Photo Blog Update

Go look at my photo blog for some pictures I've been taking this summer. I've fallen pretty behind, but next week I'll be shooting up a storm at the Lions Club Deaf Camp at Camp Crescendo, where I'll be a counselor. ASL and photography everyday for a whole week. How's that for integrating values?

Mia Michaels is Anti-Life

Mia Michaels is a contemporary choreographer on So You Think You Can Dance. She is probably the best known choreographer on the show, and for good reason: she's brilliant. She has an incredible ability to match dance movements to music and to push dancers to their limit. She even won an Emmy for a dance she choreographed on the third season. I love her work, but I hate her sense of life.

Though brilliant, Mia's dances often feature dysfunctional relationships and negative outlooks on life. They are very painful. Ayn Rand defined art as "a selective re-creation of reality according to an artist’s metaphysical value-judgments." What an artist creates is an edited version of how he or she perceives the world. Judging Mia's art, her perception of the world is that it is unwelcoming, painful, and unable to sustain happiness.

And Mia hates Brandon. Mia says that she can't take what he brings to the floor; it annoys her. I think what annoys her is his confidence. Brandon has a commitment behind his moves that many dancers don't possess. Every step, jump, and roll he does has a purpose and is followed through. He is confident in his ability and it shows when he dances. Once again, Mia accuses somebody of a fake smile. The concept of a confident, happy person is so out of her world view that she perceives it as attitude and deceit.

I am glad that the other judges stood up for Brandon, especially Nigel. He shut Mia down (in an incredibly polite way) when she kept trying to inject her opinion, he told Brandon not to be brought down by her comments, and he pledged to stand up for Brandon as long as he continued to achieve excellence. Nigel is my absolute favorite judge on the show. He has a tremendous respect for talent and gives precise constructive criticism to dancers, telling them exactly what was wrong and how to improve. Quite the opposite of Mia, he recognizes the beauty in life and values the good. Without him, the show would not be as good as it is now.

I continue to enjoy Mia's brilliant choreography, but I have no respect for her as a person.

Lessons From Disney: Meet the Robinsons

Meet the Robinsons has got to be one of my all time favorite Disney movies. It centers around Louis, a young orphan and budding (but brilliant) inventor. He travels to the future where life has been improved by the leaps in technology. Throughout the movie he is chased by a two bit villian and his evil "helping hat". I love the movie because it captures good ideas and displays them in a way that is funny, inspiring, and accessible to all ages. I'd show videos, but there are so many good scenes that you just have to watch it yourself. I give you the trailer instead:



However, when you do watch (and you should!), look for these great themes in the movie.

• The Power of Man's Mind: Louis's trip into the future reveals that technology has leaped forward to travel by bubble, insta-buildings, and time machines. The city in the movie is not shown as a dark and dirty place (like so many industry haters paint it), but a bright and thriving place where people are happy. However, that depressing image does appear later in the movie when the villain succeeds (momentarily) in taking control of humanity and the future is changed. In this alternate totalitarian future, people are not thinking individuals, they are merely tools of the regime. Innovation has halted and the city is crumbling. Pixar did a great job of contrasting the two images to show what life would be without the man's mind.

• It's OK to be a Geek: Louis is a science geek. He gets completely involved in his work and is often oblivious of the weird looks he gets. And I love that. It reminds me of Howard Roark, who thought nothing of the opinions of others. All of his thoughts rested in his values, mainly his work. Despite the exasperated sighs of those around Louis, he continues to work. Eventually it pays off and his achievements receive the recognition they deserve.
  

• Keep Moving Forward: It's the motto of Robinson Industries and the movie. Everyone in the Robinson family lives by the motto. They work through their failures and move onto better things (like the meatball cannon!). The motto is very life affirming in that it encourages people to pursue values and further their life. Living by that mantra led to the life enhancing inventions of the future.

• Second-Handers Never Win: The villain duo (Bowler Hat Guy and his robotic hat named Doris) try their best to bring down the Louis and the Robinsons. Jealous of their success and talent, the villains attempt to claim Louis's invention of their own and bring down Robinson Industries. The second-hander role is mostly portrayed through the lesser intellect of the team, known as "the Bowler Hat Guy". Unable to let go of his past and take control of his life, he blames Louis for his misfortune. However by denying Louis the right to his invention, and thus his mind, the world becomes a dark place where force rules. Bowler Hat Guy eventually realizes the state of his life was his own doing.
  

I love love love love love this movie. Please watch it.

Quotes from my Dad

Anyone who knows my dad knows he's loquacious. Many times have I gone to him for a one sentence answer and emerged two hours from one of his lectures. Growing up with such a talker, especially one who's supposed to guide you, I've accumulated some definitive Dad quotes over the years. Some are insightful, some are funny, some are just weird, but they're all him. Happy Father's Day.


Me (age 12): Dad, what are Democrats and Republicans and what's the difference?
Dad: Well, there is no difference really... (launch into a half hour speech about the hypocrisy of current political parties, and a history of them dating all the way back to 1776.)


Theist: Why don't you believe in God?
Dad: I have no reason to.


Dad: Leather chaps make a believer out of anybody.


Dad (born in Panama): Thighland (instead of Thailand). Cha-evy (instead of Chevy). Boofay. (instead of buffet).


Dad: You cannot validate me. You can only confirm what I already know.


Dad: Boredom is a choice.


Dad (meeting my friend for the first time): Wow, you're really short.
Me: Dad!
Dad: Well, she is.
Me: True, but she didn't greet you saying "Wow, you're really black."


Dad: When you argue, you have to be a sniper.


Dad: Life is for the living.


Dad: Selfishness is the rejection of sacrifice. It means you don't sacrifice yourself to others and others don't sacrifice themselves to you. All proper relationships are win-win. If you ain't winning by it, goddammit it ain't selfish.


Dad (via the most loving text ever): I love you. And I am proud of you. You are getting it: MAKE your own life. There is NOTHING more important in this world, in this universe, than YOU.



Note the John Galt's Oath t-shirt (my gift from Christmas!).