Jane Austen's Fight Club

I love this. For so many reasons.

One of which is that this was made by a group of girls from an LDS singles' ward, and so they can identify with--


nevermind. I think I'll try to keep my big, fat, feminist mouth shut this time. It would be gilding the lily.

Dove-Grey Hans: A sestina

I've decided to start posting my poetry blog here whenever I write a new poem. I'm not sure when I'll ever be able to publish my poetry, and it's comforting to know someone reads it, even if they don't comment, care, or even absolutely hate it :)

I used to post on my family blog, but I think everyone has gotten too busy to do that lately, so I'm posting a link here, instead.

this one was inspired by some reading I've been doing lately. Still plugging away at Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales and stories, which I love, but it's hard to read a whole bunch of little stories as quickly as one big story, if you know what I mean.

Things We Say

MayMay: Mom, I don't want to finish my tater-tot--

NSG: You mean, Apricot?

MayMay: Yes, Apricot. Mom, I don't want to finish my apricot because I just brushed my teeth and I don't want to make them all Sugar-y.



Jaws: I want to play Princess Games! (pout, looks out from under eyebrows).

MayMay: Of COURSE, Rusie. We can.


Setting: Burlington coat factory. NSG is looking in the kids' aisle for white clothing for Squirt, which he will need on Saturday when the Nosurf Family gets sealed in the temple.

(A family walks by. The father is black, with neat, small dreadlocks pulled back in a ponytial. The mother looks like she might be latin. The baby is biracial, with hair like Bella's and MayMay's, and skin approximately the color of hot chocolate.)

Squirt: (Stands up in cart, waves wildly) Hello, little sister!!!

Dad of stranger family: (Big Grin, busts up)

NSG: (Loud Laughter almost akin to covenant breaking)

Nosurf Girls: (Lots of hysterical giggling)

The two families walk away, grinning to themselves.

My Utah Feminist Roots

The other day I was talking to a relative, who told me she thought women shouldn't vote, because we think a certain way that is unproductive in political causes. We want to give too much, is the way she explained it. Government is not for giving or taking care of people, it is for the limited amount of governing that the American People need, which shouldn't involve welfare or anything else.

I understand her political viewpoint, though I object to her assumptions (that women inherrently vote in favor of welfare and also tend to vote unwisely.) And as I was listening (respectfully) to what she had to say, a thought came to my mind.

When did women in Utah get the right to vote?

From this source:

Women's Suffrage--the right of women to vote--was won twice in Utah. It was granted first in 1870 by the territorial legislature but revoked by Congress in 1887 as part of a national effort to rid the territory of polygamy. It was restored in 1895, when the right to vote and hold office was written into the constitution of the new state.

Who was the first woman senator ever elected?

From This Source:

In a much publicized election, [Hattie Hughes]Cannon was one of five Democrats running as "at large" candidates for state senator from Salt Lake County. Suffrage activist Emmeline B. Wells and Cannon's husband Angus were among the Republicans standing for the office.
“ "Local newspapers gave play to the fact that a leading Mormon polygamist was defeated by his fourth wife. The Salt Lake Tribune, proponent of the Republican view, editorialized that Angus Munn Cannon was deserving of readers' votes. The Salt Lake Herald, a Democratic newspaper, countered: "Mrs. Mattie Hughes Cannon, his wife, is the better man of the two. Send Mrs. Cannon to the State Senate and let Mr. Cannon, as a Republican, remain at home to manage home industry" (see link, SL Tribune). ”


One of my favorite feminists, and a real hero of mine: Emmeline B. Wells, the Fifth General Relief Society President of the church. Some interesting facts:

1) She was formally educated and bright from a young age. Took her first teaching job at age 15, shortly before she married for the first time.

2) Her husband left her after their first baby died. She resumed teaching and became the third wife of Newel K. Whitney, and had two little girls by him.

3) After Whitney died, she proposed marriage (how feminist is that!) to Daniel H. Wells, becoming his seventh wife. At first they didn't really know each other well or associate, but in later years of their life they loved each other dearly and enjoyed each others' companionship.

4) Edited the Womens' Exponent, the first successful Women's magazine in Utah.

5) Joined the Suffrage movement and wrote extensively on women and the amazing things they had to offer our country. Wrote extensively about how education for women is so important.

6) Eventually became respected and quoted by such people as Susan B. Anthony and other leaders of the Suffrage movement.

7) Ran for the senate as a republican, was beaten by the first women ever to be elected a Senator in the United States, Martha Hughes Cannon.

8) Was appointed General Relief Society President at age 82, served for ten years until her death.

Go read up on her life and you'll see exactly what she was, and what the cause can add to the church and the gospel, and what a stunningly beautiful thing such a woman is.

Great Detangler.

So, I have been dreading the task of combing out and redoing a section of MayMay's yarn braids, as I promised myself I'd do this week. The problem with leaving them in too long is, they still look nice enough but they start to "lock" up--in other words, turn into little dreadlocks. Some parents do this on purpose and from all I've heard it's a very nice, low-maintenance and attractive hairstyle for kids if it's done right and maintained well. But I don't really feel locs are best for my girls at this point. Yarn braids have been good though, for MayMay.

Anyway, I read online about some good creme rinses and conditioners to be used as detanglers in this situation. And carted myself over to Sally's to go look at them. And was disappointed.

Petrolatum was the first, or if not, without fail the second or third, ingredient in all of them. The problem with petrolatum is it clogs the pores and also only coats the hair/skin instead of moisturizing. Coating can be good in some instances, like if your kid has an allergy to a certain food she eats and the skin absorbs it and tends to get eczema or some kind of outbreak after. This is why Eucerin works so well for Eczema... it has petrolatum and provides that barrier. But if my goal is detangling, I want the hair to be soaking IN all that stuff, getting soft and slippery, not gummy and waxy.

I decided to make my own comb-out.

Here's what I used.

In a spray bottle, Put:
1 cup coconut oil (at summertime room-temp it's liquid, but if it's cold you'll have to melt it on the stove.)
1 tablesoon pure vitamin E oil,
1 tablespoon of Herbal Essences Hydralicious reconditioning conditioner (any good combing conditioner would work... to make the hair slippery)
1 tsp honey
fill up the bottle to the top with water
shake it up before spraying.

It works soooo well. There were some nasty mats on the back of her head especially, but they combed right out after I sprayed this in and let it sit for a few seconds. She hardly cried, and this is a sign we're not tearing and ripping and damaging because let's just say MayMay is a crier :) We're working on it. I gave her a treat after today's hair session for "being good" (which means, don't cry at every single move I make, even if I"m not even touching your hair (chuckle) don't move your head, keep still and sit up straight). She did great, partly because of this comb out, I think.

Try it and tell me what you think.

LDS Humor: Interview with My Female Ancestors, by Haley

OK. Please go read this.

Maybe the feminist in me finds this funny, or maybe it's the comedian, I don't know. But please go read it and tell me what you think. The only problem with it, IMHO is that it's not long enough, at all.

*disclaimer* use of bible swearing. Which I don't mind, but I know there are some who do.

Things We Say

Squirt (saunters slowly into the kitchen): Mom?

NSG (Busily making pb&h sandwiches): Yes?

Squirt (leans tiredly on NSG's leg): Mom, will you pick me up?

NSG: Sure! (Picks up squirt, gives him a hug.)

Squirt: Mom, your sandwiches are so... so juicy and sweet.



MayMay: Mom, when we get kneeled in the temple-

NSG: You mean sealed?

MayMay: Yes, sealed. Mama, when we get sealed in the temple will Grandma Allison be there?

NSG: Yup.

MayMay: And grandma Elaine?

NSG: Yup.

MayMay: And me and Bella will kneel but NOT Jaws or Loli!




(setting: a campsite with a broad, fast-running stream alongside it.)

Jaws: Mom, Squirt can't go by the river.

NSG: Nope. You tell me if you see him by it.

Jaws: OK. Because Mom? If he goes by the river he will fall into it and get washed away and we'll never see him again!

NSG: (reconsidering the frightening scenario she used to scare her 4-year-old daughter into obedience) Yes. But he won't go by the river so it won't happen. And you won't Either. I'm so glad.

Jaws: And then I would not have our brother! And we'd just keep having more girls!

Why I love Skywalker...

He's naturally giving, and shows his love for people in very natural, heartfelt ways. The example I'm thinking of this morning:

the other day I was watching an episode of "criminal minds" and realized that the main character is Mandy Patinkin, one of my all-time favorite EVERYTHINGS. But especially his singing, just really gets me. After Skywalker and I finished the episode we went scouting around on the internet for youtube clips of him singing. And then the next evening, he brought home music from the BYU music library--Mandy Patinkin. And Joanna Newsom, another artist I have been really liking lately. He spent time, during his busy day, tracking these down for me and bringing them home. I didn't even have to ask... he just did it because he likes to make me happy.

Anyway... I like to think we both do things like this. I shouldn't be surprised at kindness anymore, but he is continually surprising me and making me feel loved.

Lo's Blog!

My little sister is now blogging!!! Go check it out if you're not a creepy guy who I wouldn't want to check out my sister's blog. But then, if you're that (a creepy guy who I wouldn't want to check out my sister's blog) you shouldn't be looking at mine either, you sicko!!! So there!!

Ahem.

Sorry, got a little too much sun today.

Anyway, my little sis is a deep thinker. She's got a lot to say. And it's pretty interesting.

Guess Who

So... Guess whose baby pictures.

Yes... cliche. But we had to do it sometime. Careful now... a couple are a bit tricksy :)

Jake is the devil...I'm glad I have Skywalker.

OK, so I had to follow up on the whole Jake/Vienna thing. Because I compared my relationship with Skywalker to their courtship as it unfolded on the Bachelor.

Here's what I have to say: Vienna is not an extremely mature person. I hope I"m more mature than that. But she and I are similar in a lot of ways.

Jake and Skywalker are nothing alike.

And for that I'm so very grateful:)

The end.





OK. Not the end. I can't help myself. Here's a list of things I dislike about someone like Jake:

1) It's obvious he's lying. I'm good at spotting liars because I was married to someone who was very good at lying.

2) The little snide, snippy comments that were just malicious... I'm sorry but this is not OK at all, particularly if you're directing them at an emotional marshmallow like Vienna (and me.)

3) The coldness--it's called emotional withdrawal. It's passive aggressive. It's extremely hurtul.

4) The thing about getting so upset about being questioned. See... I can sympathise with Vienna because I do this, too. Skywalker is very patient and I do it much less now that we've been married for a while. But the whole questioning thing--it's part of the growth and trust that builds in a relationship. It's part of becoming one--being willing to surrender yourself to someone else's way of doing things, being willing to go along with someone even if they end up being wrong. It takes a while!

I have to agree with this girl (Vienna) that Jake needs someone passive, someone willing to be controlled. The thing is... he's got issues HE needs to work out. The sad thing is he doesn't know it.

It's really all too bad.

Aaaaaand that's the end of my venture into tabloid-celebrity-gossip speculation.

Really, that's the end. I won't say any more.






OK, nevermind, I have to say one more thing.

That controllingness--I know what it feels like. Those snide remarks... I know what they feel like. Those bursts of temper... I know what those are like. I think I've decided this relationship does not resemble mine and Skywalker's.

It definitely resembles another relationship I had at one time, though. And in a way I lucked out that I didn't have to deal with it long-term. In a way, that was a blessing. Not for him, because his choices led him in a very terrible direction and caused him great pain and suffering. But for me... well.

How do you be grateful for something that causes someone else so much pain and suffering? you really can't. So I won't say it.

The Onion--Stephenie Meyer Saves America

Al-Qaeda Calls Off Attack On Nation's Capitol To Spare Life Of 'Twilight' Author

Thanks, Cait, for the tip-off.