Malouf

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This is a photograph of a Mister David Malouf, author of An Imaginary Life.

I feel like many of the themes within An Imaginary Life fit perfectly with what we have been discussing in class.  This text seems to closely relate on many key points, but they all go back to the overriding principal, the past always possesses the present.

While the the text obviously relates to our class discussion, I wonder how An Imaginary Life compares to an ordinary life?  IF we are to believe that transformation is the single most important happening within these texts, then how does this transformation interact with our everyday lives.  Now, immediately I would say that it doesn't bind us on a daily basis, the idea of transformation pays respect to the grand scale of our lives.  

What I mean here is, from age zero to one hundred, we transform.  And generally that transformation takes time, literally the entire time were alive.  In the Ovid stories of metamorphosis, the characters are born to make their mistakes, which essentially represents us as humans beings.

The retribution for these mistakes is much more instant with Ovid, bringing the faults of the characters to attention with drastic punishment in most cases.  The punishments for the most part are fitting, and usually eternal, which is the same sort of thought process pushed upon us as people today.  The whole, "if you do wrong, you will burn!" type sentiment.

    

Jesus and Horus talk

(His eyes are closed behind the sunglasses)

I just wanted to add a note about a blog I was reading.  Ben Miller offers plenty of connections between Jesus and Horus, while referencing Jake's blog.  He also mentions a documentary film about Horus, that connects Christianity with other world religions.  I found this really interesting, as well as consistent with some of my new found beliefs.  

I recently rented a documentary called "RELIGILOUS" made by HBO personality Bill Maher. Personally, I agree with most of the things he says, though I find him to be a bit preachy at times.  Often lecturing on for longer than required, smashing in the finer points of truth from upon the highest horse.  

Either way, his film is an eye opening example of how the past really does posses the present. The film documents how a religion based solely on the past, greatly dictates our present day society.  I realize this is the broadest of comparisons, though I feel like the general population never realizes the past/present connection.

I'd like to make the argument that the Dinosaurs died for our sins, you don't see any other Dino worshipers out there do you?    

A Tree, A Rock, A Cloud

http://www.osu.cz/ffi/kaa/dokumenty/kolar/tree_rock_cloud.htm

Thoughts on Thoughts

"Today in class as we graded each others tests, Dr. Sexson said the exam grades are not as important as our blogging grades. Well shit, that doesn't leave much room for me; most of my blogs have nothing to do directly with the readings or discussions, rather interesting points or topics that hit me on a personal level. I mean, when the class first started I was under the impression that our blogs were OUR blogs and we could write what WE wanted. I am not saying I am not allowed to manage my blog at my own discretion, but rather that I might not recieve the same grades as someone who just does reading responses as opposed to short stories. We are both engaged in the material and are both trying to uncover a deeper meaning, but because mine seems more conceptual or creatively based I don't have as good as a blog? Well i got sour news for ya jack! it is as good! I feel engaged in the material and by my taking the ideas given in class and shaping them to a personal level, the story comes alive".

This quote came from Sam Roloff's blog, and is in fact his latest blog entry. There are a few reasons why I wanted to post this here.

First, I wanted to say, Sam, thank you. You effectively expressed my exact sentiments regarding the blogs in general. Your insight, regardless of how correct or incorrect it is, aligns with how I feel. How am I supposed to touch upon relevant readings from class when this is supposed to be MY blog? Prof. Sexson gives us very interesting ideas to write about, though they tend to cause me to stray farther and farther off topic (which I love).

Second, I haven't been keeping up with my blogs as well as other people. Does that mean I haven't been paying attention, No. What it means is, I (at first) failed to realize exactly how important blogging really is. Once I wrote my first post, I was shocked by the feeling it gave me. I liked it, I really did.

Third, the fact that blogging is more important than the exam grades is an interesting concept, and plays with some sort of funky scholastic role reversal I am unaccustomed to, though I like the root of the idea. Blogging serves the purpose of letting me let loose as a writer, and to get the jumbled thoughts from my head into writing, where they are more useful.

Now if I can learn by the example of Nick Axline, who's blog flourishes with an all encompassing coverage of the texts, discussions, and personal anecdotes, then I would really be in business.

Song I Sang When I Was 6 Year Old

My parents said that I admired the 'Muffin Man' song when I was about six.
We always used to have breakfast at this small cafe where the place mats had the lyrics:

Oh, do you know the muffin man,
The muffin man, the muffin man,
Oh, do you know the muffin man,
Who lives in Drury Lane?

Oh, yes, I know the muffin man,
The muffin man, the muffin man,
Oh, yes, I know the muffin man,
Who lives in Drury Lane.

I also listened to the 1993 Kids Album put out by the Grammy Award winners non-stop.
The song I remember best was the Little Richard version of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider"

January 30th, 2009 #2: Music To My Ears

What is the best band I have ever seen live? When? and Where?

I would have to write about my top 3 choices, because they all mean something different to me.

1. Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jay-Z. 2002. Verizon Amphitheater. Charlotte, North Carolina
-I was a Jr. in high school, and had recently transferred to a private school in the south, I had NO friends until that night.

2. Dave Matthews, Trey Anastasio, and Tim Reynolds. 2005. Together, Live, Las Vegas, Nevada
-I had made plans to see a multi-day music festival in Vegas months in advance. One week before, I snapped my Fibula (lower leg) which cause me to view the concert in a wheel chair, from the FRONT ROW handicapped section.

3. Band of Horses. 2008. The filling station. Bozeman, Montana.
-This was one of the best live performances I have ever seen, it was prefect, and a great show for Bozeman.

Deja Vu: January 30th, 2009

Deja Vu. This is an extremely interesting concept. Simply stated, it means 'already seen'. Now there are many things that could fall under this particular category, things that you have already noticed, perhaps a movie you have watched before or a good book you decided to re-read. Though, the term Deja Vu does not apply to these instances. Even if you do watch a movie that you have 'already seen' doesn't mean that it will be the same. Think about it, you may notice something completely different about the cinematography, or you might even blink during a different part and miss something vital. Deja Vu has a much deeper meaning that the subtle translation lacks, and even more so for a person like myself.

I have had hundreds of personal experiences with Deja Vu. I do not claim to be some sort of guru or prophet as exemplified by some of the characters within our texts, though I do leave the door open to the possibility of the unknown. For me, it can be something simple:

A woman in a red dress slinks down the granite steps. "Didn't I see her do the same thing last week?", I ask myself. No, I did not actually see her, rather it was the feelings that she projected that caused my mind to reference the situation as if it were a faint memory. If it were a heavy-set man in black would my mind react the same? I would guess not.

It can also be more complex: I find myself sitting in my best friend Ben's black Jeep in the parking lot of our town social club, called the Woodlands. This is a place I find familiar, I spend much of my time, home, in Maine, sitting in this exact spot. Then it hits me, something extremely noticeable. Not a physical reaction to my surroundings, but a feeling or weight, that is better described as an alternate viewing experience through saran wrapped covered eyes.

This feeling triggers my mind to react instantly, a reaction that leaves only one conclusion: I have lived this before. Just then, as if my mind had casually mapped it out, Mr. X, the well-known trial lawyer exits the tennis bubble. 'Huh?', I think, I KNEW that was going to happen, odd. Just then I imagine a situation that he drops something, as I glance over and watch him retrieve his car keys off the damp blacktop. 'uh, this is too real' my inner thought quips, as I go on to guess correctly the color of his fine German sedan.

'How did I know this was going to happen this way?', is the only question I find appropriate at this moment. Only in slight variation to this question comes the next, "Did I know this was going to happen this way, or should I attribute this to the phenomenon of Deja Vu??