a record of an event

kristine tuna

2010-07-18T16:52:00.001-04:00

&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://kristinetuna.bandcamp.com/album/fall-asleep"&amp;amp;gt;thread and stitch by kristine tuna&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

you guys this ep is beautiful. you need to have it.

this makes me love him more

2009-01-23T19:50:00.001-05:00

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/issues-action/birth-control/global-gag-rule-21019.htm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/23/AR2009012302814.html?hpid=topnews

eeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thank you obama... for putting access and health above your personal views.

hello. it's 2009.

2009-01-19T10:19:00.004-05:00

i'm a little late on this post.

okay, a lot late. i've been busy already. i'm taking 21 credit hours this quarter and working 16 hours. i'm exhausted.

here is a list of all of the books i finished last year.

i have been a horrible tao lin intern. so, you should go here and buy his books to make up for it. you will enjoy them. they will make you happy and then sad. also, he is vegan. an all around win.

this quarter i'm taking a really awesome course about intersectionality. it is pretty amazing so far. i've missed women's studies a lot.
also, we have group projects where we have to facilitate discussion on one of the books we are assigned to read. i am lucky so my group got picked to go first. so, that is Wednesday. i hope i don't fail. we read "The Alchemy of Race and Rights" by Patricia J. Williams and are discussing critical race theory. i am nervous.

Tomorrow!!! is obama's inauguration. :) i really hope he is able to make change.
that is all.

transphobia

2008-11-13T11:58:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone.

Krystle just showed me this ridiculous article about the 10 worst fathers. They put Thomas Beatie (the transman who just had a baby) as third. The thing is, he was on this list because:
"Teaching kids about sex is tough enough. But when this bearded, deep-voiced transgendered Oregon man popped out a bundle of joy earlier this year, our jobs as fathers became even more complicated: "Sit down, son. I need to talk to you about the birds, the bees…and the trannies." Oof."

This Article

are you kidding me? please write to msn. this isn't okay.

sorry

2008-10-29T20:38:00.003-04:00

hey few people that read my public blog!

sorry that i haven't been around lately. you can read my tumblr: http://mutedheartbeats.tumblr.com/
which is mainly shared items from my google reader (aka blogs & news feeds that i read)

I just wanted to post to say VOTE!
The election is coming up so quick. I have already voted & you should too. If you can vote early in your state, don't put it off. Go early! Vote! It is so important. Think of all the people who fought for this right. We have it! It is your chance to say who you think should be in charge of different offices and which propositions should be passed. It is extremely important, and whether or not you vote, it will affect your life. SO do it. <3

okay. that's the end of my rant.

also, i have been listening to a lot of ray lamontagne, gregory & the hawk, and ra ra riot. check them out and love them.

okay. off to more schoolwork.

news!

2008-08-23T01:57:00.002-04:00

i am now one of tao lin's interns. what does this mean? i'm not quite sure.... but exciting things are ahead. for sure.
last week he sent me a copy of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy! i have been trying to read it slowly so i don't finish it soon, but i think that is not going to happen. the poems feel so familiar and make me laugh. or make my heart ache. or both.

anyway, i'm sorry for not updating about things. i'm not even sure if many people read this anymore (jess do you even read this? you deleted your blogspot, which was really why i got this one...)

i have been reading way too many other blogs to write my own.
things to check out:
Interview with Sabrina Chapadjiev about Live Through This
APA has declared that abortions are not bad for a woman's mental health.
I really enjoyed cherylberyl's blog about disability and how people are viewed
I am in love with Erin's zine Daisies and Bruises

whaaaaaat?

2008-08-08T13:11:00.002-04:00

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

green living: junk mail

2008-08-08T11:53:00.008-04:00

I saw this posted on treehugger.com and i had to link to it.

Stuff you can do with unwanted junk mail (or how to stop junk mail from coming to your house to begin with).

♥ i love it.

i promise more posts are coming soon. last week i ordered *ishouldn'tbebuyingthingsohmy* a few zines (why doesn't firefox realize that zines is a word... and firefox too? excellent dictionary/spell check. haha), so i might do some reviews or something. i have about two months left of summer to try and make all the money i can so that i don't have to try and work during the school year. hopefully i'll just get more wedding gigs or something and then i won't have to work.
WIN.
in september i am supposed to start a job working with children with developmental and behavioral disabilities. i'm excited for it. i feel like it will be a really good experience. more on that when i actually start it.
okay. this is boring so i'm leaving.

:edit: what? when you google "film XXY" my blog is on the first page? that is exciting because it is pretty much my favorite film right now.

Related Posts:
plastic bags suck ..and these are much cooler.

Book: Middlesex

2008-07-31T13:14:00.007-04:00

Okay, so i have been reading a ton of books this summer. Middlesex (by Jeffrey Eugenides) is by far the best! It was on a list of books that teachers and T.A.s mentioned in class. I used to e-mail all of my teachers at the end of the quarter and ask them for book recommendations but i stopped doing that. I'm not sure why, because those people know books. I have yet to read one off that list that I do not like. SO: maybe i should start doing that again.

Anyway. new favorite book= Middlesex.

also, i find myself becoming more and more interested in identity and the intersex movement. i'm not sure if that will overtake my interest in mental health and women... but i think it is definitely affecting my perception, in a good way.
exciting!

also, i miss school so much. it is ridiculous.
i want people to teach me things again.

other posts to read:
Things I Like (if you like this book, chances are you will like other things i'm obsessed with too)
a review of Augusten Burroughs a wolf at the table
A post about the lovely film XXY which explores intersex identity through one girl's experience

Book: A Wolf at the Table

2008-07-13T14:13:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I read Augusten Burroughs' memoir about his childhood and relationship with his father.

I will admit that I first heard (via T&S lj community) about his latest novel because Tegan Quin (of Tegan and Sara) was writing a song for the CD that goes with the book. However, Augusten Burroughs also wrote "Running With Scissors" (also a film now) that I enjoyed greatly so I added it to my library reserves list not really knowing much about it.

I read the whole memoir in one day. His writing style is exposing and vulnerable. Two things that I find really hard to do myself, so I am always drawn to writers who are capable of this. A Wolf at the Table follows his childhood memories of his father, his desire to have a relationship with a man who was unwilling and unwavering in his outward annoyance with Augusten. It is painful, but there is something in there that is empowering. It is a story of his survival. Defeating his harmful family roles and being successful despite his childhood. Pick it up!

other book reviews:
Middlesex
Shoot the Damn Dog & Live Through This: On Creativity and Self Destruction
Bird by Bird: some instructions on writing and life

things i like

2008-07-10T12:43:00.012-04:00

oh hello.
so i've given up on trying to make this a more formal blog. we all know that is not my style of blogging, and it is far too late for me to change now.
SO:
a list of things i have liked (the good and the bad) in the past week for your entertainment:

1. "Live Through This: On Creativity and Self-Destruction" edited by Sabrina Chapadjiev

♥ i seriously love this book. i bought it on amazon.com a week or so ago and read it in one day. it is full of short pieces by different artists/musicians/women who are struggling or have struggled with some type of self-destruction and how it has affected their creative life.
(why i love this. a-about self-destruction. b-memoir. c-creativity. d-mental health. e-empowering. f-defeating stigmas. g-the stories are varied and do not only come from one perspective on whether or not self-destruction is bad, but rather explores how it affects them creatively.)

2. The Avett Brothers' Album "Emotionalism"
This CD was one of the best from last year, but I hadn't listened to the whole thing until last week. I LOVE IT. do you love banjos? i do. listen to this.
Shame (from Emotionalism)
The album is amazing in that it actually recreates a wide spectrum of emotions... which is probably why it is called emotionalism. So, whatever mood you are in, there is a song for that. I appreciate that because i'm a constant and annoyingly obsessive mix maker...

3. Shoot the Damn Dog: A Memoir of Depression by Sally Brampton. I feel like a lot of books talk towards depression, but very few are written from the experience honestly. If you struggle with depression (or for that matter any mental illness), or know someone who does/has you should read this. It is beautiful and raw.

a more concise summary and review of the book can be found at feminist review.

4. making popsicles out of lemonade with my homemade mold things.

5. playing guitar.

6. Lovers (the band) = beautiful lyrics and melancholy folk music.

7. Thos Henley's cover of "bleeding love"
*which i feel less bad for liking than the original version :)

8. *guilty pleasure* = Snoop Dogg's "My Medicine" (youtube)

9. The online show Quarterlife. I feel like this probably started forever ago and i just found it... but i completely love it and watched all the parts i could find (which was over thirty. i have a life, what?). mhm. Dylan is my favorite (because i'm five and still have favorites).

Other posts that are related:
fourth of july mix
bird by bird review
XXY film review

watch this

2008-07-06T17:04:00.003-04:00

Watch this video!

Claiming my blog post

2008-07-05T10:48:00.000-04:00

Technorati Profile

now i'm on technorati!

Happy Fourth Of July!

2008-07-04T23:42:00.004-04:00

So, I know this is almost late, but I wanted to wish you a happy fourth of July!
Also, if you haven't heard yet the extremely conservative, racist, sexist Jesse Helms died!

Mix: America/4th of July

Independence Day- Ani DiFranco

Unless You're Free- Utah Phillips & Ani DiFranco

A Distorted Reality Is Now A Necessity To Be Free- Elliott Smith

Grand Canyon- Ani DiFranco

Talkin' Bout A Revolution- Tracy Chapman

Revolution- Nina Simone

A Change Is Gonna Come- Ben Sollee

America- Simon & Garfunkel

American Boy (ft. Kanye West)- Estelle

Sad American- Kaki King

American Tune- Eva Cassidy

Flightless Bird, American Mouth-Iron & Wine

Decree- Ani DiFranco

My Dear Country- Norah Jones

Home- Lay Low

That Right Ain't Shit- The Books

My Rights Versus Yours
- The New Pornographers

*mp3s will be removed at the request of the artist. Please support their work if you like these songs.

Film: XXY

2008-07-03T01:14:00.010-04:00

Ahh. I don't have time to post a complete review. But...

Last night (July 1st) I watched XXY, the Argentinean film by Lucía Puenzo (which has been released on dvd as part of the film movement series). It is a film about a girl who is intersexed and struggling with her identity and sexuality. It follows her as she deals with all of the outside forces in her life and their impact on whether or not she wants surgery. It was amazing and beautiful. I keep playing scenes over and over in my head. The cinematography is so raw and delicate. I am going to buy it... it is already on my amazon.com wish list. Please go see it! At least go get it from your library! I LOVED IT. love love love.

I found it so easy to relate to. I feel like everyone, at one time or another, goes through at least one struggle of identity. I know I have been through many, and I probably still have many to come. This film allowed me to explore my own thoughts about my personal experiences. Some scenes were so beautiful, or awkward, or painful, or embarrassing.
I also fell in love with the father's character... in the way you wish that they were related to you. His scenes made my heart ache.

On a more political note, I feel like this film did a wonderful job at presenting intersexed people...without the emphasis on "normalizing" surgeries. I don't think that allowing surgeons to operate before that person has a chance to decide what identity they feel is right for them is fair or should be accepted (or encouraged, as it has by our society).

Okay, it is late. I should go to bed.

♥ erin

Related post:
In which i fall in love with middlesex

2008-07-01T11:38:00.009-04:00

Book: Bird by Bird

2008-07-01T01:37:00.009-04:00

Last week I read Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life".

The book is written as an outline for Lamott's writing workshops. Her quirky, beautiful style of writing, and her struggle between talent and humility are apparent in her descriptions of her experiences as a popular, and as a struggling, writer.

Among her advice to writers everywhere is to make writing something regular that one does everyday. This is perhaps what I struggle with most, the fact that I do not feel like writing every day. Taking one day off always turns to two, and then three months later I sit and wonder why my journal pages are blank and I haven't yet written any poetry worth reading.

Her book has encouraged me to schedule in this time. If anything I will have stories to look back on about what is happening in my life right now.

Anyway, If you love to write, wish you loved to write, or are a procrastinator she has great advice. You should definitely check out this book.

♥ erin

So this is another

2008-06-27T13:51:00.004-04:00

Oh hey blogger.

I guess this is my new blog. I don't know what I'm going to put here yet... I already have my journal. So, I'm thinking that I will post news/music/vegan/book/quotes/green things. Of course, the occasional photo is also to be expected.

The other day I donated some money to the small steps movement which I read about on treehugger.com. It is located in India, and employs women to make handcrafted bags (at a living wage) that are used to encourage people to stop using plastic shopping bags. Yesterday I got a package in the mail with two bags in it as a gift for my donation! I think it is a really interesting project, so if you have any spare money/think it is as well I'd suggest donating (they do it via paypal so it is super easy).