"Chasing Ice" documentary (Film 33)
This past Monday I went with a colleague to see the documentary "Chasing Ice" at SPACE Gallery. I found a link on their Facebook page that allowed you to get a free ticket, and being the frugal person that I am, I immediately signed up for one.
We hit up Otto's Pizza (the best pizza in Portland, hands down- or hands up so you can feed yourself their delicious, uniquely topped pizzas slices). I ran into my good ol' friend Amanda, whom I haven't seen in awhile, even though we literally live down the street from each other. Running in different circles these days. I've known her since my days of working at Bull Moose (circa 1999-2001).
Two interesting stories come out of that era (actually way more than that, but life-altering, there's two significant events that chartered the course of my life.
1) Amanda had a crush on me, vocalized it and I never pulled the trigger. Working with her, I thought it was "inappropriate" to date and then I felt like our relationship was more of a brother-sister thing and who wants to date their sibling? As I matured and grew up though, I looked back and thought more about it and we've always been good friends, never too close though and dating your closest friend perhaps isn't so bad, since relationships seem to develop into that. Now, who doesn't want to date and share a bed with their closest confidant? That is intimacy. That's what I've always been looking for. But alas, Amanda and I never worked worked. There were a few times where I thought we could've, but the stars never aligned that way. And I can see that we are both happy with the results.
2) If I hadn't been "fired" from Bull Moose, I would've probably never jump-started my college career. I took a year off after graduating from high school thinking, naively, that I didn't need school. I had a sweet job at a record store where I could listen to music all day, go to as many concerts as feasibly possible, and get all the music I desired. Ah, sweet naivety, how I do love thee.
But then, all a fateful day in November of 2001, I was fired for reasons still unknown to me, but the genesis of the story begins over $20.
I ended up putting my tail between my legs and returning to another old high school job. Working at Wendy's restaurant, where I was the king. Or more like the prodigal son. Although I had a great time working there (everything is what you make it to be, and I've always carried a positive attitude with me) but I knew I wanted more for myself. So, I enrolled in Central Maine Community College and got my Associate's Degree. I worked at the library while there. And in my first semester, I took College Writing where I encountered a professor that sort of set me on my career path. He thought I would make an excellent teacher and he encouraged me to pursue that. I then transferred to University of Southern Maine and was enrolled in a 4.5 years Teacher Program. I met amazing people while tenured at USM and experienced some wonderful teachers while interning. I knew immediately that I wanted/had to be a teacher and I've never looked back. I am now in my 5th year of teaching and I am constantly told that I am doing exactly what I was meant to be doing. It feels good to be doing something I am passionate about, something I have a natural talent for, and something where I can go to work and just be happy.
So, I often think about the past and where it has gotten me and I am never bitter about things (re: relationships that went south after I invest my whole being in them or jobs I've lost) because they always get me to where I am today.
It's life, you should just be happy you're alive!
"Chasing Ice" is a documentary about the undeniable climate change happening over the past 100 years. Let's not shit ourselves, the planet is changing. The amazing film follows the journey of National Geographic photographer James Balog as he travels across the Arctic and captures images of the ice caps melting and shifting. The photographs he gets over the span of 2 years makes the argument against climate change a ridiculous notion. I won't talk too much about the film because it is something you just have to witness for yourself. Look it up, research the topic. The images are breathtaking and what you witness happening on screen, you cannot help saying "Holy shit!" out loud and to yourself.
As the main character of the documentary, James Balog elicits strong emotions from you as the viewer as he attempts some fantastic, sometimes ridiculous feats all to capture images that he strongly believes in getting.
I've always been slightly hesitant to watch documentaries and only watch ones that I know I will enjoy (don't ask me how I know, but sometimes I just do). But, through this project, I've gained an appreciation for this genre of filmmaking. Oftentimes they follow the same story-arc that "regular" films chart out. I'm big into feeling some kind of emotion when I watch a film (and not so much into the mindlessness). Those are the best films, in my opinion.
"Chasing Ice" will leave you feeling something. Depressed? Sad? Amazed? Wondering?
It's actually a sad, tragic story that doesn't even have an ending...it's more of an eye-opener, but for how many because I feel like the people who will see this film are part of the choir Balog is preaching to. Thankfully he is trying very hard to spread his message that it's already happening and we need to affect change right now. There's no better time than now. No better place than here. Ask yourself what you can start doing. Begin with viewing this film.
We hit up Otto's Pizza (the best pizza in Portland, hands down- or hands up so you can feed yourself their delicious, uniquely topped pizzas slices). I ran into my good ol' friend Amanda, whom I haven't seen in awhile, even though we literally live down the street from each other. Running in different circles these days. I've known her since my days of working at Bull Moose (circa 1999-2001).
Two interesting stories come out of that era (actually way more than that, but life-altering, there's two significant events that chartered the course of my life.
1) Amanda had a crush on me, vocalized it and I never pulled the trigger. Working with her, I thought it was "inappropriate" to date and then I felt like our relationship was more of a brother-sister thing and who wants to date their sibling? As I matured and grew up though, I looked back and thought more about it and we've always been good friends, never too close though and dating your closest friend perhaps isn't so bad, since relationships seem to develop into that. Now, who doesn't want to date and share a bed with their closest confidant? That is intimacy. That's what I've always been looking for. But alas, Amanda and I never worked worked. There were a few times where I thought we could've, but the stars never aligned that way. And I can see that we are both happy with the results.
2) If I hadn't been "fired" from Bull Moose, I would've probably never jump-started my college career. I took a year off after graduating from high school thinking, naively, that I didn't need school. I had a sweet job at a record store where I could listen to music all day, go to as many concerts as feasibly possible, and get all the music I desired. Ah, sweet naivety, how I do love thee.
But then, all a fateful day in November of 2001, I was fired for reasons still unknown to me, but the genesis of the story begins over $20.
I ended up putting my tail between my legs and returning to another old high school job. Working at Wendy's restaurant, where I was the king. Or more like the prodigal son. Although I had a great time working there (everything is what you make it to be, and I've always carried a positive attitude with me) but I knew I wanted more for myself. So, I enrolled in Central Maine Community College and got my Associate's Degree. I worked at the library while there. And in my first semester, I took College Writing where I encountered a professor that sort of set me on my career path. He thought I would make an excellent teacher and he encouraged me to pursue that. I then transferred to University of Southern Maine and was enrolled in a 4.5 years Teacher Program. I met amazing people while tenured at USM and experienced some wonderful teachers while interning. I knew immediately that I wanted/had to be a teacher and I've never looked back. I am now in my 5th year of teaching and I am constantly told that I am doing exactly what I was meant to be doing. It feels good to be doing something I am passionate about, something I have a natural talent for, and something where I can go to work and just be happy.
So, I often think about the past and where it has gotten me and I am never bitter about things (re: relationships that went south after I invest my whole being in them or jobs I've lost) because they always get me to where I am today.
It's life, you should just be happy you're alive!
"Chasing Ice" is a documentary about the undeniable climate change happening over the past 100 years. Let's not shit ourselves, the planet is changing. The amazing film follows the journey of National Geographic photographer James Balog as he travels across the Arctic and captures images of the ice caps melting and shifting. The photographs he gets over the span of 2 years makes the argument against climate change a ridiculous notion. I won't talk too much about the film because it is something you just have to witness for yourself. Look it up, research the topic. The images are breathtaking and what you witness happening on screen, you cannot help saying "Holy shit!" out loud and to yourself.
As the main character of the documentary, James Balog elicits strong emotions from you as the viewer as he attempts some fantastic, sometimes ridiculous feats all to capture images that he strongly believes in getting.
I've always been slightly hesitant to watch documentaries and only watch ones that I know I will enjoy (don't ask me how I know, but sometimes I just do). But, through this project, I've gained an appreciation for this genre of filmmaking. Oftentimes they follow the same story-arc that "regular" films chart out. I'm big into feeling some kind of emotion when I watch a film (and not so much into the mindlessness). Those are the best films, in my opinion.
"Chasing Ice" will leave you feeling something. Depressed? Sad? Amazed? Wondering?
It's actually a sad, tragic story that doesn't even have an ending...it's more of an eye-opener, but for how many because I feel like the people who will see this film are part of the choir Balog is preaching to. Thankfully he is trying very hard to spread his message that it's already happening and we need to affect change right now. There's no better time than now. No better place than here. Ask yourself what you can start doing. Begin with viewing this film.
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