alison’s thoughts
Carrie Fisher
May the force be with her. I feel the disturbance in it, but I know it’s stronger because she carried it for us, for so long, and in ways that were unmistakably in support of every single, sentient being/alien, among us. 2016 the year our dearest icons left the planet and went home.
One of my favorite celebrity photos taken by a random person driving by a theater opening of The Force Awakens. During her press tour, she convinced Ellen DeGeneres to take to the streets to try to sell last minute tickets to it. … Really *fk those who say she looked too old in that movie to be a princess. She’s only 60 and she will always look beautiful and will always be my princess.
15 reasons why Carrie Fisher deserves everyone’s love. 1. Carrie Fisher first played Princess Leia 38 years ago when she was 19. And she maintains that she believed in Star Wars from day one. 2. And she totally gets why Leia is a beloved character. 3. She responded to the controversy over the Slave Leia outfit by explaining: “I think that’s stupid. The father who flipped out about it, ‘What am I going to tell my kid about why she’s in that outfit?’ Tell them that a giant slug captured me and forced me to wear that stupid outfit, and then I killed him because I didn’t like it. And then I took it off. Backstage.” 4. But Carrie is so much more than a kick-ass space princess. For a long time, she was a respected script doctor (writer who punches up screenplays). A 1992 Entertainment Weekly article called Fisher “one of the most sought after doctors in town.” She lent her writing skills to movies like Hook, Sister Act and The Wedding Singer. The reason you haven’t heard about this is because script doctors are rarely credited for their work. 5. She also wrote 4 books, 3 movies and 2 plays of her own. Throughout her work, she’s been open about her struggles with bio polar disorder. 6. Now she shares her funny writing through her twitter. 7. Carrie Fisher comes from a famous family but never flaunts it: her father is singer Eddie Fisher and her mother is actress Debbie Reynolds. You might know her as the female lead in “Singin’ in the Rain.” 10. This is how Carrie Fisher handles interviews, brings her dog, Gary, along. 11. She did an entire spread for a female glamour magazine to show woman what she looks like as a normal everyday woman and how much work goes into looking like a model. It documented a 12-hour make up session. 12. No matter what the occasion, Carrie Fisher brings the sass. Like when she roasted George Lucas when he won the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award 13. For her hilarious cameos over the years. 14. When she always expresses gratitude to Star Wars fans even though her acting career has been impressive since then. 15. Last but not least, during her press tour, she convinced Ellen DeGeneres to take to the streets to try to sell last minute tickets to The Force Awakens. Above list of reasons to love Carrie Fisher is mostly taken from Chole Cole and somewhat morphed by me. #Nasty Woman
 I’m not a poet but I couldn’t resist. Never call me nasty. N is for the women who slept next to you for years even though you never understood them, nor liked their kind. E is for elephantiasis a condition characterized by gross enlargement of an area of the body, especially the limbs, but in your case your head. V is for vicious pussy that bites the hand that tries to grab it. E is for Ella and Billie and Bessie, who sang the no-good-men-blues, may their souls rest in eternal peace. R is for repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, all synonyms for nasty; don’t call me that unless you want a piece of it.
My Perfect Conspiracy Theory
Honestly? I knew some backward social political swing was coming didn’t you? The racism that flared up over the last eight years has been head shaking if not stunning right? Isn’t it obvious, and commonly accepted, that our public education has faltered for generations through severe financial cuts, division of ideology that our constitution forbids and bizarre paper chasing restraints? Doesn’t that at least hint at a conspiracy against a thinking population? Honestly, can we expect the barely educated masses, who managed to survive high school, to then perceive extended and alternative learning (and thinking) for the sake of “diverse knowledge”, as even relevant yet alone inspirational? Typical scenario across middle class America looks like this doesn’t it? Given no time to think while tending a repetitive and mindless job for 9 to 12 hours a day he/she journeys home tired and beat, to be greeted, or ignored by stressed out spouses and technology zoned out children. In that case, what were the chances that these trapped-in-the-grim-rat-race individuals would not turn on their centrally located, government condoned, “please- alter-my-reality” drug? Why, even if they could, would they suddenly reason against their only true form of escape and solace? Dismiss their copper top energizer? Question their TV God? Why? Revolution and change begin in the classroom with unfettered and diverse education of ideas. If we want to effect change in human rights, equality and compassion as a logical and unshakable value, environmental consciousness, global alignment of what is best for the all and not just the few, then throw yourself behind public education. Share these thoughts. Talk to your neighbor. Volunteer. Give money, in fact tithe to schools, organizations that promote change, your favorite teachers (who are the unappreciated saints of our thread bare educational system. Gather together to plan for best action. Write and speak to your community and your local media, your representatives in government. Become a representative. Our children and our planet are at stake and if you see it then we need you to activate. And End This Night
I really can’t explain how much Leonard Cohen’s words meant to me. I have listened to him while I painted since I was a teenager painting in my room at home. All the way through college, grad school, motherhood and professional life I have listened to him while I have painted. In these last few years I have prayed for him to live on because I read that we should do that for the Dali Lama and all of those still on earth holding us with their light filled teachings. It gave me heart to think of him walking on the same planet as us and breathing the same air. I am certain his passing has not ended his amazing journey and I wish him God speed. He left behind his incredible heart’s wisdom, if you are listening, the vibration is just as transforming. I miss him. I’m sorry we are at the end of his on going flow of messages of love, fallibility and revolution. I’m not surprised he exited when he did. It felt a little like the dolphins leaving in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy just before the end of the world. “Goodbye and thanks for all the fish” they wrote. It’s Christmas Time Again.
How do I feel about Christmas? Like many people I have family traditions and memories around this time of year that dig down deeply into my roots. Sometimes I can manifest the reenactment of those to try to nurture my soul, or create new traditions that are better suited to my life and my reality, but often times the ideas and dreams I cherish and hold are illusive and the demons have not yet been slain. The favorite Anglo/European myth of large wonderful families that celebrate together with love and generosity was something my mother was a frost-dazzling-magical-fairy at creating year after year. I don’t even come close to creating this experience for myself or my family. I have tried, believe me I have tried. The media, TV and the movies are relentless during this highly commercialized time of year in reinforcing idealized fantasies of joy and happiness that simply can’t be met in many peoples lives. I turn it all off. Instead of their warming intentions they only make me miserable. What I’m good at is trying to meet those family, friends and strangers that I feel could use my care (as I can muster it). I have come to the conclusion that everyone needs some caring and loving thoughts during this time but they might require a multitude of inventive expressions. Sometimes it works, a lot of times I fail. My elders and partners and other well meaning individuals are quick to point out that everyone has family problems, many people have physical and or mental health struggles, job issues, missing love ones, economic hardships, boogie men etc.that are much worse than mine. It’s always helpful when you can’t eat poop-like liver, sitting in a glaring position on your dinner plate, to know that there are wretched starving children out there that would, happily, slurp it up. Not. But I am grateful. I really do understand that I have many blessings. But really that isn’t the point is it? If someone has worries of any kind that fly in the face of this super-hyped-to-be-happy season and just need to know that someone cares, that is the point. Are any of us truly immune to the dark side, in even the happiest of times? Shall I be ashamed of myself for my bio-chemistry. Does that help me or anyone else? Shall I find a way to pull up the boot straps on my bootless feet, that for all the life of me seem nailed to the ground? So here is the bottom line, Christmas for me, for many years has been a time of deep mental depression and inexplicable sadness. I hide behind the smiles I can muster or I just stay home, lay in bed under the covers, eat until I’m sick trying to fill that empty space that the food will never get find. I stay away from you, so as not to spread my unhappiness or be embarrassed by it. I got this idea to write this piece from a friend who received a similar post from another friend that she shared. Feel free to pass it on, share it, copy and paste it, write it in your own words. I think she is right; reach out if your feeling well and give a bit of tenderness or reach out when madness is crawling up your leg, because misery loves solace and company. |
Broken Dish Sisterhood 