Medieval Conflict vs. Modern Anarchist

Preparing and giving a presentation about a 12th Century lai took up most of my day. It's surprisingly fun talking about the personifications of Nature and Nurture fighting for control over the characters of a story, particularly when getting to focus on their fight over Merlin. 

An added discussion on the medieval story's take on whether gender is presentation/performance or biology only added to my enjoyment and general stimulation from the class.

(Check out the French medieval lai entitled Silence, it's incredibly interesting)

After scanning in my notes from my graphic novel film class to send in to the DRC, I got a text telling me to not leave my apartment. There was a riot going on not even six blocks away. Some anarchists had infiltrated a peaceful, city-approved MayDay protest, smashing storefront windows and being physically aggressive towards cops.

It was alarming to once again see footage of officers in full riot gear, knowing how close they were in proximity to me. They used city buses, while passengers were still inside, to corner the rioters and finally halt their progress. That was the most troubling part to me, honestly.

Both events, the presentation and the riot, felt tied together in theme. People pushing the boundaries and confines of society. Although, there's a huge difference between an author creating a fictional tale that questions the confines of strict gender roles, and physical, real life action that puts people in danger.

All in all, it was a pretty interesting day! I doubt the rest of my week will top this, although I'm excited to see a production of Chicago on Friday. 

I'm also feeling more motivated than ever to become more proactive about writing a good amount every day, and getting used to sharing my prose with others. 

Something about this week just feels right.