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(02/19/14 2:32pm)
My senior year of high school may have been better titled as, "The Year of John Malkovich." As the protagonist of both films, "Of Mice and Men" and "The Glass Menagerie," he seemed to appear when our class thought we saw the last of him.
(02/10/14 12:00pm)
About a week ago, J.K. Rowling, the author of the "Harry Potter" series, admitted that Harry should have married Hermione. From the moment the story broke, the Harry Potter fandom erupted in debate. Did Hermione belong with Harry or Ron?
(02/03/14 5:21pm)
I am a self-proclaimed basketball dream, and football isn't my favorite sport. Thus, my excitement for the Super Bowl is mostly geared toward the halftime performance and the gluttonous amounts of food. I pay attention to the last 10 minutes of the game most years.
(01/27/14 3:30pm)
Meet my friend Therosia, and meet her stage.
(01/14/14 6:00pm)
Fandom. Crossover. AU. Lemon. Slash.
(11/21/13 11:43pm)
When I wrote my "Arizona Writers" blog post a few weeks ago, I forgot to mention an author incredibly close to my heart. This author was Barbara Park, who wrote of a young girl, full of character and spunk — Miss Junie B. Jones."Hi, my name is Junie B. Jones. The 'B' stands for Beatrice. Except I don't like Beatrice. I just like 'B', and that's all."On November 15th, 2013, Barbara Park died after a battle with ovarian cancer. She lived in Scottsdale, Arizona at the time.The first Junie B. Jones book I read was "Junie B. Jones is not a Crook," in the midst of my own kindergarten experience with thievery. Yes, it happened. I didn't do the thieving, but I have seen the sneakiest of kindergarteners. I remember having my first kindergarten crush, and consulting Junie B. to see how she handled the situation. A good number of Junie B. Jones books reside on my bookshelves, and I have never had the heart to give them away. At this point, I don't think I ever will. Junie B. Jones is simply a breath of fresh air in children's literature. It departs enough from personified animals, but not too far from reality like "Captain Underpants." She is an opinionated child, which I think we all were. Her two best friends were Lucille and "That Grace," and her boyfriend Ricardo left her, saying that they should "chase other people."I believe Barbara Park's books will be her legacy and she will live on as one of the most respected authors. She truly was a child at heart, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. You're never too old to feel the way Junie B. felt about "That Grace" and snootiness, or to experience the fear of a new life path like first grade. You can reach me at arabusa@asu.edu or on Twitter, @marie_eo.
(11/18/13 11:33pm)
Categorized as one of the most intense storms on the planet, Typhoon Haiyan crossed various Pacific islands before making its catastrophic landfall in the Philippines. Typhoon Yolanda, as Haiyan is called in the Philippines, greatly impacted the major islands of Leyte and Samar, as well as Northern Cebu, and various other smaller islands. While Filipinos have experienced typhoons in the past, none compared to this. I've heard some of the horror stories: a son coming to America just months before the storm, racked with guilt as his parents and younger brother are washed away in the Typhoon's waves; entire families separated. These are not moments only experienced by Filipinos in this one event. These terrors are often the results of natural disasters around the globe and across time.In 2011, an online auction called "Authors for Queensland" was created to raise money for the Queensland Flood Appeal. It later influenced the "Authors for Japan" auction following the massive 2011 tsunami in Japan. This time around, "Authors for the Philippines" is trying to raise money to help in the Philippines.Not only are there books for auction, there are services like editing, mentoring, writing courses, and other literary events. Original illustrations are being auctioned, as well as manuscript critiques. They are offering the opportunity to meet some of your favorite authors such as Anthony McGowan and Andy Stanton. The funds raised by the bidding on these special literary talents and treasures, goes to the British Red Cross. With various types of aid going to these causes, there is constant controversy as to whether or not the money actually gets to where it needs to go. There are criticisms of non-governmental organizations and their processing fees when it comes to donations.But what is most astounding and fascinating to me is the concept of literary auctions for these causes. Writers constantly collaborate on books, and participate in massive book fair events together. The idea of a humanitarian effort headed by authors, is magic. There is more to literature than just the books, the poetry, the screenplays — it's also deep passion and an immense connection with society.While the Philippines was not the only area affected by the storm, this is a cause close to my heart because of my family's Filipino background. The concept of "Authors for the Philippines" empowers me in my belief that literature contributes to society — its past, present, and future. Not only are these events being written, but authors, writers and editors can help to raise money for important international causes. Writers can make an impact.If you feel so inclined, you can participate in the "Authors for the Philippines" auction until Wednesday, November 20, 2013.You can reach me at arabusa@asu.edu or on Twitter, @marie_eo.
(11/06/13 7:35am)
When I was living in Washington, D.C., I remember pondering the personalities of the places I lived. Living in the district made me feel immersed in issues of justice and efficiency, among other things. When reflecting on Arizona, I thought of its distinct Southwest culture. This culture, as far as I have seen, is expressed through dance, music, and tangible artwork. However, I didn't believe Arizona is well-known for its literature.
(11/04/13 6:00am)
"For his outstanding, pioneer contribution to present-day poetry." - The Nobel Prize Organization's Motivation
(10/30/13 6:53pm)
Since Halloween is just a hop, skip, and a jump away, I thought I would revisit my discussion on villains from my previous post about the Grimm Brothers. However, this time I wanted to broaden the scope of these evil characters to other books. Brutes and evildoers do not just exist in fairy tales, but also in very real and modern stories.
(10/28/13 9:09pm)
In this blog post, I am excited to share the work of Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye, a skilled spoken-word couple. They are not a couple in the romantic sense. No, their love for each other is strictly platonic, but their passion for their work and their friendship is evident in all that they do. The two share a bubbly and gentle demeanor that wins over hearts and minds with crisp voices and eloquent words.The two met while studying at Brown University, where they were both spoken word performers. Sarah and Phil come from surprisingly similar backgrounds. Actually, "surprisingly similar" is quite the understatement. Their backgrounds connect them on a level that few of us can understand. While they both participate in their own side projects, together they created Project V.O.I.C.E, hoping to empower youth expression, especially through spoken word. Both have been featured separately as guests on TED, NPR, and many other media outlets as two of the best poets of our generation.Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye function as mouthpieces of love for words. One of my favorite performances by them is "This American Life." The poem bounces from song to song, questioning the foundation of American life and what our society truly stands for. Their performance shows their gentleness but also their true passion and power. In her 2011 TED Talk, Sarah Kay recalled her early pieces of poetry as "indignant," because all spoken word seemed to reek of displeasure and anger. Her work with Phil Kaye shows that power does not only come from the loud, with angry faces and tears, but also from quietness that packs a punch.Below is their poem entitled "An Origin Story", which describes how the two came to be a pair. You will laugh and it will make your heart happy. Enjoy![embed width="600" contenteditable="false"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esgfG3BoAPc[/embed]You can reach me at arabusa@asu.edu or on Twitter @marie_eo.
(10/23/13 10:41pm)
I think it's a fairly agreeable fact that November is an eventful month. Here in the United States, we celebrate the things for which we are thankful (like food) on Thanksgiving. After we're stuffed with stuffing and pie, we celebrate the unconventional, consumerist holiday fondly dubbed Black Friday. That's basically the day I tag along with family at the mall, plucking gifts from shelves and subsequently returning them to the shelf because the line is just too long. Every four years, the Presidential election takes place in the month of November, sending the nation into a political frenzy.
(10/16/13 4:45pm)
"The morns are meeker than they were,The nuts are getting brown;The berry's cheek is plumper,The rose is out of town.The maple wears a gayer scarf,The field a scarlet gown.Lest I should be old-fashioned,I'll put a trinket on.""Autumn," by Emily DickinsonA few days ago we had one of the coolest, sweetest days in the valley. The rain drizzled in the early morning when the sky was a little meek. We hit a high of 70 degrees, the breezes were blowing, and I broke out my favorite light cardigan. By midday, the sky was a beautiful blue. We don't get too many days like that in Phoenix. We bask in the Arizona heat until our skin burns and we grow accustomed to blasting the A/C in our cars because it's the only way to set our bodies and minds at ease. And when we turn the calendar to November (per one of my favorite websites, the Weather Channel), we'll feel the silence of a perfectly tempered car, no air bouncing off the inside walls. No more screams of pain when our arms accidentally hit the metal part of the seat belt that we were trying to avoid in the first place. This is the Arizona version of Emily Dickinson's "Autumn." She spent most of her life in Massachusetts where the leaves change color before falling to the ground, the air lowers to a deeper chill, and everything seems to fade into beautiful shades of brown. Dickinson values the colors and the nature around her, as described in her poem, and wishes to welcome in the autumn weather with a trinket, a special piece of simple jewelry. For us, autumn will fade straight into winter and we may not even notice the change. But for that brief moment we will feel Arizona's own colors change. Everything will brighten to a more muted yet vibrant hue. Autumn is coming, friends. I'm excited, are you?You can reach me at arabusa@asu.edu or on Twitter @marie_eo.
(10/09/13 5:34pm)
Once upon a time I was a little girl growing up in the world of Disney princesses. I was always enthralled by the bright colors, beautiful dresses, and glass slippers. The idea of my own Prince Charming was more of an expectation rather than a fairy tale.These characters were formed from the world of the Grimm brothers, who wrote hundreds of fairy tales. They are not fairy tales that necessarily include an air of uber-positive mysticism and kind, talking animals. The Grimm brothers wrote stories of girls without hands and dying farm birds alongside the stories of princesses with beautiful golden hair and heartthrob princes. Despite the apparent lack of reality that exists in some of their stories, the inherent dilemmas and deeper meanings bring about that human quality. For that reason, everyone feels something when they experience the fairy tales and adapted stories — it's universal. That universality made the stories appealing for adaptations: Gregory Maguire's "Mirror, Mirror", "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine, "Beastly" by Alex Flinn, among various others. There are television shows and movies: Once Upon a Time, and the recent influx of Snow White based movies. What makes these written works so powerful and moving for generations upon generations? These stories, and the emotions they stir, are timeless. Once upon a time I was that little girl that watched Disney princess movies more times than I can count. Today, Prince Charming is I'll-know-it-when-it-happens. And while I've grown, these fairy tales will never cease to have a hold on me.How do you feel about fairy tales? Let me know through email at arabusa@asu.edu or on Twitter @marie_eo. .
(10/07/13 11:51pm)
How much do you like trees? I mean, really like trees. If you asked me to list off trees, my list would probably be something like this: mesquite, evergreen, pine, sequoia, palo verde, cypress, palm. And then at some point I would repeat palm again, because that's a lot of what I see here in the Valley. I appreciate trees, the shade they offer from the scorching summer heat, their participation in our air quality. But, I'm not Will Blacklin. He studied trees in college, stared at them for hours on end. He took Cordelia Kenn on a date where all he talked about were trees.Cordelia is the protagonist of one of my favorite books, "This is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia Kenn" by Aidan Chambers. And Will Blacklin is the instrument-playing boy she falls in love with. (Not sure what a Pillow Book is? See one of the most famous pillow books here.)The book is a tome at 808 pages, but it never slows down and never grows tiresome. The first time I read "This is All" was early on in high school. I enjoyed it, but while I scanned the pages, it seemed that the ideas and themes of the book went over my head. I felt like my life was just beginning, which is how Cordelia felt in the beginning. But towards the end, I was lost.I picked the book up again recently and started to read. I reminisced in the moments that once made sense to me, falling in love with a boy who accompanied my piano-playing. But now, I can feel the pain of losing that boy in my bones, the frustration of people coming in and out of my life, the playfulness of a new and foreign environment and the occasional loneliness of it. I realized that this is the beauty of Aidan Chambers' work. One day, maybe four or five years from now, I'll pick up the book again (for the 9th or 10th time) and read the moments that lead up to the end of the Pillow Book. Perhaps I'll be able to relate to those events in ways that I have not been able to relate before. If you haven't read this book before, it is worth a gander. It is real, it is timeless. Plus, it's the perfect fall book (especially since there's a cute guy that loves trees, and trees remind me of fall). Do you have any other fall book recommendations? Let me know at arabusa@asu.edu or on Twitter @marie_eo.
(10/02/13 3:00am)
I'll be the first to admit that as much as I hate creasing the pages of a book, I sometimes fold over corners to mark my page. I cringe as I do it, but sometimes you just don't have a bookmark lying around.
(09/18/13 1:08am)
A few weeks ago, Potterheads (Harry Potter fans? Members of the Potterverse? What do we call ourselves?), yes I am included in that, buzzed with anticipation at the news that J.K. Rowling would be writing two new Harry Potter books. Bloggers across the interwebs ruminated on possible story lines. Would these books showcase the legacy of our favorite wizards: Harry, Hermione, and Ron (and cough, Neville, cough)? Perhaps these books would follow the adventures of their children, who were introduced to us at the end of the series. My personal favorite was the possibility of prequels.But now the truth is out, and the ever-sneaky Rowling confirmed that she would be writing the script for a spinoff movie series based on her popular Harry Potter supplement, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." The spinoff movies will focus on the "writer" of the textbook, Newt Scamander. Personally, I'm excited to see Rowling try her hand at screenwriting one of her works. I think this will be a new challenge for her, but I believe she will succeed. She has always had a very humorous, whimsical, and classic style that I think has the ability to make dialogue shine. Moreover, she has already seen what her writing is like on the big screen, so she can envision this work as well.However, I do think that this may be a little bit overkill. Overkill as in unnecessary. I am already satisfied with the movie series. Harry Potter weekends on ABC Family, anyone?I still think a prequel would be a good idea. But you know, it's J.K. Rowling. I wouldn't ever pass up a chance to see her in action. What are your thoughts on the spin-off? Let me know at arabusa@asu.edu or on Twitter @marie_eo.
(09/17/13 12:33am)
I have a tiny inkling of what it is like to raise a baby after my first night with Joey. He wakes up every two hours crying and constantly wants attention.
(09/11/13 4:33pm)
About two weeks ago, news spread globally about chemical attacks in Syria that killed thousands of people, including some of the most innocent of human beings, children. I believe that chemical attack will be mentioned in history books for years to come. We are watching history in the making, and unfortunately not the kind of history that makes us all happy to be the way we are.
(09/09/13 4:05pm)
This weekend, I was in the market to maybe see an author's talk or check out a slam poetry gig. Instead, I found myself on the events page of the Phoenix Public Library. There, I discovered Julie Chen's exhibit about "The Art of the Book."