Earning the Green Stripe Belts

[pegkerr]

Both girls passed their belt test today and now have new Green Stripe Belts, still with the creases in them. I am very proud. Fiona was a little dissatisfied with how she did; she said that she messed up more on her form than she did while she was practicing beforehand. But they've both passed. Whew.

My parents came to see the test. They were running late because traffic was terrible, but they did get there in time to see the girls do their form, and the defensive tests. Then we went out to eat at Its Greek to Me afterward to celebrate. We ate in the outside patio because I thought it was so pretty, although it was chilly enought that people were rather uncomfortable.

I can still taste the garlic, hours later.

Comments

[jbru.livejournal.com]

Mmm, garlic.

Hurray for the girls!

[kiwiria.livejournal.com]

Wasn't this the test you didn't think they'd pass? Good on them! Please pass on my congratulations :)

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

This isn't related, but I just wanted to tell you I read (and bought new) The Wild Swans. I would say thank you, but that seems inadequate. It brought back a lot of vanished people and times for me, and I just wanted to congratulate you. (I really really liked the way the 2 stories intertwined, too.)

I also liked the ending. I was happy (SPOILER FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T READ IT GO AWAY NOW) Elias didn't die. Did you ever consider killing him off or was that just too much? inquiring aspiring authors sort of want to know, in a spirit of morbid curiosity.

Spoilers

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

That is a little more complicated than it seems at first glance. You see, Elias is going to die. He is on the verge of death, and will die perhaps a month or two after the book ends. But you're right, he isn't dead yet. I wanted to the reader to feel that there is a chance for him, a small one, but a real one, nonetheless.

Have you seen the documentary Common Threads, about the Quilt? I was very struck by a mother saying in the movie (she had a hemophiliac son who died of AIDS) that when she saw the Quilt she suddenly really understood something for the first time, and I used what she said about it in that last chapter. She had been caught up in her son's story alone, but when she saw his Quilt block along with all those other Quilt blocks, she suddenly began to for the first time the enormity of the pain that AIDS has brought. Her son was dead, but other mothers were still going through the suspense and pain she had suffered now. That is why Eliza keeps frantically working on the nettle shirts, even as doom draws nearer and nearer--there is still a chance to save them. (You did see, by the way, that the equivilent in the 20th century of the nettle shirts is the Quilt blocks? "One made for each person, made in overwhelming pain"? Not all readers of the book have seen that connection.)

I wanted the reader to take away a sense of urgency, "It's not too late to save Elias" (but it may be soon) and something must be done, so that they are put in the position of Eliza--I am responsible for helping save my brothers. And I wanted to the reader to realize that there are lots of Eliases out there, whose stories are just as sad and cruel. I made you grieve for one, and maybe you never thought you would. Think how many more there are out there.

By the way, I tithed the earnings of this book, and by buying it new, you helped contribute. I donated 10% of my advance to three charities: to the Quilt (which uses the money contributed to provide education about AIDS), to PFLAG (which helps families and friends of gay children, so they are not rejected by their parents as Elias was) and to AMFAR, which is doing research to find a cure for AIDS.

And thank you, for reading it and telling me that you liked it. I'm so glad.

Re: Spoilers

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

Elias is going to die. He is on the verge of death, and will die perhaps a month or two after the book ends. But you're right, he isn't dead yet. I wanted to the reader to feel that there is a chance for him, a small one, but a real one, nonetheless

It's like Angel in the rainy alley with his friends beside him about to fight the dragon, right? I can pretend all I want the Slayers (or some kind of vaccine) are just around the corner....no, he was obviously terribly physically ill right at the end. But not gone, not yet.

Have you seen the documentary Common Threads, about the Quilt?

Oooooooooh yeah. Actually, my college music teacher, who died of AIDS, wrote a beautiful piano suite about the Quilt after seeing it in DC and I had the privilege of hearing him play it (it was never recorded). I loved the movie and how the stories were, well, woven together.

She had been caught up in her son's story alone, but when she saw his Quilt block along with all those other Quilt blocks, she suddenly began to for the first time the enormity of the pain that AIDS has brought. Her son was dead, but other mothers were still going through the suspense and pain she had suffered now.

Oh yeah, especially because it is such a bloody ISOLATING disease, that isolation caused mainly by bigotry and shame. I remember all the obituaries about "died suddenly" or "died after a long illness" -- people boycotting public pools, blahblah. And it was so American, I thought -- e pluribus unum, out of many one, one beautiful work of art.

(You did see, by the way, that the equivilent in the 20th century of the nettle shirts is the Quilt blocks? "One made for each person, made in overwhelming pain"? Not all readers of the book have seen that connection.)

((boggle)) Well....um....yeah. Jeez, I thought it was outlined pretty explicitly in the book ((gets copy)) -- And how many more panels must be made and added to the Quilt before this cursed disease is broken?....so....although I've heard people say Tess of the Durbyfields dies because she disobeys her parents, so, hey, reader response....

I wanted the reader to take away a sense of urgency, "It's not too late to save Elias" (but it may be soon) and something must be done, so that they are put in the position of Eliza--I am responsible for helping save my brothers.

Yes, that was lovely. I thought that was v clear, right at the end. (I LOVED how Lizzie had made the panel, btw. That was a really beautiful connection.)

I tithed the earnings of this book, and by buying it new, you helped contribute. I donated 10% of my advance to three charities: to the Quilt (which uses the money contributed to provide education about AIDS), to PFLAG (which helps families and friends of gay children, so they are not rejected by their parents as Elias was) and to AMFAR, which is doing research to find a cure for AIDS.

Ahh, wow. Well, I didn't know that when I bought it, but that is v good. Makes me tear up a little, in fact. I used to do chicken-soup-brigade type volunteer work every now and then in NM -- nothing big, just stuff like driving people to dr's appointments and getting groceries -- and your book made me want to start it up again.

And thank you, for reading it and telling me that you liked it. I'm so glad.

I did, v much. I especially liked the way how young "Puritan" Elias was introduced into this big new world, right along with the reader -- that was v nicely done. It also gave me a little giggle that Sean's name was originally John, because I've known a lot of people who change their names like that....I thought Elias and Sean's relationship was v well-done, too. v believable.

I see I'm stinting praise for the "other" story in the book -- I really liked the dialogue in Eliza's story, it was in period yet v natural -- and I was MOST satisfied when Hugh socked the executioner. I even felt some real, grudging sympathy for William. He's never going to be happy.

[vass]

Congratulations, Fiona and Delia!

[dormouse-in-tea.livejournal.com]

Congratulations, girls!

And good for you, Fiona. Never be glad to settle for a pass, when you know you can improve. But you deserve it anyway. Just keep practicing!

Greek!

[liadan-m.livejournal.com]

I discovered that resturant about three weeks ago. Ah, wonderful authentic Greek!!

Garlic isn't the only issue with their food, the amount can get daunting sometimes, don't you think?

My parents are coming into town Labor Day weekend and I think I'm going to get reservations...