Shifting tides of creativity and inspiration

I just got done taking the dogs for a walk, and I wasn't going to post a blog today (I wasn't feeling like it all that much). And now I'm attempting to write and play all at the same time. It may take awhile go get this blog typed, but it will happen.

I haven't researched anything regarding current events to critique (not that I'd have to look hard). But I will add my opinion to the Healthcare thing. All I will say is that the road of change is long and fraught with perils. Not the least of which is/are those who benefit from the current status quo.

In reference to the title of this post, I'm currently still reading And the Band Played On, and I think I've been making some interesting connections in my head. Now, as I said before, I've been thinking a lot, and have had a lot of creativity. But most of it isn't blog worthy (or it is blog worthy, but the subject matter is sensitive or some other reason) ergo, not going to be blogged.

*big sigh* Sorry. Once you start thinking and have a couple of profound thoughts (or subjectively profound) it ends up like an inferno that sweeps across your synapses and all you can do is wait for rain. So I'm waiting.

New information

Alright, now I had thought that there were some bigger changes in my life, but then I started writing and realized that there really weren't all that many HUGE changes. Just a couple.

First off, new job. I love it. I'm good at it. It's full time and I finally have a permanent schedule. I have Saturdays and Wednesdays off, which means that blogging will probably happen on those lazy summer afternoons on Wednesdays. Go me!

Also, in keeping with my time honored tradition of reviewing movies that I've seen in recent weeks (or not so recent) I saw Alice on opening day. I thought it was good, although the beginning of the movie lagged quite a bit (but what can you expect from a stuffy Victorian beginning?) It also had the darkness I expected it would from a Tim Burton film. Although I did think it was a little clunky overall. But that's to be expected considering the content. Although, I also recognized some actors from other things. The actor who plays Alice's mom is this woman, who I recognized by the end of the movie as the wacky lady from Under the Tuscan Sun (great movie!). And the fellow who plays Alice's dad is this guy, who played Borias in Xena. Also, as I was looking I noticed that he was also Celeborn from LOTR. Which I didn't know. Shocking, isn't it.

While we're on the topic of movies, I am rather excited to note that there are a bunch of movies coming out in the rapidly approaching months that I am probably going to see. Because I can. They include (but are not limited too) The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Prince of Persia, and last but not least (at least for me anyway, since I loved the original and just have been too lazy to pick it up on DVD) Clash of the Titans! I'm sure there are some other ones coming out that I'll want to see, but this is the three that I can think of as I'm writing this and watching House from Monday. By the way WOW what a twist, and a little disturbing...

So while I haven't had any news articles or huge opinions to share with you, and no rant this time, I can say with a fair degree of certainty that more is on the way, and soon. Since I have hump day off from here on out, until something really horrible happens. (I can't let you off the hook thinking that I'm totally an optimist, now can I?)

EDIT: I totally forgot (and I can't believe that I did) that I'm also going to see The Last Airbender when it comes out. I've been waiting for this since last year when I heard about it!

I hate lemons, why can't I have chocolate instead...

Well, it finally happened. I think my computer finally decided to die. Which means that until that either gets fixed, or I get a new computer my ability to blog will be severely compromised. I can still use my roommates computer off and on, but that's not like having your own. My external hard drive also died at the same time. Well I'm attempting to be optimistic, and even if I can't get it fixed, I've got the blackberry which should take care of some of the basic essentials of email and such. And now I have a reason to ask for cash for various gift-giving holidays in order to put money to a new computer.

So I'm an avid reader and I have a large stack of books that I've aquired that need to be read. With the good news that I have a full time job (starting in March) which is second shift, I've been attempting to stay up late to get into the schedule. Reading is one way that I'm attempting to remain awake. I've started reading a book given to me by my friend S. Entitled And the Band Played On, written by Randy Shilts, it's proving to be an interesting read. Considering it's about the revelation that AIDS is really an epidemic, the first 12 pages or so read like a horror novel.

And while I've only touched the surface of the whole thing, in the first 15 pages it is made bluntly clear that the fact that AIDS became an epidemic of global proportions is due to indifference, miscommuncation, and fear. And while I came to this realization, it also struck me that here in America there are a lot of things that shouldn't be handled through people playing on fear.

Now I'm going to approach this from a rather religious standpoint, but it seems to me that a vast majority of religious leaders get people to do what they want by playing on their fears. Fear of being different, fear of being the same, fear of being corrupted by that which you don't understand, etc... But to me, being part of a religion, no matter what religion it may be, means that you should be confident enough in what you believe to be able to exist with people who may or may not agree/believe the same as you.

At it's most basic level, Christianity is about love. So why then, is fear used to push adgendas in the religious and political communities? And why are religious organizations using religious based fear to push adgendas that have nothing to do with religion and everything to do with politics?

While I realize that there will always be interplay between religion and politics, I think we need to take a step back from all the debating and all the fighting, and take a serious look at why we are doing (religiously and politcally) the things we are. For too long, I think, the religious majority has been conducting an overture of fear and the political community has waltzed away without regard to the consequenses. Maybe it's time to stop dancing, put our dancing shoes away, and get down to business.

As an endnote, this rant is incomplete. The last two sentances popped into my head and were too good to not write down. So this is an incomplete train of thought and very poorly presented and ill thought out. Perhaps I'll come back to it later, but for now, this is all I've got.

Looking up and what about boys...

Well here I sit, writing yet another blog. Still jobless, still looking for a job, and still attempting to make sense of single life as a 20-something. Although being that I'm approaching a quarter century of life while my mother is simultaneously reaching the half century mark this year, makes for an interesting year. We shall see what happens. I'm pleased to report, however, that the job hunt (and chances at possible employment) seem to be improving. Not only for myself but for a number of friends who recently shared my status as [insert witty synonym for unemployed here]. Met with an old friend a few days back, and got to talking about my pet project about Homosexuality and Lutheranism (there has got to be a more pithy title than that) and she ended up proving herself to be a valuable resource. Needless to say, that if this project of mine ever finds its genesis, she will be amongst the many dedications/special thanks that it will receive.

Now for the requisite rant of my post.

Recently I've seen a number of commercials (or the same commercial numerous times) regarding an interesting phenomenon of "self esteem workshops for girls and young women". [sarcasm]Seriously?[/sarcasm] I recently read a story that a friend posted on Facebook which you can find here which states that he only brought the gun to school so he could "act like a man", at least according to the police spokeswoman.

Now here's my problem with this. We have boys and young men thinking that acting all macho and possessing firearms is a way to feel like a man, but we're advertising on television self esteem workshops for girls (for the purposes of this argument, I'm going to use boys/girls rather than say boys and young men, etc) of the same age? Why isn't there any support for young males out there. They have just as many problems with self esteem, and probably far less role models of what men should be, out there than girls have. I'm wondering if it ever occurred to anyone to do something for/regarding the self esteem and image problems boys feel in addition to those problems that girls feel.

Well that was significantly shorter than I had hoped. But I'm making an attempt to get back into this blogging thing, and come up with witty rants and long (well written) opinions. It seems, though, that I am a bit rusty. Well we'll just have to work on that won't we?

Activity begets activity

So while I'm sitting at home, watching the unyielding inevitable snowstorm of doom come to an end, and supposed frigid temperatures on the way (go frozen slush!) I feel the need to at least let my loyal readers (whoever you are, if you're still hanging around) that I haven't forgotten this blog, I just haven't had the ambition to write.

As the subject of this entry notes, activity begets activity. Being that I remain unemployed and have little to do aside from hang around between hunting for a job that will allow me some form of comfortable living, this lends itself to a lack of ambition/creativity in some other areas of my life.

However, I'm hopeful that in the next few months I'll be able to secure gainful employment, and my desire to report on some little known and not very widely read news stories (and my commentary thereof) will return with full force.

Until then, consider my lack of inspiration/motivation/ambition for this blog much like winter in Alaska. It lasts a long time, and it's very dark. So grab a bottle of hard liquor, hunker down, and pray for daylight.

Extended Hiatus that doth continue...or...My muse is MIA

So right before the trip to NYC [read: the day before I left] I found out that I no longer had a job. Needless to say that had significant impacts upon creativity. [read: I think my muse was murdered while I was there]

That and the relationship with the boyfriend ended. It was mutual. Breakups are often sad, but we're still friends. We actually have plans to go to a few community theater shows in the next week. Should be a good time!

I wish I had more to say, except that I don't...which is the problem. Apparently not being at work totally kills any ambition I have/had/will have to write about my opinions regarding the world outside the house in which I reside. (If anybody gets a musical reference to this, I'll give you an e-cookie!)

So, all I can say/request is that you hang in there, loyal readers, I'll be back once I hire a new muse, or I find the one that was beaten and left for dead in an alley in Manhattan somewhere...

P.S. if anybody who reads this blog can tell me how the blazes the blockquote tool works, I'd be grateful. Every time I attempt to use it, it throws my formatting all to hell. Thanks!

True Blood, "Gay Issues", and Good Christian People

Alright so this week’s blog is late because I’m busy trying to tie up loose ends before I head to NYC on Saturday with the BF. We’ll be there for 9 (count ‘em NINE) days, so next week’s blog will come to you all the way from the Big Apple. Since I’ve never been east of Indiana (unless you count those trips to FL, but since we didn’t leave the state…) it promises to be one of those life changing experiences. So we’ll see.

I’ve been looking around for some interesting news stories and things to comment about and I found a lot if disparate issues in very small news stories. I also would like to write a small review on the beginning of Season 1 of True Blood.

I managed to procure a legitimate copy of the first season of this new vampire series which is being produced/aired or whatever on HBO. I figured since I wasn’t going to be getting into Twilight anytime soon I should at least get some sort of vampy thing to slake my thirst. (I have a feeling bad puns are going to be floating around this post a lot). I’m unsure if you’d want to read the review, because there are going to be some spoilers, so you’ve been forewarned.

Granted I’ve only had the time to see the first 3 episodes, and I already thing that the whole show has a really good feel to it. I especially like the fact that the vampires have severe weaknesses, which could actually kill them. Most notably, they never go out in the sun. Another thing which I think is very interesting is that in the beginning they show one of those signs that are in front of churches where you can customize the letters, and the sign reads “God Hates Fangs”. One of the more overarching issues of the show is the issue of vampire equality, now that vampires have “come out of the coffin” and wanted to become a part of society. This mirrors in a huge way the struggles facing the gay community at this point in history. Even more poignantly the fact that a sign that reads “God Hates Fangs” is only one letter away from letting people know that God also hates cigarettes from the UK. But overall, after 3 episodes, I like it. I think its going to be a decent show, especially with all the vampire hype. The only thing that I wish was explained more was how that damn waitress got to be telepathic in the first place… I also am tickled to say that I love the whole feel of the show, from the attitude of some of the characters to the fact that there’s even a black gay character. One con, I suppose would have to be the preoccupation with sex, as that seems to be the favorite pastime in the little imaginary town of Bon Temps, LA. You can’t go 5 minutes in the show without seeing someone banging someone else. Kinda irritating, but the boys are good to look at so I suppose that makes it okay…sort of.

In the same vein (there’s those puns again) as talking about True Blood, I discovered this story about the author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels, which are what the television series True Blood is based on. I like the fact that she seems like she’s just a (forgive the expression) “down home” southern lady, who’s just a writer of fictions. But I also think that if those books are as good as they seem to be (I have yet to have the pleasure of reading them, but HBO made a series out of them!) then she’s a literary genius. Okay, well maybe not a literary genius, but at least she has some good sense to write about something of which there is already a huge hype about.

Moving away from True Blood, (which I’ll say again, is amazing. Makes me want to get HBO since they also did Six Feet Under, which I didn’t find out about until after it was over, so that I can watch these shows. Which annoyed me) there are a few interesting, and very small stories that I’d would like to comment on.

I’m wondering if the bigger issue with this article should be more about the rights of business owners to turn away customers or about sexuality. On the one hand, I can see how this is just a huge ploy for some major gay publicity, but at the same time I can see where the one owner, Zaharakis, is coming from. Speaking as a gay man who goes out clubbing (probably more that I would like to admit) I don’t want to go out and see a bunch of women partying it up. I go out because I like to people watch and I like the eye candy, and a bunch of women who are celebrating heteronuptuals and feel like they can get totally plastered because there’s no chance that they’re going to be taken advantage of in a gay bar, are not my idea of a good time. But, and I’m glad the article mentions the other side of the issue, in that some business owners may want to tap that market such as Binninger, who then started offering a whole night for women who want to do that. I suppose that’s the wonders of the Capitalist society of the US. Notice this is also happening in Chicago, pretty close to where I live.

Even closer is this story, which I cannot believe. Not only am I infuriated about this issue because it’s an issue that is essentially a “gay” issue, and in my home state no less. It’s also against everything I believe as a bibliophile because it’s a total throwback to the middle ages. I would like to think that we as a society and a culture, and an intelligent race have moved beyond the need to destroy literature simply because we don’t like what it says. Not only that, but it’s also a censorship issue, which I’m also against, because books are written to be read. If you don’t like the subject matter, don’t read the book. Problem solved. If you read the article take note of this passage (Please note that this is a direct quotation from the source, and not in any way altered by me, nor does it reflect my views or ideas):

“The CCLU claim describes Baby Be-Bop as “explicitly vulgar, racial, and
anti-Christian,” and charges that the four plaintiffs, “all of whom are elderly,
claim their mental and emotional well-being was damaged by this book at the
library” because the book contains the word "nigger" and derogatory sexual and
political epithets that can incite violence and “put one’s life in possible
jeopardy, adults and children alike.”

So a few questions that I have about this are what are elderly people doing in the young adult section of the library anyway? And provided they were there with grandchildren, why are they calling attention to this instead of just ignoring it? I’ve been in libraries before, if you ignore something (a book) it’ll get lost and ignored in the depths of the stacks. Not only that, but they claim that “their mental and emotional well-being was damaged by this book…” What did they do, read it? Again, if you don’t like the subject matter, why read the book? They also claim that it’s anti-Christian. Having never read the book, I can’t say that for sure. But I can infer from the language used that they are attacking it on those grounds due to the added clout/publicity that it gives the suit and also because the book deals with homosexuality. In regards to the N-word that the book uses, I have yet to see a group of elderly people want to change the language in Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn, which I have read, and also contain that word in a derogatory term. As far as people’s lives being in jeopardy, I can only say that the only way people’s lives will be in jeopardy is if we allow this sort of censorship to occur and keep knowledge away from the masses. It is ignorance that causes violence, not knowledge, at least in the wider sense.

An addendum to this, which is more of a story than anything else: I remember when I was younger, my mother was very into watching the television show The Waltons and there was one episode that really stuck out in my mind. It was an episode that was set during WWII and the hype surrounding the Nazi’s and their regime. These good Christian folks living on the mountain got wrapped up in a hate filled mob and decided to go out and find all the German books they could and burn them. Well one of the Walton kids, who also discovered a woman living nearby that could read/speak German, was very upset about the book burning, and got this woman to read from a book and translate. What she was reading was the Bible, in German, which these Christian people were horrified to discover they were about to burn.

Another issue we have with good Christian people, and homosexuality is this story. I think this is a sham, and totally uncalled for. I agree with what James Cole says about this opening a can of worms that cannot easily be closed about how therepists and counselors deal with clients. Not only that, but it was my understanding that as someone who provides such services, you have a duty and are ethically bound to help the people who come to you. And if you can’t help them, due to whatever issue you are unable to help them, you’re ethically bound to refer them to someone who can help them. This crap about not having to even refer someone based on the fact that their sexual orientation or some other issue somehow causes problems due to the religious beliefs of the therapist is crap. I’ll have to keep an eye on this story to see what happens.

And finally, this story illustrates just how crazy school administrators and things can be. While there are children being bullied for even appearing/seeming to be gay by the perceptions of others, and committing suicide, school officials would rather keep a student from graduating for a little showboating at a graduation ceremony. I think this is a total waste of time and resources, and it effectively illustrates the skewed priorities of our educational administrators and those in charge of school policy. Stop worrying about little things like this and start worrying about the lives of the children in your care!

Next week: Blog from NYC!