Shawn L. Bird

Original poetry, commentary, and fiction. All copyrights reserved.

Still Thinking… February 23, 2011

Filed under: anecdotes,Grace Awakening,Pondering — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:39 am
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When I was involved in Guiding, there was a need to create non-denominational graces for units to use at events.  I had a lot of fun creating several graces sung to the tunes of popular songs of the time (e.g. “The Barbie Girl Grace”) as well as common Guiding tunes (e.g. “Shawn’s Grace” to the tune of “Fire’s Burning”).  Some of them are still circulating at http://www.users.ms11.net/~gsong/Graces/nondom.html

I find it somewhat ironic that if you search Grace and “Shawn Bird” on the internet, these old graces show up, along with references to Grace Awakening.  The graces are all given for free use within Guiding and I am thrilled when every once in awhile I stumble across some reference to one being used at a Guiding event.   It’s kind of nice that my words are still being used within Guiding.

You’ll notice that my collection of Rotary Invocations follow the same model.  I create non-denominational invocations for use in Rotary.  If Rotarians would sing, I’d get them to use those Guiding Graces, but I just can’t see it happening.  😉

 

Thinking Day! February 22, 2011

Filed under: anecdotes — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:55 am
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Every February 22 members of the Scouting movement celebrate the birthdays of Lord and Lady Baden-Powell.  On this day, Guiding members are supposed to think about Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world.  You may think of Girl Guides as a craft and camping club, but the fact is that Guiding is still a relevant and powerful agent for female empowerment around the world.  See the World Association’s Thinking Day website here: http://www.worldthinkingday.org/en/home

In honour of Thinking Day, I’m thinking about Guiding.  Excuse my rambles down memory lane.  I spent many years gathered around Girl Guide camp fires as a girl and woman.  The women I met in Guiding exemplified the idea that “you can grow older, but you don’t have to grow up.”  These women know how to have a good time with a bag of bottle caps, tin plates, corks, and pins!  They can make an oven from a cardboard box, tin foil and pop cans.  They can make a toaster from a clothes hanger.  This isn’t silliness, this is about  thinking outside the box, using resources in creative ways; learning how to do such things empowers girls.

These women can teach a dozen or two 8 year olds how to make a bed roll in 2 mins, or set up a tent in 3 mins.  One of my favorite memories of camping is when mothers  dropped off their 8 and 9 year olds at our Guide camp site.  One mother asked, “Do you want us to help set up the tents?”  I replied, “No, the girls will do it.”  The mother’s expression reflected her doubt that her little darling, who probably couldn’t pull up bed sheets would be capable of such a project.  I smirked, clapped my hands and gathered the girls.  “Do you know who your tent mates are?” I asked.  The girls grabbed each other in tight little groups of four.  I pointed to the pile of tents in their bags.  “Set ’em up!”  Girls flew to the tents, grabbed one and in under five minutes each group was proudly loading their bed rolls into their perfectly assembled tents.  Mothers stood with mouths agape.  Of course we’d practiced this skill in races at meetings over the year, so even though it was a first camping trip, the girls had developed skills.  Girl Guides teaches life skills.  In that moment they demonstrated independence, team work, organization.  That’s real life problem solving and fun with a purpose!

The high point of my Guiding life was an international camp that I attended in Trail, BC.  Over three thousand girls and women, mostly from BC, but also representing every province in Canada, several American States, and several foreign countries, gathered together in a most phenomenally well organized week of camping I’ve ever experienced.  Girls participated in community service projects, athletic, artistic and craft activities, as well as hikes, outdoor cooking, and tent life.  Friends were made.  I wrote a British Guider for several years afterwards until we both moved and lost touch (Hmm.  Facebook…).  The event, The Spirit of Adventure Rendez-Vous or SOAR, still occurs regularly (every 3 years, I believe).  It is hosted by the Girl Guides of British Columbia.  This is a SOAR year, so  I suggest if you’re in Guiding, that you get together a patrol and apply to attend for SOAR 2011!  You won’t regret it!

Young people benefit from the character that is developed by this movement.  The practical lessons, new skills and experiences they would otherwise not have all serve to expand horizons broaden minds.  There are a lot of famous former Girl Guides and Scouts like Roberta Bodnar the astronaut, Phyllis Maundy the conservationist.

What famous person do you know who learned skills in the Scouting movement?  What did you learn?

 

Pearl of great price February 21, 2011

Filed under: Literature,Reading — Shawn L. Bird @ 3:46 pm
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The final character to explore from Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is Pearl.  Of course, much has been written about the obvious point that Pearl represents the Biblical “pearl of great price” because Hester loses everything on her account.  What I don’t see explored are some deep issues around that Biblical reference or some other issues around her name.

A pearl is an excellent symbol for a secret, because a pearl is a hidden irritation that is slowly transformed. The pearl becomes a ball that emerges from the flesh of the oyster.  When revealed the pearl is a thing of beautiful rarity.  Hester’s body would have been transformed as Pearl blossomed in her belly and exposed the sin.  When choosing the name, Hester chose to acknowledge Pearl as a treasure and accepted the transformation of her life.  She seems to welcome the isolation and notoriety that results, celebrating her difference from the rest of the community.

Hester also chose to protect the identity of Pearl’s father.  A pearl is hidden inside the oyster and no one knows whether it is there.  Thus, Pearl represents the secret of her father’s identity.  Today, he could be found by genetic testing, but Pearl would have to give her genes in order to reveal the identity.

The Bible quotation is a short one. Matthew 13, verses 45 and 46 reads     “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”  (New International Version).   Consider this: 1. the merchant purchases this treasure, and the purchase is what determines its value.  2. the kingdom of heaven is represented in this transaction.

Is Hester symbolic of the kingdom of heaven because she has made the sacrifice for this pearl? Or is Pearl symbolic of the kingdom of heaven because she is purchased at great sacrifice?  Both concepts are worthy of exploration.  What microcosm of heaven is found in Hester and/or Pearl?  The fundamentalists Calvinists represented by the Puritans believed in pre-destination, in other words, from the beginning of time God has known who will or will not make it into heaven. This philosophy makes reward and punishment seem a trifle perverse, since there is nothing the individual can do to improve his or her spiritual condition.  Thus, Hester was conceived with Pearl as an inevitable sacrifice and the weight of Dimsdale’s and her sin.  Does their respective independence, insolence, disrespect for authority, love of beauty, and unrepentence reflect the kingdom of heaven?  Hmm.  There is an entire essay waiting to be written on just this concept. (If you write it, put a link to it in a comment, below!)

A pearl is an expensive ornament, and Hester works very hard to ensure Pearl is a showy ornament in the dreary community.  Puritans do not believe in ornamentation.  Pearl was destined to be set apart from the other children simply due to her parentage.  If she is going to be set apart, Hester seems to have reasoned, then she might as well celebrate the difference.

A pearl is also the most delicate of precious stones.  One can easily crush a pearl underfoot.  Rough treatment does little to damage a diamond or a ruby, but will destroy a pearl.  Pearls are supposed to be kept isolated from other jewelry in soft bags to avoid being scratched or damaging their glowing lustre.  They can not be cleaned with caustic substances or they are destroyed (one suspects Puritan life was rather caustic with all that fire and brimstone).  Hester seems to believe that Pearl is a sweet gentle creature beneath the aggression that she shows to others.  The aggression confuses her.  Is Pearl really as delicate as her name implies or is her mother’s treatment what makes her unable to fit into her society?  From her clothes to her attitude to her living arrangements Pearl is intentionally set apart.  Should one not anticipate a creature who does not fit in as a result?  Is Pearl really delicate or is she the firey creature intimated by her wild behavior?

One further thought:  we never hear her full name spoken, but consider the sound of the name “Pearl Prynne.”   The double aspiration of these single syllable words is like an exclamation of derision.  It makes a rather effective taunt.  Consider also some homophones for Pearl Prynne.  Puritan is one. Why would her name echo her community’s and her father’s faith? How about Purim– when the Jews were saved from a genocide by Queen Esther’s appeal to King Darius?  Who does Pearl save? (or attempt to save?) Or purlin– the beam that supports rafters in a roof.  Does Pearl support anyone? Or purlieu  a place on the edge, once set aside for royalty but now available for common use.  How does Pearl allow others to go through into royal (heavenly?) lands?  Or pyrethrum– a poison derived from chrysanthemums.  How is Pearl a poison within the community or within the lives of her parents?  Each of these homophones invites further exploration of symbolic connection to Pearl.

I’ve given you lots of complex things to consider when you analyze Pearl Prynne.  Which ones particularly resonate with you?

(c) Shawn Bird.

Students, to avoid plagarism please cite this source as follows:

Bird, Shawn.  Pearl of great price.   https://shawnbird.com/2011/02/21/pearl-of-great-price/  Collected (insert date you copied your notes).

See analyses of other characters from The Scarlet Letter.

 

 

Bright boots… February 20, 2011

Filed under: Commentary — Shawn L. Bird @ 8:28 pm
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Every once in awhile I feel obligated to draw to your attention a fashion source that Auntie Bright would love.  I confess that Fluevog Shoes, based in Vancouver, is so fabulous that it goes beyond the adoration of my fictional character, and I love it, too!  John Fluevog is a Canadian shoe designer who creates amazing, unique, retro, delightfully Bright shoes.  If you like the weird, wonderful and unique, go wandering through the on-line store at http://www.fluevog.com 

When you’re studying the various lines of shoes,you can probably figure out that Eris has the LA boots, and Bonnie loves the Wearever collection… 

These Libby Smith boots are coming home with me and Bright, but I’m sure you’ll find something you love as well… 

PS.  While you’re at Fluevog.com don’t forget to check out John Fluevog’s beautifully restored (and slightly reinterpreted) antique Jag  “The Flueguar” under “STUFF.”  What a car!

 

Arthur Dimsdale: can’t see his power February 19, 2011

Filed under: Commentary,Literature,Reading — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:36 pm
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A third character to explore in The Scarlet Letter is the minister, Arthur Dimsdale. Many sources narrow in symbolically on the idea that Dimsdale is ‘dim.’ Dim as in stupid, when he fails to recognise the evil in Chillingsworth. Dim as in weak, as his physical health declines. Dim as in muted light, when he is hiding himself in the dark of his denial of Hester and Pearl.

However, there is far more to explore here. Dale means ‘valley.’ I live in a valley, and I love the sense of comfort and security the hills provide. One feels hidden away, not everyone can see you when you’re in a valley. Being in a valley cuts off light though. The sun isn’t visible until it has climbed over the hills, and it leaves earlier dropping behind them. This gives valley dwellers a shorter day. Being down in the valley also limits our perspective. We see what we see of our own little area, we don’t get a sense of the larger world unless we climb up to the top of the mountains. Isolation tends to produce navel gazers, and this certainly applies to Dimsdale. He has no sense of a wider world of possibility open to him.

Finally, Arthur is an old Welsh name means ‘bear.’ There are lots of bears where I live as well, so I know something of their characteristics and I see Arthur reflected in this name choice as well. A bear is a powerful creature which has the ability to get whatever it wants, but it can be defeated until it becomes a dancing bear- moving to the tune of trainer who has weakened it, until it has no idea of its power anymore.   A bear looks distinguished and capable to some, but the bear itself often seems slow and stupid, going about motions without a lot of consideration to more creative solutions (return to the same places to feed on easy garbage, for example, instead of fleeing to the safety of the wilderness where freedom means more effort). Bears also hibernate. They fill themselves and climb into their dens and ignore the world, stuck in their own dreams until awakened by the hunger for more. However, this is the time when bears are their most vulnerable, for a hunter can pick them off as they groggily head out the door.

Yes, Nathaniel Hawthorne made a very appropriate name choice for Arthur Dimsdale!

(c) Shawn Bird.  Students, to avoid plagarism, cite this article as follows:

Bird, Shawn.  “Arthur Dimsdale: can’t see his power.” https://shawnbird.com/2011/02/20/arthur-dimsdal…-see-his-power/  Collected (insert the date you copied the information)

 

Roger Chillingsworth: his value cools ardour! February 18, 2011

Filed under: Commentary — Shawn L. Bird @ 4:12 pm
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The next character worth considering in The Scarlet Letter name analysis is the antagonist, who decides that he should be known as Roger Chillingsworth. Many works reference “chill” and suggest he is cold, but don’t neglect the ‘worth’ part of his name.  His value in the story is not just to add a chill to Hester’s heart when she catches sight of him, or to chill the feeble heart of Arthur Dimsdale with his constant vigilance.  His value in the story is his cold heart, which menaces Hester. Like cold air, he hovers around making people miserable by his presence.

If Hester is a burning star, Chillingsworth is a cold calculation, freezing out good intention and positive options. When the other townsfolk have given up worrying who the adulterous father is, Hester knows that Roger Chillingsworth is still on the case, so she continually feels the chill of fear on behalf of her beloved.

Consider also that Roger means “spear.” Hester is constantly stabbed with pain in his presence, for having married him initially, for her personal betrayal of him, and for fear of his inevitable retribution.

Chillingsworth also destroys Dimsdale by the cold evil of his presence and stabs of guilt that Dimsdale feels.

At the end of the narrative when Hester and Dimsdale finally feel free and hopeful about their future, Chillingsworth destroys their dream with a stab through their hearts, and freezes them to the core with the realisation that he will never let them escape from him.

(c) Shawn Bird.  Students, to avoid plagarism, cite this article as follows:

Bird, Shawn.  “Roger Chillingsworth: his value cools ardour!”  https://shawnbird.com/2011/02/18/roger-chilling…e-cools-ardour/  Collected (insert the date you copied the information)

 

Hester Prynne: the star of love February 17, 2011

Filed under: Literature,Reading — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:27 am
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I’ve mentioned before that authors choose their characters’ names very carefully, researching them like they would for their own children.  These offspring of the imagination need a name that edifies the reader about their traits, either in agreement or contradiction.

Last weekend I read Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter.  I haven’t read it since college, and although I remember the plot well enough that I was shocked and dismayed by the movie version a few years ago, I had lost some of the finer points.  Unfortunately, I didn’t finish reading until moments before book club, and I didn’t get a chance to do some of the research I’d like to have done on the characters’ names.  So I’ll do some of that exploration here.

The protagonist of the story, of course, is Hester Prynne.  Her name is delightfully symbolic, though I can’t say I’ve ever seen reference to this in any on-line study guides I’ve skimmed through.

Her first name, Hester, is Greek.  Like “Aster” it means Star.  This meaning opens up several possible interpretations.  A star is a beacon that guides the lost.   A star illuminates the darkness.  A star is unreachable.  A star cannot be hidden for long, even if it is covered by cloud, it is still above all, shining.  A star is forever burning.  A star can implode and suck others into the void.  A star inspires stories, music, and wishes.  Now consider the character of Hester and all the ways those things apply to her…

Her last name, Prynne, is not an accident either.  Although it doesn’t mean anything to us, to Hawthorne it would have been a classical Puritan choice, like naming a Mennonite character Friesen or Reimer.  William Prynne was a very famous Puritan leader and pamphleteer.  He lived in England and wrote denouncing the Church of England and its Archbishop Laud.  Over objections to some of his writings, he found himself in court a time or two, and managed to get his ears cut off as a disciplinary measure.  He was rather successful in his campaigns, however, because Archbishop Laud was executed.  Like William Prynne, Hester Prynne was punished publically, but challenged authority by bearing unapologetically the mark of shame, and thereby turning it into a badge of honour.

I ponder whether Hawthorne could have known the Sanskrit word prem, which is a homophone of Prynne?   Prem means love.  Seems pretty coincidental, doesn’t it? Hester Prynne was a star of love, blazing above her community, having flaunted the moral rules of the community by embellishing the token of sin and becoming a beacon and a talisman.

(c) Shawn Bird.  Students, to avoid plagiarism, cite this article as follows:

Bird, Shawn.  “Hester Prynne: the star of love”  https://shawnbird.com/2011/02/17/hester-prynne/  Collected (insert the date you copied the information)

There are four posts on this blog about characters from The Scarlet Letter.  Click to see all four.

 

confusing life and love February 16, 2011

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 3:53 pm
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Daily Blog prompt #47  What Part of life confuses you?

 

.

What is the meaning of life?

to love and be loved

Nope that’s not confusing.

Why am I here?

To love and be loved

That’s not confusing.

Why do we have to learn this stuff?

Because you need to understand so you can

love and be loved.

That’s not confusing.

Why do bad things happen?

Some folks don’t know how

to love or be loved.

That’s not confusing.

What’s confusing?

Math.

It’s amazing how it orders the universe,

but it’s confusing.

except

my  love plus your love

multiplies into our love.

No confusion there.

.

This prompt really irritated me, because I don’t find many things confusing.  I tend to shrug off connundroms as unworthy of too much attention, since ambiguity is the nature of most situations and since one person’s confusion is another person’s complexity.   I suppose I have a rather simple philosophy.   After brewing over it all day, I stepped out of my car as I got home from work, and the light bulb pinged above my head illuminating one word: math.    As an English major, I never could figure out that higher level math stuff.  Math majors might find it complex, but not confusing.  For me, theoretical mathematics twist my brain in painful ways.  So here is my offering.  When things are too complex and confusing, simplify until you’re at the basic elements.  There it is: love.

 

Defeating da fat. February 14, 2011

Filed under: anecdotes — Shawn L. Bird @ 10:01 am
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WordPress Daily Blog challenge. Day 46 prompt: What you learned recently

Between August 2009 and August 2010 I watched my sister-in-law shrink.  She had been on stage receiving accolades for her Tupperware™ successes at the Jubilee in Florida and decided that the next Jubilee when she was on that stage, she would be slender.  All year, with the support of her local Herbal Magic, she lost consistently, shedding basically 2 lbs a week for a year.  The transformation was phenomenal.

I watched and I learned.  I had researched  Herbal Magic previously, and decided that it was not for me, but I learned about a program called Health Pointe 2.0  that  seemed to follow similar principles but at a fraction of the cost, run by a lady I respect in our community.  October 31 I signed up to reprogram my brain and body so I could get rid of the stubborn thirty pounds I gained during my teaching practicum so many years ago…   (and 20 of their pound friends that joined them afterwards!)

What I’ve learned is that it’s possible to defeat the fat!  I already had a bit of a fitness regime, dancing a couple times a week and getting out on long walks reasonably regularly.  I amped that up by joining Curves, and getting there to work out at least 4 times a week.  I basically have cut carbs from my life.  I will occasionally have a bit of rice or potato, but not on a daily basis.  I have doubled my fruit and vegetable intake.  I made sure I’m never hungry by taking in a protein snack every couple of hours (cottage cheese, yoghurt, protein bar…).  It hasn’t been difficult, and after the results became apparent the first week, it’s been easy to see the inevitable reward.  Yesterday my husband tried to take me for lunch to A&W, but because I’d just had my protein snack, I was able to resist the temptation and saved myself a thousand calories I didn’t need.  This morning I was rewarded with the lowest number on my scale in a decade.

It’d be great if it was a faster process.  I’d hoped to be further along by this point, but I’m still two sizes smaller than I was in October and it’s very obvious.   I bought size 12 pants yesterday and the size 16, 18 and 20s are off to the thrift store…

I’ve also learned that there are solutions for small issues. I am reticent to take vitamin pills for some reason.  Perhaps because they’re so huge and nasty to swallow I manage to forget them all the time.  This weekend I found adult gummy vitamins!! Mmmm! Oh what a wonderful invention those are!  Problem solved.  😉

Following my week’s focus on gratitude, let me spell this out.  I am thankful for the inspiration of Cindy Bird to begin this weight loss journey. I am thankful for the success I’m having and the support of Marie Kolenosky of Health Pointe 2.0.  I am thankful for a very happy husband who celebrates the changes (even if he tries to tempt with pizza and burgers).  I am thankful for gummy vitamins!

18 down- 20 to go!

 

Your smile February 13, 2011

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 3:01 am
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Your smile

Lingers behind you

Caressing my heart.

 

I wander

Through my day, dreaming of

Your smile.

 

Can you

Feel the gaze that

Lingers behind you?

 

My happiness

Held in your hands

Caressing my heart.

.

.

This is a CASCADE poem, a form attributed to Udit Bhatia.  The form has no fixed rhyme or rhythm, but is arranged in stanzas that echo the model of the first stanza.  Each following stanza ends in a subsequent line from the first stanza. 

eg. where letters indicate a line and a grouping is a stanza, the pattern goes like this:  ABC DEA FGB HIC   The longer the first stanza, the longer the poem.

 .

This poem is submitted for the Monday Poetry Potluck.  If you are visiting from the Potluck, please include the link to your own submission in your comment to make it easier for others to find you!