Dreaming in Wanderlust

Irrelevant Movie Reviews - No. 1.

2008-07-04T09:53:37Z

The Golden Compass.
2.5 out of 5 irrelevant stars.
Let's say you really enjoyed a book. And they made a movie out of that book. And you really, really, really, wanted to enjoy that movie and support it because the book and the movie were considered controversial, and you were hoping that the last two books would also be made into movies. But when you finally saw the movie, you were terribly disappointed and you wished that they hadn't changed so much and you felt as if the universe had just let you down. This is my review of The Golden Compass.

The Last Temptation of Christ

The Last Temptation of Christ.
4.5 out of 5 irrelevant stars.
So, The Last Temptation of Christ probably shouldn't be a "date movie," huh? Regardless, on my second "date" with this guy who had the guts to walk up to me at work and ask me out in front of everyone, we watched this movie. It caught some flack for being sacrilegious. I liked it though. It prompted a nice discussion with my "date" and one of his roommates. I'm not sure that we're actually dating. He hasn't called this week. But he's too young for me anyway. Anyway. Harvey Keitel playing Judas still boggles my mind.

Little Miss Sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine
5 out of 5 irrelevant stars.
There is nothing not to love about this movie. I loved it. Everything about it. I loved the druggie grandpa and the suicidal gay Steve Carell, and the wanna-be beauty queen daughter and the Nietzsche-reading silent son, and the yellow push-and-go VW bus. I borrowed this movie from a friend, but I will have to buy it and add it to my personal collection of dvds. I loved it. Did I mention that?

Dan in Real Life

Dan in Real Life
5 out of 5 irrelevant stars.
I see a pattern here! If a movie has Steve Carell in it, I give it five stars! Of course, I have only rated two movies that have Steve Carell in them. But both get 5 stars! Perhaps this is a conspiracy, and I just don't know it yet. This movie, like Juno, made me want to have children. I normally do not want to have children. I would add this movie, and Juno, to my personal collection of dvds but I am afraid that repeated viewings may result in undesirable consequences, such as me deciding to have children.

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Happy Independence Day!

2008-07-04T08:16:31Z

July 4th, 2007

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
from the Declaration of Independence.

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Overheard.

2008-07-04T03:23:14Z

Woman on a cell phone across the street from my apartment, while walking her dog:
It's like we moved to the Bronx and we live in the ghetto. It's ridiculous.

Considering I live in The-Middle-of-Nowhere, Tennessee, I'm going to venture a guess that she's never been to any sort of "ghetto." Yes, there's some loud music being played outside the apartment complex next to mine, but it's not all that bad.

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27/50. The Septembers of Shiraz.

2008-07-02T04:14:25Z

The Septembers of Shiraz: A Novel

Dalia Sofer

Wow. This was an amazingly brilliant book. I read it in a day, and will be discussing it at my new book club that I've joined, but for now, a few thoughts.

Dalia Sofer tells the story of an Iranian Jew in 1981, as the revolutionary guard has seized power of Iran, and people are being thrown into prison for "crimes" they may or may not be guilty of. Isaac Amin is accused of spying for Israel, taken from his family without any warning.

The Septembers of Shiraz alternates between family members, revealing to us Isaac's fate, his wife Farnaz's quest to find him and cope with his disappearance, his daughter Shirin's own rebellion, and his son Parviz's separation from the family during the ordeal, as a student in New York.

Though the topics included within our heavy, Sofer's decision to focus chapter by chapter on differening family members keeps the story moving, and so I think the book reads easier than if it only focused on Isaac.

Faith, meaning, beauty, family, love, fear, death, governments, revolutions... all are discussed, but not all are preached. It is a beautiful novel and I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend it.

A more detailed post might emerge after my book club discussion.

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The Reading List

2008-06-30T09:39:48Z

One of the dangers of working in a bookstore is that you buy too many books, and then before you even begin to read the ones you own, you buy more or check books out (we have a library system of sorts). As such, I have a decent sized stack of books waiting to be read, but I keep checking books out from work rather than going through my list.

A friend has started a book club though, so I have that book, The Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer, at home now and will need to keep it until the day our club meets. I am hoping that I can read it quickly and then tackle this pile of books sitting around, waiting to be read. Currently the list includes:

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, which has come highly recommended by at least three people. It is a recent addition to the pile.
Storm Front by Jim Butcher, the first in his Dresden Files series. Another new addition, and one I am nervous about, because if I like it there is an entire series following it.
Through the Narrow Gate by Karen Armstrong, a memoir of her time in a convent that should prove insightful on how to write a memoir regarding living within a church atmosphere, something I wish to do.
Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama, which I have started. I figure I should read this before election day.
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. I went on a classics kick and bought a ton of books, but have barely touched them.
Naked by David Sedaris, which I am prone to starting but never finishing.
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. I'm actually a couple hundred pages into this monster of a book.
Don't Think of an Elephant by George Lakoff. A poli-sci book on loan for quite some time now from a friend.
Brave New World by Adolus Huxley, which I've all but read.
Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies, & the Truth About Reality by Brad Warner. I've started this one as well.
Kristin Lavransdatter II: The Wife by Sigrid Undset.
Kristin Lavransdatter III: The Cross by Sigrid Undset. I read I: The Wreath for World Lit last year, and I want to know how the trilogy ends.
I'm a Stranger Here Myself by Bill Bryson. I'm definitely up for more Bryson.
A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin which is a daunting book to tackle, and moreso, because there is more in the series.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. I really want to read this classic.
Confessions by Saint Augustine. Curiousity has gotten the best of me.
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I should have read this in tenth grade but didn't. I did get an A on the test about it though.
Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach. I did read this in tenth grade, which amazes me, considering some of the content.
Walden by Henry David Thoreau. Curiousity. Again.
Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding.
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding. Both gifts from my sister, from years ago.
Wicked by Gregory Maguire. A gift from my parents, from years ago, that I've started on numerous occasions.
On the Road: The Original Scroll by Jack Kerouac. I can't believe I haven't read this yet.
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank. Another book from tenth grade that I want to reread.
Sabriel by Garth Nix. A recommendation from a friend that I should finally read.
The Magus by John Fowles. This thing is a monster!

This list clearly shows that I have no shortage of books to read. It is not even all inclusive of the books I own but have not read. These are just the primary ones on the "To-Read" list. They are also not in any particular order. However, if I can manage half of them, along with books I borrow from work, plus maybe some school reading, I can easily fulfill my goal of 50 books this year.

That would be wonderful.

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26/50. Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea.

2008-06-30T08:40:52Z

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea

Chelsea Handler

As it turns out, with one day left in June, I am one book ahead of schedule. Yes, it was Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by comedian Chelsea Handler that has placed me over the halfway mark, with one half of the year now gone.

Self-depreciating humor marks this second book by Handler. I've never read My Horizontal Life and I'm not sure if I can stomach that much of Handler's brash humor quite yet. But she is funny, not at all politically correct, and since I was looking for a book to read that wasn't going to require much thought, Vodka worked perfectly.

There were points where I couldn't stop laughing, and had to put the book down. I think humor hits best when you can relate to the situations detailed, and Handler's story regarding going to a "birthday" party for a "friend" was beyond hilarious. This "friend" was the sort of person who could talk for hours about nothing, really, and I know the type. But for each person involved in this party, with all their quirks and actions, Handler nearly had me in tears. Seriously. I'm not going to give anything away. Pick up the book at your local bookstore, read the chapter entitled "Re-Gift" and then tell me you didn't laugh.

I won't believe you.

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25/50. Once Upon a Time in the North.

2008-06-30T08:26:21Z

Once Upon a Time in the North

Philip Pullman

I'm not going to lie. I read Once Upon a Time in the North partially because it was short. I wanted to make sure that as June ended I was halfway through my goal. This is the first time I've accomplished such a feet.

But Philip Pullman's mini-book is also (hopefully) a prelude to his promised and long-awaited "Book of Dust", a tome that will include more details from the trilogy His Dark Materials.

Once Upon a Time in the North is a prequel to Pullman's trilogy, giving a glimpse into the life of a young Lee Scoresby and how he came to be acquainted with Iorek Byrnison. I love these glimpses, like the one Pullman previously gave us in Lyra's Oxford, a sequel.

But then again, I'm in love with His Dark Materials, the antithesis to C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, and I plan on rereading the trilogy now that I've actually read the Chronicles. Two separate stories, with commentary on theology not so subtly hid in the background.

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24/50. The Witch of Blackbird Pond.

2008-06-30T06:18:12Z

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Elizabeth George Speare

The Witch of Blackbird Pond is the second Newberry winner on my reading list that I seemed to have missed during my childhood. I loved it. I was particularly pleased with the ending. Elizabeth George Speare wrote a terrific story that gave a glimpse into American history as well.

However, this book has led to two events recently that should be noted.

The second event is more humorous in nature. While pleasantly tipsy at a margarita party the other night, a friend showed up at the apartment we were all drinking at, but after the door was opened, he did not enter right away. Instead a moth flew in.

Seeing as how I was pleasantly tipsy I took that moment to note that perhaps my friend had turned himself into the moth, and declared him to be a moth witch. I was laughing too hard to enunciate correctly, so no one really understood my point, but I still found it funny.

The first event though was one that kept me up at night. I was thinking about how much the country had evolved in a short period of time, and how, 200 years before we were just a bunch of refugees, trying to make it in a harsh environment, without the conveniences that many of these settlers had grown used to back home. Now? We're the superpower that is the United States.

My train of thought took me to a future apocalypse involving nuclear war and the destruction of the world. I didn't sleep that night.

How many children's stories can really do that? Five stars!

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America's "Christian" Traditions: A Rant

2008-06-27T14:26:58Z

Another Shot of the Cross

This blog is a direct response to Timothy's post about the ACLU and the case against school-sanctioned prayer at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Disclaimer No. 1:
This is not directed at Timothy himself. Though he and I disagree more than we agree, he has always shown respect and courtesy in our correspondence, and as such I have nothing but respect for him.

Disclaimer No. 2:
I do not subscribe to any form of Christianity, or hold any belief in a God that intervenes in the lives of humankind. However, I do agree with many sayings of Jesus as reported in the New Testament. If I were to describe my own beliefs, they would correspond most closely with those of the humanist philosophy.

I am a humanist, which means, in part, that I have tried to behave decently without any expectation of rewards or punishments after I'm dead.

-- Kurt Vonnegut

* * *

I hear often that America was founded as a Christian nation. Most often this statement precedes someone suggesting that the Supreme Court should overturn Roe v. Wade, or that prayer should be allowed in schools, gay marriage should be banned, or some other religiously motivated law or idea. While I would refute the "Christian nation" argument based on the First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment I of The United States Constitution, emphasis mine.

I will not argue that Christianity hasn't been the dominant religion practiced within the United States since the nation was established. This is because it clearly has been the most prevalent of religions.

However, with the majority of Americans claiming Christianity as their religion, one would believe that the government would have no trouble creating policies that coincide with the majority's religious beliefs.

What would Christian policies look like? I now turn to the Bible to find answers.

First, when asked what the most important commandment of the Law was, Jesus replied that it was to love the Lord with all one's soul, mind, and strength. Then, unsolicited, he added, "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:28-31, NIV)

But what does that mean?

The twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew might shed some light on this. In this passage (Matthew 25:31-40, NIV) Jesus speaks on his final return to earth, and of the judgment that will follow:

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Let's see. Feed the hungry. Make sure no one goes thirsty or naked. Take care of the sick. Be kind to strangers. Visit those in prison. That's a hefty order. So let's focus on feeding the hungry and taking care of the sick.

How does our nation, with our "Christian traditions" measure up?

As of 2006, 36.5 million people in the United States lived below the poverty line.

USA Today recently published an article detailing the rising number of households who are finding their utilities disconnected, due partially to rising food and gasoline costs. No electricity heading into the hottest months of the year? Not exactly healthy living conditions.

46.9 million Americans live without health insurance.

One in ten households experience hunger, or the risk of hunger, in this country. That figure is from 2005, and the economy has declined since then.

This doesn't bode well as an answer to my question.

* * *

I had originally intended for this to be a much broader rant, with more verses and more issues. However, I think the above references shall suffice for now. I will now get to my point.

FORGET ABOUT PRAYER IN SCHOOLS. That's a MINOR concern!

When there is health care available and affordable to each and every American, when this nation that has so much wealth manages to feed its hungry and takes care of the poor, when a child has every opportunity to succeed because his or her education is not at all limited by where he or she was born, when no one has to decide between paying the electric bill or buying groceries, and when this country lives up to its belief that we are all granted the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, then...

And only then...

THEN I will be willing to have a reasonable debate about whether or not the U.S. Naval Academy has the right to sanction a prayer time before lunch, or whether or not the Ten Commandments should be allowed to hang within courtrooms.

Oh, I won't budge from my positions that it doesn't and they shouldn't, but I'll be willing to listen. Because at least then there will be an argument that America is guided by Christian principles.

Until then, however, I don't want to hear it.

Disclaimer No. 3:
I do realize that there are many Christians within this nation who volunteer with homeless shelters, Habitat for Humanity, and other organizations that work to benefit their communities, and who give admirably to charities.

Disclaimer No. 4:
I also firmly believe that the fate of this nation does not rest solely on its Christian population, and that we could eradicate a majority of the country's problems if we all truly tried to live up to the Golden Rule, or similar ideologies.

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23/50. Curse of the Spellmans.

2008-06-27T09:12:57Z

Curse of the Spellmans: A Novel

Lisa Lutz

The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz was a "Buyer's Pick" at the bookstore where I work, which meant it was advertised in the store every hour on the hour for about a month. Because of this, a coworker read it, and then recommended it to me.

"It's quirky," he told me. "You're quirky. You'll like it and probably relate to it."

So I read the book and it was indeed quirky. I liked it. I read the book and then recommended it to my mom. She and my dad both read it and enjoyed it.

So when it came time to get my mom a birthday present this year, I got her the next novel in the series, Curse of the Spellmans. One of the benefits of living in the same city as my parents for the first time in four years is that I now have access to their library of books. So I borrowed my mom's gift from her after she had read it, and Lisa Lutz didn't disappoint.

The Spellmans are a family of private investigators. The main character is Izzy, who views men as potential ex-boyfriends. She's a fan of Get Smart and a former teenage hellion. She manages to land herself in jail quite frequently in this latest novel.

Then there's David, Izzy's far more responsible older brother, the only Spellman who has chosen not to work for the family firm.

Rae is the youngest of the children, known for her negotiating skills. The Spellman parents have their own quirks, most notably for their "disappearances" in this latest novel.

The family takes on different cases, but in their spare time they are notorious for spying on each other.

This dysfunctional family provides for a quick and easy funny read.

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