by Allison on January 26, 2012
in Feminism
“I think a big reason many girls shy away from calling themselves feminists is that they’re worried they won’t be able to live up to this idea of a Strong Woman, and that there’s no room in this club for anyone who isn’t 100% comfortable with herself all the time. You can totally be a feminist who has insecurities. Feminism isn’t about pretending we all feel like Wonder Woman, it’s about being honest when we don’t, and having the conversation on why that is.”
Tavi in How to Not Care What People Think of You
by Allison on January 25, 2012
in The Hoop
What I’m Reading: Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
“There’s something so universal about that sensation, the way running unites our two most primal impulses: fear and pleasure. We run when we’re scared, we run when we’re ecstatic, we run away from our problems and run around for a good time.”
I used to be a runner. No, really. I know. I used to love it. At some point, I lost my verve for it, it became less fun & I drifted to other endeavors (ie: hula hoop). I essentially retired my running shoes.
I was hooked by the storytelling. & being she-who-is-pro-bare-feet, I want to run again. It was a great book to remind us of the reason behind why we choose to do things. Choosing for pleasure & process rather than the goal or end point? Yes please.
It is amazing to read about ultra-marathoners & the athletes that are running 50+ consistently, on trails, on mountains, in the middle of the night…a half marathon was as far as I got & believe me, I felt it in the following days.
“If you don’t have answers to your problems after a four-hour run, you ain’t getting them.”
2012 Indie Travel Challenge
Have you ever studied or taken classes on a trip? What did you study, and perhaps more importantly, what did you learn while on that trip? What would you like to learn on your travels this year?
I have studied on trips. I have taken classes on trips. Part of this was bringing university work abroad with me & part of it is just the love of learning. My most notable class I’ve taken while traveling was a cooking class in Paris in 2005 – in which my travel companion & I perused the farmers market, bought fresh ingredients & were ushered back to a personal (& gorgeous) kitchen.
That part of the trip was also of interest as I was the only vegetarian in a decidedly non-vegetarian cooking class. But there was still plenty for me to do as a sous-chef.
The funny (& difficult) part was explaining why I am a vegetarian. Most of the time when people ask, they want to know whether it is ethical-based, compassion-based, health-based, etc. But when I was in Paris – people wanted to know why I would ever choose to limit the choices of delicious things I could have. It caught me more off guard than any other questions I’ve received about my vegetarianism.
What I learned? I tasted a radish that was so delicious by itself, it might have spoiled me forever. I finally understood what really good (& expensive) balsamic vinegar was – & why a drop on a single raspberry could be just enough.
I’m not sure if I have my eyes set on any specific learning for traveling this year. I would like to become a more relaxed traveler & do some ‘at home’ work to learn more vocabulary in different languages.
by Allison on January 19, 2012
in Feminism
Today while on a streetcar – I heard “I don’t think women are funny” actually spoken aloud by someone. Before you start looking for a news article detailing a 20-something’s-descent into a Wolverine-style craze, take a deep breath – I was fine. I felt like I was seeing a mythical creature.
The unicorn went on to describe how he just “didn’t get” the humor of women to his friend, who was nodding absently along.
When (recently departed) Christopher Hitchens wrote the reactive Vanity Fair article, “Why Women Aren’t Funny” – I’m sure women everywhere rolled their eyes. It led to the follow-up article (also from Vanity Fair) – “Who Says Women Aren’t Funny?” which stated…well, the notion that 50% of the population is inherently unfunny is…laughable.
So why do we keep talking about it? Why does it keep coming up?
Because of articles like this, discussing Eddie Brill – the gatekeeper of comedy at the Letterman show that reveals that only one female comic was booked in 2011. The same man who says, “There are a lot less female comics who are authentic; I see a lot of female comics who to please an audience will act like men.”
Oh.
Okay.
It is exhausting explaining that men and women are funny in a lot of different ways.
The follow-up both reassures & frustrates me. Eddie Brill has, as a result of this fiasco, lost his job as Letterman’s comedy booker. But will most likely continue to warm-up the audience pre-show.
Oh.
Okay.
Remember when I mentioned back in the fall how anticipatory I was for the release of Mindy Kaling’s book? Well, it didn’t disappoint. I pretty much devoured it. Also, I now believe that Mindy Kaling has made it onto the list of, “People I Think I Would Be Friends With If I Were Given the Chance” (blog post forthcoming). If my previous post, other hype (she was on Good Morning America next to Bill Clinton, for goodness sakes), or the next quote doesn’t entice you into reading it…you might be a lost cause.
“Teenage girls, please don’t worry about being super popular in high school, or being the best actress in high school, or the best athlete. Not only do people not care about any of that the second you graduate, but when you get older, if you reference your successes in high school too much, it actually makes you look kind of pitiful, like some babbling old Tennessee Williams character with nothing else going on in her current life. What I’ve noticed is that almost no one who was a big star in high school is also big star later in life. For us overlooked kids, it’s so wonderfully fair.”
This is the face of a dog who loves a good walk.
This is the unsuspecting scene of someone who thinks it is a good idea to bring her little camera on a snowy walk in the woods of Colorado with aforementioned dog. Someone who is a little chilly but has no idea that her dog is about to sense an imaginary elk off in the distance & knock her camera to the icy ground, rendering it useless.
C’est la vie, little camera. Time to save up for something new!
Remember last week’s entry about the 2012 Indie Travel Challenge?
It’s time for Week #2, baby.
Are you an indie traveler? What do you think makes someone an indie traveler? What does indie travel mean to you?
Some types of titles I welcome more readily into my life. I like any instance when I’m described as Wonder-Woman-esque. I am a hot beverage drinker (hot cocoa, coffee, tea – I don’t discriminate) I’m a Capricorn.
It is easier to live within the boxes & the labels we have chosen ourselves but it doesn’t mean that they are any less confining. I don’t really know if I’m an indie traveler – but whether or not I am, I still plan on continuing to travel & seek out the experiences that interest me.
Maybe that’s one of the core beliefs – the personalized checklist. I want to stay at the Library Hotel in Manhattan. I want to pick a fresh mango. I want to see a kakapo. Wanting to see the things you’ve been told about your whole life as well as the quirky endeavors that have sculpted your personality isn’t indie or independent. It does, however, exhibit a drive oriented around self, connection, & fulfillment.
- Presents. (Subcategory underneath “surprises”). I don’t like unwrapping presents. There is that moment where the ______ is unveiled & I realize what it is. I like it. I gush about how much I like it. I fawn over it & start wearing it on my head. Or…maybe I hate it. & I start absurdly babbling about great it is & how on earth did they know this was exactly what I need. Or what if I don’t really understand what it is. What if they have packed it in a box that is something completely different than what the box actually contains? Maybe I started to react too soon. & now I have to continue before I even see the item. Do I react subtly? Do I react over-the-top? Perhaps a stunned silence could be appropriate. It has to make sense in relation to any other presents they might have seen you open on the scale of gladness. (The holidays are a tumultuous time for me, you can imagine.)
- When someone keeps the door open for you as you just happen to exit simultaneously & then you both start walking the same direction. & then all of a sudden you’re walking with a stranger but since they held the door open – there is this feeling of kinship like you can’t just shun them because then you’re the rude one. They held the door for you! What are you, some sort of monster?
- When I was younger, I used to be anxious about potentially being murdered. But I consoled myself with the knowledge that Jessica Fletcher would solve the case & give my family + friends closure – so it would all be okay.
I give myself this pep talk more often than not.
It can feel so difficult. It is feeling so difficult, right this very moment. But you know what? All these qualities that set you apart from others – that make you ? They were developed because of this marathon endurance test.
You & me? We’re not sprinters. I was never a sprinter. I tried (oh, did I try) but I am not built for fast speed & short distances. I’m endurance. I’m about wrinkling my nose, putting my head down, & leaning into the wind. I am ‘slow but steady wins the race’, even if the bunny is more cute. I’m less 100-meter-dash & more half-marathon.
& being a long distance runner is worth it when the winds die down & a moment of joy breaks through.
I promise.
Capricorn. Girl Detective. Lover of fruit. Hoop aficionado.
