a little update

I know it has been awhile! School picked up and got really busy. I have been working on facilitation, research proposals, and keeping up with massive amounts of reading. The term is over on 11th December, when I will try to write a longer post about how everything is going.

Tonight was the holiday party for the GI. There was some amazing mulled wine, mince pies, and other treats. It was held in the GI space, lots of students, and all of the faculty attended. I've made a nice little group of friends, and so I spent the evening mostly socializing with them. I like the general feel of the GI, and the professors are so nice to socialize with.

Ellie is working until 1:30am every night for the rest of the week, and all next week! So I am home alone in the evenings. Its a bit lonely at home alone, but I am trying to get work for school done. She is still looking for runner jobs and currently working for an events staffing company.

I am going to turn in early I think, I have been sick on and off, so I am trying to sleep as much as I can. Tomorrow I am facilitating in my "Cultural Constructions of the Body" class. The topic is "Precarious Bodies" - the assigned readings are about how perpetrators/enemies/terrorists are embodied in terms of racialized masculinity, heteronormativity, etc. I've been reading a lot about violence, prisons, terrorism, and Abu Ghraib this week and it has been quite difficult. The lecturer for this week showed a few pictures from the Abu Ghraib scandal, which caused quite an uproar from students. I felt it was inappropriate and kind of traumatizing, even though I understood the learning objectives. The pictures bear a striking resemblance to pictures taken during the slavery era in the US as well as pictures of racial violence against African Americans in general (gatherings when people were hung, etc).

If you are looking for something to read about prisoners rights, I would recommend "Are Prisons Obsolete?" by Angela Davis - not if you're looking for a light read though!

Feels like Saturday...

Last night Ellie and I went to an event held at Imperial College to launch Stonewall UK's job recruitment guide. The event launched the guide and was also a networking event for students and other job-seekers to meet with queer-friendly employers. They had free wine and canape. I did some networking! I met this American man who works for Stonewall, he moved to the UK to be with his partner, he got his master's at the GI! We have a lot in common. He gave me his card, so I am going to make sure to keep in touch. He also said he would connect me with one of his colleagues who works with LGB youth, as that is where a lot of my experience lies. Ellie talked with someone from the Arts Council and has a possible internship! All very exciting.

Today I have not done very much! It is nice to relax. I have been sick with a cold, but today started feeling a lot better. Tonight we're going to a vigil against hate crimes in Trafalgar Square.