Undefeated!

Three years ago, when we were still living in Reno, a friend of ours decided to start a fantasy football league for a bunch of his friends and their wives/significant others. He said it was just for shits and giggles. The explanation I got from his girlfriend was that the two of them had very few things in common. Fantasy football would give them something to talk about and do together. The make up of the league was about 50/50 girls and guys, and all friends of ours so I thought it sounded like fun. I was staying home at the time, so I thought this will give me a way to further socialize with our friends, and learn more about football since Mr. A likes it so much. Oh, wait! I’m staying home with a small infant and can barely carve out time to check my email once every few days. Time to research football players and figure out who I’m going to play each week? Not going to happen. So I abstained.

For the last two years I watched Mr. A put together his team, shuffle players around, etc. I’ve laughed as I watched the banter and smack talk that goes back and forth between people in the league. It’s been fun. And this year, because I have more computer time now, I’ve actually been able to play. And I like it. Of course it could be because I am undefeated this season in Fantasy football! Which is funny, because I am not a big football fan.

My mom LOVES watching football. So does my papa, my father-in-law, and my brother-in-law. I like watching if I am invested in the game somehow. Like when several of my students were on the UNR football team I watched college football more. When the Chicago Bears went to the Superbowl we cheered and threw a party (Mr. A and I both have relatives from the Chicago area). But to me football has always been just predictable background noise on Sundays.

Mr. A played football in high school and was a starting player all four years. So as you can guess I am gloating at the opportunity to rub it in that my team is doing better than his. And of course he laughs at me. It’s terrible when your hubbie enjoys seeing you get all riled up and then just smiles, shakes his head, and laughs. He is absolutely maddening! And so cute ruggedly handsome at the same time.

When I Grow Up, or my daughter learned to warp time

We have entered the infamous phase. That of “Mama, when I grow up I wanna be an [fill in the blank]“  The current list includes (wait for it . . . ): Firefighter, Astronaut, and Pajamanator.

What is a Pajamanator, you ask? I’m surprised you haven’t heard about it. The way it’s talked about around our house I thought everyone knew. According to the Crazy Towhead, or Bean (which I still call her), a Pajamanator is someone who wears blue pajamas and gets into the cicus ring with her doll (who is also wearing blue pajamas) and puts everyone to sleep. I have decided to encourage her by pointing out that all her chosen career paths are focused on helping people. After all, I like to sleep and I’ll take any help from her I can get.

Bean also likes to talk about what she did when she was big. For instance, she will tell me stories about how when she was six she went to the Eiffel Tower and saved a small cat. She also delights in telling me that when I get little I’ll be able to drink from a straw, just like her. This warping of time happens quite regularly. While the stories she tells about herself involve her being both older and younger, in her mind I don’t ever seem to get older, just younger. I can live with this.

I have to wonder though. I mean my kid is brilliant (obviously), and she has a general understanding of a lot of concepts, things that often surprise me. The other day as we were talking about astronauts and what they do (we were reading a library book about an astronaut), I was trying to explain the difference between sky and space. She got it almost instantly, interupting me and to say ”Mama, stick  up your hand” (I did), then she put her arm next to mine and said, “This (pointing to her arm) is where the sky is, and this (pointing to my arm) is where space is.” They overlap but space extends/exists above the sky. I told you, brilliant. So why the warping of time? Have I totally screwed up the kid by not explaining how time works? Have Mr. A and I spent too much time discussing Sci Fi shows at the dinner table? Does she know something I don’t? Has she invented some machine in her closet?

I’m sure she’ll figure it out at some point. The question is whether I break down before that point and teach her the Time Warp so she can try out for the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The Language Bridge

I just listened to a story on NPR that talks about the sensual experience that comes along with spoken language. It asserts that language you speak changes your experince of the world, and how you think and feel about people, places, and things. The irony is that this is an idea I heard quite some time ago and something I have actually argued with former students and collaegues (but mostly my husband) for years.

Here’s the story: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102518565

Conducted by Lera Boroditsky, an assistant psychology professor at Stanford University, the study asks Spanish speakers and German speakers to examine objects – a table, a chair, a bridge – and name them. In the instance of the bridge the articles differ between these two languages: in Spanish “bridge” is masculine, and in German it’s feminine. Next the study asked participants to give three adjectives to describe the bridge. The German speakers chose words like “beautiful,” and “elegant,” while the Spanish speaker chose “sturdy,” and “towering.” Her hypothesis is that Spaniards and Germans see and experience things differently as a result of their language.

Boroditsky suggests that the grammar we learn from our parents, whether we realize it or not, affects our sensual experience of the world. Spaniards and Germans can see the same things, wear the same cloths, eat the same foods and use the same machines. But deep down, they are having very different feelings about the world about them.

To test this theory she invented her own language, one that randomly assigns masculine and feminie articles to various nouns, and then taught it to English-speaking participants. After being drilled in the language she tested to see if there was a similar effect on descriptive adjectives based on the gender assigned to that noun. And the answer was yes!

I find this absolutely fascinating. Language shapes and defines our world, but that it affects how we feel about both natural and constructed landscapes is, I think, both amazing and underappreciated. It may not seem like a big deal. But think about it, people get attached to objects. The first stereotype that comes to mind is Americans and their cars. But the list is exhaustive - a business exec and his cell phone, a fashionista and her shoes,  a triathlete and her bike, an electrician and his tool belt. But if those objects have certain qualities we assign to them, which shape not only our attitudes toward those objects but also our experiences with those objects and by extension our jobs and activities. In essence, language dictates how we see and experience the world. And it does so in much more subtle ways than our cultural traditions and norms.

The implications for me are even more interesting when I extend them to environmentalism. Whether or not a developer or city planner chooses to preserve more trees in a proposed development might very well depend on how they perceive a “tree.” Likewise, a company might have a different attitude toward dumping in the ocean versus on land based on how they feel about each (off the top of my head, I kow that ocean in Spanish is masculine “el mar” while land is feminine “la tierra.”) Would it make a difference? Who knows? But the fact that it might brings all new challenges to educating the public about sustainability.  And decision-making processes that one would typically perceive as objective, suddenly become much more gendered. I realize that this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the ramifications of this study but it’s a fun place to begin a conversation. Anyone else have any thoughts about it? Let me know. The idea that multi-lingual people perceive the world differently has always fascinated me.

And on a totally unrelated note, I have tons of pictures of fun stuff we’ve done to post. I will get to these soon. I promise. Given that some of these go back to the Towhead’s birthday in January I need to get my ample behind moving. I’m working on it Nana, I swear

Where the f* have you been?

damn it's cold

Working on the railroad. In the kitchen with Dinah. Walking in a winter wonderland.

Buried under six feet of snow for most of December, that’s where. As far as updates and what we’ve been up to there’s lots in the realm of small stuff and not much in the larger, noteworthy realm. Mostly I’ve been occupying my time with domestic shit that makes me by turns happy, and then digusted that I’m happy being so insanely domestic: making granola, baking bread, knitting hats and scarves, mending clothes, reading, arts and crafts with Crazy Towhead. Somewhere in there we go to the YMCA everyday to “play with kids” as CT calls it, or “burn off all that stuff I like to eat but don’t have the metabolism for anymore” as I like to think of it.

In the interests of catching up on all those blog entries I’ve been thinking about posting but haven’t had time for, here’s a short list:

• I was planning a rather satirical piece about the virtues of shovelling over a foot of snow each day around Christmas. Talk about weight loss plan! Suffice to say it’s over (for now). I love winter and snow, but not when I can’t get out in it because of blizzard conditions or single-digit temps that make my fingers hurt through my heay-duty ski gloves.
• The next piece I contemplated was one psychoanalyzing my dreams about Stargate’s Dr. Daniel Jackson. And I mean in-depth dreams that lasted almost all night. At first glance it may seem weird that I’m dreaming about a sci-fi TV character that travels to different planets within our galaxy meeting new people and fighting aliens. But really, I suppose my attraction is not that strange. He’s intelligent, sensitive, funny, speaks 26 languages, and can handle a firearm nearly as well as his military colleagues. And his overall personality and appearance reminds me of this wacky wildlife biologist who shares my closet.
• Obama. I could analyze, potificate, hope, dream, and gush. He inspires me. When it came to our last president I feverently hoped he would prove all my skepticisms wrong; I was disappointed. In this case, I’m crossing my fingers that this president will be half as good as I think he can be. Rhetorically I think he’s brilliant and professional. Personally I think he has the ambition to meet the disaster he’s inherited. I’ll be eagerly watching to see if his rhetoric and his actions match up.
• Snowshoeing was, for the third year, the most wonderful and fantastic way to celebrate the CT’s birthday. The sun came out and we had a fantastic time. I’ll post pictures soon with the wonderful new camera my sweet hubbie surprised me (and I mean I had NO clue)  with for Xmas. He says the fact that I didn’t get him a fantastic surprise can be paid off in daily massages for the next two months – I knew he had some angle going.
• Sidenote: I am not allowed to build a fire when I’m sick. The neurons don’t connect right when I have a head cold. I nearly burned the family room down this weekend. Thank goodness Mr. A was home. It’s actually a funny story I may reserve for later. We spent the rest of the weekend singing, “Burning Down the House” to each other at odd moments.
• I have been a member of the Association for the Study of Literature and Environment for a number of years. I was accepted to present at their conference in British Columbia in June, and I had to email yesterday and tell them I won’t be able to attend. It broke my heart that I won’t be able to see so many wonderful people or hear about all the interesting work they’ve been doing. I may use this blog as a forum for the work I was going to present instead. Stay tuned. 
• Recipes. Recipes! This has been one of my projects lately. I have so many good ones to post. Again, come back soon.

But in all of this, be patient. I’m also on the hunt for work and checking out preschools for the Towhead. One of my new resolutions is to write more. So if all goes well the blogosphere will be seeing more of me in the next few months. I’d ideally like to start producing more creative work instead of these chatty updates. Though I admit they are a wonderful necessity for family and friends that live far away, they bore me. And if my own writing bores me I don’t do it, hence my less-frequent posting these last few months. We’ll be on vacation for the next couple weeks (visiting family) but after that tune in for your regularly scheduled inanities

Compact Christmas

Delayed though this may be I thought it still worth posting. It was written awhile ago but I’ve been busy crafting and baking and shopping. What can I say?

Christmas is here! Actually the Christmas season started before Halloween this year according to the store shelves. It has always driven me nuts when I see lights and ornaments adorning shelves when I’m still in harvest season/ Halloween/ apple cider mode. Be patient people! is all I can think. Let me enjoy this season before you move onto the next one. Christmas is so commercialized as it is. Being a stay at home mom, and immersed in a life where everything takes three times as long to accomplish as it did before I had kids, I must admit that I was more ok with the early shopping thing this year. But it still bugs me that Christmas seems to be one big consumption craze. I see a lot of people scaling back this year, our immediate and extended family included. But, especially with kids, it’s hard to avoid the pull of “I want, I want.” I’m victim to it myself. Once you open the door of “what do you want?” the void seems to extend on and on.

In the interests of saving green, ie the environment and our cash, I’m trying some new things this year. I want to use recycled wrapping materials (paper bags, or cool scrap cloth for those hard to wrap things), reusable containers instead of throw-away boxes, and keep the gift buying to a minimum. This means a lot of extra work making things but I think it’s worth the effort.

So far I’ve made a set of lacing cards for my niece, a scarf for my sister-in law, and haven’t bought a roll of wrapping paper or a gift bag yet. Though I’ve cheated a bit and used up almost all the wrapping paper I had left over from previous years. It feels good to do something different like this. More personal somehow. It’s hard to find the time to make gifts for everyone, but at least not buying things like wrapping paper that I know are going to get thrown away feels good . . . less wasteful, efficient, like the energy I put into the gift is more than just trash? Maybe all this is silly, like my hubbie likes to point out. Maybe it is just something I do for me. But maybe it’s the beginning of a shift to a less consumption driven holiday. I figure it can’t hurt.

In looking for ideas I came across a group that is truly defying the consumer-driven mentality. It’s a group called The Compact. The idea is to buy nothing new for a year. The only things you are allowed to buy new are food and basic necessities needed for health and safety. Can you imagine? It would be hard, but it seems an admirable and worthwhile experiment with or without kids. A way to teach yourself that you really don’t need as much as you desire. That there are ways of maintaining your lifestyle that don’t involve as much waste. There is more about the group, originally started in the San Francisco area but now with groups all over the nation, in this article.

Although it has a number of detractors, the group has gotten publicity in a number of newspapers and magazines (I saw it in Sunset). “There is no dogma,” says Rachel Kesel, a Compact member. “No one is out to chide you for not being perfect. We’re not out to be environmental martyrs. We’re just a group of folks looking to consciously reduce our consumption and keep trash out of the landfills.” It sounds wonderful but I’m not sure I could do it. I like shopping and finding stuff on craigslist and Freecycle can be challenging and time-consuming on a good day. But what a way to change your life, your thought patterns, your assumptions and your ideas about what you need and where it comes from. How much different would Christmas be if you couldn’t buy anything new? Wow! Talk about a culture shift.

What TV says about your politics

I’m a few days late commenting on this but I heard this tidbit on NPR Saturday that has had me thinking. All Things Considered reported on a new study that asks whether Democrats and Republicans respond differently to different TV shows. The study asks people about their engagement with certain shows; engagement being how much they remembered about shows they watched the night before. The results list Cash Cab, a game show that takes place in a New York cab, and Comedy Central’s South Park as the highest among Republican voters.  The Colbert Report, an offshoot of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, and Deadliest Catch, a Discovery Channel sereis about fisherman in the north Pacific, rated highest among Democratic voters.

Maybe it’s how my brain works but my thoughts immediately go on a rhetorical bent. What kind of people watch these shows? What are the characteristics of people who are “into” each respective show? Now generalizations are hard because I know plenty of people who watch all of these shows. But the study makes a point of emphasizing that it’s not just viewership but “engagement” – you may watch both the Colbert Report and Cash Cab but you remember more about, or are more “into” one than the other.

My immediate thoughts venture something along this line. Cash Cab and South Park are no-brainers - Cash Cab is a game show where you answer questions “Who Wants to Be A Millionare” style with lifelines and clues etc, and the chance to gamble your knowledge or take the cash and walk. “Surprise you’re in the Cash Cab now how many trivia questions can you answer correctly” - nothing too complex. South Park likewise – funny, witty, irreverant, potty-mouth, slapstick humor. If this describes Republicans then my assumptions lean toward hard-working people who are looking for escapism rather than mental stimulation.

As for the Colbert Report, this show is again funny, irreverant, and sarcastic. But in spite of its irony and sarcasm the show addresses key political and newsworthy issues, often pointing out and questioning details that go unaddresses by mainstream news. Deadliest Catch is a reality-style show that follows crab fisherman in the north Pacific. If Democrats are the target or typical audience for these shows, then I’m assuming they’re interested in hearing a slant on the issues, and like learning about things they have no expereince with.

What this really makes me wonder is what this says about what people are absorbing concerning the upcoming elections. Since TV is where most people learn about the candidates and upcoming ballot measures how much are partisian viewers tuning in. It scares me to think that the attention span typically reserved for Soputh Park is being to used to decide the future of local and national issues. All I can do is shake my head. And all this was done with the intent of informing advertisers where the best placement was for political and campaign ads.

I’d love to hear people’s views on this. What do you think? What do you like to watch and why?