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bearshorty) wrote2012-01-02 11:00 pm
bearshorty) wrote2012-01-02 11:00 pm
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Monday, January 2, 2012
I finally finished my syllabi for my history classes, at least for the most part. And I requested all books in the library to later copy and post chapters of for students to read. And Abena picked more books for the Global class next semester. We are teaching the same class just different sections so I’m shamelessly using a lot of her ideas for books and class structure (lectures will be my own). One of the books, a slave account from the 18th century, was available for free on Kindle, so I’m going to read it before the semester starts. I’ll still make the students buy it since they will write a paper on it. I still need to add bookstore requests and requests for desk copies.
In the writing class news, I looked up my rosters. Eight out of my 27 writing students from last semester are in my Expos classes this semester. Two are A students, which is very nice. This semester I will have 44 students for the writing classes – my classes are full.
Sherlock S2E1 “A Scandal in Belgravia” Thanks to YouTube I don’t have to wait to see it (not the best quality video – but still). I did need to pull over my Season 1 DVD set to see the end of last season again.
I can’t decide what I feel about this episode. On one hand, I love the cleverness and relationships and the boys and on the other hand, Moffat cannot write women that well. All women exist for him for purposes of men and especially the main character, not for their own purposes (even River who is awesome but her life is too centered around the Doctor).
Why did they have to make Irene Adler a prostitute and have her literally be naked when she first meets Sherlock? She is clever and all, and I do like her a lot, but she still fits into a sexual object mold right from the beginning. At least they kept the photo plot. And yes, she was naked on purpose to make sure she would be a mystery to Sherlock but still there is clear objectification. And the code is her measurements – which the show needed to explain for some reason – I figured out with the first pun. My biggest problems was that in the books, she outwitted him, and I really wish they kept that. But here she fell in love in the process, of course, and lost and he is the cleverer. Argh. Why did there have to be Love? Why can’t there been love on a whole different level. She was very sexualized. In the story, Holmes didn’t respected because he was attracted to her but because she was smart. In this show, her flaw is falling in love and then she had to be rescued or something. I would like to see her again, though – great chemistry there (the end could be a fantasy but we never did see a dead body). I don’t want her rescued or fail because she fell in love – she was supposed to win on her own terms.
But despite the utter failure of writing women, this show is clever and entertaining and clearly inspires a lot of writing from me. Ok, watching those “Staying Alive” phone sequences had me in stitches – I rewatched it many many times. Blog getting clients! And references to other stories. HAT! He put on the classic Hat as a disguise. Love the idea of many cases and time passing. Brotherly squabbling continues to amuse too.
Christmas party with John’s long history of girls. Poor Molly. At least Sherlock recognized he was being an ass. And John’s girlfriend recognized John’s priorities well. I also really liked the scene in the morgue between the brothers with a cigarette. And John staying to make sure there is no drug relapse. He is the best boyfriend. The pacing is a little weird in this episode. I do like how they play with sexual identity and relationships. And all the slashy slash is so lovely. And the Irene/Sherlock flirting too.
Favorite dialogue:
“I always here punch me in the face when you’re speaking but it is usually subtext.” And “You were a doctor” “I’ve had bad days” And “Are you jealous?” “We’re not a couple” “Yes, you are” and my favorite exchange was very telling: “…I’m not actually gay” “Well, I am. Look at us both.” I love the separation of sex and love here and perfect encapsulation of the relationships so I didn’t end up minding too hard that a lesbian would fall in love with Sherlock. But that still does bother me.
And despite my issues with the episode I want to rewatch it many times and I’m looking forward to the next two.
Couple of blogs about the Sherlock episode which really put in words my problems with Moffat's portrayal of women and sexuality (they are very spoilerish):
1. http://slatternly.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/sherlock-a-scandal-in-belgravia-or-the-fall-of-irene-adler/
2. http://www.dispositio.net/archives/810
3. http://blogwasred.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/sherlocked-the-humiliation-of-irene-adler/
My computer is wheezing. I think it does that when the battery disconnects. Pretty disconcerting but hopefully an easy fix. I love my laptop and I hope it works for a long long time.
In the writing class news, I looked up my rosters. Eight out of my 27 writing students from last semester are in my Expos classes this semester. Two are A students, which is very nice. This semester I will have 44 students for the writing classes – my classes are full.
Sherlock S2E1 “A Scandal in Belgravia” Thanks to YouTube I don’t have to wait to see it (not the best quality video – but still). I did need to pull over my Season 1 DVD set to see the end of last season again.
I can’t decide what I feel about this episode. On one hand, I love the cleverness and relationships and the boys and on the other hand, Moffat cannot write women that well. All women exist for him for purposes of men and especially the main character, not for their own purposes (even River who is awesome but her life is too centered around the Doctor).
Why did they have to make Irene Adler a prostitute and have her literally be naked when she first meets Sherlock? She is clever and all, and I do like her a lot, but she still fits into a sexual object mold right from the beginning. At least they kept the photo plot. And yes, she was naked on purpose to make sure she would be a mystery to Sherlock but still there is clear objectification. And the code is her measurements – which the show needed to explain for some reason – I figured out with the first pun. My biggest problems was that in the books, she outwitted him, and I really wish they kept that. But here she fell in love in the process, of course, and lost and he is the cleverer. Argh. Why did there have to be Love? Why can’t there been love on a whole different level. She was very sexualized. In the story, Holmes didn’t respected because he was attracted to her but because she was smart. In this show, her flaw is falling in love and then she had to be rescued or something. I would like to see her again, though – great chemistry there (the end could be a fantasy but we never did see a dead body). I don’t want her rescued or fail because she fell in love – she was supposed to win on her own terms.
But despite the utter failure of writing women, this show is clever and entertaining and clearly inspires a lot of writing from me. Ok, watching those “Staying Alive” phone sequences had me in stitches – I rewatched it many many times. Blog getting clients! And references to other stories. HAT! He put on the classic Hat as a disguise. Love the idea of many cases and time passing. Brotherly squabbling continues to amuse too.
Christmas party with John’s long history of girls. Poor Molly. At least Sherlock recognized he was being an ass. And John’s girlfriend recognized John’s priorities well. I also really liked the scene in the morgue between the brothers with a cigarette. And John staying to make sure there is no drug relapse. He is the best boyfriend. The pacing is a little weird in this episode. I do like how they play with sexual identity and relationships. And all the slashy slash is so lovely. And the Irene/Sherlock flirting too.
Favorite dialogue:
“I always here punch me in the face when you’re speaking but it is usually subtext.” And “You were a doctor” “I’ve had bad days” And “Are you jealous?” “We’re not a couple” “Yes, you are” and my favorite exchange was very telling: “…I’m not actually gay” “Well, I am. Look at us both.” I love the separation of sex and love here and perfect encapsulation of the relationships so I didn’t end up minding too hard that a lesbian would fall in love with Sherlock. But that still does bother me.
And despite my issues with the episode I want to rewatch it many times and I’m looking forward to the next two.
Couple of blogs about the Sherlock episode which really put in words my problems with Moffat's portrayal of women and sexuality (they are very spoilerish):
1. http://slatternly.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/sherlock-a-scandal-in-belgravia-or-the-fall-of-irene-adler/
2. http://www.dispositio.net/archives/810
3. http://blogwasred.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/sherlocked-the-humiliation-of-irene-adler/
My computer is wheezing. I think it does that when the battery disconnects. Pretty disconcerting but hopefully an easy fix. I love my laptop and I hope it works for a long long time.