Soon silence will have passed into legend. Man has turned his back on silence. Day after day he invents machines and devices that increase noise and distract humanity from the essence of life, contemplation, meditation... - Jean Arp
Wow...a whole weekend has passed. It's hard to believe that I used it mostly in silence, contemplation and meditation. When the phones stop ringing, and the tv is off, ....with only the hushed sounds of the late night and my own beating heart to guide me, one can almost feel the full essence of life. I realized today, that I have turned my back on silence all week. All the machines and devices that create noise...the cell phone, the Ipod, the computer, the radio, CD player, the television, cars, washing machines, lawnmowers...modern conveniences that most of us cannot live without.
What happened to just reading books, and meditation, and solitude? Since when has quiet times become so wrong? What is wrong with having noone in your space for days at a time save you, when taking loooong breaks away from the television...say a week or more? What's wrong in savoring times with just yourself, and in not getting distracted by anyone else?
Quiet times....as much as people hate them, are my absolute favorite times. Perhaps that is why I thrive at night, when most of the loud, boorish world is asleep, and you can hear yourself think, and breathe...and feel.
Sunday, March 27, 2005
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome. - Isaac Asimov
At 645am, I started my commute to work, glad that I was early and that I could pick up breakfast. I turned on the radio, and Dick Ireland informed me that there was a closure of southbound I-795 and all lanes were being turned around because of an accident that was right at the mouth of the merge to I-695.
"Good thing I found that out," was my first thought as I took the back roads 5 miles to the metro. Seemed like everyone was on the back roads today, causing me to catch every single red light out there. A light drizzle as I parked....in a great spot! and voila, I was on my way to work.
In the metro, sitting in front of Mr. Sleepy Snorehead, and across from Miss Ignore People, a lady that avoids eye contact by pretending to be fully immersed in her boring book that she has been reading for the whole month.... I occupied my time by gazing out the window, playing my favorite game of watching the metro bypass all the cars driving the same direction on 795. Alas....the cars were inching in the wrong direction! That was a weird sight. Obediantly following the directives of the highway patrol, all the people who didn't turn on the radio were detouring to 140. Enviously wishing they had taken the metro, I smirked.
A bright yellow fire truck sped past us, blaring the loud horn caught my attention. Now I definitely wanted to know what was going on. Never to my knowledge had 795 been closed...it was the highway of dreams, level, generally uncrowded, beckoning you to speed up to 80mph on the police free run between exits 7 and 9. Me...speed? What??
As I was saying, the highway of dreams was clogged, and I wanted to know why. So I scanned the road as we inched slowly by, past the cars going in the wrong direction, until I saw empty road. The highway of dreams was totally empty for about half a mile, and that was even more surreal than the cars that were going in the wrong direction.
There were two large semis parked on the side of the road, seemingly suspect, waiting for the highway to be reopened. Five cops, standing in various poses, strikingly austere in the early dawn.
Black concrete, yellow tarp.....dead body, with two legs poking out of the tarp, no shoes or pants on. Time stood still for a second, yet we sped on by.
Someone had died this morning. Someone who's family probably thought him still on the way to work. Someone that had been blaring the radio and drinking coffee, his main focus was getting to work on time. A moment of reflection....and then it was gone, just as his remains lay stagnant on the highway, the recollection now lays stagnant in my mind.
But as all mortals are wont to do, my mind turned back to my own life, my own problems, my own day. A day that sped by of it's own accord, lying waste to the feeling that time stands still. At the end of the day, research yields his name as Salvatore Aquina, a year older than me...25, who had been having an arguement with his car mate Tim Logan. Obviously it must have been a heated discussion rapidly turning into a fight as Tim pulled the car over to the shoulder of the road. Sal leapt out, still angered, and flung himself into traffic, running in and out, seemingly trying to get away from Tim. Cars swerved, several avoided him successfully, but they were so close that he snatched off the antenna of a car as it swept by. He got hit by a trailer-truck AND a pickup, slammed so hard into the concrete that he died on impact. Another life laid to waste.
Next time I sit in a car with anyone...and we started a debate...never will I let it escalate to the point that one of us gets so angry to commit involuntary manslaughter.
My mantra has been and always will be...
Life is short; live it up. - Nikita Khrushchev
At 645am, I started my commute to work, glad that I was early and that I could pick up breakfast. I turned on the radio, and Dick Ireland informed me that there was a closure of southbound I-795 and all lanes were being turned around because of an accident that was right at the mouth of the merge to I-695.
"Good thing I found that out," was my first thought as I took the back roads 5 miles to the metro. Seemed like everyone was on the back roads today, causing me to catch every single red light out there. A light drizzle as I parked....in a great spot! and voila, I was on my way to work.
In the metro, sitting in front of Mr. Sleepy Snorehead, and across from Miss Ignore People, a lady that avoids eye contact by pretending to be fully immersed in her boring book that she has been reading for the whole month.... I occupied my time by gazing out the window, playing my favorite game of watching the metro bypass all the cars driving the same direction on 795. Alas....the cars were inching in the wrong direction! That was a weird sight. Obediantly following the directives of the highway patrol, all the people who didn't turn on the radio were detouring to 140. Enviously wishing they had taken the metro, I smirked.
A bright yellow fire truck sped past us, blaring the loud horn caught my attention. Now I definitely wanted to know what was going on. Never to my knowledge had 795 been closed...it was the highway of dreams, level, generally uncrowded, beckoning you to speed up to 80mph on the police free run between exits 7 and 9. Me...speed? What??
As I was saying, the highway of dreams was clogged, and I wanted to know why. So I scanned the road as we inched slowly by, past the cars going in the wrong direction, until I saw empty road. The highway of dreams was totally empty for about half a mile, and that was even more surreal than the cars that were going in the wrong direction.
There were two large semis parked on the side of the road, seemingly suspect, waiting for the highway to be reopened. Five cops, standing in various poses, strikingly austere in the early dawn.
Black concrete, yellow tarp.....dead body, with two legs poking out of the tarp, no shoes or pants on. Time stood still for a second, yet we sped on by.
Someone had died this morning. Someone who's family probably thought him still on the way to work. Someone that had been blaring the radio and drinking coffee, his main focus was getting to work on time. A moment of reflection....and then it was gone, just as his remains lay stagnant on the highway, the recollection now lays stagnant in my mind.
But as all mortals are wont to do, my mind turned back to my own life, my own problems, my own day. A day that sped by of it's own accord, lying waste to the feeling that time stands still. At the end of the day, research yields his name as Salvatore Aquina, a year older than me...25, who had been having an arguement with his car mate Tim Logan. Obviously it must have been a heated discussion rapidly turning into a fight as Tim pulled the car over to the shoulder of the road. Sal leapt out, still angered, and flung himself into traffic, running in and out, seemingly trying to get away from Tim. Cars swerved, several avoided him successfully, but they were so close that he snatched off the antenna of a car as it swept by. He got hit by a trailer-truck AND a pickup, slammed so hard into the concrete that he died on impact. Another life laid to waste.
Next time I sit in a car with anyone...and we started a debate...never will I let it escalate to the point that one of us gets so angry to commit involuntary manslaughter.
My mantra has been and always will be...
Life is short; live it up. - Nikita Khrushchev
Friday, March 25, 2005
Hitch...Great Movie!
FOR THE RECORD, I LIKED I, ROBOT. NO HATE MAIL PLEASE!
This movie is a public apology by Will Smith to all his adoring fans that says..."Forgive Me for I, Robot!" I loved this movie!!! From the opening credits to the closing, I was laughing all through. Although the premise was a 'chick flick' this movie appeals to all ages and genders, there was something in there for everyone.
It was drama, comedy, some violence.. hehehe, and romance interwoven by the writer so flawlessly that it was fun to watch.The cast had great chemistry, the combination of James, Smith and Mendez was great. The sparks between Mendez and Smith were really firing, and even though she was a total B* you still wanted them to get together, all because Hitch was endearing.
Kevin James...I didn't even know he could act! He plays the bumbling man that falls in love with NY's elite, and is desperate for some advice. He pulled his part together with perfection and managed to tie most of the pivotal scenes in the movie together quite nicely. I cannot imagine another actor to play his part.
Most of the 'love lines' in this movie where true, however, have all those stats been really verified? 8/10 women expect the 1st kiss to tell them everything...yeah right. Some of the advice to men was great advice, I wonder if anyone actually will pick up on that?
Will Smith epitomized the role of the Date Doctor. The playboy turned starcrossed lover turned man whose world collapses around him was a bit of a stretch but he pulled it off. Add to that, he is naturally funny, and delivers his lines with such suave charm that makes you want to melt. Eva Mendez managed to fill very large shoes as the cynic in every woman, but still bewitches the greatest cynic of all. I didn't like the fact that she was ruthless and judgemental, and rushed the story to the press without any verification; but when she wasn't being bitter, she was actually quite nice. She was confident and savvy, and took no prisoners. In a way, she was the villian in this piece even though they pointed the blame to that egomaniacal Vince stock broker dude.
The visual shots were great...it was shot in NY, but a clean NY:) with nice clean yellow cabs. Beautiful shots of the city, Times Square, the pier, Ellis Island were all exquisitely protrayed, and the architecture at the train station was amazing. Good Lord, I loved each and every apartment. It's hard to believe that such wide expanse of space is available in NY for rent. Hitch's apt. was off the hook, showing his work, functionality as well as his unique taste in Grecian art. Mendez' apt. was bright and sunny which contrasted to the hard edge she originally protrayed to the world.
This movie was a comedy as well as a metaphor. Women tend to sabotage great relationships in the interest of protecting their hearts, while guys never really get what women want or need. But when Cupid's arrow strikes, men and women really do speak the same language. I definitely recommend this movie to everyone who liked Bridget Jones' Diary, Something about Mary, Pretty Woman, You've got Mail, Notting Hill.
As for Will Smith...apology accepted:)
This movie is a public apology by Will Smith to all his adoring fans that says..."Forgive Me for I, Robot!" I loved this movie!!! From the opening credits to the closing, I was laughing all through. Although the premise was a 'chick flick' this movie appeals to all ages and genders, there was something in there for everyone.
It was drama, comedy, some violence.. hehehe, and romance interwoven by the writer so flawlessly that it was fun to watch.The cast had great chemistry, the combination of James, Smith and Mendez was great. The sparks between Mendez and Smith were really firing, and even though she was a total B* you still wanted them to get together, all because Hitch was endearing.
Kevin James...I didn't even know he could act! He plays the bumbling man that falls in love with NY's elite, and is desperate for some advice. He pulled his part together with perfection and managed to tie most of the pivotal scenes in the movie together quite nicely. I cannot imagine another actor to play his part.
Most of the 'love lines' in this movie where true, however, have all those stats been really verified? 8/10 women expect the 1st kiss to tell them everything...yeah right. Some of the advice to men was great advice, I wonder if anyone actually will pick up on that?
Will Smith epitomized the role of the Date Doctor. The playboy turned starcrossed lover turned man whose world collapses around him was a bit of a stretch but he pulled it off. Add to that, he is naturally funny, and delivers his lines with such suave charm that makes you want to melt. Eva Mendez managed to fill very large shoes as the cynic in every woman, but still bewitches the greatest cynic of all. I didn't like the fact that she was ruthless and judgemental, and rushed the story to the press without any verification; but when she wasn't being bitter, she was actually quite nice. She was confident and savvy, and took no prisoners. In a way, she was the villian in this piece even though they pointed the blame to that egomaniacal Vince stock broker dude.
The visual shots were great...it was shot in NY, but a clean NY:) with nice clean yellow cabs. Beautiful shots of the city, Times Square, the pier, Ellis Island were all exquisitely protrayed, and the architecture at the train station was amazing. Good Lord, I loved each and every apartment. It's hard to believe that such wide expanse of space is available in NY for rent. Hitch's apt. was off the hook, showing his work, functionality as well as his unique taste in Grecian art. Mendez' apt. was bright and sunny which contrasted to the hard edge she originally protrayed to the world.
This movie was a comedy as well as a metaphor. Women tend to sabotage great relationships in the interest of protecting their hearts, while guys never really get what women want or need. But when Cupid's arrow strikes, men and women really do speak the same language. I definitely recommend this movie to everyone who liked Bridget Jones' Diary, Something about Mary, Pretty Woman, You've got Mail, Notting Hill.
As for Will Smith...apology accepted:)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
