It actually doesn’t do the whole twinkling at the twilight- at least for me, but it popped in my head whilst looking at the ‘Title’ field trying to come up with something witty and unique. One out of two is not bad.
There has been something bouncing in my head all day though- I was looking through the SVA massive book of talent and classes and spotted this on the page for Justin Pedone; “Watching a man’s heart break aint pretty, but listening can be down right beautiful” My mind started racing to all the great blues singers, lyricists, poets, musicians et al. It’s my new favorite quote other than the one that goes, “Dawn is just freaking fantastic”. I’m not sure where I heard it, or who said it, but it ranks up there with one of the best sayings in the history of the world.
Speaking of “History of the World”
Asian Journalist: Mr. President, what place do you think you will have in history?
George W. Bush: History? In history we’ll all be dead!<- from IMDB on the new Oliver Stone film “W.”
Was it really necessary to create this film? Regardless of what light it paints him in or what agenda he has, really… did it need to be done? He’s now immortalized in film because the horror of living through his 8 years in office wasn’t enough? Whether he’s portrayed as misunderstood, an idiot, or a puppet- I could not care less.
It has been discussed and it is in the works that I’m going to be doing a bio pic on Oliver Stone.
In fact, I’ll do a bio pic of him WHILE he’s making a bio pic. Actually that would make it rather easy to do. I will follow him around with a camera and have the actor portraying him to copy everything he says and does. Spend an hour and a half doing that and then call it a wrap. I of course will start out the film with a quick montage of his life (or that can be the end) the beginning will be him on his way home from Nam, looking out the window… Oops, I don’t want to spoil it.
Does anyone actually PLAN on seeing W.?
“I want a fair, true portrait of the man. How did Bush go from an alcoholic bum to the most powerful figure in the world? It’s like Frank Capra territory on one hand, but I’ll also cover the demons in his private life, his bouts with his dad and his conversion to Christianity, which explains a lot of where he is coming from. It includes his belief that God personally chose him to be president of the United States, and his coming into his own with the stunning, preemptive attack on Iraq. It will contain surprises for Bush supporters and his detractors.”
Oliver Stone… Well Mr. Stone, my portrayal of you may not be quite so fair or true. Dawn Masuoka
Seriously though, when I saw the trailer for it the other night I was SO confused. It felt like old SNL, when there’s that moment where you’re unsure if the commercial you’re watching is truly a commercial or a skit. I thought the W. trailer was fake, my jaw completely dropped when I realized that it was the real deal.
I can’t believe it’s only Tuesday! I have Iron Man in my play-ah and LEGO Batman in my PSter2 (Yeah, I’m trying to come up with new catchy ways to say things… So far I’m not impressed with myself).
Yes, two movies on the horizon have caught my attention. I ranted about the first one, and now for the second: Religulous by Bill Maher. Mainly because when I listened to him on the Adam Corrolla show this morning I swore I was listening to myself. “Holy cow! Is that me???? Wait… no it can’t be with the whole it sounds like a man and all.” But I swear I had wanted to do a project like that for ages- only I lacked the media equipment and people/social skills, not to mention the whole thing where no one knows who I am- and the turn out to viewing the film would only be… well let’s see, I’m pretty sure the topic itself would offend 98% of those I know. I do know this from conversations that turned very heated when I would casually approach the ridiculousness of most belief systems and how could an intelligent, high functioning adult have an imaginary friend who apparently has ‘special powers’? I was pretty much talked out of that when I was 8 years old- her name was Sally and there came a time when I had to say bye to MY imaginary friend. I guess she wasn’t popular enough or not enough people were force fed the concept. It wasn’t an insult per se to anyone, it was merely trying to get into the mind of a rational human being for following such irrational notions. The movie should be interesting and nooooooooo I am not wanting to debunk belief systems, I merely want to understand, and it sounds like this film might just do that.
It was pointed out in the show this morning that Bill Maher is not an athiest, he’s pretty much like me, agnostic. Although I strongly feel that ‘agnostic’ is a cop out to a belief system- much like saying you’re a bi-sexual. I think it does free up the mind some what to have a diplomatic and fair approach to others. You can spot BSers and you can tell what people are truly into their belief system and why. I do feel that for the most part it IS needed in this world where the majority of the people need a higher power to account to. But there are those who really do feel the connection and walk their path because it’s deeply rooted. I say, “If it causes people to not act like jackasses- continue doing it… even if for the majority of them it’s only on a Sunday morning.
More about the film:
Comedian Bill Maher examines the presence of religion in many of the big news stories of recent years, from Muslim riots over cartoons to the Ten Commandments in front of courthouses, a born-again Christian in the White House and Scientology in the birthing room.<-that was from the Yahoo synopsis.
I do want to see Religulous- I really don’t want to see W. I really wish it WAS a SNL skit.
Never underestimate the power of faith. 3 things currently guide my “faith” The lion the witch and the wardrobe, the last question, and demons at rainbow bridge. Yes there all sci-fi but they offer what i feel faith is supposed to be about. Also a touch of Islam and Hindu and my Christian up bringing. The holy books may not be true but they all offer a fine example of how to conduct yourself. Pity they arent followed in “spirit” anymore.
Is it faith or ‘stretch of the imagination’. Give a talented writer a canvas to work on and present it to a thirsty audience who will interpret and find what suits/speaks/pleases/sounds ‘right’ ‘moral’ and ‘just’ and then they’ve written a guide to a wonderful spritual journey. You’d have to define “faith” though. You wrote of nothing that painted or explained “faith”. Faith in a higher power? Faith in yourself? Faith in being protected from harmful trolls that eat toes that stick out of blankets. You need to elaborate. Faith is a very generic word.
Kidding. I do know that people can find their beauty/peace and spirituality in a myriad of ways be it book, nature or words of someone respected- perhaps even inside their own head without outer influence. I’m not one to judge or care *how* *why* etc. I respect many paths and many belief systems. I don’t understand “SOME” belief systems or paths- but as long as they are kept from pestering me in attempts to convert me to see things the way THEY do- it’s all good. Let me find what speaks to my soul, let me find my beauty in life. By beating down my door and thrusting ignorant and blind statements at me with nothing to back it up except “Well that’s what God wrote”- it does nothing but cause me to scoff at them and wish them away.
This is an oldie but a goodie that paints the scenario I write of:
A Knock at the Door:
This morning there was a knock at my door. When I answered the door I found a well groomed, nicely dressed couple.
The man spoke first: “Hi! I’m John, and this is Mary.”
Mary: “Hi! We’re here to invite you to come kiss Hank’s ass with us.”
Me: “Pardon me?! What are you talking about? Who’s Hank, and why would I want to kiss his ass?”
John: “If you kiss Hank’s ass, he’ll give you a million dollars; and if you don’t, he’ll kick the shit out of you.”
Me: “What? Is this some sort of bizarre mob shake-down?”
John: “Hank is a billionaire philanthropist. Hank built this town. Hank owns this town. He can do what ever he wants, and what he wants is to give you a million dollars, but he can’t until you kiss his ass.”
Me: “That doesn’t make any sense. Why…”
Mary: “Who are you to question Hank’s gift? Don’t you want a million dollars? Isn’t it worth a little kiss on the ass?”
Me: “Well maybe, if it’s legit, but…”
John: “Then come kiss Hank’s ass with us.”
Me: “Do you kiss Hank’s ass often?”
Mary: “Oh yes, all the time…”
Me: “And has he given you a million dollars?”
John: “Well no, you don’t actually get the money until you leave town.”
Me: “So why don’t you just leave town now?”
Mary: “You can’t leave until Hank tells you to, or you don’t get the money, and he kicks the shit out of you.”
Me: “Do you know anyone who kissed Hank’s ass, left town, and got the million dollars?”
John: “My mother kissed Hank’s ass for years. She left town last year, and I’m sure she got the money.”
Me: “Haven’t you talked to her since then?”
John: “Of course not, Hank doesn’t allow it.”
Me: “So what makes you think he’ll actually give you the money if you’ve never talked to anyone who got the money?”
Mary: “Well, he gives you a little bit before you leave. Maybe you’ll get a raise; maybe you’ll win a small lotto; maybe you’ll just find a twenty dollar bill on the street.”
Me: “What’s that got to do with Hank?”
John: “Hank has certain connections.”
Me: “I’m sorry, but this sounds like some sort of bizarre con game.”
John: “But it’s a million dollars, can you really take the chance? And remember, if you don’t kiss Hank’s ass he’ll kick the shit of you.”
Me: “Maybe if I could see Hank, talk to him, get the details straight from him…”
Mary: “No one sees Hank, no one talks to Hank.”
Me: “Then how do you kiss his ass?”
John: “Sometimes we just blow him a kiss, and think of his ass. Other times we kiss Karl’s ass, and he passes it on.”
Me: “Who’s Karl?”
Mary: “A friend of ours. He’s the one who taught us all about kissing Hank’s ass. All we had to do was take him out to dinner a few times.”
Me: “And you just took his word for it when he said there was a Hank, that Hank wanted you to kiss his ass, and that Hank would reward you?”
John: “Oh no! Karl’s got a letter Hank sent him years ago explaining the whole thing. Here’s a copy; see for yourself.”
John handed me a photocopy of a handwritten memo on “From the desk of Karl” letterhead. There were eleven items listed:
Kiss Hank’s ass and he’ll give you a million dollars when you leave town.
Use alcohol in moderation.
Kick the shit out of people who aren’t like you.
Eat right.
Hank dictated this list himself.
The moon is made of green cheese.
Everything Hank says is right.
Wash your hands after going to the bathroom.
Don’t drink.
Eat your wieners on buns, no condiments.
Kiss Hank’s ass or he’ll kick the shit out of you.
Me: “This would appear to be written on Karl’s letterhead.”
Mary: “Hank didn’t have any paper.”
Me: “I have a hunch that if we checked we’d find this is Karl’s handwriting.”
John: “Of course, Hank dictated it.”
Me: “I thought you said no one gets to see Hank?”
Mary: “Not now, but years ago he would talk to some people.”
Me: “I thought you said he was a philanthropist. What sort of philanthropist kicks the shit out of people just because they’re different?”
Mary: “It’s what Hank wants, and Hank’s always right.”
Me: “How do you figure that?”
Mary: “Item 7 says Everything Hanks says is right.’ That’s good enough for me!”
Me: “Maybe your friend Karl just made the whole thing up.”
John: “No way! Item 5 says ‘Hank dictated this list himself.’ Besides, item 2 says ‘Use alcohol in moderation,’ item 4 says ‘Eat right,’ and item 8 says ‘Wash your hands after going to the bathroom.’ Everyone knows those things are right, so the rest must be true, too.”
Me: “But #9 says ‘Don’t Drink,’ which doesn’t quite go with #2. And #6 says ‘The moon is made of green cheese,’ which is just plain wrong.”
John: “There’s no contradiction between 9 and 2; 9 just clarifies 2. As to 6, you’ve never been to the moon, so you can’t say for sure.”
Me: “Scientists have pretty firmly established that the moon is made of rock…”
Mary: “But they don’t know if the rock came from the Earth, or from out of space, so it could just as easily be green cheese.”
Me: “I’m not really an expert, but I think the theory that the Moon came from the Earth has been discounted. Besides, not knowing where the rock came from doesn’t make it cheese.”
John: “Aha! You just admitted that scientists make mistakes, but we know Hank is always right!”
Me: “We do?”
Mary: “Of course we do, Item 5 says so.”
Me: “You’re saying Hank’s always right because the list says so, the list is right because Hank dictated it, and we know that Hank dictated it because the list says so. That’s circular logic, no different than saying ‘Hank’s right because he says he’s right.’”
John: “Now you’re getting it! It’s so rewarding to see someone come around to Hank’s way of thinking.”
Me: “But…oh, never mind. What’s the deal with wieners?”
Mary blushes. John says: “Wieners, in buns, no condiments. It’s Hank’s way. Anything else is wrong.”
Me: “What if I don’t have a bun?”
John: “No bun, no wiener. A wiener without a bun is wrong.”
Me: “No relish? No Mustard?”
Mary looks positively stricken. John shouts: “There’s no need for such language! Condiments of any kind are wrong!”
Me: “So a big pile of sauerkraut with some wieners chopped up in it would be out of the question?”
Mary sticks her fingers in her ears: “I am not listening to this. La la la, la la, la la la.”
John: “That’s disgusting. Only some sort of evil deviant would eat that…”
Me: “It’s good! I eat it all the time.”
Mary faints. John catches her: “Well, if I’d known you where one of those I wouldn’t have wasted my time. When Hank kicks the shit out of you I’ll be there, counting my money and laughing. I’ll kiss Hank’s ass for you, you bunless cut-wienered kraut-eater.”
With this, John dragged Mary to their waiting car, and sped off.