I WAS SO MAD.

 

So what news can I share with my dear followers (i.e. Camille and Seth)? I have already put up one blog post for the day, yet it does not summarize the comings and goings since I watched The Hunger Games for the second time way back in March of this year. But we know life is not stagnant! Not even for a rock that is buffeted by the elements of the earth. I am sure the rocks would have grand stories to tell of the great love between mother earth and father sky. The rock is beaten, weathered, and polished by the wind and water. Oh what a grand tale I imagine it would tell. Likewise, I am not immune to the whispered rumors and events of the society that I claim to live and work in. 

Today, I reckoned that the scant blog posts of my exploits are not due to the lack of adventure but mainly my desire to write jumped off a cliff and died. I should feel slighted because I wasn’t aware of the tragedy until now. Who would have thunk that it would be the cackle that comes from politicians and the biased opinion of people from the right and left (especially from the right) that would revive my fingers to fly across the keyboard.

Camille Williams is wise to quote from Snotlout* who is famous for the words, “I swear, I’m so angry right now!” I share such fury when it comes to political rhetoric. In fact, I would take it one step further and continue with Snotlout’s words, “...I’ll avenge your beautiful hand and your beautiful foot. I’ll chop off the legs of every dragon I fight... with my face!” This aggressive language is appropriate for the issues of the day. Granted, I'm not giving it due justice by quoting a character named Snotlout. It actually wearies me to record my angst, which is why I will mention two joys in my life.

The first is chocolate-covered almonds with sea salt from Trader Joe's. 

The second is my little man, my first-born nephew, Seth Aidan Williams. This boy has me wrapped around his finger. I am completely besotted. 

*How to Train Your Dragon

I'm in love. I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!

I am in love with a dwarf who comes from the dastardly House Lannister. I am smitten with the beastly direwolves and have quickly claimed such a creature as my animagus in the Potter cosmos. I am charmed by the feisty Arya, captivated by the kingly wisdom of her bastard brother Jon, enchanted by the grace and strength of Daenerys... I can go on, but why waste words to express such a love for the land and people of Westeros? Like Buddy the Elf, I can’t help but twirl and shout my love in whimsical euphoria. So where and when did I chance to meet such mesmerizing brutes and heroes?

The answer begins with my frequent gracing of bookstores. On one such trip, I bought the first book to the saga A Song of Ice and Fire. Like an addict that relapsed, I delved into the book and began chugging out 100-200 pages a night. I am still riding high with the content of the book and I have not yet finished (it is an 800-pager)! It is every bit as thrilling as an adventure through Middle Earth, Fillory, Narnia, or Pellinor. The characters and settings are richly described. I can close my eyes and transport myself to the top of the Wall and behold the mystery of the unknown lands to the north. I feel a tingle down my spine as the words ‘winter is coming’ is whispered by the wind and confirmed in my bones from the chilly breeze. Reading is intoxicating to me. I'll keep you posted on this new journey.

The Hunger Games Reviews 1 & 2

I know you have all been waiting for my review of The Hunger Games. I will whet your appetite sooner rather than later because I need a break from compiling my data. Typically, there is incoherence to how I share my reviews because I believe the movie experience is multi-dimensional. There is a story to be told in the preparation of viewing the movie (e.g. I thought the movie started at 830 pm but it began at 8 pm). There is a story to be told in the actual viewing (e.g. Seeing unfeeling guys jump 6 inches out of their seat when the muttations enter). There is a story to be told once it’s over (e.g. During my solo trip to the theater, I sat by a bloke who stood up and clapped at the conclusion... yeah, I regret not getting his number). Then there is the heart and soul of the opinion. Why do I think this movie should be given a perfect score of 12?! Why do I think this is the best book to film adaptation?! Why did I watch it twice (with a likelihood of seeing it thrice)?! Well you shall just have to humor me as I tell you my stories.

Movie experience #1

In early March, I bought 12 tickets. I extended an invitation for eleven friends to join me in the fanfare of watching it the day of its US premiere. Unlike past months years, I did not purchase mid-night tickets. Also, unlike past years, I did not assign seats or hide the tickets in the lab (lest they be stolen by some weirdo). I told myself NO to the craziness. Instead, I played it cool this year time. And as a result we were all late to the theater.

As it sometimes happens, I failed to check the movie time and told everyone it started at 830 pm. The movie really started at 8 pm. Ha. I realized this 20 minutes till. We made a mad dash to the theater that was very much in the spirit of the movie. Not only were our hearts (figuratively) pumped to see this movie, but they were literally pumping more vigorously as we ran from the parking garage to the theater entrance.

Consequently, I did not pay attention to the first 5 minutes of the film. I also missed out on the excitement of watching the trailers and ordering an Icee, which brings me to movie experience #2.

My succinct review of the movie for experience #1: Perfection (followed by an Augh!!!! I can’t wait for Catching Fire!!!)

Movie experience #2

Unlike the premiere showing of The Hunger Games, I decided to go unaccompanied to this movie. I bought the ticket an hour early. I was in my favorite seat (middle row, middle seat) a half-hour in advance with a small bag of popcorn and a blue raspberry Icee in hand. It must have been a guy’s night out because a handful of fellas filled the seats to the left of me. There were some daddy-daughter duos and boyfriend-girlfriend couples to the right of me. The theater quickly filled and I observed it doing so as I munched on my popcorn and slurped on my Icee. It was wonderful. Then. The lights dimmed. A shiver ran down my spine as I nestled deeper into my chair to watch the trailers. [Yes, you must read-on about how I felt during the 15-minutes of trailer previews.]

The first trailer was so-so. It was another Johnny Depp and Tim Burton collaboration. However, the second trailer piqued my interest. The concept of Abraham Lincoln as a Vampire Slayer had been on my radar for some months (it’s a novel by Seth Grahame-Smith). I had heard the rumors that it was to be turned into a film. As a quasi-geek, and perhaps more importantly, as a friend to geeks and nerds, I was aware that this was big. I was also aware that this notion might be unfamiliar territory to the majority of the audience. I was immensely rewarded for having such a binary perspective. The audience roared with laughter. I think they thought it was utterly ridiculous, which if you think about it, it is quite outlandish. But that is what made it so funny to me. The way I see it, is there any other way to make Abraham Lincoln any more awesome? The answer is no.

The third trailer could have made a well-educated woman pee her pants. The Avengers trailer astutely focused on the heroes we have seen on the big screen in recent years. I’m pretty sure my mouth was gaped open during this entire trailer. I was tickled with another preview that features a onetime Hollywood crush—Chris Hemsworth, who plays the huntsman that tracks down Snow white. I had already seen the trailer a couple weeks ago. It was okay.

The rest of the trailers were forgettable and I will write no more concerning it. As the movie started, I put away the popcorn and set aside the Icee. I pulled my black hoodie over my head so as to shield inquisitive eyes from seeing a stained-tear face crying a river. I engulfed the acting, the soundtrack, and the story all over again. Here is what I loved about the movie.

From the get-go, I believed Jennifer Lawrence was Katniss by the break in her voice when she volunteered herself as tribute. In the book, Katniss is disoriented by the news. She utters a cry, but then quickly checks herself because she does not want others to see her as weak. She keeps herself reserved. This natural tendency was conveyed by her disengaged communication with Peeta while in the train on the way to the capitol.

Josh Hutcherson played Peeta very well! He was likable, he was charming, he was sweet, and wholesome, and good. The rapport between Caesar Flickerman and Peeta was brought to life flawlessly. In fact it was better fleshed out in the movie than in the book.

I liked how the director and screenwriters were able to show Haymitch's fondness for Katniss. I know that in the book, the two have a non-verbalized message system. They are natural survivalists who can attach meaning to behavior and the unspoken actions. In the movie, it would be difficult to show it. Instead, we get this brilliant insight into the struggle Haymitch experiences as he sees Kat suffer from a nasty burn. We see him gather his wits to solicit donors to get her the necessary medicine. It was endearing.

I appreciated the directors’ choice to not focus heavily on the romantic relationship. Minimal shots of Gale were necessary to this film. I think that they might return to this in the third film (and I hope they do).

I was impressed with the amount of time given to Seneca Crane's (Wes Bentley) role in the games. I would like to think about it some more and write an essay on those thoughts.

I really liked the shots of the game room. Most of the things that they showed in the movie, I had imagined to some degree or another. One thing that escaped my imagination was the game room! It was a pleasant surprise.

I was emotionally moved by the scene in which Katniss arrives to the capitol and sits on her bed. She scrolls through the different scenes of the outside world through her large window. Trees from a forest tower in front of her. I could imagine her longing to be there in the woods, a place where she is strong, confident, and at peace. This happy thought was too good and too dangerous to dwell on and so she did the only thing she could, which is to turn it off and leave the room. My heart broke as her heart realized she can't afford to dwell on it. The games became more revolting to me.

I loved the scenes with Rue. I loved it when Rue took care of Katniss. I loved it when she curiously asked if Katniss and Peeta were an item. That little girl won me over completely.

I loved that Katniss killed Cato quickly as opposed to the book, where it was drawn out till the next morning.

I could go on... but I think I will watch it for a third time and think about that Seneca Crane some more.

Snails see the benefits the Beauty in every inch

I’m going to keep it short. Last night, I indulged myself by not only curling up with a good book, but also playing the collected works of The Format in the background. I must have been setting myself up to be emotionally charged since the lyrics and tunes of Nate Ruess usually sends me over the moon. As I paused in my reading, I recognized Snails in the background. I closed my eyes, smiled, and sang along with the chorus... “Snails see the benefits, the beauty in ever inch. Oh, why, why, why, why, oh, why are you quick to kiss?”

As my thoughts were quickly whisked away from one imaginative world to one full of music, it dawned upon me that the phrase “Snails see the benefits, the beauty in every inch” is reminiscent of a person who might slowly toil, who might come in dead last, yet they persist in the effort. The beautiful truths that type of person receives allows them to, hopefully, come to a grand perspective of life b/c it's in the DETAILS! This is totally HUFFLEPUFF.

Roberto Clemente... HUFFLEPUFF!

Epiphany of the day: I am either a Slytherin disguised as a Hufflepuff or I am a monkey's uncle. How in Hades did this epiphany strike? That is a topic for another post, but the most straightforward answer is that Christina Stuetz exclaimed it during a conversation. For now, I am compelled to share my sorting of favorite famous people into the Hogwarts houses. I blame a few people for putting me into this frame of mind. I have been bombarded with this one question over the past two weeks, “Xazmin, which house do I belong to?” Me, being the friendly Hufflepuff-looking person I am, will typically mull on the decision, chat with the person to take into account their desire, sometimes sleep on it, and then spit out the house name to the seeker. It’s quite the entertainment for both parties. Anywho, I am in the mood to write and here I go with sorting some of my favorite famous people, courtesy of one of my favorite books in my library, HEROES FOR MY SON by Brad Meltzer. 

Gryffindor values courage, bravery, loyalty, nerve and chivalry.

Miep Gies, Nelson Mandela, Harriet Tubman, Harry Houdini, Jackie Robinson, Jesse Owens, Pele, Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi

[Blue font: a spiel on at least one person of the house]

Miep Gies: lawbreaker

According to the research conducted by Meltzer, Miep broke the law by hiding Ann Frank's family for two years. She was an assistant to Ann's father, Otto Frank. Not only did she aid them in their concealment, but she provided the family with food and other necessities. It was a brave feat that she sustained even after the Nazi's discovered the family. She was loyal to them and did not deny her role in helping them. She was asked to not return, yet she did!  When she returned she found a diary and placed it safely in a drawer. When Otto Frank returned after the war, Miep "relinquished her charge as caretaker and gave Otto the diary of his daughter, Anne Frank."

Wow, right?! That's what I say to myself whenever I read something about anyone listed in the book or that I learn about in my own searches. The people I have identified as Gryffindor have a lot of chutzpah. I love it that Nelson Mandela’s given name, Rolihlahla, literally means “troublemaker” in English. These people defied custom, the norm, the ‘man’ with a bravery that encompasses a spectrum from the quiet, yet immensely intense courage from the likes of Jesse Owens to a loud lion-like roar of bravery from Gandhi. These people were no doubt courageous. Their actions, words, and accomplishments are evident of it.

Ravenclaw values intelligence, creativity, learning, and wit.

Albert Einstein, The Wright Brothers, Dr. Seuss, Charlie Chaplin, John Lennon, Lucille Ball, Frederick Douglas, Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson: architect, author of the Declaration of Independence, Thinker, President

American history is rife with disturbing accounts and ridiculous stories of vice, but it also has a wealth of wonderful stories that promise hope and contentment. In fact, the dream of a prosperous future is a defining characteristic of American history and identity (as taught in the American education system... or Page Unified School District). The beginnings of its history is a fascinating area of study. Meltzer researched Thomas Jefferson, who at 33 years old, wrote the underlying principles for a new American government. In the solitude of a rented room in Philadelphia, he grasped the enormity of his task. Meltzer writes, "unlike every nation before it, this country's heart would not beat with the blood of royal lines.' This would be a nation based on ideals. The Declaration of Independence became the greatest decree in Western civilization."

“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” –TJ

Jimminy Cricket! I can’t help but snap my fingers for a good ten seconds whenever and wherever I read this quote... believe you me, I have written it on random sheets of paper in my messy room for the purpose of finding ways to grin like an idiot at its cleverness. Despite my nonchalance with the House of Ravenclaw, I do respect and highly value their characteristics. I think artists and bright men and women of science fit quite nicely into this house. 

Hufflepuff values hard work, tolerance, loyalty, and fair play.

Mr. Rogers, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, Roberto Clemente, Jonas Salk, Norman Borlaug, Anne Sullivan, Neil Armstrong, Paul Newman, Clara Hale, Lou Gehrig, Chelsey B. Sullenberger III, Eleanor Roosevelt

Norman Borlaug: scientist, “Father of the Green Revolution”

This is one guy I did not know about until I read the book. And then one day, I'm reading an email from the University of Minnesota about some celebration of someone or something. As I scan through the email, I recognize Norman Borlaug's name. Meltzer's research was right on! Without further adieu... I present to you highlights of the man's life. After graduating with his Ph.D from the University of Minnesota in 1942, Borlaug moved to Mexico where he worked in the wheat fields and alongside farmers to develop 'high-yielding, disease resistant crops'. He basically figured out how to grow more food, which prevented approximately one million people from starving. He then journeyed to India, then China, and ultimately Africa, where this pattern of saving lives continued. As Meltzer puts it, "By the time he returned home to the US, he had prevented one billion men, women, and children from dying of starvation—saving more people than anyone in human history."

“You can’t build a peaceful world on empty stomachs and human misery.” –NB

MIND BLOWING, right?! Most scientists are in Hufflepuff house because we work our tails off. No biggie. Ha. On a more serious side (if it is even possible to take me seriously with this post...), I have sorted some cool baseball players into this house, like Roberto and Lou because these guys were philanthropists (e.g. Clemente who is quoted as saying: “If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you and you don’t do that, you are wasting your time on this Earth”) and legends (Gehrig never missed a single game for 13 seasons, which translates to more than 2000 games in a row! What stopped him? A fatal disease that once caused his back to spasm so badly, he had to be carried off the field. His nickname was “the Iron Horse”, yet he obviously wasn’t made of iron. He was a human being. He just didn’t let that stop him.... Yes I am super biased in my opinion of Hufflepuff and Slytherin House, below.

Slytherin house values ambition, cunning, leadership, and resourcefulness.

Amelia Earhart, Bella Abzug, Oprah Winfrey, Mark Twain, Eli Segal, Muhammad Ali, Steven Spielberg, Jim Henson

Jim Henson: dreamer, creator of Kermit the Frog and the Muppets

To quickly paraphrase Meltzer, Jim Henson did not intend to be a puppeteer. He just wanted to work in TV. At the young age of 17, he applied for a job at his local TV station and was rejected. Fortunately, while he was there he saw a sign requesting a puppeteer. Being the pragmatic boy he was, he went to the library and checked out a book on puppetry, made some puppets, and returned to the station. "They gave him five minutes. It was all he needed." :)

But green’s the color of spring

And green can be cool and friendly-like

And green can be big like an ocean

Or important like a mountain

Or tall like a tree.

-Kermit the Frog

HA! How resourceful can one get? Blimey! Who wants to be part of this house now that you know Kermit’s creator can write odes to the house of Slytherin! At least to the color green, which is one half of that house’s color. I want to highlight one particular person, Bella Abzug, who is one of my heroes. This woman was a warrior. She was a congresswoman, defense attorney, and leader of the women’s rights movement. Ambitious? Yes!  Leader? Yes! Resourceful? Absolutely.

Delaney's Riddle

So here’s the background dirt to this post: I am a bright, kinda funny, youngish, not terribly goofy-looking individual with two X chromosomes. Pertinent to this post, I am also an uncaged bird (if you catch my drift). This presents a kerfuffle to some well-intentioned circle of friends and family who desire to see me captured... someday.... soon...

Now herein is the problem—despite being cognizant of the need to form special companionships, I “lack a sense of urgency” to obtain one. Of course, this frustrates both parties. For me, I resolve the issue by writing this post. For the opposition, hopefully they will read it and get moving to help Delaney solve the riddle.

Brief background on Delaney: Delaney is a friend who looks like Galadriel, the Lady of Galadhrim “the fairest of the elves who remained in Middle Earth”. She is also my unofficial therapist. One chilly December day, I realized someone stole my brain*. It was on the top of my car and I recall patting it for luck before I walked to the lab that morning. When I returned to my car in the afternoon, it was gone! Delaney was with me when I exclaimed, “Someone stole my brain!” I then told her everything, thereby exonerating me from being admitted to a psych ward, and making her my personal shrink. One final detail about Delaney is she was forced into liking multi-variable calculus the past semester. Not by me. However now that the thought is there, I think that if I had grand power to do so, I would force everyone, in the very least, to like multi-variable equations. It would make the following riddle easier to solve.

The riddle: In the past, I have been given the prompt to list desirable qualities in a future companion (YW's... age 12-17). Instinctively, I disliked the prompt for a list written then did not take into account the scope of personalities I had yet to meet. Happily, I did not allow the activity to distress me. I went ahead and made a list, fully aware that I could add or detract from the list over time or even dismiss it altogether. The latter is what happened. Now these many years later, I have returned to writing a list. These lists are for Delaney to use in a multi-variable system that optimizes my probability to meet someone compatible to my er... wishes. Luckily, I found part of the answer to Delaney's Riddle because of the following equation. Solve for "i'.

Get it? I have even taken the initiative to affix meaning to the three variables in the equation.

u: (the fella and his qualities, talents, whatever)

Atticus Finch........................................a.................The Art of Manliness says it all.

Surname beginning with O-.................b.................You will figure this out by the end of the post

Ex-Noodles & Company chef..............c..................4 words: Wisconsin Mac and Cheese

Mechanic.............................................d..................I am a loyal fan of those with such skills

i: (me and what I would consider some strengths)

Emperor penguin...............................m..............I aspire to have such bravery

Magical...............................................n.................Extensive magical knowledge of HP’s world

Troll doll.............................................o.................Who wouldn’t want to grow old with one?

Scientist.............................................p..................This is my true magic.

x should forever be a mystery ;)

The mystery of “x” is unimportant for this riddle. It cancels out. The message is clear and simply sweet. The riddle is to assign constants to the variables of the two lists (a, b, c, d and m, n, o, p) in order to write the multi-variable equations that reflects the weight of certain attributes and the diminishing value of other attributes over time. It’s a heavy task. With respect to the equation above, I can easily attach 7 to the “i” and “u” only because this is the most magical number in the wizarding world. It is a powerful numeral. Naturally, I will associate it with me and whoever crosses/joins my path. The three is typically associated as a heavenly numeral. It seems that it would go well with the variable “x”, at least for now.

This is where my brainpower tires.

-X.O.

;)

*There is a lengthy backstory to The Brain. If you have read A Wrinkle in Time, the story is easier to digest. Basically, this classic children's book was made into a theatre production that was performed at the Minneapolis Children's Theater. I went to the event with two of my favorite MN friends--Lauren and Shanna. The summary of our experience: we were scared of The Brain. Loud bangs and flashes of light that rivaled the light of the sun followed by twenty seconds of blindness were just a small part of the terrifying experience. Days later, I returned to my parked car on the UMN campus to find a gelatinous tiny brain affixed to the top of my car. It was The Brain! Due to the lovely Minnesota cold, the brain became a piece of my car... UNTIL the day that I describe above....