tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004985117106626232024-03-13T03:15:50.427-05:00in medias resFROM MEDIA TO METAPHYSICS TO THE MUCH MORE MUNDANE<br><br>Definitely drifting.elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.comBlogger400125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-80781271516958154142015-02-01T23:30:00.000-06:002015-02-01T23:30:47.855-06:00Racebending Hermione Granger<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Racebent" characters have long been making appearances on sites like Tumblr, but they’ve been picking up heat recently. One of the most popular and frequent, at least on my dash? Hermione Granger as a woman of color, most often black. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
For the first time, I was seeing Hermione’s subtext brought out into text.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: right;">
alannabennet, "<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/alannabennett/what-a-racebent-hermione-granger-really-represen-d2yp#.mu63d1xpe">What A 'Racebent' Hermione Granger Really Represents</a>" (Buzzfeed) </blockquote>
<span style="text-align: right;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: right;">I'm mostly too old and not-with-it to know what the kids are doing on Tumblr, so I haven't seen this before. But I love it, hard. If I'd been an actual 14 year old when reading the Harry Potter books, I'd have cosplayed the shit out of Hermione Granger.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwfPfOqTUp0wV0yzHnmsc_yvZIZTewqKMQJ7gOlh5Pv5SrHZ90AiwVWVcaevcAMqPGG-YBQVIBANjfTZgSIfeYvR7IsUmxmUSyG6g80xZg5m1pP3bOrKU6t2zXPjntZ5p2vdaE3Vf2yaG/s1600/Lucida+Grimbrow.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwfPfOqTUp0wV0yzHnmsc_yvZIZTewqKMQJ7gOlh5Pv5SrHZ90AiwVWVcaevcAMqPGG-YBQVIBANjfTZgSIfeYvR7IsUmxmUSyG6g80xZg5m1pP3bOrKU6t2zXPjntZ5p2vdaE3Vf2yaG/s1600/Lucida+Grimbrow.gif" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucida Grimbrow, Ravenclaw alumna. She's a teacher of wizarding ethics and bookseller.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg737o81zIweQs0tkqIixDOieg19_tfu2VTftn7IdECmQZuFuDIQKZIucCuC309hCx6Ac8yj4TQYvqD0HRjdcd61pCR1BGXc89XA5pbFW5BjQordn2J6nV9vccIDvNKyINrDYWtZsPdwvcv/s1600/Accio+beer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg737o81zIweQs0tkqIixDOieg19_tfu2VTftn7IdECmQZuFuDIQKZIucCuC309hCx6Ac8yj4TQYvqD0HRjdcd61pCR1BGXc89XA5pbFW5BjQordn2J6nV9vccIDvNKyINrDYWtZsPdwvcv/s1600/Accio+beer.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She is not 14. Accio, beer!</td></tr>
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elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-80109344401741110772014-11-02T22:12:00.003-06:002014-11-02T22:18:06.058-06:00Sunday with Rouxpert<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Dog: Hey, human! What are you doing? Are you working? On this computer? Cool...cool. Well, I'll just squeeze in over here and take a little nap while you finish up—no rush!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Human: Dog, that doesn't even look comfortable. I mean, your head doesn't even fit—</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7aJo2BWl-ALx_HYe3jXrD5MT1B2g8SgOurL2jyBEsqWA25WARYtAipXDxWfNlH9dPZ_w1dE0DdOL-5HoLjcG0fnYyWBDV0FoIuFpYhj0B5X9a6wBcBrR77eAuYH1AtDTQlg7Vf2IelhD/s1600/IMG_4701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7aJo2BWl-ALx_HYe3jXrD5MT1B2g8SgOurL2jyBEsqWA25WARYtAipXDxWfNlH9dPZ_w1dE0DdOL-5HoLjcG0fnYyWBDV0FoIuFpYhj0B5X9a6wBcBrR77eAuYH1AtDTQlg7Vf2IelhD/s1600/IMG_4701.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*snooooooore*</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Dog: Hey, human! What are you doing? You doing some laundry? Washing the stuff in these bags? Cool...cool. Well, I'll just curl up over here and take a nap while you finish up—no rush!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Human: Dog, are you really trying to get into that IKEA bag? I mean, it's already full of stuff and—</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQfOsB3LeXNtUJs8xYZNfEArRbOWS34wiTW3VZAuYMy1f0_SniDtkK7RR3Ql5UtTbnGcMp9YX4IyEt3REe5UKNxTls-JyXd9eRedHie3WCwbNjXBT6GbHDYrjArdzc-ScgOjWiprN66hE0/s1600/IMG_0239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQfOsB3LeXNtUJs8xYZNfEArRbOWS34wiTW3VZAuYMy1f0_SniDtkK7RR3Ql5UtTbnGcMp9YX4IyEt3REe5UKNxTls-JyXd9eRedHie3WCwbNjXBT6GbHDYrjArdzc-ScgOjWiprN66hE0/s1600/IMG_0239.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*stare*</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Human: OK, I'm sure it's actually pretty comfortable. But, I can't wash the clothes if you're on top of them. You're too heavy to stay in the bag while I take it down to the laundry room and—<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIsUMnJFE5bZ0_NWks3rks7dD1Wt9LOGNXO-VAwVIDbhgTYVm1WyhH5fj-4scAQHkH56dPGCxhedQ4WV1vygMHQpDBB3Gk_gFNdZM1G5u3QlVnyrGEXQ-9J1IqVlrNe-zfkFlxp-CQZAR/s1600/IMG_0238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIsUMnJFE5bZ0_NWks3rks7dD1Wt9LOGNXO-VAwVIDbhgTYVm1WyhH5fj-4scAQHkH56dPGCxhedQ4WV1vygMHQpDBB3Gk_gFNdZM1G5u3QlVnyrGEXQ-9J1IqVlrNe-zfkFlxp-CQZAR/s1600/IMG_0238.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*snooooooore*</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Human: Dog, if I'd know you'd be happy sleep on top of laundry—</div>
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<br /></div>
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Dog: So comfy!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Human: —and that you'd happily squeeze yourself into places that are obviously too small for you—</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Dog: SO COMFY!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Human: Yes, but I might not have bothered getting you that dog bed...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgxld69AK72gq0ISKkn-0H4tnayo36FsphjeKg-3OJz-NJUTh4Sf09iHQ6cXFlmejOiAGNm3dc1CzSV5FHXA9FRqx2Ug-quk6ouUahlG196RzMeCcxg6rpF-z-hgyvqlsr5iLSxT9q2n6/s1600/IMG_4703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgxld69AK72gq0ISKkn-0H4tnayo36FsphjeKg-3OJz-NJUTh4Sf09iHQ6cXFlmejOiAGNm3dc1CzSV5FHXA9FRqx2Ug-quk6ouUahlG196RzMeCcxg6rpF-z-hgyvqlsr5iLSxT9q2n6/s1600/IMG_4703.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*SNOOOOOOORE*</td></tr>
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At least I can't say he's hard to please.</div>
elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-68331711575242614682014-08-10T12:23:00.002-05:002014-08-10T13:14:41.508-05:00life in seemingly perpetual motion<b><i>Tending towards entropy without giving in to drift</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
I'm at that stage of moving prep where I go through boxes and stacks of paper and try to get rid of things I don't need, or take care of things I've let sit for too long. It's a little easier this time around. I did it when I moved to Oakland in 2011, and again when I moved to New Orleans in 2012, and again when I moved to Brooklyn last year. So, my packratness notwithstanding, there's not really a lot that I've got that I'm able/willing to get rid. As my best friend pointed out in advance of the Oakland-->New Orleans move, I am not a minimalist. And I'm ok with that right now. I don't give in, full tilt, to my urge to keep and catalog everything, but I also don't fool myself into thinking that I'll have, in any literal sense, only what I "need." But I also haven't had quite so much time to let the stacks of things accumulate between my last few moves, which probably helps as well. This time, a few books and DVDs, some old bedding, and a few pieces of clothing look to be all of the physical things that I'll get rid of on this move. And I've recycled a bunch of paper and made a list of follow-up and to-do items, mostly calls to be made to my insurance company, because god forbid they should get something right the first time and without making me fight for it. Ugh.<br />
<br />
But, there's <a href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/nother">a whole nother</a> world of virtual accumulation to deal with now—inboxes and folders and lists of links; things Pocket-ed, Pinterest-ed, or otherwise saved for later. Today, I've been going through some of those virtual things. This is, in some ways, much easier that the other kind of purging—there's no sentiment or nostalgia attached to the URLs and PDFs, and most of them are obviously disposable, being out-of-date in one way or another. But there have been a few things it was worth taking a few minutes to read. So far, I've reminded myself not to get so hung up on goal-reaching as the way to happiness (a chronic problem of mine); I've found a task-organizing program that I do actually want to give a test run (Todoist); and I'm making a playlist of new-to-me music to check out while fighting the neverending tendency towards entropy.<br />
<br />
Now, yes, I've also put off the document review I'll have to do before I sleep tonight, and the actual putting of things into boxes that will have to happen before I can move, but this is not wasted time for me. Some people run as a way to clear their heads. I impose order by organizing to accomplish the same.<br />
<br />
While deleting a bunch of things I no longer had any interest in or need for (so much easier than giving away clothes I don't wear anymore!), I found this little post hiding among the lifehacks and tips on everything imaginable. It doesn't have anything in it that I don't already know, but it's nice to be reminded to think of things like this. And, since I've been thinking of significantly scaling back my Facebook time, it's good to remember that there are other (and I might argue better, at least for me) ways to keep in touch.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
So in the spirit of National Long Distance Friendship Day (I made that up, but don't you have a friend you need to call?), here is a list of the tips, tricks and forgivable blunders that have allowed me to delight in a collection of real friends."across the country and internationally.</blockquote>
--from Louise Hung's "<a href="http://www.xojane.com/relationships/long-distance-friendships-how-i-make-them-work">Long Distance Friendships: 5 Louise-Approved Tips for Making Them Work</a>" (xoJane)<br />
<br />
<br />
Special shout-out to the friends who've made #5 happen when I couldn't. It's been fabulous to see you in New Orleans and New York, and I look forward to seeing you where you live when life allows. In the meantime, I'll see you on Skype and Google, and in New York again. I might even get my act together and call you someday soon.elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-36484222559922124912013-09-22T12:00:00.000-05:002013-09-22T12:16:51.516-05:00Autumn in New YorkFor a long time, I only knew <a href="https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/Public/07%20Autumn%20In%20New%20York.mp3?w=AAC5KzSOdNRxIlBnwG7LkeDrr0Kp30KhA2wMrlY7EeAhBw">Harry Connick, Jr.'s version of "Autumn in New York</a>," from the soundtrack to <i>When Harry Met Sally</i> (1989). It's jaunty, for lack of a better word -- the kind of song I play when I'm in a good mood, or when I want to be in a good mood. It might actually be the first NY song I ever loved, though I had absolutely zero dreams of living here, at the time. And every time I hear it, the playlist in my head segues directly into "I Could Write a Book."<br />
<br />
Perhaps because I had been so very attached to that soundtrack (I wore it out on my mom's portable cassette player, and eventually on my very own Walkman), it took me a while to warm up to the next version I heard.<br />
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<br />
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong (1957)<br />
<br />
It did, eventually, grow on me. If I'm in the mood for the more melancholy sound, though, I prefer Sarah Vaughan's version, from just a year earlier.<br />
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<br />
On the random, there's a bit of this version where the instrumentation reminds me of a James Bond theme.<br />
<br />
So, it really is Autumn in New York. I've been here for just shy of a week, but am already feeling immersed. My things arrived from California the day after I landed, so there was a scramble to find movers and transfer it all to a storage unit, which was, of course, more expensive than I'd budgeted for. But it was doable, so now it's done. And with that, I have—after 9 months—really, really left the bay area! I've also received word that my New Orleans stuff is (finally) en route to Brooklyn. No clue, yet, what I'll do with it all in the long run. Depending on what apartment I eventually find, it may all end up in storage, or maybe just sold. Either way, it'll feel good to have it all in one place.<br />
<br />
After a couple of days spent largely at U-Haul, I've now been able to start exploring and meeting/meeting up with people. I've mostly been in Prospect Heights—I'm crashing here, but it's also turned out that the people I've been meeting up with are in this area as well. Yesterday afternoon, I had brunch (lunch, really) with two ladies I hadn't seen since high school. We went to a Mexican restaurant called Taqueria des los Muertos (not the name I would have chosen). In the evening, I had dinner with a friend of a friend, who had been kind enough to invite me over. We talked until late, and I walked home, around the corner, in the rain. Today, I'll probably drop by and watch a movie with a former coworker from San Francisco, who has recently moved into an apartment right down the street from where I'm staying. It's strange, like acquaintances from far flung times and places have all converged in one place.<br />
<br />
So, now I'll start figuring out my place here. I expect to be a bit of a nomad for a while, which I'm beginning to get anxious about. I do think it's all going to work out, but I'll feel better when I know how!elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-77023526655366942982013-09-20T09:00:00.000-05:002013-09-20T09:00:04.522-05:00"NYC" and a little music triviaI've never seen the stage production of Annie. I've also never watched the entire 1999 film, but will need to rectify that sometime. Audra McDonald (Grace) is a boss. Victor Garber (<strike>Spy </strike>Daddy Warbucks) is a boss. If they weren't awesome enough, there's also Alan Cumming (Rooster), Kristin Chenoweth (Lily), and Kathy Bates (Miss Hannigan)!<br />
<br />
This number, NYC, isn't in the 1982 movie (which I watched A LOT as a little girl). Bonus points for the Andrea McArdle cameo.<br />
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True story: I thought McArdle was the original stage Annie, but looked it up to confirm. Turns out she wasn't—she replaced the original actress after a week of performances. The role was actually originated by a girl named Kristen Vigard. Funnily enough, I know that name, but only because my friend M. put a fantastic song by her on a mix.<br />
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<a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/92068000/Kristen%20Vigard%20-%20God%20Give%20Me%20Strength.mp3">Kristen Vigard - God Give Me Strength</a><br />
<br />
I later heard a cover of the song <a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/92068000/Audra%20McDonald%20-%20God%20Give%20Me%20Strength.m4a">by Audra McDonald</a> -- Annie full circle! I like both versions, though I tend to prefer Vigard's: I find hers more powerful, though McDonald's is more beautiful.<br />
<br />
Also true: I didn't know until tonight that "God Give Me Strength" was a Burt Bacharach tune (written with Elvis Costello for the film <i>Grace of My Heart</i>). It's not as obvious in the version I'm familiar with, but <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J4NZLCetJE">this earlier version</a> (featured in the film, though not on the soundtrack) is totally Bacharachian. And here's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up_7l8VRnhQ">Bacharach and Costello performing it on Letterman</a>, for good measure. I'm not enough of an Elvis Costello fan to appreciate that version, but it's still clear that it's a gorgeous song.elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-18373716612198222202013-09-16T12:00:00.000-05:002013-09-16T12:00:02.905-05:00"NO! SLEEP! TILL BROOKLYN!"<object height="360" width="480"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/07Y0cy-nvAg?hl=en_US&version=3"></param>
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<br />
"No Sleep Till Brooklyn" by Beastie Boys (<i>Licensed to Ill</i>, 1986)<br />
<br />
[Full disclosure: I intend to sleep before Brooklyn.]elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-80613109253878160412013-09-11T11:30:00.000-05:002013-09-11T11:30:02.667-05:00"The streets are paved with diamonds and there's just so much to see..."<object height="360" width="480"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/dSS_ty5o7x4?version=3&hl=en_US"></param>
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<br />
"New York City" by They Might Be Giants (<i>Factory Showroom, </i>1996)<br />
<br />
This was a new one to me -- thanks to A.S. for the recommendation. And I wonder, again, why I don't own more TMBG.elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-51616034230978574522013-09-04T12:00:00.000-05:002013-09-11T00:13:01.395-05:00"Rhapsody in Blue"I'm pretty sure I've read that Gershwin said this was about America, not just New York.<br />
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<br />
"Rhapsody in Blue" (1924)<br />
<br />
But I feel like Gershwin is enough to make it a New York song. Also? 2 of my favorite minutes of music (ever) are in this song. You know the part I mean. It felt awfully fast leading up to it, so I was glad that he slowed down.elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-86402774198129425802013-09-02T12:00:00.000-05:002013-09-11T00:13:01.408-05:00If I knew the tunes...<div>
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"Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" Elton John (<i>Honky Tonk Château, </i>1972)</div>
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True story: I was introduced to this song in the form of this cover.</div>
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Mandy Moore (<i>Coverage, </i>2003)</div>
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elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-2193289061084405542013-08-31T23:37:00.002-05:002013-09-11T00:13:01.380-05:00"Across 110th St."<object height="360" width="480"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/UOg_8hCC4u4?version=3&hl=en_US"></param>
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<br />
Bobby Womack (<i>Across 110th St. </i>[Soundtrack]<i>, </i>1972)<br />
<br />
I've never seen the movie, but the song is a classic. Someone recently suggested that I consider Harlem, which she says is gentrifying. I'll be sticking with Brooklyn (my job's over there anyway), but am curious whether she's right.elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-31663918643983781512013-08-25T11:48:00.001-05:002013-09-11T00:13:01.384-05:00"The 59th St. Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)"<object height="360" width="480"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/mWBvcJAXwu4?hl=en_US&version=3"></param>
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Simon and Garfunkel, <i>Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme </i>(1966)<br />
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A little love for Queens, as well.elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-704218745423497992013-08-21T22:20:00.003-05:002013-09-11T00:13:01.402-05:00"Empire State of Mind (Part 2) Broken Down"I had never heard this version until my brother played it for me, the night I got the job offer in Brooklyn. Out of the set, I'd say Alicia Keys' lyrics are the weakest, but the hook is still catchy, and I do love a slightly melancholy piano.<br />
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Alicia Keys, The Element of Freedom (2009)<br />
<br />
For some reason, it reminds of of an old-fashioned TV show theme. I mean that in a good way.elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-56869665088317967442013-08-21T00:11:00.000-05:002013-09-11T00:13:01.399-05:00"Empire State of Mind"I mean...you knew what the follow-up would be, right? I tried to resist this song when it came out. I failed.<br />
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Jay-Z, ft. Alicia Keys <i>The Blueprint 3 </i>(2009)elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-48121671027218808882013-08-20T00:05:00.000-05:002013-09-11T00:13:01.392-05:00New York state of mind<object height="360" width="480"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/UZh8YjbDiVk?hl=en_US&version=3"></param>
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Billy Joel, live at the BBC, 1978. Fun fact: this song was released into the world just a few months before I was.<br />
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So, what are your favorite songs about New York? Not sure yet if I'll be flying or driving, but a playlist seems in order.elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-28193596009548765832013-08-04T22:03:00.001-05:002013-08-04T22:03:29.989-05:00Crosspost: Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane<blockquote class="tr_bq">
My instinct was to write this review longhand, which probably won't mean much to you (except that I am old), but says something to me about the emotional space I was in after finishing the book. I took out my boarding pass, thinking I'd write on the back, not wanting to put it into my just-started professional notebook (it's teal, and has a fabric placeholder, and only has writing on one page -- a to-do list, most of which remains to be done). That was my instinct but, as it turned out, I'd left my pen in my backpack, which was safely stowed in the overhead compartment, and which I did not feel like retrieving just to get a pen. So, I "wrote" on my phone, in an app designed to look like a pad of yellow paper. I like the lines, but I miss the feeling of pen, and the imaginary lines on the imaginary page made me think of Lettie Hempstock saying that nothing is really what it looks like on the outside. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I read <em>The Ocean at the End of the Lane</em> in less than the time it takes to fly from New Orleans to New York. I started during takeoff and when I finished, and checked the map, it told me that we were somewhere over North Carolina. It was a quick read, and the story is fairly simple: a man returns to a place he once called home and he remembers a time when he was a boy, when he met a girl and lost his heart. But it's better than that, and not quite like that at all. It was, as the best books are, full of more than you think will possibly fit in its pages. It was A Story, in the way Isak Dinesen might have meant -- bigger and more true than you'd imagined at the start. It was not unlike Lettie Hempstock's ocean, even knowing that it really was an ocean. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
And now I'm not sure what to say about it, though I felt, immediately, like I wanted to say something. Hm. That seems like a problem for a book review. So, here's what I think you need to know to understand what I thought of the book, which is really the point of a review: I mostly didn't think about it and I consider that a good thing...</blockquote>
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Read more @ <i><a href="http://noshortageofopinions.wordpress.com/2013/08/04/491/">No Shortage of Opinions</a></i></div>
elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-51482998814773246402013-07-14T11:23:00.000-05:002013-07-14T11:58:51.638-05:00This is how it is.<span style="font-family: inherit;">[CROSSPOSTED AT <i><a href="http://noshortageofopinions.wordpress.com/2013/07/14/this-is-how-it-is/">No Shortage of Opinions</a></i>]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am tired, and I am angry. I am overwhelmed by the sense that nothing will stem the tides of violence against black bodies. I am afraid that no amount of hope or change or dialogue or legislation can undo centuries of dehumanization and disregard. I feel sad that the arc of history bends too slowly for so many. I feel powerless. But I do not feel surprised. The Zimmerman trial ended exactly the way I expected it to. I do not feel surprised, and that hollow feeling of "this is how it is"-ness really scares me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last night, I did something I'd avoided doing for almost a year and half: I allowed myself to see a picture of Trayvon Martin's dead body. It was attached to an article at Gawker, written by Adam Weinstein, entitled "This, Co</span>urtesty of MSNBC, is <span style="font-family: inherit;">Trayvon Martin's Dead Body. Get Angry"--I'm not linking because the article is easy to find, and the picture is right up at the top. I didn't really want to see the picture, but I felt like I needed to. I needed to remind myself in the most visceral way possible that this is how it is. Beneath the rhetoric and abstract arguments of the trial and the public discourse, this - this dead black boy - is how it is. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">George Zimmerman follows, threatens, and fatally shoots an unarmed young man. He walks free, because he was "standing his ground." Elsewhere in Florida, Marissa Alexander fires shots to scare off a man who admits to beating her: she is denied the right to "stand her ground," and is sentenced to 20 years in prison.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Things have changed in America, and often for the better. But things have also remained the same.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last night, I did something I haven't done in years: I cried because I was so angry that I couldn't express it any other way. I heard the verdict and it filled me with sadness and rage. I looked at the picture because I needed to let that out, and I knew that the reality of that image would give me permission to do so. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes crying is cleansing -- a way to expel negative feelings and make room for positive ones. I don't know what I made room for last night. I know that, when I stopped crying, I still felt full. When I started writing this, last night, I felt too full to collect my thoughts in any coherent fashion. (I'm still not sure how coherent this is, but believe me when I say that it's an improvement.) I gave up on trying to let this out and turned instead to taking things in. I let myself get lost in the </span>Facebook posts, Tweets, and text messages full of outrage and sadness and resignation<span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span>This sadness, this anger, is how it is. I found some comfort in knowing that I was not alone in those feelings, but it did little to help me<span style="font-family: inherit;"> settle my thoughts before bed. I thought I could do that by reading something frivolous, but what started out pleasantly escapist soon became too real. I was too full to handle themes of bullying, loneliness, and the emotional damage of being constantly told that you are less-than, so I gave up on that, and went back to my laptop, to see what I'd left open to read from the past few days. </span>As it happened, <span style="font-family: inherit;">I'd left open on my browser a transcript of Malala Yousafzai's address to the UN. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Malala, who was also shot by a coward who feared the threat that her existence posed to his narrow-minded beliefs, was speaking to the UN on the importance of education. It is worth noting, though, that she ties her focus on women's rights and girls' education to wider ideals of justice, and the lack thereof. "</span><a href="http://www.globaleducationfirst.org/2525.htm" style="line-height: 21px;">Poverty, ignorance, injustice, racism and the deprivation of basic rights are the main problems faced by both men and women</a>," Malala said. This is how it is. But Malala also reminded me that my initial sense of powerlessness and insurmountable sadness are not the final word.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
So here I stand...one girl among many. I speak – not for myself, but for all girls and boys. I raise up my voice – not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights: </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Their right to live in peace. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Their right to be treated with dignity. </blockquote>
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Their right to equality of opportunity. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Their right to be educated. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
--Malala Yousafzai</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday, I was filled to capacity with sadness and anger. This morning, watching the video of Malala's speech, </span>I was struck by her courage and her capacity for forgiveness. <span style="font-family: inherit;">I remember, today, that my hope, though certainly shakeable, is not yet uprooted. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tomorrow, or maybe the next day, I will again find some comfort in the knowledge that what was shared on Saturday night was not just the understanding that this is how it is, but also the conviction that this is not how it should be. I will, again, find some comfort in the hope that it will not always be this way -- that though some of us may be silenced, others will speak out in the face of injustice</span>.<br />
<br />
Malala believes that illiteracy, poverty, and terrorism of all kinds can be fought -- that our situations are not hopeless, and that we are not powerless. <span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope that I can learn from her example that this, also, is how it is.</span>elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-6294082509570464032013-06-21T21:54:00.000-05:002013-10-21T11:31:57.985-05:00Quick Thoughts on Entertainment and Critical Thought<blockquote class="tr_bq">
My geekery would probably be much easier for me if I didn’t think so much, but I also think that would just enable me to be passively part of the problem. And I’d like to be a part of the solution. If only to make it easier for me to enjoy the geekery.</blockquote>
Me, in response to Aamer Rahman's "<a href="http://artthreat.net/2013/06/game-of-thrones-and-racist-fantasy/">Game of Thrones and Racist Fantasy</a>." Read <a href="http://noshortageofopinions.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/quick-thoughts-on-entertainment-and-critical-thought/">the full post</a> over at <i>No Shortage of Opinions.</i>elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-15384078285928284532013-06-18T18:49:00.000-05:002013-06-18T18:49:14.317-05:00Man of Steel (***1/2)<div style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 0.825em;">
<b>CROSS-POSTED FROM <i>NO SHORTAGE OF OPINIONS</i></b></div>
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Catching up on "summer movie" reviews. Seems strange to feel like I'm playing catch-up here, since summer doesn't actually start until Friday…</div>
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Anyhow, I'm digging out the old movie rating system:</div>
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<em style="line-height: 1.7;"><b>5 *s</b> = "WOW!"</em><br style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><em style="line-height: 1.7;"><b>4 *s</b> = "Good."</em><br style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><em style="line-height: 1.7;"><b>3 *s</b> = "Stupid fun, decent, or at least not bad enough to get 2 *s."</em><br style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><em style="line-height: 1.7;"><b>2 *s</b> = "Bad, but not awful; or awful, but enjoyable either despite or because of that."</em><br style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><em style="line-height: 1.7;"><b>1 *</b> = "The best part was the end, because then it was over."</em><br style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /><em style="line-height: 1.7;"><b>no *s</b> = "*Deep, pain-filled sigh*...I will never get that [insert running time here] of my life back."</em></div>
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<br data-mce-bogus="1" style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7;" /></div>
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First up is the most recent one I've seen: <span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="font-style: inherit; line-height: 1.7; text-decoration: underline;">Man of Steel</span>. My prediction was: good action, mediocre plot, bad gender. So, how did it do?</div>
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Well, the action was good, sometimes. I think the story held together better than I expected. I liked the themes they chose to focus on (hope, use of power vs. restraint, and self-determination), though I don't think they did them as well as they could have. And, the gender stuff was less aggressively bad than I'd thought it would be. So, I have quibbles, but I think it was entertaining. It's definitely worth watching, if you're into the idea of a Superman movie (or a movie with Henry Cavill in it). It's especially worth it if you, like the gentleman I recently overheard at a coffee shop, "just want to see a big, loud movie, where Zod and Superman break some shit, and Superman eventually saves the day, and Lois Lane is a hottie."</div>
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But, therein lie the quibbles. (And, herein lie the spoilers.)</div>
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Read the rest at <i><a href="http://noshortageofopinions.wordpress.com/2013/06/18/man-of-steel-12/">No Shortage of Opinions</a>.</i></div>
elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-60248064988537839012013-05-14T13:21:00.003-05:002013-05-14T14:33:03.738-05:00Tropical Green Smoothie<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSmY6F8VT4RpCQo7D4WljDSkn6bcEtC2UCzMVQXJO3RtH7sTzOJdpjU-uxm5Mp9vL659lUtTv3qdrHHjhgQaG_xxhfE9bjrV50izdAjmRiNOXI2txXdOEwrtyl1DR5s850Wucf7pK4v0R-/s1600/IMG_3301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSmY6F8VT4RpCQo7D4WljDSkn6bcEtC2UCzMVQXJO3RtH7sTzOJdpjU-uxm5Mp9vL659lUtTv3qdrHHjhgQaG_xxhfE9bjrV50izdAjmRiNOXI2txXdOEwrtyl1DR5s850Wucf7pK4v0R-/s320/IMG_3301.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tropical Green Smoothie</td></tr>
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Mangoes were on sale, so I figured it was a good time to change up my smoothie routine.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mAyysIFj3qzmlJ-Ejs2PITndNjNFnInmM0NSdybtJ9dScdZw-ANyUJvPl2WkO2KU3w4oy4YxcTWrBJ2x9Rk6AbTa_ZMN6hxEIFppNSy1w88Ev6hHcxfQRtWPzkRywDmvo8m938o0nIBG/s1600/IMG_3284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mAyysIFj3qzmlJ-Ejs2PITndNjNFnInmM0NSdybtJ9dScdZw-ANyUJvPl2WkO2KU3w4oy4YxcTWrBJ2x9Rk6AbTa_ZMN6hxEIFppNSy1w88Ev6hHcxfQRtWPzkRywDmvo8m938o0nIBG/s320/IMG_3284.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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1 mango</div>
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1 banana</div>
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1 small green apple</div>
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1 kiwi fruit</div>
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1/2 of a pear</div>
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options:<br />
1 orange (peel a remove most of the pith, pull apart into 3 or four chunks)<br />
or juice of a large orange<br />
or 1/2 cup water<br />
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Blend, blend, blend, on whatever speed your blender likes for making a smoothie. If the fruit is fresh, I squish and stir, using less liquid; if it's frozen, I add liquid to get the blender going. It should end up looking something like this: </div>
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No doubt, <span style="text-align: left;">this would already have been a delicious fruit smoothie. But, I'm doing a green smoothie thing right now, and this is more of a lovely orange color. </span><span style="text-align: left;">Not to worry!</span></div>
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3-ish handfuls of leafy green stuff -- I do a mix of kale and spinach, and change up the ratio to suit my mood.</div>
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Blend some more. If I've been working with fresh fruit, I'll also blend in some ice cubes. If most of the fruit has been frozen, I don't usually need ice.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzLlRHnmv1juq0QfZK6vYx1HDzw2xlUbmaZOiqiGMHqWXffIM2aapfTqgvwSefRBnY2UVyZ8GoDlulRA_nM7o4AtYrVqXC5m0eGMZFHPPAZTiaL-EJ1plkKJO9DsftN6YWmZOnXpMxSSb/s1600/IMG_3299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzLlRHnmv1juq0QfZK6vYx1HDzw2xlUbmaZOiqiGMHqWXffIM2aapfTqgvwSefRBnY2UVyZ8GoDlulRA_nM7o4AtYrVqXC5m0eGMZFHPPAZTiaL-EJ1plkKJO9DsftN6YWmZOnXpMxSSb/s320/IMG_3299.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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Now, drink up! I don't really do exact measurements, but I usually get enough for a big (32oz-ish) smoothie.</div>
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elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-83809116056679556372013-04-24T11:12:00.000-05:002013-04-24T11:12:21.605-05:00Here Comes the Rain AgainWorking on a weather-inspired mix. Here's the first track that came to mind:<br />
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Any suggestions for good "rain" songs? Leave links to videos in the comments, if you can!elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-16505952150438597992013-04-21T00:30:00.000-05:002018-04-23T23:03:08.414-05:00Dick move, Hansen. Dick move.On Monday, when just about everything got overshadowed by the terrible events in Boston, New Hampshire political blogger "Susan the Bruce" wrote of an email sent to the NH House's internal email list (back on April 1) by Representative Peter Hansen. In this message, Hansen seems to have referred to women as "vagina's [sic]." Here's what Hansen wrote:<br />
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The Representative from Manchester [Rep. Steve Vallaincourt] blogged today his full speech from the well at last weeks vote on HB 135. </blockquote>
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There were two critical ingredients missing in the illustrious stories purporting to demonstrate the practical side of retreat. Not that retreat may not be possible mind you. What could possibly be missing from those factual tales of successful retreat in VT, Germany, and the bowels of Amsterdam? Why children and vagina's <i>[sic] </i>of course. While the tales relate the actions of a solitary male the outcome cannot relate to similar situations where children and women and mothers are the potential victims. The presence of one or both ingredients demands that a potential totally different outcome might have prevailed and that is the factor which I believe was dismissed in the HB 135 debate and vote. </blockquote>
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Rep. Peter T. Hansen<br />
Hills. District 22 Amherst<br />
ED&A Committee</blockquote>
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--quoted from "<a href="http://susanthebruce.blogspot.com/2013/04/vaginas-and-children-first.html?spref=tw&m=1">Vagina's and Children First!</a>" by Susan the Bruce </blockquote>
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"Children and vagina's <i>[sic]</i>"? Leaving aside all of the obvious grammar and spelling issues...ok, I can't. If you're going to say something ridiculous like this, can you at least not confuse the possessive with the plural? As written, the sentence is nonsensical, which leaves the reader to figure out the meaning through context clues. He seems to be trying to say that his colleague's argument left some things out. What were those things? Those things were children and...vaginas (the plural of vagina, which must have been what he meant)? What a strange time to be talking about genitalia. Oh, wait -- children and women and mothers -- that makes more sense. Sort of. I'm pretty sure that mothers are women, but ok. So, then -- wait, are we to understand, as it appears, that children : children as vaginas : women and mothers?<br />
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/16/peter-hansen-new-hampshire-vaginas_n_3095135.html">The story</a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/16/peter-hansen-new-hampshire-vaginas_n_3095135.html"> was also picked up by HuffPo Politics</a>, with both articles discussing the response made by fellow representative Rick Watrous, who asked what any reasonable human being should ask: "Are you really using 'vaginas' as a crude catch-all for women? Really?" He went on to suggest that Hansen think before sending out "such offensive language." Now, I take Watrous' meaning to be that language that conflates "women" with "vaginas" is offensive, and that Hansen should not have sent the language that conveyed that offensive conflation out to the whole office, as it were. Hansen seems to have read it differently:<br />
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/16/peter-hansen-new-hampshire-vaginas_n_3095135.html">"Having a fairly well educated mind I do not need self appointed wardens to A: try to put words in my mouth for political gain and B: Turn a well founded strategy in communication into an insulting accusation, and finally if you find the noun vagina insulting or in some way offensive then perhaps a better exercise might be for you to re-examine your psyche," Hansen wrote.</a></blockquote>
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Notice anything strange? Watrous asks if Hansen really (really?!) intends to use "vaginas" as a synonym for "women," and says, I think (I hope) that language that does so is offensive. Hansen responds that his word choice -- the noun vagina -- should not be offensive. But he in no way addresses the more substantive issue, which is what he means by using the noun "vagina" in a place where he should be using the noun "women." Even allowing for the ambiguity of Watrous' last sentence, it seems disingenuous to focus there, instead of on the very clear and substantive criticism he leads with. Because Hansen is right -- the word "vagina" should not be seen as inherently offensive. But that doesn't really seem to be what Watrous is saying. Perhaps the response of NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire was more clear:<br />
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"<a href="http://www.prochoicenh.org/media/press/20130416.shtml">Women are more than their reproductive organs. ...We deserve more than being referenced by our body parts.</a>"<br />
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<br />Hansen seemed to say in his first responses to criticism that that isn't what he meant to do, but it's difficult to get any other meaning from his statement, and he didn't bother to provide a clarification. By Wednesday, Hansen had issued an apology. As quoted in <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/17/new-hampshire-vaginas-apology_n_3101755.html">HuffPo Politic's follow-up article</a>:.<div>
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"I want to apologize to my constituents, my colleagues and women, especially those in my life, for the blatantly offensive, insensitive and, frankly, stupid language I used in my email with House members regarding the Stand Your Ground legislation," Hansen wrote in an emailed statement. </blockquote>
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"I am embarrassed, to say the least. There is no place or need in the public discourse for the words I used. The people and the process deserve better than that."</blockquote>
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<br />Notice anything strange, here? Perhaps the problem is that Hansen needs to work on being more clear in what he says, so that he can be sure he's saying what he actually means. Because I can't tell if he's actually gotten the point -- if he realizes that his particular use of the word "vagina," not the word, itself, is the issue. It sounds like he's apologizing for his word choice, not for the thinking behind it. But is the problem really that "there is no place or need in the public discourse" for the word "vagina"? Because I thought that the problem was that there is no place or need in the public discourse to use the word "vagina" in a demeaning way -- as a substitute for the word "women," seemingly suggesting that women are reducible to their vaginas. Using the word "vagina" is not a problem if you are, in fact, talking about women's genitalia and have some good reason to be doing so. See, right now, I'm talking about using a specific body part -- the vagina, as opposed to, say, the leg, or the kneecap -- to refer to women in general. I'm saying that using the specific word for female genitalia to refer to women in general is misogynist, making it a particularly offensive use of synecdoche. I'm also saying that using offensive, sexist language in a professional e-mail is classless and at least a little bit dumb. But those things aren't true because there's something wrong with the word "vagina." Calling women "vaginas" is sexist, offensive, classless, and dumb because women *have* vaginas, as opposed to *being* them. So I am using a perfectly acceptable word in a perfectly acceptable way, while talking about that perfectly acceptable word being used in an unacceptable way. If I were to collectively refer to all of the men in NH's House of Representatives as "penises," that would also be using a perfectly acceptable word in an unacceptable way. I hope we can all agree on that.</div>
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<br />Now, if I were to say something like: "Peter Hansen is probably a sexist asshole; he is certainly an ignorant dick who misuses apostrophes," we might reasonably disagree on the use of synecdoche as slang and the appropriateness of being inappropriate in casual conversation.</div>
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elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-54146609844649841642013-04-10T13:35:00.001-05:002013-04-10T13:51:10.864-05:00Fug Madness 2013: The Final FugWell, as we know, <a href="http://cdn03.cdn.gofugyourself.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/88440PCN_Kat10.jpg">Kat Graham</a> -- 2nd seed in the Cher bracket and <a href="http://cdn03.cdn.gofugyourself.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/89490PCN_Kat08.jpg">my pick</a> <a href="http://cdn03.cdn.gofugyourself.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/161127902.jpg">to win it all</a> -- went out in round 2. Let's take a moment to remember:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg32N7TEZoU6BCX78ANUDCDg28HZSasYt6-Lb3R6M9_S-hOaa5f2WNuQ37MqFDA8f9hAdVpyo1dFCMGiJLAc5YjcxeOCrRP797GDMe_GQp-DihvLmtRc-qk5fElnMQ5zVVLKrTSlfzTpayg/s1600/21st-annual-elton-john-aids-foundations-oscar-viewing-party-arrivals-35-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg32N7TEZoU6BCX78ANUDCDg28HZSasYt6-Lb3R6M9_S-hOaa5f2WNuQ37MqFDA8f9hAdVpyo1dFCMGiJLAc5YjcxeOCrRP797GDMe_GQp-DihvLmtRc-qk5fElnMQ5zVVLKrTSlfzTpayg/s320/21st-annual-elton-john-aids-foundations-oscar-viewing-party-arrivals-35-2.jpeg" width="196" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-elite-eight-madonna-bracket-04-2013/stew12">Kristen Stewart</a> (top seed from the Madonna bracket), <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-elite-eight-madonna-bracket-04-2013/stew3">for whom I'd also had high hopes</a>, fared a bit better, making it through to the Elite Eight before falling to second seed <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-elite-eight-madonna-bracket-04-2013/kk6">Kim Kardashian</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've been waiting, since the beginning of the tournament, to post this picture.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-the-final-game-04-2013/kk11-3">Kardashian</a> made it all the way to the final, where she faced off against <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-the-final-game-04-2013/bratty-bieber-justin-bieber-and-girlfriend-selena-gomez-return-to-biebers-customized-mercedes-benz-van-after-a-romantic-movie-date-in-la">Justin Bieber</a> (I'd predicted a Graham vs. Bieber final, so I got half of it right), top seed from the Bjork bracket. <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fuggy-fuggy-fuggy-fuuuuuug-03-2013/justin-bieber-makes-an-interesting-fashion-statement-4">You know</a> <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fuggy-fuggy-fuggy-fuuuuuug-03-2013/justin-bieber-makes-an-interesting-fashion-statement">how I voted.</a> But whose fug prevailed? Do yourself a favor and watch the montage.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">ONE FUGGING MOMENT (2013)</span><br />
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VICTORY! Let this be a lesson <a href="http://instagram.com/p/W17S_rgvqb/">to all the unbeliebers out there</a>.<br />
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If you just believe in yourself, and make sure your pants have enough extra room in the crotch to hold your belief and your dreams, there's no end to <strike>how ridiculous those pants will look</strike> I mean <strike>how much you can achieve</strike> no, really, I mean how ridiculous those pants will look.elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-2416693186465993532013-04-05T16:27:00.000-05:002013-04-08T14:52:27.705-05:00Game of Thrones, season 3: Death WatchPajiba friend Brandon Johnson will be doing a weekly <a href="http://www.pajiba.com/comment_diversions/the-game-of-thrones-death-watch-episode-31.php">"Game of Thrones" (TV) Death Watch</a>.<br />
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Editor’s Note: We will be running the Death Watch each Friday, courtesy of our buddy Brandon. Two things to keep in mind: 1) There WILL be spoilers of any and all past episodes. 2) Do NOT spoil any future events. At all. This is a zero tolerance policy, much like the reviews. Any comment with any spoiler gets deleted. Other than that, please enjoy our most awesome new weekly edition of “Game Of Thrones” Death Watch.<br />
—TK, Pajiba</blockquote>
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I like the idea, and have been having a similar conversation with my brother. Working only from the TV episodes through 3.1 (we haven't read the books), we agreed, before the start of the season, that Tywin is in imminent danger of shuffling off this mortal coil. He's competent, which makes him a threat to others; he's influential, which makes him a threat to others; his death would cause all sorts of trouble, which makes killing him a good narrative choice; and he's a Lannister, which makes him a likely target for Lannisters and non-Lannisters alike.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's not happy about it, but he knows I'm probably right.</td></tr>
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We also agreed that Shae is *decidedly* unsafe. As is Jorah Mormont.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dude, you know what you did.</td></tr>
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Speaking of being unsafe...as I've said to my brother, I believe that there are just too many Starks running around. In keeping with that, I think Rickon should have a higher death-ranking than Sansa. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.homeofthenutty.com/gameofthrones/screencaps/displayimage.php?album=22&pid=81014#top_display_media">Sorry, kid.</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSKu9S8VOU5ISEfH89dOz3SvkTRaBXmqervLImzER3k1HqFMkWojfySfgh_cy2BEfbuAhm713o8nTjvABAUcfyvxcuXdbsXeV4i1m8pNcDHg63qf__fSnltypEadbtAw0ENLXNhT4c7iq/s1600/210GoT0162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSKu9S8VOU5ISEfH89dOz3SvkTRaBXmqervLImzER3k1HqFMkWojfySfgh_cy2BEfbuAhm713o8nTjvABAUcfyvxcuXdbsXeV4i1m8pNcDHg63qf__fSnltypEadbtAw0ENLXNhT4c7iq/s320/210GoT0162.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't look so pleased. I think his ranking should be higher, but I don't think yours should be any lower.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hers is probably just about right at a 4, but I'd bump his up to 6ish, given his lack of development, so far.<br />
<br />
I also include the family direwolves in the Stark head count, and would put Grey Wind's odds of biting it higher than Ghost's right now -- they're both in highly perilous circumstances, but I feel like Ghost is not yet done saving Jon Snow's ass.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXwGMP4GvcfJaGoex31D6pNpCePZAdJ3AQeD0wiCahG4Wbz-DI5MUePIowr6LA7PHwLONfMipRJp7_xXBQ354inDaLRNUKSplw8Jv-5gzzr6xscppp0_UMXxfYWPf5ygwz6pT425XxEwa/s1600/tumblr_m4p4ojqGc11rn8ih8o1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXwGMP4GvcfJaGoex31D6pNpCePZAdJ3AQeD0wiCahG4Wbz-DI5MUePIowr6LA7PHwLONfMipRJp7_xXBQ354inDaLRNUKSplw8Jv-5gzzr6xscppp0_UMXxfYWPf5ygwz6pT425XxEwa/s320/tumblr_m4p4ojqGc11rn8ih8o1_500.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know, Robb. Take it as a compliment, though. Despite the fact that you're at war, I honestly think your direwolf is less necessary for your survival than your brother's is for his.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://fyeahrobbstarkandjonsnow.tumblr.com/post/7363732934"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdDv_Q0oFNM3lgcJFUwYZe-DTUuNOy9UvC4kCl8amNT-Bzt85j4vBW-pp37QF-MpTVc-1-0JmyLRLK-omCmxr6ZGZdZVV_hUoHPhqrW08P6XaPuT0BbD23CdBzFXx0qdPfc1zRuuc2yKL/s320/tumblr_lnzmnyiFAL1qkdq48o1_500_large.png" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://fyeahrobbstarkandjonsnow.tumblr.com/post/7363732934">Don't look so hurt, Jon. You know I'm right.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'd put Ghost at a 2, Grey Wind at a 4 or 5. But, given <a href="http://inmediasrant.blogspot.com/2013/04/fug-madness-2013-final-four.html">how poorly I'm doing at predicting Fug Madness</a>, that probably means they're both more like an 8.<br />
<br />
<br />
I also link Samwell Tarly's ranking to Jon Snow's, which puts him at the relatively safe end of the impending death spectrum, for the moment.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3u6Mn4djmSHoMSi-NweNDWYJ5obS9Gy4XXr2tza2TrufxCn_nesXpXGbbpFHkaT7gtXUw3EsYsNm3sdwuZB1dlG9ecUi3Y09FvmR9I3plYXKuc289JJNTahyCqzpqQlV1eNn5ZA3YCvu/s1600/202GoT0289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3u6Mn4djmSHoMSi-NweNDWYJ5obS9Gy4XXr2tza2TrufxCn_nesXpXGbbpFHkaT7gtXUw3EsYsNm3sdwuZB1dlG9ecUi3Y09FvmR9I3plYXKuc289JJNTahyCqzpqQlV1eNn5ZA3YCvu/s320/202GoT0289.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Really?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Having somehow escaped death in the season cliffhanger, I don't think he'll get offed until Snow is there to witness/be traumatized by/be either powerless to prevent or somehow responsible for his death, because that's how much Snow's life sucks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMSSOK-vbZOh8psObporCM3K5vgZHrqo6GWbKj2SDENZzWJiZBu90mxwX3mNZ3SywwX5EgnxgiXi9vz0ibSIN1H6XZImlP3ZSFLCgeDlHjkgGEwwg2q1r-LHXBem_noLeB2M2EEm5T7M2/s1600/202GoT0285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMSSOK-vbZOh8psObporCM3K5vgZHrqo6GWbKj2SDENZzWJiZBu90mxwX3mNZ3SywwX5EgnxgiXi9vz0ibSIN1H6XZImlP3ZSFLCgeDlHjkgGEwwg2q1r-LHXBem_noLeB2M2EEm5T7M2/s320/202GoT0285.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
I think Ygritte is safe, for now, and for similar reasons: she's also not going to get killed before she can help complicate Jon's life a bit more.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7f0db0bMKkKPqYT0zgo3Xb5lPrTFoLBGKSfet2vOvi46XY5kyd-6cGotu47gEBHvhIMclxdX7WlZlAZG_FXSdQpq4xkKal8cOgXQ4-oirqcjbQOGK6LFwXqCG9aIJtzUXNqzBrtACqz3/s1600/got0301-0220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7f0db0bMKkKPqYT0zgo3Xb5lPrTFoLBGKSfet2vOvi46XY5kyd-6cGotu47gEBHvhIMclxdX7WlZlAZG_FXSdQpq4xkKal8cOgXQ4-oirqcjbQOGK6LFwXqCG9aIJtzUXNqzBrtACqz3/s320/got0301-0220.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't look so worried, Snow. I'm sure the Night's Watch will understand. I mean, it's not like you...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcQhdm4W_0IC_WmhMJPI96LppUKrQEE2sh567vy0sef0hua8EKBqbtCCdCiFLOxPUCkrRhrvFJoIO2rxsUDO2jGyhwP9hSr2LtHMzp-006N4PEaZXvYiqkyqDXiFiMgsatOxkShz-2xjS/s1600/got0203-720p-0060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcQhdm4W_0IC_WmhMJPI96LppUKrQEE2sh567vy0sef0hua8EKBqbtCCdCiFLOxPUCkrRhrvFJoIO2rxsUDO2jGyhwP9hSr2LtHMzp-006N4PEaZXvYiqkyqDXiFiMgsatOxkShz-2xjS/s320/got0203-720p-0060.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ok, um...but she would never--</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPwIzaiKWaGPlFDLwPY9RPtYxX7o0n8aHafygMxUrWHvJTaUtotn7N_Wrsp41OWlapamWNV2KKZPoYLjNvvf-Rr446r60kloadL-e16s0EtsfeLoUZSVjPEXGHHbgTgW2yRCHr0ESVIoJ/s1600/got0301-0318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPwIzaiKWaGPlFDLwPY9RPtYxX7o0n8aHafygMxUrWHvJTaUtotn7N_Wrsp41OWlapamWNV2KKZPoYLjNvvf-Rr446r60kloadL-e16s0EtsfeLoUZSVjPEXGHHbgTgW2yRCHr0ESVIoJ/s320/got0301-0318.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, OK. But you already knew you were screwed, right?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRTNonkIxZAkfbIhS7diDputEcMTixue2BuyfPJnSN3VBIWHzZDDPIXbnb17ni7-haoXuZCwoj6j3ciSj9ZraoPKvr67Cda1rlgCiSBFAxjds07SyO2px0zr_kJkxbh5jBQqES8pIrUPRH/s1600/cripple12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRTNonkIxZAkfbIhS7diDputEcMTixue2BuyfPJnSN3VBIWHzZDDPIXbnb17ni7-haoXuZCwoj6j3ciSj9ZraoPKvr67Cda1rlgCiSBFAxjds07SyO2px0zr_kJkxbh5jBQqES8pIrUPRH/s1600/cripple12.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Tyrion sees what I did there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
Robb's lady, on the other hand, is a goner. I don't know that she's likely to go in the next few episodes, but she's *definitely* on my most-likely-to-go list, so we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.</div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRTNonkIxZAkfbIhS7diDputEcMTixue2BuyfPJnSN3VBIWHzZDDPIXbnb17ni7-haoXuZCwoj6j3ciSj9ZraoPKvr67Cda1rlgCiSBFAxjds07SyO2px0zr_kJkxbh5jBQqES8pIrUPRH/s1600/cripple12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRTNonkIxZAkfbIhS7diDputEcMTixue2BuyfPJnSN3VBIWHzZDDPIXbnb17ni7-haoXuZCwoj6j3ciSj9ZraoPKvr67Cda1rlgCiSBFAxjds07SyO2px0zr_kJkxbh5jBQqES8pIrUPRH/s1600/cripple12.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There, too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What do you think -- who's most likely to get axed? Or stabbed, or defenestrated, or poisoned, or set on fire, or...<br />
<br />
And remember -- no spoilers from the books (or the interwebs)!</div>
</div>
</div>
elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-90248516513495498622013-04-05T12:00:00.000-05:002013-04-05T12:00:01.642-05:00Fug Madness 2013, Final Four<b>CHER BRACKET vs. MADONNA BRACKET</b><br />
<b>Rita Ora (1) vs. Kim Kardashian (2)</b><br />
*<a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-the-final-four-cher-vs-madonna-brackets-04-2013/rita-ora-celebrates-her-number-1-song-how-we-do12">Sigh</a>.* <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-the-final-four-cher-vs-madonna-brackets-04-2013/rita-ora-shows-off-her-3rd-outfit-of-the-day-in-london-3">Rita</a>, <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-the-final-four-cher-vs-madonna-brackets-04-2013/83030pcn_ora03-419x7181">we</a> <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-the-final-four-cher-vs-madonna-brackets-04-2013/rita-fugra-2-02-2013111">hardly</a> <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-the-final-four-cher-vs-madonna-brackets-04-2013/mtv-emas-2012-red-carpet-arrivals-31">knew</a> <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-the-final-four-cher-vs-madonna-brackets-04-2013/spl426488_011-419x6851">ye</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>BJORK BRACKET vs. CHARO BRACKET</b><br />
<b>Justin Bieber (1) vs. Rihanna (1)</b><br />
<a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-final-four-game-two-bjork-bracket-vs-charo-bracket-04-2013/bieb-2">BJORK</a>! <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-final-four-game-two-bjork-bracket-vs-charo-bracket-04-2013/bieb8-2">BJORK</a>! <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-final-four-game-two-bjork-bracket-vs-charo-bracket-04-2013/bieb6-2">BJORK</a>! <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-final-four-game-two-bjork-bracket-vs-charo-bracket-04-2013/bieb10-2">BJORK</a>! <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-final-four-game-two-bjork-bracket-vs-charo-bracket-04-2013/bieb7-2">BJORK</a>! <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-final-four-game-two-bjork-bracket-vs-charo-bracket-04-2013/bieb11-2">BJORK</a>! <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-final-four-game-two-bjork-bracket-vs-charo-bracket-04-2013/bieb3">BJORK</a>!<br />
<br />elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-400498511710662623.post-40891300075588874602013-04-02T23:53:00.002-05:002013-04-02T23:54:08.568-05:00Fug Madness, 2013: Elite EightAfter somehow forgetting to vote yesterday, I was able to get my votes in this morning, just under the wire, for the first matchups of the Elite Eight. In the <b><u>CHER BRACKET</u></b>, I voted for <b>Rita Ora (1)</b>, largely because I'm holding it against <b>Zosia Mamet (10)</b> that she knocked <b>K. Graham (4eva)</b> out. <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-elite-eight-cher-bracket-04-2013/mtv-emas-2012-show-7-3">But also because this</a>.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Meanwhile, in the <u style="font-weight: bold;">CHARO BRACKET</u>, I think J. is right -- <b>Heidi Klum (2)</b> seems to be rocking a very specific fug and, if it really were a <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-elite-eight-charo-bracket-04-2013/klum2-2">Boobs Legsly-off</a> (SPLINTER TOURNAMENT!), she'd get my vote. But, on a pure fug-off, I'm giving this one to <b>Rihanna (1)</b>, <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-elite-eight-charo-bracket-04-2013/riri1-2">because no</a>.<br />
<br />
Later on, in the <b><u>BJORK BRACKET</u></b>, I'm hoping <b><a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-elite-eight-bjork-bracket-04-2013/bieb7">Justin Bieber (10)</a></b> can keep me from ever having to see <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-elite-eight-bjork-bracket-04-2013/ll4">this picture</a> of <b>Lindsay Lohan (6)</b> again. And, in the <b><u>MADONNA BRACKET</u></b>, <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-elite-eight-madonna-bracket-04-2013/stew2">Come ON, Fug Nation</a> -- <b>KStew (1)</b> should <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-elite-eight-madonna-bracket-04-2013/stew9">TOTALLY BE WINNING</a> against <b>KKard (2)</b>! <a href="http://gofugyourself.com/fug-madness-2013-elite-eight-madonna-bracket-04-2013/stew4">UGGGGH</a>!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sigh. At least The Bieb is still going strong.</div>
</div>
elisamaza76http://www.blogger.com/profile/00391901675763660772noreply@blogger.com0