Learning

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:13:56 -0700

Human capacity for learning is truly astounding. One has only to look at my nephew, Arbel, to see just how incredible the brain is. Of course, I am a little biased and likely to think that everything my nephew does is a work of genius, including his capacity to soil himself in such a manner that the only way to clean him off is to bathe him in the bathroom sink.

However, watching a baby learn something new is magical.

I’m fresh back from my annual three-week pilgrimage to Israel, where for the most part my days were spent hanging out exclusively with Arbel, who is now 10 months old. Three full weeks of rolling around on the floor, shoveling food into a tiny yet bottomless pit, and baby talk (the entire family has regressed to a non-verbal stage where we coo at each other instead of forming sentences). And yet in only three weeks, my brilliant nephew has sprinted forward on that path of child development.

Arbel likes to be carried around. A lot! Why crawl when you can be shepherded hither and yon with a much better view of the world? And boy is this kid interested in the world around him, clambering all over you to get the best view of what the dog is doing, what’s in the mirror, or that leaf fluttering in the wind. To facilitate this inexhaustible exploration of the world he has finally learned how to point. At first it was a little like the queen of England holding out her hand to be kissed, but he has quickly figured out how to raise that oh so important index finger. Of course now we’re all pointing that way too.

He’s also learned how to wave bye-bye, pull himself up into a standing position, and throw a tantrum when he doesn’t get his way. Surely this is a boy out outstanding ability, right?

Yes, yes, I know I’m getting carried away going on about how fantastic my nephew is. Yes, I know you think I’m overdoing it, thinking the sun must shine out of his arse (it doesn’t for several good fecal reasons). But what’s a doting uncle to do? Change the subject? Ok.

Other than my nephew, my trip did have a few other highlights. One of those was participating in the Gilad Shalit march. For those of you who don’t know, Gilad Shalit (www.gilad.org) is the soldier who was abducted from within Israeli territory by the Hamas over 4 years ago and is still being held hostage. He has been refused visits by the International Red Cross to determine his condition, and only a few signs of life have been received since his capture.

Over a period of 12 days in late June, early July (11 of those on the march), his parents, joined by thousands of supporters, marched from their home in Mitzpe Hila in the western Galilee to the prime minister’s residence in Jerusalem. There his parents are camping out until the government does something to bring Gilad home.

I joined the march (along with my brother-in-law Idan, and my friend Jens who was visiting from Berlin) on day 10, and we marched from Modi’in up the main Tel-Aviv/Jerusalem highway to Latrun.

Sure, the opinions on how Gilad’s release should be orchestrated are varied, with much disagreement on all sides. That is as it should be. However, this march was not about agreeing on a solution. It was simply a massive outpouring of support for a distraught family, with thousands marching peacefully under the relentless Israeli sun. There was something unifying about the whole thing, much needed at a time when Israeli society is more fractious and despondent than ever before. And it felt good to be a part of it, although I suspect that the march got far less attention in the world media than it deserves. Far be it from the BBCs and CNNs of the world to report on anything as tedious as something peaceful coming out of Israel.

To be fair, I myself have grown weary of the constant lambasting that Israel has received lately. I am not arguing that Israeli politicians haven’t made a total mess of things. They certainly have, and I find it deeply and profoundly upsetting. Actually, upsetting isn’t a strong enough word for how I feel. It feels more like mourning. But it is wearisome to live in the Diaspora and never hear another side to the ever-complicated story that is Israeli society. I might even venture that the rich diversity of Israeli society and opinion is disregarded in favor of that juicy (and all too easy) news segment on the latest government screw up.

I wonder now if you, as you read this, are raising a finger and pointing, the word “but…” forming in your mind.

We could all learn a thing or two from Arbel. When he points his finger it is simply to go investigate something new without prejudice. He still has the capacity to look at a situation with fresh eyes. And his appetite for investigation is tireless. Because let’s face it, that fluttering leaf really does change depending on the angle you view it from.

Dream a Little Dream

Mon, 3 May 2010 09:05:31 -0700

Having recently learned from my doctor that I am vitamin D deficient, I took advantage of my Sunday afternoon to stroll around Venice with a friend and soak up some sun. Whilst winding through side streets, alleyways, and nether regions (and generally avoiding the hipster crowds on Abbott Kinney), my eye fell upon an unexpected landscape atop the cracked sidewalk. A mound of earth, about 3 inches high and emblazoned with familiar lettering, “H. O. L. L. Y. W. O. O. D.”, stood in my path. As seemingly insignificant as a discarded fast food wrapper, its backdrop was a fire hydrant, some weeds, and an abandoned door. A far cry from the majestic summit of Mt. Lee that is home to the somewhat larger famous landmark.

The actual Hollywood sign has been much in the news lately, with developers wanting to build a luxury neighborhood on the peak above it. This ignited a campaign to buy the land and protect it as public open space. The sign was recently covered up by the words “Save the Peak” as part of this effort. Needing to raise $12.5 million dollars, many Hollywood players got involved, including studios, producers, directors, and even Tiffany & Co. A final $1 million donation by Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner has made the preservation of the land a done deal.

So what was this miniature doing in my path? It turns out that this diorama was itself an effort to address the problem of Mt. Lee, put forward by the “Center for World Problems” (flavors.me/centerforworldproblems). What I can only take for a grassroots organization (who knows how many members there actually are?) their suggestion is that “using simple economics (via supply-and-demand), the price would go down if there was more than one mountain for the Hollywood Sign to go on.” (www.centerforworldproblems.tumblr.com) A worthy and creative solution.

But that was not where my mind instantly took me upon viewing this molehill reproduction. Rather, it made me reflect on what the sign itself represents. I recall driving west along the 10 freeway, not long after I had moved to Los Angeles, and spotting the sign for the first time off in the distance. It is cliché to talk of the thrill that the sign made me feel, the naïve expectation that has long since dissipated in the years I have been plugging away building a career. If anything, the sign has become merely a backdrop, taken for granted as a tourist attraction. These days I tend to regard it with a sense of irony, rolling my eyes at my former wide-eyed self and laughing at my insider’s joke. But I would be remiss to suggest that all of that earlier hope and belief is gone. If it were I doubt I would still be here. And that was the power of the miniature, a tiny reminder of the dreams that drive us all.

We need to remember our dreams as we soldier on, forging ahead in this uphill battle we call life. Sure, the realization of a dream is anything but easy, fraught with challenges and obstacles to make even the toughest of us whimper. But on we go, because what is the alternative? And sure, not all dreams will be realized. Many are simply there to propel us in new and more interesting directions. They serve as guideposts, incentives, starting guns. But without them…

Perhaps we all need a little Hollywood sign, casually thrown together with bits of wood and dirt in an unlikely spot. A reminder that dreams, albeit grandiose at times, are as essential as the weeds that line our sidewalks, or the cracks that let them grow.

More information on the Hollywood sign can be found at www.hollywoodsign.org

Spies-R-Us

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 10:32:29 -0700

If you are anywhere in the Los Angeles area this weekend (Apr. 17-18), come check out a project I've working on that will be debuting at the Brewery Artwalk.

Ever wanted to be a secret agent? Think you have what it takes to save the world from unspeakable threats? This weekend you have the chance to find out.

I've been working for the Virsix Institute of Counter Espionage (V.I.C.E.), an organization dedicated to neutralizing global threats without the restrictions of government intervention. V.I.C.E will be spending the weekend evaluating Artwalk
attendees, looking for the most promising new recruits.

I wrote the story for the game, plus directed all the live action video segments that accompany it. It promises to be a very exciting experience so come check it out.

Additional info and directions at the following link:

http://brentbushnell.com/2010/04/10/artwalk-spring-10/

See you there.

2010!

Fri, 8 Jan 2010 09:48:31 -0800

Is it just me, or is 2010 one of those dates that seems too far in the future to be real? It’s not even a question of wondering where the flying cars, teleportation devices, or holidays on Mars are. We’ve all come to terms with that silliness. It’s simply the number itself, 2010, that seems too remote.

I’m freshly back from my annual year-end pilgrimage to New York, visiting friends and family and generally allowing my brain to turn to mush. Days of wandering the city in sub-zero weather, facing bracing winds and snow flurries. Who could ask for a more relaxing time?

There are several anecdotes from my trip worth sharing in detail. I think they are all worthy of being turned into movies and want to know what you think of the following pitches? Which story needs me to spend all my energy convincing Hollywood this is the next “Juno” or “Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire”?

“The Frozen Bride” – A Japanese wedding party suffers great tragedy when a blizzard tears through Central Park just as they are taking their formal wedding photos.

“Soup Lady” - The uplifting tale of an old crone who, after years of solitude in the East Village, finally accepts the existence of white borscht.

“Astor Place” – A group of strangers, seemingly with nothing in common, mysteriously find themselves waiting for the same uptown 6 train on New Year’s Day.

Personally, I think these are all winners, but I will defer to your thoughts. After all, you are the very people I will be coming to for help to realize these gems.

Happy New Year.

Happy Halloween

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:42:13 -0700

On a day dedicated to witches, magic, and the onset of winter, I hereby proffer an alternative to the mischief that this pagan fest invites.

What follows are two short films I just made. Please watch them in order.

Have I been infected by the whimsical madness of the holiday? Unleashed an inner demon? Succumbed to insanity? Perhaps, but you won’t find any oversized plastic spiders, jack-o-lanterns, or black and orange stripes.

I’ll let you decide what, if anything, all of this means. Just be sure to let me know.

Happy Halloween.