Communitas

Kita, Caine and I went and saw Avatar over the weekend. Much like my wife, I was skeptical going in: we barely ever go to the movies, and block-buster action films are the last thing we’d see. But I’d heard and read enough about Avatar to lead me to believe it was worthwhile, and we were up for something different.

I thought it was fantastic. Yes, there are big shortcomings: the dialog, the characters, etc. all were pretty weak. In these dimensions, it was indeed a Hollywood blockbuster.

But the great thing about Avatar is its ambition. It tried not to be just some entertaining or even thought-provoking story, but instead wound up and swung to be an epic, a myth to speak to something eternal about our humanity and our universe. And epics—like say the Iliad—are never long on character development. Instead their focus is on the mythical journey of the hero and the message it brings about our existence.

In the case of Avatar, the message couldn’t be more aligned with my own worldviews (which I guess is party of why I liked it so much): that modernity and technology—particuarly fossil fuels—are too much with us; that our aim should be to live a live aligned with Nature; and that all living things are spiritually connected and ultimately one entity.

And then, what is so powerful about Avatar, is the creative and technical genius that delivers the message. The artistry and graphics to Avatar are simply incredible and it makes me think of all of the super talented people back in my old city of LA who make these sort of things happen. This is probably the greatest example of their abilities to date. Simply amazing.

So if you haven’t yet, go see Avatar. Cheers to the film-makers for the epic ambition. It is great to see a film that strives to inspire us on the level of the truly huge themes in our existence.

So my kids as well as my niece Hannah and nephew Addis are all big MJ fans. Over their holiday visit, all of their kids showcased their MJ love with a big tribute dance party.

I captured a lot of it on video. Can’t wait to use it against them when they’re older …

So my sister-in-law Mollie and her family planned on visiting us here for Christmas. Her husband Caine doesn’t much like to fly. So though they drove to Atlanta to get a flight here, he changed his mind at the airport, and, well, the verses below, written by my mother-in-law’s boyfriend Garry, tell the rest:

On the day before Christmas in two thousand nine

Weaverville’s “wonder boy” crossed the state line,

Headed for Boulder, that quaint college town

For a reunion with family that he almost let down

The story begins a day late at the gate

A slight mixup by Mollie that could have sealed their fate.

But four seats were found on another flight

That would get them to Denver in the dark of night

So Hannah and Addis and Mollie, their Mom,

Maintained their good humor and stayed oh, so calm

When the hour arrived, they boarded the plane

Sleepy but happy to see their cousins again

Seatbelts were fastened, tray tables upright

Full force on the throttle and into the night

Went Addis and Molllie and Hannah — but wait!

Did they leave their Dad, Caine, standing at the gate?

Well, not exactly, for that would be lying

Seems Caine was grounded by a stark fear of flying

So he waved good-bye as their plane headed west

And then realized that this was a test

Does love conquer all or is that just fiction?

And would staying at home create eternal friction?

The answers came slowly and not without trouble

“Get moving, my son, right now! on the double!”

So he jumped in the car and pointed it west

And drove like a mad man fully possessed

Twelve hundred miles ‘tween Asheville and Boulder

Time was a wastin’ and the trail grew colder

From Asheville to Nashville, McDonald was mellow

Chattanooga to Louisville, Oy! it’s like driving through Jell-O

Then on to Missouri, just like Lewis and Clark

But Kansas was calling and skies grew dark

On I-70 West from Topeka to Hays

Caine’s body was weary, his head in a daze

And just beyond Colby as his spirits were sinking

He knew that the distance was finally shrinking

So he raced his machine as fast as he could

Putting petal to the metal and knocking on wood

His heart was a-pumping, his smile was so jolly

With visions of Addis and Hannah and Mollie

As he turned on to 6^th Street, near Evergreen Ave.

There stood the best Christmas present he could ever have

Hannah and Addis and Mollie were dancing

While Evie, Lucia, and Nonie were prancing

Kita and kids were feeding the deer

While Toby went out to the kitchen for beer

While Caine knelt down and kissed the ground

Thankful to be happy, safe, and sound.

The moral of this story may one day be told

By the man whose feet got so incredibly cold

But the message to all on this Christmas Eve

Is to never lose faith and to always believe.

Epilogue:

Molly, Hannah and Addis just took off back for the east. Caine is still here as the snow is still coming down … we’ll see what happens.

Was so proud of them. Particularly for Lucy it was really challenging to be up on stage, but she did it! All part of growing up.

So today Kita and I dropped the kids off at Mike and Bianca’s (thanks guys!) and went up to Eldora to do cross-country skiing.

Now, I’ve done cross country-before, but never with the convergence of these three factors:

1. Skate skiing (as opposed to classic; skating is much faster, much more demanding)
2. 10,000 ft. elevation
3. A very steep course like Eldora

It was a sunny, cold (20 degrees) day, and a great course that really gets you out into the quiet and the beauty of the winter woods.

But my goodness I don’t think I’ve sucked so much wind since lacrosse practice in college. You get to the top of hills and feel like I couldn’t catch my breadth time after time.

Such a great way to spend the day: enjoying the outdoors and getting a fantastic workout. Can’t wait to do it again.

Afterwards we had lunch at Wild Mountain in Nederland. In addition to pork BBQ, I got the BrewSki, which is five small beers served inside a ski. I love cheesy gimicks like this.