Delightfully Dawgmatic

New Blog For All You Writers!

2008-12-17T09:21:00.004-05:00

Since I work from home right now (hello, have i mentioned that before? oh! i have. that's right) and have large amounts of time to complete a large amount of work, i am obsessed with finding the perfect writing routine. I've played around with different writing locations, schedules, ideas....I've settled into a pretty good rhythm but I'm still obsessed with this blog Daily Routines which chronicles how writers and artists manage their time. The entries range from Emily Dickinson to Thomas Friedman and my favorite entry is Jonathan Safran Foer. But that's just because he's dreamy.

(via Blogora)

I-Tues v. 17

2008-12-16T08:13:00.003-05:00

Are you in the mood for some guitar, piano and banjo music? How about ridiculously strong vocals and awesome lyrics? Yes?

You must download some Avett Brothers ASAP, then.

I had heard some Avett Brothers stuff before this year but I wasn't always the biggest fan. They were a bit too heavy for me. Noisy like. However, their two most recent albums are so fantastic and different and awesome that I can't stop listening to them. We saw them live in October and they put on an incredible show which made me like them even more. They are dreamy. In a rugged, alt country, folk kinda way.

You need to start clicking away on itunes and buy Emotionalism and The Second Gleam. Too much?

Well, download these....
I Would Be Sad
Die, Die, Die
Weight of Lies
Murder in the City

And you'll like them so much you'll be back for more. Guarantee it.

This is me...blogging

2008-12-16T07:55:00.004-05:00

And it feels weird....

You know all those lame, awful, ridiculous things people say when they break up? The whole "its not you, its me..." genre? Or, better yet, "We're the two right people but at the wrong time..." That's what I feel like saying to my blog.

I just can't get it together. Let's be honest, it isn't the blog's fault. Last week I actually said the words "I guess I'll go to Target today since I got dressed." Since. I. Got. Dressed. I've turned into one of those stay at home moms with the wild hair and crazy eyes desperate for contact with the outside world. But instead of nurturing a small child, I'm nurturing my dissertation. And it is slowly sucking the life out of me...but in a good way. As if that makes sense. I'm in a routine. A routine that doesn't really include thinking about anything other than the media representation of Muslim women. A routine that doesn't, obviously, include blogging. This is the point where I should apologize for being a bad friend about not returning phone calls...or sending holiday mail...or having anything to say when we talk.

But perhaps the real reason I don't blog is that I feel guilty. I feel guilty for feeling like I have nothing to say. I feel guilty for being silent. It is a privilege to stay at home and write. It is a privilege to get paid to think. It is a privilege not to have to wait in line for unemployment payment. It is a privilege to be removed from reality.

I don't fool myself. I know you don't look here for insight or knowledge so you aren't expecting the great American blog post. But I also know you don't look here for completely self-absorbed posts about my writing and whining.

But hopefully you look here for memes because I've got one coming up*....

hugs...

*thanks, slightly

8 Things

2008-11-14T08:39:00.003-05:00

Thanks, Slightly!

8 TV shows that I watch:
1. How I Met Your Mother
2. Dirty Sexy Money
3. Top Chef
4. College Football
5. Paula Deen
6. Rachel Maddow Show
7. Meet The Press
8. What Not To Wear

8 Favorite Restaurants:

1. Farm 255
2. Five and Ten
3. Casa Mia
4. Big City Bread
5. The Lady and Sons
6. Mongolian BBQ
7. Siri Thai
8. West End Cafe

8 Things That Happened Yesterday:
1. Read a couple papers written by friends and gave feedback
2. Made Toad in a Hole for breakfast
3. Laughed
4. Took a liking to french babies who tell stories with great flair and charm
5. Dissertated
6. Worried
7. Drank some good wine while we lingered over dinner
8. Read for pleasure

8 Things That I am Looking Forward To:
1. Visiting San Diego
2. Seeing family over the holidays
3. Getting a job
4. Seeing what will happen
5. Defending the dissertation
6. Obama's Presidency
7. Receiving the jeans that I ordered
8. My friends having babies

8 Things on My Wish List:
1. Anything from Le Creuset in Cobalt or Kiwi
2. A Job
3. Vintage drinkware
4. A puppy that doesn't shed, bark or have accidents inside the house
5. These boots
6. Patience
7. A new laptop
8. Unlimited (free) airfare to visit the people I miss

8 Things I Love:
1. Books
2. Soup
3. NPR
4. Curly Hair
5. Spicy Food
6. Champagne
7. Long dinners with wine, friends and music
8. Sunday mornings in bed with a paper and coffee

8 Things I Can’t Stand:
1. Unacknowledged privilege
2. Using war to solve problems rather than diplomacy and understanding
3. Mushrooms
4. Poverty
5. Gender norms
6. Clutter
7. Loud music
8. Bad cell phone etiquette

I don't think there are 8 people that read anymore...I'm a bad blogger...but if you're reading this, I want to know your 8 things.

Thanks, Keith

2008-11-11T14:41:00.001-05:00

Thanks for standing on the margins. I wish more people did the same....

Reflections

2008-11-05T08:04:00.002-05:00

I rang in the victory with some really great people last night. When the call came in at exactly 11:00, we were in the middle of an intense round of presidential trivia. It took about 1.2 seconds for the news to sink in. In unison we started screaming, high-fiving, crying, and embracing. We were so happy. And proud. And relieved. Admittedly we were a little slap happy and alcohol-flushed but we couldn't help but remark that we would remember the night for the rest of our lives. To be honest, I can't stop getting choked up. As I re-watch the tender moment between Michelle and the President elect, the tears slip out and down the cheeks. As I re-listen to the narrative at the end of Obama's speech, the nose starts running.

For me, the night signals a change. A change that I have been hoping for since the night I didn't sleep in 2000. A change in the way Washington approaches issues... A change in the way the American people will view sacrifice, responsibility, and democracy. Obama won, in record numbers, the votes of young voters and racial minorities. People who have often felt left out of the two-party system. It speaks volumes of what Obama signals.

Of course, I can't help but reflect on the areas we still have to "win." California values livestock more than (gay) humans. Turn out was pretty low in key states like Ohio. These things still signal that lefties have a lot of work to do. But we're ready. We're inspired. We have a leader we trust.

I can't wait to see how the next 4 years turn out!

Vote for.....

2008-11-04T07:10:00.001-05:00

Because....

2008-11-03T15:14:00.004-05:00

* I trust women and I want to see them healthy and happy. I believe in a woman's right to choose and that women's health should never be put in air quotes. 19 million women are uninsured in this country and women are more likely than men to go without care in order to cut costs. I favor health care that is available for all and comprehensive. Birth control and contraceptive methods should be affordable and prevalent. Obama has fought to maintain funding for the Centers of Excellence in Women's Health at the Department of Health and Human Services. He also supports legislation to encourage research that will examine gender and health disparities. The same legislation would establish community outreach programs in underserved areas to help women access health care and maintain healthy lifestyles. Obama supports the Prevention First Act will increase funding for family planning and comprehensive sex education that teaches both abstinence and safe sex methods.

* I am middle class and fiscally responsible. Obama will not raise my taxes. I am not an oil company nor in a household making over 200K a year. I don't own a business which exports all my labor over seas. If I was, I might consider McCain. To vote against my economic interests is...in a nutshell... stupid. Inherent in the idea that I'm fiscally responsible is the notion that tax dollars should be used for the good of all. I do not subscribe to tokin'ism. So I believe the Oprah Winfreys, Bill Gates, and Horatio Algers of the world are the exception. Until it is the rule that all people (regardless of race, gender, geographic location, and luck of the birth draw) have a fair shake, I will continue to vote for people who support pooling resources for the good of the many rather than the few. This means I see it as beneficial to financially support things like universal health care and public schools. Despite being communitarian in nature, it is fiscally responsible. It saves the US money in the long run and makes us more competitive world-wide. To be fiscally responsible means to vote democratic.

* I am anti-war.

* I am pro-environment. I believe that global warming is person-made--just as solutions should be. Obama will invest money in green-collar jobs. He supports alternate energy.

* I trust Joe Biden more than I trust Sarah Palin. McCain himself said he "might have to rely on a vice president" for expertise on economic issues. Sarah Palin has none. In these economic times, we need a president with a plan and with good people surrounding him.

* I hope.

For all these reasons and many more....

And I hope you do, too.

A Little Sunday Reading v. 18

2008-11-02T10:47:00.002-05:00

I rarely read historical fiction. But maybe I should start! I was absolutely captivated by The 19th Wife. Completely immersed and consumed. I could not wait to pick it up again each night and when I read, I was visualizing the characters and location so vividly I was surprised when my eyes re-focused on the comforts of my bedroom.

The book parallels two stories loosely about plural marriage and sects of the Mormon church. The first chronicles Ann Eliza Young's separation from her powerful husband, Brigham Young, prophet and leader of the Mormon Church. History regards the woman as the person who took down pluralist marriage.

A second powerful narrative involves Jordan Scott, a young man who was thrown out of his fundamentalist sect years earlier, and reenters the world in order to discover the truth behind his father’s death.

The book is well-researched and packed full of historical dates, descriptions and documents. Yet it read like a thrilling mystery. I learned much yet felt an intimacy with the story that one doesn't often get from a historical account.

When I read books with multiple narratives, I favor one over the other. I impatiently flip through one narrative to bide my time until I can return to the other. Not so with this book. Both narratives were seamlessly woven together. Both required and received equal attention.

I highly recommend this book...in case you couldn't tell!

Crushing

2008-10-22T09:20:00.001-04:00

I cannot stop loving on Rachel Maddow...I'm sure you'll understand why:

SNAP!

2008-10-20T11:04:00.001-04:00

Thanks Colin Powell...for lots of things. Including this:

Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer is no. That's not America. Is there something wrong with a seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing he or she could be president? Yet I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion that he is a Muslim and might have an association with terrorists. This is not the way we should be doing it in America.

I feel particularly strong about this because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay, was of a mother at Arlington Cemetery and she had her head on the headstone of her son's grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone, and it gave his awards - Purple Heart, Bronze Star - showed that he died in Iraq, gave his date of birth, date of death, he was 20 years old. And then at the very top of the head stone, it didn't have a Christian cross. It didn't have a Star of David. It has a crescent and star of the Islamic faith.

And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan. And he was an American. He was born in New Jersey. He was fourteen years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he could serve his country and he gave his life."

Friday Flicks v. 8

2008-10-17T14:46:00.002-04:00

I normally like the fall movie season much more than the summer "block busters." There are quite a few movies I'm really looking forward to seeing. I haven't been in a movie theater since Labor Day weekend. I miss going to the movies...Here are a few that I plan on seeing:

Synecdoce

Rachel Getting Married

Milk

Gay Friendly High School?

2008-10-13T11:05:00.003-04:00

CNN reports that public school officials in Chicago, Illinois are recommending approval of a "gay-friendly" high school because harassment and violence are causing gay students to skip class and drop out at alarming rates.

The school would not be only for gay students but would provide counseling for teens who have suffered from bullying and include curriculum about sexual history and identity in history and literature classes.

In part, I am sad that it has to come to this and in part and I've considered that the move may reduce tolerance because homophobic straight students will not have any interactions with LGBTQ peers. But, it is not the LGBT students' job to educate their peers on tolerance. Especially when it puts them in danger....

The study found that 86.2 percent of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed, 44.1 percent physically harassed and 22.1 percent physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation.

The rates are startling but understandable when you consider that 39 states do not provide protection via the law. If only ALL schools had diverse curriculum and programs in place to help students understand that sexual diversity is not deviant....

A Little Sunday Reading v. 17

2008-10-12T11:13:00.002-04:00

I recently finished F. Scott Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise. It took me forever to get through. In part, I moved slowly to take in all the decadence, expression and beautiful language. In part, I moved slowly because the plot did. I attacked this book when I first started. I was immediately taken with Amory Blaine and his sadness, introspection and curiosity. I was totally with him through his last year of college. And then. In that last year, he got a bit...needy and whiny. And I'm not sure if this is an indict of Amory or Fitzgerald but he had no point. In part, I think it was the point. But I don't think it was Fitzgerald's idea that Amory have no insight other than what others saw in him. But I could be wrong.

The truly lovely parts of the book came when Amory was in love. And he was in love often. Amory in love was the redeeming part of the book. When I was reading those sections, I was convinced I was going to read the book over and over! But then....imminent doom would descend upon his relationships and, in turn, the plot! And perhaps that is where my discomfort lies--with the fact that I only liked Amory when he was in love. I didn't like him on his own terms.

However, the writing was breathtaking. Wanna see? Ok.

I know I'm not a regular fellow, yet I loathe anybody else that isn't. I can't decide whether to cultivate my mind and be a great dramatist or to thumb my nose at the 'Golden Treasury' and be a Princeton slicker.

He had a snapshot of Isabelle, enshrined in an old watch, and at eight almost every night he would turn off all the lights except the desk lamp and, sitting by the open windows with the picture before him, write her rapturous letters.

No, I'm romantic--a sentimental person thinks things will last--a romantic person hopes against hope that they won't. Sentiment is emotional.

As long as they knew each other Eleanor and Amory could be 'on a subject' and stop talking with the definite thought of it in their heads, yet ten minutes later speak aloud and find that their minds had followed the same channels and led them each to a parallel idea, an idea that others would have found absolutely unconnected with the first...Oh, she was magnificent--pale skin, the color of marble in the star-light, slender brows, and eyes that glittered green as emeralds in the blinding glare.

We can't possibly have a summer love. SO many people have tried that the name's become proverbial. Summer is only the unfulfilled promise of spring, a charlatan in place of the warm balmy nights I dream of in April. It's a sad season of life without growth...it has no day.

He was in an eddy again, a deep, lethargic gulf, without desire to work or write, love or dissipate. For the first time in his life he rather longed for death to roll over his generation, obliterating their petty fevers and struggles and exaltation. His youth seemed never so vanished as now in the contrast between the utter loneliness of this visit and that riotous, joyful party of four years before. Things that had been the merest commonplaces of his life then, deep sleep, the sense of beauty around him, all desire, had flown away and the gaps they left were filled only with the great listlessness of his disillusion.

He pictured the rooms where these people lived--where the patterns of the blistered wall-papers were heavy reiterated sunflowers on green and yellow backgrounds, where there were tin bathtubs and gloomy hallways and verdureless, unnameable spaces in back of the buildings; where even love dressed as seduction--a sordid murder around the corner, illicit motherhood in the flat above.

Usually, on nights like this, for there had been many lately, he could escape from this consuming introspection by thinking of children and the infinite possibilities of children--he leaned and listened and he heard a startled baby awake int he house across the street and lend a tiny whimper to the still night; quick as a flash he turned away, wondering with a touch of panic whether something in the brooding despair of his mood had made a darkness in its tiny soul.

In other bookish news, I want to share a few links you may find interesting:

Interesting inscriptions by interesting people. Totally love this.

Bill Clinton recommends some books.

Feministing talks about their ten fave feminist books.

Giveaway: Josh Henkin's Matrimony

2008-10-07T08:00:00.002-04:00

Ya'll! I have exciting news! I'm happy to announce a very special giveaway today: an inscribed copy of Josh Henkin's Matrimony which has recently been released in paperback. The novel was a New York Times Notable Book, a Book Sense pick and selected as a Borders' Original Voices.

Matrimony tells the story of a young married couple, Mia and Julian. The story weaves in the love, loss and struggles that define all good marriages. The best part of the book for me is how well Henkin understands life in Michigan. While I no longer live there, I still consider myself a Michigander. He gets every detail right...the gray weather, the great people, the academic endeavors at U of M. Truely charming account of the great state! You can see Henkin talk about the book here.

Henkin is a huge supporter of book clubs. In a recent interview, he said "I'm a novelist and a professor of fiction writing, so my life is a book group." Awesome. Check him out. Recommend the book to others. Select it for your book club. Perhaps you'll have a super, duper fancy book to bring to your book club meeting!

I'll select a winner at random. All you have to do is COMMENT by Friday the 10th at 8:00 a.m. Be sure to leave your email address!

[edit] CONGRATS TO ANDI and sorry about the delay! I'm bad at giveaways!

I'm concerned....

2008-10-02T12:17:00.007-04:00

I am a literal person. But, on occasion, I enjoy symbolism. I think symbolism can be powerful and effective. Except! Except! in images like these....The image campaign is from Declare Yourself--a voter registration group targeting young people to vote. The provocative pictures are accompanied by a headline that says "only you can silence yourself." And, I get it. In theory. I get that not voting means not having a say in the future. Except....women aren't the only ones who can silence themselves. Sexism silences women. Patriarchy silences women. Violence silences women.

The pictures mimic violence. And, perhaps worse, they normalize it. These pictures should be disturbing. And not because they makes us think of voter registration or political apathy.

Some words about the debate

2008-10-02T11:19:00.005-04:00

I won't be watching the debate tonight. I've got a concert to attend. It is Rocktober after all...I can't be bothered with political participation. But I've had some thoughts over the past couple days regarding debates, expectations and sexism.

My sister-in-law sent me an interesting article today. The article does a few interesting things...

First, it lends credence to the idea that the Obama camp is attempting to raise expectations about Palin's debate skills. Most people who follow political rhetoric understand that if the expectations are low for a candidate, they most always meet or exceed those expectations. The better than expected performance is often misinterpreted to be a victory in the debate. The most recent example of this was George W. Bush. Because he was able to put together coherent sentences in 2000, he was seen in (some of) the post-debate spin as a winner. Not the winner but a winner. And soon, the headline was BUSH WINS DEBATE. These types of headlines suggest that Bush was somehow intellectual enough to be the leader of the free world. Obviously, the recent press about Palin suggests that she is about to crash and burn. This means any performance she has tonight is better than expected. The Obama camp is trying to manage some post-debate spin before the debate.

Second, the article continues the question of "how" Biden will debate Palin. Palin, after all, is a ~~proud~~ owner of a vagina. Vaginas make debates difficult. The article echos many others in tracing the difficulty back to the Bush/Ferraro debate in 1984 when Ferraro called H.W. out for being "patronizing." Of course, Ferraro dropped the line (although I don't doubt it was prepared) after Bush had offered to help her understand the difference between Iran and Lebenon. A difference she understood after 6 years in Congress.

To combat the difficulty, Biden has been practicing against Jennifer Granholm. A woman. The article says his practice is...."making it unlikely that he will fall into some of the potential pitfalls of debating against a woman." This is where I get a bit fuzzy....Does Biden normally fall into sexist, patronizing, hurtful speech? Does he have to practice against a woman in order to stay focused in the actual debate? Shouldn't it be true that Biden is as committed to a respectful, equal debate no matter the sex organs of his opponent? I'd like to think so. And I'd like Biden to come out and say so. I place much of the blame for this fuzzy analysis on the media and their pre-debate spin and (sudden) propensity to cry sexism. But I also am skepitcal of this essentialist handling of debate prep by the Obama/Biden campaign.

As a proud attendee of debate camp, I do not disparage the value of practice for debaters. I do not deny that Biden's biggest weakness during the debate will be his propensity to shout. Shouting=bad. Shouting does not seem presidential. Shouting does not sound calm and rational. And shouting can be sexist....when the words someone is shouting are sexist. But practice does not prevent falling into sexist traps. Nor does practicing against someone like Jennifer Granholm prepare Biden for debating Palin. As far as I can tell, Granholm and Palin can not be more different.

If Biden has to succumb to essentialist practicing to prevent sexist language from spewing out of his mouth, we have bigger issues than the debate....

[edit] Salon's take here

A Little Sunday Reading v. 16 Short Story Edition

2008-09-21T13:42:00.005-04:00

I have read a couple beautifully written short story collections in the last week or so. I'm working my way through a couple dense books, so the short stories provided a nice relief. I read Miranda July's No One Belongs Here More Than You. And I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. The thing about July is that she is quirky. While I normally love quirky, I often feel she is a bit too quirky for me. Like maybe I'm not getting everything that I should be getting out of her work. Take her movie, You, Me and Everyone We Know, for example. Just didn't *get* it. Spent more time scratching my head and less time laughing. But I found her unbelievably charming despite my discomfort with the movie. Her short stories were much of the same. She is charming. Her stories are just a little bit off. But I enjoyed myself. In fact, I would probably be waxing eloquent about the collection had I not read one of the best collection of short stories EVER around the same time.

Sorry, Miranda, you're getting the bump. I need to take a moment and regale my good readers with excerpts from Simon Van Booy's The Secret Lives of People in Love. I read this book as part of the Dangerous Reading Challenge and I thought I would read a couple stories one day and scatter the rest throughout the month. But! I started reading and could. not. stop. Seriously. I couldn't. I stayed up way past my bedtime and read all the stories in one night. The whole time I was moving toward the end, I was begging myself to stop and savor all the stories. I devoured it all while wanting it to never end. This collection of short stories is fantastic. FANTASTIC. It is both romantic and bleak--often times both in the same story. The language choices are always appropriate and moving. Characters perfectly developed. And the flow between stories could not have been more smooth. I wish I could type in all the gems in this book but I'd be typing the entire collection.

Here is a sample of Van Booy's fantastic style:

A filthy homeless man is squatting with the American tourists and telling jokes in broken English. He is not looking at the girls' shaved legs but at the unfinished bottle of wine and sullen wedge of cheese. The Americans seem good-natured and pretend to laugh; I suppose the key to a good life is to gently overlook the truth and hope that at any moment we can all be reborn.

We walk arm in arm through twilight. Paris never gets too dark, because when natural light dissolves, you're never too far from a street lamp--and they're often beautiful--set upon tall black stalks, each lamp a glowing pair of white balls in love with its very own length of street. Sometimes, they all flicker to life at the same time, as if together they can hold off darkness.

Some daydreams seemed to want to swallow him up for good. Like wild horses, they would follow him in the day and then wander the plains of his dream life, but always upon him--until he would barely remember his own name.

Gabriel wonders how many people occupy one seat in a day, and if the seat could record the thoughts of the occupants, what it would say about human beings.

Brought to you by Sexism and Ridiculousness

2008-09-18T13:15:00.004-04:00

During some internet browsing, I stumbled on this little gem...

PMS Buddy!

Yes, sign up! Keep track of the biological functions of your dearest female friends and receive advice on how to "handle the moodiness" of women. I keep looking and looking but I don't find any advice on how to keep from being a sexist jerk who assumes that women's anger over any number of issues can be attributed to PMS. But I do find lots of absurdity under the tab "PMS Stories."

My favorite quip so far is from Killer Joe-- "I should just become gay. Women are impossible."

Dear Killer Joe:
People in the LGBT community don't like you either.

Dogmatically yours,
kristen

Wherein I say hello...

2008-09-16T11:21:00.000-04:00

And that I've missed you. You know I don't apologize for neglecting this (optional) blog. But I will say that I'm missing the blog. If not the blog, the things the blog is indicative of. I miss having time to watch movies, read for pleasure, and think critically about political happenings. Generally speaking, if the blog is silent, my life is out of whack. I'm not in balance. I'm spending too much time thinking, obsessing, self-loathing and not enough time writing, arguing and enjoying. Alas, I fear this will be the story for the next 9 months or so. My dissertation is staring at me. And, believe me, it has crazy eyes. Most days, I do as well.

So bear with me...and think happy, intellectual thoughts for me.

I-Tues v. 16

2008-09-16T10:35:00.002-04:00

I've made no secret that I love living in the ATH. One of the main reasons is the incredible music we get in this sleepy town. There is so much music here that we miss most of it. Unfortunately, the town is geared toward young people who can go to concerts during the week. Normally, we have a strict NO WEEK NIGHT SHOW rule. It is strict, I tell ya. But D and I have agreed to break our rule. For a week straight. Yes. That's right. We are going to an entire week of concerts. We are naughty adults.

Ladies and Gentleman, I introduce you to Rock-Tober

Monday, Sept 29 - Mason Jennings at 40 Watt

Tuesday, Sept 30 - Fleet Foxes at GA Theatre

Wednesday, Oct 1 - Old 97s at GA Theatre

Thursday, Oct 2 - Avett Brothers at GA Theatre

Friday, Oct 3 - Modern Skirts at 40 Watt

To continue the month of rock, we're also headed to Atlanta on October 17th to see....wait for it...RYAN ADAMS!

To all my Athens peeps, please come along! To all the rest of you, check out all these lovely artists and have your own Rock-Tober!

I-Tues v. 15

2008-08-19T08:42:00.005-04:00

What Made Milwaukee Famous? Beer, probably. And a really cool museum.

And, tangentially, this band. Even though they're from Austin. Texas.

What Made Milwaukee Famous. Strange, bulky, midwestern name. But awesome music.

I can't get enough of Sultan and Self Destruct.
Grab a PBR and take a listen.

Also, I made another mix tape. Check it out!

A Little Sunday Reading v. 15

2008-08-17T12:45:00.004-04:00

My leisure reading has slowed considerably as the dissertation work has picked up, so no book reviews. But here are some fun bookish links from around the web.

Photographer André Kertész's On Reading has been re-released. The collection features individual readers in every imaginable location. The New York Times takes a peek at some of the images. Totally dreamy.

The First Book organization asks "What Book Got You Hooked?" Their website has lots of charming answers from all kinds of people. Great organization, great question. For me, Charlotte's Web turned me into a reader and The Babysitter's Club inspired me to write. I wrote my first story in 4th grade. It was loosely based on my favorite BSC character--Claudia. Since then I've been inspired by countless authors and books. And, I'm pretty sure, my writing style has evolved accordingly!

The great blog Critical Mass asked reviewers what books they reviewed over the summer. They also talk about books they're still looking forward to reading. Lots of great suggestions. What was the best book you read over the summer? I've read some great ones....my favorite reads this summer were Scott Spencer's Endless Love and Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar. Be my goodreads friend. Do it!

Happy weekend everyone!

Some words about disappointment...and John Edwards

2008-08-08T16:33:00.009-04:00

The news about Edwards breaks and you all coming looking here, huh?

The issue came up briefly yesterday (in the comments section) and I thought I'd elaborate more in a full post. I haven't been reading much of the coverage so I may overlap with other opinions but the thoughts I have in this, the immediate aftermath, are my own. I suspect they'll continue to grow as I think and read and, hopefully, participate in some discussions but for now this is what I think.

I'm disappointed. I'm disappointed because I respect Elizabeth Edwards and my heart hearts for what she must be going through and what she went through in 2006. I respect John Edwards as well. So it is hard to have to confront these stories after giving money, support and a whole lotta public props to him.

I'm disappointed because this affair suggests that Edwards is both arrogant and a bad decision maker. Arrogant because he knew what he had done, knew that stories were circulating yet still decided to run for president. What if I had gotten my wish and he was our nominee right now? What kind of mess would the party be in now? A big one. To say the least. He knew it was a risk the story would come out and he chose to ignore that risk. Or he was arrogant enough to think it wouldn't happen. He was above the rules. Above the fall from grace. He risked the party--and his wife's humiliation--to run anyway. That's arrogance. I don't think I need to elaborate on the bad decision making. Seems a bit obvious.

I'm disappointed because the affair suggests that Edwards isn't as "pro woman" as he claimed. This is the man that said he was a better advocate for woman than Hillary Clinton. Of course, his wife actually made that claim but that is a blog post in and of itself. To be frank, he isn't even "pro" his own wife. How would he look out for my interests? He couldn't sacrifice his own sexual desires and needs for the good of his vision and a country full of women who were depending on him.

However....there's always a however....I hate judging people on monogamy or other moral grounds. As I've said in reference to Bill Clinton--do I want him as my husband, father, partner, etc...NO. But can he still be a good president? Yes... and no. I know that some would say no. Some would say that the lack of control and his lack of ability to weigh consequences discounts him from a successful presidential tenure. But John Edwards, extramarital affair or not, had (what I believed to be) the best vision for our country. Obviously that vision will not be actualized. He has lost all chance of gaining a spot in this cabinet or having his own administration in the future. But is that his fault or the fault of the American people who are unable to put aside our judgments and follow a leader because he betrayed his wife? People do things we disagree with. They make mistakes. They "sin." Does that mean they are unforgivable? I'd like to think not. I'd like to think that we are able to support someone politically even though we disagree with some of their personal choices. If not, where does the slippery slope end? Can we not elect someone who is a recovering alcoholic and has fallen off the wagon? Can we not elect someone who had an abortion? Don't we need more tolerance and less judgment in all areas of life? Hell, if we weren't so concerned with what goes on in people's bedrooms maybe someday we'll have a President who identifies as gay or lesbian. Imagine!

So, what I can't decide, is it fair to throw stones and forsake his ideas because he turns out to be a pompous ass with no self control?

[EDIT] Edwards' statement:
In 2006, I made a serious error in judgment and conducted myself in a way that was disloyal to my family and to my core beliefs. I recognized my mistake and I told my wife that I had a liaison with another woman, and I asked for her forgiveness. Although I was honest in every painful detail with my family, I did not tell the public. When a supermarket tabloid told a version of the story, I used the fact that the story contained many falsities to deny it. But being 99% honest is no longer enough.

I was and am ashamed of my conduct and choices, and I had hoped that it would never become public. With my family, I took responsibility for my actions in 2006 and today I take full responsibility publicly. But that misconduct took place for a short period in 2006. It ended then. I am and have been willing to take any test necessary to establish the fact that I am not the father of any baby, and I am truly hopeful that a test will be done so this fact can be definitively established. I only know that the apparent father has said publicly that he is the father of the baby. I also have not been engaged in any activity of any description that requested, agreed to or supported payments of any kind to the woman or to the apparent father of the baby.

It is inadequate to say to the people who believed in me that I am sorry, as it is inadequate to say to the people who love me that I am sorry. In the course of several campaigns, I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic. If you want to beat me up – feel free. You cannot beat me up more than I have already beaten up myself. I have been stripped bare and will now work with everything I have to help my family and others who need my help.

I have given a complete interview on this matter and having done so, will have nothing more to say.

[EDIT 2] Feminist's respond
http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2008/08/09/john_edwards/index.html

Change We Can Believe In

2008-08-07T14:39:00.003-04:00

If you are so inclined, add your name to this open letter to Barack Obama. I don't need to remind you of the FISA stuff or the crazy abortion rhetoric statements or his recent comments about energy. Well, I guess I just did. But the letter says it all....

We recognize that compromise is necessary in any democracy. We understand that the pressures brought to bear on those seeking the highest office are intense. But retreating from the stands that have been the signature of your campaign will weaken the movement whose vigorous backing you need in order to win and then deliver the change you have promised.

If you're so inclined, you're joining good company. The least of which is mine.

I-Tues v. 14

2008-08-05T16:39:00.004-04:00

I am obsessed with this album. It is the perfect blend of indie and folk. Great lyrics. Awesome accompaniment. And I love a good female vocalist. The album has it all. Really. Zooey Deschanel couldn't be any cooler if she tried.

Give She & Him a little listen.

**Hat tip to Matt and Cagney for giving me the recommendation**

A little bit of nerdiness

2008-08-04T20:38:00.004-04:00

In case you need proof of my nerdiness.....

Drew and I decided to bet a date night on the Veepstakes race. We each came up with a top five list for McCain and Obama. 5 points if our first place is chosen, four for the second, so on and so on. Whoever has the most points gets to pick the date night. If neither of us gets any points, we don't deserve a date night. Our picks are below. I encourage you to do this with your loved ones. Nothing says family bonding like picking Vice Presidential candidates.

Kristen:
McCain-
1.Tim Pawlenty
2.Mitt Romney
3. Charlie Crist
4.Bobby Jindall
5. Sarah Palin
Obama-
1. Wesley Clark
2. Kathleen Sebelius
3. Jim Webb
4. Evan Bayh
5. Brian Schweitzer

Drew:
McCain-

1. Mitt Romney

2. Rob Portman

3. Charlie Crist

4. Tim Pawlenty

5. Sarah Palin

OBAMA-

1. Sherrod Brown

2. Brian Schweitzer

3. Evan Bayh

4. Joe Biden

5. John Edwards

Tagged!

2008-08-04T14:17:00.005-04:00

Quaker Dave tagged me on this meme. Since the blogging inspiration has been thin lately, this is the perfect thing to get my mind going.

1. List these rules on your blog. (check)

2. Share seven facts about yourself on your blog. (check)

3. Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

Fact #1: I hate being in cold water. I love to swim but hate that chill you feel when you first enter the water. And I'm too impatient to wait through the adjustment moments when your body gets used to the temperature. This past week, I was on vacation with my family. It was 90+ degrees out and I sat in the hot tub. I loved every minute of it.

Fact #2: The first time I got in "trouble" for talking in school was in the first grade. I was asked to sit in the hall and told that my teacher liked "quiet little girls." The talking has continued. As has my inability to get along with people who like "quiet girls."

Fact #3: I play the clarinet. Technically I played the clarinet. I haven't picked one up in about 10 years but I played for a really long time and was actually pretty good. What's funny is that now I hate the sound of clarinet(s) in music. Luckily not many artists whip out their clarinet to accompany their singing.

Fact #4: There are quite a few major movie series that I've never seen. Where to begin.....Star Wars, Rocky, Terminator, Die Hard, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, Lethal Weapon, Harry Potter, Jaws, Silence of the Lambs, Nightmare on Elm. And I'm okay with each and every one. Some of them I started to watch and ended up stopping. Others I never even tried.

Fact #5: I had a long-term pen pal for most of my childhood. We met through the Disney magazine and exchanged letters for more than 10 years. We even met in person one time. I still love to write letters although I don't send them nearly enough.

Fact #6: I feel like I'm the only one in America who doesn't browse Youtube regularly, think McSweeney's is funny, enjoy Seinfeld, consider Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance a good book, and desire an Iphone. Also? I don't like funnel cakes, apple pie, yogurt with fruit in it, chocolate ice cream, pudding or nacho cheese Doritos. And for the sake of full disclosure, I haven't read a single Jody Picoult book and I think John Grisham is overrated. No offense to these lovely individuals.

Fact #7: I drink champagne even when it isn't a special occasion and I like bloody mary's even when it isn't morning.

Ok. I'm not going to tag 7 people but I will tag Maeve and Kourt. I'd love for others to do it as well but I know that they won't. So I won't even tag them. I hate rejection. But let me know in the comments if you participate!

A Little Sunday Reading v. 14

2008-08-03T18:53:00.004-04:00

I'm not sure how I feel about this but two of my recent reads involved torrent love and....arson. Strange. I don't know that I've ever read a single book that involved arson and then BAM! two in one week.

Both were fantastic...albeit a little dark. But fantastic.

The first was The Outcast by Sadie Jones. This book was so desperate and so sad. Yet it was so well-written that when I wanted to put it down and step away from the depression and darkness I couldn't! I was completely immersed in the story. Completely. All the details (including the pain and loss) were so vivid, I felt like it was a memoir.

Lewis, a troubled teen, returns home from incarceration and tries to deal with the consequences of his decisions. The tale weaves the story of many characters all suffering from particular demons and regrets. The characters are all so similar that you love and hate them all (almost) equally. My heart broke on each page for one reason or another.

There was one turn in the plot that annoyed me so it isn't perfect. And I felt the book was a little bit *too* dark at times. Jones could have given us a bit more hope. But the writing was outstanding. One of the best books of 2008 to be sure.

The second arson themed book was Endless Love by Scott Spencer. Never heard of it? Me neither but it was recommended to me through the site "What should I read next?" when I typed in Charles Baxter. It is touted as the best story about young love. I love Baxter. I love how he portrays love, loss, jealously....everything, really. Baxter is awesome. I was skeptical of this recommendation. I had never heard of it and I thought the title was totally cliche. But with a publication date of 1979 (the year I was born), I decided it was fate! So I picked it up.

Once I started reading, I could not put it down. The story and characters were truly riveting. The thing I still can't get over was how intimate the writing was. So intimate. I felt I was privy to the most secret of all secrets. And I was constantly blushing. I felt uncomfortable for and by the characters. I love books that make me feel uncomfortable.

While I adored this book, I am hesitant to recommend it to others because of one aspect--the sex. This book was over sexed and the reason it doesn't get 5 stars. I'm no prude. But this book was too much. At some points it was necessary to make the reader feel the desperation and yearning of the characters. But most times, I felt the sex was a gimmick.

The writing, even during the sex scenes, was breathtaking. I pretty much covet Spencer's writing style. Loved the details he shared and the ones he let me infer.

These books were perfect companions. They were so similar in so many ways that I felt I was reading a continuation of stories. Young people in love, arson....what more could you ask for?

Dangerously Reading v. 7

2008-07-23T08:41:00.002-04:00

My selection for July was Jane Austen's Persuasion. I always wax eloquent about how much I love Austen. But when it comes down to it, I haven't really read that much of her. So this challenge gave me the opportunity to change that. From page one, I was in love.

How does Austen manage to be so subtle yet tackle so much in each work? This book has it all: romance, sibling rivalry, sharp critique of class-based discrimination, and a strong female lead. I adored it.

When I began the book, Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice) was firmly entrenched in my number one spot of endearing heroines. But Anne Elliot now rivals her. She has the strength, wit and independence of Bennet but is a bit more open. Austen's understated writing gave me just the right bit of emotion and romance from Elliot. It was never too much or cliche. Rather, her monologues and inner thoughts were moving and real.

Persuasion is Austen's last work. And I can't help but notice it is also her most mature and the one most marked with regret. Makes you wonder if Austen had made peace with all her decisions as she neared the end of her life.

Jumping in

2008-07-15T11:01:00.003-04:00

As if I need to procrastinate even more....

I've joined Twitter. You should as well. I'm still a little scared of it. People are funny. How can people be funny in 140 letters or less? I need to figure this out.

http://twitter.com/klementine

A Little Sunday Reading v. 13

2008-07-13T20:42:00.002-04:00

I've read two very lovely books this week: The Story of a Marriage by Andrew Sean Greer and Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Stout.

Both were so beautifully written that I could not stop reading. I felt I was living with the characters. A the very least, I was their diary and was privy to the most intimate of details. And I love intimate details. Olive Kitteridge, in particular, was enjoyable because of my recent obsession with short stories. The book was told in 13 separate stories.

Both books has a few things in common. I want you to read them both (back to back) and agree.

First, Greer and Stout have the "flawed character" down. Pat. The characters in these books were so flawed. Yet Greer and Stout seemed to withhold judgment. And managed to provide me with just enough empathy that I did as well. Unusual. I normally judge the pants off of flawed characters.

Second, the way Greer and Stout portray marriage and partnership was simultaneously harsh and lovely. I ached with the hardships and smiled at the loving details.

Last, I've begun to be a bit obsessed with plots that introduce you to multiple characters and then weave them together in a subtle way. It seems so difficult. To make the reader wonder why you're reading this and then smack them over the head with the obvious connection. Love that moment of discovery.

Both books are great summer reading. And if you'd like more suggestions, NPR has your back.

And to read more reviews, be my friend on goodreads.

Friday Flicks v. 7

2008-07-11T09:44:00.003-04:00

For many, summer means sunshine and outdoor time. Well, I'm Irish. I burn. Badly. So I spend my summers watching movies. In the dark. With air conditioning. Drinking. Whiskey.

Ok, Not the whole summer. But I have watched a lot of movies recently.

Some recommendations for all you fair skinned beauties out there....

You know that super popular book from a few years ago The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time? The one everyone loooooved? Well it bugged me. Overkill. I found myself getting irritated with the autistic narrator. You know what makes someone feel like crap? Being irritated by a fictional autistic child. My family still hasn't let me live it down. Well, I found a much better and less annoying version of that book in the film Snow Cake. Snow Cake tells the story of a high functioning autistic woman and a man involved in a fatal car accident. They have this really interesting connection. And it is lovely. So funny. And so sad. A total emotional roller coaster. You must check it out.

I'm pretty sure I've written about how much I enjoyed the film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. I enjoyed it a great deal. A. GREAT. DEAL. So my film junkie (soon to be) brother-in-law decided that we should watch Julian Schnabel's earlier film Before Night Falls. It is a very intimate look at the life of Cuban poet and novelist, Reinaldo Arenas. I didn't like the movie as much as Diving Bell but I liked it. I had trouble with the disjointed narrative and time line. However, the cinematography is so breathtaking and Javier Bardem so talented that I overlooked it. Plus, Diego Luna is in it. So is Johnny Depp....wait for it...as a cross dresser. *snap*

Then She Found Me was another great film. Helen Hunt directed and starred in this charming story that was always on the cusp of being too much. But it managed to stay on the right side of the line. And instead of finding it overwhelming, I found it enjoyable. Colin Firth is just so darn funny. I want to tousle his hair.

Wristcutters: A Love Story was a dark, quirky, totally awesome movie. I had no idea what to expect yet the film was far and away better than I anticipated. And! I'm obsessed with Shannyn Sossamon's hair. See?!

Totally cute!

I finally watched There Will Be Blood. I know. Welcome to 2008. I enjoyed it. Although not as much as the rest of the American population. I can recognize how talented the cast was and how sophisticated the plot was. But I was a little bored. So there's that.

Hopefully these suggestions give you a week or so of movie watching pleasure!

Weekly Geeks v. 2

2008-07-09T17:54:00.009-04:00

This week's theme is magazines! I almost didn't participate this week because to do so means admitting just how much of a problem I have. Yes. My name is Kristen and I'm a magazine addict. Truly. But the first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem, right? Right. On with the therapy.

My first must read every month is Real Simple. There is nothing bad about Real Simple. I love their charming articles, the helpful organizational tips, the great pictures, the easy recipes. I love the way the magazine feels in my hands. I love that they include a bookmark with each issue. I love this magazine. And they have a great website as well.

Next up is In Style. Each month I flip through the pages and imagine myself leading a ridiculously chic and stylish life. Of course, I'll never have the money to consume all they try to sell me but it is fun nonetheless.

Glamour and Marie Claire are my guilty pleasures. While you may occasionally find a powerful story on a feminist issue or an opinion piece written from an interesting perspective, these issues are for fun and occasionally fill me with feminist guilt.

To make myself feel better, I read Bitch every time it comes out. I wish it was published every month but such is the life of a feminist. Bitch has great media criticism and their articles are timely and funny. The publication really helped me teach my Women's Studies classes. My students loved every article I selected for their class reading. Many of them now subscribe as well. In fact, one of my great teaching moments happened when a student brought in a copy of her recently purchased magazine. She had highlighted articles and placed tabs on things she wanted to re-visit. Feminist victory!

My mom sends me all her issues of The Week. The Week is a great publication that features all the top news articles from the week. It also has great book, movie and music suggestions. A quick read that will fill your brain with great information.

There are two magazines that I don't subscribe to but end up reading every issue either because I buy it, borrow it or read it while browsing at a bookstore. Everyday with Rachael Ray is helpful in finding easy meals that we use each week. Plus, you don't have to deal with Rachael Ray while you read. Win win! And Harper's is pretty much the best political magazine out there. When I'm through with grad school, I suspect I'll start a subscription.

Last but not least, my hubby gets Paste magazine every month and I almost always browse through that. Paste is so awesome. Each month, you get a mixed CD filled with featured artists and songs. The reviews are always really good and they also have lots of interesting stories (like the best record stores). It is a must read for music junkies.

Rest assured, we recycle all the magazines so I'm a responsible reader!

Phew. I feel better now.

Whoops

2008-07-09T09:41:00.002-04:00

I can't stop laughing my sad, wry laugh that I reserve for true ridiculousness.

Via Feministing

Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard chief who is now the Republican National Committee's "Victory Chairman" and a name oft mentioned as a McCain VP, argues that:

There are many health insurance plans that will cover Viagra but won't cover birth-control medication. Those women would like a choice.

Allow me to add some emphasis. WOMEN WOULD LIKE A CHOICE.

CHOICE!
CHOICE!

Fiorina is right. Women would like a choice. Too bad McCain has opposed funding for family planning programs and voted against requiring insurance coverage of birth control. This has earned him a zero rating from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the lowest rating possible in the U.S. Senate.

A zero rating. Seems to me McCain is definitively anti-choice.

I-Tues v. 13 Mix Tape Edition

2008-07-08T09:01:00.000-04:00

I made a mix tape of all the music I'm enjoying right now. Some songs are new, some are old. All are the soundtrack of my summer. You should make one, too. Let me know in the comments when yours is up!

XO

Dangerously Reading v. 6

2008-07-06T19:41:00.003-04:00

I finished my June selection on the last day of June. We were returning home from vacation and I spent a majority of the car trip reading. Before you go jumping to conclusions about how I procrastinated, let me just say that I started reading Jane Eyre in May. May. I know. Jane is a beast.

It took me over a month to plow through this dense work of (feminist) art. It was worth the labor and time.

Published in 1847, Jane Eyre can probably best be described as a proto-feminist piece. The protagonist and title character is an independent, educated and self sufficient woman. She works as a governess for a wealth family and when she falls in love with her employer, refuses to become his mistress and dependent. Instead, she sets off--penniless and alone--to discover herself and all that she is capable of.

The story was intense and some of the old English distracting. But the development and evolution of Jane was magical.

I suppose it is possible and useful to question the proto-feminism in the story. Mr. Rochester is very mean (almost abusive) to Eyre and at a time in the story, I was uncomfortable with how easy she overlooked the mistreatment for the benefit of "love."

But at the heart of the story, I argue, is a sense of female empowerment. One of my favorite passages can provide the proof:

Nobody knows how many rebellions besides political rebellions ferment in the masses of life which people the earth. Women are supposed to be very calm generally; but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex.

Additional passages of note:
You never felt jealousy, did you, Miss Eyre? Of course not; I need not ask you; because you never felt love. You have both sentiments yet to experience; your soul sleeps; the shock is yet to be given which shall waken it.

I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will.

Lovely, lovely novel. I would recommend it to all but I know not all would enjoy. Proceed at your own risk.

The Summer of Rafa!

2008-07-06T19:26:00.004-04:00

In what I can only describe as the best tennis match I've ever seen....Rafael Nadal stripped Roger Federer of his Wimbledon crown. The demolition comes one month after a complete face crush of Federer in the final of the French Open.

While I don't dislike Federer, I adore Rafa. I'm a happy girl!

Mothering Vs.(?) Feminism

2008-06-11T11:22:00.002-04:00

There is a controversy brewing over Rebecca Walker's latest column. A column in which she very publicly (and with a sense of bravado) ends her relationship with her mother--Alice Walker. The two women have long been on shakey ground but it appears the ground has broken open and swallowed any hope the two of them may have had of a productive relationship. Interestingly, this Feministing post comes a day after I finished R. Walker's latest book--Baby Love: Choosing Motherhood After A Lifetime Of Ambivalence and had quite an issue with it myself. I wrote on my goodreads' review:

This book was interesting and helpful as she unpacks a lot of complicated issues between motherhood and feminism. I enjoyed a lot of her story. In particular, I enjoyed reading about her struggles with choosing a parenting strategies.

But parts made me uncomfortable--mainly her seeming obsession with heterosexual parenting and her goal to wipe out ambivalence among women about motherhood. Once she became pregnant, she seemed to turn into a heterosexist, "motherhood is the only path for women" machine. It rubbed me the wrong way for much of the book. In particular, she tells a story about an interaction with a young woman who claims she will "never become a mother" because she dreads any day a human is dependent on her. Upon finding out her age, Walker reassures her that she has "plenty of time to change her mind." GAH. GAH. How patronizing and dogmatic can you be?! Oddly enough, she exhibits behaviors she complains about for much of the book. Walker has a pretty sharp indict of her mother and other "second wave" feminists who are critical of the unfairness of motherhood. She regales readers with stories about her mother's inability to support her decision to become a mother. As I reader, you feel shock and anger. Of course, that narrative is spliced with Walker's own inability to accept childless women.

Also, I was annoyed that Walker wasn't really all that "ambivalent" about motherhood (thus the title was more than a little flawed). She reports on the first page that she's wanted to be a mother for more than 15 years. Huh?!!? So throughout the book it seemed she had to invent struggles between motherhood and feminism. I do not think that being maternal is as antithetical to feminism as she states. Walker wanted to prove that in order to be a feminist one must be ambivalent about motherhood and that once you are self-actualized you will realize that to be ambivalent is to be wrong.

These issues are amplified once again in R. Walker's column. It is clear that Walker had a bad childhood. Her mother was not overly nurturing and maybe even a little bitter about the challenges of motherhood. But is that the result of feminism? I can't decide. Actually, that's a lie. I can decide. I think it *may* be the result of a certain brand of feminism. Certainly there have been time periods of feminism that are skeptical of motherhood. They see the undervalue of motherhood as a problem and have chosen not to participate because they don't want to fall victim to those pitfalls. I'm cool with that. I'm also fine with women who choose to be come mothers but do not uphold the typical aspects of motherhood. Thus, I think it would be possible for both Rebecca and Alice to negotiate the tensions R. speaks of in their relationship. And I think it possible not to be the type of mother R. expects yet still be a good one. Additionally, I don't think their mother/daughter relationship is any of my business no matter how much R. shoves it down my throat.

However, I'm also troubled by the rate at which feminists turn on Rebecca. In the comments on the Feministing piece, commenters call R. an "anti-feminist" and not part of the movement. What?!?! Rebecca Walker?! One of the women responsible for the current status of feminism-- toward a more inclusive and contemporary movement?

Why does it have to be either/or? Why are feminists quick to take sides? We don't have to be for Alice OR Rebecca. We can appreciate Alice's work on de-mystifying motherhood and Rebecca's work to appreciate it. Personally, I think that maternal thinking and feminism go hand in hand but before I become a mother, I'll set up my own standard of parenting that will draw on generations of feminist women.

So I thank both Rebecca and Alice. And I hope I don't fall into a trap of having to choose one over the other.

Wherein I remember I have a blog

2008-06-10T12:36:00.004-04:00

And I write things....

While I generally don't like to apologize for slacking on projects that are optional (like this blog), I do regret my lengthy absence. I've had a conference to attend, a home state to return to, a dissertation to write, and leisure to enjoy. Really, I'm spent. But I have found some blogging motivation. Aren't we all excited?

A couple things.....

1. I adore this charming post over at Paper Cuts about things found in books. They report on the things booksellers have discovered in books, from a letter by C.S. Lewis to a baby’s tooth to Mickey Mantle’s rookie baseball card to thousand dollar bills. I just use a plain ole bookmark and post-it tabs. I'm practical and boring. I'm also poor.

2. MSNBC is doing a Veepstakes. They have picked the 32 most likely VP candidates for each party, seeded them, and we get to pick our bracket. Drew and I are LOVING this. The first round of the Democratic Party is up but don't get too excited, you have to wait a week for the next round. Very fun. Plus, it gives you lots of names to research and talk about in your political circles.

3. Great op-ed from the NYT last week about "Hillary's Next Campaign." Anna Holmes argues (quite persuasively) that it should be actively working against sexism and racism. I've been complaining for quite some time that I would have liked to have seen Clinton really address some of the double binds she faced. Don't only use sex/gender as a talking point when it serves you well. Use sex/gender when it doesn't and openly confront the sexism, patriarchy and misogyny that exists. Obama should do that as well but that's another post.

4. I've been doing quite a bit of reading. You should become my Goodreads friend and check it out.

The one in which I'm embarrassed by my home state v. 2

2008-05-21T12:06:00.003-04:00

An interesting report in yesterday's Detroit Free Press.

According to the article:

Violent crimes against Michiganders because of their sexual orientation jumped 133% last year, according to a report released today by the Detroit-based Triangle Foundation.

In 2007, there were 226 reported cases involving violence or violent threats against gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered people, the report said. Out of those cases, two were murders, 46 were assaults and 101 of them involved intimidation or harassment, the report said. There were 97 reported incidents in 2006.

In addition to the violent incidents, there were 72 cases of discrimination, according to the Triangle Foundation.

I can't help but remember last week's news that the Michigan Supreme Court decided to outlaw same-sex partner benefits. Discrimination and hate begets discrimination and hate. Perhaps even more so when the highest court in the (state) land is setting the example.

Dangerously Reading v. 5

2008-05-19T10:53:00.003-04:00

This month's selection was Truman Capote's Other Voices, Other Rooms. I went through a bit of a Capote ~~phase~~ obsession a couple years ago so I've already read this one. I enjoyed it but didn't need to revisit it. Instead, I substituted a Virginia Woolf selection. I decided upon A Room of One's Own. Even though I finished it yesterday, I still can't decide how I feel about it.

On one hand, it was very poignant and ahead of its time. Written in 1928, the book is a combination of lectures given by Woolf about art, fiction, intellectualism and sexism. In particular, I enjoyed her discussion about who controls "knowledge" and who has access to it. Her observations were true then and still ring correct today. I also enjoyed how applicable her words were to all writers and thinkers. I know the book is specifically about fiction but I found a lot of richness about writing in general.

However, the book was so boring. I hate to say it but I found my mind wandering constantly. She used so many examples that her argument got redundant after a while.

Of course, it is only a 2008 world that allows me this critique. I cannot imagine reading this work in 1928. It would have been groundbreaking and controversial.

Despite my boredom, I found lots of words of wisdom:

Pg. 5 "At any rate, when a subject is highly controversial--and any question about sex is that--one cannot hope to tell the truth. One can only show how one came to hold whatever opinion one does hold. "

Pg. 30 "The human frame being what it is, heart, body and brain all mixed together, and not contained in separate compartments as they will be no doubt i another million years, a good dinner is of great importance to good talk. One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well."

Pg. 40 "...and I thought of the organ booming in the chapel and of the shut doors of the library; and I thought how unpleasant it is to be locked out; and I thought how it is worse perhaps to be locked in; and, thinking of the safety and prosperity of the one sex and of the poverty and insecurity of the other and of the effect of tradition and of the lack of tradition upon the mind of a writer, I thought at last that it was time to roll up the crumpled skin of the day, with its arguments and its impressions and its anger and its laughter, and case it into the hedge. "

Pg. 152 "It would be a thousand pities of women wrote like men, or lived like men, or looked like men, for if two sexes are quite inadequate, considering the vastness and variety of the world, how should we manage with only one?"

Pg. 188 "Intellectual freedom depends upon material things."

Weekly Geek v. 1

2008-05-18T12:08:00.010-04:00

I couldn't pass up this blogger challenge over at The Hidden Side of a Leaf:

Choose a political or social issue that matters to you. Find several books addressing that issue; they don’t have to books you’ve read, just books you might like to read. Using images (of the book covers or whatever you feel illustrates your topic) present these books in your blog.

Not surprisingly, I immediately started gathering feminist books that I think every feminist and feminist reader should have in her/his library. BUT! I know that isn't that much of a stretch for this blog so I tagged on a bonus--Political Speechwriting! Feminism! Politics! And books! All in one post!

Maternal Thinking (Sara Ruddick): Fantastic book for feminists and peace activists. A new way to conceptualize motherhood and femininity. A must read.
Gender Trouble (Judith Butler): An academic book that has been accused of being too dense. But the book was fundamental to my understanding of the gender system and all that it encompasses.
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (Carson McCullers): A book about isolation, loneliness and labor politics. While not explicitly feminist, I'm not the first to view it as such. McCullers is magical and this book is her best.
The Color Purple (Alice Walker): Duh. Alice Walker. A heartbreaking book that exposes the true depths of patriarchy and misogyny. Walker's contribution to the feminist movement cannot be overstated.

And now for the bonus! Speechwriting. I am obsessed with political speechwriters. I love to imagine the intimate relationship they have with the President and words. So romantic. I haven't read either of these books but I plan to this summer.

White House Ghosts: Presidents and Their Speechwriters (Robert Schlesinger): Veteran Washington reporter Robert Schlesinger opens a fresh and revealing window on the modern presidency from FDR to George W. Bush. This is the first book to examine a crucial and often hidden role played by the men and women who help presidents find the words they hope will define their places in history.

Counselor: A Life At the Edge of History (Ted Sorenson): John F. Kennedy's closest advisor recounts in full for the first time his experience counseling Kennedy through the most dramatic moments in American history.

Let me know if you've read any of these--or plan to read any of these!

Friday Flicks v. 6

2008-05-16T08:54:00.002-04:00

I've seen some good movies lately. Perhaps you need some movies to watch this summer....

May I recommend:

Dedication: Many Moore and Billy Crudup. Charming romantic movie. The characters had just enough quirks to make them believable and likable. A tad predictable but an enjoyable two hours just the same.

Across the Universe: I may be the only person who hadn't yet seen this movie. I finally watched it and felt like I was in awe the entire time. This movie is not for everyone. But if you like musicals and theatrical movies, it will not disappoint. Great performances from the entire cast. It reminded me a lot of Moulin Rouge which is my favorite film so how could I not swoon? And now I have a huge crush on Jim Sturgess so there's that.

Things We Lost in the Fire: Depressing as all hell. But also beautiful in this melancholy kind of way. I was so-so on the movie until the end. I loved the ending. It was the perfect ending. I watched it with a friend who remarked that she was surprised how it ended. We were both happy that it was surprising yet perfect.

Some movies you can skip....I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With and Introducing the Dwights. Both horrible. You'll hate yourself after watching one or both.

Perhaps there is a better way?

2008-05-14T11:34:00.006-04:00

I'm a bit confused as to what to think about this story-- 'Dang-it-Dolls' Help Troops with Stress.

The dolls, made of pliable materials, are used to help troops combat stress and homesickness. The grandmother who first made the doll did it to get a smile out of her grandson who is serving overseas.

Unfortunately....the dolls are being returned to the State's needing an eye-ball replacement or a foot sewn back on because the troops have found that "Beating the stuffing out of pliable, google-eye dolls helps counter stress."

Um. What?! And the media is touting this as "cute" and "helpful"? I'm concerned.

As we all well know, our troops have had a bit of a problem with violence. And, I agree with the spirit of the project, our troops do need help dealing with stress. But, it seems, therapy would help. Perhaps some added assistance from the government, fewer deployments, ending the war? I don't know....beating the crap out of a doll? Just doesn't seem that healthy to me.

Holy Mother of God

2008-05-12T15:34:00.002-04:00

I was perusing PaperCuts this afternoon and came across their review of the 10 Books that Screwed Up the World: And 5 Others that Didn't Help by Benjamin Wiker.

Wiker, ~~nice~~ privileged white male that he is, gave honorable mention to The Feminine Mystique. Yes. That Feminine Mystique. The onethatchangedthecourseoffreakinghistory. That one.

Must be nice. Must be nice to live with your wife and seven children in rural Ohio and claim that that the Feminine Mystique screwed up the world.

Feel free to send e-mails to the guy....

Maybe include some of the highlights of the book:
1. It debunked the popular notion that all women would be happier at home with babies and a traditional, heterosexual marriage
2. It gave women an identity outside of marriage and motherhood
3. It created a sense of commonality among (middle to upper class) women who were feeling restless and unfulfilled

Perhaps Wiker levels a class charge against Friedan. Perhaps he's all like "Friedan you are so second-wave and you don't speak for the experience of all women so back off."

...But I doubt it.

The one in which I'm embarrassed by my home state

2008-05-08T12:43:00.005-04:00

I must say that I am confounded by Michigan's recent decision to ban same-sex partner benefits. I was beyond disappointed by the 2004 voter-supported ban on gay marriage, but this decision is a grossly inappropriate application of that ban.

I'm bothered for three reasons. Let's discuss:

1. Obviously to discriminate against people based on things like race, gender, religious affiliation is wrong. I just don't understand how it has remained socially acceptable to discriminate against people based on sexual orientation. Where does the breakdown happen? How do logical people fail to make the connection?

2. As I'm sure any human with ears has heard, Michigan is in a wee bit of an economic slump. Businesses and business professionals cannot get out of the sinking state fast enough. Leaving in droves. The state is depressed. One seemingly bright spot in the state is their public education system. This will crush that bright spot. Memo to Michigan--good academics will leave your universities and work at ones from which their partners can receive benefits. Hands down. Just like female academics leave universities to work at ones which grant them family leave time. This loss will not be confined to the academic sector. Other businesses who care about equality and employee well-being will be hesitant to start businesses in the state. No matter what one's hangups about gay marriage (although I'd encourage people to get the hell over those--perhaps in therapy?), most people should be able to get on board with sound business practices.

3. This just continues the trend of tying economic benefits to heterosexual marriage. The fact deserves quite a bit of attention. A question I always pose to my Women's Studies students is--If heterosexual marriage is so "natural" why do we have to provide so many incentives to encourage people to do it? Of course, the flip side is that for every couple who benefits from heterosexual privilege, there is a couple who suffers from it. To send the message that the only way to gain economically is to marry someone with opposite sex organs, is to reinforce heterosexual conditioning. Heterosexual conditioning makes Kristen sad. Heterosexual conditioning is a weapon of patriarchy and sexism. And memo to all people privileged enough to identify as heterosexual, these policies hurt you as well. Let's just say you're widowed at a young age. You move in with your sibling. You live with your sibling for 20 or more years. You want to share benefits with your sibling or she with you. Guess what. You can't. You also cannot apply for certain tax exemptions and you better have a damn good will because your sibling is not automatically entitled to any assets upon your death. We need to separate economic incentives from heterosexual marriage for the good of EVERYONE. To do that would diversify partner and household recognition. We all suffer from these policies.

Unfortunately, people are too blinded by their homophobia to think through these things.

Shame on Michigan. And shame on a society that allows this discrimination to occur.

*thanks to BK for the tip

The one in which I become that woman...

2008-05-07T09:33:00.003-04:00

...The crazy woman.

8:59 am. Grocery store. Morning breath and hair. On the conveyor belt? Two boxes of brownie mix, some red wine and stamps. My nice southern clerk tilts her head and asks:

are you okay today?

I'm pretty sure there is an emergency prayer meeting in the break room right now.

I-Tues v. 12 Concert Edition

2008-05-06T07:51:00.007-04:00

I'm beginning to feel like I speak only in superlatives when it comes to music on this blog. "This concert was awesome." "This concert was the best I've seen in Athens." Blah, blah, blah. But if you'll allow me one more...On Saturday we saw Josh Ritter at the Melting Point. And, well, it was the best concert I've seen...maybe...ever. I know. But, my friends, this is not mere hyperbole....Allow me to present some evidence.

First of all, the venue is so incredible. I think I'd be happy only seeing shows the Melting Point from now on. It is small. There's a patio lit with gold Christmas light. There are pomegranate martinis. There is always a good crowd. I just adore it. If you are in the ATH, you must go to the Melting Point. And then write me a thank you note because I just changed your life.

Second, Ingrid Michaelson opened for J.R. She is all kinds of adorable. Most of you have probably heard her sing on this Old Navy commercial.

But don't hold this endorsement of capitalism against her. She released a cd without a label. You go girl. Her show was fantastic. Not only is she very talented (think Regina Spektor meets Vanessa Carlton-- only better) but she was charming without being nauseating. And let's not under emphasize the import of that. Not only that but she's a feminist. HELLO. Her lyrics are incredible and very empowering. After she was done both Drew and Dave turned to me and said that it looked like I had a BFF. How right they were.

And I bought her cd. At her own show. How lame am I?! But I couldn't help it. I just had to have her music and support her. I told her I taught WMST and I loved her lyrics. And she signed my cd.

Yes, it does say Vaginas Unite. Yes.

Ok so it is safe to say that I <3 Ingrid Michaelson. But I also love Josh Ritter. And his whole darn band. They are all adorable. And they got along so well. See?

And their energy was contagious. The set was awesome. They took us high and they brought us low. They seemed legitimately thankful we were all there and earnest in their attempt to give the best show they could. For those of you that know me in the "real" world, you know that I sometime use earnest as a descriptor for people I think are lame. But when I saw that Josh Ritter is earnest, I mean that in the good way.

If, for some reason that I cannot think of, you don't already listen to Josh Ritter you need to start. RIGHTNOW. I've told you this before. And maybe you haven't listened. I'll overlook it. But it is never too late to correct a bad decision.

And a big shout out to Drew and Dave who asked me not to post a picture of them. Whoops.

A Little Sunday Reading v. 12 Summer Reading Edition

2008-05-04T19:29:00.004-04:00

The semester is winding down. My grading is done. My grades will be turned in momentarily. Summer fever has begun to set in. We'll be in Michigan for the month of June. It will be a busy month filled with a class reunion, wedding, bachelorette party weekend, family/friend bonding, Drew's birthday celebration and dissertation writing.

But there will also be time for reading for pleasure! I always get a lot of reading done in Michigan. Something about the porch, the water, and the sunset makes it seem criminal to watch television.

I've been browsing some summer reading lists and my Dangerous Reading challenge list to get my reading wits about me. I've checked the library stacks. I think I have a pretty good list.

Books that I'll be reading this summer:

A Room of One's Own
Jane Eyre
Persuasion
The Secret of Lost Things
The Senator's Wife
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
Beginner's Geek
A Wolf At the Table: A Memoir of my Father
When You are Engulfed in Flames

I'll also be reading some academic books for my dissertation but I don't count those. I'm excited about the list. It seems appropriately ambitious and fluffy. I'm beyond excited that both Augusten Burroughs and David Sedaris have and will have new books out.

What will you be reading on those lazy summer evenings?

Leave it to Sweden....

2008-05-01T07:53:00.004-04:00

This put a smile on my face. Last semester an exchange student from Sweden enrolled in my Women's Studies course. To say she was shocked by the attitudes of many students would be an understatement. It is very easy to understand why....

Gender equality is coming to Sweden's roadways with pedestrian crossing signs soon portraying women as well as men, the Swedish government has decided.

The National Road Administration has until Oct. 1 to design the new signs, SVT reports. The nationwide signage change came about after two local councils failed in their bids to make the changes on their own.

So by the end of the year, Swedish motorists will begin seeing pedestrian crossing signs with a female image, being called Fru Garman, either replacing or alongside the male version known as Herr Garman, which translates to Mr. Walkman and This is where you walk, The Local reported.

Dangerously Reading v. 4

2008-04-28T21:31:00.003-04:00

I'm trucking right along on my dangerously reading challenge. Because I don't get down with poetry, I chose to substitute a feminist classic that I've yet to read. The Color Purple and I set off on a journey to celebrate the month of April. And it was glorious.

I'm embarrassed to say but I've never read any Alice Walker. I'm not sure why. I teach her in my women's studies classes. I admire her. And, based on this book, she is a fantastic writer. This book is so heartbreaking. There were quite a few times I thought about stopping. Many times I thought I couldn't take any more sadness and violence. But that's kinda the point of the book.

An explicitly feminist story, I enjoyed the main character, Celie. She suffered much at the hands of patriarchy and misogyny. Her story is an explicit critique of these systems.

My favorite part of the story was one that is overlooked by most reviews that I've seen and that is the familial bond in Celie's family. To me, all families should be as free and accepting. All family members should work together to raise the children. All the women should be supportive of one another. And that is a huge component of the book that I adored.

I recommend this book for anyone. It is fantastic. I'm thinking about adding it to my reading list for all students.

Feminists Unite!

2008-04-25T12:54:00.000-04:00

Since I teach my WMST class about the power of the Internet for resistance and feminist activity, I had them post their assignments this semester on a class blog. Today their media analysis projects are due and you can view them at the sites listed below. The students could either create a feminist text OR do a mini rhetorical criticism of a cultural text. I'm really proud of how much work went into the project.

If you'd like to check them out:

http://ugafeminism.blogspot.com/
http://wmst2010.blogspot.com/

I love a lot of the projects, but in particular I thought these videos were pretty powerful. I encouraged them to put their activism on Youtube as well. I hope you're as inspired as I am!

Barbie Culture: http://ugafeminism.blogspot.com/2008/04/clark-media-analysis.html

Tension between sex positive feminism and sexual exploitation:
http://ugafeminism.blogspot.com/2008/04/sexpos-expos.html

Taking on the Beauty Myth:
http://wmst2010.blogspot.com/2008/04/peyton-feminist-text.html

FEMINISTS UNITE!

Counting Down The Days

2008-04-23T09:01:00.004-04:00

Since I've started teaching for the Institute of Women's Studies, I've found myself a lot more involved in the politics of the University of Georgia. There is a ton of activism on and around campus which is awesome. What isn't so awesome is the need for activism. UGA is embarrassingly behind on things like family leave, child care and living wage for staff members. We don't have a women's center. And we don't have an Ombuds office to report sexual harassment. Keep in mind we are the state's flagship university and have over 30,000 students. Inexcusable if you ask me.

The sexual harassment issue has been a biggie this semester. It has been a big issue ALWAYS, but the university's inability to deal with the variety of cases is just making news this year. To give you a recap.....

* We've had a professor receive tenure and be promoted all while receiving over 15 years of complaints of sexual harassment
*Upon reports of that case, documents surfaced of four other professors accused and kept on staff. And one professor who UGA help get ANOTHER JOB AT ANOTHER UNIVERSITY (from which he has since been fired)
* Our women's golf coach resigned and admitted to sexual wrong doing with his team (including making them watch Paris Hilton's sex tape and inappropriately touching his team members) but was kept on staff while being paid over 90,000 dollars

Obviously to say we've had a wee problem with sexual harassment is an understatement. And to say that our administration needs to do a better job articulating that they take sexual harassment seriously is a HUGE understatement.

So imagine everyone's surprise when it was announced last week that our administration has selected Clarence Thomas as our May commencement speaker. I know! I was shocked as well. Surely the administration wouldn't deliberately choose someone with a less than stellar record on sexual harassment?! Surely the administration wouldn't want to give a big slap in the face to all the faculty members who have worked hard to raise awareness about sexual harassment?! But, oh yes, they would.

Chaos has ensued. And the thing that bothers me most about this whole decision is the way people who articulate any dissent are being treated. WMST faculty are not saying Thomas can't speak. They do say they prefer he doesn't. But they support his right to free speech. However, they are also calling for an open discussion about Thomas' past. They are looking to the administration to DO MORE TO COMMUNICATE THAT WOMEN MATTER.

If you have a moment, please take a look at the comments. Look at how students and community members communicate with faculty members speaking out against Thomas. It is shameful.

These are my favorites:
I'm very surprised he was invited given the super bed wetting liberals that run this university and town. I'm sure you would all whine if Bill Clinton was coming too???

It would be nice if some college professors would "grow up". Better yet, try to get a job in the private sector instead of playing "school" for your entire life. Some of you need a taste of the real world. For those who object to Judge Thomas, I bet you wouldn't have a problem with Bill Clinton.

I also love how all the commenters call the professors "Mrs." Not DOCTOR. Not Ms. Not by their names. But "Mrs."

Classy. The WMST building is also getting harassing phone calls. But it is starting to make national news. I can't wait to see how the rest of the country feels about the hate and ignorance that runs abound here.

So, yes, I'm counting down the days. Counting down the days until I leave this university. To be sure, I'm getting a good education here. I love my department, my colleagues and Athens. But the decision making on this campus infuriates me. And I think the discussions that take place on this campus reflects the administration. There is a lack of respect for faculty--especially female faculty. The students are learning it from somewhere.

I-Tues v. 11 Concert Edition

2008-04-22T08:50:00.011-04:00

Some of the regulars got together Thursday night.

We got a little crazy in the ATH. But we had a special guest with us all night....

NEKO FREAKING CASE! Hi Neko!

Yes, folks. The big day finally arrived and we attended:

And it was awesome. My dear feminist friend, Neko, had a broken leg. And we totally lucked out and saw her last show before she left the tour. I'm pretty sure she performed in the ATH just for me. Just a feeling I have... She was so incredible. It is hard to say she was the highlight as the whole band is so fantastic. But, um, she was the highlight.

The show was amazing. Almost 2 hours of a straight set. There was no talking. No introductions. No warm and fuzzy stuff. There was just singing. It was glorious. They didn't even leave the stage for an encore. Nope. They just kept on singing and told us they just assumed we would want one. And we would have. But they saved us the time.

One of the best shows I've seen in Athens. I love the GA Theater. I love the New Pornographers. I love Neko Case.

A Little Sunday Reading v. 11

2008-04-20T20:32:00.004-04:00

Haven't had a lot of time for reading. But I did finish Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson. One of Time's best books of 2007 and it is a well written book. A very interesting story told by a reflective and melancholy narrator. However, the story wasn't really for me. I was disappointed by the ending and, while I could appreciate all the little details, I found myself wishing Petterson was focusing on other things. Because I could not identify with Trond's relationship with nature and his complicated feelings for his father, I missed out on much of the beauty of the book.

However, I would still recommend it for other readers as the simplicity and beauty of the writing is commendable. Also, as an aside, I loved the size of the book and the font of the story.

Some notable passages:

(5) In less than two months' time this millennium will be finished. There will be festivities and fireworks in the parish I am a part of. I shall not go near any of that. I will stay at home with Lyra, perhaps go for a walk down to the lake to see if the ice will carry my weight...I will stroke the fire, put a record on the old gamophone with Billie Holiday's voice almost like a whisper..and then fittingly get drunk on a bottle I have standing by in a cupboard. When the record ends I will go to bed and sleep as heavily as it is possible to sleep without being dead, and awake to a new millennium and not let it mean a thing. I am looking forward to that.

(73) People like it when you tell them things, in suitable portions, in a modest, intimate tone, and they think they know you, but they do not, they know about you, for what they are let in on are facts, not feelings, not what your option is about anything at all, not how what has happened to you and how all the decisions you have made have turned you into what you are. What they do is they fill in with their own feelings and opinions and assumptions, and they compost a new life which has precious little to do with yours, and that lets you off the hook.

(215) Untidiness does not suit me and never has. I am actually a meticulous person; I want everything in its place and ready for use. Dust and mess make me nervous. If I once get slack over cleaning, it is easy to let everything slide, especially in this old house. One of my many horrors is to become the man with the frayed jacket and unfastened flies standing at the Co-op counter with egg on his shirt and more too because the mirror in the hall has given up the ghost. A shipwrecked man without an anchor in the world except in his own liquid thoughts where time has list its sequence.

Even though I was lukewarm on the book, I'd still recommend it to others. I have a feeling most people would like it more than I did.

A Little Sunday Reading v. 10

2008-03-30T12:12:00.007-04:00

A NYT essay about books has got me thinking....

The essay claims that listing your favorite books and authors is a type of self-branding. Totally. It also claims that reading habits are indicators of other personality traits. Yes. It concludes that most serious readers have encountered a moment when literary tastes conflict with romantic hopes and caused a break up. Meh....

You have to read it if you are a book lover. Seriously. And read the comments over at Papercuts. They are completely awesome. Both because of how pissed people are about the topic AND how dogmatic people are about their deal breakers. As an aside, I cannot believe how many people hate on Ayn Rand. My favorite comment?

The Beats, especially Jack Kerouac. Not only does he have bad taste but he will justify cheating on you philosophically.

Maybe it is because most people I've dated aren't "readers" and the person I married doesn't read fiction--ever--but I don't think that different literary tastes are grounds for a break up. If a partner refuses to read to a child before bed? Dump him! If a partner doesn't support your reading habit? Kick em to the curb. If a partner exhibits absolutely no intellectual curiosity? Totally lame and should be discarded. But if a reader has a whole bunch of popular fiction on his or her shelf? I just don't think that's a problem.

I hope you all have your impressed faces on right now. This is quite possibly the least intellectually elitist thing I have ever said. Inmywholelife. Remember how I judged my childhood friends for their reading habits? Exactly. Don't get me wrong, the chances of me ever marrying a person who reads nothing but graphic novels? Probably slim (both because I'm already married and because I think I am missing the part of the brain that allows me to comprehend that type of media). A partner who has never heard of Jane Austen? Not gonna happen for me. My friend, Bethany, once said that it takes a certain amount of nerd in a man for her to date him. That is most definitely true for me as well. But I'd like to think that it doesn't take a certain type of reading for me to date him.

I enjoy talking about books. I do it all the time. I constantly recommend things. It is annoying. Even to me. But I can't stop. Drew entertains me. He asks about the books I read. He buys me reading lights. He is supportive of my addiction. He values books. He values learning. So I'm okay that we don't read the same things. Do I wish we could share recommendations back and forth? Kinda. But that's also risky. A great passage from a book I read last year, Mister Pip, sums it up....

Personally, though, I am loath to push Great Expectations onto anyone, my father especially. I am mindful of Mr. Watts’ disappointment in Grace’s ability to love what he loved, and I have never wanted to know that disappointment, or for my father to feel, as Grace must have, like a pup with a saucer of milk pushed towards her in the shape of a book. No. Some areas of life are not meant to overlap.

I-Tues v. 10

2008-03-25T08:59:00.003-04:00

Like most people teetering on the edge of cool*, I like Death Cab For Cutie. Many of you probably do as well.

You can stream their new single here.

I need to give it another listen. First time through didn't impress me much. I really enjoy Ben Gibbard's vocals so I'm not sure why they wait more than 4 minutes to bring him into the song.

*or people who watched The OC

The Professor as Open Book

2008-03-24T09:16:00.003-04:00

The NYT has an interesting article about why professor's use the internet to disclose non-academic things about themselves. The article discusses how professors of all ranks use websites, blogs and social networking sites to reveal more personal information about themselves. The article interestingly asserts that it is part of a disturbing trend to treat professors not as teachers but as entertainers. While I agree with this basic statement, and it is a claim I've long used in the classroom, ("I'm not here to entertain you, I'm here to teach you and sometimes I may [unintentionally] do both." ), I don't think it gets at the reasons academics blog.

I am under no illusion that my students visit my blog and think "Kristen is SO funny. How have I not noticed this in class?" On the contrary. I suspect that any student who visits my blog who does not enjoy my class would quickly navigate away from it OR, worse, make fun of it. I do not blog for my students. I never encourage my students to "check out my blog" and am a tad creeped out by professors who attempt to connect with students via the internet. If I can't make a connection with one in the classroom, I certainly don't want to do it virtually. I don't use Facebook to reach out to students. Something that is missing from the NYT article is the idea that professors have friends, too! And we spend a tremendous amount of time on the computer and it helps (and hinders) our writing to have some recreational outlets on the net.

However, I do think my blog serves a pedagogical purpose. First and foremost, it keeps me connected to a more "popular" account of feminism.* What I mean, is that when I think about movies, books, television shows in an in depth way, I can bring in those thoughts to the classroom. Inevitably, my class responds more to a discussion about Juno than they do to a generic reproduction essay we've read for the day.

Blogging also has scholarly purposes. It helps to write. I know a lot of academics who blog daily. The daily blogging gets them started on their daily writing projects. It helps them organize their thoughts and/or try out new arguments that become part of scholarly essays. In short, it helps to write publicly. It also helps to belong to virtual networks. They are both heuristic and enjoyable.

* I use "popular" loosely. Obviously if feminism was popular, I wouldn't have near as much to critique.

Dangerously Reading v. 3

2008-03-23T21:31:00.005-04:00

I'm plugging right along in my Dangerously Reading Challenge. I loved this month's selection--Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood.

Even though the book took me forever to get through, I loved it. I wish I had been able to devote more consistent reading time to the book as I fear I missed subtle things here and there. And at 400+ pages, I won't be reading it again any time soon.

As you might suspect, 400 pages allows for lots of material to be covered. This book is a feminist land mine. Atwood takes on bullying, mother/daughter relationships, motherhood, marriage, depression and problems with the second wave feminist movement. WOW. You will think hard throughout this book. You will feel both sympathy with and anger at, Elaine, the narrator. You will struggle with the biases you bring to the story. But mostly, you'll ponder gender expectations and the pressure they place on women. The social criticism is so poignant that, at times, you forget that you're reading a beautifully written novel.

This was my first interaction with Margaret Atwood. It was fantastic. I can't wait to read her other fiction. She is a must-read for feminists. Perhaps my favorite part of her style is how flawed her characters are but her writing is free from judgment. She relays stories of failed marriages, bullying, poor mothering and does it without deeming actions good/bad or right/wrong. Rather, she opens up our minds and allows us to contemplate the *why* behind individual choices. That contemplation reveals that often people are limited in the choices they *can* make.

Some notable passages:

I am very curious about the BOYS door. How is going in through a door different if you're a boy?...The boys don't have a separate classroom, they're in with us. They go in the BOYS door and end up the same place we do. I can see the point of the boys' washroom, because they pee differently, and also the boys' yard, because of all the kicking and punching that goes on among them. But the door baffles me. I would like to have a look inside.

Now that I'm more or less safe from him, and him from me, I can recall him with fondness and even in some detail, which is more than I can say for several others. Old lovers go the way of old photographs, bleaching out gradually as in a slow bath of acid: first the moles and pimples, then the shadings, then the faces themselves, until nothing remains but the general outlines. What will be left of them when I'm seventy? None of the baroque ecstasy, none of the grotesque compulsion. A word or two, hovering in the inner emptiness. Maybe a toe here, a nostril there, or a mustache, floating like a little curl of seaweed among the other flotsam.

"What's with her?" says the painter. "She's mad because she's a woman." Jon says. This is something I haven't heard for years, not since high school. Once it was a shaming thing to say, and crushing to have it said about you, by a man. It implied oddness, deformity, sexual malfunction. I go to the living room doorway. "I'm not mad because I'm a woman," I say. "I'm mad because you're an asshole."

Love blurs your vision; but after it recedes, you can see more clearly than ever. It's like the tide going out, revealing whatever's been thrown away and sunk: broken bottles, old gloves, rusting pop cans, nibbled fishbodies, bones. This is not the kind of thing you see if you sit in the darkness with open eyes, not knowing the future. The ruin you've made.

A Little Sunday Reading v. 9

2008-03-16T20:12:00.004-04:00

I haven't been doing much leisure reading. Right now I'm working my way through Margret Atwood's Cat's Eye. I'm really enjoying it but it is not a light book and I don't have much time to devote to it. But I have some bookish links for you...

**If you need even more help deciding what to read, you can ask this database-- What Should I Read Next? You type in a title and author. You hit the button and BAM you have a brand new list of things to read.

**I'm visiting Seattle in a couple months. Should be a great time, since it is a city filled with readers.

**My favorite book in 2007 that was written in 2007 was The Post-Birthday World. I adored it. You can read an online book discussion over at Everyday I Write the Book blog. People have differing opinions on the book!

**Earlier this week I finished Charles Baxter's The Soul Thief. I liked it. I think I need to read it again to fully "get it." It is a dark story. Very dark. But also charming and well-written. The two characters are graduate school classmates. But, to say the least, their grad school life is waaay more exciting than mine. The NYT's reviewed it a couple weeks ago.

**I can't be the only one who wants to read this book. The creator of the thesaurus? And he has mental problems? And made lists all of his life? Count me in.

Happy reading.

I-Tues v. 9

2008-03-11T09:07:00.002-04:00

A fun website that Drew passed onto me. Black Cab Sessions. One Song. One take. One Cab. Our favorite artists are singing our favorite songs in the backseat of a cab. Totally weird and totally awesome.

If I may make some recommendations:
Chapter Thirteen: The New Pornographers
Chapter Sixteen: Elvis Perkins
Chapter Thirty One: Spoon
Chapter Eighteen: The National

Check it out. Seriously. When else will you see an accordion being played in a cab? Um. Never.

The Election continued...

2008-03-09T11:03:00.002-04:00

I remain undecided between Clinton and Obama. My horse was Edwards. Still is. I don't feel particularly inspired by either Clinton or Obama. It goes without saying that I feel either are better than McCain. McCain is scary. He's out of touch. I'll be disappointed in anyone who votes for him just like I think those who voted for Bush (especially in 04 when they knew what they were getting) owe the American people an apology for what he's done to our international reputation, our economy and our morale. But I digress....

I feel that my lack of strong support for either candidate gives me a unique perspective into the election. My only agenda is to see a Democrat take office in 08. So some thoughts...

1. If people truly want change. Truly? They would take a stand and not vote for either of the two major parties. I still don't understand why Obama and Clinton are out "changing" one another. I really don't understand how Obama gets to claim this narrative of change. As illustrated by the negative tone of the campaigns, the amount of money needed to participate and the airwaves being dominated by the pundits rather than the "common" people, politics is politics. Obama is not an outsider. Clinton isn't either. Both are entrenched in party politics. Both want to win. I think it is naive to assume that the only way to inspire is to claim outsider status. I am inspired by a politician (with experience) looking out for the middle class. I'm inspired by someone who has an understanding of the game of politics while playing it fairly. I'm inspired by someone who maintains a position of privilege maintaining a stance that shows they also stand on margins to fight for fairness and rights for those who often are overlooked.

2. I still have a hard time distinguishing between politics and sexism. I do think that Obama gets a free pass on many issues. He's treated better by the media. He's romanticized. Is that because Clinton's policies stink or is it because we have a deep seated distrust of women? I can't distinguish. I do know that more often than not Hillary is accused of being manipulative. She is accused of being calculated. We all know that there is nothing in any campaign that isn't calculated. I think it is more acceptable to accuse a women of playing games than it is a person of color. Don't get me wrong, racism is alive and well. When people go into that voting booth alone with their biases, I think racism could rear its ugly head. Sexism just gets to be alive and well in the open public sphere. I know a lot of smart and progressive people who pull for Obama who reek of sexism. I'm talking about the comparison of Hillary to Tracy Flick (in Election fame). I'm talking about the people who criticize her use of emotion (of course they never accuse Obama of "manipulating" the African American speaking style of past heroes). People who critique her role as mother (she isn't a "good" mother, she uses Chelsea) as if it matters to her potential job as President.

3. The newest thing to really piss me off? The claim that Clinton really has no "foreign" policy experience. It isn't that she has no foreign policy experience. It is that her foreign policy experience mostly deals with women's rights abroad. Not surprisingly, these efforts go unnoticed and are cast aside as not important and not "real." It goes without saying that it is a mistake for Obama to get into a "credentials" battle. I'm not sure why he is going there. However, even if it wasn't, the media would do it for him. Sexism.

4. The "war" issue. To be sure, neither democratic candidate is anti-war. Neither espouse a pacifist paradigm. Neither were actively trying to change American foreign policy until the 08 election approached. Neither would be afraid to use force. If someone is truly anti-war, they probably feel by the false choice of either Clinton or Obama. This is an issue I'm really struggling with in 08. I don't feel at home with either democratic candidate. Will I support the nominee? Yes. But it isn't exactly because they are "anti-war." They are other things. They uphold other policies that I hold dear. But they don't represent an anti-war alternative. Clinton, who I know to be intelligent, was "duped" by the Bush Administration. Obama, who is anti this war has threatened a Pakistan invasion and, by most accounts, over-sold his plan for Iraq troop withdrawal.

I want the primary to end soon. I'm getting annoyed at both candidates, the media, and the dogmatic fans of both candidates. In true hyper-competitive political fashion, we're splintering the party. We talk about the differences between Obama and Clinton (which are slight) instead of priming the American public for the larger issues of differences we'll see in the general election.

You Probably Didn't Know....

2008-03-08T21:30:00.003-05:00

Inspired by this one and this one. Also? A desperate attempt to prove I'm not as cliche as this one makes me sound....

...Live concerts unnerve me because music is played in a different order than one finds on the cd. It normally takes me until the first chorus to stop humming the song my memory tells me is supposed to be playing.

I'm desperate to find myself on the pages of a novel, the canvas of a painting or the lyrics of a song. A muse of sorts. But I know I'd secretly feel betrayed by the violation of my privacy.

In a perfect example of my impatience, I've burnt rings in the bottom of my dutch oven because I turned the heat up too high. The instructions clearly told me not to cook above medium heat. It gives it character, says Drew. It gives it my character, says me.

I can't stand the red and green color combination. I decorate for the Christmas season in silver and blue. In fact, most holiday color combinations are hideous. People lose all sense when it comes to holidays.

I like the way people look when they have their hands in their pockets. It charms me.

I can drink hot drinks year round but only eat ice cream when its warm outside. I eat ice any chance I get. It is a horrible habit.

I'm beginning to like Jon and Kate Plus 8 more than LA Ink. TLC programming is perhaps linked to stages of life. Just a new theory Drew and I are working on....

I don't like socks, tight shoes, or carpet. I can't think when my feet are restricted. I'm skeptical of people who wear socks to bed. It seems they're just asking for a night of taunted sleep.

I obsess about the color of my lips. I over-exfoliate, use more than a dime-size of moisturizer, shampoo everyday and don't floss enough. I'm okay with that.

I like to talk to strangers. It always makes me think of my grandfather.

An Apology

2008-03-05T12:48:00.004-05:00

I've been a sucky blogger lately. I'm sorry. To make amends, I'm giving you two other blogs to read in order to get your Georgia feminist fix.

Because we've talked about the power of the internet for minority communities, my Women's Studies classes have made their own blogs. The sites are places for them to post their assignments for the class. The first assignment is up and running--an interview project. A media analysis project will follow later in the semester. The students are excited to see their work made public and are eager for readers outside the class. Feel free to post supportive comments if you're so inclined.

I hope you enjoy the blogs as much as I am.

http://ugafeminism.blogspot.com/
http://wmst2010.blogspot.com/

I-Tues v. 8: Athens Music Edition

2008-03-04T09:38:00.005-05:00

This year Drew and I decided to get more involved in the ATH music scene. We're both big music fans and music plays a huge part in our life. But we've been pretty lazy when it comes to seeking out concerts. In the past, we haven't even managed to make a concert a month. We've seen some good stuff (Pat Green) and some weird stuff (Of Montreal) and some stuff over and over and over (Modern Skirts).

Athens venues are making it pretty easy for us to get more involved. In January Mike Doughty came. He was awesome. And he had cool shoes.....

Modern Skirts made an appearance last weekend.

And we have the New Pornographers and Josh Ritter on the horizon. If you've been paying attention, these have been featured artists here at DD. Great stuff for a great price in great venues.

You should all move to Athens and listen to music with us. And then I'll post your picture on my blog. Dreamy.

I-Tues v. 7

2008-02-19T20:38:00.004-05:00

You all know about my beloved Modern Skirts. They are incredible. I heart them. A. LOT. And now you can show them some love as well! They are trying to get their new video in the rotation on MTVu. They are in second place right now but you can vote for them. You can vote for them more than once. Just sit, watch t.v. and vote...over and over and over.

Go forth. Vote for the Skirts.

Dangerously Reading v. 2

2008-02-19T08:34:00.003-05:00

This month's selection was Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye. I was nervous to pick up the book as I had tried it before and didn't enjoy the experience. And the book started off a bit slow this time as well. But by 50 pages in, I was hooked and chiding myself for not reading it earlier. It is a beautiful but sad story filled with sharp social critique. The book narrates the story of Pecola, a poor, African-American, girl who suffers abuse at the hands of her father and (white) society. She prays for beauty and attention.

"Each night Pecola prayed for blue eyes. In her eleven years, no one had ever noticed Pecola. But with blue eyes, she thought, everything would be different. She would be so pretty that her parents would stop fighting. Her father would stop drinking. Her brother would stop running away. If only she could be beautiful. If only people would look at her."

While Morrison doesn't identify as a "feminist" writer, her books certainly keep the plight of African American women at the center. As such, I would argue that she resists patriarchy, sexism and racism. At the very least, her very style is resistant to hegemonic literary rules. The plot, choice of narrator, and language are all examples of Morrison pushing the literary envelope. Her discussion of the impact of abuse, racism and patriarchy is pointed and necessary. While I know Morrison has received a lot of flack about her female characters, I found the self-loathing of the African American women and children in this book to be heartbreakingly accurate.

You have to be in the right mood for the book. To. Be. Sure. It is not a light and fluffy read. But it is a commendable work. My edition had an epilogue from Morrison at the end that was excellent. She talked about how the book was received in 1970 and her rationale behind the characters. She writes, "With very few exceptions, the initial publication of The Bluest Eye was like Pecola's life: dismissed, trivialized, mis-read. And it has taken twenty-five years to gain for her the respectful publication this edition is."

Happy (Fake) Love Day..tomorrow

2008-02-13T13:25:00.003-05:00

As most of you know, I think Valentine's Day is a large bunch of ridiculousness. I posted about it last year resulting in some controversy. I like love. I like romance. I just don't like those things occurring on a designated day. And I don't enjoy holidays that reek of heterosexual conditioning. But whateves. To each their own. I'm willing to meet you half way....

So if you want a little romance in your life tomorrow, you should pick up this book. Other people's love letters?!?! Count me in.

Fevered notes scribbled on napkins after first dates. Titillating text messages. It's-not-you-it's-me relationship-enders. In Other People’s Love Letters, Bill Shapiro has searched America’s attics, closets, and cigar boxes and found actual letters–unflinchingly honest missives full of lust, provocation, guilt, and vulnerability–written only for a lover’s eyes. Modern love, of course, is not all bliss, and in these pages you’ll find the full range of a relationship, with its whispered promises as well as its heartache. But what at first appears to be a deliciously voyeuristic peek into other people’s most passionate moments, will ultimately reawaken your own desires and tenderness…because when you read these letters, you’ll find the heart you’re looking into is actually your own.

Letters on napkins? That is romance. Lust, provocation, guilt? Romance for sure.

I'm reading My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams right now. It combines two of my favorite things--being nosy and following politics.

A charming review can be found here of Shapiro's Love Letter book.

A Little Sunday Reading v. 8

2008-02-10T09:37:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago I picked up Charles Baxter's book A Relative Stranger: Stories. A beautiful book of short stories that I found recommended on a list of the "best novels you've never read." The stories were so well-written and charming that I read many of them multiple times. An added bonus was that most were set in Michigan (Baxter used to teach at the University of Michigan). I'd heard of Baxter before but had never read him. I have no idea why. I immediately headed to the library and literally picked every book he's written from the shelf. This week I finished Feast of Love. AH-MAZING.

Baxter, in a self-proclaimed insomniac state, weaves the story of several people to give one coherent story of mistaken and real love. At times the story is so sad, I felt suffocated. But other moments were touching and uplifting. At all times, the writing was envy inducing. I feel like I marked every single page as notable.

Here is a small taste....

The man--ME, this pale being, no one else, it seems--wakes in fright, tangled up in the sheets. The darkened room, the half-closed doors of the closet and the slender pine-slatted lamp on the bedside table: I don't recognize them. On the opposite side of the room, the streetlight's distant luminance coating the window shade has an eerie unwelcome glow. None of these previously familiar objects have any familiarity now. What's worse, I cannot remember or recognize myself. I sit up in bed--actually, I lurch in mild sleepy terror toward the vertical. There's a demon here, one of the unnamed ones, the demon of erasure and forgetting. I can't manage my way through this feeling because my mind isn't working, and because it, the flesh in which I'm housed, hasn't yet become me.

As a member of the bourgeoisie, I live quietly in this midwestern city of ghosts and mutterers. Everywhere you go in this town you hear people muttering. Often this is brilliant muttering, tenurable muttering, but that is not my point. All these mini-vocalizations are the effect of the local university, the Amalagamated Education Corporations, as I call it, my employer. It is in the nature of universities to promote ideas that should not be put to use, whose glories must reside exclusively in the cranium. Therefore the muttering.

They--we--had a certain party varnish on. Depending on whether I've had enough to drink, I usually don't like ironic friendliness as much as homely glitter. Because it's the Midwest, no one really glitters because no one has to, it's more a dull shine, like frequently used silverware. We were all presentable enough, but almost no one was making any kid of statement. Out here in Michigan, real style is too difficult to maintain; the styles are all convenient and secondhand. We're all hand-me-downs personalities. But that's liberating: it frees you up for other matters of greater importance, the great themes, the sordid passions.

There are so many more great passages but they only really make sense when you've gotten to know and love the characters. I strongly, strongly recommend this book.

The one in which I write about the big day

2008-02-05T08:58:00.000-05:00

Happy Super Tuesday everyone! Gah. I love voting day. Normally it gets me energized and pumped for change. I'm nestled into my regular coffee shop/bar for my Tuesday morning routine. I am constantly refreshing Daily Kos and I'm eavesdropping on multiple conversations. This place is normally pretty divided between those who do tequila shots in the morning and head to their blue collar job and those who drink tea and don't ever go to a "job." The tequila folks stick to the tequila and the tea people stick to their respective corners. Except today. Today there is mingling. Today conversations are started over the peach "I Voted" stickers. There is division among the group. But that division isn't as simple as tea and tequila. Tea and tequila are mixing. They are in Obama, Clinton and Paul corners. As for me? I'm on the outskirts drinking my tea and listening in. I'm in the undecided corner. A surprising place to be. To be sure, I'm not here for lack of information. I'm not here for lack of concern, interest or opinion. I'm here because, well, I just can't decide. The way I see it, I have three options....

1. Vote for Obama. Vote for change and experience. Vote for someone who is promising to move the party in a new direction. I'll make history because I'll endorse a new face of the democratic party. I'll reward someone for fancy speeches and sound rhetoric. I'll vote for someone I like (and, dare I say, want to have a beer with) and smile knowing that I have spent the last 7 year blasting voters from 2000 and 2004 who argued they liked Bush better.

2. Vote for Clinton. Vote for change and experience. Vote for someone who is firmly rooted in the mistakes and progress of the Democratic party of old. I'll make history because I'll vote for a female president. I'll reward someone for 30+ years of service and hardwork. I'll vote for someone I like (and, dare I say, want to see succeed because of the sexism running wild in our system) and smile knowing that I have spent the better part of a this year blasting some media sources who would claim I would do something similar.

3. Vote for Edwards. Vote for the platform that I hold dear. Vote for someone who has consistently fought for the issues I hold dear. I won't make history, instead I'll be cast aside as a "wasted vote." People will talk about my percentage of the vote and laugh about how we must not have known Edwards dropped out. But I'll smile knowing that my message, although subtle, was a political one. I'll reward someone for setting the progressive, populist agenda in this race. I'll reward someone for talking about health care, poverty, and the fledgling economy from the start.

The option I'm leaning toward is 3. There is the cynical argument to be made that it won't matter. The polls pretty clearly show GA going for Obama. But I hate that "my vote won't matter" argument with a passion. There is the optimist argument to be made that I like both Clinton and Obama. I think they're both experienced and fighting for change. I think the differences between them are so minimal that if I hear one more argument about "mandates" I'm going to scream. If one's vote comes down to health care mandates, I'm concerned. If one becomes a political dogmatist over mandates, I'm incensed. Your vote should come down to who inspires you. Edwards inspired me which is why I'm so drawn to voting for him. I'm persuaded by both the benefit of a new direction for politics and a regression back to Clinton politics. In short, I'm persuaded. I'm also excited and hopeful. No matter which option I choose, I'll be glued to the television and political blogs tonight. This is an exciting day.

I-Tues v. 6

2008-02-05T08:33:00.000-05:00

I get a bit obsessive with music. If I like something, I really like something. I listen to it constantly and run it into the ground. I can tell something is "good" or "a favorite" if I continue to like it after a month or so. I have a new "good" "favorite" to let ya'll know about--The New Pornographers Challengers.

I've had a love/hate relationship with The New Pornographers. At times I get down with their insanely pop rock sound and other times they sound too noisy to me. I like Neko Case's voice but sometimes don't like the instrumental interludes. There is a fine line between fun and annoying for me. But their new album (I'm using "new" loosely as this album has been out for quite a while) gets it just right. It is the perfect blend of harmony, pop sound and moving lyrics. I can't get enough of it. Last week, I listed to it three times in a row. I don't know how it manages but the album is perfect to listen to during dinner and while you get ready to head out on the town. It is chill and uplifting. It is, in a word, awesome.

Download now and thank me later:
All the Old Showstoppers
Go Places

A blogger send off

2008-01-30T12:08:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you've all heard that Edwards is dropping out. I appreciate the supportive e-mails and facebook messages I've gotten from friends lending me their shoulder to cry on. And I will cry. At least for a short time. On the whole, I'm still feeling wildly optimistic about 08. I've said all along I'll get behind whoever the nominee is because I feel confident that they will take this country in a positive direction. I feel that all the democratic candidates provide people a "they are a whole lot better than the alternative" vote and authentic hope for change. I will not be voting for the democratic nominee because I can't stand the republicans (although I can't), I'll be voting Democratic in 08 because I think they're the most in line with the constitution, values and needs of and for this country.

I've been conflicted throughout this race. Is my best choice in 08 really the archetype white male? Maybe I've not really as progressive as I think...why am I not finding my political support resting with the candidate that has breasts or darker skin. Why am I picking the good looking, white, neatly coiffed white man? Am I really more moderate than I think of myself? Do I have one foot dipped in the good ole boys network? No. I support Edwards because (despite his feelings toward the death penalty) he was the first mainstream candidate to articulate an agenda that resembles my hopes for the United States.

I always encourage my Women's Studies students to "write an imaginary thank you note" to the author we covered in class on any given day. I'll say "if you had to write Betty Friedan a thank you note, what would you say?" Inevitably, they list off the ideas in one's work that resonated most with them.

So, here, is my thank you note to John Edwards....

Thank you for:

* Proposing an economic stimulus plan (that included unemployed workers) long before there was a consensus on just how bad the economy is.
* Calling for a public investment in alternative energy and promoting a cap and trade system.
* Joining people on the margins to fight against poverty. This means you took seriously the need for a higher minimum wage, to reform the lending system and pursue economic justice. You were the only candidate to consistently talk about poverty and government's responsibility in eliminating it.
* Being honest about how these difficult changes were going to happen. You admitted that someone had to pay for them. You showed knowledge and hope--a powerful combination.
* Scaring the business lobby throughout the race.
* Asking Americans to sacrifice for something other than the war on terror. We can't just make sacrifices for "war," instead (you reminded us) we need to sacrifice to get our emissions under control and our poverty rates in check.
* Being the first to advocate a bold universal health plan. You set the tone and the agenda in the race regarding health care.
* Remembering that college should be affordable and making a commitment to education at all levels.
* Talking about women.
* Marrying Elizabeth Edwards and bringing her into the national discussion.
* Being honest about where you stand on gay marriage. Even though I don't agree, I found it promising that you were willing to continue thinking about the issue. That you were willing to admit that you "didn't know." I don't see that as a flip flop, I see that as a thinker who is willing to keep progressing.

I don't agree with every position Edwards' has ever taken. But I agree with much of what he stands for today. I think he ran a great campaign and I'm sad to see him leave the race. He talked about important issues on the campaign trail and in the debates.

So where do I go from here? The big question is what happens to the Edwards' supporters. I'm not sure. I don't know who I'll support in Georgia's primary next week. If Edwards' name is still on the ballot, I'll vote for him. There is a lot going on between the Obama and Clinton camps that I don't like. I've been disappointed by the negativity and the games. I'm disappointed when Obama doesn't take questions from the audience during his stops and I'm disappointed when Clinton makes all her answers into negative attacks. I'm disappointed when Obama mis- characterizes attacks on his voting record as personal attacks and I'm disappointed when Clinton spends all her time touting her past and not looking ahead to the future. I'm disappointed by the lack of attention to poverty. I'm disappointed in the disputes over mindless issues. I'm disappointed in Bill. And I'm disappointed in the Obama supporters who play cut throat politics at the expense of the party. But I hope that it will turn around. I believe that both Clinton and Obama value the party more than their ego. They value the voter more than the Washington insiders. They just need to prove it. I'll be waiting to see who gets there first. Who evolves? Who will be the person that remembers what and who needs fighting for.

I-Tues v. 5

2008-01-29T09:05:00.000-05:00

As we left the show on Sunday night, Drew commented that he just had one of his best nights in Athens. It was quite a claim. But we had quite a time. We had attended NPR's Athens 441 at the Melting Point. A radio show that showcases good music. The show is taped the last Sunday of every month and airs a few weeks later on 14 or so NPR stations. The first installment featured Mike Doughty! This is cool for so many reasons. First, I love NPR. I'm not sure if that's weird or not. But trust me when I say that I get down with talk radio. Second, the Melting Point is an amazing place to watch a show. Good food, great atmosphere, comfortable seating, and intimate surroundings. It is incredible. If you live in the ATH and haven't been there before, shame on you. Third, Mike Doughty is awesome. I went through a very big Mike Doughty phase last year about this time. I've written about him before on this blog. I love his stuff. He is super political and clearly smart because as far as I can tell we see eye to eye on politics. As an aside, he also sings a song about Tremendous Brunettes which earned him my undying respect because this world needs more songs about brown hair.

But Doughty wasn't the only great thing about the evening. The local band that played was great as well. You can find them on Myspace. Give them a listen. The female lead singer is a cross between Regina Spektor and Lisa Loeb. Chris Barron also played. If you're like me, you're thinking "who is this Chris Barron guy and why does everyone seem to know who he is except me?" And then someone will say "oh, the guy from the Spin Doctors..." And you'll be like "oh. right."

The first time I remember being conscious of the Spin Doctors was in the 6th grade. Their song, Little Miss Can't Be Wrong, was popular and I would change the words to say "little miss, little miss, little mis PMS" because I'm clever like that. Sexist lyrics were pretty much the extent of my fandom. true story. Anyway, when I found out Chris Barron was putting on a show in Athens, I was like "huh?" But he was opening for Mike Doughty so I was all like "whatever....he's probably decent." People, he is better than decent. He was amazing. Charmingly awkward. He cannot dance or really move in any way that is publicly acceptable. But he can sing. And he apparently is a great song writer because his songs were great.

It was a great night. Fantastic music in a great venue.

A Little Sunday Reading v. 8

2008-01-27T09:44:00.000-05:00

I love books about reading. Love finding out what authors deem "good" reading material. Love finding out how books and the reading experience moves people. The past month or so, before bed, I've been reading essays out of The Book That Changed My Life: 71 Remarkable Writers Celebrate the Books That Matter Most to Them. So, so charming. I haven't read many of the books mentioned by the writers but enjoyed their accounts just the same. It is so fascinating to learn how different books impact different people. In particular, I appreciate reading reflections of books that I hated and understanding beauty in the work.

Some notable passages:
"A good book changes you, even if it is only to add a little to the furniture of your mine. It will make you laugh and perhaps even cry; it should certainly make you think. A great book will make you dream in regions you have never dared to before, and ultimately it will spur you to create or achieve something new yourself."

"Reading a book became an act of intimacy. Take in a breath and don't let it out until you get to the last page."

"But your journey is never over until you return from it to share with society what you have learned. Then and only then can you begin your next journey in life as the process repeats itself, as you constantly become."

"I read my way through a solitary childhood. Books were the bedrock of my emotional and intellectual life, books that proscribed no limit to the imagination, books that were full of resourceful girls, princesses and goatherds and Victorian maidens, not to mention the sand fairies, the talking animals, the scheming step families, and the handsome men who had been transformed into beasts, both real and metaphorical."

In other reading news, CNN had a story about great bookstores. Who doesn't love a good bookstore?

Friday Flicks v. 5

2008-01-25T11:42:00.000-05:00

I just consulted with IMDB and realized that I've probably seen about 75% of everything Philip Seymour Hoffman has ever been in. If I discount the early 90's (when I lived in a land free of quality movies*) the percentage is closer to 90. I have a (fairly) unhealthy obsession with him. He is smart, smart, smart. Makes good movies. And is the perfect blend of crass and witty. I've seen two of his movies in the past two weeks. I'm a fan. And while he was nominated for the the Oscar in Charlie Wilson's War, I think his performance in The Savages is more commendable.

The Savages is fantastic. How could it not be? My boy, PSH, gives a fantastic performance and Laura Linney is delightful. The two play self-absorbed siblings brought together to watch over their ailing father. They journey through responsibility, nursing homes and loss. Oh! And they are two crazy-ass writer academic types with more personality quirks than you can count. Not that I could relate or anything....

The movie wasn't perfect. At times the writing is a bit snobby and proud of itself. But the relationship between Hoffman and Linney is a joy to watch. Linney agrees and claimed yesterday on Oprah that she owes 1/3 of her Oscar to Hoffman. The two of them light up the screen and found the perfect balance of sibling rivalry and love. The dialogue is real and devoid of cliche emotional appeals. Drew felt it was maybe devoid of emotion but I dug it. I 100% agree with the screenplay nomination the film received.

To you folks in the ATH, you can watch it at Cine on Monday night for only $6. A total steal!

* That land was northern Michigan

The year I become a morning person

2008-01-24T09:03:00.000-05:00

I've mentioned before how I feel about mornings (not fond) and how well Drew and I function in the early hours (not well). Every year Drew and I resolve to "be better in the morning." We will get up. We will be nice. We will read the news like civilized beings. We will! We will! We will! But then we don't. And we know we won't. Until this year. Yes, folks, 2008 is the year of the mornings. But we can't take all the credit, we have help. We have the Krups Grinder-Coffee Maker. And it is magical. Behold....

One of the nicer things in our kitchen, the coffee maker is making mornings a teeny bit easier. We've been morning functional for about a week now. We utilize the aroma feature and every morning we hear the faint sound of the grinder and smell a little bit of very fresh cocoa bean heaven float up the stairs. Yesterday at dinner Drew actually said he (get ready) liked the morning routine so far. Who can blame him? We begin the day like civilized adults. 2008 is one crazy year.

I'm Pro-Choice and I Blog (and vote)

2008-01-22T09:26:00.000-05:00

I'm answering NARAL's question--why do you vote pro-choice?

I vote pro-choice because:

1. I love women and I want them to reach their full potential. For many, that means not becoming mothers.

2. I support motherhood and women's ability to choose when to become one.

3. I understand mistakes happen, condoms break, birth control pills get skipped and people get raped.

4. I know that the government does not provide enough resources to women to take care of themselves--let alone a child.

5. "Life" can exist in a pro-choice world but "choice" can't exist in one that is pro-life.

6. Women should come before fetuses.

7. I refuse to buy into the mass media (and right wing) accounts of irresponsibility and carelessness. Abortion rates are not a "problem." Women do not "use abortion as birth control." Women who choose abortion are not "ruined."

8. I can put myself in the shoes of a woman with an unplanned pregnancy.

9. Being a pro-choice politician is a sign of other pro-woman philosophies.

Why do you vote pro-choice? And if you don't vote...shame on you.

Friday Flicks v. 4

2008-01-17T14:19:00.000-05:00

Finally saw Juno last week. I had high expectations and was afraid I'd be a little let down. I had been told by many friends, media analyses and Oprah to see the film. I sat through the first 3 minutes thinking I was about to be let down. About to be disappointed by a film that did not live up to its hyped reputation. And after 3 minutes I settled into a blissful movie experience. Juno is incredible. The press has over-blown how "feel good" it is but under-estimated how good the cast is. The script is witty (almost *too* witty because, really, who gets to be that funny all the time). The acting is superb. The cultural message sharp. I laughed out loud and I cried a ridiculous amount. Seriously. I cried A LOT.

There has been quite a bit of praise for Juno and some negative reviews about its handling of the question of reproductive choice. Since my admiration for the movie directly stems from my [lack of] cultural critique, I thought I would chime in on the debate. **major spoilers to follow**

Some people are opposed to the movie because a teenager who has no aspirations to be a young mother decided to have the baby rather than abort. I don't really understand this critique. Pro-choice people cannot be anti-birth. We can't. We can't only support women who CHOOSE to undergo an abortion. In terms of cinema pragmatics, we kinda needed a pregnancy to have a movie. However, Juno--unlike Knocked Up--actually discusses abortion as an option. And discusses it in a way that does not demonize women who go that route. In fact, the person that is demonized in the film is the crazy (and probably pretty accurate) abortion protester posted outside the clinic. The characters in the film that are punished by the script are the judgmental ones who are critical of Juno in one way or another. A telling example of this is when Juno's step-mother verbally lashes the ultrasound technician who treats Juno unfairly. Juno, however, is rewarded for being a smart, articulate, responsible (yes, responsible--sex does not make one irresponsible). She comes out on top. She is a good woman despite her sexual choices.

As the movie was coming to a close, I started to feel my blood boil. I thought I could predict an unhappy ending to the film. The "perfect" adoptive couple was moving toward divorce and it seemed inevitable that the newly single woman would not be able to adopt Juno's child. But instead, according to plan, the baby was given to the woman. The single woman. THE SINGLE WOMAN! Woot, woot! In an amazing turn of events, the script did not end with a perfect nuclear family running off into a traditional family valued sunset. Families are messy. Mothers, especially single mothers, are strong. I am so sick of Hollywood feeding us a spoonful of family crap that tastes like traditional family structures (Knocked Up, I'm looking at YOU).

The ending is incredibly progressive. Not only because the single woman is accepted as a mother but because it shows the suffering that Juno felt with her decision. Not so much suffering that she regrets her decision. But enough suffering that the viewer knows that adoption is not an "easy option." It was a big kick in the teeth to all those anti-choice activists out there that advocate a woman just "put the baby up for adoption" rather than abort. Adoption is painful. Abortion is painful. Being a parent is painful. This movie shows all of that pain without advocating one option over the other. The movie simply deals with the option that Juno chose. The best part of the movie for me was the very end. The final scene showed Juno being young. It showed her getting ready to lead the rest of her life. It showed her happy. Contrary to popular belief, teenagers who get pregnant are not lost causes. They can move on and be productive members of society. *gasp* Did Juno have a rough go of it? Yes. Did she miss prom? Yes. Did she regret not using a condom? Yes. Was she a ruined being? No. The lasting impression from the movie was that she was going to make it. She was going to be okay. That was a powerful message.

Relatedly, I must say how much I adored Juno's parents. Good god, I wanted to squeeze them. They were the perfect blend of sad, scared and supportive. The most moving scene in the movie was when Juno's father comforted her post-birth by saying "sometime you'll be back on your own terms." This was the father who told Juno that he thought "she knew when to say when." I ached for the father. He was so disappointed throughout the film. Yet he was so loving. I remember asking my mom what she would have done had I gotten pregnant as a teenager. She replied that she would have "loved me." I thought it was a pretty simple answer at the time. Juno made me realize how complicated "loving" your child really is. The movie was a huge middle finger to parents who abandon their children just when they need them most.

Finally, I have to touch on the one thing that did bother me in the movie. And the one thing I don't see a lot of feminist critics addressing. Juno's relationship with Mark. Skeevy. Gave me the heeby jeebies. And I don't understand it. Clearly Mark was re-living his youth through Juno. Clearly she was reaching out to him as a stable family man. They were both searching. I got that. I didn't need the creepy, border line romance between them. It all turned out fine in the end but I don't get that component. Part of me thinks the relationship needed to happen like that to point out how unready for fatherhood Mark was--despite his age and marital status. But the other part of me thinks the relationship just needlessly pushed the envelope. I'm still thinking about that. Regardless, the relationship did not kill the movie for me. It just added another level.

Juno was awesome. Even if you don't watch it with feminist glasses, you'll love it. In fact, maybe you'll love it even more because you won't be fearing a cultural shoe to drop. Oh! And the soundtrack is top-notch.

Dangerously Reading v. 1

2008-01-15T10:25:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned last month, one of my favorite books in 2007 was Mister Pip. In particular, I liked the charming relationship the young narrator had with Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. Because I had never even glanced at a Dickens' work I was feeling a tad left out. Shortly after reading the book, I came across the Year of Reading Dangerously challenge. The first book? Great Expectations! Convenient. I signed up. Picked up the most "classically" looking edition from the library and set off.

Despite the authentic aesthetic appeal of the book, the reading experience fell short of the romantic version I had imagined.

Imagined [romantic] reading experience:
Me. Classical looking book. Cups of tea. Reading journal. Lots of scribbling down intense passages that I loved. Late night reading affair with Dickens'. Experience capped off with thoughtful reflection about how much I learned about literature from Dickens. *slight reading glow*

Actual reading experience:
Me. Classical looking book. Cups of tea. No reading journal. No scribbling. No passages. No late night reading affair. Instead, I participated in the reading equivalent of watching paint dry. I shrugged off encouragement from my husband to "try something else." I was determined to find the beauty. I was determined to finish. Who doesn't like Dickens? Really. Who? Me. I found the story laborious, the language distracting and the characters unlovable. Especially Pip. Unbearable. Truly. Whine, whine, whine. I felt as though I was babysitting a naughty 6th grader. Am I allowed to complain about Dickens? Am I allowed to note that his characters exhibited the type of self-indulgence that only a very self-indulgent writer would know? Am I allowed to cry out for a steady plot with less ebbs and flows? And, for the love of god, am I allowed to ask for ONE good female character? Dickens clearly was wronged by all the women in his life. Hell hath no fury like a greedy, woman hating author.

Here's to next month. At least I can say I've experienced Dickens.

Some words on abortions, pronouns and oppression

2008-01-10T09:33:00.000-05:00

I'm covering two controversial units in my Women's Studies class this upcoming week--the use of gender neutral pronouns and oppression. The two units are often dismissed by a lot of students. Most people shun the use of gender neutral pronouns as impossible. And students are uncomfortable with my main claim about oppression--that only women and men of color and working class can be oppressed. At the very least, the arguments provide hours of interesting class discussion and provoke some new thoughts for my students. I feel a little like my students as I read about this new concept in the abortion debate--"changing abortion's pronouns" to include the fathers' experience. The LA Times reports that counselors are encouraging women to say we had an abortion rather than I had an abortion. Further, men are being treated for post-abortion syndrome. The article tells the story of Jason Baier whose past relationships have resulted in four unplanned pregnancies that all ended in abortion. Baier speaks of the pain and regret he feels over having "four dead children." The article mentions Chris Aubert who now protests at abortion clinics with a sign that says "I regret my abortion" (although in the article he also mentions how he wouldn't have the fantastic life--filled with a happy marriage and four kids--had his ex-girlfriend not aborted her pregnancy). *head spinning*

So the article creeps me out. First let me say, I recognize the power of getting men involved in abortion rights. Further, I think men should be involved in abortion support for their significant other(s). Aubert admits that on the day his girlfriend underwent the procedure, he played softball and stuck a $200 check in her door. He called a second abortion "irrelevant" in his life. That attitude is problematic. As is the further reflection by Aubert in which he admits that he hasn't thought of the subsequent pain his ex-girlfriend may feel over the procedure. So when Aubert says he regrets HIS abortion, he means HIS not OURS. This isn't making the abortion debate more inclusive. Rather, it shifts the debate in a way that excludes women. Women should be front and center in the discussion of abortion. They should be the first to receive counseling (if they want it) and they should be the first to share their stories. Their bodies, their choice, their regret (or lack of regret). Do men experience feelings about abortions? Most certainly. Do they deserve to have the same claim to pain and experience as women? No. Feminist theorist Marilyn Frye argues that white men cannot be oppressed. They can feel pain. They can suffer from unfairness but it should not be conflated with the oppression that women and other people of color face. Similarly, males should not be able to claim as much of the abortion "pain" as this article suggests.

Most problematic is that the fathers' regret is turning into just another anti-choice argument by the right. Throughout the article the men refer to their lost "babies." One even has named his "lost son." They all "dream of the children they'll never know." This is yet another instance of humanizing the fetus while the women's material reality remain invisible.

There has to be some middle ground (hey look everyone! i'm offering up something moderate!). There has to be a way to include men in the discussion AND keep women front and center. Some may accuse me of wanting only the men who will agree with my pro-choice position to join the debate. Um, obviously. But I think there can be moderately positioned men who agree with me. There can be men who think that abortions need to be performed less and who take responsibility to ensure that happens. However, they can simultaneously believe that when their partner chooses to undergo an abortion they'll be there to support her and offer up his emotional support.

Read more from Salon

Election 08

2008-01-09T11:56:00.001-05:00

For the most part, I am pumped about this primary season. I am loving the activity, the speeches, the frequency of debates and primaries. But, as always, there are a few things I'm not so keen on.

Last night, MSNBC's coverage of the "gender war" was nauseating. Throw stuff at my television nauseating. Let me break this down--(a) it doesn't matter if Hillary's tears were calculated any more than it matters if Edwards' "son of a mill worker" is calculated. The press does not spend half as much time worrying about what the male candidates calculate and don't calculate. But throw a little emotion and some ovaries into the race and all holy hell breaks loose. It reeks of sexism and it certainly showcases the oppression that Clinton still faces. She is damned if she does and damned if she doesn't. She doesn't show enough emotion or she shows too much emotion. Feminists like to call that a double bind. If a person has NO OPTION, they are oppressed. (b) Hillary won a lot of female votes. YES. She also won more registered democrats than Obama and Edwards. But the press doesn't talk about that. Instead, they debate the merits of her tears among female voters. Did her burst of emotion attract some female voters? Sure! Did it attract male voters? Probably! Did her burst of emotion turn off male and female voters? Probably! When the pundits turn all female voters into a monolith, they do them a disservice. Women are no more likely to be fooled by "calculated" campaign techniques than men. Are some women more likely to vote for Clinton because she is a woman? It seems that many over 65 are. But there is no proof that any other female demographic is. It is possible that the people who voted for her like her politics. Or maybe even like her! In fact, it appears that highly educated women are ambivalent about Clinton's sex. One thing is possible--[women?] voters look at how Clinton is being treated (i.e. a man coming to her speech with an "iron my shirt" sign) and are pissed off. When people are pissed off, they vote. Further, why aren't we hearing about the "men showing up for Obama?" Why don't we have a racial breakdown of voters? (It could be, I suppose, that there are no people of color in NH. But I suspect it is deeper than that.) Sexism clothed in political clothing. We need to stop treating female candidates and female voters as novelties. Is Clinton's campaign a huge step for females? Yes. But more importantly it may be a huge step forward for the country. Just as Obama's is. Just as Romney's is.

If Georgia had a primary, I would be voting for Edwards. I'm not a Clinton supporter. Despite having the same sex organs, I don't have the same politics. However, I do have a brain and a conscious...and they are telling the media to shut the hell up. I'm assuming that most of us can recognize that talking about Clinton's clothing, hairstyle, beauty is out of line. Most of us can probably see the amount of times the media uses her first name while using a more official title for the male candidates and shake our head. I'm just hoping that more of us realize other more covert instances of sexism.

On a lighter note...do you think that I only love the idea of caucusing because I don't have to do it? A teeny part of me wished I lived in Iowa so I could go to a town hall meeting and stand in Edwards' corner.

For more Clinton analysis see....
Kos (particularly interesting as Kos is no Clinton lover) and Steinem

A little non-Sunday Reading

2008-01-08T17:28:00.000-05:00

I picked up Lionel Shriver's The Post-Birthday World in the final days of 2007. Until then, my favorite 2007 books were The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. While those two books were fantastic, Shriver's book was by far the best 2007 book I read this year. It made the best of 2007 lists for a few people but, really, I haven't heard much hype about this book. One magazine that had it at #1 was Entertainment Weekly so I was a bit skeptical that it would be a tad mass produced for my tastes. However, I found it to be a complicated and lovely work.

Readers are thrown into the life of Irina McGovern--a illustrator in a long-term (monogamous) relationship. McGovern finds herself tempted by a family friend at the beginning of the story. After chapter one, the book alternative between two stories. In one story, McGovern sticks with the functional, though dull, relationship of the past. In the second, she caves to temptation and deals with the consequences of her decision. Both narratives are compelling and beautifully told. The competing narratives allow readers to anguish alongside McGovern while she copes with choice, regret and love. The stories compliment themselves and Irina finds in one man what she lacks in the other.

The book is so wonderfully written that I was captivated right until the last word. Loved the concept. Loved the writing. Loved the ending.

Wrapping Up 2007!

2008-01-07T16:10:00.000-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR...only 7 days late!

Drew and I just returned from two weeks of pure family holiday time. We had a great time. But I always do better when I'm on a schedule and in a routine so I'm glad to be back in the ATH. Glad to be starting the semester. Glad to be in our condo. VERY glad to be sleeping in our own bed. But we know how lucky we are to have had such a long time with with our family. The life of two teachers is a good one.

2007 was a great year. Great! I finished up my course work, successfully defended my comprehensive exams, got a job teaching in our women's studies department and enjoyed a variety of fun activities!

We had a blast on our road trip. It was long.
I saw Jimmy Carter. That was awesome.
I spent a lot of time cooking. Cooking is weird.

Because I finished up my course work and gave up most t.v., I had a lot more time to read--for pleasure. I read some great books. The best books I read in 2007:
1. How To Be Alone
2. The Time Traveler's Wife
3. Middlesex
4. Mister Pipp
5. The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears
6. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

AND THE BEST BOOK I READ IN 2007 THAT WAS ACTUALLY WRITTEN IN 2007 WAS.....
The Post-Birthday World. I still need to do my review as I read it in the final days of 2007. But let me just say it was incredible. It started a bit slow but I ended up loving it. A full review is forthcoming.

I watched great movies as well....good thing we joined Blockbuster.com
1. Once
2. Away From Her
3. Notes on a Scandal
4. Little Children
5. Factory Girl

And listened to tons of music....
1. Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
2. Josh Ritter- The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
3. Ryan Adams- Easy Tiger
4. Patrick Park- Everyones in Everyone
5. The Bees- Octopus

Leaving you with one of my favorite photos from 2007. Heres to laughter and fun in the new year. Happy 2008!

A Little Sunday Reading v. 7

2007-12-16T09:32:00.000-05:00

Need help deciding what to read? Want to see the best of the best in 2007? Some links to help your reading journey--

Time picks the best fiction and non-fiction. So does Salon. The NYT gives the 10 best. A book blog I like is doing a countdown.

Also, I've updated my blog roll and you can always become my goodreads friend for more ideas!

Go forth and read good buddies.

I read an amazing book this week. The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears. One of the NYT 100 notable books of 2007 and I understand why.

This book was so beautiful. The story, a tale of an Ethiopian immigrant living in DC, was sad and heavy but I loved it.

The development of the relationships in the book was incredible. I have pages and pages marked with moving quotations.

While slightly liberating at the end, the book is not an uplifting one. But if you want to be blown away by someone's writing talent, this is the book for you.

Friday Flicks v. 3

2007-12-14T09:30:00.000-05:00

If you haven't already, you really need to watch Lost in Translation. It is all kinds of wonderful and one of my all time favorite films.

But if you haven't watched it, I'm going to ask you to stop reading this post because there are some major spoilers ahead.

Seriously, stop reading. Go, go. Rent the movie.

Leave

This

Blog

As those of you who have watched the film know, the ending is a bit...vague. Bill Murray whispers some sort of goodbye to Scarlett Johansson and they go their separate ways. The words of the actual goodbye are too quiet to hear. I've long obsessed over what he actually said (although I really liked the ending) so when my friend e-mailed me a digitally amped up clip of the ending WITH! THE! WORDS! I excitedly watched. The date of the video is a year old so maybe some of you have already seen it. But take a look if you want. And if you don't want, LEAVE THIS BLOG because I repeat the line below...

So the goodbye..."I have to be leaving now. But I won't let let that come between us. OK?"

LOVE IT. Even my wildest imagination didn't create something that sweet. He has to leave. Circumstances and life demand it. But he'll always have these fond memories of her and their time in Japan.

BUT not everyone digs it and I can respect that.

Students doing good work!

2007-12-12T11:24:00.000-05:00

The environmental communication class here at UGA did an interesting project for their class final. In order to raise awareness about how wasteful (and unnecessary) bottled water is, they built an igloo out of non-recycled water bottles and used the igloo to attract a crowd of people to educate.

I love it.

They've put together a documentary about their campaign. Watch it! It is great!

Listen hard and you can hear the Modern Skirts!

Great video and great project! I'm proud of the SPCM students!

Oh to be free of gender norms

2007-12-10T12:47:00.000-05:00

FAO Schwarz has a line of "Make My Own Monsters." I don't normally get down with monsters. But when I saw Oliver? I was in love. His creator is 4 year old, Niko, who writes:

“Oliver loves pink and really wants to grow his hair out long when he gets big and be a princess. Oliver has no arms and legs, but that's ok. Everyone is different.”

Right on, Niko! All semester I've been struggling to get my Women's Studies students to grasp that gender and sexuality is fluid. It isn't about being straight or gay. It isn't about who you have sex with. Rather, it is how you occupy your body. How you exist in the world. You may be female bodied but identify as male. You may be male bodied, identify as a male, yet choose to dress like a woman or aspire to be a princess. The notion of fluid sexuality and gender is incomprehensible to my college aged students. But, seemingly, a 4 year old can grasp it.

Oliver represents everything our imagination has to offer. If a child can imagine a world where we're okay with difference, shouldn't adults?

I read about Oliver here. Thanks, Lisa!

A Little Sunday Reading v. 6

2007-12-09T20:17:00.000-05:00

The story weaves a tale of a former literature teacher turned archivist in 1930's Moscow. His task is to destroy the literary work of political prisoners.

This book has been showing up on lots of Best of 2007 lists. As I read it, I was confused as to why. First, let me say it was well-written in a technical sense. Good sound plot. Interesting lead character. A build in the story. But overall I was let down. I think there were a few things that just didn't sit well with me.

First, it was written in third person. I've really been into first person narration lately. REALLY into it. And I don't know that I can say "lately." This is pretty much a mainstay with books I like. I enjoy when one of the character narrates. The narrator can vary from chapter to chapter but I like it always to be someone involved in the story.

Second, I hated the ending. Many people will disagree with me. I've read other reviews by people who LOVED the ending. I just didn't think it did enough to conclude what was a very powerful story.

Third, the writing just wasn't aesthetic enough for me. Prose doesn't always have to flowery and beautiful. But I'm critical of authors who constantly write in short, choppy sentences. Sure, it was a way to understand the character's (often unfinished) thoughts. It just started to bug me after a while. And, relatedly, the book centers around an archivist who reads beautiful literature for a living. Such beautiful literature he risks death to steal a work. I expected more of those beautiful words to be used in the story. No suck luck though.

So I can't recommend the book to any of you but I kind of hope you all will read it anyway! I'd like to know what I'm missing!

Some words about keeping and reading diaries

2007-12-07T09:38:00.000-05:00

This week's [The] New Yorker has an article about why we read diaries. The article also delves into the reasons we keep (or try to keep) diaries as well.

My own journaling has really fallen off in recent years. I attribute it to a variety of things but mainly to the fact that I have to write so much day to day that I can barely bring myself to blog let alone chronicle my life on a daily basis. So my moleskines are filled with lists of books I want to read, movies I want to see or have enjoyed, and tasks I need to complete. Oh! And reflections and notes to myself when I fail to accomplish the tasks. And as Louis Menand reminds me--"Diary-keeping, on this account, is just neurotic, since the last thing most people want to do with their unconsummated longings and petty humiliations is to inscribe them permanently in a book."

Well, I am nothing if not neurotic.

But I really appreciated the insight about why we read diaries of people who are long gone. I've often wondered this same thing and assumed it had something to do with looking to people smarter than me for insight on a life far more complicated than me. The reading experience was simultaneously depressing and hopeful. I'd become depressed that my diaries were not anything near this complex but I'd be hopeful that the reading would inspire me to become an actualized person.

I prefer Menand's reflections:
The obvious assumption is that we read diaries because we want to know what the diarist was really like as a person, but how plausible, even in the case of famous diarists, is this? It’s true that we read the diaries of Virginia Woolf because they were written by Virginia Woolf, who, in addition to being an interesting novelist, was an interesting character. But (a paradox of representation) we would actually feel that we had a more intimate sense of Virginia Woolf if we read about her in someone else’s diary. Woolf described from the outside by another person is likely to give us a more vivid picture of what Virginia Woolf was really like than Woolf described from the inside by herself. Introspection is not as reliable as observation. (That’s why we have shrinks.)

Inside, everyone sounds, more or less eloquently, like the same broken record of anxiety and resentment. It’s the outside, the way people look and the things they say, that makes them distinct. We read Woolf’s diaries so that we can see other people through Woolf’s eyes.

A Little Sunday Reading v. 5

2007-12-02T10:15:00.000-05:00

One of the few books I read in 2007 that was actually written in 2007 is Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones. It is easily one of the best I've read all year. A 2007 Booker shortlist winner, the book is described as

On a copper-rich tropical island shattered by war, where the teachers have fled with almost everyone else, only one white man choose to stay behind: the eccentric Mr. Watts, object of much curiosity and scorn, who sweeps out the ruined school-house and begins to read to the children each day from Charles Dickens's classic Great Expectations. So begins this rare, original story about the abiding strength that imagination, once ignited, can provide. While artillery echoes in the mountains, thirteen-year-old Matilda and her peers are riveted by the adventures of a young orphan named Pip in a city called London, a city whose contours soon become more real than their own blighted landscape. As Mr. Watts says, "A person entranced by a book simply forgets to breathe." Soon come the rest of the villagers, initially threatened, finally inspired to share tales of their own that bring alive the rich mythology of their past. But in a ravaged place where even children are forced to live by their wits and daily survival is the only objective, imagination can be a dangerous thing.

The story was beautiful. It made you understand the tragedy of war and the beauty of reading. Matilda, the young heroine, escaped a troubled family and political life by throwing herself into a relationship with a special teacher and a special book. I was moved by her relationship with both. I'm not sure how Jones managed but the book was both devastating and hopeful.

I read the book at the same time as Peter. Read his review here.

Kucinich Sells Out?

2007-11-30T15:19:00.000-05:00

I wrestle with my Kucinich feelings. On one hand, he is my ideological soul mate. I agree with pretty much every policy argument that comes out of his mouth. He actually embodies a voting option between right and left--the FAR left where I reside.

However, on the other hand, he doesn't stand a chance in hell in being our nominee. And when I see him "perform" in the debates--taking out his cell phone or talking about how he believes in UFO's (so do I but who the heck cares?!?!)--I want to shake him. I think he purposely makes himself seem crazy. I want to remind him that you can be radical without being a radical. You can frame a far left message to the mainstream. But the way to do that is not the Kucinich way.

So. Struggle. Ultimately, I endorse more mainstream candidates.

And, how glad am I that I have not given him a single cent? Um, VERY. VERY GLAD. Especially with his new idea about his running mate. Kucinich suggested on Monday that he would select (crazy, conservative, libertarian) Ron Paul as his running mate. Obviously this isn't going to happen. I know that. Not only will Kucinich not get the nomination but I doubt Paul would agree to the marriage of liberalism and libertarianism. Sure, they are bonded by a common desire to immediately withdrawal our troops. But they are divided on every! other! single! thing!

It is reasonable to be confused to why (if I know this isn't going to happen) I would devote time to complaining about it. The reason is this--Kucinich doesn't get to be THAT guy. The idealist. The hope. The Leftist. He doesn't get to be THAT guy and also be the guy who sells out and picks someone who is his antithesis in order to achieve ONE goal. I get that the war is important. I get that. I am pro-peace/anti occupation. But I am also pro-choice, pro-social programs, pro-taxes. I don't forget my other beliefs simply because I am anti-war. I am against the Right's war on the domestic front. I am anti hate here at home. I thought Kucinich was as well. I was wrong.

At least I don't struggle with my feelings for him any longer.

Friday Flicks v.2

2007-11-30T14:55:00.000-05:00

In an outstanding example of familial sharing, my bro-in-law left behind his copy of Kinky Boots when he visited the ATH last month. He thought I might just like it.

And I did! A great deal.

Kinky Boots:

Charles Price may have grown up with his father in the family shoe business, but he never thought that he would take his father's place. Yet, the untimely death of his father places him in that position, only to learn that Price & Sons Shoes is failing. While in despair at his failed attempts to save the business, Charles has a chance encounter with the flamboyant drag queen cabaret singer, Lola. Her complaints about the inadequate footwear for her work combined with one of Charles' ex-employees, Lauren, leads to a suggestion to change the product to create a desperate chance to save the business: make men's fetish footwear. Lola is convinced to be their footwear designer and the transition begins. Now this disparate lot must struggle at this unorthodox idea while dealing both the prejudice of the staff, Lola's discomfort in the small town and the selfish manipulation of Charles' greedy fiancée who cannot see the greater good in Charles' dream.

The book had a few hang ups--mainly revolving around the formulaic romantic relationship--Boy engaged to girl who sucks. But boy just happens upon girl who doesn't suck. Boy and cool girl fall in love.

However, the good far outweighed the bad....

Obviously there aren't a lot of roles for flamboyant drag queens. Normally drag queens are forced into certain roles--the bad ones. The are portrayed as sexually deviant. Or they are social outcasts. Or perhaps they live their lives alone and isolated--to further reinforce that you should experiment with gender less you want to end up alone and miserable. At the very least, the plot does not deal with the complicated gender trouble that drag presents. Many people will (inaccurately) refer to drag queens as "cross-dressers" or assume they "want to be women." So, so flawed and evidence that our society is uncomfortable with gender ambiguity and diversity. Society is perfectly okay with drag queens as long as we can fit them into categories such as man/woman. This movie was fascinating because Lola lived as a women, a man, and there were scenes in which she was a man in make-up and a woman without her wig. A really interesting gender study. That being sad, I was a little unhappy that at the end of the movie, Lola was uncoupled and the "third wheel" to his new heterosexual friends. I would have liked the movie to explore some romantic options for her. But baby steps...we'll take it!

The movie was MADE by Chiwetel Ejofor (the hot husband in Love Actually) as Lola. Ejofor was absolutely stunning. Mesmerizing.

You should check it out. Even if you don't hate binary gender and don't view the movie with a feminist lens, you will enjoy it. Very entertaining.

Reading Dangerously

2007-11-29T11:28:00.002-05:00

I'm debating joining the "My Year of Reading Dangerously" challenge. The challenge encourages readers to read a genre/book/author that intimidates them each month of the year. I'm hesitant because it seems a bit much to read 12 daunting books! I'm also fickle and get in the mood to read certain books at certain times. I don't do well sticking to a reading schedule. Also--I'm afraid I'll feel like a giant loser when/if I fall off from the challenge.

BUT! I think the challenge may provide some motivation for me to read those classics I've been putting off and all the feminist works I'm ashamed I haven't read. As a feminist and a "reader" I'm embarrassingly unread.

It may help if others that I know *cough* take on this challenge with me. You can sign up here. If you don't have a list of books already, you can read the ones pre-selected by the challenge or steal some of mine.

Let me know if you decide to do it!

Look at me reading dangerously...
January: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens*
February: The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison*
March: Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood*
April: The Color Purple by Alice Walker
May: Virginia Woolf selection
June: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
July: Persuasion by Jane Austen
August: Fire With Fire by Naomi Wolf
September: The Secret Lives of People in Love by Simon Van Booy*
October: The Human Stain by Philip Roth*
November:Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
December: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck*

* Denotes "official" challenge books

A Little Sunday Reading v. 4

2007-11-25T20:39:00.000-05:00

This week the New York Times announced their 100 Notable Books of the Year for 2007. The list is a blend of fiction, nonfiction and poetry. What I love about the list is (a) how exhaustive it is and (b) that no matter how religiously I read their book reviews, there are always great books that I haven't heard about.

Their number one book is the Abstinence Teacher which has been on my list for a while. I'm hoping to read it over the holiday break.

Amazon.com has a list as well...they break it down into editors' picks and reader picks.

Speaking of the NYT and books, do you read Paper Cuts? It is a book blog written by their senior book editor and is all kinds of fantastic. My favorite feature is that every Wednesday they feature a writer's top ten song list. Lovely. Another great feature is that on Mondays they do a round-up of all the Sunday papers' book review sections. Brilliant.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I worked my way through a very fantastic but dense book. Special Topics in Calamity Physics defied my expectations. I expected to enjoy the story since I was so intrigued by the description:

Calamity Physics: The resulting explosion of energy, light, heartbreak and wonder as Blue van Meer enters a small, elite school in a sleepy mountain town. Blue's highly unusual past draws her to a charismatic group of friends at St. Gallaway and their captivating teacher, Hannah Schneider. A sudden drowning, a series of inexplicable events, and finally the shocking death of Hannah herself lead to a confluence of mysteries. And Blue is left to make sense of it all with only her gimlet-eyed instinct and cultural lexicon to guide her.

But I never expected to be so captivated by the story. Marisha Pessl received mixed reviews for this book. Many people found it a bit too detailed and even off-putting. The critiques are understandable. Pessl weaves her complex story with many, many literary references. At times it does seem that she is trying a bit too hard. Or at the very least, she is trying to name drop all the authors she has been forced to read over the years. (it should be noted that she is clearly incredibly well-read) To be sure, the book should not be shared with with every reader. At 514 pages, it is an investment. However, when the reader realizes that Blue truly does use literature and authors to guide her life, the many references are understandable and even enjoyable. While I did get a bit bogged down with all the details in the first 200 pages (the book took me forever to plow through), the last 200 pages were magical and I was glad I had stuck with it and paid attention.

The storytelling is impeccable. The characters are interesting. The dialogue is witty. The vocabulary is mesmerizing. I read somewhere that Pessl is only 28. To say the least, I am jealous. However, I am also so happy to discover another young writer to join the ranks of Eggers and Foer.

A Little Sunday Reading v. 3

2007-11-11T15:56:00.000-05:00

Besides college football, nothing says fall like being curled up under a blanket with a good book and a pot of soup of the stove. That said, I haven't been doing nearly enough reading! However, I did finish a really great book last week. Coincidently enough a new blog I've been reading did an interview with the author. I took both as a sign I should write about the book.

Songs Without Words is Ann Packer's follow up novel to her well-received, The Dive From Claussen's Pier. Despite being widely hailed, I never picked up TDFCP for one reason or another. However, when I read the plot to her latest work, I was intrigued.

Publisher's Weekly describes Songs as:

a richly nuanced meditation on the place of friendship in women's lives. Liz and Sarabeth's childhood friendship deepened following Sarabeth's mother's suicide when the girls were 16; now the two women are in their 40s and living in the Bay Area. Responsible mother-of-two Liz has come to see eccentric, bohemian Sarabeth, with her tendency to enter into inappropriate relationships with men, as more like another child than as a sister or mutually supportive friend. When Liz's teenage daughter, Lauren, perpetuates a crisis, Liz doubts her parenting abilities; Sarabeth is plunged into uncomfortable memories; and the hidden fragilities of what seemed a steadfast relationship come to the fore. Packer adroitly navigates Lauren's teen despair, Sarabeth's lonely longings and Liz's feelings of guilt and inadequacy.

What that review does not highlight is the exhaustion the reader will feel as she accompanies Liz and Sarabeth on this journey. I felt emotionally wrought and utterly confused as the book switched between characters' narrations and feelings. The book was incredible in the sense that multiple characters participated in the narration, all telling the same story but with completely different words. All the while I was, turning page after page, not knowing who to feel more love/hate for.

Packer tells the story with love and compassion for each character. They are all deeply flawed and full of regret. As a reader, you feel their longing and even feel some of your own--as the story makes you reflect upon your life choices and perhaps your lack of friendship at a time of need. When you read the book you will find a little bit of Liz and a little bit of Sarabeth in you. And that is exactly what makes the book so real and so haunting.

I highly recommend the book. It is perfect for a fall afternoon..and you'll probably read well into the night.

Happy/Sad

2007-11-08T11:29:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the House passed the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) granting protection against workplace discrimination for sexual orientation. The bill amends the federal Civil Rights Act and makes it illegal for an employer “to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to the compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment of the individual, because of such individual’s actual or perceived sexual orientation.” This move is significant as only 19 states have laws banning such discrimination. So! This is happy news.

Even happier, for me, was that one of my Women's Studies students came into class today and informed everyone about the development. She said that she had been obsessively checking CNN for an update and upon passage talked about the significance with her roommate. HOORAH for engaged students.

But it isn't all good...to ensure bill passage, Democrats had to remove language protecting transsexual and transgendered individuals. Further proof that we (as a public) refuse to recognize gender diversity. If one identifies as a man and loves another man, we recognize you shouldn't be discriminated against. But what happens if you have male sex organs but identify as a female and love both men and women? Advocates need to work toward more gender identity protection.

To sign the ORIGINAL petition, go HERE

I-Tues v.4

2007-11-06T11:41:00.000-05:00

I am bi-polar when it comes to music. Kristen One enjoys slow, mellow, heartbreaking music. The music that makes Drew say "can we please listen to something that doesn't make me want to kill myself" when he gets home from work. Kristen Two is into over-the-top pop. I love cheese, sing song melodies and head bopping. My brother-in-law recently introduced Kristen Two to the Pipettes. The Pipettes are a British indie pop [girl] group who are all kinds of awesome. Big hair, polka dot dresses and 50's dancing. I cannot get enough! Check em out....

A Little Sunday Reading v. 2

2007-11-04T19:24:00.000-05:00

This week was Fall Fiction Week at Slate. Lots of really interesting stories including this one asking contemporary authors to reveal their "greatest literary omissions." Not surprising, many have not read Harry Potter (although I'm not sure Harry Potter can be counted as "great" literature at this time--if ever) or Moby Dick (does anyone really read Moby Dick?). I was very surprised to see Jane Austen mentioned. Austen? Really?

Anyway, I had to confront the most important book I've never read. *confronting* I don't even know when to begin. To say the least, I don't often get down with the classic works. So in order to narrow it down, I've decided to admit the greatest feminist books I've never read. The list is vast and embarrassing.

1. I've never read anything by Virginia Woolf
2. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
3. Sexual Politics by Kate Millett
4. Fire with Fire by Naomi Wolf (This book is sitting beside by bed currently waiting to be read)

It feels good to get that off my chest. But now I am organized and determined to read some of the classic feminist works that I've missed.

Dear Students,

2007-11-02T11:49:00.000-04:00

Ever since I read this post by the Tenured Radical, I've been thinking about things I wish you knew. The pedagogical relationship between student and teacher is a complicated one--constantly ebbing and flowing, loving and hating, teaching and learning.

1. Students teach me things. They teach me about pop culture, university happenings, and new interpretations on old texts that I read a long time ago. Importantly, they also teach me about the barometer of our culture. Often when I leave class, I feel energized by the potential that my students show as activists and people. I don't think professors remind their students how much we learn from them. Further, many professors aren't open to learning from their students.

2. I like when you stay after class to tell me a funny story or further develop an idea you had in class. I really like it when you come early or stay late and show me an anti-feminist e-mail you've received or an empowering video on Youtube. It makes me feel like you're learning and it really makes me realize how much thinking you're doing. I love my job. I love coming to class. I love being with you. I love talking about my discipline. As such, I love when you do the same. Never hesitate to send me an e-mail or have a conversation with me!

3. I have a life outside of class and I like when students realize this--mainly because it makes me feel human. But also because it then means you don't e-mail me at 1 am and expect an immediate response.

4. When we happen to stumble across one another outside school, it is okay to say hi or give a friendly wave. It is not okay to buy me a drink. It is definitely not okay to gossip about me to fellow classmates.

5. I know that there are days you aren't reading. I know that you may fail a quiz or test. But I know that you are smart and capable. You don't have to explain yourself or beg for my forgiveness. Everyone has bad days at work. When good students do poorly on an assignment, I assume you're having a bad day.

6. I'm proud when you have a school related scholarship. I do not, however, see it as my responsibility to maintain that scholarship. I will provide you with every imaginable opportunity to learn, excel and achieve. If you do not take advantage of those opportunities, I will give you a bad grade. The default grade is not an A. I assume a certain amount of "average" in each student. When you prove you are above average, you will receive above average grades.

7. I have 80+ students this semester. I know ALL of your names. I expect you to know (and spell correctly) my last name. Consider it good practice for the workforce.

That's my list...I've been ruminating about it for the past couple weeks.

And then I watched THIS video and realized that sometimes pedagogical goals need to be larger than the semester at hand. This guy really gets me. I love me a good teacher! I love how he starts out talking about "enabling the dreams of others." Isn't that the heart of a good teacher?

And my question to my teacher blogging friends is--what lessons do you want your students to know? Feel free to post in the comments.....

Delightfully Dawgmatic

New Blog For All You Writers!

I-Tues v. 17

This is me...blogging

8 Things

Thanks, Keith

Reflections

Vote for.....

Because....

A Little Sunday Reading v. 18

Crushing

SNAP!

Friday Flicks v. 8

Gay Friendly High School?

A Little Sunday Reading v. 17

Giveaway: Josh Henkin's Matrimony

I'm concerned....

Some words about the debate

A Little Sunday Reading v. 16 Short Story Edition

Brought to you by Sexism and Ridiculousness

Wherein I say hello...

I-Tues v. 16

I-Tues v. 15

A Little Sunday Reading v. 15

Some words about disappointment...and John Edwards

Change *We* Can Believe In

I-Tues v. 14

A little bit of nerdiness

Tagged!

A Little Sunday Reading v. 14

Dangerously Reading v. 7

Jumping in

A Little Sunday Reading v. 13

Friday Flicks v. 7

Weekly Geeks v. 2

Whoops

I-Tues v. 13 Mix Tape Edition

Dangerously Reading v. 6

The Summer of Rafa!

Mothering Vs.(?) Feminism

Wherein I remember I have a blog

The one in which I'm embarrassed by my home state v. 2

Dangerously Reading v. 5

Weekly Geek v. 1

Friday Flicks v. 6

Perhaps there is a better way?

Holy Mother of God

The one in which I'm embarrassed by my home state

The one in which I become that woman...

I-Tues v. 12 Concert Edition

A Little Sunday Reading v. 12 Summer Reading Edition

Leave it to Sweden....

Dangerously Reading v. 4

Feminists Unite!

Counting Down The Days

I-Tues v. 11 Concert Edition

A Little Sunday Reading v. 11

A Little Sunday Reading v. 10

I-Tues v. 10

The Professor as Open Book

Dangerously Reading v. 3

A Little Sunday Reading v. 9

I-Tues v. 9

The Election continued...

You Probably Didn't Know....

An Apology

I-Tues v. 8: Athens Music Edition

I-Tues v. 7

Dangerously Reading v. 2

Happy (Fake) Love Day..tomorrow

A Little Sunday Reading v. 8

The one in which I write about the big day

I-Tues v. 6

A blogger send off

I-Tues v. 5

A Little Sunday Reading v. 8

Friday Flicks v. 5

The year I become a morning person

I'm Pro-Choice and I Blog (and vote)

Friday Flicks v. 4

Change We Can Believe In