Hi! Not dead!
I haven't been around, because my job has become intense lately, in mostly good ways, except for this week which was seriously, seriously bad. In either instance, when I get home, I'm drained and want nothing more than to concentrate on embroidering some medieval fucking partridge on slate-blue linen and watch Battlestar Galactica or Rome or reality TV.
Things On My Mind:
Battlestar Galactica: Well, damn. I keep telling myself that I'm not really into the show, that it is Mr. Viper's thing, but as soon as he turns it on my head swivels 'round and I get sucked in because the writing is that good. So complex, so difficult, so riveting. And the visuals go from relentless grays and browns to visuals that put Lucas to shame. I ended up surreptitiously weeping for a character that I hated, this season. Twice. Fuck you, BSG writers! And Michael Hogan! And James Callis!
President Laura rules, forever. I swear, every time I think she's sold her soul, she ends up getting what she wants without doing so.
Religion: I'm becoming more and more irritated with it. I'm all for spirituality - I think our culture suffers deeply from lack of it. My problem with religion is that is masks the lack of spirituality with these rules by which you validate yourself in reference to others. That's easy. That's a cop out. Spirituality means relentless self-evaluation and thought. Spirituality means challenging yourself to attain a higher standard. Spirituality means humility. I see almost no real humility in religion.
Why do we need religion to act like civilized human beings? Why do we need to reference some religiously-defined god in order to care for our fellow man, and work towards the important stuff? I don't need a god to tell me to help someone in trouble, or work towards relieving poverty or AIDS or to tell me to fight corruption in our government. I"m a human being! Living on earth! Why wouldn't I want to make it better?! Why would I not strive to achieve the ideals that I can envision? Do most people think so little of the human race that we need some dire threat of hell to achieve our potential?
It seems as if our culture has substituted religion for community. Community is tough, because you have to live with other people you may or may not particularly like. You gradually, through living day by day with them, learn respect and liking and understanding. But American life is becoming more and more isolated behind doors and air conditioning and divisive all-or-nothing belief systems. I think we need to re-establish both community and ritual, because ritual is also important and something that has died out.
Which leads me to...
Politics: How has the Republican party usurped our symbols? Why am I ashamed to fly our flag (and we have such a pretty flag!)? How have we let the great rituals of our country - Memorial day parades, Fourth of July celebrations - become so politicized? In a way, they always were. Those holidays were always sponsored by political parties, and were highlighed by speeches from candidates in the park, after the parade and such. The big change is that now, we are so divided, so polarized, that we mindlessly vote party slates. I've voted for many a right-thinking Republican in my day. I'd vote for another, especially if he were running against Joe Liebermann!
Cats: My cats rule. That is all.
Things On My Mind:
Battlestar Galactica: Well, damn. I keep telling myself that I'm not really into the show, that it is Mr. Viper's thing, but as soon as he turns it on my head swivels 'round and I get sucked in because the writing is that good. So complex, so difficult, so riveting. And the visuals go from relentless grays and browns to visuals that put Lucas to shame. I ended up surreptitiously weeping for a character that I hated, this season. Twice. Fuck you, BSG writers! And Michael Hogan! And James Callis!
President Laura rules, forever. I swear, every time I think she's sold her soul, she ends up getting what she wants without doing so.
Religion: I'm becoming more and more irritated with it. I'm all for spirituality - I think our culture suffers deeply from lack of it. My problem with religion is that is masks the lack of spirituality with these rules by which you validate yourself in reference to others. That's easy. That's a cop out. Spirituality means relentless self-evaluation and thought. Spirituality means challenging yourself to attain a higher standard. Spirituality means humility. I see almost no real humility in religion.
Why do we need religion to act like civilized human beings? Why do we need to reference some religiously-defined god in order to care for our fellow man, and work towards the important stuff? I don't need a god to tell me to help someone in trouble, or work towards relieving poverty or AIDS or to tell me to fight corruption in our government. I"m a human being! Living on earth! Why wouldn't I want to make it better?! Why would I not strive to achieve the ideals that I can envision? Do most people think so little of the human race that we need some dire threat of hell to achieve our potential?
It seems as if our culture has substituted religion for community. Community is tough, because you have to live with other people you may or may not particularly like. You gradually, through living day by day with them, learn respect and liking and understanding. But American life is becoming more and more isolated behind doors and air conditioning and divisive all-or-nothing belief systems. I think we need to re-establish both community and ritual, because ritual is also important and something that has died out.
Which leads me to...
Politics: How has the Republican party usurped our symbols? Why am I ashamed to fly our flag (and we have such a pretty flag!)? How have we let the great rituals of our country - Memorial day parades, Fourth of July celebrations - become so politicized? In a way, they always were. Those holidays were always sponsored by political parties, and were highlighed by speeches from candidates in the park, after the parade and such. The big change is that now, we are so divided, so polarized, that we mindlessly vote party slates. I've voted for many a right-thinking Republican in my day. I'd vote for another, especially if he were running against Joe Liebermann!
Cats: My cats rule. That is all.