Summertime =

lots o’ readin’. During the school year, I always forget that I’m a reader. When the days start to turn long and I am reduced to thinking about all the mosquito bites on my legs, I actually start itchin’ for literature. I think I find stimulation in the words – the sort that my mind misses when I’m not in school.

So far this summer (all 2 weeks of it), I have read 5 million job listings and two books. I won’t tell you about the job listings, because those aren’t fun or funny. The books, on the other hand, are quality.

I actually started Cavedweller, by Dorothy Allison, over Winter break. Lindsay and Timanna and I decided to start a book club.

 

It went something like this: Lindsay loves Dot Allison and had recently ordered Cavedweller. She was going to read it, and so the three of us decided it would be a good choice to start off what would be our really successful book club. Lindsay finished the book and saw the movie before I even got a chance to buy it. Once it was sitting in my room, I began reading it, got sidetracked and it spent the next four months on my bookshelf. It wasn’t that the book wasn’t good. It was. I was just distracted. Timanna, on the other hand, never bought the book.

And so there went the book club.

But, back to the present. I finished it! And it was really enjoyable, addictive, engrossing. I started thinking and dreaming in a Southern drawl. I highly recommend Cavedweller.

 

The movie, starring Kyra Sedgwick, doesn’t come close to doing the book justice. Dot also authored Bastard Out of Carolina, one of her more famous publications and will be in San Fran in two weeks.

Truth & Beauty, by Ann Patchett, is one of those books that could easily be found on Borders’ “3 for 2″ shelf. Where Patchett’s other books say the title and then in italics “a novel,” Truth & Beauty says “a friendship.”  

 

I found it immediately interesting that a friendship could be thought of as literature, but that was exactly what it was. It was the story of Patchett’s intense, loving and amazing friendship with fellow author Lucy Grealy. 

(Grealy being held by Patchett)

At some point, I’m going to write more about this book on my Homosocial Project page, because it relates so well. Reading Truth & Beautywas so familiar. I was constantly picking parts out and seeing Grealy and/or Patchett as myself or my friends. It’s about female friendship and love. And it’s totally meaningful to my thoughts on homosociality.

I will take a couple days off of reading, and hopefully dream of something other than Ann and Lucy crawling through a cave in Georgia with Cissy Byrd (that would be my mind juxtaposing the two books) and then I plan to re-read Bridge to Terabithia, my childhood favorite.

Special Gifts.

Beyond the able-bodied human gifts of seeing,hearing, touching, smelling and tasting, I have the privilege of two additional presents from God.

 

I cannot sense spirits or talk to beings in alternative universes but I have a talent for knowing when cops and/or clowns are close.

You see, when driving, I know exactly when to slow down without even looking in the rear view mirror or tracing the horizon for red and blue lights. I just know. I take my foot off the accelerator slightly, until the buggy slows to a speed within 5 miles of the posted limit. And, like magic, a cop appears. Either before me with a radar gun or behind me in a secretive Ford, the cops come out of the woodwork with the need to pull people over. BUT – it’s never me, because of my gift.

My clown sense is similar. I know when one is around and am never surprised (but boastful on how I predicted it) when I see a pink-haired, white-faced person making their way through a crowd.

United.

So, I missed the actual wedding. It took 4 hours to get there, due to Memorial Day traffic. But, there was no WAY I was going to miss the reception, even if it meant driving on the shoulder of the interstate. I didn’t have to do that though, we pulled up at the church right as everyone was making their way to the gym-turned-into-reception-hall.

It was a small wedding. Like, 100 people? I spent the majority of the time arguing with Lindsay as to whether the accent color was pink or peach. Seemed pink to me… but in better light, I suppose she was right, it was peach. I also asked her if, as one of my bridesmaids, she would consider wearing a dress to my wedding (if I ever get married, that is). After careful consideration, we came to the conclusion that a Zoot Suit would be much better. Powder Purple.

It was good and awkward to see old friends (of my mom’s). None of them recognized me, which was rather disappointing, really. I thought I was one of those people that others just cannot forget. ha.

As for the newly-weds… they were cute. I just don’t think I could ever get married because I could never do the whole “first dance as man and wife.” With all those people looking at me and trying to decide if I had just made the biggest mistake of my life.

Unite.

I’m off to a wedding.

I’m sure I will come back with many theories, thoughts and judgements. Stay tuned.

oh, sing it willie.

Today, I bought Willie Nelson’s Songs Album.

When I was listening to it on the way home from the store, I decided I’m definitely more in a mood for Willie does Reggae:

Who’d a thought?

actually funny.

I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER?, WordPress’ top blog for about a month now, is actually extremely funny. They take pictures of animals (mostly cats) and attach strange captions to them.

My favorite post:

how does this shiz work?

Grab a calculator.
1. Key in the first three digits of your phone number (NOT the Area code)
2. Multiply by 80
3. Add 1
4. Multiply by 250
5. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number
6. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number again.
7. Subtract 250
8. Divide number by 2

             Do you recognize the answer ??

arm pit.

When I think of Florida, not only does the shape of the state remind me of an arm, but the general “culture” down there reminds me of an arm pit. (Sorry loved ones in Florida, but you know I only speak the truth).

Florida:

and Florida:

You see, I’ve always sort of thought about Florida like this. The weather is armpitesque, the beaches (well, at least the popular ones) are junky and the people, well,  you know.

I wasn’t surprised to see this story today on Reuters. You see, Florida is (not surprisingly) having a dog-sized rat problem. The African Rat, as it is commonly known, was bred by some idiot and then set free. Now Splinter is threatening crops and is also just really gross. I would post a picture, but I don’t think I can do it. I have an intense fear of rats, and these suckers are no sight I wish to behold everytime I log onto my blog. Just go to the story.

I just have to summarize, that yes, Florida now has mutant species of rats. So add that to the arm pit list.

SF Maker Faire

The San Mateo fairgrounds was hoppin’ this weekend with crafters and robotics-builders alike, as “makers” of all kinds joined forces for the Bay Area Maker Faire 2007. As someone who is constantly browsing etsy and design/craft blogs for ideas/inspirations, the Faire was heaven, as I repeatedly told my faire-going friends. Some of the highlights for me were:

Welcome to the Maker Faire!

Kinetic Pastry Science Mobile Muffins (aka Muffin Cars) by Greg Soldberg

Make Your Own Copper Pendants Without Soldering by Margaret Donnelly. This demo was one of many FREE hands-on craft demonstrations at the Faire.

Felting Corner.

Foam Printmaking by Binky’s Barn.

Botanicalls.

Free silk-screening by the Patch Werk Press Silkscreen Artists at the Swap-o-rama-rama.

Life-size Mouse Trap Game by Mark Perez.

1000 Journals Project author signing.

Bazaar Bizarre (craft sellers):

The Fred Flare table full of cuteness (and lots-o-purchases for me).

Book Clocks.

Swallow Pillows by Chic Cosas.

Earth friendly textiles from Ambatalia Fabrics.

 

Text Broadsides from Tyler Bender.

ranting, a bit.

I’ve been surprised at the amount of hits I’m getting from people searching “homosocial relationships.” I thought I was the only one in the world who thinks it’s important.

So I was exploring some other blogs and I quickly realized that I am not the only idiot who has academicized (queered?) same-sex, non-sexual relationships.

I came across this one. The blogger (RJ) says homosociality is this:

it’s roughly the idea that men’s relationships with women are secondary to men’s relationships with other men, and that women are used as currency of exchange in male relationships, that women are used by men in various ways in order to negotiate their relationships with other men, etc.

And goes on to say:

Given a choice between looking bad in front of other men by treating a woman like a human being vs. looking bad in front of a woman by going along with what sexist guys are doing, guys operating under homosociality will always choose the latter.

It has become clear to me that homosociality has different meanings. I mean, in RJ’s post, homosociality is made to be about men and is later compared to the term “pussy-whipped.” 

Another blogger, Hugo (a “pro-feminist” male, Women’s Studies prof. who connects the “struggle around food” to sexuality in his syllubus) talks in legnth about his struggle to over come the social pressure to hate women to impress men. What a concept?!  Should I give him a pat on the back for that one?

Here’s the thing:  Where are women in these blogs? The writers keep talking about how women are treated as objects and that’s bad. But the way in which both of the blogs address homosociality and male relationships, the objectification/woman hate is only expanded.

It’s ridiculous.

It’s not homosociality… it’s patriarchy.  

And some more pictures for Mert: