Confession is good for the soul and for conversation

Hello, dear readers and let me begin with a heartfelt apology for my lack of posts.  It would be so easy to tell you that I've been on a whirl-wind adventure or stricken with some horrible affliction that prohibits me from writing.

The truth is that what has prevented me from writing is a sheer lack of desire.  As I've sat around trying to formulate the start of a post, I would be paralyzed by the idea that off the top of my head I had nothing in common with Simone.  The panic could only be alleviated by research and, honestly, the last thing I wanted to do was read something philosophical.  I've been doing a lot of scholarly reading lately and wanted a change.

My semester break reading list includes light-hearted, you-know-how-it-will-end, fun books.  Yes, some have smutty sections.  I will state loud and proud that not only do I enjoy "bodice-rippers"--I also have a select view in my library and they are inscribed, too--but one day I hope to write one. 

There.  I've said it. 

Back to Simone and Me. 

Then it hit me.  A commonality.

Simone and Sartre and their intellectual peers would sit around for hours and talk.  About what exactly I don't know, because I've been working on my "Semester Break Reading List" and making serious headway.

The point is that Simone and her peeps were found talking, socializing, and smoking in public places.  Surely the size of the gathering would grow as other friends stopped by to share their thoughts.

I went to the local Wal-Mart recently to grab a few things and spotted some great folks who I hadn't seen in a while.  In fact the last time we visited was in Wal-Mart.  Marge and I chatted about everything from what's been going on lately in our respective lives--she was quick to point out that I hadn't posted anything here--to what we'd be doing in the near future. 

No, we didn't get involved in serious, philosophical discussions.  Nor did we smoke (it's prohibited and not a habit of either conversationalist).  We stood, shared, and enjoyed our conversation.

Marge's husband joined in and the discussion flowed to his passion, fishing.  I have been three times, so I couldn't relate much, if at all, to his stories, but enjoyed them none the less.

My point? 

I don't know.  You see, I started this post months ago.  I had forgotten about it until I found it whatever it is that Blogger.com calls the place where my posts, both published and saved, are stored. 

As I re-read it, I changed "Summer Break Reading List" to "Semester Break Reading List" along with a few other editorial corrections.  I thought I could use this saved draft as my latest blog.  I can't because I haven't a clue as to where I was going with it.

Now, I have chosen to post it and publish it for all to see.  I started it with a confession and will end it similarly. 

I'm fairly certainly Simone is rolling in her grave, shocked at my audacity to 're-blog'. 

Hopefully, she's also grateful that I've given her something new to discuss with Sartre, et. al.  where ever they are. 

Contest Winner!

Attention, Dear Readers! 

As you may recall--and if you don't, scroll down to read it for yourself--I offered a contest to see who could come up with the best "re-purposing" idea and it was a tough decision.  Thank you to all the contest participants.  Your ideas were incredible, inspirational, and innovative.  I appreciate your efforts and am grateful that I have such brilliant followers! 

So, not to keep you in suspense any longer, I hereby declare, announce, and state that the winner is:

French Fries on Wednesday

French Fries offered a clever ideas of using a game table as wall art.  I noticed it in the background of her bowling pin book-end photo submission.  Two entries for the price of one.  It's easy to see why she is the winner! 

Check out the blog of this ultra-creative person:  http://frenchfriesonwednesday.blogspot.com/ 
I dare you not to leave her blog craving her mouth-watering recipes. 

It's my hope that you've enjoyed this contest; I hope to include others in the future. 

So, in keeping with the French theme, I end this post.

Jusqu'à la prochaine fois, mes chers lecteurs.

Simone de Beauvoir LIVE ! Sort of

I have found footage of Simone de Beauvoir and would like to share it with you, my dear reader.  I hope you enjoy it!  This footage was taken from youtube.com.  Modern technology never ceases to amaze me.

A First! So What's Next?

Having read my first book by Madame de Beauvoir and recorded my thoughts, I find myself excited at the prospect of a new challenge:  reading all eight of the books currently in my possession written by Simone de Beauvoir. 

Hardly an arduous task, but one that finds me trying to decide which one to start.  My collection--don't I sound like a bibliophile--of de Beauvoir consists of the following:

A Very Easy Death

All Said and Done

Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter

The Prime of Life

The Woman Destroyed

After the War Force of Circumstance

Force of Circumstance volume II

When Things of the Spirit Come First

So, beloved readers, if you have a preference or would care to encourage me to one particular book or another, I'd be forever in your gratitude.  At this moment, I think I may try Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter since it might flow nicely after the post about A Very Easy Death.  I can't help but be intrigued by The Woman Destroyed simply because of its title.

Non-Traditional

A Very Easy Death by Simone de Beauvoir

This small paperback, a mere 123 pages in length, is the firsthand account of the death of her mother. I chose to read this book for a number of reasons, the least of which was its length, which explained how I was able to read it in two nights. I’d never read any of Madame de Beauvoir’s work prior to this one and was interested as to her style of writing as well as her work in general. A Very Easy Death presented a way to appease my curiosity in addition to provide a possible connection between Simone and me. That it did.

I saw a number of commonalities, and in the end, I realized that despite language, lifestyle, and beliefs, Simone de Beauvoir and I do have commonalities. For example, we are both daughters, and although she had one sister, I have two. We both lost a parent rather suddenly; mine in less than twenty-four hours and hers in less than a year. Both our deceased parents died as a result of the same malady.  It is the relationship between mother and daughter that struck a chord with me. 
The mother-daughter relationship is as complex as it is simple. Simone describes hers as “a dependence both cherished and detested.” Well said, Madame de Beauvoir. Luckily my blog is not a psychological endeavor so Science and statistics will not be included: I will speak from personal experience. Furthermore, since the comments and thoughts are mine, I have the benefit of not citing any works, which, dear reader, is a complete joy!

According to my research, Francoise de Beauvoir was domineering and her religious beliefs clashed with those of her atheist daughter, Simone. It has been said that Francoise wanted the lives of her daughters—Simone and younger daughter, Poupette—to be the way she envisioned them and befitting the bourgeois lifestyle in which she grew up. To return to the list of commonalities with Madame de Beauvoir, suffice it to say that reading about her “daughter-hood” was akin to reading about my own .

To me, there is no greater weapon of mass destruction then imposing your will on someone else. I draw your attention to the strained relationship between mother and daughter de Beauvoir. The younger de Beauvoir wanted nothing to do with such traditions and way of life that her mother preferred. My mother wanted a traditional lifestyle for me as well: earn a college degree, get married, have babies while being the best wife (i.e., supporting my husband’s career through proper social behavior and attending events as the dutiful wife), raise the child(ren), send them off to college and watch the circle continue.

Since tradition was all I’d known, I didn’t have the opportunity to take in the bigger picture—that of Gloria Steinem, Betty Freidan, and all our “Foremothers” who pioneered the path of equality for women. I was raised on all those “happily ever after” stories. Too bad they don’t come with “troubleshooting” instructions since I never had a fairy godmother, seven short guys, a mermaid’s tail, or even a wicked stepmother to feed me apples.

I wanted my parents to be proud of me, and associating pride with love, I tried my darnedest to achieve that pride. When I went to college, I set about finding my college sweetheart so that we could live “happily ever after” despite my lack of a mermaid tail. The man I met and dated was a brilliant scholar, clearly on the corporate ladder and destined to achieve greatness. He earned his undergrad and graduate degrees quickly and with honors, and went about finding his niche. I earned my “Mrs.” Degree by choosing a man of whom my parents would approve and proceeded my walk down the traditional path. I packed my bags and followed along as the young wife. My parents approved of him whole heartedly. Why wouldn’t they? He was intelligent, ambitious, good-looking, and would take care of me “til death do us part”.

Update: we are both alive, but the marriage is not. Our daughter just graduated from college and our son completed his freshman year. He socializes with my family.

It is now, many years later, that I am living a somewhat non-traditional lifestyle. I am finishing the degree I started way back when and I’m certain of my major. Really! Granted the chances for a job were far greater had I graduated “on time”, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing. To me, being non-traditional means attending the collegiate commencement exercises of your child and finding it an inspiration to attend your own.

Housework in Space !

I was quickly reminded of Madame deBeauvoir's thoughts on domestic chores:  “Few tasks are more like the torture of Sisyphus than housework, with its endless repetition: the clean becomes soiled, the soiled is made clean, over and over, day after day.”

Even in space, domestic chores are futile!

For more amazing photos from space, click here

Prizes! Prizes! Oh My Prizes!

The prizes have started to arrive and my excitement continues to build about the contest.  Maybe it's the amazingly good-looking UPS man and his flirtatious ways that have me "twitterpaited" as Bambi would say. 

I know I have plenty of readers who are creative, so put on your "Re-Purposing" caps and get started.  One artistic reader offered using a beer stein as a pencil holder, a vase as a toothbrush holder (which counts as two re-purposes since the word can be pronounced with a long "a" or short one), and making a bracelet out of buttons.  Dare I say this reminded me of THE WATCH at Funky Chicken Art Project so much so that I needed a moment to collect myself before continuing to read.