Liberal Debutante

On: Geography, Vaginas, Men, The Environment, Gender Studies and Moving Across the Country! WOO!

There is a ton of stuff floating around the ’sphere that I’ve totally been missing out on - but I can’t seem to sit myself down for long enough to write about all of it. …Exams are over (well I have one more, but its on Canadian Geography. Ha.) but the radio is bustin’ my butt.

However - that hasn’t stopped my head from spinning. READY!?

Read on!

Cultural Geography

Andrew’s comment asking about ethnic enclaves got me thinking - do ethnic enclaves actually CAUSE ethnic ghettos? That would make a whole lot of sense. I was going around Chinatown, here in Victoria taking pictures (thats where the picture above is from) and I realized that the only things in the area that have a glimpes of glamor are those things designed for the tourists, other than that - everything is in a sort of shambles.

The housing is pretty shitty, the actual markets aren’t in all that good of conditions, there is a lot of unattended graffiti and it’s just all around sketchy. So obviously the city of Victoria has made an effort to preserve the “ethnic feel” of the area for the tourists but has neglected the community that actually has to live there. Thus once the tourism is gone - the place will turn from being this “voluntary area of cultural distinction” to a ghetto - where there are no means of really getting out and people don’t have much of an option but to live in the insufficient housing.

I’m guessing someone has written a theory about that somewhere - but I haven’t found it - when I do, I’ll let you know.

Vaginas

Suzanne confesses that she played with Barbies. Well, I did too. She also states loud and clear that she’s unshaven. Well, I am too. She also expresses that she isn’t really into the whole “pubes protruding” thing. Well, neither am I. Hence - I don’t really swim. She solves her issue with shorts. Good call.

That’s not really what I wanted to comment on - I wanted to mention that her bringing up Barbie has brought up an old repressed memory from when I was about 11 years old.

My sister took my favorite Barbie doll and re-wrapped up for me for Christmas. …So when I started to take the wrapping paper off, I got extremely excited to see that I was getting a new Barbie - but really, she had taken my FAVORITE Barbie and turned it into “psycho barbie”… She drew all over her face, made her hair all standy up on end and all that crazy business. I cried. Seriously. Tears. My sister was a huge jerk. She also used to pretend to do sayonces in her room while she was supposed to be baby sitting me and would scream at me if I tried to get in. …I think she is the root of all of my emotional problems that I have now.

Men

Sometimes I start to think that all hope has been lost in finding a man that is… well… great. Then someone like Chris Clarke makes a post like this <3 and restores my faith.

The Environment

I think I’m going to sell my computer and get this laptop! Bamboo!

Grist is asking for our “eco-confessions“… here goes:

• I take STUPIDLY long showers
• I’ve flown more in the past year then I have in my entire life…
• For a while (a month or two) I wasn’t recycling because I didn’t want to go upstairs - I didn’t want to have to talk to my landlord or his kids, but now I have their schedules worked out, so all is good - and now I recycle obsessively…
• My computer stays on 24/7
• I clean my shower/washroom about 3 times a week - I hear that excessive … I’m guessing no one else grew up with a mother like mine.

I think that’s the worst of it all. …Oh, except on weekends my roommates and I have a contest called “who can hit the most seagulls with oil”

Also - check out this article.

Oil major ConocoPhillips and Tyson Foods Inc., the world’s largest meat producer, said Monday they’re teaming up to produce and market diesel fuel for U.S. vehicles using beef, pork and poultry fat.

Gender

Women’s studies? Or Gender studies? I vote on gender studies. Women are devalued, oppressed, stereotyped… etc. Some men are also devalued, oppressed and stereotyped. As a feminist, I argue for equality. And that means a course devoted 3/4 to women and 1/4 to men. Hey! I’m not Alon - but I know that that’s not equal at all! Well, you’re right - but when you factor in the fact that men are less oppressed than women and have held the patriarchy pitchfork for many-a-years … it’s damn well fair.

Personal

People keep asking me if I’m “all packed” or “ready to go” … Well… I have sent just over 140 pounds of stuff to Guelph via Greyhound Courier… But… my room still looks like this:

Kind of unbelievable isn’t it? I can’t believe I’ve carted this stuff across the country and now I’m carting it all back. I need to get rid of like… everything.