Pink Martini at The Orpheum

On Wednesday, November 3rd, I caved in though my finances weren't in the best of places and got tickets to see Pink Martini at The Orpheum.

My golden ticket

I had written the concert into my datebook the moment I knew they were coming into Boston.  But I really held off, just feeling that I didn't really deserve to go until I found a job.  As the date neared, I could feel the anxiety creep up on me.  I needed to go, and so I went.

For some reason, some of the information was incorrect, and the band was already playing Ravel's "Bolero" when I walked in through the door.  The second they directed me to where my seats were, I bolted up the 2 flights of stairs and found my seat.

Word of advice to anyone who hasn't been to The Orpheum.  The seats are horrible.  I'm relatively short, but my knees were already knocking against the seat in front of me and I had to sit somewhat sideways and twisted to be comfortable.  My seat was also up against a wall at the end of a row of people already sitting.

But the second I sat down and got settled (though not really comfortable), I was so so happy to be in my seat.

It's interesting to me that the majority of people in the audience are much older than me, but it's nice to know that Pink Martini has such a diverse following.  Perhaps due to the diversity in their music, the crowd is usually full of different people.

Another fun thing about Pink Martini concerts is that you can really learn a lot more about their music than any website can tell you.

At one point, Thomas Lauderdale, the pianist and conductor of the band, introduced the song Ninna Nanna on their most recent album, "Splendor in the Grass."  It's a song sung in Neopolitan, and apparently, it's sung by a mermaid to a sleeping sailor!

When he said that, I basically had my mouth open in shock for a couple of seconds, shocked that I hadn't looked up the lyrics beforehand to realize that.  This website is a great resource for Pink Martini lyrics:
Alwaysontherun.net and here is the song via YouTube.

Though their concerts never seem to last for too long, it's always quite a satisfying experience.  This is my 4th time seeing them, and I really hope that there will be more opportunities to come.

Brazil for the Encore

Flexing My American Rights

Today is Election Day in the United States.

I am personally one who believes that if one doesn't vote, they basically give up their right to complain about anything that's going wrong.  I also believe that some of the people I know who are unable to vote for various reasons are probably more deserving of that right than those who don't voice their choice.

It's always interesting to me when people are "not into politics."  It's fine to be frustrated by it all.  But it just feels so important to know what's going on just to be able to protect your rights.

So, while I'm not wanting to scare away my readers, I want to stress that I also agree to disagree.  I won't care less for you as a human being if you don't agree with me.

Now while I've always believed in the the power of voting, I've never taken much more of a role other than casting my ballot.

Since I've been unemployed, a friend recommended that I sign up to be a poll worker.  Apparently, for the one election day, a poll worker would work the entire day and be paid a stipend.  I hesitated a bit, just because I wasn't sure what I would be doing on election day.  But I went for it, and before I knew it, I was assigned as an Inspector to my voting location, but for a different ward and precinct.

Allston-Brighton Wards 21 and 22
and their Precincts

Training
Since it was my first time working the polls, I had to attend a short training.  I made my way to Boston's City Hall, and sat in a room full of new Inspectors.

Some things I learned from this training include information about who the Inspectors (people who help check you in, check you out, explain the ballot, tell you where you need to go by putting up signs and greeting you at the door, and anything else that might need to be done), Clerks (people who help check you in, keep track of numbers, and keep track of the voters), and Wardens (basically the big boss, who decides when breaks are, what your roles are, in charge of the ballot machine, and in charge of everything) are.

I also learned that people will generally ask questions that have already been asked.  Also, people are generally unappreciative of the choices that they are able to make.

At one point during the training, I realized that people were getting really grumpy at the training leader.  They were unhappy that things were going so slow or that people were asking the same questions, and I just heard a lot of mumbling and grumbling.

I was getting a bit annoyed at the time suck, but I knew that I had signed up and sent in my application for this job.  Naturally, I would need to be trained on how to do my job correctly, and it would have been a horrible idea to go into the polling place completely unaware of my job duties.

But seriously, I felt that I had nothing to complain about considering that we were all being PAID to attend the training.  I really just wanted to say, "Suck it up, people.  Be thankful that you even have this opportunity."

Official

Working the Polls
Gosh, this has been the earliest I've had to wake up in a really long time that didn't involve a shoe avalanche caused by Mencken.

Today, I worked from 6am-8pm.  I just have to say right off the bat that my feet are killing me!  Even though I was wearing comfortable shoes, my tootsies are exhausted.  Being who I am (that is, an event organizer), I was up on my feet a lot mainly because I couldn't just sit there when I saw that things needed to be done.

I also want to say right off the bat that this was one of the most rewarding voting experiences of my life.

"Do you know what ward you vote at?"
Firstly, it was fascinating to see how many people are completely unaware of where they need to vote, and even more fascinating how many people have not gone through the appropriate channels to change their information with the election department.  I understand that Allston and Brighton have a lot of residents who move a lot, so it makes sense that people might not know the specifics of where they vote.

By the end of the day, people were definitely more frustrated with the entire process.  They had worked a full day, some had come from the wrong location, and some had come into the wrong location.  At one point, one woman was exhausted and frustrated at being redirected to our location, stating that the previous poll workers were rude and she basically cried before heading to us.

Once 5pm hit, I started to greet people at the door and direct them to their correct table.  I really think it helped to lessen the clusterfuck at the doorways and prevented people from standing for a long time in the wrong line.

"I'm from the University."
One interesting experience (that hits on how much people take their rights for granted) was when one dude came in trying to take pictures of the polls and voting.  He took a picture, and I suddenly felt like he was really impinging on peoples privacy.  I called to him saying that I really wasn't sure why he was taking pictures and directed him to talk to the Warden.

As I stated earlier, the Warden is in charge of the entire show.  One thing I knew was that if I was uncertain about anything, I needed to ask the Warden.  She echoed my sentiments on uncertainty, and luckily there was someone from the Election Department present at the moment.  He proceeded to call someone and settle on the fact that no one knew who this guy was and hadn't been told about someone coming in to take pictures.

This guy had the most irritating attitude.  His responses consisted of, "I'm from the University Pollworkers Project" (to which I thought, ya..um..which university in Boston and so what?), and "I've been taking pictures all day at the State House" (to which I said, Ya well, this isn't the State House.).

I couldn't believe the crap that was coming out of his mouth.  If he's part of the Suffolk University Pollworkers Project, shouldn't he just go to the polls where Suffolk University students are working?  He didn't even ask if anyone was a student before taking pictures of the voting area.

Everything he said to justify what he was doing just felt so entitled.  And now that I know what this Pollworkers Project is, I feel like I now understand why I felt very little appreciation for the position at the training I attended.

Staying Impartial
Truly, the most difficult thing I had to do today was assist two different women in filling out their ballots.  One woman was legally blind and needed someone to read the names and the questions.  Another woman had hurt her hand and was unable to use it.  One of them voted for the Republican candidate for Governor, and it hurt my soul a bit to fill out that bubble.  Another woman voted very differently on the questions from how I voted, and it also felt difficult to explain them to her without sounding biased.

It's part of our job to not influence votes.  And it was definitely an exercise in restraint. 

Profiling
While I'm a little frustrated at the Suffolk University Pollworkers Project, especially considering that I would prefer more of the long time residents to sign up as poll workers, I understand the basis of it.  The majority of poll workers are much older, while all the voters are much younger.  I do think that more residents should know about this opportunity and really take advantage of it.

I definitely found myself asking specific questions depending on what I noticed from the people who walked through the door.  For example, I would ask, "Do you know what ward your vote at?" to anyone who seemed younger than 40.  However, to anyone who seemed older I would ask, "Do you know where you need to go?"

I definitely caught myself whenever the words would leave my mouth.  Near the end of the evening, I started just asking, "Do you know what ward you vote at?" to everyone who came in through the door.

Highly Recommended
Overall, it was great interacting with so many people who have worked the polls for so many years.  It was fun to chat with them and I felt so welcomed as the newbie.  I chatted a lot with one of the Police Officers that was assigned to work with us in the morning, and connected to all the workers present. 

One of my favorite things was to greet people who said, "This is my first time."  How amazing!  How inspiring!  How really, truly American.  To be there and be part of someone's initiation rites as an American citizen is really a powerful experience.

It was fascinating to be behind the scenes of the voting polls.  It really made me appreciate the poll workers more than I ever have before.  It make me appreciate efficiency as well as being prepared before showing up to vote.  It made me appreciate the entire political process.

I would most definitely do this again every election year if possible, and I highly recommend the experience to all my peers.

Simple Pleasures Sundays - Halloween

How could I not do a post about Halloween?

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, especially because it really starts the holiday season.  So, a while back, I was trying to plan out my Halloween costume.  Lo and behold, I was able to wear two very different costumes this weekend!

Friday night, I was a mermaid.  I had been really feeling my love for mermaids a little bit stronger lately, so I was excited to use one night as an excuse to dress up.

Tons of glitter, tons of pearls, tons of scales...

This costume was a lot of work because of the makeup.  Different shades of glitter were were used for my eyes and face, I packed on the blush, and I had to make sure there was enough color on my lips.

Glitter from Sassy Sparkles, Too:
sassysparklestoo.tripod.com

Saturday night was my night to pair up with the boyfriend.  Truth be told, it was a lot of fun to be absolutely silly with him and act like tourists.  It was also fun to explain that our pieces were at least authentic, with our Hawaiian shirts actually from Hawaii and our Mickey ears actually from Disneyland.

Happy Tourist!

This costume was definitely a lot less work!  I still packed on the makeup, making my cheeks look extremely tan and rosy, and I also put more tint on my lips.  Otherwise, we just wore our Hawaiian shirts, jeans (because it was really a bit chilly), and socks under our sandals.

Capturing our reflection on the T

Now, while getting all gussied up in a costume isn't exactly a simple act or a simple thing, there is just some pleasure in dressing up as someone completely different.  What's so wonderful about Halloween is being free to take on a persona that is such a stretch from who you are.  It's an opportunity to really learn more about who you actually are on non-Halloween days.

And since I've spent most of the weekend being someone different, for Halloween day I'm being myself.

Dream Escapes - Team Effort

I've had this dream before, but this time around there were so many differences almost acknowledging that time has past.

The dream was basically about a massive activity weekend, featuring several physical tests and rally races.  In my original dream, my team was the winner.  We had to climb up a massive structure, climb back down, go back up through a different way and slide down a massive ice luge.  Then we had to do a series of physical tests, like jumping jacks and push ups.  Finally, we had to run up a mountain and race to the finish.

In this dream, it was clear that time had passed and our team had gained some notoriety.  We had somehow built a team of 26 members, with each "persona" in a costume that started with a different letter of the alphabet. 

For some reason, we kept being late to the contests.  We would get lost, or we weren't able to find the person who was supposed to compete at the moment.  At one point, there was a frightening incident in the women's restroom with overflowing toilets.

I had a team meeting with my group, and I made it clear to them that the fact that we had grown in such numbers already made us quite a popular team.  I stressed that there was no stress on us to win, but others in the team didn't seem to agree.

I woke up before the official first game.

****************

Now, what was this dream about?  How did I feel and where could I apply it to my real life?

Well, I felt very proud of my accomplishments and of the fact that people recognized us.  But I conflicted with focusing on having a good time and trying to win again.  It's as though my goals were conflicted.

I'd have to say that I have definitely felt that way about the paths that I'm choosing.  While I am excited and hopeful about find a full time job, I'm also aware that I have my own dreams and goals that I would like to accomplish.  I know that whatever position I end up at, I will use it to grow from and take the lessons I've learned to work towards my own goal.  But should I just go for my own goal now?

Part of it, and part of what I felt in my dream, was fear of losing.  It's almost as though I was so uncertain about winning the competition that I tried to focus on having a good time instead.  But, if I have people who are willing to back me up and really go for the gold, then I should just give it my all as well...right?

I know that it makes me nervous to go for my nonprofit, because I'm scared of failing and I'm scared of how that might affect others in my team.  I'm still working on my business plan, and it definitely needs some tweaking.  I'm hoping to keep having inspirational dreams about it.

This Mermaid's Thoughts on The Little Mermaid

So, in this day and age of Disney Princesses and Feminism, we all have an idea of what Hans Christian Andersen's and Disney's "The Little Mermaid" are all about.  But let me recap for you who might not be as familiar as I am.

After hearing about her older sisters' adventures exploring outside of the ocean, a young Sea Princess is extremely curious about the world on land but has to wait until she is 15 for her chance.  During her exploration, she sees a ship crashing and saves a man who fell into the ocean knowing that men cannot breath underwater.  She falls completely in love with him.

Lo and behold, he is a Prince.  In desperation, she goes to the famed and feared Sea Witch to see if she could do anything for the Little Mermaid.  The Sea Witch makes a bargain:  The Little Mermaid has to give her voice to the Sea Witch in exchange for human legs.

In the Andersen version, she would feel like she's constantly walking on the sharpest knives, and there was no deadline for the Little Mermaid to have the Prince marry her.  However, the Sea Witch is merely helping the Little Mermaid because she was asked to help.  She actually stays with the Prince for a very long time.  However, the Prince still believes that another princess was the one who saved him from the sea.  In the Disney version, she has 3 days to get the Prince to kiss her, and the Sea Witch is mainly out for revenge and power. 

In the Andersen story, she sacrifices her life to keep him alive, but ends up as sea foam.  The Prince did love her, but not romantically.  The Prince lives a happy life with his other princess, and the Little Mermaid becomes a Spirit of the Air and eventually gains a soul, which mermaids do not have.  Clearly, the Walt Disney Studios couldn't have a title character die, so she gets her Prince, and her father blesses their union with a rainbow in the sky.

Ariel's name, in fact, is an ode to Andersen's ending, representing the Spirits of the Air.

DisneyParks.com ad, photography by Annie Liebowitz

Romantic Point of View
Perhaps for some, Disney's Little Mermaid might be a symbol that dreams do come true, and that a Prince will then do everything in his power to protect you if you are willing to do anything for him as well.  After all, love should lead to an equal partnership.

In the Andersen version, the Little Mermaid truly sacrifices everything.  But because of her love, the Prince was able to live a long and happy life.  After all, love should mean that you are able to let your partner live their most fulfilling life.

Now, while I believe that we all deserve our happily ever after, there are some that seek that out and actively try to reach that fairytale goal no matter what.  Some believe they have to give up a lot, while others believe they'll only have to give up a little bit.  Either way, there is always something you will have to give up, even if it means that your partner doesn't have to.

Painting by Howard Pyle

Feminist Point of View
The general feminist point of view of the Little Mermaid is that she is a horrible role model for little girls.  She teaches girls that men will like you if you do not speak or speak only when you are spoken to.  She teaches that you should do whatever it takes to make someone fall in love with you, even if it means altering your body.  It also teaches girls that men and romantic love are more important than your family.

Here's a funny video about this point of view.



However, there is another feminist point of view that reflects upon this character: Ariel and the Little Mermaid are both strong female characters and role models.

Not only does she stand up to the patriarchal and perhaps racist system that her father uses to "keep her down" or oppress her, but she also seeks help from another female source.  In Andersen's version, there is very little about the sea king, and the majority of adult characters are all female.  The Sea Witch is more about the dark and mysterious side of femininity, and she wields her own power in that way.

Would the story have been different if she just tried to get his attention without the Sea Witch's help?  Ariel's original idea was to ask her friends to help her get his attention. Getting legs, though it was something she was curious about, wasn't necessarily her first choice.  It really wasn't until

In the Disney version, Ursula makes bargains with various merfolk who usually want selfish things they could actually attain themselves ("This one's longing to be thinner, that one wants to get the girl, and do I help them?  Yes I do.").  While Ursula is still the villain because of her harsh punishments, she also insinuates that she changed after being removed from the palace, though she doesn't specify whether she was a better creature back then or not.

In the Andersen version, she realizes that sacrificing her most precious asset prevented the Prince from really seeing who she was, but she also learns that causing more pain by killing him would not solve a thing.  She took responsibility for her actions and her choices.  Perhaps love doesn't have to mean sacrificing after all.

In the Disney version, Ariel actually stands up for herself after realizing that she had been tricked.  In fact, she doesn't let the fact that she was human and voiceless stop her from trying to do something about it.  Perhaps the only unfortunate part of the ending was that she couldn't stay a mermaid, though if Prince Eric loved her enough he would marry her regardless.

Historian Point of View
In the introduction of Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales written by Jackie Wullschlager, she basically breaks down his life story and mentions when he wrote certain stories.  There was some speculation that Andersen was actually bisexual, and often conflicted with his conflicting sides. Considering that Andersen and the 1800's had strong religious values, it makes sense that Andersen would question the validity of his soul and reflect that in his stories.

Being that mermaids are of two opposing natures, it is quite possible that "The Little Mermaid" was written about him wanting to be with someone but not being able to. I am sure that his version of mermaids without a soul was a reflection on how he felt separated from God because of his feelings.  The idea that the Little Mermaid would only gain a soul by being loved by a human and by sacrificing her happiness surely reflects on his decisions.

From Amazon.com

My Point of View
When I was young and had just arrived from the Philippines, it seemed that mermaids were quite popular in film.  "Splash" had been released under Disney's live-action branch, and (SPOILER ALERT) ended with the human male joining the mermaid in her world.  Shelly Duvall's "Fairy Tale Theater" also had their version of "The Little Mermaid," which was more true to Andersen's original story.  And of course, there was Disney's "The Little Mermaid," which basically solidified my love for mermaids.

The story and the mythology spoke to my own experiences, focusing mainly on really wanting to be part of a world in which I didn't belong and willing to do anything to fit in.  At the age of 5, after being bullied, I had already made the conscious decision to stop speaking Tagalog so that I would lose my Filipino accent.  I had given up my voice, and it isn't until after doing so did I realize that I had given up an important part of who I am.

To me, Ariel was a scientist and an explorer, collecting artifacts from a world she is curious about, much like my own collection of seashell jewelry and my interest in Middle Eastern culture through belly dance.  The Little Mermaid's strength in continuing to walk regardless of the sharp stabbing pain not only shows her resolve in getting what she wants, but also reflects on the pain involved in changing in general.

I personally never agreed with the idea that giving up her tail would make someone fall in love with her.  In fact, it's clear that the Prince in Andersen's version loved her but felt unable to communicate, whereas Eric loved Ariel knowing full well that she was a mermaid.

While Andersen's version mentioned that the mermaid would gain a soul with the love of a human, it was her grandmother who assumed that the Prince would not love her because of her tail - yet, what if she did try to interact with the Prince as a mermaid?  What if King Triton actually waited for Eric to wake up so that he could see Ariel as she truly was?  If he loved her, it wouldn't matter.  I do believe that if she were left to her own devices, "The Little Mermaid" would look a lot more like "Splash."

Splash Movie Poster

I remember being excited that Disney was going to release a sequel to their version of the story.  Though I did find it silly that they basically told the same story using her human daughter wanting to be a mermaid, I was more excited to watch Eric and Ariel interact with each other.  Even though their interaction was not as highlighted as Ariel's relationship with her daughter, it was clear to me that there was love.  Selfishly, it felt validating.

In the end, the lessons I learned from both versions of "The Little Mermaid" will probably stick with me for the rest of my life.  Your voice is your best asset, and giving it up makes you lose your power.  It's okay to explore other worlds and other cultures, but never lose sight of where you came from.  Trust your gut and seek help from friends rather than strangers.

I will always and forever love "The Little Mermaid" in any form that it's told.  And no one can convince me otherwise.