Webcomics.

Usually, I'm a huge bookworm, even when it comes to reading stuff like comics and manga. However, if there's one thing I've noticed, it's that when I'm in college, I have no time to actually sit and read a book. So my reading outside of class has turned into webcomics.

They're entertaining, and you can read ones with some really great storylines and well developed characters. Sure, you spend TIME reading them, but unlike a book, you can just click on the window, read a page or two, and then go back to the word document where you're trying to write your paper. You get entertaining stories, fun artwork, and great characters to get to know. You can have fun, without feeling guilty for leaving your computer to open a book.

I mean, there's a downfall to this. It's called losing track of time until you realize an hour later that you still have four pages to write for a paper due in two days.... One day... twelve hours....

But still. It's a great way to get a good story in, if you don't have time to read books. Personally I like a lot of slice of life and fantasy comics. Those are fun, they give you characters to relate to, and can have some really fun jokes about pop culture and current events in them.

I didn't start reading webcomics until I discovered the Devils Panties last April. I mean, yeah, I'd look at XKCD occasionally with my friends, but I didn't get uber into one until reading some of Devils Panties (it's not Satanic Porn, HONEST!!!). From there, I found links to Red String, Yu+Me Dream, The Dreamer,Plastic (which is currently on hiatus), and my friends started sending me too many links to keep up with. Khaos Komix,Dominic Deegan, Questionable Content, Girls with Slingshots....

So yeah, I'm a bit of a geek about it. But hey, it's fun.

Even so, I do miss real books. It felt SOOOOO good to sink my teeth into Bloodhound last week, and I'm enjoying Angels In America for Lit Study at the moment. But hey, at least in the meantime, I can skim through webcomics a bit. =]

BLOODHOUND!!!!! (potential spoilers by some people's standards)

So for the first time in a while, I have read for fun. Ok, so there was Time Paradox over Spring Break, but for once I was reading something other than my cultural anthro textbook...

Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce just came out. And it was wonderful. And I am so glad that my life has started getting a little less hectic, because that meant I had chances to read it. And I am extremely grateful for that. It felt so good to close the book with that refreshed feeling you get when a really great book is finished.

I am grateful for Bloodhound for several reasons. One, I am a HUGE fan of Tammy's works. Her books have been inspiring me to be the best and strongest person I can possibly be since I was in about sixth grade and first picked up Alanna the First Adventure. Protector of the Small has reminded me to fight for my beliefs and to stand up for others, the Trickster books gave me an outlet and and escape during one of the worst times in my life while my friend was suicidal, the Circle books have cheered me up and saved me from boredom, and all of the strong characters she has created have all become role models to me. They all have given me someone to relate to, and for that, I cannot thank her enough.

Two, she has a transgender character in this one. I won't give out details, but for those of you who read this (if any) and are familiar with her works, you might know that in her Circle books there ARE gay characters. I always loved that she showed support for the LGBT community, and in this book, her support shows in Tortall as well. One time, she said that Tortall has a "don't ask don't tell" sort of policy about sexual orientation that makes it very hard to be gay in Tortall, whereas the Yamani Isles were a bit more open. Some men like men. Some women like women. No biggie. Here in Bloodhound, you see the issue of transgender individuals come up a little bit, in a beatifully handled passage that I applaud and love very much. As a bisexual myself and someone with some friends who identify as transgender, gay, bi or lesbian, I thank her for showing so much support!

Three, the Beka Cooper books are two hundred years before Alanna, and give us an incredible look at Tortallan history and things that were shaping Tortall into the world it is for Alanna, Daine, Kel, Aly and others in her earlier series. You discover things ranging from what Corus was like when there were more lady knights, the origins of the Dancing Dove, to the forming of a cult that expected women to be more docile (a possible reason that by Alanna's time, women weren't allowed to fight?). These books are about George's six times great grandmother, Beka Cooper, a common girl who grew up on the streets and becomes a Dog (Provost's Guard). It's incredible, how the setting is both similar and fascinatingly different from the Tortall we've known up until now!

Four, Beka is just kick ass awesome. Need we say more?

Thank you, Tammy! Bloodhound was wonderful!

(By the way, I promise, this blog isn't going to be soley rantings about Tammy's books, I'm just excited about Bloodhound. I've been waiting for it for two and a half years)

So.... Icebreaking.

Well, hi. This is a blog where you might see me rant about different things, ranging from class angst, to something I'm reading and enjoying at the moment, to musicals to... pretty much whatever I feel like it. There might be some poems added to this, too, by the way. Just a warning.

My name is Rose, and I rant about stuff a lot. In case you didn't notice. I'm a college student who's flat broke, and enjoys musical theater (and any other kind of theater), chocolate, books, medieval reenactment, the gay rights movement, webcomics, and hippie skirts. I'm going to major in English and Anthropology and am currently procrastinating writing a six page paper due tomorrow about the novel Ceremony, by Leslie Marmon Silko. It's a great novel, but very intimidating to write about.

I guess I should start with an opening rant of some sort, shouldn't I? Let's see, what's a good icebreaker....

Tamora Pierce books.

I love Tamora Pierce books. A lot. Like, I have been a fan since sixth grade. My friends think I'm over obsessed. They're probably right. Those books have so much inspiration to them for me. They're about girls who become knights, or spys, or mages, and there's a TON of girl power to them. And the characters aren't all like the old stereotypes of girls in fantasy. They are not either butch lesbians or damsels in distress. They are well developed characters. There are girls who are short and short tempered with fears of things like magic and spiders who can't stand the cold, there are girls who cannot get along with their mothers for their lives, but worry about them all the same; there are girls who fight anyone who is a bully, even if it means they're going to get hurt or in trouble in the process, who try to hide emotions and can't help but be a little boy crazy. They are all extremely real girls. Each of them gives you something to relate to. And they're strong. Girls need heroes like that. I know I did. Those characters remind me never to give up. They remind me to be strong and proud of who I am.

Can you tell I have feminist values? Girl power is so important. Guys seem to think feminism is a joke, a few girls complaining and over reacting of overdramatized statistics. It's not. There are reasons feminism exists. It's because laws still don't appreciate women much. Women have to worry about things like losing jobs over maternity leave still, and getting less pay than men for working the same positions for the same amounts of time. Girls are told they can't be this, it's a boys job. Oh, here, let this boy do that for you. I'm sorry guys, I can open the door by myself. I don't need you doing that for me. And boys, guess what? Give me a sword, shield and armor, and I can fight as well as you. SO THERE.

Okay, I'm realizing how I really should go and do my work for at least a little bit now. Trust me, this rant could be much longer, and better written. I just don't have time at the moment. The paper's due in 15 hours.

Will rant to ya later!
--Rose