“There once was a path called Standard Expectations,and this path was paved and kept clean and every week a maintenance crew came and groomed the grass and trimmed the big shaded trees making passage as easy as possible. Here is the path, the path said. Don’t you want me?”

- from Jessica Hollander’s ‘”Not a Family” (“Phoebe” vol 40)

ache of what ifs

all irrelevant

and yet

“Here are my two hands, how can I help you?” he started talking to me, kindly, and asked whether there is anything he can help me with, some work or anything. Just like that, wanting nothing in return.

He asked whether I can read in English and unbuttoned his jacket to show me his T shirt which read “Believe in miracles“. He believed and so should I.

I assured him there is nothing I needed at the moment, except that I should really get going or I would miss my bus. He walked me halfway, told me about his daughter for whom he bought a new bicycle, and, in the middle of the street, asked to hold his hand. “Do you feel the warmth? Isn’t it wonderful, just feeling another human like that?” Then he left me saying my smile is beautiful and he needed nothing more.

“And, as I have said before, there are no grounds for feminism here in Latvia, there is no gender discrimination…” the professor ended his very small explanation of what feminism is.

Wait – what?!

Of course I couldn’t keep my mouth shut, of course I had to point out a number of situations both in work and public space where I have been, still am belittled as a woman and seen others being treated the same.

After dismissing my arguments by changing the subject and talking for 10min about Middle East and women (where feminism does not exist, as they feel very protected and happy and want nothing out of life), the professor suggested I speak on feminism next time for some 15min. I hate public speaking, but this….

There are some 60% women and 40% men in our Politics class. I was the only one arguing against the professor and the 40%. After the lecture ended, I talked with one girl from the class and she said she had totally agreed with me, but for some reason didn’t want to speak. Apparently, we are even afraid to talk openly about our experiences. If THAT itself is not a sign something is wrong, I don’t know what is.

Dr.habil.sc.pol.,D.iur. – what an awfully important letters you have there, professor. And yet, I would trade your classes for Dr.-less assistant professors and lecturers from my faculty without thinking twice about it.

I hope you never have any children. In fact, I pray you don’t. And I care little about the big picture on this one; don’t breed, if you can’t accept whatever is given to you.

To The Unborn Children of Homophobic Tweeters.

these nerdy, snarky, nerd-approved book covers are available in pdf for free download (click on the images for credits)

At Hogwarts // In Narnia // Mt. Doom // In the Arena // In Forks // Go away. I’m Reading. //  Reading > Talking //  Team Reading // Shhh. I’m in book mode // Silencio! // Fiction > Reality

Except that library has accreditation coming up and thus doesn’t want my books. What a waste. Now I will have to drive all the way downtown to some other library.

Look around. You must have loads of stuff you no longer need too, books you will never re-read, clothes you will never wear. Why do people surround themselves with so much garbage? And we still buy more.

Naturally, we have to be well-brought-up, well-mannered, well-educated, well-read… Now, one has to be well-traveled too, because education and books alone are not enough to ensure we understand this world and life in its variety. We have to travel.

The logical question is, what are the minimum requirements to be allowed to attach that well-? Is there such thing as well-everything?

As a woman, I get tired of men controlling and defining our cultural space, on and off the web, deeming what is acceptable or unacceptable, worthy or unworthy. I’m fed up of the overarching patriarchal narrative in our society being if men find no value in something, it doesn’t have value to anyone else. And if women find value in something, it’s silly, frivolous, and can be of no value to men.

via Women are so silly and frivolous! How can we make money off them?: Why are these the main conversations about Pinterest?.

[via chai]