Friday, January 26, 2007
Christy Lambertson has published "Handmade Hope, Homegrown Faith", an article about a women's cooperative in Juarez, Mexico, in PRISM magazine, Jan/Feb 07.
Al Hsu's The Suburban Christian was reviewed (favorably) in the same issue.
I also taught from The Suburban Christian yesterday in Interaction with Urban Lives and Systems, my interim class at Bethel. I read a section about living Christianly no matter what location you're in, and at the same time, being very attentive and intentional to how your location shapes you, and how you can shape it. I began my talk with, "This author is a friend of mine from debate camp in high school. He grew up and is now a famous author, and I know him, so aren't I cool?" Students seemed conflicted - as they should be - between the coolness of publishing a book, and the uncoolness of spending high school summers at debate camp.
I also like Five Streams of the Emerging Church by Scot McKnight, at Christianity Today online. I sent it to a number of colleagues who are interested in postmodern evangelicalism, but haven't been able to find a concise, clearly worded, non-polemical description.
I'm traveling this weekend, and two of my goals (unrelated to the trip) are to crochet a baby cap for my niece, and to read How (Not) to Speak of God by Peter Rollins. I read the last chapter during a class while students were doing group work (a bad idea), but it was titled 'Queer' and I couldn't resist. I loved it. It's a brand new book, and my university library had it in cataloging process. That probably means some other prof requested its purchase, and I pre-empted that person's checking it out. Also not a great idea, but when it comes to reading good stuff, one has to be ruthless.
I've also been busy - took on a contract research project that was incredibly interesting (ethnographic research on a particular illness), but incredibly tiring and time-consuming over the last two weeks. Sorry to drop the 'what to have for dinner' line of thought. Be assured it will resurface here, as well as in my kitchen.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Colleen recently reminded me of story I told her that happened while I was pregnant with Oliver and Wesley. I was standing before the Mexican section at the grocery story, tears welling up as I found myself unable to make a decision about the refried black beans seasoned with lime. "If I buy two cans, I might have one left over in the pantry for a really long time!" "But if I buy only one can, then I might want some beans and there won't be any!" Honestly, it was paralyzing.
Last night, dinner was my responsibility. I intended to make "Easy Meatballs" from the Better Baby cookbook, which promised me that my boys would eat them. I hadn't really read the recipe, though, and when I did, I realized it involved simmering the meatballs in a sweet sauce. Adding white sugar to meat is against my religion. So I had to think fast, and make dinner. Entrees were fairly easy - leftover chicken for me and James, leftover bbq sandwich for my dad, pasta and spaghetti sauce for the boys. But with which spoon should I stir the spaghetti sauce? I stood in front of the spoon drawer, paralyzed, with tears welling up. If I use a wooden spoon, it will stain pink. But if I use a metal spoon, I might crush the noodles. And there are three different sizes of metal spoons! James offered to help (with the decision, not with dinner), but I insisted I could do it myself. And I did - medium-size metal spoon, a bit of crushing.
Vegetables were another matter. We ended up eating a salad of lettuce, carrots, celery, cucumbers, and oranges, plus boiled beets and roasted squash. Better to serve six vegetables than choose one, and have it be the wrong one.
My point here is that I worried all the way to work this morning about what to make for dinner tonight. That, and the fear that if I ever end up working at Houghton College in western New York, I'm going to be killed when my car hits a deer on a hill in the countryside. I'm guessing no one can help me with that, but maybe you can tell me what to make for dinner. It should involve either ground beef or chicken breasts, and no white sugar. Or maybe I should just make tuna casserole.
Seriously, tell me what to do. This question is rolling around in my head like Mmm-bop, except tears are welling up behind the question, which they don't do for Hanson.
It is true, I'm telling myself, that the black bean situation worked out just fine two years ago. That doesn't make today easy, though, just bearable.
12 Comments:
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Glad to know I'm not alone; I think I'm going to call this the pre-baby blues. Or maybe I'm having pre-labor blues? We shall see..but this morning things are seeming a bit overwhelming.
That's a lot of food you're cooking. I'm not much of a cook at all...but last night we had some brussel sprouts that we cooked in butter and chicken broth...salt and pepper. Yum...but not sure if the boys would be into that :O)
thinking of you...
lsmithBy
, at 9:35 AM
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Here is a link to a recipe on the Super Target recipe site. You said once that W and O like cheesey/noodley type things.
http://recipes.target.com/Recipe/Recipe.aspx?nprid=14636
CWBy
, at 10:45 AM
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Aww. Can I join the overwhelmed club, too? These days I can't pick out what sounds good to eat, but if you make suggestions I can tell you what doesn't.
My dinner suggestion: shepherd's pie
Morgan made a vegetarian version last night that's delicious. A layer of ground beef (or faux-meat) sauteed w/ onions, garlic, & carrots. Put in a casserole, top w/ cheese, a layer of frozen peas, layer of frozen corn, mashed potatoes, & more cheese. Bake about 30 minutes. -
I vote for tuna casserole. I mix peas into mine and serve it with a fruit salad (sliced bananas, oranges and blueberries the last time).
Kid and mom friendly. Just enough chopping and mixing to feel like cooking, but you don't have to be real exact about measuring. And you get steam in the air and to turn the oven on, which I like this time of year.
Good luck. -
i hate feeling frozen. i made this the other day and it was yummy:
Macaroni & CheeseBy
, at 5:11 PM
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I survived four years at Houghton...trust me the deer are the least of your worries! Those little whistle things for your hood do work...
Having been pregnant four times, so do meal plans made well in advance: "If I don't think about it maybe I can eat it."By
, at 5:28 PM
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Karen, do I know you? Or did you find this blog by googling "houghton deer beans"?
Southwest Haystacks, courtesy of SuperTarget and Colleen, are underway as we speak. Update to follow. -
You don't know me...I've been lurking since I found your blog mentioned in Christianity Today. But yesterday was "National de-lurking day" (see: http://www.papernapkin.typepad.com/) and you mentioned my Alma Mater so I got brave and commented...
By
, at 1:12 PM
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i am so glad to see that others struggle with the utter complexity of meal time. while pregnant, i seem to only want something if someone else has made it and of course, they don't have enough to share (ie: my husband, aka "the squirrel" - who is a notorious food horder).
i've actually thought of breaking apart from my self-consumed, self-imposed "cool" image and buying a crockpot.
even typing that makes me smirk ... -
No white sugar? Well then, BROWN sugar. Or honey. Sweet meat has its place.
If the recipe is right, frozen concentrated orange juice will do nicely, too.By
, at 12:26 PM
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Looks like Houghton qualifies for that old saying, "It's not in the middle of nowhere, but you can see it from there."
By
, at 12:35 PM
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I know I'm way late and the comment train has left the station and LTS has given birth by now...(wonder what she's having for dinner!)
But, I have to say that my mother-in-law puts sugar in TUNA. Yes, as in Tuna Fish Sandwich. That's just wrong. Enough to make me consider annulment in the early days of our marriage.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
One of my long-time lurkers sent me a link to Against Phalloblogocentrism, a discussion of academic blogs with a focus on gender and power dynamics.
The article argues that while blogs allow for a certain degree of democratization (each of us can be famous for 15 seconds, or famous to 15 people...), conventional practices of power and exclusion adapt to the blogosphere. Academic bloggers who are women, grad students, or junior faculty, for example, are more likely to use pseudonymns. Blogs grow in notoriety by linking, and 'old boy's networks' of links emerge quickly, excluding those who are different, new, or relatively powerless.
The article is worth a read, whether you're an academic or not. For those in the emergent church, we need to continue the gender/power/inclusion conversation. Why do so many men's emergent blogs link mostly to other men...despite having had this precise conversation about a year ago? Why have women ghettoized themselves so quickly in women's real-life groups and women's virtual groups, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of doing so? Are ethnic/racial minorities even included enough to be pissed about how they're being excluded?
The other question, for me, is how academic institutions might recognize blogging as a legitimate form of scholarship. It's very different from peer-review publication or book publication, but it is a world-changing, intensive form of scholarship that, when done with focus and intentionality, can consume much of a professor's scholarly energy.
Like me, for instance, writing about my cats, my pregnancy, and Christmas. Shouldn't that earn me tenure?! The truth is, I feel free to blog using my real name because I feel safe at my institution, and I have tenure. The fact that I don't use a pseudonymn does shape what I write about, but not in a way that makes me feel stifled. I also use the blog more for writing warm-up and for fun than for academic purposes. I really enjoy the more focused blogs written by academic, like Academic Coach, Hugo's blog, and David Fitch. (David Fitch's The Great Giveaway is my favorite analysis of the church in postmodern context.)
As an academic, however, I love the way blogging minimizes the ivory tower nature of what we do. It requires a popular-level communication of ideas, rapid dialogue, and a valuing of all voices, not just those socialized into the same narrow guild as yourself. Sometimes I wish I'd stick to a topic or blog with regularity, but mostly I just like to have a space to have fun writing and connecting with people.
2 Comments:
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As one of those female academics who blogs under a pseudonymn (in my case, my faithful cat, Jasper), I got a kick out of seeing myself described in your post. I have tenure, so what am I afraid of? In my case, I think that it's mainly that we are taught through the PhD and tenure process to remove ourselves as a voice in our writing and teaching. I'm not used to having opinions or sharing them! In my discipline (or at least in the parts that have power), it's not really "academic" if your distinctive voice (or any advocacy) is apparent in your writing. It's a hard thing to get over. A secondary reason for writing under Jasper's name is that my university is publicly funded, and offering opinions that anger legislators has been known to trigger calls for your head to the university president. They don't actually fire you, but it can make your life miserable. I'm sure there's an equivalent in your world.
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, at 8:38 PM
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At a private Christian liberal arts college, we have a statement of faith and a lifestyle covenant that we promise to live by. Violation could get you the boot, even if you have tenure. Those theological and lifestyle matters are much more important than political or academic/theoretical opinions.
Things that would get a blogger in trouble would be like converting to a religion other than Christianity, having sex outside of marriage, or denouncing the value of Scripture, and the like. There are also grey areas where it isn't entirely sure whether or not a certain thing would cause trouble.
I feel in harmony with my institution enough to blog. I think academics too often hide behind the 'I'm so radical I need to keep quiet' argument, without actually testing the reality of their supposed radicalness. Of course, people do have good reason to avoid the potential misery you describe. It's important, though, to exercise the tenure system by not just being lazy and not getting fired, but by being really active and making people think!
I need to post a whole entry about this - thanks for commenting, Jasper! (And, it seems that your cat allows pseudonymnous identification. Mine wouldn't.)
Monday, January 01, 2007
The Wall Street Journal reported on a University of Michigan study regarding gender and household chores for teens. Boys spend 30% less time doing chores, yet are more likely to be paid for their chores. Chores such as lawnmowing are considered cash-worthy, whereas dishwashing is more often done for free. Girls spend an average of 2 hours more per week doing chores than boys.
This suggests, of course, that the gender gap in housework will continue into the next generation.
In my home, my husband and I are as gender-conscious as anyone I know about division of labor issues, but it seems that awareness alone doesn't right the inequality. This article, however, got me thinking less about men in general, or my husband or sons in particular, and more about myself. I do women's chores, and prefer it that way. My husband does men's chores and women's chores. 'Equality' has meant him doing a greater number of tasks, though that's not necessarily to say that he does an unfair share of the work encompassed by those many tasks.
What do I mean by women's chores? The ones I was socialized to do: cooking, cleaning, and tasks involving machines with very small motors, like a sewing machine or an electric screwdriver. I have never - not once - in nine years of marriage used the lawnmower, chainsaw, or snowblower. As a teenager, I mowed my parents' lawn, but my dad always started the mower for me. I have never changed the oil on the car, climbed high on a ladder or in a tree, dug a big hole, or started the grill.
Man chores involve larger motors, louder sounds, more danger, the outdoors, and a need for greater physical strength. George Gilder, in Wealth and Poverty, says it's because of sex. Men do things that involve small bursts of great energy, just like, well, you know. Women do things that involve great endurance and longevity. Really, doing monotonous chores is pretty much like having babies, if you think about it. I read George Gilder's powerful antifeminist philosophy in an econ course during college, and his ideas continue to replay in my mind like ABBA songs.
Maybe it's necessary, that the quest for equality should involve men holding their existing chores, and also shouldering some of the extra burden women have been shouldering. After all, if women took on man chores, wouldn't that just be a reason for men to stop doing them? I prefer a more androgynous utopia, in which gender socialization doesn't so heavily shape our skill sets. I realize, though, that in my own life, I'm unwilling to take the time and energy to undo my gender chore socialization. I'm good at cooking, canning, sewing, mending, nurturing, and the like. I'm also trying to get good at reading, writing, teaching, and making it in a male-dominated profession. Starting the lawnmower just isn't high on my list of ways to change the world.
8 Comments:
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One of the hardest thing about marrying a man with a big disability (he has muscular dystrophy) was having to pump my own gas, a thing that only men had done my whole life.
In our house, I do lots of things, but Jeff makes the money (I mean the real money - I make the part time minister play money) and he deals with it - pays bills and balances the checkbook, etc. It's not very feminist of either of us, but it's a thing he really can do - and with MD, even doing the dishes can tire him out sometimes. So, as far as chores go, we're making our own way, not really based on gender equality (since he makes the money. did i mention that he makes the money?) but not the old way, either. Since, you know, I run the lawnmower and yes, I have to start it myself. It's sometimes frustrating to both of us to have this division of labor thrust upon us, but we're making it work I think.
But the minute my 4-year-old turns 16, I'm never pumping my own gas again, I'll tell you that.By
, at 12:15 AM
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I've actually been thinking a lot about this issue too. In our household, we have a hard time differentiating between what tasks we each take on due to gender, and which due to the economic class we were raised in. For example, I grew up in a house where all adults worked, and all children contributed equally to household chores. I had no brothers, so I mowed the lawn and changed the lightbulbs and unclogged the toilets, along with learning to mend a button and wash the dishes. My husband was raised in a house where the mother didn't work simply so she could do everything for her kids, and whatever chores she couldn't get done she hired someone to do. My husband never learned to properly clean the kitchen or fold the clothes, but neither did his sister. If our economic upbringings had been switched, I wonder how our current chores would be divided?
juniper68 -- you should move here to NJ, where it's illegal to pump your own gas. All gas stations are full-service. -
Great comment - it reminds me that gender is only one consideration in housework justice. Ability, health, time, and the rest, matter, too. We can't neglect the gender dynamics, but gender should be set in the context of our common humanity.
The regional issues are also interesting - some would hire gardeners/lawnworkers, while others do it as leisure. I never even though of gas pumping as a chore. I do leave the tank empty in hopes that James will fill it next time he's out driving, but I don't mind doing it myself. -
I grew up in a home with a single male parent. My dad worked full time, cooked meals, made our lunches, did the laundry, the yard work AND raised two girls. I started doing my own laundry in about 8th grade when I got impatient waiting for him to do it. I can't tell you how many time I wore those Gloria Vanderbilt jeans between washings! My husband is much like my dad in that he knows how to do everything; he does a majority of the cooking and he does his own laundry. I'm glad his mom didn't do everything for him. I told her that too! Being married to someone who expects dinner on the table every night sounds like a nightmare to me. Do you think most men would be okay with a bowl of Frosted Flakes and a piece of fruit for supper?
By
, at 11:21 PM
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kira - I think we're pretty much west-of-the-mississippi-ers, but we've often talked of moving to Oregon for that very reason. :)
By
, at 1:08 AM
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I grew up in a family where my mom stayed home & did most of the traditionally-female stuff (cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc.) and my dad had an outside job. Things like mowing the lawn were explicitly "male" jobs & my dad or brother almost always did them.
Then I lived alone for 8 years & learned how to do everything myself, from lawn care to house repairs to laundry & cooking.
Now I'm married & am the one with the outside job. So M does most of the cooking, cleaning, etc., sometimes because he just enjoys them (cooking, cleaning the kitchen) & some because he works from home & it's just easier to toss in a load of laundry whenever he goes to the basement. And now that I'm pregnant I do even less housework, simply because I'm so tired or he doesn't want me around the chemicals in cleaning supplies. -
My husband grew up in New Jersey, and I think I taught him how to pump gas when he first came to visit my family in California.
He also grew up in a family with two older sisters who raised enough of a stink that he should have to do all the same chores that they did.
I grew up in a family that would have had a sexist division of chores had there been any sons in our family. As it was, my dad had to teach my sister and I how to help him with cars and plumbing and chopping firewood. But he still taught us just enough to help him - not really to do it ourselves.
My mother, on the other hand, grew up as the daughter of domestic servants - and they never let her do anything around the house. She had to learn how to cook and clean, etc. after she got married. She swore that would never happen to her daughters, and it didn't. Thanks to her and a hefty dose of 4-H, we learned all the domestic arts & sciences.
Today, my husband does more dishes and laundry than me because he cares more about the cluttered effects of not doing them. I have a higher level of technical skill, but I just don't care that much about dust and such.
My sons are starting early to learn how to sweep, sew, and light a fire because those are chores/skills that are easily passed on in our apartment. Maybe their wives will teach them how to start a lawnmower. -
At our house we try to share chores fairly equally, but we often end up doing things based on traditional gender roles. He actually seems to enjoy taking out the recycling and garbage while I only do it if it is overflowing or starting to smell bad. I get really up tight if the floors and kitchen are not clean while it doesn't really both him if the floor crunches when you walk on it.
On the other hand, I am more likely to take on household projects. At our previous house I was the one who put in new flooring (with the help of friends). My husband had no desire to be involved and was glad to take care of our son instead of helping with floor installation. At the same time, my husband washes our dinner dishes most nights and is happy to help with laundry.
My parents are similar, my mom is the one who built cabinets, put in flooring and took care of other major home repair tasks while my dad is more likely to wash dishes and clean floors.
I'll need to be careful to include our sons in house work as they get older, not because of perceived gender roles (we bought a pink pretend vacuum cleaner for our older son when he was two), but because I am a perfectionist and tend to think it is easier to do it myself...By
, at 12:02 PM
I'm excited about This Side of Heaven, a new edited volume by Robert Priest and Alvaro Nieves (Oxford U Press, 2006). Part of my excitement is because I wrote the first chapter, titled Race: Critical Thinking and Transformative Possibilities. One such possibility, raised by an editor, is that 'transformative' is not a word, but it managed to perservere to publication.
The project was a multi-year effort, organized by Bob Priest (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) and Al Nieves (Wheaton). They brought together a multi-ethnic, multi-racial group of social scientists and theologians/Bible scholars for dialogue about race and ethnicity. In addition to new relationships and new cross-disciplinary understandings, the result was this publication. There's generally not a lot of trust between social scientists and Bible types, and this project was a great bridge-builder both there and in terms of race.
Is this a good marketing story? Oxford University Press mailed me a complimentary copy, which arrived in my office today. The address label has my name, the title of the book, and a statement of value ($99 cloth). The envelope's edge is slit open and the book is gone. I received only an empty envelope! I suspect someone was persuaded that they must have it, either by the book's title or its value. It's hard to say which is more likely.
I must have it, also, but not for $99! I'm going to try to get another comp copy, or else get a paperback for closer to $30.
10 Comments:
Jenell - I'm baffled at why your students would think debate camp is uncool. We had the joy of spending hours in the library every day, researching the Congressional Record for evidentiary quotes to be recorded on our little 3x5 notecards, which were then carefully organized and stored in our oh-so-fashionable briefcases. Not to mention the delights of having different colored pens for our yellow legal pads! I can barely contain myself. And one of my most significant debate camp memories was the fact that my name made the list of "top ten cutest guys" posted in the girls' bathroom. At least, somebody told me that I was on the list. (Was it you, Jenell?)
Actually, the truest part of Jenell's comment is the fact that she is cool, but that has nothing to do with knowing me. The most dubious part is the claim that "he grew up."
By
Anonymous, at 1:50 PM
Thanks for the plug, Jenell.
I never went to debate camp, but I was on the math team and won a couple spelling bees, which I'm sure is almost as cool as debate camp.
Christy
By
Anonymous, at 3:27 AM
Even cooler, Christy. Far cooler.
I am sad to say that I was eliminated from a fifth grade spelling bee for misspelling "limousine." And here's my math team experience: MathCounts, junior high, the state competition. The top four individuals would go on to nationals in Washington DC. I was tied for fourth. They ran a tiebreaker, and we were still tied. They ran a second tiebreaker, and I lost by one point. So I missed out on a trip to DC by one stinking point and have been jaded and bitter toward math ever since.
By
Anonymous, at 10:27 AM
Al -
I did Math Counts,too, and I didn't go to Washington D.C. either, if that makes you feel any better.
Christy
By
Anonymous, at 9:56 PM
Found you via Juniper68 and I'm reading Rollins too.
Looking forward to reading more (of your stuff.)
By
Anonymous, at 8:48 AM
I tried math league, but sucked (me, not it). Tried that mock U.N. thing or mock trial or some such mockery, but that sucked, too (it, not me). Tried speech and it was OK, but too easy to win, and little adrenalin. For me it was all debate, all the time.
Resolved: that the U.S. government should develop a policy to reduce overcrowding in U.S. prisons and jails. That was the resolution for Minnesota State Debate in 1988. I know the ones from 87 and 89, too.
By
Jenell, at 6:48 PM
I believe students in this generation are not respected by their peers as they used to be, when they are involved activities such as debate or marching band. So many students are pressured or strongly encouraged to exclusively play school sports.
I chose to be in a para-church group several nights a week instead of trying out for track when I was in high school. I wouldn't regret my decision for a minute! (I am from the Generation X).
Next, I wanted to mention that I was really encouraged by the book Suburban Christian. I live in MN; grew up in a suburb and currently live in one. It not only spurred me on to "create" and "find" community in the suburbs but it also encouraged me to pursue urban ministry.
Finally, Al in his book,helped me to again consider looking at my creative abilities. I think so many of us have lost our creativeness from a lack of use. I plan to write poems, essays and short stores again!
By
Steve, at 1:06 AM
Glad you found the book helpful, Steve. I've worried a bit that my understanding of suburbia is too Midwestern, though apparently what is true in suburban Minneapolis and Chicago for the most part parallels suburban LA or Atlanta (except for the weather).
And Jenell, was the prison policy resolution '89? I seem to recall that '87 was Latin American foreign policy, and '88 was aging, right? (We are such geeks . . .)
By
Al Hsu, at 10:44 AM
I probably don't know what year it was...
Resolved: that the United States government should adopt a policy to increase political stability in Latin America. (10th grade)
Resolved: that the federal government should adopt a policy to increase retirement security for Americans over age 65. (11th)
Resolved: that the federal government should develop policies to reduce overcrowding in prisons and jails in the United States. (12th).
Al, you probably did the first two, and missed the third?
I wish those two cute guys from Mesaba High Scool in northern MN would find this blog and apologize for never noticing my interest in them...if nerdiness is forever, they probably still google debate-related stuff.
By
Jenell, at 12:28 PM
Yep, I debated 10th grade and 11th grade and then quit just at the beginning of senior year. I got my letter in debate (woo-woo!) and then bailed. Mainly because at that point, I had shifted my primary extracurricular time and activities from debate and track to newspaper and theatre.
Jenell, you're making me nostalgic not just for high school (well, parts of it, anyway) but Minnesota in general. My mom moved down to Chicago to be near us a few years ago, so I have no reason to visit the Cities anymore. Just yesterday I had a major nostalgia trip reading a bunch of Wikipedia articles about my hometown (Bloomington), the Mall of America, Southdale and the like.
By
Al Hsu, at 3:37 PM
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