Disjointed thoughts that have been wandering around my head on this snow day.
- Last night I could just sense a snow day coming. I planned ahead, brought home work from my office and told my students that we would till have presentations on Wednesday despite a snow day on Tuesday. That’s faith y’all. And sure enough, this morning James woke me up to tell me that I had a genuine DC snow day, meaning almost no snow but still no school. He had to go in midmorning but we still had time to make breakfast sandwiches and eat them in front of the Christmas tree. Which brings me to the point: how are breakfast sandwiches so good and so easy and yet forgotten on our menu so frequently????
- As with all my snow days, I have used today to work on all my looming papers. For those who care, I am spending my final weeks of the semester studying the role of the Turkish harem in French imagination of the seventeenth century, analyzing how men imagine and write women in epistolary novels of the eighteenth century, and spending a lot of time analyzing the museum scene from the movie La Jetée. It’s only 30 minutes and on Hulu plus, if anyone is especially bored and wants to be kind of creeped out by an artsy French movie.
- They say that things can’t make you happy, but I bought a cute little red tray from Target last week to hold things on our coffee table [see bottom picture] and it sure has me smiling. In a moment of stupidity a while back, I signed up for us to receive like 20 magazines. At first it was cool. Now, I hate it. I get so stressed about leaving magazines unread so sometimes I force myself to sit and read a stack — just so I can throw them away. On the plus side, this now means I have lots of random facts for conversation. Now, rather than overflowing onto the floor, the ones I am reading can be stacked neatly and nestled in next to a poinsettia and a candle.
- Despite the fact that our church is liturgical and fairly traditional, they sang no Christmas carols or hymns last week. James and I, understandably disappointed, compensated by singing EVERY VERSE OF ALL OF THEM Sunday night around midnight. Loudly. Actually, he whistled the harmony and I sang the words. Don’t you wish you were our neighbors? And, even though I have long hated that little drummer boy song (what mother of a newborn wants some kid banging his drum in the room?), even I love this version.
- 2 years ago today James proposed. I still get all giggly thinking about it.
- Why has Facebook suddenly decided that I’m fat, suddenly filled my newsfeed with things like “Find out how these college girls dropped 4 sizes in a week! ” Um… by not eating and smoking off any calories that slip in? That can’t be healthy. I mean, can Facebook tell that I have some muffin top in an occasional picture when I am smothering something in an attack hug, or that when I laugh hardcore I get extra chins? Or worse — does it just auto-produce those because I’m a girl and thus must be concerned about my weight, the result becoming of course, that I start to be. In that case, is it doing it for everyone? Our culture is determined to distract us from being healthy and to teach us that our bodies are constantly wrong, perpetually flawed. They are the enemy, something to be subdued and hated, rather than something that is kind of an amazing reminder of God’s good work and intelligent design. I’m not saying that my cookie and egg-nog every night habit is good, but our obsession with diets may be worse, killing any chance of good self-esteem and appropriate food love in a whole generation. I listened to this poem a while back and I loved what it said about women constantly being told we need to shrink, but I think it’s not just us. I imagine a whole lot of guys feel self-conscience about one thing or another as well, but our culture has no place for their insecurities. Whereas women are almost encouraged to be insecure and have negative self body image, men are told that to have any feelings on the matter at all makes them less of a man. It just makes me so sad. Every human life is worthy of dignity, therefore every human body deserves our respect.
The Art in Life 
We both had snow days today (I worked from home, his school was closed), and it was looovely. Soup for every meal, no changing out of PJs, yesss.
That sounds lovely!!! I finally changed out of mine at 4 to go shopping, but compromised with no makeup. : )
I really like that poem. My family has a similar inheritance.
I need a red lacquer tray too (but in navy blue… or teal… yes, teal! But navy blue works too); when Will and I were married, I put beautiful books on the table. Then he took them off. Then I put them back on. Then he took them off. But maybe if they were on a tray… with flowers! Or a candle!
Yay for December engagements!
I had been looking for one forever and finally thought I would just paint one myself, but then I saw this one and it was love.
I suspect that your church may not sing Christmas songs during Advent. Many traditional, liturgical churches keep that tradition. They will start singing them on Christmas Eve and possibly have a special carol service somewhere during the 12 days between Christmas and Epiphany.
See, that would make sense, but our service is the “more” contemporary one and last year I am sure I remember them singing some carols all moth. The special carols and lessons service is also before Christmas Eve, so I guess we are lax on that tradition, which is fine by me. : ) I would personally sing carols all year if I could.
I’ve done that with magazine subscriptions too…why do we have to find that so stressful…its just a magazine.
Love the red tray!
I don’t know… but I’m glad other people feel compelled to read them too! Somehow I just feel like it is less wasteful to waste my time reading them than to just throw them out. Totally illogical.
YES on the body image rant! And amen. Goodness I could go on for days about my frustration, but instead of being angry about it everyday, I’ve been trying to thank God for making me so wonderfully me and seek HIS image to imitate daily. And also, that tray is darling. ; )
Isn’t it? I’m in love!
What book sits in your cute little red tray?
Currently it is Tony Judt’s Post War on top of a pile of Time magazines. James is reading it — don’t be too impressed in me and my lofty historical tastes!
Thank youuu! I was so anxiously awaiting a snow day update. Good luck with the papers!
I knew that you needed a list of my paper topics!!!!
I love your thoughts on almost everything. I hope that writing your papers will be rewarding and enjoyable!
If you haven’t already seen it, you might really enjoy this version of “What Makes You Beautiful”
It’s the 7th video in this playlist (I didn’t realize it would put the whole show on here!)
I am Sing-Off OBSESSED and loved that one, even if I was then traumatized by my sweet KY boys (including a former student!) singing Blurred Lines. Not that it will stop me from watching the rest of the season devotedly!
I totally agree with you on the “women-hating-our-bodies” crap. It’s such a shame that society’s ideas of what’s beautiful is so often crammed down our throats.
It’s even more shameful that it is usually women cramming it down each other’s throats — don’t think we can pass off the blame on this one!
That’s a good point! Sad but true.
This post is one of the most powerful I have read in a while. At 5’1″ and 140 lbs I constantly feel the pressure to be skinnier, thinner, less of myself. This post reminded me that I am human, made in God’s image, I have the genes of stout Scottish and Irish ancestors. I eat healthy (most of the time). Thank you for reminding me to appreciate the body God has given me.
You should totally appreciate it because I’m sure it is beautiful!
Snow days are glorious, especially when there’s no snow to shovel! Although I was a little disappointed that we couldn’t make a snowman or go sledding.
p.s. When we watch Sharknado, will you live-blog it?
Yes. Yes I will…. maybe I will reopen my Twitter account JUST for that purpose.