No day but today
Thanksgiving was sooooo nice. Quiet, delicious dinner with easy going friends. Pizza for Ian, filet mignon, garlicky spinach and potatoes for the grownups, no rules, no relatives except by phone and really nice wine. I may never be willing to do the traditional family thing again.
Went and saw Rent today. I took Ian with me and felt bad about it. I had forgotten how harsh it was. Ian enjoyed it a great deal, except for Rosario Dawson's dance at the Catscratch club, he covered his eyes during the "nasty stuff". The 7 year old was more grossed out by MiMi's bump and writhe then the romance between Collins and Angel. But we both left the movie a little raw.
It left me thinking. I had read some discussion over whether the movie was relevant nine years after the show opened and 15 years after the period it's set in. There were mentions of this when HBO did Angels in America too. Because people live with AIDS now instead of always dying quickly and badly is the show still as poignant? I came away feeling worse because of this. 15 years and people still die of this disease, and people are still ostracized because of it and still often blamed for being sick. And except for celebrities traveling to foreign countries, AIDS is still much too rarely talked about.
Not only that but the idea that alphabet city is now too expensive for most average people to live in is appalling. It doesn't mean the poverty and people who live that way are gone it just means they keep getting pushed further and further away. Gentrification leaves so many people behind.
It amazes me that in this day and age, creativity in all of it forms is still second class. Acting, singing, art in all but the most mass produced forms are still so devalued. If a thing of beauty is a joy forever then why isn't there a decent living wage to be made doing it. Why are beauty and creativity - acts and objects that inspire joy - considered extras not necessities. If I had to get up to a non-musical, colorless world every day I'd shrivel and die. It's not only the artists who are priced out of the experience either. I went to the music store after the movie because I wanted the soundtrack - however it was $30! Ian has been asking to go see Wicked but I can't afford it until I get my bonus in February. Public schools can't afford to have music classes not to mention art and dance. It's so sad and everyone loses. I'm very lucky that I am able to give Ian what I can and I'm very lucky that I've been able to experience what I have, that I had a family that treasured music and dance and art.
Oh well, that was my rant for the day.
Went and saw Rent today. I took Ian with me and felt bad about it. I had forgotten how harsh it was. Ian enjoyed it a great deal, except for Rosario Dawson's dance at the Catscratch club, he covered his eyes during the "nasty stuff". The 7 year old was more grossed out by MiMi's bump and writhe then the romance between Collins and Angel. But we both left the movie a little raw.
It left me thinking. I had read some discussion over whether the movie was relevant nine years after the show opened and 15 years after the period it's set in. There were mentions of this when HBO did Angels in America too. Because people live with AIDS now instead of always dying quickly and badly is the show still as poignant? I came away feeling worse because of this. 15 years and people still die of this disease, and people are still ostracized because of it and still often blamed for being sick. And except for celebrities traveling to foreign countries, AIDS is still much too rarely talked about.
Not only that but the idea that alphabet city is now too expensive for most average people to live in is appalling. It doesn't mean the poverty and people who live that way are gone it just means they keep getting pushed further and further away. Gentrification leaves so many people behind.
It amazes me that in this day and age, creativity in all of it forms is still second class. Acting, singing, art in all but the most mass produced forms are still so devalued. If a thing of beauty is a joy forever then why isn't there a decent living wage to be made doing it. Why are beauty and creativity - acts and objects that inspire joy - considered extras not necessities. If I had to get up to a non-musical, colorless world every day I'd shrivel and die. It's not only the artists who are priced out of the experience either. I went to the music store after the movie because I wanted the soundtrack - however it was $30! Ian has been asking to go see Wicked but I can't afford it until I get my bonus in February. Public schools can't afford to have music classes not to mention art and dance. It's so sad and everyone loses. I'm very lucky that I am able to give Ian what I can and I'm very lucky that I've been able to experience what I have, that I had a family that treasured music and dance and art.
Oh well, that was my rant for the day.