Crossroads of the Heart

This week at Mama Kat’s Writing Workshop, one of the prompts is: Introduce a pet. I figured that Ms. Kina herself might do better justice to this introduction… so here she is!

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Heyyo! I’m Kina — formerly known as Sweetie by my old owner because I’m really sweet (duh). I can also be quite the princess so I’ve heard my current owner sometimes calls me Diva. Paleasee. Just cause a dog knows what she wants doesn’t mean she’s divalicious.

Anyways, speaking of owner, it’s about time she asked me to write on this dang thing. I’m only the most important thing in her life. Sometimes she sits in the living room typing away on that computer and I’m like heyyy can’t a dog get a belly rub over here? You realize you’re not actually talking to someone in person over there like rub the belly and then type, woman.

*Sigh*

Well – let me tell you about my background cause you people love to know about others’ pasts.

I was born in South Carolina in the land of sweet tea and palm trees except I was no where near the water (which I love!) so that was stinky. I grew up to ask for stuff when I wanted it so my way of communicating with people (you crazy creatures) is to paw at their face. Need to go the bathroom – paw. Want food – paw. Want love – paw. Paw, paw, paw. To me, this makes sense. To my old owner, he didn’t like that and instead of just giving me what I wanted, he hit me! That made me very sad and scared of people like him!

After a year and a half of his craziness, he finally took me to a shelter in South Carolina where I got to meet tonsss of other dogs, which was awesome! I love other dogs. Then, one day, a big white van came and I got into a cage in the van with 30 other dogs and we drove up to Washington D.C. (the land of opportunity — or so I’ve heard). This is where I met Caitlin! She was so nice and gave me a big hug after I got out of the van.

I immediately peed.

Unfortunately, this is what I do when I’m scared. I create a urine trail because I’m nervous a person might hit me like what happened in the past! Caitlin thought this was silly, but I don’t think she understands how crazy peeps can be sometimes. Let’s take one of our most recent trips to the dog park as an example. Here are some descriptions of just a few of the people at the park that fine afternoon.

• Strange Man #1 – First of all, Strange Man #1 brought a giant Hefty garbage bag to the park as his dog poop bag. Umm, sir, I don’t know what your dog is pooping but I’m pretty sure it’s not the size of a large bucket. Grocery sized bags are probably even too large for picking up our mounds of love. He then proceeded to pick up his dogs and hold them upside down in his arms…. Yeah. A bit cray cray. I even saw him pick up another guy’s dog!! Thank gosh he didn’t try that nonsense on me. I would have peed on his a$$ — just kidding… his foot.

• Strange Woman #1 – Strange Woman #1 brought her dog to the park, which was lovely, but then decided to pick flowers (leaves?) from the bushes in the dog park. Umm I understand your apartment is in need of a little greenery, but Trader Joe’s has plants for less than $5, lady. Or, pick some flowers/leaves from a normal park! Us dogs need something to aim our pee at! Hellooo.

• Strange Man #2 – This guy did not do anything strange to dogs or plants — thank goodness – but he did chat Caitlin’s ear off and stood oddly close to her while we were at the park. She was just trying to enjoy watching me play and hanging out on her own and he just wouldn’t give up. I totally feel for her. Sometimes I’m chasing after a ball and another dog is all up sniffing my booty and I’m like whoa step back, I just want that ball! Like, time and a place, buddy; time and a place.

Anyways, I just love Caitlin to death. We are best buddies! I am so glad I came up to D.C. and she was there for me. I hope she doesn’t ever give me up!

~Kina

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Thanks Kina! Great introduction – and I won’t ever give you up girlll even though you paw at my face, are terrified of other humans and shed like a mad dog. Love you!

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source: en.wikipedia.org

Over the weekend, I ventured out to see The Great Gatsby. It might be one of the first times I ever saw a movie on its opening weekend (except Titanic, of course!). Given the movie’s basis on classic literature and an author I admire, I felt compelled to write a review. SPOILER ALERT: I will talk about some variations between the book and the movie!

Overall, I really enjoyed the film. It was a unique blend of historic and modern nostalgia flirting with a love for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s writing and a talented filming style. Warning: If you are looking for a true-to-the-times and true-to-the-book flick, this might not be the one for you.

I read nothing of the film prior to seeing it so I was surprised to see Jay Z’s name in the closing credits. Google later informed me that he was responsible for “scoring” the film, which explains why many of his (& Beyonce’s) songs appear throughout its scenes (see not-true-to-the-times comment above). I understand why some people might not appreciate the mixing of ages and the blending of 1920’s jazz-age beats with Jay Z’s 2001 hit “Izzo.” For me, it displayed a refreshing comprehension of The Great Gatsby’s true religion: a showcasing of economic prosperity (dolla dolla bills y’all), flapper culture and bootlegging / illegal activity – themes still arguably persistent in our modern-day era.

Another distinct variation from the book is the missing relationship between Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) and Jordan Baker (Elizabeth Debicki). There are some scenes of mild flirtation, but movie-goers never witness a hint of an actual relationship between the two characters. Omitting this love story was entirely acceptable to me especially given the complexity of the other love triangles throughout the film. I’m not sure if it was this missing relationship link or the talented acting of Debicki, but Jordan ended up being my outright favorite character. I found her ridiculous ambivalence to the insanity surrounding her life downright hilarious and thoroughly appreciated as a persistent comic relief throughout the scenes.

Secondly, I greatly appreciated the movie’s portrayal of Nick as the writer of the tale. His quirky narration and passion for the Gatsby saga brought me a general sense of love and adoration for F. Scott Fitgerald’s writing style. Some of my favorite quotes used in the movie (I loved that they used direct quotes from the book!) included the following:

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” ~Nick

“I hope she’ll be a fool — that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” ~Daisy (regarding her daughter)

“Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead.” ~Nick (regarding Gatsby)

“In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.” ~Nick (describing Gatsby’s parties)

“It’s a great advantage not to drink among hard drinking people.” ~Nick

“Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.” ~Nick (regarding advice from his father)

“If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him” ~Nick (regarding Gatsby)

“The exhilarating ripple of her voice was a wild tonic in the rain.” ~Nick (describing Daisy)

“Life is much more successfully looked at from a single window.” ~Nick

“The city seen from the Queensboro Bridge is always the city seen for the first time, in its first wild promise of all the mystery and beauty in the world.” ~Nick

“She was feeling the pressure of the world outside and she wanted to see him and feel his presence beside her and be reassured that she was doing the right thing after all.” ~Nick (describing Daisy’s reaction to Gatsby)

“I was within and without. Simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.” ~Nick (this is arguably my favorite quote given that I think it sums up the main theme of the novel / movie)

Ultimately, it’s about time someone made a modern adaptation of the Gatsby novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamics of the 1920’s carefree mindset intertwined with the 21^st century’s love for grandeur. If you’re looking for an entertaining film showcasing love for the American culture (“New York…” in Alicia Keys vocals) with a pleasing and talented cast, Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby is the one for you.