You may have noticed that I only had two days of NWSA thoughts, although I was at the conference for four solid days. This is evidence of how busy those four days were. Full from morning until night! So let me provide some highlights from my notebook of observations about the conference, and then we'll move on to other matters on Baxter Sez.
- At one point I wrote, "I never talk about 'methodology' in my writing. I have methodologies, but rarely (never?) do I map them out that way." It seems like all the grad students I saw talked about their methodologies right at the outset.
- There's apparently a children's book called Maybelle the Cable Car by the same author (a woman) who wrote the steam shovel book.
- Rachel Reinke has a colleague who's in WGS and refers to WGS scholars as "professionally offended." This relates to a point I made in the Program Administrators and Directors' pre-conference, where I pointed out Biffle's observation that WGS faculty use the word "appalled" way too much. There's a lot that's appalling, of course, but we don't want to be the field that's universally appalled or professionally offended. I talk about this in my essay in Rethinking Women's and Gender Studies, out in December.
- I had a wonderful date with Sujatha Jesudason and took a page of notes. One note of interest: how is it that talking about prenatal testing makes people think you're pro-life? Sujatha and I are both emphatically in favor of reproductive rights, and both questioning the role of prenatal testing.
- I had an extended conversation with my feminist cohort about fashion--namely, my lack of it. They all know that I hate shopping, and they generally endorsed Biffle's notion that I buy five outfits that are identical and wear them all week. In other words, dress like a man.
- And here's an example of how I'm trying to incorporate self-care into my life: there was a dance party Saturday night, but I was exhausted, so I went back to my room. I missed a dance party! That was a big step for me, and a bit sad. But I was really exhausted.
6 comments:
I know what you mean about the pro life thing. One of my biggest challenges is how to navigate the religious/prolife tones of the DS prenatal testing issue. sigh...
Sounds like a blast tho! Are you going to be at the NDSC convention in Washington DC? Please?
Being appalled and then too often being struck by something. . .it strikes me that. . .I was struck by. . .
I am appalled by all the striking.
It sounds like another word for outrage fatigue . . .
Just remembering the Bush Dance and so wishing that all of the people at the conference could have experienced you dancing... then they would get to smile like I am doing right now!
Love from Nashville
Ditto starrlife on the pro-life thing. We're near the bible belt, my son goes to catholic school, my daughter's dx was made pre-natally.... it would be natural to assume, but I am the definition "one off".
Also - when we finally meet we're going shopping. Dark slacks, light no iron button downs. Not manly, no thought involved, no matchy issues, bonus professional look.
In the spirit of Eliza, I'll say that I'm struck by the fact that starrlife and krlr are already on my side about the prolife stuff. I may be contacting you both...
And YES, we're all meeting in DC for the National Down Syndrome Convention, and krlr, if you can take me on a quick shopping trip to get the clothes you've identified here, I'm all yours.
I wear black being of Italian French extraction. Love black pants from Dress Barn that are full legged and slightly stretchy. They never lose their shape and go with everything - actually I have blue, brown and black.
PS- I hate shopping!PPS_ I saw that you wanted brown cords. LLBean has some cool pull on brown cords, very comfy (other colors too). (what I love being newly heavy in the world :)
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