Lisa to Jesse, who is closely watching Olive: Well, does she have anything to say?
Jesse, still inspecting the bunny: I don't really know.... She's mumbling.
12.21.2010
Re: For This, We are Grateful
This is a re-post with some italicized augmentations. I'm thankful for so many of the same things that I'm recycling. Yay, recycling!
in no particular order: a strong, fun marriage * a smart, helpful, cute, supportive, funny husby who I looooooooooove * generous and loving family, near and far * Olive * Herb * Rachels! Tovah! * new friends * reconnecting with old friends * decent, hassle-free (knock on wood) health insurance * Dan Savage * new adventures * Mother Jones * Smart Wool * chickens * our local bookstore, local whole foods stores, and local gift shops * Obama * The Stranger (they gave me this idea and I used and/or changed some of their thanks) * a job that sort of lets me come and go as i please * Purity's cinnamon ice cream * our own (well, not OWN own) little house * access to fair trade and direct trade coffee * Rachel Maddow, Anderson Cooper, David Pakman * NPR * so long, DADT * reliable transportation * Wegmans * Nutella * access to local meats, eggs, cheeses, butter * Roku box and NetFlix * my new super-cute and fast puter *Google * chiropractics * close proximity to Ithaca * only one more semester * Joel and Ethan Coen * smart phones * our mostly good health and that of our family and friends * everyoneisgay.com * learning to make the best of things (still working on this one) * 30 Rock * Apples to Apples * farmers markets * things that used to be disposable but now are compostable! * This American Life * Cook's Illustrated * turbo-fast internet * kefir * (getting close to?) finding my niche * extra, extra, extra sharp cheddar * kombucha * AVG * smoosh-faced dogs * too many other things to list
12.19.2010
Comeback Kid
I've been removed for a bit. Too long. So much is going on. The last couple of weeks of school were way more excruciating than I expected, and I've had a lot of additional trouble with my back. Most recently, I've been so uncomfortable that I couldn't find a comfortable sitting position that lasted for more than a few seconds. Friday, I had Cortisone injections in my lumbar spine to try to treat the pain related to my bulging disc.
I am finally starting to feel a bit better, and I hope to be able to catch you up on the following things:
- the update on my Spring 2011 internship
- the results of our Local Christmas Experiment
- Olive the dog?
- more?
Don't go away. I'm coming back soon. In the meantime, enjoy this picture of Olive's first snowball.
12.05.2010
11.18.2010
11.14.2010
I Stayed up until 10:30 in the Morning and it was Worth It
I wrote my first research brief (my first school-induced overnighter), also known as a position paper, for my Community Leadership and Development class. As I frequently do, I wrote about LGBTQ kids, specifically, LGBTQ youth and suicide prevention. The first draft was worth 30 points. Here is the front cover with grade. "Outstanding in every way. You're done," which means I've got no rewrites to do!
Read the (outstanding!) paper here.
11.10.2010
I Lurves Me Some Tina Fey!
She's receiving the Mark Twain Prize for Comedy! Hooray, Tina!
Watch the full episode. See more Mark Twain Prize.
via HuffPo
11.03.2010
10.29.2010
Fa La La La La: A Local Christmas Experiment
Since I'm still in school, and we have limited monies for Christmas gifts, we're trying some new things:
- J and I aren't gifting to each other. Boo.... I guess my present from J is ... school? Blerg.
- We're planning to buy all our gifts locally/regionally. This is savvy in regards to money and in regards to the environment. It means no Amazon, no extra monies for shipping and no carbon footprint for the transportation of an item from wherever it comes from to Broad Street, no disappointment if the UPS driver leaves a note instead of a package. Not only will we be supporting the local economy, we'll be able to give slightly larger gifts since we won't be paying for shipping from 5, 8, 12 different online purveyors.
- Additionally, we'll be patronizing local shops, bookstores, farmers markets and craft shows and only hitting the big box stores if we have to.
- We're not buying any wrapping paper this year. We'll be using what we have or what we find or what we can repurpose.
J and I both really love giving totally unique gifts; hopefully we'll be able to find and gift neat things despite the (lack of) local shopping options. I suppose I can concede on gift amazingness provided that we're being better to the planet and the local economy. If it goes well, we'll probably try it again!
image via Perfect Duluth Day
10.24.2010
Over-Thinking is Classic Lisa
So, I've volunteered twice at Identity, the LGBTQ youth drop-in center which is affiliated with the Southern Tier Aids Program (STAP). Identity is where I'll do my 120-hour internship during my Spring 2011 semester.
If you've been paying any attention to me at all, you know LGBTQ rights and equality and activism and related topics are pretty G-damn important to me. I do a lot of research and writing on LGBTQ youth, I really have a heart for this population. I'm also really into LGBTQ kids not killing themselves after they've been marginalized and overexposed to homophobic, heteronormative, hateful, and oppressive surroundings. By extension, I'm really into the It Gets Better Project. Further, I'm pro the obliteration of DOMA and DADT (speaking of which, WTF, Barack? What are you doing? I am totally your friend, but I just don't understand). So, considering all that, I'm volunteering at Identity!
Brief deviation: I think I may ultimately be more cut out for LGBTQ advocacy, but since I don't know anything for sure, this is a totally reasonable and fitting segue, right? Right.
Back to Identity: like I said, I've only been twice. I don't have a great feel for what I'm supposed to do now or what I might be doing during my internship. I just keep getting told that I'm going to "work with the youth." Really? Ok.... Besides general uneasiness about newness, the main thing I've been concerned with is this: do I mention/refer to my husband. After my second afternoon at Identity, I'd decided that maybe I should refer to J as my partner and let folks assume what they may. In a world where these kids are often "the other," at Identity, they're not; I am (or maybe I'm not; I kind of feel like I am). So, allies are great! I think these kids think allies are great, right? I just don't know what to say. I don't want to seem too "straight" and estrange myself and then maybe they don't trust me? Or they don't accept me like they would if I fit better into their initialism? ::furrow:: So, J is my partner...?
Skip ahead eighteen hours. I was watching my favorite YouTube webcast everyone is gay, and I was making J watch a couple episodes, too. (I have to watch so much boring or annoying shit that he likes; I made him watch a couple episodes of something I like.) Anyway, it just so happens that one of the questions to my favorite lesbian advice-givers (from their bio: "Kristin and Dannielle are girls who like girls, and who give advice to those who are confused about sexuality, gender identity, dating, falling in love, or even dressing up like Super Woman") had an answer just for me. I'm not going to tell you about the question and answer; you have to watch it yourself and you should. "My" question is the second one and starts after the brief lip-sync to Rocky Horror Picture Show. Don't let me down. Watch this; it's not long at all. Maybe you'll understand more of what my goal is and you'll learn something about what is exceptionally critical to me (and about a gajillion other peeps).
UPDATE: Speed up to 3:58 or so to see "my" question and answer if you can't take the 7 or 8 minutes to see the whole thing.
We're all a community. Well, we are in my head and in the heads of Kristin and Dannielle. So, J is my husband? Discuss.
image via everyone is gay
10.20.2010
I Just Learned This Word: Defenestration
Definition of DEFENESTRATION
1
: a throwing of a person or thing out of a window
2
: a usually swift dismissal or expulsion (as from a political party or office)
— de·fen·es·trate transitive verb
Origin of DEFENESTRATION
de- + Latin fenestra window
First Known Use: 1620
10.19.2010
Overheard in the J and L House
The radiators make loud and creeeeeepy noises. Grumbling, bubbling, hissing, wheezing, whistling, gurgling. This house is scary! And it might be a very old, dying man.
10.05.2010
It Gets Better: A Theological Response
Professor Stephen Sprinkle is "out and free" and is an ordained Baptist minister and professor of divinity at Brite Divinity School. His message is honest and wise, and I loved hearing his encouraging and courageous story. "Tie a not at the end of your rope and hang on."
via Slog
9.22.2010
Re: Actual Required Viewing
I know I can't actually make you watch it. But you should. You really, really, really should. I mean it.
Actual Required Viewing
Please, please watch this. Please spread it around.
Writer Dan Savage is reaching out to LGBT teenagers to let them know life may be difficult now, but "it gets better."
The "It Gets Better" Project is inspired by the suicide of 15-year-old Indiana teenager Billy Lucas, who hanged himself last week in his family's barn after enduring bullying from his classmates. After writinga post on The Slog about Lucas's death last week, one commenter expressed a desire to have spoken to him to tell him that things get better.
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