sons of bi.....

Well, the gender divide lives on...

Gender Pay Gap, Once Narrowing, Is Stuck in Place

By DAVID LEONHARDT

Published: December 24, 2006

A decade ago, it seemed that men and women with similar qualifications might soon make nearly identical salaries. Today, that is far harder to envision.....

Philadelphia

Well, I made it through Christmas. I must admit that staying home is much more peaceful than travelling.

However, travel is in the stars for me still. Tomorrow I head for Philadelphia. I'll be there until Saturday. For those of you who don't know, I have a interview with Hunter College (CUNY).

Wish me luck.

I may attempt to see the Liberty Bell and other silly tourists things while I'm there. Anyone know of anything that I must do or any great places to eat?

Celebrate the Solstice

Last night at 7:22 pm EST was the precise moment of the 2006 solstice.

Happy Solstice to you all.

What this means for me:

• The days will begin to lengthen again (so those of us who are weather affected can smile a little more today).
• The sun is now shining over the tropic of Capricorn (my sign).
• Today is really (in my point of view) the beginning of the new year: the birth of the new sun (is this where xmas comes from?). So, I'm considering what resolutions I am willing to make. (I have a few, and they will join the others on this blog later in the week)
  
• I may burn a yule log. I may not. My Christmas tree lights may have to suffice.
  
• I'm going out for drinks tonight. Yes, pagan women like me like to turn any holiday (even our own) into an excuse for good Patron shots!

May your solstice be filled with magic. Blessings...

A Must Read

If you haven't read today's Tiny Cat Pants, or if you don't normally read it, get to it!

Not only is it beautifully written, but it also helps me understand why this time of year is so painful and so precious.

The winter solstice is the 22nd: the shortest day of the year. I find it interesting that I was born so close to the solstice. Maybe there are witches in my bloodline afterall.

So, happy season(s) of lights.

Help me entertain...

photo by Romanlily from flickr


What are some of the things you would like to do if you were visiting Atlanta?

We've got company coming, and I'm trying to compose a list of options. I need two lists, one for people with children and one for adults.

Here are some of the things I was thinking. PLEASE add more! The kid friendly stuff has asterisks.

The Georgia Aquarium*
Some professional sporting event*
The High Museum
Lenox* (and/or Phipps) Mall
Taquiera del Sol (great Mexican food)
Botanical gardens (if it is warm)*
Atlanta center for puppetry arts*
bars/clubs/music event


I have a whole list of things to do with children, but most of them aren't fun for adults too. Anyone think of anything I missed?

Survival and other trivia

Well, I think I am surviving. Thanks for the advice. I bought some gifts online, and I bought the Muppet Christmas album. I haven't exploded yet.

Instead, I'm back to dissertation writing, and it is amazing how you can just crank out the pages when deadlines are close. I guess that's why we have deadlines.

I'm still not eating sugar or wheat -- other than one or two minor slip ups due to Holiday parties and available food supplies. I still feel good. C has now started the no sugar diet. He says no way on giving up wheat. He can't stand the idea of doing without bread.

I have not scored even one interview as of yet. I may end up being one of the 60% of English Ph.D.'s who don't get a job their first year out of school. It is quite depressing. I guess when you go to a school that is known for football rather than academics, you are bound to be in the bottom 60%. Oh well.

On the other hand, Reinhardt is giving me three courses next semester and two of them are actual English courses! I am looking forward to teaching those. I also look forward to only teaching for one school. Driving all over the place gets old.

Other thoughts: What will I do with my 37th year? How could I get certified to teach yoga classes without having to take time off from work? Will I ever actually become a parent?

ahhh. the scatterings of the human mind...

Looking for a cure...

for Christmas.

I've made some radical changes in my holiday plans this year: this is the first year in all (soon to be) 37 years of my life that I will not spend Christmas with my parents. Feels good.

Now that I've made that change (and I am holding on to the decision with white knuckles as every person I am "ditching" pulls against me), I wonder how to solve the rest of the bullshit that surrounds this well-meaning, but totally insane, holiday.

Must I buy crap that no one likes to give as gifts? Must I feel guilty if I don't? Must I ignore the "season of giving" and replace it with the season of shopping? Must I? Of course not. Yet here I am again this year fleecing the malls for a perfect gift. It's maddening.

I've vowed that this year I will spend the 25th of December giving my TIME to a worthy cause. I hope to have that nailed down by next week.

The rest of it still plagues me: a disease.

Anyone got a cure?