Happy St. Paddy's Day!

What is Burlesque?

 Article Summary I wrote for a class.

In the 2011 Burlesque Bible Vol. 1 article “Embracing the Taboo” Kirsty Lucinda Allen writes about the history and nature of Burlesque. Burlesque, by its nature, is tricky to define. Misinformation abounds.  There are few reliable historical sources about the performers and their acts. What there is; is usually biased, fictional, or simply doesn’t make sense to us; relying on in-jokes and social conventions we no longer have.

To understand burlesque it helps to know that the word means literally ‘in the style of a joke’. To burlesque is to ‘make mockery of, exaggerate, satirize’. Burlesque has been around for centuries and in many different forms such as poetry, prose, musical theater, and now as performance art and striptease. Some examples of literary burlesques include Aristophanes, Chaucer, Dickens, and Mark Twain.  Many burlesquers through their performances challenge social norms and standards of acceptability in a playful manner. Their acts will often focus on gender, social class, political and moral issues with larger-than-life flamboyant displays of femininity and/or masculinity, use of spectacle, censure, and parody. The genre has been subject to many interpretations over time and is constantly changing. Burlesque is both low-brow, literate, looks to both the future and the past, is profound and profane, bizarre and seductive. Allen writes “It (burlesque) holds a mirror to the face of the masses so that society might be observed from a new perspective-often where the truth hurts.” By being the risk-takers and pushing the limits of accepted behavior burlesquers influence pop culture and set trends. It has influenced fashion from women wearing pants to the retro pin-up girls of today.

Burlesque in the 18^th and 19^th century took the form of musical comedies where women played the leading(male) parts. The goal was to get laughs, burst illusions, and show off legs that weren’t usually seen in public. This era was also a time of women starting to take control of their financial and political lives. This scared people and entertainers would become the scapegoat. In the 20^th century striptease would become part of burlesque and it started moving from female to male drag into female to female drag. Burlesquers were parodying their own sex.  Theater managers used the appetite for scandal and sex to sell tickets. New also to the 20^th century was the celebrity of the burlesquers. They were lauded and reviled in turn by the public who couldn’t get enough of them.  Until recently entertainers, esp. women, were considered to be little better than prostitutes and thieves; the new found fame gave burlesquers more opportunities to make better money or just marry well.

Burlesque has been routinely banned and regulated throughout the recent centuries. As the nudity aspect increased; so did the outcries of indecency and exploitation that continue to this day. Burlesque is often thought to be just high class stripping and sometimes, it is. It’s important to not romanticize the burlesquers of old. Many of them burlesqued because that was the only way to make a living, let alone a decent one.

If you really want to know what burlesque is, go take in a show. “Burlesque is an ongoing reaction, in action.”

John Carter

At last, a decent adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs "A Princess of Mars"! It stayed true to the books while being somewhat updated and changed for the modern mindset. The Princess Dejah Thoris isn't always being kidnapped whiley-niley and fights quite well and definitely has a mind of her own. The story is a bit slow at the beginning, but I like that they do take the time to set everything up. The sets and creatures were outstanding. The costumes could have been better, but in the book everyone on Mars is basically running around in just jewelry and weapons, so the costumers didn't have much to go on from the books. I give it 4 stars out of 5 and recommend that everyone go see it.

thrifty tips

Well none of these new, but it stuck me in the shower that we often need reminding of the simple ways to save money and make keeping house easier.

• got lotion or hair conditioner that you don't like or are tired of. Instead of tossing it, use it to shave with. just slather on and shave like normal.
• want to make your favorite or expensive lotions or facial creams last longer. apply to skin while still damp from your shower/ bath or face-washing. you will use a lot less and have better results.
• shampoo that you don't like can be used to clean your toliet or use for hand washing delicates. you can also use it for hand soap.

Great day to be outside

I had a very nice day at the RenFaire with My sisters Deborah and Tara. The weather was pretty much perfect. We got the see Tartanic perform as well as The Wyldmen and Jamila Lotus. I recomend seeing all three. Also check out Indigo Turtle, Dragon Wings, and Fleur de Jour. Best of all I managed to come home without a sunburn.

where's a kite

It's a very windy day here in Mesa, AZ. Makes me wish I had a kite. It would be great fun right now.  Also makes me wish I didn't have allergies! Spring is definitely sprung for us in the low desert. the trees have put on or are putting on new leaves, my sweet peas are blooming, as are the freesias, stocks, nasturtiums, the climbing roses, petunias, snapdragons, violas, tons of red salvia, one white iris, and my daffodils will be blooming soon. the sugar snap peas are covered with blooms and peas. Dad's tomatoes are producing, even thro the plants look like they are dying. the basil is going strong, but is needs to be cut back. which I hate to do 'cause the blooms attract so many bees, which I need if I want tomatoes or peas or new flowers for next year. I let some of my flowers go to seed so I don't have to keep buying new plants or seed every season. I did get two mint plants, apple and chocolate, as well as a Thai basil. somehow I managed to not lose any plants this winter. I hope I can continue the trend over the summer.

School is keeping me busy as well as church. My mat120 midterm is on 3/9...scary..it's 30% of my grade which is a high b right now. Latin is going well I have a solid b there too.

this Friday is the ward's creative culture night. we (the family) are going to display stuff and bring citrus squares( I haven't decided if they'll lemon, lime, or orange). Saturday is the Stake women's conference. Sunday is church and choir practice. oh and on Tuesday is the RS activity committe meeting.

I'm still busy decluttering, and cleaning stuff. I'm trying to finish some projects that have been hanging around for way too long. trouble is I keep starting new projects. oh, well I get bored.

Arrgg.....

I cannot believe it's been over a month since I posted anything. Since then I've started  back at MCC, taking latin and intermediate algebra. I manage to finish reading "The Hunger Games" Awesome book, I can't wait to read the rest of the series. I've gotten into making soda pop tab bracelets. all the flowers in my garden are starting to bloom.

some phrases I like from my latin book:

"Omnia flumina in mare fluunt et cum eo miscenter."

"All rivers flow into the sea and are mixed with it."

"Qae studia gravis te semper delectant, aut quae nunc desideras?

"Which important pusuit always pleases you and what do you now desire?"

"Qui mortalis sine amicitia et probitate et beneficio in alios potest esse beatus?"

"What mortal is able to be happy without friendship and honesty and kindness toward others?"