Clutter, Contrasts and Clarity

'Tis a strange thing the human mind.

I have wanted to put up another post but have not been able to focus on a topic. Writers’ block already!! More likely that had I put fingers to keyboard and spewed out the contents of my mind, I would have received a visit from the white-coat brigade and been carted off for some R&R and intravenous drugs. (Would that have been so bad? Hmm).

My mind feels overwhelmed with clutter. Our senses are constantly assailed with news stories and I use the word “news” tongue in cheek. Newspapers, TV, radio stations, emails all assault our ears and eyes with items they call “news” or at least items they think will sell papers and boost viewer ratings. Most of it is pretty shallow crap, skimming across the top of what they deem is of interest. What has happened to in-depth reporting? Investigative journalism?

I mean come on –

Paris Hilton’s traumatic days in prison. Am I supposed to care?

Britain and Russia have had a spat which might impact on global warming as all parties drift towards Cold War status. Cold War is somewhat sneakier than a Hot War, as currently screening in cities and towns in Iraq. (So, definitely a bad thing apart from the possibility of slowing down global warming?)

Mugabe has had another turn of his brain and citizens are fleeing in droves. The surrounding countries are feeling somewhat pressured by the sheer number of uninvited guests. Where are the mercenary hit men these days? (Off reading the final edition of the Harry Potter series?).

John Key, the opposition National Party leader has had his $8 million home burgled while he was in Hawaii with his family during the school holidays. He apparently owns six houses but this one just happened to be the one he and his family dwell in. He immediately blamed “the druggies”. This revelation was presented prior to any Police investigation being completed or probably even started. So he is a pretty bright spark and he does dress nicely. Maybe he won’t need to have empathy for the underprivileged or drug addicts if he gets a turn at being the PM.

Meanwhile our PM, (Labour Party in case you don’t know), wants to spend $4.6 million on a football sculpture in Paris during the Rugby World Cup. It’s not as if you can even kick the thing!! As well there are social services being closed due to lack of funding. They would require only a tiny wee bit of that amount of money in order to continue.

George W. Blunderbuss just wants to be loved. He will not be deterred from his path on Iraq even if his dog and his wife (not sure I got the order right!) are his only remaining supporters. Well, hey George, take a look. It’s down to those two. But maybe they love him.

The planet is both flooding and heating up to terrifying levels. Britain is experiencing severe flooding with three people reported dead. The Mediterranean is enduring “furnace like temperatures” that may severely impact on the tourism industry.

Aghh!! All of the above clutter has been rattling around in my head for the past few days.

And I miss Shelley every day.

That on its own is enough.

I work a six day roster with three days off in-between. Yesterday was the first of my three days off. I blobbed with my cluttered mind. HB has a touch of the flue and laryngitis so the house was quite quiet!! Yes, I am doing my best Florence Nightingale impression while juggling my cluttered mind. Most of my blobbing took place in front of the TV apart from the occasional foray into the garden.

As it happens this wasn’t a total waste of time.

I came across a fascinating documentary on the Rialto Channel. Broadway: The Golden Age, By The Legends Who Were There. I was spellbound for the next two hours. Taken on a fascinating journey by the actors/resses who were the heart and soul of Broadway. Achieve footage of those long gone, stories from those still working. The spoke about the icons; Marlon Brando, James Dean and many more; the lifestyle of going to seven or eight shows a night for a mere 25c each show; the auditions and the desire to be the one chosen for the lead role. As they spoke their excitement and passion for the theatre at that time was tangible.

Tales of poverty and creative ways around the need to make an impression for the auditions. One group of actresses chipped in together to buy a dress that was given to whoever had an audition at the time. It was fascinating stuff. They were less impressed with current “musicals” with their computerized music systems or worse pre-recorded music. Not an orchestra in sight. Where is the “live” in such theatre they mused.

I felt the power, passion and beauty of their craft. There was certainly a depth and skill that marked genius. Success was in their hands, not in the hands of multi-million dollar marketing agencies, lighting or special effects operators. I

If you get a chance to view this documentary, I highly recommend it.

I had already noted another documentary that I wanted to see, so the blobbing continued. This one was entitled “The War Tapes”. Journalist Deborah Scranton had the opportunity to join members of the National Guard on the frontline for this documentary. However, instead of doing the filming herself, she gave three of the soldiers video cameras. The ensuing documentary is their footage edited by Scranton. It screened on the Discovery Channel at 7.30pm.

I wanted to see this documentary for a couple of reasons. One being that the son of one my best friend’s is currently serving in Iraq. His father is American and he had, in his mid 20’s, forfeited his NZ citizenship in order to join the American Army. He is a trained medic but also a specialist soldier and a leader of other men.

He knew Shelley as our families had met when they were both about 6 years old. He was devastated when Shelley was murdered by the London bombers.

I wanted to see what he might see and to have some sense of what he might be doing in Iraq. I could not understand his wanting to go. I wanted to be able to make some sense out of the whole thing.

As I watched the documentary, the words I had chosen for the heading of this blog site struck home. These three soldiers were motivated to serve in Iraq by words such as freedom, democracy for the people of Iraq, heroism and fighting the bad guys. These words framed their reality.

The unfolding of their stories from Iraq challenged the reality of these words. One of their main duties was escorting supply trucks. Trucks that all belong to KBR, ("KBR is a leading global engineering, construction and services company supporting the energy, petrochemicals, government services and civil infrastructure sectors." quote from website. One of the soldiers stated that Dick Cheyney was involved with KBR. This company supplies practically eveything in Iraq.

They also escorted the “poo” trucks, tankers that drove out to designated areas and then pumped out the human waste into the desert soil. One of the soldiers could speak Arabic and was often caught in the middle translating with the locals. His comrades joked about having to kill him for collaborating with the enemy. Soldiers are sent to Iraq with no cultural awareness of the local inhabitants, the people they are supposed to be saving. He stopped translating after having to advise the father of a local child, a small boy, that he could not cross the road to take the boy to the hospital. It was not permitted.

It becomes clear that war is not always about good vs evil and it is even not clear who is in each camp. It is more often than not about power and money. It is always a waste of lives, of brothers of sisters of sons and of daughters.

I will not tell you much more but there is much more. The documentary follows these three soldiers home as they reunite with their own families and local communities. They are attempting to rebuild their lives with PTSD and a couple of them have some physical conditions to deal with as a result of their service. Two may serve again.

The words that drove them to Iraq must be ringing in their minds as they learn to live with the reality of their actions.

I still do not understand why one of my best friend’s sons wanted to go to Iraq.
I hope he is kept safe in body, mind and soul. My love travels with him.

Again if you get a chance to view this documentary – take it.

I am slowly clearing the clutter but there is still one more bit of TV I want to share with you.

That is going to have to wait as I need a break. Next posting will be part two, Contrast and Clarity.

Arohanui

KG

PS the “save now” has not worked today. This is the third time I have put this together. Any tips from anyone? Am now writing in word, saving and then putting into the blog. The air was blue!!!