Wizard Wrock

I do not wish to talk about Harry Potter as often as I do, but much laughs come my way because of my healthy interest in the boy wizard and his magical world. To illustrate, I have a story to share. To preface the story, I must tell the tale of one promising and one enduring friendship. Camaraderie was established this past week between a bright, witty, mega-talented girl and myself. Without missing a beat, she inquired if I would be interested in attending a wizard wrock concert with her on July 6^th. I did not have a companion for such an excursion. So unbeknownst to the rest of the world, we happily made plans to enjoy Harry and the Potters when the time comes. Keep this in mind as I now switch to describe another event I attended this past week with a favored chum. We listened to the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra perform the beautiful music of Stravinsky, Enesco, and Haydn. I observed with delight a kindred spirit housed in the body of a weathered, tall, thin man. A smile that stretched from ear to ear was cemented on his face through out the concert. His head moved to and fro as he let the music seep into his being. His joyful reception to the enchanting orchestral music mirrored my own feelings. The beautiful story The Giver by Lois Lowry penetrated my thoughts. Music is a powerful stimulus of emotion. Its effects are wonderful, thrilling, and just as I described three sentences ago—enchanting! I would feel stunted in my emotional development if it were non-existent. Unfortunately, such thoughts were not immediately shared as I learned that my friend had not read the book. I then positioned myself to referee a ping-pong match of thoughts that could only have one result- either I would ruin the book experience for him by describing the plot and sharing my thought or I would not share the thought and let him experience having his mind blown by the book. I opted for the first one. (...And by writing this, I may have done a slight disservice to any who have not read it. I am sorry but this Newberry Award winning book came out in 1993. You’ve had plenty of time to read it.)

So how do these two stories intersect? Well, let me tell you. Today, I sat beside a bespectacled, smartly dressed friend who asked, “How was the concert?” I smiled with a pinch of astonishment and replied, “Its not until July 6^th!” I proceeded to ask, “How did you know? Do you like wizard wrock?” Ha. Ha. Ha. It was his turn to be a tad bewildered. I instantly realized without him having to ask what I was blabbing about that he was referring to the SPCO concert. I merrily confided my review of the concert and asked by chance if he had read The Giver. Unfortunately, he had not. So I am left to state it all here in this blog.

Quick note on the title: I am running a marathon in October... you can expect posts about the runner’s high, flashbacks to high school cross-country, and of course my adventures here in Minnesota with this Kenyan.

My adviser thought she heard a wounded animal cry...

...but it was only me after hearing Jaclyn was eliminated on America's Next Top Model (ANTM) last week.

Alas, I have other TV info to briefly record in this humble blog. As promised four posts ago, I will expound on my enthusiasm for NBC’s The Biggest Loser (TBL). Last week, my favorite person on the show was eliminated. His name is Moses Kinikini. 

[MERLIN’S BEARD! A quick Google search to find out how to spell his last name led me to his Facebook page... This lovely man is MORMON! I thought he might be since he emphasized his love for family quite nicely through out the season. Blimey, why didn’t I put my fan-stalking skills to use earlier? And why am I so giddy by this info now? I think this information solidified a kinship between Moses and myself...somehow...]

Initially, I was planning on dedicating this entire post to that episode because it was quite a roller coaster of emotion for me. However, time has marched forward since last Tuesday and I have kept up with its beat. There are new topics that I wish to write about such as the movie that I will be seeing in the near future at the Minneapolis International Film Festival titled Two Indians Talking. But before I get to that, back to TBL. What was so AMAZING about last week’s episode? It was filmed in the breathtaking country that is known as NEW ZEALAND! Among my many oddities, is an intense-affair-like love for this country. I must credit Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings for introducing me to the country back in 2001. This love is solid. It cannot be shaken and it has only grown over time. It’s like there is a magical charm that's binding us and strengthening with each passing year. Anyway, I think the best example of my love for this country occurred in a conversation with some friends in ol’ Tucson back in the day. My amigas and I were talking about the ideal marriage age. I stated that if I were still unmarried at a certain age, I would journey to NZ and find a Maori man to bring joy and happiness to. Oh what a plan! The Biggest Loser episode took place in NZ and it was a pretty sweet experience for all of the contestants. For anyone who wants a good laugh, all you need ask is to see my notes when I attempted to re-watch the episode on Hulu. Here is an excerpt written after the sky building jump: “Ken and Bob look as though they are going to die. They didn’t and now their smiles are priceless! Dang it, I’m smiling just as cheesy if not cheesier because I’m rejoicing in their triumph too!”  I have THREE pages of this for 40-ish minutes of an 84-minute show! So that is all that I will write for that episode. I was happy for 99% of it. Then Moses was eliminated. I have returned to my happy state because that is the way of things. 

Now to the Mpls Int. Film Festival, which is currently going on at St. Anthony Main. Two Indians Talking is a movie about two Native guys (First Nation) who have an intense dialogue about Native issues. The film summary from the catalog makes me so excited that I must quote it here:

Two young First Nations men growing up together on the reservation have decidedly different views on the current struggle their community finds itself locked in. Adam, a serious college kid who likes to cite Nietzsche or Rousseau, looks for strength in his intellectual pursuits, while his cousin Nathan, from “the school of hard knocks”, is a rebellious high school drop-out who looks toward protest for answers. Their differences lead to a confrontation in an empty community center, the night before a major demonstration is to take place as they debate hot-button issues along with their differences about life: women, politics, dreams, education, poverty and hopes for the future.

Wow, right? My blog writings reveal my struggle to understand and solve Native issues. This movie is a must for me. I am quite determined to form a focus group that would probably only be composed of me and one other person interested in Native issues! But by golly, this movie needs to be broken down, analyzed, and discussed! I would like to hear how other Native tribes perceive it. I would like to hear how groups of Navajo’s review it. Man oh man, I am on fire with these thoughts! Alas, that is all I will write until I can focus my thoughts on this movie and watch it.

"Oh yeah"-Kool Aid Man

My medically undiagnosed, first-time seasonal allergies awoke today. No amount of Aquaphor could relieve the desire to rip my lips off. I confided this much to a concerning friend, who seemed puzzled at my expression of words. I asked her, “Do you remember the red mustache I was sporting most of the winter?” 

[Sidenote: Okay, that is one of two descriptions I use when talking about the red clown ring that encircled my lips for most of this past winter. I saw three doctors beginning in November 2010 until I was referred to a dermatologist in March 2011... they have no clue as to why my lips were persistently chapped. They thought I was touching my tongue to my nose at night, which was and still is a hoot to think about. Their strongest hint of a diagnosis was allergies. To what, I asked? One doc listed, gum, mangoes, or hard candy. Anyway, the day I was seen by the dermatologist, the universe made sure I looked like a fool because my lips were back to normal...On that reference, "clown" is my second description of choice. I looked like a clown who outlined her mouth with red lipstick... and in close circles (i.e. family)... Herpes is the third description to nettle the parents] 

She nodded her head and responded, “Oh yeah... but I thought that was because you were drinking too much Kool-Aid.” 

And just for fun, here is another anecdote that displays the exquisite ruminations of a girl named Sarah and another named Xazmin.

A friend caught me off guard this weekend. Amongst a group of other women, she acknowledged a fascination with the millennium (in this case, she was referring to the thousand years that Christ will reign on the earth as described in the book of Revelations and other scriptures). She was particularly intrigued by the thought of mingling with carnivorous creatures who in that era will become docile. She bravely (and unexpectedly) posed the question, “what animal would you like to have as a pet?” She led the way by stating she would have a white tiger. Other people expressed an interest in lions. When it was my turn to respond, I honestly said, “That is a really good question that I have never considered. Animagus animal form—Yes! Patronus—Yes! But never have I been asked or ventured to ask myself this question!” In the end, I decided upon a wolf. I love wolf-like looking dogs—Alaskan malamute and Siberian Husky’s—already and so a wolf is a natural choice for me.

And for those of you who are a little bit curious about my animagus, it is a hawk or eagle and my patronus is a dolphin (if, of course, I was a wizard).

Who is tito?

-Who is TiTo?

I would like to take this time to recognize all of my faithful followers, which as of today totals four. It is to this fourth follower that I want to share the following story. This past weekend, I signed into my blog to write about my nightly jaunts to the lab and vent about the worst TV episode in the past century. To my delight, I noticed that I had one more follower... by the name of tito. I asked myself, “Who is tito?” I was aware of only one Tito- Tito Jackson—the older brother of Michael Jackson and original member of the Jackson Five. That is where my knowledge ended. I called my younger brother to see if he would answer as I just did. He did not. The conversation went something like this...

Me: “Hey, do you know of any Tito’s?”

Brother: “Which one?”

[It was as if I had been hit with a confundus charm. An onslaught of questions sprang to mind—How many tito’s DID he know? How common is that name Tito? How could more than one Tito elapse my radar? What kind of name is Tito? Is it short for something? And why had I not known any more Tito’s? I realized this was ridiculous on my end, so naturally I burst into laughter at my brother.]

Me: “You know more than one Tito?”

Brother: “Yeah, you don’t remember Tito Ortiz? There are also a few Tito’s I knew in Mexico—”

Me: “—What about Tito Jackson you nerd?!”

[To my chagrin, he acted as if I cast on him the rictusempra spell (tickling charm). It was his turn to laugh at me... and keep on laughing before he asked..]

Brother: “Is that the only Tito you know? Tito Jackson?”

So to my tito follower, thank you for giving me the chance to Wikipedia the Tito’s of history. There is Josip Broz Tito, Tito Puente, Tito Ortiz (which I really should have remembered), Tito Francona, etcetera, etcetera. I do not know how this information will help me in future conversations, but more power to me.

-My mom snagged a unicorn.

According to the blog Native Appropriations, “...educated, motivated Native men are like unicorns... magical, mystical creatures that you’ve never heard of, and special enough that if someone gets one, they’re holding on and not letting go.” Yep, my mom is one lucky gal.

-My dad nabbed a P.I.G.

As I was talking to my parents about unicorns and blood quantum, my dad interjected that my mom was a pig. I was ready to take back that unicorn comment, when my dad repeated it again in his teasing voice. He then explained, “Did you not know that P.I.G. stands for Pretty Indian Girl.” Ha. Ha. Typical Native humor. I laughed for a good five seconds.

-I am an advocate for monsters.

Yes I am. Unfortunately, I cannot yet put that on my CV. Honestly, the only reason I would want to obtain a law degree would be to defend this severely underrepresented class of creatures. My current efforts are to track down these monsters and have a heart to heart discussion. That is all I can write on that project for now.

Parvati Patil?...

-The most ridiculous TV episode EVER is Grey's Anatomy "Song Beneath the Song" (1).

-Late nights spent in the lab are a hoot if you have imagination kindred to that of the Bronte sisters (2).

-I remember being one of two people in 'ole Page, AZ who admitted to a disenchantment with enchiladas. I should have known that was to prepare me to face the unjust judgment of future people who would shockingly discover that I have no favorable feelings toward pie... (I am truly a minority amongst minorities)

-I still have not decided which HP character to assume! I like the cartoon illustration of the Patil twins shown below (3). Anyone want to be my India-Indian (4) twin?

-General conference weekend was, as always, delightful (5).1) I am following Grey's Anatomy THIS season. It has been an okay diversion UNTIL this week. Initially, I laughed because it was just a notch below cute. Then my laughs gave way to confusion because the seriousness of the moment was vaporizing into nonsensical singing. My confusion inevitably morphed into irritability because what would have been a powerful story was reduced to a Glee-like show. I was determined to vent these thoughts to someone, but I watched it during an episodic night of insomnia. Unable to express my scathing review at the time, I let my thoughts simmer in a dreamless sleep. Time and work have mitigated my vexation. For now, my simple review is, if the purpose of that Grey's Anatomy episode was to fail, it was expertly executed.
2) I love traversing through fictitious worlds brought alive by the creative genius of classic authors. Lately, I have been indulging in the writings of the Bronte sisters. This has proved to only make the creepy creepier. Through out the week, I needed to return to the lab at night to complete or begin experiments. I venture there were only a handful of souls housed in the enormous building named after the late Nils Hasselmo. I was confined to the top most level where no creature, except myself, stirred. The sounds of released pressure from liquid Nitrogen tanks, safety alarms from fume hoods and carbon dioxide maintained incubators were distorted to mimic unseen persons by my overactive imagination. The dark room, which can be a place of momentary peace in the daylight hours, was at night the pinnacle of my eerie amusement. Flooded with red light and locked by me from the inside (typical behavior when using the developer), I reflected on Jane Eyre's nightmarish encounter with the vampire-like Lady Rochester. Needless to write, I quickly exposed my western blot and developed the film to quit the dark room before I was forced to commit an Anne Shirley and faint. Fortunately, my wits were quickly restored by an earlier act of enjoyment when I emptied unused dry ice cubes into the 42C and 56C water baths. The wispy white fumes simmered above the water and gracefully fell to the floor. It reminded me of root beer and Halloween, which led to Harry Potter, DH movie part II, and then BAM, my next question which replaced any fears I may have had- who will I be on July 15th?!
3)

4) India-Indian refers to people from India... the large country that boasts more than 1 billion people. None other than myself coined this term a few years back when I wished to distinguish Native American Indians (another term used a few days back in 2004) from Indians from India. I am fully aware that I represent a small percentage of people (albeit it still represents a greater percentage of people who have not declared a love for pie) who care about the use of the word Native American vs American Indian vs Indigenous people of the America's. I may say that I am a Navajo or t'aa dine, but who in this part of the world recognizes that cool group of people? None, from what I have experienced. Whatever the case may be, I have a lengthy tirade on this subject and the history of the term "India-Indians."
5) General conference was splendid. One of my favorite Facebook status updates was from a Brother Garrett B. Fotu posted on Saturday. It simply and sweetly stated "cookies and conference :)" The thought makes me smile now! :D Why, one may ask? Because it succinctly equates two merry activities for the soul- eating cookies for the body and general conference for the spirit. Brilliantly stated. Anyway, I was prompted to complete my mormon.org profile this week. I was reminded of the derivation of my happiness, which is an understanding of the Plan of Salvation. I loved the talks by inspired men and women and felt the full impact of their message by my prayerful efforts prior to general conference. All of this and more will be expressed in my profile once I set aside time and sit down to write. :)