Friend of mine just sent this to me. In a word - Outstanding. If only my editing skills were this SICK...
Friday, July 23, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
INCEPTION
I saw Inception last night and my brain is still buzzing over possibilities. For my taste, this was an excellent film. Well crafted story, beautifully shot and filled with action that serves the plot not derailing it. Nolan wrote this years ago and you can tell he's put tremendous effort into the production, writing and directing. Hands down one of my favorite directors. So yes, I give this two thumbs up, five stars... its outstanding. Go see it in all its glory on the big screen.I really don't want to talk too much about the plot and spoil it for anyone that hasn't seen it yet. But it will require some thought which for most of you is a good thing. It has elements of the recent Batman films and the Matrix, but it clearly stands on its own. Its unlike any dream/subconscious film I've ever seen. I won't pretend to fully understand the movie and am looking forward to a second viewing where I can test some of my theories to see if they hold up. The only weakness of this film it that it moves so fast you don't have much time to connect to the characters, but I think that will be accomplished in later viewings.
Once again a big shout out to Hans Zimmer on a wonderful score. Still going in my mind this morning. He and Nolan are the Spielberg/Williams of the modern era. Hats off to these guys for making serious movie magic.
As for the LDS perspective, this movie had little profanity, zero sexual content and the action was fairly tame. For you scardie-cats out there, this movie is not going to freak you out. Even the boss was quite calm afterwards. So go ahead, eat your popcorn and feel no shame.
SPOILERS!!!
After watching the movie you'll want to think more about it. Here is an interesting article that should only be read after watching. Ciao. http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/07/17/%E2%80%98inception-ending/
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Becoming a Force of Nature
I stumbled across this excrpt from a book and loved it. Especially the part about creating my own mythology about my life. That will be a fun post down the road, but for now I've added my own comments:
"The Forbidden Book Of Getting What you Want; Making The World Your Banquet Starting with a Simmering Broth for Ambition"
There are people who live their lives as if they were a force of nature.
They seem to always get what they desire and be unaffected by the events around them. Around these people others make it a rule to follow them or get out of their way. These “forces of nature” can be violent and demanding or seductive and compelling, or both. They often personify an energy. This energy may be specific or undefined in nature.
An example is the fictional Darth Vader who personifies an energy of sheer will. (And unintentional comedy)
A living example of this type of persona is Playboy magazine founder, Hugh Hefner, who is the personification of the power of hedonistic fulfillment and Eros.
Napoleon Bonaparte, Salvador Dali , Gambino crime boss John Gotti and former president Bill Clinton are others to name a few.
Not all of these “forces of nature” seek fame. Many aspire only to live their lives as they wish.
Have you ever met someone who lives life as if they are force of nature? (Say yes, I'm reading his blog)
When you've taken the opportunity to speak with them, what you'll learn is that they can tell you exactly what they are going to accomplish. They will tell you this with a calm and unshakable sense of certainty. They may even seem as if they have already accomplished it or as if they have seen the future and have come back to tell you what will happen.
Because they have thought so thoroughly about what they want and how they want to live as they go after it, unforeseen events are rare and of little consequence.
The worst thing an unforeseen event might do is delay the inevitable attainment of their goal.
When the unforeseen occurs they have a plan on how they will respond. That is the depth of their self-understanding. (I am never suprised by myself)
Anyone who is within the presence of these rare people will feel both a soothing calmness and an unstoppable force emanating from their character. (FEEL MY EMANATIONS)
Upon first evaluation, one might conclude that these living monoliths of achievement are motivated by endless ambition but that would be inaccurate. Rather, they are moved by an unshakable sense of destiny.
While these people appear human in every way, they seem to move through the world more like a force of nature in and of themselves. Life is an adventure and their goals and accomplishments are landmarks and milestones of their journey. They view success and failure with an unwavering detachment.
Their intent is so firm that all they know is their goal will be accomplished. Time is of no consequence to them because, like a god looking down from Mount Olympus, eventually all will transpire as they have laid it out and neither the winds, the waters nor the wills of man can stop them.
They make their achievements seem easy and cause us to ask, “Why shouldn't I be able to do what they do?”
This is the life YOU could live, all you must do is choose it.
Your Outward Appearance - This section is not about dressing for success because even an idiot can do that. This is about your presentation as a person and how you move and interact with those around you.
The first advice is simple: Move as if you have a purpose. Moving as if you have a purpose means moving as if you are not just pulled though space but also through time. You are being pulled in the direction of your goals. (Don't get in my way or my destiny will overpower you)
This is important for two reasons. The first is you do have a purpose and even though you may never discuss it outwardly it is through your purposeful actions and movements that others will take note and either assist you or move out of your way. (You should see me BBQ)
The second reason is more subtle and internal. When you move as if you have a purpose you are intentionally affecting your physiology. Any actor trained in "method acting" will tell you that if you do enough outward expressions of an emotional state you will begin to feel that emotional state take hold of you. (This is why I can cry on demand to manipulate others)
Moving with a purpose will strengthen every aspect of your purpose.
During the early part of the last century a young reporter was instructed to visit Mohandas Ghandi at a hospice for the dying in India and ask to observe Ghandi as he went about his daily routine. What he observed seemed unappearant at first but quickly became obvious. Ghandi moved as if he was being pulled by some greater force. That force was his sense of purpose.
Create a Mythology - One way to strengthen your sense of purpose is to create a mythology that describes your life and then live to fulfill it.
Many people have created their personal mythology from thin air and have often been revealed as frauds. To avoid this remember that almost every good hero of mythical greatness begins with a humble origin. This holds true in the stories from the biblical Moses to the fictional Luke Skywalker. Start your mythology where you are at and build on it. By asking yourself 'What would the very best me do?' you can direct your course with acts that seem as though you are pulled in the direction of your greater purpose. (I used to dye my hair blonde as a kid to look like Luke Skywalker... and look at me now)
Your Internal State Of Mind -There is a constant force that is created when we have a goal and make a plan to go after it. The force is that not everything will go our way, the difference between what we plan and what actually occurs. This is often referred to as "Friction". This Friction is a constant component of life; we plan one thing grandiose and some unforeseen event stalls our progress.
Friction is not an enemy but a natural element which, like the weather, we can sometimes predict, but seldom control. Fighting the friction of life is as futile as fighting a hurricane so instead let it become your teacher as you become it's most dutiful student. (I love friction, which is why I enjoy hitting and hurting people in violent sports like basketball)
What it teaches is the endless value of flexibility and being able to adapt to changing situations. There will always be friction therefore there will always be lessons to learn.
Friction cannot be pleaded with or manipulated. Friction is as cold and uncaring as the winter sea but it can be a teacher as wise as Aristotle. (Just like when I drive to the hoop - get out of my way or pay the price)
To become a Force of Nature you must abandon whatever doubt you have whether or not we each deserve to have what we deeply want. What is proposed is that you should get what-you-want if you know in precise detail what you want, and if you know in precise detail the steps to getting it, and if you are absolutely willing to do each step, and if you are flexible enough to embrace and adapt to the friction of life.
(Poppycock - Friction adapts to me and I more than deserve everything I want. Its time to go get that green burrito today. - Ambition is knowing your offer and delivering it. I'm ready to put my fist through a wall now.)
"The Forbidden Book Of Getting What you Want; Making The World Your Banquet Starting with a Simmering Broth for Ambition"
There are people who live their lives as if they were a force of nature.
They seem to always get what they desire and be unaffected by the events around them. Around these people others make it a rule to follow them or get out of their way. These “forces of nature” can be violent and demanding or seductive and compelling, or both. They often personify an energy. This energy may be specific or undefined in nature.
An example is the fictional Darth Vader who personifies an energy of sheer will. (And unintentional comedy)
A living example of this type of persona is Playboy magazine founder, Hugh Hefner, who is the personification of the power of hedonistic fulfillment and Eros.
Napoleon Bonaparte, Salvador Dali , Gambino crime boss John Gotti and former president Bill Clinton are others to name a few.
Not all of these “forces of nature” seek fame. Many aspire only to live their lives as they wish.
Have you ever met someone who lives life as if they are force of nature? (Say yes, I'm reading his blog)
When you've taken the opportunity to speak with them, what you'll learn is that they can tell you exactly what they are going to accomplish. They will tell you this with a calm and unshakable sense of certainty. They may even seem as if they have already accomplished it or as if they have seen the future and have come back to tell you what will happen.
Because they have thought so thoroughly about what they want and how they want to live as they go after it, unforeseen events are rare and of little consequence.
The worst thing an unforeseen event might do is delay the inevitable attainment of their goal.
When the unforeseen occurs they have a plan on how they will respond. That is the depth of their self-understanding. (I am never suprised by myself)
Anyone who is within the presence of these rare people will feel both a soothing calmness and an unstoppable force emanating from their character. (FEEL MY EMANATIONS)
Upon first evaluation, one might conclude that these living monoliths of achievement are motivated by endless ambition but that would be inaccurate. Rather, they are moved by an unshakable sense of destiny.
While these people appear human in every way, they seem to move through the world more like a force of nature in and of themselves. Life is an adventure and their goals and accomplishments are landmarks and milestones of their journey. They view success and failure with an unwavering detachment.
Their intent is so firm that all they know is their goal will be accomplished. Time is of no consequence to them because, like a god looking down from Mount Olympus, eventually all will transpire as they have laid it out and neither the winds, the waters nor the wills of man can stop them.
They make their achievements seem easy and cause us to ask, “Why shouldn't I be able to do what they do?”
This is the life YOU could live, all you must do is choose it.
Your Outward Appearance - This section is not about dressing for success because even an idiot can do that. This is about your presentation as a person and how you move and interact with those around you.
The first advice is simple: Move as if you have a purpose. Moving as if you have a purpose means moving as if you are not just pulled though space but also through time. You are being pulled in the direction of your goals. (Don't get in my way or my destiny will overpower you)
This is important for two reasons. The first is you do have a purpose and even though you may never discuss it outwardly it is through your purposeful actions and movements that others will take note and either assist you or move out of your way. (You should see me BBQ)
The second reason is more subtle and internal. When you move as if you have a purpose you are intentionally affecting your physiology. Any actor trained in "method acting" will tell you that if you do enough outward expressions of an emotional state you will begin to feel that emotional state take hold of you. (This is why I can cry on demand to manipulate others)
Moving with a purpose will strengthen every aspect of your purpose.
During the early part of the last century a young reporter was instructed to visit Mohandas Ghandi at a hospice for the dying in India and ask to observe Ghandi as he went about his daily routine. What he observed seemed unappearant at first but quickly became obvious. Ghandi moved as if he was being pulled by some greater force. That force was his sense of purpose.
Create a Mythology - One way to strengthen your sense of purpose is to create a mythology that describes your life and then live to fulfill it.
Many people have created their personal mythology from thin air and have often been revealed as frauds. To avoid this remember that almost every good hero of mythical greatness begins with a humble origin. This holds true in the stories from the biblical Moses to the fictional Luke Skywalker. Start your mythology where you are at and build on it. By asking yourself 'What would the very best me do?' you can direct your course with acts that seem as though you are pulled in the direction of your greater purpose. (I used to dye my hair blonde as a kid to look like Luke Skywalker... and look at me now)
Your Internal State Of Mind -There is a constant force that is created when we have a goal and make a plan to go after it. The force is that not everything will go our way, the difference between what we plan and what actually occurs. This is often referred to as "Friction". This Friction is a constant component of life; we plan one thing grandiose and some unforeseen event stalls our progress.
Friction is not an enemy but a natural element which, like the weather, we can sometimes predict, but seldom control. Fighting the friction of life is as futile as fighting a hurricane so instead let it become your teacher as you become it's most dutiful student. (I love friction, which is why I enjoy hitting and hurting people in violent sports like basketball)
What it teaches is the endless value of flexibility and being able to adapt to changing situations. There will always be friction therefore there will always be lessons to learn.
Friction cannot be pleaded with or manipulated. Friction is as cold and uncaring as the winter sea but it can be a teacher as wise as Aristotle. (Just like when I drive to the hoop - get out of my way or pay the price)
To become a Force of Nature you must abandon whatever doubt you have whether or not we each deserve to have what we deeply want. What is proposed is that you should get what-you-want if you know in precise detail what you want, and if you know in precise detail the steps to getting it, and if you are absolutely willing to do each step, and if you are flexible enough to embrace and adapt to the friction of life.
(Poppycock - Friction adapts to me and I more than deserve everything I want. Its time to go get that green burrito today. - Ambition is knowing your offer and delivering it. I'm ready to put my fist through a wall now.)
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Who's the GM?
I'll admit it. I tuned in to ESPN last Thursday to watch "THE DECISION" and found it to be a grossly over-hyped event for a guy who hasn't won a single championship. But I still watched some of it and so did millions. Why?
Nike told us to with their mind control shoes. They've decided LeBron will help them sell so they've crammed him down our throats as "King James" the most important person on the planet whom "We are all witnesses." OF WHAT??? Marketing Hype? Its like People Magazine would have us believe that Lindsay Lohan / Paris Hilton are the center of the Universe because they help them sell magazines. LeBron - you are famous for being the most hyped player ever until you win championships.
Which brings me to the problem of the "Miami-Thrice" deal South Beach. Even if these guys win 6 in a row, it will not carry the same honor as winning with your own team and beating the other great players in the game. Damned if you do, damned if you don't... But many of the all time greats had other super-stars on their teams or were on stacked franchises (Boston, LA, Chicago)so why not LeBron? But this one was done by the players, not management.
This deal is a look at the future of the NBA, which is a player's league. So why not have them act as their own GMs? It will be like a high-school pick-up game where all of the good players want to be on the same team and win by 70 (yes I'm still bitter about it). Winning a championship in the future may be determined by how well certain players "Bro-down" with others, so they get invited to be part of the ultra teams that win championships. So what if they make $10 million less over 5 years? That's soon to be the cost of winning a championship.
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