Changing my name

I have been debating changing my name for a while now. I go by my middle name and always feel a little strange when people refer to me by my first name or when I am forced to use my first name like when I am traveling or whenever I use my debit card (banks insist that my first name appear on the cards, same with my driver's license, etc). However, it was never a big enough deal that I felt I had to change my name- until I started teaching.

At both schools I have taught for I appear in the class schedule by my first name. On the first day of class I re-introduce myself by my preferred name but there are always some students who continue to address me by my first name or to list my first name on their papers. And it drives me crazy. On the other hand I feel petty when I correct them- especially on papers. So I have been thinking far more seriously about going through the process of changing my name legally.

Then the other day at the airport the gate keeper (as I like to refer to the people that work at the gates) paged me to come to the desk using my first and middle name, which he mispronounced- he called me Michelle. And I realized that at least no one (well only one person so far) ever mispronounces my first name- Mary, so by changing my name I'd have to deal with that far more often. It's completely understandable that someone would look at Michaele and think Michelle, especially when they know that they are referring to a female. I used to let it go when people called me Michelle if I thought that I'd never see that person again, but I learned that you just never know. For example, a bank teller once called me Michelle and I didn't bother correcting her because it was not a bank I went to all that often. Bu then i got a job near the bank and started going there all the time. The teller called me Michelle for 3 years and because I didn't correct her the first time I met her I never felt like i could and I honestly didn't care all that much. Then one day I made a deposit for my sister and she paused because the account was not mine and asked, "it is Michelle, right?" and I responded "Actually it's Michaele." She was mortified, "Why did you let me call you Michelle all this time!" Then I was embarrassed.

So what's worse, being called a name that feels a little foreign or being called the wrong name and having to correct people all the time? Blurg, this was more complicated than I thought It'd be.

The biggest thing holding me back was the fact that I am named after someone. Would that be disrespectful? I decided that the best way to deal with this was to take her (Baba's- my grandmother) middle name. When I mentioned this to my mom she told me that Baba had chosen her middle name (I assume she chose it when she was confirmed), so it seemed right somehow to chose the same name she had picked for herself.

Then, this morning a friend sent me a link to this article about a woman who changed her name and reinvented herself. So who knows, maybe after I change my name I'll become a rockstar! Or maybe I'll just approach the coming year (which I have been terrified about because my funding ends this year) with more excitement over the possibilities instead of with terror over the possibility that I will end up on a street corner with a cardboard sign reading "Will lecture you in history for food" (I don't think I'd have many takers).

So here's to a new name, a new year, and endless possibilities (that sounds a little corny, but it's the holidays so corny is more acceptable).

Follow up post

I have no words.

Have yourself a gendered little christmas...

Sometimes I wish my critical feminist eye had an off switch and I could just sit back and enjoy popular culture and take it at face value. Sadly it does not.

I remember working at Desert Star during the Christmas season and singing along with Eartha Kit's Santa Baby (the best version of the song btw). I still like the song but at the same time it niggles at me (I don't think I have ever actually used the word niggles before). Then today I heard a more recent version of the song- sung by Michael Buble and at first I liked that a man had chosen this particular Christmas song that seemed to exclude male singers but as I listened the song started to annoy me. The changes to the song are telling. As a christmas gift to you I will end here and simply share the songs with you instead of yammering on about them.

Christmas Music

This is not a christmas song.


Neither is this.




Nuff said.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for Mr. Rusty and that my mom was willing and able to come celebrate thanksgiving with me. It's been a lovely day with tasty food and good company!

I think Rusty had a good day too-

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Normally I would post an adorable picture of Rusty in costume, but I have decided to forego that particular tradition as Rusty does not really seem to enjoy it and I felt a little mean, but perhaps next year I'll ignore his pained expression.

I also just had my first tricker-treaters- who goes tricker treating in an apartment complex? I was not prepared. Luckily I have fruit snacks so I didn't have to turn them away- but fruit snacks are a rather lame 'treat' to hand out. If Rusty had only been in a costume- his cuteness may have made up for it.

Rusty is a nester

Before-



After-

I'm an amazing photographer

Not really.

On a recent trip home I went to Swiss Days in Midway, Utah with my beautiful sister Robin. On the very lovely drive home I attempted to take a picture of Bridal Veil Falls. I say attempted because it turned out like this-


(Take note of the rearview mirror- if that was the whole picture it'd be much better).

Luckily Robin already had a picture of the waterfall and was nice enough to share it.



As you can see- she is a much better photographer than me. I wasn't a complete failure though- I did snap this amazingly cute picture of Rusty enjoying the ride (of course he makes that very easy by being so cute all the time).

Seeing Red

Contrary to evidence (the evidence being that I haven't posted anything in almost 2 months) I am still around. I have been busy with NIAHD and then busy recovering from NIAHD and teaching another online class and traveling and, you know, living. Lately I have been working on my dissertation and trying to regain my focus after a very busy summer.

I do have pictures from NIAHD to share but I'll save them for another day. In the meantime I thought I share a cartoon I have been watching today (for research of course- I'm not slaking I swear). One of the chapters I am currently working on focuses on wolves - a theme you have seen before here- so here is yet another rendition of my favorite (not really) story- Little Red Riding Hood- in this case Little Red Walking Hood.

Poe

It's been a crazy busy summer so I have been rather neglectful of the blog- I had planned to post something on my visit to the Edgar Allan Poe museum in Richmond a long time ago and now am finally getting around to it. It's been well over a month (two months maybe?) since I actually took these pictures during a lovely visit to Richmond with my friend Laura.

Here are the aforementioned pictures.

What do you think?

Is this feminist? I can't decide. Some of my students felt very strongly that it was but I was leaning the other way- what do you think?

RIP Peter Falk

The South

Recently one of my friends blogged about place-ness I've had some similar moments myself- most recently yesterday afternoon as I was walking Rusty. It had just rained and it was misty out and humid of course- but not unpleasantly so. It also didn't hurt that I was walking by Bassett Hall which is where the Rockefellers stayed when they began restoring Colonial Williamsburg.





The mistiness shows up a little bit better in this picture at the golf course-



And here is the obligatory picture of Rusty- here he is trying to sneak over to greener pastures- I'm not sure what he saw over there but it must have been very intriguing.



I've been dreading summer here. I've never been a fan of summer- the weather part not the vacation from school part (at least not since I can remember) and it's been even worse since I've lived here- summers here can be quite miserable. I had hoped to spend much of this summer at home but alas- one must work- and work I will. This summer is going to be an exceptionally busy one. I was worried that I wouldn't have enough money to pay the bills let alone cover luxury items- you know, like food. So in order to avoid standing on a street corner with a cardboard sign reading- "will lecture you in history for food" I signed on to 4 different teaching gigs- assuming that one or more of them wouldn't work out. Well right now it looks like they all are going to- I'll find out tomorrow for sure. I am really excited about the opportunities but I am also a little worried about managing it all!

Sorry- I got side-tracked there. I was going to say that it was nice to have such a pleasant walk and to enjoy living in the south. I will try to remind myself of that during the miserable summer months ahead.

Colonial Williamsburg

I thought I'd share some more pictures from my walks with Rusty- I kind of felt like I had posted so many pictures of our walks around CW that I had little new to share. But I am realizing that there are still many things that I am noticing for the first time or am seeing from a new angle and it has been kind of fun to start exploring all over again. And Rusty loves CW- so many interesting things to smell...

Lambs

It's springtime in Williamsburg, which means there is added cuteness to my walks with Rusty- in the form of lambs. Even Rusty will slow down and watch them frolicking. I was going to say play- but frolicking seems much more appropriate.


They are also cute when snuggling with their mothers-



Or when they are making new friends-




Ok, enough cuteness, back to reading about violence...

Commercials

I recently complained about commercials and how sexist they are-I still think they are but at least they aren't as bad as they used to be. Here is a compilation of a bunch of old Folger's commercials that I shared with my students.

Spring Break

OK so I'm a little behind. Rusty and I went home to Utah for Spring Break (about a month ago). Here are some pictures from the trip. We didn't do anything too exciting but Rusty had fun playing in the snow and picking up the girls from school.

Advice

I showed Pettin' in the Park to my students (even though it didn't really have much to do with what we were talking about that day- but it did tie into larger themes of the class, so that's ok, right?)

Anyway- they requested that I show these as well- and they are too funny not to share. I apologize for the commercials but at least they are quick- and the clips are worth it.

Can Openers

I guess I should start by apologizing for not posting often enough- I've been alternating between being engrossed in teaching and engrossed in my dissertation. I'm also getting ready for two potential summer classes- cross your fingers that enough students register so the classes don't get cancelled!

I may have shared this clip before but I couldn't find where so I am sharing it again (maybe).

Anyway, for some reason I woke up with this song in my head. I know it's a little long but you really should watch to the end- it's unbelievable!

Fist City

I love Loretta Lynn.

I was looking for the sing 'The Pill' to play to my class tomorrow and found this song on youtube-

Checking in

I haven't posted for a while because I don't really have much to say and I've been preoccupied with school stuff- but I thought I should let you know I am still alive and well in Virginia.

Since I don't really have anything to say here are some cute pictures of Rusty enjoying his new pillow.