Friday, November 24, 2017

November Travel--Gladwyne and Princeton

Michael was able to meet us at the 30th Street Staion because he had just come in from Washington DC.  He knows how to avoid the backed-up traffic on the Interstates by takiing back roads and was able to meet Laura at Gladwyne Elementary only a few minutes late for their three back to back parent conferences.

R and A were very happy to see us.  S was cooler about it all but when he is on his electronics, he is in a zone!  J was at karate with a babysitter.  The nanny G had supper waiting-a great beef stew.

Laura had a church choir rehearsal after the conferences but by 9:15 we were all in the house together.   Michael and Jim watched some football. I did two loads of laundry--an absolute necessity!

Today the boys had school for a half-day but R did not.  She and I spent quite a while creating a bookThe Unicorn Who Didn't Have a Friend, written and illustrated by her and dictated to me.  We also did a little reading lesson.  She is so eager to learn to read.  Jim and R and I walked to town to get a treat--about a 15 minute walk.  A and the nanny were at a gym class.

The afternoon involved some quiet time for everyone, play time outside, and electronics, of course.  Supper was early because J had swimming and S had wrestling.  Jim and I stayed home with the little ones and let the nanny go early.

It's now about 9:30 and Michael is not yet home from his day in NYC today.

Wednesday:  The morning was quiet with the boys in school and R and A with the nanny. We walked to town again and bought a few items for tomorrow's dinner.  At 2 pm, the nanny left for the holidays and we all went to the Philadelphia Zoo.  With a membership, it doesn't matter if it is a short visit and it was that--maybe a bit over an hour.

It gets dark early here on the East Coast but Jim and S still got in a little more football throwing.  The kids had dinner first and then Laura and Michael fixed a great steak, asparagus and twice-baked potatoes dinner.

A objected to bedtime but it is all quiet now. He no longer has the pacifier but does have a bottle which he requests with his morning shows and bedtime shows.   Every night I do my routine with R at bedtime--a Stars Shining lullaby in which we count the stars on the ceiling and a "I Love Little R" song in which my mistake of saying "Laura" instead of her name is an obligation now.  We used to count stars by ones; now we counted them by fives, and even by hundreds to a thousand.  I will be sad when R becomes too sophisticated for that routine.  A and R are both quick to give hugs and say "I love you, Grandma."  S and J relate in other ways.  I listened to the music lessons--piano and viola.



Thanksgiving Day--Laura and Michael went for a run together--a rare treat for them.  After they returned, Jim and I went for a walk to mail a postcard to my reading student J.  It probably won't arrive before we do!  Michael made his traditional oyster stew for lunch.  At 2 pm the Princeton VKs and Dan arrived.  There was lots of cooking and activity and at about 5 pm we sat down to a feast.  My contribution was a sweet potato dish with cranberries and at least Jim, Laura and I thought it was delicious!


We rode in the big 7 passenger van with Jeff back to Homewood Suites in Princeton where I spent a very restless night, sleeping only at the beginning and the end for a few hours total.  The traffic on Route 1 was noisy but I didn't think that was bothering me.  However, this morning Jim observed that the window was not tightly shut and that should make a difference.  There was just too much running through my mind.  At least I am very grateful to have slept well at Laura's when I needed to be "grandma."

--------We spent the afternoon at Jeff's watching football.  Later we all met at Palmer Square where J sang with his Princeton High School Choir for the tree lighting ceremony.  The last event of the evening was dinner for seven of us at Ruby Tuesdays.  We are now back in our hotel room.  We hope that by this time tomorrow we are home again.

Monday, November 20, 2017

November Travel--Part II-Boston

We boarded Amtrak 172 at 11 am on Friday at Penn Station along with a mass of travellers funneling into one escalator.  Fortunately we were able to find two seats together and the four hour trip went quickly and smoothly.  Our iphone map instructions were confusing  when we exited the station.   We followed the blue line and were very happy to see the last letters of the big HILTON sign ahead.
Later after wandering and trying to follow our iphone suggestions, we fond Legal Sea Foods and had a wonderful dinner. We reminisced about the old Legal Sea Foods in Ianman Square.  It has definitely gone upscale from those days.  Again we did some wandering to find the Hilton but we're back in the hotel.

I am not good about hotel noises.  Tonight it's the elevator across the hall but still loud and very busy.  Ear plugs should help!
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That was a rough night.   In the morning, I was so bold as to ask for a different room.  The clerk was very kind about it (I was amused that she called me "Miss Mary" just like my former students!) and put us into a quiet corner room.

We didn't do much all day. We met an old friend to chat and later met one of Jim's colleagues for drinks and a snack.  We watched Notre Dame beat Navy--not as easily as they were supposed to do.  We didn't need a big meal and so we had the great idea of going to Star Market where we picked up enough fried chicken, salad, and fruit for two days--along with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc for Jim.  Good thing we are not "foodies!"

 The new room gave me a great night of sleep.  Jim had an early am breakfast meeting.  I went to the 9:30 mass at St. Cecilia's Church right next door.  The music was lovely and the priest had a good message on the parable of the talents.

Holden Green
We met with another old friend--a former graduate student--for a chat,  Jim went off to another meeting and I summoned my courage and called for Lyft to take me to Harvard Square.  It went smoothly enough and I had my sentimental journey through Harvard Yard.  I climbed the steps to Widener Library where I worked for Folklore and Mythology for a year.  I walked up to Memorial Church where we often worshipped.  I walked to Holden Green, our home for three years.  It was still there and the memories of the families that lived in each unit came back quickly.  I had a big lump in my throat!

  Savenors, the corner grocery where Mrs. Savenor sat on her stool by the cash register and Julia Child sightings were recorded, was still there too--but as an upscale butcher.
Van Gogh's Three Pairs of Shoes
I walked back to the Harvard Art Museum--the Fogg--and enjoyed touring the main floor exhibits.  I treated myself to a cup of decaf espresso--turned into Cafe Americano- and a muffin and then took Lyft back to the hotel.  That driver couldn't stop talking but I still rated her five stars.

I had some quiet time in the room while Jim was at another meeting.. We ate our leftovers from the day before and then walked to the Notre Dame reception which is always hot and noisy and full of folks to talk to.  I managed to stay the whole time even if I went out into the hall a few times for some air!

It was a long walk through passageways and malls back to the hotel.  I had a craving for something sweet which was not available at the reception.  So it was a Dunkin Donuts treat--perfect--and then eventually another good night of sleep.

We are now on the Amtrak from the Back Bay Station to Philly--a 5 1/2 hour ride with dubious internet connections.  Ready for Phase III of our trip--time with Laura's family in Gladwyne.


Thursday, November 16, 2017

November Travel Part I--New York City

November--just before Thanksgiving--is always the time of Jim's annual Society of Biblical Literature convention and this will be his 44th one in a row.  He said last year it might have been his last one but here we are again!   This year the trip is extended however to include pre-convention speaking at Boston College and Yeshiva University and post-convention time with family for Thanksgiving.

Jim left on Sunday, spoke at BC, and then took the train to NYC.  I left home yesterday and we met up at the Krispy Kreme donut shop at Penn Station.  I got confused getting off the train at an unusual place and had to ask an Amtrak policeman where it was!  But we found each other--and were so glad to see each other again--and walk to the hotel together.

Hilton Garden Inn Times Square South--"only" 50,000 Hilton points a night--and now I might know why.  Noisy construction is going on across the street so there will be pounding all day.  The "white noise" of a fan bothered me last night until I put a pillow over my ears.  The view from the 17th floor is of a working garment factory--we are definitely in the Garment District.

No plans for today at all.  We shall see what evolves.
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We walked to Times Square,  to get lunch at Pret A Manger, and to the NY Public Library--104 minutes of walking according to my Fitbit.  After all of that, we were happy to eat at the hotel bar again and watch sports on TV for the evening.

I have been to all the major museums in NYC with the exception of the new Met Breur (the old Whitney).    I'm not a shopper.  I am beginning to think that NYC doesn't hold the attraction for me it once did.  And that makes me sad in a way!  The thought of coping with the subways is daunting.  I have observed previously that I was often the oldest person I saw on the trains underground.

So the highlight of our day was really our trip to the New York Public Library where we found the reference desk on the third floor and Jim made his inquiry for the 10th edition of the Encyclopedia Brittanica's index.  It took three librarians to help him and not one asked for his credentials.  We could have waited for the volume or picked it up today but Jim chose to have them scan the relevant pages and email them to him.  Amazing if it all works out.

The view from our 17th floor room is of several floors of a so called "sweat shop," a garment factory.  I have been watching people cut patterns, sew fabric, and one poor fellow ironing quickly with repetitive motions.  I wonder what they are making and who owns the place.

Other vignettes today--the man ahead of me at 7-11 buying breakfast--a Red Bull and a huge cookie.  The barrista at Gregory's Coffee who, when I asked her, said she gets up at 3:30 am to get to work at 5:30 am but she's "used to it." The stooped over man standing on the sidewalk with a puddle in front of him--his drink or his place to urinate.  It's the big city and a long way from Deerfield Loop in Granger!
The "Vessel" (a sculpture)
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A bonus of the day was being able to meet Dan briefly at 10 Hudson Yards.  He had flown into Newark on the red-eye from San Francisco that morning.  He had several meetings but was able to take a break and see us.


We took Uber to the Lucerne Hotel at 79th and Amsterdam Avenue where Yeshiva had booked us a room for one night.  The Lucerne is a step up from Hilton Garden Inn which means that  instead of free bottles of water, you could pay $6.75.

At 5:20 Jim left for Yeshiva Unversity where he had dinner and gave a presentation to about 15 scholars.  I walked to Lincoln Center for the concert The Routes of Slavery--but after some confusion, I learned that my concert at the Rose Theatre was not a part of that campus.  I walked another six blocks and saw "Jazz at Lincoln Center."  I found i!.  But no--it looked like a shopping mall--and it was.  The theatre was on the 5th floor hidden away but actually seating hundreds in tiers.

  I made it in time for the pre-concert lecture.  I had thought that if the concert was not great I would leave at intermission.  However, the music was lively and dance was colorful and the narration about slavery was profound and my seat in the first row on the edge was right under the action.  I stayed and loved it--except for the encores when I was ready to go!  Jordi  Savall  is known for bringing musicians together and these folks were from ten countries and three continents.


Jim met me walking back and we had tacos and drinks at 11 pm at Playa Betty's on Amsterdam Avenue.
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November 16, 2017

.  My breakfast was a NY one--a roll with egg and cheese.

The Sick Room
  Our major jaunt for the day was across Central Park to the Met Breur for the Edvard Munch exhibit.  I had renewed my Met membership just in time--the card came on Saturday.  The exhibit included several rooms with themes like Despair, Nocturne, Passion, and Self-Portraits (which he called self-scrutinies).  There was no "The Scream" except for one lithograph. Almost all of the works came from the Munch Museum in Oslo.

We had supper with Dan at Whitmans in Hudson Yards.  This involved our first subway trips which we did not handle with perfection.  We neglected to see the Uptown sign, slid our cards through, and then realized our error.  We had great and greasy burgers with Dan and he told us of his adventure of the afternoon--descending 26 floor by stairs because of a fire on the 22nd floor.  After supper, he helped  us combine our Metro cards at the new Hudson Yard subway station and get us on our way.  We're now back in the hotel, ready for Thursday night football, and planning on leaving NYC in the morning for Boston.
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 About 17,000 steps  each of the last two days according to my Fitbit!  Jim was congratulated by Uber for being rated five stars by each of his three drivers on Wednesday.  First ever purchase from a food cart when we got rolls and coffee at the corner near our hotel.  And now on Amtrak to Boston.

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

A New Vocabulary

This fall while taking the class in Feminist Theory I have learned many new words and new meanings or specific meanings for words I thought I knew.  I have been at times exasperated at the rather obtuse and complicated vocabulary in our readings but I am also beginning (sometimes) to appreciate the need for words that have a richness of meaning for the field.

Let's start with "intersectionality."  Feminism needs to recognize diversity.  Concepts of oppression do not act  independently of each other.  You need to think of race, class, age, disabilities, economic status, radicalization, language, as well as gender.

And then there's "standpoint."  Knowledge is socially situated.  You start with inquiry from the "marginalized."  (There's another word--marginalized!)

And "performativity."  Performativity produces a series of effects.  Nobody is a gender from birth.  Performance is what produces the individual. (from Judith Butler)

And "discourse."  The language you use--how you talk about something

And "discursive constructions."  Discourse can create reality--example, referring to  transgender as a disorder.  I always thought discursive meant rambling, but not in this context.

And "Othering."  Dehumanizing--making an object of someone.

And "praxis."  Practice, as distinguished from theory.  Why not just say practice?

And "identity politics."  This is highlighting just one aspect of one's being.  Can there be a "feminist standpoint?"  Coalitions are what are needed.

And "heteronormativity."  This assumes desire is for opposite sex.  Is this performative?

And "historisizing."  This is making something seem as if it is history or real, such as trying to historicize stereotypes.

And "fields of power."  Juridical power produces what it claims merely to represent.  We are born into certain constructions of power--interpersonal, disciplinary, cultural, and structural--that can be found in family, classroom, workplace, government, police, etc.  And what is "juridical?" Just relating to administration of law.

And "geneology."  How did man and woman come to be?  What is the origin of these concepts?

And now we're getting into "queer theory" and the definitions of transgender.  More to come.