Robin Williams Is Dead

I cannot believe I just wrote the above title. He was here and now he is gone. At 12 PM PDT Monday, he was found dead in his home in Tiburon, CA, an apparent suicide. The possibility of a suicide is what makes this all the more ominous and sad. A man who made us all laugh for decades and displayed such unbelievable comic genius and immense range was also battling a darkness that finally got the better of him yesterday. That he had wrestled addictions into submission for 20 plus years is well documented. But early in the 2000s, he relapsed, and in 2006 sought treatment. I'd forgotten that he'd had heart surgery in 2009. Just this past spring, he ended his run on "The Crazy Ones" on TV. The show, despite Williams' usual schizophrenic riffing, never quite caught on and was cancelled. Another vehicle that could not contain his over the top style.

Somewhere around that time, I'd heard he was selling his mansion because he couldn't afford to keep it up or something. I think the asking price was $6.5 million. So if anyone has that burning a hole in his pocket...

I remember thinking, "Oh, are things getting bad for Robin Williams?" The depression aspect of his persona never really registered with me. In fact, it never even occurred to me that he was battling that. Or that depression is a far more powerful and elusive illness than I'd imagined. Earlier today I mused that I understood it. I may have been mistaken. Everyone has sad moments, everyone gets discouraged sometimes. What Robin battled was more than that. It never occurred to me that this was also fuel for his mad genius. I guess things were getting bad for him. Despite working almost incessantly, that siren song came calling again.

He'd checked into rehab as recently as last month. And then, just like that, on Monday, he was gone.

Robin Williams
born 1951
died just yesterday in 2014 at a robust 63 years old.

Gone too soon.

We were not ready for you to leave us. But leave us you did.
After the shock and the denial, we may be angry. Then we will truly feel the magnitude of the loss. And it may be quite some time before we accept that you're no longer with us.


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KCD

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In Between Doses of "Maladjusted"

This was shared with me by a good friend, although his version was about a minute shorter. It fits into the Maladjusted category of Stupid Human Tricks. Or, as I like to call it, "bescreweded-ness". And no, that's NOT A WORD. I made it up. Don't go looking for it.

I'm not adding anything to mention that this is by no means high art. It won't rewire your brain (but then, neither will hearing "Happy" 10 million times; of course I could be wrong.) or make your unborn zygote smarter. But you might find yourself laughing pretty hard.

I just curate this stuff, folks.  Enjoy.

Actually, "Happy" is a catchy little tune. Just not sure I want that particular neural pathway forged in my brain.

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KCD

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Maladjusted Update

For those of you waiting for the next step in this particular Maladjusted entry, it's called "Leatherface In Med School". In it we imagine what Jed Sawyer, a.k.a. Leatherface might do if he decided to turn his very particular set of skills to a noble purpose. We try to imagine what the reaction might be from his fellow students or the administration of the school that chose to take him on, that saw his unique and singular talent. Yes, I'm well aware that school exists exactly nowhere but in my tormented imagination. But who knows? According to legend, the previous President of the United States managed to get through 4 years at Yale University with a "C" average and then got into Harvard. The former Vice President dropped out of Yale. So stranger things have happened.

Anyway, for your edification, I present the progress notes below:

Now some of you might say, "Hey that doesn't look like any chain saw I ever saw." You would be correct. On the other hand, this whole scenario exists in a place we've never been to. So let's indulge that for a moment and suggest that this is a specially made chain saw designed to fit in a lab setting. See, you have to imagine how Mr. Sawyer sees this. Of course, not everyone will share his distinctive, albeit peculiar vision.

I'm betting the medical device industry might take exception, for one.


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KCD

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New "Maladjusted" In Progress

This is taking a little longer to produce than usual, but I thought I'd give folks a tease. I, in my tortured imagination, have always wondered what it would be like if the grotesquely misunderstood Jed Sawyer ever decided that he must use his chainsawing prowess for good. What would that look like in a normal setting, like say a construction site, or even medical school?

Now, bear in mind this is a work in progress. A couple of things need to be tinkered with (like the chainsaw). One might wonder why the woman here isn't more worried. Maybe she should at least look concerned. Or maybe she's dealt with people like Mr. Sawyer before. Maybe she's even had to work around other students (or employees) who chose to cover their faces with human skin.

There was that Myers kid once.

And let's not forget Voorhees. He was a handful.

I guess after a while, you sort of learn how to handle special cases with "special needs". You have to be very calm. Screaming like a banshee and running never ends well. These kinds like to chase. How can you hope to rehabilitate them when you run away, thus encouraging previous destructive behaviors?

So, while the treatment protocols vary, what people like these really need is normalcy. A daily structured routine. And boundaries. But they need to be treated like any other person to the extent possible. For example, calling Mr. Sawyer "Leatherface" is not recommended. Even if he wears his...leather face.

Might trigger a relapse.

Can't have that.

Anyway, when it's finished, you'll see it here.

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KCD

Visit:www.theworkofart.net

Well, Someone Was Gonna Say It

Apparently this has been floating around the internet for at least a couple of years, but it's the first time I discovered it. Something on the sign of a church that may or may not even exist. A little research dug up an interesting place called "Church Sign Generator" on a site called says-it.com. You, or I, or anyone could go there, make a sign, make your statement and let your freak flag fly. And it would look like a sign you might see on a roadside encouraging people to come worship next Sunday morning.

This particular sign though gave me pause. You have to wonder who would take the time to create a message like this and why those people would think anyone would be welcome in their sanctuary. It's the kind of thing Westboro Baptist Church might come up with, but the truth is, there are plenty of churches who believe this or worse.

So someone really has an axe to grind whether the Orange Church of God exists or not. Look at the list. Skateboarders? Surfers?

Vegetarians, Occupiers, and Activists all going to hell?

Okay, the addicts and fornicators have been targets for some while now, but whoever wrote this has just widened the tent and created whole new categories of transgression for non-meat eaters, people who work for justice, and...creative people. Musicians and artists.

There's some history to this which we'll look into in future posts. But for now I'll leave you to scratch your head in wonder at the new categories of people "left behind" and who has the time to come up with such utter foolishness.


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KCD

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Art Does Things to Your Brain

This story comes from Hopkinsville, KY (that's KY for Kentucky, not "KY" for the...other stuff). A music therapist there had been working with children with often severe disabilities including one who seemed to be unable to speak or form words. Today, while engaged in regular therapy, the patient began to sing.

Sing. A song.

This really happened.

I cannot provide video since said patient and practitioner are bound by HIPPA laws and other consent regulations. When I heard about this, my jaw hit the floor and I said "OH MY GOD!!"
See, I look for this stuff. It's part of my ongoing mission to re-value art and art practice in this culture.

Being around art, living with art, music, dance, and so on does rewire and re-map the brain. The therapist in KY knows this. That's why she does what she does. It also allows her to connect with her inner James Taylor (or Gordon Lightfoot, or CSNY, or the Eagles, or Dan Fogelberg).

Now, just so you know, we're not entirely sure that playing Mozart to the little zygote you're carrying will turn him (or her) into a creative genius. That was a thing back in the not so distant day. But more evidence is beginning to show that art does something to the neural pathways in the brain. Sometimes the effects are dramatic as in the aforementioned case. This is the stuff of highlight reels. Most of the time, it's more subtle. It takes a while. But I offer this as more compelling testimony to those who still have the temerity to scoff.

Have at thee, then!


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KCD

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New Month! New MALADJUSTED!!

Ever since I saw this picture (and heard that women were swooning over it despite knowing better), I have begun to wonder what it is about this culture that confers celebrity status on not really great people. The latest example is Jeremy Meeks, currently awaiting trial in Stockton, CA for a string of felony charges that include "street terrorism", whatever that means.

Apparently Meeks who's just 30, has a look that the camera loves. So even though he's facing serious jail time (and he's already spent considerable time in jail for other crimes), he could have a career in modeling lined up since a Hollywood agent signed him to a contract. "But wait", you say. "Hollywood doesn't do that, does it?" To which I say, "What country are you living in?" Our omnipresent media does in fact turn ordinary people into celebrities, if only for a moment. Usually it's harmless. Many times it's silly. But Jeremy Meeks is a criminal. A good-looking criminal, but a criminal, none the less. Remember when Dzhokhar Tsarnaev landed on the cover of Rolling Stone a year ago? Yes, good looking kid. BUT HE'S A TERRORIST.

Stop your swooning, folks!
These are not sane, stable, or nice people.

So this week's MALADJUSTED is about our very strange need to turn the kind of people you wouldn't even want over for coffee into people we look up to and admire and aspire to be. This would not happen in any other context, and once the spotlight's off, these folks go back to being the crumb de la crumb that they always were.

Creme de la creme
Crumb de la crumb


Speaking of celebrity status for people who shouldn't have it, Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan Chase has throat cancer. Send him a card.
Wish him a speedy recovery.


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KCD

Visit www.theworkofart.net