The Shapeless Shift

So, the holiday season is here yet again. I have so far survived an epic Thanksgiving weekend full of eating, sleeping, eating, and playing Settlers of Catan. By far, my favorite part about the holiday season is being able to slow down and spend time with the family. Sure it’s fun to be busy and make plans for dinner parties, gifts, and travels, but I particularly love abandoning my to do lists and sinking into my plans and flowing with the festivities.

But, I have been noticing (with all this eating and resting) that my pants and shirts aren’t fitting so nicely. Things are bunching and tugging and pulling. Also, when I go to Goodwill, things that look like they ought to fit me…don’t. So, the last time I went to Goodwill I tried on something like 4 dresses and a few fitted shirts, and one dress fit me. Yep, it was the shapeless, flowing one.

Ordinarily this isn’t the style I gravitate towards. I like something to compliment my waist, chest, and bum. I tend away from things too baggy…because why look more pregnant than you have to, right? But, this flowing dress had very beautiful colors and a nice delicate material that I thought would pair well with a dark pair of tights.

When I got home, I experimented and paired it with some thick grey tights and a simple pair of grey wedge heels (ever so slight in the heel).



I still felt a little too exposed, and my friend did warn me that this is more of a spring/summer look, but I decided to experiment with adding a long sleeved undershirt.



Definitely more comfortable. And, I had this coat I got the summer before last which really pulled together a nice monochromatic look to accentuate the subtle colors of the flowers.



However, I’m still more comfortable pairing something this short and dainty with jeans. I think with the black velvet blazer and open toed shoes, the look is really pulled together. Also, the colors of the top are perfect for wintery days, so it’s nice to accessorize it to go with almost any season.



The best part about the shapeless shift? No one has to see a bloated, over-nourished holiday belly! Also, if you have to unbutton those pants after dinner, who’s the wiser? I really like the idea of a nice flowy shapeless dress for the holidays. The holidays themselves create all sorts of shapeless days, whether it’s shopping, lounging away lazy afternoons, baking and snacking, or curling up with a good book, it’s nice to embrace some easy days to just go with the flow.

Children’s Literature

I’ve been an ESL Teacher at an international school (mainly for Korean students) for the past 6 months or so. Mostly, I teach elementary students. I enjoy my work with these students because for the most part they are ambitious, respectful, and sweet natured. However, sometimes the literature available to them leaves a little to be desired.

I get really sick of personification of animals really fast:

Oh the little mouse is joining a rockband but feels left out by the

other band members, then he becomes fed up with the bullying cats, and

all the mice work together to defeat the cats using fire hoses

with water as ammunition.

*Snort*

Not only do I think the stories are boring for me and potentially confusing for children, (mice do not act and think like humans when no one is looking) but it also can be difficult to inspire any relevant discussion:

“So how do you think the little mouse felt when his friends ignored him?

Sad? Yes. Would you feel sad too? Uh huh.”

*Snort*

However, sometimes there are books that don’t treat children like sniveling idiots who must be isolated from the reality of the world and spoon fed imaginative drivel with every turn of the page. I’ve read two books lately that really intrigued me as a teacher and interested my students. Plus, the books presented a wealth of teaching ideas.

Esperanza Rising gave us the chance to talk about the US back in the 1920s-1930s, as we followed the life of a wealthy, young Mexican girl who must flee Mexico with her mother and enter into the life of a poor migrant worker in California. I had the opportunity to introduce my students to ideas like: The Great Depression, The Dust Bowl, Immigration, Unions/Strikes, Racism, Classism, and other important themes that coincide with any coming of age story. The story is exciting to read, as the author creates realistically suspenseful and bitter sweet situations. I enjoy guiding my students through Esperanza’s story of growing up, and I definitely recommend the book to older and younger readers alike.

Walk Two Moons initially didn’t strike my fancy much at all, and I worried that my students would have a hard time getting into it. The dual story lines of Salamanca taking a road trip with her grandparents while telling them a story about her friend Pheobe, both seem to move very slowly. But, the narrative voice of Salamanca, and the vivid personalities of other characters (particularly her Grandparents, who I loved) were so compelling, that it made me want to continue reading. With this book we had the opportunity to talk about the important and complicated nature of relationships with family and friends. Depending on the age and maturity of the students, we also discussed stereotypes, particularly of Native Americans, and how this book does not emulate these stereotypical attitudes. We also talked about what it means to take things for granted, and not appreciate something until it is lost. As the book wraped up, it became increasingly exciting for me, and I plowed through the last pages quickly. The ending was a wrenching blow, and I almost broke down in tears in school! That a children’s book could captivate me so deeply was an exhilarating realization. The power of literature, hizzah!

There are other amazing children’s stories that I’ve read or plan to read. Also, despite my personal preferences, some of the stories of little personified animals can be sweet too. Esperanza Rising and Walk Two Moons are books that have lately captured my imagination and supplied me with lessons that were fun to plan.

The Poetics of Music

Maybe it’s the liberal arts major in me, but I always feel a certain sense of exhilaration when either experiencing the artistic expression of others, or participating in my own expression. All this time re-researching the British Romantics (for grad school application essays) has really started my mind revolving around the redemptive imagination and the sublime!

I enjoy wandering around museums, galleries, and visiting fringe theaters, poetry readings, and music venues. My own expression is mainly in the form of writing, although I sometimes dabble in visual arts. However, I rarely share my creations publically. It always seems like I must gain some sort of “perfection” before I can display myself. However, this reluctance is something I am working to repair. Blogging is my first step, and I hope to continue along the path to becoming published and finding other ways to actively participate in the artistic expressions I find so interesting.

I get the most enthused when listening to music. Music can be a fusion of all artistic mediums not only blending harmonies and lyrics, but also incorporating video, animation, and other images. It is difficult for me to combine art forms, and especially difficult for me to create melodies. So music and mixed media displays are even more impressive for me, because their creation seems so mysterious. Sometimes limiting the artist to one medium for expression can be limiting, but when there is a fusion, so many different experiences can be created.

Art that is surprising and intriguing is what many artists strive for, I should think. I particularly enjoy when artists can unleash a sense of unexpectedness in their music: the lyrics don’t quite go with the narrative voice or the melody, or the subject matter is just unusual. The Decemberists have in particular caught my attention. The lead singer has a unique voice, and he blends unique subjects with unexpected diction and forms. For example, the ballad, The Mariner’s Revenge, is rich with interesting words, rhymes and images, and the rolling accordion lulls the listener into the madness of the mariner. Where do these unusual ideas spring from?

I also enjoy Don Mclearn’s music, and other traditional singer-song-writer tunes. When I find a song that I can relate to, particularly when I can personally identify with the lyrics, I am moved and deeply satisfied by the listening experience. Connecting with the lyrics of Crossroads helped me come to terms with some of the changes I was experiencing at the time I heard it. Sometimes it seems that the perfect song can find you at the perfect time, and it is a wonderful sensation. For me, finding a song to identify with helps me come to peace with whatever emotions I am struggling to understand.

It is imperative for most humans to strive to understand their world and themselves. Artistic expression can lend itself wonderfully, both creating, sharing, and experiencing creativity. It can help us connect to the world in a meaningful way, and can make it seem like a less lonely and hostile place.

The Decemberists

I've never written much about music, but I thought I'd give it a try with this blog. I normally have a penchant for something with intriguing lyrics and something a little unexpected. Whether it's the poignant lyrics, the pleasant melody, or the fusing of the two, songs with a few twists will grab me right away.

Lately, I've encountered The Decemberists, who have a pleasant blend of interesting lyrics and unexpected subjects. Leave it to me to be completely behind the times; they've apparently been popular for some time. In my defense, I heard about The Decemberists a few years ago, but dismissed them as a run of the mill emo-hipster band without even lending them an ear. Ghastly prejudice!

Anyways, the first song that caught my attention was The Mariner's Revenge. It was a modern epic with an unreliable narrator to boot! Oh, my potential graduate studies must find a way to incorporate this! I loved the sound, rhymes, and everything about it! Check out a ridiculous lego stop-motion video here.




Later, I was intrigued, but slightly horrified by The Rake's Song.



And finally, my deep love for them was cemented with the civil war love song, Yankee Bayonet. I love the tongue twisting lines, unexpected word order, peppy guitar melody, and bitter subject matter. The first few times I had the song on, I didn't pay attention to the lyrics at all; it just sounded like a regular indie guitar ballad. The lyrics are more tragic than the background music led me to initially believe.



Oh Valencia was one of their more popular songs. I love how he says he will burn the whole city down. Judging from the rest of the songs, I really think he means it!



Thank goodness for The Decemberists! They don't wimp out and give us the same half digested love ballads and winy songs about being winy. They explore unusual subject matters, blend the stories with un-ubiquitous melodies, and spin the stories in their songs with interesting twists of diction. I just downloaded a bunch of songs thanks to my trusty Zune pass and I'm on to Decemberist bliss!

Where the Wild Things Are

We wound down this Halloween weekend with dinner and a movie on Sunday evening. Let’s start with the best part: dinner. Dinner was delicious, and I normally don’t say this about restaurant pho. I love a hearty Vietnamese soup, but normally it’s so much tastier home made. However, we went to a great pho place in Queen Anne called, Pho Viet Anh. Because of the neighborhood, it’s a little pricey, but the hot and spicy broth and complimentary extra noodles make it worth it – especially if you’re in the area anyways. Newly Prudie, take note!

We went to see Where the Wild Things Are after dinner. I have definite memories of reading this book and enjoying the pictures as a child. Actually, it was the first “real” children’s book I read after those mini-easy-reader things. But, before going into the movie, I couldn’t remember much of the real story. After leaving the movie, I didn’t know much about the story either.

We enter the world of the wild things with the reckless and hyperactive, Max, a young, sensitive boy with an active imagination. The world of the wild things is part dense forest, part barren desert, part tempestuous ocean. The wild things spend their time playing, sleeping, fighting, and eating their kings. Max haplessly becomes their next king; although, (spoiler alert) he does not get eaten at the end.


There is a lot of drama in Where the Wild Things Are, and some interestingly dark conflicts. (Sidenote: “dark” is the primary way this movie is described on rotten tomatoes.) One of these conflicts is the lead wild thing, Carol’s, mercurial temperament which can turn quite violent and dangerous. Also, within the wild thing clan, there is some inequality and bullying that happens. The characters also worry about the potential end of the world and the helplessness and emptiness it makes them feel. Often they refer to things turning from sand to dust and the sun dying, which was inspired by Max’s real world science teacher. In Max’s real world there is also the drama of his struggling single mother and Max’s lonely childhood. Unfortunately, at the end of the movie, after Max leaves his world for his dreamscape and then leaves his dreamscape to return to his world, none of the conflicts are resolved! The most bullied wild thing continues to be bullied, Carol shows no remorse for his abusiveness, Max’s mother continues to struggle, and there is no apparent solution for Max’s loneliness.

Lacking a traditional linear story line, character development, resolution of conflicts, and lessons to be learned, the story just moves from one wacky, wild adventure to the next, as Max tries to survive the unpredictable wild things. The movie is both dreamy and abrupt, with its ambient music, melancholy ponderings, sudden bursts of energy, and vistas of these wild mascots. On the one hand, this seems like a fresh approach to movie making, but on the other hand, it makes it hard to latch onto anything memorable (besides the stunning images). It was a spectacular thing to watch, if at times a little bumpy and chaotic with all the wild rumpuses going on. All in all, I’m glad I watched it, but the dreaminess of it almost lulled me to sleep, especially with a belly full of complimentary extra rice noodles.