Feminism in the Pitcher house: like a sci-fi stripper

Today after my hair was staticed to my forehead, I said "How do I look?"

And although I was fully dressed (and in church clothes, too!)

Travis looked me over and said,

"Hot. Like a striper.

From a sci-fi movie."

A few minutes later he said "Don't put that on your blog."

"Too late," I said.

"You've already written it?"

"No, I've already planned what to write about it."

"Ahh," he said.

Then he said "All I wanted was to make you feel sexy even though your hair was crazy and stupid. I'm just trying to empower my wife. But, it seems I have empowered her too much. Since she will not even respect my wishes."

Then when I read this aloud he said "That's a pretty good blog post."

Then he suggested my title.

Then he said not to write it, but I did.

Everything I've written here is true.

Beautiful Girls

Yesterday I took some pictures for the BYU Women's Services Office for their Beauty Campaign, which will be launched this fall.
Maybe there's something wrong with me, but I seriously stared at these shirts for an entire minute.
"Be a... What is that?" I thought. "What is a Utiful and how can I be one?"

When I learned to read I decided that I love this shirt, and am definitely going to try to get one come fall. They'll be giving them away to girls who participate in challenges, like going without makeup for a week, or not weighing themselves.
Since I don't own a scale I KNOW I can do that one at least.

And speaking of Beautiful, check out the lovely ladies:

I work in AV Tech

That means that I am in charge of Audio/Visual needs in the law school.

Primarily guys work here. I'm the only girl in an office with six men.

Upstairs in Tech support there are no girls, so maybe it's understandable that people are surprised that I work here.

But unbelieving?

Come on, people.

I was sitting at the desk in the AV office and someone came to the door.

Confused man: Hey, do you know where the AV guys are?

Me: I am an AV guy, what can I help you with?

Confused man: Ummm, I just have something for them.

Me: I can take it for you, what do you need done with it?

Confused Man nervously hands me a few cds : tell them this is for the conference to be recorded on.

Me: I will be sure to record it for you.

Confused Man: Uhh, yeah... Well okay.... Um, someone told me they need the AV guys in room 303 if you want to tell them.

Me: I will go help the people in 303, do you need anything else?

Confused Man wanders away confused-like without responding.

Really?

THEN I went upstairs to pick up an extra laptop from Tech support. I have met every person up there at least a dozen times. At least.

I went up said, "Hey guys, can I grab a laptop?"

They all turned to stare.

Confused man 2: Uhhh, are you from Law and Religion?

Me: No.

Russell (the only person in Tech support who isn't awful): She works in Media Services downstairs.

Confused man 2: Oh, did you call up a request?

Me: No, we're just a laptop short.

Confused man 2: How did Russell know you worked downstairs?

Me: We're friends, we've met several times.

Confused man 2: How long have you worked here?

Me: About a year.

Confused man 2: Oh, where have I been? The only girl I know downstairs is Mindy.

Me: Mindy graduated a year ago and hasn't worked here since.

Confused man 2: Oh wow. So, we can't give you a laptop unless you fill out this form.

That is not true. We borrow laptops on almost a daily basis. I have never even seen that sign out sheet. I suspect he did it because he didn't recognize me even though we've met about ten times.

Maybe it's my haircut... Am I unrecognizable?

Maybe it's my womanness... Am I not nerdy enough? Do they think I'm not smart enough?

Let's be honest, I do not have a hard job.

If boys can do it, girls can do it easily.

Maybe that's where the confusion comes in. They assume that a woman so smart wouldn't have to lower herself to working at such a simple job.

Ahh, now it makes sense.

Pandora.

I am only now experiencing the joy of Pandora.
Like eight years after everyone else.

But when I heard about Pandora (was it high school or middle school?) I was not impressed. If I wanted to listen to N'Sync why would I listen to a radio station of music like N'sync?
Why wouldn't I just make myself a mix cd? :)
Oh, the 2000s... (I can say that now that it's 2010. In ten years we can say, "oh the 2010s... back before flying electric cars.")
Anyway, a few days ago at work I was itching for some Iron and Wine and I finally swallowed my pride and went to Pandora.
I was midly satisfied. I hear more of the Weepies and Jose Gonzalas than Iron and Wine, but it was oookay.
But today I found something great.

I was really in the mood for R-E-S-P-E-C-T. You know, on repeat. Over and over again.
And after watching Aretha sing it many times in a row on youtube (She's got some moves!) I went to Pandora again.
And created a station based on the song, not on Aretha Franklin.

I keep finding myself eyes closed, swaying a little, ignoring the people staring.
I don't know if you call it R&B or Soul or what, (Brooke, give me a hand, what is it?) but I just can't get enough of it today.


Right now, Midnight Train to Georgia is playing on my Pandora and all I can think of is that 30s Rock clip.
So great.
I can't figure out how to embed it here, but this is the link. It's great.

Midnight Train To Georgia - 30 ROCK - watch more funny videos

Women

Today I watched All About Eve. An old black and white film from 1950 about an older actress being upstaged by a new young beautiful actress.
At one time the older actress is mourning the fact that she has no life outside of her career. Soon her career will be over and she will be a different person, someone she nor anyone else knows. It was interesting so I decided to share.
She says,

Funny business, a woman's career. The things you drop on your way up the ladder, so you can move faster. You forget you'll need them again when you go back to being a woman. That's one career all females have in common - whether we like it or not - being a woman.
Sooner or later we've all got to work at it, no matter what other careers we've had or wanted... and, in the last analysis, nothing is any good unless you can look up just before dinner or turn around in bed - and there he is. Without that, you're not woman. You're something with a French provincial office or a book full of clippings -
but you're not a woman...

so...

you know when you find a blog that seems to perfectly, and effortlessly voice exactly how you feel?
Oh yeah. I found that blog.

So about what I said...

(Even just now when I WROTE effortlessly, I had to sit and think for like two minutes of the word "effortlessly" because I could only think of the word "easilessly" which of course is NOT a word, and is the opposite of what I want. )

Also, when obsessively reading my new favorite blog (maybe I love it because of her admitted tendency to over share, something I also have a problem with), I came upon THIS freaking awesome post.
You go girl. She addresses the completely ridiculous interview between Marie Claire and Jessica Valenti, author of The Purity Myth.
Just to give you a preview, here are some of the absurd quotes from the interview:

"Virginity and chastity are reemerging as a trend in pop culture, in our schools, in the media, and even in legislation."

"The lie of virginity — the idea that such a thing even exists — is ensuring that young women's perception of themselves is inextricable from their bodies."

"The main misconception of virginity is that it exists! There's no medical definition. It's a completely cultural invention. It's such a huge deal and yet it's so amorphous. There's no real way to define it at all. "

kjwfiuwqbnxfh ewfheklru! I AM BAFFLED. Too baffled for words. No such thing as virginity.
I almost feel the need to start spouting some scripture.
Even if this wasn't a religious dilemma for me, HOLY COW, this should be a point of controversy for every woman in the world who respects their body, or even... has a body.
Dang.
Please, Mel. Tell this woman off again. Because I am too baffled for words, and the writer of So about what I said... is NOT too baffled for words, but insanely calm and collected, please go read what she has to say.
I'm telling you, she's freaking brilliant.