Sunday, September 16, 2007

Bushwick, Brooklyn, Sept. 2007


I found this post-it note on the subway yesterday:
Nice board dude. Big wheels. So I take it you cruise. So do I. Mine is the same way.
I'm trying to imagine the circumstances under which someone would write such a note. I'm guessing it's about a skateboard. Did the writer and recipient know each other? It even sounds a little like a come-on, if you ask me.

Last night I went to see "Across the Universe," Julie Taymor's movie about the '60s scripted entirely around Beatles songs. It's surprisingly good for what's essentially a jukebox musical, with psychedelic film effects and trippy sequences featuring animation and giant puppets. And I am a hard-core Beatles fan, so I wouldn't be saying that if I thought the movie disrespected the songs in any way.

I wish we had some of that '60s idealism and passion these days. Not that it wasn't misused, even then, but now people seem awfully complacent and cynical - me included, sometimes!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

We're due for another decade of idealism. Unfortunately you and I are too old to partake - decades of idealism are for the very young.

You can't imagine how happy I am that I came of age in the very late 60's, how happy I am to remember that kind of idealism and innocence and openness.

I don't think that way any longer, but I don't think I'm cynical either. There's a lot of space inbetween seeing the world through rose colored glasses and hard, sarcastic cynicism ... isn't there?

Beautiful pic today!

Anonymous said...

yes, sounds like a come-on to me too!

interesting about the film, i read a quite iffy reviews.

also, yes, a lovely photo.

not sure i have anything positive to say about idealism at the mo.

[ }:o) ]

Anonymous said...

I think it is difficult for people to be idealistic when our government is in such disarray.

Anonymous said...

Merle: I think that's exactly the time to be idealistic! When things are f**ked up, we ought to aspire to change them -- and change them dramatically. I think the problem is that people feel powerless, and thus reflexively disinterested -- and the interests that have the true power in this country certainly aren't looking out for Joe Shmoe.