Monthly Archives: March 2007

I was talking to a sweet friend yesterday and she said I was charming. I know she doesn’t say that about all the girls (because she told me so) and it is such a nice compliment! I asked her if she thought maybe it was b/c I am from Tennessee, and she said “oh, yeah, and Niskayuna probably factors into that too” which makes me think of all the un-charming people I know from Niskayuna.

I mean, *I* think I’m charming, but I am also good at making myself believe things. Which may have factored into me thinking my little short car with the extensive molding and spoilers and and wheel covers really didn’t have anything to worry about in the snow as I extricated myself from my parking spot this morning, culminating in me perching dear little car over the top of a tall ice bump. I had to go ask some work men in the new house down the street if they would give me a push over the top, and luckily, either because of my surfeit of charm or their surfeit of gentlemanliness, they did. And it is very nice of my girlfriend to think I am charming as well.

because I’m heading off to japan at the end of the month, I’ve been getting more serious about working out. I don’t mind knowing I’ll be a giant in Japan. I know that there will be a certain quality of body dysmorphia that I’ll just have to deal with. plus, I’ll be traveling with my slender stepsister, so I do wonder if I’ll feel entirely out of place.

but I’m ok being a giant. I just don’t want to be a MUSHY giant.

so I’ve been going to the gym a bunch. I was kind of horrified at how long it’s been – roughly 6 months – since I’ve worked out regularly. I’ve got a secret goal to go almost every day before heading out. since it’s been so long, last week the elliptical was surprisingly hard. then sat. I got up, went on the elliptical, did some lunges and sit-ups, and went off to a lovely weekend in Philly with my coworkers. and there was a dance party, and then the next day my dancing muscles were in sad sad shape! I was so sad that they hurt so much, until I realized that they weren’t just dancing muscles, they were LUNGE-ING muscles. which makes it a little better, mentally.

tonight I went to the gym and had an epiphany of a sort… there weren’t any ellipticals available so I got on a treadmill instead. and I was bummed, because I figured I’d be walking most of the time. and then I remembered: hey. I had a dance party for, like, two hours straight on sat. if I can do that I can run! so I did run, and I was right – I CAN run.

I guess the point is to say that every once in a while? I am so pleasently surprised by my body. it is a tough, resiliant cookie. Yay.

[[that said, my arm HURTS. there was also some arm wrestling. I am not that competative with my right arm but left arm does ok. note to self: If you’re gonna keep challenging people to arm wrestle, maybe start pumping some iron, ok?]]

Today, as you may or may not know, is International Women’s Day. Which of course we don’t celebrate in America, but if you were a woman living in China you’d have the half the day off.  see also:  Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam, where it is an official holiday [according to wikipedia].

This year the UN theme topic is “Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls.” which is FABULOUS. Especially when rape is used as a weapon in times of war, and when women still are battered and abused around the world. but lest we all start patting ourselves on the back and congratulating ourselves on a job well done, on equality well reached, there are a few really timely news stories that are making me grit my teeth today. Here you go! Enjoy the “holiday!”

• Salon.com ran a story this week about the incredibly horrific number of rapes that are happening in Iraq – only we’re not talking Iraqii’s here (which is horrible enough), we’re talking American women serving alongside men who rape them. Did you know that the Military has accepted rapes as status quo to the point where if you’re raped, they don’t even try to argue you out of your PTSD, they just start paying for treatment? Which they totally should, don’t get me wrong. But what about, you know, STOPPING THE RAPES?
• I heard about this on Marketplace (NPR) this weekend, but came across a newspaper story today. The Washington Post reports that young, brilliant, scholarly law students who happen to be female are not getting job offers. The reason? there is a nasty disgusting message board out there where men slander these women. They log in and impersonate them. They rate them on looks. they post their personal information, including phone numbers and addresses. And employers may google search the candidates names and find this board, and be disinclined to give them a job. There is very little recourse for a woman in this situation. Tell me: when does it cross the line from a bunch of jerks online to a stalking and abuse situation? like, legally? because honestly, where do people get off being so hateful to women? it’s not personal, they are like this to ANY women. why is it ok to hate women? There’s more response and detail here.
• Another less horrifying and slightly more ironic highlight for International Women’s Day: scroll down on this post to see what comic “Crock” ran today. Veeery timely and apropo.

I realize that this may sound awfully angry and bitter. you know what, though? I AM awfully angry and bitter. I am so frustrated about this whole cultural hatred of women that is seemingly acceptable. I’m frustrated that coworkers STILL conduct business in strip-clubs, and that the word “slut” is still a powerful insult thrown at women. Where the heck is the respect? where is the being treated as equals? International Women’s Day has been around for nearly 100 years, and we’re still demonized for making decisions that make “society” uncomfortable? 

I’ve mentioned it before, and I’ll say it again. THIS is why feminism is still relevant. We should ALL be angry – furious, even – about these things. Because this is holding us back. This is one of the things that is preventing all of us, women and men, from reaching our full potential. This is just plain awful.

Yeah. Happy International Women’s Day, indeed. /gritting of teeth.

This week, when I was working on healing, Rachel and I also booked our flights to Japan! I am so excited. here is a short list of the fun I am looking forward to:

• The parasite museum in tokyo!
• visiting the Blythe Shop!
• Sushi Breakfast after watching fish being unloaded first thing in the morning!
• Japanese food! everywhere! prawn flavored crisps!
• Kyoto!
• not working for 2 weeks!
• Cherry blossoms!
• shopping hysteria!
• street fashion!

of course, before I go I have a whole lot of things I need to do. ranger and I need to pick our itineraries and figure out where we’ll be staying. and I want to make new clothes to bring with, esp. considering how smart everyone seems to look in tokyo. and I need to get a suitcase – I haven’t had one for YEARS now and 2 weeks of travel kind of demands something that will carry bunches of stuff. oh, and then there’s that whole “day job” thing.