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Election Day Blues
2004-11-02 13:22:28
Voting is a right which I have never taken for granted. From the moment I was old enough, I have been a registered and active participant in the election system. I have often felt that those individuals who are capable of voting and choose not to have no right to lament the outcome. I may not always be happy with the results, but at least I put forth the effot, darn it!
Partisan politics has a way of playing on the "us versus them" mentality in such a way as to make us narrow-minded and mean. I have never seen the nation more divided on the issues that grace the presidential table, and I have never seen people so locked in the ideas of extremism that they are blind to the fact that they are preaching hatred. Each party accuses the other of moral ambiguities that often have nothing to do with the problems facing the nation today, and they do so in a way which is far more animal than any of them would like to have us believe. It's not much different than watching the beta wolf take on the aging alpha and tear at his throat. I feel disenfranchised with the whole process when I see the underlying brutality surface at the levels it has reached this year. That being said, however, I am still going to vote.
This election is close, and being close makes it dangerous. I will be relieved if I can call my candidate president after the votes are tallied, but to what end? With so many people so divided, this election has the potential to drive a permanent wedge between the people who share this nation. If we are to move forward as active, contributing members of the global community, we must first reach some consensus on what is good for our society.
America is young and learning, and I still believe that some common ground can be discovered amidst the fog of rhetoric and the darkness of extremism. When I go to the polls today, I go with the sincere hope that we can shape a renewed unity and identity out of the commonalities that bridge the divisions.
--"angel_cat" -
And my brain STILL hurts...
2004-10-26 14:05:40
A local art house theater was showing Ghost in the Shell: Innocence, and I couldn't resist the chance to see a Production IG piece playing on a large screen. For those of you who have the opportuniy to see it in theaters, I highly recommend it! Here is my reaction... without any spoilers:)
The film is a spectacle of imagery that rivals the on-screen activity level of Metropolis. In practically every frame, there is an astounding amount of movement, detail and color that draw the viewer into the "reality" of the setting. In several instances, I found myself physically trying to see around the very realistically animated corner of a shot. Stunning.
Beyond its wonderous visual appeal, Innocence tells a deeply philosophical story about the question of existence. About this point I can say very little without having to delve into great detail and thus spoil some of the excellent twists and surprizes offered by this piece. Suffice it to say, the same existentialist questions that were pondered in the original Ghost in the Shell resurface and go into greater depth in Innocence.
And THAT is why my brain still hurts:) This movie can appeal to those searching for mere diversions, but for those of us who hunger for mental simulus, Innocence is an incredibly satisfying entree.
--"angel_cat" -
OCTOBER!
2004-10-01 10:08:20
Ah, fall! My favorite time of the year. And October, no less, my favorite month!
Where I live, this is the time to be out and about, roaming the countryside simply to admire the shift in seasons. The trees have begun their glorious show--the sugar maples are crowned in a mix of reds and oranges, the beech limbs are adorned in gold, and the birch becomes elegant with its striking white branches rimmed by crimson leaves. The falling leaves remind me of something else, though... the image (so prevalent in anime) of cherry blossoms spinning in the wind.
I have often wondered what it must be like to experience the cherry blossom festivals of Japan. There is something powerful about those simple, delicate petals tossed by the spring breeze. It is a sense of hope, I think, for the warmer months to come.
Tonight, as I study for two exams and work on a research project, I shall have to set aside a moment and go outside. A cup of tea and the falling leaves, reminiscient of small white petals, will serve to stave off the coming chill of winter with a hidden promise of spring. -
Humbled
2004-09-23 17:02:33
Amazing, simply amazing.
If I wasn't running on a 56K modem, I would be downloading TONS of vids, but as it stands, most of what I see has been collected by friends. I am truly astonished by the countless avenues that videos can take as they tell a story.
AMV's shift the spectrum of anime art from a (usually) linear story to more subtle and expressionistic pieces. The amv editor's ability to combine work from different series or films gives greater freedom in their creativity. Combine that with some of the wonderful post-editing software, and one is left with some very remarkable pieces.
I do not have that same drive, that propensity to create, that allows some editors to churn out works of art in mere hours. My lone uploaded video took the better part of a week to put together, without any post-production additions. I know that was due in part to my inexperience with the program, but all the same, I stand humbled by the many wonderful works that I have seen.
I bow to you, the creators of vision, talent and ability that give others goals to achieve and ideas on how to get there. You are an inspiration to us all.
--"angel_cat" -
Breaking 1000
2004-05-05 20:50:28
My first (and only) video uploaded has finally broken the 1000 download mark. It makes me happy that I have been able to share one of my interests with so many other people through the avenue of the internet. Otherwise, it would merely be family and friends subjected to the forced viewing of my work:)
I still have not completed any other videos, largely because life moves in such a way as to wrench my little free time from my hands. I should be happy, of course, since I am finally moving ahead in my education (I graduate on the 15th, and will be transfering to a four-year shcool largely on scholarship funds). I just find that, ocassionally, I wish I didn't have so many obligations.
But then, don't we all.
--"angel_cat"
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