I came across this wonderful artwork today, via The Roadside Scholar (link at right) who always has such great appreciation for everything in the world. She links to another blog, who links to this image. It is a print of the United States with each state's "motto" emblazoned on its face. The work is by artist Emily Wick. I really like it a lot. You can buy it here:
www.twoeyeballs.com

I've decided that I really dislike the last book in the Virgin Vampire series. Beginning with Twilight, the first in the series, a read which I actually enjoyed, the novels have seemingly declined in their ability to keep me interested and less disgusted with the blatant patriarchal, misogynist, sexist, romantic bullshit.

I have visited Stephenie Meyer's web site a few times, and although I congratulate her for creating a publishing phenomenon that centers on a female protagonist, or MC as my students might say, I resent her anti-feminist thread. Of course not every book has to be "feminist." But why, I ask you, why does the single most popular YA book right now, perhaps ever, have to be about romance? And not sexy, funny, empowering romance, but old-fashioned, chaste, practically abusive-masculinist-heteronormative romance? And why does Bella have to be such a fucking idiot? Why does her life have to revolve around feeding her father and leeching onto her vampire boyfriend? Why can't we ever have a female MC who eschews romance for something more interesting? Empowering? Enlightening?

My students sometimes complain when I make them read Seventeenth Summer, a wonderful, lyrical book from 1942 that is in so many ways the Ur-text for YA. They complain because it's very lyrical and descriptive (read: boring to contemporary teens) and it does have Angie's (the MC) life revolve around Jack--but, the novel also has Angie LEAVE Jack to go off to college. Proto-feminist, I say. I guess I long for another Angie--a modern version of Angie who recognizes that romance has it's place, but should not be the be-all end-all of a young woman's life.

Thinking about buying someone a wonderful piece of art this holiday season? Consider this . . . "Moon Catcher" by Katrine Kalleklev. It's a steal at 30 bucks. There's a link to her web site at right which has a link to her Etsy shop.

I admit it--I love reading the Twilight novels. But I also love making fun of them, and how completely anti-feminist they are. My sister got mad at me this morning for saying the books were "romance novels" as opposed to YA vampire texts. She's a hopeless romantic! I'm a hopeless cynic and obnoxious consumer of popular culture! Yippee!

Anyway, the above video is by Sarah Haskins whose Target Women series is fucking hilarious and completely funny. You go, Sarah!

The cat that invaded our house!

His name is Jacks, and Marcy is not his biggest fan. I finally talked with his owner today who came to retrieve him. Jacks is very sweet and seems to have been spending time at many homes throughout the neighborhood, killing mice, eating, and hanging out.

He's a part-time cat!

Here's a sharp litle poem by Ezra Pound. I think it is the perfect tribute to my feelings about winter.


Ancient Music

Winter is icummen in,
Lhude sing Goddamm.
Raineth drop and staineth slop,
And how the wind doth ramm!
Sing: Goddamm.

Skiddeth bus and sloppeth us,
An ague hath my ham.
Freezeth river, turneth liver,
Damn you, sing: Goddamm.

Goddamm, Goddamm, 'tis why I am, Goddamm,
So 'gainst the winter's balm.

Sing goddamm, damm, sing Goddamm.
Sing goddamm, sing goddamm, DAMM.

Ezra Pound

I was alerted to a very scary column from the New Zealand Herald yesterday. I was reading the great site Feministing.com, and they had posted a link to this hateful, misogynistic rant by Garth George. I suggest you read it for yourself, and then send his publisher an email. Why is this man being published?


Garth George : Abortion at the heart of all abuse - 27 Nov 2008 - NZ Herald: Opinion, Editorial and Reader Comments

Posted using ShareThis