When I think of home...

You know that song from 'The Wiz'... Diana Ross sings when she is about to go back to Detroit. yay! Detroit. lol. Anywho, I had a moment like that this weekend when i went to get my oil changed. I stood in the heat, drinking a warm 7-up, leaning against a cement wall. The smell of oil and grime in the air. I felt like a kid again.

***sung to the tune of "Home" by Diana Ross***

When I think of home I think of a place, that is filled with strange men working on cars. When I think of home I think of a place with men who don't wear shirts, and women who curse at them. I think of farmers tans and cigarette smoke and half empty beer cans on the sidewalk. I see rusted out water heaters in the backyard of abandoned houses. I see spiderwebs and dirty carpets that tenants have let their pets pee on.

Suddenly my world has changed it’s face, but I still know where I’m going.
I have had my mind spun around in space and yet I know i'm growing.

And then I think back to all the years spent... the summers slow days...I close my eyes to see scars and burns...rusty nails and broken glass in gravel.

I see chained up dogs and barefoot kids playing on the corner...i hear the wind blow through the trees and the distant sound of cars passing by...ex cons and cops smiling at me, for very similar and very different reasons.

Living here, in this brand new world
Might be a fantasy...but it's real...its my new reality.

Being a child in any place, makes that place safe, makes that place yours makes that place home!

Like yours
Like mine
Like Home!!!!!

thank you, ladies and gentlemen.... **bowing**
(appearntly many people, who grew up without tv or movies, haven't seen the wiz...so the song is below)

-mel

Global Warming?

Is that why its so hot? Global warming? It's ungodly. I mean, granted I'm currently in the desert, but still...I call home and they tell me its hot there too. A woman stopped me the other day, she said she'd lived here for 30 years and its never been this hot.

I have 2 air conditioners in the apt. I'm still burning up. It's too hot to cook.
I might have to move to Canada. -mel

Hallelujah!

Clap along if the spirit moves you!!

-mel

Hot damn, they're slaves!

Last week I was able to finally see what I thought would be the most painful movie going experience of my life: Lars von Trier's second installment of his American trilogy, Manderlay. Why the most painful?

1) Lars von Trier makes films that make me want to be punched in the face just to be rid of the emotional pain they put me through.

2) I've never seen one of his movies in one sitting; it has ALWAYS taken three days the first time around.

3) Did you see the first installment of the trilogy, Dogville?!?!?!

4) Add slaves.

Well it turns out that not ONLY was it not as painful as i anticipated, it is the LEAST painful von Trier flick ever. Really. It was interesting to see the ideals of a white non-American regarding our, no pun intended, dark spot in history. However, with that I was disappointed to see that his "sneaky cinematic take" on the issue is similar to that of slavery supporters: if slaves were freed, they wouldn't want to leave the institution of slavery. We gots it good, massa! Lars did include his fave topic of the ugliness of human nature, but only in rolling hills amounts.

Maybe I was expecting too much to experience his usual 8.3 Richter scale of maddening. Or maybe there was just too much to try and cover when you add slavery in a post-slavery era to already grave themes. The movie was still a good watch, I recommend it to everyone if only to see the oddest sex scene ever and some of the greatest credits ever. It'll get you thinking, but no matter how praised Manderlay is for saying what no other film dare, I wish Lars would have taken the triple dog dare.
-von

ps: on a slightly brighter note regarding slaves, please view the following clip from the happiest place on TV, Wonder Showzen

Ozwald Boateng

I've never known love like this before. Ozwald Boateng. It was love at first site. Ozwald Boateng. He doesn't even look real, he looks sculpted, an ebony statue hand crafted by the gods. **sigh** Ozwald Boateng.

He is British and has a show on Sundance. He's opening a new shop in LA. I'm so there. If only to look at the clothes he has designed. He's whats hot in mens fashion.
-mel

Yeah, what of it???

Lets bring everyone up to speed.

1. Went to brunch with Halle Berry few weeks ago. She was a darling! I'm more of a fan now than I was before. Because I know she is a very sweet person. Not a diva at all.

2. I got an internship for a really nice production company. I'm reading lots of very bad scripts. The people I work for are nice. They are from Israel. I'm learning a lot.

3. Took a yoga class that i love!!!!! It's been so long since i've done yoga. Afterward, I felt so clean! I truly enjoy yoga. And no, I'm not new agey, or flakey, or LA. I just enjoy yoga, so what of it?? I'm not all peace loving either, so I may do yoga, but afterwards I can still kick your ass. =op
-mel