Initial Response to Blue Like Jazz

So I saw Blue Like Jazz yesterday.  The story of a college kid trying to figure out what he believes.

He’s got divorced parents - a conservative Christian mom and a hippy dad, who, like the rest of the flick’s characters, felt almost like animated stereotypes to me.

·         A smarmy youth pastor that puts communion cups inside a cross piñata as an illustration for the congregation.

·         A Texas Baptist church that sends the main character off to college with plastic armor of the spirit

·         The divorcee that is overly connected to her son in the absence of a lover and companion

·         The hippy father that listens to jazz “that doesn’t resolve” and sleeps with any ass he can find

·         A cast of college students all searching for something

o    A brash lesbian lookin’ for love

o    A brainiac/arrogant Russian student looking for respect

o    A student-elected “Pope” who wears the full get up as he stands up for freedom of the mind and spirit

o    The cute faith-based activist girl out to save the world thru civil disobedience. (also known as the love interest)

·         And… our main character that lives in the middle of it all. 

o    He’s been his mother’s caretaker and an assistant to the youth pastor – fully engaged in suburban Christendom

o    When he spots some dramatic hypocrisy, he decides to take an exit: to a highly liberal college

o    He’s told early on that, if he wants to survive, he’ll need to cover up his conservative background/beliefs.

o    So he does.

o    He spends about a year exploring and we get to watch. 

If you can accept the caricatures and are willing to view yourself through the same slightly darkened disney lens, you’ll relate to more than one of the cast and probably feel a little uncomfortable as you do. 

Which, I think, is the point.   

As a genetically-enhanced conservative from a tree of Christ-serving scandahoovian humans with obvious human flaws, I went through a similar, albeit slightly less cartoonish year-long “rebellion” just after graduating from a Christian college in the ‘burbs of Minneapolis.  So college Don makes sense to me.  His confusion and his crush make sense to me.  His desire to fit in with the crowd makes sense to me.  His doubt makes sense to me as well. 

At the end of the day, for me, the film validates the journey: an awkward, clunky, fun, exasperating, sometimes hope-filled, sometimes hopeless, journey.  It demonstrates that real growth often happens when real questions are asked amongst those that have different answers than your own.  It affirms, and begs for, dialogue. 

The movie is not the book. 
The book was something I read alone and felt kinship with an author as I read.  I pondered and internalized it.
The movie made me squirm - uncomfortable enough to want to write about it and talk about it with others.
And… the book about making a movie about the book (A Million Miles in a Thousand Years - go buy it and read it) is slowly changing my life.

My critic’s voice gives the movie Blue Like Jazz a 5 or 6, tops.   But I would see it again in a heartbeat if I were in the company of those that wanted to share a pint and have an open dialogue about their real journeys.  I applaud the movie-makin’ crew that has, and continues to, follow their leading to get it done and to get it in theatres.  No small feat. 

I applaud them even more for encouraging absolutely every one of us to consider the stories we’re writing. 

p.s. I reserve the right to build on these initial impressions after hopefully having some additional dialogue on the subject :). 

She & ED

Lid
"She is – beautiful – daughter – mother – wife – teacher – in turmoil – tired – fierce – fragile – His – complex – lover – filled with desire – searching – Ali – desperate – able"

Pot
"He is – a liar – consistent – fraud – an out – identity – relentless – parasitic – thin – momentary relief – ironic – dependent – addictive – abusive – powerful – quiet – accountable to no one – complex – an emotional terrorist – friend – manipulative – mean – blamer – selfish – control – confidence – alienating – a killer – ugly – Frazier – maddening – ED"

The piece attempts to visually demonstrate the complexity of the relationship between person and eating disorder (often named “Ed” for recovery purposes). You’ll note that not all of the language specific to Ed is negative. Folks wouldn’t put themselves or their families through the impacts of eating disorders if there wasn’t some sort of payoff.

The design of the lid is unique, but connected.

The size of the lid is smaller than Ed. He seems like a big mother when you’re in relationship with him.

The lid can, and needs to, be removed. But not until a decision and physical action is taken to do so.

It’s not a comfortable topic, but it’s real. Ed is a legitimate killer. He’s not someone to toy with. But those that have chosen relationship with him do not have to remain connected. I hope that that those that are struggling, but have grown numb to friends and loved ones talking (or not talking) about a change, will be able to absorb the visual in ways that plain words don’t communicate.

My prayer is that each person that is in relationship with Ed will be surrounded by individuals that recognize the pairing for what it
is: a coping mechanism – no different than tipping back a glass of wine at dinner, disappearing into a book or a movie, gossiping about someone else’s life, or vegging in front of the TV. There is nothing to judge - only a loved one to save from the grips of an abusive relationship.

If you’re struggling and haven’t shared the battle with anyone – share it now. Ed will desperately order you not to, but the decision isn’t his.

pba.

Proof I'm a Packer Fan

My first experience @ Lambeau was recently selected for posting on Packers.com.

Check it out: http://www.packers.com/news/stories/2008/03/14/1/

Clayart Juried Show 3/13/07 - 04/15/07

Hi all - I was fortunate enough to have 2 pieces accepted into the 1st Annual Clayart Juried show in Louisville, Kentucky... during the next month you'll be able to see it online... check it out if you have a minute.

Has it really been 4 months?

Boy howdy, do I miss writing. It has been a busy busy time. More to come soon.

I DE-clare!

It's my heart's desire to build a history with Jacob (pictured at left following the car ride home from a Minnesota Twins game earlier today) - I want him to have something to look back on - a background so jam packed with love that it becomes second nature to him - providing so much security that the thought of not being the center of someone's universe a foreign concept...

...that said, I'm not sure why you'd rightly care, but I felt the need to say it outloud to anyone who will listen. Declaring things - whether it be love for your child, or your spouse, or faith in your God, takes the subject of your declaration and cements it as something worth taking a risk over. I'd step in front of a moving bus for this kid (and for the other two that are used in my examples).

As for the game - it was Jake's second - he made it through 7 innings the first time around - just 5 today (primarily because we showed up an hour early to try to get him a Joe Mauer bobble-head ;) We leave whenever he wants to go with the logic that he'll only remember it as a positive experience if he's not forced to endure it.

My prayer for you is that you are ready to declare something to and for someone and that you'll take deliberate action to back it up.

Sappily yours... pba.

One Month in the Books

How quickly a month can disappear! The last four weeks have been a proverbial emotional roller coaster as our little fam has figured out how to join the mainstream of America with a 7:30-4:30 gig and all that it implies - over the next few weeks, look for jottings about a few of those implications... bus ridin', living in a land of cubicles, and bein' a daddy 2 hours a day...

Reduction Fired Stoneware - Couple New Pieces

Today I picked up a couple of pieces from a recent firing at Bethel - a few wine coasters that were spoken for already and these two guys that were made for no-one in particular. The pictures don't really do 'em justice, but they give you the idea.

"Where do you cast your gaze when it feels like its spinning all around you? As for me, I want to learn to look skyward in any situation..."

The bowl above decorated with a passage of scripture from Hebrews, chapter 6. Both pieces really hit on the same themes and were created during times of uncertainty at Rhumbline - essentially talking myself into faith and desiring a pert-near illogical hope in difficult times.

Tomorrow morning I begin the next collection of steps (aka, start the new gig at Target). My only prayer is that I show His love to those around me and that I'm willing to trust Him with my day.

Hope you enjoy the work. pba.

God's Remote

Is it bad that I have an addiction to Sony remote controls that are the size of New York and control pretty much all things electronic?

At risk of being gunned down by lightning bolts from the Heavens, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this particular passion may very well be ordained from a Higher Power.

Who else would invent a device to control up to 16 separate components, enable you to hook it up to your computer to configure it, and make it look so darn nifty.

I ordered the RM-AX4000 today - our third "Commander" over the past 5 years or so. So I shallow-ly await its arrival and confess that I am indeed hooked...

Communication Tip from Uncle Pete

When you put a warm Mountain Dew can inside the ice dispenser to get cold quickly, be sure to tell your spouse that it's there. If you fail to do so, you may both lose your beverage and surprise said spouse with some unanticipated liquid coming from your refrigerator...

It would appear that the metal device that rotates within the ice container so as to dispense ice through the refrigerator door, may very well have the power to cut through the side of the can, causing a minor explosion and subsequent pouring of your beverage into your spouse's glass...

While the look on her face will be worth much, the cleanup effort is really a pain in the tookus...

It's worth letting her know it's there... just a little communication tip from Uncle Pete. pba.

Potter Obtains Energetic Following...

...consisting primarily of several dozen 3rd graders...

I had the opportunity to participate in the Empty Bowls 281 event last evening as a fine little side show - makin' bowls for the little ones (and several parents ;) as folks mingled, purchased kids' bowls, participated in the silent auction for "celebrity" bowls and just hung out and listened to some great entertainment.

Highlight of the evening? 2 kids that had a veritable fit when their mom told them it was time to go and eat - they decided it was more fun to watch a potter than to eat. Now that's a loyal fan-base...

A close second place would be the kid that successfully fired about 27 consecutive questions at me without taking a breath - all while standing about 14 centimeters from my ear. I honestly enjoyed the non-stop curiosity and the joy with which they watched lumps of clay become simple bowls. Hopefully a couple of them will remember it long enough to a class or two before it's all said and done...

The event turned out even better than hoped and will undoubtedly return next year on a larger scale. By pulling in over $8500, it obliterated its goal of $6000 which will ultimately benefit the local community through PRISM, a local human services nonprofit that provides a variety of services to those in need...

Large Corporate Potter?

Assuming that my pee-in-a-cup drug test comes out clean, I'll start as a Business Analyst for Target Corporation two weeks from today.

It may very well be one of the largest adjustments that I'll need to make in my short lifetime - shifting from a consulting firm that maxed out at 8 employees and finished at 3 to a corporate I.T. gig with a technology organization of somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,000 FTEs.

That said, I'm excited about the opportunity and look forward to working within the Pharmacy division of the organization and focusing on the Business Analyst skill set for awhile. I have loved the opportunity to wear many hats over the past 8 years in consulting, but am at a point where stability and routine has moved up the priority list for my little St Michael clan.

It was actually a great experience to have to make the decision - talking with each other, bringing our concerns to our God, and having Him unify us in the process. Can't ask for much more. Not to mention the other three organizations that graciously left the door open for future employment opportunities just in case something goes awry in the land of red.

I'll be spending much of the next two weeks making pots for a small backlog of commission requests and spending a few bucks on more corporate-esque clothing. ;)

Mainstreet Family Services, Rogers, MN

The church I'm attending formed a nonprofit a few months back - here's the one-page placeholder we put up while they continue planning for a more robust web presence.

Based in Rogers, Mainstreet Family Services will be focused on leveraging a local church (aka, Main Street Station) building as a community center and will contain multiple nonprofits capable of serving the needs of local families. Good stuff.

Sojourn Art Journal Arrives

Well... it took awhile, but my contributor's copy of Sojourn arrived today. I'm thinking the pieces lost a little when they were printed in black-n-white, but I'm thankful for the opportunity to be published at all. Not sure of the journal's circulation, but it is the 18th anniversary edition, so it's good to know it's been around for awhile.

The cover art caught me a little off guard, but hey, it's an Art Journal - I guess an eye-grabbing cover is pert-near obligatory...

First image consists of the front and back cover, second consists of pages 113 and 135 of the journal... Both of the pieces can be seen in Gallery 2 of my pottery site.