Thursday, September 16, 2004

Perchance To Dream

Ah, what wonderful things are dreams. But not magical or supernatural, I'm afraid.

Sweet dreams are made of this ... have we solved the Freudian riddle?: "Alternatively, the answer to the riddle of dreams may all be quite simple, mundane almost.

'I see them as the cinema of the mind,' said Dr Jim Horne of the sleep research centre at Loughborough University. 'They're there to keep the brain entertained during the tedious hours of sleep and have very little significance beyond that.' "

I somewhat agree with Dr. Horne, but I think that dreams help with sorting out our thoughts and experience. I think that they're our brain's way of telling itself stories. Some are "what if", some are historical dramas of our own lives or with us as a central figure.

I think this work also helps to explain why we love movies so much. Movies are literally dreams made real.


And lastly a word of praise for the good folks at boingboing.net - their posts often intrigue and interest me and results in posting here. Thanks to Davit Pescovitz for this one.

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Why Blog?

I am often asked, "why should I publish/write my own blog?" The answer is, "If you have to ask, then you shouldn't."

I write and publish because I can. I've kept sporadic journals since college, filled with mostly navel-gazing and self remonstration for not writing more, and better (and more legibly, sorry about that, future reader). They're stacked in the closet of my den. And although I have the skills to publish a site using raw HTML, it's a bother - blogging makes publishing easy.

So, I write - it's what I do, a big part of who I am. Hell, if you ask me "what do you do?", I'll tell you that I'm in software marketing. If you ask me what I am, I'll tell you "a writer." It's what I was trained and educated to do. Writers write. Some of them publish. Very few earn money at it. I don't need the money (yes, I'd love to be paid for writing, but it's not a requirement to keep me writing). And I can publish.

I might even have readers. So I write about what strikes me, when it strikes me, and I put it here. Every once and a while I make a connection with someone and that's interesting, but not necessary. Often I learn something and help clarify my thoughts. And on occasion, I publish a piece of fiction, a little story. Over time it adds up. I don't know what it will become, nor does it matter at this point.

As a reader, I read blogs and web sites that interest me. What interests me the most? Smart, interesting people and the opinions they express.

What's also interesting is what I don't choose to publish. Deleted from this post was a long section speculating about the future, economics, nanotechnology, and human occupations, with the ramifications thereof. But it was also clear that I don't know the hell what I was talking about on that rather broad subject, so that for another day.

Why Blog? It is entertaining and satisfying for me. No other reason would suffice.

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

On Clowning

Hedwig, the wise old owl, sent me in this direction to see the BBC's photo article about Clowns Without Borders.



It's beautiful and touching photo essay. Smiles are so infectious.

Out of the dark recesses of my past, I too was a clown. In college after I switched from Biology/Chemistry/Premed to Theatre I began to study with a gifted clown, Winston Inslee. The roots of my theatrical training and understanding come as much from the clown as it does from Shakespeare. Or perhaps my understanding of Shakespeare is enhanced by clearly seeing how much buffoonery is central to his work.

My senior project was a performance/play based on the clown character I developed - it helped me get into grad school (accepted into 2 different programs). During my MFA work I also worked on my clowning. I never did birthday parties or entertained at fast food restaurants, thank god, but I did my share of nursing homes and schools. When I shifted my focus from performing to playwrighting, it was the clown who gave me the most inspiration. My full length play, "Grimaldi: King Of The Clowns" got me my degree and after I left, was selected by SIU to perform in their main season. It also went to the American College Theater Festival. That was thrilling and terrifying in itself. (BTW - find Grimaldi's "autobiography" - it's edited by Boz - Charles Dickens - he basically wrote it himself).

After moving to Columbus and entering the business world (starting with nearly 2 years at Bell Labs) I continued clowning, mainly at festivals and some organized busking events (how can you have organized buskers?). I taught a class in clowning for OSU's adult education program for a couple of years - was even featured on the catalog cover. But OSU canceled their adult education and life got more complex with work and kids. I had to decide where to commit my artistic energies - writing won out.

There was also another thing that made me put away the red nose and grease paint - I got to that rare point where I was very good, good enough to see what it would take to be exceptional. I could also see that I didn't have the drive or talent to be what I expected of myself.

I also had/have a very narrow vision of what kind of clowning I like. Cirque Du Sole = wonderful. Bozo=scarry. Crusty the Clown = hilarious. Emmet Kelly=breathtaking (but now overdone, stealing the magic of what he was). I saw Red Skelton perform and when he wasn't being a ham and just plain goofy, he could be a wonderful clown.

You see, the clown is a very specific, very important theatrical form. When I see something like Clowns Without Borders I know it can work because the clown is a key human component - playing off the ridiculous. It is a counter to the Shaman, that claims spiritual authority and great dignity. The clown claims no such thing, and mocks those that do.

And what makes people strong? Laughing together. Theatre is a natural human occupation. Just as Pinker tells us "The mind is something the brain does" the theater is something that humans living together do. We tell stories. We repeat them. We formalize them. And the telling and watching make us feel better.

How brilliant of these people to know and act on this. "People told me that big international organisations give them clothes and food, but that nobody ever makes them smile."

Monday, September 13, 2004

No. There's a difference between changing your mind and lying.

I detest this talk of "flip flopping" on issues. Anyone that insists on never changing your position, never deciding you were wrong, never finding a better way, or since we're talking about politics, never compromises, simply isn't being honest.

For example:

President Bush: Flip-Flopper-In-Chief

Assorted shrubbery on car

I heard the always funny Carl Hiaasen on yesterday's "On The Media" and looked up his column.

On the beach, waiting for Frances

My oldest daughter asks, "why are you watching the Weather Channel? It's just endless weather reports!". And I explained to her that watching storm coverage is like watching NASCAR (which I don't do). You don't watch for the race, you watch because someone might crash. It's both horrifying and cool and you'd hate to miss it.

That's why the desktop picture on my 21" Apple Cinema Display at work is a high resolution picture (updated, manually, daily), of Ivan's approach to the Gulf and eventual landfall (get them fresh at http://www.noaa.gov). I don't wish ill on anyone, but man, it's interesting!

That, and more storm coverage means less election coverage.

That's not a utility belt.

Am I upset that some fruitcake dresses like Batman and hangs a banner at Buckingham Palace? Not one bit.

But please, if you must borrow our cultural icons, please, no belly packs!

Batman at Buckingham Palace