Monday, April 28, 2014

How To Live With Yourself (a free 10 point psychiatric evaluation)

When I was a kid, I think about twelve, I heard my parents and neighbours laughing in the kitten. I entered to discover that they were listening to a cassette tape of a comedian telling jokes—as comedians tend to do. After the neighbours left I got my hands on the tape and played it for some of my friends. We listened to it several times. I don’t think any of us, as kids, fully realized that through, and between, those jokes we were learning some basics in psychology from psychologist Dr. Murray Banks.

I still have that tape and have listened to it many times since. I even played it for some of my students during my first year as a writer-in-residence with Now Hear This!’s magnificent S.W.A.T. (Students, Writers, And Teachers) program. 

I have no idea how much this recording has influenced me or my writing but trying but understanding the psychology of your character, the reason they do what they do, is important in understanding them as it is important in understanding yourself.

The other day I decided to do a search for Dr. Murray Banks on-line and was pleased to discover that someone had posted his recordings on Youtube. 

Here’s a clip from, How To Live With Yourself, where Dr. Banks begins to give the listener a free 10 point psychiatric evaluation.



Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Leaving the Door Open

I love this. I came across it through Upworthy on facebook. If you don't like facebook, you're using it wrong. Bored with your newsfeed? Like more interesting things. Your friends are boring you? Get new ones. Or, maybe, the fault isn't with your friends. But I'm being negative, I'm saying what's wrong with you and not what's wrong with me. There are many faults to choose from. That is one of the beautiful things about this piece. It's not about being right, or wrong, it's about being you, being honest about who you are and, hopefully, finding someone who will love you for that. And, until that happens, finding the courage to leave the door open. 




Friday, April 11, 2014

Sham-A-Ling-Dong-Ding

One of my favourite all-time songs. Whenever the world seems cruel and unkind, this is where I go to be reminded of gentle souls. Today the world lost one of them. R.I.P. Jesse Winchester. Thank you.



Friday, April 4, 2014

April: National Poetry Month

A Poem by Colin Frizzell

Bridging the Void

Poetry,
prose, 
film,
music,
dance,
painting,
sketching,
sculpting,
carpentry,
architecture,
gardening,
landscaping,
culinary arts,
photography:
communication 
attempts
to try
and
bridge
the void;
create
a state of wonder
where we are
touched
without touching;
experiencing
the unseen
through feelings,
not feeling;
broken open,
exposed;
outside
our self
we become
one 
comfortable,
together,
in
silence.

 © 2014 Colin Frizzell