So, thoughts!
I always start writing these posts, and then I get busy, and then everything gets out of date so I don't post anything. This time, I will just make sure I don't say that the inauguration was yesterday.
First day of classes was, in fact, yesterday, and I have been fairly insane for the past week getting my course fixed and up to date.
But! Stuff!
1. Racism is bad.
2. Everyone is racist, even black people and Asian people and Arab people. It sucks, but it's true.
3. If someone says you're being racist, it's probably because you are. Racism is not something intentional, really. You're not racist because you hate black people or because you want to kill all the Mexicans, but because racism is everywhere and you've simply drunk the Kool-Aid along with everyone else (see #2).
On a related note, the inauguration made me happy and wistful. I watched with a bunch of people, and we were all crazy and snarky, but it was good. I think this post explains it best. We're not quite there yet, but a single footprint on the moon, baby. We can make it someday.
Also, I adore this picture of Clinton swearing in. It brings me warm, fuzzy feeling to see our new Secretary of State with her husband holding the Bible for her, because it's not about him at all. He's just the glorified bookstand, dude, and that is awesome.
Saw Slumdog Milliionaire recently, and I don't know how I feel about it, really. It's gorgeous and full of life, but I felt strangely distanced from it even as I liked the characters and felt for them. Maybe it's because I was expecting something more Bollywood-ish? It felt too slick and too cool when the Bollywood films I love are all about going for the over-the-top emotion and vague dorkiness. The moment I loved the most in the entire film is at the end, when they start dancing, and then it feels like the whole movie comes alive. I might get myself a copy when it comes out on DVD, but we'll see.
First day of classes was, in fact, yesterday, and I have been fairly insane for the past week getting my course fixed and up to date.
But! Stuff!
1. Racism is bad.
2. Everyone is racist, even black people and Asian people and Arab people. It sucks, but it's true.
3. If someone says you're being racist, it's probably because you are. Racism is not something intentional, really. You're not racist because you hate black people or because you want to kill all the Mexicans, but because racism is everywhere and you've simply drunk the Kool-Aid along with everyone else (see #2).
On a related note, the inauguration made me happy and wistful. I watched with a bunch of people, and we were all crazy and snarky, but it was good. I think this post explains it best. We're not quite there yet, but a single footprint on the moon, baby. We can make it someday.
Also, I adore this picture of Clinton swearing in. It brings me warm, fuzzy feeling to see our new Secretary of State with her husband holding the Bible for her, because it's not about him at all. He's just the glorified bookstand, dude, and that is awesome.
Saw Slumdog Milliionaire recently, and I don't know how I feel about it, really. It's gorgeous and full of life, but I felt strangely distanced from it even as I liked the characters and felt for them. Maybe it's because I was expecting something more Bollywood-ish? It felt too slick and too cool when the Bollywood films I love are all about going for the over-the-top emotion and vague dorkiness. The moment I loved the most in the entire film is at the end, when they start dancing, and then it feels like the whole movie comes alive. I might get myself a copy when it comes out on DVD, but we'll see.