Certain slippery things are bad – character, substandard lubricant and subway floors. The latter bit my ass last night, it had a film of water on it that resulted in an immediate collision ass-to-ground. I am nursing a sore back in a new found café (Doma), lemon cake and coffee are wonderful substitutes to ibuprofen.

I took my maiden voyage into Brooklyn last night – I was officially in pursuit of the 2nd ugliest orange building in the borough per the directions. I was kindly invited to view a film still being edited. The orange building was quite pretty – though I don’t suppose I have the luxury of knowing the 1st ugliest building in Brooklyn. It was also raining cats and dogs.

My inviter was likely unaware of my obsession for things in progress. I always feel excited and privileged to take part in art, relationships or stories in progress. I was handed pen and paper (along with gorgeous home-cooked Vietnamese meal – dang, thanks guys that was awesome! And Trey for making it all look tidy after!).

It (what do you call in progress, it?, there is more life than that, hmmm) opens with rather raw documentary introduction to a US Vietnamese family. I liked its unpolished nature in scene 1, that’s what meeting new people is like, uncertain, mixed messages, like-dislike. Then right into the Vietnam War, how a family was split, learned to survive, harbored resentments and pain. It was raw.

Then it began to move from a documentary to something you could not look away from. Something you belonged to. Relationships in progress, fighting to find meaning and healing, finding a new voice and language to give light to the past. Some of the secrets that emerged were heart-breaking, the desolate loss that lived in some of the hearts. It however was not fatalistic, it was a journey in itself, that was awesome. I left with so many open questions, which I needed to, that was right. It took me further in understanding the meta-narratives I hold dear to: exclusion and embrace, silence and emerging language, shame and healing.

I felt like a peeping tom, sneaking into someone journal, but I also felt part of the bigger story of life, its ever emerging nature, and the futility sometimes in trying to find too much meaning in ideas rather than embracing richness of experience for its own sake.

I don’t think I was overly helpful in giving feedback last night. My only real feedback on reflection sits around identity. Often this form of documentary finds explains identity, the place we stand and are know by, in the land – too often spiritualizing the land to an extent beyond its nature. This documentary however hasn’t given into that so easily. I see the importance of the land, but there is a bigger narrative of identity – its language and relationship. If anything I would like to see that emerge a little more – not a polarized position, but one that holds the real tension of identity between the land and relationships. The latter is enduring.

It was awesome, so hope to get to see the final cut and how it emerges. Thanks for inviting me Doan.

Categories: Food, New York, Reflection, Subway, Travel