Whistling in the dark

There's only one thing I know how to do well, and I've often been told that you can only do what you know how to do well and that's be you. Be what you're like. Be like yourself.... Well, John and John inspired me to post. If there's one thing I know how to do well it is procrastinate!! Oh yes. Kids, don't try this at home. I am a trained professional.

So, the other day I was surfing around, as I am wont to do when I should be doing anything else, and I ended up watching Yahoo's The 9. Personally, I'd like to poke Maria Sansone with pointy sticks until she shuts up, but I do enjoy many of the links this little show provides. Okay, here's the one that I was enjoying the most right here. But I must warn you...this is one INCREDIBLY addictive little game. Play at your own risk! Fancy pants indeed, eh? Be sure to go to the home of that little page and check out World 1 as well. I haven't yet investigated any other games, but I can only imagine that they're equally as consuming.

Okay, so anyway...hey! You! Come back...you can play the games later! Finish reading this post first! Sheesh!

This is a truly random and yet absolutely engrossing little tidbit. This video is from the French Idol. I don't know what they're saying, (Becky? A little help?) but if I were to narrate, it would probably go something like this...

Narrator: Joseph is 21 and competing to win French Idol for the 6th time...
Jacque: Alright! I rock!
Narrator: Let's see what the judges have to say about him this time around...
Judge 1: How many times have you been here?
Joseph: 6 times.
Judge 1: 6 times?
Joseph: 6 times...I just know I've got what it takes.
Judge: We'll see about that... What are you going to sing for us today?
Joseph: Oh I was thinking of something like this...[commence beat boxing]
Judge 1, 2, 3 & 4: [jaws dropped to the floor - no translation necessary] Oh my gosh! This guy is the bomb! Blah, blah, blah... Did he just use two tones at once?

Okay, I'm stopping here, but honestly, pay close attention to the different tones this guy is using AT THE SAME TIME!! Also, watch the judge in the red sweater. His expressions are priceless! Seriously. I wish I could beatbox. Dang. The real question here is...do I smell a winner? Or does he really belong on the French equivalent of another random reality show? Oh David Hasselhoff, where did you go wrong?

Ok. Well, that's all I've got for now and those are my two cents. Got any good time-wasters? If so...do tell!

Happy (Belated) Women's Day!

So when I was a missionary in Latvia, one thing I really liked was randomly receiving flowers from people on seemingly random days. They had a lot of them...most of them were some memorial day or holiday I'd never heard of. Anyway, March 8th was another one of these "random" days. I know, today is March 9th, but better late than never, right? Anyway, the first time this happened, I learned that I was receiving flowers for the simple and incontrovertible fact that I am a woman. No, it's true! Well, I was not going to look a gift flower in the...(that doesn't work here, does it?), anyway, I graciously accepted them. It wasn't until later that I learned that this "holiday" extended beyond the boundaries of just Latvia. Actually, I learned that the Latvians themselves weren't the ones keeping it going, but the Russians. Hey, all I cared about was getting pretty flowers from friends and strangers alike! But for those of you interested in learning a bit more about International Women's Day... here ya go. And even though you may be a day late (and a dollar short) go ahead and wish all the women in your life a HAPPY WOMEN'S DAY!!

Oh, and perhaps this isn't necessary to say, but I do take pride in being a woman and support the cause for equality of the sexes and while this makes me a feminist simply due to that fact, I hope I am not mistaken to be (oh I do hate this term) a feminazi. I try to stear clear of any heavily one-sided or fanatical belief system...but I fear that I may be opening a can of worms that I had no interest in opening, so let's just leave it there, shall we? I am, after all, a great fan of the male persuasion! So, down with inequality...long live equality!! And...let's just all get along, k?

There's a first time for everything

So. After much prodding and wheedling and connivery (yes, it's a real word), I have joined the massive blogging population. The question now is, do I have anything worthwhile to say? Well, sure. I've got plenty of worthwhile things to say...but will I remember to say them here? I dunno. Time will tell. Perhaps a bit more of that coercion might do the trick.

Well, since I'm here I might as well get down to it, eh? So, as a way of introduction (although those reading this, likely know a bit about me), let me just explain that I'm a graduate student, studying Folklore. Yes, folklore. This statement is most frequently met with several questions.

Number one: What is crud is Folklore? Here, you can learn a bit more about it if you're not comfortable with learning from the pros. Eh. I figure it helps to have more than one definition, since I'm continually explaining what it is anyway. I find it quite refreshing to let someone else do it for me. (Follow the links, people! Follow the links!) So. What does this say about me? In my opinion, my study of Folklore says that I'm essentially an adult suffering from ADD. Okay, I'll be a bit more complimentary...my interests are incredibly interdisciplinary. How's that? Literature, film, theatre, music, art, performance, culture, traditions, crafts, languages, history, sociology, anthropology....it's all in there! Anyway, back to the topic at hand. (See, I'm easily distracted...even by myself.)

Number two: What does one do with Folklore? What do I plan to be when I grow up? Well, besides a lounge singer...I just want to take all of my loves and squash them up into a big ball aaaand call it good. I wanna do that. What? You're not satisfied with my dream of becoming a jane-of-all-trades? (I don't feel much like a Jack.) Okay, fine. Well, as surprising as it may be, earning a degree in Folklore doesn't automatically guarantee me gainful employment. If I had my druthers...I think I'd like to go into either public sector Folklore or something dealing more with the performance aspect of Folklore or Folklife, such as storytelling. I really enjoy doing actual fieldwork, but I also really love the performance aspects of different kinds of Folklore. I find it incredibly stimulating and exciting! So there. Better? Whatever, it's my future anyway. You know, I think that may be the first time that I've actually qualified my plans for the future. (Ha! Qualified...) But honestly? I don't think I know enough to know, ya know? It's too soon to tell. Maybe I'll end up being a plumber? I hear that's a very honorable profession.

Number three: How the heck did you get into Folklore? Well...I think it started when I was a wee one and... Okay, I'll condense. Truthfully, I think I've always had a secret love for Folklore, although I didn't know it. I've always loved stories in any form; written, spoken, projected on the silver screen, hanging on the wall of an art museum, coming from my dad's record player...etc., etc. I love it all. I've always felt some kind of connection to these forms of expression. I'm only now realizing that this connection is to more than just the stories themselves, but to the people who create them or pass them on. I think our abilities to tell stories as human beings is what makes the world smaller, more personal. It connects my culture to yours. It gives me a bridge to understand a society that I would otherwise have absolutely no affiliation with. So, in short, it's about people...and their stories. I love that no matter where you go, or where you come from, you come chock-full of your own brand of folklore...family lore, religious beliefs, occupational stories... It's all so exhilarating! I mean, seriously...isn't that cool? And isn't that what makes people love things like just hanging out with friends and talking or watching a talk show or reading the news paper? It's all about the stories that connect us together!

I hope I'm doing a decent job of explaining what it is that I'm in love with, because I basically get one of two responses from those closest to me..."Oh that's great, honey!" *pat-pat-pat* (said while patting my arm, head, whatever and typically with a glazed look of confused sincerity) or "Wow! That is truly fascinating!" (said with absolute sincerity and excitement for my chosen academic field) I do understand that not everyone is going to jump on the Folklore bandwagon with me, but I'm aiming to get as many to the "Wow! That is truly fascinating!" side of things as I possibly can. Mostly, I just want people on this side so they can at least understand why I choose to study what I do. Because in the end, folks...it's all about me. Well, it's about the individual. (But mostly me.)

So there. That completes my first blog...EVER! Comments are most welcome. I'm totally willing and eager to discuss or dispute anything I've said so far. Bring it on.