The Trouble With Norton

There's perhaps nothing more important for an aspiring writer then to read, and as much as possible. While my undergraduate career has kept me busy reading novels, essays, chapters in a textbook, etc., it seems more often than not to have been 'busy' work. That's not to say I haven't learned anything, that's far from true, but I do have a particular bone to pick with the English literature courses, and that's the usage of the Norton Anthology. It seems that the approach here has been one of quantity over quality as students in the survey courses (Brit. Lit. I-III and American Lit. I-II) are subject to a wide range of influential authors, but only short or sometimes even incomplete examples of their work. Poets, essays and short stories are exceptions to my frustration whereas novels are not. While I do think that Norton is a good introduction to the most significant literature in our world throughout the ages, I do not think that we should be assigned merely three to four chapters of a book. In American Literature I last fall we read an abridged version of both Uncle Tom's Cabin and The Scarlett Letter , which I think is both unfortunate and depriving. Some would say that Norton highlights the important parts of novels, but this seems to me to be kind of insulting toward the author.

When I was a student at PLU, I took an American Literature class in which we read nine novels over the semester, and I felt as though I was really able to gain an understanding and confident opinion about the author and their work. I don't know if I can say that about the survey courses here at EWU, and that's simply because I think there's too much text trying to be packed into one course. I believe we would benefit more from focusing on half a dozen authors opposed to twenty. I do like the fact that we're being introduced to all these writers, but I simply wish there was enough time to delve deeper upon each of them. I do not feel as though we're giving these works justice, and maybe that's something to do with the quarter system, who knows. I don't mean to bash the system, and I hate to think that's what I'm doing. I just wish there was more time to learn and analyze because I know that's the only way I'm going to be able to really remember and gain something from these works. My advice to anyone taking a survey course is to write down the authors that interest you, however much time you spend on them in class, and go on from there and explore them and their work on your own.

Show Tunes: A Countdown

I'll admit it right now, I'm a Gleek aka a fan of FOX's show Glee. If anyone tuned into last week's episode Broadway stars turned TV mom and daughter Idina Menzel and Lea Michele did a stunning duet of Les Miserables' "I Dreamed a Dream". One of the best things about Glee in my opinion is it brings some deserved attention to Broadway performers and performances. I've seen quite a few musicals growing up, Les Mis being my personal favorite, and it occurred to me why not make a blog post devoted to musicals. Here's a list of songs from musicals with links to youtube performances; I encourage everyone to check them out even if your not a fan of show tunes. Some say Broadway is on its way out, but in my opinion, there's always something more to sing about.

TOP TEN MUSICAL NUMBERS:

10. Superstar - Jesus Christ Superstar

A musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jesus Christ Superstar is about the last days of Jesus' life and is quite an intriguing, modern interpretation of the biblical tale. The clip above is from the 1973 film starring Ted Neeley as Jesus and Carl Anderson as Judas. My parents both saw Neeley and Anderson reprise their roles on stage when the musical toured to Spokane several years ago, and just this last year, my sister up in Anchorage saw Neeley perform the role as well. What I like about Jesus Christ Superstar, and in particular this song, is that its like nothing you've seen before regarding the story of Jesus. If you like JCS, I'd recommend Godspell which has similar music, coming to Broadway only a year later.

9. Tomorrow - Annie

I don't know anyone who doesn't like this song. All right maybe some don't like it, but they at least know of it and get it stuck in their head all the time. I can't quite think of a more endearing song, and I've been listening to it since I was a kid, growing up with the 1982 movie. In this clip the original Annie, and the best in my opinion, Andrea Mcardle sings "Tomorrow". Interestingly enough, Sarah Jessica Parker took on the role of Annie as a kid, which I believe you can find on youtube as well.

8. Jellicle Song For Jellicle Cats - Cats

Do not watch the clip if you are scared of cats or worse humans in cat costumes. The musical Cats based on a book of poems by TS Eliot is an oddball musical that has in its feline frenzy become the second longest running musical on Broadway behind Phantom. What I like about this song is that it makes me want to dance or at least tap my foot. The beat works and the choreography is well done. Cats more than anything is a fun-loving musical, taking a serious turn only with the famous tearjerker "Memory".

7. Music of the Night - Phantom of the Opera

Speaking of Phantom, here's the most heart rendering song from what many consider to be the greatest musical in history. Another work of genius by Andrew Lloyd Webber, this clip portrays originals: Michael Crawford as The Phantom and Sarah Brightman (then married to Webber) as damsel in distress or bewitchment Christine Daae. The melody and lyrics are simply beautiful and are handled perfectly by Crawford's tenor voice. Oddly enough Brightman looks like more of a freak show than the Phantom. Hmm...

6. Somewhere - West Side Story

The clip features the voices of the original Tony and Maria in the Romeo and Juliet inspired musical West Side Story. I'm not going to spoil the story entirely, but I will say, having grown up with the film version of this musical as well, that it always gets me emotional. Reri Grist nails the part of Maria... so there Natalie Wood.

5. I Still Believe - Miss Saigon

A reworking of the opera Madame Butterfly, Miss Saigon tells the story of a love story between an American soldier and a Vietnamese girl forced to work as a prostitute. "I Still Believe" is my favorite song from the musical, as I think it captures the tense, naively hopeful yet bleak reality of the situation that befalls the lead characters. This clip features the original cast including most notably Lea Salonga in the role of Kim.

4. No Day But Today - RENT

Here's a clip from the film version of RENT, featuring all but two of the original cast members from the 1996 Broadway performance. This song is inspiring for many reasons, if you've seen the musical you know the story, and it becomes very emotional as a result. I actually heard this song at a funeral not too long ago, though it was done as a solo performance and was much slower. Still, the message is clear. CARPE DIEM is the argument being made here.

3. Defying Gravity - Wicked

Some say that the premiere of Wicked in 2003 saved Broadway from looming doom. The musical was an instant hit, and has been running strong for the last seven years. I know this is going to sound weird, but my family has a lake house that used to be something of a resort on Lake Coeur D'Alene and it was Wizard of Oz themed. So if there's anything that comes my way that's Oz related I usually see what I can find out about it. I was skeptical about the Wicked Witch being portrayed as a protagonist until I listened to the song and realized hey, she's just a bit of a rebel. The clip features originals Idina Menzel (the Witch) and Kristin Chenoweth (Glinda) performing at the Tony awards. Gotta love the emerald.

2. Send in the Clowns - A Little Night Music

The clip features the beautiful and multi-talented Glenn Close singing perhaps one of the saddest songs I've heard entitled "Send in the Clowns". The character of Desiree is an old woman reflecting back on her life, particularly recent disappointments that she's faced. Its a song of regret, but also letting go. The soft melody, the way in which its song, or simply voiced is compelling. You feel for this woman who talks as if she should be laughing when there's nothing funny about her situation.

1. One Day More - Les Miserables

There is not one song in this musical that I do not like, but "One Day More" is supreme. I used to listen to the soundtrack before I went to bed in grade school (I was a bit of a drama queen), but this one in particular always got to me. Whether it makes you want to sing or do something, "One Day More" has such a powerful combination of voices and stories from characters who are about to face great change, many for the worst. Its a song about inevitability, about ultimately taking a stand for something whether it be freedom, a cause or a loved one. The clip features many of the original players, particularly Colm Wilkinson as Valjean and Lea Salonga as Eponine. If this doesn't give you goosebumps I'm not sure what will.

Hope you enjoyed this list and more importantly some music! And just a reminder in case you haven't seen the billboards around town; Wicked will be in Spokane next May!

Dear Lost, I Will Miss You

This is sort of a continuation from my last post about the series finale of the television show Lost, which aired last night on ABC. After watching the finale, I personally felt that the show delivered an emotionally satisfying ending. In fact, with the abundance of characters, I'm not quite sure what ending could/would have been more appropriate.

The purgatory deal was a bit confusing, but if anyone tuned into Jimmy Kimmel afterward, or has done a little bit of reading from reviews in the LA Times, New York Times, USA TODAY, etc. its all explained.

Essentially, this is how it played out:

The island was the real world. Everything that occurred there was real life. Everyone was alive and they all eventually died (as we all will). Some died after Jack (Hurley, Desmond, Ben etc.); some died before Jack (Shannon, Boone, Sayid etc). I'm inclined to think that since they made it off the island, Sawyer, Kate and Claire lived long lives as well.

The alt timeline (in which the plane never crashed, Jack had a son, etc.) turned out to be a kind purgatory where they waited till they were ready to go on to heaven or what I assume to be some kind of paradise (this was them sitting in the church as the light entered).

As Jack's Dad told him, there was no real "now" in purgatory. Therefore, the fact that some died sooner than others was irrelevant because time after death is not linear. This is perhaps the most confusing part of the purgatory storyline, but the main point is this:

Everything that occurred on the island was reality. Everything we've seen this entire season in the alternate time line is purgatory until the finale, in which the group joins back together, regains their memories and lets go in order to "move on".

Some might call the ending a cop-out, others may say it was cheesy, but frankly I think these characters deserve a happy ending. I didn't need to have everything explained. Similarly to mythology, Lost touches on the unbelievable, events in which we feel we require a fact based step by step understanding, but like mythology many events went unexplained and are meant merely to be accepted. I suppose it requires us as an audience to let go as the group of Losties did, and become somewhat like the character of Jack who initially started out as a man of science before converting into a man of faith. Personally, I don't need all the answers. The acting, direction and overall storyline in last night's episode was fulfilling enough. That being said, goodbye Lost! Or, [insert cheesiness here] as Desmond would say "See you in another life brotha." Oh how I'm going to miss that Scottish accent.

Proust Questionnaire

Fun and famous too. I encourage everyone to fill out their own answers to this survey invented by French writer Marcel Proust. Its very thorough, and really makes you delve deep into your thoughts and opinions about a variety of subjects.

Your Chief Characteristic:

- Probably humor, but you have to know me pretty well to see this.

The quality that I desire in a man.

- Humility… intellect.

The quality that I desire in a woman.

- Confidence

What I appreciate most about my friends.

- My best friends are very honest, which is a quality that I don’t think can be stressed enough.

My main fault:

- Anxiety.

My favorite occupation:

- Writing. Reading a good book or carrying on a good conversation.

My dream of happiness:

- This is a tough question. I think it would be that whenever all my immediate family is together , everyone has a good time no matter what we’re doing.

What would be my greatest misfortune?:

- I think if some act of cruelty that could have been prevented were to befall a friend or family member. That would be terrible.

What I should be like:

Haha, well… I should be someone who lives with intention and who follows her principles.

The country where I should like to live:

Always wanted to live on a farm in Switzerland. I hear they’re nice. Oh, or a farm in Africa so I can say I have something in common with Karen Blixen and her portrayer Meryl Streep.

My favorite color:

Green

The flower that I like:

My middle name is rose so I have a soft spot for those flowers, but I’d have to say gardenias. I don’t know any other flower that smells so good.

My favorite bird:

… Penguin?

My favorite prose authors:

Oh so many… off the top of my head William Faulkner, Joan Didion, Salinger, Joyce Carol Oates. I just finished Artists in a Time of War by Howard Zinn and thought it was phenomenal.

My favorite poets:

Now I’m just getting giddy. James Wright, W.H. Auden, John Berryman, William Stafford, Sharon Olds, Theodore Roethke. Love them all.

My favorite heroes in fiction:

Oh wow. Atticus Finch comes to mind.

My favorite heroines in fiction:

Scarlett O’Hara. That’s kind of a given, but she’s difficult to surpass in my book. Franny Glass. Hester Prynne.

My favorite composers:

Aaron Copland I like, but now that I think about it - I frequently listen to Thomas Newman (wrote soundtracks for Glory, Shawshank Redemption, American Beauty) when I write.

My favorite painters:

I’m thanking my sister (being that she was a fine arts major) for introducing me to so many wonderful artists over the years. Van Gogh, Henri Matisse and Friedensreich Hundertwasser are really great.

My heroes in real life:

My parents, my teachers - anyone whose influenced me and for the better.

My heroines in history:

What’s interesting is that there was no question about ‘heroes’ in history. I like this. Well, Eleanor Roosevelt and Joan of Arc were amazing women.

My favorite names:

For kids? I like Robby and Daisy.

What I hate most of all:

Arrogance. Anywhere. If I’m acting that way please tell me so.

Historical figures that I despise the most:

Hitler, Stalin come to mind, but I don’t feel like I know enough history to begin with.

The military event that I admire most:

I’m not sure what this question implies, but if it’s a reference to war I’m opposed to it so I’m not sure what answer to provide.

The reform which I admire most:

Equality.

The gift of nature that I would like to have:

Gift of nature? Hmm… like a talent that comes naturally to me? Oh, it’d have something to do with mathematic equations.

How I want to die:

In my asleep, and having done something productive.

My present state of mind:

Contemplative.

Faults for which I have the most indulgence:

Addiction to chocolate.

Your favorite motto:

It’s a classic, Carpe Diem.

Symposium Follow-Up

Its a fact that public speaking is one of the most common fears for people, and that's certainly the case for me, especially when it comes to reading my own work. Initially, I had a lot of anxiety regarding the presentation; I wasn't sure what I was going to choose to read and ultimately decided on three poems. I wrote "Firelight Shadows" two years ago, and think its probably one of the best pieces I've done so I immediately knew that I wanted to submit it for the symposium. The two other poems "She Has Cancer" and "Listen to the Creek" were not in existence when I submitted them in the abstract. I knew that I wanted to write a piece relating to someone's struggle with cancer as I've known many people who have/are battling the disease. As you all know from my first post, my Mom battled breast cancer three years ago, and many of the details in "She Has Cancer" (the scalp, the saltines) ... came from personal recollections. The same can be said for "Listen to the Creek". I love going camping, and on one particular trip last summer to a campsite in the Olympic Peninsula there was a small creek located just beyond are campsite. I remember lying awake at night listening to the water, and when I was constructing the poem I took down several notes about what I could recall.

I remember Jo March in Little Women insisting *initially* that you shouldn't write what you know, but I think nothing could be further from the truth. When I write I always go back to the five senses, the concept of showing and not telling. Ask yourself what did this person, place or thing look like, smell like, sound like, feel like, taste like... and its impossible not to derive a starting point for a piece. The important thing to remember is that we're all different. No two people are going to have the exact same perceptions and for this reason writing continues to evolve. That's why I think the symposium is necessary. We gain so much from exposing our work to each other. I thought that everyone did a really wonderful job reading their work from the short stories to the poems, to the essays... sitting amongst a group of writers was very rewarding. The only thing I wish had been different was the room temperature, which I estimate to have been about 90 degrees. Though I admit the heat kept me from fixating over my presentation, so in that respect I guess I'm sort of grateful.

New Poem

Just finished this, but there's a lot of things I don't like about it. Once again watch out for horrible punctuation. I think that the end needs a lot of work, but I like the concept of giving book life-like characteristics. I hope to do more editing with this one in the days ahead.

"in the life of a book"

your a pair of lips
keeping secrets from us
closed in
rough etches of pink.
binding grows chapped,
sheds away into old age
and your the sum
of those that have known
you, thrown you down
and cradled you. in
a spin of understanding
that you kiss with words,
softly gripping hearts
when you go wide open.
your petals fused in prose
bloom like a child
on this sun setting of sorts,
that you light us with
laughter, and water our
eyes with tears that do
wilting no good, as shadows
fall on the closing
of a life well lived
in print.

I'm Lost *Possible Spoilers Included*

For anyone who did not see the last episode of the television show Lost, it was perhaps the most intense of the season, if not the series. If you haven't seen it yet and want to I'm about to talk about what happened in the episode so I warn you. First off it is the final season of the show, and with only three episodes left I knew there was bound to be some carnage; I didn't however, think that we'd lose three original cast members within 10 minutes of each other! Sayid blew up, Sun and Jin drowned and even poor Frank got smacked down by the submarine door after the bomb went off. My jaw was literally on the floor by the end of the hour and not once did I lose interest and flip the channel to Glee, which is a rarity! What a literally explosive hour of television. I can safely say that from here on out nobody is safe, especially with the Smoke Monster / Locke impersonator still on the loose. I do have a few predictions that I've been thinking over, just for fun, and I thought why not post them up on the blog and who knows maybe I'll get some right.

1.) While I do think Jack is the most plausible replacement for Jacob, I don't really see anyone (good or bad) making it out alive on the island. My thoughts are that it will come down to Jack vs. Smokey and they'll take each other out and the island will go down into the ocean.
2.) While the island reality won't end happily ever after, I think the alternate universe that was established after the hydrogen bomb went off last season will see a positive ending for most of the protagonists.
3.) Kate and Jack will end up together somehow, or should because as a junior in high school that angle is what got me interested in the show to begin with.

There's my predictions. I thought there would be more; maybe I'm forgetting some and I can add them in later. Hopefully I didn't steal anything the creators are planning.

Bloomsday: The T-Shirts

Is it depressing that I have lived in Spokane practically my entire life and I've only done Bloomsday once? Maybe not so much depressing as it is disappointing. Its not that I don't think its a good tradition, but there's several reasons why I don't participate. First of all I'm not the biggest fan of crowds, especially ones that consist of individuals who are perspiring a great deal. Second, the event takes place in the morning. I've never been much of a morning person, especially when exercise is involved. I'd like to say that I can get up and go for a walk or a run first thing, and maybe this will happen if I gain the motivation, but in my life right now I'm far too lazy. Third, it costs money. I know it benefits the city, which is important and that you're guarantee a nice shirt at the end, but that seems foolish to me. Granted, I think that Ironman costs about $500 so I'm not quite sure why I'm complaining. I don't know. I just feel that if you partake in an event that you literally put your blood, sweat and yes, sometimes tears into that you deserve a free t-shirt. Enough of the rant. The main focus of this post was going to be a discussion of the Bloomsday T-Shirts.

At this link Bloomsday T-Shirt History you can view all the past Bloomsday T-Shirts from 1977 to 2009. Its interesting to go back in time, to the 80s in particular and see how the styles have developed and changed over the years. 2007 is probably my favorite shirt, but the only one I own in the 1996 Ken Spiering one which features all the used cups on the ground. I'm not sure who put it out, but a couple of years ago they did do a vote for what T-shirt people thought was the best, and 1996 turned out to be the winner. So I guess I picked the right year to enter the competition. Still, its funny looking at some of the others and recognizing them; it stirs up a lot of memories. My sister wore the 92 shirt for years as a pajama top, and I remember how many kids had the 98 shirt in grade school. That's one of the things about the day after Bloomsday... seeing what the T-shirts look like. It'll be interesting to see what the next decade brings. This is a bit of a side note, but it just occurred to me that advertising what the shirt is going to look like weeks before Bloomsday might give incentive for more people to enter. By that same token, it may prevent people as well.

Critiquing

I don't have any objection to critiquing our blogs. I think that it is important to recognize that whatever we choose to write should have certain standards because it is going out to the public. For my own critiques I'm not so much concerned with the content as I am the technical aspects of a particular post. Spelling as well as punctuation are important, as well as clarity. If a blog post does not appear to have any organization or clear message its trying to evoke for the reader then I'll probably take issue with it. There has to be some effort behind the post. The most important thing I'm looking for is to be informed about something... if the post is merely someone's diary entry then I probably won't be invested, I'll be left asking myself why should I care? Actually I probably wouldn't ask myself that because I don't usually mind reading that sort of prose, but it does have to have a level of clarity for me to be able to access it.

My blog is no doubt random. I go from Meryl Streep to gelato, to the anti-Nazi resistance movement. Nevertheless, I hope that someone who goes into my blog and reads the posts individually will get something from them one way or another. They are each self-contained, but if they can provide some new insight to a topic or person then that's the best I can hope for. My fear with focusing on one topic in particular was that the posts would become too repetitive, and also that if a reader did not take interest in the topic of my choosing they would not pursue my blog as a whole. That being said there is a method behind my 'random' madness... well, hopefully you will think so too. *Crosses fingers*