Innocence Complexity and Realism with a Dash of Grounded Optimism

  

   

    I'm  very sorry Ive been m.i.a for the last week and a half. I had gotten sick two weeks ago and fallen behind in some of my homework and such, and catching up with a homework load that doesn't take a break for sick people is 'slightly' difficult.'slightly' haha(sarcasm). Anyways, my days weren't all work work since that's not healthy at all, I squeezed in a very thought inspiring book. "The Age of Innocence" by Edith Wharton.

    Its set in Old New York society, where rules and tradition is hard-wired into its residents' heads. The hero of the story, Newland Archer, enjoys his safe environment where nothing" unpleasant" is ever mentioned. He is also  engaged to the prettiest girl in society,May Welland. Even though, she is slightly narrow-minded he takes manly pride in the opportunity to broaden her mind and release her inner intellect. (at that stage of the book, I really didn't like Newland Archer, something so 18th century sexist about him). 
     Anywhoos, he meets her foreign,free-spirited cousin, Ellen Countess Olenska and things get really "complicated". During this time he realizes just how constrained and hypocritical New York Society really is, and the reality of his marriage to May.
    "It would presently be his task to take the bandage from this young woman's eyes, and bid her look forth on the world. But how many generations of the women who had gone to her making had descended bandaged to the family vault? He shivered a little, remembering some of the new ideas in his scientific books, and the much-cited instance of the Kentucky cave-fish, which had ceased to develop eyes because they had no use for them. What if, when he had bidden May Welland to open hers, they could only look out blankly at blankness?""
- Book One, Chapter 10, The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton

The Age of Innocence isn't really a romance novel. The novel is more about sociology, psychology, and morality. After reading this book, I was so appreciative, that I was born into a  reasonable practical society, that doesn't have a bunch of dumb rules to supposedly simplify life that in actuality make it stifling and complicated for the thinking.
         While talking about unromantic thought-provoking romance, I added the below Camera Obscura music video for their song French Navy. Normally, I would say that I don't like music videos that are just enactments of the lyrics of the song. But, while this video is an enactment of the lyrics, I love it. Really, its not a completely direct enactment of the lyrics, and, the artist is in the movie, but, not involved in the enactment of the lyrics.Plus, the video is done very well and has a raw feel to it.


Last thing: a pic I love alot, to add cozy sweetness to this post.:)  Much thanks for reading. I promise Il try very hard not to go m.i.a for that long, again.:)  Many many hugs and warm feelings.