sundries

[rm]

The new Miss USA is Arab-American, a first.

You know, my medical phobia was bad enough even without knowing about anesthesia awareness. This isn't my first reading about it, but I get more traumatized by it every time.

The Boston University class of 1970 finally has their graduation ceremony.

Strict reading of visa rule imperils more couples.

Riding a bicycle to promote world peace.

I don't think I would have gotten this even a couple of years ago. Now I get it. At the Smith College commencement Rachel Maddow said (among other stuff including a mention of folks in the Department of the Interior snorting meth off a toaster oven), "when given the choice between fame and glory, take glory."

While domestic partnership in New York is still waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay not marriage, the ceremony is about to get better for those interested. For the record, most of NYC's domestic partnerships involve straight people and gay marriages are recognized in New York if you get 'em legally done elsewhere. Confused yet?

Laura Bush not only supports marriage equality, she believes it is inevitable.

People, no matter how much of a plan you think you have, when you drop something onto the tracks don't go after it. Among other things, they're much, much deeper than you think.

Of course, I woke up today (after waking up at 2am and 4:30am first) with three critical things I need to add to the paper (each is a mere clause or sentence, but important), two things I want to double-check, and a footnote about death rates in British television shows I want to expand slightly (something that's all John Fay's fault). Other than that, it's just cleaning up my citation footnotes and doing the epic bibliography that's a big pain in the ass since it includes papers, books, tv shows, movies and the damn Internet.

While this was going on all weekend, Patty was working on her remix story. We spent a lot of time sitting across from each other in a cafe running our hands through our hair. This was about a hundred times more conducive to the writing process than I would have expected, and I'm very impressed with the degree to which we did not drive ourselves crazy.

The Hewitt reunion was weird and possibly even illuminating, but will be a post of its own.

In the midst of all of this, we also managed to watch some Buffy and Angel. Kittens as currency!

Meanwhile, last night on Angel we watched the misogyny demon episode. Alexis Denisof is _such_ a good actor I feel like I'm losing my mind. Why isn't he working more? Jesus fucking christ. Because that episode is the most heavy-handed and not that well-written piece of crap ever (hi, references to The Shining) and yet his performance manages to be nuanced, uncomfortably sexual and just screams of backstory (hi Wesley's dad! Am I right or am I right?).

And, despite Wesley not being that terrible, terrible guy he is under the influence, here's a man who's always talking about "what a remarkable girl" this or that woman he is attracted to is; he never knew how to be a child, he doesn't know how to be an adult, and he's only attracted to people he (thinks he) needs to protect because he can't protect himself and they're a distraction from just how fundamentally broken and full of shame he is. That last scene with Fred and the tears is FUCKING HEARTBREAKING.

Watching Wesley's arc is, instead of my more usual experience of thinking "wow, I have things in common with this character" is instead the experience of "oh, look at the terrible things he has in common with me."

Comments

[stephl.livejournal.com]

That last scene with Fred and the tears is FUCKING HEARTBREAKING.

He's so irrevocably broken, and for the most part, his bandages hold him together well enough. But not always.

yet his performance manages to be nuanced, uncomfortably sexual and just screams of backstory (hi Wesley's dad! Am I right or am I right?).

I think most of his brokenness comes from his father.

The new Miss USA is Arab-American,

[speedingslug.livejournal.com]

I've seen her in the bikini, and yeah very hot, a Muslim too. I'm glad she didn't go down the sheep wearing a burka route and can be a role model for those who want to show the world they are women.

[bethynyc.livejournal.com]

I'm very interested in hearing about the reunion, in part because my own 25 year reunion is coming up and I'm waffling on going.

And Wesley! Ohhhhhh how much complexity came out of what was originally supposed to be Giles' cardboard nemesis! And AD should totally be working more. My time travel play is inspired by the desire to see Alexis Denisof and Alan Tudyk work together! (I write with dream casts in mind...bad playwright!)

I love Wesley's arc--it was one of the best things about Angel.

Re: The new Miss USA is Arab-American,

[rm.livejournal.com]

I just... your comment is short-circuiting my brain.

Women, people, have the right to choose how they dress whether that involves exposing their flesh or covering it up. And women, people, make the full spectrum of those choices for all sorts of reasons, including, yes, social pressure.

Choosing to dress modestly, especially in a western culture that generally frowns on it, is no more necessarily a sign of sheepdom than choosing to dress provocatively.

Additionally, no one is obligated to prove their gender to the world and in fact people remain the gender they are regardless of how much of their body anyone gets to see.

Re: The new Miss USA is Arab-American,

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

because that's really the important thing, that we as americans be able to objectify all women equally, regardless of their religion. totally.

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

Miss USA - and she's from MY TOWN, BITCHES!

Alexis Denisof is _such_ a good actor - trufax, and he got to snog John Barrowman!

srsly, you're in for a ride with wesley's character arc

short-circuiting brains is what I do best

[speedingslug.livejournal.com]

I should have wrote I'm glad she didn't feel the pressure to cover from head to toe because her religion tells her to.
And true it is her choice what she does, actually I'm probably just talking shite, I wonder how belly dancing fits in with conservative Muslim culture?

Re: The new Miss USA is Arab-American,

[speedingslug.livejournal.com]

True it is a beauty pagent though did you ever here Miss Carolina answer a qustion?

[fuyukodachi.livejournal.com]

i woke up during "twilight sleep" and told them i was awake and they said, "no, you're not; go back to sleep."

"i'm in pain," i said. they repeated themselves.

then i got to listen to them panic because they'd gotten one of my wisdom teeth broken but not out until finally some senior person came in, annoyed as hell, and fixed it for them.

so now, for the first time in my life, i have major dental phobia.

i've never had a problem with general anesthesia and i've been under... three times? i think. never remembered anything. the waking up with no memory the first time is pretty scary, though i was thirteen when that happened. gall bladder will probably be the fourth, which, you know, yey.

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

I remember that woman in the anaesthesia awareness story from Larry King a few years back, and thinking that was among the most horrible things I've ever heard. But I don't think there's an anesthesiologist or surgeon anywhere who hasn't heard of this, so that's good.

I had "twilight sleep" last time I had a procedure and that was awesome. Would do again! Ditto nitrous oxide for dental work. I'd buy it on a street corner if I could.

(I HATE medical stuff, too.)

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

Four and a half feet to the subway tracks. That doesn't sound like much.

Then you think about it:
That's midchest height on my 6' frame.

That's higher than trying to climb into a semi trailer. I CAN climb into a trailer, but not gracefully and not with my feet on the ground. (I have to step on the ICC bumper)

And that third rail is electrified.
Logic would dictate asking for assistance.

[kill.livejournal.com]

I haven't watched much Angel (I plan to catch up once I have more time after graduation) but I remember thinking that Alexis Denisof was really, really hammily awful in the couple of Dollhouse episodes he was in. And I also remember (from what little I saw of him in the Angel I did see) that that seemed wrong, that I remembered him being better than that.

[ladypeculiar.livejournal.com]

Holy crap-- I was on a train in Queens right when that happened. We had just left Queensboro Plaza, and all of a sudden there was an announcement that we would be bypassing a few stops. Everything had cleared by the time I got to 36th Avenue though (I was catsitting).

That poor kid.

[nicoli-dominn.livejournal.com]

Kittens as currency = hilarious and excruciatingly cute. Plus, I love watching Buffy drink. She's so cute when she can't hold her liquor.

[elisi]

The new Miss USA is Arab-American, a first.
This cheers me muchly. Also she is stunning!

Kittens as currency!
'Life Serial' is one of the wonderfullest episodes ever, for about a million different reasons. <3

And every time you write about Wesley I am reminded of just how much I adore him, and his story. So broken. SO so broken.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

That's the episode where I first started to really love Wesley. Alexis Denisof is amazing.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I need to find an excuse to do scholarship about Welsey. I want to talk about him all day. Also, I've finalyl given in and decided the new hair is cute.

With regards to your paper

[newwaytowrite.livejournal.com]

I was curious what method you had chosen (or was chosen/required by the folks hosting the symposium ) to cite your sources? Oh and kudos for using such a diverse type of source material formats.

[dsudis.livejournal.com]

Detroit, represent! \o/

[sevendayloan.livejournal.com]

Since when is womanhood defined by what one wears?

[ravenskye8.livejournal.com]

I'm just sitting here bursting about Wesley's character arc... just wait... oh, just wait... *evil grin*

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

I think the phrase I'm looking for is "do not want". The two occasions I've needed surgery, it was done under local anaesthetic. Thankfully. I freaked out just at the idea of going under general.

[alterjess.livejournal.com]

Oh Billy. Such a waste of great acting in that ep. (Tim can bring the pain like few other writers can, and when he's on, he is ON. But this ep was such a major misfire on every concievable level. I mean, "primordial misogyny" my ASS.)

[matthewwdaly.livejournal.com]

FTR, Rima Fakih is not the first Arab-American Miss USA. Julie Hayet, the 1983 winner, was also Lebanese-American.

(Alas, I picked up this factoid while reading a story that there are evidently some naughty pics of Miss Fakih circulating around the web. Might be frauds, but Donald Trump's history of vetting his beauty queens is not reassuring.)

[rm.livejournal.com]

Someone needs to alert CNN (where I got that "first" from, as I don't tend to fact-check CNN, ya know?)

[rackmount.livejournal.com]

I cannot speak to Miss Michigan particularly, but I grew up near there, and there's actually an enormous Lebanese community, several generations old, well-established.

It's a fascinating study in how immigrant communities CAN become part of host communities, while retaining a strong sense of identity. I went to school with a small but well-represented minority of Lebanese kids, and they were not, to my knowledge, treated particularly differently than anyone else. At the same time, it never occurred to me that it was odd that one family would always come by and pick the grape leaves off of our vines. I just didn't think that far. Many of the local car-dealerships were run by the Khan family. I cannot speak about post-9/11, but before then, I don't think it occurred to anyone to not buy from them.

There is a pretty accurate and interesting article here on the local mosque, which has been blessed with both strong, progressive leadership and a lovely congregation. It's one of the larger mosques in the US and has been at the forefront of progressive Islam. It's def. worth a read.

Regarding Miss Michigan and your discussion above on hijab, the (female) president of the congregation says, "that's all anyone likes to talk about today, that a woman should cover. My response is that I can't imagine God put our whole religion to this piece of cloth; it seems my intentions and the way I treat people are a lot more important."

The story about the Christian radio station starting a protective circle around the mosque after 9/11 is pretty inspiring too.

[supertailz.livejournal.com]

Dude! Tomorrow is free museum day and I'm thinking about giving myself the day (or at least afternoon) off and frolicking amongst museums. Are you free/at all interested in frolicking with me?

[rm.livejournal.com]

Tomorrow is sadly filled with all the things that haven't happened because of all the deadlines being the same day situation. I'm hoping to be a human with time for human things again by next week.

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

Heart or lung problems, daily alcohol consumption, and long-term use of opiates and other drugs may put patients at higher risk for anesthesia awareness, according to the Mayo Clinic.

I can never drink again. Not that I drink daily, or even necessarily weekly most of the time, but OH GODS OH GODS OH GODS I HAVE ASTHMA AND I WILL WAKE UP AND OH NO.

(For the record, the one time I was under GA I was not aware, but I fought my way the hell back up in record time after and refused to go back to sleep by reading signs and name tags and stuff.)

...0 is a total absence of brain activity, 98 to 100 is wide awake, and 45 to 60 is about where general anesthesia puts the patient...

And lo, I am now thinking about Doctor Who and Basic 100, etc.

Loving the Maddow link as well. Then again, Rachel Maddow could talk to me all day and I doubt I'd tire of it.

[laura47.livejournal.com]

i'm going to have to go and watch/rewatch Angel just to see Wesley in a new light, aren't I. (I watched all of buffy, all of the first, second and last seasons of Angel, and bits of seasons 3 and 4.)

And look, it's all on netflix instant view? Doom.

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

No matter how many times I see it, "kitten poker" always cracks me up.

[speedingslug.livejournal.com]

Since when did God tell women to wear a tent on their head?
Fair enough if you want to defend a religion where a woman can't leave the house unless she looks like a ninja because some bloke may find her attractive. The ironic thing this freedom of expression by hiding isn't even in the Koran the word burka isn't there, Allah just asks women to dress modestly. The burka started in a few tribes and has no real religious meaning, but is handy if  your in a sandstorm.




So back to Since when is womanhood defined by what one wears?
It isn't unless there are men telling what you can and can't wear because that progress isn't it?

Muslim woman fined £430 for wearing burka in Italy (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/7676367/Muslim-woman-fined-430-for-wearing-burka-in-Italy.html)

He said his wife would continue to wear the full-length item of clothing because he did not want her to be seen by other men, but in future she would be forced to stay at home most of the time.

Re: The new Miss USA is Arab-American,

[laura47.livejournal.com]

Wow, way to stereotype a huge swath of people. "Show the world they are women"? Because our womanhood is defined by our bodies?

I don't have much personal experience with women who wear burkas, but here is a quote from Andrew Sullivan's blog from someone who does:

"I live in Minneapolis and spent a lot of time during the last few years volunteering in adult basic education classrooms, where our students are primarily learning English, and many of the attending are Somali women, all wearing a burqa or hijab. The women I've worked with are smart, passionate, engaged with learning about their new country and home. Usually I'm a very cynical - came of age during the Bush years and all - but these women absolutely inspire me with their firm belief that America is about freedom of expression and opportunity. It's incredible. They don't fit the stereotype of a Muslim woman who has no identity and is indoctrinated to believe in her own subjugation. I never saw one of the shirk from a man during an argument in class. They wear their traditional dress and want to enroll in business classes. They hope their daughters go to med school. But they still hold to their religion, it's deeply important to them, and are keenly aware of the choice they're making.

This blew my mind as a young feminist in college. I was so surprised to find such strong women when I started teaching English. If a ban on burqas was ever proposed in my city, I'd be the first protester in line."

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/05/outlawing-the-burqa-ctd-3.html#more

Re: The new Miss USA is Arab-American,

[speedingslug.livejournal.com]

Also you have from the same blog.

I am a modern, liberal, Muslim woman who has never worn a scarf on my head, let alone burqa. There is nothing Islamic or religious about it.

There may be some idiotic women who choose to wear it because they don't want others to look at them but please, they need to grow up and be a part of western society if they want to live here. Men in Pakistan (where I am from) are crazy and often sex-deprived and I can understand why some women would want themselves covered and not get stared down by scary men in public places. My understanding is that Islam says don't attract undue attention toward yourself and dress modestly. But in western society, they are attracting undue attention to themselves by wearing this burqa. I just don't get why these people are incapable of thinking and take the Quran so literally.

Just because a lot of peolpe do it doesn't make it a good thing.

Would you like to wear one?

[moominmuppet.livejournal.com]

Ditto nitrous oxide for dental work. I'd buy it on a street corner if I could.

*chuckle* There's a reason it's called hippy-crack! (and it's at head shops, not street corners)

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

Oh man, don't tell me this!

*shifty look*

[matthewwdaly.livejournal.com]

IIRC, they did make the point that they didn't know since the pageant didn't keep records of ethnicity, religion, or immigrant status.

Even so, it's heartwarming that the lowbrow beauty pageant looked for and appreciated beauty in an immigrant Muslim woman and selected her to (metaphorically) represent the United States. It's not enough to get Carrie Prejean out of my brain, but it's a start.