Today's Get Fuzzy comic strip reminded me that for a long time I've felt a bit troubled by the art of Francisco Goya.
On one hand he could create some really great portraits like this and scenes like this.
On the other hand he could use myth and his own nation's history to create paintings with nightmarish qualities like this and this. And perhaps it is something in his style that makes it more real to the senses than something like Hieronymus Bosch.
Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Grand Funk: "The Locomotion"
2011-11-01
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2011-07-20
Changing Politics
Perhaps it is because of the people I work with and live with and play with, or perhaps it is because of where I now live, or perhaps it's a combination of these and other reasons. As I continue to read about the political situations in this state and in this country at large, and the take over of the Republican party by the Tea Party, I find myself leaning slowly but undeniably toward the left of the political spectrum.
I am not the only one who has seen the Republican party leave behind its roots and become the party of conservative fundamentalist Christians. Roger Ebert has noticed as well, and Newsweek has noticed as well.
I recall remarking a few years ago that I was surprised that the Republicans would choose to nominate someone so far to the right of the political spectrum instead of someone nearer the middle that might be more electable by moderate voters. The reply to that from one of Maryanne's coworkers was that she thought each party should nominate someone who best represents the platform of the party. In retrospect this somewhat makes sense -- hold the hard-line extreme position and any resulting negotiations with opposing views might be nearer your own, or at least in the middle. However, despite the Republicans' staunch support of small government and Second Amendment rights, I find this takeover of the party by willful and seemingly ignorant people to be very disheartening.
The only time I've ever voted a straight ticket in any election is during a primary when there is no alternative. I hope I can continue to vote for my ideals, but the changing politics of the Republican party is certainly making me take a closer look at the Democrats.
Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Dave Edmunds: "Information"
I am not the only one who has seen the Republican party leave behind its roots and become the party of conservative fundamentalist Christians. Roger Ebert has noticed as well, and Newsweek has noticed as well.
I recall remarking a few years ago that I was surprised that the Republicans would choose to nominate someone so far to the right of the political spectrum instead of someone nearer the middle that might be more electable by moderate voters. The reply to that from one of Maryanne's coworkers was that she thought each party should nominate someone who best represents the platform of the party. In retrospect this somewhat makes sense -- hold the hard-line extreme position and any resulting negotiations with opposing views might be nearer your own, or at least in the middle. However, despite the Republicans' staunch support of small government and Second Amendment rights, I find this takeover of the party by willful and seemingly ignorant people to be very disheartening.
The only time I've ever voted a straight ticket in any election is during a primary when there is no alternative. I hope I can continue to vote for my ideals, but the changing politics of the Republican party is certainly making me take a closer look at the Democrats.
Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Dave Edmunds: "Information"
2011-03-01
Politics
Most people familiar with my political ideology know I'm pretty much in the middle. I consider myself an Independent, and consider myself to be moderate.
Last night while channel surfing I happened upon Fox News and some of their coverage regarding the tense political situation in Madison. They were misreporting the protests at the Capitol as violent, which is the opposite of the truth. The protesters have been loud, but they have been peaceful, they have been organized, and they have been clean.
The issue is ostensibly about money and balancing the budget, but that is fast becoming a ruse. The real issue is about power and who wields it, and the Republicans that now control the Wisconsin state government want it all. They claim it's the only way to balance the budget without raising taxes, but what taxpayers are they really trying to protect? Their propositions will fill formerly non-partisan governmental offices with appointed stooges, squash clean energy initiatives, and cripple our education system, causing many of our beleaguered schools to have to close their doors or consolidate. Their proposed actions will create a budget disaster like that in California, and will have far-reaching effects on organized labor in other states such as Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Florida, and that's just a start.
Democratic members of the State Senate have left the state to prevent a quorum and thus prevent the Senate from voting on the budget bill. They thought it was the only option they had left to prevent the Republicans from simply ramming through the changes they wanted. The Republicans in turn asked the Democrats to return out of "respect for the process" yet didn't wait long before passing their changes through the State Assembly using questionable tactics. Where is their respect for the process?
The Republicans in Wisconsin have strayed far from the original ideals of their party. They should be embarrassed to be doing so in the very state their party was born in over 150 years ago.
Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Eagles: "Already Gone"
Last night while channel surfing I happened upon Fox News and some of their coverage regarding the tense political situation in Madison. They were misreporting the protests at the Capitol as violent, which is the opposite of the truth. The protesters have been loud, but they have been peaceful, they have been organized, and they have been clean.
The issue is ostensibly about money and balancing the budget, but that is fast becoming a ruse. The real issue is about power and who wields it, and the Republicans that now control the Wisconsin state government want it all. They claim it's the only way to balance the budget without raising taxes, but what taxpayers are they really trying to protect? Their propositions will fill formerly non-partisan governmental offices with appointed stooges, squash clean energy initiatives, and cripple our education system, causing many of our beleaguered schools to have to close their doors or consolidate. Their proposed actions will create a budget disaster like that in California, and will have far-reaching effects on organized labor in other states such as Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Florida, and that's just a start.
Democratic members of the State Senate have left the state to prevent a quorum and thus prevent the Senate from voting on the budget bill. They thought it was the only option they had left to prevent the Republicans from simply ramming through the changes they wanted. The Republicans in turn asked the Democrats to return out of "respect for the process" yet didn't wait long before passing their changes through the State Assembly using questionable tactics. Where is their respect for the process?
The Republicans in Wisconsin have strayed far from the original ideals of their party. They should be embarrassed to be doing so in the very state their party was born in over 150 years ago.
Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Eagles: "Already Gone"
2010-12-30
Writing
I think, perhaps, that I have always had a bit of a love/hate relationship with creative writing.
When I was in grade school there was a "Young Authors" creative writing program. One could write a story, and it would be turned over to high school students to be proofread and typed. The finished pages, along with a couple of blank pages, would be returned, and in a "workshop" supervised by volunteers the pages would be stitched together. The outer blank pages served as end papers, glued to cardboard stock that had been covered with the fabric of the author's choice, with the final product being a book. In the early days some students were fortunate to have their pieces selected to have a second copy made and placed in the library along with a cassette audio book.
My first foray into this was nothing special, a plagiaristic mash-up of Voltron and the Transformers when I was in second grade. It won no accolades, but I had written a book.
By third grade I had come up with more original material, inspired by my own imaginative play to write stories about aliens from other planets and some sort of rescue mission during an interplanetary war. It was as well received as my first attempt, but I found the amount of freedom allowed by creating my own characters to be very liberating.
In fourth grade I tried to expand on my aliens with little success. Scheduled creating writing time during class wasn't helpful to me, and I often sat there writing little if anything. There was no book for me that year.
The next year, however, I found the right formula, the inspiration coming from a creative writing prompt to create a superhero. I took no efforts to conceal identities, basing my title character on my own sister. However, my work was well-received, earning an award that year, and I was suddenly hooked.
It probably helped that I read -- a lot. Most of what I read then, and still do, was fantasy and science fiction. By the time I was in junior high, through the gifted and talented program, I set out to write a play. It was inspired by the fantasy novels that I read, and the characters obviously inspired by me and my friends. I never completed the play, but the characters could be worked into a new story.
Those characters are still with me, brimming with personalities and problems of their own, and the protagonists of a novel manuscript now topping 150,000 words. I don't know if I'll ever by truly satisfied with the novel, but those I have shared it with have enjoyed it and would like to see it published. I would too.
Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Elton John: "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding"
When I was in grade school there was a "Young Authors" creative writing program. One could write a story, and it would be turned over to high school students to be proofread and typed. The finished pages, along with a couple of blank pages, would be returned, and in a "workshop" supervised by volunteers the pages would be stitched together. The outer blank pages served as end papers, glued to cardboard stock that had been covered with the fabric of the author's choice, with the final product being a book. In the early days some students were fortunate to have their pieces selected to have a second copy made and placed in the library along with a cassette audio book.
My first foray into this was nothing special, a plagiaristic mash-up of Voltron and the Transformers when I was in second grade. It won no accolades, but I had written a book.
By third grade I had come up with more original material, inspired by my own imaginative play to write stories about aliens from other planets and some sort of rescue mission during an interplanetary war. It was as well received as my first attempt, but I found the amount of freedom allowed by creating my own characters to be very liberating.
In fourth grade I tried to expand on my aliens with little success. Scheduled creating writing time during class wasn't helpful to me, and I often sat there writing little if anything. There was no book for me that year.
The next year, however, I found the right formula, the inspiration coming from a creative writing prompt to create a superhero. I took no efforts to conceal identities, basing my title character on my own sister. However, my work was well-received, earning an award that year, and I was suddenly hooked.
It probably helped that I read -- a lot. Most of what I read then, and still do, was fantasy and science fiction. By the time I was in junior high, through the gifted and talented program, I set out to write a play. It was inspired by the fantasy novels that I read, and the characters obviously inspired by me and my friends. I never completed the play, but the characters could be worked into a new story.
Those characters are still with me, brimming with personalities and problems of their own, and the protagonists of a novel manuscript now topping 150,000 words. I don't know if I'll ever by truly satisfied with the novel, but those I have shared it with have enjoyed it and would like to see it published. I would too.
Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Elton John: "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding"
2010-09-14
Generations
I was recently notified of the passing of my great aunt Leona, a passing which truly marks the end of a generation. Aunt Leona was my paternal grandfather Lloyd's sister. There were ten siblings in all, eight boys and two girls, and while Aunt Leona was one of the oldest of the siblings, she was the last to pass. It's difficult to fathom that they are now all gone, and that a great deal of their numerous offspring are gone, including my father and his cousins Daniel and Gary.
Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Led Zeppelin: "Rock and Roll"
Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Led Zeppelin: "Rock and Roll"
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