Weblog 93

November 18, 2007 10:15am
November is the month that reminds us most of our mortality. Straight on the heels of All Souls Night- then All Hallows Eve- the Feast of All Saints and Veterans Day, with its dying trees going out gloriously flaming, but dying nonetheless-- it makes me ponder final resting places more than in other months. And this gentle maiden is my favorite graveside marker of all time-



I don't know her actual name. but I call her the 'Everlasting'. She has a calm, and a soother's expression that shows secret wisdom, and even a hint of hidden humor in that expression. I've been prowling lots of 'final resting places' on the net, and came across this chatty 'Lazarus'-- sitting up and talking to whomever might stop and turn to listen. (He might be Jesus, there's stigmata in his palm) but he looks like the horn of Judgment Day just woke him up! He can be found on burial grounds that were opened in 1719, and very near where the Union fought the Army of the Rebellion at Bull Run-



Here he is from behind, chatting away....



He's creepy, but what a sight! All alone there on that hill, gesticulating and gabbing to all his slumbering buddies.

For grave inscriptions, I found what may be one of the loveliest from the same grounds- words that give me great comfort. Such wonderful images- such mysticism and bedrock belief...



I thank the person who posted these, for they've given me pause, and given me peace. I'd include a link, but the site has © all over the place and all sorts of written permissions, etc. Why in the world- unless it's the written word- would people do that on the internet? I'm not submitting these for a photography competition and I'm not saying I took them myself- I'm simply sharing what are thought-provoking, meditative images that fired my soul and imagination, and loosened my tongue to ramble on a bit about our shared ends- and with what beautiful respect our bones are housed finally...on quiet hillsides with provocative statuary, and deep in European woods where stands Death and the Maiden...waiting calmly to greet us.




November 19, 2007 6:15pm



DYLAN SCHMYLAN!

I just listened to the most nauseating, sycophantic arse being interviewed by Terry Gross today on NPR, and the subject was the arsemeister's hero, and the subject of his latest film- Bob Dylan, and all I can say is: they richly deserve one another.

Being a child of the 60's, Bob Dylan has a place in my heart for his righteous protest songs which echoed the anti-war zeitgeist and helped to shape an era....I loved that nasally, 'spit in your eye' rubberband twang that was rooted in (stolen from?) Woody Guthrie.

And I watched Martin Scorsese's brilliant documentary a few years back, 'No Direction Home'- and loved every minute of it- but I have to say that until this afternoon while hearing the young jackanapes director talk so glowingly about his film, I didn't see just what a replicant horsethief that skinny-assed singer was until it was pointed out in bright, dayglo colors- even to the point of having DIFFERENT ACTORS, DIFFERENT SEXES, DIFFERENT (by God) RACES play him along his many decades of sleight of hand and shape-shifting.

Bring along some new phase of musical taste, one with promising notoriety and success, and Dylan would shift into it. He'd copy the styles- and even give old Christianity a spin, if that's what was 'IN'.

I saw Bob Dylan perform at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena back at the height of his Jesus-Freakiness. His popularity had taken a slide into the toilet during that particular incarnation, so it was easy to get last minute tickets. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.

I was appalled by the way that diva treated the audience: a more bored, half-alive person standing up on two legs in front of a group of paying customers, I'd could not have imagined in my life!-- the guy was an insulting sham of an entertainer.

This young director I heard today certainly chose well- a vehicle fashioned to catch Dylan's particular, goofy interests in order to get the guy to sign off on it- that's my belief- and thus the different actors- ("oooooo! How daringly different!") No, how dumb.

It's just more hype -in a life of hype and bald-faced mimicry of whatever is selling this year- and honest to Pete, if I heard one more use of the word 'notion' I would have screamed out loud today- listening to that giggling schoolgirl talk about how he 'found Dylan again' when he was in his 30's....when he 'needed to'-- and he understood how Dylan was always metamorphosing, always changing, and he saw that as so dynamic. (Yah. So's a shell game.)

You want an honest assessment of Dylan, talk to Joan Baez. LOL!! 'Diamonds and RUST' my friends, and whatever rabbits he can pull from other people's hats. Since when is copying others style an art form?

The best thing about the new film is the title: "I'm Not There"....so very, very true. (But who's shoes was he standing in at the time?) Dylan's a typical aging public figure just getting more mileage out of his old smoke and mirrors, and yes- taking it to the bank- and loving, loving every minute he gets credit for the things someone else had actually started- and long before he saw just how well it could turn a buck.

*Footnote here: The next time you listen to NPR and in particular the interviews on Fresh Air, pay attention to how many times the word 'notion' is used. LOL!! I do believe that 'notion' may be the au currant word to designate (take your pick)- intelligence, hipness, foppery, assholishness.... but most of all......................................PRETENSION.






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