Jana Remy
  • Writing
    • Disability
    • Making History
    • Digital Humanities
      • dayofDH
    • Canoeing
    • Creative Nonfiction & Essays
    • Feminism
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      • Pacific Worlds Bibliography
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    • Conference Planning
    • Technical Skills
  • Teaching
    • Blogposts About Teaching

Jana Remy

  • Writing
    • Disability
    • Making History
    • Digital Humanities
      • dayofDH
    • Canoeing
    • Creative Nonfiction & Essays
    • Feminism
    • Bibliographies
      • Pacific Worlds Bibliography
    • Social Media
      • Mentions/Links
  • Scholarship
    • Awards/Fellowships
    • Conferences & Invited Talks
    • Collaboration
    • Workshops
    • Conference Planning
    • Technical Skills
  • Teaching
    • Blogposts About Teaching
Monthly Archives

September 2008

make me smile

firsts (the alone edition)

Having married while I was in college, and then had babies shortly thereafter, I’ve rarely done anything by myself. So this trip has been a big one for me—it’s the first time I’ve gone somewhere unfamiliar alone (Salt Lake City and Denver don’t count because I’ve lived both places). So here are some firsts from my first day of travel:

-First cross-country flight alone where I am sitting between two super-tall men who both have a “big stance.” You know what that means? They have like 3 ft each between their two knees and I had no space at all for mine, Everytime I fell asleep I woke up to find myself with the outside of my thighs resting on theirs—as if they were trying to squeeze me out of even more of my legroom. It was a long long night.

-First taxi ride alone (I was really scared, which is crazy because I know it’s a totally normal thing) but to be in a car alone with a strange man? Weird. I don’t think I tipped him enough, but it cost more than I thought and I didn’t want to dig back into my cash stash as we were standing on the street corner at 5:30am in a dodgy area of downtown Boston.

-First view of the Charles River alone (the taxi driver doesn’t count)

-First stay in a hostel alone (nice experience, though I did spring for the private room)

-First aborted attempt to buy a T ticket myself (someone had to bail me out because I was totally oblivious and didn’t know that I needed a Charlie card….). Oh, and along with this one goes “first aborted attempt to get through the T gate myself.” Had to be bailed out of that one, too.

-First ride on the subway alone. Grabbed myself a pole by the door (it was rushhour) and did just fine.

-First chichi Harvard tea & cakes reception(!) alone. When I checked into the Harvard Special Collections library this morning, they handed me an invitation to this event. I went, knowing that it would be something to blog about. Discovered that even though I walked in looking a bit like a drowned rat (having traversed Harvard yard just moments before in a pouring rain with a hole-y umbrella), people were nice to me anyways.

What are your recent “firsts”?

September 27, 2008
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world

let there be light

On my next trip I’ll be traveling light. I’m talking light as in everything fits into my backpack (and maybe some snacks in a shoulder bag). I’ve done it before–two weeks in Europe with a small daypack was no problem at all.

So I’m in the midst of packing for my next trip and thought I’d ask for your best light-traveling tips. How do you make sure you have everything you’ll need while still being able to easily tote your bags?

PS: Boston, here I come! (first leg of the pilgrimsteps world tour! Yeehaa!)

September 24, 2008
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LDS

this is freakin’ hilarious

Those million yard signs that were supposed to appear last week on the lawns of Mormons ’round the state? So what happened to them? Heh.

September 24, 2008
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family

detente

In the midst of new cat/old cat tensions at chez pilgrim, Bobette has occupied the favorite comfy chair, offering her a bird’s eye view of the hallway. But Toby has crept, low, and without letting her collar bell sound…and managed to slide by B’s watchful eye and then stealthily crept under the table, around the wall, and made it to the cat perch in front of the back door (which is just 2 feet behind said comfy chair). B is oblivious.

With the sweet taste of victory, TobyJoy jingles her bell loudly and then marches around the corner of the chair in full view of Bobette. Toby has claimed her territory and she is proud.

B rolls over to take a nap, but doesn’t quite close her eyes completely…still watching TobyJoy lingering in the entranceway to the hall.

September 24, 2008
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on cats and sitting
Random

on cats and sitting


CatCompany, originally uploaded by mind on fire.

We’re now catsitting a rolypoly half-manx kitty that loves snuggles. She’s been keeping John cozy all evening. Lucky us! Now the part-manxies* in the house outnumber (and perhaps outweigh) the part-japanese** members of the family. Mwahahahaah!

Quocunque Jeceris Stabit, my friends….

*My Mom’s family is Manx
**John’s Mom’s family is Japanese

September 23, 2008
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if this is you

if this is you…

If you just opened an email from your doctor and he wrote that the MRI you had last week–the one of the surgical site on your leg–that it is perfectly normal and showed no signs of residual infection, you will shed a few tears as you forward that message to your husband, ignoring the fact that you are sitting in a fantsy-pantsy (and completely quiet) archival library.

Well, because if this is you, you don’t care what the people around you are thinking as you get the best news that you’ve heard in a very long time.

September 22, 2008
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friends

the people that you meet, when you’re walking down the street…

We have these awesome friends that John literally met on a nearby street corner one day–I believe it was when they were all waiting at a crosswalk for the light to turn green.

These friends are smart and musically-talented and the wife was even raised a Quaker.

Life sure can be random that way…but I’m not complaining! :)

PS: Spent time with said friends tonite–you know you’re in good company when you hit a charades topic like “famous programmers,” there’s consensus that Amelie is a most perfect film, and nearly everyone joins in the Spanish Inquisition Monty Python sketch re-enactment (of which GameBoy was the star)…

:)

September 20, 2008
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bodyworld

gettin’ medical

I had some ancient tooth sealants (with decay lurking underneath) sandblasted off of my back teeth today. What a novel experience that was. Also had an MRI of my leg that took twice as long as it should’ve because they couldn’t find a vein to shoot the dye into (people, do you have any advice on how to get veins? Would weightlifting do the trick? I am getting desperate here). And (can you believe how many medical offices I visited today?), I had some way-overdue adjustments to my prosthetic limb. I am not joking when I tell you that the socket was hanging together with duct tape.

I am so grateful for health insurance. Mostly because without the funds to pay for such medical necessities I would’ve left this earth long ago.

I wish everyone had this same luxury.

PS: My cold/flu is nearly gone now and both kids’ fevers broke yesterday. Praise cheeses.
PPS: I am so thinking of getting a hand crank wheat mill just in case a hurricane ever hits SoCal. :)

September 19, 2008
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world

It’s so simple…

This is great, folks:

“It’s so simple. Most people who can’t afford health insurance also are too poor to owe taxes. But if you give them a deduction from the taxes they don’t owe, they can use the money they’re not getting back from what they haven’t given to buy the health care they can’t afford.”
~Stephen Colbert on McCain’s health insurance plan.

Or maybe you’re like me, where in just a few months I’d use up the health insurance tax break (if I even qualified for it) simply because I have a cancer history. Gah. Here’s a related article from the NYTimes. Also, an interesting analysis of the candidates’ stance on disability issues.

September 18, 2008
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body

Dear Nose

Dear Nose:

I miss being able to breathe through you. This mouth breathing stuff, it’s for the birds.

Best,
Jana

September 17, 2008
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My Daybook
deep thoughts

My Daybook

My Daybook, an idea from the Simple Woman via the High Desert:

I am wearing a soft faded tank, undies and nothing else just yet (I’ll pull a skirt on momentarily, I suppose).

I am reading several books right now, but all went on hold over the weekend as I finished grading a slew of summer school term papers. Grading now completed, I will be returning to my books!

I am hearing construction noises–there are 1500 new apartments being built across the street (sigh). Also, a cricket that’s determinedly chirping in the front hall closet and has so far eluded the bug-eating kitties in our home.

Learning all the time about how to balance my work with that of the other members of the household, even as I support friends and am gentle with my body during my continued healing. It’s a lot to do!

I am thankful that I received an ever-so-kind reply from my query to Friendly Crossways about staying there during part of my time in Massachusetts (a Quaker farm–what could be a better spot for me?). Also, thankful for the many Boston-based friends that I’ll soon be seeing (yay!!)

I am hoping that all will go well this afternoon when I see my doctor about my leg. Keeping fingers crossed that she will agree that I am improving. Also, hoping that CatGirl’s fever will break soon.

From the kitchen this morning came steel-cut oats a la John (yum) with milk and a squirt of agave nectar, they are a perfect morning treat. (There are also fruit flies coming from the kitchen, but we won’t talk ’bout that…)

I am creating peace by breathing deeply and facing fear. That, and also parenting the two most amazing teenagers on the planet. Seriously. I am so pleased that I am not going at this alone–my kids have fab role models and teachers to mentor them along their way.

Bringing beauty to my home with the two vases of cut roses on my kitchen table. My “Mon Cheri” rose is favoring me with the most gorgeous pink-to-red blossoms and “Vavoom” is a peachy ruffled delight. Because I’m fighting this cold/flu, my kids cut the roses for me when they watered the garden this weekend. My family is always so willing to “bring the garden to me” when I am too weary to go there myself.

Around the house, we are reeling just a bit from the back-to-school schedule. It’s going to take awhile for the new rhythms to settle in.

Outside my window it looks like it will be a brighter day than the weekend, when it was mostly overcast (oh, my garden has been so confused by this weird August/September weather). The spiders have nearly taken over my back porch in the past few weeks. Perhaps today (or later this week) I will clean out some of the cobwebs. {I am hoping that no one besides the spiders is outside my window is looking in, given my current state of disrobedness)

I am thinking about my Quaker community. I missed Meeting yesterday due to the flu that CatGirl and I are enduring. I’m currently sitting on several committees and not always finding time to be proactive in my efforts as the Clerk of the Peace & Social Concerns committee. Hoping to do better with that in the future.

One of my favorite things is that John is back to focusing on finishing his Master’s thesis. I love his topic and know that he will do a fine job with it.

A few plans for the rest of the week…I have numerous medical appointments this week (everything from an MRI to dental work to alterations on my prosthesis). Also, I’ll be continuing my commute to the Huntington on three of the weekdays. I am excited for what’s ahead on the calendar and am just hoping hoping hoping that I can move through the days with confidence and strength.

I would love to take a peek at your daybook. Drop a link in the comments if you play along!

September 15, 2008
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family

sick day

I attributed my fatigue from the past few days to having returned to my ‘work’ and arising earlier to get the kids off to school and for my Pasadena commute (ay, and we were rear-ended on Thursday, not an auspicious beginning to this new schoolyear–and I am feeling so so grateful that the neck pain I felt afterwards subsided quickly). Anyways, it turns out that both CatGirl and I have come down with some kind of cold/flu. As seems to always happen when my daughter gets ill, her fever is climbing.

Here is a repost from March 16 , in honor of the girl who’s been curled up in my arms this morning, feeling a bit too miserable to sleep:

Been spending most of today with CatGirl nesting on the couch with pillows and cozy blankies. She’s been intermittently running a high fever (102-104) for the past 24 hours.

With her head leaning on my shoulder and her lanky body curled into mine, I remember her baby days when she rarely wanted to lose touch. She was my little monkey, arms wrapped tightly around my neck. When I sat in a chair she would stand behind me, running her fingers through my hair (when she got a bit older she loved to give me ‘pretty hairdos’ with her rainbow-colored barrettes).

Now, with the flush of fever showing red on her cheeks and lips, my instinct is to hold her tight, to absorb the heat. Remembering a time when our bodies were joined–mine feeding hers, nurturing the small ball of tissue that would eventually grow into my bright and graceful girl.

Today I ache to add my strength to hers again. Because she feels so small and fragile in my arms.

September 14, 2008
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About Me

About Me

Hi there friend, and welcome to my blog. I started writing on the internet two decades ago. Since then I've started and finished a PhD program, left the Mormon church and became a Quaker, got divorced, remarried, found full-time work in academia, took up rock climbing and outrigger canoeing, and traveled across the globe (China! Belgium! Italy! Chicago! Montana! Portland! Gettysburg! and oh-so-many points in-between). This blog is eclectic and random--it has poetry and cooking and books. And cats. And flowers. And the ocean (my ocean). But in that sense it's a good reflection of me and my wide-ranging, far-reaching, magpie curiosity.

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