Caught by the torrent of life

"
Noi am pierdut. Dar voi, voi mai aveti o sansa. Noi am fost fericiti ca am descoperit Coca-cola si bananele si am crezut ca daca noi citim, si ei vor citi. Si ca toti vom progresa si tara o sa aiba scapare. Noi ne-am inselat. Unii dintre noi au plecat de aici. Castiga bani acolo si tanjesc dupa orasul asta imputit. Voi insa, voi aveti o sansa. Voi, aveti sansa.

Nu va ganditi la furat. E calea cea mai simpla. Stiu ca ati aflat ca asa te imbogatesti. Daca ai pamant sau daca faci afaceri cu statul. Stiti voi ceva despre tva si cum ai putea sa-l furi, dar nu va e inca foarte clar. Nu asta e drumul. Cu cat se va fura mai mult, cu atat se va construi mai putin, iar copiii copiilor nostri vor mosteni un imperiu de cenusa. Sunteti tineri si totusi habar n-aveti ce inseamna un Bucuresti in care se circula normal. Daca voi habar n-aveti si daca Ei continua sa fure, ganditi-va la copiii nostri. Nu e nici o sansa.

Cititi. Cititi mult. Cititi tot ce va pica in mana. Nu-i mai ascultati doar pe profesori. Cititi orice, fara discernamant. Nimic nu e mai important ca lectura, acum. Apoi, cautati-va intre voi. Vedeti care cititi aceleasi lucruri si inhaitati-va. Numai in haita de oameni destepti o sa reusiti. Unul singur dintre voi va fi mancat. Zece insa, s-ar putea sa reusiti. Ganditi-va de pe acum sa-i inlocuiti. Timpul lor trebuie sa se termine. Trebuie sa-i dominati. Dar nu cu gandul ca veti fura mai mult ca ei. Asta e calea simpla care va va sufoca mostenitorii. Ce-o sa faceti cu milioanele intr-un oras mort? Ce-o sa cumparati, cu banii gramezi? La ce-ti foloseste un Lamborghini cand n-ai o autostrada? De ce sa ai o vila intr-un cartier sufocat de inundatii?

Nu va dusmaniti profesorii. Sunt oameni amarati, din ale caror drame puteti invata. Isi dau priceperea pe un salariu de nimic si va invata carte. Nu va bateti joc de ei. Au muncit, si nu e vina lor ca parintii vostri s-au descurcat mai bine. N-aveti nici un drept sa-i dispretuiti. Nu le sunteti superiori. Banii parintilor vostri nu va reprezinta. Va reprezinta doar ceea ce puteti scoate pe gura. Aveti grija ce scoateti pe gura. Vremea pumnului si a bodiguarzilor a trecut. O sa calatoriti, iar copiii francezi invata carte, englezii la fel. Va confruntati cu o lume care acum e mai deschisa decat oricand. Hotii de la putere nu sunt in stare sa va spuna cine este Delacroix sau Chagall. Nici Duchamp. Nu va pot spune care e influenta lui Schopenhauer in Sarmanul Dionis si nici de ce este Eminescu un romantic intarziat. Foarte putini o sa va spuna cine a pictat Cina cea de taina si de ce Visconti a ales romanul lui Thomas Mann ca sa faca un mare film. Ei vor sti doar sa va invete sa furati. Iar calea asta, mai devreme sau mai tarziu, se va infunda si ne va asfixia copiii.

Nu va mai luati dupa ziare. Nu dau doi bani pe generatia voastra, nu va dati seama? Pentru ei, cu cat sunteti mai prosti, cu atat le va fi mai usor sa va vanda orice cacat. Iar cacatul pe care il veti cumpara va fi obtinut de la prosti, platiti pe masura. Adica prost. Eleva porno este un exemplu. Nu cititi ziarele. Cititi cateva, cele care va informeaza. Nu marsati la orice promotie. Fiti mai selectivi.

Nu fumati iarba si nu va dati in cap cu alcool, cu orice pret. O sa le dati apa la moara incultilor si hotilor de la putere. Le va fi mai simplu sa va catalogheze drept o generatie de distrusi, iar banii destinati salvarii voastre, ii vor fura. E timp si pentru iarba, e timp si pentru tequilla. Acum insa trebuie sa invatati, pentru ca in curand nu va mai fi timp pentru asta, caci veti intra in viata adanc de tot, si e mai rau ca in jungla. Animalele au reguli nescrise. Oamenii au legi scrise.

Nu alergati dupa bani cu orice pret. Banii trebuie sa va fie doar mijloc, nu scop. Scopul vostru trebuie sa fie cunoasterea. Cu cat veti sti mai multe, cu atat veti fi mai inalti. Orice carte citita, orice lectie invatata, se vor aseza sub voi si va vor ridica deasupra celorlalti. Veti domina cu mintea. Nu e nimic mai frumos decat asta. Europa cumpara inteligenta. Romania nu cumpara nimic pentru ca hotii nu construiesc, hotii fura. Nu uitati ca va fura pe voi si asta trebuie sa va opreasca. O sa auziti toata viata de Napoleon si de Nicolae Titulescu, dar sigur copiii vostri nu vor sti cine a fost Emil Boc. Istoria o scriu cei care construiesc.

Sunteti tineri. Nu va ganditi ca sunteti slabi. Puterea voastra sta in curatenie. Sunteti curati, n-au apucat sa va manjeasca, dar daca dintre voi nu se vor ridica luptatorii, o sa va improaste cu noroiul strazilor pe care nu le-au reparat. Fiecare picatura de noroi sunt banii care n-au ajuns pe strada aia. Trebuie sa schimbati asta. Care e calea? Sa cititi. Literatura universala o sa va invete sa deosebiti Binele de Rau. Balzac, Stendhal, Dumas, Dostoievski, Dickens, Tolstoi, Goethe, toti deosebesc Binele de Rau. Din prezentul amaratei asteia de tari nu puteti invata Binele. Binele puteti fi voi. Si cu cat veti fi mai multi buni, cu atat veti sufoca raul. Nu e imposibil. Dati scrisoarea asta mai departe. Deveniti buni, mai buni, cei mai buni si raspanditi-va precum lacustele.

Nu-i invidiati pe oamenii cu bani. Nu va faceti modele din baietii de bani gata, din baietii de oras. Dupa treizeci si noua de ani le va ramane doar o lista lunga de femei. Or trofeele astea sunt trecatoare. Cand imbatranesti si trofeul tau va fi o baba. Dupa asta vine singuratatea. Voi aveti sansa sa lasati ceva in urma voastra. Banii nu sunt Calea. Priviti unde ne-a adus setea de bani.

Nu va resemnati, asta nu duce nicaieri. Capul plecat, sabia il taie. Protestati, luptati, protestati. Cu scop, insa. Nu degeaba, ca altfel se transforma in latrat. Invatati legile. Invatati-va drepturile. Atunci veti sti cand are cineva voie sa va legitimeze. Veti sti cum sa luptati, daca veti sti legile. Apoi o sa vedeti ca legile sunt proaste. Si veti intelege ca trebuie sa le schimbati. Pare greu si cere timp. Dar, Doamne, voi aveti timp si pentru voi nimic nu e greu. Voi nu intelegeti ca SUNTETI SCHIMBAREA? Daca voi lasati tara asta pe mana hotilor, atunci, de-abia copii vostri vor mai avea o sansa! Caci sansa vine o data la o generatie. Noi am pierdut. Cativa dintre noi, si nu suntem putini, va putem ajuta. Noi suntem Fomila si Setila, dar voi sunteti Harap-Alb. Alegeti dintre voi pe adevaratii lideri. Sa-i alegeti si sa nu-i invidiati. Lor le va fi cel mai greu. Vor avea gloria, dar si cosmarul. Vor fi salvatorii vostri, dar se vor pierde pe ei insisi. Liderii trebuie sa fie dintre voi. Si trebuie sa-i cautati de pe acum. Uitati-va unii la altii in fiecare zi si cautati-va capitanii. Altfel veti pieri o data cu noi. Si atunci portile libertatii ne vor fi inchise si EI vor castiga. Cine sunt ei? Stiti foarte bine. Ii vedeti in ziare, in fiecare zi.

Salvati-va! Salvati-ne! Este o singura cale! Lupta cunoasterii!! Si cand veti fi castigat lupta cunoasterii, de-abia atunci veti cunoaste sa luptati cu adevarat!!!

Nu va amagiti cu prezentul... Salvati-va in viitor. Noi am pierdut. Voi? Ce faceti?
"

(the stage setup and first act)

Scene setup:
The scene is set up on the rim of an active volcano. You can see a barren side of the volcano, descending from left to right (directions are given from the audience point of view). The top left shows the small trace of a lava river, starting up. The steepness of the mountain is quite high, the slope begins on the top left and “ends” at the center of the stage. On the right side there’s a small rocky platform standing out, resembling a “landing area”. The stage is filled with black pieces of rock, dust and ash. On the landing platform there’s a circle of ash, with a big X inside. The corners of the X shine brightly, and so do several spots on the mountain side, presumably diamonds.
As for depth-of-field, the same arrangement is used: the mountain “begins” in the far back and “ends” at the center of the stage. In front of the “mountain”, on the left side, there’s a study desk of medieval-renaissance origin. Behind the desk there’s a throne-like chair of the same manufacturing. The arrangement is placed so that the “writer” is facing the audience at a low angle, also being able to see what is going on the right side of the stage.

Lighting setup:
The mountain is covered in darkness, with some orange/red/yellow lighting coming up from time to time, to invoke the lava that boils inside the volcano. The back of the stage and the top are lighted from time to time in violet and blue, while white stroboscope light could imagine random lightning in the sky. Blinking white light bulbs covered with acrylic could stand for the diamonds in the mountain side and in the landing area.
The writer is dim-lit, while the landing area is totally dark (except for the diamonds, of course). Same orange/red light shines from time to time on the writer.

Sound setup:
The scene is silent. In spite of the lightning in the sky, the storm is far, far away. At best, the sound of thunder can be heard very low…
As soon as the curtains rise, the sound changes completely. The thunder sounds that were heard before are now a bit louder, and accompanied by roars and shrieks. In a couple of seconds the audience realizes they were not really thunder sounds, but the battering of dragon wings. The lightning in the sky is actually light reflected by the dragon scales.


The writer is a so-called DragonMaster - a human (*) that "works" with Dragons. There are several stages in working with Dragons:
- Dragon Summoner: the lowest level of the Dragon Guild. Such a person can summon a Dragon, meaning he/she can wake the Dragon up from its sleep. Yet, such a person is only an apprentice.
- Dragon Tamer: one should never wake up a Dragon unless he/she is a Dragon Tamer. Once the Dragon is awake, the one who woke it up should get away with it :D.
- Dragon Lord: such a person can not only awaken a Dragon, but he/she can also control the magnificent creature on low levels. For instance, they can ride the Dragon.
- Dragon Master: Dragon Lords who are very close to their Dragons become Dragon Masters. Usually a Dragon Lord is able to awaken several Dragons, but eventually he/she only becomes Dragon Master of only one. At this level the Dragon is no longer reluctant to the Dragon Master's needs or orders. From the outside this may be seen as total submission by the Dragon, yet it is nothing like it. All Dragon Masters that have tried to turn Dragons into submissive creatures have found out it is actually the Will of the Dragon to "listen" to them. Dragons usually develop human-like traits at this stage and can take, for short periods of time, humanoid shapes.
- Dragon Fueler: At this stage a human and a Dragon are best friends. They provide for one another, they take care of one another. You should fear great consequences if you take on one of them. Dragon Fuelers usually start borrowing Draconic features. Dragons find it hard to live without the Fueler (for instance, if the connection is broken at this level, Dragons usually go to sleep for millennia).
- Dragon Breeder: the highest form of connection: mind, heart, body and soul. The Dragon Breeder and the Dragon are one and the same.
- Dragon. It is only a myth, but it is said that Dragon Breeders can connect to such an extent with their Dragon, that they transform into one themselves. Such morphs have not been witnessed, yet they are plausible explanations of great Dragon Breeders.

(*) actually the "writer" is not human. He is only a representation of the Volcano, just like the Dragon is shown in its humanoid shape. The dialogue, as in the previous Dragon Tales, is between the Orange Volcano and the Turquoise Dragon. In this particular play, the Volcano is personified by the writer sitting at his writing desk. His name is not mentioned,at best he is referenced as the Volcano, the Writer or DragonMaster. The Dragon’s name is, in lack of a better imagination, Turqõï’Azûl (pronounciation: [t’urk’oasul]).


Curtains rise

As the curtains are rising, you can see the writer sitting at the desk. He’s got ink and paper, all he writes is hand-written. He is just finishing some pages, and is proof-checking them. He has a lot of sheets, all bound with string.

The writer himself looks very untidy. From distance he seems old, wrinkled, but a closer view shows he is only unshaven and has many ink marks all over his face. While reading he has the habit of biting the pen, or even gesticulating from time to time, correcting words, reciting dialogues, adding phrases.

He is not wearing clothes, only some rags around his waist. Around his forehead is something that resembles a silver diadem, with a central large stone. The stone seems black or dark blue, but as soon as the Dragon lands, it will turn… turquoise…

As the writer is deciding upon the last writings, the audience can hear a low moaning, resembling a deep purr, smoke invades the stage on the “landing area” and battering of wings can be heard at a slow rate, as if a Dragon is hovering above the stage.

As the Dragon descends, it morphs, and the audience realizes it is actually a female Dragon.

(All fantastic features could be shown on a large display at the top of the stage, with a few CG…)

The woman is also naked, apart from similar rags around her waist. She is not very thin, on the contrary, she is quite voluptuous. She is not what most people would call top-model, yet her curves are a delight to the eye, and has a robust constitution: her legs are slightly muscular. She has straight hair, down to her shoulders, of an attractive dark-brown-light-black color.
On her body the audience can see tattooed dragon scales: her feet are purple-violet, her hands are fiery red, while the shoulders are a bit orange-brown. The scales on her hands, feet and shoulders are only contoured, while her back is colored in turquoise and light blue scales, with dark green shades. All the colors of the scales combine greatly with her pinky-white skin.

She also wears a thin necklace, with the same kind of black gemstone, which turns bright orange as she approaches the DragonMaster.

As she “lands” on the large X on the platform, she needs to kneel just a bit, with dragon-like moves, folding her hands. She rises immediately, and steps towards the writer, with unbelievable cat-like moves, making sure she doesn’t walk on any of the debris surrounding the landing area, as if she wouldn’t want to disturb the rocks of the Volcano…

She is looking straight at the DragonMaster, yet he seems not to have noticed her arrival.

ACT I
----------------
(bear with me for a few days, i've got the dialogue in my mind, it only needs to be put on paper)

So, I’ve been thinking about this kind of post for quite some time now, and I guess it’s a good idea to write it now, since the logs are getting full.
The stats that I’m about to show refer to web traffic on the blog and I will only point out some of the general stats and some of the interesting facts about this low-traffic-count blog of mine :D

Ok, first things first, the Statistics Tool I use can be installed (the code, I mean) from here, and you can see the tool on the main page if you scroll a loooong way down (on the right, where it says “statcounter” – just above the country flags).

The code was installed January 2009, that means approximately 2 months ago, and since then:

- I’ve had 304 total pageloads

- 274 unique visitors (based on IP addresses, which means if you’ve got a DHCP assigned address that has changed since then, you have been counted more than once), of which 166 were first time visitors and 108 were returning visitors.

- since the posts can be seen on the main page, the most popular page is dorinp.blogspot.com (235 entries) or www.dorinp.blogspot.com (34 entries); second place goes to this page (12 views), while this page is the third most viewed (10 views)

- first entry pages (first page to be viewed – url followed by visitors) are:
1. main blog page, of course (108 + 23 counts)
2. this post (9 counts)
3. March09 archive (7 counts)

- So, how do people find out about my blog?
1. most of them (119) don’t have a referring link, which means they came straight to the blog
2. 60 found me via The Creatrix
3. 23 found me via a Facebook personal page (thank you Canada!)
4. the rest found me either through search engines, e-mail notifications or other blogs

- Search engine wars: can hardly be called wars, all people who found me via a search engine have been using Google:


- 54% of the visitors were using Firefox 3.0 (+ 5% for Firefox 2.0), while only 11% were using IE 7.0 (+ 24% for IE 6.0). Heeey, someone’s accessed the blog using a Blackberry!!!

- as for screen resolution most visitors are using either 1024x768 or 1280x1024, which is both good and bad, since it was designed on 1152x864…


- Win XP rulez. At least 80% of the visitors are using it :). Yet, I’ve got visits from Mac, Linux, even iPhone and Symbian. Niiiceee….



- Interesting visitor activity:
11.3.09: ip 86.121.19.236 reads the blog (13 recorded visits throughout the day), and probably lets IP 89.34.15.43 know about it, because the second IP returns 8 times on the same day and reads all the archives :)


So, a big thank you goes out to TheCreatrix, for getting me so much traffic!
Another big thank you goes to Quick Silver for adding me to her blogroll and commenting from time to time :)
A big thank you also goes to Dei-Dei for watching me (yet you never comment... ntz ntz ntz... you should be ashamed :P and should restart posting stuff on your blog...)
Of course, quite a great thank you goes out to all of you who keep coming back to the blog but never comment, or comment without providing a link (which I could put here, for others to see...), and...
Last but not least, a big thank you for those who just stumble across this webpage!

Two ideas and a sad story.

----------------
Listening to: Razorlight - "Wire To Wire"; [2008 - Wire To Wire]
via FoxyTunes

Tocmai ce m-am intors de la cel mai lung film pe care l-am vazut vreodata (la cinema, pentru ca Pe Aripile Vantului l-am vazut in comfortul propriului barlog).
Ca sa incep cu concluzia, daca nu v-ati dat seama din titlu, filmul mi-a placut suficient de mult cat sa il recomand spre vizionare. La cinema, pentru coloana sonora, acasa pentru comfort.

Dupa cum ma informeaza QuickSilver, regizorul filmului este nimeni altul decat 300, adica Zack Snyder.
Trailer promitator, actori mai mult sau mai putin cunoscuti, povesti cu "vigilantes" (eu am o problema cu a-i numi pe oamenii astia eroi sau super-eroi), ce sa mai, se anunta un film destul de apropiat de gustul meu.

Ei bine, povestea (sau ma rog, povestile) se desfasoara in jurul unor "vigilantes" pe care cineva incearca sa ii faca sa dispara (si cu unii chiar reuseste). Am tot ezitat intre a-i numi eroi si a-i numi super-eroi, pentru ca nu mi se par nici una nici alta. Nu sunt oameni chiar obisnuiti, majoritatea par sa posede cel putin o forta (fizica) iesita din comun, dar nici mutanti gen X-Men nu sunt. Poate mai putin Dr. Manhattan, un simbol al obiectivitatii si impersonalitatii luciferice.

Nu stau prea mult sa descriu actiunea, nu vreau sa stric vreo surpriza, in afara de aceea (daca mai e surpriza) ca filmul se termina "cu bine" - adica mor suficient de multi "bad guys" si suficient de putini "good guys". Ce nu mi-a placut, totusi, la filmul asta, e ca povestea se lungeste parca fara sens in unele locuri. Si cand zic se lungeste, daca e vorba de o retrospectiva din viata unuia din personaje, apai nu frate, stam 15-20-30 de minute si prezentam calumea, sa inteleaga tot boborul care-i schema. Si de cel putin cateva ori aceste retrospective lungi sunt folosite pentru a explica ... aaaaam... aproape nimic. De cel putin cateva ori m-am intrebat "si cu ce ma ajuta chestia asta sa inteleg actiunea filmului??"

Efectele speciale sunt multe. Filmul nu aduce neaparat ceva nou, scene de bataie ca la carte (de genul Batman - neaparat cu un sidekick), scene ploioase filmate de undeva de sus, si mult slow-motion. Prea mult, as zice eu, si de cateva ori fara rost. De exemplu mi s-a parut total inadecvata alaturarea de slow-motion cu "Ride of the Valkyries" a lui Wagner, pentru ca... ei bine, muzica aia numai slow nu-mi induce. O fi incercat el regizorul sa scoata ceva nou dintr-o astfel de alaturare, dar, din punctul meu de vedere, nu i-a reusit...

Raguseala outcast-ului Rorschah a fost de efect la inceput, si inteleg ca el e cel care povesteste, dar... la un moment dat am inceput sa rad. Pe infundate, sa nu imi sara ceilalti in cap...

Pe de alta parte, am reusit sa ma identific cu majoritatea personajelor. Cu Rorschah, pentru ca de multe ori multi dintre noi au pornirile lui, sa crape teasta unuia pentru ce a facut, sa pedepseasca tot felul de criminali sau lepre ale societatii... E genul de om care a uitat ce inseamna umanitatea, nu, pardon, e genul de om care a fost facut sa uite acest lucru, este cel determinat in actiuni, e cel care "It's not me locked in here with you, it's all of you locked in here with me".
Dr. Manhattan am vrut de multe ori sa fiu. Sa devin atemporal. Sa fiu cel rece, echidistant, sa nu iau asupra mea toate durerile lumii... Sa ma izolez undeva, sa creez, sa... Dar sa nu uit de cea de langa mine.
Cu NiteOwl cred ca m-am identificat cel mai mult. Pentru ca port ochelari, si pentru ca sunt timid... In fine, suficient de timid...

Ideea filmului m-a lasat putin rece (dar ganditor), pentru ca este vorba de sacrificiul milioanelor pentru bunastarea miliardelor. Adica o utopie. Inca nu mi-am dat seama de care parte sa fiu. Rorschah e total impotriva (emotional si rational), NiteOwl e rational pro dar emotional contra, iar Manhattan, well, fiind aproape prin definitie ratiunea pura, accepta mai usor aspectul rational al intregii idei.

In mai putine cuvinte, comics-urile dupa care a fost facut filmul nu sunt doar simple benzi desenate, sunt mult mai profunde. Si asta imi place. Filmul a avut atat actiune de genul celei din 300, idei metafizice (!) tocmai bune de rumegat, dar nah, e american. Deci trebuie explicat, iar asta le-a luat regizorului si scenaristilor vreo 163 de minute. Care se simt, in special in ultimele 40-50. Poate daca ar fi fost filmat in alb-negru, cu cateva culori pe ici pe colo (asa, cam ca in Sin City), ar fi placut si mai mult.

Asa cum spuneam, soundtrackul este demn de ascultat in cinema, melodiile sunt din aproape intregul spectru audio, desi melodia celor 99 de baloane nu prea s-a potrivit cu actiunea, ca si "Ride of the Valkyries". Vocea lui Leonard Cohen, pe de alta parte, s-a nimerit la tanc, cu toate ca spectatorii incepusera deja sa reactioneze in purul spirit romanesc la scenele de sex derulate pe "Halelluja", iar "Sound of Silence" a ramas la fel de puternica precum o stiam.


All in all, sex, sange, vigilante, puteri supra-omenesti, intrebari metafizice, utopie, pin-ups, noir, ink-blots si un soundtrack mai mult decat placut ma fac sa recomand filmul, in ciuda celor 163 de minute...


Later edit:
Watchmen (FilmBlog.ro Review)


----------------
Listening to: SIMON & GARFUNKEL - "The Sound of Silence"; [1989 - Collection]
via FoxyTunes

These last days I've just been obsessed with one tune, and one tune only.
Having known them for a totally different style of music, dark, sometimes gothic, sometimes kinky, othertimes just plain perverted, I was utterly surprised when I heard this song the first time.
Only recently I took the time to actually seek out the lyrics and get the whole picture.
I don't know the meaning Rammstein wanted to give to this ballad, but I know I can give it my own meaning.

Dedicated to all the people in the world, people waiting for someone.
Someone that exists, or someone they meet in their dreams.
Someone that exists, or someone they want to exist.
Someone that... exists.
One of the most powerful (from my point of view) love and commitment songs in the world.
Time can only go one way...

[...]
"Ich weiß nicht wie du heißt
Doch ich weiß dass es dich gibt
Ich weiß dass irgendwann
irgendwer mich liebt

[...]
I don't know who he is
In my dreams he does exist
His passion is a kiss
And I can not resist

[...]
Ich warte hier
Don't die before I do
Ich warte hier
Stirb nicht vor mir"

(RAMMSTEIN - Stirb nicht vor mir / Don't die before I do (feat. Sharleen Spiteri); 2005 - Rosenrot)

----------------
Listening to: Kings of Leon - "Use Somebody"; [Only By The Night]
via FoxyTunes