Full Frontal Feminism by Jessica Valenti

TrishLeave a comment

I enjoyed reading Valenti’s persuasive argument in favor of feminism, but I don’t think I would use it to convince anyone who is on the fence.  Valenti is brash, paranoid, and sensationalistic.  Since I align myself with feminism, I can forgive her these faults and understand where she’s coming from.  But if someone were new to the movement, I think they might be more put off than intrigued.

The sections I enjoyed most were her discussions of media, body image, victim blaming and violence toward women.  Her brashness can lend an air of humor sometimes.  But I lost touch with her in the chapter on abortion, which she sees as one of our primary rights to defend.  I can understand a woman fighting for control of her body, but the lack of empathy on her part for people who consider fetuses to be babies (this is a “ridiculous” thought that she spends no time exploring) was disconcerting.  Perhaps because this was the issue upon which we disagreed, I sensed more than before her “all or nothing” mentality that alienates rather than intrigues.

Valenti’s book is empowering and informative.  I’m glad it exists.  But it’s not quite my feminist manifesto.  Continue reading →

StumbleUpon Sunday (3)

TrishLeave a comment

StumbleUpon is a giant collection of the best pages on the Internet.

StumbleUpon is a great way to lose hours of your life.  Luckily, I braved the Internet vortex so you don’t have to.  This week I found these especially interesting websites:

  1. The Amazing World of Dogs in Photography
  2. Too Beautiful to be Real?  16 Surreal Landscapes Found on Earth
  3. 33 People Who Prove the World Isn’t Such a Broken Place After All
  4. The 5 Most Terrifying Civilizations in the History of the World
  5. 20 Places to See in Your 20s
  6. Writer Creates “Color Thesaurus” to Help You Correctly Name Any Color Imaginable
  7. Confessions of a Feminist Makeup Addict
  8. 23 Couples Who Decided to Get Tattoos and Absolutely Nailed It
  9. 23 Mind-Blowing Animal Pictures
  10. 8 Ways to Get Likes and Followers on Instagram

Why Not Go to New Orleans?

TrishLeave a comment

A few weeks ago, Michal texted me, “I found round trip tickets for $80.  Want to go to New Orleans?”

“YES,” I immediately responded.  Within two days, our flight was purchased, our hostel was booked, and a kayaking swamp trip was scheduled.  We arrived at midnight last night!

Michal is one of my favorite people to travel with.  We both love food, history, feminism, literature, and cute boys.  We’re adventurous but laid back, equally ready for fun and rest.  I anticipate our weekend in New Orleans to be amazing, just like our vacation in Puerto Rico in December of 2015.  As I look forward to our new memories, I’m looking back at some old ones.

  1. Exploring Old San Juan.
  2. Rainforest Cancelled but Bioluminescent Kayaking Is a Go!
  3. Road Tripping Through a New Country.

Recommendation: No Prehensilizing

TrishLeave a comment

I recently stumbled upon the tumblr account No Prehensilizing, a blog run by a 24-year-old graduate of film and philosophy.  She shares many of my obsessions (Marvel, Starkid, Doctor Who, Mad Max), and she writes wonderfully intelligent critiques of popular media.  Here are some of my favorite essays she has written, though I suggest you check out the whole blog!

I’m loving her site, and I hope you find something enjoyable there as well!

Is God Male?

Trish6 Comments

The answer might seem obvious to Christians.  After all, throughout the Bible, God uses male pronouns to describe himself, and when God become flesh, he came as the man, Jesus.  Most people are content to leave the issue there, but since I love thinking about culture, gender, and sexuality, I wanted to dig a little deeper.

In a fallen world, anything can become a source of division.  This is true of music preferences; how much more when the character of God is in question?  There are some who find solace in thinking of God as Mother rather than Father, and there are others who react against this with scorn and even hatred.  It seems to me a part of the age old (Genesis 3 old) battle of the sexes:  whichever sex God identifies with “wins.”

After all, if God is male, then it is one small step to assume that being male is like being God.  And unfortunately, many of our Church forefathers taught wonderful truths about God alongside vicious insults about women.  For instance, Thomas Aquinas viewed men as the default perfect image of God and women as defective copies:  Continue reading →

Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure by Sarah Macdonald

TrishLeave a comment

Despite my love of Indian people and Indian food, I have never been very interested in visiting India.  Unfortunately, Macdonald didn’t convince me to change my mind.  Sure, I loved reading about her growing appreciation for the chaos and contradictions of India, but I’m content to let that be her story and not mine.

The book is interesting, but a little awkward.  Some chapters detail her personal life (losing her hair, nearly dying of double pneumonia, meeting Bollywood superstars), while others chronicle her pursuit of religious experiences.  I liked both, but the book as a whole didn’t feel cohesive.

Since India is the birthplace of a huge number of religions, it makes sense that Macdonald, previously an atheist, would take advantage of her new life to explore the realm of the spiritual.  I enjoyed learning about Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Islam, etc alongside her.  But, like many spiritual explorers, she tends to highlight the pros and ignore the cons.  In the end, she wants to take a little something from each religion, and she never stops to discuss the fact that this belittles many of the religions that claim this picking and choosing is impossible.  It felt like she didn’t want to offend anyone, which, while understandable, doesn’t exactly make for persuasive writing.

I’m always down for a book that explores the topics of travel and religion, and I’m glad I spent time reading Holy Cow.  But I don’t think I’ll be rereading anytime soon.  Continue reading →

College Quotes

Trish1 Comment

Packing means going through old memories, one of which was a folder full of quotes and pictures I hung on my dorm room door in college seven years ago.  I think the quotes capture the highs and lows of my interests pretty well.

  • “Love at first sight is easy to understand; it’s when two people have been looking at each other for a lifetime that it becomes a miracle.”
  • “When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other.”
  • “You can’t have everything.  Where would you put it?”
  • “In dreams I was lifted up.  Borne from the darkness about rivers of fire, on wings soft as the wind.  What’s happening to the world?  Is everything sad going to come untrue?”
  • “Death twitches my ear.  ‘Live,’ he says, ‘I am coming.'”
  • “There is no remedy for love but to love more.”
  • “Evaporate, tall person!”
  • “One doesn’t discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore.”
  • “Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.”
  • “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.'”

(I didn’t keep track of who wrote these quotes, so I apologize for the lack of accreditation.  They definitely aren’t mine!)

The Story of a Friendship: Tricia and the McMontongers*

TrishLeave a comment

*a McGarrah, Monahan, Newton, and Wineinger hybrid

IMG_4697Eight people spending a three day weekend together can be a recipe for disaster.  Staying in a single bedroom with four double beds while sharing a tiny kitchen and tinier bathroom makes it even more likely to fall apart.  Anticipating a sun-filled weekend of outdoor play only to experience cold rain ought to have been the final straw.  The fact that these seven friends embraced the disappointment and close quarters with grace and humor is exactly why I love them so dearly.  Continue reading →

StumbleUpon Sunday (2)

TrishLeave a comment

StumbleUpon is a giant collection of the best pages on the Internet.

StumbleUpon is a great way to lose hours of your life.  Luckily, I braved the Internet vortex so you don’t have to.  This week I found these especially interesting websites:

  1. This is what happened when a photographer came face-to-face with one of Antarctica’s most vicious predators
  2. 14 Hacks That’ll Help the Laziest Person Host a Dinner Party
  3. Just Puppies:  Pure Breed Information
  4. 23 Best Movies on Netflix You Haven’t Seen Yet
  5. 10 Popular Books for Teen Boys
  6. A Guy Photoshops Celebrities Into All His Holiday Party Photos
  7. 10 Unusual Beaches You Have Never Heard Of
  8. 10 Most Beautiful Views From the Top of Famous Landmarks
  9. 15 Fascinating Facts About Ancient Egypt
  10. Family Tree of the Greek Gods

Safe People by Henry Cloud and John Townsend

Trish2 Comments

This is an excellent book for people who have ever been in an unhealthy relationship (everyone).  The three sections, “Unsafe People,” “Do I Attract Unsafe People?” and “Safe People” concisely describe the patterns of relating that people naturally fall into.  Cloud and Townsend help their readers identify people in their life who are unsafe, and equally important, help readers identify what personal habits they have that perpetuate unsafe relationships.

Boundaries (which, coincidentally, is another book by Cloud and Townsend) play a huge role here.  I loved the delicate balance they find between owning our own flaws and holding people responsible for theirs.  There’s no blaming, just understanding.  And there is so much hope!  Whether you constantly find yourself in draining and/or abusive relationships, or perhaps you simply have a person or two in your life that drive you nuts, this book offers the possibility of reconciliation, growth, and maturity.  I loved it, even when some of the descriptions were a little too on-the-nose.  Continue reading →