Just remembered that I didn't post this week and was supposed to make up for it now. I guess continuing with the sort of feminist thing, I'll share a video I made in response to Rosianna (missxrojas)'s Annual Ladies Survey.
Here's her video:
And this is my response:
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
Continuing with the feminism theme
Since Sarah talked about Brave in passing on Monday, I thought I'd follow up with an interesting experience I had with the movie.
I generally pride myself on being able to think through my opinions reasonably, tell you why I think the way I do, and change my ideas if it seems I'm incorrect. You know, basic Nerdfighter intellectual honesty stuff. I'd been very excited to see the movie, but just a couple of days before I went, someone whose opinion I think highly of tore it apart due to claimed misogyny.
(mild spoilers ahoy)
As I went into the theater with my friends, I tried really hard to put aside the review I'd read to judge for myself. But throughout the movie I had a hard time distinguishing whether I was noticing the points the review brought up because I would have actually noticed them, or because they were already in my mind.
I loved some parts of the movie - her kid brothers were awesome (even without saying a single word!), I liked that Merida worked hard to get her great archery skills, the family interactions were hilarious, there's no real "bad guy" but instead a situation that needs to be remedied, and showing that the queen is the one that really runs the show was great as well.
But instead of sitting back and enjoying the movie, I found myself trying to distance myself from it to analyze it and my reactions to it; I won't argue the merits of it here, since that's not the purpose of the post, and I'm still not really sure what I think of it. And that's a really strange feeling for me, especially because now I'm wary to jump into any discussions of it because I'm not sure what's my opinion and what's either confirmation bias or being primed by reading the review first.
Maybe the lesson I'll take from this is: don't read spoiler-y reviews before I see something, just go off the Rotten Tomatoes score or something :P
I generally pride myself on being able to think through my opinions reasonably, tell you why I think the way I do, and change my ideas if it seems I'm incorrect. You know, basic Nerdfighter intellectual honesty stuff. I'd been very excited to see the movie, but just a couple of days before I went, someone whose opinion I think highly of tore it apart due to claimed misogyny.
(mild spoilers ahoy)
As I went into the theater with my friends, I tried really hard to put aside the review I'd read to judge for myself. But throughout the movie I had a hard time distinguishing whether I was noticing the points the review brought up because I would have actually noticed them, or because they were already in my mind.
I loved some parts of the movie - her kid brothers were awesome (even without saying a single word!), I liked that Merida worked hard to get her great archery skills, the family interactions were hilarious, there's no real "bad guy" but instead a situation that needs to be remedied, and showing that the queen is the one that really runs the show was great as well.
But instead of sitting back and enjoying the movie, I found myself trying to distance myself from it to analyze it and my reactions to it; I won't argue the merits of it here, since that's not the purpose of the post, and I'm still not really sure what I think of it. And that's a really strange feeling for me, especially because now I'm wary to jump into any discussions of it because I'm not sure what's my opinion and what's either confirmation bias or being primed by reading the review first.
Maybe the lesson I'll take from this is: don't read spoiler-y reviews before I see something, just go off the Rotten Tomatoes score or something :P
Monday, July 9, 2012
Feeling A Little Feminist
So we talked about things we could do but we never made a group decision, and I feel that being the first to post each week does not give me right to make the decision for all of us. I feel we should work on this a little.
ANYWAYS because I have no idea what we're doing I'm going to talk about something important to me.
I just saw the movie Brave and can assuredly say that it is most definitely my new favorite Disney movie even though it is still slightly inaccurate in its history. All the other Disney princesses have practically required a romance interest of some sort, but this movie really goes against the traditional Disney plot in showing a young confident lady who has a solid secure reason of not feeling emotionally ready for marriage also the lack of being consulted on the subject as why she does not want to marry.
But this movie reminded me of all the women in history who went against the grain too, not just Joan of Arc or Margaret Thatcher or stories of the Amazons and Shield Maidens. I'm not really counting morality, but really the courage to do things many people would have said had not been possible for a woman to achieve.
I also want to make a quick note before I start this, I was googling historical women, strong independent, badass, etc. Most of the links I got were to fictional women and women of folklore. The closest was most powerful but powerful does not necessarily mean strong and independent. It mostly implies political position.
First off is the lady I linked you guys to on Facebook. La Maupin Julie d'Aubigny. She was born in 1670 and died in 1707 at age 37. But while she was alive she lived a life very free of caution and society rules. She grew up learning the way of the sword and had an amazing talent for singing. She married young but did not live with her husband as she refused to move with him. Her marital status however allowed her some freedom, which she exploited beyond its boundaries.
She had many affairs, with a fencing master, with a man she had bested in a duel, with men and women alike regardless of their social status and she was very public about it. She had worn men's clothing to social events and danced with the other ladies and would seduce them in front of the male aristocrats. And once went so far as to break into a convent, steal the body of a nun, set the place on fire all in order to fake death and run off with the young woman she was currently having an affair with.
Those quirky unique Disney girls have nothing on her.
Then there's the outlaw Pearl Hart in the late 1800's, she was originally from Canada but her life of crime that made her famous took place in the American west. She cut her hair and dressed in men's clothing just like La Maupin, but instead of being famous for seducing everyone she met, she was famous for a coach robbery of a few hundred dollars, which at the time was significant. Though she was caught with her accomplice and sentenced to only five years, she brought fame to prison as the only female in residence and was thus treated incredibly well and was able to entertain guests and reporters. Hell her cell practically had a garden. But either way she managed to persuade her way out of jail in only two years.
After she got free she dropped off the face of the earth, many rumors place her all over even in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, her death isn't even certain, one date claims she died in 1955 and another in 1960.
There are so many other women I'd like to write about but I need to not give you guys a novel to read. I'd have loved to include Boudicca in this post or Susan B. Anthony and many suffragettes throughout the women's rights movements.
sources where you can read up more on these women
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-pearlhart.html
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pearl-hart-holds-up-an-arizona-stagecoach
http://www.eldacur.com/~brons/Maupin/LaMaupin.html
http://www.thecimmerian.com/%E2%80%9Cbeautiful-valiant-generous-and-supremely-unchaste%E2%80%9D-%E2%80%94-julie-daubigny-swordwoman/
ALSO WIKIPEDIA. There are not enough articles on these women. This is a problem with the internet that needs fixing.
ANYWAYS because I have no idea what we're doing I'm going to talk about something important to me.
I just saw the movie Brave and can assuredly say that it is most definitely my new favorite Disney movie even though it is still slightly inaccurate in its history. All the other Disney princesses have practically required a romance interest of some sort, but this movie really goes against the traditional Disney plot in showing a young confident lady who has a solid secure reason of not feeling emotionally ready for marriage also the lack of being consulted on the subject as why she does not want to marry.
But this movie reminded me of all the women in history who went against the grain too, not just Joan of Arc or Margaret Thatcher or stories of the Amazons and Shield Maidens. I'm not really counting morality, but really the courage to do things many people would have said had not been possible for a woman to achieve.
I also want to make a quick note before I start this, I was googling historical women, strong independent, badass, etc. Most of the links I got were to fictional women and women of folklore. The closest was most powerful but powerful does not necessarily mean strong and independent. It mostly implies political position.
First off is the lady I linked you guys to on Facebook. La Maupin Julie d'Aubigny. She was born in 1670 and died in 1707 at age 37. But while she was alive she lived a life very free of caution and society rules. She grew up learning the way of the sword and had an amazing talent for singing. She married young but did not live with her husband as she refused to move with him. Her marital status however allowed her some freedom, which she exploited beyond its boundaries.
She had many affairs, with a fencing master, with a man she had bested in a duel, with men and women alike regardless of their social status and she was very public about it. She had worn men's clothing to social events and danced with the other ladies and would seduce them in front of the male aristocrats. And once went so far as to break into a convent, steal the body of a nun, set the place on fire all in order to fake death and run off with the young woman she was currently having an affair with.
Those quirky unique Disney girls have nothing on her.
Then there's the outlaw Pearl Hart in the late 1800's, she was originally from Canada but her life of crime that made her famous took place in the American west. She cut her hair and dressed in men's clothing just like La Maupin, but instead of being famous for seducing everyone she met, she was famous for a coach robbery of a few hundred dollars, which at the time was significant. Though she was caught with her accomplice and sentenced to only five years, she brought fame to prison as the only female in residence and was thus treated incredibly well and was able to entertain guests and reporters. Hell her cell practically had a garden. But either way she managed to persuade her way out of jail in only two years.
After she got free she dropped off the face of the earth, many rumors place her all over even in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, her death isn't even certain, one date claims she died in 1955 and another in 1960.
There are so many other women I'd like to write about but I need to not give you guys a novel to read. I'd have loved to include Boudicca in this post or Susan B. Anthony and many suffragettes throughout the women's rights movements.
sources where you can read up more on these women
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-pearlhart.html
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pearl-hart-holds-up-an-arizona-stagecoach
http://www.eldacur.com/~brons/Maupin/LaMaupin.html
http://www.thecimmerian.com/%E2%80%9Cbeautiful-valiant-generous-and-supremely-unchaste%E2%80%9D-%E2%80%94-julie-daubigny-swordwoman/
ALSO WIKIPEDIA. There are not enough articles on these women. This is a problem with the internet that needs fixing.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Time to Level Up my Art Aspects
Make Up Day
Sorry, I got so distracted on Monday after getting a surprise job interview that has now led to me having a job in a used book store! I'm really happy to finally have some summer employment.
A skill that I would really love to learn is sewing. I can't sew at all, I can't keep a steady pace or a straight line. I don't know the first thing about sewing patterns or using them to create something.
As a cosplayer this is bad for me, I want to be able to make more of my own costumes. I want to learn how to sew period dresses because I love historical fashion and this would help me out so much in the steampunk department.
I also really want to bring up my skill in Arabic. I love languages and being able to communicate with others is really important to me. I speak some pretty good Spanish but only know a couple Arabic phrases. And because I used to live in Saudi Arabia and Jordan people frequently ask me if I speak Arabic, so I think it's time I make good on those expectations, don't you think? I really want to be able to read something other that the Latin alphabet, that sort of lingual challenge really excites me.
Another skill I want to learn is digital art. Right now I'm just sort of messing around, not learning. I want to be able to use the different tools, layer adjustments, settings and textures. I also want to learn story telling through sequential art and story boarding. I'd also just love to learn how to tell a story in general. All those years in English class analyzing stories but never once did we learn the basics of constructing and telling our own stories. This art skill need sort of includes digital photography for me. I want to know how to take a decent photo and adjust settings so they don't look like crap.
So yeah, those are the skills I'd like to learn. They're all in the languages and arts, which may be odd because I'm such a science person. But those are them.
Sorry, I got so distracted on Monday after getting a surprise job interview that has now led to me having a job in a used book store! I'm really happy to finally have some summer employment.
A skill that I would really love to learn is sewing. I can't sew at all, I can't keep a steady pace or a straight line. I don't know the first thing about sewing patterns or using them to create something.
As a cosplayer this is bad for me, I want to be able to make more of my own costumes. I want to learn how to sew period dresses because I love historical fashion and this would help me out so much in the steampunk department.
I also really want to bring up my skill in Arabic. I love languages and being able to communicate with others is really important to me. I speak some pretty good Spanish but only know a couple Arabic phrases. And because I used to live in Saudi Arabia and Jordan people frequently ask me if I speak Arabic, so I think it's time I make good on those expectations, don't you think? I really want to be able to read something other that the Latin alphabet, that sort of lingual challenge really excites me.
Another skill I want to learn is digital art. Right now I'm just sort of messing around, not learning. I want to be able to use the different tools, layer adjustments, settings and textures. I also want to learn story telling through sequential art and story boarding. I'd also just love to learn how to tell a story in general. All those years in English class analyzing stories but never once did we learn the basics of constructing and telling our own stories. This art skill need sort of includes digital photography for me. I want to know how to take a decent photo and adjust settings so they don't look like crap.
So yeah, those are the skills I'd like to learn. They're all in the languages and arts, which may be odd because I'm such a science person. But those are them.
Friday, July 6, 2012
A few good skills
The things I want to learn about/to do are mostly on the practical side. I'd love to be able to speak another language, and am currently beginning to learn French since I'd like to live in Canada, but it's slow going - I forgot just how hard it is to learn another language!
I really enjoy learning specific baking and cooking skills. Partially, it satisfies my curiosity because then I understand the science behind it and how that works, though of course I also enjoy tasting and sharing the results. The current projects that confound me are croissants and puff pastry, as well as meat. In general. I've taken a lot of the meat out of my diet due to finances, so when I end up being in charge of cooking meat, either in the oven or on the stovetop, I'm totally at a loss and have to look up recipes.
I'd love to learn how to sew well. I have some of the basics down, enough to make my own curtains.... but not so much that I didn't make a whole lot more work for myself by sewing parts of it crooked. Whoops! I get intimidated when I'm invited to sew with the other sewing people in my family because it's obvious that I'm very bad at it, but of course if I'm sewing on my own I don't have anyone to troubleshoot projects or offer tips.
For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to draw and/or paint well, but I've never become very good at it. It's one of those things that would be nice to be able to do, but I'm not so invested in it that I'm willing to take time away from knitting, or the internet, or cooking, etc.
And that, my friends, is my wishlist of knowledge and skills. Enjoy your weekends, and DFTBA!
I really enjoy learning specific baking and cooking skills. Partially, it satisfies my curiosity because then I understand the science behind it and how that works, though of course I also enjoy tasting and sharing the results. The current projects that confound me are croissants and puff pastry, as well as meat. In general. I've taken a lot of the meat out of my diet due to finances, so when I end up being in charge of cooking meat, either in the oven or on the stovetop, I'm totally at a loss and have to look up recipes.
I'd love to learn how to sew well. I have some of the basics down, enough to make my own curtains.... but not so much that I didn't make a whole lot more work for myself by sewing parts of it crooked. Whoops! I get intimidated when I'm invited to sew with the other sewing people in my family because it's obvious that I'm very bad at it, but of course if I'm sewing on my own I don't have anyone to troubleshoot projects or offer tips.
For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to draw and/or paint well, but I've never become very good at it. It's one of those things that would be nice to be able to do, but I'm not so invested in it that I'm willing to take time away from knitting, or the internet, or cooking, etc.
And that, my friends, is my wishlist of knowledge and skills. Enjoy your weekends, and DFTBA!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Italian, Storytelling and the Queen
I was going to say there wasn't really anything I wanted to learn how to do. But after thinking for a while I realised that it was because I'm comfortable in my bubble, learning new things will hopefully push me out and make life more interesting.
Learning Italian has always been on my to learn list. I did at one point attempt to learn it with a friend but it never really worked out. I always feel really bad as a native English speaker that there is foreign people out there who can speak English just as well as can as well as about five other languages. So maybe learning one language will make me feel less embarrassed (and more Italian).
If there was a way to gain the ability to story tell, I would like that. I'm pretty good at orally retelling something that happened to me but I really would like write down some of the stories I have in my head.
On a totally unrelated note I saw the Queen today. Never in my life did I think I would actually see the Queen in real life. It was such a bizarre experience. I knew she was in Glasgow but I didn't go out of my way to see her. I had started some work experience today and I was on my way to get my lunch, when there's a whole bunch of police motorcycles, the girl who I was with and I initially think there's been an accident before it clicks what is happening. And then the royal car comes and the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are just sitting there. It's one of those moments that is so surreal. I've seen these face pretty much all the time, in the case of the Queen, everyday pretty much. But seeing them flesh and bones, passing by me was just strange. There's no real conclusion to this other me gibbering on about how weird it was.
Learning Italian has always been on my to learn list. I did at one point attempt to learn it with a friend but it never really worked out. I always feel really bad as a native English speaker that there is foreign people out there who can speak English just as well as can as well as about five other languages. So maybe learning one language will make me feel less embarrassed (and more Italian).
If there was a way to gain the ability to story tell, I would like that. I'm pretty good at orally retelling something that happened to me but I really would like write down some of the stories I have in my head.
On a totally unrelated note I saw the Queen today. Never in my life did I think I would actually see the Queen in real life. It was such a bizarre experience. I knew she was in Glasgow but I didn't go out of my way to see her. I had started some work experience today and I was on my way to get my lunch, when there's a whole bunch of police motorcycles, the girl who I was with and I initially think there's been an accident before it clicks what is happening. And then the royal car comes and the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are just sitting there. It's one of those moments that is so surreal. I've seen these face pretty much all the time, in the case of the Queen, everyday pretty much. But seeing them flesh and bones, passing by me was just strange. There's no real conclusion to this other me gibbering on about how weird it was.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Knowledge is Happiness
I would really like to learn to speak more languages. I think it would be really interesting to learn something outside of the Germanic/Romance languages, and even more so something outside of the Indo-European language family, but yet I think it would probably be easiest to branch out slowly. I've been saying for the past few years that I'm going to learn Spanish, but yet I never seem to actually get around to doing so.
I would also like to learn to play more instruments. I already do piano, clarinet, and alto sax, but I would like to know more. I think I'd like to add a string instrument to my repertoire - guitar seems like the obvious choice, I guess. I've been thinking about buying a ukelele to start out on, so I might do that. Someday I would really like to learn the cello - I think they're such a beautiful instrument - but it's really not within my financial means right now, so that will have to wait a while.
I guess really one of the main skills I would like to learn is people skills, but I think those ones just take practice. Things like striking up conversations with strangers, or making new friends more easily, bringing up difficult topics of conversation - those are all things that I've just never been good at.
Knowledge-wise, I would like to learn more science. I really liked physics (and math) a lot in high school, but just not as much as arts, so I didn't really get a chance to continue on with them in university. My best friend/former roommate is a physics student, and one of my other former roommates was in engineering, so just being around them and talking about what they were studying helped a little bit, but I would really like to know more. I thought it would be interesting to learn some biology, too, since the only time I ever studied it was learning the parts of the cell way back in grade nine--but I tried watching Crash Course and after a certain point they were just so full of acronyms and unfamiliar words that I always came out feeling more confused than when I started, so I've resigned myself to just not ever knowing biology.
Anyway, as much as I would really like to know everything, those are the most major ones, so I think I'll close out there.
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