Weather report: muggy, soggy, with hanging clouds

[shadowkat]

Sick of rain. Although spending most of my time indoors lately so shouldn't complain. But wanted to take a walk today to see if I could walk out this damn charlie horse cramp in my calve.
Went outside to pick up tonic water for it (apparently quinine helps) and felt as if I was walking through water. I tend to be weather sensitive, so the humidity could be aggravating things.

Frustrating weekend. Cable still out. MSN internet browser is acting up. I spent at least two hours writing a long post this morning and it got lost because MSN disconnected me three times during the writing and livejournal lost the login id as a result. My plans for this weekend were: to veg out in front of the TV, maybe run a few errands (not many - conserving cash), and play on the internet. Hate being thwarted. Also struggling with back pain this weekend - hopefully I can find a way of remedying that problem at work next week. Desk configuration and filing is not great for my back. Yet too terrified of losing assignment to complain. Will give it two weeks, maybe things will improve?

That said, I was able to watch an episode of Globe Treker on PBS (one of the few channels that isn't out). It was on Iran. Realized fifteen minutes into it that the narrator, a guy, could wander around Iran in a t-shirt and jeans, and do all these nifty things, such as milk goats, fish for cavier, hike, ride a motor bike, take a train by himself, but I couldn't. Why? I'm a woman. So unless I want to cover myself from head to toe in scarves and not interact, there's no point in me ever visiting Iran. This in a nutshell is why they don't have a tourist trade. Back in 2000, friend Wales wanted to visit Iran. Wales is obsessed with Islamic art and music and Iran has some of the most beautiful mosques in the Islamic world. But alas, she couldn't - too difficult to do as a Western woman.

Found a wonderful interpretation of the Buffy/Spike relationship and Seasons 5-7. This interpretation fits pretty closely with mine and what I search for in fictional relationships. (Even though I wasn't in love with the final season of the series.) If you don't like that relationship or it isn't your thing? Don't read. The nifty thing about Whedon's shows is you can bring your own interpretation to the proceedings. And you can find the analysis you like best, since there are so many different sorts of people watching and reviewing and analyzing them.

This is from royalanna

http://www.livejournal.com/users/the_royal_anna/22963.html

Was thinking about Whedon's shows and movies on the way to get tonic water, and it occurred to me that so much of the criticism I've seen - has to do with two things: interpretation and expectation. Part of the reason I wasn't fond of Season 7 is my expectations for the season did not match the writers' intent. I wanted a thorough exploration of the consequences of Willow, Buffy, Xander, Spike, Dawn, and
Anya's actions the previous season - more emphasis on how or if we can redeem our actions, if others can forgive us, and
how we decieve ourselves. Turns out I was looking for it in the wrong show - those themes were being addressed on Angel and Firefly, Whedon's adult shows. Problem is, I was more invested in the characters on BTVS than on Angel and Firefly. On Buffy, the writers were far more interested in the lies others tell us, how we share power, and dealing with authority.

Seen the same thing in movie reviews lately. The reviews on The Village are an excellent example. If you go in expecting a horror story with monsters - you'll probably be disappointed according to the positive reviews I've read, if you expect a complex morality tale that plays with legends and fairy tales,
you probably won't be? Same thing with movies such as Catwoman and King Arthur - if you go in with any expectations whatsoever, you'll probably hate it? Then there's Lost in Translation - which I expected from the reviews I'd read to be a comedic piece of cinematic poetry, instead I fell asleep in the middle of it and was bored silly. I do however see why people loved it - it examines ennui very well, it also is an excellent slice of life film about what it's like to be a rich traveler in a foreign land. Morale? Leave your expectations at the door when viewing art. Easier said than done of course.
Probably explains why we have so many book and movie reviewers.

A little Buffy/Angel meme for those reading who still care about such things...and because I'm at loose ends.



(In case you haven't guessed by now, I suck at naming things.
Some people give their stuffed animals and pets names. Not me.
Kidbro named our pets. If it were left to me, I'd call them cat, hamster, and gerbil.)

1. Favorite seasons of Buffy (notice I said favorite, not best, so no need to defend one's choices here): Season 5 and 6
with 3 and 2 being a close second.

I preferred 5 and 6 for one basic reason: I identified with the story and characters. It was about someone struggling to find a job, figure out what they were going to do with their life, and dealing with real responsibilities as well as self-hatred and frustration. This I could identify with - since I was going through it at the time and I feel it is a timeless and ageless issue. (2 and 3 - were about high school, a period in my life that I have no interest in. It was three years. It was unmemorable (thank god, be sad if the best years or most memorable were only three). And I've forgotten them almost completely now. Besides every show on earth does the same things with high school: Prom, cheerleading, geeks, jocks,
bad principals - none of which were representative of my experience. I didn't go to Prom, did try out for drill team but not cheerleading (so maybe a little there, but my experience was closer to Dawn's not Buffy's), and didn't date. So what was there to identify with? Zip. What I liked about 2 and 3 was the Faith storyline, Angelus storyline, Giles/Jenny, and the vengence demon.)

2. Favorite episodes:

Season 1: Nightmares, Angel, Prophecy Girl, The Pack, Welcolme to The Hellmouth (5)

Season 2: School Hard, Innocence, Passion, Becoming I & II,
What's My Line II, and Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered (7)

Season 3: Lover's Walk, The Wish, Dopplegangland, Enemies,
Bad Girls, Consequences, Graduation Day Part I (7)

Season 4: Hush, Harsh Light of Day, Who Are You, Restless,
Yoko Factor, and possibly Something Blue (just because it makes me laugh). (6)

Season 5: Out of My Mind, Into The Woods, Checkpoint, Crush,
Fool for Love, Intervention, The Body, Blood Ties, The Gift,
Tough Love. (10)

Season 6: Bargaining I, Bargaining Part II, Afterlife, Once More With Feeling, Life Serial, Smashed, Tabula Rasa, Dead Things, Normal Again, Entropy (10)

Season 7: Beneath You, Selfless, Conversations With Dead People, Sleeper, Never Leave Me (5) (I liked Lies My Parents Told Me, but still feel it was heavy handed in places and lacked the subtle nuance of Fool for Love or even Amends (except possibly for the snow). I'd have liked it better if they hadn't gone overboard with the Fruedian references and
resolved some of the loose ends in future episodes, Damage - also felt a little heavy handed in places - too much about shocking the audience and censors and less about story.)

(hmmm, reading that list makes it clear why Seasons 6/5 are my favorite and 3/2 come in second, doesn't it?)

3. Favorite villians

Probably the Fanged Four: Spike, Dru, Angelus and Darla.
They were the most complex. Next is Harry Groener and Faith.
Then Glory and Ben.

Everyone else felt more two-dimensional. These guys, you could flip the series over and make them anti-heros. I like complex villians.

4. Favorite Angel Seasons

Season 4 and 5. Why? Because they dealt with issues I was interested in and the characters were the most interesting to me in those seasons. Also they seemed to be the riskiest.

5. Favorite Angel episodes per season

Angel Season 1: City of, Sancturary, (the episode before Sanctuary that I can't remember the name of for some reason where Faith tortures Wes), In The Dark, To Shanshu in LA. (5)

Angel season 2: Darla, Dear Boy, Reprise, Redefinition, (the episode before Redefinition where Dru and Darla kill the lawyers and I can't remember the name of), and Dead End (6)

Angel season 3: Lullaby, That Vision Thing, Billy, Loyalty,
Sleep Tight, A New World, Forgiving (6)

Angel season 4 : Supersymmetry, Deep Down, Soulless, Habeas Corpses, The Magic Bullet, Home, Orpheus, Players (8)

Angel season 5: Just Rewards, Hellbound, Tale of Numero Cinquo,
Destiny, Smile Time, Damage, The Girl in Question, Shells
Underneath, Not Fade Away, (10)

Well no surprise, why my favorites are 4 and 5 either.

6. Favorite Angel villains

Holtz (most complex) and Wolfram and Hart lawyers


7. What I'd like to see if there was a 6th season?

More examination of the whole soul issue. Spike and Angel coming to terms with each other now that Buffy and the whole rivalry over a shanshu is out of the question. Illyria dealing with the part of her that is Fred and the memories of Fred, which is also an examination of the body, soul, memories issue.
Also dealing with how the ends don't justify the means and have some nasty consequences. Finally Spike dealing with his inner William and Angel dealing with his inner Liam - I could watch that for two more years.

Okay enuf of that. Maybe my cable is back up? Or maybe a walk to get rid of charlie horse?

Comments

'Through Persia in Disguise'

[oursin.livejournal.com]

A book I read years and years ago, by Sarah Hobson about how she (being an art-historian, as I recall, working on Persian art) travelled through Iran (it must still have been in the days of the Shah) passing as a man. Rather a high-risk strategy though - at one point her passport photo gave her away.

Re: 'Through Persia in Disguise'

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Friend Wales bought a scarf to attempt it, but got dissuaded by a couple of people in Turkey. She made it all the way to the Iran embassy to get a visa, when she realized it was just too much trouble.

I know there was a book a while back about a woman
who worked in the middle east, called Desert Queen.
And I vaguely remember the one about traveling through Persia in disquise. It is a risky gambit, because in that culture if you pretend to be a man or don't cover yourself - then they take it as an open invitation to take advantage of you.

Of course, I discovered a similar attitude traveling through Wales, UK in the 1980s amongst the older citizens. It was considered a tad risque for a woman to enter a pub alone or unaccompagnied by a man, also American women had an odd reputation for being loose (probably a result of bad American movies).
And the US certainly still has its problems.
Let's face it being female is tough in this world.

[midnightsjane.livejournal.com]

Thanks for that link to royalanna's post. I found it fascinating, and very close to what I feel about seasons 6 and 7. I liked both seasons, actually. Really interesting reading.
I remember travelling in Algeria years ago. I was with my husband so it wasn't like I was a woman alone, but we were separated at the Moroccan border and it was a truly frightening experience. I'd never felt in danger just because of my gender before. The border guards made it clear that if I had not been with my husband,things would have gone rather badly. On the other hand, I have travelled alone in other parts of the world without incident. I guess one just has to be realistic, and accept that there are some countries a woman alone can't travel in safely. Sad, but true.

Re: 'Through Persia in Disguise'

[oursin.livejournal.com]

'Desert Queen' - probably a biography of Gertrude Bell, who was a significant figure in English diplomacy in the Middle East in World War I. (Or, possibly, Lady Hester Stanhope, about a century earlier, or Jane Digby, a little later).

I travelled much of the time alone through Afghanistan, Pakistan and India in the late 70s but it was work-related and I had contacts. Even so a few spooky moments and uncomfortable encounters - one of which involved an official contact-person! When being barracked by a crowd of men at Rawalpindi airport, I was rescued by an elderly Pakistani woman who came over from the purdah section to give them serious what-for.

sympathy, & some advice, on back problems; women & travel

[anomster.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear your back hurts. From what you've said about the attitude in the company & how they like you & your work, I doubt they'd end your assignment if you just asked to have your work setup adjusted--these days, there's a high awareness of ergonomics & repetitive strain injury, & most companies have already had to deal w/the issue & have someone who can change the setup so it works better for you. You're probably not the first person there who's had problems. At the least, they might have a stool you can sit on when you're dealing w/the files in the lower drawers. If you're that worried about telling someone in charge that you're having problems, maybe you could ask someone you work with if the people you're working for are receptive about things like this.

I'm having back problems myself right now, w/pain in my upper back for 3-4 weeks. I went to the dr. & got prescriptions for pain medication & a muscle relaxant for overnight, & a referral for physical therapy, which I'm starting today. It's gotten a little better the last few days.

For the charley horse, I've heard some people who've had them say that standing on a cold surface (if you can find one this time of year--usually they mentioned a tile bathroom floor) helps, for some reason. Also, pushing your heel down (gently) can help stretch the cramp out.

"Realized fifteen minutes into it that the narrator, a guy, could wander around Iran in a t-shirt and jeans, and do all these nifty things,...but I couldn't. Why? I'm a woman."

"Of course, I discovered a similar attitude traveling through Wales, UK in the 1980s amongst the older citizens. It was considered a tad risque for a woman to enter a pub alone or unaccompagnied by a man, also American women had an odd reputation for being loose (probably a result of bad American movies).
And the US certainly still has its problems."

I wanted to deal w/this all in 1 post, so I brought that last part over from your comments. Your experience in Wales reminds me of the 1st time I went to a jazz club in NYC. It was either in late 1980 or sometime in 1981. I'd just recently moved to Manhattan & didn't know anyone yet to go with, so I went by myself to hear Roy Eldridge ("Little Jazz") at Jimmy Ryan's (which has since closed). When I got there, the doorman said, "No women [maybe he said "ladies"] without an escort"! I said something like, "Excuse me, I thought this was the 1980s," & basically talked my way in. Where I was confronted by a rather bulky fellow who said if I was by myself I'd have to sit at the bar rather than at a table. Oh, & I'd have to order right away, as soon as I sat down. Because the presumption was that a woman who went to a club by herself was there to pick up men. I said, "Am I dressed like I'm looking to pick up men?" (far from it!) & told him he was going to give me 1 minute to think about what I wanted to drink...& he agreed. I didn't realize till later that I'd faced down the bouncer. Or at least held out for a compromise. Gee, maybe I should've tried passing for male. On the up side, several people there said encouraging things to me & seemed to appreciate my standing up for myself. I never had that kind of problem when I went to Blues Alley in DC.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to hear Roy Eldridge. He wasn't feeling well, & Max Kaminsky filled in for him. (I hope at least a couple of folks who read this will know what those names mean!)

And yes, some of these problems still occur in the US today. Tomorrow I'm going to a Dialogue Project (http://thedialogueproject.org/) meeting at the Islamic Center in Manhattan. An email was sent out to participants that included this statement: "DRESS IS VERY IMPORTANT> Women must have their heads coverd, legs and arms, no sandals." I'm not real comfortable w/this, but then again, I sometimes go to events or services where Orthodox standards of dress apply, & much as I'd rather not, I wear a skirt (although I compromise by wearing split skirts!). But to some extent, in cases like these it's a matter of respect for a different belief system/way of life. I wouldn't say the same about the other situations discussed in this thread.