Hanging about
February 26, 2009 Leave a comment
Present, future, past
February 26, 2009 Leave a comment
I have just finished reading The Handmaid's Tale. Which I enjoyed a lot.
Nonetheless, being where I am with my thesis, a couple of things struck me very distinctly about the book. In my thesis, I am examining the manner in which the representation of the past is impacted by the present in which the representation is produced. The Handmaid's Tale, in contrast, is a very clear example of the manner in which representations of the future are impacted by that present. And the present for The Handmaid's Tale is the same present as that which I am considering for my thesis, published as it was in the mid 1980s. It is so clearly a story which springs from the same time as Operation Rescue and Backlash! and the general reversal in fortune of women's rights and sexual freedoms that were considered to be occuring during the 1980s. The notion of executing abortionists and viewing women as vessels for procreation carries to a potential conclusion the kinds of policies that right wing conservatives were promulgating during the 1980s. Similarly, the depictions of terrorism and discussions of pollution and declining birth rates all reflect the politics and discourses of the time. It is interesting in this manner how much the way we represent the past and the future have in common – the central idea that all representations are truly about the present in which we live.
I was also struck, once again, by the emphasis on literacy within the novel. Unlike Anathem and The Stone Gods, however, the lack of literacy is being forced on women as a method of social control, rather than being something that has naturally withered away. I love the image of the illicit scrabble games and trashy magazine reading!
Invention
February 26, 2009 Leave a comment
Jude designed and created his own board game which we have now all played with him.
Conceptually very simple, but artistically rendered….
Learning
February 22, 2009 Leave a comment
Sebastian decided to put away the competition, and help Jude learn a few new skills. It was all very fraternal (and very sweet).
First, riding on his old bike….
Then helping him on the scooter…
…before demonstrating how it is done!
The next day, swimming lessons…
where both Jude and Sebastian are making progress! Tis time is Jude's first year at swimming lessons – we didn't bother before, just took them swimming regularly. But now there is a bit more coordination, and some progress towards actual swimming, so all worthwhile. Sebastian is very excited as next week his whole lesson is in the "big" pool.
Iron Chef Orange
February 17, 2009 1 Comment
Saturday night was Iron Chef Orange. There was no traditional duck a l'orange, but there were certainly a number of other extremely tasty dishes. We commenced with quail with orange, fig and pecan and then for main course we had a veritable cornucopia – citrus fish, chicken, orange and pea pasta, orange and rocket salad, orange beef stir fry and pork and orange stir fry. All delicious. Dessert was particularly good – blood orange and cointreau sorbet, orange icecream, Spanish orange syrup cakes and a spectacular orange dessert which featured normal oranges, blood oranges, lasange, sour cream and syrup.
All the small boys bar Atticus went off to watch DVDs in the study, while Atticus did a fabulous job of keeping us all entertained with his infectious giggle, enthusiastic hand clapping and very cute smiles.
The citrus Iron Chefs have certainly been a success – and for our next challenge we have cumin.
Weight of a collective past and symbolic present
February 15, 2009 Leave a comment
It interests me how much cultural and ideological symbolism can be loaded onto two people. Reading this article, one has to celebrate the fact that Michelle Obama has achieved the status within US society she has, given her family's past as slaves. However, it does add to the weight of cultural significance that the Obamas have to carry.
The article notes that Michelle Obama wasn't aware of much of her family history until the election campaign. I don't think this this indicates a cynical engagement with it, more a need by those who create and construct cultural understanding to "connect her to the essence of the African-American experience" as well as to reinforce the essential American-ness of the Obamas, to see them following the path of the American dream. Just as Barack Obama connected to it almost instinctively (though he is much too good a politican and rhetoritician for it to have been accidental) in his victory speech, the idea of rags-to-riches, the impossible achievement of the American dream is essential to the normalising narrative of the Obamas. Their foreigness to the traditions of political power in the US – young and black – requires a cultural discourse which places them back within the cultural comfort zone. While Obama may tout the idea of changing politics, changing cultural discourses of power is much harder. The slave family-to First Lady narrative provides this connection as it buys into the pervasive mythology of the American Dream. The normalisation of Michelle Obama continues through the presentation of her as "First Mom", a woman who puts her family first and has no political ambitions of her own. Having learnt the culturally symbolic lessons of the last unusual inhabitants of the White House (who also connected explicitly with the American Dream – just don't mention Ivy League universities), the Obamas are thoroughly engaged with the symbolism of America, helping to hide the foreigness of their name and the radical nature of their blackness in the White House.
Towers
February 11, 2009 Leave a comment
As it was ridiculously hot outside, the boys spent the afternoon building, adjusting and rebuilding towers of lego.
QotD: Honey! I’m Home!
February 9, 2009 Leave a comment
What's the first thing you do when you get home from work?
It is pretty much always – get changed. With three small people, especially with a two year old, the need to remove the work clothes and get into something old and daggy – and generally much more comfortable – is great. Especially when wearing the dry-clean only clothes. It is also symbolises that move from the work domain and the home domain – if I have work to do as soon as I get home, often the clothes changing is deferred until after that. So at home, post work, track suits and pyjamas rules!
Jude Retrospective: Part 8
February 9, 2009 Leave a comment
Turning One
The first birthday is always a momentous occasion – generally though more for the parents and not so much for the youngster in question…
Receiving presents is always a good way to start a party, especially when you can convince the giver to read them to you.
And then for all the fun of the party. Jude was lucky to have a warm day for his birthday, so there was much playing outside. Of course, I made the enormous mistake of wearing a white top, which has never fully recovered from the onslaught of chocolate icing, chocolate crackle and red food colouring which was transfered to it by tiny, sticky hands.
Naturally, the piece de resistance of the party was the birthday cake. Jude was very taken by his cake and even helped Dada to cut it.
Zonked
February 7, 2009 Leave a comment
Zachary didn’t want to have a nap yesterday. So he fiddle-faddled about while he was up in his room and didn’t go to sleep. After a bit of playing downstairs, we let the boys watch some television…Clearly the heat and the morning swimming and the general tiredness all conspired to ensure that Zac did have a nap after all, just not in a conventional location.
The Life and Times of Bossy Boots 