2004-06-29 at 11:52 p.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
Various Unrelated Things to Say:
#1: I'm not surprised that the Liberals are still in power. However, I am surprised that the Conservatives got only 99 seats considering the polling pre-election which looked as if the Conservatives were closer than 36 seats to the Liberals. I am also surprised that the NDPs only got 19 seats, because when I checked at 1:30 AM they had 24. I was hoping for at least 20 seats for the NDPs, but I suppose that is okay. Another surprise was the number of seats that the Bloc got: 54. Apparently, the highest in a few years. I hope they aren't going for another referendum, because...well...I like Quebec (except for crazy drivers...see Ratboy for further evidence on that). Anyway, I am happy that Harper, the freak, did not get in and glad that the Liberals have 36 more seats than those freaks. Anyway...
#2: I am reading The Shore of Women by Pamela Sargent, which I am happy to say will be released again in print this year on my birthday: Nov 28. Excellent book. Somewhat like Sheri S. Tepper's The Gate to Women's Country, but a tad bit different as it is a lesbian society and there is no direct contact with the men for breeding. Definitely has a different "feminism" to it. Read both and you can see how different they are. I place them in the category of "problematic Utopia." They follow closely with the tradition of Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman written many many years before Tepper and Sargent were even born. Tepper and Sargent are a little less optimistic about the Utopic qualities of the world. It is interesting how they both blame men for "propensity toward violence" and for the "destruction of Mother Earth." Very similar novels, but different Feminist ideas behind them. Tepper's is a bit more conservative seeing as how she claims homosexuality as aberrant and breeds it out of her characters. Sargent embraces it for both sexes. Anyway, the book is getting me rather excited for my Master's Thesis. :)
#3: Just saw Tom Hanks' new movie: The Terminal. Excellent movie. Go see it.
#4: July 5th I take some of my things to Wolfville for moving in. I'm really excited. I bought dishes! I have a long list of things I need for the place. Iron, ironing board, shower curtain, couch, tv with dvd player (she dreams....), kitchen table, chairs, etc. I, however, have to wait for the horrible verdict from the evil student loan people. So, while I sit and wait for that...I'm not sure whether to buy the stuff now... I hate waiting...I feel like Tom Hanks' character, Victor, in The Terminal.
#5: Death to all pop-ups! Join me in the revolution. I have to strip my hard-drive because I have all this spy-ware crap on it and now an excess of pop-ups telling me I am the winner have been popping up. Also, one where it tells me to join some dating service for a hot date...but that one looks oddly like porn...
#6: I just finished taking pictures of my dollhouse and then packing up the furniture and accesories carefully. When I get the pictures developed (wish I had a digital camera...), then I will post them up here or have a link to them. I renovated the dollhouse a couple years ago so I will put up the pictures of it before and the pictures of it after. I had an accident while taking my dollhouse back to my room. Sadly, the garden gate fell off....
*sobbing uncontrollably....
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-06-19 at 10:00 p.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
I've just returned from seeing Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
***Spoiler Alert***
All in all it was a rather good movie. My sister enjoyed it as a fan of the movies. However, as a fan of the books primarily, I have to say that it was rather disappointing at various points, which is not to say I did not like the movie. As a movie, the cinematography was excellent. I was very impressed how the new director, Alfonso Cuaron, expanded on the wizard world. I got more of a look at the grounds of Hogwarts whereas in the previous two movies Hogwarts was rather small in terms of what we saw. I enjoyed the season changes in this movie which focused upon the Whomping Willow's reactions to the season changes: shaking the leaves off with the fall, shaking the snow off with spring. The very first part with the Knight Bus was so well done that I honestly felt they had taken that out of my head. Even the soundtrack during that part was fabulous for the "craziness" of the Knight Bus. It wasn't until near the end of the film that I was disappointed. Overall what they left out was not entirely necessary. However, the major separation from the book, which to me seems like a really huge oversight, is the exclusion of Crookshanks' part in the end. Crookshanks is Hermione's crazy orange cat. Harry was supposed to have seen the cat with the dog that Harry came to call "the Grim." Because of this, Harry was on Ron's side believing Crookshanks to be evil. At the end, Crookshanks helps Sirius in dog-form and stops the Whomping Willow by pressing a knot on the tree. None of this happened in the movie. I am not entirely sure why this bothers me. However, it does. Crookshanks was supposed to be a hero. He was supposed to know what Scabbers really was and to help Sirius Black. It's rather disappointing and silly that he wasn't in the film. I think it's a rather large exclusion, because Crookshanks becomes, for Ron, a hero. Ron no longer hates Crookshanks. Cats could have been worshiped!
But there was the exclusion of two other parts which would have made up for the fact that Crookshanks doesn't get to be a hero:
#1: Sirius was to give Harry the firebolt at the beginning of the year after his Nimbus2000 had been destroyed. McGonagall took the broom away. Harry got it back later and was supposed to have won the Quidditch Cup. Even if the broom wasn't given until Harry knew Sirius, they could have added in the Quidditch part.
#2: The funniest and most satisfying part in the book is that Harry got to tell the Dursleys off at the end and say that his Godfather was a escapee from prison and if the Dursleys hurt Harry then well...Sirius would hear of it. Also, Harry got his permission slip for Hogsmead signed.
In spite of all this, the movie was excellent. I enjoyed it very much. I think perhaps in terms of the scope of the wizard world we saw it was my favourite film so far. Especially Emma Thompson's part as the flakey Prof. Trewlany, which was hilarious. However, in terms of book to movie traslation, the first movie was the best at this because it rarely diverted from the original story-line. I think the main reason the movies are departing from the story is because the books get longer and more complicated as they go along. I hope, nay pray, that they are able to do the fourth book justice.
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-06-19 at 10:59 a.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
The last week has certainly been a weird week in my household. I live with my sister, her husband, my sister's son and daughter, my mom, my dad, and my cat. My sister's son has steadily been getting worse with behavior problems over the year. In general, my nephew is a good kid except that he has this thing where he doesn't see the separation between adult and child. I know the reason for this. His father (not my sister's husband) is a child and so my nephew treats him as such. This does not go well for our side of things. My nephew goes to his father's and gets whatever he wants and then comes home to rules. As a result, my nephew places his father on a pedestal and doesn't recognize his mother's part in all this. Lately it has been getting worse, because my nephew is supposedly going to visit his father soon. We haven't been given plane times or informed of this at all. It all came to heads yesterday when my nephew told his babysitter off. My whole family knows of his behavior problems when he goes to his father's. Our summer, the child's summer, is completely disrupted because of his visit and as a result my nephew does not get to be a real kid and go to soccer, play with his real friends (not adults), and breath fresh air (not play video games). My sister is fed up. She's tired of watching her son's decline, tired of tip-toeing around the topic of his father (who is not a good man and has treated my sister and her son like crap) and tired of treating her son with sensitivity, because none of it is working. His grades are slipping, his behavior is worse and yet his father still sits on the pedestal. We've ever said a bad word against his father, but it's time my nephew knew what life is really like. My nephew is getting worse and my sister does not want her son to grow up and be his father.
My nephew is not going to his father's. His father does not pay child-support and will have no say in court should he go to court. My sister's husband has a family of lawyers behind him who know the exact judges which would do the case. I know it is never good to prevent a child from seeing a parent, but that's just it: his "father" is not a father. My nephew has a father: his step-dad. Last night my sister told us all the deal. I say bring on the custody battle. It's about my nephew and his future. His father never finished high school. My nephew will.
I'm so proud of my sister. She is a really strong person. She wants a good life for her son. She's struggled to give that to him and at every turn his father stands in the way. Well, it's not happening any more. When my sister puts her foot down, she means it.
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-06-18 at 11:33 a.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
(Gets on top a soap-box.)
The federal election is in 10 days in Canada. From the NDP banner on my sidebar, I think it is clear who I am voting for. However, my loyalty to the NDPs comes after heavy research into the parties and their policies. I once voted for the Liberals until I found their policies of making grand promises and then cutting programs rather sickening. I was never for the Conservatives simply because I believe in Canadian social programs and rights for women and gays and because I lived in Ontario during Mike Harris's reign and was greatly effected by it. My father lost his job twice because of Harris's cut-backs to health care and education. I protested with the teachers during the strikes. I've seen the effects Harris's plans with Welfare do to families. Those "back to work" programs do not work nor does not allowing people on welfare to go to university and remain on welfare. If the Conservatives make it in, then Canada as we know it is gone. As much as I do not support Liberal policy, their "attack against Stephen Harper" commercial is true. Harper wanted/wants us to go into Iraq. Harper doesn't support gay rights. Harper doesn't support women's rights. Harper will not support the Kyoto accord, because he thinks for some bizarre reason that global warming doesn't exist. Harper and Martin both support NAFTA and NORAD which are the biggest jokes. The idea of "free trade" is not embodied in NAFTA. NAFTA simply gives more power to corporations than to government allowing the corporations to exploit workers and the Canadian people as a whole. NORAD and the whole idea of Star Wars is simply to frightening to think of. Brian Mulroney is perhaps the worst prime minister in Canadian history and he is Conservative. Not to mention the Conservatives are not even the same party, but a party taken over by perhaps the most ridiculous party: The Alliance. As for Martin, our default prime minister of the moment, he is just as bad as Harper except Harper doesn't lie. Harper is forthwright about his policies and beliefs and what he will do to Canada. Except for his "family is the center" commercials, which read like "everyone get married and be traditional" and say nothing about his policies, he's been pretty honest. This makes Harper pretty scary. Martin lies. Martin has lied. Martin will continue to lie. He will most likely send troops into Iraq or wherever else the US goes. He doesn't support gay rights in spite of his statements in the electoral debate, which were lies, because months earlier he was against gay rights for equality in marriage. He will cut back spending to social programs in spite of his "10 year program" for health care, which (hello!) is 10 years long because it will never work. Martin makes promises he never intends to keep. In fact, Martin sounds scared of Harper. As I watched the electoral debate, Martin became more and more agitated in the duration. His face grew redder and he began to personally attack his opponents. At one point, he told Jack Layton, leader of the NDPs, "Do your trainers tell you to talk that much?" to which Layton replied, "That's really funny Prime Minister Martin, but we are talking about missles that could kill a great deal of people and you are making personal jokes." Martin is running scared, because the race is so close between the Liberals and the Conservatives.
However, the whole entire point of this entry (through which I believe I am preaching to the converted) is to say Canada is NOT a two-party system and, like Jack Layton during the electoral debate, I am offended when the Canadian public, through ignorance doesn't consider the NDPs, because they "are not a factor" for them. After the debate, Jack Layton was not mentioned as the victor, which, if you watched the debate, he clearly was. Jack Layton was able to answer all the questions and was able to respond quickly and effectively. However, Layton is not considered. As I watch the days before the election unfold, I am sickened by the lack of informed Canadians. I was never taught about the Canadian political system in high school. I was never taught what my vote means and why it counts. No one I know from high school was taught about the political parties of Canada. Youth learns and absorbs those horrible political commercials, which simply appeal to what the party believes Canada wants. I am not surprised that many Canadians believe that the only two parties of importance are the Conservatives and the Liberals, because they have more money as they are run by businessmen and lawyers. They are able to push out more commercials and campaign more.
What the Canadian public does not realize is that every vote counts. On June 28th, I will give my support to the NDPs, because every vote counts. My vote means the NDPs get more money. My vote means that I have shown what I believe in: social programs, environment, gay rights, women's rights, etc. I believe in a politician that tells the truth.
My advice to Canadians: be informed. Vote with your eyes and ears open. If on June 28th, you put your X in the appropriate spot without knowing what the party you are voting for is about, YOU are wasting your vote. Be an informed voter. Remember your vote counts. EVERY informed vote counts.
(Gets down from soap-box.)
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-06-14 at 9:52 p.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
(the grey area is carpet)
This is my new bachelor apartment. It's quite small, but big enough for me. Now if only I could think of a way to smuggle in my cat...
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-06-10 at 6:14 p.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster.
Harry Potter Quiz: Which Hogwarts Professor Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Thanks scribblingwoman.
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-05-30 at 3:51 p.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
Congrats to me. I got funding! I'm not exactly sure if that means TA or RA (that letter will come shortly they say), because the letter only mentioned the amount of money and that "duties" will go along with it. It's quite a bit of money. Enough for tuition and extra. Not much extra, but some. I'm on my way. I've had a week alone away from the family to sort out some stuff (I'm house/cat sitting for a friend until next Sunday). I'm not sure anymore whether I will go on after the MA. I don't feel as if I have an area of interest besides just women's writing right now. I'm not sure really what I want to do. Isn't it funny how things seem so clear (MA then PhD) one month and then the next month they get all muddled (MA then ?). I'm hoping I will gain some clarity during the MA. However, I met with some fellow honour's students on Thursday and found that one of them has similar uncertainties, which made me feel better. I'm just somewhat confused by this complete shift of opinion, but then the summer has been weird so far. The constant rain doesn't help.
I go to Wolfville on Tuesday to find an apartment and tour the campus. I'm hoping that will get me excited about this fall and I will launch into a reading frenzy. I have reader's block at the moment. I can't even read Anne Rice...
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-05-22 at 9:33 p.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
The farther I get away from April the more it hits me: I am entering into a graduate program in September. The very decision of going to grad school caused me to assess my life including what I want out of the experience. The realist in me sees the harsh reality of the situation: the increased debt, the diet of soup and crackers (both no-name bulk crud...I have no money), the reality that my cat will live in far more luxury than I, the long hours of working, the petty departmental/academia fights, the grueling experience of finding an apartment, the arduous task of finding where everything is on campus, registering for classes, meeting the faculty for the first time, and dealing with the ickle-firsties who will no doubt be perspiring as much as me from the excitement/nervousness/sheer terror of a new situation. The idealist in me sees all these situations through a rose-coloured glass. That I will be exilerated by the excitement of the moment and that the smile will never leave. Of course...I'm not an idealist and as a result am terrified. I am struck by the complete lack of knowledge I have. My solace is that an excellent former professor turned very good friend has told me I don't need to know everything and I won't so I shouldn't try so hard. What I have always needed is confidence in what I already know. So, hopefully by the end of the summer I will have acheived that. The realist in me is laughing her head off, but you know...I never really liked her. I need some rose-coloured glasses. Who was it that said: "Genius is 1% intelligence and 99% perspiration"? or something like that?
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-05-18 at 12:46 p.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
Friday is graduation for most of the people I know (note: I don't know many people). Unfortunately, I graduated last year and cannot cross the stage again. Last year was a bad time for graduation. I had just been rejected from grad school and felt like I was crossing for no reason whatsoever except that it was nice having that piece of paper. I started the whole "honours" process shortly after that. I feel somewhat robbed for not being allowed to go this year. It seems like this is the real graduation for me. I guess I will have to suck up the excitement around me. Anyway, let's pretend these pictures are actually from this year and that I am glowing because I am an Honour's graduate:
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-05-12 at 11:47 a.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
More Buffy news from BBC's Buffy Cult:
Joss claims TV movies are just talk.
What's happening when Angel ends as a series? The WB network has rumoured that there may well be some TV movies next year, but Angel's creator, Joss Whedon, isn't so sure.
According to SciFi.com, Whedon distanced himself from the rumours at the Saturn Awards in LA this weekend. "The rumored movies are so far just rumors," he said. "There are no definite plans to do anything with Angel besides finish out the season as well and as hard as we can."
Whedon is currently concentrating his energies on the Firefly film, which starts shooting in June. Whilst it's disappointing that he's not talking up the possibility - it is understandable - he was very cross with the WB when they cancelled the show earlier this year.
I've actually never seen the Firefly series. But I know scribblingwoman will be happy to hear about the movie. However, for Buffy fans...it looks grim. Joss has said in interview that he is hoping to do a Buffy or Angel movie someday. I'm guessing he is pretty pissed about Angel's cancellation (and Buffy's cancellation/restrictions back in their 5th seeason, which caused him to switch networks). I'm guessing he doesn't want to give the rights to WB. Oh well, the comics are still there for me.
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-05-11 at 6:41 p.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
The new Watcher's Guide 3 for Buffy the Vampire Slayer is coming out on July 1st. I'm guessing it will have the last 3 seasons of Buffy in it. The first two books (#1 and #2) and The Monster Book are excellent guides to the series. What I really like about these books is that not only do they contain episode summaries, song lists, glossy pictures, interviews with the actors/behind the stage people, but they also contain lines from the original script which were cut due to time. I find many hilarious lines in the script which make me wonder if the show would have been different had they retained the original script time be damned. In addition, they have Pop Culture IQs for each episode (where the funky comments Xander made about comics are listed). They are good books. The Monster Book is equally as good, but doesn't contain a guide...it's more of a list of all the monsters encountered from season 1 to season 4. I really am a Buffy nut, but these books are excellent reads even for newbie-watchers. I will post a review when I receive my third Watcher's Guide.
In addition, with 2 episodes of Angel left (3 for ASN watchers), Buffy-verse is ending. There has always been plans for Joss Whedon to make a movie based on his version of the Buffy-verse (I disregard the old Buffy movie as part of Joss Whedon's vision, because the movie was never part of his original vision. Read The Origin for a closer version of his vision). I have great doubt that this will happen...at least not with the original cast, because Sarah Michelle Gellar has such an aversion to the Buffy-verse now. However, there has always been and will always be the comics from Dark Horse to sustain me. I suggest them, especially ones post-Dawn which explore the possible past with Dawn. They are fascinating and good for a dose of the Buffy-verse post-Angel.
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-05-10 at 6:56 p.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
You're Exotic Dancer Barbie. You have some moves,
and will do anything for a few bucks. Take it
off girl, but keep it PG-13 please.
If You Were A Barbie, Which Messed Up Version Would You Be?
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Wow...that is scary.
Nihilist Bear
Which Dysfunctional Care Bear Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Go Nietzche!
What Finding Nemo Character are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Dory totally rocks!
Sandals- peaceful, daydreamy, and thoughtful, you
often find yourself staring into space. When
you aren't out volunteering you are often just
dreaming away. You enjoy the company of
friends sometimes but enjoy peace and quiet.
What Kind of Shoe Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Sandals...sigh. I love wearing sandals!
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-05-10 at 12:15 p.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
You are Linus!
Which Peanuts Character are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
I even have a blankie.
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-05-09 at 11:38 p.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
I'm really going nuts now.
Scarey Squirrel World: Complete with Photo Gallery.
Killer Squirrels take on Cyclists!
The Horrible Truth of Squirrel Hazing: Where the question "Why did the squirrel cross the road?" is finally answered!
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-05-07 at 3:02 p.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
Well, I accepted Acadia's offer of admission yesterday. Today I checked the web and it says: "Welcome." I'm suddenly very excited. I emailed Alberta and told them not to continue with my application. I don't want to know whether I was accepted there or not. It's better this way. I'm glad I am going to Acadia. It is closer, which means visits from friends and that I can visit friends and profs. I have to really buckle down and make a list of all the things/books/house stuff I need and then really get into the job search as I am pretty sure you need money to buy this stuff... I should read tons this summer. I have several of the books needed for my master's thesis except a few. I should re-read the books, formulate my theoretical stance and then revisit the feminists. Oh, the master's thesis (in case any one of my four readers didn't know) is on Feminist Dystopias of the 60s-80s. I will be using feminist theory to come up with some sort of view point. I'm not sure yet as I have several theories floating around in my head all of them sounding good. Hopefully after rereading the books and critical material I have I will have a clearer view of my thesis. This is certainly becoming more real. I'm in danger of having household trifles overthrow the academic, though. I think I enjoy shopping too much. I need a list to keep me grounded...unless the list happens to be five provinces long...
I really can't wait. I feel like a new person these days what with my hair cut and my graduate student status. I'm on the top of the world.
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-05-07 at 1:04 p.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
My new haircut is lovely. It's just at my chin, which is shorter than I thought I would get, but I figured I'd take the plunge. It's got wispy layers framing my face. I like it. My brother-in-law claims it makes me look older whereas my nephew claims it makes me look younger. I figure if we average those out, I look just my age. Next time I'm thinking highlights with colour!
But I have to get a job first...
Blech.
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-05-06 at 6:48 p.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
New site, new layout.
Tomorrow: New Haircut.
All sorts of changes going on.
Sincerely,
Andrea
2004-05-06 at 4:35 p.m.
To Whom it May Concern,
I was looking on the net today and came across some sites for those interested in SF dystopias like me or who were wondering WTF is a dystopia?
Exploring Dystopias: A site which categorizes/critiques/explores dystopias. In the categories, I would add Environmental Dystopias, where The Silent City by Elisabeth Vonarburg and Joan Slonczewski's A Door Into Ocean would be...with a crossover to Feminist Dystopias. A lot of the Dystopias listed can be placed in different categories, though. The list is good for a quick ref.
"Male" Technology, Feminist Dystopias and the Promise of Cyberspace: A rather interesting article which makes a lot of good points about feminist dystopias and cyberspace. Made me wonder if I should add a bit on how most feminist dystopias are "soft SF" as in low tech. Makes me wonder why?
feministsf.org: Always an excellent source, which I have been using for a couple years now. They have a list of feminist dystopias and a category list. Very very good.
Other Links:
Wizard of Oz: I came across this page while doing a search on feminist dystopias and link hopping. This is really interesting. Even has a chart comparing Luke Skywalker to Dorothy, which totally rocks. I think I may have to reread The Wizard of Oz and write a paper for fun.
The Wizard of Oz, by Frank L. Baum: The Complete Text at Project Gutenberg! Cool.
Sincerely,
Andrea
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