Thepettyandprofound's Blog
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Center of the Universe
Weeks into the COVID-19 Coronavirus collective quarantine, there are days all of us have suffered from some serious cases of cabin fever. Being the forever-optimist, however, I have always kept myself from slipping into depressive states by looking at the big picture. While adhering to our state’s recent “Shelter in Place” mandate, I’ve been periodically pulling books from our built-in: partly for stimulation, partly to demonstrate to my 9-month old why reading is just as interesting as the umpteenth episode of Sesame Street on the television. Most recently, I flipped through our giant Handy Space Answer Book and discovered that roughly 68% of the universe is dark energy, and dark matter makes up about 27%; the rest – everything on Earth, everything ever observed with all of our instruments, all normal matter – adds up to less than 5% of the universe. This is a sobering fact for those who get caught up in the minutia of daily life, those who post 20 selfies a day, and also a good reminder why it’s important to re-center often. (And let’s face it, reading a book with actual pages and a binding in 2020 can make you just a little bit smug.)
This post isn’t to make us feel tiny or unimportant, but to keep things in perspective. While we may not be the center of the universe in the literal sense, we certainly are the center of the universe to our babies and children, best friends, elderly and even those who may depend on us for care. The health care workers and employees working at grocery stores who are putting themselves at risk throughout this pandemic are suddenly the center of the universe for many. Oh, and also at the center of the universe, apparently anyone in your neighborhood who has extra toilet paper. Understanding that we are at the center of the universe when we serve others helps us to be better human beings, and ultimately helps advance the human race.
As a new parent, I joke that I’ve gone from Leading Actor to Supporting Actor for the rest of my life. (In fact, some days this little demanding baby will make you feel like an $8/hour Extra on a Hollywood Blockbuster.) But from his point of view, we are the center of the universe, and that’s a good core-shaker when you are feeling like a minuscule piece of stardust floating aimlessly across the galaxy. Whatever or whoever makes you feel like the center of the universe is a great place to be. Just remember to revisit this bit of scientific knowledge about our real residence in the universe when things begin to feel like they’ve gone awry. It will hopefully lighten things up just long enough for you to refocus on all of the sometimes small but joyful things in life for which to be grateful.
The “Art” of Hollywood
Just watched Django Unchained, a Quentintino-esque look at pre-Civil War slavery and revenge (with blood, guts and non-sequitur rap music thrown in)…
As someone who has been enthralled and fascinated with film from a very early age, I find it most curious how talent is identified and recognized in Hollywood.
When an actor manages to infuse such complexity into a character that you find yourself feeling intrigue, fear, hatred, compassion, disgust, shock and unexpected sympathy (as I found with the short amount of time DiCaprio contributed to Django), you have to wonder how the Oscar-film-powers-that-be continue to snub him. (With only three Oscar nominations, the supreme talent has yet to walk with a statue.)
I know I don’t write an entertainment column, but there is something petty and profound in this. Hollywood reminds me of a high school popularity contest (and so did working in a corporate office). Granted Life of Pi, a stunningly beautiful film adaptation, justly garnered some attention at the Oscars, but the very talent who were responsible for the film’s phenomenal lifelike effects were hurried off the stage by the orchestra’s “Jaws” theme music, while Anne Hathaway was permitted to go on and on to eternity with an over-practiced saccharine speech about having a dream. She has a small bit of talent, but Hollywood politics once again trumps all. And don’t get me started on some of the other less talented winners.
I have a sneaking suspicion this is why theater continues to garner a different sort of respect in the world of arts; although, I’m relieved that big stars like Joseph Gordon-Levitt wisely sprinkle their box-office careers with independent masterpieces like Hesher, a quiet film about a heavy metal-head who transforms the lives of two grieving people (and gently relates to a sweet grandma) in a very loud way. And by the way, as incredible as the “Beasts-of-the-Southern-Wild-youngest-actress-ever-to-be-Oscar-nominated” was, the child lead in Hesher easily puts her to shame.
I guess it’s up to the more discerning audience to throw our rotten tomatoes at celebrity perpetrators, and know (regardless of the tabloids and Oscars) where true talent lies.
One day they will give DiCaprio a lifetime achievement award when he is dead. But isn’t that always just the way.
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