You've got a blog, now use it

It's funny how other peoples blogs make you think of how you aren't writing in yours. Jon Katz of Bedlam Farm reminded me recently that a blog is not just simply to get out information about a screening, or book release. A blog is there for writing out your ideas and thoughts so that they don't stay in your head to long, warping your sense of the world that simply doesn't exist. Point taken, I will write this one...and then an informative posting.

X-mas and sentimentality almost go hand in hand. There is something about "believing" in the joy and wonder of Christmas that I can't get behind. I am a scrooge, I am a negative person sometimes. I feel time is wasted on believing and hoping things will turnout; that Christmas and Christan miracles can happen and should. I believe in hard work, sacrifice, and perhaps a small amount of chaos. The time spent pining over the magic of Christmas, or being sentimental about the way things used to be, could be time better spend actively pursuing goals, and righting wrongs. My wife reminded me that we take this time once a year to reflect and let ourselves believe in a fat, white (western looking) man who is "magic" simply to give ourselves something to look forward to. I however don't think we do this just once a year...I think we all do this everyday. Everyone from the Christians who use everyday little miracles to justify a god, right down to the average consumer who finds life's completion in the small-to-large everyday purchases. We distract ourselves on so many levels from what's important, in so many ways. I myself am guilty of this...I have a problem with alcohol. A substance that completely turns off the thinking and allows me to just be, to be in the moment, to revel in the spirit that is the world around me. When I'm sober, the world washes right up on me and I'm observing things to an obscene amount...allowing myself to be caught up in everything, but when I'm drinking, it allows the world to wash over me and past me. It allows it to be a big place with people that do harm to one another and people who time and time again choose the easy way out instead of putting forth that extra, yet extremely small amount of effort to change themselves and the world around them. I'm not saying Christmas and sentimentality is unnecessary...without it we would all go nuts. My argument...we power off a little too much and perhaps with the wrong remote.

The next film is shaping up as well, turning into a real nice piece. Hopefully a film that will explore the relationship of one family to the outside world.Hoping to also tackle the question of everyday isolation...We're so connected now and yet I've never before felt this alienated. Not just physical alienation, but alienation in priorities, interests; we are a country of extremes and miscommunication now...this does not cultivate community. I am looking for an answer to this. (and I don't think the answer is ONLINE communities, or shopping buddies, or bar crawls.)I heard my neighbor this morning trying desperately to start his car at some insanely early hour...later I realized I didn't even try to get up and see if he needed a hand. That bothers me. I once would have at least checked. Later I remembered what my mother had said about my little brother. that he often gets close to people that are not the kind of people you want as friends. People that try to push you around, take things from you, put you down for their own gain. My brother is the kind of person after all his years on the planet still trusts people; trusts the general good in people. I told my mom he needed a bit of me in him...and I needed a bit of him in me.