AESA in Cleveland

It's official, my work as an academic has started. My paper Nice white teacher: the role of racial representation in popular culture and teacher education. Now I'm headed to wonderful Cleveland, OH. Yippee.

Procrastinator, my offical super hero name

I am writing my social mobility narrative for an upcoming book. Can't believe I'm finally working.

Little Gym

Scarlett is almost to the end of her summer session of gymnastics. She can do a flip on the bar and walk the balance beam, unassisted. Her bravery escapes her on the high beam, but I like it that way...no broken bones.

The garden by day, Mapleview Farm's ice cream by night

We visited the Arboretum at UNC today and searched for bunnies, squirrels, birds, and chipmunks (my favorite). We smelled flowers and collected sticks and, of course, chased rabbits. I love taking Scarlett out!

Later that night, we joined some friends at the Mapleview Farm's ice cream store for a beautiful sunset. Scarlett ate ice cream and ran through the field. She even jumped off a hay stack. It was beautiful and surprisingly crowded. Oh, and it was a fantastic 73 degrees!

Scarlett's photography skills are improving

She's at it again folks! My little paparazzo continues to stalk me. Check it out...

Negative

My recent biopsy came back negative...yippee! Can't tell you how relieved I am. I had a suspicious mole removed. Even the doctors, yes multiple, said, "oh, well, at least it's small." It's all good. I got the phone call today. If it wasn't for Hope, I never would have sworn off the sun...thanks sis!

Ugh

Long story short...

I interviewed for my Research Assistantship job this morning. Let's hope it works out in my favor.

Pictures from our July 4th trip

In celebration of the 4th of July, the family headed down to Clarkesville, GA, to visit the family compound of friends. We had a fabulous time tubing, hiking, and relaxing. Scarlett loved tubing down the river and her favorite part was when we would stop to throw rocks. She lists this above swimming, playing pinball, eating cupcakes, and visiting Babyland General (home of the cabbage patch babies). I was (un)fortunate enough to witness a cabbage patch baby being born, interesting. I enjoyed the trip to the Minnehaha Falls the most.

Many thanks to the Smith family!!

Big Love

If you don't have HBO and haven't seen the show Big Love, you're missing out. I watch this show with awe and amazement curious as to how someone could choose such a lifestyle. The premise is a family that changed their lives and adopted the covenant of plural marriage...meaning there are three wives and one husband. Thoughts of mysogny and sexism rush to my well-trained mind. I've spent many years analyzing the motivations of such characters. This makes me wonder if there is a hidden agenda in academia, but that's for another time.

So in the last episode the "main" wife, Barb, questions her choice is engage in plural marriage. She and Bill had been married for 12 years before she became ill and Bill received a "message" about marrying another. In a discussion with Nikki, the second wife, Barb says that she didn't allow the plural marriage because she believed in the covenant, but that she loved Nikki. Barb also discussed how she agreed to a new wife because she loved Bill and their family.

Here's the thing...is it so outrageous to think that a wife can be so devoted to her family that she would agree to allow another wife in an effort to keep her family? Take away the deceit and adultery and think only of the true loving devotion some couples have. Did she lose her mind, forget herself?

I just wonder what would happen if Will suddenly adopted his Mormon roots and felt that he had received a message from God urging him to marry again and have bunches of kids? Would I pack it up and hit the road, or would I stick it out? What if the other wife was someone I cared about? I know it seems crazy...but who knows why I do anything these days?

Don't get carried away, this is just an alternate reality based on a fictional television show and the possible vulnerability that I do not have.

But...consider this, what if the wife was that woman that thinks her husband is the smartest man she knows and that she is lucky to have him? She says that it's mutual love and not just him disregarding her as a human being.

Walk it out granny!

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Nightmares

Had another nightmare last night...yet again, I was back teaching high school...funny. Our friend is a coach for his company's little league team and we went to a Durham Bulls game with the boys on Saturday. I made the comment that spending time with them made me miss teaching. I always loved working with my students. Somehow my anxiety turned that into a nightmare of having to teach and dealing with all the other negatives about the profession.