Friday, February 22, 2008

Oscar predictions (not that it matters) Here it goes, faster that you can say The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (my hand cramped up just typing that.) Best Picture - No Country for Old Men (Ive been saying it since October, maybe longer.) Best Director - Ethan and Joel Coen - No Country for Old Men Best Actor in a Leading Role - Daniel Day Lewis - There Will be Blood(Brooding!) Best Actress in a Leading Role - Julie Christie - Away from Her (which I havent seen.) of the films I have seen Ellen Page should win. Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men(Terrifying!) Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There (Brilliant!) Best Original Screenplay - Diablo Cody - Juno Best Adapted Screenplay - Paul Thomas Anderson - There Will be Blood Animated Feature - Ratatouille - though, Persepolis was the better "film" Documentary - No End in Sight - The Academy WILL not risk another Michael Moore rampage. Foreign Language Film - Falscher Die Best Cinematography - Janusz Kaminski - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Its Janusz Kaminski for crying out loud.) Best Editing - The Bourne Ultimatum, but No Country for Old Men Should win. Best Achievement in Art Direction - Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (I WILL NOT predict Atonement for anything) Best Achievement in Costume Design - Elizabeth: The Golden Age Orignal Score - 3:10 to Yuma (Brilliant, by far the best score here, but I would love to have seen a No Country nom here.) Sound - The Bourne Ultimatum Sound Editing - Transformers (why was Live Free or Die Hard not nominated?) Visual Effects - Transformers (I WILL not vote for Pirates 1, re-warmed thrice) Best Doc. Short Subject - Sari's Mother Best Animated Short - I Met the Walrus Best Live Action Short - Om natten There you have it.

"Perception is reality." Is perception reality or does it simply define (shape) reality? Yes, I think perception shapes reality.

I was sitting in the international terminal of O'hare airport enjoying a few last hours with my brother and sister-in-law who are (as of the time of writing this) about halfway to London. They are moving to Sierra Leone for three years to serve amongst the poorest of the poor. (rhetorical question alert) Why dont more people do this? (rhetorical question alert)

I thought that between my brothers and I we've been to quite a few different countries and experienced quite a few different cultures, we've seen quite a few different local (micro) realities that make up a greater picture (lets call it macro-reality) or just Reality. What is the correlation between Reality and truth (or Truth)? Often it is easier (I think) and sometimes looked down upon to assume that there is absolute Truth. But, I do believe in absolute Truth, I strongly and firmly do. What that absolute Truth is I don't know and don't think that we'll ever have irrefutable evidence toward it.

At the tender, young age of 25 I feel like I've read my fair share of books, Ive experienced quite a few crazy/cool things, I feel like Ive learned quite a bit. Yet all I can say that I know authoritatively is my own opinion(and even then, sometimes that's sketchy.) I even feel that it would be pretty arrogant for me to say that I "know" Truth. All it takes is one humbling walk through a library archive to realize all of the things in life that you do not know or understand. The stacks and volumes of material which you've never once breached in your mind.

The Bible even eludes to this when it talks about seeing in a mirror darkly..."For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." 1 Corinthians 13:12 (KJB)

I think what we mean when we say we "know" Truth is that we believe Truth. Faith. Faith is huge. Faith takes an experience. In many religious cases a relationship or some other manifestation of things which we cannot begin to grasp. Perhaps, faith is alot like trust, "This person caught me before in the past when I fell, perhaps they will catch me if I fall again. Yes, I believe, I trust."

I currently own three Trek (brand) bikes and have been very pleased and impressed with their performance. You could say that I am a firm believer in the Trek brand (and I think you'd be correct in saying so.) Yet my brother owns two Giant bikes and seems happy there. His experience backs his belief, my experience backs mine (and believe it or not, we do co-exist happily.)

Does this mean that my perception affects the nature of Truth? No. But I do also believe that our minds are too small, too finite to begin to grasp "Truth" in this life time. Does it mean that my perception shapes reality? Yes, maybe. If you're into quibbling semantics. If we got all of the 6.5 billion individuals together in one big forum and had it out about Truth and afterwards published an exhaustive work regarding Truth, we might be a little bit closer to an understanding. Or at very least we would have a more informed, more universal approach toward what we're calling "Truth."

Perhaps, within dialogue our definition of Truth can only be made stronger. With your understanding of Truth combined with my understanding of Truth we may be able to see a still clearer picture. "With our powers combined, we are Captain Planet!"

Beards are "in." The day of the clean-shaven slacker are over. I just got back from seeing Iron and Wine so you know why I think so. I am pretty convinced that Singer/Songwriter Sam Beam has a few birdies nested in there. And they're happy about it too, with his laid-back/friendly demeanor those speckle-throated swallows couldn't be happier. It sure beats that dump up there on the tree branch thats for sure, and warmer too.

Thats the thing about Iron and Wine, you know through his lyrics that he's seen his share of hard times. You get the feeling that he understands, and yet through his sweet, un-wavering voice you just get this sense that it's gonna be ok. You know, I have to think that it will be.

I walked out feeling as though I'd just gotten a nice massage, relaxed, mellow, ready to take on just about anything. At this point however, sleep seems to be the best option, I am prepared.

http://www.halfpastnormal.blogspot.com

I was on a break from work a few months ago, sitting on one of the columns in front of the Italian Sports Hall of Fame in Chicago. A friend of mine had stepped out of Starbucks where I work in order to grab a smoke. About 30 feet apart we didn't talk, I didn't see her. Later she told me that she wonders what Matt thinks about at times like this. I told her I didn't know, and proceeded to make another Latte, probably non-fat, maybe no foam, almost certainly over-priced and not needed.

I've realized that I think alot, perhaps too much. Some say thats not possible, I think they're just encouraging me toward my sanity. =) I love them.

A friend asked if I'd been journaling lately. I told her "no." But I need to be. And I do need to be, so here we go. I haven't blogged in a long time but need to get into it again. I haven't been writing much recently and I am hoping that my more informal tootlings on here will encourage the grey matter in the fictional field. Sure, I am working on a couple scripts. But I think it's the ideas shared here that will flesh out in script form elsewhere. In any case I invite you along in this less-intrusive-than-email form. I choose to post as opposed to email for that reason. So you can read if you like and you can not read if you like. The thing I want to avoid is having a platform. I wish this could be more discussion based, cause I think the only way any of us can really learn is together. I consider myself an expert in no field, other than my own opinion (which is probably half-wrong 50% of the time.)

So with that, check back, comment back, write back, call, communicate as you will. I need you, and perhaps together we can learn some stuff. These are my thoughts and you can read them at


http://www.halfpastnormal.blogspot.com