Bah!
Forgot to post yesterday so I have to hurry and do it right now. RIGHT NOW!
I think people have a fascination for writing and rewriting fairy tales. I'm not quite sure why...but I don't think it has anything to do with laziness. There was the
Stinky Cheese Man and other Tales (or some title close to that) because of its spin on old fairy tales everyone knew and loved. I'm not sure if that book included the version of the Three Little Pigs from the Wolf's perspective, but it was a great retelling.
Wicked tells the story of the Wizard of Oz from the Wicked Witch's side. Disney adapts Hans Christian Anderson tales and other random stories.
Into the Woods combined about 6 different classic fairytales. And the list goes on.
So why? Are we all just complete suckers for a happy ending? Sure, the world likes talking about how jaded they are and how everything is shot to shit, and that there's no more faith or hope for humanity, but honestly, 99% of people I know would probably prefer a happy ending to a depressing one (in regards to how they feel when it's over). Stories like
Requiem for a Dream see only the dark side of humans (in this case, their relentless addictions) and it's all very contemplative and deep, but it doesn't give us warm fuzzies, it doesn't make us love anything and it definitely is not appropriate for children. Sure, fairy tales that their sexual and violent elements, but the fact is, it's nothing but flowers and rainbows by the time the heroes bid farewell to the readers. Optimism is contagious at least for a short period of time. I've been told that I'm a pessimist by nature, but I know that I feel damn good after a Disney movie or triumphant fairy tale-ish novel. Sometimes, I wish there were more critically acclaimed movies with feel-good endings, but I guess that's not what the population wants right now. They want disaster and drama because it's "reality." In a way, they're only reaffirming what they want to believe, even if it's nowhere near the truth. What can you do.
This week
Time is strange. In some occasions, time will drag forever, and every moment feels longer than the moment you had to endure previously. Other times, it speeds through like a linebacker and before you know it, you're in the endzone. This week in particular has been odd in the sense that I feel like the weekend JUST occurred, yet another one is already upon us. However, during the week, each day felt like a year, especially during useless sections where you go over the homework piece by teeny tiny piece and it's completely unnecessary if you've done the homework right. But of course, I digress once again.
Today, I'm thinking in particular of a scene from Waking Life where Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are talking about dreams, and Julie mentions that oftentimes she'll waken, look at the clock and it'll say for example, 10:12am. She'll fall back asleep and have these "long intricate dreams that seem to last for hours" and she'll wake up again, look at the clock and it's only 10:13am. It almost seems that in dreams, our subconscious has no reference of time and can change our entire perception of reality. I mean, when you dream, it feels incredibly real, even the ones where you wake up, recount it to a friend and realize how utterly silly the plot really was. Does our subconscious always suspend logic and disregard what we know to be realistic and what isn't?
In case you're wondering how any of this has to do with English and classwork, all this came to mind when I was reading Frank O'Hara's
Ave Maria. Naturally, I started thinking about what I'd be like as a mother (a frightening thought for sure) and how I would likely reminisce about my younger years, wondering where the time had flown. And, of course, what the hell my kids were up to. The poem reminded me a lot of my relationship with my parents - probably more my dad than my mom - but even so, I wonder often whether I'll become like them someday, embodying characteristics of them I swore I'd never have.
Music and writing
One thing I love about music is how much it moves you. What puzzles me is how lyrics can sound incredible with the tune but sound utterly inane once you take away the notes. Of course, that isn't always the case, but often it is. I think songs are unique in that you don't need both components to be good to make the song itself good. You can have a crappy tune and inspiring lyrics or a fantastic melody and wretched lyrics but the piece can still sound OK, or even great. One tune that comes to mind is the song "All I Want" by Toad the Wet Sprocket. I love the sound of the chorus, but when you actually read the lyrics online, it just sounds ridiculous.
All I want is to feel this way
To be this close, to feel the same
All I want is to feel this way
The evening speaks, I feel it say...
I mean, how 7th grade does that sound??? Even so, I can't help but adore it.
That was totally random, but I just felt like saying it.
