Last night at the high school football game, the homecoming princesses marched out to the balloon arch with their princes in the freezing cold, wearing spikey high heels and short little spaghetti strap dresses and tiaras. They looked like Barbie dolls shivering in the icy air.
Barbie dolls came on the scene when I was about 10, and my mother wouldn't let me have one. And there is no way I would have stood out there in the cold, even if I were homecoming queen.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Chatty Cathy
"Kathy" was the most common name among girls in my class. One year in summer camp 4 of the 6 girls in our cabin were named Kathy. I loved my Chatty Cathy doll. Mine was the dark haired one, which I liked best. Back then I never wondered what the little tape player inside Chatty Cathy looked like. It must have had a little speaker attached to a tiny audio tape on a little reel with some kind of spring action attached to the string. How did it hit each of the 11 phrases randomly? The mechanism didn't hold up very well. Slowly the sound quality wavered and faded, and eventually the string just went limp. I still think she was a cute doll, though. She had freckles, like the real Clover so many years ago. I wonder whose voice was recorded all those years ago? I wonder if her name was really Cathy?
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Thoughts on a football Saturday
I hate games! Not the kind lovers play (although those stink too) but the kind everyone else seems to love. From football to monopoly to red rover... I do not enjoy them.
First of all, I can never remember the rules. That makes me feel stupid.
Second, I hate competition. Why do people constantly have to find ways to be better, faster, stronger, smarter, better-looking, richer, more successful, etc., than someone else? I hate that. I mean, what's the point?
Third, I can't understand extrinsic motivation. Competing for money or a prize or working for brownie buttons or grades, or even for praise or to go to heaven -- it's meaningless to me. If I don't get some pleasure out of what I'm doing, no amount of extrinsic reward is going to motivate me.
I think I am the only person in the world who feels this way.
When I was in elementary school and there was going to be a test, the teacher would say, "Now children, we're going to play a game." I would sigh... Then when I found out we were really having a test, I was happy. I much preferred tests to games. I like answering questions on questionnaires. I like filling in blanks. It's fun! (Not tests where I don't know the answers, of course, that's no fun. Like math tests. Ick.)
This is really really weird, I know.
So I'm constantly pretending! Because in American culture this attitude is unheard of. I pretend, at least, to tolerate games. Sometimes I pretend to enjoy them. What makes it easier is trying to identify with the feelings of those who love them. I have good friends who are very competitive. They have described to me how it feels, how much they enjoy competition, how it gives them a rush. So I try to understand, just like I understand that some people enjoy cooking (I don't) and gardening (I don't) and shopping (I don't).
So I can cheer for my student who is a football star this year. I can gather with my friends and drink beer and celebrate the Ducks' football successes, but I do it for the camaraderie with friends, and it's hard for me to resist making fun of the announcers, "..he's here to play ball..." "..end over end bouncer down the endline.." "..you gotta be serious about playing football.." "..when you dive over the top of people it really exposes the ball.." "if there's a word in the dictionary called escapability.." "..I mean that ball was just rollin' rollin' rollin'.." "..and Oregon threatening again.."
It's hilarious when you take the comments out of context, but I try to keep my thoughts to myself. Because no one else gets it.
On the other hand, I just can't get upset when "our" team loses, which is rather liberating. It's just a game after all. Still, I have compassion for the losers.
Surely I'm not the only one who thinks this way. Maybe other people are pretending too?
First of all, I can never remember the rules. That makes me feel stupid.
Second, I hate competition. Why do people constantly have to find ways to be better, faster, stronger, smarter, better-looking, richer, more successful, etc., than someone else? I hate that. I mean, what's the point?
Third, I can't understand extrinsic motivation. Competing for money or a prize or working for brownie buttons or grades, or even for praise or to go to heaven -- it's meaningless to me. If I don't get some pleasure out of what I'm doing, no amount of extrinsic reward is going to motivate me.
I think I am the only person in the world who feels this way.
When I was in elementary school and there was going to be a test, the teacher would say, "Now children, we're going to play a game." I would sigh... Then when I found out we were really having a test, I was happy. I much preferred tests to games. I like answering questions on questionnaires. I like filling in blanks. It's fun! (Not tests where I don't know the answers, of course, that's no fun. Like math tests. Ick.)
This is really really weird, I know.
So I'm constantly pretending! Because in American culture this attitude is unheard of. I pretend, at least, to tolerate games. Sometimes I pretend to enjoy them. What makes it easier is trying to identify with the feelings of those who love them. I have good friends who are very competitive. They have described to me how it feels, how much they enjoy competition, how it gives them a rush. So I try to understand, just like I understand that some people enjoy cooking (I don't) and gardening (I don't) and shopping (I don't).
So I can cheer for my student who is a football star this year. I can gather with my friends and drink beer and celebrate the Ducks' football successes, but I do it for the camaraderie with friends, and it's hard for me to resist making fun of the announcers, "..he's here to play ball..." "..end over end bouncer down the endline.." "..you gotta be serious about playing football.." "..when you dive over the top of people it really exposes the ball.." "if there's a word in the dictionary called escapability.." "..I mean that ball was just rollin' rollin' rollin'.." "..and Oregon threatening again.."
It's hilarious when you take the comments out of context, but I try to keep my thoughts to myself. Because no one else gets it.
On the other hand, I just can't get upset when "our" team loses, which is rather liberating. It's just a game after all. Still, I have compassion for the losers.
Surely I'm not the only one who thinks this way. Maybe other people are pretending too?
Everything is True
Everything is true...proven by 70 questions! (haha!)
I took a paper version of this survey in grad school when I was learning to be a teacher. I think it was an Ed Psych class. It turned out pretty much the same way, as I remember. If you like this quiz, you can find it under "Long Personality Test" on okcupid.com.
Your Score: ENFJ- The Teacher
You scored 72% I to E, 21% N to S, 9% F to T, and 31% J to P!
Your type is known as the teacher, or the educating mentor. You also belong to the larger group, called idealists. You tend to bring out the best in other people. You lead without seeming to do so. People are naturally drawn to you. You expect the very best from people which takes the form of enthusiastic encouragement which is so charming that people try their best not to disappoint you. You share your personality type with 3% of the population.
You need to feel a deep and meaningful connection to your romantic partners, and go to great lengths to understand and please your mate. Harmony is vitally important to you, and you often put others' needs before your own. You have a pretty thin skin and are easily hurt. Although you strive for harmony, when your values or ethics are violated, you can be very emotional, confrontational, and even punishing. However, you are very insightful about the underlying cause of conflicts, and an excellent communicator, so you have the tools to bring about a quick and peaceful resolution as long as you can keep control of your facilities. You want to be appreciated for your thoughtfulness and compassion. You need your partner to make a real effort to get to know you. Above all, you need to be able to express your feelings and have them taken seriously.
Your group summary: idealists (NF)
Your type summary: ENFJ
I took a paper version of this survey in grad school when I was learning to be a teacher. I think it was an Ed Psych class. It turned out pretty much the same way, as I remember. If you like this quiz, you can find it under "Long Personality Test" on okcupid.com.
Your Score: ENFJ- The Teacher
You scored 72% I to E, 21% N to S, 9% F to T, and 31% J to P!
Your type is known as the teacher, or the educating mentor. You also belong to the larger group, called idealists. You tend to bring out the best in other people. You lead without seeming to do so. People are naturally drawn to you. You expect the very best from people which takes the form of enthusiastic encouragement which is so charming that people try their best not to disappoint you. You share your personality type with 3% of the population.
You need to feel a deep and meaningful connection to your romantic partners, and go to great lengths to understand and please your mate. Harmony is vitally important to you, and you often put others' needs before your own. You have a pretty thin skin and are easily hurt. Although you strive for harmony, when your values or ethics are violated, you can be very emotional, confrontational, and even punishing. However, you are very insightful about the underlying cause of conflicts, and an excellent communicator, so you have the tools to bring about a quick and peaceful resolution as long as you can keep control of your facilities. You want to be appreciated for your thoughtfulness and compassion. You need your partner to make a real effort to get to know you. Above all, you need to be able to express your feelings and have them taken seriously.
Your group summary: idealists (NF)
Your type summary: ENFJ
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
French traditions bite the dust (farewell to the smoke-filled café)
Posted by Charles Bremner on October 02, 2007 at 03:07 PM in Europe, France:
"One of the sure-fire themes for correspondents in Paris is the death of French institutions.
"Generations of reporters have filled slack news days with dispatches on the demise of the great French café, the baguette, the béret, the concierge, the Gauloise sans filtre, the language, driving habits, the snail, the truffle, movie, cuisine, wine, couture, and so on. Next February, when tobacco is banned in all indoor public places, it will be time for 'farewell to the smoke-filled cafe.'
"After ending 'the era of', you can sometimes revive it. In recent years, this has applied to most of the above as pendulums have swung and fashions changed. Even bérets enjoyed a return a few years back. The Gauloise and the nosey concierge have not returned and it's pretty unlikely that we will see smoky cafes again. Bad driving seems to be making a come-back, though.
"Sometimes it is sad to see a tradition disappear at a ministerial stroke. I wrote about a new one in the newspaper today -- the end of the car license plates that advertise where the owner lives...
"There are sound arguments for centralising vehicle registration. It conforms to the European Union's push for a lifetime Vehicle Identification Number and also to President Sarkozy's campaign to shrink the bureaucracy and the public payroll. It will also mean less time waiting in queues at the prefecture to change la carte grise, the registration paper, when you move département.
"But it takes away one of the little pleasures of French life. After a few years in France, you automatically scan the final two digits of cars around you, noting outsiders and sometimes guessing what distant province they might hail from. This probably doesn't make much sense to US, Australian or Canadian readers. They wouldn't replace distinctive state plates, with their slogans and boasts about sunshine, gardens and lone stars, with anonymous federal ones (I have always found Quebec's 'Je me souviens' to be one of the most obscure).
"Le Parisien newspaper summed up the general French reaction nicely. 'For many people, these number plates are one of those little things which are so anchored in our daily existence that we cannot imagine living without them.'"
"One of the sure-fire themes for correspondents in Paris is the death of French institutions.
"Generations of reporters have filled slack news days with dispatches on the demise of the great French café, the baguette, the béret, the concierge, the Gauloise sans filtre, the language, driving habits, the snail, the truffle, movie, cuisine, wine, couture, and so on. Next February, when tobacco is banned in all indoor public places, it will be time for 'farewell to the smoke-filled cafe.'
"After ending 'the era of', you can sometimes revive it. In recent years, this has applied to most of the above as pendulums have swung and fashions changed. Even bérets enjoyed a return a few years back. The Gauloise and the nosey concierge have not returned and it's pretty unlikely that we will see smoky cafes again. Bad driving seems to be making a come-back, though.
"Sometimes it is sad to see a tradition disappear at a ministerial stroke. I wrote about a new one in the newspaper today -- the end of the car license plates that advertise where the owner lives...
"There are sound arguments for centralising vehicle registration. It conforms to the European Union's push for a lifetime Vehicle Identification Number and also to President Sarkozy's campaign to shrink the bureaucracy and the public payroll. It will also mean less time waiting in queues at the prefecture to change la carte grise, the registration paper, when you move département.
"But it takes away one of the little pleasures of French life. After a few years in France, you automatically scan the final two digits of cars around you, noting outsiders and sometimes guessing what distant province they might hail from. This probably doesn't make much sense to US, Australian or Canadian readers. They wouldn't replace distinctive state plates, with their slogans and boasts about sunshine, gardens and lone stars, with anonymous federal ones (I have always found Quebec's 'Je me souviens' to be one of the most obscure).
"Le Parisien newspaper summed up the general French reaction nicely. 'For many people, these number plates are one of those little things which are so anchored in our daily existence that we cannot imagine living without them.'"
Monday, October 1, 2007
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