At various points in my life I’ve kept a diary. When I was younger, I’d write my secrets down until I learned that my sister was reading them, then I stopped. Then in undergrad LiveJournal was popular. Remember that? Is it still around? Well, I think maybe I journaled for freshman year and then I was over it. In seeking recovery, I was encouraged to start journaling again and … [Read more...]
Archives for April 2016
Are You Guilty of ‘America’s Original Sin’?
Do white Christians play a role in perpetuating racism in America and, if so, what can be done about it? These are the questions Jim Wallis explores in his latest book, America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America. In it, he explains why racism is incompatible with Christianity and that it's time for white Christians to work to end … [Read more...]
Pump Up the Jam: A #Readathon Playlist Challenge
Today is a big day! First, it's World Book and Copyright Day but it's also Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon, which means over 2,000 readers (myself included) are reading for 24 hours straight. With a run that long, it's important to take a few minutes to get pumped up and get the blood flowing, which is why I've created a Pump Up the Jam Playlist. The following songs will help you to … [Read more...]
Women and Maternity Leave Dominate ‘The Creepshow’
As a woman in the workforce, I have experienced sexism. I have been patted on the head and told I'm doing a good job, was informed at age 17 that I couldn't work Friday nights because the boys wouldn't listen to me, and have had sexism mansplained to me in a variety of ways. Sometimes it's with the excuse that this sexism isn't as bad as it could be and with others it's … [Read more...]
Social Commentaries Abound in Franzen’s ‘Purity’
When it comes to Jonathan Franzen, people tend to either love him or hate him. Part of this is because he has a reputation for being wordy, but more likely it's because a lot of people think he's a jerk. As for me, I don't pay too much attention to his public battles and love his books. Purity is my second Franzen novel and while I didn't quite know what I was getting … [Read more...]