So, hey guys, guess what? I just moved to a different country, on a different continent! That's right, I now live in New York's sister city: London, England. So, that is my excuse for not having posted in OVER A MONTH.
So, what to say...I should post on things like Palin and polyamory and Dan Savage (NOT as related to each other, ew). And I will shortly. Right now I'm dealing with looking for a flat, and getting scammed out of £250 maybe, and getting my ass to stage combat class, and getting out of my hostel where people have sex in the room when I'm trying to sleep. So hopefully...later today! I will post more.
Cherrio, Luvs!
Showing posts with label AWOL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AWOL. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Now Where Were We...
Thursday, January 3, 2008
26 Years of Enfranchisement!
Well, it's been two weeks, because I've been sitting around being angsty about work. But what better way to return to my duties than...on my birthday! Yep, happy birthday to me. It is fitting, because last night I was thinking a bit about my birthday suit. That's right--it's body image time! So, here's what occurred to me for the first time: I don't hate my body. Obviously, we all have a few things we'd like to change about ourselves, and we all have what I like to call Bad Face Days, but all in all I actually kind of like my body.
But. (What, you weren't expecting a but?) I realize that I assume OTHER people hate my body. While I enjoy my curves and my soft spots, I know that they don't fit into what I'm actually supposed to look like. I think people should find me attractive...but I don't expect them to. Yes yes, of course I have friends who try to convince me I'm hot, but they tend to be people who love me and/or people who have girlfriends*, so I don't believe them. So when I look in the mirror and want to cry, it's not because I hate my body--it's because I hate myself for not changing my body when I feel that would improve my life.
But that, of course, is exactly why I have a hard time committing to any more diet and exercise than I've already done. (I lost 20 lbs. sophomore year of college through healthy means, it was nice.) I would be losing weight for some hypothetical other person I don't even quite believe in, for the sake of ideals I decry on this very blog.
Maybe this is not the happiest birthday thought, but it does make me feel better--both to realize I like my body, and to realize there's actually a kind of good reason I can't bring myself to weigh and measure my food. So I will not feel guilty about the mom-made yellow cake with chocolate frosting I will be eating tonight. Even though in some way maybe I should.
*Guys who have girlfriends are really good at thinking I'm hot while they're unavailable, then avoiding me like the plague as soon as they're single again. On bad days, I think of guys-who-have-girlfriends as my nemeses. Particularly guys-who-have-girlfriends-who-are-out-of-town-at-the-moment.
Monday, December 10, 2007
She Brings Home The Bacon, He Fries It In A Pan
Please excuse my long absence guys--I've had tonsillitis! Yes, I am almost 26 years old and have tonsillitis for the first time. I got to hear my doctor use words like "necrotic" and "foul-smelling" in reference to things in the back of my throat. Fun! Anyway.
This week's advice-themed Time Out New York has a mini-article on how our parents' relationship teaches us what we know about love. (Sounds obvious, but whatever, it's like half a page.) My first reaction to this, as always was, "What did my parents teach me about marriage? That sex is what keeps it together." They didn't teach me this by example (I don't even know what that would entail, but it sounds pretty scarring), they taught me this by saying it, repeatedly, over the course of my life. I think it makes total sense--if you're gonna fight about things like finances and in-laws, there's gotta be some incentive to patch things up in a timely manner.
But then I remembered a conversation I had with my mom semi-recently, when I told her about my "going dutch" post. Since shortly after September 11th, when law firm he worked for closed its doors, my dad's been self-employed and working from home. This has had an unimaginably positive impact on my dad*, but also on my parents' marriage. The big thing was that he took over the cooking almost entirely. My mom had done the bulk for about 20 years, but it turns out my dad not only loves to cook, he's awesome at it. He's a real gourmet, he loves ingredients, he loves shopping for quality food.
All this I knew. What my mom pointed out to me, which I hadn't realized before, is that my dad is actually in semi-retirement. He'll take on a case, and it might take a year or two, and if he wins that winds up being about15% of my mom's salary. My mom, you see, is for the first time in her life, "making what [she] would make if [she] were a man." Apparently, they sometimes joke that he's her househusband.
I am not conflicted about this. My dad is 65 years old and worked hard all his life. This semi-retirement wasn't quite planned, it just worked out well. I'm not sure my mom would be happy that way--she isn't, either. (She envisions herself someday dropping dead in the middle of a conference call.) I'm tempted to muse over, "Is that what it takes for a happy marriage?" But I know better. They were happy beforehand, just more stressed--it's not secret that, for the bulk of our lives, we work hard and are under a lot of strain, and then if we're lucky we get to enjoy our latter years in relative relaxation. But I do wonder about the model my parents have set. I always assumed-slash-hoped I would end up much like my mom...which presented a problem because I, like her, loathe cooking. It's no coincidence that, before my family went on a health kick in 2001, we ordered in or ate out 2-3 times a week. Now when they order in it's because my mom worked late. So the question is, will I be able to find a husband** who will cook for me?
And that, my friends, is the real American Dream.
*He got a dog!
**[cough]at all[cough]
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Back! And, Coincidentally, in Black.
Hello, Suffragettes and Suffragers!
It's been awhile. I apologize for not announcing my week off. I was busy sucking at my ACTUAL job, which as I'm sure you know takes a lot of energy. So, to get everyone up-to-date:
-I haven't asked the guy out but I might if the moment arises. (Don't wanna force it...or do it in front of my boss, cuz THAT'S pretty awkward.)
-Jezebel posted on a subject we've discussed.
-Despite my fear of dieting, I might try Weight Watchers. Mostly because Tina Fey did.
-My Halloween costume is unintentionally skimpy. Joel Stein would be so disappointed. As would a lot of other people. My own post on the subject will happen soon, and then I can link to that, too!
Speaking of things to come:
-Stuff about Buffy! And Catholicism. (Obvi.)
-Feminist of the Week (with an explanation as to why I'm dropping the "male.")
-My own thoughts on Halloween.
-I dunno, some feminist stuff probs.
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