I thought that I'd share something that I've written in the writing workshops I attend every Wednesday night.
It's a mostly-true account of myself at age...oh, goodness. Nine? Eight?
I do hope you enjoy. ^__^
_________________
We were young, playing spies and chasing after imaginary villains. Hidden behind ferns in a headquarters made of a sheet and some sticks, the largest danger was mosquitos. That didn’t stop us from sneaking about, buzzing in with walkie-talkies every few moments to check on each other.
I was off on an important mission, a completely arbitrary surveillance case against our neighbor. Armed only with some camouflaging scraps of fabric, one half of the walkie talkie set and a staff to lean on…or beat off wild dogs, should the need arise.
Taking care not to step on a single twig, lest I alert our prey to my presence, I wove my way through the branches. A horrific sight froze me in my tracks. Some sort of bug with far too many legs had decided to take a stroll up my leg. Stoically, while suffering from some sort of internal panic and subsequent potential stroke, I grabbed a nice long stick and flicked it off my leg, only taking a new breath when I saw the poor insect hurled through the air and strike the dirt with a pathetically small thud.
No time for grief over this fallen soldier from the enemy, I still had my mission to carry out. Moving closer, I pulled out one of our more brilliant scientific creations, a high-tech recording device, and set it down, tucked behind the tree and set it’s metal spring in rotation to capture any enemy activity, stacking the wooden discs underneath it for power sources, and securing the whole conglomeration with a few brightly colored ribbons to pick up our signal back at basecamp.
Slinking up to the dense thicket around our neighbor’s pond, I chance a look behind me, and see that I have been followed. In fact, I’m being watched at this very moment. His arms are widespread, and there’s blood on his hands. Unseeing eyes gaze directly at me, and the expression on his face suggests extreme displeasure.
That Jesus statue is one of the more terrifying lawn ornaments I’ve seen. I’ve met this adversary before, and while his appearance is fearsome, he’s nothing to worry about.
I pull out my binoculars, and scan the house for any danger. A thought strikes me, fear coursing down my spine. What if neighbor Bob has a gun? What if he doesn’t recognize me? WHAT IF HE SHOOTS ME? A dilemma has now presented itself. Do I dare show myself and risk getting shot, or do I creep back, and risk being thought of as a thief and shot anyway?
I could radio back to basecamp, but what would they do, other than potentially get caught and gunned down as well? No. It was better to finish this mission alone.
From far away, a voice in anguish called out. My every muscle tense, I wait for the message to finish.
“GIRLS, LUNCH!”
My highly trained senses are detecting that sustenance may be ready. Picking myself and my gadgets from the leafy ground, I begin to sprint back to the house. I will finish my mission another day.
Showing posts with label my childhood was/is AWESOME. Show all posts
Showing posts with label my childhood was/is AWESOME. Show all posts
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Week Eight: "Grown Up"
I hope I never grow up.
I don't mean that in the Peter Pan-Neverland sort of way, or the horribly morbid I-Shall-Die-Before-I-Grow-Old way, or even the I-Refuse-To-Take-Responsibility-For-Anything-Therefore-Remaining-Childlike-Forever kind of way.
What I mean is this. Children blow on dandelions and watch the seeds scatter, not worried about weeds marring their pristine lawns. Children ask questions because they are interested in finding out "how come"?
I want to always...look for the rainbow in the garden hose off-spray.
...blow dandelions and watch the seeds fall where they may.
...hang over the edge of the tree house and pretend I can fly.
...dance like a madman to 80's music.
...wonder what the world would be like with purple clouds.
...do cartwheels, regardless of my talents.
...get excited about small things like grape jelly.
...look for heart shaped rocks at the beach.
...believe in fairies and magic.
That, to me is the definition of "grown-up". In addition, saying that you're "grown-up" seems to me to be saying that you can't grow anymore. To me, growing is a process that I never want to stop. If you can't grow anymore, then you're stuck in a state of stasis.
I want to grow, but I never want to be grown.
~Whimsy
P.S. Why has this struck me now? This coming Tuesday, I start my second session of classes as a teacher at a local homeschool co-op. This time, instead of working with teens, I'm going to be working with littler ones, ages 6-12. Honestly, I couldn't be happier. I love that age range. ^___^
P.P.S. Am also building props for a local theater, and working tech-whatnot at another theatre this coming Sunday.
P.P.P.S I'm feeling like my life is very exciting right now.
I don't mean that in the Peter Pan-Neverland sort of way, or the horribly morbid I-Shall-Die-Before-I-Grow-Old way, or even the I-Refuse-To-Take-Responsibility-For-Anything-Therefore-Remaining-Childlike-Forever kind of way.
What I mean is this. Children blow on dandelions and watch the seeds scatter, not worried about weeds marring their pristine lawns. Children ask questions because they are interested in finding out "how come"?
I want to always...look for the rainbow in the garden hose off-spray.
...blow dandelions and watch the seeds fall where they may.
...hang over the edge of the tree house and pretend I can fly.
...dance like a madman to 80's music.
...wonder what the world would be like with purple clouds.
...do cartwheels, regardless of my talents.
...get excited about small things like grape jelly.
...look for heart shaped rocks at the beach.
...believe in fairies and magic.
That, to me is the definition of "grown-up". In addition, saying that you're "grown-up" seems to me to be saying that you can't grow anymore. To me, growing is a process that I never want to stop. If you can't grow anymore, then you're stuck in a state of stasis.
I want to grow, but I never want to be grown.
~Whimsy
P.S. Why has this struck me now? This coming Tuesday, I start my second session of classes as a teacher at a local homeschool co-op. This time, instead of working with teens, I'm going to be working with littler ones, ages 6-12. Honestly, I couldn't be happier. I love that age range. ^___^
P.P.S. Am also building props for a local theater, and working tech-whatnot at another theatre this coming Sunday.
P.P.P.S I'm feeling like my life is very exciting right now.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Week Five: Big Exciting News!
Last week, I alluded to Big Exciting News. Well, my friends, I have confirmation on ONE of them.
Very, very longtime blog readers of mine* (we're talkin' March 2010, here) will recall my talking about True Colors. For those of you who don't want to go searching through pages upon pages of blog entries, or are just too lazy to read another article (linked HERE and HERE), True Colors is a conference for LGBTQ(insertlettershere) youth. It's THE largest one of it's kind in the USA. I've gone for the past three years, and honestly, it's one of the highlights of my year. Think of an explosion of rainbows and young people and happiness. For. Two. Full. Days.
What the news is, not only am I going to be going to TC (for the fourth time), but I will also will be presenting. The thing that I'm most excited about is this: I WILL GET A PRESENTER'S LANYARD. Seriously, nothing is cooler than that.
What am I presenting, you ask? Why, my family and I have a theatre business, and we'll be doing theatre games. I am beyond excited about this. You have no idea.
We're also sending out some other proposals, so I'll be talking about them as soon as I have confirmation on that. I just feel like it's...maybe jinxing it to talk about it on here without getting confirmed first.
In other news, the snow here has reached a level of ABOVE MY HEAD. I am not short, either. I love snow, and I love LOTS of snow (I am a child, a very young child)and I ADORE making forts. Therefore, it was only natural that a giant pile of snow would become a fort/igloo/cave.
I've also been playing my guitar more lately. I've gone back to some of my childhood songs. You know, the ones that you play and, they just remind you of being seven or eight years old and spending your autumns at the local Renissance faire. Just me? Ahh, well then...
Anyway, sitting around playing "The Wild Rover", "Whiskey In The Jar" and "Scarborough Faire" is just a great feeling.
So, with that, I leave you.
If you haven't seen it yet, please go HERE and tell me what you think of my brandy-new FAQ.
If you have questions about whatever, post 'em below! I'll be happy to answer!
Hope you're having a great week five!
~Whimsy
*Or people who know me in a non-bloggy way.
Very, very longtime blog readers of mine* (we're talkin' March 2010, here) will recall my talking about True Colors. For those of you who don't want to go searching through pages upon pages of blog entries, or are just too lazy to read another article (linked HERE and HERE), True Colors is a conference for LGBTQ(insertlettershere) youth. It's THE largest one of it's kind in the USA. I've gone for the past three years, and honestly, it's one of the highlights of my year. Think of an explosion of rainbows and young people and happiness. For. Two. Full. Days.
What the news is, not only am I going to be going to TC (for the fourth time), but I will also will be presenting. The thing that I'm most excited about is this: I WILL GET A PRESENTER'S LANYARD. Seriously, nothing is cooler than that.
What am I presenting, you ask? Why, my family and I have a theatre business, and we'll be doing theatre games. I am beyond excited about this. You have no idea.
We're also sending out some other proposals, so I'll be talking about them as soon as I have confirmation on that. I just feel like it's...maybe jinxing it to talk about it on here without getting confirmed first.
In other news, the snow here has reached a level of ABOVE MY HEAD. I am not short, either. I love snow, and I love LOTS of snow (I am a child, a very young child)and I ADORE making forts. Therefore, it was only natural that a giant pile of snow would become a fort/igloo/cave.
I've also been playing my guitar more lately. I've gone back to some of my childhood songs. You know, the ones that you play and, they just remind you of being seven or eight years old and spending your autumns at the local Renissance faire. Just me? Ahh, well then...
Anyway, sitting around playing "The Wild Rover", "Whiskey In The Jar" and "Scarborough Faire" is just a great feeling.
So, with that, I leave you.
If you haven't seen it yet, please go HERE and tell me what you think of my brandy-new FAQ.
If you have questions about whatever, post 'em below! I'll be happy to answer!
Hope you're having a great week five!
~Whimsy
*Or people who know me in a non-bloggy way.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Week Three: A CHALLENGE!
I just finished reading Magic's Pawn, Magic's Promise and Magic's Price, all by Mercedes Lackey. So. Freaking. Good. O___O
This doesn't happen much, but I knew pretty much as soon as I started reading the first book that I HAD. TO. HAVE. THEM.
I have griped (vocally, and often) about the lack of LGBT characters in fantasy novels. The Last Herald-Mage (LHM) books are indeed fantasy with a gay protagonist. YES! Oh, thank whatever-you-want-to-thank. Anyway, it's just nice to have a main character who's not your normal "hero(or anti-hero) goes on journey, finds self worth, destiny and opposite gendered lover along the way" type.
Seriously, if you haven't read the LHM books, then do so NOW. It was to the point where I was walking around with my nose in the book so far that I nearly walked into a wall. Maybe more than one.
Anyway, in other news my life is going well. Reading a lot lately, which is good. I had gotten away from reading tons, mostly due to watching un-godly amounts of Doctor Who and Torchwood (I REGRET NOTHING. SUCH PHENOMENAL TELEVISION.) and am back on my usual book-crazed path, and with a vengeance at that.
Because of that, I've been thinking about fictional characters lately, and not just in the "hey, I really love Remus Lupin, 'cuz he's a cool guy" kind of way. No, more in the "these characters are fictional people who I grew up with. Who I admire, in some cases."
So, I invite all of you to make a list of your top 5/10/20/30/you pick the number of favorite fictional characters, what books/movies/tv shows/plays/whatever that they're from, and why they're so cool. Why they stuck with you.
Here's mine, in no particular order.
1: Arthur Dent.
He's the last human from earth. He belongs to Douglas Adams, the creator of the fantastic Hitchhiker's Guide books. Arthur (by the way, having a hell of a time trying to spell his name properly) is just an ordinary guy, living his ordinary life and then all of a sudden, WHAM. He's off on a multi-dimensional space adventure, trying desperately to keep his mind, his towel and Ford Prefect by his side. What I like about his is that he's very HUMAN, he rolls with the punches (something that I don't do that well, for the record) and he tends to do what any normal person would do after being thrown into some very abnormal situations.
2: Holly Short.
She's from the Artemis Fowl books, written by Eoin Colfer. Holly is one of the toughest female characters that I know, and she's not even a HUMAN. She doesn't do the typical I-Am-A-Woman-So-I-Need-Saving-All-The-Time schtick, and I love her for that. She's incredibly smart, creative, compassionate, and she doesn't take any nonsense. That being said, she's also not perfect, like some authors can tend to do when creating a main character. She doesn't do well with authority (a trait we share) and tends to do things her own way, even if they stray a bit over the line of lawful. She tries to do her best, no matter the circumstance.
3: Paul. (Just googled it, and he hasn't got a last name. O__O)
Paul is the main character in Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan, a book which I absolutely ADORE (and if you know me, I've probably talked your ear off about it, and tried to make you read it). There could be a whole blog post on why I like the book, but this is focused on the character. He's very whimsical, sweet, open minded, and yes, he is gay. I think the best thing about Paul is that he's so supportive of his friends, whoever they are. He's also quite the romantic, creative, and he marches to the beat of his own drum, no matter who is judging him.
4: Jacky Faber.
Opinionated, liberal-minded, gutsy, and overall one of the strongest (and still very much HUMAN) female characters I have had the pleasure of reading. Jacky is from L.A. Meyer's Bloody Jack books. I mean, the girl is a PIRATE...amongst other things. For living in the 1800's, she is about as rebel-tastic as it gets. She's impulsive, but clever, and the way she will always stick up for her friends, and for the anyone who's weaker and smaller than she is. She starts out as the lowest of the low (as a street rat) and works her way up the ladder through her own guile and wit. Did I mention that she's British? Yeah.
5: Pippi Longstocking
Pippi Longstocking, by Astrid Lindgren is THE quintessential book about an unschooler EVER. (In my very biased opinion, that is.) She may be about 10, but that girl is a genius. The best bit about her, is she will give it back to whoever dishes it out, be it police, a schoolteacher, or whoever. She knows who she is, what she wants, and isn't afraid to go and get it. She's self-sufficient, creative and more than a bit crazy. She does things her own way, and 9 times out of ten, it ends up turning out okay. Despite the fact that these books are clearly written for young kids, (and translated from the original Swedish, which makes for interesting grammar sometimes) Pippi is fantastic.
Honestly, I can't pick who I want to do next*, so I'll leave it at five, for now.
Maybe I'll do this again, sometime. There are just SO MANY I'd like to discuss, and I don't want to give you a wall of text. ^___^
SO, If you made it through to the bottom of this, I challenge you to do your own. I stuck to books for mine, but that's just ME.
So with that, I leave you. I have to go dig out my copies of Hitchhiker's Guide, Artemis Fowl, Boy Meets Boy, Bloody Jack and Pippi Longstocking. I have reading to do.
Yours in books,
Whimsy
P.S.
If you have a book that I MUST READ, tell me. I'm always looking for new books.\
P.P.S. If you've read any of these books, let me know in a comment what you thought. I love comments. (I mean, you don't know how excited I get when I read that I have a new one. It's hilarious.)
*The list includes,
Jim Tanner (Treasure Island), Puck (Midsummer Night's Dream), Roger Davis (RENT), Joon (Benny and Joon), Severus Snape (Harry Potter), Alanna (Song Of The Lioness), Daine (The Immortals), Lani Garver (What Happened To Lani Garver), Meg Murry (A Wrinkle In Time), Jazz (Define 'Normal'), Jo March (Little Women) among others...
Also, I tried to keep it to ONE character from each book series. That's why there's not a TON of HP characters on there.
This doesn't happen much, but I knew pretty much as soon as I started reading the first book that I HAD. TO. HAVE. THEM.
I have griped (vocally, and often) about the lack of LGBT characters in fantasy novels. The Last Herald-Mage (LHM) books are indeed fantasy with a gay protagonist. YES! Oh, thank whatever-you-want-to-thank. Anyway, it's just nice to have a main character who's not your normal "hero(or anti-hero) goes on journey, finds self worth, destiny and opposite gendered lover along the way" type.
Seriously, if you haven't read the LHM books, then do so NOW. It was to the point where I was walking around with my nose in the book so far that I nearly walked into a wall. Maybe more than one.
Anyway, in other news my life is going well. Reading a lot lately, which is good. I had gotten away from reading tons, mostly due to watching un-godly amounts of Doctor Who and Torchwood (I REGRET NOTHING. SUCH PHENOMENAL TELEVISION.) and am back on my usual book-crazed path, and with a vengeance at that.
Because of that, I've been thinking about fictional characters lately, and not just in the "hey, I really love Remus Lupin, 'cuz he's a cool guy" kind of way. No, more in the "these characters are fictional people who I grew up with. Who I admire, in some cases."
So, I invite all of you to make a list of your top 5/10/20/30/you pick the number of favorite fictional characters, what books/movies/tv shows/plays/whatever that they're from, and why they're so cool. Why they stuck with you.
Here's mine, in no particular order.
1: Arthur Dent.
He's the last human from earth. He belongs to Douglas Adams, the creator of the fantastic Hitchhiker's Guide books. Arthur (by the way, having a hell of a time trying to spell his name properly) is just an ordinary guy, living his ordinary life and then all of a sudden, WHAM. He's off on a multi-dimensional space adventure, trying desperately to keep his mind, his towel and Ford Prefect by his side. What I like about his is that he's very HUMAN, he rolls with the punches (something that I don't do that well, for the record) and he tends to do what any normal person would do after being thrown into some very abnormal situations.
2: Holly Short.
She's from the Artemis Fowl books, written by Eoin Colfer. Holly is one of the toughest female characters that I know, and she's not even a HUMAN. She doesn't do the typical I-Am-A-Woman-So-I-Need-Saving-All-The-Time schtick, and I love her for that. She's incredibly smart, creative, compassionate, and she doesn't take any nonsense. That being said, she's also not perfect, like some authors can tend to do when creating a main character. She doesn't do well with authority (a trait we share) and tends to do things her own way, even if they stray a bit over the line of lawful. She tries to do her best, no matter the circumstance.
3: Paul. (Just googled it, and he hasn't got a last name. O__O)
Paul is the main character in Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan, a book which I absolutely ADORE (and if you know me, I've probably talked your ear off about it, and tried to make you read it). There could be a whole blog post on why I like the book, but this is focused on the character. He's very whimsical, sweet, open minded, and yes, he is gay. I think the best thing about Paul is that he's so supportive of his friends, whoever they are. He's also quite the romantic, creative, and he marches to the beat of his own drum, no matter who is judging him.
4: Jacky Faber.
Opinionated, liberal-minded, gutsy, and overall one of the strongest (and still very much HUMAN) female characters I have had the pleasure of reading. Jacky is from L.A. Meyer's Bloody Jack books. I mean, the girl is a PIRATE...amongst other things. For living in the 1800's, she is about as rebel-tastic as it gets. She's impulsive, but clever, and the way she will always stick up for her friends, and for the anyone who's weaker and smaller than she is. She starts out as the lowest of the low (as a street rat) and works her way up the ladder through her own guile and wit. Did I mention that she's British? Yeah.
5: Pippi Longstocking
Pippi Longstocking, by Astrid Lindgren is THE quintessential book about an unschooler EVER. (In my very biased opinion, that is.) She may be about 10, but that girl is a genius. The best bit about her, is she will give it back to whoever dishes it out, be it police, a schoolteacher, or whoever. She knows who she is, what she wants, and isn't afraid to go and get it. She's self-sufficient, creative and more than a bit crazy. She does things her own way, and 9 times out of ten, it ends up turning out okay. Despite the fact that these books are clearly written for young kids, (and translated from the original Swedish, which makes for interesting grammar sometimes) Pippi is fantastic.
Honestly, I can't pick who I want to do next*, so I'll leave it at five, for now.
Maybe I'll do this again, sometime. There are just SO MANY I'd like to discuss, and I don't want to give you a wall of text. ^___^
SO, If you made it through to the bottom of this, I challenge you to do your own. I stuck to books for mine, but that's just ME.
So with that, I leave you. I have to go dig out my copies of Hitchhiker's Guide, Artemis Fowl, Boy Meets Boy, Bloody Jack and Pippi Longstocking. I have reading to do.
Yours in books,
Whimsy
P.S.
If you have a book that I MUST READ, tell me. I'm always looking for new books.\
P.P.S. If you've read any of these books, let me know in a comment what you thought. I love comments. (I mean, you don't know how excited I get when I read that I have a new one. It's hilarious.)
*The list includes,
Jim Tanner (Treasure Island), Puck (Midsummer Night's Dream), Roger Davis (RENT), Joon (Benny and Joon), Severus Snape (Harry Potter), Alanna (Song Of The Lioness), Daine (The Immortals), Lani Garver (What Happened To Lani Garver), Meg Murry (A Wrinkle In Time), Jazz (Define 'Normal'), Jo March (Little Women) among others...
Also, I tried to keep it to ONE character from each book series. That's why there's not a TON of HP characters on there.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
ASL, Party in the USA, and demonic Furbies...just another normal post.
How is everyone? Good, great, crappy?
Obviously, I can't stay away from you all for more than 5 days at a streak.
Lucky you. XD
Today, I start with my first ASL class. It's through Skype video chat, a new medium of "class" as is were, so that will be fun.
I've been practicing, so I can finger-spell my name (W-H-I-M-S-Y), and I know the alphabet by heart, and a few signs that aren't finger-spelling (Examples: meet, girl, world, tired, beautiful, music, pain, help, wish, slow).
I've been watching this youtuber perform songs in ASL on a suggestion from my tutor. This lead to my finding of Jonathon Coulton.
Why, oh why have I not seen this brilliantly hilarious person before?
I have been watching "I Feel Fantastic" and "Re: Your Brains" nearly non-stop.
But mostly, "I Feel Fantastic", or as my sister and I have taken to calling it "that tripping-out-on-drugs song".
Here's the version that I've been playing, so you can be as addicted as I am.
I'm excited to start, because I think it'll be fun to learn a "foreign" language, especially one that's not French, or Spanish like EVERYONE and their brother learns in high school.
I've never been one to do what EVERYONE does, as can be evidenced by my life.
Not to say that I do what I do, and I am who I am just to be contrary to the rest of the world, oh no. Even if it were the "popular" thing to be who I am, I'd still be who I am.
This is not to say that I don't take pride in being as unique as I am, oh no.
When I'm going to a new class, I almost always make sure that I'm wearing all my most Whimsy-est things.
I figure it's better to introduce myself when I look most like me, that way, if someone's not going to like me, they decide that they don't like me from seeing who I am. I'm not going to tone it down for anyone. That's not who I am.
I must admit, though, if something becomes "popular", then I automatically like it less. It's not the best personality trait, I know, because there are plenty of mainstream-ish things that are good/fun/interesting, but the fact that EVERYONE likes it makes me not want to say I like it. I guess I'm afraid that people will think I like something just because EVERYONE likes it.
For example, Party In The U.S.A.
I don't want to like it, but I do.
Almost every time that song has been played around me, it's been in connection with pretty dang awesome stuff.
Infinitus (the Harry Potter convention) True Colors, Queer Prom, a 5ag video, various drag queens...you get the idea.
Not only that, but it's got a catchy beat, and hell, I'll say it. I think it's sweet.
(Also, somewhere, on someone's camera, there is a video of The Whimsy dancing and lip-synching to that song at Infinitus. I can't find it on the internet (yet), but who knows...)
Secretly, I think that more people like that song than will actually admit to it. Why else would it be so popular? Why else would everyone scream with joy and rush the floor EVERY TIME it's played at a dance?
Yeah, thought so.
There have been very few times that I've actually fell into the Pit Of Popular Things That I Must Have.
One of those times was Furby '98. I don't know if you all remember Furbies, but they were animatronic pets that looked like a cross between a bird and a rodent. (Wikipedia says Owl and Hamster, which I understand.)
For my 6th birthday, the one thing I wanted above anything else was a Furby. Every other child also wanted a Furby, as well. I thought they were SO CUTE, and I desperately wanted a cuddly big-eyed pet that I could shut off whenever I wanted. ^_^
Well, I got a Furby.
His name was Oo-chi.
I thought he was the best thing EVER, I adored Oo-chi.
I found out that if I left him in a sunbeam, he'd fall asleep.
...or if I turned him upside down, he'd say "Oo-chi scared, me no like."
...if I stuck my finger in his mouth, he's say "yummy!"
...if I left him alone, he's start to sing.
The Oo-chi infatuation didn't last all that long.
I recall one day, I woke him up again, and again, and all he would say was "Me sleep again." and then start snoring.
On another day, I had left him, alone, turned off, and he turned back on again.
What to do with my newly-possessed Oo-chi? Give him to my little sister, of course.
She tired of him faster than I had, and before I knew it, Oo-chi was wrapped up in newspaper, and put on a table for a gift swap. (To be clear, I was not sad to see him go.)
Oo-chi was switched off and everything, but as people put things on the table, the newspaper started rustling and started to sing. In the dark. To himself.
After that, I decided that the hype surrounding "popular" toys was pretty much bull.
So, questions:
Did you have a Furby/did you want one?
Do you know another language/do you want to?
~Whimsy
Obviously, I can't stay away from you all for more than 5 days at a streak.
Lucky you. XD
Today, I start with my first ASL class. It's through Skype video chat, a new medium of "class" as is were, so that will be fun.
I've been practicing, so I can finger-spell my name (W-H-I-M-S-Y), and I know the alphabet by heart, and a few signs that aren't finger-spelling (Examples: meet, girl, world, tired, beautiful, music, pain, help, wish, slow).
I've been watching this youtuber perform songs in ASL on a suggestion from my tutor. This lead to my finding of Jonathon Coulton.
Why, oh why have I not seen this brilliantly hilarious person before?
I have been watching "I Feel Fantastic" and "Re: Your Brains" nearly non-stop.
But mostly, "I Feel Fantastic", or as my sister and I have taken to calling it "that tripping-out-on-drugs song".
Here's the version that I've been playing, so you can be as addicted as I am.
I'm excited to start, because I think it'll be fun to learn a "foreign" language, especially one that's not French, or Spanish like EVERYONE and their brother learns in high school.
I've never been one to do what EVERYONE does, as can be evidenced by my life.
Not to say that I do what I do, and I am who I am just to be contrary to the rest of the world, oh no. Even if it were the "popular" thing to be who I am, I'd still be who I am.
This is not to say that I don't take pride in being as unique as I am, oh no.
When I'm going to a new class, I almost always make sure that I'm wearing all my most Whimsy-est things.
I figure it's better to introduce myself when I look most like me, that way, if someone's not going to like me, they decide that they don't like me from seeing who I am. I'm not going to tone it down for anyone. That's not who I am.
I must admit, though, if something becomes "popular", then I automatically like it less. It's not the best personality trait, I know, because there are plenty of mainstream-ish things that are good/fun/interesting, but the fact that EVERYONE likes it makes me not want to say I like it. I guess I'm afraid that people will think I like something just because EVERYONE likes it.
For example, Party In The U.S.A.
I don't want to like it, but I do.
Almost every time that song has been played around me, it's been in connection with pretty dang awesome stuff.
Infinitus (the Harry Potter convention) True Colors, Queer Prom, a 5ag video, various drag queens...you get the idea.
Not only that, but it's got a catchy beat, and hell, I'll say it. I think it's sweet.
(Also, somewhere, on someone's camera, there is a video of The Whimsy dancing and lip-synching to that song at Infinitus. I can't find it on the internet (yet), but who knows...)
Secretly, I think that more people like that song than will actually admit to it. Why else would it be so popular? Why else would everyone scream with joy and rush the floor EVERY TIME it's played at a dance?
Yeah, thought so.
There have been very few times that I've actually fell into the Pit Of Popular Things That I Must Have.
One of those times was Furby '98. I don't know if you all remember Furbies, but they were animatronic pets that looked like a cross between a bird and a rodent. (Wikipedia says Owl and Hamster, which I understand.)
For my 6th birthday, the one thing I wanted above anything else was a Furby. Every other child also wanted a Furby, as well. I thought they were SO CUTE, and I desperately wanted a cuddly big-eyed pet that I could shut off whenever I wanted. ^_^
Well, I got a Furby.
His name was Oo-chi.
I thought he was the best thing EVER, I adored Oo-chi.
I found out that if I left him in a sunbeam, he'd fall asleep.
...or if I turned him upside down, he'd say "Oo-chi scared, me no like."
...if I stuck my finger in his mouth, he's say "yummy!"
...if I left him alone, he's start to sing.
The Oo-chi infatuation didn't last all that long.
I recall one day, I woke him up again, and again, and all he would say was "Me sleep again." and then start snoring.
On another day, I had left him, alone, turned off, and he turned back on again.
What to do with my newly-possessed Oo-chi? Give him to my little sister, of course.
She tired of him faster than I had, and before I knew it, Oo-chi was wrapped up in newspaper, and put on a table for a gift swap. (To be clear, I was not sad to see him go.)
Oo-chi was switched off and everything, but as people put things on the table, the newspaper started rustling and started to sing. In the dark. To himself.
After that, I decided that the hype surrounding "popular" toys was pretty much bull.
So, questions:
Did you have a Furby/did you want one?
Do you know another language/do you want to?
~Whimsy
Sunday, August 22, 2010
BEDA, Day 22: Renissance Faire!
So, right now I'm at a Renfaire. A Renfaire is a Renissance Faire. (Think King Arthur, etc.)
This will be my first time at said faire. I have gone to faires before, oh, yes I have.
When I was younger, I spent my autumns at the faire in the state I live in. I mean, this was from around age 6 to around age 13, maybe. These actors (who will ALWAYS be their characters to me) knew me since I was tiny.
Spending my September and October weekends in the company of knights, mud beggers, singing executioners, swashbuckling pirates, gypsies, swordsmen, royalty, the fey and townsfolk was a pretty dang good time, I have to say.
I made sure that I caught the pub show (rated PG-13...so I sat in the back) every day. I know more Rennie* drinking songs than any teenage girl has the right to.
When I go to that faire now, I keep hearing how much I've grown.
The singing executioners (who have a stage show that I could recite from memory back when I did the faire) always are happy to see us. I think I've seen them ONCE without the back masks that they always wear.
I wanted to be a knight, instead of a lady, so when I got enough stamps on my card from the kiddie play yard, I asked the king to knight me "not Dame Irisa, but SIR Irisa." Repeatedly. I was THE MOST knighted person I knew. It was awesome.
As you can tell, I had a character. I spoke in an accent, had a character name, warmed up my voice in the mornings (if only by following the Big Kid actors and mimicing them). I was Irisa (eye-ree-sah), a Romanian Gypsy child. (roll the r's, it's better that way.)
Although I have made myself many, many, many swords, I have always wanted to do archery. It's so freakin' cool! And less dangerous. Less physical fighting.
I learned how to curtsy properly, what to say when someone says "Long live the King!" (God save the King!), how to faint (as told by a mud begger), how to harass people into doing the Maypole, every word of "the Itchy Britches song", the difference between an Irish, Welsh and English accent, that one NEEDS to watch out for the knight's swords, and that having a person explain what exactly a cell phone is is highly entertaining.
So, if you have gone to a Faire, go again, if you haven't...GO. You will not regret it!
Huzzah,
~Whimsy
*Rennie = cute version of renissance. Also can refer to a person who loves/acts in the faires.
P.S. With that as a part of my childhood, is it any wonder I'm on the Pirate side of things?
Question:
What side are YOU on, pirates or ninjas?
This will be my first time at said faire. I have gone to faires before, oh, yes I have.
When I was younger, I spent my autumns at the faire in the state I live in. I mean, this was from around age 6 to around age 13, maybe. These actors (who will ALWAYS be their characters to me) knew me since I was tiny.
Spending my September and October weekends in the company of knights, mud beggers, singing executioners, swashbuckling pirates, gypsies, swordsmen, royalty, the fey and townsfolk was a pretty dang good time, I have to say.
I made sure that I caught the pub show (rated PG-13...so I sat in the back) every day. I know more Rennie* drinking songs than any teenage girl has the right to.
When I go to that faire now, I keep hearing how much I've grown.
The singing executioners (who have a stage show that I could recite from memory back when I did the faire) always are happy to see us. I think I've seen them ONCE without the back masks that they always wear.
I wanted to be a knight, instead of a lady, so when I got enough stamps on my card from the kiddie play yard, I asked the king to knight me "not Dame Irisa, but SIR Irisa." Repeatedly. I was THE MOST knighted person I knew. It was awesome.
As you can tell, I had a character. I spoke in an accent, had a character name, warmed up my voice in the mornings (if only by following the Big Kid actors and mimicing them). I was Irisa (eye-ree-sah), a Romanian Gypsy child. (roll the r's, it's better that way.)
Although I have made myself many, many, many swords, I have always wanted to do archery. It's so freakin' cool! And less dangerous. Less physical fighting.
I learned how to curtsy properly, what to say when someone says "Long live the King!" (God save the King!), how to faint (as told by a mud begger), how to harass people into doing the Maypole, every word of "the Itchy Britches song", the difference between an Irish, Welsh and English accent, that one NEEDS to watch out for the knight's swords, and that having a person explain what exactly a cell phone is is highly entertaining.
So, if you have gone to a Faire, go again, if you haven't...GO. You will not regret it!
Huzzah,
~Whimsy
*Rennie = cute version of renissance. Also can refer to a person who loves/acts in the faires.
P.S. With that as a part of my childhood, is it any wonder I'm on the Pirate side of things?
Question:
What side are YOU on, pirates or ninjas?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)