Wow one hundred and twenty bucks to go to Christopher Vogler's seminar in Miramar, Wellington. Although I would love to go, being the poor, struggling writer that I am, I cannot possibly afford that much money unless I sacrifice eating for a week and I love the privilege of eating far to much to do that, especially since Wellington on a plate is on at the moment and going to a restaurant for great food in the next couple of weeks is significantly cheaper than going to Christopher Vogler's seminar.
I am also going to put a big kick arse DemiGod in the works of developing a novel or book based around the archetypal idea of Myth explained by both Vogler and Campbell.
I think we all must question how the archetypal Myth has developed recently. When we do ponder this question I think we will find that since Jesus Christ we haven't seemed to have had much imagination and the Myth(s) of Western Culture hasn't really been developed for over 2000 years. Before this time myths were constantly morphing and developing as our inner psyches morphed and developed.
At the end of Carl Jung's autobiography he expresses his worry for a society that has stopped revolutionising their idea of Myth. So yea Christopher Vogler and Joseph Campbell's structures work that's been proven but I want to know how and where we can develop these structures to create new revitalised myths that reflect who we are inwardly and outwardly as people struggling in our own time. I don't know just a thought and being purposely perverse. Apologies.
As the deadline for the first draft of my memoir looms, I seem to be using all the energy I have to finish so have not been able to blog. It is also difficult to blog when I don't have the Internet, the reason I don't have the Internet being that I find it distracts me from my writing.
At the moment I am reading a book called 'Seeing through the invisible world - Jung, Gnosis and Chaos' written by June Singer and this book weirdly enough has also been an invaluable asset to myself as a writer especially because writing memoir delves into self in a way similar to a depth psychologist that delves into their patient.
The following is a lovely story from the gnostic tradition that deals with the issue of facing or not facing the darker elements in the world and in the psyche.
'In this tradition, Sophia, the feminine aspect of God, was also the first Eve, fashioned before the visible world came into being. She was a sort of archetypal heavenly Eve. She descended to the lower world to ease some of the pain she had observed as she looked down from heaven on the people below. But the worldly powers, called the archons, engulfed her in their density and rendered her blind. The narrative goes on to explain that it was not really her, but their likeness, that was blinded, for the essential Sophia had left her body and gone up into the Tree of Knowledge (that is, of gnosis) leaving only her visible likeness below where it could be defiled.'
This little fable is relevant as very soon my first draft will be finished and this is when I think the real work will begin. At this stage of the writing process I must be brave and begin to go beyond the memories into the dark shadow of my own psyche to draw conclusions about my egoic and inner worlds. This will no doubt be a fascinating process however also very scary because I have no idea what I will find.
Finishing on a lighter note, I work at a Hotel in the weekends and some very charming Transvestites stayed this weekend because the were performing at a club in town to fund raise for an up and coming event.
They checked in as men and walked out as Goddesses, tall, muscly and creatively put together by their own hand. They reminded me of modern day super hero's. Their weak persona the half of them that is man, their alta ego, big, artistically poignant women and they surely could fly if given half the chance, maybe a myth in the making?
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Christopher Vogler: The Heroes Journey. Workshop
His arms tightened. 'God, I love you,' he said, and kissed her, pressing her back into the pillow.
And what started with restraint ended in wildfire intensity, in untamed, exquisite fulfilment.
The above extract is from The Paternity Affair, a Mills and Boon bestseller, by New Zealand author Robyn Donald. What is it doing here? Well, the New Zealand Romance Writers Association hosted a one-day workshop in Auckland on Friday August 20th, with Christopher Vogler, Hollywood script guru and author of The Heroe's Journey.
Christopher developed his theories of components of story from the earlier work of Joseph Campbell. His theories state that all good stories - from mythology through Victorian novels to contemporary screenplays - contain the same elements. He expresses these in terms of narrative arc and archetypal characters.
Narrative arc (or circle, in Vogler's theory) has a hero go through stages. He or she starts in the ordinary world, hears a call to adventure, refuses the call, meets a mentor then crosses the threshold into the special world. There are tests and an approach, followed by ordeal, death/rebirth. Then the hero gets rewarded and takes the road back to the ordinary world, where there is a resurrection and a return with the elixir(or whatever it was the hero was searching for).
The archetypes, or characters in successful stories, according to Vogler, are the hero, his/her shadows, mentors and heralds. There are threshold guardians who guard the entrance to the special world, shapeshifters, tricksters and allies.
During the workshop, Vogler expounded at amusing length about all these stages in the heroe's journey and each of these archetypal characters. At each stage he explained how the roots came from ancient mythology and the collective story-telling conscience of humankind. He illustrated each aspect with examples from mythology and also from current and classical cinema. Interestingly he explained how his theories were closely allied to those of psychologist Carl Jung, and used a lot of Jungian theoretical concepts.
Many writers are familiar with these theories, but it was instructive and reinforcing to hear them in greater detail from the author himself. Vogler's professional background has been as a "script doctor" and he explained how when a story wasn't working, it missed out on an important stage or an important archetype. Conversely, he analysed some popular and successful scripts in terms of his theories and demonstrated effectively how they were incorporated. Vogler will be repeating this workshop in Wellington next week and it is a recommended day for aspiring writers. Or you could just take the book out of the library.
And what started with restraint ended in wildfire intensity, in untamed, exquisite fulfilment.
The above extract is from The Paternity Affair, a Mills and Boon bestseller, by New Zealand author Robyn Donald. What is it doing here? Well, the New Zealand Romance Writers Association hosted a one-day workshop in Auckland on Friday August 20th, with Christopher Vogler, Hollywood script guru and author of The Heroe's Journey.
Christopher developed his theories of components of story from the earlier work of Joseph Campbell. His theories state that all good stories - from mythology through Victorian novels to contemporary screenplays - contain the same elements. He expresses these in terms of narrative arc and archetypal characters.
Narrative arc (or circle, in Vogler's theory) has a hero go through stages. He or she starts in the ordinary world, hears a call to adventure, refuses the call, meets a mentor then crosses the threshold into the special world. There are tests and an approach, followed by ordeal, death/rebirth. Then the hero gets rewarded and takes the road back to the ordinary world, where there is a resurrection and a return with the elixir(or whatever it was the hero was searching for).
The archetypes, or characters in successful stories, according to Vogler, are the hero, his/her shadows, mentors and heralds. There are threshold guardians who guard the entrance to the special world, shapeshifters, tricksters and allies.
During the workshop, Vogler expounded at amusing length about all these stages in the heroe's journey and each of these archetypal characters. At each stage he explained how the roots came from ancient mythology and the collective story-telling conscience of humankind. He illustrated each aspect with examples from mythology and also from current and classical cinema. Interestingly he explained how his theories were closely allied to those of psychologist Carl Jung, and used a lot of Jungian theoretical concepts.
Many writers are familiar with these theories, but it was instructive and reinforcing to hear them in greater detail from the author himself. Vogler's professional background has been as a "script doctor" and he explained how when a story wasn't working, it missed out on an important stage or an important archetype. Conversely, he analysed some popular and successful scripts in terms of his theories and demonstrated effectively how they were incorporated. Vogler will be repeating this workshop in Wellington next week and it is a recommended day for aspiring writers. Or you could just take the book out of the library.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The Mixing Room
A current exhibition at Te Papa is called The Mixing Room. The word exhibition is a total misnomer for this project: it is as far away from a traditional museum exhibition as you are likely to get. The Mixing Room uses new technologies to tell the stories of young refugees coming to Aotearoa in the last few years.
Clearly the people who are the subject of the project have been intimately and intensively involved in its creation. They are, after all, the material around which the project is based. In psychiatric treatment circles, there is a term: "the therapeutic use of self". This term seems apt for the process by which the new New Zealanders were involved in the project. They used their own stories and often harrowing lives, to contribute to a project to show New Zealand who they are, and in the process defined their own identities more and claimed their rights to a peaceful, free existence here. Big Ups to the kids involved.
It is widely acknowledged that this country punches way above its weight in terms of humanitarian contribution and acceptance of refugees. The deplorable Tampa incident of 2001 is an example. Our big brother Australia, under the regime of the detestable John Howard, could not accept a boatload of Afghani refugees and would have rather seen them drown at sea than offer them safe haven. The New Zealand Government, under the sterling leadership of the much-missed Helen Clarke, simply said: "Oh, well. We'll take them then." Simple as that.
New Zealand accepts far more than its share, proportionally, of refugees from repressive regimes and war-torn international hot-spots. It is good to see how well we assimilate these folk and what happens to them once they get here.
The Mixing Room is clearly aimed at younger people, with its bright, splashy visual aesthetic and its interactivity. You sit around a perspex cafe-style table and press on the image of a young refugee. A digital video is then looped through, with quality sound, telling that person's story. They have been encouraged to use poetry, rap, acting, straight narrative, sports: whatever mediums they chose, to tell the often-tragic tale of how they were successfully selected for immigration, what dangers they escaped, what the journey here was like, what their reception was like and how they and their families settled in.
Large illuminated high-quality digital photographs line the walls and the front consists of a large screen rendition of a photo mosaic, made up of the faces of thousands of refugees. it is the type of installation that is user-friendly and non-intimidating. You can start in the middle and finish up at either end, moving about freely.
A great project, well-conceived, well-executed and well-displayed.
Clearly the people who are the subject of the project have been intimately and intensively involved in its creation. They are, after all, the material around which the project is based. In psychiatric treatment circles, there is a term: "the therapeutic use of self". This term seems apt for the process by which the new New Zealanders were involved in the project. They used their own stories and often harrowing lives, to contribute to a project to show New Zealand who they are, and in the process defined their own identities more and claimed their rights to a peaceful, free existence here. Big Ups to the kids involved.
It is widely acknowledged that this country punches way above its weight in terms of humanitarian contribution and acceptance of refugees. The deplorable Tampa incident of 2001 is an example. Our big brother Australia, under the regime of the detestable John Howard, could not accept a boatload of Afghani refugees and would have rather seen them drown at sea than offer them safe haven. The New Zealand Government, under the sterling leadership of the much-missed Helen Clarke, simply said: "Oh, well. We'll take them then." Simple as that.
New Zealand accepts far more than its share, proportionally, of refugees from repressive regimes and war-torn international hot-spots. It is good to see how well we assimilate these folk and what happens to them once they get here.
The Mixing Room is clearly aimed at younger people, with its bright, splashy visual aesthetic and its interactivity. You sit around a perspex cafe-style table and press on the image of a young refugee. A digital video is then looped through, with quality sound, telling that person's story. They have been encouraged to use poetry, rap, acting, straight narrative, sports: whatever mediums they chose, to tell the often-tragic tale of how they were successfully selected for immigration, what dangers they escaped, what the journey here was like, what their reception was like and how they and their families settled in.
Large illuminated high-quality digital photographs line the walls and the front consists of a large screen rendition of a photo mosaic, made up of the faces of thousands of refugees. it is the type of installation that is user-friendly and non-intimidating. You can start in the middle and finish up at either end, moving about freely.
A great project, well-conceived, well-executed and well-displayed.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Music and sausage balloons support major sports event
Last Saturday my daughter and I went to see New Zealand's Silver Ferns play Samoa at Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua. It was exciting going to a national netball game. I realised that I'd seen the All Blacks several times, but I'd never seen the Silver Ferns play live until now. The stadium was packed with mainly women and children, enthusiatic to see their netball heroes represent New Zealand, and for many represent their country of origin Samoa. The crowd was hyped, waiting in anticipation with snacks, drinks and coffees. They blew up the plastic New World sausage balloons handed out in the foyer, ready to applaude the teams.
The Diamond Divas were awesome at warming up the mixed aged crowd with funky rendations of rock/pop classics like: 'Mustang Sally', 'Carwash,' 'We are Family,' and 'You're simply the best'. The Maori/Pacific divas had loud husky voices suited to the songs. They were in sync with the largely Polynesian audience representative of Porirua and it's sporting population. The Divas had the whole crowd singing and clapping, which added to the atmosphere in the stadium. Frankie Stevens was aptly suited to the role of MC, with his big personality and unique bass voice. He joined the duo in a couple of songs, his tone the perfect compliment to the divas. Soon Frankie announced the Samoan team who were mainly solid in stature and shorter in height compared with the athletic, tall Silver Ferns. The Samoan team jogged on to the court dressed in royal blue and the crowd gave them a grand welcome. Then came the statuesque Silver Ferns who looked stunning in fitted black netball dresses accentuated with silver stripes. The teams of women were pumped and strong. They gave a short display of fantastic netball manouveurs to warm up with a deafening applause from their fans.
The velvet voice of Bella Kalolo rang through the stadium. Bella has sung with many well known New Zealand bands such as Fat Freddy's Drop. She started with Samoa's national anthem followed by the Maori version of New Zealand's and 'God of Nations'. You couldn't help but be moved as the crowd stood in respect for the national anthems.
The Samoan side were no match for the quick gliding moves of the Silver Fern amazons. As they shot the ball in the hoop again the crowd banged their sausage balloons looking like seals clapping their flippers. The crowd was wired! and the poor icecream guy paced up and down in front of the grandstand, his glum face showing his discomfort doing the job, while he looked up at the faces looking on in the stands, wishing someone would give him an order.
It was an excellent afternoon of top level netball combined with great entertainment. Final score: New Zealand Silver Ferns 92, Samoa 28. My daughter's words at the end of the game summed up the day. She is 14, herself a competitive netball player who was spell bound throughout the match as she named her favourite players. 'I want to be a Silver Fern' she said.
It was a good vibe as we left the stadium, proud of our netballers, proud to be a girl and a woman. But I wondered what would happen to the trail of discarded plastic New World sausage balloons. 'Arrgh more horrible plastic in our landfills, in the world' I thought.
The Diamond Divas were awesome at warming up the mixed aged crowd with funky rendations of rock/pop classics like: 'Mustang Sally', 'Carwash,' 'We are Family,' and 'You're simply the best'. The Maori/Pacific divas had loud husky voices suited to the songs. They were in sync with the largely Polynesian audience representative of Porirua and it's sporting population. The Divas had the whole crowd singing and clapping, which added to the atmosphere in the stadium. Frankie Stevens was aptly suited to the role of MC, with his big personality and unique bass voice. He joined the duo in a couple of songs, his tone the perfect compliment to the divas. Soon Frankie announced the Samoan team who were mainly solid in stature and shorter in height compared with the athletic, tall Silver Ferns. The Samoan team jogged on to the court dressed in royal blue and the crowd gave them a grand welcome. Then came the statuesque Silver Ferns who looked stunning in fitted black netball dresses accentuated with silver stripes. The teams of women were pumped and strong. They gave a short display of fantastic netball manouveurs to warm up with a deafening applause from their fans.
The velvet voice of Bella Kalolo rang through the stadium. Bella has sung with many well known New Zealand bands such as Fat Freddy's Drop. She started with Samoa's national anthem followed by the Maori version of New Zealand's and 'God of Nations'. You couldn't help but be moved as the crowd stood in respect for the national anthems.
The Samoan side were no match for the quick gliding moves of the Silver Fern amazons. As they shot the ball in the hoop again the crowd banged their sausage balloons looking like seals clapping their flippers. The crowd was wired! and the poor icecream guy paced up and down in front of the grandstand, his glum face showing his discomfort doing the job, while he looked up at the faces looking on in the stands, wishing someone would give him an order.
It was an excellent afternoon of top level netball combined with great entertainment. Final score: New Zealand Silver Ferns 92, Samoa 28. My daughter's words at the end of the game summed up the day. She is 14, herself a competitive netball player who was spell bound throughout the match as she named her favourite players. 'I want to be a Silver Fern' she said.
It was a good vibe as we left the stadium, proud of our netballers, proud to be a girl and a woman. But I wondered what would happen to the trail of discarded plastic New World sausage balloons. 'Arrgh more horrible plastic in our landfills, in the world' I thought.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Poetry Readings at The Marae, Te Papa, Mon Aug 2nd, 2010.
The lunchtime Writers on Mondays series at The Marae at Te Papa, organized by IIML, is always well-attended with interesting readings and presenters. Last Monday's programme featured four poets with the thematic link of "The difficult second book." All four had published a volume some years earlier and several years had elapsed before their currently published books. Most are involved in some degree with academic life and teaching.
John Newton and Hinemoana Baker were mentioned in the last despatch, so will not be discussed here. The other two poets who read were Anna Livesy and Ingrid Horrocks.
Ingrid read works from her current volume. A whole cycle was devoted to her and her husband's battles with fertility and the IVF programme. These poems were highly personal and highly lyrical. The whole human reproductive machinery made a fruitful pallette for Ingrid's work and she read a few sparse and moving poems about her hopes, aspirations and disappointments around these issues in her life. The harvesting of human eggs, and the attempt to fertilise them in laboratory conditions was exquisitely expressed in her work and well-contrasted with the software of the human body and soul.
Anna read an extremely moving piece about her mother who is living with some form of dementia/ Alzheimer's process. The themes here were also economically and effectively expressed through the medium of poetry. The ideas of memory and loss thereof, the shifting roles of mother and daughter identity through the aging process and the change in identity attendant to such illnesses were all discussed in this poem. One haunting line stayed with me for days, and it was:
"I want another mother,
this one is broken."
These two poets used their own lives as material for personal and gorgeous work that illuminates what it means to be a human being. I love this kind of poetry: tough, honest, real.
John Newton and Hinemoana Baker were mentioned in the last despatch, so will not be discussed here. The other two poets who read were Anna Livesy and Ingrid Horrocks.
Ingrid read works from her current volume. A whole cycle was devoted to her and her husband's battles with fertility and the IVF programme. These poems were highly personal and highly lyrical. The whole human reproductive machinery made a fruitful pallette for Ingrid's work and she read a few sparse and moving poems about her hopes, aspirations and disappointments around these issues in her life. The harvesting of human eggs, and the attempt to fertilise them in laboratory conditions was exquisitely expressed in her work and well-contrasted with the software of the human body and soul.
Anna read an extremely moving piece about her mother who is living with some form of dementia/ Alzheimer's process. The themes here were also economically and effectively expressed through the medium of poetry. The ideas of memory and loss thereof, the shifting roles of mother and daughter identity through the aging process and the change in identity attendant to such illnesses were all discussed in this poem. One haunting line stayed with me for days, and it was:
"I want another mother,
this one is broken."
These two poets used their own lives as material for personal and gorgeous work that illuminates what it means to be a human being. I love this kind of poetry: tough, honest, real.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
About Women...
Why are women attracted to egotistical penis brains? Well I have just made some interesting revelations thanks to C.G.Jung.
The Anima and Animus that Carl Jung coined is the personification of the feminine nature of a man's unconscious and masculine nature of a women's.
'In its primary unconscious form the animus is a compound of spontaneous unpremeditated opinions which exercise a powerful influence on the woman's emotional life, while the anima is similarly compounded of feelings which thereafter influence or distort the man's understanding. Consequently the animus likes to project itself upon intellectuals and all kinds of 'heroes' including tenors, artists, sporting celebrities etc.. The anima has a predilection for everything that is unconscious, dark, equivocal and purposeless in woman, and also for her vanity, frigidity, helplessness and so forth.'
This whole concept has really helped me to come to some interesting conclusions. Women at an unconscious level desire to become heroes in their individual lives but most often repress this masculine characteristic of their inner psyche. Instead of searching for their own hero inwardly within themselves they manifest the hero externally by looking for a male that holds the archetypal qualities of 'hero.' A modern day hero almost always an egotistical womaniser,(sorry but it's the truth.)
Men are attracted to younger women because they are the archetypal projection of the unconscious anima in men. A younger woman is usually less aware and is almost always more helpless than an experienced, wise, older woman both emotionally and materially.
A man desires younger women because his 'inner woman' is supressed. This secret unconscious part of himself outwardly manifests an attraction to younger woman who are usually still 'finding themselves' so often reflect the qualities of the anima: the dark, equivocal and purposeless in woman and also vanity, frigidity, helplessness and so forth...
Men say they are more attracted to younger women because they are more aesthetically pleasing to look at, touch and that they have more spirit than an older woman. This is yet another excuse to hide from their own benevolent female psyche that simmers in the dark shadows of a man's soul.
It amuses me that a women's animus is a positive projection of certain characteristics in a male archetype while the man's anima is a negative projection of certain characteristics in a women's archetype. This makes me think that women repress their masculine psyche because of patriarchal societal restrictions while men repress their feminine psyche because they are afraid or ashamed of it.
What makes me highly angry at the moment is the marginalisation of older women in our society. In this youth obsessed society it seems to me that women are being treated like objects more than any other time in our history.
Young Women are disposable and replaceable and older women are obsolete. The Man's psyche has created this dis-respectful destructive reality towards women because it is afraid of its own inner anima.
This universal consciousness towards the feminine also creates a rift between women. Older women secretly despise and feel threatened by the younger women and the younger women are consumed by their own sexual power, which is only a materialist kind of power anyway and gives them no understanding and respect for their true inner selves and only lasts until like everyone else they age.
This chasm between women stops younger women respecting and learning from their older sisters and stops older women respecting the rebellious, fearless, spirit of their younger sisters. These younger women will be responsible for creating our future world so should be given all the nurturing and knowledge possible.
The problem is that often the younger woman has illusions of grandeur because of the attention she receives from society on a superficial level and often disrespects the older, wiser woman.
The conclusions I have drawn from my research have really helped me to understand myself as a woman and a human being and will be invaluable when writing my memoirs.
I am not ashamed to say I have often been viewed and treated as 'object' by men and often wondered why I allowed this to happen as I am an intelligent, insightful, intuitive woman.
It must be asked whether transgender people are more evolutionized than other gender orientated people because they have released into reality there repressed other half but then one must ask is this at the detriment of the half they were born into?
The Anima and Animus that Carl Jung coined is the personification of the feminine nature of a man's unconscious and masculine nature of a women's.
'In its primary unconscious form the animus is a compound of spontaneous unpremeditated opinions which exercise a powerful influence on the woman's emotional life, while the anima is similarly compounded of feelings which thereafter influence or distort the man's understanding. Consequently the animus likes to project itself upon intellectuals and all kinds of 'heroes' including tenors, artists, sporting celebrities etc.. The anima has a predilection for everything that is unconscious, dark, equivocal and purposeless in woman, and also for her vanity, frigidity, helplessness and so forth.'
This whole concept has really helped me to come to some interesting conclusions. Women at an unconscious level desire to become heroes in their individual lives but most often repress this masculine characteristic of their inner psyche. Instead of searching for their own hero inwardly within themselves they manifest the hero externally by looking for a male that holds the archetypal qualities of 'hero.' A modern day hero almost always an egotistical womaniser,(sorry but it's the truth.)
Men are attracted to younger women because they are the archetypal projection of the unconscious anima in men. A younger woman is usually less aware and is almost always more helpless than an experienced, wise, older woman both emotionally and materially.
A man desires younger women because his 'inner woman' is supressed. This secret unconscious part of himself outwardly manifests an attraction to younger woman who are usually still 'finding themselves' so often reflect the qualities of the anima: the dark, equivocal and purposeless in woman and also vanity, frigidity, helplessness and so forth...
Men say they are more attracted to younger women because they are more aesthetically pleasing to look at, touch and that they have more spirit than an older woman. This is yet another excuse to hide from their own benevolent female psyche that simmers in the dark shadows of a man's soul.
It amuses me that a women's animus is a positive projection of certain characteristics in a male archetype while the man's anima is a negative projection of certain characteristics in a women's archetype. This makes me think that women repress their masculine psyche because of patriarchal societal restrictions while men repress their feminine psyche because they are afraid or ashamed of it.
What makes me highly angry at the moment is the marginalisation of older women in our society. In this youth obsessed society it seems to me that women are being treated like objects more than any other time in our history.
Young Women are disposable and replaceable and older women are obsolete. The Man's psyche has created this dis-respectful destructive reality towards women because it is afraid of its own inner anima.
This universal consciousness towards the feminine also creates a rift between women. Older women secretly despise and feel threatened by the younger women and the younger women are consumed by their own sexual power, which is only a materialist kind of power anyway and gives them no understanding and respect for their true inner selves and only lasts until like everyone else they age.
This chasm between women stops younger women respecting and learning from their older sisters and stops older women respecting the rebellious, fearless, spirit of their younger sisters. These younger women will be responsible for creating our future world so should be given all the nurturing and knowledge possible.
The problem is that often the younger woman has illusions of grandeur because of the attention she receives from society on a superficial level and often disrespects the older, wiser woman.
The conclusions I have drawn from my research have really helped me to understand myself as a woman and a human being and will be invaluable when writing my memoirs.
I am not ashamed to say I have often been viewed and treated as 'object' by men and often wondered why I allowed this to happen as I am an intelligent, insightful, intuitive woman.
It must be asked whether transgender people are more evolutionized than other gender orientated people because they have released into reality there repressed other half but then one must ask is this at the detriment of the half they were born into?
Friday, August 6, 2010
Writing and...
Hi Everyone
Thought I'd jabber on about the writing process since we all have the end in sight.
I am finding the last little quarter of writing the first draft the most difficult. I have a clear defined ending but now that I am so close to the end, I am finding the last part of the climb treacherous and steep.
I presumed that when I saw the end in sight that the last part of the book would flow towards its natural conclusion but this hasn't seemed to be the case actually the reverse is true it feels like I've got big heavy weights attached to my feet.
I am just going to get stuck in there and do it though.
The writing process for me is such an interesting conundrum yet a series of strange coincidences.
At the moment I am reading Carl Jung's Autobiography - 'Memories, Dreams and Reflections' and the insights have been invaluable. I have also just watched a DVD called 'Quantum Activist' which strangely enough has direct correlation to Carl Jung's musings. Both book and DVD have been incredibly helpful in helping me to work out what I want to achieve in my writing.
I agree with Carl Jung when he says 'There is something unpredictable about the process of writing, and I cannot prescribe for myself any predetermined course,' however I have found when writing my book that although at the beginning I only had a sketch of what I wanted to achieve as the book has progressed the sketch has become more detailed and self fulfilling. Now nearing the end of the first draft I know exactly what I need to achieve, the question is how to write a book to achieve this?
I also found this comment by Carl Jung interesting, 'I know too many autobiographies, with their self-deceptions and downright lies, and I know too much about the impossibility of self-portrayal, to want to venture on any such attempt.' I agree with this comment, an autobiographical piece does seem self indulgent in essence and it's hard for me not to see it this way when I am writing it. The only way I can rid this feeling from myself is to become fully absorbed in the writing process. It also helps that I reflect on ideas regarding memory and dream time so the subject is not just primarily about myself.
I really like the way that Carl Jung describes the inner workings of his mind as a young boy and a young adult and it has helped me to look at my memories and there inward significance or insignificance. These reflections have often flung me towards some liberating yet surprising conclusions.
I don't agree with all Carl Jung's philosophies. For instance I believe that every memory is a doorway to the unconscious and one must just find the doorway. I believe that all memories are somehow interconnected whereas Carl Jung regards memories that don't jolt some kind of reflective insight within often meaningless. I think you need to see the whole pattern of memory before one can decide whether a memory has no relevance or not but then the question still remains why did we remember it in the first place? Which I think, unlike Jung, is an important question to ponder.
I think this is the only main point that him and I agree to disagree on though.
Jung says 'The way I am and the way I write are a unity. All my ideas and all my endeavours are myself. Thus the 'autobiography' is merely the dot on the i.'
I can relate to Jung's development as he wrote his autobiography. During the years in which the book was taking shape a process of transformation and objectification was taking place in Jung.
With each succeeding chapter he moved, as it were, farther away from himself, until at last he was able to see himself as well as the significance of his life from a distance. He states 'My life is a story of self realisation of the unconscious. Everything in the unconscious seeks outward manifestation and the personality too desires to evolve out of its unconscious conditions and to experience itself as a whole.'
'Myth is more individual and expresses life more precisely than does science. Science works with concepts of averages which are far too general to do justice to the subjective variety of an individual life. Thus it is that I have now undertaken, in my eighty-third year, to tell my personal myth. I can only make direct statements only 'tell stories.' Whether or not the stories are 'true' is not the problem. The only question is whether what I tell is my fable my truth.'
I found Carl Jung reflections on autobiography very valid and his ideas will help me to consolidate my own fable of truth with more self belief and conviction. Reading his autobiography has been a great help as the way he has written it is similar to the structure of my autobiography.
The way he thinks is clearly from a masculine perspective however and that is where our instinctive ideas differ greatly.
The next autobiography I would like to read would be Marianne Faithfull's book of the same name 'Memories, Dreams and Reflections' as I think that some of her journey fragments mirror possibilities that could have occurred in my life and I am intrigued about what she thinks and feels about what life has thrown her.
Thought I'd jabber on about the writing process since we all have the end in sight.
I am finding the last little quarter of writing the first draft the most difficult. I have a clear defined ending but now that I am so close to the end, I am finding the last part of the climb treacherous and steep.
I presumed that when I saw the end in sight that the last part of the book would flow towards its natural conclusion but this hasn't seemed to be the case actually the reverse is true it feels like I've got big heavy weights attached to my feet.
I am just going to get stuck in there and do it though.
The writing process for me is such an interesting conundrum yet a series of strange coincidences.
At the moment I am reading Carl Jung's Autobiography - 'Memories, Dreams and Reflections' and the insights have been invaluable. I have also just watched a DVD called 'Quantum Activist' which strangely enough has direct correlation to Carl Jung's musings. Both book and DVD have been incredibly helpful in helping me to work out what I want to achieve in my writing.
I agree with Carl Jung when he says 'There is something unpredictable about the process of writing, and I cannot prescribe for myself any predetermined course,' however I have found when writing my book that although at the beginning I only had a sketch of what I wanted to achieve as the book has progressed the sketch has become more detailed and self fulfilling. Now nearing the end of the first draft I know exactly what I need to achieve, the question is how to write a book to achieve this?
I also found this comment by Carl Jung interesting, 'I know too many autobiographies, with their self-deceptions and downright lies, and I know too much about the impossibility of self-portrayal, to want to venture on any such attempt.' I agree with this comment, an autobiographical piece does seem self indulgent in essence and it's hard for me not to see it this way when I am writing it. The only way I can rid this feeling from myself is to become fully absorbed in the writing process. It also helps that I reflect on ideas regarding memory and dream time so the subject is not just primarily about myself.
I really like the way that Carl Jung describes the inner workings of his mind as a young boy and a young adult and it has helped me to look at my memories and there inward significance or insignificance. These reflections have often flung me towards some liberating yet surprising conclusions.
I don't agree with all Carl Jung's philosophies. For instance I believe that every memory is a doorway to the unconscious and one must just find the doorway. I believe that all memories are somehow interconnected whereas Carl Jung regards memories that don't jolt some kind of reflective insight within often meaningless. I think you need to see the whole pattern of memory before one can decide whether a memory has no relevance or not but then the question still remains why did we remember it in the first place? Which I think, unlike Jung, is an important question to ponder.
I think this is the only main point that him and I agree to disagree on though.
Jung says 'The way I am and the way I write are a unity. All my ideas and all my endeavours are myself. Thus the 'autobiography' is merely the dot on the i.'
I can relate to Jung's development as he wrote his autobiography. During the years in which the book was taking shape a process of transformation and objectification was taking place in Jung.
With each succeeding chapter he moved, as it were, farther away from himself, until at last he was able to see himself as well as the significance of his life from a distance. He states 'My life is a story of self realisation of the unconscious. Everything in the unconscious seeks outward manifestation and the personality too desires to evolve out of its unconscious conditions and to experience itself as a whole.'
'Myth is more individual and expresses life more precisely than does science. Science works with concepts of averages which are far too general to do justice to the subjective variety of an individual life. Thus it is that I have now undertaken, in my eighty-third year, to tell my personal myth. I can only make direct statements only 'tell stories.' Whether or not the stories are 'true' is not the problem. The only question is whether what I tell is my fable my truth.'
I found Carl Jung reflections on autobiography very valid and his ideas will help me to consolidate my own fable of truth with more self belief and conviction. Reading his autobiography has been a great help as the way he has written it is similar to the structure of my autobiography.
The way he thinks is clearly from a masculine perspective however and that is where our instinctive ideas differ greatly.
The next autobiography I would like to read would be Marianne Faithfull's book of the same name 'Memories, Dreams and Reflections' as I think that some of her journey fragments mirror possibilities that could have occurred in my life and I am intrigued about what she thinks and feels about what life has thrown her.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
True Blood
Another favourite TV show of mine is 'True Blood' (HBO), Wednesday nights at 9.30pm on Prime. Now playing it's third season in New Zealand, 'True Blood' borrows from many genres: Vampire fantasy, murder mystery, romance, love stories, and political satire. It is funny, sharp, clever and absorbing. It combines the banal with the supernatural. Director and Producer Alan Ball has created another masterpiece like his award winning television series 'Six Feet Under' which uses psychological themes injected into the everyday mixed with the occult.
'True Blood' follows the relationship between a southern waitress named Sookie, played by New Zealand's Anna Paquin, and her soul mate Bill Compton, a vampire over a hundred and seventy years old. Set in the fictional town of Bon-Temps, Louisiana (Bon-Temps is French for good time.) The story takes place some time in the future. Vampires have come out of their coffins and live among humans thanks to the creation of synthetic blood, which enables them to live without feeding off humans. It is a social satire playing on the phrase 'gays coming out of the closet' ie: 'coming out of the coffin', encouraged to 'mainstream' within society.
As the vampires try to create their own niche in society, they face some serious opposition from organisations who believe these creatures have no place in their world. They also live in fear of being drained of their own blood by humans who want to get high in the same way they would get high from a drug fix. The effects of vampire blood is likened to that of heroin and ectasy and people get addicted easily. Blood sucking is a metaphor for denial and desire, for carnal knowledge, forbidden fruit, drug addiction and witch hunts. Blood suckers exist in the community as a dark sexual element. They are fang-bangers, groupies who have sex with vampires.
The main character, Sookie is psychic and can read people's thoughts. She is good hearted, a bit dizzy, but incorrigibly spunky. Anna Paquin is excellent in the role of Sookie. Sookie was first attracted to Bill the vampire because he was the first man whose thoughts she couldn't read, along with his pasty good looks. He is a fine southern gentleman who was a Confederate Lieutenant in the Civil War before he turned vampire. He is sensitively played by Englishman Stephen Moyer. Sookie's well built dim witted brother Jason, is well played by Australian Ryan Kwanten. He is the town womaniser, plagued with troubles to do with vampires, which impacts on his family. All three non-American actors have aquired the southern American accent well.
Other characters include: Sookie's smart mouthed, black best friend, Tara played by Rutina Wesley. She is Sookie's co-worker at the roadhouse Merlottes. She insults the customers and takes slavery personally; her cousin Lafayette, the gay black chef at Merlottes, is a V-juice addict, and prostitutes himself to vampires in exchange for the juice and deals it; Sam the owner of Merlottes plays a key role as a shape-shifter who can transform into a dog. Demons and monsters such as minotaur hybrids have appeared throughout the series. This season werewolves feature largely in the story as foe to the vampires. One is friend and support to Sookie. This adds an interesting element to the busy mix that is 'True Blood.'
Full of drama and macarbe intrigue. 'True Blood' is a southern gothic R rated melodrama about vampires and humans living in one society. It treats an incredibly dark subject with a light hand, but there's a level of violence, gore, and sexual material which makes this TV show unsuitable for children. Clever parodies and sub-text, humour, drama and horror, make this TV show quirky and engaging giving it an intellect and something out of the ordinary appeal. To compliment it, the theme song of the show, Jace Everett's song 'Bad Things' is the perfect compliment to the opening credits, a montage of evocative photographs of the landscape and icons of the southern U.S. The images splice the evil with the mundane while displaying the duality of the series which include: pictures of religious icons such as churches and people being baptised in a river, voodoo, bars with drunk people shown in sexually suggestive predicaments, swamps and carcasses.
'True Blood' follows the relationship between a southern waitress named Sookie, played by New Zealand's Anna Paquin, and her soul mate Bill Compton, a vampire over a hundred and seventy years old. Set in the fictional town of Bon-Temps, Louisiana (Bon-Temps is French for good time.) The story takes place some time in the future. Vampires have come out of their coffins and live among humans thanks to the creation of synthetic blood, which enables them to live without feeding off humans. It is a social satire playing on the phrase 'gays coming out of the closet' ie: 'coming out of the coffin', encouraged to 'mainstream' within society.
As the vampires try to create their own niche in society, they face some serious opposition from organisations who believe these creatures have no place in their world. They also live in fear of being drained of their own blood by humans who want to get high in the same way they would get high from a drug fix. The effects of vampire blood is likened to that of heroin and ectasy and people get addicted easily. Blood sucking is a metaphor for denial and desire, for carnal knowledge, forbidden fruit, drug addiction and witch hunts. Blood suckers exist in the community as a dark sexual element. They are fang-bangers, groupies who have sex with vampires.
The main character, Sookie is psychic and can read people's thoughts. She is good hearted, a bit dizzy, but incorrigibly spunky. Anna Paquin is excellent in the role of Sookie. Sookie was first attracted to Bill the vampire because he was the first man whose thoughts she couldn't read, along with his pasty good looks. He is a fine southern gentleman who was a Confederate Lieutenant in the Civil War before he turned vampire. He is sensitively played by Englishman Stephen Moyer. Sookie's well built dim witted brother Jason, is well played by Australian Ryan Kwanten. He is the town womaniser, plagued with troubles to do with vampires, which impacts on his family. All three non-American actors have aquired the southern American accent well.
Other characters include: Sookie's smart mouthed, black best friend, Tara played by Rutina Wesley. She is Sookie's co-worker at the roadhouse Merlottes. She insults the customers and takes slavery personally; her cousin Lafayette, the gay black chef at Merlottes, is a V-juice addict, and prostitutes himself to vampires in exchange for the juice and deals it; Sam the owner of Merlottes plays a key role as a shape-shifter who can transform into a dog. Demons and monsters such as minotaur hybrids have appeared throughout the series. This season werewolves feature largely in the story as foe to the vampires. One is friend and support to Sookie. This adds an interesting element to the busy mix that is 'True Blood.'
Full of drama and macarbe intrigue. 'True Blood' is a southern gothic R rated melodrama about vampires and humans living in one society. It treats an incredibly dark subject with a light hand, but there's a level of violence, gore, and sexual material which makes this TV show unsuitable for children. Clever parodies and sub-text, humour, drama and horror, make this TV show quirky and engaging giving it an intellect and something out of the ordinary appeal. To compliment it, the theme song of the show, Jace Everett's song 'Bad Things' is the perfect compliment to the opening credits, a montage of evocative photographs of the landscape and icons of the southern U.S. The images splice the evil with the mundane while displaying the duality of the series which include: pictures of religious icons such as churches and people being baptised in a river, voodoo, bars with drunk people shown in sexually suggestive predicaments, swamps and carcasses.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Nurse Jackie - episode 2/8/10
Two of us from TRIO123 have agreed to review last night's episode of 'Nurse Jackie'. Here's mine: 'Nurse Jackie' delivered again last night, with it's layered structure, complex characters, and cool dialogue.
There were the usual occurences in Nurse Jackie's hectic life as she juggles her full on job at the hospital, and what she has to deal with: from blundering nurses, to an over allocation of patients, a meddling power hungry manager, to her antagonist, the shallow and egotistical Dr Cooper who when stressed, grabs women's breasts as part of his Tourettes syndrome. On top of this is her torturous affair with Eddie, motherhood, and maintaining her strained marriage to Kevin.
The tension continues to build in Jackie's affair and the break down in her marriage, although Jackie isn't facing it. 'You don't want me to get too close', Eddie says to Jackie during one of their exchanges. Meanwhile Kevin's had enough of feeling like Jackie's house mate and confronts her with his complaints about her never being home, always being at work, and when she's at home she's always busy and not present. A fight between the couple ensues with a great line from Kevin 'I'm just white noise between you and whatever gets in your way!' The fight is realistic and resonates if you've ever been in a relationship. It ends with Jackie making digs about Kevin just being a barman and shouting 'You have no idea what my life is like! You have no idea what it's like to be me!' and Kevin storming out.
More drama unfolds when Dr O'Hara, jilted by her unattentive gilfriend, suggests an evening in Queens to drink scotch with her dear friends Jackie and Kevin. They go to Kevin's bar and Eddie walks in with his new girlfriend, on purpose to upset Jackie. This sets off awkward games between the three in the know of the affair and ends with Jackie quietly giving Eddie his marching orders.
Not as much pill popping or snorting chemicals by Jackie in this episode, but we see the stressed side of her and start to understand the demands and pressure she is under and why she is a drug addict. The suave Dr O'Hara is superb in her cool, calm and collected persona. She comes to Jackie's rescue at her quick request, to act the professional at Fiona's (Jackie's youngest daughter) school and take off the fake arm cast Jackie put on Fiona (because she wanted to know what it was like to have a broken arm) when the teacher implies child abuse, after Fiona comes to school with a stitched up lip she says her mother sewed up in the kitchen.
Later Jackie sees Dr O'Hara's famous journalist girlfriend having an inappropriate phone call with someone close. Jackie reveals this to Dr O who says she knows she has a girlfriend in every port. Jackie tells her she knows it's possible to love two people at once, referrring to her husband and Eddie. She reveals to Dr O'Hara she's glad her girlfriend's out of the picture. She likes being her girl.
Other segways include a gay middle aged man grieving for his dying lover who lies in the bed beside him. Dr Cooper exposes his homophobia when he touches the man on the shoulder telling him in a patronising way, that he's had two mom's, he knows what it's like. Then a male nurse comes over and whispers to the patient, 'Don't worry, Dr Cooper's a mess.'
The characters in 'Nurse Jackie' are complex, life like and accessible. The plot is a good blend of comedic drama with an interesting subtext allowing the audience to think for themselves. The final shot of the camera slowly pulling away from the man sitting alone was surprising and evocative. He sit's in the same place he sat earlier next to the death bed of his partner, except now he is alone in the vacant, bare cubicle and you know his partner's gone. I'm left guessing and looking forward to the next installment of 'Nurse Jackie'.
There were the usual occurences in Nurse Jackie's hectic life as she juggles her full on job at the hospital, and what she has to deal with: from blundering nurses, to an over allocation of patients, a meddling power hungry manager, to her antagonist, the shallow and egotistical Dr Cooper who when stressed, grabs women's breasts as part of his Tourettes syndrome. On top of this is her torturous affair with Eddie, motherhood, and maintaining her strained marriage to Kevin.
The tension continues to build in Jackie's affair and the break down in her marriage, although Jackie isn't facing it. 'You don't want me to get too close', Eddie says to Jackie during one of their exchanges. Meanwhile Kevin's had enough of feeling like Jackie's house mate and confronts her with his complaints about her never being home, always being at work, and when she's at home she's always busy and not present. A fight between the couple ensues with a great line from Kevin 'I'm just white noise between you and whatever gets in your way!' The fight is realistic and resonates if you've ever been in a relationship. It ends with Jackie making digs about Kevin just being a barman and shouting 'You have no idea what my life is like! You have no idea what it's like to be me!' and Kevin storming out.
More drama unfolds when Dr O'Hara, jilted by her unattentive gilfriend, suggests an evening in Queens to drink scotch with her dear friends Jackie and Kevin. They go to Kevin's bar and Eddie walks in with his new girlfriend, on purpose to upset Jackie. This sets off awkward games between the three in the know of the affair and ends with Jackie quietly giving Eddie his marching orders.
Not as much pill popping or snorting chemicals by Jackie in this episode, but we see the stressed side of her and start to understand the demands and pressure she is under and why she is a drug addict. The suave Dr O'Hara is superb in her cool, calm and collected persona. She comes to Jackie's rescue at her quick request, to act the professional at Fiona's (Jackie's youngest daughter) school and take off the fake arm cast Jackie put on Fiona (because she wanted to know what it was like to have a broken arm) when the teacher implies child abuse, after Fiona comes to school with a stitched up lip she says her mother sewed up in the kitchen.
Later Jackie sees Dr O'Hara's famous journalist girlfriend having an inappropriate phone call with someone close. Jackie reveals this to Dr O who says she knows she has a girlfriend in every port. Jackie tells her she knows it's possible to love two people at once, referrring to her husband and Eddie. She reveals to Dr O'Hara she's glad her girlfriend's out of the picture. She likes being her girl.
Other segways include a gay middle aged man grieving for his dying lover who lies in the bed beside him. Dr Cooper exposes his homophobia when he touches the man on the shoulder telling him in a patronising way, that he's had two mom's, he knows what it's like. Then a male nurse comes over and whispers to the patient, 'Don't worry, Dr Cooper's a mess.'
The characters in 'Nurse Jackie' are complex, life like and accessible. The plot is a good blend of comedic drama with an interesting subtext allowing the audience to think for themselves. The final shot of the camera slowly pulling away from the man sitting alone was surprising and evocative. He sit's in the same place he sat earlier next to the death bed of his partner, except now he is alone in the vacant, bare cubicle and you know his partner's gone. I'm left guessing and looking forward to the next installment of 'Nurse Jackie'.
New Zealand Art Exhibition
This is the new name for The Affordable Art Exhibition: maybe they rebranded it because it sounded cheap and nasty. Here's the thing: art and The Arts should be accessible to the general public and not to an elite group of educated cognoscenti. The concept of an affordable art show has been successful all over the world.
It is a forum where new and emerging artists can sell their work almost directly to the public. That way the artists profit by making some much-needed sales and the general public profits by being able to purchase cheap works that brighten up their homes and lives and possibly start them on a path to collecting and appreciating art.
Having said that, there was a lot of derivative and sub-standard work. There were also some fabulous swirly expressionist skyscapes, some interesting limited edition photographic works and an amazing collection of installations in which objects were suspended in perspex or resin. Unfortunately there were a few too many cabbage-palms, tuis and pohutakawas for my liking. New Zealand is very big on photorealist landscape painting, which is not my cup of tea, but seems to appeal to a lot of kiwis with their love for our gorgeous landscape.
There were a couple of Bill Hammond wannabes, with bird creatures dotted about dripping muted gold backgrounds. These works were attractive in themselves, if it was not so obvious that they were highly derivative. Shame about that.
I went with a friend who wants to do some home decorating and wanted to buy a couple of pieces, but sadly nothing appealed enough. The concept is good, but a shame that the quality of the work was poor overall, with a few gems nevertheless.
It is a forum where new and emerging artists can sell their work almost directly to the public. That way the artists profit by making some much-needed sales and the general public profits by being able to purchase cheap works that brighten up their homes and lives and possibly start them on a path to collecting and appreciating art.
Having said that, there was a lot of derivative and sub-standard work. There were also some fabulous swirly expressionist skyscapes, some interesting limited edition photographic works and an amazing collection of installations in which objects were suspended in perspex or resin. Unfortunately there were a few too many cabbage-palms, tuis and pohutakawas for my liking. New Zealand is very big on photorealist landscape painting, which is not my cup of tea, but seems to appeal to a lot of kiwis with their love for our gorgeous landscape.
There were a couple of Bill Hammond wannabes, with bird creatures dotted about dripping muted gold backgrounds. These works were attractive in themselves, if it was not so obvious that they were highly derivative. Shame about that.
I went with a friend who wants to do some home decorating and wanted to buy a couple of pieces, but sadly nothing appealed enough. The concept is good, but a shame that the quality of the work was poor overall, with a few gems nevertheless.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Simon Armitage on BBC
Last night I was delighted to see one of my favourite poets Simon Armitage was on the telly on Prime, doing a show about gadgets and connectivity, called Upgrade Me.
He is a self-confessed gadget freak, who uses new technologies within and as an adjunct to his life as a poet. He was born in 1963 in Marsden, UK, which ironically was the home of The Luddites. Simon took the viewers to the cemetery where the leader of the Luddites is buried. He explained how they were against the rise of Industrialisation in the rural sector, and destroyed machines that did the work of ten men. This movement, from the 1800s, gave its name to anyone, these days, who refuses to accept technology.
Simon visited Seoul - the home of the Samsung company - and demonstrated how new devices are constantly being generated, and the latest cellphone/palm pilot/notebook is re-invented every three months.
As Simon went on the subway, he remarked that although South Koreans seemed remarkably interconnected in their wireless hi-tech society, he felt alone in the crowd. The camera showed a train full of commuters, each engaged in her/his private electronic universe. Quite tellingly, he said: 'At it's heart, this place feels cold.'
Simon was shown reading an amazing piece of poetry to an audience containing many highschool students, all stunned into silence by his remarkable verbal dexterity. He read a poem about the fast pace of contemporary life, in which the text was suitably tangential, rapidly paced with short attention span, and rich in multiple meanings.
Simon's reporting was well-balanced, demonstrating ways in which life has been improved by the availability of technology to young people and how a world of information and communication is at their disposal. He also showed ways in which new technologies in communication serve to estrange people and cause a disconnection between humans and their communities. An excellent programme.
He is a self-confessed gadget freak, who uses new technologies within and as an adjunct to his life as a poet. He was born in 1963 in Marsden, UK, which ironically was the home of The Luddites. Simon took the viewers to the cemetery where the leader of the Luddites is buried. He explained how they were against the rise of Industrialisation in the rural sector, and destroyed machines that did the work of ten men. This movement, from the 1800s, gave its name to anyone, these days, who refuses to accept technology.
Simon visited Seoul - the home of the Samsung company - and demonstrated how new devices are constantly being generated, and the latest cellphone/palm pilot/notebook is re-invented every three months.
As Simon went on the subway, he remarked that although South Koreans seemed remarkably interconnected in their wireless hi-tech society, he felt alone in the crowd. The camera showed a train full of commuters, each engaged in her/his private electronic universe. Quite tellingly, he said: 'At it's heart, this place feels cold.'
Simon was shown reading an amazing piece of poetry to an audience containing many highschool students, all stunned into silence by his remarkable verbal dexterity. He read a poem about the fast pace of contemporary life, in which the text was suitably tangential, rapidly paced with short attention span, and rich in multiple meanings.
Simon's reporting was well-balanced, demonstrating ways in which life has been improved by the availability of technology to young people and how a world of information and communication is at their disposal. He also showed ways in which new technologies in communication serve to estrange people and cause a disconnection between humans and their communities. An excellent programme.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Taua
Last night I saw the New Zealand short film 'Taua' 2008, on Maori Television. Written and directed by Tearepa Kahi, 'Taua' - (War party) is a fifteen minute film set in Aotearoa in Pre-European times about rival Maori tribes at war. 'Taua' takes you on the treacherous journey of a Maori war party who haul a massive waka with the enemy leader bound to the stern of the canoe, overland and through dense bush to escape their pursuers. Two young boys sit near the stern, they serve as bailers of the water and water distributors on the land. Water is rarely given to the prisoner. It is the story of one boy's courage and his journey on the waka, as he risks all, motivated by giving water to the prisoner.
The film does not have any dialogue or music. There are sounds of the bush and the warriors moving and making noises while they grit their teeth with sticks. Images of the natural environment as the warriors navigate their way through the bush, along with their facial expressions were effective tools in immersing me in the tension that built throughout the film. The way the film was shot gave you a view as if you were following the taua. The audience was automatically involved, I was on the journey too. I wanted to know what would be the fate of the boy, the prisoner, and the war party. I was drawn to the imagery and beauty of New Zealand's native bush, the ornately carved waka, and the warriors with moko, traditionally dressed, with sticks between their teeth as they demonstrated the importance of sound as a psychological weapon. The central character of the film is a boy whose act of kindness cut through physical and political power while under the leadership of the merciless chief.
I've seen the film before and seeing it again was just as engaging and evocative. From a Maori perspective it portrays Maori in an authentic, positive light. The characters are believable and the plot has been written with cultural knowledge and integrity giving the film depth and accuracy from that period. The film is a snapshot of a taua's journey, transporting me to the time of my ancestors. It is well crafted and I see why it received national and international awards.
The film was loosely based on the Maori proverb 'Mate atu he tete kura, ara mai ano he tete kura' - (In war leaders fall and leaders rise), which is befitting for the theme of the film, that a boy whose act of compassion and bravery allows him to emerge as the leader and hero of the story.
The film does not have any dialogue or music. There are sounds of the bush and the warriors moving and making noises while they grit their teeth with sticks. Images of the natural environment as the warriors navigate their way through the bush, along with their facial expressions were effective tools in immersing me in the tension that built throughout the film. The way the film was shot gave you a view as if you were following the taua. The audience was automatically involved, I was on the journey too. I wanted to know what would be the fate of the boy, the prisoner, and the war party. I was drawn to the imagery and beauty of New Zealand's native bush, the ornately carved waka, and the warriors with moko, traditionally dressed, with sticks between their teeth as they demonstrated the importance of sound as a psychological weapon. The central character of the film is a boy whose act of kindness cut through physical and political power while under the leadership of the merciless chief.
I've seen the film before and seeing it again was just as engaging and evocative. From a Maori perspective it portrays Maori in an authentic, positive light. The characters are believable and the plot has been written with cultural knowledge and integrity giving the film depth and accuracy from that period. The film is a snapshot of a taua's journey, transporting me to the time of my ancestors. It is well crafted and I see why it received national and international awards.
The film was loosely based on the Maori proverb 'Mate atu he tete kura, ara mai ano he tete kura' - (In war leaders fall and leaders rise), which is befitting for the theme of the film, that a boy whose act of compassion and bravery allows him to emerge as the leader and hero of the story.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Genius Within
I went to see the film 'Genius Within: The Inner Life Glenn Gould,' at the Film Archive last Wednesday.
The Film Archive isn't the most welcoming foyer with it's white, reflective floors and aerodynamic chairs, I almost felt like I had walked inside a very trendy spaceship. I must admit I prefer the cosy, old fashioned rather than the minimalistic hip but on the up side the food was yummy and the staff suave. I was oh so charmed,(thinking of one young man in particular who's 'my pleasure' was a much appreciated reply to my 'thank you.' Sometimes the small things do matter.)
The film was a well directed, reflective take on Glenn Gould's life. I do always wonder about documentaries that have been made after the death of the subject though. How much of the truth can be told?
Obviously Glenn Gould was a complicated difficult man (aren't most artist's) but a complicated difficult character is always a great subject for a film.
Glen Gould's piano playing blew my mind. To be able to see and hear him play was a real treat and thoroughly appreciated. His hands: fingers long, delicate, and when they moved around the piano so dexterously they almost looked double jointed. His unique way of interpreting the classical greats compositions and rearranging them to express his own take on the music with real feeling was like the title says inner genius.
With his James Dean looks and his unbelievable talent, Glenn Gould mesmerises in concert.
His intense dislike for any sort of pretension, his need for solitude and his eventual drug dependencies were all moments in his life that I viewed with interest.
The film also prompted me to think about how the media often focus's on an artist's unique idiosyncrasies and eccentricities rather than the art itself. If an artist has a rather unique personality the media will force the artist under some sort of media microscope which almost creates a caricature personality of the artist. I imagine how hard this would be for a true artist such as Glenn Gould to deal with. If I was in this position I imagine that all my natural reactions would become contrived as I felt the global eyes scrutinize. I felt real empathy for Glenn Gould in having to deal with this unfortunate down side to fame.
The landscape shots of the Canadian terrain also captured me especially the last scene of a Canadian hillside, the redness of the leaves in Autumn clustered so bright amongst the green juxtaposed to the sombre piano music. Glenn's own eulogy to himself which ends this great and no doubt lasting memorial.
The moment in the film that remains most vivid in my mind is the comment made by one of Glenn Gould's few friend who divulges to the audience that Glenn sometimes seemed 'As fragile as glass, that if you threw a stone at him he would shatter.'
The Film Archive isn't the most welcoming foyer with it's white, reflective floors and aerodynamic chairs, I almost felt like I had walked inside a very trendy spaceship. I must admit I prefer the cosy, old fashioned rather than the minimalistic hip but on the up side the food was yummy and the staff suave. I was oh so charmed,(thinking of one young man in particular who's 'my pleasure' was a much appreciated reply to my 'thank you.' Sometimes the small things do matter.)
The film was a well directed, reflective take on Glenn Gould's life. I do always wonder about documentaries that have been made after the death of the subject though. How much of the truth can be told?
Obviously Glenn Gould was a complicated difficult man (aren't most artist's) but a complicated difficult character is always a great subject for a film.
Glen Gould's piano playing blew my mind. To be able to see and hear him play was a real treat and thoroughly appreciated. His hands: fingers long, delicate, and when they moved around the piano so dexterously they almost looked double jointed. His unique way of interpreting the classical greats compositions and rearranging them to express his own take on the music with real feeling was like the title says inner genius.
With his James Dean looks and his unbelievable talent, Glenn Gould mesmerises in concert.
His intense dislike for any sort of pretension, his need for solitude and his eventual drug dependencies were all moments in his life that I viewed with interest.
The film also prompted me to think about how the media often focus's on an artist's unique idiosyncrasies and eccentricities rather than the art itself. If an artist has a rather unique personality the media will force the artist under some sort of media microscope which almost creates a caricature personality of the artist. I imagine how hard this would be for a true artist such as Glenn Gould to deal with. If I was in this position I imagine that all my natural reactions would become contrived as I felt the global eyes scrutinize. I felt real empathy for Glenn Gould in having to deal with this unfortunate down side to fame.
The landscape shots of the Canadian terrain also captured me especially the last scene of a Canadian hillside, the redness of the leaves in Autumn clustered so bright amongst the green juxtaposed to the sombre piano music. Glenn's own eulogy to himself which ends this great and no doubt lasting memorial.
The moment in the film that remains most vivid in my mind is the comment made by one of Glenn Gould's few friend who divulges to the audience that Glenn sometimes seemed 'As fragile as glass, that if you threw a stone at him he would shatter.'
Dear Sweet Harry and Lives of the Poets
Unity Books in Wellywood last night held an opening launch for two poets, Lynn Jenner and John Newton. On National Poetry Day there was a large turnout despite the hideous freezing nose-numbing weather. It was a joint event between Victoria and Auckland University Presses.
Hinemoana Baker sung/ recited as an opening and the audience were spellbound: it was a gorgeous performance of a piece of her poetry/song lyrics.
Lynn read from her work which blends together history, memoir and poetry in one genre blending work.
John has published his first poetry collection in twenty-five years and plays with traditional forms, but with contemporary subject-matter. The poem he read set in Kings Cross, Sydney in 1980 was excellent.
Hinemoana Baker sung/ recited as an opening and the audience were spellbound: it was a gorgeous performance of a piece of her poetry/song lyrics.
Lynn read from her work which blends together history, memoir and poetry in one genre blending work.
John has published his first poetry collection in twenty-five years and plays with traditional forms, but with contemporary subject-matter. The poem he read set in Kings Cross, Sydney in 1980 was excellent.
Nurse Jackie
'Nurse Jackie' is a black comedy. The writing is exceptional, the acting outstanding. Two reasons why I love this TV series, produced by Showtime.
Starring Edie Falco of 'The Soprano's' fame is brilliant as Jackie, the drug taking nurse and adulteress who is compassionate to criminal patients and patients she treats with her own medicinal expertise eg: in one episode Nurse Jackie dresses the wound of a Latino patient in haste while hiding him and his gun from a cop and feeding him instructions in his lingo of how to escape, simultaneously diverting the cop. In another episode, Jackie gets a patient suffering severe pain which cannot be fixed with conventional medicine, a hit of marijuana from her 'ambo' pot smoking colleague. Later she takes the patient hash cookies she has baked herself to his apartment, and advises him with care, how many to eat and when. She gives the patient contact details of the dealer.
Season 2 offers the same high standard of the first season. We see Jackie continue to find new innovative ways to get her drug fix without getting caught eg: by learning to master the new electronic drug system which has been put into place.
In another storyline, after failing to end her affair with pharmacist/ex colleague, Eddie, who is also one of Jackie's drug suppliers, Jackie is horrified when Eddie continues to cultivate his friendship with her husband Kevin. Jackie has kept her family life secret from Eddie. But he is injecting himself more and more into her other life which she hates and can't stop eg: in a recent episode when he was in her lounge chatting to Kevin and their daughters one night when she got home from work. Obviously this is leading to Eddie blackmailing Jackie as he threatens to tell Kevin about their affair if she stops the relationship, which will probably result in Eddie trying to make Jackie leave Kevin.
Other interesting characters include: The English, silver tongued, Dr O'Hara regarded as top notch in her field. She is Jackie's confidante, sophisticated, draped in haute couture. She is also Jackie's fellow druggie, who has come to work still high on Ecstacy from socialising the night before and slips Jackie percoset whenever she needs it, for her sore back of course; the vain and egotistical Dr Cooper, played convincingly by Peter Facinelli of 'Twilight/Eclipse' fame, who is Nurse Jackie's antagonist; and the hilarious and quirky junior nurse, Zoe.
The well played characters and layered script are clever. They keep me engaged and hooked on 'Nurse Jackie' Tuesday's, 9.30pm on TV 3.
Starring Edie Falco of 'The Soprano's' fame is brilliant as Jackie, the drug taking nurse and adulteress who is compassionate to criminal patients and patients she treats with her own medicinal expertise eg: in one episode Nurse Jackie dresses the wound of a Latino patient in haste while hiding him and his gun from a cop and feeding him instructions in his lingo of how to escape, simultaneously diverting the cop. In another episode, Jackie gets a patient suffering severe pain which cannot be fixed with conventional medicine, a hit of marijuana from her 'ambo' pot smoking colleague. Later she takes the patient hash cookies she has baked herself to his apartment, and advises him with care, how many to eat and when. She gives the patient contact details of the dealer.
Season 2 offers the same high standard of the first season. We see Jackie continue to find new innovative ways to get her drug fix without getting caught eg: by learning to master the new electronic drug system which has been put into place.
In another storyline, after failing to end her affair with pharmacist/ex colleague, Eddie, who is also one of Jackie's drug suppliers, Jackie is horrified when Eddie continues to cultivate his friendship with her husband Kevin. Jackie has kept her family life secret from Eddie. But he is injecting himself more and more into her other life which she hates and can't stop eg: in a recent episode when he was in her lounge chatting to Kevin and their daughters one night when she got home from work. Obviously this is leading to Eddie blackmailing Jackie as he threatens to tell Kevin about their affair if she stops the relationship, which will probably result in Eddie trying to make Jackie leave Kevin.
Other interesting characters include: The English, silver tongued, Dr O'Hara regarded as top notch in her field. She is Jackie's confidante, sophisticated, draped in haute couture. She is also Jackie's fellow druggie, who has come to work still high on Ecstacy from socialising the night before and slips Jackie percoset whenever she needs it, for her sore back of course; the vain and egotistical Dr Cooper, played convincingly by Peter Facinelli of 'Twilight/Eclipse' fame, who is Nurse Jackie's antagonist; and the hilarious and quirky junior nurse, Zoe.
The well played characters and layered script are clever. They keep me engaged and hooked on 'Nurse Jackie' Tuesday's, 9.30pm on TV 3.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The Runaways
I loved the film about Joan Jett I saw last night as part of the International Film Festival: naughty girls, leather pants, loud rock'n'roll, lots of attitude. What's not to like?!
The actresses (Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning) were great, although perhaps a bit young and delicate. They could have been rougher and uglier. The authentic early 70s clothing was fab: think glitter platforms, tight hipster flares, Farrah Fawcett flick-back hairdos, mullets.
Their Svengali-type leader, manager Kim Fowler, was the sexist a-hole that everybody loves to hate.
A great escapist, visually interesting film.
Most memorable lines of dailogue: "I'm going to teach you girls how to think with your cocks."
"Someone put another nickel in your juke-box, didn't they?"
Most memorable song lyric: Hello Daddy, hello Mom:
I'm your ch-ch-ch-ch
Cherry Bomb!
Most memorable scenes: Joan desultorily teaching her friend how to masturbate with the shower-head
Most memorable image: Cherie Curry smashing a pill on the ground with her super-high platform heel and squatting down to snort up the powder off the floor.
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