Monday 23 November 2009

Help! Where should I go?

So I am planning a 2-3 month holiday next year and I have the following potential schedules. Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Am I crazy? Are these feasible? etc.

Note that I have to visit New York City between April 28 - May 15 cos Anna will be there. this complicates things but is essential. cos Anna will be there.

To help you help me...

Tourism I like:
  • nature, big impressive nature. i like cities but quickly get bored and don't go out much.
  • food. new food, yummy food, vege food.
  • swimming and horse riding.
  • walking. not crazy hiking mind you. a little casual hiking. but mostly walking.
  • reading my book in picturesque settings or nice cafes.
  • obscure museums about weird little topics.
  • camping.
Tourism I don't like:
  • youth hostels full of drunk Americans / Australians / Brits.
  • I know this is a generalisation but I am way more of a museum person than an art gallery person. just am.
  • extreme heat. would rather snow.

With that in mind I give you...


Option 1:

apr 2 - 6: vancouver
apr 6 - 22: canada, various, def Alberta with side trip to Edmonton to see Bridgit
apr 23 - 26 washington dc
apr 27 - may 6: new york city
may 7 - 22: mexico
may 23 - 24: road trip to...
may 24 - 30: grand canyon and las vegas
may 31 - june 2: road trip to...
june 3 - 7: yosemite national park
june 8 - 14: san francisco june
15 - 17: LA


Option 2:
april 1 - 15: mexico
april 16 - 23: cuba
april 24 - 30: jamaica
may 1 - 12: NYC
may 12 - 16: Washington D.C
may 17 - 22: las vegas and grand canyon
may 23 - 25: road trip to...
may 26 - 30: yosemite national park
may 31 - june 7: san francisco
june 8 - 9: L.A

Option 3:

april 1 - 14: mexico
april 15 - 26: central america (guatemala? belize? costa rica? el salvador? nicaragua?)
april 27 - may 3: cuba
may 4 - 15: NYC
may 16 - 19: Washington D.C
may 20 - 26: las vegas and grand canyon
may 27 - 29: road trip to...
may 30 - june 2: yosemite national park
june 3 - 9: san francisco
june 10 - 11: L.A

Option 4:
april 1 - 6: san francisco
april 7 - 10: yosemite national park
april 11 - 13: road trip to...
april 14 - 19: las vegas and grand canyon
april 20 - 21: transit
april 22 - may 5: mexico
may 6 - 15: NYC
may 16 - 20: washington DC
may 21 - june ?: canada

ARGH. am going mad from excessive unproductive planning. someone do it for me. WAH.

...

Monday 9 November 2009

rape culture

News flash people!

None of the following cause rape:
- university colleges
- sports culture
- different ethnic groups
- alcohol
- drugs
- women (or men) walking home alone / flirting / wearing provocative clothing / sleeping around
- unclear consent

Rapists cause rape.

And rapists are found everywhere, in all professions, in all socio-economic groups, all ethnicities and all age groups. Rapists do not rape people because either party are drunk or drugged, they rape because they live in a culture that teaches them that they can.

I don't have the energy to rant more about this.
See Rape Culture 101

...

EDIT: I shot this off quickly and a friend has pointed out that it looks like I am suggesting that rapists are individuals acting without cultural influence.

Quite the opposite! I am suggesting that our entire culture is a rape culture (as in blog link above) and that claiming that only certain spaces are at fault suggests that this problem isn't widespread; doesn't permeate EVERY part of our society; is the fault of "bad egg" groups.

I don't mean to say that the media shouldn't highlight groups and causes as they arise, but that the discourse shouldn't claim that these little groups or catalysts cause rape in a vacuum. Rape Culture is everywhere.

Followers

The Blurb

For maevegobash: yeah, I just like thinking/writing/talking about myself. That's what blogs are for, right? For vegepalooza: I have been vegetarian for 25 years now - so that's always for me. My mothers cooked a storm up in the kitchen and I am carrying the torch filling my friends bellies at every opportunity. I love food and want to share my recipes, tips and tricks here to encourage creative vegetarian eating. There will also be a lot of vegan recipes for my friends with more willpower than me (sorry kids, I just love the cheese). Anyway enjoy, feel free to criticise and most of all Happy Eating!