Updates, Comments

The first thing to mention is a phenomenal Patty Griffin show. I think she mesmerized everyone with her stage presence and her strikingly powerful voice.

Well one of the highlights for me was nearly running into Dave Matthews on the way to the bathroom (small bladder finally paying off). He gave me a smile and I probably reciprocated with a confused, stupor-ish look. He ambled away with a very pronounced limp, and that was that.

As for other notes, I watched Peaceful Warrior this weekend, a movie that held some eerily similar views that the program here at MHGS has. Nick Nolte played this guy named Socrates, who consistently strummed off one liners of considerable depth and meaning. I think my favorite was the idea that a true warrior is one who knows how to sit in 100% vulnerability. Paradox, things never staying the same, and fully experiencing the here and now were a few more of the themes.

I also watched Freedom Writers. It was well done with a great, true story that seemed fitting for me in taking the Multicultural class I'm in. I've been reading this book on the history of multicultural america, and it is rediculous. It is so hard to read, because it is the truth about our country. Whites who conquered and viciously abused anyone who got in their way, naming their actions as the 'destiny of God.' Starting with Native Americans, then African Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Irish...the book is very weighty, and even saying that seems so trivial. So many stories that are worthy to be grieved over for centuries. How to even approach this?

I guess my two cents about what's going on in class that I don't like is when we (me and my caucasion classmates) try to defend our own racism today, when we want to give ourselves a voice instead of sitting in the discomfort of being wrong. Even when people say they are angry at the racism today, that just kind of erks me because in a sense then, we are attempting to say the right thing, and be the right ones in class, who aren't racist, who just need someone to hear us and know why we act this way or that. I think bottom line, we just need to sit in being wrong for a little bit at least, and know what it feels like to be the wrong ones for once - what any other race has to experience every day.

Carolina

"I had a dream last night, stood beneath an orange sky, with my brother and my sister standing by..."




The whole fam got together at our rustic cottage in the smoky mountains of north carolina. I think it was the most active week I've had in quite awhile, a good break from sitting on my butt in class, reading, or writing. They stocked the river soon after we got there, Matthew and I pulled out 7 trout each in a couple hours the first time down there. We were pretty good at forming somewhat of a schedule, a good set of rituals, each involving either playing or eating. Often started the morning out at the coffee shop, then got ready to head down to the river for fishing or tubing or volleyball. After dinner was back into town for ice cream, then came back to the cottage for a fire, listening to ray lamontagne, passin' back a couple beers. That's a pretty dang good routine if you ask me.

This was the first time being with the fam since the counseling program really shook things up in me. Interesting how seeing things in a way made me feel more distant, more removed, things not as I so often perceived them to be. What appeared in the past to be connection was really distance. However, ironically, this entering into reality, this seeing the distance, actually makes way for more connection. Seems like sometimes you have to get farther away to get closer.

Just one paradox after the other if you ask me...