5.08.2013

What's Up Wednesday & AAPI Heritage Month

We really should have used this last week on May 1st, but it slipped our blogging-mind. (We certainly made a nuisance of ourselves with it in other aspects of our lives - namely Twitter and in Real Life.) So I'm just going to leave this meme here.



Ahem, now that I have that out of my system, on to more important matters! It's MAY once again (what? how?!), which means it is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month! This is something we highlight every year on the blog because we're Asian American and while being that is not always easy, we do think it's also pretty flipping cool.

Normally, we have at least a few things planned for the month, but May sort of snuck up on us. We'll come up with something, but for now, check out the President's Presidential Proclamation about AAPI Month and its continued importance today.

We're also making our inaugural appearance in Jamie Morrow and Erin Funk's What's Up Wednesday weekly meme.



"What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's up." Jamie and Erin will have a link widget at the end of their What's Up Wednesday posts for those who want to join and link up.

WHAT I'M READING
I'm currently re-reading the great American classic, The Great Gatsby in preparation for the movie release this week. I am beyond excited because I generally love the crazy, artsy things Baz Luhrman does (Moulin Rouge ♥ ) and if nothing else, the movie will be art-deco gorgeousness and has a great soundtrack. Anyway, I haven't read Gatsby since high school so it's interesting seeing how much I do and don't remember. Hopefully, I'll get a lot more out of it this time around too (since I'm older and maybe wiser?).

I'm also reading an ARC of the upcoming Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn. I'm feeling a little burnt out from my constant reading, but there was something about the voice and dark tension in this one that has me hooked!

WHAT I'M WRITING
Honestly? Not much. I started writing a random scene from my WIP-that-has-no-plot, but alas, I still have no plot! The only other writing I've done of late are the #twtpoems with Lydia and April, which reminds me, I owe them one for the prompt lancet. Here's one for you that's sort of related to AAPI month:



WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW
Mr. F. Scott Fitzgerald's writing in The Great Gatsby! I totally did not appreciate this back in high school (when I existed in a chronic state of sleep-deprivation, stress, and mania). Look at these gorgeous descriptions!

For a moment the last sunshine fell with romantic affection upon her glowing face; her voice compelled me forward breathlessly as I listened--then the glow faded, each light deserting her with lingering regret like children leaving a pleasant street at dusk.

This is a valley of ashes--a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens, where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and finally, with transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air.

WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO
I spiced up my wardrobe a bit with leopard heels, a spring manicure, and newly purchased space leggings!


Last weekend was pretty awesome. On Friday, I did a 4 hour round (yes, FOUR HOURS) of karaoke with some coworkers because one of them was leaving. Someone tried to convince me to quit and pursue a singing career. Um, no. Then Saturday was STAR WARS Day aka May the Fourth (be with you)!

Ladies and gentlemen, my sister.

Sis and I also saw IRON MAN 3, which was excellent. I actually was not that offended by The Mandarin (I still can't help giving this the side-eye) and think they did a pretty good job (cleverly) modernizing that villain. Also, Loki may have my heart, but Tony Stark (or should I say Tony Snark?) is still kind of THE BEST!

This Loki hated the random rain & that we ditched him for Iron Man.


Q4U: What's up this Wednesday with you? You excited for the landslide of summer movies coming up? (Iron Man 3, The Great Gatsby, Star Trek into Darkness, Monsters University...just to name a few!)

10 comments:

Caroline Tung Richmond said...

I loooove these pictures! Especially the one of your sis in Star Wars gear AND that photo of Loki! He looks like he's saying, "Um, excuse me, but I am soaked." Haha.

Jaime Morrow said...

I read THE GREAT GATSBY for the first time less than 6 months ago, and I was wowed by Fitzgerald's prose. I can't wait to see the movie for all of the reasons you mention. I love the heck out of those space leggings! Seriously awesome! I should get some to wear while I'm working on my sci-fi WIP (they're heading off to Mars in it, so the pants would be fitting). As for Iron Man 3, hubby and I saw it this past weekend and really enjoyed it. Tony Stark (Snark) is just hilarious. I'm a Loki fan too, but I think maybe it would be more accurate to say I'm a big Tom Hiddleston fan. ;-)

Colin Smith said...

I read THE GREAT GATSBY for the first time not long ago, and I too was impressed with the prose. I suppose these books are considered classics for a reason... :)

My oldest daughter is eagerly anticipating the new Star Trek movie (she's a HUGE fan of Benedict Cumberbatch).

Connie Keller said...

It's been a couple of years since I read The Great Gatsby, and I fully intend to re-read before seeing the movie. (I recently read that Fitzgerald took some of Daisy's dialogue straight from Zelda. Wow!)

Alison Miller said...

I reread Gatsby almost every year with the juniors at my school. That is one of my favorite books and I can't wait to see the movie!

Erin L. Funk said...

I love your space leggings! They're awesome, as is that Star Wars helmet your sister is wearing. I have yet to watch Iron Man 3 or read THE GREAT GATSBY (never thought I'd mention those in the same sentence). Now I have Tom Hiddleston on the brain, seeing as he's both Loki and F. Scott Fitzgerald in MIDNIGHT IN PARIS. :)

Katy Upperman said...

Ooh, I'm thinking I need to get ahold of both of your current reads... I haven't read either! And I'm always so happy to see photos of your pup. Makes me smile. :-)

Lily Cate said...

I am totally Seeing All The Movies this summer. We watch plenty of Serious Cinema around here, and I could use some more candy coated nonsense in my life :)

Kelly Loy Gilbert said...

I've heard such mixed reviews about The Great Gatsby (the movie, that is), and I'll be curious to hear what you think. I'm hoping it's good, and I'm anxious to see it--and I think I might hold off on rereading the book until after, actually, so the comparison isn't as fresh in my mind.

Also, those leggings are AMAZING.

Julie Dao said...

I LOVE that nail polish! I have one that's a similar minty color (I think it's called "turquoise and caicos" by Essie?). And I can't wait to see Gatsby. I hope it's a good one!