About the only thing of note that I did this weekend, was to go see The Dark Knight Rises.
Dude. It was So. Good. Very much darker than the last two-- even The Dark Knight. I was skeptical that the movie could top the previous movie, but in many ways I think it did. They really pulled out all of the stops, including a cameo by Liam Neeson. Without going too much into it (so I don't allow for spoilers), I also appreciated that there was a nod to the French Revolution, once Bane's plan is under way. And they definitely have given up trying to pretend that Gotham is a combination of New York and Chicago-- they were definitely going for straight-up New York. Namely, having very prominent and obvious shots of the ongoing construction of Freedom Tower, aka the new World Trade Center tower, kind of killed any kind of illusion on that front.
The one thing I was confused about though, was the ending. Without going too much into it, it was definitely left pretty open, considering that all those involved in the movie says that TDKR is the last of the Nolan Batman movies. Well, Man of Steel is coming out next year; maybe they are trying to pave the way for an Avengers type superhero combo movie (my boyfriend, who is way more into comic book heroes than I ever was, has mentioned on occasion that DC Comics has its own Avengers-like, namely The Justice League). I would be surprised, given the Avengers' popularity, if they don't start trying to do something like that. Why else the Spiderman reboot like 6 years after the last one?
At any rate, I want the box set of Nolan's Batman when it comes out for Christmas.
I did manage to get some interesting snapshots before the movie. I went to the Regal Theatre at Union Square, but surprise surprise, they were sold out until the 6:15PM showing (this was at 3:00PM), so I got to hang out for a while. I didn't know that Union Square was such a happening place. I'd been there before on a number of occasions, and had never seen as much as I saw today. Namely, Occupiers, Hare Krishnas, a rag-tag street fair of sorts with artist booths. I actually even bought a canvas for $20. What can I say, I am a sucker for street art, and have a new apartment to decorate. I also got a cool shot of the Flatiron building; in an effort to avoid really awkward panhandlers on the subway, I got off on the wrong stop, one stop north of 14th street/Union Square. I don't know what neighborhood it was, but it was really nice, and suitably bougie. And lo and behold, I stumbled upon the Flatrion building. I am starting to suspect that randomly stumbling upon well-known if not straight-up famous things in New York, is a fairly common occurrence... Pictures are below.
Finally, I feel like I should briefly address my post from the other night. I wish I could feel more empathy for people. But I always wished, and hoped, that people could be good, and just...live and let live. That's all I've wanted, that's all I have ever wanted. But more and more, people are unwilling to do that. There is just so much ugliness in the world; at times I've tried to shield myself from it, at other times I have tried to speak out against it, often in less-than-sugarry terms. And I have been shouted down for it, because people often don't want to hear such things. But I am also a firm believer in near-unqualified freedom of speech (namely, anything that isn't inciting or directing violence, or the proverbial shouting fire in a crowded building). Because unless we have the freedom to express ourselves, even if in unpopular or "offensive" ways, then we are not free as a society, as people. And it doesn't matter if the person trying to make you temper your speech is your government, your boss, or your family. It is one of the dearest freedoms we have. And the reason I am so uncompromising about it, why I take it too its logical extreme, is because the moment you let someone cow you down to be quieter, you start down the slope that ends where we all lose our voices.
I suppose too that I have never really related well to people; who knows why that is. I just could never seem to fit in with most people, so my cadre of friends has always been small. Perhaps I held people to too high of a standard and, being disappointed, withdrew myself from them. So I have always been something of a lone wolf. And then to just see the pointless crap people put each other through-- I feel a need to attack, to speak out. Maybe someone will listen. Can't it all just stop? Can't we all just get along and mind our own businesses? I think I grew up in a large bubble, and going to college, then out into the world, starting pay attention and read the papers, plus just some of my interactions with people over the years, shocked, but mostly, disappointed me. I have known many good, solid people in my life. People I would trust with my life, people I would sacrifice everything and anything for. I know within people, most people, there is a capacity to be good, and to take the higher ground. But so many don't. So many mire in the gossip, the opportunism, the nastiness. I wish I could stop shouting everyone down, but as a person I feel I can't, because there is so much wrong. But in my disappointment, in my constant fighting, I've felt the human warmth that I should feel, slowly drain away, for all but a few people I really consider my friends and family. I have started to keep to myself more, because in my sadness, there is nothing that I see in the world that surprises me. Perhaps I could, and should, stop paying attention, stop the fighting, external and internal. But what's the point in that? The bad stuff doesn't just go away. At any rate, even if I do that, I doubt I will understand people or fit in with them any better. I do however, find it immensely sad. I can feel myself changing, like a spell in an old story or movie that slowly turns someone's heart cold, into stone. You can feel it happening, but you can't stop it.
I took down my Facebook page to stop dealing with people who would attack me, yes. But I also took it down because in my speaking out, I became and am angry. There are people on Facebook with whom I was friended, who knew me before I got to this point. I am sure that they have seen enough, but honestly, I would rather them remember me the way that I was, namely normal and feeling and nice, particularly to those I love and loved. They don't need to see me now. And perhaps I can return to them one day the way that I was, but that day is not today I am afraid.
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