My Opinion on Some Things

*I read Shreya Sen-Handley's Memoirs of My Body last night.

First thing that came to mind: very Caitlin Moran. Caitlin Moran a la How to be a Woman.

Second thing that came to mind: Read Rosalyn D'Mello's A Handbook for my Lover instead.

(The two books don't belong to the same genre, but as long as memoirisation of female bodies and sexualities go, D'Mello's is better. Vertical hierarchization, so shoot me!)

Third thing that came to mind: it bugs me that she's so terribly smug and superior about how she and her husband have child rearing nailed down. Her kids aren't even adolescents yet; does she think they won't be writing their memoirs and blogs when they realise the specific ways their childhood messed them up?

I happily grant, however, that she seems to be doing a great job of I-will-not-fuck-up-my-kids-in-the-specific-manner-my-parents-fucked-me-up. There are, after all, lots of parents who do precisely that. Her personal journey seems to have been a remarkable testimony to her spirit. I wish she would have allowed her narrative to be more complex and nuanced.

*Another book that caught my attention was Shreevatsa Nevatia's soon to be released How to Travel Light: My Memoirs of Madness and Melancholia. The question is: kindle edition or paperback? It releases six days before:

*Bruce Dickinson's What Does This Button Do? An Auobiography.

I may no longer be an obsessive fan of Iron Maiden, but this man's story? I will always want to read. And too, Iron Maiden still makes great music.

*The #MeToo thing. 

I haven't read the actual thread (there's a thread or something, right?), just references to it on my facebook feed (I reactivate now and then, shhh!).

I could be wrong, but I get the sense, again, that the mainstream conversation on sexual harassment makes things very simple: women the victims and men the perpetrators.

There IS a huge problem where women are the victims who are assaulted in big and little ways with unwelcome sexual attention, advances, mind games, and physical aggression and violation by men. And there IS a huge problem of not knowing how to frame the experience in thoughts and words, and in being believed.

But it is not so neat as that, no? People placed at all points on the gender spectrum must have experienced the same no? Can you imagine what it must be like to process sexual harassment, assault, and even rape for a stereotypical man? I don't think people believe it is possible for a man to feel violated sexually. And I wish people did not make those neat demarcations in their heads-woman/victim, man/perpetrator- when thinking about the matter of sexual assault.

*And also, also: The Russian Army.  

I have discovered and become a devoted fan of, because, oh my! Have you heard the music they make? And it's not just the Alexandrov Ensemble-formerly Red Army Choir-but several divisions of the army that makes gorgeous music. It also breaks my heart that over 60 members of the Ensemble died last December. Such music lost! :(

Presently earwormed by:

 

Russian Army doing Gangnam Style to Bad Romance

  Alexandrov Ensemble,2017, including the Cossack Dance and viewer comment#1

                                  

An older version of the Alexandrov Ensemble/Red Army Choir performing Battle Hymn of the Republic/Glorie Aleluia

There is so much more, but let Youtube suggestions guide you if you're searching.