Women on the Verge

Uninvited Guest

Darby and Milo were very happy to admire our uninvited dinner guest.  Too bad he couldn't come in and stay for dessert. 

The little guy look scared.  I think he was in over his head... I closed the blinds and tried to calm down the pets and he disappeared. 

Allergies, Allergies, Go Away!

Warm spring day, ruined by bouquet.

Sun, a missed display, weepy eyes in disarray.

Picnic packed, fine buffet, drowsy head left to sway.

With running nose, a double play.

Fresh grass pathway, coughing sneezed naiveté,

To doctor shuffling dossier, sternly orders: Hit the hay!

Drip free dreams of the faraway, easy enjoyment of Nature’s soiree,

Lofting through Her field day, nasty symptoms giving way.

Then, it is the break of day, wheezy sniffles stay, 

Sadly, this is to say, allergy season’s underway.

BTW:  It is National Poetry Month...

Tuesday Morning Funnies!

This is from a CNN story:

"I've watched as you [Bush] have kept your oath to preserve and protect the Constitution," Card, standing in the Oval Office Bush and Bolten, told the president.

Fascinating

Fig and Plum posted a link to the Wardrobe Remix Photo Pool.  People track their attire for two weeks to track their preferences, style, etc.  I am not sure if I am navigating the links in the right order or anything, but I find it fascinating to see what people are wearing.  I must say that I don't think that this is a particularly  normal or average group of people... clearly their photos show that they are more artsy and interesting than your typically Walmart shopping cart pusher.  I really enjoy the pictures of this woman.  I feel inspired by her attire.  I wish I had that sort of confidence.  I wouldn't be able to pull it off.  I like her sense of style.  Not knowing anting about her, but seeing her outfit photos, I think that she must be living an incredible life.  I imagine that she does deep, somewhat dark, artsy things.  That she reads serious books and makes jokes that the people around her don't always understand.  I imagine that she does not sit in a cubicle, in front of a computer all day, like I do.  When she has her bleached, blond hair, I think she is less mysterious and much sadder.  With the blond hair, she lacks that layers and complexity.   There is a quiet respectability to her look with dark hair.  There is a restraint or a sense of classic beauty that is missing with the blond hair.  I am amazed that the narrative I can create to describe this women can change so much with the hair color. 

These photos make me think of Drew Barrymore's wardrobe in Everyone Says I Love You and Meg Ryan's wardrobe in IQ.  I love these movies and used to get them from the library in college to keep me busy on a quiet Friday or Saturday night.

Visitor

My mom came to visit.  It is always nice to see her and I am always sad when she leaves... the pets enjoyed playing with her, but they seemed very content catching up on their missed sleep.

Pick a job, any job...

My new career guidance system will be to leverage the listings on this site, create a little randomizer program and let the program pick my new career.  I tell you, this will be fun.  Here is a little alphabet of options:

A: Almond Huller... or for the foodies: Almond Paste Maker...

B: Bobbin Cleaner, Hand... not to be confused with Bobbin Cleaner, Machine...

C: Cabbage Salter... see "P": are the industries related?

D: Dice Spotter... question, where are dice made?  Would I have to relocate to Las Vegas?  I'd prefer Monaco...

E: Embossing Clerk (Tobacco)... What is this?  Tobacco Sculptor?

F: Finished Cloth Examiner... sounds very official.

G: Gizzard Skin Remover

H: Hog Grader

I: Incinerator Operator II... what do I need to do to be a Incinerator Operator I, use accelerants?

J: Jute Bag Clipper... I'd know what to get everyone for Christmas!!!

K: Kettle Tender

L: Letterer, but Lettuce Trimmer sounds pleasing... I could employ rabbit subcontractors.

M: Marsh Buggy Operator... seriously, people in marshes need to get around, too.

N: Net Washer

O: Organ Grinder

P: Pickler

Q: Quill Cleaner, Hand... I understand the importance of this position... machine washed quills are just not the same...

R: Recoil Spring Winder

S: Silk Top-Hat Body Maker...this sounds very practical... I mean someone's got to do it!!

T: Toy Stuffer... I wonder if I would work alongside Santa's elves?

U: Unscrambler... I'd think that this has to do with playing Scrabble....

V: Vinegar Maker... is that really just an under preforming winemaker?

W: Worm Sorter... I bet that if you get good, you can get a job in tequila manufacturing.

X: X-ray Consultant... why couldn't this be "X-Ray Vision Consultant"? That'd be fun...

Y: Yoeman... I never liked Laura Ingalls Wilder books, so this might not be a good fit...

Z: Zipper Repairer... now, this seems practical... who hasn't had a zipper break??  With obesity, this is a growth industry.

Linen Anniversary

Growing up, I always wanted to break my arm. No, I didn't throw myself from trees or down stairs (I did and still frequently trip, over myself and my words, but I attribute that to my general awkwardness), but I just thought it was so cool to see kids at school with their casts. I loved that they had a story to tell and that people would crowd around to sign their casts. I don't know that I even signed a cast. I must have, but I don't remember anyone asking me to sign their cast. I know that I marveled at many a plaster-shrouded body part in my day, though. I even recall spotting my first fluorescent cast. A late 80's innovation, I believe.

The closest I came to this type of celebrity was when I had stitches on my hand, a pumpkin carving escapade, in the 3rd grade and a boy name Jacob helped me put my coat on and take if off again after recess. I wasn't popular. I wasn't even liked, that I can recall. I wanted to be liked. I wanted to be popular. Having a cast would have meant that I possessed the shiny object necessary to mesmerize the kids at school for a few brief moments. Even after the celebrity faded, I would have the signatures to wear around for a couple of days or weeks before the cast would be taken off.

Always ambitious, I thought I thought that my cast would catapult me to permanent popularity. I would have a reason to talk to the other kids. Once they talked to me, they would like me, of course, and my arm would become my membership card to the world of social normality. Once ingratiated, I would remain in this place, even without my plaster fortification.

It is sad to think that I wanted part of myself to be broken in order to get attention. To be liked, even briefly, by the cool kids. I am happy, as an adult, to be whole. I am happier still to be married to a funny, thoughtful and equally odd man. Entirely whole, entirely complete.

Last year was the leather anniversary, and Kristoff added Tobasco to our retro animal collection. Next year will be the wood anniversary. I am secretly hoping that we will get this as our wooden gift to ourselves, but I am sure that K. will come up with something fun.

Yesterday, we celebrated our linen anniversary! Plagued with my strong bones, K's gift is that he will make my dreams of a cast clad arm come true.  (No domestic violence, no broken bones...) He told me that his cast making supplies contain linen and that he has been inspired to make this macabre dream come true for a while now, since I shrieked with glee when he mentioned putting on this first cast at work. How creative and terrifically strange. We will document the event with plenty of pictures.

Maybe, if I am lucky, I will be able to get him to sign it!

I will sign it. Why not?

<Worth noting... perhaps it makes this all seem less weird, but K. has almost completely decided to become an Orthopedic surgeon... so it is kind of like homework for him...>

Stripes

Hours of entertainment:  Random Stripe Generator.  I love this thing.  It makes me want to knit knit knit in only stripes.  For someone so addicted to yarn, I love this idea.  It means that I get to buy hundreds of balls of yarn and only use little bits at a time.

Muppet Personality Test

Susan, I am very statisfied with the results... what are you?  <I think K. would be Animal.>

You Are Kermit

Hi, ho! Lovable and friendly, you get along well with everyone you know. You're a big thinker, and sometimes you over think life's problems. Don't worry - everyone know's it's not easy being green. Just remember, time's fun when you're having flies!

The Muppet Personality Test

<Editted to add that K. got Dr. Bunson.>

Happy Anniversary

SG,

Usually when people title a post with "Happy Anniversary"  it is in reference to their blog-iversay.  Well, this is in reference to your wedding anniversary, in case you didn't know.  I forgot until this afternoon and then I remembered, first that it is Darby's B-day and then that it is your anniversary.  I hope that you have something nice planned.  As you know, ours is next Thursday.  K. has a huge exam Friday morning, so we are planning to just celebrate Friday night.  When we visit, the four of us should go out to a nice restaurant and toast another year of wedded bliss.

On to a subject that occupies much of our thought:  vocation, profession, work... My brother Jonathan just accepted a new job at the Director of Market, Communications and Events at Larkin Street Youth Services.  What an incredible organization.  <I noticed that they have requests for clothing, so I was thinking that I might knit some hats, gloves and scarves.>  It is so great that Jonathan found this position and I am so happy for him and so proud that he will be helping such a worthy organization.  Between the good that I am sure he will do in this role and the work he continues to do through Pride, I feel like he has hit a stride and is realizing his dreams. 

So, yesterday Jonathan sent an email to my family letting everyone know about the position and my dad responded in a very heart-warming manner.  My dad pointed out that my grandfather would be proud that Jonathan was so clearly helping humanity and forwarding justice.  This really struck a cord with me.  It is true that my grandparents, parents and even my college instilled a sense that it is important to make a contribution and to give back to the world.  In part, I feel like this sense of duty has clouded my vision. 

At times I have felt that only doing some directly helping the community or academic in nature would fill this need.  I haven't been able to settle on the right venue.  Sometimes I think that I know what I want to study, that I have something to say about women in business, the failures of the Second Wave, so many things, but I then feel like it wouldn't be enough for me.  I worry that I will be put off by the personalities that I will encounter and feel trapped and sickened by having to focus so much on one area and make those choices one has to make when writing something academic in nature.  (I can't possibly discuss every point that I want and will be forced to focus, meaning that it will become challenging to broaden my thoughts and be more interdisciplinary at another a later time.)  I also feel like I am not smart enough. 

On the other side of the coin, I find myself interested in somewhat more artistic and creative venues.  I struggle to see how creating a knitting pattern empire or owning a store is making the type of contribution that I should make and, frankly, need to make.  My mom said that making people see something beautiful does contribute to the world.  I think this can be true, but I am not convinced it is true of me and that I can create for the world to see.

This brings me to a magazine that I purchased, which I think you should track down.  I bought the March 2006 edition of Country Living magazine.  It is the Women Entrepreneurs issue.  I haven't yet read all of articles, but the magazine has profiles of women who are pursuing artistic, creative exploits and <drum roll> actually making money doing it.  I am hoping that when I am finished reading all of the articles, I will feel inspired and motivated.  We will see!   There is an interview with Amy Butler, btw.

Yawn.  I don't like being sick.  Couldn't get into the doctors... will go tomorrow.  Hopefully drugs will help.

Take care,
Sarah