The Ripple Effect

Busy Sunday

2012-01-22T12:42:00.000-08:00

It has finally happened!

I'm about 10 days behind schedule, but today I listed the first of many things in my Etsy store.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/hobgoblins

I'm not very happy with the photos, but I can't manage any better with my current set-up.

I may resort to laying on the living room floor and using our wall as a backdrop.

We still need to take down our Christmas tree, if that's the plan!

Now I need to figure out the best way to ship these safely, as they're so dang fragile.

Hectic, wonderful day.

I woke up and managed to exercise on the bike trainer before breakfast, which is a first.

I made 2 loaves of bread, then cookies, and there is more baking in my near future.

The house is a mess, and we're all busy with our own projects.

Sean has started work on a HUGE project: refinishing The Table.

I wish him lots of luck. He'll need it.

No Surprise Here...

2012-01-10T05:07:00.000-08:00

Welcome to January 10, 2012 - my Etsy Store Launch Day!

Please ignore the fact that I am running late and have not actually launched, yet.

To distract you, here are some fabulous Etsy sellers and items that I admire greatly.

Luke Lamp Co.

Southern Wood

Joeseppi

Now that you've seen some of my inspiration,

check out my own (currently empty) Etsy store.

Hobgoblins: Paper Oddities

Things will start happening here, quite soon.

Space Filler

2012-01-06T12:20:00.000-08:00

Today has been a flop, so far.

I haven't accomplished most of the goals I had set for myself on this lovely day off. Instead, I have spent the last long while in front of this very computer screen watching videos on YouTube while crocheting a seat cover for the "new" stool at the book shop.

What I had truly meant to do today was write a meaningful, thought-provoking blog post about how I've become a border-line shut-in. I'm simply not taking advantage of all of the neat places in my neighborhood. Not only am I neglecting the great friends I already am lucky enough to count as my own, but I'm also missing out on meeting some of the movers and shakers on the block. I'm not seizing my days! Ack!

Now, it's just past three and I have to get my socks and boots on for some work in the community garden. Our hoop house is up, and we're having a plastic pull today to tighten it up and harvest some of our winter greens. I'll attempt to take photos.

Today wasn't a complete waste, though. I made two loaves of bread to get us through the weekend. It's a tasty mix of of white and whole wheat, which depleted our flour stock dramatically! Sean and I are headed to the farmers market tomorrow morning at Meridian Mall, so maybe we'll stop at the Co-op and buy more flour while we're on that side of town.

The seat cover I'm making is a hideous pairing of neon-ish blue and bright, bright green. I'm a novice crochet-er and my yarn stock is made up of cheap, clashing colors that do little to inspire. The green and blue temper one another much better than expected. It's going to be just right... if I can make it fit right.

Time to flop the laundry and hit the road. It's warm enough to ride our bikes!

Pragmatism and "The Sane Society" by Erich Fromm

2011-12-28T13:24:00.000-08:00

I finished up the following transcription of Fromm's piece while listening to On Point. Their discussion of pragmatism, our current society and political climate, and the works of William James (!!!) was excellent and deserves attention from all! Their guest was the editor of the newly-released The Heart of William James, Professor Robert D. Richardson. I was first introduced to William James and Pragmatism as a freshman majoring in English. It's partly what led me to becoming a history major, and is one of very few "old college books" that I continuously keep at the ready, rather than in a box in the "Book Closet."

I have a Book Closet. I should explain that at some point.

The following is from Erich Fromm's The Sane Society. It's been on my mind lately, as well as some writings by Eric Hoffer and, now, William James. Fromm was a celebrated German-born American psychoanalyst, social philosopher and author.

I realize that this is a lot to read, especially on a computer screen. I've taken the liberty of BOLDING some passages I found especially important or thought provoking. The italics are Fromm's own. This was first published in 1955, but barely shows its age. Let me know if you find any typos.

Why did I do this?

Because I believe that it's important.

This isn't the first time I've done this sort of thing.

Erich Fromm

______________________________________________

In building the new industrial machine, man became so absorbed in the new task that it became the paramount goal of his life. His energies, which once were devoted to the search for God and salvation, were now directed toward the domination of nature and ever-increasing material comfort. He ceased to use production as a means for a better life, but hypostatized it instead to an end in itself, an end to which life was subordinated. In the process of an ever-increasing division of labor, ever-increasing mechanization of work, and an ever-increasing size of social agglomerations, man himself became a part of the machine, rather than its master. He experienced himself as a commodity, as an investment; his aim became to be a success, that is, to sell himself as profitably as possible on the market. His value as a person lies in his salability, not in his human qualities of love, reason, or in his artistic capacities. Happiness becomes identical with consumption of newer and better commodities, the drinking in of music, screen plays, fun, sex, liquor and cigarettes. Not having a sense of self except the one which conformity with the majority can give, he is insecure, anxious, depending on approval. He is alienated from himself, worships the product of his own hands, the leaders of his own making, as if they were above him, rather than made by him. He is in a sense back where he was before the great human evolution began in the second millennium B.C.

He is incapable to live and to use his reason, to make decisions, in fact incapable to appreciate life and thus ready and even willing to destroy everything. The world is again fragmentalized, has lost its unity; he is again worshiping diversified things, with the only exception that now they are man-made, rather than part of nature.

The new era started with the individual initiative. Indeed, the discoverers of the new worlds and sea lanes in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the pioneers of science, and the founders of new philosophies, the stattesmen and philosophers of the great English, French and American revolutions, and eventually, the industrial pioneers, and even the robber barons showed marvelous individual initiative. But with the bureaucratization and managerialization of Capitalism, it is exactly the individual initiative that is disappearing.

Bureaucracy has little initiative, that is its nature; nor have automatons. The cry for individual initiative as an argument for Capitalism is at best a nostalgic yearning, and at worst a deceitful slogan used against those plans for reform which are based on the idea of truly human individual initiative. Modern society has started out with the vision of creating a culture which would fulfill man's needs; it has as its ideal the harmony between the individual and social needs, the end of the conflict between human nature and the social order. One believed one would arrive at this goal in two ways; by the increased productive technique which permitted feeding everybody satisfactorily, and by a rational, objective picture of man and of his real needs. Putting it differently, the aim of the efforts of modern man was to create a sane society. More specifically, this meant a society whose members have developed their reason to that point of objectivity which permits them to see themselves, others, nature, in their true reality, and not distorted by infantile omniscience or paranoid hate. It meant a society, whose members have developed to a point of independence where they know the difference between good and evil, where they make their own choices, where they have convictions rather than opinions, faith rather than superstitions or nebulous hopes. It meant a society whose members have developed the capacity to love their children, their neighbors, all men, themselves, all of nature; who can feel one with all, yet retain their sense of individuality and integrity; who transcend nature by creating, not destroying.

So far, we have failed. We have not bridged the gap between a minority which realized these goals and tried to live according to them, and the majority whose mentality is far back, in the Stone Age, in totemism, in idol worship, in feudalism. Will the majority be converted to sanity - or will it use the greatest discoveries of human reason for its own purposes of unreason and insanity? Will we be able to create a vision of the good, sane life, which will stir the life forces of those afraid of marching forward? This time, mankind is at one crossroad where the wrong step could be the last step.

In the middle of the twentieth century, two great social colossi have developed which, being afraid of each other, seek security in ever-increasing military rearmament. The United States and her allies are wealthier; their standard of living is higher, their interest in comfort and pleasure is greater than that of their rivals, the Soviet Union and her satellites, and China. Both rivals claim that their system promises final salvation for man, guarantees the paradise of the future. Both claim that the opponent represents the exact opposite to himself, and that his system must be eradicated - in the short or long run - if mankind is to be saved. Both rivals speak in terms of nineteenth-century ideals. The West in the name of the ideas of the French Revolution, of liberty, reason, individualism. The East in the name of the socialist ideas of solidarity, equality. They both succeed in capturing the imagination and the fanatical allegiance of hundreds of millions of people.

. . .

But without ignoring the tremendous differences between free Capitalism and the authoritarian Communism today, it is shortsighted not to see the similarities, especially as they will develop in the future. Both systems are based on industrialization, their goal is ever-increasing economic efficiency and wealth. They are societies run by a managerial class, and by professional politicians. They both are thoroughly materialistic in their outlook, regardless of Christian ideology in the West and secular messianism in the East. They organize man in a centralized system, in large factories, political mass parties. Everybody is a cog in the machine, and has to function smoothly. In the West, this is achieved by a method of psychological conditioning, mass suggestion, monetary rewards. In the East by all this, plus the use of terror. It is to be assumed that the more the Soviet system develops economically, the less severely will it have to exploit the majority of the population, hence the more can terror be replaced by methods of psychological manipulation. The West develops rapidly in the direction of Huxley's Brave New World, the East is today Orwell's "1984." But both systems tend to converge.

. . .

In the development of both Capitalism and Communism we can visualize them in the next fifty or a hundred years, the process of automatization and alienation will proceed. Both systems are developing into managerial societies, their inhabitants well fed, well clad, having their wishes satisfied, and not having wishes which cannot be satisfied; automatons, who follow without force, who are guided without leaders, who make machines which act like men and produce men who act like machines; men, whose reason deteriorates while their intelligence rises, thus creating the dangerous situation of equipping man with the greatest material power without the wisdom to use it.

The alienation and automatization leads to an ever-increasing insanity. Life has no meaning, there is no joy, no faith, no reality. Everybody is "happy" - except that he does not feel, does not reason, does not love.

In the nineteenth century the problem was that God is dead; in the twentieth century the problem is that man is dead. In the nineteenth century inhumanity meant cruelty; in the twentieth century it means schizoid self-alienation. The danger of the past was that men became slaves. The danger of the future is that men may become robots. True enough, robots do not rebel. But given man's nature, robots cannot live and remain sane, they become "Golems," they will destroy their world and themselves because they cannot stand any longer the boredom of a meaningless life.

Our dangers are war and robotism. What is the alternative? To get out of the rut in which we are moving, and to take the next step in the birth and self-realization of humanity. The first condition is the abolishment of the war threat hanging over all of us now and paralyzing faith and initiative. We must take the responsibility for the life of all men, and develop on an international scale what all great countries have developed internally, a relative sharing of wealth and a new and more just division of economic resources. This must lead eventually to forms of international economic cooperation and planning, to forms of world government and to complete disarmament. We must retain the industrial method. But we must decentralize work and state so as to give it human proportions, and permit centralization only to an optimal point which is necessary because of the requirements of industry. In the economic sphere we need co-management of all who work in an enterprise, to permit their active and responsible participation. The new forms for such participation can be found. In the political sphere, return to the town meetings, by creating thousands of small face-to-face groups, which are well informed, which discuss and whose decisions are integrated in a new "lower house." A cultural renaissance must combine work education for the young, adult education and a new system of popular art and secular ritual throughout the whole nation.

Our only alternative to the danger of robotism is humanistic communitarianism. The problem is not primarily the legal problem of property ownership, nor that of sharing profits; it is that of sharing work, sharing experience. Changes in ownership must be made to the extent to which they are necessary to create a community of work, and to prevent the profit motive from directing production into socially harmful directions. Income must be equalized to the extent of giving everybody the material basis for a dignified life, and thus preventing the economic differences from creating a fundamentally different experience of life for various social classes. Man must be restored to his supreme place in society, never being a means, never a thing to be used by others or by himself. Man's use by man must end, and the economy must become the servant for the development of man. Capital must serve labor, things must serve life. Instead of the exploitative and hoarding orientation, dominant in the nineteenth century, and the receptive and marketing orientation dominant today, the productive orientation must be the end which all social arrangements serve.

No change must be brought about by force, it must be a simultaneous one in the economic, political and cultural spheres. Changes restricted to one sphere are destructive of every change. Just as primitive man was helpless before natural forces, modern man is helpless before the social and economic forces created by himself. He worships the works of his own hands, bowing to the new idols, yet swearing by the name of the God who commanded him to destroy all idols. Man can protect himself from the consequences of his own madness only by creating a sane society which conforms with the needs of man, needs which are rooted in the very conditions of his existence. A society in which man relates to man lovingly, in which he is rooted in bonds of brotherliness and solidarity, rather than in the ties of blood and soil; a society which gives him the possibility of transcending nature by creating rather than by destroying, in which everyone gains a sense of self by experiencing himself as the subject of his powers rather than by conformity, in which a system of orientation and devotion exists without man's needing to distort reality and to worship idols.

Building such a society means taking the next step; it means the end of "humanoid" history, the phase in which man had not become fully human. It does not mean the "end of days," the "completion,", the state of perfect harmony in which no conflicts or problems confront men. On the contrary, it is man's fate that his existence is beset by contradictions, which he has to solve without ever solving them.When he has overcome the primitive state of human sacrifice, be it in the ritualistic form of the Aztecs or in the secular form of war, when he has been able to regulate his relationship with nature reasonably instead of blindly, when things have truly become his servants rather than his idols, he will be confronted with the truly human conflicts and problems; he will have to be adventuresome, courageous, imaginative, capable of suffering and of joy, but his powers will be in the service of life, and not in the service of death. The new phase of human history, if it comes to pass, will be a new beginning, not an end.

Man today is confronted with the most fundamental choice; not that between Capitalism or Communism, but that between robotism (of both the capitalist and the communist variety), or Humanistic Communitarian Socialism. Most facts seem to indicate that he is choosing robotism, and that means, in the long run, insanity and destruction. But all those facts are not strong enough to destroy faith in man's reason, good will and sanity. As long as we can think of other alternatives, we are not lost; as long as we can consult together and plan together, we can hope. But, indeed, the shadows are lengthening; the voices of insanity are becoming louder. We are in reach of achieving a state of humanity which corresponds to the vision of our great teachers; yet we are in danger of the destruction of all civilization, or of robotization. A small tribe was told thousands of years ago: "I put before you life and death, blessing and curse - and you chose life." This is our choice too.

______________________________________________

Transcribed by me, from Fawcett's thirteenth printing (May 1965)

of Erich Fromm's The Sane Society. Specifically, these passages

are from Fromm's Summary, pages 309 - 315.

Making Stuff, Selling Stuff, Burning Stuff

2011-12-01T06:46:00.001-08:00

I've had blogs all over the web, mostly abandoned

and buried by now. Some things, however, will never

disappear into the Google chasm....

Audrey, circa 2000.

This week, I've been focusing on a different form

of my internet identity.

(Is that statement as pompous as it sounds?!)

Etsy.

Etsy. Etsy. Etsy.

Etsy and I go way back.

I think I first found it when I was looking for

Artist Trading Cards... or maybe it was the jewelry.

Or the vintage clothes and home decor?

My-Sister-the-Artist and I could happily spend hours

trolling through the treasures to be found on Etsy.

Taquito,

(the aforementioned sister)

has a respectable

amount of Etsy selling experience.

I'm more of an Ebay seller, myself.

Yesterday, I jumped ship.

There's nothing there, yet.

I'm taking this next month to work on

my "products" before "rolling out my line"

(Bwahahahah business speak is silly!)

in early January - just in time for

Valentines Day!

Lansing was walloped with about

8 inches of heavy, wet snow over

a sheet of frozen rain.

Our back yard - the bough is touching the ground, burdened.

Even with sidewalks, shoveling here is nowhere near as bad

as it was growing up, with that extra-long driveway!

Good thing I moved more than a few armloads of

firewood into the garage, the previous morning!

I've quickly become the house's expert fire builder.

Tuesday Morning with TJ

2011-11-29T05:16:00.001-08:00

Allow me to introduce you to

The Amazing Atheist.

TJ Kincaid.

You might think he's just another privileged middle-class white guy

with the inability to keep his controversial opinions to himself.

I think you're wrong.

I don't mind listening to this guy holler every once in a while.

He's usually saying the same things I'm thinking.

Sometimes he's a few steps ahead of me.

This is all that I have for you today, I'm afraid.

I think it's enough.

This week I'm focusing on making things out of paper, not the interwebz.

John K. King's Used and Rare Books of Detroit

2011-11-22T14:48:00.001-08:00

So, I finally went to King's.

It was inevitable.

Here's a peek into our trip into Detroit's

John K. King's Used and Rare Books,

What began as a 4-story glove factory

is now a sprawling maze of books and other

paper items concerning every topic you could

possibly imagine, and then some.

King's downtown location is Michigan's largest

book shop. I wonder where it ranks on an international scale...

I was overwhelmed, but also underwhelmed by what I found.

I'm not sure what I expected, so I cannot say what it lacked.

Nonetheless, this place is absolutely AMAZING.

King's was established in 1965, just three years before Curious opened.

I've only been to a handful of shops like Curious and King's.

These places are usually dusty, disorderly and rather whimsical.

They're full of treasures lost and found, as well as a lot of rubbish.

Stores like these are increasingly rare - much rarer than the items they offer.

Finding a place like this can make you feel as though you've

entered a rift in time, or someone's junk shop.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Did I mention how HUGE this old factory is?

I wish I could properly describe it, as well as where

it sits within Detroit. It's practically invisible, if you don't know

to look for King's. In the muted landscape that is downtown,

the bookstore's faded facade easily blends into the

downtrodden haze of Detroit's cityscape.

There were signs in the stairwell to help direct cold winter customers to

one of the few "warming stations" available. The cost of heating this entire building would be

astronomical, and you can rule out space heaters in a four-story pile of paper and dust!

I wandered further and further into the building with eyes wide and camera ready.

I refused to look at the books themselves, trying to take in the forest rather than the trees.

It's too bad that I hadn't brought a list of books to look for,

as this wasn't the sort of place to just start browsing.

I was too anxious, flitting from one little "room" to the next,

weaving between the cases and boxes and trying not to focus on the spines.

King's is doing about as well, economically, as the other remaining stores of its ilk.

Can you imagine how many people it takes to run a sinking ship?

I admired the bookkeeper aprons worn by the roaming staff members,

with bulging pockets and what looked like permanent dust stains down the fronts.

One long-time clerk with whom I spoke for quite some time seemed a bit jaded.

For once I was grateful for the limited space that is my little Curious Book Shop.

Planks and cinder blocks - sometimes you can't wait

for just the right bookcase, even if you're a bookseller

who is offered dozens of bookshelves every year!

King's was astonishing, wonderful, terrifying and utterly unique.

I can't believe it had taken me so long to get there!

The Husband couldn't believe that I only bought 2 books, for a grand total of $10.

Next time, we're going back with lists of books to look for, as well as flashlights...

Basic Banana Bread

2011-11-22T12:23:00.001-08:00

One night a few months ago, the Husband came home with a sack full of bananas.

Bunches and bunches of bananas.

15 pounds of over-ripe, discarded bananas

that he "got for a steal" ($2) at Quality Dairy after they had ordered far too many.

Bananas. What can you do with 15 pounds of bananas!?

Well, we made dozens of banana muffins,

a few loaves of banana bread

and a sack full of dried banana chips.

Flash forward to yesterday,

when we got back home from the cabin

to be greeted by three over-ripe bananas hanging in our fruit basket.

Their skins were so thin and brown that I figured the bananas

would practically mush themselves!

Just right for a nice loaf of banana bread to see us through until Thanksgiving.

This tasty, healthy bread is a snap to make and tastes

simply divine when you toast a slice and spread on some peanut butter.

Baking time: 60 minutes at 350°

Recipe makes 1 loaf

1. Chop the butter into a few smaller pieces and cream it in an electric mixer.

Beat in both eggs and the banana mush. Set aside.

2. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

3. Stir the wet banana mix into the dry mixture, only until just combined.

Stir in the vanilla, nuts, cinnamon, etc. Don't over-mix it! It should be a bit lumpy.

4. Plop the batter into a greased bread baking pan.

I swear by my trusty Pyrex. The easiest way to grease a pan
is to use the wrapper from that stick of butter! I also recommend
sprinkling flour into the pan, to help the loaf come out cleanly.
Let it cool fully, then run a butter knife between the bread & pan to loosen it.

"Life Lessons in Simplicity, Service and Common Sense""

2011-11-22T05:10:00.000-08:00

A great debate has been raging in recent years about how to
improve our schools. I believe all good schools must recognize that the
moral growth of students is at least as important as their intellectual growth.

That's what some educators mean when they say that the only
proper education is amoral education - which is
not to be confused with a sectarian education.

The goal of Quaker teachers is to imbue students with the desire
to let their lives speak when they graduate and enter the adult world.
Non-Quaker educators express the same view somewhat differently
when they proudly describe a former student as a productive and
useful member of society, an exemplary parent, a warm and responsive
human being, an altruist. We can't simply focus on turning out
academically well-prepared graduates who will be accepted at the
colleges of their choice or enter the workforce with
excellent prospects for advancement.

Formal education is only a jumping-off point for a lifetime of learning and doing,
and what concerns good schools and good teachers is how
students apply the learning they acquire to living their lives.

From Robert Lawrence Smith's A Quaker Book of Wisdom (1998)

Smith's book has been floating around the house for the past few months,
and every time I pick it up I find little golden gems of truth and sensibility that
I find even more special and inspiring as the year winds down to a close.

Right before we left for the cabin (literally, while the guys were packing the truck)
I decided to dismantle the living room in preparation for the holidays.
I had tricked it out thoroughly with little gourds and pretty goldenrod
and other harvest-ish things. When we got home from the cabin, I came to
the sudden and horrifying discovery that we have pretty much zero
holiday decorations. We used to have loads... but I just can't find them.
So, we're back to a bare walls and a sad-looking mantle for the interim.

Our trip Up North was fun! The goal was to come home with a few
deer to eat for the next 12 months. Three experienced hunters, in blinds,
with bait apples and de-scenting spray... and the most exciting thing spotted
was a lone turkey. Just two days before on the same land some friends bagged
two does and a buck, so we know they're out there. Somewhere.

We hit up Shorts Brewery, in Mancelona, on Friday night. SO COOL!
I loved their sample paddles. For about $8 you can choose 5 beers
from their list of 20 or so. The Bourbon Wizard is not my friend,
but their grape juice based "Da Vine" was delicious!

We're headed back up right after Turkey Day lunch in Williamston
for Bag Some Deer, Round Two! We're also on the look-out for
Christmas trees and decorations, as well as some cheap land
on which to build our dream compound.

Here are just a few photos from when Sean and I went to
Elk Rapids on Saturday.

(If anyone can make these last two crazy shots into
an epic .gif, PLEASE DO SO. Then, send it to me. Please.)

EDIT - Blahhh! The centering/spacing is all off. I don't feel like fixing it again.
Sorry if it loads for you like it did for me.
Hopefully, your browser is better/smarter/faster/stronger.

And I disappeared into the Groove...

2011-11-10T10:57:00.001-08:00

I wish YouTube had a "repeat" feature,
so I could set it and forget it.

One of my favorite songs,
covered by one of my favorite musicians:

The song: Home
The original artist: Marc Broussard
The cover artist: Mysti Mayhem

Giving up on NaNoWriMo 2011

2011-11-08T04:46:00.001-08:00

It's been one week,
and I'm officially throwing in the
NaNoWriMo towel of defeat.

Each November, this writing craziness
affects people in different ways. Some,
obviously, end up writing the first draft
of a new novel that they can then stuff
into a drawer, or possibly edit. Some
struggle for weeks, trying to meet the
daily requirement of about 1700 words.
Some have no trouble, breeze through
their first novel and end up writing a
second one "just for fun". And some,
like me, realize that they have
WAY TOO MANY THINGS TO DO,
and so they give up and get back to all
of the tasks they'd been avoiding while writing.

I'm back.
Classicon 40, the book shop's big pulp and comics
show, is this weekend. There's enough on my plate,
and I don't feel too remorseful in giving up.
Maybe next year...

My story was a pleasure to work on!
Post-industrial America, specifically the northern
bits of the Lower Penninsula. A bunch of survivalists
and their quirks, quandaries and qualms.
Good stuff.
I quit writing on the 3rd day, but I am up to 4595 words.
Back into the drawer you go!

The weather is crummy and cold,
but things are still blooming in our back yard.

Look at these pretty pea blossoms!

I love this colorful riot of Swiss Chard.
It's stalks become brighter after a frost or two,
and the leaves get even tastier!

These flowers were the first we planted last spring.
They're hardy little buggers!

THREE full sized pick-up trucks in our little driveway.

I'm loving Christina Grimmie's cover of Stereo Hearts:

Photo Dump

2011-11-01T14:19:00.001-07:00

I've decided to give NaNoWriMo a go,

so I may not continue to post as often as I have been.

I might as well try, though!

Here's what we've been up to, this week:

We hit up the East Lansing Farmers Market - the last of the season! We've only missed a handful of these Sunday markets since it began a few years ago.
We get most of our shopping for the week is done here,

and we've made some good friends along the way!

With the colder weather, most everything in the garden
has been frozen to death.
Last flowers of the season!

And, as requested, here is my awesome Halloween costume.

I realize that this post is mostly pictures, rather than words.
Normally I would apologize, but...
Whatever, it's NaNoWriMo!

The Amazon Associates Debate, or Why You Should Go Outside

2011-10-21T06:12:00.000-07:00

What's that, Blogger?
You've noticed that I talk about books, sometimes, eh?
Oh, and you signed a deal with Amazon, did you?
Oh, my. That's nice for you, I suppose.

What's that? You want ME to jump on board?
And if people click links in my blog and buy something, I get money?
Well, a little spare change would be nice, if that ever were to happen...
But I average 2 views a day, if that.
And... Amazon is a monster!

Amazon was great when it started.
Just some people and a warehouse, making books easier to obtain.
But geez, look at it now.
LOOK AT IT.

Now look at me.
I work in a small, independent book shop.
I'm friends with people who work in and own other small book shops.
If I were to refer my blog readers to a trustworthy book source, why should it be the online business that has wreaked havoc on independents around the world?
Well, I'm not going to.
Instead, here are some excellent independent Michigan bookstores that I proudly endorse!

Go outside, get in your car (or on the bike, bus, taxi, skateboard...)
and take yourself to a small, independent book shop.
They're out there.

Curious Book Shop (E. Lansing, Mi - 3 Floors of Used and Antiquarian Books & Stuff. This is where I spend most of my time and money.)
Archives Book Shop (E. Lansing, Mi - A little Used and Antiquarian Book Shop full of treasures.)
Everybody Reads (Lansing, Mi - A great, eclectic book shop for everyone!)
Off the Beaten Path (Farmington, Mi - A STEAMPUNK Book Shop!)
King's (Detroit, Mi - Supposedly the MECCA for book loving bargain hunters, but I've never been...)
Horizon Books (Traverse City, MI - A beautiful, traditional book store with plenty to offer.)
Singapore Bank Bookstore (Saugatuk, Mi - This tiny, easy to miss book shop at the top of the old Bank building is cosy, well-stocked and not to be missed!)

NANOWRIMO 2011

2011-10-20T08:33:00.001-07:00

Since 2006, the month of November has brought
a bouquet of crazy into my life.

The weather goes from pleasantly chilly to
downright frigid, with those November winds.

The public transportation system goes to shit
(I'm looking at you, CATA!)
with hundreds of new riders, forsaking their bikes for the
"comforts" of dirty seats and sick strangers.

I usually come down with some plague-like illness.

Thanksgiving approaches, and with it comes stuffing.
How can I lose weight during the
GLORIOUS STUFFING MONTHS?

The holiday count-down begins.
I like to make gifts, rather than buy them.
This is, however, incredibly hard to do without some
serious time budgeting, since the month
of November also brings...

NAtionalNOvelWRItingMOnth

That's right, folks.
The month of November is your chance to join us,
the crazies, and write a 50,000 word novel.
It begins at midnight, on Halloween.
Wear a costume if you'd like.

My first WriMo experience was in 2006.
Bright eyed and bushy tailed, I thought that
this nifty writing project sounded like a lot of fun.
Nevermind the essays waiting to be written for class.
Nevermind my part-time library gig.
I had time for the NaNo, right?
After all, I am an aspiring author!

Wrong.
I quit about 2 weeks in.

The same thing happened in 2007, 2008, and 2010.
(I skipped 2009, citing a honeymoon hangover.)

2010 started off great, for me.
I was finally out of college and I could attend weekly write-ins.
At one of those write-ins I lost about 6,000
of my 15,000ish words when my little Eee crashed.
I quit, then and there.

I'm a perpetual LOSER when it comes to NaNoWriMo,
and yet I'm going to give it another shot.
Why keep trying, and failing?
Because I love to do it!
Not the failing part, but the writing part.
I always have between 3 and 3948257 story ideas in my head.
This year I'm ahead of the game (compared to normal).
Instead of just a vague story idea, I have a real plan!
You see, there's this girl... there's this apocalypse.... and some books.
And it takes place in Michigan - I think.

Alright, so I don't actually have a well-thought-out plan, but I don't care.
By writing this blog post, I have officially talked myself into doing the WriMo again!
Sean will be thrilled, I'm sure.

I'm pretty well set up for the WriMo.
My EeePC is long gone, due to a terrible wine accident.
The lack of a laptop is a huge set-back,
but I think I can borrow one from my friend with too many computers.
What I wouldn't give for one of those fancy iPads with the keyboard case...

I have a writing space all set up, though it's a bit dusty.
I live just a few blocks away from Gone Wired, my ideal write-in location.
And I work just a few blocks away from Wanderer's Tea House, the back-up location.
I have coffee, I have books, I have paper and pens.
I have a story, kind-of.
I'm already doing better than I have in previous years!

I watched Kristina Horner's video about
NaNoWriMo a short while ago, and am feeling slightly more inspired.
I have a stack of books in front of me, all about writing and maintaining sanity.

Let's do this!

Soaking up the last warm days of summer in Lansing

2011-10-18T15:09:00.000-07:00

A little photo-journal entry of our weekend:

Sean made this awesome tree sculpture last winter.
It's made of left-over chicken wire bits, and a bit of unexpected nature.

The lovely blue flowers I nearly killed (4 times)
are the prettiest thing in our garden!

Then, we biked from our house to the fish ladder in Old Town!

The River Trail was busier than expected, as was the fish ladder.
I saw a few father/son duos fishing in the Grand,
a lone woman happily kayaking,
lenty of locals soaking up the sun at the
Lansing City Market's Waterfront Bar & Grille.

I had never been, and it was WAY larger and more interesting than I expected.
Maybe next year we'll get there while the fish are still hopping.

A view from the observation deck ... and Sean's new crosstrail!

An Update, Illustrated.

2011-10-13T06:11:00.000-07:00

I heard, from a reputable source, that one can have a website hosted for about $10 a year. Seriously?! Well, for Christmas I think Sean and I might launch our own urban homesteader website, and we shall call ourselves the RADISH RELISHERS!

Maybe.

But what will we do with the website? What's the point?
To get off of Facebook, hopefully!
I'd rather have all of our videos, blog posts, photos and more on one overarching website.
Plus, maybe we'll become rich and famous (but not alter our current happiness, of course).
I can dream, right?

Things that have happened:

- The Husband and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary at the start of this week. Two years, already!? We try not to talk to our friends about our marriage very often, as we feel like we're bragging, or that we should knock on wood afterwards. It's pretty awesome, though.

Flowers from our urban farm community garden.
He grew them for me! (And I helped, I suppose.)

- The Husband went and got his bike stolen. There's no other appropriate way to word this. He failed to lock it up at the ol' fraternity when he ran in to check the mail. He returned to an empty spot on the bike rack. Fortunately, our insurance company made claiming it a breeze (we had it covered under our renters' insurance). His new bike should be ready on Friday!

- The Roommate, who subleases a room in our rental here in Lansing, was kind enough to set up his fancy-pants stereo in our living room - which prompted us to decorate the room, at last! We have stuff on the walls, now. I may make giant pillows for the couch/floor this afternoon.

- APPLES. We've been appl'ing. Two weeks ago, we bought about 200lbs / 4 bushels of apples from Clam Lake Farm, up near Bellaire and Mancelona. Five of us picked apples for an hour. Their orchard is made up of "ultra dwarf" apple trees, so the fruit was at about shoulder height, or lower. It was so much fun! No photos, unfortunately.

- TODAY is the day of The Husband's BIG INTERVIEW for the job he's been working towards for the last two years. He'll do great. :)

- We had a Moth Invasion in our kitchen. Yes, this is totally something we'd post on our website. (RadishRelishers.com ?). It was awful, but The Husband took care of it. Now, we have lots of beautiful airtight containers in our kitchen. It was an excellent impetus, since we hadn't finished organizing our cabinets and things had ... well, deteriorated. We're in good shape, now!

Very utilitarian dry storage, and look at all those canned apples!

Compost and Landfill. Without really trying, we've
gotten our "landfill" waste down to about a Kroger bag a week, sometimes two.
How? Thanks to our Recycling Bench! that The Husband constructed.

It's a bit full, since we're nearing recycling day.
So functional! We can fit 2 bins at the bottom, if needed.

Top of the Bench, plus 2 dozen muffins and some Huckcherry Jam,
so hip you've only read about it.

Some herbs from the urban farm, Poppin' Fresh.
Also, my first braid of onions!

Paper flower bouquet made from a biography about Henry Clay,
and some music boxes, for good measure.

The entry area, Derf, and a big ol' stack of mail.

The very fancy spot.
How d'ya like that camera flash?

Living room - and the stereo!

The other (better?) side of the living room.

Alright, I think I'll end it here, for today.

India Black is Back!

2011-09-20T06:06:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to express my excitement -

I walked into the book shop today to find a glossy, lovely copy of Carol K. Carr's newest India Black novel: India Black and the Widow of Windsor (A Madam of Espionage Mystery) waiting for me.

Woo hoo!

From the back cover:
Whether running a brothel or running from danger as a spy for Her Majesty, India Black knows how to use the tricks of the trade. This time she's off to Scotland to ensure the Queen doesn't end up getting killed...

When Queen Victoria attends a seance, the spirit of her departed husband, Prince Albert, insists she spend Christmas at their Scottish home in Balmoral, a deviation from her usual practice. The prime minister suspects Scottish nationalists are planning to assassinate the Queen - and sends the ever-resourceful India and the handsome British spy French to the Scottish Highlands undercover.

French will take the high road, looking for a traitor among the Queen's guests - and India will take the low road, disguised as a servant in case an assassin is hiding among the Queen's household staff. For her part, India doesn't need a medium to predict that someone at Balmoral is determined that this Christmas will be Her Majesty's last...

It's set for release on October 4, 2011.

For the last week or so I've gobbled up Outlander, and the first half of Dragonfly in Amber, by Diana Gabaldon. They're entertaining to the extreme, but I feel a bit silly feasting on all of these "trashy" historical romances. While the students across Grand River Ave. are (hopefully) toiling away at their studies, I'm reading about sexy Scots with windswept hair and kilts. Oh, geez...

Not complaining, just pointing out my silliness...

The 54th Michigan Antiquarian Book and Paper Show is this Sunday, in Lansing. Looks like I won't have a chance to enjoy Ms. Carr's newest until next week.

Something Interesting...

2011-08-24T05:40:00.001-07:00

Odd, nostalgia-invoking items cross my desk every day.
There's usually just enough time to pause, admire and move along to the next thing.

This gem, published in 1953 and distributed to American children, must be shared!

The Bank belongs to the people? Could have fooled me...

The Story of Money. 1953. Louis F. Dow Co., St. Paul.
The back cover reads: "Use with Arithmetic Instruction Kits; Manufactured by WacoTex Industries, Inc.; P. O. Box 3098 Waco, Texas; Producers of metal play coins for educational uses"

2011-07-14T06:40:00.000-07:00

"Dance Party Erupts During Quaker Meeting for Worship"
Jon Watts

Mini Review: The Celestine Prophecy

2011-07-05T06:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I did the Hawk Island Loop, a bike ride that measures just over 8 miles. It was exhausting, exhilarating and breath-taking. It was gorgeous, and I pushed myself to the point of gasping for breath at the end of the ride. The River Trail path takes you right through a mature forest, in the middle of Lansing! A great way to celebrate America's independence.

I was going to go for another ride this morning, but I decided to take a day off and let my muscles recuperate a bit. I'm headed out for a walk to our little downtown area. I think I'll start calling it the "East End," even though no one will know what I mean. Yoga, later, too.

This book had been hovering around in my peripheral to-be-read cloud for months.

Mike Thomas, an interesting YouTuber and proprietor of YouAreThePath.com, gave it a glowing recommendation not too long ago, so I finally acquired a copy and gave it a try...

---

The Celestine Prophecy is not a literary masterpiece by any measure, but it does offer a number of interesting (and sometimes common-sense) insights into how people think. Redfield's New Age bestseller was an entertaining, easy read peppered with observations that caused me to pause and think about my actions toward others, and myself. As Redfield states, it's meant to be more of a parable, a thought-jogger for readers of all ilks to take in and use in their own lives. It's not supposed to be, as I said, a literary masterpiece.

The plot's structure is made up of a number of "insights," or philosophical ideals about how people should treat one another and themselves. Woven into this adventure story are archeological and scientific ideas, facts and fallacies. If you take this book for what it's meant to be, an easy and effective look at Redfield's life philosophy, then you'll enjoy this little book and may even seek out the sequels he has since published.

It's hard to hate on a book that's full of good messages about trying to heal the world and it's peoples. Try it out. There are copies available in just about every book shop, new and used, as well as libraries and friends bookshelves. See if it works for you, but don't bash it if it's not your style. Redfield's suggestions as to how people should treat one another could benefit some of the snarky, cynical reviewers who have tossed this book aside. It's a heck of a lot better than the Twilight-esque rubbish flying off of the presses, these days.

They made this book into a movie not so long ago, but I haven't seen it, yet. It's on Netflix (what isn't?), so I'll see it soon enough.

I'm about half-way through The Tenth Insight, Redfield's sequel to Celestine Prophecy. This book is discerningly far-fetched, even when compared to it's predecessor. Still, I admire Redfield's philosophies of how we should live and learn, so I'll finish it. Book number three, Secret of Shambhala, is already in my possession. A fourth book, The Twelfth Insight, was released in February. I've assumed that it's a great work on the current societal and world condition. If I can make it through this sequel without tossing it aside in frustration I'll finish the series.

---

It's not as good as Ecotopia, though.

Book Binge, and a Cat

2011-06-23T11:09:00.000-07:00

Today being my only day off in the foreseeable future, I spent the morning and early afternoon on a leisurely walk through my neighborhood. Four books, dropped off at the library. One tasty breakfast at Gone Wired, featuring the best-tasting bacon of my life, a little too much coffee for comfort and a quiet hour in which I savored the ending of Ernest Callenbach's Ecotopia.

This book is a treasure. I'm adding it to my Top 10 book list.

I just sauntered on home from Everybody Reads, my wonderful neighborhood book shop, on the eastern side of Lansing. It was a longer walk than usual, what with my bag-o-books weighing me down. Wanna see what I got?!

An ARC of Martha Cooley's The Archivist
Dorothy Allison's Cavedweller (Never heard of it, but am so intrigued!)
Elizabeth Gaskell's Sylvia's Lovers
Witold Rybczynski's Waiting for the Weekend (A study of leisure time and "the freedom to do nothing," from Roman times to modern day. I loved learning about this massive change in society in the 20th century, and can't wait to crack this baby open!)
Ken Kesey's Sometimes a Great Notion
Hunter S. Thompson's The Great Shark Hunt (!)
Beppe Severgnini's Ciao, America! : An Italian Discovers the U.S.
The Awakened Warrior: Living with Courage, Compassion & Discipline (ed. Rick Fields)
In the Company of Others: Making Community in the Mondern World (ed. Claude Whitmyer)

These were all gently used paperbacks, and even though I insisted upon paying double their asking price, I still managed to get out of Everybody Reads without spending more than $10 - and I got a neat bumper sticker, too!

Other books I've acquired in the last few weeks include:
Kwame Anthony Appiah's The Honor Code: How Moral Revolutions Happen
James Redfield's The Celestine Prophecy
Dan Millman's Sacred Journey of the Peaceful Warrior
Alice Miller's Thou Shalt Not be Aware: Society's Betrayl of the Child
J.G. Ballard's The Crystal World
Rick Steves's Travel as a Political Act
Shiva Naipaul's Beyond the Dragon's Mouth
Elinore Pruitt Stewart's Letters of a Woman Homesteader (So good, so far!)
Rebecca Ann Collins's The Pemberley Chronicles (Yeah, I know...)
John Mortimer's The Summer of a Dormouse: Another Part of Life
Krishnalal Shirdharani's My India, My America (Introduction by Louis Bromfield!)

I hope to read them all eventually, but I obviously acquire more books than I can read. I'll have to take a photo of the book shelves sometime soon, to share some of my double-stacking storage techniques. Even still, I have boxes and boxes of books stashed in a closet. Two closets, actually.

All of these books makes it difficult to get more writing done. I'm working on a novel, as always.
What makes it different this time, though, is that soon I will have an actual writing space, a place of my own without the seduction of internet, candy or a stack of books. The goal is to keep this desk clear, save for a mug of pens and a cushy spot for cats to snooze on the sunny windowsill.

It's a damn good thing that Nova, our new little adoptee from the Lansing Area Humane Society, can happily co-habitate with so many books. Footage of the little cat to come soon, as well. I'd upload some now, but she's being so darn affectionate, curled up on my lap.

April Happenings and Acquisitions

2011-04-14T08:48:00.000-07:00

We're half-way through the month of April and I feel as though I've begun living a different life since April Fools' Day.

- I turned 25. I'm okay with it. I'm happy about it, actually. No sense bemoaning the aging process!

- We moved into an actual house. The Husband and I are thrilled! We have a back yard, and we've already planted spinach, swiss chard and snap peas. Photos to come soon, I expect. We have big plans for this place.

- I started taking mass transit. Until this month I've been a walker. I walked to and from work 95% of the year. Now that I'm a Lansing resident (rather than East Lansing), I'm taking CATA to and from work (and the shops). It's so much BETTER! Don't get me wrong, I'm still all about walking. The bus ride actually takes less time than walking from our old place, though. My fellow riders are a fascinating bunch. The bus comes every 10-15 minutes, so once I figure out the timing I'll have very little loitering to do.

- We're headed out to Detroit on Friday. The goal is to bring up the two massive book shelves that served me so well through adolescence. These 6'5 beasts will be the bones of our Study (It's NOT an OFFICE!). I'm just hoping that my books fit. I don't think that all of them will...

- With this new house comes the space for a real art area! Sean is looking forward to pulling out the oil paints and easel, and I'm itching to cover my fingers with Mod Podge. I used to take part in a few online art swap communities. I want back in!

- IT'S SPRING! Mid-Michigan is finally turning green.

Once these book shelves are in place, I'd like to fix my LibraryThing to reflect my current collection. That's one hell(o kitty) of a project, though...

It's raining books.
I've just finished Amanda Foreman's Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire. It took me a month to get through, but was well worth it. Now, I'm mincing my way through Eden's Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father, by John Matteson. It's good, but difficult to read on the bus. The Boss-Man passed along copies of Hana Samek Norton's The Sixth Surrender, Anne O'Brien's The Virgin Widow and Mitzi Szereto's Pride & Prejudice: Hidden Lusts (which sounds... interesting). I also have Octavia Butler's Kindred, which I've been saving for a while.

We, the Consumers

2011-03-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

There are at least five Peter Pan remakes/re-imaginings in production at the moment. I'm a big fan, as I may have mentioned. Not just of the Disney'd boy from Never Never Land, but also of J.M. Barrie and his many other works. There's a great story about my thirteen-year-old self, my husband, his great-great uncle from England and a statue of Pan that I'll have to explain, one day.

Seriously. I'm a Pan Fan.

What I'm not a fan of, though, is the direction we're headed in. I'm concerned, to put it lightly, about the state of my own generation of Americans. I'll be 25 this April. Out of college (barely), making a living (barely), and truly enjoying life as an adult. However, the husband and I are rare in this day and age. We're non-Facebookers, for starters. Novice homesteaders, too. We're so happy our cheeks hurt on a regular basis. We're not exactly buying into the media and the trends, but our friends are.

To avoid a Jersey Shore rant, let me be frank. A large portion of today's teens and twenty-somethings are screwed up. Not all of us, obviously. And some people will find their way out of it as they mature. Not everyone, though. There's a vast, invisible net that has us all trapped in a society based on capitalism and materialism. We all know this, so I'll skip that rant, as well.

We're all becoming so polarized, morally, politically and economically. Why is that? What awful force has crept into our communities and families and ruined the social fiber which kept us strong? We're doing it to ourselves. We, the consumers have bought into this new culture, this new American Dream. We're more interested in our possessions, a bunch of things, than we are about who we are as individuals and as communities, and where we're headed. Distraction leads us away from one another.

So hard not to rant.

Back to Pan.

Barrie's classic tale is a dark one, full of warning to those who are aware. Disney's Peter Pan is the commonly accepted version of the story, for us. There's a movie, so why read the book? Please, read the book. It's about a little boy who didn't want to grow up. He was afraid. He ran away, and was rewarded. Now, he's about to become a popular icon once again, but to a new generation of American consumers and their parents.

I live on a busy street in one of America's largest, drunkest college towns. There are five fraternities within few blocks from my front stoop. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it really is as bad as you think. College isn't about obtaining the best education possible and excelling in a field that challenges and pleases you. It's not about finding a jot that will make you lots of money. It isn't about finding yourself, even. College, for these people, is a five- to six-year "partyodyssey" of materialism, objectification, alcohol, drugs and Facebook. Last night at the Beer Olympics, I watched my friends chug wiffle bats with beer and then spin around and around. We cheered. The bars opened to brisk business at 7 a.m. on S.t. Patrick's Day, but students won't wake up to go to their morning classes. Why are these people here? Why have we allowed this to become okay?

It's been interesting, having this experience of being a "townie" after being one of the college kids who terrorize locals 9 months out of the year. Watching the drunken hordes shamble up and down Harrison every weekend has been an eye-opening experience. As I said before, not everyone falls into this category - but there are a lot of people who do, and they're out there in droves.

So where are the "normal" people?
What do they do while the Pans roam the streets?
Are you all like me, just sitting on the internet distracting yourself?

Book Review: Bitch, Please! by Megan Munroe

2011-03-09T10:45:00.000-08:00

"The real war is with our culture. ...
Surrender to a greater good, a bigger purpose, and a brighter future."
(Bitch, Please! 109)

Something exciting came in the mail, last week. Turner Publishing sent me a whopper of a package, full of pre-release literature and an ARC copy of Megan Munroe's upcoming release, Bitch, Please!: How Nice Girls can Succeed in a Bitch's World.

I'll admit it, I scoffed.

Bitch, Please! seemed cliche, but I decided to give it a chance. At first, I felt I owed it to Turner Publishing, them having sent me a fancy folder which included a glossy catalog of their recent and forthcoming releases.

The first day, I read through the first six chapters (they go by quickly!) and then tossed it aside, convinced that the self-help book was indeed a half-baked collection of advice and opinions first voiced by other, more respected women. Munroe gives plenty of space to the words of a spectrum of well-known (and lesser-known) women like Gloria Steinham, Emily Post, Anne Hathaway and more than a few divas.

I think its high time that there is a voice given to all of us who think that doing the right thing and choosing to treat others with respect is a noble way to act. We need a spot on the stage of life that doesn't demand, but rather commands attention through virtuosity. (3)

The first few chapters were amusing and easy to identify with. Yeah, I'm a nice girl! She's talking to me, I thought. But as I read on, I developed a bit of an identity crisis. By the end of the second section, I was wobbling between my confidence that I was a nice girl and the creeping feeling that I was one of the biggest bitches of all. As I read on, I realized that I don't fit into either stereotype. No one is always nice, Munroe asserted time and time again. We've all got a bit of a bitch inside us. The trick is to keep her inside and continue to push yourself to be a worthy, nice person.

Nice is napalm in a society dedicated to making 'mean' queen. It's unexpected, countercultural, and devastatingly refreshing. (12)

Munroe's little book, coming in at just over 200 pages, covers an awful lot of topics. This book has immensely strong bones. It promotes honesty, respect and awareness while calling for those who are overly-nice to add a bit of spice to their lives. Munroe discusses the evils of entitlement in our modern society and alludes to a better life centered on simple abundance and grace.

To succeed in a bitch's world, the nice girl has to understand that it's okay to be the underdog. It's okay to fly under the radar. It's okay to have some mystery about us. If you aren't the center of attention all the time, that could very well be a good thing. (98-9)

Bitch, Please! has the ring of so many other "how to be good" self-help books and gurus. It's easy to cast aside because of the cliche advice, but it sounds so familiar because it's TRUE. Traits like thriftiness, optimism, thoughtfulness, respect for yourself and others and a greater purpose really DO get a person that much closer to their individual form of happiness. To escape the pitfalls of what has become the "normal" American way of life (i.e. BUYING STUFF), you have to buy out, not buy in to what everyone is trying to force down your throat.

Popularity isn't the goal, but you better believe that if you treat people with respect, they will gravitate towards you. Popularity is a built-in by-product of being kind. The nice girl never acts nice to achieve a higher social status; she truly wants to promote common kindness. (100)

I do have a few grievances, and as this is a review I suppose I should air them. Munroe's writing style, at times, reminded me of a crummy Cosmo article. That may have been what she was going for. The problem: this woman has important things to say! Her flippant word choices and bubbly little asides cheapened the gravity of her musings on anti-entitlement and escaping our "chronic consumption" culture. Write to us like we're women, damnit! Most of the time, I wanted her to go further. She mentions yoga and spiritual awakenings and simple abundance here and there, but never really explains them for those who desperately need to see the greener pasture to which she alludes.

Great necessities call out great virtues. The average American woman knows nothing of great necessity. Today we are at a loss for virtue because we lack for nothing. Throughout history, amazing women have fought tooth and nail for the privileges and rights we have today. ... You are of great worth to society. In this world we need women like you who are determined to help, hope, and hold on to their ideals. We need women who smile at strangers, who volunteer their time, and who realize that this earth is a great big place that still has room for improvement. (161)

It's hard to fault one of the few messengers who has the gumption to stand up and fight for the nice girl in a world of bitches. This book is a warning for the nice girl, illustrating the many traps awaiting her (some of which are self-made, some carefully crafted by the media or the girl next door). She reveals the ideas and stereotypes we've internalized as members of the current society.

The biggest surprise: This book's message got to me long before I recognized it for the interesting piece of feminist self-help that it is. It's affected my dreams, the music I've been listening to, the clothes I choose to wear, the food I'm eating and the words I speak. I'd say it's rather influential.

The biggest disappointment: My ARC copy is incomplete! The last six or so pages are left blank, with only the word "Index" perched atop the first of them. If I ever return to this book, I'll have to write it out myself.

This is a one I'll keep on my bookshelf for a long while, flaws and all! That is, except for when I've loaned it out to friends!

Bromfield's "Apologia"

2010-12-07T13:22:00.001-08:00

Because I'm self-obsessed, I was looking this blog's viewer statistics. I love to see the trails which lead people to me. Today, I noticed that some stranger out there was looking for Louis Bromfield's "Apologia," the introduction from his shockingly under-celebrated book, A Few Brass Tacks.

In an earlier post about green/environmentalism books I promised to eventually upload some of Bromfield's "Apologia." Today is the day!

The following is the entirety of Louis Bromfield's "Apologia," transcribed by me from a 1946 first edition copy of A Few Brass Tacks, published by Harper & Brothers Publishers. As I'm typing this up myself with semi-frozen fingers in my basement, please excuse any typos. Let me know if you spot any. There may be a copy of this on Google somewhere, but... well, I don't always take the easy way out.

Italicized words are Bromfield's own.

If you'd prefer a printable file that's easier to read, skip to the bottom of this post.

This book is no more than the thinking aloud of one man who makes no pretension at being a specialist in economics nor at solving the problems of the world, the nation or even of the township in which he lives. It is simply the record of the intellectual processes of one individual trying to find his way, indeed at times to force his way, out of the jungle and morass of man's troubled life in this Age of Irritation in which man, caught in the maze of his own selfishness, stupidity, ambition, greed and intricate mechanical ingenuity, lives in a perpetual state of nerves with his neighbors, with fellow men on the other side of earth whom he has never seen, indeed with his own wife and children. It is a record born out of experience of one politically-minded citizen who happens to like the human race, without regard for race, religion, creed or color, and who has lived closely and intimately with inflations and booms and depressions, wars and invasions and revolutions, and the oppression and exploitation of his fellow men, not only in his home country but in many others. Out of this experience he has come to regard with some cynicism the term 'civilized man' and to arrive at the conclusion that the bases of man's wretchedness and bewilderment are far more of economic than of political or social or racial or national origins. He is almost persuaded that the violent political differences, the social unrest, the racial hatreds are largely only manifestations of economic inequalities, maladjustments and injustices, and that, if the economic ills of this badly managed, complex, industrialized world could be adjusted, many of these evils would presently disappear and we should make a great advance in civilization itself, which in the end is the only real justification for man's existence.

The author has seen the sense of co-operation, of neighborliness, of patriotism (which may or may not be a bad thing, according to its manifestation) disappear from the village, from the great city, from the nation and from the rapidly intensifying interrelationship among nations until the average man has come to live perpetually in a state of pessimism, accepting dully a conviction that wars are inevitable, that economic depression and misery and starvation are simply the common lot of mankind and that the only course for the individual is to look out for the interests of himself and those immediately dependent upon him. such a despair, such a disillusionment and cynicism were largely responsible for the disintegration and defeat of a great nation like France. Her forty million people ceased to be a united nation; they became simply forty million individuals each looking out for himself. [end page 2]

It would be well for other Western nations to regard France as a barometer, for being the most civilized of nations (and I am not speaking in terms of plumbing and country clubs but of true civilization) and the leader of Western civilization which has kept alive the fire of Greece, of Rome and of the Renaissance, she serves well and accurately as a gauge of the social and political weather which lies ahead just beyond the horizon. The signs of national disintegration are present in every country in Europe, in every modern empire, even in these United States, standing apparently at the very peak of her power and wealth.

As man looks about him today for leadership or a solution of the demoralizing perplexities which surround him, he finds himself confronted by hordes of soothsayers and midget messiahs, gigantic humbugs (no less humbugs for all their sincerity and sentimentality), by demagogues ranging from Hitler and Mussolini to the politicians of the democratic states, all talking loudly and intimately of 'the people' and promising them the millennium. And the man in the Western world is an easy victim of all this rabble rousing and superficiality since he seeks pitifully for some leader or some faith that will clarify his confusion and east the pain of his bewilderment and despair.

Man is not naturally a cynic; he wants pitifully to believe, in himself, in his future, in his community and in the nation in which he is a part. Hitler was [end page 3]born of the despair of the German people. As history has already shown, he was neither a great man nor a great leader, but only a windy demagogue who promised the German people salvation and an end to their misery, spiritual as well as economic. The end, as with all leadership by demagogues, was tragedy and disaster, not only for the people of Germany but for the whole of the world. The Hitler story might well serve as a symbol of caution to the rest of us, warning of the inefficacy of short-cuts, of intolerance, of economic panaceas, of loose and visionary thinking. And it should never be forgotten that both Hitler and Mussolini began their careers as radicals, promising 'the people' everything.

Largely speaking, salvation in these times is held forth to troubled mankind either by the demagogues and the superficial, ecstatic visionaries wallowing in self-conscious reflection upon their own virtues and superiority, or by the reactionaries who would have man betray himself by turning backward into his own dark and painful past. These are the elements which, without reason or profundity or balance, scream at each other the shrill and meaningless epithets of 'Red' and 'Fascist,' 'Bolshevik' and 'Reactionary.'

The word 'liberal' once had a real meaning which implied reason, dignity, intelligence, balance and tolerance. That meaning is lost. The 'liberal' of our times has become all too often little more than a sentimentalist [end page 4] 'with both feet planted firmly in mid-air' or a vicious name caller in the school playground at recess time.
Economic prosperity and the privileges of growth and development which accompany it, are not achieved by short-cuts and fanciful and visionary theories, but by work and experience and faith and wisdom. The whole of the history of man's long struggle upward out of the steaming ooze is evidence of this irrefutable fact. In his capacity for work and in his faith in himself and the ideals by which he lives, modern man in the twentieth century is tragically deficient. More and more he looks wearily toward the easy way out, toward something for nothing, toward doles and subsidies, toward the political leader who promises utopia overnight. But the grim truth is that there are no short-cuts and panaceas.

On the other hand, unhappy, bewildered, modern man finds those who would lead him backward into the dark world of the nineteenth century - a brutal, sentimental world of extremes in luxury and poverty, of incredible opportunity for the unscrupulous exploiter as well as for the genius, a world which can reappear only as a prelude to the anarchy of a demoralized and disintegrated Western world. The leaders of this philosophy of the return to the 'good old days' are themselves the very symbols of decay and despair, and offer no hope whatever of man's advance but only of his [end page 5] retrogression toward the hazy blessings of a sentimentalized world which no longer exists and never did exist save in the experience of the gifted, the fortunate and the unscrupulous. Out of the reality of that nineteenth century world were born much of the evil and most of the perplexities that torment us today.

In most of the panaceas offered either from the extreme Left or from the extreme Right, one element seems to have been almost wholly overlooked and that is consideration for the nature of man - that he is a creature which must move upward toward a greater realization of his capacity and his dignity as an individual, that he must have gods in which to believe and results which justify, regardless of illusion, his faith in these gods, that there is in any man, save for the physiologically handicapped and debased, a desire to work and to create which is the foundation of his neighbor's respect for him, and what is more important, his respect for himself.

In our modern world these things, which are the very foundations of man's rise in the world of animals, are too much lacking both in himself and in his community as well as in the community of nations. One thing is certain - that he cannot go backward either into the world of Fascism or of Marxian Communism without losing his liberty of action and the freedom and dignity which are his right as an individual man who walks erect and thinks. [end page 6]

It is sad that so many of the soothsayers offer him economic security and even a state-supported indolence at the price of his independence, his dignity, his freedom and his very soul. The short-cuts, the panaceas are, at best, but the Devil's bargain - which dangle a short-time paradise in the scales of civilization as a balance against retrogression and eternal damnation, political, social, spiritual and even economic on this earth.

No less puzzled and confused by the cynicism and evangelical visions, the irritations, the pressures of his day, the author felt long ago - indeed years ago while living in the midst of a European civilization already in the process of disintegration - a passionate desire to cut his way somehow through the jungle of disillusionment and false gods back to fundamentals, to those things and beliefs and thoughts by which man can and has, at certain epochs of his existence, lived well and sanely, however briefly. The impulse of escape took the form of a driving desire to return to his own roots, to find some base, solid and eternal, even perhaps primitive, upon which to build the structure of his own thought, uncontaminated either by the propaganda of those who would turn backward or those who with hosannas would rush forward into the treacherous mirages of what is too frequently no more than man's hunger for a paradise for which he is not yet prepared, a mirage of wishful thinking which sails serenely over [end page 7] all the realities of nature and of the nature of man himself.

It was inevitable that in the search for some base in truth and reality, the author should have turned to the earth, to the soil and to agriculture. There were two very strong reasons for this (1) that he came of an ancestry and background which for generations had been rural rather than urban and that by interest as well as by experience, he had faith in the philosophy and in the character of things rural and small town rather than urban; (2) that he found out of daily living and a widespread experience that the farmers and gardeners of the world, however poor or prosperous, whatever their nationality or race or faith, possessed a common basic philosophy which proved a bulwark against the uncertainty of existence and the periods of crisis which the men who lived in great cities lacked conspicuously and immeasurably.
The farmer, the gardener, is inevitably a pragmatist who believes in what works. This is so because he lives nearer to the basic and eternal laws of nature than any other element of society. These laws are a part of his daily life. He lives with them and in a sense by them. The rain, the sun, the ice and snow, the soil, the breeding of his animals, are constant and eternal reminders of the laws by which man must live whether he chooses to or not, those laws which, if ignored or tampered with, only encompass his own disintegration and destruction. [end page 8] The farm, the earth, appeared to be the sound base from which a man, especially one who was weary and disillusioned through too much experience in the modern, complex, industrial, imperialist world, could re-examine his own significance, if any, and that of the confused and confusing period in which he lived.

The wisdom of the good farmer is an eternal wisdom and indestructible. As Liberty Hyde Bailey once wrote and as history has testified so many times, 'The farmer is the first man and he will be the last man.' The good farmer, working with soil and plants and animals, living in peace and co-operation with his neighbors, outwitting the weather or profiting by it but never ignoring it, is far nearer to the eternal truths and laws of our existence, by which we must live and within which we must find our salvation, than the workers of the industrial age, fitting similar nuts onto similar bolts eight hours a day five days a week throughout the whole of his life. When all industry lies in ruins and the industrial worker has died either in riots or against a wall in the war of brother against brother or by starvation, the farmer will still be there, tilling his bit of earth - in China, in Russia, in Germany, in the United States, everywhere.

Few thinkers would disagree with the premise that much of our cynicism and discontent, most of our ills, a great part of our perplexities and irritation, much of our ill-health and insanity, are the results of the rapid industrialization [end page 9] of the modern world. We have not had time to adjust ourselves to this monstrous change and the staggering increases of population which have accompanied it nor to fit industry itself into the pattern of a wise and balanced economy or existence. No change in the history of the world has ever come so rapidly or with such devastating effects as the brief industrial revolution with steam power, the telephone, the telegraph, the railway, the automobile, the airplane, the radio and countless other developments which have shrunken the world and made neighbors, however unhappy or perilous, of all of us. this headlong change has led us, especially in America, to confuse plumbing and automobiles, which have to do only with the body, with civilization, which has to do with the mind, the spirit, the soul and with man's relation to his fellow men. It has led man into a conceit in his own ingenuity which may in the end achieve only his destruction. It has immensely enhanced the growth of his baser side by encouraging his faith in the material and the mechanical and by these things he certainly cannot live alone, safe in eventual brutishness and misery. The atomic bomb, the Bofors gun, the jet plane, a hundred other examples of man's material ingenuity, all become symbols of a materialism by which the best efforts of scientists and inventors, which should be directed toward civilization, are in an utterly material and badly adjusted world instead aimed only at the destruction of civilization and eventually of man himself. [end page 10]

This modern world, this Age of Irritation is not one in which man can take pride. This is so, I think, because man himself has established false values and false gods, often in defiance of his own nature and certainly of natural law. He is in the process of selling his great birthright of aspiration, of achievement, of growth and advance for a mess of pottage composed of selfishness, materialism, indolence, confusion, pride and despair.

The problem is not to do away with mechanics, with industry and scientific discovery. These things are with us and of inestimable value, if they can be used by man instead of using man. the problem is how to live with these things, how to adjust the daily life of man, of cities and of nations to the vast and complicated problems which machines, industry and scientific discovery have themselves created. In all of history there has never been such a hot potato as the atomic bomb. It is indeed so hot a potato that there is, despite all the highfalutin talk, no solution but for men and nations to learn the lesson of living together in peace.

We shall never learn by turning backward and we shall never find the answer by following the soothsayers and demagogues who promise paradise overnight or those whose panaceas are all founded upon money or the manipulation of money. Man's problems are not and have never been solely material problems, nor can they be solved by inflations and deflations or the manipulation of currencies. When they become so, as they threaten to do in our trying times, civilization [end page 11] dies to be revived again only when man through misery and defeat and disillusionment touches bottom and begins again. For civilized man, for those leaders who have influenced the long journey upward of mankind, money or rewards in material were not the great and ultimately desired rewards. When they become so, man dies spiritually and his civilization dies with him.

The author, in the thinking aloud recorded here, is aware that he will probably be accused of many things - as many indeed as there are soothsayers and reactionaries, as many as there are panaceas and economic short-cuts. The whole science of economics (and the belief of the author is that it is a science as well as an art and a philosophic exercise) is a difficult and complex one which in the end may be justified perhaps only in the farmer's pragmatic way - that it works. In our age and especially in our own country, we have been treated during the past few years to such an appalling array of unorthodox and experimental economics, that the sound rules which the experience of the world has proven workable, have tended to become unorthodox. In other words, orthodoxy has become unorthodoxy and vice versa. To put forward some new and interesting short-cuts, some fresh panacea which is 'good for man, child or beast' has become orthodox or conventional procedure. Few if any of these panaceas have produced noticeable results; few if any have worked by solving any of the complex problems which confront us. [end page 12] Many of them have only done harm by further confusing the desperately important problems involved and by adding further to man's perplexities.

Too many of the panaceas, sometimes through the necessity of emergency, have been improvised, superficial or based upon money and the manipulation of money, while overlooking completely the fundamental causes of the crises involved. Reforms in terms of money and of the manipulation of currencies are not signs of wisdom nor of deep thinking nor of statesmanship but rather symptoms of the chronic weakness of a nation or a world or a civilization, symptoms of shallow makeshift thinking, of shiftlessness, of demagoguery, of ear and of desperation. In this realm of action the San Francisco and Bretton Woods conferences, despite all the good will of their most enthusiastic supporters, stand somehow as symbols of the superficiality and the futility of these methods. In the one case a vague and powerless political structure was erected and in the other arrangements for the manipulations of international exchange were established, while the fundamental causes of war, of economic depressions, of misery, of hunger - the access and distribution on a fair basis of raw materials, food and markets - were passed over with averted gaze. It was as if both conferences had been thrown out cynically as a sop to those who hope passionately and tragically for a better world without ever understanding how to achieve one. Already the results of both conferences [end page 13] show the pallid signs of futility, because the nations of the world or the leaders who represent them are either not yet able to save themselves or are unwilling to do so. Surely there must have been among the distinguished men assembled at San Francisco and Bretton Woods some who knew in their hearts that they were only making gestures and solving nothing at all. Is it that there are no more great leaders in the world or only that the problems of this modern industrial imperialist world have become so vast and so complex as to dwarf all men however great?

This is not a book written for the economist closeted behind a desk in some college or university. Humbly it attempts to reveal the mental processes of an ordinary layman trying to understand something of the increasingly complex world in which he lives and to fight his way to fairly simple fundamentals, despite the confusion created by the aggregate opinions of the professional economists. The author in his reading of and conversation with the economists is led to believe that all too often many of these gentlemen suffer from multiple vision and cannot discern very clearly either the forest or even a single tree. The immense diversity of their opinions and theories and the spectacle of their intense animosity toward each other, both fail to encourage a belief in their infallibility, either singly or as a whole. The truth is that probably no one man, or even a school of men, thinking together, has either [end page 14] sufficient learning or sufficient experience to permit a complete understanding of the immensely complex economic problems of our times.

In any case the author has put his thoughts and conclusions on paper with the primary purpose of clarifying his own thinking. If they serve to stimulate either discussion or abuse or are of any value whatever to others, so much the better.

This is merely the book's introduction! I'm going to print out a copy to highlight and scribble upon. Even though Bromfield is long-winded in some places, "Apologia" is a fascinating piece to read while living the life of a Midwesterner in the new millennium.

It took me about two hours type this up, and I've not yet begun to reread it and fix typos. If you found this useful, please tell me! It'd be nice to know that someone else finds Bromfield's musings interesting and engaging more than 60 years after publication!

Contact me if you'd like a Word document file of "Apologia" without the info links, and with better formatting. Indentations and appropriate spacing, oh my! I'll gladly share it with you.

If you'd like your own copy of this underrated classic, please check your local used book shops. You could also try my personal favorite, The Curious Book Shop. Or, if all else fails, you have a friend in Bookfinder.

Countering Yesterday's Entry - Slutty Spies

2010-12-06T15:14:00.001-08:00

I spy on my neighbors.

Not always.

I do like to be aware, though.

In a times of great fear people grow anxious and suspicious - often distrustful of neighbors and strangers, family and friends. Our guards go up, our sense heighten (sometimes by far too much), and we start watching for clues and hints of what is to come. Propaganda posters fueled it during the war. America experienced it during the Red Scare. Countless gossips and high school girls leap to wild conclusions (or lies) at the drop of a hat.

Err... I'm rambling, and poorly.

I mean for this to be an expansion on yesterday's post, but for some reason my writing is all twisted.

I've acquired a review copy of Carol K. Carr's India Black: A Madam of Espionage Mystery, which comes out in January. The cover design speaks volumes. A sepia background shows a generic cobblestone street in Victorian London. The cover's lone figure, a woman in scarlet and black lace, holds a fan. Her head is cropped above the nose, but her bosom is on full display.* After a brief inspection of the blurbs (Vicki Lane calls it a "cheeky romp") I've surmised that what I hold in my hands is, in fact, a...

PROSTITUTE ESPIONAGE HISTORICAL FICTION NOVEL!

I'd be rather pleased if Prostitute-Spies grew in popularity. Truly, I would. These small-business owner/operators (heh heh.) were the working women of Victorian London. Sure, it may not be the healthiest and most agreeable line of work, but these women are smart, savvy, and sneaky! Plus, they are secret-keepers for some of society's seediest: politicians. Add secret espionage, and you've got a mastermind problem-solver who isn't afraid of using her feminine wiles in order to win.

Perhaps these women of vice will triumph with their own version of what constitutes right and wrong in this world. Or maybe they'll further ruin the hope and change that so many real-life feminists of the 20th century fought so valiantly for.

I haven't begun to read India Black yet, but I think it'll help fill the void left by Lauren Willig's astonishing Pink Carnation series.

Fun Facts:
Release Date: January 4, 2011. ($14.00)
India Black is Carol K. Carr's debut novel.
Tag line: "India Black answers to no man, no matter how attractive he might be..."
Summary from Berkley Publishing Group/Penguin:
Set in 1876, the beautiful young madam India Black is occupied with her usual tasks: keeping the tarts in line, avoiding the police, and tolerating clergymen determined to convert the girls she's in charge of. But when Sir Archibald Latham of the War Office dies suddenly of a heart attack while visiting her London brothel, India is unexpectedly trust into a deadly dispute between Russian and British agents who are seeking the military secrets Latham had carried.

The summary goes on to suggest a romantic entanglement with a handsome French/British spy and some angry Russians. It is unclear if the Russians are also romantic. Fingers crossed.

To strengthen my Hooker-Spies theory, here is a Google-like spewing of spy-related things in my head: the Russian spy ring that made headlines last month, James Bond, the many detective mystery novels I priced at work this morning, Spy vs. Spy, Sherlock Holmes, the spy/hooker who shagged Eliot Spitzer out of office...

... does Monica Lewinski count even though she didn't effectively use her information-gathering opportunities?

*The cover shown above is not quite the same as the final product. I don't know why, but somewhere between cover design and printing, the upper half of the model's face was cropped and discarded. I like it more without the eyes (although she is undeniably lovely).

Sherlock will save us all.

2010-12-05T16:18:00.000-08:00

This Article is where it began, for me.

I've never read the Sherlock Holmes stories. It's been especially hard to ignore them at work. Shame floods over me every time Doyle and his creation are mentioned. I should read those! I should have read them, already! How did I miss this?!

My knowledge of Sherlock consists of what I've gleaned from the general media, studying other Victorian writers, Disney's The Great Mouse Detective, and the second half of that recent Sherlock Holmes movie starring Robert Downey Jr. That's not much, and not canon at all.

While I don't know much about Mr. Holmes, I do know a fair amount about the world and society in which he lived and died. Granted, it comes mostly from reading historical romance novels, but some of them are quite reputable! (See: Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series.) It was a fascinating place and time quickly coming back into fashion. The increasing popularity of Victoriana is apparent in fashion, the rise of Steampunk (See: Off The Beaten Path Books, in Farmington.), a growing fear and distrust of modern and futuristic technologies, and nostalgia we feel for a time long before our own. Well, not so long...

Maybe our next craze won't be about wizards or werewolves or zombies or the Chinese. Maybe we'll look back on history, rather than buy into myths, superstitions and fear. Maybe we'll make shining examples of strong-willed, intelligent, independent thinkers who helped to shape a better world. Whether they be characters like Mr. Holmes or "real" (our perceptions of) people Queen Victoria bothers me not. ( I've also noticed an influx of books, new and reissued, about Victoria. Here, here, and here. You're welcome.)

So, I shall wait and see what happens. Maybe I'm not the only one realizing that we could be so much better, if only we tried. Until then, I'll do my part. Does anyone have a copy of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works I could borrow?

Giving Away Victoria's Secret

2010-12-01T11:27:00.001-08:00

I just removed myself from the Victoria's Secret daily email listing.

And it feels good.

Haley G. Hoover has begun a new project-blog, Presence. She started things off with a bang, taking a stab at Cosmopolitan while calling out to all girls and women who are aware of the Cosmo problem, as well as the countless others unaware of the daily barrage of media-created stereotype expectations that surround life as a female in America.

While Hayley is far from the first person to come to this realization, she is one of YouTube's most respected vlogging celebrities. I've spent a lot of time getting to know Hayley as one of the Five Awesome Girls over the last three years, and admire and respect her as a personality and a person. We're of the same generation and mindset, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with!

In college I majored in both English and American history, with a focus on the 20th century. It was pretty awesome. My thesis for English was all about the American Girl book and doll franchise. For my bachelors in history I studied the lifestyle and stereotypes of a young woman living in the late 1960s, taking a close look at Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique and publications like 'Teen, Co-Ed and Ms. Magazine, as well as the 1970 presidential commission report on the lives of women of all classes and creeds.

A happy side effect of so much focus on the lives of girls and young women was a much greater understanding of all of the bullshit that we put up with as Americans. I could go the route of complaining about the barrage of makeup advertisements and the Hollywood obsession, etc. The problem, however, goes much deeper than what's between the pages of Cosmo.

It's too much to go into at the moment.
Think about it. But don't think about it.
See what you come up with.
And remind me to tell you about my brilliant solution to those annoying ads that run before and after YouTube videos and TV commericals, and the like. It's pretty good.

Check out Ms. Hoover's most recent video on the birth of Presence:

Presence [noun]
1. The state or fact of being present, as with others in a place.
2. A person or thing that exists in a place but is not seen.
2. The ability to project a sense of ease, poise, or self-assurance.
(Thanks, dictionary.com!)

Ponies and Balloons

2010-06-26T09:17:00.001-07:00

Do me a favor, and read this. It's not long. I want to show you a few YouTube videos about what's going on in the Gulf.

Disclaimer: I don't really know what I'm talking about. I'm not an expert, I'm just a person. I'm just another guilty consumer. Also, I don't fully agree with everything said and shown in the following videos.

Did you hear about the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, 65 days ago? It happened on April 20th, and made for some rather spectacular footage on the news. While flipping through the channels I'd catch a glimpse of the CNN coverage. It was interesting to see how technology could chart the future progression of the oil gushing from the well, into the gulf and beyond. It made for a good conversation topic in the first few weeks, and gave everyone a new national enemy to rally against.

After two weeks, I sort of forgot about it. I mean, I knew it was still going on, and I knew it was bad news for the Gulf, but I had my own life to focus on here in Michigan. It was finally spring, here!

I was screwing around on YouTube this morning, watching funny videos. I'm not sure how I stumbled upon the first of the four videos posted below, but I'm sure glad it happened.

I don't really have the words to effectively express how awful the situation is in America. Please excuse this primitive post. I'm just getting it out there.

This is heartbreaking. I know Michigan feels like it's a world away from the oil spill. You're wrong. We're all wrong. We've been wrong for a long time, and it's time to right ourselves. It's been MONTHS, now. And what are we hearing about on the news? Michael Jackson's demise, one year later (and the G-20 Summit, and whether or not it's still relevant).

The videos below are of REAL PEOPLE. They're like us, but they happen to live along the Gulf, rather than amidst the Great Lakes. Just watch these videos, and think. That's all I ask. Use that powerful mind of yours. It'll take you 20 minutes, if you actually take the time.

Kinda Arnesen is the daughter and wife of Louisiana fishermen. From what I understand, BP invited her in to go behind the scenes of their ongoing recovery effort. I don't know how or why she was chosen. Posted just two days ago, this is a video of Kindra telling (what I assume to be) her neighbors about her experiences.

Here's an interesting perspective, that of the activists fighting not just for their own lives and lifestyles on the coast, but also for the countless animals suffering.

It's literally raining oil in Louisiana...

... and the surf on Pensacola Beach is BOILING with acid.

Here's a timeline of the spill, if you're interested. Here's another, by Newsweek.

I hope you're angry. I sure am. And horrified. And embarrassed.

It's not on the news, and it's certainly not on the front page of today's Lansing State Journal.

Being aware is better than nothing, which is what most of us are doing, right now. The silver lining of this horrible disaster is that maybe, finally, we'll begin the transition to a safer world. An economy not focused on greed and gain.

(Parts of this post have been revised for clarity. I'm awfully sorry if you were one of the first to read my jumbled thoughts!)

Talking at People

2010-06-09T11:52:00.001-07:00

I've been trying to strike up conversations about this environmental "kick" that I'm on. No, I don't personally see it as a "phase" that I'll soon be over. My friends, however, aren't really enlightened when it comes to the current information and literature available about the Earth and where it's taking us. To be honest, most of the guys don't even READ. I feel relatively safe bloggin' about my woes, since these fellas mainly use the interweb for illegal downloaded music and movies. Probably porn, too. Forget blogs, news sites, or even informational YouTube videos. To my "crew," the internet is just one big, mysterious entertainment provider.

I've tested the waters in a few different ways. Some of these cautious toe-dips were successful... and others were not.

- The husband and I started a family garden at my aunt's house. So far, two of the guys (Z and R) have shown slight interest. R came to see it, on the way to or from somewhere with the husband and me. Z heard the two of us talking about our SuperRadishes last week, and thinks it's cool that we're growing some of our own food. We said he should come over with us to work on the garden sometime, and that we'd give him some veggies in return. He said yes, but we'll see if it happens.

- M, a good friend who's about to move from Mid-Michigan to Arizona, has been a victim of my numerous tirades about the scarcity of water in our near future. We come from a land of plenty, the heart of North America, the Great Lakes State. Even I don't fully understand how fortunate we are to be surrounded by fresh water. After showing him a few charts and graphs from The Great Lakes Water Wars, my hope is that he's truly started to think about what Phoenix will be like in 15 years. Or ten. Or five. Heck, I hope he's at least looking into the current average temps and rainfall, to date.

- The husband and I have devised a semi-longterm life plan. We're going to stay in the area for the next five or so years. Grad school is on the menu, and we need to save money. Once we're able, we'd like to head into the northern part of the lower peninsula and truly settle down. I've never been to the UP, so I'm leery of signing on to the rest of my life as a UPper. Anyways, we want to find a home somewhere in town and live a semi-sustainable life until we move on to greener pastures. Ideally, I'd like to have a long-term rental house that we could maintain, landscape, and update on our own. It'd be better to own our home outright, but I'm afraid of getting stuck. I'll put my feelers out, maybe post on Craigslist.

- I'm not sure if this last impromptu discussion was a success, or if it merely solidified A's gut feeling that I'm insane. Maybe that's a good thing. While sipping pricey coffee drinks at Barnes and Noble, and flipping through an architecture book full of ridiculously beautiful and expensive Michigan homes, I brought up cooperative living. It wasn't on purpose. I had nothing prepared - not even a basic explanation of what I mean when I say "cooperative living". All I really know is that I think group living would be neat, and smart. I expressed this to him, and he poked about a dozen holes in my balloon. Instantly deflated. Then, he realized that co-op-ing it was actually my idea and not some crazy scheme of my husband's. He suggested that we try it out. Go visit one of these EcoVillages for a while, and see how we like it.

Now there's an idea!

A hungry little review of Bill McKibben's Eaarth

2010-06-09T11:17:00.000-07:00

I've been getting into things, lately. Numerous firsts, and a few seconds, thirds, etc.

I'm dangling off the back of the yoga train, and truly practicing twice a week. Far from my every-day goal, but not the worst possible outcome.

Last night, I played Dungeons and Dragons for the first time. I finally, sort-of understand how the game works. It was enough to show me that my half-elf bard character won't be enough to keep me challenged and entertained. Sure, it'll allow for a certain amount of mischeviousness, but I want to FIGHT! Kill some monsters, ya know?

Although my reading progesses at a slower pace than normal, I'm thoroughly enjoying Bill McKibben's Eaarth. To call it thought-provoking would be a cliche understatment. It's life changing in a completely new and important way.

"A car is the ultimate expression of individualism." Deep Economy, 152

"{Hyper-individuaism} may be a phase through which humans need to pass before they can figure out its limitations." Deep Economy, 157

I'd quote from Eaarth, but I'd end up typing out the entire book. Let's avoid copyright infringement. Just read it for youself. Weathering the long wait-list at your local library is well worth it. This book is an important piece of the coming (present, really) changes to our individual lives, local communities, states, nations, and society as a whole. Most importantly, it's about how nature has already changed, and it will teach us how to gracefully and sustainably adapt to these changes before it's too late.

I would write more, but my sandwich is ready and I'm famished. Gotta enjoy GRC while I can!

Giving up the Hard Juice

2010-05-28T07:10:00.001-07:00

I'm writing to you today from Command Central, the newest technology hub in East Lansing! Alright, so it's technically a glorified computer desk with a television atop the highest shelf. But, hey, at least it's got internet and cable. It boasts cool, below-ground temperatures... in my basement.

Everyone needs to begin somewhere.

Sean and I are embarking on a new challenge. Taking it a week at a time (my caveat), we'll attempt to stop eating out. No big deal, right? Sean's a thrifty, creative and talented cook, so we'll have plenty of meals and leftovers to carry us through. In that respect, the hard work is already done. Still, we spend a lot of time and money "eating out" around town. Dominos is across the street from us. Quality Dairy (which is considered an eating establishment in this experiment) is a block away. I walk to work on a path which parades me past two coffee shops and a myriad of local restaurants and bars. When we're on the other side of town we like to stop at Culver's (*shudder*) or Cracker Barrel.

I don't know if this will work.

I drink a lot of coffee. I'm fine with giving up restaurant eating, especially fast food. It's the loss of COFFEE that I fear will be my downfall. True, we have a good (semi-broken) coffee pot and a sporadic supply of delicious fair trade coffee beans that my dad imports green and roasts at home, from Sweet Maria's. And yes, there's a free supply of coffee at the bookshop, as well. I can manage to get from our home to the shop without visiting any of East Lansing's fine coffee establishments. I think.

I know Ellen from Grand River Coffee better than I know my neighbors. I met Bob Fish, American hero and co-creator of Beaners (Biggby Coffee), and was starstruck. The average large coffee in this town costs $2.00. Two dollars for a cup of life-sustaining juice from magical beans, imported to Mid-Michigan from afar. Sold! Granted, more often than not I find myself clenching a more expensive drink than I expected to buy, but that's marketing! I'm an important part of the local coffee-buying population, and I'm throwing in the towel.

What we're not giving up are the drinking establishments of East Lansing. To the average 24 year old living in one of America's most alcohol-focused college towns, this is good news! I think I'd rather keep coffee and give up the spirits, though. Ah, well. At least I have Boobs and Beer, a Michigan brew blog, to keep me informed.

I made my own coffee this morning, but I'm going out to lunch with a friend this afternoon. Hey, we haven't started, yet!

A Less-Trampled Path

2010-05-26T18:10:00.000-07:00

So here's the deal. I'm back to blogging again. And once again, I'm serious about it (haha). I think this time it might stick. True, I've said this before. There's truly only one way to find out.

Sustainability is quite the catch-phrase these days, in this post-millennial, greenified world. First there was Al Gore, then Elphaba. Next, Lady Gaga will premiere her new Lady Gaia costume and become the first (?) international Green Revolution icon. I was a history major. I know all about using the figure of a woman as the symbol of a true revolution. I'm down.

I'm so “down,” in fact, that I'm prepared to put it onto the vast Internetverse. I know that Blogs are rather Old-School. Still, I shall persevere. Given my circumstances, I'd consider this a rather advanced personal technological achievement. Don't mock me. Just keep reading!

In trying to trace the root of this sudden zeal, I realized a few of the doubtless numerous and otherwise unnoticed influences upon my life. My new husband, Sean, is something of a zombie aficionado. What began as a kitchy interest and collection theme has blossomed into a fully fledged state of paranoia regarding the (most definitely real) zombie apocalypse. I'm yet skeptical, but anything is possible. Or, maybe this sprouts from his interest in the spread of diseases and epidemiology.

He's truly not insane, I promise. Or, are we both?

We've both recently graduated. In college, I became very involved in things. I worked at the library and joined a few honors societies, which I had some part in governing. I was a bit of a departmental starlet, although it seems very awkward (yet right) to call myself so. Harlot, sometimes. I studied creative non-fiction under one of the most influential women of my life. I became the aforementioned history major, in addition to majoring in English. I was on the fast-track to a career in retail and freelance, most likely.

Goodness, how true it's become!

I started to make friends with a fascinatingly diverse group of people. I found the most excellent mentors and academics available, there. And even more – they're actually invested in their students as individuals and future colleagues. It was flattering, startling, and emboldening. I'm truly lucky/blessed/______ to have been where I've been.

It goes deeper and deeper, I'm realizing while I write and reminisce. I used to spend my playtime, nearly every day, outside under the Texas sun. My dad's a gardener. Really, each relative I'm fortunate enough to have has influenced me toward this in some way or another. Really, all of you. Thank you.

Ah, I'm rambling. If anyone cares about the rest of the story, comment one day far into the future and I'll tell you more. I don't have time to dawdle!

What's in the Green Bag:
- Obama Zombies: How the Liberal Machine Brainwashed My Generation, by Jason Mattera
- Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future, by Bill McKibben
(I found this through a recent NYTimes review of Eaarth, and am simply stunned by the number of things I do not know, or simply have not paused to consider!)
- The End of Nature, by Bill McKibben
- The Age of Missing Information, by Bill McKibben
- Green Guide: The Complete Reference for Consuming Wisely (endorsed by NatGeo)
- Worms Eat My Garbage, by Appelhof (Sean's book, and by a local author!)
- Watershed: The Undamming of America, by Elizabeth Grossman
- Meditations from the Mat, by Gates aand Kenison
- A Few Brass Tacks, by Louis Bromfield
(I just happened upon this at work, and was astounded by the "Apologia" at the beginning. I'll post a version of it soon!)
- The Sunflower Forest: Ecological Restoration and the New Communion with Nature, by William R. Jordan III
(Ecological Restoration. Now, why haven't I heard of THIS before?)
- August Celebration: A Molecule of Hope for a Changing World, by Linda Grovner
(Another wildcard find from The Curious Book Shop!)
- The Bill McKibben Reader: Pieces of an Active Life

One of my major problems is handling the barrage of information coming down all around me. Learning about so many new things at once is exhilarating and overwhelming. I'm coping with it in the only way I know how - by writing. My journal has become a good commonplace book over the last few weks, but I can recognize a situation which calls for a keyboard and forum.

The time, dear reader, is now.

Audrey vs. the Voice Inside

2010-04-16T06:45:00.001-07:00

Hey, there.

It's been a while, hasn't it?

I really am sorry. You see, I've been... busy?

Well, no, that's a lie. Most of my abundance of free time has been spent reading, with some scribble-writing on the side.

What's that? Almost a year since graduation?

Oh. Yeah. Well, I've been working on a few things. You know, just in the rough first stages.
What? No, nothing of academic merit.
No, more of a novel.
Well three novel ideas. But nothing solid.
Hmm. No. I thought about expanding my senior thesis, but...

Well, I just didn't do it, okay?
Has it really been a YEAR?

Well, I moved to another town. That counts for something. And I planned and took part in a wedding, so that took up some of my time.

But that ended in October.
But Christmas! That was busy!

And now it's really still just the start of the year. Mid-April.
Good lord, it's almost summer.

I do have plans, you know. We're moving in less than a month. The book shop just did the big show, so we're still recovering from that...

No, you're right. I still only work 20 hours a week. And I spend too much time watching other people's unique and exciting YouTube videos while continually putting off any sort of creative output of my own.

But I got NetFlix.

And I've read 21 books since January 1st. It takes a reader to be a writer, eh?

Maybe this is a new start.
But a guilt-fueled start rarely runs the course.

(x-posted in that other blog I abandoned)

Everyone is Beautiful. Really.

2009-03-22T11:04:00.001-07:00

A few times a year, I react strongly to a book. Sometimes, I identify completely with the main character. Sometimes, I find the plot to be absolutely intoxicating. Sometimes, I find myself smitten with the secondary and peripheral characters, the setting, the humor, or the author's enticing way with words. In this particular situation, all of the above apply to Katherine Center's newest novel, Everyone is Beautiful.

When my latest Early Reviewer ARC arrived in the mail from Random House this past Friday, I was not particularly impressed. Another chick lit, I figured. Center's book was tossed onto the "To Be Read" stack, only to be picked up again a few hours later. While waiting for the coffee to percolate, I flipped to the first page and was immediately ensnared. I forewent all obligations and consumed the novel that evening.

Center's novel takes readers on a wild ride of emotions and ideas, ranging from laugh-out-loud humor and excitement, to varying shades of sobbing sadness and weeping happiness. Elena, the heroine and mother of three young boys, is far from average. Elena, as well as the novel's other characters, express a deepness of thought and opinion that elevates the story far above the stereotype-ridden chick-lit genre. Beneath the veneer of a rite-of-passage romantic comedy is Center's simmering discussion of what makes a person beautiful. In addition, the characters deal with issues including the struggles of parenting, loss of loved ones, and fears of the loss of identity.

Everyone is Beautiful has something for everyone, at every stage in life. While the heroine is a mother of three in a new city, Center's work also sheds light on multiple stages of life for both women and men. It is plump with possibility and humor, as well as a more serious look at how a person becomes who they are over the years, and how a few small changes can throw everything into or out of focus. At the risk of sounding cliche, this novel changed my life.

My advanced reader edition of the book (released 17 February 2009) already has a waiting list of three. I think it would make an excellent Mother's Day gift, but I can't bare to give it away!

((Portions of this have been x-posted on LibraryThing and submitted to Random House.))

Reinforcing the Glass Ceiling

2009-03-12T17:03:00.000-07:00

Swirling about in my mind are numerous less-than-pleasing issues, problems, ideas, and worries.

Does going to an excellent and highly-ranked grad school mean that I must choose before academia and a large family?
Why is it that I am only enthused enough to exercise after I eat so much food, I fear that moving will be rather impossible?
Can I finish all of these darn papers? Does my thesis have a point, even? Does anyone care about an academic approach to the American Girl dolls? Do I?
Will my ex stumble upon this blog, and sift through it for some off-hand mentions of him, as I would if I were to find his? Does this make me completely contemptible?
Why am I so horribly fascinated by Russell Brand and his too-tight leather pants? How is it that this man can wear higher heels than me, or most women I know?
Was I too quick to judge my boss?
How many saltines would I eat tomorrow, if all I consume is coffee and crackers?

I think that I'm setting myself up for failure. I've partially applied to this wonderful east-coast college that I can't quite afford. I intend (sort of) to finish the application process tomorrow by sending them my writing sample, along with a revised statement of career objectives and a brief explanation of my rather unusual writing sample choice.

I'm not sure if I'm trying to sabotage myself or not, but to meet the requirement of an academic writing sample, I'm sending their history department a personal essay that I wrote a few months back. It's about preservation, and does have historical significance, but it's a mix of narrative and expository sections. I believe (sort of) that it's a creative approach to identifying myself as an interdisciplinary student of both history and English. I believe that it also expresses my interest in and passion for preservation, and public historicism. The essay is definitely not what the committee is expecting, and I'm not sure if it will be well received. Thus, I am sending that brief explanation. But if the sample needs an explanation, is it good enough? Shouldn't it be able to stand alone?

Too late now. I've decided.

But what of this whole grad school "thing," anyway? The plan is/was to pursue a Masters in Library and Information Science (or possibly a MA in History) combined with a certification/specialization in archives management. I've adored my experiences of working with archives, and know that I'd be happy continuing in this field.

Is up rooting and moving to Boston the best plan, though? We're getting married in October, here in Michigan. So if we can find jobs and whatnot, we'd have to jet back out here in a matter of months to pull off The Wedding in a single weekend. That's stressful. But that's not the big issue. Boston is expensive. I hardly think we could afford it. And why should we leave Michigan when we both have multiple job opportunities to follow. For gawd's sakes, his fallback is a full time position at his university. Salaried with benefits, if I'm not mistaken.

I can't back out of the application process now, or I'd never live it down. I'd be mortified to explain it to my parents, my friends, my family, and the six wonderful individuals who were kind enough to write letters of recommendation. But I just don't want to. I think.

I'm done rambling about this. Read what you'd like in the title of this ramble. I feel as if I'm degrading myself in more ways than one.

2009-03-09T09:52:00.000-07:00

Still alive, and struggling to keep my head above water at the moment.
Fortunately, I haven't fallen victim to that awful cold that's circulating.
However, I am attempting to plan a wedding, apply to grad school(s), keep up with classes, and prepare a few pieces for submission to various journals.

Ugh.

In fact, I haven't read the blogs for well over two weeks, and so I've fallen behind.

I have, however, watched Pride and Prejudice twice in the last 48 hours (the newest rendition, not the BBC version).

Dead Poets Society party this weekend, at which the English honors society will make bookmarks, eat pizza, and swoon over the fictionalized life of a "good" teacher.

Why This Blog Matters

2009-02-09T08:32:00.000-08:00

Within the depths of the business section of today's New York Times, I came across an article on the downsizing of Newsweek. Although they're not the first or last publication to forgo some stories, it begs the question – what is newsworthy these days?
(By the way, I'm either suffering severe deja-vu, or this has 'been done' before, perhaps even by me. Still, this is important.)
The same stories are provided in an overwhelming array of ways and mediums. For instance, the story of Flight 1549's landing on the Hudson River. This story has held a top spot on seemingly every station, in every paper, and on every news segment on every radio station I've come across. Frankly, I'm sick of it.
Please, don't misunderstand me. I think it's wonderful that the passengers of Flight 1549 survived, and that the pilot should be rewarded (by US Airways, not the government). But, I also think that there is an endless amount of stories that get zero coverage, while the nation watches repeat stories on Obama, the plane, crazy parents, etc. Enough is enough.
In Richard Pérez-Peña's article, Newsweek's editor explains that the need for repeated coverage is disappearing. “If we don't have something original to say,” explained Meacham, “we won't. The drill of chasing the week's details is not sustainable.”
I look forward to these changes at Newsweek. While it is, arguable, a necessary change due to the economy and the suffering of the publishing and news industries, I also think that it shows creativity and a willingness to change and redefine news journals. Hopefully, their readers will agree and the journal will benefit!
Which brings be back to the original question. What does newsworthy mean, and who gets to define it? The media's coverage of certain sensational events has gotten a bit unwieldy over the past decade or so. A landmark change is the OJ Simpson court coverage, but I know better than to label that as the reason. I could go back so far as Dickens and serialization of sensationalist stories for profit. Really, that's what we're still doing today, but more directly.
I buy into it. Everyone does. And here I am, clogging up the blogosphere with regurgitated stories and quotes. Am I just furthering the problem rather than bringing about a solution? Perhaps. Do I care? Not really.
There's also been an uptick in what I see as a lazy person's guide to talking b.s. Newsweek will call theirs “The Bluffer's Guide,” while TheDailyBeast.com embodies it completely. Won't these short-lists of big stories and events simply further the problem? Rather than open up space for other stories in the press, these lists will take over. If a story isn't on the Top 10, then it won't be seen at all by the majority of society. My God, soon we'll all be reading newspeak , just as in George Orwell's 1984.
We should be worried. Someone should do something. Unfortunately, that someone is not me. Call me a fatalist, but I've come to realize that I won't be making any major changes in society, or at least not for a long while. Still, I think that the blogosphere is one of our greatest hopes for the continued sharing of information that doesn't make it onto CNN's greatest hits countdown. Keep writing. Keep thinking. Keep blogging!

I'm Ensnared by the Net(working Sites)

2009-02-07T17:42:00.000-08:00

Over the course of this past week, I’ve spent a lot of time pondering internet identity. A few days ago, I convinced a close friend to join Facebook. As college students active on campus, it’s a useful communication tool – that’s undeniable. However, it’s also a pain. Facebook doubles as Stalkerbook for many. It’s great for the passive-aggressive “frienemy” looking for embarrassing pictures or blackmail-worth gossip about their chosen target. IT’s also good for keeping up on general gossip about friends without them knowing.

The trouble with posting your private life’s events on the internet, whether it be through MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, or the many other networking sites, is that it creates a permanent record available to all. The moment something is posted, it’s at the mercy of its audience. Sure, the poster can go back and edit things in or out. That just isn’t enough, though. Anyone can take this post, copy and paste it, save it, and bring it back up next time I spout appreciation for Facebook and Twitter. (I’m on both, by the way.)

Recently, I’ve been talking with a professor about the virtues and flaws of Facebook. The department has created a page, and begged faculty to make profiles and befriend the department. They created an internet persona, realized it was friendless, and then begged others to do the same to appease the chair (or, more likely, my school’s money-hungry administration). Does no one else see the silliness of this? Anyway. This professor and I have been pondering the ins and outs of posting your personal life online, accessible to everyone in your current circle of friends and family, as well as old classmates, old friends, former flames, former employers, future employers, future acquaintances, and countless strangers. Logically, it’s a bad idea.

“Just censor yourself,” they say. Easier said than done. As Facebook celebrates its fifth year, stories are popping up about professors who have gotten into trouble over snarky comments and silly pictures. Do I need to mention the tens of thousands of college students searching for jobs with pictures of beer bongs and stupid costumes plastered all over the internet? People forget that the internet is not simply a receptacle of your silly thoughts and doings. It’s a record. When those memories sift towards the back of your online photo albums or book reviews, they’re still stored away in this virtual filing cabinet, just waiting to be dragged back out into the light.

Now, I’m not saying that the networking sites are evil. Far from it, really. I began blogging on LiveJournal sometime around 2002, and haven’t looked back. Since then, I’v had at least a dozen blogs – most of which I can’t remember the name of. Over the summer, I joined Twitter. For a few years, now, I’ve been meaning to start vlogging on YouTube. While Google-ing myself earlier today, I came across Amazon.com book reviews written by a 13-year-old self, bemoaning the trials and tribulations of a young teenager. I’m not sure how to go about getting those taken down, or even if I should try to do so. I do wonder, though, what my future employer and coworkers will think when they come across my thoughts on The Ultimate Babysitter’s Handbook and Ella Enchanted (which I deemed to be “The PERFECT Book”). I just hope that they don’t find that old LiveJournal.

So if I’m so against leaving a virtual paper trail and creating a skewable internet identity, why am I blogging? I suppose I’m a hypocrite. What’s my point? I’m not sure, exactly. After all, I did convince my friend and my professor that it’s alright to join Facebook. I suppose I’m asking everyone (and reminding myself) to be careful. Be aware. Beware.

Libraries are COOL?! - Fox News

2009-02-07T13:00:00.000-08:00

I logged into the Internet this afternoon at my parents' house, and came across a video newsbite* from Fox News. The reporter visited a public library in Chicago, and made many stereotypical comments, followed by touching on rather important issues.

Public libraries are "making a comeback," he said with a grin. This is thanks to their great free resources, like dvds and cds, as well as job-searching tools and Internet access. I was worried that books would not even be mentioned, but then they panned to a display of budget living books. The reported pushed the themes of free stuff, new technologies, and friendly people waiting ready to help patrons. Yes!

In this downtrodden economy, the report cited record levels of attendance and circulation over the last few days/weeks (that bit was unclear). This is the second time this week that I've heard a news reporter championing libraries for their free and new movies. I wonder how many non-library people are hearing this?

At the end, the reporter also mentioned how this Chicago library is quite well funded and up-to-date, while many of the nations libraries are "in jeopardy". Gov. Granholm's announcement of a funding cut to all Michigan museums and libraries hasn't really sunk in, I'm afraid. I've heard next to nothing about it on the news and radio. I'm hoping that the local papers have picked up on that story, but I haven't sat down to thumb through the stack, yet.

As I mentioned, I'm home for the weekend after a busy week on campus. I saw Kym Worth, the Wayne County Prosecutor, speak about life and the Kwame drama. Late this week I'll make a post about that. My brain is fried, and I was struck down by the cold that's going around (and around, and around).

*The link didn't work as I wanted it to, but while searching for a new one, I found this article about job resources and public libraries. I'll try searching again, later.

Secret things.

2009-02-05T05:52:00.000-08:00

I've caved. Here's the '25 Things' Facebook meme..

1. I've lived on campus at my small commuter-based university for five years.

2. I began college as an Elementary Ed. major. Then I switched to Secondary Ed. Then I switched to Pre-K/Early Childhood Development. Then Journalism. Then English. Then, I added on a B.A. in History and a concentration in American Studies, and I'm nearly done.

3. I actually enjoy having a broken cell phone. I'm less attainable, that way.

4. I have a book-buying problem, and this year's resolution is to control my buying habits by only getting books that "fit into my collection," which is a rather broad classification. This works to my benefit, but doesn't help my bank account very much.

5. I subsist on about $70 or $80 a week in paychecks, and the kindness of my parents.

6. I've tried to make the switch from coffee to tea, but I just can't handle it.

7. I have too many "hobbies," like decoupage and card making, that I don't actually practice due to time restrictions.

8. I watch junky MTV/VH1 reality shows when no one else is around. They're fun!

9. I like corned beef hash. The kind that comes in the can.

10. I consider myself to be a Nerdfighter, and started watching John and Hank Green in May of 2007. I was an early NFer! (Google them. Please.)

11. I've tried to remove my Facebook account three times, but I keep getting pulled back in. The same goes for Myspace, but to a lesser degree.

12. I only talk to about 5 people who graduated from my high school. For the most part, I've tried to cut myself off from that crowd, which makes going home rather boring.

13. I studied abroad at Brasenose College, within the University of Oxford, for a summer. While I'd like to say that it weas an UofO program, it was really just an OU professor teaching in an Oxford classroom. Still, amazing and life-changing.

14. I pour a little milk into every bowl of ice cream. It makes it tastier!

15. I hate heat. I hate cold. I have internal temperature issues, which cause me to overheat at least once a day.

16. When I get sick, I get really sick. On a related note, I think I'm getting sick. Sore throat, stuffy nose... here we go.

17. I'm naturally a suck-up. I find my professors interesting, and like to go during office hours. Apparently, this is not normal.

18. I don't have a car. Seriously. It's all thanks to horrible nightmares and an intense fear of failure.

19. I have the most wonderful fiancè. And, I just spent about 3 minutes guessing at the alt+number combos to find that accented 'e'. Close enough.

20. I start my day with the Today Show, and end it with Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Jay Leno, and Conan O'Brien. It's affecting my health.

21. I'm so passive aggressive, it's embarrassing.

22. I overuse commas and exclamation marks - a dirty habit.

23. I love M&Ms, and always have a bag nearby at home.

24. I used to be really into writing Harry Potter fan-fictions and online role-playing. Sure, it may be funny now, but it also made me the person that I am today.

25. Suzanne Somers's Thigh Master always fascinated me, and I played with it when I was bored, as a little girl.

LiveJournal, circa 2003

2009-02-03T19:54:00.000-08:00

While delving into my blogging history this evening, I've come across some true golden nuggets in my old high-school LiveJournal. Oh, LJ. My first blog. I was so faithful. So young. So... high school.

Anyway, here are some of the pieces I simply couldn't let fall back into obscurity.

Dec 3, 2003:
Ape Drape.
Beaver Paddle.
Bi - Level.
Camero Cut.
Buisness in the front, Party in the back.
Canadian passport.
Coupe Longveuil.
El-camino.
Hockey hair.
Kentucky waterfall.
Missouri comprimise.
Mudflap.
Neckwarmer.
Ranchero.
Shlonc (short + long).
Achy-breaky-bad-mistakey.
Soccer rocker.
Squirrel pelt.
Tennessee tophat.
Yep-nope.
Mmmmmmmmmmmm...Mullet

August 5, 2003:
*clap* *clap* *clap* *clap*

SET!

what the...

Please enjoy making fun of me. haha

Gov. Jennifer Granholm's State of the State Address

2009-02-03T17:07:00.000-08:00

Michiganders love to complain about the state's infamously horrible roads. Full of tire-popping, crater-sized pot holes, the ribbons of highways that bisect and connect our state are falling to pieces, quite literally. However, the faulty roads have taken a back-seat in the media spotlight, which now shines blindingly on the newest fault - Michigan's struggling economy. Much like our roads, our economy and infrastructure are full of holes. Huge, gaping ones. Rather than a simple patch job, the rejuvenation of Michigan requires a full reconstruction and reformation. Michiganders also love to complain about construction, but this sort of work is needed. Under the leadership of Gov. Granholm, I think that we'll come out of this year with a good foundation laid. Soon, the Motor City and the state as a whole will be rolling along again.

This brings me to Gov. Granholm's "State of the State" address, which just aired. I have the utmost respect of Gov. Granholm, but I'll resist sounding like a fangirl...

"I will not sugar-coat the severity of the crisis," began the governor. Her hour-long speech overflowed with war-like vocabulary. Battle plans, soldiers, fighting for and protecting the "army of determined citizens" that make up Michigan. Allusions abounded. At first, I feared that her address would in fact be a lecture on nationalism. Fortunately, I was wrong.

The Granholm Administration's plan for reviving Michigan is a combination of job creation and the renewable energy industry. Over the last few years, Michigan's government has saved about $60 million in taxpayers' money by converting to more efficiency and green technologies. Some of these changes were as simple as screwing in better lightbulbs. This 23% cut is only the beginning. In Granholm's "45 by 20" goal, she has challenged the state to reduce their reliance on fossil fuel by 45% by the year 2020. The $2 billion that Michigan annually spends on importing coal from other states can go toward wind and solar power technologies within the state. "Energy entrepreneurs," she called us, as she outlined her plans for individuals to harness the power of sun and wind in their own homes and businesses - and profit by selling extra power back to the the power companies.

The push for a greener Michigan goes farther, and plays into job creation. Granholm proposed the creation of a new sort of CCC, where thousands of Michiganders would weatherize government buildings, research new technologies, and install them across the state. Referring to the impressive decrease in the government's reliance on fossil fuels, Granholm joked, "If government can do this, you can too."

The film industry was another star player in Granholm's address and plans for the future. Wonderstruck Animation, she announced, will be building a new studio in Detroit. Stardock, a gaming company, will set up in Plymouth. Motown Motion Pictures is moving into an old GM factory in Pontiac, bringing 3,600 new jobs to the area. Granholm made a special mention of her hopes to employ more of the "young creative workers" of Michigan through this new entertainment industry. I think she's on to something.

Reform, reform, reform. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for reforming the government and Michigan a whole. It's just that, well, I'm sure that every credible journalist will write an article or four about Granholm's reforms in the next week. I'll save myself the time of writing what everyone else is likely to focus on.

Granholm finished up with five "urgent measures" that she proposed to the state, as a whole.

Freeze tuition hikes, for the next academic year. (Oh, Gawd, yes. Please!)
For the legislature to pass the Home Foreclosure Prevention Act, giving homeowners 90 days to secure financing rather than have their own front doors slammed in their faces.
For public utilities to end shut-offs for the remainder of the winter, in the cases of seniors, the disabled, and homes with low or no income.
Freeze hikes in auto insurance rates for one year, allowing the current insurance reform to be proposed and passed. And, if a company refuses, Granholm called on her administration to use any and every tool in their possession to combat those heartless money-grubbing executives.
For the continued support of health care for those who are most in need. Don't strip people of their health care in an attempt to reduce spending!

I was thrilled to hear about Granholm's renewable energy plans for individuals to get involved, and possibly profit, from new technologies. Also, I have high hopes for Wonderstruck Animation in Detroit. With so many friends at CCS, how could I not be geeked about the possibilities of my sister, the animation student, finding a job in Michigan? One last point Granholm focused on, which thrilled me, is the "Buy Michigan First" initiative. "Support Michigan. Select Michigan. Buy Michigan," she pleaded. The more attention this cause gets, the better off we'll all be.

Hot Coffee Drinks and Chocolate

2009-01-28T07:14:00.000-08:00

I'm a caffeine fiend, that much I know. Over the course of one "good" day, I'll down three or four coffee drinks of varying sizes. Sometimes, I'll go for a chai latte, instead, but always something caffeinated. Always.

While avoiding responsibility this morning (and drinking a coffee drink), I came across Cole Bertsos's blog in the State News. "A Week in the Life" is a journalistic blog chronicling Bertsos's attempts at new ways of living. Vegitarianism was the last round. This week: no caffeine!

Ugh. Reading her descriptions of caffeine withdraw was rather scary, for me. Shakes, headaches, exhaustion, aches and pains. I found myself muttering "better her than me" more than once. But really, her suffering has scared me a bit. Just how hooked am I? I mean, I go long stretches without coffee (in Archives, when I'm not actually allowed to have a drink with me). I try to cut myself off by 8pm on most nights. But my day never really starts until I feel the lovely caffeine coursing through my veins, keeping me poised in French History, or that horrid Excel class. I think I could go a week without caffeine if needed, since I'm not a pop drinker. But chocolate has it, too. Oh, my sweet chocolate (bad pun). Between the M&Ms and Caribou Coffee, I'm a slave to temptation.

Anyway, do check out Bertsos's progress this week. She's got a superb style, which makes her blogs fun to read and informative. "I'm Caffeine Free" is definitely one I'll come back to later this week, to check his progress!

On other fronts, John Updike has passed away this week, leaving behind quite an impressive oeuvre. He will be missed.

The new year has begun, and my resolution is/was to read more books in 2009 than I managed in 2008. For those keeping count, that'd be at least 43 books. And what is my total, to date? Three. It's going to be interesting...

Puppy.

2008-12-31T05:45:00.000-08:00

Avoidance is one of my specialties. In fact, that's what I've been doing for the last few hours. While Sean is working, I'm here, supposedly working on "homework". And in all honesty, I haven't been doing as much as I should. Before the new semester begins, I need to read a few more books, type up and send out some very important emails concerning said books, and undergo preparations for my final semester in college.

So here I am, 9 am, and what have I accomplished?

- Showered.
- Cleaned out the puppy's kennel.
- Cuddled puppy.
- Ate yogurt.
- Cuddled jealous cat.
- Watched YouTube subscription videos.
- Rediscovered Twitter while cuddling puppy.
- Went on LT - puppy not interested.
- Checked all of the every-day sites to be visited.
- Cuddled puppy more.
- Took off puppy's sweater.
- Cleaned out puppy's kennel again.
- Made some Pumpkin Spice Latte (delicious!).
- Watched puppy play around while surfing 'net.
- Read 2.5 pages in the book which I wish to finish by lunch.
- Logged into the Blog.

So there you have it. 'What's this puppy,' you ask? Good eye, sleuth! Last night, Sean and I took in a puppy from the Capital Area Humane Society. She, Lucy, is the most adorable little underweight runt I've had the good fortune of meeting. Later, I'll borrow a friend's camera and post pictures.

Needless to say, the puppy has thrown a wrench in my good-scholar plans.
Not that I consider this to be a bad thing, really...

Lucy has hiccups, and therefore needs more cuddling. That's all for now!

50 Books in 2008!

2008-12-29T08:05:00.000-08:00

Well, 52, actually. And over the next few days, I hope to reach 55 books, read in the span of one year.

I think it's on heckuva accomplishment!

Which brings me to my New Year's Resolution - 75 Books in 2009.

While I'm not entirely convinced that it's possible (since my life will flip upside-down, come graduation) but I'd still like to try. LibraryThing has been my best friend this year, and I've been able to keep track of almost everything I've read!

A quick-list of some of the most memorable:

The Boleyn Inheritance
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox < (Just finished this last night.) The Tale of Despereaux
The Thirteenth Tale
The Writing Life
Writing with Style
A Room of One's Own
Writing Down the Bones
Cutting Down the Vines of the Past
Blessing the House (poetry)
Cranford
Basil
Paper Towns
Neverwhere
Twilight
The Gatecrasher
Finn
The Other Boleyn Girl
Bird by Bird
The Seduction of the Crimson Rose
Franny and Zooey
Year of Wonders
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation
Deception of the Emerald Ring
Looking for Alaska

It's been a good year. Sean has fallen into Zombie Madness, preparing for the imminent apocalypse. Strange, but it's caused him to read far more books than past years. School has gone well, and I've found myself fortunate to make a truly great friend. At times, I'm pretty sure that we're the same person, we're so alike. I (finally) met my youngest cousin, Carlynne (Carlie). She's absolutely adorable. Over the summer, Sean and I fostered two dogs from CAHS, and hope to bring in another sometime today or tomorrow. That is, if they ever email me back! My sister is doing exceptionally well at her art college, pulling in all kinds of awards and opportunities. My little brother has suddenly become a pre-teen, complete with peach fuzz on his upper lip. Strange.

I got to spend an entire day with my Grandma and cousin Claire last week, going through all of her old books. Now, I have a 3 page list of books to look up on Alibris and other sites, to try to determine the value of these precious tomes. Some might be worth something. Others are full of crayon and memories. Grandma and Grandpa are weeding, you see. They plan to have a huge yard sale this summer, and then sell the house. THE HOUSE. I'll be so distraught to see it go. I love that house. Anyway, Gram and Gramp want to move into the retirement community just across Burcham. And I want to buy their house (haha)!

Alright, this is enough internet-ing for now. I've got to make lunch, and then hit the books.

2008-12-14T07:35:00.000-08:00

This weekend I've finished two "pretty good" books. Since January 1st, I've read 48 books.

First was Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale, a wonderful novel with a charming heroine. I very much enjoyed it, and plan to pass it along to my good friend. Lots of references to Dickens, Collins, Austen, and the world of rare books and manuscripts. Throw in biography, and you've captured my heart!

Then, I plucked The Bookshop (Penelope Fitzgerald) from my stack of TBRs. It was alright, but certainly not as good as The Thirteen Tale. 1960s England, a lonely woman, a bookshop, and so much passive aggression in her small town, that I felt nervous throughout the book. The characters were interesting, and there was a bit of mystery until the end. Still, I don't think I'll recommend or return to this novel any time soon.

Mitch Albom has a stirring editorial in the Freep today, shaming the senators who fight against the Big 3 Bailout.

I think I may have lost a bit of weight.

Time to go pack up and head back to HTP, after an extended weekend with Sean.

Personal Essay - Fanning the Flames

2008-12-02T16:17:00.000-08:00

Essay written by me, for Prof. McCloskey's Advanced Writing (ENG 380) course, Fall 2008.

Want to take a gander? Currently, The length is hovering between 10 and 11 pages. If you have a few moments, would you mind giving it a once-over? I'm most interested in your personal reactions to it (but any typo/error spotting is excellent). It's an easy read, and you might even learn something from it!

The essay is still, obviously, in progress. Although the style is somewhat non-linear, the transition breaks serve as signals to keep readers from feeling to jostled. If you like or dislike the organization of the essay, please let me know! If it parts seem unresolved, that's because this essay feels as if it'll never end! Let me know what bits bother you, and I'll focus on them, first.

Fanning the Flames

We roamed the field behind my house in a pack of tanned, rowdy neighborhood children. Our sun-bleached hair and browned skin served as natural camouflage amidst the golden prairie grass, and in the dusty drainage ditches. We were field children, running wild under the great Texas sky. Hot, dry winds made the grasses bend and dip, itching at our legs. After a snack and a glass of cold water, we brave four ventured into the wildness of the field to play out the afternoons of late spring.

Acres of field stretched for to the left and right, down to the shoreline of Lake Ray Hubbard. To the left were the drainage ditches. Dusty crickets hopped up and down their walls, which served as army trenches during warfare and various dining rooms and bedrooms when we played house. Behind us, up the hill, houses were perched and watchful. My mother peered down at us from the porch, sipping her special extra-tart lemonade and solving crossword puzzles. We were bound to only the parts of the field from which we could see her, and no further.

Trees were rare, but the small grove to the right offered enough shade from the bright, stifling sun. They also functioned as the perfect fort. There was a passage between the tall pine and the few other prairie trees, all stunted by the drought-like conditions. A scabby-kneed seven-year-old could crawl between the broken branches with ease, to find our secret hiding place. We were not the first to find this oasis of imagination. The packed dirt floor was accessorized with an old kitchen rug, and candy wrappers served as decorations around the perimeter. Old beer bottles littered the dusty ground beneath the pine tree. In our third summer, we found an abandoned motorcycle wedged into the prickly holly bushes. These lost treasures were carefully stowed away within our fort’s recesses.

Our countless days of adventuring created a network of paths through the tall grasses, as we civilized our lands, creating a world of our own. Past the original fort, we discovered the remains of a forgotten hideout at the end of a little-used trail. Our own fort paled in comparison when we found a rickety bench and a broken walkie-talkie. Under our ownership, this new outpost became a favorite part of our expanding civilization. With each summer, our boundaries expanded to conquer new areas, such as the old storm drain, the rusted box springs, and finally, the abandoned Buick. The world was ours for the taking.

At the end of each day, we tramped back over the paths, and stretched out on the porch’s wooden planks. Dusty socks peeled away to reveal clean white ankles and feet. Our pale toes wiggled freely in the evening light.

With June came the fire. Dad usually spotted the smoke first, a few miles down, away from the subdivisions. From our safe roost, we climbed up onto the porch railings to peer at the jumping flames. We never knew what sparked the field fires, and did not bother guessing as we watched the dark smoke billow up into the blindingly bright blue sky. What the fires took would grow back anew each spring, and they never spread close enough to our forts, our lands. When the licking flames came each summer, we sipped tart lemonade and watched the field turn to ash.

- - - - -

“Five! Four! Three! Two…”

Detroit’s Hudson Building has turns to dust before our eyes. We count down as if it were New Years Eve, but why? Rather than the beginning of something new, we watch the demise of a beautiful treasure with baited breath.

“It’s a real shame, you know?” Dad sets aside the paper to watch an instant replay of the implosion, muting the chatter of the news anchors on television. “They should have done something with it. A hotel, or something.”

“And who would have stayed in it?” My mother sips her coffee, eyes glued to the footage. “No one comes to Detroit, anymore. No one would pay to renovate it.”

The footage runs on the television a third time. Where once stood a retail monument is now a heap of rubble. Plumes of dust rise like smoke, obscuring the grey Detroit skyline.

“Still,” Dad sighs as he shakes the paper back to its upright stance. “Somebody should have done something.”

- - - - -

I wish I could go back to the days of playing in the field. Worries were few and far between, and the world was comprised of the grasses before me, and the hours before dinner. The field is 1,000 miles and a lifetime away, and however hard I try, I will never be able to return. Distance and time are not the barriers keeping me from revisiting my childhood. Simply put, the field no longer exists.

Through a system of satellites, cameras, and the Internet, Google’s map website can show an aerial view of any place on Earth. Earlier this year I found this website, and was thrilled when the search for my old address in Texas took me back, virtually, to the old neighborhood on the hill.

“What the hell?!”

With my nose only a few inches from the computer screen, I clicked the mouse to zoom in and out, not able to get my bearings. “Where is it?”

The old brown roof of my house blinked blankly at me. I knew I had the right address, but something was horribly wrong.

“Mom?” I leaned toward the open doorway, calling into the kitchen. “Mom, there’s… there’s something wrong with Texas…”

Together, we toyed with the map, puzzling over the unfamiliar landscape. Our house stood in the same place, as did the houses of our old neighbors. Lake Ray Hubbard sparkled in the sun a few acres away. But the space in between, what should have been our golden field, had been replaced by rows of cookie-cutter houses.

Dozens of gray roofs stood in orderly lines, the perfect specimen of a new-age Dallas subdivision. Every third house has a chlorinated swimming pool in the fenced-in back yard. Their driveways were inhabited by fuzzy grey blobs – SUVs, most likely. Everything was blue and gray, and unnatural.

- - - - -

From the safe roost of the suburbs, Detroit seems like a dangerous, decrepit pit. Suburbanites have spread out in the surrounding empty spaces, leaving behind a grand city for a subdivision within commuting range. Detroit is a donut city, empty and struggling in the center while suburban pseudo-Detroiters watch from the sidelines.

If left alone for too long, Detroit’s forgotten factories and other abandoned buildings will be reclaimed by nature. In some places, it has already begun. Traditional urban wildlife creatures – squirrels, raccoons, rats, and pigeons – are now joined by less traditional urban animals that call Detroit home. Pheasants have taken up roosts in the old boat yard along the Detroit River. Their presence, in turn, has brought suburban hunters downtown with silenced rifles and a hunger for game. Factories and other complexes open to the elements are often overgrown and unkempt, serving as an oasis for animals in the city. Additional echoes of wildlife and nature can be found within forgotten parts of Detroit. Urban explorers frequent the more popular abandoned buildings, like Michigan Central Station, as well as the National Theatre and the Metropolitan Building. Decked out in sturdy boots, cameras, and flashlights, these city-styled hikers are as clever as squirrels when intent on exploring and abandoned structure. Various websites contain a dazzling array of photographs taken during these excursions into “forgotten Detroit.” These architectural treasures from yesteryear are left to crumble.

Fires burn in Detroit, consuming the abundant kindling made that is wayside factories and houses. These blazes are commonplace, and often go unmentioned on the nightly news. The remains of a neighborhood’s blight smolder and drip morning light. The City, an ambiguous group of government people, will clear away what was left of the deteriorating house. Once, it was someone’s home. It was part of the American Dream of prosperity and love. Now, it is another empty, scorched lot. This empty space could become so many things, like a community garden or park. More likely, though, the vacant space will become the dumping grounds for dead Christmas trees and old refrigerators.

- - - - -

Progress destroyed the field. They sold parcels to strangers, like so much of America, without the understanding that it already belonged to someone – to all of us. To an uninformed person, the coming of a well-maintained and populated subdivision is a welcome replacement to an old and eroded field full of rattlesnakes and mold. The field was simply a place to be bought, cleaned up, and built upon. No longer would the field fires threaten those houses too close to the lake, because manicured lawns have replaced the kindling prairie grasses.

From an aerial view, what is left of the field is a strip of dull beige around the perimeter of the new subdivision. The few trees that had struggled for life in the unforgiving climate were gone, replaced by swimming pools and basketball hoops. To the field’s newest residents, the field was a dangerous wasteland, not suitable for children to use as a playground. Chunks of cement, scrap metal, box springs and dead Christmas trees littered the drainage ditches, serving as an ignored dumping ground of unwanted junk, hidden by the unkempt grass.

- - - - -

Detroit is in a perpetual state of autumn. In nature, death is merely part of the cycle of life. Spent leaves blanket the ground, and become food for the following spring reawakening. Through the decomposition of dead leaves, or burnt grasses, come the nutrients needed for the next year’s growth. Detroit lacks this decomposition and new growth. Death is not an end, but a necessary part of the circle. This idea is what Detroiters need to understand, invest in, and believe in order to save the city.

Not all of Detroit, however, has been left for dead. In fact, pockets of the city are bustling with life and excitement. Greektown hosts a myriad of landmark restaurants, as well as the new Greektown Casino. The nearby MotorCity Casino found a home in the renovated Wonder Bread Factory. The renovation of Campus Martius, in the heart of Detroit, is a beautifully revamped centerpiece where Detroiters gather to ice skate, watch parades, and enjoy other downtown events. This creation was funded in part by a handful of Detroit-based businesses that saw the merit in bringing visitors (and customers) back to the downtown area.

- - - - -

The fires of Detroit come and go, but life does not flourish in their wake, as a field might. Without intervention, this epidemic of decay will spread beyond America’s major cities. Even now, not only the city center suffers. Metro-Detroit’s sprawling suburbs have shown signs of struggle. Public libraries throughout the area have closed in droves, boarded up and left to crumble. Admission prices were raised by the Metro Parks to make up for lost profits and increased maintenance costs. The Detroit Zoo, the setting of countless childhood memories, has struggled to meet ends for years, only managing to keep their doors open through surges of generosity and public interest.

Detroit is one of numerous 20th century “donut” cities whose hey-day is now seems to be a mere memory. We cannot sit and wait for some extraordinary stranger to swoop in and save Detroit. Our great city can set an example for others, finding ways to rebound from this slump. We are the masters of our own histories, and our own futures. Community involvement is the necessary component to reviving Detroit. Preservation with a purpose can and will restore prosperity to the city and its inhabitants. Individuals came together to found and propel this city into the spotlight. Now, people are again needed to help right what has gone wrong.

Tiger Stadium is another casualty of progress. Last year, a portion of this celebrated stadium was demolished, after the city government’s unsuccessful attempts to find a more suitable use for this Michigan Historic Site. Prior to demolition, valuable parts of the stadium were sold to fans as memorabilia. Those willing to spend a few dollars for a tangible piece of history were rewarded with stadium signs and seats. One less traditional buyer was a man building a new home in the neighborhood, just across the street from my own house. His purchase was not folding seats or posters, but the actual bricks of Tiger Stadium. His impressive home’s shell is comprised of these bricks, and he proudly tells each passerby the story of his own great moment in preservation. Although that portion of Tiger Stadium no longer stands, the reuse and resale of usable items from the stadium is a great example of preservation with a purpose.

These are our American ruins, similar in some respects to the iconic Coliseum or Oxford’s redeveloped Oxford Castle. To many, Detroit’s sleeping giants are blights in the public eye. While still young when compared to other cultures, America is undeniably aging. Unfortunately, Detroit has not aged as gracefully as other tri-centennial American cities, and wrinkles are deepening.

- - - - -

The most telltale sign of urban decay is Michigan Central Station. Once the bustling hub of Southeast Michigan, the abandoned train station now sits empty and derelict. The website ForgottenDetroit.com and a handful of other online urban exploration photo galleries offer an astounding selection of images. The old train station is decayed decadence at its finest, and these city adventurers return to the Michigan Central repeatedly (and illegally) for amazing “urbex” experiences. The turn-of-the-century Romanesque plaster work appears to be beyond repair. Once stately and refined, the décor is now graced by graffiti and debris from years of vandalism. The station’s most valuable accents, such as copper and marble, have been looted in the twenty years since the station was left empty.The longer Michigan Central sits waiting, the more work will be necessary in restoration.

Detroit’s beautiful old theatres have also fallen into disarray. Although the destruction seems irreversible at first glance, these cultural facets of Detroit can and must be saved. The 1912 National Theatre, for example, has been stripped of its beautiful plaster statues and moldings. However, the entrance hall is covered in beautiful Pewabic tiles, another Detroit cultural icon. These pieces of history, once the pulse of the city, suffer from years of neglect and abandonment.

- - - - -

There are multiple groups (mostly nonprofit organizations and government programs) working in hopes of returning Detroit to its former glory. Their hope is to rejuvenate the city and bring people back into urban center. With the increasing interest in “green,” environmentally friendly living, there are plenty of untapped job sources waiting for the right entrepreneurs. Purposeful preservation is spreading throughout the city in the form of living and working lofts, storefronts, clubs, and galleries. Community gardens are sprouting up in and around Detroit, as well as populous across the nation. On the fringes of the city center, a few empty lots have been converted into public vegetable and flower gardens. These select neighborhoods buzz with interest and involvement, and the gardens bring together generations of Detroiters looking for food, friendship, and entertainment. Thanks to volunteers and sponsors, groups like EarthWorks, the Greening of Detroit, and Michigan State University work to improve the quality of urban life by establishing a growing number of community gardens.

Eastern Market, Detroit’s sprawling farmers’ market shopping destination, overflows with people each weekend. Eccentric shops line the old streets, and the sidewalks overflow with wandering shoppers and vendors. The area is home to a growing community of neighbors living in rehabbed and refurbished loft-style apartments, such as those in what was once the fire department’s repair warehouse. New and old intertwine in special areas of life within Detroit, and people with a keen eye are bound to stumble upon something special. The pheasants and have the right idea. Today’s Detroit is a fertile field of forgotten dreams and future successes.

- - - - -

I can almost feel the hot Texas sun warming the back of my neck as we trundled down the beaten paths of the field, on what we thought would be the next great adventure. What’s gone is gone, though, and I can never return to my field. In order to retain its identity, Detroit must come together to regain and protect their history from its greatest enemy – itself.

The Reading List

2008-11-17T13:14:00.000-08:00

Well over a year ago, I compiled a reading list. Then, it fell by the wayside as I not only became busy, but also abandoned the old blog in which it was posted.

Now, it's back - in all it's glory. It's rather outdated, but I plan on adding to it and revamping it.

And a side-note: I'm 42/50 for my 50 Books in 2008 Reading Challenge! I think I can do it, but it really depends on the days after final exams. We'll see how chaotic December is...

If it's italicized, I've read it.
This will be continuously updated.
If it seems a bit disjointed, it's probably because I have a lot of weird books.
Now that I think about it, I should really make this on LibraryThing. Oh, well.

Achebe, Chinua
Things Fall Apart (read 2008)

Adams, Douglas
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Adams, Richard
Watership Down

Addams, Jane
Twenty Years at Hull House

Aide, George
The Girl Proposition: A Bunch of He and She Fables

Albert, Susan Wittig
The Tale of Holly How (Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter Mysteries)

Alcott, Louisa May
Little Women (again)
Little Men

Alexander, Robert
The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar

Ambrose, Stephen E.
Band of Brothers

Armour, Richard Willard
Twisted Tales from Shakespeare

Ashley, Jennifer
The Queen's Handmaiden

Atwood, Margaret
The Handmaid's Tale
Oryx and Crake

Austen, Jane
Emma
Mansfield Park
Pride and Prejudice
Sense and Sensibility

Babbitt, Natalie
Jack Plank Tells Tales

Baldwin, James
Go Tell it on the Mountain

Barrie, J.M.
Better Dead
My Lady Nicotine: A Study in Smoke
A Window in Thrums + Auld Light Idylls
Tommy and Grizel

Bawdin, Nina
Carrie's War

Beagle, Peter S.
The Last Unicorn

Bennett, Alan
The Complete Talking Heads
The History Boys
The Uncommon Reader

Berendt, John
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Berry, Steve
The Templar Legacy

Bilston, Sarah
Bed Rest

Blume, Judy
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret

Botton, Alain De
How Proust Can Change Your Life

Bradbury, Ray
Farenheit 451

Braddon, M. E.
Lady Audley's Secret
Trail of the Serpent

Bradley, James
Flags of Our Fathers

Braffet, Kelly
Last Seen Leaving

Bridge, Andrew
Hope's Boy: A Memoir

Brokaw, Tom
The Greatest Generation
Boom!

Bronte, Charlotte
Jane Erye

Bronte, Emily
Wuthering Heights (read 2008)

Brooks, Geraldine
Year of Wonders (read in 2008)
March

Browne, Hester
The Little Lady Agency

Bryson, Bill
A Short History of Nearly Everything
I'm a Stranger Here, Myself

Burgess, Anthony
A Clockwork Orange

Burton, Tim
The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy: and Other Stories (read 2008)

Caldwell, Laura
The Year of Living Famously

Calloway, Colin
Scratch of a Pen: 1763 and the Transformation of North America

Cameron, Julia
The Writing Diet: Write Yourself Right-Size

Capote, Truman
In Cold Blood

Charyn, Jerome
Johnny One-Eye: A Tale of the American Revolution

Chaucer, Geoffrey
The Canterbury Tales

Chevalier, Tracy
Burning Bright
Girl with a Pearl Earring

Chopin, Kate
The Awakening (again)

Clancy, Tom
The Hunt for Red October

Clinch, Jon
Finn (read in 2008)

Coelho, Paulo
The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream

Colt, George Howe
The Big House: A Century in the Life of an American Summer Home

Collins, Wilkie
The Moonstone
Mr. or Mrs?
Woman in White
Basil (read in 2008)

Conrad, Joseph
Heart of Darkness (again)

Cusk, Rachel
Arlington Park

Daniels, Jim
Blessing the House (read in 2008)
M-80
Places/Everyone
Detroit Tales
Show and Tell
Blue Jesus
Punching Out
Revolt of the Crash-Test Dummies
Niagara Falls
Digger's Blues
In Line for the Exterminator

Davies, Peter Ho
The Welsh Girl

Dawesar, Abha
Babyji

De Botton, Alain
The Architecture of Happiness
Status Anxiety

Dessen, Sarah
Dreamland

Dew, Robb Forman
The Evidence Against Her

Diamond, Jared
Guns, Germs, and Steel (read in 2008)

Dickens, Charles
A Christmas Story
A Tale of Two Cities
Bleak House (read in 2008)
Great Expectations (again)
The Old Curiosity Shop
Oliver Twist (read in 2008)

Didion, Joan
Year of Magical Thinking

Digges, Deborah
Fugitive Spring

Dillard, Annie
An American Childhood
The Maytrees
The Writing Life
Teaching a Stone to Talk (again)

Doctorow, E. L.
Billy Bathgate
Ragtime (again)

Drabble, Margaret
The Peppered Moth

Du Maurier, Daphne
Rebecca

Egan, Timothy
The Worst Hard Time

Eliot, George
The Lifted Veil + Brother Jacob
Middlemarch
The Mill on the Floss
Silas Marner (read in 2008)

Ellis, Joseph
American Creation

Ellison, Ralph
Invisible Man (again)

Emerson, Ralph Waldo
Self-Reliance (again)

Ephron, Amy
A Cup of Tea

Erickson, Carolly
Alexandra: The Last Tsarina

Eugenides, Jeffrey
Middlesex: A Novel

Faludi, Susan
Backlash

Faulkner, William
As I Lay Dying
The Sound and the Fury

Filipovic, Zlata
Zlata's Dairy

Fischer, David Hackett
Paul Revere's Ride (again)
Washington's Crossing

Fitch, Janet
White Oleander (again)

Fitzgerald, F. Scott
The Great Gatsby (again)

Fitzgerald, Penelope
The Bookshop
The Blue Flower

Foer, Jonathan Safran
Everything is Illuminated

Follett, Ken
The Pillars of the Earth

Forester, E. M.
A Room With a View
Howards End
A Passage to India

Fowler, Karen Joy
The Jane Austen Book Club

Fresan, Rodrigo
Kensington Gardens

Gaiman, Neil
Neverwhere (read in 2008)
Stardust

Gaskell, Elizabeth
Cranford (read in 2008)

Gibbons, Kaye
Ellen Foster

Gilman, Charlotte Perkins
The Yellow Wallpaper (read in 2008)

Goldberg, Natalie
Writing Down the Bones (read in 2008)

Golden, Arthur
Memoirs of a Geisha

Goldman, William
The Princess Bride

Golding, William
Lord of the Flies (again)

Goodman, Susan
Children of War

Gopnik, Adam
Paris to the Moon

Green, Jane
Second Chance
Spellbound
To Have and to Hold

Green, John
An Abundance of Katherines (read in 2008)
Paper Towns (read in 2008)
Looking for Alaska (read in 2008)

Gregory, Philippa
The Constant Princess
The Other Boleyn Girl (read in 2008)
The Queen's Fool

Gruen, Susan
Water for Elephants (again)

Haddon, Mark
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Hagen, George
Tom Bedlam

Halberstam David
The Coldest Winter

Hamilton, Jane
When Madeline Was Young

Hansberry, Lorraine
A Raisin in the Sun

Hardy, Thomas
Jude the Obscure
Tess of D'Ubervilles

Harris, Joanne
Blackberry Wine
Chocolat
Gentlemen and Players
The Girl with No Shadow

Hart, Lenore
Becky

Harte, Bret
The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Writings (again)

Hawthorne, Nathaniel
The House of Seven Gables
The Scarlet Letter

Heller, Joseph
Catch-22

Hemingway, Ernest
A Farewell to Arms
For Whom the Bell Tolls
The Nick Adams Stories
The Sun Also Rises

Herbert, Frank
Dune

Hitchens, Robert
Green Carnation

Holden, Wendy
Farm Fatale
Gossip Hound

Hopkins, Bonnie
Seasons

Hosseini, Khaled
A Thousand Splendid Suns
The Kite Runner

Howells, William Dean
The Rise of Silas Lapham (read in 2008)

Hughes, Thomas
Tom Brown's School Days

Huxley, Aldous
Brave New World

Hyde, Catherine Ryan
Becoming Chloe

Irving, John
A Prayer for Owen Meany
The World According to Garp

Isenberg, Nancy
Fallen Founder: The Life of Aaron Burr

Jacobs, Kate
The Friday Night Knitting Club

Jaffe, John
Thief of Words

James, Henry
The Aspern Papers (again)
The Bostonians
The Portrait of a Lady
Washington Square

James, William
Pragmatism and Other Writings (again)

Jewett, Sarah Orne
The Country of the Pointed Firs

Joyce, James
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
The Dubliners
Ulysses

Kagan, Robert
Of Paradise and Power: America and Europe in the New World Order

Kauffman, Donna (collection of short stories)
Merry Christmas, Baby

Kelby, N.M.
Whale Season

Kendrick, Beth
The Pre-Nup

Keniston, Kenneth
Young Radicals: Notes on Committed Youth

Kerouac, Jack
On the Road

Kesey, Ken
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Kheridan, David
he Road from Home: The Story of an Armenian Girl

Kidd, Sue Monk
The Mermaid Chair
The Secret Life of Bees

Kingsley, Charles
the Water-Babies

Kingsolver, Barbara
The Bean Trees
Homeland, and Other Stories
High Tide in Tucson (read in 2008)
The Poisonwood Bible
Prodigal Summer

Kinsella, Sophie
Remember Me? (will be released Feb. 26, 2008)

Kipling, Rudyard
Kim

Knowles, John
A Separate Peace (again)

Kostova, Elizabeth
The Historian

Kramer, Mark ed.
Telling True Stories: A Nonfiction Writer's Guide

L'Engle, Madeleine
A Wrinkle in Time

Lalwani, Nikita
Gifted

Lamb, Wally
She's Come Undone

Lamott, Anne
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life (read in 2008)

Larsen, Nella
Passing

Larson, Erik
Thunderstruck

Laski, Harold
The Strategy of Freedom, an Open Letter to American Youth

Lee, Harper
To Kill a Mockingbird (again)

Levine, Gail Carson
Ella Enchanted (read in 2008)

Levy, Ariel
Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture

Lewis, Matthew
The Monk: A Romance (read in 2008)

London, Jack
The Call of the Wild

Loos, Antia
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes: The Illuminating Diary of a Professional Lady

MacAlister, Katie
Improper English

MacLachlan, Patricia
The Facts and Fictions of Minna Pratt (read in 2008)

MacLaren, Ian
Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush

Macomber, Debbie
Lonesome Cowboy & the Texas Two-Step (trashy romance novel)

Maguire, Gregory
Lost
Mirror Mirror
Son of a Witch
What-the-Dickens
Wicked (again)

Malhotra, Deepak and Max H. Bazerman
Negotiation Genius

Man, John
Gutenberg: How One Man Remade the World with Words

Mansfield, Katherine
The Collected Stories (again)

Marr, Maggie
Secrets of the Hollywood Girls Club (read in 2008)

McCafferty, Megan
Sloppy Firsts
Second Helpings
Charmed Thirds

McCann, James
Maize and Grace (read in 2008)

McCarthy, Cormac
The Road

McCourt, Frank
Angela's Ashes
Teacher Man: A Memoir

McCullough, Colleen
The Ladies of Missalonghi

McCullough, David
1776
John Adams
Truman

McEwan, Ian
Attonement
The Cement Garden
On Chesil Beach

McFadden, Maryann
The Richest Season

McGinn, Daniel
House Lust

McInerney, Monica
The Alphabet Sisters
Family Baggage

Mcmahon, Katharine
The Alchemist's Daughter

Meyer, Stephanie
Twilight (read in 2008)
Breaking Dawn (read in 2008)
New Moon (read in 2008)
Eclipse (read in 2008)

Middlebrook, Diane
Anne Sexton: A Biography (read in 2008)

Milford, Nancy
Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay

Millay, Edna St. Vincent
Conversation at Midnight

Miller, Arthur
Death of a Salesman (again)

Milton, John
Paradise Lost

Mintz, Steven
Huck's Raft: A History of American Childhood

Mitchell, Margaret
Gone With the Wind

Montefiore, Simon Sebag
Young Stalin

Montgomery, L. M.
Anne of Green Gables series (again)
Kilmeny of the Orchard

Morgan, Judith
Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel: A Biography (read in 2008)

Morrison, Toni
Beloved

Mortenson, Greg and David Oliver Relin
Three Cups of Tea

Murakami, Haruki
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

Murray, Annie
Chocolate Girls

Nabokov, Vladimir
Lolita

Nelson, O.T.
The Girl Who Owned a City

Nemirovsky, Irene
Suite Francaise

Niffenegger, Audrey
The Time Traveler's Wife

Norris, Frank
McTeague (again)

Notaro, Laurie
Autobiography of a Fat Bride: True Tales of a Pretend Adulthood
We Thought You Would Be Prettier: True Tales of the Dorkiest Girl Alive

O'Brien, Tim
The Things They Carried (again)

Olson, Lynne
Troublesome Young Men: The Rebels Who Brought Churchill to Power and Helped Save England

O'Reilly, Judith
Wife in the North (read in 2008)

Orwell, George
1984
Animal Farm

Packer, Ann
The Dive From Clausen's Pier (read in 2008)

Parks, Tim
Italian Neighbors; or, A Lapsed Anglo-Saxon in Verona

Pearl, Matthew
The Dante Club

Perrotta, Tom
The Abstinence Teacher
Election
Joe College
Little Children

Phillips, Susan Elizabeth
Catch Me If You Can

Plath, Sylvia
The Bell Jar (read in 2008)

Prince, Peter
Adam Runaway

Rakoff, David
Don't Get Too Comfortable

Rand, Ayn
Atlas Shrugged
The Fountainhead

Reid, Van
Cordelia Underwood
Mollie Peer

Rice, Luanne
Silver Bells

Rivenbark, Celia
Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank: And Other Words of Delicate Southern Wisdom
We're Just Like You, Only Prettier: Confessions of a Tarnished Southern Belle

Robinson, Elizabeth
The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters

Robison, John Elder
Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's (read in 2008)

Rosenthal, Amy Krouse
Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life (read in 2008)

Rotundo, E. Anthony
American Manhood

Rubio, Gwyn Hyman
Icy Sparks

Russell, Mary Doria
The Sparrow

Russo, Richard
Bridge of Sighs
Nobody's Fool
Empire Falls

Saint-Exupéry, Antoine de
The Little Prince

Salinger, J. D.
Catcher in the Rye (again)
Franny and Zooey (read in 2008)

Sartre, Jean-Paul
The Devil and the Good Lord

Schocket, Eric
Vanishing Moments: Class and American Literature

Scott, Sir Walter
Ivanhoe
Waverly

Sebold, Alice
The Lovely Bones

Sedaris, David
Me Talk Pretty One Day (again)
Naked
When Your Are Engulfed in Flames
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim

Seton, Anya
Green Darkness
Katherine

Setterfield, Diane
The Thirteenth Tale

Sexton, Anne
The Complete Poems

Shaw, Bernard
Pygmalion

Shelton, Sandi Kahn
What Comes After Crazy

Sinclair, Upton
The Jungle

Smith, Sarah
Chasing Shakespeares

Steinbeck, John
East of Eden
The Grapes of Wrath (again)

Tarr, C. Anita
J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan In and Out of Time: A Children's Classic at 100

Terkel, Studs
American Dreams: Lost and Found
Coming of Age: Growing Up in the 20th Century
"The Good War": An Oral History of WWII
Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression
Touch and Go: A Memoir

Tillyard, Stella
A Royal Affair: George III and his Scandalous Siblings

Tobin, James
Ernie Pyle's War: America's Eyewitness to World War II

Tolkien, J. R. R.
Lord of the Rings

Tolstoy, Leo
Anna Karenina

Twain, Mark
Pudd'nhead Wilson

Updike, John
Rabbit, Run

Valdes-Rodriguez, Alisa
Dirty Girls on Top

Vivante, Arturo
Truelove Knot: A Novel of World War II

Wachtel, Eleanor
Writers & Company

Walker, Alice
The Color Purple

Walls, Jeannette
The Glass Castle

Warren, Robert Penn
All the King's Men

Wasserstein, Wendy
Bachelor Girls

Waters, Sarah
Fingersmith

Waugh, Evelyn
A Handful of Dust
Brideshead Revisited

Weiner, Jennifer
The Guy Not Taken
In Her Shoes

Welsh, Irvine
Trainspotting

Wharton, Edith
The Age of Innosense
The Custom of the Country
The House of Mirth

Whiteley, Opal
Opal: The Journal of an Understanding Heart

Whitman, Walt
Leaves of Grass (again)

Wick, Lori
The Princess

Wickham, Madeleine
The Gatecrasher (read in 2008)

Wiesel, Elie
Night (again)

Wilde, Oscar
Complete Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian Gray

Wilder, Thorton
Our Town (again)

Willig, Lauren
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation (read in 2008)
Seduction of the Crimson Rose (read in 2008)
Masque of the Black Tulip (read in 2008)
Deception of the Emerald Ring (read in 2008)
Temptation of the Night Jasmine

Winsor, Kathleen
Forever Amber

Wolf, Naomi
The End of America
The Beauty Myth

Wood, Gordon S.
The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin

Woolf, Virginia
A Room of One's Own
Mrs. Dalloway
To the Lighthouse

2008-11-04T14:48:00.000-08:00

Now, this is Reality TV. I have a feeling that this epic presidential campaign is far from over. Both candidates have their legal teams in place, ready to contest and protest anything which has even the slightest reason to bicker over.

Student Congress is hosting an election night party tonight, from 8pm until 11pm. Sundaes and a big-screen TV, and more banter and debating than the average person can stomach. Great. Just what adamant political hot-shots need - a sugar high.

Still, I think I'll go. I work until 9, and it's hard to turn down free ice cream. Plus, it gives me an excuse to avoid my homework.

Speaking of work - my boss was rather mean. I went out of town for the weekend, and came down with food poisoning Sunday night (lousy pledges... or lousy shrimp - not sure). Come Monday, I'm bed ridden. My shift at the library began at 2pm. Ordinarily, it would go until 7pm. But I had already bribed someone to cover from 4pm until 7pm. I knew no one would take 2 to 4, but I tried, anyway. Needless to say, I couldn't find a sub. And furthermore, my supervisor didn't believe that I was sick and stranded out of town. Bah.

I can't wait to leave this job behind. I've been here since the fall of 2004, and it's driving me nuts. December is the end of my time here at the front desk, but I'm not going far. The Archives department is just downstairs, but it far exceeds life as a student employee deskie. I. Can't. Wait. No more cleaning up after less responsible employees. No more running back and forth, dancing for the various supervisors. No more crummy schedules. Freedom!

Now, to figure out the latest conundrum - to settle down, or to go to graduate school .

2008-11-03T10:10:00.000-08:00

I've been slacking.

I'm behind on homework. I have one paper to write for tomorrow, and then a few others after that.

I'm behind on Swap-Bot, which has become a small but painful thorn in my side.

I'm behind on NaNoWriMo. And by behind, I mean that I have yet to begin.

Fail.

Journaling for Life

2008-09-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

For well over a decade, now, I've kept a journal. What began as a place to rant about mean teachers and dwell upon true love has, for the last few years, become one of very few outlets for my ideas, opinions, and ramblings. Although I usually stick to pen and paper, I've tried to blog in the past. In fact, since 2000, must have started at least 15 online journals/blogs. They've all been abandoned and forgotten, for various reasons, and yet I'm sure to begin at least one more before the year is out.

I don't know what draws me to the blogs, exactly. Perhaps it is the anonymous feeling of voicing concerns, telling secrets, or just blathering on and on without the likelihood of any “real life” people recognizing you within the words on the screen. Then again, I've also harbored the small hope of being recognized not for my mindless spewing of words, but for my raw genius, and becoming a celebrity of the blogosphere. The chance is slim to none, and even more unlikely given my blogging track record.

Still, I return again and again to my journal. The style of my entries vary. At times, all I can manage to scribble down is a loosely related list of ideas, happenings, and things I'd like to discuss further but for some reason or another never do. Other entries become long, drawn-out, letters to no one in particular. These different types of entries are intertwined with phrases, ideas and quotes I've come across and hoarded away, in a sort of copy-book way. Some entires have month-long gaps between them, while others are only a few hours apart.

On occasion, I've used my journaling habits as a weapon. The strange man at the coffee shop will bother you far less if you're engrossed in your writing. I hope my fellow coffee consumers think I'm an up-and-coming writer, of sorts, whose words are unmatched. Lofty hopes, I know.

It could happen, though, if I really dedicated myself to the cause. In the last year or so I've chanced upon a few very nice, personalable American authors, whom I now consider to be members of my circle of friends. It's both inspiring and degrading to be friends with published writers. Both motivating and embarassing (which are not as opposite as I first thought). I'd like to “try my hand” at writing once life slows down a bit. For years I've been telling this to myself and anyone else nearby, but life seems to become busier. I'm beginning to realize that it will never actually make room for my other interests, and that I need to force aside less important “needs” in order to reach my goals.

If only I could live off of crumbled bits of paper and old pens. I'd just quit my job and secure a permanent place at the coffee shop.

2008-09-07T14:46:00.001-07:00

Homework is ridiculous!

I hope I can survive this semester.

2008-07-21T10:27:00.001-07:00

“I go to Rockefeller Center Tuesdays at rush hour to watch money walk out of the buildings. I went to Tiffany’s too. Stood out front a chick in a limo pulls up hops out in a full black mink with diamonds like rock candy hanging from her ears and enough rings to use her hands as silverware. Damn.”

- Darryl Stawinski to Jim Daniels October 2, 1975, NYC

2008-07-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

Nerdfightopia is Jokes, Totes.

So I'm a YouTuber, and I watch the 5AGs a few times a week (Girls, Guys, and Gays). I just had a truly thrilling moment (and I'm still in it, actually). I'm talking to Kayley from 5AwesomeGirls! Woot! She's leaving for London in a few hours. Oh, and how did I chat with her? Through the 5AGuys live chat happening on BlogTV. I'd much rather talk to Kayley than watch Alex/Nerimon ramble on about Animal Crossing.

That's all for now. I need to blog-stalk a few more friends and subscribe to them. Ta-ta!

Introductions are Old Hat

2008-07-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

Some of the websites I've used as blogs in the past few years:
eBlogger
WordPress
LiveJournal
Gaia
Myspace
the Ning
YouTube (vlogs)
LibraryThing

This is getting ridiculous. Really, now. I keep starting blogs and then abandoning them. Or, just partially abandoning them and feeing guilty when I log on once every other month to make a quick post about how guilty I feel. Bah.

But, I re-joined eBlogger (is it still called that?) because my sister (katezila) began a sketch blog and I want to be able to comment, or just find it without searching for an hour.

I like to think that I'm a creative person who writes, thinks, etc. But, since I haven't been doing much of that lately, I'm not sure if I can still claim that bragging right. Hell, I've been reading the same book for about a month, now.

Why am I so unproductive as of late? Miley the dog. I'm the foster mother for a dog from the humane society, and I've realized that she's a wonderful excuse to ignore the boring book I've been trying to choke down.

Oh, and Magic the Gathering. I know, lame. But really it's a ton of fun. I get together with about 15 guys every Tuesday night and we play for a few hours. Plus, I've been organizing Sean's collection (which exceeds 5,000 cards) and inputting them into a ramshackle database.

Oh, and I have no money. Not even enough to go buy coffee, which would in turn force me to sit and read sans-dog.

She's a really cute dog, though! I'll post pictures.

2007-10-24T14:26:00.000-07:00

My tummy is rumbling. It's not very pleased, at all. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are usually breakfast-free for me, unfortunately. To get to work in time while still sleeping in, I have to grab a yogurt and a Starbucks frappachino on the way out of the door. Needless to say, the yogurt doesn't play well with the caffeene.

I have another half hour before I can leave the library. Then, I have a quick bit of time for a bagel and a giant mocha from the coffee shop on campus. If I survive my class at noon, then I come back to work again, for my second shift of the day. Somewhere along the way, nap time has been forgotten.

I was told I look preppy tooday. Then, I went on google and searched "preppy" images, which deposited me at Preppy Cafe, aka the Suburban Cupcake blog. It got me hankerin' for my own blog. I'm notorious for starting a blog, and then forgetting about it. Maybe this time will be different. I hope it will, but I have a feeling it will go to the land of unused blogs, just like the last four. My apologies to WordPress, eBlogger, and LiveJournal.

Imported from an old Wordpress blog on 2/3/2009, for posterity's sake.

JMB Quote

2007-10-18T19:35:00.000-07:00

From "Courage", his address to St. Andrews in 1922.

"My own theme [for an address] is Courage, as you should use it in the great fight that seems to me to be coming between youth and their betters; by youth, meaning, of course, you, and by your betters, us. I want you to take up this position: That youth have for too long left exclusively in our hands the decisions in national matters that are more vital to them than to us. Things about the next war, and why the last one ever had a beginning."

2007-08-09T11:54:00.000-07:00

Finally back in Michigan, and it feels good. Sorry I didn't write much in the last couple of weeks. Our (otherwise AMAZING) apartment in London didn't have wireless, and then we also didn't have the internet at his aunt and uncle's in Harpenden.

So, I'll give a quick run-down of what I can remember in my current jet-lagged state of mind.
- ***Got Engaged!*** Sean proposed on the "forbidden lawn" at Brasenose, right before we left for London. It was terrific, and I didn't really expect it until the last 10 or so seconds. It made the rest of the trip sooo much better, since neither of us were anxious about it after that. YAY!
- London was fabulous. The apartment was more of a resort, complete with Romanesque marble 2-story indoor pool, full kitchen, and everything only a 5 minute walk from our door. Far better than a hotel!
- Saw a very cool exhibit at the Imperial War Museum! It was all about the London children of WW2, and I could have spent the whole weekend there! In fact, I wish I could go back. Plus, I found Rhubarb Wine for Mom and Dad.
- I bought so many books that I wasn't sure if I would be able to close my suitcase!
- We got upgraded on the flight home by a very nice BA employee. It's probably all because Sean mentioned the engagement, so that's awesome! It made the long trip home much more enjoyable.
- I have a mountain of laundry to do, and tons of other things on a list.

Can't think of much to write about right now, which is probably a good thing. I've gotta get moving! Hopefully I'll see you all soon!

stalling.

2007-07-26T02:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm getting down to my final hours here in Oxford. I can't say that I'm happy to go, but I don't really want to stay here much longer, either. I'm not homesick, but I do miss home. I think, mostly, I'm just missing Sean, and my sister. Throughout the trip, I've stopped at odd places and laughed at jokes, thinking how much they would have loved to be here and experience the same things. And, how much more I would enjoy it if they were here with me.

Even though I sound a bit forlorn, I really have had a ton of fun. Our group got along brilliantly, and managed to stay out of any really serious trouble. We were ordered to "disperse" a few times by the porters, and tiptoed across the forbidden lawn when we thought no one was looking. Tom led a sing (and dance) a-long on Cornmarket Street at midnight. We finally found out that the well-endowed unicorn in the great hall is meant to symbolize virginity. It's rained more than it's been sunny, but we've made the most of it. Joe's room became a piano bar, and the roof became "Boots". The guys managed to find the only place in town which would sell us Americans coffee after 3 in the afternoon, and they're greatly profiting off of our addictions. AHH! GIANT PARAGRAPH! Steve's luggage never made it to Oxford, but it did spend time in Paris, London, Africa, Romania, and probably Baghdad. Copa became our home. We learned the difference between candy and sweets. Angie knit hats in the bar - very sexy. We saw the Harry Potter release come and go, and have been lamenting on the book ever since. (By the way, good book - terrible epilogue.) I've made fantastic friends, who I'll be sure to still hang out with once I get back to Oakland. A lot of us have made some pretty big changes in our lives. Some people ended relationships, some people began new ones. I've learned a bit about myself, and made some decisions about what I want to do in life, and where I'm going next. I've spent too much money and eaten too much chocolate, and I've developed a strong attachment to coffee and mochas. We learned to pick out tourists in a crowd, and despise them for taking over "our" city. Shopping in Oxford is amazing, and I wish I had come with an extra $6000 to spend just in Primark and Next Clearance.

There's loads more. Lots of sheep and rain. I've had a great time, but I'm ready to move on to the next thing. Sean flies in tomorrow morning, and I'm going out to the airport to meet him. We'll come out to Oxford at some point and pack up all of my junk, and then I'll leave Brasenose. I'm shocked that it's over already, but I'm also glad. Well, I will be if I ever get my paper finished. It's awful, and I'm just dragging it on longer by doing this blog instead.

Anyway, here's the plan for the next few days. Sean and I will be in London starting on Friday. We have some friends in town we might meet up with, but other than that we're just going to hang out and do touristy things, and catch up. That's what I'm most excited for. I'll finally have someone here who I can share the trip with. I've made some great friends while here, but it's just not the same. Anyway. London until the 3rd, and then we're spending the weekend in Paris. After that, it's back to London, and then north to Sean's aunt's house until Wednesday. We fly out of Heathrow that afternoon, and I should be back in Michigan Wednesday night. Hooray for 5-hour time differences!

The only thing holding me back right now is this stupid paper. I hate it with a passion, and until it's finished I'll feel like I'm in this awful limbo. Bah humbug. Back to work. While I sit and think about it, the list of things I need to do before I leave expands like Oxford in a flood. Back to work!

This and other Travel Blog posts imported from an old blog on 2/3/2009, for posterity's sake.

I'm famous!

2007-07-25T03:18:00.000-07:00

So, Audrey, what has been the most exciting part of your trip, thus far? What made your hands shake and your knees knock? Was it seeing Buckingham Palace? A performance of Macbeth in Stratford upon Avon? Going backstage at the National Theatre (which was terrific, by the way)? James Bond Night?

No, no. None of that.

The most exciting thing happened to me last night. After seeing Saint Joan at the National Theatre, I met John Lithgow!

AHH!

It was awesome. Before the show, some of the guys had spotted a few celebs in the audience. John Lithgow, Ed Harris, and Alan Rickman were all at the National last night. Lithgow was sitting only about 15 feet away from us! He was there with what I'm assuming is his son. Anyway. As I was leaving, after the performance, I looked behind me and THERE HE WAS!

At the coat check, I had to say something. I just couldn't pass it up. So, in my high nervous voice came a little "Mr. Lithgow?"

"Yes?" (He smiled at me!)

(All in a rush now) "I thought you were amazing in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels!"

"Thank you! You're so sweet!" (awesome handshake)

And then I turned bright red, wished them a nice night, and started bouncing around like a balloon losing its air.

That was awesome.

Oh, and everything else is cool, too. hahaha

This and other Travel Blog posts imported from an old blog on 2/3/2009, for posterity's sake.

And the clouds open up and God says 'I hate you, Alfalfa'

2007-07-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

I'm alright, but England is rather soggy. I'm not sure how widespread it is on American news, but a good chunk of England is under water right now. We're having the worst flooding in history here. My friends house just a few minutes south of Oxford will be under water by nearly 6 feet by tomorrow night. There are hundreds of thousands of people without water and electricity, and half a million still stranded in their flooded houses. It's pretty bad.

So far, I'm alright in the city center. About a mile away, the canals are about to overflow. I was just there this afternoon to take some pictures. Word is that tomorrow the Thames will overflow here in Oxford. Luckily, my school (Brasenose) is on higher ground and in the center of Oxford, so we shouldn't have any trouble. Even if we do, our program ends on Friday and most of the group is heading home.

I just looked out my window at the "dreaming spires" of Oxford - tons of peaks belonging to old churches and colleges which create a gorgeous skyline. But, past the spires I can see a relief helicopter coast by every few minutes. The mood here is one of giddy worry. Everyone's nervous, of course, and yet they're cheerful. Loads of jokes and smiles, just making the most of it. I can only imagine what it'd be like if Lake St. Clair back home overflowed. But, no need to worry about that, since the lake is dying. :P

My friend Damian, who lives in Abingdon (about 15 minutes south) is clearing out his house today. We were going to go to one of the Oxford museums today, but instead he's loading up all of his electronics and taking them to his aunt's. Tomorrow, if the Thames escapes its banks, then his house will be swamped. If anyone's interested, you can find pictures on the BBC's website, and on foxfm.co.uk (the radio station I've been listening to all day).

Oxford is in pretty good shape, with just the west side of town starting to go under. Only one or two roads are closed. I think everyone in the group, save for myself, went to Blenheim Castle for the afternoon, so they're missing out on all of the fun.

Stay tuned for pictures. I'll pop them in to lengthen the post once I take them off of my camera.

Hooray!

2007-07-22T05:22:00.000-07:00

A quick post before I go back to work on my homework. The horrific flooding around England hasn't caused me too much grief, yet. I was caught in London during some serious flash-flooding, and I'll try to get the videos of that up as soon as I can.

Harry Potter. Amazing on so many levels.
Went to London for the HUGE line party, where people had been sleeping out on the cement at the doors of Waterstones for days, from all around the world. It was pretty much a block party in the center of London with thousands of people dressed up and singing and chanting and holding up hilarious signs.

Finished the book almost exactly 24 hours after I got it into my hands.
It was well written, entertaining, and brought nearly complete closure. I still have some questions, but it was good! Worst part was the epilogue, hands down. I was expecting so much more.

Anyway, just writing to say that I'm alive. Once I plow through the homework I have piled up again, I'll write more.

Tut, tut. Looks like rain...

2007-07-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the posting delay. I've been busy trying to get ahead on my homework. This Friday (for those who live under a rock) is the release of the final Harry Potter novel, and I intend on reading it all weekend. So, I'm trying to get all of my homework out of the way before then. I just got back from an early dinner at "Old Orleans", which is the most American restaurant in town. Best thing is - the prices are cheap! Of course, there's a KFC, McDonald's, and Burger King... but who wants to come all the way across the ocean to eat there?! We're all missing Taco Bell very much, though. England would be much better off with some Taco Bell.

Next week is my last week. AH! It's flown by so incredibly quickly. I want to stay!

Today, when I stepped out of Brasenose (in order to return a jacket at FCUK ((French Connection U.K.)) which I decided was superfluous) there were movie cameras in my face!!! It was as if I had stepped into the 1900s, and I was surrounded by strapping young Oxford scholars, riding turn of the century bikes and being all-together adorable. Turns out, today, the re-make of Brideshead Revisited is being filmed right out in the Radcliffe Camera. I didn't spot any stars, but there were plenty of extras to giggle at. Speaking of celebs, though, some friends spotted Kiera Knightly in London the other day. That's pretty nifty.

I still haven't been to the museums, here. I feel so guilty! There's a natural history one, a history one, and then a huge jumble of art at the Ashmoleon. I'll try to do one or two this week, after class. They're supposed to be a lot of fun, but I've just been to busy doing other things!

Last night was our James Bond night at dinner - complete with Tom the Brit singing Golden Eye and a few other songs. It was so much fun! We all dressed up in black (I bought the afore-mentioned jacket for last night) and had shrimp, steak, and sorbet. Then, Black Russians at the pub with more entertainment. I ended up leaving early to work on the Sheridan play we're reading, but it was a ton of fun nonetheless.

Tonight, we're going to see A Midsummer Night's Dream at a neighboring college. It's supposed to rain, but right now the sun looks promising, so maybe we'll get lucky. Tomorrow is the last day of class for the week, and then I'm off to London early Friday morning! Angie and I bought witch hats, since we're Harry Potter geeks. I'll be on the look out for a cool souvenir for Katie, of course.

Speaking of souvineers, if anyone wants one - tell me! I don't want to spend a ton, but I'll do my best. There's a flea market sort of thing going on tomorrow and there's always cool stuff there.

And for the parents: I've been getting pretty good grades on my papers, nothing below a 3.8 so far. I got your package yesterday - THANK YOU!!! It definitely made me miss you guys, though. I've yet to have a pasty here that can compare to the ones back home. But, I've seen lots of adorable dogs that I'd love to bring back with me!

I checked - London Bridge is still standing.

2007-07-15T02:10:00.000-07:00

Another Sunday has rolled into Oxford, and with it comes clouds. The radio says we'll have a rather nasty storm later today. I was going to go down to Sainsbury's and get a few groceries and some medicine for my cold, but at the moment it might be better to stay in and in doing so, stay dry! It isn't raining yet, but it'll start soon.

On second thought, I think I WILL go before the storm hits. Sainsbury's is in a mall. If I have to be stuck indoors during a storm, a mall is far more interesting than my room here at Brasenose. :)

I've been listening to the main radio station here, FOX. I found it last night on my clock radio, and ever since I've turned it on, I've known about 80% of the hit songs they play. About a month before I left for Oxford, I started listening to all of the popular British music I could get my hands on. It's paid off!

Yesterday, I went to London with Catie, Joe, and Stephanie. We got into town around 9am, I think, and then wandered around Kensington and Hyde Park while shops opened up. After breakfast at the Hyde Park Cafe (right on the Serpentine - beautiful) we headed for Knightsbridge for some window shopping. Probably not Joe's first choice, but we saw lots of shiny cars along the way and he snapped pictures of them all.

After lunch at Cafe Nero, we all went down into Kensington to meet the girl I'm renting an apartment from after the program at Oxford ends. The place is AMAZING!!! Ground floor, outdoor patio, full kitchen, nice showers and baths, beautiful view, cosy livingroom, safe and friendly complex with porters at the front gate, a gym, and a pool that looks like a Roman bath (complete with pillars and marble). I was in awe. I almost want to skip the rest of Oxford and spend the rest of my trip in Kensington!

After that, we headed for Belgravia to look for Stephanie's hostel, and to rest a bit. Then, we split into pairs. Catie and I headed for Covent Garden, which was SO MUCH FUN! It was packed, of course, but we had a delicious pizza at Cafe Pasta, and then wandered around watching street performers and looking in the covered market. I definitely want to go back with Sean! We left London, completely exhausted, around 7pm and I was in bed by 11. I tried to stay up to do homework, but I kept falling asleep sitting up.

This morning I work up feeling awful. This cold will NOT go away! But, if I get this Lemsip stuff at Sainsbury's, it's supposed to help a lot. My ankle's taken a beating this trip, too. I've been wearing the brace I brought for well over a week, and now my skin is all irritated from it. So, today I'll go without it and see how I do. It feels (and looks) much better, so I think I'll be alright.

Hello to everyone back home! I love you all very much. I apologize for not getting postcards out to a lot of you yet. I ran out of stamps! Eek! I'll try to find more this week. Plus, the sunflowers that Sean sent during the first week have finally been tossed. They looked sort-of okay last night, but they really looked awful this morning. I'll probably pick up some flowers in the covered market tomorrow. (I've been wanting to buy flowers, anyway.) My bangs are growing out, and I think I might have lost some weight. Double yay! I love you all very much, and I hope you're all doing well. Sorry for the random postings. I know they don't make a lot of sense sometimes. :P

Enlightenment.

2007-07-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

Just a few things I've picked up, thought I'd share...

- "Cheers", which is used all over as a way to say "thanks" or "goodbye" actually derives from the tv show, Cheers. That's right, the American one from the early 90s. Apparently, it was incredibly popular and Brits at the time thought it was a cool thing to say. Now, it's as common as apple pie.

- You can get a good apple pie in the Covered Market for under 3 pounds.

- The professor who has an office next to my room is very nice, and from the East Coast. And, he's a history professor! He told me that the University Parks, to the north of the museums here, are where Christopher Robin played as a boy.

- What we refer to as candy in the States, is only the hard candy that ppl suck on here in the UK. That's what you'll get if you ask for candy. Ask instead for sweets if you want things like gum, chocolate, etc.

- Sunflowers, although they do last for many days in a vase, do not last forever.

- My last name is common in Poland. I'm not a bit Polish.

- Joe's blog is witty. http://joeysadventures1.blogspot.com/

- It's possible for me to go into a clothing shop here and not buy anything.

- The 5th Harry Potter movie was good. Really, it was.

- The way that Americans pronounce 'Oxford' is "fancy".

In other news, yesterday's trip to London was great. The play was much funnier than I thought, which was a relief. My ankle is much better, but I'm still wearing the brace to be safe. I've gone this far without doing laundry, but I've reached the end of the line and now I have to do a ton tonight.

Tomorrow, bright and early, I'm going to London with Catie, Stephanie, and Joe. There's no set plan, so it'll be a nice day all in all.

Just to prove my geekiness...

2007-07-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

The classroom I have class in every day was used as Dumbledore's office in the first Harry Potter movie!

!!!

So cool!!!

Just to Clarify...

2007-07-11T04:03:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone!

I hope you're all doing well and having a relaxing July back in the States. I heard it's been really, really hot there. I hate to say it, but I'm wearing long sleeves right now (Reason #436 why I want to live in England). It's a pretty lazy day here in Oxford. Lots of tourist groups going around the colleges, so it's easier to stay indoors than to battle the crowds. I just got back from Boots, which is like a glorified CVS. I had to pick up some Germolene (which is like neosporen), and it burns like the Dickens!!! I felt like such a baby when I put it on and yelped. But, I'm tough. I can take it. (Mommy... will you kiss my boo-boo?)

So, yes. Today's rather slow. However, last night was the official Brasenose/American pub crawl. It was a flop, to be honest. Most of the pubs we stopped at were either closed, too busy, or refused to serve our gigantic group. There was supposed to be a designated drink at each pub (stuff like gin and tonics, and other lethal drinks), but I just opted for a cheap beer here and there. After about an hour I left early and was in bed by midnight.

Tonight, though, is Jessica's birthday! We've reserved the top floor of a wine bar (Copa) a few blocks away and that should be pretty fun. I'll probably stick to water or Pimm's tonight since we have a LONG day in London tomorrow! In fact, now that I think about it, I'll most likely sneak out early.

So, to clarify, I'm not in a constant drunken stupor here in Oxford. And, to clarify even further, each time I've mangled my ankle was completely without the aid of alcohol. And, I was even on flat ground. For some reason, I ankle just gives out without warning. It's bruised. I think that means it's healing. And, to clarify to the extreme, I've not become obsessed with shopping. Yes, I've bought 4 pairs of shoes. BUT (still with me, Dad?), it's all within reason. Really. I had to get a pair of slide-on flats since my air cast doesn't fit in my normal pair. I found a sale, two pairs for 15 pounds. The salesman was really nice and we chatted for quite a while, and as I was leaving he offered me a third pair for free. So, you see? Good price! And, they're sturdy and have cushioning.

As for getting all of my junk home, I think I've got it covered as well. No worries!

For those of you who care, but didn't know, I posted about 50 pictures on my Flickr account yesterday. This address should get you there: http://www.flickr.com/photos/auddieellie/sets/72157600700932911/

Tomorrow is London! I'm very excited. We're leaving in the morning (no class!) and eventually seeing Love's Labours Lost at The Globe! It isn't my first choice of Shakespeare's plays, but it'll be fun nonetheless. Right now we're reading Midsummer Night's Dream, which I love. I wish we could see THAT at the Globe! Instead, we'll be seeing it next week at Trinity College, here in Oxford.

Speaking of which, I need to work on my Midsummer essay. I'd love to hear how all of you are doing! Leave a comment and tell me what you've been up to, if you have the time.

Oh, the irony...

2007-07-09T16:14:00.000-07:00

I sprained my ankle again.

This is getting ridiculous.

I've given in, and am now wearing one of those hard-sided air casts.

Even though my ankle was the size of a tennis ball and all of the colours of the rainbow, I went to Stratford-upon-Avon today. We saw the most brutal, violent version of Macbeth I've ever heard of. Dead babies hanging from the rafters, and everything. I'm still not quite sure what I think of it.

But, on a happier note, I had the most amazing cheesecake in the world today. This was the tipping point - I've decided I want to move to England so that I can eat chocolate truffle or banana cheesecake all day long while punting on the Thames and shopping. It'll be lovely.

I'll try to do a better update tomorrow. I should have time, since most of my group is going to London for the afternoon. I opted not to go so that I could save money, but now it's good, since my ankle is busted again.

It's 20 past midnight, and breakfast starts early in the morning. Time for bed!

Oops...

2007-07-08T01:31:00.000-07:00

Let's flashback, shall we?

January 2007 - I slipped on Michigan Ave and mangled my ankle, really badly. Instead of getting it checked out, I just wore Sean's aircast for a while. It took about a month or two to really feel right again. I probably should have gone to the doctor, but I'm dumb.

2 Days before flying out - I slipped on Michigan Ave AGAIN, this time with Bret. Same ankle went sideways and cracked. It wasn't quite as bad as the last time, but it still hurt like the devil. It took me about a day and a half to recover. It still hurts a bit, but I'm nearly better.

1:30am, last night - Took a wrong step somehow and did the same to the other ankle. GAH! It hurts, and it's weird because this ankle is usually my good one. So now I have to hobble around. I'm tempted to just stay holed up in my room all day and feel sorry for myself, but I can't let that happen.

I'm alright, except for my ankle(s). Last night, the Oakland group all hung out and watched a movie in Joe's room. Then, after that ended most people went to bed, but Joe and I went wandering. On the way back to BNC I screwed up my ankle, so that put a damper on our strolling. It's good that we don't have any sort of field trip today. However, tomorrow is Stratford-upon-Avon. I think I'll be alright enough to roam around there.

I guess I don't have much to say, other than I hate my weak ankles. If you're looking for pictures, I put a bunch up on my flickr account. Scroll down a few posts - I put the address to that at the bottom of a recent post.

Wanderings and Ramblings

2007-07-07T11:14:00.000-07:00

It's quarter past seven, and I seem to have missed dinner. For those of you who don't know (which should everyone on the other side of the Atlantic, actually), at the last minute, I pulled out of the Stonehenge trip scheduled for today. I did so for a couple of reasons - we were overbooked, another girl wanted to go much more than I did, and I didn't want to miss the absolutely gorgeous weather here in Oxford! So, I think I made the right choice.

I spent the morning sleeping in, and then wandering the streets. Each day, I feel less like a tourist and more like a semi-permanate Oxfordian. (Is that the right word?) And, I think today I've spent the least amount of money in the past week, which is fantastic. Wait. I lied. I paid for my copy of the final Harry Potter book in advance, so I'm wrong. Oh, well.

After wandering, I came back to Brasenose and worked on my growing pile of homework. That's the bad thing about being in Oxford in the summer - it's so nice here, that homework is impossible! Still, I finished a good chunk of it. If I work for another hour or so, I might be caught up enough to read something other than Shakespeare! Or, I could just go to the pub.

Nightlife in Oxford is kind of lame, compared to Michigan. I'm used to getting ready at 10pm and going out at 11pm or midnight, and then not falling into bed until 3 or 4 at times. Instead, people start the festivities here around 8 or 9pm, and by midnight the streets are only inhabited by drunken teenagers and obnoxiously loud American tourists who are experiencing the same surprise that I am. What's there to do in Oxford?! Jessica and I wandered around after being booted out of BNC's pub at 11pm. We ran into some of the BNC staff, and they pointed us toward the only open place where we could get in free and not spend money. I guess everyone else had the same idea, because there was a massive, unmoving line of people outside of the Purple Turtle. I was back at BNC and in bed within 15 minutes.

Other than the lack of nightlife, Oxford is delightful. The weather was so nice today, that I was a bit disoriented. I actually like the rain, which surprises locals a lot. Today, I think it was in the 80s, and I only saw a few grey clouds. However, I think from now on I'll stay away from the city centre on Saturdays. There were mobs of tourists all over, blocking every sidewalk, crosswalk, and doorway. Drove me crazy. Cornmarket was awful, but I still walked back and forth for a bit. A street performer who ate balloons and played with razors pulled me into his skit, where I was the designated paper-holder. I snuck away when his back was turned - the ultimate trick.

Hypothetically, if someone were to send me a care package, I think the things I'd want the most are M&Ms, Extra pink bubble gum, and those nifty wool socks like Sean has. I looked for them in the shops - no luck. However, the shopping in Oxford is AMAZING. Really. If I had unlimited money (like some of the girls on this trip), I'd come back with a dozen new outfits a day. There are shops where you can get a French Connection skirt for 5 pounds. I got a few shirts for 2 pounds each (and they're nice, cute shirts!). Shoes are pricey, but there are jackets and jeans for about 10 pounds. It's amazing! I've died and gone to cheap fashion heaven. Even jewelry is cheap and adorable.

Another way to save money is to turn on the American-ness. Pubs love Americans (for the most part), and I don't think I've paid full price yet for a pint. Plus, Americans never get carded or charged cover at clubs. If I actually like dancing and clubbing, I'd be much more excited about this, too.

Alright, back to work. Gotta get this homework all done so that it's not hovering over my head all day tomorrow as well! Oh - sounds like everyone else is back from dinner. Gotta work fast before we go out in our big, obnoxious American group again. At least we're not the most stereotypical ones here. A group from Texas got here today, and it makes me cringe to see them wandering around in their Texas t-shirts, baseball hats (which no one here wears), and cameras yelling to eachother about how cute the red phone boxes are.

2007-07-07T07:37:00.000-07:00

Alright, I've got some time, so I'll try and put in as many good pics as I can, and also try to explain them. Ready? Set.... Go!

First off, I moved my room's furniture around a bit. I doubt you care, but it made me happyful!

And, here's my awesome new pair of shoes (which gave me a bit of a blister, but it was worth it).

Next are a few pictures from Christ Church College. The dining hall is the one from the Harry Potter movies! Plus, there are lots of ties to the Alice in Wonderland story at this site. The real Alice's father was the Dean, and the school was her playground. Lewis Carroll was a family friend, and pulled lots of ideas from his time spent playing with little Alice. The tree at the wall is where the original tree was, where Alice had lessons and played with he cat (Dinah). The white rabbit was modeled after Alice's father, who after dinner in the hall would disappear down a little spiral staircase behind the head table. Lots more, but here's the pics.

Arrrgh. Inputting pictures is so tedious! I quit.

I'll continually put pictures onto my flickr.com account. Here's the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/auddieellie/sets/72157600700932911/ It's probably easier for all involved to see my pictures there!

Sorry. Pictures did not transfer when I reposted this into my new(er) blog.

Picture Post!

2007-07-06T00:21:00.000-07:00

As I promised, here's a few pictures from the beginning of the week. This first one is my little room. Quaint, eh? It's small, but I like it! Some people got massive, fancy rooms with sitting areas and whatnot. Speaking of Fancy... Joe even has a piano in his!!! But I like mine just the same. The view is awesome. Wanna see?

This amazing, gigantic stained glass window is what I see every day. It's really huge - I wish the picture did it justice. It's the big show-window in St. Mary's church, just next door. From where I'm sitting, my window frames it perfectly. Very cool!

Looking to the left from my window, you can see that roundish building. See it? That's the Radcliffe Camera, often the symbol of Oxford and Oxford University. It's really cool, and what makes it even cooler is that none of us can go into it. It's reserved only for true Ox students as a massive study hall. Maybe I'll try and find a way to sneak in.

Looking right, I can see High Street - the main street of old Oxford. It's very cool, with lots of shoe shops! I'm really getting the hang of this town, and have yet to get too lost. But, even if I were to wander too far, it's really easy to find your way back.

And then below is New Quad, the larger of the two quads at Brasenose. I'll get more pictures of BNC and it's interior sometime soon. But, for now, at least you can see that I'm not just hiding out in northern Michigan, or something!

Alright, that's all for now. I've got about an hour to work on Shakespeare. Early next week, we're going to Stratford-upon-Avon to see Macbeth, and I'm really excited. Then, on Thursday we're all going to London and seeing Love's Labours Lost at the Globe. Woo-hoo!!! Then, on Friday, lots of us are going to see the new Harry Potter movie.

This weekend, I'm not really sure what I'll be doing. Probably catching up on homework and wandering around. I'd like to sleep in on Sundays, but it's alright that I can't, because I have the coolest alarm ever. The choirs and organ at the massive old church next door (St. Mary's) echo all around BNC on Sunday mornings, and in the evenings as well. Very cool to wake up to! In fact, the stairwell which my room is located in is named after St. Mary's. I'm all the way at the top! A bit of a hike, but it's good for me. And, I'm eating much better now that I'm here. We all are. Lots of fruit and a good balanced dinner (except the "salad" is awful) and I think everyone is now addicted to coffee.

Happy Birthday, America!

2007-07-04T09:56:00.000-07:00

I think tonight might be something of a slower night for me. We'll see. For now, I have a few moments to write! Every day in Oxford gets better and better, but every day I spend out on the town means more work is piling up back at BNC. Tonight I'll have to crank out two papers, finish reading Macbeth, read Love's Labours Lost, and then start on a paper about that as well. Being a slacker is not safe when you have a whole semester's worth of work to do in a few weeks!

So. Yesterday was America Day! Hooray! We celebrated by running around the quad with sparklers, being extremely loud, and playing flip cup and beer pong. Good stuff! Even better - me and Angie won! Wooot!!!

After that, we all headed into the BNC pub. That's right, folks. The pub is about a 30 second walk from the door of my room. I love it. Jessica and I sat with about a dozen of the British BNC kids and tried to follow along with their really bizzare drinking games. It was absolutely hilarious. Plus, they go and play every night, so Jessica and I will probably go back for a few hours tonight. (Don't worry. Plenty of time for homework.) The two main people we met were AK and Tim - who challenged us Americans to a cricket match! Mwahahahahaha. I'm so stoked. Tonight, I think we're teaching them Thumper or beer pong. Or both. Should be fun.

After that, the Oakland gang all wandered around, looking for a pub or bar that was open past 11pm and had people our age in it. No luck. We ended up at a wine bar, where we were definitely the loudest people (that's usually the case). There was a bar that was supposed to be an America, down-home southern food sort of place... but it sucked. I left early with a few of the other girls and was asleep by midnight.

I got the cutest shoes today!!! I know, you're all thrilled, right? They're awesome. I took pictures. If I can figure it out, I'll start posting pics from all the things I've been doing. (I know I've been saying that for days, but I really mean it!) Everything here is ridiculously expensive. If it doesn't warm up soon, I'll break down and buy some sort of fleece pull-over. I see loads of locals bundled up in coats and scarves, whereas I'm just in a sweatshirt.

Speaking of which - hoodies. Apparently, they're the ultimate tourist indication. Only Americans and tourists wear hoodies here. And backpacks, but that's more understandable. So, I'm trying to stay away from my hoodies as much as possible. Thank goodness I brought a sweater! Plus, every girl here wears cut canvas flats (like my Rocket Dogs, if ya know what I mean). They're in every store, and not too expensive!

It's raining again, but I think it's hilarious. British weather makes me laugh. Plus, I don't mind the rain, so it's all good. Even better, now that I've waterproofed all of my shoes and I'll do my bags as well.

Great. Now I feel guilty for writing in this instead of working on my paper(s). I'll do another update once I'm more caught up.

I need a mobile.

2007-07-03T00:09:00.000-07:00

On my way out to breakfast, but I thought I'd drop in here. Webmail (Oakland's email) isn't working, so I couldn't email my dad. Maybe he'll drop in and read this -

Considering the fact that my cell phone ("mobile"!) is terrible, I'm going to buy a pay-as-you-go phone. The plans start around 30 pounds, which comes with a free phone. Depending on the included phone, I might instead spend a bit and get a nicer phone. That'd be one of the best souvineers ever! See, it should work fine back in the states, since all I'd have to do do is pop in my own, old SIM card once I arrive home. I've talked to a few people, and they all say it should work no problem.

So after breakfast, I have class til about 11am. I'll probably pop over to the theatre and reserve tix to the harry potter movie with some friends, and then deal with the cell phone business. If I get the plan I want, I'll be able to get calls from the US for FREE! And, free texting! Plus, it's cheaper than the AT&T one. So, an all-around good deal.

This afternoon, there's another town tour by B-Con. (OMG! One of my fave songs is on the radio! MIKA!) Then, after the tour I'm not sure what I'll do. Probably go to a museum or something.

So yeah, I have MSN messenger and I convinced Sean to get it as well. The time difference only gives us about a hour before I need to go pass out, but it's better than nothing.

Oooh! Last night was fun! Me, Joe, and about 4 other girls all wandered around (but we were NOT lost) and eventually found a French cafe, Cafe Rouge. The whole street was strung with x-mas lights, and the deserts were delicious. Plus, the wine was good and relatively cheap.

Anyway, enough blabbering. Time for food!

The Update

2007-07-02T09:39:00.000-07:00

So, here's a run-down of happenings.

Got my internet to work!
Got my luggage (finally) from Northwest/British Airways with nearly everything intact. Some nail polish opened up, but nothing was ruined.
Skipped going to the pub in order to do homework. Blah.
Decided that my best course of action will be to get a pay-as-you-go cell for about 30 pounds, since my cell phone is a piece of junk. (And, I can get a cute new phone!)
Oxford is AMAZING!
Moved into Brasenose College (BNC). My room has an awesome view of a gigantic stained glass window belonging to the church next door. Once I get a chance, I'll post pictures of the room, and whatever else is on my camera.
Bought a present for daddy!
Mailed out postcards to relatives and the guys. Still have to do that for everyone else.
Figured out the general layout of the city.
Got tix to the HP5 movie, for next week, with Christie. Should be cool. Did you know that when you buy movie tix, they even tell you what part of the theatre you have to sit in? Bizzare.
Also bizzare - the UK has about 38,000 Elvis impersonators. Just so ya know.
Saw real, live British guys playing cricket in the park!
Also saw BNC guys playing croquet on the quad. How pimp is that?!

So yeah. I'm alive. I've been spending more than I should, but a lot of it is startup costs and will be partially reimbursed at the end, when I sell my appliances to "B-Con". Hahahahaha! I hope Joe reads that! Sweet.

Took a little tour of the town today, led by Connery. It's much more compact than I thought. Plus, the weather gets better each day. The weekend is supposed to be beautiful!

Alright, I'm going to go and try to get ahold of my parents, or something. I'll start posting pictures soon, hopefully!

An old post.

2007-07-02T09:38:00.000-07:00

(written on June 30th, but not posted til a few days later)

Alrighty. Since I can’t get internet, I’m “blogging” in Word. Don’t tell anyone – I’m already geeky enough! I’m in the hostel lounge, watching the season premiere of Dr. Who with a girl from Atlanta. I have no idea what’s going on with the show, but at least I’m seeing it before KATIE! HAH! I so totally rock.

I talked to one of my roommates, a grandma from the Lake District. She consoled me, and the girl from Quebec, telling us that the amount of rain we’re getting is unordinary. And then, I watched the news, which told me all about the flooding to the north and the car bombings in the south. I think I’ll stay put tomorrow instead of going to Cambridge and London, like I had considered.

Still no sign of my luggage. But then again, I haven’t checked since I last wrote. I’m debating wasting some of the minutes on my phone card to call BA’s luggage hotline, but maybe I’d rather be surprised tomorrow. Then, at least, I won’t be tempted to run over to BNC tonight in the rain to see for myself.

Having the day to wander and do my own thing was lovely. I definitely think I’m a solo traveler (except I missed Sean terribly). It’d be fun with family or Kate or a good friend, but when I’m strapped to someone I sort of know and feel obligated to stay with them… not so fun. I’m sure any logical person would agree.

So! The hostel. It’s much nicer than I expected, and their food is freakin’ delicious! I might even come back (sneakily) tomorrow night just for their bread and butter pudding. I HAD ENGLISH FOOD! SCORE! Oh, and did you know there are about 38,000 Elvis impersonators in the UK? And, my Georgia friend just told me there’s a Dr. Who shop somewhere.

Speaking of awesome shops, I went to the Alice in Wonderland shop today. In fact, it was the first place in the UK, out of all of the amazing sites, which I chose. Like I already said, I’m a geek. The shop is ADORABLE!!! Lots of cute, touristy things to waste my pounds on. I made it out of there and spent under 10 pounds. Amazing, eh? I’ve also managed to still not buy any Oxford Uni regalia or union jack stuff. But, I did have a delicious nutella crepe today on Queen Street.

I ran into a whole group of kids from OU today, as they arrived at BNC for early check-in. I’m not going to check in until tomorrow morning, though. I already paid for the night here at the hostel, so I might as well stay. Plus, the 2 day bus pass I bought will get me there in no time in the morning, after another delicious hostel breakfast!

It’s much nicer to type on an American keyboard again. Their @ key is in a crazy place, as is the “ key. I should really get back to Macbeth. Or Dr. Who. Yeaaaah, I’m going to watch TV for a while. Gotta quit while I still have power left on my laptop.

2007-06-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

I'm alive! And, I'm using an English keyboard, so bare with me if things get typo-ish. I think I can handle it, though.

So. I'm in Oxford, and tomorrow I check in at Brasenose College. Until then, I'll spend my second night at the hostel. Northwest lost my luggage. Yeah. So I have one more clean outfit before I really need to worry. Also, the hostel does not have internet ... so that's the reason for my delay. I'm avoiding my email, since I'm sure it's jammed.

The enter key is so hard to find!

Oh, and my cell phone doesn't work.
And my flight was extremely delayed getting into London.

But other than that, I'm alright. The city is nice (but huuuge), and the weather is pretty damn entertaining. I could sit in the hostel and watch it and laugh, but I have far better things to do.

Sorry for the short post. Hopefully BNC's internet will work tomorrow. For now, I have to try to track down my baggage, figure out my cell problem, and email a few people who probably think I'm dead.

Ridiculousness

2007-06-27T20:51:00.000-07:00

Alright. I think I’m actually going to survive the next day and half, and find myself in London! After huge problems with Northwest, I think everything is straightened out. That was a nightmare, by the way.

And, if you’ve seen the itinerary that I sent out, the flight numbers posted there are wrong. What happened was, NWA canceled my flight to Baltimore. So, they then put me onto a flight to Amsterdam, and then to London from there. Yikes! Then, to make things more difficult, they also scheduled me for another flight to Baltimore. So, I was supposed to be in two places at once, on two separate routes to London.

After a few hours, I got it all straightened out with NWA (they were very nice about it), and now I’m back to the original plan of going to Baltimore first, and then on to London. The flight to Baltimore is earlier than first expected, but as long as I get there, I’m happy.

Also, the plans for renting an apartment in London are finalized. Yippee! That’s going to be much better than staying in a hotel. We can make our own food, do laundry, and pretend we live in London. It’ll be fantastic.

Needless to say, I’m excited. I just hope I don’t forget anything too important! Oh, and I got all of those papers finished, somehow. Still not sure how I did it on time.

Can't take the STESS! tweaks out

2007-06-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

Ahhh! So stressed out.

I leave Thursday afternoon.

I still have to:
Get dressed.
Get all of my stuff from Sean's place.
Write 3 essays.
Haggle over grades with 2 professors.
Visit my grandparents.
Return crap at Target.
Set up my computer for my little sister.
Get to Oakland from State.
Return library books.
Do Laundry.
MOVE OUT OF APARTMENT BEFORE 9pm tonight.
Find an extra few thousand dollars for my trip.
PACK/figure out what the hell to take
waterproof my shoes
figure out a cell phone solution
find a few thousand more dollars
get on the freakin' plane

I don't know if I'll make it. I have so much to do before I fly out!
Hah. So instead, I'm writing on this thing.
Wish me luck!

Travel Journal Entry Numero Uno!

2007-06-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

So, here's the deal-io.

This is going to be my shiny new TRAVEL JOURNAL!
I know, you're all dancing around unable to contain your excitment.
Calm down! It's much easier to read when you're sitting still.

I'm writing this not only for my own record, but also for the handful of people who want to live vicariously through me while I'm abroad. Friends, family, co-workers, strangers ... you're all welcome to watch for updates. Hopefully I'll be able to upload pictures pretty regularly, especially since I'm bringing my nifty laptop with me.

For those of you interested, here's the overview of my next month and a half:

Fly out to London on June 28th and somehow get to Oxford.
Throughout the month of July, take a class about British dramas and theatre with Prof. Brian Connery at Brasenose College (BNC), which is part of the University of Oxford.
Study multiple plays and SEE THEM PERFORMED with the class. So far, I know we're doing Midsummer Night's Dream, Love's Labours Lost, and Macbeth, along with a few more. Plus, we're going to theatres like the National Theatre, the Globe, and the Swan in Stratford-upon-Avon
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Release Party! I'm totally going. It's in London, and it's pretty impossible to get into. But, I'm sure there will be a few thousand fans hanging around outside, and I'll be one of them! Probably won't dress up, though. That's just a little too much.
London, Cambridge, Stonehenge, Bath, Avebury, and a few places in between are all on my list of "excursions".
SEAN! My wonderful boyfriend is joining me out in Oxford at the end of my term. Once that's finished, we'll be staying in either Oxford or London for another week, then we'll go to Paris for a few nights, and then back to northern London to visit his relatives. Seeing him after a month will definitely be the best part of this trip.
Come home! I'll be back in Michigan on August 8th. That gives me about 40 days to make my mark in England.

So, there you have it. A brief overview. It'll probably change drastically over the next few months. I'll try to post often and keep it somewhat interesting. But, if you don't hear from me for a few days, email me! I might have fallen into the Thames or something.

The Ripple Effect

Busy Sunday

No Surprise Here...

Space Filler

Pragmatism and "The Sane Society" by Erich Fromm

Making Stuff, Selling Stuff, Burning Stuff

Tuesday Morning with TJ

John K. King's Used and Rare Books of Detroit

Basic Banana Bread

"Life Lessons in Simplicity, Service and Common Sense""

And I disappeared into the Groove...

Giving up on NaNoWriMo 2011

Photo Dump

The Amazon Associates Debate, or Why You Should Go Outside

NANOWRIMO 2011

Soaking up the last warm days of summer in Lansing

An Update, Illustrated.

India Black is Back!

Something Interesting...

Mini Review: The Celestine Prophecy

Book Binge, and a Cat

April Happenings and Acquisitions

We, the Consumers

Book Review: Bitch, Please! by Megan Munroe

Bromfield's "Apologia"

Countering Yesterday's Entry - Slutty Spies

Sherlock will save us all.

Giving Away Victoria's Secret

Ponies and Balloons

Talking at People

A hungry little review of Bill McKibben's Eaarth

Giving up the Hard Juice

A Less-Trampled Path

Audrey vs. the Voice Inside

Everyone is Beautiful. Really.

Reinforcing the Glass Ceiling

Why This Blog Matters

I'm Ensnared by the Net(working Sites)

Libraries are COOL?! - Fox News

Secret things.

LiveJournal, circa 2003

Gov. Jennifer Granholm's State of the State Address

Hot Coffee Drinks and Chocolate

Puppy.

50 Books in 2008!

Personal Essay - Fanning the Flames

The Reading List

Journaling for Life

Introductions are Old Hat

JMB Quote

stalling.

I'm famous!

And the clouds open up and God says 'I hate you, Alfalfa'

Hooray!

Tut, tut. Looks like rain...

I checked - London Bridge is still standing.

Enlightenment.

Just to prove my geekiness...

Just to Clarify...

Oh, the irony...

Oops...

Wanderings and Ramblings

Picture Post!

Happy Birthday, America!

I need a mobile.

The Update

An old post.

Ridiculousness

Can't take the STESS! *tweaks out*

Travel Journal Entry Numero Uno!

Can't take the STESS! tweaks out