To Each Their Own.

This commercial makes me laugh. I can't decide if my favorite part is when he's telling the fox to get in the back seat or when she feeds the baby birds in his beard. Hoorah for dancing to your own beat.

It makes me think of one of my favorite films, Stranger than Fiction. Seen it? You should. Will Ferrell plays an IRS agent and Maggie Gyllenhaal owns a bakery.

ps. I feel like every time the sun comes up, I have another chance to learn something new and interesting about myself and today I learned this: I suck at Dance Dance Revolution.  

Into Great Silence

I recently watched a film called Into Great Silence. It was a documentary about the monks of the Carthusian Order. The film was almost three hours long with almost no dialogue. It took pretty much every ounce of willpower I had to watch all of it but when I was done, I was glad that I had. I was amazed at the devotion and discipline that these men have. They seem calm, collected, consistent, and at ease with their lives. In a world that fills itself with the jumbled noise of consumerism while harboring an obsession with efficiency, how many of us can say that? The film made me want to listen more and speak less and take my own ideas on faith and make them more personal and meaningful. I would recommend watching it if you find yourself unsure of what to do with three hours of spare time. I'll get off my soapbox now. Please forgive me.

"In a certain sense, all of us are running. We are running after money, status, pleasure. We run with gossip, rumors, foul talk, with lies, fiction, and trivialities. We run now to the east and now to the west, panting on our activistic errands. But we are not running on the racetrack."
- Kierkegaard

"Different, Not Less."

A class that I'm taking requires me to spend at least 20 hours volunteering with a social worker. I chose to help out at a facility that works with adults that struggle with mental illness. I find these people incredibly fascinating. Some would talk all day if they could and some are very private but I've been amazed at how supportive they are of each other. The program encourages socialization and gives them somewhere to be, which is something everyone needs. The social workers there are all more than happy to answer all of my many questions. It's been great.

The first day I was there I sat in on a group therapy session and they all took a turn introducing themselves to me. One little elderly man spoke up and said:

"Do you spell your name with an E?"
"Yes, I do."
"That's good because boys spell it the other way and you're not a boy."
"No, I'm not a boy."

The next time I went I sat in on a Schizophrenia group therapy session. The social worker took a few minutes to let each of them do what they called "checking in" and share how their week was. I noticed that most of them measured their week in terms of "loud" or "quiet." It was interesting. A few said their week had been bad because everything was loud and confusing with a lot of delusions. Others said it was a good week because it had been very quiet. We then played a round of charades, which turned out to be a terrible idea. Afterwards, I listened as they talked about anger, which has been their theme for the week.

Today everyone met together and we watched this movie:



which I loved and most of the clients ended up being really fascinated by. Most of the adults there do not have autism, but I think they liked seeing someone as unconventional as themselves and what she was able to accomplish. They asked a lot of questions about it afterwards and the social workers started a group discussion about autism and what we know about it. There was a lady that kept saying "different, not less" over and over again to anyone that would listen. It was a good day.

"Some people might think if I could snap my fingers I'd choose to be "normal." But, I wouldn't want to give up my ability to see in beautiful, precise pictures. I believe in them."
- Temple Grandin, This I Believe

"...beholding beauty with the eye of the mind"

Today was a beautiful day. It was chilly walking to school this morning, but it was the refreshing kind of overcast chilly that feels wonderful. When I came out of class it was sunny, but I realized it had rained a few minutes before because I could smell it in the air. It was perfect.

I usually try to avoid sounding like a Hallmark card and I'm sorry if the sentiment is too much, but today was one of those days that make all of the really hard, tedious days worth it. I don't know why exactly. My day consisted of class, work, gym, and a really delicious granola bar. Nothing different than usual. But that was kind of the beauty of it. It didn't require extravagance, which I usually think is the best (and most cost efficient) kind of beautiful.


ps. I rid myself of my facebook for a while. The last time I tried to do this, there were a few people that took it as a social rejection. I promise it's nothing personal.

pps. I watched this movie the other day. I love it, probably because it has Alan Arkin in it. Consider it one of my recommendations. You will probably want an edited version.

Sophie Scholl: The Final Days

I watched this movie tonight and thought it was really excellent. I like movies that make me feel something. That's what art is supposed to do. I like it when a film ends and I know that I am a little bit of a better person for watching it. This film did both. I would highly recommend it.

"Life is always on the edge of death; narrow streets lead to the same place as wide avenues, and a little candle burns itself out just like a flaming torch does. I choose my own way to burn."
— Sophie Scholl