I stumbled on this little gem when I couldn't sleep this morning (notice that it's 8:36 on a SATURDAY and I've already been up about 45 minutes). Gross. Anyways, you know those moments when you're like "Is that.....?". I definitely did one of those double takes this morning when I saw this.
Oh wow, that was great.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Stuff
Hola!
Yes, it's been far too long!!!
OK, so first things first. One lovely lady from my Women's Studies Class was so inspired by our class that she's going to Tanzania to volunteer. I am super super impressed by this, and I feel even more inspired to do my tiny bit as well. My thing that I picked up in class that I am doing is buying only fair trade clothing. Perhaps fair trade is a little intense. Anything new must be fair trade (and Lululemon counts, but should be avoided if simple). I will do my best to start with used clothing though. I have a second-hand-store outing planned with my mom for when she comes home. My mom has actually been very green for a very long time, and I just never saw it. Anyways, buying organic/fair trade/used clothing is greener and more socially responsible in my opinion. I will not throw out any of the clothes I have now but I will wear them until I dislike them (in which case I'll donate them) or I'll wear them until they're done for (in which case I'll fix them, make them into something else useful or donate them). For shoes, first priority goes to used and then fair trade, but I will buy new non-sweatshop free shoes if necessary. It's really difficult to find shoes like that. Food is too difficult, but I would like to change that also. It's in the future though. Clothing is tough enough. But I am buying organic food where I can. Same for hygiene stuff. I bought some deodorant today at Community Natural Foods and more shampoo and conditioner. I have some body shop stuff, which is fair trade, but I don't like how it makes my hair. Also, it's really expensive and you don't get much. So I'm excited to try this Canadian stuff I bought today!
Two other things:
First, Amanda and I have been seriously offering on this amazing condo really close to the mall. I really want to buy it. BAD. We looked at the bylaws today. I kind of think we should take both our clans to see it and have a giant discussion with our families. I dunno though.
Also, I went on a few dates with a new boy. His name is Jun and he's really sweet and interesting!
<3
Yes, it's been far too long!!!
OK, so first things first. One lovely lady from my Women's Studies Class was so inspired by our class that she's going to Tanzania to volunteer. I am super super impressed by this, and I feel even more inspired to do my tiny bit as well. My thing that I picked up in class that I am doing is buying only fair trade clothing. Perhaps fair trade is a little intense. Anything new must be fair trade (and Lululemon counts, but should be avoided if simple). I will do my best to start with used clothing though. I have a second-hand-store outing planned with my mom for when she comes home. My mom has actually been very green for a very long time, and I just never saw it. Anyways, buying organic/fair trade/used clothing is greener and more socially responsible in my opinion. I will not throw out any of the clothes I have now but I will wear them until I dislike them (in which case I'll donate them) or I'll wear them until they're done for (in which case I'll fix them, make them into something else useful or donate them). For shoes, first priority goes to used and then fair trade, but I will buy new non-sweatshop free shoes if necessary. It's really difficult to find shoes like that. Food is too difficult, but I would like to change that also. It's in the future though. Clothing is tough enough. But I am buying organic food where I can. Same for hygiene stuff. I bought some deodorant today at Community Natural Foods and more shampoo and conditioner. I have some body shop stuff, which is fair trade, but I don't like how it makes my hair. Also, it's really expensive and you don't get much. So I'm excited to try this Canadian stuff I bought today!
Two other things:
First, Amanda and I have been seriously offering on this amazing condo really close to the mall. I really want to buy it. BAD. We looked at the bylaws today. I kind of think we should take both our clans to see it and have a giant discussion with our families. I dunno though.
Also, I went on a few dates with a new boy. His name is Jun and he's really sweet and interesting!
<3
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The Second Sex, intro, translator's notes and the beginning of chapter 1!
OK, so first of all: Go Nattie! Great choice, love this book ALREADY! It will probably take me years to actually finish because it is QUITE dense! I love love love love it though!
So here's a few mini-book reports I have on this book! Attention: the chapter one part is pretty explicit!
Intro/Translator's Notes
1) The intro is pretty interesting. I find it completely fascinating that the intro doesn't so much mention how so little has changed between 1949 (when the book was published) and 1989 (when this intro was written). I also found it interesting that the book was translated to English because the wife of a publisher thought it was a sex manual and should therefore be available to the American public. Wow. And then asked her HUSBAND to publish it. It's cool how the very thing that Beauvoir is discussing is so present in how her book became more widely available to English speaking women. Ironic, I think. It's like rain on your wedding day. ha ha.
2) The translator's notes are the funniest part by far. He (yes, he... I find that a little strange, but I guess it WAS 1952) keeps talking about all these strides that women have made. To think about that in 1952 terms based on what we know today, one would probably say "what strides?". Women couldn't even vote in Beauvoir's home of France until the late forties. In Italy, I'm pretty sure it was later that mid-fifties. Even in Canada, aboriginal women COULDN'T VOTE until like 1960. That blows my mind.
THE BOOK!
OK, so chapter one is about biological facts. So here are the two thoughts I came up with on my way home today:
1) perhaps that (what? I'm not sure, ghost subject alert) is why the sex act is so much more carefully considered by human females than males (in terms of general stereotype, certainly not speaking from my own experience or observation). First, according to Beauvoir, the sex act is a violation of the woman, decided upon by the man only. I personally believe this has limited physical truth in the society in which we live today, but that is DEFINITELY not to say that rape doesn't happen now (or then, especially rape within marriage and other relationships). Socially though, women (at least some) do tend to be compelled by some sort of ideology to be happily submissive sexual partners and pieces of relationships, I think. Second, the act of reproduction is more closely tied to her since she is attached to the potential offspring long after the sex act itself is over, whereas the male is independent of the sex act as soon as it has ended. Finally, the physical sex act in humans (in the case of intercourse) occurs internally in women but externally to men. I think this makes a big difference, but that's tough to dispute, I think.
2) For the human male, intercourse is almost a physical necessity, or at least it is boasted as one by many arguing against blue-ball syndrome (or whatever it might be called). As a man's "need" (or need, whatever), and perhaps therefore his inherent human right, sex is also necessary to the female even though procreation and propagation of the species then becomes her inherent RESPONSIBILITY. To the male, sex is a need that is relatively simply met (and on his own terms according to Beauvoir), but for the female the act which is assigned to her by another individual (the male in question) carries a great deal more weight (perhaps literally and figuratively).
She's definitely just talking about animals so far, so I shouldn't read so much into her analysis in human terms as I have, so this is definitely a long shot and is CERTAINLY based more on stereotype than a true analysis should be, but it was just my thoughts!!!
<3 L.
So here's a few mini-book reports I have on this book! Attention: the chapter one part is pretty explicit!
Intro/Translator's Notes
1) The intro is pretty interesting. I find it completely fascinating that the intro doesn't so much mention how so little has changed between 1949 (when the book was published) and 1989 (when this intro was written). I also found it interesting that the book was translated to English because the wife of a publisher thought it was a sex manual and should therefore be available to the American public. Wow. And then asked her HUSBAND to publish it. It's cool how the very thing that Beauvoir is discussing is so present in how her book became more widely available to English speaking women. Ironic, I think. It's like rain on your wedding day. ha ha.
2) The translator's notes are the funniest part by far. He (yes, he... I find that a little strange, but I guess it WAS 1952) keeps talking about all these strides that women have made. To think about that in 1952 terms based on what we know today, one would probably say "what strides?". Women couldn't even vote in Beauvoir's home of France until the late forties. In Italy, I'm pretty sure it was later that mid-fifties. Even in Canada, aboriginal women COULDN'T VOTE until like 1960. That blows my mind.
THE BOOK!
OK, so chapter one is about biological facts. So here are the two thoughts I came up with on my way home today:
1) perhaps that (what? I'm not sure, ghost subject alert) is why the sex act is so much more carefully considered by human females than males (in terms of general stereotype, certainly not speaking from my own experience or observation). First, according to Beauvoir, the sex act is a violation of the woman, decided upon by the man only. I personally believe this has limited physical truth in the society in which we live today, but that is DEFINITELY not to say that rape doesn't happen now (or then, especially rape within marriage and other relationships). Socially though, women (at least some) do tend to be compelled by some sort of ideology to be happily submissive sexual partners and pieces of relationships, I think. Second, the act of reproduction is more closely tied to her since she is attached to the potential offspring long after the sex act itself is over, whereas the male is independent of the sex act as soon as it has ended. Finally, the physical sex act in humans (in the case of intercourse) occurs internally in women but externally to men. I think this makes a big difference, but that's tough to dispute, I think.
2) For the human male, intercourse is almost a physical necessity, or at least it is boasted as one by many arguing against blue-ball syndrome (or whatever it might be called). As a man's "need" (or need, whatever), and perhaps therefore his inherent human right, sex is also necessary to the female even though procreation and propagation of the species then becomes her inherent RESPONSIBILITY. To the male, sex is a need that is relatively simply met (and on his own terms according to Beauvoir), but for the female the act which is assigned to her by another individual (the male in question) carries a great deal more weight (perhaps literally and figuratively).
She's definitely just talking about animals so far, so I shouldn't read so much into her analysis in human terms as I have, so this is definitely a long shot and is CERTAINLY based more on stereotype than a true analysis should be, but it was just my thoughts!!!
<3 L.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
My Water Footprint.....
.... is 1800 cubic meters per year. Not bad, hey? BUT if I stop eating meat it will be 909 cubic meters per year! I'm not sure that I can go cold turkey (ha ha, get it?), but it would make a big difference to keep it low low low! That's what I've been working on lately, but I'll definitely keep doing it! I feel even better about it since I made an oh-so-delicious 100% vegan meal! It was so good too!
I don't have much else to say. Ha ha, I started my reception job but it's just like you'd expect. I'm a receptionist. It's pretty fun though, I like it. And I like working at the mall!
<3
I don't have much else to say. Ha ha, I started my reception job but it's just like you'd expect. I'm a receptionist. It's pretty fun though, I like it. And I like working at the mall!
<3
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