Saturday, July 23, 2011
Happy Birthday, Minerva!!!
For Min Min's birthday, I have created this artistic tribute in his honor (I used his native LOLspeak as well):
Honestly, it should be a national holiday today.
Little Birdies that go Splat - Or a Retelling of Samson
Well, babies, I've done the unthinkable. I've chopped my hair off. I know, I know - it isn't exactly NBC Nightly News material. But it's kind of a big deal - for starters, whenever it would get cut past my shoulders, my behavior would resort to epic, psychotic proportions. Crying, screaming, never wanting to leave the house again - I've put my hairdressers (and dear friends) through hell. And for what? Was it vanity? Fear of the unknown? Insecurities? Or do I want to pretend I'm above all of that gender-specific behavior and say I'm just taking the story of Samson really, REALLY seriously?
If you think about it, the story of Samson is more than a Biblical story. If you ignore the fact that yet another woman is portrayed as a temptress and liar (it's okay, Delilah, you're in good company), the story serves as a panicked remark for the fear of the unknown. To step outside of ourselves and deal with the consequences of our mistakes. When Samson lost his hair, he lost his strength and was taken prisoner - but literally and proverbially. Did Samson get his strength back because God decreed it, or did he get it back because he managed to "get over himself?"
That "get over" yourself part is something I think we all struggle with. Unfortunately, our culture has been turned into a series of competitions (what? You thought the reality TV circuit was a coincidence?) where there are blatant winners and losers. Unless, you're seven. Then everyone gets a trophy and you have to learn the lesson the hard way - when you wake up from a good night's sleep and some crazy bitch has lopped your hair off. To deal with this constant stress of wanting AND needing to be first, we think we need to hold on to certain rituals: sitting at the same table in a restaurant, going to the same coffee house, keeping our hair long...never realizing that the opportunity to learn and change has presented itself in the form of a minor risk.
Why not take the risk? Why not cut my hair up to my ears? Why not put off school to start my own business and finish my novel? That "why not" is no longer accepted in our culture. Our pioneer spirit - the craving for the unknown landscape - has been replaced by the "work until you die" attitude. The "keep with the status quo" attitude. Is life too shaky to take chances? Is the American Dream running out of open spots? Do we have room for chances? Willa Cather is shaking her head from the ghostly plane.
Unfortunately, I can't answer any of these questions today. And I refuse to because it's July 23rd (my cat's birthday; he also took a chance. On me. I'd like to think it worked out well for the both of us), the Starbucks is good, and it's a beautiful Saturday. I'm blessed to have a place to live, a car that runs, and my bills paid (er...for this month, anyway). Besides, this questions need to be asked over time - as we peer over our little nests and contemplate if we are going to go "splat" should we decide to jump. As I tell my frosh - "Fly, baby birdies!" But that "splat" sounds mighty scary. And who wants that as their end?
So for now, I'll test my courage with my hair. Samson, eat your heart out.
If you think about it, the story of Samson is more than a Biblical story. If you ignore the fact that yet another woman is portrayed as a temptress and liar (it's okay, Delilah, you're in good company), the story serves as a panicked remark for the fear of the unknown. To step outside of ourselves and deal with the consequences of our mistakes. When Samson lost his hair, he lost his strength and was taken prisoner - but literally and proverbially. Did Samson get his strength back because God decreed it, or did he get it back because he managed to "get over himself?"
That "get over" yourself part is something I think we all struggle with. Unfortunately, our culture has been turned into a series of competitions (what? You thought the reality TV circuit was a coincidence?) where there are blatant winners and losers. Unless, you're seven. Then everyone gets a trophy and you have to learn the lesson the hard way - when you wake up from a good night's sleep and some crazy bitch has lopped your hair off. To deal with this constant stress of wanting AND needing to be first, we think we need to hold on to certain rituals: sitting at the same table in a restaurant, going to the same coffee house, keeping our hair long...never realizing that the opportunity to learn and change has presented itself in the form of a minor risk.
Why not take the risk? Why not cut my hair up to my ears? Why not put off school to start my own business and finish my novel? That "why not" is no longer accepted in our culture. Our pioneer spirit - the craving for the unknown landscape - has been replaced by the "work until you die" attitude. The "keep with the status quo" attitude. Is life too shaky to take chances? Is the American Dream running out of open spots? Do we have room for chances? Willa Cather is shaking her head from the ghostly plane.
Unfortunately, I can't answer any of these questions today. And I refuse to because it's July 23rd (my cat's birthday; he also took a chance. On me. I'd like to think it worked out well for the both of us), the Starbucks is good, and it's a beautiful Saturday. I'm blessed to have a place to live, a car that runs, and my bills paid (er...for this month, anyway). Besides, this questions need to be asked over time - as we peer over our little nests and contemplate if we are going to go "splat" should we decide to jump. As I tell my frosh - "Fly, baby birdies!" But that "splat" sounds mighty scary. And who wants that as their end?
So for now, I'll test my courage with my hair. Samson, eat your heart out.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Bookworm Goddess: My Yearly Reads #61-71
And we came to the end...another great book, by the way. So, 71 books and 16,407 pages later, I reached my year deadline. I didn't quite beat Stephen King's annual book number, but I'm pretty proud of myself. So, without gilding the lily and any more lagoo, I present the last ten:
61. Bizenghast, Volume 3 - M. Alice LeGrow (Completed 3/17/11) - Okay, I'm still not sure what to do with this series. Now that Tokoyo Pop is going out of business, I'm hoping we haven't seen the last of Dinah and Vincent. And also, I want to know what the hell is going on in Bizenghast.
62. Armageddon in Retrospect - Kurt Vonnegut (Completed 3/28/11) - I adore Vonnegut. He is, by far, one of the greatest American writers. The intro by his son, Mark, is touching and
Vonnegut-esque. It proves that this talent for words runs in the family. Armageddon is some of Vonnegut's last pieces and the book is interspersed with some of his artwork. The stories are about - what else?- war, peace and government. But aside from Orwell, he's the only person who is worth listening to on this subject. I have to admit, I did tear up when I finished and saw his picture on the back. So it goes.
63. House of Night Series #1: Marked - P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (Completed 3/29/11) - I'm not into the sparkly Twilight vampires because I was raised on a healthy diet of Bram Stoker, Stephen King, Lovecraft, and Anne Rice. So forgive me if I'm unimpressed with Team Edward and Team Jacob. Thanks to Twilight, I now cringe whenever I walk past the "Teen Paranormal Romance Series" section because 1) that's a stupid name and 2) it's a stupid category for books. There is nothing wrong with teens, paranormal stories, or romance, but, lately, combining them has been awful. House of Night is not one of these combinations. The Casts have combined a more creative take on vampires (which is what Twilight is seriously lacking. But statistically, most Twilight fans are Jane Austen fans. Oh dear, did I forget to mention that I find Jane Austen to be drivel as well?) and included something new about their protagonist: she isn't a white girl. *Gasp!* Poor Bella is probably hiding under her knitted arm bands right now. Zoey Redbird is a quick-witted, magically-blessed Native American teenager who is given a destiny. And it isn't to be saved by a "hot, sparkly" vamp. House of Night remakes the vampire story and turns into into a power hungry, magic-learning, tradition-telling, modern series. The characters are funny, the adults are frightening, and the story is chock-full of goddesses, vampires, and ghosts. Oh, yeah, sex and blood too.
64. Hack/Slash, Volume 1: First Cut - Tim Seeley (Completed 3/30/11) - The feminist in me wants to punch Cassie and her slutty clothes in the face. The feminist in me also wants to high five Cassie and grab a steak knife to join the fight. The tongue-in-cheek sexy, Goth girl jokes don't get old, and if you're a slasher movie junkie like myself, you can care less about what everyone is wearing or saying. Just keep the limbs flying and the B-movie one-liners abundant.
65. Cat Getting Out of a Bag and Other Observations - Jeffrey Brown (Completed 4/2/11) - Thank you, Jeffrey Brown, for making me more of a crazy cat lady. If you don't have a cat, you might find this to be cute. If you do have a cat, this is gospel truth. And the kitty is really REALLY cute.
66. Odd and the Frost Giants - Neil Gaiman (Completed 4/18/11) - I blame Neil Gaiman for making me hate the movie Thor as much as I did. I had read this gorgeous retelling of Norse myths before I saw the movie, so the bar was set incredibly high. Instead of watching another crappy superhero movie, curl up with this short read. Odd and Bod, another Gaiman character, should team up.
67. Catwoman: It's Only a Movie - Will Pfeifer (Completed 4/20/11) - I always worry about how men portray Catwoman. She's either a bitch or really, really sexy. Then, they give her a baby, and I suddenly began to worry they were going to turn her into a "mom." You know the type - the woman who gives up everything in her old life because she's a "mom." And she talks about "mom" things and hangs out with other "moms." And then Catwoman gets a "mom" haircut and wears "mom" jeans because, you know, she'll lose the weight once the kid hits college. Luckily, Pfeifer knew better. Catwoman is none of the previous claims. She's strong, clever, brave, and bares a striking resemblance to Audrey Hepburn. I hope I'm a mom like Catwoman one day, leather catsuit and Hepburn looks included.
68. Mirrormask - Neil Gaiman (Completed 4/23/11) - Yes, Neil Gaiman is a staple in my house. And yes, I enjoyed this one too. I found this copy in a used bookstore. It has the story, along with the art and stills from the movie. It's Coraline with an edge.
69. Bossypants - Tina Fey (Completed 4/26/11) - I am madly in love with Tina Fey. I want to sit next to her and see if she smells like strawberries. After reading this, I get where Liz Lemon was born, but I also get to see Tina Fey as she wants to be seen. She's more than a Sarah Palin impersonation, people. She's smart, hilarious, and a bit self-loathing. A strong woman with a character flaw - THAT is how you get it right.
70. Dawn of Avalon - Anna Elliot (Completed 4/28/11) - Elliot's second short story about her Tintagel characters. This time, Morgan gets a chance to speak. I don't know what I love more - Elliot's retelling of well-known characters through the eyes of their women or the Cornish setting. I don't have to answer that yet, do I?
71. 13 Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson (Completed 4/30/11) - This was a Free Friday Nookbook and, to be honest, I would have paid for this one. Well, for starters, it takes place in London (that is NOT why I decided to read it. It just helped make the decision easier), but it's also one of those fun YA adventures where the main character finds herself among wacky, friendly faces. The backdrop throughout Europe is tempting, but the open ending breaks this from the YA mold. However, I just found out there is a sequel. I'm not sure if I'll read it. I kind of like the way it ended in my head.
61. Bizenghast, Volume 3 - M. Alice LeGrow (Completed 3/17/11) - Okay, I'm still not sure what to do with this series. Now that Tokoyo Pop is going out of business, I'm hoping we haven't seen the last of Dinah and Vincent. And also, I want to know what the hell is going on in Bizenghast.
62. Armageddon in Retrospect - Kurt Vonnegut (Completed 3/28/11) - I adore Vonnegut. He is, by far, one of the greatest American writers. The intro by his son, Mark, is touching and
Vonnegut-esque. It proves that this talent for words runs in the family. Armageddon is some of Vonnegut's last pieces and the book is interspersed with some of his artwork. The stories are about - what else?- war, peace and government. But aside from Orwell, he's the only person who is worth listening to on this subject. I have to admit, I did tear up when I finished and saw his picture on the back. So it goes.
63. House of Night Series #1: Marked - P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (Completed 3/29/11) - I'm not into the sparkly Twilight vampires because I was raised on a healthy diet of Bram Stoker, Stephen King, Lovecraft, and Anne Rice. So forgive me if I'm unimpressed with Team Edward and Team Jacob. Thanks to Twilight, I now cringe whenever I walk past the "Teen Paranormal Romance Series" section because 1) that's a stupid name and 2) it's a stupid category for books. There is nothing wrong with teens, paranormal stories, or romance, but, lately, combining them has been awful. House of Night is not one of these combinations. The Casts have combined a more creative take on vampires (which is what Twilight is seriously lacking. But statistically, most Twilight fans are Jane Austen fans. Oh dear, did I forget to mention that I find Jane Austen to be drivel as well?) and included something new about their protagonist: she isn't a white girl. *Gasp!* Poor Bella is probably hiding under her knitted arm bands right now. Zoey Redbird is a quick-witted, magically-blessed Native American teenager who is given a destiny. And it isn't to be saved by a "hot, sparkly" vamp. House of Night remakes the vampire story and turns into into a power hungry, magic-learning, tradition-telling, modern series. The characters are funny, the adults are frightening, and the story is chock-full of goddesses, vampires, and ghosts. Oh, yeah, sex and blood too.
64. Hack/Slash, Volume 1: First Cut - Tim Seeley (Completed 3/30/11) - The feminist in me wants to punch Cassie and her slutty clothes in the face. The feminist in me also wants to high five Cassie and grab a steak knife to join the fight. The tongue-in-cheek sexy, Goth girl jokes don't get old, and if you're a slasher movie junkie like myself, you can care less about what everyone is wearing or saying. Just keep the limbs flying and the B-movie one-liners abundant.
65. Cat Getting Out of a Bag and Other Observations - Jeffrey Brown (Completed 4/2/11) - Thank you, Jeffrey Brown, for making me more of a crazy cat lady. If you don't have a cat, you might find this to be cute. If you do have a cat, this is gospel truth. And the kitty is really REALLY cute.
66. Odd and the Frost Giants - Neil Gaiman (Completed 4/18/11) - I blame Neil Gaiman for making me hate the movie Thor as much as I did. I had read this gorgeous retelling of Norse myths before I saw the movie, so the bar was set incredibly high. Instead of watching another crappy superhero movie, curl up with this short read. Odd and Bod, another Gaiman character, should team up.
67. Catwoman: It's Only a Movie - Will Pfeifer (Completed 4/20/11) - I always worry about how men portray Catwoman. She's either a bitch or really, really sexy. Then, they give her a baby, and I suddenly began to worry they were going to turn her into a "mom." You know the type - the woman who gives up everything in her old life because she's a "mom." And she talks about "mom" things and hangs out with other "moms." And then Catwoman gets a "mom" haircut and wears "mom" jeans because, you know, she'll lose the weight once the kid hits college. Luckily, Pfeifer knew better. Catwoman is none of the previous claims. She's strong, clever, brave, and bares a striking resemblance to Audrey Hepburn. I hope I'm a mom like Catwoman one day, leather catsuit and Hepburn looks included.
68. Mirrormask - Neil Gaiman (Completed 4/23/11) - Yes, Neil Gaiman is a staple in my house. And yes, I enjoyed this one too. I found this copy in a used bookstore. It has the story, along with the art and stills from the movie. It's Coraline with an edge.
69. Bossypants - Tina Fey (Completed 4/26/11) - I am madly in love with Tina Fey. I want to sit next to her and see if she smells like strawberries. After reading this, I get where Liz Lemon was born, but I also get to see Tina Fey as she wants to be seen. She's more than a Sarah Palin impersonation, people. She's smart, hilarious, and a bit self-loathing. A strong woman with a character flaw - THAT is how you get it right.
70. Dawn of Avalon - Anna Elliot (Completed 4/28/11) - Elliot's second short story about her Tintagel characters. This time, Morgan gets a chance to speak. I don't know what I love more - Elliot's retelling of well-known characters through the eyes of their women or the Cornish setting. I don't have to answer that yet, do I?
71. 13 Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson (Completed 4/30/11) - This was a Free Friday Nookbook and, to be honest, I would have paid for this one. Well, for starters, it takes place in London (that is NOT why I decided to read it. It just helped make the decision easier), but it's also one of those fun YA adventures where the main character finds herself among wacky, friendly faces. The backdrop throughout Europe is tempting, but the open ending breaks this from the YA mold. However, I just found out there is a sequel. I'm not sure if I'll read it. I kind of like the way it ended in my head.
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