Bad Weekend…
Isn’t it interesting – how one decision can be perceived by someone else…and how that same person, makes decisions on things that are perceived as hypocritical by the other person?
Why are sibling relationships so fucking hard?
DJ Spooky Remix “Birth of a Nation”
Last night Pete and I went to the DIA to see Paul D Miller a.k.a. Dj Spooky’s remix of Birth of a Nation. To be honest, I went to keep Pete company, and Pete went mostly because it was Dj Spooky. We didn’t know what we were in for, and for that I am thankful. It was an interestingly moving moment for us. Dj Spooky did a remix on the film Birth of Nation that was made by DW Griffith in 1917. It was utilized until sometime in the 60’s as a recruitment film for the KKK. He utilized music he had composed and sampled himself over 3 large screens to remix the movie, keeping the ideas of the movie the same, but also using title cards he wrote himself to battle with the original ideas of the movie. He chose a subtle shout to create a battleground of thoughts, words and ideas that have stretched across the years. Prejudice and hate, intermingled with a revisionist history propaganda that was used to create hate for years, and what was Dj Spooky doing? One member of the audience during the Q&A afterwards stated: that she was dismayed at what she saw. She wanted to know what he was thinking bring this film to Detroit, to a community that is working to rebuild itself with pride and that is in the middle of a scandal that it hurting its efforts. To bring this movie to an area that had fought for it never to be shown. I liked how he handled it. He could have been extremely standoffish – this is his art and how dare you not understand it. He could have been extremely narcissistic about it and looked at her and said well too bad, you aren’t intelligent enough to understand my vision. However he stated very calmly and succinctly that he wanted to have more dialog with her. Wanted to understand what bothered her so much about this. Because what he was trying to do was to show people an irreverence for history, especially revisionist history to help loosen the power it has over people.
This was an educational evening of epic proportions to me. The idea that we should always know our history so that we don’t repeat it. The idea that we are repeating history all of the time. This propaganda film from 1917…flash forward to Hitler’s Propaganda films during World War II…then flash forward to our current propaganda – Weapons of Mass Destruction, Illegal Immigrants, Alternative Lifestyles. They all repeat each other. What have we learned…what have we taught the next generation…
I commend Paul Millers vision. It is with an open heart and an open mind that we walked into that theater, and I was enriched by it. If it comes to your area on DVD, I heartily urge you to rent it. If it comes to your area live, I highly suggest you go…it is an experience you do not want to miss.
Green Makes the World Go Round
So my quest and desire to go green, more organic keeps on keeping on.
Pete and I have missed out (again mind you) on signing up for a local CSA 
*Boo, Hiss* However, while looking thorough localharvest.org last week, I stumbled on a local buying club (year round even) called La Vida Local. The owner Julie is a very upbeat and friendly woman. The buying club runs this way: she works with local farmers and producing companies to procure items that are organic and green. Every week she sends you a shopping list (and it is quite extensive). This past week our list had oh so many items, ranging from Dairy to produce to meat to beauty items as well as cleaning items. You pick out what you want (we got a beautiful Steak (HUGE), ground beef, Cottage Cheese, Raw Milk Gouda, Spaghetti Sauce and Ricotta Gnocchi as well as a stainless coffee/ice tea mug for me. Then you pay her though pay pal for your times and $5 for delivery and she delivers these items to your home. It’s fabulous. I cannot wait to try what we bought…I feel steak coming on.
Target has also started carrying really inexpensive shopping bags that fit into your purse. I picked up two. One was $.99 and fits really easily into my purse, and the other was $1.50 and is huge, but folds up to about the size of small book, but really thin. I keep that one in my car. Great idea for being on the run and not bringing home too many plastic bags.
I also purchased fabric last night to try to make my own reusable menstrual pads. Keep your fingers crossed about my sewing skills!
Well that’s about it. Pete and I are heading to Ann Arbor on Saturday to pick up my dress for my sister’s wedding, and then we are relaxing the whole weekend long! Whoo! Have a great weekend everyone!
