Sex and the body

Okay, before you read the title of this post and scoff and/or leave, hear me out. It's not just the gratuitous nudity of tonight's movie talking, I promise.

The other day in lecture we were speaking about the election. My teacher was mentioning the historic significance and the fact that, though it is an amazing stride in the right direction, we would be naiive to think that race relations are going to be perfectly smooth all over the country or that racism doesn't exist anymore. 

However, I'm getting to my p

oint in a very roundabout way. It's important to realize that, even in actions that seem like huge, positive societal changes, there are still damaging aspects. The feminine/sexual revolution is one of these instan

ces.

Women became more aware and educated. Contraception became widely available. Women achieved much progress including the eventual right to vote and (we're still workin on....) job equality. However; my professor mentioned something I never considered:

This time period also brought us Twiggy. My professor left it simply at that and told us to think about it. Well, I thought all right. What's the deal? Once we're able to safely have sex we become commodities? Now that women are able to sexually declare independence, body image and appearance become important. We were forced to appeal to men now that the emphasis changed from house and home to freer demonstrations of love. 

Or is it predominately a control issue?  It seems that as soon as women felt they had the ability to assert themselves in the sexual aspect of their life, all of a sudden appearance thrust it's way to the forefront. Women are able to be strong in their personal and political lives: love, vote, work- now this sense of perfection pervades the physical as well and we assert control over out bodies. Since we all have the opportunities to show our power in these non-physical ways, it seems as if it has become a competition or show of strength assert will power through physical appearance. Women now show how strong they are through their fitness/lack thereof, and I don't know about you, but that seems a bit skewed to me.

I could be rambling and getting this wrong because it's about half past midnight and I've had a long day- but shouldn't us women band together to accept our bodies and find better, more powerful ways to assert our abilities and independence? 

How do you show your strength?

annoyed/great

Started off great! We went to a mexican food place that seemed really authentic- one of their meat options is Tongue and another is Brain... intense. I had just eaten lunch a couple hours earlier (as I had thought we were doing movie/wander first) so I got something I always get anyway when it's an option: 

A ceviche tostada!! I absolutely adore good ceviche; it's had to do right and have it taste fresh, but this one was ideal. I also split a side order of black beans with my roommate. Not too many veggies tonight, but I've been pretty good about getting them throughout the week. Plus, it's the farmers market tomorrow which will be produce love!

Tonight has been full of 

ups and downs. I guess that not everyone was raised with the same idea that if you tell someone you're going to be somewhere, you stay there so they don't worry- or at least have your phone on! This happened to me today when one of my roommates and I stopped by New Leaf. 

This store is awesome and being expanded, by the way!

I needed to go next door to look at vitamins really quick and asked if he would still be wandering the store in about five minutes... he said sure, just look for him, he'd be there. Literally three minutes later I came back (the woman at the vitamin store creeped me out) and he was no where to be found! I called his phone 8 times, stalkerish i know, called his sister who said "oh, I thought he was with you" and this went on for about 15 minutes. 

I mean, it's just about courtesy and respect at that point. I don't know, it sort of hurt me and felt like he didn't respect my feelings enough to let me know- especially because I worried. Then when we found him later he refused to acknowledge anything and said he had been at the store, didn't see me, so left for a different store we had talked about going to. I was pretty upset (and my have started tearing up- it's been a day where I've felt pretty disrespected) so I just asked him to next time let me know if he decides to be somewhere different that he said he would be and he staunchly insisted that he had been there the whole time. I mean, is it so hard to just say 'okay, sorry?' 

Oh well. I shook it off by having some "African Red Bush" tea from starbucks (I had a gift card!). Can you believe that they already use holiday cups? It almost makes me sad- what happened to thanksgiving?

 Also, story: my mom and I both got African Red Bush tea once and, when the baristo (what do you call a female barista... I should know this, being a barista, haha) called our order he just yelled "Ladies, I've got your Red Bush riiiight here!"

Ummm, yeah that sounds a little.... off, haha! We couldn't stop giggling about it for about an hour as we were wandering a book store- ah memories.

We went to go see Role Models and it was so funny!!! Seriously, I was laughing nearly the entire time-literally- my cheeks hurt. There was definitely gratuitous nudity (in these types of movies, when are there not?) but also witty banter and a touching side. I highly recommend it. Not to mention I'm SO glad Paul Rudd is in a ton of films again because I had the biggest crush on him in Clueless!

We've just gotten home and now I'm settling down with a Caramel Apple yogurt with a couple heaping tablespoons of sliced almonds stirred in. Nice dessert after a light dinner. I'm off to watch "The soup" (I have a huge crush on Joel McHale, alas, he's taken-and so am I, haha) but I promise I'll be on later to get to your comments and maybe do a little post on women/body image that I've been thinking about. Thanks so much for everything before- you girls are so sweet and make me feel so welcome and, well, that my feelings were kind of justified and I wasn't just being crazy. I guess I just haven't lived with other people (other than my parents) before and it takes a bit of adjusting, on Everyone's part.

Q: What was your first experience living with roommates and/or away from home like?

Pre-dinner update

I'm keepin it quick because apparently everyone's waiting on me for dinner and I just got out of class, yikes!

I thought we were going to the matinee to save money but apparently everyone voted without me and we're actually going to a later show. 

Also, I thought we were hanging out downtown getting dinner afterwards but apparently everyone voted and I lost and now we're eating early.

What type of tree is this???

So it sucks that I ate so much recently because I'm super full and can't even think about dinner yet- so I wish someone would have told me when I asked this morning.

It sounds like I'm pretty bitter- and I guess I'm just feeling a little ignored/out of the loop/not part of the group. I don't know, I just thought there was a plan set and it turns out there is, but not the one I thought at all, so I'm feeling a little thrown off.

Sorry to sound like such a downer this post- I just don't like being rushed and prefer to have a plan; however, as I'm learning as I go through life: plans change- and that's okay!

Thanks for understanding you guys!! I appreciate your comments so incredibly much and I cannot wait to relax and get to them later. They really mean a lot to me. I'm going to wind down and try to go with the flow... I'm working on it ;)

Fantastic Friday

I got a good night's sleep (for me anyway)- huzzah! Man it's been hard to roll out of bed this morning so I'm taking the opportunity to wake up slow. I woke up at around 7 but managed to laze in bed until 830ish just being comfy= worth it. 

Did some light stretching, put on some tea and am now sitting down with a big bowl of oats (applesauce, cinnamon, and chopped almonds with some nonfat milk), a my giant mug of green tea, and a little bowl of 1/2 cup yogurt and frozen berries (apparently I was in the mood for a bit of fruit). It's ideal. I can't find my camera amid the clothes strewn on my floor right now, but it isn't very photogenic anyway. Funny, I've always been a believer in the "you eat with your eyes first" concept; but now I find myself trying to make my food look even more appealing than usual ;)

(I am NOT this good, :) but bendy-ish. I have horrifying balance, haha)

I think I'll take it easy today work out wise- I'm a bit sore from impromptu bootcamp- or maybe do a quick indoor circuit and some yoga. Does anyone know a good website with yoga routines? Preferably free? I've either been just going with moves in my head that I already know or using youtube, but I wouldn't mind trying a video of some sort.

For lunch, I packed a sandwich on Arnolds Double Fiber bread with babaganoosh, artichoke hearts, turkey ham, rice cheese (trying it because the actual cheese I've been using lately has given me Horrible stomach cramps), and spinach. Also, I'm bringing an apple (the last in the bag :( Good thin it's the farmers market tomorrow- bad thing it's supposed to be raining) which I'll hopefully munch on Walking to campus, if the weather holds. 

Tonight is 'friday adventure' with the roommates- they have a tradition of seeing a movie and going out to dinner every friday. It hurts the ol' college budget, but I think it may be worth the splurge ;) I mean, I work! It's tough being a student these days, haha. I think we're going to go see Role Models (I'm pushing for a matinee showing) and then going to a mexican food place they know. 

It's interesting because they've all been going to school here 2-5 years and I'm brand new so I feel like they're constantly giving me a tour! It's nice because honestly, I don't know where things are; however, I'm a bit independent and wouldn't mind doing a little exploration without always having a schedule... but how to bring it up without seeming ungrateful? Ah, I think if I didn't have them showing me around I'd probably get bored pretty dang quick and they always let me go in somewhere that I think 'looks interesting' anyway. Hopefully after dinner we'll get a chance to wander the Huge Borders downtown- bookstores rank among my favorite things.  

I found this article on yahoo about ways to be happier. Though I am a generally happy person, I think it's always good to have little reminders/affirmations just to reassure and remind ourselves of not only how lucky we truly are, but that we are also unique human beings.

Question...? What makes You happy?

- an energizing work out        - food that's good for the body and soul      

-speaking on the phone with someone I love      - laughter that you can't seem to stop

- puppies    - something I've worked on that I'm proud of (finishing the crossword puzzle!)

-listening to stories from other generations       -a good book     

-when my friends succeed

the list goes on, but those are the first that come to mind.

Have a fantastic friday everyone!

Inspiration

Turning in my paper went great! I'm actually proud of it. Unfortunately, I was a bit distracted during lecture- too bad because it was interesting; however, guess what I was distracted with...

The new schedule of classes for winter! It came out today and, well, I'm a bit of a planner. I was sort of looking through the schedule the whole time trying to see what would work and put together one I'm really happy with- hope they're still open and I get those classes!! Afterwards my friend picked me up and we went to the store:

I've been seeing brussell sprouts all over the blogging world and wanted some so badly it was painful. I bought those fresh along with having the end of my white asparagus and a salmon patty seasoned with dill and lemon pepper, all on top of a couple cups of spinach. I threw everything on the grill pan- yay for one pot/pan meals! Spinach is amazing for all the iron and vitamins it provides- green leafy veggies are the best! Also awesome=these salmon patties. 

They are available at Trader Joe's and next time I'm there I promise I'll get a picture of the packaging and do a formal review post. The ingredients are simply salmon and salt, frozen, and you thaw (or not) and make however your favorite way to make salmon is. Only down side? They are a little small if you're not having it on a bun or two slices of bread so I usually make two. Today I went back for 1/2 of the second patty as well as a piece of toast- Arnold's Double Fiber. Sorry for the lack of picture, it was mid dinner and I didn't want to interrupt the vibe ;)

Now I'm watching Grey's Anatomy with my roommates and have a Caramel Apple yogurt chillin in the freezer for later. I have some reading that I really should get done, but overall nothing that I have to stress about for tomorrow- such a relief. Hope you all have a fantastic and relaxing night!

Question of the day: Any T.V. shows that you watch? Why? I find most of the time I watch shows that my roommates like pretty much just as an activity to do with them. The only shows I actually 'like' are usually in the mornings (the news, sometimes rachel ray, and price is right); however, nothing I absolutely cannot miss. Although I must admit, I Love jeopardy, wheel of fortune, and antique's roadshow! *embarrassed* They're nothing I'd plan my day around, but if I happen to be flipping channels and see one of them I know what I'm doing for the next half hour. 

sooo over it

So it's a good thing I finished ;)

I'm way relieved. I just finished formatting and finishing checking grammar and other errors (actually, my favorite part) on my tri-term. Overall I'm really pleased with it- this should be what matters; however, in school, you do work for a grade. Alas. UC Santa Cruz only just implemented letter grades a few years ago. It used to be based on teacher evaluations. Some believed it actually encouraged better, more thorough work- But it made it really hard to get into grad school so they 'caught up with the times.' 

I ate the other half of the above trail mix I bought at the cafe a couple of days ago and then had a yogurt and apple to round out the tri-fecta (wow, I'm so fixated on tri's because of that paper, haha).  Unfortunately I was too preoccupied to photo it this morning. 

I finished just in time to catch the end of Price is Right; I guess Drew Carey is an alright substitute, but how I miss good ol' Bob Barker! Now, time to relax, print my paper, and check some blogs. I'm hoping to get in a quick version of Meghann's bootcamp today. It might have to be an indoor version unless the weather clears up a bit. I also still have other schoolwork to do, but the stress is off!

In preparation for very wet weather my mom sent me rain boots! I feel like an awesome lumerjack and had to share- thanks mom. Actually, she doesn't know about this blog. Do your family and friends know about your blogs? How did they react to it, both at first and in time? I keep vacillating between wanting to share with my mom/sis/friends and wanting to keep it just amongst the blog worlds because I feel like I can be exceptionally honest. 

Update (2pm): I was so glad I finished that I decided to go on a five minute walk to the park down the road. I took my book for my class tomorrow with me in hopes that I would still be feeling motivated. Well, a different sort of motivation took hold: the motivation to move! I didn't do much, but I was inspired by Meghann's bootcamp work-out. I did a few jumping jacks and then eased into various body weight strength exercises including: pushups (on my knees :( I can do more that way, but I'm slowly working my way up), squats, crunches, reverse push ups, step ups, reverse crunches (which kicked my butt), and about 5 short suicides. I only did about 15 of each exercise, but I didn't stop in between and it felt good to be outside and get my heart rate up (for however short a time) after being trapped inside with the tri-term.

Yup, this is what I turn into after lack of sleep/paper stress- it's attractive, I know.

Also, I wear contacts or glasses pretty much 100% of the time; I have incredibly poor vision.

Look at the SIZE of this pear (capitalized in order to emphasize the tiny-ness!). I saw them at new leaf and was so amused that I asked the staff about them. Well, score one for customer service- they gave me a couple of them for free! They're really good. They taste a little smoother and sweeter than a regular pear. I don't quite remember what they're called, but it starts with a 'v'.... haha, sorry. I'll check next time I'm at the store.

For lunch I had a sandwich with turkey ham, swiss, babaganoosh, spinach and tomato on two slices of Arnolds High-Fiber bread. It's just as good as the protein variety but has a heartier taste- perhaps it's just because I didn't toast it? Either way, I love them both for different reasons; but this lunch benefitted from the extra fiber as opposed to extra protein. On the side I snacked on celery filled with babaganoosh- I'm trying to use it up before it goes bad.

Off to go turn in that paper and go to a couple classes- fun fun. See you later!

over the hump?

For me? Not quite. Just a warning: posting/eating may be a bit sporadic today. I actually slept a bit better which is great because I need to be mentally rested to be able to focus on this tri-term I'm writing (40% of my grade-eek!). I have the length of the paper but don't feel like I've really addressed or proved my thesis effectively- I've hardly gotten to my argument yet! Looks like a bit more writing and then some hardcore editing is in order. Woke up a bit early to use the restroom, but I decided I'm just going to stay up and do something for Me for about a half hour- probably check blogs while watching the news, that'll start the morning off right ;)

Made a cup of PG Tips black tea with half a packet of equal in it. Usually I like my tea black but I felt like making it more of a treat/spoiling myself this morning. When I visit my boyfriend in England everyone makes so much fun of me- apparently it's unheard of to drink black tea! I also have a big ol' cup of water and a bowl of trail mix within munching distance for some brain food. I should probably divide the bowl into portions because, though I've gotten better at estimating and portion control over the years, there's something about nuts/dried fruit that always leads to confusion; probably just cause they're so yummy!

Last night I ended up having one of my favorite yogurt flavors: caramel apple. This lucerne brand seems to have little bits of apple in it; very tasty and not too sweet for a flavored yogurt because they're going for the taste of a tart green apple.