Okay, I’ve been bad. Apologies for not giving you anything of worth to read lately (if this is not assuming too much), but my enthusiasm has been lacking lately. I decided to put my house up for sale, and dealing with the various entities involved with this awful process has kept me without any energy or willpower to write anything, let alone be entertaining about it (unless this is… oh never mind LOL)
The upside is that I won’t be boring you with the details! Yay! I do have a good idea of where I’m relocating to, but it depends upon how long it takes to sell this place, in this horrible market, before I take those steps. First things first. If it takes too long… well, let’s not go there. If things do go well, I’ll feel like posting more regularly, and things will seem more interesting to me rather than worrisome. If not… well, see above.
Shortly I’ll be writing a piece on my novel, UNBOUND, as it’s about the only thing of interest to me. It’s my raison d’ etre, if you will I have had two more readers lately who have gone through the entire manuscript and are both highly delighted and loving it, so my enthusiasm in that area remains ultra-high, as it has always been. Thanks to feedback from my various readers my faith in the story remains unshakable. Now, to somehow get publishers and/or agents as interested… Therein lies the problem.
While waiting (and waiting) for Realtors to call and prospective buyers to drop in, I’ve been watching baseball games on the PC (I’ve been a Baltimore Orioles fan since 1963 when the S.F. Giants traded away my hero, Stu Miller). Such a great game; both relaxing and exciting, often at the same time! And… sometimes neither, but oh well. Gotta take the bad with the good :) I also did a 24 marathon from Season 5, as I’m a 24-diehard, junkie, and devotee. It’s also the ONLY television I watch, aside from occasional The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and South Park episodes. I don’t like television all that much; it’s brain-rot, generally speaking. 24 is a major exception for me; I love it
I have yet to buy Season 6, but since I’m broke that won’t be happening very soon. Naturally, I did watch it, as I haven’t missed a minute since episode 3 of Season 1. Hm, well… come to think of it, I did miss one minute when someone decided to visit me despite my many warnings about “24 night”… before I slammed the door in his face. Oops! Doooon’t interrupt my 24 night! *shakes finger* (ESPECIALLY during the damn season finale!!!) God, that pissed me off LOL
I also haven’t been taking in much anime, as I have to feel relaxed enough to fully enjoy it; I take it seriously and can’t devote myself to the stories while dealing with urgent, life-challenging situations such as the one I’m in. Once I’m settled I do plan on catching up I’m still involved with the 2008 International Saimoe League, which generally has been enjoyable, except for the Despair at seeing my little sweeties getting their asses kicked, hated on, and disparaged in the Animesuki forum dedicated to it. Poor little Ayu *cries*
One of the more recent and very delightful animes I’ve seen is entitled Kamichu! which reminds me of the highly regarded film (and Oscar winner) Spirited Away. Very whimsical and cute, it tells the story of middle-schooler Yurie Hitotsubashi, who wakes up one morning to discover that she’s been made a god. No explanation, no great transformation scene; she just very matter-of-factly accepts this turn of events and begins trying to cope with it. Apparently being a god involves quite a lot of effort. I might have figured that. The placing of fantastical creatures and other beings alongside the otherwise ordinary slice-of-life series really lends an air of fantasy that I haven’t often seen done so successfully, or so heartwarming.
Here’s a little pic that a kindly visitor passed on:
Cute, huh? A fish fishing for fish
Well, that’s about it for this time. Sorry it’s been so long; time has REALLY sped up! Dealing with the cleaning, packing, gardening, and the various attendant aches and pains haven’t left me in the mood to beat this (seemingly) dead horse of a Blog. But I’ll be back; there are simply too many stories to tell! I’ll have to get around to the telling of Cathy and her brother Georges and daughter J.T., whom I recently was able to get back in touch with … now THAT tale will be of interest, I believe (Cathy was a French girl who introduced me to Jimi Hendrix and Eric Burdon when I was 16; a lot of people have enjoyed it, so I’ll be happy to share it someday!)
Be well, and stay happy, because life is all too short…
Just a quick post to let you know that I’m, yes, still alive (yay for me!), although highly distracted due to survival issues. I’ll spare you the details (you’re welcome), but they’re pretty involving and necessarily eating up my time. Anything explanatory might read as “boo-hoo, poor poor pitiful me”, and there are so many of those among us who are truly unfortunate having their own troubles that mine would fail to compare. So do pity those poor souls, as I’m living on Faith still trying to get by, though that is an extremely risky proposition. I’d recommend it to anyone, however, if you’ve the steel to deal with it… and most folks are much too sensible/rational/realistic to take such risks as I have. It’s a tough world, and Life is hard, sometimes…
Once things sort out I’ll post the results here, but one false step and I’ll be sliced to bits, and back at the drawing board, in several pieces. Learning to print once again. Probably with fingernails.
Stay tuned… and thank you for your kind attention.
I was finally able to watch Lars and the Real Girl last week, and since it’s so obviously a subject close to my heart thought I’d write up a review of this wonderful, heartwarming movie. I was really hesitant to see it at first, because movies and shows about dolls almost always focus on the “creepy” factor, and predictably end up with the hero “coming to his senses” and destroying, disposing of, or leaving behind his artificial companion in favor of a more socially-acceptable resolution. Much to my surprise and delight, Craig Gillespie’s direction combines with Nancy Oliver’s brilliant writing and together they produced a film that is memorable, funny, and provocative, in the sense of using the doll as a device to bring people together rather than the cliched conflict-heavy plots of the more pedestrian (and forgettable) films of the past.
But the star of the show (other than Bianca-Doll) is Ryan Gosling, who brings forth an incredibly deep and realistic portrayal of Lars as a sweet, gentle, yet troubled young man, not because of his need for or his interaction with a life-sized doll, but someone in the grips of a crippling loneliness which leads to his manifesting his delusion into flesh, albeit silicone flesh. Such a convincing and rich performance should not be missed; Ryan brings to Lars a unique perspective and flawless depiction of a young man seeking love without even knowing it, making his choices in the best way that he knows how, given his isolated and cramped comfort-zone. Despite the apparent fantasy of his delusion, he brings the role to life with real understanding, and his interactions with Bianca are so true-to-life despite the unlikelihood of his situation. Not many viewers will likely relate to it, but they will to Lars’ genuine attempts to break the shell that he lives in.
From an interview included on the DVD, he says this: “Lars is very lonely, but he doesn’t make a choice out of loneliness to be loved; he makes a choice to love something.”
But how can one find love when wrapped so tightly in a cocoon of solitude? How can one deal with that crushing solitude in the presence of everyone else’s (presumably healthy and happy) relationships? And, how can one cope with the lack of happiness without imposing his bleak outlook or “problem” on his loved ones and companions? Lars doesn’t know, but he’s about to find out, with the help and support of his family and friends, and Bianca. I’ll admit to finding the likelihood that everyone in the town would be so tolerant rather than riding him out of town on a rail as unrealistic, but that contrast is exactly the charm of this film, and it offers hope that we as a society might do the same and be kind, wise, and tolerant rather than the cynical and derisive beings that we’ve become.
Early on, one scene stuck out in its starkness: Lars sitting alone in his garage-home, in the dark, and isolated in every aspect despite the affectionate invitation just shown him by Karin. It’s as if he can’t feel anything warm or loving, every bit as much as he can’t tolerate being touched, which he so obviously needs to be. Dagmar tries (with varying degrees of success) but Lars is resolute; it hurts him when someone displays any physical affection.
The supporting cast is wonderfully chosen and there isn’t a false note out of any of them: Paul Schneider as Gus, Lars’ incredulous brother; Emily Mortimer as Karin, Gus’ concerned wife, Kelli Garner as Margo, Lars’ cute co-worker, and Patricia Clarkson as Dagmar, the wise and understanding doctor who “treats” Bianca, but really trying to help Lars deal with his delusion that Bianca is a living person. When they (and all the townspeople) begin to accept Bianca as exactly that, Lars begins his journey out of his cocoon, and emerges, if not triumphantly, then gracefully, beautifully; like a butterfly…
At church, in another early scene, the preacher says, “Love one another. That is the one, true law. Love is God in action.” You don’t need to be a believer to believe that (It should come as no surprise to those who know me that, given my own manifestation of my character of Lily Godwin as a Realdoll, that this is a prominent message that runs through her novel as well. See her section and the excerpt on Unbound.org for details.)
So the film isn’t so much about a man and his life-sized “sex doll” but rather about the doll bringing everyone together to help someone they love. In fact, one of my favorite things about Lars is that it never focuses on the sexual aspects of the doll (other than the townpeople’s hilarious reactions); Bianca is truly a “love doll”. That is a significance that everyone needs to understand, and get their minds out of the ever-convenient-and-present gutter. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I guess. Only the uninitiated (and outright horn-dogs lol) consider them as simply sex toys. Given how society is these days that is sadly unsurprising. So, all we can do is break that assumption down, and Lars succeeds in this manner spectacularly.
I took extensive notes during the flim; here are a few from the hastily-jotted selections; they are written so as to avoid spoilers:
The Realdoll website in the film is only partly “real”; they don’t use the cheesy voiceovers of the dolls shown in the film which come out like any porn-flick actress’ would. But yes, the combinations with all the options available is in the millions, as Director Gillespie says in the short documentary. This is how I got Lily to look so convincingly close to how I imagined her in the story (some pics of her are shown well below this post).
A good example of how the dolls serve the observers’ imagination was shown when Karin begins talking to Bianca about her job, and how the townspeople used Bianca to provide them with what they wanted, a librarian, church member, even a mirror for their own beliefs as to how a woman should be treated. A doll (any doll) is a toy for the imagination; or, you might say, a tool. And a fertile imagination is a good thing
Dagmar’s first meeting Bianca, and examining her in front of Lars: “Her blood pressure’s low.” Later, when talking with Karin and Gus, who’s distraught at his brother’s delusion, she says, “Bianca is real. She’s in town for a reason.”
At their first breakfast, where an obviously disgusted Gus is not feeling well enough to go to work, Lars suggests that Bianca might help him get better, as “she’s had nurse’s training.” Pushed over his limit, Gus responds, “No, she doesn’t have nurse’s training - she’s just a big, plastic thing!” Ignoring the remark (or refusing to hear it), Lars turns to Bianca and turns back to Gus. “Did you hear that? Bianca says that’s why God made her - to help people.”
When Gus tells his co-workers about Bianca, one of them says, “Wish I had a woman who didn’t talk.” This misogynist statement is about as common as is that uttered by other ignorant folk such as, “The dolls are creepy and so are those who own them.” But as that isn’t exactly misogynist, I’ll settle for reprobatist. If that’s even a word. In any case, both are too common, but typical given the lack of awareness and sensitivity we have towards each other these days.
Interesting to note Lars’ co-workers who treasure action-figures and teddy-bears, giving them their affections; at one point a church member chastises another intolerant member with, “Your cousin dresses his cat up and (another) gives donations to a UFO society!” So, what is “weird,” exactly? Whatever the flock of sheep doesn’t accept as the safely-weird du jour? That changes daily, and who cares to even want to keep track of what they deem acceptable? I guess those that need to belong… need to be approved of… need to be seen as “unthreatening” to the flock/herd/masses. A doll threatens that because she (or he) can be a replacement for those lacking in tolerance but who demand tolerance of their disdain. And that’s unacceptable to them because they need to have those they can flog.
Lars comments about Bianca were insights into himself, using the doll as a proxy therapist: He is going to take her to the lake, and explains to Gus, “Bianca’s asking me all these questions -she wants to know all about me.” At Dagmar’s, after a pitying remark, he says, “She doesn’t feel sorry for herself. She just wants to be normal and have everyone treat her normal.” Later on, he is reading to her from a book, the passage says: “But what distressed him greatly was not having another hermit there to confess him.” So, even though he can’t explain it well to others, Lars is very self-aware, and knows what he wants, and needs. Bianca is truly helping him to come to terms with what these things might be.
Margo to Lars when she’s in a down mood regarding a breakup: “He wasn’t that interesting.” Lars: “Then why was he your boyfriend?” Margo: “I get lonely.” “Oh yeah?” “Yeah…” Which, aside from just feeling lonely, does address a problem we have today in this give-it-to-me-quick society: Hasty relationships based on initial physical attraction without a thought toward what the person is really like or a true compatability, as long as one can be seen as “involved” which is much rather preferable than being seen as single, or a loner, or worse… But loneliness is common to everyone; dealing with it is how we escape that void. And Lars, with Bianca’s help is trying…
I have to admit loving Margo; Kelli Garner, the actress who portrays her, was so good, and so cute (I’d have definitely approached her right away lol) I don’t want to give too much away, but I noted Lars’ difficulties with Bianca emerging right after he sees Margo getting involved with another co-worker. After he and she go bowling together, there’s a short deleted scene where Lars approaches Bianca who’s sitting in the tub; but clearly he’s feeling more distant, troubled over his enjoyable time with Margo. Fully-clothed, he gets in the tub, but doesn’t communicate, except for a feeble, “Hi.”
Another brief scene which I enjoyed was from another sermon at church, where the preacher quoted, “When I was a child, I spake as a child. I understood as a child…” I’m not sure, but I think that this might have been used in Wim Wenders’ remarkable film (and my favorite) Wings of Desire (which coincidentally is a story that someone compared Lily’s novel to.)
One of the final touching scenes was when Bianca was feeling unwell, and Karin asked through the shut bedroom door after getting no responses, “Bianca? Don’t you want to see this beautiful day?” And so the door opens… and when that happens, as the saying goes…
I liked the Fellini quote at the end: “If there were a little more silence, if we all kept quiet… maybe we could understand something.” Brilliant!
And this from Director Craig Gillespie: “The premise of the movie doesn’t do justice for the journey you go on.” That’s exactly the problem I’m having with selling Lily’s story. Too many query requirements demand you describe that, and some things are just too inexpressible to be done as concisely as they demand, and need to be directly experienced by the recipient of the work. Namely, You
In short, as Craig says (I think), “the movie is about people communicating with each other and coming together, and about connecting, and the doll is a conduit for that.”
And, it’s about Love. This is a scene from the anime series Rozen Maiden, which tells of those magical (ball-jointed) dolls’ adventures. Jun, the young protagonist, is visiting the doll-maker’s shop, and is speaking to Enju, the dollmaker, who says, “The feelings you put into a doll are all the same. As long as you pour love into them, they continue to live.” Jun: “Love…” Enju: “When love disappears, they die. They become lost. No matter who it is.” He cradles his newly-made doll, smiles, and says to it, “Hello.”
There is more to Life, and Love, than meets the eye. Lily hopes that you may read her story one day to discover this, and that
Kudos to all those who got together to make this film: producers, director, writer and actors. It is truly wonderful! Nancy Oliver said that she got the idea from visiting a doll-forum where doll-owners who don’t treat their dolls as simple sex-receptacles exist, and rumor says that a handful of us might have provided the portraits around which her story was framed. If so, she gets a heartfelt thanks for portraying us not as misfits of society, but people worthy of being understood. While none of us are delusional (I don’t think!), she definitely “gets” the relationships between us and our dolls. It’s only as weird as you think; therefore, any problems lie not with us…
Whether you’re intrigued by the dolls or not, everyone should see this film for the lessons in tolerance and deeper understanding it teaches. Thanks to the creators and the actors who so deftly delivered The Word
Well, I actually had to go to the hospital emergency room yesterday to see to this neck problem, as it simply wasn’t getting better, but worse. I found myself unable to sleep a wink, settling for two-and-three hour “naps” which led to an increasingly less-stable frame of mind and a constant awful pain in my right arm and hand. Needing to be figuring on (a) getting the employment issue resolved, and (b) fixing my truck so that I could actually GO to the interviews, and (c) needing to be reasonably healthy, physically AND mentally, for said interviews, and (d) alertly keeping up with publication/submission/querying procedures, I arrived at the conclusion that the medical issue needed tending to first.
So, I dropped off my truck to a repair shop which was two blocks from the hospital and ventured back into the Health Care System after not having even seen a doctor since 2002. *knocks wood* -been fairly healthy for the most part. Compared to Kaiser, this hospital was a blessing… ONE person in the waiting room, and as streamlined a process as possible. Shortly after being led into the room a doctor came in and after the Q&A prescribed me some 800 Motrins and Vicodins. It’s been so long since I had Vicodin I’d forgotten how they were… and for good measure he also gave me an injection of Vicodin …WITH STEROIDS!!! WTF?
Oh well, he’s the doc, right? Injections don’t bother me (unless they’re in my mouth lol) so I rolled up my sleeve. He said, “We can either give it to you in your arm or in your butt.” I thought “oh please don’t put it that way.” But images of Roger Clemens entered my mind (well, sort-of) and I figured if he can take it that way then I can. Except for the cheating aspect and if he actually did. But I think the last time I got a shot in my ass was sometime in the ’60s or thereabouts, and whatever it was made me so sore I couldn’t sit afterwards. The doc said that it would take a day to kick in but it’s generally better there than in the arm, since a lot of fluid had to be injected. Again, I had to (silently) question the doc’s choice of words. So, manning it up (I suppose) I dropped my drawers. He cleared his throat and said, “Actually, we just inject it in the hip.” WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE?” Hastily I pulled my pants back up and he nipped me in the hip; I barely felt it.
Now, I’m feeling it, but definitely not any pain. That is for sure. So, all things considered, Motrin 800 + Vicodin tablet + delayed reaction from Vicodin shot PLUS Steroidal juice = pretty-much diminished pain, at last. Yay, (legal) bliss!
I’ve had to reduce my time at the PC since that’s probably what kicked off the pinched nerve in the first place (likely due to marathoning Sayonara Zetsobou Sensei for 6 hours while keeping my arm poised over the spacebar to pause the video in order to read the numerous and constantly-changing blackboard quotations -don’t ask lol). So that means sporadic Blog-updating until this condition clears; in the meantime I’ll be doing some serious relaxing, which is something I rarely get a chance to do. Anime-watching is not relaxing but involving for me, so instead I’ve been catching up on movies I’ve missed, like Lars and the Real Girl, which I hope to review here next; a wonderful quirky little film, excellently acted and written/directed. And, you might say that I do have a vested interest, as does Lily (and by extension, Eden too).
Thanks for reading, and until next time it’s Sayonara Zetsobou Sensei (aka “Goodbye Mister Despair” LOL!)…
I just came across the most amazing AMV (Anime Music Video) combining Haibane Renmei and Kimi ga Nozomu Eien, also known as Rumbling Hearts in The Western World. Both of these anime are in my “sacred circle” of masterpieces of story-telling; un-rankable, incomparable, and so very memorable. For a very (necessarily) brief description of Haibane, see the post two entries below this one, or the Wiki for it, here. I’m happy to say that I managed to track down apparently the last box set of it at RightStuff, but they still have single copies left of all four DVDs, and very reasonable priced!
Rumbling Hearts is a highly emotional love story that is among the most dramatic I’ve ever seen. It circles around three young people: the male protagonist Takayuki, and the two other points to this triangle, Haruka and Mitsuki. Mitsuki sets Takayuki up with Haruka while they’re still in high school, despite having deep but concealed feelings for him herself. Haruka is involved in a horrible accident and becomes hospitalized; the story deals with the subsequent consequences. It unflinchingly portrays the affects of post-traumatic stress syndrome, numbing guilt, aspirations failed and fulfilled, and self-sacrifice. I’ll leave the rest to the handy Wiki for it, which you’ll find here.
In this AMV, entitled “Reflections”, the creators have masterfully excised Rakka from Haibane and essentially re-animated her into clips from Rumbling Hearts, where she replaces Haruka, and the concepts of both anime become a brand new story, told through the lyrics of the song “Do You Know…” by Maksim (it’s in Russian, but well-translated with subtitles). If you go to the YouTube page for it you’ll find a lengthy information post detailing everything in the production, and story background. I highly suggest doing so, as you can then maximize the video to fullscreen and get the full effect. It really seems as if Rakka is singing/telling the story to you, and sharing and showing it to you. The amount of work involved is unimaginable and must have taken weeks if not months to produce. I should point out that you don’t need to have knowledge of the stories in order to enjoy this video, as the beautiful song provides a new one for the appropriate imagery.
Greetings from wherever I am to wherever you are. I’ve been somewhat “inconvenienced” with a severe pinched nerve in my neck which has muted my enthusiasm and mood considerably. I think three weeks is long enough to deal with it, so I’m not anymore. Time to try the “mind over matter” theory; namely, “if I don’t mind, it won’t matter.” In theory. We’ll see about that…
In what passes for ”news” hereabouts, I FINALLY heard back from Llewellyn Publishing about Unbound (after four months), and what I heard was: Rejection. It was in a roundabout way, as I didn’t hear that directly from them, but a subsidiary of theirs called “Midnight Ink” which I hadn’t even considered let alone know about. It’s actually a mystery-genre company, and nothing like the New Age-y/Spirituality publisher that Llewellyn is. HOW they got my query I’ll never know, but no matter; a rejection is a rejection (even though very polite), and will likely be one of a continuing series if the business is any indication of what it is, and what an aspiring author needs to deal with. So *shrug* -on to the next…
A friend passed by the Blog and indicated that my “You” generalities might be being taken as personally-directed towards those that don’t deserve it, so this bit of an explanation: They only pertain to those to whom the “You” may pertain to. In other words, with respect to anime and life-sized dolls, for instance: If I say something directed to “those who have hate-filled hearts” it only means those kinds of persons specifically, and not to those visitors who might be either merely curious, uninterested, or non-malicious. I’m surprised that I have to spell that out for (you) but… there (you) go LOL If it seems defensive then it probably is, and for good reason. The best defense is a good offense, actually…
Look: I’ve put up with snotty, dismissive, derisive, and yes, hateful people ever since I “dropped out” at 15, and personally dealt with their utter ugliness on Haight Street (how almost-appropriately ironic!) and ever since then, whenever I took to anything unusual or considered “weird” by these idiots. Whether it be social companions (”hippies”), music (”Pink Floyd”), collecting (”comic books”), art-works (”dolls”), entertainment (”anime”) or WHATEVER, I’ve also had to deal with those fools who insist that their way of thinking, believing, and acceptability is all that counts, and what I (and everyone else) should be following to the letter. I don’t see any need for sugar-coating: These people are dim-witted conformists, plain and simple, and there is nothing good or admirable about it. Or them.
So there.
In other words, gentle reader, when going on about Them, I mean in no way You, who I’m sure is a person much more tolerant, open-minded, forgiving, and wise than those Others. Unless you’re not, in which case I’m sure you’ll get The Message. Conformity is the death of individuality, and this round peg will not be pounded into any square holes, or square’s holes for that matter. Your mileage and comfort-zones will vary, of course, and that’s fine. I don’t judge anyone… except those who judge me. And yes, they will be pounded until it hurts Them, for a change. Not You
Don’t get me wrong: I tried tolerating Them, laughing at their mean-spirited jokes, looking the other way, and turning the other cheek for years. What that got me was TWO aching cheeks, and a lot of pent-up hatred of my own. It’s contagious, y’see… and poisonous. So I decided to adopt another long-hair’s converted attitude in response: One day in these recent cynical times he (my neighbor) was walking his little dog down the street and some straight guy who’d safely passed him by was giving him some shit along with a typically dim-witted and unimaginative “fucking hippie” remark. Neighbor yelled back, “I’m a hippie with a goddamn red-neck, asshole, come back here and say that to my face!” Well, the chicken-shit must have kept walking because Neighbor was able to continue on in peace.
What price peace? Indeed…
Nowadays we tolerate fools too gladly. And bullies. And tyrants. And assholes-in-general. God, aren’t you tired of these useless human beings yet? Let’s put them out of our misery, why don’t we? Unless “you”’re all too scared of them? You shouldn’t be… because You are better than Them
Anyway, enough of that. As for Alastor, a few things will be upcoming in the next week… I finally saw “Lars and the Real Girl” and will post a review of it; I’m celebrating my discovery of anime one year ago today and will comment on that; a somewhat-related music entry having to do with an album by Deep Forest; and a follow-up to Haibane Renmei along with a Kanon figure I ordered around Christmastime, assuming that it gets here. Posting these will be incumbent upon my busy-ness regarding survivability issue which are coming to a head very soon with regard to generating an income; a small publisher is short a copy-editor and I’ve been awaiting a response to my query for both that position along with the possibility that he might publish Unbound as well. But it’s already been over two weeks; you can see how glacially these things “move”… and bills need paying. Or, I may need to move. So truthfully I don’t know how things are going to hold out. Bear with me please while all this gets sorted out…
And hang in there, You! Er, Us! Make it W(h)eeee….
Aside from helping to spread the word about my ever-hopefully-to-be-published novel, Unbound, the blog’s secondary purpose is to help foster the awareness and acceptance of mature, adult-oriented quality anime to (in particular) western visitors. I especially enjoy sharing anime which echoes or resonates various themes, characters and situations from Unbound, though being necessarily vague about it all can’t divulge which is what, or what is which. The whys and wherefores are already dealt with in previous entries, so let’s skip the formalities and head straight for the goods:
Last year I happened across a wonderful series entitled Haibane Renmei, which translates roughly to “Charcoal Feather Federation.” Based on the Japanese comic-series “The Haibanes of Old Home,” it tells of a young girl’s awakening and adventures behind the walled city of Glie, and her settling in and adjusting to life in her companions’ settlement, Old Home. Full of mystery, beauty, and well-crafted characters, the at-first inscrutable and leisurely-paced story follows the newly-born Haibane (a haloed-and-winged human resembling an angel, though is never mentioned as such) now named Rakka as she endeavors to discover what she is, who she is, and why her life has apparently started anew in this strange and wondrous land. It deals with issues such as Life (the big “L”), companionship, comfort and loss in an un-preachy manner, and is full of kindness, humor, and unworldly beauty, especially for an “older” series (ca 2002). (The creator Yoshitoshi ABe (sic) also designed the characters for the earlier anime Serial Experiments Lain, another highly-regarded work.)
The Old Home residents, all female (though there are male Haibane in the series dwelling elsewhere), occupy a rambling broken-down school with rooms scattered all over, caring for each other and the handful (and a handful!) of children living there. In order to make their way, the older Haibane must take jobs either there or in Glie, whose inhabitants treat them kindly, and with both amusement and bemusement. I can’t begin to describe the delightful diversity of personalities and plot-points; instead I’ll steer you toward the information which you can read at your leisure. I’ll also include a pair of Youtube videos of both the Opening Theme and the first episode’s nine minutes which, as is often the case, begins without the OP (that’s anime-shorthand for Opening Theme).
Haibane Renmei is also one of the most highly regarded anime ever, as you can tell from this excellent Anime News Network review of the first DVD release. Note all the “A+” grades! Haibane Renmei DVD 1 review
Needless to say (but I will), it’s one of my most-treasured stories. The series is now out of print and hard to find, but the clever ones among you know how and where to find it *cough YouTube and Veoh for starters cough*, though the quality will be very poor in comparison to the breathtaking official releases, which you might find at RightStuf for $9 each (a steal!), here (link).
If you don’t plan on watching it, here is the Wikipedia for it, full of spoilers, so beware. The story is definitely a mystery and contains several plot twists, so bear that in mind as you read:
Now, to hopefully whet your appetite, is the beautiful (but low Youtube-quality) Opening Theme, “Free Bird”; especially take note of the different lead characters shown, as they track what is coming down from the skies:
I’ll leave you with the first nine minutes of episode 1; it’s very high quality and looks even better in wide-screen, so get thee hence to Youtube and watch it!:
I hope you’ve enjoyed this little foray into Rakka’s new world; if you’re unfamiliar with anime then you’ll see that it’s not all giant robots, trading card monsters, and kiddie shows. No… it’s SO much more than that! Consider it merely a new delivery system for stories, which we all have a need for, ever since we sat around a comforting fire in those dark and dank caves of our forebears. The story of Haibane Renmei is as a brilliant spark flying off of that fire, and into your heart, should you accept it. Let it shine…
Four years ago on April 1st, the delivery man finally came. He unloaded a 5-foot tall wooden crate, much to the bemusement of my neighbors. “What’s in the crate?” they asked. (This is a common question asked by the more bold-‘n’-nosey.) “Photography equipment,” I replied, brushing them off as I pointedly watched the man unload.
Once I’d sequestered it inside the garage (and shut the door), I set about my task. Several long moments later I’d managed to open it up, and there, sitting and strapped securely inside was Lily Godwin, brought to “life.” She was literally breathtaking: a five foot-tall silicone replicant of the beloved character from our novel, the one she (as my Muse) had helped me write over the previous years. That first moment is permanently etched in my brain. I could scarcely remember to breathe.
Her long black hair a mess from the bumpy journey from San Diego, yet still clutching her red long-stemmed rose, her blue eyes seemed to flash with impatience. Her first “words” were: “GET ME OUT OF THIS TRAMPY OUTFIT!!!” Abyss, the company that assembles RealDolls, had thoughtfully dressed her in a sexy black negligee and nylons; quite un-Lily-like. She isn’t into showing off, making herself sexy, or even sport makeup, jewelry, piercings or tattoos. Lily Godwin doesn’t want to be marked, or bound, in any way.
So, after getting her inside the house (which is a trick, as you have to imagine carefully moving a fragile, 100-pound doll from a sitting position inside a crate, preferably without damaging her), I carefully set to my task, sloooowly peeling off the nylons. After removing the skimpy getup that had so annoyed her, I could barely stand! Quickly (somewhat), I dressed her in her comfortable clothing that I’d had the foresight to buy: a butterfly top and tan skirt that fit her just right. She’s a barefoot, natural girl, so no shoes or socks of any kind. She doesn’t have to go to work, here.
I could tell that she was happy
(I should also add that nothing can convey the reality of these works of art through two-dimensional photography. Simply put, they are stunningly beautiful.)
Four years later, we’re still together, and I would have it no other way; with no regrets or concerns about what others might “think.” She so successfully recreates Lily from the novel that it is as if she is really Here, and not confined to the limits of my imagination. She sets us both free. It’s too bad that only those who actually own a RealDoll can understand this; outsiders can only wonder, accuse, and sneer at what they can’t understand. They lack imagination, and playfulness, both drowned in their cynicism and hate.
For the curious, I’ll go to any length to help you understand. For the rubes, I dismiss outright your ignorant incapability to comprehend. For the haters, I scoff at your narrow-minded stupidity. There is more to a RealDoll than just a guy playing with a doll. There is more than simply the assumed necessity for him (or her) to use it for sexual gratification. There is more to it than the presumed delusional belief that it is actually alive.
There is nothing to compare it with. And so, a lot of unaware people have trouble coping with them, thus this hopefully helpful friendly explanation: They are what you imagine. Period. If you have no imagination, you won’t get it. If you think playing is for kids, you won’t get it. If you can’t appreciate Art in all its myriad forms, you won’t get it. If you just accept it, you will get it. Don’t let others control what you think about them; let your Self interpret it. It’s better to think for your Self, anyway
(A little more information will be found on Lily’s page at the UNBOUND website, found on the Blogrolls, and the Photo Album has a few photographs of Lily-Doll as well.)
The doll is every bit the character of Lily Godwin as she is in her story. She isn’t interested in being flashy, sexy, or any more attractive than necessary. She’s more focused on raising William responsibly, isn’t into dating, and is mainly concerned with surviving in the rat-race of San Francisco and getting by as best she can despite her doubts and health issues. Therefore, as far as heroines go, she doesn’t need to be an Amazon-queen, sex-goddess, or sarcastic wise-mouthing jaded bitch. She’s devotion personified, and so she is named “Lily,” which means “devotion.”
She’s Lily Godwin, a caring, loving, and somewhat carefree young woman; independent, responsible, and devoted to her cause and her duty to Will. She has issues regarding what she believes is true, she suffers silently the ravages of time, and she knows that she must leave, and probably soon. Where she doesn’t know; how she can’t imagine; why… she is about to find out. We hope you join her on her reluctant journey to discover her destiny or fate. It isn’t going to be pretty, but as you can see, she is pretty enough
In UNBOUND, April 1st is her birthday (though I had to cut it out of the narrative when pruning its length down). In it, and on it, “Brother Al” gives her a Tarot reading and decides on a whim (or does he know more than he tells?) to use The Fool as her Significator. And so it’s no small coincidence to have received her on April Fool’s Day, over three months after I designed her RealDoll form with no estimate for when she would arrive at my doorstep. There have been many, many such coincidental delights during the course of its writing. Discovering that I could design a doll to replicate her was just another…
But those are stories for another day. It’s Lily’s day, today (or yesterday actually; just pretend). It’s been such a fun ride
Today marks the birthday of one of my most-beloved musicians, Ronnie Lane, who sadly passed on in 1997 from the ravages of Multiple Sclerosis. An original member of The Small Faces, he went on to a solo career that produced a small-but-noteworthy catalog of wonderful, honest, and soulful music with his band Slim Chance and later on his own. Words can’t suffice to express the happiness, joy, melancholy, and humility conveyed through his music which helped me a great deal in “feeling the life.”
Far from the hustle and bustle of the rock ‘n’ roll world, he created songs that were earthy, acoustic-based, and deceptively simple, but nonetheless contained a great spirit: that of his own. He is greatly missed. If unfamiliar with his work, I’d suggest starting with his and Pete Townshend’s “Rough Mix” which contains several of Ronnie’s tunes, most notably the beautiful love song “Annie,” one of my all-time favorites. If you find Ronnie’s music is to your tastes, proceed to his albums with Slim Chance, most notably “Anymore for Anymore” from which I will follow this with a tribute clip made by a fan, featuring the title song.
I’d like to finish up with his song “Anniversary” performed live on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1975. A great performance (featuring double-fiddle action!), and Ronnie was in top form that night. Please do enjoy
Since many visitors are anime fans, I thought it would be of interest to them to post this notification of a new Saimoe tournament just starting up with the initial 24-hour voting period taking place tonight. It consists of the 64 top-nominated contestants chosen from over the history of anime, facing off in a round robin marathon tournament lasting over the next several months. These are the anime girls voted “most-moe” by the fans, and for those visitors who aren’t familiar with the definition, here’s the wiki for it. This is a term (like many of those in anime) that has evolved and mutated throughout the years. Put very simply, the newcomer may simply substitute “most-cute” and leave it at that. Chances are that this will only be of interest (and comprehensible) to the otaku
To quote minhtam, the operator of the contest:
“This year, the best contestants of Saimoe history will face a new test.With Saimoe becoming a truly international event, we have started an international league.Contestants who have proven themselves to be the best in the world via a top 16 finish in Japan and Korea’s high-international profile tournaments will come here and do battle within a 64 x 64 league.Yes, girls will face each other at least once and prove that they are more moe than each and every girl within the same island.At the end of the “regular season”, the 16 girls with the best records will be appropriately seeded and face each other in a double-elimination tournament.”
The first contest begins Tuesday at 00:00 GMT and will be available for voting for 24 hours. Three 32-contestant matches will be held each week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Here’s the site link: The International Saimoe League 2008 Tournament
You can read up on the contestants and view the schedule, read the rules, and so on there
It’s going to be real tough going for me, as most all of my favorite girls from Kanon, Clannad, and Higurashi no Naku Koro ni(aka When They Cry) finished in the top 64 and will face off against each other. There was a lot of competition and some best-loved characters didn’t make it, such as Misuzu from Air, and Chii from Chobits. Who will emerge triumphant in the end? My money’s on Shakugan no Shana’s Shana, though I’m pulling for Kanon’s Ayu all the way. But if Rika from Higurashi claws her way to victory I won’t be too disappointed either :D
Welcome to Alastor's Reflection, the re-imagining of Fingal's Cave; a much more suitable environment than that poor soul's indwelling. Fingal resumes his journey in the pages of UNBOUND, while another solitary Spirit remains in this Place to muse with his Muse on the pursuit of "Life, Joy, Empire, and Victory," and the beauties therein...
I have had two more readers lately who have gone through the entire manuscript and are both highly delighted and loving it, so my enthusiasm in that area remains ultra-high, as it has always been. Thanks to feedback from my various readers my faith in the story remains unshakable. Now, to somehow get publishers and/or agents as interested… Therein lies the problem.
I’m still involved with the 2008 International Saimoe League, which generally has been enjoyable, except for the Despair at seeing my little sweeties getting their asses kicked, hated on, and disparaged in the Animesuki forum dedicated to it. Poor little Ayu *cries*
