Using Feminist Theory to Analyze Hunger Games: An Introspective of Katness

Hunger Games is a novel by Suzanne Collins. Having read (or listened to) the first two books makes me an undisputed expert in all things about the series. The final entry in the series Mockingjayis the only one I haven't read. The first two were excellent examples of YA literature, and I do encourage people to read them.
Bringing us to the title of the blog, I do not know Feminist Theory. Philosophy is an area of academia that I have little interest in since my experiences with it have tended to be negative. I don't hate philosophy; but I'd prefer something a little less abstract. Rather this blog is only going to be about good books I'm reading, have read, or want to read.


Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games


As mentioned before, I haven't completed Hunger Games. With the three books in the series, Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and MockingJay, it is a fairly succinct and complete series. The first book introduces us to Katness and her world. Based in a world that suffered a catastrophe, she grows up in District 12, a poor district of the country of Panem. When I first heard of it, admittedly, I was disgusted. After reading Hunger Games it became clear to me that this is the precise reaction Suzanne Collins wanted to provoke.
Characterization is weak at time. I feel that Katness never real grew and remained the same, despite being put in a horrific sport. Suzanne Collins' real star is Peta whom I believe to be the most interesting character in the novel. Sometimes her writing falters and sounds off. Still, I will confess the movie has me excited. Today several news outlets featured posters of characters, many looking great.




Ray Bradybury's A Pleasure to Burn

This is my current read. With half of the book left, I love it. Fahrenheit 451 remains my favorite novel since I first picked it up when I was in fourth grade (though at the time its message and theme completely evaded me). Seeing the evolution of the short stories that led to the creation of the book is interesting. Bits from the first story and second and so make their way to evolve into the book we know. My favorite story so far has been the one about a dead man come back to life wanting revenge for the destruction of all other deceased people.
Ray Bradbury does an excellent job in each story of dialogue and believable interactions. The first tale sticks in my head. With a man coming back to life after being dead six months, he goes to his love only to find that while her love for him remains, their relationship can't be the same for death has change him. As this is a compilation of short stories, I can't speak of specific characters; however, I can say that the writing of Ray is as strong as always.



Karen Traviss's Halo: Glasslands
This will be a new territory for me. With no previous experience with the author, I don't know what to expect. Though, from her resume, I believe it will be excellent. Halo properties tend not to be on the intellectual side. Sometimes you just need a good read fun read.

I will update you all as to how the book turned out when I get it and have read it.

I had a better title, but I'm saving it for later

For my 12 wonderful followers, I am truly sorry. I never meant to abandon you in this wasteland of the Internet. Rejoice! For awesome tidings do I bring. I am back. Recently, I moved from Logan, UT to Washington, DC. Life here is epic. Emmy and I are happy to finally be living together in out little apartment with a crazy cat.

Emmy's job has become hectic with encroaching election. Once it is over I think she'll be able to relax more. With her commute a third of what it used to be, she is a lot more happier. She recently has taken up reading a new book, A Shore Thing. We have some plans to go see Breaking Dawn with our friends from Greensboro. We were worried about living together but everything has been working out amazingly!

At the moment, I am job hunting which needless to say, isn't fun. I do have one that I'm keeping a close eye on: Bethesda Game Studios-- Quest Designer . To me this would be a dream come true. Since I started playing D&D a long time ago, I fell in love with creating quests. Watching your friends and family walk into a trap you set, it is priceless. More priceless, however, is watching the same group escape the trap through some means you failed to conceive of. You mark it down as next time I will have to plan for something like that.



Watch the first ten seconds.



In the land of my novel, I am nearing the end of first draft. Is it cool? Yes, definitely. Am i excited? Sort of. Writing a novel for the first time is a harrowing experience that no one except crazy bored people should try. It is still a fun and educational experiment to perform. I can say for sure that my writing has improved immensely since the beginning over one and a half years ago.

Next after finishing the first draft comes the revising. Already, I know which items I need to improve upon. Some ideas are going to change. More thematic elements will be introduced. Names will be sundered and replaced. Dialogue shall become more natural. Grammar shall be corrected! Overall, it will make it a tighter read.

Fandom and Obsession

(An odd occurrence has happened. Two posts in the same day!)

Recently I began a trend of reading fan fiction. Now, to be clear, I do not read fan fiction because I'm interested in what some 13 year old girl thinks is a great combination of characters. Or what some 17 year old boy thinks would be a totally rad story with explosions. No I read fan fiction because I think they are funny. Adolescent fantasies of Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter or some anime that no one besides them has heard of.


The best fan fiction I've read to date is called My Immortal. It wins that coveted award for many reasons. First, the main character is the definition of a mary sue. Second everything that takes place is ridiculous and a childhood fantasy, and last, the grammar and spelling mistakes improves the narrative and makes the story fun to read. The premise is a girl at Hogwarts who is a vampire goffic girl who hates preps and posers. She isn't smart but she is popular as she sleeps with Vampire (Harry) and Draco (Draco). Dumbleydore sometimes tries to be friends with her but it doesn't work.


Actual line from the Fanfic


While My Immortal should be classified as classic literature now, most fan fictions are boring at best. My favorite thing to do is to head to fanfiction.net and browse the cross over sections. I love to try to find the oddest combination such as Ecco the Dolphin and Home Movies. You can always find some kid's two favorite shows or games smashed together in a way that wouldn't work or couldn't work. Case and point: Planet X. A published crossover of X men and Star Trek. Whoever allowed it should be given a medal.


All this fandom of fan fiction often overlaps with another area. Super fans or obsessive fans love to dress up. Now, I will admit I think it would be fun to do for Comic Con or something similar; however, I wouldn't and couldn't do an anime one. Anime Cosplay and super hero or game cosplay are in different leagues.


Anime cosplay, especially in Japan, is a big deal. Now, I won't say American Cosplayers aren't that their same level but in some respects, the Japanese go overboard. It is almost as though they have professional cosplayers. But to state my bias in the open, I am not a big anime fan so the anime cosplayers suffer some for that. It could be the character design or it could be the culture around anime; Nevertheless, they suffer in my opinion for those flaws. The people I'm sure are nice I'm sure.



Kinda creepy? Ya.


Not to stay off topic too long, I do look at pictures of cosplayer posted on Facebook by people. Unlike the fan fiction where I go to laugh, I do admire the work and dedication the people whom cosplay. The hours it takes to make the outfit and sometimes make out is extraordinary. Though I do enjoy seeing the goofy and awkward people who do it. It would be fun to try it once. Maybe Emmy and I will do it once for Comic Con.

I admit this would be fun. Only cause no one could see it was me.


While I don't think there is anything wrong with being a fan of something, sometimes fan can go a little overboard. But in the right vein, it can be just damn fun.

Sorry. No witty ending today. Just a graph.

New Life Stuff and Stories

Typically, and as a rule of thumb, I attempt to make my blog interesting to read. That means, I find stories in my life that need to be told or shouldn't be told but are. At other times, I attempt some "kewl" blog: epic trailers etc. Of course, that leaves the blogs that details my life.

Which brings me to this current one you are reading. You have expectations and hopes. You don't want them dashed. You would hate me if those expectations weren't met.
"Enough with the delay! Start your topic!" you shout at me.
Ok. Here it is.
I forgot it.


Seriously. I had a topic in mind. Sat down, ordered some coffee, played some Ecco the Dolphin on my iPod. Then I realized I lost it.


So this has become a update on my life blog.


I have three shifts left at Hastings. HALLELUJAH! It has been four and a half years at this job. I started back in January of 2007. When I started, there was a different store manager and a whole different set of department manager. Now, I'm not known as the new guy but Ol Reliable. Or MadDog. Take your pick. Some would tell me that it should be bitter sweet. But the truth as I see it is that it is time to move on and Hastings was just a stepping stone to bigger and better.


All this takes me to the reason why. I've been waiting for this forever and now the time is upon us all. Nay. You don't need to repent or do anything like that. Emmy and I finally going to end our long distance relationship as in we are moving in together. We will be living in Washington DC in our own little apartment. The tenth of August is the day I leave the West and journey east. In the three day trip, Ellie and I will bond.



My new home isn't in this view.


We're both excited in so many ways. Emmy and I have been preparing and packing for the past couple weeks ever since it was finalized. Her job was made permanent on June 20, so now she is a
responsibility champion. She even has a trophy that says it. Proofed!


As we plan the move, I continue to work on my novel. It is roughly 300 pages now and I just finished the climactic chapter where all the big shit happens. It builds up a little more before I start to let everything chill out. Once I finish, I'm going to give it some time before I begin my rewrites. Hopefully, I will be doing this while I'm not working at a real job. Which I will hopefully have.



Heres to me becoming a responsibility champion.

My Hopes and Dreams: Novel Edition

While wrapping up my ongoing novel and needing to post something on my blog, I decided to share with those faithful readers of mine my hopes and dreams and goals with this novel of mine. At the current moment, there are 280 pages in the book. At the moment, I'm closing in to the climatic battle between the Skepnan baddies and the Deskota Legionnaires. This is the part I've been waiting for. Well that and finishing it all. I have been working on this novel for over a year and now the end is finally in sight.

When I started this project, I was going to write about a back story I created for Emmy's and my Dungeons and Dragons characters. Under the advice of my friend Alexander "No Ander" Brown, I changed the world from one of Tolkien to one of my own creation, which I did. My ultimate goal, from the very beginning, has been to just write and finish a book. That goal is going to be accomplished within the next two months.

My hopes for the novel have grown since the beginning. At the start of my novel, my main hope was to just finish the damn thing. Now, I hope that it will get published. Even if doesn't, I'm glad that I was able to finish it. Though I honestly believe that my novel is an interesting and unique story that others will enjoy too. Getting a book published will be going to a new venture and if it doesn't happen, I'm still glad I was able to create something as large a book.

But on the topic of my hopes and dreams, I hope it is published and does well. It would be amazing to get money for all the work and effort put into the novel. Even a modestly successful novel would be a nice accomplishment to include on my resume and to tell my family. Yet! These are my hopes and dreams. To settle for only modest success is to aim low. I hope my book is successful enough to get to the ending I have in mind. That would be a dream come true.

Beyond that, lies the realm of wild fantasy: a movie or television adaptation, and subsequent sequels.

Yet at the moment, I'm content to just finish the damn thing.

Epic Trailers

Taking a small break from my novel, I thought I'd shove at you a ton of Youtube videos. While the temptation remains to throw tons of seemingly random and unrelated videos at you, I am resisting in order to provide a blog that is more enjoyable to read since everyone of you is capable of finding your own random videos. Most are video game trailers, and to be fair, have provided inspiration for my novel. However, beyond providing me with a giddy feeling, the most common thread between these videos is I believe them to be epic.


What makes them epic? A dictionary definition would serve great here: heroic; majestic; impressively great. While not all of them are heroic or majestic, I do find them all impressively great. Though to add to that definition, I want to add that these trailers give me chills or have made me extremely excited.


My Top Epic Trailers

Dragon Age 2


Why Epic
Dragon Age 2 played great and the plot contained many epic elements. The trailer here with Kate Mulgrew (Flemeth in the game or better known as the incredible Captain Janeway) voiceover, doesn't reveal much about the story except that your character, Hawke, portrayed here as the dude kicking the horned guy's ass is a bamf.

So what makes it epic to me? The character is wailing on the guy but the feel gives you this majestic feeling. Your character is going to embrace his destiny. The fight sequences are evenly balanced between power, speed and abilities on both ends. Equally epic is the character's weapon, a sword staff. This gave me the idea to change in my novel the character's weapon to it.

Best moment: The crown rolling to the feet of Hawke and his initial stance before the sword drag.

Resistance 3



Why Epic
This isn't epic in the way things are portrayed. Far from it in fact. A ragged group of survivors riding a train that is very reminiscent of a Depression era U.S. accentuated by the music. For those who have played the games, they already aware of facts portrayed in the trailer. Those who aren't aware are brought in more by the sights of the bodies and destroyed buildings. When the music cuts and the Chimera attack the train in the tunnel, thats when the true tone comes out.

The pure epicness of the trailer comes through with the overall tone: desparate group of survivors; defeated America; and The St. Louis Arch in ruins. Very well made live action that climaxes and leaves the viewer hanging as to the fate of those on the train. The music choice of the blues song envokes the right mood of what is portrayed.

Best Moment:The sights of the American country side in ruin and changed, up until the Chimera attack. Viewers new to the franchise wonder what caused the devastion, getting only bits and pieces with the bodies and an occasional glimpse of a Chimera.

Halo 3

Why Epic
Honestly, finding the most epic Halo 3 trailer was a bit of a challenge for me. For those who ever went to the believe site I'd list that as a perfect emotion and visual experience. However, it no longer exists. Much like the Resistance 3 trailer, this one gives a feeling of hopelessness. Master Chief without his helmet for a bit and then getting back in the action.

Why is it epic? Again the hopelessness. The background chatter of coms being frantic. The plasma mortar smashing into the bubble shield. Just having the Master Chief in the trailer makes this epic to me.

Best Moment: The switch from the boy to the helmet. It catches the viewer off guard but you instantly recognizes it as the Chief's but wonder where is the rest. The change of the background with the helmet the same position again leaves the viewer confused. Coming together once you see the hand reaching for it and attached to rest of the armor you know he is still there.



Mass Effect 3

Why Epic
A person new to the series and not knowing anything about the game would be piqued by the voiceover of the British soldier. Showing him holed up in a tower with the sniper rifle while the voice over continues, bandaged and hurt makes the viewer wonder what is going on. The view of the scope doesn't answer any questions until the floodlight shines on him, and the camera pulls out to show the entire British River Thames area engulfed in battle with the giant ships.

The pure epicness of the trailer is how the fight goes from a small incident to the entire London Skyline as a warzone. A shiver runs up my spine as you see the fight before everyone and pulls out to see the familiar silhouette of Shepherd.


Best Moment:Zooming from the soldier in Big Ben to the London Skyline to show the full scale of the Reaper invasion. The voiceover line of how if Shepherd doesn't hurry, there won't be an Earth left to save. It lets the viewer know that the stakes are high in this game and as a player you can't fail.


Halo ODST Live3
Why Epic
Starting at the funeral with the focus on the teenage boy growing up and following in what I assume is his father's steps. The harshness of the training with the jumping cutting to the in pod view of the same person. The fight as the pod crashes into the ground is one of luck and life and death. The music in the background provides a haunting reminder of what is at stake.

What makes this trailer epic is the music. Yes the training and battle are impressive but the haunting music never leaving the viewer's side is a reminder of dangers of loss inherent in any war. I have loved the ODSTs since their first appearance in Halo 2. This particular trailer is absolute proof of why they could have a Halo movie or show and it would be a great visual and emotional experience.


Best Moment:The pod falling and fight. You can sense the3 soldier's fear and trepidation as it descends up until the hatch blows off. The battle complete with wounded soldiers and explosions makes the viewer aware of the dangers and often fruitlessness of the fights in the Halo universe. Just being able to see ODST in a live action setting is cool enough for me too.



The Old Republic: Hope
Why Epic
Set on Alderaan, the trailer focus on a soldier's fight against the Sith Empire's army after the defeat. Things look good until lightsaber wielding sith come out and start taking down the troopers. A jedi comes and takes on Darth Malgus. Combining strength of the trooper and the force, together they when the battle. Complete this with some nice voice overs, the viewer gets a feeling of hope.

Unlike the trailers that thrive on little hope or the feeling of hopelessness, this particular trailer's feeling of epic comes from the idea that hope can start small and grow. I love the focus of the trailer on a soldier, as compared to a jedi which often make the best soldier appear useless. The trooper in this appears just as capable as any jedi and just as tough.


Best Moment:The trooper's imminent execution. That hope seems lost until the jedi arrives and pulls him from the clutches of oblivion. Together, they pull what could be a loss to a victory. The voiceover reminds everyone watching that sacrifices may be heavy but those lost did not die in vain.

Some Honorable mentions

While not as epic as the others to me, I want to make a shout out to these games for being cool.
Gears of War


Force Unleashed 1


A lot of these games influence my novel in ways. Some are simple like character design and armor and some are more complex like decision making and events in the novel. I do recommend that everyone play these games or at least check out the trailer.

Work stories

I, like the vast majority of humanity, work to survive. Unlike the legions of others who live on subsistence farming and nomadic ways of life, I live in relative splendor. However, such decadent living comes at a price. For some it is tireless hours at the office. Others it is at the machine in front of the assembly line. Again for people, whom I find myself lumped with, it is in the service industry toiling to "please customers."

This isn't me at all at work.

Working comes ith amusing stories as I'm forced to deal with endless masses of people all slobbering for their ridiculous movies, cds and books. Customer service isn't a strong suite of mine when most customers are idiots. I will amuse you with some sample dialog from 4 years at the same job. Note these have occurred on numerous occasions.

Customer: "If I sing you a song can you tell me who sings it?"
Me: "I can try"
Customer sings
Me: "I don't know what song it is sorry."
Customer: "Why not? You work at a music store. You should know"

Customer: "I can't find Avril Lavigne any where in the A's"
Me: "Did you try L?"
Customer: "Why would she be in the L's?"

Customer walks into the store and immediately stops at desk.
Customer: "Where are your movies to rent?"
Me: "To your left along the wall."
Customer: "Cool. Can you check to see how much credit I have on my card?"

Of course, these just get annoying by the sheer amount I have had to answer them. Some situations though have dumbfounded me. I've been yelled at for refusing to buy back from a customer a broken xbox; cursed at for 50 cents in late fees; and scolded for not knowing what was going to happen when the Harry Potter book comes out. In the moment, it is agitating. It hindsight, I'm confused and find each one ridiculous.

However, as absurd as each one of the previous examples are there are others that test my abilities to stay reasonable to customers. My favorite example is the Stink Bomb Scare.

WMD to many.

It had been a pleasant night at my job. Normally I don't get to work in a department and am forced to be a manager. This night though was nice as I didn't have to deal with irate customers. So I thought. We received a phone call as we often do. The girl who answered it wanted to have me answer a simple question which I quickly directed her to do after supplying the answer to her. The question was do we sell stinks bombs at our store which we do in packs of three for two dollars.

With a groan,the girl gave the caller the answer. A puzzled look came on her face before turning away from the phone to ask what was in the stink bombs. Rolling my eyes, I trudged to the back of the lifestyles department and snatched the item from the shelf. In my hand I returned to hand it to the phone answerer. She rebuffed my attempted and said it was better if I handled it. With a grunt of anger I picked up the phone. The voice on the other end snarled at a new voice.

Typically, I handle customers with a fair and just manner. This circumstances transcended it all. The voice was of an older lady and asked who I was. Answering her with my name and why I was put on the phone to answer the question. She bombarded me with the question of what was in the package. I listed off the three ingredients none which presented a safety hazard. As soon as she finished she wanted to know what each one did, to which I confessed I had no clue and searched the package for the answer.

Not satisfied and her rage unabated, she regaled me with a tale of why she was calling. Two 12-year-old boys were planning and using some in the presence of an asthmatic. She was wondering where they got such a violent weapon and with a certain air on confusion said to me, "I thought Hastings sold books, movies and music. Why would you sell these things?"

Criminal masterminds?

At this point, a feeling of regret for taking the the phone call came over me, and I decried to myself the girl who threw me under this bus. In a calm voice to the woman, I explained that it was a novelty item and for fun. This was the wrong answer. The phone caller asked if I ordered them. No I explained. I just get what is shipped from our warehouse and put them out. She grilled me if I given the choice would stock them. Again, a very unsatisfactory answer for her. It was at this moment she pulled the ace from her sleeve. For particular purposes, I will give the entirity of her comment.

"I see. Well I hope you know that I am an educator and I find that Hastings selling this stink bomb terrible. I will come in tomorrow and if you still have them on your shelves I will talk to the local chamber of Commerce and lodge a complaint about Hastings."

It was at the moment she mentioned that she was an educator I forced a laugh down. Part of me was tempted to say "Yeah. So am I." Of course I realized this would be as effective as claiming her down as one would do by throwing a rock at a large, upset bear that had just had its dinner stolen.

The conversation didn't last long after that. I apologized for the situation but couldn't do anything. Once the phone was safely hung up, I turned and laughed.
The moral of the story is that Stink bombs are dangerous and should be banned by in the US. So join me in a petition to your local congressperson to make stink bombs illegal. Together we can ride the world of these dangerous weapons.

Do you want your house to look like this? It will unless you join me.