Boaty McBoatface

April 29th, 2016 → 5:51 am

“Ships are but boards…” – Merchant of Venice

Upon which, apparently, to put supremely silly names.

Filed under: Blog & Other

New US $20, $10, & $5 Bills

April 25th, 2016 → 5:32 am

“If money go before, all ways do lie open.” – Merry Wives of Windsor

The US Treasury has announced remakes of the $20, $10, & $5 notes.  The addition of Harriet Tubman to the $20 has gotten the most press, but Lucretia Mott, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Alice Paul to the $10, and Marian Anderson, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King to the $5, are pretty big deals as well in my opinion.  Such recognition pushes open further the door to greater equality (and that door has some pretty rusty hinges at this point, it’s taken so long).  If you don’t know who Lucretia Mott, Marian Anderson, or any of those other people named are, you have just proved the point of why they need to be on the new notes.

Filed under: Blog & Economics/Money

Secrets We Keep

April 21st, 2016 → 5:20 am

“What I am, and what I would, are as secret as maidenhead.” – Twelfth Night

I’ve had a history of health problems since, well, since before I was born (while in the womb, I broke two ribs).  Last night I had an episode where I fell to the ground and for a good minute, was completely unable to get up.  My son was with me at the time and confusedly asked, “Mommy, why are you acting like you are dead?”  It was enough for me to pull myself together, stop up the tears that were threatening, and comfort him.  My son knows little about my health problems and I’ve generally tried to keep it that way – walking and physically playing with him whenever he asks, even when it is ridiculously painful.  And last night I tried to comfort him without telling him much.  I didn’t want to scare him.  Like any parent, I wanted to shield and protect my son.

But it made me wonder, why do it?  What should we tell our children and what shouldn’t we?  When should we reveal our secrets?  My son knows that both my parents died young and he is currently in a phase where he’s been asking me about their deaths on a nearly daily basis.  “Tell me again the story of how your dad died.”  “What was it called the sickness your mom had?”

My mother died of cancer at fifty.  I have her small, thin body and often I fear I will develop her disease.  While I hope I will not die young, I also hold no illusions that there is any reason I may not.  Sometimes I wonder why I continue this blog.  It was originally meant to promote my book The Other Shakespeare, and that came out a year ago, so why keep going?  The answer:  for my son.  So that if I do die before he becomes an adult, he will have a record somewhere of my random thoughts – so that he can go back to it (should he want), and piece together pieces of me whenever he needs to feel the weight of my presence.  If my mother had had a blog, I know I would still be reading it today, and reaching for it in times of emotional vulnerability, like when my son asks me, “Mommy, why are you acting like you are dead?”

Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life

Recep Tayyip Erdogan

April 20th, 2016 → 5:24 am

“Mine eyes are cloyed with view of tyranny.” – Titus Andronicus

What is happening to Turkey?  I remember when Erdogan was first elected and there was (some) optimism in the air.  In recent years, however, he has turned the arrogant tyrant.  Oh Turkey, our best hope for a Muslim democracy in the Middle East, what is happening to you?!?!?!?

Filed under: Blog & Politics/Politicians & Stupid/Evil People

Husbands and Wives

April 16th, 2016 → 4:51 am

    “Am I your self
    But, as it were, in sort of limitation,
    To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,
    And talk to you sometimes?  Dwell I but in the suburbs
    Of your good pleasure?  If it be no more,
    Portia is Brutus’ harlot, not his wife.” – Julius Caesar

Marriage.  Like a sine wave.  Except, not that it can be good and bad.  But that it can be exciting, and then boring.  Comforting, and yet alienating.  Always, I guess, an adventure.

Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life

Panama Papers

April 12th, 2016 → 5:40 am

    “You smell this business with a sense as cold
    As is a dead man’s nose.” – Winter’s Tale

The quote above implies that those who hide money overseas don’t quite get how smelly that is.  And I love how so many articles have been written lately explaining the various legitimate reasons for secret offshore bank accounts.  *Sigh*  It just stinks, admit it.

Filed under: Blog & Stupid/Evil People

More Insults

April 8th, 2016 → 5:17 am

    “He is deformed, crooked, old and sere,
    Ill-faced, worse bodied, shapeless everywhere:
    Vicious, ungentle, foolish, blunt, unkind,
    Stigmatical in making, worse in mind.” – The Comedy of Errors

The insults this political season just keep coming.  And it isn’t just the Republicans anymore, the Democrats seem to be getting into it too!  Do politicians ever wonder why they have such low approval ratings?

Filed under: Blog & Politics/Politicians

Macbeth – The Movie

April 3rd, 2016 → 5:42 am

“What’s done cannot be undone.” – Macbeth

I watched the latest movie version of Macbeth last night (the one with Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard), and found it to be a bit overdone.  Very Hollywood with gratuitous fight scenes, prolific blood spurts, and melodramatic music in every single scene.  I think I need to watch a comedy now…

Filed under: Blog & Literature/Theatre/Art