The Gregory Id (Behind the scenes)

So in an attempt to quench your cinematic thirst I've posted some behind the scenes shots from our upcoming movie "The Gregory Id." We are nearing the end of post-production and I'm getting very excited, be sure to add us at www.myspace.com/thegregoryid for videos and information on the film. Thanks to everyone for their ongoing support and interest and we look forward to seeing you at a festival in your town!

"It's Kwanza!"

Currently in Post Production!

He'll Help You Draw Silly!

We're The Problem With Change (or our infatuation with armageddon)

I don't know if you've heard but scientist recently began the largest scientific experiment in history. It is known as the Large Hadron Collider and cost them 5.8 billion dollars, what does it do, breakup atoms. Now this may sound like a safe enough experiment and you could compare the results to that of a nuclear power plant, but the LHC (as it was so affectionately nick-named) was a very controversial build. You see the possible side effect of turning this machine on was that the world as we know it would get sucked into a black hole and we would cease to exist.
Imagine waking up, getting ready for work, and in the middle of your morning coffee you find yourself being sucked into a vortex that originated in Meyrin, Switzerland. Now this isn't the first scare of that scale, there is Y2K as well and the upcoming 2012 fiasco in which the Mayan calender predicts the end of an age or, to half of the YouTube populous, the end of the world. Humans have been fascinated with the idea of Armageddon for ages and will continue to explore the idea up until the day the sun explodes or Christ comes back (choose your own ending, I choose Christ.)
So where am I going with this rant? I find it very interesting that our instincts give us this innate interest in the end of the world and at the same time a biological fear of change. If you look at the emotional responses to change you will see that people are terrified of it. Why is it that we would rather think about being sucked into a vortex than watching our friends leave for college? Why would we rather watch computers take over the world as opposed to having to get a new work schedule?
In my opinion there is something about growth that frightens us. There is a pain in growth, a certain amount of lose, and at the same time we seem to forget that their is a large amount of GROWTH in growth. The fact is we are entertained by the idea of a premature end to life (stunting of growth) and afraid of the catalyst to growth (change.) Next time, before you turn on the TV and hear about death, decay, and war, sit down and assess your own reaction to the growth you experienced. Find out if you embrassed change and I can assure you that the 15 minutes of self inspection will be much more challenging than the 30 minutes of evening news.

The picture is of the LHC in Meyrin, Switzerland.

MORNING FROM YOSEMITE

"Morning from Yosemite," is what the text message to my family read at 7:03am Pacific time on Sunday morning. Saturday night myself and two friends set out on a death defying adventure to the Half Dome in Yosemite. We left Ventura at 7:00pm and arrived in Yosemite at 1:00am. At 1:30am we set off toward Half Dome.
The three of us hiked through the night and arrived at 6:30. I was cold, sore, tired, hungry, and at peace. I hadn't realized that I was in a slump until I left Ventura. I'm convinced there is a spirit of hopelessness and depression looming over California and possibly the entire US. It likes to trap you by making you believe there is "nothing to do" or that where you live is "the worst place ever." So from there you drink, or you do drugs, or you sit at home and watch TV and play video games all day.
The day I noticed it in my own life God showed me what I believe to be the spirit in my house. That night I couldn't sleep and was having weird dreams, the next morning I woke up and felt sick, God was prodding me. Thankfully I had agreed to go on this hike but as I got further from my house I began to feel sad, and scarred, and irritable, and anxious, and -- well -- HOPELESS, the spirit had begun to trap me.
By the time I had gotten to the top of the mountain God had freed me from that trap the hopelessness set for me. My body was feeling better, my mind was feeling clearer, and my soul was rejuvenated. While there God showed me that mountains are special, it is a place to find God and to feel close to him.
When Moses met with God and received the 10 commandments he went to the top of Mount Sinai where God had descended (Exodus 19:20.) When Abraham was to sacrifice his son, the Lord told him to take Issac to the top of one of the mountains in the region of Moriah (Genesis 22:2.) When Saul was to become king, the Lord told him that he would meet a group of prophets descending from the "high place" and that he would worship with them and prophesy with them (1 Samuel 10:5.) The list goes on and on and I can't help but to think that their something about finding a high place, high ground, somewhere to rise above the muck and debris that hovers in the air and just meet with God. Somewhere that is clean and pure often cold and windy but always refreshing.
The hike to the top is always hard, a mountain is the one place I can guarantee you will run into the most obstacles whether it's loosing your way on a trail or coming face to face with a bear or just being frightened when the sun begins to set and the darkness closes in, but a mountain path also most resembles your walk with Christ and when you reach those high points you are happy with yourself and thankful that God kept you safe.
Here's the catch you must acome down from the mountain. Saul had to come back and rule over Israel, Moses had to deliver God's message to the people, and Abraham had a family to tend to. When God has refreshed you and filled your spirit you must continue your work in the muck and filth and wait for the day when he takes you to the highest place the one place you don't have to come down from. My challenge to you: Find your high place, meet God there, let him rejuvenate you, and continue your work!

Man of the Year

Barack Obama is the name on the tip of everyone's tongue whether your going to say "What does Obama stand for?" or "I am currently watching Obama make history," he is the most talked about man at this time in our lives and possibly one of the most talked about black men in history. Now before I start this political rant let me just say I am voting for Obama.
Now this is not a discussion of Barack's health care plan, his philosophy on how to improve our economic decline, or his thought on the war in Iraq and our need to pull out (that's what she said, thought I'd make the joke before you did.) This is about the notion that many of Americans are voting for Obama in order to make history by placing an educated black man in office.
I can't deny that my first inclination was to vote for this man because the idea that an educated black man had finally come to a place in which he could run for office and win intrigued me. But as time goes on and Obama continues to define his views as more than just the cliche of "change," I find myself trusting him as a person with this country and its citizens. So, I offered up a challenge to my parents and my friend Ken. If John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama were running at the same time who would you vote for. Now I understand that they lived in two different times but if I think about it I believe many of the things they stand for are similar. The answers I received were all "If I had to choose I'd pick Obama."
Okay, so Obama beats J.F.K., but thats a different generation of people (Ken is 50.) My generation is much more torn between Obama and McCain, you may question "Why Jordan?" well I'm glad you asked. In todays world racism is disguised, hidden behind PC terms and city lines that seperate Compton from Beverly Hills. African Americans that lived through segregation have more of a connection to the historical aspect of this election. The words of Dr. Martin Luther King are coming true.
Because racism is seemingly a thing of the past to this new generation (i.e. I can go to school with white people, drink from the same water fountains, and pee in the same bathroom) the Obama wave hasn't struck us as hard. We understand the significance of this event but we're more focused on whether or not Obama's plans for health care will really come through and help heal an ailing nation.
That being said, the fear I have is for Obama's safety. If something happens the nation will be a scary place. Take the beating of Rodney King and the LA Riots, or the death of Martin Luther King and the riots that followed that incident. Those all happened in a time in which racism was more apparent in everyday life. In today's day and age, where racism is seemingly a hush hush topic, I can only imagine what will happen.
My hopes and prayers are with Obama and McCain we will see what happens after the election. GOOD LUCK AND VOTE SMART!