Neverending Watchmen

I’ve figured out the similarity between the movie adaptations of The Neverending Story and Watchmen.

One of life’s big mysteries solved.

Here’s the deal.  If you saw either movie before reading the book, you probably liked the movie.  If you saw either movie after reading the book, you probably think it’s a pretty bad adaptation.  This is because both books are, at least in part, about the fact that they are books.  The movies can’t do that without somehow being about the fact that they are both movies – but the stories don’t work for that.  They are native to their format.

Beyond Our Wildest Dreams?

I’ve just finished reading “Beyond Our Wildest Dreams” by Susan and Kenneth Webb (so says the cover anyways, it reads like it was all written by Susan).  It promises “the story of the Farm and Wilderness camps” and it’s a memoir written for the 50th anniversary of said camps (which was in 1989 – the year before I started going).  It really made me wish there were a longer and more in-depth history of the place in some form.  There was a lot in it that I didn’t know – details about the Catamount bell that keeps time for Timberlake, or the origin of Flying Cloud – but it wasn’t written to be a history.

My overall impression from the writing is that Ken and Susan had this vision of a camp that was the absolute perfect vision for the time and place so it was impossible for them to not succeed.  There were so many points in the story where they were both sure they were thwarted only to have some miracle swoop in and rescue them (and the camps), it’s almost a thriller of a novel.  It’s also an indication that they held the correct truth for the land where Farm and Wilderness now exists.  Everywhere they went to talk about their vision, or their camp (and later, multiple camps) the response was always a profound relief and appreciation.  It makes me miss them, and I never knew them.

They had such a powerful compassion for their vision and such strong convictions for how things ought to be that things had no choice but to become that way.  Reading the memoir makes me both miss camp powerfully and be sad again at how far from Ken and Susan’s vision they seem to have strayed.  Farm and Wilderness was never anti-anything, and it certainly never had to be “anti-racist.”  Farm and Wilderness lived and grew through the Civil Rights Movement and it was an unsung hero at the forefront of Civil Rights.  Ken and Susan ignored bomb threats to travel south and try to recruit campers.  They admitted their first african american camper after the camps were “full” and despite the fact that half of their paying clients were southerners and left them after they did so.  They had convictions and they stuck to them.  They believed in Quaker ideals, they believed the human body to be a miracle and “God’s greatest gift.”   If they had ever noticed a decline in the number of campers participating in suitless swimming they would have tried to figure out where they had gone wrong in teaching this.  They never apologized for these beliefs.  They never consented that they might be wrong about them.

They never allowed anyone to doubt them, because they were right.

 I’m also surprised to learn how strong (and due to whom) the connection between the contra dance world and Farm and Wilderness used to be.  It saddens me that the camps do not dance as much as they used to.  I learned to dance at camp and it’s possible I wouldn’t be in the community I am in now if I hadn’t.

The world is always changing, and businesses (and particularly businesses which educate children) have to be always changing as well, but some core truths remain the same.  They ought not to be compromised, and they ought to always be taught.

Hunger Games Fandom Is Odd

So I guess I want to go left or right then, yes?

Look, I like The Hunger Games.  It’s a great series.  It is not about a happy place.  There is no reason to fantasize about actually going there.  Why would you ever want to do that?  Do you really want to live in a world where you might have to eat your cat?  Or kill your sister?  Or be killed by your lover?  The whole point of the series is how inhumane and awful the whole of Panem is.

Maybe this sign is a warning.  ”Turn Back” it says.

Also, which direction to Camp Half-Blood?

Star Wars Visual Symphony

It is done.

Part I: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfXz37vFwkA?rel=0

Part II: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1asOVdQeJSo?rel=0

 

I’m genuinely surprised with how well this project came out.  I just started it (years and years ago) as a hobby, something for me to just play around with video editing whenever I was bored.  I never figured it would end up as good as it has, but I’m really moved by parts of it.

It’s like I took what makes the story of the Star Wars Saga powerful and good and condensed it down into 15 minutes.  Of course having John Williams’ music over the whole thing doesn’t hurt (in fact I’d say it’s essential).  At any rate I’m quite pleased with it.

What should I work on next?

Star Wars Visual Symphony: Concerto II

The second in the three-part symphony is now up.  Concerto II in Love and Death

This may be my favorite of the three, although the third isn’t quite done yet. There is certainly something to enjoy about the epic conclusion, but I think this one ended up being the most powerful. Plus, there is something to be said for the Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon love scene.

Politics 2012

There is a presidential election coming up.  Again.  If you’re one of the millions of loyal readers that I’m sure The Juno Blog has, you know that I used to post articles about politics.  I even endorsed our current President.

I haven’t been writing about politics in recent years though, and the reason is simple: I’ve lost interest.

This is, perhaps, Obama’s biggest failing.

Now I do not believe that he has been a bad President, and in fact I think he may be a really good President.  But I admit to getting a bit caught up in his rhetoric.  He wasn’t supposed to just be a good President.  He was supposed to transcend politics.  He was supposed to change the system.

He hasn’t, and honestly this is not a surprise, nor is it his fault (though the expectations that arrived with him to the White House are).  The system is designed in such a way that it cannot be quickly changed, nor can it be changed by one individual, even if he or she is President.

And I’m just not really interested anymore.  I’m interested in human beings.  I’m interested in the future of the world.  I’m interested in the evolution of humanity.  I’m interested in community.

I want a world where what each does counts for all.

This makes all things possible.

What each does counts for all, means everything can be done.

This means every individual does the work they love.

This means no one goes without.

This is the kind of thing that I want a politician to say.  I want them to be able to say this because I want the system to be working for this.  Then I would be interested.

Star Wars Visual Symphony: Concerto I

Behold the bounds of my geekiness!  Marvel at the remarkable montage!  The first of the trilogy is finished and now available for anyone (and everyone) to see!