Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Free Art

Go see my friend Delilah at The Unruly Helpmeet. She is giving away free art!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Pulp

Pulp Fiction is one of my favorite movies. I love the timing of it, the back and forth from future to past to present so that you aren't really certain where you are in the story until the end. The acting is incredible as well.

So I own a copy, of course, and there are deleted scenes on the end, of course. I think this one is a little gem and love the questions that Mia asks of Vincent... Oh, and if you want to skip the completely spastic Quentin Tarantino intro - the actual clip starts at minute 2:40




Are you a Beatles person or an Elvis person?

This was a hard one for me. Since I live in the south, there is this mythic quality to Elvis that speaks to me. I had a velvet Elvis in college on my wall that I got on one of those crazy road trips bought for $25 on the side of the road. He had a tear that sparkled on his cheek. I have been known to eat a peanut butter and banana sandwich. But the music? Not so much.

So really, I am a Beatles person. I love the Beatles. All of it - the cheesy early stuff. The psychedelic stuff from the middle and the incredible lyrics, sad and beautiful. I sing Blackbird and I Will to my kids as lullabies. And it causes me pain that John Lennon was killed. He was a true gift. Elvis killed himself. Totally different. He was on his way to being a Vegas lounge singer, John Lennon would have continued to break the rules and write amazing songs.

Brady Bunch or the Partridge Family?

Definitely the Partridge Family. BB was always so goody goody and unrealistic. Not that the PF was really more realistic, but it was a teeny bit grittier. Plus that love is a rollercoaster song ROCKED the house for me. The few musical things the BB did just sucked balls.

On Rich Man, Poor Man who did you like better Peter Strauss or Nick Nolte?

Always gonna be a Nick Nolte girl here...

What is your favorite way to say "Thanks" in a foreign language?

Danke Schoen - preferably singing it a la Brenda Lee (remember that scene in Ferris Bueller's Day off?) "Danke Schoen, darling danke schoen - Thank you for all the joy and pain..." Fabulous song. Full of the dichotomies in life.

In conversations, are you waiting to talk or really listening?

I like VV's answer here - but I must clarify by saying I am a great listener. When someone is really upset or needs to talk, I listen very carefully and only comment when needed. In casual conversation I admit to be waiting to talk sometimes more that listening and if you are boring me, I am waiting to change the subject or find an excuse to get away.

In the Archies, who would you fuck first, Betty or Veronica?

If I was into the ladies, it would have to be Veronica.

So how about you? Which way do you go?

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Blog Schitzophrenia

OK, I have been a terrible blogger. Mostly because I haven't been able to decide on a genre, I think.

I am NOT a knit blogger, because I just don't produce enough. I knit here and there and occasionally DO finish something, so I think I may continue to share those few and far between finished objects here for those of you who care. But I really don't think it is interesting to note that I have about 4 more rows of garter stitch to do and sew some buttons on and then the February Lady Sweater will be done. Do you care? Probably not. So I will take my blog down from ravelry (not that it was getting me any real readers - especially since I don't post about knitting all that much) and move on.

I am NOT a Mommy blogger - even though I am a mom and it does consume my life quite a bit. So my kids will still be featured here, but it won't be everyday or anything. But it is kind of like ignoring the pink elephant in the room - you just can't do it.

What I am figuring out is that I am starting to come out of the fog I have been in for the last 6-10 years, maybe longer. Nice that I have wasted the prime of my life, so to speak, in a fog of depression, neglecting myself, my husband and my family. I am trying to look up more, smile more, and see and experience MORE of my life. It is so easy to be bogged down by life, you know?

And I am trying to redefine myself outside of my kids. Somewhere I got lost in there. It is time for them to learn what an amazing person their mom is beyond the hugs and peanut butter and banana and the silly songs we make up, and the fact that mom goes to work three days (sometimes nights) a week.

So no genre. Just some rambling a way to rediscover myself.

And my apologies. I am a great reader but not a great writer. But I am trying to learn to be a little more insightful and observant and I hope that I will be able to convey some of that into words. Hope you will let me know when I am succeeding.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Bawls*

Notice - this post is going to be a little more risque and foul mouthed than usual, so if this is going to offend, please stop now. Don't flame me in the comments when I have given you ample warning!

My friend Katiri had a teaser of a post wondering about the appropriateness of using the word pussy. It is really a word I think is only appropriate in the bedroom and not a word to be used in a derogatory manner toward men OR women. I mean, really, why is it that the words we use in slang for a woman's vagajay are also used to be mean? "Man he was such a pussy for not blah blah blah". Or my favorite "That woman is such a cunt".

I went through my ultra feminist phase where I was insulted about hearing those words at all. I refused to allow them uttered in my presence. I got all offended and returned the favor by offending the offender back. Tit for tat and all that. I don't think I was a particularly attractive person at that time in my life, angry, bitter, dealing with my baggage.

I am over that, but I really think the best place for those words is in the proverbial bedroom, not the locker room/ball game/bar etc. Pussy/cunt are words to be used in worshipful tones only, please.

Then there is Balls. Why is courage referred to as having balls? "Wow. That took balls". There is usually awe and reverence there that you NEVER hear with the slangy use of pussy. Why balls? Those two, fragile little things dangling between a prick and an asshole, why are they another word for bravery, demanding of respect? Hanging in the breeze, vulnerable to kicking both metaphorically and not, why do those things hanging in their soft sack, the slang term for courage?

Because I am here to say that being born with balls does not make you brave. It takes a lot more courage to grow up female in this male-centric world we live in. A lot more guts to have breasts and walk down a dark city street at night alone. A lot more daring to have sex with someone when you have those ovum down there, ovulating away every month just dying to get fertilized. A lot more bravura to deal with the fertilized egg as it implants in a female uterus and starts to grow into what may one day be an independent person in this world. A huge ton of pluck, steadfastness, and power to birth a baby into this world after nurturing it for 10 months of it invading your body, your life. THAT is courage. THAT is valour. THAT is grit and determination.

So can we make a pact to not call acts of daring and dash "Ballsy?" Can we call it having ovum instead? Damn, that guy seriously made an ova move there. That took ovaries!

Do you think it will catch on?



* Bawls is what my 2.68 year old son calls his testicles. His bawls. He has a peenis and bawls and likes to touch them and tell you all about them and ask how yours are doing. He is very upset that I don't have them. Personally, I am pretty happy to be peenis and bawls free and have a mighty fine set of ovaries.