Comments on: A Transcendent Quality

By: Kelly Marie

Kelly Marie — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:14:26 +0000

I came across your blog while browsing, and I really enjoy reading it! I definitely can relate to what you mean about movies and music making you want to live your life differently, more passionately maybe? Anyways, what you said about this being why fiction meant so much to you growing up, and I think you helped me realize why I feel the same about fiction. Great writing, I’m looking forward to continue reading!

By: Jaclyn

Jaclyn — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:12:25 +0000

I just discovered your blog via Twenty Something – and I love your writing. It’s honest. It’s real. And I relate to it. On a post related note – the transcendent power of film and literature and music, etc. is one of the things I loved most about teaching high schoolers. Helping them catch that vision of what relates us more than what separates us was incredible.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:58:57 +0000

Simon and Garfunkel does the same for me. And I haven’t listened to S&G for a long time – I think it’s overdue.

By: Jen

Jen — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:19:36 +0000

I felt the same way when I came out of “Up in the Air.” I feel the same way about movies. Sometimes they just make me feel transcendent. Like I’m watching myself living my life. Great post!

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:35:30 +0000

That movie was awesome. I know what you mean, that last scene really made me feel like the world is full of possibilities (as cheesy as that may sound).

By: Megkathleen

Megkathleen — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:33:27 +0000

I feel the same way about fiction. You explained it in a way that I’ve never been able to. I think it can also help us understand ourselves better.

By: SillyJaime

SillyJaime — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:45:20 +0000

I, too, love that feeling. It’s why I read so much, why I love to see movies alone. I feel like that feeling belongs to me for a little while longer before regular life comes crashing back down on me.

By: ashley

ashley — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:08:42 +0000

And that’s how certain movies become my “favorite” movies, because they’ve taken me to a place where I examine my life and even make changes, i.e. High Fidelity. Most recently, that was 500 Days of Summer.

This is why art is important, and should never, ever be censored.

By: Allison Blass

Allison Blass — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:14:26 +0000

That happens to me all the time. I always put myself in the place of the character and it can get quite emotional for me sometimes. I felt that way when I saw Garden State. You’re like, “How did someone get into my head and then write a movie about it?” But I haven’t seen Up in the Air yet and I now I know I have to!

By: Kim

Kim — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:43:10 +0000

I love it when I get that feeling. It makes me think so many things are possible.

By: Herding Cats

Herding Cats — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:23:15 +0000

Movies and music AND fiction all do this to me as well. I think that’s why I love all of these things so much. And did you not LOVE “Up in the Air”????? I thought it was really great!

By: Uriah

Uriah — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:23:03 +0000

This post reminds me of a poem in the Outlaw Book of American Poetry where the poet complains about the poetry shelf at the bookstore; how there’s one book of a poets work and 25 by other people explaining exactly what the poet was saying, thinking, feeling, etc., when writing the poems. which brings me to a great quote by Melissa Etheridge that I’m goongnyo completely butcher, “it doesn’t matter what I wrote the song about or what it means to me. It’s what it means to you when you listen to it that counts.”

By: ExMi

ExMi — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:06:24 +0000

this post reminds me of that quote (and i forget who it’s by) “Let me ask you something, what is not art?”.

too true. all of it.