Bec Says

Today, I’m wondering how Young Adult—or teen—fiction is defined….not always an easy task. Wikipedia suggests a general target age range of 14-21.  Suite101 defines YA fiction as follows:

“Young adult literature has certain unique features which set it apart. Books for teens are almost always written in the first person and usually have:

• a teenage protagonist
• adults characters as marginal and barely visible characters
• a brief time span (the story spans a few weeks, yes, a summer, maybe, a year, no)
• a limited number of characters
• a universal and familiar setting
• current teenage language, expressions, and slang
• detailed descriptions of other teenagers’ appearances, mannerisms, and dress
• a positive resolution to the crisis at hand (though it may be subtle and never in-your-face moralistic)
• few, if any, subplots
• about 125-250 pages in length (although many of the newer YA books are much longer)
• a focus on the experiences and growth of just one main character
• a main character whose choices and actions and concerns drive the story (as opposed to outside forces)
• problems specific to adolescents and their crossing the threshold between childhood and adulthood

Also, a lot of new YA lit is unique in that it is edgy: pushing the limits of socially acceptable content in teen books, especially regarding drug and alcohol use, violence, abuse, suicide, and social norms in human sexuality. This edginess pushes teenage fiction beyond appropriate boundaries for children’s books.”

Does anyone remember this clip from The Young Ones? ‘Nozin’ Aroun’. (If you do, you’re not a young adult. Sorry!) 🙂

So what about the writers? How do they avoid this kind of condescension and self-conscious bid for hipness? How do writers who are no longer Young Adults themselves manage to recapture the feeling and attitude of youth? What do you think? Which of your favourite Young Adult authors best reach their intended audience? What elements contribute to their success?

Music: Wheatus – Teenage Dirtbag

Bec Says

From Wikipedia:

The word angel in English is a fusion of the Old English word engel (with a hard g) and the Old French angele. Both derive from the Latin angelus which in turn is the romanization of the ancient Greek ἄγγελος (angelos), “messenger”.^[1] The earliest form of the word is the Mycenaean a-ke-ro attested in Linear B syllabic script.

God’s messengers… Heavenly beings… Guardians… Spiritual guides. However you view them, people have been fascinated by angels from time immemorial.  Their history and categories are far too involved to go into here but you can really get lost in all the fascinating folklore, not to mention the beautiful art that’s been born of angelic inspiration. Here are some of the more famous angels and their tasks:

• Malachim (translation: messengers), general word for angel
• Michael (translation: who is like God), performs God’s kindness
• Gabriel (translation: the strength of God), performs acts of justice and power
• Raphael (translation: God Heals), God’s healing force
• Uriel (translation: God is my light), leads us to destiny
• Seraphim (translation: the burning ones), protects the gates to the Garden of Eden
• Malach HaMavet (translation: the angel of death)
• HaSatan (translation: the prosecutor), brings people’s sins before them in the heavenly court
• Chayot HaKodesh (translation: the holy beasts)
• Ophanim (translation: arbits) Astrological Influence
• HaMerkavah (translation: the chariot), transports God’s glory

Then, of course, there are the fallen angels, of whom Lucifer is the most famous. 

~Do you have a favourite angel? ~

Music:

Massive Attack – Angel

Sarah McLachlan – Angel

Slayer – Angel of Death

Do you ever feel that you’re being watched over? (Maybe you are…)

Bec Says

After Julia Gillard’s recent vow to start being herself, and the cynical reaction that remark drew from certain quarters, I did a lot of thinking about people and their personas. In her excellent article in The Courier-Mail this week, Karen Brooks examined Gillard’s comments and made some very sensible (and thought-provoking) points. You can read it here but here’s an excerpt:

But what is real anyway? We all hide our real selves in varying degrees. It’s a form of privacy, self-preservation and it’s also our right. We cannot be real all the time and nor should anyone expect us to be. It’s how we are able to juggle the variety of social relations we have. It does not mean we’re any less true to ourselves or others.

I agree with that and wonder what you think? Don’t we sometimes conceal aspects of ourselves and modify our behaviour, in keeping with certain social etiquette and different environments? I guess the rules are a bit different for pollies but it is interesting to consider how much of ourselves we really show the people we know.  Has social networking changed this? Do you share more with distant acquaintances on your Facebook ‘friends’ list than you would if you were seated together at a function? Are we entering into a more confusing atmosphere of masks and revelations? I remember reading an article in Marie Claire magazine a while ago, in which the journo described current teens and 20-somethings as ‘Generation Exhibition’, owing to their apparent need to share all their goings-on in public forums. Do you consider yourself part of that group? Is it a fair title? In the same article, the writer described a girl who’d blogged about a trip to London; she’d made it sound like she was having a blast. In reality, she confessed, it was a total wash-out and a miserable period of her life. Why, then, this desperate need to appear to be super-happy and leading the most exciting life ever?   

How much of your true self do *you* reveal to other people? Does it change? If you do wear ‘masks’, is it for diplomacy’s sake? Are you just telling Auntie Marjorie that you *love* that koala sweater she knitted from her Woman’s Day pattern to save her feelings? Are you only posting the good stuff on your blog because you think misery makes for boring reading? Are you taking down your Justin Bieber posters before certain friends arrive just because you want to make the environment nicer for them? And tell the truth: those outrageous photos from the fabulous party you went to last Saturday night….are they a true reflection of the amazing time you had?

Music:

Foo Fighters – The Pretender

Lene Marlin – Disguise

Bec Says

Techno-Bling:

‘Technology that makes the transition to highly visual, over-the-top jewelry.’

Thank you, Urban Dictionary.

So, have you seen this yet? Aliph have just released their sexy new blingin’ bluetooth headset. Wear this and you can look just that teensy less like pretentious twats and more like bejewelled crazy people who talk to themselves. And I guess it works ok, since it’s being touted as ‘CNET’s Highest Rated Headset. EVER’ (their caps, btw).

Personally, I’m holding out for Super Talent’s gold USB drive (at left). You know, you really shouldn’t have to download your Brad Pitt pics and Lady Gaga Mp3s important documents on anything less than an 18-carat memory stick.

For lovers of Swarovski crystal, there’s iriver’s shiny new N15-Jewel, a schmick MP3 player that sparkles while you groove (right):

I suppose everyone’s by now heard of the 24-carat MacBook? It’s probably a bit passé by now, isn’t it? Which makes me wonder whatever we’ll all do once we’ve loaded up on our 2-minute bling wonders… God knows how quickly fashion changes & how rapidly today’s toy wonder becomes obsolete!

If you do tire of your GoldVish Le Million, your 201-carat Chopard, or your Bugatti Veyron, never fear… TG Gold-Super-Markt have just released their GOLD To Go gold bullion vending machine.

“..the GOLD To Go ATM is located (unsurprisingly) in the lavish Emirates Palace Hotel, in Abu Dhabi. Now, when hotel guests want to exchange their cash for something a little more economically-stable, they won’t have to bother with gold store clerks or business hours…”

Not a minute too soon, if you ask me! How many times have you been out and found yourself embarrassingly short of bullion?

I yi yi. What a world!

Music: Pink Floyd – Money

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Rich

Spandau Ballet – Gold

Bec Says

Can you believe that such controversy surrounds some chick’s wardrobe update? I’m a lifelong fan of comics and thought Wonder Woman was the bee’s knees when I was a kiddie. I can’t say I paid too much attention to what she was wearing, though I doubt her fetish/hooker get up was aimed at 8 year old me. I read a snippet in The Courier-Mail and thought it was an interesting bit of pop culture info. Little did I realise that this news is *all* over the WWW. I mean, it’s probably been more widely discussed than Julia Gillard’s new job.

Isn’t it funny what catches the public’s imagination and has the capacity to generate such heated debate? We’ve got ongoing violence raging in Thailand, an oil spill crisis off the Gulf of Mexic Big Bang, and new rumblings on the asylum seeker front; yet, when I looked her up today, Wonder Woman and her new gear are sparking debates of equally epic proportions on news sites, forums, and blogs left, right, and centre. And I’m talking about publications such as The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, and our own ABC News site.

Isn’t pop culture a fascinating beastie? Here I am, marvelling over this strange phenomenon and what have I spent the past 2 hours researching, myself? For shame! I can’t say I’ve made up my mind about the new design, personally. What do YOU think? It’s nice to see her less sexualised (and probably more comfortable, poor love)… And I will say this: her hair looks fabulous.

Clip: (Stronger than she looks)