My Kid Could Paint That - the story of Marla Olmstead, a kid from New York state who garnered worldwide attention for the abstract paintings she may or may not have painted. The extras portion has a section where Michael Kimmelman discusses art, modern art, why some people see modern art as crap, which I highly recommended, especially if you don’t get art.
She took the art world by storm a few years ago, until 60 Minutes did an expose that implied her father may have helped or flat out did many of her paintings. I hit eject not feeling sure if the whole thing was a fraud or not. Her father seemed too hungry for fame, regardless.
You can watch videos, start to finish, of three of her works here and judge. I can’t get them to play on my computer.
I really want to take up painting. Always have, but this has really rekindled it.
For The Bible Tells Me So - Really well done documentary featuring Xian parents and the various ways they’ve dealt w/ having gay children. Highly, highly recommended. As well as sensitive, honest, and heart-wrenching interviews w/ a number of families, there are also a lot of interviews w/ biblical scholars and clergy explaining how bible verses need to be taken in context, ie. place, time, societal norms, etc.
I liked one section where the mother of Tonia Poteat, one half of about the only set of parents featured to not be totally on board w/ the gay kid thing, said she’d been thinking too much about the lesbian sex her daughter was engaging in and forgetting her daughter had the same brain, personality, soul she’s always had.
One of the women interviewed, Mary Lou Wallner, lost her daughter to suicide after Wallner in essence rejected her for being gay. Wallner has since done lots of soul-searching and studying and now does a lot of work for gay rights. However, one bit bothered me. After the suicide, she was looking at scripture again, seeing it in a new way, but was still conflicted. She asked God, is this really what you want me to believe now? Gosh. What about your own brain and heart? You’re a grown woman, you know what’s right, but you’re asking for God to give you permission? Annoying. Easy for me to say, I realize.
Watch this clip from it. Funny and educational. For instance, the more male children a woman has, the more likely the youngest one will be gay. Why? ‘Cause male fetuses are treated as foreign object by a woman’s body and are zapped with antibodies. The “more boys, the more adept her body becomes at feminizing the fetus”.
Now off to watch Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind again.
Had dinner w/ Mel and a friend and her husband last night. Very good. The friend is pregnant and it was neat seeing her bump. Although it’s more like a mound at this point.
What’s the point of Daylight Savings Time?
Everybody's talkin' at me