Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Fairy Tale Discussions Pt. 1

For almost two years I've been on a forum called "indiebride." I started glancing at it when John and I began considering setting a date to get married. One of the topics has to do with the icon of princesses (specifically the marketing of the "Disney Princesses") and how it affects feminism. Now I'm not necessarily a feminist but I've been raised in the post-feminist world. At the same time I had a mother who after working for a while made the decision to stay home with us until my youngest sibling was six years old when she decided to go back to college to get her degree. Again, not necessarily feminist but most certainly a strong, intelligent women archetype in my mother. In addition my sister and I were little bookaholics. We would regularly check out books from the kids side of the library which either had the tales of the Greecian myths or the early fairy tales. I don't know how much it affects me today as a 25 year old married college student.

While I liked the stories of most of the Disney princesses, none really gelled with me until Cinderella. She was the first somewhat feisty "princess" to click with me as an average girl. I had to clean my room. I had to listen to my parents even if I didn't want to. There were times that I wished I had a fairy godmother to help me out of the house for a bit.

The first Disney animation that I remember watching in the movie theater was "the Little Mermaid." Again the idea of escape gelled with a little girl and the idea of a crush on a man was only just coming into my head (albeit in the traditional "Fairy tale" sense).

In seventh grade I retreated into my shell and books when I felt like I was an outsider within my small school. I became even more a bookaholic, even letting my grades slip in favor of reading (even if the books were educational). During that time I found myself identifying with Belle. I borrowed a cassette tape of the Disney soundtrack from library and would dance to it all the time. At that time I had been about two years into toe dancing and began creating my own choreography to what I used to call "The Town Scene" (on the cassette tape it was called "Belle"). I identified with the well-read girl in a town of unintelligent people. My school was really small so the conversations in the small town always seemed to be the same sort that I saw and felt around me. The strength and intelligence that I saw in Belle was something that I wanted to emulate in everyday life.

In 2000 my high school marching band went to Disney World I made the decision that I would begin collecting Belle, but only Belle in Blue. For some reason it was the only outfit that I felt fully emulated her in her intelligence and silent strength. I found that there were few things with her in Blue and found it a little odd. They had begun the process of celebrating the ten year anniversary of the premiere of "Beauty and the Beast" and yet just about all I could find of Belle was Belle in the gold dress. Too me it just didn't fit with the part that I loved about her in the first place; the passion, the strength and the intelligence. The Belle in gold was the meek, quiet Belle to me. When I tell people what I collect I always have to explain why I choose Belle in Blue over the gold. If they give me Belle in gold I accept graciously but will never buy it unless it shows her with that outfit either reading a book or in the library. In that instance the Belle in Gold becomes and intelligent woman, not a simpering princess of yore which many of the Disney princesses are played to be today.

More recently Disney has released a new movie which in some ways shows both and old and new Disney princess. I have yet to see it but from what I can tell the movie itself is a commentary on their own princesses. I plan to go see it and hope you will as well....if only to give me someone to talk to about it.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Accident on Northbound 55 close to Cape Girardeau

As John and I were driving home from Eric and Sarah's wedding going Southbound. I had been napping since around Arnold but John woke me up and pointed out a vehicle on the southbound side going the same direction as we were. We were keeping pace with him going 80 MPH. In one instance there was a spot where an accident nearly occurred with him slipping between the two vehicles. Eventually fate came back and the vehicle slammed head on into another vehicle with the third sustaining some damage but as far as we could tell no major injuries.

John and I ran out to the white vehicle in the grass median and were trying to find out of the driver was verbal and responsive. Initially there was no response from the female driver but eventually she was at least verbal. I don't know how responsive I would have considered her to be. We then noticed the second car involved in the head on accident and jogged over to it on the other side of the Northbound highway. Jogging over to it and eventually getting the driver's attention. The guy had a vehicle with New Jersey license plates. After the guy came to he was not showing any signs of pain and was in fact quite coherent.

After standing around for about a half an hour while watching the firemen cut out the battery of the New Jersey vehicle, cut the door off (as it had been stuck and we couldn't get it open) and take the driver and place him and the female in the white car on backboards and off in the ambulances. Eventually the count sheriff on site got our contact information (and that of an eighteen wheel driver who saw and had called it in to the sheriff's office) and our statements. After checking to see if the sheriff got all of the info that the state trooper needed we were let go for the time being. I suspect that we might well be called up assuming the guy survives this. It was right at midnight when we got home. Don't know if it will make the local new considering but if it does be sure to check here for a link.

Saturday, November 03, 2007

First NaNoWriMo story excerpt...

I've been trying to write a story for National Novel Writing month for the first time so here's a link to my first posted excerpt. I'll admit there isn't much do tell from the excerpt I posted but take a look anyway and tell me what you think.

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Storywriting Stuff

Just began my story early this morning. I've decided to call the story "The Cheshire Inn" and takes place in a renaissance-themed pub and inn in the modern-day. The look of the Inn is based off of The Cheshire Lodge and Inn in St. Louis (at the corner of Forest Park)

Here's some other pictures of the Cheshire Lodge.

Here, here and here.