This is based on “From What Privileges Do You Have?,” an exercise about
class and privilege developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen,
Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University.
Green means I answered yes.
1. Father went to college
2. Father finished college
3. Mother went to college She took some classes as an adult, but never enrolled in a degree program that I know of.
4. Mother finished college
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor. a cousin
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home.
9. Were read children’s books by a parent
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18.
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively. This one is borderline.
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18.
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs. They helped a lot, but loans and scholarships were more than 50%.
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs.
16. Went to a private high school.
17. Went to summer camp.
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18.
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels.
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18. The next sister up from me is 9 years older, so hand-me-downs weren't really an option. I'm sure she had lots of them.
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them.
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child.
23. You and your family lived in a single-family house.
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home.
25. You had your own room as a child. Not all the time, and when I did it was because my siblings were grown. There were times when three of us were in one room.
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18.
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course.
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school.
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college.
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16. My oldest brother moved to Texas when I was little, so we flew there from the Midwest for his wedding and for another visit or two.
31. Went on a cruise with your family.
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family.
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up. Seldom, but it did happen. However, we were always had a membership to a swimming pool.
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family.
12 out of 34. No analysis of what that means.
Wayfarer Scientista tagged me for my very first meme, that requires 8 responses to several topics. Turns out, it’s a hard one. For most of these categories, I could quickly think of 4 or 5 things, but to come up with 8 was difficult. Like Wayfarer, mine are not in any order.
8 passions
1. my research subject. I believe all historical, political, and ecological phenomenon result from the thing I study.
2. my family and close friends
3. the complexity and elegance of nature
4. knitting, although my interest has waned lately
5. women-in-science issues, actually equality-for-women issues, although I have no formal training in women’s studies.
6. blogs, because of number 5 and because I like the community.
7. my relationship with ecogeoman
8. politics, especially environmental issues
8 things to do before I die
1. get married
2. have children
3. get a paper published
4. see a paper cited at least once
5. learn to enjoy a physical activity. I’d like to take up running or a sport long enough to start to like it.
6. live near my family
7. take a vacation that is not to visit anyone. To a beach. Not camping. When I have saved up for it so I’m not worried about money and will order all the pina coladas I want without feeling guilty about the credit card balance. Or taking off work.
8. take a class (like pottery or pilates) that results in new friends. This would be different for me because the friends would not be related to work in any way and would be an outcome of my initiative.
8 things I often say
1. Can you just …? For example, when ecogeoman is working later than I’d like, “can you just come home now?”
2. “Butt”, or replacing syllables in other words with “butt” as in abuttment rather than apartment. More often, butt gets inserted into people’s names.
3. b!tch a*s mother f**cker
4. dude
5. “Well” when I’m exasperated, but I pronounce it more like “wool”. Ecogeoman really makes fun of this.
6. “you’re so good” Always meant sincerely.
7. “enough is as good as a feast.” I think this more than I say it.
8. “and the other thing is…” My way of ranting or continuing a dying conversation.
8 books I recently read
1. Currently, A women of Independent Means by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey
2. Started Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus by John Gray because I promised Awesome Technician I would, against my better judgment. I didn’t get past chapter 3.
3. Started The End of Faith by Sam Harris because I told Ecogeoman I would. I didn’t get past chapter 3.
4. Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
5. The Stranger by Albert Camus
6. The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan
7. The Children’s Blizzard by David Laskin
8. Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng
8 songs that mean something to me
1. “Every Time You Go Away” by Paul Young because S3 and I decided it was “our song” when she was in college and I was a little kid. I would sob every time she left to go back to school after a break.
2. “No Rain” by Blind Melon because it’s my favorite song ever.
3. “You Are My Sunshine” because my mom used to sing it with my aunt when they were little kids. Since my aunt died, we all think of her when we hear that song.
4. Anything from Fashion Nugget by Cake, because for some reason I played it continuously my sophomore year of college.
5. “Manic Monday” by the Bangles because it was the first song I learned the lyrics for.
6. “Deacon Blues” by Steely Dan, because I used to argue that Steely Dan sucked with a very good friend who loved them and who died 18 months ago. Any Steely Dan song reminds me of him, but Deacon Blues is my least favorite and the one we debated most.
7. Any song on The Big Chill soundtrack, which S2 and I used to always listen and sing to, especially in the car.
8. “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen because it somehow ended up on nearly every mix cd I have.
8 qualities I look for in a friend
1. trustworthiness
2. intelligence
3. silly sense of humor
4. low maintenance
5. positive
6. non judgmental
7. not too materialistic
8. common interests
8 people who's blogs I enjoy and who may consider themselves tagged if they wish
1. A Cat Nap
2. A Mad Tea-Party
3. Everything and More
4. Just a Girl
5. Mother of All Scientists
6. Rising to the Occasion
7. The Bean Chronicles
8. Unbalanced Reaction
