il bel far niente (the beauty of doing nothing)

“...Americans have an inability to relax into sheer pleasure. Ours is an entertainment-seeking nation, but not necessarily a pleasure-seeking one. Americans spend billions to keep themselves amused with everything from porn to theme parks to wars, but that’s not exactly the same thing as quiet enjoyment. Americans work harder and longer and more stressful hours than anyone in the world today….Of course, we all inevitably work too hard, then we get burned out and have to spend the whole weekend in our pajamas, eating cereal straight out of the box and staring at the TV in a mild coma (which is the opposite of working, yes, but not exactly the same thing as pleasure.) Americans don’t really know how to do nothing.”

-Elizabeth Gilbert, “Eat. Pray. Love.”

….yeah, I think I’m adding “Learn to do nothing and accept it as okay” to my new years resolutions. As I look around at my friends, colleagues, and co-workers, it’s obvious. Who doesn’t want to just take a year and go to Italy for no reason other than to…. be? This book is sensational. If you can’t get to Italy, India, or Indonesia, you can at least read Gilbert’s memoir.

Baring All..

http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,2163280,00.html

Thanks, Guardian.

“There seemed something sad to me about the controversial GQ cover of Kate Winslet a few years ago, not because of her legs being digitally lengthened, but because I couldn’t understand why the youngest woman to receive five Oscar nominations had to be togged up in a basque.”

Voices of Reason

“The kind of beauty I want most is the hard-to-get kind that comes from within – strength, courage, dignity.” – Ruby Dee

“Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.” – Twyla Tharp

“Gimme anything, as long as it’s grape. I’m sure it’ll be good.” – William H. Macy

“I think I’m like any actor, most actors it’s kind of inbred in you that you’re never going to work again even if you are working a lot.” – Philip Seymour Hoffman

“I go out there and make a fool of myself. It’s inevitable.” – Armand Assante

“Hell is full of musical amateurs.” – George Bernard Shaw

“Self-pity comes so naturally to all of us. The most solid happiness can be shaken by the compassion of a fool.” – Andre Maurois

“Do not do unto others as you expect they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same.” – George Bernard Shaw