"All That's Left of me is slight insanity"

[geminigirl]

1. Sadists. Really. One of the worst parts of my job is my performance appraisal. I hate doing that self assessment stuff. I'm not good at judging my own performance on such a vague document.

2. Few things are more satisfying than kittylove. Even if the feline wars nearly destroyed stuff yesterday, there's something lovely about Betamonster (aka The Flea) curling up in bed with me, on my chest or next to my head and purring loudly. Or Oblivion perching on my chest and looking at me with eyes wide open and purring while we cuddle. (Really, even though they make me mad, I love them.)

3. I think I've solved the problem of "What to wear for New Years?" I found a dress I bought two years ago, which I haven't worn, but might work. It is however, the same color as aquariumgirl's dress, which means we would match. Phear the matching. It's just overcute. :)

4. Someone in my office has picked up on my use of the phrase "chew toy" and is using it to describe someone he is messing around with.

5. I'm going totally nuts without a computer at home. Yesterday I was sent home (worked too many hours last week, yesterday was the end of the pay period, so they sent me home since I'm not allowed to work any overtime) and couldn't get any research done. I'm trying to do stuff here...important stuff.

6. I have two $25 gift certificates to online book retailers. I haven't managed to spend either of them yet because I have no idea what it is that I want. And the things I do want are out of my price range even with gift certificates. Anyone have a good source for inexpensive text books? I'm looking for a particular one, but would prefer not to buy used, and need a very recent edition.

7. I still have to undertake the horror that is holdiay shopping. I've gotten two gifts, but I need to pick up a few more. Dare I brave the mall?

8. I just finished The Sex Lives of Teenagers by Dr. Lynn Ponton. Not a bad read-not as academic as what I might have been seeking, but a good and interesting read for anyone with an interest in adolescent sexuality. I picked up the current issue of Newsweek, with the article on Virginity on the front cover-if people are interested, I can share either my responses to the articles, and/or photocopies of the articles. If you want the former, leave a comment. If you want the latter, e-mail me a snailmail address.

9. nmc has solved the STD problem. Really. Okay, maybe not, but it's a good start.

10. Whatever I had this summer that was making me sleep all the time, making me dizzy and unable to concentrate is back. And nastier than ever. And I'm pissed off. And sleepy and frustrated.

Comments

[aynjel.livejournal.com]

[ I just finished The Sex Lives of Teenagers ]

Huh... wonder if that's in my stack... o.O
I'm nearly finished reading The Body Project and I continue to wonder what it is I'm looking for in these books that I don't really feel like I'm finding. It's maddening. But it's made for good research (sorta) for 3D.

Maybe I'll grab Newsweek when I run to the mall tonight...

[geminigirl]

Have you read Leora Tannenbaum's Slut-Growing up Female with a Bad Reputation, yet? What about Reviving Ophelia

Sex Lives appears to have a good list of citations in the back, might be worth poring over some of them.

I'll check my bookshelf and see if I've got anything else interesting for you.

[aynjel.livejournal.com]

I read Reviving Ophelia, which seemed to be the beginning of the end of my fiction reading for quite a while. Then Odd Girl Out and Fast Girls: Teen Tribes and the Myth of the Slut. Then I tangented into Bitch and now The Body Project. I've got a stack of other books in a similar vein (teen psychology/sexuality - nearly all of them specifically about girls) in my stack(s). My wishlist at amazon is sort of there so I don't forget the stuff I haven't bought that sounds interesting.

I'm all for other suggestions... :)

[geminigirl]

Is Bitch the Elizabeth Wurtzel book that I hated so much because she seemed to be a whiny here?

I'd pick up Manifesta if you haven't yet...decent book about second wave feminism. I can't remember who the editors were. Also, Bust magazine's editors put out a book that I really liked Bust-a guide to the new girl order I think. And in my total hate pile, I'd read Katie Rophie's stuff. I read it just because it fills me with simmering vitriol that feeds my disgust for her. I had to read her book about date rape for a research methods course I took as an undergrad and wanted to horrible things because of it. (Sorry toots, date rape is real.)

Also, the one that used to have Barbie in the title, but they changed the name when they republished it. I'll see if I can dig out my copy but it may still be in New York. The Barbie Project maybe? The Barbie Syndrome? I don't recall. I picked it up used somewhere under the original title...

That's my "off the top of my head" list.

[sabbysteg.livejournal.com]

Interested in your responses to the article/book.

[aynjel.livejournal.com]

Yes, Bitch was the Elizabeth Wurtzel book. It didn't strike me so much as whiny, as distnictly lacking in the praise the sub-title boasted about (a problem someone else I've chatted with about it had). I think if I just believe what the back cover says (ha! me, believe the back cover), then the book achieved its objective. Except by the very end I was like, Oh, just get on with it and get over it. I liked the start, but the end of each section just seemed interminable.

[cappyhead.livejournal.com]

You can always use the gift certificates to buy holiday presents and/or regift them.

[geminigirl]

I may use one to buy a holiday gift for someone, but that still leaves a bunch to spend on me. One I need to use this month, the other I have a few more months to use...

I should go back and look at the list of things I was going to wait for in softcover and see if there's anything worth buying now.

[geminigirl]

Yes. Exactly. That would be why I picked it up, put it down, picked it up, put it down, and so on.

It was not the best of the bunch I read about young women...and I'm not a fan of hers.

I probably will go see Prozac Nation though.