The other day, I found myself in a most unlikely place, somewhere you would never dream of finding someone with my refinement, my hoity-toity attitude, and my lack of ability to do anything that requires eye-hand coordination: Seize the Clay. Seize the Clay, similar to Color Me Mine, allows patrons to paint or decorate ceramic items, such as plates and geckos, then the store fires them in a kiln for you and you pick them up a few days later. For years, I giggled at the idea of Color Me Mine, which plays a small, comedic role in the Jon Favreau and Vince Vaugn movie Made. I suppose it is high time for me to retract my criticism, as I had a pretty righteous time.
A good friend of mine invited me and another one of our friends to paint Shabbat candlesticks. As I already have candlesticks for Shabbat, I decided to paint them for another friend as a surprise. Picking out which paint or glaze to use while trying to decide whether to risk a pattern or just stick with one color was surprisingly fun. I opted for a deep blue glaze called Babbling Brook, because the glazes have a speckled pattern. It should look quite classy. I hope.
The experience reminded me a bit of art class in elementary school. In first grade, we started with the pinch pot. You were given a ball of clay and “pinched” it into the shape of an open bowl. Then the teacher put it in the kiln. The next week in art class, she gave it back to you, and you painted it. I painted mine a mishmash of every blue available. Instead sitting flat on its bottom, it tilted a bit to the side, which with the paint job, made it look a bit off-kilter. My first pinch pot ended up holding my parents' change, paperclips, and rubber bands. In second grade, we graduated to pinch pots—-with lids. The handle on my lid was a woman’s face, and I remember being quite proud of how her black bun turned out. Finally, in third grade, we made banks, which were two pinch pots that we crosshatched together and cut a slit in for the money. Mine was a unicorn, with a tail and horn. It looked much too plump and would have been in no shape to magically disappear from any approaching impure people.
Aside from the flashbacks to art class, Seize the Clay offers a great atmosphere to sit and chat, with the added benefit of keeping your hands busy. It was relaxing to paint. I can’t remember the last time I had a paint brush in my hands, and it felt good. It also felt like time not wasted, because I was doing something. Never mind the fact that the other tables were filled with what appeared to be various Brownie Troops, we had a lively conversation and were not bothered by employees or other patrons.
So, my verdict: add Seize the Clay to the list of coffee shops, beauty shops, and tapas bars as good places for women to get together and talk.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Todd McFarlane Takes on Good and Evil
In Spawn: Book 1, Todd McFarlane introduces us to Spawn, a creation from hell. Lt. Colonel Al Simmons died as an assassin for the United States and bargained his way back into this world in order to be with his wife. Unfortunately, the result of the bargain was that he lost his entire essence as he knew it, including his body and his memories, and become Spawn. As in instrument of a demon, Spawn must decide how he will spend the reminder of his second life and how he will use the newfound powers that he has. Will he destroy evil human beings, delivering them to the hands of the demon who created him, or he will he allow them to continue to kill and do evil on earth? An interesting concept for a superhero, and immediately bringing into question which acts are good and which are evil.
Take, for example, Spawn’s decision to let his wife, Wanda Blake, continue her happy life with her new husband, Terry. Instead of causing her further unhappiness, Spawn decides to avoid the impossible task of convincing his former wife that he is her dead husband. Is it right for him to allow her to continue to think that her husband is dead? Is it his right to disrupt her life? The moral ambiguity of the situation is complicated by the fact that now Wanda has a child, something that Al Simmons could not provide for her. Not only does Spawn have to cope with the fact that he was replaced, he also has to come to terms with the fact that as a human being, he was infertile. Most men do not accept such news easily.
Also called into question is the morality of governmental control over the people and the machinations of the criminal justice system. In bits and pieces, Spawn begins to remember his former life as an assassin, and how he disagreed with his boss, Jason Wynn, and some of his tactics, including intrusive files the CIA kept of civilians. Spawn remembers that as Simmons, they butted heads, but he did not always pursue when he felt that a wrong had been committed.
The story of Billy Kincaid demonstrates the corruption of both politics and the criminal justice system. Kincaid was convicted of killing a senator’s daughter in a most gruesome way, and is freed after a short time as a result of a legal technicality. No one doubts his guilt, just the legality of his imprisonment.
As the storyline progresses, and it turns out that not only is Kincaid a serial murderer of children, he is also a pawn of governmental evil. Multiple parties express frustration at not being able to keep Kincaid incarcerated. Detective Sam Burke and his sidekick, Twitch, express frustration at trying to find justice within the strictures of the law. The men suggest that the very laws that were meant to protect citizens from being unjustly imprisoned and punished for wrongdoing were allowing the innocent to be harmed by criminals. Defense attorneys, manipulating the laws, make prosecuting attorneys and law enforcement personnel helpless.
By showing Spawn, a vigilante who does not have to answer to the law, as more effective at punishing criminals than police officers, McFarlane asks some powerful questions about the judicial system.
Also of note in Spawn are the grisly illustrations. The demons, with bodies that look more supernatural human, are quite haunting. In addition, by using many panels that isolate body parts, blood splatters, and other smaller parts of the entire scene, McFarlane zooms in on a piece of the action and manages to make it scarier. He does well to draw by the idea that what the imagination pictures is more frightening than the gore that can be created by pencil or before a camera lens.
Spawn: Book 1 establishes not only the origin of Spawn and his troubles, but also makes way for an epic war of good and evil. A very entertaining read.
Take, for example, Spawn’s decision to let his wife, Wanda Blake, continue her happy life with her new husband, Terry. Instead of causing her further unhappiness, Spawn decides to avoid the impossible task of convincing his former wife that he is her dead husband. Is it right for him to allow her to continue to think that her husband is dead? Is it his right to disrupt her life? The moral ambiguity of the situation is complicated by the fact that now Wanda has a child, something that Al Simmons could not provide for her. Not only does Spawn have to cope with the fact that he was replaced, he also has to come to terms with the fact that as a human being, he was infertile. Most men do not accept such news easily.
Also called into question is the morality of governmental control over the people and the machinations of the criminal justice system. In bits and pieces, Spawn begins to remember his former life as an assassin, and how he disagreed with his boss, Jason Wynn, and some of his tactics, including intrusive files the CIA kept of civilians. Spawn remembers that as Simmons, they butted heads, but he did not always pursue when he felt that a wrong had been committed.
The story of Billy Kincaid demonstrates the corruption of both politics and the criminal justice system. Kincaid was convicted of killing a senator’s daughter in a most gruesome way, and is freed after a short time as a result of a legal technicality. No one doubts his guilt, just the legality of his imprisonment.
As the storyline progresses, and it turns out that not only is Kincaid a serial murderer of children, he is also a pawn of governmental evil. Multiple parties express frustration at not being able to keep Kincaid incarcerated. Detective Sam Burke and his sidekick, Twitch, express frustration at trying to find justice within the strictures of the law. The men suggest that the very laws that were meant to protect citizens from being unjustly imprisoned and punished for wrongdoing were allowing the innocent to be harmed by criminals. Defense attorneys, manipulating the laws, make prosecuting attorneys and law enforcement personnel helpless.
By showing Spawn, a vigilante who does not have to answer to the law, as more effective at punishing criminals than police officers, McFarlane asks some powerful questions about the judicial system.
Also of note in Spawn are the grisly illustrations. The demons, with bodies that look more supernatural human, are quite haunting. In addition, by using many panels that isolate body parts, blood splatters, and other smaller parts of the entire scene, McFarlane zooms in on a piece of the action and manages to make it scarier. He does well to draw by the idea that what the imagination pictures is more frightening than the gore that can be created by pencil or before a camera lens.
Spawn: Book 1 establishes not only the origin of Spawn and his troubles, but also makes way for an epic war of good and evil. A very entertaining read.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
What the Devil Knows
On June 14, 2011, Bill Loehfelm, most recently the author of The Devil She Knows, came to Literati bookstore in Memphis, Tennessee. Loehfelm, despite his tattoos and earrings, had a deep, calm voice and relaxed presence. Because the audience consisted solely of myself and three other women, Loehfelm decided to leave the podium and take his coffee to sit with us and answer questions.
And answer questions he did, patiently describing his writing process, publication history, and his life in academia as well as in the restaurant biz. For over an hour he chatted and provided insight into how he came to be sitting on the other side of the table, signing the books.
Loehfelm told the story of how he submitted his first novel, Fresh Kills, to the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, which was eventual chosen as the inaugural winner. He discussed the pleasures and frustrations of watching his novel be publicly discussed by readers during the selection process.
Currently, Loehfelm teaches at the University of New Orleans, with his wife AC Lambeth, who also teaches at UNO. Before he was a published writer and professor, he worked the restaurant scene, which he described as being a vicious cycle of working to earn money and then spending it and then working to earn more to make the rent until a year or years have gone by with nothing to show. Loehfelm said that he had encountered a particular kind of woman, intelligent and gutsy, who turned up often as a waitress or a bartender. This kind of woman tended to get stuck in the life not because of lack of ambition, but because of not having specific goals and following through with them.
Maureen, the main character of The Devil She Knows is just this kind of woman: intelligent, driven, but still unable to make it out of the repetitious restaurant life. In fact, as the novel begins, she is broke and trying to make rent, but in the midst of her efforts, she gets a little drunk and a little too high and accidentally stumbles into a liaison between a coworker and a would-be politician. As a result, Maureen finds herself fighting to stay one step ahead of the bad guys.
While having plenty of suspense, The Devil She Knows also manages to include literary elements such as character development. While Maureen might have begun as a type in Loehfelm’s head, she develops into a complex and sympathetic character. John and Molly, friends by necessity of Maureen’s, also take on lives of their own, as they choose to help her and stand up to forces that seem beyond their control.
In one particularly scene, before Molly has been convinced that she wants to help protect Maureen, she organizes a confrontation over a burger and fries split between them, but gains the authority in the meal by watching as Maureen eats and not touching her own food. Without being heavy-handed, the scene shows Molly’s hesitation at helping another young, pretty woman and Maureen’s own frustration and desperation. At the end of the confrontation, Maureen throws her money on the table and acknowledges, “Molly, fight’s what I’ve got left.” (110) Both women are established as individuals, not just stock characters.
As Loehfelm discussed his novel, he explained that he chose a female character because he wanted to explore issues of power. A woman, and Maureen is a petite woman at that, does not have the same physical strength as a large, body-building man, which Sebestian, the antagonist, is. In addition, as a waitress, Maureen has lower social stature than the business owner and potential politician. By exploring the issues of power, Loehfelm manages to create a complex plot with psychological depth.
Meeting Loehfelm was a treat and reading The Devil She Knows was an even bigger treat. I highly recommend buying the book and reading it. In addition, hearing him discuss the difficulties of getting into an MFA program, publishing, and being hired for a professorial position, it was a comfort to a fellow writer that was much appreciated. His strongest advice to those who are working to establish themselves is to keep writing. And thank you, Bill Loehfelm, I will.
And answer questions he did, patiently describing his writing process, publication history, and his life in academia as well as in the restaurant biz. For over an hour he chatted and provided insight into how he came to be sitting on the other side of the table, signing the books.
Loehfelm told the story of how he submitted his first novel, Fresh Kills, to the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, which was eventual chosen as the inaugural winner. He discussed the pleasures and frustrations of watching his novel be publicly discussed by readers during the selection process.
Currently, Loehfelm teaches at the University of New Orleans, with his wife AC Lambeth, who also teaches at UNO. Before he was a published writer and professor, he worked the restaurant scene, which he described as being a vicious cycle of working to earn money and then spending it and then working to earn more to make the rent until a year or years have gone by with nothing to show. Loehfelm said that he had encountered a particular kind of woman, intelligent and gutsy, who turned up often as a waitress or a bartender. This kind of woman tended to get stuck in the life not because of lack of ambition, but because of not having specific goals and following through with them.
Maureen, the main character of The Devil She Knows is just this kind of woman: intelligent, driven, but still unable to make it out of the repetitious restaurant life. In fact, as the novel begins, she is broke and trying to make rent, but in the midst of her efforts, she gets a little drunk and a little too high and accidentally stumbles into a liaison between a coworker and a would-be politician. As a result, Maureen finds herself fighting to stay one step ahead of the bad guys.
While having plenty of suspense, The Devil She Knows also manages to include literary elements such as character development. While Maureen might have begun as a type in Loehfelm’s head, she develops into a complex and sympathetic character. John and Molly, friends by necessity of Maureen’s, also take on lives of their own, as they choose to help her and stand up to forces that seem beyond their control.
In one particularly scene, before Molly has been convinced that she wants to help protect Maureen, she organizes a confrontation over a burger and fries split between them, but gains the authority in the meal by watching as Maureen eats and not touching her own food. Without being heavy-handed, the scene shows Molly’s hesitation at helping another young, pretty woman and Maureen’s own frustration and desperation. At the end of the confrontation, Maureen throws her money on the table and acknowledges, “Molly, fight’s what I’ve got left.” (110) Both women are established as individuals, not just stock characters.
As Loehfelm discussed his novel, he explained that he chose a female character because he wanted to explore issues of power. A woman, and Maureen is a petite woman at that, does not have the same physical strength as a large, body-building man, which Sebestian, the antagonist, is. In addition, as a waitress, Maureen has lower social stature than the business owner and potential politician. By exploring the issues of power, Loehfelm manages to create a complex plot with psychological depth.
Meeting Loehfelm was a treat and reading The Devil She Knows was an even bigger treat. I highly recommend buying the book and reading it. In addition, hearing him discuss the difficulties of getting into an MFA program, publishing, and being hired for a professorial position, it was a comfort to a fellow writer that was much appreciated. His strongest advice to those who are working to establish themselves is to keep writing. And thank you, Bill Loehfelm, I will.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Scientifically Speaking
The key to writing a good essay is the scientific method. Think of writers as aspiring scientists and thesis statements as hypotheses. Writing cannot be successful without curiosity and the enthusiasm of a scientist on the quest for discovery.
When teaching, I encourage students to ask questions, not just of me, but of themselves, their peers, and the texts. It is not enough to like or dislike an essay, story, or poem, but we must determine why it appeals or turns us off. By figuring out that several paragraphs of description is boring, we know to be sure that descriptions in our own writing are short and contribute not just to aesthetics, but also to meaning. When we realize that a few bits of sarcasm can lighten an essay, we can steal this technique and strive to use sarcasm effectively in our own essays.
But intellectual curiosity and asking questions is not enough. It is also not enough to simply answer questions, because in literature, as in life, there is not always one correct answer, but a complicated and intricate explanation. When trying to determine the extent to which Frankenstein’s creation is human or monster, I challenge students to question the monstrous aspects of humanity and the human aspects of monsters. They must test their answers: how can they apply their definitions to current events and villains, such as Osama bin Laden? They must revise and rethink. Similarly, in a research paper, information is discovered that does not agree with the thesis. Should the thesis be changed? Thrown out completely? Or are the opinions and facts to be denied? In any case, research cannot be ignored, but must be addressed.
Like scientific discovery, writing is an ongoing process. The only way to become a better reader and writer is to read and write regularly, preferably a little bit every day, and without confining them to academic outlets. By encouraging students not to throw away their leisure reading, but to find a way to incorporate it into the discussion, they are more likely to understand that knowledge and learning are a continuum, and that each genre has a purpose and its own value. Similarly, by including social media as well as formal essays, students can improve their communication skills and learn to express themselves in a variety of situations. In the work force that students will enter, it is essential that they are able to express themselves in such situations as texts and emails, where their tone of voice cannot be heard and they do not have the advantage of writing a lengthy explanation. Such circumstances can lead to many painful misunderstandings that can be avoided with practice and increased sensitivity to language.
My goal for all of my students, regardless of who they are and what class I am teaching, is to help them improve their ability to analyze, think critically, and communicate. Like the scientists of life that we all are, they will be judged on their ideas and their beliefs. It is my job to help them explain these ideas and beliefs, understand why they think and believe the way that they do, and encourage them to question why they grasp their opinions so tightly. Just like professional scientists, if they cannot share their results and interact with others in the larger world, all of their ideas will be lost.
When teaching, I encourage students to ask questions, not just of me, but of themselves, their peers, and the texts. It is not enough to like or dislike an essay, story, or poem, but we must determine why it appeals or turns us off. By figuring out that several paragraphs of description is boring, we know to be sure that descriptions in our own writing are short and contribute not just to aesthetics, but also to meaning. When we realize that a few bits of sarcasm can lighten an essay, we can steal this technique and strive to use sarcasm effectively in our own essays.
But intellectual curiosity and asking questions is not enough. It is also not enough to simply answer questions, because in literature, as in life, there is not always one correct answer, but a complicated and intricate explanation. When trying to determine the extent to which Frankenstein’s creation is human or monster, I challenge students to question the monstrous aspects of humanity and the human aspects of monsters. They must test their answers: how can they apply their definitions to current events and villains, such as Osama bin Laden? They must revise and rethink. Similarly, in a research paper, information is discovered that does not agree with the thesis. Should the thesis be changed? Thrown out completely? Or are the opinions and facts to be denied? In any case, research cannot be ignored, but must be addressed.
Like scientific discovery, writing is an ongoing process. The only way to become a better reader and writer is to read and write regularly, preferably a little bit every day, and without confining them to academic outlets. By encouraging students not to throw away their leisure reading, but to find a way to incorporate it into the discussion, they are more likely to understand that knowledge and learning are a continuum, and that each genre has a purpose and its own value. Similarly, by including social media as well as formal essays, students can improve their communication skills and learn to express themselves in a variety of situations. In the work force that students will enter, it is essential that they are able to express themselves in such situations as texts and emails, where their tone of voice cannot be heard and they do not have the advantage of writing a lengthy explanation. Such circumstances can lead to many painful misunderstandings that can be avoided with practice and increased sensitivity to language.
My goal for all of my students, regardless of who they are and what class I am teaching, is to help them improve their ability to analyze, think critically, and communicate. Like the scientists of life that we all are, they will be judged on their ideas and their beliefs. It is my job to help them explain these ideas and beliefs, understand why they think and believe the way that they do, and encourage them to question why they grasp their opinions so tightly. Just like professional scientists, if they cannot share their results and interact with others in the larger world, all of their ideas will be lost.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Review: Batman, Take 1
Batman: The Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul by Grant MorrisonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Batman: The Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul, collectively written by Grant Morrison, Paul Dini, Peter Milligan, Fabian Nicieza, and Keith Champagne, pits Batman against Ra’s Al Ghul in a fight to save his son, Damian, who also happens to be Ra’s Al Ghul’s grandson. Also joining the battle are Robin, Nightwing, Talia, and, to the great amusement of the audience, Alfred.
The collection show some sophisticated character development, especially for Robin, who must choose alliances and decide whether he will gamble on trusting Ra’s Al Ghul’s promises to bring back the dead. An interesting offer, especially in a Batman storyline, in which the majority of the characters happen to be orphans.
Damian, too, introduces interesting possibilities, as his mother has not always batted for evil, and has not always shown sane judgment. Can Damian overcome where he came from? It’s a good question, one that everyone must ask themselves: can we challenge our upbringing and breading to be something greater?
Admittedly, Batman is not the star of this feature. Instead, the three heirs play greater roles: Damian, Robin, and Nightwing. Nightwing is even granted an interior monologue, which none of the others is allowed. With his age and perspective, he does not fall prey to the squabbling over Batman’s affection that Damian and Robin do. Both Damian and Robin find themselves seeking approval as well as wanting to win the fight, even seeking to win the fight in order to win Batman’s approval. So who does Batman love more? Wouldn’t be fair to spoil that, now would it?
A curiosity at the beginning of the collection: a brief introduction to all of major characters, with illustrations. Seen at the beginning of other graphic novels, it is reminiscent of a printed play, in which each role is briefly names and described before the first act. Sometimes, the introductions feel like a waste of space, or worse, are simply confusing because of the amount of characters introduced. But for this book, it was quite helpful, because some of the characters, I-Ching, for example, are not properly introduced within the text, and indeed, a lengthy introduction often feels contrived and makes an otherwise smooth plot appear to have a large blister in the middle.
With several different artists at work on the collection, as well, there are many styles of writing and drawing, but they play off each other well to create a plotline that is not light on character or action. Quite artful and skillful, one of the best superhero comics that I have read. Well done.
View all my reviews
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
A Note of Thanks
Mrs. Waldee was a bit too hip for General McLane High School. She dressed a bit too hip and her hair style was too hip and possibly her husband, who I never met, was too hip as well. She only stayed for a few years and she was never officially my English teacher. She was, however, one of my earliest fans.
High school isn’t easy. It’s easier than middle school, because the kids are not as brutal to each other, but there are the added pressures of romantic relationships that threaten to move beyond holding hands, college applications, and the struggle for independence from parents. For me, the hardest part of high school was trying to survive my parents. One way I coped was by writing poetry.
Until Mrs. Waldee intervened, my poetry was nonsensical stuff about mountains and flying airplanes far distances and made up guys. After Mrs. Waldee, I wouldn’t call my poems ethereal creations fit for the eyes of academics and dreamers, but it was more focused and used images and metaphors. In fact, with Mrs. Waldee’s help, I was accepted into the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts.
What she did was fairly simple, yet no less than amazing. As a means to get extra credit, I submitted my poems to the school newspaper. And when I say I submitted my poems, I submitted all of my poems—hand written, in a binder, some with illustrations and doodles. Mrs. Waldee did not complain. She read through them all, chose a few to publish and offered to give me an independent study class in poetry the following year. I was flattered and excited. Then, once a week for a year, she met with me, giving me poems and texts to read, critiquing my poems, and helping me to revise.
While I learned a lot with Mrs. Waldee—including the difficult task of writing in meter—her support gave me the confidence to pursue writing seriously. And for that, she deserves my thanks.
High school isn’t easy. It’s easier than middle school, because the kids are not as brutal to each other, but there are the added pressures of romantic relationships that threaten to move beyond holding hands, college applications, and the struggle for independence from parents. For me, the hardest part of high school was trying to survive my parents. One way I coped was by writing poetry.
Until Mrs. Waldee intervened, my poetry was nonsensical stuff about mountains and flying airplanes far distances and made up guys. After Mrs. Waldee, I wouldn’t call my poems ethereal creations fit for the eyes of academics and dreamers, but it was more focused and used images and metaphors. In fact, with Mrs. Waldee’s help, I was accepted into the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts.
What she did was fairly simple, yet no less than amazing. As a means to get extra credit, I submitted my poems to the school newspaper. And when I say I submitted my poems, I submitted all of my poems—hand written, in a binder, some with illustrations and doodles. Mrs. Waldee did not complain. She read through them all, chose a few to publish and offered to give me an independent study class in poetry the following year. I was flattered and excited. Then, once a week for a year, she met with me, giving me poems and texts to read, critiquing my poems, and helping me to revise.
While I learned a lot with Mrs. Waldee—including the difficult task of writing in meter—her support gave me the confidence to pursue writing seriously. And for that, she deserves my thanks.
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