mtv lifer writing a Joss Whedon biography to come out in 2013. i watch a lot of television. a lot. and i talk about fandom and television in general lot. I love coming across these collections:
Mamihlapinatapei (Yagan, an indigenous language of Tierra del Fuego): The wordless yet meaningful look shared by two people who desire to initiate something, but are both reluctant to start.
Yuanfen (Chinese): A relationship by fate or destiny. This is a complex concept. It draws on principles of predetermination in Chinese culture, which dictate relationships, encounters and affinities, mostly among lovers and friends.
Cafuné (Brazilian Portuguese): The act of tenderly running your fingers through someone’s hair.
Koi No Yokan (Japanese): The sense upon first meeting a person that the two of you are going to fall into love.
Forelsket (Norwegian):* The euphoria you experience when you’re first falling in love.
Saudade (Portuguese): The feeling of longing for someone that you love and is lost. Another linguist describes it as a “vague and constant desire for something that does not and probably cannot exist.”
— from So Bad So Good
Gvgeyui: Loosely translated from the Cherokee: as “I love you,” but it really means “I am being selfish with you and not sharing you with anyone else.”
*Forelsket (“Förälskad” in Swedish): A really powerful word and powerful emotion – it’s the first month or so of love when you’re tripping about on pink fluffy loveclouds and forget about friends, family, work, school, everything else. Understanding friends will say “he/she is just förälskad (or even NY-förälskad, “newly” such) – he/she will be back in three weeks or so”.
a good friend of mine is an incredible author and i just scrolled through the tumblr tag of her name.
it’s funny, i read and reblog SO much every day that is from a tv show, movie, or random pop culture that has moved me. i don’t often think about how those who write those words, portray those characters, or even make those edit choices — how they would respond if they knew just how these tiny moments have had such an impact on people and that they are so moved to read, watch and then share again with the world around them.
her tag is filled with pages of people reblogging her words. sometimes it’s just a text post, sometimes people take the time to create beautiful art from her prose. sometimes it’s a review or a post about how much they loved a particular book and how many times they’ve re-read it. my heart swelled so, so much because i, too, love them and i was so overjoyed at seeing so many others share the ideas and thoughts that have moved them with the world around them.
and it’s very exciting to know that other people celebrate her awesomeness as much as i do.
i would love to be able to do that one day. create art in any form that moves and inspires. until then, i’ll just keep surrounding myself with brilliant, inspiring friends and revel in them.
If you haven’t checked out Radiolab — either via your local National Public Radio station or podcast — I suggest that you add it to your to-do list for this week. I’m sure that there are big fancy ways to describe the show, but I generally sell it to people as a show that explores and explains big and little scientific concepts through stories. Like, science in layman’s terms, and without ever making the audience feel like they are stupid.
However, as many times as I’ve listened to the episodes, I rarely check out the videos so I missed this one that they did last year — “Words.” The piece, directed by Will Hoffman and Daniel Mercadante, explores language down to individual words and how they can have so many meanings… It’s so brilliant and inspiring. No matter how many times I see it, I see something new each time.
