Elephants and Donkeys

Well, tomorrow is the much anticipated pre-election debate on domestic policy. While I have class and thus will be tuning in a little late, I am planning to watch the debate in (what should be) a very lively atmosphere. Through another group that I belong to, I heard about the Cogers meeting/debate watching party where they plan to criticize, heckle, and berate the debaters. I. Can't. Wait. While I am excited to watch, I must say, I think I even more excited for the inevitable unintended debate related comedy that will surely inspire the likes of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

VS.

My Main(e) Fall Fantasy

M and I are trying to arrange for a little fall foliage trip up to Maine. We have a wedding to go to next weekend and since it is already halfway to Maine, we thought why not continue driving! Spontaneity is not often rewarded on holiday weekends, however, since accommodations are usually booked far in advance. We'll see if it works out!

All fantasy images via Pinterest...

If it does, I am already dreaming up a list of things I would love to do...

I would definitely need to make a stop at Snug Harbor Farm:

How adorable is this farm/garden shop?? 

And a walk through Laudholm farm:

With beach, woods, and farm, this is the autumnal view trifecta!

A meander down downtown Portland:

I am in love with all of the cute little shops and places to eat!

"Lobstah" Rolls in Kennebunk Port: The book below is a great read if you are into these sorts of things...

Yum...

A barefoot walk in a sweater and cuffed jeans on a chilly beach 

Romantic...

Here's hoping my main(e) fantasy this fall becomes a reality! 

Happy Endings Are Overrated (In Musicals, At Least)

On Saturday, we went to see the musical Once on Broadway. With musicals there is often an expectation of tap dancing, happy endings, and predictable plot arcs--this musical was none of those things. It was, however, inspirational, touching, and innovative. The musical numbers were gorgeous; masterpieces of vocals, instruments, and subtle, yet theatrical, choreography. The story was moving with an ending both melancholy and uplifting--a sensibility not often found in musicals. Beyond the music and story, which were incredible, many steps were taken to ensure that the musical extended its innovations into the audience experience.

For one, the musical was set in a bar in Dublin. To offer the audience a sense of what this might feel like, there were opportunities both in the beginning of the play and during intermission for the audience to go up on stage into the bar for a pint (served in a regulation sippy cup) and to listen to music in the Dublin bar setting. Very cool. So, if you are looking for a fun, moving, well-done musical, I completely recommend this musical!

This was my favorite number from the piece. Check it out!

Human Rights Cinema Club

Last year, for a class that I took on the human and social dimensions to the concept of peace, we had to design a peace education program. While for many people, this took the form of a program aimed at restructuring post-conflict societies, I wanted to create a program I could apply to my current professional life. From this, Action! A Human Rights Cinema Club, was born. Today was our first club meeting of the year and I am always excited to see the enthusiasm with which students approach the overwhelming task of learning about and finding ways to eradicate human rights abuses worldwide.

After much back and forth with documentary directors, human rights practitioners, and NYC area organizations, I am really excited for the lineup we have for this year. Yay!

Kicking It Old School

I would definitely not call myself a luddite. I have an iPhone. I engage in social media processes. I adore my macbook. Despite my affinity for technology, I engage in some completely inefficient, old style, outmoded, dinosaur habits that I just can't seem to let go of. 

One of those archaic habits I continue to harbor is the use of an agenda book. While my phone, my computer, or an iPad could just as efficiently store the dates and times of commitments, for some reason, I am wholly dependent on my Barnes and Noble weekly agenda book. I have been buying some variation of this planner since college. I religiously cross out the things I have done and move old, unfinished activities to the next day until they too get crossed out.  

I was at a meeting today at grad school and whipped out my planner, which invited several laughs and queries into why I would ever use such a thing. Admittedly, we did keep changing dates and I was involved in a comical dance of writing something down only to cross it out a moment later. When faced with questions as to why I loved this thing so much, I really couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation. I just like it. 

I guess perhaps in a world that often moves too fast, where technology is constantly upgrading, changing, and progressing, I just find something comforting in my elephant patterned, purple printed, old school agenda book. 

A Feminist Reading of 50 Shades

Via

I realize that teachers are not supposed to have favorite students; however, let's be honest, that is somewhat of an impossibility. The other day, a group of my favorite little sophomore girls, who were in my freshman class last year, ran into my room giggling.

"Okay, what's so funny?" I asked them.

After a moment of silence, the girls sheepishly revealed their newly acquired library copies of Fifty Shades of Grey. Seeing as I have read this book (and would not want my fifteen-year-old daughter reading it), it took every ounce of my overly opinionated being not to immediately launch into a tirade about why they should not be reading these books. Honestly, it is not even the sexual content of the books that bothers me, but, rather, it is the demeaning and disempowered depiction of the main female character who completely subsumes herself to the (older) man she falls in love with. Not exactly a role model generating novel.

Determined to make this a teachable moment, I asked the girls about the female character in the novel and we talked at length about why the author chose to paint her in this light.

What I found was pleasantly surprising. Perhaps the push for gender reform and equality has made (some) strides--despite the widespread exploitation of women's bodies and labor worldwide. The girls all felt that there were major problems with the way the author developed her female character and they were actually endlessly critical. They said that the books were just fun, guilty pleasures. Hmm...I guess it might be hypocritical to call them out on that...

I can only hope that someday, if I have a daughter, she will be just the right combination of critical, questioning, analytical--with a touch of rebellion. While I hope that her rebellion will be more along the lines of skipping school to see a new art exhibit at the Met, I suppose that if it involves sneaking off to the library to obtain a copy of 50 Shades of Grey, I can live with that. As long as she conducts a feminist critique of the novel as she reads it.

Fall Kickoff

Oh Monday... how difficult it is to relinquish the freedom of the weekend. Sigh...

I am about halfway through The Discovery of Witches and I am totally obsessed! Like The Night Circus last year, it is fulfilling a fall-inspired literary yearning for a book filled with mystery and mystical creatures. If you are looking for a fire front read to match the horror tinged season, definitely check it out!

Speaking of fall, this weekend was the perfect way to kickoff the season of autumn. The Yankees won, which meant that we got to wander out of Yankee stadium, buried in a wave of blue, as Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" blasted over the intercom. There's nothing like it!

After some manicures and pedicures, my sister and I met up with her boyfriend and M. and headed off for some dinner at my new favorite neighborhood joint, The Penrose, followed by the Bon Iver concert, which was awesome. It was just my perfect concert combination; an exhilarated crowd, an artistry of sound, a mix of new and old songs and sounds, and a light show that highlighted all of the right dramatic musical moments. Love it! 

Add in a dash of art shows, brunches, smushy faced dog love, warm fall beverages, crisp fall weather, and a great book to read cosily in bed to close the evening on Sunday and this was definitely a perfect weekend...

Hope everyone had a great weekend!