On media...
A picture's worth a thousand words, right? So what to make of In Essence's video for their song "Friend of Mine"?

I've always considered myself a Voltairean soul ("I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.") It's not easy to maintain that attitude, though, when faced with the kind of "artistic" expression in the "Friend of Mine" video (click the link to see for yourself.) I take issue not with the whole video--which is, incidentally, not too shabbily shot--but with its portrayal of women.

Now I'm not going to sit here and rail against it. Instead, I prefer to ask what the director wants people to infer from the plethora of female torsos? (Each time there is a shot of a woman the shot is of her torso alone. Particular attention is given to the pubic region...) The women in this video are faceless, headless. They have been reduced to curves at most, sex organs in the least.

What is prehaps more disturbing is that this video--currently sitting at number nine on the MuchMusic Countdown--has ruffled so fe feathers. Are we so complacent that we accept the images the media spoon-feeds without question?

There's no such thing as mindless entertainment.

Any form of media must be looked at critically or, at least, thoughtfully, as each image can and does have the power to create or reinforce--implicitly or explicitly--systems of valuation.

On O.S.A.P....
Argh. Enough said.

On packing...
At least that's going well. I have less than an hour's worth left. I just need to pack up my books, D.V.D.s/videos, and toiletries (they're more or less gathered in one spot--they just need to be bagged.) I'll be set for Sunday morning's move.

On writing...
I guess it's been a pretty successful Summer as far as my writing is concerned. In about fifteen/twenty minutes, I will have put the finishing touches on my latest play. And, while I know it does still need some work, I'm infinitely more pleased with this new play than I am with the one I produced back in January. This play is a more mature, more polished work. What's more is that I'm taking more risks and I think that--above all--is an important measure of my growth as a writer. I'm really excited about this piece. If only I could think of a title!