Famous Last Words Week 15

 Evelyn on Halloween

This semester has been a challenge to say the least. I was working 20 hours a week through September, which was tough. I had a baby in October and life has been crazy since.

Miss Evelyn smiles when she’s awake now! It’s not just every once in a while, either! When I smile at her, she smiles back and it’s the most wonderful feeling in the world!

She’s also starting to bat at objects. When she sits in her bouncer she is starting to figure out that when she makes big enough movements that she makes the little toys attached make noise.

It’s so awesome to watch her learn! 90% of everything you’ll ever know you learn in the first five years of life. It truly is amazing to watch someone as they make new discoveries every day.

She’s also starting to have more of a personality. She has preferences and everything! It’s amazing to get to know a whole new person that you created! I created her, but she’s not me. She’s not Bryant, either. There’s still too much to learn about her to really tell who she is.

This past week I’ve been studying for finals. I have two tests on Monday and a paper due Friday. I also had some other classes and a doctor’s appointment. All’s going well there.

I’m rushing in typing this because I thought the deadline for this class was 5:30 today for some reason. I’m not really sure why that time was in my head, but it was. I read Laura’s email at 11 and still had several things to get done before noon.

Next semester I only have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I’m really excited to get to spend all day the other five days a week with my baby.

Week 12 Reading Diary: Sita Sings the Blues

This week I watched the first half of Sita Sings the Blues.

I'm not a huge fan of this movie so far. The intro was pretty confusing. I know that Laksmi and Vishnu were two of the people portrayed. I'm not sure who the others were, especially the guy with six spinning heads. There are three versions of the story you get:  Sita sings about what's happening, three narrators talk about the story, and a modern-day version of the story is shown.

When Sita sings, the style of music doesn't really fit the style of art or the rest of the film well. You don't really think of jazzy blues when you're watching a film highly influenced by Indian art. The art used when Sita sings is also interesting. Sita's waist is itty bitty, while her boobs and butt are huge. This reminds me of something I read in another version of the Ramayana (I think Buck's, but I'm not sure). That author said Sita's waist was so small Rama could wrap one hand all the way around it. Rama is this huge, handsome muscle man, which goes against how I've always envisioned him.

The narrators ramble on about the story in a way that makes you think they have no clue what they're talking about. They even say Ravana did nothing bad except capture Sita. I'm not sure if the creator of this film intended to do this or not.

Then there's the modern-day couple. When they first came on screen I was very confused. As the movie has gone on, I realize it's a retelling of part of Rama and Sita's story.

Week 10 Reading Diary B

Kshatriya is a caste

They formed their troops in the shapes of animals, one animal was chosen by one side and the other side would form an animal that would eat it

Duryodhana told his brother Bhishma to off himself just so Karna would join the fight

I’m still confused as to who’s who

The author’s notes are very helpful, especially since I haven’t done all of the readings

Bhima defended himself with horse legs

Bhima ripped Dussasana’s hand off like it was nothing, then sucked all of the blood out of his body

Duryodhana has the power and desire to hide at the bottom of a lake

Gandari curses Krishna to die alone after all of his kinsmen

Storytelling options on pages 180, 181

“I do not want to be called a Kshatriya if slaughter alone is the rule of life”—Yudhistira page 181

“Religious activities, pleasure, enjoyment, and every fulfilment of life proceed from wealth…. It is from fighting that glory is earned and from glory proceed all the good things of life…. We can never see wealth acquired without some harm or injury to others.”—Arjuna page 182

Arjuna is aware of microorganisms