Two Gifts.

Wow.  There is a mass of presents drifted beneath the tree...I can't imagine how we managed to buy SO many presents for each other, as broke as we are.

Here are two gems my brother alerted me to.  He sent these links in a couple of e-mails, a few days ago, and I can't get them out of my head.  I know you'll enjoy these.  If you use dial up, start dowloading, walk away for awhile (drink some "nog" or somethin'), and watch later, because these are worth it.

No Reply...If you love Final Fantasy, you'll love this fan video.  Most of it's from Advent Children.  For Cloud/Yuffie/Aerith fans...my god, the pretty.  More importantly, listen to the song.  "No Reply" was from "Future Blues", one of the incredible Cowboy Bebop sound tracks, by the amazing Yoko Kanno.  This song is the quintessential Yoko Kanno/Steve Conte anthem and if you have an ounce of love in your soul, it'll probably move you to tears.  

Little Girl Giant...Once you see this, you'll never forget it.  It's eerie, beautiful, and compelling.  For some crazy reason it makes me cry my eyes out (in the same way that the end of "The Life Aquatic" does)...some things just move me for strange reasons.  I think it's because I'm an artist.  Sometimes, I think about what I do for a living and it seems so trivial and pointless and small.  Sometimes, though, I think art is the thing that defines us best and shows our humanity in the kindest possible light.  I watch this video and think "Look!  Look at what people can do.  Look at what we make."    And the beauty of it all makes me cry.  As my brother said in his e-mail:
"this video (with AWESOME music) is one of the reasons why
the internet is a good thing... it's creepy at first, but then it
becomes a triumph of creativity..."

Enjoy...and Merry Christmas.     :-)