This six year old is way more on to it than I ever was about the gender imbalance in Guess Who? I just never chose to be a woman when playing, I never thought to address the makers of the game about the obvious bent.
The Vampire Diary - a 25 year old man's account of a marathon Twilight viewing. (via The Lady Garden) "I get that they're in love, and everything happening between 18-year-olds is the most important thing that will ever happen to anyone, but they can never seem to just chill. It doesn't seem healthy."
I heard an interview with Caitlin Moran on the radio earlier this year, & at the time I thought she sounded pretty cool. So I reserved her book How to Be a Woman at the library, & prepared to add a new Wilder Woman hero to the list. I was expecting to LOVE this book and this woman, & then...I didn't. This is a pretty accurate review of what I didn't like. (also via The Lady Garden)
Another day, another Chris Brown drama. "Chris Brown continues to face backlash because he continues to remind us that he is an asshole. He continues to get in trouble. He continues to display violent behavior. All that is his right but he doesn’t get to do it with impunity."
It's my birthday today! And so far it's been a good one. Apa has been cooking me special meals all week & bringing home some of my favourite treats (Scorched Almonds, Belgian biscuits, licorice). Kowhai slept through the night last night! This is unheard of! I got up early this morning, bundled Kowhai in her pram & went for a stroll through Newtown to pick up a couple of things at the supermarket. When we got home Apa was ready for us with this song...
...and we had a family dance party. He then gifted me the PJ Harvey album that I've been wanting for ages on vinyl, and cooked me a delicious breakfast. While Kowhai's been napping I took a long shower (fellow parents will know what a luxury this is). Soon I'll be dropping Kowhai off to play with her cousin so I can do some shopping, treat myself to lunch, have an appointment with a naturopath friend of mine, and meet another friend for afternoon tea. Then Kowhai's Aunty will be coming to babysit this evening so Apa & I can go out for dinner. Birthday's rule!
TAMER
How can anything be Tamer when it's Birthday Week?
A Creative Catharsis ~ "Ad creatives, designers, animators, directors, illustrators and more took time out to dress up their favourite worst feedback from clients, transforming quotes that would normally give you a twitch, into a diverse collection of posters." (via Morgue)
I love a good infographic. This one showcases some classic mondegreens (misheard song lyrics). (also via Dooce)
Sticks and stones ~ another brilliant response to John Key's "gay" faux pas. "To help reinforce my parenting, I would like my country's leader to practise integrity, compassion, formality and awareness. Why? Because he is our leader. He is our representative."
I'm completely with Fit and Feminist on this piece about finding it easier to boycott fast food "restaurants" over the politics of their CEOs rather than the state of their food.
I was chatting with my friend Noush this morning about Garbage, & was reminded that this is one of my favourite music videos ~
The Venn Review ~ Music reviews using venn diagrams & baby making analogies. (via Noush) It seems I have a lot of listening to do.
Heather Nette King's interior styling is amazing. I can't decide which of these rooms I love the most. Every single one of them is divine perfection.
I hate the term 'politically correct'. Here's why. "If there is a verbal equivalent of a drive-by shooting, it must be the
use of that nasty epithet "politically correct." At best, this is a
label that allows the intellectually lazy to denigrate anything they
don't like without having to offer a reasoned objection."
Why You're Never Failing as a Mother. "Feeling like you also need to keep on top of scrapbooking, weight loss, up-cycled onesies, handprints, crock pot meals, car seat recalls, sleeping patterns, poo consistency, pro-biotic supplements, swimming lessons, electromagnetic fields in your home and television exposure, is like trying to knit on a rollercoaster – it’s fucking hard."
Do you know about Makers.com? It's a website "showcasing hundreds of compelling stories from women of today and tomorrow. This historic video initiative features exclusive access to trailblazing women – both known and unknown." It features some of my favourite Wilder Women ~ Alice Walker, Nichelle Nichols, Kathrine Switzer, Judy Blume, and so many more. Though I have to say I'm disappointed by the inclusion of Phyllis Schlafly, who campaigned against equality & is anti-choice, among other things.
This incredibly articulate & thoroughly researched piece on a former pro-lifer's loss of faith in the anti-abortion movement is such a good read. (via The Lady Garden) "The reality is that so-called pro-life movement is not about saving babies. It’s about regulating sex. That’s why they oppose birth control. That’s why they want to ban abortion even though doing so will simply drive women to have dangerous back alley abortions. That’s why they want to penalize women who take public assistance and then dare to have sex, leaving an exemption for those who become pregnant from rape. It’s not about babies. If it were about babies, they would be making access to birth control widespread and free and creating a comprehensive social safety net so that no woman finds herself with a pregnancy she can’t afford. They would be raising money for research on why half of all zygotes fail to implant and working to prevent miscarriages. It’s not about babies. It’s about controlling women. It’s about making sure they have consequences for having unapproved sex."
Judy Chicago talks about her amazing art piece The Dinner Party (1979) and the way in which women were, and continue to be, marginalised in the art world. (via Blue Milk) "The truth is that for centuries women have struggled to be heard, writing books, making art and music and challenging the many restrictions on women's lives. But their achievements have been repeatedly written out of history."
My friend & mentor, Alice, has started a new blog (finally). If you are interested in Indigenous/Maori/Pacific literature & issues I recommend you head over to Once Were Pacific & check it out. If it's anything like her previous blog expect a lot of thoughtful, lyrical, touching & enlightening posts.
~ Watching Anthony Bourdain in Louisiana. It made me desperately wish I was back in New Orleans eating crawfish. It also contained the classic line "The whole pig was now as smooth & hairless as a pole dancer's taint." Brilliant!
~ Going in to wake Koko in the morning & having her little head pop up with her cookie monster doll hanging out of her mouth.
~ Wellington Rape Crisis, who you may remember have had major funding issues this year, received an anonymous $50,000 donation this week. Amazing! Way to restore my faith in humanity, Anonymous.
~ Impromptu picnic dinners at Oriental Bay on beautiful spring evenings.
~ Watching Star Wars with Koko. She loved it! Every time the droids were on screen she would try & talk to them. It was adorable.
~ I went to the SPCA op shop in Lower Hutt the other day & it was full of stuff for me. Seriously, it was like they'd seen my pinterest board & knew I was coming. So much good stuff! Thrifting win!
TAMER
~ Fly eggs. Yep, I think we can all agree that the whole gamut of fly related grossness is disgusting.
~ Buying fever. I have been in a strange mood lately where all I want to do is shop. And shop. And shop.
