“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” - Albert Camus
I would find it equally true to change 'unfree' with 'terror-filled,' 'angry,' 'lonely.'
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
Things that make me happy: March 2012
It's been quite a while since my last T.T.M.M.H. updated. Please forgive me. It's not that things haven't been making me happy. It's been a busy couple months, and, well, I honestly have a hard time making myself sit down to write these things out. But here goes!
As my time is wrapping up here in Japan, I'm trying to pay even better attention to the things that make me happy, large and small. For those who don't know, I have decided to move on from Japan when my contract ends in April. The reasons are vast and diverse and best discussed over a cup of coffee or a skype date, rather than in a blog post. But overall, I am hoping to travel a bit in April and May before returning to the US in June to start the job-hunting process again (feel free to send any suggestions/leads/contacts...).
Anywho, here's what's been making me smile in- and outwardly lately:
-The coming spring! surprisingly beautiful afternoons.
-Enjoying every moment of my last weeks with the kids. I'm really going to miss some of these little humans.
-Considering travel plans. I'm not deciding anything for a while, I just like thinking about the possibilities. I am so privileged...
-The documentary "The Interrupters" about a great organization called CeaseFire in south side Chicago. It actually made me cry, but it was a good cry--reminding me what I want to do and why. Watch for free on PBS's Frontline website.
-This website: http://www.lettersofnote.com/
-Love! I got to watch my friends sign their marriage papers last week, after watching the one of them run the Tokyo marathon. It was an exciting, lovely day. I feel so lucky to know them and be a part of their lives!
-Tokyo. I continue to love the city. Marathons, Chicago-style pizza and craft beer restaurants, dancing bachata with a Japanese guy who grew up in Mexico, amazing Bohemian neighborhoods, used book stores, art museums, animated film festivals. I've never gone into the city and left disappointed. I usually leave poor, but not disappointed. For photos, check Facebook.
-New Music: The Robert Glasper Experiment--amazing hip hop with jazz, soul, funk infusions. And an amazing jazz-style cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit." And great featured artists (Lupe Fiasco, Erykah Badu, yasiin bey, Bilal, among others.) Also, the newest Bjork album, called Biophilia. I've never been a huge Bjork fan, but this has converted me. It is an amazing album.
-Other music highlights: Astro, The Roots, Wilco, Bhi Bhiman, Curumin, Los Rakas, The Weeknd.
-Eagerly awaiting new albums from: Andrew Bird, Santigold, MIA, Spoek Mathambo.
-Books: I should really write a whole post or two about this, since this is how I spend the vast majority of my time not at work (and some of it at work--break time, of course). But in the interest of your time and attention, I'll try to keep it short. PLEASE let me know if you want to discuss any or all of these more in-depth. These are from the past month or so:
---"Embracing Defeat", a book about Japan in the years right after WWII. I found it fascinating. It looks at not just political and structural effects, but the psychological, emotional, and spiritual reconstruction that took place. It has caused a TON of questions about Japanese culture then and now that my lovely friends have had to deal with with amazing grace.
---"1Q84" by Haruki Murakami. It would be hard to describe, especially briefly, how amazing this book is, and how important it has been for me. It is another amazing Murakami story, with explorations on art, writing, God, religion, love, death, family. It is an amazing book.
---"The Angel Esmerelda" by Don Delillo. This is a great book of stories that led me to buy:
---"White Noise" by Don Delillo. This novel from the 80s is an amazing look into how individual people (especially in hyper-consumeristic societies) face death, and therefore, life. How does rapidly advancing technology and knowledge and production of things change how we feel about (and ultimately, fear,) death? As anyone who reads this blog at all regularly knows, my favorite author is David Foster Wallace, who loved Delillo. And it's obvious why. And there are some definite similarities to my other favorite author, JD Salinger. All good things for me.
---In an attempt to keep variety and not get too set in a particular genre (post-modern fiction, for now), I've just started a book called "The New Jim Crow" about the way the US criminal justice system has become a system for repression of (most specifically) African American men. I just started it today, but it seems really interesting thus far.
There's so much more, of course, that makes me happy. Lots of words (usually written), smiles, breaths. I continue to learn so much, every day, about what it means to be alive. My time in Japan has been so different from anywhere else I have lived, and so being, as taught me so much more than I could have ever imagined (other than just my reluctance for bath houses...). I so look forward to continue the journey.
What's making you happy?
As my time is wrapping up here in Japan, I'm trying to pay even better attention to the things that make me happy, large and small. For those who don't know, I have decided to move on from Japan when my contract ends in April. The reasons are vast and diverse and best discussed over a cup of coffee or a skype date, rather than in a blog post. But overall, I am hoping to travel a bit in April and May before returning to the US in June to start the job-hunting process again (feel free to send any suggestions/leads/contacts...).
Anywho, here's what's been making me smile in- and outwardly lately:
-The coming spring! surprisingly beautiful afternoons.
-Enjoying every moment of my last weeks with the kids. I'm really going to miss some of these little humans.
-Considering travel plans. I'm not deciding anything for a while, I just like thinking about the possibilities. I am so privileged...
-The documentary "The Interrupters" about a great organization called CeaseFire in south side Chicago. It actually made me cry, but it was a good cry--reminding me what I want to do and why. Watch for free on PBS's Frontline website.
-This website: http://www.lettersofnote.com/
-Love! I got to watch my friends sign their marriage papers last week, after watching the one of them run the Tokyo marathon. It was an exciting, lovely day. I feel so lucky to know them and be a part of their lives!
-Tokyo. I continue to love the city. Marathons, Chicago-style pizza and craft beer restaurants, dancing bachata with a Japanese guy who grew up in Mexico, amazing Bohemian neighborhoods, used book stores, art museums, animated film festivals. I've never gone into the city and left disappointed. I usually leave poor, but not disappointed. For photos, check Facebook.
-New Music: The Robert Glasper Experiment--amazing hip hop with jazz, soul, funk infusions. And an amazing jazz-style cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit." And great featured artists (Lupe Fiasco, Erykah Badu, yasiin bey, Bilal, among others.) Also, the newest Bjork album, called Biophilia. I've never been a huge Bjork fan, but this has converted me. It is an amazing album.
-Other music highlights: Astro, The Roots, Wilco, Bhi Bhiman, Curumin, Los Rakas, The Weeknd.
-Eagerly awaiting new albums from: Andrew Bird, Santigold, MIA, Spoek Mathambo.
-Books: I should really write a whole post or two about this, since this is how I spend the vast majority of my time not at work (and some of it at work--break time, of course). But in the interest of your time and attention, I'll try to keep it short. PLEASE let me know if you want to discuss any or all of these more in-depth. These are from the past month or so:
---"Embracing Defeat", a book about Japan in the years right after WWII. I found it fascinating. It looks at not just political and structural effects, but the psychological, emotional, and spiritual reconstruction that took place. It has caused a TON of questions about Japanese culture then and now that my lovely friends have had to deal with with amazing grace.
---"1Q84" by Haruki Murakami. It would be hard to describe, especially briefly, how amazing this book is, and how important it has been for me. It is another amazing Murakami story, with explorations on art, writing, God, religion, love, death, family. It is an amazing book.
---"The Angel Esmerelda" by Don Delillo. This is a great book of stories that led me to buy:
---"White Noise" by Don Delillo. This novel from the 80s is an amazing look into how individual people (especially in hyper-consumeristic societies) face death, and therefore, life. How does rapidly advancing technology and knowledge and production of things change how we feel about (and ultimately, fear,) death? As anyone who reads this blog at all regularly knows, my favorite author is David Foster Wallace, who loved Delillo. And it's obvious why. And there are some definite similarities to my other favorite author, JD Salinger. All good things for me.
---In an attempt to keep variety and not get too set in a particular genre (post-modern fiction, for now), I've just started a book called "The New Jim Crow" about the way the US criminal justice system has become a system for repression of (most specifically) African American men. I just started it today, but it seems really interesting thus far.
There's so much more, of course, that makes me happy. Lots of words (usually written), smiles, breaths. I continue to learn so much, every day, about what it means to be alive. My time in Japan has been so different from anywhere else I have lived, and so being, as taught me so much more than I could have ever imagined (other than just my reluctance for bath houses...). I so look forward to continue the journey.
What's making you happy?
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