Books: My Drug of Choice

I've decided to reread my entire collection of Octavia Butler. I started with her only collection of short stories--Bloodchild--and then went onto the Xenogenesis series. This series is made up of three separate novels: Dawn, Adulthood Rites, and Imago; but has also been packaged together in a volume entitled Lillith's Brood. In Book One we discover that we have destroyed the world and ourselves in a nuclear war. An alien species rescues the last remaining humans. The aliens have three genders: male, female and ooloi and have an irresistible desire to heal, transform and reproduce with humans.

This series, like most of Butler's work, explores issues of "otherness" and belonging. She portrays kinship bonds--mates, parent-child, sibling--highlighting the extreme joy and pain each can bring. The novels cover what it means to reproduce, as an individual and as a species, and what it means to change--particularly how hard change really is--as well as our limits to see outside of our own culture, gender and upbringing.

Science fiction allows us to imagine possibilities as well as see the here and now from a different perspective. When it is really exceptional, as Butler's work is, it forces us to feel our humanity with no sugar-coating. The woman did not win a MacArthur Genius Grant for nothing. Whether you like science fiction or not, if you've never read her work you should give it a try.

Next up for me: Wild Seed.

Funeral Songs

So MoxieMama had a post the other day about her choice for songs at her demise. Granted a morbid topic but I guess sometimes a girl needs to think about these things. Tonight I told b that his is what he should play at my funeral, should I go first.

Break-up Songs

Having only been in two committed relationships throughout my life, I don't have much experience with break-up songs. I did play an Etta James CD to death as I wrestled with leaving my first husband but I don't think that really counts.

If there ever were such a thing as an "empty-nest song" (and I think there should be as there's a lot about it that feels like a break-up), this would be mine.



Much thanks to Ms. Prufrock for introducing me to the amazing Ben Harper's talents.

The Votes Are In...

...and it seems we have a 3-way tie. Angel, Mr. Mister and Harvey all got 5 votes. Not quite what I expected but there you have it. Since Angel was Boy's choice it seems only right to go with that (he was dreading Mr. Mister).

That being said, Angel is ensconced at school and I am...still here.

We're Off...

to the Land of College.

Wish me luck.

Experimenting...

with a new look.

Randomness

Nit tagged me for one of those fun random memes and it was wonderful timing on her part because people--I've got bupkiss..nada...zilch..zero....NOTHING these days.

Here are the obligatory rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you
2. Post the rules on your blog
3. Write 6 random things about yourself
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them
5. Let each person you have tagged know by leaving a comment on their blog
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is posted.

Below are random Brigindo factoids:

1. I've had an hourglass figure for most of my life. However as I grow older my hourglass holds more sand.
2. I don't particularly like cakes but I love cupcakes...especially chocolate ones.
3. My chocolate must be dark.
4. My father was an only child, my first husband was an only child and my son is an only child (well technically he has half- and step-siblings but he was certainly raised as an only child). I am the youngest of four.
5. My father died when I was sixteen. I met my first husband when I was sixteen. He was 18 years older than me and my teacher. You don't have to be Freud to figure that one out.
6. I have 5 nieces and nephews. They range in age from 4 to 22. I find it amazing to see an entire new generation of my family growing up. They are so much more together then we were/are.

So in addition to having NOTHING these days I'm really not in the mood to tag anyone. You're on your own. If it sounds like fun, play along.