"I'm So Happy--Feeling Snappy"

My very last required blog! *Gasp* Where is the good in goodbye? Where is the fair in farewell?I can barely see the screen because of the tears that are streaming down my face. Ack! The violent sobs are causing my hands to tremble so that I can barely type. I must pull myself together…especially since I have news to share with all you weary souls who are losing sleep due to thoughts of the exam (if the ten page paper is not all consuming). Alicia of the nine o’clock class informed me of a possible study session on Wednesday (Reading Day), sometime in the afternoon (like two or three). Nothing is concrete though, so if I find out more, I’ll post. The more the merrier! (Ha…so cliché).
Maybe I am so emotional from all those melodramas. Teehee. I was a little disappointed we kind of glossed over the subject of chapter eight—the Christian perspective versus the classic Hollywood film, the melodrama. I thought some interesting points were made in that chapter. One being the thought of this inherent goodness of man portrayed in them; that we can resolve everything on our own. As we sit in our pajamas on the couch with our tear-wet popcorn, we watch the family reunite after their struggles and attribute it to their own inner pulls of virtue (nothing to external forces). I also had never really thought about why a melodrama giving an “exaggerated place to emotions” can lead to making them “the universal and ultimate judge of any situation” and how “sentimentality manipulating your emotions by telling you how you should feel.” Feelings can be so swift in flight (apparently females struggle with this more :) ) and can be deceiving. I once heard it said that if you base your Christianity by “a feeling,” you wouldn’t be a Christian half the time. If we repeatedly watch media like this…soon we’ll all be a bunch of basket cases…like I am now. *sniff*

"It's Too Hot Here"

Okay. I am done being the devil’s advocate. I think William Romanowski has a feasible argument without bringing up anything about this supposed “cultural mandate.” (I found it rather amusing when he states in the introduction, “My analysis begins with an assumption that is clear in Scripture…” saying he has this clear instruction from the Bible, yet calls it an assumption—there by it not being clear. Perhaps I am being too critical, yet I like to poke fun…just like poking the Pillsbury Doughboy.) Anyways, if all Christians are not going to stand against the filth that can be popular culture (Hollywood would have to listen then…), but look to learn how to “discern and evaluate perspectives in these representations of life in God’s world,” Eyes Wide Open does do an adequate job in laying a foundation for viewing, as a key point in this strategy of revolution is being of one mind in interpretation of movies. If we expect to be taken seriously as a strong, informed voice in the industry, we can not have Yankee Doodle’s comments on the latest movie praising it for the way it portrayed ideals and values, but then have Izzy Fashizzy’s comments saying it was a very bad depiction of life in general. Romanowski points out that you have to know what it means to be a Christian first. This involves setting aside petty differences and what past events might have shaped our perspectives, to come together as a body in Christ whose goal is to reach out to the spiritual lost by engaging in popular art to seek the truths in order to mold the good into maps of realty of biblical truths. We can’t set a good example if our maps of truth end up taking you to Kansas instead of Florida. (Who would want to go to Kansas anyways?)

“Werden Sie mir nicht folgen?”

Ich habe eine Idee; wir werden populäre Kultur mehr nicht behandeln müssen. Sagen Sie auf Wiedersehen zu "Die O.C.," Britney Spears, und Harry Potter. Let us all cast off our woes and become…Amish. If you had already donned the prayer kapp and forgone buttons, you would know the German (literally) translates into “I have an idea; we won’t have to treat popular culture more. Say goodbye to [popular television, music, and books.]” To say they do not consume any media is wrong though, as they read “The Budget” to get caught up in who died, who is going where, and well being/prices of produce. No, I am not making fun of their simplistic, conservative lifestyle. With a strong Amish heritage, growing up with the German dialect, Pennsylvania-Dutch, and the head covering (yes, I am Mennonite), not to mention being an avid reader of Beverly Lewis, I have a strong respect for the community. In many ways, I think they have the right idea, but according William Romanowski, they are not being stewards of creation and therefore, not heeding the cultural mandate. However, if I may take on the role of devil’s advocate (and pretend like I am a theologian), I think they are justified in their ways. Despite many misconceptions about the Amish, many at least know they are hard working people, working the earth and caring for their livestock. In this they are doing as told, for we were told to be stewards of His creation thus far, it being good in his sight. He did not tell Adam and Eve after they had sinned and brought about evil to be stewards of their evilness. Genesis 1:28 should not be tweaked to what it was not intended to be. Instead of familiarizing our selves with popular culture for the purpose of understanding (which I can’t help but think is a crutch for desire), if all who proclaim Christianity took a stand, changes would happen, and at a faster rate.

"It's a Me, ah Mario"

On a "duck hunt" for a blog, (hahaha- I know my allusion to the famous Nintendo game was hysterical) I decided to share my idea with all you. I had noticed that when talking about fanatical fanedom, people would blog about the movie or someone they knew (including me) instead of themselves. A term was put to it in class entitled "the third person effect." I know I blogged about someone else's fanedom because I had not deemed myself worthy of a blog. The only thing I collect are penguins and I am a fan of many people, yet my passion doesn't come out through following their every move through magazines or newspapers for example. I then thought it would be cool to create an "interesting" parasocial relationship and see what reaction it would get. Since I happen to have a plush Mario near (compliments of a Wendy's kids' meal) I thought he would make the perfect subject. (Who doesn't like a man with an accent? :)) I would don blue overalls, a red shirt and cap, make comments about us hanging out together, and carry his likeness with me where I would go. I then realized how much I did not want to succumb myself to such behavior which would make people think I was crazy. I found I have a respect for those who are able to show their fandom in ways that take them out of a comfort zone.

"Confessions"

"You're always trying to figure out what I am all about. If you don't know what the answer is then just shut up and kiss. It shouldn't take forever to put it all together [CHORUS:] If you can't do the math then get out of the equation. I am calling you back- this is * 69."

[Chorus:] "I'm not ill; I don't need to take a pill to fix what you do. Cure can come through, cuz baby all I do is suffer from the symptoms of you."

If your “guilty pleasure” is the same as mine, then you know that the first song chunk is a Hilary Duff song entitled “The Math” from her album “Metamorphosis.” The second piece is by Lindsey Lohan, entitled “Symptoms of You” from her album “Speak.” I figured since Mallory was brave enough to say she loved Hanson, I can admit that I have downloaded songs by both these “teenie-bopper” pop sensations (because I refuse to buy their actual albums) and enjoy listening to them. I could not resist posting some lyrics because I find them absolutely hilarious on the verge of ridiculous, which makes me embarrassed and consider it “low culture”, yet I like the music. I was introduced to Hilary Duff’s music by my older brother (interesting story) and when we are driving around together, sometimes we will play it and belt it out (especially “The Math”…because he is a math majorJ). In trying to understand my media diet, in a way, it serves as a connection, a unity between him and me. I heard Lohan’s voice from the movie “Teenage Confessions of a Drama Queen” with the song “That Girl.” The aspirations sung about kind of spoke to my ideals/values.
Yea for Brahms, Gershwin, and Hilary Duff…

"Anyone Got A Match?"

And now it’s time for “Beating the Dead Horse with Alisha,” the part of the blog where Alisha speaks out and kicks the dead horse (and then makes pretty things with the glue; waste not, want not). Yes, yes—welcome to another site featuring Friday’s class discussion on the question of all questions, the “light the fire under your posterior and get you riled up” question. The “should we, as Christians, be weary of fanatical fandom?” question. I always find such discussions interesting because people who don’t think it’s a big deal aren’t going to change their minds, just like those who say you can not serve two Masters, yet we agrue about it like someone will come up with this almigty epiphany that will settle the matter into a nice little box. Though you can recognize good points on each side, I think you can’t define it one way or another because it will be different for each individual. For example, if you know you have problems overeating, you should get a smaller plate to decrease portion size and put away the food so you don’t take seconds. Apply it to being a fan of "Star Trek." If you know it might get out of hand you should have restrictions, but some know that they can handle being an ardent fan (like cross-dressing and composing folk songs) without their passion superceding God. I think the problem is making those own personal restrictions, (and I think everybody ought to have some, concerning time and money) in which those that know it’s becoming their entire life make excuses for their behavior. We talked about how you can glorify God in different ways and the point was made that it could be a witnessing tool, but the intent of the behavior is what matters. It’s like someone saying they go to bars to witness and then just sits and orders drinks, waiting for some burley guy to come up and say, “Yo dude, my life is messed up and I need a shoulder to cry on as I share my emotions.”

"Two Peas in a Pod"

In talking about parasocial relationships, we have focused on television, and rightly so, as the television probably gives us the number one source of relationships of this kind. I would like to widen the pigeonhole if I may and refer to one of favorite movies, “Ten Things I Hate About You,” (which has a lot of quoting potential, like “Am I that transparent? I want you; I need you; oh baby, oh baby.”) Paraphrasing (because access to any of the sites with scripts is apparently not possible) Mandella’s response to Michael asking her if she likes Shakespeare, (seeing all the pictures in her locker) “More then like…we’re involved.” Now in today’s world, you can read up on your favorite celebrity or show or get the latest scoop in a variety of texts and know everything there is to know about that subject. Though we have Shakespeare’s works, we do not have a clear picture of what he was like. Mandella is “involved” with Shakespeare, though for the most part what he is has been crafted in her head. We are not talking paranormal relationship as she does not employ such devices, but can we say parasocial? I think we tend to think it is weirder since in carrying on the one-sided relationship, you can't ever "meet," and in a sense, that would be the ultimate goal in the "relationship."