Girls and Sports and Literature. Just About Perfect.

Maybe it's just that time of year; all the rain is 'gone' and the local high schools can get on with their track meets.  Yes, they're out there running just about every day thanks to the no-good weather we've had the past few weeks.  I thought it very odd at first, but I guess it's better late than never?  Maybe?


Anywho, so driving by and seeing all the kids in their uniforms made me nostalgic and think of all my time in high school sports.  Also, it got me thinking about the girls in sports books I've read (one of the best so far being Catherine Murdock's Dairy Queen.  I love when characters are real!).  One I read, oh, a millenia ago, was about a girl who wanted to play hockey but her school had lacrosse for girls (yay for Title IX).  As I searched the web for it (unsuccessfully.  I really wanted to re-read that book!) I stumbled across several blogs dedicated to girls who love sports.  


This one was interesting as it included an interview between the Australian blogger and an American blogger regarding sport and gender.  At one point, the American mentioned Title IX (hey! There it is again!) and the host asked her to explain as most of the readership is not from the U.S.  She did a wonderful job of it (read it yourself, I was impressed), but she left out a key element that explains so much for readers today who may not be familiar with the Title but enjoy contemporary sports literature.  Title IX states that schools and sporting programs funded federally must give equally to boys and girls, whether it be on the field/court/arena/what have you, or in the classroom.  However, the key conflict maker here is that donations made to specific sports/extracurriculars do not have to be shared with the rest of the school or with the corresponding opposite gender teams.  That is why there are still huge discrepancies between male and female sports funding today.  Except with cheerleading (down kids, it is a sport.  Yes, it's often used by schools to justify their lack of girls' football teams, but that doesn't lessen the amount of physicality, coordination, and dedication those girls go through to be good at what they do).


Our society is still not quite ready to be totally equal, and that translates into a lot of YA fiction out there.  So, any of you english speakers out there not from the U.S. who have heard of Title IX and by random happenstance stumble on this post, don't go thinking those books are/were unrealistic.  They were.  And don't go thinking we're cavemen out here.  You've got your gender equality issues, too.  We all do.  And isn't it great that we all have something so silly in common?  Maybe we should bring that up at the next potluck for an ice breaker.

Oh How Lucky I Am

So, I have the best husband in the world.  You other ladies might think you do, but you don't. Sorry, but it's the truth.  


I was just looking through some old Pooh-isms this morning as I contributed more gems from the weekend and just found myself laughing like a crazy person all by myself on my couch.  That's how awesome Pooh is. 
And because I love all you lovely people, I want to share.  But not too much; I've built up an immunity.  Too much exposure to the Pooh-isms might make you strain something.

Steven: Do you think I look like an old man?

Me: Why? Did someone say something?

Steven: My subconscious. It's making fun of me again.

(Steven pushing down on my shoulders to make me appear shorter than him)

Steven: There, that's more like it.

Me: If you wanted to be taller than your wife, you should've thought of that when you had your growth-spurt.

Steven: Huh! Well! Next growth-spurt I'll be sure to remember that.

Steven: Don't argue with me.

Me: I didn't say anything.

Steven: You argued with your eyes.

(I raise my eyebrow)

Steven: Don't you use that condescending tone with me!

Pooh: You can't write that.

Me: Why not?

Pooh: Because I didn't say it, and it's inappropriate.

A Bright Laugh For A Not-So Bright Day

Thanks, Smalls, for the introduction to this wonderful little nugget of giggliness.  Don't you give me that look, spell check: the laws of linguistics say that if a word is said it exists, and this is not this particular word's first rodeo!
Anywho, (grr! Again, spell check?!) here's the link:


http://dandjandelin.blogspot.com/2010/12/contagious.html


Click and be happy.

A Bright Laugh For A Not-So Bright Day

Thanks, Smalls, for the introduction to this wonderful little nugget of giggliness.  Don't you give me that look, spell check; the laws of linguistics say that if a word is said it exists, and this is not this particular word's first rodeo!
Anywho, (grr! Again, spell check?!) here's the link:

http://dandjandelin.blogspot.com/2010/12/contagious.html

Click and be happy.

I'll Take Potent Potables For $100, Alex

Ever have random questions pop into your head?  Like:


What does a bee sting feel like?  What did people 2-4 centuries ago think about allergic reactions to bee stings?  Were they demon possessed or what?


Why does it only take one attractive, slightly mussed man in his late 20s or early 30s to make bowties cool for the younger generation, and an aristocratic older gentleman with a fabulously dry sense of humour and an awesome mustache to make them cool, period?


What on earth is making that strange clicking noise outside my window in the morning?


What makes it so exciting to see cars careening around corners at breakneck speeds in the movies, but so hilarious to see one in person at 6:30 in the morning?


Why is my heater still on?


Why do we kiss? (Answers - hopefully - to come on that one shortly)


What sort of magnet is hidden in pavement that possesses young children's minds and lures them to the street?  Can we harness this power to make bath and bedtime a little easier on Moms?

Now That's More Like It!

High of 61 today, people.  That's what I call beautiful.  Yet, despite this absolutely lovely welcome for the month of May, I am doing it again.


Again?  Doing what again, you ask?  Well, let me let you in on a little secret: roughly every month for roughly a week I can't get enough of being in water.  Now don't give me that look; the timing is completely random, trust me.  Even now I am drawing water for a nice, relaxing, warm bath.  But it's a sun shining, birds singing, not a cloud in the sky kind of day, and I'm taking a bath like it were middle of January blizzard raging outside.


I know.  Puzzling, right?


In other news, I treated my good friend Magoogan to a movie on her birthday this weekend and it was AMAZING.  The King's Speech, the PG-13 version (God bless Utah), and it was all at once smart, historical (yay!), funny, moving, and - despite the whole historical aspect and most educated people either knowing or able to figure out what happens before they even set foot in the theatre - a great sense of anticipation throughout.  I was very impressed.  Now I want said PG-13 version, but I don't know that I'll be able to find it...  Sad story.


If anyone finds one, grab one for me and one for ma mere and I'll pay you back!