#which lead to their first 'rebirthing' of their pop identity they have going on when they meet felix. undertones of sad

[carbonateddelusion]

some more thoughts about Andromeda's conservatorship:

their conservator has legal ownership of them and everything they represent. it started off as them becoming their guardian when they were itty bitty, but after a bad episode that was unfortunately public, they were coaxed into the conservatorship they're currently in. it wasn't a huge change honestly though because they were already used to being so restricted in everything they do. they're EXTRAORDINARILY sheltered, and not just in a "you haven't had to experience bad things" way.

I think their conservator/guardian is a normal dude when they're not working with Andro. they have a husband and some fur babies, nieces and nephews they love very much, and are all-around seen as a charitable, good person by the media, although as reclusive as Andromeda themself is. they've compartmentalized their mistreatment of Andromeda. Andromeda is a brand, a thing, they aren't a person to them anymore- maybe they were in the beginning, but certainly not now. they make their job "easier" by thinking of Andromeda less as someone with needs and more of a checklist minimum of things they have to accomplish in order to maintain the brand by keeping the icon compliant.

[birdwholanded]

Stealing Buddha’s Dinner and the Buddhist Scriptures review

    Both are interesting books. In Stealing Buddha’s Dinner by Nguyen, the text is divided into chapters based on foods like Pringles, Forbidden Fruit, Dairy Cone, Fast Food Asian, Toll House Cookies, School Lunch, American Meat, Green Sticky Rice Cakes, Down With Grapes, Bread and Honey, Salt Pork, Holiday Tamales,Stealing Buddah’s Dinner, Ponderosa, Mooncakes, Cha Gio. They are vignettes. Stealing Buddah’s Dinner is a memoir and coming of age story. It relates life in Vietnam to life in America in the way that she ventured from Vietnam to start a new life in America. I enjoyed the whole book because of the difference of cultures and culture shock.  It was July 1975 when people were fleeing Vietnam on boats and they were chasing cars to try to escape from the war taking place. People in Saigon knew that the war had been lost and that the children were going to be put into reeducation camps. She was worried that some of her relatives would not get to come to America.  Bich Minh Nguyen immigrated to the United States from Vietnam in the 1970’s fleeing the Vietnam War taking place at the time. She and her father moved to Grand Rapids to start an American life. Her father got a job at the North American Feather. She discusses eating at Dairy Cone, McDonalds, Burger King, having Chef Boyardee meals, vanilla wafers, and typical American food. She talks about having to assimilate in a new way of life and noticing the differences between what she had known to what she has to learn now. Her father does not know anything about how to adapt with learning American customs and the way of life. He has to learn how to navigate through an entirely different world. She and her friends discuss changing their names to American names to fit into the American society better and so people could pronounce them instead of butchering their Vietnamese names. She questions her identity as an Asian American because she idealizes herself to be blonde haired and white like everyone else she sees. She feels like she doesn’t fit in after she first moves to Grand Rapids. She doesn’t know how to identify herself and feels like an outsider. Buddhism plays a role in her upbringing because there was a Buddha statue in her home in Grand Rapids and her grandmother would meditate by it. Her father and grandmother participated in the events at the Buddhist temple and they contributed a lot to rebuilding it and getting new pews for it and creating its new image and identity.       Buddhism is a religion where one seeks Enlightenment and the ways of reaching it. It talks about the various hells one can go to, it discusses if one will get reincarnated as a different animal in the next life. My favorite sections of the Buddhist Scriptures are The Realms of Rebirth, Karma Tales,The Three Jewels, Proving the Buddah, The Ascetic Ideal, The Direct Path to Enlightenment, and Wisdom and Compassion. The three jewels of Buddhism are divided into Buddha, Sangha and Dharma. The Buddha is the fully enlightened one, the Dharma are the teachings expounded by the Buddha and the sangha is the monastic order of Buddhism that practices Dharmas. It then ventures out into the sections Upaya, Shila and Dhyana. Dharma is the ultimate reality. Upaya is defined as being a term used to refer to an aspect of guidance along the Buddhist paths to liberation where a conscious voluntary action is driven by incomplete reasoning about its direction. Shila are Buddhist ethics. Dhyana is the training of the mind commonly translated as meditation to withdraw the mind from automatic responses to sense impressions and leading to a state of perfect awareness. My favorite section of Stealing Buddha’s Dinner was the conclusion because I like how Nguyen went to Vietnam again when she was in graduate school to see her grandmother. She got to partake of Vietnamese food like Cha Gio, which is a spring roll. It is interesting that she gets to appreciate her heritage in her young adulthood. She reconnected with who she really is and where she came from.     It talks about Buddhism. Buddhism deals with the Buddah, reincarnation, nirvana, enlightenment, The Noble Path, etc.  It refers to it in the way that it discusses reincarnation, and where people go when they pass away, if they get to come back again. In Stealing Buddha’s Dinner, Nguyen went to a Catholic school where she had to pray to God, but she did not follow Catholicism. She told the instructor that her household was buddhist and she gave her a letter from her family saying that she could not pray to God anymore. Nguyen was thinking about the idea of reincarnation and if she would have a better next life. She contemplates heaven, hell and nirvana. 1980’s music is referenced in this book, classic or typical American food is talked about. She was delighted to eat out at McDonalds and Burger King.     I relate to this memoir because growing up, my family and I did the opposite of what she did. She appreciated all things American and comfort food because she did not identify with her Vietnamese heritage, while my parents, my brother and I would specifically seek out Asian cuisine like Indian, Thai, Japanese, and Vietnamese restaurants. I was introduced to them when I was nine because there were Vietnamese restaurants by my dad’s work and on the weekends or Friday nights after work, we would meet my dad there sometimes and eat a buhn or papaya salad. My family frequented the Vietnamese restaurant so often that we became friends with the owners. It was a mom and pop type of restaurant with limited seating. It was a small restaurant. My dad got to order special things that weren’t even on the menu. On the wall of the restaurant, they had a whiteboard with daily specials and one of the specials was chickens’ feet salad. I never ordered it but I kind of wanted to see how it would taste. On the wall of the restaurant, the owners would play peaceful scenes from Vietnam on the television and it was interesting for me as a child and teenager to see the different way of life and culture in Vietnam. We are the opposites of her because we are a Caucasian family in America willingly seeking out Asian cuisines, while she comes from an Asian background and wants to eat typical American food. My family does not have any ties to Vietnam but I would like to visit it one day.     She ties her American side to her Vietnamese side and compares the life that her father sacrificed by fleeing Vietnam to coming to Grand Rapids and starting over.     In The Buddhist Scriptures in the chapter of Wisdom and Compassion, I highlighted the text, “Instead, all who traverse the path to buddhahood must develop extraordinary compassion and extraordinary wisdom, yet there is an apparent contradiction between these two. Compassion leads to a dedication to provide assistance to other persons yet wisdom brings the understanding that ultimately there are no persons because there is no self.” I do not understand why the text says that there are no persons because there is no self. I maybe believe that is said because when one loses his sense of self by helping others out all of the time, he doesn’t recognize that he is himself any more because he is not dedicated to his self interests but interested in helping out others. That makes sense when the quote states, “Compassion leads to a dedication to provide assistance to other persons.” One becomes selfless in the pursuit of being compassionate. I also highlighted the quote, “ In his first sermon, the Buddha had described a middle path between the extremes of self-indulgence and asceticism, both of which he had experienced prior to his enlightenment. Here and in other Mahayana sutras, especially those of the ‘Perfection of Wisdom’ genre, the notion of the middle way between extremes is given a more philosophical sense, as an inexpressible reality between the extremes of permanence and impermanence, self and no-self...but emptiness is not an ultimate reality, eternal and autonomous.” (351) She incorporates her Vietnamese roots and culture to the American side to compare the two different ways of life and the differences between the cultures.     The Buddhist scriptures tell different parables and stories about the Buddha and his journey to enlightenment and nirvana. It talks about the different hells and heavens one goes to and it talks about people possibly being reincarnated into different animal forms. It talks about bodies being turned into crows. The Budhist scriptures relate your deeds on the earth to what one will reap in the afterlife.     I like Buddhism as a belief and religious system because of its discussion about karma and how things are interconnected with people’s fates and livelihoods. It centers people to a common good. It talks about inner peace and how one can attain it. Buddhism talks about being peaceful and calm within oneself, growing through change as well. It talks about coming to terms with life events and making peace with them.       The title of ‘Stealing Buddha’s Dinner’ is interesting to me because it ties her religious belief, which is Buddhism, to her heritage, which is Vietnamese to the Vietnamese cuisine. American food is cheap and processed like Hostess’ Twinkies, frozen Kid Cuisine meals, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, etc. It is cheap to produce and purchase, especially American fast food like McDonalds and Burger King.

[needhamglobalgroupmeditation]

Meditation's Beneficial Magic

Meditation in the Mind

More and more these days we see countless recommendations to practice the age old art and science of meditation. Most, if not all, extol its seemingly magical power on the human psyche through its purported benefits. These recommendations and claims have stood the test of time- they are universally accepted and well justified. For eons past those who came before us have spoken volumes regarding this great gift we all posses but today sometimes, we neglect to use. Why now are we again reminded of this?

All of us are participating either aware or unaware. in a quantum shift bringing at times, tumultuous changes in all areas of our society and world structures. No one is exempt from the effects these rapid changes bring. While universally experienced, these trans-formative energies are individually unique and processed differently depending on a person's outlook. With a little discipline and practice we can apply this gift of meditation to help balance stress levels, reduce mind-movies which seem to play nonstop to bring increasing levels of joy, clarity and purpose into life.

While it's true that meditative practices are known by many names in virtually all cultures each with various forms of practice, finding one that will work for you is quite easy. Best of all, this gently leads us ultimately to a special place we often desire and want- greater understanding and acceptance to life's mysteries.

So, let's briefly explore the subject for the sole purpose of learning how to reap many beneficial rewards available through meditation. Besides, it is true, the best things in life are free. So let us begin to clear our minds of useless, wayward abstract thoughts having no justification to control or dictate our life's direction. We will find meditation allows you in the purest sense, to create your own life's experiences. (More discussion about that possibility a bit later). For now, consider that during meditation you can replace, and clear out unwanted thoughts with life affirming versions gaining- a true, lasting peace of mind, body and soul. Meditation is your gateway offering all that and more...you can even create some magic in your life through this simple process!

As you may have heard or if you are already a dedicated practitioner, individuals report profound psychological, physical and spiritual well-being as they practice meditation daily. What then is meditation really all about? For beginners, how can one start? And how far can I go with sincere dedication? In this article are going to examine a few areas- some historical background, benefits, science of the mind and advanced possibilities.

History to Date

According to many archeologists, meditation pre dates written records. It could be easily envisioned a person entering an altered state of consciousness by simply gazing in the mind-stilling flicker of fire while taking no thought. The earliest documented record of meditation comes from India in their Hindu scriptures called tantras. These records date back over 5,000 years coming from the Indus valley and were combined with what is referred to today as yoga. Along with expanding trade, cultural exchange was also carried westward and meditation practice was soon embedded in eastern thought and spiritual practices.

With the advent of Buddha around 500 AD, many diverse cultures began to develop their own interpretations and specialized meditative techniques. Some techniques still in use to this day are said to deliver incredible mind-over-matter powers and supernormal skills that transformed the practitioner. Today, these are devout individuals and are not necessarily monks living in some remote mountain monastery. They are everyday people like you and I. Of course advancing through time, the long history of meditation is no longer only attributed to the Hindus and Buddhists. Not to be left out, Christianity, Islam and Judaism also participate in the perpetuation of meditation each with its own take on the practice.

However, historically these religious faiths do not dominate in their teachings and practices a culture of meditation when compared to the Asian traditions. Meditation finds its place here in our Western culture in the early 1960's into the '70's. This was a time when much of our culture was being tested, demanding to be redefined. Meditation found fertile ground in which to flourish and expand. Some could say it was the "hippie" revolution which inspired to embrace acceptance of foreign ideas but only ones that possessed real substantive value. It was not long after that when the Western medical and scientific community began to conduct research and studies on meditation. And what did most studies if not all, to varying degrees find?

You guessed it- significant health benefits. One of the most important aspects of meditation is how it releases stress from our bodies. This is achieved by bridging the gap between our conscious and un-conscious selves, situations or non-justified thoughts that ferment stress become less significant and actually lose their power. Through meditation, it does not take long before you feel more peaceful and relaxed about everything. What happened to cause this nearly miraculous change? Studies have proven that meditation raises serotonin levels which directly affect our behavior and emotional temperament. Conversely, low levels of serotonin lead to depression, headaches even insomnia. All symptoms associated with stress.

Today, our western civilization with all our "advanced" knowledge has re-affirmed the ancient knowledge and understanding of meditation's therapeutic power to help alleviate mental and physical ailments. And this was just the infancy of discovery or shall we say re-discovery of unlimited powers available inside each of us. Today, mediation without question is a universally medically accepted form of holistic healing used worldwide. Meditation could be summed up as a natural mechanism within each of us that enables the spirit within, the higher, true self to bridge the communication gap into our physical aspects grounding us in unconditional love.

Rebirth through Breath

Beyond all the medical community assertions lies a vast segment of the population seeking additional benefits when practicing meditation. How can what appears initially only to be a physical act, effect our true inner being so profoundly by simply clearing our conscious thoughts and focusing on our breath? Well the secret really is in our breath. When you first start a meditative practice at face value, it appears really easy. Yet, early on many are easily frustrated because they have really never truly attempted to quiet their thoughts while awake. Successfully navigating the mental mind field of what apparently appears to be non-stop streams of thoughts popping up can at first be a daunting task. Be forewarned this is a common occurrence and quite normal and there is a solution. It's funny actually once realization sets in that you really are like two individuals within a single physical body. And that is not far from the truth.

I, like many who meditate found out early on one key to successfully get beyond this mental speed bump is to acknowledge the thought. Proceed to then dismiss it entirely or agree to revisit the thought after the meditation session and return the mind's focus to your breathing. I have used this method to great success getting past the egos gate keeper role which it often plays.

You may find this method helpful as well if not, find what brings your focus back without distracting thoughts. Again, breathing's role is of utmost importance in this whole process because it is the gateway bridging the physical body with the spiritual body. The goal here is what I refer to as the death of thoughts through focusing on your breath. Becoming more sensitive of taking no thought along with staying present in the moment by the simple act being consciously aware of your breathing, an amazing inner rebirth begins. Next, we define some good basic steps for all meditation practices.

Meditation 101

Chances are in your life you have unknowingly experienced moments in a purely meditative state. The odds are that when this occurred, you found yourself outside in nature. In nature we more easily find resonance with a deeper more real aspect of ourselves which often comes alive in the natural environment.

Perhaps it occurred while relaxing on a beach watching the hypnotic like waves repetitively washing ashore or possibly noticing the invisible wind rustle leaves on a tree as warming sunlight bathed your face. If you recall during these moments, you found a completely relaxed feeling immerse your entire being because you were free of distracting thoughts. This is what being in "the moment" is all about. It is as if your mind tunes into the higher natural frequencies of life which for the most part, are virtually non-existent inside buildings and such. Yet, with focus, proper intentions and processes we can escape these limitations imposed in man-made environments. Of course meditation can be greatly enhanced when it is practical in natural surroundings.

The whole concept of meditation takes on various identities depending what an individual's intention is while performing a chosen meditation. Some may want physical or mental relief, others, answers or directions for a better life. Either way, choices are clearly individualized. Find yours since this goes a long way in helping you along the path aided with a unique, personalized purpose. Define it for you! To begin a meditation, a few simple rules are universally accepted. These generally are-

1) Break away from distractions. Turn off the outside electrical/technological intrusions like phones, computers, TV's etc. A quiet, calm peaceful place is preferred. At first, commit 10 minutes or more with no interruption.

2) Posture is important in that you must be comfortable. Preferably this is with your back upright and your spine to you head straight. Normally a seated position on the ground is preferred with hands in your lap; it can also be done in a chair. Lying down initially is not suggested as you body can assume a sleep mode.

3) Close your eyes gently, relax your jaw and facial muscles. Do a "body scan" looking for any muscle tension that may exist releasing any found. Continue relaxing now for a few moments allowing your body to become comfortable. Be observant of bodily tension arising. The key is to physically relax.

4) Slowly evacuate your lungs completely. Gently inhale and exhale through your nostrils with a deep (from the belly) rhythmic cycle filling your lungs to capacity and expelling the air completely. Slow, long in and out breaths are ideal. Pausing momentarily at the end of each in and out breath. Focus on the feeling and sounds during the entire cycle.

5) Activate the heart-mind connection which provides an initial thought-clearing mode. Do not attempt to suppress these thoughts. Acknowledge them. Briefly as thoughts arise, dismiss them by surrounding any with the six heart virtues of: appreciation, compassion, forgiveness, humility, valor, and understanding. Another very powerful technique is to apply unconditional love (without a judgment position) to any thoughts that may arise, release them and return focus to your breathing.

6) Steadily and incrementally increase the time duration spent in your practice. As the moments of time lengthen between arising thoughts, you are now well on the way to higher levels of meditation. Remind yourself to notice and appreciate the beneficial by-products you have regained.

[sacredgeometry101-blog]

Meditation's Beneficial Magic

Breathing in the Mind More and more these days we see countless recommendations to practice the age old art and science associated with meditation. Most, if not all, extol its seemingly magical power on the human psyche through its proposed benefits. These recommendations and claims have stood the test of time- they are universally accepted and also well justified. For eons past those who came before us have spoken volumes regarding this terrific gift we all posses but today sometimes, we neglect to use. Why now are we again reminded of this? All of us are participating either aware or unaware. in a quantum shift bringing at times, tumultuous shifts in all areas of our society and world structures. No one is exempt from the effects these rapid improvements bring. While universally experienced, these trans-formative energies are individually unique and processed differently depending on ones own outlook. With a little discipline and practice we can apply this gift of meditation to help balance pressure levels, reduce mind-movies which seem to play non-stop to bring increasing levels of joy, clarity and purpose inside life. While it's true that meditative practices are known by many names in virtually all people each with various forms of practice, finding one that will work for you is quite easy. Best of all, this gently potential customers us ultimately to a special place we often desire and want- greater understanding and acceptance so that you can life's mysteries. So , let's briefly explore the subject for the sole purpose of learning how to reap many positive rewards available through meditation. Besides, it is true, the best things in life are free. So let’s begin to clear our minds of useless, wayward abstract thoughts having no justification to control or stipulate our life's direction. We will find meditation allows you in the purest sense, to create your own life's experiences. (More discussion about that possibility a bit later). For now, consider that during meditation you can replace, and clear out unwelcome thoughts with life affirming versions gaining- a true, lasting peace of mind, body and soul. Meditation is your entry offering all that and more... you can even create some magic in your life through this simple process! As you may have seen or if you are already a dedicated practitioner, individuals report profound psychological, physical and spiritual well-being as they process meditation daily. What then is meditation really all about? For beginners, how can one start? And how far can I pick sincere dedication? In this article are going to examine a few areas- some historical background, benefits, science of the mind plus advanced possibilities. History to Date According to many archeologists, meditation pre dates written records. It could be easily created a person entering an altered state of consciousness by simply gazing in the mind-stilling flicker of fire even though taking no thought. The earliest documented record of meditation comes from India in their Hindu scriptures called tantras. These records date back over 5, 000 years coming from the Indus valley and were combined with precisely what is referred to today as yoga. Along with expanding trade, cultural exchange was also carried westward and introspection practice was soon embedded in eastern thought and spiritual practices. With the advent of Buddha approximately 500 AD, many diverse cultures began to develop their own interpretations and specialized meditative techniques. Some solutions still in use to this day are said to deliver incredible mind-over-matter powers and supernormal skills that transformed a practitioner. Today, these are devout individuals and are not necessarily monks living in some remote mountain monastery. They are people like you and I. Of course advancing through time, the long history of meditation is no longer sole attributed to the Hindus and Buddhists. Not to be left out, Christianity, Islam and Judaism also participate in all the perpetuation of meditation each with its own take on the practice. However , historically these religious faiths don't dominate in their teachings and practices a culture of meditation when compared to the Asian traditions. Meditation sees its place here in our Western culture in the early 1960's into the '70's. This was a time when high of our culture was being tested, demanding to be redefined. Meditation found fertile ground in which to flourish as well as expand. Some could say it was the "hippie" revolution which inspired to embrace acceptance of unusual ideas but only ones that possessed real substantive value. It was not long after that when the Western professional medical and scientific community began to conduct research and studies on meditation. And what did most reviews if not all, to varying degrees find? You guessed it- significant health benefits. One of the most important aspects of self-examination is how it releases stress from our bodies. This is achieved by bridging the gap between this conscious and un-conscious selves, situations or non-justified thoughts that ferment stress become less significant and lose their power. Through meditation, it does not take long before you feel more peaceful and relaxed about almost everything. What happened to cause this nearly miraculous change? Studies have proven that meditation raises serotonin levels which directly affect our behavior and emotional temperament. Conversely, low levels of serotonin lead to unhappiness, headaches even insomnia. All symptoms associated with stress. Today, our western civilization with all our "advanced" knowledge has re-affirmed the ancient knowledge and understanding of meditation's therapeutic power to help alleviate mental and physical ailments. And this was just the infancy of discovery or shall we say re-discovery from unlimited powers available inside each of us. Today, mediation without question is a universally medically accepted version of holistic healing used worldwide. Meditation could be summed up as a natural mechanism within each of us that allows the spirit within, the higher, true self to bridge the communication gap into our physical factors grounding us in unconditional love. Rebirth through Breath Beyond all the medical community assertions lies an infinite segment of the population seeking additional benefits when practicing meditation. How can what appears initially only to be described as a physical act, effect our true inner being so profoundly by simply clearing our conscious thoughts together with focusing on our breath? Well the secret really is in our breath. When you first start a meditative practice at face benefits, it appears really easy. Yet, early on many are easily frustrated because they have really never truly attempted to quiet ones own thoughts while awake. Successfully navigating the mental mind field of what apparently appears to be nonstop water ways of thoughts popping up can at first be a daunting task. Be forewarned this is a common occurrence and really normal and there is a solution. It's funny actually once realization sets in that you really are like a few individuals within a single physical body. And that is not far from the truth. I, like many who meditate found out in the beginning one key to successfully get beyond this mental speed bump is to acknowledge the thought. Proceed to in that case dismiss it entirely or agree to revisit the thought after the meditation session and return the mind's center to your breathing. I have used this method to great success getting past the egos gate keeper role which unfortunately it often plays. You may find this method helpful as well if not, find what brings your focus back without the need of distracting thoughts. Again, breathing's role is of utmost importance in this whole process because it is the gateway bridging the actual physical body with the spiritual body. The goal here is what I refer to as the death of thoughts as a result of focusing on your breath. Becoming more sensitive of taking no thought along with staying present in the moment by way of the simple act being consciously aware of your breathing, an amazing inner rebirth begins. Next, we define some terrific basic steps for all meditation practices. Meditation 101 Chances are in your life you have unknowingly experienced moments in a just meditative state. The odds are that when this occurred, you found yourself outside in nature. In dynamics we more easily find resonance with a deeper more real aspect of ourselves which often comes alive in the habitat. Perhaps it occurred while relaxing on a beach watching the hypnotic like waves repetitively washing on land or possibly noticing the invisible wind rustle leaves on a tree as warming sunlight bathed your face. If you happen to recall during these moments, you found a completely relaxed feeling immerse your entire being because you were free of distracting thoughts. This is what being in "the moment" is all about. It is as if your mind tunes into the higher natural frequencies of life which for the most part, are virtually nonexistent inside buildings and such. Yet, with focus, adequate intentions and processes we can escape these limitations imposed in man-made environments. Of course meditation can be really enhanced when it is practical in natural surroundings. The whole concept of meditation takes on various identities depending what your intention is while performing a chosen meditation. Some may want physical or mental relief, others, solutions or directions for a better life. Either way, choices are clearly individualized. Find yours since this moves a long way in helping you along the path aided with a unique, personalized purpose. Define it for you! To begin some meditation, a few simple rules are universally accepted. These generally are- 1) Break away from distractions. Switch off the outside electrical/technological intrusions like phones, computers, TV's etc . A quiet, calm peaceful place is desired. At first, commit 10 minutes or more with no interruption. 2) Posture is important in that you must be comfortable. Really this is with your back upright and your spine to you head straight. Normally a seated position on the ground is usually preferred with hands in your lap; it can also be done in a chair. Lying down initially is not suggested as you overall body can assume a sleep mode. 3) Close your eyes gently, relax your jaw and makeup muscles. Do a "body scan" looking for any muscle tension that may exist releasing any found. Continue unwinding now for a few moments allowing your body to become comfortable. Be observant of bodily tension arising. The key may be to physically relax. 4) Slowly evacuate your lungs completely. Gently inhale and exhale through your nostrils with a serious (from the belly) rhythmic cycle filling your lungs to capacity and expelling the air completely. Impede, long in and out breaths are ideal. Pausing momentarily at the end of each in and out air. Focus on the feeling and sounds during the entire cycle. 5) Activate the heart-mind connection which provides an initial thought-clearing mode. Do not attempt to suppress these thoughts. Acknowledge them. Briefly as thoughts arise, dismiss them just by surrounding any with the six heart virtues of: appreciation, compassion, forgiveness, humility, valor, and understanding. An additional very powerful technique is to apply unconditional love (without a judgment position) to any thoughts that can arise, release them and return focus to your breathing. 6) Steadily and incrementally increase the time entire length spent in your practice. As the moments of time lengthen between arising thoughts, you are now well on the way to raised levels of meditation. Remind yourself to notice and appreciate the beneficial by-products you have regained. Eleven Benefits of Meditating Daily Here's a short list (certainly not all inclusive) of the benefits that come from a daily meditation practice- one Your life becomes significantly clearer and calm The hustle and bustle of everyday life is choking our minds in the peace we deserve! Our technology advancements shouldn't suffocate our minds; it should allow us to achieve even more peace. Meditation helps put those events in perspective for our daily tasks. 2 . Your blood demand is lowered Science has proven it, meditation lowers the blood pressure, which in return is related to a stress levels and stress management. Much better than taking pills to lower your blood pressure! 3. People all over you enjoy your company Regular meditation leads to higher/positive energy that you are consistently tapping into. This effectively makes you very pleasing to be around, and people like that! People naturally gravitate to the people who make them feel good. 4. Your hitting the ground with God is strengthened Spiritual awareness is strengthened with a daily meditation practice. You naturally become more cognizant of your surroundings, and higher awareness always leads to a deeper connection with God. The trees begin explaining personalities, and the landscape takes on different meanings... all through a deeper awareness. 5. You achieve several hours about sleep in one 20 minute meditation session Another scientific fact is that meditation is known to put you to a deeper state of rest than deep sleep. Deep sleep is associated with a delta brainwave. Deep relaxation can drop you into that delta brainwave rapidly, achieving the effects in a shorter amount of time. 6. Conditions seemed very difficult suddenly have clear solutions For every problem a solution exists. When your mind is clear and additionally you're in a state of peace, solutions appear. Being in a state of peace just naturally lures in solutions and pathways into your field of view. 7. Your productivity sky rockets because of a person's ability to have clear focus If solutions to problems appear more frequently when meditating daily, then imagine when there is to your everyday tasks. Solutions to everyday life become more and more obvious. And you begin to take note of these subtle changes since your spiritual vision grows clearer and wider. 8. Your life expectancy increases Science has shown that usual meditation will increase your life expectancy. It's pretty obvious to see... less stress and more peace promotes healthy skin cells and healthy cells regenerate healthier cells. And likewise, stressed cells regenerate more stressed cells. So stay longer by choosing more peace in your life. 9. You effectively reduce stress in your life Speaking of stress, mind-calming exercise has a profound effect on reducing stress in your body. Because meditation promotes peace and inner calm, stress dissolves dramatically from this meditative process. Again, science has proven it. 10. You can visualize powerfully when blended with positive affirmations and meditation Meditation is powerful at clearing the mind and focusing on simple things... such as breathing... or a flower. But, it can be used for so much more! To powerfully manifest your desires, you must get into an apparent connection with the source of manifesting (God/Universe/Ethers). If your spirits are on high while you visualize then the communication approach for manifesting positive events in your life is strengthened. While meditating I like to repeat affirmations, otherwise known as mantras, to help focus my energy into the positive. These statements can be as simple as "love" or "I are love, I am joy, I am peace". 11. You feel fantastic throughout your day! And finally, when you meditate on a regular basis, you may feel fantastic. Plain and simple. You feel good. Everything else is details. Science of Meditation's Magic Today there is a lot of scientific studies validating in a laboratory setting, that while in a meditative state, significant changes occur with our neurological activity. Just as to why brain frequencies are altered is not yet fully understood. Neuroscientists hypothesize our brain is actually rewiring connections sculpting new avenues of brain circuitry seen during magnetic resonance image resolution. Could we simply be accessing the higher mind which subdues the thinking, egoic-centric mind where restrictions of self-consciousness disappear? Seems very plausible. Regardless of the exact reason for this profound change, some other "super consciousness" force appears to be altering the way our brain functions while in a meditative state. Dr . Gregg Jacobs who was simply the assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a senior research scientist at Harvard's Mind/Body Medical Institute now practicing at UMass Memorial Medical Center, published a book in 1993: That Ancestral Mind: Reclaim the Power. This book was the subject of a Time Magazine article back in August 2003 providing insight into the science behind meditation. Based on his research he made some interesting observations and arguments referring to what he labeled: the Ancestral Mind and the Thinking Mind. Dr . Jacobs argues, the conventional research implies our emotional well-being is being greatly hampered by the over-reliance on our dominant Thinking Mind- the verbal, rational, analytical and problem-solving part of ourselves. Over vast ages of time we have severed connection with an equally important part of our makeup- the Ancestral Mind. To me, this speaks of becoming a more truly balanced human being, maximizing the potential of consciousness. While that statement may not be in scientific jargon, any implication is the same. The Ancestral Mind: Reclaim the Power Book blurb- Dr . Jacobs offers a practical process for re-engaging with this indelible part of our being, explaining how to access life-enhancing positive emotions while reducing negative ones; connect with a more intuitive intelligence and foster a deeper, expanded sense of daily knowledge; and achieve a more integrated concept of self through a closer harmony of intellect and emotion. What is Taking effect In your Brain During Meditation? Scientists have only recently developed tools sophisticated enough to see what goes on inside your brain when you meditate. Below are a series of three interactive graphics from the 2003 Time "The Science of Meditation" article showing brain activity changes that occur during meditation. Clearly some profound changes occur inside brain. Our brain appears to interact and be directly influenced by our higher-minds and consciousness itself. Frontal cortex - is the most highly evolved part of the brain, responsible for reasoning, planning, emotions and self- sensitive awareness. During meditation it tends to go offline. Parietal lobe - processes sensory information about the surrounding environment, orienting you in time and space. During meditation, activity in the parietal lobe slows down. Thalamus - is a gatekeeper for the senses. It focuses your attention by funneling some sensory data deeper into the human brain and stops other signals in their tracks. Meditation reduces the flow of incoming information to a drip. Reticular Formation - receives incoming stimulus and puts the brain on alert, ready to respond. Meditation calls back the arousal signal. After training in meditation for eight weeks, subjects show a pronounced switch in brain-wave patterns, shifting from the alpha waves of aroused, conscious thought to the theta waves that will dominate the brain during periods of deep relaxation. Even people meditating for the first time will register your decrease in beta waves, a sign that the cortex is not processing information as actively as usual. After your first 20-minute session, patients show a marked decrease in beta-wave activity. Consciousness Directs Matter Are you ready to be able to dive into infinite possibilities of the more unique, inherent benefits of meditation? How far can one go into the universal domain that will retrieve enhanced power to intentionally co-create in this world? And no, you don't have to become a Zen Buddhist monk. Rather than go off in the quantum realm too far, allot is becoming understood within the research community about the creation power of our thoughts. The following knowledge is equally important to understand and apply its power when practicing meditation. Deliberate thought merged with meditation is an extremely powerful combination. By now everyone has got a little taste of the premise in the movie "Secret" regarding the subject of manifestation or as I like to label it- "deliberate intentions of thought". While that subject matter may seem new and novel to a whole segment of the population, like meditation, it has existed to get a very long time. Ever heard the famous quote from Napoleon Hill in his 1937 book titled- Think in addition to Grow Rich? It sure sounds like it could be in the Secret: "What the mind can conceive and believe, it could actually achieve" Interestingly enough in the book, Mr. Hill did not expressly reveal the step-by-step process to create instances which aligned with ones invocation of a positive mental attitude. He left that for the reader to locate. However , he did provide clues and examples which he documented through interviewing over 500 flourishing people while researching his first course study titled: The Law of Success. He went on to describe this approach idea as a "Definite Major Purpose" in order for the reader to be challenged and ask the question- In precisely what do I truly believe? His philosophical perspective was that 98% of people had no firm beliefs contributing them to be handicapped in achieving what they want in life. So yes, change your thoughts, change an individual's world. I mention Mr. Hill because he clearly proved the absolute power of deliberate considered to create your desired life. And this approach succinctly aligns with the infinite possibilities afforded in meditation. Much like a professional stage hypnotist can temporarily manipulate someone's actions by accessing and placing suggestions in a specialized place within their psyche, similar gateways or altered states of consciousness are possible during meditation. Some of our subconscious minds cannot distinguish between the physical "reality" we are witnessing and merely vivid thought projections. It can be here that during certain meditative states one can interject desired images powered by emotions, or predefined affirmations by purposely focusing intent, expediting their arrival in the physical. I personally believe the reason time appears to be collapse between the desire (intention) and actual delivery is directly related to the reduced level of mental (Thinking Mind) resistance we hold while in certain meditative states. We receive sooner that which is wanted within our life because of the drastically reduced counterproductive, opposing beliefs or thoughts. During meditation these contrary brain send thought forms are minimized thereby allowing quantum mechanisms to more fully dominate. Call it miraculous or a miracle or quantum physics in action, but despite of the term used, it is real. This principle is exactly the conclusion Mr. Hill wanted his readers to arrive at. Of course, meditation is not directly mentioned, simply alluded to, but clearly meditation accelerates this entire creative process by reducing resistant thoughts that hinder progress. Regardless if while meditating you receive an urge to take a specific action which leads to a solution and chance meeting bringing you closer or delivering entirely a previously specified outcome, the objective is demonstrated. The only prerequisite is that you must clearly define exactly what you want. Remember- "Definite Major Purpose". Begin to let one self feel (believe) what you will experience when the object desired has arrived and let the universal powers do their a part. You will quickly find this power is quite useful in improving your well-being when practiced routinely using meditation. A New Direction Awaits In closing, meditation is a wonderful gift that is available to all who seek. But, one ought to seek that which is worthy of attention. As we have learned there are many beneficial reasons to practice this lost but reemerging art. And apparently, the distraction and conveniences of this post-industrial age have dulled a part of us that's never forsaken us and remains vigil in wanting to empower us to our full potential. Just think, it's only breaths away! As our socioeconomic landscape is now being radically redefined as we step further faraway from a primarily consumerism driven lifestyle, meditation can play a significant role in this era helping us being more balanced and grounded. Many are awakening to the fact that a life based solely material gain to obtain a state of happiness is fraught with dangers and distorts real, lasting values. Material affluence is not really a problem, but trying to live a life where that is the primary focus distances us further from your higher nature. We have many choices demanding our time and attention today, to sacrifice a critical activity just like meditation which could alter and improve your life beyond where you find yourself now, would be a tragedy. If you do not currently meditate on a regular basis, please consider doing so as this is a proven way for greater well-being, enhanced health and vitality in addition to starting to be more at peace with the world surrounding you. Start today and thank yourself for directing people here- all is purposely directed! Tim's writing expertise and intuition for understanding arcane, nonmainstream theme including esoteric topics begun at the age of 14. It is through his expansive career in financial which affords Tim a unique ability to apply a professional, down-to-earth approach when writing about the science of spirituality.

[marvelficrec]

do you have any 100k stony?¿

Massive list of 100k+ stevetony fics for your slow burn needs (under the cut cause there’s 20+ fics!!)

REBIRTH SERIES - 300k - i love

If you think of life and death on a continuum, finding the point where it tips is complicated. It cuts across all political lines and gets to the root of our humanity. It requires faith informed by years of intimacy that you’re doing what’s right for your loved one.

But Tony is just a man. And there’s only so much he can do.

(Or that time when Tony does what is necessary to survive just so that he can continue to fix things and makes extremely rash decisions; because even if Steve may have left him behind, doesn’t mean Tony would do the same. Kind of.)

Deep in the Heart of Me - 256k 

Veteran single dad Steve runs a tattoo shop. For his 40th birthday, Pepper arranges for Tony to get that tattoo he always wanted, and he winds up with the mother of all crushes instead. Jumping out of airplanes is one thing, but falling in love is something else entirely. Steve struggles with the idea of actually letting someone into his life. Tony is left trying to keep his heart from being broken while Steve figures things out.

I Said “I Love You,” What Does it Matter if I Lie to You? - 96k (its almost 100k, I love it too much to not rec)

18 year old Tony Stark is your typical teenager. Well, except for how he’s the playboy billionaire heir to Stark Industries and working on two PhDs. Oh, and 6 months ago he was kidnapped by - well, no one really knows who. Since his rescue (excuse you, Tony liberated himself), he’s also been keeping a pretty big secret. Here’s a hint: it’s shiny, red and gold, and flies. Tony’s had a productive couple of months, but the fact that his grandfather keeps trying to hire bodyguards for his “safety” is really putting a cramp in his ability to keep his secret superhero identity, well, a secret.

Steve Rogers wakes up in 2015 and finds out that he’s missed 70 years (Oh god, does this mean he’s 94?), a revelation that he handles with much less grace than usual. Mostly, Steve just wants to be Captain America again, but on his own terms and without a lot of fanfare. To fill the time while Steve tries to figure out the best way to resurrect a dead superhero, his good friend Isaac Stark offers him a job: bodyguard to Isaac’s grandson, Tony Stark - who seems to get into a surprising amount of trouble for a teenager. “There’s no better introduction to the 21st century than through Tony,” says Isaac. Somehow, Steve is not reassured.

Paved With Good Intentions (I’m on the road to hell) - 194k

When the mysterious group of vigilante assassins known only as ‘The Avengers’ are tipped off about the dirty secrets that lie within Stark Industries, Steve Rogers has his heart set on taking out Tony Stark for good in order to protect the rest of the world from his evil. He’s seen the footage, after all- Stark is a man who fights only for himself. And of course, when a job arises as chief bodyguard for Stark, to protect him from the growing threat of an ominously infatuated stalker, the opportunity is way too good for him to miss out on. It’s the perfect placement, and the perfect way to find out whether or not their tipoff is genuine.

But as Steve falls into rank as the new bodyguard for Mr. Stark and he spends time getting to know and protect him, his initial hatred begins to falter and merge into something different, something far more terrifying than the prospect of killing the face of Stark Industries.

Steve Rogers may just be falling in love with him instead.

America Isn’t Chicken - 130k - eh.

After a Civil War, death, rebirth, a takeover by Osborn, brain deletion, and the fall of Asgard, Steve and Tony might just be starting to get back on solid ground with one another. Things aren’t perfect, not yet, but they can be in the same room as each other without resorting to violence, and they’ve even managed to share a smile or two.Seems like the perfect time, then, for Tony to try and fuck it all up with a stupid game of gay chicken.

Meanwhile, as if he didn’t have enough to worry about, Tony realizes some kind of supervillainous trouble is brewing when increasingly advanced armors start popping up all over Manhattan, looking strangely reminiscent of his tech. On the other side of the world, Steve gets news that Zola is on the move in Russia, with some sort of nefarious plan at work.

Which will ruin them first? Will it be this unknown armored villain who is after Tony’s tech? Or will it be Zola unleashing his mysterious plan on the world? Or will Steve and Tony prove to be their own worst enemies, destroying the tentative truce they managed to forge with their own stubbornness?

Blue Lips, Blue Veins verse - 307k

Tony Stark is Iron Man.

Before that, he was an man with bigger heart than brain. Before that, he was an asshole with a bigger mouth than sense. And before that, he was was a scared little boy. Not that it matters. Stark’s always have had iron in their backbone.

Scatterlings and Orphans - 210k

It’s really got to say something about a guy when you can defeat Doombots, AIM, Interdimentional Yeti, SHIELD’s systemic obfuscation, Asgardian Gods, Fox News, and also kick some serious Alien ass with a guy, and still want to punch him in the head over dinner, hasn’t it? Tony’s sure that means something.

Wipe Your Tears Away - 121k

Steve likes taking care of his team. It gives him focus in a confusing new world. But one member of the team never learned that it’s okay to be taken care of. Until the night Tony gets a concussion, and his deepest secret - that, when he’s absolutely sure he’s alone, he likes to role play being a toddler - comes out into the open and affords Steve the perfect opportunity.

Sixpence In His Shoe - 103k

Steve and Tony should really read the fine print on what they’re signing. Then again, some mistakes are not really mistakes.

almeno tu nell'universo - 114k - good! nice!

Tony drives off.

Well, he wants to.

But he can’t.

Because.

Steve Rogers is in front of his car.

Steve fucking Rogers. Is in front of Tony’s fucking car.

Double Time - 123k

Cassino, Italy, December 1943. Special Agent Tony Stark, former Marvels adventurer, is sent to investigate a Cosmic Cube found by the Invaders – and it’s the perfect opportunity for him to rekindle his secret romance with Steve Rogers. But when Hydra attempts to steal the Cube, an inadvertent wish for help leads to the appearance of a Tony from the future of another world: Director Stark of SHIELD. This Tony is a man with a lot on his mind. He refuses to tell them anything about the future, but he seems to know much more than he should about Captain America. And something’s happened that’s clearly killing him inside, but he’s not talking. When Director Stark’s failed attempt to return home leads to the unexpected appearance of another visitor from his universe, all the lies come undone. Now there are two wars to fight, and the second one could ruin all of them.

Irreparable - 131k - WIP but good

Forgiveness is a journey, or so Tony was maybe told a long time ago. He doesn’t know about any of that and doesn’t particularly care to. In the wake of civil war, the Avengers remain, as do their enemies. And Tony Stark rebuilds, as always.

He destroys the phone, he burns the letter. But he can’t (he won’t) eliminate Steve Rogers from his mind.

Blank Space - 113k

During a fight with Doom, Steve is hit with a spell that takes all of his memories from his time as a Super Soldier. The last thing he remembers is going in for the Project Rebirth experiment. Now he’s being told it is 80 years later, he’s a Super Soldier called Captain America, and he leads a team of other super powered people.

One week earlier Tony finally takes the leap and makes a move on Steve. It works out great and they start dating, without telling anyone. Now Steve doesn’t even remember ever knowing him and Tony doesn’t know how to tell the guy from the 1940’s that they are in a relationship.

Sins of Omission - 155k - another WIP but good

A Post-Civil War, Pre-Secret Invasion AU where Steve is dead, Tony’s a mess, and everything sucks.

In which Tony deals poorly with Steve’s death, falls off the wagon, sees ghosts, and misses a lot.

Oh, and the Skrulls are about to invade.

Resurrection Verse - 338k

Doom brings Steve back from the dead. Hijinks ensue, some of which might vaugely be considered plot.

Even the Light is an Illusion - 102k

Death threats are an unfortunate side-effect of being Tony Stark, so he’s learned to ignore them. The problem is, when someone really wants you dead, hiding your head in the sand just kinda exposes your ass.

But it’s not just Tony’s behind on the line. Whoever wants him dead wants him to suffer first, and they’re willing to do anything to make that happen. Tony knows there’s only one way out. To save Steve, the Avengers, and the general public, Tony has to die. Of course, death isn’t always the end, and Tony does what any other self-disrespecting scientist would do: he finds a way to fake his death and avenge his own murder.

The trouble is, terrible decisions usually have a terrible price, and this one is no different. Tony has a chance to save the day, but the cost may be more than Tony was ever expecting to pay…

In Which Tony Stark Builds Himself Some Friends (But His Family Was Assigned by Nick Fury) - 343k

Steve takes things like personal responsibility and respect seriously. Tony’s got people he pays to take care of that kind of thing, and anyway, he’s pretty sure that he’s going to die of some exotic disease in his workshop, because Dummy’s still a little spotty about what is 'clean’ enough to put on an open wound. The rest of the Avengers are in this for personal gain, except for Clint, he just enjoys being a dick.

And some things shouldn’t be a chore.

Earth-1796 - 619k

Captain America respectfully requests that all complaints be addressed to him in writing. On paper, the nice old-fashioned way, because the computer screen hurts his eyes.

Put your phone down, Tony.

Road To War verse - 177k

Tony rebuilds, modifies. Takes fragments and gives them new order. He does not create. He can’t, not anymore. Not after this.

Or: After the events of Ultron, Tony rebuilds the tower by himself and shuts everything out to the point that Pepper takes desperate measures and asks Steve to come and help.

Pulse, Beat, and Measure verse - 134k

You should always meet your heroes. (Or: Tony Stark, formerly of Marvels magazine, encounters Captain America, formerly nobody special, at a party in 1942.)

Tales of the Bots - 514k

When Tony Stark was seventeen years old, he built his first AI. On that day, he ceased to be his father’s creation, and became a creating force in his own right.

That one act likely saved his life, and not always in the most obvious ways.

Truth Behind Masks - 98k - close enough, and its good so

Steve Rogers has plenty of friends. He just doesn’t know two of them are the same man.

That’s just how Tony Stark/Iron Man likes it. Until he comes to regret it.

[lettucetacoboatsix]

Loving "Othered" Bodies: A Look at Sexual Body Diversity, Objectification, and Fetishization

Recommended Reading:

If you're looking for anything substantial, sorry, you're not going to find it here. What literature that does exist on this topic are sole-perspective ethnographies, and all of the ones worth reading that I was able to find were from the vantage point of a marginalized individual who has become fed up with body fetishization in their sexual interludes and relationships. That being said, here are the links to a few of those articles:

“What Everyone Should Understand about Dating a Trans Woman” by Tallulah Eve

“5 Signs You’re About to Be Racially Fetishized” by Maiysha Kai

“They Aren't Just Preferences: Questions Around Attraction, Objectification, and Fetishizing” by Tyler Austin

“Trans Women and Femmes Speak Out About Being Fetishized” by Eva Reign

“Feminism 101: What is Festishization?” By Laura Jue

“Disabled Sexuality and Disempowerment Through Fetishization” by s.e. Smith

“The Fetishization an Infantilization of Trans Men” by Seth Katz

 Recommended Viewing:

Pose

Bubblegum

 After talking at length about consensual non-monogamy, we will be changing directions this week and next and looking at some broader topics: body diversity and sexual safety. Both of these topics present a challenge in balancing general information with best practices because there is just so much to talk about, but I hope to present the information within these posts as a starting point, a gentle shove in the right direction, for you and your lover(s) to engage in your sexual relationship together from a foundation of mutual respect and understanding. So… away we go!

 Before We Begin:

First off, can I just say that I hate lumping everything that we're going to talk about into one category? Great. I hate that I am lumping everything that we're going to talk about into one category. It's problematic. It relies on the notion of the fabled norm. And it puts a whole bunch of people who are already being marginalized in some way into one group, and in doing that, it minimizes what people deal with day in and day out. 

 So why are we doing it this way? Well, for one, it makes the topic manageable, and this topic is definitely worth talking about, even if we're just giving a very general overview. It also serves to highlight just how widespread this issue is and hopefully shines a little light on how making assumptions or having certain expectations can really hurt someone.

 Another reason is that it hopefully drives home the point that there is no one way to effectively engage sexually with another person, with any body, our own included. Bodies are diverse and beautiful. They are the physical form of a complex and wonderful person, and each body needs to be treated with the respect and dignity it deserves. We need to understand that no two bodies are identical, and, even if they were, the body is only part of the sexual being. It is our mental and emotional connection to our body, partnered with the physicality and sensuality of the sexual act that really makes up our respective sexualities. If you're looking for a play-by-play guide on how to not fetishize someone, there are only a few things that we can share as blanket statements: treat everyone with dignity and respect; understand that people are people and not a means to achieve your sexual fantasies; listen to your lover (keeping that most communication is delivered non-verbally); always get consent and know that your partner can revoke their consent at any time; be patient and willing to adapt from your expectations (because it's nearly impossible, and would probably be a little dangerous, to enter into any given situation without any expectations). 

 Anything more specific than those general rules would necessarily be based on assumptions about the body and expectations based on your ideas and fantasies. So if you are looking for something along those lines, I would ask you to consider why you feel you need specific details. Are you looking for a shortcut to being a better lover? I appreciate your desire, but there really isn't one. If it's to trick someone into sleeping with you by avoiding key phrases, then I would argue that tricking someone in any way, shape, or form, in order to have sex with them negates their ability to be a willing participant (that is it prevents them from bring able to provide their informed consent, and is therefore assault). If that's really all you're looking for, be up front about it. There are individuals who are okay with that arrangement.

 An Introduction to Fetishization:

Several paragraphs later, it's probably important to actually clarify what exactly we're talking about. In the most general terms, fetishization is the sexualization of an object (especially an object that is not normally sexual) in order to achieve sexual fulfillment. When kept strictly in the realm of objects, it's relatively innocuous and to each, their own. If you want to watch your partner pop balloons between their thighs and your partner is on board, then, by all means, you do you. Fetishes are neither inherently good or bad, and this post is not meant to be in any way, shape, or form about kink-shaming. As long as your sexual preferences do not rely on the removal of another’s sexual agency, you’re free to explore and embrace whatever you can with your sexuality. But I hope that you can see how that becomes problematic when the object is replaced with an individual whose sole purpose you've determined is to help you fulfill a sexual fantasy. It is objectification of the individual and the body taken to the extreme. It removes that person's ability to take an active part in the sexual action and removes their agency in the fantasy.

 Fetishization of individuals can occur along the lines of any category of identity. Fortunately, there's been a lot of visibility given to racial fetishization and the fetishization of trans bodies recently, but there are definitely others that we tend to gloss over or even normalize, like objectification along the lines of age (almost every porn site has a category for barely legal teens, and most also have a mature, MILF, or step-mom category). We also tend to be okay with things that we can write off as parody (like fetishization of political leanings like the whole Nailin' Palin thing and the current alt-Right obsession with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez), which should be examined further. But, again, these can happen within any category of identity that is a perceived deviation from the "norm" (in Patrick Warburton's Lemony Snickett voice: a word, which, here, means white, cisgender, able-bodied bodies), including, but not limited to: age, disability, economic status, ethnicity, gender identity, political beliefs, race, religion, sexual orientation, and size (height, weight, body proportions, and, yes, even relative genital size for all you size queens out there).  So realistically, more than half the planet. Now, this is not to say you cannot be attracted to someone for the way they align, or do not align, with your preferences among these identity categories; rather, it is to say that reducing any person to a check mark, or a few check marks, on that small list of boxes is, generally, not okay. 

 This isn't an admonishment against loving someone who is beyond your scope of whatever "normative" means to you. Nor is this going to be a discussion about the morality of the consumption of pornography (as long as it’s made ethically and is not at all exploitative, you’re welcome to watch whatever you want, including videos in thos aforementioned categories, just don’t force people to live up to that fantasy, especially if you’re not giving them a choice in the matter). We are all complex and wonderful beings, trying to lead the best lives we can, and it would certainly be lonely and naive, if not a little foolish, to think that the only person you could ever love is someone who aligns perfectly with that mythical norm. Taking a line from the post on polyamory, I want you to be open to love in all its forms and that means being open to allowing others to take part in that love the way they want to. 

 Is Fetishization ever Okay?

Generally speaking, in vanilla, day-to-day sexual encounters: emphatically no. Fetishization and objectification are not okay. But there is one instance in which that answer might change, and that is in the case of negotiated scene play, in which all participants discuss and agree to highlight that fetishization as part of a sexual encounter in order to role play or call attention to some form of power dynamic, so it's a kind of consensual fetishization, but it's still important, especially if those differences are real and not just fantasy, that safe words and gestures are utilized if any lines are crossed. This includes more kink-related things like age play, race play, feminization, master/slave relationships etc. But the key elements here are that there is an acknowledged end to the scene and that those terms have been negotiated.

 And this type of fetishization can be super beneficial for all participants. I've mentioned my research about using BDSM and power play to help recover from sexual trauma, so imagine the emotional release involved in acting out a race play revenge fantasy for someone who has lived through racial injustice, or a reversal of the power dynamic for a transwoman to be able to safely take on the role of dominating and feminizing a cishetero, alpha-male type. Again, these scenarios are not for everyone, or even for most, but they can be powerful and even transformative experiences. They can bring about a sense of renewal and rebirth, and if there was a traumatic sexual experience in the past, re-enacting a similar scene or the reversal of a scene with clearly negotiated power dynamics and rules can bring closure, understanding, and healing. But they need to be talked about before you take it upon yourself to immediately go into your own power play at the expense of your sexual partner’s agency.

 But now that all of that is out of the way, let's take a look at fetishization within the confines of some of those identity categories, how to reasonably recognize and address ways of thinking that might lead to fetishization, and provide some guidelines for engaging in a sexual relationship for people who happen to be "othered" in regards to their bodies and experiences.

 Racial Fetishization

Fetishization disproportionately affects people of color, which, unfortunately, isn’t all that surprising. Fetishization is the objectification of the body as a means to fulfill a sexual fantasy, and white people have been objectifying people of color for a long time; whether for a sexual purpose or as slave labor is somewhat immaterial. The focus has always been on bodies of color and how those bodies can, in some way, shape, or form benefit white society. We see it in historical examples like in the case of Sara Baartmen, one of at least two women of African-descent who were paraded around Europe as sideshow/freak show attractions in the 19th century, under the name “The Hottentot Venus,” because of her bodily proportions. We see it in the world of professional sports, and how the minute that women and men of color use that platform to make some form of political stance, they are reprimanded and taken out of the spotlight by powerful, old, white men. And we’re all aware of this phenomenon to some extent because it’s the basis of Jordan Peele’s Get Out, and that awareness is why the film was successful. Those who fetishize people of color don’t see them as romantic partners, or even whole people, but simply as sexual objects. They strip them of all the characteristics that make them complete and unique, reducing them to the colour of their skin.

 This racial fetishization commonly manifests by solely focusing on certain stereotypes associated with a race. This can run the gamut from ‘big butts’ of black women to the ‘submissiveness’ of Asian women to the hypersexualization of Latinx men and women. While many who express interest in these qualities expect it to be taken as a compliment, it isn’t. It’s not okay to tell a woman of color that you love her “light-skinned pussy” while going down on her, or calling your Latinx lover a Mayan god (if you do this, I firmly believe they are allowed to throw you head first into a cenote. See you in Xibalba!) Those were real examples provided in some of the articles I read, and I hope you can see how those might be offensive. Declaring that you are attracted to someone because of the color of one’s skin or a racial stereotype is not flattering; it’s just another form of objectification and sexual colonialism/imperialism. 

 It’s dehumanizing and objectifying. It’s systemic oppression in full force to maintain power over marginalized individuals by denying them their humanity and demanding that their sexuality is solely for the pleasure of others. And although this perceived power differential mostly benefits white men, there are plenty of white women who also fetishize their lovers along the lines of race, and this isn’t exclusive to heterosexual relationships. If her dating profile says she only fucks Black men, then she’s actually saying she only fucks Black men.

 It’s sexualized racism. If you believe you are entitled to a particular vision of a person of color in order to fulfill your sexual fantasy, you are stating that no matter how the relationship is formed or where the relationship goes, they are not an equal. They are not a partner. They are a stand-in for your own beliefs.  This fetishization is not a healthy attraction and it cannot lead to a healthy relationship; giving the benefit of the doubt to someone you believe means well is not always warranted. 

 Detecting Racial Fetishization

Fortunately, there are some ways to detect the potential for racial fetishization, but the number one way is to ask race-related questions, like “Have you ever been with a black girl before?” If their answer is something along the lines of “Yes. In fact, I only date black girls,” or “No, but I’ve always wanted to,” you know that they’ve already brought a certain set of expectations to being with you. Likewise, if they show an over-enthusiastic, unsolicited appreciation for “urban culture,” they’re not trying to impress you; they’re trying to tell you that you should like them because they get it, right? This includes disguising themselves as allies to the cause, in order for you to let your guard down. It might sound like that level of manipulation would be ridiculous, but it does happen. If that’s all they want to talk about and they expect you to be right there with them at every single protest all the time, chances are they are using you as a pawn in some sort of game to prove that they’re not racist. Anything that shows they are coming to the table with assumptions about who you are as an individual simply based on their observation of your skin color, which is in itself an objectification through the gaze, is a good indication about whether or not they might objectify you in this manner. 

 But how do I not fetishize people of color?

If you’re worried that you have fetishized people of color or might accidentally fetishize people of color at some point in the future, remember that as long as you’re actively attempting to recognize that all people possess an innate dignity and that all people are people, and are therefore worthy of love and respect, you’re on the right track. Decolonizing our minds is a life-long effort. No matter how hard we work to check our privilege, inevitably racial conditioning rears its ugly head, and we are faced with problems, perceptions and biases we thought we had tackled a long time ago, and that’s to be expected. Society fucks everyone up, but you can still train yourself to recognize those thoughts or biases and to not immediately act on them. That’s not to say that being “woke” some of the time is a carte blanche to have racist thoughts all the time; it is something you have actively work to correct.

 Fetishization of People with Physical Disabilities

 Yes, people with disabilities are still sexual beings. No, you aren’t doing them any favors by seeking them out because you heard that sex with a one-legged woman was absolutely mind-blowing (Seinfeld…). Like with racial fetishization, the fetishization of people with disabilities is rooted historically, and, specifically, has often been aligned with the entertainment industry. In the Middle Ages, people with physical and/or intellectual impairments played an important role in the royal courts as fools or jesters, where they were “allowed” a sense of satirical freedom, and at least during the 13th century, would often perform naked for royalty. This objectification of bodies with disability was once again brought to the forefront with the vaudevillian sideshow acts of the late 19th and early 20th centuries (this is an over-simplification, and those entertainment circuits did allow people with disabilities to support themselves in ways that usually were not afforded to them, but they did also depend on the exploitative nature of crowds and the gawking gaze), most obviously with Chang and Eng Bunker and the Hilton Sisters. And the fetishization of bodies with disabilities does very much still occur. This type of objectification, however, is typically easily identifiable, because people who have inclinations towards this type of fetishization, called “devotees,” tend to be focused on one particular impairment (e.g. people who are only sexually interested in people in wheelchairs), and their history of sexual partners generally points to a pattern, and, again, any act of fetishization that reduces a person to one aspect of their physical body is not okay.

 The bodies of people with disabilities are already dehumanized and marginalized in our society; this fetishizing only furthers this dehumanization. It’s not even about the attraction to the disability, it’s about the perception of weakness and helplessness and the assumption that the person with the disability somehow needs you. The problem is the sexualization of disability itself and the treatment of people with disabilities as sex objects. Again, this isn’t to say that it’s impossible for someone who is able-bodied to love a person with a disability. Because of this aspect of their identity, people with disabilities know how to overcome challenges that many of us don’t ever have to think about, and perseverance and resourcefulness are both really attractive qualities, but if that attraction is based on the perceived neediness of an individual with a disability it is a confirmation that that relationship will never be between equals.

 Fetishization of Transgender Identities

While racial fetishization tends to rely on histories of colonial and imperial oppression and stereotypes, the fetishization of transgender identities is focused more on the individual commiting that act of objectification rather than the person being fetishized. It’s an obsession with anatomy and questions of one’s own sexuality. It’s objectification to the point where the body of desire isn’t even considered as anything beyond a means to satisfy a curiosity.  And this isn’t exclusive to binary trans identities, though objectification of transwomen and transmen may be more recognizable; it also affects people who are non-binary, androgynous, and gender non-conforming, as well.

 If racial fetishization is sexual racism, then it follows that the fetishization of trans* bodies is sexual transphobia.  And while there are certainly people who will announce that they are transamorous or interested in sexually pursuing individuals who are trans, transphobia can also come under the guise of faux positivity. It’s insidious and manipulative, but a lot of people who express this desire to sexually engage with transbodies learn how to masquerade as allies. What’s worse is that these individuals also often try to make it seem like they are doing you a favor by being attracted to you and throwing themselves at you. But even the term “transamorous” removes the agency from the person being “desired.” It equates transwomen as feminine bodies with a penis and transmen as masculine bodies with a vulva, and, even though this might not even be the case, it reduces both to sexual objects. And the transgender aspect of a person’s identity is only part of a whole. It may very well be a key part of that identity, but people are not two dimensional characters in your fantasies. Again, this is not to say that you cannot love or be attracted to someone who is trans, but if your attraction is solely based on the objectification of a trans body, then we have a problem.

 Detecting Fetishization of Transgender Bodies

 Like with racial fetishization, the best indicator that someone is fetishizing your body’s status as being transgender is their fixation on that part of your identity. Are they asking questions about your progress in your transition? Are they demanding that you tell them what your dead name was? And again, are they “supportive” beyond what you’re comfortable with, inserting themselves into your legal or medical history? Unfortunately, these point to a set of very strict expectations, and if you fail to live up to those expectations, it can be dangerous. Not only is it possible for an errant touch or a hurtful phrase to trigger feelings of dysphoria, but often times, this failure to live up to an expectation can end in very real physical violence.

 I’m Dating Someone who is Trans and Don’t Want to Do Something Wrong:

Again, as long as you’re acknowledging that the person you are with is a fully-recognized human being beyond just their anatomy and this aspect of their identity, you’re on the right track, but the reality is that, because “transgender” is an umbrella term, there is a great deal of variety within the trans experience, and therefore a lot of variety when it comes to transbodies. There isn’t any one way to correctly love a person who is trans. Try to limit your expectations for any physical intimacy and let things happen naturally if it gets to that point. Be open and honest about your relationship, don’t hide it away from the world. This is, after all, a person and not some dirty little secret. And don’t treat the experience like a science experiment or a litmus test for your sexuality. Being with someone who is trans has no impact on your sexuality and is really not anything to be ashamed of. If you identify as a cishet guy and you are attracted to a woman only to later find out the she happens to be trans, guess what? She's still a woman, and you are still a cishet guy. It's weird that people focus on what is, or is not, in between someone's legs. We all have parts that interlock with others' parts, and we're all pink on the inside. Why is genitalia a deal-breaker for you, when everything else about the person is wonderful and beautiful and moments before you were attracted to her? We, as a society, need to start raising the bar above just treating folk who are trans with a base-level of respect as a sign that we’re good people because it's really not that difficult and not that complicated.

 In the event that your relationship does become physically intimate and you’re nervous about what to expect, ask your partner to take the lead. This doesn’t mean they have to take on a dominant role, but allow them to set the pace, if you’re unsure. Let them guide your hand, your mouth, whatever. Again, being with any person for the first time is a moment of sexual exploration, and a great means for the exploration is mutual masturbation, if you’re both up for that. Watching your partner explore their own body, or holding them as they touch themselves and learning how their body reacts can be a very erotic experience. And if neither of you is really into voyeurism or exhbitionism whatsoever, you can engage in sexually explicit conversation. Pay attention to what words your partner uses and which ones they avoid. Learn how to communicate effectively with your partner to avoid phrases that might trigger a negative reaction, and remember that a large portion of communication is non-verbal. There are very clear differences between an aroused, quick inhale and a frustrated sigh or ceasure of breath. Likewise, there is a difference between an excited shiver or an arching of the back to meet your touch and a wince from a hand passing over a part of the body that might cause a feeling of dysphoria, but remember, even if you’ve been with someone who is trans in the past, there is no universal transgender experience of sensuality. As with any lover and any body, it takes getting to know your partner.

 Another thing you can do is to expand your understanding of the things that you find sexy. No lover is ever going to be a perfect fit for any given sexual fantasy. By learning what turns you on, you not only learn to communicate your desires effectively to your partner, but you also give your partner a chance to show their affection for you effectively. If your partner is presenting as masculine and is wearing a binder, but you have a thing for lingerie and undressing your partner, don’t force them or even ask them to remove their binder if it’s not something they’re offering. Instead, you could give them your dress shirt and help them to button it up. The clothing is still a part of the scene for you, and you get to go through the sensuality of dressing your partner, which might very well be a new experience for you. And at the end of it all, it shows your partner that you understand something that might cause them discomfort and are actively trying to meet them on their level, and you get to see that person wearing your clothes, which can be its own erotic little experience. Again, that’s not to say that all transmen or people who are non-binary and are at that moment presenting as masculine are going to find that endearing or sexy, but it’s about compromise and sexual negotiation and it shows you’re paying attention to your lover’s needs, and there isn’t much in this world that is sexier than that.

 Is that everything?

Certainly not, and, again, I hate to present the material in this way, but it is too broad of a topic to try and cover all at once and it’s too important a topic to not cover at all. This is the starting point of the conversation. Like we said at the beginning, fetishization of an object is really neither good or bad; it is simply the manifestation of sexual attraction, but there is certainly a problem if you apply that mindset to individuals and reduce them to sexual objects to fulfill your own sexual desires without their informed consent. This type of fetishization can really occur along the lines of any identity category and is certainly not limited to the three we went into above. If you’re interested in this topic, please read the articles that I included under recommended reading. If you ever need someone to talk to, I am here for you. If you would like me to go into more detail or think I got something wrong, tell me or send me an anonymous ask!

 With love, friends.

[cinephiles-delight]

What’s Up With Annihilation?

     When the auditorium lights came back on after the conclusion of the film Annihilation, a man towards the front of the theater shouted: “Anybody got some pot?”  This, of course, elicited a few laughs from the audience: a knowing laugh from people relieved that someone had expressed the unspoken general feeling of ‘what-the-f***’ induced by the film.  I chuckled, however–unlike the man wishing he had been high for the experience–I felt that I had a pretty firm grasp on what the movie was trying to say.  That said, up until approximately five minutes prior I myself was in much the same boat as him: staring up at a screen and wondering what the hell was going on.  

     For much of the movie I was consumed with a feeling very similar to what I had felt while watching 2001: A Space Odyssey for the first time: an overwhelming amount of confusion made frustrating by the fact that I could sense a developing pattern of thematic elements all pointing to some “moral” of the film which I was unable to grasp.  Well, that and the fact that the metal, humanoid alien scene generated a bizarre tedium that gave me painful flashbacks to the extended multicolored light sequence towards the end of 2001.  The central difference between the two films, however, is that Annihilation was–finally–able to spark a glorious “ah-ha” moment for me right as the movie drew to a close, making its secrets knowable, the film taking firm shape in my mind (whereas I still have no idea what 2001 is saying to this day).

     As I mentioned earlier, as I watched the film I was painfully aware of certain recurring images, motifs, and themes that were pretty conspicuously thrown into the narrative.  The themes of immortality, self-destruction as a part of nature, and the effect of traumatic experience on identity were all prevalent throughout the film, popping up again and again.  But to me, each reference felt like the discovery of one more jigsaw puzzle piece among many, splayed out neatly on a coffee table.  That is to say: I knew they would fit together, I just couldn’t figure out how.

     I’ll start with what I believe to be the most important theme of the film, and certainly the most relevant: the theme of the reshaping of the self through experience.  The first reference to this theme we get is when Lena is talking to her teammate on the canoe, and the teammate tells her about the loss of her daughter to Leukemia.  After some reflection she adds: “In reality there were two casualties: my daughter and the person I used to be.”  As this woman implicitly describes how she has become more weighted and less carefree after the death of her daughter, the film gives commentary on the relationship between personal identity and experience, showing how trauma can not only scar us, but also alter our character on the most fundamental of levels.  

     For me, the most emotionally powerful representation of this theme can be found in the scene in which Lena is reviewing the footage of Kane’s suicide.  Kane addresses the alien clone of himself and says: “I always thought I was a man; I knew who I was.  I was Kane.  But now, I’m not so sure… Am I Kane?  Are you Kane?  Have you always been Kane?”  I believe that the film here is trying to make a very moving and personal commentary on how soldiers can be transformed by their military service.  Even looking as far back as WWI, soldiers returning home from war have borne not only physical trauma, but also emotional baggage and mental scars which, like the visible ailments, may never heal and can seriously preclude their ability to function in peacetime society.  In light of modern medicine and the deeper understanding we now have of PTSD and its effects on behaviour, Annihilation’s choice of a “returned” soldier as one of the central characters of the film begins to take on a deeper significance.  In his final moments in front of a camera Kane reveals how truly shattered his mind has become, and when he returns to Lena he is in a state of almost complete mental retardation.  This, in combination with his confessions of doubt as to his true identity makes a powerful statement about the unseen casualties of war.  Kane’s cries become those of every serviceman and woman who has returned home to the realization that they are not who they once were, standing in front of a mirror, facing their former self and crying: ‘Have you always been me?’

     The next theme I’d like to discuss is self-destruction: Annihilation proposes the idea that self-destruction is an essential part of human existence, and of all life for that matter.  In the film, self-destruction is portrayed as a way for nature to recreate itself in attempt to make something better than the original.  For example, when discussing the physicist's scars from cutting herself, Lena suggests that it was in a failed suicide attempt, but her colleague corrects her, saying something along the lines of: “Actually it was probably quite the opposite: she was trying to feel alive.”  

     Later, Ventress accuses Lena of confusing self-destruction with suicide, this time with regards to Lena’s husband and why he chose to take on such a dangerous mission.  Ventress says that, even if most people don’t know why they do it, they all engage in some form of self-destructive behavior: whether it be drinking, smoking, destabilizing a good job, or jeopardizing a relationship in which they are not unhappy.  

     The film brings this theme full circle when, towards the very end we see Ventress mumble something about being torn apart and then proceed to vomit up her entire body in a flashy, colorful display of horror.  The colorful liquid substance then reforms itself into a metallic being resembling a human: literally creating life from an act of self-destruction.  

     Finally, in a very striking visual representation of fighting oneself, Lena picks up a phosphorous grenade and places it in the hands of the alien, even as it is morphing into an exact replica of herself, and allows it to detonate and destroy the alien and The Shimmer as a whole, giving herself the chance to escape and go on living.  Ventress and Lena both literally destroy themselves and in doing so either create new life or allow for the survival of preexisting life.  This gives credence to the theory that the film was trying to make a point that self-destruction is a natural part of life leading to rebirth and the progress of humanity, and there cannot be any growth without relaxing our grip on the old.  Like a beautiful, controlled burn.

     Also, I have to give a shout-out to the visual effects team and cinematographer, because the shots and the visuals are absolutely spectacular.  And the scene in which Lena mourns for her lost husband set to that twangy music was heartbreaking.

[dmyear3]

Obituary

This performance is the second in a series, both extending my project beyond inanimate pieces and into the live and theatrical – forming a cyclic narrative of life and death in interaction between my body and art objects. My first performance was of myself being “born” from a hollow sculpture resembling a human or animal carcass and performing improvised and very physical actions with a set of clay “bones”, my body a writhing and automatic medium between bodily states of birth and remains. For the next performance I wanted to retain the hugely important aspects of physicality and ritual, but in a very different form that is more pared-down and action-based (while still implying essentially the same narrative). The first element I decided on was the costume. I wanted to wear something that would act as a blank canvas which would physically record the event as gestural paint strokes, while also transforming my appearance in the performance. This resulted in making a very rough kimono-like garment with long drapery on the sleeves that would both obscure the form of my body and provide a lot of surface area to easily paint onto. I sketched out a few different versions of what the purpose would actually entail – originally it was to appear quite sacrificial and religious, with the painted garment crucified and suspended above the space. This version would have been performed in from of the stained-glass windows of the life drawing room where I performed, to provide a church-like setting. These connotations would align my interest in rebirth with biblical imagery such as the Second Coming of Christ, bringing the act of ritual into the classical European rather than the eastern references that have continuously popped up in regards to my work. It was only after already having a rough plan set out that I decided to store the paint inside of clay sculptures. I sculpted these pieces to resemble the ambiguous remains of body parts, as amorphous organic forms resembling bones and organs and flesh. The lack of colour and earthy material suggests age, withering and mummification. I filled them with a red-brown liquid (heavily watered-down acrylic paint) – the specific colour and density was partially inspired by a news story from earlier this year, about a sarcophagus that had been dug up and was discovered to be filled with a similar red-brown “water” – which was in fact ancient human remains decomposed to the point of liquidation. This reference to ancient remains, both in the appearance of the sculptures and the liquid they contained, ended up being a more important focal point of this piece to me rather than any religious connotation. I instead began to see the performance as a mournful act of transferring ancient bodies between forms of decay and new life – the body being a liquid that I attempt to reincarnate in the birth of new forms and continue the natural cycle of generational reiteration. An aspect of memory comes into play here, as I grasp at the remains and transcribe their very material onto myself. This led to me titling the work Obituary. I ended up drawing indistinct human figures onto the surfaces of my garment, and in the performance I attempted to fill in their forms with the colours of the clay and the paint – the sort of “essence” of the body being literally transferred from vessel to vessel. It was only when I began to set up in the space that I decided to use the entire room rather than the area around the window, and to place the sculpture from my last performance in the centre of the room. This work was intended to act as a kind of contextual icon that referred back to the idea of a cycle: a bleached and withered mother figure giving birth to a pile of dusty bones as a depiction of simultaneous death and birthing. I decided to not practice any part of this performance. I didn’t know if the paint would try too soon, how visible the marks would be on my garment, how much of the sculptures would be left intact, how long it would take, whether the audience would be implicated or not, or how I would myself be acting in the moment. I wanted every aspect to be automatic and unpredictable, knowing how it would begin but now how it would end. This to me added a further sense of desperation and an organically raw physicality. 

Certain things that I hadn’t considered came about during the performance. Firstly the paint leaked from small cracks in the porous unfired clay, leaving puddles on the canvases beneath the pieces. This liquid also soaked into both the clay and the garment much more than I thought it would, meaning it didn’t go as far or lend itself to big gestural mark-making. The wet, slippery clay however was really great to work with in my hands and was able to itself be painted onto the fabric. My audience fully entered my performance space and wandered about it at their own paces as I continued my actions, either following me or looking closer at the other objects. I hadn’t really considered how immersive this piece had the potential to be, so this was very interesting to me. It was brought up that within a typical gallery space the audience would probably stay back, but that this immersive-ness added another layer to the work. As this was a group tutorial there was a lot of talking about the work, and everyone agreed that the performance would have more impact in silence, with the only sounds being those made by my actions. Sound is definitely an important consideration to me so I agree with this, and would have had the group speak after the performance was complete if I had much more time. It was also interesting listening to the group slowly understand the workings of the performance as they took the time to notice and contrast certain aspects: the clay pieces being like artefacts, the liquid coming from the inside, the linework on my garment being figures and these figures being deliberately filled in. I could sense a feeling of slight mystery in the way they observed my actions as the performance began to unfold. A narrative was definitely picked up on, and the sculpture in the centre of the space helped expand this contextually. The sculpture was read as something I was actually performing to, either as some kind of sacrificial offering or as a prior iteration of my “character” – a kind of previous life or ancestor. The latter reading was fascinating to me, and it felt like a huge success in breaking ground between my intentions and the viewer’s understanding of my work. In terms of this character, I was seen as not being at all myself but filling a theatrical role – this was aided by my complete silence and masked appearance, recalling old East Asian and European theatre traditions. It was suggested that I extend this idea further by fully obscuring my face with no sign of my real identity. I was considered sad or solemn as I carried out the performance, and my other body language was noticed too – a violence in the destruction of the clay, but a deliberate delicacy in the soft touches and caresses of my hands around the broken pieces. The emotional resonance embodied in my physicality itself was another success of this presentation (Anqi actually came up to me after the presentation and told me she nearly cried as she watched me break apart the clay – this has stuck with me). While still appearing ritualistic and having a sense of ancient history and tradition, the impression seemed to be that I wasn’t referencing any one culture. Instead the aesthetic and motifs were read as quite pancultural – but with a mix of influences including the kimono silhouette of the garment an element of European figurative art. The pieces left over from this performance are now works in themselves: the painted garment, a pile of small pieces of clay partially stained red and now resembling rubble, and the canvases beneath the full sculptures that now carry the traces from leaked paint and the destruction of the objects – clay and fine dust adhered to the fabric by dry paint as an organic memory of the event. I’m planning on suspending all of the fabric works (garment and canvases) as an installation work, with the clay pieces either as a pile beneath or sorted through and displayed individually like museum relics. The performance now is only the origin of another branch of my project, one chapter in the cyclic narrative which leads to another expansion, just as a performance and other works prior led to Obituary as one of multiple paths. The remains become the work and the body changes vessel once again. When performing again, I definitely need to consider further the implications of performing live. This includes planning how to document my work and what kind of context it needs to be performed in. I was meant to take my shoes off before getting into costume but I forgot, and by the time I was “in character” it was too late and so they became read as intentional and affected a small amount of discussion regarding ancient vs contemporary – small details like this need to be ironed out if I want my work to be as successful as possible. Working intuitively and unrehearsed however felt very organic to me and I would like to totally exaggerate this method somehow, potentially with more possibilities for automatic interaction between myself and objects/environment and fewer pre-planned prompts. The location itself could also change the reading of the work completely – it was brought up that this performance would seem almost frightening if seen outside of an art school/gallery context, and that quality of unexpectedness or more intense reaction from the viewer is very appealing to me. I also need to think about duration, as when I finished this presentation I hadn’t reached any sort of conclusion or climax. I like the idea of performing continuously as people come and go, especially in an immersive environment. My concepts and references seem to be getting through extremely well to the viewer, so now I need to focus on experimenting with presentation and impact within the live performance space.

[beginnermeditationclass]

Meditation's Beneficial Magic

Meditation in the Mind

More and more these days we see countless recommendations to practice the age old art and science of meditation. Most, if not all, extol its seemingly magical power on the human psyche through its purported benefits. These recommendations and claims have stood the test of time- they are universally accepted and well justified. For eons past those who came before us have spoken volumes regarding this great gift we all posses but today sometimes, we neglect to use. Why now are we again reminded of this?

All of us are participating either aware or unaware. in a quantum shift bringing at times, tumultuous changes in all areas of our society and world structures. No one is exempt from the effects these rapid changes bring. While universally experienced, these trans-formative energies are individually unique and processed differently depending on a person's outlook. With a little discipline and practice we can apply this gift of meditation to help balance stress levels, reduce mind-movies which seem to play nonstop to bring increasing levels of joy, clarity and purpose into life.

While it's true that meditative practices are known by many names in virtually all cultures each with various forms of practice, finding one that will work for you is quite easy. Best of all, this gently leads us ultimately to a special place we often desire and want- greater understanding and acceptance to life's mysteries.

So, let's briefly explore the subject for the sole purpose of learning how to reap many beneficial rewards available through meditation. Besides, it is true, the best things in life are free. So let us begin to clear our minds of useless, wayward abstract thoughts having no justification to control or dictate our life's direction. We will find meditation allows you in the purest sense, to create your own life's experiences. (More discussion about that possibility a bit later). For now, consider that during meditation you can replace, and clear out unwanted thoughts with life affirming versions gaining- a true, lasting peace of mind, body and soul. Meditation is your gateway offering all that and more...you can even create some magic in your life through this simple process!

As you may have heard or if you are already a dedicated practitioner, individuals report profound psychological, physical and spiritual well-being as they practice meditation daily. What then is meditation really all about? For beginners, how can one start? And how far can I go with sincere dedication? In this article are going to examine a few areas- some historical background, benefits, science of the mind and advanced possibilities.

History to Date

According to many archeologists, meditation pre dates written records. It could be easily envisioned a person entering an altered state of consciousness by simply gazing in the mind-stilling flicker of fire while taking no thought. The earliest documented record of meditation comes from India in their Hindu scriptures called tantras. These records date back over 5,000 years coming from the Indus valley and were combined with what is referred to today as yoga. Along with expanding trade, cultural exchange was also carried westward and meditation practice was soon embedded in eastern thought and spiritual practices.

With the advent of Buddha around 500 AD, many diverse cultures began to develop their own interpretations and specialized meditative techniques. Some techniques still in use to this day are said to deliver incredible mind-over-matter powers and supernormal skills that transformed the practitioner. Today, these are devout individuals and are not necessarily monks living in some remote mountain monastery. They are everyday people like you and I. Of course advancing through time, the long history of meditation is no longer only attributed to the Hindus and Buddhists. Not to be left out, Christianity, Islam and Judaism also participate in the perpetuation of meditation each with its own take on the practice.

However, historically these religious faiths do not dominate in their teachings and practices a culture of meditation when compared to the Asian traditions. Meditation finds its place here in our Western culture in the early 1960's into the '70's. This was a time when much of our culture was being tested, demanding to be redefined. Meditation found fertile ground in which to flourish and expand. Some could say it was the "hippie" revolution which inspired to embrace acceptance of foreign ideas but only ones that possessed real substantive value. It was not long after that when the Western medical and scientific community began to conduct research and studies on meditation. And what did most studies if not all, to varying degrees find?

You guessed it- significant health benefits. One of the most important aspects of meditation is how it releases stress from our bodies. This is achieved by bridging the gap between our conscious and un-conscious selves, situations or non-justified thoughts that ferment stress become less significant and actually lose their power. Through meditation, it does not take long before you feel more peaceful and relaxed about everything. What happened to cause this nearly miraculous change? Studies have proven that meditation raises serotonin levels which directly affect our behavior and emotional temperament. Conversely, low levels of serotonin lead to depression, headaches even insomnia. All symptoms associated with stress.

Today, our western civilization with all our "advanced" knowledge has re-affirmed the ancient knowledge and understanding of meditation's therapeutic power to help alleviate mental and physical ailments. And this was just the infancy of discovery or shall we say re-discovery of unlimited powers available inside each of us. Today, mediation without question is a universally medically accepted form of holistic healing used worldwide. Meditation could be summed up as a natural mechanism within each of us that enables the spirit within, the higher, true self to bridge the communication gap into our physical aspects grounding us in unconditional love.

Rebirth through Breath

Beyond all the medical community assertions lies a vast segment of the population seeking additional benefits when practicing meditation. How can what appears initially only to be a physical act, effect our true inner being so profoundly by simply clearing our conscious thoughts and focusing on our breath? Well the secret really is in our breath. When you first start a meditative practice at face value, it appears really easy. Yet, early on many are easily frustrated because they have really never truly attempted to quiet their thoughts while awake. Successfully navigating the mental mind field of what apparently appears to be non-stop streams of thoughts popping up can at first be a daunting task. Be forewarned this is a common occurrence and quite normal and there is a solution. It's funny actually once realization sets in that you really are like two individuals within a single physical body. And that is not far from the truth.

I, like many who meditate found out early on one key to successfully get beyond this mental speed bump is to acknowledge the thought. Proceed to then dismiss it entirely or agree to revisit the thought after the meditation session and return the mind's focus to your breathing. I have used this method to great success getting past the egos gate keeper role which it often plays.

You may find this method helpful as well if not, find what brings your focus back without distracting thoughts. Again, breathing's role is of utmost importance in this whole process because it is the gateway bridging the physical body with the spiritual body. The goal here is what I refer to as the death of thoughts through focusing on your breath. Becoming more sensitive of taking no thought along with staying present in the moment by the simple act being consciously aware of your breathing, an amazing inner rebirth begins. Next, we define some good basic steps for all meditation practices.

Meditation 101

Chances are in your life you have unknowingly experienced moments in a purely meditative state. The odds are that when this occurred, you found yourself outside in nature. In nature we more easily find resonance with a deeper more real aspect of ourselves which often comes alive in the natural environment.

Perhaps it occurred while relaxing on a beach watching the hypnotic like waves repetitively washing ashore or possibly noticing the invisible wind rustle leaves on a tree as warming sunlight bathed your face. If you recall during these moments, you found a completely relaxed feeling immerse your entire being because you were free of distracting thoughts. This is what being in "the moment" is all about. It is as if your mind tunes into the higher natural frequencies of life which for the most part, are virtually non-existent inside buildings and such. Yet, with focus, proper intentions and processes we can escape these limitations imposed in man-made environments. Of course meditation can be greatly enhanced when it is practical in natural surroundings.

The whole concept of meditation takes on various identities depending what an individual's intention is while performing a chosen meditation. Some may want physical or mental relief, others, answers or directions for a better life. Either way, choices are clearly individualized. Find yours since this goes a long way in helping you along the path aided with a unique, personalized purpose. Define it for you! To begin a meditation, a few simple rules are universally accepted. These generally are-

1) Break away from distractions. Turn off the outside electrical/technological intrusions like phones, computers, TV's etc. A quiet, calm peaceful place is preferred. At first, commit 10 minutes or more with no interruption.

2) Posture is important in that you must be comfortable. Preferably this is with your back upright and your spine to you head straight. Normally a seated position on the ground is preferred with hands in your lap; it can also be done in a chair. Lying down initially is not suggested as you body can assume a sleep mode.

3) Close your eyes gently, relax your jaw and facial muscles. Do a "body scan" looking for any muscle tension that may exist releasing any found. Continue relaxing now for a few moments allowing your body to become comfortable. Be observant of bodily tension arising. The key is to physically relax.

4) Slowly evacuate your lungs completely. Gently inhale and exhale through your nostrils with a deep (from the belly) rhythmic cycle filling your lungs to capacity and expelling the air completely. Slow, long in and out breaths are ideal. Pausing momentarily at the end of each in and out breath. Focus on the feeling and sounds during the entire cycle.

5) Activate the heart-mind connection which provides an initial thought-clearing mode. Do not attempt to suppress these thoughts. Acknowledge them. Briefly as thoughts arise, dismiss them by surrounding any with the six heart virtues of: appreciation, compassion, forgiveness, humility, valor, and understanding. Another very powerful technique is to apply unconditional love (without a judgment position) to any thoughts that may arise, release them and return focus to your breathing.

6) Steadily and incrementally increase the time duration spent in your practice. As the moments of time lengthen between arising thoughts, you are now well on the way to higher levels of meditation. Remind yourself to notice and appreciate the beneficial by-products you have regained.

Eleven Benefits of Meditating Daily

Here's a short list (certainly not all inclusive) of the benefits that come from a daily meditation practice-

1. Your life becomes significantly clearer and calm

The hustle and bustle of everyday life is choking our minds of the peace we deserve! Our technology advancements shouldn't suffocate our minds; it should allow us to achieve more peace. Meditation helps put those events in perspective for our daily tasks.

2. Your blood pressure is lowered

Science has proven it, meditation lowers the blood pressure, which in return is related to your stress levels and stress management. Much better than taking pills to lower your blood pressure!

3. People around you enjoy your company

Regular meditation leads to higher/positive energy that you are consistently tapping into. This effectively makes you very pleasant to be around, and people like that! People naturally gravitate to the people who make them feel good.

4. Your connection with God is strengthened

Spiritual awareness is strengthened with a daily meditation practice. You naturally become more aware of your surroundings, and higher awareness always leads to a deeper connection with God. The trees begin showing personalities, and the landscape takes on different meanings... all through a deeper awareness.

5. You achieve several hours of sleep in one 20 minute meditation session

Another scientific fact is that meditation is known to put you into a deeper state of rest than deep sleep. Deep sleep is associated with a delta brainwave. Deep meditation can drop you into that delta brainwave rapidly, achieving the effects in a shorter amount of time.

6. Problems that seemed very difficult suddenly have clear solutions

For every problem a solution exists. When your mind is clear and you're in a state of peace, solutions appear. Being in a state of peace just naturally attracts solutions and pathways into your field of view.

7. Your productivity sky rockets because of your ability to have clear focus

If solutions to problems appear more frequently when meditating daily, then imagine what happens to your everyday tasks. Solutions to everyday life become more and more obvious. And you begin to take note of these subtle changes as your spiritual vision grows clearer and wider.

8. Your life expectancy increases

Science has shown that regular meditation will increase your life expectancy. It's pretty obvious to see... less stress and more peace promotes healthy cells and healthy cells regenerate healthier cells. And likewise, stressed cells regenerate more stressed cells. So live longer by choosing more peace in your life.

9. You effectively reduce stress in your life

Speaking of stress, meditation has a profound effect on reducing stress in your body. Because meditation promotes peace and inner calm, stress dissolves dramatically from this meditative process. Again, science has proven it.

10. You can visualize powerfully when combined with positive affirmations and meditation

Meditation is powerful at clearing the mind and focusing on simple things... like breathing... or a flower. But, it can be used for so much more! To powerfully manifest your desires, you must get into a clear connection with the source of manifesting (God/Universe/Ethers). If your spirits are on high while you visualize then the communication channel for manifesting positive events in your life is strengthened.

While meditating I like to repeat affirmations, otherwise known as mantras, to help focus my energy into the positive. These statements can be as simple as "love" or "I am love, I am joy, I am peace".

11. You feel fantastic throughout your day!

And finally, when you meditate on a regular basis, you just feel fantastic. Plain and simple. You feel good. Everything else is details.

Science of Meditation's Magic

Today there is a great deal of scientific studies validating in a laboratory setting, that while in a meditative state, significant changes occur with our brain activity. Just as to why brain frequencies are altered is not yet fully understood. Neuroscientists hypothesize that our brain is actually rewiring connections sculpting new avenues of brain circuitry seen during magnetic resonance imaging.

Could we simply be accessing the higher mind which subdues the thinking, egoic-centric mind where boundaries of self-consciousness disappear? Seems very plausible. Regardless of the exact reason for this profound change, some other "super consciousness" force appears to be altering the way our brain functions while in a meditative state.

Dr. Gregg Jacobs who was the assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a senior research scientist at Harvard's Mind/Body Medical Institute now practicing at UMass Memorial Medical Center, published a book in 1993: The Ancestral Mind: Reclaim the Power. This book was the subject of a Time Magazine article back in August 2003 offering insight into the science behind meditation. Based on his research he made some interesting observations and statements referring to what he labeled: the Ancestral Mind and the Thinking Mind.

Dr. Jacobs argues, the scientific research implies our emotional well-being is being greatly hampered by the over-reliance on our dominant Thinking Mind- the verbal, rational, analytical and problem-solving part of ourselves. Over vast ages of time we have severed communication with an equally important part of our makeup- the Ancestral Mind. To me, this speaks of becoming a more fully balanced human being, maximizing the potential of consciousness. While that statement may not be in scientific jargon, the implication is the same.

The Ancestral Mind: Reclaim the Power Book blurb-

Dr. Jacobs offers a practical program for re-engaging with this indelible part of our being, explaining how to access life-enhancing positive emotions while minimizing negative ones; connect with a more intuitive intelligence and foster a deeper, expanded sense of daily awareness; and achieve a more integrated concept of self through a closer harmony of intellect and emotion.

What is Happening In your Brain During Meditation?

Scientists have only recently developed tools sophisticated enough to see what goes on in your brain when you meditate. Below are a series of three interactive graphics from the 2003 Time "The Science of Meditation" article showing brain activity changes that occur during meditation. Clearly some profound changes occur within the brain. Our brain appears to interact and be directly influenced by our higher-minds and consciousness itself.

Frontal cortex - is the most highly evolved part of the brain, responsible for reasoning, planning, emotions and self- conscious awareness. During meditation it tends to go offline.

Parietal lobe - processes sensory information about the surrounding world, orienting you in time and space. During meditation, activity in the parietal lobe slows down.

Thalamus - is the gatekeeper for the senses. It focuses your attention by funneling some sensory data deeper into the brain and stops other signals in their tracks. Meditation reduces the flow of incoming information to a trickle.

Reticular Formation - receives incoming stimulus and puts the brain on alert, ready to respond. Meditation dials back the arousal signal.

After training in meditation for eight weeks, subjects show a pronounced change in brain-wave patterns, shifting from the alpha waves of aroused, conscious thought to the theta waves that dominate the brain during periods of deep relaxation. Even people meditating for the first time will register a decrease in beta waves, a sign that the cortex is not processing information as actively as usual. After their first 20-minute session, patients show a marked decrease in beta-wave activity.

Consciousness Directs Matter

Are you ready to dive into infinite possibilities of the more unique, inherent benefits of meditation? How far can one go into the universal domain to retrieve enhanced power to intentionally co-create in this world? And no, you don't have to become a Zen Buddhist monk. Rather than go off into the quantum realm too far, allot is becoming understood within the research community about the creation power of our thoughts.

This knowledge is equally important to understand and apply its power when practicing meditation. Deliberate thought combined with meditation is an extremely powerful combination. By now everyone has got a little taste of the premise in the movie "Secret" regarding the subject of manifestation or as I like to label it- "deliberate intentions of thought". While this subject matter may seem new and novel to a whole segment of the population, like meditation, it has existed for a very long time. Ever heard the famous quote from Napoleon Hill in his 1937 book titled- Think and Grow Rich? It sure sounds like it could be in the Secret:

"What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Interestingly enough in the book, Mr. Hill did not expressly reveal the step-by-step process to create circumstances which aligned with ones invocation of a positive mental attitude. He left that for the reader to discover. However, he did provide clues and examples which he documented through interviewing over 500 successful people while researching his first course study titled: The Law of Success. He went on to describe this idea as a "Definite Major Purpose" in order for the reader to be challenged and ask the question- In what do I truly believe? His philosophical perspective was that 98% of people had no firm beliefs leading them to be handicapped in achieving what they want in life. So yes, change your thoughts, change your world.

I mention Mr. Hill because he clearly proved the absolute power of deliberate thought to create your desired life. And this approach succinctly aligns with the infinite possibilities afforded in meditation. Just as a professional stage hypnotist can temporarily manipulate someone's actions by accessing and placing suggestions in a special place within their psyche, similar gateways or altered states of consciousness are possible during meditation. Our subconscious minds cannot distinguish between the physical "reality" we are witnessing and merely vivid thought projections. It is here that during certain meditative states one can interject desired images powered by emotions, or predefined affirmations by purposely focusing intent, expediting their arrival in the physical.

I personally believe the reason time appears to collapse between the desire (intention) and actual delivery is directly related to the reduced level of mental (Thinking Mind) resistance we hold while in certain meditative states. We receive sooner that which is wanted in our life because of the drastically reduced counterproductive, opposing beliefs or thoughts. During meditation these contrary brain wave thought forms are minimized thereby allowing quantum mechanisms to more fully dominate.

Call it magic or a miracle or quantum physics in action, but despite of the term used, it is real. This premise is exactly the conclusion Mr. Hill wanted his readers to arrive at. Of course, meditation is not directly mentioned, only alluded to, but clearly meditation accelerates this entire creative process by reducing resistant thoughts which hinder progress. Regardless if while meditating you receive an urge to take a specific action which leads to a solution or chance meeting bringing you closer or delivering entirely a previously specified outcome, the objective is manifested.

The only prerequisite is that you must clearly define exactly what you want. Remember- "Definite Major Purpose". Begin to let yourself feel (believe) what you will experience when the object desired has arrived and let the universal powers do their part. You will quickly find this power is quite useful in improving your well-being when practiced routinely with meditation.

A New Direction Awaits

In closing, meditation is a wonderful gift that is available to all who seek. But, one must seek that which is worthy of attention. As we have learned there are many beneficial reasons to practice this lost but reemerging art. And apparently, the distraction and conveniences of this post-industrial age have dulled a part of us that has never forsaken us and remains vigil in wanting to empower us to our full potential. Just think, this is only breaths away!

As our socioeconomic landscape is now being radically redefined as we step further away from a primarily consumerism driven lifestyle, meditation can play a significant role in this era helping us to become more balanced and grounded. Many are awakening to the fact that a life based solely material gain to achieve a state of happiness is fraught with dangers and distorts real, lasting values. Material affluence is not a problem, but trying to live a life where that is the primary focus distances us further from our higher nature. We have many choices demanding our time and attention today, to sacrifice a critical activity like meditation which could alter and improve your life beyond where you find yourself now, would be a tragedy.

[mediabasedlife]

Initial Impressions 05: Doomsday Clock

Disclaimer: This Article Contains Spoilers For Watchmen And Doomsday Clock. 

     To say Watchmen was a good comic is like saying Bob Ross was a good artist; that is, both sentences are obvious understatements. Watchmen was - and remains - a piece of literary genius, a commercial and critical success. It was one of the first graphic novels to make it onto Time Magazine's best 100 novels list and a winner of the illustrious Hugo Award. For those who don't know, Watchmen is a graphic novel written by Alan Moore (V for Vendetta, Batman - The Killing Joke) and drawn by Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins. It started publication in 1986, continuing for twelve issues into 1987, before being collected into a single volume that same year. Watchmen's story is a rich and complex narrative that plays out as equal parts political satire, murder mystery, and deconstruction of the superhero genre. It takes place in an alternate history than our own, in which the world saw the rise of the costumed hero back in the 1940s whos presence dramatically altered the course of world events; America wins the Vietnam War, Watergate is never exposed, and Nixon abolishes the term limitations, going on to be president far longer than he ever should have been. The 1980s see America and Russia edging closer and closer to World War III. Amidst all the political chaos the aforementioned costumed heroes have been outlawed, with many of them now retired or serving the government. All of this history leads to the event which kicks off the entire Watchmen graphic novel; The death of the Comedian, a hero turned government agent and the investigation that follows.  

     I could talk at length about my love of Watchmen from both the original graphic novel to the 2009 film adaptation, praise its subtleties, narrative, nuances, and motifs, but that's not why we're here today. Instead, we're here to talk about Doomsday Clock, the Geoff Johns (Flashpoint, DC Rebirth #1) led Watchmen sequel. The idea of a sequel is outlandish to some, and with good reason; the last watchmen project that went through was 2012's controversial Before Watchmen, a DC comic book series designed to serve as a prequel to the events of Watchmen proper with each story focusing on a different hero or villain from the original series. Led by a myriad of different creative minds, the project was met with lukewarm critical reception, especially by Alan Moore himself. Personally, I consider the series to be fine at best, neither overly terrible or outstandingly good. It certainly wasn't the stroke of mastery that Watchmen was. This could be said for much of the DC universe at this time; 2012 was just one year into DC's controversial New 52 continuity. It abolished decades of established DC history, electing to start a new continuity more accessible to new readers, but left many veteran fans displeased. The New 52 continued from 2011 to 2016, and it was here that DC found themselves at a turning point. The New 52 was coming to a close, and a rebirth was at hand. DC Rebirth, to be exact.

     The DC Rebirth special, also written by Johns, served as a return to form; while still following the New 52 history, Rebirth's goal was to restore as much of the old as it could, bringing back characters and storylines lost to the New 52 and incorporating them into the current canon. On a list of things to read before starting Doomsday Clock, this would be number one. The issue follows Kid Flash, aka Wally West, on his journey back home. It serves as the first in-universe indication that things are amiss in the DCU. Something, or someone, has stolen a decade from the world. Memories, Characters, Events...Rebirth kicks off the mystery of who this somebody is in a spectacular fashion - by bridging the DC Universe with that of Watchmen. This bridge would go on to be further established by a myriad of different storylines throughout the current Rebirth comic line, but most notably by The Button crossover event. In The Button, we see Batman and Flash investigate the mystery of a certain bloodstained smiley face which lodged itself in the Batcave at the end of the Rebirth special. It was also with The Button that we got the reveal of Doomsday Clock, which started its twelve issue publication run in the tail end of November 2017.

     So, we're here. We're finally at Doomsday Clock. The Big To-Do, the explosive clash between Alan Moore's Watchmen with DC Comics. As it stands right now, Doomsday Clock is one-quarter finished, with three of its twelve issues available to read right now. So how is it? Well, in my opinion, Doomsday Clock is fantastic. It's no Watchmen, but I don't think it was ever supposed to be. Doomsday Clock serves as a direct sequel to Moore's masterpiece and does a good job standing up next to it, at least so far. So far Geoff Johns has done a fantastic job authoring this story, seeding it with mysteries and hooks that keep you guessing and wanting more. His prose isn't identical to Moore's, but carries the same heft and feel. His writing is amplified by the equally fantastic artwork courtesy of Gary Frank and colorist Brad Anderson. Together the two make the comic pop, painting a vibrant collage across every panel and page. Their style is distinct, adhering rather faithfully to Watchmen's nine-panel grid, sporting visuals that feel right at home next to the literary classic. The tone of Doomsday Clock also melds well with Watchmen, with both stories being byproducts of the political climate of their respective times. Watchmen played off of the politics of the eighties, creating an even darker vision of the world in a sort of parody. Doomsday Clock almost got scrapped, before the 2016 presidential election and how the world changed as a result of it. Together they feel like stories that go hand in hand, but for the purists out there, Watchmen can still be seen as its own work, an entity separate from all else.

     But what is Doomsday Clock about? As earlier stated, Doomsday Clock serves as a direct sequel to, and a crossover of, Watchmen and DC Rebirth. But what does that mean? Watchmen concludes with Adrian Veidt, aka Ozymandias, succeeding in his mad plot to bring peace at the expense of countless lives. He averts nuclear war through a convoluted scheme involving a faux-alien invasion and the death of over three million people. Following this Doctor Manhattan, the only truly superpowered being of that world, left earth to find a new universe that was less messy than that of Watchmen's. The Rebirth special established the idea that a hidden power was manipulating the DC universe and all of its characters, a godlike entity who has been watching and altering events to their whim or for some unknown purpose. This entity is revealed to be Doctor Manhattan. Through the Rebirth Special, the Comedian's badge embeds itself in the wall of the Batcave. Batman studies this button, along with the flash, leading to an adventure through dimensions, other realities, presenting a further look at the modifications Manhattan has done to the DC Universe. This leads to Doomsday Clock, where the crossover truly begins. The world of Watchmen is in chaos. The people have discovered the truth behind Veidt's scheme, and it pushed them over the brink. Doomsday Clock's first issue sees all of this play out, taking place seven years after the conclusion of Watchmen. Watchmen's world faces nuclear annihilation, and this time nothing stands in its way. Hence a new scheme by Veidt; he builds a team with the sole purpose of locating the absent Manhattan and bringing him back to the Watchmen universe in an attempt to right the world's wrongs.

     This is the basis for Doomsday Clock's story - the hunt for Doctor Manhattan, and the investigation into his true impact on the DC Universe at large. Veidt's team for this universe-spanning endeavor consists of himself, a new Rorschach, and two original characters; The Marionette and the Mime. The first Doomsday Clock issue sees them all coming together, while the second one sends them on their way. As of Issue three, all the players are in motion. It is here I want to diverge a moment and express a certain admiration for an accomplishment Geoff Johns has met with this story. With the Marionette and the Mime, Johns has managed to create new characters that still feel like they could have existed back when Alan Moore first wrote Watchmen all those years ago. Mime and Marionette, much like the other characters from Watchmen, are based on Charlton Comics characters - Punch and Jewelee. Husband and Wife, both are costumed villains in the Watchmen universe, with Doomsday Clock #1 seeing Rorschach springing them from jail in order to recruit them for their mission. Mime is mute, as his name implies, while Marionette is the voice. Doomsday Clock's second issue establishes a believable backstory, solidifying their necessity and value in the events to come. It is with these original characters that Johns proves he is more than capable of capturing Watchmen's tone and feel, a fact that is further solidified as the story goes on.

     On the DC side of things, Doomsday Clock is set one year into the future of all current DC stories, further emphasizing that this is the tale Rebirth has been leading to since issue one. The world is faced with a superhero identity crisis; a new theory has been bred that asks the question, "Why are almost all the heroes and villains American?". Dubbed the Superman theory, it has the DC world in its own state of disarray, proposing the idea that the American government has found a way to create heroes and villains in an attempt to get an edge, hence its large number of metahumans as compared to any other region of the world. This ire spills over to Batman as well, with some of our first moments in Gotham being as viewers to a rather angry protest of the Dark Knight. This hasn't stopped Batman from doing what he does best, but it does show a dramatic tonal shift on the behalf of public perception to his heroics. Under the Cowl, Batman isn't faring any better; Wayne Tech and LexCorp are currently at war with one another on a corporate level. To quote Sally Juspeczyk from Watchmen, "Things are tough all over, cupcake."

     We're only three issues in so far, but already Johns has proven his worth and created a story just as compelling and intriguing as the stories it strives to succeed. Watchmen was a masterpiece of its time, a piece of literature that continues to stand as a pillar of the comic book industry even now. Doomsday Clock feels like a pleasant complement and a strong sequel, expertly mirroring the narrative flow, the subtleties, and the visual flair of Moore's work while still putting new ideas on the table. It's too early to say whether or not Doomsday Clock will have the same impact as Watchmen, or be the same stroke of literary Genius, but I don't think it needs to. The world already has a Watchmen. Doomsday Clock is shaping up to be something familiar but new, something that can stand on its own merit while still being an impressive sequel to one of the best graphic novels ever written. Doomsday Clock's initial three issues are available now, its fourth releasing on March 28th. The clock is ticking across the DC universe, and with nine issues left to go, all we can do is wait and see what mysteries it has in store for us next.

[globalicious]

Onward Kafenia

[This blog I started when the kernel of the Kafenia existed - a gathering place for global spirits. Globalicious was an earlier incarnation until I rooted this in my Greek culture.]

What is this thing that is emerging, from the last 2+ years of experiments, questions, refining, attempting, failing and reinventing?  I'm sitting here a few miles from the inspiration for this effort - a mountain village in Greece called Amelentes - where everyone lived as equals, where the ancient Homeric spirit roams, where people grappled with how to live together in peace, and where everyone who was allowed to participate in civic life (whether the kafenio or the symposia) came as equals, no matter what their profession or background.  Of course, I as a woman wasn't allowed to join, and was disheartened to hear from the founder of the Society for Evian Studies, that women were confined to the 'speti' or home for the entirety of Evian history!  I'm hoping our history, the history of the marginalized, under-noticed, minority groups - was just unrecognized and played a central part in our evolution.  

What's emerging from this 'clay' that I started to shape, as we have done 30 monthly "pop-ups," 20 mini-meetups, 2 Peace Meals & 1 Summer Meze? There is a real hunger for meaningful connection among us, for a place where we are seen, welcomed, recognized, including in our diversity & cultural roots. We want to be around kindred spirits who deeply value making the commons better.  I started these pop-ups as a way to find the global hearted among us -- to put out a call really, and I didn't have a strong plan beyond that. except to get this public food and gathering space -- with elements of deep connection, civic engagement, cultural joy and empowerment space -- open.  Little did I know that would be so hard to pull off, partly perhaps because of personal limitations, partly because claiming public space (we've got to get out of the 'speti') turns out to be far more difficult than I imagined.  It was 7 years ago I'm almost ashamed to admit that the dream of rooting this vision in my Greek culture came to me, as I visited my relatives in the village of Amelides, and found a true home and way of being that I wanted to share in my world - the world of Palo Alto.   But the world of Palo Alto has been under so much stress -- personally as I moved several times, and found several, in fact, many core members of the Kafenia community fly the coop.   Palo Alto, once a treasure of progressive spirit, is becoming an almost impossible place to have a life, a real life.   Even money can't buy you out of this quagmire, though I'm sure it makes life much easier than for those who commute 2 hours each way to our village of Palo Alto to earn enough to pay rent wherever their family lives.   I sit here unperturbed -- this vision of an inclusive, welcoming village spirit is growing, even if our physical village has faltered a bit.   

So what has happened to this physical village?   I had wanted to offer this growing inclusive village of Silicon Valley - of wayward poets, dreamers, celebrators of diverse cultures, heart expansive questioners of the dominant paradigm, who know that being human is much more important than anything else we could want - a place of our own, a little corner for coffee, friendship, a little food, meals, where we can exchange ideas, possibilities, hopes, and experiment even.  We humans need these places;  a place where we are welcomed and received is critical to going out and rocking this world!   But there's a reason technology expands much faster than housing -- bringing things into the physical world takes time:  forming a non-profit (fall/winter paperwork in hopes of Sept IRS, with California status already in place);  forming a Board (5 devoted members who are focused on getting this space launched);  keeping the gatherings going; and working with brokers/anyone possible to find a space for $5 or less a square foot, after which the rental costs get prohibitive.   Somewhere between 2017 and 2019, the rental rates edged beyond sanity, and it felt like our chances may have gone with it.   We looked at over 50 locations, scoured 100s of listings, put in 3 offers which were rejected, and got up again, as they say.  

So we reorganized this spring, realized a strong fundraising strategy would be necessary, with the goal of raising $250,000 to cover rent & staffing when we open.   

And I needed a rest.   Doing all of this was burning me out, and I am not sure what we were doing was as effective.  Honestly, from the beginning the vision has been for this little space, and temporary gatherings were only meant to be temporary.  I am learning to share the vision and have it be narrow enough (since it seems to emerge from my life's journey) that others can participate.  

I am feeling the life force start to return, feeling a little twinkle in my eye and shaking of my shoulders to the music grooving in the background, 

And we are open - if you see a pathway to getting this space open that we have not yet seen, show us!   It just needs to be a space of our own, even for the weekends, where we don't have to set up and breakdown, where you KNOW you can come ANYTIME you want or need,   Partnerships is our strongest pathway now, and we have a few strong candidates.

We will be sending out feedback forms to the group, and I know my life has been completely changed by this project, and I hope whatever happened to change my life could happen to you too.  I've met people I never would have met from around the world, have a much deeper appreciation for the Middle East, understand the true meaning of friendship from new friends I have made here from traditional cultures, have such hope among the peoples of Silicon Valley and the world -- such amazing gifts just waiting to be offered if they only found a home.   Sonbufu Some, a mentor and facilitator of my wedding circle from Burkina Faso, now sadly deceased, said that in her village one's job was to see each other's gifts and bring them out.  You may be the only one who truly sees the gifts of another.   I love that image - we are here to see and help bring out each other's gifts. 

So as we wrap up phase 1, or the early days of the Kafenia, I bid you farewell in my current identity and role, and look forward to reconnecting in the fall as we find ourselves in PUBLIC space finally, even if only once a week.  I am still leading this effort, but from a softer place. I recognize the existence of the Kafenia is more important than the exact form she takes. 

Who is emerging in your life?  What gifts do you have to offer?   What gifts are you seeing?  As I am reading in this first female translation of Homer published in English, I ask myself and you: what do your Muses (poetry, storytelling, music) have to share?  In ancient times, Memory (Mnemosyne) was the mother of the Muses, as they "are all imagined as modes by which people remember the times before they were born."  (p. 10).   What is this time before we were born have to share, to bring forth as we hurdle into technological altered states?   Can these old ways balance out these new visions, giving them meaning, groundedness, context, purpose, a moral compass, just as communion with each other can?  

So welcome back this fall, to our new beginnings, our rebirth out to the "speti" and into the commons.   We look forward to seeing you soon, 

Back to Kafenia website, 

[gravitascivics]

HIDING THE MULA

There is an important element of any modern society that by its nature holds a federalist character and, at the same time, does not.  The modern corporation, by its very structure, has the very federal element of being owned by the voluntary affiliation of stock owners – ostensibly forming a federation through that ownership. 

Yet, it does not have, among those stock owners, any sense – except perhaps for a select few who own large number of shares – any sense of ownership of that entity.  They, in terms of their consciousness, own stock shares, not a corporation with all its human attributes and qualities.  As such, their “pride” in ownership does not stem from ownership, but from any transactional profit they might derive from said ownership – the first step of detachment.

          Its worth mentioning, the typical stock purchaser does not care about the company he/she is buying ownership into which in a vast number of cases amount to a miniscule portion of the total ownership.  All that person cares about is the price for which he/she is purchasing the shares and how much the anticipated price he/she can sell it at some future date.  In most cases, the person anticipates a higher price and, therefore, a profit from the transactions.  Just another way to make a buck.

          This posting needs the reader to understand these basic elements of stocks, corporations, and stock ownership to make its points.  But the main point being made here is not directly associated with these elements, but with how the notion of corporation is used to establish the processes that lead to unsavory results.  This is aided by, to various jurisdictions being fast and loose with attaining identifiable information with those establishing corporations. 

And those results, as is cursorily explained below, come about from a detachment system – detachment between ownership and business – that allows certain practices to take place.  But before this established process came into being, it was an idea, but an idea with important consequences. 

Its manifestation has probably done more to advance what Jonah Goldberg[1] calls “the Miracle” than just about any other development.  As the reader is probably aware, the formation of corporations provides the vehicle for the accumulation of financial capital to fund the purchases of physical capital allowing the expansion of smaller businesses.[2]  In turn, that allows the businesses, if successful, to go national or even global.

          With those physical assets, as well as human capital, a business company can buy machinery, set up distribution facilities, set up sell operations, rent the necessary office spaces, acquire the use of buildings, on and on.  In the process, by the willful, chosen course of action, investors – who supply the money – in a formal way, form a type of “partnership.”  On paper, they become federated one to the other.  So much so, that the scholar, Daniel Elazar, cites this process as one that helps demonstrate that America is a “thoroughly” federated system.[3]

          But hold on.  Oliver Bullough points out a missing federal quality in these arrangements.  In his description, he explains how corporations have attained the ability to hide money and other assets and this has led to very un-federated realities.  He writes:

… there is more going on here than just [corporate] lawyers being dishonest – turning a blind eye, or otherwise.  It was not a crooked London solicitor or a dishonest New York attorney that made it so easy to create companies [instrumental in hiding money]; that was the work of government.  The crucial attribute of corporate vehicles is that they are legally separate from their owners and their owners’ liability for their debts is limited.  What that means in practice is that, if you operate through a company, society as a whole is taking responsibility for your debts.  It’s a kind of insurance.  If your business fails, only the assets of the limited liability company will be at risk, not those of its owners.[4]

Of course, it is this “insurance” that helps persuade investors to invest in “start-up” companies despite all their inherent possibilities for failure.  So far, so good; but this process, by avoiding direct attachment to the business in question, through this “insurance” scheme, accomplishes an important – second – step toward non-identification of ownership.

          Naturally, corporate structuring has a history and it is relevant to what is currently going on.  The first corporations of note popped up in the early 1800s.  England and the Netherlands were the first two nations to employ them.  But they were initially highly restricted.  For example, in England, Parliament had to give permission for the creation of one and that, in turn, limited the number that were created under that supervisory regime. 

But leave it to the good ole USA – even in its more federalist years – to give it its current form.  New York first legislated the limited liability form in 1811 and by the 1850s, that structural form was in full use.  By the early twentieth century, modern incorporated entities accounted for 95% of the market.  Citing the Economist, Bullough reminds his readers, “Limited liability is … ‘the key to industrial capitalism’.  Companies are good, without them, our modern prosperity would have been impossible.”[5]

So, there is an upside, but there is also a downside.  It turns out, that not only people can buy stocks or form corporations, but for a variety of reasons – some reasonable and honest, some not so much – corporations (legal persons) can also form them – sometimes many times over.  And this layering of ownership provides the third, and perhaps most important, structural basis for hiding ownership and with it, the ability to hide money.

And hark, the problem comes into focus.  Through this anonymity, a lot of shenanigans take place.  From spouses who want to hide their assets from divorcing mates to Mafia and other illicit, organized groups who use this structural capacity to hide money, how it is earned, and how it is used.  And this includes corrupt politicians on the take.  Some of those activities include fraud, bribes, embezzlement, and tax evasion.  And, of course, these activities have social consequences.

If the way the money is “earned” happens to be illegal (dirty money), the ill effects of that activity is problematic – take drug dealings or a blind eye to shoddy construction by public inspectors.  But people can find such hiding not only associated with “dirty” money, but also with “naughty” money. 

Tax evasion, in the eyes of many (not including this writer), is not dirty, it’s naughty.  People also see spending on extra marital affairs, for example, and other such expenditures as less than dirty but not honorable.  They result in embarrassment, so through the efforts of some skillful lawyers, those funds can become de-embarrassing through certain practices and incorporating, in certain ways, plays an important role.  

There are countless reasons why people want to hide money.  And since the uses of money have social consequences – as just pointed out – society has every right to ferret out where and by whom money is owned and controlled.  But they can only do so if the important information is recorded and accessible – they are too often neither.  In terms of the US, these practices go against the very notion that Americans are, constitutionally, a federated people.

Central to these unfederated consequences, created by hiding money, is the function corporations fulfill in such efforts.  So, an issue civics classes can have students investigate – at the risk of encouraging future practitioners – is the ability of individuals or groups to partake in these practices including those associated with corporations that are set up for these dishonorable and even illicit purposes.

[1] Jonah Goldberg, Suicide of the West:  How the Rebirth of Tribalism, Populism, Nationalism, and Identity Politics Is Destroying American Democracy (New York, NY:  Crown Forum, 2018).  The “Miracle” refers to the explosion in economic wealth since the seventeenth century.

[2] This is especially the case when investors buy into an IPO, an initial public offering, of a promising, relatively young business.

[3] Elazar, D. J.  (1994).  How federal is the Constitution? Thoroughly.  In a booklet of readings, Readings for classes taught by Professor Elazar, (pp. 1-30) prepared for a National Endowment for the Humanities Institute. Conducted in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

[4] Oliver Bullough, Moneyland:  Why Thieves and Crooks Now Rule the World and How to Take It Back (London, England: Profile Publishers, 2019), 92. Emphasis added.

[5] Ibid., 93.

[swimintothesound]

Heartache, Optimism, and Pop-Punk: How The Upsides Changed My Outlook On Life

The best creations are born of pain. A sad consolation prize for the inflicted, the result of life experience and raw suffering. As listeners, we judge music based on how much life and “realness” bleed through it, but we also don’t experience anything in a vacuum. Art is tainted by our own memories and experiences. It’s the reason that two nearly-identical albums can feel so different. It’s the reason you enjoy A while I prefer B. Memory is where it all comes into play, and it’s what we add to art as humans. In experiencing art we inject a bit of our own story in the listening process and add on to the creation in whatever way we can.

This is how our tastes, perspectives, and very personalities are formed: through interaction with both art and the world around us. While a positive experience, association, or context can improve our perception of an album, the inverse can also ruin something that’s otherwise objectively good. Think about any album, movie, or TV show that you used to recover from a breakup. Hell, think about a restaurant that once gave you food poisoning. Whether it’s well-founded or not, there’s probably a negative association and personal bias at play skewing your opinion.

I’m of the school of thought that traditionally “great” music starts as something you don’t necessarily love on the first listen, but becomes better over time. Music with depth and complexity that reveals itself with each subsequent spin. Challenging its consumer to be better. Most of my favorite albums were records that I didn’t think much of (or simply didn’t like) upon first listen, but gradually kept burrowing their way further into my brain.

And while memories often retroactively color our impressions of art, sometimes there are also individual works that are able to overcome our own mental hang-ups. Art that’s so strong it’s able to break through our negative associations and emerge from the other side, still enjoyable.

This combination of growth over time and overcoming an uphill battle of negative associations is one of the reasons that The Wonder Years’ second album The Upsides is one of my favorite records of all time.

From a South Philly Basement

Before I get into weird personal history: some quick background info on the band. Founded in 2005, The Wonder Years are a pop-punk act from Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Following two years of singles, split and EPs the band released their debut album Get Stoked on It! In 2007. Taking queues from the early 2000’s easycore scene, the band’s first record was a keyboard-heavy form of biting pop-punk. Get Stoked is problematic, but also very symptomatic of the year it was made. It’s not a bad record, but it bears very few resemblances to the rest of the band’s work and has been retconned by the band for good reason.

The biggest point against Get Stoked on It! Is that most of the songs were written about generic late-2000’s pop cultural buzzwords. You got a track about a ninja, one about a cowboy, one about zombies, and much more! This is in direct conflict with the band’s later hyper-earnest heart-on-sleeve meditations that pulled from real life experiences and heartfelt emotions (as opposed to funny songs about astronauts). There are still some tracks like "Racing Trains" and "When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong" that foreshadow some of the band’s future stylistic leanings, but as a whole, the record is much more underdeveloped and juvenile than their later work.

The band would later go on to “decanonize” this release, publicly stating their distaste for it both in interviews and even referencing it in future songs. When a remastered version of the album came out in 2012, lead singer Daniel Campbell said “If you like the record, enjoy the new mixes. If you hate the record, I’m on your side” which is something I’ve seen very few bands do.

Within two years of their first album, original member and keyboardist Mikey Kelly left the band. His departure essentially represented a “soft reboot” for the band which allowed the remaining members to pivot the group’s sound and take their next album into a more “honest” direction. A year after Kelly’s departure the band released their sophomore album The Upsides in 2010, and my life would change forever.

B-rate Version of Me

In 2011 I went through a horrible breakup. It was my first real relationship, and it hit me as hard as you could imagine a 17-year-old being hit. I’d recently got my driver’s license, started my first job, and I was embarking on my final year of high school, so overall it was a turbulent time of change for me. One night midway through February I was spurred to purchase a digital copy of The Upsides on a whim based on a Tweet made by Amazon Music. This is something I never do, but I had just gotten off a shift at my job and wanted to fill the void with blind consumerism. The album was on sale for $5, so even for a cheap 17-year-old, there’s not much to lose at that price. I can’t even remember if I even previewed the album, but for whatever reason, that tweet was well-crafted enough to spur me into a purchase right then and there. I was in the mood for something new.

I downloaded the album, loaded it onto my iPod, hit play, and sunk into it.

I don’t know how well I’ll be able to articulate the particular brand of slacker malaise I was engaging in at this time, but most waking hours that weren’t spent school were spent in my room playing video games listening to podcasts and music. I was pretty much distracting all my senses and escaping from reality as much as humanly possible without the use of drugs or alcohol. I wasn’t depressed, but I was in a state. Nothing really cheered me up, so it was more of an ongoing war of attrition with my own brain.

I credit The Upsides with single-handedly lifting me out of this post-dump funk and getting me back to feeling like myself. With years of reflection, I was being far more dramatic than I’m giving myself credit for, but I guess that’s kinda the point of being seventeen. It wasn’t the end of the world, but it felt like it… until this album came along.

A Pop-Punk Oddessy

Upsides begins with a bait and switch. Most pop-punk detractors dislike the genre for pretty specific (and valid) reasons. Maybe they don’t like the genre’s propensity for bitter lovesick lyrics, or they’re turned off by the whiny vocals, but in most cases, they probably have a cartoonishly-exaggerated version of the scene in their head. Thanks to the genre’s explosion in popularity during the mid-90’s, most people just think the music consists solely of whiny Blink 182-types when that’s not the case. While there certainly is no shortage of nasally lovesick songs, that sound isn’t representative of the entire genre.

For better or worse, Upsides begins with exactly what people would expect from the genre. Within the first seconds of the album’s opening track “My Last Semester” a nasally slightly-filtered Campbell sings over a twinkling electric guitar “I’m not sad anymore / I’m just tired of this place.” Within 15 seconds the singing ceases and the guitar strings sustain. An electric whir emerges from the back of the mix and quickly overwhelms the held guitar notes. Suddenly the entire song, album, and band spin to life, energizing the track with a cacophony of brash drum strikes, a biting guitar riff, and a driving bassline. Campbell, now singing at the top of his lung repeats the first lyrics with an angry vitriolic twist, and with that, Upsides has officially begun.

Those first lines of the album sound stereotypical (great, another white dude talking about how sad he is) but upon closer inspection, they’re actually a beautifully-constructed phrase that flips the listener’s expectations on their head by talking about the futility of those sad feelings. It’s a notion that’s devoid of nostalgia, firmly present, and anxiously self-aware. This specific idea of not letting sadness win is a recurring theme throughout the album that the band circles back to frequently. The mantra comes full-circle on the album’s star-studded closer and is even developed further on subsequent releases. But in this first song, the singer articulates this concept by listing all the reasons he could be sad, but then explains that he opted to find the silver lining in his situation: his music. Campbell would go on to address this later in an interview explaining:

“I thought that I had kind of beaten my issues, but when you struggle with depression or anxiety, you never really win. You always carry it with you and the point I learned isn’t to win. The point is to keep fighting. It turned out that ‘I’m not sad anymore’ wasn’t a victory speech. It was a battle cry.”

The opening line pulls double duty by acting as the album’s thesis statement while also serving as the band’s new mission statement. This represents a far tonal shift from what we last heard on Get Stoked. They’re not the same group of 18-year-olds who were singing about pirates and zombies three years ago. They elude to this with the meta line “college hit those dudes like a ton of bricks.” The band did a lot of growing up since we’ve last heard from them, and they are guided by a new creative north star.

Art Imitates Life

The foundation that the band began to flesh out with this record (and would expand upon over the course of a trilogy of albums) is a style of hyper-intricate, self-referential, and pop-culture-obsessed rock that depicts the good and bad sides of a life well-lived. Early on the band used the term “realist pop-punk” when describing the sound of their artistic rebirth. Call it what you want, but it’s still one one of the most refreshingly honest and true approaches to music I’ve ever heard, and it was an absolute revelation to me at seventeen.

There’s beauty in simplicity, and sometimes real life is more compelling than anything you could ever make up. TWY’s music doesn’t revolve around sweeping epics, chasing material goods, or even the other, it’s all music that’s firmly told from one perspective and all bears the insecurities and imperfections that come with it. The focus of the music varies from song to song, but this singular perspective allows for a cohesive vision that the listener can simultaneously empathize with, and project themselves onto.

Throughout The Upsides, singer Dan “Soupy” Campbell flexes his now-well honed writing ability, making it obvious he’d time between albums studying and working on his craft. One of the most under-appreciated aspects of his style is his acute ability to write minuscule details. Small observations and references that add a layer of specificity that makes the album feel more realized and lived-in. Each line adds onto the story that the listener is building in their head until an entire narrative is formed around the character. You’re fleshing out your own universe built on the language of the album and developing a one-of-a-kind relationship with its narrator.

Sometimes The Upsides tackles big psychological issues like post-college listlessness, relationship dynamics, and even death. At other times they zoom down to view life on a macro level and vignette the little scenes that happen in life like a broken down car or going on a midnight pretzel run to the stand behind your house. Sometimes it’s funny and biting social commentary on the Westboro Baptist Church or the shitty fist-pumping people you meet at parties. It’s an album that encapsulates the life of a post-college 20-something from every possible dimension.

To me, the quintessential song on the album is the Deluxe Edition’s penultimate track “Logan Circle: A New Hope.” The song is a stripped-down reworking of the album’s second track “Logan Circle” that echoes many of the original track’s sentiments but also serves as an incremental update on the life of Campbell. “A New Hope” is redone in a slower, more pensive approach that allows the lyrics and instrumentation to shine through and glisten to their full potential, highlighting both the brilliance of the lyrics and the proficiency of the band members.

The first verse of the original “Logan Circle” contains a lyric that hooked me for the rest of the album: “We just can't blame the seasons / The Blue Man Group won't cure depression.” The line resonated with me originally because it’s an obvious Arrested Development reference, but it also doubles as a bit of life advice about optimism and outlook. This all circles back to the cliched idea that this album is something I needed to hear at the time. I wasn’t hopeless, but I needed something hopeful. I needed to be told how to handle these feelings I’d never felt before. I needed to be told how to combat them and move on with my life, and that’s exactly what The Upsides did for me. It was musical therapy.

Emergence

Though I didn’t consider it at the time, I’ve only recently come to realize that pop-punk has been the genre that I’ve listened to for the longest in my life. It’s partly a byproduct of when I was growing up (thanks, mid-90’s) but also it just happened to be one of the first genres that I really explored. As a result, there was something comforting about sinking back into the genre after spending some time away from it. I feel like It’s cheesy to admit an album about not feeling sad helped me stop feeling sad, but Upsides was instrumental in my emergence from sadness in the wake of this first relationship.

It wasn’t just the optimistic messages, it’s that the songs found the optimistic messages in the face of everything else. Feelings of sadness are not invalid, but with enough distance, you realize that there’s no reason for them, there’s nothing to be gained from them, only energy wasted. It was a realistic portrayal of exactly how I was feeling then. And more on-the-nose, the album’s breakup song “Melrose Diner” served as both a validation of my feelings and a cautionary tale about becoming the shitty, bitter ex.

My love for The Upsides grew exponentially with each listen, and within a year it became my most listened-to album of all time, a title that it still retains to this day. In fact, my love for Upsides grew with each subsequent album that the band released as future songs would call back to lyrics contained within their earlier works. By fall of 2011, I’d begun my first term of college and the band had released their third album Suburbia I've Given You All and Now I'm Nothing.

The Upsides marked the beginning of a three album “trilogy” that depict the arc of Campbell’s struggles with anxiety and depression, and with the trilogy’s conclusion in 2013, the band cemented themselves as my favorite act of all time. With three releases that were all equally impeccable, I’ve now spent roughly 12 days of my life listening to the band’s various releases, a number I wouldn’t take back if you paid me.

At the end of the day, The Upsides is one of a handful of albums that changed my life, and there’s no higher praise I can hoist upon it than that. It’s a well-crafted and powerfully intricate release that rewards close listens and spawned its own mythology. It engages the listener in a way that few other pieces of art do. There are lots of albums in my life where I can point to a clearly-defined “before” and “after” period, but Upsides is an album that changed my entire way of being. It shifted my world one step towards a more positive existence, and I can’t thank the band enough for that. It’s a radical powerhouse of a record that I still listen to nearly every week, and I can’t fathom my life in a world without it. It’s a beautiful creation, and the world is a more beautiful place for it.

Thank you for everything, Upsides.

[rockrevoltmagazine]

AWAKE AT LAST Taps Spencer Charnas for "The Change"

Dover, DE based Dark Pop / Hard Rock Band AWAKE AT LAST has released a vivid visualizer for their single, “The Change (Feat. Spencer Charnas).”

“‘The Change’ is anthemic and bold. It’s a call to arms to our listeners to not only make a change in themselves to pursue more fulfilling lives, but also to lead by example and BE the change in the world that show’s others they don’t have to be afraid to make the transformation themselves.””I can’t wait to finally release the title track of this amazing record we’ve worked so hard on.” – AWAKE AT LAST

Click HERE to Pre-Order The Change Online!

Catch AWAKE AT LAST Live with Famous Last Words, Dayshell & At My Mercy and Eyes Set To Kill & Rivals on 2019 Tour Dates

AWAKE AT LAST with Famous Last Words, Dayshell, and At My Mercy: 05/10 @ Legends Bar and Venue – Convington, KY 05/11 @ The Champ – Harrisburg, PA 05/12 @ Alchemy – Providence, RI 05/13 @ Revolution Music Hall – Amityville, NY 05/14 @ Kingsland – Brooklyn, NY 05/15 @ Championship – Trenton, NJ 05/16 @ Canal Club – Richmond, VA 05/17 @ Drunk Horse Pub – Fayetteville, NC 05/19 @ Soundbar – Orlando, FL 05/21 @ Crowbar – Tampa, FL 05/22 @ Connect Live – Acworth, GA 05/24 @ House Of Rock – Corpus Christi, TX 05/25 @ Dirty Dog Bar – Austin, TX 05/26 @ Prophet Bar – Dallas, TX 05/27 @ 89th St Collective – Oklahoma City 05/28 @ Fubar – St Louis, MO 05/29 @ Vaudeville Mews – Des Moines, IA 05/30 @ Amsterdam Bar and Grill – St Paul, MN 05/31 @ Annex – Madison, WI 06/01 @ Citadel – Indianapolis, IN

AWAKE AT LAST with Eyes Set To Kill and Rivals: 06/28 @ Let There Be Rock School – Frederick, MD 07/01 @ Bungalow – Manchester, NH 07/02 @ Alchemy – Providence, RI 07/03 @ The Cave – West Haven, CT 07/05 @ Mohawk Place – Buffalo, NY 07/06 @ Crofoot Ballroom – Pontiac, MI 07/07 @ Rockpile – Toronto, Ontario 07/08 @ Rockpile – Ottawa, Ontario 07/09 @ Salle Multi – Quebec City, Quebec 07/10 @ Piranha Bar – Montreal, Quebec 07/11 @ Montage Music Hall – Rochester, NY 07/12 @ INKCarceration Fest – Mansfield, OH

Click HERE for Additional Tour and Ticketing Information

Both as a band and as individuals, Awake At Last continue to stand for positivity, spirituality, self-help and making an impact every single day. Returning with their debut full-length release, The Change, they have never sounded more confident, more energized, or been more determined to reach out to those who might be struggling in the world. The Change releases June 21st via Outerloop Records. “We pushed ourselves to our limits as songwriters,” states guitarist Imran Xhelili. “There is more variety on this record and there are songs that lean in a heavier rock/metal direction with other songs being a lot lighter and more dynamic. All of the choruses on this album have huge hooks, and there are more sections that are less guitar heavy and carried by different elements, like pianos and orchestral instruments.

The lyrics are also more direct in how they carry across the messages we have always had at the forefront of our music.” While making waves with their previous output, this combination is the sound of a band who have truly come into their own. From front to back, every song carries a message of hope. Having commenced writing for it even before the release of their Life/Death/Rebirth EP in 2016, the finished result is not something that came easily. “We all had demons we had to battle mentally and physically,” explains vocalist Vincent Torres. “You wouldn’t believe the pressure that comes down on you when you begin the process for a full length record. After we pushed through the turmoil and embraced the wonderful things that came as a reward it became pretty clear that what we had made should be called The Change. I think this is a perfect name, because it represents the spiritual evolution that we all went through.”

Having achieved a lot in 2018, including a stint on the final run of the Warped Tour – commencing the day after they finished tracking The Change – appearing on the iMatter Festival alongside Underoath and August Burns Red and opening for Asking Alexandria in Louisville, Kentucky, the band are striding into the fifth year of their existence on a high. The first taste of the record is single “Dead Generation”, which stands as a wake-up call, urging everyone who hears it to stand up and speak with their own voice, rather than becoming part of said dead generation. This perfectly represents both the band – rounded out by guitarist Eric Blackway, bassist/vocalist Tyler Greene and drummer Jon Finney – and their core message, continuing to place their fans first, and wanting to do all that they can to help improve their quality of life. “I want people to understand the symbiotic relationship between a band and its fanbase and I want them to feel like they’re along for the ride with us,” Torres states. “We are a band that is built on the foundation of endurance and perseverance, and nothing we’ve accomplished has been easily accessed. I want our fans to know that the reason we are able to live this dream is because they continue to support us and allow us to do so, but most of all I want them to understand that whatever it is that nurtures their soul can also be obtainable if they strive for it and believe in themselves.” Xhelili expounds on this, noting “As individuals, it can feel hard at times to find our own identity and our individual greater purpose. It all may feel rather heavy and bog us down constantly. However, we are here to take a stand and try to rise above all of that and be a respite for all of the darkness around us, as a shining light.” The casual listener also might be unaware of the interconnectedness of Awake At Last’s releases, with Torres explaining that there’s a deep-rooted storyline following a character on their journey through multiple lives.The Change in fact serves as a direct sequel to Life/Death/Rebirth. “The being who experienced the afterlife in Life/Death/Rebirth is reborn into a new vessel in The Change, but in order to interrupt the endless cycle of life and death they’ve been going through they attempt to imbue their new vessel with all of their cellular knowledge. They believed that by doing this the vessel in The Change could bring about a great revolution in the world and finally end the process so the soul may finally rest. What happens next is yet to be determined.”

The album was produced by Kile Odell of Failure Anthem and Josh Landry in Greensboro, NC, the energy and the dynamic of the team essential to shaping the record into its finished product. With Xhelili admitting the pressure of making a full-length was nerve-wracking, he also claims that this nervous energy helped them nail it down. “We all were striving and yearning for this to be the biggest and best album it could be and we all walked away very proud and satisfied with the end result.” For Torres, the process was not an easy one, the sessions taking a toll on him, having his lyrics chopped and changed by the production team after extensive demoing not something that immediately sat well with him. “It was hard fought but after all was said and done I’d learned so much about taking many words and turning them into poetry, and I believe the sessions made me a much better musician and songwriter. After some push and pull I think the compromises made created the perfect record and I think you can feel some of that struggle in the music, but also feel how to get through it.”The Change also marks the band’s transition from a fully independent band to one partnered up with Outerloop Records, which is a landmark event in their story. This partnership has allowed the band to make the album they want, and having the backing of a label will allow them to spread their music far further than they could with previous releases. “They believed in the vision we were striving for and we signed with them for this record to see the vision come to life,” explains Torres. “It is a bit of an adaptation process when you go from being completely DIY and independent to having a team behind you, but overall it’s really cool to be able to bounce ideas off of multiple sources and work with some amazing people who want the same thing that we do.”

As they continue to build momentum, the quintet’s ambitions remain true to their original aspirations: wanting to establish an even stronger connection to their fanbase. “I want to create a movement where individuals from all walks of life can come together and support one another as we continue to evolve and make changes in order to pursue fulfilling lives,” states Torres. Given the demons that had to be battled and overcome to reach this point it’s unsurprising how eager they are for people to hear what they have achieved. “This is the moment we’ve spent years working towards and these are by far the strongest Awake At Last songs we have written,” says Xhelili. “I feel proud of every single song that made the record and there is no filler. This is an album the fans can listen front to back and be immersed in the underlying concept and themes that tie it all together.”

Connect with AWAKE AT LAST: Official | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

AWAKE AT LAST Taps Spencer Charnas for “The Change” was originally published on RockRevolt Mag

[sunmonkey]

Why Mad Max: Fury Road Is The Most Amazing Movie Ever

This is a long ramble. This movie is worth it. For those about to read this in its entirety, I thank you. This hasn’t been edited. It’s right from my brain pan to your eye sockets. Livin’ dangerously!

Two parts to this monster:

Part The First: Creative and Technical Merit

Part The Second: Jungian Psychology

So, to begin:

Part The First: Creative and Technical Merit

There are a couple of principles that good cinema is built on:

Show, don’t tell.

For every action, there is a reaction.

Be as concise as possible (macro and micro).

In late, out early.

Have interesting and wide arcs for your main characters.

Pivot the plot (reversals) in unexpected ways.

MM:FR has this all in spades. By my estimation, from a technical and creative aspect, it is one of the tightest movies ever made. There is hardly ANY wasted screen time: each shot, each spoken line, each cut, conveys a necessary detail that keeps the movie moving in a forward direction. Some examples of each of the above:

1. Show, don’t tell.

Well, the whole movie is based on this. The largest amount of exposition is in the scene with the Many Mothers, and even then it’s only a few lines spoken off-camera. If you look at the nature of the alliances throughout the movie and how they swing (Furiosa learning to trust Max, Max deciding to stay with her and the Breeders, Nux’s change of heart, the Many Mothers coming along for the ride) they all happen largely without dialog. They are set-up by circumstance, and usually conveyed by a look, or simple action. We never learn about so much, it just IS and is taken as fact. How do they farm bullets? How was the aqua-cola pumped up? Etc etc. No need to explain, everyone in the MM:FR universe believes in it, thus so do we.

2. For every action, there is a reaction.

This can be considered on two levels: what is shown on screen (the action) and then how it is cut together (the editing).

First, the action. For anything that happens onscreen, there is a reaction. If someone shoots something, you see the result of that. If someone hits someone, you see the result of it. If someone insults someone, you see the result of that. And generally, the actions/reactions are so tightly knit that they bleed together to create a steady flow of forward movement (both specially and emotionally). The amount of planning that had to take place at the story board level is staggering.

Considering the massive amount of cuts that are made in an action movie, and the sheer amount of spectacle and movement and amount of objects to tackle, I am not sure how the fuck George Miller is able to keep the user anchored in the action, but a lot of it is by matching action within the frame and across cuts. This is a tough concept to explain without having the movie in front of us, so I think I’ll leave it here.

3. Be as concise as possible (macro and micro).

The movie is tight. There is no lingering. It makes a point, and instantly moves on. The movie does it at a high level (taking place across an afternoon, a night and morning) and at the shot level: it never belabors or repeats a point. It makes it, and moves on. It does this by making sure that a shot, even if it is only a second long, conveys the information necessary for the viewer to understand what has happened. Furiosa grimacing as she removes the knife, the straps popping on her prosthetic arm holding onto Max, the look of dismay on Toast the Knowing (Zoe Kravitz) as she is captive in Immortan Joe’s truck. That 30 second sequence is so brilliantly executed it makes the hairs stand up on my neck every time I see it.

4. In late, out early.

The audience doesn’t need every set-up, and doesn’t need every resolution. MM:FR keeps us going at a good clip. It takes us 15 minutes to figure out what the hell Furiosa is up to, and even then we need to piece it together for ourselves. Max collapses in the tornado-mega-storm, but we don’t need to see the storm die out. Furiosa collapses on the dune, but we don’t wait around to see people consoling her or any of that gobbled-gook: we see the emotional notes that matter, and we get out at the peak.

5. Have interesting and wide arcs for your main characters.

Max goes from raving lunatic without a name to a fully-restored Max. Furiosa goes from homeless and without a family to having a home and a family. Nux realizes his destiny (to die in War) but does it for the right reasons (to save lives, not end them). There are some brilliant arcs in this movie, and the fact that they develop and are conveyed with such minimal dialog and in the midst of massive amounts of action, is genius.

6. Pivot the plot (reversals) in unexpected ways.

Max and Furiosa go from enemies to allies literally in two shots. Once faced with superior forces, they need to work together. The green place is dead. Oh, let’s go back, its green there. The journey ends where it begins, but all is changed. So good.

Part The Second: Jungian Psychology

OK. This aspect of the movie is utterly brilliant, and provides an amazing amount of depth and nuance. I have a feeling you might think I am blazingly nuts, but I swear on a stack of bibles that 1) what I am about to say is all true and 2) I have zero doubt this was all very much intentional and excruciatingly mapped out.

So, on the surface, this movie is about Max’s journey from insanity to sanity. But. How the movie maps to a patient’s journey, and the processes going on within the psyche, is rich in allegory and archetype, spanning Jungian philosophy, Faustian imagery and modern psychology. Bear with me, this is a bit of a mess, but I’ll do the best I can to keep it orderly.

We first meet Max (this is bookended with the last scene, so keep this in mind). We meet Max on his own, in a wilderness. He’s stark raving mad. He’s hearing voices, eating lizards, crazy-eyed and unkempt. He’s captured by the War Boys. As he is led away in chains, his hat falls off which is a fairly common metaphor for losing one’s mind / identity (hats are widely accepted as a way to hide thoughts or persona, and in a wider sense represent the mind. People who are looking to change themselves often will turn to hats, or doing extreme things with their hair: cutting, dying, etc.) Right then, we know Max has totally gone insane.

This is reinforced as he is chased through the Citadel. He’s hallucinating, hearing voices. He truly has been reduced to an instinct. There is no super-ego left. He’s pure impulse.

The Citadel itself is a metaphor for the mind. Hear me out. In dream psychology, water is used to represent the sub-conscious. Things in water are taken to be ‘hidden’ in the subconscious. Moving water usually means contents are being shared between the conscious and the subconscious. Angry water (big waves, rushing rivers) can represent strong division or stresses in the psyche. As a model of the mind, the Citadel is chugging away. It is bringing subconscious contents up from the deep, and storing them. But there is a crazed asshole running the citadel, and he’s is blocking these contents from getting to the places it needs to. You have the mega maniacal and ultra-testosterone warlord in charge of the mind. All the feminine parts are slaves to him. No good. This is a lack of balance and this leads to psychosis, and yes, you can see that the society that exists under Immortan Joe is barely functional. Definitely not rational.

It’s also worthy to note a few more details about the Citadel: the room where they Wives were kept was large and dome shaped, like the brain pan (even with a little pool of water in the middle, running out of where the mouth would be) and locked in a vault in the back of this room is a vault full of books (memories!), guarded by a feminine aspect (Ms. Kitty).

OK. So. We are introduced to Furiosa. She is the anima. The anima is the female part of Max. Every man has an anima. It is the female part of the male psyche. It lives in the subconscious, is considered an autonomous personality, and it can be argued it totally rules us (females have the animus, which is a male personality, and it runs the same way). Now, the anima is wiley. It is mischievous and tough to tame, and when it is out of balance with the ego, all sorts of problems arise. Obviously, Max, in his crazy state, is totally out of whack with his anima (Furiosa).

As we head out of the Citadel, we are really heading into Max’s psyche. This is his journey, and his attempt to heal. With him are going all of the psychological agents that comprise him: his anima (Furiosa), the better angels (or feminine aspects) the Wives, and he is hunted by dominant male elements that represent rage, and machismo, and all manner of things he really already has in spades; in other words, the other part of him that doesn’t want to heal.

Jump to the first time Max sees the Wives, standing beside the truck. This is the first step in his healing. How do we know? Well, there is water here, and although it is just a trickle (a hose), it means that elements in Max’s subconscious are starting to flow, even just a little bit. Splendid brings him the hose, held in front of her pregnant belly. The water represents rebirth: in this water is the power to be reborn, to heal. Max drinks of it greedily (he desires to be well), but he’s not nearly ready for this step: his anima attacks him (which the anima is want to do! it is tricky and treacherous!) and he responds like an animal. His first attempt at healing results in him getting his ass kicked. He would be done in by the anima if he didn’t get a bit of help from Nux and the threat of death (killing the anima, which would end poorly for everyone.) He doesn’t and we move on.

Furiosa and Max make an uneasy alliance before going into the canyon lands. They are forced into it out of necessity: they are now hunted by three massive search parties, and they have no choice if the organism is to survive (an easy way to think of this is that everyone in the War Rig is an aspect of Max’s psyche.) Max, and the anima, has realized that in order to survive, it has to find a way to work with the other. The canyon land is a metaphor for a maze, for the torturous path that this represents. There is no easy way (in fact, Max says, “No, stay outta there”. He doesn’t want to face this ordeal, these memories, its too painful and difficult) but they have no choice. The organism doesn’t want to be destroyed.

The death of Splendid is another shedding and a step forward. She’s pregnant with a boy. While it is rebirth, it is Immortan’s child, and as such is malignant. Splendid and the child have to be removed (like a cancer). The imperfection of Splendid is also reflected in her scarred face. She’s carrying a link back to the original crazy, and that link has to be severed. And so it is, when Splendid falls from the War Rig and is run over by Immortan Joe.

We go through some more struggles as Max continues his journey deeper into his psyche and into the subconscious. The chase through the marsh, the bleeding and the bathing in mother’s milk (a ritual cleansing?), the finding of the tree (growth and rebirth, as above so below [branches and roots, heaven and hell, conscious and subsconsious], a rich symbol of rebirth and growth in dream imagery and in alchemy) which in this case is dead but still proves instrumental in continuing Max’s spiritual journey.

And finally he reaches the green place. The subconscious. But in this case it is dead. Toxic. Black and infested by crows. This shouldn’t be a surprise: Max is crazy, and has hidden all sorts of terrible stuff down there. Of course nothing can live there. But, just because this is so, doesn’t mean it can’t be salvaged. And so they push through and come to…

The Many Mothers. Goethe’s Faust introduces the concept. From Wikipedia: “Faust enters the "realm of the mothers" — variously described as the depths of the psyche or the womb — in order to bring back the "ideal form" of beauty for the Emperor's delight.” Mephistopheles warns Faust to “take courage, for the danger’s great.” The realm of the mothers is fraught with peril.

And so it is in Max’s world. He’s reached the end of himself. The deepest part of his subconscious. All that is there is barren sand and the Many Mothers. They’ve never met anyone out there they haven’t killed. “Headshots. All of them. Snap. Right in the medulla.” Talk about danger. But luckily, Max at this point has befriended his feminine aspects and his anima, and they vouch for him.

And what also do they find there?

Seeds. The potential for regrowth. Healthy seeds, and so many kinds. But these fresh, viable psychic contents can’t flourish this far down. They need water and light and room to grow. They need to be brought back to the conscious so they can flourish. But, at least Max has found the treasure, the keys, as it were, to regrowth.

He almost loses it when the entire party decides to keep going deeper. Like the idea of limbo in Inception, there is a point where going “down” simply isn’t productive. There isn’t anything there. In Mad Max, it is thousands upon thousands of miles of salt. The ocean floor. Literally, nothing. You can’t delve any deeper than the Mothers. There is only one way back to sanity: and that is the way you came: up.

Luckily, Max has now assembled all the parts he needs to repair his psyche. He still has to install them in their rightful places and as such has a tough journey, but at least he’s got a chance. And so the party begins the journey back to the Citadel (or the brain, or consciousness, if you will).

I’ll skip ahead now to the exit of the canyon lands. Much of the negative overwhelmingly destructive male bits are killed (culminating in the spectacular death of uber idiot-manchild Rictus and Nux’s sacrifice to that the part can be reborn. They exit the canyon land in what is not-very-subtle birth, coming out of the pelvis of the rock arches as they collapse.

It is interesting to note that they are now in Immortan Joe’s truck, which is very quick and silver. Quicksilver, aka mercury, was a favorite of the alchemists, and a powerful symbol of psychic transformation and transferral of libido–psychic energy moving between the conscious and subconscious.

At this point however, the anima is almost dead. In taming that portion of him and bringing her to the conscious, Furiosa has been spent. Bled dry. She murmurs “home”, realizing that her true home is the conscious (the Citadel), not hidden down in the subconscious with the Mothers. And it is with this realization that enables Max to finally join with her, fusing the male and female portions of himself and creating a healthy unity. This unity is carried out quite literally through a blood transfusion, thus in some ways you could say Max and Furiosa bodily become one, if not spiritually.

And as they unite, Max is finally healed and remembers his name and identity. Max. My name is Max.

(Which is how the movie starts, with the VO introducing Max, “My name is Max”, before he loses his hat, and sanity, in the early scene).

But we are not quite done. We have to come out of the psychic world and back into the real one. As all of these united elements are carried aloft to the Citadel (brain, self, ego), Max steps from the platform. Where he was previously standing, is now to be found a little lumpy curiously twisted creature, the physical manifestation of Max’s insanity. But he’s left it behind. He’s healed, and so we come OUT of Max’s psychic world (just as we entered it at the beginning of the movie) and we find Max on his own. But this time, he’s no longer in a wasteland, but instead in a sea of people, and he’s grinning. Max has found his way back into the world.

The movie ends with a quote:

"Where must we go, we who wander this wasteland, in search of our better selves?" -The First History Man

The answer of course, which the movie has just spent 100 minutes exploring, is “deep within our selves”. That’s the only place where you can find a better you, for if you don’t fix what’s broken, you’ll go insane.

[appreciatedinretrospect]

Music Recommendations #3

HERE’S A READING PLAYLIST 

The Longshot- Love Is For Losers

BUT WAIT! IF YOU CLICK HERE, THERE’S MORE JAMS MANG

Billie Joe Armstrong has a disease. The man can’t stop. He needs his fix. Time can’t go too long before he gets the itch. There’s a classic catalogue of close to 30 years of Green Day, the demented new wave band The Network, Pinhead Gunpowder, multiple contributions to the world of broadway, a tribute record to the Everly Brothers with Norah Jones, and Green Day’s blackout superhero alter ego’s the Foxboro Hot Tubs. But that isn’t enough, nor is it ever going to be. Now enters The Longshot featuring David S. Field and Kevin Preston of Prima Donna and the world’s most consistent man Jeff Matika. I personally this it’s poetic that ten years ago, Kevin Preston was the live guitarist in Foxboro Hot Tubs and he’s now making records with Billie Joe and his best friend. The Longshot’s sound could be Foxboro’s alter ego if The Reverend Strychnine Twitch just wanted to sing songs that feel good rather than destroy everything in his path with a tall can of PBR. Or maybe it’s the Look For Love kid all grown up. This is the release Billie Joe needed to get the melodies he hears in his head out without any constrictions or expectations of it being a Green Day album. Influences ranging from, 60s pop, 70s punk and rock n roll and 80s heartbreakers like the mighty Replacements. They even covered my favorite Ozzy song on the LP.  Every song plays like oldies single on a jukebox. I think the Trilogy albums pair nicely with this album as well, which you’ll all get in five years. Everyone pretends they weren’t salty about The Clash’s Sandinista once upon a time as well, so keep that in mind. This feels like how rock n roll is supposed to feel; fun, spontaneous and a wink to our influences. Interesting things tend to happen when Billie Joe Armstrong creates a side project. Stay tuned and check out the Longshot on tour.

Released: April 20, 2018 

Albert Hammond Jr- Francis Trouble

The Strokes have a seemingly complicated history as a band. It’s a part of the allure, but it also causes many people anxiety because they’re a cult band that made it incredibly big. Rock music in the early 2000s was put into strange territory, mainly because of the media. For the entirety of the past decade Albert Hammond Jr. has challenged the perception of fading into the rock n roll grave yard of obscurity while challenging himself to hone his talents to create something that can stand on its own two feet, independent of The Strokes. Life’s inevitability and curve balls can wake you up and command you to go for whatever your version of greatness looks like. All of you have something you could be incredible at given the skill set you were born with and hopefully cultivated. A curve ball for Albert Hammond Jr was learning about his unborn twin who died in a miscarriage. The impact that can have on your existence must be overwhelming. To a creative, that’s means to express. Francis Trouble is officially born in the alter ego in Red Suits who is love struck, a little lost but ultimately wants to just have a good time. I can relate to that. This concept freed Albert Hammond Jr to immerse himself further into the music and have a creative rebirth of his own. Liberate yourself enough to explore your identity. Then really go for the ridiculous things you want in life. I personally think this is his strongest material and I really thought Momentary Masters was a e new height for his songwriting. The vulnerability of almost wearing the mast of Francis Trouble allows AHJ to find his voice on record while crating the music landscape reminiscent of why we all copied his style of guitar playing in the first place.

Released: March 9, 2018

Label: Red Bull Records 

Kali Uchis- Islolation

This album has been waited on by the majority of people not living under a rock. Kali Uchis is known for being the last piece of any puzzle an artist has been trying to put together musically as one of the better featured artists in the past ten years. But how would a full length work? Well I think you got what you wanted and there’s nothing remotely surprising about it. Isolation is an amalgamation of eclecticism using damn near every color of the palette of pop music. Compositionally this album is untouchable. Kali Uchis recruited an all star lineup of producers to help her create the world in her head. Thundercat, Damon Albarn, Kevin Parker, Tyler The Creator, Bootsy Collins, and Greg Kurstin to name a few. It’s April right now but this feels like a summer album to me, maybe it’s all the reverb or the reggaeton rhythms. If this our official introduction to her formally as an artist, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s mentioned Queen alongside Sade, Lauryn Hill, Erika Badu, Amy Winehouse or Hope Sandoval as I personally already do. Anyone wanting to hear generic pop bangers or wanted to hear ten songs repeating themselves showed up with the wrong intention. Go take a walk, somewhere preferably pretty, and hear this album in headphones. Be in your technicolored animated film.

Released: April 6, 2018

Label: Virgin/EMI

L.A Salami- CIty Of Bootmakers

I’m not sure if L.A Salami has  consciously been making one long movie this entire time or intended on these albums being sequels to one another, expanding on the sound and topics the more knowledge he obtains through living in whatever that year had had to offer. This past year has been utter insanity. The world can’t decide if it’s getting way better or completely falling apart. If you told yourself even five years ago what this all looked like right now, you wouldn’t believe a word of it. It defies logic. We’ enter the city of Bootmakers by being being serenaded and briefed into being informed in a bedroom/Springsteen style anthem that we’re in fact a lost generation, trying to figure out what went wrong. City of Bootmakers analyzes the dichotomy's of life being a double edged sword. And it doesn’t really mean much of anything, except it means everything. It’s a lot to unpackaged all at once. Go line by line on this album, nothing short of reality is up for grabs. Fear mongering from our governments and media, gentrification, capitalism in general, or just figuring out how and why to exist. This time around it’s seems to be more about telling the listener the way it is, rather than asking questions. I enjoyed hearing the evolution of L.A Salami’s songwriting and conversations musically he’s having with his bandmates, making more concise tunes in the process. They have an excellent chemistry that pushing his sound forward. Musically this feels like a capitalization on what L.A Salami has been developing for the past few years. It just happens to get get better every time. What is This transitioning into Jean is Gone as a bonus track feels like an ending to something like a series of books or movies. That could just be me, but I am interested to see what could happen with the evolution of our favorite wordsmith.

Released: April 13 2018

Label: Sunny Day Best Recordings 

Fiddlehead- Springtime and Blind

You want to know how to make a classic record? All you have to do is mean it.

Boston’s Fiddlehead consists of Patrick Flynn, Shawn Costa of Have Heart, Basement guitarist Alex Henery. Their debut full length LP Springtime and Blind documents the mourning of singer Patrick Flynn’s father. As a concept that inherently makes the album a heavy listen, and it’s just that. The songs are skillfully crafted and they result as a standout in the emo genre to the standard of every other release on Run For Cover Records. I would definitely call this an emo album above anything else. Frankly one it’s leading examples. Springtime and Blind is as raw as it gets emotionally taking on the perspective of Flynn’s mother coping with the loss of her spouse as well as being a child losing a parent. Emotionally driven music is typically to gain some kind of catharsis and Flynn seemed to have done just that. At the very least he conveyed his message and connected with the listener. Anybody dealing with loss of any kind or a rough transitional period in general give this a spin. Especially if you’re a fan of Jawbreaker, Rites of Spring, Get Up Kids, Adventures, Basement, Title Fight, Fugazi, Sunny Day Real Estate etc. this should be right up your alley. Enjoy.

Released: April 13, 2018

Label: Run For Cover Records