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Sep. 22nd, 2014 07:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gwydion* Turkey is closing most of it's border crossings to keep Kurds fleeing ISIL out, and to keep Kurdish freedom fighters crossing back over to try to protect Kurdish civilians from genocide. Charming.
* There are a whole lot of complicated things going on in China, but I'm not up to explaining either the Uighur situation or the protests in Hong Kong just now. Apologies.
* "New branch added to European family tree: Europeans descended from at least 3, not 2, groups of ancient humans:" http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140917131812.htm
* "Massive 5,000-Year-Old Stone Monument Revealed in Israel:" http://www.livescience.com/47835-massive-5-000-year-old-stone-monument-revealed-in-israel.html
* "Ancient Egyptian Woman with 70 Hair Extensions Discovered:" http://www.livescience.com/47875-ancient-egyptian-woman-with-hair-extensions.html
* "Pharaoh-Branded Amulet Found at Ancient Copper Mine in Jordan:" http://www.livescience.com/47884-pharaoh-amulet-ancient-copper-mine.html
* "Labyrinth-shaped burial place discovered in Azerbaijan:" http://en.trend.az/business/finance/2313133.html
* "Tlatilco burial artefacts reveal Olmec connection:" http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/09/2014/tlatilco-burial-artefacts-reveal-olmec-connection
* "Pottery shards offer evidence of pulque production in prehispanic Mesoamerica:" http://phys.org/news/2014-09-pottery-shards-evidence-pulque-production.html
* "Obesity in Pacific islands 'a colonial legacy' of settlers trying to civilize the locals:" http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140919101425.htm
* "History, Hashtags, and the Truth About Slavery:" http://chronicle.com/blogs/conversation/2014/09/11/history-hashtags-and-the-truth-about-slavery/?cid=wb&utm_source=wb&utm_medium=en
* "Waging Two Wars: ‘Harlem Hellfighters,’ by J. Patrick Lewis and Gary Kelley:" http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/21/books/review/harlem-hellfighters-by-j-patrick-lewis-and-gary-kelley.html?_r=1
* Yesterday was for doing another ebay batch. Today was the doctor, the library, and another tarot reading for the fund raiser.
It was at this point, I realized it's time to start building a new deck. *facepalm* It makes sense: One deck for what passed for childhood. One deck for youth. One deck for my prime. Now a deck for my fading.
After I finished, I threw a reading for myself, for the first time in about half a decade. It was by far the darkest reading I've ever done for anybody, all sharp edges and drawn blood, mostly swords and pentacles. I liked it better when it was always some combination of The Hanged Man, The Fool, Death, and the Lightening Struck Tower, but those days are gone and the circle closes. Time to get out the knives and start stripping down to survive the way they do to a racing bike. Coyote has always been easier than the Wolf, for all the prat falls and self mockery and lack of dignity, but it is now the Season of the Wolf for me, all tooth and claw and hunger. I suppose I knew it was coming. My dream map shifts again.
* I'm finally reaching the other side on my ruined voice, I think. There's all sorts of things I still can't sing, but I'm finding a coherent singing voice at least.
* "Medieval Weapon Finds Modern Appeal:" http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/sports/for-longsword-a-comeback-ages-in-the-making.html
* Most people are aware of the racism inherent in Othello and Merchant of Venice, but people generally forget how racist the Tempest is. Modern productions generally lampshade the racism, cutting key lines and making casting and costuming choices intended to deemphasize how deeply problematic it is. The Tempest ha never been a favorite of mine. I've read it and seen several productions, mostly when I was in school, but so not my favorite, despite their being a number of truly lovely passages. (Still one of the most beautiful passages from Shakespeare:
"Full fathom five thy Father lies,
Of his bones are Corrall made:
Those are pearles that were his eies,
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a Sea-change
Into something rich & strange
Sea-Nymphs hourly ring his knell.
Harke now I heare them, ding-dong, bell.")
Anyway, I tend to avoid the Tempest itself, as I generally do with Othello and the Merchant of Venice, now that I'm not obliged to watch, read, or teach it. I was persuaded to watch the Helen Miran version recently, in part because of the quality of the cast. I admit, I was fascinated by the way changing Prospero to Prospera changed all sorts of dynamics in the film, but this wasn't the most interesting choice they made. They decided to engage with the racial implications of the text instead of hiding them. It was a bold choice. I'm not convinced it was entirely successful, but I think if I were to have to teach the Tempest, this is the version I'd likely choose to show at the end, because I think this could be the basis of a really interesting discussion about race, gender, and power in Shakespeare. It would get messy, no doubt, but I saw this a month or so ago and I still wish I could sit in a large group of people who've seen it and have a really good debate.
* It is ebay time again:
BPAL: MADAGASCAN VANILLA RUM and LAWFUL: 5 ML: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BPAL-MADAGASCAN-VANILLA-RUM-and-LAWFUL-Partials-/301323254409?pt=fragrance&hash=item462843fa89
BPAL: HOT BUTTERED RUM and MR. VANDEMAR Partials: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BPAL-HOT-BUTTERED-RUM-and-MR-VANDEMAR-Partials-/301323278556?
BPAL: JOHNATHAN HARKER 2006 (LE, Halloweenie): http://www.ebay.com/itm/BPAL-JOHNATHAN-HARKER-2006-LE-Halloweenie-/301323296412?
THE BURYING-GROUND 2013 (LE, Yule, Miskatonic Valley: The Festival):: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BPAL-THE-BURYING-GROUND-and-WEZWANIE-/301323305482?
LUNAR ECLIPSE 2013 (Lunacy, LE): http://www.ebay.com/itm/BPAL-LUNAR-ECLIPSE-2013-Lunacy-LE-/301323313994?
* Fundraiser to Help Us Pay Back Rent and Insurance: http://www.gofundme.com/cuovws
* There are a whole lot of complicated things going on in China, but I'm not up to explaining either the Uighur situation or the protests in Hong Kong just now. Apologies.
* "New branch added to European family tree: Europeans descended from at least 3, not 2, groups of ancient humans:" http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140917131812.htm
* "Massive 5,000-Year-Old Stone Monument Revealed in Israel:" http://www.livescience.com/47835-massive-5-000-year-old-stone-monument-revealed-in-israel.html
* "Ancient Egyptian Woman with 70 Hair Extensions Discovered:" http://www.livescience.com/47875-ancient-egyptian-woman-with-hair-extensions.html
* "Pharaoh-Branded Amulet Found at Ancient Copper Mine in Jordan:" http://www.livescience.com/47884-pharaoh-amulet-ancient-copper-mine.html
* "Labyrinth-shaped burial place discovered in Azerbaijan:" http://en.trend.az/business/finance/2313133.html
* "Tlatilco burial artefacts reveal Olmec connection:" http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/09/2014/tlatilco-burial-artefacts-reveal-olmec-connection
* "Pottery shards offer evidence of pulque production in prehispanic Mesoamerica:" http://phys.org/news/2014-09-pottery-shards-evidence-pulque-production.html
* "Obesity in Pacific islands 'a colonial legacy' of settlers trying to civilize the locals:" http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140919101425.htm
* "History, Hashtags, and the Truth About Slavery:" http://chronicle.com/blogs/conversation/2014/09/11/history-hashtags-and-the-truth-about-slavery/?cid=wb&utm_source=wb&utm_medium=en
* "Waging Two Wars: ‘Harlem Hellfighters,’ by J. Patrick Lewis and Gary Kelley:" http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/21/books/review/harlem-hellfighters-by-j-patrick-lewis-and-gary-kelley.html?_r=1
* Yesterday was for doing another ebay batch. Today was the doctor, the library, and another tarot reading for the fund raiser.
It was at this point, I realized it's time to start building a new deck. *facepalm* It makes sense: One deck for what passed for childhood. One deck for youth. One deck for my prime. Now a deck for my fading.
After I finished, I threw a reading for myself, for the first time in about half a decade. It was by far the darkest reading I've ever done for anybody, all sharp edges and drawn blood, mostly swords and pentacles. I liked it better when it was always some combination of The Hanged Man, The Fool, Death, and the Lightening Struck Tower, but those days are gone and the circle closes. Time to get out the knives and start stripping down to survive the way they do to a racing bike. Coyote has always been easier than the Wolf, for all the prat falls and self mockery and lack of dignity, but it is now the Season of the Wolf for me, all tooth and claw and hunger. I suppose I knew it was coming. My dream map shifts again.
* I'm finally reaching the other side on my ruined voice, I think. There's all sorts of things I still can't sing, but I'm finding a coherent singing voice at least.
* "Medieval Weapon Finds Modern Appeal:" http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/sports/for-longsword-a-comeback-ages-in-the-making.html
* Most people are aware of the racism inherent in Othello and Merchant of Venice, but people generally forget how racist the Tempest is. Modern productions generally lampshade the racism, cutting key lines and making casting and costuming choices intended to deemphasize how deeply problematic it is. The Tempest ha never been a favorite of mine. I've read it and seen several productions, mostly when I was in school, but so not my favorite, despite their being a number of truly lovely passages. (Still one of the most beautiful passages from Shakespeare:
"Full fathom five thy Father lies,
Of his bones are Corrall made:
Those are pearles that were his eies,
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a Sea-change
Into something rich & strange
Sea-Nymphs hourly ring his knell.
Harke now I heare them, ding-dong, bell.")
Anyway, I tend to avoid the Tempest itself, as I generally do with Othello and the Merchant of Venice, now that I'm not obliged to watch, read, or teach it. I was persuaded to watch the Helen Miran version recently, in part because of the quality of the cast. I admit, I was fascinated by the way changing Prospero to Prospera changed all sorts of dynamics in the film, but this wasn't the most interesting choice they made. They decided to engage with the racial implications of the text instead of hiding them. It was a bold choice. I'm not convinced it was entirely successful, but I think if I were to have to teach the Tempest, this is the version I'd likely choose to show at the end, because I think this could be the basis of a really interesting discussion about race, gender, and power in Shakespeare. It would get messy, no doubt, but I saw this a month or so ago and I still wish I could sit in a large group of people who've seen it and have a really good debate.
* It is ebay time again:
BPAL: MADAGASCAN VANILLA RUM and LAWFUL: 5 ML: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BPAL-MADAGASCAN-VANILLA-RUM-and-LAWFUL-Partials-/301323254409?pt=fragrance&hash=item462843fa89
BPAL: HOT BUTTERED RUM and MR. VANDEMAR Partials: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BPAL-HOT-BUTTERED-RUM-and-MR-VANDEMAR-Partials-/301323278556?
BPAL: JOHNATHAN HARKER 2006 (LE, Halloweenie): http://www.ebay.com/itm/BPAL-JOHNATHAN-HARKER-2006-LE-Halloweenie-/301323296412?
THE BURYING-GROUND 2013 (LE, Yule, Miskatonic Valley: The Festival):: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BPAL-THE-BURYING-GROUND-and-WEZWANIE-/301323305482?
LUNAR ECLIPSE 2013 (Lunacy, LE): http://www.ebay.com/itm/BPAL-LUNAR-ECLIPSE-2013-Lunacy-LE-/301323313994?
* Fundraiser to Help Us Pay Back Rent and Insurance: http://www.gofundme.com/cuovws