Joan Fix

I started watching season one of Joan of Arcadia last night. The memory of how great it is started to fade so I had to remind myself. There is such a depth of character and plot to this show.

There are so many layers: a family grieving Kevin’s accident, adjustment to a new town, teenage angst, Dad’s job and the cases he’s dealing with, Mom is finally persuing her passion of art. They’re all so real, with authentic emotions and believable problems. There are few shows that actually achieve this.

I’ve gotten through one of six DVDs. These episodes are about showing us how God works. He can’t break the laws of the universe that he set up. He doesn’t respond to the why questions, in fact he asks the questions. For him it’s not about religion but about fulfilling our nature. Not a physical nature but a metaphysical one, it’s about learning to live in our own skin and living in our uniqueness and that we were given specific gifts and talents that only we can provide the world. It’s about obedience to that. Wow!

Joan also learns how to see God in everyday life. God introduces himself to her as a cute, sarcastic guy, so that she’ll feel comfortable with him. God explains that he is beyond our comprehension and that he manifests in many ways. The key is learning how to recognize him.

Knowing these elements Joan learns that everything has an effect. Every action ripples out. It’s a question of how we effect the world around us. It is how God works through us. Fascinating opportunity for dialogue.

By listening to the audio commentary with writer/creator Barbara Hall I learned that this show was a long time in the making, but it didn’t really find its place until after September 11th. In a time when our country was open to spirituality, was searching for answers to why, wanting to know if there was any order to this seemingly chaotic world and Joan found her way to tv.

Hall has her own story with the material and how she came to write about it, starting with a fascination with Joan of Arc, a near death experience that lead her to believe in something bigger and an intrigue with the cross-section of science and metaphysics. All of these elements play a large role in her point of view with this series. This is her story as she works out the elements of her faith.

I miss this show. I didn’t agree with everything but it was always thought-provoking. If you haven’t seen it, run don’t walk to rent it or buy it.

Filed under: Pop Culture, Spiritual Formation

Audio Commentary

They say the benefits of DVDs are the superior picture and sound quality. For me it is the bonus features, not the deleted scenes but the audio commentary.

I wonder if I’m one of the few people that actually watches with the audio commentary on. I like to hear about the creative process, why they chose to do certain things or effects they are trying to create with different elements that I wouldn’t have otherwise noticed.

However by watching it I also gain trivial details to torture others with when they’re watching the movie. It’s fascinating to me to know that Bonnie Hunt cast almost every single member of her family in small roles in "Return to Me." Or how about the fact that they had to completely rework the intro to Wedding Date because they got carried away with the fog machine but didn’t have money to back and reshoot.

See isn’t that interesting. I suppose there are those that would say film like art should stand on its own. We should interpret it for ourselves and what the artist intended doesn’t matter once they release it.

I don’t agree. I think it gives me a more complete picture. The torturing of my friends with the details I learn, is just a side benefit

Filed under: Pop Culture, Things I love

I’ve got the vapors

Most days the vapors manifest in a Scarlett O’Hara sort of way. Today it’s all about vapors in the shower. Vapors filled with menthal, camphor and eucalyptus.

A couple of days ago I got my tell-tale sign of a cold coming – sneezing. I never sneeze otherwise. Yesterday the full-on nasal congestion, sinus headache and runny nose hit. I woke up this morning and those symptoms invited their friends sore throat, body aches and a little coughing. My box of sudafed came with a free sample of the Sudacare Shower Soother.

I tried it this morning and it rocks. From the moment you pop it in the water it works. Even down to the last little bits its emitting the vapors. I can now breathe a little better. It was worth it. I highly recommend it.

Filed under: Health