Weaving warped woofings

I am a terrible correspondent, especially at end-of-quarter crunch time; I hang my head in shame. Despite this failing on my part, an old friend has written me again, sending me a wonderful photo of him at work! This is Guthrum (in the foreground, in blue scrubs) and what I think is a cougar, which is clearly identifiable without cueing from me. Very cool -- huzzah for old friends successfully doing things they love! ;)

The other day I received a reunion flyer for my old high school, Plano Senior High in Texas. I've just created a Facebook account to see if I could track down any of the folks I knew then. We had a huge graduating class -- over 1000 -- so I guessed there'd be at least some names I recognized.

Heh, figures. I recognized 2, maybe 3 names after scanning about 250, and none of them were folks who'd recall me -- I was a painfully shy kid then. Funny how many of them are still in Texas. None of the folks I remembered as friends are there, either, which is a shame. I wish I knew how to get back in contact with them.

To be honest, after reviewing the names in Facebook I'm not really sure attending the reunion would be that meaningful to me. Not sure how I feel about that yet.

Well, halle-flippin'-luiah. Quarter's over, papers sent in, only thing left is an art project which I'll finish tomorrow, and I'm still standing -- mostly. ;-) My brain is finally starting to fizzle down and notice all the things that need doing, that I've been putting off to focus completely on paper writing: personal and business taxes, visit chiropractor for old injury that's aching again, laundry, book packing for the business, replying to a week's worth of emails... think I'll go start my reading for next quarter, to relax.

Message to self: I am SO planning ahead better next quarter, in regards to paper-writing! :-p

I'm in a master's program for Women's Spirituality at ITP (www.itp.edu) in Palo Alto. A lot of fascinating questions are coming up for me as I take the courses, and I'll try to put them up here on line for discussion as they occur to me.

A particularly poignant question which hit me this weekend was: how do you speak your beliefs? How do you express/live/share your spirituality?

I'm sure we're all familiar with the "recent convert" effect, where someone is all excited about their new religion, and you can't get them to shut up about it. Anyone who's actually talked to the Jehovah's Witnesses, for example, will recognize this. Alternatively, we're likely all just as familiar with the self-professed "christian" who is appallingly bigoted and narrow-minded, and professes violence in order to maintain the status quo.

So where's the happy medium? How does one share and teach a belief in peace and kindness, without being obnoxious or getting trampled... and at the same time, actually live those beliefs?

More and more I find myself grappling intellectually with issues my culture would label as feminist, but which I find only common sense. Frex, what is the point of denigrating a noted female scholar simply because she advances a theory which postulates men have not always been the source of all culture? Why is it supposedly wrong to choose to believe an origin story which doesn't lay the blame on women for all the world's evils? Perhaps most personally important: how do I best teach and live a life where women are considered equally as important and creative -- if not moreso -- as men are, when it comes to the creation and maintenance of community and culture?


Collie's Bestiary

List of Arguments

So what are the arguments against gay marriage I've heard? These are the ones I've got so far, although if you know of others I'd be interested in hearing them as well.

1. We're a christian nation
   
2. The Bible says homosexuality is a sin
   
3. 'One male-one female' marriage is the historical cornerstone of civilization
   
4. Marriage should be just for child-rearing
   
5. Homosexuality is unnatural

(links will become "live" as the posts go up on sequential days; thank you for your patience!)

Responses to Arguments

1. We're a christian nation

Um, no. We are not now, nor have we ever been, strictly a christian nation, and we can thank the Founding Fathers for that.
(more...)

Originally posted May 2004

I've been watching the joy and euphoria spreading through San Francisco and parts of the Bay Area as hundreds of loving, committed couples finally have their already-extant, long-standing relationships officially recognized. It's rather wonderful to see love, kindness, and tolerance finally triumphing in our society, however temporarily.

Which leads quite naturally to the question: why are some people so horrified by what's happening in San Francisco -- and a tiny handful of other enclaves across the country? It's not like it's hurting them personally.

However, from what I've heard not only are many upset by the "incipient destruction of society," but there's also some truly sick vitriol being spewed against these marrying couples. And for what? Because they want to be recognized as married, productive members of society? I don't get it.

Marriage is not my thing, but I don't feel I have any right to say who may or may not engage in the institution. Why are there some people who apparently feel they are the Arbiters of Rightness? Where on Earth do they get this idea?
(more...)

I've always felt humanity is capable of greatness, and it is to be found in hope and courage in the face of fear and hatred. Despite being often disillusioned, I've been very lucky to see that greatness actually embodied several times in my life.

I saw the first human walk on the moon, although I can barely remember it.

I saw Nixon's resignation speech, although my parents had to wake me up to see it -- a speech given because there were courageous people who wouldn't be intimidated by the "Old Guard."

I saw the first shuttle go up, and land safely.

I saw the Berlin Wall come down, and the people dancing in the streets.

I saw the USSR dismantled, the Cold War ended, and the rejoicing in the various former Eastern Bloc nations.

I still believe in hope... because today I saw a black man elected President of the United States of America.

Proposition 8 may be defeated tonight, but I now believe it's only a matter of time before we fix things. Hatred and inequality cannot last against a courageous and determined front. When I hear folks being repressive, fearful, or religiously intolerant about marriage, I can't help but remember Winston S. Churchill's stirring words:

"You do your worst -- and we will do our best."

I don't know how Mr. Churchill would feel about the subject, but I think what he said is still valid today: as an uplifting call to arms for those who believe in the inherent dignity of human nature.

booklet by Barbara Ehrenreich & Deidre English

A review of one of my textbooks: a tiny little pamphlet -- less than 50 pages! - with a powerful message that's both creepily and effectively illustrated with a few small woodcut reproductions. Operating under the premise that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it, the authors trace the deliberate, repeated patterns of suppression and violence enacted by white upper class men against women and men (most often poor and illiterate, but also the monied female members of their own class) who "dared to infringe" on the male appropriation of the ancient female practice of medicine.

By necessity this is a very swift overview, encompassing only medieval Western Europe and the short history of the United States, but as the authors clearly note, the first step in reclaiming power and position is to know the true history of its loss, rather than propaganda created by history's "winners." Their goal in writing this pamphlet is to urge more research into this arena, and to encourage the return of women healers as a long-range goal of the women's movement: a clear benefit to both women and the disenfranchised in general. (more...)

Truth is a slippery concept. The only thing slipperier I can think of, at this exceedingly late hour, is contested memory fought over to define truth.

It's funny the things that stick in your mind. Think of something incredibly meaningful to you as a small child, then ask a parent about it. Odds are they may not even remember it at all... or they remembered it wildly differently. If that moment was personally defining for you, though, is your version false simply because there are differing memories of that moment? If the answer is yes, then doesn't that relegate all religious experience (which cannot be seen, heard, or felt by bystanders) to the dungheap of falsity as well? (more...)

A dog amongst adoring sheep

Unfortunately there was one other aspect of this book which I found profoundly irritating, and that was the almost feudal assumptions it made about people and their places in society. The women who appeared in the story were all supposedly intelligent, self-sufficient, and educated — yet ultimately they were all behaviorally completely passive. The most aggressive of them is consistently duped by the evil brother, and apparently must have a male boss to grant her legitimacy in the eyes of the law.

The other women are simply pathetic — despite their determined best efforts they are helpless and feeble, unable to save themselves in the face of attack. Invariably they depend on Pendergast to actually save them, as the evil brother effortlessly deceives, manipulates, overwhelms, uses, and discards them. (more...)

Originally posted May 2006

For the first time I've gotten a book club book which I found disappointing. I was surprised, since the book was part of a recommended series by a couple of authors who've worked together previously, so you'd think by now they've had gotten it right. However, as I noted already, I found it rather disappointing.

Only black & white
Do you remember the old Sherlock Holmes stories written by Alfred Conan Doyle? I read them as a child and enjoyed them tremendously. I still enjoy them as light fiction. However, I do not find they stand up literarily to the tests of time and life experience. As an adult, I have issues with the ease with which Mr. Holmes produces information from off screen (like a Japanese anime girl produces a hammer) to smite us over the head with his intellectual superiority.

Such conviction, such righteousness in his proclamations! Never was there doubt in his world, for everyone conveniently catered to his every detecting need. Never was a victim so dastardly as to wear a watch which kept less than perfect time! Further, no criminal would dare to smash that watch even an instant before or after the actual moment of death!

Even as a child, too, I was clearly aware of what has to be the most cruel literary line ever: "What do you make of this, Watson?!" Poor, patient, ever-doting Watson: the bumblingly supportive, perennial second fiddle to Holmes' idiosyncratic self-absorption. (more...)

I'm reading a fascinating book for class. It's titled Women's Rites, Women's Mysteries by Ruth Barrett, and the part I'm currently most enjoying is the deconstruction of several (relatively mainstream?) US cultural rituals. The issues with marriage, bridal showers, birthdays, and baby showers are not new to me; I've considered and mentally struggled with them for some time. By now I've made my peace with which rituals I can condone with my presence, and which I cannot. However, there were a few bits which more clearly illuminated some culturally-women-unfriendly issues that I'd previously experienced as only vague discomforts, and there were a few rituals mentioned with which I've had no experience whatsoever. (more...)

One of my classes in the Women's Spirituality Master's Program that I'm taking is called "Art as Sacred Practice." It's a curious oddity of most Western religious traditions that the creation of art has lost its sacral nature. Instead we seem to consider the created object as sacred, most often based on its perceived perfection. This is particularly peculiar when you stop to think that many of these objects were created under duress, or for purely commercial reasons, or simply to impress. (more...)

Originally posted March 2004
Please be warned there are spoilers in this review.

I noticed in the paper today how many Oscars were won by Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies, which were based on J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy trilogy. I've also seen Return of the King, the last of the movies. While watching, I found myself idly speculating on whether life is imitating art, or art life. By the end of the movie, I'd have to say I very much do not want life to imitate Jackson's vision. (more...)

I've been staying out of political debate for the past decade or so, mostly because I haven't really seen any yet. To me, a good debate should be a chance to present your ideas to each other, to consider and question and more thoroughly understand the point of view of another. It's only then, when you've tried your best to grasp someone else's perspective, that you can engage in thoughtful and reasoned compromise so everyone can function smoothly together.

Unfortunately what I've been watching for the past decade is increasingly acrimonious squabbling and whining, on a par with children screeching at each other on the playground. There's been no meeting of the minds, damn few attempts at understanding others, and certainly no statecraft involved. This fiercely dichotomous trend has instead shown us to be a country of increasingly rigid, narrow viewpoints on both sides of the self-created and -maintained fence.

I'd laugh, except I feel more like weeping when I see what they're doing to my fellow citizens, our rights, and our society. Believe this level of nonsense or not, but I recently read some pathetic dweeb nervously asserting Obama was too educated to be president -- as if McCain had never gone to university! These ever-wilder and inane accusations at the "enemy," by everyone involved in this campaigning season, grow more whiny and pathetic by the day -- and I'll have none of it, dammit! I will gladly discuss politics with someone who's not afraid to answer polite but pointed questions, but I'm certainly not going to waste my precious time and thought trying to reason with the terrified, self-righteous, petulant emotional infants who seem to be coming more and more into control of the political parties.

I mention this because someone asked me at one point if I'd watched the vice presidential debates, & if so, did I think Sarah Palin helped or harmed the view of women as liberated beings. Here's my reply:

I did not watch the debate. However, just on the basis of what I've read and/or heard about what she believes, I think she does great harm to women in particular, and the society in general. Her support of women-harmful policies (such as a reactionary fundamentalist church which relegates women to second-class status, her refusal to explain birth control to her daughter not once but twice, and her apparent anti-personal-choice leanings concerning abortion) dismay me greatly.

It's all fine and good to pop out babies as fast as you want to, as long as you can afford to raise them well -- which she can. Forcing her choices on others, however, is where I draw the line. Not only are there quite a few women (and men) who do not wish to have babies like clockwork, but there are also women and men who cannot afford to do so. I do not believe she has the right to tell those people how to live their lives.

That's enough of that. Here's the next review from Collie's Bestiary -- a review of one of my old college papers which has already been mentioned here. If you're curious, there's a link to the original included. It's titled Genesis Revisited. Enjoy! ;)

It's always entertaining to re-read old college papers, especially when you've learned more since then. In the case of Feminism & the Bible: Examining the Christian Myth of Creation, the handful of later realizations or learnings I had were interesting enough to me that I thought I'd relate them here.

For example, most people know a little bit about the myth of Eve and Adam, but fewer are aware that, according to modern biblical scholars, it is an embellishing "gloss" added later. The original creation of humanity is delineated in Genesis 1:26-28 (Revised Standard Version): (more...)

Almost caught up with my announcements here of the articles & reviews on my web log! Sorry about falling behind on that; I will do better in the future. Here's the next one:

"The Corpse Bride"

by Tim Burton
Originally posted February 2006.
Please be warned there are spoilers in this review.

I went to The Corpse Bride expecting something fantastical and whimsical, much like Burton's earlier The Nightmare Before Christmas (TNBC). In a way it's a shame this movie did not come before TNBC, as it isn't exactly bad… it just isn't very good — especially when we know what Burton is actually capable of.

Simple sums
To me The Corpse Bride felt very much like a little children's storybook, in that it stuck rigidly to telling only the barest, simplest plot outline. There was no extra baggage included (such as character development or marvelous set designs); it was an extremely short and straightforward tale.

That's fine for a children's book, but I'm not sure it works so well for a movie. Further, there were some scenes which I thought would be rather terrifying for a small child — I found them a bit creepy myself — so I'm not sure it's really a children's story either. (more...)

Back to School Again
And now some fascinated personal ramblings: I've finished one of my required readings for class: Rita Gross's fascinating Feminism & Religion. I wish I'd read this book years ago.

One of the most critical points the book makes, which was a sort of "aHA!" moment for me when I read it, was that a religion which purports to welcome and offer salvation for all can't really be believed, when it offers hierarchical control and rewards only to half (or less) of its constituents. As she notes, this is much like writing history: if you chose to ignore the accomplishments of everyone except white upper class males, you're going to end up with wildly incorrect and incomplete hypotheses on human behavior.

She gave a fascinating example in the current work being done to more correctly rewrite our evolutionary history so it included the accomplishments of women again. The (formerly all male) evolutionary historians found just adding in the women historians' thoughts wasn't enough -- they all ended up having to effectively re-write everything to incorporate the differing perceptions and accomplishments of women as well. This occasioned the intellectual shift from regarding our ancestors as simple "Man the Hunter," to more deeply understanding the true realities of gatherer/hunters: a far more complete, complex, and fascinating understanding of our evolutionary history.

This also demonstrates why the shift from androcentric (i.e. male centered) to androgynous (i.e. focused on both genders) religious & historical thought is difficult and often resisted: it's hard to break out of mental ruts! But if we ignore that which makes us uncomfortable, we end up with self-deluding fantasies rather than an ever-closer approximation of reality.

For myself: I want truth. I may be nervous about it; it may take me a bit to wrap my head around it... but in the end, I want the truth.

In the search for that truth, it's interesting reading objectively about the subtle discriminations of our society, as bolstered and maintained by certain religious thought. Because we're raised with it, I believe we consider it normative, "natural," "the way things are." We may not initially even be able to describe it! I remember my intense frustration as a child at first vaguely sensing a sort of wrongness in how people were behaving towards each other -- but not having the vocabulary to explain that frustrating wrongness. Having the simple words to discuss something is so critically important to sharing personal revelation!

As an example, I know the issues regarding double standards of treatment between females and males of all ages were thrown into sharp relief for me when my family lived in Spain while I was a child. To my child's eye, the Spanish women were treated much like the US women I'd seen -- only moreso, if that makes sense? Therefore, once I'd gotten to the point where I thought, "that's not fair!" about Spanish discrimination... there was a growing cognitive dissonance, even to my child's mind, in claiming it was fair to do so to a lesser degree in the US.

I couldn't do that. I ended up having to be honest with myself and say discrimination (although I didn't know the word for it then) wasn't fair no matter where you were. Needless to say, pointing out these behavioral disparities did not endear me to my parents. ;)

Has anyone else been in another subculture or culture, and had a similar experience? Or been through that weird frustration of not even having words to say what they were seeing?

Braaaain fuuuuuull... been reading like a fiend for classes. Two more books arrived in the mail today from half.com; one I can wait a bit on but the other I'm trying to devour before the weekend. Ouch. ;) I've also done some modifying of my web log to "monetize" it (what a dreadful word!). I'll keep working on that, and many thanks to those who sent in suggestions on various things to try -- they were much appreciated!

Here's the next review from Collie's Bestiary. Enjoy!

"Biodiversity vs. Bioengineering?"

This is a class assignment to critique Huber's article "Biodiversity vs. Bioengineering?" solely on the issue of whether the use of deception was sound argumentation technique. Huber's short but fascinating article appears in The Environmental Predicament. From the article, I quote the most personally relevant portions: (more...)

Originally posted January 2004
(this is the first part of a single Firestarter which was broken up into five parts. You can follow through on the parts over on Collie's Bestiary -- just follow the link below, and enjoy! Thoughtful commentary always excitedly accepted. ;)

In the study of philosophy there are classic questions used to help determine the nature of truth. These include issues such as if it is wrong to use the "placebo effect," or to lie to save the life of another. Most of those are answered, at least to my satisfaction, in Sissela Bok's excellent book Lying: Moral Choice in Public and Private Life.

Philosophy is extremely useful for defining, clarifying, and arranging the broad parameters of belief in one's life. However, it's when philosophy slams up hard against reality that you discover if your ideas can withstand the test of real life. Recently I've observed a few such, um… impacts, up close and personal — and it's made me review my personal philosophy, in order to make sure it's standing up to the test of real life. (more...)

Originally posted April 2004

Books of historical fiction are based, in varying amounts, on the reality of the past. However, the lack of good record keeping, coupled with the problem of information conservation, has left us more often with mysteries than fact.

Art history is an excellent example of this predicament. Probably the most famous of these little mysteries is "Who was the Mona Lisa?" A less well known, but equally compelling question concerns the identity of the young girl in Johannes Vermeer's famous painting 'Girl With a Pearl Earring.' (more...)

News flash: Masters programs are expensive! ;)

I'm cutting every corner I can spot, of course, to lower costs as much as possible. Fortunately my only new expenses are currently tuition, books, and occasional other things required for a class... and I'm finding, to my pleased surprise, that I'm good at this -- whew. ( Journaling follows... )

So I'm currently frantically researching all the options I can think of to bring in more money. This is where (hopefully) all of you come in: does anyone have any suggestions re ways to bring in more money? It needs to be something that doesn't take more than about 20 hours a month, that I can set up or do relatively quickly and easily, that doesn't take money to start. I've had "monetizing" my web log suggested already -- I'm working on getting adsense and a paypal button in place, and whipping together a half.com store, and I'm already an amazon associate.

If you can suggest anything else, could you either reply in comments or email me, please? Thanks for your input!