Semi-Daily Scribbles

slipshod

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oust About

Dudes are getting in trouble for being dudes. The rest of us are scrambling to fill the  positions from which said dudes (Tastemakers!) get ousted. What will the world look like when power is shifted? We are still humans, after all.

Can I raise my hemline and my vibration at the same time without inciting a sense of ill ease? Live & Let Live doesn't come naturally when fleshy needs scream to be soothed. Our little lizard brains will keep us chasing tail until the day we die.

I Can't Explain

And like o.k.: There's this particular writer whose work I've read and enjoyed and whom I find interesting and irritating all in one big, messy mouthful of come-one-come-all (talkin' bout chyoo JD). Yeah so, brutha man goes on about fat folks in his stories and he himself is pretty thin (cute, though - I'm shallow, ok?) Curious bit that I don't quite get unless the writer's a reformed fatty. And if so ??? Ah, the tricky ickiness of body politics (which needs its own moment of contemplation ... like how I've been body-shamed, but yeah I digress.) Anyway, dude also has a fondness for riffin' on why Asian girls go with white guys. But..but..but ... JD's partner is hapa haole. Just like me! So does he believe deep down she should be living with a Chinese man or, at the very least, a half-breed like herself? What is that all about? Does JD worship or despise or just plain could not give two fucks about his lover's DNA that is white-white-whitey-white? Why not go Big, Black & Beautiful, bruh?

Simply put, we like what we like. No tryin' to deny it. Humans, each and every one of us. Being human is a tough gig to pull off no matter the narrative one espouses from atop the mountain.

Well, as I do, here I go to face the day and try to relate to Every Body best I can 'cause we are all dodging one shit storm or another. Ain't it all supposed to be about love? Tolerance, too? Minding one's own bloody business when it comes to affairs of the heart and parts farther south? Fear of a halfie planet, indeed! Bring it. Here's hoping you stay open-minded today, peoples. Best of luck to ya!

Oh, beautiful ...

Trump.
Not my first choice, let me tell you.

If you have your shit together and house in order, whoever occupies the Oval Office will have minimal effect on your day-to-day. If you struggle to put food on the table, Trump will have minimal effect on your day-to-day.

We are all plunged into a stupefying alternate reality / parallel dimension / bizarro world / episode of The Twilight Zone.

Pray to the old gods and the new, and *don't touch that dial, America.

*<insert old fogey reference as desired>

April's Work

April sings us to sleep with her raindrop accompaniment. All is blustery and wild outside while we dream of abundant fields. April laughs at our wistful reverie. She wonders how we could possibly think one day can serve her. One day of remembrance is a mockery. April is budding beauty kept evergreen in poetry and postcards. A puddle, a pool, a landslide, a flood. Soon these tools April uses to subdue us will be lost. The wind will finish the work April begins. Earth receives its tribute as we toss and turn in restless slumber.

Expedition

We don't want to know you but you've served your purpose well
You embarked on an expedition to find riches for me
Made it home with a bit of flesh left on your bones
Paid your dues plus interest
Fulfilled your obligation
Exploitation never varies its tune
Credit earned does not make a statement true
Thievery keeps me at #1
My youth forever in bloom

A Voyage of Imagination

10 essays have been submitted and graded by my peers. I’ve had a grand experience reading, writing, and getting to know a few of my classmates during this Coursera adventure. I’m still processing all of the wonderful resources that magically poured forth from my laptop these past several weeks. I know the lessons learned while participating in this MOOC environment won’t even be fully absorbed and appreciated until sometime off in the future. Then, when I least expect it, an essay comment, or lecture point, or forum discussion is going to hit me between the eyes and burrow into my brain. It is sure to be the correct piece of information digested at just the right moment for me to finally say: “Aha! Now I get it!” I’m counting on that clear insight to help me achieve a couple of goals **cough…manuscript languishing in the desk drawer…cough** and to keep my “reading for meaning” skills sharp.

I extend a most hearty Thank You! to each and every one of my peers who received an essay of mine to review. It was a big commitment of time, and I’m very pleased with the feedback that was returned to me. I know I’m lucky that my work never ended up in the clutches of one of the roaming SuperTrolls who lurked the halls of our virtual institution of higher learning. Their insensitive remarks while grading papers made this class experience not so nice for many students. Shame on you, SuperTrolls!

And now…drum roll please…here are the peer assessments for my “Little Brother” essay, the final assignment for Fantasy and Science Fiction: The Human Mind, Our Modern World.

FORM

student1 → Fairly well written, although the the first sentence is somewhat convoluted with the two 'as' clauses. Describing the protagonists as " inquisitive, creative, intelligent, and enthusiastic," you state these qualities "set the stage for a revolution." I think you need to make a stronger case for this argument.

student2 → You write well and express ideas clearly with conviction. Good to have the citations for us to refer to.

student3 → This sentence should have an exclamation point at the end: What a revolutionary idea to level the playing field as opposed to simply playing games.

student4 → The argument is presented well in the beginning. I liked the angle you were taking. The sentences are clear.

student5 → everything is ok.

Score from your peers: 2

CONTENT

student1 → Although the book definitely has its own agenda, I do not agree that it is the same as your agenda: " bringing basic means of communication to those less fortunate, both in the U.S. and abroad." I think the book sparked your enthusiasm for a global initiative through technology. I think the message of the book was the need for privacy over security.

student2 → I appreciate your views and found it very interesting to think about in response to reading the book. However, the guidelines for writing these essays states very clearly: "Do not use the essay as an occasion to discuss non-literary matters that fall outside the course reading and the process of reading."

student3 →

student4 → I started to understand your ideas. I am not sure though what you mean by the greater good of humanity. Is it the freedom of the internet or is it the ability to think outside the American ideal? I assume you are saying his skills would have been better used to promote poorer countries. I guess we all have this problem of trying to get an idea in a small amount of words. I though the Doctorow book very USA in focus - self centred. However it was interesting the ideas of individual freedom. .....a lot of people do not have that in the world at the moment.

student5 → I like your essay, so it is really difficult for me to say something specific.

Score from your peers: 2

Please write here any other comments which you feel might be of use to you or the writer of this essay.

student3 → It's a good thing I looked at the date of your blog, because I thought you were another plagiarizer.

Get in the Game

Fantasy and Science Fiction: The Human Mind, Our Modern World - Coursera Assignment 10
Little Brother

The abuse of power as it pertained to an individual’s rights had infiltrated all segments of society, as Cory Doctorow’s “Little Brother” showed us. Marcus Yallow and his friends got the attention of the world after the Bay Bridge bombing, but it was only the attention of the world that was wired in. For those who lived on the opposite side of the digital divide from Marcus, the distinction between a right and a privilege was a far more pressing issue than “Internet Freedom.”

Marcus and his friends were inquisitive, creative, intelligent, and enthusiastic. It is not difficult to see how these qualities, applied toward an endeavor of service to others, would have truly set the stage for a revolution. Even before the horrific terrorist attack on San Francisco, Marcus had to have been aware of the importance of bringing basic means of communication to those less fortunate, both in the U.S. and abroad. Empowering people to participate in the global community, with access to medical aid and education, is a step in the right direction to stopping the spread of terrorism. What a revolutionary idea to level the playing field as opposed to simply playing games.

After his unlawful detention, Marcus had the momentum to orchestrate real change. He was angry and frightened, but he would have received support from his parents, teachers, and friends had he focused on the greater good of humanity. Working to ensure basic rights for the citizens of the planet, such as clean drinking water and classrooms, should have been M1k3y’s end game. A little broadband goes a long way in lifting someone out of isolation and poverty, and that is a win-win for all. The ability to improve one’s life through the use of technology should never be considered a privilege.

I'm Destined to Take Exception

Fantasy and Science Fiction: The Human Mind, Our Modern World - Coursera Assignment 7
A Princess of Mars & Herland

John Carter and Terry O. Nicholson were adventurers with qualities of rugged individualism and pulling oneself up by the bootstraps. Whether leaving a trail of bodies across the surface of Mars, or routing out a lost tribe in the rainforest, Carter and Nicholson made their own luck. Prosperity could be had by one and all as long as the good fight was fought. These ideals make them the perfect poster boys for Manifest Destiny.

Burroughs's Carter and Gilman's Nicholson represent the dream of personal freedom and economic advancement that were cornerstones in the United States’ westward expansion during the mid-1800’s. The country’s population increased, and fiscal crises prompted the government to broaden its economy. In the wake of acquiring more land, the seeds of wealth and self-governance were planted. However, Native Americans and persons of non-European ancestry weren’t invited to reap the benefits of Manifest Destiny.

John Carter had a vision of what made an officer and a gentleman. He could hold his own as a self-made man against the savage Apache. As soon as his expedition took him from Arizona to outer space, he viewed the inhabitants of Mars in a similar vein. Carter had preconceived notions about how society should function, and he knew how to exploit Martian resources to his advantage.

Terry Nicholson, Carter’s counterpart in another time and place, embarked on his own voyage of discovery that brought him to Herland where, before long, he was seeing dollar signs. Nicholson was a man of privilege, and he thought everyone should be able to bankroll jungle excursions. Paradise was ripe for the picking thanks to the efforts of a society that Nicholson despised.

Carter and Nicholson considered destiny something created through hard work and ingenuity. However, not every dream can manifest itself, and many are left behind in the mad dash towards exceptionalism.

Works Cited:

Greenberg, Amy S. Manifest Destiny and American Territorial Expansion: A Brief History with Documents

Burroughs, Edgar Rice. A Princess of Mars

Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. Herland