Sunday, December 31, 2006
Books Books and Books
Diary of a Lost Boy* by Harry Kondoleon
Lamb, the Gospel According to Biff, Jesus' Lifelong Pal* by Christoper Moore
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
The Life of Pi* by Yann Martel
Jitterbug Perfume* by Tom Robbins
The Magician's Assistant by Ann Prachet
The Eyre Affair* by Jasper Fjorde
Shopgirl by Steve Martin
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
*means I highly recommend it!
Now, those are books I read for the pleasure of the read - and also as part of the book club I started with my mommy group. I also read oodles of plays for work and non-fiction for research for shows. The list would be giant if I included the books on Eugene O'Neill and Bertorlt Brecht that I have been pouring thru as well as books on theatre theory... Maybe I'll include those next year.
My goal by my birthday 2007 is to have finished WAR AND PEACE. Wish me luck!
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Yule tide
Yule is the winter solstice celebration of the Scandinavian Norse mythology and Germanic pagans. In Neopaganism, this celebration is largely reconstructed to various extents by various groups. In Wicca, a form of the holiday is observed as one of the eight solar holidays, or sabbats, where Yule is celebrated on the winter solstice: in the northern hemisphere, circa December 21, and in the southern hemisphere, circa June 21.
"Yule" and "Yuletide" (also see Yalda) are also archaic terms for Christmas, sometimes invoked in songs to provide atmosphere. Indeed, this is the only meaning of "Yule" accepted by either the full Oxford English Dictionary or the Concise Oxford Dictionary, and people unfamiliar with ancient Norse mythology's pagan traditions will not distinguish between Yule (Joul) and Christmas. This usage survives in the term "Yule log"; it may also persist in some Scottish dialects. In Denmark, Norway and Sweden the term "jul" is still the most common way to express Christmas, as well as "joulu" in Finland and "jõulud" in Estonia.
What is certain, is that Yule celebrations at the winter solstice predate Christianity, and though there are numerous references to Yule in the Icelandic sagas, there are few accounts of how Yule was actually celebrated, beyond the fact that it was a time for feasting. 'Yule-Joy', with dancing, continued through the Middle Ages in Iceland, but was frowned upon when the Reformation arrived. It is, however, known to have included the sacrifice of a pig for the god Freyr, a tradition which survives in the Scandinavian Christmas ham.
The confraternities of artisans of the 9th century, which developed into the medieval guilds, were denounced by Catholic clergy for their "conjurations" when they swore to support one another in coming adversity and in business ventures. The occasions were annual banquets on December 26,
- "feast day of the pagan god Jul, when it was possible to couple with the spirits of the dead and with demons that returned to the surface of the earth... Many clerics denounced these conjurations as being not only a threat to public order but also, more serious in their eyes, satanic and immoral. Hincmar, in 858, sought in vain to Christianize them" (Rouche 1987, p. 432).
Thursday, December 21, 2006
And I can't help...
1. He did the laundry.
2. He says he loves me every time we talk on the phone - no matter who is in the room with him.
3. He pretends not to know what I bought him for Christmas.
4. He introduced me to the Simpsons (the cartoon) almost 13 years ago and we laugh like hell at it.
5. He tries really hard to distract the baby so I can take a shower. He really does.
6. He brings in firewood and takes out the garbage.
7. He just looked really sexy when I watched him (from my car) buying new tires for his car...
8. He loves the baby.
9. He waits for me to get home so we can open the holiday cards together.
10. He's brilliant and doesn't flaunt it.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
oral hygenie
Sunday, December 10, 2006
whaa?
Friday, December 01, 2006
being overwhelmed
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
menus
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday - so the menu is tres important. At least I have a couple days before I need to start buying stuff.
And I need to make fudge...
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
lack of sleep
Sunday, November 12, 2006
rent a car
Saturday, November 11, 2006
where does the dollar go
Friday, November 10, 2006
ARG
1. My husband and daughter. To be loved and love in return is the greatest thing in the world.
2. Freya and Baldur. Two dogs that get into everything and I wouldn't have them any other way.
3. Pizza.
4. Chocolate.
5. Wine and port.
6. The Democrats wining the house.
7. The London Philharmonic playing Led Zeppelin. They do Pink Floyd too -- must get that album.
8. Sunsets - tonight was beautiful
9. Having my own washer and dyer. Really. No foolin' - I am so grateful for that.
10. Kisses
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
the calm
It is nice to just take a deep breath.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Led Zeppelin?
Monday, October 23, 2006
mac here I come
Friday, October 20, 2006
a few weeks later...
Big sigh of relief. And a little tear that she is growing up so fast.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
What happens when you go back to work.
She was sad.
I guess it is supposed to get better by week three... which will be next week. Until then, I will be sad too...
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
My husband could read my e-mail any time - and I his. But we don't. It's private. I think it should be. I'd never open his mail. So why would I open his e-mail.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Venom part 2
I feel better knowing who it is, all though the original sting still hurts.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Ode to Stem Cells
I wrote this last year for a show
ODE TO STEM CELLS
By the Grace of God, we found you
Hidden, deep within the well of our mortality.
Our spirit.
By the Wiles of Man, we have embraced you
The knowledge of nature that is awakened within you.
Our essence.
To extend our fleeting, minuscule existence
Determined by God, now by Man or by God through Man
The ailments of yore and the impending plagues
alleviated and exacerbated within the human frame.
By the Physics of Immortaliy, we comprehend you
But we can never grasp the truth of the venture.
Our moral fiber
For we cannot reach to the heavens only imagine.
Stuck at home...
In our "confinement" I have watched a lot of TV and movies. I have all these books, but every time I try to read - she wants to know what I have in my hand. I wasn't worried about having the TV on too much, but now my daughter is actually starting to WATCH it. She is sucked into her "baby crack" aka Baby Einstein videos -- but now, she's even watching the news with me. This is bad.
So happy we're getting out of the house tomorrow...
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Speed demons
There is no sidewalk where I live. So, when I put the baby in the carrier and walk the two dogs, I have to be careful around certain bends in the road. I don't mind the traffic - there is not that much. Plus the majority of drivers, slow down and move to the side as to not even get close to us... But there are others who drive 35 or 40 mph in this residential district. They seem oblivious to people walking on the road. And its not just me walking - there are kids playing and joggers and other folks with their dogs. Sometimes I have to suppress the urge to throw the dogs' poop bag at their windshield.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Dogs
But back to the days stroll...
As we walked we came across a Rottweiler, very nice dog. But, he was off his leash, hanging with his owners in the front of his house. He startled us by jumping out of a bush - and his owners promptly called him back. Damn near gave me a heart attack. That is a big problem in our literal "neck of the woods" - people don't mind the leash laws, nor do they care if their dogs wonder around. Could this be why the grinch hates dogs?
I've brought a bunch of strays home - called their owners and had them picked up. Thank goodness I've done that because one of our dogs got out when we were in San Diego and a good Samaritan called us. Karma points are good things to build up. During the heavy rains and thunderstorms we had this year - dogs were getting out all the time. This is why our dogs stay in the house when we're not home...
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Today's contemplations
1. Lunch.
2. Why people hit their brakes when they see a cop giving someone a ticket
3. Why my dog has no will power when in comes to chicken
4. Breakfast
5. How I am going to get my daughter to sleep the night in her crib.
6. String theory
7. The final Jeopardy answer
8. Who Shakespeare actually wrote the sonnets to
9. What color to dye my hair
and
10. What to do with my life...
Friday, June 23, 2006
Venom
I know I shouldn't let it bug me -- but I do.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
PC Police
So I chatted with another mom after everyone had left. "Did I say something wrong?" I asked her. She explained, that there are certain people in this VERY liberal area in which we live, that just don't understand or know gay folks - and thus are terrified themselves that they will say something offensive and be considered homophobic.
Great, so now I am being judged because these people are narrow minded. I have to say - it really made me feel like crap. These women are part of a Moms group that I hooked up with so my daughter could play with other kids. I guess I am just going to have to limit my conversation to poopy diapers and the weather.
I think they all need to watch some Carlos Mencia.
Friday, June 09, 2006
The supermarket check out
Monday, June 05, 2006
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Flying and other modes of transportation
Lots of moms seem to travel in the mid-afternoon. I have yet to see a Dad solo with a baby -- toddler, yes - baby, no. And most of the moms are solo. Hmmm... wonder what that means...
I had to rent a car on one of these round trips. You can only rent automatics. Now, I have only been driving a "stick" for about four years. I love it. Automatics are boring. The guys at the rent-a-car place when I returned ut were overly gregarious. It was kinda annoying - and grotesque. But, when I picked up the car - they took four phone calls before they helped me and that too was annoying.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
todays borrowed thought
Robert Frost
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Technology dependent
I also lost my cell phone a couple weeks ago. I was lazy and did not put phone #s in my palm - so when I lost the phone, I lost everyone's numbers. I didn't even have my mom's number. Thank god I actually knew my older sisters "digits" - and she gave me the important ones. Now, one would think these numbers would be in my palm pilot. Wrong. I forgot to hotsink with my desktop 10 months ago and my desktop was attacked by 21 spyware viruses, prompting me to do a clean sweep of my computer. The only file forgot to back-up --- you guessed it, my phonebook...
For mother's day my husband got me a camera phone - it's pretty nice. And as irony would have it - the week I got the phone, he broke our digital camera. So now my phone is the only way to chronicle out daughter's life.
I am technology dependent.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Monday, May 01, 2006
Judas, Lutherans and Da Vinci
My father is a Lutheran minister but I would not classify myself as anything. Perhaps it is my way of rebelling but I don’t want to define myself according to an organized religion. I am drawn to religion from a scholarly perspective, I think. Maybe I am just trying to figure out what “fits.” Who knows. I just don’t see how one group of people can be “right.”
My dad’s side of the family had a reunion last summer. Now, these are a bunch of terrific people. All of my uncles are ministers and my aunt is married to one (my grandfather was a minister too) – so let’s just say – religion is super imortant. Anyway – they put together a new family list, complete with addresses, e-mails and birthdays. And now I get a Lutheran magazine delivered to my house every month. Perhaps my relatives noticed my sister and me “faking” our way through the Prayers of Thanksgiving. Or maybe it was the way we chose NOT to discuss what we do on Sunday mornings (for me it’s usually coffee and reading the New York Times; for my sister it’s sleeping in). But, someone must have thought we needed a subscription to the magazine – that we needed a little “saving.” It wasn’t just sent to me, but my sister as well. Perhaps it is curiosity, like watching The Factor, but I flip through it. It’s interesting but heavy handed. It’s not going to change my views on religion.
Back to the topic at hand: years ago, I read Elaine Pagel's books on the Gnostic Gospels (and her Origin of Satan – which is a great read) – so this latest info on Judas doesn’t exactly surprise me. Besides, anyone who has seen Jesus Christ Superstar (one of my favorite musicals) – sees sympathetic Judas, different from the one depicted in the bible
What disturbs me are the people that are so adamant about the bible being the word of God and their fervor to defend it. And what I find even more disconcerting is the growing number of people who quote verse from the bible without having read it and then try to convert you! My father has been known to have full-on conversations with these door-to-door bible thumpers. The end result is usually the undoing of the door ringing nuisance by my father’s gift of debate. To my father’s credit, he actually liked The Last Temptation of Christ and saw it as an interesting interpretation of the passion. I have yet to ask him if he saw Mr. Gibson’s foray into the biblical film genre.
What I find quite silly (because to find it unsettling would give it way too much clout), is the millions of Da Vinci code fans that think Dan Brown stumbled onto some “new” information. That’s just ridiculous and people should read more than just fiction written like a screenplay. Esoteric texts have been readily available for years (currently in internet form on the Sacred Text Archive – which is fantastic site and I recommend checking it out – see the links to the side). Besides, he is not the first person to take on the bible… There was another book I remember reading when I was in junior high. Can’t remember the name of it. But, at the end – the romantically linked couple came across some old pottery, which held scrolls. The scrolls held the last words of God – in which God admits he made a mistake in creating the ‘flawed’ man and is going to leave us to our own devises… I remember telling my mother – who gave me the book – “Well that actually makes sense.” Unfortunately, the author didn’t quite know how to end his story (sorta like Dan Brown) and the couple decides that it would shatter the world to reveal their findings, so they keep the secret… Too bad…
Saturday, April 29, 2006
365 plays
I'm reading Harry Kondoleon's Diary of a Lost Boy He's really good. He reminds me of a tame Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club, Lullaby, Choke...).
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
And its gets scarier
We discovered that perhaps I wasn't talking to a human being at all - rather a sophisticated recording that listens for "key words" -- this would explain why she continued to talk over me.
We discovered that the paid Board Chairman of this non profit (who makes over $55K)is a right wing Christian. We found a couple freaky quotes from this man - telling Christians who say "if you are against abortion, don't have one" that they are weak and Jesus would have taken a stand. And there are more of these zealous and dangerous right wing soundbites. Next time I'm telling them I'm a witch.
We discovered that even though Dove is a non-profit, that the end of their survey call is a sales pitch for a for-profit company that sells edited videos.
We discovered that the Dove Foundation did not meet with four of the "Standards of Charity Accounting" -- a big one being that their Board chair is paid.
We discovered that several states have restraining orders against DOVE due to the above mentioned video sales.
We discovered that in their reviews "alcohol" is considered a drug and that even the hit of pre-marital sex is enough to get a the "non recommended" rating.
If we find out anything else, we'll let you know.
A lot of people on line are saying that they get multiple calls. Will report if I get pestered again... Maybe I'll play along next time...
The phone rang
This woman recited a scripted speech asking me if I agreed that TV ratings have gotten too lax. If I felt TV programming was something I couldn’t do anything about. If I felt helpless as a parent when it came to finding “wholesome” entertainment? When she finished, she said, “Do you agree?”
I said, “No.”
There was silence. I am sure she heard my 8th month old daughter fussing in the background and was shocked by my response. I then said, “You’re talking about censorship”
‘No ma’am I’m not”
“Yes you are.” As I spoke about how TV ratings were just fine and that it is the parent’s responsibility to monitor what their children watch, she continued her scripted speech on the other end. I think we both stopped talking at the same time.
She said, “Well we want to talk with people that think this is an issue and agree that there is a problem”
“Okay, Fine.”
So the Dove Foundation doesn’t want to hear from people who disagree with their principles. But what is the Dove Foundation and what are their principles?
I was curious. So, I went to their website – please check it out – it’s www.dove.org . Here’s their mission statement “ THE DOVE FOUNDATION is a non-profit organization established to encourage and promote the creation, production and distribution of wholesome family entertainment”. You can read their reviews of films (recent and on video) and also take their on-line survey. Oh – please take it. When you’re done link to the survey “results.” I’m not sure how good their data is if they wont even talk someone like me since I don’t agree with censorship. I think there might be a little preaching to the choir going on at the Dove Foundation that is skewing their data… Did I say preach? Well that leads me to…
The first thing I noticed on their website was that their recommended video game of the week is “The Bible Game” – okeley dokeley. Their chairman’s letter bemoans the capitalistic take over of Easter and Christmas. So, “wholesome family values” = “Judeo-Christian philosophy” in DOVEland. I found it also fascinating that one of their board members produced Xmen – and it got their recommendation. Hmmm. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen did not… Hmmm. Both have a lot of sexual innuendo, violence, creatures… Hmmm… Oh, and they have a list of recommended “EDITED” DVDs. I am not even going to go into the major problems I have with that.
By the way, none of the “Harry Potter” films are approved (for any age) – you know – because of Occultism (one of their rating criteria). May I quote from the review? Here ya go “But along with the learning of incantations, potions, wand waving and broomstick riding, HARRY includes other elements which the Bible also takes a negative view of. More disturbing is the concept of an evil wizard’s spirit co-habiting another’s body. It will be difficult, if not impossible, in most families, Christian and secular alike, to deny their children’s desire to see the film, but witchcraft, conversing with the dead, and possession should be maturely discussed with young viewers. Despite its positive messages and honorable characters, we cannot, in good Spirit, endorse HARRY POTTER as recommendable.”
Interesting that “Spirit” is the capital “S”.
Now there is some serious crap on TV. I should know. I watch a lot of it. But, there is also quality programming, mostly on cable. As a parent, it is my responsibility to monitor what my child watches and to not use the TV as a babysitter. If my daughter is going to watch something too “mature” for her, with my permission, you better believe I am going to sit down and watch it with her AND have a conversation with her about what she’s seen. I don’t need some foundation whose opinions of what are “wholesome family entertainment” are not synonymous with my own. Just because it says “Disney” doesn’t mean I’m going to let my daughter watch it – I could go on for days about how much I damage those “princess” movies do to a young girls psyche. But, you better believe that all the “princesses needing a prince” movies received the Dove Seal of Approval. Is telling your daughter that she is only a success if she marries (and marries well) really the message we want to send to little girls? Give me Hermione or Mulan any day. But this is a topic for another entry.
The TV rating system is something I never thought should be in place to begin with. But it’s there. Get a “V” chip is you’re worried and don’t trust your child. But, as prohibition taught us, the more you restrict something, the more people want it. There is a black market for everything. I remember sneaking downstairs with my older sister to watch “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” – when I was 11. It was a rated “R” movie and had nudity. I know you’re shocked. I also snuck into some really horrible Patrick Swayze and Jamie Lee Curtis movie with my friends when I as in jr. high, just because it was rated “R”.
Did those ratings stop me? Nope. It just made it more exciting. Did I like the movies – can’t say I really remember them.
So, in parting, please visit the Dove Foundation and let them know what you think.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Friday, April 14, 2006
The sixth sense
Monday, April 10, 2006
Fair and Balanced
I think I agreed with him because I’m now a Mom and I really don’t want some sexual predator to target my child – I want to protect her. But I have to stop and think - by the time my girl is old enough to know/be curious about sex, where will technology be? In the last 16 years I went from having a Smith Corona Personal Word Processor with a built in printer and “data disks” to a laptop that connects to the internet from any room in my house. Blogs are the norm, e-mail is the way we all communicate – so should I deny her privacy and monitor like a hawk all her correspondence and surfing? I can put a firewall around her – so like Brunhilde (does that make me Woton?) – to protect her, but will that be enough? Is that too much? How much freedom do we give our children? How overprotective can I be? Should I be? By the time she’s 13 – her computer will be the size of her cellphone and she’ll be able to tap into the net from anywhere --wait – that technology is possible nowadays. So, who knows where we’ll be. Should I even start thinking about this now?
Friday, March 31, 2006
smugness
Monday, March 20, 2006
Introduction
You're more than welcome to ramble back, or just read.
Welcome to my head.