I suppose it's literally time for me to start on a clean slate.
I've allowed myself to be put into a position of committing myself to making more postings on this blog by letting more people be made aware of it's existence.
I'm not 100% certain about this, but I tend to think that knowing that there's someone else reading what you've written is the true motivation for any publication to be created. I use to believe the high-profile authors who said that they wrote for themselves instead of for the pleasure of others or to make mucho bucks, but as I've gotten older, I've questioned that notion more than agreed with it. If it's self-satisfaction that the author is looking for, why write? When a work is published, other eyes are looking at it and appraising it by definition. If the authors in question meant that they never allowed negative reviews of their work determine what they wrote, that could only mean that they value literary honesty over pandering to as many bibliophiles as possible. Some would call it the difference between an artist and a hack, but I would describe it as the difference between a communicator and an entertainer. The sculptor Rodin once said, or at least this is an approximation of what he said, that when he looked at a block of stone, he saw a beautiful sculpture trapped inside of it and he felt obligated to remove the unimportant fragments that surrounded it. Perhaps communicators see the words on a blank screen (or page) and feel the need to type what they see while the entertainers sort out from their "box of tricks" what he(or she) can dig up to amuse his(her) "visitors." The exceptional performers can accomplish both without the audience being aware of it. If there were a goal that's worth pursuing, I couldn't think of a better one.
I've seen a film today that's based on a bestselling novel, "Memoirs of a Geisha." I'll post the usual spoiler barrier for those who haven't seen it yet:
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It's told from the perspective of the title character as an old woman who's looking back on her formative years as an orphan who lost her family and was sold into the life of a geisha, unlike her sister who was sold into prostitution. After being manipulated into one tragic event after another by veteran geisha who saw her as a threat, she was apprenticed to the veteran geisha's hated rival, a kind and wise woman who was aware of her limited station in life and knew how to use it to her advantage instead of being a victim of powerful men as her culture has been known to do to beautiful women.The title character eventually accomplishes her goal of being a geisha and being "owned" by a kind man of high social standing that she was in love with since she met him when she was a little girl. The film's ending could either be interpreted as a happy one or an ironic one depending on your sensitivities. On the one hand, geishas exist to entertain and pamper men in ways that their wives don't but they're not purveyors of sexual pleasure like prostitutes. On the other hand, they can never marry and they can't pursue any ambition other than to entertain and serve a man of power and financial means. While most women in the Western cultures would strongly question whether the geisha's status in life is morally just, it is part of a separate culture with its own rules and standards. To question them could invite open criticism of the culture of the critic. Except for convents, I know of no example of a society that gave women total autonomy over their lives without male intervention or manipulation through high finance, legislation or brute force. While I don't take any pleasure in the existence of this situation that women worldwide find themselves in, I also don't enjoy the idea that there are situations where an imposed image of gender victimization is considered a justifiable means of combatting it by the women who are the most afflicted because of it, especially when a blameless man is the injured party.
My overall assessment of this film is that it was beautifully packaged and honestly told, which would make this both a work of art and a poignant source of communication.
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Another movie that I've seen over the weekend is "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe." Since this is a classic tale that's part of a series of tales, I won't write down any spoilers to bar against anyone's pleasure of seeing this film but I'll write down my general feelings after watching it. It seems to have a foot in two places: religious allegory and family-oriented action/adventure. Those who are aware of the former would have a banquet of foods for thought after watching it but those who aren't are probably going to be confused over the motivations of one of the major characters: Aslan, the original Lion King. I would prompt those people to read the book after seeing the film. I'd attribute the toning down of the violence, as noted by some people who know the series intimately, to this being a Disney film as opposed to a Touchtone or Miramax film, where graphic violence would be expected. I enjoyed it on both levels and I compliment the way that the CGI effects were handled in this film. It was integral to the story as opposed to being intrusive, which is a drawback that I've felt after viewing several Pixel-animated films which is why I have no plans to watch "Chicken Little."
Before I "call it a night" and see you out, let me wish you a Happy and healthy New Year and briefly share with you my New Year's resolutions:
1. To cut down, if not completely sever, my "in debt" situation before December 31, 2006.
2. To own my Silver 2001 Hyundai Sonata by July 4th, 2006 if not sooner.
3. To purchase several bookcases and file cabinets so that I can get my apartment cleaner and more organized before December 31, 2006.
4. To have a written work of my own creation (or co-creation if it's drawn or illustrated) published and get paid for it before December 31, 2006.
I could also add "to lose weight," but I don't want to make promises that I have no immediate plans to keep. Besides, my weight tends to fluctuate based on how physically active I am and on what I've eaten in any given month. I like to pick my battles and not overwhelm myself with too many goals, thus reducing the possibility of disappointment over not accomplishing any of them.
Watch your step going down the stairs. Yum Yum still likes to sleep on one of the steps when she doesn't doze on the radiator for warmth. I think that she purposely does that for attention and as a reminder to me that she feels neglected, especially when company comes or when I'm surfing the 'net.
Have a safe trip home and mind the roads. The weatherman said that there's a possibility of overnight showers and low temperatures.
Good night and Happy New Year!
