University papers

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Blood, Bread, & Roses — and Death of Nature

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In a brilliantly re-creative intellectual thread, in 1993 feminist lesbian poet Judy Grahn re-members and reclaims the sacrality of women and menstruation in her Blood, Bread, and Roses: How Menstruation Created the World. She notes with startling clarity that, “All origin stories are true” (7), as she offers us a radical new origin myth for…

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Aikido & Art as a Spiritual Path & a Beautiful Necessity

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The first movements into spiritually inspired re-embodiment which I discovered came (unsurprisingly) from men, and originated outside the United States. Morihei Ueshiba, the now-deceased creator of aikido, envisioned his martial art through the process of several spiritual awakenings: as a spirit of loving protection which is to protect and cultivate all beings in nature. Ueshiba…

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Coming down to the wire at a gallop…

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On schoolwork Only two and a half weeks left in the semester, and my comprehensive essay is coming together nicely — thank goodness. I’ve got the Conclusion roughed out, the Introduction mostly done, and only four book reviews out of 36 left to write. Go, me! Considering that it’s getting a little frenetic here, though,…

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Self-encouragement!

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Is it just me, or is it always easier to remember the disparaging things you’ve heard about yourself? For that matter, why is it always so hard to remember the good things you know are true about yourself? I know I’m intelligent, and I have friends I trust who have given me many sincere compliments…

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Journaling on selecting methodologies, pt. 2

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To continue from yesterday, my gut feeling is that if I’m truly, reflectively performing a women’s spirituality methodology, then I should already be integrating much of what is of value in these transformative methodological frameworks. I think, however, it would be respectful to note when I am specifically “calling out” some related aspect of these…

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Journaling on selecting methodologies, pt. 1

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I think best when writing. I am, therefore, considering methodologies for writing future papers, and simultaneously doing a quick review of them. This should aid me in both improving my vocabulary (as in much use of unfamiliar terms will assist me in becoming more comfortable with them), and in familiarizing myself with the various methodologies….

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The ASWM Conference! part 4

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Oh, again! Almost forgot: the bus driver on the way out to the hotel was an old Asian man, and on the way back was an old Italian man. Both of them were really nice folks, happy to help me get the right stop. It’s interesting: clearly my small rolling suitcase and my using actual…

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The ASWM Presentation! part 3

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There were some amazing names present at the conference — women whose writings I’ve read and been moved by; women I’ve read about as ground-breaking in the field. It was really nice to be able to meet them, even if some of it was just a handshake and a sincere, “Thank you so much for…

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The ASWM Presentation! part 2

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Heehee! This stream-of-consciousness stuff is way fun — but I’m almost afraid to re-read it later, for fear I’ll want to bang my head against my desk or something! No matter — the muse rides with me today! :) So! The regular MUNI buses were full but not bad for a Sunday, with lots and…

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The ASWM Presentation! part 1

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Hastily typed out in stream of consciousness, while returning from the ASWM (Association for the Study of Women & Mythology) Conference — typing on BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) & I’ve still got a head churningly full of wonderful, fascinating, intriguing ideas! Still tremendously gleeful at how well my presentation went too. One of my…