Kate's Point of View

Today is the day of every woman, every boy and every girl who has raised their voice for their rights. Let us pick up our books and our pens; they are our most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.
– Malala Yousafzai

He Named Me Malala is a new film about Malala Yousafzai, created in partnership between the National Geographic Channel and 21st Century Fox. The first global broadcast of He Named Me Malala will be on Monday, February 29th at 8 pm EST/7 pm CST. In an effort to raise awareness for girls’ education, the National Geographic Channel and 21st Century Fox will donate $1 to the Malala Fund, up to $50,000, for every person who changes their Facebook avatar using a custom-designed animation or who updates their Twitter avatar and tweets using the hashtag #withMalala. This is an easy way for people to take action! And action needs to be taken.

The State of Women and Education

“The World Bank’s 2012 World Development Report on Gender Equality and Development drew attention to the fact that there are still 31 million girls out of school, nearly 4 million “missing” women annually (meaning the number of women in low- and middle-income countries who die relative to their counterparts in high-income countries) and, average wage gaps of 20 percent, along with gaps in labor force participation. The systematic exclusion of girls and women from school and the labor force translates into a less educated workforce, inefficient allocation of labor, lost productivity, and consequently diminished progress in economic development.” – The World Bank
“Education of women in developing countries directly contributes to the growth of national income by improving the productive capacities of the labor force. A recent study of 19 developing countries found that national long-term economic growth increases by 3.7 percent for every year adult population of average level schooling rises.” – eGirl Power
“Girls are almost 3 times more likely to not go to school than boys. Every year of schooling increases a girl’s earning power up to 25%. Girls are 6 times less likely to become child brides when they stay in school.” – Save the Children

The story of Malala, and how she has spoken up for equal access to education for everyone, is a powerful reminder that education is a privilege to which not everyone has access. He Named Me Malala is not quite perfect – too much focus on the “He” of the title, in my opinion – but the message is spot on. Education is power and until we make sure everyone has access to education, we are denying people power.

Watch the Trailer for He Named Me Malala

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Review Wire Media for 20th Century Fox. I received information to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Saying Goodbye to David Bowie via Jareth the Goblin King

By Kate

On January 11, 2016

In rock

This morning I got online only to feel my stomach drop like a ton of bricks. News that David Bowie has passed away is flooding my news streams. Most of my friends are talking about his music and some about his larger body of creative work. Many people are sharing memories they associate with his songs and a few lucky people about experiences at live concerts.

My introduction to David Bowie is so much … less cool but equally dear to me. My first favorite movie, or at least the first one I remember, was Labyrinth. This 1986 collaboration between Jim Henson, George Lucas and David Bowie was, in financial terms, a flop. It cost an estimated $25 million to make and grossed an estimated $12.5 million. While the Henson puppetry is amazing, some of the film’s special effects are comically bad. Jennifer Connelly, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in Beautiful Minds, is much less polished in this film. And the pants David Bowie wears for his role as Jareth the Goblin King. I don’t know if this is a pro or con to the film but they are terribly revealing for a movie targeting kids.

Objectively I can critique Labyrinth, but that doesn’t make me love it any less. I own a copy of the movie as well as the soundtrack. When I watch, I can sing along with the songs and recite too much of the dialogue along with the characters. There’s something lovely and ridiculous about it.

This morning, when I saw the David Bowie had died, I felt sad because it means we’re losing a creative genius. Because the music canon can’t be further expanded with his work.

And I knew, within milliseconds, that tonight I would be sitting down to watch one of my very favorite movies.

Civilized Cats: Pairing cat photography by Nancy Hendrickson with quotes about cats

By Kate

On November 30, 2015

In animals, books

Photos of cats dressed in clothes, posed like they’re playing the banjo, working in a photography studio, riding a motorcycle and riding a horse. I’m not referring to an Instagram account, Tumblr account, Twitter stream or blog. I’m referring to real life photographs taken by Nancy Hendrickson in the 1920s.

That’s right. A cat photo explosion worthy of internet fame but created nearly one hundred years ago. Civilized Cats: An Album in Words & Pictures takes the wonderful photographs of Hendrickson and pairs them with quotes about cats.

You can sit down and read Civilized Cats: An Album in Words & Pictures in very little time. But better would be to savor it and appreciate the pairing of words and photos. For me, a lover of cats who’s worked with thousands of them at the animal rescue at which I volunteer, my favorite part of the book was contemplating how Hendrickson got the cats into each outfit and posed for the photos. Specifically, in one, there is a cat in spectacles. HOW???

This is a sweet book that honors the photography of Hendrickson. I’m happy I had the opportunity to read it and would recommend it as a gift for the photography and cat lovers in your life. Depending on the size of your stocking, this could also make a nice stocking stuffer!

I received a free copy of Civilized Cats: An Album in Words & Pictures to review. All opinions are my own.

Getting people to care

By Kate

On November 26, 2015

In books

You can't make people care. I think that's a logical thought. But Judy Blume disproves it in her new book, In and Unlikely Event.

“You can’t make people care.”
That’s what Wonder Boy said when I was trying to tell him about In and Unlikely Event by Judy Blume and how I related that book to so much of what I see in current events. But I think Judy Blume can make you, the reader, care. This woman whose writing occupied so much of my youth… she knows how to make me care.

In and Unlikely Event is about a series of true events in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in the 1950s. I don’t think what follows will be too spoiler-y but it definitely leans in that direction. So, if you don’t like spoilers, stop reading now! You’ve been warned.

In Elizabeth, where Judy Blume grew up, there were three plane crashes within a very short time period. Blume tells the story from the perspectives of many people in the town, although she mainly focuses on just a few main characters. This rapid switching of characters and perspectives offers her a chance to do something very smart. As a reader, more than once we are introduced to a character whose story we get invested in and then who subsequently, and every suddenly, dies in a plane crash. At first I was very upset by this. After some thought, though, I decided that Blume deserved some kudos. She pulled me in by making me relate to the character. She made me care about the character. And then, by taking the character away from me, she made me care about the event.

During a time when society seems to be turning in on itself, when we have people killing each other, when terrorist groups are blowing up innocent people and towns, when people aren’t getting enough to eat or a place to live … when so much is just wrong, sometimes it’s hard to keep caring. And that, just writing that, makes me feel awful. But it’s true. You get fatigued hearing all of the bad news. How can you not?

Last year there was a devastating earthquake in Nepal. I’d like to think I would have cared no matter what, but it was certainly more personal because I’d recently visited there. It seemed more real. More relevant to me. The attacks in Paris hit closer to home because I’ve been to some of those places that were affected. I can (and yet can’t) imagine being there. I think this works in retrospect as well. I felt closer to some of the events in World War II after visiting a concentration camp or to the genocide in Cambodia after visiting the Killing Fields.

A lot of what I’m seeing in the news right now are stories trying to help people connect with people they might not otherwise know. Syrian refugees. Women in Afghanistan. Paris attack victims. And on and on.

It’s the same thing Judy Blume did In and Unlikely Event. There’s a chance I can’t make you care about an event, because you only have so much care to give. But, I can make you care about something that’s personal. So how do I make it person. Blume accomplished this by connecting you to people.

You only have so much care to give. But, I can make you care about something that’s personal.

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And so while I actually think Wonder Boy’s comment is pretty spot-on: “You can’t make people care.” I do think there are some workarounds. If you need proof, read In and Unlikely Event.

Very Important Poll: Do you iron your sweaters?

By Kate

On November 24, 2015

In uncategorized

Every morning during the work week, and I do mean every morning, my husband irons his clothes. Me? I use that iron maybe once a month. No, that’s not even true. Every other month. Tops. He uses it so much that even the best of irons only lasts about two years in our house. This morning I was watching him get ready when I noticed him ironing his sweater. His sweater!!! Which leads me to this question: