Mr. O'brien

I’m in the mood for ambitious fiction. Earlier this year I was blessed with a run of incredible reads,  topped off by Yvegeny Zamiatin’s masterpiece, We.

Mr. Zamiatin

Since then I’ve taken on more projects that inevitably have eaten into my reading time, and I am becoming more zealous in my quest for inspired reads. Ambition is the only flavor my literary palate wants to taste right now. I’m hungry for books that make me break out the booksdarts and re-read for pure pleasure. I want prose and plots that cause reactions, page turners that remind me how lucky I am to know how to read.

I’m compiling a list (in no particular order) of ambitiously written books and additions are requested in the comments section! I’d love suggestions for a 2010 reading list…

Mr. Baldwin

The Third Policeman by Flann O’Brien

Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh

The Inferno by Dante

Morvagine by Blaise Cendrars

Tropic of Capricorn by Henry Miller

Candide by Voltaire

The Electric Koolaid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe

Black Boy by Richard Wright

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf? by Edward Albee

Bowl of Cherries by Milliard Kauffman

The Whapshot Chronicle by John Cheever (as well as many of his shorter works)

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

The Iliad by Homer

If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino

Her by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Geek Love by Katherine Dunn

The Twits by Roald Dahl

Lolita by Vladamir Nabakov

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

The Monkeywrench Gang by Edward Abbey

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Stranger by Albert Camus

The Godfather by Mario Puzo

Peanuts by Charles Schultz

Mr. Abbey

more:

Bluebeard/Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut

The Aeneid by Virgil

The Baron in the Trees by Italo Calvino

Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger

His Dark Materials Series by Phillip Pullman

At Swim-Two-Birds by Flann O’brien

White Noise by Don Delillo

The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

The Watchmen by Alan Moore

More..?

Candy narra a história de um casal que têm suas vidas estragadas pelo vício que os dois têm em comum: a heroína

Por Ronnie Romanini

Dividido em três partes (Paraíso, Terra e Inferno), Candy fala sobre o relacionamento de Candy (Abbie Cornish) com Dan (Heath Ledger) e o de ambos com a heroína, traçando um paralelo interessante entre essas três partes com os três estágios que passa um usuário da droga.

Começando pelo “Paraíso”, o filme mostra o início do relacionamento entre os dois jovens artistas (ela uma aspirante a pintora e ele a poeta). Enquanto Dan não tem uma família por trás, sendo sozinho no mundo, Candy tem toda a superproteção que seus pais, de classe média-alta, podem dar. É quando Candy decide experimentar a heroína que Dan já usava que as coisas começam a mudar na vida de ambos, até então dois jovens promissores em suas carreiras e apaixonados. Essa primeira parte tem seu foco nos efeitos alucinógenos da droga e na sensação de felicidade momentânea que ela traz. Ambos estão felizes e a necessidade cada vez maior de se virar com o pouco dinheiro que possuem, realizando pequenos furtos, parece empolgá-los. É nessa parte que surge Casper (Geoffrey Rush). Professor de Química que usa seu laboratório para produzir drogas e considerado por Dan como um pai que todo mundo gostaria de ter, Casper é quem financia os dois no início, sempre emprestando dinheiro a Dan e às vezes fornecendo a droga ou usando junto.

A situação começa a mudar quando a falta de dinheiro torna-se um problema muito maior do que ambos consideravam. Nessa parte, “Terra”, o filme passa a ser cru e realista, à medida em que retrata a humilhação pela qual Dan e Candy começam a passar em troca do dinheiro para conseguir a droga. Os dois deixam o orgulho de lado e passam a fazer coisas inimagináveis até então, mas que se tornam totalmente naturais em decorrência da necessidade de usar a droga. Dan encara com naturalidade (ou ao menos finge tal naturalidade para não ter que se preocupar com o problema) a solução encontrada por Candy para conseguir o dinheiro.

A terceira parte do filme mostra o “Inferno”. Um acontecimento na vida do casal faz com que eles decidam parar de usar a droga e isolem-se num quarto, com apenas um colchão e uma televisão. Mostrando dia a dia a abstinência da heroína, essa parte torna-se perturbadora e chocante principalmente pela atuação de Abbie Cornish e Heath Ledger que brilham retratando o efeito biológico e psicólogico que a falta da droga causa. A cena em que ambos estão no hospital é estarrecedora.

Longe de ser uma glamourização das drogas, o aspecto negativo do filme reside apenas na comparação com outros filmes que tratam do mesmo assunto. Candy não tem a direção ousada e inovadora de Réquiem para um Sonho e nem é um filme tão original e completo como Trainspotting – Sem Limites. Muito graças ao trio principal de atores (Geoffrey Rush e Heath Ledger estão ótimos como sempre e Abbie Cornish é uma belíssima surpresa, chocando pela força que dá à personagem), Candy trata-se de um bom e triste filme sobre como a dependência química faz o usuário perder qualquer dignidade ou valor pré-concebido.

Candy (Candy): 2006, Austrália. Direção: Neil Armfield. Elenco: Abbie Cornish, Heath Ledger, Geoffrey Rush, Noni Hazlehurst, Tony Martin. Roteiro: Neil Armfield e Luke Davies. Duração: 116 min.

Notas:

Ronnie Romanini [7.5] Rodrigo Gianesi [7.5] Paulo do Valle [10]

Nossa média: [8.3]

Lo que nadie duda a estas alturas de la partida es que Ewan McGregor es uno de los actores más aclamados y reputados de su generación, ni Daniel Craig o Jude Law han conseguido alcanzar su status dentro de la industria cinematográfica. Acaba de estrenar en Estados Unidos “The Men Who Stare at Goats“ donde interpreta a Bob Wilton. Le acompañan en el cartel de esta alocada comedia nada más y nada menos que George Clooney, Kevin Spacey o Jeff Bridges. Pero en la videoarena nos preguntamos ¿cuál fue el primer papel cinematográfico de este actor escocés? Cómo fueron sus inicios  antes de convertirse en el fetiche de Danny Boyle.  

Renton le trajo la fama internacional.

El viaje al estrellato de este actor comienza en 31 de marzo de 1971, fecha en la que nace. A los 16 años deja su localidad natal de Crieff para iniciar su carrera teatral uniéndose a Perth Repertory Theatre. Sus padres no tardarían en animarle a que abandonara esta compañía para que se formara como actor.  Así que comenzó sus estudios de arte dramático en Kirkcaldly en Fife y en la Escuela de Música y Drama de Guildhall. Allí compartió estudios con Daniel Craig, Alistair McGowan, David Thewlis o Naveen Andrews, famoso por su papel de Said en “Perdidos” y con el que mantiene su relación de amistad en la actualidad. A los 22 años tras haber interpretado en la televisión a Jimmy en la serie “Family style”, consiguió dar el salto al cine y consiguió su primer papel gracias a Susan Figgis que le ofertó el papel de Álvarez en la película del director escocés Bill Forsyth llamada “BEING HUMAN“, y que en España se tradujo como  “Un hombre perdido en el tiempo”.

Un hombre perdido en el tiempo, 1993.

Una historia dividida en cinco capítulos que recorre la historia de la humanidad a través del personaje de Héctor interpretado por Robin Williams. McGregor aparece en el tercer segmento en un corto y tragicómico papel. Os centro un poco en la trama. El barco español donde viaja esta suerte de héroe temporal naufraga enfrente de la costas de África. Allí los supervivientes pasan hambre y sed. Un par de marineros no se les ocurre la feliz idea de robar y beberse todo el agua que queda. Por ese motivo, Don Pablo jefe de la expedición les castigará a la pena máxima, morir crucificados bajo el sol.  Será Álvarez el que se presente voluntario en lugar de Héctor para ajusticiarlos.

No fue uno de esos comienzos escurridizos como el protagonizado por Sigourney Weaver. McGregor tenía un par de frases. Cortas pero las tenía, y encima se echo una carrerita por la playa.

Un año después Danny Boyle le descubriría y le daría el papel de Alex Law en “Tumba abierta“. En 1995 mientras trabajaba en el programa de televisión “Kavanagh QC” conoce a diseñadora de producción francesa Eve Mavrakis en Francia. Durante ese verano el 22 de julio se casan en Dordogne, Aquitania (Francia) y fruto de esta unión son las dos hijas que tienen, Clara Mathilde y Esther Rose. Un año después daría el salto definitivo a la fama gracias al papel de Mark Renton en “Trainspotting“. Aquí volvería a coincidir con un viejo amigo, ya que ambos habían coincidido durante su debut cinematográfico, hablo del actor Robert Carlyle, que aparecía también en “Un hombre perdido en el tiempo” interpretando en el primer segmento a Shamen. Un vikingo que le robará a Hector su mujer e hija.

Pero las coincidencias en su carrera no acabarán aquí ya que la llave que le abrió las puertas al estrellato vino de la mano de Baz Luhrmann que le ofreció el papel Christian en “Moulin Rouge” y fue George Lucas quien le diera el empujón final al ofrecerle el papel de joven Obi Wan Kenobi en la famosa epopeya galáctica. Aceptó el papel porque su tío el también actor Denis Lawson aparecía en ”La guerra de las galaxias” interpretando a Rojo dos en la batalla final en la Estrella de la Muerte.

Denis Lawson es Rojo Dos en "Una nueva esperanza"

En la actualidad, McGregor ha formado una compañía de producción con sus amigos Jonny Lee Miller, Sean Pertwee, Jude Law y Sadie Frost, llamada “Natural Nylon”. Con ella esperan hacer películas innovadoras que no se ajusten a los estándares de Hollywood.

Position.

When steam restricts my view, when fog masks the landscape. When life obscures what is tangible, my heart can sink. I search for my foothold. My core needs a home. Somewhere to rest core bones, somewhere to call heaven. A place that doesn’t change but changes me. A word that is constant but that is constantly changing me. A love that is buried with my hurts and rose with my hope. When obscurity enters my life, I know where to stand.

The hope of up.

To lift, like the fisherman hauling up a net full of fish, lifted up, high for everyone to see.  To bring into ascendancy a broken man, a fearful man. To make him complete. Like Mephibosheth, expecting the worst and receiving the best. A dove that soars from a river scene. A star that rises in the night sky, a compass for some, a threat to others. A wave that swells over a boat. A friend raised from a dark cold place, love died and found a way back again. Rose up. Me. Raising the hope of a life without an end.

Free energy.

It all comes through to me, positive and negative, I have no control over my greater circumstance.  I could choose to burn when I have been burnt. I could choose hurt when I have been hurt.

I choose to take it all, good and bad, feed it all in and employ hope energy. A hope of a life that lives, it doesn’t die. A hope that springs back at rejection, hurt and disappointment. Like a car transferring momentum, I can transfer negative into positive. Some time ago an illustration similar to this took place at a wedding. The plentiful was turned into the scarce. The scraps into a feast, the few into many.

This is my journey from distortion to gem stone. From water into wine. From broken loaves and fishes into overflowing baskets, from an acorn to a tree. Planted in a well watered garden. Hope. Breathe.

Honesty.

How much distance between the truth of the world and where I rest my head? Neighbours or ends of the earth? Truth? Yeah, lives two doors away. Always coming round for a cup of tea and a slice of something squashy. Not the easiest of guests to be around but one of the most affirming.

Accept all.

Acceptance must be universal. Like roads we travel on or the bin bags we pack. Like sunrise and sunset, like hope, like restoration. They are for all, and treat all with parity. Acceptance must be universal, in those I see and those I do not. In the fabric of my relationships with everyone, acceptance must be universal.

Peri Peri Scope.

A mirror fixed somewhere in Heaven reflecting onto this troubled market town. A moving mirror, spotted in a market town attached on a word that became flesh exposing Heaven. A mirror on my heart, desperately seeking the word, to reflect, to shine, to glisten for a few moments in a troubled market town with word from Heaven.

My faith a periscope, a collection of prisms and mirrors. Seeing things that are otherwise out of sight. A revelation of what is above and up up and away. A tangible hope.

(mf) Nachdem ich letzten Donnerstag, 12. November, die achte Episode aus Staffel vier von Heroes gesehen hatte, entstand dieses typische leere Gefühl in mir, dass jedes Mal hochkommt, wenn eine Episode viel zu schnell zuende geht. Jedes Mal ärgere ich mich aufs Neue, dass es dann wieder ewig dauern wird, bis ich meine Sucht nach mehr werde stillen können. Ohne Spass, das ist wie Cold Turkey - kaum auszuhalten, deshalb beschloss ich an diesem denkwürdigen Abend, mir zumindest eine zweite Serie zu suchen, die diesen Schmerz ein wenig lindert. Was ich dabei fand, spottet jeder Beschreibung.

Was für ein Glück kann man überhaupt haben? Ausgerechnet an diesem 12. November 2009 ging der Pilot einer neuen Serie auf dem britischen Kanal E4 on air, die sich Misfits (dt. Aussenseiter) nennt. Aber, um mich nicht spoilern zu lassen, las ich mir nicht durch, was die Synopsis auf der Homepage über den Inhalt verriet und mied es auch, mir irgendwelche Screens oder ähnliches anzuschauen. Ich klickte einfach auf “Play” und lehnte mich entspannt zurück.

Leider fehlen mir absolut die Worte, adäquat zu beschreiben, was ich gefühlt habe, als ich die erste Episode von Misfits angeschaut habe. Egal was ich nun schreibe, es wird dem Gesehenen nicht gerecht werden können. Das muss man einfach gesehen haben. Mit einem Wort: Genial! Dennoch möchte ich Euch natürlich einen kleinen Überblick verschaffen, womit Ihr es hier zu tun bekommt:

Misfits ist eine Superhelden-Comedy-Drama-Action-Thriller-Serie, in der es hauptsächlich um fünf jugendliche Straftäter geht, die während gerichtlich verordneter gemeinnütziger Arbeit vom Blitz getroffen werden und fortan mit teils merkwürdigen Superkräften ausgestattet sind. Um Euch nicht allzu sehr zu spoilern, gehe ich nicht näher auf die einzelnen Kräfte ein.

Die Charaktere erscheinen auf den ersten Blick, wie die Protagonisten in John Hughes’ “Breakfast Club”, entpuppen sich aber bei genauerer Betrachtung als vielschichtiger und, zumindest für meinen Geschmack interessanter. Hier ein kurzes Roundup:

Curtis (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) war ein aufstrebender Athlet und angehender Sportstar, mit dem Ziel an den Olympischen Spielen 2012 teilzunehmen, dessen Karriere leider vor die Hunde ging, als er mit einer verbotenen Substanz erwischt wurde und Justizia seinen Fall heranzog um ein Exempel zu statuieren.

Kelly (Lauren Socha) erscheint auf den ersten Blick eher einfach gestrickt und wirkt aufgrund ihrer Haltung aggressiv und unnahbar. Entpuppt sich jedoch später als extrem loyal und offenbart ein Herz aus Gold. Ihr Akzent erscheint anfangs unfassbar nervig, aber man gewöhnt sich daran.

Die schöne Alisha (Antonia Thomas) fühlt sich nur wohl, solange sie im Mittelpunkt der Aufmerksamkeit steht. Wenn eine Party zuende ist, tingelt die sogenannte “Miss Shagable” (dt. vulg. fickbar) einfach zur nächsten.

“You call me ‘chav’ one more time I’ll kick you so hard in the cunt your mum’ll feel it” – Kelly

Simon (Iwan Rheon) ist der Freak der Gruppe – ein Aussenseiter unter Aussenseitern. Die anderen meiden ihn, machen sich lustig, weil sie ihn merkwürdig finden. Schüchtern, in sich gekehrt, wirkt er eher wie ein Warcraft-Veteran als wie ein Krimineller. Er traut sich kaum, den Mund aufzumachen, sehnt sich aber nach Freundschaft und Beachtung.

Nathan (Robert Sheehan) ist das genaue Gegenteil. Ein extrovertierter Typ, der auf alles eine Antwort zu haben scheint – mit extremem Hang zum Sarkasmus und dem Talent es generell zu weit zu treiben. Natürlich ist er, unter der harten Schale aus Überheblichkeit und Sarkasmus, nicht so unemotional und unnahbar, wie es den Anschein hat.

Mein Fazit:
Misfits ist very british (auf eine gute Art), mit sehr gutem Sinn für Humor, aber auch sehr explizit. Trotz der eindeutig erscheinenden Prämisse, richtet sich die Serie wohl primär eher an Fans von “Skins” und “Trainspotting” als an Comicliebhaber. Nichtsdestotrotz kann ich Misfits jedem (18+) Zuschauer guten Gewissens ans Herz legen. Absolut sehenswert!

RELATED LINKS

Misfits Webseite

by Iggy Pop.

“Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking LCD television. Choose washing machine, cars, Blu-ray player and electrical tin openers. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked up brats you spawned to replace yourself.

Choose your future. Choose life.

But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose somethin’ else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you can throw stones.”

Yay I’m going to New York tomorrow with my family. I’m excited to go somewhere for a change. I’m visiting a prospective college up there so hopefully, it’ll all go well. Also my school is having a dance Saturday night, that I’m actually going to. I know it’s weird. I went to my junior and senior homecoming and prom. So I guess I don’t mind the school dance thing. It’s one where they auction off guys (I’m at an all girls school, remember). I suppose this is causing a lot of buzz around campus. Oh, good news on that too, I get to wear my prom dress again, yay!

I watched two amazing movies in the past week: Trainspotting and Boondock Saints. Yay for people with pirate accents! Trainspotting was like the Scottish version of Requiem for a Dream, but a lot happier. At first I could barely understand them, but after about the first fourth of the movie I felt like a regular Scott. It had a nice plot too. I wont spoil it for you, but the only bad guy is heroin! I think so anyways.

As for the Boondock Saints, my favorite part was…everything Willem DaFoe!!!! He was so funny and surreal in that movie. (I liked how he made fun of gay people, even though he was gay, I found it hilarious). They action and such was fun too! I support Boondock Saints, where do I sign up?

Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a fucking big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suite on hire purchase in a range of fucking fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing sprit-crushing game shows, stuffing fucking junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing you last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future.

Choose life.

But why would I want to do a thing like that?

TÍTULO ORIGINAL Trainspotting

AÑO 1996

DURACIÓN 90 min.

DIRECTOR Danny Boyle GUIÓN John Hodge (Novela: Irvine Welsh) MÚSICA Varios FOTOGRAFÍA Brian Tufano REPARTO Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller, Ewen Bremner, Kelly MacDonald, Kevin McKidd, Peter Mullan

PRODUCTORA Channel Four Films pr. una prod. Figment Film / The Noel Gay Motion Picture Company. Producer: Andrew MacDonald

Drama. Drogas / SINOPSIS: Mark Renton es un joven escocés adicto a la heroína, al igual que el resto de sus amigos, los cuales se han creado un mundo muy particular. Entre el grupo hay un violento y alcohólico psicópata, un drogadicto desesperado, un mujeriego con un conocimiento enciclopédico de Sean Connery y un entusiasta de las caminatas y obsesivo de Iggy Pop. (FILMAFFINITY)
—————————————-
La frenética historia de 5 jóvenes británicos y su relación con la droga, el sexo y la violencia arrasó con tanto desparpajo como la verborrea de sus protagonistas. Tras el éxito de crítica y público de “Tumba abierta”, Boyle engrandece aun más su legión de fans. Una cinta muy original que, considerada además su poca “corrección político-social”, obtuvo un sorprendente éxito de taquilla. (Pablo Kurt: FILMAFFINITY)

I’ve drawn up a list, so if anyone could give me any advice and guidance as to what might be suitable for a fiftysomething male I’d appreciate your thoughts.

Birdwatching.

Fishing.

Trainspotting.

Pigeon fancying.

Crown green bowling.

Country and Western dancing.

Making models out of used matchsticks.

Considerado um dos melhores filmes britânicos de todos os tempos, Trainspotting – Sem Limites mostra  a vida de Mark Renton e seus amigos envolvidos com drogas em Edimburgo

Por Rodrigo Gianesi

Baseado no romance de Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting – Sem Limites é uma descarga de adrenalina misturada com uma viagem intensa pela cabeça perturbada do jovem escocês Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) e seus amigos, mostrando suas vidas imersas no mundo da heroína, como uma fuga do cotidiano monótono da cidade de Edimburgo.

Dirigido por Danny Boyle, o filme já começa com uma seqüencia fantástica: Renton e seu amigo Spud (Ewen Bremner) correm fugindo da polícia enquanto se ouve um monólogo sensacional de Renton: “…escolha seu futuro, escolha a vida. Eu escolhi não escolher a vida. Eu escolhi outra coisa. Os motivos? Não existem motivos. Pra que você precisa de motivos quando você tem heroína?”.

Cenas transitam entre a realidade e as alucinações de Renton

Boyle explora as alucinações de Mark descritas no livro de Welsh com muita fidelidade, mas mais do que isso, passa uma mensagem completamente adversa ao que se vê normalmente no cinema: não é um filme moralista, que apenas mostra que as drogas vão destruir sua vida. Pelo contrário, Mark tem uma vida relativamente feliz quando está envolvido com heroína. Seu pesadelo aparece apenas quando ele tenta parar de usar, o que acontece mais de uma vez no filme, sem sucesso.

Boyle, no entanto, peca em deixar algumas passagens do livro de fora do filme, e até alguns personagens. Porém, mesmo para quem leu o livro, o filme continua sendo uma adaptação muito próxima e bem feita. Welsh, o autor do livro, até faz uma ponta no filme no papel de Mikey Forrester, um traficante ocasional.

Diálogos interessantes, cenas que transitam entre o real e as alucinações, idéias não convencionais, uma dose de humor equilibrada com uma dose de drama, brilhantes atuações de Ewan McGregor e Robert Carlyle (no papel do psicopata Francis Begbie) e uma trilha sonora fantástica que conta com Iggy Pop e Underworld fazem deste filme essencial de ser visto por qualquer apreciador da sétima arte.

Trainspotting – Sem Limites (Trainspotting): 1996, Reino Unido. Direção: Danny Boyle. Elenco: Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller, Kelly Macdonald. Roteiro: Irvine Welsh, John Hodge. Duração: 94 min.

Baseado no livro Trainspotting, de Irvine Welsh.

Notas:

Rodrigo Gianesi [10] ; Ronnie Romanini [8.5] ; Paulo do Valle [8.5]

Nossa Média: [9.0]

Você já quis ter um retrato daquela cena específica do seu filme preferido?

O Ewan doidão em Trainspotting ou

o desespero do Harry por causa de você-sabe-o-quê em Harry Potter e A Ordem de Fênix…

… ou a Meg ameaçando o Tom em Mensagem para Você…

…ou uma delicada recordação de Notting Hill…

…ou o treinamento da Little Miss Sunshine…

…ou…ah, acho que você entendeu.

Mais de 100 filmes foram catalogados pelo Screencaps, segundo o blog Favoritos. Fica a dica!

Ahh, the week that was began with an issue of equality. In Eden the measure was set, In the image of the three, He created man and woman, equal.

Moving into Wednesday I explored the five faces of hope; in words, in love, by demeanour, in faith and with integrity. To live only in words, would cause my hope to collapse, to live by love only would create a one dimensional object. To only live by demeanour would would cripple my soul. To have faith and no love would be like a heart of stone, to have integrity and nothing else would reduce me to a good man and not a God one.

By Thursday I was exploring the concept of who is my brother? who is my sister? A radical exploration in examining how I could interact with the world outside of my home. On Friday I looked at a spiritual bureau de change. Saturday, a day I decided to run for all might. Run away from that which destroys me. Run to that which restores me.

Yesterday I mused on living in a global society that is addicted to control and allergic to hope.

Restore me as I run into another week. With the faces of hope and a spiritual currency in my pockets that does not weigh me down but makes my soul lighter.

Agli italiani piace la galera, come una volta piacevano la gogna, la forca e la ghigliottina. A chiederla come pena, magari aiutato dai media che si buttano a pesce sull’emegenza di turno, un bel po’ di gente riesci sempre a tirartela dietro. Certo c’è differenza, c’è la galera progressista e di sinistra invocata e ottenuta per gli evasori, i molestanti e gli stolcheri e c’è la galera reazionaria di destra contro i clandestini e i fumatori di canne.

E poi c’è quella bipartisan, succede di raro ma capita e per poco non ci cascavo dentro. Adesso sui media non le trovi più, ma qualche tempo fa non passava giorno che non ci fosse notizia dell’ubriaco al volante che aveva provocato un incidente. E la politica non tardò molto ad accontentare il popolo bue, furono varate leggi più restrittive. Per fortuna, col mio 0,7 per mille mentre andavo a 45 all’ora, me la sono cavata con due settimane di ritiro patente-corso di riabilitazione alla guida-ripetute visite di controllo con analisi del sangue-condanna penale a cinque giorni di arresto tramutati in ammenda. Era ancora la vecchia legge, ma non è di questo che volevo parlare, volevo fare un post sulla prescrizione breve.

In linea di principio sarebbe sacrosanta, lo stato per giudicarti non può avere un tempo infinito, sei anni devono bastare e strabastare anche in caso di accanimento e dovrebbe valere per qualsiasi reato, dalla strage al vilipendio delle istituzioni, senza eccezioni di alcun tipo. La rivoluzione francese (o chi per lei) ha stabilito che nessuna legge può essere retroattiva, e quindi i processi in corso si farebbero con le vecchie regole, non vedo il verme eppure c’è.

Il verme è la legge che stravolge il principio, il verme è la giustizia che non ha risorse e che perde il suo tempo in stronzate, ma il verme è anche la gente che chiede manette a vanvera

Sempre i soliti disfattisti antitaliani, che non perdono occasione per diffamare il miglior presidente del consiglio della storia e che continuano a tramare congiure ed ad ordire il solito complotto bolscevicogiudaicomassonicointerista ai danni del premier legittimato dal voto popolare. Anche stavolta non hanno perso l’occasione per dileggiare il Silvio che meno male che c’è, riprendendolo mentre dormiva durante la celebrazione del ventennale della caduta del muro di Berlino.

In realtà, quello di Berlusconi è stato un grande ed encomiabile  gesto di coerenza e di amicizia verso il popolo e la nazione che tra l’altro ci mantiene a gas. Ha sentito parlare russo e gli è venuto da russare

The Tourists may not understand it, but it makes me smile. Brought to via Loicaway on Flickr

My relationship with those outside of my family home? Good friends and not so close friends? acquaintances and comrades? Buddies and true friends? In some ways this too like so much of the space in between humanity has been distorted. So many true aspects have been shoved in a wardrobe, forgotten in a drawer, left dormant in the attic. My relationship outside of the family home? Brothers and Sisters, Father and Mothers; family.

If a sense of family existed in the world, would I be so eager to trick my own brother? Con them into a sale? Flirt with my own sister? Lie, cheat, abuse or disempower? Seeing the world as family will not cure the distortion, no, only He can make all things new. With Him and in Him seeing the world as family can stop the decay and begin to turn back a tide.

True change can only work if it is instigated in the core of my being. My core belongs to Him. There is no grey or middle ground. I make no apologies for where I stand. In Him who was a word, then became flesh and slipped into humanity through an open stable door one night.

Make me whole. A prayer for a Thursday.

We must hurry quickly to where we’re going. We run, my mother and I, my mother’s hand in mine. She is dressed well today; her hair is done nicely, not a follicle out of place. And I, just a boy, outfitted in my schoolboy’s uniform, my head pressed against my mother’s wrist. It’s wonderful to be young and by your mother’s side. Such a comfort it is to be so near that aura of warmth, fringed with a redolence that can only be called motherhood. Once close to it and nothing is amiss.

We are rushing hurriedly, running through a train station. There are people everywhere around us, some running as we are, others walking as slow as turtles, still others sitting with heads lolling about as if ready to fall forward or backward in slumber. Mama pays them no mind, looking neither left nor right as I am, but straight ahead. She knows where she wants to go, and is intent on getting there as soon as possible. I have years to go before I grow into that sort of impatience. I could sit here in the middle of the station, with only crackers and peanut butter for company, and stare at all the rushing people, and laugh at their intensity. All day long I’d mock the greasy old man with the limp and the eye patch, and join in with the fat lady shouting “Henry! Henry!” I’d have a good old time. I smile at Mama, but she doesn’t look down, just pulls me along. Today, I am her pet, her little puppy; that’s what she told me earlier, and now I guess I should play the part.

We reach the outside where all the trains pass, only there aren’t any trains just now. Just announcements of imminent arrivals, of delays, of missing children and lost luggage. People stand around and mutter to each other, check their watches, study schedules. It otherwise seems strangely quiet, almost grimly silent.

Mama asks someone for the time, and when they tell it to her she looks angry, as if time itself was the cause of her pain. She tells me again to hurry and we take off in the direction of the tracks. I feel the excitement radiate from her, and I feel the maternal serenity run all through my veins. I suddenly feel happy, as happy as I’ve ever been. I look up at Mama and smile, but she doesn’t see me, only looks in the direction of the station on the other side of the tracks.

She never told me who we were going to meet, but it’s probably not anyone nice, not with all the crying and cursing she’s done all morning. I can’t ever say anything to her when she’s like this, because when I try to comfort her she just cries more, and sometimes she hugs me so tight I feel like I’m going to pop out of my skin.

We cross the first tracks. Mama steps up to the second track, and I her faithful pup do the same. I feel the tracks shake. Something loud is coming nearer and nearer, and quickly too. Mama screams and jumps back, my hand still in hers, and suddenly my eyes go black, my body goes numb. A terrific cold spreads all over me. And then the station goes quiet again.

This week that just past me, felt like a train rattling through on the opposite track. No sooner have I gone to sleep on a Monday full of work than I am here again on Monday morning. I am going to slow my clock down. Double up on days. A week lasts three days and one. Montueday, Wedthurday, FriSatday and Sunday.

I started the week looking at hope. To hope in hopelessness. This is faith. I will pursue with a hope like this. I must. In all situations.

On Wednesday I thanked God. For everything in my life. For the good and the bad. For the opportunity to see the bad become good and for the opportunity to thank Him for the good.

By the time I was at the Thursday part of my week I was thinking about, compartments that delineate. I don’t want any. Everything is spiritual. Everything.

Friday and the contemplation of order drifts into my thoughts. I like it. On Saturday I was drawn to write about that which is real and that which is counterfeit. Sunday a day of prayer. The power for hope and faith to shape words from my soul and for those words to go to Him and then back to me, not necessarily changing my circumstance but always changing me.

To hope, to thank, to see that everything is spiritual, to create order, to pray for an uncontaminated love, to pray.

Danny Boyle, regista del Il Milionario, film che ha vinto otto premi Oscar, si e’ dichiarato ’stanco’ delle continue richieste economiche dei suoi baby attori presi dalle baraccopoli di Mumbai. Lo scrive da Londra l’agenzia di stampa indiana Press Trust of India. Secondo l’agenzia, le famiglie di Rubina Ali e di Azharuddin Ismail continuano a chiedere soldi al regista e alla fondazione da lui realizzata a Mumbai, nonostante abbiano gia’ ricevuto soldi. In particolare, i familiari di Azharuddin, hanno chiesto a Boyle tramite la sua fondazione ‘Jhai Ho’, dal nome della canzone del film, soldi per un’auto, mentre quelli di Rubina hanno chiesto 48000 dollari oltre agli 80000 gia’ avuti per l’acquisto di una casa. Doyle, che si trovava in India per seguire i lavori della fondazione caritatevole e per organizzare nuovi progetti, secondo quanto riferisce l’agenzia indiana, avrebbe lasciato il paese a seguito delle continue richieste dei ragazzi. All’indomani del successo de Il Milionario (Slumdog Millionaire in lingua originale), i baby attori reclutati nelle baraccopoli, si lamentarono con la stampa di non essere stati pagati il giusti dalla produzione. Per questo motivo, Boyle, regista anche di Trainspotting, realizzo’ con la produzione del film, una fondazione caritatevole a Mumbai per aiutare questi ragazzi. I quali, hanno gia’ ricevuto soldi, ma non hanno mai smesso di chiederne altri, come oltre 35000 dollari per una assicurazione sanitaria per tutta la famiglia.

Doğrusu, birkaç haftadır pazar günlerim harala gürele içinde geçti. Planlar, programlar ne kadar kaçınsamda tek dinlenebildiğim gün pazar gününe denk geldi. Bugüne kadar.

Soğuk ve yağmurlu bir Kasım ayı karşıladı bu sene bizi. Her ne kadar böyle soğuklar için erkense de, sonunda sevdiceğimle evimizde geçirebileceğimiz, DVD seyredecebileceğimiz bir Pazar için en uygun hava koşulu olduğunu söylememe gerek var mı bilmiyorum. Dün gittiğimiz arkadaşlarımızdan gasp ettiğimiz 6 adet DVD filmimiz vardı önümüzde. Normal koşullarda 1-2 film seyredebilirken bu sefer 3 filmi öyle ya da böyle seyredebildik.

Belli olmaz seyredersiniz filan, onun için can alıcı noktalarından hiç bahsetmeyeceğim. Sadece naçizane (ehemms) yorumlarımı paylaşacağım. İşte film 1:

SUNSHINE (Güneşe Yolculuk):

Trainspotting ve 28 Days Later‘ın yönetmeni Danny Boyle‘dan bir film. Bu iki filmden dolayı olacak beklentilerimi biraz yüksek tutmuş olabilirim. Yanlış anlaşılmasın, öyle kötü bir film değil ama beni pek açmadı desem de yalan olmaz.

Öyle bir zaman gelir ki, güneş soğumaya başlar ve dünyada da yaşam tehlikeye girer. Kahramanlarımızın görevi ise yedi yıl önce başarısız olan ekibin yapamadığını yapmaktır.

“…ve olaylar gelişir” türünden bir macera, bilim-kurgu. Sık sık “ne saçma şey”, “olacak iş mi şimdi bu” türünden iç geçirişlerde bulunabileceğiniz türden bir film. Öte yandan hoşça vakit geçirir misiniz? Evet, geçirirsiniz. Danny Boyle, ne yapmış etmiş, film boyunca sizi esir alacak bir yapıma daha imza atmış.

Yine de puan konusunda çok bonkör olamayacağım. 3,5/5

THE HOST (Yaratık):

Eğlenceli olabileceğini düşünmüştüm. Yanılmamışım Uzunca bir zaman filmin korku mu yoksa komedi mi olduğu hususunda bir karara varamadık. Arkadaşımdan değil de para verip alacak olsam sanırım bu filmi hayatta almazdım. Tüm olay Güney Kore’de geçiyor. Zehirli atıklardan beslenerek devasa boyutlara ulaşan bir nehir “yaratığı” ortalığa dehşet salıyor. Bir yığın yaratık filmi arasında bir farklılığı var mı? Var. Seyredin, görün Puanım: 2,5/5

SOLSTICE:

Neyse ki son seyrettiğimiz içlerinde en iyisiydi. Gerçi bu da oldukça klasik bir korku filmi klişesinden çok öteye geçememiş.

Hiç de yabancı olmadığımız, genç amerikalı arkadaşlar tatil için nedense izbe bir ormanın içindeki eve giderler teması. Bu tür filmleri seviyorsanız seyredin derim. Ne de olsa çekimler, background efektler sizi korkutmaya yetiyor zaten.

Ama yok seyretmem ben öyle filmler derseniz de aman aman birşey kaçırmış olmayacaksınız. Bu filme 4,0/5 gider benden.

Bu arada unutmadan, iyi bir korku filmi seyretmek isterseniz, geçenlerde izlediğim “Orphan” ı şiddetle tavsiye edebilirim.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Horror Plus Thriller: 28 Days Later (screenrant.com)
• Trainspotting 2 (guardian.co.uk)
• Danny Boyle’s Next Project Cuts Off Its Own Arm? (cinemablend.com)

ஒரிஜினல் லிஸ்ட் இங்கே. பாஸ்டன் பாலாவுக்கு நன்றி!

சைரனோ டி பெர்கராக், Cyrano de Bergerac – எட்மண்ட் ரோஸ்டாண்ட் எழுதிய புத்தகம். வெகு நாட்களுக்கு முன் படித்த நாடகம், கதை மட்டுமே மங்கலாக நினைவிருக்கிறது. ஹோசே ஃபெர்ரர் நடித்து ஒரு முறை, ஜெரார்ட் டிபார்டியூ நடித்து ஒரு முறை வந்திருக்கிறது. இரண்டையும் கமல் குறிப்பிடுகிறார், இரண்டையும் நான் பார்த்ததில்லை.

ஸ்பார்டகஸ், Spartacus – ஹோவர்ட் ஃபாஸ்ட் எழுதிய நாவல். ஸ்டான்லி குப்ரிக் இயக்கி கிர்க் டக்ளஸ் நடித்த புகழ் பெற்ற படம். என் கண்ணில் சுமாரான படம்தான். நாவல் படித்ததில்லை.

எ க்ளாக்வொர்க் ஆரஞ்ச், A Clockwork Orange – அந்தோனி பர்ஜஸ் எழுதிய நாவல். படித்ததில்லை. ஸ்டான்லி குப்ரிக் இயக்கி மால்கம் மக்டொவல் நடித்தது. பிரமாதமான படம். குப்ரிக் கலக்கிவிட்டார்.

லாஸ்ட் டெம்ப்டேஷன் ஆஃப் க்ரைஸ்ட், Last Temptation of Christ – நிகோலாய் கசான்ட்சாகிஸ் எழுதிய நாவல். மார்டின் ஸ்கொர்ஸஸி இயக்கி இருக்கிறார். பார்த்ததுமில்லை, படித்ததுமில்லை.

பீயிங் தேர், Being There – ஜெர்சி கொசின்ஸ்கி எழுதிய நாவல். ஹால் ஆஷ்பி இயக்கி பீட்டர் செல்லர்ஸ் நடித்தது. படித்ததில்லை, ஆனால் படம் பார்த்திருக்கிறேன். சுமாரான படம்.

ட்ரெய்ன்ஸ்பாட்டிங், Trainspotting – இர்வின் வெல்ஷ் எழுதிய நாவல். ஸ்லம்டாக் மில்லியனர் புகழ் டான்னி பாயில் இயக்கியது. பார்த்ததுமில்லை, படித்ததுமில்லை, கேள்விப்பட்டதும் இல்லை.

பர்ஃப்யூம், Perfume – யாரோ பாட்ரிக் சுஸ்கிண்ட் எழுதியதாம். டாம் டைக்வர் இயக்கியதாம். பார்த்ததுமில்லை, படித்ததுமில்லை, கேள்விப்பட்டதும் இல்லை.

சிட்டி சிட்டி பாங் பாங், Chitti Chitti Bang Bang – ஜேம்ஸ் பாண்ட் புகழ் இயன் ஃப்ளெமிங் எழுதிய சிறுவர்களுக்கான புத்தகம். டிக் வான் டைக் நடித்தது. படம் சிறுவர் சிறுமிகளுக்கு பிடிக்கும். நாவல் படித்ததில்லை.

க்யூரியஸ் கேஸ் ஆஃப் பெஞ்சமின் பட்டன், Curious Case of Benjamin Button – ஸ்காட் ஃபிட்ஸ்ஜெரால்ட் எழுதிய சிறுகதை. ப்ராட் பிட் நடித்து டேவிட் ஃபிஞ்சர் இயக்கியது. இந்த வருஷ ஆஸ்கார் போட்டியில் ஸ்லம்டாக் மில்லியனருக்கு பெரும் போட்டியாக இருந்தது. படித்ததில்லை, இன்னும் பார்க்கவும் இல்லை.

ஃபாரஸ்ட் கம்ப், Forrest Gump – வின்ஸ்டன் க்ரூம் எழுதியது. டாம் ஹாங்க்ஸ் நடித்து ராபர்ட் ஜெமகிஸ் இயக்கியது. சராசரிக்கு மேலான படம். பல ஆஸ்கார் விருதுகளை வென்றது. ஆனால் அந்த சமயத்தில் வந்த பல்ப் ஃபிக்ஷன், ஷாஷான்க் ரிடம்ப்ஷன் ஆகியவை இதை விட சிறந்த படங்கள். புத்தகம் படித்ததில்லை.

மாரத்தான் மான், Marathon Man- வில்லியம் கோல்ட்மான் எழுதிய நாவல். டஸ்டின் ஹாஃப்மன், லாரன்ஸ் ஒலிவியர் நடித்து ஜான் ஷ்லேசிங்கர் இயக்கியது. பார்த்ததுமில்லை, படித்ததுமில்லை.

மாஜிக், Magic – இதுவும் வில்லியம் கோல்ட்மான் எழுதிய நாவல். அந்தோனி ஹாப்கின்ஸ் நடித்து ரிச்சர்ட் அட்டன்பரோ இயக்கியது. பார்த்ததுமில்லை, படித்ததுமில்லை, கேள்விப்பட்டதும் இல்லை.

டிராகுலா, Dracula – ப்ராம் ஸ்டோகர் எழுதிய நாவல். கமல் ஃப்ரான்சிஸ் ஃபோர்ட் கொப்போலா இயக்கிய படத்தை சொல்கிறார். நான் பார்த்திருப்பது பழைய பேலா லுகோசி நடித்த படம்தான். லுகொசி ஒரு eerie உணர்வை நன்றாக கொண்டு வருவார். நாவல் சுமார்தான், ஆனால் ஒரு genre-இன் பிரதிநிதி.

காட்ஃபாதர், Godfather – மரியோ பூசோ எழுதியது. அல் பசினோ, மார்லன் பிராண்டோ நடித்து ஃப்ரான்சிஸ் ஃபோர்ட் கொப்போலா இயக்கிய மிக அருமையான படம். நல்ல நாவலும் கூட.

கமல் கொஞ்சம் esoteric படங்களை விரும்புவார் போல தெரிகிறது. எனக்கு மிகவும் பிடித்த, மிக அற்புதமான நாவலும், அருமையான படமும் ஆன To Kill a Mockingbird-ஐ விட்டுவிட்டாரே!

கமலின் லிஸ்டில் காட்ஃபாதர் மட்டுமே நல்ல புத்தகம், மற்றும் நல்ல படம் – என்னைப் பொறுத்த வரையில். நான் படித்திருக்கும் புத்தகமும் அது ஒன்றுதான். கமல் சொல்லி இருக்கும் படங்களில் நான் பாதிக்கு மேல் பார்த்ததில்லை. பார்த்த வரையில் காட்ஃபாதர் மற்றும் எ க்ளாக்வொர்க் ஆரஞ்ச் மட்டுமே பார்க்க வேண்டிய படம். ஆனால் அவர் சொல்லி இருக்கும் படங்களில் பல பிரபலமான படங்கள் – ஸ்பார்டகஸ், ஃபாரஸ்ட் கம்ப், பெஞ்சமின் பட்டன், சிட்டி சிட்டி பாங் பாங் – இருக்கின்றன. பார்த்திருப்பீர்கள். படித்திருப்பீர்கள். நீங்கள் கமலின் தேர்வுகளைப் பற்றி என்ன நினைக்கிறீர்கள்?

தொடர்புடைய பதிவுகள்
கமல் சிபாரிசுகள் – சிறந்த திரைக்கதைகள் உள்ள தமிழ் படங்கள்

Fratelli e sorelle, qui è tutto un complotto. Dalle mie parti hanno fatto un referendum per far smettere alla Provincia di finanziare  a vanvera un aeroporto, e non ha raggiunto il quorum perchè quelli che ci abitano vicini e che si lamentano dei rumori degli aerei non sono andati a votare. Giusto così, anche Tafazzi non avrebbe gradito che gli fregassero la bottiglia con la quale amava percuotersi i coglioni. 

E poi ci sono i complotti dei giudici comunisti contro lo Zio Silvio, quelli dei frati benedettini contro Marrazzo, quelli dei rutelliani (che a dirla così, sembrerebbero i compagni di pianeta del cugino di Mr.Spock) contro il nuovo segretario del PD e, buon ultimo, quello dei minuti di recupero che hanno permesso al Napoli di pareggiare contro il Milan.

Ma il complotto più sordido e fetido, più cinico e bieco, è stato quello ordito dal Servizio Sanitario verso il segretario del Partito per Tutti, che poi sarei me medesmo. Dopo la caduta dal cacaro, mi hanno diagnosticato una sublussazione alla spalla ed una contusione alla mano, facendo spudoratamente finta di non vedere la frattura al metacarpo che per quasi una settimana ha mantenuto la mia mano gonfia come  il pallone areostatico che molti miei concittadini hanno scambiato per un UFO nei giorni scorsi.

Quando finalmente, dopo una seconda radiografia sollecitata da me e dal mio medico di famiglia (grande estimatore delle patate del bar), si sono avveduti della frattura, altro di meglio non hanno saputo fare che applicarmi una doccia gessata che già dopo poche ore provocava indicibili dolori dovuti anche alla sua inesteticità.  Che sia stato un complotto oppure l’esigenza di smaltire scorte di gesso questo ancora non lo so, ma dopo meno di 24 ore ero già nello studio di un luminare dell’ortopedia a chiedere lumi, che altro sennò?

Costui, vista la situazione, mi ha tolto il gesso e applicato un tutore che adesso mi permette di scrivere con due mani, e fra un  paio abbondanti di giorni, forse anche di guidare. Nominato sul campo Ministro dell’Ortopedia nel prossimo governo del PPT

You ever feel like Kevin Spacey’s character in “American Beauty?”

You have an indoor job that doesn’t require a lot hard physical labor. So theoretically you have an easy job, but you come home from work every day tired. You’d think you would have lots of energy, because let’s face it. You work in a sensory deprivation chamber. Isn’t that supposed to be relaxing? You find that it isn’t. Despite the lack of stimulation somehow your job is stressful, but despite all the work you do you sometimes feel like if your job disappeared tomorrow it wouldn’t affect the world at all. Sometimes you feel like your job is pointless. You have no job satisfaction.

In fact, your satisfaction with the rest of your life is wanning. The only places you ever go are to work, a gas station, home, a grocery store, and occasionally a restaurant or mall. Wash, rinse, repeat over and over again. Your life is a skipping CD. It’s become so routine that you can do it without thinking, and sometimes you do. Months fly by and you don’t even realize it because you’ve been asleep at the wheel the whole time.

Then one day you take a vacation to some place you’ve always dreamed of, and your vacation probably goes something like this: You spend the whole vacation running from attraction to attraction in a wild frenzy trying to fit everything into your short trip, which makes you more exhausted than when your vacation started so that you’re relieved when you get home. When you get home you realize you spent way more money than you budgeted, because you got overcharged for everything, and now you’re going to stress out over making your money back. Despite all the problems with your vacation it still got you thinking about how jealous you are of the people who live in the picturesque place you visited, and now you’re depressed because you had a taste of a better life (that you know someone else is living), and now you have a frame of reference with which to measure how dismal your bland, stressful, circular life is.

So you get back to your bland, stressful, circular routine and the memory of your vacation quickly rides the conveyor belt of time to the back of your mind. You don’t realize it, but if you had have enough money or vacation time left you’d take another vacation as a round about way to buy happiness, but since you can’t do that you’re forced to endure the unfulfilling lifestyle you’re trapped in. So you try to find little ways to bring some happiness in your life (or at least ways to feel alive): buying a new hat, masturbating, watching a movie, going bowling, getting drunk, eating at a new restaurant, etc. But these are just scenic pit stops on your drive down shit highway and don’t change the fact that you’re driving down shit highway.

So basically you have a tiny life, and it starts to feel claustrophobic. That compounded with your stress and lack of respite you start feeling depressed and develop panic attacks. You start to suspect that there’s something wrong with you, and all the self help books you read agree that you’re ungrateful emotional cripple for not being maniacly happy every moment of every day. Since the self help books didn’t solve your problems (and actually made you feel more guilty) you suspect there is something wrong with you biologically. So you go to see a therapist who puts you on antidepressants, which make your stifling lifestyle more bearable by forcing you to be happy chemically.

The problem isn’t that you don’t understand the self help secret of life, and the problem isn’t biological for most people. The problem is that our economy is design to force you into a repetitive, stressful, lackluster lifestyle that is too expensive for most people to escape. Nobody intentionally designed it like that. It’s just the way it happened. If beer or antidepressants help you get through it then you may as well try them, because you’re probably going to be stuck in the cycle for a long time. Here’s some other helpful hints for coping with modern life: Go insane. Get a hobby. Convince your boss to let you wear pajamas to work. Exercise. Work in the porn industry. Quit your job and move to a third world country.