Can’t Stop the Serenity

Charity fundraisers are awesome because they give me an opportunity to meet a community of people who are willing to give their time, concern and/or money to causes I believe in. It’s also a great way to network with like-minded individuals.

Last night, I attended the Can’t Stop the Serenity charity screening of Joss Whedon’s Serenity, hosted by the Mile High Browncoats as a tribute to Joss and his efforts in supporting the advocacy group Equality Now. Serenity is one of my favorite movies, and all proceeds above cost from the event were to benefit EN, which works to end violence and discrimination against women and girls around the world. Men are also highly impacted by their work, as they stand to benefit a great deal from their tremendous efforts.

The screening was at the Tivoli in Denver, and it was PACKED. I attended the 8pm screening, and met some really cool folks while standing in line and waiting for the 5pm group to leave. I saw old people, young people, coupled people, single people, some people dressed in jeans and t-shirts and some people dressed in costumes and full-length gowns. It was awesome. One woman behind me commented on how cool it was to see so many “sci-fi geeks in one place”. Yeah!

Before the movie began, we watched a short film featuring Meryl Streep (on behalf of Equality Now), and Joss, in honor of his mother Jessica. After Meryl spoke, Joss gave the audience several answers to a question he is asked over and over again, “Why do you keep writing such strong female characters into your stories?” Joss answered, “Because of my mother”, “Because of my father”, “Because they’re hot” and “Because you’re still asking me that question instead of asking the other 100 guys over there why they’re not.” Well said.

Overall, the night was a lot of fun and very empowering. It was great to be in the presence of men and women who love sci-fi and support strong, healthy women and men. It’s not about overpowering each other, it’s about respecting each other’s ability to be strong and supportive. Like my Auntie Vivian used to always say, “When I am strong, my family, my home and my community are strong.”

At some moments, I felt like I was on the red carpet The highlight of the evening was being invited by Wes to the Afterparty in downtown, but I had to regrettably decline. Thanks to the MHB and all the organizers and volunteers for a great event!

Happy Summer!

Vicious Ringtones

Obnoxious cell phone ring tones. We’ve all heard them – from nursery rhymes and Jay-Z to indecipherable cacophonies.  They demand our attention from the protected recesses of pockets, purses and knapsacks everywhere. If there were an ocean nearby, I’d have tossed in several by now.

Don’t phones just ring anymore?

Current.

I’ve just returned from visiting with friends this weekend. It was great; it had been way too long since I last saw them. Now comes the unpacking part. I think in the last 2 weeks I’ve actually filled all the pieces in my luggage set.

My brother moved to Brooklyn yesterday. He’s interning at Mishka NYC this summer, working on some of their advertising campaigns. Boy, the kids do grow up fast.

Now that I’ll be home for a bit, I need to catch up on what’s been going on in the world. There are news feeds to read, emails to write, and I’m really eager to start editing a big bunch of photos and video clips I shot this weekend. I also haven’t picked up the cello in ages and have been feeling a wee-bit cranky over it. On the down-side, I had a bit of a run in with persons of the undesirable sort this weekend, too, but maybe I’ll save that for another rant. I’ve got better things to do.

Foto Fettish

This is the title of the archive I keep of my digital photography. The title came from my poetry and short story archives: Pen Fettish. Some 17 or 18 years ago I heard someone use the word in a positive way, and it stuck with me. Several years later, and a little wiser, I looked the definition up in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, and this is the first one I found:

fetish: 1 a : an object believed to have magical power to protect or aid its owner; broadly : a material object regarded with superstitious or extravagant trust or reverence. b : an object of irrational reverence or obsessive devotion.

Very appropriate, I thought.

For those of you who know me well, you know I have a penchant for mad scribblings and a tendency to spend days working over the small details of a photo I’ve shot. I love it, and it’s a definitive, creative outlet, like music. In the beginning, I was too young to know that I was using the incorrect spelling of the word (fettish, not fetish), but the misspelling stuck through the years.

I’ve decided to start putting more of my more personal work on the web – not sure yet if it’ll be on this blog or on a separate page, but the idea is to have everything in one place.

New Moon

The clouds rolled away just in time for a perfect view last night. As the sun set, the sky was filled with red, orange and blue, which was awesome because it cast a rosy glow over everything in Boulder. By the time I reached home, I could also see a few long, dark clouds “lining” the sky that reminded me of the Milky Way. Just after dark, I saw Jupiter shining brightly to the south, and Antares (the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius) not far below and next to Lupus, slightly to the west. By about 21:15ish, Cassiopeia (one of my favorites) had cleared the horizon to the north, and Saturn was visible to the west. The star of the show, of course, was Venus, which shone brilliantly above Cancer, visible also to the west. It was a lovely night.

Soothing Habits

The bridal shower last weekend went really well. Until the guests began to arrive, I hadn’t realized how nervous I was that the whole thing would be a flop. But (thank God) everything was well-planned and went off with only a couple of last-minute hitches. As always, I enjoyed being in the company of awesome women, especially since there was a reason to celebrate with a bit of frivolity! I miss being near to my closest girl friends (and I can’t wait to see you in July, Anne).

I’m back in Colorado, taking a refreshing breather, and I’m loving the cool, wet weather we’re having right now (read as No Lotion Needed . I head away again for the coming weekend to visit friends who are preparing for their first baby in September, to give the new mom some help around the house with her Spring cleaning.

Traveling has always brought clarity to my mind and a sense of well-being to my heart. Maybe it’s what I do when I’m on the move – letting go of my commitments, changing my perspective – or what happens when I arrive in another place – re-inventing myself, experiencing something new, getting back into the habit of what’s old and good – that changes me for the better.

Growing up, I was raised between the hustle and grime of Western New York and the slow, steady heat that can only be found south of the Mason-Dixon. I attended school in NY, then spent my summers and holidays with family in the suburbs of Georgia and the country-sides of South Carolina and southern Arkansas. As a kid, this dichotomy presented itself in one of two ways: when playing with children up North, I was the eccentric, “countrified” tomboy who wasn’t afraid of mud and bugs and who talked funny; down South, I was the loud, “bougie” cousin who, when introduced to company, was quickly identified as visiting from NY…and who talked funny Somehow, I have managed to melt the two worlds into a culture of “urban simplicity”, as my sister calls it, but that’s because I can’t seem to let go of either reality. I love them both. All grown up now (on most days), I certainly have a quick pulse and a strong taste for “big city” things; but, on some days, I’m still that little girl who jumped in puddles, scraped up her knees and loved falling asleep to the gentle rock of a row boat on a hot day. I much prefer dipping my feet in the lake, cooking a big Sunday dinner or wandering off at night to see the stars to, say, heading out for a fancy night on the town. It has always been this way and I don’t think it will change.

Last week, as I enjoyed the southern comfort and company of friends who’ve become part of my family, I remembered these things. I relaxed into a deeper sense of me, and it felt good to be home. This is the kind of summer I wanted.

Books and Backpacks

I’m on my way to the east coast tomorrow afternoon, to attend the bridal shower I’ve been planning. I’m trying to pack, something I really dislike doing (second only to unpacking). I’d rather be snug in my bed listening to the wind storm blow around outside as I fall asleep.

I just picked up a really good book. It’s “The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger. I’ve had the book on my shelf for ages, but am just now getting around to reading it. A good friend of mine loves this book, and now I see why (it’s her copy I’ve got now, actually). The plot development is unusual, but it works so well for the protagonists and their story. They relate to my younger self, my present self and, quite possibly, the woman I will be many years from now. There are life lessons, many of them subtle yet poignant – this is the most tender and intriguing story I’ve read in years. Oh, and of course, there’s time travel!

Okay, enough procrastination. Time to get down to business with the suitcase. Have a nice weekend

Moving?

So, after all this packing up (yet keeping the house clean for potential buyers) frenzy, my landlord told me yesterday that she’s thinking of not selling the house. I asked her how that affected me, since I need to know for sure and very quickly, and she said I can stop packing my things. In the meantime, I’m continuing my search for another suitable living situation (which, to this point, of course, I haven’t found). I personally think keeping the house would be a good decision, but it’s not my decision to make. On the other hand, I really like living in that house and don’t want to move yet.