Johnny Fedora and Alice Bluebonnet

So I don't exactly know why, perhaps it is because I am a true romantic at heart, but this Disney? video made me smile. Who doesn't dream one day that she might be Alice Bluebonnet?

Ah, love, romance and fashion accessories!

Watch it :)

Some Jokes I Found Rather Funny

In no particular order of potential amusement:

Kathleen Madigan: Figure Skating

I always wanted to be a figure skater as a kid, too, that was like my fantasy dream. But whenever I watch it, I think I would have totally done it alone. I don't know how these people have enough control over the tempers to be working with a partner. Because if I worked with some guy for 15 years, and we got to the Olympics, and out of nowhere he just fell -- oh, I'd skate around just to chop off his fingers. I would, and I would not feel bad about that -- ever. 'Now when you're nubbing your cereal spoon in the morning, you can look at that box and remember why we're not on it.'

Mike Britt: Too Much of Our Business

We tell too much of our business. I don't understand war. Why we tell everything we're about to do? We're running around, trying to find out military intelligence on them. They don't need that -- all they do is watch the news, they see everything they need to see. They plan their strategy with the TV on and their maps out.

Rory Albanese: Least Respected Place

I'm from Long Island, which is the least respected place in the world. I travel all over the country. I could be in the middle of Omaha doing something and the guy comes up to me and says, 'Hey, where'd you grow up?' I'm like, 'Long Island.' And he's like, 'Loser.' Really? I grew up 22 miles from Manhattan; you lost your virginity to corn. I feel like I win that round. I'm like, 'I've seen the ocean. Game over.'

Whitney Cummings: Silent Treatment

Ladies, next time your man pisses you off, do not give him the silent treatment. Instead, go Google the most important game of the season, sit next to him during that game and just ask as many f**king questions as possible. 'I don't understand. Who's that guy in the striped shirt? Does he work at Foot Locker? I don't understand, why are they all wearing the same outfit? When are we going to have a baby?' Eventually he will shoot himself in the face, and you f**king win that argument.

Felipe Esparza: Dad's Furniture Fix

I love my dad. He used to walk around the whole neighborhood and collect old furniture and fix it, like MacGyver with duct tape. One time, he brought a television home. I said, 'Damn, that TV has 500 channels.' When I got older, it didn't have 500 channels -- it was a knob from the oven. My favorite channel was 300 degrees.

Demetri Martin: Pillow Fights

Man versus woman equals fun. Man versus man equals gay. Woman versus woman equals awesome. Man versus pillow equals crazy. Pillow versus pillow equals crazy awesome -- that's a real pillow fight right there. You see two pillows fighting, you know something's going down. They're designed for relaxation. If they're fighting, what hope do we have? One time I saw two geese fighting, and I was like, 'This is a pillow fight ahead of time.'

Dave Nystrom: Drunk in the Middle of the Day

Have you ever been drunk in the middle of the day? And I don't mean a couple of cocktails with lunch -- I mean like severely messed up. It's weird because you can't even properly relate to people anymore. I was like, 'What do you mean I can't get an Egg McMuffin? What -- because it's after 11? That's ridiculous.' He's like, 'No, sir, because this is a bank.'

Jeffrey Ross: Stay Free

My favorite band in high school was The Clash. Remember The Clash? They had this one song early on that my boys and I used to use as our little greeting to each other. We thought we were cool. It was called, 'Stay Free.' We'd be like, 'Hey man, stay free.' Then one day, out of nowhere, it became a feminine hygiene product. We couldn't use it anymore. Then we were like, 'Hey man -- you know.'

Julian McCullough: Brain Can't Dream

Did you know that if you go to bed wasted, your brain can't dream? It's like a medical thing. I have my own theory and that's that your brain is like, 'Dude, I'm not going to entertain you after what you just did to me for the last six hours. Oh, you want feel what it's like to fly? Go f**k yourself. I'll be up all night with your liver, figuring out how we're going to make it to 50.'

Ultra-Violet, Gattaca & The Science of Humanity

Transhumanism is an international intellectual movement supporting the use of science and technology to improve human mental and physical characteristics and capacities. The movement regards aspects of the human condition, such as disability, suffering, disease, aging, and involuntary death as unnecessary and undesirable.

In other words, with the help of both science and technology, humans may be able to transform themselves into persons with such expanded abilities as to merit the label "posthuman."

Gattaca and Ultraviolet are two films which discuss the notion of transhumanism in great length, albeit in very different ways. Gattaca (1997), a movie which won both Best Film and Best Original Soundtrack in the Sitges-Catalonian International Film Festival, takes a very direct approach in bringing to light the troublesome debate of the genetic divide. Ultraviolet (2006), on the other hand, which I attribute almost entirely to its' weird comic book-y vibe, chooses the overplayed, slightly supernatural route and dumbs down its' transhumanistic debate by focusing less on the science, and more on the good-vs. evil debate. Still, questions of "What is human?" and "What is not?" are raised and somewhat answered.

Ultraviolet takes place in the year 2078, in the years following a global pandemic of a lab-engineered, blood-borne, highly infectious disease known as hemoglophagia. Those afflicted with the disease are referred to as "hemophages". The disease kills the infected within twelve years, but also gives them super-human abilities as well as elongated fang-like canine teeth, leading the media to call them vampires. Fear overwhelmed the population and led to the rise of the Arch-Ministry, a militant medical establishment which took control of the government and began rounding up and exterminating all infected citizens in order to contain the virus.

Due to virus' transformation of human body, Violet Song jat Shariff (Milla Jovovich), is now a ruthless killing machine with only days left to live due to her terminal-stage hemoglophagia. She is hired by an underground resistance movement of hemophages waging a guerrilla war against the Arch-Ministry. Infiltrating a government laboratory, Violet steals a weapon developed by the Arch-Ministry to exterminate all hemophages on the planet, only to discover the "weapon" is a child named "Six." Six is believed to be a carrier for cultured antigens developed to target hemophages, which Violet's employers want destroyed. Violet breaks ranks with the hemophages and flees with the boy, believing that a cure for the disease can be reverse-engineered from the antigens.

In Gattaca, Ethan Hawke is Vincent, an "In-Valid" or "faith-born" who becomes a

"borrowed-ladder" by assuming the identity of a genetically superior, but crippled man, Jerome (Jude Law), in order to fulfill his dream of space travel. In a world, where genetics, rather than race or social class, determine one's advancement in society, Vincent's dream is impossible without this fraud. A week shy of his launch date, his director is murdered and an errant eyelash may prove his downfall. Marked as a suspect, Vincent must now up his deception and evade both a relentless investigator and a beautiful college (Uma Thurman) in order to keep his mission.

Both these films ask and seem to answer the question of whether or not genetic engineering is positive for society with a resounding no. Gattaca makes it quite clear that it could create a two-tiered society of genetically-engineered "haves" and genetically inferior "have

nots," confering additional power upon the already powerful and wealthy. Ultraviolet warns of the consequences of genetic engineering for the purpose of "supering" the human race--society-wide fear of those considered less than human. And both films deal with the severe loss of rights and privacy in these new world systems.

But enough with the heavy stuff. On the enjoyment side, if you haven't seen these two movies, you're somewhat missing out. What Ultraviolet may lack in plot, it tries to make up for in action. It does okay. Gattaca, however is the true gem. Though not a box office hit, it puts the intellectual back in movies. And with great performances by Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law, you won't be bored.

Luckily, they're both free on Hulu :)

** Information contained in this review comes from a variety of sources including Wikipedia (transhumanism, Gattaca, Ultraviolet), IMDB and Gattaca's official website.

Ok, so I know I'm a little late with this...

But I am wholeheartedly and irrevocably in love with Alicia Key's song, "Un-thinkable" (I'm Ready).

I mean, did you see CHAD MICHAEL MURRAY?!?!?!

And while I almost threw up a little when I saw the mullet (DISGUST), I would be ready to take a step of faith for CMM too, lol.

Plus wasn't Alicia looking AMAZING in the video? I mean, whew! She was freaking gorgeous!

Anyway, not only were the actors good, so was the theme. They couldn't have picked a better subject/storyline/plot. A White/black lovestory-- and not the kind you usually see.

Just amazing.

I want a CMM for my birthday, ya'll. Who can make it happen, lol?
August 23 is right around the corner!

P.S. For those who'll ready this tonight or sometime tomorrow: I'll be in E-town tomorrow afternoon, hanging around downtown. Come join me! Movies, B&N run, anyone? Give me a call!

Funny BP Sketch - "Coffee Spill"

Thought this was just hilarious :)

Graduation!

More to come, but here's a short video for those who couldn't come, and for those who just want to relive it for a sec :)

Congratulations, Graduates! from Northwestern News!

Short Post - AWESOME SONG

This is all I want to post today, this epic love song, a duet with Kat McPhee and hottie ZACHARY LEVI. Can you believe he is a CHRISTIAN?! When does that ever happen in Hollywood these days? Anyway, enjoy :)

Yesterday, I Bought Four Pairs of Shoes

I blame Ary (lol). No seriously, I blame no one, because all of them are fabulous and wonderful. Gosh, I love shoes :)

As I have been telling everyone lately, the last week has been absolutely fabulous. Why? The love of God. There is no other explanation for it. Oh, sure the weather helps, and the time spent around you-know-who definitely adds to the mix, but honestly and most importantly, it's just been amazing to see God in my life. Nothing dramatic has happened and the root of some of my stress is still there, but I've given it to God, plain and simple. It's wonderful. Thank You, Lord!

Quick Updates (in 100 words!):

Can I finish the quarter, please? Schoolwork should be done by now. I still have two classes next week. BLAH! I just want to go sit on the beach.

Dillo Day: AWESOME OUTFIT PLANNED! Don't know why I'm being girly all of a sudden. The onset of summer maybe? You-know-who might have something to do with it too :)

Still need a home for buttons! Know anyone who wants a cat?

Graduating in 3 weeks. Starting real life. Very scary. Very exciting. Loving going home for the summer. Wanna move back to Chicago in the fall... HELP ME FIND A JOB :)


----- OKAY, it's 102 words, but still, pretty impressive. I'll update again after Dillo Day festivities :)


* Oh and an update for those who read this and know what I'm talking about (i.e. this part of the blog is vague on purpose)... Still don't know the official word, on either front. But I sure do act like a girl sometimes and he sure acts like a gentleman. (But I don't want to be a S!)

Untitled (The Battle Against Christianity or This is me rambling/hashing out frustration.)

(The reason why this post was originally untitled is because at the beginning of writing it, I didn't quite know what to say about the following matter.)

Christians are discriminated against/looked down upon.

Yes, I said it. I took off the PC gag and said boldly what others, even some Christians themselves, are reluctant/afraid to say. And I'll say it again.

Christians are looked down upon in society.

Now, the popular (conceived) consensus is that Christians have it made, that the United States continues to run blatantly on Christian values, and that the majority of Americans are Christian and therefore cannot possible discriminate against its own kind. These things in theory are true. The founding fathers did set up a government which had roots in the Christian faith (life, liberty, happiness and all that jazz). According to self-reporting stats, most Americans do identify with some form of Christianity, whether Catholic or Protestant, Evangelical or Methodist.

But lately there has been a distinct shift to the religion of humanism, as I like to call it. [I believe humanism is definitely a religion. And I contrast it sharply with Atheism, which shuns and the idea of God--and a good number of atheists also shun those who believe in God(s).] This shift does bother me on a spiritual level. It does in fact pain me to see people who were once in fear and awe of God, those who once claimed to know the Lord, turn their backs on Him and adopt this new humanist perspective and ultimately put their faith in the once place they shouldn't, the one place God tells them not to-- in man. However, the new religious adherents, humanists, I can understand. These people do not despise the idea of God (the idea of humanism and other traditional religious forms is indeed compatible), they only wish that humans would "step up to the plate." I often wish the same.

I being up the point about Humanism and Humanists to be in direct contrast to Atheism and Atheists, as it has been conceived and as it is lived out in American society. So often Christianity and Atheism are seen at two ends of the spectrum. This is not accidental; Christianity is often seen as "the Big Bad" in modern society, the one religion which oppresses all the others. I disagree. Every religion, with perhaps the exception of Bahi, makes some sort of truth claim, whether it be that their one monotheism is the Truth, or that the earth is the body and soul of the Brahman or primordial man.

Why then is Christianity's truth claim, in particular, treated so harshly?

I cannot answer that question for sure, but my best guess is this: society's conception that Christianity permeates every aspect of our lives, from the religious to the secular, has made us run in the opposite direction of Christianity.

For those who are Christian, this should come as no surprise: we have been biblically warned that our lives will be neither easy nor accepted. But for those who are not, my questions are these: Why treat us like lepers? Are we not human too? Do we not also care for the fate of the physical world, in addition to the spiritual?

There is a place in this world, for both the religious and non-religious alike. While the Christian faith makes its truth claims about one's spiritual soul, it makes other claims too, namely ones about the dignity of persons. Are some of these not the same dignities for which humanists, Atheists, Jews and other religions also fight?

* The following is a response to a blog post I read about one persons "drift towards godlessness" (more aptly called secular humanism!) because of the fallacy of the church and the realization that God is not needed.

I realize that some people, especially those who regard themselves as "post-Christian," the Church (with a capital "C" - meaning the body of Christian believers as a whole) has been a constant source of pain. I am sorry for that-- truly. But it is unfair to maximize that pain onto others' experiences. Your drift towards godlessness is your own, shaped by your own experiences. Don't apply those experiences to the whole of Christianity. And it is unfair to destroy Christianity for one's own ends, to use the failings of the institution to justify to your "Post-Christian" self your reason for becoming, something different. Your negative experiences are the result of people failing you, not Christ. And if the sentence above rings hollow for some, then you do have a problem with Christianity--as religion in and of itself-- and that's fine. But please don't take it out on Christians themselves. Don't discriminate against us as a group. Do not "look on the church with disgust" and don't "pity" us, because we don't pity you.

In my opinion, you deserve as much respect and dignity as any other human being, things that you seem very often, not to afford specifically to Christians.

Legend of the Seeker - Saturday's at 4PM!

So in keeping with the recent trend of books-to-television series obsessions (True Blood, Vampire Diaries, anyone) I have recently (starting with the beginning of the second, current season) become infatuated with Legend of the Seeker. If you're in the Chicagoland area it comes on channel 9 at 4PM on Saturdays (hence the title). It's based on The Sword of Truth novels by Terry Goodkind, (which I have no desire to read-- again much like True Blood and V-Diaries) but changes it up a bit so I've heard.

The first season follows the epic journey of a young woods guide named Richard Cypher, a mysterious woman named Kahlan Amnell and a wizard named Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander to stop Darken Rahl from unleashing an ancient and terrifying power.

The second season follows the three of them (and some others) as they try to stop the Keeper (Lord of the Underworld) from destroying the land of the living.

Here are the character bios, courtesy of Wikipedia with a few changes:

• Richard Cypher – Richard starts out in the series as a young woods guide living in Hartland, a town in Westland and a place where no magic exists. Richard is the adopted son of George Cypher and brother of Michael Cypher, but he does not know who his real parents are or that Zedd is his grandfather. He discovers that he is the first true Seeker in a thousand years - "a hero who arises in the times of trouble and suffering and seeks out evil".Although Richard is reluctant to be the Seeker, he is earnest in fulfilling his role as he is the person prophesied to defeat Darken Rahl. Along the way he becomes closer to Kahlan and falls in love with her. Craig Horner explains Richard's character as someone who is "what you see is what you get" and is "so truthful", adding that "the only thing he's been taught to reserve his whole life is his anger, and he can release that once he starts to get hold of this Sword of Truth."

• Kahlan Amnell –the Mother Confessor and, in contrast to the novels which the show is based on, she is not the last living Confessor, at least until partway into the second season. As a Confessor, she has the power to magnify the love a person has within them for her, allowing her to control the person. This power allows her to serve the people of the Midlands, who respect and fear her. Her mother is deceased and she meets her father later in the series after many years of being estranged. Her sister appeared to have been killed at the beginning of the first episode in the series, but later we learn she has indeed survived, and will give birth to a male confessor. In Kahlan's quest to defeat Rahl, her role is to protect the Seeker with her life. She develops a deep love for Richard, which is torment for them both since her Confessor's powers would be inadvertently unleashed in a moment of intimacy, making it impossible for Richard and Kahlan to act on their feelings for each other. Executive producer Robert Tapert describes Kahlan as "a female action hero for 2009… she's perhaps more feminine at the same time as being as ruthless as Xena was."

UNFORTUNATELY, the Tribune Company has decided not to renew the series as of March 4, 2010. The show's owner, ABC, has announced that while Tribune has decided to drop Seeker, this is not the deciding factor on whether it is cancelled completely. If enough other stations are willing to carry the show, it is possible that a third season will be produced.

I totally want there to be a third season. This show is complete with love and romance, laughter and sorrow, surety and silliness. Check it out-- both seasons are on YouTube.

P.S. The male protagonist is pretty hott too, he's an Aussie with pretty hair :)

So Freakin' Excited: Sequels to the Best Books I've Read in a LONG TIME!

I love to read. Seriously, I mean I could read probably 15 hours a day, 5 days a week and be happy.

I read nonfiction all the time, but fiction is better :> (It lets you step out of the world for just a moment.) My favorite type of fiction? Historical fiction comes second only to Sci-Fi/Fantasy. All those hours with Piers Anthony, Robert Jordan, C.S. Lewis and Madeleine L'Engle... middle school was heaven.

I thought that maybe some of my passion would rub off on you guys! So here are two of my favorite books and even some info about their upcoming sequels!

JUST ONE NOTE AND I'LL GET ONTO IT: EVEN IF YOU DO NOT LIKE SCI-FI, YOU'LL LOVE THESE!

The Hunger Games (2008) is a young adult science fiction novel written by Suzanne Collins. It is the first book of the Hunger Games trilogy. It introduces sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in a post-apocalyptic world where a powerful government called the Capitol has risen up after several devastating disasters. In the book, the Hunger Games are an annual televised event where the ruthless and evil Capitol randomly selects one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts, who are then pitted against each other in a game of survival and forced to kill until only one remains.

The second book in the series is Catching Fire and the third book, Mockingjay, is slated for release on August 24, 2010.

THAT IS A DAY AFTER MY 22 BIRTHDAY!!! Will someone buy it for me? I'll love them forever and ever :>

The second novel is The Host by famous author Stephenie Meyer. Now I know you have your doubts, but this book is GOOD. I mean, seriously. Talk about character driven novel with lots of plot. And this book was written for ADULTS, not boy crazy teenage girls. So READ IT.

The Host is a science fiction/romance novel by Stephenie Meyer. The novel introduces an alien race, called Souls, who take over Earth and its inhabitants. The book describes one soul's predicament when the mind of its human host refuses to cooperate with her takeover... Melanie "Mel" Stryder is one of few "wild' humans. After "insertion" into a human body, they erase the human occupant and establish a claim over the body and mind. Wanderer is a soul who has lived on eight different planets previously, with Mel being her ninth host body. Upon waking inside her new body, Wanderer is shocked by the power and vividness of human emotions, memories, and senses, and quickly learns that Melanie is not willing to give up the entirety of her mind.

So far, there's no sequel to the host on the horizon, but Steph says she's gonna write them: "She said in an interview that, if published, the first sequel would be entitled The Soul and the second The Seeker. In November 2009, she said, "I'd like to eventually have The Host be part of a trilogy. That's one of the projects I'd really like to get to in the next year or so."

GOOD NEWS: In September 2009, producers Nick Wechsler, Steve Schwartz, and Paula Mae Schwartz used independent financing to acquire the rights to adapt The Host into a film. YAY!

BAD NEWS: Unfortunately, we might have to wait until after Breaking Dawn is filmed. Sad :<>
*KUDOS to KIRA, who made me read these two books in the first place. I will say that I trust her to recommend the right books... at least for me!*

Random Post - Pay It No Attention

So I'm sitting here in my apartment and I've just killed the smallest bug I've ever seen, save for a gnat. I'm hoping it wasn't a bed bug-- a lady on the third floor had them and she had to get her apartment fumigated. I know I'm overreacting but, ewwwwww. I hate bugs and anything creepy crawly. I'm most girly in that way.

Anyway so, I'm supposed to be getting up, showering and all that, to go to a fabulous dinner with two of my favorite people. I kind of want to dress up in something fabulous, you know to match the dinner, but I'm afraid I have too many dirty clothes to really do that, so I'll settle for "significantly better than average."

I'm not really sure why I am writing this blog today, other than that I'm procrastinating and such, I just felt like, I dunno, EXPANDING... and writing is the only way I know how to do that.

I guess I will focus on what I want to do right now, so as to make this post not be a complete waste of time. What I really want to do right now is be fully dressed, on my way to Chicago with the girls in some fabulous outfit (as noted above).

Dinner, drinks? (didn't eat that much today, so probably not a good idea), dancing.
I want to wear high heels, preferably the $20, 4-inch platforms I got downtown. I haven't worn them yet and they are AWESOME!

Weirdly too, I want to go out, on a date. With a specific person? Haven't decided yet. Yes and no. Ugh, why is my love life so UN-complicated? Haha. I doubt he realizes I exist as a romantic option. Oh well, such is life. (Ooh, if that came out as bitter, that was not my reaction at all. I was actually amused when I wrote that. I even chuckled a bit.)

Ah! I have to get up and get ready now. We are actually going to dinner-- Bravo, I think. Not dressing up anymore, though. Sad. But at least I get to chill with the girls :)

Conflicting Views of Self-Perception: Makes me Sound Crazy, Doesn't It?

Facebook stalking people tonight has led me to reflect on how I view myself. Who am I , really? I know the important and "given" things, like God loves me, I'm black, also a 21 year-old college student (SENIOR!).

Those facts though, with the exception of the first one, are pretty boring. Unfortunately, I can't think of who I am besides those banal things I listed above. Those things make up my actual self. Boo Hoo :(

My ideal self, however, is awesome. She's trendy, a fashion-forward diva who's down to earth (oxymoronic, I know, but somehow my ideal self makes it work). Her hair, make-up, nails--flawless. She's got a sweet job, an "oldie, but goodie" car that runs, a steady boyfriend and about 100 pairs of super cool shoes. She's a great cook, a certified whiz in the kitchen, and her favorite drink is apple juice. [Other kind? Cosmopolitan :)] She's beautiful, sexy and sophisticated, sassy and shy. She's an un-intimidated, speak-her-mind, kinda gal. To sum it up in one word, she's awesome.

Now can she exist? Can ideal self become actual self? I'm in no way harping on myself to become someone I'm not or don't want to be. I'm pretty happy with myself and I don't think that being my ideal self will take away all my problems.But I can't help but wonder what it would be like to be her, just for one day. Would life be better? I don't think so. But it would be more interesting, which is all I am hoping for in my boring life.

Frogs and Apes: Representations of Blackness, Part One

I will admit that sometimes this blog seems to me a bit inconsequential. I doubt that many people read it and those who do, know me and all about my life anyway. However, sometimes I blog about things wholly outside of myself (well as much as can be done) and hope that people will be informed and/or inspired to reflect on what I've written. So here goes.

This week I have seen at least two movies that deal with representations of blackness: The Princess (2009) and the Frog and Planet of the Apes (2001). Both of these movies, whether subtly or deliberately, engaged in conversation about race and race relations, however it took me by surprise that the movie about which I held the most hope for commenting positively about blackness ended up being the most disappointing. Here's why.

"The film, which began production under the working title The Frog Princess, is an American fairy tale, Broadway-style musical set in the French Quater of New Orleans at the height of the Roaring Twenties. A prince named Naveen (Bruno Campos) from the land of Maldonia is transformed into a frog by the evil scheming voodoo magician Dr. Facilier (Keith David). The frog prince mistakes a girl named Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) for a princess and has her kiss him to break the spell. The kiss does not break the spell, but instead turns Tiana into a frog as well. Together, the two of them must reach the good voodoo queen of the deepest, darkest part of the Bayou, Mama Odie (Jenifer Lewis), while befriending a trumpet-playing alligator Louis (Michael-Leon Wooley) and a hopelessly romantic Cajun firefly named Ray (Jim Cummings) along the way." (Wikipedia)

The Princess and the Frog seems an innocent enough movie. The main character, Tiana, is a hard working waitress who dreams of owning her own restaurant, a dream passed down by her father who died before it could be realized. However, the beginning of the movie, literally the first two minutes showed that this was not a movie by which long held beliefs about racial stereotypes would be challenged.

The opening scene reveals two little girls, one white and one black, listening intently as a black women reads them a story. She's accomplishing two tasks at once; she turns the pages even as she sews the little pink princess dress. This women is Eudora, the main character's mother who works as a seamstress for "Big Daddy" La Beouff, the wealthiest man in New Orleans. As she and Tiana board the bus for home after a long days work, the houses switch from styles grand and glorious to crumbling shacks. Years pass and we learn that as a young women Tiana works two waitress jobs and saves money so that she can open "Tiana's Place." (The viewer can already see that invisible "a" between the "P" and "l" when she, as all Princesses do, gets the happily ever after.) Lottie, who has heard that Prince Naveen from Maldonia is coming, hires Tiana to make her famous dessert and serve it at her impromptu ball, to help her win the prince's heart. Prince Naveen has come to win a rich lady's heart so that he may continue to play his music and "loaf,"but gets caught up in the Shadow Man's tricks and is turned into a frog while his valet masquerades as him so that they can split the money. It is at

I explain this in depth because all these scenes happen within the first half-hour of the movie and are the most problematic. First, the storyline is in no way based on the book, The Frog Princess or even the folktale "The Princess and the Frog. Tiana (whose name was supposed to be Maddy, but Disney quickly changed the name to something less "slave-like" to avoid controversy) is a waitress, not a princess. In the other two works, the Princess is a princess at the beginning of the story. I would have rather they left the title, the Frog Princess; it would have been less misleading. However, this can be overlooked since in other Disney stories, the girl starts out as little more than a nobody too.

However, the story is set in "real life"New Orleans. While I appreciate Disney's attempt to draw in history and place the story within a black context, why can't the black princess live in a land "far, far away"? The critics quoted by Wikipedia (who speak nothing of the controversy surrounding the movie) hail the movie as a Disney movie much like the old classics, but I disagree. I was expecting something more like a black Cinderella, but there were too many changes in the stock storyline for me to see it as anything but platitude.

Another problematic aspect is the voodoo aspect of the movie. This religion is most terribly represented. Too the movie makes it seem as if all black people in New Orleans believe and participate in this religion. One could argue that the focus of the movie blends in well with the settings history and culture--that New Orleans is a place where voodoo is practiced-- but even that argument fails because Princess movies aren't supposed to be specific (makes it harder for others to relate) but broad-cultured.

Lastly, there are three most devastating aspects which placed this movie forever into the "reject" pile. The first is that, for the most part, all the black people in this movie are the same color. HIGHLY problematic. Even allowing for the "sun" in New Orleans, there are ranges in color. Tied to this complaint is that the main character's skin tone changes. She is made to appear darker in her visions of the restaurant (perhaps to provide more contrast with her white dress). Apart from one mixed girl I knew in high school, people generally stay the same color from day to day (barring tanning of course). Secondly, the other black characters in this movie were portrayed negatively-- the cook who did not want Tiana to succeed and her "friends" who seemed unfazed that she was turning them down for dancing yet again. The other "black" characters, in contrast, were either animals or insects. Thirdly, the prince was not black. Ugh, while I appreciate the interracial aspect of the story, it would have been nice to see a black princess and a black prince live happily ever after, just like their white counterparts.

All in all, this movie was disappointing. It did nothing to further any helpful conversations about race and instead pandered to stereotypes which only further promote the view of "white as normal." Why else would the Prince not be black? (And if the Princess was the only thing Disney wanted to change, why is the Prince not white, but ambiguously raced?)

Somehow, this film seemed more about the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" mentality, than the prince will rescue me storyline. Model minority propaganda, that's it. Plus, for over half of the movie, they're frogs. End of story.


* This post was too long, so I'll talk about the Planet of the Apes another day. Look for Part Two!

Um, With the Exception of This Post

Brittny is not allowed to blog after 10PM when school is in session. I just read over that last entry-- what was I thinking?! Anyway, I told myself anything I write here was semi-permanent, so up it will stay.

I know it seems like all I do is write about guys, but I swear other entries do have other topics (see label list). Anywho, here's what I've discovered tonight.

I like him. I do. There's no going back. I like him and I doubt he likes me, but so be it. Whatever will be, will be. Whew, it was good to get that off of my chest.

I think it hit me when I saw his name. My heart got all fluttery-- that could have been the result of the apple lemonade drink I made, but I'm 98% positive it was him-- and I couldn't stop smiling. Ah, I miss him too. What is that about?!

I think my life got a little more complicated once I put the dating option back into it. Do you think I should take it back? I honestly don't know.

I'm sleepy; let me stop while I'm ahead so I don't write anything else I'll regret.
I think I'll call it a night now.

When I Should Be Doing Homework: Musings about Marriage and Men

Yeah, I have a late paper, but since I took a break for prayer group, I might as well take a break to write down what I'm feeling now.

A. So I finally made up my mind to get married. This might sound odd considering I haven't dated anyone since sophomore year, but hear me out. After all the crap I went through with and after Luke, I was seriously doubting whether or not marriage was an option for me. I liked my single lifestyle-- my ability to flirt, hang out with, and chill with guys without worrying about a significant others feelings. This was always trouble in the previous relationship. I've always been really bad about calling other guys hott in front of significant others. (It's almost always merely a statement of fact, but I'm sure it doesn't help their self-esteem.)

Anywho, last year, I'd kind of sworn off dating (while still maintaining a desire to go out on a least one date, a New Year's resolution that unfortunately was not fulfilled) and marriage. I think I was still working through some residual, "I'm worthless-all men are idiots-my heart is broken" stuff from my relationship with Luke (which only got worse after he finally came out of the closet). And while a teensy bit of that is left (not the I'm worthless part, but the fear of my heart being broken again), I think I've come to the realization that, at some point, I'm going to have to feel vulnerable again and risk my heart being broken to find someone with whom I want to share my life. Such is the nature of (finding) love. I'm actually proud that I came to this conclusion even with the lack of someone special on Valentine's Day (I went out with the girls--Key Lime Cheesecake!). I think it shows I've matured and become (somewhat of) a realist. I'm still hopelessly romantic at heart though. Which brings me to...

B. I think that with this new-found faith in my "one-day" marriage came an onslaught of feelings for guys that are currently in my life. I have no intention of marrying, or even dating a single one, but all of a sudden, they are there, in my line of sight, these living breathing, human, (Christian!) attractive guys. I mean they've always been there, but I guess my mind wasn't processing them since it thought it wasn't necessary.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not drooling all over myself anytime I'm around M, A or the Redeemer boys (a new nickname for them, like it?). But I did realize that they do have things to offer and that some of them are cute (and single). This is all just mindless musings, however, since most of them are sophomores (though I might be inclined to say yes if someone asked me out on a date) and I think it's about time for me to stop relying on Facebook info to tell me whether someone is available or not. I think it's about time I headed into the wedding ring phase, don't cha think?

Ah! I told myself this blog was going to be honest, but little did I know :)

Evanston: Crime and Compassion

As I was walking past Whole Foods today, I lied to the man who asked me for money. I told him I didn't have any cash. I had over 20 dollars in my wallet. I did not feel guilty.

Sitting in Pomegranate as I ate my steak in a sack, I read The Weekly whose cover article had, in pictorial form, the number of robberies and crimes since September. I said to myself, "who walks alone at 2 AM?" I stopped just short of "That's what they get."

Walking out of Pomegranate I went back the way I came and gave the man who asked me for money a dollar. He replied, "God Bless You."

The other man who asked me for money got nothing. I said, I'd given it all to the other man who's just asked. I lied again. I did not feel guilty. I felt saddened.

I write this to show that even the people who think themselves generous are not always so. And even the people who know first-hand how hard it is to glimpse "the good life" fall prey to selfishness and bad stewardship. I write this to show too that crime in Evanston, however "rare" still happens, but for reasons we do not think of often. Perhaps that person who robbed you did not need diapers for his one-year old, but something, anything to eat since he hadn't eaten in 3 days.

Sometimes we focus so much on out preconceived notions of who the victim is we forget that there might be more than one. We should remember that (most) people don't rob others for the hell of it. The rob others out of necessity. Sometimes those we whom we classify as criminals without thinking are those who need the most help. I often forget this.

So despite the warnings from NUPD, give to those who ask of you once in a while. They may indeed buy alcohol with it (and whose to say you weren't!) or cigarettes. Or they may use it to buy food for themselves or they're family. Or they may use it to rent a room for themselves so they won't have to sleep in the cold. Whatever they do with it, doesn't really matter. God honors your commitment to helping those less fortunate than yourself. Have and demonstrate compassion.

And who knows perhaps that dollar you gave might stop that person from robbing someone else to get the money they need.



* I believe this can go without saying but just in case: In NO WAY do I advocate for the undertaking of any criminal activity or violence. Or sheer stupidity for that matter: if it's 2 o'clock in the morning, take saferide, cough up the 5 bucks for a cab, or stay where you are!

Yes, I Know I Haven't Written in 4 Months

I am procrastinating. I am sitting in bed with more than a slight headache. I just watched the season finale of Heroes (I want to have Sylar's babies!) and my cat is trying to eat my hand. I'd have to say that minus my headache, today has been a pretty good day.

Until, I went to Facebook. I now know the reason why I avoid facebook other than a status update, or a "like" every now and then. Everybody on there seems to be having a more interesting life than mine. They look happier, better, more satisfied than I do. I know I am being silly, that these people are no happier than I am, but for a second, I believe it.

Now this post is not meant to be depressing, indeed I am not depressed or even close to it. In fact, I think my avoidance of Facebook for said reasons are helpful to my person. Whenever I see pictures/people, I want to reinvent myself. Not to be more like them, but to be more like me. In other words, I want my ideal self to match my actual self.

I do this in a variety of ways. I change my hair, I dress differently, I try new things, I concentrate on school, I concentrate on family/friends/life. What I have learned is that I cannot be all that I want to be, all the time. It would result in cognitive dissonance overload. I can, however, be parts of myself at any given time.

Therefore, I'm cutting my hair again, and I am going to write a short story/novella (whichever one I can finish and be proud of). I miss my playful, creative, adventurous side. Maybe these things will help me get a part of that "me" back.