Don't Let the Bastards Grind You Down

So I signed up for Hulu primarily so I could watch the television adaptation of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. 

I'll (probably) blog more of my thoughts after I finish the series, but for now I will say that in this case I actually appreciate that they went with a television rather than film adaptation. Supposedly there was a film adaptation many years ago, but 2 1/2 hours wasn't enough time to capture all of the important plot points and details. 

I'm about halfway through Season 1...there is going to be a second season (!), but the first season is based on Atwood's novel in it's entirety, so I don't know how they are going to handle Season 2. But in as much as I've watched, it's been pretty faithful to the book. 

It's also, like its source material, pretty heavy stuff, so while I could binge it, I'd rather watch and digest one episode at a time. 

But Episode 5 is where the main character, Offred, discovers the faux-Latin phrase nolite te bastardes carborundorum written on a wall. The phrase, if it were really Latin, would translate to "Don't let the bastards grind you down." 

That phrase is also found in U2's song Acrobat, off of their album Achtung Baby. 

In googling the lyrics to Acrobat, I found several blogs appearing to belong to AP Literature students who were tasked with connecting the song to The Handmaid's Tale. When I took AP English literature, I had not yet heard Acrobat OR read The Handmaid's Tale (I only read it around 3 years ago), but this assignment would have been right up my nerdy alley! Hell, I don't need an academic excuse...although my main excuse for not blogging more is business/laziness. So I won't write my own analysis, I'll just leave the lyrics to Acrobat below as food for thought. 

*********************************************************************************

Don't believe what you hear, don't believe what you see
If you just close your eyes you can feel the enemy.
When I first met you girl, you had fire in your soul.
What happened t'your face of melting snow
Now it looks like this!
And you can swallow or you can spit
You can throw it up, or choke on it
And you can dream, so dream out loud
You know that your time is coming round
So don't let the bastards grind you down.

No, nothing makes sense, nothing seems to fit.
I know you'd hit out if you only knew who to hit.
And I'd join the movement 
If there was one I could believe in
Yeah, I'd break bread and wine 
If there was a church I could receive in.
'Cause I need it now.
To take the cup
To fill it up, to drink it slow.
I can't let you go.

And I must be an acrobat
To talk like this and act like that.
And you can dream, so dream out loud
And don't let the bastards grind you down.

What are we going to do now it's all been said?
No new ideas in the house, and every book's been read.

And I must be an acrobat
To talk like this and act like that.
And you can dream, so dream out loud
And you can find your own way out.
And you can build, and I can will
And you can call, I can't wait until
You can stash and you can seize
In dreams begin responsibilities
And I can love, and I can love
And I know that the tide is turning 'round
So don't let the bastards grind you down.

Theater Arts: August Wilson's "How I Learned What I Learned"

August Wilson may be most famous for Fences, the play that was adapted for the big-screen last year. I have yet to see Fences (the film or the play), but I got to see Wilson's autobiographical one-man show "How I Learned What I Learned" on its last day at the Round House Theater in Bethesda, Maryland. As a perk of serving as a substitute usher (my parents are regular theater ushers), I got to see the show for free, but it would have been well worth seeing for pay.

How I Learned What I Learned is basically the coming-of-age story of Wilson, who was born Frederick August Kittel Jr. in Pittsburgh in 1945. But through telling tales of his life as a young man in the poor Hill District, Wilson also tells a story about the African American struggle for justice and respect. And he does so in a funny, rather than preachy, way. Narrator Eugene Lee nails this tone, opening the show with a quip about how his ancestors had been in America since the 17th century and for years "never had trouble finding work." Toward the end of the show, he outlines a list of hypothetical sins that a bank teller had committed, including "f--king her brother-in-law," before condemning her to hell...for lying to him about not having envelopes. This was one of many scenes provoking out-loud laughter among the all-adult audience.

 What was it about the bank teller's lie that had Wilson so enraged? As he tells it, it was about "P-R-I-D-E" and "P-R-I-N-C-I-P-L-E-S." It was the same principles that led him to quit odd jobs when a shopkeeper suspected him, without evidence, of stealing, or when the man who ran the lawn mowing service he was working for told him to move to the next lawn after a woman complained. While Wilson's behavior as a young man was at times pridefully stubborn, it was the principled fight for his human dignity that ultimately shined through.

 But How I Learned What I Learned is not just about Wilson't experiences with racial discrimination. He also depicts his first kiss, early relationships and friendships with artists and musicians. He talks about his ambitions as a young poet and his discoveries of the music of John Coltrane. All of these experiences were how "[he] learned what [he] learned."

I knew very little about August Wilson before watching this show. How I Learned What I Learned conveys his young life in a way that a written autobiography can't. I am eager to watch the film version of Fences with this background on the screenplay's author.

Goodreads Book Review: Body Kindness

Body Kindness: Transform Your Health from the Inside Out—and Never Say Diet Again by Rebecca Scritchfield
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Although I read my share of non-fiction, most of my book reviews, at least the long ones I've cross-posted on my blog, have been of fiction. But I believe in Rebecca Scritchfield's message enough that I want to spread the word. Rebecca is a fellow alumna in my graduate program and an anti-diet dietician. In her first book, Body Kindness, she makes a compelling case that diets don't work in the long run, that health is a holistic construct not synonymous with weight, and that a healthy mind, body and spirit can be found through what she terms "body kindness." Her expertise is in nutrition and fitness, but the book could just as well be called "self-kindness," as it contains wisdom on how being kind and compassionate to oneself, though not easy, leads to greater well-being in every sense of the word.

First a little background on myself to put my review in context. Unlike the average woman, I have actually never been on a diet. I was thin (and at times downright "skinny") as a child and teenager, and I would get comments on how I could "get away with" behaviors that weren't the healthiest (ugh). So by the time I got to high school my lunches consisted of hot pockets on a "good" day, chips and candy on a not-so-good day. And despite having been a fairly active kid, I hated gym class and didn't do team sports, so I thought of exercise as something "others" did.

In college, dealing with depression and anxiety, I started to change some of my habits. Slowly but steadily, I found exercises that worked for me (yay endorphins) and added more fruits, vegetables, home-cooked meals, and balance to my diet. I'll be honest that meanwhile, during my mid-to-late twenties I actually gained weight. To be clear, body kindness is not a weight loss program. I have to believe, though, that I am healthier the kinder I am to my body. Rebecca's book, along with her social media postings, helps me to keep the focus on the kindness and self-care that are integral to my well-being and to avoid being distracted by the number on the scale.

Rebecca's approaches to nutrition and exercise are based on building balanced, sustainable, and, yes, enjoyable, habits. She makes a strong research-based case that most diets don't lead to long-term weight loss, and she peppers her book with stories from her clients and from her own life. Towards the end of the book, she shares a compelling, deeply personal story of an incident that led her to reject dieting; I thought she could have shared this earlier in the book as it sets the background for her current career approach. Her sharing of personal stories shows that she is willing to be vulnerable with her readers, and throughout the book she has a relatable, friendly and funny tone.

Her book is also practical - she draws upon values-identification and goal setting exercises from the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy model, and she encourages readers to keep a journal when reading the book

As I mentioned above, Body Kindness is not just about physical health. Because my own self-care journey was brought about by dealing with emotional/mental health issues, I appreciate Rebecca's holistic take on health. Following chapters on eating and fitness, she shares fascinating info on sleep and what is actually happening in our brains and bodies when we sleep. She also describes a "body kindness" approach to everything from making room for fun in our lives to emotions, sexuality, relationships and community. I especially appreciated the chapter entitled "All Feelings Matter." She argues that the so-called "negative" emotions actually serve an important purpose in our lives. It is a message shared by my favorite Pixar movie, Inside Out, and one I wholeheartedly believe but struggle to put into practice in my own life.

Because most of Rebecca's clients are women, she writes for an audience of women, although many the topics she covers are ones men might relate to as well. As a woman, I appreciate how she helps counter many of the negative messages that are so prevalent in female-geared media. However, men who are interested in her approach towards health might be put-off.

Rebecca's book may not be for everyone. Those who are dead-set on weight loss or attracted to the structure a formal diet provides may not appreciate its messages. But for those who are tired of yo-yo dieting or looking for an approach to health and self-care that's not weight-focused, Body Kindness is a breezy read that is nevertheless filled with both practical applications and ample food for thought (pun intended).

View all my reviews

Superbowl 51: Ads Meet Politics

Super Bowl 51 was quite a game. I was not expecting that Patriots turnaround, although my dad, a die-hard Buffalo Bills fan and those an ardent hater of the Pats, was.


Yes, the football actually managed to capture my interest. But as usual, I watched primarily for the commercials and halftime show. And given our divided national climate, it was not surprising that we couldn't escape politics for a few hours.


It was a bit frustrating that ads that I viewed more as storytelling (Budweiser) became so politicized that people called for boycotts. As people have pointed out, most Super Bowl commercials are conceived of months before they air. While it's natural for advertisers to want to engage with social issues, they are not necessarily making overt political statements by emphasizing diversity, a nation built by immigrants, or any other human issue that has become hot-buttoned.


Even an ad whose full version was banned for being too political was really focused on telling a poignant and symbolic human story:

 

The full 84 Lumber commercial,
featuring a border wall with a door

I won't lie, one of the most overtly political ads, the It's a Ten Haircare commercial that braced Americans for "at least 4 years of awful hair," made me chuckle.

I must have been taking a bathroom break, because I totally missed Audi's ad addressing equal pay for women. Thank God for Youtube!

Most of the vehicle ads took a similarly inspirational, if less political, tone, often throwing humor and/or celebrity cameos into the mix. There were a good crop here, including the always-funny Melissa McCarthy in a Kia Nira ad, Buick's spot with Cam Newton, and, probably my favorite, Honda's ad featuring yearbook photos of celebrities ranging from Steve Carrell to Viola Davis.

I missed the Clydesdales, but at least Super Bowl 51 had a kangaroo and the ghost of bull terrier Spuds McKenzie. The Yellow Tail ad featuring said kangaroo was bizarre and not very well received, but I'll admit I found it refreshing to see an ad for a wine brand in the huge sea of Anheuser-Busch.

Why I'm Marching January 21

While I've long held deep convictions regarding social justice, I've also thought of myself as someone who just doesn't have an "activist" personality. Throughout the bitter and divisive campaign season I had been conflicted between wanting to stand up for my values and wanting to keep quiet because of my hatred of conflict, my deep desire for approval and my discomfort with "rocking the boat." But when my mom mentioned wanting to go to the Women's March on Washington the day after soon-to-be President Trump's inauguration, I decided that I had to go with her (I had already been contemplating it). And because I've seen so much misinformation and so much maligning of protesters, I also decided I had to do my best to articulate why I and others are marching.

It's not to perpetuate division.

It's not because we are "snowflakes" who can't accept the results of a legitimate election.

It is in fact an act of courage, because for me the far easier thing would be to sit down and shut up.

It is in fact a way of us living out democracy and the rights enshrined in our Constitution and making sure our elected officials, all of them, hear our voices.


It seems that these are themes that many (NOT all) right-leaning folks have gone back to in criticism of protests/activism going back to the Occupy Wall Street Movement, through Black Lives Matter protests and protests of the Dakota pipeline to the Trump protests. And I can't speak for all protests or protesters, but I can say the Women's March isn't even primarily about Trump. It's not about mindless opposition of elected authority; it's about saying that although this man was elected in a democratic election, we don't support his values or agenda...but more so, it is about showing what we do stand for.

It's not just about women's rights either, but about human rights. Here is what the organizers of the March themselves say about why they are marching:


The rhetoric of the past election cycle has insulted, demonized, and threatened many of us - immigrants of all statuses, Muslims and those of diverse religious faiths, people who identify as LGBTQIA, Native people, Black and Brown people, people with disabilities, survivors of sexual assault - and our communities are hurting and scared. We are confronted with the question of how to move forward in the face of national and international concern and fear.

Yes, Trump isn't president yet, but again, this is about more than Trump. It is about empowering those who are hurting and scared in the wake of the election, and about holding elected officials accountable for their words and promises. It's not about refusing to give Trump a chance, but about reminding him that he is soon to be the leader of America with a duty to serve ALL Americans.


I don't expect everyone to agree with me. I'm not going to call those who disagree bigoted or stupid. But I do ask those who are serious about unity to listen and to likewise refrain from labeling, judging and name-calling (see snowflake).


As for me, I'm taking my example from Rosa Parks (not that I'm comparing myself to her in terms of impact!). She has been described with words ranging from "quiet" and "shy" to "introverted," "reserved" or "unassuming." But she didn't let that stop her from standing against injustice. So I'm done with the excuse of "not having an activist personality." This is something I stand for, and I'm done shying away from that.

2016 - Ode to a BatSh-t Crazy Year

Ah, 2016. What can I say about it? While it actually hasn't been a terrible year for me personally, it certainly has been a tumultuous one for both America and the world at large. One of the few upsides was the Chicago Cubs finally winning a World Series. America sorely needed that, because 2016 was also the year that, after an exhausting, bitter and divisive election, we elected Donald Trump as the next President of the United States. Well, some of us did. Without getting too political here, I will just say that both the tone of the election and the results (just in terms of a business man with no political experience winning) were unpresidented. Yeah, I had to go there.

Things weren't any less tumultuous on the world stage, with Great Britain voting to leave the European Union, terrorism abroad and the refuge crisis in Syria, among other things. The news was hard to take sometimes, leaving people turning to lighter topics like celebrities.


Oh, right. One of the most notable things about 2016 was that it was also the year of what seemed to be a thousand celebrity deaths. Some of the most shocking had been David Bowie, Alan Rickman, and Price in rapid succession...and then George Michael was taken from us, on Christmas Day. As I write this on 12/27, I'm just praying that there are no more*. Grim Reaper of the rich and famous, I think we've had enough.
It's been hard for me to take all the famous-person deaths straight, so I've resorted to trying to categorize them, and this list is far from comprehensive:


Music
George Michael

Prince

David Bowie

Leonard Cohen

Natalie Cole

Merle Haggard

Phife Dawg
Christina Grimmie


Acting

Alan Rickman

Gene Wilder
Garry Shandling
Florence Henderson
Alan Thicke
Gary Marshall


Athletics
Muhammad Ali
Pat Summitt
Arnold Palmer


Public Figures and Miscellaneous

John Glenn

Antonin Scalia

Phyllis Schlafly

Gwen Ifill

Jack Chick
Elie Wiesel

Yikes.

Time Magazine called 2016 the #yearofthereaper, and a CNN article quoted a celebrity obituary author who stated that "As of September 30, the total number of celebrity deaths so far in 2016 is 71.That's more than the total number of celebrity deaths for the full year in any of the other years I looked at."

She must have had an exhausting year this year. It's certainly been an exhausting year for many on social media, as hash tags like the above attest to.  With all the memes though, John Oliver perhaps did it best, with a sketch of comedians and regular citizens literally flipping off 2016 (it starts around the 24-minute mark here, and in case you couldn't figure it out already, warning: language).

At least the comedians had lots of material this year? I dunno, it's been heavy with mourning and civil unrest, but maybe that's exactly where we need to find humor where we can.

What do I want in 2017? To quote the Goo Goo Dolls, "just a chance that maybe we'll find better days."


*Edit: Ricky Harris, the actor most known for his role on "Everybody Hates Chris," passed yesterday, December 26. Aaargh.

Edit 2: It looks like it is official that Carrie Fisher has passed away after her December 23 heart attack. I just have no words. I would ask 2016 to please not make me update this anymore (c'mon, 1 week left!), but 2016 shows no mercy.

Edit 3: And Carrie Fisher's mother, Debbie Reynolds died the day afterwards. So sad, but at least they're together again. Also, I included Natalie Cole in the list above, but she actually died on New Year's Eve of 2015. 2016 was getting a head start?



Superman, Where Are You Now?

To say it's been a crazy week for America is putting it lightly.


There's a lot that could be said, but I don't have a lot of words right now. Some of the best words I do have come from a song written 30 years ago*.


There's too many men, too many people
Making too many problems
And there's not much love to go around
Can't you see this is the land of confusion?
Now, this is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make it a place worth fighting for

*Originally recorded by Genesis in 1986; covered by Disturbed in I think 2006 because nostalgia. But it really goes to show that maybe things haven't changed that much after all.