2009 Picture Flashback

Having a drink with Scary Spice in Las Vegas:

THE POWER OF THE WORD ( & our irresponsibility)

Pheeewww! what a day. A sad one. By now we are all aware of what happened in Tucson, Arizona, of the shooting, the deaths, the tragedy, and those fighting for their life, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Its not something I can personally come to terms with in any level.  I am also resigned to the fact that I might never know,  I will never know what happened. Not for a conspiracy theory, but a much simpler fact, I will never be able to know what was in the shooters head, why or anything of the like.  To me it´s another senseless act of violence, one that like many others should not happen.
As everyone else I am also aware of the political background and how this tragedy IS being used for the benefit of some and the detriment of others.
I was very vocal on twitter about my indignation about what was on Sarah Palin´s website as pretty much a political hit list. It was taken down from her website but you can se a screenshot here .  I was vocal about my indignation.  Some people took it as me tainting a tragedy with political undertones.  Couldn´t be further from the truth.
Do I think Sarah Palin has anything to do with this shotting? NO. Do I think by her having a "political hit list" she encouraged violence? I don´t know. Do I think she is absolutely irresponsible with her words and sometimes actions? YES.
First of all let me assure you this has nothing to do with politics. To me the issue is people in the public eye, with a voice heard by millions, she is a politician, she could be an actress for all I care. My problem is that none of us understand, realize or respect the sanctity of the word. With our words we can create or destroy, you do it, I do it, everyday. I tell you "you look good today" or "you look like shit" and there´s a consequence to that. Our words are magic, we choose to use them as white or black magic.
So what really drives me crazy is that people in general, and specifically people that are public are so careless with their words and what effect they might have. No, Sarah Palin has no doing on this, but I personally think she is accountable for the message she is spewing. Personally I don´t  think is clever, funny, creative to have a political "hit list." Im semi sane. Did she (or any of her advisors) stop to think what a disturbed, mentally unhealthy person would make of that? They probably did after the fact, hence taking the post down.
My frustration is not political, is a frustration from the pit of my stomach that us, as "evolved" beings DO NOT take responsibility for our actions, let alone our WORDS and the implications of that.
So, yes, I am pissed when I look at this picture:

To me it says "I am not aware of the power I have over people. I am not aware that what I say might be misconstrued. I did not stop and think what the implications of the way I CHOOSE to use my words might have. I don´t care."
You have your opinions and beliefs and I respect them. I expect the same from you. And yes, I have thought and chosen my words as carefully as I can.
P.

HABIBI "darling, something is wrong with your head"

You are looking at a still from the film HABIBI by the talented director and dear friend Susan Youssef. What? You haven´t heard about it? Well, that is because the film is in the final stages of being completed.
    I am going to tell you about my love for Susan and for this "baby" of hers.  Before embarking on this labor of love, Susan had succesfully made five short films. I met Susan at the Sundance Film Festival while I was working there and she was screening her work.  I cannot tell you how we met, or any other detalis. To be honest I don´t remember them.  We kept in touch and in 2006 she was screening her short film "Marjoun and the Flying Headscarf"  I remember that we wanted to meet even if for a litte time to catch up.  I was running from screenings to press confereces, to some other non sense and I am sure she was equally busy, but we manage to arrange a time to meet. THAT, I remember quite well.  It was snowing in Park City, it was freezing cold, I run into the Frontier on Main venue and we found a place to sit and chat. To the day I remember that clearly, because I was running into the place to meet her and was supposed to run to be somewhere else after. The moment we sat to talk and she started telling me about HABIBI and I looked into those big beautiful eyes I just could not be rushed, I could not rush my conversation with her, nor did I want to. Passion is a powerful force, when paired with following one´s dreams, well, its simply unstopable.
I left her with the certainty that for as a daunting task it is to make a film IN Gaza, raise the money and actually seeing that through, Susan would do it.
    In todays day when independent filmmaking is such a common place, we sometimes forget what truly is to make a film independently. Susan´s work on HABIBI has been such an inspiring way for me to remember, not only what it takes to make an indie film, but how we CAN make our dreams come true, only if we are willing to sacrifice and work. A lot.
    Over the years since my conversation with Susan in Park City I have stayed in touch, I have cheered her on, I have asked, I have been in awe. She did raise the money to go and actually shoot the film in Gaza. Let that sink in for a minute. She raised the money and actually shot her film in Gaza.
I am lucky enough to have a good relationship and sometimes friendship with many talented filmmakers, people with a true passion for their craft. I usually don´t go out there, yelling from the rooftops how great they are.
    This is different. I have and continue to see Susan battling it out for this film to be completed, for her voice to be heard. Trust me, it needs to be heard.  The film is done for the most part. She just has the last stretch to be done.  I am going to let her tell you herself. Before I do that, I am going to ask you something simple: Do you have dreams? Did you ever run after them? Are you still dreaming? How woud you feel if someone helped you along the way?
    Keep those questions in your mind, then just click HABIBI and hear from Susan herself.

                                       From me, a heartfelt THANK YOU!
                                                                                         P.



P.S. For more detailed information on the film, please visit the official site http://www.habibithefilm.com/

2011 is here, am I?

I haven´t blogged since last year.  I just didn´t have anything to say. The last 3 months of last year were the culmination of a year of rebirth, reflexion, being humbled and learning, learning, learning.
I have let myself open to being taught (even if sometimes its rough teaching) by life what I need to know.  So far, it works greatly.  Many times I founf myself under different situations that were not what I wanted, or the best of situations. I learned to look at those situations as learning opportunities. I changed "shit happens" to "lessons happen"  That changed my way of facing situations, instead of cursing up and down and asking Zeus (or the deity of the day) "what the ....?" I started thinking "what am I missing?" That made a whole lot of difference. I started recognizing a pattern where things happen because I need to experience them for my own personal growth. And yes, I am learning from it.
Just in case that concept wasn´t clear with me, the "get it now" moment happened on December 31st, 2010.  I had been thinking I need to be more in the HERE, wherever that is completely as opposed as being here but twitting, texting with friends and sometimes wondering or day dreaming of being somewhere else.

As December 31st came closer to an end I was on a fever of texts, tweets and not being present to the moment. So, since I already had a clue but was not acting upon it, life took it upon itself to show me how´s done. A few hours before midnight my phone just simply kicked the bucked. At first I was a bit upset. Then I chilled, looked at the situation and smiled. I was now going to BE present. And I did, I had a wonderful evening, I saw the stars, the fireworks, danced until 7ish in the morning. No tweets, no texts.
I realized that al my numbers and some texts I had saved were gone. But I also realized that my friends and family are always near. The text messages I had saved were gone, but the love and encouraging words are there, shall I choose to talk to them and be present to out time together.
Im glad the phone is gone, giving way to a new appreciation for NOW.
Are you HERE, NOW?
P.