Heroes

I obviously have a terrible memory.  I meant to update yesterday, I swear!

Anyway: let's talk about Heroes. Or just people that I look up to, whatever.

1) J.K. Rowling: I have to say, aside from my family, Harry Potter has been one of the most consistent parts of my growing up (actually, it might be more consistent than my family).  The presence and dependability of it always being a story I'll enjoy, with characters that I love has been a comfort at times.  Rowling's series has touched me so much, that it really cemented my dream of one becoming an author.  Of course, I might have wanted that before reading the series, and I was definitely an avid reader before I began them, but the level to which Rowling's writing and the world she created was able to draw me in was a real inspiration to my third grader self, and continues to be to my senior-in-high school self today.  Plus, JKR is pretty cool in general.

2)  Sherrod Brown: Brown is an Ohio Senator, and in my opinion is rather awesome.  I've had the opportunity to meet him before, though I was a little kid, but he was very nice.  In fact, I think that might be the thing that sets him apart from a lot of other politicians: he's nice, and he seems to be genuinely honest.  That's refreshing in a politician, especially what seems to be his genuine appreciation and caring of his constituents.  Brown is a person who almost makes me want to be a government official.  But honestly, I don't think I'd fit in.

These are the two that immediately come to mind that I can actually find a fair amount of words to talk about.  Other authors come to mind, particularly Alice Walker and Toni Morrison, and, of course, John Green.  Nellie Bly, the investigative journalist is rather badass, and I suggested reading about her, because she was really cool.  And also Rachel Maddow, who I deeply admire and would totally love to work for/intern for someday, if at all possible.  There's also the feminists Gloria Steinem, Jessica Valenti and Lucy Stone (though Stone would probably count more as a "suffragette").  Steinem started Ms. Magazine, another place I think it would be cool to work/intern at.  There's also my seventh- and eight-grade English teacher who set me on the path of being interested in journalism, and aspiration that the above mentioned Rachel Maddow has only perpetuated.

I think it's important to stop and think of the people who have influenced us, or that we look up to.  Even if it's an incredibly cheesy thing to say/do.

My recommendation is the film The Hours, it's also a book, about Virginia Woolf and her novel Mrs. Dalloway. But as I've never actually read either book (though I do intend to), the movie is what I am suggesting.

*Comes Out of the Woodwork*

So...uh... I don't remember if I had a decent excuse for missing last Monday, but yesterday I was busy studying for finals.  Better late than never?

What to talk about? Sex scandals? That just popped into my head, because recently the (unfortunately named) Senator Anthony Wiener has confessed that he has shared explicit photographs and conversations with multiple women over the past few years who are all decidedly not his wife.  It's really rather aggravating how long the list of Congressmen/politicians who have had either illicit, inappropriate or illegal relations has grown to.  Without even getting into the politics of it, doesn't this just fail at a moral level?

Sure, our elected officials are supposed to reflect their constituents opinions, but shouldn't they also be able to set an example by keeping it in their pants?  Or actually following the law (there are one or two that were engaged in prostitution, another harassing underage women, another coercing an employee into an affair, another covering up his love child using campaign money - WTF)?  Maybe that's just too much to ask for.

Anyway, venturing into politics now, if they can't manage to keep it in their pants, and (as most of them are married) keep from engaging in an affair, how exactly is homosexuality threatening the "sanctity of marriage"?  It's completely and disgustingly hypocritical, especially as one of the strongest anti-gay marriage (male) senators was caught with a rentboy. To be fair, not all of the offenders on that very long list of people engaged in sex-related scandal are homophobic or speak out against gay marriage, but many of them still purported to believe in 'family values'.  It's all very screwy (Pun intended? Maybe.)

Anyway, rant over.  I recommend watch the TV show Merlin.  It's a fairly good show, and almost always amusing.  Plus, it's British.