another busy day in big heart land, huh team? i have never read any of derrick jensen's books, but now i feel like i need to.
let's do this, friends.
we need to.
are you doing it?
do you want to?
are you seeking?
where are you?
there are three more of these videos on youtube.
in love,
ge
Friday, May 8, 2009
"The Green Beautiful" - Part 1 and 2
whoah, so i just stumbled across this movie (which is in its entirety on youtube), and it blew my mind. it is soooooo good. you should watch the whole thing. seriously. get some tasty snacks, preferably local ones, and call me when the movie is over.
after doing a little research i found out that this film was banned in the EU and had almost no international distribution...why?
because it might make you change your whole life.
i am purposefully posting parts 1 and 2 to entice you to watch the whole thing.
in love,
ge
after doing a little research i found out that this film was banned in the EU and had almost no international distribution...why?
because it might make you change your whole life.
i am purposefully posting parts 1 and 2 to entice you to watch the whole thing.
in love,
ge
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Free Runners from the UK
hello friends,
ok, so these videos might be a little over dramatic and self-absorbed, but they truly are amazing.
sometimes, we have to leap.
much love,
ge
ok, so these videos might be a little over dramatic and self-absorbed, but they truly are amazing.
sometimes, we have to leap.
much love,
ge
Thursday, April 30, 2009
TRIPLE POST! Delta Spirit - "People Turn Around"
it's a bountiful day in big heart land. all these gems! just discovered this one by accident, scoping out the new blogotheque videos. i know nothing about this band except that this song is awesome. that singer is wailing! rightfully so.
in love,
ge
in love,
ge
Delta Spirit - People Turn Around from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.
When in Doubt, Love Amma
guess what, friends?!?! amma's USA summer tour is posted on the web! go get a hug!
http://www.amma.org/tours/amma-tours/namerica-jun09.html
seriously though, whenever i feel confused about what my project is or what i am trying to do or what i am going to do, i watch amma. it just makes so much sense!
http://www.amma.org/tours/amma-tours/namerica-jun09.html
seriously though, whenever i feel confused about what my project is or what i am trying to do or what i am going to do, i watch amma. it just makes so much sense!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Best Beach Parties of All Time: "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi" 1983
ok, so let's just get a few things out in the open:
1. the original star wars movies were AWESOME. especially for a six-year-old boy.
2. george lucas has since ruined star wars forever.
3. he even managed to ruin this ending when he re-made it in the late nineties.
that being said, this is a great beach party. who wouldn't want to party with ewoks?!?! ok ok, so it might be a little essentialist and colonialist, what with the indegenous, non-sensical, care-free ewoks, who play drums and dance in the woods, but they are cute as a button!
in love,
ge
1. the original star wars movies were AWESOME. especially for a six-year-old boy.
2. george lucas has since ruined star wars forever.
3. he even managed to ruin this ending when he re-made it in the late nineties.
that being said, this is a great beach party. who wouldn't want to party with ewoks?!?! ok ok, so it might be a little essentialist and colonialist, what with the indegenous, non-sensical, care-free ewoks, who play drums and dance in the woods, but they are cute as a button!
in love,
ge
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Best Beach Parties of All Time: "The Neverending Story" 1984
well friends, here is the second installment of my series on "beach party endings". i still can't watch the end of this movie without getting a little misty-eyed. it's so good!
A sampling of the amazing quotes found in this clip:
"I will do what I dream!"
"In the beginning, it is always dark."
"Fantasia can arise in you."
awesome.
in love,
ge
A sampling of the amazing quotes found in this clip:
"I will do what I dream!"
"In the beginning, it is always dark."
"Fantasia can arise in you."
awesome.
in love,
ge
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Best Beach Parties of All Time: "The Phantom Tollbooth" 1970
what is a beach party, you say? i'll tell you. a beach party is an ending of a film or play in which all characters rejoice and celebrate. everyone's happy, everyone's celebrating, the hero(ine)s have triumphed, all major characters involved feel better about life (maybe even the bad guys!), and good times prevail. actual beaches may or may not be involved. actual partying may or may not be involved. it could all be metaphorical or implied or....what am i saying, you know what i'm talking about! beach party!
so, fine friends, this is the first part of a series celebrating "the beach party ending". it happens way more often than you might think, and, coincidentally, i only love movies with beach party endings.
ok, first off, "The Phantom Tollbooth." i loved this movie and book so much growing up. it has a great beach party ending. in this final scene, the princesses of Rhyme and Reason are freed from their captivity in the castle in the air and return to a world that needs them. milo, the little boy who frees them, has just completed a wild and scary adventure....and now, it's beach party time!!!!
in love,
ge
this series is dedicated to all members of STOP LAUGHING
so, fine friends, this is the first part of a series celebrating "the beach party ending". it happens way more often than you might think, and, coincidentally, i only love movies with beach party endings.
ok, first off, "The Phantom Tollbooth." i loved this movie and book so much growing up. it has a great beach party ending. in this final scene, the princesses of Rhyme and Reason are freed from their captivity in the castle in the air and return to a world that needs them. milo, the little boy who frees them, has just completed a wild and scary adventure....and now, it's beach party time!!!!
in love,
ge
this series is dedicated to all members of STOP LAUGHING
Monday, April 20, 2009
Oh My Goodness...
OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!>>>>>>>>what can be said about something this cute?
Thank you, jaya!
in love,
ge
Thank you, jaya!
in love,
ge
You Can Never Watch Too Many Videos About the Universe
this is a pretty amazing user-generated film. happy astronomy year!
and this is neil degrasse tyson. "the universe is in us"
may our hearts and minds become more and more expansive and alive.
in love,
ge
and of course, as always, thank you agng for teaching me to marvel at science again
and this is neil degrasse tyson. "the universe is in us"
may our hearts and minds become more and more expansive and alive.
in love,
ge
and of course, as always, thank you agng for teaching me to marvel at science again
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
"Meetings with Remarkble Men" - A Film About Gurdjieff
this little gem is brought to you by, blair. i'm gonna miss you, friend. may your spirit find peace and wholeness.
from the youtube description:
Filmed in 1979 by Peter Brook. A classic spiritual movie of G.I. Gurdjieff struggles beginning with his childhood until his discovery of The Fourth Way, an ancient spiritual tradition that used sacred movements as meditation. The story in this film is based on Gudjieff's book with the same title, which is the second book of his trilogy: "All and Everything".
During his long career, director Peter Brook has conducted a wide range of theatrical experiments, pushing audiences and performers well beyond their typical experience of theater, in an effort to achieve not a temporary catharsis but a transcendent, transformative event. As the narrator of THE MAHABHARATA says, "If you listen carefully, at the end, you'll be somebody else."
This interest in transformation that has characterized the latter part of Brook's career continues with this adaptation of the autobiography of famed mystic G.I. Gurdjieff, which stars Dragan Maksimovic. Driven by a sense of unwavering dedication to unraveling the meaning of human existence, he journeys throughout the most unattainable areas of the East, encountering an array of Hindu fakirs, Buddhist monks, whirling dervishes, and gurus of every stripe.
In search of enlightenment, he climbs the Himalayas, walks across the desert on stilts, and uncovers evidence of an ancient order, guards of an arcane wisdom. Most fascinating, perhaps, is the form of dance he created as a form of meditation and later taught in the West. A film that may be best appreciated by those already familiar with the work of Gurdjieff, MEETINGS WITH REMARKABLE MEN features spectacular photography and a highly evocative score, incorporating various indigenous musics.
- you can watch the whole movie on youtube! this is just part 1! get some popcorn!
in love,
ge
from the youtube description:
Filmed in 1979 by Peter Brook. A classic spiritual movie of G.I. Gurdjieff struggles beginning with his childhood until his discovery of The Fourth Way, an ancient spiritual tradition that used sacred movements as meditation. The story in this film is based on Gudjieff's book with the same title, which is the second book of his trilogy: "All and Everything".
During his long career, director Peter Brook has conducted a wide range of theatrical experiments, pushing audiences and performers well beyond their typical experience of theater, in an effort to achieve not a temporary catharsis but a transcendent, transformative event. As the narrator of THE MAHABHARATA says, "If you listen carefully, at the end, you'll be somebody else."
This interest in transformation that has characterized the latter part of Brook's career continues with this adaptation of the autobiography of famed mystic G.I. Gurdjieff, which stars Dragan Maksimovic. Driven by a sense of unwavering dedication to unraveling the meaning of human existence, he journeys throughout the most unattainable areas of the East, encountering an array of Hindu fakirs, Buddhist monks, whirling dervishes, and gurus of every stripe.
In search of enlightenment, he climbs the Himalayas, walks across the desert on stilts, and uncovers evidence of an ancient order, guards of an arcane wisdom. Most fascinating, perhaps, is the form of dance he created as a form of meditation and later taught in the West. A film that may be best appreciated by those already familiar with the work of Gurdjieff, MEETINGS WITH REMARKABLE MEN features spectacular photography and a highly evocative score, incorporating various indigenous musics.
- you can watch the whole movie on youtube! this is just part 1! get some popcorn!
in love,
ge
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Akon - Freedom Webisode 1
this is exactly how i feel....minus still being able to do amazing art:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWUPcEW2rOU
i'd post it, but they won't let me.
in love,
ge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWUPcEW2rOU
i'd post it, but they won't let me.
in love,
ge
Schoolhouse Rock....really?!?!?
this post is brought to you by terence, a fine specimen of hearty-ness.
he forwarded me a link with this video:
pretty powerful stuff, right? good work, schoolhouse rock.
he forwarded me a link with this video:
pretty powerful stuff, right? good work, schoolhouse rock.
Friday, April 10, 2009
K'Naan, thank you.
my sweetie has a great new blog up. check it out for k'naan's "dreamer" video: http://hereweareintheuniverse.tumblr.com/
this is an important and beautiful human being.
much love.
in love,
ge.
this is an important and beautiful human being.
much love.
in love,
ge.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Rick Jones....omg
my goodness, i am a little bit swoony after this one. i've mentioned vimeo before, but i'll say it again: it's awesome (thank you kim!). totally different from youtube, it has a flavor all its own.
like this one.
is he singing to me? he's probably singing to you, but is he singing to me?
oh my goodness....i can't even begin to talk about how many levels of amazing are in this video.
i gotta meet this guy.
in love,
ge
agng, i know you know what i'm talking about....this guy is definitely on the bus.
"LOVE" from RICK JONES on Vimeo.
like this one.
is he singing to me? he's probably singing to you, but is he singing to me?
oh my goodness....i can't even begin to talk about how many levels of amazing are in this video.
i gotta meet this guy.
in love,
ge
agng, i know you know what i'm talking about....this guy is definitely on the bus.
"LOVE" from RICK JONES on Vimeo.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Woah...the last post, with fervor
i have to admit: it is hard for me to watch this video without getting seasick. it is taken from an IMAX movie, so i can only imagine what it would be like in that setting. it is basically the same premise as the last post but with better special effects.
wowza!
thanks, terence!
in love,
ge
wowza!
thanks, terence!
in love,
ge
Monday, April 6, 2009
A Fantastic Trip
my poppa forwarded this to me. it's such a good reminder of the power of perspective.
i've been bummin out, confused, unsure, and uneasy. this video gave me some peace. it reminded me of several important things worth remembering:
1. we are not in control
2. the universe goes on
3. we are enmeshed in the fabric of existence
4. there's no such thing as being alone
5. you are a miracle, a total f-ing miracle
6. there are worlds upon worlds within your fingernail
hallelujah.
thanks, dad.
in love (and struggle),
ge
i've been bummin out, confused, unsure, and uneasy. this video gave me some peace. it reminded me of several important things worth remembering:
1. we are not in control
2. the universe goes on
3. we are enmeshed in the fabric of existence
4. there's no such thing as being alone
5. you are a miracle, a total f-ing miracle
6. there are worlds upon worlds within your fingernail
hallelujah.
thanks, dad.
in love (and struggle),
ge
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Food Inc.
this is the beginning to the feature length film "Food Inc."
in a word: terrifying. i don't want to eat food anymore...
in love,
ge
in a word: terrifying. i don't want to eat food anymore...
in love,
ge
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Wouldn't This Be Awesome?
hey, it could happen, right? anyone can learn how to love. even rush limbaugh!
happy april.
in love,
ge
happy april.
in love,
ge
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Octopus Transformation!
this video is not for rosie. it will terrify her. but for those of you without octo-phobias, this video always blows my mind...creatures are totally crazy! we all live on a giant sphere orbiting a giant fireball! wahoo!
in love,
ge
in love,
ge
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Christian the Lion
Here's the back story on this one (taken from youtube):
In 1969 a young Australian, John Rendall and his friend Ace Bourke, bought a small lion cub from Harrods pet department, which was then legal. 'Christian' was kept in the basement of a furniture shop on the Kings Road in Chelsea, the heart of the swinging sixties. Loved by all, the affectionate cub ate in a local restaurant, played in a nearby graveyard, but was growing fast...
A chance encounter with Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna led to a new life for Christian. He came to live in a huge enclosure and to sleep in a caravan at their Surrey home. Then in 1971 he was flown to Kenya, his ancestral home, and returned to the wild by lion-man George Adamson. Nine months later in 1972, John and Ace returned to Kora in Kenya. This clip is of their reunion at that time.
It was an emotional reunion: "He ran towards us, threw himself onto us, knocked us over and hugged us, with his paws on our shoulders."
My friend Sadie showed me this one....totally awesome.
in love,
ge
In 1969 a young Australian, John Rendall and his friend Ace Bourke, bought a small lion cub from Harrods pet department, which was then legal. 'Christian' was kept in the basement of a furniture shop on the Kings Road in Chelsea, the heart of the swinging sixties. Loved by all, the affectionate cub ate in a local restaurant, played in a nearby graveyard, but was growing fast...
A chance encounter with Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna led to a new life for Christian. He came to live in a huge enclosure and to sleep in a caravan at their Surrey home. Then in 1971 he was flown to Kenya, his ancestral home, and returned to the wild by lion-man George Adamson. Nine months later in 1972, John and Ace returned to Kora in Kenya. This clip is of their reunion at that time.
It was an emotional reunion: "He ran towards us, threw himself onto us, knocked us over and hugged us, with his paws on our shoulders."
My friend Sadie showed me this one....totally awesome.
in love,
ge
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
School of Seven Bells
ok, so every once in a while i go on a mission: find a new favorite band. this quest, taken up at least twice a year, has proven successful time and time again. here is a list of past winners:
the arcade fire
iron & wine
yeasayer
bon iver
thao nguyen
lewis and clarke
lata mangeshkar
the list goes on and on. well, yesterday, the mission struck. a fire was lit in my heart, and i wasn't going to stop searching the internet until i found something worthy of listening to non-stop for the next several months. thankfully, the universe responded in kind with School of Seven Bells. upon first listening to "Half Asleep" on my dinky little headphones in the library, i was rather impressed. i thought, "wow, maybe these guys are really good." later in the nite, i found myself in keith's room, and we began sharing music. it wasn't long until i brought up School of Seven Bells. we proceeded to listen to "Half Asleep" on his most excellent computer speakers at top volume, and all of a sudden, everything made sense: this is it. these guys are it.
so, if you listen to this music once and you go, "eh, kind of repetitive, a little simple, a little trippy," i understand. but do yourself a favor and mellow out using whatever techniques you deem necessary and put on Seven Bells at top volume with good speakers and try to tell me your life didn't just change a little. the two female vocalists are twins....twins i tell you! they found Benjamin Curtis (any relation to JE?) by watching him play on stage. they fell in love with his playing and he fell in love with their singing (who can blame him).
the last song, "iamundernodisguise," is their new single...and it is arguably their best song!!! they are opening for Black Moth Super Rainbow on May 21 in Chicago!!!! we gotta go!!! it's going to be awesome!!! and it's only 12 bucks!!! caitlin, can me and some friends crash at your place?
oh, and read the lyrics. and visit their myspace page for three other incredible tracks called "Prince of Peace," "TranceFigure," and "Chain." they are all incredible:
http://www.myspace.com/schoolofsevenbells
ok. enough jibber jabber.....listen to the music!
in love,
ge
Lyrics to Half Asleep:
Sometimes I go whole days
listening bored, half sleep
I won't say anything
that's worth a thing to me
One day, suddenly, time
took a turn that once felt so brief
I blinked to see polite ghosts fading quickly
What begins as an unguarded
train of thoughts slowly can become
an addiction to the slumber
of disconnection and the resonance
of memory that no longer has a shape
but keeps you numb through
the hours tills gone is another day
Be aware, my darling
these things I say I mean
are just traces of something
I long to feel again
I see our time expand
in the air almost forcibly,
spreading thinner till it dissolves completely
Lyrics to connjur:
How does someone with nothing end
up with so much to show for it
All kinds of people, places, and things
Your cheap doormats and decorations
And to think it was all just a dream
One fantastic hallucination
Keep on polishing your golden
wall of trophies and self portraits
We'll just smile and wait till he knocks off
your designer rose colored glasses
And you'll see what we see - nothing but
old dust, peeled paint, and broken glasses
A simple imprint, imagine
I was the hill we walked
I was the walk that swung from your leg
I was your words that cast in my thoughts
Those who say dream are just dreams
say words end when you can't hear them
Listen closely as they fade
and witness the worlds construction
Lyrics to My Cabal:
My cabal, he sleeps outside
pulling the shadows over the moonlight
My cabal, won't you come inside
Forget the darkness if just for one night
Possibilities
baited with personal inconvenience
Every time he feels
that baited resistance tugging at his sleeve
he struggles to find who
he struggles to see why
He's weary with a weight
so often confused with authority,
but who's?
He sleeps outside
pulling the shadows over the moonlight
I want to know why
paper is so different
And what happens once these
promises incubated hit the air
I want to know why the
air becomes so thick and impenetrable
and why another set of rules apply, why?
My cabal, he sleeps outside
pulling the shadows over the moonlight
My cabal, won't you come inside
Forget the darkness if just for night
Lyrics to iamundernodisguise:
I am neither breather nor speaker
I am neither walker nor sleeper
I am neither sister brother son nor daughter
Solely in my chest is my heart a drum of water
I am under no disguise
the arcade fire
iron & wine
yeasayer
bon iver
thao nguyen
lewis and clarke
lata mangeshkar
the list goes on and on. well, yesterday, the mission struck. a fire was lit in my heart, and i wasn't going to stop searching the internet until i found something worthy of listening to non-stop for the next several months. thankfully, the universe responded in kind with School of Seven Bells. upon first listening to "Half Asleep" on my dinky little headphones in the library, i was rather impressed. i thought, "wow, maybe these guys are really good." later in the nite, i found myself in keith's room, and we began sharing music. it wasn't long until i brought up School of Seven Bells. we proceeded to listen to "Half Asleep" on his most excellent computer speakers at top volume, and all of a sudden, everything made sense: this is it. these guys are it.
so, if you listen to this music once and you go, "eh, kind of repetitive, a little simple, a little trippy," i understand. but do yourself a favor and mellow out using whatever techniques you deem necessary and put on Seven Bells at top volume with good speakers and try to tell me your life didn't just change a little. the two female vocalists are twins....twins i tell you! they found Benjamin Curtis (any relation to JE?) by watching him play on stage. they fell in love with his playing and he fell in love with their singing (who can blame him).
the last song, "iamundernodisguise," is their new single...and it is arguably their best song!!! they are opening for Black Moth Super Rainbow on May 21 in Chicago!!!! we gotta go!!! it's going to be awesome!!! and it's only 12 bucks!!! caitlin, can me and some friends crash at your place?
oh, and read the lyrics. and visit their myspace page for three other incredible tracks called "Prince of Peace," "TranceFigure," and "Chain." they are all incredible:
http://www.myspace.com/schoolofsevenbells
ok. enough jibber jabber.....listen to the music!
in love,
ge
Lyrics to Half Asleep:
Sometimes I go whole days
listening bored, half sleep
I won't say anything
that's worth a thing to me
One day, suddenly, time
took a turn that once felt so brief
I blinked to see polite ghosts fading quickly
What begins as an unguarded
train of thoughts slowly can become
an addiction to the slumber
of disconnection and the resonance
of memory that no longer has a shape
but keeps you numb through
the hours tills gone is another day
Be aware, my darling
these things I say I mean
are just traces of something
I long to feel again
I see our time expand
in the air almost forcibly,
spreading thinner till it dissolves completely
Lyrics to connjur:
How does someone with nothing end
up with so much to show for it
All kinds of people, places, and things
Your cheap doormats and decorations
And to think it was all just a dream
One fantastic hallucination
Keep on polishing your golden
wall of trophies and self portraits
We'll just smile and wait till he knocks off
your designer rose colored glasses
And you'll see what we see - nothing but
old dust, peeled paint, and broken glasses
A simple imprint, imagine
I was the hill we walked
I was the walk that swung from your leg
I was your words that cast in my thoughts
Those who say dream are just dreams
say words end when you can't hear them
Listen closely as they fade
and witness the worlds construction
Lyrics to My Cabal:
My cabal, he sleeps outside
pulling the shadows over the moonlight
My cabal, won't you come inside
Forget the darkness if just for one night
Possibilities
baited with personal inconvenience
Every time he feels
that baited resistance tugging at his sleeve
he struggles to find who
he struggles to see why
He's weary with a weight
so often confused with authority,
but who's?
He sleeps outside
pulling the shadows over the moonlight
I want to know why
paper is so different
And what happens once these
promises incubated hit the air
I want to know why the
air becomes so thick and impenetrable
and why another set of rules apply, why?
My cabal, he sleeps outside
pulling the shadows over the moonlight
My cabal, won't you come inside
Forget the darkness if just for night
Lyrics to iamundernodisguise:
I am neither breather nor speaker
I am neither walker nor sleeper
I am neither sister brother son nor daughter
Solely in my chest is my heart a drum of water
I am under no disguise
Monday, March 23, 2009
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
i literally cannot believe how good this is. Ali Khan sings Qawwali music, praise songs to God from the Sufi tradition. my dear friend, pete, just sent out an email to a bunch of his friends with a video from this performance. watch the master at work and let him move you...at the 8 minute mark, your whole life might change
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nusrat_fateh_ali_khan
in love,
ge
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nusrat_fateh_ali_khan
in love,
ge
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Stephen, I'm glad we're friends...
Walt Whitman dance party with woodland creatures at 2:36...
Salt at different frequencies...yeah, it's science...
Salt at different frequencies...yeah, it's science...
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
More Sunni Patterson
sunni patterson tells it like it is, whether we want to hear it or not. sometimes, her anger startles me. but then i remember what she is talking about, and i realize that it is my own complicity that makes me uneasy.
why is it so hard for us to accept the fact that the universe is asking us to undergo a complete and total revolution? why is it so hard for us to support each other in this journey? what must be done to make it happen, to do the work that needs to be done, individually and collectively?
in love (and questions),
ge
why is it so hard for us to accept the fact that the universe is asking us to undergo a complete and total revolution? why is it so hard for us to support each other in this journey? what must be done to make it happen, to do the work that needs to be done, individually and collectively?
in love (and questions),
ge
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Louis CK
This is a pretty funny segment on how funny entitlement is and how spoiled some of us are.
I hope you're well.
in love,
ge
I hope you're well.
in love,
ge
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Severn Suzuki at the 1992 UN Earth Summit
this is such a powerful video. her words are so true, so real. we must start acting boldly, yes? perhaps you already do.
how do you act boldly for the world and the people who inhabit it?
how do you listen to those who are too often silenced or ignored?
how do you fall short of the radical lifestyle you envision?
how do you continue on despite the setbacks?
or better yet, how do we do this together? how do we forgive each other for falling short? how do we encourage each other to keep going?
in love,
ge
how do you act boldly for the world and the people who inhabit it?
how do you listen to those who are too often silenced or ignored?
how do you fall short of the radical lifestyle you envision?
how do you continue on despite the setbacks?
or better yet, how do we do this together? how do we forgive each other for falling short? how do we encourage each other to keep going?
in love,
ge
Monday, March 2, 2009
Herman Dune = Awesome
thankfully, i found these guys a second time. several months ago i saw these videos online but lost track of where i could find them. then, tonite, while procrastinating, they came upon me like a spring rain of contentment. puppets. pop music. trite, catchy lyrics. dancing children. nothing is better.
in love,
ge
in love,
ge
Sam Cooke
everything is good about sam cooke. let his voice shake loose your bones...and your heart. these are two of my favorite sam cooke songs of all time. the first one is the best version of "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" that i've ever heard. the second one is, "Bring it on Home To Me," and Pete Weiss and I used to sing it in the Union Square Subway station to raise money for Obama. It's a doosy.
there's so much good sam cooke out there, i feel bad just posting two videos but youtube has a surprising shortage of good videos featuring him. bummer.
however, these do the trick.
listen to that voice...nobody sounds like that.
thank you, sam.
in love,
ge
there's so much good sam cooke out there, i feel bad just posting two videos but youtube has a surprising shortage of good videos featuring him. bummer.
however, these do the trick.
listen to that voice...nobody sounds like that.
thank you, sam.
in love,
ge
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Charlie Chaplin in the final scene of "The Great Dictator"
well, it's an early morning post today. how does the morning find you? are well? are you fully involved in the mysterious oneness of the universe? yes, i'm sure you are. we could not completely separate ourselves from that reality if we tried.
i am still finishing a paper for class that was due at midnite, and i don't feel ashamed about it. if i could have finished my paper on time, i would have. something is shifting in my heart, as i am sure something is shifting in your own. it's true: you have the whole universe inside you. there is no center; everywhere is the center.
may our hearts grow wide enough to fit in all this beauty...
in love,
ge
i am still finishing a paper for class that was due at midnite, and i don't feel ashamed about it. if i could have finished my paper on time, i would have. something is shifting in my heart, as i am sure something is shifting in your own. it's true: you have the whole universe inside you. there is no center; everywhere is the center.
may our hearts grow wide enough to fit in all this beauty...
in love,
ge
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The Shade
this is a really nice short film [you're a really nice short film]. it is tragic, yes, but it is also beautiful and profound.
little kids want ice cream. it's a universal thing.
in love,
ge
little kids want ice cream. it's a universal thing.
in love,
ge
Monday, February 23, 2009
John Trudell
this is so good. i mean, seriously, why aren't we listening to stuff like this? why don't we believe it?
it's not in the best interest of those in power for us to hear and see things like this.
"see how you got civilized, because terrible things happened."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Trudell
http://www.johntrudell.com/
this is so heavy...what are we doing? dear god, what are we doing?
stick around for the end of that second trudell video. there is a little kid reciting one of his poems...and it's awesome.
in love,
greg
it's not in the best interest of those in power for us to hear and see things like this.
"see how you got civilized, because terrible things happened."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Trudell
http://www.johntrudell.com/
this is so heavy...what are we doing? dear god, what are we doing?
stick around for the end of that second trudell video. there is a little kid reciting one of his poems...and it's awesome.
in love,
greg
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Amma III
i just can't stop posting amma videos! what can i say? they're incredible...
this is a segment from one of the many films that describe her life and teachings. the little girl getting bossed around by her parents at the start of the clip is a potrayal of the young Amma, whose parents would often try to force her to abandon her spiritual practices, which she exhibited at a very young age...then on to those wonderful hugs and kisses!
it brings me to tears every time i watch the faces of those she is hugging. i hope that i get one of those physical hugs some time soon...her own face is pure love.
she is pure love. it's true. it's totally true.
she wants to hug you...right now.
in love,
ge
this is a segment from one of the many films that describe her life and teachings. the little girl getting bossed around by her parents at the start of the clip is a potrayal of the young Amma, whose parents would often try to force her to abandon her spiritual practices, which she exhibited at a very young age...then on to those wonderful hugs and kisses!
it brings me to tears every time i watch the faces of those she is hugging. i hope that i get one of those physical hugs some time soon...her own face is pure love.
she is pure love. it's true. it's totally true.
she wants to hug you...right now.
in love,
ge
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Please Buy More Stuff
this is better than anything in my diatribe below.
thank you, internet...i think.
we want your soul!
in love,
ge
thank you, internet...i think.
we want your soul!
in love,
ge
George Carlin on Consumerism
this...is...so...awesome.
who knew george carlin was so awesome?
what do we do with this reality?
and no, barack obama is not a revolutionary figure. he is saving america and capitalism one day at a time. it is awesome that we have a black president, but what he does is ten times more important than who he is. i still have his poster on my door. i still love looking at pictures of him and michelle. hell, i still love to hear him speak. but if barack obama is our revolution, then the revolution has truly been co-opted. america and capitalism consumed it: bob dylan victoria's secret commercials. ...yup.
but you know all this. we are all too aware that we are settling. that we are going in to this world because all the alternatives have been destroyed or made to look foolish, outdated, and no longer necessary.
and maybe they're not. maybe capitlism will just get better and better until everyone has a hybrid suv, organic cotton t-shirts, and soy lattes in recyclable containers. sounds like heaven doesn't it?
but what if something else is going on? what if the machine, in its seemingly infinite power, is shifting to keep us engaged. "oh look, we can't get away with what we used to. let's get salads in mcdonald's. let's donate 10% of our profits to charity . let's change our imagery to address the rising awareness that we are killing the earth and oppressing its people."
we live on a land that is not ours. we live in an empire that will do anything to stay alive, including a change of tone when necessary. increasingly, there is no outside. the machine groans on, taking up everything in its path, keeping whatever secrets it needs to to stay alive, including the fact that "successful," "wealthy" people are depressed, suicidal, drug addicted, disconnected, isolated, consumers....they are still consumers! no one is beyond consumption!
Obama quote: “Reagan’s central insight — that the liberal welfare state had grown complacent and overly bureaucratic, with Democratic policy makers more obsessed with slicing the economic pie than with growing that pie — contained a good deal of truth.”
Excerpt from nytimes article about obama: "'The market is the best mechanism ever invented for efficiently allocating resources to maximize production,' Obama told me. 'And I also think that there is a connection between the freedom of the marketplace and freedom more generally.' But, he continued, 'there are certain things the market doesn’t automatically do.' In other words, free-market policy isn’t likely to dominate his agenda; his project would be fixing the market."
now don't get me wrong, capitalism and america are not totally evil. capitalism is indeed quite efficient. and neither is obama, of course. i'm totally psyched that he is president instead of mccain...but that's just it. as my favorite professor once said, "racism is not longer bull connor with a pitbull." it's confusing now. it's grey. it's hard to see where justice stops and injustice begins, where freedom becomes domination. it's slippery now. our vision is distorted. the image is twisted, turned upside down, manipulated intentionally to keep us placated and confused.
there's no room of evil men. there's nothing to be worried about. we just won. we have a black, progressive president..
then why do i feel so strange?
why do i feel so alone?
why am i so confused?
why do streets, cars, and buildings feel sinister?
what is this feeling in my heart?
to where are we truly headed?
the clock stays silent. the road does not talk back. the passerby gives no hidden signals. even the trees have nothing to say.
what is happening? what the hell is happening?
in love,
ge
who knew george carlin was so awesome?
what do we do with this reality?
and no, barack obama is not a revolutionary figure. he is saving america and capitalism one day at a time. it is awesome that we have a black president, but what he does is ten times more important than who he is. i still have his poster on my door. i still love looking at pictures of him and michelle. hell, i still love to hear him speak. but if barack obama is our revolution, then the revolution has truly been co-opted. america and capitalism consumed it: bob dylan victoria's secret commercials. ...yup.
but you know all this. we are all too aware that we are settling. that we are going in to this world because all the alternatives have been destroyed or made to look foolish, outdated, and no longer necessary.
and maybe they're not. maybe capitlism will just get better and better until everyone has a hybrid suv, organic cotton t-shirts, and soy lattes in recyclable containers. sounds like heaven doesn't it?
but what if something else is going on? what if the machine, in its seemingly infinite power, is shifting to keep us engaged. "oh look, we can't get away with what we used to. let's get salads in mcdonald's. let's donate 10% of our profits to charity . let's change our imagery to address the rising awareness that we are killing the earth and oppressing its people."
we live on a land that is not ours. we live in an empire that will do anything to stay alive, including a change of tone when necessary. increasingly, there is no outside. the machine groans on, taking up everything in its path, keeping whatever secrets it needs to to stay alive, including the fact that "successful," "wealthy" people are depressed, suicidal, drug addicted, disconnected, isolated, consumers....they are still consumers! no one is beyond consumption!
Obama quote: “Reagan’s central insight — that the liberal welfare state had grown complacent and overly bureaucratic, with Democratic policy makers more obsessed with slicing the economic pie than with growing that pie — contained a good deal of truth.”
Excerpt from nytimes article about obama: "'The market is the best mechanism ever invented for efficiently allocating resources to maximize production,' Obama told me. 'And I also think that there is a connection between the freedom of the marketplace and freedom more generally.' But, he continued, 'there are certain things the market doesn’t automatically do.' In other words, free-market policy isn’t likely to dominate his agenda; his project would be fixing the market."
now don't get me wrong, capitalism and america are not totally evil. capitalism is indeed quite efficient. and neither is obama, of course. i'm totally psyched that he is president instead of mccain...but that's just it. as my favorite professor once said, "racism is not longer bull connor with a pitbull." it's confusing now. it's grey. it's hard to see where justice stops and injustice begins, where freedom becomes domination. it's slippery now. our vision is distorted. the image is twisted, turned upside down, manipulated intentionally to keep us placated and confused.
there's no room of evil men. there's nothing to be worried about. we just won. we have a black, progressive president..
then why do i feel so strange?
why do i feel so alone?
why am i so confused?
why do streets, cars, and buildings feel sinister?
what is this feeling in my heart?
to where are we truly headed?
the clock stays silent. the road does not talk back. the passerby gives no hidden signals. even the trees have nothing to say.
what is happening? what the hell is happening?
in love,
ge
Part 1 of History of Spanish Anarchism
this is the first part of a really good documentary on the spanish anarchist movement from 1936-39. it features interviews with some of the remaining survivors of the revolution.
so what do we do?
unfortunately, you can usually identify those who truly threaten the existing social order and power structures by how ruthlessly they are attacked.
how do we make peace?
how do we live radical lives?
in love,
ge
so what do we do?
unfortunately, you can usually identify those who truly threaten the existing social order and power structures by how ruthlessly they are attacked.
how do we make peace?
how do we live radical lives?
in love,
ge
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Robin Hood Disney Cartoon
ok, so we all know that disney is f-ed up. but this cartoon is so good! if you need to watch the whole movie on youtube, i understand.
thanks to all the recent comment posts from kim, haven, adrienne, the 1 question 50 people folks, adjua, and the rest of the gang.
keep comin back! tell your friends!
in love,
ge
thanks to all the recent comment posts from kim, haven, adrienne, the 1 question 50 people folks, adjua, and the rest of the gang.
keep comin back! tell your friends!
in love,
ge
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Earth Spirit Action
ok, so i know that this is video is pretty new-agey, which i usually can't stand, but this one happens to be really charming, informative, and right-on about most things.
where are you at? what are you thinking about? how do you connect to the way you are currently living your life? how do systems of oppression, destruction, and domination impact your life? what would it look like to live a revolutionary life?
in love,
ge
where are you at? what are you thinking about? how do you connect to the way you are currently living your life? how do systems of oppression, destruction, and domination impact your life? what would it look like to live a revolutionary life?
in love,
ge
Monday, February 16, 2009
"Fidelity": Don't Divorce
hello friends, adjua, my love, sent me this one. it is a sad reminder of what prop 8 meant for tens of thousands of happily married gay and lesbian couples.
thank you, sweet love. i hope your flight to new york isn't as bumpy.
in love,
ge
thank you, sweet love. i hope your flight to new york isn't as bumpy.
in love,
ge
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Michael Truckpile!
yeah! this is a friend of mine from the hudson valley. him and his partner jacinta (the other person in the second video) are awesome! jacinta actually used to hang out at my house when i was little with my cool-ass mom, who would wax poetic about eastern religion and philosophy. i got to hang out with them when i was living in tivoli, ny, and they performed with the sparkle kids action network in wilkes-barre while i was living in town. jacinta makes radical coloring books for kids and adults: http://www.girlsnotchicks.com/index.html check them out! she also does workshops on making zines and coloring books.
they're so great!
in love,
ge
they're so great!
in love,
ge
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Star Wars told by Someone Who Hasn't Seen It
totally awesome.
in love,
ge
Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn't seen it) from Joe Nicolosi on Vimeo.
in love,
ge
Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn't seen it) from Joe Nicolosi on Vimeo.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
J Mac Attack!
here is another feel-good favorite. you might have already seen this one, but it's a beauty. my old buddy, lukas, posted this one.
every bit of joy makes a difference.
in love,
ge.
every bit of joy makes a difference.
in love,
ge.
Ellen DeGeneres - I love Jesus but I drink a little.
this is a great little clip that some friends of mine posted on facebook.
laughter is so good.
come get some.
in love,
greg.
laughter is so good.
come get some.
in love,
greg.
Friday, February 6, 2009
bon iver - like sipping good tea
hello friends, it's been a while since my last post. it was quite a week. through this time, bon iver has been my constant companion, playing his music almost non-stop for the last week. it's so amazing and warm, i love it so much. i am probably getting on some people's nerves who have already heard me say this in some form or another repeatedly in recent memory, so i want say much more.
i gotta thank my dad for getting me this cd for christmas. it came right on time.
these are my four favorite songs from the album, one of them is live.
in love,
ge
i gotta thank my dad for getting me this cd for christmas. it came right on time.
these are my four favorite songs from the album, one of them is live.
in love,
ge
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Opening Scene from "Werckmeister Harmonies"
opening scene from the best movie i haven't seen yet. thanks, haven.
in love,
ge
in love,
ge
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sarah Haskins
everything about sarah haskins is awesome. discover the joy...the commentary...the truth...and the laughter. that's right: i'm posting every sarah haskins video the internet has to offer. why? because they are all awesome.
thanks, caitlin.
thanks, caitlin.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Farm and Wilderness Camp
i...love...camp! i have such a camp crush on farm and wilderness. journey's end farm camp is still the best...but f and w is like the party next door that you can hear people having fun at and you just want to go check it out!
yay camp!
in love,
ge
yay camp!
in love,
ge
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Veena - Jayanthi Kumaresh
the veena is one of the most beautiful instruments i have encountered. it is so unique and special, and jayanthi kumaresh plays it so incredibly. i love the playfulness and intensity of this performance. the third video ends with a raging drum solo as well.
i have a restless spirit today, and this music resonates on that level for me.
to read up on veenas, check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veena
in love,
ge
i have a restless spirit today, and this music resonates on that level for me.
to read up on veenas, check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veena
in love,
ge
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
NEPA!
NEPA, meaning Northeastern Pennsylvania, is a place like no other. its language, culture, and customs, long hidden from the outside world, are unique and surprising...and it's also where i'm from! if you ever pass through, give me a call, and i'll show you all the sights! like the largest poured concrete structure in the world, the nicholson bridge! the bluebird diner, factoryville's own 4-star dining! scranton, an actually cool city i don't really want to make fun of! mostly! the deitrich theater, tunkhannok's community run movie theater! journey's end farm, home of my quaker meeting, my quaker camp, and several wonderful people, including wood-beau, k-fitz, and the curtis family! nay aug park, with the sweetest waterfall scranton has to offer, as well as an animal sanctuary/slash community run zoo! the bog, the bar where all the cool kids hang out to look cooler! it's all here! it's all NEPA!
first up, let's learn the language. although this video is at times embarrassingly corny, so is all the comedy you come across in NEPA! including the comedy i did! the importance of this video is that it captures the NEPA dialectic. the second video is proof that people actually talk this way! ray lyman, scranton hero, a man of the people!
up next, scranton! home of , the office! as well as the craziest st. patrick's day parade ever, simply referred to as "parade day" it's beautiful! it's rundown! it's homey! it's weird! it's NEPA!
the nicholson bridge! the 8th wonder of the world! there are people who died making it buried in the concrete! wahoo!
factoryville! if you search it on youtube, all you get is people shooting guns out behind their house, a lot of footage of raccoons, a few kayaking videos, and this video of a plane landing at seaman's airport! if you listen closely, you can hear my 5th grade teacher, mrs. seaman's in the background! huzah!
perhaps nepa's most important feature is its unique foods! welsh cookies! hoagies! perogies! and old forge pizza!
here's footage of a small child making welsh cookies, the tastiest cookies in the world! that's not even a joke!
next is an old man making a hoagie! all of eastern pa, including philly, knows what a hoagie is!
actual chefs making perogies! thank you eastern europe!
and there's no videos on old forge pizza...what's this world coming to?
believe it or not, nepa has great music! here is one of our local favorites, and the moneynotes, playing at the bog, the coolest bar in scranton! because it has to be!
and a little documentary about them! how cool! my friend, settie, is the redhead (i don't like the violence either...but most boys seem too)!
and nepa is so cool that politicians are scrambling to claim it as their home! even if they haven't set foot in nepa for several decades!
"scranton is a place that never leaves you. it becomes part of your heart."
amen joe, amen.
first up, let's learn the language. although this video is at times embarrassingly corny, so is all the comedy you come across in NEPA! including the comedy i did! the importance of this video is that it captures the NEPA dialectic. the second video is proof that people actually talk this way! ray lyman, scranton hero, a man of the people!
up next, scranton! home of , the office! as well as the craziest st. patrick's day parade ever, simply referred to as "parade day" it's beautiful! it's rundown! it's homey! it's weird! it's NEPA!
the nicholson bridge! the 8th wonder of the world! there are people who died making it buried in the concrete! wahoo!
factoryville! if you search it on youtube, all you get is people shooting guns out behind their house, a lot of footage of raccoons, a few kayaking videos, and this video of a plane landing at seaman's airport! if you listen closely, you can hear my 5th grade teacher, mrs. seaman's in the background! huzah!
perhaps nepa's most important feature is its unique foods! welsh cookies! hoagies! perogies! and old forge pizza!
here's footage of a small child making welsh cookies, the tastiest cookies in the world! that's not even a joke!
next is an old man making a hoagie! all of eastern pa, including philly, knows what a hoagie is!
actual chefs making perogies! thank you eastern europe!
and there's no videos on old forge pizza...what's this world coming to?
believe it or not, nepa has great music! here is one of our local favorites, and the moneynotes, playing at the bog, the coolest bar in scranton! because it has to be!
and a little documentary about them! how cool! my friend, settie, is the redhead (i don't like the violence either...but most boys seem too)!
and nepa is so cool that politicians are scrambling to claim it as their home! even if they haven't set foot in nepa for several decades!
"scranton is a place that never leaves you. it becomes part of your heart."
amen joe, amen.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
50 People, One Question - Benjamin Reece
this is a pretty fascinating video. try to follow your response to the images of the people and what they say. it was so interesting to see what judgments came up in me immediately upon seeing some of the interview-ees. and how some of them were affirmed, while others were dispelled. so many of their responses are surprising in so many different ways! a nice little microcosm of humanity...[you're a nice little microcosm of humanity]
in love,
ge
Fifty People, One Question: New Orleans from Benjamin Reece on Vimeo.
in love,
ge
Fifty People, One Question: New Orleans from Benjamin Reece on Vimeo.
Monday, January 19, 2009
"Tranny Triptych" - Morty Diamond and Glenn Marla
hello friends! today's post is a powerful one. it features morty diamond (sex educator, performance artist, filmmaker, etc.) and glenn marla (performance artist, burlesque superstar). i had the pleasure of meeting glenn by way of serendipity in nyc. one night, we discovered that we had two mutual friends: his roommate, thailan, and dave end. what a world!
what i think is amazing about this video is that it manages to be vulnerable and artistic and playful all at the same time. so often the sharing of our stories and difficulties happens in a spirit of absolute seriousness with somber tones (understandably). but this bit of wonderfulness manages to express these stories in a way that is playful, loving, and open, without diminishing the emotional honesty of what is being shared. a truly remarkable accomplishment.
in love,
ge
glenn marla: www.myspace.com/smulyan
morty diamond: www.myspace.com/mortydiamond
what i think is amazing about this video is that it manages to be vulnerable and artistic and playful all at the same time. so often the sharing of our stories and difficulties happens in a spirit of absolute seriousness with somber tones (understandably). but this bit of wonderfulness manages to express these stories in a way that is playful, loving, and open, without diminishing the emotional honesty of what is being shared. a truly remarkable accomplishment.
in love,
ge
glenn marla: www.myspace.com/smulyan
morty diamond: www.myspace.com/mortydiamond
Saturday, January 17, 2009
CERN Rap
i am not quite sure what the best thing about this video is...i think it is probably imagining all the CERN interns running around the LHC, videotaping themselves. also, it has so much information! in rap form! brilliant!
CERN Rap from Will Barras on Vimeo.
CERN Rap from Will Barras on Vimeo.
"Iceland" - Eva Sturm
Friday, January 16, 2009
"Beautiful Flower" - India Arie
amazing. i am not, nor have i ever been, a girl. but i do know that there needs to be more songs and images like this one, to counteract all the poison and sadness.
much love to all women who have survived and thrived and come into their power. we love you and we need you.
much love to all women who still struggle and suffer. we love you and we need you.
and much love to those who are both.
in love,
ge
much love to all women who have survived and thrived and come into their power. we love you and we need you.
much love to all women who still struggle and suffer. we love you and we need you.
and much love to those who are both.
in love,
ge
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Lauryn Hill Unplugged
ok, so i should totally be doing my homework instead of posting, but funk it. this is about lauryn hill unplugged. i honestly assumed that i had already posted these videos because of how incredible they are, but to my surprise, this is their first appearance. and, to be frank, this blog would be pretty empty without them.
lauryn hill got a lot of s*** for this performance and the album that accompanied it. it was panned by critics, getting half a star in some cases. in the fall out afterwards, she fell apart, getting mixed up with a somewhat occultist figure, an awkward reunion with the fugees, and a life that did not make sense given the content of this performance. from all accounts, she fell apart.
you might think, well, this discredits these songs. she must not have gotten it in the way that she said she did. "I Gotta Find Peace of Mind" and "I Find it Hard to Say [Rebel]" don't make sense if she did not continue down the same path of spiritual awakening that she was clearly on at the time.
and if you do think that, i can't blame you. i have thought it myself from time to time. but i think that it is not the truth. watching these videos, listening to these songs, hearing the album, you KNOW she KNOWS. but she is still suffering and struggling and questioning so much. she got rid of the clothes, the band, the record deal. she confesses on the album that if her voice cracks, it is because she is not trying to be a "perfect singer" anymore. just honest. she had never performed these songs live before, messing up in front of millions. this is unlike any performance by a pop singer in recent memory, maybe ever. and you can tell that for how enlightened she is at this moment, she is still in so much pain....but i mean, what do i know? who knows what was really going on in her mind? all i can say is, crying to the tune, "I know it's possible. Free, Free, Free your mind," is as real as it gets...
this performance stands as a testament to the beauty, love, and transforming power of the divine. what happened afterwards is a testament to how rough this world is and how it can chew you up and spit you out and lead you astray and every other un-godly thing you can think of. can you imagine what it must have felt like to have this album laughed at by critics, an album on which you bared your soul, crying in testimony to god? i can't. it must have been devastating.
all i can say is, thank you, ms. hill. thank you for sharing with us what you discovered about god and yourself. i'm sorry we didn't understand, though many of us hold on to this album as gospel, as true today as it was when you performed it [i am one of them]. i hope you continue on, through whatever it is your going through, and emerge knowing that you are beautiful and divine. hopefully, you never forgot.
in love,
ge
p.s. if you don't have this album, you should probably buy it. one of the major things it got slammed for was all the talking she does in between songs. but you know what i think? i think the talking the best part...prophetic to say the least...
lauryn hill got a lot of s*** for this performance and the album that accompanied it. it was panned by critics, getting half a star in some cases. in the fall out afterwards, she fell apart, getting mixed up with a somewhat occultist figure, an awkward reunion with the fugees, and a life that did not make sense given the content of this performance. from all accounts, she fell apart.
you might think, well, this discredits these songs. she must not have gotten it in the way that she said she did. "I Gotta Find Peace of Mind" and "I Find it Hard to Say [Rebel]" don't make sense if she did not continue down the same path of spiritual awakening that she was clearly on at the time.
and if you do think that, i can't blame you. i have thought it myself from time to time. but i think that it is not the truth. watching these videos, listening to these songs, hearing the album, you KNOW she KNOWS. but she is still suffering and struggling and questioning so much. she got rid of the clothes, the band, the record deal. she confesses on the album that if her voice cracks, it is because she is not trying to be a "perfect singer" anymore. just honest. she had never performed these songs live before, messing up in front of millions. this is unlike any performance by a pop singer in recent memory, maybe ever. and you can tell that for how enlightened she is at this moment, she is still in so much pain....but i mean, what do i know? who knows what was really going on in her mind? all i can say is, crying to the tune, "I know it's possible. Free, Free, Free your mind," is as real as it gets...
this performance stands as a testament to the beauty, love, and transforming power of the divine. what happened afterwards is a testament to how rough this world is and how it can chew you up and spit you out and lead you astray and every other un-godly thing you can think of. can you imagine what it must have felt like to have this album laughed at by critics, an album on which you bared your soul, crying in testimony to god? i can't. it must have been devastating.
all i can say is, thank you, ms. hill. thank you for sharing with us what you discovered about god and yourself. i'm sorry we didn't understand, though many of us hold on to this album as gospel, as true today as it was when you performed it [i am one of them]. i hope you continue on, through whatever it is your going through, and emerge knowing that you are beautiful and divine. hopefully, you never forgot.
in love,
ge
p.s. if you don't have this album, you should probably buy it. one of the major things it got slammed for was all the talking she does in between songs. but you know what i think? i think the talking the best part...prophetic to say the least...
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
"The House of Beauty" - Mark Doty
nobody reads a poem like mark doty. it's as if he is speaking each word for the first time, careful not to waste any sounds that might be missed by speaking without care. if you like poetry at all and you've never been to the dodge poetry festival, you haven't lived. it's sacred and holy. people get together for five days and read poetry to each other. what is better than that?
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Dick Gregory on Rest, Water, and Fitness
i love dick gregory. he was one of my first heroes, because he would go to the front lines of the civil rights movements and get everybody laughing in order to dispel the danger of violence. but he has done a whole lot more than that. here is a link to his blog:
http://www.dickgregory.com/index2.html
and here is dick gregory letting us know how to have healthy bodies:
http://www.dickgregory.com/index2.html
and here is dick gregory letting us know how to have healthy bodies:
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Bruce Springsteen!
bruce springsteen is incredible. this fact took me some time to realize. but now i understand...unfortunately all of his music videos are blocked from being embedded. no matter. his live performances will do just fine...the other problem is that i want to post every video of him ever. he's just so damn nice to look at!
if there is any good at all to be found in masculinity, bruce springsteen has found it.
and if you are yet to be convinced of his greatness (thanks jake), i will be happy to elaborate. just look at clarence, his sax player. his beauty rivals the boss!
in love,
ge
if there is any good at all to be found in masculinity, bruce springsteen has found it.
and if you are yet to be convinced of his greatness (thanks jake), i will be happy to elaborate. just look at clarence, his sax player. his beauty rivals the boss!
in love,
ge
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