The Power of Perception

A lot of people are not going to realize just how good Shallow Hal is.

I didn't expect to like it. The first time I saw the preview, I thought, "That doesn't look bad. I might see that."

I went into the theater tonight, more wanting to instead see Love as a House. I thought I was more in the mood for a drama than a comedy.

On the way home, I argued with F as to the nature of a comedy. I saw a distinct difference between There's Something About Mary (written and directed by the Farrelly Brothers) and Shallow Hal (also written and directed by the Farrelly Brothers, among others). What that difference is, I could not explain. The subtexts were similar, yet remarkably dissimilar. Oh, the limitations of the English language...!

I thought Shallow Hal was ten times the movie There's Something About Mary. That is to say, an entire order of magnitude.

Spiritual Journal, 11/21/01

12:00 a.m.

Confidence is faith.

* * *

I haven't been writing much in here lately because I've been reading. I'm again in information-absorption mode. Lately I've been finding out more and more interesting things about all aspects of neuroscience: neuroanatomy (I'm interested in the pineal gland, the amygdala, parietal lobe, optic nerves), neurophysiology (the limbic system, sympathetic nervous system, parasympathetic nervous system, and just the CNS in general), and neurochemistry in most particular. I'm also reading up on electromagnetism, gnosticism (especially in early Christianity), spirituality, alternative medicine and therapy, quantum physics (as much as I, uninitiated enthusiast, can understand), entheogens, the nature of consciousness. Lots of diverse forms of information. I'm entertaining my brain.

Spiritual Journal, 11/22/01

1:34 a.m.

p. 148 of 2001:

It was a secret that, with the greatest determination, was very hard to conceal--for it affected one's total outlook on the universe. Therefore it was best that Poole and Bowman, who would be on all the TV screens in the world during the first weeks of the flight, should not learn the mission's full purpose, until there was need to know.

So ran the logic of the planners; but their twin gods of Security and National Interest meant nothing to Hal. He was only aware of the conflict that was slowly destroying his integrity--the conflict between truth, and concealment of truth.

The thing that changed my mind about DXM.

http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/dxm/dxm_health1.shtml

After reading all I have about neuroscience during this last month, I could not ignore what this document said.

So, as I told F, I have decided to discontinue my DXM use. ("Forever, or just for a while?" he asked. "The first one, most probably," I replied.)

I haven't tried to meditate or trance since my last DXM dose (Thanksgiving night). But I have started taking a multivitamin, and capsules of spirulina/blue-green algae. Because I want to take care of my health. I want to take care of myself.

So this is not to say that I have renounced all of my previously held ideas. I'm saying that I do not need to kill myself, or individual parts of myself, in order to trance. I am all the more stunned that lysergic acid--one of the most physically benign substances on the planet--is listed as Schedule I in this country, but DXM HBr--which may affect the brain by straining and/or fundamentally disturbing cellular processes--is readily available in cough medicine, which is sold over-the-counter.

I'm not calling for the restriction of cough syrup. I'm wondering why the government refuses to make available safer alternatives.