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.

" I Think I Really Love You, But Then Again, I Could Be Wrong"

    

  I love music that can serve multiple purposes. For example, the Eagle and the Worm or even Css. Both of these bands' music have a very upbeat groovy, kick up your feet vibe. So, they are perfect bands to listen to on the ride home after a long stressful day. On the other hand, the lyrics are quite deep and sentimental, so, they are perfect to listen to when having a meditative moment in your bedroom on a lazier day. The music video for All I know by the Eagle and The Worm is loved by me especially, because of its scenery. Maybe I'm suffering from "the grass is greener on the other side" syndrome, but, I really desire to spend a month or two in the country. I want to go somewhere with just acres of land, hay, cows (non-stinky kind), sheep, horses and forest.  .I also quite like the video(actually band) because of all the different instruments and how they come off as a bunch of friends having a wonderful jam session...





That being said, I will explain the title of this post. I love the TvLand Channel. Problem is, I don't have cable. So, I was enthralled when they announced late 2010, that starting 2011, channel 5.2 would be called Antenna TV(Vintage without the funny smell). They have many of the classic shows: Good Times, Three's Company, Sanford&Son, The Three Stooges, Denace the Menace, Gidget, Maude,Gidget , etc.and they play vintage movies at night and on the weekends.I don't particularly like spending alot of time in front of the TV but Id gladly spend all day on that channel.

   A couple of days ago I recorded a movie on 5.2 called Cactus Flower. Its a  1969 movie about a very tangled romantic situation. When thinking about the storyline and how to condense it into a sentence, this post title is what I came up with.
    In the story a successful dentist has a very unique free-spirited and quite young girlfriend that decides that she wants commitment from him. Even though, he says he loves her, he doesn't want to get married and so he pretends to have a wife and three kids. When the girlfriend says she wants to meet the wife and negotiate with her, he gets his assistant to play the role of his estranged wife. Theres alot of mess and a tangled web of lies. In the end, the dentist ends up in true love with his assistant and the girlfriend ends up in love with her writer neighbor, who's been there for her through all the drama.The movie is very funny and stylish and I love the seventy dance scene towards the end.



        Whats funny is that in the movie, the dentist and the girlfriend are not really right for each other. They just fit each other's ideals. The girlfriend likes how the dentist is successful, dresses nice, and mature. The dentist likes that his girlfriend is young, happy-go-lucky, and doesn't require commitment. The person that would truly be perfect for them is in front of their faces, but, does not match  their "romantic ideal". Since its a movie, they figure that all out in the end and end up with their perfect match.But real life doesn't always end that prettily. The movie reminds me of the importance of how important it is  to truly know yourself ,  and to listen to your idealistic heart and your rational head to be in a happy healthy relationship. The movie also reminds me of how cute a burgundy  velvet blazer can be too.. :)