what does music make you think about when you hear it? does it evoke images? memories? this little piece of music is very deep and hollow (in a good, spacious sort of way); it takes me to a far away place where i’m allowed to ponder and dream. this is the first in a series that i’d like to share concerning music and the thoughts that come to mind. stay tuned!

here is the trailer for a fairly obscure 1981 cinematic gem; John Boorman’s Excalibur. at the onset, it appears to be exactly like any other medieval period epic; lots of swordplay, blood, british accents, shiny armor, horses, long hair, and forests. collect a few of those elements and a mediocre budget, and you too can create your own period flick. but the interesting thing about this film is that it actually uses the myth of Excalibur to weave a tale rich in human emotion; desire, lust, greed, love, justice, and redemption. it utilizes the basic foundation of King Arthur and the round table knights, but successfully attempts to expose the many layers of humanity. the story follows Arthur from birth (as he was destined to be king), and chronicles his rise to ruler of the powerful realm of Camelot. along the way he meets his future wife, Guinevere, his right hand man, Lancelot, his mentor Merlin, and a slew of other characters that influence and impact his life and rule. and along the way (just like in real life) he is tested time and again; and that is where the beauty in Excalibur truly shines. the film has its fair share of battle, but it doesn’t stop there; it vividly depicts a relevant compassion that similar films of the same time period lack (think Conan), while exposing human frailty as it relates to the acquisition of power. he is not just the king of Camelot; he IS Camelot. and Camelot represents an honor and dignity that is, as you will see when you rent this movie, worth fighting for. now go get your popcorn and go get this film.

i think that we live in a very sterile world. we live in a world where “easy” is the driving force. everything has to be quick, painless, and effortless. we live in a world where email, text messaging, phone calls, social networking (facebook/myspace), and instant messaging have taken the place of old fashioned, face to face interaction. we throw the word “busy” around like grass seed; that excuse can be applied to everything. we’re too busy to make a phone call or cook dinner, but we’re not too busy to watch that episode of our favorite tv show. we’re too busy to do household chores, but we’re never too busy to play an hour or two of our favorite video game. “easy” has altered the importance of our priorities. “easy” has taken the hard out of life; it’s the “hard” that allows us to obviously put forth the effort that brings the best out of us. sure, you could say that we as a society are so spread out now that the new fangled way of communicating is necessary; but in reality, it’s necessary because it’s the most effortless method out there. it’s necessary because it’s the easiest. is easiest always best? absolutely not.

when you close your eyes, what do you see? what do you hear? what smells float under your nose? i have my wishes and my dreams. when i close my eyes, i smell vibrant smells, see vivid images, and hear vivacious laughter. when i close my eyes, i see people…i see places. i hear music…i hear silence. i see bright sunshine…i see downpours. it is essentially another world that i can escape to. a refuge from my daily self. a place that i can go to relax on a beach, or to explore an undiscovered jungle. i can scale massive peaks there, or i can lie on my back in a grassy valley, just staring happily into the blue sky. i wish and dream all of the time.

in the film, lack of employment is a major factor and the driving force behind the motives and actions of the main character.  he is a widowed former warrior who is forced to make umbrellas as a means of supporting his daughter, son in law, and grandson.  he is essentially destitute as a result of repeated attempts to make ends meet; the skills that he obtained through years of training are of no use.   in today’s world, i see a few loose similarities between having a degree and having warrior skills during peacetime; unemployment is so strikingly severe and widespread these days, that a degree is no guarantee of a job.  it didn’t matter how adept a samurai was back then, and it generally doesn’t matter how educated a job seeker is now.  in the enclosed film trailer, the main character states, “this thing we call samurai honor is ultimately nothing but a facade”; is the tradition of collecting a university certificate indicating that one has completed a series of courses also a thin facade?  just a thought.

i look outside today into the grayness of mid april, and i’m being reminded of my favorite movie of all time, Harakiri. Harakiri is 1962 japanese cinematic brilliance; the story of an old ronin (masterless samurai) who falls on hard times. samurai were the masters of their craft, skilled in fighting techniques as well as the arts; during times of peace though, the fighting skills that earned them a living were useless. they were laid off, unemployed, cast out into a world with a talent that wasn’t needed. for some reason, the bleakness of today is reminiscent of the hard times that the main character was confronted with. we are confronted with some hard times of late, and the skills that we may have earned and acquired over the years could potentially be outdated, useless, or unneeded. it’s important in times such as these to keep a clear, positive head, and to be thankful for what we have and are able to do.

no rock rolls perfectly straight-
no path is without nicks
and holes-
no boundary is without
darkened zones-
every rock sets down
that path with good
intent-
but ends up where the road
wants it to*