Did you think I had finished up my PhD in Athens, GA and was never going to email again? It's been awhile, I know. Some of you are probably thankful so you don't have to read this long-ass stuff! I think since Prince had his hair up in that pretty scarf during Super Bowl. I heard after that some people thought since he never got wet from the rain during the half time show that they actually figured out how to super-impose him digitally on that stage and it looked real. I think those are the same people who are still fighting for the truth to come out about the Holocaust not really happening.
It's a beautiful sunny afternoon here in Athens, Georgia: 60 degrees, not a cloud in the sky, little humidity--I keep forgetting where I am. I hear we get this for AT LEAST two weeks before summer comes and it's 110 every day with 100% humidity. Can't wait. I'll be here for summer classes through July, so that should be AWESOME with the weather and all. (Have I mentioned how much I love the weather in the South compared to that horrific weather out West?--OK, this is where I start inserting sarcasm...read carefully as to not misinterpret me...)
On a non-sarcastic note, I have been wanting to share with all of you the new tradition I learned about in February on that overrated ridiculous "holiday" that some people call Valentine's Day. Oh wait, NOW the non-sarcasm begins: so some graduate students (girls) wanted to have a Valentine's get-together. They made these precious little invitations (their elementary ed teachers, obviously) and mailed them out, asking everyone to RSVP so they'd know how many party favor bags to make for their guests. (Are you getting my drift yet about how excited I was to attend this gathering?)
It was a "themed" party that began after we all got out of class on the BIG night, but it was only to last till 10:00PM so we could all get back to our respective abodes and rest for the coming day's school events. When I EMAILED my RSVP (didn't want to waste a stamp), I asked if boys were invited....OK, not because I had a Valentine I wanted to bring....just because I was curious, and the hostess replied back that this was just a girls' get-together--for "girls who were single" on this joyous occasion. Alright, whatever, I'm thinking, I'll go hang out with bitter old and young ladies like myself for a few hours and get some good chocolate to bring home.
As I met my office-mate the next day, I asked her what time she was going to the shin-dig, assuming since she was PRETTY good friends with both hostesses that she would no doubt have been invited and going. "What party?" She inquired with a puzzled look on her face. "Sarahhhhh, you really need to check your mail." I filled her in and she complained about how busy she was since her wedding (just was married over our Christmas break) and she would get right on it about checking her mail.
Later that day...nothing. No invite for the recently married young twenty-something who was in the same program with the two hostesses AND friends with them. Can anyone infer why this young lady was not invited to a party for girls, when she, herself was indeed a girl? I'll let one of my old students practice their inferencing skills with this one.....remember.....background knowledge, read between the lines, make an educated guess about what the author is trying to tell you, but not explicitly...............................anyone?.................................................................
Times Up: Big shin-dig for single girls only. No married girls...even if you were just married a month ago........Is anyone finding this odd? Because I did. I flipped out. I laughed, I cried. Just kidding....but I did laughingly say, "Are you KIDDING ME?" My friend calmly said to me, "Hilary, this makes perfect since. It's a culture that you might not be used to. Once you're married in some people's minds, you're obligated to husband stuff, not single girl stuff."
"Oh, well, that makes MUCH more since." I said back to her in my sarcastic voice, "Thanks for clarifying that for me."
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I didn't go to the party, to say the least. My friend Sarah ended up asking the hostess "what she was doing tonight" to see what she'd say, and the single hostess with the mostest replied, "Oh, we're doing a little thing. I thought you'd have plans with your husband so I didn't tell you about it. There are one or two other married girls coming if you would like to stop by."
WHAT? WHAT?
Maybe I've been single for so long, I just don't get it anymore....who knows....
I do wonder if I would have had to wear my polka dotted strapless dress to the party...I hope not.....I sent it to the cleaners recently after I wore it to the basketball game....
Speaking of polka dots: a few of us in my research class are about to embark on an assignment for our class where we compare undergraduates at a happy hour bar for an hour one night and then observe graduate students and professors at this other happy hour bar another night. We're learning how to take field notes for qualitative research, so we thought we'd investigate the differences and similarities of older and younger drunkards....who said graduate school was hard?
Another research project I'm working on right now with a professor is a year long study for next year to see if we as supervisors can "coach" student teachers to "cultivate their pathic dimensions." In other words, can we coach those who don't have a FREAKING CLUE in the classroom about their surroundings to have some kind of clue... should be really cool.
As this semester is coming to a close, you might not hear (read) from me for a little bit. I have a few papers, research projects and other little things to do in the next few weeks. I'm starting my own study next week with three of my student teachers interviewing them about their "white" pasts. You know, who they grew up around, where they went to school and with whom (or what color whoms) what cultural experiences they've had outside their lives of whiteness that could help them become more open-minded to culturally diverse classrooms. I'm using this one guy's chart to analyze my data and it's called "Whiteness Orientations" if you can believe there would be such a thing. It's pretty interesting, really. I have to give Angie Paccione credit for this passion and interest that I was introduced to long ago and has now come back to the surface 1000 times over here in Athens. Thanks, Angie!
I loved seeing lots of you recently, and I can't wait to see others of you sometime soon. I guess I need to go write this damned midterm paper that's due tomorrow. He assigned it three weeks ago and it's due tomorrow, so I thought I'd write a long essay to you all instead!
Love, love, love
Hilary
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