Strangers in a Strange Land

Winter's Bone

2010-08-01T19:28:00.000-07:00

On this past most sunny, yet gloomy Sunday (for me), I decided to sojourn to the local artsy movie theater. I chose a movie with the most interesting movie poster. Blessedly, that movie was "Winter's Bone," and I picked it because there was a beautiful, soulful-looking blonde girl in a boat with what looked like elderly Native American men flanking her on either side. During my viewing I found that the old men were actually leathery, meth-addled women, but wasn't disappointed.

WB tells the story of Ree Dolly, a tough-as-nails 17 year old taking care of a mentally ill mother and two young siblings in the Ozarks. Her father is a career "crack cooker," who's put the family home up as bail bond. This leaves Ree in the most dire of pickles, as dad is nowhere to be found and if he misses his court date, the house will be taken and her family put out into the fields. It's up to Ree to track him down and save her family, penetrating the local drug network and turning to her drug-addicted, browbeaten uncle for help.

Jennifer Lawrence ("The Bill Engvall Show" and upcoming "X-Men: First Class") is a new breed of heroine. In the kind of role any young, serious actress would ache for, she reveals a weary but impressive stoicism as Ree. The sole functioning adult in the Dolly family, she tends her little siblings with the tenderness of both a mother and an older sister, ruffling their hair, cooking them dinner, and teaching them how to shoot a rifle. Forgive my prejudice, but the level of commitment she brings to the character and her obvious understanding of who her character is, was surprising to me for several reasons. One, Jennifer is only 19, has only a few credits under her belt, and is so strikingly beautiful that I relished every moment looking at her face. I'm no lesbian, but the girl is beautiful.

There are so many masterful and excellent nuances to her performance, and I just wish I were more articulate so I could properly explore them here. But Jennifer Lawrence is going to be a big deal. Mark my words.

Two more performances stand out for me. One is John Hawkes ("Deadwood") as Uncle Teardrop. I think I felt for him so much because he reminded me of my great-uncle's son. Looked so much like him, dressed like him... In fact, a lot of these characters brought me back to home. Uncle Teardrop is not especially close to his niece, but he steps in out of loyalty to his mislaid brother and helps Ree suss out the truth. One of the themes of the film is family ties, and at first we are led to believe that blood is weak here, in these barren, trashy fields and lanes, but the moments in which one person reaches out to another or extends himself are heartbreakingly touching. All the more so because the director isn't trying to elicit feelings from the audience; there's no weepy orchestra to cheat us of our tears nor overdue declarations of love from the characters. Things are what they are: pitiful, bare-bones, and difficult for the people who live here. Fawkes is perfect as the drug-dependent, unkempt, rough old bastard who comes through for his niece.

Another great performance comes from Dale Dickey, a fellow Knoxvillian, as Merab, relative of Uncle Teardrop and Ree, and matriarch of a powerful clan of meth-cookers. She was perfect, both because she knows exactly the type of person Merab is and because she, like everyone else I've mentioned, committed. Hardened, tired, and menacing, she's equally horrendous and captivating. She and her family are just, however backwards or callous it may appear to us, and they protect those things which are important to them.

Winter's Bone is a masterful movie. It's not uplifting, it's not pleasant, but it's honest. It has a lot of heart and understanding to it, and I am so glad I had such a bad day and went to escape at the movie theater. It reminded me of exactly why I want to be an actor and that, my friends, is just what I needed.

5/5 stars for Winter's Bone

Movie Review: Fish Tank

2010-02-12T07:56:00.001-08:00

"Fish Tank" has won several major awards in the UK and is noteworthy both for the performance of its lead, Kate Jarvis, a non-actor who was cast after being seen screaming at her boyfriend in a train station, and the bleak, soulless atmosphere of an Essex compound. Other reviewers have pointed out that Jarvis never acts during the film, but this is an ungenerous estimation. She is certainly an engaging, unique presence in the film and those who say she never acts have obviously never acted.

Mia is an angry, repressed 15 year old living with an abusive mother and a foul-mouthed little sister. Her life is confined to the concrete premises of her apartment complex and the ugly, barren landscapes surrounding it. Her only means of expression is street dancing, which she breaks into empty apartments to perform. She also steals alcohol and fights with a gang of girls. It's not until her mother's new boyfriend, Connor (played by Michael Fassbender), arrives that her life brightens, however dimly. He's kind-hearted and behaves fatherly towards the girls, but his gaze lingers on Mia for too long and the two begin to experience a strange chemistry.

It's an exceptionally-crafted film. With documentary-style camera work, long shots of the gritty surroundings, and realistic, colorful dialogue, "Fish Tank" certainly deserves its accolades. Mia's life is pitiful and the movie gives us some promise of hope, both in Connor and a dance audition Mia longs for, but these are not the trappings of Hollywood. Other reviewers question why the director never delivers Mia from her horrible reality, but the answer to that is simple. Sometimes, people DON'T make it. The film ends with Mia leaving her home for a different city, but even this feels hollow and empty. What is there ahead for Mia but struggle?

Kate Jarvis is natural and understated in her role. She did a magnificent job in her first acting job with absolutely no prior training or experience. Michael Fassbender brings the most humanity to the film and while it would be easy to peg his Connor as a sexual predator, taking advantage of an underage girl, you simply can't hold him at fault. Life is, as they say, complicated and people are subject to the laws of karma. Good people do less than stellar things, and he's no exception. He's also really sexy.

Avatar

2010-01-18T10:29:00.000-08:00

Avatar is a truly awesome film.

James Cameron's latest film starring Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana is a visually stunning masterpiece that campaigns both for tolerating the differences of others and treating nature with respect. Both messages are important and speak to viewers, largely because we've made such a mess of our relationships with each other and our planet. The world of Pandora is beautiful, vibrant, and healthy. It is occupied by majestic natives who thank animals for their meat, communicate with trees, and generally do everything that we in the real world do not and have not done for centuries.

In America, we slaughtered Native Americans and stole their land, wielding technology and materialistic greed like clubs to pound forests and decimate whole populations of animals. We kill ancient trees to make way for homes and shopping malls. Smoke from our machines permeates the sky. We take urine from over-bred mares, then slaughter their foals. Amphibians are deformed from chemicals we pour into their environment. Foxes and chinchillas are clubbed to death, or anally-electrocuted for their pelts. Girls menstruate at alarmingly young ages, and more and more women suffer from PCOS, all because our food and environment is contaminated with chemicals and growth hormones.

If there's a way to utilize and manipulate, then by God human beings will find it.

A number of people find themselves depressed after viewing "Avatar," a reaction that the media and even members of the psychological community have scoffed at. They tell these people to plug into the real world and find real meaning there. But how, I ask, can they expect people to do anything but ache for a world in which humanoids live in perfect health and harmony with their bodies and the world around them? In which they have no desire to destroy and waste resources? In which their bodies are strong, healthy, and limber, not fat and corrupted by chemicals and processed foods?

There is an epidemic of depression in this country. The majority of people's lives are empty and filled with work and worry. To escape, they turn to drugs, alcohol, and unhealthy foods. They do anything to not feel like themselves, anything to enliven their perception of reality for a few moments. Our lives feel meaningless because we fill them with meaninglessness: fleeting, shallow indulgences and joyless tasks. A lucky few have the courage to hoist themselves out of the mud. These are the people who pursue their dreams, who read, write, sculpt, paint, create beautiful music, travel, and act. These are the people from whom we can learn a great lesson.

To those who are depressed, hopeless, and downtrodden, you are the only people capable of transforming yourselves and the planet. You can do that by keeping your dreams and ideals alive. Take care of your body, let its maintenance become an art to you. Exercise and eat clean. Processed foods will not bring you to your ideal. Pursue your interests and read, read, read, read. Listen to beautiful or passionate music until your heart beats in resonance with it. Be kind to other people. Don't listen to others who tell you your dreams are stupid or unrealistic. If you are capable of the dreaming, then it becomes part of a higher reality. God doesn't give you these abilities to taunt you. The presence of God and Imagination is an indication of endless possibility.

Films like "Avatar" are a gift. Don't misconstrue their meaning to your own detriment. The time to act is now.

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back-- Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now."

-Goethe

Sunday's Movie: Martyrs

2009-12-29T16:12:00.001-08:00

Yes, this is Sunday's Movie on Tuesday. Get over it.

"Martyrs" is a French film that came out in 2008... What can I say about it? It's not for sensitive people. You'd have to be a strange person to enjoy it. However, it had an impact on me (however unpleasant) and I admire it for being original and unapologetic. It's the definition of "horror," when so many crappy, cliched, unimaginative, and unscary movies belong to the genre.

The movie begins with a young girl, nearly naked and bruised, hair shorn closely to her head, running down a slummy street. She is fleeing from someone and in incomprehendible terror. Her name is Lucie and she is taken to an orphanage, where she meets another little girl named Anna. They become the closest of friends. Anna has her own troubled past, but it pales in comparison with what Lucie has experienced... Though we never learn the true nature of that experience until much later. The two cling to one another.

15 years later. A family sits down to breakfast. Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister. They eat breakfast, laugh, chat about school activities. Their house is richly-furnished and filled with light. Someone rings the doorbell. Dad goes to answer...

I won't say any more. "Martyrs" is a highly original and disturbing film. When I say disturbing, I mean it's reached a level people like Eli Roth and Quentin Tarantino have only dreamed of, and then wake up screaming for their mommies. "Hostel" is Saturday cartoons compared to this movie. If you choose to watch this movie, I highly recommend you don't eat or watch it with anyone else in the room. I have watched, read, and heard horrible, disgusting, and unpardonable materials. This film knocked me on my ass. It's the most disturbing movie I've seen, bar none.

So my recommendation is to watch it, but only if you like having every particle of regard for humanity sucked from your veins. And then drunk by a demon and urinated out onto a heap of rotting heads.

Heathers: Morbid Movie, Morbid Realities

2009-12-14T18:44:00.001-08:00

I was shocked to discover that Kim Walker, who played Heather Chandler in the delightful "Heathers," died in 2001. She was just 32.

"Did you have a brain tumor for breakfast?"

This was one of her fiestiest lines in the film.

Imagine my further shock when I found out that Kim Walker died from a brain tumor...

Another actor from the film named Jeremy Applegate, who played the yearbook editor, committed suicide with a shotgun several years ago. He was just 35. He never did much else apart from "Heathers." His biggest role was in a movie that dealt with suicide...

I find all of this information to be highly depressing.

Sunday's Movie: Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

2009-12-13T21:33:00.001-08:00

I first chanced upon this gem one night on IFC. This movie follows the formula of "The Valley of the Dolls": young women thrown into sex, drugs, violence, and emotional turmoil. However, this is not a "sequel" and unlike the aforementioned film, it's not all very serious. In fact, it's bizarre and comical.

Interestingly, Robert Ebert wrote the script. He was partly inspired by the Manson Family murders. "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" follows Kelly, Casey, and Petronella, three ass-kicking musicians, and their rise to fame. They are chaperoned into success by a weird music producer who changes the band's named from The Kelly Affair to The Carrie Nations.

This movie is weird. Delightfully so. For one, you get a whole shebang of flamboyant druggies set against the 60's culture. That's fun stuff. The party scenes are awesome. The camera cuts from one freak to the next, all talking in oftentimes cryptic 60's speech ("I'd like to strap you on sometime!" or "Hey, don't boggart the joint!") Somehow, this never gets boring. It's a colorfully crafted collage of everything that made the 60's so "revolutionary."

For another, the soundtrack rocks. Real life band, The Strawberry Alarm Clock, cameoed and contributed to the music. If you don't know who they are, they did "Incense, Peppermints." However, the real star here is Lynn Carey, who provided the vocals for The Carrie Nations, and she can BELT it. I love this soundtrack, I own it.

Alas, there are elements of horror and drama. Z-Man, the band's producer, loses it and ends up going on a murderous rampage (during which "Deutschland Uber Alles" plays), and the girls all endure personal crises, such as adultery and abortion. I'm not sure if I approve of some of the film's messages. For example, the only female murder victims are lesbian lovers. In fact, they have just been intimate and are in a state of undress when they are murdered. While this might not necessarily indicate any judgement of homosexuals on Ebert's part, the environment and tone of the final scenes suggests otherwise. For another, a main character is guilted into entering into a relationship with a man she feels sorry for, which is validated as "being right" during a preachy voiceover.

The film has its flaws (probably like this review, as I'm extremely tired), but it remains one of my favorites. I've never seen anything like it.

Sunday's Movie: Freeway

2009-11-29T16:28:00.000-08:00

"Freeway" is a delightful gem from 1996 starring Reese Witherspoon, Keifer Sutherland, Amanda Plummer, Dan Hedaya, and Brooke Shields. Director and writer Matthew Bright, who also helmed "Ted Bundy" in 2002, gives us a twisted fairy tale based on Little Red Riding Hood.

Vanessa Lutz is an illiterate 15 year old. Her mother and step-father are arrested for solicitation and possession, which leaves her in a tight spot. Desperate to avoid foster care, her last hope is finding her maternal grandmother in Los Angeles. As she embarks on her journey, dressed in a red vinyl jacket and carrying her belongings in a basket, she encounters Bob Wolverton, a serial killer.

The movie has been a favorite of mine since the age of 15. It's clever, darkly humorous, and shot in a very interesting, atmospheric way. Matthew Bright is obviously fascinated with violence (check out his resume), but it never comes across as unnecessary or sadistic in this film. There's definitely graphic violence, as well as crude language, but there are no helpless victims here.

Vanessa is a foul-mouthed spitfire, but she's strong and resourceful. She admirably turns the tables on her attacker and while she IS a criminal, you can't help but be on her side. Sometimes, as painful as it is for us to recognize, people can't be faulted for bad behavior. Vanessa is kick ass. Reese Witherspoon is one of my favorite people in Hollywood. She has had an interesting career and this movie is definitely an accomplishment.

Keifer Sutherland is, as always, masterful in his role. He projects both fatherly kindness and cruel menace.

Matthew Bright has a unique, surreal style and I am thankful to him for this movie. If only he'd hemmed out the script for "Ted Bundy" a little more and perhaps been a bit more discriminating during casting, the movie would have been better.

"Freeway" is his best work. I highly recommend it!

The Many Faces of Ted Bundy

2009-11-28T20:02:00.000-08:00

Ok, Bundy overload. But the guy's appearance was always changing and I felt the need to create a gallery showcasing his many looks.

* "Donovan" Bundy. 70's singer who brought us "Hurdy Gurdy Man" and "Atlantis." Note Bundy's amazing cardigan.

* "Retired 70's Pornstar" Bundy. He looks like John Holmes.

* "Mafia Soldier" Bundy. With his awesome gold chain, he might possibly be a low-ranking mafioso.

* "Hugh Laurie" Ted. 'Nuff said.

* "College Professor" Ted. Note the bow tie and masterful sweep of his arm. He is definitely extrapolating on something important.

* "Andy Kaufman" Ted.

* "Greg Kinnear" Ted.

* "Dubya" Ted. Uncanny and frightening!

* "50's Highschool Prom King" Ted. Donna... Oh Donna!

* "Compulsive Finger-Sniffing" Ted. It's a nervous habit...

* "Dorky Music Teacher Who Wears Patterned Sweaters and Plays Puff the Magic Dragon on His Acoustic Guitar for Toddlers" Ted.

The Phantom Prince

2009-11-23T12:45:00.000-08:00

Quotations from "The Phantom Prince:"

"The last bit of shyness disappeared when a tall, sandy-haired man invited me to dance. I had already sized him up from across the room. He looked a little older and better dressed than the rest of the crowd. I figured he must be a graduate student or maybe even an instructor."

"Sitting across the table from him I was surprised at how easy he was to talk to and how easily we laughed together. He had a smile that made me smile back and beautiful clear blue eyes that lit up when he smiled. He had thick eyelashes, a strong jawline, rich curly hair, and a nice body. When he told me he was only twenty three-three, I couldn't believe it."

"But as sophisticated as Ted was, he had one hangup that surprised me. Not long after we started spending time together, he came over one night and said he had something very important to tell me, something that might change my opinion of him. Shaking with nervousness, he told me that he was illegitimate. His mother gave birth to him in a home for unwed mothers in the East, he said, and they moved to Tacoma to live with relatives when he was very small. Then she married Johnnie Bundy and had four more children. Johnnie Bundy had adopted him, but Ted knew nothing about it until he was a teenager."

"I thought back over the years with Ted, trying to find what I might have overlooked before. He was not a violent person. When we argued he was always calm and reasonable; I was the one who lost control and yelled. I could count on the fingers of one hand the times that Ted had lost his temper since I'd known him. One of the times was the afternoon Tina and I had stopped by his room and found he had redecorated with a new television, a new stereo, a new typewriter, and several other things I knew he didn't have the money to buy. "You're nothing but a thief!" I had blurted out.
He grabbed my arm. "If you ever tell anyone about this, I'll break your fucking neck."

"The fury of the eruption of this beautiful mountain had destroyed everything in its path. The fury of whatever plagued Ted has destroyed a beautiful man and taken many, many lives with it. I say "whatever" because I am uncomfortable discussing the evil power that I know exists. I don't like to talk about it, partly because I don't want to sound like a fanatic, but mostly because it has come too close to mangling my life. I don't pretend to understand or accept Ted's compulsion to kill beautiful, vital women. But I do understand something of compulsion, and I do understand what it feels like to repeat compulsive actions over and over again, even though the intention is never to do it again. In my case it was getting drunk repeatedly when I didn't want to. In Ted's case it was so much worse."

"In that middle-of-the-night phone call from Florida, Ted told me that he tried to stay away from me when he felt the power of his sickness building in him. I wondered if those times coincided with the times I felt left out, felt like he was hiding something from me. I suspected that it was other women, and it often was, but he was also hiding a terrible secret. He loved life and enjoyed it to the fullest. The tragedy is that this warm and loving man is driven to kill."

Ted Bundy

2009-11-22T20:18:00.000-08:00

Several years ago, I became fascinated with serial killer Theodore Robert Bundy. I read a plethora of books and developed somewhat of a reluctant affinity for him. Partly because I felt he wasn't a typical empty vessel of hate and destruction. Studying his biographical information, testimonies from friends and family, and pictures of him gave me the sense that he didn't come into the world destined to hurt and kill.

It's interesting. His longtime girlfriend, Liz Kendall (a pseudonym), wrote a book about her time with Bundy. "The Phantom Prince" is out of print and semi-rare, but not impossible to get a hold of and I did. It's a hard situation to interpret because it's from Liz's perspective, and she was undoubtedly very emotionally weak and sensitive. She was insecure and needy, not to mention an alcoholic. Still, it's an eye-opening study of someone (Ted) trying to function, DESPERATE to build normal relationships, and battling horrible demons. Literally, I think he was beset with demons.

Ted really seemed to want to be normal. Not only did he want to be normal, to the point of CRAVING it for its own sake, but he possessed good qualities. Ted had a great sense of humor, he was well-mannered, he doted on friends and family, he was intelligent. He once saved a toddler from drowning and Liz recounted that he ran a purse snatcher down (funny, considering what a thief he was from such a young age). He seemed to be a human being, like any one of us, who possessed a profound weakness in his soul, one which was able to be manipulated by adversarial forces. With each woman he murdered, he lost more and more of himself. Eventually there was very little of his spiritual -I- left in him.

Study pics of younger Ted and compare them with pictures of him after he'd murdered so many people. There is little left of who he was in his blue eyes, which grew black when he was angry, and he emanates spiritual weakness.

A wicked mythology sprung up around Ted and it is so surreal to me, so crazy that he has become such a dark figure in American culture. Understandable that he HAS, but still strange. I guess I've read so much about him and intuned so much of his humanity that I am bewildered by the films depicting him, the books, the hatred people have for him, and all the years that have passed. I was 2 years old when he was executed via the electric chair. I was but a twinkle in my father's eye when he brutalized and murdered women and little girls. But he had a life full of experiences, of people who adored and liked him, of water rafting in Washington, of buying kittens and rabbits for Liz's daughter, of drinking his favorite beer and working as a suicide hotline operator. It is difficult for me to reconcile the good with the bad, the life which was full of light and promise, with the convicted murderer who starved himself so he could slip out of his cell and gimp into the Colorado mountains to hide.

I am not a groupie. I harbor no perverse delight for Ted Bundy, nor do I think serial killers are "cool." But I will not say that redemption is impossible for those who possess even a glimmer of light or good intention in their spirits. I think it would be a grand act of mercy for everyone to put good thoughts out to Ted and other people like him (as in, not being an empty, hateful shell).

I have done this, tried to reach out to him, and had a very strange dream a few years ago. I was in the lobby of a big hotel and there was Ted, surrounded by girls who looked so much like his victims. They were laughing and happy and doting on him, and he was doing the same. He turned, saw me, came forward, and hugged me. He then kissed me on the cheek.

The following photos have been taken from Serial Killer Central. The one of Ted with his daughter is especially striking and very rare.

Graham Chapman

2009-11-18T17:02:00.000-08:00

John Cleese delivered this eulogy for Graham Chapman, who died from spinal cancer. How more perfect or apt could a eulogy for a member of Monty Python be?

"Graham Chapman, co-author of the "Parrot Sketch", is no more.

He has ceased to be. Bereft of life, he rests in peace. He's kicked the bucket, hopped the twig, bit the dust, snuffed it, breathed his last, and gone to meet the great Head of Light Entertainment in the sky. And I guess that we're all thinking how sad it is that a man of such talent, of such capability for kindness, of such unusual intelligence, should now so suddenly be spirited away at the age of only forty-eight, before he'd achieved many of the things of which he was capable, and before he'd had enough fun.

Well, I feel that I should say: nonsense. Good riddance to him, the freeloading bastard, I hope he fries.

And the reason I feel I should say this is he would never forgive me if I didn't, if I threw — threw away this glorious opportunity to shock you all on his behalf. Anything for him but mindless good taste. ..."

Drag Me to Hell: A Comedy from Sam Raimi

2009-11-11T17:34:00.001-08:00

***

"Drag Me to Hell," the newest film by Sam Raimi, stars Allison Lohman as a meek loan officer and Justin Long as her kind, affluent boyfriend. When Allison's character, Christine, enters the running for a huge promotion at work, she goes against her conscience and denies a mortgage extension to an old, unkempt gypsy-woman. Hilarious hijinks ensue when the old bat places a curse on Christine, who has only three days left before she is dragged to hell!

This movie was comedic fun from start to finish. A demon known as the "Lamia," which resembles something of a hoofed Knight of Nee, relentlessly pursues dear Christine.

My favorite highlights:

1. Although the movie never comes right out and addresses it, Mrs. Ganush harbors a lesbian crush on Christine and tries to lay a wet one on her whenever possible. Even when she's a corpse.

2. When Christine starts involuntarily projecticle vomiting blood on her boss, he tells her to "Stop that!"

3. A talking goat.

4. Night of the Killer Handkerchief.

5. Christine's dinner with Clay (Justin Long) and his parents. She burps up a fly.

"Drag Me to Hell" is a superbly crafted comedy and while it's a laugh riot, it does manage to wrest a few tears in its more tender moments. A powerful message is that the dead are never lost to the living, and this is perfectly expressed when Mrs. Ganush's corpse wraps Christine in an embrace. And leaks green fluid into her screaming mouth.

4 Stars

History Has Never Looked So Good

2009-11-11T10:52:00.000-08:00

Who's up for some dangerous liaisons with these two bucks?

Not to be too sexy or anything...

Lucid Dreaming

2009-11-09T09:33:00.000-08:00

Lucid dreaming means that you are aware of the fact that you are dreaming, to the point that you are in control of your dream actions and the environment. I used to lucid dream when I was younger, not so much now. A common activity during lucid dreaming is flying. There's no feeling like it in the world, to fly through the spiritual worlds.

I have recently become interested in this again. Anyone can do it. It takes some effort, but most people will be doing it within a few days or weeks. What makes this so amazing is that you can truly design your dreams. We are used to the limitations of physical life, the banality of it all. Lucid dreams need only a clear, precise thought to create anything or anyone you want.

You can create your own Hogwarts. You can dance at a ball with celebrities. You can talk to Socrates. It takes practice to become so masterful, but there are people who literally create their own dream houses where they keep "astral" friends.

A favorite lucid activity is sex. A lot of people describe lucid sex as far more pleasurable and exhilirating than physical. There is no self-consciousness, no inhibitions. There are, pathetically enough, people who only lucid dream to do this.

I went to sleep last night hoping to lucid dream. I didn't, but I did experience some flickers of consciousness during my sleep. It will take some practice to get into the swing of things.

Something alarming to me, however, is that those who do this regularly report that the people they create, as friends or lovers, steadily develop their own individuality and independence. For example, someone might create a "dream" Charlize Theron and for a while, she's always happy and sweet and ready to go. But over time, as she is continually worked with by the person in his dream life, she might decide that she doesn't want to have "dream" sex. She may engage the person in an argument. She may try to talk to him about various subjects. This says to me that these are not merely images, empty vessels, but they are influenced by our thoughts and evolve into their own being. Or inhabited by another being, who wears it like a cloak. And if we do that and then abandon this person, they still exist somewhere in the spiritual worlds. Probably very much like a character from a novel. Except these "characters" are not wooden, not merely pictures, but their own special entity. I can think of nothing crueler than creating such a being. It cannot transition. Even if it is capable of evolving, as evidenced by its learning and developing an identity, it can never DO anything but hang around you.

Still, I am SERIOUSLY tempted to create a Ryan Reynolds. Not that I would molest him or anything...

Lucid dreaming poses some difficulties. For one, it is ALWAYS possible to encounter negative beings. However, you are more powerful and as they are stepping into your spiritual plane, you are in control. You need not fear them.

Another difficulty is that people will actually encounter obstacles. Some beginners might try to fly through a window, only to feel as if they are actually ramming their head into hard glass. They can't get through. That's because lucid dreaming requires you to ACTIVELY create results. For example, before shooting through the window, create the thought that the window is as soft and penetrable as water. Also, if you haven't created the environment on the other side of the window, you might not get through. Perhaps, create a beautiful garden on the other side before you attempt to enter.

I'm not sure if lucid dreaming is a bad thing, but my thought is that it's not. For one, it's extremely natural for a human being to lucid dream. For another, it's easy. You could lucid dream simply taking a nap.

If you want to lucid dream, here are some tips:

*Keep a dream journal. Write in it constantly. Write down every detail of your dreams. This will accustom you to paying close attention to your dream life, as well as program your mind to take your dreams seriously.

*A good time to lucid dream, and a method I've had enormous success with, is to wake up and take a nap within an hour. Returning to sleep so quickly, your spiritual bodies are loose and you are still not fully awake. This is very easy.

*As you lay down for bed, tell yourself "I am going to sleep, but I will be aware of everything that happens to me." Repeat this until it really sinks in.

If you think you may be in the midst of a lucid dream, play with your environment to make sure. Turn a light switch repeatedly. Look to see if things are different.

Levon

2009-11-08T08:33:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Elton John songs.

Music by Elton John
Lyrics by Bernie Taupin

Levon wears his war wound like a crown
He calls his child Jesus
`Cause he likes the name
And he sends him to the finest school in town
Levon, Levon likes his money
He makes a lot they say
Spends his days counting
In a garage by the motorway

He was born a pauper to a pawn on a Christmas day
When the New York Times said God is dead
And the war's begun
Alvin Tostig has a son today

chorus
And he shall be Levon
And he shall be a good man
And he shall be Levon
In tradition with the family plan
And he shall be Levon
And he shall be a good man
He shall be Levon

Levon sells cartoon balloons in town
His family business thrives
Jesus blows up balloons all day
Sits on the porch swing watching them fly
And Jesus, he wants to go to Venus
Leaving Levon far behind
Take a balloon and go sailing
While Levon, Levon slowly dies

He was born a pauper to a pawn on a Christmas day
When the New York Times said God is dead
And the war's begun
Alvin Tostig has a son today

[repeat chorus]

[repeat chorus]

Sunday's Movie: Cheri

2009-11-08T08:13:00.000-08:00

Frasier, Myron, and I watched "Cheri" last night, a 2009 film starring Kathy Bates, Michelle Pfeifer, and Rupert Friend.

BOR-ING! My overall impression of this film is that it's pretentious, uninspired, and dull. It relies heavily on aesthetics, like costumes, jewelry, and settings. The abundance of riches can't even lend the movie any color because the two leads are absolutely horrible.

Michelle plays an old courtesan bemoaning her lost youth, who falls in love with the son of another old courtesan, Kathy Bates, who can't even bring this pointless film to life. One reason I can't stand Michelle is because of her affected manner. The woman, no matter what role she's playing, always seems as if she's acting for the theater. From what I can tell, she doesn't seem to understand film acting, even though she's been in the business for years. "Oh, isn't the daaay GLOOORIOUS? I siiimply love this cooool breeze coming in through the windooow!"

Rupert Friend can't flourish in the role of a selfish, spoiled libertine. He is pouty, unlikable, and I simply couldn't understand why a "good" woman would be so enamored with him. He's usually a delight. I think he is wonderful in "sweet" roles.

Kathy Bates plays her role well, as she always does. I literally think it's impossible for this woman to do a bad job. Even so, she can't redeem this nonsense.

Another fault of the film is that the love/passion between the two leads is unconvincing. There really was no draw, nothing that made it sweet or tragic to the viewer. Ok, she keeps him like a spoiled pet for six years? They screw all the time? So what? That doesn't make it real or honest in any way.

This is a film full of flaws. If you can sustain yourself on pretty baubles and frills, then it may satisfy. If not, it's unbearable.

Stagnant

2009-11-05T13:18:00.001-08:00

I am seeing my first wrinkles. Under my eyes.

I live in a fantasy world. I feed my soul with ideas and images. I want to be an actress. I can't seem to summon the strength and gumption to really do it. I don't know what's going to happen to me.

Every day that passes, I feel more and more as if I'm never going to be powerful or important or do the things I want to do. It seems like I'll just stay flabby and unhappy and shy. Working at a job I hate. Some redneck will flirt with me every now and then.

I may very well end up a Baldwin sister.

Angelique: Marquise of the Angels

2009-11-04T16:02:00.000-08:00

SPOILER ALERT:

Mon dieu, the Angelique books! I first saw these books as a child and was strangely intrigued by the covers, which I thought were illicit and bad because they had illustrations of a busty, scantily clad blonde. She was almost always being fondled or otherwise molested by some swashbuckler type.

I forgot about the books and found them again as an 18 year old. My mother's enthusiasm for the books, coupled with the seductive covers, persuaded me to give them a read.

I enjoy them immensely. Unfortunately, the story begins to degenerate around the fifth or sixth book, so I quit reading them. I just couldn't accept that such a woman would have so many damn adventures in one lifetime and furthermore, Angelique was getting a little long in the tooth. Of course, being the most sublime woman to ever live, she never lost her looks. Sergeanne Golon never lets the reader forget how beautiful Angelique is, what with every single man she meets falling over himself and Angelique herself reminding us.

Angelique is born to a French baron or some similar rank. She lives in a crumbling castle in a forest in Monteloup. Long story short, she marries a scarred, limping alchemist (a Marquis who happens to be the richest man in France, apparently, even more so than the king). At first, she's angry at being forced into marriage and repelled by "Joffrey" and his disfigurement. However, Joffrey wins her over, she lets him conquer her "perfect" flesh, and they have two boys. Joffrey is destroyed by jealous enemies and sentenced to death by fire. Angelique falls from grace and takes up residence in the sewers and whorehouses of France. The first book is by far the largest.

It's a ginormous shebang of ridiculous nonsense. But very fun! To summarize, just to emphasize how completely unrealistic and silly this woman's life is, she becomes the queen of an underground gathering of criminals and poor people. Then she somehow acquires a chocolate business, which is a huge success, and blackmails her cousin, Philippe du Plessis Belliere (I know this isn't spelled right), into marrying her. He's a sexual sadist who routinely rapes and humiliates her, but of course, Angelique's ravishing beauty and proud, independent spirit move him and they begin to develop real love for one another. The bastard dies and fresh from the grief, the slutty King Louis XIV makes his move. Angelique, damn it, will not be a toy for the amusement of the king! After he places her under "city arrest," having her followed and refusing to let her leave the city by road, Angelique sluts it up to connive her way onto a ship.

The ship is overtaken by pirates. Skipping over some stuff, Angelique becomes the "jewel" of some sultan-type guy who is horrendously violent and almost has her executed for trying to stab him in a delirious stupor. She escapes that with the help of a massive, perfumed eunuch, but he dies. She and a group of ex-slaves, their leader being a big beefcake named Colin (of all things!), escape and she and Colin end up getting it on in a cave. Then by a pool. And then in a field. Oh, and Angelique meets someone mysterious and powerful who seems very familiar and, GASP, could it be someone she loved long ago who we thought was gone for good?!

Working from my meager memory, Angelique flees from the Sun King, who is determined to have her as maitresse en titre. Take that, Montespan! She enters a colony of Protestants and helps them out, yadda, yadda, yadda.

By this time, she has had three children. There are Florimond and Cantor, from her time with Joffrey. She has a little cherub named Charles-Henri from a rape by Philippe (Philippe was very pleased this child was conceived in his ancestral home, by the way) and carries Colin's child until she loses it during a very bumpy coach ride. Charles-Henri has his throat slit during a raid and Angelique is raped all night. She's just irresistable. It's her burden to bear.

As a result of this rape, Angelique has her first daughter, a child she doesn't love and actually dumps at an orphanage. She feels guilty and retrieves the girl, naming her Honorine, and acts like a horrible mother for two years. She loses the kid, then finds her again.

To wrap this up, Angelique rediscovers her first love and they move to the Americas. She is now a frontier woman, threatened by Mowhawk Indians.

And there are more books! Lord 'o Mercy!

What I like about these books:

1. Historically rich and informative, Sergeanne Golon (actually two people, Serge and Anne Golon, a married couple from France) obviously did a lot of research. I learned a lot while reading these books, about historical figures, events, and customs of the French court.

2. The writing is rich and well-done. I definitely could spot areas in need of improvement, but I WAS reading an English translation. There's no telling how it reads in French. Probably much better, which is why the books are so beloved over there.

3. There are some sexy male characters.

4. It's fun! It's historical fiction and romance set during an interesting period in history. Even though the situations she finds herself in are oftentimes silly, it's fun.

What I Don't Like:

1. Ok, Angelique is beautiful. Yes, her eyes are the most curious, beguiling mix of blue and green. Her hair is like a cloak of gold, I see. Her lips, rosy and full and trembling with feminine passion. Her flesh, smooth white vellum. Her breasts, voluptuous mounds. OK! We get it! We get the message pretty early on that Angelique is stunning, Sergeanne. No need to shove it down our throats constantly. When you read the books and Angelique meets a man, pretty much understand that he wants her. And that every other woman is less attractive and jealous.

2. Angelique's reactions to things kinda ticked me off. Sometimes she was too coy and "feminine" when a situation called for her to be assertive. I mean, this character is portrayed as being intelligent and strong-willed. So why the bullshit? Also, I grimaced at her interactions with Nick (a handsome guy she also had sex with) when he saves her and tries to embrace her. I understand that he's getting all up in your grill. I do acknowledge that he has black teeth and crazy eyes. But you used to be best buds and were basically going out for over a year, before he was taken as a slave, so why the harshness? Why so mean, Angelique? Poor guy.

3. Some of the situations are just too ridiculous, as is some of the dialogue.

These are some really fun books to read if you have the time and are of the right mind. I recommend them most heartily.

Sunday's Film: Der Untergang

2009-11-01T17:04:00.000-08:00

"Der Untergang" is an incredibly well-acted, powerful film about the final days in Hitler's bunker. Released in 2004, it revolves around Hitler's secretary, a young woman named Traudl Junge, and what she observes of Hitler, Eva Braun, and The Goebbel family.

I advocate this movie for several reasons. For one, it gives us a view of Hitler as a person, a powerful man who commanded the reverance of everyone around him. Don't misunderstand me; I am as aghast at The Holocaust as anyone else. However, I believe it is important for the redemption of evil to try and understand evil men. Bruno Ganz, who plays Hitler, is absolutely masterful. The actor studied people suffering from Parkinson's Disease to better portray a stressed, on-his-last-legs Hitler. He is formidable and definitely inspires a kind of horrified awe, as well as offers a sympathetic view of the man. His moments with Traudl Junge and Eva Braun, in particular, are surprisingly tender.

For another reason, the actors are superb. We have Bruno Ganz, perfect casting, and Juliane Kohler as Eva Braun. She is a pitiful character, lost in a horrific scheme she can't and won't even recognize. Eva was devoted to Hitler, like a dog, and wanted nothing more than to die with him. Traudl Junge, played by Alexandra Maria Lara, offers us the view of someone caught in terrible circumstances, serving a man we know as evil, but whom she can only regard with love. He is all tenderness to Traudl, which leaves us all conflicted, treating her with an almost fatherly regard. Corinna Harfouch astounded me as Magda Goebbels. She portrayed a commanding, elegant, steadfast servant to Hitler. Regarded as The First Lady of the Third Reich, she impressed me with her quiet, dignified demeanor. One of the most powerful scenes of the film, and the most heart-wrenching, was when Magda executed her six children. Her belief was that it was better to take them from a world in which the Third Reich would not come to power.

This film is an amazing achievement. It is incredibly well-made and I advocate it for anyone interested in either The Third Reich or The Holocaust.

Sex is Boring

2009-11-01T08:39:00.000-08:00

I am exhausted with seeing sex everywhere. Tired of actresses in Hollywood doing racy photo shoots, sick of the boring, slutty roles they play on film, of the gradual integration of porn stars into the mainstream (Jenna Jameson, for one, and Steven Soderbergh recently made a film with a porn star in the lead role). When I see these things, my spirit feels weak and depleted. Uninspired. The hope in my breast wizens, my acting dreams seem unattainable. The reality I aspire to, the kind of actress I want to be... there doesn't seem like there's a place for her in the movie world. Even the actresses you don't associate with that kind of image have done extreme "love" scenes in Hollywood films, or posed provocatively for pictures. Sandra Bullock, Kate Winslet, Rachel Weisz.

Some would say not to hold it against them, that they did these things early in their career when they couldn't afford to stick to their convictions. I understand this and only lament that we force actresses to whore themselves in this way.

They say sex sells. I say it cripples and perverts the good of which we are most certainly capable.

Even female characters who are considered strong and powerful use sex. They are femme fatales. They are "in control" of their sexuality.

I don't refuse to accept sex as a part of human nature. Quite the opposite. I do, however, lament that we obsess over it. That we possess such skewed ideas of what we are as human beings that we smother all glimmers of individuality and excellence for sex. We are so much more than that!

And movies are part of how I know that! They were what exposed me to awesomeness, to grace and strength, to adventure, to humor and frailty. And Hollywood is now bent on crapping all over that.

I am bored with sex. It's not that interesting, it doesn't take skill or intelligence to have sex or even exude it. Give me characters full of fire, of confliction and anguish, of humor and personality! Give me something that reminds me of my own humanity!

God forbid I am ever coerced into doing some slutty photo shoot (Et tu, Kate Winslet?) or filming some disgusting, graphic sex scene. I will never be legion. Ever.

That being said, here are some sexy pics of Ryan Reynolds. Feast your eyes.

The Almarillium

2009-10-31T09:56:00.000-07:00

This was a project for a World Literature class I took in college. We had to create our own epic employing certain themes. I found this while cleaning my car out and got a good laugh out of it. I'm not certain why I chose the subject I did, nor why I chose a message I don't believe in. Regardless, it's fun and ridiculous. I've rewritten some parts of it.

The Almarillium

Sing in me, Oh Muse, of the terrible vanity and greed of the socialite Alma Roquelaire! Enlighten me in her crafty ways, which brought her to the beds of various gentlemen, and regale me with her triumph over the lovely and virtuous Blanche Lumiere, who stood between our heroine and earthly pleasures, and sought to keep her from all material delight!

Desperate with fury at the hedonistic Alma, who worshipped only sex and treasure, the beautiful Goddesses that oversee the rituals and religions of men, Hypocritica, Pedantia, and Monotonia, sent a pestilence of preachers, nuns, and Jehova's Witnesses upon our heroine.

"What annoyance besets me now? When I could be imbibing the sweetest liqours, I am called away to answer these milksops! When my lover desires me, I must argue salvation with the Sinister Sisters! I want only to count my coins, yet 'tis hard to manange with Jehova's Witnesses on my heels!"

Alma thrust herself into the midst of these religious servants. With the agility of a fawn, she sprung from the rosaries of the Catholics. When a Jehova's Witness brandished a pamphlet, she swung a bottle of her finest and diverted the attack. When the preachers thumped their bibles, Alma raised her voice and boomed swears into the sky, sending all running for cover, trembling from the force of her vehemence. None could prevail upon her!

The allies of our heroine, the celebrated poets, artists, actors, winos, and swingers of the age, took strength in Alma's strength. As the Gods and Goddesses of Religion looked angrily upon her, Alma called upon her friends to convene in her villa. She summoned every muse, every inspirer of abandonment and debauchery. There came in a line all who gave themselves to pleasure. There came the Marquis de Sade, Gilles de Rais, Pan, Messalina, Arthur Rimbaud, corrupt priests, parties of satyrs and nymphs, and other libertines. Behind them followed the tools with which they amused themselves. There came Whiskey, Wine, Champagne, Absinthe, Opium, Money, Hypodermic Needles, Pipes, Condoms, Gold, Diamonds, Rubies, Emeralds, Leather, High Heels, Rouge, and Lingerie. Next, Alma called upon her five lovers, the sons of beautiful women and powerful fathers. There was Dashing, Handsome, Smoldering, Hot, and Charming. Her best girlfriends came too, such as Trashy, Diva, and Slut.

When the Gods and Goddesses of Religion saw the wild party assembling beneath the celestial clouds, they knew that dire action must be taken. Tales of Alma's lifestyle were spreading, and the people of the world were beginning to take notice. They ignored the churches and synagogues, instead pursuing worldly pleasures. Prayer was exchanged for idle gossip, tithing for shopping sprees. The Gods and Goddesses of Religion were aghast at the negligence with which they were now treated.

As she danced with a flask clutched tightly in her hand, Alma taunted them: "Where is your salvation now? For all your power, your servants ran before my strength like helpless mice. Ply your cow-like devotees with wafers, stuff them into cold churches, subdue them with Scripture! I will dance and be merry despite it!"

The Gods and Goddesses of Religion decided to call upon the progeny of their highest God, His name being Religious Guilt, who nibbles at the souls of men. His daughter was Blanche Lumiere, raised by the sternest nuns in the darkest convent, and she rose readily to the task set before her.

"This irreverent woman is corrupting souls every day. Use your resolve to overcome her."

Blanche, as lovely as an idol, crept into Alma's home. The half-immortal woman stared solemnly into the faces of the partiers. When she had observed enough, she left and made her vow.

"It is true, this woman is bad beyond all recall. Her blood is warmed by the pyres of hell. I will draw her out, Father, and make quick work of her. She is far too weak to withstand my spirit."

So Blanche set to work on a splendid gown, sewn with jewels and of the richest, most sumptuous material in creation. It was a garment fit for the queen of hell, she thought, and knew that so being it would surely entice Alma.

When Alma heard tales of the gown, she was seized with jealousy. "This sounds like my kind of dress! It will enhance my complexion, brighten my eyes, and bring me flattery the likes of which I've never dreamed! I will have it, no matter the cost."

The vain Alma left her house and went into the city. But every store told the same story. Not one carried this dazzling dress, in fact, it belonged to a woman named Blanche Lumiere. But the shopkeepers warned her, "This woman is particularly hard from penitence. She will neither sell nor give you the dress."

Unperturbed, Alma came to Blanche's stoop and knocked.

Smiling with self-satisfaction, Blanche clutched a crucifix to her breast and opened the door. No matter what Alma tried with her, she refused to part with the gown and so enraged Alma.

"While it is true, Ms. Lumiere, that you have the weight of Religion on your side, I have my own power. Almighty Dionysus, wild bastion of the Greeks, I invoke thee! This cold woman seeks to overcome me with patience!"

All at once, a glimmering bottle of the headiest, most potent wine to ever grace the lips of a tramp appeared in her hand. With one swift motion, she poured the liquid down her throat and gave herself to the tide of drunkenness. She pursued Blanche throughout the house, babbling incoherently, trembling with intolerable giddiness and caressing her with unsteady fingers. This display of unbridled intoxication was overwhelmingly unpleasant to a servant of Religion and Blanche, in desperation, called out to the Gods and Goddesses of Religion.

"Father Religious Guilt, aid me now!"

But answer there came none. Blanche tried to remember the Scripture, she recalled the chanting of monks, the parables in the bible, yet her mind could find no firm grasp in these thoughts. Alma was too experienced a drunk, too wanton and belligerent, to ignore. In exhaustion, Blanche collapsed.

The return to her villa was joyous. All her allies, friends, and lovers gathered around Alma, draped in the spoils of her greatest labor, the garment scintillating like the scales of a snake.

There was great feasting that evening. Rack of lamb, stuffed pigs, massive mounds of beef decorated the table, along with the finest desserts to be had, such as bon bons, puddings, cakes, and chocolates. At its finale, Alma poured wine into the earth to honor Dionysus.

And so it was that Alma overcame the trials and tribulations of the Gods and Goddesses of Religion.

The End

Lemaricus Davidson

2009-10-31T09:55:00.000-07:00

Received the death penalty yesterday, October 30th 2009.

Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom

2009-10-29T19:01:00.000-07:00

It's been nearly three years since the 2007 murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom, a Knoxville couple. Lemaricus Davidson, described as being the ringleader of the crime, has recently come to trial and found guilty on 38 counts.

Channon was 21 years old; bright, beautiful, and with a loving heart, she hoped to work with troubled children. She was the only daughter born to her parents, Deena and Gary, and wanted to have four children. She had a pet chihuahua and had many friends, all of whom she loved deeply. She also adored her brother and traveled all over the country to watch him play baseball. Channon hoped her first child would be a son, so her other children could have a big brother, like she did. This information I have culled from articles from the Knox News Sentinel and the impact statements of her parents.

Christopher was 23 years old. Described as an affable, bright young man, he was a talented athlete in school and by all accounts, he and Channon seemed to genuinely like one another. This information was also gathered from various sources on the internet and I regret that I could not find more about who he was as a person. Two of the perps have come to trial so far and neither have been found guilty of his murder, just facilitation of it.

The perpetrators have been portrayed as troubled, underprivileged people with dismal backgrounds. It appears they were under the influence of heavy drugs when they abducted Channon and Chris, which is certainly no excuse, but it needs to be understood regardless.

The motivation behind this post has to do with the disgusting, disrespectful, and insensitive pandemonium of racial bias and speculation surrounding these horrible murders. White supremacist groups have found perfect fodder in Channon and Chris's deaths, as have some black groups. While the parents of these two people roil in constant anguish, these groups stoke the fire with protests and websites.

Do an image search for Channon Christian. You'll find pictures from "black brotherhood" sites and blurbs about her alleged taste for violent, black sex. Pictures of naked black men (Omar Epps, to be specific, and I'm still trying to figure out how he plays into all of this). Quotes from people claiming to have been familiar with her penchant for interracial sex. Some of these disgusting sites even claim that white girls like Channon specifically WANT to be raped and murdered by black men. They cite other black on white crimes.

There are many claims, springing like rotten fungi left and right, and I've still not found a single substantiated claim. But wait, it IS the internet. Nothing has to be substantiated to find its way onto the internet. The internet is a mecca for any asshole with an opinion and ten fingers to type with, and since Channon isn't here to defend herself, these knaves can have at it.

What disgusts me the most is just that: Channon and Chris have no voice in all of this. They were two young kids, in the bloom of romance, out for fun with their friends. And they were plucked from the security of everything they knew to suffer; what must have seemed like endless suffering in the last hours of their lives.

And while the propogandists continue to lie and spin the last events of those young, beautiful lives, they overlook something which lies at the core of humanity and free will: we are spiritual beings enveloped in flesh that simultaneously corrupts and educates us, and while vice finds a way to mark us all, we deserve love. We deserve love in the basest situations, at our lowest, and there is power in mercy.

If Channon and Chris were in that part of town to buy drugs, it was not an invitation for torture and debasement. If Channon was attracted to black men and pursued it, it was not an invitation for torture and debasement. As if having a sexual attraction to an ethnicity is a crime! What exactly are these black groups trying to say? That they regard themselves so lowly that a woman who would be attracted to them should be punished for bad taste?

White supremacists have also lain their unwanted hands on this disaster. The Christian/Newsom families are in enough pain without public protests and Nazi propoganda coming into it. If you follow the facts of the case, as well as employ some common sense, it will be clear that the victims' ethnicity had little to do with why the crime took place.

People deserve love even at their worst. The greatest power lies in showing mercy. Channon and Chris deserved love and mercy, but they didn't get it. Perhaps we can end a karmic cycle by granting mercy to the perpetrators.

I really believe that Channon and Chris, where they dwell at the present, would want that.

-K