BEDA 24: No Spoilers

Karen and I: Very Happy Nerds

  
I'm currently experiencing the kind of literary limbo to which Harry Potter midnight release parties introduced me. As I try to digest a very intense book, process its conclusion, mourn the end of a favorite series, grapple with the emotional implications of the plot, my body's trying to deal with the fact that I totally screwed up its sleep schedule. It's that grey area between finishing a book that's had an effect on you, and the moment you can freely discuss it with people who understand why it matters so much. I have Graham (who finished the book just minutes before me), but I need to gush about the book and cry and revel in joy and mourn with a bunch of people. That can't happen until everyone's finished and processed the book, so now I wait.

     I'm curled up in my husband's hoodie, sipping a cup of tea and nursing a serious sugar hangover. With four Harry Potter all-night-reading sprees behind me, I know how to pace myself in the  caffeine and sugar department during a read-a-thon to avoid crashing too soon. After receiving our books and having them stamp-signed by Suzanne Collins (who's so friendly and gracious and lovely), we rushed to the subway, pausing only to pick-up some more snacks and beverages. We changed into comfortable pajamas, brewed tea, and plopped down to read as soon as we arrived home. I read and read and read and read and gasped and read and cried and read. All while drinking about 2 pots of tea and nibbling on twizzlers and low-fat chocolate chip cookies I baked earlier in the day. I finished at about 6am, fangirled with Graham, then fell asleep for a few hours. Now I feel slightly better after a shower, but still gross and lethargic. I decided to skip my ballet classes today to catch up on the work I didn't do yesterday or this morning. I feel kind of lazy, but I'll make up for it by taking an extra class or two tomorrow.  

      In a few weeks, I'll post a full, spoiler-ific review of the book, but for now suffice to say that Mockingjay pretty solidly secures this series as the masterpiece dystopian story of our generation. I'm very satisfied with the resolution and beyond-impressed by Suzanne Collins masterful handling the important moral questions we all have to face during our lives in one way or another.  

   I'll try my best not to make the remainder of my BEDA posts about The Hunger Games, but I'm not promising anything anymore.  If you haven't noticed, I tend to obsess about things. A little bit.

A final note: my friend Karen, pictured above, is featured on the front page of YouTube today spotlighting videos about typography. Go check out her channel and her website.

BEDA 23: Last Minute Mockingjay Speculations

I don't have much time to blog today, but I'm determined to put some of my predictions for Mockingjay on the internet where they can taunt me with their incorrectness forever. In just a few short hours, I'll have that book in my hands and I don't intend to put it down until I've devoured every last page. It's been almost three years since my last midnight release/all-night-reading party (Deathly Hallows) and I fear I am old and out of practice, but I have a stockpile of sugary indulgences and caffeinated beverages at the ready in case my eyes begin to droop. . I transformed the "living room" area of my studio apartment into a little reading nook complete with blankets, pillows to punch when I'm frustrated and angry, and bears to clutch during the scary parts. Speaking of scary parts, we all know there are more deaths coming. I predict the following deaths:

[HUNGER GAMES/CATCHING FIRE SPOILERS AHEAD]

1. Gale. Gale's going to put himself on the front lines of this war. We know he's pretty rash and bold, and I see him dying a gruesome, but heroic death. If Gale doesn't bite it, Peeta will, but I really think Peeta will survive. He provides thematic balance to Katniss' character and plus, IlovePeeteandhecan'tdie. I mean, I love Gale too, but I think it'll be a miracle if they both survive.

2. Finnick.

3. Cinna. Based on what we saw at the end of CF, Cinna is almost assuredly dead. I do think we'll find out a great deal about his history, his role in the rebellion, his possible relationship to District 13.

4. Either Prim or Mrs. Everdeen. I think it's just gotta happen. I'll put my bets on Katniss' Mom.

Other miscellaneous predictions:

     I expect the Undersee/Donner family to play a large role in the book. Even if some of them die/are already dead, we'll discover more about the family and probably find out that Mrs. Undersee or Madge knew something about the rebellion or played a role. If Mayor Undersee was rescued by the Capitol prior to District 12's destruction and continued supporting The Capitol I wouldn't be surprised if Madge (assuming she survived somehow as well) escaped to District 13 to fight with the rebels.

    I'm off to grab dinner with my friends Karen and Jenn before the party! For those of you who are reading Mockingjay tomorrow, ENJOY! Leave your last-minute predictions and speculations in the comments!

Down with The Capitol! See you on the other side.

BEDA 22: Videos of the Week

Despite the fact that many of my friends are fairly active in the YouTube community, and the fact that I met some of the most important people in my life (including Graham) through some combination of the Nerdfighter and Harry Potter communities, I don't spend that much time on YouTube. I still keep up with my friends' videos and subscribe to a few other various channels, but I find myself distracted whil watching videos and generally prefer textual blogs.
 But man, sometimes YouTube reminds me why I love the internet. Here are some videos that made my week:

An Excerpt from the Royal Ballet's 1959 Production of Swan Lake 

Lately, I've been spending too much of my free time watching clips of the old great ballerinas, particularly Fonteyn, Tallchief, and Pavlova. While their training and style is so different than what you see today, they have a quality that I think so many of today's ballet "stars" lack. They dance with such abandon and passion. I don't want to bore anyone with my play-by-play analysis of Fonteyn, but . . .gah, I love her. I also love the little swans in this clip. Their feet aren't great, but they're so incredibly precise and synchronized and I've never seen the variation attacked like that before. Swan Lake is one of my least favorite ballets, but this video made me happy. Old school Royal Ballet, ftw.

This is Hip Hop

   Thanks to my fellow In-Sight-ers for introducing me to this work of art. We've pretty much been quoting it in rehearsal all week. Now that I know the secret to hip hop is just bad posture and turn-out, I should be able to unlock my inner gangster.

Nerdfighters Never Surrender 

This is one of my favorite vlogbrothers videos, from way back in the early days of Brotherhood 2.0. In less than four minutes, John Green discusses the steadfastness of nerdfighters in our mission to decrease World Suck, and reveals an embarrassing photograph of brother Hank Green . I particularly enjoy John's assessment of the character and habits of English literature nerdfighters.  If you don't know what nerdfighting is, you will soon enough.

Also, this isn't a video, but Nancy Werlin's guest post on Libba Bray's blog contains some wonderful thoughts about The Hunger Games trilogy as we gear up for the release of Mockingjay. If I have time, I'll post my last-minute predictions and speculations before I get the book at midnight tomorrow!

Books Read This Week:
Thin is the New Happy by Valerie Frankel (Funny at times and honest, but mostly a good example of how not to write a memoir, in my opinion.)
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (last reread in preparation for Book 3. . .)

BEDA 21: Poof and Ecclesiastes

  When I was younger, one of my dance teachers used to tell those of us who trained with her that"success is never permanent, failure never final." She said this both to comfort us when things weren't going our way and to remind us to keep working hard when they were. We learned never to settle.. I'd forgotten she used to say that until recently, when I began to think about the impermanence of almost everything I strive for. As dancers, we work our entire lives for goals and dreams that can be dashed in an instant. Even those who reach the pinnacle of success in this business (however they define it) may feel it slip away almost as soon as they find it.
     I've been fortunate enough to have gotten this far without any major injuries. I've had my share of physical setbacks--notably, a repeatedly sprained ankle and numerous back problems, and just the completely wrong body type for ballet--but so far, I've been able to keep dancing. But every time I deal with a minor injury, just taking those two or three days or weeks off of the daily dance grind reminds me how fragile this dream is.
     Injuries aren't the only ways we can be defeated. I know several dancers and actors who've gotten the dream job: the perfect company, the Broadway show, the contract. Then, for whatever reason, it's gone. Maybe the director decided to go in a "different direction", the company lost funding, the show closed. Sometimes it's easy for these artists to move on and find a new job just as "perfect" or even better, but so often they can't. They take whatever work they can get and try to move on.
    On the flip side, the impermanence of failure means there's always potential for growth, new successes, triumph. We keep striving and working and dreaming through the failure because there's something waiting on the other side, whether it's exactly what we're hoping for or not.
     Some people find the book of Ecclesiastes depressing or hopeless because so much of the text discusses this very issue, famously beginning with the lines, "'Vanity of vanities', saith the Preacher, 'vanity of vanities; all is vanity.What profit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun?'" (Ecc. 1:2 KJV) On the contrary I find Ecclesiastes incredibly hopeful and wise. As Solomon writes, he acknowledges the ultimate futility of our constant strife, and in response urges humanity to fully experience life's ups and downs as they happen. He advises us to "be joyful in the day of prosperity" and mourn in times of adversity (7.14). He tells youth to celebrate being young, and reminds us that man's primary duty is the "fear God and keep his commandments" (12.13). 
    I think Jesus echoes Solomon when he tells, "store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6.20-21) It's a great reminder to me that my dancing and all my other pursuits only matter insomuch as they are reflections or expressions of the treasures I have stored in heaven. In my worldview, everything I do should be a way to further the Kingdom of Heaven, and extension of Jesus' work on earth and his plans for the world. Otherwise, all is "vanity." Poof. Gone someday, in an instant.


     I'd love to know if you have any thoughts on impermanence or eternity or the book of Ecclesiastes or your favorite color. 
    

BEDA 20: Google Reader, Tangents, and Favorite Blogs

     In yesterday's meme, I briefly mentioned that I check Google Reader almost every time I use the internet. Once upon a time I refused to use Google Reader or any other kind of organization web tool, because I'm apparently always reluctant to adopt programs or activities that will actually make my life easier. For instance, at the ripe and wizened age of nine I vowed that I'd never learn to use the computer or the internet because it was dumb and I liked books. Then my sister told me there were Harry Potter webpages so I Yahoo-searched "Harry Potter" out of curiosity one afternoon, and one thing let to another and I became an internet junkie. Well, as much of an internet junkie as a homeschooled bibliophile with limited computer access could be be in 1999.  Harry Potter may have gotten some kids into reading, but it got me online. 

     Just as I once scorned the internet I now appreciate, even depend upon, I once vowed that I'd continue using bookmarks to access my favorite blogs. When I finally gave in, created a Google account, and began adding my favorite sites to the subscription feed, the amount of blogs I read increased substantially. I now follow about 80 sites and blogs, and while I don't read all of them all the time, I do have a few favorites I watch like a hawk and read nearly every day. I even switched to using Blogspot for my blogging needs because it's so much easier to "follow" other's blogs and have them immediately imported into Reader. 

      Aside from the personal blogs of friends and relatives, I regularly read and recommend the following: 

Stuff Christians Like  Jon Acuff satirized Christian culture and wonders if "the stuff we like gets in the way of the God we love." Thought-provoking and hilarious, particularly for anyone familiar with Evangelical subculture. 

The Church of No People I find myself nodding in agreement a lot while I read Matt's insightful and very funny posts. 

Pointe Magazine Blog keeps me updated on ballet-related issues. 

Rod Dreher's Blog on Big Questions Online I'm a fan of Rod's book Crunchy Cons and I read his blog avidly when it was part of BeliefNet and still follow it pretty regularly on BQO. I don't always agree with Rod on every issue, but I enjoy his perspective and the (generally) high level of discussion that takes place in the comments. 

    I could on, but it's late and we have places to be. And by "places to be" I mean "in bed rereading Catching Fire".

    What are your favorite blogs? 

BEDA 19: Uncreative Meme

    
The teeny tiny hamster who runs the wheel of creativity in my brain just passed out from exhaustion and dehydration. In addition to writing for work, I spent more time than I should today trying to frantically finish and polish a short story that's presentable enough to post here. I haven't worked on fiction in such a long time and certainly never post it on the internet, but it would be nice to get some feedback. So while my poor brain hamster recovers, you get this ready-made unremarkable meme(or "Me! Me! Me!" as I like to call them) courtesy of Leah and Ellen.


What song are you currently addicted to? 
I honestly haven't been listening to a great deal of music lately, but "Voice of Truth" by Casting Crowns keeps getting stuck in my head at random moments. I don't mind--it's an incredibly uplifting song.

What's your favorite season?
Autumn. Pumpkins, sweaters, hot beverages, my birthday, foliage etc. I love it even more now that I live in a place that actually has an Autumn. In San Antonio, leaves don't change color or Fall, and it's ninety degrees until November.

What's the latest movie you watched? 
Big Night on our anniversary. I enjoyed it a lot.

What's the one skill you wish you had?
The ability to sing well. I hate getting all the way through the dance portion of an audition for a show, then getting cut because I cannot compete vocally with triple threats.  I also wish I were better at modern. It would probably help if I actually went to modern classes more often, huh?

What's your current fandom/obsession/addiction? 
   The Hunger Games. And Harry Potter, of course. Always.

What's your favorite board game?
Candyland. This should probably be the tennis board game my grandpa designed, but even he can't compete with Princess Lolly.

What websites do you always visit when you go online? 
    I always visit Google Reader to stay updated with favorite blogs and websites. Additionally, I open my email, Twitter, and usually DanceNYC.org, Playbill.com and the site for the media agency I write for to find assignments, submit work etc.

What was the last thing you bought? 
   Stopped at the mini-market on my way home: organic kale, chocolate soymilk, peanut butter, and a diet ginger ale.

If you won $10,000 what would you do with it? 
    Pay for the outstanding portion of Graham's first semester of college, tithe some to our church, set aside a chunk for LeakyCon next summer, save whatever is leftover. Oh, and probably buy some books and an awesome new audition leotard.

Last concert you went to? 
Actual concert? Probably whatever wizard rock show I last saw at the Sidewalk Cafe. I think it was Draco and the Malfoys, and Lena (The Butterbeer Experience) and others. I missed a good portion of it because of rehearsal and only stayed about thirty minutes because I'm an old lady, but it counts.


What could be one of the best things to happen to you right now? 
 Financial stability and a full-time dance job offer for after I graduate. And some other things I don't feel like broadcasting on the internet.

What's the last thing that made you happy? 
An enjoyable, pain-free rehearsal on an amazing new piece tonight.

Do you want to learn another language? 
I'm pretty proficient in Spanish, but I'd like to be better at it. It would also be helpful to learn to read Hebrew, Greek and German.


Five Things You Can't Live Without: 
1. Jesus
2. Family
3. Books
4. Dance
5. Caffeine

BEDA 18: Countdown to Mockingjay

Five days until the release of Mockingjay


     I can honestly say I haven't been this excited about a book series, or a book release since Harry Potter. If you know anything about my devotion to Harry Potter (the books, not the movies, thank you very much) you'll realize that this is a Big Deal. I don't fall easily for books or films--like a cat, I make them work for my affection--but when I do love one, I love it wholeheartedly, with a borderline-dangerous level of obsession. The Hunger Games series, which will be complete with the release of Mockingjay next week, earned a place on my Shelf of Honor and Horrendous Obsession immediately after I read the first two installments last year. Suzanne Collins is a master storyteller with a knack for creating characters who you swear must be real people you've known, loved, or despised your entire life. The story itself makes its reader think about the way we react to, and consume the images we're fed constantly--particularly through film and television. After I've read Mockingjay (!) I hope to finish an essay about the role media plays in the series.
     Graham and I plan to attend the midnight release party at Books of Wonder next week with a few of our friends and, oh yeah, Suzanne Collins. While I would have attended a release party anywhere if only to make me nostalgic for Harry Potter midnight madness parties, I'm thrilled that Books of Wonder is hosting this launch. Aside from being my favorite book store in Manhattan it's also where Graham proposed, so it'll be nice to relive that memory. An all-night read-a-thon will commence as soon as we receive our copies.

   Hunger Games fans: any plans for the Mockingjay release?
 
  Apologies to those of you who don't care about Mockingjay or books about dystopian Gladiator-style games. I'll try to keep my spewing to a minimum.