In review.....
Writing the last post has been an interesting experience, I don't know what I anticipated to occur from the responses or if I would get any at all, but they have certainly been wonderful to receive. I have had 6 responses and one of those was not complimentary. It certainly has caused me to ponder on the nature of things like this. Adoption was a major element and influence in my life and as my previous post indicates, is now behind me and has been quenched.
A post script on "A window from within" would be that I realised the possible sensitivities that still exist with the players and people who were mentioned. That post took me hours to write, mainly because I wanted to treat the people whose names I was to mention with the love and respect I genuinely feel for them. I wanted to go to great lengths to ensure in my writings, that I treated them with the deference they deserve. I think the negative comment I received privately, and a couple who have not replied to my invitation to read this post in my blog may have felt that I overstepped my bounds in bringing some of this information to the public consciousness, I think also that there will be a few who have chosen simply to read and make no comment at all, and that is fine.
If there be any who may feel slighted by my outpouring of thoughts, and I have come to know and feel that there are, I apologise for the hurt or offence my post may have caused. That said, I still stand by what I wrote, as an expression of events in my life that are real. I have written what I have, out of a place of amazement and wonder, that I have become who I am. I have sought to highlight the impact of this influences in my life and have done so largely as a tribute to the protagonists.
This is my Wedding promo poster I have designed.
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moving on to a different change of pace
I wanted to give a DVD review on a couple of films I saw recently. The star rating is out of 5.
I really loved the DVD on Edith Piaff's life, La Vie en Rose. What a wonderful film. I believe the main actress who played Edith, one Marion Cotillard is astounding. She had me believing that SHE WAS Edith. I am so hopeful she gets an Oscar. It was a film that took you through Edith's troubled and tempestuous life. Edith lived and played hard, and through it all had this voice that caused all within it's vocal range or sound, to melt and be in awe of the magic that her voice was, and still is to some including me. I understand few french words or phrases but was enveloped by the performance, the music, the city of Paris and of course of Edith's portrayal. It is a film I warmly recommend. Straight after the film I turned on my computer to re listen to the 2-3 songs I have in my itunes from Edith Piaff. Totally mesmerising stuff to me. (5 stars)
I have also seen a film called "Neverwas" Starring Ian Mackellan, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, William Hurt as notables and a host of other actors. A simple film, no huge special effects, it is a fantasy film, that hit me on several levels. It is a feel good film with a sad but brilliant twist. Essentially a young Psychiatrist goes to a sanitarium to take the job, and as the film unfolds we discover that his reason for going to THIS sanitarium was because his Father, a well known writer of a famous children's book had been a patient there. The plot develops and shows that the book his Father wrote may have elements of truth in it. I am grateful for good films. They help me reassess my own life and cause me to try and absorb more of the good things in life and imbue them as part of the me, I wish to become. It won't appeal to everyone at all, but was wonderful nonetheless. (3.5 stars)
I saw The Kingdom with Jamie Fox, Jennifer Garner, another shoot em up type film dealing with some sensitive middle eastern issues. Roughly said, something bad happens to Americans in the middle east and a group of rogue American FBI people want to go in and get to the bottom of the situation breaking all international protocols and initially after thinking themselves superior than the Saudi's, the Americans gradually learn to respect that life is not always as they seem. They develop friendships and form bonds with people they initially despised. Not bad as far as action films go, great music that really set the mood and highlighted the difficulties that seem to exist between those who believe they are on Allah's errand and those who are on their own errand. (3.5 stars)
Well, I will review some films each time I see something I like or don't like.
I have been a little sad of late when I have selected people whom I know don't visit my blog, to share the news about getting to meet Burt Bacharach with. I am amazed and yet not, how many people don't even know, or care who he is. I guess it saddens me that I don't think myself different to anyone else, but it would appear that I certainly am. One person said to me yesterday, isn't he really old now? Hmmm I guess so I think. But doesn't 7 Grammy awards, 10 number 1 hits, 37 chart topping albums and a literal catalogue of songs people have had their life soundtracks made from count for anything? Oh well, I shall not raise it ever again to anybody. I am just grateful that I had the chance to meet a musical genius once in my life.
We live in a society that wants to make people an offender for a word. Or said differently, we are wanting to dismiss people, or at least pigeon hole them, quickly into a category as though everything you say or represent is of no worth just because you said one thing, or did one thing that was inappropriate, or questionable in the eyes or perception of another. It is a real bug bear with me.
If my spelling, or my grammar here in this blog is not up to scratch, it is as though if when that is pointed out it provides sufficient reason to ignore the content or the way I feel. Similar for current Prime minister Kevin Rudd, who has had email contact with a disgraced former W.A (Western Australian) politician. There seems to be a whole group who feel it their duty to call to account what was said, what was done and the ramifications. Let me say here that I am not comparing myself to Kevin Rudd or anybody else. I am just saddened that a function of the cynical world we live in chooses to find chinks in the armor of people to demonise them and reduce their effectiveness. I am not suggesting the need for checks and balances in the lives of people who are in a position to guide our nation be ignored, I just think we need to look at them, and ourselves, with more forgiving and understanding eyes of their natural human foibles.
I am a business development manager within a major photographic company as well as having my own business photographing. In the business role I am with, there are people who believe in an esoteric philosophy that would have them believe they are unique, gifted and superior to all others within an organisation. I guess it is the office politics I am referring to. Though it would seem this organisation is the white house with the amount of "potomac two steps" or buck passing I witness occurring. I have never understood the supposed need for power to exert over another individual. I have never subscribed to that philosophy, whenever I have seen it in anybody or any race of people. I am a believer that we are all children of a God who cares and loves all of us irrespective of race, colour, creed, religion, economic circumstance or any other variable that would allow segregation of people. What I find strange is that if people want to get the best out of another human being, all they have to do is empower them. Layout clearly the objective, enroll them in why it is important and send them forth to accomplish the task, bringing with them their own unique attributes and skills. Clearly my revolutionary idea is foreign to many people and organisations who outwardly espouse solidarity to such values, but inwardly are fearful and scared of losing their own position in the process.
As the song The outcasts from the Disney movie the "Hunchback of Notre Dame" suggests, there are some it seems that God favours over others, but I think God allows opposites to exist in the world for a specific reason. Now accept my finite mind dealing with infinite concepts here, I believe that God allows things like people with disability, people with difference, or economic differences to occur to allow us all to show care and love and most importantly, understanding and acceptance of, other people. In the song and movie Alfie, the lyrics ask about life generally "What's it all about Alfie? is it just for the moment we live? are we meant to take more than we give? I will post the lyrics of the song here because I think they encapsulate the overall feeling I m trying to convey. Today is a great day. I am pumped!
Whats it all about, alfie?
Is it just for the moment we live?
Whats it all about when you sort it out, alfie?
Are we meant to take more than we give
Or are we meant to be kind?
And if only fools are kind, alfie,
Then I guess its wise to be cruel.
And if life belongs only to the strong, alfie,
What will you lend on an old golden rule?
As sure as I believe theres a heaven above, alfie,
I know theres something much more,
Something even non-believers can believe in.
I believe in love, alfie.
Without true love we just exist, alfie.
Until you find the love youve missed youre nothing, alfie.
When you walk let your heart lead the way
And youll find love any day, alfie, alfie.
A post script on "A window from within" would be that I realised the possible sensitivities that still exist with the players and people who were mentioned. That post took me hours to write, mainly because I wanted to treat the people whose names I was to mention with the love and respect I genuinely feel for them. I wanted to go to great lengths to ensure in my writings, that I treated them with the deference they deserve. I think the negative comment I received privately, and a couple who have not replied to my invitation to read this post in my blog may have felt that I overstepped my bounds in bringing some of this information to the public consciousness, I think also that there will be a few who have chosen simply to read and make no comment at all, and that is fine.
If there be any who may feel slighted by my outpouring of thoughts, and I have come to know and feel that there are, I apologise for the hurt or offence my post may have caused. That said, I still stand by what I wrote, as an expression of events in my life that are real. I have written what I have, out of a place of amazement and wonder, that I have become who I am. I have sought to highlight the impact of this influences in my life and have done so largely as a tribute to the protagonists.
This is my Wedding promo poster I have designed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
moving on to a different change of pace
I wanted to give a DVD review on a couple of films I saw recently. The star rating is out of 5.
I really loved the DVD on Edith Piaff's life, La Vie en Rose. What a wonderful film. I believe the main actress who played Edith, one Marion Cotillard is astounding. She had me believing that SHE WAS Edith. I am so hopeful she gets an Oscar. It was a film that took you through Edith's troubled and tempestuous life. Edith lived and played hard, and through it all had this voice that caused all within it's vocal range or sound, to melt and be in awe of the magic that her voice was, and still is to some including me. I understand few french words or phrases but was enveloped by the performance, the music, the city of Paris and of course of Edith's portrayal. It is a film I warmly recommend. Straight after the film I turned on my computer to re listen to the 2-3 songs I have in my itunes from Edith Piaff. Totally mesmerising stuff to me. (5 stars)
I have also seen a film called "Neverwas" Starring Ian Mackellan, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, William Hurt as notables and a host of other actors. A simple film, no huge special effects, it is a fantasy film, that hit me on several levels. It is a feel good film with a sad but brilliant twist. Essentially a young Psychiatrist goes to a sanitarium to take the job, and as the film unfolds we discover that his reason for going to THIS sanitarium was because his Father, a well known writer of a famous children's book had been a patient there. The plot develops and shows that the book his Father wrote may have elements of truth in it. I am grateful for good films. They help me reassess my own life and cause me to try and absorb more of the good things in life and imbue them as part of the me, I wish to become. It won't appeal to everyone at all, but was wonderful nonetheless. (3.5 stars)
I saw The Kingdom with Jamie Fox, Jennifer Garner, another shoot em up type film dealing with some sensitive middle eastern issues. Roughly said, something bad happens to Americans in the middle east and a group of rogue American FBI people want to go in and get to the bottom of the situation breaking all international protocols and initially after thinking themselves superior than the Saudi's, the Americans gradually learn to respect that life is not always as they seem. They develop friendships and form bonds with people they initially despised. Not bad as far as action films go, great music that really set the mood and highlighted the difficulties that seem to exist between those who believe they are on Allah's errand and those who are on their own errand. (3.5 stars)
Well, I will review some films each time I see something I like or don't like.
I have been a little sad of late when I have selected people whom I know don't visit my blog, to share the news about getting to meet Burt Bacharach with. I am amazed and yet not, how many people don't even know, or care who he is. I guess it saddens me that I don't think myself different to anyone else, but it would appear that I certainly am. One person said to me yesterday, isn't he really old now? Hmmm I guess so I think. But doesn't 7 Grammy awards, 10 number 1 hits, 37 chart topping albums and a literal catalogue of songs people have had their life soundtracks made from count for anything? Oh well, I shall not raise it ever again to anybody. I am just grateful that I had the chance to meet a musical genius once in my life.
We live in a society that wants to make people an offender for a word. Or said differently, we are wanting to dismiss people, or at least pigeon hole them, quickly into a category as though everything you say or represent is of no worth just because you said one thing, or did one thing that was inappropriate, or questionable in the eyes or perception of another. It is a real bug bear with me.
If my spelling, or my grammar here in this blog is not up to scratch, it is as though if when that is pointed out it provides sufficient reason to ignore the content or the way I feel. Similar for current Prime minister Kevin Rudd, who has had email contact with a disgraced former W.A (Western Australian) politician. There seems to be a whole group who feel it their duty to call to account what was said, what was done and the ramifications. Let me say here that I am not comparing myself to Kevin Rudd or anybody else. I am just saddened that a function of the cynical world we live in chooses to find chinks in the armor of people to demonise them and reduce their effectiveness. I am not suggesting the need for checks and balances in the lives of people who are in a position to guide our nation be ignored, I just think we need to look at them, and ourselves, with more forgiving and understanding eyes of their natural human foibles.
I am a business development manager within a major photographic company as well as having my own business photographing. In the business role I am with, there are people who believe in an esoteric philosophy that would have them believe they are unique, gifted and superior to all others within an organisation. I guess it is the office politics I am referring to. Though it would seem this organisation is the white house with the amount of "potomac two steps" or buck passing I witness occurring. I have never understood the supposed need for power to exert over another individual. I have never subscribed to that philosophy, whenever I have seen it in anybody or any race of people. I am a believer that we are all children of a God who cares and loves all of us irrespective of race, colour, creed, religion, economic circumstance or any other variable that would allow segregation of people. What I find strange is that if people want to get the best out of another human being, all they have to do is empower them. Layout clearly the objective, enroll them in why it is important and send them forth to accomplish the task, bringing with them their own unique attributes and skills. Clearly my revolutionary idea is foreign to many people and organisations who outwardly espouse solidarity to such values, but inwardly are fearful and scared of losing their own position in the process.
As the song The outcasts from the Disney movie the "Hunchback of Notre Dame" suggests, there are some it seems that God favours over others, but I think God allows opposites to exist in the world for a specific reason. Now accept my finite mind dealing with infinite concepts here, I believe that God allows things like people with disability, people with difference, or economic differences to occur to allow us all to show care and love and most importantly, understanding and acceptance of, other people. In the song and movie Alfie, the lyrics ask about life generally "What's it all about Alfie? is it just for the moment we live? are we meant to take more than we give? I will post the lyrics of the song here because I think they encapsulate the overall feeling I m trying to convey. Today is a great day. I am pumped!
Whats it all about, alfie?
Is it just for the moment we live?
Whats it all about when you sort it out, alfie?
Are we meant to take more than we give
Or are we meant to be kind?
And if only fools are kind, alfie,
Then I guess its wise to be cruel.
And if life belongs only to the strong, alfie,
What will you lend on an old golden rule?
As sure as I believe theres a heaven above, alfie,
I know theres something much more,
Something even non-believers can believe in.
I believe in love, alfie.
Without true love we just exist, alfie.
Until you find the love youve missed youre nothing, alfie.
When you walk let your heart lead the way
And youll find love any day, alfie, alfie.
Comments
I read your post regarding your adoption, almost as soon as you posted it and then read it again after the additional comments you made.
I was so very affected by the emotion in your post that I am still contemplating your story. There are some very uncanny aspects. There is so much to say in response and I had every intention of sharing my thoughts.
I took a pause however, to decide the best way to respond.
Having read this latest post and the rebuffs you have been met with, I think it best that I reserve comment. Probably best to just leave things be.
I hope that any residual turbulance will soon be calmed and that there will not be any ongoing bad feeling between you and those who were offended.
V2T
I apologise for keeping you waiting on my response to your wonderful explanation of your adoption story.
My time is not my own most days, especially of late.
It was very evident to me that you put your heart and soul into that journal entry. I wondered if it had been a cathartic experience for you. I have to say that I shed tears in places whilst I read.
The peace you expressed at various times throughout the account reflected your own sense of closure.
It was a wonderful and touching story to read.
I wanted to be sure that you were comfortable with further comments after the mixed response, before I went ahead and posted. I will do so as quickly as I can, I promise.
Thank you again for answering the questions I posed. Thank you for going to a place within yourself that was potentially painful. In doing so you may have helped others who are travelling the same road.
V2T
Thanks for your comments, it was cathartic and very emotional for me. Draining more than anything else. The fact that there are people who have already suggested that they have felt "helped" by my story has given me more warmth and gratitude than I know how to express. Thank you for your support. I look forward to your other questions, even in spite of my next post. I appreciate that you are busy, just send them through when you can. They will help keep me centred and focussed I think.