Monday, March 24, 2008

Easter Egg Roll 2008

My roommate and I got to volunteer at the annual White House Easter Egg roll today.  We woke up around 5am and arrived at the giant gates around 6.  After we were equipped with our white billed hats, and aprons adorning the 2 scottish terriors, we headed to our assignment.  As Easter Artists, we handed out tshirts for the Wyland Foundation - sponsored by Wyland.  Wyland is an artist who does under the sea scenes.  (This year's easter egg theme was save the oceans). Next to the tent we worked at he had a giant mural he was working on alongside kids.
It was pretty cool.

The best part was when President Bush and Laura greeted the crowds and said hello and g'morning from the balcony.  I was about 20 feet away and caught a great amount of it on video and camera.  What a great Monday in DC! 


Friday, March 21, 2008

Million Dollar Haircut

Love: A million dollar haircut that doesn't cost a million dollars.  Perfect look for the summer and ms. professional's debut~
That's just an added reason to be in love on Friday.
Brought to you by Keeka at Bubbles in Bethesda.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Cherry Pitter - More Fun then Tying a Knot with Your Tongue

The cherry pitter. Call me low-class, but I usually just spit the pits in a bowl and then try to tie the stem in a knot with only my tongue!. I suppose it would be good if you were making cherry pie (tastes so good, make a grown man cry), but I do that, um, not yet.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Goal of living: Grow and be Well

It's surprising to me how quickly I went from the warm beaches of Mexico, doing hardly anything but sunbathing to the streets of DC and metroing from place to place. The pace of life changed back quickly, and if anything got a bit busier.

As far as an update goes, I'm cranking out the last 3 cases I'm using to back up my thesis and designing an orientation and leadership development conference for a final project. I hope to tie up my equity and education paper this weekend. Thankfully things are much more manageable when you spend time chunking away at them throughout the semester. I'm looking forward to wrapping up this semester strong and feeling inspired to get out there and use what I've learned to make a positive impact.

I have two leads right now for jobs that are in Knoxville, TN. I'm planning on relocating here within the next 3 months, not sure of the timeline right now - but weighing out a few different options. The boy has settled into his newly acquired job post graduation and starting to really enjoy it, which is great to see. It's encouraging to get some feedback from my resume and I'm looking forward to sitting down and talking to some folks next Friday about the positions I'm interested in. Both spark different creativity in me and skills I'd get to use - but overall are in leadership development. It's nice to see these things exist!

To go along with the job search and relocation I've come up with a few options to navigate the next two months between staying here and moving to TN.

Option 1: Stay in DC

Pros
- Take remaining classes physically at AU
- Won't sublet out apt.
- 4th of July in DC (ha)

Cons
- Need to find some part-time work for only 2 months as my GA position at the Institute is coming to a close as of May 4th
- Traveling back and forth to pursue job opportunities/interviews
- Best friend is moving outside the city (minor I know)
- The boy and I keep doing the long distance thing

Option 2: Move to Knoxville

Pros
- Ability to do more interviews, job hunt locally, etc.
- Less travel back and forth
- Save money on rent
- The boy, mountains, and outdoor market concerts
- Can do classes long distance

Cons
- Different kind of courses not sure
- Can I land one of these jobs without completing my MA till July? (Hopefully the interviews next week will give me a better idea)

So that's what I'm laying out there and praying about that God gives me direction and helps me recognize where he sees me most fit during these next few months. Thanks to all of my family and friends for their continuous support and cheerleading

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Vacationing in God's Paradise on Earth

I haven't done much blogging lately because the last 10 days I've been traveling. My family and my grandparents spent the last week in the Riviera Maya - about 30 minutes outside Cancun. Most beautiful scenery to let the mind unwind and made some great memories. For now, check out the pics. below --- more about it to follow once jet lag wears off~The sisters...need I say more?

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

[(Habitus)] (Capital) + Field = Practice

Last night in class we were talking about cultural and social reproduction. Peirre Bourdieu - a French guy who wrote about this - came up with an equation to talk about this phenomena. I'm pretty fascinated by the formula and thought it worthwhile to put it up here.

Bio: Peirre Bourdieu (1930-2002)
A prolific writer and extradorindary productive researcher, Bourdieu has published more than 30 books and 340 articles over the period of 1958-1995. (Swartz, 1997)

Postulate: Power is the heart of social life
I can say that all of my thinking started from this point: how can behavior be regulated without being the product of obedience to rules (Bourdieu 1990)

The Equation:

[(Habitus)] (Capital) + Field = Practice

breaking it down...
Habitus:
A system of durable, transposable dispotions, structures, instictual practices and behaviors unconsciously exhibited.

Examples of Habitus:
- Rich yacht guy - raised in a millionaire family
- Professorial figure
- Mini-driving soccer mom
- Farmer down south

Capital:
A social relation of power - not just material but cultural, social, and symbolic as well.

Fields:
A network or configuration of objective relations between different positions. Agents of institutions of the structures. Fields are arena of struggle for legitimation.

Example of field:
- For the rich yacht guy it maybe the country club
- Professorial figure - academic
- Soccer mom - her kid's school / PTA meetings
- Farmer - Agricultural fairs

--- Symbolic violence: Bourdieu looked at the interactions between these different habitus and came up with the term "symbolic violence" to describe how these different habitus may express struggle for legitimation of power. Ex: Maybe the daughter of a yacht guy brings home the son of the soccer mom (let's say they are dating) The yacht father may raise his eyebrow and give the soccer boy a one over. This is an expression of symbolic violence that Bourdieu refers to.

Practice:
Using habitus and capital on the field. Bourdieu looked at how these different habitus and capital interacted when one habitus/capital may play on another's turf. He examined how these habitus / capital are reproduced or reinforced. In class we discussed how school and education plays into this.

Very interesting.
Next step: Take a moment and plug yourself into the equation, thinking about your field. What kinds of dispositions have you inherited from your family, community, education, etc.? What kinds of dispositions are best suited (or prized) in your field? How much symbolic violence can you wield in this field, how much do you confront?

Teaching My Grad. Class

Last night I had the opportunity to teach my graduate class on a reading from W. Secada. Basically it's about equity and equality and using these terms in educational contexts. First part of the lesson was thinking about our current notions of these terms - so I gave everyone post it notes and they wrote their current definition on them and put it up on the board. The second part was a categorizing activity that had them place different characteristics / definitions under either equality or equity. I took a few candid shots to add to my portfolio. Here's a glimpse. That fellow below in glasses is my favorite professor / thesis advisor -Charlie~

Monday, March 03, 2008

CMM & ETM's Deep Dish Delight

The results of our first time making deep dish pizza. *We learned it would be okay to use less sauce. The learning was fun and yummy.
The boy and I taking a candid shot (Thank goodness for his long arms)

A Weekend's Worth of Quotes

It was a fun weekend - I'll post pictures from a deep dish delight pizza making night when I get home. There were lots of laughs this weekend, as the Boy and I were finally getting back to health. Highlights below:

While making deep dish pizza:
"I don't like my crust thick"
"You don't like your women thick either"

Me: "You are such a great boyfriend"
The Boy: "Look there's Bill Murphy"
Me: "Baby that's not cool"

Walking through the President's Gallery and doing it in exact order of the presidents. The boy counting off and commenting all the way. As we neared the portrait of FDR, there was a small picture of his wife next to him. She was wearing a frumpy black hat that nearly covered her whole face. Upon seeing this the boy "whispered" to me:
"That Eleanor Roosevelt, she's a real fox"
The Boy thought he said it quiet enough, but since he had a cold, he said it pretty loud -- everyone within a 7 foot radius laughed.

Driving my (now former car) with failing power steering.
The Boy: "It's like driving an old pickup truck"
Me: "Guess you don't need to get one now" :)

That's quality.