February 18, 2010
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Road Rage and Roger Ebert
What follows, are two completely unrelated stories that are ultimately about hope and inspiration:
I would like everyone to grab a box of tissues and read this story. I want you to think about it the next time you get angry while driving. I know I will. I’m an admittedly terrible driver, and have been guilty of road rage many times. I’ve been working on driving more calmly for several years, but living in Los Angeles, relapses are easy. I hope that the memory of what happened to this family and their little boy will forever stay with me when I’m behind the wheel. Life is indeed too short.
When a porn star and a college student driving through the San Fernando Valley fell into conflict, a Bangladeshi American family suffered the consequences Los Angeles magazine, February 2010
On the Internet you can watch a four-minute video clip of Ayman Arif dancing. The venue is a bedroom in his Northridge home; his stage, a comforter patterned with sunflowers. Taking his cues from a Bollywood spectacular playing on the television, the four-year-old Bangladeshi American boy wriggles, twirls, and bounds. On his bare chest he wears the pink string sash of the Brahman jester he is pretending to be. His mop of brown hair gives way to a wide forehead, and his dark brown eyes are bright with fire as he sings along to the Bengali-language soundtrack. One moment he’s wagging a stern finger, the next he’s clasping his hands to his heart or pumping an outstretched palm toward the heavens.
On Tuesday, October 9, 2007, some ten months after her son’s impromptu performance made it onto YouTube, Syeda Arif was readying her family for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr—three days of gift giving, party hopping,overeating, and prayer to conclude the fast of Ramadan. At 30, Syeda was petite, with almond-shaped eyes and a husky laugh. She and her husband, Amir, lived in a Bangladeshi enclave in the northwest San Fernando Valley. Her father had been twice nominated to the Bangladeshi parliament, and Amir liked to say that she made friends with the ease of a born politician.
Around noon in the gathering heat of the day, Syeda buckled her two-month-old daughter, Ikra, into the car seat in her Honda Civic and drove to the home of Romey Islam, one of her best friends. The Islams lived in a modest gray ranch house on Sherman Way near Van Nuys Airport. Its soundproof front windows looked out onto a six-lane river of crosstown traffic that, like the row of palm trees lining the sidewalk, continued as far as the eye could follow. Read more…
And keeping in the vain of “life’s too short”, here’s another article I highly recommend taking the time to read. It’s an inspiring look at Roger Ebert, perhaps the best known film critic in America. Those of you in other countries have probably never heard of him, but I’ve always had a special affinity for Mr. Ebert. He was a fixture in Chicago where I grew up, and his movie reviews with Gene Siskel and patented “thumbs up or down” are legendary. Five years ago, when the movie “Rent” came out, I was very excited. Any regular reader of this space knows that seeing the musical “Rent” in 1996 was a seminal event in my life. I went on to see the show 15 times in 15 different countries! While I was a bit underwhelmed by the transition from stage to screen; subsequent viewings of the movie made me appreciate it more. Upon realizing this, I wrote to Mr. Ebert to take issue with a few of the comments he made in his review of the film. Imagine my surprise the next day, when I got a personal response from Roger Ebert from his personal email address; and he actually agreed with me! I thought that was a very classy thing for him to do. At the time, I had no idea of the huge medical ordeals he was facing. I read this article last night and it brought tears to my eyes. Roger Ebert is a class act. This is the story of a life well lived and it’s worth your time.
February 16, 2010, 7:01 AM
Roger Ebert: The Essential Man
By Chris Jones
It was a very busy weekend at The Hotel Careyfornia, filled with many of my blog’s namesakes, primarily dogs
(4), kids (3), and sunsets (2). Thankfully, there was little mention of Sarah Palin and her redneck teleprompter! Friday, Seth and Hannah came by with Garbo & Ruby. On Saturday, David & Rebecca came with the two girls and Chanel the dog (just like last Valentine’s Day, when I went to Gay Traffic School!). Despite snow in 49 of the 50 United States, it was 75° (24° C) in L.A. and we hiked up to the “new” Hollywood sign. It’s been covered by conservationists temporarily to prevent land development at one of the last untouched parts of Los Angeles. After a quick trip to Millions of Milkshakes, we headed to The Getty Center for sunset (it’s free after 5:00 on Saturdays!). We capped the night off celebrating the Lunar New Year with delicious Thai food. Sunday, Claudio, Ryan, Omar & Chazz came to dance the Valentine’s night away at Avalon. Tonight, Tyson (who took time out of his busy TV appearance schedule), met me and Chazz for dinner at Hollywood & Highland. I’m exhausted. Is it the weekend yet??
Hannah & Seth dropped by with Garbo & Ruby
The Hollywood Sign has been covered by conservationists
Rebecca & Nicole at The Getty
One of the best places in LA to watch the sun set
Looking south towards downtown and Long Beach
My future sister in law and nieces!
Gorgeous travertine marble
Chazz overlooking Hollywood Blvd.
The El Capitan Theater – home of Jimmy Kimmel
Night falls on Hollywood Blvd. with downtown Los Angeles in the distance
The Hollywood & Highland complex, adjacent to The Kodak Theater, home of the Oscars
Comments (34)
the getty museum is so awsome! my best friend who lives in bel air is literally like 5 minutes away from the getty museum! im so jealous of him haha
@wizirbyman - Yeah, it’s a great place! You should also check out the Getty Villa!
I was actually planning on going to the villa with my friends sometime soon !
What a great weekend! Happy belated Valentines and LNY!
looks to be a better weekend than we had! if Tyson can make a career out of rubic’s cube, there must still be hope for my grandkids and their x-box’s! – lol. enjoy your warm weather. peace, Al
@Olallie - Thanks Johnny! Happy New Year to you too. When’s your next break?? Are you coming to LA!?
@pukemeister - Temple Grandin says no more than an hour a day on video games. Good rule to follow!
@CareyGLY - the kids figure no more than an hour a day without them!
The Getty pics are really awesome… actually, so are the others!
Random question, but what do you do for a living? You seem to go all over the place in LA!
happy belated new year!
@Dezinerdreams - Thanks boy!
@Roadlesstaken - Hi Alex…I work for a software company :)
@Sc12EeN17aM3 - Roar Tiger!
Happy Year of the Tiger! I’m glad we had a sunny and warm weekend!
@CurryPuffy - Me too! Have a good week Gary.
That “redneck teleprompter” and its owner is making a killing and the rest of us hard working citizens are just slaves to corporate america.
And “millions of milkshakes” would have excited me, if only you were not gay. :)
@c_est_la_vie_mon_amie - LOL…if only you were not straight! But please tell me you’re not a Sarah Palin fan!
great pics!
The hit and run story is so tragic. I’ve been trying to be a lot more patient on the road and for the most part succeeding.
You certainly have a love for life. Love the sunset photos. Amazing times with friends and family. My Valentine’s Day was special but I can’t share it with all of without getting a EX rating in my site. Heh heh.
That story about the accident just took my breath away. What a tragedy!! Hope they caught the people eventually.
Carey, what a terribly sad story… but at the same time, it is inspiring to know that even with the greatest tragedies, life moves on.
@curtainsopen - Thank you!
@ElusiveWords - Good for you. It’s a constant struggle for me, but I’m trying. Maybe this boy’s death will save lives.
@reckless_eagle - Oooooooooh! Do tell!! A romantic getaway in Spain?
@ZSA_MD - Yep, they’re caught and in jail. Terribly sad.
@Dezinerdreams - Indeed! Thanks Vivek
You always have such nice pics!
Roger Ebert has written a beautiful response to Chris Jones’ Esquire
article ‘Roger
Ebert’s Last Words’ in the Chicago Sun-Times.
This interview with Jones came after surgery in 2002 to remove a
cancerous thyroid, followed by subsequent surgeries which left Ebert
without a jaw and the ability to speak. The piece is accompanied by a
photograph of Ebert as he looks today. Ebert writes:
“When I turned to it in the magazine, I got a jolt from the
full-page photograph of my jaw drooping. Not a lovely sight. But then I
am not a lovely sight, and in a moment I thought, well, what the hell.
It’s just as well it’s out there. That’s how I look, after all… This
was no time to get sensitive and ask for photo approval, or an advance
look at the piece. I’d been the goose, and now it was my turn to be the
gander. I’ve never known what that means, geese-wise.”
Ebert reflects at length about how it felt to give the interview,
what he thought about the process, the story itself, and the meaning of
the cover line: ‘Roger Ebert’s Last Words.’
I knew going in that a lot of the article would be about my
surgeries and their aftermath. Let’s face it. Esquire wouldn’t have
assigned an article if I were still in good health. Their cover line was
the hook: Roger Ebert’s Last Words. A good head. Whoever wrote that
knew what they were doing. I was a little surprised at the detail the
article went into about the nature and extent of my wounds and the
realities of my appearance, but what the hell. It was true. I didn’t
need polite fictions.
“Ebert is dying in increments, and he is aware of it,” Jones wrote in
the article. Ebert added: “Well, we’re all dying in increments. I
don’t mind people knowing what I look like, but I don’t want them
thinking I’m dying.”
@Fongster8 - Thanks…but it takes one to know one! :)
People should be more calm on the road, BUT people should be more courteous when driving. Just use your common sense and all road rage will be avoided.
As for Mr. Ebert. I watched him all the time when I was growing up.
ryr:There are a few facts of life that I’m sure about. 1) I’m straight and loving it. 2) I do not like Palin. Maybe I’d like her looks back in her 20s. But Not the annoying person she is today.
@c_est_la_vie_mon_amie - Where do you live? Will you be my driver? LOL
re: road rage. i felt sad after reading the news.
anyway, you know what i like most of all the pics? it’s the shiny fur that the two dogs have.
@Renatojr3 - Thanks Jon…it was a very sad story. Glad you liked the pics.
ryc: What? you haven’t had any guy do this to you? Maybe I should start dating guys. :)
@c_est_la_vie_mon_amie - LOL, you tease.
i had no idea roger ebert lost his lower jaw AND ability to speak. he lost something that made him famous in the first place. i completely lost all track of what’s happening in the states ever since i left the country. i miss his show. i always looked forward to those 2 giving their thumbs up or down. wow, what a bummer.
@rudyhou - Yep, but if you read the article he’s really making the best of it. Classy guy.
found this and had to share it with you! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIgQ4VMPfyY&feature=related
@pukemeister - Yikes…I’m never going to be able to unwatch that!!