Image by afagen via FlickrI read an excerpt from a Dave Barry book where he reflects on guys, as opposed to men. What got me about this was that I started reflecting from the very first sentence, because what Barry was focusing on was how guys are often irrational and illogical. This is what often makes them incomprehensible to women (like me). One thing I've noticed from my parents is that in a couple, some guys may lose their common sense entirely and suddenly when a whim strikes them (I say "some" and "may" so that you won't accuse me of making sweeping sexist generalizations). My dad once changed the oil in the lawnmower -- in the living room! The beige carpet was ruined (of course. Duh.), and my mother remained speechless for three days. I mean, she didn't say a word to anyone. At the time I wondered what she could say that wasn't completely obvious. I still don't know.
Image via WikipediaI'm having some trouble coming up with a thesis for my first essay-- the project it's part of is based on a philosophy (!) experiment, and I can't quite figure out what point I want to make. I had no problems with the lab report (the other part of the project), but the reflection essay is kicking my butt. My experiment (taken from the book Astonish Yourself!, by Roger-Pol Droit) was to "Dream of all the Places in the World." I spent about half an hour doing that, and it was actually fun, but the amount of thinking I've had to do since then is incredible. I hope I get some ideas from the peer review on Thursday.
Image by Getty Images via @daylifeI just finished reading "Grief," by Joan Didion. This is an excerpt from her book, The Year of Magical Thinking, which was recommended to me a couple of years ago when we had a death in my family. Her reflections on grief helped me then, and it's interesting to read it again, at a time when I'm not grieving myself.
What hit me this time was how she nails one of the things that irritated me back then, namely other people's insensitivity to people who are grieving. As if there's some kind of timetable we're all supposed to follow! She talks about the funeral as an event that many interpret as the end of grief, which I think reveals their stupidity: the funeral is -- at least in my experience -- a ceremony that marks the official start of grief, sort of like the way a wedding is the official start of a marriage.
A very worthwhile piece.
