Leaving Netherland - The Final Nail In The Coffin?

I won’t ever be able to listen to MJ’s music again, especially the hit song, “Man in the Mirror” written by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett. For me, no doubt exists about the veracity of these latest, detailed sexual abuse claims by yet 2 more victims. After all, a grown man flaunting his obsession with and attraction to children as if natural, a trial, multiple previous allegations, and large financial settlements. A whole history here!

Key words in play are icon, con, pedophile, masquerade (as a noun and verb), power of seduction, power of wealth, talent, absentee, unconscious parenting, drug and alcohol abuse, enabling behavior, pain and suffering. This film is a scenario and accounting of these elements in repetition spanning years, without any algorithms; a sad tale indeed for everyone involved including society as a collective.

God only knows what happened to MJ as a child. Regardless, I continue to believe that exposure of truth and shattering of illusions are vital for expanded awareness and human evolvement.

Rod Rosenstein

As Deputy Attorney General of the U.S., he gave a speech in Washington DC yesterday. It just may be his last given the pattern of exits thus far. He concluded with an ancient proverb, “If you desire to know a person’s character, consider his friends” followed by his advice to “Always make sure that you can stand proudly with the company you keep.”

This is good guidance and relates to what I’ve learned and said previously about being careful because people and behavior can be contagious (families included.)

Leaving Netherland

Ahh, this documentary is really challenging to watch! The transgressions are disturbing. It’s probably best to watch during the day as the other night I viewed part 1, went to bed and had difficulty falling asleep. Still vivid were the visuals and dialogue. Realizing the impact of an 8 hour marination in this and the need for a counterbalance, I chose as my mantra, “power of truth”. The repetition gave way to much-needed positivity for an uninterrupted slumber.

Choice Of Words

Last weekend I attended the Wisdom2Summit/Conference. An interview with Chelsea Handler, one of my favorites, was quite complelling. She mentioned racism and her upcoming Netflix show about white privilege. She, too, used the words “people of color.” Then, yesterday Chris Matthews as well as his interviewee Omarosa uttered them. Each time, it feels like a dissonant chord of separateness is being struck. Perhaps right now these popular words are necessary for discussion; however, I look forward to the day when identification via color of skin ceases to exist.

Although categorized as caucasian, I am 50% Spanish Basque with an olive complexion. With the varying shades in each color category, we are all “people of color”.

Congressional Testimony - Michael Cohen

Despite being riveted to the TV, the divulged information was neither shocking or surprising. Same for the Republican responses of admonition vs. inquiry.

The exchanges involving Rep. Mark Meadows particularly stood out along with oddly positioned Lynne Patton. Insisting he was not a racist, he said he had nieces and nephews that are “people of color.” His choice of words did not bode well for convincing me otherwise. And, the stationary image nearby reminded me of the movie, “Get Out” and the demeanor of the groundskeeper and housekeeper.

And a day later, videos surface of Meadows on the campaign trail vowing to “send Obama home to Kenya.”

I have high hopes that truth and accountability will prevail for each of us.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2019/02/28/mark-meadows-2012-vow-send-obama-to-kenya-resurfaces/3013304002/

Oscars

As an aesthete, I thoroughly enjoy this yearly extravaganza. The beautiful clothes and faces of the many talented people are always captivating. Perhaps because of increased awareness of skin and aging, the influences of heavy makeup, botox, fillers and plastic surgery were apparent. Angela Bassett is 60 and she had no visible wrinkles or signs of aging. She looked great, and I understand the inclination and work-related necessity to erase time and appear beautiful. At times I couldn’t help but vacillate between images of damaging chemicals being slathered on the skin, injected in the skin and the often robotic visual effects in the midst of the engaging program.

In an exterior-oriented society, maintaining physical beauty is a conundrum.

Grammies

I thought one of the best, rivaling the great one my son and I attended. So many exciting performances and love, love Alicia Keys. She’s so talented. Playing 2 pianos simultaneously and flawlessly? Quite something! Then add to the equation her natural beauty and quite refreshing minimal to no-makeup look. She exudes embodied wisdom and joy.

"Ephemeral Nature Of Living Things", "Transient Nature Of Earthly Existence"

A friend forwarded this from Frick.org; perfect for referencing flowers in previous post.

As a complement to the paintings from the Mauritshuis, the Frick is presenting Transforming Still Life Painting, Rob and Nick Carter’s modern rejoinder to the vanitas tradition. The inspiration for the work is Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder’s (1573– 1621) Vase with Flowers in a Window (c. 1618), a renowned painting in the Mauritshuis’s collection (not in the exhibition due to its fragile condition). A reminder of the ephemeral nature of living things, the painting features a vase of meticulously detailed flowers displayed on a windowsill in front of a bright sky and picturesque landscape. In the Carter film, Bosschaert’s image changes gradually over the course of three hours: flowers wither, insects devour the tender foliage, and darkness descends over the distant mountains and river. The film animates the image and, like Bosschaert’s painting, illustrates the transient nature of earthly existence.

Rob and Nick Carter, still from Transforming Still Life Painting, 2012. Three-hour looped, digitally rendered film, frame, and Apple Mac. Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague. © Rob and Nick Carter

Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder, Vase with Flowers in a Window, c. 1618. Oil on panel. Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague

Launch video »

Anti-Aging

Cleaning out a bathroom drawer, I found a sample of Sisley L’Integral Anti-Age cream for “jour et suit” or day and night. As I stared at the words “Anti-Age”, I realized the fallacy and need for a new paradigm. We are supposed to age, to change and transition from one phase to the next, never looking the same. A baby becomes a toddler, a toddler an adolescent and an adolescent an adult. A toddler cannot regain the skin and appearance of a baby, nor an adolescent or adult; etc. There’s an expiration date on our bodies preceded by waning physicality; the growth cycle of birth and death for all. I love my fresh flowers. However, over a week’s period, there are the various stages between budding and withering. Then, to flower heaven.

Why be anti? Why resist and get stuck in negative twisting of what is inevitable by the cosmetic industry? So much of wellbeing is about embracing what is, moving with it and, ultimately letting go. Besides, let’s shatter the illusion that any cream, serum or elixir will remove the lines, the sagging, and retard aging. If anything, I’m convinced that the zillion products laden with fragrances and chemicals actually insult and injure skin. The focus needs to be on supporting the health of the skin no matter what age with clean products and good nutrition, for starters.

Certainly marketing this French product as “L’Integral” is amusing - integrated, complete, essential or fundamental.

Reincarnation Continued

Referencing the article by Robert Schwartz, last paragraph, “Every pre-birth plan I have ever studied has been based on great wisdom and unconditional love. Let us trust in that. Let us trust that the beauty and magnificence of The Shift will be worth the pain of the catalyst.”

For me, trust is more than a belief. There’s an active component involved. That is, it does not mean I or we roll over and play dead, defined in urban dictionary.com as, “To give up the will to try/the will to fight/or possibly stay silent/take the path of least resistance”. Across the board, now is the time for each of us to determine our truth, express it in ways that resonate, and trust that, ultimately, all is in perfect order.