Shame on you, salons!

I walked into the salon and told the receptionist I was there for an 11:15 appointment with Patricia. For a minute she looked at me as if she hadn't quite heard me, but then told me to take a seat. Patricia came in and whisked me off into her room, where I draped myself with a smock and took a seat in the oh-so-entertaining swirly chair. She proceeded to touch up my highlights and wrap my head in so many layers of foil that I thought I might soon be picking up radio waves. She then informed me that we needed to let the color set for about 20 minutes, and that I was free to help myself to some magazines conveniently arrayed on the nearby table.

So far so good.

Until I looked at the magazines and a wave of disappointment rushed over me. People. Cosmo. The San Antonio Woman. WTF? Suddenly I became an enraged feminist, asking myself why it is that salons assume that all women want to read about are celebrities and the best sex moves.

The answer is: social constructivism. Society creates gender. Parents give their sons legos and their daughters Barbie dolls. They let their sons play aggressively and tell their daughters to play nicely. It may be unconscious, but that doesn't mean we should ignore it. Gender--that is, masculinity and femininity--are not inherent traits. They are acquired and shaped by culture. And a widespread change in our cultural values could redefine what we consider "masculine" and "feminine."

So, with that being said, I believe salons carry strictly trashy magazines because they are one small part of a society that is enchanted with rigid gender roles. What I would love to see is a salon that also carries the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Scientific American, National Geographic, PC Gamer, etc. It would be wonderful for a "feminine" place, such as a salon, to recognize that women are intelligent, diverse creatures, and have a multitude of interests beyond just gossip and fashion.

Ranting over.

love.

I'm sitting here on my bed staring at the walls around me littered with memorabilia and artifacts that represent who I am: Audrey Hepburn poster, photos from travels, a picture of my grandfather, a giant obnoxious A&M quilt (yeah so maybe that doesn't represent me too accurately, but whatever). And I can't help but think about the people who have gotten me to where I am today. My family. Mi madre y padre. And the incredible love and support they have provided through everything, rough and smooth. They consoled me when I came home crying from a bad day at school. They held my hair back when I retched all night long from a bout of food poisoning (too much information?). They bought me a seemingly endless supply of Chili's potato-soup-to-go when I had jaw surgery and could only consume my meals through a straw. They listened to me with silent understanding when I changed my majors (twice!) and complained about how confused and lost I felt. They greeted me with beaming smiles when I got something I really wanted, happy to share in my joy.

It hasn't been all roses. But the fact that my parents are separated doesn't diminish the contribution each of them has made to the person I am right now, typing on these black plastic keys.

So, thanks mom and dad.

In other news, I got an acceptance letter from Yale today. I was moderately excited, in that wow-I-can't-believe-this-actually-happened kind of way, which is always more understated and collected than I imagine it will be. Yale's offer of admission is only as good as it's offer of financial aid, though, so it remains to be seen if they will deliver on that end. In my eyes, Yale has one serious thing going for it: Edward Norton's alma mater. And before I give any notice of acceptance or rejection, I just may have to inquire about the likelihood of Ed coming to speak as a former student... ;-)

Work it move that bitch crazy!

Rah-rah-ah-ah-ah!
Roma-roma-maa!
Ga-ga-ooh-la-la!...

Damn you Lady Gaga and your stupid catchy songs.

It's been a while since I last updated...the past 1.5 months have been all different flavors of crazy so I'll just skip right over that and say Happy New Year!

Ah, January. The month of wintery weather, national figure skating championships, new semesters, broken resolutions, and... my birth! It's really the best month, isn't it? Besides maybe December. Christmas is hard to beat.

As a matter of reference, my New Years Resolutions (yes, plural) are top secret, but rest assured: they are fabulous.

Update on the grad school front: all of my applications are in and I've heard back from two so far, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Michigan. Both seem positively interested in me, but I won't know any admissions decisions until some time in February. But although both of those schools are my top choices, neither one of those programs is my top choice, so hopefully my preferred programs will bring equally pleasant tidings. *crosses fingers*

Lastly, I want to offer a shameless plug for the movie Brothers, starring Natalie Portman and other people. It's a beautiful, albeit heart-wrenching, exploration of human nature and how situational influences can necessitate evil acts, even if we would otherwise consider such acts to be far below us. It jives perfectly with the book I'm currently devouring, The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil. Check 'em out!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today my mom, brother, and I are going over to a friend's house to celebrate and EAT. My contribution is to provide the pies, which are currently in the oven baking themselves into yummy confectionery delights. Whenever I try out a new dessert recipe, I always remember one of the classic Friends Thanksgiving episodes...






Have a tasty, turkey-filled day!

And they're off!

My first round of graduate school applications are officially in, albeit a couple weeks after the deadline I set for myself. Just one of the many things I've been late on recently... add it to the list of utilities bills, credit card statements, papers, research deadlines... you name it.

Yeah, I'm a little stressed. But handling it.

Time to get down to business on the second round, which is due December 15. But once again, my deadline was November 15, which has already come and gone. Translation: I will be living at the library and sleeping on the couches in Rudder Auditorium until these get finished!! I can do this!

Peace out.

Music is the literature of the heart

I can't listen to him play this without getting tears in my eyes. Last year I was lucky enough to see him play it in person. It was mesmerizing, one of my best memories at A&M.

Close your eyes and enjoy!

Must Love Dostoevsky

Confession: I'm slightly tempted to try this out... Online Dating for Book Lovers

I wonder whether you can customize the person you are looking for in terms of authors and writing styles? For example, a Fitzgerald type with a generous splash of Dickens-like wit?

Or maybe by books they must have read? Like "must have read Pride and Prejudice, Gone With the Wind, Dr. Zhivago, Crime and Punishment, A Tale of Two Cities, and East of Eden?"

Just curious...