Two great books I read this week

Since I was offline for the beginning half of the week, I got to read two great LGBTQ young adult novels that I had my eye on for a while: Camp by L.C. Rosen and Can't Take That Away by Steven Salvatore. (Synopses of both are courtesy of Amazon.) I think David Rose would love both novels for different reasons. Camp Outland is a safe place for people to be out and express themselves without judgment, just like the town of Schitt's Creek. He'd also love L.C. Rosen's shirt. And Mariah Carey was a huge focus in the latter novel. In any case, I recommend both novels, especially if you are into this genre like I am.

Set in a summer camp, this sweet and sharp screwball comedy set in a summer camp for queer teens examines the nature of toxic masculinity and self-acceptance.

Sixteen-year-old Randy Kapplehoff loves spending the summer at Camp Outland, a camp for queer teens. It's where he met his best friends. It's where he takes to the stage in the big musical. And it's where he fell for Hudson Aaronson-Lim—who's only into straight-acting guys and barely knows not-at-all-straight-acting Randy even exists.

This year, however, it's going to be different. Randy has reinvented himself as 'Del'—buff, masculine, and on the market. Even if it means giving up show tunes, nail polish, and his unicorn bedsheets, he's determined to get Hudson to fall for him.

But as he and Hudson grow closer, Randy has to ask himself: How much is he willing to change for love? And is it really love anyway, if Hudson doesn't know who he truly is?

Even though I am straight, I probably would have had the best time at a place like Camp Outland. It sounded like so much fun and it seemed like everyone fit in in some way or another. 

I was actually sad for Randy when he chose not to be in the musical in order to hold the attention and affection from Hudson. I kept wishing he could have his cake and eat it too. However, I also enjoyed his connection with Hudson and how they got to know each other on a deeper level than just being masc. Hudson started to reveal more about himself and the reasons behind why he only liked masc guys. I felt bad for him when I learned about his background. The side characters were a lot of fun too, especially George. 

Overall, this was a really good story about being true to yourself, with the Bye Bye Birdie soundtrack playing in the background. (And the unicorn themed nail polish sounded like a lot of fun too.) While this novel seems geared toward young adult audiences, there are some mature scenes to be aware of. I wasn't expecting them, but I didn't mind that they were there either. 

An empowering and emotional debut about a genderqueer teen who finds the courage to stand up and speak out for equality when they are discriminated against by their high school administration.

Carey Parker dreams of being a diva, and bringing the house down with song. They can hit every note of all the top pop and Broadway hits. But despite their talent, emotional scars from an incident with a homophobic classmate and their grandmother's spiraling dementia make it harder and harder for Carey to find their voice.

Then Carey meets Cris, a singer/guitarist who makes Carey feel seen for the first time in their life. With the rush of a promising new romantic relationship, Carey finds the confidence to audition for the role of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, in the school musical, setting off a chain reaction of prejudice by Carey's tormentor and others in the school. It's up to Carey, Cris, and their friends to defend their rights--and they refuse to be silenced.

Told in alternating chapters with identifying pronouns, debut author Steven Salvatore's Can't Take That Away conducts a powerful, uplifting anthem, a swoony romance, and an affirmation of self-identity that will ignite the activist in all of us.

The first thing that drew me to this novel was that they were going to perform Wicked. However, it was a captivating story throughout with a great soundtrack to go along with it. (The playlist is in the back of the book.) 

Carey had to put up with a lot between dealing with a horrible bully to having a rude and homophobic teacher getting in their face and misgendering them on purpose. They also were watching their beloved grandma slowly fade away from dementia and one of their best friends has barely spoken to them since they came out. 

However, Carey had the attentions of a really cute boy and the support of another fun and interesting best friend. They also made a new friend and instant ally. And they had an amazing singing voice that I most definitely envied. 

Then everything came together to make Carey's romantic and school life that much more complicated. I love what Carey and their friends did in response. I don't want to say anything more as to not spoil it.

Carey's favorite teacher, Mr. Kelly, reminds me so much of my favorite teacher from high school. 

I don't often cast young adult novels as it's too hard to find actors to fit these roles, but if this novel had been published ten years ago, Chris Colfer would have totally played Carey to perfection. 

Disclosure of Material Connection:
Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

A Real President

Photo courtesy of ABC News

TW: If you support the previous President, you may not want to read any further. I am not sharing this post on social media. It's just for me to get my thoughts out and also commemorate this time in history. 

It is now official, as Joe Biden has been inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States. I feel like our country has breathed a huge sigh of relief. I'm not talking about supporters vs. non-supporters (even though Biden said he'll represent ALL of America, not just those who kiss his feet), but the actual fate of our country. We no longer have a giant embarrassment running our country into the ground. We can finally earn back the respect of other countries by rejoining the groups that he-who-shall-not-be-named pulled us out of so stupidly and selfishly. He's signing executive orders to protect equal rights again. He's FINALLY making America great! 

We've also made history with the first female Vice President! Someone posted a picture of a little girl watching Kamala on TV this past Wednesday and it was the first time I truly cried. 

There's one line from Wicked that I keep thinking of, but I am changing one of the words:

"I do believe WE have been changed for the better."

I have high hopes for this country for the next four years (hopefully the next eight). However, there will be another election in 2024, and if we learned anything from the past four years, we should consider who may be running against Biden at that time. While I am very much a Democrat, if a Republican should win again, I would be okay with it if they met the following criteria:

*They represent ALL of America, not just their party. Country over party all the time. 

*They don't have plans to reverse every executive order Biden puts in place, especially not out of spite.

*They value equality and diversity.

*They will shut down the domestic terrorists instead of calling them "fine people."

*They support gun control.

*They believe in science. 

*They act their age.

*If they lose, they don't accuse the other party of "stealing" the votes. 

*They represent our country in a positive way.

*They hire people who actually make sense in their roles, instead of those who will line their pockets. 

*They tell the truth and don't accuse the media of being fake news. 

*They have good family values.

Basically, they will be the opposite of he-who-shall-not-be-named in every possible way. That is the only way I could ever be okay with a Republican becoming President ever again. I have a feeling that the GOP is going to need a major upheaval and makeover in order to make that a possibility. 

All's fair in love and politics: Thoughts on The Politician

Courtesy of Entertainment Weekly

My family* and I (minus our daughter, who is way too young) recently finished watching The Politician on Netflix. I had heard some mixed reviews for it and decided to try it anyway, since it was created by Ryan Murphy of Glee fame. I wasn't sure how much I'd like it, but as soon as I finished the first episode, I knew I wanted more. So much is conveyed in this short series of eight episodes. From what I've heard, there will be a second season and I'm already anticipating what will happen. Not only did each episode have a cliffhanger, but the finale set things up so that it would be impossible to end on that note altogether.

There is so much to love about this series. The cast works together so well. The casting of the characters is done so perfectly that I can't even imagine anyone else playing their roles. Some characters are so ridiculous that they are like caricatures. However, that makes them even more fun to watch. It's campy, given that most of the characters are wealthy and have these opulent homes and lifestyles. It's a nail biter throughout and I easily found myself getting worried for some of the characters. Anyway, check out the trailer and then see some of my (spoiler-free) reasons for why I love this show.

*Yes, we let our 11 year-old watch it, but he really enjoyed it and most of the racy humor went over his head. The rest he knows not to repeat.

Check out the trailer:


1. The music. There's a score that is constantly running through the series and it still gets into my head. It almost has the feel of a showdown. Also, Ben Platt sings a few times, so that's awesome too.

2. Infinity Jackson, played by Lea Thompson's daughter, Zoey Deutch. She lights up the screen every time she's on and she's so much fun to watch. Her child-like voice adds to her essence.

3. The way the characters play off each other and interact. Everyone is a backstabber in some way or another.

4. Guest actors, such as Dylan McDermott (who has not aged at all), January Jones (whom I didn't even recognize), Judith Light, Bette Midler, and Martina Navratilova.

5. Very imaginative and creative throughout.

6. It's humorous. All the quirkiness just makes it that much funnier. The humor is dark and outlandish, but it works so well for this show.

7. Marie's Crisis Café is featured in one of the episodes, even though the inside looks totally different.
 
8. It's just so well put together from beginning to end. I ended up liking characters I was supposed to hate.

9. River's dimple. That's all I need to say.

Courtesy of IMDb

If you have not watched The Politician yet, what are you waiting for? If you have, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

Still hurting...

(To the tune of "Still Hurting" from The Last Five Years)
The election is over, voting is done.
Our candidate should have totally won.
We're now being told that it's time to move on.
But we're still hurting.

I've been mulling over my post-election feelings and trying to put things in perspective. There is still a lot to process. Instead of attacking his supporters, I asked them why they made the choice they did, and also asked them to not attack her in their responses. Some people can't seem to figure out why they voted for him other than to keep her from winning. Where have I heard that before?

Aaron Burr:
"How does Hamilton
An arrogant
Immigrant, orphan
Bastard, whore-son
Somehow endorse Thomas Jefferson, his enemy
A man he’s despised since the beginning
Just to keep me from winning?"
"Your Obedient Servant," Hamilton

Some people did not like either candidate, but still seemed to think that he was the "lesser of two evils." Somehow inciting hatred and planning to take away civil rights is less evil than sending non-threatening e-mails from a private server. *Rolling eyes*

In any case, I do respect those who voted for him because of some valid reasons they offered that have nothing to do with his behavior and words over the past year or to go against her for spite. They voted for him because they believe he can HELP them. I still have a hard time digesting all this, but I respect their reasons and don't count them amongst the people who voted for all the wrong reasons.

To his supporters: "If you'd like to help mend the divide, here are some things you can do to help: Be a vocal ally to your LGBT+ neighbors and friends. Reach out to your Hispanic neighbor, your Black neighbor, your Muslim neighbor and let them know they have nothing to fear from you - that you understand that they are equal to you in worth no matter what our President-Elect has said and what hurtful things people are doing right now in cities and towns across America in reaction to this election. If you aren't willing to do this, then you validate our fears." (This was taken from a friend's Facebook timeline and it is too perfect not to share.)

"The sun comes up and the world still spins."
-"What'd I Miss?," Hamilton

This line has been going through my head a lot. Time hasn't stopped since the election closed. We still have to go to bed every night and wake up every day. We have to soon face a new America with a different kind of President. Do you know how badly I want to act like a three year-old whose mommy is dropping them off at preschool and just cling to the almost-former President's leg and cry?

Are we ready to face what is ahead of us? Given how much hatred and violence has already occurred in the past couple of days, I doubt it. Either that, or we have a long way to go. I also am thinking of Dory's famous quote, "just keep swimming," in times like this. It's not going to make things easier just yet, and we probably have some heavier tides to swim through, but we have to stay strong and stand up for what we believe in, now more than ever!

However, that is not so easy to do with with half the country declaring "not our president," which will probably lead to "onarchy...how you say...anarchy?" I can relate to the level of fear and distress, but don't feel ranting is going to change the situation. I know a lot of us are traumatized by this election and outcome. I have definitely been feeling emotionally out-of-sorts. Trying to go on with my daily life, make sure the kids feel safe, not get too riled up by super upsetting posts on Facebook and Twitter, etc. (My best friend warned me not to look at the tweets that went up and I haven't even checked them out of morbid curiosity.) I know this feels like a death and we have to go through the stages of grief. However, we have to pick up the pieces and make things good again. Getting into fights with people on social media isn't the solution. And that goes for everyone who gloats about their candidate winning and still says mean things about the candidate who lost (or her supporters).

All I know is that unless he does something as bad as (or worse than) Watergate and gets himself impeached, or the Electoral College is overthrown and she is sworn in instead (a girl can dream!), we're stuck. I do feel like gagging when I have to say the word President before his name. It seems like such a joke! I don't trust him and don't respect him right now. I know we're told we need to respect our President, but he needs to undo a lot of the damage he's created before I can even try to trust, respect, or even forgive him. There are times when I think we can survive this and then I see something that completely raises my hackles and makes me anxious all over again.

I think of a lot of situations in music and recently had a Mary Poppins classic in my head, which I feel is so fitting for this new reality. "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down." Right now, we're forced to take this 70 year-old orange medicine, which is bound to taste "nasty" and not do what it's intended to right away. However, if we are kind to others and exemplify goodness along the way, we can take down this "medicine" so that we can still come out healthy and strong when the next election rolls around.

When I went to my older son's parent-teacher conference today, his teacher told me how he is friendly to and supportive of every kid in his class, whether he likes them or not. He takes the time to listen to their ideas and encourages them to speak up, be creative, etc. I was thinking that he'd make a great President someday. (Although I don't know that I'd want him to go through so much stress and scrutiny!) Speaking of which, I did tell the kids about the outcome of the election and they were upset about it. I then explained that they should continue to treat people with kindness, no matter what examples are out there to do otherwise. I'm glad my older son can be a good role model, no matter what.

So...
Am I pretending this is not happening? No. Head and feet are well above the sand.
Did I vote for him? NO! #ImWithHer
Am I going to cause a riot over what happened? No.
Am I going to attack my friends and colleagues who voted differently? No, but I would appreciate them having the same respect for me.
Am I going to share articles and other thoughts I agree with, as well as petitions, ways to help our country, etc. on social media? You bet I am!
Do I support my friends and loved ones who are hurting the most and will be affected by this Presidency? Definitely. Without a doubt!
Am I amongst the vulnerable population? If being Jewish and female counts, then yes.
Am I leaving the country? While we have family and friends in Canada, the prospect of changing our lives so drastically is unrealistic. If we needed to escape in a rush, G-d forbid, we do have passports. In any case, many people have suggested that leaving the country would be a bad idea and would not be showing support for the people who need it most. And although I don't like that the President will live only 40 minutes away, I do like my home, friends, job, etc.

Another important thing to realize is that she won the popular vote (even if by a narrow margin). It gives me hope that we can have another woman candidate run for President in the future. Someone suggested the almost-former First Lady. That would be amazing! (Maybe down the road, we'll have TWO women candidates up for the role.)

I feel like a lot of what I'm thinking has been said already (sometimes even with more vitriol and anguish). This country is definitely hurting right now. Split down the middle. We're going to need some major Tikkun Olam to get back into the shape we were in prior to this election. I'm not denying that we haven't always had problems of some degree or another, but this election was the most stressful and most devastating to our country.

I'm ultimately hoping that this is similar to the story my brother-in-law tells at Hanukkah about the man who is walking with a strange limp and another man who comes up to him and breaks his leg to save it from needing amputation, citing that he is a surgeon and will fix it for free. Only by breaking the leg will he be able to make the necessary repair, as the limp was indicative of a rare disease. The story was compared to how Hashem put us at war (during the time when Hanukkah came about) when he saw we were trying to assimilate. Only by breaking us could he make us stronger in our Judaism. I feel like the same is happening for our country. There is a higher power seeing that people are still not treating each other well. Maybe they're weeding out the "bad guys" for another Noah's Ark. I'm just hoping that good will "rise up" against evil in as many ways as possible so that the country can be fixed again.