminish in the polls. After a series of mediocre performances in the GOP debates, repetitive attacks from the other GOP contenders, and a general feeling of "Can this guy really beat Obama??", Perry's luster is beginning to dim, and Romney, whose strategy has just been mostly just to keep steady, maintain composure and stick on message, has again taken the lead.
This poll shows it all.
I'm reminded of the classic story of the tortoise and the hare....
I'm also reminded of Howard Dean in 2004, during the Democrat primary process. Howard Dean's charisma and enthusiasm catapulted him to the lead in the race. Even though I disagreed with him on pretty much everything, I had to respect his energy. But then, one day, there was the famous "YEEEAAARRRGGHHHH!!!" when he lost, what was it, the Iowa straw poll? My memory isn't too clear on that. But he lost something, and at a rebound rally with his supporters, he just got a little bit toooo pumped up....his results of his reaction to the set-back were more devestating than the setback itself. Clips of his infamous scream were played all over television and radio. People got turned off to Howard Dean soon after that, and John Kerry became the nominee.
Just goes to show, politics is a fluid game. And hey, Romney may yet lose out to Perry. Or who knows, even Cain. I'm not counting my chickens yet. But for now, it's a good day for Romney supporters.
The famous scream:
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Movie Review: Contagion
Score: 2/5 Stars
My advice: Don't waste your time and save your money. It's not worth the 9 dollar ticket, or 18 dollars if you have a date. If you must, wait for the dollar theatre....but even then, think twice.
The truth about this movie just that it never delivers. There's never really a punch to it. This goes contrary to what the film advertises in its trailer. The trailer sets up a movie with an all-star cast in what looks like could be a thriller about what would happen if an epidemic sweeps across the world killing millions upon millions. Sounds like a good plot with plenty of potential, and the trailer made it look like maybe the movie could be well done. After all, some great actors had signed up for it. Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon, to name a few.
Unfortunately, while the actors all do their jobs just fine, it's the script that is the problem. It delves into many stories all at once: the renegade blogger who is trying to expose how the pharmaceutical companies are in bed with the government at the cost of human lives, the people with the World Health Organization who are trying to counter his claims and manage a global crisis, the scientist who works to find a vaccine despite being told to shut down his operations, and the family man who loses half his family, not just to the disease but to the revelation of infidelity as well, but who himself has an immunity to it all as he watches the world around him die and as he struggles to protect his surviving loved ones.
Lots of great, potentially very intriguing story lines here. The sad part is that they never really go too deep below the surface. Not enough is there to really drag the viewer in to really care a lot about what is happening. A dedicated health services worker dies. She was a real trooper. Really, she was. But I didn't care a whole lot. Why? Because I never got to know her. That's just one example.
Furthermore, the movie really was lacking in showing the sheer HORROR of exactly what is happening in the world. It feels more like a news reel, with a few clips of footage from around the world. It never pulls you in to the world where everyone is dying around you. It never truly makes you feel the terror of what is happening, and the helplessness against it. Of course it talks about it and attempts to portray it somewhat, but I was definitely underwhelmed.
The movie ends up feeling like a long, boring documentary. I could tell that I wasn't the only person in the theatre bored. It was sort of an awkward feeling. Here we all are, staying only because we paid good cash to get some kind of a pay off for it.....and......what? Nothing. What a rip off.
I only gave this movie 2 stars for the actors and for making me think about the reality of such a situation possibly happening - which is certainly quite possible. Other than that, this movie is definitely a disappointment.
My advice: Don't waste your time and save your money. It's not worth the 9 dollar ticket, or 18 dollars if you have a date. If you must, wait for the dollar theatre....but even then, think twice.
The truth about this movie just that it never delivers. There's never really a punch to it. This goes contrary to what the film advertises in its trailer. The trailer sets up a movie with an all-star cast in what looks like could be a thriller about what would happen if an epidemic sweeps across the world killing millions upon millions. Sounds like a good plot with plenty of potential, and the trailer made it look like maybe the movie could be well done. After all, some great actors had signed up for it. Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon, to name a few.
Unfortunately, while the actors all do their jobs just fine, it's the script that is the problem. It delves into many stories all at once: the renegade blogger who is trying to expose how the pharmaceutical companies are in bed with the government at the cost of human lives, the people with the World Health Organization who are trying to counter his claims and manage a global crisis, the scientist who works to find a vaccine despite being told to shut down his operations, and the family man who loses half his family, not just to the disease but to the revelation of infidelity as well, but who himself has an immunity to it all as he watches the world around him die and as he struggles to protect his surviving loved ones.
Lots of great, potentially very intriguing story lines here. The sad part is that they never really go too deep below the surface. Not enough is there to really drag the viewer in to really care a lot about what is happening. A dedicated health services worker dies. She was a real trooper. Really, she was. But I didn't care a whole lot. Why? Because I never got to know her. That's just one example.
Furthermore, the movie really was lacking in showing the sheer HORROR of exactly what is happening in the world. It feels more like a news reel, with a few clips of footage from around the world. It never pulls you in to the world where everyone is dying around you. It never truly makes you feel the terror of what is happening, and the helplessness against it. Of course it talks about it and attempts to portray it somewhat, but I was definitely underwhelmed.
The movie ends up feeling like a long, boring documentary. I could tell that I wasn't the only person in the theatre bored. It was sort of an awkward feeling. Here we all are, staying only because we paid good cash to get some kind of a pay off for it.....and......what? Nothing. What a rip off.
I only gave this movie 2 stars for the actors and for making me think about the reality of such a situation possibly happening - which is certainly quite possible. Other than that, this movie is definitely a disappointment.
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