Go confidently in the direction of your dreams

still here.. kinda

jagienka — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 15:40:37 GMT

mostly just to read folks who aren't posting to other sites, but this is kinda interesting.

jagienka — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 20:00:42 GMT

So, it seems a lot of people are dusting off their ljs - be it nostalgia or whatever. So I may do the same. Most of what's on here will be crossposted to dw (same journal) so take your pick as to whatever is easier to read. As for me, I read my lj flist a lot more than dw or ij. There will still be rp ramblings and perhaps some real life rambling over on ij, but this & dw will be more real life stuff. Because unlike fb, here the filters actually work so there's a bit more control.

Anyway, roll call? Who still reads this?

Movie : Anna Karenina

jagienka — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:02:27 GMT

Last night we managed to get passes to a screening of the new Anna Karenina. I was 14 or 15 when I first read Anna Karenina (I was on a Russian classics kick) and loved it at the time. It's a problematic story and I enjoyed it more without a feminist & queer theory brain, so I'm loathe to reread it because I don't know if it'll capture me the same way. But I still remember most of the story so I didn't bother doing a reread before the movie. Movie adaptations of books, especially 800 page books with multiple subplots, often leave something to be desired. After all, the 1997 movie was pretty because of actors & being shot on location in Russia, but that was about it. It didn't do the story justice and I feel it didn't hold together enough as a movie. So I went into this movie with low expectations - if I got pretty costumes and pretty faces, I'd be happy.

Well, I was more than happy. The cinematography, art direction, choreography, score, and costumes were fantastic. I didn't realize Tom Stoppard had written the screenplay until the end credits rolled and then it made so much sense but it was also such a fitting choice. The screenplay in and of itself didn't blow me away, but the screenplay + the direction were a great fit.They gave the movie the right level of absurdity and managed to capture the sometimes disjointed feel of Anna Karenina with fifty million subplots and the tangled web. Upon retrospect, the movie delivered a lot of what I love about Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. It might feel jerky in some parts, but that's better than getting bogged down in 30 minutes of scenery shots with no plot movements. Jude Law was great as Karenin and Keira needs to eat something.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised. No, it's not a faithful page by page adaptation of the book - to do that, you'd need a 20+ hour BBC miniseries. But it maintains the spirit and story of the book in a two hour movie and for that reason is a successful adaptation. You don't have to read the book to enjoy the movie, but as a lover of the book, I still enjoyed the movie.

silly kitchen gadget meme

jagienka — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:29:29 GMT

Bold the ones you have and use at least once a year, italicize the ones you have and don’t use, strike through the ones you have had but got rid of.

I wonder how many pasta machines, breadmakers, juicers, blenders, deep fat fryers, egg boilers, melon ballers, sandwich makers, pastry brushes, cheese knives, electric woks, miniature salad spinners, griddle pans, jam funnels, meat thermometers, filleting knives, egg poachers, cake stands, garlic presses, margarita glasses, tea strainers, bamboo steamers, pizza stones, coffee grinders, milk frothers, piping bags, banana stands, fluted pastry wheels, tagine dishes, conical strainers, rice cookers, steam cookers, pressure cookers, slow cookers, spaetzle makers, cookie presses, gravy strainers, double boilers (bains marie), sukiyaki stoves, food processors, ice cream makers, takoyaki makers, and fondue sets languish dustily at the back of the nation’s cupboards.

If I have it, I try to use it. Sometimes a concerted effort needs to be made.

Writer's Block: B.Y.O.B. Holidays

jagienka — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:59:17 GMT

This one actually required a bit of thought. There's so many options - hunger, war, economic inequality, etc. Things that I want to work for an end towards in my life.

I think solving the problem of hunger would be where I would want to start, though.

Writer's Block: B.Y.O.B. Holidays

jagienka — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:39:21 GMT

Writer's Block: B.Y.O.B. Holidays

jagienka — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:07:42 GMT

-St. Nicholas Day / Sw. Mikolaja - St. Nick's day was always more important to me than CHristmas as a kid, because you were guaranteed chocolate, oranges, some socks / long underwear and a toy. It was a day about the children. And I still celebrate it by giving out chocolate / treats
-Barburki (The Namesday of Saint Barbara - Dec 4) This is names day my mother celebrates (even though she's Bronislawa, not Barbara) so it's family tradition
-Christmas Eve (Wigilia), Christmas Day (Boze Narodzenia), St. Stephen's Day/Boxing Day (Szczepana) [Christmas festivities in my family tend to involve celebrations for all twelve days of Christmas up through Epiphany / Feast of the Three Kings

Christmas Eve is a 12 course vegetarian meal, full of traditions - hay under the white tablecloth, you sit down to eat when someone spots the first star, etc. followed by midnight mass and then Reveillon afterwards when you bring out the Kielbasa, kabanosy, bigos, and cognac and celebrate joyfully the birth of Christ (observed). Christmas Day and St. Stephen's are days to share Christmas festivities with more extended family. And generally there is some social family event on each of the 12 days.

Writer's Block: B.Y.O.B. Holidays

jagienka — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:01:08 GMT

-My sister in law to have a healthy delivery of her baby.
-A full time job in ministry. (Ideally that allows me to pay the bills and save up a bit). Alternately, not to have to worry about money / paying bills would be nice.

Writer's Block: B.Y.O.B. Holidays

jagienka — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:17:56 GMT

It use to be the old Miracle on 34th St or A Christmas Story but lately it's been Love Actually and The Polar Express

missing chicago

jagienka — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 15:40:57 GMT

I suppose it just proves I'm strange that I'm really missing Chicago during their blizzard right now. Chicago Public Schools are closed for the first time in 12 years. Even administrators (principals, vps, janitors, etc) have been told not to come in.

Update from my mom (who lives near O'Hare):

There are 4 foot drifts around the house, the stairs on both sides are snowed in. I am not sure how we will be able to dig out to the garage. The driveway has tall drifts than the snow plow can muster. The street is snowed in. Nothing is moving. They closed schools and told principals, assistant principals, engineers and lunchroom. I am unable to get out of the house. It is supposed to be snowing until 3 pm this afternoon. The city had plenty of warning, but some did not take it seriously. I think we all in Chicago forgot what a blizzard is. Babcia & Dziadzio called, they are snowed in, Tadek came last night and took the snow blower. Staszek called, they closed his factory for the day.

Actually, looking out the window, it is a white out at this moment, I cannot see the garage.

At least my mom has power even though she's a ComEd customer.

Here we don't have anything yet but some ice on the road. Most of the Harvard schools are closed. Seems everyone saw the midwest and panicked, even though the storm is fizzling.

Ah well.

Thoughts on Degrassi's Trans storyline

jagienka — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 03:12:04 GMT

The moment I heard Degrassi was doing a trans storyline, I was excited. They’ve done school shooting, gay, lesbian & bisexual students (and parents), self-harm, bullying, all sorts of things that seem like an after-school special, but the thing about Degrassi is that it does them well. Transgenderism was, in a way, the logical issue for them to tackle next. I was curious as to how they’d do it. When I heard they were bringing in a trans student, my heart leapt. A trans high school student? This had the potential to be awesome (or really bad). They named the trans character Adam and I just smiled (because my mind interpreted that not as the “first man” but as the first human – the primordial genderless being created by God).

So far, I have been impressed. Adam has been in the episodes since the beginning of the season – as just one of the regular students – passing completely as male. There were hints of something in earlier episodes – Adam’s attempt to fit in with the guys leading him to overcompensate a bit led him to make “that’s what she said” and other machismo comments. But they didn’t make it an issue. It wasn’t a big – oh, hi, this is Adam and he’s trans. I liked that. A lot.

The two part trans storyline episodes are titled “My Body is a Cage” – a phrase that resonates with me completely. I think many trans folks have often felt that way. Your feel that your body betrays you when you're trans, that it's wrong. It's not about making it better, it's about making it right. It confines you and holds you prisoner - prevents you from being who you really are.

Thoughts on the individual parts (contain spoilers)

“My Body is a Cage” Part I

For the first time we see Adam’s family life and see him binding. There's something ritualistic about binding - the solemnity with which it's done, the look in the mirror to check if it's done well enough. The interruptions by the family made it real. You see the slip ups by the family, even those with the best intentions can slip up.

Part of the Adam’s outing had been leaked in an article by a guest actor (which I think was completely accidental). The first incident is the teacher calling the wrong name on the roll call. This has happened to me and other trans students at Harvard multiple times. It never gets easier to hear. Especially if you’ve had to go to the professor ahead of time or send them an email explaining the whole situation. It’s a hassle. The teacher recovers smoothly, saying he had the wrong class list and corrects himself, without singling out Adam. Bless the teacher.

Of course, this leads another character to be suspicious – Bianca. Adam’s flirting with her and she pushes him away with a hand on his chest. Feeling ‘something there’ she tells him that “You’re too skinny to have manboobs” and then rips his shirt open to reveal the ace bandages. Painful to watch. No one should get the chance to force you out like that. The line "I've seen you freaks on Oprah" - nails in the coffin. The thing is, that's what people face.

I think the bathroom scene was the hardest to watch. Bathrooms are always a double edged sword. If you don't use the bathroom of the gender you feel / you're trying to pass as, then your presented gender is called into question. But in using the bathroom of your presented gender, you run the risk of harassment or worse.

Best character reactions in this: Drew, Eli & Clare

Drew is just, phenomenal. To be so understanding, accepting, and supportive. (And to go all protective, even if it wasn't the smartest idea.

I love Eli in this – assuring Adam that he doesn’t need to explain why he had tampons. And then when Adam comes out to them, Eli simply says "Cool." Nothing more to be said, just accepts it as it is.

Claire has been really wonderful so far this season, and here we see her portraying the confusion. When Adam comes out, she asks the questions that most people ask (or want to ask). How did you know? Are you sure you're not a tomboy or a lesbian? The bluntness of Adam’s made it a good portrayal of a coming out narrative and the standard FAQ about being trans.

I'm ambivalent about the fact that Adam's known for as long as he can remember. It made the trans narrative a bit binary and while it's a valid narrative, I feel that it's the one that gets portrayed most often. It's a good place to start though - and maybe the only place to start introducing trans issues is to place them within the context of a gender binary.

At the end, I was eagerly waiting for more, and the episode was simultaneously heartwarming and goodwrenching. Completely successful, in my opinion.

“My Body is a Cage” Part II

I teared up during part I, but part II had tears streaming down my face and reached for the kittens during it to cuddle. It was so brutally honest and accurate that it hurt to watch at times.

The overprotective mother who was trying so hard to protect Adam was an interesting character – she stormed the principal’s office and wanted to either transfer her child or insist on protective measures. It’s the conundrum – how far do you go to keep a child safe especially when the safety measures serve to further separate the student from the rest, therefore reinforcing the notion that they’re “different”. The reaction made sense because we've seen how she got when Drew was hazed. It also serves the purpose of bluntly stating just was trans folks face in schools.

It was a well acted portrayal of a mother trying so hard to protect her child, but simultaneously keeps saying how she misses Gracie and begs him to be Gracie for his grandmother’s visit – either come as Gracie or don’t come at all. I was grateful for the inclusion of this because it’s often not talked about. You hear about the folks who are kicked out of their parents’ house or the ones whose parents automatically love and accept them. But the conditional acceptance isn’t always discussed: the ‘we love you but keep quiet around the family’ excuse. Don’t rock the boat. I was bawling when Adam showed up as Gracie for the dinner. Some might consider it giving in, but sometimes you’re willing to sacrifice that much of yourself just to see / be with the ones you love. I think perhaps I saw a bit too much of myself there when the mom was insisting what to wear and how to come and that look when Adam tried to come out to his grandmother.

I loved how they had Adam second guess himself and consider going back to being Gracie. It showed that being trans is often confusing, and there are times you consider attempting the alternative. It’d be easier – at least it’d be easier for other people. Sometimes we’re willing, or at least willing to consider, giving up that part of ourselves. But the pain on Adam’s face as he tries to go back to being Gracie is just so well portrayed and just made my heart bleed. Once you’ve realized your gender identity doesn’t match the gender you were assigned at birth, there’s no unknowing that – no matter how convoluted the path is. God knows I’ve been there – considering whether or not I could go back to being a girl. Part of me hoped that in writing the thesis I’d discover that I wasn’t trans. It’d be easier if I wasn’t – at least for my family, but I also know it wouldn’t be easier (or healthy) for me.

Which brings me to the self-harm - I wasn’t sure if they were going to go there again since they’d done that storyline in the past, but it fit naturally here and I was glad they included it. It was a point that needed to be made – because when the body doesn’t fit, when the body is wrong, it’s easy (and common) to want to take out anger on it. The method of self harm was just brilliant and particularly fitting. (In that poetic sort of way). I think Adam’s speech to Claire when Claire found him harming himself was just so raw and honest that it might be my favorite part.

Part II was harsher than Part I, but then it needed to be. It was harder for me to watch because it was more focused on Adam’s internal struggle and the family dynamics. The end was beautiful - the symbolic burning of the clothes – his friends and brother being there, as well as his parents eventually showing up. The detail that made it perfect was Adam’s mom sacrificing the photo and then Adam holding onto it and saying “It’s still me.” And that to me is what it’s all about. That the bodies we inhabit don’t change who we are. We are still the same people.

The Degrassi tagline has always been “Degrassi. It goes there.” It went there and it went there in a good way. Yes, there are things that could have been done differently, but there weren’t any moments of OMG! Fail.

The writing was absolutely superb in both parts. You hated the characters you were supposed to hate and felt sorry for the ones going through hard times. I loved the portrayal of Drew as the uber supportive brother (something I’m lucky enough to have) as well as Claire and Eli who are curious and never waver in their support and friendship with Adam. In addition to a well-written script, I was impressed by Jordan Todosey’s acting. It was impressive to see a fifteen year old take on that role and portray it so well, especially all the emotional subtleties throughout the two-part ep.

While I might have liked a different trans narrative than the “man born in a woman’s body”, that’s because I wish there was more room for other trans narratives sometimes. There isn’t a one size fits all trans narrative, but I am damned proud of degrassi for doing a good job portraying *a* trans narrative, and portraying it in an accurate, and at times painful, way. Hat’s off to you, Degrassi, I commend you.

Acadia

jagienka — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:10:49 GMT

Last year, when we first went to Acadia, I fell in love. This year, when we crossed the bridge onto Mt. Desert Island, it felt like coming home. There's just something about the ocean, the rocky & forested hilly islands, the granite cliffs.. it's just calming. Maine (at least Downeast Maine) remains one of those places I'd love to settle. (I've actually found my ideal house - a defunct lighthouse but I can't afford it, so I shall take photos of it and stare at it wistfully).

The goal is to make more shorter trips to Acadia - it's only a five hour drive so perfectly doable for a weekend. I'm hoping we can go out there again the second weekend in September, but we'll see. A lot depends on how cheaply we can do our Canada trip.

We're working on doing just a few things every time we go so that we can slowly chip away at the things we want to do there. Which works well with making more short trips.

This past weekend we climbed the beehive. My siblings did this last year when we all went to Acadia, but bad_influence and I did a carriage ride instead. I can't remember if we were intimidated by the beehive or what. All I have to say is it was awesome. There were a few moments of 'don't look down, just hold onto the cliff and the iron bars' but I'm glad we took the hard way up - it gave me that rock climbing / bouldering high that I haven't had in a long time. I want to do it again (and again and again). We ended up going down via The Bowl and next time we climb it, I will make sure to have a swimsuit to go swimming in the Bowl because it looked kind of awesome.

After that, we headed to Bass Harbor to check out the Bass Harbor lighthouse, which, sadly, was a bit underwhelming. But I feel like once you've seen Cape Hatteras, most lighthouses are. It was quaint, but all the "Department of Homeland Security / Coast Guard / No trespassing signs around the actual building took away from it a bit.

Sunday was our trip to Schoodic Peninsula, to see that part of the park. I kind of love it. Compared to the Mt. Desert Island section, it's nearly deserted. Lots of rocky cliffs to explore and climb and scenery for bad_influence to photograph. I definitely had the thought - 'This part is better - less park rangers to tell you to be careful.' Nearly every time we came across rocky cliffs, I scampered out as far as I could. There's something about standing on rock and having the waves crashing that is so calming and simultaneously invigorating to me. I might be a fire sign, but crashing waves like that is like a high to me. (bad_influence blames this on me being on the cusp of a water sign.)

We ended up heading to Little Moose Island, which is this adorable island accessible at low tide - so you have to know the tide schedule or else you get to swim back. We had lunch overlooking Schoodic Point, and then went exploring. Took the trail through an area that looked like Scotland (we joked) and ate quite a few wild blueberries (always delicious). When we got out towards the tip - the cliffs were amazing and I climbed down into one of the chasms for the rush of it.

Somewhere among the cliffs we lost the trail through the middle of the island and then had to follow the coast back which is where I slipped on a rock and bruised the back of my thigh. Apparently from where bad_influence was standing, it looked like I would have hit the family jewels.

After finishing up on Schoodic, we went investigating wineries, but both were closed that day, so we headed back, taking Coastal Route 1 until we got to Bath. I ended up reading up a bit on the shipbuilding history of Maine at our campground, which just makes me fall in love with the state more.

I cannot wait for the Canada road trip - still working on planning out the loose itinerary (which basically just means campgrounds) and a rough idea of the route. Deviations from the plan are always welcome.

blog posts to write

jagienka — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:22:45 GMT

-July hackgender post on personal gender identity. Due to Cornwall's article in Trans/formations, will probably include my take on trans identity and apophasis. (due July 31)
-Why is it so hard to fall out of love? (SLAM + relationships)
-Trans identity & modesty
-what's in a name?

Today's failwhale: article on "Real Men Don't: Anti-male Bias in the English Language". Some valid points, but way too many generalizations. And I had to prove it word for word instead of scanning. Note to the author, not all feminists & women hate men and wish to subjugate them.

jagienka — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:31:15 GMT

Naomi Novik's post on pregnancy & uterine replicators might be one of the more amusing accounts I've heard in the past few years with all stories from the pregnant women in my vicinity.

icon meme

jagienka — Tue, 11 May 2010 20:24:41 GMT

Because i think my cat ate my brain and i'm trying to reboot it...

taken from immlass

001. Reply to this post, and I will pick six-eight of your icons.
002. Make a post (including the meme info) and talk about the icons I chose.
003. Other people can then comment to you and make their own posts.
004. This will create a never-ending cycle of icon squee.

bingblot made this for me back in college when bad_influence got all of us addicted to the anime Trigun. Wolfwood (pictured here) is a lecherous priest who carries around a giant cross which is "full of mercy" . By mercy, we mean weapons.

Ah, Anthony Stewart Head. I have no idea where this icon came from or who made it, but it was in a "what i learned from buffy" collection that I stumbled upon back in 2001-2002. Doesn't everyone need a UK icon of some sort?

My favorite Wheel of Time icon, and one of the few that has remained throughout the icon edits and deletions. Made by shorelle. The text is the inscription on the blade in the novels. It struck me as trippy, hence I like it.

The image is "Happy Unicorn" by Dali. It was the Dali painting that fit best into the constraints of an icon, out of the ones i like (discovery of america & his various Christ crucified being among my most favorite). It's a tranquil sort of icon.

Because I need a Brazil themed icon for use during the World Cup, summer olympics, and perhaps when I reminisce about brazil or go there again.

The photo is one my cousin had taken of him by friends while he was filming Generation Kill in Iraq. It's a general high on life / yay! icon.

adventures in babysitting

jagienka — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 21:04:59 GMT

So, yesterday afternoon might have been one of the most entertaining times babysitting ever. Sara (Fiona's mum) was going out of town on a business trip, so I had to drive her to Logan. We take her car since that's where the car seat is and then grab her keys. As we pull up to the airport, she takes the house keys off the car key keychain and leaves. I drive back to their house with baby in tow. I'm thinking, might be nice to pick up some food and swing by my house & surprise bad_influence. But I don't know when Marcin will be home, so I might as well head to their house. As I get off the highway, I realize that I managed to leave my set of keys in their house.

Luckily bad_influence was home, so I just came to the house and watched fiona & the cats interact for an hour. which was rather hilarious. they didn't know what to do with her and she didn't know what to do with them. It was kind of hilarious. I also realized that since my backpack was at their house, I didn't have any baby toys, diapers, etc with me (yes, I always have emergency babykit in my backpack. It makes sense. )

Harley didn't know what to make of Fiona and Fiona was just beyond confused at this furry thing that was moving and making noise. It was a bit hilarious.

Anyways, just an interlude from my non-hds life or what passes for it.

weekends, watch me discover them

jagienka — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 23:14:57 GMT

Even though harvard doesn't have monday off, I managed to get it off since both my cousins have it off so they're going on a weekend road trip. Which means I can actually do school work this monday instead of being amused by a nine month old.

Today, however, has been a productive weekend day. I chatted with some old friends early in the morning, made a huge dent in my cleaning to-do list, made a real lunch (bigos type stew), and then went furniture shopping. My cheap dresser that I bought from Target three years ago has finally bit the dust - with the particle board drawers giving out multiple times and now being beyond repair. I was really hoping to find a dresser with real wood drawers. I had thought about the Mill Stores option, but at the last moment decided to go hit some of the antique shops / consignment shops in Somerville first.

our first stop was so-so, then we got detoured by barefoot books where I bought many thinks for many babies/children in my life at their sale. The second shop was great for unique kitchen things (and I bumped into two of my TFs - i'm wondering if they're dating - of course, yesterday I bumped into my advisor at a coffee shop.. worlds colliding... ). Third stop was the charm. This great shop, Consignment galleries in Davis Square had a great selection of furniture, linens, and accessories. Linens! Gorgeous lace tablecloths that make me yearn for a separate dining room. I ended up getting this dresser which just seemed to have the right amount of character, personality, and good construction. bad_influence's comment was 'it looks like it belongs on a ship'. Which of course meant I loved it more. There were three great dressers there that I loved, but this one just seemed like the best for me. They'll deliver it tomorrow since I didn't think it would fit in the car. :) i look forward to my precious.

Came home and decided that in honor of roommate bonding time to cook a proper dinner - so we had rack of lamb with a rosemary/sage rub, rosemary & parmesan sweet potato fries and french cut green beans. I'm not sure if the wine added to the lamb marinade lessened the flavor. It was still good, but not my piece de resistance. I think my soy-citrus lamb is probably better.

Now we've returned to the Doctor Who marathon. Ideally I'd like to do some more cleaning & reading today, but it's been productive enough, so I really can't complain. Time for homemade chocolate cheesecake for dessert.

Wherein vicars and the acolyte do not maintain their composure...

jagienka — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:25:34 GMT

Truth is stranger than fiction when it comes to liturgy -

SLAM joined with Christ Church Somerville tonight to celebrate Ash Wednesday together, which was nice. Service was very by the book. I got to lead the litany of penitence, which was odd - and all the kneeling was done on the hard wood floor becasue of our arrangement. No puny kneelers for us! The service was very properly penitential until communion. Wherein one of the two priests (I will not disclose which) dropped the host into the chalice. And snickered. Well, some of us in the congregation saw it, and struggled to maintain composure. The dear priest couldn't figure out how to remove the host well since we use home baked bread and it sort of dissolves in Port. Amusing. I go up to help with communion and am failing at composing myself. Finally, I regain composure and take the chalice to the people. I don't trust myself to make eye contact, and I'm doing well until members of the congregation see the piece of bread floating in the chalice and start snickering. I nearly lose it again. One should not lose composure and GIGGLE while saying "Blood of Christ, the Cup of Salvation." Barely make it through, coughing near the end so I don't laugh at the situation (It was like the Giggle Loop from Coupling). All the while thinking, "If I laugh and drop the chalice, we're going to have a lot of port to lick up.."

jagienka — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:03:38 GMT

Sometimes, my professors are awesome.

Now, however, there is much discernment for me to do.

(Also, biking in the snow ROCKS. This should be an olympic sport.)

New Years Wishes

jagienka — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:47:06 GMT

via Neil Gaiman:

May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.

2009 Year in Review Meme

jagienka — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:42:00 GMT

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
taken incompletes in courses

2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I wasn't so

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? yup:
my cousins Sara & Marcin had Fiona Jean
my cousins Jenny & Adam had their second son Matthew Phillip
my friend Marynia had her son Dante
friends Eliza & Marzy (from HDS) had Asa
friend/boss Cameron & Kateri had their son Gavin
friends Van & Angela had Micah
dianagodessa had Emmet
IMSA friends Tyler & Josie had Elijah
IMSA friends Ezra & Steph had Akiva
(so, yes. apparently I've entered that stage of life where friends start reproducing)

4. Did anyone close to you die?
family friends, but not close enough that I needed to go to the funeral.

5. What countries did you visit?
just canada.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
self-discipline

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
22.IV - the day I officially became episcopalian

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
coming out to my folks , dancing for the coming out service at HDS

9. What was your biggest failure?
academia

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
blew out my knee + surgery, appendicitis scare

11. What was the best thing you bought?
hp mini laptop

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
my brother's & his wife's - for being incredibly supportive through everything

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
people i thought were friends

14. Where did most of your money go?
misc expenses?

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
driving from chicago - boston
camping in maine

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
all the single ladies

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
about the same, i reckon, but more optimistic for the coming year

ii. thinner or fatter?
plumper. :( though resolved not to let this continue.

ii. richer or poorer?
About the same.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
camping, seeing friends

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
acting w/out thinking

20. How did you spend Christmas?
with my fam in chicago

21. How will you be ringing in the New Year?
game night at the condo with whoever shows up

22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
with my new kittens!

23. Who was your hero?
not sure.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Castle, HIMYM, or Dollhouse

25. What was something you needed to do and didn’t get around to?
Making a consistent habit of exercising

26. What was the best book you read?
Omnigender by Virginia Mollenkott

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
the soundtrack to glee - as silly happy music.

28. What did you want and get?
honesty with my parents. somewhat, at least.

29. What did you want and not get?
consistency in exercise habits?

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Star Trek XI

31. What did you do on your birthday?
bad_influence took me out for a three course meal at the Grotto since it fell during restaurant week

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
lack of drama with friends

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
90% - jeans and a collared shirt.

34. What kept you sane?
kittens, friends, and children's fiction

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Tennant?

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Health care reform. Gay Marriage

37. Who did you miss?
davros42, freckles42, spiritedrinoa, and justabooklady - because somehow even though we're all in boston, i don't see them enough.
And bingblot, but she's further away
my D&D boys.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
i feel like I remet Marynia, my friend from scouts. I could cheat and say Fiona, but she's still not quite a person. Possibly Cameron, my boss.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
Nothing is worth not forgiving.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I search for answers on my own
And find that I’m completely lost,
Mom, please don’t say anything else, ok?
Just listen – I don’t even know where to start
I can’t get the words out
It’s like they’re all jumbled together
Mom, I love you and…

Jan: So, my Christmas present from my parents was a new washing machine that got delivered today!
Feb: Getting around on crutches has proved to be an adventure.
Mar: I've forgotten how much I like making things.
Apr: I love my advisor.
May: I turned in my final evaluation for my field education/internship placement today.
June: Spent a much needed two hours journalling this morning.
July: It's amazing how a week long + trip to chicago can whiz by.
Aug: -write first draft of paper
Sept: -Finish Dress for wedding
Oct: Spoke with my advisor today, and the PhD program at BU is being crossed off the list. chuckles.
Nov: Contradictions have always existed in the soul of [individuals].
Dec: I had the silly notion that once classes ended, things would get a bit calmer and slow down... And yet it seems quite the opposite.

query

jagienka — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:38:01 GMT

So, to all my iphone/ipod touch user friends out there:

I love librarything. However, what I would love more is an app that lets me access my book catalog. Anyone know if such a thing exists? Or if there are any good apps out there for cataloging books and or dvds? (not that I'd want to recatalogue our library...)

because everybody needs a little cuteness on a thursday

jagienka — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:01:22 GMT

from rickj:

There was much rejoicing

jagienka — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:54:30 GMT

So, the announcement just came out that the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts will now solemnize same-sex unions! This makes me very happy to be a part of this church.

>> Advent I
>> November 29, 2009
>>
>> Christian marriage is a sacramental rite that has evolved in the church,
>> along with confirmation, ordination, penance, and the anointing of the
>> sick, and while it is not necessary for all, it must be open to all as a
>> means of grace and sustenance to our Christian hope.
>>
>> I believe this because the truth of it is in our midst, revealed again
>> and again by the many marriages—of women and men, and of persons of the
>> same gender—that are characterized, just as our church expects, by
>> fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and respect, and the holy love which
>> enables spouses to see in one another the image of God.
>>
>> In May of 2004 the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court opened civil
>> marriage in our state to same-gender couples. That ruling set up a
>> contradiction between what civil law would allow and what our church’s
>> canons and formulary state, which is that marriage is between a man and a
>> woman. And so, for more than five years now, while faithfully waiting
>> for the General Convention of the Episcopal Church to act in response, we
>> in the Diocese of Massachusetts have been living at some cost with an
>> imperfect accommodation: Our clergy have not been allowed to solemnize
>> same-gender marriages, but they have been permitted to bless them after
>> the fact.
>>
>> In July of this year, the 76th General Convention adopted resolution
>> C056, “Liturgies for Blessings.” It allows that “bishops, particularly
>> those in dioceses within civil jurisdictions where same-gender marriage,
>> civil unions or domestic partnerships are legal, may provide generous
>> pastoral response to meet the needs of members of this church.”
>>
>> Your bishops understand this to mean for us here in the Diocese of
>> Massachusetts that the clergy of this diocese may, at their discretion,
>> solemnize marriages for all eligible couples, beginning Advent I.
>> Solemnization, in accordance with Massachusetts law, includes hearing the
>> declaration of consent, pronouncing the marriage and signing the marriage
>> certificate. This provision for generous pastoral response is an
>> allowance and not a requirement; any member of the clergy may decline to
>> solemnize any marriage.
>>
>> While gender-specific language remains unchanged in the canons and The
>> Book of Common Prayer, our provision of generous pastoral response means
>> that same-gender couples can be married in our diocese. We request that
>> our clergy follow as they ordinarily would the other canonical
>> requirements for marriage and remarriage. And, because The Celebration
>> and Blessing of a Marriage in The Book of Common Prayer may not be used
>> for marriages of same-gender couples, we ask that our priests seek out
>> liturgical resources being developed and collected around the church. We
>> also commend to you the October 2008 resource created by our New England
>> dioceses, “Pastoral Resources for Province I Episcopal Clergy Ministering
>> to Same-Gender Couples,” available at www.province1.org.
>>
>> We have not arrived at this place in our common life easily or quickly.
>> We have not done it alone. This decision comes after a long process of
>> listening, prayer and discernment leading up to and continuing after
>> General Convention’s action this past summer. Our Diocesan Convention
>> recently adopted a resolution of its own expressing its collective hope
>> for the very determination that your bishops have made. Even so, we know
>> that not all are of one mind and that some in good faith will disagree
>> with this decision. Our Anglican tradition makes space for this
>> disagreement and calls us to respect and engage one another in our
>> differences. It is through that tension that we find God’s ultimate
>> will.
>>
>> We also know that by calling us to minister in the context of this
>> particular place and time God is again blessing our diocese with a great
>> challenge by which we might enter more fully into that ethic of love
>> which Jesus speaks to us through the New Testament. It is an
>> immeasurable love given for all. We are being asked to live it, all of
>> us, children of God, each with equal claim upon the love, acceptance and
>> pastoral care of this church, so that the newness and fullness of life
>> promised through word and sacrament might be for all people and for the
>> completion of God’s purpose for the world.
>>
>> /s/ M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE

For trans day of remembrance

jagienka — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:05:30 GMT

I am what I am
I am my own special creation.
So come take a look,
Give me the hook or the ovation.
It's my world that I want to take a little pride in,
My world, and it's not a place I have to hide in.
Life's not worth a damn,
'Til you can say, "Hey world, I am what I am."
I am what I am,
I don't want praise, I don't want pity.
I bang my own drum,
Some think it's noise, I think it's pretty.
And so what, if I love each feather and each spangle,
Why not try to see things from a diff'rent angle?
Your life is a sham 'til you can shout out loud
I am what I am!
I am what I am
And what I am needs no excuses.
I deal my own deck
Sometimes the ace, sometimes the deuces.
There's one life, and there's no return and no deposit;
One life, so it's time to open up your closet.
Life's not worth a damn 'til you can say,
"Hey world, I am what I am!"

Posted via LiveJournal.app.