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| at an artisan street fair in buenos aires |
Books and movies have long influenced the popular psyche. Not only do they allow us an opportunity to see something from someone else's viewpoint, walk in someone else's shoes so-to-speak, but they allow us to step into the magical, to suspend judgement for a moment, to contemplate another way of being. In a very real sense, movies and books shift the views of the mainstream. Ideas inconceivable years ago are now widely championed. And more change will surely come.
It is nice to keep a finger on the pulse of the universe, in a way, or at least one of its local pulses in this culture. One can often tell what is important to a culture in its books and movies. I like many of the things I'm seeing - an increased consideration of the common person (though we have worlds yet to go), a valueing and honoring of personal experience, our connectedness. Technology - cell phones in the hands of the masses - internet - and social media have phenomenally accelerated the spreading of many ideas as well.
Here's a place where I'll keep the list of books read - or listened to, movies seen, music links that impressed me.
Books
An Edible History of Humanity - Tom Standage - hugely thought-provoking, counter-cultural to assumptions, and a bit dry, one of those books written by a scientist who loves facts
The Emotional Calendar - understanding seasonal influences & milestones - John Sharp - great info, but redundant
Drive Me Wild - Christine Warren - truthfully female fantasy reading - slutty over-kill, cd on tape for the commute
Healing Anxiety & Depression - Daniel Amen, Lisa Routh - ground-breaking help based on SPECT brain scans
The $100 Startup - Chris Guillebeau - lights a fire under my entrepreneurial aspirations
Soiled Doves - Prostitution in the Early West - Ann Seagraves - fascinating read about censored history
The Call of the Writer's Craft - Tom Bird - specific helps through publishing
Leaves of Grass - Walt Whitman - stirring poetry
The Seattle Times - great to stay abreast of some local and international happenings
The Sun - Feb 2013 magazine - raw, illuminating, personal writings
National Geographic - Feb 2013 issue - Afganistan's Kyrgyz nomads - and other great reads and photographs
Cantos Ceremoniales - Plenos Poderes - by Pablo Neruda. This takes me back to my roots. Joyous word imagery and poetry.
The Ethical Slut - by Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy. Outside the box thinking. Love it!
Mike's Story - a journey of faith - Wolf Creek Mike. I was initially weary of preaching, but am amazed by this Alaskan author I personally had the honor of meeting.
America's Hidden History - untold tales of the first pilgrims, fighting women, and forgotten founders who shaped a nation - by Kenneth Davis
How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere - by Larry King. A down-to-earth read by a surprisingly warm Larry.
The Sex Diaries Project - by Adrianne Cohen. Intimate look into our patterns: partners, lovers, or aspirers.
Me Talk Pretty One Day - David Sedaris. Funny autobiographical essays bestseller.
Secrets of the Talking Jaguar - memoirs from the living heart of a mayan village - Martin Pretchel - This "modern" shaman opened my understanding of new parallel worlds.
Island Beneath the Sea - a novel - Isabel Allende. A phenomenally absorbing read following slave Tete in the 1770's Caribbean. Allende is a perceptive shaman storyteller.
Grief and Praise - Martin Prechtel. Native Pueblo-Mayan Storyteller lecture on the kinship of these two themes, two sides of one coin: grief and praise.
No More Goodbyes - Circling the Wagons around Our Gay Loved Ones - Carol Lynn Pearson. A must-read for religious folks with gay family. Wow Carol is wise.
Jung - A Very Short Introduction - Anthony Stevens. A summary of Carl Young's contributions to modern psychology. Amazing concepts which include: the collective unconscious, dream work, and the reaching of individuation.
Movies
elysium - with matt damon - great futuristic sci-fi-ish world introspection, with themes of border crossings, healthcare, and the value of people
bridesmaids - dang-funny in-flight watch
the devil wears prada - meryl streep plays a wickedly funny bad boss fashion magazine ceo
lincoln - I'd been wanting to see this - on a personal hero - what a giant
dexter - series 7 - interesting to see what the hype is about - psycopathic good-guy killer
star trek - the wrath of khan - great to finally see the legend
warm bodies - funny feel-good about zombies acquiring feelings again
lost boys of sudan - refugees coming to america - stirring
man of steel - superman - loved it!
priscilla - queen of the desert - australian comedy about 3 drag queens traveling inner outback
the dark knight rises - latest batman movie - dark and inspiring at the same time
star trek into darkness - loved it and the great themes
gosford park - fascinating historical British classist drama
oblivion - with Tom Cruise - science fiction - very interesting
300 - I finally saw it
game of thrones - season III - medieval magical
big fish - dreamlike storytelling dad and his resistant adult son - loved it
downton abbey - season III - I am SO hooked!
man of steel - superman - loved it!
elysium - with matt damon - great futuristic sci-fi-ish world introspection, with themes of border crossings, healthcare, and the value of people
lilies - bizarre yet interesting - a priest hostage in a prison is forced to watch a play about his past
the best exotic marigold hotel - for the elderly and beautiful - funny, and makes we want to go to India
the importance of being earnest - historical comedy - cute twists and plots
portlandia - teasing portland - awkward and funny
les miserables - prolonged sobfest - stirring
stage beauty - historical male actors as female - intriguing
julie and julia - legendary cook julia childs & blogger - fun
adventures of pi - boy and tiger shipwreck - magical
skyfall 007 - bang bang - fun to keep up with what the mainstream is watching
rare exports - finnish christmas flick - pointless
chuecatown - spaniard gay murder comedy - don't watch it
avatar - for the 4th time - love it
Music links
I can only imagine - cry almost every time I see it
laughing samoans singing - recommended by a friend, comedic, and gorgeous singing
the impossible dream - luther vandross - wow wow wow
crowd amazed - nessum dorma - moving humble guy, sometimes human experience stuns me
Musicals/Plays
anything goes - by cole porter - fun cruise ship musical, daring for the 1930's and even today
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