May Oh My

This week has been one of those weeks, those weeks where you come out completely exhausted and yet just when you think it's over.. there is more. One of those weeks where even the most just and egalitarian person hopes for nepotism and any little advantage to make things a bit easier. Nothing extraordinarily debilitating happened, it's just the wear and tear of everyday life. But, somehow it enervates the body more than usual. Hopefully this is vertex of the year and the rest will be downhill, so that I can finally feel the ubiquitous force of gravity. It can help move me along, and bring me back to a grounded state. Because honestly, at this point, there is just no time to recoup all the strength that is lost to homework, SATs, sports, and even the vanities that we concern ourselves with. I can feel the pernicious effects of being with the same people all year long, in the same classrooms, doing the same things, that are usually felt in June..
It's May. It seems I am splenetic towards this year, surprisingly prematurely. Or maybe not so surprisingly. I need it to be summer when all light is celestial and everlasting. That's the season that I love.

Dearest Emilia

Everyone's a critic when it comes to the character of another person. And while this judgment should be based on intimate knowledge of someone, typically it is made prematurely because most of us view from afar, as the readers do with Shakespeare's Othello. My prognosis of Emilia, as it turns out, was quite incongruous to her true nature, which I originally perceived as subtly deceiving. However, this is only due to the fact that the audience was not able to see the in-between moments of Emilia's life nor have any insight into her mind. It was confirmed in the lugubrious ending scene of the play, in which Emilia realizes that she was unknowingly suborned by Iago, that she is undoubtedly just and loyal. Her flaw is the scintilla of ignorance that allows her to be swept up into her husband's scheme. Whether this was caused by desperation to please him or not, she was ignorant. She had to have known that someone or something was in jeopardy when he asked her to steal Desdemona's handkerchief. Unless, she thought it was just another one of his weird fetishes. This would not be surprising considering
she is probably affected by the strange and perverted milieu in which I imagine they live. Sometimes people become immune to certain acts or experiences when they have be exposed to them enough. Whether she originally did turn a blind eye to the plot or not, when it came down to the bare skin and bones of the situation, she came clean. It was an honorable move, especially since it was pretty much an impasse at that point, and she did not have to say anything. The rawness and passion of her confession in which she paid homage to her beloved Desdemona, and the honesty and decency that she represented, defined her character for me.
Apparently it's not over until the bleeding wife screams NO.

ohhh Othello

Othello and Desdemona together have many foibles that classify their relationship , in my mind, as illegitimate. For one, they don't communicate in anything other than smitten phrases that seem lilliputian and false. Just two ingenuous characters in the throws of young love ...but there is more to love than sheer admiration and image. To maintain a steady marriage, as I have heard, is a herculean task. And they don't seem to really be working on it at all. Then again, the audience does not see too much of their personal life together. But I feel like all we see are the cellophane wrapped Othello & Desdemona, and we while we know there is more to each of them, we cannot get underneaht. I want to perforate the layer on top that consists of sugary fluff that makes me question who is who, and not in a "i am he as you are he and you are me and we are all together," kind of way. Because that wasn't Shakespeare. Shakespeare preferred to deceive and have a seemingly ill-judged view of marriage which made his tales anything but soporific. There were the Desdemonas and the Emilias and the Lady Macbeths, all of which made me wonder what went on between him and Anne Hathaway and the exact influence of the time period, his own marriage, and his imagination on his writing. Clearly, the three women differ greatly in status. While Desdemona and Emilia up to the point of this reading, appear to be relatively servile, Lady Macbeth has a power that is rarely can be compromised. Did Shakespeare know that without the physical (and inevitably political) subjugation of woman by man, that woman would rule the world (as they obviously do today ;] ) ? Because the character Lady Macbeth quite almost explicitly cites this. Anyone who characterizes this truth
as bunkum, can take it up with me. Because honestly, behind every great man is an extraordinary woman. And behind every extraordinary woman, there is an unparalleled sense of self.

Springtime Joy

I honestly give athletes a lot of credit, because even just one season of a sport (which is rarely the case these days- even if someone plays only one sport it usually consumes an entire year between off season leagues and/or practicing) is a herculean task and commitment. And while sometimes playing a sport can be a bit torturous and regretful, I would like to think that people find some ebullience in persevering such physical (in most cases) and mentally challenging work. But, I don't think I would have the motivation to do so without nature's encouragement, without the beautifully fluid spring days. I feel like sun completely entrances me, as if my winter hibernation has allowed me to forget the warm beauty which the august star emanates. Now that it is here, I don't know how I ever let it go.

curiosity killed the cat

It's so disappointing what this world has come to, that reality shows have been taken to a new low. When did they pique? Because if Jersey Shore was the low (or high?), this is an unprecedented level. I am absolutely transfixed by NBC's upcoming show "The Marriage Ref," which stars such august actors like Jerry Seinfeld and Alec Baldwin to try to coax suffering husbands and wives back into a stable marriage using their therapeutic humor.

Is it a sinecure to them to boost their status? Why would anyone want to ostracize and mock the partners in failing marriages (who happen to be 50% of the population). However, in reality it is in no way an easy task to fix a marriage, and can certainly not be accomplished in the center of NBC's national spotlight. Maybe in a household or with a psychologist, none of which this show is providing for the couples. The sad thing is that people will watch this shows and laugh or cry or be indifferent. Meanwhile, it will be completely torturous for the "guests," who will be spilling all on a rather large stage. And it's not like the humor that will obviously be injected by the special host that night, will serve as an inoculation from the pain that strikes all people involved in that struggle. The show is completely bereft of tact and morality. It's all a comedy until you are actually personally involved and understand the situation. Honestly what is this show, a more legitimate Jerry Springer? But, not really because it's meant to actually solve problems, not ignite them. Whoever came up with this ingenuous concept should really be given some kind of medal (oh wait I believe that will be his/her large paycheck). I mean I know it's a choice to go on the show, but I can assure you the spouses don't realize what it is going to be when they first go on. No one can really know (including myself). I'm just assuming it's going to be this bad, because why wouldn't it be? It's such a touchy subject. Marriage is not necessarily resilient. Can we please keep our pride and not let the comedians of this century try to use the haunting thought of divorce as material for their latest gig? Yes, there is an exorbitant amount of couples that are struggling, but that does not give them the right to ridicule it. They should be upset and try to work on their OWN marriage. Let's just take an upsetting statistic and use that as a basis for our next show in which we will try to reduce the number of divorces by publicizing them. That really seemed to work for John and Kate when their personal lives aired on TV. I'm sure the celebrities involved are erudite about divorce and domestic hardships (how many times has Alec Baldwin been married? serious question). But, they just don't have the authority to attempt to cure marriage problems of regular citizens in such a blasé way, like they are on a talk show broadcasting about an upcoming movie. I think it's demeaning to the institution of marriage. And I'm not one of those people who believes in love lasting forever and perfect marriages, but I just think this wrong.

the world today

It took me a long time to write this blog. I started it two weeks ago and just had random thoughts flying out that needed to be connected. I came back a couple of times to try to figure out how I wanted to say this. I know I probably should have a laconic blog and writing style, but for me that takes editing. I am a wordy writer and I have a drafting process. So here it goes…

It’s wonderful when someone can be confident in him/her self. But, it seems that the people of this generation are being drawn in to a culture that continues to emphasize perfect bodies, beautiful homes, and luxurious cars instead of the morals of a family-oriented America. Is this culture completely decadent?

There are certain situations that trigger the cynical side within all of us and a certain emotional rage. Even the most self-assured person can begin to question who he/she is. Sometimes this is opportune and serves as a form of self-discovery. But it seems to be happening more frequently and it quite honestly worries me. I have seen instances in which comments were made that were not necessarily disparaging but left someone completely deprecated. I’m not sure if these recurrent, subtle suggestions are or are not meant to be hurtful, but either way teenagers (and everyone for that matter) must be wary of the personal indictments that we make against each other. These accusations can prompt self-hate, which can cause detrimental action if not helped. Be conscious of the way that society affects us. Brittany Murphy’s death for example, was most-likely due do to some sort of eating disorder. Even if this is not true, pictures of her abnormally thin body at the time of her death were distributed worldwide. However, the issue was not accosted as it should have been. I understand the empathy for the family and the desire to leave her death untainted, but for the sake of the girls who need to learn, this question of her weight problem/eating disorder should have been addressed. By not spreading awareness, people are more-likely to keep their issues surreptitious. They will try to be stoic and not ask for help. It will result in malcontents. There will be more miserable people dying as insecure phonies. I don’t like the viciousness that girls exemplify towards each other and the judgments that are made . I know that some may think I am a hypocrite because I do judge people like everyone else, but I am just saying there needs to be more tolerance in the world. I would like to see a more confident generation. Confident as in self-assured and happy.

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Tolerance is infectious. Spread it.

Sincerely,

Molly

Californ-I-A

I'm reporting to you from the beautiful Los Angeles County, which I did not realize was such a large, inclusive area. I knew that it was a city; however, I was not aware of the range of neighborhoods and types of neighborhoods which exist throughout. I have seen many this trip. The experiences sweep from Beverly Hills to Pasadena to Hollywood. At first, I was wary of the west coast lifestyle because honestly it just seemed quixotic and unlivable to such a definitive east coaster, one who has always lived in the fast paced, uptight world surrounding New York City. In fact, this particular mindset infects the people of the whole tri-state area. But, when cajoled into trying these leisurely practices, it began to think that maybe we are all being a bit too stoic. Is there really a need to be castigated for not moving quickly enough after the traffic light turns green? Why can we not meander through the streets and enjoy the moments, without thinking about being late or the afternoon meeting? Sometimes it's opportune to stop and face reality, leaving behind the aloofness of the rapidly calculating mind. To overtly express or feel an emotion is more natural than cryptically holding it within. From what I have seen (and this might not be applicable to all) , the people of this city have a certain sang-froid that Northeasterners do not allow themselves to possess. Our habits (the habits of my fellow "tri-staters") have steered us in a direction of heightened distress when pressing times arrive. Maybe this difference has to do with the beautiful weather that makes the citizens of L.A ebullient when they step out into the radiating sun. Or maybe it has to do with looseness and security that money provides. Affluence is prevalent in certain areas. My friend Liz, who i was visiting said it best. "There is no doubt that they (L.A inhabitants) flaunt their money like no other." Some are very supercilious. But, there is arrogance everywhere. And while it is evident that some people think that they are of paramount stature, I can tell you that some are relentlessly generous and unassuming. Look past the snobs and the true protagonists are unveiled.