Month: January 2010

Juliana Marie

$pread Magazine’s "Academy Pitch"

I’ve been subscribing to $pread Magazine for a couple years as part of my commitment to sex-positive political activism. $pread Magazine is actively reaching out to the academy, offering primary sources and resources about sex work and sex workers.

So, YO! students & researchers, check out this multidisciplinary approach to areas you, too, can study, using the words and work of REAL PEOPLE and REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS in these areas:

Labor
Identity
Migration and Trafficking
Violence against Sex workers
Activism

As noted in their post, “$pread does not endorse any particular ‘solution’ to the sex industry; we promote the right of sex workers to tell their own stories and define their own experiences.” Power to the people!

Juliana Marie

The Education of Juliana Marie

Ooh, doesn’t that sound porny? Love it!

I’m actually speaking of my self-directed-adult-learner, online and public-library based education. This week has been all about Oceanography and Pacific Coast invertebrates. This education is not enough for me to pass any exams, mind you, but it is DEFINITELY enough to continuously marvel at this amazing planet we live on, and all its amazing creatures (and to appreciate the lucky suckers who have passed the exams and get to spend their time studying said planet and creatures).

My main object of desire, I mean study, is the giant squid – architeuthis dux. However, the more I read about jellies, the more I’m loving them. Some years ago, my sweetie and I saw a pelagia colorata (a totally effin’ cool purple and white jelly!!!) as we walked along the Coast Guard wharf. Now that I think of it, we saw several of them, of various sizes, floating up and down around the wharf. And that was just after we had seen a large otter dine on three or four crabs in quick succession. Didn’t even have to pay aquarium admission for the nature lesson!

My goal for this week’s study is to finish reading my library books – two small guides to invertebrates and one big book on the giant squid. AND to remember to find my dang notecards so I can resume my dang notetaking! (No photographic memory here.)

But that’s all for later; I’m using the blog to procrastinate again. Guess I better get going on the job-type work now. *Sigh*

Hope you readers enjoy your Friday.

Juliana Marie

Juli’s Latest Whim, January 2010 ed.


Back in October, I got to meet my favorite horror host, Mr. Lobo. Most who know me are aware of my B-movie geekiness. You can thank the likes of Grimsley (my big crush at age 11) and Elvira for that. I love the corny humor along with the appreciation for the people who created those little treasures of film. Their hearts were in the right places, even when creativity, financial resources, and talent were not.

There is a thriving horror host community throughout the country. I want to be like Remo D, Penny Dreadful, and Karlos Borloff when I grow up. Or rather, when I have the time and funds available to create my own little web-based show. While these folks have professional casts, crew and video production, I anticipate havin’ me some props, a green screen, and maybe even a puppet (tee hee hee). This whole idea is in its day-dreaming, fantasy and note-taking stage so far. But I do have a plan, and the planning is a lot of fun.

And so is research! I want my character to be a believable person with a reasonable career, lifestyle and personality. To that end, I am spending hours and hours studying her area of expertise, at the library and online. I’ve also started following some great blogs – great in terms of entertainment, criticism and review. I’m trying to learn more about the films out there, the voices behind their creation and appreciation. Especially chick voices, of which there are not enough.

For some unreasonable reason, I have a hard time just goofing off. The little nag voice in my head tells me I should be doing productive, constructive things, at all times, and in an orderly and efficient manner, no less. I am REALLY trying to lose that voice (habits of 40+ years are hard to break in just two or three). This horror host project helps me accommodate my compulsion to WORK while still having fun. The planning, research, note-taking, collection and organization process keeps my mind busy and stimulated, and I’m really enjoying the learning. I’m hoping this experience will help me to be satisfied with “learning for learning’s sake,” so it does not matter if there is a measurable result.

Sheesh, workaholic-nag-self, back off and just enjoy life, already!