The Home of Steven Barnes
Author, Teacher, Screenwriter


Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Wednesday, January 3rd

Well, the post today is brief—can’t believe how much there is to do!
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Irritation…someone I’d asked to read one of my projects for specific technical feedback.  This person just couldn’t make the time.  Now, they’re finally reading it, and pointing out errors with a certain “know it all” attitude, as if I hadn’t begged them for help BEFORE it was published.  Sigh…
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Watching “DreamGirls” at the boxoffice.  It has an excellent chance of crossing the 100-million dollar mark.  There are a couple of mildly sexy scenes…I wonder if it should be considered to have crossed that special threshold when and if it crosses the 100-million mark.  Would anyone who has seen it please offer an opinion?  Does or does “Dreamgirls” not qualify as a blockbuster with black love scenes? 
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Suggestion for the New Year: every day, 20 minutes of meditation and/or FlowFit or Yoga.  Re-commit to your goals daily, in each of the three major arenas.  Remember that as you move toward them, you will be tested in every arena of your life.  If there is internal (or external!) work you’ve been postponing, it will hit you like a ton of bricks, no kidding.
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Remember  also that any conversations about race on this blog are “in the family” so to speak, observations about attitudes, and expressions of my own internal voices.  None of them are excuses to blame others for your life situation.  Conversely, it is important to understand that there are very real historical factors that influence the behaviors, emotions, and perceptions of different groups.  Not to understand this is (in my mind) willful blindness.  Our hope of creating a better world is dependant BOTH on individual responsibility, and a social commitment to provide both opportunity and safety to our citizens.  Swinging too far toward either pole is potential disaster—the only legitimate argument is “how far is too far?”  Remember that the natural tendency of people is to hold those beliefs that support their own group—whatever they perceive that to be.  And then they will try to justify that position intellectually.  Whether the person leans to Left or Right, remember this: they came to their emotional position first, and then rationalized it afterward.  While not always true, this perspective makes mucho sense  out of the frantic, vile argumentation in our political process.

Emotions first, logic second.  Of course, they won’t see it that way…

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