Writers Guild of America

"Delilah sits on the floor, looking around the capacious room curiously."Writers have gone on a strike in the pinnacle of television. More people are watching television shows such as "C.S.I." and "House" more than ever now. The writers of many television shows have been complaining about their wages (for many of which is only 50,000 a year) and believe that for their efforts they should get more. Why should they get paid less than the actors which bring the shows that they fabricated to life. It's simply conniving. They have successfully usurped their rights to strike and have done so. From now on we need to be scrupulous around the writers of our television shows.

The Waiting Room

The Waiting Room by Lisa Loomer, the play that we read in class, is a very humorous and risqué way of expressing the role of women in the ages in society. The play was about three women in a waiting room, not only in real life but in a very figurative way.

Victoria, a Victorian English woman, was waiting to have her ovaries checked out, Wanda was waiting to have her breasts checked, and Forgiveness from Heaven was waiting to have her toe checked (which apparently fell off). We learned a lot about these three women just by their attitude and the way they presented themselves to the world.

The message of this play was unclear to me at first, though the beginning of the play was HILARIOUS and got my attention, but as the play progressed I began to understand what Ms. Loomer was trying to say to society. By the last scene it was perfectly clear. I think that Lisa Loomer made hints about today's society but didn't try to tell you directly... otherwise the play would be no fun. She's basically saying that women, not only in ancient times, but today as well, have been degraded and pushed around and used a sex object all our lives. The message of this play that was successfully portrayed is as follows: "You don't have to make other people happy to think you're beautiful. You just have to be yourself and if people don't like it that's their problem. It doesn't matter what other people think of you. They can all go take a long walk on a short pier if they don't like you. We have to stand up for ourselves and be our own people no matter what anybody else has to say about it." and I have to say that I agree!

Victoria, the English woman, wears many layers of clothes and sits calmly and composedly. She has an illness which involves her ovaries being pushed out through her vagina by her corset.... yeah... awkward. Due to this illness she is very hysterical and bites people and screams at others. Victoria is repressed by her husband, who thinks that he should be able to control what his wife reads and says, the way it was in many families back then. I think that she stands up for herself more by the end of the play but she doesn't do enough in my opinion. She makes her husband accept the fact that she reads and enjoys it but she doesn't do anything about the rest of the repressing problems that she's having. I think that that's because of the time period she lives in... 18th century England was very resigned in accepting of the way things are I think. Here is one of my favorite quotes that is said by Victoria "But we'll see each other in the waiting room, won't we? And it's always such a long wait, isn't it?"

Forgiveness from Heaven is a woman from 18th century China who loves her husband very much. Even though he has multiple "wives" this seems to have no effect on Forgiveness though deep down she is very hurt about it. She has been binding her feet since she was five and believes that the only way her husband will love her is if she's obedient to him and looks perfect. I think that she evolved a lot by the end of the play. She learned to accept that she doesn't have to bind her feet to make herself perfect. In the end, though it doesn't say it directly, I think she died of an overdose of opium. She dies with the image of her taking off her bindings and dancing around with them in her hands. "Chinese story. Happy ending not necessary. Maybe happy ending in next life."

Wanda is a forty year old from Jersey who is flirtatious and acts like she's only thirty. She has ENORMOUS breast implants and believes that the only way she'll be noticed is to be a dumb, beautiful, blond with big boobs. I think she was the most focused on character as the play went on because she was focusing on a real problem... breast cancer. Wanda definitely grows the most of the three women in this story. She has always lived her life in fear that she will be disliked by others for her looks, so she makes herself more appealing to others and I think that she finally realizes that there's more to life. "If I want to die. If I want to call up my doctor and say 'No thank you very much,' or 'Please God help me!' -- for once in my lousy screwed up life, it's MY BODY! MY BODY! MINE!! And you know what I figured out this morning? I sat down with a pencil and paper and figured out I've spent 6,750 hours... on my hair. And, yeah, dying would be a bitch. But isn't it worse-- not living while you're alive?"

There are about four men in this play but the most important are: Ken, Larry, and Douglas. They are all concerned about a serum being made in Jamaica, each for their own purpose. Ken is an official of the FDA (or Food and Drug Administration) and seems to support it. He is a scientist and claims that he saw rats with breast tumors cured almost instantly with it. Larry, holds the patent for a cure for cancer called INT-2 which is not all that different from Carson's serum. He is afraid that if Carson's serum is put through he will loose his money on his cure. It actually frightens me because if the government is really getting involved in this manner then who knows what cures could be out there that they're hiding from us. My grandfather has prostate cancer and is dying at this very moment... if the government were hiding something like this... I would be guilty of murder. Douglas is a doctor (actually the doctor of Victoria, Forgiveness, and Wanda) and has prostate cancer himself. He is on neither side but does lean more toward the INT-2. He is definitely in the middle of a crisis and seems to just trying to get through the day. He has a full waiting room.

I think that Lisa Loomer concluded her play brilliantly. I only wish that I could see what changes were to be made at Victoria's house (what is she allowed to do now? Can she smoke or is she forced to hide the real her even further?) and in Wanda's life (does she find a man who wants her for her? Does she make it through the cancer? Which treatment did she take?) Just what becomes of them. Maybe Lisa Loomer could write an epilogue... or I could write one for her.

Stay tuned for "The Waiting Room Act III" by Shellina (Shellby) Hefner!!

Gender Roles

Gender roles. A scary thing in the American society in my opinion. The roles of females not only in fairy tales and movies but in real life as well is very degrading. Below is a list of the ideas that we came up with when it came to the roles of men and women in a typical family.

Men
RESCUER
Money Maker
Boss
Punish
Passes on knowledge and name line

Women
Damsel in distress
Cooking
Laundry
Cleaning
Taking care of the kids
"Cheerful"

These are just a few of the ideas that we came up with. My family is the exact opposite when I come to think about it. Everything is really a family effort. If you make the mess you clean it up unless you're sick or are very young. Everybody helps take care of everything. Living in my house is very equal. I mean, we even all do yard work, which is something that is typically known for just the men in the family to do. Heck, I chop wood with the rest of them and have no problem. But, at the same time, the men in my family do have very much respect for women, especially those who are older than them. I think that my family is what every family should be... but that's my opinion.

What I have noticed about many fairy tales as detailed in the article "Experts say fairy tales not so happy ever after" that the man is usually the one rescuing the very beautiful woman, and that the bad people, not only women but men as well, are "ugly". It's putting bad ideas into kid's heads, especially young girl's because they learn to believe that if you're beautiful all the men want to rescue you and will fall head over heels for you... but if you're "ugly" then you're more likely to be the bad guy. I have to say that even in my own stories the main woman character is beautiful but so is the bad woman. Doona (that's the evil woman's name in Diversity) is very beautiful and the man isn't always saving Alanthia. I cant stand the typical "Damsel in Distress" label that so many girls follow now a days!



Well, that's all I have to say... I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Seminar

SORRY IT'S LATE... INTERNET CAPABILITY IS LIMITED

In seminar on Monday and Tuesday we talked about women and their role and image in the media.

On Monday, we talked about how women in Africa and other countries have different views than we do. Here we say that "skinny is beautiful" and I think that it's very shallow of us. I liked the article "In the Eyes of the Beholder" the best because it made the most sense and really gave out a message that I agree with. The media is doing nothing but causing kids to become insecure about themselves when they see a skinny model and know that they aren't that skinny and can't be due to medical issues or other things. I think it's sick that the media puts that label on us. Being a girl myself, who at the age of fourteen, is very impressionable on the media and all the skinny people. I'm not skinny and I may never be... and sometimes it makes me insecure about myself because they give out the message that if you're not skinny you can't be a model and you can't be beautiful.

Tuesday's article was slightly more confusing as to the message of the article. But in the end we made a list of priority.
1) Health
2) Inner Beauty
3) Outer Beauty

I agree with this list because if you try to go backwards then you will mess up your life completely. By achieving outer beauty first you'll lose your inner beauty through insecurity and health through crazy diets and insane workouts.

So, yeah, I think that it's bad of the media to put this on girls. Next time you watch a commercial all you have to do is believe that you can do it too!! There is nothing stopping you!!

Enjoy Life!!! ME AT THE HAUNTED AQUARIUM!!

US AT THE HAUNTED AQUARIUM!!!!!!

Diversity Chapter 1 Excerpt

Diversity is a story of acceptance and adventure about an outcast angel with black wings named Alanthia and how she takes the fate of the world into her own hands. Below is an excerpt from Chapter 1 of the epic tale:

“So you,” she said to the being, “are the creature that killed my father. I thought you were destroyed by my sword.”

“Far from it Lady.” The creature hissed evilly, grinning. The smell of burned and rotting flesh lingered in the air around him. Alanthia respectfully held back the urge to gag but pulled out her sword nevertheless.

“You will be soon.” She growled and put the blade to the black and red throat of the monster. Erumi suddenly appeared at her side and held her arm.

“You’re Majesty,” he warned gently, “the rumors.” Alanthia’s face relaxed in exhaustion and she nodded.

“Yes,” she muttered, “I know.” Then, as she backed away from the monster, she spoke.

“Angels have a code of honor, creature.” She snarled, “In honor of my father’s death by your hands, you owe us information.” A chuckle.

“Perhaps I do,” he said, “Very well angel, as I am going to die anyway.” Alanthia nodded to him and took another step back.

“We are called Urak,” the creature began, “Forged of the dead. Our old bodies are burned and what is left is shaped into this.” He gestured at his own body, “and we are bewitched to do the bidding of the Queen Doona-” there was a sharp intake of breath from Isindu and the Urak smiled, “yes I thought you might recognize her name. We are under her spell, even now as I speak, but we may do as we please when not doing her bidding.”

“You are preparing to wage war.” Isindu said, it was not a question, but a statement and the Urak nodded.

“Of course.” Suddenly the Urak reached out with lightning grip and speed and grabbed the front of Alanthia’s dress.

“Alanthia!” Erumi cried and leapt forward.

“We were only after you.” The Urak whispered hurriedly in her ear, “Your people died because we were trying to find you. Just think; I killed your father trying to locate you. If we would have found you,” he chuckled lightly, “your people would be safe. Your father would be alive.” Erumi wrenched the Queen away from the Urak with vigor as it began to laugh insanely.

“Kill it.” He said in disgust at the look on Alanthia’s face. The Queen’s eyes seemed empty, her face still, mouth partway open in a not unattractive way. Arrows flew from all directions and the Urak were killed, the eerie one resting with an insane grin on his face.

PLEASE COMMENT!!!! TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!!!!

Mali Women and Bleaching the Skin

This chain of events in Mali has taken a turn for the worse. According to BBC News women in Mali have been bleaching their skin with creams for a while, damaging their skin, because it is believed that men like lighter skinned women. Salubrious would be anything but the word for this situation.

Women's faces in Mali today are chemically embellishing themselves pallid and damaged, causing blemishes and dry skin. But what is the reason for this action from so many women?

"Women who refuse to bleach often find themselves regarded as second class citizens. A woman who did not bleach her skin said she is often not offered a chair at baptisms, and is asked to make herself scarce when group photographs are taken at marriages." It seems that this is a part of their culture or their beliefs and if women do not do this they are shunned. So if anyone is making these ashamed for being dark skinned, who is making them so but the society around them. A number of causes probably occurred from this problem including the dowry of a woman. The choice of whether they bleach their skin or not probably affects that. Men, but a select few, probably feel anything but salacious when they see a woman of such color. Women are ebullient to get these products because of the attention that they will get from the men. Women want that kind of attention.

I think that the situation in Mali is much like the one in America. They think that if you have white skin you're beautiful, just like here where people say that if you're skinny you're beautiful. I think that it's just another way to get a hold on women and it's so degrading!

What a Commercial!

What were your gut reactions to this commercial? What do you think about the central message of the commercial? Be specific and give examples to support your ideas.

Two words that start with S... sad and sickened. Watching this commercial only increased my knowledge of how messed up our society is. Kids at the age of fifteen nowadays are getting plastic surgery and taking diet pills to be skinny. The media corrupts every one's minds at a young age telling you that to be pretty you have to be skinny and have an awesome body and a cute, symmetrical face and stuff like that. With these kinds of view also comes insecurity. I can take a personal experience... I watch TV all the time and read magazines and will see a girl that is skinny and has smooth skin and beautiful hair and I'll immediately feel small. Thoughts will run through my head, "My hair is too curly; I'm too 'fat'; Wow,my face is off proportion" and I'll go into these things that make me feel like I'm not good enough and everybody can see it. I understand that it takes your own self insecurities to believe that you really aren't good enough but... I mean kids are so impressionable at young ages. I agree with the commercial, talk your kids before the media gets a hold of them!
If you want to watch the video CLICK HERE

The Four Virtues

What are the four virtues? According to Greek philosophers throughout history they go as follows:

• Prudence (Knowledge)
• Fortitude (Bravery/ Courage)
• Temperance (Moderation)
• Justice (Fairness)

I think that, like everything else, these virtues are solely defined in the eyes of the beholder. Throughout our symposium that we had in HUMANities we discussed these virtues and the values of Plato and Socrates and what we think about them.

First we started with knowledge... there are many kinds of knowledge in the world whether it be "book knowledge" or "street knowledge" or being "street smart"... I think it really depends on the person and what they consider to be knowledge. Common sense is definitely something that you should have... as Robert (http://arobsblog.blogspot.com) said you have to have common sense if you want to get anywhere. There's a difference between having the knowledge and using the knowledge.


Next we discussed (as it flowed through the conversation) the concept of bravery and what it is. I think that I contributed a lot to this one because I had a lot of thoughts that had mainly come to me during the other part of our conversation. Some questions that I asked were "What is bravery?" There's a fine line between bravery and stupidity. What one person might see as brave another might think is stupid. There isn't one way to define bravery or beauty or truth for that matter... once again we are brought back to "in the eyes of the beholder". Many ideas that I believed in were as such: Bravery means you are taking a chance to do something good and what you believe in but it does take some knowledge to be brave. Bravery could be ignorance in some cases, but in others not so much.

Moderation, or the trait of being patient, I think is one key component to life... to be able to enjoy the beautiful things in life, you have to be able to wait for them. If you get everything you want right then and there, you won't enjoy what you get in the end.

Justice is the last one and it ties in with many other favorable traits: trust, truth, etc. and once again, it is in the eyes of the beholder. When Socrates was killed for his beliefs the government thought that it was fair to kill him... but I don't think it was. Justice can also be ignorant (as can love and truth) and it really depends on who the person is.

A girl in my class named Ashley (http://bbyashley.blogspot.com) said that if she could put one new virtue on the list it would be to give people a "good presentation" of yourself. What I'm confused about is what is good? How would you go about carrying yourself in a "good" way? Once again, its all a matter of perspective!

If I could add one virtue to the four "cardinal" virtues and make it five I would add "acceptance". I see so many people, EVERYWHERE, that "hate" people because they are Jewish, because they're black, because they're homosexual. I think it's SICK! There's nothing wrong with it! People need to accept others for who they are and all those out there who are reading this who have been treated in such ways keep fighting! I'm right behind you.

Socrates once said that "religion is ignorance" and in some ways it is. Some religions blind you to things that are going on in the world. I'm Catholic, but I believe in many things that Atheists believe. I believe in "The Big Bang" and evolution and such and at the same time I believe in God and Jesus and all the other things that happened. I'm torn... What makes me feel really amazed is that as soon as I was done saying that, Cortney looked at me and said "And you know what's amazing about America today? You would have been tried and killed for saying what you just did." My heart jumped and I stopped for a moment... It was exhilarating!

So when you think about it all these four virtues and basically anything you might talk about is all in the eyes of the beholder, from music, to beauty, to food even! I love it because if the entire world were like one person then it would be SO BORING!! Not because of that one person's beliefs but because there would be nothing to talk about if we all had the same opinion. We wouldn't have had this symposium today... and that's what makes it beautiful.

Women in Athens

1. How did women's roles in society differ from Athens and Sparta?

In Athens women were considered what we now call "dumb blonds" they thought that women couldn't be trusted because of their "weak minds". Being a young woman of education and intelligence and a mind to go out into the world on my own without a boyfriend (which I don't need) and write my books and spread my opinion I find pity from the deepest darkest part of my heart for these women who were treated this way. It makes me think of some girls these days as well who want to be treated like this. Who want to be taken care of... It makes me shiver. "A wife's duty was to bear legitimate children (i.e., heirs) and to manage the household. She was expected to remain inside her home... A woman seen outside on her own was assumed to be a slave, prostitute, concubine or a woman so poor that she had to work. One writer said that the best woman was the one about whom the least was heard, whether it be good or bad." (http://www.womenintheancientworld.com/women%20in%20ancient%20athens.htm) It really makes me want to throw up... they were less than slaves to their husbands!

Now as for the women in Sparta they weren't treated much better. They were allowed to own property and do athletics at the same age as boys in their young years, their clothing was more reveling if it needed to be to allow movement, and had they many of the same freedoms. When they got older, the women in Sparta were still treated nearly the same as anywhere else, maybe not by law but in attitude. Back then there was still the thought of "if you're a woman your job is to stay at home and cook and clean and take care of the children". They rarely got any support from their husbands and basically lived on their own. A quote that struck me odd was this: "An unmarried man might approach a friend and ask if he could “borrow” his wife to produce a child for him. If the husband had all of the children he wanted and approved of the suitor he might agree. It is highly unlikely that the mature wife and mother lacked a strong voice in the arrangements, considering the power and status of adult women in everything else." What do they mean, they asked if they could borrow another man's wife to have a child for them... like it's asking if they could borrow a cup of sugar!! It's sick still!!

2. If the Greeks are considered so advanced, so culturally elite, why do you believe gender equality (equality between men and women) was not established?

I think, and if this isn't the answer I don't know what is, it was because of their religion. Maybe it's because of the way the Gods treated their women... I mean Zeus cheated on all of his wives! I think that the ignorance of men and their modeling the God's way are the reasons for it.


3. Based on your understanding of women in Ancient Greek society, how do you think women were depicted by artists at this time?

I think, and I may be wrong, but I think that they were depicted as something beautiful because of the fact that they were so "goddess like" and graceful . Like Cortney said "woman is beautiful, woman gives birth" so birth is a beautiful thing to many people and I think that it was wanted to be portrayed that way. Many women made in paintings throughout time are naked. Once again "woman is beautiful, woman gives birth"

You, Plato, Socrates, and beauty

1. What is so beautiful about youth?

I don't see beauty as smooth skin or skinny bodies or anything that has to do with looks at all. Beauty is all a matter of perspective, as I said below in my last post and it matters solely on your mind. The beautiful thing about being young is that you have so much time ahead of you in your life and so much more to learn, so much more wisdom to obtain. You're carefree and unaware of the judgment that people put on each other! Being young is where you carve the bridge to your future life. “In youth we learn; in age we understand”

2. We know what "perfect" most likely means to Socrates by looking at ancient Greek sculpture and art and drawing inferences, but he doesn't describe this "perfect" human form. What are your thoughts on the idea of a "perfect" human form today? What is it in your culture for men? women? What are your thoughts surrounding those ideals?

Italian women and men, as my mother says, like "voluptuous" women and also believe that beauty is in the mind. I think that today's view of beauty is messed up… the philosophy that "skinny is beautiful"… You dont have to be skinny and have a cute face to be beautiful. That's just what Americans see these days. I think it's wrong! but that’s just what I think.

An add on to beauty

The more I come to think about it... the more I come to realize that beauty is a matter of perspective, like truth and happiness. I could be walking in a field with Coli or Emily and one of them could look up and see a million colorful stars all in one place, all the colors merging together to make one. She could mumble quietly in awe, "Oh, how beautiful..." But I may have a different opinion. Of course I think it's remarkable but, I wouldn't call it "beautiful" exactly. I could say that music is the most beautiful thing in the world and somebody else could disagree with me. They could think that the definition of beauty is a good looking man or woman. So it really relies on you. On what you think. If it's all a matter of perspective... then does beauty even exist? The world, I believe, will never find out.

What is beauty to me? Below are three pictures and explanations displaying my thoughts on beauty:

Anything natural is one view of beauty that can be taken. Anything that can take your breath away and hasn't been altered in any way. Nature is beauty in my opinion. Above is a picture of a waterfall, beautiful, natural, really an amazing view.

Music is beautiful. Whether it be singing or an instrument playing softly in your ears it soothes your mind and touches you heart. It's a way to express yourself in ways that you could never imagine! I believe that beauty comes in more ways than one. Music is the beauty of sound.


As far as people go, whether they be a big shot superstar, or just a guy walking down the street, you have to be confident with your looks to be beautiful. Beauty of the human is all a matter of perspective and confidence. If you have confidence in yourself, then you are beautiful.

Well there are my views of beauty!!

My first post!!!

Hello world!!! My first post woo hoo!!!!!