Michal makes films to help women... Does he think they need him?

Posted:⚒ 30༚♐²⁶/₂₄♀

Feminism is a name for a philosophy that is centered around the needs of women. I call myself a feminist inasmuch as I try to listen to those needs and to treat them as if they were my own. It doesn't mean that I always meet those needs. That isn't a task for one man nor is it something that we as a society can necessarily do. But we can learn to be honest listeners.

Having gotten myself to start listening to women, and having gained immense benefit from it, I want to give others a chance to benefit the same way.

I've decided to export fine art handcrafted by women in Poland to America. High quality handcrafted art produced by high quality women deserves to be shared. The more I can sell stateside to people who know the difference, the more I can buy from those whose worthy hands to continue the fight for openness and equality, a fight that I've taken to the world wide web.

Your support ensures that films for women will make a difference.

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Janina: An Oral History of the Twentieth Century in Southern Poland
Chapter 24: Barefoot
Janina recalls how her father was put in charge of a commission to dispose of their exiled neighbor's property and how his foresight paid off later after the war.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Emigration
Chapter 3: Borderlands
Chapter 4: Evacuation
Chapter 5: Death on the Steppe
Chapter 6: Captive
Chapter 7: A Proper Man
Chapter 8: A Royal Capital City
Chapter 9: Homecoming
Chapter 10: A Shared History
Chapter 11: Market Town
Chapter 12: Enemies of Communism
Chapter 13: The Chimneys
Chapter 14: Terrible Times
Chapter 15: The Bearing
Chapter 16: Shoah
Chapter 17: Blood
Chapter 18: Schnapps
Chapter 19: A Polish Army
Chapter 20: The Meritorious
Chapter 21: Exile
Chapter 22: A Cold Wagon
Chapter 23: Giving Back
Chapter 24: Barefoot
Chapter 25: A Land Reclaimed
Chapter 26: The "English" German
Chapter 27: Ox and Horse
Chapter 28: The Nursery
Chapter 29: Tekla's Bequest
Chapter 30: The People's Poland
Chapter 31: Orangeade
Chapter 32: Trenches
Chapter 33: Kolkhoz
Chapter 34: FSO Siren
Chapter 35: Marlboro Cigarettes
Chapter 36: "Write Letter!"
The whole movie at once.

Next Clip — 1080p
720p
540p
360p
With English Subtitles
If the clip has trouble playing please try a version with a lower resolution.
Janina: An Oral History of the Twentieth Century in Southern Poland
Chapter 24: Barefoot
Janina recalls how her father was put in charge of a commission to dispose of their exiled neighbor's property and how his foresight paid off later after the war.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Emigration
Chapter 3: Borderlands
Chapter 4: Evacuation
Chapter 5: Death on the Steppe
Chapter 6: Captive
Chapter 7: A Proper Man
Chapter 8: A Royal Capital City
Chapter 9: Homecoming
Chapter 10: A Shared History
Chapter 11: Market Town
Chapter 12: Enemies of Communism
Chapter 13: The Chimneys
Chapter 14: Terrible Times
Chapter 15: The Bearing
Chapter 16: Shoah
Chapter 17: Blood
Chapter 18: Schnapps
Chapter 19: A Polish Army
Chapter 20: The Meritorious
Chapter 21: Exile
Chapter 22: A Cold Wagon
Chapter 23: Giving Back
Chapter 24: Barefoot
Chapter 25: A Land Reclaimed
Chapter 26: The "English" German
Chapter 27: Ox and Horse
Chapter 28: The Nursery
Chapter 29: Tekla's Bequest
Chapter 30: The People's Poland
Chapter 31: Orangeade
Chapter 32: Trenches
Chapter 33: Kolkhoz
Chapter 34: FSO Siren
Chapter 35: Marlboro Cigarettes
Chapter 36: "Write Letter!"
The whole movie at once.

Use of Hope in Michal's FictionCorpus

Michal's Fiction Corpus of Acceptance Literature (FiCAL) is presented under the Bare Bottom imprint. It is currently comprised of six bodies of work, each representing a different pillar of culture and incorporating a wide variety of writhing styles.

If you're wondering...

How do I use this?

Just click on a title to see examples of "Hope" from a particular work. You'll stay on the same spot on the page, only the Table of Contents will disappear. To get back to the Table of Contents just click next to the image of the Bare Bottom imprint where it says "Back to Use of Hope: Table of Contents."“And...?”

In the case of common words, a Table of Frequency and a Table of Collocation provide numerical information about how many times a word appears in its original or modified form and with which words. It can help to give you an idea of how common words are used and in what contexts. Find them in the "Common Words of English" part of the Education section.“Ok.”

Why a Fiction Corpus?

The popular understanding of the word "fiction" and its complement "non-fiction" is a reflection of the cultural influence of a classification system. The Dewey Decimal System is responsible for separating "fiction" from all other work and categorizing it by author's name. This has influenced the popular idea of fiction as a narrative that tends to be "untrue" and the product of an individual's fantasy, a bias compounded by modern art's century-long obsession with abstraction, surrealism and self-expression.“So...?”

My idea of fiction rests on the idea that art doesn't have to be factual to be a true reflection of our existence. Adam and Eve didn't have to exist as two individuals 700 generations ago for them to be true portraits of two human beings trying to work together.“And...?”

The Bible is a Fiction Corpus. It is a body of writing that isn't overly concerned with facts and yet its words carry weight. It was written by many different authors living in different places with different audiences in mind, yet everyone gleans something from it.“Right...”

In preparing my fiction corpus, I have striven to see the world through the eyes of others. Through the eyes of my Adams and Eves I hope that you too will glean some truth about our existence. At the very least you will learn some more about how one man can use the English language.“Ok.”

Who are you, Michal?

I'm just a guy who makes art. And if you're interested in making a solid investment in an aesthetic that supports our present and future welfare, then I will help you look for something that you can buy.“How...?”

Everybody makes. Everybody sells. Some people know how to protect their interests. Some better than others. Few people know how to listen. Listening to somebody means considering their interests as if they were your own. Going out and doing something to satisfy another person's interest is how we build a strong economy. Without a strong economy, democracy collapses.“And...?”

Buying 4Occupy is buying for democracy. Don't give your money to somebody who's ruining it. There's no such thing as cheap democracy, quick democracy, or easy democracy. There's good, solid, complete democracy and the tyranny of feudalism. Let's not mix the two. Let's not buy everything on the cheap. Let's not create another tyrant and enslave ourselves because it was easier not to think about what we were doing. Let's protect our interests. Let's listen.“Ok.”

Who's really behind this site?

Have you ever been to one of those post-it-yourself retail websites where there's a really attractive top-seller ready to give you tips on how you can be a top-seller too?“Uh...”

Have you ever been to a "job" interview where you sit in a line, walk through one door, get hired as a contractor and walk out another door, so that the other applicants don't realize that everyone's getting "hired" to work in the same market?“Maybe...”

The internet is full of people who are ready to exploit your ignorance. They are people who want to make money at the expense of our economy. They are cheats.“And...?”

I, Michal, am behind this site. Not some fat plutocrat exploiting my image. I like to do things the right way. I like to work with people who take the time to do things right.“Why...?”

I used to work for a company that didn't do things the right way. My labor was exploited because of mismanagement. That company was the United States Postal Service, an independent agency of the United States Government that is ultimately controlled by Congress. I'm mad because if the Federal Government can exploit labor, who is going to stop every other cheat from doing it?“Labor Unions...?”

Don't say labor unions. I went to my labor union and they did nothing. They ignored me because labor unions aren't democracies. Holding a free and fair election for a "representative" once in a blue moon does not equal people ruling. Democracy means open government. It means we the public need to accept the hard work. It's the only way to secure liberty and equality.“Ok.”

What's the difference between use and usage?

Definition-wise, not much. But the -age suffix is ultimately French in origin and with most things French, at least in American eyes, the immediate thought is that of something precious and arcane whose value should be judged very carefully. This is in contrast to the word France, which is associated with a beautiful place. Thus people in France or from France are beautiful, warm, kind people. Generous even. Unlike French people who suck. Unless you're frenching, in which case you're only sometimes sucking.“And...?”

Along those lines, usage means you're in bed. Use means you're just heavy petting. Also notice that common people, like common words, get used...whereas "proper" things make "appearances." Whether or not you are being exploited is a different story. Exploitation is what happens when somebody uses you or your property without listening to you. Listening is what happens when you consider another person's needs as if they were your own. You don't have to satisfy those needs. All you need to do is consider them. So many of us can't even do that.“So...?”

Help stop exploitation. Buy 4occupy. Buy a better world. Whether or not you feel you can afford to buy art, consider joining my protest. I want to guarantee every working man and every working mother on this planet a 15-day universal holiday. But I can't. Only we can do that. We have to work together. We have to accept the idea that everyone deserves time for himself and we need to build that time into a new kind of calendar. We have to give peace it's own day. We have to make love something you can't avoid. We have to make even the most miserly cold-hearted capitalist among us say that he cashed his check on Love Your Neighbor Day. There won't be any other way to say it once the Acceptance Calendar is widely adopted.“Ok.”

Back to Use of Hope: Table of Contents

Use of Hope in Death to McDonalds

An aerial view of Dodger Stadium in the foreground, with an imaginary partially submerged Los Angeles behind — A story bible for a comic book series set in a post climate-change California narrated by eight characters who live through a natural disaster that sinks Los Angeles and triggers a war with an expansionist Mexican government covertly supported by China.

Frame #4854

im back where i started. fifty.six miles from the wells fargo. maintaining distance is all i can hope to do. until the trade winds die out.

Sprint "Iphone" Case

21 October, 7:03 AM

Frame #2971

im proceeding north on foot. i hope nobody comes to service these power lines tonight. the last thing i need is attention.

Chase Credit

28 August, 7:10 PM

Frame #5774

were sending men ashore. hopefully they can find a street sign or something.

Sprint "Iphone" Case

7 December, 8:55 AM

Back to Use of Hope: Table of Contents

Use of Hope in The Gospel of Jesus H.

A picture of the planet Mars — An experimental science fiction Christology that makes Jesus the hard boiled narrator of his own early years on a bizarro earth made dark by volcanic ash and informally ruled by a man from Mars who sells bottled air.

You are my only hope, child. You are my knowledge. You are living proof that my life was not lived in vain. You must listen to me: I have much to say, much to tell you. Your grandfather has given me this chance. God bless your grandfather! He is a tyrant, but I bless him. I only hope he doesn't censor too much. I must be careful. Your grandfather doesn't trust me. Why should he? I am a desperate man: at death's door, I smell it: death: tissue: dying: spinning.

– Verse 10 from the chapter called Invocation

"I would offer to sleep on the floor," he said, "but there isn't one - just cold ground. I hope you don't mind."

– Verse 621 from the chapter called Security

Jesus hoped that Stalin's position in the army and, more importantly, his famous association with the Confederation would convince the board of directors to let him do whatever he wanted. After all, the future of the ruling party was at stake. If knowledge of this bribery and arms smuggling were - God forbid - ever to become public, the party would die. Their hopes of slowly rebuilding trust with this new Prime Minister's 'government of experts' by the time the next parliamentary elections took place would be quashed.

– Verse 132 from the chapter called Security

It's a hard lesson to learn, even harder to apply. Jesus's father didn't know it. When his sickly wife died, he lost all hope. He sank into misery and despair, drug abuse and poverty. The reasons were complicated.

– Verse 51 from the chapter called Adolescence

"She's got the blues," your father would have to say, and it was true: every time she began to feel better, there was less and less hope that it would last; sooner or later, she would have to be attacked by status asthmaticus; there was no escaping its mercilessly tightening grasp, no way of preventing her bronchial tubes with their mucus-forming glands from swelling - what specific allergen could possibly have caused her pain? - when a breeze, a bad smell, or a change in temperature would send her coughing, and make her throat secrete its mucinous poisons, drowning her in her own mucus and consigning her to long hours of hacking, wheezing, and gasping for air - long, tiresome hours, which inevitably sent your grandmother back to bed for months - how depressing it was.

"Hey, Jesus: where's your mother at?"

– Verses 47-48 from the chapter called Adolescence

Back to Use of Hope: Table of Contents

Use of Hope in Sex for Children

A drawing of a man between a woman's legs in front of another man in a hospital bed — A literature book narrated by a pair of siblings on either side of the Atlantic whose profoundly weird sexual experiences pose a serious challenge to their traditional understanding of mathematicians, marriage, gay young men and God.

But let me remind you: this does not mean we are incapable of providing spiritual guidance, something which is often neglected, if not completely ignored, but which cannot be withheld from children of any age, however old or tender they be. As the recently matured, we are in the best position to provide such leadership, and we must maintain an active interest in our roles. Forgive me for reminding you, but I do so mostly for my own sake, since I regret my physical distance from my ward. It is very debilitating. I am one of those people who must see things in order to appreciate their need. I fear that I lack the sort of maternal clairvoyance for which many women are renowned, like our mother, for example. But perhaps a woman needs her own children, so I retain hope. At any rate, I do not enjoy the physical proximity you share with Fabric. So I rely on you, and, for the time being, you must bear the double weight of our responsibilities.

– Title 2, Regarding the Romaniac, Part 1, Section 34, Propogating a Concept of Duty, Paragraph 2

At least I hope to have reminded you of the circumstances under which your relationship with the 'Romaniac' began. It has been a long relationship, but oftentimes quiet and distant, and only recently, I gather, have you had the opportunity to develop it seriously. But I never doubted that it would be provocative: everything about that woman is that way, whether it be innocent or not, and your confessions to me have only piqued an already heightened interest.

– Title 2, Regarding the Romaniac, Part 1, Section 1, Genital Pain as a Result of Physical Trauma, Paragraph 8, Clauses 7-10

ANDY: You know what? I have the answer for that: thanks to Mr. Franciszek Chopin. Come, sit down: I'll show you.

INDIE: Is it a musical answer?

ANDY: But, of course.

INDIE: I hope I understand.

ANDY: You will.

INDIE: What is it?

– Title 3, Regarding a Dream, Chapter 3, The Third Day, Part 2, Prayer & The Reformation, Section 14, Accounting for the Weightiness of a Kiss, Paragraphs 6-11

Now tell me honestly, am I not like a brother to you? We are more twin than meets the eye, even if you don't like to admit that no wife in this whole wide world could ever know your heart better than I do. What strange woman could possibly hope to understand all your contradictions? to know your mind and to speak to you as if speaking to her own soul?

– Title 2, Regarding the Romaniac, Part 1, Section 8, Loneliness, Paragraph 1

Back to Use of Hope: Table of Contents

Use of Hope in Tsiga Tsiga Tsiga

Bullets whizzing by a statue of Nikola Tesla — A collection of stories featuring a sexy Parisian ghost, a spooky Moon base full of vagina-faced aliens, a policeman with an Irish name, a truck full of watermelons, a flautist, and a man who has to see another man about a diseased horse.

Junior bought a professional hip adduction machine. Within days, Harry Connick had mastered it. Junior attached ropes to his feet. Nyota pulled one way; Ann Taylor, the other. The mild-mannered accountant made both women fall forward. "Sorry," he said. "I-uh-I hope you ladies didn't bruise your knees."

– from “A Horse Named Clutch Bag,” an inspiring story featuring rich people

The morning sun blazed through the open door. Mithra turned to face it. Sucking up her teary breath, she said, "High Harrah is out there. It waits for us." She turned to face Gog. He gazed into her eyes. He held up their clenched hands. Together, they looked to the east with great hope.

– from “In the Beginning, There was Gog,” a fantasy story set in ancient lands

"There is no doubt," they said. "The autumnal equal-night passes from the Scorpion's claws to Heavens' mistress [e.g. Virgo]. Southern peoples worship the claws as scales of justice. If Indra has ordered Asvin to abandon justice, there is no hope. Wealth will continue to erode at the hands of the Paralatai. Southern peoples will be tempted to invade. Many of them worship the woman. The highlands call her Ishtar; the lowlands, Inanna."

– from “In the Beginning, There was Gog,” a fantasy story featuring a strong woman

Shephard stopped. He pushed the idling motorcycle towards the west. The humvee was four hundred yards away. It was moving out from behind the truck. It was gaining speed. The armed police wanted more. Shephard hoped they were foolish enough to follow. He leaned down. The petcock valve was already in the reserve position.

– from “Two Dudes and a Chinese Desert,” a friendship story featuring a kind of love

"No wonder Indra is offended," said Gog. "Sargon takes upon himself the mantle of the most high. He is possessed by the aka mainyu [i.e., to ancient Iranians, the spirit of evil]. We have no choice but to appease the Asha [i.e., righteousness personified]. Our people have been selected for this duty. They will follow the sea to the mountains. They will raid and plunder the lands of Sargon.

– from “In the Beginning, There was Gog,” a fantasy story featuring a man of hope

Back to Use of Hope: Table of Contents

Use of Hope in Sorry Ms. Jackson

Chiseled letters from an ancient stone tablet hanging on a wall — A real play. With drama in it. Talk fast. It takes two hours. Set in a guest house. In a small community. After a murder. Lots of suspicion. The characters learn to listen to each other. It's funny.

(LESBIAN enters.)

LESBIAN: Do you need my help?

GREY GOOSE: Stay out of this, Kiwi. It doesn't concern you.

MS. JACKSON: It does. My guests live here, too. They have a right to know. He's threatening to burn down this house.

FLETCHER: Settle down, Mother.

GREY GOOSE: That's what you think I said.

MS. JACKSON: You didn't have to say it.

GREY GOOSE: You've got a wild imagination, woman.

LESBIAN: If only.

MS. JACKSON: What's that supposed to mean? Whose side are you on?

– ACT I, lines 336-344

LESBIAN: I love you.

– ACT I, line 919

FLETCHER: You would, would you?

LESBIAN: Yes.

MS. JACKSON: Fletch.

FLETCHER: You can have it.

MS. JACKSON: Your father-

FLETCHER: I'm sick and tired of it.

MS. JACKSON: Your father is in there-

FLETCHER: Everybody doing everybody else left and right-

MS. JACKSON: Your father is in there doing-

FLETCHER: Everybody talking about it!

– ACT I, lines 1003-1012

FLETCHER: I'm glad you liked it.

LESBIAN: We happened to see your father looking down on us the whole time from a cliff.

FLETCHER: What do you mean?

LESBIAN: He was staring at us the entire morning from a cliff. I thought he was going to jump.

FLETCHER: He was just standing there?

LESBIAN: He was just standing there.

LUKE: I went up to him. He was only watching us bathe.

ALICE: I hope he liked it.

FLETCHER: Don't mind him. My father's a bit crazy. One time, I woke up in the middle of the night. It was about three in the morning. I saw him standing in front of a pine tree, trying to decide whether or not he should chop it down. This was three in the morning. There was absolutely no reason for him to chop it down. It was really quite bizarre.

– ACT I, lines 55-63

Back to Use of Hope: Table of Contents

Use of Hope in Miscellaneous Dingbats

The title of the book at the end of a string of miscellaneous dingbats — A story book full of short fiction stories. An interesting bedtime mystery. A fairy tale. Science fiction romance. Adult life. Uninspiring gay fiction. Horror.

The following day the man came back. He asked me what I was talking to myself about and I told him I was mulling over current events. Politics in Moscow. He wanted to discuss it with me but I refused to talk to him unless he came inside. So he came inside. He said his name was Putin. Which I told him was similar to my own name Bongani. I asked him where his friend was and he told me that his friend had a lover. I told him I hoped he wouldn't say the same thing about me. We laughed over that. He left in good spirits.

– from “A Black Man in Moscow,” an inspirational story inspired by events that in some places were reported, though the details are fictional

I often wonder why the cruelty imposed on my brothers was necessary for my story. If not for what happened to Barack I would never have been frightened out of Moscow. I would never have had the courage to walk into the unknown. If Barack was not forced to live a life of constant pain, I would not have the life of love I enjoy with my wife. How can I thank him for that?

– from “A Black Man in Moscow,” an inspirational story that should give us hope no matter who we are

I got off the bus at a small town. It was a two hour wait for the minibus to the village. People in the square stared at me. I kept hearing the words, "Dirty chocolate. Wipe your face." Something possessed me to buy a towel and a box of chocolates. I walked around with them. It made me feel like I was in on a joke.

– from “A Black Man in Moscow,” an inspirational story that describes life as we have been given it, though hopefully we can change it

Orbitz typed agan. "Why is the life support system on?"

A moment passed before the response appeared. Marriott wrote, "You turned it on yourself, Rishi."

"No, I didn't," said Orbitz out loud.

A response appeared. "I do not wish to argue"

– from “The Death and Life of Captain Orbitz,” a science fiction romance which hopefully would make Lem proud, if you know who that is

As Mark made his way down to his final stop he noticed the professor standing behind the tripod leaning into the viewfinder. He was so preoccupied with the sight of the bent-over old man he neglected to slow down and crane his head around the hedgerow. Luckily there was nobody there. The cord that connected Bill's hand brake to the actual brake had snapped. He had been dragging it for about the entire route until a customer on Download Street finally stopped him and asked, "What's that noise?" Bill decided it was time to take a break and check it out. He didn't want customers thinking postmen didn't care about their trucks. The customer saw the broken cord. He offered to bring some twine so Bill could tie the loose end to the chassis. Bill said he didn't want to be a bother. The customer insisted. Bill was forced to wait ten minutes until the customer came back and said, "Sorry it took so long. Here's the twine." Bill tied the cord to the chassis and went on his way. Never realizing the broken hand brake had probably saved his life.

– from “Wrong Again,” a success story that describes life on this planet, though hopefully we can change