what's next

this is a procrastination blog post.

i've been thinking the past couple days about how the next generation(s) will rebel against mine. i couldn't really think of any way my generation is extreme in a bad way. how blind i am to the acceptable weaknesses of my cultural generation! but tonight i came up with my prediction. i think the next generation will reject our high importance placed on emotional health. i think they will "go back to the land" and embrace hard work and determination. i think they will mirror the great depression generation.
this flies in the face of ideas that the next generation will be more technically advanced, more leisurely, and more connected electronically. i think that their motto will be: "suck it up, life is pain"
i think chap clark's book hurt has a good point. i've been noticing more lately how much pain the high schoolers are in. it debilitates them. what will they learn to do with their pain that they are so well-equipped to describe?

Asia Argento in the Last Mistress

alternative imogen heap music video for "first train home"

my friend luci from l'abri is the blonde in the blue dress on the right for the first part of the video. she was an artist in residence for imogen heap for awhile. pretty awesome!

Levi's "Go Forth" commercial

This was shown before Twilight: New Moon at the midnight showing last night. I think this captures a feeling of my generation. I don't really know how to articulate it beyond saying that. This is pretty good art.

However, watching it on this tiny tiny screen takes away some of the drama that I felt on the big screen. The expressions on the people's faces is what did it for me. Full screen this ish.

bizarre and wonderful:

Charlotte Gainsbourg - Heaven Can Wait from Charlotte Gainsbourg on Vimeo.

via kanye

Douglas Coupland, Life After God, "My secret is that I need God - that I am sick and can no longer make it alone. I need God to help me give, because I no longer seem to be capable of giving; to help me be kind, as I no longer seem capable of kindness; to help me love, as I seem beyond being able to love."

from matt

Al-Anon

A good friend of mine is a recovering alcoholic and I decided to check out Al-Anon, a support group for those in relationships with alcoholics. My coworker at the florist said that her mom went for four years and loved it. She said that it just gave her practical life advice.

It was held in the library of a local Church of Christ. The meeting was set up a lot like the one AA meeting I went to with my friend. The twelve steps are read, new-comers are welcomed, and some story is read or shared that starts off the evening's discussion.;

After the AA meeting I decided that I think that the church should be like an AA meeting. People come in, are reminded of the truths of the Bible, someone shares a story from the Bible or how God has acted in their life, and people respond. It'd be a great support group.

I think I'm going to go back to Al-Anon because it's basically a support group for codependents. The woman who shared her personal story was going to share it last week but her (alcoholic) husband was in a serious car accident. She shared the story of how she was coping with almost eerie serenity. She put the responsibility for the accident on her husband. She was going to help him deal with the practical repercussions but was not going to take on the emotional stress and regret that was his. amazing.

Later on, the 3 C's were mentioned:

- didn't cause it

- can't control it

- can't cure it

other things:

- Everyone’s doing the best they can

- don’t give advice; share experience, life, and hope.

- when the student is willing the teacher appears

- boundaries and unconditional love

- back off until they respect the boundaries

There's a lot I can learn from these men and women in al-anon about life and relationships. I think I'm going to start going regularly.