ownership as source of construction of self pt. II

item 3: nearly boiling water.

google search meaning of: almost boiling water. who does this make me? (lazy? impatient? unwilling to commit?)

Did you know: there are no less than 820 comments by marginally witty people on epicurious's recipe page for 'salted water for boiling'? one was posted less than 20 days ago. the oldest was posted in 2001. will there be celebrations when 'salted water for boiling' reaches a decade of marginally witty comments? i'd celebrate it. i'd boil water for it. then i'd post something marginally witty. then, hopefully, i'd die.

(from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Salted-Water-for-Boiling-105591)

Lessons learned: nothing about myself, because i am an american. BUT if i were canadian (socialists!), i'd have to boil my water all the time for fear of death! (see below) my impatience would be my downfall, particularly if i were a member of the first nation, which i am not at all. i'm just a member of the neo-colonial nation. sigh.

(from: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2335191)

ownership as source of construction of self

if i were to look at what i possess:

can a self be constructed from mere trifles, baubles, knickknacks, gewgaws, pittances, chump change, toys?

meaning of: XXX

google search.

in non-discerning reverse order.

item 1: dog.

google search meaning of: dog ownership. who does this make me?

Did you know: "Previous literature has shown gender differences in human-animal interactions. However, differences in the meaning of dog ownership have not been examined. In this paper, I attempt to discover if there are differences in the meaning of dogs to their owners by interviewing 35 dog owners in a Midwestern city. Findings revealed that dog owners give different meanings to their dogs based on gender and marital status. Marital status differences hinge on gender in this study. Women and single men were more likely to view their dogs as companions and emotional support. Married men were more likely to view their dogs as a form of instrumental support." (from: www.allacademic.com, a go-to source for... who exactly?)

Therefore, kenan, donc, thus: I should a.) really be midwestern for this to apply (some controls are faulty in every experiment, this being no exception), b.) rely on my dog for emotional support, and c.) treat my dog differently than would a married man.

~.~.~.~

item 2: record player/olde tyme stereo.

google search meaning of: owning a record player. who does this make me?

Did you know: it took zestycoyote (below) 200 days to purchase a record player?

It took me

200 days

It made me

happy

"Finally prioritized this purchase and I am happy about it."

How I did it: A website was selling a record player for $60. I used part of my federal tax return to buy it. I usually forgot to look for discount record players, but saw this one by chance today.

Lessons & tips: Wait for a good price.

---

Apr 11, 12:05PM PDT | 0 comments

(from: www.43things.com)

Lessons learned: by already owning a record player i am 200 days ahead of zestycoyote. this should please me, as much as it pleased him. i should be happy because of my record player ownership.

Wendy Brown

Brown, a professor at UC Berkeley, a brilliant writer and mentor/advisor to my own advisor at GWU, Libby Anker, produces work I admire greatly, and utilizes a method similar to what I'd like to make my own: that is, eschewing disciplines as such in order to create formulations that combine, rather than constrict, politics, critical theory, psychoanalysis, Marxism, intellectual history, gender studies (feminist studies/queer studies), and, in this lecture especially, transnational history, globalization, and the study of built structures. She is, as should be clear already just given her lengthy list of interests, amazing.

Here is a link to her lecture, "Why do people want walls?" when, she adds, "walls don't actually do anything". Her views of the division currently taking place between the nation-state and the concept of sovereignty is clear, concise, and yet still surprising. Her ideas expose themselves like small diamonds, clear, sharp - as though they're something you already know, or should already know, but don't yet, and then there it is: she shows you just what you should've known before. Really quite incredible.

I'm listening to this as I post it, simply because I'm so excited to make sure that others see how incredibly Brown's mind functions. Perhaps I'll post again with a response, or with more exciting things.

The lecture comes from a site I'm interested in exploring further, but - as I said - I am too excited by Brown's words to do anything but post this lecture immediately.

Enjoy.