Stuff As Dreams Are Made On…

I can honestly say that as much as it’s always fascinated me and as much as I’ve always been interested in the topics of evolution and natural selection and such, I don’t think I ever would’ve read On the Origin of Species if it weren’t for Michael Keller’s new graphic adaptation of it with GORGEOUS illustrations by Nicolle Rager Fuller. And what a loss that would’ve been. The nerd in me really loved this one. Though I totally DON’T think you need to be a nerd to enjoy this one. If you have an appreciation for the way life works and the order of things, I think you’d really enjoy this one.

I’m not going to give a summary of this one, because I think most people know what this one is about. What I will give is a description of how the book is laid out. It starts with sort of a description of how Darwin came to write On the Origin of Species and all of the trials and tribulations he fought both personally and publicly in getting it published. Told in graphic novel format of course. It then goes on to translate the entire text of On the Origin of Species itself into graphic novel form with editors notes added where things have been updated since it’s original publication.

What I loved more than anything about this, is that it really helped me grasp Darwin’s work and understand it. I’ve always been much more of a visual learner. With this text in particular, I can see that I would’ve had a really hard time with it reading the original. To say that “the pictures helped” is an understatement. Not only did the illustrations help my understanding of Darwin’s words, but they’re GORGEOUS to look at. Just absolutely stunning and the layout of the whole novel is just fantastic.

It goes without saying that this is just another example of the power of the graphic novel medium. I’m so glad to see this medium become embraced more and more and to see it expand into different genres like SCIENCE! What a great tool this is for learning!  This is one that I’ll happily keep on my shelves and thumb through over and over again and just admire the beauty of it’s contents, the beauty of the knowledge that Darwin gave us, and the beauty of nature itself.

There’s a story behind this book. I’ve been wanting to read this book for probably oh….9 years. Megan suggested it to me when we first met and started talking about books. She told me back then that it was her favorite book. So I put it on my mental TBR list. All I knew about it was that it had something to do with lgbt issues, was by a Japanese author, and was said to be quite autobiographical of Mishima himself, a fact that he frequently denied. I thought about this book off and on, here and there but never read it. Until Bellezza started her Japanese Literature Challenge. But I didn’t read it the first two years. Well I read it for this years challenge finally and now Megan is happy and I’m ecstatic for having read it. It always feels good to read a book that’s been on your TBR for that long and it feels even better when that book is as good as Confessions of a Mask is.

While I’m happy for having read this book, I should stress that this book is not a happy book. There were moments when Mishima would put a smile on my face – moments of love, moments of contemplation, quiet moments – he has a beautiful way with words as I already knew from reading The Sound of Waves; but where this book differs from The Sound of Waves is that there is a constant sense of overwhelming defeat. Defeat by who he is as a person.

Confessions of a Mask is the story of a young man’s struggles with his own sexuality. The book takes place in Japan in the times immediately before and during World War II. The narrator of the story knows from the time he is a child and first sees a sculpture of St. Sebastian that he is gay. In his sexual fantasies and in his thoughts, he embraces the idea, but in his conscience, he is conflicted. And he remains conflicted into his teenage years and beyond, constantly trying to convince himself, or maybe “test” is a better word, try to show himself that he is not gay.

What makes this story so sad is the narrator’s outward denial of who he is. I shouldn’t say that. He seems to know that he is gay, but at the same time, we as the reader see even him trying to rationalize to himself that he may not be. I can imagine that 1940’s Japan was not the easiest time to be accepted as a gay man. It seems that it was a time of strict guidelines when it comes to courting, the whole country was occupied by the military, every man and teen served in the military unless you were sick (which our narrator was despite his trying to get in the military as a passive suicidal thought).

I want to say that we’ve moved forward from this, but as I have that thought, I then realize how wrong that thought is. And how progressive of a book this was to be published in 1958. It showed that men do think this way. It was probably an “it’s ok to feel this way” book to  so many men out there who had struggled with their thoughts as the narrator of this book had.

The other thought I’m having as I write this review is that I can’t help but feel that this was at least semi-autobiographical of Mishima, himself. It was such an intimate book and it reads like a true autobiography. As I write this review, I keep wanting to say “Mishima says” or “the authors thoughts”. A quick wikipedia search shows that this is considered a “semi-autobiographical” novel, that Mishima visited gay bars and was rumored to have had affairs with men but was married and had children.

Whatever the case may be, it’s a strong novel that has power in it. Like The Sound of Waves, the prose of this novel is absolutely beautiful. There are passages in this novel that just snuck up on me. I would be reading along and all of a sudden this absolutely wonderful set of words would be there before my eyes. Mishima was a master at that. I have Spring Snow on my bookshelf. I think that will be my next read of his. I could happily read through his entire collection and never get sick of reading his words.

The Saints are going to the freaking super bowl for the first freaking time EVER!! I’m so freaking excited right now…I can’t even talk! Seriously, this city has been waiting forever for this. I know I’ve been waiting for this since I was a little boy. I’ve never been much of a sports fan, but I’ve always followed the Saints. There’s something about them…they’re more than just a football team. They have character like no one else. Just an amazing bunch of guys and we have such great fans!!

I can’t even begin to tell you what this city is like right now. I can’t even put it into words. It’s basically like anarchy has broken out, but a peaceful, loving type of anarchy. After the game you could hear fireworks and screams (good screams) coming from neighborhoods everywhere. My entire family was just in one big hug and everyone was crying. This is more than just football to us folks in New Orleans…it represents a lot. Really emotional.

After the game, we get in the car to head uptown and EVERYBODY on the roads is honking their horns like crazy and screaming out their windows It was SO much fun. We made a pit stop at Walmart first and the people at Walmart kept screaming Who Dat over the loud speakers :p Needless to say, everyone everywhere is just ecstatic. As am I. And to top off the night, I got on twitter to see that Neil Gaiman said “who dat” tonight too

Ah, I’m in such a good mood right now!!!!

My first experience with Julie Anne Peters was during the last read-a-thon. I read Between Mom and Jo, a book that dealt with the subject of same sex parents and their son. I knew after I read that book that I wanted to read everything that she had written. She handled lesbian issues perfectly in that book, never denying how they can affect others…never denying the hurt and the pain that comes with the acceptance of who one is and living the life that’s true to one’s self. She does the same with this amazing book,Luna, which turns the focus onto transgendered issues, specifically in teens.

The story here is told from the point of view of Regan, a young teenage girl who shares the basement of her suburban home with her brother Liam. Only her brother is not actually a boy. Physically, Liam is a boy, but Luna is a girl. Liam is transgendered. A person who was born into a males body, but identifies herself as a female and has taken up the name Luna. But Luna has had to share this secret with only her sister throughout her life, hiding herself even from her parents and her best friend. She takes safety in her sister’s room dressing as a girl and putting on makeup and it’s only then that she truly feels safe.

At school, Liam catches the eye of many girls, girls he has no interest in. His father pressures him to try out for the baseball team and rebuild cars, constantly denying the fact that his son is not a son. His best friend since childhood and his neighbor, Aly is in love with him. And his mother has avoided the world with a pill addiction. In the middle of all of this, Luna is a point where she is ready to start transitioning into her true self, a self that is not accepted by the world. Far from excepted by the world.

Being Luna’s only confidant puts a lot of weight on Regan’s shoulders. Regan has her own issues at hand. She feels like she’s always lived in the shadow of her older brother/sister and wants so much to always be there for her. But she wants a life of her own too. She’s met a boy named Chris that she’s fallen hard for, but she’s a continuous mess in front of him (which I must say provides some truly laugh out loud moments). But while she’s falling for him, Luna is always in the back of her mind. Every time she finds something for herself, Luna seems to take it away by demanding her support.

My experience with reading this book was like a rollercoaster. I was up and down as I turned the pages. I went from laughing at times to feeling like my heart was being ripped out for Liam/Luna, for Regan. For the situations that Luna had to deal with. For Luna when she decides to go out in public as herself for the first time. For the first time she’s rejected as herself. For the judgements that people put on her. But my heart smiled for her when she had her moments of happiness. When Regan had her moments of happiness. At the clumsiness that Regan shared with Chris, her first love. So much emotion packed into this book…fear, love, confusion, heartache….it’s all there.

Have I confused you with Luna/Liam’s gender yet? With the pronouns I’ve used in this review? Fear not. Peters handles all this perfectly and I was never once confused. But think of this for one moment. This is why this book is so important. If you were confused even for a moment…And thought that this book might confuse you…think how confusing it must be to be transgendered. To be nine years old and to be so different than the world says you should be….that you don’t fit in anywhere, no matter where you are. You play with boys and they make fun of you and then you play with girls and they make fun of you too. You’re not gay because you don’t identify yourself as a male. You’re not straight…it’s not that you like girls, you just want to be one. Or vice versa. I’m just using the character in this book as an example.

My point is, I commend Julie Anne Peters for writing this book. I commend her for continuing to write books that tackle LGBT issues and writing them for teens. Though I think they need to be read by everyone, not just teens. But the younger, the better. This knowledge needs to be known as young as possible, I think. I certainly learned a LOT about transgendered people from this book and I think I’m a better person for it. We can all afford to learn more about LGBT issues…we can all afford to learn more about each other. We can all afford to learn more about what makes us all individuals….and respect that.

“When people look at me, the don’t see the real me. They can’t because I look like this.” He swept a hand down his chest.

What was I supposed to say? How many times had I heard this? “I like that shirt,” I settle on, trying to lighten the mood. “Is it new?”

He cast me a withering glance.

“Sorry”

“No one will ever know the person I am inside. The true me. The girl, the woman. All they see is this…this nothing.”

“You’re not nothing.” I snapped. “You’re a person. You’re Liam”

“Liam.” He let out a short laugh. “Who’s that? A caricature I’ve created. A puppet, a mime, a cartoon character. I’m this male macho version of a son that Dad has in his head.”

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The gender scales didn’t extend equidistant in both directions. For example, if you were a girl you could be off-the-scale feminine and that’d be fine, but if you acted or felt just a little too masculine, you were a dyke.

Same for guys. Mucho macho, fine. Soft and gentle, fag.

What if you happened to be born off both scales, between scales like Liam? Then you were just a freak.

I know that’s how Liam felt. He told me once there was no place for him in the world, that he didn’t fit anywhere. He really was off the scale. Boy by day, girl by night. Except, he was a girl all the time, inside. It was hardwired into his brain, he said, the way intelligence or memory is. His body didn’t reflect his inner image. His body betrayed him. The way people viewed Liam, as a boy, meant he had to play to their expectations. Dress the part. Act the role. And Liam was good at it, expert. He’d had all thoe years of practice. It had to be horrible, though, day after day after day, seeing all around him what he wanted so desperately to be and never could.

I’m bored and feel horrible for neglecting my blog, so I’m here to do what I always do when I really don’t have anything to say but feel like blogging….a Bad Bloggers Post!! But first I thought I’d give you all a Florence and the Machine video to watch because I’m freaking obsessed with this song even though I’ve worn it out for everyone around me. It’s like the song of the year for me and well, it’s sort of book related as she makes mention to the myth of Midas…”Midas is king and he holds me so tight, and turns me to gold in the sunlight.” Anyway, here it is:

Ok, now onto Bad Bloggers….here’s what walked into my house since the last post:

And here’s who’s to blame:

1. Indigo by Marina Warner - So now, Nymeth is getting points through email…she suggested this one while we were talking about The Tempest over email…apparently it’s a retelling of Shakespeare’s, The Tempest, which is my favorite of his plays, that deals with some of the race issues in it. I’m really excited about this one! Point to Ana. (Paperback Swap)

2. Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species by Michael Keller – I finished this one finally!! I don’t know why it’s been taking me so long to read books :/ This one was such an awesome read!! I’ll have a review up of it shortly. Another one recommended by Nymeth. It’s exactly what the title says…but a GRAPHIC NOVEL form of it Another point to Ana. (Bought it)

3. Blankets by Craig Thompson – Another absolutely incredible graphic novel that I’ve already finished and reviewed. It was hard for me to even put into words how much I loved this one, but I tried. So many people have recommended this one, but it’s Lu who really pushed me over the edge and made me get it, so she gets the point. (Bought it)

4. 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann – And Dewey continues to suggest books to me…I found this one on her bookmooch wishlist a long time ago and added it to my own and I finally scored a copy over there!! I don’t think she ever read this one…but it’s one she wanted to read. So I’m really looking forward to it! Point to Dewey. (Bookmooch)

5. Luna by Julie Anne Peters – I’ve wanted to read all of her books ever since reading Between Mom and Jo last year during the readathon. What a fantastic author! I’ve started this one and even though I’m only about 75 pages in, I’m loving it just as much as Between Mom and Jo. Julie Anne Peters can WRITE! Perfect if you’re looking for some YA for the GLBT challenge. (Paperback Swap)

6. We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson – Another one that sooooo many people have read and recommended. I had to go way back in my notes to see who originally put this one on my bad bloggers list of SHAME! And it turns out that it’s none other than Eva! So, my friend, you must take the point :p (Paperback Swap)

7. Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki – And Eva, you must also take the point for this one! I’m so excited about this one!!!! I loved Tamaki’s Skim so much. One of my favorite GNs that I read last year and I hadn’t heard much about this one…but after Eva’s review of it, I knew I had to get my grubby little hands on it. And Paperback Swap had a copy! (Paperback Swap)

8. Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster - Who didn’t add this one to their wishlist after Nymeth reviewed it the other day? Hmmm, that’s funny…no one has their hands up :p I was like her…I hadn’t even heard of this one before her review! How had I missed out on it! I got so excited when I got my copy in the mail because not only is it slim and written in letters like she told us but it also has cute little drawings throughout! I’m so excited about this one and I might just read it tonight :p Point to Ana. (Paperback Swap)

The graphic novels medium lends itself so well to telling stories. To adding that extra something to add even more of an impact to an already emotionally charged story. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen that more evident than it is in Craig Thompson’s Blankets. The title of this graphic novel itself evokes feelings of warmth, security, safety…all themes that are tackled in this beautiful story of brotherhood, first love, the effects of a heavy handed religious upbringing, childhood sexual abuse, and trying to fit in in a world that sometimes doesn’t seem to have a place for you.

This is a BIG book. It clocks in at nearly 600 pages, but I’m not lying when I tell you I read it in one sitting. It’s so engaging, so beautiful, so TRUE that I couldn’t put it down. There are moments when I’d turn the page and I’d just have to stop and stare at the page because what was before me was so beautiful. Craig Thompson captures life’s moments so well. From a first kiss,  a brotherly moment, wrapping yourself up under a blanket with your first love for the first time, a first sexual encounter, long nights spent getting to know one another, awkward teenage moments, moments spent questioning one’s self. It’s all here and presented just so wonderfully.

I think I went through the whole gambit of emotions while reading this book. From being moved to tears, to ecstatic, to laughing my ass off to horrified. Basically, the novel is an autobiography of Craig’s life from his childhood years til his early twenties. But it focuses mostly on his early childhood and his relationship with his little brother whom he shared a room and a bed with while being raised by his overly religious, yet loving mother; and on his teenage years as he falls in love with Raina, the first love of his life. Both stories are beautiful in their own way.

There’s a recurring theme in the book of finding safety from pain, in finding comfort in others, in cuddling under blankets, gathering warmth from another human being…looking for warmth, looking for understanding. The art is amazing throughout the novel. Some of the panels are just so touching that they move you to tears. There are a couple of scenes with Raina and Craig out in the snow when they share their first kiss that I just thought were incredibly done! I loved them and I’d kill to have them framed. Trust me when I say this one is well worth the price and the size. It’s one you’ll go back to again and again.

I haven’t done a Salon post in a while and I just felt like rambling today, so I figured I’d put the two together and call it a blog post I’m liking 2010 so far. Yes, I know, we’re only 10 days into the year, but I’m trying to make this a year of balance and a year of focusing on the good in life. Something that hasn’t always been an easy thing for me to do. I’m one of those people that thrive off of anxiety, unfortunately. Everything needs to be done NOW and everything needs to be done PERFECT. And I’m learning that life doesn’t work out too well with that mindset. That there can be a happy medium between having a good work ethic, doing things well, and still actually taking CARE of yourself. I’ve neglected the latter for a long time.

So I’ve put a few things in motion this year to help me focus more on me. I’m giving myself down time when I’m not at work. Forcing myself really to separate work from my personal life and I’m mainly doing that by keeping a personal journal this year. Something I haven’t done in years. I’ve been writing in it every night as soon as I get home from work and the goal of the journal is to simply write down all of the things that have made me happy during the day. It automatically takes me away from the work day I’m learning that it’s impossible to be depressed or anxious when you’re writing about things that have made you happy. Now I’ll admit that sometimes it’s hard for me to get the motivation to open that journal and start writing, but I’m always happy once I do. And I haven’t skipped a night yet!

The other thing I’m doing is blogging again and responding to my comments! I hope this lasts. I never really stopped blogging, but I stopped doing it regularly and it’s something that I really missed. I stopped mainly because I felt like I didn’t have the time or the energy. But I’m making the time now, because I know that I need that time for me. I need more in my life than just work and sleep. Yes, my job is part of who I am, but it is not all of who I am. And I need to remember that.

And the final thing that has made me happy is fun activities!! Like reading and crocheting. Though right now, we’re going to call crocheting a total failure. Yes, I’ve learned how to do a chain, but even with the help of videos that sweet friends have sent me, I can’t do any more than that :/ But I’ve been reading some wonderful books and even though I’ve only actually finished two books so far this year, I’m happy with that.

So I’m hoping that this year continues as it’s started. With this sense of balance being the main theme. And that I can remember to keep things going like they have if things start to get tough. That’s always the hardest part.

Wow. This is going to be a tough one to write about. I went into Tender Morsels expecting a lot. I didn’t know much about the story, just that some of my favorite bloggers had loved it, though a few despised it; it dealt with rape and incest; and it had something to do with bears as is evident by the cover. And that’s really all that I’m tempted to tell you as well, because I liked knowing so little about the novel. In fact, I think that is I will say about the plot. Instead, I’ll focus more on my experience and the characters while reading this one.

This book is not always an easy read, and I think that may be why some people have problems with it. In some places, it’s harsh, it’s ugly, it’s repulsive. But so is it’s subject matter. Rape and incest are not pretty things, nor are the resulting traumas of those events. And though Liga’s trauma is covered up for awhile, and though she can escape into her own private heaven for years, she ultimately can’t escape her past. Yes, that’s upsetting. But it’s reality. What I also loved is that Lanagan addresses the conflict of things like rape and incest. How something beautiful can come from something so ugly. For Liga, that beautiful thing is her two amazing daughters, Branza and Urdda, two characters who I love so much!!  But for others, trauma of any kind can ultimately make a person stronger…if not stronger, they can find a part of themselves that they never knew existed…it can form connections that ultimately wouldn’t have been there. I’m not for a second advocating abuse or harm of any kind, but I liked that Lanagan found something positive in Liga’s gut wrenching story.

The fairy tale aspect of Margo Lanagan’s writing is to put it very lightly, amazing. She’s set up a world that I’m simply in awe of, that I never wanted to leave. The language of the novel, the scenery, the towns, the magic, the characters, the time, the essence of it all was all so beautiful and real and it just appealed to all of my senses. She paints stories within stories within stories, but the tale of Tender Morsels itself never manages to get overly complicated. I never complained when a new character was added to the plot as I do with so many other novels. I loved all of these characters. Well I shouldn’t say that…there were a few that I absolutely hated. But my, were most of these characters incredible!

There are witches that are wise and witches that are less wise but have hearts of gold, there are mothers and daughters to make you smile and cry, there are littlee men who can irritate but make you laugh, there are humans to despise, there are bears to love and bears to hate, there are men to love and men to hate, there are babs to care for, young boys to feel pain for, wolves to long for, and so much more.

I don’t even know what else to say about this novel right now except for, read it. It’s going on my list of favorite books and I think it’s a really important book for people to read. It’s about the power of overcoming difficulties. Not forgetting them, not escaping them (though that may be necessary along the journey), but the gradual, long journey of moving through a traumatic event. What a beautiful book this was.

I’ve been home sick all day today…and it’s been wonderful I haven’t taken a sick day in….um, years. At my place of work, they expect you to go into work sick. You’re really not supposed to call in sick. That’s how I got sick in the first place. But today I said “screw that” I need to get better…so I spent the day in bed, reading. And I thought I’d do a blog entry talking about what I’ve been reading lately.

I spent today nearly finishing Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan and OMG I don’t want this book to end!!! Can I name my favorite book of the year on January 7th? Because I’m ready to call that shit right now! This has been the most moving, disturbing, touching, fantastical, original book I have read in ages. And I just want to give Margo Lanagan a big hug for writing it and for going there. For addressing so many big issues like incest and rape and running away and hiding and having to face those fears eventually and using fantasy as a means of escape and all of the things she did…all wrapped up into a fairy tale that isn’t always pretty but is always wonderful and true and amazing. And the characters…OMG the characters, I just love them. And I just love the worlds that she’s created. I want to crawl inside of them. And I still have about 50 pages left. A more detailed synopsis that makes a little bit of sense to come. I think I’m supposed to be doing a co-review with Kelly at The Written World of this one.

I also just started Above His Shoulders by Dan Williams and this one is also quite good and quite haunting. It also tackles the subject of sexual abuse, but this one is non-fiction. It’s Dan Williams account of being sexually abused by his older cousin when he was seven years old and the resulting impact that the trauma had on him and how it led to other traumatic events. This one has had a really strong impact on me so far. It’s a really well written memoir and it’s something we deal with frequently on our specialty trauma unit at the hospital I work at. Sexual abuse is something that has an impact on millions of people worldwide, sadly, and just telling the story of it can be so healing. Hearing someone else’s story can be healing as well just to be able to relate and this is a wonderful book for that. For finding those similarities in someone else’s experience, in hearing your not alone. It’s quite a sad thing that Mr. Williams has gone through and has already brought me to tears a few times in the first 75 pages, but it’s truly a wonderful book and I commend him for writing it!

Last night I started Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species: A Graphic Adaptation by Michael Keller and I’m so in love with this book!!! I’m reading it for the January Graphic Novels Challenge Mini Challenge which is to read a classic novel in Graphic Novel format. I’ve only read the first section which is sort of a brief history of how Darwin came to write and publish On the Origin of Species and a quick history of everything leading up to it’s publication. The rest of the novel seems to be the actual adaptation of On the Origin of Species, itself. The art is so amazing! It reminds me of when I was a kid and I used to get those really great nature books…you know the little encyclopedias for kids that had all of the wonderful illustrations of animals and insects and birds? I miss those so much!! Gah, I used to love them. I think that’s why I still love bird guides and insect guides so much…because they remind me of those books. I guess I’ve always been a science geek :p

And finally, I guess you can say that I’m still reading The Vintner’s Luck by Elizabeth Knox, though I really haven’t touched it since December :p But I am in the middle of it! I’ve absolutely loved everything that I’ve read of it so far. It’s been amazing, but I started too many other books, so I kind of stalled in it :/ I tend to do that…It’s a wonderful story of an angel that comes down to earth and befriends a man and plans to meet him once a year and from what I understand, eventually falls in love with him. I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve read so far. The language of the book is intoxicating!

So once I get these down to a manageable size, I plan on reading The Hobbit as well!!! I’m so freaking excited about doing the Lord of the Rings read-a-long I’ve been dying to read some Tolkien. And I have this beautiful box set that Carl gave me awhile back that I can read too! I think I’m just going to continue along after the read-a-long ends and just have a Tolkien year and each month read something else. I own but have not read Children of Hurin, Sigurd and Gudrun, Tree and Leaf, and The Silmarillion…so I have lots of good Tolkien ahead of me!!

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I wanted to end this post by doing the mini-challenge for January for the GLBT Challenge. Amanda has asked us to talk about why GLBT issues matter to us. GLBT – GAY LESBIAN BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDERED. All of these are just different labels for people. So are STRAIGHT BRUNETTE BLACK  FAT TALL. Labels are not necessarily a bad thing. Personally, I don’t like them, but they can at times help a person to identify themselves with a larger community. But they can cause division if used incorrectly. And it’s at that time that labels bother me. When they’re put on PEOPLE as a form of punishment. I capitalize the word “people” because it astounds me that humanity itself sometimes forgets that we are all human. Each and every one of us is human. It’s not a hard fact to wrap your brain around. This isn’t even something that applies to GLBT issues. Race, Gender, Nationality, Religion. I don’t understand, I never have, and I never will understand the hatred towards another human being just because a person lives their life a different way than another person. Because of the way that person was BORN. People do not choose to be gay or black or female or Middle Eastern….they are born into that life. Who is anybody else to do anything other than accept that person for who they are. Do you have to love that person? No…a gay person can be an asshole just like anyone else, but you can despise them for being an asshole, not for being gay.

When GLBT issues really became important to me was when I was in high school. I had a good friend that was gay and he took his life. He wasn’t openly gay….he never told me or anyone else that he was gay, and I guess I still shouldn’t assume that he was gay, but I’m pretty sure that he was. He had had conversations with me where he had all but told me that he was and I tried to make him feel as comfortable with me as I could, to let him know that I would never judge him. But we went to an all boys school and I think there was just so much pressure to be “a guy’s guy” that it just wasn’t acceptable. Nor would it be acceptable by his parents as it was also a Catholic school and his parents were extremely Catholic. It hurt when he took his life. We all knew why he did, though he didn’t leave a note and people still talked about him…people who were not his friends. I’ve made a lot of gay friends over the years and have heard stories of how hard they have fought just to be treated as people and it’s really sad. So that’s why GLBT issues matter to me. Because we all deserve the same rights and we all deserve the same freedoms. We all deserve to love who we love and to express that love without being judged. Thanks Amanda, for hosting this.

I seem to have come down with a nasty head cold. It’s not the most miserable I’ve ever been sick, but it’s bad enough. Can’t hear, can’t smell, can’t think, but at least the sore throat is starting to go away. So I needed some cheering up and figured what better way to cheer up than to celebrate all of the wonderful books that have walked into the house since Christmas! So you’re all probably wondering what business I have bringing 9 books into the house so soon after bringing um…33 into the house in a months time…well, my answer is that I had to spend gift cards and for the rest, I have no excuse except for that I’m a book lover :p Here you go:

1. The Awakening by Neal Shaffer – Honestly, I have no idea what this one is about :p I was just browsing the graphic novels on PaperbackSwap and Oni Press publishes this one…they’re one of my favorite GN publishers, so I figured I’d check it out!! Looking forward to it. (Paperback Swap)

2. Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill – Another graphic novel that I’ve had my eye on for awhile now. I finally bought this one with one of my Christmas gift cards!! It looks really fantastic! (Bought it)

3. The Dissociative Identity Disorder Sourcebook by Deborah Haddock – I picked this one up to help out one of my clients that I’m seeing. I’m surprised by how much I’m actually enjoying it though! Dissociation and Dissociative Identity Disorder has always really intrigued me but I never knew much about it. Now that I’m encountering it with a client, I thought that it’s about time I learn! And I’m learning all kinds of new stuff. (Bought it)

4. Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon – I first read this book in my freshman year of high school and I absolutely fell in love with it. Such a wonderful book. But I haven’t read it since and I’ve been dying to. Then CJ reviewed it awhile back and I’ve really been wanting to read it since then. I found this really great trade paperback version and I just love the cover! Can’t wait to rediscover it. I’m giving a point to CJ for this one for bringing my interest back to it! (Bought it)

5. Above His Shoulders by Dan Williams – This one’s a memoir about a young boy who was sexually abused as a child and the impact it has on his life as an adult. It’s something that I think will also help the client that I’m seeing, but I can probably learn a lot from this one as well. I’m getting ready to start this one tonight! (Bought it)

6. The Girl in the Picture by Denise Chong – I had to get this one the second that I heard Eva mention it on her library loot video! It sounds like it will be as heartwrenching as the photo on the cover, but it really sounds like an important and wonderful read about the Vietnam war and this amazing Nobel prize winning photo and Kim Phuc, the girl in it. A point to Eva. (Paperback Swap)

7. Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon – I wanted this one as soon as it came out! I haven’t read anything by Chabon yet believe it or not, but I keep collecting his books. I’m actually more excited about his non-fiction books for some reason than I am about his fiction books. Maps and Legends is on my shelf and I can’t wait to read that one, but this one has just bumped it’s way to the top of the list. It’s all about his life as a boy, a teen, a man, a parent, etc. All the roles he’s played…sort of an autobiography I guess…really looking forward to this one! (Bought it)

8. Angel Time by Anne Rice – I’ve just been dying to read some Anne Rice lately, and I figured I’d give some of her new fiction a shot. I got one of her newer books out of the library not long ago, but never did start it. I think what I love more than anything about this book at first glance is the cover :p It’s awesome! (Bought it)

9. Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer – I squealed with excitement when I first saw this one!! I’ve been dying for this book ever since I heard Debi talk about it ages ago and then saw a video for it with Mr. Foer on Amazon. Foer himself is a vegetarian, but he wrote this book all about the animal industry and it just sounds fascinating. Oh, I can’t wait to read it!! A definite point to Debi for this one!