A service in Virginia matches retirement-age farmers with younger folks who want to farm.
Controversy in Sweden over children's books.
Police divers find a colonial-era archaeological site in Puerto Rico.
The UK's Olympic field-hockey team has opted to wear red contact lenses to see through Beijing smog. Disturbing on several levels.
PBS is cutting back on Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. That's the thing about progress ...
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Girls and math
Last week I posted a link to a study showing that girls and boys have roughly equal math scores on standardized tests. Well, as with any study, it's important to be critical and know what the data actually say, so here's a post from Economic Woman doing just that.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
With a side of classism
First NYC mandated that calorie counts be placed on the menu - at chain restaurants only - and now the Los Angeles City Council wants to ban new fast food restaurants. It's painted as a way to reduce obesity among low-income residents. The council wants to "lure" grocery stores and more healthful restaurants to the area. Do you need to ban fast food in order to do that? While the one, vaguely-Hispanic-named woman polled (are we to assume she's poor?) said she'd be willing to spend more on healthier food for her children, there are plenty of families who simply can't spend more on food.
This is asinine and insulting. It assumes that low-income residents need someone to restrict their diets for them. Like it or not, fast-food restaurants provide jobs - crappy, low-paying, unskilled jobs, but jobs nontheless. Also, banning fast food doesn't address foods eaten in the home. How does the city council plan to "lure" grocery stores to the area? Lack of access to grocery stores and farmers' markets is one proximate cause of obesity, but the root cause is that people are poor. Work on that and don't waste time, energy, and funds on these silly half-steps.
LA City Council
California Restaurant Association
UPDATE: Well, damn: LA blocks new fast-food outlets from poor areas (don't you just love that headline?)
This is asinine and insulting. It assumes that low-income residents need someone to restrict their diets for them. Like it or not, fast-food restaurants provide jobs - crappy, low-paying, unskilled jobs, but jobs nontheless. Also, banning fast food doesn't address foods eaten in the home. How does the city council plan to "lure" grocery stores to the area? Lack of access to grocery stores and farmers' markets is one proximate cause of obesity, but the root cause is that people are poor. Work on that and don't waste time, energy, and funds on these silly half-steps.
LA City Council
California Restaurant Association
UPDATE: Well, damn: LA blocks new fast-food outlets from poor areas (don't you just love that headline?)
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Congrats, Shelby Woo!
The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo was a favorite Nickelodeon show growing up. The title character had all kinds of crime-busting adventures, but I really loved it because it was set in Cocoa Beach, Florida, site of my family vacations. I especially loved the episode set at Gatorland, because I loved (and still do love) that place.
So what did Shelby Woo do (ha) when her show got canned?
Why, she went to Harvard, worked as a senior financial adviser for Merrill Lynch, and married a senior vice president.
Congratulations, Irene Ng!
So what did Shelby Woo do (ha) when her show got canned?
Why, she went to Harvard, worked as a senior financial adviser for Merrill Lynch, and married a senior vice president.
Congratulations, Irene Ng!
Mission: Accomplished
Well, I didn't end up going to Baskin Robbins. I didn't go to TCBY, either. Instead, I tried gelato for the first time. Tiramisu-flavored gelato. It was the closest thing I've had to a religious experience in a long time. It's creamy, sweet, rich, and the flavor was just right ... and I'm so damn proud of myself. I'm feeling a little like I need to work out today, but I think I'm going to wait until tomorrow. I will be okay.
And yes, there are photos. I'll post them when I get them.
And yes, there are photos. I'll post them when I get them.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Reactions: mixed well
I'm not sure how I feel about company wellness plans like this one. Preventive medicine, health education, and reducing costs are good things in my book. However, there are a couple of things that rub me the wrong way:
1. The company requires that all workers receive exams measuring "weight, body fat and flexibility," and then "ranks workers on their fitness, from platinum, gold and silver down to 'non-medal.'" Being healthy isn't a competition (neither is losing weight, I've learned). I also wonder what the standards are for each fitness level - can someone's health be adequately captured in three measurements?
2. They don't "pressure" workers to participate, but platinum members qualify for a company-funded three-day mountain-climbing excursion. "There's a way to engage everyone, even those that [sic] are really resistant," said the "Wellness and Life Enhancement" director.
3. It makes a lot of assumptions about what constitutes the ideal lifestyle. There's an anecdote about one participant who stopped smoking, drinking, ate healthfully, and was able to participate in the company trip. The program "makes it easier to be able to attain a lifestyle that most people would want anyway," said the company president. That's one definition of "ideal;" there are many others - some that include drinking and smoking.
Ideally, you could find another job if the program really offended you, but situations aren't ever that clear-cut. I'm not saying that it's necessarily a bad thing for companies to offer their employees help and information on achieving better health. I think this particular program needs some modifications.
"Wellness" a Healthy Investment for Company
1. The company requires that all workers receive exams measuring "weight, body fat and flexibility," and then "ranks workers on their fitness, from platinum, gold and silver down to 'non-medal.'" Being healthy isn't a competition (neither is losing weight, I've learned). I also wonder what the standards are for each fitness level - can someone's health be adequately captured in three measurements?
2. They don't "pressure" workers to participate, but platinum members qualify for a company-funded three-day mountain-climbing excursion. "There's a way to engage everyone, even those that [sic] are really resistant," said the "Wellness and Life Enhancement" director.
3. It makes a lot of assumptions about what constitutes the ideal lifestyle. There's an anecdote about one participant who stopped smoking, drinking, ate healthfully, and was able to participate in the company trip. The program "makes it easier to be able to attain a lifestyle that most people would want anyway," said the company president. That's one definition of "ideal;" there are many others - some that include drinking and smoking.
Ideally, you could find another job if the program really offended you, but situations aren't ever that clear-cut. I'm not saying that it's necessarily a bad thing for companies to offer their employees help and information on achieving better health. I think this particular program needs some modifications.
"Wellness" a Healthy Investment for Company
So much to talk about
I'm thinking this could be a rumor or otherwise overblown ... or maybe that's just wishful thinking: Playstation and Africa.
I realize it's just one study, but it still gives me hope: University of Wisconsin study finds no gender difference in math performance.
I don't agree with everything, but this Reason blog is starting to grow on me: Controlling poppies in Afghanistan is kinda dumb.
Disaster watch: Crappy levees in DC.
An interesting perspective on being in the minority (some surrounding graphics marginally NSFW)
Disaster watch 2: vacation, anyone?
I realize it's just one study, but it still gives me hope: University of Wisconsin study finds no gender difference in math performance.
I don't agree with everything, but this Reason blog is starting to grow on me: Controlling poppies in Afghanistan is kinda dumb.
Disaster watch: Crappy levees in DC.
An interesting perspective on being in the minority (some surrounding graphics marginally NSFW)
Disaster watch 2: vacation, anyone?
Thursday, July 24, 2008
News roundup
Who'd have thought a "manganese crust" could be so beautiful?
Baby Tarbosaurus discovered in the Gobi Desert.
Disaster watch: Dolly soaks Texas.
It's about damn time.
At first I thought, cute. And then ... oh, not cute: the Six-Legged Fawn.
Congrats, Thomas Beatie.
Baby Tarbosaurus discovered in the Gobi Desert.
Disaster watch: Dolly soaks Texas.
It's about damn time.
At first I thought, cute. And then ... oh, not cute: the Six-Legged Fawn.
Congrats, Thomas Beatie.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Angry
I never personified my eating disorder (ie, I didn't name it or talk to it), but tonight I am damn pissed off at it. Perhaps not the disease itself, but some of the things that stem from it.
Exhibit A: Today in the fitness center I was mistaken for a boy. Again. Granted, I was wearing baggy shorts and a sports bra and I have short hair. But this is ridiculous. I want a butt. I want boobs. Goddamnit, I want to look like a fucking woman. It's not a great feeling when someone walks by and says, "Mike? Oh ... not Mike."
Exhibit B: The two interns from India cooked an amazing dinner for us all tonight. I'm proud of the way I ate, but I am freaking out about it now. They did something incredibly kind and generous - why can't I just fucking enjoy it?
Exhibit C: Remember my goal to have Baskin Robbins/gelato with my parents? Today I thought, well, we could just go to TCBY ... because their frozen yogurt has fewer calories and would thus be less stressful. I am a coward. I hate how part of me wants to get better and look normal and be healthy so, so badly; and another part of me is constantly plotting ways to shave off calories.
Exhibit D: I'm terrified of this weekend. I know going with my parents to my aunt and uncle's in New Jersey will entail lots of restaurant meals. That's right - I'm terrified of spending time with people I love.
Fuck this shit. Seriously. I know I need to gain weight. I WANT to gain weight - then I DON'T want to gain weight. I want to have breasts. I want to have dinner with friends and not obsess about it. Goddamnit, I want to put a bite of food in my mouth and NOT THINK ABOUT IT.
Exhibit A: Today in the fitness center I was mistaken for a boy. Again. Granted, I was wearing baggy shorts and a sports bra and I have short hair. But this is ridiculous. I want a butt. I want boobs. Goddamnit, I want to look like a fucking woman. It's not a great feeling when someone walks by and says, "Mike? Oh ... not Mike."
Exhibit B: The two interns from India cooked an amazing dinner for us all tonight. I'm proud of the way I ate, but I am freaking out about it now. They did something incredibly kind and generous - why can't I just fucking enjoy it?
Exhibit C: Remember my goal to have Baskin Robbins/gelato with my parents? Today I thought, well, we could just go to TCBY ... because their frozen yogurt has fewer calories and would thus be less stressful. I am a coward. I hate how part of me wants to get better and look normal and be healthy so, so badly; and another part of me is constantly plotting ways to shave off calories.
Exhibit D: I'm terrified of this weekend. I know going with my parents to my aunt and uncle's in New Jersey will entail lots of restaurant meals. That's right - I'm terrified of spending time with people I love.
Fuck this shit. Seriously. I know I need to gain weight. I WANT to gain weight - then I DON'T want to gain weight. I want to have breasts. I want to have dinner with friends and not obsess about it. Goddamnit, I want to put a bite of food in my mouth and NOT THINK ABOUT IT.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Another good thing
In all my grumbling yesterday I forgot to talk about something good that happened over the weekend (besides the whole getting-to-see-The-Boy part).
The Boy has a scale, so I surreptitiously weighed myself Saturday morning. I was two pounds down from the last time I had surreptitiously weighed myself at his place.
Not long ago, that would have elicited relief - whew, I'm not gaining, I'm not a hoss, I'm not a nasty blob. But Saturday morning was different. This is a problem, I thought. And next? I can fix this.
And I did - well, I got started on the solution. I went out with The Boy and our friends and I had a tasty hard cider, an ENORMOUS order of steamed mussels in tomato broth, crackers at a friend's place, and a cosmo to finish off the night. And I ate all the bread that came with my mussels. I went to bed that night smelling faintly of tomato and cigarette smoke (you can smoke in bars in Virginia!) and feeling good about myself.
The Boy has a scale, so I surreptitiously weighed myself Saturday morning. I was two pounds down from the last time I had surreptitiously weighed myself at his place.
Not long ago, that would have elicited relief - whew, I'm not gaining, I'm not a hoss, I'm not a nasty blob. But Saturday morning was different. This is a problem, I thought. And next? I can fix this.
And I did - well, I got started on the solution. I went out with The Boy and our friends and I had a tasty hard cider, an ENORMOUS order of steamed mussels in tomato broth, crackers at a friend's place, and a cosmo to finish off the night. And I ate all the bread that came with my mussels. I went to bed that night smelling faintly of tomato and cigarette smoke (you can smoke in bars in Virginia!) and feeling good about myself.
Monday, July 21, 2008
So ...
I realize I did a lot of whining today. Chalk it up to confronting a very blah Monday after a rather action-packed weekend in D.C.
However, there are good things:
1. I was mad productive today at work.
2. Remember how a few weeks ago I was all het up about my stomach being large? I was at the gym today and I realized, duh, you dipshit, those are muscles. Good things to have, you know.
However, there are good things:
1. I was mad productive today at work.
2. Remember how a few weeks ago I was all het up about my stomach being large? I was at the gym today and I realized, duh, you dipshit, those are muscles. Good things to have, you know.
Grouchy
I am flat-out cranky - to the point where these "Ambush Makeovers!" on the Today Show make me want to punch somebody in the face. Look what they did to Lorene - she went from someone's grandmother to a wannabe Blanche DuBois. And it only gets worse.
Oh, it's worse than I thought. I'm on 53 out of 80 pictures, and not one of them has been a man or a woman of color.
I kind of hate myself, but I went through all 40 makeover recipients. No women of color. No men. They were going for their target audience, so I can't blame them - but good lord, how boring. They took an already uniform group of women and made them look even more like each other. Snore.
Oh, it's worse than I thought. I'm on 53 out of 80 pictures, and not one of them has been a man or a woman of color.
I kind of hate myself, but I went through all 40 makeover recipients. No women of color. No men. They were going for their target audience, so I can't blame them - but good lord, how boring. They took an already uniform group of women and made them look even more like each other. Snore.
Not bad, Minnie
In response to some reporter's (rude) as to her worries about pregnancy-related weight gain, Minnie Driver replied:
"It's unhealthy and horrifying to me. Plan on seeing me fat, walking around Malibu, and proud of it."
Well-played, Minnie. But people, please - pregnant DOES NOT equal fat. There is, essentially, a Mini-Me factory in there. It needs room and things like nutrients.
And yes, the headline to that page is "Minnie Not-So-Skinny." Jesus God.
"It's unhealthy and horrifying to me. Plan on seeing me fat, walking around Malibu, and proud of it."
Well-played, Minnie. But people, please - pregnant DOES NOT equal fat. There is, essentially, a Mini-Me factory in there. It needs room and things like nutrients.
And yes, the headline to that page is "Minnie Not-So-Skinny." Jesus God.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Africa's "last and least"?
Why this article really burns my grits:
1. It oversimplifies the issue. According to Herve Kone, who directs an unnamed non-profit in Burkina Faso (and is really hard to track down online), "it's a cultural thing." Women may have less relative status compared to men in Burkina Faso, but we don't know the details. What's the impact of colonization and independence? How did those change local concepts of men's and women's roles? In certain regions, the introduction of European ideals radically changed gender statuses, which prior to colonization had been much more egalitarian.
2. Who is this Herve Kone, anyway? And why didn't they give the name of his organization? Seriously, it's hard to find this guy.
3. Blaming the situation on "culture" rules out the mix of social, economic, and historic factors that helped to create the current situation. Would you say that crime and poverty in American cities is a "cultural thing?"
4. It's anecdotal. We're given the story of one woman and supposed to extrapolate this across all "poor nations in Africa" (read: Africa). What about the other families in the neighborhood? In the country? In surrounding countries?
5. There are numerous mentions of "African culture," as if all of Africa has exactly the same set of beliefs, values, and customs. Wrong. Statements like "polygamy is common in much of Africa" and "African culture clearly defines roles for men" are misleading. Africa is a CONTINENT. There's a lot of diversity going on there.
5. The pictures that ran with the article play to stereotypes about Africa. Barefoot little girl chasing food? Check. Crying elderly woman? Check. So does the final vignette, about (barefoot) children playing house amid street garbage.
This story didn't achieve anything beyond reinforcing stereotypes about Africa. Enough with these superficial human-interest stories.
1. It oversimplifies the issue. According to Herve Kone, who directs an unnamed non-profit in Burkina Faso (and is really hard to track down online), "it's a cultural thing." Women may have less relative status compared to men in Burkina Faso, but we don't know the details. What's the impact of colonization and independence? How did those change local concepts of men's and women's roles? In certain regions, the introduction of European ideals radically changed gender statuses, which prior to colonization had been much more egalitarian.
2. Who is this Herve Kone, anyway? And why didn't they give the name of his organization? Seriously, it's hard to find this guy.
3. Blaming the situation on "culture" rules out the mix of social, economic, and historic factors that helped to create the current situation. Would you say that crime and poverty in American cities is a "cultural thing?"
4. It's anecdotal. We're given the story of one woman and supposed to extrapolate this across all "poor nations in Africa" (read: Africa). What about the other families in the neighborhood? In the country? In surrounding countries?
5. There are numerous mentions of "African culture," as if all of Africa has exactly the same set of beliefs, values, and customs. Wrong. Statements like "polygamy is common in much of Africa" and "African culture clearly defines roles for men" are misleading. Africa is a CONTINENT. There's a lot of diversity going on there.
5. The pictures that ran with the article play to stereotypes about Africa. Barefoot little girl chasing food? Check. Crying elderly woman? Check. So does the final vignette, about (barefoot) children playing house amid street garbage.
This story didn't achieve anything beyond reinforcing stereotypes about Africa. Enough with these superficial human-interest stories.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
A good person
Lois Lee is the founder of Children of the Night, a shelter for juvenile girls who have been arrested for prostitution. Instead of going to detention centers or group homes, these girls get medical treatment, counseling, and go to school*. In 28 years, 4,000 girls have stayed there. My list of heroes is pretty short, but I think Lee deserves a spot on it.
Article by Laurie Wilson at Good Magazine
Children of the Night
*It is 100% privately funded.
Article by Laurie Wilson at Good Magazine
Children of the Night
*It is 100% privately funded.
Imaging
I've posted before about my lack of a secure body image. Recently I've been consciously trying to develop a semblance of one - I'll describe myself as "small," or I'll talk about my bony ass (metal folding chairs are especially torturous). Even when I say that, though, a part of me doesn't believe it.
Then there are times when I'm forced to confront it. Like at the barbecue, when a respected (yet grandmotherly) private-sector consultant urged me to get desert because I'm "so nice and slim." Or when I actually look in the mirrors that line the walls of the workout room*. Or when I'm alarmed by my cheekbones one morning. To truly realize that I'm thin, in contrast to the constant feeling that I'm not, is bewildering.
I'm too thin. I can say that now and almost - god, I'm so close - I almost really believe it.
So I'll do this - when my parents come down next weekend, I'll take them to Baskin Robbins or one of the gelato places out here. I will enjoy it; they will enjoy it (my mother especially). And then I'll make another goal. And I'll keep going until I don't get weirded out by my own wristbones.
*Why the hell do fitness centers do that, anyway?
Then there are times when I'm forced to confront it. Like at the barbecue, when a respected (yet grandmotherly) private-sector consultant urged me to get desert because I'm "so nice and slim." Or when I actually look in the mirrors that line the walls of the workout room*. Or when I'm alarmed by my cheekbones one morning. To truly realize that I'm thin, in contrast to the constant feeling that I'm not, is bewildering.
I'm too thin. I can say that now and almost - god, I'm so close - I almost really believe it.
So I'll do this - when my parents come down next weekend, I'll take them to Baskin Robbins or one of the gelato places out here. I will enjoy it; they will enjoy it (my mother especially). And then I'll make another goal. And I'll keep going until I don't get weirded out by my own wristbones.
*Why the hell do fitness centers do that, anyway?
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Is it any wonder?
My psychiatrist and my nutritionist have both told me I think about food in "black-and-white": foods are either okay to eat or completely off-limits, awful, and will immediately encase my abdomen in a wall of jiggly fat.
But I'm not the only one - here are actual headlines of "health and nutrition" articles:
Six Worst Things to Eat at the Movies
The Six Worst Swimsuit Foods
Is this the Worst Drink on the Planet?
The 20 Worst Foods in America (the above were all written by the same fellow)
100 Smartest Diet Tips Ever
Skinny Trimmings
Best and Worst Halloween Eats
How to Avoid the Evils of Trans Fats
A Matter of Fat
Pot Bellies May Lead to Dementia
Sexy Summer Snacking
This could go on for some time, but I have to go to work.
But I'm not the only one - here are actual headlines of "health and nutrition" articles:
Six Worst Things to Eat at the Movies
The Six Worst Swimsuit Foods
Is this the Worst Drink on the Planet?
The 20 Worst Foods in America (the above were all written by the same fellow)
100 Smartest Diet Tips Ever
Skinny Trimmings
Best and Worst Halloween Eats
How to Avoid the Evils of Trans Fats
A Matter of Fat
Pot Bellies May Lead to Dementia
Sexy Summer Snacking
This could go on for some time, but I have to go to work.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Prairie doggin it
Two events yesterday worth noting:
First, I met the Most Well-Known Disaster Anthropologist yesterday! And ... it was rather anticlimax (that's been happening a lot this summer). I didn't get to talk to him much, and his presentation was cut short. Since he's pretty much a rock star, he's difficult to get close to. I'm such a science groupie.
Second, we were treated to a barbecue at this amazing weather/climate research lab. I swear, I have never seen a view like that - it was absolutely incredible. And even though I was a little keyed up over the food, I still managed to relax a little bit. I talked to some interesting people (not the Most Well-Known Disaster Anthropologist), including someone from the University of Akron and someone who's been in Ohio government for years.
Now that I'm finally starting to have fun ... we have to leave.
First, I met the Most Well-Known Disaster Anthropologist yesterday! And ... it was rather anticlimax (that's been happening a lot this summer). I didn't get to talk to him much, and his presentation was cut short. Since he's pretty much a rock star, he's difficult to get close to. I'm such a science groupie.
Second, we were treated to a barbecue at this amazing weather/climate research lab. I swear, I have never seen a view like that - it was absolutely incredible. And even though I was a little keyed up over the food, I still managed to relax a little bit. I talked to some interesting people (not the Most Well-Known Disaster Anthropologist), including someone from the University of Akron and someone who's been in Ohio government for years.
Now that I'm finally starting to have fun ... we have to leave.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Y'all are probably sick of this
I just got an email from my boss who reminded me that, you know, it's okay to HAVE FUN at these conference things. And I have to say that today has been much less stressful, probably from the combination of de-puffed face, early-morning workout, and no actual responsibilities for the day.
I still haven't found the Even More Well-Known Disaster Anthropologist. I really hope he didn't leave.
Also, this hotel epic fails when it comes to food. Today there were cold cuts at lunch, so I talked myself into a slice of bread. I'd eaten about half of it when I realized there was MOLD on the bottom. I rule. Now I'm kicking myself for the chocolate I had for dessert. I'm not completely de-stressed, I suppose.
I should also mention that my family and The Boy deserve medals for dealing with my freakout phone calls.
Finally, I came across this entry over at ED Bites that is well-written and thoughtful.
I still haven't found the Even More Well-Known Disaster Anthropologist. I really hope he didn't leave.
Also, this hotel epic fails when it comes to food. Today there were cold cuts at lunch, so I talked myself into a slice of bread. I'd eaten about half of it when I realized there was MOLD on the bottom. I rule. Now I'm kicking myself for the chocolate I had for dessert. I'm not completely de-stressed, I suppose.
I should also mention that my family and The Boy deserve medals for dealing with my freakout phone calls.
Finally, I came across this entry over at ED Bites that is well-written and thoughtful.
Contacts insertion = success
Today is already better - I can see, my eyes aren't burning, and I don't have to record.
Last night I ran into some serious academic snobbery. I introduced myself to a pretty well-known anthropologist and we commiserated about being fish out of water - there are about three of us, plus an archaeologist; I've yet to hear anyone say "holistic." Then I asked if she had any advice for getting a job before I get my MPH*.
"Oh, don't bother with your masters," she said. "Go straight for your Ph.D. You don't want to lose your momentum."
I frowned. "But I want to get my MPH," I reminded her. "I want to do more applied work."
"Is that what you really want to do?" she asked, doubtful.
"Hmm ... well, I would ask (an even more prominent anthropologist in attendance). He'd know what to say ..."
Thanks. That was helpful.
*Masters in Public Health. Most of y'all probably know that, but just in case.
Last night I ran into some serious academic snobbery. I introduced myself to a pretty well-known anthropologist and we commiserated about being fish out of water - there are about three of us, plus an archaeologist; I've yet to hear anyone say "holistic." Then I asked if she had any advice for getting a job before I get my MPH*.
"Oh, don't bother with your masters," she said. "Go straight for your Ph.D. You don't want to lose your momentum."
I frowned. "But I want to get my MPH," I reminded her. "I want to do more applied work."
"Is that what you really want to do?" she asked, doubtful.
"Hmm ... well, I would ask (an even more prominent anthropologist in attendance). He'd know what to say ..."
Thanks. That was helpful.
*Masters in Public Health. Most of y'all probably know that, but just in case.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Walk it off
Stay hydrated, they told us. It's really dry out here; drink more than you think you should.
This does not apply to people with tiny bladders. Especially when they are responsible for recording sessions. And have to leave in the middle of it because they are about to explode.
Right. Epic fail. But I'm trying not to let it get to me.
I'm also trying not to be outraged that my teeny tiny bottle of much-needed Visine cost me $10. Suck it, luxury hotel.
This does not apply to people with tiny bladders. Especially when they are responsible for recording sessions. And have to leave in the middle of it because they are about to explode.
Right. Epic fail. But I'm trying not to let it get to me.
I'm also trying not to be outraged that my teeny tiny bottle of much-needed Visine cost me $10. Suck it, luxury hotel.
Puffball
So my eyelids are puffy and swollen - the right one to the point where it won't open all the way. My eyes themselves are red and my nose is running. I think I'm allergic to either my pillow or the detergent they use to wash the sheets.
Networking will be fun. I should replace the name on my tag with "McSquinty."
Networking will be fun. I should replace the name on my tag with "McSquinty."
Saturday, July 12, 2008
De-gilding the lily
So maybe this isn't the best hotel ever. I just had the most god-awful meal - service was inattentive and slow and my small plate of wilted romaine hearts was $6. I'm guessing they weren't prepared for the number of people coming to this conference.
In other news, I'm overwhelmed. I'm back to feeling like I need to have my life mapped out NOW; I need to have my resume written, my job prospects in the bag, I need to Know Where I'm Headed. And I don't.
Additionally, food has been incredibly wacky today. I've probably eaten waaaaaaay more than I've needed, because it's all been munching-type food. Plus two glasses of wine. Plus peanuts from the plane. And two glasses of wine. And I need to stop, or I'm going to start writing down everything I eat, and that's a highway straight (back) to Crazytown.
In other news, I'm overwhelmed. I'm back to feeling like I need to have my life mapped out NOW; I need to have my resume written, my job prospects in the bag, I need to Know Where I'm Headed. And I don't.
Additionally, food has been incredibly wacky today. I've probably eaten waaaaaaay more than I've needed, because it's all been munching-type food. Plus two glasses of wine. Plus peanuts from the plane. And two glasses of wine. And I need to stop, or I'm going to start writing down everything I eat, and that's a highway straight (back) to Crazytown.
Wow
This is by far the nicest hotel I've ever stayed at (please excuse the hideous grammar of that sentence). The "resort" is in the name should have been a giveaway. The beds in our rooms look like the kind you see at upscale home good stores, there's a flat-screen, even bathrobes. No coffeemaker in the rooms, though. I really should have brought more energy bars; I don't know what we're going to do for dinner most nights. We'll see.
I just hit a sleepy pocket. I wonder if I have time to visit the fitness club and get a shower before our meeting at 3:15. Or maybe take a nap. Ooh, nap. And shower. Then I will feel like a new(er) person.
Oh, I saw prairie dogs on the way from the airport to the hotel! From far away, you can pretend they're meerkats. Though prairie dogs are pretty darn cool.
I just hit a sleepy pocket. I wonder if I have time to visit the fitness club and get a shower before our meeting at 3:15. Or maybe take a nap. Ooh, nap. And shower. Then I will feel like a new(er) person.
Oh, I saw prairie dogs on the way from the airport to the hotel! From far away, you can pretend they're meerkats. Though prairie dogs are pretty darn cool.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Go west!
Tomorrow we're heading to Boulder, CO for an annual conference on hazards and disasters. I'm really excited, because:
But on the whole I'm pretty stoked.
- It's the furthest west I've ever been
- It's my first time in Colorado
- It's my second time on a plane
- It's my first time staying in a hotel with a spa and golf course
- There are going to be a bunch of interesting people there
- Apparently DRC interns are a well-received bunch
But on the whole I'm pretty stoked.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Guilty
Today ... has not been good. The past few days, actually. We've got big presentations to do tomorrow - the big cheeses at the DRC are all going to be there. And after being in denial about The Future for so long, I am suddenly gripped by the need to have everything planned out RIGHT NOW. Cue hours of feverishly searching for graduate programs, jobs, internships; cursing myself for choosing as impractical a major as anthropology. No matter how much I love it, it doesn't exactly scream "employable."
And so when one of my fellow interns brought his special Earthquake Cake (get it?) to the DRC today, I just couldn't manage a piece. I tried an admittedly tiny piece the first time he made it, and it really is delicious. Today, though, it was too much. With everything on my mind, I didn't need a piece of gooey chocolate-sour-cream-pecan-coconut cake on top of it all. I feel terrible - he made something nice for us, and I turned it down.
Further proof that food is so much more than "fuel."
And so when one of my fellow interns brought his special Earthquake Cake (get it?) to the DRC today, I just couldn't manage a piece. I tried an admittedly tiny piece the first time he made it, and it really is delicious. Today, though, it was too much. With everything on my mind, I didn't need a piece of gooey chocolate-sour-cream-pecan-coconut cake on top of it all. I feel terrible - he made something nice for us, and I turned it down.
Further proof that food is so much more than "fuel."
Ooh sexy sexy!
Hot hot hot!
Guess what her DOB is?
July 7, 1991!
Happy SEVENTEENTH birthday, Toni Garrn! I'm glad the fashion world is overjoyed by these uber-provocative pictures of a sixteen-year-old. You put Miley Cyrus to shame.
It's okay, it's fashion.
Toni Garrn at New York
Picture Gallery at Supermodels.com
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
Static
Without meaning to, I've become someone who doesn't watch TV.
Not someone who Doesn't Watch TV. That kind of person dismisses pop-culture references with disdain. "Oh, well, I Don't Watch TV." To this kind of person, programming is a vast wasteland; their time is spent on higher pursuits, such as yoga or gardening or Reading Important Books. My non-watching has more to do with my lifestyle right now. Sure, there's a little borrowed set in the common area, but I'm not in there much - I'm usually in my room, working/dicking around on the laptop.
Have I missed it? Not particularly. My television viewing during the school year is pretty spotty as well, and the good shows (30 Rock and The Office) are on hiatus right now. Additionally, online TV is preferable sometimes. Hulu.com subjects you to a whopping minute and a half of commercials for an entire hour-long show. For an anthropologist who gets a little too involved in advertising, that's a welcome change.
But I don't think I'm going to take up gardening when this internship ends. There are always marathons of America's Next Top Model.
Not someone who Doesn't Watch TV. That kind of person dismisses pop-culture references with disdain. "Oh, well, I Don't Watch TV." To this kind of person, programming is a vast wasteland; their time is spent on higher pursuits, such as yoga or gardening or Reading Important Books. My non-watching has more to do with my lifestyle right now. Sure, there's a little borrowed set in the common area, but I'm not in there much - I'm usually in my room, working/dicking around on the laptop.
Have I missed it? Not particularly. My television viewing during the school year is pretty spotty as well, and the good shows (30 Rock and The Office) are on hiatus right now. Additionally, online TV is preferable sometimes. Hulu.com subjects you to a whopping minute and a half of commercials for an entire hour-long show. For an anthropologist who gets a little too involved in advertising, that's a welcome change.
But I don't think I'm going to take up gardening when this internship ends. There are always marathons of America's Next Top Model.
Monday Morning ... rain
First hurricane of the season!
They chase ruminants, don't they?
The aforementioned hurricane would be just the thing for Californians.
My inner eight-year-old is extremely distressed, and not just by the atrocious puns. Government perspective and animal-welfare perspective.
Orangutans are intelligent, gentle, and disturbingly like us. The twenty-one-year-old me is concerned about their shrinking populations.
One person's pee is another person's fertilizer.
They chase ruminants, don't they?
The aforementioned hurricane would be just the thing for Californians.
My inner eight-year-old is extremely distressed, and not just by the atrocious puns. Government perspective and animal-welfare perspective.
Orangutans are intelligent, gentle, and disturbingly like us. The twenty-one-year-old me is concerned about their shrinking populations.
One person's pee is another person's fertilizer.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Things I Learned this Weekend
1. When you use words like "labiaplasty" and "vagina" in your blog posts, readership increases drastically.
2. There are so many important things in DC that it's possible to miss the White House.
3. The National Geographic Society would be a sweet place to work.
4. Octopus is DELICIOUS. No, really. Sweet, grilled baby octopus at this place.
5. Wine comes in big glasses at bars. It's not great wine, but it gets the job done.
2. There are so many important things in DC that it's possible to miss the White House.
3. The National Geographic Society would be a sweet place to work.
4. Octopus is DELICIOUS. No, really. Sweet, grilled baby octopus at this place.
5. Wine comes in big glasses at bars. It's not great wine, but it gets the job done.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Female Genital Cutting, USA-style
We weren't content to steal "ethnic" clothes from developing countries. We had to take their genital surgeries, too.
I'm only partly joking. There's been buzz on feminist blogs about Phit, which stands for "pelvic health integrated techniques". They are ... a med-spa for your hoo-ha. Judging by the "services" page, "pelvic health" is all about keeping you, well, tight. "Baby Boot-Camp," for example, is designed to counteract the (natural) effects of blowing an 8-pound miniature person out of your vagina. But what really gets to me is their "Lip Sync" service, aka (NSFW, or lunchtime) labiaplasty. If you for some reason think your labia are too long, too fat, or just plain ugly, a little snip-snip will take care of it for you.
I realize that Kegels and strengthening your pelvic floor muscles can increase sexual pleasure for all involved in intercourse. But labiaplasty seems a lot like female genital cutting (some people say mutilation). I have neither the time nor the eloquence to adequately address all of the issues involved with these practices; suffice it to say that it's a big, messy issue that tangles religion and feminism and sexuality. In certain contexts, it's done for appearances (see this book for a detailed, thoughtful analysis). While some types of FGC entail the removal of the clitoris and infibulation, others involve only the removal of external labia. Which in Western parlance is labiaplasty, and completely acceptable.
This makes my head hurt. It's okay for a supposedly empowered, independent, Western woman to trim off her lady parts, but it's not okay for women to continue an ancient (we're talking pre-Islam) practice chock-full of cultural significance? And WHY are people worried about what their LABIA look like? Call me insensitive, but I think some people need more to do with their time.
I'm only partly joking. There's been buzz on feminist blogs about Phit, which stands for "pelvic health integrated techniques". They are ... a med-spa for your hoo-ha. Judging by the "services" page, "pelvic health" is all about keeping you, well, tight. "Baby Boot-Camp," for example, is designed to counteract the (natural) effects of blowing an 8-pound miniature person out of your vagina. But what really gets to me is their "Lip Sync" service, aka (NSFW, or lunchtime) labiaplasty. If you for some reason think your labia are too long, too fat, or just plain ugly, a little snip-snip will take care of it for you.
I realize that Kegels and strengthening your pelvic floor muscles can increase sexual pleasure for all involved in intercourse. But labiaplasty seems a lot like female genital cutting (some people say mutilation). I have neither the time nor the eloquence to adequately address all of the issues involved with these practices; suffice it to say that it's a big, messy issue that tangles religion and feminism and sexuality. In certain contexts, it's done for appearances (see this book for a detailed, thoughtful analysis). While some types of FGC entail the removal of the clitoris and infibulation, others involve only the removal of external labia. Which in Western parlance is labiaplasty, and completely acceptable.
This makes my head hurt. It's okay for a supposedly empowered, independent, Western woman to trim off her lady parts, but it's not okay for women to continue an ancient (we're talking pre-Islam) practice chock-full of cultural significance? And WHY are people worried about what their LABIA look like? Call me insensitive, but I think some people need more to do with their time.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
The Big Read's Top 100
- The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne
- Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
- Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks
- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
- The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
- The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
- Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
- Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernières
- War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
- Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling
- The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
- Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
- Middlemarch by George Eliot
- A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
- The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
- The Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson
- One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez
- The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
- David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
- Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
- A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute
- Persuasion by Jane Austen
- Dune by Frank Herbert
- Emma by Jane Austen
- Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
- Watership Down by Richard Adams
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
- Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
- Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
- Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian
- The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
- The Stand by Stephen King
- Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
- A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
- The BFG by Roald Dahl
- Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
- Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
- Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
- Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman
- Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
- A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
- The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
- Mort by Terry Pratchett
- The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton
- The Magus by John Fowles
- Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
- Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- Perfume by Patrick Süskind
- The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell
- Night Watch by Terry Pratchett
- Matilda by Roald Dahl
- Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
- The Secret History by Donna Tartt
- The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
- Ulysses by James Joyce
- Bleak House by Charles Dickens
- Double Act by Jacqueline Wilson
- The Twits by Roald Dahl
- I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake
- The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
- Vicky Angel by Jacqueline Wilson
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
- Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
- Magician by Raymond E. Feist
- On the Road by Jack Kerouac
- The Godfather by Mario Puzo
- The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
- The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
- Katherine by Anya Seton
- Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
- Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez
- Girls in Love by Jacqueline Wilson
- The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
- Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
Most of these are certainly amazing. Goodnight Mr. Tom makes me weep; The God of Small Things ate my life for while; our copy of Watership Down is falling apart. I've got to say, though - The Princess Diaries? Really?
Brought to you by the letter P
Pizza joints are to Newark what bars are to Athens - prolific. Mom-and-Pops, big chains, specialties: they're all here.
I should mention that I'm afraid of pizza. I know it's stupid. I've come so far, and yet it still freaks me out.
So far I've avoided the issue - when the other interns go out for a slice, I just say I'm not really a "pizza person." It's easier than explaining that my recovery isn't all-or-nothing; that parts of this are still a daily struggle. I don't really want my program coordinators to know about this part of me, either.
But sometimes I have to confront my fears. Today we had a "brown bag" session about survey methods that actually involved brown pizza boxes. There was salad as well. I knew this was on the schedule and I had tried to mentally prepare. I took a slice of cheese, of which I'm proud. Then I took off the cheese, of which I'm less proud. I can make excuses all I want - I ate a lot over the weekend, I'm going to be eating a lot this weekend, I've been eating more in general - but the fact remains that this 21-year-old woman is cowed by dough, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese. It makes no difference that the other interns can chow down without turning into Jabba the Hutt. The same does not hold for me - that gooey cheese will cause me to expand a la Violet in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I write about it like it's funny, but the reality kind of sucks.
Fearing commonplace foods like pizza is not normal. I'm not talking about dislike, I'm talking about genuine fear at the thought of consuming a slice. I know better than to tell anyone what to eat/not to eat, but if you're feeling this way about pizza or chocolate or bread*, you might want to talk to somebody.
*I used to be afraid of these, too. So I guess I've made some progress.
I should mention that I'm afraid of pizza. I know it's stupid. I've come so far, and yet it still freaks me out.
So far I've avoided the issue - when the other interns go out for a slice, I just say I'm not really a "pizza person." It's easier than explaining that my recovery isn't all-or-nothing; that parts of this are still a daily struggle. I don't really want my program coordinators to know about this part of me, either.
But sometimes I have to confront my fears. Today we had a "brown bag" session about survey methods that actually involved brown pizza boxes. There was salad as well. I knew this was on the schedule and I had tried to mentally prepare. I took a slice of cheese, of which I'm proud. Then I took off the cheese, of which I'm less proud. I can make excuses all I want - I ate a lot over the weekend, I'm going to be eating a lot this weekend, I've been eating more in general - but the fact remains that this 21-year-old woman is cowed by dough, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese. It makes no difference that the other interns can chow down without turning into Jabba the Hutt. The same does not hold for me - that gooey cheese will cause me to expand a la Violet in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I write about it like it's funny, but the reality kind of sucks.
Fearing commonplace foods like pizza is not normal. I'm not talking about dislike, I'm talking about genuine fear at the thought of consuming a slice. I know better than to tell anyone what to eat/not to eat, but if you're feeling this way about pizza or chocolate or bread*, you might want to talk to somebody.
*I used to be afraid of these, too. So I guess I've made some progress.
How Capitol!
Did not die on the Amtrak train. In fact, I was very pleasantly surprised - I had more room than I did on the plane to Newark, and let's just say Greyhound doesn't hold a candle to trains.
D.C. itself was wonderful. Jim's condo is just as nice as he'd hoped, and Jim is, well ... Anyway, we trekked around the city on Saturday. I recommend Kramer's Books and Rocket Bar. We stopped by the National Gallery for an hour, but we could have spent days there. The Smithsonian Folklife festival was disappointing, and not just because it was hot as a baker's balls. What exactly does NASA have to do with folklife? But I was happy just to sit in the shade and watch people walk by. Creeper? Perhaps. Anthropologist? Definitely.
In other news, my university just gave its president an $85,000 raise. They also decided not to build that new medical center they've been planning because it's just too darn pricey. And so Hudson Health Center will remain in a creaky old converted dorm. Though these are the people who give out animal crackers to people with (misdiagnosed) anxiety attacks - putting them in a shiny new building would be like putting a Louis Vuitton collar on a billy goat.
D.C. itself was wonderful. Jim's condo is just as nice as he'd hoped, and Jim is, well ... Anyway, we trekked around the city on Saturday. I recommend Kramer's Books and Rocket Bar. We stopped by the National Gallery for an hour, but we could have spent days there. The Smithsonian Folklife festival was disappointing, and not just because it was hot as a baker's balls. What exactly does NASA have to do with folklife? But I was happy just to sit in the shade and watch people walk by. Creeper? Perhaps. Anthropologist? Definitely.
In other news, my university just gave its president an $85,000 raise. They also decided not to build that new medical center they've been planning because it's just too darn pricey. And so Hudson Health Center will remain in a creaky old converted dorm. Though these are the people who give out animal crackers to people with (misdiagnosed) anxiety attacks - putting them in a shiny new building would be like putting a Louis Vuitton collar on a billy goat.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Just so you know
Maybe it's all the disasters, but I've been thinking about my own mortality lately. Not in a Lord-Byron-morbid way, just in general. I'm not extremely fatalistic, but life can be a crapshoot in a lot of ways.
So if I am to meet an early demise, here are things you must or must not do to avoid being haunted by me:
1. DO NOT, under any circumstances, make a Facebook group in my memory. I don't need posts by my kindergarten classmates telling the world they "didn't know me that well, but she was a beautiful person blah blah blah." If you knew me "that well," you would know that I'm not beautiful; I'm flawed and messy and neurotic. But dammit, I'm me.
2. Use every part of me that you can. Kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, corneas, skin - take it all. I'm not going to use it.
3. When you're done harvesting me for other people, give what's left to some plants. Seriously, compost me.
4. Throw a party. Better yet, throw several. Family, get some party trays and some coolers of beer/pop and spend some time together. Friends, get some kegs and drink fixins and play kings until you can't see straight. All I ask is for a ceremonial rum & diet coke toast at some point.
And if my 7:20 train to D.C. derails tonight, make sure this gets on fark.com.
So if I am to meet an early demise, here are things you must or must not do to avoid being haunted by me:
1. DO NOT, under any circumstances, make a Facebook group in my memory. I don't need posts by my kindergarten classmates telling the world they "didn't know me that well, but she was a beautiful person blah blah blah." If you knew me "that well," you would know that I'm not beautiful; I'm flawed and messy and neurotic. But dammit, I'm me.
2. Use every part of me that you can. Kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, corneas, skin - take it all. I'm not going to use it.
3. When you're done harvesting me for other people, give what's left to some plants. Seriously, compost me.
4. Throw a party. Better yet, throw several. Family, get some party trays and some coolers of beer/pop and spend some time together. Friends, get some kegs and drink fixins and play kings until you can't see straight. All I ask is for a ceremonial rum & diet coke toast at some point.
And if my 7:20 train to D.C. derails tonight, make sure this gets on fark.com.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Monday Roundup
This guy's island - ahem, "crown dependency" - is the size of my backyard
George Carlin, advocate for free speech.
Amy Winehouse, please take better care of yourself.
I can't blame him, but life in Zimbabwe isn't going to improve anytime soon.
Um, want.
George Carlin, advocate for free speech.
Amy Winehouse, please take better care of yourself.
I can't blame him, but life in Zimbabwe isn't going to improve anytime soon.
Um, want.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Ab-fab
I'm increasingly preoccupied with my stomach. It seems to have gotten so much bigger in a relatively short time. This is probably due to my lack of a stable body image, but I just don't know - could I really be gaining weight? Part of me is scared shitless by that; part of me is brave, a little resigned, and accepting.
My eating habits have been wonky, which is no doubt contributing to the overall uncertainty. I've been eating little incidental things - a couple of saltines or wheat thins here, three or four peanuts there. I don't know the impact of these things, though. It could be negligible, it might not. I know my doctor, mother, and most of the people I know would say I, of all people, do not need to be worrying about the stray triscuit or two. But I do.
I'm of two minds - either this summer experience will make me completely insane, or it will help me get to a place where those little things really and truly don't bother me any more. The boyfriend once said after I had creme brulee at a restaurant that it was nice to see me eat and not worry about it - I didn't realize I telegraph my anxiety so much. And think of how many brain cells I could free up.
My eating habits have been wonky, which is no doubt contributing to the overall uncertainty. I've been eating little incidental things - a couple of saltines or wheat thins here, three or four peanuts there. I don't know the impact of these things, though. It could be negligible, it might not. I know my doctor, mother, and most of the people I know would say I, of all people, do not need to be worrying about the stray triscuit or two. But I do.
I'm of two minds - either this summer experience will make me completely insane, or it will help me get to a place where those little things really and truly don't bother me any more. The boyfriend once said after I had creme brulee at a restaurant that it was nice to see me eat and not worry about it - I didn't realize I telegraph my anxiety so much. And think of how many brain cells I could free up.
New York, part 2: the non-serious one
I fooled around and fell in love ... with a small section of a very big city. I and two other girls wanted to stretch our legs after the WTC tour, so we took Church Street up to Broadway and headed to Soho. We incidentally skirted Chinatown without realizing it. The lack of Mandarin characters on the fringes fooled me.
For an Ohio girl who likes her shopping, Soho is wonderland. For an Ohio girl who's an anthropologist, it is CRACK. Actually, all of NYC is anthropology crack. There. Are. So. Many. People. Why were so many of them out shopping at 1:00 on a Wednesday? And oh, the hipsters. They started to wear on me a bit; going into Urban Outfitters was traumatic. Pearl River was fun and fantastically cheap, as was H&M. I bought some earrings (of course), a skirt, and a lot of things for other people.
Around 3:00 we decided to split up, and I just ... wandered. It was so much fun; I couldn't stop smiling. Underneath its hipster exterior, Soho is a massive and glorious capitalist enterprise. I learned what a sample sale is and fought the temptation to try on a $400 dress (even if it was 50% off). I called my mother from Bleecker Street and found a bunch of Fiestaware, which she collects. And I kept walking and looking at people and then it was suddenly time to meet up with everyone else. I only got to see a fraction of Chinatown, and this was walking at warp speed.
In other words, there will be return trips. Someday.
For an Ohio girl who likes her shopping, Soho is wonderland. For an Ohio girl who's an anthropologist, it is CRACK. Actually, all of NYC is anthropology crack. There. Are. So. Many. People. Why were so many of them out shopping at 1:00 on a Wednesday? And oh, the hipsters. They started to wear on me a bit; going into Urban Outfitters was traumatic. Pearl River was fun and fantastically cheap, as was H&M. I bought some earrings (of course), a skirt, and a lot of things for other people.
Around 3:00 we decided to split up, and I just ... wandered. It was so much fun; I couldn't stop smiling. Underneath its hipster exterior, Soho is a massive and glorious capitalist enterprise. I learned what a sample sale is and fought the temptation to try on a $400 dress (even if it was 50% off). I called my mother from Bleecker Street and found a bunch of Fiestaware, which she collects. And I kept walking and looking at people and then it was suddenly time to meet up with everyone else. I only got to see a fraction of Chinatown, and this was walking at warp speed.
In other words, there will be return trips. Someday.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
New York, part 1: The Serious Post
The whole reason we (got up at 5:30 AM and drove for 2.5 hours) went to NYC was to take a guided tour of the World Trade Center site. Several of the faculty at the Disaster Research Center conducted research and continue to do work on the waterbourne evacuations and supply chains that developed after the event; also it's a good example of how disasters are part of and affect the fabric of a society.
The site is ... well, it's big, but I wasn't completely awed by its area (16 acres). When we got above it and looked down, that did a better job of conveying its size. Our tour guide was actually one of the founders of the WTC Tribute Center, a resource for members of the "9/11 community." I gathered that this included people personally involved with the attacks or the recovery - in the towers, working next door, an EMT or firefighter - and the families of these people. Our guide, a retired firefighter, lost his son (also a firefighter). His perspectives were ... interesting. He talked about needed to "enlighten" people in foreign countries who just don't know any better, which got my hackles up a little. I didn't think it was the right time to engage in political debate, though, and that wasn't the point of the tour. He wanted to share his story, and we wanted to listen. Though I wonder about the Tribute Center's plan to "adopt" a village in Afghanistan and "send teachers out there to enlighten the people." That sort of thing could go very well if the local people and outsiders get together and figure out what each can do for the other. It could go very, very badly if we just barge in there and start telling people what to do.
As for my own reaction ... I was surprisingly stoic. I know that the world changed hugely after 9/11, but what I remember most about that day are my own reactions, and those are all part of a life lived a thousand miles away. If you look at the event as a catalyst for other events, then yes, it has had an impact on my life, but not nearly to the extent that it has for the men and women who created the Tribute Center. Our guide kept talking about a "mission" - to him, the Tribute Center is his mission; to remember his son and all the others who were killed that day. I couldn't help but think that he's fighting a losing battle. It's been nearly seven years. People treat it like they would any other construction site - that is, they walk by it and watch for debris. Bitch about the noise. I could wax philosophical about that, but I don't feel comfortable making a statement about a place of which I know very little.
A less-serious post to come.
The site is ... well, it's big, but I wasn't completely awed by its area (16 acres). When we got above it and looked down, that did a better job of conveying its size. Our tour guide was actually one of the founders of the WTC Tribute Center, a resource for members of the "9/11 community." I gathered that this included people personally involved with the attacks or the recovery - in the towers, working next door, an EMT or firefighter - and the families of these people. Our guide, a retired firefighter, lost his son (also a firefighter). His perspectives were ... interesting. He talked about needed to "enlighten" people in foreign countries who just don't know any better, which got my hackles up a little. I didn't think it was the right time to engage in political debate, though, and that wasn't the point of the tour. He wanted to share his story, and we wanted to listen. Though I wonder about the Tribute Center's plan to "adopt" a village in Afghanistan and "send teachers out there to enlighten the people." That sort of thing could go very well if the local people and outsiders get together and figure out what each can do for the other. It could go very, very badly if we just barge in there and start telling people what to do.
As for my own reaction ... I was surprisingly stoic. I know that the world changed hugely after 9/11, but what I remember most about that day are my own reactions, and those are all part of a life lived a thousand miles away. If you look at the event as a catalyst for other events, then yes, it has had an impact on my life, but not nearly to the extent that it has for the men and women who created the Tribute Center. Our guide kept talking about a "mission" - to him, the Tribute Center is his mission; to remember his son and all the others who were killed that day. I couldn't help but think that he's fighting a losing battle. It's been nearly seven years. People treat it like they would any other construction site - that is, they walk by it and watch for debris. Bitch about the noise. I could wax philosophical about that, but I don't feel comfortable making a statement about a place of which I know very little.
A less-serious post to come.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
New York, New York
I owe you guys a longer blog about New York. For now, let me say that I rode the subway (twice!), stared at people like a crazy person, and had a wonderful time. And I didn't get any further north than Greenwich Village.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Tuesday?
I've never been to Utah, but this might be worth seeing. When they let regular people in.
I can remove coffee from the (long) list of Habits that will Kill Me Prematurely.
Chimps are sweet. No, really.
Good luck.
This doesn't sound like a good idea, although all I know about NYC comes from http://www.overheardinewyork.com/
I can remove coffee from the (long) list of Habits that will Kill Me Prematurely.
Chimps are sweet. No, really.
Good luck.
This doesn't sound like a good idea, although all I know about NYC comes from http://www.overheardinewyork.com/
Monday, June 16, 2008
An Amish paradise
On Saturday all the interns drove up to Lancaster PA. One of the guys lives up there, and we raided his house for pots and pans. The landscape is gorgeous - rolling farmland, horses and cows and even alpacas, and more Amish than I've ever seen in my life. I was on a buggy high.
We wound up having a great time - the boys were fantastic cooks (veggie lasagna) and nothing brings young adults together like pop music from our youth (and, well, the beverages didn't hurt). It's odd, but I think the intensity of the first week has made us all feel really close. Last night my three roommates and I sat and talked for an hour - it was very cozy. Of course it makes me miss my Athens roommates hard. And the boyfriend. Oh, I miss them.
Food was really difficult all last week, because a) everything was willy-nilly and unpredictable and b) they kept feeding us. We went to a cookout, a reception, and a lunch. Plus living in the dorms again brings its own challenges, although we have a stove and full-size fridge. I don't want to have to buy a scale, but I don't want to go for nine weeks without knowing what I weigh.
Sorry for the super-personal post. I'll get back to my hard-hitting commentary, I promise.
We wound up having a great time - the boys were fantastic cooks (veggie lasagna) and nothing brings young adults together like pop music from our youth (and, well, the beverages didn't hurt). It's odd, but I think the intensity of the first week has made us all feel really close. Last night my three roommates and I sat and talked for an hour - it was very cozy. Of course it makes me miss my Athens roommates hard. And the boyfriend. Oh, I miss them.
Food was really difficult all last week, because a) everything was willy-nilly and unpredictable and b) they kept feeding us. We went to a cookout, a reception, and a lunch. Plus living in the dorms again brings its own challenges, although we have a stove and full-size fridge. I don't want to have to buy a scale, but I don't want to go for nine weeks without knowing what I weigh.
Sorry for the super-personal post. I'll get back to my hard-hitting commentary, I promise.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
A one-woman disaster
Last night I discovered that screwdrivers are not my drink. The combination of citric acid and alcohol does not do my stomach any favors. I also should probably not send whiny emails when I'm ill and a little drunk. Sorry.
Anyway, I'm much more aware of disasters now that I've been here a week. There's a lot of shit going down, folks:
Flooding in Iowa, an earthquake in Japan, wildfires in California, nasty tomatoes ...
Anyway, I'm much more aware of disasters now that I've been here a week. There's a lot of shit going down, folks:
Flooding in Iowa, an earthquake in Japan, wildfires in California, nasty tomatoes ...
Friday, June 13, 2008
Friiiiiiday
Why was this not proposed ten years ago?
Speaking of childhood ....
UPDATE: Sexism, classism, and bars? Yep, just as bad as I expected.
Well, of course they aren't going to trust us if we keep sending them our underwear.
With all this talk of fists and slaps, you'd think Michelle Obama was a battered wife. God forbid the two congratulate each other.
Speaking of childhood ....
UPDATE: Sexism, classism, and bars? Yep, just as bad as I expected.
Well, of course they aren't going to trust us if we keep sending them our underwear.
With all this talk of fists and slaps, you'd think Michelle Obama was a battered wife. God forbid the two congratulate each other.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Green Morality
American popular culture attaches moral values to certain things. I've talked about the way certain foods are labeled "good" or "bad" - trans fats and fast food are "bad"; organics and low-calorie foods are "bad." What you or someone else eats becomes a way to evaluate your lifestyle along that "good" and "bad" continuum.
Environmental issues are heading down this track. I'm guilty of it myself - I've judged my share of Hummer drivers and over-air-conditioned store owners. But this Eco-Sins "confessional" goes too far. The concept is that you confess your non-environmentally-friendly habits to the world to alleviate the guilt that you (naturally) feel. But some of them don't seem guilt-inducing. The woman who feels awful about using DEET because she lives in a tick-infested area? Gee, you should really ditch that stuff and take the risk of getting Lyme disease. Sidewalk salt? Heaven forbid! Let those silly pedestrians fall on their asses. But of all the issues, paper towels appear to be the greatest sin of all. But wait! One poster is there to assuage us - she composts her paper towels, thus helping her (organic) garden grow and eliminating the need to use energy to clean cloth rags.
It's perfectly fine to want to reduce/reuse/recycle - hell, I try myself. I don't think rampant waste is a good thing, but don't lose sleep over the paper vs. plastic decision. You've got other things to feel guilty about: eating that doughnut, not spending enough time with your family, getting to work late ...
Environmental issues are heading down this track. I'm guilty of it myself - I've judged my share of Hummer drivers and over-air-conditioned store owners. But this Eco-Sins "confessional" goes too far. The concept is that you confess your non-environmentally-friendly habits to the world to alleviate the guilt that you (naturally) feel. But some of them don't seem guilt-inducing. The woman who feels awful about using DEET because she lives in a tick-infested area? Gee, you should really ditch that stuff and take the risk of getting Lyme disease. Sidewalk salt? Heaven forbid! Let those silly pedestrians fall on their asses. But of all the issues, paper towels appear to be the greatest sin of all. But wait! One poster is there to assuage us - she composts her paper towels, thus helping her (organic) garden grow and eliminating the need to use energy to clean cloth rags.
It's perfectly fine to want to reduce/reuse/recycle - hell, I try myself. I don't think rampant waste is a good thing, but don't lose sleep over the paper vs. plastic decision. You've got other things to feel guilty about: eating that doughnut, not spending enough time with your family, getting to work late ...
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Stuff goes down when I'm not paying attention
Monkeys are so cool. Why do creationists say "monkey to man" like it's a bad thing?
Well, at least we haven't started killing each other over gas yet.
If you can gross out a lawyer who's made a career of defending pornographers ... (what, you aren't a little bit curious?)
Jim Borgman, one of the smartest Cincinnatians we've got.
This one's for you, Mimi.
Sexism, classism, upscale bars - yes I will be upset if you go (you know who you are).
Well, at least we haven't started killing each other over gas yet.
If you can gross out a lawyer who's made a career of defending pornographers ... (what, you aren't a little bit curious?)
Jim Borgman, one of the smartest Cincinnatians we've got.
This one's for you, Mimi.
Sexism, classism, upscale bars - yes I will be upset if you go (you know who you are).
Don't look so itsy-bitsy to me
To the hippie-boy in the computer lab:
Yes, I killed that spider. I killed that spider because it was bigger than a quarter and I hate spiders. No, I do not care that you think it had a soul or that it was an essential part of the local ecosystem. I know it splattered all over the glass front of the computer lab. I know my facial expression was probably priceless. But then I went and got some paper towels and cleaned it up so the custodians wouldn't have to. Oh wait, I killed some trees with the paper towels. Next time, instead of glaring at me when I smush one of those eight-legged motherfuckers, get up and carry it outside on an index card.
I think the heat is getting to me.
Yes, I killed that spider. I killed that spider because it was bigger than a quarter and I hate spiders. No, I do not care that you think it had a soul or that it was an essential part of the local ecosystem. I know it splattered all over the glass front of the computer lab. I know my facial expression was probably priceless. But then I went and got some paper towels and cleaned it up so the custodians wouldn't have to. Oh wait, I killed some trees with the paper towels. Next time, instead of glaring at me when I smush one of those eight-legged motherfuckers, get up and carry it outside on an index card.
I think the heat is getting to me.
Not dead yet
Survived the flight! And the ensuing two days. Hopefully I'll be able to have longer blog in a little while, but I'm about to go into a meeting.
This is crazy. There's a lot to do.
This is crazy. There's a lot to do.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Oh hai
I feel all kinds of crazy. The 1.5 pounds I gained disappeared - not sure how that happened, since I went out last night with my mother and had a Cosmo and a Pometini. Let me back up - by "go out" I mean we went to the most low-key bar in Athens and sat at a table and talked. When we went home I tried to open my apartment door with my office key. She looked at me funny, but that really is something I do even when completely sober.
Crazy, yes. My flight leaves at 3:40. I'm wearing a shirt with DELAWARE emblazoned on the front in order to make identification that much easier.
I can do this. Really, I can.
Crazy, yes. My flight leaves at 3:40. I'm wearing a shirt with DELAWARE emblazoned on the front in order to make identification that much easier.
I can do this. Really, I can.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Downloading anxiety
1. I am pretty sure the directors of the DRC program already dislike me. I've sent them about 600 paranoid/clueless emails since March. I made a business-etiquette gaffe that still makes my skin crawl. Right or wrong, part of success comes down to being liked by the right people. Generally your bosses/supervisors fall into that category.
2. Tomorrow I am going to climb into a big hunk of metal which will enter the lower atmosphere. And STAY THERE. WTF.
3. The fifth-grader who lurks at the back of my mind is absolutely certain that no one will like me. As soon as I get off the plane I'm going to morph back into the painfully self-conscious, braces-wearing, nervously giggling person I used to be.
4. What was I thinking? I can't do this. I'm not smart enough/old enough/creative enough.
5. The boyfriend is driving his old van to D.C. today. It has all his earthly possessions in and thus it's riding about 2 inches from the asphalt. I am certain this will either cause an accident or will induce highway patrol to search his vehicle, and probably him, for narcotics.
6. I gained a pound and a half. Believe me, it's anxiety-inducing.
2. Tomorrow I am going to climb into a big hunk of metal which will enter the lower atmosphere. And STAY THERE. WTF.
3. The fifth-grader who lurks at the back of my mind is absolutely certain that no one will like me. As soon as I get off the plane I'm going to morph back into the painfully self-conscious, braces-wearing, nervously giggling person I used to be.
4. What was I thinking? I can't do this. I'm not smart enough/old enough/creative enough.
5. The boyfriend is driving his old van to D.C. today. It has all his earthly possessions in and thus it's riding about 2 inches from the asphalt. I am certain this will either cause an accident or will induce highway patrol to search his vehicle, and probably him, for narcotics.
6. I gained a pound and a half. Believe me, it's anxiety-inducing.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Panty raid, pt II
On Monday I wrote about why I'm uncomfortable with the Panties for Peace campaign. Today I came across this brief report of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher's comments on why using panties to harass suspected terrorists is not torture. The comments on the article are pretty dismissive of Rohrabacher's justifications.
Are these two cases different? In both, you're using cultural symbols to cause some kind of psychological dissonance. Does it matter who's doing it, and why? Do the ends justify the means?
Are these two cases different? In both, you're using cultural symbols to cause some kind of psychological dissonance. Does it matter who's doing it, and why? Do the ends justify the means?
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Thursday Throwdown
Interesting approach to community health care.
You did NOT just use "The House Bunny" to promote female solidarity. You did not.
Jim Borgman, my favorite political cartoonist.
Animal crackers are an acceptable treatment for anxiety. Who knew?
Saved by Jessie.
You did NOT just use "The House Bunny" to promote female solidarity. You did not.
Jim Borgman, my favorite political cartoonist.
Animal crackers are an acceptable treatment for anxiety. Who knew?
Saved by Jessie.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
What I'm Doing on my Summer Vacation
I should probably post about what I'm going to be up to in the coming months. Long story short, I applied for and got an internship position at the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware. Every summer, they bring students to the DRC to learn about the social science aspects of disasters. I fly out on Sunday and I'll be there through August 8th. It's a fantastic program - they pay for my housing in a UD dorm and I also get a weekly stipend. The goal is for each intern to develop their own research project, which will continue through the academic year. This will be the basis for the lovely senior thesis I (stupidly?) signed up for.
I've known about this since February, but of course it didn't seem real until a week ago. I'm excited and terrified. I get learn stuff and meet people, but this is going to be a lot of hard work. At the moment the excitement is slightly more elevated than the nervousness.
My work at the DRC might affect the material of my posts, but don't expect juicy office gossip. We're a bunch of social scientists, remember.
I've known about this since February, but of course it didn't seem real until a week ago. I'm excited and terrified. I get learn stuff and meet people, but this is going to be a lot of hard work. At the moment the excitement is slightly more elevated than the nervousness.
My work at the DRC might affect the material of my posts, but don't expect juicy office gossip. We're a bunch of social scientists, remember.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
If you thought Sex and the City was bad
This is bad. This is real bad.
Tom Hanks let the fruit of his loins appear in this movie.
Why?
Tom Hanks let the fruit of his loins appear in this movie.
Why?
Tuesday roundup
I can see the future, and so can you.
Not news: men would rather be single that have an unhappy marriage. And they don't mope about it.
Celebrities living in California: please justify your existence and go campaign your asses off to make sure these guys don't erase that whole gay-marriage thing.
Only Hammacher-Schlemmer's going-out-of-business sale could beat this one.
Since it's all going to go to crap anyway, there's no need to blow $25,000 on a wedding.
Not news: men would rather be single that have an unhappy marriage. And they don't mope about it.
Celebrities living in California: please justify your existence and go campaign your asses off to make sure these guys don't erase that whole gay-marriage thing.
Only Hammacher-Schlemmer's going-out-of-business sale could beat this one.
Since it's all going to go to crap anyway, there's no need to blow $25,000 on a wedding.
Monday, June 2, 2008
I see Burma, I see France ...
I'm torn on this one. The gist is that a couple of Canadian activist groups are collecting women's underwear and shipping it to Than Shwe, the leader of Burma's military junta. Said junta has been responsible for numerous human rights violations, rape and "systemic sexual violence" against women, and the violent crackdowns on peacefully protesting monks last fall. Said junta is also made of up of "superstitious" men who apparently believe that contact with women's undergarments will weaken them.
Ending violence against women is imperatively important, don't get me wrong. But there are undercurrents to this that make me itchy. I'm wondering - if women in Burma are aware of this "superstition," why aren't they panty-bombing Shwe's headquarters themselves? I think what's being labeled a "superstition" is probably part of a more complex symbolic meaning system. Menstrual blood and women's personal items have significance in many cultures. If Burmese women don't see this as a way to overthrow the junta, that indicates to me that their undergarments and menstrual blood do have some symbolic power. However, it's something to be respected and not used as a weapon. The Canadian campaign seems to trivialize this belief and reinforces stereotypes of developing countries as backward and ignorant.
The groups do have the backing of a Burmese activist. However, she says sending the panties will "shame" the junta, which is an entirely different way to frame the situation. "Shame" and "superstition" bring to mind different concepts.
And what are the odds that Than Shwe opens his own mail?
UPDATE: Apparently this campaign was initiated by Burmese women. I'm still not entirely comfortable with it - the demographic of women in support of this might not be representative of the majority. Think about it - can you imagine someone saying that "American women" were unanimously in support of anything? There'd be objections faster than you could say "intersectionality."
Ending violence against women is imperatively important, don't get me wrong. But there are undercurrents to this that make me itchy. I'm wondering - if women in Burma are aware of this "superstition," why aren't they panty-bombing Shwe's headquarters themselves? I think what's being labeled a "superstition" is probably part of a more complex symbolic meaning system. Menstrual blood and women's personal items have significance in many cultures. If Burmese women don't see this as a way to overthrow the junta, that indicates to me that their undergarments and menstrual blood do have some symbolic power. However, it's something to be respected and not used as a weapon. The Canadian campaign seems to trivialize this belief and reinforces stereotypes of developing countries as backward and ignorant.
The groups do have the backing of a Burmese activist. However, she says sending the panties will "shame" the junta, which is an entirely different way to frame the situation. "Shame" and "superstition" bring to mind different concepts.
And what are the odds that Than Shwe opens his own mail?
UPDATE: Apparently this campaign was initiated by Burmese women. I'm still not entirely comfortable with it - the demographic of women in support of this might not be representative of the majority. Think about it - can you imagine someone saying that "American women" were unanimously in support of anything? There'd be objections faster than you could say "intersectionality."
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