Having not written anything thought provoking has a lot to do with my desire to be a little ambiguous. The things I've had to experience the past 2 years is the equivalent -- I think -- of being molested by one of your parents. I am doing my best to push through this mess.

Inglourious Basterds is a 2009 revenge war film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino released by the Weinstein Company and Universal Pictures this past weekend. Italian director Enzo Castellari's 1978 film, The Inglorious Bastards acted as inspiratin to this motion picture; however the 2009 Title is not a remake of the film being set in Nazi-occupied France during World War II with plans to assassinate Nazi Leadership.

Despite its being a war film, Tarantino has constructed the film to be "his spaghetti western" with World War II iconography. I find it almost difficult to describe the movie without feeling the BIG O because it tickles my fancy to combine like with like. In addition to spaghetti westerns (as Tarentino's interest in Castellari's title suggests) he also pays homage to the World War II "macaroni combat" as well as French New Wave cinema.

Pretty much the theme that is most recognizable in the film is revenge. Taking place in an alternative history of WW2, in which the Basterds spread their popularity throughout Europe with a goal to assassinate Nazi forces. Simultaneously a second force, Shosanna (Melanie Laurent) aims to unite the higher ups of the party to defeat them as well. Both parties know nothing about their united efforts. The plot tangles itself into a beautiful masterpiece, and simply unravels at the end.

Go see Inglourious Basterds now! It will definitely blow you away.

Ubuntu

I've had the honor of hearing this word over and over: Ubuntu -- and I honor this recurring voice who keeps reminding me of the term because of it's cherished meaning.

Instances of where I've heard the African word Ubuntu:
1. Referring to the "Ubuntu" distribution of Linux computer software
2. My brother's graduation -- a kid gave a speech about the concept behind Ubuntu.

It is impossible right? for any word to have no meaning. For a good while, I continued on believing that Ubuntu was a catchy, made-up word having with no substance. I thought of it as many of us think our names have no real substance -- "It's just a name!" you say.

It wasn't until this past Friday, when a kid in my brother's class -- the Salutatorian -- gave a speech about the connection each person with each other. He talked about the impact each individual has on society because of our connection. We must not think of humanity as a formation of isolated individuals; rather, we are all connected by each other's influence, impact, frequency.

A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.

One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu - the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can't exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can't be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality - Ubuntu - you are known for your generosity.

We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.

These ideas really caught my eye because in the midst of all these experiences I've been having, comes a solution. An answer. A definition of a word that I've heard before that I never ever thought about. It was a connection from first hearing the word from Soch, to finding out the definition from this kid, to my own research on the concepts behind Ubuntu.

Hearing about a concept when you're naive (and you've reached the bar of higher understanding) and then trying to piece it together with no way of understanding the concept. This is where we'll have problems with no aid -- I vaguely remember Dr. Drew from Love Line saying these (almost) exact words last night. It makes total sense to me today. Everyday, I learn about my flaws and my good traits as a study how I interact with certain individuals -- at work, at school, in public arenas, but finally, someone steps into my busy schedule to explain the meaning of all this. They explain the material. Make it easier for me to understand why I go through these life lessons. Why I am so important to others, and why (even when I think that I couldn't possibly learn from the "stupidest" of all people) those people are important to me.

I know we all don't get along. We've got wars going on -- big ones and little ones. We don't like x,y,z about girl#1. We don't understand why people criticize us, try to cripple us. Some of us are creeps, some of us are black, white, red, yellow, whatever. We're all different, and our differences should not make us feel we must isolate ourselves because we are all essentially human beings who will in the smallest of ways impact lives. And this is a perfect segway to end my discussion. I'll end it with a quote from Mother Theresa:

"Small things with great love... It's not how much we do, but how much love we put into the doing. And it is not how much we give, but how much love we put into the giving. To God there is nothing small."

Living or Existing?

It's either time or money -- not money &time.

I have been working 2.5 jobs to pay the bills. My social life has depleted. Someone asked me why I don't go out to make some friends: I don't have the time. I build contacts. I network, but I can't sit down to gossip about celebrities or whatever it is people do these days.

This is good, but I think it's also bad.

I booked a vacation just for myself. JUST for Myself. I am really scared to travel alone, but I think I need to get away and reset. I'm becoming a robot.


On another note: (and you all definitely will not know what I'm talking about -- it doesn't concern you) I am waiting.. I'm waiting. I want to take matters into my own hands, but the reality is that I think it's actually out of my hands at this point. I'm just waiting for my time with you to come to end.

I am definitely existing.

I've got to push harder

click it to enlarge!

A Few Visitors

David &Yetta Kane.
I was truly honored to have been visited by survivors of the Holocaust, David and Yetta Kane. It was in my Music and the Holocaust class that they came to visit me and my peers. There were 5 of us, and it was the two of them. It was so amazing to have that intimacy.

Their experience was so unique. The couple described how they suffered through torturous treatment and unbearable living conditions, from the beginning of the war in 1939 until it ended in 1945. The two also spoke about their lives after the war, when they came to the United States, met each other, married and lived a successful life together, raising their three children and enjoying their six grandchildren. It was a beautiful experience -- so touching.

If you've seen the film Defiance, that pretty much sums up Yetta's life -- but there was so much more that she endured that the film doesn't cover.

The couple taught us to love &the importance of forgiveness.

I'm all over the place with this post, but JEEZ Yetta came here to America in 1949, didn't know any English, and she landed a job doing some fashion. She made $100 a week! CRAZYYYY... It just really demonstrates their will to live..


The two have been married 114 years now, according to David -- 57 for David and 57 for Yetta. He was so sweet. God Bless the Kane family.



Serj Tankian.
Singer of System of a Down's Serj came to visit our class -- another intimate little Q&A about genocide since his grandparents were victims to the Armenian Genocide.
I know it's totally different from the Kane's visit. He actually looks so different in this photo! Of course, the band days are over so he came in very clean cut. He was very handsome. *sigh. And he does amazing work.. everything he does matters. Another lesson learned here: stay active, keep pushing, do what you love.

I'm really blessed to have met with these fine people.

In the Palm of my Hand

Palm has impressed me yet again. I am in love with this sucker. It's a blackberry, iphone, and palm COMBO. Love it. Rumor has it, it drops on the 17th.