adventures in Estonia!
I finally got around to uploading some recent pics into a Picasa album. Highlights include the adventure park at Otepää where I seriously confronted my fear of heights, like whoa. I almost lost my shit on one of the higher routes, but I came through and clung to a rope while jumping off a high platform (I was hooked in by a climbing harness belt so obviously nothing bad would've happened if I fell, but still, it was SO scary).
Then there are also pics from Viljandi, where they have an awesome world music festival every year (think Lotus Fest, for those of you in Bton, but for 4 days instead of 2! just imagine!).
My dissertation is coming along, slowly but surely. I document a lot of the frustrations on Twitter, @foxyfolklorist if you're interested in following along at home.
Still writing for Ye Olde Sexe Blog, which I adore. One of my favorite recent posts is Professor Writes Romance Novels... And Keeps Job. I also reviewed Sex at Dawn, which I thought was a truly amazing book. There's some of my usual feminist ranting about rape culture & access to reproductive choices too.
I'm sad about missing GenCon this year, but I think it was for the best for me to have already come to Estonia to start my scholarship. I've made way more diss progress than if I'd been crafting and practicing madly in the months preceding the con, not to mention that the entire week would've been lost and no good for work. This way, I'm more than halfway into the 3rd content chapter of my diss (6 of these chps, plus an intro and conclusion, should be the extent of it).
Other than that, no major homesickness. Having Skype and wireless internet access in my room is helping a lot with that, as are the awesome friends I've made here--some fellow folklorists, some other international students, and some local Estonians who are all equally cool and fun to hang out with.
Additionally, I'm trying to be more body-positive, which is no easy fear in the land of tall, lanky blond people (I am none of these things). I'm inspired by the words and actions of friends--both IRL and on LJ--to try to revise the body-negative thinking that has become so ingrained. When I look at my legs, I think about how strong and shapely they are: they carry me when I run, dance, climb. Pretty much everything I wear looks good on me, in large part because I've decided not to pursue fashion or trends that only look good on skinny chicks. When I wear outfits that display and enhance my muscularity, I feel good about myself. I know I can outrun and out-dance (not to mention out-think and out-talk!) most of the people I meet. Focusing more on what I can do (ie physical achievements) than what I can't do (ie wear skinny jeans) has been excellent for me.
Thoughts on body positivity, or any of this?
Then there are also pics from Viljandi, where they have an awesome world music festival every year (think Lotus Fest, for those of you in Bton, but for 4 days instead of 2! just imagine!).
My dissertation is coming along, slowly but surely. I document a lot of the frustrations on Twitter, @foxyfolklorist if you're interested in following along at home.
Still writing for Ye Olde Sexe Blog, which I adore. One of my favorite recent posts is Professor Writes Romance Novels... And Keeps Job. I also reviewed Sex at Dawn, which I thought was a truly amazing book. There's some of my usual feminist ranting about rape culture & access to reproductive choices too.
I'm sad about missing GenCon this year, but I think it was for the best for me to have already come to Estonia to start my scholarship. I've made way more diss progress than if I'd been crafting and practicing madly in the months preceding the con, not to mention that the entire week would've been lost and no good for work. This way, I'm more than halfway into the 3rd content chapter of my diss (6 of these chps, plus an intro and conclusion, should be the extent of it).
Other than that, no major homesickness. Having Skype and wireless internet access in my room is helping a lot with that, as are the awesome friends I've made here--some fellow folklorists, some other international students, and some local Estonians who are all equally cool and fun to hang out with.
Additionally, I'm trying to be more body-positive, which is no easy fear in the land of tall, lanky blond people (I am none of these things). I'm inspired by the words and actions of friends--both IRL and on LJ--to try to revise the body-negative thinking that has become so ingrained. When I look at my legs, I think about how strong and shapely they are: they carry me when I run, dance, climb. Pretty much everything I wear looks good on me, in large part because I've decided not to pursue fashion or trends that only look good on skinny chicks. When I wear outfits that display and enhance my muscularity, I feel good about myself. I know I can outrun and out-dance (not to mention out-think and out-talk!) most of the people I meet. Focusing more on what I can do (ie physical achievements) than what I can't do (ie wear skinny jeans) has been excellent for me.
Thoughts on body positivity, or any of this?