Some quixotic internet causes of mine.

I have not read any of the Twilight books, nor have I seen any of the movies. I'm going to check out the first when I go back to school. My sister has the first one. She also has a incredibly messy room. She's (most likely) re-reading Eclipse because of the movie.

Twilight is part of my internet missions - I want people to stop mocking the fans. (Though I have no defense for some of the merchandise - Edward Panties are just... I don't know.)

And when I googled to get that link, the first link was to a site called "Twitarded," oh so cleverly calling the fans retarded. People defend their use of ableist language (lame, retarded) by saying they don't mean that anymore. Then why use them as an insult? They must still mean something bad, or they wouldn't be used that way.

I assume the more common nickname for fans - Twihards, comes from "die hard" - they're die hard fans. That's fine.

Anywho... I don't like the bashing of Twilight fans. (And the hatred for the books seems extreme, especially when it's just plain hatred and doesn't involve a critique - how are the Quilutes portrayed, the problematic relationships - if she picked Jacob, it still would be unhealthy. And the one with Edward is just a mess.)

Small note - my sister would rip me a new one if she saw this - how can you talk about it if you haven't read it? Because I'm curious and now I'm finally thinking of reading the books. (She also could not believe that I knew bits and pieces about Lost, despite never watching the show. It was incredibly popular and mentioned on many sites I visit. Of course I know there's a smoke monster!)

The bashing of Twilight and its fans seems to just be reactionary - if it's popular, it must be bad. Also, more sinister, it is very popular with women and girls, and things that women like are always belittled.

Anyway, the Twilight books do not mean that the books you like disappeared or magically changed into Twilight. Same with the movies. Twilight did nothing to you. So cut it the fuck out. Also, wouldn't your time be better spent doing something you enjoy, like reading a book you love? (I said this on FB and a friend asked how will I feel superior now? That was a puzzler, but you can feel superior to the Twilight bashers now! Problem solved.)


Well, I wrote a novel, and I don't have much about the others.

I cannot stand the endless mocking of Justin Beiber - he's a girl, he's gay. It has nothing to do with his music, just his appearance and age. People are mocking a young boy. Which is so classy.

And something that keeps coming up every time M. Night Shyamalan makes a movie, and since the Village, they've started to really suck, according to reviews. (The Village and Signs scared the crap out of me, though I've never seen Unbreakable or The Sixth Sense.)

People purposely mispronounce his name or write it incorrectly - Shamalamadingdong. Yes, his name is long, but it's not hard to pronounce. On a tangent, I don't mind when Colbert mispronounces Ahmadinejad's name, because he slips a joke in there each time.

I basically hate mispronouncing names after you've been told how to pronounce it. It shows a lack of respect. "You're so unimportant, I'm not even going to bother remembering how to say your name."

One last pet peeve that started when the Saudi prince visited Bush and they held hands. The gay "jokes" never stopped. It's based on xenophobic ignorance - in some cultures, men can be more expressive and friendly with each other - hugging and holding hands, for example.

One last thing - calling Hugh Jackman (or a famous character he plays) gay because he does Broadway and danced and sang when he hosted the Oscars is just gross, and one thing I love about Bollywood - the men lip-sync and dance in the movies... and at the award shows.

Anyway, I want people to stop being racist and to stop mocking Justin Bieber and Twilight fans. I'm more deluded than Don Quixote, aren't I?

Saving money through home cooking

I'm re-reading the Shopaholic series. I love them. I love Sophie Kinsella's books. (I tried one of her real books - Madeline Wickham and it was boring.) I own them all - All the Shopaholic books, Can You Keep A Secret, Remember Me?, The Undomestic Goddess, and Twenties Girl. (That's the latest and it was in paperback at Kroger, *grab*)


Anyway, in the first book, Rebecca tries to cut back and save money by making curry at home instead of just ordering "takeaway" (I love how unapologetic the books are in their British-ness!) and it's a disaster.

And it got me thinking about a post at FWD from a while ago - The New York Times Tells You How To Eat, which details how the organic food movement is steeped in privilege - you need the money and you need the time. And the energy. Or the ability to stand and cook without the pain making you shaky and forgetful (did I start boiling that water?).

It got me thinking about a recent commercial for Red Baron frozen pizza and "pan pasta" which shows a bunch of pizza delivery people eating at someone's home, saying "Your mom makes the best pan pasta!" implying that it's better than theirs. The mom has her back to them, holding the Red Baron box.

You know why I order pizza? Because I don't want to cook. (Though I loved nuking these pizzas - forget the brand - and just picking away with my fingers, not even making slices.)

And it also made me think - frozen food? Shouldn't she buy the ingredients and make it herself, if she really cares about these people? I mean, who knows what evil chemicals are in Red Baron frozen pizza and "pan pasta"?!

The initial outlay for pizza ingredients will cost more or about the same as a ready made one, but they never factor in the time when it comes to "oh, just make it yourself so you don't get those nasty chemicals in your body!" My time is worth something. The only time mentioned is the time in the oven. I'm sure some cookbooks do mention the full prep time... but if it's too long, is it even worth it? Time is a form of expense as well.

Racialicious has a new post up about "sustainable food" and how it is seeped in more than just able-bodied and ... um.. time? privilege.
Sustainable Food and Privilege: Why is Green Always White (and Male and Upper-Class)

We'd all like to eat the "healthiest" "best" food, but you know what, it's not practical for most Americans. It's not practical for me and my family at all - the cost alone keeps us out of that club. Not to mention, I'm in pain. A lot. So maybe I could fiddle around and make something - but making food should be fun! - but I shouldn't be required to.

And I do worry about the environment, but I have to take my medication, I have to be alive. (Or I won't get to see Kites this weekend! Hrithik on the big screen! BYODB - Drool Bucket.)

So I take pride in what I do - putting a plastic bottle or paper in the recycling bin on campus. Or eating fruit. I refuse to feel guilty for what I could have done, I only focus on what I can do. I know, I'm supposed to be a tree-hugger, but I'm allergic to them and one of our trees has termites so I'll just gaze fondly at the trees right now.

Today's Baby Blues is awesome

The comic:


First panel: Hammie is taking some books from a librarian who is behind a desk. She says, "There you are. These are due back in 21 days." Hammie says, "Okay."

Second Panel: Hammie is carrying his stack of books and walking next to Zoe who has none. Hammie says, "I hope I can finish all these by then." Zoe tells him, "You have to."

Third panel: Hammie says, "What?" Zoe says, "Your library card states that you must read every word of every book by the due date.... or else!" Her eyes are closed, the image of a knowledgeable person.

Fourth panel: Hammie's eyes are huge. He protests, "But these are CHAPTER BOOKS!" Zoe, looking up and away, as if at an adult, asks, "Have you ever seen such huge biceps on a librarian?"



For the record, I never believed this. I frequently check out stacks of books and sometimes go through them outside and turn them back in (the drive-up box). But I had my first encounter with late fees a couple years and I was so freaked out, a day late, and it was 25 cents. That's it?

This made me laugh.

In other comics news, the latest Funky Winkerbean storyline, dealing with Wally's PTSD (we'll finally find out where he was for 10 years, I assume) is not making me laugh. I'm fine with soap strips, but FW is disturbing me. The parts where he freaked out at his daughter's basketball game and his old girlfriend found a gun under his pillow? Too many people talk about how unfunny Funky is, but this shit is disturbing, especially in comic form (and FW is drawn in a comic style, not a soap-y one). It would have a trigger warning and be under a cut at any good website.

ETA: A thought about why this storyline is so disturbing - it's dealing with PTSD. A psychological thing. Is he going to be institutionalized? (=am I again?) I really don't like this. I want smirks and cancer cancer cancer. Incest cancer?

Schooled by Anisha Lakhani

Schooled is shaping up to be a good, funny book. (The parts about Lifetime movies had me laughing and annoying my mom by reading them to her.)

The main character is a first year teacher, fresh out of Columbia, at an exclusive private school. I've only made it to the orientation week, before she meets the students.

Right now, she has to read the student's files.

One child has a peanut allergy, "acute, life-threatening peanut allergies. You are responsible if so much as a peanut, or anything in the vicinity of a peanut, enters the classroom. He could die."

Also in the file is the fact that his father had an affair, his family is rich, etc etc.

On the next page, the main character mentally describes the future student as "an overindulged child who would probably think nothing of the sacrifice I would have to make in giving up my peanut M&Ms addiction lest I so much as breathe on him."

I can't get over this sentence. I can't tell if the writer wants us to go what the fuck is wrong with this woman or agree with her, because it's so hard to not eat candy during the school day.

It just really rubs me the wrong way. The kid is undeniably "overindulged," but it has nothing to do with his allergy. And the fact that the writer used to be a teacher...

Of course, this is like complaining because the serial killer on the TV kicked a puppy. I can accept the greater "bad" premise, but little things feel wrong.

Or maybe it's a sign of the character's immaturity?

I mean, what the fuck? It's so hard to make sure one of your students doesn't die.

The Long Winter

I'm rereading the Little House books right now, as a way to unwind after the mental stress of finals and school.

I just finished The Long Winter.

I love all the books in the series, except Farmer Boy, which I've never read, or only read part of, because it's just about Almanzo's life. And only a little bit of it. Whatever.

I know there are issues with the authenticity of the books, otherwise they wouldn't be labeled as fiction, right? Plus, how much influence did her daughter have, who was anti-Commie and these were published in the late 30s and early 40s... blah blah.

I didn't know that for a long time, and I still don't know the whole story.

But knowing bits of it explains the sheer insanity of the people of De Smet in The Long Winter.

Almanzo Wilder (Laura's future hubs, remember) is determined to save his seed wheat for the next spring. That means not selling it to the starving townspeople. That means risking his and another person's neck to buy somebody else's seed wheat 20 miles from town, in crazy-ass blizzard season. The person makes the same arguments Almanzo's been making the whole book. Almanzo says you can't plant money, but damn, man, I know the winter won't last forever.

And I don't know why the townspeople didn't pool their resources early on. Why did they all freeze in their own houses when they could have stayed in the hotel or a few other buildings all winter, sharing fuel and food? There couldn't have been that many people there. It just hurt my head - we weren't talking about a small town in the 1980s, this is small town's first winter in the 1880s. I thought in the good ol' days, everybody helped everybody else out.

But no, apparently they do not. They are obsessed with not being in debt to one another. Like over nails. (Little House on the Prairie.)

Then there's the racism, which I can explain, so while I may not like it, it at least makes sense. Not like this suicidal winter where they all hid from each other instead of sharing. One man bought up all the fuel. Why didn't people stay at his house?

Pa went over to the Wilder's. They had lots of food, a nice fire, a warm place. Why couldn't he bring his family over for the day? I don't get it. I thought people "visited" in the days before the evil TV took over.

I love this book, don't get me wrong, it just leaves me scratching my head.

And oh-so-gratfeul for the modern world, no matter how fucked up it may be.


ETA: I'm rereading this as well. The introduction, which described the Ingalls' previous ways of life as subsistence probably explains why they're so hesitant to depend on others. It just seems so damn weird to me, is all. I can handle twisting hay to make "logs", but not independence to the point of emaciation. Ok, bad example. But I mean, the rest of the trappings of their life are fascinating, and usually easy to understand. This is not.

Another thing that is not, that started in the very first book, is the stoic nature required of the girls. We meet Laura as four-year-old. Who is expected not to cry. In On the Banks of Plum Creek, when the neighbor's girl takes her doll, she is told "For shame!" when she cries. Fuck that noise. Yeah, I hate little kid tantrums as much as the next person, but tears? Dammit, I still cry. A lot. (Which may have something to do with medications and the constant changing, but still.) Sometimes, I don't know why I cry. My dad got mad at my mom when she cried. I am so glad his poisonous ideas are out of here.

How the hell can it be bad to cry? Or a sign of immaturity?

It's bad to repress your feelings.

Then again, she grew up in the Victorian era, and some of what they say about them is true.

ETA yet again: It seems we reach out quicker in our more fucked up disconnected modern age. Our heater is possessed and will cost 2 grand to fix. My mom has been sick all semester, so yeah right.

The church, which she hasn't been to in a long-ass time, but her friend works (or volunteers there), brought by a get-well card and this oh-so-warm blankie. Not much, but still.

When my family was turned upside down by my cousins' moving in with us and my bad health (which meant smaller paychecks for the mom), we got plenty of food and help from the crisis center and the church and PEOPLE.

And just last weekend, Uncle Danny chopped wood (this electric chopping thing on his trailer) on a friend's property. Mom kept trying to pay him, he refused, and I finally took the money and put it in her purse.

People still give a damn about other people's well being, despite the collapse of society and family and all that jazz.

Yes, Almanzo and Cap risked their lives for the town, but why weren't they pooling their resources beforehand? What was the point of living in town, as Laura asked frequently, if they were even more isolated than they would be on the claim?

Today's Bizarro made me SOL -

Snort out Loud. (Not as catchy, but it's the truth.)

The comic:




Pardon My Planet also made me snort out loud.



It would be lying to say this, but when I saw today's Lockhorns, I said to myself, "Dude! We talked about Cambrian in science! And I remember it! I'm a genius!"



One last thing - the song of the moment is "Teri Kurti Sexy" from the Bollywood movie Vaada. (No, I have not seen it.)

Since I asked to listen to Becky's music earlier (Britney's new album), I thought she wouldn't mind. But she does.

But you don't!

How to Salsa in Sari & All the Pretty Horses

Guess which one I had to read for school?

Guess which one I read in less than one day? Guess which one I liked more?

How to Salsa in Sari By Dona Sarkar is a YA book that I totally checked out because it had the word sari in the title, and I like books about other cultures, which is why I'm reading Beka Lamb, which is a book set in Belize. My English teacher wanted us to read Beka Lamb, but we didn't have time, but I'm still going to give it a shot.

I liked How to Salsa, so I don't have much to say, except like way to short, I want a sequel!!!!


I feel meh about All the Pretty Horses, and it's part of a trilogy and hell to the no, I'm not touching another one of Cormac McCarthy's books. Unless you paid me. I'd read James Joyce if somebody paid me. Gossip Girl. Everyone. Totally. Pay me.

I'm going home tomorrow! I have internet on my phone, which means I get picture and video mail, which means my mom sent me two videos of her talking to Dixie while Dixie barked! Oh, how I miss my baby girl!

All my finals are over, and I'm getting at least a B in Science! Because my professor was all, "If you're not out of the Honors section, you'll get a C+, otherwise something higher." I was so happy! Until I found out the paperwork had been sitting on a desk for a month. Just. Sitting. There. Keeping me in a honors class. So I'm still waiting. Called the registrar's office around 3, and they called back, and then said they'd call me again if they got the right signature before 4:30. No call. Gotta wait til morning. ::groan::

But this is all part of the most important lesson of college - speaking up, asking questions, building rapport to get your way for everything from a grilled cheese sandwich instead of something inedible to getting you out of a class a month before finals.

Case in point - this semester, there is a new bookstore off campus, but close by. I went there last week, with no book after going to the Tiger Bookstore and selling my History Book. (And maybe my Anthro? Or was that Friday? Damn, the days, they flow so quickly.) I had nothing to sell, but I asked some questions, got a card, and went on my merry, cold way.

Cut to Monday. The school bookstore took my English books and my French book, but not the CDs that go with the French book. And the Tiger Bookstore didn't want them either. The new place did, for $15. I paid $25 (normally $50, but I'd just sold something back) for them a year ago, and, since they're only going to be used another semester (new books), the guys there said the other bookstores might give me $5 or something. Whatever. Call me stupid about money and hopelessly young, but when I'm strung out by exams, all I want is the textbooks and associated paraphanalia gone, I don't care about how much you give me.

So today. It's pouring.

Oh, by the way, I overslept. My exam was at 10:30 and I woke up at 10. I seem determined to prove that living on campus is a damn good idea at least once a semester. Oh well, I think extra sleep is better for me than extra studying.

But pouring rain, just not letting up. That's why I'm still here. Last December, I went home on a drizzly day. Huge mistake, just because when it's wet you're just ugh. Tomorrow it'll be cold, but dry. And Becky will get some vegetarian sushi and get to drop off some scholarship thing.

So the school bookstore didn't want my science book.

And neither did the Tiger bookstore.

So I started walking to the other one, the exact same way I did yesterday. Well, some of these roads are old and dippy. And they fill up fast. Walking back to campus, I took a different route with somewhat shallower puddles, but my butt was already wet and I'd left my backpack open (though with just a sealed pack of pencils and such inside it) on the walk to the healthcenter for a flu shot. I did use my umbrella from time to time today. And I wore flip-flops, which was probably a good thing in all those puddles - at least I don't have to wait for my tennies to dry out. Stinky.

Anyways, I show up at this place, and the guys that work there smile, cuz they remember me and they're new and I was there yesterday and I know they're probably not going to take my science book, but dammit, both semesters, I have had all my books bought back and I'm not breaking my record. I told them I was soaked and miserable, it wasn't about the money, it was about getting rid of the book and the class, could they please take it? I got $10. Sweet. And my legs appear no worse for the midday soaking.

My first semester, I called the campus bookstore about one of my textbooks and a guy said they'd buy back a book. When I got there, the answer was no. Same at Tiger. Found the guy, they bought the book. I am learning things.

Also, this song, Mera Babu Chhail Chhabila by Sophie, is awesome.




One last tip - if your roommate flies the coop, make sure she takes her food-related garbage with her and/or her dirty dishes, or you'll get fruit flies and think you're going crazy. Or at least I did.

And I offer a hearty "Thank you" to every driver who did not splash me today and an even heartier "Fuck you!" to the one who did.

White Noise by Don DeLillo

Finally, a book review. I just checked out this book The Wedding Cake in the Middle of the Road: 23 Variations on a Theme from the library and decided not to read it, so I can't review it and no one can make me read it. (I ordered it a few weeks ago for one reason or another, this happens all the time, but hey, it's free.)

Now, I did not have to read White Noise, since I was part of the group doing the first book (The Handmaid's Tale, which I love), so I didn't have to lead the discussion or look for reviews or anything but discuss it in class.

But I'm a stickler. So I read it. I finally finished Wednesday night, and it was my first feeling of satisfaction associated with the book - I'm done!

Even my professor agrees that this is not a book to sink into and enjoy. It is post-modern and you are supposed to know that and never forget it.

The plot has potential, but we never get a conclusion, and we never care because the characters aren't developed well. There is an "Airborne Toxic Event" and everyone is evacuated. And then the narrator, Jack, discovers that his wife has been taking a medication, Dylar, that is supposed to suppress the fear of death. And she's been sleeping with somebody to get it, since she couldn't get it through the trial study of the drug.

The book has one thing going for it for those assigned it - it is very easy to read, it just slides right through, so it can be quick and painless. (Say, compared to assigned James Joyce.)

I've read a few negative reviews at Amazon (what, I like to see my opinion restated again and again sometimes) and a few people said that the children talk like adults. It's true, they do. The children say wrong things and believe they're right, as do the adults. And there are some conversations where I just could not tell who was talking.

The book is not meant to be read for fun. While you may identify, at times, with the characters, you rarely empathize with them. The setting is meagerly set up, besides the sunsets. (which, of course, represent death. Everything does in this book.)

Next up is All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy. I'm a little nervous because I have some problems with comprehending written violence, since shoot-outs are chaotic and the final printed word is not. It trips me up a bit, in most instances.

In History, I'm reading Confederates in the Attic and it is a great book. The only problem is it was written in the mid-90s, and I am really curious to see how September 11th and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have shaped the views of the people in the book.

This song is driving me mad.

What do I know about this song?

I know that I like it. A lot.

I also know that it is a "sweet song," according to "darudarling" who last logged on a month ago.

It is labeled as a Rajasthani song and the tags are "country," "folk," "world," "music," and "alternative."

There is one comment. (Mine.) However, there are 2 ratings. I know one is mine, and I wouldn't be surprised if the other is well.

None of the related videos are the same song.

Search for the title? Ha! Ayo and Re are very common, and I don't even know if this is the actual title. This has happened a few times, but there are comments correcting the title or related videos that feature the correct title. Oh, I've watched the related videos of similar length, for nothing.

There are clues in the video itself. Starting at 6:48 are credits! In a language I can't read, let alone identify! (Hindi? Arabic? Telugu? Tamil? I know it's not Hebrew.)

So. I doubt anyone reads this thing but me, but on the off chance an expert on Rajasthani music comes by, I'm putting this out there. The last time I asked for help, nothing. I found the book on my own and ordered it ASAP. It's Erasure by Percival Everett, who I had the good luck to meet last semester.

How'd I find it? In a book I got on an impulse at Barnes & Noble one day called Making Friends with Black People by the comedian Nick Adams. It's pretty funny, and it wasn't actually the first time I'd read the book, but when I got to the part where he mentioned black authors. (Forgive me, Mr. Adams. I read it about a year ago and there have been many books since then.) I googled them, and was browsing Percival Everett's wikipedia page when Erasure jumped out at me.

The first time I read the book, it was a library book. Still have no idea why, but why question the results? Unfortunately, it is no longer at the library.

One last bit about the book - I read it over a weekend with the flu. I'd been planning to read the book, and I blazed through it at a speed that still amazes me considering the haze I was in the day before. The narrator is just at the edge of sanity, making the book kinda trippy. So reading while sick with the flu upped the insanity quotient. I hope my next reading will be as trippy. Oh, it's not a book you read more than once a year or so, it's too bleak at times, especially the ending to read too often, especially if you're prone to depression. (Like me.)

So. Erasure by Percival Everett is an amazing book.

And I still don't know enough about this song!

Help!

Thank you.

Two silly lolcats.

Not that there are any serious ones, but still.




more animals

Of course, I couldn't go to the library today because it's raining raining raining was that thunder?


BUT BUT BUT BUT!

I got my Shahrukh Khan shirts from Cafepress and they fit! Eeee! Now I get to confuse people all over the Memphis area, and if I don't, I've found a new friend.

I am quite happy.

No, no, I will not acknowledge that I have a quiz tomorrow!

The Virgin Suicides

I don't remember where I saw the title recently, or why I decided to read it for the first time.

It is a fantastic book, and the movie is equally amazing.

I can't say why it's good, I wish it sucked, so I could rant about that.

Despite their awesomeness, I don't think I'll be reading or watching it more than once a year or so. It definitely changes your mood, and when you're on edge and having some mood swings, well, I wasn't suicidal, but it didn't make me feel chipper.

I do have one minor quibble with the movie, and maybe this will spoil it, but I don't think so.

When the boys come over to the house to see the girls, in the book, Lux is sitting in a beanbag chair, all folded into herself and low to the ground. And all they could see was the lit end of her cigarette. Also, they went into the house. In the movie, she was smoking, but sitting on the couch, not facing them. She opened the door and let them in.

The visual of her in the beanbag is so striking, I wish it had been in the movie.

Other than that, it rocks.

I also watched Bollywood/Hollywood this weekend, and it was pretty decent. I liked 2 of the songs enough to download them, and the rest were good.

However, I watched the "Described Version" of the movie. (I checked out both movies from the library. I could only have them for 3 days and they cost $2 each. But I didn't have to sign up for anything new.)

There was braille on the top of the cover, over the name of the movie. I thought, "Cool, they're helping the blind." And the repetition of "described version" seemed weird. Don't all DVD cases describe the movie?

Also, it was a Canadian film, so I knew it would be weird.

The "described version" of a film is the version for the blind. There is a narrator, describing every action. "He dies," the voice says, as the man dies. For the whole movie. They described the dance moves. Very surreal. And read the credits, but not all, as it said on the back of the case.

I almost didn't watch it, but it wasn't as intrusive or weird as large print is to me. Plus, I didn't want to buy the movie, I just wanted to watch it.

Definitely a surreal experience.

I am in love with this dress.

I just checked out the book Best Dressed, which has pictures and descriptions of some the exhibits from the show Best Dressed: 250 Years of Style, which was at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1998.

This one is from the "Egyptomania" page in the book. It was made in 1923.

A few of the other dresses don't look incredibly old and dated as well, but this one. Wow. I'd wear that if I could. Everything is perfect about it - the loose sleeves, the colors, the shape.

I spent most of the summer looking for a decent informal summer type dress. I found two okay ones, but this is it. Even with sleeves.

I'm in love with contradictions.

Recently, I discovered Spongebob Squarepants. I love it, I think it's funnier than some other shows I've suffered through.

That being said, I will watch Hannah Montana if nothing else is on. However, there is no justification that can be made besides "it makes me laugh sometimes". However, they mix up their stereotypes. They're from Tennessee, and yet Jackson went to school on his first day in Malibu in a cowboy outfit. There are rodeos here, but still. Now, a hunting outfit is a Tennessee stereotype.

The contradictions of my brain became apparent yesterday as I watched Phil of the Future (hilarious and good), followed by an hour of Spongebob.

While reading the graphic adaptation of Howard Zinn's A People's History of American Empire.

Seriously.


Of course, this is not the first time that the contradictions of my personality have shown themselves in such obvious ways.

Right after I got my eyebrow pierced, I went next door and bought a bunch of Archie comics.

Early this spring, I finished a paper and then went outside and blew bubbles. Before going to see an amazing speaker on race.

After my graduation ceremony, I bought a bunch of MAD magazines at an antique store. While dressed up. At the party later on, we had a piñata.

Eek, Recess is on! Ssh!

I'm a geek.

When I first saw commercials for the new movie The Ruins, I thought it was based on this book.

Especially when I found it is based on a book!

But no, it's not the new X-files movie.

And I'm still a geek.

My sense of humor should be revoked.

I liked today's Crock.




My plans? A Law and Order marathon starts at 11am tomorrow morning and is 32 hours long.

Bookmark swapping would be a social step up.

ETA at 4:30 - I said I liked it, I didn't say I laughed at it.

Meet my son, Friday.

Here's the story.

An Italian family named their son Friday. The parents registered him as Friday, and he was baptized as Friday. However, a clerk brought the name to the attention of a tribunal. So now the kid's legal name is Gregory, because he was born on that saint's feast day. The officials changed it to protect him from teasing later on and because Friday is a bad luck day in Italy.

I only checked this out because of the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde.

The main character is Thursday.

Her mom is Wednesday.

Thursday's son is Friday and her daughter is Tuesday.

I think those are nice, interesting names.

However, since the family is Italian, you'd think they'd name their kid "Venerdì".

Friday's an English word with Norse roots, I believe.

One more note - I'd love to have a boy dog named Loki and a girl dog named Thursday. Hopefully they won't fight too much.

One funny quote:

"The Catholic League wants Christians to stay away from this movie precisely because it knows that the film is bait for the books," said president William Donohue.

From an article about 'The Golden Compass'.

Heavens to Betsy! We can't have our kids reading!

Do these people not have real problems to deal with?

I don't know if the Golden Compass series is as popular as Harry Potter, but HP, despite its flaws, got kids (and adults) reading. And some kept reading.

The leaders claiming this movie and other things are threats to their kids' faith must have no faith in their children or their religion. I mean, if a positive story about witches is enough to turn your kid into a Satanist, or a story with a corrupt church makes your kid join a cult, there were some issues already. Though if they're that easily influenced, they should already be protesting the books.

Yes, I know someone who's protesting the film with her church group. No, she hasn't seen it, no she hasn't read it, she just knows it's bad. And apparently they've toned it down.

Whatever, I just loved that quote. How ignorant!


Edit - I have not actually read any of Pullman's books, and I don't want to. I read about half or 3/4 of the first one, and I just couldn't get into it. Oh well, some people like different books. Becky likes the Gossip Girl series, I don't. And yet, the world goes on.

UNHP 1101

"University Honors Program" - I think that's what the letters mean. UNHP 1101 and UNHP 1102 are required for every Honors student here before you start your 5th semester. (I think.)

I took UNHP 1101 this semester and loved it. Everyone else I talked to hated it. Except those in my section (we had a big lecture on Tuesday and then broke up into sections on Thursday). Whatever.

Our last reading assignment was The Pickup by Nadine Gordimer. I read most of it Friday night. It was very hard to get into. I liked the bits about nature - the starkness of the desert, the lush decadence of the rice fields - but if I never read it again, that would be fine.

I'm going to reveal the ending - or part of it.

I know that's mean to all of you waiting on pins on needles to see if Ibrahim gets to leave.

Anyways, Ibrahim gets to go to America. Now in our last UNHP class yesterday, the professors asked us what we thought he'd do - would he live in a Muslim enclave and never get above lower-middle class, would he be a huge success - what?

This guy sitting next to me leaned over and said that he'd probably fly a plane into the towers.

Clearly, he got nothing out of this course. I was accused of being close-minded in English, but sheesh.

A little common sense would show how stupid a thought that is - or a comprehensive reading of the book.

Ibrahim went to informal meetings with other men his age in his own country, and they griped about their government, their country. No anti-American rhetoric there.

Plus, there's why Ibrahim wanted to leave his home country - he wanted to be successful, he wanted to be rich, why would he want to hurt the country he wants to call home?

Jackass. I should have said all this to the guy in class, but I just ignored him.

Idiot.

Dumbledore's gay. BFD.

Actually, JK Rowling thinks so.

I haven't seen anything in the books to support it, and according to this article, he loved a guy, guy died, Dumbledore never loved again. So sad.

But it doesn't matter.

Not to me.

I'm rereading the 6th before finally reading the last one, and I got to thinking about the 'news'.

This does not affect how I read the books, I won't look for clues or hints, because it doesn't matter.

The only romances that matter in the book are the students', since the action primarily focuses on their lives.

Besides, teachers are asexual. And live at school.

Once you figure out what sex is, you realize that everyone with kids (even your parents!! ew!!!!) did it.

But not teachers, come on, that's just weird.

So that's why it doesn't matter to me - Dumbledore's love life isn't important to the story - it may have been in her head, but she didn't put it in the books.

So.

BFD.

Also, I'm sure the people who had conniptions over the devil-worship just love this, since all homosexual men are pedophiles and Dumbledore worked with children, OMG.

If it becomes a big controversy, more books will sell. Perhaps it's a ploy by Rowling to keep sales up, not that she needs it.

So far, everyone I've run into has said, "Oh, I love Harry Potter."

One of my relatives teaches at Stanford and (in June 2003) had at least 3 hardback sets - including the new 5th one.

The books are appealing to people from all walks of life.

Before the first movie came out, I was all, "I don't care, it's popular, I hate it." Then I read the 4 that were out, and loved each one.

I love October.

Halloween candy and scary movies are a part of it, of course, but that's not all.

This week, the weather started its yearly turn from "late summer" to full-fledged fall. Went to bed Wednesday night overheated (11 pm - I am a wild child) and woke up Thursday morning at 7 something (8 am class, ech), turned on the weather channel (the window tells me if the sun is up), and while waiting for my local on the 8s, saw the temperature by the time. 52 degrees.

In the fifties!

Scrap those plans for shorts, eh?

Thursday and Friday, I wore pants and flip-flops (I swear I have tan lines from my school pair) and sweated a bit in the 70s afternoons.

Today? Shorts all the way for walking. I wasn't overheated, but I wasn't shivering.

Memphis loves summer, whether the people like it or not, and fall/winter do not come easily. They have to fight. There will be some nights over the next few weeks when no one gets sleep because of tornado watches which may go to warnings at any moment.

That sounds melodramatic, but it's a fact of life.

So the weather will bounce around - sometimes on a daily basis - pants and a coat for the 8 am class, shorts and a tank top for the 11:20.

Thursday night, I was outside, and the cool/cold air and the dark just brought back so many memories. Not of Halloween, surprisingly enough. Halloween's always been a tossup, it's never been consistent - some years you're in heavy winter coats, other times you're barefoot. No clear memory.

But the later holidays... ah... Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's in Tipton County with fireworks.

I love cold weather, and we're fixing to get nice and cold... after Halloween.

St. Patrick's Day will probably be the end of it, sadly.

The other part of October?

The World Series!

The Evil Empire's been defeated, we've gone to extra innings, the Sox have scored in the double digits, and on and on.

Thursday night I also remembered the last fall games of the season - the bright neighborhood, lit up oddly by the stadium lights, and that tink! of bat and ball.

That is baseball to me - that one noise.

I love me some World Series, don't get me wrong, but I remember these gut busting hilarious games this summer in Florida between the Marlins and the Cards.

The stands were pretty empty, and you could hear this little group of hecklers, it was awesome.

And of course, that tink!

During the World Series and the Division Series and the Championship Series the stadiums are packed and the announcers love to talk.

I love baseball.



Also - on my October walk today I got my Memphis library card! The library is awesomely close to the dorm, and well, Jasper Fforde has a new book! (2 actually, I missed the sequel to the first Nursery Crimes)

And I own Stephen Colbert's book! It was only $18.99 because of an automatic 30% discount. Go figure. He made me break my hardback rule - I generally wait for new books to come out in paperback (I try) before buying (library reading is fine), but hey, the glory that is Colbert deserves hardback.

But not at $26.99.

Bottom of the 9th, Game 2 of the ALCS, tied 6-6 - the Sox will win.