Sometimes, Melissa runs her legs. Sometimes, she runs her mouth.

Tag: holidailies (Page 1 of 5)

Death, George Bush, and people

George H.W. Bush died two days ago and his death brings up a very profound and unique phenomenon in life: the way we treat our dead. I have seen the obituaries and I have seen the criticism that we, as an American society, are only focusing on the good side of George Bush. Well, he did just die, but to be fair, when a police officer shoots an African American, the dead African American’s drug use and other criminal activity gets noted in the press when he dies.

It seems that since the development of the internet and our ability to get a wider breadth of information, we have become incapable of exploring the depth of information. Everyone and everything gets oversimplified. Our brains, even before the internet, in an effort to be more efficient catalogs information in schemas and instinctually notes information that confirms stereotypes while ignoring information that contradicts those stereotypes. It’s hard to deal with information that does not fit a linear or cohesive function.

So that is what is happening with George H.W. Bush right now. He died at 94 and that’s a good age for dying. If by 94, you didn’t do everything you wanted to do, then that’s on you. You definitely had enough time. He became President after Ronald Regan after being his vice president for eight years. Ronald Regan was quite the charismatic guy and George Bush came across as his smarter much more boring accountant. But he did fight in World War 2 and worked in the CIA so he seemed to have some experience. He also had his share of controversy including Iran Contra.

So who is right. Everyone. People are messy. People are imperfect. Of course, he was charming. Charm is a part of politics. It was also a simpler time when there was less tribalism in politics and there was more discourse. Some of his policies through people under the bus and his policies regarding AIDS were bordering on cruel. I’m sure there are people out there who hate his guts. No one living gets through life without pissing someone off. It’s the imperfection of humanity. We fuck up. We get angry and say cruel things. We get wrapped up in our own lives and neglect other people and things. It’s the human condition. We strive to be better and sometimes we fail.

But I think in these times, it is necessary to take a step back and remember the purpose of an obituary. Who keeps an obituary? The close members of the family and people who were close enough to the deceased to go to the funeral. (An obituary is also used by genealogists. It tells you the surviving family members and the predeceased but that’s another topic) It’s part of the ceremony we use to comfort those who are left behind. Family and friends want to know that the person whose death has so broken their hearts was remembered fondly by others. They want a story about how the person who just died made a difference in their own lives. They want validation that their pain is real. So the family cuts out the obituary and puts it in a book somewhere and it sits there. An obituary isn’t intended to be an exhaustive history of the person. It’s meant to be a memento.

So maybe out of respect for the people who saw George H.W. Bush as a father, a cousin, a friend, and a colleague that we step back and focus on those positive moments that made him a great person. Yes, we remember something fond of him, too. I’m sorry for your loss. Even public figures have families. We can analyze his broader legacy in the coming weeks.

Hello. Is this thing on?

Hello. Is this thing on? It’s me, Melissa. I know it’s been a while. I’ve been busy but life got in the way. Then a health issue reminded me that life was fleeting and that I liked writing. I want to spend more time doing it. So here I am.

We’ll talk about the health issues later. I have 30 days to fill.

Also, during this time, I realized that my Dad’s memory is fading. His Dad died of Alzheimer’s. His Dad’s Dad’s Mom died of Alzheimer’s. Crap. It’s only a matter of time before I start forgetting shit. I need to write this down.

So these 30 days will be the stories I need to write down because I don’t want to forget them and other random things. These will be the stories that are near and dear to my heart. The stories that might be helpful for others to hear. Some will just be plain silly. It will be a mixture— not unlike life itself. I hope you enjoy it.


Snacks at the most wonderful time of the year

The holiday season is about seeing your friends and family. And goofy Christmas specials on TV. And God and spirituality. (Baby Jesus if you’re Christian) And parties AND FOOD!

Oh the snacks. Party food is the best food. Some people get all ga ga over the Turkey and dressing. I, on the other hand, get all happy over the bites served at the parties beforehand. I like food that you can eat with your fingers while talking smack with your friends. Portable and tasty is a good combination.

Here are some of my favorites. In order to preserve what little girlish figure (HAHAHAH) I still have, I only eat these things during the Holiday Season. I am deliberately leaving out the veggie tray.

Buffalo Chicken Dip (I use the Frank’s Red Hot version when I make it)

2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 (8 oz. pkg.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup FRANK’S RedHot® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce or FRANK’S RedHot® Buffalo Wings Sauce
1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch dressing
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese or your favorite shredded cheese

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350°F.

COMBINE all ingredients and spoon into shallow 1-quart baking dish.

BAKE 20 minutes or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish with chopped green onions if desired. Serve with crackers and/or vegetables.

Please don’t sue me Frank’s. I make a complete jackass out of myself eating this stuff. It’s a less messy version of hot wings. I am not going to say how much of this I eat but I am going to say that i am grateful that I run. I have also used this as a way to get rid of leftover turkey.

Those white chocolate covered Oreos. Fortunately, the Oreo people only see these things during the Holiday season. Everybody is happy.

Those little brisket sandwiches served on a roll with hot mustard aka Brisket slider. Some random caterer makes these and many of the holiday parties in Arkansas serve them. I have found them at the bar association annual meeting in the summer. But yeah slide down my throat into my belly.

Sweet Love holiday sugar cookies. Sugar cookies shaped like Santa? HO HO HO

Back in the day, I would say Charcuterie plates was a holiday only but some of the local restaurants have started to serve some awesome appetizer trays.

HO HO HOLIDAILIES

After a year hiatus, I am back on this thing. Thanks to the gentle nudging of Elizabeyth, here I am. Somehow I have agreed to do an entry a day for the rest of December. So this will be a kick in the pants for creativity and time management. GO ME.

I have opinions and sometimes I buy into the Southern gentility thing just a little too much and don’t necessarily express these opinions. I am slowly learning to say “fuck that noise” and yawp away.

I like to run (slowly) and have completed six (or is it seven) half marathons along with a hodge podge of other shorter distances. I belong to the Hot Legs running club and hope to participate in Grand Prix next year.

I have a cat. I like to read books. I think too much or sometimes, I don’t think enough. Veronica Mars is my spirit animal. I am a liberal in a very red state. I am at a cross roads for many things and am considering rebooting my life. It should be an interesting month.

I moustache you some questions

moustache

So I found this via Running and Reading and thought I would play along.

1. Four names that people call me, other than my real name:

Counselor
Molasses
Hop-a-long
Michelle

2. Four jobs I have had:

Hostess at the old school Brownings
Criminal Investigator
Music Department Clerk
Attorney

3. Four movies I’ve watched more than once:

The Shawshank Redemption (hell I’ve probably watched it once a month for years)
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf?
Splendor in the Grass
Dead Poet’s Society

4. Two books I recommend:

Lolita by Vladimir Nabakov

On Writing by Stephen King

5. Four places I have lived:

My parents house
Washington DC
New York
Couch Hall

6. Four places I have been:

The White House
Cummins Prison
Samburu National Game Park
Katz’s Delicatessen

7. Four places I would rather be right now

Bed (I am sleepy)
Waffle House (yet i am hungry and craving some scattered and covered hash browns)
Washington DC
Swimming

8. Four things I don’t eat:

Deer (venison)
Boiled okra
Iceberg lettuce
Green peppers

9. Four of my favorite foods:

Chicken tikka masala
Black bean quesadillas
cheese dip
Chocolate cupcakes

10. Four TV shows I watch:

Assuming this is shows that are currently on the air

Scandal
House of Cards
American Horror Story
Big Bang Theory

11. Four things I’m looking forward to next year:

Little Rock half marathon
moving
Finish a marathon
Getting AGS Alumni off the ground

12. Four things I am always saying:

That sucks donkey balls
What?
Where are my keys?
Hey

holibadge-snowman

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I am not going to lie. Ever since I saw the trailer for this particular movie, I have been waiting to see this movie.

Yes this trailer.

I devoured the first two books about a month before the final book came out and read the final one pretty much around the time it went on sale. I haven’t read them since. Yes, I have sweet the entire Swedish trilogy released about two years ago. As a result, I didn’t go into this movie completely blind or without some expectations.

I was afraid that Hollywood was going to fetishize the violence towards women in this movie and turn it into torture porn. Considering that Fincher is also responsible for the movie Se7en, this concern isn’t hysterical. The original title of the book in Sweden (it is a Swedish book that was translated to English) is, when translated to English, “Men who Hate Women” and it is very clear that the violence towards female characters in the book is not something to be glorified. This is a hard line to do when the basis of your movie is entertainment. It’s not as stark as it was in the Swedish movies and there are fancy tricks with camera angles but Fincher managed to not over do it.

Okay, this is Rooney Mara’s movie. She managed to get the slightness of Lisbeth Salander as well as the “weirdness.” Lisbeth Salander may or may not have Asperger’s. She managed to capture the “offness” while still conveying emotion at the appropriate times. She managed to be weird when needed and fierce when also needed. The viewer needs to believe that she can be crazy violent when pushed too far and Mara managed it.

The opening credits are a slick music video utilizing animation and Trent Reznor and Karen O’s cover of the Immigrant Song. It’s an over the top visual extravaganza that only a Hollywood film can pull off.

The movie manages to follow the book fairly closely although there is a big change in plot point at the very, very end. Both the Swedish version as well as this version manage to gloss over the fact that women keep throwing themselves at Blomkvist, streamlining the plot point with Blomkvist only being involved with Salander and the editor of the magazine.

I liked it. Go see it.

Proof that I am a nerd

I bought this book for fun. I am not a grad student. I am not a psychologist by trade. I am not a literature professor or English teacher. I just bought this book because it sounded cool. Okay I was a psychology major in undergrad but that was YEARS AGO!

TOTAL NERD!

Holidailies 2011

Is the “C” in Christmas for “creepy”? Melissa says yes!

Don’t get me wrong. I love a little HO HO HO as much as the next gal but some of the decorations and traditions surrounding Christmas are just plain creepy.

For example, this is a picture of the baby Jesus in our town’s nativity scene.

baby Jesus in the nativity scene on the town square.

What the hell? The hair? Those outstretched arms. The seams! Is baby Jesus a blow up doll?

Oh and it doesn’t match the three wise men or Mary or anything else either.

the nativity scene on the town square

So I am not sure. Did someone in days of yore steal the baby Jesus that matched the wise men and other “figures” and this was the cheap ghetto creepy ass replacement? I do not know. I just know that I have had nightmares about that thing.

Other things that have the potential for nightmares, ELF ON THE SHELF! The backstory, the Elf on the Shelf is Santa’s spy sitting in the house watching the children to know if they have been naughty or nice. there’s nothing creepy about Stalking at all, even if it is cute little elves.

AnD LOOK AT IT! That’s a “I will burn your house down while you sleep” expression if I ever saw one.

Source: flickr.com via Jaime on Pinterest

*shudder*

Holidailies 2011

Au Revoir Holidailies

I thought today was the last day of Holidailies but it might have been yesterday. I am confused.

Of course, I didn’t write every day for the 30something days that I promised and that’s okay. The reddit format was confusing after years of a much easier system. Also, there wasn’t an easy way to see every person’s entry. It seemed more spread out. I did get to read some new blogs that I have never read before and I always like the challenge of fitting in a bunch of blog entries near the end of the year. IT’s like Spring Cleaning for my mind.

This year was hard for me and I managed to perk up with all this blogging and sending out Christmas cards. I realized that the world is full of people who would be happy to hear from me even if I am not the best blogger or person in general. Really, who is the best of anything and how do you judge that criteria. And yes my friend is gone and I will miss her greatly but I’m still alive. At some point, you just got to keep on living.

It was fun guys.

Holidailies 2010 Badge

Black Swan

No one does crazy better than Darren Aronofsky. I saw the director’s cut of Requiem for a Dream and was in a funk for a week. I also threw up due to the sheer turmoil of it all. It’s pretty gore free. But it is an extremely well made film telling a very ugly tale.

So when I saw the trailer for Black Swan, I knew I had to see it. Of course, it wasn’t coming to my little town. (The lesbian scene would upset the Bible Belters).

Finally on the first day of 2011, I saw it.

The plot is fairly simple: Nina Sayers, an overprotected, innocent, fragile woman obsessed with ballet, is selected to be the Swan Queen in her ballet company’s production of Swan Lake. The Swan Queen is a role where the dancer plays two parts, the White Swan and her evil twin the Black Swan. The dirty old man director thinks she is innocent and controlled enough to be the White Swan but doesn’t have the sexuality and looseness to be the Black Swan. He attempts to remedy this situation by sexually harassing Nina.

Of course, Nina has issues and an uber controlling mother. She may or may not have a grip on reality. She is also the narrator of this tale. This is where the fun begins for Aronofsky and the viewer.

So while watching, the viewer has to wonder, “what is real? is she making this up? What was that?”

This movie uses a lot of mirrors and there the use of color with characters wearing black representing “bad” and characters wearing white representing “good.” The whole thing reminded me of the Jungian concept of the “Shadow self” from my psychology classes in college. In fact, after getting back and googling the thing, I was reminded that the shadow is considered the “seat of creativity.” Also, someone else has already addressed the shadow as presented in Black Swan.

So how much is intended to be merely a visual metaphor for the internal struggle between facets of Nina’s personality and how much is in Nina’s mind in the way of her having hallucinations and how much is reality? That’s the sixty four thousand dollar question folks.

I was fascinated by this film and I enjoyed it quite a bit. It isn’t nearly as dark and depressing as Requiem for a Dream. The part of Nina is a “role of a lifetime” for an actress and Natalie Portman pulls it off masterfully. She is phenomenal and the Oscar talk is not hype. I will be stunned and disappointed if she is not nominated. I was pleasantly surprised to see Winona Ryder acting again even if her part consisted solely of having a nervous breakdown. The dirty old man director was good but I’m not sure he was “old” enough. Without the old, you might just think he’s just stupid enough to think harassing the girl would bring the desired result. Mila Kunis can act. She can definitely act better than Ashton Kulcher so there you go.

I am glad I saw this movie and give it a thumbs up.

Holidailies 2010 Badge

« Older posts

© 2024 Melissa Runs

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑

WordPress Web Hosting