The tragic Tess of D'Ubervilles

Life is made up of a lot of bad things and some good things... is something I heard this weekend. Upon further thought, I think it might be true. Life is tough, an uphill battle. However, I don't think it's as hopeless and terrible as it is portrayed in the book Tess of D'Ubervilles. I am still depressed today after finishing it yesterday. It's a page turner, and has a really strong and interesting female protagonist, but it is REALLY, REALLY, horribly tragic and depressing. If I had known how it would make me feel, I might not have read it.  On the other hand, it made me put my own life and blessings into perspective.

 

“The beauty or ugliness of a character lay not only in its achievements, but in its aims and impulses; its true history lay, not among things done, but among things willed.”
― Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d'Urbervilles

 

“This hobble of being alive is rather serious, don’t you think so?”
― Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d'Urbervilles

New year, fresh starts

How is your 2013 going? Mine was off to a good start on the 1st: cleaning my house, eating leftover Mexican food, riding bikes to the beach with the handsome man who will become my lifelong companion this year... something we love doing but unfortunately rarely do. Hopefully this year will be full of those things I love to do but rarely do. 

Our bikes supporting each other on their journey ;), D playing with a dog that isn't ours...

Sitting around

My parents have come and gone for Christmas and my life has returned to normal... and strange as it sounds I kind of miss sleeping on my sister's couch, family tension and arguments, sitting around in other people's houses with nothing to do. It's for sure: I need to infuse relationships and PEOPLE into my solitary, quasi-structured life. I've been becoming very "hobbit-ish", seeking the comfort and quiet of my home, but it's also good to balance it with coming home from far, from adventures, and perils, and discoveries everyday. 

Today on IgnitumToday...

Femininity and Acceptance

Julie Rodrigues | January 9, 2013 AD | Reply

“Don’t eat that”, “Don’t wear that”, “Don’t say that” or “Your vision of things is just… wrong”. This might sound familiar to you and, I would add, especially if you’re a woman. And this isn’t directed toward children: it’s usually for a spouse. I’m not talking about suggestions or being helpful. I’m talking about coddling, overprotecting, enabling, manipulating… however you want to put it.

Continue reading here:
http://www.ignitumtoday.com/2013/01/09/femininity-and-acceptance/

Food and cheer and song

I just finished reading The Hobbit and a word to describe it would be "enjoyable". One of my favorite lines from the book was the following:

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."

 - from "The Return Journey" chapter in The Hobbit.