Nevertheless, she smiled.

*sniffles quietly*

I just finished the last book of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, for what must be the fifth or sixth time. And once again, I was swept away, uplifted, dashed to pieces, and then oh so tenderly put back together. This story is exquisite, epic, daring, unique, wonderful.... I haven't the words to do it justice. If you've read it, I hope you know what I mean; if you haven't, you should.

I'm a little bit apprehensive of this becoming a trilogy of movies. The first one will be exciting and fun, but the second and more so the third get into such subtle and achingly beautiful themes of loyalty and love and goodness and right and wrong and truth that I can scarcely imagine them in a loud, flashy Hollywood movie. This story grabs my heart and tugs like nothing else (I am in floods every time; this time was absolutely no different) and it's hard to imagine that depth translating to screen. Especially since it rests on the shoulders of two 13 year old children to convey that depth, that power... I don't know. I want them to be amazing, but I have my doubts. Especially if, as rumored, they're taking the religious aspect out of the movies... because that is so fundamental to the books, but in a way that turns traditional religion on its head and questions every assumption it makes. That's why they're taking it out, because wouldn't want to ever offend anybody, oh no! *scoffs* So yeah. I'm holding back on judging prematurely, but I am worried.

Um. I didn't mean to take this post to bitch and doubt. I just needed to say something. Finishing this book is always so... profound.

*ponders quietly*

(no subject)

Every time I dare to feel some optimism about the direction our miserable country is taking, I read something like this. I will not warn you of the graphic details of violence written in that post; instead, I think that you should read them, keep your eyes wide open and drink in every detail of the death of Aaron Hall, which took 6 hours to be perpetrated and 10 days to be noticed. Read those details and feel the horror in your gut, the nausea and disgust and shock. Embrace them, because that is your fuel, your fuel to fight against the injustices perpetrated every day in the name of ignorance, hatred, arrogance, prejudice. And I know you will all feel these emotions gnawing at your heart, at your gut, because you are all good people and I am proud to know you. But sometimes I forget that not everyone is as wonderful, as warm and loving and open as you. People are cruel and angry and just plain fucking stupid. And we need to fight them back, assert every person's right to live their life as they choose.

I don't mean to preach to the choir... but god, that post got me where I live.