I've survived my first week back to school (well, I still have three classes to teach today, but everyone knows that the stressful part of my day is NOT the teaching part....it's the getting up early/getting kids ready/getting dinner in the crock pot/taking kids to school/driving to campus/parking/settling down part).
And one week from tomorrow I'm going to go see Miranda Lambert. Live and for real.
WAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
I'm going to road trip it up with two of my cousins to the University of Kentucky (where I happen to have another cousin), and the four of us will engage in much singing, shrieking, eating of pasta and ice cream, not sleeping, and just generally enjoying each other. I'm VERY excited....this is one of the things I've been excited about moving home for. I get to spend time with them, instead of just watching from afar as they decide NOT be kids any more....darned aging.
This will in all likelihood be the highlight of my winter. :-)
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Sunday, January 8, 2012
A step in the right direction
I really like this article, and the events that motivated its writing:
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/07/opinion/matlack-men-rape/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
As a mom, I totally get well-intentioned laws that aim to protect people from sex offenders, particularly violent ones. I mean, before we went to look at any homes (when we were shopping) I did a registry search for offenders in the area. Two of my favorite potential houses got knocked off the list before I even went to see them, because of who the neighbors were. And I feel pretty strongly that repeat offenders should have the book thrown at them....or maybe a library of them.
But.
Many of these men have been neglected by society, and have no access to the resources they need to overcome the problems (be they based in past physical or sexual abuse, some other trauma, or something chemical going wrong in their brains) that are the root of their behavior....at best they manage to "treat the symptoms" (if you'll allow me to simplify it to that) on their own for a while. But until they have access to professional help and social programs to help them, it won't be enough. The stigma is so strong. Relegating them to "ghettos" (not my term) does not help matters. At all.
I'm glad that we're making some progress, though I wonder if it's enough. One of my good friends and I often talk about "gender-inclusive feminism" for lack of a better term. Basically what we're getting at is the idea that we all need to stop freaking out so much about who is and isn't behaving as they're "expected" to, based on their gender. If we could accept people at all points along the spectrum, I think it would be another way to progress out of the mess we're in.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/07/opinion/matlack-men-rape/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
As a mom, I totally get well-intentioned laws that aim to protect people from sex offenders, particularly violent ones. I mean, before we went to look at any homes (when we were shopping) I did a registry search for offenders in the area. Two of my favorite potential houses got knocked off the list before I even went to see them, because of who the neighbors were. And I feel pretty strongly that repeat offenders should have the book thrown at them....or maybe a library of them.
But.
Many of these men have been neglected by society, and have no access to the resources they need to overcome the problems (be they based in past physical or sexual abuse, some other trauma, or something chemical going wrong in their brains) that are the root of their behavior....at best they manage to "treat the symptoms" (if you'll allow me to simplify it to that) on their own for a while. But until they have access to professional help and social programs to help them, it won't be enough. The stigma is so strong. Relegating them to "ghettos" (not my term) does not help matters. At all.
I'm glad that we're making some progress, though I wonder if it's enough. One of my good friends and I often talk about "gender-inclusive feminism" for lack of a better term. Basically what we're getting at is the idea that we all need to stop freaking out so much about who is and isn't behaving as they're "expected" to, based on their gender. If we could accept people at all points along the spectrum, I think it would be another way to progress out of the mess we're in.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Mmmmmmm
Running 5 miles in the dusky evening light on rooty trails provides a relief unparalleled from the strain of writing all day. 48 minutes. Not bad for trail.
How I wish dissertations could write themselves!
How I wish dissertations could write themselves!
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