milky white sea

We had the first meeting of our new book club last night. We actually talked about the book for a solid amount of time, before thematic elements in the book sent us into a political rant/tailspin, which dominated the last chunk of our discussion. It was a most enjoyable evening.

We read Blindness. I thought the book was well worth the read and rich in allegory. It also proved to be a solid jump off point for discussion, which is, of course, very helpful in a book club. I recommend the book, but be warned, the images and situations are incredibly disturbing and there were moments that dominated my thoughts for a while after reading them.

That's all I have to say on that, as I am all talked out on this one.

making it up

When I was young I climbed trees. A lot of trees. Really high. I was like a monkey child. I could scale them so quickly and would spend hours up there. Playing make believe whatever...pirates, Star Wars, shipwrecked island, who the hell knows. I loved it. I grew up around a lot of trees, so I never had to look far. I always felt loose up there. Like I was fluid and light and my whole body was strong and jello-like at the same time.

I also got that feeling when I did intensive contact improv training. I had that feeling for a little while last night. I was doing contact improv with my director and I just wanted to roll around, and counter weight, and feel loose all night. I was sad when we had to actually work on the script. He even told me that I was dragging my feet. Sorry.

Can someone please cast me in a show where I can spend hours just sluffing and sliding and rolling all over the stage for an hour or two a night? Formless and loose and solid all at the same time? Anyone?

io is the hot one

My parents bought a telescope when we lived in Nevada, and we star gazed all the time. Desert sky is incredible. Seeing a starry night like that makes you feel unattached to the earth. Like you could fall right through. I ate it up. I spent many nights camping outside, and falling asleep looking at a falling through sky.

I continued my fascination for a while, complete with watching Space Camp a dozen times, and a short foray into Sci-Fi books, which never really stuck. I took a couple courses in college, but the classes always left me thirsty, literally. We would have these long lectures about desolate, water-less planets, and I would get parched. I particularly remember discussing Europa, a moon of Jupiter, that is a solid block of ice. Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink. After that I brought water bottles to class.

So it will come as no shock that I am enamored of the Mars rover, Opportunity. One of my college roommates was an engineer and, after graduation, headed off to NASA to work on robotics. She was wacky, crazy smart. To see what this rover is capable of is astounding. To see Mars is unbelievable. The fact that they can upload software to this robot is so amazing. Sitting here, knowing they can communicate to Mars with such expediency - wow. I think of this rover falling through space with no north or south, and being our eyes on a piece of surface as solid as the one we live on. I know I am gushing, but wow.

apples and honey

Dear Senator Allen,
I know you are dealing with a lot of emotions right now. It must be very hard to sort everything out. You were a good ole' white boy, who could still talk a good game about having relatives in concentration camps. I mean, who has that kind of ace?! Now, trouble is a brewin'. It seems that you have a Jewish heritage. So let me clarify something that you may not be aware of. Judaism is actually a religion. It is a religion that is cultural, yes, and many times is used to describe ancestry, but really it is still a choice. In fact, Judaism does not try to convert and looks with a skeptical - you really want in? - eye on all those who do. I promise you, no one will come after you to try to get you to join. Why would they want you?

As for voters who may think you are tainted by Jewish roots. Just keep up the 'I ate ham' comments and meetings with the Council of Conservative Citizens (You don't really think they would lynch you? You are a public figure, they would just secretly wash their hands after they shook yours.) and you will be fine.

Shalom,
hpmelon

Allen's behavior since finding this out is deplorable. His obvious shame in finding out about a rich history should confirm to all his voters that they need not worry. Their man is still exactly who he was before. A bigot.

alternative regret

Words like regrettable should not be allowed from public officials when someone is mistakenly tortured. Maybe even more so when a person is intentionally. Regrettable is another one of the benign, safe words the officials from our country, and many others, use to seemingly pacify the media. It does not pacify me. It enrages me to hear regrettable used about things like war, torture, flooding of cities, and loss of human life. Regrettable is a word you use when someone puts mayo instead of mustard on your favorite sandwich. It is not a word used when you abduct a citizen, from another country, secret them away to a dungeon and torture them - mistakenly. Then you force him to admit to things he has no knowledge of and/or does not believe in. Do you know who does that? Terrorists. Ones who evoke terror. To hear words like regrettable and alternative method sets me on edge.

I tend to talk a lot about responsibility. I suppose I grew up with a sense that the actions of our country are my actions. If we as a nation really hold that dear then we have to demand a greater level of transparency from our government.

Now , please allow me a diatribe. If you can take no more stop reading. You have been warned.

We must ensure that we vote out or run out of office all those who align themselves with President Bush. We as a nation cannot allow anyone with his degenerate moral compass to guide us. We also have to take ownership of his crimes, and they are many. From Iraq to New Orleans, to Guantanamo and as far back as the 2000 election we have allowed his corruption to escalate. We have allowed our media to be placated by safe words. We have to blame our own country and ourselves. I will take my responsibility. I have not done enough. I have always despised Bush's regime, but it is time to be bigger than my anger. It is time to ask for accountability from all elected and appointed officials. I am sick of hearing words like regrettable. Any admission of a huge mistake, should not be followed by an explanation or excuse, but by a proposed solution on how to fix the horrendous problem. I also take responsibility for thinking myself too fanatical. Thinking I should not speak up with full conviction because I did not want to be seen as a crazy liberal. We have a government who's radical fanaticism is rampant and who uses numbing words to assuage us all. The extremist views of the Bush administration are fanatical to the point of a holy war. Mine are nothing compared to this. I am the opposing view and if I do not voice it well, and loudly, then it means nothing at all.

profession

Smallest is wearing a very interesting outfit.

Me: Who are you supposed to be?

Smallest: I am a librarier person.

Me: Ahh, a librarian?

Smallest: Yes, a librarierien.

(Smallest then crosses her legs and wiggles.)

Me: Well librarierien, do you need to use the bathroom?

Smallest: No librarier persons don't go potty.

Me: What?

Smallest: They don't pee. Ever.

Me: How do you know this?

Smallest: From a book at the library.

Me: Oh, right.

Just think what Smallest will know once she can read.

a little long way

I was hunting for a parking space this past weekend and saw a couple going to their car, so I stalked them. When they got to the car the man opened the car door for the woman, and then held her hand as she sat down, then he closed the door for her. At this moment I would like to quash all feminist rhetoric that labels this action as antiquated and condescending. Namely because in our current day, all actions of mutual respect in relationships of any kind seem to taking a nose dive. There was a time that a man bowed to a woman and she curtsied in return. That when a person did not know everyone in a group, they were introduced, and it was done so in a manner that somehow made it possible to remember the names of those who were introduced. It was considered rude to not remember someone you had been introduced to and when you saw someone you knew, you always acknowledged them.

I am not asking for us to bring back the days of inequality (not that true gender equality has really been reached), but there are some things that we could benefit from. So here are some things that have been lost that need to be found...

Manners.

Courtesy.

The word groovy.

The art of conversation.

Visiting.

Formal introductions.

Hair styles from the 40's.


I am sure I missed some things. Feel free to add to the list.