To thine own self be true

Became more like myself every day.

This is one for all connoisseurs of Shakespeare and Shakespearean film adaptations. Also for fans of director Michael Radford (of the excellent Il Postino and 1984), Al Pacino, and Jeremy Irons who are all impressive in this well-made labor of love.

The Merchant of Venice is a very tough play to put on because of its anti-Semitism and the handling of Shylock and the Christians. But I think Radford gets it right. He allows viewers to understand all the reasons for Shylock’s enthusiasm for exacting his bond on Antonio while simultaneously showing us–as I believe Shakespeare intended–that Shylock was a man, like King Lear, “more sinned against than sinning”. Pacino gives one of his best, realistic, and most convincing performances and never overacts. His speeches form the centre of the revenge-justice-mercy conflict.

Jeremy Irons is very good as the loving friend who is never bitter, nor regrets going to bat for his friend Bassanio. Indeed, this is also Shakespeare’s strongest play on friendship and loyalty. One interesting side conflict is also that between Bassanio’s loyalties to his friend and to his wife as symbolized by the ring incident. (This conflict is timeless and still occurs in modern times.)

Lynn Collins is effective, complementing a similar ordinary-looking husband Bassanio (Joseph Fiennes), In fact, this is one of the strengths of the film; it is not falsely glamorous like some Shakespearean films have been, making it easier for ordinary people to identify with the characters and plot. (Of course, viewers are amazed that no one recognizes that the judge is Collins, which is a problem which attends all productions like this one, Twelfth Night, and others in which characters comically change genders.)

That inevitable unbelievability aside, this is a strong production with uniformly good supporting actors, faithfulness to the text, a reasonable presentation of the three chests episode, an interesting ‘antique’ tone to the film’s look, wonderful period music by Jocelyn Pook set to poems by famous poets, and a trial climax and ring recovery anti-climax which do not disappoint.

It is hard to imagine a better production of this tricky play, but Michael Radford has succeeded as he did notably well with 1984 and Il Postino. (The latter two are must-sees if you enjoyed this adaptation.) The above DVD (Sony Pictures Classics) is quite entertaining and therefore is highly recommended.

On one hand, doing nothing about the unconscionable driver ‘punishments’ for pedestrians and cyclists mowed down by motor vehicles who typically don’t have to appear in court, don’t have to do community service or jail time, and are only typically fined 100s of dollars. (*Canada should learn from the U.S. punishments for the same crimes.)
On the other, playing Open Sesame with pot, permitting youth, drivers, and people at risk to get doped to the gills, and very likely increasing the number of motorist, pedestrian, and cyclist accidents and injuries. All in the name of making money. Trudeau and the Liberals have sold Canadians, Canadian youth, and safety on roads downstream again. Zero moral conscience to speak of.

Cogito, ergo sum. (I think, therefore I am.)–Rene Descartes

We all have our starting points, influences, and processes. My daily latter is: I am what I am, therefore I think.

Consciousness has long been of interest and just about anything that still signifies for me has to do with consciousness and awareness-raising (which is probably why I have been a musician, a 30-year-teacher, and finally, a writer.)

About five years ago, consciousness reinsinuated itself in my life and writing. I began to record page-length meditations. Central and underlying themes began to emerge and beg for personal expression. I obliged on such topics as love, freedom, gifts of self, and so forth. Call it a mental clearing-house and summing up, and finally, this blog–an idea garden as it has turned out, largely, to be.

I suppose I also wanted to go on record in a new and different medium–one which had a 24/7, quasi-eternal quality to it. Although I have recommended this blog to friends and interesting people I have met along the way since last year (some notion of audience has given additional purpose), the blog has been mostly a self-expressive process in which I have given my opinions and thoughts, in a Montaigneish way, about ‘what occurs to me’ or arises in daily consciousness.

Consciousness is, of course, broader than simply ideas or opinions, and this blog has expressed memories, recorded older writing which I wanted to preserve and share, and often simply written itself when a mood or theme suggested itself. Very process-oriented through and thorough.

Frequently, I have shared and expressed feelings, moods, and much of this process reveals deeper inner workings of soul and my essential spirit. Looking back at much of my poetry, I realize a transparency and windows quality to that soulfull-ness and spirit. That was probably a deeper cause or motivation for many poems. So much of who I deeply am and have been can be seen in the poems.

As I mentioned before, sensibility and its development have always been of interest, particularly in my own case. I have long opened myself to the world and as much of the best of what has been expressed by others, especially by the greats in the arts. Recurringly, my life has been informed and enhanced by information from the arts.

Language, too, has been a very basic preoccupation. I have explored and analyzed it, but I have also played with it, and used it to say and do what I most wanted, especially in cases where a person or project truly mattered. To a large extent–as witnessed by this blog–words are mainly who I am and how my sensibility interacts with others and the world. Words come easily and they have brought me enough success, happiness, pleasure, fulfilment, and satisfaction in life.

As always, these entries write themselves, often in first-draft form. I am a writer. For me, consciousness and experience have been the great personal trips, along with family. We are each of us every day living in/with our consciousnesses. And there is always a limited/limiting aspect as well as a potentially fulfilling/realizing aspect to that process. Consciousness is something that is basic and constant and gets in early–as my remarks and observations about my grandson have shown. It is also what we take to the grave with us or until downsizing dementia or unconsciousness sets in.

Consciousness is our opportunity to realize, express, and share who we are and how we feel about and see the world. It defines us, finally.

I thank you for wandering around in my Idea Garden today. It is actually a consciousness garden of a large, sensitive sensibility. If ever you care to know who I am and was, it is pretty much here, so to speak. Enjoy and feel free to make a connection, or pick up an idea or inspiration.

-common sense

-intelligence

-sense of humor and wit

-decency

-sensibility

-personal depth

-natural capacity to respond to beauty

-creative consciousness

-empathy and sympathy

-civility and courtesy

-gentleness, kindness and caring

-natural innocence, awe, and wonder

-natural curiosity

-appreciation

-institutions that truly serve the public and not merely politicians, parties, or government

-permanence

-real intimacy, open-heartedness, love, and touch

-live in-person presence

-actual traditional works of art

-nature and pets

-genius and vision

-civilization

-personal freedom

-true individuality

-unconventional consciousness

-moments of being

-unagenda-ed possibilities

-un-e-mediated spirit and soul experience

-un-e-mediated magic moments

And never will be. All those many things rapidly vanishing, quickly forgotten, or gone largely missing in our ‘wonderful’ brave new d-world.

“Technology dominates us all, diminishing our freedom.”–Dorothy McCall, quoted in The Los Angeles Times, 14 March 1974

–the average cost to purchase 1,000 fake Twitter followers

1159

Great Streets of silence led away
To Neighborhoods of Pause–
Here was no Notice–no Dissent
No Universe–no Laws–

By Clocks, ’twas Morning, and for Night
The Bells at Distance called–
But Epoch had no basis here
For Period exhaled.

365

Dare you see a Soul at the White Heat?
Then crouch within the door–
Red–is the Fire’s common tint–
But when the vivid Ore
Has vanquished Flame’s conditions,
It quivers from the Forge
Without a color, but the light
Of unanointed Blaze.
Least Village has it’s Blacksmith
Whose Anvil’s even ring
Stands symbol for the finer Forge
That soundless tugs–within–
Refining these impatient Ores
With Hammer, and with Blaze
Until the designated Light
Repudiate the Forge–

It has been my own experience and observation that giving the gifts of self is, more often than not, the easier, more common end of the equation. What too many nice, good people have difficulty with is the acceptance of gifts of self and learning to go with the flow of that love. In order to truly receive the gifts of other, one must needs learn to let go–a very large obstacle for many people far more used to the giving and expressing mode. And, yes, it is good to receive as much as to give. It gives more purpose, meaning, depth, richness, and reciprocity to any and all gifts of self, including love.

The Wild