Friday, November 19, 2010

Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1 was incredible. Absolutely incredible. It was hands down the best film yet, the acting was up to par, and the screenplay was definitely a huge improvement since Movie 6.

All of the plot changes were made to make the film flow better as a film . They were clearly made because they would have required a.) too much explanation b.) more characters and actors c.) too much time.

The only two unnecessary parts were when Harry and Hermione were dancing and then when they were naked in the Horcrux. The only change in plot that I really wanted to see was Wormtail's death being done correctly. I wish more tension had been built in the particular scenes and that the wizarding war was more prevalent (i.e. Harry walks around too much and there's not enough threat that he is in constant danger).

Other than that .... mischief managed.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

The Beginning Of The End

"Grief"
Matthew Dickman

When grief comes to you as a purple gorilla

you must count yourself lucky.

You must offer her what’s left

of your dinner, the book you were trying to finish

you must put aside,

and make her a place to sit at the foot of your bed,

her eyes moving from the clock

to the television and back again.

I am not afraid. She has been here before

and now I can recognize her gait

as she approaches the house.

Some nights, when I know she’s coming,

I unlock the door, lie down on my back,

and count her steps

from the street to the porch.

Tonight she brings a pencil and a ream of paper,

tells me to write down

everyone I have ever known,

and we separate them between the living and the dead

so she can pick each name at random.

I play her favorite Willie Nelson album

because she misses Texas

but I don’t ask why.

She hums a little,

the way my brother does when he gardens.

We sit for an hour

while she tells me how unreasonable I’ve been,

crying in the checkout line,

refusing to eat, refusing to shower,

all the smoking and all the drinking.

Eventually she puts one of her heavy

purple arms around me, leans

her head against mine,

and all of a sudden things are feeling romantic.

So I tell her,

things are feeling romantic.

She pulls another name, this time

from the dead,

and turns to me in that way that parents do

so you feel embarrassed or ashamed of something.

Romantic? she says,

reading the name out loud, slowly,

so I am aware of each syllable, each vowel

wrapping around the bones like new muscle,

the sound of that person’s body

and how reckless it is,

how careless that his name is in one pile and not the other.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Everything, Everything

Portland has been a relief in this long journey. Here is some of the music that has been following and shaping this trip lately.


"Willow Tree" Chad VanGaalen





"Heartbeats" The Knife



"ThunderRoad" The Boss

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Go

"Here is the instruction: Only connect. Wherever you are, right now, pay attention. Forever."

- Sylvia Boorstein, Meditation Teacher

Thursday, November 4, 2010

I needed this day, thanks Portland

"the laughing heart"
charles bukowski

your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.

Welcome To The Beginning

"The Hill" Barnaby Furnas


"Heartbreak Ridge" Barnaby Furnas

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Pullman, WA

It's always a good night to listen to Jason.