so messed up

Read this:

Tampon protests distract N.Y. school
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

GRAHAMSVILLE, N.Y. -- A high school security guard is accused of asking girls whether they were menstruating, leading to a protest in which some students wore tampons on their clothing or carried purses made of tampon boxes.

Samantha Martin, 14, said she had a small purse with her at Tri-Valley High School in Sullivan County, northwest of New York City, when security guard Mike Bunce called her out of class Sept. 19. She said Bunce told her she couldn't have a purse unless she was having her period, then asked her whether she was.

Martin and several other girls who said they had been asked the same question were called to discuss the matter with school officials, the Times Herald-Record of Middletown reported.

The district had banned backpacks in hallways this year for safety and security reasons, school officials said.

"We are investigating the allegations and speaking with the students and staff involved," said Tri-Valley Central School District Superintendent Nancy George, who declined to comment further.

Calls from The Associated Press to principal Robert Worden were not returned Friday. A listing could not be found for Bunce.

Some students, including boys, have attached tampons or sanitary napkins to their clothing or worn tampons as jewelry in protest. Police even arrested one student protesting the backpack policy who ran naked through school halls with a paper bag over his head.

Grahamsville is 87 miles northwest of New York City.

but if your "facts" aren't right...

Packaging Girlhood started off well, but then I found some things that I just so disagreed with. I think the authors misintrepreted a lot of things. They needed to understand how their own biases would skew things. And think about the girls they interviewed--young teens who aren't exactly open and honest with adults. They also needed to understand a little something about target audiences. You can't criticize companies that exclusively show advertisments for products only the rich could possibly afford when the target audience is the rich.

As I continued to read the book, I started finding some little errors. For example, the authors get quite a few things about the American Girls series wrong. They write the original five girls were white. Having been a fan of these books and dolls when I was little, I know that there were actually only three girls originally. Yes, they were all white; but by the time there were five girls, one was black. They also say that Molly's mom is dead. Molly's mom is alive. It is Samantha who is an orphan being raised by her grandmother. So if these things (along with some others) are wrong, why should I believe the rest of the book is correct?

COML 680

So it sounds like when I take my thesis credits next semester, I might have to actually send a paper out for publication. While it would be great to get a piece of academic writing published, I have my doubts that it'll happen. Hopefully we don't have to actually get it published to graduate. Just go through the process to see how it works. That would be ok.

I have tried publishing things before. It's quite difficult and takes some dedication, which I end up lacking after the rejections roll in. So it takes me a while to start each round of sending things out. But here are two that actually liked me!

Spring 2006 issue of Poetic Hours. To order it, go to their website:
http://www.poetichours.homestead.com/

Down In The Dirt magazine has one of my short stories. The website is:
http://www.scars.tv

or maybe

Thesis problems. I started changing my mind on the topic. After doing some reading, I thought writing about the salary gap would be better. Then I realized this is Communication and Leadership Studies. So I'm pretty sure that somehow I have to tie whatever my thesis topic is into that subject. So now I don't know what to write about. I need to figure it out soon if I want to graduate next year.

why do you cut yourself to feel it?

On Wednesday I have a consultation with the laser hair removal people. Although I really want to get rid of my armpit and leg hair permanently (in all these years of shaving, I cannot seem to do a decent job of it), this does make me question the American obsession with women's body hair. If we weren't meant to have the hair, why is it there? I realize we have adequate clothing and heating sources so we don't need the hair for warmth anymore, but it seems ridiculous to remove something that isn't a hinderance. But then again, it is sort of a hinderance because the people you encounter expect the hair to be gone.

Anyway, I'm tired of shaving. And I've justified the expense by telling myself it'll save me money and time in the long-run. If you don't have hair to shave, you don't have to buy shaving cream and razors!

fantastic company

I ordered a custom-made purse from Laura Bee Designs. It turned out great! Jewels loves it too.

http://laurabeedesigns.com/
http://www.laurabeedesigns.blogspot.com/

don't be part of the problem

I'm reading Women and Men At Work. It's been interesting, but I just got to a part I completely disagree with. The authors recommend that more male-dominated jobs be made part-time in order to accomodate mothers. This is so far from a solution. Part-time work frequently doesn't provide benefits. If jobs "for women" are part-time, then women will continue to not receive as much compensation for the work done as men do. There's already enough of a difference in our earning power. We don't need to make it worse by making it appear we can only work half the hours men do.