Abortions Are Bad--Even In the Zombiepocalypse

I’m a bit of a latecomer to the Walking Dead party. I started watching it a few weeks ago, and for a while it was my latest Netflix binge. I stopped watching lately, though, and I want to talk about why.

[NOTE: Spoilers below.]

So in case you’ve never watched the show, the setting is a post-zombiepocalypse wasteland. The dead are everywhere—and they have a serious craving for human flesh. Non-zombie humans stay alive by sticking together in small groups and moving from safe spot to safe spot—no place stays safe forever.

So in this extremely unstable, dangerous existence, one of the main characters, Lori, gets pregnant. In a world where there are no safe havens, where zombies haunt the woods, towns, houses and roads, and where even other healthy humans aren’t always trustworthy, pregnancy doesn’t just seem like a bad idea. It seems suicidal. When Lori gets her hands on some RU-486—the abortion pill—it seemed like a smart choice to me.

Then she takes the pill—and immediately makes herself throw up. Watching that, I couldn’t help but think—what? Even in a show about an apocalyptic zombie wasteland, we can’t show abortion as a totally sensible decision?

Best "Let It Go" Cover. Ever.

I have seen a lot of "Let it Go" covers. I feel like I collect them the way other people collect  . .  . way cooler things (cars, stamps, rare first editions, ok this list is making me sound even lamer than I am). For a long time the "Fuck it All" cover was my hands down favourite. But no longer.

Christina Bianco's "Let It Go" Cover channels divas such as Idina Menzel, Demi Lovato, Adele, Barbara Striesand, Celine Dion, Brittany Spears and so many more. It's amazing. If you've begun to be a little sick of this song this cover will make you fall in love with it again. Or even if you don't like the song this video will leave you in awe how talented Christina is! You can find out more about Christina and watch her other covers on her website.

Happy Weekend!

Happy Tuesday: Here's a Kitten!

I'm sitting in a cafe right now, doing work. It's kind of a special cafe. It's the place where my boyfriend and I got dessert on our first date. It's just across from the Lincoln Center, where he took me to a concert. He's the sophisticated, polished one; I'm more of the flaky bohemian type, although I've been navigating more toward Fancy Lady in my thirties. I kind of like it.

Anyway, it's a beautiful day in New York, and I'm looking across the street at the fountain in front of Lincoln Center and my boyfriend's handsome face, and I'm pretty content. January and February have been a bit of a rough ride for me compared to 2013 so far, but there are still pockets of contentment out there, if I know where to look. (Often in cafe's. I'm pretty sure happiness is a warm latte.)

So anyway, I'll have a more thoughtful blog post up on Thursday, but in the meantime, here's what I'm doing instead of working right now:

My Problem With the Olympics

Ordinarily I love the Olympics. Especially the winter Olympics, what with the freestyle skiing, the figure skating, the speed skating, the downhill skiing, pretty much anything that happens on skates or skis--I want to watch it.

Except this year. This year, I was deeply bothered by Russia's anti-gay legislation. Basically, the law bans public displays of affection between same-sex couples and also promotion of media that portrays gay relationships in a positive light. The purpose of the law is to protect children from seeing positive representations of homosexuality. Because oh, the horror. Or something.

It upsets me that the Olympic committee is willing to allow countries with positions like this to host the Games. The Olympics is supposed to be an inclusive event, and the committee should have a policy of choosing host countries that share that vision of inclusivity. I feel that the fact they didn't is a slap in the face to the many gifted gay Olympians competing.

It's also personal for me. I have a dear college friend who's gay, and who is living in Russia now. I think about what his life must be like, living in a society where the prevailing culture believes positive examples of people like him shouldn't be shown to children. A lot of countries have anti-gay agendas, and Russia is probably not the most hostile country in the world for gay people. I also know that the US isn't perfect in this regard. But that doesn't mean the Olympics committee can't do better than this.

I don't blame people who watch the games anyway. But I just can't with this. It makes me sick and it makes me sad.

Anyway. This made me smile today, so...I'm just gonna leave it here.

The worst possible mythological Valentines

I love love love this series on Geek and Sundry by Dael Kingsmill.

I started writing this blog about six times and just floundered. It got into a wallowing stage. So, instead, I'm sharing something that will make you smile. And either tomorrow (if I get some time) or next week I'll tell you how this all relates to my work in progress.

Happy Tuesday!