Election Reflection

Wow.

Just wow, America.

I'm not talking about the results of this year's presidential election. I'm talking about people's reactions. And I am disappointed in many of my countrymen. Going through social media I have never seen so much hate-filled reactions as I have this morning. So many cruses, and demands to be disassociated with people who voted differently than them, and thinly veiled derogatory remarks made me very angry. Where is the 'tolerance' and 'love' that so many people claim to have (especially when things go their own way)? And don't start with the argument that 'it's all going to go away'; that's a cheap cop out.


This year's choices left much to be desired. There was no good option, just the lest bad option, and no one was going to be happy with the result. What we do now will define us. So stop complaining! We take the result that's been given us work with it and make the best of the situation. We have the right to vote, and we should not be belittled for exercising that right.



So America - respect each other!

Breath In, Breath Out

There is a that tired feeling one gets when one has had enough. Some people call it burn out, others call it world weariness. Of the two, I think I am somewhere in between. It is a surreal sense of being alone in an overcrowded room with all the shouts and noise muffled in your own mind.

I do not really need a life line, just some prayers, positive thoughts, and so forth. Intercessory prayers with these guys would be very much appreciated.

Do We Think Anymore?

Several weeks I took part of a conversation with several co-workers that I do not normally work with; well it was mostly me just standing there and the other three talked. The topic of this conversation was the holds list - to explain if there is a book, let's say a particular book about fishing, if the local library does not have it the librarian (or the patron through their account) can place a request for that fishing book and whichever library has it will send it off. It's a neat system and I have used it on multiple occasions. On the library end of this system the holds list is the list of requested items are we have to go through the stacks to find and send off to the requesting library.When it's printed off it is in order by the call number.

Seems simple enough, right? Well, the difficulty (and a minor one at that) is that each library has set up their collection in their own way. One library might have collected the Christian Inspirational, African American, Large Print, or Short Stories each into one area that is not denoted by the call number. This results, especially when still learning a particular library's setup, in the librarian zigzagging across the library if they are going in strict order of the call number.

The zigzagging was main component of the conversation (it was more like a mini-rant). I listen as one person wondered if there was a way to program the holds list so that the zigzagging could be eliminated. The other two agreed and I was a bit dumbfounded.

I think what bothered me so much about that conversation was how depended some of my co-workers were upon the computer system to arrange everything for them. One of the first things I do when I arrive for work is pull the holds from the shelve. But before I disappear into the stacks I go over the list and make note of which items can be found where, then I go to each section of the collection to find the items. I may change up the order from day to day, like finding the audio-books first before going to non-fiction or looking through the Mysteries before the Large Print.

As I was growing up I was always taught that computer programs and the like were a great supplement, but not a replacement to my thinking. It was a time saver, not my brain. This is how I view the holds list; to quote Pirates of the Caribbean, the list "is more what you'd call 'guidelines'" than a strict order of things. It makes pulling the holds easier, but it is not going to completely dictate how I go about pulling the holds. If somehow the computer program for the library  is set up so that it takes into consideration the format of each collection, fine by me, but I am not going to hold my breath for it.

Overworked, Overwhelmed, and School has Only Just Started

Once upon a time I received an message in my work email inviting me to apply for a leadership program with in the library system where I am currently employed. With everything I already have on my plate I did not really want to add another item to my agenda. But I printed off the email with the intention of contemplating it over once I was home.

To make a long story short, at my parents' encouragement I did apply and surprisingly accepted into the program. Part of the application was to included a project that would contribute somehow to the workings of the library system weather behind the scenes or directly with patrons. After racking my brain and bouncing ideas off of a few co-workers I came up with the idea of a basic library instruction for the general public.  Basically it would be something that would explain how to use the library and what to find there. So on top of my regular duties I now have that project to do.

A little stress, yes.

I'm continuing volunteering for the Middle School Youth Group at my Church.  There were too many mothers asking if I would be back this year for me to even say no. However the main reason is that I do enjoy giving talks and the Youth Director, Lauren, is an absolute sweetie. But compiling and writing a fifteen to twenty minute talk does take a bit of time to do. When I started helping with the youth program I did not think that I would enjoy it. But I gave it a chance and surprisingly I did enjoy it, and the kids on a few of the talks were very interested in what I was saying. With such a positive reaction I realized that I was able to do some good with the Youth Group. My hope is that the kids will remember a handful of things I talk about in the years down the line.  If they do then I can mark off my endeavor as a success.

More stress, yep.

The next chapter of my schooling is just about to start for my Master's degree. I am equal parts excited and nervous. The first semester went well with good grades but I went through it with an extreme amount of stressing out and good amount of sleeplessness. I don't want a repeat of that I really don't.  That being said, I did enjoy what I learned and I even signed up for another class with one of the professors I already had. He made everything he taught about sound so epic with plenty of geeky type references.

A lot of stress - you betcha!!

There is another semester of core classes that I have to take before I can go into my electives.  I have a vague idea of what direction I want to go with my degree. But with the way somethings are playing out in my life I think I am being pushed into a direction that I am not certain I want to be pushed towards.  But I am not going to focus on that at the moment. My current mantra has turned into 'Just get through school.' So I'm just going to focus on my schoolwork and slowly figure out what I'm going to do after I graduate.

Onward and upward.

What's Happened to Love?

I fully admit that I read young adult novels.  It's a habit I develop in school when I wanted something light and easy after reading dense philosophy and theology texts. A nice reprieve.  One main reason I veered towards the young adult novels is that I know that there will not be a sex scene, maybe intense awkward kissing but no sex.

So with the desire to vegging out I began reading The Selection by Kiera Cass.  Best way I can describe the book without getting into too much detail is that it's a water down version of the Hunger Games meets the teen version of The Bachelor/ette.  Overall the story was meh.  It had the overused trope of love triangle with a all talk don't see a lot of action war going on in the background.  Again me reading this series was solely for the purpose of vegging out.  It worked all the way up to the last few chapters of the third and, thankfully, last book when the main girl and the prince start stripping off each other's clothes.

Let me repeat that - stripping off each other's clothes!!!!

My brain crashed in on itself when I first read the passage.  Fortunately they stop when they reach the last layer of underclothing because they didn't want to get caught.  This point in the story they just declared their love for each other and are unmarried.

I quickly finished the book just to know what happened. It was predictable with unnecessary angst and way too many side characters killed off for dramatic effect.  I guess the author was going for a 'earn your happy ending' trope.

It is an unfortunate trend I see with anything about love directed at the tween to young adult audience.  Love has become less about wanting the best for the other (ultimately getting that person to Heaven) and more about physical gratification.  There are common placed, and getting overused descriptions of 'eyes clouded with want', 'a need that they could not explain', 'quickening pace of the heart' all used to describe what true love is like.  Having never been in love, I do not know what it is like, but I do know what is expected of people when they are in love (many thanks to parental units and married sibling).

Love in it's truest form is selfless, wanting what is best for the other.  You can get mad at your spouse, fight, give the silent treatment, disagree, or keep secrets, because lets face the facts we're human we made more mistakes then we would care admit to anyone.  In the marriage vows it states that you will be by your spouse's side for better or worse, not just when you are happy.  There is no such thing as 'Happily ever after' because being in love takes effort, work, and determination. We live within the passing of time, never just in a moment.  We remember and relish the happy moments, we try to ignore the bad, but we cannot stay.

As I rant about love another book comes to mind: Arms of Love by Carmen Marcoux.  In this novel a young couple work on having a chaste courtship/relationship and everyone, outside of the girl's family and friends, sees their actions as something defective.  I read this one several years ago when I was still in college. While I applaud the efforts of Mrs. Marcoux to present love authentically, I really cannot recommend the book. I really did want to enjoy the book, and on Amazon there are many positive reviews, but in the end it felt fake.  It was more of a sermon with a thin plot rather than a story with a moving message.  I doubt many secular or non-Catholics would even consider reading it. For me the Catholicism in the book felt ... too touchy-feely for me. But I'm a smells and bells kinda girl.

I have witness relationships that seemed to have stepped out of pages of 'Arms of Love' and they have the strange aftertaste of spurious and induce fear for any children they may have. DO NOT misunderstand me, chastity (both mind and spirit) rocks in my humble opinion.  But something does not ring right when a couple waits til they exchange their vows for their first kiss.  An act such as that has a gnostic feel to it, like the couple is saying they are better than the rest because they rise above the physical acts of affection (kissing, hugging, holding hands).

Take the book as you will. I'm not going to force you to read it.

With the recent release of '50 Shades of Gray', a pornographic fanfic turned book turned box office record breaking movie I feel that we as a society has lost touch on what love actually is.  Love is expressed in so many muddy confusing ways that in the ends leaves many wanting more, thus looking for that something more in all the wrong places and end up hurt.

St. Raphael the Archangel, Patron of Love and Lovers, Ora Pro Nobis.

Oh Humanity, you make me despire!

Members of the race of man for many years have lead me to worry about the future of our race.  I'm sure that everyone has had those moments where you wonder how in Heaven's name did the person before survive into adulthood without getting smacked upside the head a few times or just getting there in the first place.

Just sit in a public area and listen to those around you and see what you pick up.

I got a one:

A woman is trying to push a door open and is getting frustrated because it's not opening.  She stomps over to one employee and demands to know why the door is locked.  The employee calmly explains that you have to push really hard to open it.  The man with the lady pushes the door and it opens.  The woman than looks at the employee and says that there should be a sign on the door that says 'push'.  If the woman was willing to look she would have seen that in big letters says 'PUSH' right where you're suppose to push.  It's kinda hard to miss.


Please insert your own face palm or desk head bang here.

'Singing in the Rain' for Today

Some of you may recall a post I did about a year and a half ago concerning a cover of one of my favorite songs, 'Singing in the Rain'.  The only thing I will repeat about that post is that the writers and music arrangers for the show 'Glee' should still die.

Anyway, I found a cover of the song done by another popular singer, Usher.  I'm not a huge fan of him, but I'll listen to him when he comes on the radio and I find him a good singer I'm not embarrassed to listen to.  In my roaming on Youtube I found his cover and I thought it was a very good homage to Gene Kelly.  What do you think?

Please enjoy!

Lady Egad!!

Give me the allowance to indulge myself in a small rant.  I have often verbally ranted and I have found it to be very therapeutic.  I'm sure many of you girls know what I mean.  Well, here it is!!

I very strongly with a passion, dislike, yes dislike for hate is too strong of a word, dislike Lady Gaga.

I now duck for a moment as some readers will most likely throw something at their computers.  If everyone has calm down, I shall proceed.

When she debut on radio she was singing techno and has gone on to join the collective 80s throwback.  Neither genres of music I particular clamor to listen to.  But when she first appeared everyone fell head over heels infatuated with her.  Which meant more songs for me to suffer through.  Truth be told Lady Gaga is one of the man reasons I stopped listening to the radio altogether, but that is a story for another time.

The more songs I heard of hers the more I realized that I did not like her style of music.  Just a personal touch.  Than I saw her . . . a little part of my artistic soul was hung, drawn and quartered, twice, than buried in unconsecrated ground.

Do not get me wrong, I support people who express themselves through their manner of dress.  I applaud the man who can pull off a kilt or waist coat.  I cheer the woman who can carry a parasol down the street without a second thought.

At first I thought the outfits were for her music videos, but I was sadly mistaken.  She wears the over the top and, quiet frankly, unflattering clothes all the time.


A moment of silence please for another part of my artistic soul that has been tortured to death.

**Moment of Silence**

Moving on.

Despite all this I was willing to just not really care about along with a bunch of other 'singers' out there.  Not actively seeking out or outright ignoring them.  Oddly enough when a song of hers came on and I did not know it was Lady Gaga I still did not like it (proof I have taste).  It was not until I saw one of her music videos for one of her more recent songs (I now use that term loosely in regards to her) that took her to my 'strongly dislike' category.


I won't say which one, but I will say that the imagery was confusing and pornographic.  Yes, I accuse Lady Gaga of making readily available porn.  Defend yourself!!!!!  In that same music video you can see her holding what looks like a rosary or something close enough to it, dressed similar to a nun of some sort, puts the pseudo-rosary in her mouth and makes mockery of the symbol of the cross.  Yeah, be surprise that I still have a computer to update this blog on.  It took all that I had not to burst out into tears because, to be perfectly honest, that music video felt like it was slapping me in the face, stabbing me in the gut, twisting my arm, mocking my faith, and all around doing everything it possibly could to make me hurt.

Now many of you may think that's over reacting to an artistic vision of a music video.  Well, see it from my side for a moment:  Imagine that something that is very essential to you and is part of who you are is taken to the public square and everyone in town  throws knifes at it and insults it for everything it's worth reducing it down to rubble.  After that everyone proceeds to stamp it into dust as they drunkenly dance on the remains, desecrating it and then throw all sorts of trash and muck on it.  All for the sake of art.

That, my readers, is not art, it's bullying plain and simple.

Do You Know What Your Shirt is Saying?

T-shirts -- the epitome of casualness, no fuss nor muss of clothing.  It says 'Today is one of comfort and ease.'  I have my share of t-shirts, ranging from the solid colour tee to ones sporting sayings (I especially love my 'Hello Sweetie' shirt - River Song is awesome!)  It is my ultimate stay-at-home wear!  I have developed the need to spruce up my appearance whenever I have to go out into public, even for errands.  This does not mean I put on a dress when I need to run out and get bread.  I usually put on a blouse over my t-shirt or put on a polo shirt, then go out.

I know not everyone shares this same fashion sensibility as I do and as long as people are modestly and respectfully dressed I really don't mind what you have on.  Which brings me to the question stated above: Do you know what your shirt is saying?

With my weekend job I see a lot of t-shirts and I entertain myself by looking for very clever designs.  I am not ashamed to say I am partial to geeky shirts concerning Doctor Who, Star Wars, etc.  I get giddy when I see a shirt bearing an joke or phrase that only fans would understand and it brightens my day when the customer geeks out with me! :)  (Say it with me people: Don't Blink!)

Then there are those designs that make me scratch my head and wonder 'How did that get past good taste?'  This category includes crude phrases to suggestive images.  Most of these tend to be focus on sexual conquest and objectifying woman (many times both).  I have often run out of brain bleach with the frequency in which I see these shirts.  I am also very surprise when women are wearing t-shirts that demean their personhood into an object of sex to be use and then thrown away.  Can someone explain why woman do that do themselves?  What really gets my goat is when I see a suggestive comment on a child's, (yes you read that correctly, a child's) shirt.  (I want my goat back!)  I have often wanted to ask the wearer of these shirts 'Do you know what your shirt is saying?' but due to my position of customer service and mostly it is not my place to remark to a stranger, I say nothing.  

I guess in a way this relates back to my post on swearing, both being very similar.  I hope that someday people will remember that being funny doesn't have to be crude and that a lot of these t-shirts are very insulting and hurtful. 

So I ask again: Do you know what your shirt is saying?

I end this post with a toast to good humor and taste!

Prost!

The Power of Words

I think it's been just over a month since my last post.  Life got in the way and there was nothing I could do about it.

Anyway...... On to the next post!

"Words, words - they're all we have to go on."



This quote is from a play I recently did working as an assistant director from 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead' by Tom Stoppard.  It is an absurdist, existentialist tragicomedy, one I would recommend seeing it about two or three times to understand all the subtle humour that is in it.

The above quote was the one of the few that stuck with me when I first read the script because it is so true.  The English language in particular has so many words in it that many people who take up English as a second language consider it one of, it not the most expressive language on the planet.  This makes sense when one thinks about the many influences other languages have had on it.

When one knows the English language well, one is able to create anything from expressive poetry to thinly or heavily veiled threats.  It's all in the words!

With that said it sadden me when I have talk with people who have been raised in an English speaking nation and the words coming out of their mouths sound nothing like the language.  For one of the many jobs that I hold I have to deal with a lot of young people, who, for some reason or another, speak, what I understand people call, Ebonics.

I have tried my best to understand it, but to me it sounds as though the person is too lazy to pronounce the  word and thus makes his speech sound like he is talking through mush.  At this point I would like to point out that I have little to no problem when is comes to accents or slang (i.e. That's so wicked! Dude! or even Yo!).  Accents and slang reflect a local area's culture; England has the Cockney accent, New York City has the Brooklyn accent, Texas has the Cowboy-like accent (I have no idea what the official name of it is).  Within these accents and slangs there is still some sense of grammar, none of which I can find in Ebonics no matter how hard I try.

Which brings me to the point that got this whole post started: 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead'.  This show has so much word play and subtle humour that is unfortunately went over the heads of many people in the audience.  When I work purely backstage for a show I enjoy listening to the audience's reaction.  For this show I was at least hoping for good heartfelt chuckles, but instead I should have brought a recording of crickets for most of the performances.  We did, thank goodness, have two good audiences (I cannot tell you how draining it is when you are on stage and you get no reaction from the audience).

The playwright, Tom Stoppard, said that this show had to been seen rather than read, I agree.  Reading a play and seeing a play are two completely different experiences.  But I have to say that when I first read the script I was laughing hysterically over the seemingly nonsensical syllogisms and explanations of actions.  It's all there in the words! 

Words are a powerfully thing that is no longer utilized by the common people.  We have been reduced down to cursing for anything ranging from a stubbed toe to getting frustrated at people.  Even using curses and swears to describe good things (that I can't wrap my head around).  I say it is time to reclaim the English language and use it the fullest potential!!

Find a word, use it, add it to your arsenal of words!!

Keep English alive!

Let us not be reduced down to '1984' simple speech!

The 'Glee' I Heard Made Me Cry

It's been awhile since my last post and my only reason is that I've been extremely busy with ....stuff. A poor excuse indeed, but alas, my only one.

At the persistence of some girls I'm working with in a play, I watched a clip of 'Glee'. I guess it was the end of the episode performance there was no other way for it to fit into the show. The clip was entitled "Singing in the Rain/Umbrella"; it should be noted that I loved the movie 'Singing in the Rain', I grew up watching it, singing the songs and even trying to dance along (the last bit was at the expense of my head and furniture). So I see the title and I think that they are trying to reintroduce old classical showtunes to the modern audience. With that thought I click play . . . two and a half minutes of my life later and I was ready to do two things. The first being to plot the death of the 'Glee' writers and music arragners; second listening to the original 'Singing in the Rain' with Gene Kelly over and over and over again until my mind was purged of the sacrilege I has just heard.

I sent a link of the 'Singing in the Rain/Umberlla' clip to my friend Jackie, who has a much better ear for music than me and can sing fantastically, to get her opinion. Jackie is my go to girl for music, she has been singing Gilbert and Sullivan operas since she was a wee lass and loves theatre as much as myself. I knew I would get a good and through examination of the piece. I wait for her to listen and gather an opinion.

But as I waited for Jackie to get back with me I started listening to other 'Glee' recordings and I noticed something rather interesting about the voices. Let me first say that the singing is decent - no one, from what I've heard, is 'nails on the chalkboard' bad, but that just it . . . they're not bad. There's nothing about the singing that makes me say 'Wow, they're really good!' or 'I want to listen to more of their songs!', it was more along the lines of elevator music -- something to listen to so there no awkward silence between you and the other five strangers going up with you.

I then hear a ping noting Jackie response. Her reaction, I quote, "The cast of Glee should DIE!" I am sure this was a rather mild reaction (it's always so hard to gauge emotions over chat). She makes mention of how the voice sound as though they have been corrected by a computer thus robbing them of any personality in the voice. I agree with her whole heartedly.

The arrangement of the piece also left something lacking. The title suggest that the song 'Singing in the Rain' would be the predominate one of the two merged together, so you could imagine my surprise when I clicked play another song started. It took me a while to remember that 'Umbrella' was a pop song that was over played on the radio a few years back. I was disappointed to find that there was only ONE verse of 'Singing in the Rain' in whole rendition which was over dominated by 'Umbrella'. I was never really a big fan of the song, nor a big opponent -- it was just REALLY over play for me. Out of the two songs I believe that 'Singing in the Rain' deserved more air time, because it is a song that has defined music; its listed as number three on American Film Institute's 100 Years . . . 100 Songs list. Number 3, people!!

On a final note I would like to say that I do not think that the cast of 'Glee' is talentless, I just find them . . . untrained. Give them all good voice instructors and then imagine what they could do. Whatever that would be, it would at least be better then it is now.

Until the next post -- God Bless!

Have you tried writing?

Well I have, and I can tell you it's a lot harder then one thinks.

I have been try to write a modern fantasy series for the past few years. About a year ago the worst possible thing could have happened -- my computer suffered the Blue Screen of Death and was no more.

A moment of silence please.............




Finished? Alright then;

Well, as a result I lost two years worth of work, which included a complete plot-line sketch for the first story, finished character development of all major and minor characters, and so forth. None of which I committed to memory. Ugh! I remember all my main characters and the gist of the plot, but details and minor characters can say bye-bye. So sad... who knows they may return to my subconscious.

This event has lead me to revamp the entire story and write it down on paper. It's harder to organize but it won't get loss from a Blue Screen of Death, it just stays on the book shelf. Despite this set back I find it to be a new opportunity to sort of reinvent the wheel as it were. Most likely because I understand my characters better and how they interact with people and react to event will come across more genuine.

This writing quest of mine started as a way to deal with the Hell my life was going through whilst at college. I, fortunately, survived and so did the story I started, but it grew beyond the therapy. I found myself looking at situations and wondering what my characters would do, what would they think; from that the short story (lost to the Blue Screen of Death) grew into a series of adventures. New characters were slowly added, depth was created, I knew I couldn't keep this all to myself. I told some friends and they added ideas and they even have a fan club for one of the characters.

I highly suggest writing for therapy -- write in a journal, write nonsensical ramblings on a page, write a song, write anything!!! What you write comes from you; after you've written put it away and come back to it later. Think over what is written in front of you and come to your own conclusions. It can be both interesting and fun!

Until next time I leave you with this piece of advice: Adversus solem ne loquitor.

Christmas: A Time For .......Joy?

Christmas: A Time For .......Joy?

Christmas to me has been a holy day to celebrate when the Word of God took on flesh. But to many others it's about gift, cookies, Santa, end of the year sales, and decorating. Radio stations begin playing Christmas songs, both secular and religious, before the month of December start has even begun. After living through 20 some odd Christmases I can say without a doubt that I hate Christmas.

I hate the decorations that blink on houses as you drive by, the commercialism that bombards me when I turn on the television, everything just fills me with dread. I have, surprisingly a good reason.

I would first like to say that I am far from being a Scrooge. I enjoy giving gifts to people, I do not even need Christmas as an excuse to do so. I value the real meaning of Christmas with all my heart. But when it comes right down to it I'm just burnt out with secular Christmas. Being forced to decorate every year with decoration that are so disgustingly cute made me cringe, it also took out the joy I once had in the holiday. When I went off to college I was forever happy that by the time I got home for Christmas the decorating was overall finished. I dread this time of year because it is at this point where I fight and argue the most with my parents. Both my parents enjoy Christmas, one more then the other; they watch the Christmas themed movies and listen to the music as soon as the radios have switched. I come home to the demands of 'Turn on the Christmas lights,' and 'We have to watch a Christmas movie.' Their love for Christmas has lead me to my Christmas burnout.

I have come to a point in my life in which I must skip Christmas or else I will lose any inkling towards the holiday. I hate Christmas. I wish I didn't, but when a small irritation is blown up and pushed in one's face repeatedly, what can one do?

Promise Rant: Why Charlotte Church, Why???

Ok, here is that promise rant.

First of all I would like to ask Miss. Church WHY????????? (Note the many question marks) Charlotte Church's last CD was back in 2003 where she was singing the songs that made her famous and everybody was in love with that voice of an angel.

No more I tell you - she has forsaken the ways of 'Danny Boy' and 'Jerusalem' in favor of pop music. Not just any pop music mind you - pop music that focuses on her body more than her voice.  Catching sight of her music video for 'Crazy Chick' I began to cry in mourning the lost of the sweet girl that we all grew to love.  I ask WHY Charlotte, WHY???

I also, unfortunately, discovered her mini-series in which the pilot episode she dresses as a hallucinating nun taking host with the ecstasy smiley face on it, broke a statue of the Blessed Mother to get some hard cider and stuck gum on a statue of the child Jesus.  This makes me very upset. I thought she would be a good role model for young girls - wrong!!!!

I will continue to mourn the bad decisions made by Miss. Church and hope for a better role model to come along