Oh yeah.  You know that if the announcement of Beatles Rock Band required a multiple exclamation point title, the remasters finally, finally, finally being released sure as fucking hell deserves an all caps one.

Press release, here. Video, if you can get it to load. (Might play better on Yoko’s site.) The clips they provide in said video sound really good.  At least as good as my bootleg versions, if not better :)

But, have I ever mentioned that I hate the Beatles?  Like, really, really hate them?  Well, okay, I obviously don’t mean that.  What I mean is this: they’re releasing two box sets, both of which I need.  One is stereo with all of the albums and a DVD (!) and one is mono, with replicated packaging, and you know, it’s in mono (!!!), which certain albums are just a million, gazillion, other-made-up-words- trillion times better in.  And Rock Band is being released on the same day.

Prices have not yet been announced for said box sets, but I’m guessing that they are going to be around $250 each.  Which is what the Rock Band box set is going to cost. And I’m just really, really hoping that I’m not guessing radically low.  If there is extra special packaging with the box sets, though?  I probably am.  Which would suck.

Where am I going to come up with at least $750 to drop on Beatles shit in a single day?  Oh, you better believe that I have no fucking clue, other than a good chunk of the tax refund I just got back going in savings at the moment. Probably by sitting in my house and not leaving or doing anything fun until 09/09/09.

Somehow, it will happen. It must. But, Dear Beatles, you suck at the same time as you rule.  Really really suck, and really really rule.

I think the below song is highly appropriate for the circumstances:

And many more!

Thanks to a fab feminist for all that she has done, how she has persevered in all that she has been put up against, and all of the beautiful work that she continues to do.  We love you, Yoko!

Image is Yoko Ono at her 75th birthday party from last year, with the cake that her son Sean Lennon presented to her.  It’s a replica of one of her most famous works of art, the all-white chess set Play It By Trust.

Renee of Womanist Musings decided to post a manifesto for feminist dog-lovers everywhere, breaking our well-known and established tradition of the feminist kitty collective. Now, I’m not the posting photos of my completely adorable cat type, but knowing that I ardently defend the kitty collective, she decided to call me out directly, anyway.

Bad move, Renee.

Renee argues that by upholding cats as the feminist pet of choice, we are in fact ignoring the oppression of dogs. And yet, she conveniently ignores the oppression of cats in her argument that canines are the truly oppressed household animal, through their treatment as servants by men, which parallels the regular treatment of women.

It’s true that a cat fetches for no one, but how is that a downside? Also, the last time I checked, dogs did not have the tips of their toes cut off to please the aesthetic pleasures of humans.  Now, who are we reminded of?  How much physical pain must women endure to please the beauty standards of the patriarchy?  How can we just push the similar treatment of cats under the rug in a proclamation that they do not deserve to be centered in our feminist pet-related discussions? And in denying them, who is now creating a hierarchy of oppressions?

Though I argued to her in more private conversations that dogs are not in fact the perfect feminist ally, as they are widely known as “man’s best friend,” Renee again asserts that they are treated not by friends but as slaves.  Valid though the point may be, however, it doesn’t mean that dogs can necessarily be trusted into our movement without a rigorous screening process. 

Cats, with their non-shit taking attitude and general lack of humor are, on the other hand, natural feminist allies: grumpy, self-sufficient, permanently single and willing to smack any fool who gets in the way of their plans for world domination.

Below is my own cat, Jasmine — better known to those who love her as Minka.

Just look at the little cutie.  No dog slobber, dog breath or mandatory walks.  Only cuteness, and a willingness to kick the ass of whoever fucks with her.

Further, I present to you the case of the far more maligned household pets.   If we are going to expand feminism to include a more intersectional pet approach, I can accept and even celebrate that. But shouldn’t that approach include all of the marginalized animals in our lives?  What of the fish?  The birds?  Or the cute and furry, yet caged bunnies?  What of the most hated and marginalized pets of all, the rodents and the reptiles?  And ferrets! Don’t they, too, deserve feminism’s attention?

I brought this point up to Renee and she seemed to agree, and yet all of these lovable creatures are conveniently left out of her dog-loving manifesto.  I think we all know what this tells us.  Is Renee truly trying to create a more inclusive movement, or really just attempting to exchange the privileging of cats for the privileging of dogs?  Her chant that cat-loving feminists have got to go says it all.

I present to you a manifesto that includes all of the marginalized animals in our lives, rather than merely the ones that are already so privileged by men. And barring that? Feminist cat-lovers must continue to unite!

I’ll be up front and say that there is really no point to this post except to brag and post more photos of Yoko Ono.

Yoko apparently found my blog series about her.  And even more amazing than that, she liked the posts enough to feel compelled to reach out to me with an email.

That’s right, on Monday, January 19, I got an email from Yoko Ono.

I feel strange about posting the whole email, though I do intend on framing and keeping it in my home.  It’s for a few reasons.  First, Yoko emailed the commentary and I don’t know if she wants it shared.  Secondly, Yoko, as those of you who have read her work know, has a very intimate way of writing.  It feels, frankly, somehow too personal to share with everyone.  So I won’t.

But I will tell you that it said that for what little I can possibly know of Yoko’s personal experiences, she found it incredibly “close to the truth.”  It also included the words “Thank you,” directly relating to what I wrote in the series.  And no, I can’t even begin to explain how humbling that feels.

It is, quite simply, the greatest honor that I could have possibly received.  I’ve got a lot of compliments about the series, which I’m thrilled about and grateful for.  But for Yoko herself to find it worth her time to read and comment on?  For her to thank me for it?  There are no words for that.

In case there’s anyone out there who doesn’t believe me, I do have a piece of evidence.  Yoko also felt compelled to repost the entire series over at her website Imagine Peace.  Clearly, she thinks that it does her enough justice to keep it displayed in her archives.

Even if you’ve read the series already, check it out.  It’s pretty damn cool.

By now you all undoubtedly know that I’m a Beatles fanatic. Well, I do listen to other music (sometimes), and this is one of my other favorite bands. I love them. Have for many years. And I have always loved this song from the first moment I heard it. Especially right now, at this time of year.

And yet sometimes, the impossible happens. And a song you have always related to without fail suddenly hits you in a new and more profound way. So looking back at my year, especially the past few months, I relate to it much, much more than I ever have.

I can’t remember the last thing that you said as you were leaving / If you think that I could be forgiven . . . / The smell of hospitals and winter

I guess the winter makes you laugh a little slower, makes you talk a little lower, about the things you could not show her.

Yes, it has been a very, very long December. And indeed, maybe this year will be better than the last. We can only hope.

Happy New Year, everyone.

The one and only Christmas song I like, Happy Xmas (War Is Over).

(This version of the video unfortunately cuts of Yoko’s part of the intro and the very end of the fadeout, but was otherwise by far the video with the best overall sound quality. SORRY, I miss Yoko too.)

I hope you all have a happy and safe holiday.

This comment from “Joe Black,” left on this post, is perhaps simultaneously the the best and most incoherent I have ever received:

the article is true,most women come up off the backs of men, whether it is thru a divorce or an inheritance. Women are weaker, and I do hear stories about how they constantly trade sex all the time period point blank. And yes women are held to a higher standard simply because you guys are child bearers, and when life comes thru your ass, we as men expect you guys to be a little more discreet with how you represent yourselves, especially when you are married, so stop your whining, I mean the biggest truth I have ever heard was that women are smarter than men, which let me translate this here, means that women are more likely to be used by the devil to usher in every sin under the sun, you tell me what a can of coke has to do with a half naked woman period point blank. Some men are so crazy for them that they meaning men risks their professions and reputations, it’s ridiculous if you ask me, women are given way too much credit, and women only support themselves as far as politics is concerned, selfish, what about men, and you expect to get elected, please.

So, is he 8-years-old, or a full grown adult who needs a remedial lesson on where babies come from? Your call.

Newsflash: The Vatican has pardoned John Lennon for saying that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus.

Yeah, apparently they were still upset about that.

I bet that wherever John is, he’s very pleased. After all, he was very sorry about his comments. Just look at how sorry he was:

He apparently also said later:

“I was not saying whatever they’re saying I was saying. I’m sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious thing. I apologise if that will make you happy. I still do not know quite what I’ve done. I’ve tried to tell you what I did do, but if you want me to apologise, if that will make you happy, then OK, I’m sorry.”

Yeah, thrilled with that forgiveness, I bet he is.

As my husband said to me upon hearing the news . . . damn, is the Vatican going to be fucking pissed once they catch up to 1970 and hear “God.”

In other news, John Lennon was named the 5th greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.  Not bad at all. I’m still bitter about them screwing George Harrison at #21 on their list of all-time greatest guitarists.

Also, did you hear that John Lennon’s murder was the result of a deal he made with the devil? It’s true. There’s a book about it and everything, and all kinds of clues are hidden in Beatles songs!  It’s like Robert Johnson and Paul is Dead combined and on crack.  And completely ripped off.  I’m a big personal fan of Clue 2. It’ll blow your mind, man.  Thanks to Dewey for sending me the press release and providing me with endless amusement.  (And also, if any of you actually spend money on that piece of shit, I am so disowning you.  But please enjoy the website.  I did!)

OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG

Renee tagged me for this thing:

6 Random Things About Me:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself. (See below)
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them. (See further below…)
5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

1. We just got Rock Band 2, and the first thing I did was make The Beatles as playable characters.  George looks totally awesome.  Paul didn’t work out so well.

2. As a follow-up, if I spent any more time talking/thinking about The Beatles, I’m quite sure it would be considered some kind of disorder.

3. I could happily live off of pizza and birthday cake.  Yes, I am five-years-old.

4. Ever since I started blogging, I never get the time to read books.  I’m displeased about that but have yet to find a way around it.

5. If I could, I’d probably spend every dollar I have at Etsy.

6. My cat is in charge around here.  This should be considered nothing unusual by those who have cats.

7. My eyes change color quite dramatically based on what I’m wearing.

8. I’m on my way out the door to phone-bank for Alice Kryzan.

I hate tagging people and I’m not good at following rules. I’m a rebel like that.

Update: oh crap, Genevieve tagged me for this one too.

Where would my 8 homes be?

1. San Francisco

2. New York City. Preferably in the Dakota. Hehe.

3. Along the same lines, in London on Abbey Road :)

4. Boston

5. Sydney. I miss it there.

6. Paris. Obviously anyone who has 8 homes is doing something wrong if they don’t have one in Paris.

7. Washington D.C. I like politics and political people.

8. I don’t know. Who the hell needs 8 homes? Dublin. I hear it’s nice there. Why not?