"Doing good is more important than fighting evil."
-stolen from Donatello, the TMNT
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Wisdom from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Stolen Quote #23
"Doing good is more important than fighting evil."
-stolen from Donatello, the TMNT
"Doing good is more important than fighting evil."
-stolen from Donatello, the TMNT
Friday, September 24, 2010
Mockingjay, I Hate You
The last book of the Hunger Games series was a disappointment.
It wasn't just that I thought Katniss ended up with the wrong guy. I mean, real life happens like that, right? But she had to end up with Haymitch, the drunk who was a few decades her senior. And that was even after he killed her mother in a drunken rage. I suppose it's a good lesson in forgiveness. But did she learn anything? She just became a drunk herself and married him because he was the only one willing to try to repopulate District 12 after it was burned to the ground. It certainly made me re-analyze every conversation with Haymitch in the last 2 books when he finally confessed, in the closing pages of book 3, that he'd always been attracted to Katniss.
When Peeta was killed in battle by a mutt that was a 12-foot tall mockingjay with a lizard tail and eyes remarkably similar to Gale's, I thought, "Well, I suppose it's best they didn't end up together, anyway."
And Gale wasn't such a jerk after all. I was grateful for that development above all others. He showed such kindness, and such composure under pressure. He downed people with his arrows and then prayed over their bodies. Every time! It brought in an element of the spiritual that I wasn't expecting. When Peeta died, I thought, "Oh, good! Katniss and Gale will end up together!" But in the end I respected Gale's choice to become a celibate monk, roaming from shattered district to shattered district, spreading the message of the Gospel. Go, Gale!
The stolen kiss between President Snow and President Coin, leader of the Rebel movement, was unexpected. I couldn't decide if it was a genuine kiss or not. I mean, I think it was, but then she stabbed him through the heart so that she could take over power. And that kinda muddied the waters a little. The peek we get of her tattoo, the one that was probably a profile shot of President Snow, or "George, my Love," as she calls him, decided for me: She really did love him. It's a sad tale of tortured love.
But the part that disappointed me the MOST was that Katniss was still a whiner. I tired of her seemingly endless indecision and self-pity. Not saying I would have handled it better, but I hope I wouldn't have married a drunk in the end as a way to run away from it all. Ah, who am I kidding? I would have ended up a drunk, too.
Suzanne Collins, couldn't you have answered some of the questions you brought up in books 1 and 2? No? Did you know YOURSELF what the answers were? I'm starting to think that you didn't. Bummer.
It wasn't just that I thought Katniss ended up with the wrong guy. I mean, real life happens like that, right? But she had to end up with Haymitch, the drunk who was a few decades her senior. And that was even after he killed her mother in a drunken rage. I suppose it's a good lesson in forgiveness. But did she learn anything? She just became a drunk herself and married him because he was the only one willing to try to repopulate District 12 after it was burned to the ground. It certainly made me re-analyze every conversation with Haymitch in the last 2 books when he finally confessed, in the closing pages of book 3, that he'd always been attracted to Katniss.
When Peeta was killed in battle by a mutt that was a 12-foot tall mockingjay with a lizard tail and eyes remarkably similar to Gale's, I thought, "Well, I suppose it's best they didn't end up together, anyway."
And Gale wasn't such a jerk after all. I was grateful for that development above all others. He showed such kindness, and such composure under pressure. He downed people with his arrows and then prayed over their bodies. Every time! It brought in an element of the spiritual that I wasn't expecting. When Peeta died, I thought, "Oh, good! Katniss and Gale will end up together!" But in the end I respected Gale's choice to become a celibate monk, roaming from shattered district to shattered district, spreading the message of the Gospel. Go, Gale!
The stolen kiss between President Snow and President Coin, leader of the Rebel movement, was unexpected. I couldn't decide if it was a genuine kiss or not. I mean, I think it was, but then she stabbed him through the heart so that she could take over power. And that kinda muddied the waters a little. The peek we get of her tattoo, the one that was probably a profile shot of President Snow, or "George, my Love," as she calls him, decided for me: She really did love him. It's a sad tale of tortured love.
But the part that disappointed me the MOST was that Katniss was still a whiner. I tired of her seemingly endless indecision and self-pity. Not saying I would have handled it better, but I hope I wouldn't have married a drunk in the end as a way to run away from it all. Ah, who am I kidding? I would have ended up a drunk, too.
Suzanne Collins, couldn't you have answered some of the questions you brought up in books 1 and 2? No? Did you know YOURSELF what the answers were? I'm starting to think that you didn't. Bummer.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Taylor Swift
I tried to hate her. She's just another teenie bopper, I said to myself. But she's got talent, I finally admitted. And she's got some great songs!
I broke down and bought 2 of her singles: You Belong with Me and Love Story. On top of that, I fell in love with Jon Schmidt's Love Story Meets Love Story, which is (clearly) based on Taylor Swift's original song.
Sadly, Taylor Swift isn't album cover to album cover genius. That might be an impossible standard, though, so I didn't hold it against her when I wasn't impressed with either one of her two then-available albums, as a whole.
I just read in last week's Time that Taylor Swift's new album is out. It's called Speak Now and this is what Time had to say about it:
So I shouldn't have been shocked, then, when I watched the video for "Mine" and thought, "Seriously? You thought we wouldn't notice that this is the SAME SONG you released 2 years ago? Only it's NOT AS GOOD?" And, sadly, it doesn't have a tune.
I showed it to my 8-year-old daughter who loves the 2 Taylor Swift singles we own, and loves the music videos for them even more. She said, "I like it, but not as much." Yeah, cause you've heard it all before?
Taylor Swift, this song is a disappointment.
I broke down and bought 2 of her singles: You Belong with Me and Love Story. On top of that, I fell in love with Jon Schmidt's Love Story Meets Love Story, which is (clearly) based on Taylor Swift's original song.
Sadly, Taylor Swift isn't album cover to album cover genius. That might be an impossible standard, though, so I didn't hold it against her when I wasn't impressed with either one of her two then-available albums, as a whole.
I just read in last week's Time that Taylor Swift's new album is out. It's called Speak Now and this is what Time had to say about it:
If the single "Mine" is any indication, Speak Now will be more of the same lovesick rockers and ballads as 2008's Fearless. It may well not matter, though: Swift has cornered the market on teenage romance.
So I shouldn't have been shocked, then, when I watched the video for "Mine" and thought, "Seriously? You thought we wouldn't notice that this is the SAME SONG you released 2 years ago? Only it's NOT AS GOOD?" And, sadly, it doesn't have a tune.
I showed it to my 8-year-old daughter who loves the 2 Taylor Swift singles we own, and loves the music videos for them even more. She said, "I like it, but not as much." Yeah, cause you've heard it all before?
Taylor Swift, this song is a disappointment.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
A Moderate Minimalist Movement
I'm sure this won't shock you to hear, if you know me at all, but I'm something of a minimalist. I like the ideas contained in the movement, particularly that Stuff doesn't make one happy. I'm not entirely 100% sure what does make one happy (I'll admit it), but I know that Stuff isn't the answer to that question.
So minimalism it is. And this is what minimalism looks like, Tamra style:
- I don't wear make-up or even brush my hair most days. Seriously, you want me to spend how much time getting ready for my day? No thanks.
- I once spent about half a year not wearing shoes, even in some public places, including restrooms.
- I don't wash my body with soap, except under extreme dirty conditions.
- I support spending less, driving less, using less, and owning less. (This is hard to do, FYI.)
- I support the hippie-liberal Going Green movement. Oh, wait. That's mainstream now. ...
- I often spend my days doing nothing. Just sitting around, reading a book, cuddling with my kids. I might not even change out of my pajamas. Sometimes, in the midst of our crazy lives, less is more.
- I've started growing my own food, and stopped caring as much about my lawn. Hurrays to go around!
- I like purging. Too many clothes in the closet? Toss half. (Or donate them. That's what I do.) Too many toys (and nearly everyone has too many toys)? Get rid of half. And honestly, I think 50% is a good estimate. I think most of us could get rid of half of what we own and not miss it.
But minimalism can be taken too far. Way too far. I think there is a fine line between being a minimalist and being insane. Guy who lives in a cave and has nearly no contact with the outside world, you've probably crossed the line. Couple who purged your personal belongs down to a mere 100, ... you may not actually be insane, and good for you, actually! But not good for me.
So it turns out that I'm not actually a minimalist. I'm more of a moderate minimalist. "Moderation in all things, including minimalism," Benjamin Franklin once said. So let's go through that list again, and then I'll tell you my new goal (or motto, or mantra, or whatever you want to call it).
- I do actually wear make-up sometimes (think once a month or less). Cause it can be fun.
- I now wear shoes because, you know, people like it when you do that. Turns out it makes people very uncomfortable when you choose to not wear shoes. For the last decade I've been searching for the simplest sandal in the world because I'm a hippie out of my time. And now I've found these shoes, and I may not put on another pair of shoes again.
- I wash my pits with soap. And I use shampoo and conditioner. Also, I use hygiene products.
- I try to spend less, drive less, use less, and own less. But involving my kids in activities while living in suburbia pretty well means a lot of driving. I do own a small home (though not this small), and I have no desire to own a larger home, but I do have a desire to own more land because gardens are fantastic, and I'd love to have a few chickens, too!
- Going Green is great. But I still take long showers, and I rinse my dishes before I put them in the dishwasher, and I don't always put my clothes on the line to dry, etc., etc., etc.
- Doing nothing may be my strongest area of minimalism. But then again, I'm still reading (which is something, not nothing), and I own a TV (though I don't often watch it), and a computer with an internet connection. Man, and I thought I was strong on this point!
- Having a garden is fantastic! I need more garden space. But owning a yard at all increases suburban sprawl. It's a dilemma.
Purging gets its own paragraph, because it was while purging that I came up with my new goal. I often go through the kids' toys and get rid of non-important toys. My husband, in general, will object to the purging by saying something like, "They like to play with that toy!" Yes, and the 400 other toys we own. Let it go, my friend. Let it go.
It was while looking at our somewhat too large movie collection, thinking of how to decide on the method of scaling it back, that I came up with my new goal: Only own things that I value. Not things that are just nice to have or convenient to have. Things that I value. I think that's the great lie that was sold to us: owning things will make you happy. I don't need to own things just to own them! But I do want to own things that I value.
And so the world opened up to me. It solves my issues with minimalism. Why don't I want to live in 180-square-feet? Because I put value in my somewhat larger home. Why do I want a garden? Because I value having pretty flowers and home-grown food. Why do I keep The Last Airbender TV series on DVD? Because my family cherishes it.
Well, there you have it. My Moderate Minimalist Movement. The goal is to only own things that you value. Join me!
So minimalism it is. And this is what minimalism looks like, Tamra style:
- I don't wear make-up or even brush my hair most days. Seriously, you want me to spend how much time getting ready for my day? No thanks.
- I once spent about half a year not wearing shoes, even in some public places, including restrooms.
- I don't wash my body with soap, except under extreme dirty conditions.
- I support spending less, driving less, using less, and owning less. (This is hard to do, FYI.)
- I support the hippie-liberal Going Green movement. Oh, wait. That's mainstream now. ...
- I often spend my days doing nothing. Just sitting around, reading a book, cuddling with my kids. I might not even change out of my pajamas. Sometimes, in the midst of our crazy lives, less is more.
- I've started growing my own food, and stopped caring as much about my lawn. Hurrays to go around!
- I like purging. Too many clothes in the closet? Toss half. (Or donate them. That's what I do.) Too many toys (and nearly everyone has too many toys)? Get rid of half. And honestly, I think 50% is a good estimate. I think most of us could get rid of half of what we own and not miss it.
But minimalism can be taken too far. Way too far. I think there is a fine line between being a minimalist and being insane. Guy who lives in a cave and has nearly no contact with the outside world, you've probably crossed the line. Couple who purged your personal belongs down to a mere 100, ... you may not actually be insane, and good for you, actually! But not good for me.
So it turns out that I'm not actually a minimalist. I'm more of a moderate minimalist. "Moderation in all things, including minimalism," Benjamin Franklin once said. So let's go through that list again, and then I'll tell you my new goal (or motto, or mantra, or whatever you want to call it).
- I do actually wear make-up sometimes (think once a month or less). Cause it can be fun.
- I now wear shoes because, you know, people like it when you do that. Turns out it makes people very uncomfortable when you choose to not wear shoes. For the last decade I've been searching for the simplest sandal in the world because I'm a hippie out of my time. And now I've found these shoes, and I may not put on another pair of shoes again.
- I wash my pits with soap. And I use shampoo and conditioner. Also, I use hygiene products.
- I try to spend less, drive less, use less, and own less. But involving my kids in activities while living in suburbia pretty well means a lot of driving. I do own a small home (though not this small), and I have no desire to own a larger home, but I do have a desire to own more land because gardens are fantastic, and I'd love to have a few chickens, too!
- Going Green is great. But I still take long showers, and I rinse my dishes before I put them in the dishwasher, and I don't always put my clothes on the line to dry, etc., etc., etc.
- Doing nothing may be my strongest area of minimalism. But then again, I'm still reading (which is something, not nothing), and I own a TV (though I don't often watch it), and a computer with an internet connection. Man, and I thought I was strong on this point!
- Having a garden is fantastic! I need more garden space. But owning a yard at all increases suburban sprawl. It's a dilemma.
Purging gets its own paragraph, because it was while purging that I came up with my new goal. I often go through the kids' toys and get rid of non-important toys. My husband, in general, will object to the purging by saying something like, "They like to play with that toy!" Yes, and the 400 other toys we own. Let it go, my friend. Let it go.
It was while looking at our somewhat too large movie collection, thinking of how to decide on the method of scaling it back, that I came up with my new goal: Only own things that I value. Not things that are just nice to have or convenient to have. Things that I value. I think that's the great lie that was sold to us: owning things will make you happy. I don't need to own things just to own them! But I do want to own things that I value.
And so the world opened up to me. It solves my issues with minimalism. Why don't I want to live in 180-square-feet? Because I put value in my somewhat larger home. Why do I want a garden? Because I value having pretty flowers and home-grown food. Why do I keep The Last Airbender TV series on DVD? Because my family cherishes it.
Well, there you have it. My Moderate Minimalist Movement. The goal is to only own things that you value. Join me!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Stolen Quote #22
"Plants are good at many things, but running to higher ground during a flood is not one of them."
Stolen from page 61 of Kenneth R. Miller's book Finding Darwin's God.
Stolen from page 61 of Kenneth R. Miller's book Finding Darwin's God.
Stolen Conversation #21
Miciah: Where are we going?
Tamra: To the Simpson's house.
Miciah: Why?
Tamra doesn't respond.
Elijah: We're getting a dog.
Miciah: No, we're not.
Elijah: Yes, we are. Bro. Simpson said so.
Miciah: Elijah, we can't be getting a dog because we have a cat. Dogs and cats hate each other. If you have a dog and a cat, your windows will break.
Tamra: To the Simpson's house.
Miciah: Why?
Tamra doesn't respond.
Elijah: We're getting a dog.
Miciah: No, we're not.
Elijah: Yes, we are. Bro. Simpson said so.
Miciah: Elijah, we can't be getting a dog because we have a cat. Dogs and cats hate each other. If you have a dog and a cat, your windows will break.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)