The Manrilla Blog | Life. Art. Religion. Culture.

Today was my first day on the job. It was a lot to take in. I’m pretty fried, actually, as I’m not used to operating at that time of day. Plus, SEPTA’s on strike and I had to walk to and from Penn (I live in South Philly). Out.

John and I went in on a box of Type 55’s several months back. He’s broken his out and done some shooting but I hadn’t until today. I decided to crack open the box and shoot a sheet before taking a shower (?). Yes, this is how the creative mind works. Anyway, I really like the idea of being able to shoot a proof and a neg. The proofs are fun to scan - I’ve even made some nice prints off of them. And the negs are cool, too. They have this weird edge at the top. The proof is 50 ISO and the neg’s 100 (I think - I could have that turned around). I’ll have to scan the neg later to show you. I would like to do some more with them. They run around $50 a box, I think. John? Should we order more? You’ll have to come out to Philly to share.

I was talking on the phone with a friend of mine yesterday. We were talking about how people, well, certain people, have no sense of what’s going too far. He was saying that he’d gotten in a scrap with a guy who said something derogative about his mother (a real no-no). I replied, saying I knew what he meant. He lives in the Midwest. For the most part, this seems to be a phenomenon most common in the Midwest. I can remember growing up, one just did not talk about someone’s mama unless you was ready to scrap - lay it on the line.

I can remember one instance when I was living in Wisconsin. I was new on the job, having just moved there. And I was trying to bond with my new work mates and while we’re all sitting around in the office, this one kid starts messing with another one. A “capping session” we used to call it when I was younger. Well, it was funny and we were all laughing until this one kid stepped over the line and said something sexually inappropriate about him and my mother. Before the last syllable left his mouth I had whipped out the chair and snatched him up by his polo shirt, shoes dangling off the ground. His eyes were gonna pop right outta his head! I looked down at him, straight in the eye and said, “Apologize. Apologize to my mother right now.” He asked if he wanted me to have him call her on the phone and apologize! Despite myself, I laughed out loud. I explained that where I came from, jokers could get knifed talkin’ sh#t about someone’s mom. Cultural differences. Funny part was, when I told a friend of mine who attended school there (who is black) he said, “I don’t understand these white cats. I’d never let someone talk about my mom that way. Nor would I talk about someone’s mom. You just don’t do that.”

Maybe it’s not precisely a black or white thing but man, it was an interesting case study in ethnic ethics. So, do us all a favor. Don’t talk about nobody’s mama. And then no one gets cut! Ha…

Woaw. Slow up. Before you go any further you should know that in no way am I some raving, conservative lunatic. Quite the opposite. I did my share of mind altering drugs in my younger days. I’m an artist and keep company with a wide variety of people. If I were to lean any direction, it would most certainly be Left vs. Right. So take that into full understanding in what I’m about to (try to) get into.

I was watching the HBO show, Real Time with Bill Maher. It’s a talk show of sorts. Maher comes on and makes fun of different things and different people. Some of it truly is funny - some, not so. He’s vehemently anti-religious. So much so, in my opinion, that he goes over board.

Now, I’m a fairly lax, laid-back religious person. I don’t really spend a lot of time worrying if people do or don’t believe in what I believe in. I make friends on both sides of the isle, if you will. But one fault I found in Maher this evening, one that I’ve found in many Americans (and I should say white) is their projection of their values on the rest of the world.

We live in a pretty cool country. It’s got a lot of problems. But like any good family, some of those faults are what make up the lovable traits that make us who we are. But we should never forget that our way is not the only way. Tonight, Maher made the case that any Muslim man who wouldn’t shake hands with a woman was a religious fanatic. I would have to disagree with him. I know many Muslims who will not or seek to lessen physical contact between themselves and women. They are not doing it because they think women are filthy, satan spawn or some other crap. They do it for many reasons, too many to list here (and they can give their own reasons in their own words here if they’d like to). But because someone does something that’s different than the way we do it, they should not be labeled a fanatic. If anything, I find this attitude, an attitude that fosters an ‘us & them’ attitude, to be fanatical. People all come in different shapes and sizes. Different outlooks on life. And after having watched Maher, he seems to have some pretty big problems with religion (I’d say it’s personal with Islam), which he then pimps to his audience as a way of making a living.

The West, and more specifically, whites in the West, must stop holding other cultures up to their narrow view of what is right and wrong. Islam is an easy target because from many in the West, it’s so opposite from what we have here. It’s had over a thousand years to incubate and take on a cultural form in many parts of the world. So when I hear western women talking about women in Islam being persecuted (which some are, I’m sure - I’m not arguing that. But women are persecuted in the U.S. as well. Just look at domestic violence), they assume that in order for a woman to be free, it must match the standards of freedom from a white, western woman’s perspective. I personally know countless Muslim women (converts as well as ‘ethnic’ Muslim women) who would never trade in their hijabs (headscarfs) for a mini skirt. For them, that is their sense of identity.

So, in the end, I guess I’m just trying to make a counter point. The world just really isn’t this simple. A little more humility on our part, Mr.Maher. Thank you. Enjoyed the show tonight.

Today, I graciously accepted my position at U-Penn with the OHR - Office of Human Research. I’m the new Operations Specialist (I like the sound of that - makes me think I’ll be apart of some secret splinter cell operation). I went in today to inspect my new desk, pick out my computer as well as sign more paper work than any man should ever have to. The staff all seem to be a really cheery group of people and I’m honored that I’ve been chosen from so many applicants to work with them. Stop on by if you’re ever on campus. We’re at 150 Anatomy-Chemistry Building (the ACB).

Jackie McLean has long been one of my favorite musicians. His tenacity on the horn is unparalleled. His sound has always irked my brother for some reason (he says he plays sharp). Whatever it may be, McLean has carved a platform to stand on in the jazz annals. Consequences is a one of those albums that most certainly is not background music. Find a copy, pour yourself a drink and give Consequences its due spin. (Google Search)

Picked up this Bob Marley anthology while waiting to go shoot in Chicago. I’m not a huge, pot smoking, dread-wearing Bob Marley fan but I do like his music. This is earlier Wailer’s work which features work with producers like Lee “Scratch” Perry and Leslie Kong. It also shows some early work with electronic synths. Good stuff. Pick it up.

Deep Song is the title to Kurt Rosenwinkel’s new CD. If you are unfamiliar with Kurt and his music check out his Web site or the iTunes Store to get some free previews. I really dig his sound, both his personal sound on his guitar and the sound of his music. It has a great story telling capacity to it - almost akin to reading a book. He’s a got a great crew on this set with Brad Mehldau on piano, Joshua Redman on tenor sax, Larry Grenadier on bass and either Ali Jackson or longtime associate Jeff Ballard on drums. The music really swings and has great energy. It’s too bad that some have labeled Kurt’s music as intellectual - it’s anything but that. I think it leaps off the disc and grabs you with great melodies and rhythms. Give it a listen.