Melissa in a bucket

Almost a year

2008-08-13T18:16:00.002-04:00

It has been a year since I last posted on this blog--we just celebrated another anniversary. In St. Louis, where we moved about a month ago. Matt has a new job and we have a new apartment to unpack. Matt's birthday is coming up and we are going to the Rams game for his present from me. It is nice to get to do city things again. We moved to Soulard, the french district of St. Louis which resembles New Orleans. It is very dog friendly, and we like walking Boss around the area. Matt starts school in a couple of weeks so we have a little bit of time to get things settled, and then start a new routine. I dreaded the idea of moving again but now is a very exciting time full of new possibilities.

It is my wedding anniversary

2007-08-03T03:26:00.000-04:00

So I made a movie honoring it. It was hard to find pictures of both of us because usually one of use is holding the camera--vow to self, more couple pictures this year.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

My Nephew Daniel's Summer 2007

2007-08-01T18:21:00.000-04:00

My sister also has a stepson the same age as Britin, 6, and they got to spend lots of time together this summer. She uploaded a whole bunch of photos chronicling his summer, which overlaps with ours, and I made it into a new montage.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Britin's Perspective on this Summer

2007-07-22T19:31:00.000-04:00

With Britin, we got to go lots of places--Houston, Schlitterbaun in New Braunfels, Cedar Point, Cleveland, numerous musuems, Missouri, etc. And during these various travels, Britin has either taken photos of his experience, or asked me to use his camera to capture him in action. I put these photos into a cute little video:

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A playlist in honor of Sarah's Birthday

2007-05-20T01:52:00.000-04:00

SeeqPod Music beta - Playable Search

Clever Name Meme Borrowed from Sarah

2007-05-15T21:28:00.000-04:00

1. YOUR REAL NAME: Melissa.

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first 3 letters of real name plus izzle): Melizzle.

3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color plus favorite animal:) Blue Cat.

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name plus street you live on) Beth McEwan.

5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name, first 3 letters of mom's maiden name): Milmecon.

6. YOUR SUPERHERO NAME: (Second favorite color with favorite drink) Green Coke.

7. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (Men: father's middle name and mother's middle name; Women: mother's middle name and father's middle name): Carol Preston.

8. YOUR GOTH NAME: (black, and the name of one your pets): Black Milo.

9. YOUR PORN STAR NAME: (the name of your childhood pet and the street you grew up on): Super Cat Albans

New Car Announcement!

2007-05-07T23:41:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow our new car will be delivered to us--a 2007 HHR in the color imperial blue. Here is a sneak peak of the new car...real pictures of us posing with the new car will be forthcoming.

Mr. Snazzypants

2007-05-04T13:52:00.000-04:00

My friend Sarah has a friend named Deb who has started to design and sell t-shirts for fun. I liked Mr. Snazzypants, the cute guy below in/on pink, and decided to order myself my own version.

She has other cute designs you can find at this site.

I am looking forward to looking snazzy in my mr. snazzypants who wears no pants. :-)

Cameron Crowe isn't allowed to "say anything" anymore

2007-04-29T10:30:00.001-04:00

While others might say that John Hugh represented Gen X youth, I have staunchly been a fan of Cameron's work. In fact, I have a poster of "Say Anything" in my bedroom. When I look back his movies, I realize that there were always quirky characters, quirky dialogue, but otherwise fairly mainstream genre appropriate. Like Hugh's work, what has made Crowe such a voice for a generation is it predictability, at least in sentiment. His movies supposed to make us feel warm and fuzzy--and familiar.

Well, he decided to go the odd director route forcing beyond cute characters into the self-indulgent parade of oddballs. This movie is a romantic comedy, it is built on the idea of the woman forgiving or accepting of the man's fuilures. The movie setup is familiar --it is just a really bad Cameron Crowe movie.

Thank god he is married to Nancy Wilson, who packs the movie with so much good movie, as my husband noted--close your eyes, and the movie is a pretty cool mix-tape, but, that is about all.

Fairly Accurate

2007-04-28T12:28:00.001-04:00

LJ Friends Meme by coolerq

• You must tell 31 people about this game.
• Matt is the one that you love.
• Chia is one you like but can't work out.
• You care most about Britin.
• Lindy is the one who knows you very well.
• Sarah is your lucky star.
• Time After Time is the song that matches with Matt.
• Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is the song for Chia.
• Complicated is the song that tells you most about YOUR mind.
• and Hey, Jude is the song telling you how you feel about life
Take this quiz

Another montage I have been meaning to put up

2007-04-21T20:10:00.000-04:00

Here is a collection of photos from my vacation with Matt during Valentine's Day!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I am so behind...pictures from Christmas 2006

2007-04-21T19:29:00.000-04:00

I put up pictures taken by Britin, these are pictures that I took:

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Britin's Christmas Perspective

2007-01-03T10:06:00.000-05:00

One of the gifts we got Britin was a Fisher Price digital camera. I have created a montage below, of all the photos he took this Christmas. It is interesting to see the world through the eyes of a six year old.

Photo and video editing at onetruemedia.com

Merry Christmas, Daisy (and Sarah and Mark)

2006-12-22T19:58:00.000-05:00

In honor of Daisy, I have made a playlist for her--all the songs mention either Daisy/ies or Baby/ies in the lyrics of the songs. They are a varied mix, and hopefully a fun music experience.

Click Here to Share Your Music

Presenting the birth of "Old Skool"

2006-12-09T22:00:00.000-05:00

Matt has joined a band called, "Old Skool" and here is a short video showing the new band.

Photo and video editing at onetruemedia.com

Where have I been?

2006-11-26T18:09:00.000-05:00

Matt and I went away for Thanksgiving, and then went shopping on Black Friday. However, that is only partly where I have been...I have also been obsessed with my new early Christmas present: an I-pod Shuffle! I have spent copious amounts of time putting songs on my ipod, and I am going to share my eclectic playlist--

100 Years Five For Fighting
121 Like A Virgin Moulin Rouge
20th Century Boy Placebo
6 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Musical Soundtrack - I'm Under Your Spell
8. Walk Through the Fire - Buffy Musical
Alanis Morrisette - Uninvited (City of Angels)
Amanda Abizaid - A Place In Time (Extended) Amanda Abizaid
Angels Wax Poetic
Angry Johnny Poe
As Long As You're Mine Wicked
Avril Lavigne - Avril Lavigne - Fall To Peices Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne - Complicated
Avril Lavigne - Skater Boy Avril Lavigne
Be Alive Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast
Beautiful Girl Poe
Blue (Da Ba Dee) Eiffel 65
Buffy Musical - Walk Through The Fire
Buffy the Musical - Let me rest in peace!!! Buffy The Vampire Slayer Cast
Buffy The Vampire Slayer - I'm Under Your Spell
Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Musical - 07 - Sweets Song
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Rest in Peace
Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Musical) - I've Got A Theory
Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Soundtrack) - Full Of Grace - Sarah Mclaughlin
Buffy The Vampire Slayer The Musical - I Wish I could Stay buffy
Caress Me Down Sublime
Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya, Pink & Missy Elliot - Lady Marmalade (Moulin Rouge SdTk)
cindy louper - cyndi lauper - time after time
City of angels Red Hot Chili Peppers
Clocks Coldplay
Come What May Nicole Kidman Ewan Mcgregor
Crazy Bitch Buckcherry
Dance Trance Dido - You Take My Breath Away - DJ Tiesto Vocal Mix
Dave Matthews Band - When the world ends (Paul Oakenfeld remix) Dave Matthews Band
David Gray - Babylon David Gray
David Gray - Best I Ever Had David Gray
David Gray - Sail Away
David Gray - Say hello wave goodbye David Gray
David Gray - The Girl Next Door Soundtrack - David Grey - This Years Love David Gray
Dear Prudence Siouxsie And The Banshees
Deep Blue Something - Breakfast At Tiffanys
Dido-White Flag
Dido - I'm No Angel Dido
Dido & Enya - Here With Me (Remix) Dido & Enya
DNA - Susan Vega - Toms Diner DNA - Susan Vega
Drawn to the Fire Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast
Edge Of The Ocean Ivy
Elephant Love Song Medley Nicole Kidman Ewan Mcgregor Jamie Allen
Elevator Beat Nancy Wilson
Enigma - Black Moon Dance.mp3 Enigma
Enigma - Return to Innocence Enigma
Enya - Water Voices (Help You Sleep) Enya
Fame Irene Cara
Far Away Nickelback
Fight Club Soundtrack - The Dust Brothers - 11 - Chemical Burn
Five For Fighting - The Riddle (You & I) Five For Fighting
Fools Like Me Lisa Loeb
Going Through the Motions Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast
Goodbye Love Jonathan Larson
Goodbye to You Michele Branch
Grace Kate Havnevik
Greys Anatomy - Snow Patrol - Somewhere A Clock Is Ticking snow patrol
Haunted Poe
Haunted The Pogues and Sinead O'Connor
haunted
Hong Kong Garden Siouxsie and the Banshees
I'll Be Mrs - Anya's Lost Song - 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' the Musical - Once More With Feeling Buffy
I'll Never Tell Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast
I'll Stop the World and Melt With You The Cure
I Fall Apart - Julianna Gianni Various Artists
I Should Tell You Rent
If I Fell in Love With You (Acoustic) Maroon 5
In The Sun (feat. Michael Stipe) Coldplay feat. Michael Stipe
In This World Moby
Jamiroquai - Just Dance (Napolean Dynamite Soundtrack)
January Rain David Gray
John Mayer - I Don't Trust Myself(with you) John Mayer
Just One Breath Devics
Ladytron Venus In Furs & Radiohead
Last Kiss Goodbye Jeff Buckley
Leftfield & African Bambaataa - Afrika Shox Various Artists
Life's a show Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Life for rent Dido
Life Is Short Butterfly Boucher
Looper - Mondo '77 Various Artists
Love Lifts Us Up Where We Belong Moulin Rouge
lovecats
Marble Halls Enya
Mark Z Danielewski - Amazed / Just Another Drive / Hey Pretty Mark Z Danielewski
Maroon 5 - This Love Maroon 5
Matrix - Take The Red Pill, Take The Blue Pill (Techno Remix
Matrix Theme Rage Against the Machine
Michelle Branch & Avril Lavigne - Goodbye To You (Buffy)
Mona Lisa Overdrive Juno Reactor and Don Davis
Mondo'77 Looper
Moulin Rouge - All You Need is Love
Moulin Rouge - Lady Marmalade (Christina Aguilera, Mya, Lil' Kim, Pink, Missy Elliot) Christina Aquilera
Moulin Rouge Soundtrack - Your Song (Ewan McGregor)
Mouline Rouge - I hope you don't mind
Movie Soundtracks - Enya - Matrix Theme Techno Remix
Mulder And Scully Catatonia
Multiple - Almost Famous Soundtrack Tiny Multiple
My Own Summer Deftones
Naked As We Came Iron and Wine
Nature Boy David Bowie And Massive Attack
Needle in the Camel's Eye Brian Eno
Never Get Old Sinead O'Conner & Enya
New Intro [Score] Buffy the Vampire Slayer Musical
niptuck - Catatonia - Road Rage Actatonia
NipTuck - Jaydee - Plastic Dreams
NIPTUCK Poloroid - Nip Tuck Soundtrack - So Damn Beautiful
Njosnavelin (Nothing Song) Sigur Ros
Nobody Knows (Theme Song) Dido
Nothing Hurts [Live][*] Catatonia
One Song Glory Rent OST
Only Time (Radio Edit) Enya
Only Time (Radio Edit) Enya
Over The Moon Rent
Overture Instrumental
Peter Gabriel - I Grieve - City of Angels Soundtrack
Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill Various Artists
Placebo - Where is My Mind (Fight Club) Placebo
Please Forgive Me David Gray
Poe - 10 Things I Hate About You - I Want You To Want Me
Poe - A Rose Is A Rose Poe
Poe - Center of the Sun Poe
Poe - Choking The Cherry Poe
Poe - Hello - 10 - Junkie Poe
Poe - Poe - Fly Away Poe
poe - Poe - The Abuse poe
poe_hello
Porpoise Song Monkees, The
Psapp - Cosy in the Rocket Psapp
Psychedelic Furs - Pretty In Pink
Red House Painters - Have You Forgotten (Vanilla Sky Soundtrack)
Rent - Out Tonight Rent
Rise & Shine Poe
Sarah McLaughlin - In The Arms Of An Angel (City Of Angels Soundtrack)
Save Me Jem
Seasons of Love Stevie Wonder/Cast
She Will Be Loved Maroon 5
Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares To You
Sinead O'Connor & Peter Gabriel & Sting - Don't Give Up [Live - Unreleased]
Song beneath the song Maria Taylor
Soundtrack-Fight Club Opening Theme Nine Inch Nails
Spanish Doll Poe
Standing in the Way Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast
Suggestions, The - Birthday Girl Into The Sun Suggestions, The
Sunday Mornings Maroon 5
Superman
Sweet's Song (Reprise) Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast
Sweetness Follows REM
swing
Thank You Dido
The Buzz 1 - 15 - Barenaked Ladies - One Week
The Cure - Come on Eileen The Cure
The Edge Of The Ocean Ivy
The Engine Room - 01-A Perfect Lie (Theme Song) (Gabriel & Dresden Remix) The Engine Room
The Matrix - Lobby Scene Moby
The Matrix Theme ATB vs ALICE DJ
The Ultimate Fuck Song Moby
The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony
Thirteen Senses - Into The Fire Thirteen Senses
Time After Time Matchbox 20
Today Poe
Tori Amos - Kissing In The Rain - Great Expectations Soundtrack
Tori Amos & Ani Difranco - Silent All These Years
Train - Drops of Jupiter
triggerhappypoe
Trust Me The Fray
Unwell Matchbox Twenty
Unwritten Natasha Bedingfield
Vanilla Sky Paul McCartney
Vanilla Sky Radiohead
Vanilla Sky - Nancy Wilson - I wish You Love
Wake Up Rage Against The Machine
Walk the Walk Poe
What Is This Feeling Wicked
Where Do I Begin The Chemical Brothers
Where Do We Go From Here? Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast
Why Can't I Be You - The Lovecats The Cure
Wicked - Defying Gravity Wicked
Wild Poe - Haunted
Wish I Could Stay Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast
You're Beautiful James Blunt
Your Body Is a Wonderland John Mayer
Your Song (Ewan McGregor) Moulin Rouge Soundtrack

Lazy Saturday

2006-11-18T14:44:00.000-05:00

Okay, let's start with some theme music...make sure my Kitty Saga music on the next post is turned off, so you can rock with some funky music that I think is a good Saturday theme song...
Thanksgiving is next week, but I feel like starting my holiday a bit earlier, in between cleaning house. Matt is a new band, which entails a bunch of confirmed bachelors (who have been divorced twice) playing out in the middle of nowhere. As long as it makes him happy! Otherwise, I know no details and am just waiting home like a good wife. He did notice that the confirmed bachelor-pad had no towel in the bathroom...I kidded him that is why you should live with a girl, to make sure you have dry hands.

One of the things I have done to amuse myself these last few days...look up pictures of fat cats--I am partial to them because Milo is a chunky monkey, although, he looks positively slim compared to these images:

Please note, these are not my cats...I got these images off the internet!

Here is a really cute website for cats -- I tested it out on Milo and Catspurr and it is funny to watch them be excited about something on the computer screen.

How did my blog entry turn into something all about cats anyway? Lazy Saturday...

The Kitty Saga

2006-11-10T23:52:00.001-05:00

Snow Scenes

2006-11-10T23:52:00.000-05:00

The above is the view of our downtown where it is snowing; I am not sure if anyone can tell tha it is snowing. Snow and flashes don't mix well.
This is taken from my bedroom window overlooking the parking lot. You can definitely see snow (and footprints) but it looks more like sand so me because of the lighting! This is just the affects of a snow-flurry...in the next few days, I expect that I will be able to deliver LEGIT snow pictures.

My sister and brother-in-law go halloweenie

2006-10-29T12:11:00.001-05:00

Lindy and Chia are dressed as a plug and outlet for Halloween 2006. I thought it was a clever costume! :)

Why Postfeminism? and more random updates

2006-10-29T12:11:00.000-05:00

Sarah asked a good question that I don't think I can adequately answer, but I will try :) She asked why postfeminism is needed as a term or belief system when feminism still exists. I think this question perhaps makes even more sense if the post in postfeminism is amplified, in that it comes after feminism, and perhaps marks the premature notion of the death of feminism. But, if we ignore that, and perhaps even bring in the term third wave feminism, in which feminism's aims are seen generationally and to reflect different challenges and goals of women, then maybe postfeminism as a term makes sense?

Susannah Breslin reflects this idea when she says, "For women born in 1968, like myself, feminism does not, cannot, and will not be of the same relevance or meaning to me as it was to my mother who took part. Simply generationally, we are postfeminist." (http://www.altx.com/EBR/BRESLIN.HTM)

I find this explanation, however, to be lacking, that postfeminism is just "not my mother's feminism." Especially because the aims of feminism haven't all been met, nor is the political aspect of feminism "dead."

On the otherhand, I don't agree that "postfeminism doesn't exist" just because feminism still exists. But, why do we need both terms? At "Ask Amy" http://www.feminist.com/askamy/feminism/fem185.html, the writer advises that she thinks it is premature to discuss postfeminism because feminism still exists.

So lots of definition problems, even the problem of why we even need the term!

I was more interested in the fact that postfeminism is being discussed, and perhaps could be a neat twist on the feminist discussions in composition theory that perhaps naively, I didn't consider why postfeminism exists or should exist. I mentioned that I found it useful in a classroom situation because it got students interested in feminism in a sneaky way, in an earlier post. That is one practical consideration, but I don't think really answers Sarah's question, either.

I just got a book on postfeminism as an aspect of postmodernism, and so I want to read this because I think from an academic perspective, this has more promise than the political debate pitting feminism/postfeminism. Maybe it might get to a closer answer to Sarah's question!

Anyway, this week I am tired! I think I mentioned that students turned in their midterm essays/exams...meaning lots of grading for me. This week I am hosting transformative learning podcasts on the subject women and transformative learning...meaning less time for grading for me. I was so exhausted this week that I barely watched television and then Friday night I watched a bunch of shows on the internet. Such a hard life, I know.

Postfeminism #3.2

2006-10-21T22:25:00.001-04:00

The postfeminists who want to go back to the way life was or imagined before feminism have ideologies that predate feminism and thus mirror a postmodernism that is pre-modernism. In "backlash," Maria Damon explains the idea that postfeminism does not mean an end of feminism when she says, "Perhaps a useful way to think of postfeminism is to assume that "post," as in "post-Romantic," "post-Enlightenment," "post-modern," "post-colonial," does not point to a complete rupture with the term that follows the hyphen so much as a genealogy that implies revision or strong family resemblance." However, she also claims that the term "third wave feminism" is more accurate a term than postfeminism, although I believe that the idea of successive waves is more of a chronological statement in a sense--yet, some do use the terms interchangeably.

Even if postfeminist does not reflect an ideological backlash against feminism, the fact is that general public does not identify or appreciate the traditional idea of feminism:

In 1998, a Time/CNN poll revealed that a mere 28% of the women surveyed believed feminism was relevant to them personally , and 43% actually held an unfavourable opinion of feminism, compared to 29% less than a decade ago ( "Public Opinion Turns Against Feminism." Issues and Controversies. 25 May 2001: Facts On File News Services. 7 Mar. 2002 http://www.2facts.com/ICOF/Search/ib501250).

Not only do women distance from themselves from the concept of feminism, as Susan J. Douglas points out, many women actually blame feminism for their problems because "it has made millions of women unhappy, unfeminine, childless, lonely, and bitter, prompting them to fill their closets with combat boots and really bad India print skirts." (Manufacturing Postfeminism, http://www.alternet.org/story/13118/) In teaching, in fact, I have found this to be an opinion held by my female students and they find postfeminism as a term to be appealing, without knowing what it meant, and in fact it would end up being a backdoor for them to better understand the role of feminism in getting them to where they were (just being able to go to college, for example).

Douglas also claims that postfeminism is a term propogated by the right and reflects a culturally conservative shift since the 1980s. I am not sure if the term itself can be blamed, however, the negative perception and backlash against feminism might be the result of the conservative turn in America, and might open the door for theories which extend/challenge feminism (especially that postfeminism that idealizes the period pre-feminism.) However, this doesn't explain the usefulness of postfeminism as a concept, especially in terms of explaining the field of composition studies that reflects or should reflect or challenge feminism.

I promised to get to a discussion of composition studies and postfeminism--I really need to move this definition of postfeminism into this promised discussion, but it will have be something I will do later!

Postfeminism #3.1 and Update

2006-10-21T22:25:00.000-04:00

First, for the update. It is the middle of the semester--I just gave out the midterm exam for the Humanities class I am teaching, and I am starting to think about the end of the semester.

Matt and I are staying in Michigan for Thanksgiving, although we are thinking of going down south, eat out that day and stay over in a hotel somewhere. It looks like my mom, my sister, my brother-in-law, my nephew and my step-son are driving up from Texas for part of Christmas break. That should be lots of fun!

Today was Sweetest Day, which I am not sure is a real holiday--according to Wikipedia, it is primarily celebrated in the Northeast. Regardless, Matt and I were extra sweet to each other yesterday and today: yesterday (Friday) we went to the Midland mall--we realized we hadn't been to a real mall in over two years. We bought Matt a bunch of clothes and we both got some books to read...I got books by Maxine Hong Kingston, Orson Scott Card, and Gregory Maguire (the author of the hit Broadway play "Wicked").

I wanted to do some more thinking/writing about Postfeminism in this blog post. I added to the wikipedia entry on postfeminism because it said that it was a collection of theories, all of which were opposed to feminism. I said that SOME were opposed to feminism, but others claimed that feminism should be extended to reflect the changing expectations and experiences of women. I could see even that claim as being problematic for feminist theoriests in that feminism should be adaptable or relevant no matter the changes, but I do think that because feminism has political aims that can be reached, there has to be accounting for 1) what happens when the aims are met and 2) what happens when the aims change, and that postfeminism can be this accounting. Plus, if feminism reflects a modernist perspective and postfeminism reflects more of a postmodernist perspective, then a division between the two are important and must be explored.

Anyway, I wanted to explore more the relationship of postfeminism to feminism, especially in terms of composition studies, and also bring in more outside sources in this discussion. I ordered a whole bunch of books that should help me, but in the meantime I'll just concentrate on internet sources.

First of all, according to the Guerrila Girls on the "backlash" discussion at http://www.altx.com/EBR/EBR3/forum/pofem.htm, "I don't think much of postfeminism at all because I don't think that feminism has really gotten done enough to give way to postfeminism. The goals of feminism haven't been reached." Further, Deb Margolin says, " I don't buy postfeminism at all," and claims that it is a term that comes out of a feminist backlash. She also points out that many goals of feminism, such as abortion rights, have not only not been met, but that our society has gone backwards in terms of those goals. Both of these women seem to be saying that postfeminism means an end of feminism, although I don't think that has to be true. Hans Kellner pointed out once in a class I took with him that postmodernism occurs at the same time as modernism, or perhaps even beforehand, and I think the same can be true of post/feminism.

to be continued in #3.2

Postfeminism #2

2006-10-15T14:00:00.000-04:00

Thank you Sarah, for your interest in this topic. I like the idea that you would be interested in hearing about the development of my ideas about postfeminism. Your feedback (and other people's as well) is greatly appreciated.

I agree that postfeminism can be defined as the end of feminism, although this is not a definition I am partial to. Obviously, feminism still is a political and ideological force in our culture, so it is patently false to say that feminism has ended (or "died"). Plus, I don't think that postfeminism has to mean that feminism should or has ended anyway, just as postmodernism doesn't mean that modernism has ended.

I like comparing postfeminism to postmodernism in the way that they may function. POMO is a debated term with many definitions, contexts, and usuages. I think that the depiction of POMO that seems parallel to POFEM is that POMO can be seen as an extension rather than a replacement of modernism. Also, modernism makes POMO possible, and is dependent on its existence. Also, POMO and modernism aren't chronological distinct periods, they overlap and perhaps don't fully occur successively. I think if you think of postfeminism in terms of being varied as a definition, an extension of feminism, dependent on feminism, and not chronologically distinct from each other, then the analogy between POMO and POFEM is really useful.

However, I do think there are people who categorize postfeminism as replacing feminism, and that there is a cultural backlash against postfeminism. I think that composition studies has wholeheartedly embraced feminism and built many composition theories on feminist thought, so this backlash will/has had an effect on composition studies and its reliance on feminism. I am more optimistic about feminism and its role in composition studies and believe it has a more positive relationship to postfeminism. Therefore, I don't think it has to undermine the advances made in composition studies based on feminist ideas, but perhaps supplement it. I think that postfeminism perhaps both problematizes and brings a richer perspective on feminism in composition studies.

Anyway, this has been helpful in terms of brainstorming! Hopefully it makes some sense...

It's snowing

2006-10-12T13:03:00.000-04:00

Yeah...seems like a Canadian coldfront is blowing our way. It seems remarkable considering that it is mid October. Here is a news article about snow here, but the pictures don't do our area justice--we have a lot more snow. I was just noticing the beautiful fall foliage and now it is all covered in white. Notice how cold it is according to the picture I got off of flicker.com I have no complaints--I actually like the cold weather in Michigan. It gives me an excuse to curl up and get warm, and perhaps even snuggle a bit. I bet the kitties, Milo and Catspurr, are enjoying a little bit of snuggle right now. It just occurred to me that today will be Catspurr's first viewing of snow. I wonder how he will react? He is already a crazy ADD cat so it might make him odder.

Needing to get on it

2006-10-05T13:17:00.000-04:00

Outside of teaching classes, tutoring, being a good Mommy to my cats, and being a good wife, I am supposed to be working on my dissertation prospectus in my role as a good graduate student. As an effort to get on this, I am devoting this blog entry to this goal. Obviously, one blog entry isn't enough time or energy for what needs to be done for this project, but I think it is a good start.

I am still in the brainstorming stage of my dissertation prospectus. I know that my most general topic/interest is about postfeminism and composition studies. I know that in order to discuss this, I have to explore feminism and composition studies. Right now, I have outlined mentally a number of ways feminist theory relates to composition studies, and I have identified a number of feminist issues in pedagogies of writing.

I think that the next step is to delineate how a postfeminist approach to composition studies would be separate from a feminist approach, whether it challenges feminism, is derivative of feminist ideas, depends on feminism, is an extension of feminism, or even exists. My inclination is to say that I have to explore all of the above.

Perhaps before I can explore the above, I have to answer the question of whether there really is a postfeminist perspective on composition studies? There have been some number of discussions about postfeminism in general, although not very consistent and in a mostly non-academic context. My gut feeling is that postfeminism can be applied to composition studies, but hasn't already been in academic circles.

But, if I go by gut feelings, this means that I am going to have to come up with a postfeminist approach to composition studies with little academic sources, and perhaps some general applications derived from a non-academic context. I would also have to show the reason why this application would be fruitful.

I guess I am struggling with is the idea of coming up with my own view of postfeminist composition studies.

Not much to say

2006-09-25T11:50:00.000-04:00

I don't have much to say but I was TIRED of seeing the bathroom habits quiz as my current post. Chomp. Chomp.

Bathroom Habits Quiz

2006-09-19T15:32:00.000-04:00

This is so not me. I had to post it because it is interesting...how can you judge someone by their bathroom habits anyway? Other than gross and ungross? Or lazy? But, this? Except for the last one, I think I have the bathroom habits of a stranger according to this strange quiz.

What Your Bathroom Habits Say About You

You are very independent and self-centered. You don't solve other people's problems - and you don't expect them to solve yours.

You spend a lot on clothes, and you tend to be a very dresser. However, it's hard for you to throw away trendy clothes when they go out of style.

You are a very outgoing person. You are true to yourself, and you never hold back.

In relationships, you tend to be very romantic and demanding. You'll treat your partner like gold, but you expect a lot in return.

What Do Your Bathroom Habits Say About You?

I am in the writing center right now, waiting to start work

2006-09-19T13:33:00.000-04:00

And there is nothing really to do but blog. Matt is doing his office hours...in his office. I hate these days where my schedule doesn't match up and I have to be at school even when I am not getting paid until my "shift" starts...don't ask me why my schedule is like that, it doesn't make sense to me either. Matt was working in the writing center earlier today, until he went to work in his office. Plus being the full-time professor god he is, he is the faculty English liason something or another (I actually may have made up that title but it is basically what he does) and works similar hours to me in the writing center--similar, but not exact, which would make life easier. He is technically in charge of me...sort of, the lines of power are a bit fuzzy, but I end up doing a lot of projects for him and his co-person, Bill. But, I wouldn't be working here at all if it wasn't for Matt--I mean, I would be back in Texas and never of heard of this school. Someone just came in to see the other tutor (it is a student of hers)...they are working on works cited.

I am sure no one would want a blow by blow of my life here in the writing center, so for my own jollies, I am going to put up cute photos/links. The photo of the dancing cat that I think looks like Catspurr always makes me happy when I go to my blog, so I wanted to see if I could find things like this, more of this, etc....

Here is a whole site devoted to cuteness:
http://www.cuteoverload.com/
Here is an example of its cuteness:

Cute...Kittens. Need I say more? http://www.cutelittlekittens.com/
Sample:

Time to go tutor!

It is 6:16pm on Weds...only 14 more minutes until

2006-09-13T18:21:00.000-04:00

my humanities class starts. I had a long day, because now I am also working in the writing center. That means more money! I had to get up at 9am instead of 10am. That might seem late to some, but I go to sleep after 1am most days. Tomorrow I have to work all day, and usually I spend the day at home. Two classes and 12 hours in the writing center. Not much of a housewife this semester!! Classes have been going well, kitties are happy...I am looking forward to project runway tonight. I am showing "The Corporation" tonight. If you feel up to it, check out the website for my classes:

hum200mid.blogspot.com

english111mid.blogspot.com

Ugh, I have to stay awake from my class...I have to go drag myself away from the computer....but my body is comfortable. Geez... :-)

Cats in the Mirror

2006-09-10T21:04:00.000-04:00

This image is one that Lindy sent me. I showed it and others to Catspurr and he was fascinated. Milo wouldn't wake up to see it. Catspurr, however, seems to like seeing cat images on the computer. Right now I am watching Design Star on HGTV...I haven't been following it, but the finales always recape things and it is much better that the Road to 911 stuff on the other channels. Matt is watching the Family Guy premiere in the other room. I might post more when/if this show gets boring.

PS

2006-09-02T01:49:00.001-04:00

In the pictures you might notice...my feet with mosquito bite scars on them from the summer...Matt's pants in the background, sitting there because Milo likes to lay on them...(plus shoes because Milo likes to lay on them too)..."Honk if you like southern rock" on the guitar case the cats are laying beside...The knocked over picture of Dallas (yes, a kitty act)...you might have noticed, might not...

Last Call!

2006-09-02T01:37:00.000-04:00

I hear drunk people! It is 1:34 AM here and we live right next to Ruckles Pier, a bar and grill, and it is not unusual to hear whoops and hollars in the front of our loft outside the windows. Ah, the days...Matt and I are being fuddy-duddies and watching Cable On Demand and chastising Catspurr for being hyper for getting into things but is being better right now by playing with stray styrofoam balls from the packing Matt was doing to send things off people won on ebay. I have just a flea collar on Catspurr and was looking for a new permenant one for him and nothing catches my eye. Milo has a red bow that fits his tuxedo cat self, one he has had forever and is pretty ragged, but I can't find any like his at stores or on ebay, so he will just have to live with it. Lindy's birthday was today!! I called her and sent her two presents I can't talk about because they are a surprise and they probably won't arrive at her house for awhile. Last year I sent her "Smuggy" panties, aka, underwear with "Smuggy" printed on them. I think it was for her birthday! We have a long weekend because it is labor day. Not too much of a big deal for us because we aren't into full swing of things and because we get Fridays off anyways. Below are three cat pictures...

School Started on Monday

2006-08-30T18:13:00.000-04:00

It is now Weds. I am teaching a humanities class tonight at 6:30pm. My last class, a freshman English class, ended at 4pm. I have just been hanging out, reading blogs, and I have a headache. I had the students work in the computer lab today and they have a blog-- english111.blogspot.com where they will be posting writing. It is linked to this account and my profile says, "I am a smuggy head." A student raised his hand and I came over to him and he said, "What's that?" and pointed to the smuggy head part. Embarressed, I just said, "That's something my husband and I say to each other." Luckily the student dropped the issue, probably relieved it wasn't some esoteric concept he would be tested on. I told Matt that he looked like an ex-military guy/IBM worker from the 1950s/Defense contractor from the 1950s...just needed a pocket protector. I don't think it made him happy, but he is wearing a shirt he picked out that is striped black and white, and it really looks...old fashioned. I told him he looked like he should be eating a tv dinner. Oh, well. :-) I know I have a meanstreak, probably influenced by the hunger induced headache. After class, Matt is taking me to dinner. YEAH! I was standing waiting for the elevator today and a student asked me if I was in English 111 (because I was holding the book for the class) and I said No, I am teaching the class! And, looking surprised, said I looked so young. I said I was 31 and she was like, No way! I thought walking away, "Yep, I got the wrinkles to prove it." But, I just got bangs again--and made my hair kind of purplish red even though on the box it was FIERY red--so it probably confused the student. Geez...a lot of nothing, but more than usual, happened today. Oh, and I found out we have On Demand...HBO movies, etc, for free whenever we want. That's nice because when we first got cable, I was told we didn't get that service in our area. We are in the same area, so they must have changed the policy. It was a random thing to find. Other news...hmmm, my sister is having a birthday on September 1st! Yeah, again! I actually have something in mind for her. I have ten minutes until class. I hate going to class and getting there early and sitting there while the students come in and it is dead silent. I am waiting for Matt to go down there and unlock the box with the VCR in it and set it up for me because I am showing a movie..."Learning from Ladoc." A boring but educational film. The class topic is "Globalization." Not my invention...the standard humanities topic here at MMCC. Anyway, that's all for now...curb my nervousnesss....

Hairy Bellies...A Song

2006-08-24T15:58:00.000-04:00

Hairy Bellies

You don't want to flaunt it, but you got a hairy belly
It is cozy in the winter and unslightly in the summer
You don't like to wax it, to smooth it out
Just accept it and maybe braid it, your hairy belly

It is hard when it is a sign of age, or covers a paunch,
but remember, if you shave it, you'll have a stubble belly
It makes a good place for a cat to snooze
and a fun place for static cling, your hairy belly

You can call it your sweater, or a beard for your tummy
Either way, you embrace it, and others will too
Just pat your hairy belly and smile at your manileness
Us woman couldn't get away with such a hairy belly!

Oh, Hairy Bellies....
We Adore you!

I am a fast-foodist

2006-08-13T18:46:00.000-04:00

This is something I wrote recently which I hope finds a home...Enjoy!

I am a fast foodist

I am ashamed to admit this elitist bent of mine; however, it is a fact: I am a fast bigoted against fast food workers. This isn’t to say that I avoid fast food establishments because of my fast foodism. However, I go in with a chip on my shoulder ready for a battle.

And whom might I battle? A semi-illiterate low income uninsured worker whose only skill is to ask, “Do you want fries with that?” Yes! You bet! I anticipate the messed up order and the discourteous behavior. I am not surprised and frankly it isn’t the type of thing that bothers me. I am bothered when fast food workers argue with me and refuse to see my logic. I am hungry and willing to pay, but not at the expense of my perceived dignity as an American consumer. I am the customer and I am right!

From the stereotypical notion of fast workers described by Eric Schlosser in his book that criticizes that fast food industry and its affect on our culture, he claims that fast food workers can not use creativity—all the food products are prepared or prepared to specific guidelines without any individual decision making allowed. Fundamentally, a fast food worker is interchangeable and he had in fact not been hired for any decision making ability. According to Schlosser, in Fast Food Nation, the "trait most valued in fast food workers is 'obedience.'”

Thus, it seems unfathomable, perhaps un-American, that a fast food worker can’t subscribe to this corporate aim to please and are more than willing to insist that I, the customer, am wrong and, in their eyes, probably an idiot. In contradiction to Schlosser, the fast food workers who I have argued with are not just obeying a prescribed set of rules. They have an interpretation of a rule that I disagree with, and in response, they don’t say, “I need to go speak to my manager.” To them, their internal judgment, internal authority, and ultimately their pride are what fuel this disagreement. If they were behaving in the stereotypical fast food worker mode, this situation would not occur. Ironically, I value independence and individuality--the fact that they dared to argue with me, an act of independence and individuality, should have endeared them to me.

But it doesn’t endear them to me. For example, at one Jack in the Box, there was a sign on the drive through window that said the store gave discounts for showing college IDs. When the person came to give me my order, I tried to show my ID card to the woman. She told me that I was supposed to mention this at the order window. I argued that the sign had not said this, all the while believing that she had simply made this part of the policy up. I refused to drive away or pay for the food until she gave me my ten percent discount. My husband sat in the passenger seat afraid they would call the police. Finally, I had a bright idea. I would drive back around and order again—this time mentioning my ID at the order window. The woman had no choice—I had outwitted a fast food worker! I have other examples in the same vein, but they all demonstrate my deep seated need to thwart the fast food worker’s authority.

It is important to note, I don’t ask to speak to the manager and thwart the fast food worker’s autonomy. It is mano to mano—one hungry customer at odds with the fast food worker who holds onto my food. I may have the money, but in a way that is very little ethos. I am also interchangeable—6 Billion times interchangeable according to McDonald’s. I have no solidarity. Customers behind me would throw me out for the fast food worker if it meant getting their food quicker. I have little power—except my reasoning ability. I can clearly explain my position and then perhaps I will get what I believe is a reasonable solution. No yelling. No cursing. Certainly no putdowns. I am the most annoying dissatisfied customer—I have “principles.”

Perhaps the root of my fast foodism, my bigotry towards fast food workers, is fueled by the flicker of humanity that I see when I do get into disagreements with the worker. Rise above your corporate structure, realize your human potential! But, I have to admit, this is tempered by the fact that I still want my fast food. I could see a time where fast food workers, enlightened and free, are replaced by ATM windows that give food instead of money. The process would be automated, so I wouldn’t have any existential issues with the service people. Did I mention that last week my ATM ate my card after 3 tries, when I swear I used the correct PIN? But, how can you argue with a machine?

The fact is, my fast foodism is probably not associated with an enlightened desire to see a fast food worker break out of his capitalist shackles. I think the real reason is that I don’t want them to argue when I give my interpretations of a coupon or ask for a discount. I want their blind allegiance to me. I want to skip away with glee and a bag of fries because I didn’t have to pay full price. I don’t want to deal with surly evidences of cracks in the cogs. I like my fast food experience to be smooth, uneventful, and forgettable. You wanna think? You wanna disagree? Get a college degree and some white collar job. But, if you want to be part of an exploitative chain gang, act your part. Know your place. These haunting thoughts are what allow me to bow to God of Fast Food Bigotry.

I am loathe to suggest a complex analysis of the economics of fast food—I am not sure if my own experiences represent anything larger or telling about the state that fast food workers are in. Primarily, I believe my story of fast foodism is more confessional and says more about myself than an economic or social conclusion that could be made. I think of myself as fairly open minded and not hateful. Probably, my best friends and acquaintances would never identify me as a fast foodist. Perhaps, I exhibit this bigotry only when I am at a particular altered state of hunger. There are those with road rage—a situational state of anger. I have fast food rage and as part of my road to recovery, the fast food window should be closed to me.

But, here I believe lies the boundary between addiction and bigotry. I get such a high from arguing with fast food workers, a high bolstered by my body’s hunger. It is a primal state of survival, where I must outwit the fast food worker so I can receive the endorphins that come from inducing alarming amounts of fat. Could there be a class action suit against these fast food companies, who profit off of my addiction? Alas, I would probably just use the monies I won to go back to the drive through window so as to try to outwit one more unwitting fast food worker.

I have tried to best characterize my bigotry—fast foodism is the best phrase I could come up with, however, I recognize that others use it to describe the cultural desire for fast food itself. That desire might be part of my fast foodism, but I don’t just want my greasy food hot and quickly, I want to be right! Now, all I have to find out is if there is a twelve step program out there for me.

I am Melissa.
I am a fast foodist.

Yeah, TV!

2006-08-07T21:35:00.000-04:00

I am looking forward to a number of shows starting up these next few weeks. Real shows, too...things I watch with Matt. Weeds...Nip/Tuck...two shows that come to mind that I am very much looking forward to.

I can't help it...so cute

2006-08-06T15:54:00.000-04:00

Catspurr and Milo have really started to bond. It is unusual to see two cats snuggling, especially so early in their relationship. The cuteness is mostly initiated by Catspurr, who really wants to be Milo's cat. He has started to sleep in bed with me and snuggle with me...and Milo seems to be a good sport about the whole thing!

Happy Anniversary to us...

2006-08-03T18:09:00.000-04:00

The past days we have been caught up in the heat wave and not wanting to move. Today, we actually walked around our little town...we were going to go up to St. Ignace to stay in a B & B but we postponed it until next week...this is good because today will probably be the only somewhat functionally human day we can enjoy in Clare. Thank you Sarah! Catspurr is handsome...he has also started to bond with Milo. I am glad I am back to blogging but I don't have high hopes for an audience...but thank you for reading (and commenting) Sarah...I think I owe you an email. I know you have been busy with Daisy, and really sitting at the computer has been impossible considering the heat. The North and Midwest is sweltering!

Introducing...Catspurr

2006-07-30T19:26:00.000-04:00

Waiting...

2006-07-27T12:54:00.000-04:00

Right now I am waiting for the cable guy to come reconnect our cable after we forgot to pay the bill while on our trip. He is supposed to come between 1-5 and it is currently 12:51. I have actually been awake since 9am and tried to go back to sleep because I was nervous about missing the cable guy. I have the cats locked up in the guest room in preparation and have been studying this morning. I haven't had anything to eat yet--I keep not wanting to get in the middle of something and have the cable guy come...probably a weird paranoia. Today, I am also having trouble with my doctor refilling a prescription...the nurse claims that I have an extra prescription floating around somewhere...the pharmacy does not know where that might be and says I don't have any more refills. All I want is my medication...and I will in fact have to walk to the pharmacy since Matt won't be back in town until Sunday...and the nurse keeps accusing me of losing pills, hoarding pills, or taking too many pills. I finally humored her and said maybe I lost a bottle of pills and so she is asking the doctor to get me a refill that will last until I see him again next week. HOW ANNOYING! Obviously, my vacation is over now that I am dealing with all this blah yukiness. And Matt is in Missouri and can't really help me with all this...UGH!

Okay, while I wait, I will put up a few more photos...I realize I might be talking to cyber air since it has been so long until this bloggingness...but oh well...

OKay, this is a pic of my mom and I on the ferry going to Mackinac Island in Northern Michigan on Lake Huron. It is 1pm now so that it all the picture I am going to put up so I am not caught unaware by the cable guy....

Finally back!

2006-07-26T15:50:00.000-04:00

After visiting Missouri and having my mother visit me here in Michigan, I am finally able to have time to blog! I also have pictures from all our visits. So, I am going to post a few:
1)Matt and Britin doing fire works in Missouri--for the first time Britin got to do fireworks, which are legal in Missouri. I watched and took pictures while Matt did the dangerous ones. 2)Britin with a sparkler--and Britin did the ones like smoke bombs and sparklers and lit things Matt let him 3)Britin with a bunny at a farm in Frankenmouth--Britin was scared of the animals and really did not like this bunny sitting on his lap. It was a small cute working farm and Britin kept trying to be in charge of the tour. 4)Britin looking exhausted on Mackinac Island--after so many days of adventure, he looks pooped on the way towards the ferry that will take us off this charming island on Lake Huron.

There are lots more photos...I still need to take a photo of our new kitty Catspurr and also post some pics of our newish apartment....

more soon....

I am bothered by this story

2006-05-05T18:57:00.000-04:00

Check this out. According to this article, McDonald's plans on restyling itself after an I-Pod. Nothing against I-pods, but the familiar is one of the good things about McDonald's. Nerp!

News Outside of Myself

2006-05-04T16:20:00.000-04:00

I tend to be very non-aware of the goingons in the world, but this week I have been paying attention to news, mostly via the internet, because the moving process has been so insular. So, I am listing various news items that I have found interesting...

Have you heard of the Harvard student who got caught plagiarizing in her novel that was published? For an English professsor, it really isn't that startling to hear that a student plagiarized--I don't feel shocked, or anything. In a way, it is the complete shock that I see in people that I think is newsworthy, more so than the plagiarism issue. There has been so many articles of late about this student, but here is one I ran across that came out yesterday.

Steve Colbert has some cojones! At least that is what some of the press is saying. I am a big fan of Colbert, and I like the idea of Bush being made uncomfortable, so I am tickled that Steve Colbert "lampooned" him in a speech right in front of the president--you can read the transcript here.

Okay, I saw this on the news, but it is so odd, of course I found an internet link: A 37 pound woman gave birth to a healthy normal sized baby. You have to see it to believe it.

For some international news...have you ever watched news while you were half-asleep, and incorporated it into your dreams? Well, I did this with the earthquake in Tonga news--I was watching CNN and trying to wake up and they were talking about the possibility of a tsunami. Well, I thought that a tsunami was going to hit us--in Michigan!--while I was dreaming. It was one of those dreams where you want to wake up so you can save yourself but you are too darn tired.

Enjoy the links!

The neverending move

2006-04-28T23:47:00.000-04:00

We are _still_ moving...I have been packing all week and it looks like the big stuff won't go out of the house until next weekend when we have help. I put a whole bunch of books for sale on ebay...it is an obsessive thing to see what has or hasn't sold. I thought it would be a neat idea to create a poll--the pulse of the bucket will be known:

Milo!

2006-04-18T20:44:00.000-04:00

Milo is mad that I am not petting him or feeding him. What kind of love is a photograph? Adoration, my dear Milo...

We're Moving

2006-04-17T18:25:00.000-04:00

Not far though...just a few blocks to the little downtown Clare in an apartment over a store. It has two bedrooms, hardwood floors, brick walls, etc. Matt has had his eye on it for a couple of months. We will finally escape the awful sewer smell the the landlord's son has tried to fix but it keeps coming back. Matt also bought me a mattress--I haven't slept on a mattress since I was in high school (we have slept on futons) this past weekend, so I will be able to have my new mattress/bedroom set when we move to our new place. Matt is eager--we get the keys this Thursday but he is already making us pack. I spent Sunday keying in books to sell on ebay. Ugh, Matt is listening to Lou Dobbs right now...I wonder if there is an anti-Lou Dobbs website...Oh, cool...they were just talking about it on his show...a website designed to get him off the air: http://hispanic.cc/ax_aol.htm

....Continued from last post

2006-04-13T13:22:00.000-04:00

Ah, the perils of only having one computer and dsl line! I was talking about our trip to Texas. One thing to note--we have Mexican food three times, not on purpose, in a row. Luckily there are lots of varieties of Mexican food so it didn't get tedious and it is almost impossible to get Mexican (especially Tex-Mex) here. Matt had a party to celebrate passing his comps and Britin and I bought him a cake with a baseball theme and wrote "Home Run" on it. Britin forced us to watch King Kong with him and it actually was pretty good, although predictable. There were scenes that were so gross, though, that I had to leave the room. I am feeling cheerier because there is only a few weeks left until summer and then I will have Matt and Britin to hang out with me and we can travel and do fun things. Perhaps even go someplace other than Texas! :-)

It looks like my blog has been acting weird

2006-04-13T12:00:00.000-04:00

Hopefully this post will fix it. I am back from Texas--and it has been nice enough here for me to take walks to our little downtown. It is nice not to feel so homebound--winter is beautiful here but it does make for cabin fever. Matt's conference presentation went very well--I thought his was the best that we saw :-) Easter is coming, and in the spirit of it, I saw a news article about these monster rabbits that are eating all the vegetable gardens. I think they are really cute and want a monster rabbit of my own. Here is the link about the story. Speaking of gardens, all my potted seedling plants are growing and I am so happy my mother gave me so many seeds and bulbs! Hmmm...I am trying to think of what we did interesting in Texas. We went to San Antonio and had Mexican food on the riverwalk--that was the extent of our touristy experience. Our hotel was ten blocks from the hotel where the conference was so we got to things while we walked about. More in next blog...Matt needs the computer...

Chubby Funster

2006-04-03T23:37:00.000-04:00

I have been in hiding the past few days, with nothing really to say. I think I have anti-spring fever where I just want to hibernate. I still have nothing to say, but has that ever stopped blogging before?

The title of this entry is Chubby Funster and it refers to the invented name of a porn star by Ricky Gervais while he was talking to Jon Stewart on The Daily Show, and Matt throught it was a particularly funny name for a band. It is stuck in my head now.

One thing I have done the past few days is update my myspace and livejournal thingees--they are at http://www.myspace.com/lissahoop and http://lissahoop.livejournal.com/ -- however, I have adapted to blogspot so I am not sure how much I will use them. Mostly it allows me to keep up with people who do have those types of thingees.

This morning it snowed, freakishly. Before you move to the North, you don't realize that there can be unseasonable cold or snowstorms...for me, it all seems unseasonable to my unseasoned experience.

We are going to Texas this weekend (again!) for a conference...I am so tired of taking planes, but driving the long distance is even more torture! But, I have a love-hate experience with travelling, and look forward to hotels and tiny soaps.

I feel compelled to write more since I have been awol these past few days...hmmm...another random thought: I am really into the new show "Big Love" on HBO...check it out!

Fun with Farts

2006-03-27T19:19:00.000-05:00

If you have any enjoyment of fart jokes, you must go here. I sent a link of it to Sarah because I knew she would appreciate it. This fart related link has inspired me to find other fartnesses on the web:

If you go here, you can create an online fart

You can also send fart e-cards to your friends.

Sort of related, you can send a crap-a-gram

Okay, since I went off in that direction, check out the Turd Twister.

Okay, I think that it enough for me today--I spread enough good will. :-)

Congrats to Matt! He passed his comps!

2006-03-23T19:49:00.000-05:00

Yeah! My smuggly super duper husband passed his Ph.D. comprehensive exams and is now ABD!!!! This is a huge success! Unluckily, Matt is off at the 4Cs conference in Chigago and so he and I can't celebrate this, so this blog post is my small way of toasting him in the meantime!

Fear Factor meets America's Next Top Model

2006-03-22T21:10:00.000-05:00

Okay, I don't know anyone other than Sarah who enjoys this show, but I am really wondering about America's Next Top Model--it seems like this episode involved a lot of torturing the models, more so than usual. They had to carry a roach down the runway and had to walk in these awful stripperized stilletos and one model sprained her pinkie and with the roach, another model had a screaming fit. Speaking of this show, I have had fantasies of actually doing bodily harm to Jade, I despise her that much--I have never ever disliked a tv reality character like I dislike her. It is no wonder she got along with the roach, even kissing it on the runway--it fits her evil ucky personality.

Post Mil-um Depression

2006-03-21T23:50:00.000-05:00

Milo is laying on my rocking chair, trying to recover from the trauma of being outside. Being such a hermit myself, I totally understand. I drove to get myself Little Caesar's today, the first time I have been outside by myself in months, and it gave me the heebie jeebies.

I did a quiz this evening that I thought was interesting in principle--What book are you? This was the result:

You're "Master Harold"... and the Boys!

by Athol Fugard

Even though you should have realized it for years, you're only just
starting to understand how bad your society is. It's been keeping some of your best
friends down for ages, and even you have been complicit with this system. When you
make a mess, someone else is quick to clean it. When you need help, someone else is
quick to your rescue. But when they point out injustice, you've pulled the wool over
your eyes. Until now. If you ever need a cast, it will be small.

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

I am a little disturbed because I haven't read this book--I was expecting a _known_ non-obscure book, unless I am a dolt and this is a well-known book. I am going to go play around with this quizzes on this site more.

Milo was missing

2006-03-21T21:28:00.000-05:00

I wrote the below earlier tonight and I wouldn’t post it except that it reflects my earlier state of mind because of perceived possible disaster.  Be aware, though, that everything resolved itself soon afterwards:

I am upset for two reasons now.  Milo is missing and blogger is down for maintenance.  Milo is my black and white wonderful kitty and I can’t find him anywhere.  Right now our back door is problematic and when it is windy the door blows open even when it is locked.  We called the landlord to fix it (this is the same landlord whose son can over to fix out toilet, cracked it in half trying to unscrew something, and then brought over an old salmon colored toilet that had been sitting in someone’s backyard).  He came over again to fix the door, but for some reason he didn’t complete the job and never came back.  Anyway, the door has opened a few times but always when I was near it and/or heard it open so I could close it immediately.  This time I was on the other side of the house and I think Milo was curious about going outside.  I am nervous because the last time Milo went outside he got caught in a neighbor’s squirrel trap and they brought him to the pound—only luckily did I call their hotline and found out that they had a cat matching his description.  Milo is a scaredy-cat—he wouldn’t have strayed far.  I am surprised he ventured out at all considering!  So, I am very anxious.  My rational side says that he will come back when he gets hungry but my other side is despairing.  I am upset for the mundane reason that blogger is down—I was reading my friend Sarah’s blog, and mid-reading it said that blogger will be down for ten minutes.  The exact ten minutes that I was trying to divert attention away from Milo’s missingness.  (

Okay, Milo is no longer missing—he came to the front door mewing pathetically.  Thank goodness!

Matt made me a yummy dinner

2006-03-20T19:37:00.000-05:00

Matt is so good to me. He made me yummy sloppy joes made from leftover pot roast that he cooked yesterday. Not only is he responsible for having me venture out into eating non-chicken food, but he makes that food yummy yummy. This weekend Matt is going to CCCC with colleagues from his school--this is the first year that I haven't gone to the conference in a long while and the first trip (outside of interviewing here in Michigan last year) without me. Waah. Oh, well, I will just have to entertain myself this coming weekend. Right now I am trying to figure out if it is too soon to plant here in Michigan. My mother gave me a bunch of seeds and bulbs when I was in Houston and I want to have a little garden. I think I am going to buy some pots so I can take them with us when we move and also I can take them inside due to weather. Plus, I think a little consortment of potted plants out front would look kind of cool! :-)

A Wee bit o' news

2006-03-17T23:36:00.000-05:00

Right now Matt is watching Bill Maher on HBO who has Lou Dobbs on as a guest. I find Bill Maher borderline annoying and Lou Dobbs absolutely irritating, so I am going to use this time for blogging. Sarah requested that I tell about my trip to Texas. It was so anticlimatic—except that I didn’t have very high expectations in the first place. Britin, Matt, Matt’s mom and stepdad and I went to Panchos, a Mexican type buffet, and it was fine except that I thought the conversation topic was frustrating—Bush. Matt’s stepdad is very conservative but has decided recently that he hates Bush because of the Dubai ports issue. (This is the type of thing Maher talks about all the time!) It was almost like Matt’s stepdad was angry because Bush wasn’t nationalistic enough! I had to keep my mouth closed and was frustrated the whole time, so as not to create some kind of scene. What else did we do? We went to see Curious George with Britin and that was cute and then in Houston my sister, her husband, me and Matt went and saw Fun with Dick and Jane. I was so out of it because I had the flu that I was either asleep or I would hide and watch cable while at Matt’s parents’ house. Today is St. Patrick’s day and we went to the Doherty hotel and had the Irish buffet, which pleased Matt because he had corned beef and cabbage. Last night Matt got me Little Caesar’s pizza and that made me happy and then he surprised me with a Rent the musical DVD. I spent today staining the new bed frame (it is log wood, Amish) mahogany – I told Matt that the whole time I pretended like I had a gay designer friend like on the home improvement shows on cable who commented on the progress I made. Matt said that was all he needed. I also finished a puzzle of a cathedral that I have been working on since the new year—yeah! I feel so crafty! Here are some links in honor of craftiness and Irishness:

Jigsaw Puzzler—a good place for tips to help you with doing puzzles. I like the zen tips it gives (visualize the piece!)

Men who Knit—I like to knit…I like the idea that there are men out there who like to knit.

Irish Recipes

Info for Clare, Michigan Irish Festival—I think that this is out of date but gives a good idea of the craziness that our town is during St. Paddy’s day.

I am ...evil

2006-03-15T19:45:00.000-05:00

I took this quiz today and it said that I was:

You Are 40% Evil

A bit of evil lurks in your heart, but you hide it well.In some ways, you are the most dangerous kind of evil.

The test seems to think that getting drunk and doing drugs is evil, which I don't fully understand. I also don't understand how the various things are weighted--does shoplifting count the same as the desire to kill others? When there were activities listed that were presumably evil on the quiz, but I didn't think they were evil, it made me think about differences in opinions about evilness. I would consider cruelty to be a much higher evil-ness than cheating on a test. And then there were items of "thinking" about doing things--which I wouldn't consider evil at all to simply think about doing evil things!

I missed Project Runway, the finale of it, last week--nerp! My parents-in-law had Direct TV without Bravo :-( I am hoping they show it again as a rerun. I checked last night but they were showing Spy Game all night. At least I have America's Next Top Model on tonight!

Texas was okay last week--got to see family, etc. I got the flu again and so I slept a lot. I am not sure if it was actually the flu or my system being in allergy shock because of the change in climate, but I wasn't a happy camper. I feel better being back in Michigan...my body seems to have acclimitated to Northernesss.

I am getting well

2006-02-28T20:09:00.000-05:00

It has been almost two weeks since I officially got sick and I am now almost completely better. I have a small nose cold, but much better than the flu I had been fighting. Hopefully I will be better in the next two days because we we will be outta here for spring break. We are going to Dallas this Thursday and we will see Britin, my family in Houston, and Matt will take his comps at UT Arlington. This latter part is a very stressful experience, but I am trying to keep it out of my mind. At least we are flying there! The idea of being in non-freezing weather is actually intimidating--I am so used to the omnipresent snow. Blooming vegetation sounds foreign to me. On a snuggier note, I am really looking forward to seeing Britin. Everyone needs a five year old buddy--they make life much more interesting. Today, I took a nap in his room that I made for him, and it made me look forward to seeing him even more. Britin should get to see his step-cousin Daniel at my sister Lindy's house when we visit Houston--I will take some pictures of the two of them looking cute together. Btw, everyone should check out Judge Alex--it comes on Fox around 2pm here everyday--Lindy is the travel coordinator for the show.

Happy Birthday to Me

2006-02-27T15:24:00.000-05:00

I am officially 31 years old today.

I made myself a birthday film online: http://www.digitalfilms.com/play.php?id=722921 It will only be online for 7 days.

Under the weather

2006-02-21T20:12:00.000-05:00

I have been sick since Saturday, when it appeared I was getting a cold, and then it mutated into flu-like symptoms and now it seems rooted in my chest, sinuses, and throat. I am making Matt take me to urgent care tomorrow so I can get better ASAP. Today, other than doing chores, my coping mechanism was to watch the Celebrity Fit Club marathon on Vh1. I didn't know it was a marathon--it just kept going and going and then stopped abruptly. Apparently the season finale is the next episode and tonight just wasn't the night for it.

Matt is teaching tonight--I am crossing my fingers that he brings home food or at least when he gets home is willing to go get some. The idea of cooking while sick is yucky.

Thus, in order to cheer myself up, I am on the search for the top 5 funnest internet sites. I will probably fall short of the "funnest" standard, but at least somewhat entertaining should be attainable?

1)Okay, this site sells things, but they are very humorous. I especially like the "despair bracelet." The website has an appropriate name of http://www.stupid.com/index.html

2)Is this some sort of Japanese version of teletubbies? It is weirdly addictive with no explanation I can find...try it: http://www.boohbah.com/zone.html

3) Everyone needs this--a Random Frog Generator. Feeling down on yourself? Look for a green pal...http://allaboutfrogs.org/funstuff/randomfrog.html

4) If we ever thought that empathy had no role on the internet, check out Eric Conveys an Emotion. His emotional display of "Working on a Tech Support Line, Answering Your 500th Call of Someone Who Claims He Can't Send Email" is particularly charming. He also seems to be taking requests: http://www.emotioneric.com/

and, last and really least, we have the fifth one. Sheesh...it took me over thirty minutes to just come up with 5 entertaining sites and I had to veto quite a few because my list is so selective! :-)

5) Okay, this is ironic in a way that I am not sure the website owners intended. It is a list of things to tell telemarketers--not very clever and kind of old hat. But, the site is called, "Christian Internet Resources." I am guessing that this is supposed to be good clean Christian fun. http://ajcorp.tripod.com/cir/telemarketers.shtml

Join with me in applause!

I am a nerd

2006-02-20T12:15:00.000-05:00

I took a test today on the internet, which are so indeniably rigourous I know, and it says that I am,"Pure Nerd." The exact breakdown is this: 56 % Nerd, 26% Geek, 17% Dork

According to the website: A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia; A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one; and A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.

I really thought I would have scored higher on the dork scale!

Lazy Lazy Ice Storm Day

2006-02-16T15:02:00.000-05:00

I hear the thunder and the ice beating against the windows, and no I am not scared...ice storms are supposed to be silent in my prejudiced opinion (ever seen the movie The Ice Storm) but here it has been full of sounds. Plus, I took a nap and when I woke up my eyes were closed (duh) and I heard sounds like crazy...including Milo running down the stairs meowing. He must have been listening to the ice storm as well.

Today I talked to my advisor and he wants me to write a two page paper explaining postfeminist pedagogy and a five page paper explaining the main issues of feminism and how postfeminism reacts against it. It should help focus my dissertation prospectus and perhaps help my bibliography flailing (it is strange doing a bibliography before cogent ideas!). We agreed that what I have been doing so far is brainstorming and he seems positive about my ideas that I have sent him. It is good to be on track in that department--as my credit card company put it, graduating with my Ph.D. is one of my milestones in life!

Things are doing better on the homefront...the house is starting to be more organized/comfortable for both Matt and I and we are starting to run smoothly as well. As anyone might now, change is traumatic and as my therapist says, "You can't step into the same river twice." :-) But, everyday is a change and growth in my opinion and so this sort of saying can be seen as empty that sameness is an illusion anyway. Speaking of the doctor, we talked a bit about Jungian concepts of synchronicity in my therapy session and he gave me a Reiki relaxation CD. As I keep telling Matt and family, my theme song right now is, "I'm Not Crazy, I'm Just a Little Unwell." !!!

Okay, if you want a positive quote creator, to help you with building your positive energy, here goes: Motivational Maker. Okay, at least I didn't burn a copy of the Reiki CD to my blog! ;-)

Quiz your friends

2006-02-15T21:30:00.000-05:00

How well do you know me? Matt knows me 83 percent...compete with him....

http://www.quizyourfriends.com/yourquiz.php?quizname=060215212835-705293&

Aw, staying positive

2006-02-15T08:37:00.000-05:00

Okay, an explanation of my blog title: When I was 4 years old, my neighbor Allison Carpenter and I (who was also four years old) sat in a metal tub with our cute polka dotted little bathing suits and it was one of the safest environments I ever experienced. Sometimes safe can be pure joy, and so I think that Melissa in a bucket (and actually, it was Lissa in a bucket because that is what my family called me!) is a good place for me right now. Remember, a bucket is not a womb...you can get out via choice!

Brian sent me something hilarious, so check it out: http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2693690

Random Valentine Musings

2006-02-14T18:54:00.000-05:00

Temporary Valentine Blah Eliminated by Blogging

I am trying to make myself happy today even though I had a lot of nonfun things to do. Shouldn't all holidays be days you don't have to work? :-) Of course, that might mean everyday depending on what religion you practice.

Milo (my cat) has been hiding all day and now is being needy...dinner time? I am waiting for Matt to get home because supposedly dinner doesn't have to be an alone affair for me!

I expect some calls from family (imagine a demanding tone). Lindy sent me a lovely internet greeting card and my Mom and Dad sent me email! Again, I expect some calls tonight.

How boring! I wish I could be more topical, such as talk about the guy, who Dick Cheney shot, dying, or the blizzard in New York, but I am sure anyone who reads my blog would have heard the stuff on the news already.

So an effort to be Valentiney and promote the cause of romance

(have you seen my avatar! :-) check this silly thing out:

The Sexy Name Decoder

Starting a blog

2006-02-14T00:13:00.000-05:00

I am inspired by Sarah to start blogging and share some thoughts to my friends and family (and I guess the whole world). They should enjoy it, right? You all get to comment so it is an interactive experience. Also, loved ones can check on me, as I know you all want to, to see how I am doing from afar.

Question: Have you heard about the "Million Little Pieces" whoopeetodo? I was wondering what people thought about the fiction/nonfiction debate that has been going on, specifically in terms of whether or not people have an obligation to tell the "truth" in a memoir. It seems like a memoir is about one's own truth, not a journalistic recreation of reality. Btw, Matt has an interpretation that is based on redneck theory, but I think it is a more metaphysical issue!

That is some food for thought, do what you will with it!!

Personally, I am getting back up to speed, slowly, after being in the hospital. Lindy told me to take each day one by one, my Dad said that I needed daily goals, and my mother is just concerned, so I have some good family support. Matt is adapting to my being home which is a daily challenge. I am getting back to taking care of myself, which I worked on while I was away, and also adapting to daily responsibilities. Hard to do, according to Matt, because I have always had such a sheltered existence. I can't help but differ about what parenting involves!

Anyway, this is enough of a blog entry for the first time. More to come, I promise!