I just watched "The Answer Man" this weekend, with Jeff Daniels and Lauren Graham. The story is (more or less) this: a man writes a book about his conversations with the Almighty, publishes it and becomes a worldwide phenomenon. He encounters many people, including two new friends, who really need answers to help them through difficult times, but he is reluctant in what he tells them. He avoids interviews, fans, etc. {SPOILER ALERT} In the end, he admits that he, in fact, did not have the conversations with God but rather wrote the questions he had for the Almighty and responses he would have liked to have received. In other words, he was human like the rest of us, without all the answers. (there's more to the story than that, and I do recommend you see the whole movie...)
Now, I can hardly compare this story with my life. However, lately, I've had a few good people ask for my advice on things like career changes, whether or not to get into a relationship, whether or not to get out of a relationship, and how to handle all things considered. I appreciate that these good people come to me and trust me to give a bit of insight. When it comes down to it, all I can do is examine the facts put before me, look at all sides as best as I can, and listen to my heart. But I don't have all the answers.
Also, in my experience, giving advice is a touchy subject - even when solicited. You ask me for feedback? Then, feedback you shall receive. But, it seems, often, that people don't always appreciate the advice unless it's something they want (or expect) to hear. I'll tell you this - you may be as close as blood to me, but I will always try to be impartial and fair and realistic. You want the moon and stars to come down to you because you think you deserve them? Fine. But, please don't expect me to tell you that you're the world's best astronaut.
At the very least, I have this request: if you ask me for advice, please listen. You don't have to follow it, but just listen. I've invested some of my time to give you honest feedback because I care about you. Maybe my advice totally sucks. Again - I don't have all the answers. But an open ear and a "thank you" are always appreciated...someday, I may need your advice.
Showing posts with label Responses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Responses. Show all posts
Monday, July 27, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
What Would You Do (Pt. 2)?
The other day I told you about a situation I found myself in that presented a moral and obligatory dilemma. And you responded. Thank you.
So, now - here's another one for you to think about.
Later that same day...
I went to a local pizzeria for lunch. Inside, a woman sat quietly on the bench near the hostess stand...just sitting there. For how long, I don't know. A shopping bag from Bath & Body Works had been placed in the middle of the floor, half way between the hostess stand and the restaurant counter. The woman was slim in dark clothing with a brown substance smeared on her face and what appeared to be black eyeliner encircling her eyes and filling her lips. She was, as the locals call her, The Mud Lady - a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic who is homeless. The pizzeria's employees were clearly uncomfortable having her sit in their restaurant. She wasn't disturbing anyone or anything; still, they asked her to leave. Without argument or fuss, she picked up the shopping bag and walked out.
The Mud Lady has been known in this area for years. The stories told about her make her almost a mythical being - a strange creature who smears "mud" on herself as makeup, who once had a good home with a husband and family, a good job. A coworker of mine formerly work with her and said she used to be beautiful, a former model. The tales of "how she came to be on the streets" seem to grow more fantastical as the years go on. As a paranoid schizophrenic, she, unintentionally, has become an oddity - one to be avoided/stared at/mocked/scared of. I've encountered her many times, and from what I've seen, she's harmless. Out of the norm? Sure. But it would seem "the bark is worse than the bite", so to speak. Still, it seems the reaction to her is always the same, and the stigma of people with psychological disorders is still alive.
So - in this situation, I'd like to know what you would do? Knowing her condition and her demeanor, would you have accepted the restaurant kicking her out? How would you react if you saw her on the street or in the restaurant? Would you avoid her? Make fun of her? Lower your eyes? Say hello? Buy her a slice of pizza?
I don't want this to be a "gotcha" scenario, but am just curious about behaviors. The thing we think we would do isn't necessarily always the thing we end up doing. So, let's talk about this...
So, now - here's another one for you to think about.
Later that same day...
I went to a local pizzeria for lunch. Inside, a woman sat quietly on the bench near the hostess stand...just sitting there. For how long, I don't know. A shopping bag from Bath & Body Works had been placed in the middle of the floor, half way between the hostess stand and the restaurant counter. The woman was slim in dark clothing with a brown substance smeared on her face and what appeared to be black eyeliner encircling her eyes and filling her lips. She was, as the locals call her, The Mud Lady - a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic who is homeless. The pizzeria's employees were clearly uncomfortable having her sit in their restaurant. She wasn't disturbing anyone or anything; still, they asked her to leave. Without argument or fuss, she picked up the shopping bag and walked out.
The Mud Lady has been known in this area for years. The stories told about her make her almost a mythical being - a strange creature who smears "mud" on herself as makeup, who once had a good home with a husband and family, a good job. A coworker of mine formerly work with her and said she used to be beautiful, a former model. The tales of "how she came to be on the streets" seem to grow more fantastical as the years go on. As a paranoid schizophrenic, she, unintentionally, has become an oddity - one to be avoided/stared at/mocked/scared of. I've encountered her many times, and from what I've seen, she's harmless. Out of the norm? Sure. But it would seem "the bark is worse than the bite", so to speak. Still, it seems the reaction to her is always the same, and the stigma of people with psychological disorders is still alive.
So - in this situation, I'd like to know what you would do? Knowing her condition and her demeanor, would you have accepted the restaurant kicking her out? How would you react if you saw her on the street or in the restaurant? Would you avoid her? Make fun of her? Lower your eyes? Say hello? Buy her a slice of pizza?
I don't want this to be a "gotcha" scenario, but am just curious about behaviors. The thing we think we would do isn't necessarily always the thing we end up doing. So, let's talk about this...
Thursday, March 12, 2009
What Would You Do?
This morning, I felt like I was walking through a scene set-up for ABC's show "What Would You Do?" - and failed miserably.
Here's what happened: At my place of employment, I park in a covered garage. I was walking from my car to the building entrance, when I heard slamming of a door and a man' s voice, clearly agitated. As I got closer to the noise, I saw a man either loading or unloading a wheel chair-bound woman from the car. He was slamming the passenger back door and yelling, throwing what appeared to be pieces of the wheel chair (the foot rests?) in the backseat. The woman, who I did not see but heard, sounded like an elderly woman in distress. She kept yelling "Stop it! Stop it!" and then something else. It didn't seem that the man was physically violent toward her, but was verbally abusive. But from a few second snippet, I could not truly tell what the situation was.
I looked over at him, surprised to see and hear what was going on. He looked back. I kept walking.
As soon as I passed them, something in me said to go back. See if everything is ok. But I didn't.
Afterward, it took everything inside of me to not cry. It really bothered me the rest of the day. What if something was really going on there, and that woman needed help? I can't say that I'm proud of my action...but what could I have done? I could have said something to him, but then what? Would I report the man to building security? Would I call 911? What? Was it even my place to say something? I'll never know.
Elder abuse is something that should never be tolerated. EVER. I think of my own grandparents, who both turn 90 tomorrow. Every senior out there could be my grandparent when I think about it, so I want them all protected. So, why on earth did I let that situation go this morning?
I know this morning's incident will stay with me for a long time. I would like to know, what would you have done if you were in my shoes?
Here's what happened: At my place of employment, I park in a covered garage. I was walking from my car to the building entrance, when I heard slamming of a door and a man' s voice, clearly agitated. As I got closer to the noise, I saw a man either loading or unloading a wheel chair-bound woman from the car. He was slamming the passenger back door and yelling, throwing what appeared to be pieces of the wheel chair (the foot rests?) in the backseat. The woman, who I did not see but heard, sounded like an elderly woman in distress. She kept yelling "Stop it! Stop it!" and then something else. It didn't seem that the man was physically violent toward her, but was verbally abusive. But from a few second snippet, I could not truly tell what the situation was.
I looked over at him, surprised to see and hear what was going on. He looked back. I kept walking.
As soon as I passed them, something in me said to go back. See if everything is ok. But I didn't.
Afterward, it took everything inside of me to not cry. It really bothered me the rest of the day. What if something was really going on there, and that woman needed help? I can't say that I'm proud of my action...but what could I have done? I could have said something to him, but then what? Would I report the man to building security? Would I call 911? What? Was it even my place to say something? I'll never know.
Elder abuse is something that should never be tolerated. EVER. I think of my own grandparents, who both turn 90 tomorrow. Every senior out there could be my grandparent when I think about it, so I want them all protected. So, why on earth did I let that situation go this morning?
I know this morning's incident will stay with me for a long time. I would like to know, what would you have done if you were in my shoes?
Friday, January 23, 2009
Oh, Deer!
Last night when I came home from work, I flipped through the various envelopes and circulars delivered in my mail. There was a large postcard among the bills. It was announcing that a local park - a reservation just down the street from where I live - would be closed Tuesdays and Thursdays for the next month, starting January 27.
Why? you may ask.
Because, for the second year in a row, our lovely county has given the green light, amidst much protest, to move forward with the deer hunt in South Mountain Reservation.
This cheeses me off like you wouldn't believe.
The supposed reasoning behind the deer hunt is to cull the deer population by bringing in licensed marksmen to shoot - and kill - deer in the park, mostly females, to ensure that the population doesn't get out of control and that they do not suffer a shortage of resources, like food. The unofficial reason is that many who live in the area, who have expanded into the natural habitats of these animals, can't deal with having deer in their yards - eating their plants, crossing the well-traveled roads, existing in "human space." There are just too many of them!
Last year, the first hunt was held after years of protest. By the time it was all done, more than half of the estimated deer population in the reservation were killed. As mentioned earlier, this park is not far from my home. During the month-long hunt, it sounded like 'Nam in the morning.
Now, my neighborhood is anything but rural. The local train line run passed one end of our street, and a main road runs passed the other. Two major highways are nearby. Houses are built almost on top of each other. Not to say it's a bad place to live - in fact, it's a pretty, wealthy, upstanding kind of place - but like most towns in Northern NJ, it's overpopulated with people, roads and shopping malls. So - where do you want the deer to go, people? We have a family of deer that come into our yard now and then, and it's beautiful. To think of them being hunted down is more than tragic.
This hunt is so wrong is so many ways, it would need its own blog to discuss all the issues. But for sake of brevity here, I will say this. As far as I am aware, the citizens of Essex County had no say in this. There was no vote among the people; it was determined by county officials. Also, shooting an animal is not humane, no matter how loudly Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo says that it is. Lastly, at the end of last year's hunt, DiVincenzo claimed it was a success and that people in the community were happy about the results. Really? Who were these so-called people? No one that I know.
How much longer will this go on? I just hope that, come spring, our deer family returns to our backyard once again, unaffected by all this madness.
Why? you may ask.
Because, for the second year in a row, our lovely county has given the green light, amidst much protest, to move forward with the deer hunt in South Mountain Reservation.
This cheeses me off like you wouldn't believe.
The supposed reasoning behind the deer hunt is to cull the deer population by bringing in licensed marksmen to shoot - and kill - deer in the park, mostly females, to ensure that the population doesn't get out of control and that they do not suffer a shortage of resources, like food. The unofficial reason is that many who live in the area, who have expanded into the natural habitats of these animals, can't deal with having deer in their yards - eating their plants, crossing the well-traveled roads, existing in "human space." There are just too many of them!
Last year, the first hunt was held after years of protest. By the time it was all done, more than half of the estimated deer population in the reservation were killed. As mentioned earlier, this park is not far from my home. During the month-long hunt, it sounded like 'Nam in the morning.
Now, my neighborhood is anything but rural. The local train line run passed one end of our street, and a main road runs passed the other. Two major highways are nearby. Houses are built almost on top of each other. Not to say it's a bad place to live - in fact, it's a pretty, wealthy, upstanding kind of place - but like most towns in Northern NJ, it's overpopulated with people, roads and shopping malls. So - where do you want the deer to go, people? We have a family of deer that come into our yard now and then, and it's beautiful. To think of them being hunted down is more than tragic.
This hunt is so wrong is so many ways, it would need its own blog to discuss all the issues. But for sake of brevity here, I will say this. As far as I am aware, the citizens of Essex County had no say in this. There was no vote among the people; it was determined by county officials. Also, shooting an animal is not humane, no matter how loudly Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo says that it is. Lastly, at the end of last year's hunt, DiVincenzo claimed it was a success and that people in the community were happy about the results. Really? Who were these so-called people? No one that I know.
How much longer will this go on? I just hope that, come spring, our deer family returns to our backyard once again, unaffected by all this madness.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Then & Now
I hadn't planned on posting anything today, but I need a mental health break, so what better way to enjoy a few minutes than to fill out a survey and give you more of an idea (maybe too much of an idea?) of who I am (and then, it will be your turn!) A special thanks to PQ Nation for posting this first!
THEN AND NOW: This tag basically asks what I was like as a kid, at age 18, and now, for all of the following:
*MY DREAM JOB*
Kid: It varied. For a while, I wanted to be an English teacher. Then, since I played "business" all the time (with no more than a tricked out calculator and a pad of paper), I wanted to go into "business." Then I wanted to be a journalist. I even used to have weekly issues of a newspaper I made myself on lined paper. My only subscriber was my sister, so the paper folded.
Age 18: I was a freshman in college studying child psychology. But my dream job was to be a journalist for Rolling Stone or National Geographic.
Now: Would love to be a published writer (book or magazine). Also, anything to do with music (magazine, radio station, whatever). Hey, you said "dream job!"
*MY FANTASY CRUSH*
Kid: Kirk Cameron, Joey McIntyre (NKOTB)
Age 18: Brad Pitt
Now: Anthony Bourdain, House (do I have a thing for grumpy, scruffy old men?)
*FAVORITE SONG*
Kid: Anything NKOTB or Debbie Gibson, then I really loved "I Beg Your Pardon" by Kon Kan...toward the end of the 80s I was into New Order and the Cure. And many many more.
Age 18: Anything Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan, Ani DiFranco, BNL, Britpop. Loved "The Child Inside" by Qkumba Zoo. And many many more.
Now: I listen to a ton of music so it's hard to narrow down.
*FAVORITE MOVIE*
Kid: "Never Ending Story" and "Sound of Music." A few others, I'm sure. There was also a time when I watched "White Christmas" almost every day for a week. Don't ask me why.
Age 18: Anything John Hughes. It's a Wonderful Life. Sound of Music, a ton of others
Now: Anything John Hughes. It's a Wonderful Life. Sound of Music, Donnie Darko. About a Boy. The Notebook. A ton of others
*HOW YOU SPENT YOUR EVENINGS*
Kid: watched TV or played until bedtime
Age 18: Classes, watched TV, parties, typical college stuff
Now: cooking dinner or get togethers with friends, watching TV, reading, running errands
*YOUR BEST FRIENDS*
Kid: my sister, Lynette, Sam, James, my cousin Jaime
Age 18: Sam, James, my college roommate and friends
Now: my husband, my sister, Sam, Joanne, Beth
*MY JOB*
Kid: Being a kid.
Age 18: I worked over the summer and on holiday breaks as a bank teller
Now: Director for CME programs at med ed company
*MY CRUSHES*
Kid: I had a few. None you need to know about.
Age 18: I had a boyfriend then but it lasted only a few months. Not sure if that counts as a crush.
Now: My husband!
*WHAT SCARED YOU?*
Kid: The thought of losing my mom, then when that happened, having a stepmonster, which also happened
Age 18: living away from home for the first time and trying to make new friends
Now: The thought of losing my grandparents
*YOUR HERO?*
Kid: my mom, Amelia Earhart
Age 18: my mom, Amelia Earhart, Audrey Hepburn
Now: my husband, my mom, my grandparents, my sister and to echo Princess Q "Anyone who spends their life trying to make a difference in the world by being true to who they are."
*MADE YOU LAUGH?*
Kid: it seems that kids are always laughing at something stupid, so it could have been anything
Age 18: Being goofy with friends
Now: Inside jokes and being goofy with friends/my husband/my sister; stupid people
*HOW YOU FELT ABOUT YOUR FAMILY*
Kid: Loved my mom and grandparents. My sister was annoying. My father was, well, there.
Age 18: Loved my grandparents and sister. My father put stepmonster first which strained things a little. Loved him but it was hard at times.
Now: Love them all even if they can get annoying. Family is the most important thing.
*A DREAM COME TRUE?*
Kid: not that I can recall.
Age 18: Um...not that I can recall.
Now: My husband.
*WHO WERE YOU?*
Kid: The youngest in my family. Incredibly shy. A four-eyed, braces-wearing, taller than all the other kids in class, brainiac (aka, Nerd!). In a black hole after my mother's death.
Age 18: College freshmen trying to find my way. Trying new things and listening to my heart. A bit more confident.
Now: Still shy and trying to find what it is I am meant to do on this great earth. A wife, a sister, a daughter, a friend, a coworker.
I…tag…YOU!! Do this…it was a lot of fun
THEN AND NOW: This tag basically asks what I was like as a kid, at age 18, and now, for all of the following:
*MY DREAM JOB*
Kid: It varied. For a while, I wanted to be an English teacher. Then, since I played "business" all the time (with no more than a tricked out calculator and a pad of paper), I wanted to go into "business." Then I wanted to be a journalist. I even used to have weekly issues of a newspaper I made myself on lined paper. My only subscriber was my sister, so the paper folded.
Age 18: I was a freshman in college studying child psychology. But my dream job was to be a journalist for Rolling Stone or National Geographic.
Now: Would love to be a published writer (book or magazine). Also, anything to do with music (magazine, radio station, whatever). Hey, you said "dream job!"
*MY FANTASY CRUSH*
Kid: Kirk Cameron, Joey McIntyre (NKOTB)
Age 18: Brad Pitt
Now: Anthony Bourdain, House (do I have a thing for grumpy, scruffy old men?)
*FAVORITE SONG*
Kid: Anything NKOTB or Debbie Gibson, then I really loved "I Beg Your Pardon" by Kon Kan...toward the end of the 80s I was into New Order and the Cure. And many many more.
Age 18: Anything Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan, Ani DiFranco, BNL, Britpop. Loved "The Child Inside" by Qkumba Zoo. And many many more.
Now: I listen to a ton of music so it's hard to narrow down.
*FAVORITE MOVIE*
Kid: "Never Ending Story" and "Sound of Music." A few others, I'm sure. There was also a time when I watched "White Christmas" almost every day for a week. Don't ask me why.
Age 18: Anything John Hughes. It's a Wonderful Life. Sound of Music, a ton of others
Now: Anything John Hughes. It's a Wonderful Life. Sound of Music, Donnie Darko. About a Boy. The Notebook. A ton of others
*HOW YOU SPENT YOUR EVENINGS*
Kid: watched TV or played until bedtime
Age 18: Classes, watched TV, parties, typical college stuff
Now: cooking dinner or get togethers with friends, watching TV, reading, running errands
*YOUR BEST FRIENDS*
Kid: my sister, Lynette, Sam, James, my cousin Jaime
Age 18: Sam, James, my college roommate and friends
Now: my husband, my sister, Sam, Joanne, Beth
*MY JOB*
Kid: Being a kid.
Age 18: I worked over the summer and on holiday breaks as a bank teller
Now: Director for CME programs at med ed company
*MY CRUSHES*
Kid: I had a few. None you need to know about.
Age 18: I had a boyfriend then but it lasted only a few months. Not sure if that counts as a crush.
Now: My husband!
*WHAT SCARED YOU?*
Kid: The thought of losing my mom, then when that happened, having a stepmonster, which also happened
Age 18: living away from home for the first time and trying to make new friends
Now: The thought of losing my grandparents
*YOUR HERO?*
Kid: my mom, Amelia Earhart
Age 18: my mom, Amelia Earhart, Audrey Hepburn
Now: my husband, my mom, my grandparents, my sister and to echo Princess Q "Anyone who spends their life trying to make a difference in the world by being true to who they are."
*MADE YOU LAUGH?*
Kid: it seems that kids are always laughing at something stupid, so it could have been anything
Age 18: Being goofy with friends
Now: Inside jokes and being goofy with friends/my husband/my sister; stupid people
*HOW YOU FELT ABOUT YOUR FAMILY*
Kid: Loved my mom and grandparents. My sister was annoying. My father was, well, there.
Age 18: Loved my grandparents and sister. My father put stepmonster first which strained things a little. Loved him but it was hard at times.
Now: Love them all even if they can get annoying. Family is the most important thing.
*A DREAM COME TRUE?*
Kid: not that I can recall.
Age 18: Um...not that I can recall.
Now: My husband.
*WHO WERE YOU?*
Kid: The youngest in my family. Incredibly shy. A four-eyed, braces-wearing, taller than all the other kids in class, brainiac (aka, Nerd!). In a black hole after my mother's death.
Age 18: College freshmen trying to find my way. Trying new things and listening to my heart. A bit more confident.
Now: Still shy and trying to find what it is I am meant to do on this great earth. A wife, a sister, a daughter, a friend, a coworker.
I…tag…YOU!! Do this…it was a lot of fun
Friday, October 31, 2008
Treats or Tricks?
If I didn't know the full moon happened a few weeks ago, I could have sworn there was one this week. For months, things have been pretty sedentary for me - or, I should say, it's been a while since life has handed me the usual drama I'm accustomed to. I don't know why this week was so special, but the cosmos decided to go on vacation and let me deal with the chaos on my own. OK, so it wasn't that bad. I've been through much, much, MUCH worse. I guess it was just unnerving to be plucked from my seat of quiet contentment and tossed into a shaking, spinning sphere of noise.
So, speaking of full moons and chaos, today is Halloween. I'm not one of those people who goes crazy over the holiday, but I am known to dress up for our party at work. Today - I'm a mime.
The beauty of being a mime is, well, that they can't talk. This is ironic since most of the chaos of my week has revolved around the spoken word: presentations, training team members, brainstorming for a new company name and identity, verbalizing ideas for my to-be-written novel, and more. Then there was the accusation from a friend that I said one thing and wrote something else. To that person - yes, I'm talking to you - I'm not angry; that's not my style...but I am extremely hurt. Anyone who truly knows me would know that I have no tolerance for liars or two-faced people (which probably explains my disdain for most politicians), and to have someone (a person very close to me, mind you) even for a moment think that of me is just...I don't even know the word for it. Tragic? Ignorant? As we corresponded via e-mail, I tried to explain (Word to the wise: e-mail is always a bad way to try to explain yourself), I probably made things worse. But then I thought, why do I even need to explain myself? I know perfectly well what I said, and what I wrote, and if this person listened and read carefully, they would see that the ideas are not contradictory but complementary, and that what I wrote is an extension of what was said.
I told this person that I'm not angry and that we're still on good terms. I meant that. We are. I've known this person far too long to do otherwise. I'm not a fighter. But I think it's important for said-person to understand that a misunderstanding can be hurtful, dangerous even, so it's good to look and listen carefully first. Said-person may very well maintain their opinion about this, but I don't think it's up to me to change their mind. I spoke the truth. I wrote the truth. My part is done.
[On a separate note - less than one day to go. Thank goodness for the end of daylight savings; one extra hour to write with this weekend.]
So, speaking of full moons and chaos, today is Halloween. I'm not one of those people who goes crazy over the holiday, but I am known to dress up for our party at work. Today - I'm a mime.
The beauty of being a mime is, well, that they can't talk. This is ironic since most of the chaos of my week has revolved around the spoken word: presentations, training team members, brainstorming for a new company name and identity, verbalizing ideas for my to-be-written novel, and more. Then there was the accusation from a friend that I said one thing and wrote something else. To that person - yes, I'm talking to you - I'm not angry; that's not my style...but I am extremely hurt. Anyone who truly knows me would know that I have no tolerance for liars or two-faced people (which probably explains my disdain for most politicians), and to have someone (a person very close to me, mind you) even for a moment think that of me is just...I don't even know the word for it. Tragic? Ignorant? As we corresponded via e-mail, I tried to explain (Word to the wise: e-mail is always a bad way to try to explain yourself), I probably made things worse. But then I thought, why do I even need to explain myself? I know perfectly well what I said, and what I wrote, and if this person listened and read carefully, they would see that the ideas are not contradictory but complementary, and that what I wrote is an extension of what was said.
I told this person that I'm not angry and that we're still on good terms. I meant that. We are. I've known this person far too long to do otherwise. I'm not a fighter. But I think it's important for said-person to understand that a misunderstanding can be hurtful, dangerous even, so it's good to look and listen carefully first. Said-person may very well maintain their opinion about this, but I don't think it's up to me to change their mind. I spoke the truth. I wrote the truth. My part is done.
[On a separate note - less than one day to go. Thank goodness for the end of daylight savings; one extra hour to write with this weekend.]
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Poetry Placement (a response)
I was happy to read Kirsten Ogden's Poetry Placement on The Kenyon Review blog on Wednesday. I think she's on to something: using "poetry placement" like companies use "product placement" to promote their merchandise. I missed the episode of AMC's Mad Men that she is referring to; well - ok, I haven't seen a single episode. It looks like a smart, entertaining show, but 10 pm on a work night?...well, yes, it's past my bedtime. I think it's time to include it on my FiOs DVR. But I digress.
Mad Men is popular, and mentioning a sophisticated collection of poetry by one of the key poets of our modern age in the context of the show surely caught the attention of a lot of people...people who probably never heard of Frank O'Hara or his book...people who are now interested in reading it to see what all the hype is about. I didn't even see the episode, and I'm interested! That's pretty good.
Now, I'm not saying that if poetry is prominently mentioned on TV or in a movie, etc., the audience would necessarily feel the urge to go to their local Barnes & Noble to snatch it up. I mean, when you think about movies - each time you see a can of Coke or a FedEx box (Cast Away, anyone?) or such - that doesn't mean that you will go out and become a preferred Coke drinker after years of drinking Pepsi (just an example). But it will get your attention. And stay in your mind...Maybe make you curious... And poetry is much better for you than Coke. It's the real thing.
Mad Men is popular, and mentioning a sophisticated collection of poetry by one of the key poets of our modern age in the context of the show surely caught the attention of a lot of people...people who probably never heard of Frank O'Hara or his book...people who are now interested in reading it to see what all the hype is about. I didn't even see the episode, and I'm interested! That's pretty good.
Now, I'm not saying that if poetry is prominently mentioned on TV or in a movie, etc., the audience would necessarily feel the urge to go to their local Barnes & Noble to snatch it up. I mean, when you think about movies - each time you see a can of Coke or a FedEx box (Cast Away, anyone?) or such - that doesn't mean that you will go out and become a preferred Coke drinker after years of drinking Pepsi (just an example). But it will get your attention. And stay in your mind...Maybe make you curious... And poetry is much better for you than Coke. It's the real thing.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Modern Poets (a response)
I was moved the other day by Nic Haralambous and his blog posting on July 1 when he acknowledges that there are many fine poets from the past who brought us the quintessential poems we have learned or heard or quoted over time; however, he also asks the poignant question, who are the poets of his (our) era?
His question is the crux of another key question: does poetry still matter? If poetry is still significant in these modern times, who are our leaders in the fight to keep it so? The conclusion came, as many of us have recognized, that modern songwriters are filling in that gap now and claiming the crown as the poets of our time. I agree, absolutely. Afterall, why do you think I post my "favorite lyrics" on here? Why are we inspired, enchanted, empowered, or reminded when we hear the words to a song? Because it's poetry.
I responded to his posting that I believe poetry still has a place in our society. And it does. It should never be discounted. On a small scale, think about how many times you quote something that has become almost trite, only to remember that it was derived from a poem. But, to his original point, who's creating these words now? Who are the modern poets?
I search for them. There are writers, for certain. But most are minor and like me, just trying to get the message out there, whether successfully or not. There are very few "greats" that future generations will quote in fondness. Maya Angelou? Ok, there's one. What about Charles Simic (US poet laureate)? Ever hear of him? There have got to be more. Are there?
In the meantime, I'll let the gap be filled by mr. ipod...
His question is the crux of another key question: does poetry still matter? If poetry is still significant in these modern times, who are our leaders in the fight to keep it so? The conclusion came, as many of us have recognized, that modern songwriters are filling in that gap now and claiming the crown as the poets of our time. I agree, absolutely. Afterall, why do you think I post my "favorite lyrics" on here? Why are we inspired, enchanted, empowered, or reminded when we hear the words to a song? Because it's poetry.
I responded to his posting that I believe poetry still has a place in our society. And it does. It should never be discounted. On a small scale, think about how many times you quote something that has become almost trite, only to remember that it was derived from a poem. But, to his original point, who's creating these words now? Who are the modern poets?
I search for them. There are writers, for certain. But most are minor and like me, just trying to get the message out there, whether successfully or not. There are very few "greats" that future generations will quote in fondness. Maya Angelou? Ok, there's one. What about Charles Simic (US poet laureate)? Ever hear of him? There have got to be more. Are there?
In the meantime, I'll let the gap be filled by mr. ipod...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)