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Tag: politics
#218; out with the old
It’s summer time, and what’s better this time of year than a beach and a book? This year we see the end of some of the best, worst, most epic, least deserving, too-much-fun-to-handle series out there – Harry Potter‘s last stand opens tonight at midnight, Breaking Dawn arrives in November, last year’s I Am Number Four seems to have been turned down for a sequal, and after the release of the Gossip Girl prequal capping off that book series, it doesn’t seem like we’ll have any more gossip to get lost in. Yes, I love YA fiction,
particularly of the fantasy and science fiction varieties (though YA isn’t all I’m planning to read next, it’s just a delightful destraction from the real world of campaigns, office politics, and dishes to be washed). And so this summer I’m letting go of my old favorites (I admit to devouring the Twilight series when it came out. I also admit to laughing out loud at most of it, which feels incredibly good) and embracing some brand new (to me, at least) beach reading. With vacation next week, I thought it a good chance to look over what I’m hoping to read - leave me your favorites, guilty pleasures, and To Read piles in the comments!
First and foremost, I cannot wait to finish reading The Mortal Instruments series, including the just-released fourth installment. I’m nearly half way through the third (City of Glass) and despite its schmaltzy language, slightly twisted love triangle, and eye-roll inducing plot devises, I love it. Maybe I’ll look past just about anything if I like a story enough. Cassandra Clare comes from a writing background of Harry Potter fanfiction, so the lady certainly knows what fans want – pretty people, angst, intense, quick action, and the occassional swoon-worthy kiss. She even through in a clumsy, totally-doesn’t-think-she’s-pretty main character and a brooding, bad boy with a heart of gold love interest. It’s pure cheese. It’s morally questionable. It’s terribly written most of the time. But it’s fun, too, it’s captivating and full of bright colors and well-handled characters, and that’s what I look for in entertainment, so this is just my cup of tea (or maybe more my tall glass of strawberry daiquiri). Find more romance, history, and suspense below the jump!
#216; what’s in a [haircut]?
Those of you who have been reading The Luckiest/Atlimbo for a while may remember my rock and roll infatuation with a fauxhawk, pictured above.
Today, I went back to my roots, nearly literally.
I’m inspired to show you this, my favorite of hair cuts, by a meme seemingly making the rounds of person blogs. The meme is something along the lines of “What I Wish You Knew About Me” and I’ve seen examples here, here, and here among others. So, here we go, after the cut: what I wish you knew about me.
#215; in gratitude
In November, I wrote a list out of things I was grateful for, from the small to the profound, and I find that it’s a wonderful way to boost your confidence in the everyday. This list included the phrase: “Knowing that Boston still stands & I can always go home.”
I have a bad habit of mentally longing for easier places to live – places where I already know the social & economic landscape (Maine); or where I have the comfort and familiarity of family and friends (South Carolina or Southern Virginia); places that miss me as much I miss them (DC); places that afford me a no-strings-attached approach to life (Rome or Paris or some other exotic, impossible locale). I have trouble, mentally, internally, giving Boston enough credit. And so here we go, after the jump, a list of things I’m grateful to Boston for, to get me through this short-week version of a hump day:
#202; youth & politics look good together
Watching Mitt Romney’s announcement today of his running for President got me thinking — where are all the crushworthy candidates? Where is a Bill Clinton for my mom to swoon over? Who will cause a scandel with their $400 haircut? Would we ever want to see any of these candidates frolicking on the beach like Obama?
Honestly? No. I do not want to think about what Mitt Romney looks like in swim trunks, no matter how much I appreciate the man’s fiscal policy. And face it, Sarah Palin may have rocked the bathing suit pagaent circut at one point, but I doubt we’re going to see her strutting down the run way any time soon being that she’s super-conservative these days.
And so, of this curiosity, this list was born: the next generation of poltically involved, somewhat dyanstic cuties. What do you think? Anyone I’ve missed? (list is in no particular order and Party/affiliation didn’t particularly matter!)
** You’ve been warned, fyi, of the complete ridiculousness to follow. Vapid fan-girling, harmless crushing, and behavior worthy only of giggling and possibly shaking your head are sure to be included. Feel free to join me, if you like, or you can explain this away with an air of seriousness I simply don’t possess today. Either way, warning of total silliness officially declared. **
#196; this news brings out the strange in us
My absolute favorite from last night’s news is something I saw on twitter, from @Ben_Howe: “You know how big God’s love is? He’s sad today. That’s more than I can say.” It’s difficult to feel bad about bin Laden’s death. It’s hard to think of how many lives he’s ended or ruined – directly and indirectly – over the last few decades and not be moved to the point of joyful tears knowing he will never have that power again. But it’s really good to be reminded, in that moment of self-doubt and confusion over jubliance in the face of violence, that we are only human and that might be ok.
There is so much I could say about the news last night: bin Laden is dead. I’ve read all the statements (still waiting for a transcipt fo Sec. Clinton’s, though), I’ve watched the speechs, have spent the last 12 hours obsessed with the twitter feeds and the live blogging. I’ve read my share of Foursqure jokes and been surprised by the adamant cruelty cominf from some people. But this morning we all had to wake up, and go back to work, and get back to the task of keeping ourselves safe. So I really liked former VP Dick Cheney’s statement the most, not for partisan reasons, but because it remembers the reality of this:
“Al Qaeda remains a dangerous enemy,” Cheney said. “Though bin Laden is dead, the war goes on. We must remain vigilant, especially now, and we must continue to support our men and women in uniform who are fighting on the front lines of this war every day. Today, the message our forces have sent is clear — if you attack the United States, we will find you and bring you to justice.”
I also did really like President Obama’s speech, it was level headed, somber, and to the point, which is appropriate. I always loved Bush’s “rah rah” speechs, but it also feelsm, like I said, a little bit strange to be so celebratory over someone’s death. We can be relieved, surprised, hopeful for a future without his violence… But the rest just feels wonky inside me.
