Wrapping It Up

A little behind once more, but here it is:

Day 29:

I am thankful for stores that allow me to mooch off their samples. ;). Yes, I admit it. So, thank you, Sephora and Ulta, for being cosmetic playgrounds, and thank you to Stonewall Kitchen and others for your yummy food samples.

And finally, Day 30:

I am thankful for my almost-30 years on this earth - must remember that it's more than some get.

Yup...

For Day 27, I am grateful for Pope Francis. Even though I am no longer a practicing member of the church of my baptism, I really <3 this pope, and think he is exactly what both the Catholic church and the world need in a spiritual leader at this point in time.

Because of things like this:

And for this Thanksgiving Day, Day 28, I am thankful for food. That I have enough to eat, and that I can eat for enjoyment as well as nourishment. And for celebrations revolving around food...

Happy Thanksgiving!

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 26

I am thankful for Grumpy Cat.

Now, there are a lot of cats on the internet, and a lot of memes, and a lot of cat memes. Why am I thankful for Grumpy Cat in particular?

Because

1) She (yes, Grumpy Cat aka Tarder Sauce is a she) affirms that I don't have to be happy all the time, that it's ok to feel grumpy, pissy, whatever.

and

2) She makes me laugh, so I don't get stuck in the grumpy moods for too long.

So thank you, Grumpy Cat, even though I know you would just scowl at me.

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 25

I am thankful my parents and for their love and support. Even though my relationship with my mother is somewhat...fickle, I am grateful that I have her support even when she doesn't or can't always show it.

Catching Up...

I've been slacking a little on this whole 30 Days of Thankfulness thing. Going back to day 21...I wanted to talk about my thankfulness for my cousin Luc, and how he has shaped my perspective on the humanity and dignity of people with disabilities. Of course, I am thankful for all my extended family members, and I am wary of the dehumanizing aspect of limiting a person to their disability instead of recognizing their individuality. But there are certain specific things about Luc that I am thankful for.

Luc has Williams Syndrome, a chromosomal disorder that is like Downs Syndrome in terms of the resulting mild-to-moderate intellectual disabilities and physical symptoms, but much rarer and less well-known. With the challenges of Williams Syndrome are...some traits that still pose a challenge but also bring unique positives. For instance, people with Williams Syndrome tend to be exceptionally social, trusting, and empathetic. The trust can sometimes lead to a lack of appropriate boundaries, but there is something about the open way of relating to other people, without hangups or pretense, that I admire.

And Luc reminds me to look beyond labels, and for that I am thankful.

Moving on...good weekend; good times with good people. For day 22, I'm thankful that a friend had an extra ticket to the Washington Caps game. Not so thankful they lost (2-3), but it was a fun game.

From the really high seats at Verizon Center...

For Day 23, thankful for seeing Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Movie reviews are Ken's thing,  but I'll just say the movie was really good, better than the first movie and possibly better than even the book upon which it was based.

And for Day 24, I am thankful that I have shelter and heat in this wicked cold (cue New England accent) weather.  

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 20

I am thankful for technology, the Internet, and social media, for without them, you wouldn't be reading this, now would you, dear reader? :)

Yes, there are drawbacks to our technology-addicted society, but I'm also thankful for the positives that technology brings to my life and relationships.

Like the ability to blog, and to connect through social media with both old acquaintances and close friends and family. 

I'm thankful for the easy ability to connect online with people regardless of geographically proximity.

I'm thankful for relationships that have been nurtured in part by social media/technology, and that it puts me in closer touch with family in other states that I rarely get to see.

Thank you, interwebs. 

More 30 Days of Thankfulness...

Day 18

I am thankful for the beautiful, unseasonably warm weather today. And for the beauty of nature in general, yada yada yada.

And a bonus Day 19 a little early:

I am thankful that I live where I do, in a state with so much natural beauty, especially in the form of water (bay and ocean), and I am thankful that my parents own a beach house for easy beach getaways. Yes, I heart the beach.

30 Days of Thankfulness, Day 17

I am thankful for the modern, middle-class conveniences I often take for granted: indoor plumbing, electricity, and especially, today, clean, hot water to soak my aching muscles in a good hot bath.

30 Days of Thankfulness, Days 15 & 16

I am thankful for my spiritual community at St. Johns Episcopal Church in Ellicott City, MD. Even though I'm no longer living in Ellicott City, I am thankful that I have a church that has been a spiritual home for me when I do manage to still attend. I'm thankful that I was "suckered into" ushering once a month, because, while I say suckered into it, I needed a push to be more involved and have the opportunity to serve. And I'm thankful for the people there who have accepted me in my not-so-regular attendance and for their love and prayers.

And for day 16, I am thankful for books and the written word.

30 Days of Thankfulness, Days 13 & 14

So I am at the age now where it seems all my friends and family are having babies. None of my own yet. It's not that my biological clock is ticking, but it's just....yeah, I dunno.

But I am thankful for my new little family members and extended circle of friends.

Especially, recently, for Caroline Elizabeth, born 09/10 to my cousin Lily:

And for Kirby Marc, born 11/09 to my friends Amelia and Chris.

And finally for my cousin Jenna's second child, to be born in April...

.....

And, to once again catch up to Day 14, I am thankful for coffee, and specifically, right now, for Wawa's any-size $1.99 lattes.

30 Days of Thankfulness, Day 12

Since I forgot about it yesterday for Veterans' Day, I note today that I am thankful for our nation's veterans, especially those in my family including my dad, aunt and uncle, and for current service men and women and the sacrifices they make. A special shoutout to my friend Lori who just joined the Army!

30 Days of Thankfulness, Days 10 & 11

Meh. I'm not really feeling thankful today.

But I am thankful...for sleep.

And for day 11, although I am not thankful for traffic, I am thankful for my car, and the mobility it affords me. 

30 Days of Thankfulness: Days 8 & 9

I'm so tired. 
  
But I'm thankful that my friend Athena once again invited me to her/her step-mother's timeshare in Massanutten, VA, and that I was able to do a short/overnight trip even though lack of money and time prevented me from staying longer. 

The above picture is from last year, but it's pretty much the same. The mountains are so pretty this time of year. 

And then I returned to hellish traffic as soon as I got into the greater-DC area. NOT something I'm thankful for. 

Ahem. Right. Back to our regularly scheduled gratitude exercise. 

To catch up to day 9, I am thankful for leisure time in general, and that I've been able to travel some, although not as much as I would like.

30 Days of Thankfulness Days 6 & 7, and a Little Venting

My knee is starting to bother me again. Don't know  what is going on, but this is after minor aches and pains for several months last year. Runner's knee perhaps? Though I'm not a runner. Pretty sure it' s nothing severe, and it went away on its own with stretching last year, so I'm hoping it will do the same again. 

That being said, I am thankful for my mostly sound body, and the things it can do. I'm thankful for being able to (attempt to) keep myself strong and fit in various  ways, like swimming, walking (but not running :P), yoga, and, currently, Zumba dance on Youtube. 

And to catch up to day 7, I am also thankful for my mind, and the many opportunities I've had to strengthen it: college and then graduate school, outside learning and reading... 

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 5

I am thankful for music, because, in the words of Bob Marley, "one good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain." 

A few of my favorite songs right now:

Jon Bon Jovi-Santa Fe

from my other favorite Jersey rocker, Bruce Springsteen - No Surrender 

 

Oasis - Don't Look Back in Anger: a '90s classic

 

 

30 Days of Thankfulness, Day 4

I am thankful for my cats.

Right now I live with 3 of them. One of them like to stage a takeover of my pillow when I'm trying to sleep. This has been happening pretty regularly lately. He also, as the picture shows, loves shoes and slippers.

One likes to sit on the window ledge until he falls asleep and falls off.

The third one keeps to himself more but can be playful and demanding of attention when he wants it. Typical cat.

They're all pretty crazy, but I love them. I've also had the opportunity to work as a cat sitter for a local pet care company. I guess that makes me a crazy cat lady, but I'm cool with that. They're such comforting and loving creatures in their own cat way, and for that I am thankful.

30 Days of Thankfulness: Day 3

Since I had a good time last night hanging out at Dave and Buster's with a friend who is getting ready to go off to Army Basic Training, I should note how thankful I am for the many good friends I have, old and new, from various walks of life. For those people who both share the laughter and fun times and provide support and comfort (and me them) in the hard times. For people who, even if I haven't seen them in months or years, can pick right back up with our relationship as if I see them everyday. For those who, as that great expression says, "know me and love me anyway."

30 Days of Thankfulness: Days 1 & 2

I admit to not being the most naturally "positive" person. While I have a lot to be thankful for, I more easily notice what's wrong than what's right. And without a conscious effort to break this pattern, I can get bogged down in negativity. So the "30 Days of Thankfulness" meme that goes around on Facebook this time of year seems like a good opportunity to remind myself of all the many things I do have to be thankful for.    

I'm already a day behind, so here's a two-fer. 

Day 1:

Since it was just Halloween, I am thankful for holidays. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, I love all of them...except maybe Valentines Day. Holidays remind me that life should be celebrated, and for that I am thankful.

Day 2:

On a similar note, I am thankful for the seasons, and for living somewhere where I can experience all four seasons. I'm especially loving the fall leaves right now:

 

   

Random Thoughts on an Assortment of Topics

I've had lots of things on my mind lately that I've thought about blogging about, but of course I never found or made time for it. So I'm just gonna make this a post about the smorgasborg of topics that have been on my mind, some of them from a little while ago.

Shuttin' It Down
Yeah, the government went and shut itself down for more than two weeks, because compromise and working things out in a mature fashion are apparently for kindergardeners.

Much has already been said about the few fringe crazies trying to hold our government hostage. Too much, probably. The good elected officials need far more recognition than they get and shouldn't have their reputations tarnished by the bad ones. So a shoutout to Chris Van Hollen, Representative from my homestate of MD, is in order.

Gun Control or Why Can't We Regulate Guns Like Cars
On to another fun political topic: gun control. I thought about posting on this after the tragic Navy Yard shooting a month or so ago, but it's probably good that I didn't get around to it right away. There needed to be time for people to process the tragedy before jumping straight into heavily politicized issues, yes. However, these issues come up every time one of these mass shootings happens, and they happen all too frequently. And people never actually get around to dealing with the issues that perhaps could minimize the frequency of the tragedy.

Like better regulating of guns. The problem to me seems to be the all-or-nothing approach people take with the issue, especially those who constantly cite the Second Ammendment. We can regulate guns while still maintaining a Constitutional right to bear them - responsibly.

Sort of like we do with cars. Just in terms of owning a car, there's the registation requirements. And then the licencing requirements and finally the actual rules of operating a vehicle on the roads. Some of these regulations are a pain in the ass (looking at you, PG County school zone cameras), but mostly I accept them uncomplainingly as the cost of operating a potentially dangerous machine. And while of course people break the laws and vehicle accidents do still occur, the laws for the most part do actually reduce injuries and fatalities. I don't understand why we can't take the same approach toward regulating (not banning) an instrument actually designed to maim and kill.


Babies
My cousin had one about a month ago. And you know what, I'm a little jealous of her. Baby Caroline, that is.


Yes, I said it. I'm jealous of babies. Not because they don't do much besides eat and sleep and soil their diapers, but because they don't do much besides eat and sleep and soil their diapers, and they are so appreciated just for existing. Not because of their accomplishments or talents or what they can give, but just because they are. I think that's something that's often forgotten in adult relationships, and it took observing people as they interacted with my cousin's baby to really notice and pin-point it.

We try, yes, to appreciate our adult loved ones for who they are, but so often, at least in my experience, that gets lost in seeing people for what they can give us or what they say about us, or in constant approval seeking and people pleasing in an attempt to get love. Simple, unadulterated love, the kind bestowed so easily upon babies.

Parents and Parenting Methods
Related to the topic of babies is the myriad of "parenting methods" that exist today. I'm not a parent, but I never understood the need to put labels on one's parenting style. It just seems to make it harder to parent in a way that is unique to one's own situation and child's needs, and to contribute to the endless "mommy wars." But between my cousin's new baby and reading a book by a Chinese-American author called Tiger Babies Strike back, it got me thinking about my own upbringing and parental issues that I still face as an adult child.

I love my parents, and on the whole I think I was pretty lucky - I was never abused or neglected. But there were and are still some issues, especially with my mother. She had little moments of Asian-style "tiger mothering," but she tended more toward "helicoptering." And still does. That's right, when something stresses her out, even if it is my issue or my brother's and not hers, she hovers, which takes the form of nagging or over-control.

One example is a couple years ago when she harassed me about doing my taxes after I admitted I had procrastinated on them. It was just like...argh, I know when my taxes are due, and even if I put them off, it doesn't mean I won't make the deadline, and if I do, that is my issue and not my mother's.

The thing is I know where my mother is coming from when she behaves like this, to an extent; it's her way of trying to manage things that goes way back to her own semi-dysfunctional childhood. But it's still extremely frustrating and even as an adult I don't really know how to appropriately tell her when to back of or what's mine to deal with vs. my mother's.

Body Image, Size Acceptance, Diet and Exercise 
And then there's my father. Love him too, but he seems to be becoming more critical of me the older he gets. Which brings me to my next topic. My dad, in a completely well-meaning way, told me recently that I need to "watch my weight, because it will become more of a problem when I get older." Or something along those lines.

Now, I'm a friggin' size six, not near obese. I've been trying to exercise more and to eat healthier lately, but I've never wanted the focus to be on a number on a scale, but on healthy behaviors. 

It just seems that the lines between "fighting obesity" through healthy lifestyle choices and promoting a very narrow ideal body are very fine sometimes. And that it's better to keep the focus on changing behavior to treat your body well than to try to change your body.

So, yeah, I guess I needed to vent about a few things, but enough rambling for now.

Sometimes I Wish I Had Gone Into Teaching

As you may know, I recently officially completed my Master's degree in Communication. I loved the field and and still do, but lately I've been finding myself regretting not becoming a teacher.

I never wanted to go into teaching. In undergrad I double-majored in English and Psychology, purposely trying to keep things as broad as possible. I would always get the "do you want to teach" question and always respond "no." Even back then I pretty much knew that 1) I wanted to do something writing-intensive, in PR, marketing or publishing, since I at least fancy myself a writer and 2) I would go on to graduate school at some point.

I have a lot of teachers in my family, and while most of them love what they do, I had first-hand witness of the underpay and under-appreciation of teachers as well as the frequently resultant burn-out. It was my mom, though, who really influenced my not wanting to teach. She spent several years as a special ed teacher with a classroom full of emotionally disturbed students whose parents would do things like leave them home alone all weekend while they were out getting high and a principal who had no use for the special ed program. Today she works in higher ed, which has its own set of problems. But yeah, I'm sure you can see how this turned me off to teaching.

In 2007 I lost my job as an editor for an educational publisher, and it was then I decided to go back to school. It took me 4 years going part-time and skipping a few semesters. Funny enough, when I was writing and editing educational materials along with people who had actual teaching experience I had less desire to actually be teaching than I do now.

I think seeing all my teacher friends post lesson plans and creative learning tactics on Pinterest might be part of it. Obviously I know that day-day-life  in the classroom is not much like the glossy, shiny little world of Pinterest. But there's something very appealing to me about getting kids to love learning in general and the books, writing and the English language in particular.

Oh, well. I do also love the path I did take, and most people have multiple careers throughout their lifetimes anyway, so it's not like that door is completely closed to me. But darn you, Pinterest, for always reminding me of what I'm missing out on.

Summer's Officially Over...

How did THAT happen?

It seems like the older I get, the faster time seems to pass.

Yesterday was Labor Day, which to America of course means not so much the recognition of labor but more the end. of. summer. It doesn't matter that it is still bloody hot out; schools have already gone back in session and stores are carrying pumpkin everything (which is delicious, don't get me wrong).

It being the official end of summer, I had to get in a beach trip. I'm lucky in that my parents own a house outside Ocean City, Maryland, so I try to get in weekend trips whenever I can. I just feel so much more at peace near the water than anywhere else. Any body of water will do, but there's just something special about the ocean.

My cousin got married about a month ago in. Plymouth, MA. Absolutely gorgeous.

Anyway, I and a friend went to Ocean City on Sunday and then to Rehoboth, DE on the way back on Monday.

It was in Rehoboth that I had the ice cream probably worthy of Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate."

The Ice Cream Store (yeah, that's their name) has flavors with names like "Crack" and "Better Than Sex," unique flavors like lavender and Mountain Dew, and a few that just sound flat-out disgusting, like Garlic. I had tried some of their more normal flavors in the past and had sampled the bacon, which was honestly nothing special (just some bacon pieces in vanilla).

Their "The Fig's Up," however, was truly yummy stuff. Figs, orange blossom, honey and cinnamon, I think it was.

So yeah, beaches and ice cream. I'll miss you, summer. I love fall, too, just not quite ready for it yet.

Diversity and Other Things I Love About the DC Area; Traffic and Other Things I Hate

All the talk about racial issues in the wake of the Trayvon Martin trial got me thinking about how I've often taken for granted the diversity I've been surrounded with pretty much all my life, forgetting that many, if not most people in America don't really share that experience.

I was born in and am again living in Prince George's County, Maryland, not all that far from Washington, DC. PG County is often stereotyped, but one of the more positive things it's known for is being the wealthiest majority-black county in the nation. I am white, but from a young age I've been surrounded by people of every race, color, and ethnicity. Many of my neighbors and classmates were black, but others were white or Hispanic, with a smaller population of Asians. But I was also surrounded by people of differing economic status, religion, educational level, etc. etc.

It's an experience I forget not everyone in America has. When I went to my cousins' high school graduation in southern Maine, there were only a handful of non-white students in their graduating class. My dad's hometown outside of Buffalo has similar demographics.

Of course racism, of the overt and more subtle varieties, occurs everywhere and everyone is susceptible to it. But exposure to diversity definitely affects your worldview. It's something I most appreciate about growing up where I did, and something I am reminded not to take for granted.

And now I'm gonna tiptoe back away from the topic of race and reflect on more things I love about living in suburban DC, and a few I can't stand.

Stuff I Love:
Along with the racial and socioeconomic diversity goes the access to culture (theater, museums, music) and to diverse cuisine.

FREE Smithsonian museums. Definitely something I take for granted.

Stuff I Hate, or At Least Don't Like So Much:

The traffic. Oh, my goodness, not a day goes by without DC-area traffic driving me near-crazy, and you'd think I would be used to it by now. The DC metro area regularly makes lists of areas with the worst commute, worst congestion, you name it. It's partly the congestion itself, but then that is topped off with drivers who are jerks, incompetent, or both. So yeah. DC traffic sucks.

The crowds. I am not a crowd person.

Just how fast-paced and competitive the whole area (city and suburbs) is. It wears me out sometimes, honestly.

But the good and the bad of where I grew up and still live have shaped me. I think we tend to forget how much environment shapes perspective, and how different a perspective people from other areas have.

Glee and Cory Monteith, Dead at 31

I'm sure most people have heard by now that Cory Monteith, best known for playing Finn on Glee, is dead. As a Glee fan, I'm still somewhat in shock. I had heard a little about his struggles with substance abuse and his going back to rehab, but didn't know the extent of his issues and never expected his life to be cut so short.

I hate to admit it, but when I first heard the news, one of the first things I wondered was how Glee would deal with his character. This is the first time in my memory that a still-running tv show has lost one of its stars, and so it does beg the question. Finn had less screen time after graduating, but he was still a major part of the show, with his on-and-off relationship with Rachel and his return to coach Glee Club at McKinley.

But anyway, reports confirm that Monteith had heroin and alcohol in his system when he died. Reactions have been frustrating but not altogether surprising - a lot of "well, clearly he didn't try hard enough to recover" and "well, he never would have become an addict if he didn't start using in the first place." There's not a lot of compassion or understanding out there surrounding the devastation that is drug addiction.

So I'm kind of hoping that Glee actually ties the reality of the circumstances surrounding Monteith's death into the show somehow. It wouldn't be the first time; one of the things I most admire about the show is how they manage to gracefully incorporate real, often "heavy" issues (bullying, domestic violence, guns) while still maintaining the lighter musical elements.

On the subject of lighter elements, Puck could reprise "Only the Good Die Young" - it would be a tribute fitting of his character.

In fact, they could also work the whole trauma of seeing someone close die young into the episode. I can see Marley singing The Band Perry's "If I Die Young," for instance.

Rachel and Kurt could do a duet of Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven," perhaps for a funeral scene.

If I were a screenwriter, right??

But as hard as it must be for Hollywood to deal with Monteith's death, it's gotta be even harder for his family and friends. May he rest in peace. And maybe something as frivolous as a tv show can help other addicts to seek help before it's too late.

Reflections on the George Zimmerman Case and Verdict

The last trial I remember with as much of a media circus surrounding it was that of Casey Anthony. At the time I just sort of observed the outcry surrounding that verdict with no real strong emotion, thinking that the jury had done their job, taking in all the evidence and, finding nothing that could prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, acquitting.

With the George Zimmerman case, it's a little different.

Once again, I see no real benefit to a court case being so high-profile. It sucks people in to the emotion, but doesn't actually serve justice.

But.

I did get sucked in enough this time to actually care about the outcome and to be disappointed when the alleged perpetrator was acquitted.

I think it's because of the various social issues surrounding the case: self-defense, gun laws related self defense, and, of course, the big "elephant in the room," racism.

Even if no one could prove that Zimmerman stalked and then shot Trayvon Martin out of racial bias or hatred, the case shows how much racial division and prejudice is still at work in America.

I actually thought that Zimmerman was probably more generally paranoid than overtly racist - his behavior as a neighborhood watchman to me reflected an abnormal fear of crime/criminals and I'm surprised that, as far as I've heard, no one gave him any kind of psychiatric evaluation.

But clearly he had been following Martin because he deemed him a criminal, and the case is a reminder that for many, the image of "criminal" is still "young black male."

And then there's the claims of self-defense. This is what bothers me about the verdict: no one could prove that Zimmerman was acting out of malice, but I think that claiming self-defense sort of falls apart when the person claiming to be defending his or her life was the person  following the unarmed victim in the first place.

Unfortunately, in this case, the law does not agree.

So, while the loss of the life of an unarmed teenager is tragic enough, the Zimmerman case adds a lot of thorny social issues to the picture.

Best of Washington, D.C.: Outdoor Pools and Water Parks - My Article at Yahoo Voices

It's summertime in the city, and if there's one thing Washingtonians know, it's that summers here get hot and humid. But rest assured that the region offers plenty of places to cool off! Whether you swim laps or are just looking for a place to splash around with the kids, here are some of the best outdoor swimming pools and water parks in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

More...

Gettin' Political: Bill Moyers, DOMA Overturned

 Yesterday's episode of The Colbert Report reminded me why, from the still few things of his I have read, I am a fan of Bill Moyers.

Moyers was on the show to talk about his new Frontline documentary Two American Families, which profiled two struggling families representative of America's shrinking middle class (Stephen Colbert: "Wow, he talked to both of them!").

One of my favorite parts: "The problem is not why so many people fall through the cracks; the problem is why there are so many cracks."

In bigger political news,  the talk of the town was the Supreme Court's over-turning of DOMA. On my facebook feed and on the interwebs themselves, opinions are all over the place.

But I think this article best explains why the SCOTUS decision is a victory.

It doesn't affect people's heterosexual marriages. It certainly doesn't affect the state of the family unit at-large. If anything, the institution of marriage and the family unit are strengthened by granting equal benefits to already existing gay- and lesbian- headed families.

But it does affect people like Kelly Costello and Fabiola Morales, now allowed to apply for permanent residency for the foreign-born spouse.

“This means that gay and lesbian couples across the country and the world can plan for their futures and not have to live with uncertainty month after month,” said  [lawyer] Steve Ralls.

 “Now we will finally have the security and stability we always wanted as a family," said Costello.

Security and stability: things that strengthen all partnerships and families, whether hetero- or homosexual.

So thank you, SCOTUS.

Wordless Wednesday: Messing Around With Muzy.com

 

Christianity isn't a Club

I've been reading some good things lately from Christian bloggers talking about how they struggle to live out their faith and spirituality when they see it reduced to a bunch of superficial precepts designed to easily identify who is in and who is out. Things like this and this. These posts really resonated with my own experience, and they came as a relief after a post I read essentially calling out Christians for treating the faith as a "fandom."

This post, written by an evangelical Christian woman I have followed for years first on livejournal and then on facebook, obviously touched a nerve in me, but I felt it would be defensive and a little presumptuous on my part for me to address it. But then I read those posts that so well expressed the frustrations I had been feeling. And I decided that if this blog is going to be me at my real-est, that I myself need to put into words the frustrations I have with modern Christianity.

My online friend likened some Christians as viewing the religion as a "fandom" where we "pick and choose" the teachings we want to accept and to reject (her analogy actually worked better when she explained it, as much as I was bothered by it...), but in my experience it has been seen more as a club, where people's lives and lifestyles are scrutinized to see if they measure up to how a Christian "should" live.

If Christianity were a club, I would have been long gone. I know I don't fit in to that club, and I gave up trying to years ago. But it's Christ, the living son of God, who keeps calling me back even as I would run from some of His followers...

My faith journey has been a unique one, but that's how I have discerned that it is God calling me on this path, and not me trying to fit in with modern Christendom. I was baptized Catholic but never confirmed, and I attended an Episcopal middle school and Catholic high school. My parents were pretty "lapsed" in their Catholicism by my teenage years, but attended the Episcopal church connected with my middle school on Christmas and Easter. In college, due partly to my feelings of loneliness and isolation, I started attending a charismatic evangelical Christian group on campus after my freshman-year hall mate invited me. While in some ways my spirit was nurtured, I never felt truly comfortable there for multiple reasons.

A major one was feeling like I had to talk, dress, act, believe etc. a certain way in order to fit in; there was a sense that I was always being judged to see if my faith were "bearing the correct fruit." Part of that feeling could have just been my own paranoia and tendency to be a people-pleaser, but apparently I'm not the only one within Christian circles to have felt this way.

I would never have been a "good" evangelical Christian. I think most Christian music is, from a music-lover's standpoint...well, crap, and Christian film is even worse. Four-letter words do come out of my mouth on many-an-occasion, which apparently surprises some of my friends. While I've never been a huge drinker and don't drink to get drunk, I do consume alcohol. I would wear bikinis, if I were more comfortable with my stomach, and I have plenty of shirts that show cleavage. My political beliefs are solidly to the left, especially when it comes to issues of poverty and social and economic equality, but I also firmly support gay equality and think that the decision to abort should be in the hands of the mother and not the government.

If those things are the litmus test for how good a Christian I am, according to today's definition I most certainly fail. But it's Christ who seeks and knows my heart, and it's Christ who will judge me, not "man who looks upon the externals." And as I said, it's Christ who has beckoned me to follow Him and Christ who continually calls me back.

I'm back to attending an Episcopal Church (though I also identify culturally with Catholicism), and I'm thankful to have found a church body that is filled with accepting and non-judgmental people. But I get frustrated when I see Christian culture reduce Christianity to the externals, when only God can judge the heart. I'm not picking and choosing just because I come to a different interpretation than you; I'm merely prayerfully examining scripture through my own experience and understanding.

So, instead of rejecting Christianity-as-fandom, let's reject Christianity as a club, and seek to follow and serve God as we understand Him, rather than expending so much energy judging the lives of others.

Reflections on Becoming a Master of the Arts

Wow, that's a fancy-pants title, isn't it?

But I walked in the Johns Hopkins/KSAS graduation this morning, so I  now officially am/have a Master of Arts in Communication.

It was a much different graduation experience than those I've had before. To start with, it was my first time actually setting foot on the Hopkins Baltimore campus. I used to drive by it all the time when I worked in Baltimore, and I had been to the bookstore, Starbucks and a couple of other shops near Charles Street. But all the classes for my Masters program, minus the one online, were held on the DC campus. So I wasn't really a "traditional" student and didn't feel a part of the campus the way I did when I graduated from UMBC. In fact, it wasn't until recently that I even knew, for example, that the JHU mascot was a blue jay.

I also finished my last class in December of last year, making a spring graduation sort of anti-climactic.

So yeah, grad school was a lot different than undergraduate, but I'm still glad I did the whole ceremonial walk in my cap-and-gown thing. Even if that cap and gown did cost $120. I had briefly considered going to yesterday's campus-wide graduation as well, but then decided that was too much.

It was interesting to line up in the gym (way to early, honestly) and compare similar experiences with people from my program I hadn't met, as well as a few I had. I talked a little to Sheena, with whom I had taken Media Relations, and who also finished the program. There were a few people I had classes with who were listed in the program but didn't show up. Again, with a part-time Master's degree program, a lot of people couldn't take off work or just didn't feel like driving from the DC area up to Baltimore.

It was also the first of all my graduations to be held outdoors, and of course it rained. And was cold (for May). And very windy. I kept wondering if I was going to lose my cap, which was too big and which I didn't think to safety-pin. Thankfully they presented us graduates first and then commenced (har) with the other stuff. People around me started bailing before they everyone even finished walking. I made it until the end, then decided it was too cold and damp to sit around any longer. I heard a few opening remarks (about the sacrifices we made for our education) in introduction of the main speaker, whose name I cannot recall.

It was a lot of pomp-and-circumstance, but I'm glad I went and at least walked. It makes the whole degree seem somehow more official, even if I was a "non-traditional" student.

Thoughts on Baz Luhrmann's Adaptation of The Great Gatsby

I'm not calling this a review, because there's other people, like Ken, who do those better than me, but I just wanted to offer my own however-many cents on Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel The Great Gatsby. I loved the book when I had to read it in high school (yeah, I'm a nerd), and I was interested in seeing how Luhrmann would bring it to the big screen. Being familiar with Luhrmann's other work,  I had some idea of what to expect. I've heard him critiqued as being "style over substance," but Luhrmann's style imo works for much of the material he's worked with (simple, classic tales like his 1996 Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge, which I loved).

In the case of The Great Gatsby, however, many of Luhrmann's characteristic stylistic touches- abrupt camera transitions, musical numbers, cultural anachronism - fall flat, distracting the viewer from the storyline rather than pulling him or her into the characters' world. Add filming the subject matter in 3D and it's all becomes a bit of an overload.


Luhrmann actually stays very close to the plot-line of Fitzgerald's novel. For those who are unfamiliar, it centers around the mysterious, newly wealthy Jay Gatsby (Leonardo Di Caprio, Romeo + Juliet), who moves to Long Island to be close to lost love Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan, Pride & Prejudice). Gatsby throws lavish parties hoping to catch Daisy's attention, but it is through his next-door neighbor Nick Carraway (Tobey McGuire, Spiderman) that he manages to re-enter her world. However, he soon earns the suspicions of Daisy's infuriated husband, Tom (Joel Edgerton, King Arthur). Tragedy ultimately ensues, and...well, I won't spoil anything, but the great Jay Gatsby is unable to realize his dreams of either Daisy or the life she represents to him.

I understand taking a highly visual approach to The Great Gatsby, a novel heavy on both symbolism and vivid depiction of an opulent, glitzy lifestyle. And I don't think all of Luhrmann's stylistic choices failed. Some of the shots, from the New York skyline to the green light by which Gatsby would watch Daisy's house across the bay, were absolutely gorgeous, as were the costumes. However, many of the early scenes felt disjointed. I thought the film worked better in the second half, when most of the party scenes were over and it finally began to delve into character and plot development.

All of the actors gave strong performances, but British actress Carey Mulligan especially was able to capture both Daisy's superficial charm and her underlying sadness. Tobey McGuire as narrator Nick Carraway was often reminiscent of Ewan McGregor in Moulin Rouge.

Much has been made of the film's anachronistic soundtrack featuring Jay-Z.  The soundtrack actually shifted between period-appropriate jazz and modern songs from a variety of genres, with hip-hop heavy dance sequences at Gatsby's parties. At one point I caught U2's "Love is Blindness." I love this song, and it actually fit the scene, but that will give you an idea of how all-over-the-place this film's music is.

I actually understand the Jay-Z choice in an odd way. There are a lot of cultural similarities between the Jazz Age and the "bling" and ostentation of modern hip-hop, and Luhrmann is a fan of putting a modern pop-cultural twist on historical tales. However...yeah, the Jay-Z didn't really do it for me.

I did actually enjoy this movie overall. Understandably, though, Baz Luhrmann is not everyone's cup of tea, and Fitzgerald's novel may have been better served with less "style" and more "substance." For those who want a more straightforward film rendition, there's always the 1974 version featuring Robert Redford as Gatsby.

Not rating it 'cause that's not what I do. But there's my take. 

Nobody Makes Good Music Anymore?

Every now and then I hear this claim, and I have often agreed with it. Today's popular music just doesn't compare to that of previous decades. I mean the 1960s had the Beatles; today we have...Justin Beiber. I enjoy all types of music (yes, including boy bands) and hate music snobbery, but it seemed hard to deny that the music industry has gone downhill and become more about image and less about innovation.

But now that I think of it, I wouldn't say that's entirely true. I mean, last year American Idol, a show arguably about manufacturing and spitting out pop stars, crowned Phillip Phillips, a folksy singer-songwriter type with an unconventional voice reminiscent of Dave Matthew, over runner-up Jessica Sanchez, who had an amazing voice but offered nothing musically unique.

And looking at some of my own current favorite artists and bands...yes, people are still creating good, clever, innovative music. And it's even making the pop charts.

This is of course just my own two cents, but here's what I would argue to be proof:

1)  Fun. 

Since 2011's "We Are Young," every single Fun. has released has been high on the pop charts, almost to the point of overplay. There's good reason, though. Fun's songs are just plain fun (see what I did there...) and catchy, but they don't sound like everything else out there. I like "We Are Young"  and their current hit "Carry On" (which has a very Irish feel), but I think "Some Nights" would have to be my favorite; it's imo their most multi-layered and complex song both musically and lyrically.

2) Mumford and Sons 

Mumford and Sons may have actually succeeded in making banjo music cool. And even if they don't get people to explore their bluegrass and folk influences, they've at least broadened rock music.

3) The Lumineers 

The Lumineers are another band bringing a folksy style to the pop charts. Their 2011 single "Ho Hey" has reached #2 on  the US Top 40 charts and has been featured in commercials for the DVD of the film Silver Linings Playbook. Its a good song, but I absolutely love "Stubborn Love," especially the string sections.

4) Gotye

The ubiquitous "Somebody That I Used to Know" made Belgian-Austrian singer-songwriter Gotye famous, but having seen him live, I have to say he's far more than just a one-hit wonder. Gotye's entire catalog is artsy and innovative in its use of instrumentation.

And here's a music video for a song you probably have not heard before. Both the video and song are very typical of Gotye's style.

  
So there you have it. Pop music still contains true artistry, even if it is harder to find.

Wordless Wednesday - Cherry Blossoms!

Okay, I'm actually going to cheat a little and not make this post 100% wordless...just so I can note this:

This was Washington, DC's weather on March 25th. Yeah. That's not supposed to happen. It's probably why the blossoms weren't yet in full bloom. Oh, well, they were still pretty. And hopefully spring is now here to stay.