Poor Public Preconceptions

Sometimes certain phrases and words bring a negative or flimsy preconception into people's minds.  They hear a word and automatically conceive a thought, often erroneous.  I think this happens with the word "christian".  I often stay away from describing myself as such, mostly because of the connotations associated with the term, most of which have nothing to do with me.   Especially in the  Bible belt.  Here is an example See? Ted Dekker has a similar thought here.

But I was thinking of one of my favorite books.  It is The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle.  Usually when one in this culture hear the word Unicorn, they think of a cartoonish horse with  a horn, bright rainbows, and stars.  Something that only a 10 year old girl would be interested in.  But this book is not that.  This book is exquisitely written.  Beagle is poetic, ironic, and unique all in one.  Here is a great review..Coolness.    I think that the evil beast named the Red Bull is funny, especially now, since Red Bull is such an evil drink.

Seriously, this book is great.  For instance, the main characters meet up with some outlaws.  These outlaws love Robin Hood but steal from the poor and give to the rich when it benefits them.   When offered hospitality from them, they are offered a 'taco'... although all they have is watered down rat soup.  The book continuously combines medieval fantasy with modern verbiage flawlessy in a hilarious manner!

I think what I love about this book is the fight against evil which is encompassed in the tale by a man who is selfish and wants to enslave beauty to 'be happy'.  The poorly animated movie in 1982, actually captures the essence of the adventure through script and acting.  Jeff Bridges and Christopher Lee are awesome.  The songs are awful, but I still like the movie.  My husband bought me the DVD for Christmas this year.  How sweet.  Right?  The Last Unicorn Movie   


It is always better to read the book.

What inspires me about the book is the concept of regret.  In the book, Unicorns cannot regret.  They accept and live on.  However, since the main character becomes human, and experiences the love of a mortal man.... it changes her.  She is able to regret.  But even though she cannot live with the prince/hero when she is changed back to a unicorn, she does not regret her love.  She is thankful to him for allowing her to experience it.

Some medieval tapestries ...I love these

Enough rambling for today.

The Enchanted Forest

I have always been in love with forests.  Trees and ancient stonewalls.  Remnants of past ventures, dreams and legacies.   

Photos from Vermont.  June 2011

Baby Poem

An infant sleeping,
then awakes,
first a sneeze,
then rolls over
safe and secure,
warm, enblanketed,
Inside Me.

1998


The gift,
a life inside.
forever mine to protect.
a flutter
a sneeze
a sigh of content from me
never to compromise the
value of life.

1998

Stars

I found it!
And I realize how my poetry writing skills have deteriorated.  Out of practice.  Brain funk.  Whatever.  When I was younger, I believed I was a poet and I wrote well.  Then I was discouraged by a series of events.

I wrote this in 1998.


the Stars rip the night
breaking it without compassion
with their intensity
they hurt my eyes
but only I know
how much they love me
for how could I survive the night
without the stars
shining just for me.

Off on an Adventure

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.

Yes, today we embark on a journey.  A very long road trip with the 5 of us piled into the Toyota Camry.  We are packing minimally and traveling light.  The biggest reason is because the Camry has XM radio.  But also just as importantly, it is better on gas.  

Off to Vermont first.  I am planning on taking a lot of photos.  Vermont is one of the most gorgeous places on earth, especially in the summer.  So we leave 100 degree weather and go there for a week.  It will be between 75-80 degrees. Every day.  

Next week will be my big fat Italian Family Reunion.  Yes, I am sure a movie could be made and it would be great!

Off I go, with extreme excitement.

Poetry

I have been given the challenge to write every day during the summer.  As much as I prefer paper and pencil, I am writing on line because I know where it will be.  My house is tore up right now.  I have no workspace to paint, draw, or anything else.  Not complaining, I am excited.  It will look awesome when it is done.  Plus my husband is like me.  He is much happier when he is busy ... creating and working with his hands.  And what he does in his meticulousness really is artistic.  He takes longer than a tradesman, but he does not accept work that is not finished properly and looks beautiful. 

Anyway, I found an old book of poetry that I wrote in a few years ago.  But I cant find it right now.  I had a poem about the stars being beautiful and I having the sense that they were created just for me.  I have always felt that way about flowers too.  That God in his love for me, knew that whatever trials I had to endure, just enjoying the beauty of flowers, stars and the forest would make me feel better.  G. K. Chesterton wrote "Life exists for the love of music and beautiful things".  And to me that sums up how I feel about life.  I exist for the love of the very Being of love, music and beauty. 

So I will try to rewrite what I once wrote.  Hopefully improving it.

Enraptured by the pale light of the stars,
I lift my eyes to drink in the beauty,
millions of worlds,
millions of miles away,
the vastness of space,
throned by the Elder Race,
each pinpoint a universe larger than my imagination.


But here I am,
Alone in the night,
singing words  of praise
to the One who made these
Just for Me.


Somehow, it doesnt capture the essence of my last, so when I find it I will add it to this post.



 

Science Fiction: The modern mythologies

I love science fiction novels.  Probably the whole idea of escaping the present age and time is what is so very appealing.  Modern society has bred a climate of apathy.  And modern science has drained out fairytale mysticism from children's hearts.  So many children nowadays have so little exposure to fairy tales outside of the commercialized Disney version.  But... there is something of the fairy tale in the science fiction novel.  After all its not that "magic is only science that we havent discovered yet" (I think I heard a character in the movie Thor say that.) It is much more that most of science really has not been discovered yet.  Our scientists know so little of what reality is really about.  Even their facts are not much more than theories.
I just finished reading "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card.  It made me want to revisit some of my favorites. And I would love some recommendation, as well.

Tripod Trilogy
Probably the first series which totally captured my imagination.  The BBC made a film adaptation which would only be interesting if you love the books.
Devil on my Back....
Time and Again 
 Dune
 Perelandra      Actually the whole trilogy is awesome.
Ender's Game
1984
John Carter 
Brave New World
Circle Trilogy
Talisman 
Fahrenheit 451


I think I will be adding a few more as I think of more that I have read and love.

Need to add one by Neil Gaiman (thought I hadn't read any of his, but this book is cowritten)
Interworld
and how could I forget classics like
The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells and of course the War of the Worlds
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

A wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (and the rest of the series)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

This is on my wish list for Amazon
Time Travel Stories
Now to actually make one!

The Snow Queen

The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen is one of my favorite fairy tales of all times.  There are elements in the story which TOTALLY show up in C.S. Lewis' The Witch the Lion and the Wardrobe.  The White Witch is modeled after the Snow Queen, and the Snow Queen captures a boy ( in her sleigh nonetheless)  and turns his heart to ice, taking him away to her palace in the icy north.  The boy's friend who is an innocent little girl searches and searches, and after some adventures finds him and in a most incredible way is able to melt his heart of ice.  The Snow Queen is one of the best villains ever.
It is a tale of true innocent love and the battle against evil and untruth. 

Here is the part of the beginning of the tale, I cut out and summarized a bit in parenthesis.
 It begins with a magic mirror which distorts every image that it reflects.  It is broken and the tiny shards get stuck in people's eyes and hearts, making them ice.  

Once upon a time there was a wicked sprite, indeed he was the most mischievous of all sprites. One day he was in a very good humor, for he had made a mirror with the power of causing all that was good and beautiful when it was reflected therein, to look poor and mean; but that which was good-for-nothing and looked ugly was shown magnified and increased in ugliness. In this mirror the most beautiful landscapes looked like boiled spinach, and the best persons were turned into frights, or appeared to stand on their heads; their faces were so distorted that they were not to be recognised; and if anyone had a mole, you might be sure that it would be magnified and spread over both nose and mouth.

"That's glorious fun!" said the sprite. If a good thought passed through a man's mind, then a grin was seen in the mirror, and the sprite laughed heartily at his clever discovery. (His sprites then take the mirror and have fun, flying up high and eventually dropping and breaking it.  The mirror breaks into millions of tiny shards.) And now it worked much more evil than before; for some of these pieces were hardly so large as a grain of sand, and they flew about in the wide world, and when they got into people's eyes, there they stayed; and then people saw everything perverted, or only had an eye for that which was evil. This happened because the very smallest bit had the same power which the whole mirror had possessed. Some persons even got a splinter in their heart, and then it made one shudder, for their heart became like a lump of ice. Some of the broken pieces were so large that they were used for windowpanes, through which one could not see one's friends. Other pieces were put in spectacles; and that was a sad affair when people put on their glasses to see well and rightly. Then the wicked sprite laughed till he almost choked, for all this tickled his fancy. The fine splinters still flew about in the air: and now we shall hear what happened next.
I encourage you to read the rest, it is really a beautiful tale.  SNOW QUEEN HERE

I have not seen a good movie which translates all of the beauty of the story properly.  However, after reading the story a few years ago, I realized there is a song which HAD to be inspired by it!
Once again, I draw upon the great influence that Robert Smith of the Cure has had on me...

"Cold"

Scarred
Your back was turned
Curled like an embryo
Take another face
You will be kissed again
I was cold as I mouthed the words
And crawled across the mirror
I wait
Await the next breath
Your name
Like ice into my heart

A shallow grave
A monument to the ruined age
Ice in my eyes
And eyes like ice don't move
Screaming at the moon
Another past time
Your name
Like ice into my heart

Everything as cold as life
Can no one save you?
Everything
As cold as silence
And you never say a word

Your name
Like ice into my heart
Your name
Like ice into my heart  

Musings about Harry Potter

A few years ago, I was teaching an eighth grade science class.  My students were very intelligent.  At least when it came to getting me to do what I do best...ramble!  Most of the time, we did stay on track, but there were times when we would talk about other things.  Harry Potter was a favorite topic.  I love those books! 

One day while our conversation was on Harry Potter, the kids started discussing who they "were" or identified with.  One girl identified with Hermione.  One boy was actually called "Ron" by his classmates as a nickname, so he was Ron.  Another girl actually wanted to be Bellatrix!  Not a good one in my opinion!  Pure evil.   I am not sure if anyone actually claimed Harry.  They started naming the teachers in our school.  One was Mrs. McGonagall and it was a great fit!   They thought at first that since I taught science, I needed to be Professor...Sprout  !  I took great offense to that.  Not only because I am not REALLY a science teacher.  I also taught Art, Bible, History, PE! and whatever else was needed.  But I have a passion and love for art and art history.  And being compared to a frumpy witch is AWFUL!
I explained that to them, and added that I knew who I was! 
Can you guess? 
Hermione?  A little .... in some ways I understand her.  A lot actually.
Ginny?  Yes, I understand her too!
But the character I totally feel connected with is Lilly Evans Potter.  In some ways that is a little egotistical.  I know. 
But I find it totally inspiring.  And my students were totally impressed! 
Not going into too many details, her marriage to James, her believing her first born son had a special purpose, and being willing to do anything for him (I hope Ransom and my other two kids know that).

Overall, I believe that Lilly's character totally supports the whole Potter saga.  Her love saved Harry, protected him and in the end, saved everyone from the evil Voldemort.  That is inspiring.  I hope I can have just a little of that influence in my world.

This reminded me of some funny Harry Potter videos. Enjoy.
Ticking Noise
Snape, Snape
Lego!


Not funny, but I love the Killers! Severus