Learn Something

"Wherefore" means why, not where.

Okay, because nearly everyone is subjected to Romeo and Juliet at some point in his/her high school education, I would think that this is common-ish knowledge. However, this is apparently not the case. I suppose this is fine for the general public, but there's no reason for professionals to perpetuate the misconception.

Yesterday, I watched a bizarre show on Animal Planet called Romeo and Juliet: A Monkey's Tale*, which documented a feud between two groups of monkeys in Thailand that escalated when a female from the temple group got it on with a male from the market group. The voice over narration was "from" the point of view of Tybalt, cousin to the female monkey, Juliet. While I seriously question the reality of this documentary--it seems to fit too perfectly with Shakespeare's narrative to be truly captured on film--it was amusing to see how Animal Planet adapted the classic story. I was enjoying the terrible puns on the famous lines penned by the Bard until "Tybalt" explained that Juliet would go to the train tracks where Romeo had skipped town and wonder "Wherefore was her Romeo?" Unacceptable.

I'm sure someone was paid good money to write the script, so why would he/she not spend some time learning about the play they're riffing rather than relying unchecked on the sketchy, general facts that reside in the public conscious? The issue Shakespeare's Juliet is pondering is not where did that hunky Romeo disappear to after the party, but why oh why is he a Montague--the one boy she can't (or rather shouldn't) have. So when she laments "Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo?" she is bemoaning his connections, not his location.

Okay, then? Got that Animal Planet? All clear?

*Sorry, after more than five minutes of internet searching, I can find no suitable link to point readers to for more information, ergo, you'll have to take my word for it!

Sinking From Reality Into Fiction

So, yesterday was my chance to have Sarah time and not have to interact with a bunch of people (though I did go to church). I finished the second book in the Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris. I read Queen of Babble, Meg Cabot's latest, which was great fun. I watched discs two and three of Angel season five (ohmygosh, Lindsey's back! with sexy tattoos! just like me!!) I watched the movie Blue Car resultantly had a probably inappropriate dream (but can you really control those?) about an unavailable gentleman.

Today, after doing a bunch of errands and meeting with a leader from the youth group I work with, I watched It Takes Two, which is a Parent Trap meets the Prince and the Pauper mid-90s flick starring (who else?) the Olsen twins, Kirstie Alley, and, of course, the undeniably charming Steve Guttenberg. I don't know which is worse: admitting I watched the entire thing, or that I enjoyed it? In fact, it seemed so familiar I wonder if I haven't seen it before, rather than being an excellent judge of genres and filmic conventions.

I Got Inked!

Finally, after--no joke--seven years of contemplation, I got a tattoo! I love it and am already excited for the next one! It didn't hurt much at all (it is rather small, so that probably helps with the low pain issue) and has given me a feeling of empowerment.

All in all LA was a great time (I miss Eden). Now only one week until summer school starts and Harry Potter Camp!

L.A.

While it seems mostly ridiculuous to be blogging, because I'm with half of my blog's audience, I'm spending time on the internet for the first time in a little while, and I've been missing interacting with my blog world. Katie and I are in LA visiting Eden (and my brother). We have been busy! Today is the first day we've had some down time, which is generally the majority of my time. We went to a club (Katie's account should be more intriguing than mine), went to the beach, went to many stores (I spent more money on a single pair of jeans than my last three pairs combined, I'm still mulling over the purchase), have eaten at some fine establishments (yummy Cuban food for one), and have generally just been having fun being together. I'm sure I'll be more anecedotal when I get back.

In media land, I finished reading A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick. It was quite interesting; I don't know if I can say that I liked it, but I'm glad I read it. The author's afterword that dealt with his personal experience dealing with drugs that inspired much of the book was rather poignant. I'd like to talk about it with someone though. The book seems to be an interesting result of the culture of the sixties in regards to lifestyles, government, etc. Somewhat cynical and despairing at the same time. I think there's a movie coming out soon, so hopefully that'll give me a forum to discuss this with some other thinking souls.