Finishing up Fun Home

28 March 2018: "Again, the troubling gap between word and meaning. My feeble language skills could not bear the weight of such a laden experience." --Alison Bechdel, Fun Home

We finished up our discussion of Fun Home in ENGL 360 today and, on this read-through, I found myself especially drawn the changes young Alison goes through as she writes in her journal, first inserting a the phrase "I think" in between every assertion and later writing only the barest facts or including insincere/faux-ironic statements. It's so sad to watch her run away from her voice.

In a much less dramatic sense, this section also makes me think about my writing, including this blog, which is a kind of journal (more than a diary), existing for me more than anything else while also being somewhat public. I think everyday about what to post, how open to be about certain thoughts and topics, and will often avoid a topic completely if I feel I can't be honest or open. There are ways that actually makes the writing better (I think). It's all pretty interesting, though perhaps I am not up to the challenge of being more eloquent about it at the end of a long day.

(I brought my blog up as an example in class, calling it my "stupid little blog," and one of my students affectionately but fiercely chided me for such a description saying that if I wrote it, then it was important and that I shouldn't call it "stupid and little." Sweet, right? Again, these kids are alright.)

"Days and Days"

13 May 2017:

"Don't you come back here
I didn't raise you
To give away your days like me." --"Days and Days" from Fun Home

Today Jane and I saw Fun Home at the National Theater and it was terrific. The song quoted above is one that stood out to me in a new way this time--the idea that this mother wanted her daughter to have a different life, so she pushed her away...it's very powerful.

And, not that it needs repeating, but Jane is the best. I am so lucky to have her in my life.

"Maps," again

22 April 2017:

"Maps show you what is simple and true
Try laying out a bird’s eye view
Not what he told you, just what you see
What do you know that’s not your dad’s mythology?"

Had to head up to NY today for a super-short visit for my nephew's first communion. Going home can be...emotionally loaded. I often find myself feeling like an angst-ridden teenager again...not a good thing. This song, which I heard as I drove down the Long Island Expressway,--in part about being an adult and trying to find out your own truth--hit the right note today.

(I've already blogged about this song before.)

"Ring of Keys"

24 August 2016: Yet another Fun Home post! I was so charmed by this video when I saw it this morning. I actually tend to be charmed by lots of these "fan compilation" videos, but man...something about this one. What wonderful work this show has done in the world!

"Maps"

7 July 2016: Thursday was another frustrating day in a saga I haven't written about yet (and probably won't 'cause I just need to move on--the absolutely awful service I received from Best Buy after purchasing some appliances from them. The short version: they ruined Tuesday through Thursday with their incompetence, forcing me to spend hours on the phone and multiple days stuck home waiting for delayed deliveries and other appointments that never happened.

One bright spot in that day that helped me stay relatively sane: the Fun Home cast recording. I really dug into "Maps" on Thursday, thinking about its message of trying to get a sense of your narrative vs. the narratives you've been told.

Fun Home

30 June 2016: [Some catching-up posts here as I was out of town...]

Thursday marked the beginning of my mini-vacation to NYC with Tim. We hopped the bus up to the city, arriving in time to check in to the hotel, change quickly, and grab some dinner (at a great place with a fantastic name: "Little Steamed Bun Ramen") before the highlight of our trip--the whole reason for the trip, in fact: seeing Fun Home.

Guys: Fun Home is amazing. I found myself seeing the original book in new ways, found myself laughing, thinking really deeply, and, yeah, crying. Just amazing. Below is Sydney Lucas's performance of the number that gets the most love (with good reason): "Ring of Keys." We didn't see Lucas (she has moved onto other roles), but the little girl we did see, Gabriella Pizzolo, was phenomenal.