(no subject)

[ritaxis]

We went to see "Gypsy Caravan" and now I urge you to do the same. It's a concert tour movie, but it's also a lot more. And the music and the dancing are wonderful.

Something I found out: the song, "Djelem, djelem," which I had scooped up from somewhere long forgotten and put on my playlist and assumed was Middle Eastern or klezmer, turns out to be the Romani national anthem, and it's all about travelling long distances, having no money or food, and being taken in by your own people and fed: and persecution. it's a really moving song even when you don't know what it's about.

Something else: remember how I was once talking about Johann Trollmann? The Sinto (like a Gypsy) who was probably not related to the Trollmanns the nice fellow comes from? And the tantalizing detail of the Sinto Trollman having really similar features to the Trollman men I know?

Well, I kept seeing that Trollman mouth all over this movie. Now, I don't think this means a thing but that we're all very closely related and features like that can pop up all over. I don't think I'd have noticed it unless I'd read the Johann Trollmann story first. But I did notice it, and it's a thing I'm free to add meaning to, since I am a member of a species that does that. So there. (by the way, double-n Trollmann and single-n Trollman are historical and geographical distinctions)

Another thing: 2005-2015 is the decade of Roma inclusion.

Comments

[pnkrokhockeymom.livejournal.com]

That sounds wonderful.

You should see some of the bits of notice I add meaning to. More power to you. :)

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

You changed your name?

[pnkrokhockeymom.livejournal.com]

I did! For a very long time my LJ user name did not match the name I go by around on the whole internets. So as soon as they publicized the "how to" recently, I went ahead and changed it. I changed my default journal icon too, which of course has nothing to do with either my punkrockness, my son, or ice hockey. But I really like that spider.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

Oh, I understand that. I use mjlayman almost everywhere online except Making Light (where I knew most of the people when I started reading so I just used Marilee) and Usenet (where I use Marilee J. Layman). People seem to think it's mostly guys who use the initial initial lastname form and are frequently surprised to find out I'm female.

I like the spider! My cats would eat it if it didn't get up high enough. Giorgio very happily caught and ate one last night.

[pnkrokhockeymom.livejournal.com]

See, everyone everywhere (at Making Light, at Whatever, on Lawyers, Guns and Money, and Feministe) knew me as punkrockhockeymom, and the name of my LJ was punkrockhockeymom, but then when I commented places people didn't always connect "kimber_kay" with the punkrockhockeymom they knew from around...so I thought maybe consistency would be better.

Yes, in real life that spider would definitely be potential cat fodder. I think I'm going to get it as my new tattoo. I have 2 spiderwebs and I've been waiting for 15 years to get the spider...my birthday present to myself!!

Lucy! We totally coopted your comment thread...:)

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

She won't mind. It's more of that bits you add meaning to.

I don't know if you do anything with beads (yarn, yes), but I have a friend who makes spider beads (http://www.beadsbymavis.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SW&Product_Code=HB24&Category_Code=HB) and at Halloween does fabulous figurines of witches with spiders and webs (http://www.beadsbymavis.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=SW&Category_Code=ST). She doesn't have any now, but you can see the detail by looking at the storybook figurines. I gave a webmaster friend a witch with a spiderweb on her skirt and a spider in the crystal ball. (I also made her spider earrings (http://beadwork.mjlayman.com/spiders.jpg) and a web amulet bag (http://beadwork.mjlayman.com/webamulet.jpg). She asked me to make tiny silver spiders for her sister's wedding dress, which I did, but didn't take pictures of.)

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

Those are lovely bead things.

It was like a birthday party or something coming home to find this lovely conversation going on.

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

As Marilee says, I don't mind. In fact, it makes me feel Important -- I have an actual comment thread! That's so cool! Do you know what kind of spider that is? Is it a hunting spider (that's a name, not a description)?