New Year Resolution

I have re-installed Blogger on my phone (HTC EVO 3D- love it!) and have a new resolution for 2012- to read and write a book review every 1-2 weeks.  (we'll see how long this last; I don't have the best track record for these things)

Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch

I have TONS of books in my library and need to start finishing them!  I start reading and love my books, but seem to switch before I finish!  So, hopefully, this will help focus my reading.  Plus, I think reading is more fun if you can then talk about what you liked or didn't like about...

I have added a book list to the side of my blog so that you can see what I am currently reading.  I tend towards a lot of historical stuff, but I'll mix in some fiction in there too.  I'm excited actually- I have a Nook (OMG- this has TOTALLY re-energized my reading!) and you can get ebooks for free if the copyright has expired (over 100 years old).  So, I have tons of classics to read or re-read.  Plus, Barnes and Noble gives you free books every week and there is a mix of good and bad in those... This will be fun!

My husband is awesome

I got my Christmas present early!
Nikon D5100

Flying with baby

I'm SUPER excited- we are going to Jordan THIS MONTH!!!  It's been 3 years since we were there and this will be the FIRST TIME I will be there in SUMMER!!!  I won't freeze- yay!

Yummy food in Madaba, Jordan

So, right now we are finishing shopping for everyone (and some stuff for us) and then packing and making a schedule. It makes SUCH a big difference to pack for summer rather than winter!  I'm almost done and it's only 3 bags!  Weight is still an issue- as in, my bags are not bull, but they are at 50 pounds-, but I amazed by the room.  We will probably still do 4 bags though- I need the space for Baby Z's travel high chair.

We are flying Turkish Airways to Jordan this time- this is my first time with them and I have heard great stuff about them!  I'm pretty excited- just look at their food choices!  That's their special needs section- with baby, we will be all set; although I'm still bringing our our food- just in case.  But, it's nice that it's all Halal and it's nice that they have all of the special diet stuff.  Baby Z has some allergies now and we don't want to take any chances!!!

Felafel sandwiches in Amman, Jordan

Otherwise, it looks like their flight entertainment and services are pretty similar to other international airlines (non-U.S. airlines).  Yes, I'm a flight snob, but I really find that non-U.S. airlines, when it comes to in flight entertainment and services and comfort are GREATLY better than the U.S. carriers.  But, I know Delta just updated their fleets, so maybe it's better now.  (last time I flew Delta was direct from Amman to NYC and it was an older plane with the TV screens at the front of the cabin- not cool!  And last long flight (over 8 hours) I did for United was to China and my TV screen - along with some others- were broken going over there; they canceled my flight to Shanghai and didn't tell us until we got to the airport, put me automatically on a flight for the next day, and I had to work with them because I was only going to be in Shanghai for like a day before flying up to Beijing (I did a flight to Beijing --> Shanghai which got me in about 3 hours latter than my original arrival, but they also could have put me through the routes IAD--> Tokyo--> Shanghai; IAD--> SFO--> Shanghai; or IAD--> Atlanta---> Shanghai because ARE YOU REALLY NOT GOING TO WORK WITH SOMEONE DOING A 13 HOUR FLIGHT?  You'd think the dates would be important!!!)  Anyways, I don't think I've flown American Airways overseas- they may be a redeemer because I have liked their U.S. domestic flights.)

*end of U.S. plane rant*

So, the other interesting thing about this flight will be flying with a 15 month old baby.  :)  My biggest worry is that she won't sleep enough.  12 hours would be normal, but - as the flight is only 10.5 hours to Turkey- I don't think that will happen.  I would be happy if she did at least 6 hours straight.  We have a 3-ish hour layover in Istanbul and then go to Jordan where we get in around 9 pm.  Which, will be good in that I can (hopefully) get home and get her into bed by 11 pm or so.  She usually sleeps well, but only sleeps in her bed or her car seat.  I'm hoping we can either lie her down on our laps or the floor to sleep or that she will fall asleep easily with the movement of the plane. 

Ajlun, Jordan

I will be going to her doctor tomorrow to check that she doesn't have any ear infections and to see if they recommend anything to help her sleep (ie, Tylenol or Dimetapp) if she doesn't go down easy.  I figure, worst case, she will cry for about an hour before exhausting herself to sleep.  (Yay, people next to us!)  I've heard of people who bring 'treats' for the people around them; what do you think?  I haven't decided if I should do that or not.

Otherwise, I'm excited for this trip because 1. it's summer 2. we get to see family and everyone can meet baby Z 3. I get to go to more sites that I haven't seen in Jordan.  Like ACTUALLY GOING INTO THE DEAD SEA!  It's funny- I have been to Jordan 2 times now (we try to go every other year, but it's been 3 years since I was pregnant and all) and have gone TO the Dead Sea both times, but only to the hotels to eat and have coffee and hang out.  I'm determined to TOUCH it this time!  The other big tourist thing I haven't done yet is to the go to the Citadel in Amman.  I also want to go see the old train stop; I know, odd request, but I think it's really cool. :)

Yay- Jordan!!!  I'm soooooooooo excited!!

Men in literature (and how it effects women in literature)

I think men are often put on a pedestal in literature.  Even if they are seen as doing something wrong, they are - in the end- upheld as an example of what a good person should be.  Which, by itself is not necessarily a bad thing, as stories usually go through a character's personal development through growing from mistakes.  But, I see in so many places a relationship of the men with women that show the male 'superiority' that it is slightly troubling to the feminist in me.  Perhaps realistic, but still troubling.

In the end of many stories, the women of the story approve and acquiesce to the man with implied superiority.  I think it's very subtle, and may pull on a woman's feeling that they are never perfect.  But, in looking at men of the story, it is like you can point to the man as an ideal person who can guide women.  The men go through their ups and down- as do the women of the story- but, in the end, the men is still ahead of the women.  The woman wants the man to say something witty about them.  The women expects the man to provide for her/her kids/his family.  The women accepts that her role is by said man.

I think this is true, even when the women has her own career in the story.  Or even if the women makes more money than the man.  I'm reading The Cookbook Collector now and so far one of the women is more successful than her boyfriend, but still 'leans' on him as the more secure, strong and -almost by default- knowledgeable person of the two.  The written words say otherwise- the boyfriend in the story thinks that the girlfriend is smarter, etc- but the actions seem to lean towards this natural imbalance between men and women.  Sure, they figure that the women have their own lives/careers/etc, but the men is still the leader of the relationships- good or for bad.

So, is the male/female role something that is inherently imbalanced?  I just read the transcript from 28 February's "Tell Me More" show on NPR. Besides the fact that I love NPR and agree with most opinion pieces like those from Michel Martin, I think that she brings up a great point on the imbalanced worthiness of news stories based on the audience they 'apeal' to.  Why can't news shows talk about fashion- particularly given the amount of time we talk about rather 'male-specific' things on the same shows?  Particularly since fashion is a mult-billion dollar industry that effects millions of workers and billions of people? (I mean- everyone wears clothes, right?)  But, it's not just about talking about fashion- it's about giving value to topics based on the perceived idea that they are 'girly' or 'manly.'  And the idea that something 'girly' is unvaluable, but 'manly' things have value.

Even if it's 2 men beating the cr@p out of each other for sport. 

New Year's Update

Hello!  My sporadic writing is still.... sporadic :P

I have actually started a Tumblr account that you can find here.  Tumblr is great; it's kinda' like a blogger's Twitter.  You re-post stuff from your followers and can post text, pictures, quotes, etc.  I think I can also hook my different blogs and such together through this site, so that's nice!  

I'm trying to write a bit more and have found that Tumblr's format makes it a bit easier, but perhaps I'll try to still use this blog for long posts and the Tumblr one for shorter ones...

So, how am I doing on my New Year's resolution?

House
*Paint Master bedroom - nope
*Paint Guest bedroom - nope
*Clean out closets - nope
*Organize basement - nope

(I should have put in organize main level- I did that!!  And a REALLY thorough cleaning!)
Clothes
*Get rid of clothes that don't fit/don't wear/old and worn - nope
*Buy essentials - nope
I really would like to develop a 'style'- right now it's so scattered.  I would like to look put together and invest in a few really nice pieces instead of a bunch of crap.

(working on the 'style' thing; Tumblr is great for collecting images and thoughts! :))
Me
*Regularly trim hair - hmmmmmm; really need to make an apt
*Style hair in morning (ha!) - actually have started doing this fairly regular!
*Treat skin right - yep; amazing, huh?  Well, I'm using lotion better- I need to wash my face at night
*Cut down on sweets (1 a day?) - ehhhhhhh
*Read at least 1/2 hour a day - not every day, but working on it
*Study Arabic at least 1/2 hour a day - I swear, I'll start next week! :P

New Style

Happy New Years!

Being the new year, I feel a bit like getting things organized.  It's the start of the year; the start of the semester; the start of the decade; the start of the month- a great time!

So, here is a bit of what I'm thinking of:

House
*Paint Master bedroom
*Paint Guest bedroom
*Clean out closets
*Organize basement

Clothes
*Get rid of clothes that don't fit/don't wear/old and worn
*Buy essentials
I really would like to develop a 'style'- right now it's so scattered.  I would like to look put together and invest in a few really nice pieces instead of a bunch of crap.

Me
*Regularly trim hair
*Style hair in morning (ha!)
*Treat skin right
*Cut down on sweets (1 a day?)
*Read at least 1/2 hour a day
*Study Arabic at least 1/2 hour a day

Wish me luck!