flattery

A former professor has flattered me into agreeing to write an 800 word review of a book about gender in the Middle East.
He called me "brilliant."
No, I am not getting paid to read the massive and probably depressing book or to write the very long review that will be published in an acdemic journal that many people love to read and criticize (hence forcing me to write in an agony of self-doubt).
Damnit.
Flattery. It works. Damnit.

And a pitch for an article for a magazine is taking wayyyyy to long to get past the editor. It's not even an accepted pitch and I've spent hours on it. Again, no money!!

I've really got to stop working for free. I work for free at home already (cooking, cleaning, etc).

I write this blog for LOVE. :) And to prove that Hugo can climb stairs.

Although some flattery would help too.

Oh, America, America.

I know, you aren't surprised. I'm not sure why I was.
That I cried during Obama's speech on Tuesday. And that Vita and I both cried, sitting on the floor, Hugo asleep in my lap, the TV glowing like some messianic cloud.
That's what it felt like - revelationary. Hopefully Obama will also be revolutionary.

Unlike those dumbasses who voted against unmarried parents being able to adopt or foster.
And who denied gay people marriages or legal civil unions. And the even dumber asses (worse because they should know better) at the Globe and Mail who subtitled the story about it as a "family values" story:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/freeheadlines/LAC/20081106/ELECTCALIFORNIA06/international/International

No way. Homophobia and meanness are not family values.
Homophobia and mean-spiritedness are how fear, self-doubt, fragility and emotional laziness manifest.

So, Americans are good for electing Obama.
And many of them are horrid for being legal homophobes.

Who is the cutest baby tiger EVER?