So my week #3 sucked ass. I started well as I normally run on Monday and Tuesday, followed by a day off on Wednesday and then ran again on Thursday. My son had a Halloween party for school which left me little time to run on Friday. I then went out Friday night with some friends and had way too much to drink leaving me very hungover on Saturday. Nix that. Sunday I spent time with my family so no running then either. I have to get back in to the saddle tommorrow during nap time so that I can keep pace for my first month of consistent running. It could have been worse...
Monday-- Ran for 35 minutes
Tuesday--Ran for 35 minutes
Wednesday- Day off.
Thursday-- ran for 35 minutes
Frday--did not run
Saturday--hung over from Friday night--did not run
Sunday--did not run.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Beauty and the Beast
Children's fairy tales have been around since the beginning of recorded history. They are used for a variety of reasons, most of which help explain to children common life situations that arise from day to day. Some are fair, some scary, some violent, and some are far fetched, but they have been use in a variety of cultures and beliefs. They're often changed to fit into the everyday life of the group using it. Fairy tales may not always be correct, or nice, or clean, but they communicate an life lessons to all who are listening. Unfortunately there are important morals that do get swept under the rug of entertainment. These classic tales, like politicians, speak to the human heart, rather than the mind. When we look at the metamorphosis of a fairy tale as it has been passed from generation to generation, we see a story that is meant to create a path of least resistance. Much like the man behind the curtain in the "Wizard of Oz", the storyteller is motivated to get their way. Parents keep children out of the woods. Daughters are frightened by disease and lack of virtue so as to stay pure. Little boys tell the truth unless they want to be taken by mean old men. With the invention of movies, that motivation has changed into a monetary one and the storyteller is no longer the parent, but the studio. They enchant the fantasies of a child with one hand and reach into the pocket book of their parents with the other. This is not surprising, but more than a little disconcerting due to the lack of virtuous content available in some of the most popular fairy tale stories being shown on big screens the world over, whether they be in theaters or homes.
Disney's version of "Beauty and the Beast", in my opinion, is the prime example of an age old story of true love without the morale. The creators go beyond the stereotypical fantasy of princes and maidens and offer up some basic archetypes without the soul. The characters are lacking in depth that is a necessary attribute in children's role models . This is a small example of the how shoddy the overall production is despite the cutting edge visuals in computer animation.
Each time I see the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, (which is way too many times as I have 3 kids all under the age of 5), I pick out new inadequacies that complete the aura of a Faberge egg, that is lacking in substance. I can only assume that Disney went overboard on the budget for animation and were forced to cut back on the creative writing team.
The obvious and most blogged about aspect of Beauty and the Beast which has little to no explanation in the movie on its own is the timeline.
The prince lives in a castle with only servants to take care of him as well as the daily business. He shuns an old woman asking for shelter who then places a curse which transforms him into a beast. In order to break the spell he must find true love by the time he turns 21, or so we think. First off, does the curse become permanent on his 21st birthday or will the rose stop blooming on his 21st birthday? If it's the later, will the curse be permanent once all of the petals fall from the flower?
The narrator states that the Beast has had the curse for 10 years which means that he was living in a castle alone when he was 11. What kind of negligent blue-bloods have their son live in a separate castle with only servants and tutors? The main castle isn't big enough to share with an 11 year old boy? What's with this old lady sorceress? She comes across an 11 year old boy who doesn't want to let her in? I teach my kids never to go with strangers, take anything from them, or let them in the house. This young prince was probably only doing what his servants/tutors had taught him (because we know the parents or off gallivanting in another castle). What crazy twisted old bitch turns an adolescent, immature, boy into a beast, unless this is Disney's fucked up version of teen aged acne, in which case they need to get off the Thomas Hobbes philosophical bandwagon and get in touch with their inner child.
End rant...
If he had been a beast passed his 21st birthday and the flower has been wilting for 5-7 years then that makes more sense, which again, goes back to the terrible story telling that Disney has provided.
The next and most obvious turn off of Disney's Beauty and the Beast is the the character Belle. She is framed as the intelligent, educated, beautiful, misunderstood, classic feminist who's ahead of her time and wants to achieve more in the world than what society will allow her.
The opening song for Belle gives the audience a look into not only her daily comings and goings, but more importantly a sneak peek into her inner thoughts as well as those provincial little people she passes by. All of the towns people look at her as an enigma that they cannot figure out, which most likely is because they are active and performing tasks that need to be done, like shopping, working, cleaning, feeding, farming, just those "little people" things that are unimportant in real life. Belle has the luxury of reading all day and dreaming of exciting adventures in exotic locations which always end up with her and a rich young prince. What kind of a role model is this for young girls to look up to?
Disney's version of "Beauty and the Beast", in my opinion, is the prime example of an age old story of true love without the morale. The creators go beyond the stereotypical fantasy of princes and maidens and offer up some basic archetypes without the soul. The characters are lacking in depth that is a necessary attribute in children's role models . This is a small example of the how shoddy the overall production is despite the cutting edge visuals in computer animation.
Each time I see the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, (which is way too many times as I have 3 kids all under the age of 5), I pick out new inadequacies that complete the aura of a Faberge egg, that is lacking in substance. I can only assume that Disney went overboard on the budget for animation and were forced to cut back on the creative writing team. The obvious and most blogged about aspect of Beauty and the Beast which has little to no explanation in the movie on its own is the timeline.
The prince lives in a castle with only servants to take care of him as well as the daily business. He shuns an old woman asking for shelter who then places a curse which transforms him into a beast. In order to break the spell he must find true love by the time he turns 21, or so we think. First off, does the curse become permanent on his 21st birthday or will the rose stop blooming on his 21st birthday? If it's the later, will the curse be permanent once all of the petals fall from the flower?
The narrator states that the Beast has had the curse for 10 years which means that he was living in a castle alone when he was 11. What kind of negligent blue-bloods have their son live in a separate castle with only servants and tutors? The main castle isn't big enough to share with an 11 year old boy? What's with this old lady sorceress? She comes across an 11 year old boy who doesn't want to let her in? I teach my kids never to go with strangers, take anything from them, or let them in the house. This young prince was probably only doing what his servants/tutors had taught him (because we know the parents or off gallivanting in another castle). What crazy twisted old bitch turns an adolescent, immature, boy into a beast, unless this is Disney's fucked up version of teen aged acne, in which case they need to get off the Thomas Hobbes philosophical bandwagon and get in touch with their inner child.
End rant...
If he had been a beast passed his 21st birthday and the flower has been wilting for 5-7 years then that makes more sense, which again, goes back to the terrible story telling that Disney has provided.
The next and most obvious turn off of Disney's Beauty and the Beast is the the character Belle. She is framed as the intelligent, educated, beautiful, misunderstood, classic feminist who's ahead of her time and wants to achieve more in the world than what society will allow her.
The opening song for Belle gives the audience a look into not only her daily comings and goings, but more importantly a sneak peek into her inner thoughts as well as those provincial little people she passes by. All of the towns people look at her as an enigma that they cannot figure out, which most likely is because they are active and performing tasks that need to be done, like shopping, working, cleaning, feeding, farming, just those "little people" things that are unimportant in real life. Belle has the luxury of reading all day and dreaming of exciting adventures in exotic locations which always end up with her and a rich young prince. What kind of a role model is this for young girls to look up to?
She reminds me a little of the character Tom Wingfield in the Tennessee Williams' play, The Glass Menagerie, who, like Belle, is tired of the banality of everyday life. He mindlessly works at a warehouse and dreams of adventure in the dark of a movie theater. A big difference in the two characters, other than the obvious, is that Tom ends up leaving his home in search of that other life. I don't mean to imply that the character of Tom Wingfield is a role model or something that people should aspire, but he did finally leave home. The main argument in his actions would be whether he did it to escape or that he found the courage of his convictions. Belle falls upon the adventure that she has been dreaming about due to unforeseeable circumstances when her father gets lost and is imprisoned by Belle's future love. (Foreshadowing alert!)
The other main character of the story is obviously "The Beast", an angry, uncontrollable, immature, brute who feels sorry for himself and is looking to undue his curse by picking the lock rather than finding the key. He is so insecure of himself that he goes so far as to imprison an old man for life without questioning him why he may be in the castle. A side note to this scene are the actions that the supporting characters don't even offer up any argument or fight to the judgement handed down by their master, even though they enticed him to stay and are partially to blame for being in the castle. The Beast has apparently learned nothing since being cursed and his self-exile is a way for him to cut off his nose to spite his face. How does he or his servants expect to undue the spell if they never venture off the castle grounds? Furthermore, how can The Beast be expected to fall in love with someone in a healthy manner even if they were to stumble upon him and his motley crew? He has no relationship that is reciprocal in nature. He is self loathing and can't even stand his own sight, let alone having someone else look at him without "losing his temper".
Most love stories contain 2 characters who, like Beatrice and Benedict, are at odds with each other , have little in common, and almost no chance of falling in love. Belle and the Beast get to know each other and realize that they have more in common than first expected. The climactic morale of the story is that love can be found in the most unusual of places. It's a very nice sentiment drowned in a sea of terrible writing. Belle and the Beast grow fond of each other and supposedly begin to fall in love. The first glaring problem is that Belle never asks nor learns of the Beast's real name. She simply refers to him as "Beast". Does she really lack enough interest to find out his name? Is this how the flame of early love is kindled?
This is a horrible example of how 2 people who are falling love should treat each other.
Later on the Beast wishes to show Belle how much he values her friendship. Instead of telling her about his past, or communicating his new found feelings, he gives her a library of books that haven't been read in more than 10 years. This illustrates how far the Beast is from making any change in his character. Instead of being locked down in solitary confinement as her Father was, she is moved to the more comfortable confines of minimum security, fully equipped with staff and a wonderful book collection to keep her company. She's still being kept prisoner for life by a self absorbed werewolf who wants nothing more than to break a curse by hitting the sheets with this pretty little inmate. It all sounds like a scene out of Pulp Fiction. All we're missing is the Gimp who was transformed into a Mummy. At least she doesn't have to be bothered by those little people from the village that she loathed so much a few days earlier.
The last major defect in the story is that of the timeline, which is rather obvious from the get go. Belle's father leaves to travel to the fair to show his invention. Belle doesn't realize that her father is lost until the horse he was riding on comes back home. This was probably over the course of a day or two. Belle goes out to look for Maurice and falls upon the castle where he is being held. There's no snow on the ground in the village where she lives or at Beast's castle, but when her father is released and heads back to town, there appears to be a bad snowstorm. That night, I can only assume, Belle refuses to dine with the Beast and then tries to escape the castle after he yells at her. They both end up back at the castle after a fight with some wolves. He then spends a nice winter day with her outside. That night the two of them get dressed up for dinner and dancing. Now we are on the 2nd night that she is in the castle and we have already gone from late fall, to winter. She sees in the magic mirror that her father is sick in the woods and there is no longer any snow. The Beast lets her go to help her father. Belle takes her father home which we can only assume takes a day and there is snow on the ground again. Later that night, Gaston and the head of the crazy asylum come to take her father away and the snow is gone once again. How long were Belle and the Beast together in the castle?
Either they only spent 2-3 nights getting to know each other or Disney did a terrible job of telling giving us the timeline of the story. They couldn't have fallen in love given the time frame compounded with the incredible amount of psychological baggage they're carrying. Either way, it's rather surprising how big of a shit sandwich Disney is willing to sell to children.
These are just a few of the many examples of how poorly constructed Disney's version of "Beauty and the Beast" is, not to mention how inappropriate some of the subject matter can be. Disney's French stereotyped characters use difficult situations as leverage to get money and sex. When that plan fails they resort to sexual assault as can be seen by Lefou who fondles Babette the feather duster during the attack on the castle near the end of the movie. Disney studios has made a fortune, to say the least, on the marketing of this movie over the past 22 years since its release and in that time, I have never heard anyone bring up most of which I have written above. Just because something is a spectacle to see doesn't make it a good product. It's important for parents to take a closer look at the content of their children's viewing habits which continues to become more and more desensitised. I am in no way suggesting that children should be sheltered from the realities of life, but I think it would be better to have it explained in a proper manner. I also think that a story like "Beauty and the Beast" shouldn't start with a marketing plan and leave the story to be sorted out later. We all know that the Devil lies in the details.
week #2 running log
The 2nd week of running wasn't as easygoing as the first, surprisingly enough. My muscles were a bit more sore from the first week and my right knee began to hurt a little bit on Wednesday so I took an extra rest day. My body is feeling a bit better after 2 weeks of getting the cobwebs out of the system, but I still have a long ways to go before I am up to the challenge of running 6 miles, or even a 5K, let alone being in Marathon form.
Monday-ran for 40 minutes
Tuesday ran for 35 minutes
Wed-off
Thursday--Took day off because knee hurt.
Friday--ran for 30 minutes.
Saturday--ran for 30 minutes.
Monday-ran for 40 minutes
Tuesday ran for 35 minutes
Wed-off
Thursday--Took day off because knee hurt.
Friday--ran for 30 minutes.
Saturday--ran for 30 minutes.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Week #1 running log
I finished my first official week of running. I am starting out with a specific amount of time that I plan on running so that I can go at whatever pace seems best for me. I don't want to make a goal for how far to run so that I don't over do it. I have been feeling better with each time out and finished the week with a 3 mile run with a friend of mine who is rather active in sports. I will keep an update each week as well as a log of my progress.
Sunday 10/9--Ran for 40 minutes for the first time in many many many years. First day towards Marathon 2012.
Tuesday 10/11--Ran for 40 minutes.
Wednesday 10/12-Ran for 45 minutes
Thursday 10/13-Ran for 40 minutes--possibly 3.5-4 miles.
Friday -Off
Saturday--Ran 3 miles around 30 minutes.
Sunday--Off
Sunday 10/9--Ran for 40 minutes for the first time in many many many years. First day towards Marathon 2012.
Tuesday 10/11--Ran for 40 minutes.
Wednesday 10/12-Ran for 45 minutes
Thursday 10/13-Ran for 40 minutes--possibly 3.5-4 miles.
Friday -Off
Saturday--Ran 3 miles around 30 minutes.
Sunday--Off
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
So, how is the poker game going?
I haven't given an update on much of my poker playing for a good reason...
My poker challenge of zero to hero was going well up until the month of September when I focused primarily on NLHE. The easiest way to describe it would be...
...which was followed by an uptick to breakeven over the course of another 3,000 hands followed by..
Much like the offensive line of the Chicago Bears this season, my poker game basically...
So this should give you somewhat of an idea of how my poker playing has been going for the past 45 days. There aren't many games online for the bankroll that I have and my NLHE attempt hasn't been an epic failure, but it is headed in that direction. I stopped playing NL4 on Cake poker just to let the wounds heal and get an idea if I have reverted to a complete fish. Some of it has been terrible run bad results, some has been calling down too much, some has been crazy cold deck, and some has been me just not being as serious as I should be when it comes to playing my A game. I haven't had much time to play live either, even though I went to Las Vegas (see prior posts). I was going to play more poker out there, but decided that I would just hang out with friends, which was a bit of a wash in terms of overall enjoyment. I should have just gone to the hotel pool each day and gotten girl drink drunk on Pina Coladas.
I am still technically a winner in both my online poker challenge (see first posts) as well as my transition to playing NLHE live. I was $78 in my one NLHE session at the Bellagio that lasted perhaps 3 hours.
I had one hand in which I picked up AhKh in EP and raised to $10 and got 2 callers, one OTB and the other in the BB.
The flop came--Kd Ks 9d. check, I bet $28, one fold, SB calls.
Turn brings--6s
Check, I bet $80, SB calls.
River is a low brick card and SB checks, I had a little over the pot left and bet 3/4 in the middle. The SB hemmed and hawed about me having a missed flush draw vs his mid pocket pair, but he folded. That was my poker highlight for the weekend.
Well, we'll see what the rest of 2011 brings. I don't expect alot in the way of action, but there's always hope...
I plan on finishing the 3rd installment of my poker history-2009 within the next week. Thank you for tuning in.
My poker challenge of zero to hero was going well up until the month of September when I focused primarily on NLHE. The easiest way to describe it would be...
...which was followed by an uptick to breakeven over the course of another 3,000 hands followed by..
Much like the offensive line of the Chicago Bears this season, my poker game basically...
So this should give you somewhat of an idea of how my poker playing has been going for the past 45 days. There aren't many games online for the bankroll that I have and my NLHE attempt hasn't been an epic failure, but it is headed in that direction. I stopped playing NL4 on Cake poker just to let the wounds heal and get an idea if I have reverted to a complete fish. Some of it has been terrible run bad results, some has been calling down too much, some has been crazy cold deck, and some has been me just not being as serious as I should be when it comes to playing my A game. I haven't had much time to play live either, even though I went to Las Vegas (see prior posts). I was going to play more poker out there, but decided that I would just hang out with friends, which was a bit of a wash in terms of overall enjoyment. I should have just gone to the hotel pool each day and gotten girl drink drunk on Pina Coladas.
I am still technically a winner in both my online poker challenge (see first posts) as well as my transition to playing NLHE live. I was $78 in my one NLHE session at the Bellagio that lasted perhaps 3 hours.
I had one hand in which I picked up AhKh in EP and raised to $10 and got 2 callers, one OTB and the other in the BB.
The flop came--Kd Ks 9d. check, I bet $28, one fold, SB calls.
Turn brings--6s
Check, I bet $80, SB calls.
River is a low brick card and SB checks, I had a little over the pot left and bet 3/4 in the middle. The SB hemmed and hawed about me having a missed flush draw vs his mid pocket pair, but he folded. That was my poker highlight for the weekend.
Well, we'll see what the rest of 2011 brings. I don't expect alot in the way of action, but there's always hope...
I plan on finishing the 3rd installment of my poker history-2009 within the next week. Thank you for tuning in.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
A year from today...10/9/2011
A few days ago I received a text that a friend of mine whom was apart of my Las Vegas Extravaganza trip last month, was in the ICU with bleeding in the left ventricle of his brain. Apparently it was caused by extremely high blood pressure and may be an indication of a stroke or possible aneurysm. I picked up some mutual friends and sped off to the hospital to visit him. To make a long story short, the bleeding stopped and all of his tests were negative. It was solely the high BP that caused the bleeding, but it was obvious that he needed to change his eating and drinking habits. It's not normal for a 44 year old man to be in the hospital with a blood pressure reading of 221/111. The doctors were amazed that he didn't have a stroke at that point.
This leads me to me. Right before I got this news of my friend, I had been thinking of making some changes in my own life. I have been feeling more stressed out than normal. without going into too much detail, I have had many things happen this calendar year in my family that has been a stress creator and I have done a poor job at managing that stress or alleviating it. Exercise is a good way of relieving stress while at the same time, getting into better shape. I have always enjoyed running and was quite a good runner in high school, but it's been nearly 20 years since I was serious about it. So, with the Chicago Marathon right around the corner, I have decided to make a goal for myself of training for 2012 Chicago Marathon. From what I have read, you need to have a baseline foundation of 12-15 miles per week before officially starting your marathon training program, even for a beginner, which I most certainly am. Today was the first day that I went out for a brisk walk of about 2 miles. No, that's no astonishing feat (no pun intended), but I am going to start off slow so that I don't over do it and injure myself right out of the blocks.
I will update my progress as we go and if anyone (that is assuming I actually have regular readers of this blog) has some good suggestions on training for a Marathon over the course of 12 months, please let me know. Thanks and have fun. Below are a few links that I am including in case anyone has some interest in learning more about training for a marathon. I am putting myself in the Novice 1 category which means the running I do in the next 6 months is just to get to zero, if you will. Thanks again for reading.
Hal Hidgon
Running routes
This leads me to me. Right before I got this news of my friend, I had been thinking of making some changes in my own life. I have been feeling more stressed out than normal. without going into too much detail, I have had many things happen this calendar year in my family that has been a stress creator and I have done a poor job at managing that stress or alleviating it. Exercise is a good way of relieving stress while at the same time, getting into better shape. I have always enjoyed running and was quite a good runner in high school, but it's been nearly 20 years since I was serious about it. So, with the Chicago Marathon right around the corner, I have decided to make a goal for myself of training for 2012 Chicago Marathon. From what I have read, you need to have a baseline foundation of 12-15 miles per week before officially starting your marathon training program, even for a beginner, which I most certainly am. Today was the first day that I went out for a brisk walk of about 2 miles. No, that's no astonishing feat (no pun intended), but I am going to start off slow so that I don't over do it and injure myself right out of the blocks.
I will update my progress as we go and if anyone (that is assuming I actually have regular readers of this blog) has some good suggestions on training for a Marathon over the course of 12 months, please let me know. Thanks and have fun. Below are a few links that I am including in case anyone has some interest in learning more about training for a marathon. I am putting myself in the Novice 1 category which means the running I do in the next 6 months is just to get to zero, if you will. Thanks again for reading.
Hal Hidgon
Running routes
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Visions of peaceful coexistence: The Rainbow connection
In the movie "Sleep with me", there is a scene in which Quentin Tarantino discusses his opinion on the true meaning of the movie "Top Gun".
Subversion on a massive scale. Now, as you may know, Quentin Tarantino improvised that scene and I doubt that the true message of "Top Gun" is one man's struggle with his own homosexuality. An example to help refute this interpretation is the scene that Tarantino's chracter discusses in which Kelly McGillis is wearing an aviator's suit. It was shot in post production because the studio wanted a little more development in their relationship and she had already had her hair dyed for another movie which forced her to wear a hat. Tarantino uses Top Gun as an example of how people can interpret things from a wide range of vantage points regardless of the intended message. It doesn't have to be subversive, but messages can take on a life of their own, especially in the different mediums of art.
In 1979 I was 6 years old and going to the movie theater was a very special event. I loved watching The Muppet Show and was very excited when I heard that a Muppet movie was being released.
A 6 year old boy is not normally into sweet ballads, so when Kermit appeared in the bog strumming a banjo and singing, I was quite unhappy until the "chase" part of the movie began. "The Rainbow Connection" was, at that time, nothing more than a sweet song of hope. How disgusting. Over 30 years later, it has taken on a completely new meaning for me. It still has the same basic message of hope and positivity, but in light of recent events, it has become more of an anthem for civil rights than plain hope. Just take a listen and read the lyrics with an open of a mind, as if you were hearing the song for the first time.
Why are there so many songs about rainbows
and what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
and rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it.
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
Who said that every wish would be heard
and answered when wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that and someone believed it.
Look what it's done so far.
What's so amazing that keeps us star gazing
and what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
All of us under its spell. We know that it's probably magic.
Have you been half asleep and have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that called the young sailors.
The voice might be one and the same.
I've heard it too many times to ignore it.
It's something that I'm supposed to be.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
To begin with from the most simple aspect, "The Rainbow Connection" can be interpreted as a song about the challenges that gay men and women face in the world. Obviously a rainbow is a widely used symbol in gay culture whether it be at Pride parades, decals in the window of bars or on church placards to denote that an establishment welcomes gay men and women.
It is visual harmony in a world filled with unlimited differences. A spectrum of variance that illumninates the dark when combined which is a hopeful and positive idea found in a natural phenomenon.
Now with this interpretation we can go through the lyrics and take a somewhat vague or generalised message and see an all too real situation for many young people without hope over being ostracized because of their sexual orientation. Millions of children wondering if they will ever feel apart of a community, be looked at as equals, or feeling secure in who they were born to be.
Why are there so many songs about rainbows
and what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
and rainbows have nothing to hide.
I can't imagine having been given the incredibly difficult task to be told that the way I was born is wrong and against everything that is right in the world and then maintain a sense of hope for the future. The constant barrage of messages telling gay boys and girls, men and women that they are making a choice and that they should just be like everyone else.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it.
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
It takes a great deal of courage, strength, and perseverance to wade through all of that negativity and discrimination from family, friends, and countless others who claim to have your best interests in mind and still have a clear sense of what you truly want out of life.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
In a way, the vague questioning of the lyrics illustrates the relentless spirit of a people who are in one way or another forced to hide who they are, whether that be indentured servitude or having to put up a facade.
Gay men and women are still forced into exile and although the gay community has made great strides in the areas of social, cultural, political, and religious acceptance, they still are not quite viewed as 5/5ths of a citizen in the United States, not to mention the barbaric treatment in 3rd world countries which are actively restricting rights of the gay community up to and including death. They're still fighting their way out of the closet.
What's so amazing that keeps us star gazing
and what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
The active passivity and warmth of these lyrics hearken back to a great work of rhetoric in the area of equal rights. It may sound like a bit of a stretch, but Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream speech" outlined a time when people would not look on the color one's skin as an indication of quality, much like that of one's sexual orientation.
I would not put the lyrics of this song alongside a seminal work such as King's speech at the steps of the Lincoln monument, but it does act as a reminder that when calling for equal rights, you speak for all or none. You do not just look to represent a minority of the minority. You represent the few amongst the masses.
More importantly the lyrics of "The Rainbow Connection" speak to the individual in a reassuring manner, especially in the third verse.
Have you been half asleep and have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that called the young sailors.
The voice might be one and the same.
I've heard it too many times to ignore it.
It's something that I'm supposed to be.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
The line, "Is this the sweet sound, that called the young sailors," is a reference to the Greek mythological story, "The Odyssey", by Homer in which Sirens attempt to lure sailors ashore by singing in hopes of causing them to crash on the rocks. The singer isn't quite sure if the voices they're hearing are in their best interests, but they keep calling to the listener from within. The voices are inexorably tied with their identity. A fact which cannot be ignored.
Another image that is brought to mind in this verse is the stereotype of the Navy being a semi-gay organisation. This belief is in large part attributed to the longstanding rivalry between the Marines and the Navy. An example of that can be seen the movie, "A few good men", with references to the "Faggoty White uniform", of the Navy. In light of the repeal of D.A.D.T., allowing gay men and women to openly serve in the armed forces, this takes on a very new resonance in the song's lyrics.
I know that most of what I have written is purely my own interpretation and this sort of armchair psychology can be done by almost anyone with respect to works of art in a given medium. Nietszche was labeled an anti-Semitic, misogynistic, anarchist, but those interpretations are highly debated and controversial. Countless religions feel they have the copyright on "The word of God" despite their lack of proof or historical fact. Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher most likely did not intend "The Rainbow Connection" to be a gay rights anthem, but at times, great art takes on a life and message of it's own. The lyrics speak of an irrepressible desire to be proud of one's self. They wish for the listener to reach a place of rest, much like the path of another gay icon, Dorothy in the "Wizard of Oz".
Something that is undeniable throughout the course of human history is the need for being apart of a community. We inherrently want to be with other people, who hopefully are like us, share a culture, language, history of experience, and most important of all, a connection. We are in the midst of a critical point in the history of mankind where we can not just fall back on culture as an excuse for our behavior, but use it as a spring board to move beyond what we were born into and create new, universally accepted cultures. We cannot shun that which we in the majority are unaware of. The gay community has been around since the beginning of human kind and they have waited far too long to wait a little more. No matter what you label a group of people, they are human and we cannot take away their inalienable rights, otherwise we are no better than those barbaric cultures who enslaved people for their own gain. We, as a people of this nation, will be viewed as the ones who could have realized the dream of our forefathers and failed to do so out of prejudice.
Subversion on a massive scale. Now, as you may know, Quentin Tarantino improvised that scene and I doubt that the true message of "Top Gun" is one man's struggle with his own homosexuality. An example to help refute this interpretation is the scene that Tarantino's chracter discusses in which Kelly McGillis is wearing an aviator's suit. It was shot in post production because the studio wanted a little more development in their relationship and she had already had her hair dyed for another movie which forced her to wear a hat. Tarantino uses Top Gun as an example of how people can interpret things from a wide range of vantage points regardless of the intended message. It doesn't have to be subversive, but messages can take on a life of their own, especially in the different mediums of art.
In 1979 I was 6 years old and going to the movie theater was a very special event. I loved watching The Muppet Show and was very excited when I heard that a Muppet movie was being released.
A 6 year old boy is not normally into sweet ballads, so when Kermit appeared in the bog strumming a banjo and singing, I was quite unhappy until the "chase" part of the movie began. "The Rainbow Connection" was, at that time, nothing more than a sweet song of hope. How disgusting. Over 30 years later, it has taken on a completely new meaning for me. It still has the same basic message of hope and positivity, but in light of recent events, it has become more of an anthem for civil rights than plain hope. Just take a listen and read the lyrics with an open of a mind, as if you were hearing the song for the first time.
Why are there so many songs about rainbows
and what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
and rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it.
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
Who said that every wish would be heard
and answered when wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that and someone believed it.
Look what it's done so far.
What's so amazing that keeps us star gazing
and what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
All of us under its spell. We know that it's probably magic.
Have you been half asleep and have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that called the young sailors.
The voice might be one and the same.
I've heard it too many times to ignore it.
It's something that I'm supposed to be.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
To begin with from the most simple aspect, "The Rainbow Connection" can be interpreted as a song about the challenges that gay men and women face in the world. Obviously a rainbow is a widely used symbol in gay culture whether it be at Pride parades, decals in the window of bars or on church placards to denote that an establishment welcomes gay men and women.
It is visual harmony in a world filled with unlimited differences. A spectrum of variance that illumninates the dark when combined which is a hopeful and positive idea found in a natural phenomenon.
Now with this interpretation we can go through the lyrics and take a somewhat vague or generalised message and see an all too real situation for many young people without hope over being ostracized because of their sexual orientation. Millions of children wondering if they will ever feel apart of a community, be looked at as equals, or feeling secure in who they were born to be.
Why are there so many songs about rainbows
and what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
and rainbows have nothing to hide.
I can't imagine having been given the incredibly difficult task to be told that the way I was born is wrong and against everything that is right in the world and then maintain a sense of hope for the future. The constant barrage of messages telling gay boys and girls, men and women that they are making a choice and that they should just be like everyone else.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it.
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
It takes a great deal of courage, strength, and perseverance to wade through all of that negativity and discrimination from family, friends, and countless others who claim to have your best interests in mind and still have a clear sense of what you truly want out of life.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
In a way, the vague questioning of the lyrics illustrates the relentless spirit of a people who are in one way or another forced to hide who they are, whether that be indentured servitude or having to put up a facade.
Gay men and women are still forced into exile and although the gay community has made great strides in the areas of social, cultural, political, and religious acceptance, they still are not quite viewed as 5/5ths of a citizen in the United States, not to mention the barbaric treatment in 3rd world countries which are actively restricting rights of the gay community up to and including death. They're still fighting their way out of the closet.
What's so amazing that keeps us star gazing
and what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
The active passivity and warmth of these lyrics hearken back to a great work of rhetoric in the area of equal rights. It may sound like a bit of a stretch, but Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream speech" outlined a time when people would not look on the color one's skin as an indication of quality, much like that of one's sexual orientation.
I would not put the lyrics of this song alongside a seminal work such as King's speech at the steps of the Lincoln monument, but it does act as a reminder that when calling for equal rights, you speak for all or none. You do not just look to represent a minority of the minority. You represent the few amongst the masses.
More importantly the lyrics of "The Rainbow Connection" speak to the individual in a reassuring manner, especially in the third verse.
Have you been half asleep and have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that called the young sailors.
The voice might be one and the same.
I've heard it too many times to ignore it.
It's something that I'm supposed to be.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
The line, "Is this the sweet sound, that called the young sailors," is a reference to the Greek mythological story, "The Odyssey", by Homer in which Sirens attempt to lure sailors ashore by singing in hopes of causing them to crash on the rocks. The singer isn't quite sure if the voices they're hearing are in their best interests, but they keep calling to the listener from within. The voices are inexorably tied with their identity. A fact which cannot be ignored.
Another image that is brought to mind in this verse is the stereotype of the Navy being a semi-gay organisation. This belief is in large part attributed to the longstanding rivalry between the Marines and the Navy. An example of that can be seen the movie, "A few good men", with references to the "Faggoty White uniform", of the Navy. In light of the repeal of D.A.D.T., allowing gay men and women to openly serve in the armed forces, this takes on a very new resonance in the song's lyrics.
I know that most of what I have written is purely my own interpretation and this sort of armchair psychology can be done by almost anyone with respect to works of art in a given medium. Nietszche was labeled an anti-Semitic, misogynistic, anarchist, but those interpretations are highly debated and controversial. Countless religions feel they have the copyright on "The word of God" despite their lack of proof or historical fact. Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher most likely did not intend "The Rainbow Connection" to be a gay rights anthem, but at times, great art takes on a life and message of it's own. The lyrics speak of an irrepressible desire to be proud of one's self. They wish for the listener to reach a place of rest, much like the path of another gay icon, Dorothy in the "Wizard of Oz".
Something that is undeniable throughout the course of human history is the need for being apart of a community. We inherrently want to be with other people, who hopefully are like us, share a culture, language, history of experience, and most important of all, a connection. We are in the midst of a critical point in the history of mankind where we can not just fall back on culture as an excuse for our behavior, but use it as a spring board to move beyond what we were born into and create new, universally accepted cultures. We cannot shun that which we in the majority are unaware of. The gay community has been around since the beginning of human kind and they have waited far too long to wait a little more. No matter what you label a group of people, they are human and we cannot take away their inalienable rights, otherwise we are no better than those barbaric cultures who enslaved people for their own gain. We, as a people of this nation, will be viewed as the ones who could have realized the dream of our forefathers and failed to do so out of prejudice.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)