January 30th, 2013 → 8:01 am
My neice just got engaged and is getting married in less than four short months! Congratulations Jackie, we’re all looking forward to the May wedding!
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
January 28th, 2013 → 8:22 am
“What is a man, if his chief good and market of his time be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more. – Hamlet
My life feels so busy, as though all I do is sleep, feed, work, and take care of my family. I haven’t found time to write in ages… Is such a life beastly? Devoid of higher purpose? If so, I imagine most of humanity is indeed rather beastly…
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
January 26th, 2013 → 8:38 am
My son is going through another one of his not-sleep-through-the-night-at-all phases and it’s exhausting. 1:30 am, 2:30 am, 4:30 am cries, and then 5:30 am he’s up for good. My husband and I feel like we haven’t had a good night’s sleep in two and a half years, and, because we’ve never pawned him off on anybody for a long weekend, that’s probably true. Oye, the joys of parenthood!
Filed under: Blog & Other & Self/My Life
January 24th, 2013 → 6:36 am
“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.” – Henry V
This, of course, is one of Shakespeare’s more famous quotes. It refers to a bunch of (male) soldiers about to enter a great battle together. And I am glad to say that as of today, it is outdated! U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced yesterday that the military is ending the ban on women in combat. Finally. From what I understand, removing the ban was only ever controversial to politicians and ignorant non-military personnel at this point. Few in the military doubted any longer women’s competence and ability in combat roles.
January 21st, 2013 → 6:46 am
“The King’s name is a tower of strength.” – Richard III
Happy Martin Luther King Day. I pray for peace and nonviolence the world over.
January 18th, 2013 → 8:23 am
The inauguration parties for Obama’s second term swearing-in begin this weekend. I believe it’s going to last more than one single gaudy night.
Filed under: Blog & Politics/Politicians
January 16th, 2013 → 6:34 am
I keep reading about booming fracking towns like Williston, North Dakota, where unemployment is less than 1% and money and men abound. The problem is that women do not, and in many of these places the ratio is like 2:1 men to women. Apparently this scarcity of women has led to a lot of crazy things, but what stuck me in the article this morning was the coining of the term “Williston 10” for women that normally would be considered average, but in Williston seem a perfect 10. I can’t tell if this is funny, or offensive. I mean, it does follow basic economic theory, that as scarcity increases so does value, so I should praise its core economic logic. But at the same time, we’re talking people here! All I know is that Benedick would definitely have a hard time getting a date in Williston.
January 14th, 2013 → 8:06 am
In all honesty, I did not know who Aaron Swartz was until he committed suicide on Friday, though his life did touch mine rather directly through the JSTOR imbroglio (a current research project of mine utilizes copious amounts of JSTOR articles, which I had trouble getting because of what he did). But for some reason, I’m captivated by his life, his death, and everything that’s being written about him now. I feel like he could have been my friend. I don’t agree with everything that he did, but I deeply recognize the passion with which he did it. My heart goes out to him, wherever he is.
January 12th, 2013 → 4:58 am
“Wicked meaning in a lawful deed.” – All’s Well That Ends Well
Is Gerard Depardieu a monster? I’ve seem him called such because he gave up his French citizenship and became a Russian on January 3 simply to avoid high taxes. I do think he’s an ass – though more for his treatment of women and people in general, than for his views on taxation. Admittedly, I might be slightly peeved if I faced a 75% taxation rate as well. In the end, I guess the joke is on him as it appears the French constitutional court struck down the high tax rate as “confiscatory.” At least he has easy access to great caviar now…
Filed under: Blog & Economics/Money & Stupid/Evil People
January 10th, 2013 → 6:09 am
I get on a plane today to return to St. Louis. I wish the plane ride home only lasted forty minutes; instead, with a two-year old, it’s probably going to seem like forty days. Ach, wish us luck!
Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life