Postfeminism and Other Fairy Tales

Tamara Shopsin, NYT 3/1/6/08

A great article today in the New York Times on the politics of gender in this year's primaries and the rancor stirred this week by Gov. Spitzer's dalliance(s) with hooker(s) (you may have to register to see the e-NYT but its definitely worth it). Nothing has ever gotten what its like to live as a woman in the postfeminist era quite so well as Ms. Shopsin's cartoon above. I'm going to have it made into a magnet for my fridge. Better, perhaps I'll ask for a diamond-encrusted set of brass knuckles for Mother's Day.

Around the House
My units are visiting, we're having much fun. They planned their trip to see Haley star in Annie but when the Principal saw fit to delay the performance by a month late last week; well, we've opted for other entertainment. And there's a big, happy surprise today: Beth's husband and the three kids still living with him are coming down for a quick visit! Yee-haw! I'm on Cloud Nine.

Dad bought us a lovely fifth of Glenlivet 15 Year-old Scotch. Its about half-gone, as we've both been at least once...

Knitting
Hey, the Hedera socks are this close to being finished! Woot! I'm still working on Lindsay's hoodie.

I've actually spent most of my time knitting little sample swatches for my Knitting Bullfrogs---some of them appeared to have NO idea what proper knitting should look like so I've been madly preparing samples of various kinds of knit fabrics to add to their instructional materials. THOSE KIDS ARE SO MUCH FUN! I am loving it. We have an adorable and enthusiastic boy --- he just can't learn fast enough to be satisified---I've no idea what he plans to knit when he's mastered the basics but he is seriously burning it up.

I also have two 4-th grade girls (they happen to be Haley's classmates so I know them quite well) that we've taken to calling the Giggle Sisters because if left on their own very long there is far less knitting than silliness. Of course one of them made sure to tell Haley that during my mother's visit with the club last week she said "that word that means the opposite of Heaven---REALLY LOUD". Ah...welcome to Elementary School, Ma. I guess we needed to review the rules.

But best of all, in addition to the Giggle Sisters, there are three others who have perfected their knit stitch and are all-but expert with purling---my first: I've never had a student progress thus far previously. I'm positively giddy. I think these girls will come back to club next year as assistants.