Obscenely literary

In an article from the New York Times called "Publisher Who Fought Puritanism, and Won," Charles McGrath discusses the documentary "Obscene" in his profile of Barney Rosset, a Grove Press publishing pioneer, who is set to be honored with a lifetime achievement award from the National Book Foundation. One of the insightful quotes included in the article is Rosset commenting on finances, saying, "I had a very good publishing career, but not money-wise. We got rid of the money." It is no wonder that Rosset's impact as a publisher is so resonant, especially in consideration of that philosophy; it is not about the money, it is about the literature in its uncensored original form.

A Monk After Hours

Somehow the monk found himself in the city. And, as the shadow of his ghostly figure hovered above the bustling downtown sidewalks, the monk watched as so many people seemed busy to get somewhere, to do something. This preoccupation with occupation, this busy existence, this world of automatic duty - it affirmed in the monk's mind his original intentions in retreating from society. Yet, as he watched this chaotic world around him, a realm of systematic exhaustion contrary to his beliefs but still vibrant, he did not despair; he simply scratched his wide forehead with his skeletal forefinger and said with a tranquil grin on his awake face, "This is going to be a challenge," as he began to walk down the street, greeting the city dwellers with a welcoming smile and a knowing gaze.

Does education undermine creativity?

As I've gotten back into the groove of teaching and learning, I've become a lot more critical of the education system. I've talked to some friends and family recently about how I sometimes feel like education seems like the institutionalization of ideas by which all the grace and beauty of creativity is rendered lifeless through the dogmatic processes of memorization, recitation, categorization, analysis, explanation, and evaluation. There is a certain wonder and appreciation that is extinguished by the canon and the power structure that holds that canon in place.

Then @bwicklund pointed me toward Sir Ken Robinson, a specialist on creativity who will be speaking September 25 at the University of Michigan in association with the Distinguished Visitors Series coordinated by the University of Michigan's School of Art and Design.

Here is a speech by Robinson about how schools undermine creativity. One of the more striking moments to me in this presentation is his description of all children being born as artists but, in the process of growing up, most children have trouble maintaining these natural inclinations toward creativity as a result of the systems we have set in place. His anecdote about a child painting God is particularly resonant - the child seems more hopeful and, in a way, wiser than the teacher.

In high school, many of my teachers were fascinated by multiple intelligences and teaching in varied ways as to engage different styles of learning and understanding. Due to this, my teachers were open to choice in class assignments - if you loved movies, your assignment could be a self-produced film; if you were a poet, your assignment could be a book of poetry; and if you were an artist, your assignment could be a set of sketches. Their willingness to encourage creativity is not lost upon me: I want to support creativity in all the students I teach, but at what point do my attempts at doing this run contrary to the standards set forth by our current system of education? And how can these issues be resolved without a radical overhaul of the entire system? Or maybe such an overhaul is necessary. Once again, watch Robinson's presentation if you want to learn more about this.

The Trinity Sun

The only cloud in the sky
split the sun into a triad,
singing salving signs,
acting as grand spectral triage
for those willing to stare down its set.

Lyrics That Epitomize My Week

So, when I'm feeling the need to vent, I sometimes dust off Finger Eleven's 1998 album "Tip" and rock out. It wasn't until today that I gave some of the band's new stuff a listen; the verdict's still out on my opinion of last year's "Them vs. You vs. Me", but I was pleasantly surprised to hear that the song I just listened to, "Fallen On," sums up the past few weeks for me:

When you feel so close to some resolve
and you write the words you were writing for,
but your courage gets dissolved
into what, I don't know;

When you feel that way again,
you have to stop your thinking
and think of what you're here for,
and let the rest of your feelings go.

You've got to find your balance.
You've got to realize;
you've got to try to find what's right before your eyes,
and if you find you've fallen
and all your grace is gone,
just scream for me and I'll be what you're falling on.

Alive to tell the tale

This is an interesting article about near-death experiences. If this fascinates you, you might want to ---SPOILER ALERT!--- consider watching 2005's "Stay," starring Ewan McGregor, Ryan Gosling, and Naomi Watts. I caught that movie again the other night; it wasn't the best, but it was definitely thought-provoking.

While on the subject of NDEs, what follows is a relevant poem from 2007's "Out of Context."

"In a Heart Beat"
By Thom Kudla

In a heart beat
it all changed.

Dear God,
I'm so sorry
for having lied
to myself
all this time.
How was I
to know my place
within your will?

In a heart beat...

My Lord Jesus Christ,
please grant me
the divine right
to be let free.
Who am I
to remain
a prisoner
of your holy wars?

In a heart beat...

Bless me,
father,
for I have
sinned.
I told my
Mother
the story
of heaven
and hell,
and we
haven't spoken
centuries since.

In a heart beat
it all changed.

My life as a kaliedoscope,
shimmering with the sheen
of starry-eyed microscope dreams,
caught between what's seen
with telescopes
and what's read
in horoscopes.

In a heart beat
it all changed.

I left the womb
wounded by a woman's lust,
forsaken by a father's mistrust,
given freedom by my own disgust.

And it came down
to the know-not why I cry
tears falling to my chest,
begging for forgiveness,
asking for absolution,
with an angelic sadness
such as this.

In a heart beat
it all changed
and would never
be the same.
I saw the Truth
in my butterfly heart,
wings blazing,
silhouetted over
a miraculous
moon lit dark,
all in a heart beat-
one desperate,
repentant,
saddening,
maddening
heart beat,
the rhythm
of which
circles circadian
into insane infinity,
where my future
lies lightspeeds
ahead of my heart
sounding sparkling
amidst the stars.

In a heart beat
you'd wish
upon a star
such as this.

New theatre company shows promise

One of the more enduring and beautiful things about great art is its transcendent way of transporting its audience to another world, a really real realm where fantastic imaginations are engaged, hopeful dreams are realized, and unifying stories are shared. While watching the last run of Yellow Alligator Theatre Company’s rendition of “Once on This Island” Friday night at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, I was whisked away to a land where the jubilant dances of vibrant characters were metonymic for the soothing island breeze, where love healed all wounds in feverish flourishes of mystical elegance, where zealous beats and seraphic notes lifted spirits with the grace of ocean waves, where soul wedded heart in resounding song, where imperfect gods were perfect reflections of human psychological bedevilment, where the cosmic glimmer in a lover’s eye and the pain in a father’s face felt truer than life – an exuberant place where a theatre company proved itself a family.

Though “Once on This Island” was the debut production of Yellow Alligator Theatre Company, there is an almost familial closeness of the cast and crew, exemplified by the actors’ intensely joyful chemistry and the consummately professional coordination of the crew, which reflects the maturity of a longtime well-established theatre company. Every member of the company has parlayed his/her myriad individual talents and accomplishments into one grand and passionate vision: to tell a story with the acuity, creativity, familiarity, unity, excitement, compassion, and affection of a family. Future offerings from Yellow Alligator are sure to maintain, and possibly exceed, such levels of artistry and entertainment.

Away from everything

Whenever I get home from Chicago and drive into my sequestered suburban "apartment living community," I often hear Thom Yorke's sardonic voice, singing, "No alarms and no surprises," and yet somehow this doesn't bother me. It's not that I don't love the city; Chicago is awesome and I love going there whenever I can. There's just something about having a quiet sanctuary away from the overwhelming greatness of a city, something understated and calm, that brings comfort to me. Mostly, though, I think I just like the idea of having a retreat.

Uprising!

Thank you, Michael Moore. Though I find parts of your documentaries to be sometimes intrusively opinionated, I still respect the work you do - and most of your documentaries are included in my video collection because of their thought-provoking content. And, of course, there's "Sicko," which was as moving as it was engaging. So, once again, thank you for all your documentaries, and thank you for the gift of a free documentary called "Slacker Uprising." In documenting your 2004 election tour and now giving it away for free, you're doing your part as a filmmaker to raise awareness, to inspire discourse, and to incite a proactive approach toward politics.


So, you there, I encourage you to visit slackeruprising.com and request to be notified of free online access to Michael Moore's new documentary "Slacker Uprising" when it's released September 23, 2008.

The NFL season is just starting and I'm already ready for the NBA season...

I realize the NBA is stacked with all sorts of great teams this upcoming season, as it was last year, especially in the West, but I think fans could be in for a surprise from a few teams...

Though I'm a huge Chicago Bulls fan, and I think we're going to have a surprising year under the guidance of player-turned-coach Vinny Del Negro, with the No. 1 draft pick Derrick Rose helping out Luol Deng and company, I do think that people ought to keep an eye on the Portland Trailblazers - there was a time when, much like the Houston Rockets, they were the hottest team in the NBA last season despite health problems hindering their big man. If Greg Oden is healthy, look out.

Collection of quirks

So, I recently added the blog of @danielle_i, Door of Second Chances, to my del.icio.us because I enjoy reading it - and I'm sure that you do/will too. As a result, she has done the same with my blog and requested that I follow these Blogtagging Laws:

1. Link the person who tagged you
2. Mention the rules on your blog
3. Tell about six (6) unspectacular quirks you possess
4. Tag six (6) following bloggers by linking them
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know that they have been tagged


As you know, I tend to be rather formal in my blog, but I figured I'd try to break that character a bit and go for this more personal post. So, here are my quirks (and I hope you all still read my blog after figuring out what a weirdo I truly am):

1) I sometimes laugh hysterically at the most inopportune moments, for no real reason. It's really fun. You should do it sometime. It's like instant joy.

2) Though I often pretend to maintain a stoical disposition, I rock-out in my car like nobody's business, so much so that I've seen other drivers mock me, mimicking my movements and pointing/laughing - and that's fine; whatever brings a smile to their faces.

3) I collect photos of clever vanity license plates. I'm pretty sure there's a law against it, but it's all in good fun. Sometimes I even take the photos while I'm driving, which is unsafe and might also be illegal, that is if I get in a crash for driving recklessly as a result.

4) I rarely cook, but when I do, I can't start eating the meal until I clean up the pots and pans I used in making it. I get this weird feeling like I haven't earned the meal until I clean up after myself.

5) If I'm in the zone writing, reading, or thinking, I block everything else out. This extreme focus is as good as it is bad: It's nice to know that I'm 100 percent devoted to what I'm doing, but sometimes people assume I'm ignoring them when really I'm just too focused on other things. It's never personal. There's that, and the fact that I skip meals when I'm enveloped in what I'm doing.

6) Much of my best work is done under deadline. Procrastination can be a great motivator for me. Sometimes I make a game of it, giving myself a really limited amount of time to complete a task. If the outcome is good, I end up laughing hysterically (see No. 1); if the outcome is bad or nonexistent, I don't rock-out in my car as usual (see No. 2).


Here are the blogs I've tagged to respond to this:

Bits of Bliss

www.bradwicklund.com

Dragon Fire Parade

Lindsay in London

Percolator

Sometimes My Brain Writes Out Loud


Write on... now!

Rhetoric at the 2008 Conventions

Being as objective as possible in my suggestion, I'd like an expert of some sort - possibly a linguist or a rhetorician - to analyze the language used at both the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention. I'd want this specialist to consider diction and tone among other things. Perhaps this expert could collect data and compile some statistics about the frequency in the various convention speeches of words with positive, hopeful connotations and terminology with more negative, combative associations. In other words, I'd like someone smart and skilled to scientifically analyze the rhetoric of each political party, especially during their respective conventions. For instance, whereas one party might use the word "against," another might use the word "together." In addition, it might be interesting to consider the subjects of each sentence: Is it a unifying "we" or a divisive "they" that is used more often? I hope someone out there does this. It would be really, really fascinating.

(Political) Lyrics Worthy of Reflection

In light of recent political issues, I've been reflecting on the song "Goodness Gracious" off 1995's "Thud" by the late Kevin Gilbert. By the way, if you like that song - and if you're at all interested in a rock opera concept album (because, really, who isn't?) - then you might want to check out 2000's posthumous release "The Shaming of the True."

"Goodness Gracious" by Kevin Gilbert

Goodness gracious,
is there nothing left to say?
When the ones that get to keep looking
are the ones that look away -
It's pabulum for the sleepers
in the cult of brighter days.

Goodness gracious,
at the mercy of the crooks;
we're broke and stroking vegetables
and there's way too many cooks.
In every pot a pink slip,
in every mouth a hook.

Goodness gracious,
I'm not listening anymore
'cause the spooks are in the White House
and they've justified a war,
so wake me when they notify
we're gonna fight some more.

Goodness gracious,
not many people care -
concern is getting scarcer,
true compassion really rare.
I can see it on our faces;
I can feel it in the air.
Goodness gracious me!

Goodness gracious,
my generation's lost -
they burned down all our bridges
before we had a chance to cross.
Is it the winter of our discontent
or just an early frost?

Goodness gracious,
of apathy I sing -
the baby boomers had it all
and wasted everything.
Now recess is almost over
and they won't get off the swing.

Goodness gracious,
we came in at the end -
no sex that isn't dangerous,
no money left to spend.
We're the cleanup crew for parties
we were too young to attend.
Goodness gracious me!

Goodness gracious,
my grandma used to say,
The world's a scary place now,
things were different in her day.
What horrors will be commonplace
when my hair starts to gray?

The separation of family and politics

It's nice to know that nighttime talk show hosts are being subtle in their jokes about the personal issues in Sarah Palin's family life. Barack Obama's respectful reaction to it was also admirable.

One of those late-night talk show hosts who was subtle, at least during the monologue, was David Letterman. Something I find commendable about Letterman is that, at least in recent years, he tries to be subtle in his discussion of politics: He pretends to know nothing about politics and doesn't set himself up as an expert, and yet his observations often can be quite insightful. For instance, when interviewing John McCain last year, he was gracious and open to political discussion without seeming confrontational.

However, after last night's careful monologue about Palin, Letterman felt the need to bring up the issue again from his desk. Though he framed it nonchalantly with something like, "Take this however you like," he did get rather political in suggesting that "it'd be nice to know the potential future president of the country took 15 minutes to discuss birth control with her daughter." Though part of me first reacted with approval of Letterman and relief in knowing someone on television was willing to be open about such an opinion, I do think, after further consideration, it was somewhat presumptuous of him to imply Palin might not have had that talk with her daughter. Still, I can't say that I wasn't a bit pleased, at least at first, with Letterman's political statement; it definitely hints at something that I was thinking about in the back of my mind when I first heard the news about Palin's pregnant 17-year-old daughter.

When it comes down to it, I think Craig Ferguson's quirky sense of humor dealt with it all best, saying, "I don't think that a young lady getting pregnant should be the news unless John Edwards is the father, then that's kind of news." Click here to find a clip of this.

"Land of a 1001 doorknobs"

I can't stop myself from breaking out into laughter every time I drive by this one store with a sign out front that says, "Land of a 1001 doorknobs." That's right; there aren't just ten or a hundred, nor even a thousand - there are one thousand and one doorknobs at this magical realm of entryway fixtures. It's actually kind of intimidating when you think about it. I mean, 1001 doorknobs? I wouldn't know where to start. The people that work there must be virtuosos in the areas of locksmithing and doorknobbery (no, it's not a word) to field the intense questions of consumers lost in the land of 1001 doorknobs.

Style as a product of historical context

Here is an interesting essay written by translator, biographer, and professor Michael Scammell in this week's New York Times Sunday Book Review about how, in a sense, the censorship prevalent in the Soviet Union helped force writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn to finely sculpt his style into a dense tapestry of linguistic innovation, raw-realistic dialect, and embedded allusive meanings. To think that such an oppressive political climate could lead to this great writing - and even inadvertently encourage it, imposing restrictions that both opened an apt avenue for inventive stylistic devices and provided the inspiration for significant governmental criticism - is to consider the ironic, difficult circumstances necessary to the composition of historically significant, artistically substantial books.