Poem- the partner

I have spent the better part of the last year of my life rebuilding. At times it has been very hard and at others like shedding an old skin that simply no longer fits. Along this journey I began to take dance classes. To be honest I started simply to get out of the house and do something beside work 40 hrs a week. What I didn’t expect where all the many ways that it would change my life for the better. I’m not talking about reducing stress or weight loss, though those are counted among them. I mean the ways that no one can see but me. The pattern of dance steps is engraved across my heart, left by so many who didn’t think they were doing anything but teaching or taking a class with me.

I have felt for some time the desire to write more about these changes and how they have affected me but it is hard to express. So here is attempt number one I’m sure that more will follow.

“The Partner”

I was so scared I could barely hold your hand.

Like a scarecrow I followed stiffly, at a safe distance.

But something in your grip…the confidence or warmth perhaps

Made me pause, in my swirling insecurities.

I remember how panic froze my feet

 And I would stand unable to move,

Overcome by my inability to produce perfection.

You grabbed my hands saying, “you got this,”

And proved me wrong …three times in a row.

I was so afraid of my life and myself,

But each step brought me closer to me

And further away from a life that no longer existed.

When I would get too caught up in my head,

You smiled, saying “just dance,” shaking my arms.

You dared me to look you in the eyes,

To trust that you would not let me fall,

And to learn to love myself through this dance.

I don’t know where my feet will take me,

Only that I am grateful that you where my partner.

AC 2013

For Alvero, Chester and Will

Anime for children- Hayao Miyazaki

I should start by saying this is a totally biased piece; I love Hayao Miyazaki. From the first time I watched “Spirited Away” I was hooked. Not only does his work have heart but the children in his stories have a perspective that often saves everyone because they still believe that miracles are possible and that love can change everything. So here’s a list of his movies and what I loved best about them.

Spirited away:

This is the story of a little girl who is moving with her parents to a new town. After her parents trespass in a carnival that belongs to the gods, she is forced to work in a bath house for the gods until she can find a free them.

This movie is full of wonderful fantasy. Along the way she makes friends with living coal, a ghost a young boy and a dragon.  I was moved by how realistically she is represented as a child; she cries, gets scared and is only brave in order to save the ones she loves. This story can be scary at times for small children but anyone over the age of seven should be fine.

Ponyo:

This is the story of a Goldfish who dreams of being human. She is a daughter of two powerful sea gods. When Ponyo is accidentally exposed to the world of men and befriended by a little boy she no longer wants to live in the deep ocean. Because of her magical nature this causes huge floods and tidal waves.

This is the one that I most recently watched, just a few weeks ago. It is very sweet, no violence. I would say that it is safe for anyone old enough to sit and watch a movie.

Castle in the sky:

A mysterious girl floats down from the sky and is being pursued by two different groups of people. She is somehow liked to mythic cities that are rumored to have floated in the sky. The boy who rescues her is the son of a pilot who believed in the cities. Who the mystery girl is and how she is connected to the city play out among epic air fights and journeys.

This is a fun story. It is a little more violent than others but not by much. I would say anyone over seven would enjoy it.

Howle’s moving castle:

This is the story of a girl who gets cursed to look really old and seeks out a wizard to help her. The only problem being that the wizard is rich, hansom and totally self-absorbed and there is that thing about the fire demon that keeps his castle literally moving. Howle’s talents are sought after by many and some will resort to dastardly means to force him to aid them.

This movie (second only to Spirited away) is my favorite. Howle is so vain and spoiled you instantly side with Sophie and Calcifer (the demon) in picking on him behind his back. There is more to the story than meets the eye and if you like fantasy this a winner. Though there is not a lot of out right violence, there is war imagery and disturbing scenes. This is for the seven and up group.

Nasica and the valley of the wind:

This story starts in the post apocalyptic version of an alien world. A great war destroyed everything and pollution as made the air, water and plant life toxic as well as made the insects grow huge. Nasica a princess from on of the last spots of civilization can communicate with the giant bugs and is secretly studying the nature of the deadly plants. She uncovers a plot to bring back the monsters that destroyed her world when a ship crashes into her valley.

I was really surprised by the strong ecological message in this movie. I thought it was a wonderful way to show how our choices change the world around us and can have very negative consequences. It has strong imagery and violence due to the message as well I would say this if for the 7-10 range. So much would be lost if they were not old enough to understand.

Kiki’s Delivery service:

This is the story of a young witch who has just set out to find her place in the world to do good and help people. She has her faithful cat Jiji but little else. At first it is hard for her to find a place to stay and meaningful work but eventually she figures out what her purpose is.

This story is very sweet with no violence and very little scary action. It is a sweet story about fining your place and making friends. This one is fine for the 5 and up.

 

The Borrower Arrietty (借りぐらしのアリエッティ Kari-gurashi no Arietti^?) in Japan and The Secret World of Arrietty in North America

I have not seen this one but I know the story. I human child discovers a family of little people living in his house. He decides to befriend and protect them. Don’t worry I”m going to got put it in my queue right now.

Anime Series for adults 2

1- Blood: The Last Vampire(2000) UR

In this anime horror romp, Saya is a secret slayer of demons who’s sent undercover to a military base in Tokyo just before Halloween. Posing as a student, she discovers that her classmates are slowly being turned into shape-shifting vampires. As the gruesome bloodsucking threat grows, Saya finds that she and her special sword are Tokyo’s only hope in its battle to remain human. The question now is, can she win?

*This is a short film, relatively violent. They don’t give a lot of back ground and its a shame that it was never made into a movie. If you like vampires as the bad guys this ones for you. I would rate this one for 14 and up.

Genre:Anime Horror, Anime Action, Anime Feature Films

2- ClaymoreKureimoa(2007) TV-MA

Clare is a young member of the Claymores, a class of creature who is half human and half Yoma monster, and whose quest in life is to fight against the full-breed Yomas — hideous fiends who feed ruthlessly on humanity. Fueled by an upbringing filled with violence and abandonment, Clare sets out to obtain justice against the evil Yomas, risking her life to hold the monsters responsible for her painful and plentiful woes. Genre:Anime Fantasy, Anime Horror

*I have to admit that I didn’t watch the whole series on this one. I got about half way through. There are interesting moments when they tell you about each of the claymores and how they joined the organization but other than that there is a lot of cutting off arms and legs. I would definitely say 14 and up.

3- Descendants of Darkness(2001) NR

Despite the fact that he’s no longer alive, supernatural detective Asato Tsuzuki has an important job to do: making sure that the rest of the dead stay that way. In this collection of episodes from the popular animated series based on the manga by Yoko Matsushita, Tsuzuki goes up against the toughest case of his career armed only with his own set of skills and the help of his inexperienced new partner, Hisoka Kurosaki.

Genre:Anime Horror, Anime Action

*I really enjoyed this series. They are an after life crime solving group. I did not know at the time that this anime is considered yaoi (gay anime) because it never comes into the story line. They use magic to summon really cool mythical beast to help them fight demons and villains. This one is not particularly violent but the content can be distressing, so I would go with 16 and up.

4-Elfen Lied(2004) TV-MAA destructive human mutant with telekinetic powers is befriended by two trusting teens in this anime. Lucy, a form of mutant that scientists believe will eventually destroy mankind, kills the laboratory guards and escapes, but is shot in the head. With no memories of her past, she encounters two teens who take her in. The teens and their families have no idea what they’re in for when Lucy’s destructive powers return. Genre:Anime Action, Anime Sci-Fi

*This series is crazy! Let me begin by saying that it is very, very violent and there is a lot of nudity in the beginning, though it is not of a sexual nature. I would not let anyone who is not old enough to watch a R rated movie see this and if they are sensitive maybe never. That said…that is a very original story line to this anime and I found that I was really interested in where they were going with the story. So if you can take your share of blood this one’s for you. 18 and up.

 

5-Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo(2004) NR

Alexandre Dumas’s classic novel has been retold many times, but in this case, it gets the anime treatment. After meeting the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo during an adventure abroad, Albert de Morcerf, the son of a famous French war general, brings the aristocrat home to meet his parents. But there’s one problem: Albert’s new friend is the man his father betrayed years earlier … and the nobleman is back to exact revenge.

Genre:Anime Drama

*This is the interesting side of anime that few Americans know about. There is a long tradition of taking bits of stories or even whole stories from literature and holy texts and making them into new stories. For the most part this follows the plot line of the Count of Monte Cristo but set in the future and parts of it in space. It is scary at moments but I think that it is fine for 14 and up especially if you are looking at it from the literature side.

6-Gilgamesh(2005) TV-14

The world has come to an end, of sorts, in this thrilling anime adventure. The skies roil with strange visions, killers take wing (literally) to find their prey and humans are cowering in fear. Amid all this chaos, a brother and sister arise from the shadows gifted with supernatural powers. The overlords know what they’re capable of, a knowledge that’s driven them to hunt the pair down. Can the siblings get away before they’re found?

Genre:Anime Fantasy

*I liked this anime but I’m not sure I understood it. It involves scientists who go too far and end up messing everything up. In the middle are a brother and sister tracking their father’s research. It is mildly violent and sexual in places. There are some really interesting creatures in this anime. I would say 16 and up because of the sexual content.

7-Haibane-Renmei(2003) NR

In this wistful anime series, the angel-like haibane fly into the walled town of Guri in seedpods that grow into cocoons. Their names are derived from the dreams they’ve had while “growing” inside the cocoon, and they have no memory of their previous life. New arrival Rakka — full of questions about her purpose and surroundings — joins Nemu and Reki, oldest of all the haibane.

Genre:Anime Fantasy

*This is the first anime that I watched in its entirety. It is not as hard-hitting as the others but I fell in love with the characters and there dilemmas. They do not explain everything which i found refreshing. It is a drama and may move to slow for action people, on the other hand if you are not a big blood and fight scene person this just might be the one for  you. There are some darker elements in it toward the end so I would not recommend this for under 14.

8-Paprika(2007) R

In this cautionary anime tale, reality and the dream world are on a collision course after a DC-Mini — an experimental device that can record dreams — is stolen from a psychiatric research facility. When the thief begins intertwining the patients’ nightmares with the staff’s dreams, it’s clear that the DC-Mini has fallen into dangerous hands. Can Dr. Atsuko Chiba and her alter ego, a sprightly avatar named Paprika, stop the madness? Genre:Anime Fantasy, Anime Feature Films

*This is a great film. It is rated R for some sexual content and disturbing images. There is not a lot of violence in this anime. I really loved the blending of the real world with the world of fantasies and dreams. This is a great movie just don’t try to figure it all out at once, you’ll hurt our head. 18 and up.

9-Scrapped Princess(2003) NR

When prophets predict that princess Pacifica Cassul’s destiny is to bring destruction to the world, authorities immediately sentence the infant to death, but her would-be executioner secretly saves her in this swords-and-sorcery anime tale. Fifteen years later, she’s under the protective care of her adoptive brother and sister, and as Pacifica’s 16th birthday approaches, so does her doomsday date with fate. Genre:Anime Fantasy

*I must admit that I didn’t watch all of this one but I did enjoy what I saw. It is a typical quest to figure things out and save the world. There are some humorous characters and a princess. I don’t remember this one being really violent or sexual. So I’m going to say 14 and up.

10-Wolf’s Rain(2003) PG-13

The apocalypse has come and gone, and the Earth is a bleak and isolated place with a landscape dotted by domed communities and ravaged ecosystems. The biggest survivor? Wolves. But not just any wolves. These creatures can control human thought so that people perceive the animals to be humans and allow them into society. But Kiba, Hige, Tsume and Toboe long for nothing else than to be separate and proud. Will that day ever come?

Genre:Anime Fantasy

*This is my all time favorite anime series. If you are not accustomed to anime you might have trouble identifying with the plot line. The wolves are the last keepers of the way to paradise and they are on a journey to get there but most of the time they look like people. It is a complex and interesting story line. There are moments of moderate violence but no sexual content. I wold say this is good for anyone 14 and up.