Small Talk is Cheap

I was at a certain "arts festival" in the Nevada desert a few weeks back and though there were a lot of amazingly creative things going on---visually, musically, performance-wise---there's one thing that really stuck with me from the whole experience: a noticeable lack of small talk. For an entire week, I'd meet and interact with total strangers, playing, singing, and improvising. And it was all on the basis of what was happening at that moment, whether that was our costumes, or the dust clouds that just went by or some random nonsense or WHATEVER.

But not once during the whole week did anyone ask "what do you do?" or any of the other standard getting to know you chit chat. It was incredibly freeing. I didn't even consciously notice it was happening until mid-week or so when I reached a comfortable lull in conversation with a new found friend and the question "what do you do back home?" crept across my consciousness for a split second. But before it actually crossed my lips, we just started talking about the phenomenon of small talk.

I can't deny that "getting to know you" talk is an integral part of our socialization and I'm not saying that it's bad in and of itself or that we need to abolish it. But there's a certain quality of small talk that I've experienced as having an unnecessary heaviness to it. It doesn't always happen, but when it does, it feels like I'm lowering my head to enter a smaller room. Like the real conversation we were just having had to stop so we can do this little dance we do because we have to. I can't quite describe it, but let's just say I find it's so much more fun to define ourselves by creating conversation that's centered around shared experience, rather than running through job descriptions.

This reminds me of the time I ran into an old friend on the dance floor at the after party of an awards ceremony. The music was so loud and infectious that all we did was hug, dance, make faces at each other and laugh---it was brilliant. And at that moment, without any words, I knew exactly what she was up to and how she was doing.

I Love Lightbulbs

There's this guy who's a real character in my office. He's kind of a curmudgeon, super conservative, drives a zippy sports car and is known for making inappropriate comments. I think he's harmless, but that's beside the point. He just walked up to my cube, started talking about how slow it's been here lately and described what seemed to me be a pretty big epiphany:

"You know I've been working in real estate for 27 years and for the past 15 it's been non-stop pressure: 12-14 hour days, working on the weekends, the whole nine. And this is the first time where I come in, I put in my 8 hours, go home, relax and go to bed. I used to wake up at 4am worried about one of my deals, it was crazy. And where did it all get me? Now I've got diabetes and high blood pressure. And you know what? I'm goin' home early today."

And he said all this without the slightest degree of self pity or bitterness---he was just like "man, that was one crazy trip---I don't want to do that to myself anymore." And I say rock on with your bad self. I love that stuff, when people have a breakthrough, a really big one like that.

Anyway that's all, I thought that was cool.

Can't Live Without the Little Buggers

I was at a 4th of July party the other week that was overrun by a herd of toddler-somethings. It was an absolute jungle, the little critters running and playing and masticating all over their oreos and cheerios and getting naked and hanging on their Daddy's legs and all that other messy stuff. Yes, it was very messy. And loud. And chaotic. And absolutely beautiful.

Because these little guys haven't learned all the rules yet. I think that's why we keep them around; they remind us of what it was like to wander through the world with a wide eyed sense of exploration and wonder.

When a child's in the room, all eyes are on them. We look into their face and we go back in time, we see something of our former selves. They remind us what play is. That it's not connected to results or progress or deadlines.

On the one hand we're teaching them, but we can learn---or maybe unlearn---just as much.

Get Out Much?

I really need to get out of the country---it's been way too long. Once I took my first trip abroad, I knew travel had to be a priority in my life, but it's so easy to let the months and years slip by without "getting out". I'm taking a trip in the fall, but in the meantime, here's one of my favorite rants on Americans and travel.

For me, traveling is a huge part of developing identity and perspective, both of which seem to be in short supply around these parts. Despite---and perhaps because of---our ultra-connectivity, we are so often isolated in this country. Though we have the beautiful illusion of "globalization" and being a part of a world melting pot, in reality we have almost as much wool in our eyes as the Chinese about what it's like beyond our borders.

Most of our "experience" of the world is beamed into our our living rooms and PCs through a highly filtered lens. And though it's not the consciously state-imposed censorship enjoyed in China and other countries, our own brand of media-enabled ignorance is pretty mind-boggling if you stop to look at it. When you go out into the world or even engage other cultures within our borders, you realize that the shiny screen doesn't begin to capture the essence of actually experiencing that exchange in person. Television, movies and the news media so often create a fantasy world that runs on stereotypes and bite sized versions of reality.

The puzzling part about all this is that for most of us, this isolation is completely voluntary; about 80% of Americans don't even have a passport. Though many can afford to travel, it's either impractical or just not a priority. We're allotted 14 out of 365 days in the year to explore the world. And unlike many other countries, extended gaps in employment taken for travel are generally frowned upon. So that's under 4% of our lives. 4% of the less than 20% of the country who decides to get out there---how modern is that?

I'm not attacking Americans for not traveling or the media for perpetuating world stereotypes to get ratings. Because we're all complicit in this dance. I am attacking the roots of a stagnant mindset that weighs us all down. It's this head-in-the-sand ignorance that's led to much of our foreign policy blunders and the resulting global PR nightmare in which we find ourselves today. We can do and have done so much better. And I believe we will again. And the beauty of travel is that it's transformative; it's as much about reconnecting with ourselves as it is about connecting with the world.

Survey Says

I just took a survey about "Motivating and Managing Creative People." I'm usually reluctant to take surveys, but this one got my attention and I ran with it. Here's my responses to two of the questions:

How do you define creativity?
"By definition, being creative is bringing something into being that wasn't there before. It requires vision, as well as the discipline to carry out that vision, no matter what field you're in. It's about having the courage to think independently, to put things together that weren't together before. And it's about taking risks."

What is it that makes you a creative person?
"We live in a society that says some people are creative and others are not. But I believe we're all creative---it's the fuel that wakes us up in the morning. People who "aren't creative" are simply those who've chosen not to be or have been led to believe that they're not in on the game---but the truth is: we all are."

I've talked to so many people who used to paint or act or write or sing or whatever it is. And they have that head-hung-low-shame about the fact that they never pursued it further. But you don't have to "make it" in order to have creativity in your life---you don't even have to be an "artist" in any traditional sense. You just have to tap into whatever it is that makes you come alive, whether that's raising kids, building houses or writing the next great American novel. Creativity is our birthright.

If you'd like to create your own survey, go to surveymonkey.com.

What a Wonderful World

On my way home from work today I passed a man in the park passing out food to some pigeons. And a squirrel. And a duck. They were all just casually nipping at the bits of bread without any apparent competition. I felt like I was in a Disney movie and if I'd stayed any longer someone was going to break into song. Wish I had a camera with me.

Ok, it's not the only blog-worthy thing in the world for the past month, but all I've got time for.

"Can't we all just get along?" like the wee little fluffy animals of the urban forest? Ha ha. I'm sure they were squabbling only moments after I rode off, but it was a beautiful little moment while it lasted Godamnit.

My 2 Cents

It's really hard to absorb an event like this. Images of violence have become so commonplace in our lives to the point where we're numb. And then it explodes on our front doorstep in a place that should have been safe---a classroom turned into a war zone. Everyone at my office keeps saying "nowhere is safe anymore." And I just keep wondering what darkened this guy's vision of life so much that this was the only path he could take? How do we pull people like that away from the edge and back into society?

The search for blame is inevitable: who didn't see or act on the warning signs? Was it violent video games and movies that caused it? Is it the handgun laws? How did his parents treat him? It's just part of our culture to assign the guilt somewhere. But the only meaningful question here is "how do we prevent this from happening again?"

33 people's lives were wasted on that day and so many more torn apart. So much potential, so many dreams just obliterated. We've lost future leaders and teachers and psychologists and architects---all wasted, their families' and friends' lives just ripped open for nothing. Nothing. And those deaths will continue to mean nothing until we look deeply into the roots that brought them into reality.

An event like this affirms that we really are all one; when one of us goes down the path of darkness, we're all at risk of being dragged along. Mental illness permeates our society and yet we understand it so little and we're often ashamed to even bring it up. And that needs to change. We need to learn to engage these lost and lonely people, not just ignore them. We need to have our antennas up and be ready and willing to reach out to the loners of the world---in whatever way we can. It's much easier to avoid them because they're anti-social and awkward and they have that rather troubling dark cloud hanging over their heads---we don't want to get rained on.

But can we really afford the risk of another hurricane?

Bob Marley Said:

"emancipate yourself from mental slavery. none but ourselves can free our minds." that's great and all, bob, but exactly how are we mentally chained up? and who has the key?

my old friend the tao te jing has one answer: "if you worry about the approval of others, you make yourself their prisoner." when i first read that i thought "ouch. man, i am totally enslaved by like so many people." we all are to some extent because we learn very early on to get a sense of who we are from how others see us. but as we get older, we hopefully start to get that sense from ourselves.

psychologists refer to this as extrinsic worth vs. intrinsic worth. when you have more of the latter, you have greater security and a sense of control in your life. but if you're constantly focused on others' opinions, then your worth is in their hands.

this is not to say that it's not important to care what your friends and family think about you, because their eyes can often be a guiding force in your life. it just means that we need to make sure that the majority of our self worth comes from within, rather than without. otherwise we be jammin' ourselves up wit dat mental slavery crap.

and 'dats one to grow on, mon.

The Lives of Others

If you haven't seen this movie, put it on your list. Wow. What an all around well-made film. Writing, directing and acting are all top top notch. It's set in East Berlin in 1984, a time and place when the work of artists---something we take so much for granted---was under intense scrutiny by the state and punishable by interrogation, blacklisting and imprisonment.

But it's not really a statement about artists or oppressive regimes, it's a statement about human potential and a brilliant one at that. It won the Oscar for best Foreign Language Film---it's easily one of the best I've seen in any language.

Sleep On This

a friend of mine recently wrote a rambling pre-dawn email from the depths of insomnia and when he asked for some advice, i found myself writing a book. ok, so it's only 4 bullet points, but i could easily write more because i've definitely had my troubles with sleep deprivation over the years and it truly sucks B-A-double-L-S. so for any of you out there who deal with it, here is my humble advice:

1.) first off, make sure you're giving yourself plenty of time to wind down before you actually go to bed. ideally don't watch a lot of tv or have crazy stimulating conversations about the universe for at least an hour before---you get the idea. dim the lights about 20 minutes before you want to go to sleep and once you're ready to sleep, make sure all lights are totally out, including t.v., laptop, etc.

2.) here's my own personal breathing technique that works for me: listen to the rhythm and pace of people's breath when they're sleeping---really listen and absorb it. then imitate it the next time you hit the pillow---obviously don't imitate snorers or spastic breathers. the idea is to get a smooth and steady flow going.

3.) try meditation---it helps w/anxiety and the racing thoughts that lead to insomnia. most major cities offer free classes you can find online---google "vipassana" or "insight meditation". it'll bring a little more space into your mind and promote relaxation. though it's not always an immediate solution, it'll help over time.

4.) and last but not least: melatonin is a great over the counter non-pharmaceutical sleep aid when you're in a jam---it's basically the hormone secreted by the body in response to darkness---most health food stores have it (so does Whole Foods). i wouldn't recommend making a regular habit out of it (after a while it makes me a little groggy in the AM), but it's great if all of the above haven't worked on a particularly bad night.

at the end of the day, it's really about what works for you, so try different things. if you google "beating insomnia" or something along those lines you'll find a bunch of ideas out there, like this: http://www.nlp-now.co.uk/insomnia.htm

that's all i got---sweet dreams.

Just Like Jesus

Every once in a while, a conversation walks into my brain and I write it down. More and more often, I take it and I try to turn it into something. But here's an example of an uncut stone, straight outta my grey matter and onto a flowery piece of notepaper that says "memos" at the top. I must have written this at my folks' place:

Marilyn: I just don't understand why you'd DO something like that.

John: I, I can't explain it, I feel like . . . it makes me feel alive.

Marilyn: Puttin' your life in danger and scarin' the livin' hell outta yer Momma? That makes you feel alive??

John: I know: it sounds---

Marilyn: Sounds crazy. You need t'nearly kill yourself to feel---

John: I don't want to . . . well . . . wait, no, yeah, yeah. That's kinda it: to be so close to death that you feel alive---that's what it is. It's a reminder. I don't know. You know how people talk about living on the . . . edge?

Marilyn: Uhhh, yeah?

John: And everybody thinks they're crazy?

Marilyn: Uh-huh. Sweetie that's cuz they usually ARE.

John: Well what if they were sane? Saner than everybody else?

Marilyn: Now, that's just---

John: No, I'm serious: think about it. What about Jesus?

Marilyn: What??

John: Seriously, listen, he went right up to the edge, everybody thought HE was crazy, right?

Marilyn: Oh, my Lord, so now you're Jesus??

John: Oh, come on, Mom, if I were Jesus would I be arguin' with my Momma? Hey wait a minute, that whole water and wine thing, he WAS arguin' with his Momma at first. (a mock "epiphany") Maybe, maybe I AM Je---

Marilyn: Alright, boy, you have lost your mind, that's enough. It's time you get ready for bed, come on now.

John laughs, then Marilyn joins, despite herself and he heads off to bed. End of scene.

Everything I need to Know I learned in Acting Class

I found this list from a journal entry back in 1999:

You need to have an objective and put all you've got into achieving it.
Learn how to listen.
Don't upstage.
Live in the moment.
Less is more.
Invent nothing, deny nothing.
It's never too late in the run to make a new discovery.
You can't repeat a great moment.
Plan all you want, the spontaneous is more exciting.
If you make a mistake, deal with it the best you can and move on.
You can't plan for the unexpected.
The journey is always more important than the destination.
Learn how to take a complement.
You need to find your own definition of "making it".

Story

After watching the Oscars the other night, I got to thinking about the stories we take in and the ones we tell and what they mean to us. Whether we think about it or not, stories are really the fabric of our lives. Because no matter what our background is, we eat, breathe, sleep and dream them every day. We live and relive and rehearse our lives through the medium of story. We practice for the big game, the big interview, the big date, running our lines over and over in our mind. And then after we actually live through it, we replay it to ourselves and rewrite sequences, saying the things we said and the things we wished we'd said. And the things we wished we didn't say.

Some stories we share with our family, friends and even strangers. And each time we share it, it sort of gets better because we get better at telling it. We cut and paste, embellish and highlight what’s dramatic and downplay what’s not. We shift time to heighten the tension, each time re-creating ourselves and the world as we interpret and desire it to be. And we'll forgive ourselves and each other if the facts aren't all 100% straight because really it’s all about what the story means to us and what we want to say with it.

The shaping and retelling of stories is an integral part of our human consciousness and pretty much always has been. Whether we've shared by the firelight, the water cooler, at the cinema, the theatre, or the dinner table, our lives are explored through this universal form of beginning, middle and end. Desire, conflict, climax and resolution. Rinse and repeat. It's one of the universal human rituals.

And an event like the Oscars is meant to showcase great stories and the people who tell them. When we watch the awards, we're rooting for the ones who've really spoken to us. And we keep coming back for more, despite the fact that so much of what we see up there on screen---and stage and page---so much of it is junk food for the mind & soul. Tasty and titillating to the senses, but poisonous once it’s taken in. Genetically modified entertainment. So why do we keep coming back? What are we looking for? How does the modern story contribute to our popular consciousness? And how can it raise it even higher?

Too Much Too Soon

Hillary's visiting Iowa this weekend. Obama's entered strong into the polls. It's just barely 2007 and here we are full swing into the titillation of 2008 election foreplay. When this train really gets rolling, we'll be knee deep in platform posturing, mudslinging and full throttle scandal-mongering. The media will be whipped up into such a frenzy that everything except the 98 car pile ups, mysterious pandemics and epic natural disasters will be pushed from front pages and lead newscast stories so we can get a peep at the most recent percentages and hear the latest sound-bites from the campaign trail.

I'm all about the democratic process. I love watching the debates and hearing policy proposals batted around, not to mention catching the occasional gaffe or slip up. I'm into it all. But it's six hundred and forty seven days away---that's 6-4-7. I don't even know when people started declaring their candidacy so early and I don't even want to bother googling to check it out, but sweet Lord in heaven, it all just feels like the Christmas decorations are already up and it's the first week of Summer.

Why the need to start it up so early? What's the motivation? The whole process takes so much time, energy, and money: all the campaigning and analysing and proclaiming and retorting and fundraising. To spread it out over nearly two years seems to me to be nothing short of insanity. Especially when you consider the fact that a good number of the contestants are supposed to be helping run the country while they're out there jockeying for position.

And so I have a modest proposal: a 9 month limit on the presidential campaign process. If you can't lay out your platform and distinguish yourself from the field in the time it takes to gestate a human life, then you really have no business running for office. Here's how it'd work: the primary campaign would begin in June 2007, followed by the primary election in January 2008---that's 6 months to narrow it down to the nominees. Then the candidates would have another 3 months beginning in August 2008 leading up to the general elections in November. No campaigning would be allowed outside of those boundaries, no sound-bites for the media, no commercials, nothing. Zip, zilch, NADA.

Sound good? It's settled then. Someone please notify the candidates.

Seriously, why not? I'm sure there are legions out there who'll tell me why not, so please do, I want to know. Why must we and they tangle up so much energy for so long? Do we really need 600 plus days to figure out who we want to continue screwing up our country for another 1,460? (That's 365 x 4, by the way). No, I'm not really that cynical.

I'm actually very excited about this election and I think the country's moving in a better direction than it was as we headed into the last two. I really don't see how we could get much worse, so I'm optimistic. I just don't want to think about it yet. But the 24-7 news is on at work 9-5 and it's hard not to get hooked. I guess I'll have to invest in a pair earplugs and some blinders. Or convince my boss to switch over to the food network for a change.

Signs of Evolution?

I was thinking about this the other day while watching some 24 hour news pundits going at it:

Do two guys butting heads in a heated argument = two bucks squaring off on a hillside?

Do words & talking points = foreheads & antlers?

Have we really come (not) so far?

I guess it really depends. Sometimes what we call a "struggle of ideas" is just a mask for a power struggle, based in the desire to beat the other guy. Because he's on the other side and we always fight to beat the guy on the other side. So much that's masquerading as debate in this country is mindless brawling. The pundits line up against each other like boxing kangaroos on the Jerry Springer show where the host is the referee, the manager in the corner, and the announcer rolled into one.

So often when we come to the the table of argument we don't have the intention of discovering truth---we want to prove our point. Or someone Else's point that we've made into our own. We've lost the ability to listen. we're ready to pounce. we're waiting to speak, and that's not the same as listening.

Because of the perceived need to keep up the pace, keep it engaging, we've become anti-pause, anti-reflection, anti-thoughtfulness. In order to sell more ad slots, we have to spin reality into something interesting enough to count as Reality. But the result is a sped up, selfish, rapid-fire style of miscommunication that teaches us to cut out the space where we used to actually figure things out and come to conclusions. That space where we say "hmmm, I haven't thought about it that way" or "I'm not sure if I agree with that, let me think about it for a minute." In this fast paced pop-media mindset, thoughtful consideration = indecisive waffling. It's seen as a weakness. In the space between the question and the answer, we're taught to insert our own answers if we don't get one right away. The pause somehow means hesitation, deception or insecurity, rather than a genuine need to find the right words.

We need to fight for that pause, we need to stake it out and start up a marketing campaign to set the record straight. Because without it, we're just bumping antlers.

Resolution

I woke up yesterday morning at about 7:20am to the dulcet sounds of the garbage truck backing into our alley. A pile of trash bags had accumulated over the holidays because no one was around to put them out. And because my New Year's resolution is to stop procrastinating (I've been meaning to work on that for a while but I keep putting it off), I threw on a shirt and some shoes and darted outside with the vigor a man on a mission.

Here's how it works if you haven't put your trash out the night before and the truck's already come: after it passes, you put out your cans as they're getting the rest of the alley's garbage and then they grab yours on their way back out---I'd done it many times before. Piece of cake. So as the truck started to head back out, I locked the gate and went up the stairs to go inside when I heard a loud crunching sound. "Oh, crap."

Both of the trash cans were being dragged along and crushed between the side of the truck and a low wall along our back yard. Plastic wheels were popping off, hard rubber buckling, it was an awful sound---and he just kept going, dragging them along. As I'm standing there half awake, half dressed and taking this all in, one of the trash men yells: "You put them cans out there so we could run over 'em!!?? Huh??"

There was really nothing to say. And besides, I wasn't in the mood to shout over the trashcans, thrashing away in their death throes. But if I was in the mood, I might have said something like: "Yeah, I'm sorry, Mr. Trashman, how silly of me. By the way is your driver BLIND??" After the truck passed and was finished doing its damage, the guy picked up the Rubbermaid remains while shaking his head in my general direction and tossed them in with the rest of the garbage.

It's great to make New Year's resolutions. But if you make haste by trying to make up for lost time, then you might miss a detail or two. Like making sure the trash man SEES that you've sprung out of bed in hopes of making 2007 a year to get things done.

New Years: The Safe Holiday

Happy New Year, everyone. Because it's the one holiday around the holidays that we can all agree on; there's no controversy, no hard feelings, just a good old fashioned "thank God the world made it around for another 365." Actually, "thank the maker of your choice . . ." or no, "the lack of a maker of your choice . . ."

Seriously, I do like the fact that I can just say "Happy New Year" freely and unencumbered by any need to censor myself or translate the greeting into PC-English OR its faith-based equivalent. And I seem to notice other people say "Happy New Year" with a bit more gusto and confidence than they do some other Holiday greetings. Because we don't have to think about it: "Wait, do they celebrate New Year's or not? I better just say 'Happy Holidays'."

Don't get me wrong, I'm not bitter about this culture battle that crops up every year over "Happy Holidays!" vs. "[INSERT GREETING OF YOUR TRADITION HERE]!". I guess I'm just a little confused by the whole controversy. Having lived abroad and experienced holiday greetings that aren't of my tradition, I don't have any problem if someone wishes me "Happy Chanukah" or "Happy Kwanza" or "Happy Roast Suckling Pig Day" for that matter (it does exist, by the way). If the intent of the well-wisher is truly to wish me well, then how can I take offence?

And if instead you choose the more inclusive "Happy Holidays," as I sometimes do, so as not to offend someone, then how can I take offence at THAT? But when people question the intentions behind another person's goodwill and seem to LOOK to be offended, from either side of this prickly fence, well then I'm just sort of befuddled. I think people have gotten entirely too sensitive and reactionary on both sides of this thing.

As far as the CHRISTmas question, I do see the secular argument that yes it's a religious holiday and shouldn't be shoved down the throats of the un-Christian (actually I should say non-Christian, as there are plenty o' Christians out there who are un-Christian , but that's another post for another day). Yes, it's centered around the birth of Jesus, as is much of the imagery and the carols, etc. But when I wish someone a Merry Christmas, I'm not really saying "Happy Birth of Our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ." And I imagine many others who do use the greeting (or have the impulse to) feel the same way. I don't feel compelled to say "Happy Easter" to non-Christians because that's a totally different ballgame. And I'll tell you why.

Christmas was originally a pagan holiday known as Yule or Yuletide and was later adopted by the Roman Empire as a marketing ploy; by attaching the birth of Jesus to a well-established celebration, they were able to sell the fledgling religion to its new converts. Yule was centered around celebrating the winter solstice by bringing the bounty of wintry nature into the home, spending time with families and generally gettin' your merry on---many of these traditions are still with us today. The urge to party this time of year is very powerful---because it's cold and dreary outside and we need something to celebrate, right?

Much to the chagrin of many hard-core Christians, Christmas has returned to a more secular holiday in the past century, centered around the tree and the presents and a fat man in a red suit. It has re-evolved back into a semi-pagan holiday. Have you noticed: we don't even pronounce the "T"? It's "Crissmas" not "CHRISTmas". Growing up, I remember some of these stuffy Christians bemoaning that society had forgotten all about "the reason for the season", namely, the birth of Mr. JC---it was this huge guilt trip that all we cared about were the presents. But to me, it's all about peace on earth, good will toward men and all that other beautiful stuff that transcends religion.

But it's very ironic that even though Christmas has become largely absent of Christianity in its mainstream appearance every year, there are those who still seek to root out the secular traditions of holly, evergreens and presents. I'm all for leaving the nativity scenes and the blatantly Christian carols out of the public square, but does anyone really feel oppressed and threatened by a tree? I know the answer is yes, some people do---I just think it's a little overboard.

And so I'm glad that we do have a public Holiday like New Year's that is free of controversy and politics. Although I wouldn't be surprised if that weren't always the case: "Don't you think it's offensive to Chinese-Americans to wish 'Happy New Year' a whole month before their celebration!? That's so insensitive."

Bad Fat and Good Building Regulations

NYC is banning trans-fats from all of their restaurants. They'll be the first city in the states to pass such legislation. Though the changeover will be tough for the city's legion of eateries, they've got until July to clean up their frying oils and another year to wipe out all trans fats from NYC menus.

Seems to me that this is a pretty big deal. People are becoming increasingly aware of the detriments of this harmful byproduct of the food industry and props to the big apple for taking the lead on this---others are sure to follow. Although the short-term benefits (longer shelf life = greater profits) are tepmting, evidence of the long-term effects is piling up.

It's important to notice one distinction here: this is NOT about eating fatty foods or losing weight or any of that. It's about eliminating an unnatural poison from our diets. And that process begins with a public recognition that it is in fact a poison. We unknowingly consume so much that is damaging to our health and this is a great step in raising our awareness and cutting out some of the junk.

I don't believe in legislating people's diets, I see this as a public health issue akin to water pollution or buildings with asbestos. As NYC Mayor Bloomberg put it: "Nobody wants to take away your french fries and hamburgers---I love those things, too. But if you can make them with something that is less damaging to your health, we should do that."

In other semi-related news, my own fair city has just passed a new Green Building Bill. Starting in 2012---because we have to start somewhere---all commercial development over 50,000 square feet in Washington, DC will need to meet the standards of The Green Building Council. This has been referred to as "the most comprehensive green building legislation in the U.S." (washington post express 12.6.06 p. 11).

"East Coast Leads Green Revolution" . . . who would have thought?

Dryclean my Mind

I went to pick up my dry cleaning the other day and as I was standing at the counter, I became lost in thought staring at my bag of clothes. When the lady rang me up I handed her my card,
signed the receipt, and headed on my way out the door. But she stopped me . . .

“Sir, don’t forget your clothes”. They were still hanging on the rack.

Enter: waves of self-chastisement & loathing for not being “in the moment”. Exactly how out of the moment do you have to be to forget your drycleaning at the drycleaners?? It’s not like I went in there for anything else. So as the little Yoda on my shoulder is yammering away ---“never your mind on where you are on what you are doing . . . reckless, you are”---I go grab my clothes and start to walk out the door again when something hits me mid stride. “That happened the last time I came here” I say out loud. Enter: equal parts frustration & amusement. I felt like a mouse in a maze, always bumping up against the same wall. And I wondered "does this silly game go on forever?"

And then the drycleaning lady said “everybody does it---all the time. I’ve chased after people and they've completely dissapeared around the corner. Then they come back a few hours later saying ‘uuummmmm, excuse me, could I please have my coat?' I guess people just like to pay me for nothing.”

At that we both smiled and all the frustration just drained out of me. Because it’s somehow comforting to know that so many of us are in this boat together. Running here and there, doing 12 different things, thinking 25 others, all while trying to get through our day.

And so there's a certain comfort in numbers---even in our shared absent-mindedness. Not to mention that it's funny as hell to imagine a steady trickle of people walking into a drycleaners, paying for nothing and walking out.

An Introduction

Popular. Consciousness. It's sort of funny considering that consciousness doesn't always seem to be the most popular thing out there these days. But if you look around, I believe we'll see something that's growing. So what is popular consciousness anyway? There are tons of definitions out there for both the words “popular” and “consciousness”, so I've improvised this little breakdown on my own:

pop‧u‧lar con‧scious‧ness [pop-yuh-ler kon-shuh-s-nis] noun
1. the collective thoughts, feelings, values and beliefs shared by a group of people
2. the predominating belief and value systems of a culture and its sub-cultures

It's all about what's on our minds---literally. On top of our basic human experience, we have layers of worldviews, paradigms and thought systems that guide how we live our lives. It's the software we've accumulated over a lifetime. Some of it is absolutely necessary to survive, but there's a lot that's outdated and inefficient. And then there's all the bugs and viruses. Consciousness is the process of waking up to these systems within us and between us, strengthening what's healthy and getting rid of what's not.

And like anything that's worthwhile, that process can be exhausting. If you become so acutely aware of everything going on in your mind and the world, you may want to knock yourself . . . unconscious. Because we're bound to see so much madness in ourselves and so much injustice in the world once we start to really look at things.

But there is so much beauty here at the same time, so much passion and ingenuity and creativity and compassion and spirit bubbling over all around us. Both are happening at the same time: the dark and the light. And that's the reality we're trying to wrap our heads around, to truly see the Whole Picture. And it doesn't happen overnight. Just as the evolution of our consciousness as a species is a process, so are our own individual journeys. We take it step by step.